VOL. 9 NO. 4 JANUARY 27, 2016

Transcription

1 THE BRIDGE Page 1 VOL. 9 NO. 4 JANUARY 27, 2016 On February 24-28, we will have a phenomenal missions focus titled, Around the Corner Around the World. It will culminate with a Missions Fair and special missions emphasis on Sunday morning, February 28. Over 35 ministries will be represented that Sunday morning some local missions, some concentrating their work in the state of Texas, some outside of Texas but in the U.S., and some serving internationally. We will hear from some of our missions partners in each worship service and numerous Bible Fellowship Groups will hear from other participants. Please note that we will be altering the schedule slightly that morning. The first worship service will begin at 8:45 a.m. that Sunday only giving more time between worship and our Bible Fellowship Groups to spend at the booths, displays, and tables that will be manned by the various mission organizations and mission partners we support. But as they say in commercials: But wait! There s more! The preceding Wednesday night, February 24, we will be having Andrew Mann of Graffiti 2 ministry in New York City; Kathy Morales with the Canadian Baptist Convention (and the key connection to our work in Calgary); Lori Devillez, leader of the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center; David Smith, the Director of Missions for Austin Baptist Association, and others. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. that Wednesday evening we will go into the Worship Center. Each of these five outstanding individuals will take a few minutes to talk about their area of ministry and the role our church s support and prayer plays. Then, we will open it up for a panel-type discussion where those who attend that night will have the opportunity to ask specific questions and learn more of their heart for their mission. The meeting will last about 90 minutes and will be a wonderful chance to have a helpful conversation about ways to reach people lo- (Con nued on page 2)

2 Page 2 THE BRIDGE (Con nued from page 1) cally, in another part of the country, and in other countries. 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 Dodie Morris MUSIC & WORSHIP ASSOCIATE dodiem@austinbaptistchurch.com I hope you will mark your calendar to participate that Wednesday evening, February 24, and will take ample time to mingle with our missionaries on Sunday, February 28. It will bless them to know of your interest and concern. It will bless you to learn how they are making an eternal difference where they serve. Gary Dyer, Pastor John 3:30 ADMINISTRATION Christina Mendoza MINISTERIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT 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 SUPPORT STAFF Bill Dickson FINANCE CLERK billd@austinbaptistchurch.com Barbara Hunley ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT barbarah@austinbaptistchurch.com Elena Samper ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT elenas@austinbaptistchurch.com Meredith Todd CHILDREN S MINISTRY ASSOCIATE mereditht@austinbaptistchurch.com Kati Dobbs CHILDREN S MINISTRY ASSOCIATE katid@austinbaptistchurch.com

3 THE BRIDGE Page 3

4 Page 4 THE BRIDGE We welcomed nine new members to our fellowship on January 24! Susan Zimmerman joined in the traditional service. She transfers her membership from Great Hills Baptist Church. Her parents, Doug and Catherine Huyck, and grandparents, Jim and Gene Merchant, are members of Austin Baptist Church. Susan was born in Arkansas but grew up in Austin. She is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina. For the last four years, Susan has been a research assistant at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in the Department of Internal Medicine. On January 7, Susan became engaged to Francesco Cocco, an officer in the Italian Air Force. Francesco and some of his fellow officers were training in the U.S. and were stationed in Wichita Falls. One weekend they decided to drive to San Antonio for a visit; they stopped in Austin on the way since SXSW was happening. They met at a restaurant and continued to stay in touch. They will be married in Austin on December 2. Susan and Francesco have attended the 18:29 Bible Fellowship group. Seven new members joined in the Pastor s Membership 101 Class. Gregg and Rhonda Rossi transfer their membership from Park Hills Baptist Church. Gregg is from Naperville, Illinois; he earned his degree in architecture from The University of Texas. Gregg is self-employed, conducting telecommunication audits for both commercial and residential customers. He is also executive director of his own non-profit, GivBackers. Rhonda is from Chicago; for the past 12 years she has been a real estate agent, LVN, and a paralegal. She and Gregg each moved to Austin in the 1980s; both play golf and they met on the golf course at Lost Creek Country Club. They married in Rhonda has two grown children, Brittany and Matthew, and two grandchildren. Gregg and Rhonda have two daughters, Alexandra, a senior and member of the golf team at SMU, and Halle, a junior at Regents School here in Austin. The Rossis, who make their home in Oak Hill, found our church through a Google search. When they visited in October, they recognized friends like Mike and Vickie Regan who invited them to Sola Gratia Bible Fellowship. Rhonda looks forward to attending our Women s Bible Study and she and Gregg want to become involved in our church. (Con nued on page 5) With Pastor Gary Dyer Sunday, February 14 10:10 a.m. Choir Room No Reservation Required

