When cataclysmic
developments forced Antioch Baptist Church to give Fred Weber 30 days notice to
clear the parsonage, he had nowhere to go.
Weber, minister of music at
the church for three years, “went into full prayer mode,” he said, asking God,
“What do you have for me now?”
Wisely, he contacted his
network of friends and colleagues but he also availed himself of the services
of the church health team at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
Weber is more connected than
most, being an active participant and leader in State Convention activities for
people in his field. He is chairman of the instrumental team for North Carolina
Baptist musicians and has participated in Baptist Singers since 1998.
He found serious help in the
services offered through the Convention.
“They were a real godsend to
me, and not just financially,” Weber said. Besides emergency assistance, the
Convention lined Weber up to participate in a healing conference and a personal
ministry consultation, which reaffirmed his giftedness and calling.
“It verified everything God
has placed me into the ministry for,” said Weber, who early in life had “never
dreamed” of being in ministry, but was called into it almost like the rush of a
mighty wind while he was in the Army in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“God hit me with a
lightening bolt, and I suddenly had a burning desire to do it,” he said.
Weber is currently minister
of music at Unity Baptist Church in Gastonia where he started fulltime Aug. 22.
The intensive
self-evaluation that was a part of the Convention’s services “absolutely no
doubt confirmed what God has made me to be,” Weber said. “It reminded me of
that and helped me to see my situation in light of what other people are going
through.”
“I am grateful that the
Convention has that without doubt,” he said. “It is an asset to anyone who is
in that situation and there are a lot of ministers in that situation right
now.”
Weber is a native of Enid,
Okla. He and Denise have been married 29 years and have three adult children,
including a daughter who was married the day before Weber’s church informed him
they were letting him go.
He sensed something dramatic
and negative was likely to happen because he could see the signs. But he hoped
the church would let him stay in the parsonage while he looked for new work.
Fortunately a church member
who had a rental house just become vacant told Weber he could stay there, and
pay him rent when he could afford it.
The house was in Lincolnton,
close to Gastonia, which is another reason Weber feels called to Unity because
“everything fell into place for that to happen.”
Things happened fairly fast
for Weber after his ministry at Antioch ended. Still, the sudden impact of
losing your place of service and ministry hit him hard as it does anyone.
The Baptist State Convention
church health team is set up to broker services and undergird ministers in that
situation, keeping their heads above water so they can see God’s hand at work
in the toughest of circumstances.
Now instead of looking back
with lament, Weber is busier than ever working and ministering in Gastonia, and
already planning a special event for instrumentalists at Tri-Cities Baptist
Church in April.
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