A Note from Your Pastor

Transcription

1 March 8 A Note from Your Pastor Pre y soon the snow will melt away and what is underneath will be laid bare. A er the mel ng of the snow but before the new life of spring starts to show is a period of me in New York when, in all reality, things are pre y ugly. There is the dirt that was hidden by the snow, the mud that will be created as the ground thaws, and the salt and sand near the roads. What snow is le is hard and full of pollutants, so it will be gray and blackened. Every ugly thing that was covered will be evident for all to see. We o en use snow to talk about how God washes us clean and covers our sin. God s grace is much be er than the snow, because God does not just cover our sin, God REMOVES it completely! Micah 7:18-19 says, 18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniqui es into the depths of the sea. And we read in the Psalms 103: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniqui es. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. And in Romans 8: Therefore, there is now no condemna on for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. So the great news is that for all who are in Christ Jesus, who have come to Him for forgiveness and grace, God has not just covered up your sin, only to see it exposed, GOD has REMOVED your sin, and you are no longer guilty of it! Free from it! God has taken it so far away it can never be found again. As we move forward in Lent, as we make our journey to In This Issue Prayer Requests p. 2 FBC Board Notes p. 2 March Birthdays p. 2 Thank you Meals on Wheels p. 2 America for Christ Offering p. 3 March Events p. 4 Easter Flowers Order p. 5 Unity Fellowship p. 5 (Continued on page 5)

2 Page 2 In the Church Family Birthdays Birthstone Aquamarine or Bloodstone Flower Jonquil 2 Willie Benne 3 Barbara Foringer Sean Keesler Sally Lyon Ron Radell 7 Jason Greene 11 Grace Binder 13 Dianna Cook-Lacey 15 Megan Miller 18 Bill Rodriguez 19 Laurel Fauce 20 Brian Ness 21 Darlene Endy 22 Amanda Shevchuck 23 Ashley Morningstar 28 Brian McCartney Christopher Oley 29 Emily Burt Judy Mantle Prayer Requests James Pattillo Tom Biviano Dean Farley Lisa R. Cecile White Kathy Clements Simon G. Grace Chege Debbie Foringer Ed Miller Yellermina Jessie Mapstone Angelo DeRosalia Becky Erm Ferris Don Bourbon Mark Bell Loretta Beuchert Gary Jamieson Carrie Franklin Mark Noble Aaron, Toni and family Dick & Linda Barber Amy H. Gracie Buskey Shannon M. Kelly Griffin s sister, brother-in-law & children Call or at fbcman@twcny.rr.com by Wednesday morning with prayers or praises requests. March Anniversaries March 18 Michelle & Steve Hotchkiss March 24 Judy & Dean Morningstar You are special to us and we want to remember your special dates. If you have any addi ons to our list, please contact the Church office ( ) or admin@ firstbap st-manlius.org. Mee ng of the Church Board February, 8 Had a presenta on on a possible clothing distribu on ministry. Rev. Bud Adams will be the guest preacher on March 4, 8. Approved pu ng $15,000 bequest in interest making investment account. Set March 24, 8, for a team -building and goal-se ng session. Listening assistance devices and transmi er have arrived. Two issues discussed and also need for informa on: copy infringement and church security. Meals on Wheels Eastern Onondaga County Thank you for your generous donation. Please know that gift is making a difference in our community! Connie DeRosia Board Secretary ABWM & AB GIRLS OF NYS CONVENTION April 27 29, 8 DOUBLETREE by HILTON, BING- HAMTON Visit for more informa on and registra on.

3 Page 3 America for Christ Offering 8 Most of us are able to keep clear in our minds the origin and goal of Chris an ministry. Its origin is in Christ, who gives spiritual gi s and gi ed people to the church. Its goal is the building of the body of Christ in knowledge, faith and love. Less clear is the living, dynamic, God-appointed process that moves from origin to goal. No ce carefully what the following verses teach us. God gives to the church spiritual leaders whose role it is to equip saints for ministry. The Apostle Paul echoes this truth in Ephesians 4:11-13: The gi s he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, un l all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. God s pa ern for producing people with powerful faith and genuine love is not to have the pastorteachers do all the work of the ministry. They are to equip the saints to do the ministry. They are you all of you who have set yourselves apart for God through faith in Christ. According to God s pa ern, the building of the body in faith and love is the immediate result of the ministry of the laity. The Lord Jesus Christ intends every member of the church to do the work of the ministry. The inten on of ministry is to build up each other s faith and love. God s design is to use human support and encouragement to sustain the faith of his children and to lighten the burdens they bear in the service of love. The America for Christ Offering (AFC) 8 reminds us that it is in our service to the church and the community that many experience the Christ in us. We are encouraged by this year s theme to come alongside people and build them up. I am asking you to join me in giving generously to this year s AFC offering and help us to reach our goal as we partner in home mission. The theme for the AFC Offering 8 is Equipping Disciples based on Ephesians 4: American Bap st Home Mission s Society has a vision of a be er world one transformed by the healing power of the Gospel and by passionate American Bap st leaders and disciples who are crea ng and building ministries that meet human needs. Where will the money go? 29% supports regional ministries, so it comes right back here to support our region and its ministries. 59% supports the ministries of ABHMS; and 12% supports the offering s promo onal and deputa on costs. Thank you for your support, ABHMS Staff From your pastor: We will be receiving the offering during the month of March. Na onally they are trying to raise $1,250,000. Our part of that goal is $1,000. Imagine! There are over 5,000 American Bap st Churches trying to reach the popula on of the USA and Puerto Rico. If every congrega on gave just $250, they would meet their goal, but some congrega ons are struggling and very small. God has blessed us with the opportunity to go over and above to lighten the load on another congrega on who may be considering closing their doors. If just half of the churches rose to this challenge, we could double the work! Wouldn t that make a statement to a world suffering in darkness! Pastor John

