Volume XVII Number III March, 2012

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1 from the Ogunquit Baptist Church, 157 Shore Road, Ogunquit, ME Volume XVII Number III March, 2012 Pastor s Page Some Thoughts about Birthdays Well, on March 5 th I will turn 40 years old. There it is. The cat is out of the bag! 40 is a milestone they say. Life begins at 40 they say. Just who is this they anyway? I don t know. I suspect that whoever it was that made up that saying was just trying to make 40- somethings feel better. But I don t really know what the 40 s have in store yet. Ask me again in 10 years! It s all downhill from here, they say. There s that they again. They mean physically, I think, that it is all downhill physically from here. Physically, it s not likely to get better than it is right now. Maybe it s time to go have some good pictures taken! Get a headshot now and use it for the rest of my life! Because it s not likely to be easier to lose weight or stay in shape. You begin to not be able to bounce back like you could. Your eyesight starts to go and you have to get glasses! All at age 40!!! Yes, getting older isn t for wimps, as they say. I wish they would stick a sock in it! And of course, 40 is only the very beginning of getting older. But getting older isn t all bad. In fact, getting older has its advantages. You ve gained in experience in the calling God has given you. You are a better parent, God willing! Maybe you start to have a better handle on life. Perhaps you are better able to understand what other people go through, because now you have gone through some of it yourself. Maybe you even gain a portion of wisdom through the years. And the sweetest thing about passing years is getting to walk through them with the Lord. There is that slow maturing of faith as God pulls us ever closer to Him. As we learn to lean on Him through difficulties. As we find Him carrying us through troubles. As we discover where we are weak, we find out that He is strong strong enough to help us get through. As we see His faithfulness demonstrated over and over and over and over again how can we fail to trust Him a little more each time? As we experience His gracious forgiveness over and over again, we catch a deeper and deeper glimpse of the vastness of His love and patience with us. And as we seek Him in prayer for the 10,000 th time, we find we have become closer and closer friends with Him over the years. The Lord we were excited just to know in the beginning, has become the deepest friend in our lives. The Lord draws us in through all the ins and outs of life, and the longer we live the closer He will draw us if we let Him. Every year lived is another step closer to Him. Each passing year may see us get physically older, but if we walk with Him, God draws our souls and spirits ever closer to the source of all life, the source of eternal life, He Himself. You know that birthdays mean presents. And I have already received some from family and friends! And I have asked the Lord for some gifts that my heart desires: good health,

2 safety and faith for my family and me, guidance and blessing on the work He has called me to do. But here is a request that King David made to our Lord. Maybe this is the best request ever made. It certainly is an appropriate one for a birthday, at age 40 or at any age: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4 (NIV) In Christ, Pastor Jeff Beacon by Please let me know if you would be willing to receive the Beacon by . There is a sign up sheet on the table outside the Pastor s office, or you may notify me (Hilda Wynne) at obc157@myfairpoint.net or So far about fifty-five are receiving it by . IMPORTANT REMINDER If you or a loved one requires hospitalization, it is important that, in addition to informing the hospital that you would like your church notified, that you personally see that notification is made. Call the church office with your information, or have a relative or friend call. Prayer Chain Requests If you have a prayer request that you would like to go on the prayer chain, please contact Pastor Jeff or Hilda Wynne, the coordinators. OBC office: Pastor Jeff -- home: Hilda Wynne -- home: ; cell: STORM CANCELLATION POLICY In the event of a bad storm, the decision to cancel morning worship will be made by Pastor Jeff and the Chairpersons of the Diaconate and Directors. If they decide to cancel, Pastor Jeff will notify TV stations 6 & 8. He will also notify Hilda Wynne, secretary. If anyone wants to check to be sure, they can call Pastor Jeff or Hilda or the chairperson of the Directors or the chairperson of the Diaconate. Contact information: Office Hours: Mail: PO Box 874 Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey Patnaude Ogunquit, Maine Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday 9am-noon & Wednesday 2-5pm Telephone: (church pastorobc@hotmail.com (parsonage) Secretary: Wednesday 2-5pm & Friday 8am - noon obc157@myfairpoint.net

