fri{lnds; pointing th{l way to a s;af{l harbor through th{llight of faith

fir~t ~8pti~t Chureh Manistiqufl, Michigan

www.f;BGmstq.org sz-meil = fbe@eszntre!up.eom

Oetobflr 2011

pestor's What a great celebra­pondszrings tion we had!!!! Take a

..... ....... gander at some of the events from our mortgage burning service and celebration.

Rs,-f6v

~k Insidel Friendship House Thanks Page 2

Coming Events Page 4

Youth Scoop Page 5

Rally Day Awards Page 6

When Things Fall Apart Page 7

Cats are better Preachers .. Page 8

fin,t ;Bapti85t Church, 315 Walnut ~trflflt . Mani85tiqufl, Michigan 4-9854- . Church 906/34-1-2814- . par85onagfl34-1-2839

ThlZ InformlZr

We extend our sympathy to the family of Jim Kindall. We also thank the family for sharing several beautiful flower arrangements with us.

The Manistique Ministerial As­sociation is looking in to the possibility of having Pub­lic Transit

available Sunday mornings for rides to and from church. If you might be inter­ested in utilizing this service, please contact the church office as soon as possible - 341-2814.

_ .. _ .. - .. _ .. ­

A special thank you to Mike and Jan Hickey for delivering the back­packs that were donated during Vaca­tion Bible School for Friendship House in Hamtramck. You saved us a lot of money in shipping & we appreciate you going out ofyour way to hand de­liver them for us.

Effective immediately, our church email address is now

fbc@centraInp.com Pastor Jay and Lisa's remain un­

changed. Pastor Jay: jay@centralup.com Contributions to the CAPITAL IM­Lisa: 1isa.fbc@charter.net PROVEMENT FUND in memory of:

I:-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:l. Bernice Galli by Shirley Patz &

family

• Pauline Miller by Shirley Patz & family

• Bradley Rosie by Lloyd & Betty Smith

The Book of NUMBERS for FBC (through 9/30/1 I)

YTD Income $88,764.93 General Fund Budget.. 91,893.71 YTD General Fund Expense 88,300.13

Thank you for your donations.

BUS N E S S

ME E TIN G

Our next QUARTERLY BUSI­NESS MEETING will be held at 12:30 PM, October 16th in the multi­purpose-room.

.. _ .. _ .. _ .. _ .. - .. _ .. - .. _.

The following is a portion ofa thank you letter we receivedfrom Friendship House.

Dear FBC Manistique Friends,

A few weeks ago we distributed 177 backpacks containing school supplies. We also handed out 28 bags of school supplies when we ran out of backpacks. A lot of our families juggle essential bills like rent, utilities, food & medicine, so purchasing school supplies can be too burdensome. All supplies are donated, especially by our fabulous American Baptist Women's groups across the coun­try. Bless them all. We are using the funds ($187) you donated for more back­packs - Thanks!!

Cordially, Linnea A. Berg, Executive Director

Our 2011 VBS Mission was to collect backpacks and monetary donations to purchase additional backpacksfor Friendship House ... (we were able to send them $187!

Oetob~r 2011 frillnds pointing thll wa<j to a safll harbor

through thlllight of faith

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Sep 2011 Nov 2011 10:00AM S M T W T F S S M T W T F S Community

Orchestra1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 124 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

25 26 27 28 29 30 27 28 29 30

75 6 82 3 4 1:30 PM Medicare Chapel 5:00 PM Great Slart 10:00 AM

Clubs 9:30 AM Sunday School 6:30 PM Pioneer 10:00 AM HBH

Colaboralive B-Ball in MPR Service Community 10:30 AM Morning Worship Orchestra6:00 PM Survivors of10:00 AM 5:30 PM Basketball in Suicide Support

PieceMakers MPR Group 6:00 PM Evening Service

3:15 PM Girt 6:30 PM Worship Choir 6:00 PM Wolf Cubs Scouts6:00 PM Youth Group

Bon-fire at Barr's 7:30 PM Mid-Week Bible

World Mission Offering

7:30 PM AA Meeling Study

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 9:00 AM Coalition 9:30 AM Sunday School 1:30PM 1:00 PM Bible Study 5:30 PM Board Church Office 10:00 AM Vol. Mig in libraryAmerican Chairmen Closed Community

