HELLO SUMMER
IN THIS IS S UE:
Upcoming Events...............................................page 2 Church-wide Calendar ........................................page 3 A Letter from Pastor Ross ...................................page 4-6 Music Ministry ..................................................page 7 Adult Ministries.................................................page 8 Bible Studies & More .........................................page 9 Encore Ministry ................................................page 10 A Letter From Reba ...........................................page 11 Student Ministry................................................page 12 Children’s Ministry.............................................page13-14 Preschool Ministry..............................................page 15 FBC School & EEC ............................................page 16 Special Announcements......................................page 17 From Troy’s Heart .............................................page 18
UPCOMING SUMMER EVENTS June:
June 1 - Church Picnic - On our 33 acres (across from Tractor Supply on S. Market St.) 6:00 - 8:00pm. June 5-9 - “MOVE” VBS @ Brenham’s FBC - In the Church. Grades K - 6th, Sunday morning, June 5 then Monday, June 6 - 9, from 5:00 - 8:30pm. June 11-18 - Disciple Trip (5th - 6th grade) - McAllen, TX June 21-28 - FUGE Camp (Youth group 7th - 12th grade) - Glorieta, NM
July:
July 6-7 - Encore VBS - In the gym - 9:00am - 12:30pm. July 11-15 - Camp Tejas - Information and resources for registration available or parents of kids currently enrolled in the 3rd-6th grades who want to go to Camp Tejas. Go to www.fbc-brenham.org and click on Event Information to sign up. July 19-27 - Honduras Mission Trip
August:
August 3 - Church Ice Cream Social/Honduras Testimonies - In the gym from 5:30 - 7:30pm. August 8-11 - 2:4 The Mission - 24 hour lock-in at the church for kids who have completed 1st & 2nd grades. It focuses kids on the wide world of missions with fun projects, games, and little bit of sleep.
Welcome New Church Members: Kyle Freeman Brandie Musser Harry and Barbara Jones
CHURCH STAFF
Ross Shelton, Pastor rshelton@fbc-brenham.org Troy Sikes, Associate Pastor tsikes@fbc-brenham.org Charles Covin, Music Minister ccovin@fbc-brenham.org Chad Marrs, Minister to Students cmarrs@fbc-brenham.org Alex Morrison, Minister to Children amorrison@fbc-brenham.org Stacey Strickland, Preschool Ministry sstrickland@fbc-brenham.org
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Teresa McGlasson, Office Manager tmcglasson@fbc-brenham.org Annette Guenther, Comptroller aguenther@fbc-brenham.org Donella Peevler, Church Receptionist dpeevler@fbc-brenham.org Stephanie Sheffield, Custodian Manager ssheffield@fbc-brenham.org Ernie Lewis, Graphic/Media Tech elewis@fbc-brenham.org Nancy Jahns, School Administrator njahns@fbcsbrenham.org Kristie Mendoza, Mother’s Day Out Director mdo@fbc-brenham.org
CHURCH-WIDE CALENDAR June:
1 2 5 5 5 5 5 6-9 7 7 9 11-18 12 14 21-28 23
July:
Churchwide Picnic on our 33 Acres 6:00 - 8:00pm Coffee With the Pastor - Pahl House 5:30pm Lord’s Supper Observance 8:30am & 11:00am FUGE Camp Sponsor Luncheon - Student Center 12:30pm Mary Schrieber Remembrance Celebration - Syc. Living Rm 2:00pm Business Meeting - Gym 4:00pm “MOVE” VBS @ Brenham’s FBC (K-6th Grades) 9:45-10:45am “MOVE” VBS @ Brenham’s FBC (K-6th Grades) 5:15-8:30pm Piece Makers - Student Center 9:00am Joy SS Class Meeting - Sycamore Stone Room 2:00pm Encore Ministry Planning Meeting - Pahl Garage 11:00am beTWEENtime Mission Trip - McAllen, TX Connecting @ FBC - Room 112 4:00pm Security Committee Meeting - Pahl Livingroom 6:00pm FUGE Camp 2016 / Students - Glorieta NM Hope SS Class/Baby Shower for New Beginnings - Sycamore Living Room 6:00pm
3 Lord’s Supper Observance 8:30am & 11:00am 3 Deacons Meeting - Room 111 2:00pm 4 Church Office Closed - 4th Holiday 5 Piece Makers - Student Center 9:00am 5 Joy SS Class Meeting - Sycamore Stone Room 2:00pm 6-8 Encore VBS - Gym 9:00am 11-15 Camp Tejas Trip 12 Security Committee Meeting - Pahl Livingroom 6:00pm CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: Mon - Thurs: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Fri: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. First Baptist Church Contact Info: Ph: (979) 836-2807 Fax: (979) 830-0122 info@fbc-brenham.org Mailing address: PO Box 600, Brenham, TX 77834 LINKS TO CHECK OUT ONLINE CHURCH & SCHOOL WEBSITE: www.fbc-brenham.org CHURCH FACEBOOK PAGE: www.facebook.com/BrenhamsFirstBaptistChurch SCHOOL FACEBOOK PAGE: www.facebook.com/Brenhamfbcs
