KILMARNOCK BAPTIST CHURCHP.O. Box 99, Kilmarnock, Virginia 22482

FFEBRUARYEBRUARY 2014 2014Sundays at Kilmarnock Baptist Church

Worship - 9:00 Sunday School - 9:45

Worship - 11:00 (Nursery Available)

Office HoursMon, Tue, Thu: 9am-12pm &1-3pm Wed: 2-5:30pmFri: 9am-1pmPO Box 99, Kilmarnock, VA 22482info@kilmarnockbaptist.orgwww.kilmarnockbaptist.orgtwitter @kilmarnockbc804-435-1703

Wednesday Evenings at Kilmarnock Baptist ChurchWOW (Worship on Wednesdays) 6 p.m.Potluck dinner 2nd and 4th Wednesdays

Matthew Tennant, PastorRobbie Spiers, Music Director

Carolyn Williams, Ministry InternDenise DeVries Ministry Assistant

Mary Ann Crane, OrganistLaura E. Bridges, Pianist

FEBRUARYBIRTHDAYS

5 Ruby Abbott 6 Karen Frye 7 Carolyn Hawley 7 Sheila Zukor 9 Drew Ransone 6 Ryan Christopher20 Sue Brent23 Susan Humphreys23 Donna Swinney27 Dick O’Neil28 Laura Ransone

SERVING IN FEBRUARY

Deacon of the WeekGary Wilkins

Nancy WetheringtonWarren Sutherland

Edith Houghton

FlowersCarolyn Hawley and Pat

Ramey

NurseryElizabeth Sanders

Lisa Spiers

Mission Friends & Children in Action Roberta Pouchot

Barbara Price

Usher CaptainBob Gray

Thought for the month:God’s Valentine

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him

shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NASB)

The Church’s Valentine…Through love serve one

another.Galatians 5:13b (NASB)

New BRICKS in KBC Memorial Garden.Anne Bromley

in Memory of Dr. John E. HoughtonHarriet Dawson

in Memory of Bill Sigler The John E. Houghton Family

in Memory of Dr. John E. HoughtonDebbie Sachen

in Memory of Michael James SachenAnna Nundahl

in Memory of Gerhard Alvin Nundahl & Gwendol Lewis Kilgore

Michelle Haydon in Memory of Florance & Stokley Winegar.

Important Dates

Last day for reservations to see Boeing Boeing is Feb. 9.

WMU Meeting10:30 a.m. Tues., Feb. 11

Feb. 11 is alsoSuper Tuesday!

Contact your committee head for your meeting time.

Memorial GiftsIn Memory of Alease George

Food PantrySteve & Stacy Baxter

Mr. & Mrs. Steve BonnerAnne Bromley

Susan Dameron Grace Gates

Dr. & Mrs. Keith MasonDr. & Mrs. Charles Price

Deborah Sachen Lloyd & Doris Scott

Robert Spitzer

A note of interest from Edith Houghton

Taylor Crabbe, Carolyn Webb-Rockwell’s granddaughter, has won the title of Snow Queen 2014 in the Richmond area. Along with this honor she also was awarded a scholarship. In this role, she will work with Santa next fall as well as making appearances promoting the Children’s Museum throughout 2014. Taylor is the great-granddaughter of Marie Webb.The Museum website says that Taylor is a

junior at Lee Davis High School where she a member of the tennis team and is involved in tutoring and mentoring younger students, especially in reading, writing, and Spanish. Taylor is also an airplane pilot, and completed her first solo flight on her 16th birthday. Taylor would like to become a middle school English teacher one day.

A note of ThanksDear Church Family,

There are not enough words to express to you how grateful I am for the many acts of kindness shown to my mother and me during her long illness and since her home going. Thank you for your prayers, cards, visits, food, and your gracious donations made in her memory. I am truly blessed to have you as my church family.

