Jefferson Baptist Church

Transcription

1 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 * Jefferson, PA PASTOR JOHN RICH DOREAN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 Greetings, Within a couple of weeks of your reading this newsletter, seven of us from JBC will be sunning ourselves on the beach near Grand Goave, Haiti. Well, OK, we will only be doing that for maybe a couple of hours, while spending the vast majority of our eight days there sifting sand, mixing concrete, hauling block, digging ditches in the heat and humidity that is life near the equator. (OK, that mention of heat - of any kind - is sounding pretty good right now as the team outside stands at an even zero degrees.) Eight others from Waynesburg, northern and eastern Pennsylvania and Oklahoma will be a part of our team. Our work will be a part of the larger effort of the God s Blessing Project that set out last year to acquire land where we could do more than build a single house amidst a crowded neighborhood that had been the focus of my five previous mission trips. The God s Blessing Project (Houses for I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E 1 Pastor s Message 2 Diaconate Report 3 Hymn Stories/ Moment for Missions 4 Youth news/ LCC News 5 Adult Sunday School/Bible Reading 6 Church Schedule for Jan./Feb. Haiti) goal was to build, in partnership with local churches and individuals, ten to twelve homes, a community garden, a soccer field for kids, and a small warehouse for local fishermen, as well as provide clean water and sanitation for the homes. To date we have purchased the land, refurbished a well dug by an NGO shortly after the earthquake and constructed a basin to hold water for the broader community s use, built a sanitation system, and constructed two homes. The good Lord willing, a third house will be built in the next two weeks and we will build the fourth house and work on another well restoration project while we are in Haiti the week of January 31- February 7. But here is where things start get exciting. ABCOPAD has committed to a contribution of $10,000 towards the work that is to be dispersed in $2500 increments to mission teams so that they don t have the added burden of having to raise money to build the houses. ABCOPAD Executive Minister Frank Frischkorn, who led the first ABCOPAD team to Grand Goave after the 2010 earthquake that killed 250,000 people and leveled or caused significant structural damage to 90% of the buildings in Haiti, will join us for our eight days in country. Also joining us for the trip is ABCUSA s Director of International Ministries for the Caribbean, Adalia Gutierrez, who is exploring the possibilities of a greater ABC mission to the Grand Goave region, including the construction of a community center for the God s Blessing Project. She will also be making contacts with local church leaders and other nonprofit servants with the hope of building a broader coalition of kingdom-minded folks. And commitments from JBC and First Baptist of Waynesburg, First Presbyterian of Waynesburg and several individuals will assure funds for at least another four homes to be built by local workers (another part of the vision of supporting the larger community by creating jobs) after we return, meaning two thirds of the homes will have been built in less than a year. Truly all things are possible when we trust God. I would be less than honest if I didn t say that I never thought this would come together. At the end of our last trip to Grand Goave in 2016 a few of us did some dreaming together and decided to put those dreams to prayer. I don t think it is diminishing to our good friend and partner in Haiti, Tiga, who has been the go-to-guy on this project, or to the many individuals who have given generously, to say that the rest has been all God. With gratitude to Him and to all who have or will be in any way a part of this remarkable adventure of faith, we prepare for the greater things than these that He yet has in store for us. Grace and peace, john J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 1

2 OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE 9:30 to 10:45 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP 11:00 to 11:45 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE DIACONATE REPORT, November/December 2017 At the beginning of every meeting Chad updates us on the activities with the youth group, and at the end we pray for several families who are part of our church care list. At the November meeting we approved a new method of communicating prayer requests. People now have the option of receiving a text message or a phone call when someone wants prayer for a particular, immediate need. SPECIAL OFFERINGS Burkina Faso& Haiti Water Well Projects FEBRUARY America for Christ To start an immediate Prayer Chain, call We voted to recommend to the Budget Committee that all employees of the church receive a 2% increase in their salary. John reported that over $3200 was raised through the Planned Famine in November. We had some discussion about how best to designate our mission giving to Haiti. Currently money is collected for wells in Burkina Faso and Haiti, but the board will recommend at the January business meeting that beginning in 2018, the money received for Haiti be used for construction in the new community that is being built there. We would continue to collect money for digging wells in Burkina Faso. Scripture Memory Verses for January & February: I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. -- Psalm 121:1-2 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. -- Psalm 86:11 We need to realize that we are all walking disasters apart from grace; men and women who need God every step of every day. We would all make a shipwreck of our life and the lives of those around us if God did not intervene. -- Gary Millar J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 2

3 How Firm a Foundation How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He hath said -- To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled? -- John Rippon, So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:6 Dr. John Rippon pastored Carter s Lane Baptist Church in London for sixty-three years, beginning in During his pastorate he maintained a vision for a church hymnal, which with the help of his minister of music, Robert Keene, was published in How Firm a Foundation first appeared in this hymnal, with the author s name simply listed as K. Many scholars believe that the K stood for Keene. The real power of this hymn, however, is that the verses are taken directly from scripture. In the first verse, the author sets out the theme: that God s word is the foundation for our faith. Each subsequent verse takes one of God s promises from scripture, and converts them into hymn stanzas. Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. The hymnist has translated this almost verbatim with the words: Fear not, I am with thee -- O be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will still give thee aid; I ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my gracious, omnipotent hand. Verses 3 and 4 are taken from Isaiah 43:2, and Verse 5 is taken from Hebrews 13:5: For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I ll never -- no, never -- no, never forsake. It s no wonder that this hymn was first published under the title Exceedingly Great and Precious Promises. --Taken, in part, from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan Our featured missionary in the month of January is someone many of you already know Rhetta (King) Byham. We will be welcoming her to JBC on Sunday, January 14th, when she will give us an update on her ministry. Rhetta works with Urban Impact Foundation, a ministry in Pittsburgh that has been serving at-risk children, youth and families on the North Side for over 20 years. Their desire is to reach the lost for Jesus Christ using a holistic approach to ministry. Rhetta s current role in ministry is to serve in Urban Impact s Math Support program in North Side schools. This involves working with students one-onone who are struggling with math and need extra help. As Rhetta works with students, she is building relationships with them that will hopefully lead to student participation in after school programs. It is in the after school programs, such as athletics and performing arts, that students can openly be taught the gospel. Rhetta reports that the Math Support program is growing, with another school recently adopting the program, as well as another missionary and some volunteers being added to the team. One of her prayer requests is that the team would be able to bridge students from Math Support to other Urban Impact programs where they can openly be taught about Christ. May the Lord bless Rhetta that she might faithfully persevere and have wisdom for her work!...and notes from the pastor A Special Word of Thanks: to all who gave their time and braved to cold to ring Salvation Army bells again this year. Thanks as well to the owner and manager of Giant Eagle in Dry Tavern for letting us ring at their facility. And thanks to all of you who dropped some money in the red buckets or spoke a word of greeting to those ringing the bells. It is those little acts of kindness that make a real difference in people s lives. 90% of the money from the bell-ringing stays in Greene County to meet the needs right here. In partnership with the students of Jefferson-Morgan Jr.-Sr. High School who rang on Thursdays and Fridays of December, this year we raised more than $ Celebration: On Christmas Eve day, 270 people worshipped with us here at JBC. The morning service was attended by 170 and the evening service by 198. And perhaps the most amazing thing is that all but maybe ten of those in attendance call this worshipping community their home church. As we thank God for that great crowd of worshippers, we also recognize the challenge and responsibility of doing all that we can to make an increasing number of those folks a regular part of our church family, which averaged 132 in worship for J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 3

4 The Ladies Circle enjoyed an abundance of blessings in November and December. To start, the Operation Christmas Child project resulted in a total of 105 shoeboxes packed by JBC this year! We are so grateful to those who packed their own boxes, as well as those who participated in the bulk packing party. We plan to continue this mission in OCC provides these gifts with the message of Jesus Christ to children in over 100 countries. Watch for more information from our chairperson, Janice Blair-Martin, as we kick off the collection for next year's OCC gift boxes. Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. HAPPENINGS! Jan. 14 Game & Lesson 5 Crossroads Jan. 21 Game & Lesson 5 Crossroads Jan. 28 Ice Skating Feb. 4 SuperBowl Party Feb Lock - In Feb. 18 Game & Lesson 5 Crossroads Feb. 25 Game & Lesson 5 Crossroads Bring Your Friends! The Educational Building smelled of sugar and spice and everything nice the first weekend in December, as we kicked off the month with our first Christmas Cookie Sale. Bakers and buyers were so generous with their donations. The cookie selection was phenomenal. Over $400 was raised for our service projects. What a blessing! Twenty-three smiling women attended this year's Ladies' Christmas party on Dec 18th. The refreshments were abundant and delicious. Our entertainment included the beautiful music of the Bonner ladies (Emily, Samara and Wren) along with their matriarch, Merry Dorean! Sarah Brandstetter rounded out the night, leading us in a fun and amusing gift exchange! We were blessed to have many donors fulfill the wishes of our local Star Gift recipients again this year. And, the Mitten Tree was full once again! The mittens, hats, gloves and scarves were taken to the Salvation Army in Waynesburg. They were so pleased to get NEW warm accessories to give away. Thank you all! May we be so blessed again in 2018! The next LCC meeting is Tuesday, January 23rd. J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 4

