First Baptist Church of Galva 211 NW 4th Avenue Galva, IL 61434

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit 14

Galva, IL 61434 Return Service Requested

First Baptist Church

of Galva Phone: 309-932-2713

firstbaptist.galva@hotmail.com

www.galvabaptistchurch.com

Donald Reul, Pastor

Pat Koga, Associate Pastor

Sunday Services Praise………………….…8:30 AM

Sunday School……...…..9:45 AM

Worship Service……….11:00 AM

Children’s Church……..11:00 AM

The Baptist Beacon is a monthly publication of the First Baptist Church of Galva,

The World’s Most Perfectionist Dad In the frozen-foods department of our local grocery store, I saw a man shopping with his son. As I walked by, he checked something off his list, then whispered conspiratorially to his son, “You know, if we really mess this up, we’ll never have to do it again.” —Janet Campbell The World’s Most Tireless Dad On a brutally hot day I walked past a miniature golf course and saw a dad following three small children from hole to hole. “Who’s win-ning?” I shouted. “I am,” said one kid. “Me,” said another. “No, me,” yelled the third. Sweat dripping down his face, the dad gasped, “Their mother is.” —Tom Lappas The World’s Most Giving Dad My mom had always wanted to learn to play the piano, so Dad bought her one for her birthday. A few weeks later, I called and asked how she was doing. “We returned the piano,” said Dad. “I persuaded her to switch to a clarinet.” I asked why. “Because,” he explained, “with a clarinet, she can’t sing along.” -- Don Foste The World’s Best Rebound Dad

Our 17-year-old daughter was going by bus to a soccer tournament in Delaware and she’d packed more baggage than Noah. As I was hauling it out of the trunk I remarked, “Oh, Erica, we forgot the kitchen sink!” Another father instantly chimed in: “It’s okay. Ashley has one—they can share.” —Andrew W. Dencs

The Jr/Sr. High group who participated in the Youth class on Thursday nights, sang, “Beautiful Day” at the Awana Awards on

April 29. Amerra sang a beautiful solo.

These are the winners of the contest for a trip to Wright Way Equestrian Farm on June 3.

Patrick Shipman and Faith Simoneaux sang, “There’s Something

About That Name” at both services on May 13.

Faith Simoneaux and Cheyanne Bell were helping in Wiley Park

at the Galva Concert Series selling popcorn, caramel corn and

beverages on May 27. First Baptist Church is raising money by

selling food items during the concert series in Wiley Park every

Sunday afternoon.

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2018

From the Pastor’s desk….

There are many things about getting old that are alarming. Your hearing is not so keen. In fact “what” is now

one of your favorite words….

Your eye sight is not as focused as you would like….in fact your bifocals make life sort of a kaleidoscope

(in focus…out of focus…in focus…out of focus….).

Bending over to tie your shoes is such a challenge…in fact …..you donated all your shoes (with shoe strings

on them) to Goodwill….now you only wear slip-on’s.

You have even bought one of those stretch belts (one size fits all)….. Isn’t life just full of little smiley faces?

I am adjusting to some of the awkward things I just mentioned, but I am having a hard time adjusting to big

changes in some folks attitudes….attitudes that are gripping this great land we live in. The moral fabric of

America is being torn asunder. God, family and service are no longer the foundational stones we are building

on.

God is becoming the target of so many visceral comments and nasty jokes. There is a contempt that is grow-

ing for Him and His ways. I view it as a cancer eating at the heart of America. Too many people call Chris-

tians… “Bible Thumpers” and hate what they preach and stand for. And… they are active in their efforts as

they try to eradicate the words of the bible they don’t like.

Then the family unit is under an onslaught that is truly amazing. The LBGT community is active…. The

drug culture is permeating (even into our little towns) …meth…cocaine…exotic drugs….are everywhere.

Schools are defining what you can and can’t believe…as shootings engulf them. I talked with someone this

last week who fathered 5 kids with 5 different women….

WHAT????????

Where are we at and where are we going?

And service…. The police are spat on….they are shot and killed just because they are police officers. The

FBI and DOJ are embroiled in more dirty tricks than a pig in his pen in a rain storm. People won’t stand for

the National Anthem because they dislike the police. Soldiers are disrespected. Where is our thankfulness

for what we have?

Inside the church at large….doors are being shut. Congregations are shrinking. When a grandma or grandpa

dies …the kids aren’t there to take their place. Challenges are mounting. There is a shortage of pastors and

priests. New concepts and new ideas are being introduced into the traditional church to alter or modify the

gospel message…in hopes of attracting some folks. I shake my head in disbelief.

All I mentioned has some craziness to it….and it causes me to meditate on what’s what…. And where are we

going…

I’ve come to this conclusion…..I can’t go back and be young again…so I will march in the direction I have

been marching in… towards Heaven and home. I have learned to love the Lord….I have found I can trust

and depend upon Him…. I have a peace that passes all understanding.

