The Clarion. Troy. Our mission is to Encourage, Equip and Engage our network of churches to share the love of Christ with our communities.

Transcription

1 The Clarion Volume 46 Issue 11 November 2017 Our mission is to Encourage, Equip and Engage our network of churches to share the love of Christ with our communities. Affirming the Positive Office Directory 2335 Industrial Drive Panama City, FL (850) (800) Fax (850) Director of Missions Troy Varnum Ministry Assistant Phyllis Poland VIM Coordinator Jennie London FBCH Family Support Counselor Emily Fidler (850) Moderator Michael Petty For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses as much more as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself Hebrews 3:3 ESV. During the era that Jesus walked this Earth, the greatest influence on the Jewish people as a whole was Moses. He was the messenger who relayed to them the Law and served as the human instrument of their freedom. Yet Jesus is in a league of His own with a level of impact greater than what the world could conceive as great. It is easy for a church to get wrapped up in the day to day mechanics of an institution, but that narrow approach can cause us to lose sight of what God wants to do with the Body of Christ. This tension between institutional and Kingdom mandate has been made very apparent during these days at the Mission Center renovation. A task like pulling a permit can be an unwelcomed item on a swollen to do list, but when the guy I used to pull the permit was led to Christ by the church who previously met in our building, that adds a Kingdom dimension. When you worry about an inspection, but when you meet the inspector he shares ties he has with the Florida Baptist Children s Homes, the view of heaven looks a little clearer. When you get introduced to an electrician who volunteers to do your electrical, them finds out that his generosity and joy is coming as a prelude to his chemo and radiation treatments, then you see God s glory shining beyond circumstance and the construction itself is no longer the priority on God s agenda. These are just a few of the reminders I ve seen of Jesus being a worthy building of a house. What are you reminders? In Christ, Troy

2 VOLUNTEER IN MISSIONS JENNIE LONDON Volunteer Mission Vision Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) Responses to Hurricanes HARVEY, IRMA and MARIA as of October 20: At least 20 Southern Baptist State Conventions have responded somewhere in the areas impacted by these three hurricanes. And, although we do not have any numbers at this time, SBDR Volunteers are also preparing meals and providing chaplains for those affected by the California wildfires. Hurricane Harvey Meals Prepared 2,116,133 (The large number is due to so many people having to stay in Shelters); Chainsaw Jobs 30,156; Recovery Jobs (related to flooding) 27,200, Gospel Conversations 1,892, Volunteer Days 49,328, Professions of Faith 357! Hurricane Irma Meals Prepared 560,250; Chainsaw Jobs 658; Recovery Jobs (related to flooding) 3,096, Gospel Conversations 577, Volunteer Days 13,652, Professions of Faith 78! Hurricane Maria Virgin Islands Meals Prepared 3,078; Chainsaw Jobs 27; Recovery Jobs (related to flooding) 67, Volunteer Days 365, Gospel Conversations 24, Professions of Faith 1! Puerto Rico SBDR is just beginning to minister to the vast needs in this country. But, a full response is being planned. At this time, there have only been 61 Volunteer Days, most of which have been related to assessments and planning. However, there have also been 41 Ministry Contacts and 6 Gospel Conversations, although no Professions of Faith have been recorded at this time. Baptist Global Response (BGR) This is the International arm of the SBDR. Many people are unaware that Southern Baptists also respond to disasters in other countries. Year to date, BGR has responded to needs in these countries: Dominica Hurricane Relief, Dominica Rajshahi Flood Relief, Bangladesh Sylhet Flood Relief, Bangladesh Thessalonika Refugee Hunger Relief, Greece Hurricane Irma Initial Response, Dominica Republic ADF Saraphi Disabled Poor, Thailand Syrian IDP Crisis, Aleppo, Repulic Afgoi Acute Need Food Distribution, Somalia Kajuru Emergency Relief Phase 2, Nigeria Morang Flood Relief, Nepal Bangladesh FIA Flood Relief, Bangladesh Bijapur Flood Relief, Nepal Gairi Flood Relief, Nepal Darbanga Flood Relief, Nigeria Bihar and West Benegal Flood Relief, India Many thanks to ALL the SBDR Volunteers who have responded to serve those in need, due to all of these disasters. All Glory to God for the way He has used these volunteers to show HIS Love to those in need. May GOD call out more volunteers to serve HIM in this manner. In HIS Service Jennie