5 Adult Sunday For this is one of the main ways he speaks to us. If we are, School, 2018 In 1997, a local Baptist minister published a book called, "The Kingdom Adventure: A View from The Other Side." Many of you may already know that the author of that book is Pastor John Dorean. Goal: Read Your Bible More In 2018 It is a New Year For some, a New Year means resolutions to make. For others, a New Year means resolutions to break. So instead of setting yourself up for failure, let s call them goals, not resolutions. And it s always appropriate to try to change habits -- add good ones and take away bad ones -- especially at the beginning of a new year. If we look at our habits as obedience or disobedience to God, it might make it easier for us to let some of them go, and it might encourage us to add disciplines that will help in becoming more like the people God desires us to be. We could all add many disciplines/habits to our lives to enable us to become more like Jesus -- Worship, Scripture, Service, Prayer... But since it is a new year, let s focus on Bible reading. Pastor John said in a sermon once, Some people think the Bible is a book of rules and laws. And it does have laws and God s commandments in it, but it is also a book of history, a book of poetry, a book of prophecy, a book of biographies, a book of theology, a book of stories, and all those books are interwoven to tell one great story what God has done. And if we want to know God, to be obedient to him, we have to read His book... This book is going to be the basis for the winter/spring adult Sunday School class. The book has 16 chapters in which our pastor writes about what he sees as the Christian perspective on issues of our time such as feeding the hungry, politics, religious liberty, and why the righteous suffer. Following each chapter there are a series of discussion questions that we will use for our conversation in class each week. Many of you may already have copies of the book on your shelf at home. If you don't, Pastor Dorean has managed to find a few in a box somewhere in the parsonage! John will be giving us an introduction to his book on Sunday, January 14, and we will begin the new study on January 21. If you would like to join us, please search through your bookshelf, or see Cheri Kuharcik for a copy of "The Kingdom Adventure." We would love to have you be part of our weekly conversation....for this is one of the main ways he speaks to us. If we are trying to hear His voice, discern His will, or understand what He wants of us, we must read His word. Read His word. That is something that we could all do better, do more often. Here are some ideas: 1. Find a Bible translation that speaks to you. If you love the King James Version, read it; but if you d like an easier-to-understand version, try the New Living Translation or the English Standard Version or The Message. 2. Set a higher goal. If you read scripture three times a week last year, try for every day in Choose a particular time every day. Maybe morning, maybe evening, maybe turn off the television a halfhour earlier and read Download an app -- Bible Is. Bible Gateway. Olive Tree. You Version. Blue Letter Bible. 5. Get an accountability partner who will just ask you once a week or so if you are staying on track. 6. Get or join a Bible reading plan. Check out this article called 23 Bible Reading Plans that Will Satisfy Anyone. Ligonier Ministries has this article: Bible Reading Plans for Just Do It. For His Glory. J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 5

6 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson, PA US Postage Paid Permit No. 004 Non-Profit Org Jefferson, PA CHURCH SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY THE LORD S DAY 9:30 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE Jan. 28 Feb :00 AM DONUT SUNDAY/ASK THE PASTOR 5-6:30 SUNDAY EVENING STUDY PM GROUPS: MEN, WOMEN, YOUTH MONDAY 6:00 PM A TIME OF PRAYER -- Sanctuary 7:00 PM DARTBALL see schedules Feb.5 6:00 PM MEN S WING NIGHT Stoney Point TUESDAY 9:30 AM WOMEN S PRAYER & STUDY GROUP Feb. 6 7:00 PM DIACONATE MEETING Jan. 23 Feb. 20 6:00 PM LADIES CHRISTIAN CIRCLE WEDNESDAY 7:00 PM HOUR FOR POWER Jan. 17 7:00 PM ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING Jan PM FOOD PANTRY Feb.21 Feb PM ASH WEDNESDAY PRAYER, COMMUNION & ASHES Meals on Wheels -- January 29 - February 2; February 26 - March 2 Find us online: or call the church office at Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/jbcjeffersonpa us: jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com J e f f e r s o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h, P. O. B o x J e f f e r s o n P A Page 6

7 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 * Jefferson, PA PASTOR JOHN RICH DOREAN March-April 2018 Greetings, Let me begin by thanking all of you for your continued prayers for the future of the Jefferson Baptist Church and the Dorean family through this time of preparing for our retirement and new pastoral leadership. I don t think it is an exaggeration to say that over the last months and even years people have asked us what our plans are for the future hundreds of times. We have been deliberately vague about answering as we sorted out a variety of options. During a family gathering at Emily and Matt s place in OK this past fall, those plans have finally crystallized to the point that we have been sharing privately with those who asked and can now share them with all of you. As many of you know clergy ethics require us to leave the church and the Jefferson community for at least a year so as to give the new pastor an opportunity to become grounded here and to develop the kind of relationships that we have shared with all of you for thirty-six years now. On the one hand that is difficult because it requires a distance in relationships that have been not only a great joy but a sustaining force in the emotional and spiritual life of our family. On the other hand, it makes a lot of sense. I certainly would not want to come in as pastor in a church community that was still looking to the former pastor for their deepest needs. So a move out of Jefferson requires a whole new start somewhere. I tell people all the time that when we were living and working at Koinonia Farm in Georgia all those years ago, I felt called to do ministry here in Greene County - and though through the years various opportunities have arisen that could have taken us away - I have never felt released from that call. That is still true to this day. There is still much that I would like to do here. Even apart from continuing to build deeper relationships with folks here, serving on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, the Greene County Hospital Foundation and the County of Greene Redevelopment Authority is a great privilege and challenge that I would very much like to pursue. But both the love for and demands of family seem to be an ever more persistent voice from God. As I talk about in the book Our Girl, we never dreamed even ten years ago that our fourth daughter Bethany would still be alive as we drew near to retirement. But as she and God continue to confound the best guesses anyone can put forward about her life expectancy, here we are, a few months from retirement, and Beth is still going strong. (Seizures and pulmonary embolisms that have compromised her breathing and required her to be on oxygen around the clock are a couple new curves thrown us in the last few months.) At somewhere around ninety pounds, Beth is a serious lift into and out of a wheelchair or gurney or bed that happens multiple times a day. Increasingly we are aware that one bad lift could throw out our backs and our lives change forever. So at the urging of our daughters - themselves scattered to Washington, D.C., Oklahoma and Colorado - we have been giving serious thought to moving near to one of them. Three years ago, in what seemed like a nod from God, Emily and Matt s next door neighbor, who was himself preparing for a move near to his children in Ohio, offered to sell his house to us for its appraised value without ever putting it on the market. He wanted us to have it realizing how much of a blessing it could be to have us that close to minute-by-minute help. He gave us an incredible deal and we bought it - making it clear to him and our entire family that we might or might not ever move there. We have been renting it to University of Oklahoma students and staff who are part of Em and Matt s worshipping community and could continue to do so quite profitably. But the bottom line is we have to move somewhere. Washington, D.C., where Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA Carrie and Ryan and family are, is so very expensive to live in. And in Colorado, where Hannah and Craig and kids are, the air is too thin for Beth to get by even on oxygen. The house in Oklahoma, in addition to being literally next door to Em and Matt, is two blocks from the University of Oklahoma campus with huge wide sidewalks that Beth always loves cruising around on when we visit. Our trip to Oklahoma in the fall was to meet with a builder to make sure adaptations such as ramps, widened doorways, and accessible showers can be made to make Beth and all of us as comfortable as possible. It looks like they can be, so we are biting the bullet and saying, June 1, 2018, Oklahoma here we come. We knew ten months ago when we announced that we would retire at the end of May 2018 that these next months would be challenging for all of us in a lot of ways. I was determined then, and remain so today, to keep the pedal to the metal in terms of doing what we can to move the Kingdom forward here at JBC. At the same time, there is no denying the grieving process of preparing to part from all of you who have been more than family to us for thirty-six years. Telling you that we are moving to Oklahoma seems to add a nail to the coffin in a way that is profoundly sad and feels more than ever like we are deserting the ship. But we also need to begin to make preparations here and there and a large part of that is getting us all prepared and excited for the next stage of our journey with God. Though the search process has not, I think, gone as any of us anticipated, I remain confident that God has a dynamic pastor in line to keep the work of the Kingdom rolling ahead in all of our lives. So we ask that you join us in doubling down in prayer that God would honor the desires of our hearts to serve and honor Him in everything and to sustain us all in times of transition and change. God s blessings, John, Merry and Beth. 1 P a g e

8 OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE 9:30 to 10:45 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP 11:00 to 11:45 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE SPECIAL OFFERINGS Burkina Faso Well Projects Houses for Haiti in Grand Goave Scripture Memory Verses for March and April: Psalm115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Diaconate Board Report for January-February The diaconate board elected the following officers for 2018: Chair - Buddy Hawk Vice-Chair - Donna Scott Secretary - Sue Berkstresser We heard about the plans and the results of the mission trip to Haiti, and also approved Michelle Nelson as one of the leaders of a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. She and Chuck Baily will be taking a group sometime this summer. The board voted to continue our policy of having fund-raisers done in the name of JBC approved by the diaconate board. Brittany Morrison and Heather Wise have agreed to serve as codirectors of VBS this summer. John reported that the Salvation Army bell-ringing in December was once again a success with the help of the students from Jefferson-Morgan. We heard a favorable report from the youth group leaders who have organized several activities for the youth from JBC and Hewitt Presbyterian. The diaconate board spent some time discussing the Summer Classic and voted to support the effort to hold it again this summer. The church picnic was also set for August 5 at Wana B Park. A Habitat work group will be in our county in March, and we will host a pot luck dinner for them on Thursday, March 8. As is our practice, we close our meetings with prayer for several families on our congregational care list. Sunday, May 27 th for loving on the Retiring Pastor and his family. Plans are incomplete, but there will be food, speakers, music, laughter, and tears... You don t want to miss it. Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

