September 2007
FBC Informer – September 2007
Table of Contents
Pastor’s Column
Announcements
Worship
Bible Study
Calendar
Children Ministry News
Youth Ministry News
College Ministry News
Fellowship Opportunities
Missions
Stewardship
Miscellaneous
Say “Cheese!”
After much anticipation, we are finally going to have a new Pictorial Directory made for the church! Two weeks ago, our Pictorial Directory taskforce took the time to carefully interview two portrait companies. The taskforce decided on Lifetouch to take our portraits and publish our directory. This service is provided at no charge to the church. However, Lifetouch will give you an opportunity to purchase additional portraits, but you are under no obligation to buy. But if you are looking to have a portrait made in time for Christmas, this might be a great opportunity to have it done. We are confident that Lifetouch will provide quality portraits for you and your family. I want to thank Carrie Browning, Sandy Covington, Becky Kelly and Laurie Mills for their on-going work to make our new directory a reality.
In order for our directory to be a success, we need your help! We encourage all church members and regular non-member attendees to sign up for a portrait taking session. Family pets and extended families are welcome. The more complete our portraits, the better our directory will be. For each family portrait taken, the church will receive one free directory. Therefore, the more people participating in having their portraits taken, the more directories we will receive! You can even invite your neighbors and friends who have no connection to the church to come and have their portraits made. They will not appear in our directory, but they will receive a FREE 8×10 portrait and the opportunity to purchase more.
Portrait Taking Dates and Times:
September 17-18 and September 26-27, 2007. 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
What to do:
SIGN UP for an appointment on-line by following the instructions in the SIGN UP for Pictorial Directory Portraits!! box on the top right hand side of this web page. Or you can sign up in person at church or by calling the church office 392-5041. To ensure that you get the time slot you desire, PLEASE take the initiative to sign up now!
How to dress:
You can either dress formally or informally. It is totally up to you. A dressing guide will be provided to help you to achieve the “look” that you desire.
What kind of pose:
You can pose formally (for the directory) and informally. The photographer can show you what poses are available. The photographer also has much experience working with children.
What to expect:
You’ll have about 15 minutes total to have your portraits taken. However, the photographer will take longer to work with your children to ensure that you’re happy with your portraits. Your photographer will then help you choose which portraits to include in the church directory and consult with you should you wish to purchase more. You’ll have around 15 minutes to make your choices.
What you will get:
Every family/person who has a portrait taken will receive a FREE 8×10 portrait and a new pictorial directory. You will also have the opportunity to purchase more portraits and even Christmas/greeting cards. You can buy portraits individually or in packages. The various options will be printed in a brochure. There will be NO PRESSURE for you to make additional purchases. It is totally acceptable to only take the free portrait without buying anything else. If you do place an order, it will arrive by the first of November.
What if I can’t make it during the scheduled portrait dates?
Lifetouch will work with you to have your picture taken at another church at a convenient time for you. That portrait will be included in our church’s pictorial directory.
Let’s all pitch in to make our new pictorial directory at great one! And oh yeah, don’t forget to say “Cheese!”
Yours in Christ, Michael
“A Portrait of Thanksgiving”
Consecration Sunday, September 30, 2007
September is our Stewardship Emphasis month, and this year, our theme is “A Portrait of Thanksgiving.” Throughout the month, members of our church will give “snapshots” of how God has blessed them as individuals and us as a church.
This stewardship emphasis will reach its climax on “Consecration Sunday,” September 30, when we will turn in our estimate of giving cards to help support the ministry and mission of Farmville Baptist. On that day, Dr. F. Scott Spencer, Professor of New Testament at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, will be our guest speaker during worship. Immediately after worship, we will take a portrait of our whole congregation to be published in our pictorial directory. We want everyone to be in the picture! After the portrait, all members and guests are invited to a free catered luncheon held at the Gee Price Center of The Fuqua School. Let’s all attend church that Sunday and make September 30 a high attendance Sunday!