Love, Margaret Headley

The Good NewsKilmarnock Baptist Church

On Watch:

Reviewing an Old Book

Recently, I read an old book: Why O Lord? The inner meaning of suffering by Carlo Carretto (Maryknoll: Orbis 1986). There is suffering in the world, and people often want to know the reason for it. This is the area of theology called theodicy, the study of evil. In Why O Lord?, the author directs readers to approach suffering in a spiritual sense and he challenges people to appreciate the spiritual growth produced by suffering. 

The book opens with Carretto's speech to a group of handicapped individuals. In his speech, he recognizes his own brokenness and draws this reader (me) into an appreciation of what it means to be human. We are all connected. Someone else's suffering can be my suffering, and we can walk down the path together.

Carretto organizes the book into twelve short, readable chapters. The text is approachable and does not require any technical theological language. He often quotes scripture and seems to use it well. The first chapter sets up the way he approaches suffering. Then, in chapters two through eight, he develops a theology of suffering, relating God to each moment of each day. In chapter nine, he shifts away from God engaging with humanity to martyrdom, and he focuses on the human element of reciprocally engaging with God.

Chapter ten is somewhat problematic because he proffers God as the initiator of suffering, but the following chapters are more pastoral and somewhat less deterministic about the cause of suffering. The final chapter is a guide for a short, three-day prayer retreat. There is also an appendix calling for people to remain in community rather than seeking solitude in their faith journey. In other words, stay in church, in communion with other believers.

It might seem strange to review a book from 1986, but so much new material is published each year that old gems get swept under the rug. This review is an attempt to draw our attention back to something that is worth reading. It might have a dingy cover and only be available in the used-book section, but we should not be discouraged from seeking out the spiritual growth this book can give. Why O Lord? is a fairly quick read, well worth the time spent with it.

Peace,Matt

From the desk of your Ministry Intern

Several of you have asked about my recent trip so I thought I would try to describe it. I really enjoyed my mission immersion experience in Appalachia. This was set up like a travel seminar. It offered an introduction to the Appalachian region and culture through an eleven day immersion among the people and different ministry resources in western North Carolina. The class included students from the School of Divinity of Wake Forest University, and other theological schools such as Wesley, Bethany, and BTSR. We all did preparatory reading and response drawn from selected texts that surveyed major elements of Appalachian society with a special emphasis on religious communities.

We left very early on a very cold January 2 to travel to a retreat center in Burnsville, NC where the GPS led us up the wrong mountain.  I will never forget talking to a very friendly gentleman, who explained, when I stopped to ask where we were, "Why honey, you'uns is in the middle of nowhere!"  (He had some interesting jugs in the back of his pick-up too)!  We finally arrived at the top of the appointed mountain, only to find that everyone else was lost, too, and we were the first to arrive. The leader of the group was Dr. Bill Leonard,

Professor of Baptist Studies and Church History and former dean of Wake Forest Divinity School and editor of the book, Christianity in Appalachia: Profiles in Regional Pluralism. Also present was Don Durham, founder of Healing Springs Acres, a community farm in North Carolina which grows food to give away. He also serves through Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC to network and encourage churches that grow food to give away in their communities. He served as discussion facilitator and resource person for the travel portion of the class. Durham is a member of the advisory board of the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center. We met with Pauline Cheek, an ordained Baptist minister and community activist from Mars Hill, NC, who coordinated the travel portion of the trip and linked the class with individual resource-persons in the region. We also met with and worshipped with Tommy Justis, pastor of Mars Hill Baptist Church, Mars Hill, NC who served as a guide and a clergy resource person for ministry in the region. Having grown up in Madison County, he knows practically everyone. His sister, who is married to a Cherokee, is an accomplished storyteller, and we enjoyed an afternoon with her.

