March, 2012 Volume 74, No. 2

Transcription

1 Volume 74, No. 2 Spring For now the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2:11-12 In our front yard the leaves of the crocus and daffodil bulbs are pushing through the soil. Each day the sun rises a little earlier and the song sparrows awaken us a little sooner with their trilling in the tall pines just to our south. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we can t directly apply the biblical image that the rain is over and gone; the showers just get a little warmer! But it is true all over the Northern Hemisphere that winter s slumber and lethargy are falling away, and God s creatures human beings, the four-footed ones, the winged ones, the finned ones and the flowering ones will all be springing back to life! The early Christians in the Roman Empire, and all across the world as the faith spread, caught up the energy and some of the imagery of spring solstice rituals flowers, eggs and baby animals and brought them to the service of the ultimate and everlasting rebirth offered to us in Jesus Christ, and attested by his Resurrection. This is especially important for those of us who have been living a hard season together in the life of our beloved congregation, the First Baptist Church of Portland. In a time when the interconnected regional, national and global economies are going through fundamental changes, and bringing Continued on page 2 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SW 12th and Taylor, Portland, Oregon

2 Continued from page 1 hardship to many of us; at a time when mores and living patterns are in flux and traditional values are being questioned; at a time when there is a generational shift going on in our local church and in our regional and national family of churches; at a time when many in our congregational family have been traversing the valley of the shadow of death; we yearn for spring! I wish to say to you, paraphrasing a former president: It s springtime for First Baptist! Just the other Sunday our Children s Choir joined the Temple Choir for a stirring rendition of my very favorite hymn, We re Marching to Zion! Pastor Rick and our youth have unveiled plans for the 2012 summer mission experience, iquest. Our Cambodian congregation is experiencing a season of revival since they rejoined us in the main building. Signs of spring are all around, if we have eyes to see. Life is always a succession of seasons; our hopes and fears evolve in response to changing situations and our own changing capacities; our strength waxes and wanes. But our God endures from everlasting to everlasting, and finally, it is in God that we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:25). We will indeed experience seasons of increase and abundance and seasons of narrowness and want in our individual lives and in our life together. But the coming of spring on the terrestrial calendar and the approach of Easter on the church s calendar remind us that in the Christian life spring is always just ahead! Dr. David L. Wheeler Page 2 In Memoriam Charlotte Shepherd Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Charlotte, who passed away February 18, Thank you FBC family for the constant and loving way you have held us up in prayer for the last weeks. The prayers and God s immense grace have helped us through this storm. Please plan to come and remember and celebrate our Charlotte on Saturday March 10th at 11:00 am in the sanctuary. Your grateful brother in Christ, Ron Shepherd FBC Ladies You are invited to attend the Lauran Bethell Circle Gathering on Monday, March 5 at 6:30pm Trudy Bils, President of American Baptist Women of Oregon, will be speaking. Please direct questions to Mary Olson, ABCO News ABCO/CA Missions Conference April 20-21, 2012 Hosted by FBC Springfield America for Christ Offering 2012 This year s America for Christ Offering theme is Engaging Discipleship: Open My Eyes, My Heart, My Hands, and is based on Mark 10: For more information, check the Sunday Bulletin during the month of March or visit 65 Years! You are invited to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Harry & Irene Hanschar on Sunday, March 25, from 1:00 3:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. The boiler project has been approved and installation should begin in March

3 Recognizing Five Years of Spiritual Leadership Dear Brothers and Sisters of First Baptist Church Portland, We thank you with all of our heart for your kindness in recognising our fifth anniversary here at FBC on February 5. A congregation of Christ followers is often compared to a family. We enjoy one another, support one another, bear with one another, bear one another s burdens. We are together all along life s arc, at high points, low points and routine stops along the way. We are united across all differences of age, gender, ideology and temperament by our shared commitment to Christ, and the Blessed Hope that relativises life s triumphs and disappointments. Thank you for modeling this love and unity for us, and along side of us, as we each and all do our part of the ministry. In Christ s Service, Pastor David & Carol Wheeler Top: Rev. Steve Bils, Pastor Peter Im, Dr. David Wheeler, Rev. Ed Stelle (l to r) Bottom: Carol Wheeler (seated), Karen Knauerhase, Sara Mejias (seated) and Nate Olson Right: Dr. David Wheeler Page 3

