Cowee Baptist Church. The Gem. By Pastor David... FEBRUARY 2014 Church Newsletter

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1 The Gem Cowee Baptist Church FEBRUARY 2014 Church Newsletter Last Month s Averages: *Based on a 3-week average *Morning Worship: 367 *Sunday School: 232 Total Offerings: $ 51, Special Dates: (Specific times listed on pg. 3) 2/2- Building Fund Sunday Souper Bowl of Caring Youth Super Bowl Party 2/5- FAMILY MISSIONS NIGHT Widow s Banquet African Missions Presentation 2/8- Baptist Men s Workday 2/9- Baby Bottle Kickoff (SMPCC) Focus on WMU Love Worth Fighting For (SMCFTPA) 2/12- Children s Valentine Party 2/16- Children s Council Meeting Deacons Meeting THE GATHERING 2/17- Reg. 10 Baptist Men s Rally 2/19- Children s Choir Resumes 2/21 Parent s Night Out Cowee Gems Game Night Inside this Issue: A Note from the Pastor Pg. 1 Thank You s Pg. 2 Monthly Calendar Pg. 3 Children Pg. 4 Youth Pg. 5 Missions Pg. 6 LIA 365 & Cowee Gems Pg. 7 Baptisms Pg. 8 By Pastor David... On March 31, I will join Jason Jenkins and Casey Jennings to head to the small, west African country of Burkina Faso. The purpose of the trip is to work with Southern Baptist's International Mission Board (IMB) in taking the Gospel to an "unreached people group". This is part of Cowee and Southern Baptist's cooperative effort to fulfill the command of Scripture, "You shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remote part of the earth (Acts 1:8). We will continue to minister in Jerusalem (our backyard) and in Judea (our nation - e.g. our New York partnership) as we reach out to the remote parts of the earth (Africa). Burkina Faso is the same place some of our members have been on previous mission trips over the past few years (you can hear more about the most recent trip on Wednesday, February 5). We will spend eight days in country with the International Mission Board missionary for the region, Jay Shafto. The purpose of the trip is to choose an unreached people group and commit to taking them the Gospel through a partnership with a local Burkinabe' church. Our commitment will include visiting the people group on a regular basis, and working with the Burkinabe' church we are partnered with in evangelism, discipleship and church planting. The goal is to plant churches that are self sustaining and eventually self replicating. Cowee Baptist was successfully started on this model when planted by a 3 man missionary team in On Friday, September 19th and Saturday, September 20th, Cowee will host an event called Base Camp 1. Base Camps are training and networking conferences for churches who ve already committed to serve in Sub- Saharan Africa. They re great opportunities to hear testimonies of God s work and pick up practical suggestions and new ministry techniques. They are led by IMB missionaries who have lived and worked on the field in Sub- Saharan Africa. Typical workshop seminars include: discipleship, leadership training; cultural insights; and more. Registration will be open to other churches who are currently committed to serve in Sub-Saharan Africa. Members of Cowee who are interested in being a part of future Burkina Faso mission teams are encouraged to participate. Cowee members can sign up at the reduced rate of $10 which covers dinner Friday evening and lunch Saturday. If you have additional questions about our international mission efforts, you can contact Casey Jennings or a member of the Missions Council. Please remember the upcoming mission trip, our families, and the people we will be taking the Gospel to, in your prayers. I am proud to be part of a church serious about fulfilling the "Great Commission"!

