First News. March 10 th Ada Tharp Circle 1:00 p.m. at Church. March 15 th Worship Service at Primrose at 11:00 a.m.

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1 1320 Arbor Drive Decatur, Il Phone Fax March 2015 Published Monthly Issue Number 148 First News Updated calendar at Our Staff Larry Mason Interim Pastor Mike Waltenberger Minister of Music Rory Green Youth Tina Erwin Office Manager Richard Moreau Custodian March 10 th Ada Tharp Circle 1:00 p.m. at Church March 15 th Worship Service at Primrose at 11:00 a.m. March 2,9, 16, & 23 Bible 6:30 p.m. March 11, 18 & 25 Lenten concert Series March 15 th Trustee Board will meet at 11:45 a.m. March 22 nd Christian Ed Board meets at 11:45 a.m. Diaconate Board meets at 12:00 p.m. March 26th Finance Board 5:30 p.m. Worship Ministries Board 5:30 p.m. Executive Council 6:30 p.m. 1 From the Pastor 2 Bench Notes 3 Birthdays & ABW & 4 Announcements Fundraisers 5 America For Christ 6 Offering Calendar 7

2 Growing up I lived for a few years in Tucson, Arizona. Our home was made of gray cement blocks and had a huge water cooler on the roof that continually dripped water down one of our outside walls. We got our first television there, a big black box with a small screen that produced fuzzy black and white pictures. Across the street from our home was pure desert, allowing tumble weeds and devil winds to blow down our unpaved street. Behind us was Mt Lemon, a beautiful mountain of rock, where we would regularly go to picnic, swim in cold, spring fed pools, and climb. I loved it there. Just a few years ago, when a gathering of American Baptist leaders were scheduled to meet in Tucson, I decided to spend a couple extra days and retrace some of my old stomping grounds. I shouldn t have been, but I was surprised to discover that everything was different. The home we had lived in was gone and replaced with one that was newer and more modern. Mt. Lemon still stood as beautiful as ever, but much of the area was now restricted and could not be enjoyed by the public. The greatest difference, however, was the city of Tucson itself. Everything had changed. It was a modern city whose population had recently topped one million. My home of yesteryear was replaced by a city that, though still beautiful, was unrecognizable to my childhood memories. My trip back through memory lane brought home a truth that we need to remember. Life does not stand still. Changes go on everywhere and, try as we will, we can t stop it. It is true of Tucson, Arizona, and it is true for those of us who call the First Baptist Church of Decatur our church home. At the same time we can t forget why we are here, the promises we have made to one another, or the importance of being family. Several times while my family was in Arizona we would go out into the desert to hike. One day we saw a small mountain probably more of a high hill that appeared to be solid rock. My dad called to me, We need to climb that. We promised we would, but we never did. Over the years that promised climb began conversation after conversation, but it never became a reality. Time changed things. We never forgot, but we just never did it. Now I m older. Dad has passed, and the promised climb is gone forever. In all the change that goes on around us in remembering why First Baptist Church is here and what we are to be about we must remember a change the Lord promised to us. I Corinthians 15:51-52 says, Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. Jesus understood family, and before we were born, He made us a promise. He would give us eternal life if we would just believe in Him. And rather than waiting instead of just talking about this promise, He sat out to climb a hill of his own. During this Easter season let s remember that change will continue to occur all around us, and we do need to adapt as it does, but our purpose should always be clear. It is to welcome others into this wonderful family of God through our lives, our actions, and our love for Jesus. The Lenten Bible study has been well attended and, hopefully, our understanding of the resurrection of Jesus and our hope through Him has been made stronger. We anticipate the Lenten Concerts and the opportunity to share with our community the gift of music and talents of those performing. We especially thank all of those who are volunteering to help fix meals, serve those attending, ushering, setting up and tearing down seating, tables and so much more. Our Sunday morning worship centers on the Lenten season as well. Examining the days in the last week of Jesus life on earth through sermons helps us look at our own lives, strengthen our personal relationship with Christ and guide us in our Christian walk. All of that is in preparation of the joy and wonder of Easter morning headlines: The Lord is Risen! --Pastor Larry 2

3 Bench Notes Pastor Larry is right: it does seem like we have just gotten Christmas put away and now we are already fully engaged in the Lenten season. Two seasons that are the core of our faith Christ coming to earth as a Baby and then Christ s suffering, death and resurrection as He completes our salvation. One cannot exist without the other. This Lenten season I hope you are participating in the Monday night Bible. Sessions are an hour long and begin at 6:30 p.m. There is still plenty of room for more to join us and Pastor Larry does a fabulous job teaching. You will learn a lot and enjoy the fellowship there. Our children choir, H2O Sings! has been doing a wonderful job with the new choir curriculum they began in January. While they are few in number, they are mighty in sound, spirit and enthusiasm. We are immensely proud of each of them! They will sing on March 1 and Easter Sunday and the first Sunday of every month. Thanks to Marcia Juriga for her great leadership with the group. On other notes Music For Meditation concerts begin March 11. Concerts at 12 noon with a complimentary lunch at 11: 15 a.m. and following the program. Guests this season include: March 11 Harpist Julia Jamieson March 18 Organist Mark Gifford March 25 Pianist Michael Waltenberger Thanks to Doug Blakey and the Carillon Bell Choir for their wonderful music during worship in recent weeks. You all are a joy! MUSICAMP 2015 LightSHINE is June This is our 25 th year of this ministry with Grades K-6 children in our community. Our theme is based upon Matthew 5: 16: Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Loving Heavenly Father, this day and every day, open our hearts to Your Spirit. Help us love You through our obedience to You and serve You by the way we treat others. Let love abound in every part of our lives, all for Your glory and Your kingdom, we ask in Jesus name, amen. --Mike Waltenberger 3