Very soon, letters will be mailed to members and regular attendees to give more details about our stewardship emphasis and Consecration Sunday. You will receive a call to remind you about Consecration Sunday and to RSVP for the luncheon. Please be in prayerful consideration in the coming weeks as you seek God’s guidance in your stewardship and participation in God’s work through the ministries of Farmville Baptist!
Quarterly Church Business Meeting
We will have our Quarterly Church Business Meeting on Sunday, September 16, at 9:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The main item on the agenda is to vote on the new slate of committee members recruited by our Nominating Committee.
Decision for Baptism
At the conclusion of the worship service on August 19, Sandy Covington came forward to request baptism by immersion. Sandy has been a Christian for a long time. As a child, she was baptized by sprinkling in another Christian tradition. Recently, she has come to understand Christian baptism primarily as a symbolic act of obedience in following Jesus Christ and identifying with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. As a result of that understanding, Sandy came forward on August 19, and she was baptized August 26 along with Lindsey Davis. We celebrate with Sandy on her decision to take this step of faith! For a picture of the baptism, please view this post.
September Worship Services
- 9/2 “Being the Church” – Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16
- 9/9 “The Cost of Discipleship” – Luke 14: 25-33 (Communion)
- 9/16 “A Lost and Found Party” – Luke 15:1-10
- 9/23 “The Shrewd Manager” – Luke 16:1-13
- 9/30 Consecration Sunday – Dr. F. Scott Spencer to Preach
Introducing Dr. F. Scott Spencer
We welcome Dr. F. Scott Spencer as our guest preacher on Consecration Sunday, September 30! Dr. Spencer is a professor of New Testament at BTSR. He recently completed an interim at First Baptist, Richmond. He is married to Dr. Janet Spencer and they have two daughters, Lauren and Meredith.
Sunday School Promotion September 2!
On Sunday, September 2, we will be recognizing our Sunday School teachers and those students who are attending second and sixth grades. We will be presenting those children and youth with a Bible. For a list of Sunday School classe, please view this post.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
Our Tuesday morning Bible study will be studying Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace, starting Tuesday, September 4, 10:00 a.m. in the parlor. Contact Peggy Cave, 392-4422, if you are interested in participating. For more information about this study, please view this post.
Wednesday Night Adult Discipleship Study
For our Wednesday Night Adult Discipleship Study, Michael and Amanda will lead a study and discussion time based on a video series called NOOMA produced by the Rev. Rob Bell, Teaching Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
This series will begin Sept. 12 starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Discussion topics include: “Where Is God When I’m Hurting?”, “Love or Lust?”, “Why Am I Here?”, “Why Go to Church?”, “Why Silence?”, “Why Forgive?”, “Following Jesus?” and “Scaring People into Loving God?” Come as we view the video and discuss these provocative topics!
For a schedule of topics and a preview video of the first session, please view this post.
Upcoming Events for Your Calendar
Please mark your calendars with these upcoming events:
September 3 Labor Day-Church Office Closed
September 4 Rev. Amanda Johnston’s first day at FBC
September 4 Preschool Starts
September 9 Church Council
September 13 Missions & Outreach Committee Mtg.
September 16 Church Business Meeting
September 16 College Student Cookout
September 17 Deacon’s Meeting
September 17-18 Pictorial Directory Portrait Sessions
September 26-27 Pictorial Directory Portrait Sessions
September 30 Consecration Sunday
October 7 Amanda Johnston Installation Sunday
Introducing Children’s Worship Service
Starting in September, we will be offering a Children’s Worship Service for children kindergarten to second grade. Initially, Beth Cheuk will be the primary worship leader for the service, which will meet in the Fellowship Hall. Children in those grades will leave the sanctuary following the children’s lesson and will typically return to the adult service in the sanctuary during the offertory. Older children are welcome to sign up to be “guest readers,” serving as worship leaders on the specific Sundays for which they sign up. Children’s church will meet every week except the third Sunday of each month, when Edith Ann Austin will continue to lead missions activities.
The children’s worship service will loosely follow our own order of worship, although some elements of the worship service will be simplified. In lieu of a sermon, the children will hear a telling of the scripture story and then will have time to respond to the story on their own, whether through drawing in a journal, sculpting clay, retelling the story using wooden figures, acting out the story, etc.