5 THE BRIDGE Page 5 (Con nued from page 4) Al and Glenna Garcia transfer their membership from Canyon Creek Baptist Church. Al is from San Antonio; he served for six years in the U.S. Navy. For 35 years, he has been an elevator technician; for the last five years, he has been a certified elevator inspector for a company here in Austin. Glenna is from Corpus Christi and earned a degree in fine arts from the University of North Texas. She is a calligrapher and interior decorator with expertise in murals and faux finishes. Al and Glenna met at their church in San Antonio and married in They have four grown children and two grandchildren. The Garcias live in The Parke at Anderson Mill. They began worshiping with us in September, and attend Beginnings Bible Fellowship. Carla Robinson transfers her membership from First Baptist Church, West Monroe, Louisiana. She grew up in Fort Worth and was baptized in Travis Avenue Baptist Church. For 32 years she worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines. She and her husband Bill Robinson met on American Airlines first flight to Puerto Vallarta in 1979; he was a passenger and she was a flight attendant. Eight months later, they were married. They have one son, William Robinson, and a granddaughter, Ellese, who have also been visiting our church. Bill and Carla moved to Austin 13 years ago. They were in the restaurant business in Louisiana for many years; Bill now works part-time as an insurance adjustor. They are visiting Bible Fellowship groups, and Carla looks forward to our Women s Bible study. They live in Dripping Springs. Sandra Lusk and her daughter, Valerie Ledesma, joined by profession of faith. Sandra grew up in Pleasanton, Texas (south of San Antonio). She served for five years in the U.S. Army, then earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. She earned a master s degree in biology from the University of Missouri in Rolla. She is working part-time jobs at the moment but has applied to the Ph.D. program at The University of Texas with a focus on cancer research. Valerie is a sixth grader at Four Points Middle School. They live near our church and began visiting this month. (Photo not yet available) Adam Zelinski joined by profession of faith in the 11:11 service. His parents, A.J. and Allison, attend ABC and The Lobbyists Bible Fellowship group. Adam is a fourth grader at River Place Elementary. Adam has a younger sister, Abby (second grade), and a younger brother, Alex (age 2). They live in River Place. David Procter

6 Page 6 THE BRIDGE Okay, now s your chance to try Sanctuary Choir for one week as we LOAD THE LOFT this coming Sunday. The choir will be singing 10,000 Reasons and Fall On Me, both of which we will rehearse on Wednesday evening, January 27, at 7:15 in the choir suite. Come sing with us with no pressure nor future obligation. We d love to have you this one Sunday. Wouldn t it be fantastic to see 100 singers in place on Sunday, lifting a mighty song of praise to our God? Will you be one? HILLSONG UNITED/REND COLLECTIVE IN CONCERT: These two Christian bands will be leading an evening of worship at Cedar Park Center on February 18 at 7:00 p.m. Hillsong United rose out of the Youth Ministry of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. They desire to see a generation across the earth awakened to authentic love for Christ and the world. Some of their best-known worship songs include: Forever Reign, Cornerstone, and Oceans. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 in the church office. See Christina Mendoza. Sunday, January 31, :00 a.m. Worship Fall on Me (Sanctuary Choir) Great Is Thy Faithfulness In His Time Footsteps of Jesus Step By Step 10,000 Reasons (Sanctuary Choir) I Need Thee Every Hour 11:11 a.m. Worship This is Amazing Grace 10,000 Reasons The Stand Four Steps Toward Making My Heart Ready for Worship 1) Spend time confessing my sins. 2) Spend time making sure my relationships with others are whole. 3) Spend time studying the Bible, especially Psalms. 4) Practice gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord (see Psalm 136). Blessings, John Parker

