Rev. Ronald L. Bowens, Pastor Friendship s Voice Newsletter July 2013 Volume 3 Issue 4 In This Issue FBC Ministry Expo Page 1 Fruit of the Spirit Page 4 Tips for the Temple Page 6 Initial Sermon/Carter Page 7 Justice Williams Page 9 St. John Service Page 9 Baby Dedication Page 10 Upcoming Events Page 11 Ministers Staff Page 12 Service Opportunities Page 12 Newsletter Staff Page 13 Sunday School Info Page 13 How to contact us: Friendship Baptist Church 3375 Church Lane Duluth, GA 30096 (770) 497-8227 (office) (770) 497-9775 (fax) Email: fbcduluth@att.ne t FBC Ministry Expo On Saturday, June 22, 2013 (11:00am 2:00pm), the Unity Day Committee sponsored the first of three FBC Ministry Expos to be held this year. Twenty-five ministries were represented. Each ministry had tables and exhibits that provided extensive information on their ministries. The information included mission statement, officer/member listings, event highlights (including photos and video displays), sign-up sheets, and upcoming events. Deacon Michael and Sister Paula Patterson are the 2013 Unity Day Chairpersons. Deacon Patterson explained the purpose of the Expo is to (1) allow FBC members to gain knowledge of the various ministries in FBC, and (2) provides an opportunity for members to join the ministry (ministries) they believe God is calling them to in order to exercise their gifts and talents. Through the Ministry Expo, we all will be able to fulfill the motto for this year I Will Do More. Everyone was encouraged to wear the purple and white I Will Do More wrist band. If you do not have one, please see any member of the Unity Day Committee. The Music Ministry provided free t-shirt give away chances during the Expo. To win the prizes, the participants had to answer some trivia questions. One of the questions was: Who was the first FBC Deacon? Mother Baker (our resident historian) informed us that Deacon Brogden was the first Deacon (1948). He also donated the land on which the original church was built. Free food was provided for everyone in attendance, so no one went hungry! The Expo started with a powerful prayer by Rev. Al Gamble and ended with an impromptu praise break with the group singing I Will Bless the Lord (as the music played over the PA system during clean up time.) The time seemed to fly by so quickly. The next two Expos are scheduled for: Saturday, July 20, 2013 (9:00 am 12:00 noon) Saturday, August 24, 2013 (9:00 am 1:00 pm) Even if you are currently working in an area of ministry, make plans now to attend so that you can learn more about the FBC ministries. I am certain you will learn something new.
Breakfast Ministry FBC Ministry Expo Photo gallery Dance Ministry New Members Ministry Sunday School Ministry Unity Day Committee Singles Ministry Music Ministry Usher Ministry Outreach Ministry Transportation Ministry Money Matters Ministry Drama Ministry Women s Ministry Sound Ministry
FBC Ministry Expo Men s Ministry Photo gallery Education Ministry Communications Ministry Youth Ministry Media Ministry Shepherd s Care Ministry FBC Male Chorus Finance Ministry Health Ministry
The W T Page 4 of 13 Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) It is with the joy of Jesus that we share this article with you. Recently God has decided to focus our attention on growing in the fruit of the Spirit. And it is our desire to be all that the Lord would have us to be as His children. So, if you would dare to grow, travel with us and taste and see that the Lord is good! I would even go on to say that the word of God is indeed our necessary food, so as we desire the sincere meat of His word, we will begin to grow into all that He has planned for us to be. Let me ask you a question, do you yearn for a closer walk with God? For a greater understanding of what it means to walk and talk with Him? What about the marks of His presence on your life? Well, in the FBC Women s Ministry, we have been lead to read a book titled A Woman s Walk with God by Elizabeth George. In this book we are learning how to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. The first three fruit that changes hearts, families, and friendships are love, joy, and peace. Patience, kindness, and goodness desire the best for everyone. Last, but not least, the last three; faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control bring God s victory in life s most challenging moments. Shouldn t we be actively cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in our lives in order to reflect the glory of God and the beauty of Christ? The answer to all our questions would be yes, we would love to draw closer to gain a greater understanding of our Father and our brother Jesus Christ! So with that being said, here are some practical steps that can help us become more like Christ. First, we need to understand the fruit of the Holy Spirit and how it grows. Throughout the bible, the word fruit refers to evidence of what is within. If what s inside a person is good, then the fruit of that person s life will be good. But if what s inside is rotten, the fruit of that person s life will be bad. Any person who has received Jesus as Savior and Lord and has Christ living within will bear good fruit, the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11) as God shines forth in his/her life. The fruit of the Spirit has been described as those gracious habits which the Holy Spirit produces in the Christian. In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul lists these gracious habits. The fruit of the Sprit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Wow, how we need to grow up in all nine of these fruit. Let us continue to grow by understanding Abiding in Christ we must never lose sight of the fact that the bible teaches, There is none who does good, there is not even one. (Romans 3:12) Paul himself lamented, For I know that nothing good dwells in me; that is in my flesh. (Romans 7:18) It is only as we walk by His Spirit that we show forth Christ in our lives and God gives us the grace to do so as we abide in Him. To bear fruit for God s kingdom, we must abide in Christ. Such abiding has been defined as continued fellowship with the Lord.
