EL CAMINO BAPTIST T HE T RUMPET Volume 48, Issue 2 February 2010 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Living With No Regrets 2 Church-Wide Journey February 21 April 4 Striking A Chord 3 Visit our information table in the Worship! Project: Cheer One Month To Live Financial Matters 4-5 6 7 Challenge Groups are forming in your area... What if you only had one month to live. What changes would you make in your life? Kerry and Chris Shook s best-seller, One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life Calendar 8 More on page 6 encourages readers to face their own mortality and live a life to the absolute fullest.
The Trumpet Page 2 As we go through the 30 days of reading, Bible study, and sermons, we will be challenged to look at our lives from the perspective of what we would change or how we would make our life count if we had only one month of life left. In January I asked the staff to prepare for leading the church through this journey by focusing on this challenge and recording their own journey. What I ve done is to contemplate my life in light of such a sentence and identify what I would do differently or give more priority to. I share some of these with you now. I would make choices that reflect God each day by choosing to live the fruit of the Spirit, which is the very character of Christ, each day. (Galatians 3:22-23) I would put family above everything else but God. It s easy in our fast-paced, hectic, demanding world to push family aside and put the demands of job, church or other obligations first. I would make the most of the gift of relationships. The greatest gift God gives us is that of relationships, and they must be tended with the same care as a garden. I would pursue my passions. Locked inside each of us at birth is the person God designed us to be. Our soul-burning passions are a clue to whom and what that person is; they define purpose for which God intended us. I would live with gratitude. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. A heart of gratitude is the secret to experiencing peace of mind and joy. Tim Hansel said, Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. I would make the most of what God has given me. Erma Bombeck wrote, When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would February 21 st we re taking a 30-day, church-wide journey called On Month to Live, using the book by the same title as a devotional guide. Authors Kerry and Chris Shook outline four principles leading to a no regrets life: Live each day as if it were your last. Show others love that transcends and transforms. Grow through your problems and pain. Create a legacy that will impact generations. By Pastor Bill Grant not have a single talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me. I would think and live in terms of worth not cost. I would open my mind and heart to new possibilities. In other words I would try to keep learning right up to my last breath. I would endeavor to embrace change. In three years of hospice I ve watched those who are terminally ill struggle with daily changes physiologically. Their quality of life depended on seeing each day as its own. I would make the most of the time I have. Time is valuable. Everything we do is based on time. Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. The question we must ask each day is whether the tasks on that day s agenda is worthy of your life. I would live to leave a legacy. We can t choose how long we will live, but we can choose how well we will live. I hope that it could be said of me that I lived a life that served as an example of what an exceptional life can look like because I encouraged and built others up spiritually, intellectually, and relationally. I pray that you will embrace and enjoy your journey through One Month to Live and that you will emerge on the other side with a new life in place. Blessings, Bill Is what you are doing today really worthy of your life?
The Trumpet Page 3...how transparent are we as servants friends? I used the strikeout to illustrate what Jesus said in John 15...a great teaching passage of His on loving others. He says, I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn t confide in his servants. 15-16 Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last... Striking a Chord By David Burckhardt This passage is so rich, you could preach a dozen sermons from it, yet when I read it recently, I came away with the challenge to be more transparent in 2010, to be more humble, and to be a better fruit tree!...we re off to a great start in our Celebration Singer ministry. Although we re not singing a musical at Easter, we are preparing some special songs for the Easter season as well as new anthems. Please come join us, but if you can t, listen to a theme we re using singing Songs for the Church...from the Church! Most of the anthems are songs from Shannon Wexelberg, a gifted songwriter/singer. She writes, if it s one thing I ve learned over the years, it is that I need more of Jesus and less of me. That s our singing theme! Our One Month to Live gives us wonderful opportunities to begin new Challenge groups. We already have new groups in Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Rosemont, Arden- Arcade and South Sac! Wow! Get on board folks...we re going for a ride!/djb
The Trumpet Page 4 Project: Cheer We want to thank everyone who contributed to Project: Cheer. With your help, we had close to 100 bags to give out compared to about 35 last year. May God bless you. We also want to thank those ones who went downtown to spread Christmas cheer to the homeless: The Caesars: Kayla, Kiara, Jordan, Ezekial, and Teresa, Jean Sharai, Cameron, Ceontae, Petra, Matt and Brenda Diridoni, Betty and Bill Raiford, Jim, Sue and Sara Hastings and friend, Steve Rush, Cathy and Danny Jenkins, and Norma Wood. These are some of our personal Experiences I sometimes question myself, "Why am I am doing this?" That's was going through my mind as I crawled out of bed on Christmas Day; my day off at 5:30 am. It was that time again, the time to go downtown to distribute bags of personal items to the homeless. As it always happens I got a burst of energy and excitement as we started giving and talking to the people, listening to the interesting stories they have to tell. Proverbs 19:17 says "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord..." Butch Kennedy On Christmas morning I could see God's hands on my children. As a Mom the wonder of it is seen everyday, but handing out hats and gloves was amazing. People who are normally seen as unclean, most are not willing to touch them. My children opened themselves to shake their hands and hug them. We handed out gloves and hats until there was nothing left but a smile and God's glory. The Caesars Kayla, Kiara, Jordan, Ezekial, and Teresa
