First Baptist Communiqué Volume 237 St. Johns, Michigan February 2015 February Events . . . Sunday, February 1st Gideon Presentation, Bruce Chadwick -- AM Service (We will be taking a special Offering for The Gideons) Communion -- PM Service Sunday, February 8th Credo a cappella Vocal Ensemble from Cornerstone University - AM Service Saturday, February 21st Sunday, February 15th Baptism/Membership - PM Service AWANA Grand Prix - 9:00am (Gym-see Article on Page 4) Sunday, February 22nd Communion - AM Service NEXT MONTH . . . Missions Conference 2015 Overcoming Obstacles and Opposition to the Advance of the Gospel Is Satan winning? Between the growing hostility to Christianity in America and the troubling reality of unbelief among thousands of unreached people groups abroad, it’s easy to feel as if the gospel is losing ground to the powers of sin and hell. And yet Jesus, in Matthew 28:18, said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” For that reason, God’s people, despite discouraging circumstances and the very real prospect of suffering, have the greatest reason for confidence and even joy. We serve an omnipotent God whose gospel kingdom is indomitable. Join us for FREE on February 27th, from 7-11 pm in the auditorium for a special simulcast event as we consider why we are undaunted by the darkness— near and far—given the certain victory we have in King Jesus. All are welcome, but this simulcast is geared toward late high school and college aged adults. During the Month of March we focus the first four Sundays of the month on Missions. The first week is our Flag Ceremony. If your child(ren) would like to participate in this ceremony, please contact Alison Keilen. Watch the Bulletin for more details. Church Ministries Conference 2015 March 13-14, 2015 Calvary Baptist Church Grand Rapids, MI “Answering the Call” Keynote Speakers: Dr. Joe Stowell, President of Cornerstone University & Dr. Michael Wittmer, Professor, Author, Speaker First Baptist Church will pay the registration fee for any ministry leader or worker who would like to attend this conference. Brochures and a sign up sheet will be at the Information Area. Deadline to sign up is Sunday, February 22nd. You can also go to their website: www.churchministriesconference.com for more information. Save the Date... Time for another Church Pictorial Directory. We will be using Life Touch again. These are the dates pictures will be taken at the church: June 2-6 and June 11-13 June 22-26th “BY THE WAY, WHAT IS OUR POLICY ON......” Beacon of Hope Update Prayer Requests - - - Submitted to the Church or Shared in Prayer Meeting Christmas Shopping Event When sharing a prayer request about someone outside your family, you need to have the permission of the immediate family in order to share the request. Please remember that a medical diagnosis, a marital struggle, etc., is considered confidential information. The only exception to this policy would be events that are common public knowledge. For example, if a person has been injured in an automobile accident which has been reported on the news, then praying generally for the person would be ok. We certainly want to pray for people in need. But we also want to protect the dignity and privacy of those who do not want their needs made public. Mighty O.A.K.S. On Tuesday, January 13th, the Mighty O.A.K.S. had 36 in atten dance. After our potluck meal, Beverly Crowell explained how she came up with our new name The Mighty O.A.K.S. (Older Adult Kingdom Seekers). Dennis Whitlock then spoke about the miracle and perfect plan of God’s creation using the Oak Tree as an example. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 10th, at noon in the gym. We will have a meal with your choice of chicken or ribs, potatoes, veggie, salad, and dessert catered by Jimmie Harps. The is cost is $9.50 per person or a donation. Please make checks out to First Baptist Church and give it to Kay or Dell Schmidtmann or Dennis or Fran Whitlock. Luncheon music will be provided by Danielle & Derek Eilert. More information and sign up is at the Information Area. You must sign up by Sunday, February 1st. We would enjoy having those of you that have not attended before, join in our Christian fellowship and invite a friend. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month. Praise God for a wonderful day! It started with a beautiful worship service attended by 65 participants plus some volunteers. Everything came together perfectly for the service – the music, the message, the singing. This was followed by shopping in the gym. Overall it went very well for the first time having everyone shop at the same time. Here are a few statistics from the day: • Number of participants who shopped = 71. • Number of Adults who received gifts = 104. • Number of Children who received gifts = 63. • Number of Grandparents who shopped for Grandchildren = 18. Beacon Theme verse for 2015 Beacon of Hope’s verse for 2015 is Psalm 118: 1 – Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Gail Perez has written a new Bible study for participants based on this verse called, The Goodness of God. Bibles Needed If you have copies of the NIV 1984 version of the Bible that you don’t need any more, Beacon of Hope will take them. All Beacon Bible studies are based on this version and it is getting harder to get it. Also, Large and Giant Print NIV 1984 Bibles would be especially appreciated. Volunteers Needed Beacon needs volunteers to work in the Learn & Earn store on the 4th Tuesday of the month. Older teens are welcome for this job. AWANA GRAND PRIX Saturday, February 21, 2014 First Baptist Church Gym (Please enter the West Entrance off Swegles Street) If you would like to participate, the cars cost $3.00. On Wednesday, January 28th, Mr. Sheen will be here to cut out your car(s). You need to have your pattern on your piece of wood so he can cut it. Preliminary weigh-in will be on Wednesdays, February 4, 11, and 18. Cars need to be ready to race before weigh-in. Parents are welcome to race a car too! Weigh-in and Start Times on Saturday, February 21st, for each Club: Club Weigh-In Time Race Time Sparks 9am9:30am T&T Girls 9:30am 10am T&T Boys 10am 10:30am Leaders & Parents 11am 11:30am If you have any questions or need more information, please call Bonnie McCorvie (517) 204-6126. If you are planning on attending the Reception, please sign up at the Information Area by March 1st. Renee & Mark are registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and Target. For more Wedding related details, visit: WWW.MARKANDRENEE.APPYCOUPLE.COM - WEDDING CODE: 48250. MISSIONS UPDATE: BUSY HANDS FOR MISSIONS There were four ladies present at our December and January meetings. We filled 50+ ditty bags for Youth Haven Ranch, completed 106 pillowcase dresses for Brandon and Rachel Buser, and 7 baby quilts and 12 aprons, as well as a few tote bags that were made for Rowena Barnes. Much of the sewing has been done at home, but we have been busy. If you would like to help with sewing dresses or ditty bags, we still have some fabric available for you to take home. We will also be sending dresses and shorts to the Busers this spring. If you would like to help with the postage, please see Dee Chapman or Pam Snyder. Other needs are: combs, washcloths and tooth brushes. Please save the caps from detergent bottles and diabetic test-strip containers. Thank you to all who brought in your used eyeglasses for Brooks and Nina Buser. Our next meeting will be February 3, at 9:30am. Come spend a few hours or all day. We plan to tie off a few quilts that day. All for God’s glory MAILINGS IN DECEMBER A box of gloves, scarf, knitted hat, note cards, small travel items and vitamins were mailed to Patty Zemmer who flew into cold Indiana on New Year’s Eve from Brazil to share in the birth of her grandson. Two baby fleece blankets were also included. She will stay two months. Scrap booking supplies were donated to Sherri Jenks who delights in this hobby. A box was delivered to her along with hand cream which she says is a necessity for her in her job and the two candles would “make her day!” Her birthday was the end of December. MISSIONS CLOSET Thank you to the families who made the Missions Closet the recipient of their Christmas giving. Because