July 2007
The FBC Informer – July 2007
Table of Contents
Pastor’s Column
Vacation Bible School
Children Ministry News
Youth Ministry News
Fellowship Opportunities
Announcements
Calendar
Stewardship
Missions
Miscellaneous
“The Church”
As I prepare to go on vacation for a couple of weeks this month, I want to share a contemplative reflection that is found in William C. Martin’s book, The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections, p. 17. It is a reminder to all of us that the church is not a building, and it is not solely dependent upon the pastor. Martin paints a beautiful picture of what the church can be.
A church wisely centered in the Word
produces great contentment for the people.
The activities of the church keep them
just busy enough to gain satisfaction,
but do not detract from their loved ones.
They enjoy their pastor
because they do not expect him to be
other than what he is.
Their spirits are nurtured gently
by quiet and solitude and room to be.
They care for one another
without needing certain responses in return.
They share food and song,
sorrow and joy,
and become more and more free from fear.
And when they die they think,
“It was good, is good and will be good.”
As we enter a season of vacations and rest, may we as a church rest and rejoice in the acceptance and love of Jesus our Savior. May we be refreshed and renewed by the gentle breeze of God’s Spirit. May our activities be a joyful response to what God has already done for us. And at the end of the day, may we also say: “It was good, is good and will be good.”
Yours in Christ, Michael
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL THANKS
On behalf of the 66 children who visited “Galilee-by-the Sea” this past week, I want to thank the many, many folks who assisted, by bringing supplies such as baskets, nets and old tools; by sewing; by cutting out boats; by making signs; by moving tables, chairs, and scenery; by making bread and snacks; by registering students; by leading or playing music; by acting in a skit; by leading and teaching children; by opening a “shop;” by serving as rabbi; by teaching games; by working with preschoolers; or by taking pictures. We had a safe, fun, and orderly week learning about Jesus’ life in Galilee. There are lots of pictures in the photo gallery of the church’s web site.
Among the folks who lent a hand in one way or another (forgive me and set me straight if I’ve forgotten someone): Katherine Austin; Carrie and Joe Browning; Charlotte, Gail, Mark, and Sarah Cave; Peggy Cave; Carter, Liz, and Mary Jo Chassey; Michael, Thea, and Wesley Cheuk; Erin, John, Kathryn, and Ken Copeland; Elizabeth, Matt, and Sandy Covington; Chuck Daniel; Jack, Kim, and Lindsey Davis; Carter Gantt, Jim Davis; Tatum Davis; Katrina Dunn; Rodney and Tammy Dunning; Sandy East; Joan Garrett; Christina and Jeff Hice; Alesha, Doralease, and L.R. Jackson; Becky Kelly; Don Kyper; Cindy and David Landrum; Anita and Jay Lynn; Laurie Mills; Janet and Kerby Moore; John Noel; H.A. and Linda Saxton; Ronda Scarrow; Al Schmidt; David and Farrah Schmidt; Lisa Schmidt; Amie Schreckengost; Whitney Southall; Margaret Stombock; Alise Taylor; Bill Thompson; Patti and Tim Trent; Nancy Vick; Gene Watson; Doris Weaver; Alex and Diane Werth; John Wingo; Elizabeth and Jordan Whiley; Mike Wood; and Sandy Yeatts. From Zion Hill Baptist Church, I’d like to thank Seon and Tara Barksdale; the Reverend Michael Martin and his wife Cynthia; April Reid; and Lorraine and Michael Ross. Finally, I’d like to thank the Ruth Class for their financial support of VBS, and for their past years of service at other vacation Bible schools.
The children donated both money and food, which will be distributed to Meals on Wheels and FACES. The total cash offering was $218.40.
Thanks again for the church’s enthusiastic support!
Beth Cheuk
Extended Session Workers Schedule
- July 1
Infants & Toddlers: Elizabeth Covington & Matt Covington
4’s & 5’s: Patti & Tim Trent - July 8
Infants & Toddlers: Carrie & Joe Browning
4’s & 5’s: Kerby & Jewel Moore - July 15
Infants: Beth Cheuk & Sandy Covington
Toddlers & Preschoolers: Lucille Holman
1-5: Children’s Missions - July 22
Infants & Toddlers: Sarah Tolley & Elizabeth Whiley
4’s & 5’s: Lisa & Tim Tharpe
- July 29
Infants & Toddlers: Sandy Covington
4’s & 5’s: Rick & Liz Chassey
Children’s Swimming Party & Picnic
Saturday, July 21, starting at 3:00 p.m.