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FROM PASTOR ROSS
Dear Church Family, I want to let you know about important development that will be taking place within the Encore Ministry (ministry for people ages 55 and older). During the interim time before I came, our Associate Pastor, Troy Sikes, was given the responsibility for what is now called “Encore Ministry.” Troy has worked hard, and I appreciate the time, energy, and service he has provided. I have asked Troy to shift the part of his job focused on retirees to helping with the welcome experience on Sunday mornings. Troy will become the point person for our adult leaders and volunteers who are focused on welcoming people on Sunday morning. Right now, these people include our ushers and our greeters at the Guest Welcome table. Troy will be the point person to ensure that our foyer area is open, everyone is in their place, and the environment is welcoming. He will also begin working on having a parking lot team. The parking lot team will help by welcoming people and providing security. I believe this will be an important and needed enhancement for our church. My prayer is that we will be the most hospitable church in our community. In order for us to be the most hospitable church on Sunday morning, I believe we need a point person to oversee and coordinate the efforts of our different welcome ministries. Troy and I are excited about this development and how it will strengthen our church. With this transition, I have decided to become the point person for the Encore Ministry. The Encore Ministry includes our Sunday School classes/small groups, weekly Bible studies, fellowships, outings, and other ministries where people 55 and older participate and serve. As we make this change, I’ve thought through some questions and provided some answers. Why are you making this change? I want shift some of Troy’s attention to strengthening our Sunday morning welcome ministries, which I believe will help our church and the Sunday morning experience. I
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believeTroy’s organizational and leadership abilities will be especially helpful for what I am asking him to do. I also want to give some personal attention to the Encore Ministry. I believe our ministry to and with people 55 and older provides us numerous opportunities in Washington County to reach people not currently being reached and to welcome the many who are moving to our community. I want to lead us through thinking of ways we can reach and welcome these people. I also want to help continue laying the foundation of this ministry as we prepare to call a full-time Pastor of Retirees sometime between now and 2020. I believe our church (with our many generations, different worship styles, history, and future) is uniquely positioned to reach ALL the generations in our community, including and especially people 55 and older. As we move forward, we will be doing more, not less, with this ministry. What will this look like? I will have a meeting every month or once every two months that will be open to any who want to attend. The focus of the meetings will be to strategize and plan. Starting out, I pray that we’ll have different volunteer leaders who will help plan fellowships/luncheons, outings, and different volunteer opportunities within and through our church. If you are 55 and older, I can’t do this alone. I need your help to take this ministry to the next level of effectiveness and faithfulness. Our first meeting will be on Thursday, June 9th at 11:00 am in the Pahl House. What are some questions you (Ross) want to explore as you prepare to lead the Encore Ministry? - How do we help people 55 and older connect and find friendships? As people move and retire to our community who don’t have any previous connection to Brenham/ Washington County, it is important that our church be a place where new people feel welcome. - How do we help plan and prepare for the different ways generations think about aging and retirement? I’ve made the observation that the WW II generation, the Korean War generation, and the Baby Boomer generation each have 5
