Here s my point: Worship is. not be the only thing that ma&ers. In my. for what it s worth. I encourage you to

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1 What Does a Church Do? to the breaking of bread and to prayer (2:42). This was the way they built up the body of Christ in Jerusalem. The key ques on about the Teaching people the fundamentals about church in any age who Jesus was and what he has done for us is arguably more important than is What is the worship, though we dare not try one church? The without the other. Fellowship is a bond iden ty ques on that God creates in his church which we always precedes nurture by ea ng together, playing and trumps the mission ques on, What does the church together, crying with one another in the do? In this ar cle I want to bypass the face of loss, and encouraging one another in the midst of adversity. iden ty ques on not because it s less important, but because the mission Here s my point: Worship is ques on seems to be the one pressing us crucial to the life of FBC Hickory, but it s up against the wall. What are we not the only thing we do. And it should supposed to do? not be the only thing that ma&ers. In my Let me jump into the heart of the brief s nt as your interim senior pastor I have learned this worship ques on has ma&er. Worship is one of the things a not only been the focal point in recent church does. It is crucial to the life of a local church to gather for worship to turn months, it has been a point of conten on their corporate a&en on, affec on and for years. I have had conversa ons with adora on to God. Worship helps us take people in Hickory who used to be members of FBC-Hickory who le5 not the natural and ins nc ve focus on ourselves and place it somewhere else -- because of the style of worship, but on God, the creator of heaven and earth. because of the ongoing debate about worship. So here is my counsel to you, As essen al as worship is, for what it s worth. I encourage you to however, to the lifeblood of a church it s make a decision about your worship not the only vital thing a church does. service/s and then move on. Make a The second chapter of Acts reveals the decision about how many and what kind fundamental elements of the early of worship services you will have, then church: They devoted themselves to the live into your full iden ty. A5er apostles teaching and to the fellowship, the decision, put a moratorium on formal and informal conversa ons about style and me of worship services. There may be people who leave the church regardless of what decision you make about worship. This reality can t be avoided and it shouldn t send you into a place of congrega onal paralysis. Make your decision, live into it, and move on. The church is about more than worship mes and styles, so talk about discipleship and fellowship and mission ac vity in Hickory and beyond. Build one another up, love your ministers, reach out to new people, and let the love of Jesus Christ flow from this church into every avenue and street on the Hickory quadrants. God will honor this, bless it and bring new life with it. Dr. Don Y. Gordon

2 SANCTUARY SEATING On behalf of the Properties Committee and the Church, I would like to thank the following people for working to temporarily repair the loose ceiling tiles in the sanctuary: Robin Abbott, Tom Guthrie, Haven Owens, Larry Phillips, Alan Tallent, Woody Tucker, Ernie Warren, and Jim Woolf This group replaced some tiles, adjusted tiles, and checked the security of others. Because of the age of the tiles some may not look good, but all are secure. It is safe to sit under them now. - Tom Brock, Properties Chair NO WEDNESDAY SERVICE On Wednesday, August 22, there will be no Wednesday evening family meal or weekly ac1vi1es. BEACHCAMP 2018 FUN BAPTIST MEN AT SHELBY MISSION CAMP REFUGE SERVICE PROJECT In support of Carson LaBo s Eagle Scout project, a group of Refuge Youth worked to build a retaining wall at Hart Square. Youth serving the Community!

3 FBCitykids CAMP 2018 July 16-20, FBC hosted 25 FBCitykids for COSMIC CITY FBCitykids Camp! These precious children joined us for lunch, heard Bible stories, learned songs, had Lab and recrea1on and made cra9s. The very youngest and those gradua1ng this year received Bibles to help them con1nue learning about Jesus. It takes many volunteers to make this camp possible every year. To those people who prayed, taught, shepherded and worked behind the scenes, THANK YOU! Our FBCitykids le9 knowing the love of Jesus because of you! Blessings, Cindi Morrison ON THE COVER Mission Team members being commissioned for their 2018 CMT trip to Savannah, GA.

