First Baptist Church of Elon The Courier Points of Interest Holy Week Children Events Youth Events Senior Adult From our Interim The Seasons of the Church Year Lead Us We are now in the Church season of Lent. Lent consists of those days preceding Easter, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with Good Friday, when we intentionally seek to know Jesus and serve him better. In our Baptist tradition, many people did not grow up observing Lent. But we did observe a time of revival or renewal in the spring, often with a revival service, and we would usually emphasize the importance of mission service right here at home. Today in our Baptist churches, we are likely to see the cross displayed with a shroud of purple, then changed to a white shroud for the season of Easter. In the Church season, Easter is not just one Sunday, but the several Sundays following Easter Sunday until Pentecost. Inside this issue: Deacons Pastor Search 2 The seasons help us to mark time in a meaningful way as we are reminded of the life of Jesus and the Church. The colors become symbolic of deep spiritual truths about God and God s love in Christ. Below are the seasons of the Church year and the colors that correspond to those seasons. Perhaps being familiar with this will help deepen our spiritual lives and give to us the opportunities to better follow the ways of Christ. Advent The four Sundays before Christmas. The colors are either blue (representing hope) or purple (the royalty of Christ). Christmas Christmas day and the Sundays following until Epiphany. The color of white represents purity. Epiphany The Sundays following Epiphany Sunday (includes Epiphany Sunday). Green is the color usually used although white is seen on Epiphany Sunday as well. Green stands for growth and new beginnings. Epiphany asks us to look for the surprises God has for us. Children s Team Family Team 3 Missions Team 4 Senior Adults Music Ministry 5 Youth News 6 Calendar Birthdays 7 Gifts/Memorials 8 Lent The color purple is used as we remember the passion of Christ. Easter White is utilized as the color of purity and the resurrection glory. Pentecost Red is the color and recalls the tongues of flame and the beginnings of the Church. Ordinary time (after Pentecost) The color green reminds the Church of the call to make disciples, grow, and flourish as do the green plants and trees. As we worship throughout the year, and especially during the season of Lent and Easter, let us remember our Lord s days upon this earth, the lessons he shares with us, and the hope that comes after the passion and suffering. Dennis Herman, Interim Pastor
Deacon s Spotlight Sunday, April 6 Need Help? The Helping Hands Team of your Deacons is available to arrange help with your small repair or cleaning needs around the house. Call the church office to request assistance or contact Deacons Sally Farnham or Mike Harrington. The Celebration Team of your Deacons would like to congratulate Laura Orr, one of our Elon students, who received the Student Organization Member of the Year Award during the 19th annual SGA Organization and Inauguration Ceremony at Elon. We also celebrate the birth of Deacon Susan Reinheimer s first grandchild, Adalynn Jane Sockwell, on March 22. Congratulations to the proud parents, Carrie and Webb Sockwell. The Deacons will be bringing updated Facilities Use Policies to the church for a vote this month. Please review these documents prior to the April Roundtable meeting. Dr. Tom Stocks, Virginia Baptist Mission Board Team Based Ministry and Deacon Training 9:00 am - Church-wide Continental Breakfast 9:30-10:45 am - Combined Sunday School Session - Adults/Youth (Children will be combined) 11:00 am - Morning Worship - Dr. Stocks preaching 12:00-12:30 pm - Lunch for our Deacon Ministry 12:30-3:30 pm - Deacon Training led by Dr. Stocks ***This will be a very important day in the life of our congregation as we continue to move forward, united in the vision that God has for us. Everyone is encouraged to attend!*** Pastor Search Committee The committee is interviewing and checking references. The next step will be to visit the prospective pastor in his church and, following that, our church will have the opportunity to meet him and his wife. Thank you for your continuing prayers. PRAYER REVOLUTION FOR APRIL April 6 Worship Choir April 13 Elon Community Churches April 20 Father, Son, Holy Spirit April 27 GA s YOUTH FUNDRAISERS Tuesday, April 8 YoZone! All Day! Applebee s Pancake Breakfast Saturday, April 26 7-10 AM - Playground Fundraiser Coming in late spring start saving your stuff! Page 2
