September 2015 Monthly Newsletter of First Baptist Church. Worship on Wednesday Resumes September 9, 2015! 6:15pm-7:30pm -Youth Group. See you there!

Transcription

1 First Baptist Church 707 St. Patrick Street Rapid City, SD (605) Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Rapid City, SD PERMIT NO. 307 Return Service Requested In-Touch September 2015 Monthly Newsletter of First Baptist Church Every Sunday! 9:00am - Worship 10:15am - Feasting on the Word 5:30pm-6:00pm - Dinner 6:00pm-6:40pm - Adult Choir Practice 6:15pm-7:30pm - Children s Classes 6:15pm-7:30pm -Youth Group 6:30pm-7:30pm - Adult Opportunities 6:45pm-7:30pm - Praise Team Practice 7:30pm-8:15pm - Bell Practice September 4-6 Palmerton Labor Day Retreat September 7 Office Closed September 8 Circle groups Resume September 9 WOW Resumes September 15 Bible Study Resumes Worship on Wednesday Resumes September 9, 2015! 5:30pm-6:00pm - Dinner 6:00pm-6:40pm - Adult Choir Practice 6:15pm-7:30pm - Children s Classes 6:15pm-7:30pm -Youth Group 6:30pm-7:30pm - Adult Opportunities 6:45pm-7:30pm - Praise Team Practice 7:30pm-8:15pm - Bell Practice See you there!

2 Notes From the Pastor: Do you want to know something that should alarm all of us? Read the next paragraph. The ages eighteen to twenty-nine are the black hole of church attendance; this age segment is missing in action from most congregations. The percentage of church attenders bottoms out during the beginning of adulthood. Overall, there is a 43 percent drop-off between the teen and early adult years in terms of church engagement. These numbers represent about eight million twentysomethings who were active churchgoers as teenagers but who will no longer be particularly engaged in a church by their thirtieth birthday. Everyone who is reading this newsletter knows someone who fits the description above. Whether it s someone in your peer group, a grandchild, a child, a co-worker, neighbor, or friend, this missing demographic from our congregations is not hard to spot. There are as many different reasons for this as there are stories. Certainly we should lament this fact, we should pray for God s leading, but we should also be people who seek to understand and do something about it. This fall starting in September, we re going to take a look at David Kinnaman s book, You Lost Me. There are great opportunities out there for us. Are you someone who has a passion for your peer group, children, grandchildren, or friends who fit this description? If so, you ll be investing $20.00 and Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Please let me know by September 8 th if you re interested in being part of the group who will look at this group who says, You Lost Me. Excitedly, Name Tag - located on the entry table - wear it to let us call you by name. Getting Connected Brochure - keeps you informed. Church Bulletin - contains Order of Service and current church events and opportunities. Welcome to First Baptist Form - found in the bulletin. Use it to write your contact information, areas of interest, and notes. Prayer / Praise Requests - may be written on the Welcome Sheet found in the bulletin and placed in the offering plate. Nursery - located at the west end of the education wing for children ages newborn to 3 years old. Hearing Aids - Available for your convenience. Ask an usher for assistance. In Touch - our monthly newsletter. Some may be found on the table at the back of the sanctuary. WE ARE FAMILY! We would love to show you off to the rest of the family and to newcomers! Please bring a 5x7 picture or send one to the church at firstbaptistrc@gmail.com. Page 2 Page 11

