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First Baptist Church April 2011
WORSHIP THEMES & SCRIPTURES
April 3
Theme The Work of the Gentle Healer
Scripture John 9:1-12
Sermon “”Blind But Now I See”
April 10
Theme The Work of “The Resurrection and The Life”
Scripture John 11:1-45
Sermon “A Dead Man Lives”
April 17
Theme The Work of Preparation for Palm Sunday
Scripture Matthew 21:1-11
Sermon “Prologue to Palm Sunday”
April 24
Theme The Good News of Easter
Scripture John 20:1-18
Sermon “Mary Magdalene‘s Day”
Holy Week Services
Maundy Thursday
April 21, 7 pm
First Baptist Church
Good Friday Ecumenical Service
April 22, Noon
First Baptist Church
Easter Lakeside Service
April 24, 7 am
Indian Pines Park
This is a tradition of sharing this service with Penn Yan United Methodist and First Presbyterian Church.
Easter Traditional Service
April 24, 10 am
First Baptist Church
GREETERS LAY READERS
3 Joni Campbell, Gary & Keith Fuller Cristine Conklin
10 Ed & Rita Castillo Shane Furman
17 Jennifer Slocum & Brittany Griffin Nancy Marion
24 Margaret Mills & Jean Brewer Cheryl Stewart
BIRTHDAYS
1 – Milly Bloomquist 15 – Shelley Bicksler
7 – Brittany Griffin 17 – Ralph Clancy
9 – Alice Wise 23 – Don Lawrence
11 – Ralph Wilkes 24 – Kathryn Warren
13 – April Colf 28 – Robert Faery
From Pastor Burke -
SOME LENTEN HISTORY
Since we are now in the midst of the Lenten season I thought I would share with you some historical information about Lent.
In the first century church Lent lasted 40 hours, representing 40 hours Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. In the third century the church in Jerusalem extended the period to six days and called it Holy Week. Next the six days of Holy Week were extended to 36 days, a tithe of the 365 day calendar. In 731 A.D. Charlemagne rounded the period off to 40 days.
The most interesting historical period of Lent was in the fourth century. It was a six week period of intense training for those who were preparing to become members of the church through baptism. It involved education, prayer, repentance, and examination. This was done to make sure that the candidates knew what it meant to become a new person in Christ and to truly be a disciple.
For us today, it can also be a time of spiritual growth and renewal. It also provides a time to talk with the Lord, asking Him to open our spiritual eyes to His will for our lives.
Of course it is also a good opportunity to count our spiritual blessings and celebrate the new life we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.
....... Pastor Burke
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - Be sure to be here with us!!
As we being the long awaited spring season, many interesting events will be happening here at church.
Ÿ Weekly 45 minute prayer meeting- Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM
Ÿ Baptism and Church membership class - Sundays at 11:15 AM
Ÿ Church Fellowship Supper - April 8 at 6:30 PM (call the church office to sign up)
Ÿ Palm Sunday Worship & Baptismal Service - Sunday April 17 at 10:00 AM
Ÿ Good Friday Service - Friday, April 22, 12:00PM (we are hosting the service this year.)
Ÿ Easter Sunrise Service - Indian Pines Park - 7:00 AM
Ÿ Easter Worship Service - Sunday, April 24 - 10:00 AM
New Members Class - Wednesdays, 7:30 pm
Have you ever considered becoming a member of FBC but weren’t sure what it entails? Join Rev. Burke on Wednesday evenings following the Prayer Meeting as leads those interested in exploring Baptist Membership.
Prayer Meetings - Wednesdays, 7 pm
Led by Rev. Burke, this is an opportunity to come together, lift up each other and FBC in prayer.
American Baptist Women’s Ministries of NYS Convention
April 29 - May 1 Holiday Inn Auburn
“In the Potter’s Hands”
Friday night Keynote speaker: Rev. Karen Selig
Ice Cream Social ~ Pizza Party/Program for AB Girls
Bible Studies with Rev. Dr. Trinette V. McCray
Missionary speaker: Rev. Dr. Christine Roush
We plan to stay overnight for the weekend. Last year we had 10 ladies attend!!!
For more information and to make reservations call Diane DeLooza at 536-3162
or Cheryl Stewart at 536-2570.
News from the Diaconate
During January, the Diaconate helped 4 families with heat, rent and electricity bills. Our Deacon’s fund is getting low. There are envelopes available for you to help build it up again to help others as needed.
Dates for your calendar:
April 5 - Diaconate meets at 6:30 pm for a dish to pass supper, workshop
and monthly meeting.
April 8 - A Free Spaghetti Supper and fun night for all at 6:30 pm
“Chef Richard” will be our celebrity chef!!!
