First Things. Lead Pastor. March 1, 2016

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1 March 1, 2016 First Things A Monthly Newsletter for Members and Friends Our Vision: We are a church partnering with God by intentionally building the Kingdom of God, through abiding in Christ, discerning God s will and discipling others in the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead Pastor As we move into a new future, which could involve substantive change as well as incremental changes, we will need to be patient with one another. Some will be ready to run and some might find the process of movement difficult. We will need to listen to one another, discern together, and make decisions as a unified body. There are honest and faithful, diverse opinions within our congregation. God intended, as we see in Corinthians, for there to be diversity in the body of Christ. While it is not easy, it is meant to reveal our need for one another and to make us stronger in the body of Christ. I would like to share with you some of what I said at the annual meeting around what I believe I hear God saying to us about 2016, for your voices and your discernment. In spite of what some of us might feel, the church is not dying. The numbers crisis we see ourselves in is exactly what every church across our nation is experiencing from mega churches in the city to small farm churches in the country, based a 2014 study done by the Pew Research Center. This statistic has been confirmed by study after study. The church in the United States is on a decline. What this means is that we are smack dab in the middle of a cultural Rev. Lara Heise joined our pastoral staff in December 2012 as the Pastor of Preaching and Teaching; in June 2015 Lara transitioned into the role of Lead Pastor. Lara has a passion for preaching and teaching God s word and for walking with people as they discover who God has created them be. Lara is active in the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, Mid-Michigan Health Advisory Council, and Faithwalking. She and her husband, David Heise, have two children: Lola and Devin. Pastor Rich Williams joined the pastoral staff in June 2004 as the Youth and Young Adult Pastor; in June 2015 he transitioned into the role of Discipleship Pastor. Rich s passion is to journey alongside and challenge people of all ages to claim their true identity in Christ and to live that out in the world. Rich is active in the local Youth Ministers group, Sneakerpalooza, and in the lives of the church youth. He and his wife, Sue Williams, have two children: Ceonni and Isaiah.

2 change that is much bigger than what we see on Sunday morning. I believe God is in the process of rebuilding the church in the United States. The Church is at a different place than we have ever been; we are in a place of rebuilding. Rebuilding usually starts with a sense that something of great valuable is being destroyed, which few of us usually like. Numbers are dropping. Churches are closing. This causes us REAL anxiety and sadness, which has the power to lead to fear. Our church has seen this change in numbers, among other changes which have already been mentioned. While me mourn what we sense is being lost, we see there is a need for a time of healing. That is what the past six months has been and what I would like to see us commit to allowing the next six months to be, a time of understanding what we are saying goodbye to. That does not mean we will be sitting idle. During this time of assessment, we will be collecting data about the church in order to help us in the next step of this process, where we discern what God is calling us to be and build in our new future. Some of the resources we will be using are long time member s memories and the studies that have been done in the past. Every church across our nation is having to or has had to ask the same question to begin their recovery, What does it mean to be the church in THIS day and age? This will be the question that we too will have to answer. The goal I would like to put forth would be to have answered that question and have some actions steps to present at the next annual meeting. I am again and again reminded of how blessed the community of Midland is because they have First Baptist Church. This is a congregation that has a history of supporting and loving their pastors. This church has a history of being God s hands and feet in the world. Some of the signs of God s presence here are Prayer Partners With this writing, we pray for those that are grieving: The Sperry Family - loss of Marge, Mary Lou's sister; the Family of Pat Weatherby And for the health needs of many of our church family: Bev Babb, Naomi Collins, Dale Green, Tina Lastovica, the McCourt Family, Ruthie O'Dell, Elaine Parsons, Jeff and Joyce Phillips, Anne Poindexter, Andrea Ross, Eleanor Stenger, Karolea & Preston Streeter, the Sutherland Family & Denny Zeiss. And the needs of loved ones: Acacia (Walter's granddaughter), Isaac (Puckett's grandbaby), Jerry Blubaugh & Peg Siebert (Betty Spiker's extended family), Shirley (Cooper-Bussell's aunt), Katie Dutcher (sister-inlaw of Kathy Williams), Jennifer Lucas (Zeiss' niece), Tammy Overly & as Mary Lou Sperry's extended family members: Betty, Carter & Marge, Pat Weatherby (SVSU student) And those that Praise: Cooper- Bussells praise for their coming new grandchild. If you know of other folks in our church who need special prayer, please contact the church office by phone: or by office@midlandfbc.com.

