The Fragrance That Comes from Knowing Him

Transcription

1 Benson Baptist News July 2018 The Fragrance That Comes from Knowing Him SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST Attendance & Offering Upcoming Events Looking Ahead SLT Minutes Birthdays Staff & Contact Info. John Sievering Senior Pastor Scott Jones Family Pastor Tiffany Schlup Office Administrator Website Facebook BensonBaptist Twitter DirectorofComm There is a really interesting passage in John s gospel where, after raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is eating in his friend s house. During the dinner Lazerus s sister, Mary, anoints Jesus feet and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3) This fragrance would have been common at the time because of all the expensive spices and fragrances that were commonly present in anointing oil. In this case, the oil itself was an expensive, aromatic essential oil called nard. This aroma was itself an important part of the anointing process. Throughout the Old Testament we read about the aroma that followed kings as a result of their anointing. A song about King David s wedding says, God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. (Psalm 45:7-8) The king would often reapply a similar oil so that the fragrance that had accompanied his original anointing would continue to be present as a reminder of his royalty and his calling by God. What we don t often remember about this story (and what Lois Tverberg and Ann Spangler point out in Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus) is that this fragrance would have, in the same way, followed Jesus during the last week of his life. Due to bathing practices at the time, the aroma of that oil would have been present for some time after its original application. Everywhere Jesus went that last week: as he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, as he washed the feet of his disciples, as he stood before the Sanhedrin, as he was questioned by Herod and Pilate, and as he was beaten and crucified by the Roman guards; all those present would have noticed the unmistakable fragrance of a king. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, the apostle Paul connects that anointing of Jesus with the attitudes and actions of Jesus followers. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. As followers of Jesus, we are to bear the same fragrance; the aroma of one who has been called and commissioned by God to serve. Now because we have not been chosen in the same way Jesus was, the only way we can bear that fragrance and spread it to those around us is by being in such close contact with Jesus that it starts to rub off on us. Are we so close to Jesus that we have his aroma? Are we so close to God that we bear God s fragrance? Are we so led by the Holy Spirit that it has started to spill over onto those around us? Let s commit ourselves to spread in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. -Pastor John 1

2 FOR THE RECORD - JUNE June Offerings Received : June Attendance : 6/3 $ 6, /3 87 6/10 $ Included in 6/17 6/ /17 $ 2, / /24 $1, /24 82 UPCOMING EVENTS & INFORMATION Monday, July 2, 2018 SLT Meeting There will be an SLT meeting at 7:00 pm. Tuesday, July 3, 2018 Fire with Friends Join us at the Jones residence (3002 N. 154th Ave. Omaha NE 68116) at 7:00 pm. Wednesday, July 4, 2018 Office Closed The office will be closed in observance of Independence day. Happy 4th of July!!! Sunday, July 8, 2018 Frontlines Lake Party There will be a Youth lake party at the York s in Valley from 12:00-5:00 pm. We will leave from church after the morning worship service. Lunch will be provided at the York s (grilling hotdogs, chips, salads, etc.) Bring appropriate swim suits, towels, sun screen to church. Please pick up students at the church at 5:30 pm. Friday Saturday July 27-28, 2018 ABMen Conference Join us for the ABMen Conference at Camp Moses Merrill! There will be inspirational Praise and Worship, Annual Men s STEAK FRY, Ice cream social, Target skills competition, annual golf tournament, and enjoy 500+ acres of Camp Merrill. For registration or more information go to Saturday, July 28, 2018 Food Pantry Our Pantry will begin at 9:00 am! Saturday, July 28, 2018 Benson Days Parade Join us for a family friendly summer festival! Activities include a pancake Feed (8:00 AM), parade (10:00 AM), street festival (10:00 AM) and more. We will have a float in the parade and its open to all ages to ride. Please come for decorating at 7:30 AM the morning of the parade. Donations of individually wrapped candy will be accepted in a tub in the narthex. SUMMER MOSES MERRILL Summer is here YAY!!!! Be sure to check out the camps at Camp Moses Merrill CAMP SCHEDULE July 8-13: Junior Camp (4th-6th Grade) July 15-20: Senior High Camp (10th-12th Grade) July 29-31: Family Camp I (All Ages) July 31-Aug 3: Family Camp II (All Ages) Aug 3-5: Family Camp III (All Ages) 2

3 LOOKING AHEAD August 4th-10th Please pray for our Costa Rica Team as they travel to spread the Gospel this week. August 8th There will be no Frontlines due to the Church Mission Trip to Costa Rica. August 15th OPS Back to School! August 15th This will be the last day of summer Frontlines. August 19th- Celebration of Ministry (Ministry Fair) at 9:45 am. Come and find information about all of our ministries. Hope to see you there! August 29th- We will have a block party in the south parking lot at 6:30 pm! Come out and enjoy all the festivities including snacks, lawn games, and more. See you there! COSTA RICA MISSIONS TRIP The Costa Rica Missions Team will travel to spread the Gospel August 4th-10th. Please keep them in your prayers this week! Philippians 2:12-18 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, SLT MINUTES JUNE 2018 Jon Mayo opened the meeting. Pastor Scott presented devotions on being called to be leaders for Christ and called to do His work for His church. Minutes of the May SLT meeting were approved by unanimous consent. For the year, revenues exceed expenses by about $3,778, a $1,500 improvement over May. It was noted that we will have an insurance payment of $5,000-$6,000 due in June. Pastor Scott gave an update on the Costa Rica Mission Trip. The dates will be August 4 10 with 11 people going. Airfare has been paid, and there is an additional trip payment due June 28. The next fundraiser is a spaghetti feed and silent auction June 30. An update will be given to the congregation in July. The pastors will be leading an all-church Sunday School beginning June 17, for 7th grade and above. We will be going through the spiritual gifts book Gifted to Serve. The class will last through mid-august, and will lead into our Ministry Fair. Pastor Scott has been asked to lead worship at his home church in Fairbury September 16. The SLT approved his requested absence. Pastor Scott mentioned that he is working on a new youth leadership core training program with the Nebraska and Central (Kansas) ABC Regions. This will require him to attend three weekend retreats, in October, January and April. This coming September 18-20, Pastor Scott will be attending a continuing education study trip with the Nebraska Region on Discipleship Training, in Maine. In Pastor John s absence, Pastor Scott presented Pastor John s report. Pastor John proposes to begin preliminary work on a community garden using the east grass lot later this summer, as part of our Ethos Conversations activities. He will provide more information over the next few weeks. The SLT has already approved the use of the lot for a community garden, but will review Pastor John s plans. Pastor John will be attending a Mission Study Trip to Egypt and Lebanon, as part of a team from the Nebraska Region, visiting our ministry partners there. 3 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