Children s Team The Children s Ministry invites all children to an Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 13. Lunch will be provided in the fellowship hall for the children and their families immediately after the 11am worship service. Then, we will hunt for Easter eggs! Don t forget to bring your baskets and your friends! There has been an interest expressed about starting a half day preschool program, an after school program, and possibly a summer camp here at FBC-Elon. As you know, we have a beautiful and updated Children s Wing. It would be so exciting to share this and the rest of our facility during the weekdays with children in the community. The Deacons recommended that we create a team of people that could research the feasibility of a program like this. So, we need YOU! If you have experience with preschools, knowledge of starting up a program like this, financial planning experience, have a passion for reaching and teaching young children or an interest in this research process for our church -please consider joining the Preschool Research Team. See Laura Primm for more details and to join the team. We are looking for men and women of all ages to serve on this team. The ultimate goal is to reach children and families for Christ. We want to share Jesus with the community around us. Save the Date! VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Monday, June 16 - Thursday, June 19 FBC Children s Ministry.Having FUN! Special thanks to Cori Lindsay, Dreama Howard, Linnea Allred and Sophia Allred for helping with our CHILDREN S FUN DAY! Family Team Afternoon Chat April 17 at 3:00 PM Barnes and Noble Café Butterfly s Child by Angela Gardner Page 3
Missions Team Homeless Shelter: Responsible for the meal for the Homeless Shelter for Wednesday, April 2: Larry & Stacia Durham, Bill & Earline Mann, Milt & Janet Lanphear, Larry & Brenda Huffines, Susie Lowder, Doris Kelly. *Our recent Skype session with Carson and Laura on Sunday night, March 16 th, was a great experience. Carson and Laura were able to share details about their current activities and answer questions from our Mission Friends, RAs and GAs, as well as questions from adults in the audience. Please continue to support Carson and Laura s mission activities in Japan. Also don t forget to support them with your pledged monies each month. *Members of our Missions Team are available to help you set up your computer to allow you to follow Carson and Laura s activities. We can help you set up a Facebook account, give you their e-mail address and/or their web site, and show you how to find the link to Carson and Laura on our church website. Contact a member of the Missions Team for help with any or all of these methods of communication! *First Sunday Food Collections-- Don t forget to bring canned goods and non-perishable items for Allied Churches Food Bank. These items will be distributed to needy families in our area. Please pray for the Shelter Meal Teams from our church that serve the first Wednesday night of each month. The February team served 88 clients for supper. The leadership team at the shelter said they are serving from 70 to 130 clients each night! The need in our community is great! Love your neighbor as yourself take this opportunity to share your love in this case, canned goods and non-perishable items each first Sunday!! *Calling all former GA s our GA group is planning a tea party to celebrate GA s 100 th Anniversary on Saturday, April 26 at 3 pm! All present and former GA s and those who support GA s will be invited! Our tea planners need your help-if you have any pictures of GA activities that you participated in, please let our GA s borrow them to display at the tea. Also, if you have any GA artifacts pins, badges, coronation crowns (yes they did have coronations!) or other special GA items please consider letting the girls display these also. See Liz Hill, Amy Harrison, or Susan Harrington if you have items you are willing to share! RA Pinewood Car Workshop The dates for our annual Royal Ambassador Pinewood Car building workshop are April 13 and 27. If you need assistance in building your son s car, our team of Pinewood car professionals stand ready to help with tools, weights, and wood putty. We will meet during our regular time in the RA room. The 2014 First Baptist RA Grand Prix and Formula 6 race are scheduled for May 18. Weigh-in begins at 4:00 pm, with racing beginning at 4:30 pm. Page 4