2 Page 2 Thank You Notes... Sunday School & Small Group Leaders... NOTICE: Please submit a minimum of three week s notice prior to the start of a new study. This time frame is necessary for the review and approval of studies and pricing (with regards to budget), and it allows for adequate time to order and ship materials. Thank you for your help. For more info, contact Diedre Breeden, Sunday School & Discipleship Ministry Small Group Coordinator ( or (dbreeden24@hotmail.com). Wednesday Night Study Continues.. "Follow Me" by David Platt. 7pm, Room 117. All adults are welcome to attend (men and women). Edwina Deas is facilitating. For more info, please contact Deidre Breeden ( or dbreeden24@ hotmail.com). The Mayberry Bible Study. Continues.. Sunday evenings, 6pm in the Choir Room. For more info, contact Ernie Pait ( or ernest.pait@shawinc.com). The Daniel Plan 6wk. Study Continues... (Ladies Home Study) Daniel Plan: 40 Days To A Healthier Life by Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hyman. For more info, contact Stacy Ellis ( , betsycason@gmail.com). Childcare is provided. The Cowee Church family deserves our gratitude and a big thank you for their Wednesday night home meals, bringing the church news, (and bulletin), memorial service, choir, Grandview visits, and offers of a meal after the memorial service for our extended family. The church families were there for us when needed. Thank you. Sincerely, Mitchell & Robbin Houston Thank you very much for everything you have done for us. We think you re the best church in Franklin or anywhere in the U.S. and we love ya ll very much. The people in this church are a very good family to have. Love and Thanks, Robert & Tonya Lee Dear Cowee Baptist, thank you all for your attentive care and prayers when I fell on Monday. I appreciate the cards and phone calls. George Bateman Dear Church, I hope you know just how truly special and valued you are. Your generosity literally opened the doors of hope for hurting children and families who had nowhere to go. Thank you for your thoughtful, prayerful and generous endeavors that continue to keep BCH readily able to share the message of hope and healing to the hurting across NC. With Kindness, Michael Blackwell, President, BCH of NC A great big thank you all for the birthday cards. It sure did bless me when I opened all the cards! You all and Terry are a blessing to me. Terry and Jan sure do help me! With Love, Ernest Cabe Dear Church Family, Thank you so very much for the cards, visits, phone calls, food, caring and sharing during my eye surgery. Thank you most of all for the continued prayers during this time. Love Doris Raby Prayer Team Africa I would like to thank the church as a whole for everything you have done for Randy Raby and his family. Thank each one that made his celebration of life so perfect. A special thank you for the wonderful music. Randy Raby s Aunt Pearline I personally wanted to thank you on behalf of my family and myself for the lovely funeral service for my cousin, Randy Raby. The music, words of encouragement, and food were such a blessing. I have been to several family funerals at Cowee Baptist Church over the many years and you have never ceased to amaze me with your generous nature. I was overwhelmed to look at the section of the honorary pallbearers and see so many Godly men who had given of their time to assist Randy with his medical needs. No words can really express how special Randy was to our family, but each one who spoke or sang at his funeral certainly made those words flow in many ways that my Daddy said, could not begin to compare to that of a President's funeral. Wow, Randy did touch many lives! What an honor to have known him and for him to be connected to such a church family. Again, thank you, and may God continue to bless your church as you set out to do his work. Sincerely, Connie Allen & Family Dear Church Family, thanks for the gift certificate to the Sunset. We enjoyed using it very much! Thanks for all the inquiries, thoughts, cards, and prayers. