Brooks family leaving North Broad Baptist – Rome News Tribune
by Tayler Critchlow, Staff Writer Rn T.Com
Co-Pastors Katrina Brooks (left) and Tony Brooks (right) — shown with their children Joseph Brooks and Tara Brooks — are relocating to Virginia.
Things are changing at North Broad Baptist Church.
For more than seven years, Tony and Katrina Brooks were co-pastors of the church.
Tony Brooks, however, has taken a job as field strategist and Sunday school specialist for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, which includes 1,400 Baptist churches that work together on missions, education and numerous other things.
As a field strategist, Brooks meets with pastors, staff and key leaders of churches and finds how the board can help them.
As a Sunday school specialist, Brooks helps any church that needs help with resources or training.
Brooks said he would miss the relationships that he has developed at the Rome church.
“There are a lot of wonderful people,” said Brooks.
Brooks also said he will definitely miss Rome.
“It has small hometown feel, with the way people treat you with compassion, while also having the art, colleges and medical facilities. There’s a lot to do, but it’s small enough that you still know the people.”
Brooks is living with friends in South Boston, Va., near his previous church of nine years, Bethel Baptist Church. He said he is enjoying getting reacquainted with old friends.
Katrina Brooks is staying behind to get the house sold and help transition the church. She said she will remain as pastor until June 30. The search for a new pastor is ongoing, she said.
When asked what she will miss about Rome, she said “almost everything.”
Tayler Critchlow, a junior at Armuchee High School, is an intern with the Rome News-Tribune.