Volume 52 Issue 4 April 2014 The Trumpet Easter Sunday 2 April 20, 2014 10:30 am Stations of the Cross Good Friday Service April 18, 2014 6 pm 8 pm Experience like never before Why Go to Good Friday Service? Have you ever wondered why Good Friday is referred to as good? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew 26-27). However, the results of Christ s death are very good (Romans 5-8), But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 1 Peter 3:8 tells us, For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. Join us on Friday evening the 18th of April in the Sanctuary, anytime between 6-8 pm. Take a journey in meditation through different prayers, scriptures and activities. The pictures above are examples of our stations from last year. This year we will also have a children s versions of each station, so if you feel led to bring your children, you can help them walk through and pray the children s prayer with them. Blessings! Sallyann Brittain Worship Minister Who Are You? A Missionary or An Imposter! 3 Shoe Drive 4 Events 5 A Day with Annie Armstrong 6 Heartbeat 7 Our Calendar 8
Page 2 What Would You be Willing to Sacrifice to Tell a Story? I must admit, hearing those words, I felt a sense of shame. Oh, I am open about my faith, I do witness. But I don t believe the thought is on my mind as much as it is his. We take so much of our freedom for granted so much so, that we don t use our freedom as we should. More significantly, the question that arises is what would I be willing to give up to be able to do these things? How important is Jesus in your life? What would you be willing to sacrifice to be able tell His story? Easter is this month, commemorating the most important event in human history the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. Can you think of a better time to make a new commitment to telling His story as often and as passionately as you can? I had a wonderful and interesting experience last year. An Iranian couple who had attended our worship on Sunday appeared in my office on Monday. They wanted me to marry them. Here s where it gets interesting and wonderful. They wanted to be married under Jesus. They were in their 50s and had actually been married for years. Why marry again? Their marriage had been under Muslim law because they were married in Iran. But they were Christian, and they felt their marriage wasn t blessed under God. Would you join me in this prayer? Lord, forgive me forgive us for our complacency. Forgive us for becoming so wrapped up in our freedoms and the business of living that we miss engaging in the greatest freedom of all telling people about the wonderful gift of eternal life you have given to us. Forgive us for not placing the same value on people s eternity as you have. Instill in us a passion for the lives of those who cross my path each day passion enough to not remain silent. Blessing Bill Needless to say, I was thrilled to honor their request. My wife happened to be in the office, as was Kim, our preschool director, so I collected them as witnesses, and right here, in my office, we all together celebrated their union under Jesus. They were so appreciative for the simple thing we had done for them. You would have thought it was the most important event in the world. It meant everything to them. Their desire is to move to the U.S. to live, but their son (at that time in medical school) and their daughter (married with a family of her own) both live in Iran. So they travel to Iran for six months and he works to save money, and then they come to the States for a few months. I ve been in touch with them since that day. They come to see me every time they are here and they call me from Iran. It s such a thrill to see them each time. They love the Lord so much. They have such sweet and unassuming spirits. I saw them just last week. Their son is now graduated and practicing medicine, so they are planning on one more trip to Iran, then to move here permanently. I want you to understand something significant about this. He is an engineer and leaving a lucrative job, as well as their children (who they hope one day to get to the U.S.) to an income that will likely be far less than he makes in Iran. Why? To use his words, I cannot talk about Jesus in Iran. I must be very careful. It is so dangerous. This I don t like to not show my faith. Here in America I can tell everyone about Jesus. Do you have the heart of the Apostle Paul, who said, I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of Christ? Church Mouse Sez:
Who Are You? A Missionary or an Imposter! My wife and I are considering the adoption of a young cat. We got the 411 from a friend regarding his personality. We re told he s very loving and affectionate, at your feet seeking attention, the purring type. We received a couple of pictures via text, and he looks adorable. So what s not to like, right? I mean, if you re a cat person, why hesitate? It appears as though this cat is the pick of the litter. Oh yeah, speaking of litter, who s going to take care of the cat? Who s going to change the box, buy the food, feed and groom the cat? There will be several things we ll have to buy (i.e. a litter box, kitty litter, a brush, vitamins, toys, etc), and that comes at a cost of both money and time. What about the vet bills, neutering, annual shots, sicknesses, etc. How about when we leave on vacation? Who s going to take care of the cat? Will the