The goal of the children’s service is not to entertain or occupy the boys and girls, but to provide a venue in which they can worship on their own level, even as they learn to worship in the main service. Guests are welcome to attend the Children’s Worship Service at any time!
Schedule for Children’s Church Workers
September 2
Toddlers/Cribs: Matt Covington
Toddlers: Sandy Covington
Children’s Service: Beth Cheuk
September 9
Toddlers/Cribs: Chuck & Debbie Daniel
Toddlers: Lucille Holman
Children’s Service: Beth Cheuk & Patti Trent
September 16
Toddlers/Cribs: Sandy & Matt Covington
Toddlers: Lucille Holman
Children’s Missions: Edith Ann Austin
September 23
Toddlers/Cribs: Katrina & Torie Dunn
Toddlers: Lucille Holman
Children’s Service: Beth Cheuk & Janet Southall
September 30
Toddlers/Cribs: Volunteers Still Needed
Toddlers: Lucille Holman
Children’s Service: Beth Cheuk & Tammy Dunning
Farmville Baptist Preschool
Our preschool classes begin September 4. We have an enrollment of 21 students this year, with a limited number of spaces available. I would like to thank the youth group for helping us finish painting. You guys did a great job! If anyone would like to visit the preschool or deliver a short devotion to the children, please call Tammy Dunning at 392-5041 or 392-4990. For more information about our preschool this fall, please view this post.
Tammy Dunning, Director
Youth Schedule for August
September 2 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
September 9 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
September 16 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
September 23 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
September 30 – Regular meeting, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Collegiate Student Ministry
We offer a Collegiate Sunday School class at 9:45 a.m., and van pick up at the Longwood library at 10:40 a.m. for Sunday morning worship.
In September, the following events are scheduled:
- Thurs., Sept. 6 Provide dinner at the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (formerly the BSU) at 5 pm.
- Sun., Sept. 16 Student Cookout at 5 pm at Kerby & Janet Moore, 604 First Ave., 392-6727
In addition, we provide an “Adopt-a-Student” ministry. If you would like to “adopt” a college student this year, please contact Kerby Moore 391-1284 for more information.
For more information about our collegiate ministry, please view this post.
Friday Morning Coffee Fellowship Group
In the past couple of weeks, a group of moms have informally met at The Daily Grind on alternating Fridays for coffee and conversation. The next time they’ll meet is Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. and Sept 21 at 8:30 a.m. after school drop off. If you would like more information, please contact Christina Hice by phone 223-2787 or by email clhice(at)va(dot)net.
Men’s Prayer Breakfast
All men are invited to a Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Hall. After breakfast, some of our men will share their recent Emmaus Walk experience. Please RSVP by Sunday September 26 by contacting the church office at 392-5041.
Association Missions Offering Totals
Many thanks to all who contributed to our Southside Baptist Association Missions Offering! We exceeded our goal by collecting $737.00 ($237.00 over our goal)!
The Jail Ministry Team invites you . . .
On the first Sunday of each month from 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.
Deacon Ministry Teams to Launch
The Deacons are in the final stages of establishing a Deacon Team Ministry plan to better serve the church. While the deacons will not totally abandon the Deacon Family Ministry plan, they will be focusing on providing leadership for these ministry teams: Senior Adult, Bereavement, New Members and Visitors, Home Bound and Hospital, and Casserole. Members of the congregation are invited to join in the ministry of these teams. More information about the Deacon Team Ministry will be provided during our first Wednesday Night meeting on September 5 at 6:30 p.m
Deacon, Co-Chair, Jack Davis
Stewardship Report
General Offerings as of July 31…….$127,421.37
Expenses as of July 31………………….$116,651.16
Prorated budget through July 31…$150,308.42
Michael to Preach at Bagby Memorial Church
Michael has been invited to preach the revival services at Bagby Memorial Baptist Church, September 23-25 at 7:30 p.m. Our Men’s Quartet will also be singing in the Sunday, September 23 service. Bagby Memorial is located at 1334 Raccoon Crossing Rd, in Burkeville, VA, (434) 767-2259.