Page 5 of 13 Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit FBC Women s Ministry meeting during Fruit of Gentleness session: Now, what does this look like? I m glad you asked. It looks like these four suggestions: 1. Spending time in God s Word is one step we can and should take daily time to abide in Christ. We must be diligent about spending time in God s word. There is no other way to know His thoughts, His ways, or His heart. 2. Spending time in prayer is another act of worship that makes it possible for you and me to commune with and abide in Christ. 3. Obeying God s commands enhances our abiding in Christ. Remember the word of God, If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love just as I have kept my Father s commandments, and abide in His love. In keeping His Father s commandments, Jesus stayed close to His Father, modeling for us obedience to our heavenly Father. 4. Renewing our commitment to Christ seems appropriate here as we prepare for greater growth. In the book of Romans, we read that all have sinned (3:23) and the wages of sin is death (6:23) and that God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (5:8) Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior? Have you crowned Him Lord of Lords? If you are not sure if the seed of faith has taken root in your heart, you may want to say a prayer of recommitment. Let us continue to make our election sure by staying unmovable in the word of God.
Page 6 of 13 Tips for the Temple Good Fats. For years, nutritionists and doctors have preached that a low-fat diet is the key to losing weight, managing cholesterol, and preventing health problems. But more than just the amount of fat, it s the types of fat you eat that really matter. Bad fats increase cholesterol and your risk of certain diseases, while good fats protect your heart and support overall health. Despite what you may have been told, fat isn t always the bad guy in the waistline wars. Bad fats, such as some saturated fats and trans-fats are guilty of the unhealthy things all fats have been blamed for weight gain, clogged arteries, and so forth. But good fats such as the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s have the opposite effect. As a matter of fact, healthy fats play a huge role in helping you manage your moods, stay on top of your mental game, fight fatigue, and even control your weight. The answer isn t cutting out the fat it s learning to make healthy choices and to replace bad fats with good ones that promote health and wellbeing. The following are examples of GOOD FATS: Olive oil Avocados Olives Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashew nuts), Peanut butter Walnuts sesame pumpkin seeds Flaxseed Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines) The following are examples of BAD FATS: Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough, packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn)
Page 7 of 13 Rev. Bowens with Min. Carter Min. Carter with Family Preaching the Word Initial Sermon of Minister John Earlier this year, Brother John Carter spoke for an Intercessory Prayer meeting. Those who heard him speak then were quite certain this young man knew the word of God and carried it not only on his lips but also in his heart. He fervently ministered at that Friday night gathering. So, when it was announced and highly publicized that he would be delivering his initial sermon, there was great excitement but very little surprise. On Sunday, April 21, 2013, Minister John Carter delivered his initial sermon. People gathered at the 3:00 o clock service in great numbers to hear him preach. Each of us sat in eager anticipation of the message. We listened as Deacon Larry Kinsey prayed a zealous prayer; Pastor Ronald Bowens heaped on more accolades to the wonder of this new son in the ministry; the Male Chorus sang, Lord, I Need You to Make a Way we, the congregation had no idea at that time how fitting that song would be for what followed. The moment had arrived. Minister John Carter took his place at the podium. His mother sat in the audience along with the rest of us as we watched and waited. And finally, he spoke. Minister Carter asked us to pray as he was out of his comfort zone. He was accustomed to being in the audience and watching Pastor Bowens preach from where he was now standing. As the seconds ticked away it seemed as though we were being suspended in time. Minister Carter kept his head down, peering at and shuffling through his material. Neither I nor the audience knew what was going on up there. All I could determine for sure was that he wasn t saying a word! (Not, a good sign for your first sermon). Finally, he started by saying, I have absolutely nothing to say. Oh my goodness I thought. But right away, the fire came Minister Carter reassured us that while he had absolutely nothing to say, the Lord truly did have something to say. I raised my head with great pride as my brother began to speak. The entire congregation was brought back to life! Minister Carter invited us to meet him in Exodus 33:19 and Exodus 34:6-7. There, he spoke from the topic, When the Goodness of the Lord Passes By. After prayer and giving thanks, Minister Carter began to minister yielding his all to the Holy Spirit. Minister Carter cautioned us to not get caught up with the light afflictions of life which could cause us to miss out on opportunities and even our life s calling. When we focus too hard on the tribulations we tend to forget his promises concerning our life. Minister Carter posed the question How can you tell when the goodness of the Lord passes by? He provided