4 Page 4 MARCH, 8 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 4:00 Barbara Foringer 90th Birthday Celebra on/ Limestone Gardens 4- Third Sunday in Lent 11- Fourth Sunday in Lent Daylight Savings Time Starts 18- Fi h Sunday in Lent Invite-a-Friend Sunday :30 pm CSC Cmte/ 6:45 pm FBC Board/ Newsle er Items Due :00 am Staff mee ng/ Office FBC Book Club/Home of Mary Schwarz 25- Palm Sunday :00 pm 3:00 pm D. Endy Weaving Classes/ Room 203 6:00 pm Dinner 7:00 pm Worship FBC Basketball/Gym GOOD FRIDAY Church open for prayer all day 8:00 am 1:00 pm Community Suzuki Play-In, classes & lunch 9:00 am 3:00 pm FBC Board Goal-Se ng mtg/place TBD

5 Page 5 (Continued from page 1) the Cross, part of that journey is to turn away from those sinful acts that entangle us. As we do, we can celebrate because we are no longer bound up by those sins. We are truly free. The consequences and penal es have been paid for at the very cross where we will end our journey. It does not give us license to con nue in sinful ways, but it does mean that our God loves us so much that we have full and complete forgiveness. Full and complete healing. Full and complete restored rela onship with our creator. So as we move to the cross, and seek out a closer rela onship with God through Jesus Christ and are empowered by the Holy Spirit, know and rejoice in the fact that in and through Jesus YOU are forgiven! Your sin has been removed and cast away! Never to be found, never to be pointed out, never to be a bondage to you again! YOU are HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and BLAMELESS in the name of Jesus our loving Savior! Just thought I would remind you of this great truth! Pastor John UNITY FELLOWSHIP The next mee ng for Unity Fellowship is Saturday, March 24, at 12:30PM in the. We will first have a dish-to-pass meal. Please bring a salad or casserole to pass. Also, please bring your own dinner plate, drinking cup and silverware. We will furnish the dessert and beverage. Our guest speaker has been with us many mes before. She is Cheryl Pula, librarian, historian, and researcher of many events of U.S. history. Cheryl will put on a program about Lady Liberty, the story of the Statue of Liberty. She may be the most recognizable symbol of American freedom and a gi from France to the United States, a colossal woman with a torch in New York Harbor. Whose idea was she? How was she constructed? This is her story. Come and join us for a very interes ng program EASTER FLOWERS 8!! Dick Barber Name: We are now taking orders! The tulips, mums, daffodils, and lilies are available in a variety of spring colors as selected by the greenhouse. The flowers will be displayed in the for Easter Sunday, April 1st, and will be available to take home a er the Easter worship service. Please see Jean Lynn Buskey at that me to retrieve your selec on. Flowers may also be le at the church for decora ng the sanctuary a er Easter. Please check whether you would like to take home or donate your plant. If you have any ques ons, please contact Jean Lynn Buskey at Please fill out the form and place it and the money (checks made out to First Bap st Church of Manlius) in an envelope clearly marked Easter Flowers in the offering plate or send it to the Church office no later than Sunday, March 11th. Order # 6 Bulb # 6 Pot of $6.75 # 6 ½ $8.50 # 3 bulb $7.25 Total Amount Enclosed: Print the following in the Easter Bulle n: Joyous Easter from: In Memory of: In Honor of: Other: I will leave my plant in Church to donate. I will take my plant home following worship.

6 First Bap st Church of Manlius 408 Pleasant Street Manlius, NY Office Phone: Website: st-manlius.org Rev. Dr. John R. Buskey, Pastor In case of emergency: Wendy Stearns, Director, Playschool Preschool Office Phone: Mary Schwarz, Director of Music Ministry John Spradling, Organist Marjorie Torelli, Administrative Assistant Sharon Argus, Bookkeeper Phone: Invi ng People to New Life Mission Statement In celebra on of the good news shown to us in Jesus Christ, we will invite others to unite with us as part of the family of God, sharing the Gospel through Worship, Educa on, Encouragement of one another, and the Support of Mission As we serve Manlius and our surrounding communi es. First Baptist Church Manlius 408 Pleasant Street Manlius, NY 13104