A Publication of First Baptist Church

Transcription

1 Volume 79, No. 10 A Publication of First Baptist Church Portland, Oregon Reformation Five hundred years ago this month, in October, 1517, an obscure Roman Catholic monk and university professor named Martin Luther published a list of 95 theses for public debate, highlighting the Catholic Church's overreaching, in his view, of its authority in the oversight of souls. Specifically, he objected to the Church's selling of indulgences supposed commutations of a soul's tenure in purgatory as part of Pope Leo X's fundraising strategy for the new St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Supposedly Luther posted these theses on the cathedral door in Wittenberg, where he lived and taught, though it's not clear that this iconic event ever happened, What is clear is that Luther's 95 theses were an opening salvo in a dramatic worldwide re envisioning of Christian faith and a reconfiguring of the Church whose effects continue to this day. We Baptists, though some in our midst have questioned it, are children of the Reformation. There is an idiosyncratic view of church history among some Baptists called the Trail of Blood theory. I grew up with it. Its proponents claim that since Christ and the Apostles to the present day, there has been a marginalized remnant of Christian believers often persecuted, hence the trail of blood -- who have clung to believers baptism and have rejected popes and bishops and recognition by kings and magistrates. There may be some truth to this claim, but modern Baptists as we know them are descended from English dissenters who rejected the English Reformation as inadequate and were often persecuted for their stands for instance, John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, who wrote much of this classic work from jail and driven into exile in the tolerant Netherlands. The most widely known proponents of Reformation, such as Luther and John Calvin, became known as magisterial reformers, because they formed alliances with friendly governments for support and protection hence the emergence of Continued on page 6

2 Sermon Schedule October 1 "People Like Jesus" Psalm 78: 1 4 Philippians 2: 5 11 October 8 "Two Covenants" The Law: Exodus 2: 1 17 The Prophets: Jeremiah 31: October 15 "You Are What You Worship" Exodus 21: 1 14 Philippians 4: 8 9 October 22 "No Obstacles!" Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 6: 1 3 Rev. Walter White preaching, ABC International Ministries October 29 Reformation Sunday: "Pure Gospel!" Habakkuk 2: 1 4 Romans 1: Special Guest: Dr. Martin Luther SUNDAY 8:45 Contemporary Service 10:00 Sunday School for all ages 11:00, Sanctuary Cambodian language, Rose Chapel Children s Church for ages 3 through 2nd Grade 5:00 & 7:00 pm: A Jesus Church: MONDAY SATURDAY 6:00 8:00 am: Eye Opener (AA meeting) MONDAY & THURSDAY 2:00 4:00 pm: Drop-In Center TUESDAY : Dinner And A Movie WEDNESDAY : Wednesday Night Dinner 6:30 pm: Adult Bible Study 6:30 pm: High School Bible Study THURSDAY 7:00-8:00 pm: Downtowners (AA meeting) FRIDAY Office closed 6:00 pm: FOCUS Weekly Events SATURDAY 8:30 10:30 am: Cambodian Men s Fellowship Bible Study (USPS ) is published twelve times a year (January December). Find us on the web: and The next Trumpeter deadline is October 16, Please send articles to jchastain@fbc-portland.org Dr. David L. Wheeler Senior Pastor Peter Im Cambodian Ministries Chris Shade Associate Pastor Travis Hatton Music Director Keith Ponce Facilities and Events Manager Cathy Francis Business Administrator Jason Chastain Assistant Business Administrator Rebecca Christensen, Jonathan Storch Reception Page 2

