Sunday, June 7, 2009

With the nice weather we have enjoyed, picnic season is upon us which fits this little story well:

A Jewish rabbi and a Catholic priest met at the town's annual 4th of July picnic. Old friends, they began their usual banter.

"This baked ham is really delicious," the priest teased the rabbi. "You really ought to try it. I know it's against your religion, but I can't understand why such a wonderful food should be forbidden! You don't know what you're missing. You just haven't lived until you've tried Mrs. Frobisher's prized Virginia Baked Ham. Tell me, Rabbi, when are you going to break down and try it?"

The rabbi looked at the priest with a big grin, and said, "At your wedding."

You always have to watch out for jokes that start like this, but this one was OK (at least I thought so.)

Here is our lineup of services for Sunday:

9:30 AM - Sunday School and ABF's (3 Adult Bible Fell0wships from which to choose.)

10:45 AM - Worship service. In addition to some great songs, we will worship God by looking at His Word in Matthew 18 and others as we consider, "What Happens When We Step Out of Line in Church?" This is a subject that is good to bring up when there is no particular reason to do so, and that is where we are now - thankfully. But it is good to understand and agree upon before any incident arises. Please pray for this time together.

6:00 PM - Our Annual AWANA Awards and Graduates Recognition service. A special time of honoring those who made achievements in life recently. There will be a cake and ice cream fellowship afterward. Plan to attend this special time together.

Please note that on Monday at 7:00 PM there will be an organizational meeting for this year's Vacation Bible School. We will hold our VBS the week of June 28 - August 2 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM nightly. That is not far away, so please make this VBS meeting on Monday a priority. And thank you to the many who have signed up to help in some way, it should be a fun time of ministry together. Kids - start inviting your friends and relatives NOW.

We have been telling you about our Summer Small Groups ministry and have had over 70% of our available adult population sign up to participate! That is a wonderful turnout! Groups will begin soon, so stay tuned.

Our Japan Missions Team has raised over 95% of their support and only lack about $1,250 to complete their needed financial goal (about $14,000 total.) They plan to attend the ABWE Missions "Boot Camp" in Indiana next Friday through Sunday. This is a requirement for short term mission teams of this nature. Please pray diligently for them, give a little extra to help them reach the top in their financial need, and if you are on Facebook please consider joining the "FBC Teens to Japan '09" group (click on it to go to that site.) Oh, the trip is scheduled for July 16 - 29 and a big part of their ministry will be teaching English as a means of bridge building with our missionaries there, Bill and Becky Petite. If you have questions, Dennis and Barb McMichael will be glad to answer them for you.

Make plans now to attend the GARBC Annual Conference at First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio at the end of the month on June 22 - 26. Elyria is only about an hour west of us and rarely does this annual conference get this near to us. The theme this year is "Cutting Straight" from 2 Timothy 2:15 and will address the issue of proper Biblical interpretation. There will be workshops and other daily activities for the whole family, as well as some opportunities to minister by serving in the nursery, baking and giving out cookies, etc. Please let me know soon if you are willing to help at any time during that week.

Dr. Renald Showers will be the keynote speaker at this conference. He is an authority on this topic of Biblical interpretation, as well as Bible prophecy, and the subject of God's plan for Israel past, present, and future. We have the great privilege of having him speak here at Faith on the morning of Sunday, June 21 prior to the conference beginnings. You will not want to miss what he has to share from God's Word in our ABF and AM service time that day. And please plan to give generously to the expenses involved in bringing him and his wife to be here with us.

And before I forget - The King's Brass (click on link) musical ensemble from Grace College in Winona Lake, IN will be at the Grace Church in Middleburg Hts. on Tuesday, June 9 at 7:00 PM. They are a WONDERFUL group, you will be blest by hearing them. Try to attend.

There are more things to share, but I will stop for now. God is good to us, and I thank Him for the opportunities to grow and serve that He gives us. Take advantage of these things. And prepare your heart for God's day on Sunday - pray, meditate on His Word, and plan things ahead so that you can give God your best.

Pastor Don Workman

http://www.faithbaptiststreetsboro.org/

We rejoice in that Nicholas got his first cast off with no problems, and now has a smaller cast on his leg below the knee for the next three weeks. He is healing well. And we also rejoice that Jonathon his little brother has slept through the night a few times recently, which is exciting for mom and dad. Thanks for your prayers for both of them.