I did enjoy meeting a lot of really nice folks. We were a diverse group of Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterian and Pentecostal ministers.  We learned about failed business enterprises, such as a ski resort and air strip on the side of a mountain, efforts to teach small farming of trendy fruits and vegetables and herbs for

restaurants (burley tobacco was the main crop, for which there is no longer a market).  We traveled throughout Madison county, meeting with church leaders from different denominations.  Some of the denominations are opening up to women in ministry; however the older mountain churches, such as Missionary Baptist, would not approve.  Although I met one young woman whose Southern Baptist grandfather had just ordained her.  We experienced that old style of preaching, done without notes, driven by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Bill called it the "suck and blow" method.  You stop to suck in the air, and then just continue to speak really fast, until you need to catch your breath and start all over again).  The highlight of the trip for me was a visit to Heywood

Baptist Church in Asheville, NC.  A Methodist congregation had closed its doors, and later the Methodists gave the use of the building to a young minister with a desire to preach and serve the homeless. It is a great example of the church doing Jesus’ work. Wednesday there is a feeding program assisted by local restaurants.  There are so many homeless, that there are several seatings between 10:30am and 1pm.  We assisted as well as ate with them, and later participated in the 2pm worship service.  Brian, the pastor, knew all by first name, everyone spoke out their prayer concerns, and later he chose two people to serve communion by intinction. They did not know beforehand, and did a super job.  I was really touched when one of the women took the bread and dipped it and placed it in the mouth of the organist.  He is a self-taught musician and really could make that organ sing.  The congregation has a part in planning the music too.  It is the first time I ever sang the Beatles' song, "Here Comes the Sun" in a worship service.  Each bench has jars of beans or beads that are used as rattles that can be shaken in response to praises and such.  It is very participatory.  The church holds regular Sunday worship as well.  Not all the congregation is homeless, some are regular business owners and workers in the area and homeowners. This minister is very popular, and looks and acts like you would have imagined Jesus might be.  Check out their website www.haywoodstreet.org.  The church also has a clothes closet and several beds that can be used for respite care. I have four more required books to read now, and then I

will write a paper on some aspect of what I have studied, trying to tie together the subjects of place (the isolation of the mountains) and poverty with current worship practices.  Thank goodness we didn't visit any churches with snakes.  (It is supposed to be illegal to handle snakes in NC now). Because the central Appalachian region reflects distinctive subcultures with unique social histories, religious heritages, and economic realities, it offers an important case study in ministry and practice.

Carolyn Williams

A MOUSE IN THE CORNER By Harriet Gearhart

In last month’s column I wrote “This column will be updated in the next issue so you won’t miss out on the Christmas events, especially the performance of the new Sanctuary Choir.”

Here we are in the middle of January already and it doesn’t seem possible that a month has passed since I made that statement and that Christmas came and went so quickly. Unfortunately due to bad weather and health problems, I was able to attend only one event during the whole period. On the Sunday before Christmas I walked into the sanctuary and couldn’t believe the scene before me. I felt like I had wandered into a beautiful garden.

Spread before me was a scene of white poinsettias and green wreaths beginning at the baptism pool, surrounding the choir loft, filling the pulpit area, the nativity scene and highlighting the tree and windows. I thought I had never seen our church looking so beautiful in the years I had been a member! Diane Gray and her committee did a marvelous job in beautifying the church for Christmas. The poinsettias gave the whole sanctuary a glow when the sun shone through the windows!

On that Sunday the choir filed in and completely filled the four rows of chairs in the loft. I was told later that there were 20 voices in the choir, plus Robbie Spiers, the director and Laura Bridges, the pianist. The Cantata was titled “Bethlehem’s Child” and was written by Victor C. Johnson and Lloyd Larson. Jesus’ birth was remembered in these songs of praise and devotion:

“Come Worship”, “Our Hope is Emmanuel”, ”Waiting and Longing”, “My Soul Does Magnify the Lord”, “Christ is Born in Bethlehem”, “Run Shepherds!”, “Cradle Carol”, and “Bethlehem’s Child”. Lynnie and Winnie Macrobie sang a beautiful duet and the choir performed magnificently. It truly was an inspiring performance that will be remembered for a long time.

I had been looking forward to the Christmas Eve service but again, the weather and my health intervened and I had to miss it.

Thanks to all who made the Christmas season so memorable. On the Sunday after Christmas I was reminded of a word I had remembered from my childhood. It was a

word that used to upset me whenever I heard it. The word was “shut-in”. When I heard it mentioned again this year in a different context, it made me stop and think about what it really meant. As a child I pictured someone I loved, and who had obviously done something wrong, put in a room with a closed door.

