Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Locals Join Mission Group

J. Larry and Sarah A. Wingfield Plyler have joined the nearly 4,400 Southern Baptist International Mission Board workers sharing Christ in 125 countries among 336 ethnic people groups.

The Plylers were among 90 people appointed by the International Mission Board November 17 during a service at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The new missionaries will fill diverse job assignments from starting churches to using community development, education and business as tools of ministry.

In 1997 International Mission Board missionaries helped lead 283,100 people to Christ and baptism. They and their overseas partners started 2,451 churches and reported a record 4.11 million members in 41,521 churches overseas.

As missionary associates, which are people appointed for a renewable four-year term to do a particular job for which he or she is equipped by education and experience, the Plylers will live in Guatemala.

Guatemala is about the size of the state of Tennessee with a population of more than nine million people who are Indian or mixed Spanish and Indian. He will work as the volunteer coordinator for the country and she will be involved in a variety of outreach ministries.

Since 1995, Plyler has been youth minister at Beech Street Baptist Church and a shipping clerk for M&M Enterprises in Gurdon.

Larry Plyler was born in Prescott. He is the son of Tainnie Plyler of Gurdon and the late Joe Plyler. While growing up he also lived in Pine Bluff and Arkadelphia. He considers Gurdon his hometown and Beech Street Baptist his home church. He received the associate of arts degree from Ouachita Technical College in Malvern and was co-owner and manager of Plyler's Otasco and Hardware Store in Gurdon.

Sarah Plyler was also born in Prescott. She is the daughter of J.W. and Reva Wingfield of Gurdon. She grew up in Gurdon and considers it her hometown and Beech Street Baptist her home church.

Mrs. Plyler received a bachelor of science in education degree from Henderson State University and a master of science in education degree from Ouachita Baptist University. Since 1984, she has been a teacher at Gurdon Primary School.

The Plylers, who have three grown children, will go to the International Mission Board's training center in Rockville, Va., in January for a seven-week orientation before leaving for overseas.

With more than 15.4 million members, the Southern Baptist Convention is the largest evangelical denomination in the United States and the International Mission Board is the largest evangelical missionary-sending agency.