THE BRIDGE PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 32 AUGUST

Transcription

1 THE BRIDGE PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 32 AUGUST 9, 2017 Once in a while, I go back through some of the articles I have written for newsletters of churches I have served just to be reminded of what God s allowed me to experience through over 45 years of vocational ministry. Last week, I read this one from 20 years ago this month, August, 1997, when I was in my third year as pastor of First Baptist Church in Midland: I get every day. Some of them are sales pitches. How they get my address is beyond me. On rare occasions, the mail is from someone who has an ax to grind. Much of the is good sermon illustrations or funny church stories. And then, periodically, I get a testimony through that thrills my heart. I want to pass along such a message I got last week: Gary just wanted to drop you a quick note to tell you that I talked with two church-seeking single women who really appreciated your church s follow-up efforts (calls from singles ministry persons, your personal note, etc.). You guys are doing a great job! Faithfully, Jeff Fouts Associate Rector, Holy Trinity What a blessing to be commended by someone on the ministry staff of a (Continued on page 2) WHAT S INSIDE Call to Prayer... 2 Welcome New Member... 3 BFG Leadership Training... 3 From the Desk of David P From the Heart of John P Then Sings My Soul... 5 Music Notes by Dodie... 6 Steiner Ranch Concert... 7 Men s Dove Hunt... 8 Membership Lamplighters... 9 Trip to Israel... 9 Pick Up Cookbooks... 9 Mom2Mom Bible Study Women s Bible Study Children s Ministry Electrify by Matt Gillum Student Ministry Events Calendar & Reports... 14

2 PAGE 2 THE BRIDGE (Continued from page 1) STAFF Dr. Gary Dyer SENIOR PASTOR Cell garyd@austinbaptistchurch.com Dr. David Procter EXECUTIVE PASTOR Cell davidp@austinbaptistchurch.com John Parker ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF MUSIC & WORSHIP Cell johnp@austinbaptistchurch.com Matt Gillum MINISTER TO STUDENTS & THEIR FAMILIES Cell mattg@austinbaptistchurch.com Cathy Smith MINISTER TO CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES Cell cathys@austinbaptistchurch.com Kati Dobbs CHILDREN S MINISTRY ASSOCIATE katid@austinbaptistchurch.com church of a different tradition! What a compliment to our singles. They are doing what this church knows we must do reaching out to those who are seeking the truth and seeking friendship and seeking a relationship with the Lord. As I read that, it reminded me that some things remain constant in church ministry. Yes, that was a different church at a different time indeed, a different millennium! And yet, I still hear regularly how much it means to people that a church would care enough to make those follow-up efforts. As we begin a new Bible Fellowship Group year in less than three weeks, let us renew our resolve to be faithful in follow-up. We have a number of people who attend our church for the first time on any given month. That number increases in the month of August as people get back from vacations and give renewed attention to their spiritual lives. The very thing that may just move them over the line of decision to be a part of our family of faith and, indeed, to follow Christ as Savior is the impression made when they experience our sincere interest in them. It s not difficult, but it pays huge dividends in both individual lives and in the growth of ABC. Gary Dyer, Pastor John 3:30 Dodie Morris MUSIC & WORSHIP ASSOCIATE dodiem@austinbaptistchurch.com Jon Marc Burge CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP ASSOCIATE jonb@austinbaptistchurch.com Christina Mendoza MINISTERIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / IT SPECIALIST christinam@austinbaptistchurch.com Jennifer Koret FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR jenniferk@austinbaptistchurch.com Rita Jones OFFICE MANAGER ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com Derek Tackett FACILITIES MANAGER Cell derekt@austinbaptistchurch.com Clifteen Samuelson EVENTS COORDINATOR events@austinbaptistchurch.com Joe Pere DIRECTOR OF MEDIA MINISTRY joep@austinbaptistchurch.com Bill Dickson FINANCE CLERK billd@austinbaptistchurch.com Elena Samper ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT elenas@austinbaptistchurch.com Karen Fawcett ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT karenf@austinbaptistchurch.com

