FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, PENN YAN, NY - NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE, 2015

First Baptist Newsletter Penn Yan
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From the Pastor's Desk
JUNE 2015
Beloved,
Summer will soon be fully upon us. We’ll be celebrating graduations, holidays and vacations. We’ve just observed Mother’s day and Memorial Day. And we have already experienced some July-like weather. I hope you have been enjoying the season.
June has several special occasions:
Don Lawrence is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination on June 6th.
The Community Chorus concert is on the 7th at 3:00 pm
Karen, her mom and I hope to make it to Boston for our granddaughter’s high school graduation on the 9th.
Not to be missed is our Finger Lakes Baptist Association meeting and picnic at Altay on the 14th at 2:30 pm. All are welcome to attend.
Baccalaureate for the Penn Yan Academy is the 25th at the chapel at Keuka College at 7:00 pm.
The ABC-USA Biennial Mission Summit is the 26th – 28th.
Amid all this, we have a surging interest in modernizing our sanctuary. If you would like to express yourself, I welcome conversations after church, and we will to pull together a focus group to consider a whole bunch of directions and options. Some of this centers around projection as well.
Summer does not slow that much, but we must always keep first things first. That is, we are a community of Christ followers and worshippers. With all that we do, let us keep our focus on the Lord and listen for his voice even in our busy-ness.
Pastor Steve

News and Upcoming Events

June Birthdays 10 – Russ Scheel 25 – Stan Ovens 12 – Jeff Champlin 26 – Jim Best 25 – Diane DeLooza 29 – Calysta Conrad

Church & Community Suppers – Good Food, Good Fellowship

5:00 pm, Mondays. $3.00 per person
June 1 - Chicken ‘n Biscuits
June 8 – Macaroni & Cheese
June 15 – Meatloaf & mashed potatoes
June 22 - Goulash
June 29 – Guest Chef?

Community Chorus Concert - Sunday, June 7
The Spring Concert of the Penn Yan Community Chorus will be held Sunday, June 7th at 3:00 pm, in the First Baptist Church Sanctuary. Refreshments will be offered in the Great Room following the concert

Newsletter Deadline - Monday, June 22
From the Church Office - a reminder that the July and August newsletters are combined. Any articles should be in to the office by than June 22nd.

Items Needed for 2nd Annual FBC Yard Sale -
Time for Spring Cleaning! The sale is scheduled for Friday, July 24 to Sunday, July 26. We are ready to accept the following: furniture, small appliances, kitchen and home décor items and infant/toddler clothing and toys. Please no adult clothing or TVs. Bring your items to the church at any time (storage in the basement). We will also need much help at the time of the sale. If you need help with transporting your donations, please see a member of the Men’s Group. Thank you.

Backpack Program Needs for June
Boxes of Breakfast Cereal and Granola Bars
Breakfast is the most important meal of your day. You’ve heard that right? That’s why this month, the Board of Mission is accepting donations of these breakfast foods to help supplement the Backpack Program. Will you help get a child’s day off to a good start? Collection box is in the sanctuary.
Even though children will soon be out of school they still need to eat a healthy, smart breakfast and many will continue to benefit from the Backpack Program over the summer months. Thank you again, for all your support.

Love Gift Offering
It’s that time of year again to think “above and beyond your stewardship offering” and seriously consider a special donation to LOVE GIFT. As you leaf through your dollar bills please be on the lookout for any bills that have an L or G (which stands for Love Gift) in the serial number. Prayerfully set them aside and we will be taking a collection at the end of June. You may however, hand them in at any time during the month of June. See Cheryl Stewart.

Congratulations on Your Graduation!
High School Graduates: Kevin Conrad and Erik Miller
Kevin plans to attend SUNY College at Fredonia to study Music Composition.
Erik has plans to get work experience with Chrisanntha Construction.
College Graduates: Brittany Griffiths and Meghan Fuqua
Brittany is graduating from Finger Lakes Community College with an Associates in Science degree in Accounting and Business
Meghan has graduated from Mansfield University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Composition.

News from American Baptist Men, NYS
Save the date of August 7-9, 2015. AB Men NYS will have their annual conference at beautiful Keuka College. AB Men from across the United States will come together to worship, attend workshops and many other activities. The ABMEN announce their Booster Club project: The Evangelical Chaplain program for Syracuse University which especially focuses on the needs of international students regardless of their faith.

Help needed!
We have again been asked to make four trays of sandwiches for the AB Men’s Conference on August 7th. Kathie Lawrence will be looking for help that afternoon and donations for the food. Any profits we make will go to Missions.

CROP Walk Update
A total of $8,099.10 has been collected for the CROP Walk. That means that $2,025 will stay right here in Penn Yan! The top three places went to: PY United Methodist Church, 2nd place- Branchport UMC, and 3rd place to- Second Milo Baptist Church. Congratulations to all who walked and those who supported the walkers. It couldn’t have been done without YOU!

A Prayer for Flag Day, Sunday, June 14
God in heaven, we give thanks on this day of celebration. We ask your mercy and blessing on the nation symbolized by these patterns of cloth.
May the colors and patterns of this flag seem to always bring to mind the purpose of the nation it represents.
May the whiteness of the stripes and stars always be bright for purity and never dim or yellow.
May the red of the shed blood never be forgotten.
May the blue of the sky and the brightness of the stars always represent the striving of our nation toward higher purposes and heavenly goals. It is only a symbol, but let it today and always be a symbol of freedom.
May it always be flown in honor and never in shame.
May we be ever mindful of the constant conflict against freedom that surrounds us and the victory that our flag symbolizes for us in that conflict. Guard our hearts and spirits and keep us from idolatry, but bless us in our honoring of this piece of cloth and all it represents.
through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

First Baptist Church Church Staff 224 Main Street Rev. Stephen M. Sanden Penn Yan, NY 14527 Barbara Stewart: Music Director Phone: 315-536-9821 Carrie Ahearn: Organist E-Mail: pyfbc224@gmail.com Jan Hafner: Accountant Website: pennyanfbc.com Peggy S Smart: Secretary Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 9-Noon Church Officers Our Schedule Moderator: Nancy Marion Sunday Worship - 10 AM Vice Moderator: Sheryl Robbins Sunday School - 10:15 AM Church Clerk: Cheryl Stewart Adult Sunday School - 11 AM Church Treasurer: Mary Watkins Finance Officer: Diane DeLooza Missions: Jack Clancy Trustees: Greg Miller Deacons: Barb Stewart Christian Education: Greg Marion ABW: Diane DeLooza

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