We are a body of believers united in Christ to proclaim, live, and love according to God s Word. I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Birthdays and Anniversaries 5 Calendar 7 Christ s Cupboard 2 Church Mouse Nursery School 4 Deacons 3 Ecumenical Worship Service 2 FBC Leadership 6 Graduates 2 Library 5 LOVE146 2 Mission Focus 3 One Great Hour of Sharing Summer Lunch Program Vacation Bible School 3 4 4 The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa Messenger V O L U M E 1 0, I S S U E 6 People of Valor (2 Samuel 23:9-10) By Pastor Waldo There are two fascinating addendums to King David s life in the book of Samuel. David gives his last speech and his words are recorded in 2 Samuel 23. We would expect that this would be the end of the story. However, the Prophet doesn t want us to forget two very important things. Immediately following the last words section, the writer reminds us that the glory of David would not have been possible without the incredible valor of the men that surrounded him. The truth is that David was not a superhero but rather a leader with tremendous faith in God and great flaws. People of valor are not perfect. In this Scripture, God is calling us to tremendous faith and great acts of valor. One of the valiant men of David was named Eleazar. Eleazar is referred to as one of the three mighty warriors. The Israelite army had come into conflict with the Philistine army, which was prepared for battle. As a result, the Israeli army had sounded retreat. For some reason Eleazar stood his ground. It would seem plausible that Eleazar would expect to be killed. Certainly it would seem, from his standpoint, that he was outnumbered. We are not told that Eleazar was a superhero. The text simply says that he struck down the Philistines. He fought so long that his fingers froze to the handle of his sword. There are those who would give Eleazar a medal of J U N E 2 0 1 8 honor for his valor. But the text is clear that The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The truth is that faith and valor go hand in hand. Here we can begin to understand what is necessary for valor: 1. Although we spend our lives trying to avoid conflict, it is in the midst of conflict that acts of valor can occur. Without the battle, Eleazar would simply be standing in a field by himself. 2. Acts of valor require courage in the midst of conflict. Courage begins when one decides to stand one s ground. One who follows the crowd seldom is referred to as courageous. The one who is willing to stand alone, to fight alone, to die alone is the one who will exhibit courage. Standing and facing fear, while being willing to give yourself brings the accolades of valor. Erwin McManus says, Courage isn t the absence of fear, it is the absence of self. Valiant warriors are willing to give their all. 3. People of valor fight. They fight for others. Valiant warriors do not fight for a cause but for their comrades in arms. The greatest honor goes to those who would stand for their friends. 4. Soldiers will seldom accept the title of hero. They may be heroes to others but, in their eyes, they
P A G E 2 understand that something greater was at work. This is where faith comes into play. People of valor will believe that what was accomplished goes beyond their human ability. There must be a God that has placed a hand on the circumstance to bring the victory. 5. Finally a person of valor will share the wealth. Eleazar did all the fighting but shared the booty. Once again, the selflessness of valor is displayed. Could it be that God would encourage us to be a people of valor? When we engage in the conflicts of life, can we take a stand? Would we be willing to give ourselves away that others might be set free? Do you see the hand of God moving in the circumstances of your life? Are you prepared to share with those that would leave you to stand alone? The Prophet has revealed the way to live life, rather than exist in life. It is the way of valor. CHRIST S CUPBOARD FOOD PANTRY We are now open on the First Saturday of every month, 8-10 am. Please sign up or speak to Mandy if you would like to serve. Also on every First Sunday we will collect needed items for the Food Pantry. For June (6/3) we will receive Picnic Condiments, such as catsup, mustard, BBQ sauce, mayo, and salad dressings. For July (7/1) we will receive Drinks: Gatorade, Fruit drinks - box or pouch, Kool-aid or lemonade mixes. Also, we are reaching the end of what seemed like an inexhaustible number of plastic bags. So if you have some to spare, please bring them in. Thank you. ECUMENICAL WORSHIP SERVICE July 8, 10 a.m. First Presbyterian Church (22 W. High St.) Every July the village churches join together for an Ecumenical Worship Service. All participating churches contribute to the service, beautifully exemplifying our unity in Christ. Come take part in this opportunity to worship with our extended church family. This year s service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 22 West High Street. AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE FBC Women's Ministry is sponsoring a LOVE 146 breakfast program for all men & women Saturday June 30, 9 am. Please come and learn about Human Trafficking. It's In our communities. Special Guest Speaker will be Matthew Miller, Barb Miller's son. CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! We will recognize our graduates on June 10 Andrea Desrochers is graduating from Burnt Hills Ballston Lake High School. She is in math, science and national honor society. She is in the top 5 out of 240 students in her grade level. She will be attending Hobart and Williams Smith College for pre-veterinary medicine, hoping to become a surgical vet. Adriane Juracka is graduating from SUNY Oswego with a Masters in Accounting. She will be working at Stewart s Corporate Office. Megan Watkins is graduating from North Carolina State University with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Sara Jade Zlotnick is graduating from Saratoga Springs High School. She will be attending SUNY Potsdam in the Fall to major in Childhood Education.
