first baptist church · 5/3/2020 · first baptist church staff tim marsh your financial support...
TRANSCRIPT
First Baptist Church ME
AL
S O
N W
HE
EL
S
May 15…
……
……
……
...…N
ancy Giles
……
……
……
……
......Kaye C
raft M
ay 29…...D
ebbie & D
arrell Bum
garner
First B
ap
tist Ch
urch
P
.O. B
ox 8
39
R
uth
erford
ton
, NC
28
139
8
28-2
86-9
047
Rutherfordton, NC
Sunday, May 3, 2020
O
PP
OR
TU
NIT
IES
OF
TH
E
WE
EK
N
OT
E: A
ll activities in th
e b
uild
ing
have b
een can
celled
for th
is week d
ue to
the th
reat o
f CO
VID
-19
S
un
day, M
ay 3 10:55 A
M M
orning Worship via
Y
ouTube
MIN
IST
RY
NE
ED
S
If you n
eed an
y assis-
tance d
urin
g th
is recent
outb
reak o
f the C
OV
ID-1
0 viru
s, your
church
staff is av
ailable to
help
you. P
lease don
’t hesi-
tate to call!
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF Tim Marsh
Pastor 828-755-1616
[email protected] Beth Heffner
Minister of Music and Administration 828-980-2761
[email protected] John Miller
Minister of Youth and Children 704-472-5860
[email protected] Kenneth West
Organist Alison Moore
Pianist Jill Taylor
Church Receptionist [email protected]
Debbie Turner Financial Secretary
[email protected] Garry Cuthbertson
Custodian George Hughes
Grounds Maintenance
BIRTHDAYS OF THE WEEK May 3………………….Karen Jones ………………Rebecca Marsh May 4…………….Betty Thompson May 6…………….Sherri Washburn ……………….Zach Marshall May 7……………...William Castro May 8……………...Jesse McMahan ……………...Laverne Justice ……………….Charlie Dover ……………….....Marc Tuttle
CHURCH FINANCES Your financial support of the church is important to our continuing minis-tries. As a church we will spend only what is necessary for the maintenance of the church. We will be good stewards of our resources in anticipation that things may get tight. However, we also know that you have proven faithful in giving. Please mail your contributions to PO Box 839 Ruther-fordton, NC 28139. You may address them to Debbie Turner’s attention for confidentiality. You can also take advantage of our online giving at www.firstbaptistrutherfordton.com. This is through PayPal. If you prefer to give online, you should be aware that there will be a small percentage of your donation taken out by PayPal to be used as a service fee. Please know that all your contributions are greatly appreciated!
FREE FABRIC FACE MASKS AVAILABLE If you are in need of a mask and do not have access to masks, please contact Beth (828) 980-2761 and she will make one for you free of charge and will deliver them to you.
If you sew and would like to make some for your family and others, Beth would be glad to share the pattern with you.
COVID-19 UPDATE FOR FBCR,
MAY 2020 The Deacons and Pastor Tim Marsh met this Sunday to discuss Gov. Cooper’s three-
phase plan to relax stay-at-home orders and slowly re-open North Carolina. The Deacon Council and Ministerial Staff concur that it is imperative to remain in compliance with local and state officials throughout the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. Currently, stay-at-home orders are extended through May 8, with phasing to begin following the expiration of those or-ders. As we understand it, churches may begin on-campus activities during phase 2 of the Governors’ plans to re-open, which may not begin until the end of May. With that said, First Baptist Church will continue worship services and children/youth activities online, at least for the next few weeks. Additionally, we will follow recommended strategies and man-dates to re-open First Baptist Church gradually. We appreciate your continued patience and support during this crisis.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! We are excited to welcome as members Kristin Heffner and A.J. Heffner. Both Kristin and A.J. are joining First Baptist based on their profession of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Deacon Council voted to receive Kristin and A.J. based on their testimo-ny and based upon our familiarity with them. Both Kristin and A.J. will be baptized by Rev. Beth Heffner in worship this Sunday! We celebrate Kris-tin and A.J. as they receive and affirm Jesus’ death and resurrection for their salvation and as they continue their faith journey with First Baptist Church!