April 17 - Palm Sunday: there will be Baptism
April 21 - Maundy Thursday Service at 7 pm
From the Board of Trustees
Ÿ Spring/Summer Projects: we are researching the window glazing and trim painting projects.
Ÿ Cleaning Services: we’ve make arrangements with the ARC to provide cleaning services for our church building. Thank you to Lisa Wood for coordinating this.
Ÿ Keuka College Volunteer Community Service Day: Keuka College students will be cleaning the pews and wood floors in the sanctuary on Sunday, April 10, from 1-4:30 pm.
Building Security: when using the building, please appoint someone to perform a walk-thru to check for lights and water. Upon your exit, turn and give the door a final tug to be sure it has latched securely. Thank You.
From the Board of Christian Education
Ÿ The annual FBCPY Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Palm Sunday. Volunteers are needed for the event and also to help color the eggs beforehand. Please contact Shelley Bicksler for more information.
Ÿ Vacation Bible School is coming soon. Volunteers are needed to make this Big Apple Adventure a success. VBS dates are June 27 - July 1. Contact Sue Willson for more information.
Ÿ Camp registrations are due in by May 15, for Early Bird discounts on camp fees. Contact Lyle Conrad for more information.
Ÿ April Kidz Klub will be Friday, April 15, from 6-8 pm. It will be an Easter themed night. Kids in grades 3-8 are welcome. Ages 3-5 must have an adult stay with them.
Please make BCE aware of any high school/college graduations for recognition during the Family Day Service in June.
Bd. Of Missions Report
Ÿ Keep those pennies coming in. To date @75.75 has been deposited. More pennies have come in and many more are needed.
Ÿ Proceeds of $974.95 were presented to Yates County Habitat for Humanity at their March 2, meeting. Our Super Subs Sale was quite successful. We have already received a very nice thank you letter from Habitat.
Ÿ We also received a thank you letter from the Green Lake Conference Center. It included an interesting article on how an ABC/USA church in Indiana is using 4734 crayons to represent 4734 unchurched souls in their community in an evangelism project. As soon as it has made the rounds of the pastor and the appropriate committees, tit will be placed on the readers table. Be sure to read this article.
Now for the Not So Good News!
In order to successfully complete the 2011 Mission Budget YOU adopted at the annual meeting, we need to receive an average of $391 per week. To date we are receiving an average of $297 per week.
Unless this changes, YOU will be asked to determine where $5000 of the budget that YOU adopted will be cut.
We thank and commend those who have kept their pledges up to date and urge everyone to do so.
From Our Missionaries
Ÿ The March Journal from Roberta Stephens has arrived. She tells of a Korean praise band, the “Amendables” who are volunteering in Japan. Roberta tells of other volunteers in Japan and why volunteering is such a blessing. See her journal on the Reader’s Table.
Ÿ Dan Buttry’s Bible Study Manual on Conflict Transformation has now been translated into several languages including Arabic. See his journal to find out more about this 17 lesson Bible Study.
Kristy Engle’s journal is printed at the end of this newsletter. Take time to read about the need for Pediatric Cardiologists in Haiti. It will really touch your heart.
Missionary Notes
By the time you read this, the earthquake in Japan will be old news. But you will be pleased to hear that Roberta Stephens and all the other ABC/USA missionaries are safe.
Some of you may know that Roberta worked with Edith Calvin, when Edith volunteered in Japan. The city of Sendai and the Sendai School, where they taught is a total loss.
$20,000 form ABC/USA funds from the ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING went to Japan the day after the quake
If it is on your heart to donate now, make your check out to FBC Penn Yan and note OGHS. Or you can wait till the OGHS offering is taken in June.
American Baptist Women - White Cross Update and More!
This year we voted to be responsible for the following things for White Cross:
1. To the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Utica we sent a quilt, two stuffed animals and four drawstring bags. These items were personally delivered when Cheryl Stewart and John Tharp made their trip to Utica with a trailer loaded with other things as well.
2. We promised to send 10 surgical masks and 50 rolled bandages to hospitals in the Congo. The Mary Martha Circle has this project well underway and these will be mailed when they are complete.
3. We have also promised to send $100 to the Philippines and $200 to India for use in the Christ-centered health clinics and hospitals supported there by American Baptists. We are still a few dollars short of being able to do this. If you have not yet made your annual contribution to ABW and would like to be a part of this White Cross project, it is not too late! Money can be given to Barb Stewart, our treasurer, at any time.
