Liberty Baptist Church Newsletter Liberty Rings May 2018 Liberty Baptist Church Pastor Stan Anderson 112 Walnut Hill Rd Bristol, Tennessee 37620 423-764-5673 WWW.LIBERTY-ONLINE.ORG NEW Sunday Morning Sermon Series - in the Book of Romans Biblical Truth Matters Inside this issue: AWANA Graduate Sunday Vacation Bible School Ladies Corner Student Ministry News Missions 4 Bulletin Board National Day of Prayer Calendar 6 LBC Birthdays 6 2 3 5 Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Hardly a day goes by without God s reminder that life is short and unpredictable. Thankfully God also reminds me that He is eternal, completely trustworthy, and absolutely unchangeable. He is our Rock in an ever-changing world. For this month s newsletter I felt compelled to share an article I recently wrote for the Bristol Herald Courier. I hope you will read it carefully and be blessed. What is Your Life? Pastor s Paragraph, May 2018 For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14 In case you missed the news, the oldest person on earth died recently. As reported in the Bristol Herald Courier, Nabi Tajima died Saturday, April 21, in the Japanese town of Kikai at the age of 117. The report revealed that she had become the world s oldest person seven months ago after the death of Violet Brown in Jamaica, also at the age of 117. Such longevity is remarkable, and yet it is a reminder that even a long earthly life eventually comes to an end. Also a life of 117 years is actually brief in comparison to eternity. The Bible contains several images to describe the brevity of life, one of which is a vapor. This image may refer either to a puff of smoke or a person s breath that appears for a moment in cold air. Human life is also likened in Scripture to a fast-moving eagle, a swift ship, a handbreadth, the removal of a shepherd s tent, a dream, sleep, a shadow, a weaver s shuttle, grass that is cut down, and water spilt on the ground. When asked about life s biggest surprise, the late Billy Graham replied it was unquestionably the brevity of his life. Life is not only brief, it is uncertain. It may extend 70 or 80 years or even beyond 100 for some individuals, but there are no guarantees. The Bible cautions us: Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth (Prov. 27:1). While life on earth is uncertain, death is certain. We know not when we will die or where we will die or how we will die, but we know the day of our death is sure. Having come through April we were reminded that two things in life are certain death and taxes! As a matter of fact three things are certain: death, taxes, and judgment. Scripture says: it is appointed for men once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Moses, a man who lived 120 years, wrote this prayer: So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Ps. 90:12). If we understand the brevity and uncertainty of life as well as the certainty of death and judgment, we are in a better position to live wisely. Life is a gift from our Creator to be used for His glory and pleasure (Rev. 4:11). Life graciously provides the opportunity to know our Creator through Jesus Christ the Mediator and Savior (1 Tim. 2:5). When our earthly life is over there will be certain judgment and eternal existence in either Heaven or Hell. Our life on earth is a mere vapor that appears for a little while and is then gone, but the consequences of life s choices are eternal; therefore, live and choose wisely. Love to all, Pastor Stan
Ladies Night of Fellowship- Thursday, May 17 th, 6:30pm 8:30pm Ladies of all ages are welcome to join us for an evening of fellowship. Bring your daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor, or friend, and come join us for a deligh ul evening. A light dinner will be served. Please RSVP including your name using the response form in the Sunday bulle n or contact Marie Younce. Wednesday, May 2 nd Students 3 rd -12 th Graders will be serving at the Coalition 4 Kids Organization in Johnson City, TN. We will be on altered schedule that night. All Students have been given a detailed info sheet pertaining to this outreach. You don t want to miss out on this wonderful opportunity to serve other children in our area. (We will still have class for 1 ½-2 nd Graders. Parents please see your information sheet with all details) We invite you to be a part of our Youth Sunday on Sunday, May 6 th during both Morning Worship Services. We are looking forward to a wonderful morning of worshiping the Lord. Please be in prayer for our Students as they prepare for this special day. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication to The Lord. (Students please look at your practice schedule given out on Wednesday, April 25 th ) Wednesday, May 9 th, May 16 th, and May 30 th Students ages 4-12 th Grade please meet at 6:00 p.m. in the MPC for prayer and then we will be dismissing to various practices. Tiny Jamsters 1 ½-3 years old please meet at 6:40 in the MPC for practice. We will also be celebrating all May Birthdays on Wednesday, May 9 th. All Wednesday Night Student Classes will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23 rd. Students 1 1/2 yrs-6 th Grade please meet in the MPC. 7 th -12 th Grade please meet in The Loft. If you are interested in helping with our Summer Students this summer we will have an important meeting on Sunday, May 20 th at 5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. We are gearing up for our Summer Students and we would love for you to be a part of it. Summer Students will