THE BRIDGE PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 15 APRIL 12, 2017

Transcription

1 PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 15 APRIL 12, 2017 This Sunday, we will join with followers of Christ throughout the world to worship Him and celebrate His victorious resurrection. Rejection (and even ridicule) of the resurrection of our Lord is becoming more widespread, but the preponderance of the evidence underscores the historical fact of Christ s resurrection from the dead. WHAT S INSIDE Contact Information... 2 Easter Sunday/David Procter... 3 From the Heart of John Parker Welcome New Members... 6 It was the investigation of that evidence by Lee Strobel (an atheist when starting his investigation) that led him to become a fervent follower of Christ and one of the most able and influential apologists for the Christian faith in the world today. If you have not seen the movie, The Case For Christ, it is showing this week. I highly recommend you see it. But Lee Strobel is not the first to be transformed from Christ-rejecter to Christ-follower. Members of Jesus own biological family (like His half-brother, James) can be counted in that number (Acts 1:14). So devoted to Jesus was James that Josephus reports him being martyred for his faith by the Jewish High Priest soon after the death of Festus. (Continued on page 2) Music Notes by Dodie... 7 Family Ministry Day... 8 Food Drive... 9 Thank You from Kati Singing Men Concert Lamplighters Hill Toppers Potluck Call to Prayer Cookbook National Day of Prayer Easter Egg Hunt Photos Parents Night Out Children s Activities Spaghetti Spectacular Sync Up! Student Life Camp Calendar/Reports Retrospective... 17

2 PAGE 2 (Continued from page 1) STAFF Dr. Gary Dyer SENIOR PASTOR Cell garyd@austinbaptistchurch.com Dr. David Procter EXECUTIVE PASTOR Cell davidp@austinbaptistchurch.com John Parker ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF MUSIC & WORSHIP Cell johnp@austinbaptistchurch.com Matt Gillum MINISTER TO STUDENTS & THEIR FAMILIES Cell mattg@austinbaptistchurch.com Cathy Smith MINISTER TO CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES Cell cathys@austinbaptistchurch.com Kati Dobbs CHILDREN S MINISTRY ASSOCIATE katid@austinbaptistchurch.com Dodie Morris MUSIC & WORSHIP ASSOCIATE dodiem@austinbaptistchurch.com Jon Marc Burge CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP ASSOCIATE jonb@austinbaptistchurch.com Christina Mendoza MINISTERIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / IT SPECIALIST christinam@austinbaptistchurch.com Jennifer Koret FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR jenniferk@austinbaptistchurch.com Rita Jones OFFICE MANAGER ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com Derek Tackett FACILITIES MANAGER Cell derekt@austinbaptistchurch.com Clifteen Samuelson EVENTS COORDINATOR events@austinbaptistchurch.com Joe Pere DIRECTOR OF MEDIA MINISTRY joep@austinbaptistchurch.com Bill Dickson FINANCE CLERK billd@austinbaptistchurch.com Elena Samper ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT elenas@austinbaptistchurch.com Information sent to me by one of our members, Gene Clark, reminded me that James was reported to have been thrown down from a height, stoned, and then beaten to death for his faith. Several non-christian historians such as Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny, and Lucian reveal that Christians were willingly tortured and even martyred for their refusal to deny their belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. They, like Strobel, were all convinced strongly enough to give their lives, if necessary, for their belief. Millions and millions of followers of Christ through the centuries have shown the same commitment. Luke specifically writes in Acts 1:3, After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. I am one of the multiplied millions still convinced. My heart carries a song this week that I know you share: He Lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life s narrow way. He Lives! He Lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart! I know He lives! And I look forward to celebrating His resurrection and worshiping our living Savior with throngs of believers this Sunday! Gary Dyer, Pastor John 3:30

