WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
July 16, 2026
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SCHOOL SUPPLY GIVEAWAY
Many of our churches reach out to their communities with school backpack giveaways this time of year. If your church does something like this, let Damon or Elaine know details and provide pictures for future newsletters!
Here is a report from Melrose FBC which had their giveaway on July 11.
Melrose FBC Backpack Packing Party
So grateful to everyone who helped with this event! We will have ministered to 50+ kids before it is all said and done with.
Every person that came through had supplies given, food provided, prayer, conversations, gospel shared or something else important reach to them.
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Notes From Our
Director of Missions
On Monday the Executive Board of our association met for our quarterly session. We had a great meeting conducting the business of the Association and planning for ministries and projects in the future. In case you do not know, the elected leaders of our association are: Moderator Rusty Kenyon, Vice-Moderator Tommy Hohstadt, John Combs, Beau Lamb, Tyler Eanes, Shelia Owen, Jim Peabody, Joe Sparks and Steve Smith. I appreciate these folks - they do a great job representing our churches and thoughtfully working together to make certain the business of our Association is done right. The work of our staff members, Elaine Williford and Fathom Page, makes this stewardship possible also. Some of these folks drive long distances to invest precious time in meeting together. They represent our churches well. If you have a chance this week let them know how much you appreciate their service.
This last Sunday afternoon Bonnie and I were blessed to join with a standing room only crowd at Iglesia Bautista Belen for a great time of worship featuring musicians from our sister Hispanic churches across Eastern New Mexico. There were folks from churches as far south as Hobbs, Lovington and Roswell joining with our Tri-Area congregations with more than 150 people worshipping and fellowshipping together. It was a preview of what Heaven will be like.
I especially appreciate our BCNM Regional Missionary Mario Navarro for joining me and helping me understand everything that was being said.
The evening was the most fun I've had in a long time.
There are couple of important mission opportunities I need to remind you of today.
First, we have an important meeting today (if you are reading this Thursday morning) at 10 am at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Portales to set some dates and make some plans for our mission partnership in Honduras. Several have told me they plan on joining us for that meeting. if you cannot make it in person, you may join us via ZOOM by using this link:
Honduras Mission Meeting Zoom Link
I am excited about this partnership project. If you are even feeling a SLIGHT sense of leadership to join us, come to this meeting Thursday.
Second, we are weeks away from the second of the BCNM's "One Day" Mission Trip to Roswell in September. There will be mission projects for every member of our churches. In a meeting Monday we were told that registrations are going well for this project. Here is the link for more information, and to register:
One Day Info and Registration
Bonnie and I are excited to host the monthly Clovis area Pastors and Wives for dinner and fellowship next Thursday. (This is rescheduled from the 15th to the 22nd.) If you missed the earlier fellowships for Portales and Tucumcari area pastors, we would love for you to join us at this fellowship also. We will meet at 6 pm at our home - 1212 Rosewood Drive in Clovis. Send me a text or click here to register:
Pastor/Wives Fellowship
This Friday-Saturday is the 1613 Men's Conference Simulcast being hosted by Highland Baptist Church in Clovis. The cost is only $5 per person and it promises to be a high-impact weekend. Guys join us, and bring some brothers with you. Click on this link to register:
1613 Men's Conference Registration
This has been my view for many hours over the last three months. I have been privileged to serve as your Director of Missions. I have preached in seven churches, led worship in another, and I have visited 10 more churches on either Sunday or Wednesday. I have traveled a little over 4600 miles, and each has been a blessing. Thank you for allowing me to serve with you. If I can help you in any way, please reach out. If I have not visited your church yet, I will be there as fast as I can.
Damon
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Damon's Supply Schedule
Damon is scheduled to preach in the following churches on these dates:
- July 19: First Spanish Tucumcari
- July 26: Emmanuel Portales
- August 30: FBC Ft Sumner
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The Tri-Area Baptist Association Executive Board met on Monday, July 13, 2026 for their quarterly meeting. Damon Pearce opened the meeting with a short devotion and prayer. They reviewed and approved minutes from the April meeting and the financial reports. Damon brought a Director of Missions report about where he has been serving and visiting with churches and up-coming plans for the association. Those plans include lots of potential leadership training in various parts of ministry and a Week of Prayer for the Association in October.