However, the reference this time was made by Matt who thanked all the members who had put together food and Christmas candy for those who were “shut-ins” and not able to attend some or all of the services during the holidays. When I stopped to ponder the word that used to upset me I realized that at that time I was too young to understand that “shut-in” can have an entirely different meaning. My interpretation at that age meant that someone had done something wrong (getting sick, perhaps) and was being shut up in a room to punish them. In my juvenile mind that meant even God would not be allowed to visit!

In contemporary understanding, and knowing that God is always with us wherever we are, I have found that being shut in can be a time for having long talks with God without interruption. I take advantage of the situation!(continued)

(Mouse in the Corner, continued)I was grateful to all the members who took time to fix up a package of “goodies” for me and others like

me who couldn’t attend church services or other events. Under the circumstances being shut-in was a time for me to rest and recover and spend time with the Savior. But it is nice to be remembered with cards at any time of the year when one is unable to be up and about. I treasure the cards I receive from the Master’s Blend Sunday School class, which each member has signed. Being a shut-in is a time to be remembered and I resolved that in the future that I would let someone know that they are not forgotten just because they are shut in.

On behalf of all of us “shut-ins” who received the gifts that were prepared and delivered to us I would like to thank you for your thoughtfulness. It meant a lot to me to know that I was missed.

I hope 2014 brings each and every one of you peace and good health.~~~~~~~

2013 Fluvanna Christmas Gift Ministry

The Christmas Gift Ministry at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in Troy, Virginia has been in place since the correctional center opened in 1998.

The ministry is sponsored through the Chaplain’s Office at the Fluvanna County Correctional Center for Women, part of the Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia, Inc., and supported entirely by unpaid volunteers and made possible by many generous donations.

Transporting, collecting, sorting, and checking of donations and the sending of acknowledgment letters has made this ministry into an almost year-around effort for local volunteers. Donations are welcome at any time. Chaplain’s Office Volunteer Ron Switzer provided the following information:

“We were able to give each inmate 47 greeting cards or stationery (nine Christmas cards had postage stamps), and a kit of hygiene items.

Once again, we are deeply grateful for your continued support. Beyond the very practical use of the gift items you donated, you communicated a powerful and Godly message to each inmate.

The message is, you’re not forgotten; people beyond the walls and fences care enough to share the love of God with you. It’s this message that will bear fruit in the lives of the inmates long after the donations are gone.”

Food Pantry AngelsThe food pantry wishes to thank all of our

church family and friends for all the help and donations for 2013.

For the month of Jan. we had 49 families and 136 individuals and spent $512.51 on food. As you know we got snowed out two weeks in a row, so a lot of the food will go to this month.

I wish to thank all of my "Pantry Angels" for their help and encouragement for the past year.

Warren Sutherland, Fannie Clingan, Grace Gates, Danny Tobin, Ronnie Pouchot, Nancy Wertherington, Oliver Crane, Linda Enders Bailey, Marty Sutherland, Carol Rushing, Mark Parsley, Jim Kelley, Susan Damerson, Donna Dull, Debby Sachen, J.W. McNeal and of course our Church Ministry Intern Carolyn Williams, who takes such good care to sign up our new clients. -- Love to you all.

This month’s ANGEL is Fannie Clingan. She is known in the neighborhood as "the Vegetable Lady." When we have more clients than food she has to decide how to go about dividing it up so everyone gets a fair share. We affectionately call her the "Sergeant." She knows how to keep order. Fannie, you do a wonderful job and I really appreciate all your help. Keep up the good work.

We heard from two of our wandering Angels, in Florida with the temperature of 80°. They sure know when to take a vacation. Hurry back, we miss you both.

We also want to say a great big "THANK YOU" to Denise DeVries, our Ministry Assistant, who has been so helpful to us in the last couple of years. Good Luck; we will miss you.

Agnes Holloway