of your generosity a great variety of items will go out in Jesus name. Closet needs at this time: Queen size sheets and dishtowels. You may place these items in the Missions Box located inside the Lost & Found Closet. Thank you for each and every item and gift card. OTHER ITEMS WE NEED AND ARE COLLECTING Cancelled commemorative stamps Old costumed jewelry Used ink cartridges Pill bottles Wrapped happy meal toys (for orphanages) Children’s magazines: Club House from Focus on the Family, Highlights, Kids National Geographic, etc. You may place these items in the Missions Box located inside the Lost & Found Closet. THANK YOU’S Deb Collins writes “Thank you for the birthday gifts. Loved the book, cards, towels, jewelry, hot pads and the soap. What a treat; they made me feel so pampered. Please thank the ladies who were involved.” (We mailed Deb the used jewelry that she uses in crafts.) Michelle George wrote to say thank you for the incredible welcome to their family and the amazing gifts from the missions closet. MISSIONARY OF THE MONTH: Peggy Marsh (Retired) Address:Richard (Dick): 1/19/31-9/3/14 Children: 4150 S Tustin DriveMargaret (Peggy): 9/25/31Ken (1951), Janet (1957) Palmer Alaska 99645Married: 9/23/50David (1969) Mission Agency: Baptist Mid-Missions Home Church: Bethany Baptist Church, Grand Blanc, MI Began Church planting in Alaska in 1968. Retired in 1996. Peggy was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. Her mom and dad were not believers. She was not looking for the Lord but believes He found her. At age 17, she went to church with a friend, heard about salvation, and came to know Jesus. Dick was also raised in a home without the Lord in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He was saved at a church meeting at age14 in an Evangelical Brethren church. Dick and Peggy met at church and started dating at age 18. When they adopted Janet, they were led to Bethany Baptist in Grand Blanc. They took membership classes, were baptized, and became involved in God’s work around the age of 30. They worked with the youth, choir, and taught Sunday School classes. Dick was a deacon and on the Board. They were called into missions at a missionary conference in 1963. Dick and Peggy graduated from Pillsbury Baptist College in Minnesota in 1966. They were on deputation for 19 months and then began work on their first church plant in Alaska. Over the course of their career, Dick and Peggy helped plant three Alaskan churches in Anchor Point, Kodiak, and Palmer. They retired from full-time ministry in 1996. Although Peggy and Dick had retired, they kept very busy with their church. Peggy used her artistic skills for flower arranging and decorating at the church. She also created decorations and visual aids for ladies’ retreats and VBS. Dick spent a good deal of time in the warmer weather fishing for salmon, hunting caribou, and processing the meat to freeze for winter supply. He also filled the pulpit when other pastors were on vacation. Dick is now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He went home to be with the Lord September 3, 2014. After nearly 64 years of marriage, Peggy praises the Lord for the many years He gave them. Dick was a wonderful preacher, pastor, missionary, witness, husband and father. Praise God for their life serving the Lord together in Alaska for a total of 46 years. Memorial gifts were used to honor Dick’s life as pastor and founder of Pioneer Peak Baptist church (1975). Food for Thought…A Challenge to be Thinking Christians How to Distinguish the Holy Spirit from the Serpent By Sinclair Ferguson Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson is professor of systematic theology at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas. He is a visiting professor in the D. Min. program at Ligonier Academy and a teaching fellow of Ligonier Ministries. How do we distinguish the promptings of the Spirit of grace in His guiding and governing of our lives from the delusions of the spirit of the world and of our own sinful heart? This is a hugely important question if we are to be calm and confident that the spirit with whom