FROM PASTOR ROSS CONTINUED different ideas concerning how they think about and live out their later years/retirement. How do we become a church mobilized to minister to and with each of these different generations? - How do we mobilize our retirees for local and global service and missions? My prayer is that our retirees will utilize their retirement years to help serve and reach our community and world for Jesus Christ. Will Troy still be involved? Yes, Troy will still be involved, especially with pastoral care. Troy has been crucial in helping me with the pastoral care needs (checking in on people, visiting the hospital, etc.) of our church. We often visit people together, and we plan on continuing to do so. What is the God Goal for the Encore Ministry? As you may remember, during 2015, we went through a discerning process about the mission, discipleship strategy, vision, and goals of our church. Our vision is to “Be a church of ordinary people used by God in extraordinary ways.” One of the goals that flow from this vision is the following: “We will call a full-time Pastor of Retirees. He will assist in providing pastoral care and will work to equip retirees to be missionaries locally, in North America, and internationally. The dream is that one of the reasons people will want to retire to Brenham is so that they can be a part of what God is doing in and through Brenham’s First Baptist Church. This is also about a strategic focus of reaching the numerous retirees, mostly baby boomers, who are retiring to Brenham. I believe our church is uniquely placed and resourced to be a church that reaches retirees.” Praying that God may do this excites me, and I hope it excites you. Questions? Contact me at 836-2807 or rshelton@fbc-brenham.org
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WORSHIP & MUSIC MINISTRY A special “thank you” to everyone who pitched in to make the Independence Associational Music Festival such a great success! My favorite quote was, “Everything was wonderful from beginning through dessert!” I’ve heard from so many of you about what a wonderful time you had and how meaningful it was to worship alongside others from our sister churches. That’s really what it’s all about – remembering and celebrating the reality that we are a part of a body that is working and reaching out across the world to make an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God! We would love for you to join us in Worship Choir this summer as we prepare to share a special “mini musical” presentation on July 3rd as a part of our God and Country Sunday. We plan on rehearsing each Wednesday evening this summer at our normal time of 6:30pm, with the exception of the following dates: June 1st (Church Picnic – no rehearsal) June 8th (VBS – no rehearsal) July 6th (No rehearsal) August 3rd (Ice Cream Social – no rehearsal)
WORSHIP JOHN 4:23-24
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ADULT MINISTRIES WAYS TO CONNECT:
Sunday Morning Bible Classes
Weekly Bible Studies & Support Groups
Small Home Groups
Encore Ministry (Retiree Ministry)
PIECE MAKERS Piece Maker members have been busy stitching baby quilts and receiving blankets for an upcoming Baby Shower given by the Hope Sunday School class to be held the end of June. This shower will benefit the Pregnancy Assistance Ministry in Brenham. Other projects for the summer include pillowcases for the Brenham State School and a group quilt to be entered in the Washington County Fair. Thanks to those who have made monetary and fabric donations to Piece Makers. Your support is greatly appreciated and will help us minister to the community and missions. Join us the first Tuesday of each month from 9:00am to noon in the Student Center. Questions? Give Sara Byman a call at 979-830-8555. 8
BIBLE STUDIES & MORE UNLESS NOTED BELOW, THERE WILL BE NO WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES THIS SUMMER. THE SCHEDULE FOR CHOIR AND PRAISE BAND ON WEDNESDAYS WILL BE PROVIDED BY CHARLES COVIN.