9 All Hail the Power of Jesus Name Words by Edward Perronet All hail the power of Jesus name, Let angels prostrate fall, Bring forth the royal diadem, and Crown Him Lord of all! Ye chosen seed of Israel s race, ye ransomed from the fall, hail Him who saved you by His grace, And crown Him Lord of all! Let every kindred, every tribe, On this terrestrial ball, To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all! O that with yonder sacred throng ye at His feet may fall, We ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all! You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being. -- Revelation 4:11 The words to one of the greatest worship hymns of all time, All Hail the Power of Jesus Name was written by a young Anglican minister, Edward Perronet in (The original title was On the Resurrection, the Lord is King.) Edward was the son of French Huguenots, who fled France to England for religious freedom. Edward became disenchanted with the State Church of England and for a time was associated with John and Charles Wesley and the Evangelical movement. John Wesley many times tried to get Edward to preach at their revival services, but Perronet always declined thinking that John Wesley was a much better preacher. One evening, Wesley wouldn t take no for an answer, and introduced Edward as the minister who would now give the sermon. Perronet walked to the platform and announced that he would now give the best sermon ever written. With that said he read the text to the Sermon on the Mount and sat down. Perronet eventually split with the Wesleys and pastored an independent church in Canterbury, where he died in There is one other lovely verse to this powerful hymn that is not often written in modern hymn books: Sinners, whose love can ne er forget the wormwood and the gall, Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all. An amazing story is told about this hymn. Edward P. Scott was a missionary to India in the 1860s with his wife Anna. They had been serving in India for seven years, when Edward felt the call from God to go serve among a primitive mountain tribe called the Naga. When the British military commander heard this, he told Edward that he would certainly be killed. Edward left anyway, taking only his Bible and his violin. When he was encircled by angry Naga tribesmen with spears, he took out his violin, closed his eyes, and began to play All Hail the Power of Jesus Name. When he opened his eyes, the tribesmen had put down their spears and were listening in amazement. When Edward asked if he could come live among them, they agreed, but only if he would bring his violin. Over the next few years, the Naga tribe was almost completely converted to Christianity. But in 1869 Asiatic cholera struck the tribe and most of them died, including Edward Scott. His wife Anna stayed on in India for several years, but eventually returned to the United States, went to medical school, and served again as a medical missionary in China until she was 75 years old. The music, written by Oliver Holden, is aptly called Coronation, and it reminds us that, Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -- Philippians 2:9-11 Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

10 Pastoral Reflections on our time in Haiti It is hard to imagine how the recent eight days in Haiti could have gone better. No one got sick or hurt, the planes were all on time, trips to and from the airport went smoothly, there was remarkable harmony and love among the team members, we got a whole lot of work done and enjoyed immensely building relationships with new Haitian friends. And for me personally, having my good friend and brother in Jesus, Jonathan Johnson along as a true co-leader was a blessing beyond words. True, electricity was its usual inconsistent self, plumbing was an everyday challenge, bug spray and sun screen pretty much ruined the clean feel of a shower moments after you got out, cellular service was spotty. But all of that is life in Haiti. What was especially gratifying was to see how our dreams of two years ago are coming to fruition. The compound that we purchased for this project is stunningly beautiful. Right on the ocean, most of us will only dream of waking up to the sight of crystal blue waters. We had seen pictures of it, but none of them began to capture the beauty of the place. We now have four houses completed at the site with a fifth to be built in the next couple of weeks. (Four of the ladies on our team had the privilege of handing the keys to their new homes to the women whose families are now occupying them.) The bath house with toilets and showers, for the residents of what will be ten homes, is nearing completion, and we ran a water line to it from the well we have reclaimed after years of inactivity. The cistern, which provides water for our property, is already providing water for hundreds of neighbors in the community of Mon Plaisir. (When you consider that 60% of health costs in the community are from diseases from unclean drinking water, it becomes obvious what a huge deal this is.) We built a second cistern on the opposite end of Grand Goave while we were there and a third will soon be constructed with money we raised last year. We had the privilege of meeting with village elders who are running the cistern operation and who are part of planning for the project. Fishermen, teachers, pastors and school principals took an HAPPENINGS: MARCH 4 Game and Lesson at Crossroads MARCH 11 Game and Lesson at Crossroads MARCH 18 Game and Lesson at Crossroads MARCH 25 Game and Lesson at Crossroads MARCH 30 Cross Walk APRIL 1 Happy Easter! No Youth Group APRIL 8 Game and Lesson at Crossroads APRIL 15 Game and Lesson at Crossroads APRIL 22 Event to be announced APRIL 29 Game and Lesson at Crossroads Bring Your Friends! evening to share their hopes and dreams for their community. Because we had Adalia Gutierrez, Area Director for ABCUSA s International Missions for the Caribbean, Latin America, Spain and Portugal with us, we also had the opportunity to meet, think and strategize with long term ABCUSA missionaries in Haiti and the General Secretary and President of the Haitian Baptist Convention. And Adalia and ABCOPAD Executive Minister, Frank Frischkorn, both demonstrated for any skeptics that exceptionally gifted administrators can also carry their load in the pick and shovel detail. Thanks to all of you who have prayed or contributed in any way to this exciting adventure. Keep it coming. God is truly being honored in this important work. Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

11 This is the second year for Jefferson Baptist Church Scholarship. The recipient(s) will receive $1000. Application packets are available in the vestibule of the church, or you can have one mailed (or ed) to you if you contact the church secretary. Requirements for the Jefferson Baptist Church Scholarship: (1) You must attend regularly at the Jefferson Baptist Church; (2) You must have a letter of acceptance from a College, University, Technical school, or ACTs Program, or any other continuing educational program; (3) You must be interviewed by the church s Scholarship Committee; (4) You must have a recommendation from the Pastor, Youth Leader, or the Moderator of the church who will be the Scholarship Committee. Please include this letter in your application; (5) All applications must be received by April 30th for 2018; and (6) You are only eligible for one scholarship from Jefferson Baptist Church. It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. -Charles Spurgeon But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never fails to bear fruit. --Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) Tuesday, March 27 at 6 p.m. Jefferson Baptist Church Social Hall Once again the ladies will be gathering to fellowship over tea or punch. You are welcome to bring...a favorite tea cup...a dessert or appetizer...a hat Hewitt Bell Choir will be our musical guests. This event is open to all women of the church. Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

12 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson, PA US Postage Paid Permit No. 004 Non-Profit Org Jefferson, PA Maundy Thursday, March 29: 6:00 PM - Potluck supper - Please bring a covered dish to share. 7:00 PM - Candlelight service, Communion, & Symbolic Foot Washing Good Friday, March 30: 10:00 AM - Cross Walk begins at Hewitt Presbyterian & travels to Jefferson Baptist 7:00 PM - Good Friday Community Service at Jefferson Baptist Church. Easter Sunday, April 1: 6:25 AM - Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord 6:30 AM - Sunrise Service & Communion; Breakfast will be served between services. 9:30 AM - Easter Service (No Sunday School or small groups) CHURCH SCHEDULE FOR MARCH-APRIL 2018 THE LORD S DAY 9:30 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 5-6:30 PM YOUTH GROUP, (EXCEPT MEN S STUDY GROUP, EASTER) WOMEN S STUDY GROUP April 1 March 25 April 29 March 29, Apr.1, Apr.15 MONDAY March 5 April 9 6:25 AM 7:30 AM 9:30 AM EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE PANCAKE BREAKFAST EASTER WORSHIP 11:00 AM DONUT SUNDAY/ASK THE PASTOR COMMUNION (ONLY AT THE SUNRISE SERVICE ON EASTER MORNING) 6:00 PM A TIME OF PRAYER - Sanctuary MEN S WING NIGHT Stoney Point *Meals on Wheels: Feb. 26-March 2 March 26-30; April 23-27* Please see Easter Schedule, above, for more details TUESDAY 9:30 AM WOMEN S PRAYER & STUDY GROUP March 6 7:00 PM DIACONATE MEETING April 3 March 27 6:00 PM LADIES CIRCLE TEA April 17 6:00 PM LADIES CIRCLE MTG. WEDNESDAY 7 PM HOUR FOR POWER April 11 7 PM QUARTERLY BUSINESS MEETING March 15 9 AM FOOD PANTRY April 21-2 PM THURSDAY March 29 6 PM MAUNDY THURSDAY FOOT WASHING SERVICE FRIDAY March 30 10AM CROSS WALK March 30 7 PM GOOD FRIDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE Jefferson Baptist Church For more information, please check our website at - or - find us on Facebook at facebook.com/jbcjeffersonpa - or - call the church office at (724) Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