Initial Sermon Page 8 of 13 Deacons lead worship Men s Choir singing Deacon Kinsey encourages Evg. Jackson encourages (Continued) the answer by telling us that when we find ourselves being anxious to get to bible study on Wednesday nights; when every time the doors of the church open you find yourself running in; when you find yourself making your way to the 7:30 am Sunday service. it s at those times you realize the goodness of the Lord is passing you by. You begin to realize that God has indeed shown you some grace and mercy. When your jobs and relationships prosper; when your bank account is good; when you wake up in your house or your apartment; when you have food in the fridge; when you walk outside and your car is there and not repossessed you know, it s the goodness of the Lord passing by! He escorted us through a conversation between the Lord and Moses. Moses and the Lord spoke face to face as a man speaks to his friend. When they spoke, God could see Moses but Moses could not see God. Moses asked God to see his glory; his physical presence. Because Moses was an upright man, he honored Moses request. There was a condition attached to God s promise to Moses and it was that Moses be ready. In Exodus 34:2 Moses was told to be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai presenting himself to God there on top of the mountain. Minister Carter cautioned us that we sometimes wait on the Lord to fulfill his promises to us but unlike Moses, we are not ready. He informed us that in order to be ready we might be required to leave some things behind: people; unequally yoked relationships; bad habits; addictions; fornication; adultery; and even being too busy. Not everything or everyone can accompany you to the mountain top - some things have to be left at the foot of the mountain. Next, in order to see the glory of the Lord pass by, we must learn to follow instructions. Moses rose up early and was equipped as the Lord had directed him. When the goodness of the Lord passes by, you will know because there will be a change. Leave some things behind. Follow instructions. My friend, my brother in Christ, Minister John Carter, thank you for answering your call and blessing the body of Christ the goodness of the Lord has surely passed by you.
Page 9 of 13 A Justice Williams A. Justice Williams Appointed 2013 Regional Teen Chaplain Congratulations to A. Justice Williams, age 18, on his recent appointment as the 2013 Regional Teen Chaplain for the Southeastern Region of Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated (Jack & Jill)! The Southeastern Region is comprised of Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee; with Georgia having the most chapters (12 chapters). Justice, a 2013 graduate of Loganville Christian Academy in Loganville, GA, joined Jack & Jill in September 2005. The mission of Jack & Jill is to promote the excellent preparation of succeeding generations of children as leaders, in all walks of life, so that they may attain their fullest potential as individuals, enjoy rewarding and fulfilling lives, and contribute to world peace, progress, and prosperity. When asked about the travel commitments for his new appointment, Justice said As Chaplain, my office requires me to serve at this year's Southeastern Region Teen Leadership Conference (June 26-30, 2013) in Birmingham, AL. Congratulations Justice! We are proud of you and look forward to many more great things from you in the future. St. John Ushered by FBC On May 19 th, 3 buses and a caravan of cars headed to St. John Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA. Despite the rain, Friendship (FBC) was not deterred because we had love to share with St. John for their Ushers Anniversary, and LOVE conquers all. Upon arrival we were served a banquet style meal before worship. Pastor Bowens was very pleased with the support of the FBC family. The theme, The Doorkeeper; Faithfully Representing God s Open Door Policy based on Matthew 25:13, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. The FBC Ushers honored God in their service. Our Men's Choir sang before Pastor Stephen Samuel introduced Pastor Bowens. Pastor preached from 1 Samuel 30:6 of David s anguish when Ziglag was pillaged, burned, and his family was placed in captivity. David was greatly distressed. But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. Pastor encouraged the Ushers to encourage themselves when they are met with adversities. There will be times when people rub them the wrong way, but for them not be dismayed or get agitated in order for it to affect their relationship with God. St. John was very grateful for our support and it was a pleasure serving them. Thanks to FBC Ushers for coming out in record numbers.