3 THE BRIDGE PAGE 3 Nancy Casper joined in the 11:11 service by believer s baptism on July 30. Nancy has been worshiping with us since 2014 and has served as a nursery worker in our preschool ministry. She was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and grew up near Memphis. She earned a degree in business from Memphis Commerce College. She spent much of her career (23 years) as a meeting/convention coordinator for American Airlines. She retired and moved to Austin in She has two daughters (one passed away at the age of 19) and one grandson, Hudson, who will be a sophomore at Cedar Park High School. Nancy lives in north Austin and attends Lamplighters Bible Fellowship group. David Procter Another Record-Breaking Month! We enjoyed the best July in attendance in our ten years. We averaged 848 in worship (676 at 9:00; 172 at 11:11) compared with 798 one year ago. Bible Fellowship groups averaged 753 for the five Sundays of July compared with 719 last year. We are having a great summer and we thank the Lord for His continued blessing on our efforts to reach people. Let s work and pray for August to be another record month. David Procter

4 PAGE 4 THE BRIDGE SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2017 TRADITIONAL WORSHIP 9:00 AM Come, Christians, Join to Sing Fill My Cup, Lord He Touched Me Through It All I Must Tell Jesus/ Blessed Assurance SANCTUARY CHOIR The Great Physician CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP 11:11 AM This is Amazing Grace Blessed Be Your Name I Am Not Alone Healer The Six Best Times for Worship God created us to worship Him, to bring Him glory by living a life worthy of His name. But, when is the BEST time to worship God? When good things happen? At church? When I m alone? Consider these SIX BEST TIMES FOR WORSHIPPING GOD: 1] WHEN I AM ALONE WITH GOD God is transcendent, but also intimate. He is everywhere, yet beckons us to draw close in fellowship with Him. Don t miss a single day to be alone with God in worship. 2] WHEN I AM WITH MY FAMILY - sometimes it seems we are searching for some magic pill to heal home and family. Worshipping God together IS that pill that cures the family and holds it together. No substitute will do! The family must be together in worship to meet the growing challenges of living in a wicked and post-christian culture. 3] WHEN CHRISTIANS GATHER For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:20. God s presence is among us when we gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Worshipping God with other Christians should be as natural to us as breathing. 4] ON THE MOUNTAINTOP This comes most naturally to us, doesn t it? It s so very easy to give God glory and worship Him when things are going our way; and we definitely should. 5] IN THE VALLEY Our prayer time seems to increase when we are experiencing the worst of things. It s extremely important to worship God in the midst of the tragic. See the book of JOB. Remember, God cares for His children; He knows our pain and our need. Draw near to God in worship in the valley. 6] TODAY - Most days are not spent on the mountaintop nor in the valley, but rather somewhere in between. Worship God while He may be found. Fall before Him while it is still today. Don t wait. This life is but a whisper. Worship God TODAY! Worship Scenes from August 6, 2017 Jonathan Huffman Blessings, John Parker Martha, Emily & Anna Beaty

5 THE BRIDGE PAGE 5

6 PAGE 6 THE BRIDGE Three years ago, I went on a vision trip to Calgary, to get information first-hand from church planters and pastors about how they were reaching people for Christ and how our church could help. That short, powerful weekend changed the way I think about nearly everything. Dr. Dyer had counseled me before the trip to be sure and drive up to the mountains. My thought was well maybe, if I have time. After all, I am on a mission! This is business! When I got to the vision meeting, the missionaries and pastors all said the same thing: Be sure to drive up to the mountains. Later, as we began to plan our first trip for students, Kathy Morales helped me understand that a day in the mountains might be where God would choose to speak to a student s (or sponsor s) heart. That has proven to be true. Everyone always comes home with a story from the day in the mountains. Here is mine: This year, we had a wide range of age and strength on our mission team, from young and robust (think Reagan Frey) all the way to me (probably the weakest.) We offered two hikes an eight-mile hike to a glacier that Matt led, and a four-mile hike to a tea house, that I was supposedly in charge of. But don t let the words tea house fool you it was not a stroll! Even as I struggled for breath and wondered if my legs were going to fall off, God was teaching me stuff. If you will allow me to let the hike represent our journey with the Lord, here are some observations: I heard dozens of different languages from other hikers. Because we were on the same path with the same goal, I sort of knew what they were saying, and we could communicate! God is calling all nations. About a third of the way up, I began to follow another woman who had a slower, steadier pace than the children who were scampering past. She had hiked the trail before and had a plan. I followed her. God has a specific plan (and pace) for us. About two-thirds of the way up, people on the way back down began to spontaneously call out encouragement: Keep going, you are almost there and Don t quit, you ve come this far. God wants us to encourage each other. There is a Sunday School lesson there somewhere. Dodie

