The View. May Sunday Mornings beginning May 8th 9:15 & 11:00 am

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1 May 2016 The View Special events this month: Sunday Mornings beginning May 8th 9:15 & 11:00 am National Day of Prayer Thursday, May 5th at 6:30 am at the Evangelical Free Church Recognize & Honor all 2016 Graduates on Sunday, May 8th Mothers Day, Sunday May 8th Super Summer Deadline is May 15th along with a $50 deposit Refuge Summer Kick off Wednesday May 18th at 6:30 pm Mexico Mission Training May 22nd 2:00 to 4:00 pm Refuge Food Pantry the third Saturday of the month May 21st All Things Women meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm Salina Kansas Mission Project Webster Conference Center On April 8th a group of Parkview Baptist volunteers left Lexington for a 4 hour drive to Salina, Kansas. We helped sheetrock and build walls for a new dining hall for the Webster Conference Center. This is where the youth participate in the Super Summer event. Good food and lodging were provided at the location. We had the opportunity to meet the leaders and several of the staff. I am confident God has the right people in place to minister to the youth this coming summer. Praise be to the God! Before we left of Sunday morning we attended a worship service at Crosspoint Church. Volunteers on the Mission trip were: Shane & Cynthia Schmidt, LaRee Trembly, Rex & Cheryl Hunt.

2 Page 2 Student Ministries May Update Congrats to the Grads! In just a few short days several of our students will be walking across the stage and graduating from high school. It s been a blessing to see them grow and mature in their faith these past four years! As a church family I encourage you all to support them as they take the next step in their life by praying for God s guidance in their lives. We will be celebrating graduates on Sunday, May 8 th during our morning services. Katlin Linn Peyton Zimmerman Brooke Liebert Andrea Neill Deing Kug Jose Ortega JoshWhite Karla Aldina Alba Muniz Kearney Jess Hannah Ostrom Zoie Allen Kristin Linn Jade Fagot Andy Manzo Dante Pinkins JohnMark Shields Eva Martin Kaelyn Pack Alec Geiger Refuge Summer Kick-off With school ending in just a few weeks, we re switching things up some for the Summer in our student ministry. We ve got a couple of events planned here along with our Mexico trip and Super Summer. First, we ll be having a cookout to kick-off Summer on the last day of school, May 18 6:30 Super Summer Deadline Our trip to Super Summer is almost full, so if your middle school student is interested in going I need to know a.s.a.p.! The total cost of the trip is $190, and the deposit of $50 is due on May 15 th, along with the registration form, and the remainder is due the day we leave. Mexico Training May 22 nd In Christ Brent Staying Connected As traveling becomes an increasing part of our lives, remember there are many ways to stay connected with Parkview no matter where you are.. You can go to the church website at There you would be able to sign up for online giving, review the event calendar/cancellations, listen to sermons, or ask for prayer and praises. If you are currently receiving the newsletter via mail, you can sign up for it to be sent through so as to be available to you during your travels. Contact the office for more information. Attendance Record YTD Small Group Average: 147 April Small Group Average: 115 YTD Worship Average: 277 April Worship Average: 245 Parkview s Financial Report (Figures as of 04/26/2016) YTD Ministry Fund Rec.: 170, YTD Min. Fund Needed: 190, Weekly Average Needed: 10, Weekly Average This Mo.: 10, YTD Ministry Fund Spent: 158, Building Fund Balance 996,393.87

3 Page 3 MAY MONTHLY Prayer and Praises Andy s friend Sam (the deer hunter) came to visit from Kansas. He continues to have questions and willing to listen. This time he came near Easter and w a s p o n d e r i n g t h e questions, Did Jesus die for ME? God is clearly working, please pray he would believe. Pray, also, that God would lead us in helping him grieve the recent death of his father. There are 5 middle eastern guys (from the same country) living together - we call them the hobbits (they don t know this). God has given Andy and me a vision for the hobbits and we as a team are praying God would make it happen soon if it s His will. Our Prayer is that each of the hobbits would believe, but that God would miraculously work for them all to believe at or around the same time so they could become a little house church, allowing them to be open with each other about their faith, grow together in an already established community h e r e.. A n d r e m a i n connected in this way when they go home. Will you join us in praying for the hobbits. Thank you so much for your support and prayers! I hope you can see how your partnership is significant and being used. We could no do this without you! Andy & Lauren May BABY DEDICATION Baby Dedication is a special time when parents dedicate their children to the Lord, acknowledging that they are a gift from God and committing to raise them to know Jesus. On April 17th Mathieu Alric Nichols was dedicated by his mother Elizabeth Nichols and Rope William Garwood was dedicated by his parents Jonathan and Katie Garwood. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD. 1 Samuel 1:28, ESV Plan to Attend! If you are a small group leader, if you have any interest in being a small group leader plan to attend our small group leader discussion sessions this summer. We are scheduling two 5-week sessions focusing on developing spiritual community within our small groups. The health and depth of our spiritual lives is tied directly to the spiritual community we are involved in, as the following quote illustrates. It really is true-your walk with God is a community project. The isolated, separated, loner, Jesus-and-me religion that often marks the modern church culture is not the religion that is described in the New Testament. Many of us live virtually unknown and many of the people whom we think we know we don t actually know. Why do I need the daily intervention of the body of Christ? The answer is as simple as it is humbling. I need the daily ministry because I am a blind man. As much as I would like to think that I see and know myself well, it just isn t true. Because sin blinds me to me. What about you? Have you embraced your daily need for the help of the body of Christ? Who knows you? Whom you have invited to intrude into your private space to function for you as an instrument of seeing? That help is not something to be afraid of or shy away from, because it is a tool of God s forgiving, rescuing, transforming, and delivering grace. Each week we will discuss what makes a healthy small group, where true spiritual growth and spiritual community happen. Knowing that the summer is often filled with trips we are offering the 5 sessions two separate times. As small group leaders PLEASE make sure you are a part of these 5 sessions, I believe they will equip you with the tools necessary to take your group to a deeper level and where discipleship is happening. If you have an interest in being a small group leader this is a great starting point. Session Dates Are: June 5th-July 11:00 July 24th-Aug. 9:15