Records for April 19 and 26, 2020 Budget Requirements...... $8,410.00 Budget Offering ............ $10,887.00 Special Offerings ............ $2,065.00 Total ........................... $12,952.00
Budget to Date Required by 4-26-20 ... $252,300.00 Received by 4-26-20 ... $272,404.48
Building Fund Building Fund…………………..$0 To Date………………$127,193.36
GIFTS Monetary gifts have been given to the church in memory of Genell Clements from Bud and Janet Gris-som; Maxine Moore; and Ray and Mary Ann Head.
COLLEGE STUDENT David Bond
550 Division Street East Lansing, MI 48823
Michigan State University
BLOOD DRIVE The Red Cross is in critical need of blood donors to offset the toll the disease has taken. Although COVID-19 continues to spread worldwide, blood drives are still being held throughout the nation because the need for blood has not diminished. I will be hosting a blood drive at our church on Friday, June 5. The Red Cross has stated that they will mini-mize risk and will implement pre-cautions to ensure safety. If you are interested in donating, please contact me at [email protected] with your name, phone number and any questions you may have. Thank you for your support! -Melea Jones
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Calvin Bradley had a birthday on April 30 making him a young 94 year old and our oldest church mem-ber. Recently he was found on a roof repairing it! Way to go, Calvin!
PASTOR’S COLUMN
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, NRSV)
Sometimes, I will check the “likes” that I receive on a Facebook post. Perhaps I have shared something clever, helpful or an attempt at humor. Sometimes I will share a quotation from someone I have read. Other times, I will share a family photo. And, it is pretty neat to see what is liked and what’s not. And, I appreciate any affirmation on anything that I write. It helps me to know what is helpful and what is not.
Yet, there is a danger. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against storing up treasures on earth. Why? They rot, they lose value, they decay, or thieves steal. But what are the treasures that Jesus is referencing in this memorable passage?
When reading scripture, it is important that we not simply read the words of a verse or passage and then allow our imaginations to take off. Rather, we need to know the context of the passage. And, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has raised the bar on righteousness. It must go beyond that of the Pharisees and Law-yers. It is a matter of the heart, not of appearance. Jesus has just discussed three practices – giving, prayer, and fasting. He is discouraged doing these three in pub-lic fashion. Why? Because the temptation is receiving praise from others.
Thus, the treasure that we are not to store on earth is the opinion of others. If we commit to following Christ, we do so for an audience of One. If we perform our faith for the praise and approval of others, the temptation is only to engage things that receive applause from others. Public opinion, our friends’ approval, and our family’s praise become the motivation for our actions. We are sculpted by their praise. We receive course-correction from their lack of approval.
Others’ approval can be intoxicating. It can be a powerful tool. The applause of others can give us energy, make us feel good for a moment. But, like any drug, we can become dependent on it for our own self-esteem. At the same time, human applause is fickle. It comes and goes. It does not endure. And, others can use that to shape us in their image. They realize their approval is a powerful tool When we give, whose praise do we seek? When we pray, whose opinion matters? When we fast, who is our audience?
If our treasure is in heaven, we are shaped by what God thinks, what God ap-proves, and what God promotes. Yes, it can be hurtful to follow our faith to its logical end, and see others scorn our values. Yes, it hurts when others withdraw their approval.
So, next time we check our social media, may we check and see if Jesus has liked our post. For, Jesus’ opinion is our treasure! Grace and peace,
Tim
FAMILY MINISTRY
Youth, Children, and Parents/Guardians, 1) Know that I sincerely miss all of you. As a true extrovert who loves be-ing with other people, this new normal is an adjustment. However, we will get through it together. My goal is to stay engaged and connected to all of you as much as possible. 2) Contact Me: if you need to reach out, please call/text me at 704-472-5860. I would love to hear from you, including the children! So feel free to contact me! 3) YOUTH/SUNDAY NIGHTS: we are meeting via Zoom on Sunday nights at 6pm to play some games and discuss select passages from the Psalms. 4) CHILDREN/WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: we are meeting via Zoom on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm to play some games. Afterwards, you’ll be given a link that will take you to our Bible story for the week. 5) STAY UPDATED: check the family ministry newsletter online for an-nouncements.