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon! Thanks! Tipton Do you have a strong desire to support our mission team in their upcoming trip to Africa? This may be the opportunity for you! We need prayer warriors who are willing to make a sincere commitment to prayer before, during, and after three of our church family members travel to Africa for a mission trip March 31-April 9. Prayer for their protection, safe travel, and successful ministry will be among some of the specific concerns we pray for as our church begins the process of participating in an International Mission Board partnership in Africa. If you have a serious desire and willingness to commit to prayer for this effort, please call with your name, address and phone number to our church office or see Judy Lightner, (828) A variety of prayer opportunities will be available, including small group and congregate prayer, prayer around the clock, and other offerings. Don't miss this opportunity because you can't schedule another meeting in your day. Prayer closets in our homes, cars, and work places will be utilized as well! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

3 Cowee Baptist Church February 2014 Page 3. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 DEACON (26-2/1) Mike Cochran 2 BUILDING FUND SUNDAY SOUPER BOWL OF CARING Youth Super Bowl Party (Mark Foster s home) DEACON (2-8): Bruce Harwood 9 Baby Bottle Kickoff (SMPCC) Focus on WMU LOVE WORTH FIGHTING FOR EVENT, 4PM (SMCFTPA) (Childcare begins at 3pm) Mayberry Bible study, 6pm DEACON (9-15): Casey Jennings 16 Children s Council Meeting, 4:30pm THE GATHERING, 6PM Deacons Meeting, 4:30pm Mayberry Bible study, 6pm DEACON (16-22): Ernie Pait 23 Mayberry Bible study, 6pm DEACON (23-3/1): Bill McGaha FAMILY MISSIONS NIGHT 5-7pm- (drop-in), Love in Action 365 5:30pm Widow s Banquet 5:30-6:30pm (drop-in) Supper 5:30pm- Deacons Prayer Group 6:30pm Adult Choir 7pm- AFRICAN MISSIONS IN CROSSOVER 7pm Mission Groups 6 Daniel Plan Home Study, 6pm pm- (drop-in) Love in Action 365 5:30-6:30pm (drop-in) Supper 7pm- Follow Me study 7pm CHILDREN S VALENTINE PARTY 7pm FUSION56, Youth, Adult Choir 17 PRESIDENT S DAY BAPTIST MEN ANDREWS, 4:30pm 24 FLAG DAY Don t forget February 2 Building Fund Sunday pm- (drop-in) Love in Action 365 5:30-6:30pm (drop-in) Supper 6:15pm Children s Choir 7pm- Follow Me study 7pm Mission Friends, RAs, GAs, FUSION56, Youth, Adult Choir pm- (drop-in) Love in Action 365 5:30-6:30pm (drop-in) Supper 6:15pm Children s Choir 7pm- Follow Me study 7pm Mission Friends, RAs, GAs, FUSION56, Youth, Adult Choir 13 Daniel Plan Home Study, 6pm 20 Daniel Plan Home Study, 6pm 27 Daniel Plan Home Study (Last Night), 6pm 7 8 Baptist Men s Workday, 8:30am PARENT S NIGHT OUT, CHILDREN S MINISTRY, 5:30-8:30PM Cowee Gems Game Night, 6:30pm :45am Nursery/Preschool 11am Nursery/Preschool Children s Church 2/2 Nicole Bradley & Tammy Foster & Jamie Shepherd Kaine & Ashley Sherry Smith Martha Holbrook & Jason Maisa Matthews 2/9 Keith & Denise Stephan & Stephanie Crabtree Amanda Stewart, Parker Evelyn Greer & Betsy Cason Amelia Johnson 2/16 Kirstin Dodge & Terry & Jan Cabe Paul & Kirstin Stacy Ellis Ernie & Beckie Pait Dodge 2/23 James & Kathy Kim Norton & Ashley Matthews Cherie Patterson, Greenwood Stephanie Jennings & Rebecca Davis Jerry Buschmann February Ushers: *Bobby Bolick, Jack Dillard, Sr., Mark Foster, Dereck Jones, Roy Jones, David Lightner, Chuck Norton, **Rick Tallent *Team Leader, **Assistant Team Leader February Deacon of the Week: 26 2/1 Mike Cochran 2 8 Bruce Harwood 9 15 Casey Jennings Ernie Pait 23 3/1 Bill McGaha Inclement Weather... In the event of inclement weather, please call the church office, , and choose extension 23 to listen for cancellations of services or tune in to local radio stations. Sunday delays or cancellations will be announced by 8pm Saturday evening, when possible, or by 7am (for 1st service), 8am (for Crossover), and 9am (for 11am Service), on Sun. morning. If public school is cancelled on Wed. there will be no evening services that Wed. evening. 