4 Page 4 Save This Date VBS 2016 July 24th-28th! In 2016 LifeWay s VBS Kids will embark on an adventure like no other, scouring the mysterious fathoms of the deep sea. Thrilling discoveries await just beyond the portholes of your submarine. Things look very different once you get below the surface - and that's true for life above the surface, too. As kids submerge themselves in God's Word, they will discover that Jesus saw people differently. He didn't just see what's on the outside; He saw who people were down deep. As kids learn to see themselves and others as Jesus sees them, they can realize that everyone needs a Savior - even those who look like they have it all together. A relationship with Jesus Christ changes everything! All you have to do is dive in! Kids Helping Kids! We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. -Psalm 78:4 Come Join us on Sunday mornings at 11:00 for ages 3 yrs to 5th grade. Wow, as I write this there are less than 20 school days left on the calendar! Where has time gone? With time flying as it does, it s good to revisit what the Bible has to say about the brevity of life: You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure (Psalm 39:5). We at Next Generation Kids have sought to make the most of our time with kids Grades K-5 this school year and have already made it to the book of Judges in our multi-year journey through the entire Bible via The Gospel Project. We will be looking at the lives of those whom God raised up to lead His people, warts and all, to see how God uses even flawed people to accomplish His purposes. If your child hasn t made it in a while this might be a good time to start the ball rolling as we head into summer! Kids Helping Kids! We are excited to announce that our latest Kids Helping Kids Project has come to a close and was a success! Kids at Parkview from pre-school age all the way to 5 th grade brought in 41 brand new shirts for kids in Haiti! We were blessed to present Tony and Myrtha from Star of Hope Ministries with the shirts we had gathered on Sunday, April 24 th and hear from them about the lives of kids in Haiti. This was a tremendous blessing for the kids and adults alike as we were able to learn about the people we were aiming to serve! Stay tuned for the next Kids Helping Kids Project that will be announced soon!

5 As I was getting ready to leave, I turned to see two ladies, each in their own wheel chairs, sitting next each other holding hands. They both have Alzheimer s Disease and were comforting each other. They were by the nurses station, waiting to be moved to their table for the evening meal. One of these dear ladies would soon be in heaven. The other woman responds only with a few confused words. She seems to be religious but without Christ. Only the Lord know. Due to illness in the nursing home and in order to protect their elderly population that has a compromised immune system, the facility has been closed to visitors. The activity Director contacted me on March 31st and advised that for our own well being not to visit. (A sign was posted on the front door stating the nursing home was under quarantine.) We were able to start visiting on the 12th of April. I missed those dear folks but it was important to do what was best for them. Thank you for your prayers for this ministry. It does make a difference. Sincerely in Christ, LIFE Ministry Barb Chase Developing People Spiritually Though there is great variety in how God has made us, we are united in our faith relationship with Him as Christians. We also share some core biblical values as his followers in the Parkview family. These values help us promote and pursue unity with each other as we follow Jesus together. One of our core values is developing people spiritually. We are convinced God desires continual spiritual growth in people through His word and His Spirit. It is a priority theme found throughout all of scripture. The Great Commission in Mat 28 commands followers of Christ to make disciples. It notes that a key aspect of that is teaching them to obey all the Christ commanded. 1Peter 2:2 commands believers to long for the pure milk of the word so that we can grow in our salvation. That is one reason we believe so strongly is small group bible studies. In healthy groups there is mutual encouragement, support and biblical study that helps every member grow. We dream of having groups available for all who desire to grow in their walk with Christ. That kind of spiritual growth brings many benefits. Among them are wisdom spiritual peace and confidence in life. It also brings greater ability to face challenges in life effectively and help others along the way. Spiritual growth is a key to life. The Parkview family is committed to pursuing it and doing all we can to help others pursue it as well. Next Food Pantry Date is May 21st at the Refuge! The past 2 months the food pantry served 72 families each month. Each month we are amazed how God blesses our ministry. This month we were able to give our guests additional items that were donated that we don't normally have. Our guests are truly grateful each month for whatever they receive. More importantly, they feel comfortable and accepted as they enter our building. This month, the middle-school girls youth group helped prepare bags of food and some came to serve our guests on Saturday. We are thankful for their passions to serve. We are called to love and serve in the name of Jesus and we are sent to do His work, not by our own power but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your continued support for this outreach. Most needed pantry items: Dry Beans, Soups, Can Vegetables, Peanut Butter, Pasta Sauce, Pasta, Cereal