It was decided to create a Disaster Relief Coordinator position for the Association and Jim Hogg was selected to be that person. This is a non-paid position and operates similar to the VBS Coordinator position that LaNell Leatherwood has filled so well for several years for the association. Jim was a guest at the meeting and talked about recent major equipment purchases that he and his wife, Deanna, helped the New Mexico Baptist Disaster Relief in completing. He also mentioned that he plans to visit with each church in the association to promote NMBDR.
Among other topics discussed were the possibility of the association purchasing a pick-up or van for use by churches needing transportation for trips and for disaster relief trailer transport. There have been several requests in the past for churches to make available vans or small trailers or pickups to transport other church's members to camps or mission trips. As we continue to add to the Disaster Relief trailer/equipment storage in our area, the need for a vehicle to transport those also increases. A committee was set to look at purchasing a vehicle and insurance and other issues that such a purchase could have on the association.
Damon mentioned that there is a Honduras Mission Trip Planning Meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 10:00 am. If you would like to join via zoom, please let Elaine know ASAP and she will send you the zoom information or click the link in Damon's notes above.
There was discussion of the Children's Hunger Fund program that the association has been involved with. Sarette Balderston is going to begin to serve as the coordinator, alongside Sheila Owen who has been doing this so well.
Revisions to the By-Laws were discussed. One area that needs to be revised will be referred to BCNM for guidance. Churches of the association will be notified of any proposed changes to the By-Laws at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting in October so they can be voted on at the meeting.
It was decided to purchase hitch locks. for each of the trailers the association owns that do not currently have locks.
The meeting ended with prayer led by Moderator Rusty Kenyon.
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Here is the remaining date and theme for VBS that we have learned about. If you don't see your church's information, please share that with Damon or Elaine.
July 19-23 University Illumination Station
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Encouraging Our Churches
Thru Prayer
We have started a "Churches Praying for Churches" emphasis each week, encouraging our congregations to promote prayer for fellow congregations in the Tri-Area. Each week we will focus on three congregations going down the list in alphabetical order. This is the third week, so here is the prayer emphasis for the week of July 19:
Highland is having a Prayer Meeting at their church each Tuesday night at 7:30 pm and they have invited anyone who would to come join them to pray for this matter to be settled so they can make repairs to their building. Even those who cannot meet at the church may join in the prayer time on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm.
Please join me in praying for this congregation, their staff, and their insurance company for the Lord to guide them into a process to get this completed so this church can repair their facilities.
Thank you for joining us in these priorities for prayer. There is power in our cooperative cry out to our Lord for these needs and others.
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JOIN OUR PRAYER TEAM
If you would like to join our Tri-Area Prayer Team, text your first and last name to Elaine at 575-714-7788. She will pass along prayer needs via a text message that are submitted by our churches.
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PRAY FOR MISSIONARIES WITH
NEW MEXICO TIES
Would you like to receive monthly updates from IMB missionaries with NM ties? Emily Taigaafi prepares the WMU prayer update newsletter. You can sign up to receive the newsletter by clicking on this LINK.
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Click HERE to check out the Good Books section of our website. We also have a Spanish version called Buenos Libros which you can check out by clicking HERE.
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The Book of the Week is The Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our Humanity by Carl Trueman.
It is listed with Ethics Section of the Good Books tab under Encourage portion of our website.
From the author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, an account of how the rejection of the imago Dei is unraveling Western culture and how we might recover what it means to be truly human.
As church attendance falls, suicide rates climb, and birth rates plummet, Christian pundits have suggested disenchantment and the loss of tradition are to blame for our spiritual malaise. But what if the problem is both much simpler and much more serious?