Page 10 of 13 Proverbs 22:6 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Baby Dedication verses Baby What is the difference in baby dedications and baby Christenings? This is a question asked when baby dedications are held at FBC. A baby dedication is a ceremony in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways. (Luke 18:16, Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:13-15) Dedicating a child acknowledges God s sovereignty not only over the child, but also the mother and father. Parents present their child before God and His people asking for grace and wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities and praying that their child may one day trust in God and accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Parents who make this vow of commitment are instructed to raise the child in the ways of God, and not according to their own ways. Some of the responsibilities include teaching and training the child in God's Word, demonstrating an example of godliness, disciplining according to God's ways, and praying earnestly for the child. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Proverbs 22:6) A baby christening or infant baptism is giving the child to God along with water immersion, pouring or sprinkling water over the head of the child, known as paedobaptism or pedobaptism, from the Greek word pais meaning child. This baptism takes the child into their adult years with no need for adult baptism; depending on the denomination. Most Christian churches practice baby dedication instead of christening or infant baptism because an infant cannot confess his/her sins at that age or make the decision to accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Baptism is for the remission of sins and infants are not capable of repenting. (Luke 3:3, Mark 1:4, Acts 13:24, Acts 19:4) Note: ALL must confess that Jesus is Lord, even these children when they are of age and can make their own decisions, whether to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior or not must make their own decision. Romans 3:21-23 says, But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, vs. 22, Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference ; vs.23, For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Page 11 of 13 Each member is asked to please support the I Will Do More Giving Campaign by giving $15 each Sunday (for 17 weeks). The goal by Unity Day is $100,000. Plan to be a part of all scheduled Unity Day events as we lift up the name of Jesus in the spirit of unity. More information will be available soon on the church website and in the church bulletin. Upcoming Events Amelia Brown July 13, 2013 (Saturday) - Join us in celebrating our 1 st Annual Teen Summit from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Ages: 13-19 years. The theme is: Mind, Body and Soul (based on 1 Thessalonians 5:23). To ensure eligibility for prizes, register in advance. Registration deadline is Wednesday, July 10, 2013. For information and registration, please contact Sis. King at collector1029@yahoo.com or Sis. Williams at curlie_w11@yahoo.com. July 13, 2013 (Saturday) - FBC Women s Ministry will meet at 9:00am. July 20, 2013 (Saturday) - FBC I Will Do More Ministry Expo in Fellowship Hall from 9:00 am 12:00 noon. This will be the 2 nd of 3 Expos in conjunction with Unity Day celebration. July 27, 2013 (Saturday) - FBC Annual Back to School Drive, sponsored by the FBC Outreach Ministry. We need your help to provide 250 school aged children with book bags filled with school supplies. Please donate pens, pencils, composition books, notebook paper, highlighters, erasers and calculator. Each Sunday (through July 21, 2013), there will be collection locations in the Fellowship Hall and Main Entry (outside of sanctuary). For more information, please contact the Outreach Ministry at outreachministry@friendshipduluth.org. By July 27, 2013 (Saturday) - FBC Singles Ministry will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 10:30am. All singles, men and women, ages 18 years and up are welcome! July 27, 2013 (Saturday) - Yahweh Bistro for Youth. Exciting details to follow! NOW through Tuesday, August 6, 2013 - FREE Summer Child Nutrition Program. For any child, age 18 years and younger ONLY, the FBC Outreach Ministry will provide a free lunch and snack each Monday through Friday. The times each day are as follows: 11:30 am 1:00 pm (Lunch) and 2:30 pm 3:30 pm (Snack). All meals will be served downstairs in the Heritage Church. To volunteer, or obtain further information, please contact Sis. Diana McGhee at 404-312- 1232 or Deacon Jack Leverett at 770-962-3039. You may also contact the FBC Outreach Ministry at outreachministry@friendshipduluth.org. August 24, 2013 (Saturday) - Combined Prayer Breakfast and FBC I Will Do More Ministry Expo will be held from 9:00 am 1:00 pm. This will be the 3 rd of 3 Expos in conjunction with Unity Day celebration. September 14, 2013 (Saturday) - FBC Golf Tournament will be held at Bear s Best Golf Course (Suwanee, GA). Unity Day event. Registration details to follow.