3 Mahatma Ghadi once said, Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. The school year has begun but leaning is not just for the young. It doesn't matter what age you are, you should never stop learning. At First Baptist, there are many great opportunities for learning this fall. If you do not darken the door of the church until 11 o'clock on Sundays, you are missing out. Education at all levels is happening and seats are open for you to try it. If the selection seems daunting or confusing to you, then pick up one of the Sunday School summaries in our Welcome Center. It even comes with a handy-dandy map to help you figure out where each class is held. Wednesday Nights continue to be a joy to everyone who participates. If you have not been in a while, we no longer have a seminar-style Bible study but rather a group conversation around the tables. We have tackled such topics as the story of creation and the concept of divinity. This fall we are also going to have a few special guest lecturers share their knowledge and stories of mission and Youth Ministry News ministry. See our schedule below. Our Kairos kids (3rd-7th grades) will be embarking on a hero's journey this fall. Each of them will have the opportunity to earn Bible Points for various tasks and quests that they accomplish. It will not only help them build on their progress week to week; it will also increase their levels of Biblical literacy and acts of kindness. As I said last month, the FBC Youth will be spend this fall and winter finding relevance in the scriptures, but before we do that we are going to tackle one of the most cryptic books of the Bible: Revelation. Don't be surprised if one of the youth ask your opinion on pre versus post-millennialism. Beyond studying the ins and outs of Revelation, we are also going to tackle the question of whether this book has any importance in today s world. According to C. S. Lewis, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." I agree and would add: you are never too old to learn a new lesson. Rev. Chris Shade WEDNESDAY NIGHT STUDY SCHEDULE OCTOBER 4 D Days: Devotion 11 D Days: Discipleship 18 Missionary Presentation featuring Glenn Chapman 25 Answers to Prayer: Hannah NOVEMBER 1 Answers to Prayer: Daniel 8 Answers to Prayer: Nehemiah with guest lecturer Richard McGuirk 15 Missionary Presentation featuring Dr Boehr 22 Thanksgiving Week No Dinner 29 Advent: Hope DECEMBER 6 Advent: Peace 13 Advent: Joy 20 Advent: Love 27 Christmastide No Dinner Page 3

4 Cambodian Ministry News Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:19 Our Cambodian ministry took part in a picnic at Burfoot Park (Olympia, WA), hosted by the Khmer Christians of the Pacific Northwest. We continue to build relationships among Khmer churches of this region for our spiritual growth. Our last fellowship dinner on Sunday, September 17, saw a big crowd joining us with a great dinner after the summer break. I personally thank our chef Mary and her crew for provided plenty of great food in the dining room. I would like to give thanks to our God for the church members and non-members who came to that dinner and joined us in our prayer time for the November Cambodia mission trip team. There are eleven team members going on the trip, two from Idaho, one from Medford, and eight from our church. Our goals for this trip are to help build a kitchen, conduct VBS sessions, provide food supplies to poor families and provide medical support to the sick in remote villages. These projects cost us $2,500, not including the kitchen-building project. After three weeks working on the master plan for the new kitchen (29 ft. X 36 ft. and 19 ft. high), and going through the bidding process, the new kitchen project at the Cambodian Children Center started construction mid-september. The project will cost us $25,000, including all supplies to make it a fully

5 functional kitchen. The mission team will be there to help finish the building, if weather allows. We urge you to pray for the health and safety of our team and the financial needs of these projects. During September, the Melum community (the local neighborhood surrounding the Cambodia Children Center) had two meetings in our children's center, focusing on family anger management. We were glad to host these meetings for the emotional wellbeing of the families in the community. God is giving us the opportunity to minister to Cambodians, especially their children, while the door of evangelism is still open for us, after the Killing Fields three decades ago. We thank you all for your partnership with us in prayer and financial support. Jesus further said in verse 20 (Matthew 18): For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. You can check the progress of this ministry and upcoming events online with our newly updated website. Once again, thank you all for your love and support for this ministry. Rev. Peter Im WORLD MISSION OFFERING, COME FOLLOW ME This year in promoting the World Mission Offering in our American Baptist Churches we are challenged to Discipleship: Come Follow Me! using Mark 1:17 as the text. Through the month of October our church will be giving to this offering which highlights our ministries in the areas of Conflict Transformation, Abolishing Slavery, and Economic and Community Development. The World Mission Offering is a sending offering. It is an instrument in God s hands to enable missionaries, ministers, teachers, builders, educators, healers to go with words of life, hope, and healing to a world in great need. God calls some to go. God calls many to send. God calls all of us to pray. May the occasion of this offering be a time of great giving, intense praying, and therefore of effective sending. Our giving to the WMO helps people around the world to meet Christ and grow as disciples. Let s all pray, give joyfully, and keep following Jesus! Dr. Marian Boehr, for Mission Committee Page 5