1 Alicia Jepsen 12 Anthony Capaforte 17 Beverly Duvall 21 Thelma Sanders 28 Jared Greenwood 2 Lindsey Dodge 12 Brooks Heard 17 Harvey Fouts 23 Kaylee Adams 2 Madison Holden 12 John Hurst 18 Sarah Bass 23 Matthew Reynolds 4 Teresa Smith 12 Dereck Jones 18 Nikki Swafford 25 Lora Langlois 5 Kaye Rickman 13 Abigail Brenner 19 Maggie Bass 26 Michael Garrett 6 Ann Bennett 13 Lauren Shannon 19 Linda Brogden 26 Alex Jepsen 6 Roy Burnette 14 Riley Jenkins 19 Stephanie Hurst 27 Jeff Bailey 6 Ryan Paquette 14 Helen Lambert 19 Beverly Wiggins 27 Barry Breeden 7 Graham Shaw 16 Jean Davis 21 Duane McHan 27 Sam Kelly, III 9 Corey Mason 16 Stephanie McConnell 21 Nancy Rogers 27 Arnold Rickman

4 Page 4 Children s Church... Did you know that we have a Staffed Baby and Toddler Nursery for all 3 services? We welcome newborns to toddlers (age 3), for childcare, every Sunday at the 8:45, 10:00 and 11:00am services, year round. If you would like to volunteer to serve with our children, contact Denise Parker ( ). Maybe you don t have children or your children are all grown up and you are looking for a way to serve our young families. Helping watch children during such events as Parent s Night Out or Love Worth Fighting For could be a blessing for you and them! If you are interested in serving, contact Pastor Jason ( or jason@coweebaptist.org). This month s Children s Council meeting will be Sunday Feb. 16, 4:30pm. CHILDREN S VLENTINE PRTY February 12, at 7pm in the Children s Worship Center Party with Special Guest : Professor Whizzpop!! Snacks, Balloon Art, and a special message about Love. Children s Choir will resume on Wed. nights beginning Feb. 19 from 6:15-6:45pm, (ages 4 to 4 th grade) in the Children's Worship Center. CHILDREN S MINISTRY Friday, February 21, 5:30-8:30PM Children s Worship Center Supper provided. Volunteers needed to help with childcare once every 6 months. Contact Pastor Jason for info or to sign up. CONTINUES IN FEBRUARY! For more info, visit:

5 Page 5 By Pastor Jason, Associate Pastor & Minister of Students & Families... The first part of this year our students have been challenged to start the year with a passion for Christ and a renewed focus in His word. Over a three week period we have been challenged to first of all run to God, then to run from sin, and finally to run to share their faith with others. If we can be disciplined to do these things this coming year, what an impact we could have on this community and this world. A quote I heard from Francis Chan really made me think about how far we can miss this. The quote reads as follows: Simon says, Pat your head, we pat our heads. Jesus says, Go therefore and make disciples We memorize that verse. Personally, and as a church, it is easy to go through life and compartmentalize the command Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." It is easy to say, I will focus on that while on this mission trip, or to think of this command as something pastors should do; but it is much harder to allow this command of Christ to impact every part of our daily lives. I have to ask myself a hard question: Who am I investing in spiritually to help to make disciples. The reality is that found people find people, saved people serve people, and disciples make disciples. That may look like older ladies coming along side younger ladies and teaching them, it may mean