P A G E 3 THE BOARD OF DEACONS GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!! He answered our prayer for a new deaconess Barb Miller. She has been attending our church for a few years now. In other churches she has attended, she has held positions as a Trustee, Deacon, church choir and many committees. We will introduce her to the congregation soon. Thanks Barb, for answering His call! Summer hours for Sunday School/Worship are the same as now, 9 am for Sunday School, anyone is welcome, and 10:30 am for Worship. This schedule will resume after the ecumenical service, which will be held at the Presbyterian Church on July 8 at 10 am. This is all from the deacons for now. June will start a new year of activities. Blessings to one and all, Pat Rogers JUNE S MISSION FOCUS CITY MISSION OF SCHENECTADY On Sunday, June 10, Mike Saccocio, the Executive Director of City Mission, will be with us for our worship service. Mike has been at our church a number of times, and we look forward to seeing him again and listening to his message. And mark your calendars for Saturday, June 23, when we will travel to the City Mission to serve lunch. It is a great time of service and fellowship that will take just a few hours of your day. A signup sheet will be in the gathering area and car pools can be arranged. And, as usual, we will be taking our famous cupcakes. So, if you aren t able to attend, please consider making/ buying some cupcakes for us to take along. ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING More Than We Can Imagine One Great Hour of Sharing offering provides for the human needs of our world by providing: Emergency relief available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent or acute needs brought about by disasters of natural or human origin. Development projects focused on meeting chronic human need by enabling individuals or groups to establish or maintain a more adequate quality of life. Refugee and immigration ministries focused on holistic ministry to immigrants, refugees and migrants in detention facilities and refugee camps in the United States and in local communities. This offering assisted the many people impacted by the numerous natural disasters in 2017 such as hurricanes, fires, mudslides, etc., both internationally and within the United States, and has already provided assistance in 2018 to those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the mudslides and fires in California. The support provided by this offering helps people envision recovery and new life, strengthened by the assurance that God is working in, through and beyond us. As the Apostle Paul writes,...by the power at work within us, God is able to accomplish abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) One Great Hour of Sharing Offering will be received during the month of June, with a particular focus on Sunday June 17. Please consider giving to help continue the great services provided to those in need.
P A G E 4 CHURCH MOUSE NURSERY SCHOOL We are amazed at how fast the school year has flown by. We had a year packed full with fun units, events and activities. Sherry Hoffman and Bonnie Rodriguez came to set up and run our annual Bike Rodeo. The children had fun going through each of the special stations, including an inspection of their helmets and bikes. Each child went home with their own license. Many parents were on hand to make this a fun, successful event. The Safety Bear visited our school as well to teach the 3 year olds about summer safety. We also had a great time walking in the Memorial Day parade. Dessert with Dad was held on Thursday, May 31. The children made special gifts for their Dads, and enjoyed Stewart s Make Your Own Sundaes. The children sang special songs and presented their Dad with a special gift that they had made. The parent organization will again organize our Field Day. Each class will go outside for an hour of games and activities. Enrollment for September. Our Pre K class is full at 20 students, and we have 2 openings in one of our morning 4 year old classes. We will have 2 morning and 2 afternoon 3 year old classes. (We had one 3 year old afternoon class this year.) There will not be an afternoon 4 year old class. 