we are communing really is the Holy Spirit. John Owen suggests four ways in which the Spirit and the serpent are to be distinguished: 1. The leading of the Spirit, he says, is regular, that is, according to the regulum: the rule of Scripture. The Spirit does not work in us to give us a new rule of life, but to help us understand and apply the rule contained in Scripture. Thus, the fundamental question to ask about any guidance will be: Is this course of action consistent with the Word of God? 2. The commands of the Spirit are not grievous. They are in harmony with the Word, and the Word is in harmony with the believer as new creation. The Christian believer consciously submitted to the Word will find pleasure in obeying that Word, even if the Lord’s way for us is marked by struggle, pain, and sorrow. Christ’s yoke fits well; His burden never crushes the spirit. (Matthew 11:28-30) 3. The “motions” of the Spirit are orderly. Just as God’s covenant is ordered in all things and secure,(2 Samuel 23:5) so the promised gift of that covenant, the indwelling Spirit, is orderly in the way in which He deals with us. Restlessness is not a mark of communion with the Spirit but of the activity of the evil one. Perhaps Owen had particular members of his congregations in mind when he wrote: We see some poor souls to be in such bondage as to be hurried up and down, in the matter of duties at the pleasure of Satan. They must run from one to another, and commonly neglect that which they should do. When they are at prayer, then they should be at the work of their calling; and when they are at their calling, they are tempted for not laying all aside and running to prayer. Believers know that this is not from the Spirit of God, which makes “everything beautiful in its season.” 4. The “motions,” or promptings of the Spirit, Owen says, always tend to glorify God according to His Word. He brings Jesus’ teaching into our memories; He glorifies the Savior; He pours into our hearts a profound sense of the love of God for us. (OVER) Food for Thought…(Cont.) How, then, does the Spirit act on the believer? The Spirit comes to us as an earnest, a pledge, a down payment on final redemption. He is here and now the foretaste of future glory. But His presence is also an indication of the incompleteness of our present spiritual experience. Owen here writes in sharp contrast to those who spoke of release from the influence of indwelling sin and struggle through the liberty of the Spirit. Precisely because He is the firstfruits and not yet the final harvest, there is a sense in which the indwelling of the Spirit is the cause of the believer’s groaning: “We ourselves who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:23) The presence of the Spirit brings us already a foretaste of future glory, but also, simultaneously, creates within us a sense of the incompleteness of our present spiritual experience. This, for Owen, is how communion with the Spirit—understood biblically—brings joy into the life of the believer and yet a deep sense that the fullness of joy is not yet. This excerpt is taken from The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen by Sinclair Ferguson. © 2015 Ligonier Ministries Calendar Sun., Feb. 1 Mon., Feb. 2 Tues., Feb.3 Wed., Feb. 4 Gideon Presentation -- AM Service Communion -- PM Service Shuffleboard -- 10am (Gym) Men’s Basketball -- 6:30pm (Gym) Busy Hands for Missions -- 9:30am (Rm. #15-Lower Level around corner from Elevator) AWANA -- 6:30pm (Children’s Wing) 24/7 Jr. High -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) High School Bible Study -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) Bible Institute Classes -- 6:30pm (Adult Wing) Prayer Meeting -- 6:30pm Sun., Feb. 8 Mon., Feb. 9 Tues., Feb. 10 Wed., Feb. 11 Thurs., Feb. 12 Credo a cappella Vocal Ensemble from Cornerstone University -- AM Service World Missions Prayer Meeting -- After PM Service (Rm. #13-Lower Level) Shuffleboard -- 10am (Gym) Men’s Basketball --6:30pm (Gym) Mighty O.A.K.S. Luncheon -- 12noon (Gym-Catered Lunch. Cost: $9.50) Elder Meeting -- 9:30am (Conference Room) AWANA -- 6:30pm (Children’s