Maytown church members stay informed about Baptist life with state paper

Maytown Baptist Church in Bessemer Association is located on Alabama Highway 269 (Birmingport Road) about seven or eight miles west of Birmingham. The church was started in 1911, and John Killian has served as pastor since May 1998.
   
Unsurprisingly, there is a strong emphasis on the Bible at Maytown. The prominent message board in front of the church recently read “Lord, thank You for Your precious Word.”
   
Pastor Killian said, “On Sunday mornings I am preaching on the life of Christ. Since the first of the year, on Sunday nights I have been preaching from the Minor Prophets. And on Wednesday nights I am in First Corinthians.”
   
After Killian finished school at Tennessee Temple University, he received his master’s degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Now he is working on his doctorate through New Orleans. For five years he has taught courses at the seminary’s Birmingham Extension Center.
   
Killian pointed out some of the church’s main emphases. “We have a tremendous music program for all ages,” he said. “Our music minister is Lee Majors, and our student minister is Matthew Wilson. We are starting TeamKID this fall. We think this will increase our outreach among younger children.”
   
This summer’s plans for Maytown included Vacation Bible School in June, a patriotic service in July and homecoming in August.
   
“We had a great Vacation Bible School,” Killian said. “They do a great job every year. We had decisions made and wonderful cooperation. We know that eternity was touched by the four souls who trusted Christ as Savior.”
   
Independence Day festivities were set for July 2. Plans for the big patriotic evening included a barbecue dinner, fireworks and a guest speaker.
   
To make the evening extra special, the church invited Gary Carlyle to bring the message. Principal of Sylvania High School in DeKalb County, Carlyle has made statewide news by supporting student-led expressions of faith in Christ.
  
 “He is really good,” Killian said.
Church members are also looking forward to Maytown’s homecoming celebration Aug. 10. Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, will be the guest preacher that day.
   
Killian noted that Lance served as pastor of two churches in the West End area of Birmingham years ago. “We have a lot of people who came from that area and know him,” he said.
   
The Maytown church helps its members stay aware of activities of sister churches throughout the state by furnishing The Alabama Baptist to all its resident families.
   
Killian pointed out the state Baptist paper also keeps readers aware of the benefits of giving through the Cooperative Program. “I am glad our members find exposure to where their missions money is going, and they get a perspective of what is going on in Baptist life.
   
“Personally, I like reading news about the Alabama Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention,” he added.
   
Killian expressed his appreciation for the paper’s inclusion of news about Christians around the world who are discriminated against and attacked by people of other religions and even by government officials. “I am glad that our people have access to information about members of our Christian family who face persecution for the name of Christ,” Killian said. “I am glad we can get a perspective outside our own area, and reading The Alabama Baptist does that.
   
“I like for our folks to view news about religion through a Baptist lens. There are other good Christian publications, but they do not cover the news from a Baptist viewpoint,” the pastor noted.
   
More than a year ago Maytown began using the local edition service of The Alabama Baptist to deliver its church newsletter on the outside of the paper. “We tried it on a true trial basis,” Killian said. “After the trial period we were sold on it. We saw it was well worthwhile.”
   
He termed the newsletter arrangement “an efficient use of the Lord’s money. We figured out that we would save thousands of dollars per year. That really rang home,” he said. “This last year I have heard of a lot of churches being tight on money. I can’t help thinking that many churches could use the savings in cost for other ministry.”
   
Killian noted another benefit: “Our secretaries are under much less stress now. They are able to do more people work,” he said. “They don’t have to be sorting the newsletter, using tabs, labels and such. I have been able to see other things getting done instead of hearing, ‘We have to do the newsletter right now.’”
   
Church secretary Wanda Thompson said, “I would hate to go back to the way we used to do it. It would be like punishment to do that. It is much more efficient now,” she said. “We are being better stewards. It is much better use of the time in the office. We are able to accomplish so much more now,” she added.
   
Part-time church secretary Jennifer Parsons has been a member at Maytown for 26 years and has been composing the church newsletter for two and a half years. “It used to take all day Monday and all day Tuesday,” she said. “The time has been cut remarkably. Now it takes only about a fourth of the time.”
   
She called The Alabama Baptist staff “very efficient and supportive. They are just great to help us. And I am able to help the church a lot more in the hours that I work there.”
Parsons taught school 17 years, the last 11 at Pleasant Grove Elementary School. “Third grade was my favorite,” she said. “You get to teach students research skills they will use throughout their lifetime.”
   
She now works with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and supervises student teachers. She began serving on the Jefferson County Board of Education four and a half years ago and was elected as its president last November.
   
Parsons is glad all families in the church get The Alabama Baptist. “I read it cover to cover,” she said. 
   
Pastor Killian previously served churches in North Jefferson and Walker associations. Both he and his wife, Jeanie, grew up in the Birmingham area. They have two children, John, 17, and Sarah, 14.
   
Killian said, “This is a loving, supporting, cooperative church. I have enjoyed every week of the five years I have been here.”