3 As we enter this month of Thanksgiving, I would like to give thanks to our amazing God whose ways are bigger than our ways, and whose plans are better than ours! Last month was full of so many encouraging opportunities to strengthen our connections with our local churches. I had the opportunity to speak at our Annual Association meeting, as well as with a small group and in one of the Sunday morning services at St. Andrew s Baptist. It was so exciting to talk with my brothers and sisters in Christ at all of those events and hear how God is working in their hearts to lead them to minister to one more child through orphan care. Whether it is feeling led to become foster parents, or seeking ways to wrap around our foster families with ministry and love, God is at work in involving His people in this child welfare work. This month I am most thankful for the growth that is taking place with our staff! Just this week our new Licensing Specialist, Monika Blazuk, started in our Chipley office at First Baptist Chipley. She comes with many years of Case Management experience, and more importantly, a love for Jesus and a heart for missions. Although her office is not a part of this Association, she will be working with our Panama City families in an oncall capacity and they are going to benefit from her experience and knowledge. Later this month our new Panama City Licensing Specialist, Michelle Stratton, will begin her journey with FBCH. She also has many years of child welfare experience and is active and involved in one of our local churches. It thrills my heart that we will be able to offer our families increased support and that both of these ladies bring so much experience with them. Please pray for our ministry as we continue in this time of transition, that God will be glorified and His ministry will continue to grow and be fruitful. I was reminded by Dr. Mohler s sermon at the Association meeting that we continue to plant seeds because we don t know what kind of soil we are sowing into. Not all of our foster care and adoption stories are bright and shiny and happy. There is heartache and trials. Sometimes those challenges cause us to lose heart or forget about the good seeds that have taken root and continue to bear fruit. We have seen so many wonderful success stories over the years of children s lives that have been positively impacted by being placed in a Christian home. But the Father has been nudging my heart to remember that if even only one child was impacted, all of the work is worth it. 2 Peter 3:9 tell us He is not willing that any should perish. We continue to plant seeds because each of these children is precious and important in God s eyes. Will you pray about how God can use you to impact one more child? Emily Fidler, BSW, CWLC Licensing Specialist C: F: Industrial Drive, Panama City, 32405

4 Missions Center Update We are making progress on renovations at the Mission Center. Dry wall will be started when you receive this. Water lines are being replumbed as well. For more details on how you can help, contact Kelly Dickson at or Robert Denmark at Minister s Conference Schedule All minister s conferences are at the Industrial Drive location at 11 a.m. unless otherwise noted. November 06 Tommy Ford, Bay County Sheriff, will be leading the conference on Church Safety 13 Jessie Dasher, Pastor, FBC, Callaway and ViceModerator, will be leading 20 NO MINISTERS CONFERENCE 27 Big C Conversation December 04 Big C Conversation 11 End of Year Fellowship Lunch provided

5 Seaport Ministries Ken Kraich, Director As some of you know, our Seaport Ministries will be led through Ken Kraich, Director of Fishers of Men Seaport Ministry. He is looking forward to working closely with us in the coming days. Right now he cherishes your prayers as he gets the ministry at our local ports jump started. We are in need of a full size bed for Ken and his wife to use while they are in Panama City for work with our Seaport Ministry. If you have all or part of a bed, please contact Phyllis Poland at the Association at Thank you. Check out our Web site at Please verify your church information and let us know if corrections are needed. If you have a new staff member, please send us the name, staff position, beginning start date, birthday (no year needed), and if married, spouse name, anniversary date including the year.