13 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson PA PASTOR JOHN RICH DOREAN Greetings, This is a month of lasts for me and here is one more. I am not sure when we went to doing a newsletter every two months instead of one a month, but give or take a few this is something like my 370th church newsletter - and my last. There is still a ton of stuff to do before my last day and the celebration of our ministry together on May 27. My commitment when I announced my retirement now 17 months ago was to keep the pedal to the metal until that last day and, frankly, I have had no choice but to do so. Three weddings in May and at least twenty baptisms since Easter week are keeping things focused on the here and now and not the future. And that is as it should be. But there is no denying that all of us are thinking about that future more and more as the Dorean family time in Jefferson draws rapidly to a close. I think I speak for all of us as a church family in saying that we are getting more than a little antsy to know what the future holds for pastoral I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E 1 Pastor s Message 2 Diaconate report/newsletter Options 3 Hymn Stories/Youth/LCC 4 Learning the Lesson and Letting Go 6 VBS Shipwrecked/Rescued by Jesus 7 VBS 2018 Registration Form 8 Church Schedule for May/June leadership here at JBC. I know a whole lot of us have spent a great deal of time praying for God s will to become clear to us. Several times here in the last couple of months, those in leadership on the Search Committee and Diaconate Board felt like those prayers had been answered, only to have candidates we were excited about withdraw from consideration. So where do we go from here? And what is God saying to us in all of this? The temptation is to get stuck in disappointment. I d be a liar if I didn t admit that I, like many of you, have felt some very real disappointment and discouragement. I think we would not be human if we did not. But the very real truth is that God is still on the throne this morning, as He was yesterday, as He was on the first day of creation, as He will be tomorrow and on the day when this present world is swept up into eternity - and every day in between. And because He is on the throne, we can be confident that He is at work - as He has been from before the beginning of time itself - for our very best interests, both individually and corporately as a part of His Body here in Jefferson. Of course, our best interests from God s eternal perspective may be very different than our best interests from our limited time perspective. If a thousand years in God s sight are like a day (Psalm 90) then these past seventeen months are pretty much just a blip on the radar screen of eternity. In at least some of our hearts there is arising the beginnings of panic - we ve got to get someone in place, we have to have a MAY/JUNE 2018 plan moving forward. And that is certainly the case. But allow me to assure you - even as I assure myself - that there is no panic in the heart of God. His plan is unfolding according to schedule. Now again - it is not unfolding according to my schedule. According to my schedule, I was supposed to spend these last five months bonding with and introducing all of you to our next pastor. Well that didn t work out. And Search Committee and Diaconate could make the same report. But that is because we are not on the throne. So what do we do in this time of not knowing, not hearing clearly from God? We wait - patiently. Now don t be confused. Waiting patiently does not mean to sit around and do nothing. It does not mean holding endless prayer meetings till we hear the voice of God clearly. It doesn t mean holding hands and singing endless rounds of Kum Ba Yah to lessen our stress. No, quite the opposite. I want to suggest to all of us that waiting patiently means - in addition to listening carefully for the voice of God - that we are actively, faithfully, dynamically asserting what we already know of God s will through His Word. In struggling to discover the particulars of our unique situation, let us not forget that God has clearly made known His will for our lives. We are to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to (Continued on page 5) Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 1

14 OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:30 to 10:45 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE 11:00 to 11:45 A.M SPECIAL OFFERINGS Burkina Faso Water Wells & Houses for Haiti One Great Hour of Sharing VBS Penny Offering Scripture Memory Verses for May & June: Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Isaiah 40:31...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Diaconate Report March/April 2018 At our March meeting we spent some time discussing this year's Classic. Pastor Dorean has prepared a very detailed flow-chart outlining the steps in preparing for the event. The board voted to designate the proceeds from the Classic to be sent to the Coalition for a Brighter Greene, a local organization trying to help with the drug crisis in Greene County. We will be hosting the Ten Mile Baptist Association meeting on April 29 at 4 p.m. Our delegates to the meeting are Jim Townsend, Buddy Hawk and Pete Arigoni. Our representatives on the Permanent Council this year are Buddy and Pete. VBS curriculum has been ordered and the board voted to designate the cash collection towards Houses for Haiti, and school supplies collection toward Rhetta Byham and her ministry on the North Side in Pittsburgh. We followed the Mission Committee's recommendation to approve a service project at CBM during the week of April 23 to prepare for camp. We discussed the Designated Needs Fund, and at the end of May, $1000 will be kept in the fund and the rest will be moved to the general fund with its own line item. The celebration for John and Merry's retirement is May 27, and the board voted to allocate $3000 towards that celebration. We also decided that any vote on a new pastor will be done with paper ballots. At the April meeting Pastor Dorean reported on the events of Holy Week and the baptisms that took place that week. The majority of the time at the April meeting was spent discussing the next step in our pastoral search process. The anticipated candidate removed his name from consideration and Pastor Jeff Johnson has recommended that we hire an interim to serve in order to achieve a smooth transition when Pastor Dorean leaves. The board voted to hire an interim until January 2019 (in order to ensure Advent and Christmas activities and preaching with a regular person in the pastorate), and the board will interview two local men who originally applied for the position as pastor at JBC to serve in that capacity. The interim pastor will be eligible to be hired as our full-time pastor at the end of the interim period or before. That decision will be made by a paper ballot vote by the church membership. The youth group leaders continue to give good reports on numbers and activities along with the work of the college students who help with the meetings, and as is our custom, we close our meetings with prayer for some of those on our care list. Newsletter Options As you all know, Pastor John is retiring on May 31, and we are beginning a new journey at Jefferson Baptist Church. Many of you receive this newsletter because you have personal connections with the Dorean family. If you would like to continue to receive our church newsletter, you need not do anything. If you would like to receive the version of this newsletter, or if you would like to be taken off the mailing list altogether, please us at jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com and tell us your wishes. Please put JBC NEWSLETTER in the subject line. The Doreans new address is 638 S. Lahoma Ave., Norman, OK Blessings to you all. Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 2

15 All Creatures of Our God and King Words by St. Francis of Assisi, All creatures of our God and King, Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia, Alleluia, Thou shining sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam, O Praise Him, Alleluia... Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you shining stars. Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies... Psalm 148:3-4 It is hard to separate fact from fiction when reading about St. Francis of Assisi, but there are a few facts about his life that are known for sure: He was born Giovanni Bernardone in 1182 in central Italy, the son of a wealthy landowner. At the age of 25 he left his soldier s life, renounced his inheritance, and vowed to spend his live living simply and devoting himself to Christ. He loved nature, animals, and music, and wrote over sixty hymns. One of his most well known songs was composed right before his death, Canticle of the Sun. It encourages all creation to worship God the sun, the moon, the birds, the clouds, wind, and fire, all men of tender heart All creatures of our God and King. These wonderful words weren t translated into English until 1919 when Rev. William Draper translated the words into their current beloved form for a children s festival in Leeds. Read Psalm 148, from which these words are taken, and praise God for the wonders of His creation. May 6 Game & Lesson, 5-6:30 May 13 Spend the day with Mom, No Youth Group To start an immediate Prayer Chain, Call This is a NEW Number! Tea Time!! What a great time we all had at the Ladies Christian Circle Tea on March 27 th. Over 40 ladies were in attendance, along with a couple of gentlemen who were part of the Hewitt Bell Choir, our musical entertainment for the evening. It is such a joy to experience the talent that God instills in others. This group blessed us with inspiring and beautiful music throughout the evening. Of course, we ate well and enjoyed some fine tea. But, the true highlight of the evening was honoring Merry Dorean. Merry will soon be leaving for her new home in Oklahoma and the LCC will miss her great smile, her many great talents and her ever invigorating spirit. We all were a bit misty-eyed that night as she spoke to us about her years in fellowship with our group and the church. But, we rejoice and know that she will continue with the work that the LCC represents, service to others in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Ladies Tea supporters provided an offering large enough to sponsor another child in need. This summer we will be sending this donation to Hope Changes Everything for a 1-year child sponsorship that we hope to sustain in the years ahead. What a blessing! In April, the LCC met to get organized for more upcoming service projects. The Mother s Day Bake sale takes place on Saturday, May 12 th in the Ed Building. Drop Off for bakers is between 8am-10am. Pick-up for buyers is from 10am to 12noon. Clip boards are circulating now! Coffee and Tea from the Giving Bean is also being offered for sale. You can find it displayed in the Ed building now, at the bake sale, or contact Sarah Brandstetter for online ordering instructions. Your support of the Ladies Circle has recently helped us provide gifts to the JBC Scholarship fund, the Jefferson Food Pantry and a gift to the JBC nursery for the purchase of new baby dolls. We praise God for giving us the means to help so many others. Our next meeting is May 22 nd at 6pm. In June, the Ladies Circle will host Ladies Night Out at a local restaurant. Stay tuned to the church bulletin for dates and details. May 20 Game & Lesson, 5-6:30 May 27 Final Party Bring Your Friends! Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 3

