THE RUMBLE OF CARS passing high overhead is distinctive as hundreds of homeless people and others experiencing hard times gather underneath the Broadway Bridge in Little Rock. On this cold and misty morning, they will be receiving not only a hot breakfast, but clothing donated by a number of area churches and at least one business – all in the name of Jesus Christ.

First Baptist Church, Stuttgart, seeks to be an Acts 1:8 church and has multiple missions partnerships in locations ranging from Russia to Kansas to Arkansas.

Second Baptist Church, Perryville, and First Baptist Church, Russellville, joined forces to reach Perryville with the gospel of Christ through a bull riding event, evangelism, a community carnival and a Sunday celebration.

CAMDEN – Playing video games, attending sports events, shopping at the local mall – these might be the types of things one would expect students to participate in on a normal weekend. But that was not the case for the students taking part in the CONNECT missions event in the Camden area April 5-7. Instead, they were building wheelchair ramps, painting and repairing houses and holding block parties. More than 200 participants from 16 Arkansas Baptist churches from across the state completed 22 projects during the missions event.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Photos from the April 6 block party held at New Covenant Family Ministries, North Little Rock and hosted by New Covenant and 47th Street Baptist Church, North Little Rock.

SHERWOOD – Fred Luter, the first African-American to be elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is among a host of national and Arkansas speakers to be featured Jan. 21-22 during the 2013 State Conference on Evangelism and Church Growth. The theme of the event is Reaching Across Arkansas and will be held at First Baptist Church, 701 Country Club Road, Sherwood.

LITTLE ROCK – Thousands of people marched in silence to the Arkansas State Capitol Sunday, Jan. 20, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Sponsored by Arkansas Right to Life organization, the silent march began at West Capitol between Battery and Wolfe Streets, behind the State Capitol and concluded at the steps of the State Capitol where a brief program was held.

DENNARD – Pastor Rick Montgomery is the first to admit his church is a real zoo. No. Really. The congregation of The New Tabernacle Church, also called t.n.t. church, literally meets in a former roadside zoo off Interstate Highway 65 near Dennard, about 11 miles north of Clinton.

LITTLE ROCK – J.D. "Sonny" Tucker elected executive director-treasurer of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC).

DEER PARK, N.Y. – Arkansas Baptist disaster relief volunteers have prepared 100,000-plus meals and performed numerous recovery and “mud out” operations in the aftermath of super storm Sandy.

DEER PARK, N.Y. – Arkansas Baptist disaster relief volunteers have prepared 100,000-plus meals and performed numerous recovery and “mud out” operations in the aftermath of super storm Sandy.

DEER PARK, N.Y. – Arkansas Baptist disaster relief volunteers have prepared 100,000-plus meals and performed numerous recovery and “mud out” operations in the aftermath of super storm Sandy.

CABOT – The 159th annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) is being held Oct. 30-31 at First Baptist Church, 204 N. 3rd Street, Cabot. “Now” is the theme of the annual meeting.

CABOT – The 159th annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) is being held Oct. 30-31 at First Baptist Church, 204 N. 3rd Street, Cabot. “Now” is the theme of the annual meeting.

CABOT – The 159th annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) is being held Oct. 30-31 at First Baptist Church, 204 N. 3rd Street, Cabot. “Now” is the theme of the annual meeting.

FORREST CITY – More than 100 salvations – as well as other decisions still being calculated – were reported as a result of the annual Acts 1:8 One Day Mission Trip, a Mississippi River Ministry Project, which took place Oct. 6. More than 2,000 volunteers converged on Forrest City and surrounding areas for the missions day, and volunteers divided into groups to serve at 118 ministry sites.

Students participated in the annual See You at the Pole event, a global day for student prayer, Sept. 26.

WYNNE – Union Avenue Baptist Church, Wynne, recently partnered with other churches and businesses to host a community Back to School Bash during which they gave school supplies to children. Union Avenue Baptist Pastor Gary Henson said at least 500 people attended, and more than 170 children from kindergarten to fifth grade received school supplies.

ARKADELPHIA – Lile Hall, originally dedicated in 1993, was rededicated Sept. 13 in recognition of a major renovation with upgraded classroom space, technology, studios and labs. Photos by Tyler Rosenthal

LITTLE ROCK – In all, 53 decisions for Christ were recorded at HuntFest: A Fellowship for Men and Boys, held Aug. 25, at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock. More than 1,300 men and boys attended the event, which is sponsored by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC).

LITTLE ROCK – More than 300 women gathered at First Baptist Church, Little Rock, July 27-28 to participate in the third annual Wellspring - Connecting Arkansas Women's conference.

LITTLE ROCK – Emil Turner, executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) since 1996, announced his intention to retire at the Aug. 2 meeting of the ABSC Executive Board.

MAGNET COVE – Just a year ago, no more than 125 people could squeeze into the pews at First Southern Baptist Church of Magnet Cove. But since building its new auditorium, 350 people can worship comfortably together.

FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL – Hugs were in abundance recently at the Vinde a Mim Orphanage (Let the Children Come Unto Me Or- phanage), a group home for children ages 6-12 in an urban and poor area of Florianopolis.

WYNNE – Union Avenue Baptist Church, Wynne, recently honored its 50th anniversary with a day of celebration June 10. Current, former and charter members, as well as former pastors, were encouraged to share their memories of the church's history during the anniversary celebration.

NEW ORLEANS – Photos of Arkansas Baptists participating in the Southern Baptist Annual Meeting 2012 in New Orleans, La.

Through the Arkansas Baptist State Convention and its churches, 50 houses have been built for amputees and the elderly in Haiti. These are just some of their stories.

Photos from Jessica Vanderpool, assistant editor for the Arkansas Baptist News, who is traveling with a mission team in Haiti to report on the ongoing work being done by Arkansas Baptist volunteers.

LITTLE ROCK – Students from around the state came together for the Kaleo: Arkansas '12 conference April 21 at Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock.

PRAIRIE GROVE – On Sunday morning following a fire that destroyed the sanctuary of Illinois Chapel Baptist Church, members and guests sang God’s praises as they came to grips with why an arsonist had painted upside-down crosses, a pentagram and graffiti on their historic building before setting it ablaze.

BALD KNOB - Considering that Arkansas has one of the highest rates of deadly house fires in the nation, Central Baptist Church, Bald Knob, decided to do something about it - with a spiritual twist. Watch a video at: http://www.youtube.com/user/arkbaptnews

LITTLE ROCK – About 1,240 people from more than 100 churches across Arkansas flocked to the 2012 Arkansas Baptist Youth Evangelism Conference held March 30-31 at the Little Rock Statehouse Convention Center.

SILOAM SPRINGS - An early-morning fire at Camp Siloam (Arkansas Baptist Assembly) resulted in severe damage to several rooms inside the Hilltop building which was undergoing renovation at the time.

LITTLE ROCK – Members of Calvary Baptist Church, Little Rock, recently gathered to celebrate their 75th anniversary as a church.

SHERWOOD – Pastors and church leaders converged on First Baptist Church, Sherwood, Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 23-24, for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Evangelism and Church Growth Conference.

ARKADELPHIA – Scenes from Ouachita Baptist University's Festival of Christmas Dec. 2-3 in the Jones Performing Arts Center.

Arkansas Baptist churches are decorated beautifully for the Christmas season! This gallery contains just a few of the many photos that were sent to the Arkansas Baptist News. If you have photos you want to share, please email abn@arkansasbaptist.org.

Winners of the Arkansas Baptist News first Photo Contest.

LITTLE ROCK – Photos from day two of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Annual meeting at First Baptist Church, Little Rock.

LITTLE ROCK – Photos from day one of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Annual meeting at First Baptist Church, Little Rock.

LITTLE ROCK – Photos from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Pastors' Conference and Annual meeting held Oct. 31, Nov. 1-2, at First Baptist Church, Little Rock.

First Baptist Church, Lavaca's work in Haiti started innocently enough - with regular trips every few months - but then God stepped in and gave the church a special assignment.

MENA/DE QUEEN – More than 125 churches from across the state converged on the Mena/De Queen area with a force of more than 1,700 volunteers for the Acts 1:8 One Day Mission Trip. Volunteers ministered in more than 80 sites throughout the Ouachita Baptist Association, and 51 salvations were reported. - Photos by Jessica Vanderpool, Arkansas Baptist News

Students from churches across Arkansas prayed at See You at the Pole events Wednesday, Sept. 28. Arkansas Baptist churches represented included First Baptist, Farmington; First Baptist, Marianna; Geyer Springs First Baptist, Little Rock; First Baptist, Dumas; First Baptist, Forrest City; First Baptist, Star City; Piney Baptist, Hot Springs; and Crossgate, Hot Springs.

FORT SMITH – Grand Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Smith, celebrated the re-opening of its worship center Sunday, Sept. 18. The renovation is a part of the church's Beyond Measure capital campaign, and celebration of its 77th year as a church. Guests of Pastor Jeff Crawford included Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders, Senator John Boozman and Congressman Steve Womack. Crawford announced a new vision for the church, "Reaching the River Valley, the United Stares, and the Nations for Jesus Christ."

SILOAM SPRINGS – It’s been a busy year at the Arkansas Baptist Assembly – commonly known around the state as “Siloam camp” – with nearly 3,700 campers participating in seven different weeks. But most of all, it’s the eternal impact the camp makes in the lives of children, youth and leaders that really defines Siloam, said camp executive director Jason Wilkie. - Photos by Marissa Eclov

HOT SPRINGS – Baptist Youth Day was held at Magic Springs Aug. 27. More than 2,800 students and adults from churches across Arkansas attended the one-day event, with 32 students making professions of faith in Christ and more than 60 students making other spiritual decisions.