3 how you hold you hold one another up in times of crisis. You have a deep love for one another and hearts for justice in God s mission in the world. You truly love your neighbors and reach out to the broken and hurting. I can t help but wonder how God is going to use this incredible congregation in the years to come. ~Rev. Lara Heise Upcoming Events - Save the Dates! Feb. 26/27 - Scrapbookers in the Bethel Room Feb Youth Service Sunday Mar. 18/19 - Scrapbookers - Hearthside Rm Mar. 20 Mar. 24 Mar Palm Sunday Service - Maundy Thursday 7PM - Easter 8:00AM Easter Breakfast The Seamster family will once again be blessing us with an egg bake and cinnamon rolls for Easter Breakfast. This is a fundraiser to help support students attending the New Orleans mission trip. April 9 - Hee Haw 5:33PM April 21 - Retirees Luncheon & Scavenger Hunt April 28 - Skidmore 7:00PM Invite your friends! Team Network Team Network Meetings are open to all whom wish to come. If you would like to receive an copy of the Team Network Meeting Minutes, please Barb Neil at: mabelneil@sbcglobal.net. Dream of the Future I believe one of my jobs as a staff person is to dream of the future and to share those dreams with you. One of my dreams is to bring back a summer VBS style ministry to our neighbors. The block party has shown us that there are many kids nearby. These kids need to know about Jesus and his love for them. Another dream I have is around outreach. I would love for our church to begin taking some risks in this area. This could have a relationship to our summer Connections. Maybe God has planted an idea within about this, if so, please talk with me about how we can partner in this area. Even if you don't have an idea but have a passion about outreach I'd love to ask you to contact me. ~Rich Williams Adult Ministry Team A New Sunday School class begins March 6. This class will replace the Reason for God class. The new class is called "The Message in the Music" and will be led by Pat McCourt and other volunteers. If music speaks to you we invite you to come and participate by listening and sharing your thoughts. We would also invite you to volunteer to share a song or two that speaks to you. Pat will model this pattern and invite people to take part in leading. This should be a great class for all generation. The Knit, Pray, Love and the Bible Interpretation 101 classes will continue. They will remain in the same rooms. All classes will finish May 22.

4 DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR Annual Report Highlights We are beginning to see the fruit of our labor in our Children's Ministry. Lilly & Claire Caldwell are working with Vicki Walter and Barb Neil in preparation for baptism. Which we hope will be this Easter. I believe we have a few other students who are ready and just need some encouragement to take that step toward baptism. I m excited for baptisms in A few goals for the Youth Ministry in 2016 is to recruit and equip a young female leader to work with our youth. We have identified this person. Please pray for God to prepare her heart and mind to be asked to join our team. In tandem with this is a goal to build upon our younger population of female students. They make up about 85% of our group. This percentage leads to another goal for 2016, which is to focus on reaching out to more guys. Our new website is up and running. The site is focused more toward people who are not familiar with us. We built it with this thought in mind, "Today's mobile global generation is more likely to visit us online before they ever coming into the building." We think of the website as the front door through which these people will come and get to know us. The website still has you in mind and we wanted to make sure you had quick access to the newsletter and calendar. We will be hosting website training on Sundays in March in the Narthex after worship. ~Pastor Rich Williams SAVE the DATE! Hee Haw Nite April 9, 5:33 PM - 8:01 PM For those of you who know what Hee Haw is then you will understand quickly what this night will entail. The Adult Ministry Team is working toward an all church wide entertainment event for all ages. A simple dinner will be provided, transportation to and from available and child-care provided during the whole event. The event will be MC d by our youth. We ask that you bring dessert to share. We would like to get a count of who is coming, so please sign up by the display in the Narthex. We are looking for talent acts; improv, music-instrumental or vocals(possible band available) drama/skits, comedy and even karaoke, dance or lip sync is optional. Please sign up by the display in the Narthex.

