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First Baptist Church          May 2011

 

 

WORSHIP THEMES & SCRIPTURES

  

May 1            

Scripture         John 20:19-31

Sermon           “Behind Closed Doors”

 

May 8

Scripture         Luke 24:13-35

Sermon           “Hope To Carry On”

 

May 15                                  

Scripture         John 10:1-10

Sermon           “Intentional Living”

 

May 22          

Scripture         John 14:1-14

Sermon           “A Haven For Troubled Hearts”

 

May 29

Scripture         John 14:15-21

Sermon           “More Than Just A Memory”

 

GREETERS                                                                           LAY READERS

1          Tom & Barbara Burke                                              Richard Burke

8          Ed & Rita Castillo                                                     Anne Perry

15        George Jensen & Paul Nash                                     Stan Ovens

22        Suzanne Wilson & Eileen Modaffari                        Lyle Conrad

29        Jean Brewer & Margaret Mills                                George Jensen

 

BIRTHDAYS                                                

3 - Lyle Conrad                      20 - Kathie Lawrence

3 - Paul Nash                          22 - Janice Knecht

5 - Ethel Clancy                      23 - Jennifer Slocum

6 - Erma Mullins                    23 - Mary Fullagar

7 - Ed Castillo                         25 - Clifford LaBarr

16 - Trevor Conrad                27 - Eileen Modaffari

18 - Helena Cranmer             31 - Erik Miller

 

 

“LIVE ALIVE TODAY”

 

Spring has finally arrived, welcomed by all of us after this long winter. What a wonderful time of year it is. The flowers are blooming again. Trees are budding. All of nature seems to be renewing.

 

Spring is also a good time of renewal in our churches. Starting with the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and the new life it brings, spring is an opportunity for renewal of our commitment to our faith, renewal of passion for service and renewal of compassion for others inside our churches and outside as well.

 

I have always enjoyed telling the story of two ministers that met for breakfast each week at a particular restaurant, their waitress would say to them, “Live alive today, gentlemen.” Curious as to what she meant, one day they asked her. She replied that her life was so empty until she accepted Christ as her Savior and that from then on she found new purpose in living. She began to “live alive” and that was her wish for her customers.

 

As I think of that story, I am always reminded that Christ wants to give us more than the hope of eternal life, as wonderful as that is. He wants to give us abundant life in our daily lives. He wants us to “live alive each day.” I believe by renewing our commitment to our faith, our passion for service and our compassion for others we can take the first steps.

 

........... Pastor Burke

 


 

Vacation Bible School 2011

 

Grab a Cab and Head to the Big Apple Adventure!!!

The adventure begins Monday, June 27, 2011 at 8:30 AM

 

Right here at First Baptist Church you can discover adventure waiting at every corner in the “Big Apple“. Amid the exciting sights and sounds of the city, kids will hear Bible stories about people who stepped out in faith and connected with Jesus. Kids will learn that they can connect faith and life through a relationship with Jesus through Bible stories, crafts, motivating music, and games!

 

Note to the congregation: VBS this year will be the week of June 27 - July 1.

We need volunteers to make this happen. WE NEED YOU!!! Please prayerfully consider giving your time and talents this year. Call Suzy Willson at 585-526-1004 or Barbara Burke at 536-7020 if you think you may be able to help. All kinds of opportunities exist !!!

 

Watch for sign-ups in June!! - Tell your friends!!!

 

Prayer Meetings

Wednesdays, 7 pm

We meet in the chapel, please join us!

 

Thank You!!!

Thank you all so very much for the cards, prayers, visits and caring of my family during my recent illness, surgery and recovery.

You are such a blessing to us !!!

Shelley Bicksler

 


 

Report from the Bd. Of Trustees

 

Keuka College Community Volunteer Day - A  big thank you to Cindy Ovens for coordinating this for us. On April 10, 6 students from Keuka College cleaned our pews.

 

Steeple Roof Replacement - Proctor Roofing will be replacing the steeple roof for the amount of $6400. We should be on their schedule sometime within the next couple of weeks.

 

Southside Exterior Windows/Door Frame -  We have accepted a bid from Golden Painting for $3000 in labor and $300 in materials for this project. They will be caulking all windows and the door trim on the south side of the original building. In order to cover this expense, the Trustees hope to have another successful hotdog/hamburg stand at the summer concerts. We anticipate raising $1000 as we have in the past to go towards this. This leaves a balance of $2300. Please consider donating to this specific project.

 

Mortgage Update - The Trustees have worked out paperwork with Five Star Bank to modify our monthly payment to $915.14 for the remainder of the mortgage. We are able to do this because we had made advance payments to the principle over the past few years.

 


 

Church Security & Safety Committee

 

This committee has been very busy reviewing materials pertinent to the safety and security of the building as well as those enclosed within. Recently they have met with the Chief of Police and Church Mutual Insurance Representatives. There is much information to review and discuss and this a time consuming and important job.

 

We would like you to keep in mind that if you should see an area of concern regarding safety, please call the church office at 536-9821 or call Barbara Burke at 536-7020.

 

Our objective is to revisit procedures and policies, and to discuss security problems and safety precautions regarding the church.