4 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH August 5-10:30am Communion Straightening Outs a Mess Dr. Don Gordon 339 Second Avenue, Northwest Hickory, North Carolina Volume 18, Issue 8 First Bap+st Church, Hickory, NC Return Service Requested August 12-10:30am Mission Trip Report Refuge Student Ministry August 19-10:30am Living Where You Don t Belong Dr. Don Gordon August 26-10:30am Dealing with Church Conflict Dr. Don Gordon Phone: (828) Fax: (828) info@ec.cc Website: Don Gordon, Interim Senior Pastor Rendell Hipps, Minister of Discipleship David Wachter, Interim Minister to Students Steve Clarke, Minister of Music & Worship Cindi Morrison, Director of Children's Ministry Bert Schmid, Church Administrator Andris Rozukalns, organist Staff (last name)@ec.cc REACH UP, REACH IN, and REACH OUT Wednesday nights this summer! Beginning at 6pm. August 1 Help at area Community Social Ministries We will provide transporta1on to area ministries! August 8 Nursing Home Visita1on and Cards to Shut-ins We will carpool and use the church minibus to visit our members in nearby nursing homes. Those who prefer can remain in the FH and write cards to shut-ins. August 15 Prayer Walking and Prayer Driving August 22 No supper or ac1vi1es August 29 Music and Missions Kick-off Supper and Fun Meet for supper at the Bap1st Men s Hut lawn for a fun night with our kids and leaders! Tent and tables provided! On Wednesday, August 29, 5-7pm on the lawn outside The Hut there will be pizza, water fun inflatable, a lot of fun for the whole family! Come prepared to register your children for Music and Missions! Please bring a picnic blanket for your family to eat on, swim suits & towels. Call the church office and sign up for supper by Monday, August 28. The suggested cost is $5 person, $15 maximum per family.

5 MINISTER ON CALL August 3 Don Gordon on call ( ) August 10 Rendell Hipps on call ( ) August 17 Larry Phillips on call ( ) August 24 Mike Watson on call ( ) August 31 Don Gordon on call ( ) DEACONS OF THE WEEK D9:;<=>?<@ AB9 W99C <? ADED>A 4-10 Norma Flores, Coordinator Ruth Ann Carreira Ashley Hightower Greg Watson D9:;<=>?<@ AB9 W99C <? ADED>A Chris Paulsen, Coordinator Kris1n Herring Daniel Lucaciu Susan Haire D9:;<=>?<@ AB9 W99C ADED>A Terry Johnson, Coordinator Kris1n Herring Jim Meade Dwight Has1ngs D9:;<=>?<@ AB9 W99C <? ADED>A Steve Palmer, Coordinator Sheree Watson Eddie Icard Cody Wingler SECURITY TEAM August 5 August 12 August 19 August 26 Rick Travis Reece Davis Nathan Bowman Gary Woods August 5 9am - Kara Wi&enberg 10:15am - Kara Wi&enberg Infants Adair Bowman Walkers & Two s Caroline Trado & Chuck Trado Three s & Four s Gail Ford & Valerie LaBo Coordinator: Children s Church: Children in Worship August 12 9am - Ashley Dyson 10:15am - Gail Ford Infants Kara WiQenberg & Pam McCall Walkers & Two s Jill Pernell Three s & Four s Linda Jones & Kimo Mullinax Coordinator: Janice Barger Children s Church: Lee Bogle & Sally Johnson August 19 9am - Krisn Herring 10:15am - Infants Sandra Foster & Fran Ballengee Walkers & Two s Adriane Oxford & Beth Miller Three s & Four s Lisa Meade & Dana Woods Coordinator: Carol Ann Keller Children s Church: Cindi Morrison & Tiffany Hightower August 26 9am - 10:15am - Dana Woods Infants Melanie Wingler & Carla Ingram Walkers & Two s MaQ Ingram & Kelly Clark Three s & Four s Sonya Brown Coordinator: Children s Church: Beverly Crosby & Susan Haire

6 Dear First Baptist Church Family, August 1 Pot Roast New Potatoes/Green Beans/Carrots Biscuits& Dessert August 8 Apple BuQer Pork Loin Mashed Potatoes Broccoli Salad Rolls & Dessert August 15 Swiss Apple and Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Sweet Potato Soufflé Asparagus Rolls & Dessert August 22 Meat Loaf Scalloped Potatoes Green Beans Biscuits & Dessert August 29 Hamburgers Mac and Cheese Watermelon Dessert After nine wonderful years it is with much sorrow that I am saying good bye to you now. I know in my heart that it was God who brought me to you, to use the talents that He has given me to be part of a Christ-filled staff, as the Food Service Ministry Director, to support the ministries of First Baptist, to work alongside you and for us to serve each other. Your sweet smiling faces, the jokes and stories we have shared, the sorrows and concerns we have shared, watching your children grow up right before my eyes and the blessings of new babies, the loss of loved ones, the prayers of concern and celebrations we have prayed for each other, along with your gracious compliments and gratitude will forever be engraved in my mind and my heart. You have been such a blessing to me, my daughter and my granddaughter. I don t even know how to begin to thank you for that. I also leave here with great joy because I know in my heart now,as I knew those nine years ago, that this is part of God s plan for First Baptist, you, me, and my family. I don t know where I am going as I write this but I am ready for the adventure that will be revealed to me as I know it will also come with many blessings. As I go on this new adventure I will be taking you with me in my heart and in my prayers. I love you brothers and sisters. Peace and Grace, Steve Spivey