cat be an inside cat? Will it be an outside cat? Will we need to put a collar on him? Where did it come from? Does it understand English, Spanish, Polish, or just Catlish? (Catlish - that would be the 21 st century meow version of Here kitty, kitty, kitty! ) We re going to have to train it, discipline it, and keep him from shredding the side of the sofa. Who s going to bathe it? No, wait - that s a dog! My point is this - there s a lot more to consider than just how cute the cat is. Initially, the decision seemed to be easy. Loving cat needs home right? But there s so much more to it. Isn t that the case for many other situations in life? Initially, when presented with a tantalizing proposal you ve got nothing but good thoughts. You re all smiles. But as you get a little deeper into it, as you contemplate the whole enchilada you get a much better understanding of what you re getting into. Christianity is very much the same way. Initially everything looks good. What s not to like. How could this commitment not be a winner? All I have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Acts 2:21)! But there s so much more to being a Christian than the warm fuzzy purring part, and this is what alarms so many skeptics. This is also what you should be concerned about (if you are a believer). Being a Christian is more than lip service. I found a wonderful quote by the Prince of Preachers Charles Spurgeon. He said Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter. Do you believe that? I do. Does that statement scare you? It should. It does me! You see, being a Christian means we need to be active for Christ without hesitation. It means taking the good with the bad. There will be times when we need to clean the litter box of our heart and mind so that the love of Christ will not be diluted with bad habits or evil thoughts. Christians are never promised a life without struggles. That means we need to get tough (leaning on Christ and His understanding) during the hard times (Proverbs 3:5). We must be willing to sacrifice earthly desires knowing that our source of strength and life is in Christ. There will be difficult times throughout a Christian s life, but this is where we must learn to stand strong with other believers. We Page 3 read in Zephaniah 3:9 "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder. Do you think we will be facing confrontations in life? Of course. If you re calling on the name of the Lord, does that mean you ll have the option to opt out when the going gets tough? No. You ll need to stand strong, shoulder to shoulder with others of like mind. You won t have to do it alone. Here s a verse I ve mentioned before: Matthew 10:22 he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Does that mean that when it suddenly becomes the most unpopular thing in the world to stand up for biblical values that it s okay to cower, cringe and tremble in front of your friends or co-workers? Remember, either you re a missionary or you re an imposter! Pray that God uses you in a mighty way when those situations arise. Many people call themselves a Christian or slap that label on themselves, but that s not the reflection you find in their actions, relationships, speech, home or heart. Their life doesn t match up to, or remotely reflect any part of Christ. So are they Christians just because they call themselves a Christian? That s not what the Bible says. Matthew 7:21 declares "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Italics added) Christianity is something you own! It is a lifestyle. It is a commitment. It s more than a label. It s supporting your church and its mission to reach the community with your resources, your time, your talents, and your spiritual gifts. It s a full-on commit to God s principles and way of life. Are you in? Are you a cat owner? Not unless you ve fully accepted the dirty work and responsibilities that come with that lovable furry friend. Are you a Christian? Have you fully accepted the dirty work and responsibilities that come with the missions part of Christianity? The promise of eternal life most certainly includes standing shoulder to shoulder with other believers so that nobody can label you otherwise. Ridding yourself of dirty stinky habits you held onto as a non-christian might be difficult. But unless you re willing to brush God s coat of cleanliness upon your heart through the life-changing mercy of Christ, you will only be labeled as a Christian. And in His book, that s an imposter! B l e s s i n g s, Scott
Page 4 How Can your old shoes help send our youth to Summer Camp? Now until May, our youth group is having a Shoe Drive Fundraiser which will help them earn money for camp by collecting shoes for recycling. The more shoes we collect, the more money we will raise. You can help us. We will be collecting on Sundays 9-12pm and Mon-Thurs 9-5pm. Keep and eye out for our Collection Barrels. Our Goal: 2500 pairs of shoes For PickUp call: Tenille at (707) 287-7309 What happens to the shoes? Gently worn shoes are used in developing nations for impoverished people to start, maintain, and grow a Micro-enterprise. Because of this opportunity, individuals are able to feed, clothe, and house their families. Collected shoes are consolidated and shipped to on-the-ground business operators where they clean, repair, or melt down outsoles if necessary, to make a new pair of shoes. - See more at: http://funds2orgs.com/why-shoesclo...
