Editor’s note: Community Groups are the lifeblood of discipleship in our church. Our groups meet on Sunday mornings at 9:45 am for fellowship, prayer, accountability, and to study God’s Word and they gather outside of the church to serve one another and our community. If you’re looking for a Community Group to join, you can find them on our Groups Page or if you need help finding a group that’s right for you, email our Family & Youth Associate at family@fbcstarkville.com

Over the past several years, I can honestly say that I have never been around Elizabeth Tackett without hearing her say something about community. I first met her when I was in elementary school. We both went to Starkville Academy and she was just a few years older than me. If I had to describe her in only a couple of words it would be “absolutely hilarious.” She was always making people laugh and was loved by all of her classmates. She has always had the gift of making people smile and it is just contagious. After many years went by, we ended up becoming neighbors and joined the same community group here at First Baptist.

Elizabeth reached out to me years ago shortly after we moved into the neighborhood and said, “What do you think about a Halloween parade?” She threw it together in no time and our older neighbors stood outside their homes and watched all of the little ones dressed up in their costumes as we pushed them in strollers and pulled them in wagons. It was such a simple event yet it brought so much joy to our neighborhood that day. A year or so later, Elizabeth approached me and said, “I want to do this thing… it’s called IF: Gathering. I want to bring a bunch of different women together from all walks of life and worship Jesus together.” My favorite thing about Elizabeth is that when she has these ideas she will tell you, “I really don’t have much else to share about it right now, but let’s make it happen.” And she does, she makes it happen.

This last year, in the middle of a pandemic, Elizabeth planned two events: Love is Born and the Happy Easter Egg Hunt at Fire Station Park. Love is Born was an event held in December to celebrate the birth of Jesus. All children in the community were invited and it was a beautiful sight to see. Elizabeth gathered volunteers and had several different stations where the children sang, listened to the Christmas story, participated in a craft, and ate a meal. Lee Ann Williamson and her team graciously provided the Christian World Missions warehouse for Elizabeth to use and countless people stepped in to help her pull it off. Then, back in April, Elizabeth held the Easter Egg Hunt at Fire Station Park. Again, anyone in the community was invited to attend and it was such a great crowd! It was apparent how many people were seeking community after such a long, difficult year.

As I mentioned, there are a lot of people who have helped Elizabeth with her events, but there are a few special people that have walked with her every step of the way. She is especially thankful for the support of her mom (Cathy Kemp), sister (Emily Lesley), and D-Group members (Anna Chaney, Caroline Fiser, and Emily Stidham). These women prayed with Elizabeth when these ideas had barely been born. They listened to her visions and offered to do whatever they could to make the event come to life. I asked some of these women to share their thoughts on what it has been like to walk alongside Elizabeth and also had the opportunity to ask Elizabeth a few questions about her recent events. I hope reading their words will light the fire in your heart for community. After all, living in community is undoubtedly the desire of Jesus’ heart. Take the first step. Invite people in.

And if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus or are unsure as you read this, know that you’re invited in as well. Bring your questions, bring your doubts, search the Scriptures for yourself and if you are open to it, see how Jesus graciously meets you right where you are. Jesus loves messy people. He wants all of our broken pieces and wants to invite you to live in community. Come on, let’s break bread together.

Elizabeth Tackett

What does community mean to you?

Community to me means coming together, gathering with intention.

Would you say that you have always had the gift of bringing people together? When did God lay this on your heart to put together events like Love is Born and The Community Easter Egg Hunt?

I have always loved a themed event. I get it honest! My mom has always been the best party planner and hospitality is truly her gift. She and my dad have always had an open-door policy and loved hosting others in our home when I was growing up. From a very young age, I have such fond memories of birthday parties, holidays, and any other excuse to get out the festive decorations.

While most of my life I have known the importance of community, I would say that it wasn’t until after becoming a mother and experiencing raw emotions, worries, anxiety, and all that comes with navigating that season of transition that I truly realized the great need for community. It was during that season when my D-Group become such a vital aspect of my life; giving me a few women to cry with, laugh with, pray with, and just do life with.

As we all know, COVID-19 turned our world upside down. Everything stopped and we held our breath, wondering what each day would hold. I truly could not catch my breath, and not because of COVID-19, but from the paralyzing fear of losing the community that I found so much comfort in.

As I look back during that crazy season, I can clearly see that the Lord was using the darkness and the uncertainty to prune me for something bigger than myself. It was during the slow and the quiet mornings of quarantine that I felt the Lord prick my heart for the people in our community.

Fast forward to November, kids had been back to school for almost a semester and Christmas was right around the corner. As a person who thrives on structure and routine, I was attempting to grasp any aspect of “normal” that I could. However, nothing was “normal” anymore. How would this look during the holidays without parties, gatherings, Christmas programs, and full schedules? What will the holidays look like without the traditions that were such a memorable aspect of the season? That’s when it hit me, everything else around us has changed and is changing daily. We don’t know what each day will look like and that can be frightening, but what we do know is that there is such comfort in the certainty of the unshakable, everlasting, unconditional, love of Jesus.