3 The Safeway grocery store chain offers a program to non-profit organizations like churches where we (the church) can receive 5% of our grocery and gas purchases back in cash! The leadership here at First Baptist wants to encourage you to take part in this program with us. Here s how the program works: 1. Purchase a $10.00 Safeway grocery/gas card. They will be available from the church office during the week in addition to members selling these cards before and after worship. This $10.00 card has no administrative fee on it, so immediately, you have $10.00 you can use for groceries or gas at Safeway. It functions like a gift card if you ve used one of those. Remember, this card would need to be purchased through the church for us to receive the benefits. So if you want to be part of this program, you can get one or more of these $10.00 cards from us at the church. 2. The next time you re at Safeway, you can re-load this card. You can put up to $ on this card at one time, but remember, you d need to put the money on your card before you check out for us to get the benefit. Plan on loading your card about once a month with your family s estimated Safeway spending. 3. Pay for your groceries or gas with this re-loadable card. There is no cost for you in using this card. If you use the Safeway Club Card, you will still get all the discounts you re used to. 4. If everyone who participates in this program at First Baptist collectively totals $5, or above in a month, we ll get a check for 5% of that amount. That s at least $ per month. As of July 2015, we have raised $8, through this program. American Baptist Women's Ministries (ABWM) for the month of September: The month of September means that our circles will begin meeting again. There are two active circles in our church. Mary Martha Circle meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the homes of the women of that Circle. Ann Judson Circle meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. and usually meets in the Church Parlor. The church newsletter and bulletins will give the names of the hostesses for each month. All women of the church are invited and encouraged to become involved in a circle that works with their schedule. White Cross: September is a month in which we will also be collecting White Cross donations. Barb Millar is the White Cross Coordinator so be watching for more announcements from her for this worthy cause. State ABW Fall Retreat: Trent Baptist Church is hosting this event September (Friday-Sunday). The retreat begins at 5:00 p.m. on Friday and concludes on Sunday after lunch. The cost for the weekend including meals & lodging (except Sunday lunch at Pizza Ranch) is $50 and registration deadline is September 15. The women of the Trent Baptist Church were promoting this retreat at the summer conference and are very enthused to host it. I hope you will consider attending. Registration forms are on the back table. I look forward to seeing you at church, hopefully, at a circle meeting, and at the Fall Retreat! Carol Misterek, President ABW Ministries Page 10 Page 3

4 Page 4 Who Should Sing in Choir? Singing is a language that God has given us to express our deepest longings, greatest joys, and most profound trust in the One who created us and loves us unconditionally. 1. Choirs support good congregational singing. A choir encourages the congregation to join in lifting their voices with joy! 2. Choir s visual presence is an encouragement to the congregation. We are there to be together, to worship God with each other, to be a community. When we look up and see a mini-congregation of faces looking back at us, we re reminded that we re not alone, that we re there to be part of a very special communion. And, of course, it s all in practice for when we join that great heavenly chorus! 3. Choirs make a broader repertoire available for a worship service. Our choir sings selections from practically every genre, from classical, to folk, to world music, to contemporary/popular music. 4. They can offer more difficult and complex music than is possible for the greater congregation. Choir has the benefit of outside rehearsal time, they can offer up musical praises on behalf of the congregation that would otherwise not be possible. In this sense, a choir can be a preaching and praying group, to which the congregation can listen, meditate, and respond worshipfully in their hearts. 5. Choirs help singers develop and improve their musical gifts. Christians are a singing people. This is not only biblical, but is a tradition older than the faith itself. Church choirs provide a free musical education, and help to refine the abilities of amateur musicians who might not otherwise have the opportunity. 6. Participation in choir ministry can be an avenue for introducing outsiders to the church and the Christian faith. Finding love and acceptance in the choir can get people engaged in the church! 7. The choral process reflects the mission of the universal church. Participating in a church choir teaches Christians how to work together sacrificially for the common good of the group, just as the church is to follow the model of our Savior and give sacrificially for the good of Christ s kingdom. 8. Our church choir is an open, welcoming, and diverse group. Won t you consider joining our choir? Wednesdays 6:00-6:40 pm. First Rehearsal on September 9 Come for a light dinner at 5:30 pm, visit with others in our church family, and then spend a precious few minutes in fabulous company making music! I am confident that our music this year will be challenging both musically and spiritually. Following choir, you may choose to participate in an adult study or help with children s ministry. If you have questions, be sure to get ahold of me! What a great mid-week spiritual boost! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gifts! 2 Corinthians 9:15 Vonnie Houchin Library News for September: The month of September is when we have to let go of those relaxed days of summer and begin to get back on school schedules, which includes going to bed earlier and waking up earlier, as well. Summer is always enjoyable but I also look forward to getting back in a schedule. How about you? I have been doing some reorganizing in the church library and look forward to continuing that. I have lots of donated books for adults that I need to get catalogued and out on the bookshelves. One of the areas that I really need some donated books is for the children's section, especially for preschool through elementary. So, if you have any gently used and current topic books for that age group, especially any Dr. Seuss books, it would be greatly appreciated. Just put them on the table in the library and I will take care of getting them on the shelves. Enjoy your September, Carol Misterek Church Librarian 12th Annual Dakota Mission Conference Theme: Blessing to be a Blessing September 11-13, 2015 Camp Bentley, ND The fruit of a righteous person is a tree of life, and a winner of souls is wise. -Proverbs 11:30 Speakers: Susan Hall-Rainbow Acres and Revs. Taku & Katie Longkumer-Developmental Workers, India

