PAGE 1 VOL. 12 NO. 3 JANUARY 23, 2019 We hold these truths to be self-evident The second paragraph of The Declaration of Independence begins with these timeless words. Unfortunately, self-evident truths are under assault these days. Not surprisingly, true life, liberty, and happiness are prime victims of this assault. The next two Sundays, January 27 and February 3, I will be addressing timeless truth and its essential connection to life, liberty, and happiness. There is more that I could share than could ever be contained in a two-part sermon; but we can at least make a start. I hope you will join us next Sunday morning as we do that. There is a great success story that our church should celebrate because we were a strategic ministry partner in helping this story be written. It is the wonderful story of Connect Church in Calgary, Alberta. ABC stepped up with both human resources and financial resources to help Connect Church get started a few years ago. Today, pastor Dan Sweaza and his wife Amber are seeing new people coming to Christ in strong numbers in a largely unreached area. The strength and stability that body of believers is showing will mean that we will eventually devote attention to another new church plant that will need our support to get off to a strong start. (There are few things more encouraging than to watch a church we helped launch be able to stand on its own and even begin to help other churches!) (Continued on page 2) WHAT S INSIDE Tour of Italy Trip...2 Golden Marriage Celebration...3 Opportunities for Services...3 From the Heart of John Parker...4 Music Notes by Dodie...5 Crossroads BFG Fellowship...6 Hill Toppers Potluck...7 Terrific Tuesdays...7 Doormen Needed...7 Worship Photo...8 Sola Gratia BFG New Study...8 Call to Prayer...8 Axis New Study...8 Student Ministry... 8-9 The Porch Live Austin...9 Children s Ministry... 10-11 Calendar & Reports...12
PAGE 2 (Continued from page 1) STAFF Dr. Gary Dyer SENIOR PASTOR Cell 512-574-9095 garyd@austinbaptistchurch.com Dr. David Procter EXECUTIVE PASTOR Cell 512-695-4133 davidp@austinbaptistchurch.com John Parker ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF MUSIC & WORSHIP Cell 512-705-7570 johnp@austinbaptistchurch.com Matt Gillum MINISTER TO STUDENTS & THEIR FAMILIES Cell 512-739-1431 mattg@austinbaptistchurch.com Kati Dobbs MINISTER TO CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES katid@austinbaptistchurch.com Becky Sharp MINISTER TO PRESCHOOLERS & THEIR FAMILIES beckys@austinbaptistchurch.com Dodie Morris MUSIC & WORSHIP ASSOCIATE dodiem@austinbaptistchurch.com Christina Mendoza MINISTERIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / IT SPECIALIST christinam@austinbaptistchurch.com Jennifer Koret FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR jenniferk@austinbaptistchurch.com Rita Jones OFFICE MANAGER ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com Derek Tackett FACILITIES MANAGER Cell 512-845-2086 derekt@austinbaptistchurch.com I so appreciate in particular the work that Dodie Morris has done for the last several years in cultivating a strong tie with work in Calgary (see Dodie s article on page 5). We continue to send teams to Alberta to serve in various ways there. Some in our church may not be aware of these efforts and this financial support we have provided. We can rejoice together that our support had a hand in numerous people coming to Christ there in a city that is seeing people come to it from all over the world in search of a more secure future. The future they hope Calgary will avail is really a future that Christ avails. Pray for Connect Church as well as the other churches in Calgary who are carrying the message of eternal hope to the hundreds of thousands of people who now call Calgary home. Gary Dyer, Pastor Austin Baptist Church John 3:30 THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME WITH FRIENDS! Experience Milan, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Assisi, Rome, Pompeii, & More! There s still time to make your reservations! Brochures available in the church foyer. Orientation Meeting Wed., Jan 23 7 pm Chapel Contact Gary at garyd@austinbaptistchurch.com. Kim Warner FOOD SERVICE MANAGER kimw@austinbaptistchurch.com Joe Pere DIRECTOR OF MEDIA MINISTRY joep@austinbaptistchurch.com Bill Dickson FINANCE CLERK billd@austinbaptistchurch.com Karen Fawcett ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT karenf@austinbaptistchurch.com
PAGE 3 Learn more about Literacy Partner roles and responsibilities at education-connection.org and sign-up online. For more information, please contact Evonne Boggs at evonneboggs@yahoo.com.
