The Voice. of Miller County Baptist Association A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS

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1 Dr. Timothy Faber Director of Missions Tel: (573) millerbaptistassociation.com The Voice of Miller County Baptist Association APRIL 2016 A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS One evening a couple of weeks ago I asked Hannah to hold the ladder for me while I went up it to fix a piece of siding on the house. While we were outside I heard something I had not heard in quite a while.... I had faintly heard a bit a couple of evenings prior, but not like this! Do you hear em? I asked her. Hear what? She said. The frogs! The tree frogs are singin! Can t you hear them? No. Listen. Over this way a bird is singing I said, as I pointed east across the valley. But over there I pointed to the woods across the road. That sound is the tree frogs singin! Spring is truly here now! I hear the bird replied Hannah, but I don t hear anything from over there. For those of you who may not know, or who may have forgotten though Hannah is my younger daughter she is an adult 23 years old in fact. But sadly she did most of her growing up in the city as I was pastoring in Lafayette, IN from the time she was 8, and though I moved back to Missouri 3 years ago, she just got here last June. So she is not accustomed to the sounds of the country. She knows all the popular ring tones for a cell phone, and she can figure out the schedules and routes for the city bus (something I never could do) but she can t hear the tree frogs... Personally, I would rather be attuned to the sounds of nature coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, bear, deer, fox,... all these wildlife roam to woods in this part of the country, and it is wise to know what you hear when you hear something. And the frogs! They are a sure sign of Spring. Winter may give us one last dying gasp of effort, but winter has been defeated and Spring is victorious! The dogwoods and the redbuds will be showing forth their glory within the next week or so. What we hear, and what we are trained to listen to is even more important spiritually. We are born in a world of sin. We are surrounded by the sounds of anger, anxiety, lust, greed, deceit, selfishness, pride, and so much more. Then the sounds of grace and mercy are heard faintly in the distance. When we listen, we hear the love song of the Savior calling us to move from the clamor of the world to peace that only He can give, and we move from the bitterness of winter, to the warmth of life springing forth from our dead souls! It kind of puts a song within our own heart.... There's within my heart a melody; Jesus whispers sweet and low: Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still, in all of life's ebb and flow! All my life was wrecked by sin and strife, discord filled my heart with pain; Jesus swept across the broken strings, stirred the slumbering chords again. Soon he's coming back to welcome me, far beyond the starry sky; I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown; I shall reign with him on high. (There s Within My Heart a Melody, by Luther Bridges, c.1910). Are we helping others listen, hear, recognize the voice of the Savior, and His Holy Spirit and teaching them to shut out the noise of this world? Do we need to get better at listening to Him ourselves? Your Fellow Servant Timothy

2 Dear Pastor and VBS Director, MCBA VBS Clinic will be held on April 5:00 pm, Eldon First Baptist. Please encourage every member of your VBS team to attend! The clinic will be an expo-style with schedule as follows: 5:00-6:00 Expo ( hands-on learning at tables) 6:00-6:15 Welcome, music, door prizes 6:15-7:00 2 Classes Children and Salvation / Discipline Before and After the Dive / Safety and Security 7:00-8:00? Expo and snacks Note the expo will be open for viewing and participating in before AND after the classes in order to accommodate those who cannot be there early or cannot stay as late. There will be no need for your team to bring their VBS materials with them as they will be doing VBS at the tables. You may order your VBS supplies at or soon after the clinic through the association and save shipping costs as well as earn a 15% commission to the association! Just call if you have any questions Lifeway tells us there is a direct correlation between the number of people trained and the number of salvations in VBS! Looking forward to seeing you there! PLEASE PRAY FOR VBS!! Thank you, Joni Kelsay, MCBA VBS Director PASTOR S FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST SATURDAY, April 9, 8:30 AM Blue Springs Baptist Church REMEMBER OUR CHURCHES WITHOUT PASTORS ST. ELIZABETH CROSSROADS EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 7:00 PM OLEAN BAPTIST CHURCH

3 There are many opportunities, for those who do not fish, to participate in the Crappie Derby. Volunteers are needed to help with block party activities, tournament officiating etc. If you would like to participate, for a couple of hours or all day please call the Associational Office,

4 Featured events include Marksmanship, Targeted Casting, Archery, Hawk Throwing, Cross Cut Saw, Best Beard, Youth Marksmanship, Youth Casting and Youth Hawk Throwing. Missions Celebration 2016 MWMU Annual Meeting April 8-9, 2016 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City Early Bird Registration until March 23, $30 per person $40 after March 23 Online registration begins January, 2016 at mobaptist.org/wmu

