Volume 30
September 2017
No. 9
NEWS & VIEWS OF WILLIAMS Church Phone: (256) 435Church Fax: (256) 435Daycare Phone: (256) 435435-5020 435-5255 435-8313 Church Email: fbcwilliams@cableone.net Church Church Website: fbcwilliams.org
There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly? ― “What if you fly?” a poem by Erin Hanson
“What if…?” Questions that begin with those two words are full of possibilities, full of potential. Questions that ask “What if…?” are questions that guide our thoughts, give us the chance to dream and cast visions about the future. Of course, the tone with which we ask “What if…?” makes all the difference. Sometimes, we ask “What if?” when we are seeking to be cautious. In such instances we ask “What if…?” out of our anxiety, our uncertainty about the future. “What if I fail? What if I don’t get the right answer? What if I make a fool of myself?” We ask such questions when we rely too much on our own power and abilities to take on the task before us. At times, such questions seem rational, keeping us a bit grounded in reality, helping us to keep our expectations in check. At other times, however, asking “What if…?” out of our own anxiety can petrify us and cause us to never take chances, to never rely on those who are there to help us, to never rely on God. When we ask “What if…?” we must ask the question from a different perspective. “What if I succeed? What if I get it right? What if this actually works? What if everything goes the way it should—better even? What if I can actually make a difference?” Now, imagine moving the question to include the participation of others: “What if we succeed? What if we get it right? What if we can make a difference in the world?” Think about it: a group of people—a community, a family, a church—collectively asks “What if…?” and begins to dream about the future together. The utter possibilities are exciting! That’s why we will begin to ask “What if…” together this month. As many of you know, we are very close to paying off our building debt (we are on track to pay it off next month!). This is exciting news, something to celebrate, yet it is also the beginning of something more, of something new and exciting, the beginning of what’s next. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be preaching a series of sermons titled, “What if…?” in which we’ll explore the possibilities of dreaming together with one another and with God about the future of our church. You’ll also hear testimonies from other members of the church about their love for our church and the great work we are able to do together, and you’ll also have the opportunity to make your hopes and visions known as we dream together about the possibilities before us. So be sure to join us on Sunday mornings in worship as we dream together, during Sunday School as we think and learn together, and on Wednesday evenings as we eat and pray together. Be sure to be a part of this exciting season in the life of First Baptist Church of Williams, as we continue laying the foundation for our future work in the kingdom of God. Grace and Peace, Chris
NURSERY HELPERS
FOR THE RECORD 2017
2016
OFFERING Budget Receipts Goal Actual Receipts to Date
$ 247,850.05 $ 192,859.35
$ 282,149.35 $ 194,270.25
BUILDING PLEDGES Pledge Goal to Date Received to Date
$ $
$ 38,833.90 $ 36,473.00
38,833.90 37,173.00
Sep 3 Sep 10 Sep 17 Sep 24 ␣
Nursery␣helpers␣will␣assist␣one␣of␣our␣regular␣nursery␣workers␣each␣Sunday␣ morning␣for␣Sunday␣School␣and␣Worship.␣␣Our␣regular␣nursery␣workers␣are:␣ Terri␣Harris␣and␣Sharon␣Williams.␣␣␣Nursery␣Helpers␣if␣you␣need␣to␣reschedule␣ your␣day␣to␣work,␣please␣contact␣Marleah␣Blades␣at␣256-689-0242.␣
3 & 4-YEAR OLD HELPERS
BUILDING LOAN BALANCE: $ 19,409.45 TOTALS ARE THROUGH8/27/2017
“A special thank you to each and every one of you for your monetary support and hard work that enables First Baptist Church of Williams to touch lives by sharing the love of Jesus”. ~Finance Committee
COUNTING COMMITTEE FOR SEPTEMBER Patsy Boozer & Kari Haynes GREETERS & USHERS FOR SEPTEMBER Mel & Allison Ostrander Jeremy & Summer Quinn
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CENTER Our church is scheduled to provide the following items to the J.C.O.C. for the month of SEPTEMBER: Cake Mix, Cake Icing, Biscuit Mix and Canned Fruit. Please take your donated items DIRECTLY TO the JCOC located just behind McDonalds.