 

Our members are: Don Lawrence, Rick Willson, Barbara Burke, Barbara Stewart and Eileen Modaffari.

 


 

Can You Help?

 

In an effort to make our building more inviting and attractive to visitors we have come up with a few ideas. If there is something that you feel you can help with call the church office at 536-9821 or Barbara Burke at 536-7020.

>3 ft table for the ladies restrooms.

>This table will hold a box of tissues, decorative baskets to hold lotions, hair spray, a vase of flowers etc.

>A decorative picture to hang above.

>Should you have any other ideas please call Barbara Burke.

 


 

ALL  DATES ARE OPEN

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 _______________________

 


 

Bd. Of Mission Report

 

We wish to thank all of you who gave so generously to the

AMERICA FOR CHRIST offering. At this moment we have received $777 towards our goal of $800. By the time you read this, we hope the goal will have been reached.

 

Last month we told you that $20,000 from the ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING had been sent to Japan. We have learned that the funds went to 8 schools damaged by the tsunami for repairs. As more funds come in, they will be sent to the Shokkie School in Sendai where Edith Calvin taught. You may help next month. We will receive the ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING on June 12. Our goal for 2011 is $950. Half will be earmarked for Japan relief and the other half will go to rebuilding funds for future disasters.

 

We wrapped up the PENNY PROJECT in April. To date  $127.41  has been collected for the summer BACK PACK program of Milly’s Pantry. If you haven’t turned in your pennies, it is not too late.

 

One interesting communication we received in April explained that CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION is donating $50,000 to International Ministries for each of the next three years. The $50,000 goes to 5 teams of missionaries working in Latin America in 2011. One of the teams is Tim & Patti Long whom we support.

 

We still need used stamps, Campbell product labels and General Mills “Boxtops for Education”.

 

Missionary News

 

From Roberta Stephens - “God’s Care In Time of Need” is an interesting account of a mission project in Thailand at the time of the earthquake. A Japanese professor had taken a group of non-Christian Japanese college students and a Thai student from the same college. They spent some of their time in Thailand with a group of Christians from the Akha Hill Tribes. You’ll want to read this journal to discover the effect on the Thai Student.

 

Roberta Stephens also sent a journal, “A Little More Patience” which is a letter from one of her Japanese friends describing the events in her life the day of the earthquake. The friend also tells what her life is like now. This journal is well worth reading.

 

A report on Dr. Bill Clemmers 10 year project in the Democratic Republic of Congo gives many statistics of his work such as 10 million children being vaccinated and nearly 1000 clean water sources installed.

 

After 19 years as medical missionaries in Congo, the Clemmer’s passion for mission is still unquenched. So in February, Bill Clemmer moved to Southern Sudan. They are to create a health care system to deal with the anticipated influx of missions to the poorest nation in Africa. Southern Sudan is largely Christian. You’ll want tot read about the challenges facing the Clemmers.

 

Blankets +

Blankets + is a special mission opportunity to assist people in need around the world.

 

Your contributions provide the means to transform lives and communities when they are faced with an emergency or simply struggling to put food on the table. For 65 years, Church World Service has worked in partnership with local communities to identify their needs and access the resources they need to build the foundation for a more viable future, including:

Ÿ         Blankets, tents, food and other emergency supplies in the wake of a disaster

Ÿ         Tools and seeds for refugees returning home to replant their fields

Ÿ         Wells for families living in drought-prone areas to provide clean, safe water to drink and to irrigate crops and gardens

Ÿ         Literacy training and microcredit for women struggling to feed their families

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

 

Included in this newsletter is an offering envelope for you to use.

We will receive the CWS offering on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8.

Be the plus in Blankets+

First Quarter Report from Board of Missions

 

In order to meet the Basic Budget adopted at the Annual Meeting we need to receive $4602 per quarter. To meet the Expanded Budget, we need $5083.

The  actual receipts were:

            Balance: $175.93,

                        2010 pledges: $114

                        2011 pledges: $3407

                        Loose offering: $377.60

                        Church school: $10

                        Deficit contributions: $509 

                        Secret Place: $24.83

                        TOTAL: $4618.39

 

Actual Budget Expenses for the quarter should have been $4602 - 5083.

We were only able to pay:

                        United Mission Basics: $3510

                        Penn Yan Area Council of Churches dues: $50

                        Cameron Community Ministries: $280

                        TOTAL: $3840. This leaves a Treasury Balance of: $778.30

 

In addition, we also disbursed non-budgeted amounts as follows:

                        Love Gift: $30

                        America for Christ: $757

                        RMMO 2010:$200

                        Yates County Habitat: $947.95 from sub sale


Thank you for your generosity and for staying current with your pledges.

For the first 3 weeks of April, we needed $1062 ($1173).

We actually received:

                        Pledges: $735

                        Loose Offering: $49

                        Easter: $101

                        Deficit: $2

                        TOTAL: $887

We will only be able to make our budgeted obligations if we keep our pledges up to date and give generously to the Easter Offering.

 

Note: Totals to date: America for Christ: $832; Penny Project: $121.41.