PAGE 4 SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2019 9:00 AM TRADITIONAL WORSHIP Crown Him with Many Crowns SANCTUARY CHOIR How Firm a Foundation Standing on the Promises Ancient Words This is My Word SANCTUARY CHOIR & ORCHESTRA Break Thou the Bread of Life 11:11 AM CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP 10,000 Reasons Nothing But the Blood Build My Life Everything and Nothing Less As Christians, much of our time is spent with other Christians. We enjoy being together; worshiping, sharing meals, enjoying sweet fellowship, and simply going through life together. That s Biblical, and it s necessary. But, I wonder how much time we devote trying to reach out beyond our circle of Christian friends and family? How much do we weekly rub elbows with the rest of the world the lost? There s a Biblical mandate for that too, isn t there? Go into all the world. If we re to be effective witnesses for Christ s Kingdom, we first must discover who the lost are and where to find them. Consider these key places we might connect with those who do not follow Jesus: Neighbors Meeting new neighbors is a great way to engage our immediate culture. Getting to know those who live right around us, inviting them into our homes and caring for them are great ways to show the love of Jesus to the world. Lord, open doors for me to meet and influence my neighbors for Jesus. Coworkers If you are in the workforce, who sits across the way from you? Next door? Down the hallway? Take steps to engage co-workers. Befriend them. Care for them. Lead them to Jesus. You could be the only fragrance of Christ they are ever exposed to. Lord, lead me to someone in my workplace who needs to hear the good news of God s love. Classmates Are you a student? Investing time in your peers could lead to meaningful conversations about faith. Take time to eat lunch with different students perhaps the one who often sits alone. Show you care and see what God might do through you to change the world for Christ. Family Members Perhaps the hardest place to reach out is in your own family, because they know you best. Spend time doing things with family members and see what doors God might open for sharing your faith. Lord, give me courage to share Christ with those who know me best. Blessings, John Parker
PAGE 5 This week I received a report from our friends, Dan and Amber Sweaza, at Connect Church in Calgary. Such glorious good news! I am excited to share it with you! I have pulled out bullet points from Amber s exuberant writing. Every time she uses the word you, we are included, because ABC is one of their partners! So here is Amber: In September 2016, we launched Connect Church with 185 people in attendance. If it were not for you, our many partners from the Send Network, the stories of life change at Connect Church might not have ever happened. You have helped start a new church in a different country that is thriving and making a difference globally. At Connect Church one of our values is celebration! We love to cheer for things that God is doing! So, as you read, celebrate with us! Pull out your loudest Amens, your biggest YES and share the joy with me as we celebrate all that God has done. Are you ready? In 2018, we had 120 people make first time decisions for Jesus! On November 4, 2018, we launched a second service, and by December we had our highest attendance to date - 396 people! We sent our first mission team to Houston in April to help with the rebuild. Ten people went on that trip to make a difference. Since our launch date there have been 189 people who have given their life to Jesus. Three times a year we rent a hot tub and have baptism in our lobby. Since launch day we have baptized 47 people. Instead of Sunday School, we have Connect Groups meeting during the week in homes all across the city. We like to say that we are not a church WITH groups but a church OF small groups where people find freedom and dive deeper in their spiritual walk. This month at Connect Church we are launching our highest ever semester of groups with 23 across Calgary and surrounding areas! That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10 Can you feel the excitement and joy in Amber s words? Please continue to pray for this new-butnot-so-little family of faith. Dodie
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PAGE 8 Worship Timothy Wood sings in worship on January 20, 2019.