3 PAGE 3 Last Easter we had 1068 at 9:00 a.m. (some had to be seated in the Great Hall) and 483 at 11:11 a.m. for a total attendance of Total worship attendance for the Sunday before Easter last year: 843. We are working to invite people to worship with us in record numbers on April 16. What are some things we can do to prepare for a great day? Pray about Easter Sunday. Our prayer ministry, our homebound, all of us...can pray earnestly, leading up to Easter and even during our Easter services. Invite guests. There is no Sunday of the year when people are more open to attending church than Easter Sunday. Our spike in attendance is typical of most churches. The unsaved will come if we invite them. Those looking for a church home will come. Our people can use personal invitations, Facebook (and other social media), , phone calls, written invitations. Utilize The Bridge, Facebook, our website. We have a banner on 2222 and McNeil. Parking. We can park on the street or in the lot belonging to the dental office east of us to open up close-in parking for guests, young parents, seniors, and the walking impaired. Additional childcare volunteers for worship are needed (both services), perhaps additional helpers for KIDZ Worship, and additional workers for Preschool/Children s Bible Fellowship. Greeters, Ushers, Parking attendants, and Guest and Information Ministry Teams will be focused on welcoming members and newcomers, and seating latecomers graciously. We expect many more guests than normal, and our friendliness will never be more of an advantage than on Easter Sunday. We will provide gift bags for guests. The Pastor and those who assist him in greeting guests will have many more than usual. The Traditional service. We will maximize the number of chairs set up in the Worship Center. We will have 300 chairs in Heritage Hall where we can live-stream the service if there is an overflow. It will help if our people who normally come at 9:00 a.m. to worship will instead worship at the 11:11 service. Bible Fellowship ought to have a wonderful day as well, and we will encourage every member and guest to remain for Bible study. Everything we do can introduce people to God. Joy is contagious, and Easter s message and music is glorious! We can share how to receive Christ in our worship services and in our Bible Fellowship groups. Provide next steps. We don t have to assume Easter guests will come only once; we can give them reasons to return. Dr. Tony Wheeler will speak next Sunday on The Blessing: Five Characteristics That Make Healthy Relationships. Dr. Dyer will begin a Sunday morning sermon series on April 30 on Faith s Hall of Fame from Hebrews 11. We can also invite guests to Dr. Dyer s Bible study of Revelation on Wednesday evenings, along with our wonderful dinner (free to first-timers!). Thank our guests as soon as possible: in person, or by phone or s. David Procter

4 PAGE 4 This week marks what Christians all over the world refer to as Holy Week. Holy means set apart, and this week in the life of Jesus was certainly set apart in many extraordinary ways. Take time to read and reflect on all Christ endured during Holy Week. Remember reflect and be thankful. Easter Sunday April 16, :00 AM Traditional Worship Easter Song ENSEMBLE Christ the Lord is Risen Today The Power of the Cross LEE HARLAND Low in the Grave He Lay Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee He Lives Risen Today KIDZMUZIK I Know That My Redeemer Lives SANCTUARY CHOIR & ORCHESTRA Crown Him with Many Crowns Because He Lives Christ the Lord is Risen Today PIANO & ORGAN DUET Key Events of Holy Week Palm Sunday Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11) Monday Cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14, 20-25) Jesus cleanses the Temple (Luke 19:45-48) Jesus predicts His death (Matthew 26:1-5) Tuesday Jesus teaches in the Temple (Numerous passages such as Matthew 23-26) Wednesday Anointing at Bethany (John 12:1-8) Judas agrees to betray Jesus (Mark 14:10-11) Maundy Thursday Jesus washes His disciples feet (John 13:1-20) Last Supper (Luke 22:14-23) Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him (Matthew 26:31-35) Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46) Betrayal and arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:43-52) Jesus is brought before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (John 18:12-14) Peter denies Jesus (Luke 22:54-62) Good Friday Jesus is brought before Pilate (Matthew 27:1-2) Jesus is brought before Herod (Luke 23:6-10) Jesus is brought again before Pilate (Luke 23:11-12) Barabbas is released and Jesus is condemned to death (Luke 23:13-24) The crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:26-43) Jesus dies (Matthew 27:45-56) Joseph of Arimathea, Mary, and Mary Magdalene prepare Jesus body for burial and place Him in the tomb (Mark 15:42-47) Saturday Roman guards are placed at the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66) Easter Sunday The resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) Jesus appears to the disciples (Luke 24:36-48)

5 PAGE 5 Upper Room Service Come join us as the Music & Worship Ministry presents its annual Upper Room Service on Thursday, April 13, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Worship with us as we remember and reflect on all Christ bore on our behalf beginning with the Triumphal Entry and culminating with His death and burial. Admission is free and all are welcome. Invite a friend, neighbor or co-worker to share in the passion of Christ during Holy Week at ABC. Blessings, John Parker New Bass Chimes for the Handbells Easter Sunday April 16, :11 AM Contemporary Worship Because He Lives Unstoppable God My Victory What a Beautiful Name The End of the Beginning DAVID PHELPS Shout Unto God For the Cross Palm Sunday Worship More Photos on Page 17