4 Ada Tharp Circle will meet March 10, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at Church. 2 Jonathan Drake Jenny Lohr Mary Lynn Van Praag 3 Clifford Cook 4 Peyton Parrish 6 Josh Hudson 7 Isaiah Stukins 9 Kristy Hall Lindsey Wright 10 Kim Downen 16 Gloria Redden Jessica Smith 18 Dave Fleming Jo Robinson 19 Jennifer Hinz Dalton Ingram 21 Jeff Cox 24 Carol Aldridge 24 Shelby Smith 25 Doug Blakey Carla Comerford Jennie Engle Wilma Thompson 27 Danny Stukins Ashyln Sutton 28 Donavan Drake Paula Dykstra 30 Sue Curlin First Baptist Church, On behalf of the homeless of Decatur, I would like to thank you for your continued financial support of Oasis. Your on-going partnership with us in providing the essential daily needs for those most in need is greatly appreciated. --Todd Tuggle, Oasis Associate Director God's Shelter of Love s first annual 40 and 72 mile bicycle tours of Macon, Dewitt and McLean Counties, Saturday, May 16th, 2015, 10 a.m. Great rider support. No cost. Go to to register. Mission of the Month for March New Life Pregnancy Center Items needed: Pull-ups Parents Choice Newborn Diapers Underwear sizes 2T-6 Socks Adult Toiletries Toilet Paper Purex Powder Sippy Cups AA & AAA Batteries 4

5 Fundraiser for Rockford Mission Trip Please support our Students who will be going to Rockford for their Mission Trip in July $10.00 per dozen (Make check payable to First Baptist Church) Pre-orders only on March 1 st, 8 th, 15 th, and 22 nd. The Youth will have a table set up in the Gathering Hall for Pre-Orders. You may pick up your doughnuts on Sunday, March 29 th Arbor Drive Decatur, IL

6 America for Christ Offering 2015 As I journey through our community, I see countless people in need of Jesus love and healing touch. You may be pondering, like I do, what difference one can make in addressing so many needs. Together, we can make a difference by supporting the America for Christ (AFC) Offering The theme this year Discipleship: A Journey of Grace, based on Titus 2:11-13 is a wonderful reminder that Jesus public ministry was all about connecting and caring for people in need. On each day of his journey, the compassion of Jesus was felt by someone somewhere. In Meditations of the Heart, Howard Thurman, African-American author, philosopher, theologian, educator, civil rights leader and founder of a multicultural church, wrote: I will lift up mine eyes. Scarcely knowing it, I have become increasingly self-centered, my mind focused upon all the details of my little life and the endless trivialities of a daily routine. I hover over all my little aches and pains, my petty annoyances, my little frustrations... Then out of no place comes sometimes a gentle, sometimes startling reminder and I lift up mine eyes. I will lift up mine eyes to life, that I may read the guideposts along my way and not miss the important turning in the road. I will lift up mine eyes to love, that I may not close the door of my heart to the knocking hand, the tender cry, the anxious reach. I will lift up mine eyes to God, that I may meet His spirit not only in the high place, the great moment, the penetrating call, but also in the byways, the little duties, the stinging irritations and the sad and bottomless renunciations. And for me this is enough. We learned that we should live to love because true freedom in Christ enables us to do so by the power of the Spirit in our life. The outworking of God s grace will be seen most often during difficult times. God s grace is being manifested in our lives as we gladly seek to help others carry their burdens. The AFC Offering 2015 reminds us that when grace happens we receive not a nice compliment from God but a new heart. We receive a transformed life that becomes the hands, the feet and the prophetic voice of Jesus Christ in our communities and as we connect with people every day. How do we see the grace of Jesus Christ at work in our community? We are encouraged by this year s theme to come alongside people as they journey through life. I am asking you to join me in giving generously to this year s AFC Offering 2015 and help us to reach our goal in support of home mission that is making a difference. 6

7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 10:45 a.m. Bible 2 3:30 p.m. Staff Meeting 3 6:00 p.m. Youth Bible :00 p.m. World Day of Prayer at First United Methodist 7 8 Daylight Savings Time Begins 10:45 am Bible 9 3:30 p.m. Staff Meeting 10 1:00 p.m. Ada Tharp Circle 11 Music for Meditation Church :00 p.m. JOY Class Party at Church 15 10:45 a.m. Bible 11:00 a.m Worship at Primrose 11:45 a.m. Trustee Board :00 p.m. Youth Bible 18 Music for Meditation Survivor s Class Party in the Fellowship Hall 22 10:45 am Bible 11:45 a.m. Christian Education Board 12:00 p.m. Diaconate Board 2:15 p.m. Youth Leadership 23 3:30 p.m. Staff Meeting Music for Meditation 26 5:30 p.m. Worship Ministries Board 5:30 p.m. Finance Board meets 6:30 p.m. Executive Council 27 5:00 8:00 p.m. Decorate Sanctuary 28 9:00 a.m. Decorate Sanctuary 29 PALM SUNDAY Krispy Kreme Doughnut Fundraiser Winter Jam in Peoria :00 p.m. Youth Bible 7