7 THE BRIDGE Page 7 I did not take the Christmas tree down the day after Christmas or the day after that, or the day after that. Big mistake! At this point, it is still standing in our game room, stripped of every decoration except several strands of lights, some working and some not. The tree has become a visual reminder of every roadblock in my life. I must put it back in the attic tonight! is at the top of every day s list. Every evening, I realize that the tree will have to wait because other more urgent matters took its place. Today I came to work still thinking about the tree, along with several other roadblocks. Three things happened this morning to remind me that God is in charge of everything, including things that seem like problems to me: First, two faithful volunteers, Pat Rainey and Charlanne Stere, showed up right on time to process new choir music and help get orchestra folders ready for Sunday. One roadblock down! Next, I dropped into a Tiny Tots & Tunes session. Moms and babies and grandparents, oh my! Stephanie Rankin and Meredith Todd were ministering to a room full of sweet folks. Reminder to self: This is what is important, not to do lists! Then I started working on the PowerPoint for Sunday. Great is Thy Faithfulness is the first hymn. As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be Morning by morning, new mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness! My dad sang that song so much that I cannot hear it in my head in any other timbre but his voice. I can still see him, always in striped overalls, usually on the roof of the house, swinging a hammer. (I don t know why the roof needed repair so often; I think he just liked the solitude and the altitude.) He sang loudly so the neighbors could hear, because he believed it: Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! Be on time, Sunday. It s the first hymn. And sing loudly so the neighbors can hear!

8 Page 8 THE BRIDGE ABC members Lloyd Martin, Ken Porter, and Richard Bennett worked last week in Rowlett assisting Hyde Park Baptist Church and other church volunteer groups removing storm debris from the alleys behind houses. Another group is following up to finish the job. The City of Rowlett is handling the removal of the still large amount of debris on the streets in the hardest hit area and many large houses still require demolishment. Please pray for the people of Rowlett as they recover from the storm. Wednesday, February 3 7:00-8:00 p.m. Room 187 (immediately following Bible Study) Topics to be discussed include committee duties, response protocol, and our committee s presence in the community during responses. If you are on this Committee or have interest in this area, I hope that you will come prayerfully to our meeting! Seeking to Glorify Him, Betty B. Arrell, 2016 Chair

9 THE BRIDGE Page 9

10 Page 10 THE BRIDGE January 25, 2016 Photo by Linda Sheppard Austin Baptist Church is in need of kitchen help every Wednesday evening from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. If interested, please send an to Clifteen Samuelson at

11 THE BRIDGE Page 11

12 Page 12 THE BRIDGE Members and Guests, Jesus culminated the Sermon on the Mount by describing a dramatic choice that we all must make. Come join us Sunday as we discuss the path that leads to life. Zack In our Lost & Found at the church, several nice pieces of jewelry have been found and turned in to the office for safekeeping. If you have lost a piece of jewelry, please contact the office and provide a clear description of it and, after ownership is verified, we will return it to you. Any questions, contact Rita Jones at or ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com.

13 THE BRIDGE Page 13 ABC CHILDREN S MINISTRY Tues., Feb. 16, 6-8 p.m. Preschool BFG Leader Meeting Tues., Feb. 23, 6-8 p.m. Elementary BFG Leader Meeting Mon.-Fri., June 27-July 1 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Vacation Bible School July 30-Aug. 3, Grades 3-5 (completed) Preteen Camp ($275). Registration opens Feb. 14. Aug Jesus and Me (JAM) Camp

14 Page 14 THE BRIDGE A few nights ago, Adrian (my wife) and I attended a play done by a local high school. It was a beautiful performance, and I never cease to be amazed at the talent of these kids. As a Student Minister, I often get the opportunity to watch these kinds of performances. But one of the most interesting things to observe in these plays is how much a kid will change in order to play the character. When one of our students plays a villain, it is especially interesting to see the change in demeanor and the way they speak. It makes me grateful that it s only play-acting! May we be a church that always seeks first to honor our God. May we take off the masks of self glory that we are tempted to wear and clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). And as we live lives full of integrity, may Jesus use our humility to bring broken hearts and souls in our communities to Himself. By Christ s Love, Matt Did you know that the theatre is the basis for our concept of the word hypocrisy? The form of the word originates from the Greek word meaning to playact. Essentially, when we talk about hypocrisy we have to understand its meaning as putting on a mask and acting as a different character than you really are. As striking as the change of character is for my students, it is always much more shocking to see hypocrisy in the daily lives of people. In Christians, it is especially unsettling. In Scripture, Jesus had a lot to say about the hypocrites of His time, including the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. In His indictment in Matthew 23, Jesus especially calls out their love of attention and prestige. In verse 12, He specifically warns, For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. His point was to warn the people against making themselves the center of their spiritual lives. Following Jesus and seeking God is not done for the popularity of man or for fame or wealth. It should be done out of humility, seeking the truth, loving our Creator, and responding to grace. You may see hypocrisy in the world around you and it may be difficult to deal with at times. Unfortunately as sinners saved by grace, the peril of hypocrisy is ever-present for us. However in the salvation and grace of Christ we have the forgiveness of sins so that we can walk unhindered. But Christ s admonition to us is not to make a spectacle of ourselves and our own righteousness in that salvation, but to humbly confess that we are saved by grace. The kinds of people that change the world for Christ are those humble servant leaders who strive to live for Jesus and give Him the glory.