7 THE BRIDGE PAGE 7

8 PAGE 8 THE BRIDGE

9 THE BRIDGE PAGE 9 Dear Members and Guests: The book of Acts is a treasure of information regarding how God takes care of His children. Come join us Sunday as we learn that God raises up the most unlikely people to become part of His plan and to become a source of help to His people and purposes. Zack We will be going as part of a group led by Dr. Wayne Stiles. Wayne received his master of theology in Pastoral Ministries and Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Geography from Dallas Theological Seminary. In 2005, after serving in the pastorate for 14 years, Wayne joined the staff at Insight for Living Ministries, where he led a team of writers, editors, and pastors as the executive vice president and chief content officer. Wayne currently serves as an adjunct instructor at Dallas Theological Seminary and as a freelance editor and writer. Wayne has led many excursions to Israel over the past 17 years. Space is limited, so if you are interested, this is a great opportunity. Pick up purchased cookbooks...additional ones available as supplies last. Sundays, August 13 & 20 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. / 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Room 205 (Office Area) AFTER THOSE DATES ABC Offices 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday

10 PAGE 10 THE BRIDGE

11 THE BRIDGE PAGE 11 At summer s end, ABC promotes the four-yearolds to Big Church. On Sunday, August 27, these children will be recognized as our new worshipers at the beginning of the worship service. The preceding Thursday, August 24, at 6:00 p.m., a class for parents and their children convenes to help with this transition. Dinner will be provided. Kati Dobbs will lead the class for the children. Cathy Smith will lead the parents class with John Parker, Dodie Morris, and Pastor Gary Dyer. Children will tour the Sanctuary, giving them the chance to touch the instruments and stand on the stage. For info, contact Cathy at Right now we are in the middle of JAM Camp, which is so much fun! I am helping with the preschoolers by doing Bible study and crafts, and I love it. A lot of the kids that come through my Bible study and crafts are kids that I don t recognize! These are kids that do not go to our church, but their family is being introduced to ABC through a program for children. One thing that I think is so great about our church is how much we love kids. We have so many different events for kids! Not only that, but the first thing you see when you walk into our building is a playscape. I have had many people tell me that the reason they visited our church was because of a children s event. Parents want to know that their kids are loved and are being cared for. When parents go to their own Bible Fellowship Group (BFG), their kids are getting loved on and taught about Jesus in BFG as young as the one-year old class. We have so many opportunities for children to come and learn about Jesus and to just be in a safe and loving environment. Every Sunday, we have Bible Fellowship Groups, where they have their own Bible studies; Kids Worship, where they get to come and worship in their own way; and even in Kids Kare, where they can come and just have fun and be loved on while their parents get spiritually fed. Because of all of those opportunities for kids, we also have many opportunities for adults to come and serve those kids. Right now we have opportunities to serve in BFG, Kids Worship, and Kids Kare. The Lord has provided the children and space for the children, so I know He will provide leaders for the children! Please let Cathy Smith or me know if you would like to serve in any of these areas, or if you would just like more information. Kati Dobbs