Senior Adult Team Senior Adult Ministries Senior Adult Breakfast - Tuesday, April 1 8:30 am Circle of Friends - Wednesday, April 2 9:45 am Sunday with Dr. Tom Stocks - April 6 9:00 am Continental Breakfast 9:30 am Combined SS (Adults/Youth) 11:00 am Morning Worship Senior Adult Team Meeting - Wednesday, April 9 10:00 am Holy Week @ FBC Elon! April 13 Easter Music Celebration 11 am April 17 Stations of the Cross 10 am 7 pm April 18 Good Friday Service at Elon UCC 7 pm April 20 Sunrise Service @ Holt Chapel 6:30 am Community Breakfast 7:30 am FBC Elon Easter Worship Service 11:00 am Fun and Fellowship Trip Old Salem, The Moose Café, and Farmer s Market - Tuesday, April 15 8:45 am 3:00 pm April Birthday Luncheon - Wednesday, April 16 12:30 pm Upcoming Senior Adult Luncheon... Tuesday, May 13 at 11:30 am Entertainers The Visionaires MUSIC MINISTRY FBC Elon Music Ministries presents an Easter Music Celebration Sunday, April 13, 2014 during the 11am Worship Service Page 5
Youth News Just a thought April 4, 1968, as a date for many of our teenagers means very little. However, for many of your family and friends, that day will reside in their minds and hearts as a day that the world changed. Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American Baptist pastor, was gunned down in Memphis, Tennessee, because of his desire and passion that all men and women, no matter the race, should be treated equal. In his final speech, often titled I ve Been to the Mountaintop, Martin Luther King Jr. speaks of the freedom that all humanity should have and that as the nation moves forward, he can see this freedom, The Promised Land, from his journey to the mountaintop as Moses had so many years before. As I reflect on his final words and look ahead to the celebration of Holy Week, the message of freedom still rings true. Because of Jesus trip to the mountaintop known as Golgotha, we too can see and experience the freedom that is available to all humanity, no matter the race, gender, or creed. Just as echoed in Martin Luther King Jr. s final words, Christians must continue to move forward keeping our eyes on the destination that lies in front of us presence with our heavenly Father. Progress does not mean standing still, but continuing to push forward no matter the obstacles or opposition. As you celebrate Holy Week this year, I encourage you to remember the mountaintops that have been present throughout history for Moses, for Jesus, for Martin Luther King Jr., for you. As a Christian and congregation, we must continue to serve and honor our heavenly Father as we move forward to the final destination that we all seek, presence with Him, The Promised Land. In Christ, David Upcoming Youth Ministries Summer Retreat and Mission Trip Experience Location... Cape Cabana North Myrtle Beach, SC Upcoming Fun... FBC Elon Youth Annual Lock-In! Friday, May 2 Saturday, May 3 Are you ready?!? Attention Graduates! If you plan on being a part of the Graduate Sunday recognition service, please let David know by Sunday, April 27! Thank you! April Youth Ministries The Breakfast Club Wednesday, April 2, 16, and 30 6:45 am Sunday with Dr. Tom Stocks April 6 9:00 am Continental Breakfast 9:30 am Combined SS (Adults/ Youth) 11:00 am Morning Worship Consuming Fire! Sunday, April 6, 13, and 27 5:30 pm FBC Elon Youth Day @ YoZone! Tuesday, April 8 Administration Team Meeting Sunday, April 13 9:00 am Emerge! Sunday, April 13, 20, 27 9:45 am Summer Retreat 2nd Deposit Due! Sunday, April 13 Holy Week @ FBC Elon! April 13 Easter Music Celebration 11 am April 17 Stations of the Cross 10 am 7 pm April 18 Good Friday Service at Elon UCC 7 pm April 20 Easter Sunday Sunrise Service @ Holt Chapel 6:30 am Community Breakfast 7:30 am FBC Elon Easter Worship Service 11 am Spring Break Fun! Lunch and... Tuesday, April 22 12:30 pm Applebee s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser Saturday, April 26 7-10 am April Youth Birthdays Mary Allison Page April 30 Page 6