10:30 AM AB WOMENS 5:30 PM Basketball in Baptist Women Orchestra SUNDAY

10:00 AM HBH 60Ball MPRMeeting inMPR

6:00 PM wolr 1:30 PM Challengers 10:00AM 6:30 PM Worship Choir

Columbus Day PieceMakers Cubs

6:00 PM Evening Service (Observed) 7:30 PM AA Meeting 6:30 PM All

7:30 PM Mid-WeekWor1d Mission OHering BoardsBible Study

Meeting

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM HBt! 8-BaIlIn 1:00 PM Bible Sludy6:30 PM Pioneer

MPR 10:00 AM Clubs Community10:30 AM Morning Worship 5:00 PM Brown Estate

10.00 AM Heart 8mef'$ al Sw:tneSIJohn's Meeting Orchestra

12:30 PM Quart Bus Meeting

5;30 PM Basketball in MPR,O:llOAM PieceMakers 3:30 PM Youth Group meet & attend Dinner as group 3:'SPM Girl Scoo1s

6:30 PM Worship Choir4:00 PM Progressive Potluck 600 PM BearCub-s

Dinner 7:30 PM Mid-Week Bible Sludy

6:00 PM Pack Event

World Mission Offering 7:30 PM AA Me-eling

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 12:30 PM Housing Coalition

MPR 9:30 AM Sunday School 6:00 PM Bear 10:00 AM HBH B-Ballin 12:00 PM Set up 8:00AM 10:00AM

in Choir RoomCubs in MPR for Connect Housing Community10:30 AM Men's Sunday

10:00 AM PieceMakers Event Connect Event Orchestra1:00 PM Bible Study 1:30 PM Challengers 5:30 PM Basketball in MPR

2:00 PM Fosler 12:15 PM Jim & Grandparent Fndn An Meelmg

6:00 PM Evening Service Bev Marks 50th 6:30 PM Worship Choir in MPR

Wand Mission Offering 6.00 PM Bear Cubs

7:30 PM Mid-Week Bible Study7'30 PM AA Meeting

30 31 9:30 AM Sunday School Halloween

10:30 AM Morning Worship

6:00 PM Evening Service

World Mission Offering

ThlZ InformlZr

panua<DINNER In what has become an annual event

the Interchurch Progressive Potluck Supper has been scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 16th beginning at 4pm. The idea behind this Manistique Ministerial As­sociation sponsored event is to bring us together for an evening offamily get together and inter-church fellowship.

Each participating church is respon­sible for one portion of the progres­sion. S1. Francis de Sales has joined in with us this year and has volunteered to host the main dish; so this year we will be responsible for providing the GARLIC BREAD for the meal. If you would like to donate a loaf of frozen garl ic bread, please drop it off in the kitchen freezer anytime in the next two

weeks.

The following is the dinner progres­sion:

4:00 PM - APPETIZERS Cedar Grove Mennonite Church

5:00 PM - SOUP Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

5:30 PM - SALAD First United Methodist Church

6:00 PM - ITALIAN MAIN DISH St. Francis de Sales Church (with FBC providing the bread)

6:30 PM - DESSERT Church of the Redeemer Presbyterian

Participating Churches: Cedar Grove Mennonite, Church ofthe Redeemer Presbyterian, First Baptist, First United Methodist, Manistique Harbor Pentecostal Church of God, St. Francis de Sales and Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

Please call the church office if you would like to get contribution enve­lopes for your weekly offerings. We've To any of our kitchen volunteers oaot more for 201 I and will have who may be interested in being certi­2012's ready to pick up in December. fied in "ServSafe", LMAS District

Health Department is offering classes on the following dates:

October 11,2011 - St. Ignace November 1, 2011 - Munising December 6, 2011 - Manistique January 18,2012 - Newberry

Time: 8am - 5pm

Please contact the church office for cost & registration forms.

_--------------------------..., 7TH ANNUAL BAZAAR Be CRAFT FAIR

You are not going to want to miss our FBC Bazaar and Craft Fair. Craft table spaces are still available but hurry ....they are going fast!

