THE TIDINGS
August 2024 | Volume XXIX | Issue VIII
A Word from Pastor Dan
Dear Church Family:
In a recent sermon, I told this joke: Q: How many Baptists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A:109. Seven on the Light Bulb Task Force Subcommittee, who report to the 12 on the Light Bulb Task Force, appointed by the 15 on the Trustee Board. Their recommendation is reviewed by the Finance Executive Committee of 5, who place it on the agenda of the 18 member Finance Committee. If they approve, they bring a motion to the 27 Member church Board, who appoint another 12 member review committee. If they recommend that the Church Board proceed, a resolution is brought to the Congregational Business Meeting. They appoint another 8 member review committee. If their report to the next Congregational Business Meeting supports the changing of a light bulb, and the Congregation votes in favor, the responsibility to carry out the light bulb change is passed on to the Trustee Board, who in turn appoint a 7-member committee to find the best price in new light bulbs. Their recommendation of which bulb is the best buy must then be reviewed by the 23 member Ethics Committee to make certain that this hardware store has no connection to communism. They report back to the Trustee Board who then commissions the Trustee in charge of the Custodian to ask the Custodian to make the change. And by then the Custodian has discovered that another light bulb has burned out.
It’s funny because the point of the joke is that our church structure (or governance model), which is supposed to be able to make us nimble and give us the ability to change direction quickly, can actually become more cumbersome than the overlybureaucratic models we actively try to avoid.
I often say that the Roman Catholic Church, with its top-down, hierarchical structure and massive bureaucratic freight, is like a battleship in the ocean — it takes it a mile to make a turn. Baptists, on the other hand, with our belief in the autonomy of the local congregation and our bottom-up structure, are like a school of fish — able to turn on a dime at the Spirit’s leading.
Sometimes, though, it doesn’t always play out that way. It, instead, begins to look like the cumbersome process laid out in the above joke, where 109 people have to reach consensus to make a decision as simple as changing a lightbulb. But there is a deeper truth in that punchline that I hope we still value. Part of what that joke is alluding to is that it takes nearly the entire church body to make decision — which means that for us baptists every voice matters
That is something we value here at FBC. We value it so much that we put it on a banner and slapped on the back our building by the parking lot, so that every time you walk into church you’re reminded of it: YOU have a voice HERE. And the way you exercise that voice most vitally at FBC is to participate in our semi-annual business meetings.
Included in this edition of The Tidings is a letter from your Executive Council inviting to join us at our summer meeting on August 18th.
August Anniversaries & Birthdays
Anniversaries
8/02 Ben & Kakyemo Muffih
08/03 Wayne & Lisa Koski
Dan & Christen Schumacher
08/19 Tom & Monica Rikli
Rick & Lisa CanoneSmith
08/20 Ames & Rosalee Smith
08/22 Ed & Dorothy Abbott
08/24 Sam & Billie Ann Williams
08/25 Jack & Betty Fannin
Birthdays
08/01Gail Glynn
Mac McCord
08/04Sherie Beasley
Barbara Fuller
Kay Runyan
08/06Larry Borland
Josh Koski
08/07Jan Sinn
08/08Richard Dockum
Alexis Wheat
08/11Kris Turner
08/12Jim Roberson
Stewart Dixon
08/16Shazia Ali
08/19Mike Oldham
Marcia Olson
08/21Betty Wood
Bridger Dixon
08/22Ben Muffih
08/24Bob Gill
08/26Barbara Borland
Bernita Currie
08/28Dax Wheat
While our winter meeting is given to the administrative business of the church (voting on budget and a slate of ministry teams and officers of the church), our summer meeting is devoted to ministry and programs. It’s given to vision and plans for ministry for the year ahead. If our winter meeting builds the infrastructure for our ministry, our summer meeting determines how “the rubber will hit the road,” so to speak.And this summer, there is a lot to discuss!
So let me encourage you put August 18th on your calendar and plan to be here — because we aren’t us without your voice.
Grace and peace, Rev. Dan Schumacher
Letter from FBC’s Executive Council (EC)
Dear FBC Church Family,
Mark your calendars and plan to meet immediately after worship service on August 18th for the semi-annual business meeting. Pastor Dan and the Executive Council (EC) have much to present and look forward to your feedback.
We are excited about the happenings at First Baptist and see so many opportunities to be God’s instrument in a rapidly growing/ changing downtown. Praise Camp was a huge success with over 35 kids in attendance. Our monthly potluck Sunday lunches have been an incredible time to gather as a church community to share food and fellowship. The All-Teams meetings have drawn church leaders and workers together in common vision as never before. There is new life within our walls with The Thinkering Lab as a regular Monday to Friday presence. We are fully engaged again with Family Promise, opening our building to families in need. Our ongoing giving partnership with Columbia Elementary ensures the students get both the food and supplies they need to perform their best. And, yes, livestream is a thing.