6 PAGE 6 Three families joined in the Pastor s Membership 101 Class on Sunday, April 9, Gene and Kay Elliott transfer their membership from Oak Ridge Baptist Church in San Antonio. They began worshiping with us in March. Gene is from Abilene and earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics and history from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He earned a master s degree in clinical social work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Gene s career in social work included Buckner Family Services and Baptist Memorial Hospital in San Antonio. Kay is from San Antonio. She earned her undergraduate degree in secondary education from Baylor University and a master s degree in computer science from The University of Texas. She taught computer science at Angelo State University in San Angelo. Gene and Kay met at church in San Angelo and were married in They moved to Austin six weeks ago to be near their son and three grandchildren. Kay plans to join our choir. They live in The Courtyard. Dr. David and Deanna (Dede) Lakey and their daughter Katie Lakey transfer their membership from Canyon Creek Church. They live in Westminster Glen and began worshiping with us last fall. David is from Anderson, Indiana, and graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. He earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Dede is from Nashville, Tennessee, and earned her degree in nursing at Belmont University in Nashville. She and David met at the VA Hospital in Nashville where they both worked; they married in The family moved to Austin in 2007 when David served as commissioner for the Texas Department of State Health Services. The department is one of the state s largest agencies with 12,000 employees and a budget of $3.3 billion. Two years ago David accepted a joint position as senior vice president for population health at UT Health Northeast in Tyler and associate vice chancellor for population health for The University of Texas System. His aim is to improve the health of Texans James and Lillian King transfer their membership from Great Hills Baptist Church. They began visiting our church in March. Both of them grew up in southern California. James earned his degree in zoology from San Diego State University and worked 34 years for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They met in high school in National City, California, and married in They moved to Austin in 1969 and live in west Austin near Mt. Bonnell. They have five grown children, eleven grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Lakey Family (continued) statewide. The Lakeys have three children: David (DJ), a freshman at the University of Arkansas; Katie, a junior at Westwood High School; and Ben, a kindergarten student at River Place Elementary. Ben is involved in our AWANA program. David and Dede attend Family Ties Bible Fellowship.

7 PAGE 7 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. Let the little children come to me, he said. Don t keep them away. God s kingdom belongs to people like them. Luke 18:16 NIRV Last week, on Palm Sunday, the 11:11 congregation watched and listened as our children entered waving palm branches and gathered at the front of the sanctuary to sing Hosanna in the Highest. They sang with enthusiasm and joy, reminding us of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday so many years ago. This week, during both Easter services, 9:00 and 11:11, all children are encouraged to bring fresh flowers to put on the cross. They will be invited during one of the times we are singing to come forward. If you have a very young child, feel free to come with them. It is always a beautiful sight and a blessing to all! During the early service (9:00) the children who are in KidzMuzik classes will come and stand by the piano until everyone has had a turn to put flowers on the cross. At that point, they will sing He Is Risen and then return to their parents. They are only singing in the early service, but decorating the cross with flowers will take place in both services. Living with The Family Upstairs has made me acutely aware of the stress of getting children to two services, Bible Study, followed by an egg hunt and lunch. So I decided to have them sing at the late service Palm Sunday and the early Easter service. Hopefully both congregations will get a blessing! I have included a link to the song and the words to the chorus below. The long sections are solos, but all children are singing on the choruses. If your child cannot attend KidzMuzik but would like to sing in the 9:00 a.m. service, we would love to have him/her join us. 1) Have him/her practice and memorize the chorus of the song. 2) Tell him/her to meet me at the piano after he/she places flowers on the cross. CLICK HERE FOR THE SONG He is risen, He is risen, He is risen as He said. Jesus Christ is risen; He is risen from the dead. He is risen, He is risen, and the stone is rolled away. Christ, the Lord is risen today! Dodie