6 NOVEMBER 2017 Wedding Anniversaries 1 ( ) Mike (Pam) Vosbrink, Pastor, FBC, Deerpoint Lake 4 ( 89) Eddie (Josie) LaFountain, PastorFBC, Mexico Beach 4 ( 78) Buddy (Ronda) Caswell, M/E & Secretary FBC, PSJ 16 ( 95) Gregg (Kathy) George, PastorGulf Beach 28 ( 70) Knute (Deborah Ann) Coleman, Pastor, Brannonville Baptist 29 ( 86) Parnell (Donna) Smith, Pastor, New Bethel Missionary And the two shall become one Staff Anniversaries 1 ( 10) Sharon Boulian, Ministry Assistant, Carlisle BC 4 ( 07) Bobby Alexander, Youth MinisterFBC, PSJ 13 ( 91) Holly Lemons, SecretaryFBC, Apalachicola 17 ( 02) Rick McClung, Minister of EvangelismFBC, PC 17 ( 04) Vicki Ruth, Fin. Secretary FBC, Callaway 17 ( 14) Daniel McNeill, Minister of Music, FBC, Lynn Haven 25 ( 95) Paula Pace, Administrative Assistant, FBC, Callaway Birthdays 3 Mike Dunn, PastorDalkeith 4 David Nichols, PastorBeach Baptist Chapel 7 Rick McClung, Minister of EvangelismFBC, PC 6 Caren Endres, SecretaryFBC, PSJ 9 Charles Scott, Pastor, Fellowship Baptist 11 Rita Chambers, Ministry Asst, Gulf Beach Baptist 23 Phil Maxwell, Pastor, Kingswood Baptist

7 Bell Shoals Baptist Church Brandon, FL November 1214, 2017 FINISH Pastor s Conference November 1213, p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CONVENTION SCHEDULE: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, EVENING SESSION 6:45p Music Prelude 7:00p Convention Convenes 7:15p Enrollment of Messengers 7:25p Veteran Recognition 7:45p Biblical Message: Dr. Steve Gaines, Pastor Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, TN President, Southern Baptist Convention 8:25p President s Message: Dr. Stephen Rummage, Pastor, Bell Shoals Baptist, Brandon TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, MORNING SESSION 8:45a Prelude 9:00a Convention Convenes 9:12a Cooperating Ministry Report BCF 9:20a State Board of Missions Report #1 9:50a Election of Officer (President) 9:55a Miscellaneous Business 10:09a Biblical Message: TBD 10:44a Right Beside You: Regional Report 10:56a Committee on Nominations 11:01a Election of Officers 11:06a Right Beside You: Multicultural 11:24a Biblical Message: Dr. H.B. Charles, Jr., Pastor, Shiloh Baptist, Jacksonville TUESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION 1:55p Prelude 2:00p Convention Convenes 2:02p State Board of Missions Report #2 2:10p Cooperating Ministry Report Witness 2:18p Election of Officers 2:26p Cooperating Ministry Report FBFS 2:34p Cooperating Ministry Report FBCH 2:50p Right Beside You: Next Generation 3:02p Right Beside You: Missions/Ministry 3:14p Memorial Recognition 3:28p Biblical Message: Dr. Kevin Ezell President, North American Mission Board 4:11p Biblical Message: Dr. Tommy Green Executive Director, Florida Baptist Convention TUESDAY EVENING SESSION 6:45p Prelude 7:00p Convention Convenes 7:24p Convention Sermon: Rev. Carlos Téllez, Pastor, Primera Iglesia Bautista de Coral Park, Miami 8:16p Biblical Message: Dr. Rick Blackwood, Pastor, Christ Fellowship, Miami 8:51p Closing Prayer

8 Florida Baptist Convention Bell Shoals Baptist Church, Brandon

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