FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PENN YAN
Newsletter for January 2012
A Message from Rev. Foody
Dear
Friends - The New Year always gives us an opportunity
to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. This often starts for
me in the weeks before Christimas. I like to sit in
the quiet and dark with the tree lights on and meditate. It's peaceful and I
can listen for God. I remember the past and give thanks for things that have
meant a lot to me. I take stock of areas in my life that need improvement or
attention. Then I begin to dream of the future. Where might I best focus my
energies? I ask for God's guidance.
It is important for me to
reflect on these areas of life. They draw me inside myself in the presence of
God. I feel centered and all is well. As a church in transition, these are also
important areas to reflect on. They can help us to gain balance as we look
forward. They can help us to put God at the center of all that we do.
As we approach Epiphany, let's remember
that old saying.. “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” May we
each seek the light of Christ in a world of uncertainty and darkness!
Matthew
2:1-2
Jesus
was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the time when Herod was
king. Soon afterward, some men who studied the stars came from the East to Jerusalem and asked,
“Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it
came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.”
Blessing on the Journey - Rev. Linda
J. Foody
Wish These Friends a Happy January Birthday!
7 Beth DeLooza
Travis
12 Melvin Cornell
22 Fran Morse
24 John R. Tharp
29 Eli Clancy
Important Dates
Annual Reports - by Monday, January 2
All
boards and committees should have their annual reports in to the office by
January 2, 2012.
Advisory Council Meeting –
Thursday, January 5
The Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at
7 pm to set the proposed budget. All boards should have a representative
present.
Mary & Martha
Circle - Tuesday, January 10,
We will be meeting at 10:30 am
- Ladies, come if you can, we will be rolling bandages.
Annual Meeting - Sunday, January 15
The Annual meeting will be
Sunday, January 15, 2012
with
the meeting starting
at
11:00 am and a dish-to-share
luncheon
following the meeting.
We Are Caregivers - Thursday, January
26
A
casual support group that meets with others going through similar caregiving circumstances. We
meet the 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm in the Church
Library. For questions contact the
church office: 536-9821.
We Are
Caregivers ~ WAC ~
We Aren't Crazy ~ We Are Courageous!
January Coffee Hours: Bd of Christian
Education
Reports
From the Board of Trustees
Thank You: We would like to
thank all the “elves” who helped clean out the old kitchen. It looks great!!! A special thanks goes out to Greg Miller for the use of his
tools and truck.
Help from the ARC: We will be
employing a client from the ARC to help with routine housekeeping and custodial
care of the church.
Door Repair: Marble's Glass
will be repairing the crash bar on the main side door.
Pledge Drive Reminder: Have you
turned yours in yet? We have received many pledges, but are still waiting to
hear back from several others. If you have not already done so, please be sure
to return your pledge card ASAP. We need this information to assist with the
budget planning for next year. Thank You!!!
From the Board of Missions
We wish to thank all of you so
much for your continuous, faithful support of the MISSION
BUDGET of FBC Penn Yan. You took a chance and adopted
a faith budget with a potential deficit of $4,181. THANKS TO YOU all the budgeted
items have been met and some of the extra items above the adopted budget will
be supported. HALLELUJAH!
In addition, you have been most
faithful in supporting the special offerings: American for Christ, One Great Hour of Sharing, World Mission Offering, and the Retired Ministers and
Missionaries Offering. We have also continued to support the Penny Project-raising funds for the
Backpack Program of Milly's Pantry. You can truly say that you are a member of a
Mission Minded Church!!!
Start saving your pennies. We
will support the Penny Project during February, March and April. We also remind
you that we are still collecting Campbell
Product Labels, Gold Medal Boxtops for Education and
cancelled stamps. Please keep bringing them in.
Missionary News
You will want to read the
latest edition of “On Location”. The focus is on our missionaries in Africa,
Europe and the Middle East. American Baptist have been working in Africa
since 1821. There is a neat story about Lott Cary, an African-American who was
our first missionary in Sierra
Leone.
Be sure to read about second generation
missionaries in the Democratic Republic
of Congo; missionary kids
becoming missionaries. There are also articles about our missionaries in Europe
and the Middle East.
In May 2012, the 200th
anniversary of Ann and Adoniram Judson's sailing from
Burma will be celebrated at
the Green Lake Conference
Center from May 18 – May
25. If you are interested in being a part of the celebration, see the latest
“On Location”. The celebrated speaker Tony Campolo
will be on the program.
ABW and Church World
Service Hygiene Kits
During the month of January the American Baptist
Women will be collecting items for the CWS Hygiene Kits. Each kit should
contain the following:
1 washcloth 1 hand towel 16X28
1 wide-tooth comb 1 nail clipper
1 bath size bar of soap (in
wrapper)
1 toothbrush (in original
sealed wrapper)
6 standard size band-aids
Don't feel that you have to
donate a complete kit. Just do what you can and we will put everyone's efforts
together. If you wish to contribute money instead of shopping we will use the
cash to purchase missing items and to pay for the required shipping and
handling fees.
In the fall we were able to put
together 13 school kits. There are still some items left over that can be used
for more kits if we supply the missing items – it's not too late. Following is
a reminder list of what is needed for a school kit:
3 - 70 page spiral notebooks
(not loose leaf paper)
1 pair of rounded tip scissors
1 - 30 centimeter ruler (12
inch)
1 hand-held pencil sharpener
1 large eraser
1 box of 24 crayons (only 24!)
Thank
you to everyone for their interest and
participation in this project.
Bulletin dedications
Do you have someone that you would like to remember or give honor to? You
can with a $10 bulletin dedication that will go towards the building fund. The
information you provide below will be printed in the bulletin. Leave this in
the offering plate or send to the church office
In Honor of ________________________________________
In Memory of ______________________________________
From
_____________________________________________
Preferred date _______________
A New Year's
Blessing
On New Year's Day and the whole
year through
I hope the kindness you've
given to others
returns
many times to you.
May hope, love and warmth
be in your heart's possessing
and may the New Year
bring you and yours
many
blessings.
Happy New
Year!