16 LEARNING THE LESSON AND LETTING GO Silly me. I thought at my advanced age, lessons in life were already learned. I'm old enough now to be the one offering sage advice rather than stressing over just what this lesson was supposed to teach me. I know better than that really. The road we travel is never guaranteed to be smooth no matter how new or old your vehicle, no matter what season. It is the season of potholes after all. And the journey we're on is always guaranteed to teach us something--if only we pay attention to the curves. Interstates are boring after all. But this particular life lesson blindsided me and maybe I still haven't recovered. So I'm writing my way through it and trying to see the truths. I try to believe the best of everyone. I try to be kind, and in turn, I think others should be kind.. Life is too short to be bothered by unkind people, don't you think? In February I took an online writing course. I eagerly did the first few assignments. And then the instructor sent me back a detailed critique. I was ready for critique. Tell me that the scene didn't work because the dialogue was unrealistic; tell me that there was too much description, not enough description, whatever specific critical analysis you've got. But unkind, ugly words that had no purpose except to insult? When I read them, I was stunned. I read them again. I was not only astonished that an instructor would write such words, I was crushed. I know that I should not care what some unknown person wrote to me under the guise of criticism. But I did, and suddenly I doubted whether I should even be writing. I had been praying for answers about whether I should continue; perhaps this was the answer? I put down my pen and unplugged my keyboard. Instead of working on three writing projects, I wrote nothing. During those weeks of quiet, I rediscovered my need to write. The writing may never turn into a novel and may never be published. Yet whatever our creative outlets are--writing, art, music, storytelling, sewing, gardening, woodworking--they are neglected at peril to our own well-being. I have been trying to banish the fear and ugliness that instructor dumped on me. I don't know why the words were so unpleasant, but I have used prayer to try to forget them. It isn't easy for me to let things go; I dwell on what I should abandon and leave behind. Conveniently, the sermons at church these past few weeks have been walking us through the book of James, and I have listened with my heart to his apt words: trials aren t your trials: some are interpersonal; some are physical; some are huge and seem to go on forever; some last only a short time -- but we are all guilty of allowing those trials to derail us more than they should. It s a matter of trust. Do we trust that God is over us and we have given our lives over to Him? If we have, then human sin and trials should not send us off course. And please note what perseverance does -- it makes us mature and complete, not lacking anything. What would we be without trials? Spoiled children, selfish and demanding, lacking character and wisdom. In just a few more verses, James tells us what will happen when we do persevere: Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. -- James 1:12 (NIV) Passing the test by not giving up brings us God's approval; not necessarily human approval because human approval passes away with the seasons and it pretty much only serves our pride. God's view of our perseverance is like snow on daffodils-- they droop in the snow, but when the sun comes out they stand taller and appear more golden than ever before. (Remember all that snow on the daffodils around here in April?) Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. --James 1:2-4 (NIV) Trials of may kinds: that means trials of all sizes and extents from huge life altering events to smaller every-day grouches. My That brings me to human approval. I'm guilty of wanting it. I'm guilty of being very unhappy when there is discord between humans I am close to. Heck, I'm even guilty of disliking it when people I don't like dislike me. But we can't allow meanness or unkindness to win; and by dwelling on it, or taking it too seriously, we allow it too much power over our lives. By listening to churlish words, I allowed my own confidence to be shaken. I gave those words power. Yet the truth is that words do have power, and if we read further in the book of James, he tells us: (Continued on page 5) Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 4

17 PASTOR S LETTER (Continued from page 1) seek first and above all else His Kingdom and His righteousness. We are to live in humility with compassion for all people. We are to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven by God. We are to be caretakers of God s creation as He appointed us to be in the Garden. The truth is that there is a great deal that we know of God s will - and as those who have committed ourselves to Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives - we need to actively pursue what we know even as we wait for the little we do not know to be revealed. If each of us is faithful in that, trusting in the promises of God, waiting will be an exciting adventure rather than a powerless, dread-filled sense of the absence of God. There are people to welcome on Sunday mornings and incorporate into the family; there are service groups to support with time, money, and prayer, such as the Food Pantry, the Ladies' Circle, the mission trips and missionaries we support; there is Wing Nite to encourage men to fellowship; the praise team to practice for or support; new small groups to be started to meet various needs; the youth group to pray for and offer help to; groundskeeping and maintenance around the church property; Monday night prayer to make our church a house of prayer; opening our homes to each other for fellowship; VBS to join in with to bless the families of our area; sick folks to visit and pray for and call or text; bible reading and study to bring us closer to God; and endless opportunities to reach out to each other and our neighbors in love and grace. So let us press on, each and every one of us, to live more fully the life Christ has prepared for us to live. It has been nothing less than a sweet privilege to serve with you these last 36 years in the fields of the Kingdom here in Jefferson. Thank you for taking a chance on a young pup with long hair and a beard, whose only shoes for the first several years here were an old pair of work boots, who had no seminary training and not a clue what it meant to pastor a church. Because of your willingness to take a chance on me/us, God has blessed our family in incredible ways, not the least of which has been your love and acceptance for Our Girl, Beth. We thank God for all of you and for this church family in whom God has been rather remarkably at work. May we renew our determination to seek Him, to honor Him in all things, and to give Him all glory as we strive to bless others as we have been blessed by God. Grace and peace, john LETTING GO... (Continued from page 5)...the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. -- James 3:5-8 (NIV) James doesn't mince words. Our tongues are small, but vile, and cannot be controlled; he compares our tongues to a fire that can set the entire forest ablaze. We've all set wildfires with words; just because I was on the burnt end this time, doesn't mean I can forget the times when I lit the match. There are several lessons we should learn here: 1) Don't let others' words or actions disrupt you from your goals or make you lose confidence. Be not afraid; God is in control. 2) Don't dwell on it; move on. Know that your perseverance will bring you maturity and strength. 3) Aim to please God, not humans. Forgive the imperfect humans that surround you, for you too, are imperfect. 4) There will always be curves ahead and potholes in the road, no matter what season. This journey is a pilgrimage and the way we travel is the substance of our lives. The words we say, the kindnesses we do, the love we show to our fellow travelers-- that's what counts. Those potholes will always be there -- the significance is in how we deal with them. 5) Pray. We aren't meant to drive off into the sunset alone. This was originally published on my blog in a slightly different format. Pastor John read it and suggested it be published in the newsletter too. Carol Scott Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 5

18 Get Ready for the Rescue of your Life! JBC, June 11-15, 9 AM to Noon, every day. Imagine getting Shipwrecked on a deserted island and then rescued by Jesus! We ll gather for a send-off at 9 AM and then kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and devour yummy treats, experience one-of-akind Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them of God s love, and test out Sciency- Fun Gizmos they ll take home and play with all summer long. Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings. Each day concludes with the Sail Away Sendoff that gets everyone involved in living what they ve learned. Parents: Since everything is hands-on, kids might get a little messy. Be sure to send them in play clothes and safe shoes. Our closing program will be on Friday at 11:30 AM where we will share what we have learned. Family members and friends are encouraged to join us as we celebrate the end of a wonderful week of VBS! This year, half of our offering and ALL of our pennies will go toward helping to build a community in Grand Goave, Haiti. Who will win the penny drive this year? Girls? Boys? Be sure to stick around on Friday to see what happens! On the next page is our VBS Registration Form and Medical Consent Release Form. Please complete the form and bring it with you on Registration Monday, June 11th. Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 6

19 Jefferson Baptist Church ~ VBS Registration & Medical Release/Consent Form CHILD S NAME DATE OF BIRTH Must be 4 yrs or older AGE GRADE last completed T-SHIRT SIZE Church Use Only VBS Group PARENT/GUARDIAN PHONE MAILING ADDRESS HOME CHURCH EMERGENCY CONTACT(S) NAME PHONE ALLERGIES OR OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS per child MEDICAL RELEASE/CONSENT - I give permission for the above mentioned children to participate in Vacation Bible School (VBS) and do not hold the organizers liable or in any way responsible for injuries while participating. I release all rights I may have and authorize an adult, acting as a representative of Jefferson Baptist Church, to take any and all actions necessary to provide health care in case of injury. I agree to be responsible for all charges incurred in connection with any care or treatment if an injury occurs. PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE DATE INSURANCE COMPANY POLICY # DOCTOR S NAME PHONE Please clip and complete the form and bring it with you on Monday, June 11. Our Service Project will benefit the kids participating in the Pittsburgh Urban Impact s Summer Program. We will be collecting: Scientific Calculators Generic Paper Plates, Paper Bowls, Napkins, Plastic Cups, Serving Utensils (Plastic spoons, forks, knives) Girl's Swimsuits - Sizes XS-XL, Boy's Swim trunks - Sizes XS-2XL Instant ice packs/first aid kits Official little league baseballs New indoor and outdoor cleats (children s sizes) Board games, AA Batteries, Bibles (NIV study bibles, Jesus Storybook Bible) Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 7