5 [Grades 3-5] [Grades 6-12] July July Registration Due Registration Due June 9 June 23 Pulaski Baptist Association Camp Registration forms available in the office and on the MCBA website NEW CAMP OPPORTUNITY! For those who are too young to go to Children s Camp a new opportunity is developing! On July 16 th Miller County Baptist Association will host a One Day Camp at Camp P82 South of Eldon, in the Rocky Mount / North Shore area. This event is for those who have completed First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade. We will start late morning and run through the early evening. There will be Bible study and worship times, food, and various outdoor activities. In order for this opportunity to be a reality, we need to know A) if there is enough interest among the children/families to make it worthwhile; and B) if there are some folks who would volunteer for a day of ministering the love of Christ to some children. Please watch the Association s web site for more information and registration forms. If you have any questions please call or the office Fan the Flames Revival Mt. Herman Baptist Church, April 24-27, 2016 Evangelist, Barnicio Cureton of Light of Christ Church in East St. Louis, Illinois Music led by Even Better Together, Ladies Ensemble from FBC, Eldon Sunday Services April 24 Monday & Tuesday Wednesday 9:30 Sunday School 7:00 PM Revival Worship 5:30 Potluck Supper 10:30 Revival Worship 7:00 Revival Worship 7:00 Revival Worship This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you. 2 Timothy 1:6 NLV

6 UPCOMING EVENTS April 5: Associational VBS Clinic, First Baptist Eldon April 7: Camp Committee Meeting 2:00 April 9: Pastors Fellowship Breakfast at Blue Springs April 12: Executive Board Meeting at Olean Baptist Church April 24-27: Revival at Mt. Herman April 30: Crappie Derby May 14: Pastors Fellowship Breakfast at Blue Springs May 30: Memorial Day June 9: Registrations Deadline for Children s Camp June 11: Pastors Fellowship Breakfast Blue Springs June 13-15: Southern Baptist Convention Meeting in St. Louis June 23: Registrations Deadline for Youth Camp June 28: Associational Council Meeting July 9: Pastors Fellowship Breakfast Blue Springs July 11: Executive Board Meeting, Brumley Baptist Church July 11-15: Children s Camp Pulaski Baptist Association Camp July 24-30: Mission Trip to Wyoming July 25-29: Youth Camp Pulaski Baptist Association Camp August 13: Pastors Fellowship Breakfast Blue Springs August 23: Associational Council September 10: Annual Meeting at Mt. Herman Baptist Church

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8 MISSION TRIP OPPORTUNITY Have you ever been on a Mission Trip? God has given you gifts, talents and resources to be a blessing to others as you offer yourself in Kingdom Work. One opportunity we have before us is to take a team to provide a Vacation Bible School at Aspen Church in Evanston, Wyoming. Evanston is just to the north of the beautiful Uinta Mountains and about four and a half hours south of Yellowstone National Park. We are looking for those who would be led to participate to make up this team. The date of the V.B.S. is July We need at least 8 people to commit to this trip for it to be possible, and more would be better. We will use this year s Lifeway VBS material themed Submerged. It would be great to have some VBS workers from our association take their experience and familiarity with this material to have a Kingdom impact beyond our own community serving in Southwest Wyoming. Would you please; 1. Pray. Pray for God to raise up the team to go. Maybe you. Get the word out to others in your church who God may lead to be part of the team. 2. Save your left over VBS materials, unused student material and used or unused leader materials for use in the Aspen Church VBS. When / if we get a team committed we plan to find additional opportunities to serve in the area through Backyard Bible Clubs or other service projects to have the greatest impact possible while we are there. There is some lodging available in the Aspen Church building with showers available. There is the possibility of camping on site for those who would like to take a camper. There are brand and local hotels, motels, and public campgrounds that are available within a couple of miles of the church. For more information please contact me, Tim Smith at or Dr. Timothy Faber at the Associational office. To Recap; What; VBS Mission Trip. Where; Evanston, Wyoming When; July Who; Those God leads. (You?) Needs; Team committed to go and materials to use. Costs: $75 in addition to lodging and transportation Thanks for your prayerful consideration of this trip. Tim Smith. Miller County Baptist Association P.O. Box 391, Eldon, MO 65026