16 of the 20 students from Time2Learn will be joining our 3 year old classes in the fall. Promotion Day for our 3 year old classes will be held in their classrooms on Tuesday June 12. The children have been practicing songs for it. All are welcome to attend our graduation. Tuesday, June 12 9:30 am- Mrs. Rowe s Pre K Wednesday, June 13 9:00 am- Mrs. Heckman s AM 4 s 10:30 am- Mrs. McGlynn s 4 s 12:30 pm- Mrs. Heckman s PM 4 s class Refreshments will follow in the fellowship hall. We are looking forward to a cool graduation this year with the new AC units. What a treat! The staff will be cleaning their rooms and putting away toys and materials on June 14 and 15. We will have a special end of the year picnic on the 15. Jennie and I will be in the office through the end of June. We will be busy preparing our June packet to be mailed out to our new families. Normal office hours will resume the beginning of August. Thank you again Trustees for all you have done this year to help keep this facility in great shape. Thank you church family for your prayers and encouragement throughout the year. Serving Christ with a joyful heart, Cheryl Dunkelbarger SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM Weekdays, 11:30 am 12:15 pm, Jul 5 - Aug 17 The Ballston Spa Summer Lunch Program provides free lunches to children of families in need. This is our eighth year of operation and we are expecting to serve 200 children a day! Volunteers are needed to make, pack, and distribute lunches. Sign up online at SignUp.com: http:// signup.com/go/yrcnrtq. You will be able to select the specific spots and dates you want to fill. If you prefer not to sign up online, contact the church office. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Aug 2-4, Thurs. & Fri. 6-8 pm, Sat. 10 am-noon VOLUNTEER MEETING: JUNE 5, 7 PM Thank you to all who have stepped up to take charge! Carol Gerbing, Fun and Games; Troy Filburn, Bible Stations; Pastor Dave, Opening/ Closing; Pat Rogers & Becky Patnode, Publicity; Cheryl Hensler, Decorations. We still need lots of help to make this a successful outreach to children in our community. Please come to our Volunteer Meeting on June 5, 7 pm. Also help us advertise. Flyers and are available at the sanctuary doors. Take some to pass out to all the kids you know!
P A G E 5 LIBRARY CORNER June, among many things, celebrates Dad s Day, so the selections for this month are naturally about Dads. Children s Books: 1. Just Helping My Dad by Mercer Mayer 2. Thank You, God, for Daddy by Amy Parker 3. Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes 4. The Berenstain Bear s Graduation Day by Mike Berenstain 5. The Night Before Father s Day by Natasha Wing 6. My Daddy and Me by Amy Sklansky 7. Just a Day at the Pond by Mercer Mayer 8. Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl by Barbara Park Family Films 1. A Little Game Stepping Stones Entertainment ~ Don t let life happen to you, you happen to life. 2. The Goodbye Bird Stepping Stones Entertainment ~ when you help those who need you most, sometimes the person you save is yourself. 3. Last Chance Detectives: Escape from Fire Lake ~ a desperate search for one of their own. 4. Outlaw Trail ~ the treasure of Butch Cassidy. Adults Books: 1. The Landing Place by Clint Kelly ~ a gripping and suspenseful story of adventure and faith. 2. Firewall by Diann Mills ~ In a matter of minutes, Taryn Young s happily ever after turns into a waking nightmare. 3. Gideon s Torch by Charles Colson ~ Emily Gineen is the new attorney general and it wasn t supposed to be like this. 4. Ruth: A Portrait by Patricia Cornwell ~ a story of Ruth Bell Graham. 5. Why Forgive? by Johann Christoph Arnold ~ overcome the cancer of bitterness and hatred. 6. If You Want to Walk on Water You ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg Enjoy! Mary Morelock & Jenny Staulters, FBC Librarians June Anniversaries 5 th William and Florence Hinckley 6 th David and Brenda France 6 th Warren and Karen Jones 8 th Dennis and Marolyn Ulery 15 th Paul and Cheryl Dunkelbarger 15 th Jim and Mary O Connell 20 th Jason and Amanda Appell 21 st Scott and Julienne Audette 26 th Brant and Rebecca Patnode 30 th Dave and Emily Fresn If we missed your birthday or anniversary, please let the church office know! June Birthdays 1 st Mark Hopper 1 st Karen Jones 1 st Kevin Livingston 1 st Jude Pierre 3 rd Barbara Waldo 5 th Lane Jones 7 th Fred Uline 9 th Dana Nolan 10 th Jeremy Robson 10 th Robert Staulters 11 th Dale Gerbing 14 th Harriett Smith 16 th Kate van den Heever 16 th Paige van den Heever 18 th Meric Pritchard 19 th Barbara Roll 20 th Daniel Weiss 21 st Langdon Jenkins 22 nd Jason Appell 25 th June Kenyon 25 th Samantha Sellers 25 th Marolyn Ulery 25 th Randolf Sweet 26 th Dalton Krogh 27 th Troy Filburn 28 th Evan Jones 28 th George Leber 29 th Christopher Hodgkins 30 th Judith Lister 30 th Natalie Townson