15 THE BRIDGE Page 15 CALGARY JULY ABC Student Ministry and Joyful Noise Choir will serve in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, running Bible camps for the kids of the Pathway and Connect churches, participating in community missions/service, and singing at multiple venues. They ll also visit Banff National Park. For more information, contact Matt Gillum at

16 Page 16 THE BRIDGE

17 THE BRIDGE Page 17 Next Week at ABC Sun., Jan. 31 9:00 a.m. Traditional Worship, Sanctuary 10:10 a.m. Bible Fellowship Groups 11:11 a.m. Contemporary Worship, Sanctuary Wed., Feb. 3 5:00 p.m. Fellowship Dinner, Great Hall 6:00 p.m. Business Mtg/Adult Bible Study, Great Hall 7:00 p.m. Emergency Response & Management Team, Rm :15 p.m. Outreach & Evangelism Team, Rm. 275 Thurs., Feb. 4 9:45 a.m. Women s Bible Study Seamless Begins, Rm. 268 Mom2Mom, Rm 267 Fri., Feb. 5 7:00 p.m. Daddy-Daughter Date Night, Great Hall Sat., Feb. 6 5:00 p.m. 11:11 Prayer Service, Sanctuary On the Horizon Fellowship Menus Wednesday, Feb. 3: Chicken Diane Recurring Events SUNDAY AWANA 2:00 pm Joyful Noise Rehearsal 2:00 pm MONDAY Men s Prayer Group 6:45 a.m., Welcome Center TUESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 10:00 am Class, Rm :00 am Class, Rm 117 Music Rehearsal 7:00 pm, 11:11 Band WEDNESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 10:00 am Class, Rm 117 Kids Choirs WACK 6:00 pm Music Rehearsals Handbells, 6:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir, 7:15 p.m. Orchestra, 7:45 p.m. THURSDAY American Heritage Girls Feb. 4 & 18 6:00 pm, Rm 117 Trail Life Feb. 4 & 18 6:30 pm, Rm 268 FEBRUARY Adults on Mission Meeting 11 Hill Toppers Potluck Dinner 12 Parents Night Out 14 Membership 101 Class Golden Marriage Celebration Finance Committee Meeting 16 Preschool BFG Leader Meeting 20 Adopt-a-Highway 21 Ministry in Service Day Missions Committee Meeting 22 Deacons Meeting 23 Elementary BFG Leader Meeting 28 Missions Fair, Great Hall & Foyer MARCH Church Business Meeting for February 4-6 Disciple Now Weekend (Student Ministry) 4 Parents Night Out 6 Membership 101 Class 13 Daylight Savings Time Begins, Clocks Forward 1 Hour 14 School Spring Break Begins (LISD, AISD, RRISD) 16 No Midweek Meal/Activities Due to Spring Break except Sanctuary Choir will be Meeting 20 Palm Sunday Student Ministry Seder Meal During BFG ABC Egg Hunt 12:15 p.m. 24 Upper Room Service with Lord s Supper 25 Good Friday - ABC Offices Closed 27 Easter Sunday 28 Deacons Meeting 30 Church Business Meeting NOTE: Items for THE BRIDGE are due to Rita Jones by noon Friday. Send to ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com Deacons on Call Week of February 1, 2016 Jack Brandon David Brower Our Response to God s Faithfulness Our Tithes & Offerings YTD General Fund $26, $168, Designated $ $ Bldg./Strong Foundation $13, $85, Total Giving $39, $254, Building on a Strong Foundation Total-to-Date $3,890, Our Attendance :00 Service :11 Service Bible Fellowship Scofield Farms AUSTIN BAPTIST CHURCH 7016 RIBELIN RANCH DRIVE AUSTIN TX