September 2013 Published Monthly Issue Number 130 First News 1320 Arbor Drive Decatur, Il 62526 Phone 217.875.8034 Fax 217.875.8141 www.decaturfbc.com decaturfbc@comcast.net Updated calendar on Web www.decaturfbc.com Our Staff Wayne Mollohan Interim Pastor Mike Waltenberger Minister of Music Tina Erwin Office Manager Richard Moreau Custodian September Activities September 4 th Choirs Resume Team Bell Choir New Members Welcome! Pie Night! September 9 th Zumba 5:30 p.m. September 15 th National Back to Church Sunday ABW Luncheon and Bake Sale 12:00 p.m. September 19 th Senior Day At Lake Springfield Baptist Camp September 26 th Boards will meet at 5:30 p.m. Executive Council 6:30 p.m. National Back to Church Sunday September 15, 2013 Coffee and donuts In the Gathering Hall Between Worship and Sunday School Grace Notes 2 Bench Notes 3 ABW, Birthdays, and 4-5 Announcements Calendar 6
I can hardly believe that it is September already. It seems like the summer has just flown by. However as I look back, there have been a lot of things happening this summer. Perhaps that is why it seems to have been so short. We ve been busy, so it has passed quickly. At any rate, the kids are back in school and summer is history. It is time for us to start planning and thinking about the fall activities. With that in mind, Pastor Mike and I are planning a couple of things this month for you to get involved with. The first is national Back-to-Church Sunday. I have been preaching, teaching and writing much about the importance of church, having God in your life, and church attendance. But on September 15 th, Pastor Mike and I, in conjunction with national Back-to-Church Sunday, are going to make an all out effort to emphasize those important facts in the life of First Baptist and our members. Between now and then, you will be seeing a series of videos and hear much to encourage your participation. If you have not been attending lately, for whatever reason, then I want to extend my personal invitation to you. You re invited! Come and join us on September 15 th. For those of you who have been attending regularly, I want you to think of someone, a member here at First Baptist, who has not been attending lately. Then I want you to call them and talk to them. Invite them to come on September 15 th and return to the fellowship we all enjoy here. I will have a special message that day. So put on your thinking cap! Think of that one person you want to see return to regular attendance at First Baptist, and give them a call! The second thing we are planning is for our Seniors. September 19 th is Senior Day at Lake Springfield Baptist Camp. Activities start at 9:00 AM with my personal favorite coffee and donuts. We will take the church bus van so we can all travel together. It will be a great day full of fun activities. Seniors, plan on going. Registration information is included in this newsletter. So get registered and we will all go over together in the bus. As you can tell by my plans for September, my focus (as is my focus all along) is on relationships; our relationship with God, and our relationship with each other. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, we are gentle among you like a mother caring for her little children. Just as a child needs a mother, we need each other. This need for others is rooted deep within our souls. God planned it that way. That's why God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18). This need for others is God-given and deeply rooted in our lives. I firmly believe that before we can be a person of value and become all that we were intended to become, we first must have our social needs met. We must be a part of a group, affiliating with others, experiencing caring and sharing relationships. Paul goes on in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 to say, We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Folks, we dare not take relationships lightly. To survive in a cold and cruel world requires deep relationships. But those relationships do not just happen, they require effort. We have to do more than just reach out to others; we have to share our lives with others as well. This truth was one of the secrets of Paul's establishment of supportive relationships. He was a man that every time he wrote to a church, he would always call by name two, three, or four people that were very close to him. He had developed significant relationships with these people. It is not enough to admit we need each other, or say, "Oh, a few friends would be nice." We must commit ourselves to getting beneath the surface talk and become interested and accountable to each other. Authenticity occurs when the masks come off, conversations get deep, hearts get vulnerable, lives are shared, accountability is invited, and tenderness flows. Believers in the body of Christ become assimilated together as brothers and sisters. Assimilation is becoming absorbed in the lives of others as an active participant, relating to, sharing with, and caring for others. Paul did not erect barriers. He was not aloof. He opened his life to others. The fact is, we can't simply cheer people on and give them our best wishes. We have to make room for them in our lives. When we make room for others in our lives the walls of indifference and apathy come down. When we make room for others we discover the best of others and the best in ourselves. And folks, that is what Church is all about. Sin is our failure to grant others this plea for community. We would never be guilty of committing that sin, if we would build authentic relationships. My sincere prayer is that we would use the rest of this year to build authentic community through genuine relationships here at First Baptist. Pastor Wayne. 2