5 Mission Trip Want to go to New Orleans to help those still suffering from hurricane Katrina? Jim Hitt, Kofi Ofori-Darko, Bobbie Baker and Rich Williams are planning to go July 29 - Aug 8 of this year. They have been working out the details. Here are the details known so far. We will be working with the America Baptist Home Mission Society. They will provide lodging, food and supplies for the project from July 31 - Aug 6. We do not know what our project will be at this time, but it will fit our ability. We plan to fly from Detroit to New Orleans on July 29. Rent vehicles at the airport, which we will use during the week and for some sightseeing at the beginning and end of our project dates. Possible sightseeing ideas are a plantation tour, alligator tour, recreational parks, museums and memorials and parts of New Orleans. We are estimating that the cost per person would be $500 plus a few meals here and there on your own. This price assume a total of 14 people would be participating. That these individuals would book nonrefundable flights by April 10th. The cost of the flight is around $250. A $100 would be paid in May and June on the 10th and a final $50 payment on July 10th. If you are interested in participating or have questions about the trip please send an to rich.williams@midlandfbc.com. To register for the trip each individual will need to fill out a registration packet that can be found on the display or on our website in the calendar area. The Annual meeting was held on February 5th and there are two items that as Moderator, I would like to bring your attention: First, some members have expressed concern that the meeting was too long. Team Network discussed this concern and are looking at moving the meeting to be during the regular service. We can also forgo the detailed team reports in favor of ongoing monthly reports. The meeting would still contain a review of the prior year finances, and provide a voice for concerns. Second, in response to written and verbal requests from church members, Team Network is going to initiate a formal process around the Church s response to same gender marriage. Team Network is of the opinion that this process should not occur in the first year of our new staff assignments, and it will be one year come this September. We also believe that we need to develop a language to enable a respectful discussion. At this time we are not looking for people s opinions on this topic, but we are wanting to get your input on how you think the formal process should occur. Please speak with any Team Network if you have a suggestion regarding either the language or the formal process. ~Allen Ross, Moderator

6 MARCH YOUTH EVENTS Sunday Night Youth Group - 5:30-7:30PM - March 6 & 20 Wednesday Buys' Breakfast 6:15AM - Big Boy Thursday Girl s Lunch - March 3, 10, 17, 24 - See Rich for location MISSION TRIPS 2016 Save the Dates and Plan to Go!!! (See the article above about New Orleans) One Week, One Street revitalization effort on Roberts St., Saginaw June am-4pm. Work all week or just one day. Lunch provided project range from planting flowers, mowing to painting and small carpentry repairs. Join Rich and others in June. DON'T FORGET SPRINGHILL! March register online at EASTER BREAKFAST - March 27 - Youth Help Serve SAT Prep Have a student or know a student who is preparing for the SAT or at least should be? The Youth Ministry is excited to be partnering with Tina Lastovica and hosting a FREE one day SAT Prep class focused mainly on the Language and Math portions. Get some exposure to questions. Get an understanding of the scoring in the read and writing portions. Get that step up to do your best. There will be 2, one-day classes offered. Dates are Tuesday, March 15 from 7-8:30 pm and Wednesday, March 16 from 7-8:30 pm. There is space for 15 students in each class. Call or the church to register. Include the title, "SAT Prep Class", date student will attend, full name of student and a phone number.

7 MUSIC NOTES from the MUSIC MINISTER As we walk through our 2016 journey of Lent towards the glory of Easter, remember and reflect on the many opportunities to praise God through music and give thanks for the many people who offer to God their time and talents by their music participation and leadership in worship. Let me begin by inviting the congregation to Bay City First Presbyterian Church located on Center Avenue on Wednesday, March 9, from 12:15-12:45pm for a special Lenten Organ recital to celebrate the renovation of their magnificent Casavant Frere pipe organ. I am one of five organists invited to showcase the instrument in a series of free recitals. Guests are invited to stay after for a soup and sandwich lunch provided for a small cost by the church. Please join me in this wonderful celebration! Let me continue by encouraging participation in our many opportunities for music making and music fellowship here at FBC. If you haven t already, please take a minute to review our new Music Ministry Opportunities trifold located in the information rack by the chapel. Even if you are not interested in a choir or ensemble, perhaps you have a spouse, a friend, a child or grandchild who has a musical desire or gift to share with the congregation. I have begun planning for more and various instrumentation in worship beginning in March and look to you, the congregation, to help me identify individuals who have instrumental skills to share. All ages and abilities are welcome to take part. As many high school students have after school activities on Monday afternoon that interfere with the regularly scheduled Youth Choir and Bells rehearsal, please note that High School students who have previous music training in choir or band are welcomed and encouraged to join us in the Adult Chancel Choir on Wednesday evenings. Anyone is invited to drop in any Wednesday at 7pm and give choir a try. THANK YOU! Thank you to our Take Note Choir, Youth Choir and Adult Concert Bells for leading us in worship February 21 and 28. As always, I send a big thank you to our Adult Choir, our organist John Lastovica, and our Praise and Worship team, all of which lead us with joy in music each Sunday. REHEARSALS! We have regularly scheduled rehearsals in March for all music ensembles through Easter morning, March 27. There are NO scheduled rehearsals for the week of March 27 following Easter. Rehearsals resume Sunday evening April 3rd. As always, if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding our music in worship, please feel free to contact me via , jant@tm.net, jan.sutherland@midlandfbc.com, or by phone here at the church. I am in the office all day Monday and Thursday afternoons. You may also reach me at home at Let me close by saying that many of you at First Baptist know that the normal life of my family has been turned upside down this year by the poor health of my husband and me, as well as other issues causing the end to our marriage of 16 years. During these past two months the caring, generous congregation of First Baptist Church has wrapped its loving arms around me and my family with gifts of food, finances, attention and emotional support. Although it is difficult in the most difficult of times to say, I am sure of this today, tomorrow, and forever, God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good. ~Soli Deo Gloria, Jan Sutherland

