THE BELL RINGER. Greetings in Jesus Name. From the Pulpit. Calling all to gather in His name

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1 THE BELL RINGER November 2016 Volum e 2, Issue 11 Calling all to gather in His name FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF BLUE HILL, 53 PLEASANT STREET, BLUE HILL, ME fbcbluehill.office@gmail.com (207) Greetings in Jesus Name We are so glad you re interested in our church. We are people who love Jesus and who want others to know the joy and purpose that come with following Him. We are a friendly American Baptist Church committed to Jesus Christ and the work of His kingdom. We aim to be a loving, growing family in Jesus, and we seek to walk humbly with God, obedient to His Word. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are working to love and serve others. We invite you to join us in experiencing and sharing this abundant life. From the Pulpit INSIDE THIS ISSUE Page Greetings 1 From the Pulpit 1 Spirited Moments 2 Sympathies and Concerns 2 Our Missions Team 2 Church Bulletin Bloopers 3 Coming Attractions 3 Children s Ministry 3 Worship Team 3 Member News 3 Harvest Home Supper 5 Birthdays and Anniversaries 6 Kids Korner 6 Calendar 7 Greetings in the Lord, Pastor David Chenoweth In Luke 15:11-32, we find the story of the prodigal son. The younger son in the story has become discontented with his life and work at his father s estate. So he runs away from his father, his household and his work. He demands that his father give him what he thought he deserved: the share of property that is coming to me (v. 12). He also tries to distance himself from everything he has known as much as possible. He headed to a distant country and squandered his property in reckless living (v. 13). Then he eventually became so desperate that he hired himself out and was sent out to feed pigs, something completely forbidden for Jews to do. He became so hungry that he even starts to long for the pig s food. What did the son leave behind? In the father s house, there was a meaningful identity. Because he was his father s son, there were certain rights and privileges attached to that. Furthermore, there could ve been intimacy with his father if he had just trusted, obeyed and spent time with his father. There was meaningful community and a mission as a one of the members of a household with his brother and the servants who found purpose and dignity as they worked together for the father under his provision and authority. Aren t these four things that everyone craves, though they may express it differently? Faced with a crisis of hunger and famine because of his foolish choices, the son eventually comes to his senses. He longs for anything, even a chance at servanthood, to get back into his father s house. He s even willing to lose the privileges of sonship, if only he can get some food into his belly to relieve his suffering. So, he plans out his repentance and confession of sin and comes groveling back to his father, ashamed of himself (vv ). However, While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him (v. 20). The good 1

2 and gracious father loved him and fully aware of his son s disobedience, he loved him. He became joyfully undignified in his expression of love too, doing what an older man wouldn t do. He girded up his robe and he ran, a culturally frowned upon action at that time and place. This was a father lavishing his love, rejoicing that his son had come home. Likewise, when we come back to our Father after sinning, there is no anger or shaming. We don t have to perform a certain way first to gain back his favor. There s just love and acceptance because Jesus already performed it all on the cross. We are truly loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and have been made accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). A shift has taken place too. The son no longer demands what he thinks he deserves, but begs for what he finally realizes he is unworthy to receive. Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son (v. 21). But the father just focuses on full restoration. The father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found (vv a). Author David Guzik writes None of the four things brought to the son were necessities The father does much more than meet the son s needs. For example, the robe represents the robe of Christ s righteousness, covering the filthiness of the son s sin. Intimacy with his father and his identity was once again restored. There s also a fatted calf which is killed so they can celebrate the son returning to the father. So it is with the repentant believer in Jesus As Isaiah wrote: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness (Is. 61:10a). And as Paul wrote when considering the finished work of Christ on the cross, For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Neither shaming us, nor condemning us for our sins, failures and backslidings, after restoring us to fellowship with himself, God looks at His son s spotless righteousness clothing us, and He actually celebrates us. In fact, Zephaniah says, The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing (3:17). What should our response be? Awe. Amazement. Love. Trust. Worship. Obedience. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Spirited Moments Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Jesus, in John 13:14 One hour with Christ is worth an eternity of all earth s joys; and communion with Him is the best, the surest, and the most ecstatic foretaste of the bliss of Heaven. Charles Spurgeon Repentance should be radical and thorough, and the best repentance for a wrong act is not to do it again. A. W. Tozer Sympathies and Concerns Please remember to keep all loved ones who are unsaved in our thoughts and prayers. Prayers are needed for many victims of cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in the Blue Hill peninsula area. Do you have a prayer request? Please send your request to fbcbluehill.office@gmail.com. Rebecca Wanbaugh, believed to be our oldest member, is currently a patient at Courtland Rehab in Ellsworth. We are told that she is doing well and is up for short walks each day. If you d like to send Rebecca a card, the address for Courtland is 42 Bucksport Road, Ellsworth, ME Our Missions Team Muriel Candage reports that the Tree of Life is in need of cans of baked beans and brown bread, and they always need pet food. Winter is getting closer - please be generous with your donations that do so much to benefit our neighbors and their beloved pets. Please put your contributions in the Tree of Life basket in the vestibule. 2