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PAGE 10 If you are like me, there has been no escaping the 10 Year Challenge. The challenge: Post two pictures of yourself, one from 2009, and the other from 2019. I first saw headlines about it on the news app on my phone. A couple of days later, I heard about it on a Christian radio station. Perhaps the purpose is to entertain, celebrate, or lament? A famous singer made headlines for saying, Time is not something I acknowledge. At first, I wondered what picture I would post from ten years ago if I participated. I thought about everything that happened in the last decade. I realized that I did not need to compare two photos to acknowledge the physical differences in myself. Spoiler alert: ten years have passed. It is not so much an issue of whether time has been kind or unkind but accepting and celebrating what passed. I started thinking about heaven and how we are not going to acknowledge time there. I wondered about how God thinks about and measures time. I then thought about how Jesus sees the depth of my soul, the part no one else sees. How have I changed internally these past ten years? What have I learned? What experiences did I endure? How have I been sanctified, or made more like Christ? I doubt that comparing two photos would communicate that, but those are the deep matters of the heart that matter to my Creator. Ten years ago, I could not have predicted the heights and depths of struggle and gifts of blessings. I believe our faith calls us to examine and reflect on what we have learned from where we have been. What path did you walk the last ten years? How did God use you for His glory; did you let Him? As we look ahead to the next ten years, God and His Holy Word are not going to change, but we are. Let us lift our voices together in prayer and thanksgiving for all that God plans to accomplish through us in the days ahead. KIDS WORSHIP ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2019 Topic: The Feeding of the 5,000 Objective: God can do anything and because He loves us, we can trust Him as our Savior. Key Passage: John 6:1-12 Memory Verse: You are great. You do wonderful things. You alone are God. -Psalm 86:10 Topic: Joshua s Farewell Objective: Kids will learn why they need to obey God s Word. Key Passage: Joshua 24:1-15 Memory Verse: Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -Colossians 3:2
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PAGE 12 NEXT WEEK AT ABC RECURRING EVENTS Sun, Jan 27 9:00 am Traditional Worship, Sanctuary 10:10 am Bible Fellowship Groups 11:11 am Contemporary Worship, Sanctuary 11:15 am Administrative Committees & Ministry Team Chairpersons Orientation, Chapel 4:00 pm Women s Ministry Team Meeting, Rm 206 Mon, Jan 28 6:30 pm Deacons Meeting, Great Hall MONDAY ESL Classes, Rm. 227 7:00-9:00 pm TUESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes Rm. 131 & 134, 10:00 am The Porch Live 7:30 pm Student Worship Suite WEDNESDAY (cont.) Handbells 6:00 pm, Rm 171 Sanctuary Choir 7:15 pm, Choir Suite Orchestra 7:30 pm, Worship Center THURSDAY Tues, Jan 29 7:30 pm The Porch Live Austin, Student Suite Wed, Jan 30 5:00 pm Fellowship Meal, Great Hall 6:00 pm AXIS Student Ministry Church Business Meeting/ Bible Study, Great Hall Thurs, Jan 31 6:30 pm ABC Dodgeball Tournament at VHS ON THE HORIZON FEBRUARY 1 Daddy/Daughter Date Night 3 Acteens 5 The Porch Live Austin 8 Parents Night Out 10 Golden Marriage Celebration Starting Point Membership Class 11 Adults on Mission 12 The Porch Live Austin Terrific Tuesday 19 The Porch Live Austin 20 Finance Committee Meeting 21 Hill Toppers Event 25 Deacons Meeting 26 The Porch Live Austin 27 Business Meeting WEDNESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes Rm. 134, 10:00 am KidzMuzik Children s Area, 6:00 pm AWANAS Rm 137, 6:45 pm Women s Bible Study 6:00 pm, Rm 243 Men s Bible Study 6:00 pm, Rm 247 DEACONS ON CALL Women s Bible Study 9:45 am, Rm 243 Mom2Mom Bible Study 9:45 am, Rm 248 American Heritage Girls & Trail Life Children s Area, 6:00 pm Jan 24, Feb 7 & 21 Week of January 28, 2019 Jack Brandon... (512) 342-8062 David Brower... (512) 502-9712 OUR RESPONSE TO GOD S FAITHFULNESS SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2019 Annual 2019 General Fund Budget $3,966,000.00 Account 01/20/2019 YTD General Fund $51,689.12 $224,326.25 Designated $1,536.50 $2,896.50 This Mountain is the Lord s $2,950.00 $6,121.00 Total Giving $56,175.62 $233,343.75 Our Attendance 9:00 Service...667 11:11 Service...154 Bible Fellowship Groups...767 This Mountain is the Lord s/debt Retirement To-Date $274,995.16 FOR PUBLICATION CONSIDERATION Articles and items for The Bridge are due to Rita Jones by the Friday (5:00 p.m.) before the Wednesday publication date. Your cooperation is very appreciated!