begin on Sunday, May 27 th at 7:00 p.m. All Students will meet Student Ministry Directors Contact Information Josh Bowman: (423) 797-0359 Mary Bowman: (423) 341-1582 bgbowman@hotmail.com Facebook- Liberty Baptist Student Ministry Church Office: (423) 764-5673 www.liberty-online.org Parents, We want to thank you for entrusting us with your student. We are humbled to be serving all students here at Liberty. We provide many classes and programs to meet the spiritual needs of all the Students we minister too. We consider it a great honor to teach, love on, lead, and spend time with the Students that God has brought to us!! Please feel the freedom to give us a phone call, text, or email us with any questions you may have. We love you and we love our great God. It is By His Grace and For His Glory that we can humbly Train the Next Generation of Christian Warriors to Know, Love, and Serve Him!!! In Christ s Love, Josh & Mary Bowman, LBC Student Ministry Directors YOUTH SUNDAY MAY 6TH 8:30 & 11:00 AM in the Sanctuary and enjoy Worship time with your family then we will dismiss in the Lobby area for lesson time. We will offer classes 1 ½-12 th Grade. We are looking forward to another wonderful summer of pouring into these students. We will have various fun activities throughout the summer. Please see your Student Ministry Calendar for more details. Liberty Rings Page 2
We have had a blast this year in AWANA, but sadly it is coming to an end for this 2017-2018 year. We pray your Students hide and treasure all their memory verses close in their hearts. We have a few more weeks left and we pray we can finish strong. It is not too late to get your Student involved in our AWANA Program. We offer classes for age s 1 1/2-12th Grade. There is a class for everyone. We meet weekly in the Sanctuary at 6:00 p.m. Please remember your BIBLE, book, offering, uniform, and a friend. We have several upcoming events. Sunday, MAY 27th We want to invite everyone to our Annual AWANA End of the Year Picnic on Sunday, May 27th immediately following the 11:00 AM Worship Service at Steele s Creek Park. Lunch will be provided just bring a bag of chips and a dessert to share! This VBS Week Sunday, June 10th-Friday, June 15th 6:00-8:30 PM nightly event is open to the entire church family! Come out and support our Students and celebrate a job well done this year!! (Side Note: we have reserved the Splash Pad Shelter. Please let your students bring clothes or a one piece swim suit to enjoy the splash pad. There is parking at the Splash Pad Pavilion for everyone. Please bring $2.00 per vehicle to get into the park.) AWANA Leaders Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Collection Night: We are collecting items for our AWANA Store. We are in need of boys, girls, men s, and woman s items. Sunday, May 13 th : Last night of regular AWANA. AWANA Store night. Happy Mother s Day!!! Sunday, May 20 th : AWANA Awards Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. All Students and Leaders please be in your uniform and nice church slacks or a dress at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary. You must be in uniform to receive your award. We invite everyone to come out and support our Students as they have worked very hard this year. Students, we are so proud of all your accomplishments and proud of your dedication to learn and study God s Word. We appreciate all our dedicated Leaders as they faithfully teach The Word week after week and love on our Students and encourage them. We appreciate each and every one of YOU!!! VBS 2018 Game On - is right around the corner. We would love for you to volunteer and be a part of a wonderful ministry opportunity for our students and families. Listed below are some important dates to remember. We cannot wait to get our GAME ON!!! We appreciate everyone coming out for our VBS Luncheon. If you missed the luncheon, please contact Josh or Mary Bowman to get your packet of info and Pre-Registration Forms. VBS Shirt Distribution: Sunday, June 3rd after both morning services out in the foyer. (All shirts must have been prepaid and preordered by April 29th) VBS Work Nights: June 4th - June 8th VBS Promotion Day in the Community: Tuesday, June 5th from 6:00-8:00 pm VBS Kickoff: Saturday, June 9th from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. VBS Musical by our LBC Student Ministry on Sunday, June 10th 8:30 & 11:00 AM We will have a meal again this year from 5:00-5:45PM Sunday - Thursday VBS Family Night will be on Friday, June 15th at 6:00PM with a meal to follow Attention all High School and College Graduates MAY 20, 2018 Graduate Recognition Sunday If you are graduating from High School or College this spring we would like to recognize your accomplishment on Sunday, May 20, 2018 during the 11:00 a.m. worship service, please pick up a form from the information desk or contact the church office and return it no later than Wednesday May 9th, to JoAnne or the church office. Please contact the church office for more information. Liberty Rings Page 2