Wing) 24/7 Jr. High -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) High School Bible Study -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) Bible Institute Classes -- 6:30pm (Adult Wing) Prayer Meeting -- 6:30pm Missions Committee Meeting -- 6:30pm (Rm. #2-Office Level) Mentoring Moms -- 6:30pm (Conference Room) Sun., Feb. 15 Mon., Feb. 16 Wed., Feb. 18 Thurs., Feb. 19 Fri., Feb. 20 Sat., Feb. 21 Baptism/Membership -- PM Service Shuffleboard -- 10am (Gym) Men’s Basketball -- 6:30pm (Gym) AWANA -- 6:30pm (Children’s Wing) 24/7 Jr. High -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) High School Bible Study -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) Bible Institute Classes -- 6:30pm (Adult Wing) Prayer Meeting -- 6:30pm Deacons Meeting -- 6:00pm (Rm. #8-Lower Level) Released Time Class -- 12:30pm (Youth Wing) AWANA Grand Prix -- 9am (Gym) Flag Ceremony Practice -- 1:30-3:00pm (Auditorium) Sun., Feb. 22 Mon., Feb. 24 Wed., Feb. 25 Fri., Feb. 27 Sat., Feb. 28 Communion -- AM Service Shuffleboard -- 10am (Gym) Men’s Basketball - 6:30pm (Gym) AWANA -- 6:30pm (Children’s Wing) 24/7 Jr. High -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) High School Bible Study -- 6:30pm (Youth Wing) Bible Institute Classes -- 6:30pm (Adult Wing) Prayer Meeting -- 6:30pm Cross 2015 - Undaunted, Live Simulcast Event -- 7-11pm (Auditorium) Flag Ceremony Practice -- 9-11:30am (Auditorium) 02 Ron Keilen Canden Schneider Dennis Whitlock 03 Gertrude Atkinson William (Zeke) Ely Bethany Marcotte Joe Ondrusek 04 Joseph Harps Duane Haviland 05 Peter Mead 06 Sarah Ely Samantha Prince Eric Staib 07 Benjamin Case Erickson Hufnagel Bill Kidd 10 Al Law Monica Leif Kyle Lounds 11 Bruce Baker Paul Halstead Jared Hyzer 12 Alice Davis 13 Sharon Becker Leah Konieczny Debbie Lator 15 Mike Barrett Elyse Brun 17 18 Julie Duffield 20 Corban Painter Colton Peterson Pat Wright 21 22 23 Sharon Kidd Jimmie Harps Jonathan Schafer Ron Walter Joyce Burk Levi Painter Trish Smith Erika Annis Erin Annis John Read 24 Benjamin Marcotte Mariam Patton Nathan Simon Randy Tahvonen 26 MaryBeth Moldenhauer 27 28 29 Helen Kresge Katie Sawyer Lars Andersen Joyce Woodhams Barbara Viges FIRST BAPTIST THIS ‘N’ THAT Please make these changes to your FBC Phone Directory: • Beth Allen 5845 St. Clair Road Elsie MI 48831 • Gerry Arnett Phone: (989) 307-2858 • Gertrude Atkinson 603 W Gibbs Street St Johns MI 48879 • Brian Bloom 8300 W Lehman DeWitt MI 48820 • Bob Curtis, Room #216 Burcham Hills Center for Health & Rehab 2700 Burcham Drive East Lansing MI 48823-3899 Phone: 517-203-6726 • Walt & Barb Knaus email: wbknaus@gmail.com • Craig & Jen Simon 602 W State Street St Johns MI 48879 Craig’s Cell Phone: (989)307-1298 • John & Sharon Speck 12168 Woodland Park Drive NE Belding MI 48809 Congratulations to Lane & Emily Bargeron on the birth of their daughter, Nyra Jane. Nyra was born on Friday, December 19, 2014. She weighed 5 lbs., 14oz. Grandparents are Jim & Debi Davis. To our Church Family, Thank you so much for the love, support and prayers that you have sent our way over the past few months with Doug’s mom’s illness and then her passing. We are so thankful to know that she is no longer in pain but is now rejoicing around God’s throne. What a beautiful Christmas she must have had this year! Thank you also for the Gideon Bibles that were given in her honor. She would be so pleased to know that someone has a Bible to read in their time of need. Mom’s own Bible was well worn and written in. We appreciate all of you and are so thankful for our church family. Doug, Dawn, Ben, Taylor, Brittany, Adam & Michael Gudbrandson Dear First Baptist Church, Craig, Holli, and our family would like to thank the Church for your prayers and support for my father, Lyle Buzzard, who went to be with his Lord and Savior on December 3, 2014. We would also like to thank you for the donation of Gideon Bibles in memory of our father. We ask for continued prayer and support during this difficult time. Sincerely, Craig & Holli Bishop-Family Thank you to our church family for all of your cards, gift certificates, food and prayers as we uprooted