A Publication of First Baptist Church

Transcription

1 Volume 79, No. 5 A Publication of First Baptist Church Portland, Oregon Our society is painfully divided into blue states and red states. And even within a generally blue state like Oregon there are municipalities, neighborhoods and entire regions that are predominately red. Christian churches often mirror this divide. Many evangelical churches and many liberal/ progressive churches exist almost entirely in their own cultural and theological milieus, with their own institutions, associations, information sources, publishing ventures and missionary initiatives, rarely interacting with confessed Christ followers who might hold alternative opinions. But following Jesus is not a partisan pursuit. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul, in Christ there is no male or female, slave or free, Democrat or Republican. First Baptist Church is well positioned both by its history and its present reality to be what I would call a purple church. Our history is deeply evangelical, with an emphasis on biblical preaching, the new birth and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and a deep commitment to missions. As senior pastor I personally ground my faith in the biblical declaration that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19). At the same time, our location in the heart of the city, where luxury, commerce, poverty and homelessness exist cheek by jowl, has confronted us with the biblical mandate to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger and care for the sick and the naked (Matthew 25:31ff). And as Portland has become more diverse, and neighborhood churches have captured much of our former market, so our church has become more diverse a mixture of affluent and lean living folk, suburban families and downtown singles, white folk and people of color. We have members and regular participants in our congregational life who are quite conservative in their theology and politics and others who are quite liberal. Some participate in our congregation Continued on page 6

2 Sermon Schedule Weekly Events May 7 Messiah in the Passover Exodus 12: 1 8 ; Luke 22: 7 20 Mitch Forman, Chosen People Ministries Communion Sunday SUNDAY 8:45 10:00 11:00 Contemporary Service for all ages, 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 SATURDAY 8:30 10:30 am: Cambodian Men s Fellowship Bible Study (USPS ) is published twelve times a year (February December). Find us on the web: and The next Trumpeter deadline is May 15, Please send articles to jchastain@fbc-portland.org Page 2 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

3 Youth Ministry News Jesus: The Resurrection Tour When army veterans Jake Booth woke up from a 46-day coma he looked up and said, I want Taco Bell and I want it right now. His amusing declaration went viral on the internet with people asking, What would be your first request if you were to wake up after being asleep for over a month? What about if you were in a tomb for three days? When Jesus arose on Easter morning, the first thing he wanted to do was to tell his friends he was alive. In fact, he made several stops on his Resurrection Tour. The first was right outside the tomb where he met Mary. She didn't recognize him at first, but as soon as he said her name, something moved in her heart and she knew it was him. The revelation to her was one of overwhelming emotion. Jesus s other revelations were not as heartfelt. Thomas was not swayed by the emotion of the witnesses. He needed to see Jesus for himself. He needed to touch the hands and side of Jesus to believe. His experience was far more practical and experiential. Still others needed more than just to see and feel Jesus. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus met his disciples and explained all the scriptures to them, but It was only after breaking bread that their memories were jogged and they recognized him to be the risen Christ. It is as if their intellect was ignited and a wave of understanding washed over them as everything fell into place. Why did Jesus reveal himself in so many different ways after the resurrection? Why couldn't he just show up at and say, It's me Jesus! Remember me? If Jesus's main goal was to get his followers to believe an impossible event like rising from the dead, then it makes sense he would have revealed himself in these varied ways. Different people comprehend things differently. Mary knew in her heart this man standing before her was Jesus, Thomas had to touch him, for it to be true to him, and the disciples would not believe until they understood and remembered everything they had been taught. This same idea holds true today. Different people come to understand Jesus in different ways. Some experience Jesus with loud music, raised arms, and shouts of praise. Others experience Jesus in The youth would like to thank everyone who came out to the Youth Room Reception and Blessing. We were glad to be able to share the new and improved look with everyone. quiet reflection. Some like to go into a place of worship where they are surrounded by holy symbols and beauty. Others prefer the sanctuary of nature where the wonder of creation is all around them. Some find comfort and assurance in answers. Others like to explore questions, delving into the pursuit of spirituality. Not one of these experiences is more valuable than any another. Jesus reveals himself to us in many ways just as he did on his Resurrection Tour. David and I will explore these stories in more depth in our May Sermon Series. Come and join the tour with us, and ask yourself, how will Jesus be revealed to you? Rev. Chris Shade Thank you as well for being such supportive audience members for our Earth Day presentation at the monthly luncheon. We hoped you enjoyed it and learned a little something. Page 3

4 Cambodian Ministry News Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. During the month of April, we joyfully celebrated Easter both here in our church and at the Cambodian Children Center. These events remind us of our living and redeeming God, whom we worship and serve daily with thanksgiving. Our Sunday school and worship attendance are steady and growing in momentum. We are grateful to the Lord that we continue to have great time in our Sunday school Bible studies. We enjoy our potluck breakfasts together as well. On Saturday, April 8, we hosted the Easter celebration of Khmer Christian of the Pacific Northwest, using our dining room for food and fellowship and the sanctuary for a worship service. About 175 people joyfully joined that event. Most of the people attending were from churches in Washington and one from Vancouver, B.C. I am grateful to our Lord that there was unity among the leadership teams that helped us to host that event. I would like to thank our coordinators who took care of the kitchen, parking lot, clean up, sound system, and dance performance and also Keith Ponce, who assisted us in using the church successfully. 1 Corinthians 15:57 In April, the Cambodian Children Center started to re-opened its ministries and services after three month closed for remodeling. We still have two full-time paid staff and two volunteer staff actively working and serving the children s center. We also are working to hire more teachers for English classes and Khmer literature classes to assist students who need to meet public school requirements. As the center reopens, the students are enjoying their activities in the playground and singing praises, having Bible studies and English classes and always a meal toward the end of their events. Please continue to pray for the leadership of the center and finances to meet the needs of these children. Nutrition is a main part of this ministry because of our location in the center of an impoverished community. Once again, we sincerely thank you for your partnership supporting of this life-changing ministry. Rev. Peter Im Upcoming events related to the Cambodian ministry All are invited to join Saturday, May 13, 6:00 pm, CCM Fundraiser: Dinner and Auction in the FBC Dining Room. August 4 7, Cambodian annual retreat at Ft. Stevens State Park. October 29 November 18, Cambodian mission trip. Registration forms are available online and in the back of Rose Chapel.