Lunch will be available for purchase along with our bake sale extravaganza! If you have any questions or would like to reserve a craft booth, please call Sue Bellville at 341-2370 or Carol Dixson at 573-2644.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH MPR TIME: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Our fabulous bake sale can't be accomplished without your wonderful baked goods donations. Monies raised from the baked sales and table rental fees will benefit our Vacation Bible School craft department. Thank you so much for your donations and support.

We hope to see you Nov 5th: tell your neighbors, friends and family!

WHEN: WHERE:

first :Beptist Church

FBC YOUTH GROUP grades 6­12 wi II kick off their first meeting at the Barr's home on Dawson Road at 6 pm, Sunday, October 2nd with a bon­fire.

October 16th Youth Group will be meeting at the Mooi's home at 6 pm.

Our youth in Jr & Sr High have once again been invited to the IN­TERCHURCH YOUTH HAY­RIDE hosted by Cedar Grove Men­nonite Church on West Kendall Road.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH AT 5:00 PM

If your son/daughter is interested in going please have them tell their Sun­day School Teacher; we need to give them a headcount by Friday, Oct. 7th.

Cedar Grove will be providing hot­dogs & drinks, along with a devotional after the hayride. They are asking us to bring snacks to share such as chips, cookies, fruit, etc. Also, we need to provide enough chaperones for our group that will be attending. They also, remind us to dress for the weather. In

Big Wave Discovery reading club had its final event on Thursday, August 18. The children had fun racing sail­boats, making windmiJJs, and eating watermelon and cookies! That was the final celebration of weekly meetings where the children earned 50,502 points (one point per page read). Seven children were given a special prize for making it to 3,000.

It was a busy summer of reading as well as learning "Big Questions About God." Twenty-two children attended with seven coming from our church family and 15 from outside the church. A special thanks goes to Leann Espinoza, Stacie Zellar and Karen Mooi for helping out all summer long.

SPECIAL SERVICES AMERICAN BAPTIST

WOMEN'S SUNDAY is October 9, 2011. Join us as the women in our church lead us in worship and song.

AND

AMERICAN

of-BAPTIST MEN'S SUNDAY is October

ABMen 23rd and we hope , ........ . you will come as we:

.. Challengers will meet at 1:30 PM, :

PIONEER CLUB has begun. Both Pathfinders and Trailblazer's will meet the first and third Monday's of each month from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm.

It is not too late to join! Path­finder's are grades 1st-3rd and the teachers are Stacie ZeliaI' & Leann Espinoza. Trailblazers are grades 4th­6th with teacher's Brenda Swanson and Honey LeMaster. If you have a 'gently' used Trailblazer or Pathfinder book you are no longer using and would like to pass it on to a club mem­ber, please drop it off in the church office.

See you here at FBC for all the fun!

2011-2012 SCHEDULE

Oct.3rd Jan. 30th Oct. 17th Feb. 6th Nov. 7th Feb. 13th Nov. 21st Mar. 5th Dec. 5th Mar. 19th Dec. 19th April 16th Jan. 16th April 30th

Please note, several meetings have been rescheduled due to holidays. We will not meet if there is no school or if school has been cancelled.

case of rain they are planning to have celebrate in worship : Sunday, October 9th & 23rd. : indoor games and snacks at the church. with the men of our congregation lead- ,

ing the service.

~ WORLD'. MISS N ~FFERINGCongratulations to all those who

were recognized as having perfect or almost perfect attendance for our 2010­20 II Sunday School year. Those re­ceiving recognition this year are:

2nd Year - Amy Seeley • • 3rd Year - Roger Pratt

13th Year - Dr. Leonard Mooi • - Karen Mooi - Carolyn Mooi

21st Year - Jan Martin • • 22nd Year - Connie Ellis

• 26th Year - Pastor Jay Martin

Please remember we offer two Adult Sunday School classes along with Sunday School classes for all school age students and you are invited to join us at any time! Classes are every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.

----¥~ ._ _ __ __~ .lI+~

Heart Seeker's Bible Study group will meet next at Karen Mooi's home October 4th at 10:00 AM. We will be discussing lesson two from "Twelve Extraordinary Women" by John Mac­Arthur.