As we press forward, we continue to plan for First Christian to make the move to our building. In preparation, the church has undergone a thorough cleaning! As promised, we are committed to strengthening the youth program and plan to present both shortand long-term solutions for youth leadership. Those apartment complexes we have talked about over the past few years are coming to completion and filling up. How do we reach out in a meaningful way? We have some creative ideas!
We can’t wait to tell you all about it. As always, we appreciate your interest, support and, most of all, your prayers, time and energy as we seek God’s perfect will for our church in this community.
Your Executive Council, Jay Neubauer, Moderator
James Dockum, Property Chair and Vice-Moderator
Garry Hill, Treasurer
Jack Fannin, Deacon Chair
Terese Storm, Clerk
Rev. Dan Schumacher, Senior Pastor
CONNECT With Your FBC Community
FBC Events and Opportunities
Songs of Our Faith A Summer Worship Series
Almost universally — across culture and expression — music has had an important role in the life of the Christian church, particularly the place of hymns in worship. Have you ever wondered about what might have inspired some of those great hymns?
Each Sunday this summer, we will explore one of our great hymns — learning about its background, hearing a sermon preached on its themes, and, of course, singing it together.
July 28: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
August 4: The Servant Song
August 11: Shall We Gather at the River
August 18: Promotion Sunday
*Series will continue through September 1.
FBC Office Hours for the Week of July 29
The FBC office will be closing at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, July 30 through Friday, August 2. Please call the office before coming to the building on July 30. The office closure allows FBC staff to participate in continuing education or spend time out of the office.
August 18: Promotion Sunday at FBC
Please circle this Sunday on your calendars and watch for information on this important Sunday at FBC where you get to help kick off the new school year for our students and teachers!
August 20: Monthly Men’s Breakfast
The Men’s Monthly Breakfast meets the third Tuesday of the month at 9:00 AM at the Black Bear Diner (Garden of the Gods location).
August 25: Monthly Potluck Sunday Lunch
On Sunday, June 30, immediately following the morning service you are invited to join with your FBC family for a Potluck Lunch in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to attend. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.
Monthly Potluck Sunday Lunch Volunteers Needed!
Volunteers are needed to ensure the continuing success of the monthly potluck Sunday lunches. If you are interested in working in this ministry, please contact Larry and Melissa Jorgensen.
SERVE Your Colorado Community
Community projects and opportunities provided by FBC’s Outreach Team
La Puente Home in Alamosa, Colorado
Saturday, September 14: Gleaning
On the morning of Saturday, September 14, a crew from FBC will leave the parking lot at 6:00 AM for Alamosa, CO to glean vegetables from local fields to benefit our ministry partner, La Puente Home.
One of the ways La Puente aids those in the San Luis Valley community is the longstanding Biblical practice of gleaning fields. Local farmers invite La Puente and their volunteers to come into the fields and gather what remains after the harvest. All the produce collected will be distributed to the residents of the Valley through La Puente’s Food Pantry. The practice of gleaning is a simple way we can help our neighbors. If interested in participating please contact Don Phillips.
COSILoveYou and School Connect COS
2024 Backpack Bash
This summer FBC partnered with COSILoveYou and dozens of local businesses, churches, and nonprofits for the 2024 Backpack Bash!
The Backpack Bash is a citywide effort that seeks to provide access to all things back-to-school for thousands of families in need in El Paso County.
The 31 backpacks brought in by your generous donations were delivered to the COSILoveYou Warehouse on July 19. The backpacks were stuffed by volunteers the week of July 22 to be distributed at one of the 5 Backpack Bash locations across the city on Saturdays, July 27 and August 3.
Your contribution went towards this year’s goal to help 12,000 students have an encouraging start to their school year by providing a great, new backpack.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY: Snack & Supply
The PLACE helps youth in homelessness or who are at high risk of becoming homeless in the Colorado Springs community. The non-profit offers shelter, street outreach, housing, and the support youth need to get off the street and begin building their future. Through their services, youth find skills, support, and insight that allow them to get off the streets and get into stable housing.
One service area the PLACE seeks community support is to provide snacks and hygiene items for the PLACE Shelter (a 20bed facility and the only licensed youth shelter in the Colorado Springs region) and the day center, where clients receive access and guidance to resources.
In December the PLACE received hats, gloves, and scarves as part of the distribution from FBC’s Annual Mitten Tree. This summer the FBC Outreach Team is adding a collection of the following snack and hygiene items. If you would like to participate, please bring your items to the marked bin in the Currie Greeting Area, or you may make a monetary donation via check (please memo “the PLACE”) or via Pushpay.
Hygiene Items:
* Chapstick
* Bar Soap
* Body Wash
* Washcloths
* Sunscreen
* Shampoo/Conditioner
* Tampons and maxi pads
* Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Snack Items: (individual packages)
* Protein Bars
* Granola Bars
* Fruit snacks/rolls
* Crackers/pretzels
* Cookies
* Chips/Goldfish
First Baptist Church of Colorado Springs
317 E. Kiowa St.
Colorado Springs CO, 80903
office@firstbaptist-cs.org www.firstbaptist-cs.org (719) 632-6603