4 SLT MINUTES JUNE CONTINUED 2018 Pastor John is asking the SLT to consider adding additional duties to the Office Manager position to include Director of Children s Ministries. This is to better utilize our church resources in filling an open position and staffing an essential ministry. Pastor John has a person in mind for the position. The SLT approved by unanimous consent, but felt there should be a business meeting to gain congregation approval for the additional hours that would be required, should a candidate accept the proposal. Jon Mayo passed out a list of members being considered for inactivation, for review and comments at the July SLT meeting. The SLT also discussed church members who might be willing to fill vacancies for the SLT and Church Clerk positions. Jon Mayo will contact the people suggested to determine their interest. Education needs to hire a Nursery worker for Sunday morning to assist Mallory, since her co-worker left. Property is replacing the lock and handle on the Nursery door as a safety concern. New members: Isaiah Kong, Rebekka Dang, Kayla Swim, Jack Sievering. Prayer concerns: Camping, Mission Trip, Vacation Bible School, Ethos Conversations response. Next SLT Meeting: Monday, July 2, 2018, 7:00pm Ernie Denniston, Secretary PRAYER CONCERNS Prayers for those with medical issues and recovering. Prayers for worship leader and SLT Team. Prayers for Pastors and their families. FRIENDSHIP I went to a Christian University and needless to say it was extremely expensive. However, I met my very best friend the first day of college named Ashley. Ashley and I think that we may have been separated at birth because our minds are so linked. We share similar life experiences, same communication styles, and our thought processes are alike. She is the only person I know that I can blast the heat the entire car ride in the winter and we both love it. Not to mention she is an incredible women of God that encourages me in my walk with Christ. She is by far the most thoughtful, kind, patient, and trustworthy person I know (besides my husband of course :) ). I know I can always count on Ashley! This made me start to think about my friendship with Jesus. Not just that Jesus is my friend, but am I the kind of friend that Jesus wants to have? Do I completely rearrange my schedule to hang out with Him? Do I keep my word and can He trust me? When we have conversations do I only talk about myself or do I allow Him to speak to me? WOW! Are these questions as challenging to you as they are to me? Jesus used my dear friend Ashley to teach me how deep my friendship needs to be with Him. To be honest I don t think I am always the best friend that I can be to Jesus. I don t necessarily drop my schedule to meet Him. I don t always keep my word and sometimes I can be a bit of a Jonah. You know when He asks me to do something and I choose not to do it. My loyalty can be branched out into the busyness of life. Am I ever selfish? Yes and I believe selfishness is the root of almost every sin. We are so focused on what we need and what we want we lose track of what God has called us to. He called us to a relationship and friendship with Him. John 15:15 says, I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. Jesus Himself calls us His FRIENDS! We breeze through this passage so quickly, but when we look over this, the word Friend has a much deeper meaning. If we are His Friends we need to take on the responsibly a friend would have. We have to drop schedules, be trustworthy, and respond to the Lords call. Keep In mind that Jesus is not just our friend, but our Creator, Savior and King. Jesus paid the price by giving up His life for you. How will you respond in order to be a friend of Jesus? -Tiffany Schlup 4

5 FOOD PANTRY Romans 2:1-11 Food Pantry The month of June we served many families in need! Thank you for your continued support of this ministry! BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS & SERVING CHRIST You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; SOFTBALL SCHEDULE Date 7/7/2018 7/14/2018 7/21/2018 7/28/2018 Time 2:00 PM 1:00 PM 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM 2:00 PM Location Note: Haw or th Par k Ad dr ess Payne Dr, Bellevue, NE but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

6 July Anniversaries John & Stella Watts July 7th David & Carol Brown July 31st JULY BIRTHDAYS Sandy Foral July 2nd Cheryl Knudsen July 3rd Carol Von Forell July 3rd Gloria Hauger July 5th Zaria Castaneda July 5th Trey Carlson July 7th Jon Mayo July 9th Rob Berney July 11th Barbara Walker July 15th Barbara Thomas July 17th Lana Parks July 18th Keira Carlson July 21st Patty DeFrancesco July 22nd Gene Fox July 25th Sean Watts July 28th Becca Jones July 31st Benson Baptist Church 6319 Maple Street Omaha, Ne Phone: FAREWELL It has been a pleasure working here at BBC! I still say it was the biggest blessing I have ever experienced and a wonderful answer to prayer. There is a saying that says, If you love your job you will never work a day in your life. That sums up how much I truly enjoyed working here. I hope and pray that the Lord used me in my short time here to be a blessing and encouragement to BBC. Please continue to pray for my husband and I as we move to the next adventure the Lord is taking us on. I will miss my position and all of you dearly. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve the Lord in His church! For that I will be forever grateful. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 -Tiffany Schlup 6