opening your home for a small group to meet, it may mean investing in the people you work with, or it might even mean a refocused time of daily devotion with your family. What I have been realizing as God works in my heart, it may mean all of that, and more at the same time. Sometimes I think we make it more complicated than we should, maybe it s just simply living life with loving God as the center, and loving others as our priority. Isn t that what Jesus taught us was important all along? SUNDAY, FEB. 16, 6PM Cowee Baptist Church Crossover Youth Band will lead Worship. SMCFTPA March 21st, $15 each A Limited # of tickets have been reserved. Please sign up with Pastor Jason. SUPER BOWL XLVIII PARTY Sunday, February 2, 2014 Beginning at 6pm At the home of the Foster s (133 Iotla Church Rd.) SMCFTPA, TICKETS: $30EA. SIGN UP WITH PASTOR JASON

6 Page 6 Missions Reminders February 2: Souper Bowl of Caring February 5: Family Missions Night, 7:00pm Widows Banquet, 5:30pm February 9: Focus on WMU, SMPCC baby bottle kickoff March 2-9: Week of Prayer for North American Missions March 9: Deadline to return filled baby bottles for SMPCC March 20: Love In Action Day Team Leader Planning Meeting, 6:00pm WMU S ANNUAL BABY BOTTLE FUND RAISING PROJECT FOR SMPCC Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center (SMPCC) is a nonprofit Christian organization dedicated to saving lives in Macon County and surrounding areas. Bottles will be available at locations throughout the church on February 9. Fill provided baby bottles with coins/bills/check. Checks should be made out to the center (SMPCC). Deadline to return bottles is March 9. Focus on Woman s Missionary Union Feb. 9 Weekly: Mission Friends Girls in Action Monthly: Women on Mission Thank You to our WMU Leaders! WMU Director: Kaye Rickman Asst. WMU Dir: Kathy Greenwood WOM Coord: Karen Waldroop WOM Grp 1: Kathy Medford WOM Grp 2, WIN: Linda Brogden Acteens: Tammy Foster Girls in Action: Jamie Kelly Vicki Baldwin Older Mission Friends: Josephine Cabe Nicole Bradley Younger Mission Friends: Jeana Capaforte Amelia Capaforte Sharon Robison Cindy Duffell Kathleen Hall Stephanie Laird Karen Waldroop Otela Bolick Ruth Ann McDonald Barbara Roper Denise Parker A FEW WMU HISTORY NOTES 1886: WMU organized in NC 1888: WMU organized in SBC 1911: WMU organized at Cowee Baptist, Mrs. Jennie Ray, first leader 1919: Sunbeams organized at Cowee; nursery, beginner & primary classes followed 1939: Girls in Action (GAs) organized at Cowee (ages 9-16); Zena Pearl Brogden living charter member 1945: Cowee WMU began first of two circle groups for women 1970: GAs became grades 1-6, Acteens new organization for grades : Cowee WMU began annual White Christmas & Carol Sing 1973: Sunbeams renamed Missions Friends; Josephine Cabe first Mission Friends leader 1976: Cowee WMU added a third group for women, Baptist Young Women 1981: Cowee Baptist Young Women held the first annual Widow s Banquet 1992: Cowee WMU held first annual Missions Picnic to promote the Week of Prayer for NC missions 1999: Cowee WMU initiated and began the first Love in Action Day Present: Continues to carry out its tasks: praying for and giving to missions; doing missions; learning about missions; developing spiritually toward a missions lifestyle and participating in the work of the church and the denomination. In 1990, a Super Bowl Sunday prayer inspired a group of young people to do something more than celebrate a football game. They created the Souper Bowl of Caring, and have mobilized youth across the country to raise more than $98 million for people in need through local charities. Please support our young ladies in this effort to love our neighbors and tackle hunger. Drop $1 or a can of soup in the soup pots, as you leave worship, on February 2nd. Donations will be given to Carenet.