The Trumpet Page 5 The Mission Field
The Trumpet Page 6 Challenge Group Home Facilitator Home Address Community Day/Time Stan Stepp 3606 Larchmont Sq Lane # 480 North Highlands TBA Linda Bruns Linda 3113 Sunview Ave Sacramento Arden/Arcade TBA Judy Elson Judy 6219 Plymouth Rock Lane Citrus Heights TBA Bill & Betty Raiford Bill & Betty 10011 Vanguard Drive Rancho Cordova TBA Jeanne Whatley Tom & Michelle Hawkins 1276 Berggren Way North Sacramento TBA Matt & Brenda Diridoni Brenda & Brandi 210 Livoti Ave Roseville TBA Denise Spaeth Becky Petrie 5924 40th Street Sacramento TBA Kayla Caesar Alan Lathrop 4537 Engle Road Carmichael TBA El Camino Baptist Church Scott McCann Suite E Sacramento Sunday 9 am One Month To Live Testimony By Debbie Fredrickson I was asked to contemplate on what One Month To Live means to me. When I first started to think about One Month to Live, I started thinking about the meaning of Life. What is Life? Some say to have life is to have breath; to have cognitive thought; to pursue social connections; and to populate the species and bring about a legacy for the future. Life come full circle; is death. This is a rudimentary explanation of Life. But what gives Life meaning? I have found that Jesus is the key that unlocks the mystery of what we call life; and in Him, we find true meaning to Life and a relationship with God. As it is said in John 1:1 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. and John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I know that this Life is available to all, but not all find it. "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matt 7:14) I think the reason lies in the fact that with this Life that Christ offers, there is responsibility; and some find the cost of following Christ too difficult. But to others, this costly Life is too valuable to give up. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. (John 12:24-26) It amazes me that most of Jesus teaching is hard to hear and defies logic; which accounts for the reason why many devalue it, including the Pharisees in Jesus day. For one to die to have Life seems ludicrous. However, if you only look at things from a physical since you miss out on pure logic. Jesus wants us to understand that "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63) When contemplating that I have only One Month to Live from a spiritual perspective, I gain peace, comfort, and great expectations for the future. My joy could not be contained for the thought of following and serving Christ; knowing that where Jesus is working, I ll be right beside Him. So I pray that my heart, mind, and soul will surrender (die) to Christ in order to gain the spiritual Life that Christ offers me; and with that spiritual Life, all of God s resources are made available to me to bring honor and glory to his name - Amen.
The Trumpet Page 7 Financial Matters 2009 Income Expenses Over/Under Budget Needs Over/Under January $ 28,568.69 $ 36,284.06 -$7,715.37 $ 37,919.27 -$9,350.58 February $ 35,408.10 $ 35,563.34 -$155.24 $ 37,919.27 -$2,511.17 March $ 35,421.69 $ 46,980.33 -$11,558.64 $ 37,919.27 -$2,497.58 April $ 31,029.92 $ 30,149.58 $880.34 $ 37,919.27 -$6,889.35 May $ 40,361.57 $ 34,472.63 $5,888.94 $ 37,919.27 $2,442.30 June $ 33,701.16 $ 38,854.09 -$5,152.93 $ 37,919.27 -$4,218.11 July $ 28,162.31 $ 33,300.26 -$5,137.95 $ 37,919.27 -$9,756.96 August $ 39,812.65 $ 32,006.96 $7,805.69 $ 37,919.27 $1,893.38 September $ 32,394.24 $ 36,680.69 -$4,286.45 $ 37,919.27 -$5,525.03 October $ 37,753.98 $ 34,942.67 $2,811.31 $ 37,919.27 -$165.29 November $ 43,339.31 $ 36,022.49 $7,316.82 $ 37,919.27 $5,420.04 December $ 55,761.59 $ 41,302.95 $14,458.64 $ 37,919.27 $17,842.32 Garden of the Soul There is a Garden of the Soul, Where God plants loving seeds That faith and grace will nourish Into blooms of loving deeds. Year to Date $ 441,715.21 $ 436,560.05 $5,155.16 $455,031.24 -$13,316.03 $ 7 5,0 0 0.0 0 $ 5 5,0 0 0.0 0 $ 3 5,0 0 0.0 0 $ 1 5,0 0 0.0 0 $ (5,0 0 0.0 0 ) Talent Challenge Income $9,109.85 J a nu a ry F e b rua ry M a rc h A p ril M a y J u ne J u ly A u gu s t S e pt em b e r O c t ob e r N ov e m b er D ec e m b er In c o m e E x p e n s e s B u d g e t N e e d s 2 0 0 9 In c o m e Within this Garden of the Soul Fruits of the Spirit grow; And they produce new seeds of love Which you and I can sow. Peggy Ferrell, Prayers and Poems My church is composed of people like me. We make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its chairs will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I bring them. My church will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with those things. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my church to be! (newsletter/newsletter Sept 2008)
EL CAMINO 2805 El Camino Ave Sacramento, CA 95821 Baptist Church By the time you re 70 years old, you will have spent nearly a quarter of a century sleeping. The average person spends about 23 years of his or her life in bed. Here are estimates of how most Americans spend their waking hours during those 70 years: 11 years working 8 years in leisure pursuits 6 years eating 5 years grooming 4 years being educated 3 years talking 2 years reading 6 months worshiping God www.elcaminobaptist.org phone 916.488.1522 DATE TIME ACTIVITY Feb 6 9:30 am Women s Ministry Fellowship In the Fellowship Hall Perhaps Sunday morning worship isn t as long as it seems Feb 14 10:30 am Youth-Led Worship Feb 21 One Month To Live Church-wide Journey Youth-Led Service talents to glorify God. February 14th You are invited to a Youth-Led Service on February 14th. We want to give our teens an opportunity to use their Leading in worship will allow them to develop their leadership skills for this purpose. Tell your friends. See you there! Disaster Relief for Haiti You may make a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund of the Southern Baptist Convention online at www.csbc.com/ disasterrelief Any funds received for this purpose will be forwarded to CSBC Thank You. For More Information Visit our website at www.elcaminobaptist.org