As we think about our individual lives and even our church's life, we can easily forget we are part of a large community of faith, the Church of Je­sus Christ around the world! This Oc­tober, we will be reminded of that fact. Throughout the entire month of Octo­ber we will be collecting a special of­fering for our 2011 WMO, which sup­ports the global work of American Baptist International Ministries (IM).

To find out more about this impor­tant mission project visit:

www.internationalministries.org. Special offering envelopes can be

found in your contribution envelopes or in your pews. Thank for your prayers and financial support.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~I.

:: C:HURC:H LIBRARY READING REVIE\vS:: iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii .iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii iii II

THE BIBLE JESUS READ By Phillip Yancey

Here's what one of our readers had to say: I would recommend this book for a different interpretation

or another insight on the books of the Old Testament. The author explains his meaning of five Old Testament

books and how the writers wrote the words, how they felt at the time the words were written. To quote the author "the more we comprehend the Old Testament, the more we com­prehend Jesus."

Using the rating scale 1-5 with 5 being the highest here is how they rated this book:

Both rated the books the same: Interesting = 4 Easy to read = 5 Challenged my Christian Life = 3

NEIGHBORING FAITHS By Winfried Corduan

Here's what one of our readers had to say: I would recommend this book for readers

who want to understand more about specific faiths.

Using the rating scale 1-5 with 5 being the highest here is how they rated this book:

Both rated the books the same: Interesting = 4 Easy to read = 4 Challenged my Christian Life = 5

fir~t ;B!:\pti~t Church

When Things -Fall Apart-Bill has written about the door

opening for us in Eastern Congo and Southern Sudan. He has written about his work in Congo having been com­pleted in January. God has been show­ing us in many ways that it is time to fold our tents and move on as we seek to follow His will.

My work, too, in Kinshasa is near­ing completion. When we first came to Zaire (Congo) my main task was homeschooling our four children, first on the back porch of a house on the banks of the Kwilu River in Vanga and later in our home in the capital city of Kinshasa. Those years have passed. Cassie, our youngest, graduated from high school in June and has returned to the U.S. to attend Colby College in Main. Joel will be a senior at Williams College in Massachusetts and Eli will be attending graduate school at the University of Maine. Jasmine is mar­ried with twins and planning to return to college in the fall as well. All four in college at the same time!

Another work I took on when we moved to Kinshasa eleven years ago was to help keep the doors open of the American school, founded in 1961 by American Baptist missionaries Jerry and Lee Weaver. Difficult times had fallen on The American School of Kin­shasa (TASOK) when we moved to the capital from the interior. Two pillages, a prolonged war, riots, and rebellions had left their mark on the school with

seriously diminished enrollment and neglected facilities. Students and fac­ulty, due to insecurity and decisions of mission boards and government agen­cies alike, had departed. Accreditation had lapsed, enrollment was at an all­time low, and there was talk of closing the school. I was determined to do eve­rything possible to help keep the school open and rebuild for the future. I assumed various roles as gaps ap­peared: teacher, college counselor, ac­creditation coordinator, and board president. Too much history and too many prayers had gone into the school to see it shut down. It was a labor of commitment and determination, but that process, too, has been completed. TASOK stayed open during those dark years of conflict, retained key staff, went through two successful accredita­tion cycles, and today has a student population of nearly 300 students (up from 40 when we arrived in town). It appears it is time, also, for me to move on.

One of my greatest pleasures at the school has been to teach a course titled African Studies to the graduating sen­iors each year. We recently read Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart whose title comes from a poem by William Butler Yeats. The poem begins:

"Turning and turning in the widen­ing gyre the falcon cannot hear the

falconer; This fall apart; the center cannot hold. "

Besides the signs that our work has been completed, we have to laugh at other evidence that is time to go. We have lived in the hot and humid cli­mate of Congo for 16 years and just in the last few months, everything we own it seems is 'falling apart.' As each device, appliance, and electronic item in our house breaks, we look at each other, shake our heads, and affirm, "It really is time to go." Our physical things in Kinshasa are breaking down

and we can smile. However there are times when things much more impor­tant such as hopes, dreams, and rela­tionships can and do fall apart, and yet we must find the strength to endure. But Keats had it wrong. He said, "the center cannot hold." It can! We, as Christians, even though things may seemingly fall apart all around us, have the precious assurance that the center of our life, Christ, remains steadfast in all our trials. He is the center and the rock to which we must cling.