Page 5 El Camino Missions Activity El Camino Baptist Church is sponsoring a with La Roca Ministries July 5-12 We are having two Fundraising Events to help us raise money for this mission trip. Fellowship Hall Noon Join us for a wonderful time of fellowship and food. We will be serving an authentic Mexican cuisine for your eating pleasure. Tickets are on Sale contact Norma Wood (916) 215-7882 Proceeds from the Rummage Sale will go directly to the Mission Trip Fund. A local Soccer Team is putting on the Car Wash and some of their proceeds will be donated to the Mexico Mission Trip.
Page 6 Each year, we honor the life and work of Annie Walker Armstrong (1850-1938) when we give to the annual offering for North American missions named after her. A Day with Annie Armstrong by Carmon Keith Dear Brother, I wish with this letter I might send you a large palm-leaf and a very attractive pitcher of iced lemonade, for I think if you had these, you might have more patience to consider the numerous items which I will now have to present to you, but as these comforts, or rather necessities during this intensely hot weather, cannot be sent through the mail, I will have to ask that you either provide them for yourself or consent to be a martyr. - Letter to T.P. Bell from Annie Armstrong, June 30, 1894 So began the letter Annie Armstrong wrote to then secretary of the Sunday School Board, T.P. Bell, on June 30, 1894. I could just picture "Miss Annie," fingers tapping quickly the keys of her well-worn typewriter, trying to add some humor to the somewhat routine task of gathering and giving information. I could also picture Mr. Bell opening the letter and chuckling at her words. As the first corresponding secretary of Woman's Missionary Union, it was obvious that Annie took very seriously the word "corresponding." She wrote thousands of letters - lengthy epistles that touched on everything from personal details to professional concerns. I first learned of Annie Armstrong when I was a GA leader at Second Baptist Church in Griffin, Ga. Wanting to know more about this woman named in the offering the GAs were giving money to, I went to the church library and checked out a copy of Annie Armstrong: Dreamer in Action. I found the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering not only worthy of monetary gifts, but that it truly did honor a woman who had been an incredible on-mission Christian. Little did I know that years later I would be writing promotional materials for the Offering, or that the task would take me to the SBC Executive Committee in Nashville, Tenn., which houses an extensive library of Southern Baptist historical materials. Among those are some of Annie Armstrong's letters, written in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Thus, on a fall day last year, I became, as T.P. Bell did in the summer of 1894, a willing martyr. Facing me was the task of reading some of the letters contained in more than twenty folders in the library. Being handed the first folder from the librarian was like being entrusted with sacred treasure. While I had read what others had written about Annie and her work, I now had the unique opportunity to read what she herself wrote. The first folder contained a large stack of now yellowed letters, and I immediately leafed through them, noticing that they were for only a brief period of months in 1894-1895. Could she really have written that many letters - to one person no less? Bring on the iced lemonade. This could take a while. Annie Armstrong Easter Offering & Week of Prayer April 6-12 Reading the first letter, I could not help but think of the scene in the Mission Rooms where Annie worked in Baltimore in 1894. I became immersed in her thoughts, fascinated at the details of her work, and tried to read between the lines to catch a more personal glimpse of her. And, in the palm-leaf wish to T.P. Bell, I found the connection. A committed on-mission Christian? No doubt about it. A passionate advocate for missionaries all across the world? The evidence supports it. A real person who faced physical and spiritual challenges with her job, her family, and her friends? Definitely. Suddenly, Annie seemed less historical and more human. If it's true that in every piece of humor there is a hint of truthfulness, then T.P. Bell may have experienced the same bit of martyrdom I felt as I picked up yet another folder of Annie's letters and thought, "Here's another one." Plain and simple, Annie exhausted me. The key element needed to read her letters is patience. Between the long introductions that would often take up the first page, and the "Yours Very Truly" closing, Annie would embark in providing detailed information or requests, giving each