6 MEMBER BIRTHDAYS Kayla Madsen... 10/1 Scott Pasley... 10/1 Charlie Thomas... 10/1 Bruce Anderson...10/2 Jeff Tran...10/2 Angela Williams...10/2 Sopheap Suy...10/3 Sameth Nget...10/4 Narin Heng... 10/5 Pat Still... 10/5 Kathie Gambino...10/6 Beth Gram...10/6 Oy Liv...10/6 Javad Sobhani...10/6 Joe Watts...10/6 Vitelio Martinez... 10/7 Jerry Auvil...10/9 Eric Goranson...10/9 Vanny Handsaker... 10/10 Joe Schweinfurth...10/11 Aimee Bolton... 10/13 Ola Williams... 10/13 Sarah Grace... 10/14 Susan James... 10/14 Nimoul Than... 10/14 Betty Parker... 10/15 Hee Hun Shin... 10/15 Marillyn Bennett... 10/16 Phil Burte... 10/16 Joel Goodman... 10/16 Kathy Walthinsen... 10/16 Viola Voth...10/17 Ann Lozo... 10/18 Ellen Watson... 10/18 Bruce Bridgess... 10/19 AB Andrew Landolt... 10/19 Mary Olson... 10/19 Carlos Otsuki... 10/19 Theavy Prom... 10/19 Deb White... 10/19 Maddie Benfield...10/21 Josh Lawson...10/21 Frank Williams...10/24 Rahbar Nasser-Rafi... 10/25 Eva Pena... 10/25 Beverly Hodgin...10/28 Dian Jackson...10/28 Elma Bates...10/29 Bob Boughner...10/29 Pat Forrester...10/29 Vince Gambino...10/29 Marijen Sharlock...10/29 John Aschenbrenner...10/30 Jonas Beard...10/30 Charles Kirby...10/30 Jack Brophy...10/31 Carolyn Guppy...10/31 Amy Nunn...10/31 Continued from page 1 state sponsored Lutheran churches in Germany and Scandinavia, Reformed churches in Switzerland and Scotland and the Anglican Church in England. The English Puritans who settled New England were among many who objected to this sort of arrangement. But all of these churches continued the ancient Catholic practice of infant baptism, and echoed Catholic tradition in their creeds and confessions. The early English Baptists and their first cousins on the continent Moravians, Mennonites and others -- insisted on believers baptism by immersion, which is our practice to this day. So why then should we Baptists celebrate the Reformation, and why do I insist on calling us children of the Reformation? Martin Luther was clear and compelling in his rejection of religious ceremonies and affiliations and works of any kind as instruments of salvation. In his own life he had seized on the biblical affirmation that the just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17) as Page 6 a balm for his guilty conscience, and he clearly taught salvation by grace through faith. Luther and Calvin and their colleagues lifted up the Bible as God's special revelation, and the only authoritative source of true doctrine. Confessions and creeds were only useful as elucidations of Bible doctrine, not binding and authoritative in their own right. The Reformers were early adapters of the revolutionary new technology of the printing press (What is the lesson in that for us today?) and produced a tidal wave of inexpensive Bibles, hymnals, catechisms and devotional tracts in the language of the people. This allowed ordinary people to become the subjects of their own faith, not merely passive sheep under the dominion of the clergy. The widespread distribution of printed Christian resources and a surge in literacy went hand in hand. In all of these ways, Baptists and many others are indeed heirs of the Reformation, and it behooves us to celebrate this great historical move of God. But there's one more thing: In the America's and around the world, millions of Christ followers in many traditions Reformed, Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal confess a personal, faith relationship to Jesus Christ, seek baptism as believers and prioritize the role of scripture in their faith walk. Might we suggest that just as Baptists are children of the Reformation, many members of Reformation communities and others are becoming more Baptist? Dr. David L. Wheeler P.S. Watch for Dr. Martin Luther's visit to First Baptist Church on October 29. About the artwork: Artist: Johann Michael Püchler (German, born Schwäbisch-Gmünd, active ca ) See entire piece at:

7 OCTOBER SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 10:00 am Sunday School 12:30 pm Cambodian Potluck 2 3 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY :00 am 3:00 pm Compassion Clinic 8 8:45 am Early Service 10:00 am Sunday School :45 am Early Service 10:00 am Sunday School 12:30 pm Fellowship Dinner 16 Trumpeter content due :00 am Men's Breakfast 22 8:45 am Early Service 10:00 am Sunday School Trumpeter mailing :00 9:00 pm Harvest Festival 29 8:45 am Early Service CCM MISSION TRIP RETURNING NOV. 19 HALLOWEEN Dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the FBC office to verify.

8 Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OR (USPS ) is published twelve times a year (January December), at First Baptist Church, Portland OR Periodicals postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Postmaster: Send address changes to: 909 SW 11th Avenue Portland, OR HARVEST FUN NIGHT SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 5:00 PM PUMPKIN CARVING COSTUME CONTEST SPECIAL HARVEST GAMES CANDY AND PRIZES FOR ALL