Serving on the Greens
Friends of Kris'. Sandra says there are four friends he's had from grade school to college who have never missed a tournament!
One night in 2004, a small group of men from First Baptist Church of Fairview gathered at their regular Tuesday night Bible study. They began a conversation that night that, thirteen years later, would see their tight-knit group expand, yet grow even closer.
New relationships would be formed in their community and within the Children’s Homes, and countless lives of children would be impacted through their efforts. In these past thirteen years, this group has helped raise over $100,000 to help our kids in Decatur through what is now the Kris Banister Memorial Golf Tournament.
These men, The Brotherhood of Fairview, were led at the time by Roddy Mitchell and were inspired to begin their own missions project after realizing how much the ladies of their church did each year through their various missions projects. After throwing around many ideas over the span of several weeks, Roddy found himself in conversation with a friend who was connected with Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes (ABCH).
They began to talk about our ministry, and from this, the men decided that helping children in need through ABCH would be their focus of missions support. In order to raise awareness and support for these children, they began a golf tournament that started small and has literally now outgrown the course!
GROWTH
As the tournament grew, the needs grew, so the planning team expanded in order to keep up. Sandra Banister, widow of Kris, has co-organized the tournament for a few years now with Brotherhood Director Stanley Baggett. They’ve watched it grow from six church teams its first year to 29 church and community teams this past June—more than maxing out the course!
For months in advance, church members work hard to help make this event a success in every way.
Sandra shares, “It is a whole church effort! It started with just the men, but it has grown to the entire church. The youth even help on the course. We have committees of volunteers who work for months on recruiting teams, sponsors, and collecting 100+ door prizes and big giveaway items (all donated) like chainsaws, Callaway golf gear, even a 6-piece patio set. Every single player goes home with a door prize, as a thank you for being there and supporting the mission of the Children’s Homes.”
The team at Fairview believes that if they take care of the golfers, they’ll want to come back and keep supporting this missions effort every year. And by the way it has grown, it would seem this is true.
INVOLVING OUR KIDS
On the day of the tournament, our Decatur kids get in on the fun too! Sandra shares that through a friendship formed with former ABCH house parents, Terry and Julia Green, the idea came to invite our children to be a part of the day.
In addition to having fun, the Greens wanted to teach them the value of working for things, so in one of two tents on the course, with church members alongside, our kids get to provide water and baked goods to the golfers. In return, the golfers generously donate directly to our kids. The funds received for those snacks get divided among them, and they get to spend it however they like! Sandra shares that it’s a nice way for their teams to be directly reminded of the very ones they are helping to support.
IN MEMORY
Called into serving in ministry at the age of 13, Kris Banister loved the Lord and led by example, and those around him loved and respected him deeply. He served as tournament chairman the last few years he was alive and was very active with the Brotherhood. In April 2007, Kris was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and passed away the following January.
Sandra recalls how the men of Fairview rallied around them as he got sick. “They took care of our house and yard, and they regularly visited Kris—they loved him.”
Sandra says, “Kris would never have wanted this to be about him, but after he passed, the men decided they wanted to change the name from the Brotherhood Golf Tournament to the Kris Banister Memorial Golf Tournament to honor his memory and how he had played such a big part in leading this effort.
The Banister family, January 2007; Oldest daughter, Michaela, is now in school to be a teacher—inspired by the children she's met at ABCH and what she has seen over the years through our ministry.
Kris was the kind of man who loved well and others loved him in return. “Kris did not want to be remembered as a cancer patient. But as a good man, a good father, a good husband, a good Christian, a good friend. And he loved the game of golf!
“But the bottom line is, that this is for children who need help, and love, and God; it is a mission for God . . . this is about loving God’s children and that’s the way Kris would want it, and I want that too.”
OFF THE COURSE
There are many things that make this tournament and church group special. For the people of Fairview, it’s more than just about raising money through a golf tournament. Because they live so close to our campus, they’re able to take an active part in the life of the campus.
For the past few years, they have planned a day to visit and just hang out and form relationships with our kids. Sandra says, “What they (the kids) need most is love and attention. So, we go and play. We grill out burgers and hot dogs and play games with the kids.” And outside of the food and games, the men in the church have also helped with several work projects on campus, which has been a huge help to our Decatur team!
OUR THANKS
Dr. Michael Smith, who directs our Decatur campus and our North Alabama efforts shares his thanks and speaks for our entire ministry in these thoughts, “ABCH is so grateful for the tireless efforts of First Baptist Church of Fairview in organizing the Kris Banister Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit our ministry. FBC Fairview has organized, run, and hosted this tournament for more than a decade regularly raising more than $10,000 each year to benefit the children we service. This tournament is a testimony to the love of Christ at work. The tournament is a great memorial to Kris and to the impact he had on others. Thank you to Dr. David Chambers and all the members of the church for loving children from difficult circumstances.”
Kris Banister, on the greens in Colorado, doing one of the things he loved most in life. He would later turn this love for golf into a way to help children in need and inspire others to do the same.
Held the first Saturday in June, the tournament goes from breakfast to lunch, and Sandra adds, “With good, homemade desserts to follow lunch—and you know, good Baptist people, we can cook some good desserts!”
The missions project that began in 2004 is very alive today, and growing stronger each year within this solid faith family. Visit their tournament site to learn more about being involved in this special day.