HOME TEAM CELEBRATION STORY Each month during the summer, we will highlight how God has been working in our Home Team Ministry. Below, you will see a celebration moment. The More Excellent Way Home Team had a great time again this year. We took the Holy Spirit as our subject and used “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan as our study guide. But we went beyond the book to look at the unique characteristic which the Spirit has in the God Head and thus the unique characteristic He brings to our life: Life, God’s Life, the Life of Jesus and the Life of the Father, Eternal Life. In the process we found that the model Christian is one who is filled with (controlled by) the Spirit. This should be our life and it is our desire that it be so. Our Team again provided and served lunch for The Baptist Student Organization of Blinn College; once in the Fall and again in the Spring.
WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES & FELLOWSHIP Men’s Prayer Breakfast Studying: “What Every Christian Ought to Know” Wednesdays, 6:00am - Sycamore House.
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ENCORE MINISTRY NEWS Encore Ministry - We are taking some new and exciting steps in the development of our Encore Ministry. Under the leadership of Pastor Ross, we will plan and implement activities and ministries to build faith, community and love for others. Be looking for more information in the Sunday Bulletin for an initial meeting of interested Encore adults. If you have questions, please call the church office at 979-836-2807. Encore Ministry Planning - June 9th at the Pahl Garage 11:00am. Encore VBS - July 6th - 8th in the Gym 9:00am - 12:30pm.
CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAYS! Wayne Sales Neatha Muery Tim Bledsoe Lisa Hammer Charlotte Avera Carole Gessner Doyal King Martha Haydon Lisa Linden Carolyn Watson Bob Cook Donna May Charles Cottingham Dixie Rutledge Kathleen Brown Arretta Gallagher David Doelitsch Betty White John Hermann 10
6/3 6/4 6/4 6/5 6/6 6/7 6/8 6/8 6/8 6/10 6/13 6/13 6/14 6/14 6/15 6/15 6/16 6/17 6/18
Linda Ware Jean Miller Wayne Brown Lynn Schmidt Joyce Burchfield Billie Cooper Larry Groover Sallie Moody Gene Cooper Don Loesch Gayla Lambert Johnnie Hamilton Kay Gregory Mary Jackson Gary Hamaker Doddie Messick Gary Sonnenburg Bob Billington
6/19 6/20 6/20 6/20 6/21 6/21 6/21 6/22 6/22 6/24 6/24 6/29 6/29 6/29 6/29 6/29 6/29 6/30
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Friends, As I was preparing to write this, nothing was coming to me even though I had been thinking about it for a couple of days and my deadline was approaching. Then, as I was sitting at my computer I saw that my sister had posted the chorus of the old hymn In the Garden. I was trying to reply to her by sending her the verse, but I kept getting the words out of order. I knew them but I just couldn’t get them in order on the page after I sang it to myself. So I reached around the corner and picked up my very old and tattered Broadman hymnal and then got the words in order to send back to her. As I flipped from the index to the song, a responsive reading opened up and it was the scripture my dad underlined in his Bible right before he died. My dad died at age 49 from cancer. He had a 25 year perfect attendance in Sunday school, and he was a respected deacon and teacher in our church. I always loved that about him. He taught me so many things, like to love the Lord, to smile, to laugh as much as possible, and to help those who need help. I try to do all of these things he and my mom taught me to do. I am sharing with you today the verse he marked in his Bible instead of a scripture of the month. It is found in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, and it reads “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but all them also that love His appearing.” Let us all be ready for that final trip, as it will definitely be the best one of all! Happy Father’s Day to all of our dads! Blessings, Reba Pair
THOUGHT OF THE MONTH “Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door.” 11