20 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson PA JBC June 11-15, AM NOON US Postage Paid Permit No. 004 Non-Profit Org Jefferson, PA CHURCH SCHEDULE FOR MAY-JUNE THE LORD S DAY TUESDAY April 29 May 27 May 27 9:30 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP 5-6:30 PM YOUTH GROUP, MEN S STUDY, WOMEN S STUDY 10:45 AM DONUT SUNDAY/ASK THE PASTOR COMMUNION May PASTOR RETIREMENT PARTY, JEFFERSON FIRE HALL June 10 MONDAY May 1 June 4 AFTER CHURCH June 11 9:00 AM NOON DECORATE FOR VBS 6:00 PM A TIME OF PRAYER (Sanctuary) 6:00 PM MEN S WING NIGHT (Stoney Point) VBS Find us online: jeffersonbaptist.com May 1 & June 5 June 12 May 22 & June 26 WEDNESDAY June 13 May 16 June 20 THURSDAY June 14 FRIDAY June 15 Meals on Wheels May & June :30 AM WOMEN S PRAYER & STUDY GROUP 7:00 PM DIACONATE MEETING 9:00 AM NOON Jefferson Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Jefferson PA jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 8 VBS 6:00 PM LADIES CIRCLE MEETING 7:00 PM HOUR FOR POWER 9:00 AM -NOON 9 AM 2 PM 9:00 AM -NOON 9:00 AM -11:30- NOON VBS J-M FOOD PANTRY VBS VBS FINAL DAY; EVERY- ONE WELCOME FOR FINAL PROGRAM AT 11:30 Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/jbcjeffersonpa

21 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 * Jefferson, PA Greetings, So you didn t even get to receive one newsletter without hearing from us again. Alas, this will, I hope, be brief. I can t start without a word of thanks to all of you who were a part of the very special Sunday send-off in worship and at the gathering at the fire hall. Frankly since then we have been so incredibly busy with the move that we have not yet taken time to read all of the cards or look at the many pictures from that day, but personally speaking, it filled my cup to overflowing. Someone said it was a bit like being able to be at your own funeral, getting to hear all the nice things folks would say about you when you die - but while you are still living. It was an awesome send off to our new life in Oklahoma. Thanks to the many folks who pitched in to help with the move. Our packers did a phenomenal job. I think only two small items broke in transition. Unfortunately, as some of you know already, the house was not quite finished when we arrived so we had to unload everything into Emily s garage next door and then, a week or so later, carry it all back over to the house. Since then we have been unloading boxes, giving away even more stuff, building shelves, hanging hooks for clothes and towels, and unpacking endlessly. It blows my mind how much stuff we have-- especially when I think of our friends in Haiti who have maybe a table, maybe a chair and a few mats to sleep on at night. Yikes! And we have tried to live relatively simply. We have more or less worked sunup to sundown every day trying to get the house in shape and now have everything except the office, the basement, and the garage ready to go. I would like to think that by the time we take a break to join the rest of the family for a brief vacation in mid- July we will be pretty close to being settled in. (I laugh at myself because someone asked me what I was going to do when I got to Oklahoma and I said that by Monday morning, three days after we arrived, I would be at the local Habitat for Humanity office seeing how I could help out.) The highlight of the time here so far, other than some very sweet time with our family, has been experiencing different worship traditions. The first week here we worshipped with Emily and her family at their church which is similar in style to many of today s mega churches, semi-charismatic with great music and solid preaching. (Unfortunately the music is just way too loud for Beth who spends the whole service out in the hall.) The second week we attended a large and wealthy Methodist church. We loved the woman pastor, who preached great sermon and bonded with Beth right away. (Before the service began, one of the ushers was trying to direct Beth to the section reserved for the handicapped. Merry told her that Beth would probably prefer just to hang out in the back and the lady said, Well, we will just have to make you a greeter. How did she know?) Last Sunday we worshipped at a much smaller Episcopal church that we very much enjoyed as well. The liturgy, especially their tradition of reading from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Epistles and the Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA July-August 2018 Gospels, moved both Merry and me, and once again their kindness to Beth was exceptional - not quite JBC exceptional - but still such that it moved me to tears. There are no American Baptist congregations in the area - only Southern Baptist and independents - and with their long history of racism and intolerance to women in leadership we do not want to worship there. We have been surprised by our at-homeness with both the Methodists and the Episcopalians, but as Merry has noted, it is God whom we seek to meet in worship and He is everywhere His people gather. We have been hearing good things about the worship life at JBC and it sounds like another banner year for VBS. (I am not sure that having Josh Wise get slimed in my place is necessarily the way to affirm our youth - but Heather assured me that he was good with it so ) God s blessings on you all as you continue to move forward together to honor and serve our great Lord Jesus. john (for Merry and Beth.) Save the Date: August 5 th at 1 p.m. Church Picnic at Wana B Park in Carmichaels. 1 P a g e

22 OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE 9:30 to 10:45 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP NO SUNDAY SCHOOL in JULY or AUGUST SPECIAL OFFERINGS: Houses for Haiti (VBS offering was $404.50) and water wells for Burkina Faso All profits from the Jefferson Classic go to Coalition for a Brighter Greene, to fight drug abuse in Greene County. Scripture Memory Verses: July-- Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. August--Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. DIACONATE BOARD REPORT FOR MAY-JUNE 2018 Our meetings continue to include reports from the youth group leaders and prayer for several families from our congregational care list. In May our meeting included a phone conference call with Frank Frischkorn from ABCOPAD, discussing the options available for hiring an interim pastor until the Search Committee finds a candidate they would like to have speak here as a potential permanent pastor. Following the conference call, the board voted to seek an interim pastor through ABCOPAD. An Interim Pastoral Team was appointed to handle the needs of our congregation until the interim pastor arrives and the team could then continue as needed with the interim pastor. The Interim Pastoral Team will be: Cheri Kuharcik (worship/point person), Rich Torres (visitation), Roy Keys (Bible study), and Pete Arigoni (facilities manager). These team members will be compensated for 4 hours of work per week. The board also voted to increase the secretary's hours temporarily by 4 hours per week. Carol will work in the church office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., until an interim pastor is in place. The board heard updates on the Jefferson Classic (August 3-4) and the retirement celebration (May 27) for the Dorean family. At the June meeting the board took care of some "housekeeping" duties such as how to maintain a record of families in worship, approving the continuation of Children's Church through July and August with substitute leaders, and agreeing to meet in July and August. The board also met a second time in June to participate in a phone conference call/interview with a potential interim pastor recommended to us by ABCOPAD. Following the phone interview, the board voted to proceed with hiring him to serve until the Search Committee completes its work and a fulltime pastor is called to JBC. More details will follow. NOTE TO SELF: Remember, you re not being measured by God by how much you get done. You re being measured by whether you trust the goodness and the wisdom and the sovereignty of God to work this new mess of inefficiency for His glory and the good of everyone involved, even when you can t see how John Piper Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

23 Letter to JBC from Bryce McGarvey Many of you know Bryce McGarvey as the Waynesburg University student who helped out with Youth Group this past year and played in the praise band. JBC is supporting him in his missionary endeavor this summer as he serves as an intern with Envision Atlanta. Here is his letter to Jen Teagarden and the Mission Committee... I moved to Atlanta this past Monday evening. Training began Tuesday morning and went until Friday morning. Most days were pretty packed full from about 7:30 am until 9:00 or so at night. On Tuesday we got a tour of the Clarkston area, where we are based out of. Envision Atlanta owns an apartment in English Oaks an apartment complex where many refugees live. The different apartment complexes in the area are better described by the refugees as villages in a way, with English Oaks being one village. That being said, Envision looks to try to find the village chief (in some sense) in order to get connected into the community. The largest Hindu temple in North America is also located fifteen minutes from Clarkston. We visited the temple and observed one of their worship services as a team. Pray that these people would find truth in the midst of their worship. It was my first encounter with a religion where the people lie prostrate on the ground in front of their different gods. There was great spiritual heaviness there. On a more positive note, there is a neighbor to the Envision Atlanta department who has become a good friend of the staff members. She is a Hindu woman who takes care of her autistic son mostly by herself, but has become good friends with us in the past year or so that Envision first entered Clarkston. She is a very nice woman, and our intern coordinator (my boss) has been praying for her salvation. When all of us interns got to meet her, she had offered to cook dinner for us. She is from Nepal. Unknown to us at the time, our boss told us after she had left that that day was the first time that the Hindu woman had asked our boss if we could pray for our meal. Pray for continued breakthrough for her as we long for her to know Christ. We were introduced to a Somalian woman who is turning 90 soon. She is the only Somalian Christian in the area, and is basically the grandmother of the whole area. Many people outside the community give her a ton of donations and she finds people in need to give them to. She just bought all of her house (she was renting part of it for a while) in order to free up space to hold a Bible study in there. She is a blessing to the community and also a bit crazy. (Ha ha -- I will have lots of stories about her when I return for school this fall.) We went prayer walking for training one day. This consisted of not necessarily praying and walking but actually going door to door and talking to refugees from all around the world. Many of the refugees are looking for an American friend that they CAN TRUST, as many of them are not treated fairly within jobs and relationships. They are often taken advantage of. This is all part of our house church planting team in which I will be getting involved with. We build a relationship by visiting refugees, helping them whether by asking them what they need prayer for and relying on God to answer that prayer to reveal himself to them or by filling a physical need and pointing to Christ, and hopefully lead them to Christ. Our plan is to plant 1,000 house churches, and we currently have 9 emerging house churches (they don t fully meet the official standard of a house church as defined by Envision, but are in the process of getting there). I visited a house church this week. It was a very cool experience. There is a man here who was sent to America to be a missionary by his home country, and he speaks many languages and has planted house churches himself before Envision got here. We have built a relationship with him, and he helps translate when needed and available. As far as prayer requests go, pray for our schedules to run smoothly as we are the first interns Envision has hired as a group. Pray for opportunities to arise in which God can use my strengths to further His Kingdom. Pray for boldness in stepping out and meeting refugees from all of the nations. Pray that God clearly directs me to the vast number of ministries available here, as well as physical strength as most days are very long and I want to be fully present all day. There is not enough time for me to give you a better playby-play of this week. I have been journaling though and have shared the biggest highlights. There is so much going on here, and I would need hours to type it all out. Until my next update, (Lord willing), Bryce McGarvey Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