Elementary-age children, their parents and siblings are invited to a swimming party and picnic at the home of Jeff and Christina Hice, 3663 Douglas Church Road, 223-2787, clhice[at]va[dot]net.
Swimming begins at 3:00 p.m. A hot dog supper will be served at 5:30 p.m. Bring chips, dessert and/or drinks to share. There will be a bonfire and s’mores after supper.
Please RSVP by contacting the Hices by July 16.
Wednesday Night Children’s Activities
We will take a break from our Wednesday Night Children’s Activities during the months of July and August.
“Save $10” Kings Dominion Coupons
Contact the church office if you’d like coupons to Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, VA, valid for any public operating day in 2007. The coupon is good for a $10.00 discount off the Regular General Admission Ticket ($39.95 for ages 3-61 AND 48 inches tall or taller) when purchased and redeemed at Kings Dominion. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase and is good for up to six admissions. Coupons are available first-come, first-served for members and regular attendants. Visit KingsDominion.com for more information
Youth Schedule for July
July 1 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
July 8 – No Meeting. Away to Passways Youth Camp.
July 15 – No Meeting.
July 22 – Regular Meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
July 29 – Regular Meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
“Ladies Night Out” at Perini’s Restaurant
Tuesday, July 10, 6:00 p.m.
Calling all ladies! You are invited to a Ladies Night Out at Perini’s Restaurant on June 16. Please RSVP with Penny Huskey (392-1050) by Sunday July 8 to let her know that you’re coming.
Ice-Cream Social, July 18, 6:00 p.m.
Fellowship Hall
Bring your homemade ice-cream for a friendly competition as folks vote for their favorite ice-cream in the following categories:
Best overall
Most unique flavor
Most creamy
Guest Preachers in July
Our very own Rev. Jay Lynn will be our guest preacher July 15. Jay and his wife Anita served as CBF missionaries to the Czech Republic before they moved to Farmville. Since then, Jay had served as Baptist Student Union director of Longwood University, before partnering with Jordan Whiley to form The High Bridge Design Group and Geeklabel T-Shirts. Jay and his wife Anita have two children, Katie and Sam.
Rev. Roland Grenouillou Jr. will be our guest preacher July 22. Rev. Grenouillou has served two churches in Virginia as Pastor: Olive Branch Baptist in Blackridge and Spring Creek Baptist in Darlington Heights. He is Volunteer Chaplain Coordinator at Southside Community Hospital and part-time Chaplain at Trinity Mission of Farmville. Rev. Grenouillou is currently a doctoral student at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond. He lives in Darlington Heights with his wife, Millie and mother-in-law, Dot McManus. He has two grown children, Roland III and Kate, and two grandchildren.
Laity Sunday in Worship
July 29, 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, July 29 will be our Laity Sunday in worship. This will be an entirely lay-led service planned by our Music and Worship Committee. The theme for that Sunday will be The Lord’s Prayer. Lori Davis will be our soloist and Chuck Daniel will be our guest preacher. Chuck has lived in Farmville since 1982. He has been in the seed business since 1974, and he is currently the general manager of Evergreen Seed LLC. He is a deacon at Farmville Baptist, and he also serves on the Stewardship Committee. He and his wife Debbie have two grown children, Kristy and Wesley, and two grandchildren.
Associate Pastor Search Report
The Personnel Committee has completed interviewing the finalist candidates for the Associate Pastor position. The committee will be meeting in the near future to discuss and make a final recommendation to Dr. Cheuk and to the church membership. A letter will be sent out soon regarding the candidate. The committee expects the process to the completed mid-July, and if everything goes well, the new associate pastor will begin work in August or September.
Church Business Meeting
Sunday, July 15, 9:45 a.m.
There will be a Church Business Meeting on Sunday, July 15, at 9:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. A Book of Reports will be ready for members to pick up on Sunday, July 8. On the agenda will be a report from the Personnel Committee regarding our Associate Pastor search, and a recommendation from our Buildings and Grounds Committee regarding the exterior painting of our church building.
Upcoming Events for Your Calendar
Please mark your calendars with these upcoming events:
June 30-July3……………….Passport Kids! (Eagle Eyrie)
July 1……………………………..Jail Ministry, 9:00 a.m.
July 4…………………………….Office Closed (Independence Day)
July 7…………………………….Roadside Clean Up, 9:30 a.m.
July 8…………………………….Church Council, 8:30 a.m.
July 8-13……………………….Youth Passport Passways! (Wingate Univ.)
July 10…………………………..Ladies Night Out @ Perini’s, 6:00 p.m.
July 1……………………………. Scrapbooking Night, 7:00 p.m.
July 15…………………………..Church Business Meeting, 9:45 a.m.