4 Cambodian Congregational News On January 21, Pastor David, Charles King, the Ty family and I had the opportunity to present the Cambodian Children s ministry at MissionConneXion at Crossroad Community Church. There were 26 people in attendance. We were able to report that the temporary Activity Center has been in use for Bible studies and English classes daily. You are invited to join the Cambodian mission trip for the Children s ministry in October and see for yourself! In our Cambodian ministry, attendance increased during January. Please come and join our next potluck on March 4, right after church, all are invited! We will be joining the Easter celebration of the Khmer Christian Pacific Northwest in Olympia, WA. You can download the Cambodian master calendar and more info. of the mission trip at Please keep in mind that the Cambodian master calendar is updated every other week. Pastor Peter Im dmnwgdl'bykcmnum\ enak~ gex1knâgmkenh eyigvnbgúajbikar gar BHsIBImNëlkumarenA sukexµr enak~ gkmµ vifisn~ivtrbs' MissionConneXion ena BH viharev"nxuvw. eragbenahgasn~rbs'mnl kumarvnef IsMrab'CMrk«nskmµaPaBnUvesckI tèvkarrbs'ek. xδ MsUmelIkTwkcitVncUlrYm dmenirebskkmµeta suk\enaex10pgedr. enak~ gex1knâgmkenhmanbykcmnumeyigcae cin VnmkcUYlrYmf aybgñm BHpgEdr. manbykcmnum eyig25nak'vnculrymk~ gkmµvifi «nescki slaj'enak~ gex2 eyigxδ u Mk*sUmGrKuNdl' BYkCMnuMEdlVneF ImúèbGaharcUlrYm ehiy dg ayrbs'ekvnf ayculk~ gmnëlkumar. ptlak' bcsex3nwgef IenA GaTit TI4e kay BIkarf aybgñm BHrYc. Ex3 TI31 BYkCMnuMeyIg nwgculrymcamyykmµvifï BHman BHCnµrs'eLIg vij «nbykcmnumpakbay&b ena kuggußlsebo. BYkCMnuMeyIgGacnwgTTYldMNwgTSgGs'enHBI ekhtmb&rrbs'eyig KW p aydmnwgedayela Kè PIFW Gwum Page 4

5 YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS The first time I heard the word Missionary was when I watched African Queen on TV. To this day it affects my image of what a missionary is. We all have an image of some kind. For me it was a guy in a pith helmet and a machete hacking his way through deepest darkest Africa bringing civilization and the Gospel to the remotest jungle on the planet; a stone-jawed person of unquestionable conscience and constitution willing to die for his beliefs and the people he serves. The first time I heard of a youth mission trip I was just out of High School and someone came to challenge us to a short term trip to Africa. My image changed a little, only now it was a teen ager in a pith helmet you get the picture. Over the years I have had a few opportunities to get involved with mission trips and frankly I have been disappointed from time to time. Often my disappointment stems from the fact that I can t find any high school students willing to don the pith helmet and machete. Ok, some of them will put on the hat and swing the machete, but none have been the stone jawed person of unquestionable conscience and constitution willing to die for his beliefs and the people he serves on a short term trip. Even if they are willing to go, I doubt their parents would sign the release form. Hear me out here. The effectiveness of global missions stems from the commitment of those sent to see, at all costs, the gospel preached to all people. That is a big deal. So to send a bunch of teenagers out on something called a Mission Trip when they are not willing to risk their lives seems just a bit pathetic. I know what you are saying. This guy has it in for teenagers! or This guy hates mission trips. In truth the opposite is true. I have devoted my life to serving and encouraging teenagers and I feel that trips, camps and retreats are some of the most effective tools in The best mission trip is designed to change the ones are sent youth ministry to change lives. The word mission implies that those who go on the trip are missionaries. But can we expect teenagers to be missionaries? Missionaries are out to change the ones they are sent to, but the best youth mission trip is designed to change the ones who are sent. We want them to see that someone must be sent and someone must go. And a trip is a great place for them to begin. However, even though I don t see teenagers as cross-cultural missionaries, I do see them as indigenous missionaries. They are Christian students strategically placed in an unreached people group the American youth culture. I want our teenagers to see that they are the only option for reaching a culture that no adult can ever reach their schools, their teams, their clubs, their friends their culture. This year s trip is called iquest and we want our students to see the needs of people around them and desire to serve them. More importantly we want them to see that they can make a difference in their own back yards, neighborhoods and schools. We don t need to go to Mexico to serve the poor when there are migrant worker camps in Washington County filled with struggling people from Mexico. We don t need to go to a reservation to feed the poor when there are kids in Portland missing meals. We don t need to go to LA to help the homeless when the homeless walk though our dropin center each week. Most important, we don t need to go out of our way to share the gospel with strangers when people we know need to hear it. This year our focus is to go beyond just serving. We want to help our students reach their friends by inviting them to come and serve alongside them in our own backyard. Please join us this year in helping send students to the mission field in our own backyard. Pastor Rick Francis Page 5