5 HELP FOR TODAY HOPE FOR TOMORROW You cordially are invited to join a fundraising dinner for the Cambodian Children Ministry SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017, 4:30 PM FEATURING The Cambodian Dance Troupe of Oregon Dance performance, lecture and book signing by Chanrithy Him author of When Broken Glass Floats Musical Performance by Aaron Meyer ( Authentic Cambodian food prepared by our restaurant chef and other fine cooks SUGGESTED DONATION OF $25 PER ADULT $12 YOUTH, AGED 4-12 Please send your reservation to Pastor Im info@ccmnews.org (503) First Baptist Church Corner of SW 12th and Taylor Portland, Oregon Parking is free at the First Baptist Church lot, on the corner of SW 12 and Salmon (availability is limited, so arrive early!) fundraising dinner for the continued development of the cambodian children center Page 5

6 MEMBER BIRTHDAYS April Carter... 5/1 Brian White...5/2 Nate Delta...5/3 Harbhajan Dhuna...5/3 Gina Murillo...5/3 Savuth Penn...5/4 Rom King...5/5 Thian Non...5/5 John Norman...5/5 Kirk Squier...5/5 Kim Yin...5/5 Kimberly Ault...5/6 Mao Leng...5/6 Terry Russell...5/6 Phon Mean...5/7 Darin Nelson...5/8 Julio Cortez...5/9 Val Kendall...5/9 Jon Mendez...5/9 Cynthia Benfield...5/10 Samnang Sin...5/10 Bill Wetmore...5/10 Dawn Deland...5/11 Erik Jonsson...5/11 Wilson Lee...5/12 Carol Lucier...5/12 Tamie Goranson...5/13 Cynthia Hutchinson...5/13 Chris Beard... 5/14 Anne Dong... 5/14 Leah Douvris... 5/14 Jedaiah Falone... 5/15 Dave Bolton... 5/16 Pramilla Dahya... 5/17 David Hunt... 5/17 Yothin Loeung... 5/17 Bruce Montgomery... 5/17 Jay Beeks... 5/19 Monique Devi... 5/19 Mandy Puth... 5/19 Dorothy Watson... 5/19 Sovannarith Yin... 5/19 Richard Parke...5/20 Carol Bolton...5/22 Todd Marella...5/22 Rito Sanchez...5/22 Saveth Anderson...5/23 Jorge Gutierrez...5/23 Vicki Bridges... 5/25 Leslie Cody...5/26 Greg Gubrud...5/26 Leslie Chase...5/28 Damary Wakhungu...5/28 Al Brown Jr.... 5/31 Shannon McCabe... 5/31 Page 6 Continued from page 1 out of a deep loyalty born of long tenure here; others have arrived only recently looking for a welcome and a spiritual home. Do we differ? Yes, sometimes dramatically. But I dare to believe that we all have this in common: we love Jesus and we desire to serve him here in this challenging setting. The Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed is one of human flourishing and wholeness that is beginning now and anticipates the age to come. That s why we invite children and adults to follow Jesus in faith and obedience; that s why we feed our hungry neighbors and make common cause with both evangelical and mainline neighbors to offer free medical, dental and visual care; that s why we share our space with, Dinner Long-time FBC member Lois Knopf passed away on February 19, 2017, at age 101. She is survived by her daughter Ruth Tooze and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. & A Movie, FOCUS and cultural organizations like Oregon Music Festival. That s why we welcomed the refugees from the killing fields of Cambodia in 1977 and continue to be enriched by their presence today in every area of our congregational life. That s why we maintain connections of prayer and sharing with fellow believers in Cambodia, China, Congo, Mexico and Thailand. In an era of red and blue, dividing and blaming, I pray for First Baptist Church to be purple: united in service to Christ and neighbor across our differences, respecting one another as beloved children of God. In today s world it is a great privilege to exit the echo chamber and bring our differing perspectives to the feet of Jesus. Dr. David L. Wheeler Thank You to Pastor David for his many visits to see Link and our church family for the beautiful Easter plant. We Thank You for continued prayers. Link and Colleen Pittinger Coming in June

7 30 MAY 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY :45 am Early Service 12:30 pm Cambodian Potluck :30 pm Cambodian Children Ministry Dinner and Auction 14 8:45 am Early Service 15 Trumpeter content due :00 am Men's Breakfast 5:00 pm Game Night 21 8:45 am Early Service 12:30 pm Fellowship Dinner Trumpeter mailing :45 am Early Service :30 pm PBO Spotlight on Bassoon 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 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH presents Saturday, May 20 5:00-9:00 pm FINGER-FOOD BUFFET! DOOR PRIZES! GROUP GAMES! BOARD GAMES! TABLE GAMES! and MORE! ALL AGES - BRING YOUR FRIENDS!