Church Life Welcome Home! West Hampton Baptist Church Volume 59, Issue 2 The Time is Now (Why We Can t Wait) Thoughts on MLK Day 2016 (January 18 th ) One of my goals for 2016 is to read at least 1 book every week for the whole year. Some books are longer than others. Some I fly through (Can You Drink the Cup? By Henri J.M. Nouwen), and some I walk through (A Farewell to Mars by Brian Zahnd). There are some books that will probably take me all year to read like...the Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard and Paul and His Recent Interpreters by N.T. Wright. The goal is not to rush through as many books as possible without taking in the information, without being changed. The goal is very much to be shaped in a new way by the time the year is up. This is especially true when it comes to the Bible. We don t read the Bible for information, but for transformation. This week s book is Why We Can t Wait by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., published in 1963. Already this book has broken into my core with truth that is urgent and relevant today. Initially, I am struck by how far we seem to have come and yet how far we have to go. The book includes Dr. King s letter from the Birmingham jail addressed to My Dear Fellow Clergymen. I read it and I repented. I repented for ever being silent on issues of injustice. I repented for ever being slow to act on behalf of anyone who is oppressed or in need. Dr. King wrote, Justice too long delayed is justice denied When you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of nobodiness then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. The timing of my reading this book was GOD ordained. I was planning on diving into Willard s Divine Conspiracy, when I looked at the bookshelf in my study and saw this book I bought early last year but never read. There was no voice from heaven audibly saying, Brian, read this. To be honest, I thought to myself, This book by Dr. King would be appropriate to read on MLK day. Little did I know how much GOD would speak to me through the prophetic voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this day that I begin to prepare my pre-planned sermon for Sunday, January 24 th. You see, I m preaching a sermon entitled, The Time is Now from the text found in the gospel according to Mark, Mark 1:14-15. Injustice still thrives in our communities, and Jesus came to show us a new way, the way of being truly human. This Way inaugurated through Jesus is expressed by His people who form a worshipping and just society known as the Kingdom of GOD. The Jesus Way comes to end injustice and oppression. The Jesus Way provides for the needy and restores dignity and value to the neglected and forgotten. The Jesus Way gives hope to the hopeless and shares His home with the homeless. The Jesus Way turns sorrow into joy and brings healing to those in pain. And the Jesus Way has already begun. We, the Body of Christ, are called to live this Way. We are called to not just loosen the straps of the yoke (the system) of oppression, to set people free, but we are called to break the yoke (the system) that causes oppression [Isaiah 58:6]. Since 1963, I feel like we have made progress. We have loosened the straps of the yoke. But we still have a ways to go. We must break the yoke. We must break the system that causes oppression and injustice. We must show the world a better way, the Jesus Way, and we can t wait. The time is always ripe to do right. Dr. King The time is now. Pastor Brian
2 Women s Missionary Union Hello Mission Church Family; Happy is the Heart that Loves God! Looking at the month of February we will focus on the many areas of the Women s Missionary Union, beginning with Focus Week February 7 th 14 th. We will Kick-off with the Souper Bowl of Caring collection on Sunday, Feb 7 th. Join us in helping with this campaign against hunger by bringing in a non-perishable food item and donate $1.00 for a WHBC/WMU soup recipe. Everyone is invited to join us for the Churchwide Lunch of Love on Sunday, February 14 th @ 12:00 in the fellowship hall. Experience the love of your church family through sweet mission moments that we have done. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $1.50 for kids 12 & under, and will be on sale both Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights Please continue to pray for our children as we celebrate Children s Ministry Day on Wednesday, February 10 @ 6:45 7:45pm. This will be a wonderful time for the children to lead us, as we give back to others in the community. Show God s love this month in praying, and giving to missions. A Sister of the Savior, Eula Parks Churchwide Mission Action: H.E.L.P. Community Assistance Collecting: Bars of Soap WMU CALENDAR: Feb. 7 Feb. 7-14 Souper Bowl of Caring collection day Focus on Women s Missionary Union week & Kleenex Please put in WMU cart in the Atrium before February 21. February 10 Children s Ministry Day Event @ 6:45-7:45pm February 14 Churchwide Lunch of Love Soup & Salad lunch @ 12:00pm WOMEN ON MISSION MEETINGS FOR FEBRUARY: All groups will meet on Sunday, February 14 th, @ 12:00pm for the Lunch of Love meal, also other dates listed below. Sisters in Service Monday Feb. 1 @ Church 6:30pm Quilting Tuesday Feb. 9 @ Church 9:00am Hands of Service Wednesday Feb. 17 @ Church 5:30pm Scrapbook Saturday Feb. 20 @ Church 9:00am Quilting Saturday Feb. 27 @ Church 9:00am mymission Sunday Feb. 28 @ Church 12:30pm WHBC CHURCHWIDE Lunch of (Sharing sweet Missional moments) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 TH 12 NOON Tickets: $5.00 Adults $1.50 Kids MENU: Potato Soup or Broccoli & Cheese Soup, Salad, Bread & Dessert
February Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 3 14 Valentines Day 1 Staff Anniversary: Lillian Gatling, 14 yrs. 2 Groundhog Day 7 1pm-SALT meeting 5pm-Deaf Super Bowl Party 12:30pm-Churchwide Missions Lunch 21 GOD LOVES YOU! Youth Fundraiser: Stew & Q To Go 5pm-Youth Winter Jam Concert 28 29 8 9 12pm-Sr. Adult Covered Dish Lunch 9am-Quilting Ministry Focus on WMU Week January 7-14 3 5pm Dinner: Meatloaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans, B&D Kids. Same 5:30-CPR Class Blood Pressure checks 10 15 Presidents Day 16 17 5pm-Dinner:BBQ Baked Chicken, Rice, Glazed Carrots, B&D Kids: Chicken Nuggets 6:45pm-Children s Ministry Day 5pm-Dinner: Shepard's Pie, Tossed Salad, B&D -Kids: Hamburger 5:30-CPR Class 7:45pm-Finance Mtg. 22 23 24 Dinner: Sub Sandwich, Macaroni Salad, Baked Beans, Dessert -Kids: Same 4 6pm-FRESH/Basic Herbalism class 5 6 11 12 13 18 19 TBA-Youth Lock-In 20 25 26 27 2016 9am-Scrapbooking Ministry 9am-Quilting Ministry
4 The Youth and WMU will be collecting cans of soup or non-perishable food items through Feb 7th. Donate a $1 and receive a copy of a delicious soup recipe from one of the fabulous cooks of West Hampton s WMU! Save the Date! Children s Ministry Day (night) Wednesday, February 10, 2016 @ 6:45-7:45pm In the fellowship hall For all children age 3 years through 5 th grade. The Children will come together to bake, make, and pack special items for different groups both here at the church and in the community. Teaching even the youngest ones to give of themselves. Vacation Bible School: Cave Quest August 1-5, 2016 Please be praying about and seeking how God will use you this summer! Questions see: Carrie McGough & Kelly Cooke Weekly Schedule Sunday 8:30 am Celebration Worship 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Contemporary Worship Deaf Worship Monday 6:00 pm Praise Band Rehearsal Tuesday 10:00 am Staff Meeting 11:00 am Senior Adult Choir 7:00 pm Rendezvous (Young Adults) Wednesday 5:00 pm Dinner 5:45 pm Elevate Youth Fellowship B206 Deaf Bible Study 6:00 pm Preschool & Children s Choirs Elevate Youth Worship B206 Adult Teachers D120 A Time of Prayer D119 Covenant Members Class (begins 17th) Sign Language (ASL 1.3) D226 Sign Language (Beginners) D227 6:45 pm Mission Friends (Preschool) RA s & GA s (Grades 1-5) Elevate Youth Missions Women s Bible Study D115 Deaf Adult Choir Rehearsal 7:45 pm Celebration Choir Rehearsal Thursday 10:00 am Bible Study 11:30 am Industrial Park Lunch Ministry Clothes Closet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every 1st Tuesday 12:00 pm Senior Adult Covered Dish Lunch Every 1st Wednesday 5:30 pm Blood Pressure checks Every 2 nd Tuesday & 4 th Saturday 9:00 am Quilting Ministry Every 3 rd Saturday 9:00 am Scrapbooking Ministry Every Month on the 1st Thursday 6:00 pm F.R.E.S.H/Basic Herbalism Class
5 Senior Adult Covered Dish Lunch Tuesday, Feb. 2 @ 12noon (Groundhog Day) Bring a dish to share and enjoy some great fellowship with other senior adults. NEW CLASS starting Wednesday, February 17 th We are launching the Covenant Members Class (CMC) that we believe will be an essential part of our church moving forward. The goal of this class is the unification and edification of the church body, which we believe is critical for the life of a healthy church (Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13). CMC will serve as an introduction to the core beliefs, values, and behaviors of our church. This will be a wonderful way to engage in conversation and ask questions. We re looking forward to the dialogue! We encourage all church members to sign up for this class. We ll offer it at various times throughout the year to ensure everyone is available to participate. CMC will hopefully serve as the jumping off point for our church to enter into a covenantal commitment of intentional discipleship that goes beyond the classroom, beyond the sanctuary, and beyond the church walls. If interested, see Pastor Brian or Pastor Kevin for more details. Let s get healthy! 1st Thursday of every month @ 6pm in the Fellowship Hall. F.R.E.S.H./Basic Herbalism Class Learn to use culinary herbs to make simple remedies and live a more healthy, frugal lifestyle. Save the Date: Sept 18-25, 2016 Carnival Cruise to Bermuda Departing from Baltimore, MD Deposit $250 due by April 7, 2016 Final Payment due by June 21, 2016 3 rooms to choose: $915.41; $930.41; $1,205.41 per person plus $84 gratuity per person Church van transportation provided, but space is limited. Questions: see Christina Young (757)208-4555 msice4040@aol.com Men s Work Day Saturday, March 19 @ 9am Everyone can join the men of the church as we repair, refresh & renew areas of our church home. Questions? Contact Shane Cooke (Men s Ministry Chairman)
6 W e s t H a m p t o n B a p t i s t C h u r c h 6 3 1 A b e r d e e n R d H a m p t o n, V A 2 3 6 6 1 P h o n e : 7 5 7-826- 5772 E - m a i l : o f f i c e @ w e s t h a m p t o n b a p t i s t. o r g W e b S i t e : w w w. w e s t h a m p t o n b a p t i s t. o r g NON PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID HAMPTON, VA PERMIT #793 R e t u r n S e r v i c e R e q u e s t e d If you would like to be taken off this mailing list, please contact us. You can also access this Newsletter on our website. 2015/2016Giving Back to God Date Worship Sunday School Budget Heart for the House Dec. 20 260 245 $9,453.77 $1,281.11 Dec. 27 211 176 $6,975.00 $586.00 Dec. 31 $6,005.60 $1,172.00 Jan. 3 242 218 $12,824.62 $1,474.50 Jan. 10 238 220 $7,057.45 $905.50 YTD 2015 given to Budget: $517,178.30 2015 Budget: $599,629.94 YTD 2015 given to Heart for the House: $53,513.52 YTD 2016 given to Budget: $19,882.07 2016 Budget: $618,764.85 YTD 2016 given to Heart for the House: $2,380.00