7 Care & Outreach at Cowee Baptist Church... For the last four years, Pastor Ronnie has served 20 hours a week as our Minister of Care and Outreach while working full-time at Caterpillar (CAT). Over the last year, Ronnie's job at Caterpillar has required him to work additional hours (often 60 instead of 40 per week). As a result, at present, Ronnie will only be able to work 10 hours per week with our church family. Our hope is this will allow Ronnie to still have time with his family and successfully maintain his primary job at CAT while being able to exercise his gifts in ministry at Cowee. While we will miss the extra hours of Ronnie's service, we have been blessed that two ministers within our church family, Rev. Cecil Deas and Bruce Harwood, have volunteered to aid in the church's visitation ministry and in other situations as the need arises. The church and deacon body accepted their offer of volunteer service as ministers at Cowee during January's quarterly business meeting. Cowee Gems Mark Your Calendars... Game Night February 21. Enjoy an evening playing Marble Pursuit. Bring a snack to share. Registration is not required. RemembeR When April 5. An evening reminiscing the good times. Details will follow. Visit the Gem Mine for more information. For registration or more information, visit the Gem Mine, or contact Bruce Ferguson by telephone ( ) or (B2F@msn.com). Love in Action 365 Days Schedule... 5:30-6:30pm: Supper (drop-in) Kid s meals available upon request. 5-7pm: Love in Action 365 Days (drop-in): G112 LIA Card Making G115 LIA Prayer Room G110 LIA Phone Room G113 LIA Welcome Center G114 LIA Writing Room WED. Co-Captains Sunday School Anchor 1 st Chris Clendenney Kathy Greenwood 2 nd Bruce Harwood Stephanie McGaha 3 rd Mike Cochran Judy Lightner 4 th Helen Burnette Karen Waldroop Bruce Harwood Servant s Heart, Esther Willing Workers ABEL, Joy, Daughters of the King Dorcas, Gardner Holden, Omega, 11:11 Adults Cecil and his wife Edwina joined with our church family after his retirement as Pastor of Senior Adults and Worship at First Baptist Highlands. He is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has been a minister since Bruce Harwood and his wife Cheryl raised both their daughters at Cowee. The church recognized Bruce's calling and licensed him as a minister in In addition to presently serving as our chairman of deacons, Bruce is the Chaplain for the Macon Country Sheriff's Department. We appreciate Pastor Ronnie's continued service and are glad that God laid it upon Cecil and Bruce's hearts to use their gifts and calling within our church family. We hope you'll welcome them in when they knock on your door! Rev. Cecil Deas Page 7 Craft Friends Activities & Events... Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 10am-2pm Enjoy Learning the Language of Herbs & Flowers and how to use them in making Tussie Mussies, Nosegays & Tea Cup Bouquets by our own creative artist, Helen Lambert. Then share a delightful Herbal Luncheon at Helen & Porter Lambert s Studio, 105 Cedar Field Road off Hall Farm/Rose Creek Roads. Cost is $10. Be sure to register before Feb.23. Invite a friend! To sign up or for more info, contact-sue Magee ( or esue62@frontier.com) or Cheryl Walker ( or cajwalker@dnet.com). Baptist Men Monthly Meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7pm Monthly Workday: Saturday, Feb. 8, 8:30am Region 10 Baptist Men s Missions Rally (1st Baptist Church, in Andrews) Feb. 17, bus departs at 4:30pm All Baptist men are encouraged and welcome to attend! For more info, contact Brotherhood Director: Bill Fouts ( , wefouts@dnet.net). Love in Action Be a blessing... Volunteers needed EVERY Wednesday night. Deliver a meal Write a card Make a phone call Go on a visit Lift up a prayer Make a card Refill prayer cards Assemble packets

8 Contact Us Phone: (828) Fax: (828) We re on the Web! Visit us at: February New Members... Bobby & Delona Crisp Page 8 Addresses Pastor David: david@coweebaptist.org Rev. Jason Smith: jason@coweebaptist.org Rev. Ronnie Branson: ronnie@coweebaptist.org AFRICAN MISSIONS PRESENTATION: WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5, 7PM (Crossover Worship Area) Children s Ministry Assistant: Church Office: office@coweebaptist.org Sound Techs: audiovisual@coweebaptist.org CD/DVD Requests: request@coweebaptist.org Cowee Baptist Church 6301 Bryson City Road Franklin, NC (828)