24 Shall We Gather at the River Words & Music by Robert Lowry Shall we gather at the river? Where bright angel feet have trod; With its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God? Yes we ll gather at the river, the beautiful, beautiful river, Gather with the saints by the river that flows by the throne of God. And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. --Revelation 22:1 Robert Lowry was a cheerful man with a big beard and a quick mind. He pastored Baptist churches in the eastern U.S. in the mid-1800s. Even though he was an inspirational pastor, he is best remembered for his hymns. He set many of Fanny Crosby s words to music and he also wrote both the words and music to What Can Wash Away My Sins? But his best known hymn is Shall We Gather at the River? Often sung at baptisms, it is actually a song about heaven. It came to Lowry on a muggy, sweltering New York City July day, when he began musing about the cool, crystal river that flows through the city of God as described in Revelation 22. He wrote:..the weather was oppressively hot, and I was lying on a lounge in a state of physical exhaustion. I felt almost incapable of bodily exertion, and my imagination began to take itself wings. Visions of the future passed before me with startling vividness. The imagery of the apocalypse took the form of a tableau. Brightest of all were the throne, the heavenly river, and the gathering of the saints. My soul seemed to take new life from that celestial outlook. I began to wonder why the hymn writers had said so much about the river of death and so little about the pure water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb. As I mused the words began to construct themselves... Soon we ll reach the shining river, Soon our pilgrimage will cease, Soon our happy hearts will quiver with the melody of peace... Jackson County, Ohio, is located in the southeastern corner of the state, in the Appalachian foothills, close to both Kentucky and West Virginia. It is also the site of the upcoming JBC domestic mission trip! In partnership with Experience Mission, an international ministry that exists to spread Christ s love, seven JBC members will soon be traveling to Jackson County to serve. Diana Kerr, Jake Rex, Rich, Lorraine & Jessica Torres, Bridget Vilenica, and Donna Waine will be leaving on July 22 and returning on July 27. Jackson County is an underprivileged area with 23% of the population living below the poverty line. While they are there, the team will participate in construction (probably fixing up houses) as well as doing Kids Clubs. The clubs will be for kids in the local community. They will be given lunch and snacks, participate in crafts and music, as well as listen to Bible stories and the Gospel. The Missions Committee is supporting this effort with funds in our budget, and team members have contributed as well. The team would like to thank all those who attended the spaghetti dinner on June 3 and made donations. Over $1,200 was raised! This will be a big help in completing the funds needed to go on the trip, for snacks for the Kids Clubs and possibly some materials for crafts as well. The team would also ask for your prayers as they go: for safety in travel and work, for the love of Christ to shine through them, and for the Holy Spirit to draw those who hear the Gospel. --Taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

25 The Pastoral Search Committee would like to provide an update on the progress in the search for our next pastor. Due to increased demands on him at work, in his service as a deacon, and at home with a wife and a very energetic little boy, Darin Acklin has decided to resign as chair. On behalf of the committee and the congregation, we want to say, Thanks, Darin, for a job well-done! Thankfully, he s still going to serve on the committee. Roy Keys is now serving as chair of that committee. We met in May, partly to set the direction for the continuation of the search. We also wanted to meet with John before he left to get his thoughts on what the next pastor should be able to bring to JBC. We met again earlier this month to discuss the pros and cons of advertising for candidates outside of the ABCOPAD system. For the time being, we ve decided to limit our search to within that system unless we hear of potential candidates through acquaintances. We also considered two potential candidates at that meeting. We decided to keep one of those in our list of candidates, but we want to look further. In the meantime, we ve been in touch with Pastor Jeff Johnson, who is our ABCOPAD Regional Pastor. He s already provided us with names of two more candidates. In addition, we ve asked him to search their candidate database again, this time using a relaxed set of requirements. By relaxed, we mean eliminating the education and experience requirements that we, as a committee, had decided upon. The new search still uses all of the initial requirements that resulted from the survey that the congregation responded to, which are preaching, teaching, and nurturing fellowship. The salary and compensation package also remain the same, since those are determined by the church budget. That search provided four more candidates for consideration. We met with Pastor Johnson on June 21. He explained more fully some of the process used in a search of their database. We discussed the two candidates that he had previously provided for us, but we are still waiting for him to send us the information on the last four candidates. Please continue to pray for this process, and for the committee. I m very thankful for the people serving on the committee. Although we ve had some rough spots along the road, I m pleased with how well we ve work together. Not many committees like this, of this size, can say that. Please pray for us as we continue this process. I would also add that one reason for things taking so long is the fact that we re working through ABCOPAD. As in many church organizations, the staff is very limited and the work only increases. We re not the only church seeking a pastor in the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware. So we ask your patience, as well. We must put our trust in Jesus, who is the Head of the church. He knows what we need in a pastor, and He knows who it is. We just have to get on the same page with Him. Thank you for your prayers and patience. Roy Keys, Chair JBC Pastor Search Committee During the month of July, the Ladies Circle is collecting FLIP FLOPS for the Shoeboxes we mail out in November. Small and teenage-sizes are needed! Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

26 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson, PA th Annual Jefferson Classic Friday, August 3 rd and Saturday, August 4 th 2018 at the Jefferson-Morgan Elementary- High School Complex Corn Hole Tournament for pairs One-Mile Run for kids 10 & under 5K Walk & 5K Run 3 on 3 Basketball tournaments Family games US Postage Paid Permit No. 004 Non-Profit Org Jefferson, PA All profits go toward Coalition for a Brighter Greene, an organization fighting to reduce drug abuse in Greene County. CHURCH SCHEDULE FOR JULY/AUGUST THE LORD S DAY 9:30 AM SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE July 15 COMMUNION August 26 July 29 11:00 DONUT SUNDAY Aug.26 AM Aug PM CHURCH PICNIC - Wana B Park MONDAYS 6:00 PM A TIME OF PRAYER- Sanctuary July 2 Aug.6 6:00 PM MEN S WING NIGHT- Stoney Point TUESDAYS July 10 Aug 7 7:00 PM DIACONATE MEETING WEDNESDAYS 7:00 PM HOUR FOR POWER July 11 7:00 PM QUARTERLY BUSINESS MTG. July 18 Aug PM FOOD PANTRY FRIDAYS Aug.3 7:00 PM CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT SATURDAYS Aug.4 8:00 AM -3:00 PM 16 th ANNUAL JEFFERSON CLASSIC *Meals on Wheels: July & August *Mission Trip to Ohio, July *No Sunday School in July and August For more information, please check our website at find us on Facebook at us at jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com or call the church office at Jefferson Baptist Church, P.O. Box 218 Jefferson PA P a g e

27 Jefferson Baptist Church PO Box 218 Jefferson PA What Is God Teaching Us? It s been said before many times, but I think it s worth repeating here: When Pastor John retired over Memorial Day, no one expected Jefferson Baptist Church to still be without a pastor on Labor Day. We ve been without a full-time pastor all summer. And the church has survived. We ve had high points and low points Baptisms, funerals, a great crowd at VBS, a lesser crowd at the Classic. Many people have stepped up to work on the buildings, serve on mission trips, lead Children s Church during worship, and the fellowship of Men s Wing Nite has continued to thrive. We ve had a great mix of sermon messages on Sunday mornings our attendance has never fallen below 100 yet we ve had disappointments that Interim Pastors have just not worked out. When we put out a call to purchase Karenni New Testaments, we got more than we asked for, the house fire collection for the Caffrey-Dobosh family was almost $1000 and the Building Fund donations continue to fill the mailbox each day. Blessings abound! I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E 1 Pastor s Message 2 Diaconate report 3 Hymn Stories/Youth/Men s Study 4 Sunday School/LCC News 5 Haiti Mission Trip/Women s Study 6 Church Schedule for Sept/Oct There is no full-time pastor yet, but God is here. He is walking along side of us, not only when we are actively praying and seeking Him, but also as we are going about our daily labors and not consciously thinking of Him. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are in charge of Jefferson Baptist Church. And what is He teaching us in this time of waiting? The problem with waiting is that we don t have the details and we aren t in control. We start to feel tense and anxious and wonder How long will all this take anyway? But God always has a purpose in making us wait. Sometimes He is reminding us that we need to trust Him rather than ourselves, that His plan is better than ours, and we need to let go of our desires before His get put into place. Sometimes that takes a long time. When we let go and allow that vulnerability and absolute trust in His plan, then He will show us the path. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5 What God is doing in us is always more important than what we are waiting for. Our journey, and what we learn from it, counts more to God. In waiting we learn patience; we learn true commitment; we learn trusting in God s own timing and plans. In short, waiting transforms our character! (We should all be a bunch of characters by now!) SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Three times of serious waiting from the Bible stand out Abraham was promised a son and waited twenty-four years for that to be fulfilled; the Israelites were forced to wander in the desert for forty years before taking over the land that God had promised them; and think of how long the people waited for the promised Messiah. (We hope we don t have to wait forty years for a pastor...) God s timing is always for a reason His reason, not ours. But how wonderful when that anticipation, that blessing, that hope comes as promised. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 Jefferson Baptist Church jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 1