6 Thanks to all Our Awana Leaders & Volunteers for 2016 Cubbies leaders and volunteers Peggy Ferguson (Director), Dan Ferguson, Alvin & Kayleen Zimmerman, Kristin Linn, Mackenzie West, Sparks leaders and volunteers Tim & Rhonda Johnson, Kevin Zelaya, Jaxon Fagot, Peyton Zimmerman, Christy Franz, Hope Linn, Sarah Krive, Joel Hodgson, JohnMark Shields, Sam Homan, Ivey Zimmerman, Tony Stewart, Kaitlyn West, Jose Ortega, Kelli Bender (Storyteller) T&T leaders and volunteers Michaela Bowen (Director), Travis Edeal, Sheila Garrett, Ron & Patricia Stewart, Rick Seberger, Dan & Stacy Strauss, Tara Tomasek, Hilary Bentley, Alba Munoz, Katlin Linn, Emerson Canales, Sandra Bappe (Storyteller) Other volunteers Scott West (Games), Steph Scherr (Music), Mori Gordon (Snacks), Becca Doubet (Pictures, Sound Booth), Julie Shields (Anything she was asked to do!), Pat Jones (kitchen clean up), Parkview Baptist Church (Financial Support, Space, Office Support and Prayers), Vonda & Mataya Schwarz (Awana Store). Special Thank You to Keri West who has served as our Awana Commander for the past 4 years. What s up with my lawn? Ah spring, when the flowers bloom, the buds on the trees burst out into beautiful leaves, and the grass turns from winter brown to beautiful lush green...uh wait, what s up with my lawn, no beautiful lush green - just a thin pale anemic yellow. Oh yeah, I remember now, I never got around to putting on my Fall fertilizer last year. I ve been kind of busy with other things and haven t gotten around to feeding, aerating, dethatching, and spraying it yet this Spring. No wonder it s struggling and not very healthy, I just haven t disciplined myself to do the things it takes to enjoy a beautiful lawn. Hmmm...Kind of like our spiritual life. Could it be that we need to discipline ourselves to do the things it takes to maintain a healthy spiritual nature? Well good news, just in the nick of time Pastor John will be walking us through Cross Training on Sunday mornings; a teaching series about spiritual disciplines and how they help us to enjoy a vibrant and joy-filled spiritual life. Anything worth doing requires effort, but the rewards make it worthwhile. So go ahead and commit to staying involved, and taking the time this summer to do what it takes to feed, water, and nurture your spirit and enjoy the wonderful fruits that emerge. You ll be glad you did! See you Sunday! Scott Sarnes NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER THURSDAY MAY 5 6:30 AM GUEST SPEAKER: NATE LEWIS Fellowship of Christian Athletes Area Director Nate grew up in Lexington and now lives in Kearney. PRAYING AT Lexington Evangelical Free Church 810 S WASHINGTON STREET A light breakfast will be served with a free will offering to cover expenses. Sign up sheet in the foyer. SPONSORED BY THE LEXINGTON MINISTERIAL ASSOCAITION

7 The View Pastor s log May 2016 Let the festivities begin May is a month of celebration & honor. Mother s day, graduations, & transitions to summer schedules end with a long weekend and Memorial day. Tired yet?! Don t forget to rest in Jesus. He stands ready to restore our souls if only we offer Him space to do so. Here are some odds & ends to keep in mind as we live through this transitional month. SAY THANK YOU. If you see an AWANA volunteer, Student ministries volunteers or school teacher, be sure to thank them for making eternal deposits in kid s lives this year. SHARE THE LOVE. Invite someone to join you for weekend worship. Just like exercise habits are easier to develop if we have a buddy, so are spiritual habits. Make a kingdom impact yourself by finding someone you know who needs some spiritual muscle and bring them with you. God will smile on your efforts no matter the outcome. EMBRACE SOME SPIRITUAL EXERCISE. Right after Philippians, we will begin a new teaching series called CrossFit. We will introduce practical, biblical spiritual exercise (disciplines) that can help freshen up your spiritual condition. Just like off season athletes mix up their training for better results, sometimes we get in ruts and need to mix it up as well. The goal is that each of us will discover and embrace at least a couple of new biblical ways to deepen our spiritual strength in Jesus. COME IN FROM THE STORM. More & more it seems our world brings stressful storms to our lives. Often our pace of life gives them greater force. Don t forget that Jesus is a shelter for us. If Ephesians 4 is true, He works through us so we become the shelter He provides for each other when we get together. So make sure you plan time to stay connected to Jesus, His Family & His Mission. Thank you for being part of the Parkview Family. john