3 Sandy Snow, our Emmaus Meal Service organizer, thanks all who have participated in the monthly Emmaus meal. Our next meal date is November 15 and Hamburger Casserole is on the menu. The folks we serve really look forward to our cooking and serving. Here s your chance to volunteer because that is what Jesus asks us to do!! The sign-up sheet can be found in the vestibule. Jennifer says there were a dozen little ones in the nursery on a recent Sunday and 30 in the various Sunday School classes! Here are four of them enjoying the recently refurbished caterpillar. Church Bulletin Bloopers This month s blooper: Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. Coming Attractions Sunday, December 4 Baby Shower Potluck Lunch in honor of Michael and Jessica Astbury follows worship service. A new baby for our church family! Children s Ministry Train a child in the way he should go Prov. 22:6 Sunday School teachers for the year are: Kindergarten and Grade 1 Grades 2 and 3 Grades 4 and 5 Grades 6 and 7 Grades 8 and 9 Grades 10 through 12 Carrie Clifford Alma Mote Sharrie Curtis Allison Charles Sue Fenders Danner Curtis Sunday School Superintendent Jennifer Gray is still looking for volunteers for nursery duty. You can let Jennifer know what Sundays you are available by ing her at jennifergray@myfairpoint.net. Worship Team Yes! Sue Fenders is happy to announce that choir practice will resume on Thursday evenings at 6:30. If you are interested in making a joyful noise unto the Lord, please let Sue know by contacting her at smfenders@yahoo.com. Please remember the flower sign-up clipboard in the vestibule. Flowers are an appropriate way to contribute to the worship and glory of God, and may be given to celebrate a special occasion or honor a loved one. Many dates still are open. Member News Congratulations to Hank and Sue Fenders on the birth of their new granddaughter. Gwendolyn Emily Fenders was born on October 13, weighing in at 6 lbs. 9 oz. Proud parents are Paul and Meghan Fenders. Isn t she a cutie? Hunting season is here! Get out your blaze orange and wear it when you re walking around our beautiful countryside. And remember that Fido needs a blaze orange bandana or vest to wear when tagging along. 3

4 Danner Curtis and his multi-talented wife, Dewey, shared this picture showing the successful result of their moose hunt this year. Nice hat, Danner! The Astbury and Schildroth families have been catching all the GSA boys soccer games this season as our own Taylor Schildroth continues to be a standout for his team. Proud grandfather Mike Astbury provided this photo from a recent game in Limestone. Carrie Clifford sent us this photo of her two youngsters, Wade and Halle Rose, who went out on Youth Hunting Day to try their luck at bagging the big one. Wait a minute; can Halle Rose even hold a gun? She s such a wee one, but that s a huge smile on her little face! The Gray family, and especially daughter Olivia, is celebrating a recent sports victory. Olivia played both JV and varsity volleyball for Bucksport and her JV team finished in first place this season. Congratulations!! Check out their tournament photo below. That s Olivia on the far right. As for Olivia s varsity team, they finished in 7 th place for the season. Well done, Olivia. 4

5 Are You a Grandparent? Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take their teeth and gums out. Grandparents don t have to be geniuses. They have to answer questions like Why isn t God married? and How come dogs chase cats? Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don t have television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us. They know we should have a snack time before bed time, and they say prayers with us and kiss us, even when we ve acted badly. It s funny when they bend over; you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don t get to see him enough to get as smart as him. Were you at the Harvest Home Supper this year? If not, you missed an awesome church event. We managed to fill nearly every seat at both the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. seatings. And the food! Is it my imagination or was the food this year especially tasty? Oh, my, the pies! Best ever. Our kitchen crew was super, from set-up through cleanup. Congratulations to all involved in bringing such a super event to the community. Net proceeds of $1,462 from this year s supper will benefit the fuel assistance program for our neighbors. 5

6 Birthday and Anniversary Greetings Happy Birthday to Erin Butler November 2 Dick Hill November 22 Jackie Butler November 2 Beverly Walls November 27 Cameron Walden November 3 Judson Butler November 27 Cory Schildroth November 4 Cherry Stanko November 28 Kelsee Nevells November 7 Gail Carter November 30 Michael Astbury November 9 Happy Anniversary to Are you on our Birthday or Wedding Anniversary list? If not, please let us know by to fbcbluehill.office@gmail.com so we may celebrate with you! Kids Korner Color me! 6

7 November 2016 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sundays at 9 a.m. Trustees Christian Ed Missions Emmaus Meal Service 4:30 p.m Deacons Choir Practice 10 Choir Practice 17 Choir Practice Advisory Board Greeters November 6 November 13 November 20 November 27 John Clapp and Peter Clapp Ken and Allison Charles Ed and Sally Blodgett Jerry and Jackie Butler Notes God answers Kne . 7