Sharon Williams Peggy (Jim) Green Lori McFall Beverly Almaroad
Sep 3 Sep 10 Sep 17 Sep 24
Randy Blades & Lauren Whitaker Heather Dempsey & Sallie Thomas Hatti & Callie Ewing Kate Hamby & Gracie Davis ======================
CHILDREN’S CHURCH Sep 3 Sep 10 Sep 17 Sep 24
Nikki Haynes & Marleah Blades Courtney Johnston & Emily Duncan Christie Shew & Rhonda Duncan IN CHURCH ======================
CHILDREN’S STORY Sep 3 Sep 10 Sep 17 Sep 24
Marleah Blades Chris Thomas Nikki Haynes Courtney Johnston
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Sunday Sunday School 9:00 am Morning Worship 10:00 am Choir Practice 4:00 pm Tuesday Bible Study
ADULT GAME NIGHT: Adult get-together will be held at th st 6pm on September 7 and 21 . Bring your favorite covered dish foods and join us for an evening of food, fun & fellowship!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPER Our Wednesday night suppers will resume on August 9th at 5:30pm. We ask that anyone who wishes to eat complete a reservation form which will be in the Sunday bulletin. Cost this year will remain the same. $5 per person (age 6 & up), $2 per child (age 2-5) and no more than $20 per family. Sept 6th
Sarah Ann & Team BBQ, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Coleslaw Texas Toast/Buns & Dessert Clean-up Crew: Lamar & Diane Freeman
Sept 13th
Lynn Edwards & Team Hamburger Steak w/Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Lima Beans, Toss Salad, Roll & Dessert Clean-up Crew: NEED VOLUNTEERS
Sept 20th
Patsy Boozer & Team Baked Chicken Breast, Baked Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli w/Cheese Sauce, Rolls & Dessert Clean-up Crew: NEED VOLUNTEERS
Sept 27th
Sarah Ann & Team Boneless Pork Chops, Green Beans, Scallop Potatoes, Toss Salad, Roll & Dessert Clean-up Crew: Camille Chitwood, Patti Ponder, Summer Quinn & Lauren Whitaker
FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS
Donations for the monthly food pantry is an ongoing mission. The cost per month is $1499. Thank you for donating to insure we continue this vital ministry for our community.
10:00 am
Wednesday Supper 5:30 pm Evening Devotion 6:00 pm Children & Youth Activities DAYCARE UPDATE Wow! We have already started a new school year. Where did the summer go? We have forty-two children enrolled in preschool this year and eighteen schoolers in the after school program. I would like to introduce you to our 2017-2018 Daycare Staff: Nursery – Terri Harris, Megan Ortega, Kelli Schultz & Sharon Willams Toddlers – Taylor Dabbs & Abby Floyd Two’s – Wanda Huddleston Assistant for Toddlers & Two’s – Jamie Freeman Three’s – Melissa Wyatt Pre-K – Amanda Maye After School Students – Cassie Battles & Wilson Lipscomb We have more than $6,000 in the playground equipment account. Thank you for your help. We are looking forward in trying to get started on the playground soon. Please continue to pray for our children! Marilyn Ingram
BIBLE␣STUDY␣ Our␣Tuesday␣morning␣Bible␣study␣will␣resume␣on␣ September␣5th.␣␣If␣you␣are␣available␣on␣Tuesdays␣and␣ would␣like␣to␣join␣us␣we␣meet␣at␣10:00am␣in␣the␣Sr.␣Adult␣ room.
September 2017
FBC WILLIAMS ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sunday
Monday
S M 6 13 20 27
3
7 14 21 28
Aug 2017 T W T 1 2 3 8 9 10 15 16 17 22 23 24 29 30 31
4 Happy Birthday Melissa Arndt
Tuesday
F 4 11 18 25
S 5 12 19 26
S 1 8 15 22 29
Wednesday
M 2 9 16 23 30
5
Oct 2017 T W T 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31
10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY Happy Birthday Brody Boozer
Friday
1 F 6 13 20 27
Saturday
2 Happy Birthday Stacy Bonds & Les Honts
S 7 14 21 28
6
LABOR DAY CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
Thursday
7 5:30 PM Supper
6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
8 6:00 PM Adult Get-together
9 Happy Birthday David Jenkins
Happy Birthday Bill Prickett
10
11
12 10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
Deacon Election AM Service
17 3:00 PM Church Council Meeting Happy Birthday Tony Steele
13
18 Happy Birthday Mike Almaroad, Randy Blades, Jill W Green & Noah Johnson
19
5:30 PM Supper 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
20 10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
Happy Birthday Austin English
5:30 PM Supper 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
14
15
16
22
23
Happy Birthday Casey Barker
21
Happy Birthday Mike Duncan
6:00 PM Adult Get-together Happy Birthday Chris Dempsey & Rodney Friery
Happy Birthday Blakely Malsy
24
25
26
27 10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
5:30 PM Supper 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
Happy Birthday Denola Green
28 Happy Birthday Robin Cheatwood
29
30