In The Desecration of Man, Carl Trueman argues that modern man's crisis of meaning stems from a rejection of a simple fact—that he was made in the image of God. Unmoored from the basic moral fact that secures human dignity, we violently disrespect our own minds and bodies through abortion, pornography, casual sex, gender transitions, and more—and in this disrespect we blaspheme against God himself, with devastating practical and spiritual consequences.
With gentle pastoral wisdom, deep insight into church history, and an impressive command of philosophical genealogies, The Desecration of Man speaks to those troubled by the spiritual sickness of our time and points toward consecration to a God who is alive and loving as a solution. The Early Church triumphed over Rome because it offered life in place of death. It is time for modern Christians to offer the same kind of vision.
CLICK if you want to purchase this resource from Amazon. It may be available through other sources as well.
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Ministerial Staff Searches
Submit a résumé and cover letter by sending it to the following address:
Iglesia Bautista Belen
Senior Pastor Position
820 N. Reid
PO Box 2046
Clovis, New Mexico 88102
First Baptist Church
Senior Pastor Position
226 Avenue A
PO Box 275
Dora, New Mexico 88115
First Baptist Church
Senior Pastor Position
100 S Avenue C
Portales, NM 88130
Central Baptist Church
Senior Pastor Position
Applicants can find additional information at searchteam@connect2central.com or by using the following QR code:
Central is also seeking their next Worship Pastor and Student Pastor. Learn more about applying for these positions HERE. You can mail application/résumé to:
Central Baptist Church
Worship Pastor Position
Youth Pastor Position
2501 N Norris
Clovis NM 88101
First Baptist Church Logan
Senior Pastor Search
Email your cover letter and résumé to
Nick Bradfield
Pulpit Committee Secretary
nbradfield@hc.edu
First Hispanic Baptist Church - Tucumcari
Senor Pastor Search - Bi-lingual and Bi-vocational
PO BX 972
Tucumcari, NM 88401
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June FINANCIAL REPORT
Beginning June 1 $70,678.33
Receipts 11,872.47
Disbursals 11,245.42
Balance June 30 $71,305.38
Please make any checks you send payable to the Tri-Area Baptist Association and mail them to 1100 W. Mañana Blvd, Clovis NM 88101
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IMPORTANT DATES
Have an event coming up at your church? Email us at tri.area.baptist.association@gmail.com or
send us a text message at 575-714-7788.
July 2026 -
16th - Clovis-Area Ministers Fellowship 6:00 p.m.
17-18th - 1613 Men's Conference Simulcast, Highland
September 2026
12th - Pastor Retreat with Richard Blackaby - Parkland 8:30 a.m.
26th - One Day Mission
October 2026
18-24 - Week of Prayer for Association
19 - 20 - BCNM Annual Meeting - Eastern Hills Albuquerque
24th - Tri-Area Association Meeting - FBC Melrose - 4:00 p.m.
Got a question about any of the above events? Call Elaine at 575-714-7788.
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PRAY FOR NEEDS
IN OUR ASSOCIATION
New or updated requests appear below in bold type.
Pray for all those involved with Vacation Bible School.
Pray for the potential mission work in Honduras.
Pray for potential Kenya mission trip.
Pray for Ronna Jordan and the ministry to provide water wells in Kenya.
Pray for the potential new ministry between Oklahoma Baptist University and the prison at Santa Rosa.
Pray for Foundations of Faith Dairy Ministry.
Pray for our pastorless churches: Iglesia Bautista Belen in Clovis, FBC Dora, FBC Portales, Central Clovis, and First Hispanic Tucumcari.
Pray for the Christian Challenge ministry at Eastern.
Pray for all our pastors and other ministerial staff and leaders.
Pray for Joel Castro and his wife, Sara, from Honduras, that they might be able to secure the necessary visas to come to the U.S.
Pray for Carlos Cervantes and his wife, Adrianna, from Mexico, that they might be able to secure the necessary visas to come to the U.S.
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Helpful Links
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Click HERE to go to their website.
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Copyright © 2019 Tri-Area Baptist Association, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is: 1100 W. Mañana Clovis, NM 88101
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