STUDENT MINISTRY Wow! Senior Sunday blew me away. I practically cried like a baby when the video of our graduates was playing. I’ve been with this group almost their entire high school life, and it is amazing to see them grow and change over these last four years. I still remember sitting across from them my first Wednesday night here trying to learn their names. I know for many in the church family you were there the day they were born, started kindergarten, and into the teenage years. Were you crying like a baby, too? With this group of seniors leaving, the student ministry is going to have a large vacancy in our student leadership. These guys have led out in worship, Bible study, and mentoring. They are going to be missed greatly. Won’t you please be praying that new leadership will rise up and lead the group? I was thrilled to have several up and coming leaders worshiping with me. My daughter, Grace, has been leading worship with me for quite some time. My prayer for her is that she would use her musical gifts for God’s glory. My young Padawan, Hudson Smith, was playing guitar. I’m so proud of him. He’s only been playing for seven months. It takes a lot of courage to play in front of the entire church. Yes, the Force is strong with this one. Hannah Kirby played the keyboard for us and I look forward to her leadership in worship as well. We already have lots of leadership potential within our group, but I am thrilled about our incoming seventh graders next year. I wonder what God has in store for them. You may not have noticed her behind the scenes, but my daughter, Lily, is often running a camera in the second service. My prayer for her is that God would direct her in leadership among her peers in junior high. I am excited about the rowdy group of boys and the sweet-spirited girls that will join us and find their place in student ministry. Thank you so much for all your prayers for our students. Isn’t it so thrilling to see them in action? Are you as proud of them as I am? Please continue to pray for them and the ministry. 12
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4 (NASB) Good Morning, My third child has finished his tenure at Brenham’s First Baptist Church School. For their last field trip with FBCS, they went to Splashway in Sheridan, TX. As I floated in the wave pool, I was watching my son and his classmates as they jumped into each oncoming wave. With each swell the faces of those kids grew brighter and the volume of their laughter rose. Instead of joining them in their waterlogged fun, I sat back and turned on the mental video camera of my memory. I wanted to burn these images permanently within the film of my brain so that I would never forget them. Even now I can hear their voices muddled by the waves but boisterous and bright. They were not worried about what people thought about how they looked. They cared not for their grades or the chores that were waiting for them at home. They were enjoying the fellowship of friends, the challenge of the waves and the power of their laughter. As adults, I hear myself and others saying, “Oh, to be a kid again, when life was simple.” Well, Jesus said the same thing…sort of. He was asked by His disciples, “’Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” (Matt 18:1). Jesus pointed them to the profound wisdom of a child’s innocence. Be a kid again. Be humble. Be innocent. Be full of faith. Be vulnerable. Believe the impossible. Be hopeful. Today, follow Jesus’ admonition and humble yourself as a child. Wait for His instruction and be obedient to do it. Relax in His strong arms. Laugh and giggle as you enjoy the life He has given. Be a kid again. His Servant & Yours, Bro. Alex
Children’s Ministry continue on page 14.
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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CONT. UPCOMING EVENTS
Jun 5th - 9th Jun 11th -18th Jul 11th - 15th Aug 10th - 11th
VBS/5:30pm-8:30pm beTWEENtime Discipleship Trip Camp Tejas 2:4 The Mission/1pm-1pm THIS MONTH’S BIG IDEA
Faith – believing what Jesus did can change me. WEEKLY BOTTOM LINE
Weekly Bottom Lines: 1. The story of Jesus changes everything. 2. The story of Jesus changes how I see him. 3. The story of Jesus changes how I see others. 4. The story of Jesus changes how I help others. MEMORY VERSE
Hebrews 11:1 (NIrV), “Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being sure of what we do not see.” THANK YOU
Thank you to the many people who plan, coordinate and volunteer to make VBS a fantastic ministry of this church to our community.
