6-27 VBS!

Posted on May 30th, 2010

June 27 to July 1, 2010
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
For ages 3 to completed 5th grade
Cost:  Free

Register now by contacting the church office at 392-5041 or online.

Participants: Parents and older siblings are welcome to participate in our Egyptian families, too.  So pass the word to children and all parents with children.

Volunteers: We need adult & teenage musicians, teachers, helpers, shopkeepers (i.e. crafts & food) to lead a variety of Bible-times activities.

Donations/Loan: We need the following to accomplish the Egyptian theme:  baskets, costume jewelry, small tents, white sheets, blankets, terra cotta pots, urns, men’s large white T-shirts, burlap sacks, glue, ink pads.  Of course, financial donations are also appreciated.

Prayers: Last, but not least, we need you to pray that God will direct this viable mission for the advancement of his kingdom!

If you can help, please contact Cindy Cave, 392-4422,  or Sara Thompson for more information.

PS – in 2007, we did a similar VBS called “Galilee by the Sea.”  You can see pictures of that VBS by visiting here.

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The Church Is the People

Posted on May 2nd, 2010

Pastor’s Column published in The Informer (FBC’s Newsletter for May, 2010)

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to go on an Emmaus Walk.  It was a wonderful experience, and I came away with a greater love for our gracious God who specializes in rescuing people out of dire situations in order to bless them with abundant life.  I also came away with a deeper love for the people of Farmville Baptist Church.  I want to thank the members of the Emmaus Community at Farmville Baptist for sponsoring me on the walk.  I want to thank those who took time the time and special effort to lovingly encourage me during that weekend.  I also want to thank all of you who are part of the Farmville Baptist family.  For almost five years now, you have blessed me and my family with your love, encouragement, support and prayers.  The joy in my ministry is not found in the “success” of our programs, but in the life-giving relationships with you the people as we journey with God together.

At our Spiritual Transformation Journey cluster retreat last weekend, I was once again reminded that the church is the people who make up the “body of Christ” under the Lordship of Jesus.  As Reggie McNeal so clearly said in the video that we showed last Sunday in our worship service, the church is a “who” and not a “what.”  I am the church; you are the church.  Granted, neither I nor you are the whole church, but we definitely are the church.  Therefore, the church is not the building, the budget, or the programs.  The church is not a “What”; it is not an “It.”  No, the church is the people, a “Who” that is alive and active in the world because the Spirit of our risen Lord is alive and active in the world.  The church is greater than just the members of Farmville Baptist; it consists of all the saints in the past, present and future who have responded to God’s saving call to go on mission to be the presence of Christ in the world.

That is why I’m so grateful for our Missions Committee and their work in organizing a Missions Fair last Sunday.  It was wonderful to have organizations like Habitat for Humanity, FACES, Meals of Wheels, Pregnancy Support Center, School Mentoring, Reclaiming Our Lives Ministry and CBF Global Missions as well as our newly formed church ministry teams represented at the fair.  It was so gratifying to see folks signing up for various ministry and service opportunities.  There was such energy and excitement in the room that I can hardly wait to see how God’s Spirit will unleash us to be a channel of God’s blessing to our community!

As we continue our spiritual transformation journey, it is a joy and an inspiration to see more and more people at Farmville Baptist prayerfully seeking God’s will and call for their life mission.  I sense that we are on the verge of a spiritual revival, and I truly believe that God has amazing things in store for Farmville Baptist!  So let’s stay the course that we’re on, and let’s be the church by rediscovering what it means to be the people of God sent on a mission to proclaim and live out God’s grace and love to the world!

Blessed to be journeying with you, Michael

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