2 Timothy 1:12 says what I feel…..for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded

that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Beth and Gary Larson have a unique way of displaying their beliefs. Gary created a garden right along the sidewalk with the ten commandments written in stone and a stone picture of Moses. (In case you can’t read it - it says “NOT The Ten Suggestions” above the stone.) Also, there is a bench for all who need to rest on their walk. Stop by and

see it sometime! It is at 215 NW 1st Ave.

It is that time again - time to clean out those garages and basements and donate to the More-on-34 sale. The sale will be held on June 15 & 16 and we need your items to make it possible! Bring your items to the church or call Pastor Don and he will arrange to have someone pick the items up. No electronics, please!

If you are missing a coat or other such item - check our coat racks for them. Also found in the sanctuary was a necklace. All items still hanging here on June 14 will be sold at the More-on-34 sale - so you better look things over and make sure nothing belongs to you!

We will be updating the Greeters list in June. If you wish to be a greeter, please let the church know! Here are the Greeters scheduled for June:

June 3 - Eunice Plummer June 10 - Dave & Brianna Tuthill June 17 - Dave & Linda Dailey June 24 - Kathy Blanks

The Wednesday Night Bible class that meets at the Koga’s will be taking an hiatus during the summer and will resume again in the fall.

At the Ladies’ Luncheon in May, we had a salad lunch here at the church with a wonderful program presented by Bobbie Fox on jewelry. Bobbie showed us some tips on displaying jewelry and then sold some jewelry. She also gave away some lovely door prizes. Thank you, Bobbie! Also thanks to Barbara Wheelhouse and Bobbie’s school friend for helping us. The next Ladies’ Luncheon will be on Monday, June 11 at 11:30 AM at Sherry’s in Galva. Please let Eunice Plummer or Karen Steward know if you plan to attend.

Bobbie Fox showing the ladies at the luncheon her display

of jewelry.

You have so many sources that want to speak at and towards you….the television…the newspaper….the

computer and internet….even your phone now. Yes…. there are a lot of things going on…but always re-

member what Jesus said over in Matthew 28:20…

He said…Teach people to observe all the things I have commanded you: and, lo, I am

with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

In conclusion……

With Jesus in your heart…as He teaches your mind…..Be strong….lift your head high…you serve

a risen savior. You have and possess much hope and happiness. Keep on keeping on.

Pastor Don

We held our fourth annual Awana Awards on Sun., April 29 at the 11:00 AM wor-ship service. All the children received medals for participating in Awana this year. The Jr High-High School girls sang a group song and Amerra sang a beautiful solo. All the workers received gifts. Those who won the high points awards in Cubbies

were: 1st place - Mia Thompson, 2nd place - Colbe Heaton and 3rd place - Josalyn Petty. The high point winners in Sparks were: 1st place - Mersadeze Thompson, 2nd place - Tommy DeRidder and 3rd place - Sean Shappard. In T & T the winners were: 1st place - Cheyanne Bell, 2nd place - Faith Simoneaux and third place is Lauryn DeRidder. The overall points winners were: Cheyanne Bell - 1st, Mersadeze Thompson - 2nd and Mia Thompson - 3rd. We also held our Silly Olympic games on April 26. There are pictures of that night at the bottom of this page.

First Baptist Church of Galva July 30-August 3 10:00 AM - noon

For more information call Nancy at 852-3311.

This summer we will be raising money by selling food at Wiley Park during the Levitt AMP Galva Con-cert Series, which is held each Sun-day May 27 - August 5 (except July 1). We will be selling caramel corn, cotton candy, popcorn, water and Gatorade, except on June 17,

where we will sell a meal, also. We also will need help on June 15 & 16 with the More-on-34 yard sale. If you are interested in helping in any way, please let Pastor Don know.

I apologize if I offended anyone with the “Yo Mama” jokes in the last newsletter. I questioned putting it in the newsletter and I guess I should have listened to that voice in my head! Sorry!

A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden he said out loud, "Lord, grant me one wish." Suddenly the sky clouded above his head, and in a booming voice the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want to." The Lord said, "Your request is very material-istic. Think of the logistics of that kind of un-dertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for wordly things. Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me." The man thought about it for a long time. Fi-nally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could under-stand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say 'nothing,' and how I can make a woman truly happy." After a few minutes God said, "You want two or four lanes on that bridge?"

The Literacy Project was established in 2009 to face head on what the founders felt was a national literacy crisis. They declared that 50% of adults couldn’t read past the 8th-grade level.

Professor E.D. Hirsch of the University of Virginia feels that we have a different kind of literacy crisisꟷ a crisis of cultural illiteracy. He states that a culturally illiterate person is unable to and understand culturally conditioned allusions, references to past events, idiomatic expressions, etc. I have seen what Dr. Hirsch is describing as experiences are lost as we move from one generation to the next.