Potter s Field - Update from Janet Chaney, LBC Missionary to Thailand In April, we had once again the annual opportunity to use two major holidays as a teaching tool in presenting the gospel in our groups and to friends and neighbors. Easter belongs to us as believers and therefore is not celebrated at all in Thailand. No Cross, no bunny, nothing. It s a regular day and most people have never even heard of Easter, much less its meaning and significance. You know you are in a very dark place and that millions of people have been blinded and deceived when the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior is absent and totally missing. That, of course is the core of the gospel and without it we have nothing at all. I remember the first time I taught about the resurrection, 3 Easters ago, and my translator had to stop me when I said that Jesus is the only One who ever rose from It is not too late to get involved. We would love to invite your student and family to be a part of our New York Mission Trip that is the grave (because Buddhists believe that many have risen from the grave.) Wow, what a key deception the enemy has strangled them with! Most of the people in our regular groups now understand the meaning and gospel of Easter but it was our first time to explain it to our group in the Camp. Two weeks after our #1, primary holiday for Christians there came the #1, primary holiday for Thai Buddhist called Songkran. It is the celebration of their new year, which is now the year 2561 as they observe the Buddhist calendar. Part of the celebration festivities of Songkran include a ritual of splashing water on the general public, and taking bowls of holy water to dip on monks and elders in the family. This symbolizes a washing away and cleansing of their wrongs and blessings for the new year. It is a time of purification. We were able to use this ritual of theirs to explain to them how nothing can make us clean or pure, and nothing can wash away our sins nothing but the blood of Jesus. For many that heard, this clicked with them as we know they realize that the water they are using is not even clean enough to drink, much less cleanse them! Again it is a lie of the enemy to have them believe that is all it takes is a little splash of water from a bucket or hose to make you pure. We wonder, how can they believe such nonsense? Well, in this kingdom of darkness where Satan rules, the people have been blind and deceived for centuries. It is particularly at these times like the holidays I mentioned that it would appear that our enemy has gotten the victory. It s a time where a mighty war is raging in the spiritual realm for the souls of these lost in darkness and a time when the enemy digs in deeper to keep his foothold. So for us, we labor more intensely and pray more fervently that our God will break down the brass gates and iron bars that keep people imprisoned in their minds believing the lies. We beseech the Holy Spirit for more of His power to break forth and shatter the stony hearts with the light of the world- Jesus and His gospel. It remains their only hope, and ours. Thank you for your prayers for us and the people here in the fields of Thailand! NY MISSION TRIP Saturday, July 21st - Saturday, July 28th coming up. We will be hosting a VBS, participating in some Beach Ministry, and doing small projects throughout the church. You do not want to miss out on this wonderful opportunity to be a light for The Lord in NY. The dates are set in stone and it is not too late to get the information sheet. If you have any questions or want more details please let us know. Please note a $50 (Non-Refundable) 2nd Payment is due Sunday, May 6th. Please turn in your money to Josh or Mary Bowman in a labeled envelope. Liberty Rings Page 4
LIBERTY BULLETIN BOARD Nathaniel Phillips LBC FOOD PANTRY May 7th @ 2:00 pm Volunteers please arrive at 12:30 pm Congratulations! Thomas & Hillary Godsey on the birth of their daughter Victoria Rose born April 10th Blessed Great Grandmother Ann Godsey TIMELESS TREASURES Join us this month on Saturday, May 12th, for a covered dish meeting in the MPC Everyone age 50 & Up is invited. LBC Financial Info YTD Budget Needs: $142,239. YTD Budget Giving: $148,282. YTD Building Fund Giving: $ 6,323. Current Loan Balance: $319,215.77 MAY 3, 2018 Cumberland Square Park Bristol, VA At 12:00 Noon Anthony & Elizabeth Booher on the birth of their son Easton Blake Born April 24th Blessed Grandparent s Ed & Becky Booher Great Grandparent s Jack & O Dear Booher Memorial Day Service On Sunday, May 27th during the 8:30 & 11:00 AM Worship services, we would like to remember the men and women who have served in our Military that are at rest. We hope you will join us for this special Worship service. Mark your Calendar NOW and plan to join us for a special celebration service on Sunday, June 3rd for Pastor Stan s 20 year anniversary at Liberty Baptist Church Immediately after the 11:00 AM Worship service we will have a hot dog lunch in the MPC. Church family please bring a dessert. Liberty Rings Page 5
Mark Your Calendar May 2018 May 3rd- National Day of Prayer May 6th - Youth Sunday May 7th - LBC Food Pantry May 12th - Timeless Treasures May 13th - Mother s Day May 17th - LBC Ladies Night May 20th- AWANA End of Year Ceremony May 20th- Graduate Recognition Sunday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 May 22nd - Haven of Rest May 27th - AWANA Picnic Summer Student Ministry starts 27 28 29 30 31 May 28th - Memorial Day BAKER, Linda 05/09 RHOTEN, Jeff 05/10 JOHNSON, Will 05/12 HURD, Doug 05/13 WARREN, Thomas 05/13 MUSICK, Amanda 05/14 HANSHEW, Travis 05/16 JONES, Katelyn 05/16 DILLARD, James 05/19 SALYERS, Leah 05/19 DENTON, Kevin 05/01 DUCKETT, Karen 05/01 BOURNE, Jacob 05/02 CROSS, Pat 05/03 HICKS, Jim 05/03 WORLEY, Martha 05/04 BEVERLY, Jim 05/06 URBANI, Mary Beth 05/06 TATE, Frances 05/07 GRAHAM, Seth 05/08 JONES, Alice 05/08 BOARDWINE, Justin 05/21 GODSEY, Jason 05/24 TRENT, Allysa 05/25 FRITZ, Cindy 05/28 ROBINSON, Matthew 05/28 STOUT, Peggy F. 05/30