Saturday, 2 April 2005 - 4:07 PM EST

Feb 9, 2001 (Ponca city Newspaper)

Rev. Raymond James Petties Jr.


St. John Baptist To Install New Pastor on Sunday
Members of St. John Baptist Church will install the Rev. Raymond James Petties Jr. as pastor on Sunday. The Rev. Petties is a native of Oklahoma, having grown up in Cushing. He graduated from Cushing High School with honors and attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College on a football scholarship.

Petties began his ministry in music at First Baptist Church in Cushing, where he served as their minister of music. He moved to Stillwater and Mt. Zion Baptist Church as director and minister of music. Petties has been blessed to perform with gospel great the Rev. Dr. James Cleveland, the Rev. James Moore, the Rev. Timothy Wright, songstress Yolonda Adams, minister Keith Pringle and a host of others. He also has served as director for the Southwest Regional Convention of Progressive National Baptist Convention for two years.

In October of 1991, the Rev. Petties answered his calling to the preaching ministry. He received four years of advanced study in the gospel ministry at Johnson Memorial Bible Institute at St. John Baptist Church in Oklahoma City,

While at Mt. Zion, he served as an associate minister, started a radio ministry, worked in the nursing home ministry as well as taught Sunday School.

Petties joined with St. John Baptist in September of 1999 as assistant pastor. He served in this capacity until December 2000, when he was called to become pastor. He has taught and directed the Conoco/Community Choirs for the past two years. The choirs sang at the celebrations honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and during Black History Month celebrations. Additionally, Petties participated in the pulpit exchanges by preaching services at First Christian Church and Four Square Gospel Church.

The morning celebration begins at 10:45 a.m. with Gregory K. Davis, bishop of First Baptist Church North on Tulsa, bringing the message. The Petties family will provide music.

Afternoon service begins at 3:30 p.m. with the Rev. Willie Anderson of the New Prospect Baptist Church in Perry presiding. The Rev. Dr. John Reed of Fairview Baptist Church in Oklahoma City will bring the installation message. The Rev. Reed is moderator of East Zion District and president of the Oklahoma Baptist State Convention. The Fairview Baptist Church choir and Mt. Zion Baptist Church choir will provide music.

St. John?s congregation invites all to join them in this glorious celebration honoring God?s servant.

Saturday, 2 April 2005 - 4:12 PM EST

Engagement!
Darrel (CHS 1972)and Sandy (Anderson)Robison (CHS 1973) of Cushing announce the engagement of their daughter Amber Michelle Robison (CHS 1999) to Wesley Todd Dearman,(Broken Arrow High School 1996) the son of Tom and Debbie Dearman of Broken Arrow.

Grandparents of he bride are Jimmie and Bernice Anderson and Troy and Leola Robison of Cushing.

After graduation from Cushing High School and a 2004 graduate from OSU.

Grandparents of the groom are the late WT and Cleta Dearman of Briartown, Okla., and the late Wendy Mary Dunbar of Tulsa.

Todd, a 2001 graduate of Oral Roberts University Todd is the owner of Design Lighting of Tulsa.

Todd and Amber will be united in marriage on July 16, 2005 at the Oak Grove Baptist Church.