July 16…………………………..Missions & Outreach Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
July 18…………………………..Church-wide Ice Cream Social, 6:00 p.m.
July 21…………………………..Children’s Picnic @ Hice’s, 3:00 p.m.
July 29…………………………..Laity Sunday in worship, 11:00 p.m.
July Worship Services
7/1……………“Passing the Baton” – 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
7/8……………“Unexpected Encounters” – 2 Kings 5:1-14 (Communion)
7/15………….“Encountering Grace” – Luke 10:25-37, Rev. Jay Lynn
7/22………….“The Better Part” – Luke 10:38-42, Rev. Roland Grenouillou Jr.
7/29 …………“The Good Samaritan” – Luke 11:1-13, Chuck Daniel
Summer Sanctuary Choir Schedule
During the months of July and August, the Sanctuary Choir will rehearse on Wednesday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We invite anyone who would like to sing to join the choir during these months.
Stewardship Report
General Offerings as of May 31……..…..………………….$89,606.17
Expenses as of May 31.….………..………………….……….. $76,140.71
Prorated budget through May 31..….……………………$107,363.82
Food Pantry Donations by Girls State
Many thanks to the delegates of Girls State of Virginia for their contribution of over 600 cans of food to our emergency food pantry! Michael addressed the Girls State assembly at Jarman Hall Wednesday, June 20, and thanked them for their contribution and support.
CBF Global Mission Offering Goal Met!
Many thanks to all who have already contributed to our CBF Global Missions Offering! We made our goal of $1,300 to help spread the Good News of Jesus to the world!
Southside Baptist Association Missions Offering
Our goal this year is $500.
Roadside Clean Up, Saturday, July 7
Come join us for breakfast at Country Cookin’ at 8:30 am on July 7th or meet us on the road near Davis Pontiac at 9:30 am. Dress for the weather and bring gloves to participate in cleaning litter from the stretch of road that our church adopted several years ago. We always have a good time at breakfast. Some of the interesting things we have found in the past are cell phones, boots, gloves, a trash can, and even a $50 bill! We can’t guarantee you’ll find money, but you will find fellowship and a sense of pride in practicing good stewardship.
Project Transformation
Project Transformation is a summer experience that is committed to increasing the literacy skills of children from low-income areas and providing vocational exploration for college students while combining volunteer efforts with congregations across Virginia. College-aged adults from all backgrounds and denominations administer an 8-week Monday through Thursday day camp for rising first through sixth graders at Crenshaw United Methodist Church in Blackstone, VA.
We will be supporting the work of Project Transformation by providing meals for the college-age volunteers on July 22-25. If you’d like to help, there will be a sheet of paper on our Missions Bulletin Board for you to sign up a main dish, a side dish or dessert enough to feed ten people. Elizabeth Whiley will coordinate the dishes into a menu, and she is also looking for volunteers to go with her to Blackstone to deliver the meals each night and to dine with the volunteers. Contact Elizabeth Whiley, 315-0160, for more information.
The Jail Ministry Team invites you . . .
On the first Sunday of each month at 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., a small team visits the Piedmont Regional Jail to lead the female inmates in a time of singing, devotion and prayer. This ministry requires no specialized talents, just an open and flexible spirit. Please contact Anita Lynn, 391-3751, for more information and to participate.
“Simple Church” Report
Our “Simple Church” leadership group has met five times already, and they’ve had great conversations about the disciple-making process at Farmville Baptist Church. They are in the process of defining what it means to be a maturing disciple of Jesus, and also coming up with a simple statement that clearly describes our mission and process of making disciples. The group identified a need for a small groups ministry within our church, and is now focusing on strengthening our Sunday morning Bible study program as part of our small groups ministry. Please keep this group in your prayers as they continue to discern God’s will and direction for our church.
Congratulations, Adam Garrett!
Congratulations goes to Adam Garrett, son of Bernard and Joan Garrett, upon his graduation from Virginia Wesleyan with a B.A. in Business. Way to go! We’re proud of you!
Thank you
Members of Farmville Baptist Church Prayer Group,
My sister Barbara Spillman told me your prayer group had been praying for our mother, Grace Singletary, during her recent illness and death.
My mother had four daughters and we were all able to spend the last week with her, 24/7 at the hospital, before her death. She had such peace and she knew she was going to be with the Lord soon. Our cousin came to visit one evening and told us she could feel the angels in the room. God blessed our mother and the four of us in such a wondrous way that last week. The power of prayer is a mighty gift. Thank you for the gift of love and power you gave to our mother and us through your prayers.
Love in Christ,
Carolyn Gills (Daughter #2)