One of my favorite hymns, given to me by Clayton Rogers, a friend and gifted organist with whom I share a birthday, is "I Know Who Holds To­morrow" by Ira Stanphill.

"I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don't borrow from its sunshine, For its skies may turn to grey. 1 don't worry 0 'er the future, For I know what Jesus said. And today I'll walk beside Him, For He knows what is ahead. Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; But I know who holds tomorrow, And 1 know who holds my hand. "

As we transition to a new phase of our lives (empty nesters) and prepare for new challenges in a new environ­ment (Southern Sudan) we need to re­member to focus on the tasks of the day rather than worry about the chal­lenges and uncertainties oftomorrow. When things get difficult or our lives seem to be 'falling apart,' we need to cling to the promises of God and hold the hand of Him who holds our tomor­row.

With love and thanksgiving from Kin­shasa, Ann Clemmer International Ministries

First Baptist Church Nonprofit

315 Walnut Street 7 - Studies show that "marking" one's Manistique, MI 49854-1413

congregation is a substantial barrier to church growth!

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 6 - Playing with yarn has so many spiri­Would you believe that cats would make tual applications!

better preachers than dogs would make??? 5 - No one likes to be barked at! Here's why,.. 4 - Purring has calmed many a conten­

, tious annual meetings! 10 - Preachers have a hard enough time 3 M t d h h d t' d' t'" - os ogs ave a ar Ime IS m­

gettmg to the pomt, do you really want one 'h' b t h d '\ I

I'k h h' 'f? gUls mg e ween us ers an mal men, wh0 I es to case IS tal , I " 2 - Do you really want to smell "wet

9 - Cats aren t m the Bible, therefore, d" ft b t' ? I t I h , " 0 0 a er every ap Ism, - e a one av­

there IS no conflIct of mterest! b

8 - Dogs can preach OK, but the panting and tail wagging is so distracting!

Oetob{lr :Birthdag~ 8i 'tInniv{lr~ari{l~

AUTO ing to deal with the dry­ U.S. Postage Paid

Manistique, MIoff spray! Permit No. 11and the number one

reason why cats make better preachers than dogs is:

I - Cats know lots about free will!

- slolen from the internel

5 Bob & Cathy Tufnell 6 Bob & Sherry Hampton 7 Bob Ryan

Jake Shampine Don & Sue Bellville

8 Cathy Tufnell Chuck & Karen Adkins

10 Bob Tufnell 1I Lonne Edwards

Guy & Linda Thorell 12 James Ellis 14 Linda Thorell

Moe & Jackie Fagan 16 Shawn Carlson

Helen Carlson Jim Frans Joe Frenette Darrell & Carol Dixson

17 Richard & Marilyn Johnson 18 Chris Hayward

Gladys Linderoth Betty Stewart

19 Bruce Birr 20 Michele Beckman

Betty Howard 21 Jehred Carlson

Darcy Robere 22 LaVern & Linda Hamill

23 Doug & Kim Jones 24 Jane Patz 25 Stephanie Carlson 27 Roger & Janet Pratt 28 Eva Johnson

Merence Michaels Jim & Beverly Marks Linda Hamill

29 Kayla Anthony Nina Vincent

31 Bruce & Rae Birr

Greeters: 10/2 : Dave & Darcy Robere 10/9 : Open - - - - - - - - - - - ­10/16: Open I GREETERS NEEDED I 10/23: Open : - PLEASE SIGN UP! :10/30: Open _

Communion Setup: Rhonda Anthony

Hostesses: Patsy Berger & Bev Marks Men's Set-up: Jim Marks

Media '" Sound Operator: Barb Reiter - Computer Operator: Trevor Thill- Worship Leader: Clyde Strasler - Song Leader: Pastor Jay

The Informer

Published monlhly for members and friends of FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

315 Walnut Street Manistique, MI 49854

(906) 341-2814 - Church (906) 341-2839 - Parsonage e-mail = fbc@centralup.com

www.FBCmstq.org

Minislers: All Members and Friends Pastor: Jay Martin, D.Min. Secretary: Lisa Slavinski

Cuslodian: Jeff Syers

Church Services Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Service 10:30 AM

(Nursery care available) Sunday PM Service 6:00 PM