5 As life begins again with school, sports, church, and other activities; I feel as though I all ready need a rest! Every time I feel like this I know it is time to take a personal inventory. You see, when we are walking in the Spirit life is not suppose to be overly hard. We forget that we are to rest in Christ and cast our cares at His feet. Christ told us in Matthew 11:28-30; On Tuesday, September 15 th at 10:00am our Tuesday morning Bible study will restart for the fall, winter, and spring months. Over the past few years, we have been looking at the Gospels. Starting this year, we re choosing a new direction. We ll be looking at the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. The term Minor, is not an assessment of their impact on God s people. The term categorizes the size of their prophecies compared to the Major prophets (Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah). There are twelve minor prophetic books we ll begin exploring this September. Each Bible study lasts from 10:00am-11:00am. Everyone is welcome to join us! Contact Gregg for more information. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. In this Christ was telling us that it is about Him not us. If we are listening close enough, we can follow His voice and will. The outcome is a life the will not be stressful because we are fulfilling His purpose. The purpose He created us for, and gave us our spiritual gifts to use in this walk. You can see this when Christ came to visit Martha and Mary. You had one sister worried about what He would see when arriving. How He may judge, the home isn t clean enough, or the food doesn t taste good. She was missing the point that it was about sitting in fellowship with the Messiah not the presentation he was walking into. Martha, than complained to Jesus upon His arrival that Mary was just sitting. Christ responds in Luke 10:41-42; Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. You see she know that it was about resting in His presents not working for a proper presents as we at times forget. We need to remember to take that personal inventory and see, what are we carrying that we shouldn t? and am I worried about things that don t matter? I pray you are able to cast your cares upon the Father as you transition back to the craziness of the world. From the world of next generation ministries, Nate Sales Children s Sunday School starts September 13! Update on Blake and Lana Blake and Lana Wilkes are beginning their ministry at Greater Portland Bible Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon where Blake will be the youth pastor. They arrived there on August 11 and Blake will start work on the 17th. He is excited about the possibilities of youth ministry there, as he will start with young people in the group. Lana is interviewing for a Pharmacy Tech position in the area. Continue to pray for them as they settle in and begin this new adventure in their lives! Their new address is 133 Oswego Summit, Lake Oswego, Oregon Page 8 Page 5

6 If you have an event, announcement, or anything else that you would like included in the October newsletter, please send it to Angela, by noon, on September 15th! Website Vonnie... Angela..... September s Mission Meal This month s Mission meal will be on Monday, September 21st. The following folks are signed up to serve: Co-Chairs: Kristin and Kyrie Murrie Heidi Christner Leroy Brassfield, Alberta Crosswhite, Bev McNeil, Renie Smith, Scott & Cyndy Strand, Marion Grant For any questions, please contact one of the Mission Ministry Members. Wicksville Church Speaker Schedule: Services begin at 10:30am. SEPT. 13, 2015 MIKE LUNDY SEPT. 20, 2015 TERRY PULSE SEPT. 27, 2015 BOB HAYFORD Communion will be held every fourth Sunday. FBC Labor Day Retreat Friday, September 4th, through Sunday, September 6th Guest Speaker - Josh Bond Registration information can be found on the table in the foyer. Contact Crista Boerman at for more information. ISI ( International Students Inc.) is looking for globally minded Christians who are interested in befriending new international university students and assist them in adjusting to life in the U.S. It doesn t require a lot of time, just unconditional friendship. There is a two hour training before you are matched with a student. If you re interested call Heather Fannin at Please pray for the soldiers in our church family who are overseas fighting for our freedom. If you have a family member/friend you would like to add to this, please contact the office. First Baptist Church accepts electronic donations. If you would like to donate electronically, please go to the church website ( and follow the link! Page 6 Page 7