We also voted to forego a fall bazaar this year. That means we will have no extra money in our budget to contribute to the Building for Today and Tomorrow Fund as has been our custom these last several years. You are encouraged to prayerfully consider making an ABW inspired donation directly to the BT&T Fund.
As always, all that you do and all that your are is greatly appreciated as we continue to work together to do God’s work in the world and here at home. Thank you so much!!
Diane DeLooza, ABW president
New Book in the Library!!!
Philip Yancy, author of more than 20 books, is one of the best Christian writers of the past three decades. His newest book, “What Good is God?” has some very interesting thoughts. Based on a series of lectures he gave over the past few years, the book is challenging. Chapter 1, based on a speech he gave at Virginia Tech shortly after the tragedy there, is very good. Chapter 3, based on a speech he gave at Green Lake Conference Center, is about the work being done in rescuing prostitutes from their lives of degredation. Don’t let this book’s title put you off! See how Mr. Yancy pulls things together.
Congratulations!
Kaitlin Yonge of Pelican Marsh Elementary School in Naples, Florida, grand daughter of Whit & Gail Yonge, won first prize in the elementary school division “Laws of Life” Character Building Essay Contest. Kaitlin wrote on Emelia Earhardt’s determination and vision for women. She was awarded $250 and dinner at the Hilton. Congratulations to them all!!!
Sunday Bulletin Dedications
Would you like to honor a love one or remember someone special? You can by dedicating a Sunday bulletin. Fill out this slip and turn it into the office to reserve the chosen Sunday for your memorial/honor bulletin. The cost is $10. In purchasing a dedicated bulletin cover, you will help defray some of the church’s operating costs and at the same time memorialize or recognize a loved one. Printed in the bulletin will be the information you provide below. Please send this form to the church office along with your payment or leave it in the offering plate. Additional forms are available in the office.
In Memory of _____________________________________________
In Honor of ______________________________________________
Date Preferred _______________ From _______________________
Recipe - Irish Cream Truffle
For those of you who were fortunate enough to stay for coffee and fellowship on Sunday, March 13, and tasted of Cindy Oven’s Irish Cream Truffle; I have good news. After hearing from several people on how wonderful this dessert was I decided to ask Cindy if we could publish her recipe. She graciously said yes!!
Irish Cream Truffle
2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding 1 chocolate cake mix
2 small boxes chocolate instant pudding Green food coloring
1 bottle Irish Cream Coffee Creamer 1 container cool whip
Andies Candies, chopped
Bake cake as directed on the box, or you can make cupcakes. Let the cake cool, then poke holes and pour coffee creamer over the top. Refrigerate ½ hour. While cake is cooling, make the two puddings (separately) as directed on the box. Add green food coloring to the vanilla pudding mix and let set till firm. Pour ½ of the green pudding in the bottom of large bowl. Next layer is pieces of the cake. The next layer is chocolate pudding, then a layer of cool whip. Add a thin layer of chopped Andies candies, then remaining green pudding, another layer of cake pieces, and the remaining chocolate pudding. I drop spoonfuls of cool whip and top and place a whole Andies candy on top of each peak. Chill
From Kristy Engel –
Many of you have heard me state the following, “Do what you can, with what you’ve got, in the moment you’re given.” Today, I especially needed to remember this saying and to repeat it for others who had not heard.
There is a pediatric cardiologist visiting from Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island. It’s his first visit and first missions trip. His job, today, was to see cardiac patients that had been screened for surgery in the U.S. but were waiting for a hospital to say “yes” to their need.. It goes without saying that this doctor was floored by what he saw today. All but one of the patients was in need of surgery as soon as possible but one small child is more desperate than the others.
Miguel Anthony is a 3 year old boy from Batey Prado, very far from the hospital. He was diagnosed with transposition of the great vessels over a year ago in one of our medical clinics. His condition is always treated at birth. He has gone three years without surgery and now has early right-sided heart failure. We admitted him to our hospital overnight on oxygen as he is quite blue in the hands and mouth from poor oxygenation because of the defect. He will be transported to a hospital in Santo Domingo tomorrow where they will evaluate him to find out if he is even able to have surgery or is his condition has damaged his lungs as well.
Please pray for Miguel Anthony and his mother who is with him. Both are scared and worried. I don’t know what donations will be needed for his care, but if you would like to make a donation, they can be sent to the Good Samaritan Mission Council through their website at: http://www.laromana.org
Thank you for your prayers!
Sincerely, Kristy Engel
One Sunday, in a mid-west city a young child was “acting up”
during the morning worship hour. The parents did their best
to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing
the battle. Finally, the father picked the little fellow up and
walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just before
reaching the safety of the foyer the little one called loudly
to the congregation, “Pray for me! Pray for me!”