6 MARCH 2012 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY EASTER MEMORIAL a FLOWERS The flowers that decorate the Sanctuary on Easter morning will add to the celebration of our Risen Lord and also honor those you would like to remember in this special way. Also, your contribution helps provide flowers/plants that will be delivered to our members who are homebound or hospitalized. A special donation of $25 is appreciated. Please contact Charlene at or by , cfischer@fbc-portland.org, to make arrangements. 4 Pastor s Membership Class 12:15 pm 5 Bethell Circle Room Midweek Prayer and 6:45 pm 1 8 CE Committee 6:30 pm Charlotte Shepherd Memorial Service 11:00 am 11 Pastor s Membership Class 12:15 pm Worship Committee 7:00 pm 14 Midweek Prayer and 6:45 pm 15 Downtown Fellowship 10:30 am DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS Trumpeter Deadline 20 White Cross 10:00 am 21 Midweek Prayer and 6:45 pm IDUS MARTII ST. PATRICK S DAY 24 Diaconate 6:30 pm FIRST DAY OF SPRING Midweek Prayer and 6:45 pm Page 6

7 Sermon Schedule March 4 As Good as Dead? Communion Sunday Psalm 22: Romans 4: March 11 The Church in the Mind of Jesus! Matthew 16:13-20 Paul Martin, American Baptist Seminary of the West, preaching March 18 A Snake on a Pole Numbers 21: 4 9 John 3: March 25 This Very Hour Jeremiah 31: John 12: Member Birthdays Libby Ormond... 3/1 Lynda Anderson... 3/25 Vat Kang... 3/2 Del Ayers... 3/25 Socheat Mao... 3/2 Kathleen Whitlock... 3/28 Jessica Fooks... 3/5 Don Parham... 3/28 Colleen Pittinger... 3/7 Lloyd Day... 3/29 Norm Lawson... 3/9 John Morris... 3/29 Berkeley Ormond... 3/9 Marguerite Ayers... 3/30 Andrea Klopfenstein... 3/10 Saran Sajulan... 3/30 Heather Hanson... 3/12 Sharon Young... 3/30 Earle White... 3/13 Irene Hanschar... 3/13 Vanno Non... 3/13 Joe Casper... 3/15 Vasoeung Loeung... 3/18 Bob McAllister... 3/18 Ray Price... 3/20 Margaret Marcuson... 3/20 Jean Camper... 3/21 Pat Shannahan-Lanz... 3/21 Phil Wright... 3/22 SUNDAY 9:00 Contemporary Service 10:00 Sunday School for all ages 11:00 Worship Service, Sanctuary Cambodian language, Rose Chapel Children s Church for ages 3 through 2nd Grade, follows the Time for Children at 11:00 1:00 Youth 5:30 & 7:00 pm: Solid Rock Weekly Schedule and Activities SUNDAY, MONDAY, THURSDAY 5:00 pm: Transitional Youth MONDAY SATURDAY 6:00 8:30 am: Eye Opener (AA meeting) MONDAY & THURSDAY 2:00 4:00 pm: Drop-In Center TUESDAY 5:30 pm: Dinner And A Movie WEDNESDAY 5:45 pm: Wednesday Night Dinner 6:15 pm: Youth Choir 6:30 pm: Adult 6:45 pm: Kindergarten Midweek 7:35 pm: Choir Rehearsal FRIDAY Office closed : FOCUS SATURDAY 8:30 10:30 am: Cambodian Men s Fellowship Page 7

8 (USPS ) is published monthly at First Baptist Church, Portland OR Periodicals postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Postmaster: Send address changes to: 909 SW 11th Avenue Portland, OR (USPS ) is published monthly Find us on the worldwide web: and cambodianministries.org The next Trumpeter deadline is March 19, Please send articles to Dr. David L. Wheeler Senior Pastor Ed Stelle Senior Adult Ministries Peter Im Cambodian Ministries Rick Francis Interim Minister of C.E. and Discipleship Travis Hatton Music Director Keith Ponce Facilities and Events Manager Cathy Francis Business Administrator It s tax time again! Appointments with the AARP volunteers are still available! Please call to make an appointment