I am going to put myself out on a limb here. I see another type of crisis in the church of Jesus Christ in America, a crisis of Biblical Illiteracy. In my encounters with Christians from other countries who come to America, they just can’t believe how cavalier we are with the scriptures! Consider this possible scenario:

A church council was examining a candidate for membership. One of the questions they asked him was, "What part of the Bible do you like best?" "I like the New Testament best," he replied. "What book in the New Testament?" "The book of Parables." "Would you kindly relate one of those parables to us?" So the un-certain candidate bluffed as follows:

"Once upon a time, a man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, and the thorns grew up and choked him.

And he went on and met the Queen of Sheba, and she gave him a thousand talents of gold and silver, and a hundred changes of raiment. And he got in his chariot and drove furiously. And when he was driving along under a tree his hair got caught in a limb and left him hanging there.

And he hung there many days and many nights, and ravens brought him food to eat and drink. And one night while he was hanging there asleep, his wife, Delilah, came and cut off his hair, and he dropped and fell on the stony ground; and it began to rain and it rained forty days and forty nights, and he hid himself in a cave.

And he went on and met a man who said, "Come in and take supper with me," but he said, "I cannot come, for I have married a wife." And the man went out into the highways and byways and compelled him to come.

He went on and came to Jerusalem and he saw Queen Jezebel sitting high up in a window. When she saw him she laughed. And he said, "Throw her down out of there," and they threw her down. And he said, "Throw her down again," and they threw her down seventy times seven times, and of the fragments they then picked up twelve baskets full. Now whose wife will she be in the day of judgment?"

There was no one in the council who felt qualified to question the candidate further for each council member suspected that his own unorganized Bible knowledge was as sketchy as that of the candidate. The man was voted into the church.

The sad part is, I have seen churches where I could see this happening. Spend time in God’s Word. The only way to fight the lies of the enemy is with the sword of truth, and you must know it to use it.

A BIG thank you

to Renee Reul

and Mary Hol-

lingsworth for

the hard work

you have re-

cently done in

the kitchen with

the pies and getting ready for

the concert in the park. You’re

the best!

We recently received the following letter from Airman Basic Thaddeaus Blanks, dated May 9, 2018: Dear Church Family, I know its been a while since I wrote to you guys. I keep hearing that you all are wonder-ing how I’m doing so I decided to write so you would know. It’s been a month as of today since I’ve been in Tech School and I’ve been enjoying it. However, the classes have proven to be challenging, but I will trust God to help me and I will do what He wants me to do. I will study and give it my best. After all, I made it this far because of God. I’ve also been making a lot of friends who really like me and appreciate me for who I am. Also, at the beginning of Tech School I joined a spiritual volunteer group called the White Ropes. They go help out at the Chapel and do volunteer projects, such as feeding home-less people and spending time with orphans. I was honestly doubtful about joining at first be-cause I was worried it would cut into my free time. But I felt like God was leading me into that area and I could continue to do His work and others would see His love through me. I haven’t regretted joining at all. I hope you all are doing good as well. If you want to keep in touch, here’s my mailing address:

Blanks Thaddeaus T 1320 Treumper St Unit 367526

JBSA Lackland, TX 78236 Thank you all for your love, prayers and support. As always, it means a lot to me. Looking forward to hear-ing from you. Sincerely, Thaddeaus Blanks AKA Airman Basic Blanks

THE FATHER’S BLESSING

Gary Smalley, popular author and psychologist, asked 100 people, “What is one specific way you knew that you had received your parents’ blessing?” Here some of those an-swers:

1. “My father would put his arm around me at church and let me lay my head on his shoulder.” 2. “When my father was facing being transferred at work, he purposely took another job so that I could finish my senior year in high school at the same school.” 3. “When I wrecked my parent’s car, my father’s first re-action was to hug me and let me cry instead of yelling at me.” 4. “When I was thirteen, my dad trusted me to use his favorite hunting rifle when I was invited to go hunting with a friend and his father.” 5. “My father went with me when I had to take back an ugly dress a saleswoman had talked me into buying.” 6. “My father would let me practice pitching to him for a long time when he got home from work.” 7. “Even though I had never seen him cry before, my fa-ther cried during my wedding because he was going to miss me no longer being at home.

We challenge YOU to join our weight-loss group, which meets on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 PM. And

then we challenge you to lose weight WITH us! We plan to add exercise at the end of each class. Meetings consist of help-ful hints to lose weight & sup-port.

Youth Group will begin again this month and will meet on Saturday, June 9 and June 23

at 4:00 - 6:00 PM. The Youth Group is for kids going into 6th grade - 12th grade. Invite a friend!

Our next movie night is on Thu., June 21 at 6:30 PM. The movie is entitled, “A Letter to Dad,” which is based on a true story of how faith and love can overcome a lifetime of pain and anger.