8 PAGE 8

9 PAGE 9

10 PAGE 10 Dear Members & Friends: Note of Thanks I would like to thank everyone for your love and support after the apartment building my sister and I were living in caught fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but there was a lot of damage to our building. Thank you so much to everyone who came out and helped us salvage anything we could from our apartment. Thank you, everyone, for just supporting me through this experience. Instances like these show us how blessed we truly are, and I am so blessed to be part of an amazing church like ABC. Thank you so much! Kati Dobbs Children s Ministry Associate Come be part of Lamplighters this Sunday as we celebrate Easter, discuss the power of the resurrection, and learn what it means specifically for every believer. We d love to welcome you to our fellowship in our new location in the Heritage Hall building! Zack Lamplighters Parker Blevins & Tim McCoy The Singing Men of Texas are touring the Ukraine on April 17-28, 2017, with evangelist Michael Gott, presenting evangelistic concerts to crowds of 44,000+ people. In the past, an amazing 24,000 Ukrainians have made written commitments to follow Christ. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in their country. They are looking for hope. While the door is open and God is blessing and harvesting there, the Singing Men of Texas continues to go. Their first concert after their return will be at Austin Baptist Church on Thursday, May 11, at 7:00 p.m. Please make plans now to hear this dynamic group of gifted singers and hear about their mission experience. For more information, visit Lamplighters in their new meeting room in Heritage Hall.

11 PAGE 11 Food Drive Display: See List of Needed Items and Other Efforts on Page 9.

12 PAGE 12

13 PAGE 13

14 PAGE 14

15 PAGE 15 High school graduating seniors of the Class of 2017 will be recognized and honored during morning worship services. There will also be a luncheon for graduates and their families. CONGRATULATIONS, SENIORS!

16 PAGE 16 NEXT WEEK AT ABC RECURRING EVENTS Sun, Apr 16 Easter Sunday 9:00 am Traditional Worship, Worship Center 10:10 am Bible Fellowship Groups 11:11 am Contemporary Worship, Worship Center Wed, Apr 19 5:00 pm Fellowship Meal, Great Hall 6:00 pm Bible Study, Great Hall Young Adult Bible Study, Rm 243A Thurs, Apr 20 6:00 pm Hill Toppers Potluck Event, Great Hall MONDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 9:30 am Class, Rm 134 TUESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 9:30 am Class, Rm :30 am Class, Rm 134 Music Rehearsal 7:00 pm, 11:11 Band WEDNESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 10:00 am Class, Rm 134 WEDNESDAY cont. KIDZMUZIK 6:00 pm, Children s Area Music Rehearsals 6:00 pm - Handbells 7:15 pm - Sanctuary Choir 7:30 pm - Orchestra THURSDAY American Heritage Girls/ Trail Life April 20, 6:00 pm, Rm 137 FELLOWSHIP MENU Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Beef & Chicken Fajitas DEACONS ON CALL Week of April 17, 2017 Harlan McMorris Troy Wappler OUR RESPONSE TO GOD S FAITHFULNESS Annual 2017 General Fund Budget $3,500, Average Weekly Requirement... $ 67, Year-to-Date Requirement... $ 1,009, Account YTD Budget YTD Variance YTD Actual v. Budget General Fund $71, $847, $1,009, ($162,479.19) Designated $1, $33, Bldg/Strong $8, $106, Fill the Rooms $40.00 $14, Total Giving $81, $1,002, Building on a Strong Foundation Offering Total-to-Date $4,595, Annie Armstrong Offering ABC Goal $11,000 Received-to-Date $12, Our Attendance Sunday, April 9, :00 Service :11 Service Bible Fellowship Groups ON THE HORIZON April 23 Trustees Meeting Finance Committee Meeting Family Ministry Day 24 Deacons Meeting 26 Business Meeting May 3 Outreach & Evangelism Team Meeting 4 National Day of Prayer Event 5 Parents Night Out 7 Membership 101 Missions Committee Meeting Super Summer Spaghetti Spectacular Baby Bottle Campaign for APRC Begins May 8 Adults on Mission Meeting 10 Final Performance for KidzMuzik 11 Singing Men of Texas Concert, Sanctuary 14 Mother s Day 18 Children s Ministry VBS Teacher Follow-up Meeting 21 Student Ministry Graduate Recognition Sunday ABC Trustees Meeting Finance Committee Meeting 22 Deacons Meeting 24 Business Meeting AUSTIN BAPTIST CHURCH 7016 RIBELIN RANCH DRIVE AUSTIN, TX

17 PAGE ABC Children Participate in 11:11 Worship on Palm Sunday 7-9 ABC Students Observe Seder Sunday 10 Lamplighters BFG s Dedication of Heritage Hall 11 The Lobbyists BFG in their new space