3 Following are the church officers and Board and Committee members for 2012 CHURCH OFFICERS Moderator: Church Clerk: Treasurer: Assistant Treasurer: Financial Secretary: Assistant Financial Secretary Larry Downing Hilda Wynne James Hackendorf Yorke Associates David Peters Harry Randall BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013 Larry Smith 2014 Jeff Smith 2014 Mary Wiggin 2015 Jim Wiggin 2015 David Iles BOARD OF DIACONATE 2013 Pam Carnicelli 2013 Peter Marks 2013 Hilda Wynne 2013 Bill Wynne 2014 Eunice Desjardins 2014 Tim Cashman 2014 Sally Alexandre 2014 Bob Pollard 2015 Audrey Woodard 2015 Larry Smith 2015 Paula Hackendorf 2015 Jim Hackendorf BOARD OF MISSIONS 2013 Tony Annis 2013 Gail Annis 2014 Julie Downing 2014 Patsy Huntsman 2015 Trish Marks 2015 Pam Carnicelli BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 2013 Amy Cashman 2013 Judy Peters 2014 Pete Marks 2014 Beth Switzer 2015 Mary Beth Patnaude 2015 Erin Haye Youth Pastor Bailey Johnson LIBRARY COMMITTEE Eleanor Andrews Audrey Woodard MUSIC COMMITTEE Mary Ann Coleman Jim Wiggin Ann-Marie Johnson, Organist Eunice Desjardins Karen Littlefield Larry Downing, Choir Director NOMINATING COMMITTEE Mary Beth Patnaude Julie Downing Mary Wiggin Barbara Moore George Hatch

4 SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE Doug Coleman Barbara Moore Karen Littlefield Trish Marks HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE Co-Chair: Trisha Marks and Mary Wiggin 2012-Feb. Trish Marks August Marie Gordon Mar. Ramona Dearborn & Sheila Gill September Judy Bolstridge April Judy Bolstridge October Sally Alexandre May Marcy Smith Nov. Sheila Gill & Ramona Dearborn June Linda Parrish December Trish Marks July Dorothy Henwood January 2013 Paula Hackendorf Willing to assist: Audrey Woodard FLOWERS 2012 February Karen Audet & Amy Brown August Glenna Randall March Sheila Gill September Robyn Caron April Hilda Wynne October Sally Alexandre May Barbara Moore November Brenda Goodale June Julie Downing December Brenda Goodale July Gail Annis January 2013 Phyllis Moore USHERS Head Usher: Larry Smith 2012 February Bob & Sue Pollard August Linda Parrish March James Hackendorf September Jim Johnson April Bill Caron October Harry Randall May Dave Peters November David & Joyce Iles June John Miller December Rick & Erin Haye July Larry Smith January 2013 Audrey Woodard Thank You Thank you for your generous gifts of money, food, OTC medicines, and toiletries for the York County Homeless Shelter. January and February are lean months, and on January 18 the Shelter learned that $31,000 to feed the poor of York County will be cut from the budget for the second year in a row. Once again, the Shelter will have to depend on local businesses, churches, and private individuals to make up the difference. Any contribution we make will be greatly appreciated. Ellie Andrews

5 March Birthdays 1 Miranda Pollard 6 Christian Marin 21 Wanda Birdsall 2 Sheila Gill 9 Janice Hesselink 22 David Moore 3 Joel Gill 11 Tristan Brown 23 Nancy Moore 5 Pastor Jeff Patnaude 12 Charlotte Stuart 25 Marie Gordon 5 Aaron Patnaude 17 Jim Wiggin 29 Madison Moore 5 Shawn Ramsey 19 Dianne Carberry WHAT'S NEW IN THE LIBRARY... Recently a friend gave me four Christian novels for the Ogunquit Baptist Church library. Three of the books are a trilogy of Amish stories by one of our favorite authors, Beverly Lewis: THE COVENANT, THE BETRAYAL and THE SACRIFICE. The stories are about the family of Abram Eberson his wife, Ida; daughters, Sadie, Leah, twins Mary Ruth and Hannah, Lydiann; and finally a boy named Abe. These books show the author's understanding of the Plain People, Amish culture, and her knack for weaving mystery, romance, and spiritual enlightenment all in one story. You will learn the basis of their customs, such as not wanting their children to go beyond 8 th grade, the teenage "running around" years, why all the boys should become farmers, and the severity of their practice of shunning. The books are best read in sequence even though each one stands alone. We will put these books in the NEW BOOK SECTION now and later in the Christian Fiction section. Eunice Desjardins for the Library Committee Easter Lilies or Tulips If you wish to provide a lily or tulips to help beautify our sanctuary on Easter Sunday, please give $10.00 to Brenda Goodale by April 1. Please make checks payable to Brenda and not to the church. For more information you can reach Brenda at , or mail checks directly to her at PO Box 537, Ogunquit, ME