Stay safe! John
SUNDAY SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY
AVAILABLE Sunday School is available through Zoom. The Out-reach Sunday School Class is continuing their Sunday School class with teacher, Rev. Billy Vaughn. This
coming Sunday, Billy will be discussing about the words of Jesus after the resurrection. You are welcome to join this class. They will have the class available at 9:30 AM each Sunday morning until further notice. If you are interested, please contact Jim or Debbie Rennie (813) 431-4104 or at [email protected] and they will assist you on how you can connect to this virtual class! Jim and Debbie have been attending our church for a cou-ple of months and have worked to set this up and we appreciate this other avenue of ministry and spiritual growth!
YOKEFELLOW FOOD MINISTRY Normally we rely on our church folks to provide the food our church has been assigned by Yokefellow to help feed the hungry of Rutherford County. Since we are not able to make that happen at this point due to the virus, for the month of April the church provided the 30 cans of fruit by purchasing and delivering them to Yokefellow. We purchased these items using your gifts through the Local Missions fund.
HEAR AND RESPOND TO THE WORD
The Written Word Ben and Alison Moore 1 Peter 2:19-25; Psalm 23 Leader: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Baptismal Presentation Beth Heffner
Message in Song “The Lord Is My Shepherd” Moore Ben Moore, Soloist
The Spoken Word “Nothing New, Only Reminders” Tim Marsh (Psalm 23)
The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper The Partaking of the Bread The Partaking of the Cup
GO FORTH TO LOVE AND SERVE Benediction Tim Marsh Departing Song “Blest Be the Tie” DENNIS Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen
_________________________________________
LORD’S SUPPER This morning we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper at the conclusion of our worship service. We hope that you will join in this wonderful time of remembrance. Please have on hand your individual serving of bread and your representation of the cup ready to participate.
2020 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE Our church Scholarship Committee has spent a considerable amount of time updating and streamlining our application process. These updates have been approved by our Deacon Council. The scholarships are available for community college/tech students, 4-year undergraduate students, and those studying for the ministry. The student must be a FBCR church member for at least one year to qualify. Please email Beth Heffner at [email protected] and she will attach the scholarship packet to you on another email. Fill out the appropriate pages and either return it back to her via email or drop it in the mail to the church at PO Box 839, Rutherfordton. The deadline to re-ceive these applications is Sunday, May 24.
FBCR GRADUATES With the COVID 19 virus in our midst, the plans of when to recognize our graduates has not been determined at this point. However, we would like to begin to receive the information we need to celebrate with you. Please call the church office, text or email Beth at 828-980-2761/[email protected] with the graduate’s name, the name of their high school or college they are graduating from; and if they are a college graduate, the degree and major they have earned. Thank you!
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
RUTHERFORDTON, NORTH CAROLINA SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE May 3, 2020 10:55 AM
CALL TO WORSHIP
Greetings and Announcements Tim Marsh Leader: The Lord is Risen! People: He is Risen indeed! Lighting the Acolyte Candles Alison Moore Observing the Ordinance of Baptism Baptismal Candidates: Adam Scott Heffner, Jr. Kristin Paige Heffner Baptism Baptismal Covenant on Behalf of the Congregation of First Baptist Church, Rutherfordton: We rejoice with you. We will pray for you. And we will walk with you in the way of Jesus until the day when He shall bring us all home. Prayer Beth Heffner
The Written Word John 10:19-31 Tim Marsh Hymn “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” BRADBURY
Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
We are Thine; do Thou befriend us, be the guardian of our way; Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray.
Early let us seek Thy favor; early let us do Thy will; Blessed Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our beings fill: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are. Invocation Tim Marsh REMEMBER AND GIVE THANKS The Children’s Message Tim Marsh
The Written Word Act 2:42-47 Tim Marsh Morning Prayer/The Lord’s Prayer Tim Marsh Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.