Page 12 of 13 Associate Ministers Minister Chris Colston Rev. Garfield Garner Rev. Al Gamble Rev. Eugene Graves Minister Shurron Green Elder John T. Hayes Rev. Alton Wilson Rev. Floyd Williams Min. Derrick Jones Opportunities to Serve The following are WEEKLY dates: Bible Study Wednesday 7:30pm (Series: The Seven Words of Worship began 3/6/13) Youth Bible Study Wednesday 7:45pm Intercessory Prayer Friday 7:00pm New Members Class Sunday 9:45am Sunday School (all ages) Sunday 9:45am Marriage Ministry Class Sunday 9:45am Sunday Worship Sunday 7:30am & 11:00am (Nursery & Kids Church allow the children to worship in their way) Recovery Ministry 7 days/24 hours Contact: Tim Staford Ministers of Evangelism Minister Amelia Brown Evangelist Geneva Burse Evangelist Karen DeLee Minister Roslyn Long Evangelist Denise Jackson Rev. Dr. Joeann Malone Evangelist Ruthell Morris Evangelist Deloris Williams The following are MONTHLY dates: Marriage Ministry Saturday (3 rd ) 5:00pm Singles Ministry Saturday (4 th ) 10:30am singlesministry@friendshipduluth.org Men s Ministry Saturday (1 st ) 7:30am Women s Ministry Saturday (2 nd ) 9:00am Health Ministry Saturday (2 nd ) 11:00am Shepherd s Care Ministry Saturday (3 rd ) 10:00am shepherdscareministry@friendshipduluth.org Education Ministry Monday (2 nd ) 7:00pm Communication Ministry Saturday (3 rd ) 11:00am communicationsministry@friendshipduluth.org Money Matters Saturday (3 rd ) 10:00am Outreach Ministry Saturday (3 rd ) 9:00am outreachministry@friendshipduluth.org Prison Ministry As announced Media Ministry Saturday (1 st ) 9:30am Usher Ministry Tuesday (1 st ) 7:00pm Mother Board Saturday (1 st ) 9:30am Minister s Meeting Saturday (1 st ) 3:00pm Male Chorus Preparation Saturday (2 nd & 4 th ) 9:30am Gospel Choir Preparation See Quarterly Calendar Youth Choir Preparation See Quarterly Calendar
Page 2 of 3 Page 13 of 13 Join us for Sunday Communications Ministry School President: Louie Malone V. President: Errol Kerr Chaplain: Terrill Tarver Secy/Treas: Barbara Tucker Every Sunday Sunday School Classes: Webmaster: Terrill Tarver Morning at 9:45 a.m. Ministry Deacon: New Member s Class (4-week session) Deacon Harold Mitchell Friendship s Voice Newsletter Editor-in-Chief Errol Kerr Publisher & Graphic Design Joseph Reeves Anthony Swint Editor & Reporters Errol Kerr Jerry Fisher Wanda Hall Barbara Tucker Charlene Benn Amelia Brown Hyacinth Chung Shatina Patterson Cynthia Urquhart Survival Kit Course Basic Bible Study Class Marriage Ministry Class Men s Class Women s Class Young Adults Class Young Disciples for Christ (Post-High School) In Teens (High School) Jesus and Me (Middle School) Juniors (3 rd 5 th Grade) Primary (K 2 nd Grade) Beginners (3 4 Years Old) Nursery (under 3 Years) Our Sunday School curriculum offers a wide variety of classes to meet your needs. Youth Reporter Justice Williams Photographers Louie Malone Terrill Tarver Charlene Benn Mission Statement: Exalt the Savior * Equip the Saint * Evangelize the Sinner Please direct questions or comments to: communicationsministry@frien dshipduluth.org