Ushers & Greeters: James Allison, Allene Atwood, Burney Bryant, Larry Huffines, Milt Lanphear, Bill Mann, Kevin McCloskey, Scott Rehrauer, Judy Tickle, Euless Wyrick Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 6 9 AM Breakfast 9:30 AM SS 11 AM Dr. Tom Stocks 12 Deacons Lunch & Training 13 Palm Sunday 11 AM Music Celebration Easter Egg Hunt 4 PM Church Council 5:45 PM Roundtable Mtg. 20 Easter Sunday 6:30 AM Sunrise Service Holt Chapel - 7:30 AM Breakfast (FH) NO PM Wednesday s 6:30 PM Youth Handbells 7 8 14 FH reserved pm 21 Newsletter articles due 1 8:30 AM Sr. Adult Breakfast at Ramada FBC, Eon Youth Day! 15 8:45AM-3PM Fun & Fellowship Trip to Old Salem 22 12:30 pm Youth Spring Break Fun 2 6:45 AM B fast Club/B ville 9:45 AM Circle of Friends 7:30 Choir Reh. 9 10 AM Senior Adult Team Mtg. 7:30 Choir Rehearsal 16 6:45 AM B fast Club/B ville 12:30 PM Sr. Adult Birthday Luncheon 7:30 Choir Reh. 23 7:30 Choir Rehearsal 3 11:30 AM Prayer & Praise 10 11:30 AM Prayer & Praise 7 PM Deacon s Meeting 17 10 AM-7 PM Stations of the Cross (FH) 3 PM Afternoon Chat Barnes & Noble Café 24 11:30 AM Prayer & Praise 4 5 10-12 PM Extra Choir Rehearsal 11 12 8:30 am Men s Breakfast & Bible Study 10-12 PM Extra Choir Rehearsal 18 Good Friday Church Office Closed 7 PM Good Friday Service at Elon Community Church 19 25 26 7-10 AM Applebee s Pancake Breakfast 3 PM GA Tea Party 27 Children s Church 28 29 30 6:45 AM B fast Club/B ville 7:30 Choir Rehearsal Sunday Worship Opportunities 9:20 AM Deacons Prayer (rm. 201) 9:30 AM The Center (Fellowship Hall) 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:55 AM Morning Worship 4:00 PM SHINE! 5:00 PM Fellowship Meal 5:30 PM Consuming Fire (Youth) Kid s Choir 5:45 PM Adult Study 6:15 PM RA s, GA s, Mission Friends Music Group 7:00 PM Adult Handbells 2 nd Tina Pickard 4 th Bobby Johnson 4 th Danny Primm 7 th Austin Evans 14 th Ivey Huey 16 th Kevin Harrington 16 th Iris Harris 18 th Nicholas Hinton 22 nd Janie Brown 22 nd Kodell Maney 24 th Becky Franks 24 th Pam Moody 24 th Grace Hill 27 th Carrie Evans 30 th Anne Maynard 30 th Mary Allison Page Page 7
621 E. Haggard Ave. P.O. Box 778 Elon, NC 27244 Phone: 336-584-2735 Fax: 336-584-5181 Dr. Dennis Herman, Interim Pastor pastor@fbc-elon.org Rev. David Durham, Associate Pastor youth@fbc-elon.org Rev. Laura Primm, Minister of Music/Children music@fbc-elon.org Janice Somers, Adm. Assistant secretary@fbc-elon.org We re on the Web! www. fbc-elon.org Gifts & Memorials The church appreciates the following gifts. Building Fund: Anne Uzzell In honor of our Church Families, April Birthdays & Anniversaries. In memory of Susie Lowder s sister-inlaw, Susan Harrington s aunt, Iris Harris brother, Peggy Truitt s sister, Doris McCrickard. M/M Bobby Roach In memory of Helen Bennett. Faye Naylor In memory of Helen Bennett. CBF Missions Fund: M/M Garland Tickle In memory of Helen Bennett & Maxine Hinton. Music Fund: M/M Dave Harris In memory of Helen Bennett. Regular Fund: Action in Aging In memory of Helen Bennett. M/M John Dawson In memory of Helen Bennett, Doris McCrickard. M/M Bill Mann In memory of Helen Bennett, Doris McCrickard. FBC, Elon In memory of Helen Bennett, in lieu of flowers. M/M Cyrus Wells In memory of Helen Bennett. M/M Leon Joyce In memory of Helen Bennett. M/M Jim Franks In memory of Helen Bennett. Nancy Apple In memory of Helen Bennett. M/M Jim Whitlow In memory of Helen Bennett. Beverly Barbee In memory of Helen Bennett. M/M Rob Johnson In memory of Doris McCrickard. Nina Harrison In memory of Doris McCrickard. Anne Maynard In memory of Doris McCrickard. Youth Fund: Doris Kelly In memory of Helen Bennett. Palm Sunday, April 13 Easter Music Celebration Easter Egg Hunt Thursday, April 17 Stations of the Cross 10 am-7 pm Friday, April 18 Good Friday Service at ECC - 7 pm Easter Sunday, April 20 Sunrise Service at Holt Chapel - 6:30 am Community Breakfast-FBC, Elon - 7:30 am Regular Sunday Morning Ministries No PM Ministries