8 Congregational Care Corner: DOROTHY making SNOW ANGELS

9 Harlow Funds Request It is time once again, for our annual Harlow Fund Requests! Each year our church provides ministry grants from the Harlow Fund. The Mission Team receives the requests and then prayerfully makes a recommendation to the congregation at the May business meeting based on the amount of money from the funds available for that year. The criteria used to grant requests are: The income from the fund: a) should be used in mission, service or seminary related projects, b) should not be given to the same effort/project for multiple years (rather used as seed money for projects) and c) should not be used for general fund purposes. The Missions Team is inviting members to submit requests for grants from the fund for Requests must: 1) be in writing, 2) include the name and address of the ministry, the sponsoring group or agency for the ministry and a brief description of the work of the ministry or organization - especially noting how the granted funds will be used and 3) include the name of the person(s) making the request. Requests may be given to any member of the Missions Team (Elaine Parsons, Janice Wallace, Beverly Bapp, or Lacey Schultz) or you may your request to Lacey Schultz at june_alien@yahoo.com. THE DEADLINE FOR REQUESTS IS APRIL 12. The congregation will make the final decision concerning Harlow Fund grants at the May business meeting. ~Thank you, The Missions Team Clean Water for Flint We would like to invite folks to begin bringing cases of bottled water to the church, so we can help our sister church, Mt. Olive Missionary Church, in Flint, provide water to their neighbors. The water can be dropped off on Sunday mornings in the kitchen. If you would prefer to make a donation toward this need, please speak with Lacey Schultz. Mt. Olive has begun to walking door-to-door distributing to those who can t get out. We have been invited to help distribute water in the surrounding neighborhood with them on Saturday, March 19. Their hope is that during our delivery we, combined members of both churches, could discover some needs that families might have, gather some information through a short survey and invite them to the Easter Service, the following Sunday, at Mt. Olive. This is one way of taking on the challenge of going OUT and caring for the OTHER. There will be more details coming soon, but if you would like to join us, please block off your calendar from 9AM - 3PM on March 19. April's Newsletter deadline is March 21 st at Noon. FBC Church Services and Functions may be Videotaped for Shut-in distribution and broadcast on MCTV. If you are interested in viewing our services, they will be broadcast on Charter Cable MCTV digital box Channel 191 at 2:00 PM Thursdays, and on digital box Channel 191, at 7:30 PM, Wednesday evening. Church services in video format may also be viewed at

10 We'd like to send Warm Birthday Wishes to all who have birthdays in March! April's Newsletter deadline is March 21 st at Noon. FBC Church Services and Functions may be Videotaped for Shut-in distribution and broadcast on MCTV. If you are interested in viewing our services, they will be broadcast on Charter Cable MCTV digital box Channel 191 at 2:00 PM Thursdays, and on digital box Channel 191, at 7:30 PM, Wednesday evening. Church services in video format may also be viewed at

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12 Newsletter for Friends and Members First Baptist Church 915 E. Sugnet Road Midland MI Date: March 1, 2016 Sunday Schedule 9:30AM Worship Service 11:00AM Sunday School Communion served 1st Sunday of the Month In the spirit of our compassionate Christ, we are a family of growing believers serving all of God s people in an ever-changing world! If you do not wish to receive this mailing, please contact us to remove your name: or office@midlandfbc.com Website: Lara Heise: Lead Pastor (Cell: ) Rich Williams: Discipleship Pastor (Cell: ) Jan Sutherland: Music Minister Livingston Garland: Praise Team Leader