12 PAGE 12 THE BRIDGE As summer comes to a close, I am excited to turn the corner and jump into a great fall semester. There are so many great events and programs that are coming. From the Middle School Ropes Course Retreat, to various community iserve opportunities, to the Turkey Bowl, to Axis starting back up, and on and on, there is a lot to be excited about in ABC Student Ministry. Additionally, we are so excited to welcome the Class of 2024 in a couple of weeks! Our new 6 th graders have so many wonderful experiences ahead of them! Along with all of these wonderful opportunities, I also will be starting a new step in my education. Starting this fall, I will begin classes in pursuit of a Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. I will only have to spend a couple of weeks a year on campus in Dallas (so our Student Ministry in Austin will hum along as normal), but my reading list is going to grow exponentially. It is an incredibly exciting step for me to grow in this area of my learning! The question may arise as to why I am choosing to pursue this degree. As I look at the impact and ministries that we have at Austin Baptist Church, I always want to grow in my capacity and ability to carry them out. By pursuing this next step of education, I will get to spend time with teachers who have decades of experience in Leadership and Family Ministry and will get to explore all the other things that God is doing in churches across the world in the growth of His Kingdom. This time in education will be a tremendous equipper for me, and my earnest hope is that it will benefit the work that Jesus is doing here in Austin through ABC. I feel that God has wonderful plans for our church in this community, and I want to be sure I am doing my due diligence to prepare, to train, and to ready myself for jumping into whatever new Kingdom work our church has ahead of us. When considering the role that learning and growing should have in our walk of faith, I always think of what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:13 when he asks Timothy to bring him the scrolls he left behind. In this letter that was written near the end of his life, Paul expresses a desire even then to devote himself to the study of Scripture. If the greatest missionary to ever live still devoted himself to learning about God even to the last days of his life, shouldn t we continue to devote ourselves to learning about Christ at whatever point we are at in our lives? May we be a church that devotes itself to learning about Christ, His love, and His Gospel! And as we experience and learn, may God give us the grace to communicate those truths well to our community for His Glory! By Christ s Love, Matt If the greatest missionary to ever live still devoted himself to learning about God even to the last days of his life, shouldn t we continue to devote ourselves to learning about Christ at whatever point we are at in our lives?

13 THE BRIDGE PAGE 13 AUG 14, :30 AM Pluckers at Lakeline For Juniors and Seniors: This Sunday night, August 13, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., ABC Student Ministry will host the Elevate Celebration for incoming 6th graders in the Student Ministry Suite at ABC. Dinner will be catered by Nik s and we will take time to celebrate our newest students. This is an excellent opportunity for our juniors and seniors to step up and care for our younger students. If you are willing to help with serving and getting acquainted with these newbies, please plan to arrive at 4:00 p.m. You ll get a free dinner! If you d like to help, please Matt Gillum at mattg@austinbaptistchurch.com.

14 PAGE 14 THE BRIDGE NEXT WEEK AT ABC Sun, Aug 13 9:00 am Traditional Worship, Worship Center 10:10 am Bible Fellowship Groups 11:11 Band Practice, Worship Center 11:11 am Contemporary Worship, Worship Center 5:00 pm Student Ministry Elevate Mon, Aug 14 10:00 am Adults on Mission Meeting, Chapel 11:30 am Student Ministry Monday Merge at Pluckers at Lakeline Wed, Aug 16 5:00 pm Fellowship Dinner, Great Hall 6:00 pm Bible Study, Great Hall Handbell Practice, Choir Room/Worship Center Children s New Christian Class 6:30 pm Student Ministry AXIS 7:15 pm Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal, Worship Center 7:45 pm Orchestra Rehearsal, Worship Center Sat, Aug 19 7:00 pm Steiner Ranch Concert in the Park, Towne Square ON THE HORIZON August 20 Membership 101 Trustee Meeting Student Ministry Last Splash 26 BFG Leadership Meeting 27 Promotion Sunday 28 Deacons Meeting 30 Business Meeting September 3 Acteens Monthly Meeting Missions Committee Meeting 4 Labor Day Holiday: Church Offices Closed Men s Dove Hunt 6 Outreach & Evangelism Team Meeting 8 Parents Night Out 9 Adopt-a-Highway 10 Membership 101 Mary Hill Davis Week of Prayer AWANA begins 11 Adults on Mission 13 Women s Bible Study, Wednesday Evening Class 14 Women s Bible Study, Thursday Morning Class Mom2Mom Bible Study Begins 17 Finance Committee Meeting Then Sings My Soul Event For When & Where see info on page 9 DEACONS ON CALL Week of August 14, 2017 Jim Bourne Wayne McDonald OUR RESPONSE TO GOD S FAITHFULNESS Annual 2017 General Fund Budget $3,500, Account YTD General Fund $85, $1,861, Designated $ $76, Bldg/Strong $19, $241, Fill the Rooms $10.00 $19, Total Giving $105, $2,198, Building on a Strong Foundation Offering Total-to-Date: $4,730, Our Attendance Sunday, August 6, :00 Service :11 Service Bible Fellowship Groups FOR PUBLICATION CONSIDERATION Articles and items for The Bridge are due to Rita Jones by the Friday 5:00 p.m. before the Wednesday publication date. Your cooperation is very appreciated!