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SAN ANTONIO—The San Antonio Baptist Association honored 19 pastors with an accumulated 573 years of ministry service at its 164th annual gathering on Oct. 16 in the Alamo City.
Among the honorees were five current Southern Baptists of Texas Convention pastors: Steve Branson of Village Parkway Baptist Church (28 years of service), Carlos Navarro of Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville (29 years), H. Statt Riddlebarger of Pearsall Road Baptist Church (28 years), Dennis Wall of The Hills Church (44 years), and Robert Welch of Parkhills Baptist Church (28 years).
The celebration kicked off at 4 p.m. at the First Mexican Baptist Church in San Antonio with music from Mariachi Agape. Some 275 adults and 100 youth attended, including most of the honorees or their representatives.
The pastors received special plaques bearing images of the San Antonio area.
The ceremony was a first for SABA. “Even though we have recognized churches and individuals in the past, this is our first time to recognize pastors who have been 25-plus years in one congregation,” said Darrell Horn, SABA executive director, adding that the association also conducts a separate annual business meeting in November.
Steve Branson (left), pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church, receives a plaque from SABA Executive Director Darrell Horn. SABA PHOTO
Until seven-and-a-half years ago, when Horn took the helm, SABA combined its celebratory gathering and business meeting on the same date.
“Five years ago, we hit the reset button. We redid the annual gathering, separating it from the business meeting. It’s been a good thing,” Horn said. “We want our annual gathering to be a celebration of what God is doing and conduct our business session at a different time.”
Over the course of its history, some 462 Baptist churches have been part of SABA, and just over 300 churches currently cooperate with the association, Horn added.
On the opportunity to honor long-serving pastors, the executive director added, “When some Baptist associations across the U.S. might only have 19 churches, we are grateful to have 19 pastors who have served 25 years or more in one church. They are an example of faithfulness and longevity in ministry. These men leave a legacy for others to follow. They were the main leaders for decades and have created a stable association for those who follow in their footsteps.”