September 15 is a special day in the life of our church as we gather to celebration National Back to Church Sunday. Thousands of congregations around the country joined to movement to encourage folks to return to the practice of regular worship. Certainly there is nothing that blesses our lives more than being in God s house and worshiping our Creator and Savior. If you ve been in worship recently, you ve likely witnessed some of the great videos on this subject. We hope that you will take this as an opportunity to be worship that day, and to bring along some friends and family members. This is the month when we return to our regular rehearsal schedule. It will be great to have the choir back in the loft beginning September 8. Our first rehearsals for Carillon Bell Choir and will be on Wednesday, September 4, at 6:00 p.m. and respectively. And you know that somehow.there will be some pie involved. New members are always welcomed. Please speak to me if you would like to join our faithful band of singers. On other notes: Many thanks to everyone who helped with special music during the summer months. We appreciate your sacrifices of time and ministry and thank you for the blessings you gave to us. On September 8 Bell 4 our handbell ensemble, will contribute to worship for the first time. Members include, Stephany Smith, Megan Redden, Beth Slate, and your minister of music. Watch for announcements about Zumba classes. We had such a great time and GREAT EXERCISE last summer in Zumba classes at MUSICAMP, that we are working to offer classes here at church this fall. We ll have more information as it is available. Zumba is designed for men and women 50 and older for exercise, movement and fun. Many thanks to everyone on the Board of Christian Education for the Last Blast of Summer event.we had a superb time! Great help with the youth in the setting up and tear down so kudos to them as well. Lord, You have been our dwelling place for all generations **.and we praise You for Your faithfulness to us. As we move into these weeks, continue to guide Your Church and each of us that we would be more like You and less like ourselves. Help us reflect the Light of Christ in everything we are and all that we do. We ask this humbly in Jesus name, amen. - Mike Waltenberger *** Psalm 90 3
September 10 th Ada Tharp Circle will meet at Church at 1;00 p.m. 5 Kimberly Erwin 6 James Ground Megan Reed 7 Gordon Moore 8 George Vest 10 Mary Priyatmo 13 Steve Olson 15 Jessica Votaw 16 Sondra Cooley 16 Emily Knuckles 19 Jim Holmes 20 Mason Sutton 22 Rosemary Tate 25 Shirley Davidson Clyde Masten 28 Kayla Stukins 29 Richard Moreau Dear Church Family, Your love and support during this tremendously difficult time is so greatly appreciated. Please know how much we appreciated the meal you prepared for us after the funeral. There are simply no words to thank you enough for the loving expression of sympathy you have given us. Thank you also for the beautiful plant. We are so deeply grateful. The Family of Glenn Thompson Dear First Baptist Church, Thank you for having us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and also for the flowers. --Pat and Courtney Nickey 2013 Senior Day Thursday, September 19, 2013 Lake Springfield Baptist Camp 9:00 a.m. Light Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Morning Program 1:15 p.m. Afternoon Program & Camp Tour 3:00 p.m. Head for Home Dr. Roger Brides How Baptists got to Illinois Cost:$15.00 per person Register by sending check to Lake Springfield Baptist Camp Attention: Margery Wilcoxen, Registar P.O. Box 556, Chatham, IL 62629 Or Register on Line at LSBConline@gmail.com 4
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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Labor Day Office Closed 3 4 Team 5 6 7 8 10:45 am Bible 6:00 p.m. Awakening 9 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 10 1:00 p.m. Ada Tharp Circle 11 Team rehearsal 12 13 14 15 National Back to Church Sunday 10:45 am Bible 11:00 a.m Worship at Primrose 11:45 a.m. Board of Christian Ed will meet 12:00 p.m. ABW luncheon and Bake Sale 6:00 p.m. Awakening 22 10:45 am Bible 6:00 p.m. Awakening 16 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 23 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 17 18 Team rehearsal 24 25 4:30 p.m. Worship Ministries Board meeting Team 19 Senior Day at Lake Springfield Baptist Camp 26 5:30 p.m. Boards will meet 6:30 p.m. Executive Council 20 21 27 28 29 10:45 a.m. Bible 6:00 pm AWAKENING 30 6