28 OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:30 to 10:45 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE 11:00 to 11:45 A.M SPECIAL OFFERINGS Burkina Faso Water Wells & Houses for Haiti Building Fund World Mission Offering Scripture Memory Verses for September and October: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Diaconate Board Report, July & August, 2018 In the last newsletter, the board report included information that we were proceeding with an interim pastor through ABCOPAD. Because of personal issues, that pastor was not able to come and serve in that position. The board agreed to proceed with a second possible interim pastor, but again, because of personal issues, that pastor also will not be serving JBC in that capacity. In August the diaconate board voted to continue under our own Interim Pastoral Team until the Search Committee recommends a candidate to the congregation to serve as our full-time pastor. That team includes Cheri Kuharcik (worship/point person), Rich Torres (visitation), Roy Keys (Bible study), and Pete Arigoni (facilities manager). Please contact any of these people, or Carol Scott, Secretary, if you have any questions related to church business. Pete and his team of workers led the Summer Classic in August. Although the number of three-on-three basketball teams was lower than usual, the races and corn-hole tournament had the normal number of participants (accounting for the loss of the Dorean teams!). The church picnic in August was also well-attended. We discussed the need for separating the mission fund from the general church fund and voted to recommend to the church that such a separation happen. The board also received word from the trustee board that our church custodian, Connie Mego, is retiring as of August 31. The trustees have voted to hire Pete Arigoni to fill this position. We close every meeting by praying for people who are on our church care list. So if you are involved in the life of this church, know that you are being prayed for at our meetings. There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; The only thing that can exist is an uninterested person. G. K. Chesterton Jefferson Baptist Church jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 2

29 Abide with Me Words by Henry F. Lyte, Abide with me! Fast falls the eventide, The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide! When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me! But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to tarry with them Luke 24:29 (KJV) Henry Francis Lyte was a vicar in the fishing village of Lower Brixham in England who faithfully ministered to the seafaring villagers for twenty-three years. He and his wife lived in on an elegant estate at the water s edge that had been provided for him by King William IV, who was impressed by Henry s humility and ministry. Henry wrote most of his sermons, poems and hymns while in the gardens and walking trails that he laid out over the estate. In his fifties, his worsening lung condition developed into tuberculosis. In September, 1847, he nearly crawled into the pulpit for his last sermon to his parishioners. As he was packing for his therapeutic rest in Italy, he discovered the notes from an old poem he had written. While on his last walk through the seaside trails he loved, he finished it, inspired by Luke 24, the story of the Risen Lord walking unrecognized on the Emmaus Road with two of his disciples. He remembered how their disappointed hearts burned within them when suddenly they realized that they had been in the company of the Eternal Son of God. Stopping in Avignon France, he revised the hymn another time, and posted it to his wife. He died there in Nice, France before ever reaching Italy. The hymn was sung for the first time at his memorial service in Lower Brixham, the seaside village he had loved and served so faithfully. Pray that our own hearts burn inwardly when we discover the risen Lord walking along side of us. Youth Group Schedule: Sept. 9: Fall Kickoff at CBM, 1-5 (Wear Old Clothes) Sept. 26: See You at the Pole, 7 a.m. J-M High School Sept. 29: Love Greene Project (SEE ABOVE) Oct. 21: Coopers Rock (Leaving after Sunday School) Oct. 28: Party at the Ankroms, 5-7 with pumpkin carving, a bonfire and games. All other Sundays we ll be meeting at Crossroads from 5 to 6:30 for a game and a lesson. BRING YOUR FRIENDS! SUNDAY EVENING MEN S GROUP The Sunday Evening Men s Group meets at the round table in the small room next to the church office. We meet there because there are only 5-6 of us and it s a good space to watch our DVDs and talk about our faith and what s on our minds. But we sure would be glad to move to a new room if we had more guys! We meet from 5-6:30, and we are starting a new DVD study on Sept. 9th called Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson. It s a 40-Day challenge to pray boldly, faithfully, and persistently for our families, our church, our nation. There are 5 sessions we will watch a 20 -minute DVD presentation, and then we will work our way through the study guide. There s No Homework! Just show up on Sunday evening, and we ll be glad to see you. Jefferson Baptist Church jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 3

30 Sunday School for Children and Youth Sunday school classes will begin on September 9 for all ages after church at 11:00 a.m. The youngest class for kindergarten through 2nd grade will be taught by Bridget Vilenica and meets at the round table outside the church office. The class for 3rd through 6 graders is taught by Charlie Anderson and is located in the room next to the nursery. The middle school and high school kids meet in the basement lounge, and these kids are desperately in need of someone to step up and lead them. Won t you prayerfully consider this? The college age and young adult class meets in Crossroads and is being led by Matt and Sarah Brandstetter. SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES Adult Sunday School Class This fall, the adult class will be looking at the book of Ecclesiastes. The following words appear on the back cover of the original version of the study guide. Are you tired of pat answers to your hard questions of faith? The writer of Ecclesiastes is not afraid to confront your dilemmas.... like "Where can you find fulfillment?" and "Who is really in control of this world that seems so topsy-turvy?"', or "Is there any value in my work, my struggles, my life?" As you explore this fascinating Old Testament book, you will discover how God brings meaning to the world and how following God brings meaning to your life. Interestingly enough, the authors were in the midst of revising the original study guide when four planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the field near Shanksville, PA. The author tells us in his introduction that Ecclesiastes reminds us that God is bigger, and our life is more unpredictable, that we might think. This study serves to show us that life outside of a practical faith in God is meaningless. The book of Ecclesiastes invites us to take a realistic tour of life, and please don't think you will find a lot of nice, neat answers! The adult class meets at 11 a.m. in the back section of the sanctuary. See Cheri Kuharcik on Sunday mornings if you would like a study guide. We hope you will join us in this look at "Ecclesiastes: Chasing After Meaning". The Ladies' Christian Circle has been on a summer hiatus. While we were enjoying picnics and road trips, God continued on with the work we began through our mission projects this year. Did you know that Operation Christmas Child collection time is scheduled annually just before Christmas? But, these gifts and the message of Christ are distributed throughout the entire year to children in over a hundred countries by Samaritans Purse. We are so blessed to help these children by offering some basic toiletries, school supplies and toys. But most of all, we pray that this ministry leads each and every child to the word of God and a life eternal in Jesus Christ. The Ladies' Circle is making preparations for another round of packing! With your support of our Mother's Day bake sale, we purchased 60 soccer balls and pumps this summer. We continue to ask for your prayers for this ministry. We thank those who brought in donations of shoes and flip flops. In September, we will carry on the collection of school supplies and also ask for small games or toys. In July, our circle sister, Bridget Vilenica, joined a JBC team on a mission trip to Jackson County, Ohio. This group worked all week to help a family complete much needed repairs and improvements to their home. We pray for the needs of this family and thank God for this team of JBC brothers and sisters. Heily Zharick Valle is celebrating a birthday. Pray for Heily as she turns 8 on September 10th. We praise God for monies to support this beautiful child annually through World Vision, and to be able to send a birthday gift her way this year! Heily lives in Honduras. We welcome any ladies who wish to join us in service for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 25th at 6pm. Galatians 6:2 Carry each other s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Jefferson Baptist Church jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 4

31 Mission Trip to Haiti, January 30-Feb. 6, 2019 Have you heard about the good work our mission teams have done and felt the tug at your heart to go on a shortterm mission trip? ABCOPAD is again coordinating a trip to Grand Goave, Haiti. Once you have visited and worked alongside the Haitians, Haiti will be in your heart! to Denise at ABCOPAD will be put on the list to go. The 15 member team will leave on Jan 30, and return on February 6th, Five spots are reserved for team leaders John Dorean, Jonathan Johnson, Bridget Vilenica and ABCOPAD, so the first 10 people to turn in their deposit Bridget Vilenica will be assisting folks with the planning process from JBC, please contact her at if you have any questions. The total cost is $1175, deposits are due: $400 September 30th, $400 November 30, and $375 January 1, 2019 Come with us on a mission trip to Haiti and see what God has in store for you! Join the JBC Sunday evening Women S Book Study Beginning Sunday evening (5-6:30 p.m.) September 9th, we will be reading and discussing Margin by Dr. Richard Swenson. In Margin, Swenson provides a prescription against overloaded lives. Focusing on four key areas emotional energy, physical energy, time, and finances he offers an overall picture of health that employs contentment, simplicity, balance, and rest. If you yearn for relief from the pain and pressure of overload, take a lifelong dose of Margin. The benefits of good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for God s purposes will follow you all your days. (from the back cover) Kelly Wilczynski will lead us in discussing how we can redeem our stress-filled, overloaded lives and live the lives God planned for us. Overload is not having time to finish the book you re reading. Margin is having time to read it twice... Jefferson Baptist Church jeffersonbaptist@hotmail.com 5