Rev. Rendell Hipps Acng Senior Pastor/ Minister of Discipleship

Transcription

1 With the goblins and ghouls of Halloween now behind us, I am prompted to ask: Do you believe in the devil? Marn Luther did. In this year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformaon, we have all had the opportunity to dig a li%le bit into the theology of Marn Luther, one of the most influenal personalies in all of the history of Chrisanity. Marn Luther believed, as did many of his era, that the devil was at work in the world to wreak havoc not just in the world, but more so, in the Church. The text to his famous A Mighty Fortress is Our God gives evidence to this: For sll our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; His cra3 and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Marn Luther believed in the devil. So do I. And I believe that if we Chrisans are looking at the world around us, we see ample evidence of the woe he seeks to work in this world and in Christ s Church. But here s the catch: the devil doesn t appear as a pitch-fork bearing figure dressed in red. No, the devil appears in the words, acons, and a;tudes of both prominent and ordinary men and women, of men in power and men without power, and even in the saints of God. Yes, even those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ, who a%end church regularly, who read our Bible, who pray, who are by most standards good Chrisans are suscepble to the schemes of the devil. He is armed with cruel hate as Luther puts it. Any me we arm ourselves with cruelty or hate, we are devils ourselves. Anyme we refuse the humble, servantlike example of Jesus Christ and strike out to get our way no ma%er who we hurt or how it negavely affects the Kingdom work of God, we, like the Apostle Peter, are li%le devils (Ma%. 16:23). I ve recently become aware of the ways in which the devil is a%acking the local church. Sister churches in our area are experiencing a%acks from without and within. We need to pray for these churches. But let s also be aware that sll our ancient foe, whose cra3 and power are great, hasn t determined that FBC Hickory isn t worth fighng over. We are worth fighng over because we have so much more work to be done for the Kingdom; we have so much potenal, so much goodness, so much yet to accomplish for the sake of Christ. With what have we armed ourselves for this a%ack? Are we armed with cruel hate, or are we armed with the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17)? Paul believed in the devil too when he wrote to the Chrisans in Ephesus: For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against [ ] the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. What is our armor? Truth? Righteousness? Peace? Faith? Salvaon? The word of God? These are the weapons that we use to fight against the work of our ancient foe, whether those threats come from outside the Church or from within the Church. It s not a joking ma%er, not at all. It s serious. Paul would tell the church in Galaa If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. We church-people can become a tool of our ancient foe. We ourselves can be instruments of the devil, vessels to do his work to destroy the witness and work of Christ s church. Or, we can be instruments of the Kingdom of Christ, beacons of light, heralds of the Gospel of peace, lovers of one another and of the world, humble servants of the one who washed dirty feet and then walked the dusty road to Calvary with a cross on his back. I suppose you know that when Jesus died on that cross, the devil thought he had won, right? I suppose you know that when the church stumbles and when we Chrisans fail to follow the way of Jesus, the devil thinks he s winning, right? The Good News is that he has already lost the war, his fate is sealed, and Jesus is Lord. The only test that remains is for the church to live like it. Come on, church; Halloween is behind us! It s me for us to celebrate Thanksgiving! Rev. Rendell Hipps Acng Senior Pastor/ Minister of Discipleship

2 OCC SHOEBOXES November 12 is our church day to bring our boxes in. Our Goal this year is 400. It s important to note that no tooth paste or candy of any kind will be acceptable to pack this year. Volunteers Needed FBC Hickory is serving as a Central Drop-off Site for Opera on Christmas Child Shoeboxes! Volunteers are needed to welcome visitors, pray over the shoeboxes, and pack shoeboxes into cartons and on the trailers. Collec on dates are November Please contact Melanie Wingler to serve at (828) or mwinglerocc@gmail.com. Our Missions Council is sponsoring InAsMuch Ministry days on Saturday, November 4 and Saturday, November 18. We encourage members to join in helping our members and neighbors with handyman projects and yard work, or to par cipate in other ministry projects. If you need help with handyman projects or yard work, please complete a request form in your Bible Study class and return it to the FBC office or contact the church office. If you can help with maintenance and yard work, please sign up on a volunteer sheet in your Bible Study class or call the church office. Veteran's Luncheon Thursday, November 9 at 12:00pm VETERANS RECOGNITION THANKSGIVING WEEK SCHEDULE On Sunday, November 5 we will be recognizing our Veterans. We would like to honor all men and women who have served in the military. Please contact the church office with your name, branch of service and rank by Wednesday, November 1. The week of Thanksgiving, all regularly scheduled Wednesday night activities are cancelled. We will celebrate Thanksgiving as a church family with a meal on Sunday, November 19, following worship. Enjoy a Thanksgiving Feast with your FBC family featuring: turkey and dressing, sweet potato casserole, macaroni & cheese, broccoli casserole, corn pudding, green beans, fruit salad, cranberry sauce, rolls and desserts. Cost: $10.00 per Adult, $5.00 Children 5-10, No Charge Children 4 & Under. Family Max: May 23 - June 2, 2018, join David Wachter on an Biblical Adventure of a life me. Deposits due November 1. For more informa on $35.00 Please make your reservations today. contact Noelle at JOIN US IN ISREAL