P A G E 6 THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF BALLSTON SPA LEADERSHIP 2018-2019 PASTOR: Rev. David Waldo MUSIC DIRECTOR: Darryl Drew CHOIR DIRECTOR: Rita Drew OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR: Justina Danison CHURCH CUSTODIAN: Deborah Jorgensen SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: open CHURCH CLERK 2019: Lee Anderson CHURCH MODERATOR 2020: Sarah Watkins CMNS ADMINISTRATOR: Cheryl Dunkelbarger CMNS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Jennie MacDonald WEDDING COORDINATOR: open BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: 2019 Kim Sprenger 2020 Sherry Hoffman 2020 Kathy Laing 2021 Becky Patnode 2021 Laura Marino Mary Morelock, librarian, ex-officio Cheryl Dunkelbarger, CMNS rep. BOARD OF DEACONS: 2021 Robert Staulters, Chair 2019 Lane Jones 2019 Terry van den Heever 2021 Barbara Miller 2021 Keith Sprenger BOARD OF MISSIONS: 2020 Debbie Porter, Chair 2020 Mary Ann Becker 2020 Barbara Pennie 2020 Jude Pierre 2020 Pat Stack BOARD OF TRUSTEES: 2019 Kevin Porter, Chair 2019 Dale Gerbing 2019 Craig Murray 2019 Fred Whittredge 2021 Todd Anderson 2021 Dave Fresn 2021 Tommy Townson BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE: 2021 Chair: Troy Filburn Kevin Porter, Trustees Joan Anderson, Christian Ed Bob Staulters, Deacons Debbie Porter, Missions Paul Pelliccia, Treasurer Fred Whittredge, Financial Secretary Larry Dunkelbarger, Endowment Treasurer TREASURERS: Paul Pelliccia, Current Expense Larry Dunkelbarger, Endowment PASTORAL STAFF RELATIONS COMMITTEE: 2019 Carol Gerbing Chair 2020 Paul Pelliccia 2020 Mike Hensler 2020 Colleen Pierre 2021 Kevin Livingston CAPITAL AREA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION DELEGATES: Judy Lister Margaret Morahan CHURCH HISTORIAN: Norma Dunkelbarger CHURCH LIBRARIAN: Mary Morelock CHURCH MOUSE NURSERY SCHOOL BOARD CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES: 2019 Karen Kersch, Chair 2019 Kim Sprenger 2020 Emily Fresn 2020 Laura Marino 2020 Becky Patnode AUDIO VISUAL MINISTRY: Bob Staulters/ Dave Fresn WHITE CROSS COORDINATOR: Mary Ann Becker WORSHIP SERVICE AT SARATOGA CENTER FOR REHAB: Bob Staulters/ Deacons YOUTH: open Updated May 21, 2018
3 Communion Sunday 10 9:00 am Sunday School 22 23 8:30 am 9:00 am Sunday School June 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service 2:15 pm Worship Service at Saratoga Center for Rehab 17 9:00 am Sunday School 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service 24 9:00 am Sunday School 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service June is One Great Hour of Sharing Mission Offering Month. Each Sunday we will collect an offering for this mission. 4 5 11 12 18 19 9 am Food Pantry 7 pm VBS Volunteer Meeting 7:00 pm Board Meetings 6 7:00 pm Choir 13 June 12-13 CMNS Graduations 9 am Food Pantry 7:00 pm Last Choir Rehearsal 7 10:00 am Men s Fellowship 4:30 pm Food Pantry 6:30 pm Men s Bible Study 14 20 21 25 26 27 28 10:00 am Men s Fellowship 4:30 pm Food Pantry 6:30 pm Men s Bible Study 10:00 am Men s Fellowship 4:30 pm Food Pantry 6:30 pm Men s Bible Study 10:00 am Men s Fellowship 4:30 pm Food Pantry 6:30 pm Men s Bible Study 1 9:15 am Time2Learn graduation 2 8 9 15 16 29 30 8:00 am Food Pantry Claire s Musique Notes Recital Here to Serve: Schenectady City Mission 9 am LOVE146 Breakfast
The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa 202 Milton Avenue Ballston Spa, NY 12020 (518) 885-8361 www.bspabaptist.org Church Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Church Staff REV. DAVID WALDO, PASTOR DARRYL DREW, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC RITA DREW, CHOIR DIRECTOR JUSTINA DANISON, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR dwaldo63@gmail.com DDDMUSIK@NYCAP.RR.COM DDDMUSIK@NYCAP.RR.COM BSPABAPTIST202@GMAIL.COM The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa 202 Milton Avenue Ballston Spa, NY 12020