paragraph or section a heading that would make it easier to organize her thoughts. But while she exhausted me, she also inspired me. In an age before email, carbonless paper, and computers, Annie wrote without distraction. Her advocacy and passion for missions and getting missionaries what they needed to do their work is a model for Southern Baptists today. If Annie were alive now, she would no doubt delight in the modern conveniences (especially computers!) of our day, but I believe her heart would feel even more burdened by the needs represented in this time. Even as the scope of North American mission efforts has expanded and the number of missionaries has grown, the tremendous spiritual needs and the urgency to share Christ are greater than ever. And, the truth be known, there are countless Annie's who are alive today - those who give their lives as passionate advocates for missionaries and their efforts, who are praying without ceasing and giving of their time and money to reach North America for Christ. They are sacrificially involved in mission projects, but to them missions isn't a short-term or long-term commitment it's a lifestyle. They recognize that Southern Baptists are on mission together, creating a synergy in partnership missions. To the Annie of yesterday, Southern Baptists must say thank you and continue to hold her up as a model of an on-mission servant. But more importantly, we must join with the Annie's of today in reaching people with the never-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
Church Life Our Heartbeat Page 7 God wants us to give because it shows that we Click That was Easy! Secure Online Donation recognize He is truly THE LORD of our lives. James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting s h a d o w s. Everything we own and everything we have comes from God. So, when we give, we simply offer him a very small portion of all the abundance he has already given to us. Giving is an expression of our thankfulness and praise Worship Attendance Week 1 2 3 4 5 March 158 166 136 159 186 Average Attendance YTD 165 Don t be afraid, for I am with you. Don t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 $9,000 $8,000 $7,000 $6,000 $5,000 $4,000 $3,000 $2,000 1,000 March Tithes Week 1 2 3 4 5 $25,303.42 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $5,000 Bible Study Attendance Week 1 2 3 4 5 March 85 92 92 87 90 Average Attendance YTD 89 Prayer Service Week 1 2 3 4 5 March 13 9 9 9 9 Average Attendance YTD 12 Missions YTD Income & Expense... Tithe Income $5,444.08 Expenses Over/Under Expense Budget Over/ Under Budget January 19,391.43 26,133.91-6,742.48 25,303.42-5,911.99 February 18,835.41 21,191.06-2,355.65 25,303.42-6,468.01 March 23,971.97 24,516.00-544.03 25,303.42-1,331.45 Cooperative Program 2,018.54 Sacramento Bapt Region Network 2,018.54 California Family Council 250.00 World Hunger 96.00 Heart of Ukraine 0 California Missions 0 Lottie Moon 680.00 Annie Armstrong 0 Disaster Relief 96.00 ECBC Missions 285.00 Total Mission Gifts 5,444.08 YTD 62,198.81 71,840.97-9,642.06 75,910.26-13,711.45
Website www.elcaminobaptist.org La Roca Ministries "Serving Jesus Christ in Tijuana Mexico" El Camino Baptist Church s Mission s Team is planning a Mission Trip this summer to Tijuana Mexico to partner with La Roca Ministries. About La Roca Ministries... 2805 El Camino Ave Sacramento CA 95821 Worship Service @ 10:30 am Church Calendar La Roca Ministries reaches out to touch people s lives that are devastated by poverty, neglect and despair. These people find themselves enslaved to drugs and alcohol and living in the streets of Tijuana, Mexico. Our desire is to mirror Christ s compassion and concern to these people. It has been said, give a person a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a life. We believed in teaching people how to fish. We want to see lives transformed and we believe that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 4-1 6:30 pm New Small Group Study Choose Joy Swanson s home 4-11 6:30 pm Ladies Game Night Suite C 4-12 9:00 am Church Clean-Up 4-13 10:30 am 4-18 6:00 pm Stations of the Cross 4-20 10:30 am Easter Sunday The Story Musical Our program seeks to help rebuild lives by making disciples; raising up men, women and teens as future leaders and missionaries, and sending them forth to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. You are making a difference today and for eternity! SATURDAY April 12th 9am Noon We are getting our property ready for Easter Sunday. Plan to come out and help us do a good cleaning, inside and out. Palm Sunday with a special feature by our children Good Friday Service For More Information Visit our website at www.elcaminobaptist.org