3 VICTORY4VIRGINIA FBC s own Virginia Tanner, was crowned Homecoming Queen at Hickory High on October 13. Virginia is figh ng bone cancer with on-going treatments at Brenner Children's Hospital/NC Bap st Hospital. The church family con nues to pray for the Tanner family during this fight thanking God for His love and healing power. UPCOMING CHILDREN S CALENDAR FALL HARVEST CELEBRATION 2017 We had a wonderful me on October 22 as we celebrated God s goodness. Thank you to all our dedicated volunteers. Week of Monday, November 20 NO ACTIVITIES Saturday, December 9 - Angel Tree gi3 delivery to Bap st Children s Home Saturday, December 16 FBCitykids Traveling Christmas Party Sunday, December 17 - Children's Caroling and Party 4:00-7:00pm Fellowship Hall Sunday, December 17 - Children's Musical Presenta on Wednesday, December 20 & 27NO ACTIVITIES This year, in conjunc on with the FBC Youth Council, we have decided to do something different for our winter retreat. We will be a%ending the Winterfest Youth Conference at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Winterfest 2017 will be, December 30, January 1, Deadline to sign up is: Sunday, November 12, 2017 Ticket cost is: $185 (includes session ckets, 3 meals on campus, and lodging) Contact Informa-on: David Wachter, Interim Minister to Students, (828) On the cover Refuge Ensemble singing in worship.

4 November 5-10:30am All Saints Sunday The JOY-filled Journey of the Gospel A Study of Philippians Forget the Past Rev. Ma% Hearn November 12-10:30am Deacon Ordinaon Called to Serve Rev. Rendell Hipps November 19-10:30am The JOY-filled Journey of the Gospel A Study of Philippians Thankful Before Thanksgiving Rev. Ma% Hearn November 26-10:30am The JOY-filled Journey of the Gospel A Study of Philippians Trust God and His Provision Rev. Ma% Hearn FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 339 Second Avenue, Northwest Hickory, North Carolina Volume 17, Issue 11 Published Monthly by First Bap-st Church, Hickory, NC Return Service Requested Phone: (828) Fax: (828) info@zc.cc Website: Ma: Hearn, Extended Pulpit Supply Preacher Rendell Hipps, Minister of Discipleship, Acng Senior Pastor David Wachter, Interim Minister to Students Steve Clarke, Minister of Music & Worship Cindi Morrison, Director of Children's Ministry Bert Schmid, Church Administrator Andris Rozukalns, organist Staff (last name)@zc.cc Bible Study at 6:15pm the Fellowship Hall. November 26 Devo'onals Delivered December 3 Hanging of the Green December 6 Advent Organ Recital December 10 Choir Presenta'on December 13 Advent Organ Recital December 17 Children s Musical Presenta'on December 20 Advent Organ Recital December 24 Christmas Worship December 24 Candlelight Communion Service The RA Angel Tree (supporng children at Bapst Children's Home in Thomasville, NC) goes up Wednesday, November 8. Take an angel, purchase the items listed for that youth, and pray for him or her and for the ministry of Bapst Children's Home. All gi3s will be delivered to BCH on Saturday, December 9.