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PRESCHOOL MINISTRIES SUNDAY MORNINGS IN JUNE Basic Truth: God made me. Key Question: Who made everything? Bottom Line: God made everything. Memory Verse: “You made the world and everything in it.” Psalm 89:11 NCV Have you seen the video of the preschooler and the automatic doors? If not, you need to check it out. This little guy just cannot get over how the doors open every time he walks toward them. His face is just pure wonder. He cannot believe what he is seeing. He just keeps walking back and forth to make the doors open and close. He is “Totally Amazed.” When I see his face, I think that is the world of a preschooler. A world filled with wonder, discovery, and first looks at the world around them. What has become ordinary to us as adults is absolutely spectacular to them, because they have never heard it, seen it, or experienced it before. Preschoolers are making new discoveries every day. They want to know about their world. They want to name it, smell it, touch it, explore it, and listen to it. That is probably why they ask so very many questions, and get into so many things. But, this month we want our preschoolers to ask away. We want them to explore, make discoveries, and learn about the world around them. More than anything, we want them to walk away knowing that God made the world around them by teaching this one simple bottom line. “God made everything,” the sun, the moon, the stars, planets, clouds, rains, oceans, animals, flowers, you, me, and everything. It is Mind Blowing really! And, if we allow ourselves to imagine what it would be like for a preschooler to learn this for the first time, we might find ourselves amazed like the little boy in front of the automatic doors. Each week, for the next two months, our preschoolers will learn about a day of creation by interacting with a fantastic train car in, “Creation Station.” By the time we are done we will have created a super fun, totally amazing train, filled with some of our favorite things God made. So All Aboard the Creation train! Your train master Stacey
H a p p y B i r t h d a y To - H u n t e r C l a r k
H A P P Y FAT H E R ’ S D A Y !
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FBC SCHOOL & EEC “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17 This verse sums up my philosophy. My goal this past year has been to be obedient and to do everything in His name and by His power. God has been so gracious to me and the school. I certainly have stumbled along the way, but He has remained faithful. I’m grateful for the many, many ways he has taken care of things. He, of course, has had a plan. I have the opportunity to join Him in His work. I pray that I will keep watching and listening to what He continues to do as we begin our summer EEC schedule and plan for our fall school year. He is so good! Nancy Jahns
LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS May 31 Summer EEC begins NEEDS We are in need of scholarship donations. If you would like to help support a child, please let us know. THANK YOU Thank you for the love and commitment you have shown to this ministry. We appreciate the all the ways you have supported FBCS & EEC! MOTHER’S DAY OUT - KRISTIE MENDOZA
Mother’s Day Out is closed for the summer but will start back up on September 6th. Enrollment for the new school year is going on now. If you are interested in picking up a packet, please go to the church office or you can download the packet online our webpage: http://www.fbc-brenham.org/connect/mothers-day-out/ 16
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Our Sympathies To:
Kathy Groover and family in the loss of her dad, A.C. Hervey. Kathy and Larry Groover and family in the loss of their daughter Aubrey Groover.
Church Thank Yous: Thank you sincerely for your thoughtfulness and kind remembrance. Thanks for thinking of me and my family Jerry Norman
New Arrivial: Andrew Christopher - 5lbs 8oz and 18 ½ inches, was born to Daniel and Elizabeth Webb. Elizabeth is Pat and Nancy Tahaney’s daughter.
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FROM TROY’S HEART School is out and summer is here!! Swimsuits, sunscreen, hamburgers on the grill, mosquitos, and vacations are all a part of the summer months. Occasionally though, you will also hear this around the house in the summer, “I’m bored. There is nothing to do.” Children complaining of boredom could be on the horizon for your household. However, around here, at FBC, boredom isn’t in our vocabulary for the summer. During June, July, and August, we are pretty busy providing activities to keep your students from the summer blues. Our children’s ministry has Vacation Bible School (June 5-9) and Camp Tejas Pre-Teen Camp (July 11-15) on the calendar and our student ministry has Fuge Camp at Glorieta, New Mexico (June 22-28) and a Honduras Mission Trip (July 19-27). In addition to these activities, our church will have a couple of Wednesday summer activities for the family: June 1st - Family Picnic @ our 33 acres - 6pm August 3rd - Ice Cream Fellowship - Gym - 5:30pm We hope you and your family have a great summer...take us along for the ride!! His, Troy
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Have a Wonderful
! r e m m u S
Brenham’s First Baptist Church P. O. Box 600 Brenham, TX 77834-0600
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