after 45 years in the same house in St. Johns (A special “thanks” to all 16 of our “movers” that day!) We are pretty well settled into our new apartment at our kids” (Matt, Wendy & grand kids) house already. All four dogs are getting along well, too. Our phone #’s are still the same. Feel free to visit, and see our new “digs”/call ahead though, we are still mobile!! May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you strive to worship and serve Him. John & Sharon Speck Many thanks to all who sent cards to honor our 70th Wedding Anniversary! We so enjoyed the young people who came at Christmas Time! We are so blessed. Love, Al & Louise Law The families of Bill Richards wish to thank the staff and members of First Baptist Church for your prayers, kindness and care shown to us all following our sudden loss. I so appreciate Pastor Tim’s calls, visit and message. Pam Sischo’s sticky buns, Steve Bricker’s participation, the donations of food for the luncheon and the people who served it. Thank you all for your prayers, cards, calls, monetary donations, and the Gideon Bibles given in Bill’s name from the Church, The Mighty O.A.K.S. and Shuffleboard Teams. Jay & Maureen Richards-Family, Laura & Paul Rasmussen- Family, Mary Ellen Richards-Family Ladies at First Baptist Church: Thank you for your demonstration of Christ’s love to those incarcerated at Christmas. The homemade cookies seem to have a special way of saying, “God Loves You!” Each year we find hearts are softened and more receptive to the gospel because of Christmas at the jail. Thank you for your part in what the Lord is doing. Chaplain Larry Smith I wish to say thanks to everyone for caring during the time since my surgery in December. Thank you for the delicious meal that Marie Showers brought in - the fruit basket & sweets, the visit from Ron & Jill Keilen and the very good cookies, for the cards I received, but most of all the prayers. Please keep praying. In Christ’s love, Esther Lichte SCHEDULES FOR FEBRUARY NURSERY 01 SS Sarah Thomas, Eileen Feldpausch AM Kay Schmidtmann, Sarah Thomas, Sarah Wood, Linda Kresge PM Combine with Toddlers 04 Awana Jen Simon, Michelle Hyzer, Carolyn Henning 08 SS Lori Knaus, Patti Nichols AM Pat Lutz, Emily Brun, Ellen Kresge, Linda Kresge PM Combine with Toddlers 11 Awana Jen Simon, Sue Bishop, Carolyn Henning 15 SS Lisa Crandall, Becky Becker AM Leah Deemer, Debi Davis, Michellette Richardson, Linda Kresge PM Combine with Toddlers 18 Awana Eileen Feldpausch, Lori Knaus, Carolyn Henning 22 SS Bernadette Richardson, Helen Kresge AM Michelle Hyzer, Trisha Feldpausch, Bethany Marcotte, Linda Kresge PM Combine with Toddlers 25 AwanaSuAnn Prince, Lori Knaus, Carolyn Henning GREETERS 01 Foyer Roger & Rosanne Schafer Office Sharon Ashenfelter 08 Foyer Ron & Jill Keilen Office Joe & Vicky Ondrusek 15 Foyer Mike & Tammy Underwood Office Todd & Mishelle Pagels 22 Foyer Bryan & Trisha Feldpausch Office Jay & Becky Peterson *Foyer-Stay until Sermon *AM Greeters please be at your door by 10am. *Everyone Greets in the PM Service Unless otherwise stated. USHERS TODDLERS 01 AM PM 08 AM PM 15 AM PM 22 AM PM Marcia Feldpausch, Michelle Rosendale, Hannah Marcotte Annette Peterson, Darlene Dutcher, Grace Kresge Valorie Iung, Lori Knaus, Rebekah Painter Holly Merignac, Davey & Katie Fore Katie Sawyer, Pamarie & Pearl Nichols Liz Davis, Grace Kresge, Sarah Snyder Sarah Bouck, Eileen & Natalie Feldpausch Grace King, Carrie Miller, Andrea Bancroft TODDLER COOKIES 01 08 15 22 Marcia Feldpausch Mary Whitelock Sheila Robbe Dee Chapman 01 AM PM 08 AM PM 15 AM PM 22 AM PM *Captain *Scott McCorvie, Derrick Ostrander, Andrew Davis, Phil Burkhart, Duane Schafer, Dennis Eilert *Jim Ashenfelter, Nick Bancroft *Julius Motz, Mark Lutz, Shane Kidd, Norm Moinet, Rick Davis, Billy Gillean *Louie Simon, Dean Feldpausch *Tim Fair, Chris Bouck, Harold Lichte, Carl Hyzer, William Kidd, Ryan Shackelford *Dell Schmidtmann, Doug Merignac, Dave Halfman *John Leif, Jeremy Thomas, Jason Holben, Austin Davis, Jimmie Harps, Jim Cyrus *John Glerum, Walt Knaus, Ted Loznak, Aaron Davis
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