That was the message that I wanted to share through Love is Born and the Community Easter Egg Hunt. My prayer was that the children and their families would experience the Gospel in a way that would be remembered. I truly believe that experiences, hands-on application of the love, joy, excitement, and celebration that comes as a result of the good news of the Gospel is such an important aspect in building a foundation of faith. In speaking with my mom, sister, and D-Group, I noticed there was a void for the children that I felt the Lord was calling me to fill. From then on, ideas started flowing, pen hit the paper, and the planning began.

I would love to hear specific stories that you may have from these events.

Both the Love is Born & the Easter Egg Hunt were unique events in that I originally imagined it being held for the kids of First Baptist Starkville. Not to be exclusive, but just because I didn’t think we could pull off a community event. To be honest, I think I was limiting God out of fear and He made that very clear as the event planning unfolded. From high school students to senior adults, it was amazing to see a community of believers coming together to love others. I’ll always remember the high school football player that is also a member of First Baptist who dressed up as the Easter Bunny for us. He spent his entire Saturday dancing and interacting with children in our community. And there was a college volunteer who did not know what the empty tomb was and we had the opportunity to share about the resurrection of Jesus Christ at that moment. This same student ended up coming to the community church service in the park with our family.

Has your D-Group had an impact on how you have carried out these events?

Oh my! Absolutely! Those girls along with my mom, sister, and so many others pushed me to be obedient in what I felt the Lord was calling me to do. My mom has always said, “It takes a village!” I am not sure that I fully understood the meaning of that statement until now. “From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4:16

What events would you like to see happen in the future?

Well, this is a scary question and I think everyone closest to me gets a little nervous when I start talking about events and plans. However, my mom, Cathy Kemp, has been mentioning for years wanting us to plan an old-timey tent revival with Gospel singing. While I am not exactly sure on what all that would entail, we would press into prayer to figure out a plan.

Here is what other’s had to say:

Emily Stidham

“Working alongside Elizabeth in her vision of bringing children together in the community through Love is Born and the Easter Egg hunt at Fire Station Park was simply helping her fulfill obedience in the Lord. When she felt the call and the need for outreach to our children in Starkville and the surrounding areas, she quickly and efficiently gathered resources and a team of volunteers. Elizabeth is Spirit-filled and her love is infectious, making it that much more evident that her love comes from the Lord. She has a huge heart, especially for children. She seeks to be more like Jesus by serving others and showing Him to them.” 

Cathy Kemp

“As far as getting involved in Elizabeth’s projects, I feel that I am doing what any mother would do and that is anything they can to help their child succeed in every endeavor they attempt. From science fair projects to pageants, I am called to support and encourage. The great thing about Elizabeth’s nudging from God to undertake these innovative and inspiring projects is that she pulls us along with her and her enthusiasm and commitment are contagious! I think it’s the way God wants us to do His work; to build one another up and to let Him guide us as we go.

The other beautiful aspect of Elizabeth’s projects is the way our Empty Nester Community Group wholeheartedly supports what God has called Elizabeth to do. We had men from our class sawing and sanding wood for the Love is Born event - over 500 blocks of wood for children to paint. Women and men volunteered to set up and clean up. They helped with serving food and telling stories. Plus, the class donated money to buy food.

I wish you could have seen the Empty Nesters stuffing plastic eggs for the Easter egg hunt. We met at church before the Wednesday night service; everyone brought candy and we got over 1000 eggs ready for children to hunt. It was a fun time and we were all remembering the joy we had as children at our own egg hunts. 

3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” To be able to help Elizabeth gives me great joy (and sometimes great exhaustion!) because I know she is serving from a heart tuned to Gods will for her life. Her dad and I are so grateful for Elizabeth and Emily’s walk of faith.”

 Emily Lesley

“Partnering with Elizabeth on any project is always fun, but also life-giving and soul-filling. Elizabeth plans and works out of her true love and compassion for other people. When the surge in Covid cases during the Christmas season made it difficult for First Baptist to have their usual children’s activities, Elizabeth was truly burdened and sad about our kids missing the most important message of the season… Jesus! Out of that burden, Love is Born was planned to share love with our community. The same was true with the Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt event. It was out of a burden to share Jesus with our community, a community event was planned.

With each of these events, real community happened. All ages were involved with planning, volunteering, giving of time, and talents. Elizabeth is always so good to include all generations of believers and allow each person to use their giftings specifically to make the event happen and glorify God. All ages enjoyed being a small part of a community event with a big, important message. Community is something that was easily neglected during COVID, but the Lord has made us to live in community.

Working together, worshipping together, fellowshipping together; these are things that I took

for granted, but I have found them to be so valuable and worth fighting for. That may look like helping with events like this that took lots of people, creativity, thinking outside the box, and hard work. Not only were these opportunities a chance to share the best message, they also provided a chance to experience true community.” 

Anna Chaney

“When I think about Elizabeth, the word “community” comes to mind immediately. Together, we’ve had many conversations about what it is to truly be the church, and, at the end of the day, she always finds a way to bring it back to service and how we, the church, can love and serve our community. While Elizabeth is very intentional about service and planning events that reach others, it’s the unplanned, random acts of ministry that really stand out to me. Recently, she and I were in the grocery store and she began a conversation with an elderly lady that she had not met before. Unlike me, Elizabeth gave her uninterrupted attention that led to an opportunity to “be the church” right there in the check-out line. She has a heart for community and for being the hands and feet of Jesus. The love that she shares, just like Christ, has no limits.”