_Get your youth group or teenager geared up for the annual WV Bible, Music, & Arts Festival! The event will be Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the McCorkle FWB Church in Sod WV.  Sign-in will begin at 8:00am and the competition begins at 9:00am. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Entry forms are available in the Competition Booklet from Randall House or may be printed by clicking here. Please mail your entry form to Linda Hutchison at: 527 Lower Terrace, Huntington, WV 25705.  Deadline for your entry form is Thursday, March 15, 2012.   Questions or concerns may be directed to any member of the West Virginia Christian Education Board or email the WV State Association at mail@wvfwb.org. 

NASHVILLE, TN—Free Will Baptist Bible College has engaged the services of Nashville’s premier real estate firm—French Christianson Patterson & Associates—to market its West End Avenue campus to prospective buyers, according to President Matt Pinson. This shift to high-end realtors specializing in neighborhood development will expedite relocation to the college’s new campus site in Gallatin, a 66-acre block purchased in 2008.
           
The decision to contract service with French Christianson Patterson & Associates came at the suggestion of Frank Woods, FWBBC’s long-time associate and principal of Woods Capital Group, LLC, whose firm advised the college 18 years and previously marketed the campus. Mr. Woods will continue as consultant and member of the Campus Relocation Team.
                
“We are so delighted with this positive turn in our relocation effort,” President Matt Pinson said. “We have the best of two worlds—Nashville’s flagship real estate group is set to launch a broad, aggressive marketing strategy for our current campus, and a valuable friend will be retained as advisor and counsel.”
              
The French Christianson Patterson & Associates marketing strategy will include a public relations firm to stimulate interest in the FWBBC campus among prospective buyers. This strategy will be to advertise via numerous media outlets, maximize internet exposure, employ direct mail campaigns, and post bold signage on campus to update the drive-by Nashville business community.  
                
Bob Bass, FWBBC’s relocation consultant, said, “We are excited to be working directly with brokers Ellen Christianson and Rick French, the two co-founding principals with French Christianson Patterson & Associates. They were our obvious choice in the search for a marketing and sales partner. They bring a wide variety of expertise with diverse prospects. Our new approach of looking for multiple buyers for the campus makes it important to partner with individuals who have broad-based marketing savvy. Their experience and market share presence along the West End Corridor will be invaluable.”
              
French Christianson Patterson & Associates has been a major real estate entity in Middle Tennessee since 1985. The firm’s realtors specialize in servicing Nashville’s southwestern suburbs and metropolitan neighborhoods.
              
Ellen Christianson, who brings 30 years of real estate experience, said:  “While today’s market conditions pose new challenges, the size and diversity of  the college site will work to our advantage.” 

Rick French, consistently ranked by Nashville Business Journal in the top ten residential real estate agents, elaborated: “To have multi-family residential opportunities, as well as a broad range in size of single family home sites is rare. In addition, the historic properties, renovated and in need of renovation, all under the existing historic overlay, will increase the options available to buyers.”

The FWBBC Board of Trustees voted in 2006 to relocate the college, authorizing the sale of the 70-year-old campus located in the Richland/West End area of Nashville. Escalating property values in the Richland/West End Neighborhood continued to fuel FWBBC’s relocation decision. Two years later, the college invested $3 million to purchase 66 acres in nearby Sumner County, and has raised more than $2 million in pledges toward the future relocation effort.

The new campus site, located 25 minutes from downtown Nashville, will provide ample parking for future needs, technologically current academic buildings and residence halls, space for athletic programs, and energy-efficient buildings.

The Nolan Christian Academy of the Nolan Free Will Baptist Church, won FIRST PLACE in Williamson, WV’s “Great White Way” Christmas Parade. This parade is one of the biggest next to the annual King Coal Parade that the city of Williamson sponsors each year. The school float was decorated with a live nativity scene. In comparison to the other beautiful floats, parade officials reported that NCA's float was the most biblically accurate. Religious Christmas carols were played through a sound system on the float which made a great impression at the parade. Children on the float tossed nearly 700 treat bags of candy to spectators along the parade route. NCA faculty, staff, and parents distributed nearly 200 cards containing church and school information. The parade was a great witnessing tool for NCA.

Nolan Christian Academy is in it’s second year of providing quality Christian education. The NCA family desire your prayers while they provide a safe and secure learning environment for children. For more information, please visit NCA online by clicking here. 

Carl Lilly has been named promotional director for the West Virginia State Association of Free Will Baptists. According to Moderator Earl White, “the vote to employ Brother Lilly was unanimous by all of the Executive Committee members who were present.”

Carl, and his good wife Paula, bring a wealth of experience to the job. Brother Carl was saved in 1960, ordained in 1979, and pastored the Sunshine FWB Church for 28 years. He has also served as the Chairman of the Mission Board and the Christian Education Board. The Committee, through much prayer and fasting, believes with Brother Carl’s work experience, education, and Christian service, he is God’s man for the job at this time.

Bro. Carl has a vision for the work of the Lord in the state, and is ready to get to work. Earl White went onto say “I’m sure that with the Lord’s help, Brother Carl will be an encouragement to all of our churches. His desire is that the Lord’s work will move forward for the glory of God.”

The decision of the Executive Committee will be voted on by the General Board in February, and then by the state in June.