Tim’s requests to his new congregation:
(Which can apply to all of us!)
- Prioritize Sunday morning attendance again if you’ve gotten out of the habit.
- Join a Sunday School class for Bible teaching and friendship.
- Participate in a Sunday night or Wednesday night study.
- Join the choir.
- Volunteer to help the church in a way that appeals to you.
Tim Marsh is pastor of First Baptist Church, Laurens, September 2022.
Tim’s Education
Duke Divinity School: Master of Theology (ThM) New Testament Major, Theology and Ethics Minor, 2005 – 2007
Beeson Divinity School, Samford University: Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Divinity, 2000 – 2003
Samford University: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Religion/Religious Studies, 1996 – 2000
Tim is working on a doctor of ministry degree at Gardner-Webb.
Tim Marsh and his wife Rebecca spent a weekend in August in Laurens, meeting the congregation and getting to know FBC. David Hull, former long-time pastor at Laurens, has been interim.
By Tim Marsh
From the FBC Laurens September Newsletter
The month of August was a roller coaster for us. Rebecca and I returned from our weekend in Laurens to begin the process of saying “goodbye” to the wonderful people at First Baptist Rutherfordton, who have been our church family for the past ten years.
Rebecca finished a two-week notice with her wonderful children at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary school (which began school on July 18). Her students begged her not to leave, and a few suggested that she “break up” with me. Thaht gave Rebecca an opportunity to share about God’s calling on our lives but also an opportunity to tell them how much she will miss them.
John Alan is now enrolled at Gardner-Webb, living on campus and beginning his college career. Natalie began high school at Laurens District 55 High School to warm welcomes from FBCL teachers and youth alike!
And you recently said goodbye to David Hull for a second time. David provided outstanding leadership during the interim and spoke so highly of his time with you in the 1980s and 1990s.
While August was a month of goodbye, September provides opportunities to say hello. This could be a time for you to begin again. It can be a time to say hello to something new. That’s the beautiful thing about the story of God we find ourselves in! In Christ we may begin again. If we need forgiveness, we can find it. If we feel God’s leadership for new opportunities, the Spirit will lead us. We simply must be faithful to respond to God’s calling in our lives.
August may have been a month of goodbyes, but September is here with the promise of a hello to new beginnings.