Gypsy Outreach Anniversary
For the last 25 years Cleveland Baptist Church in Cleveland, OH has hosted the Gypsy Outreach Ministry. This ministry was started by Missionary Walter Stevens and has seen two other men lead the ministry.
A Little About The History
On the Friday following Thanksgiving in 1990 Gypsy Outreach Ministry held it’s first service under the leadership of Missionary Walter Stevens. This beginning had the full support and encouragement of both Pastor Dr. Roy Thompson and incoming Pastor, Dr. Kevin Folger. This ministry has continued to be blessed by God, with souls saved, lives changed and men called into the ministry. Gypsy Outreach was a “first of it’s kind” type of ministry, being the first concerted effort by Independent Baptist to focus on the Gypsy population in the U.S. The fruit of Gypsy Outreach has been used by God to lead this ministry into it’s future.
Lawerance Evans, a convert of Gypsy Outreach, assumed the Pastoral responsibilities for the ministry and the Gypsy souls that it represents in 1997. He faithfully led the ministry until God called him to establish a like ministry in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Nick Evanovich, also a convert of Gypsy Outreach, is presently leading the ministry and has since 2013. Both of these men were saved through Gypsy Outreach and received their Bible training at Heritage Baptist Institute, a ministry of Cleveland Baptist Church.
The good people and leadership of Cleveland Baptist Church have stood as a tremendous support for Gypsy Outreach through the last 25 years. For that we are eternally grateful.
A Little About The Event
On the weekend following Thanksgiving, Gypsy Outreach will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. This event will run from Friday, November 27th thru Tuesday, December 1st.
Friday will be a special “Gypsy” service with a special guest speaker. Pastor Ghitsa Fekete, pastor of Manna Baptist Church in Tinca, Romania will be preaching the Word of God. Brother Fekete is a Romanian Gypsy who was reached with the gospel by Brother Stevens as an outreach of the ministry. This service will begin at 7 pm.
Sunday will be a big day for Cleveland Baptist, as Brother Fekete will teach the main Sunday School class with Dr. Roger Green, Pastor Emeritus of Grace Baptist Church, Middletown, Ohio, preaching in both the morning and evening services. Dr. Green has been involved in the ministry to the Gypsies of Eastern Europe for over a decade.
Monday the services will begin at 7 pm. Dr. Green will again be preaching the Word of God. There will be a fellowship time after the service with light hors d’ oeuvres served.
Tuesday the services will begin at 9 am. Pastor Kevin Folger will be preaching the Word. He will be followed by Missionary Walter Stevens. This is followed by the introduction of our new ministry. Finally, everything will be followed by Romanian/Gypsy luncheon.
This will be a tremendous time of spiritual thanksgiving and encouragement! If at all possible we invite and encourage you to make plans to attend.