5 MINISTER ON CALL November 4 Rendell Hipps on call ( ) November 11 Ma. Hearn on call ( ) November 18 Ma. Hearn on call ( ) November 26 TBD DEACONS OF THE WEEK DCDEFGH IFJ KLC WCCM FI NFNCOPCJ 4-10 Cliff Moore, Coordinator Jason Herring Tom Guthrie Daniel Lucaciu DCDEFGH IFJ KLC WCCM FI NFNCOPCJ Bernie Whitmer, Coordinator Marvin Smith Rebecca Tanner Chris Tanner DCDEFGH IFJ KLC WCCM FI NFNCOPCJ Cody Wingler, Coordinator Sheree Watson David Haire Jim To%y DCDEFGH IFJ KLC WCCM FI NFN DCE. 1 Gary Woods, Coordinator Allen Wi%enberg Jim To%y Cody Wingler SECURITY TEAM November 5 Nathan Bowman November 12 Thomas Hand November 19 Joe Icard November 26 Allen Wi.enberg November 1 st Fried Chicken New Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad Bar Biscuits & Dessert Beverage November 8 th Lasagna Honey Glazed Carrots, Salad Bar Garlic Bread & Dessert Beverage November 15 th Chicken Pot Pie Cooked Apples, Salad Bar Biscuits & Dessert Beverages November 29 th Baked Ham with an Orange Glaze available Macaroni & Cheese, Baked Beans Salad Bar Roll & Dessert Beverage STUDENT MINISTER SEARCH UPDATE A3er careful consideraon, the search for a new Minister with Students is temporarily suspended. Given that the church is currently in the midst of a period of evaluaon and study, given our current financial situaon, and given that the church as a whole has not yet come to agreement about a clear direcon for our future, and given that the Search Advisory Commi%ee has not yet converged on a candidate that it believes best meets the needs of FBC Hickory s Student Ministry, it seems that the best thing to do at this point in me is not to hire a new staff member for this posion and to temporarily suspend the search. David Wachter will connue to serve in the role of Interim Minister with Students. We are hopeful that as the church works through issues of finances and future direcon, we will be able to start the search process again.

6 November 5 9am - Kara Wi.enberg 10:15am - Kara Wi.enberg Infants Debby Cook Walkers & Two s Jewell Mabery Three s & Four s Sandra Foster Coordinator: Ruth Ann Carreira Children s Church: Children in Worship November 12 9am - Ashley Dyson 10:15am - Gail Ford Infants Aaron Bliss & Becky Icard Walkers & Two s Christy Greene & Jerry Long Three s & Four s Coordinator: Lead Teacher: Beth Watson Shepherd: Chuck Trado November 19 9am - Kris'n Herring 10:15am - Infants Walkers & Two s Traci Palmer & April Teague Three s & Four s Tiffany Hightower & Ruth Hasngs Coordinator: Mechele McCormack Lead Teacher: Fran Ballengee Shepherd: Candace Johnson November 26 9am - Vonda Paquin 10:15am - Dana Woods Infants Eric Johnson & Linda Wike Walkers & Two s Ashley Dyson Three s & Four s Ma% Dyson & Jeanne Davis Coordinator: Sally Johnson Lead Teacher: Carolyn Icard Shepherd: Brian Bogle HISTORIAN S COLUMN The Reformaon Frank Mofford For those of you who have been a%ending Dr. David Ratke s excellent lectures on Wednesday evenings regarding the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformaon this may be secondary news. A3er all, the L-RU Dean of College of Theology is a REAL Lutheran while I am a mere Bapst historian. But maybe I can add another perspecve to the story. This me last year my enre family of five travelled to Germany (incognito we thought) with a bus load of Lutherans- eighteen of which were preachers. We were celebrang the 499th year of the Reformaon (Prices were cheaper). They saw through our ruse because we all five wanted to sit at the back of the bus, the last pew in every church we visited and someone was always asking our guide to point out the locaon of the Bapsmal pool. We had a wonderful me. The Federal Republic of Germany has a populaon of 82 million and is about the size of Arkansas and Idaho combined. Our trip was concentrated in the cies of Wi%enberg, Leipzig, Eisleban, Erfurt, Mainz, Worms, and Heidlberg. All of these places were key areas for Marn Luther and also were defined as Communist East Germany during the Cold War. The beginning of the Reformaon generally dates as the 31st of October This is the day on which the friar Marn Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses on the power and efficacy of indulgences to the door of the Castle Church in Wi%enburg. Actually this had been going on for a long me. Secularisaon of higher and lower clergymen along with the sale of indulgences were used to finance the St. Peter s Basilica in Rome. To quote the Bapst preacher Will D. Campbell, This indeed smacks of foxes in the hen house. Marn Luther s demands for reforms within the Church had the finger on the pulse. He demanded Biblical Principles of the Evangelism. The Reformaon, originally planned by Luther as a changing within the church to improve several deficiencies, eventually led to an unplanned separaon of the church, but also a separaon of German territories into Catholic and Protestant. The Reformaon didn t just present a revoluon between church and theology. It was also the start of a profound socio-polical development: music and art, economy and society, language law and polics. Hardly any sphere of life wasn t influenced by the Reformaon.