Central Baptist 'sharing the love'

CLOVIS — Central Baptist Church is sharing the love.

The church is hosting its “Share the Love” event on Feb. 8 to support upcoming summer mission trips, according to event committee chair and church member Sherry Best.

Doors will open for the event at 5 p.m.

“We believe that part of going on mission trips is to share the love of Christ and connecting cultures with Christ,” Best said. “We’re sharing the love in the state and all over the world.”

The event is held every other year, Best said, with upward of $65,000 raised in 2015. The goal is $75,000 this year.

The event includes a steak dinner as well as a live, silent and quarter auction, said Best.

“We have all kinds of items. Restaurant items, a John Deere generator, Garth Brooks tickets, Boutique Airline tickets ... a whole variety of items,” said Best. “Some low to high value.”

With three different auctions, “it gives everyone an opportunity to win something,” Best said. The quarter auction in particular allows attendees to purchase a numbered ball and cup to win items as opposed to bidding on them.

“It’s a really fun event. It’s for a great cause and it benefits a lot of people,” Best said.

Student Pastor Paul Allen said the goal of the church is to cover half of the funding for mission trips, which is what the event helps to do.

Allen will also emcee the event with Paul Tankersley.

Allen said he plans to take 100 people — youth and adults — to Crownpoint, New Mexico, “to work in repairing and building homes and community homes.” A group of 50 will travel in June and another group of 50 in July.

Planned trips also include 20 adults and youth traveling to Maui, Hawaii, and five to 10 adults traveling to Kenya, both in June.

“We’ll be partnering with another church to do training for sports camps for children (in Maui), primarily basketball and soccer,” said Allen. “We have a team traveling to Kenya to do cow clinics and vaccinations with the Maasai. The cattle have been struggling with a drought. I think it’s the third year we’re doing a cow clinic.”

Allen said he requires youth and adults to complete 25 hours of community service in Clovis before they can go on the mission trips. Clovis projects include helping with sports camps in the Barry, Sandia and Lockwood elementary schools.

“For us a short term mission trip does not serve its purpose if it does not translate at home, so that’s why we start at home,” said Allen. “As we go through the spring, we kind of determine those needs. We’re excited for what God has for us heading into the summer.”