June 2017 newsletter

CHURCH INFORMATION CHURCH STAFF Ross Shelton, Pastor

rshelton@fbc-brenham.org

Annette Guenther, Comptroller aguenther@fbc-brenham.org

Troy Sikes, Associate Pastor

tsikes@fbc-brenham.org

Donella Peevler, Church Receptionist

dpeevler@fbc-brenham.org

Charles Covin, Music Minister

ccovin@fbc-brenham.org

Jodi Beckendorf, Graphic Design jbeckendorf@fbc-brenham.org

Chad Marrs, Minister to Students

cmarrs@fbc-brenham.org

Stephanie Sheffield, Custodian Manager

ssheffield@fbc-brenham.org

Alex Morrison, Minister to Children

amorrison@fbc-brenham.org

Nancy Jahns, School Administrator

njahns@fbcsbrenham.org

Stacey Strickland, Preschool Ministry

sstrickland@fbc-brenham.org

Kristie Mendoza, Mother’s Day Out Dir.

mdo@fbc-brenham.org

Teresa McGlasson, Office Manager

tmcglasson@fbc-brenham.org

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: Mon - Thurs: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Fri: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Brenham’s 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 WEBSITE: www.fbc-brenham.org CHURCH FACEBOOK PAGE: www.facebook.com/BrenhamsFirstBaptistChurch SCHOOL FACEBOOK PAGE: www.facebook.com/Brenhamfbcs 2

I N THI S I SSUE:

Church Announcements ..................................................page Church-wide Calendar .....................................................page From Pastor Ross ...............................................................page Special Announcements ..................................................page Music Ministry ....................................................................page Adult Ministries .................................................................page Bible Studies & More ........................................................page Encore Ministry ..................................................................page A Letter from Reba .. ..........................................................page Student Ministry ................................................................page Children’s Ministry ............................................................page Preschool Ministry ............................................................page FBC School .........................................................................page Special Announcements ..................................................page From Troy’s Heart ..............................................................page Special Announcements .................................................page

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CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS FIRST IMPRESSIONS MINISTRY - Can you smile? Can

you shake a hand or hug a neck? Sure you can! That means you can make a difference in someone’s life each Sunday by serving in our First Impressions Ministry. Email Troy at: tsikes@fbc-brenham.org or call 979-836-2807 if you want to make a difference with a smile!

SIGN UP ONLINE:

Vacation Bible School JUNE 19-22 8:30AM-12:00PM REGISTER AT: FBC-BRENHAM.ORG

SAVE THE DATE - AUGUST 2ND Ice Cream Social - 5:30pm in the Gym

Welcome New Church Members Barry Templeton

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CHURCH-WIDE CALENDAR

JUNE-

1 Q & A Session 6:00pm Pahl House 1 Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House 4 Lord’s Supper Both Services 4 Church-wide Business Meeting 4:00pm Gym 5-7 Encore Adult VBS 9:00am – 12:30pm Gym 6 Piece Makers Ministry 9:00am Student Center 7 Honduras Mission Trip Meeting 6:00pm Student Center 7 FlipFloppin’ Out of School party 6:00pm Gym 8 Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House 9 Fun Time at the Morrisons (4th/5th Grades) 7:00pm 15 Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House 19-22 VBS 8:30am Gym 22 Parent Night @ FBC VBS 6:00pm 25 Camp Tejas Parent Meeting 1:30pm Room 224 26 FUGE Camp begins 29 Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House

JULY-

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God & Country Sunday Service- 10am One service only FBCS Independence Day Holiday/ EEC Closed Independence Day - Church office closed Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House Lord’s Supper Both Services Deacon’s Meeting 2:00pm Room 111 Camp Tejas Begins Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House Connecting @ FBC 4:00pm Room 112 Finance Committee Meeting 6:30pm Room 111 Honduras Mission Trip Begins Sweet Hour of Prayer 10:00am Syc. House World Hunger Offering Both Worship Services

For more information on any of the above events please visit the church website: www.fbc-brenham.org

www.facebook.com/BrenhamsFirstBaptistChurch

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FROM PASTOR ROSS Summertime is often seen as a time when things slow down. This is the time of year when we have opportunities to travel and have a different schedule than we do during the school year. While certain ministries of our church slow down during the summer, other ministries speed up. Here are some of the important ministries that will be taking place this summer, which you can read about in this newsletter:

-Encore VBS: This is an opportunity for our retirees to fellowship, sing, eat, and work on a mission project. This is also an opportunity to show appreciation for all that our senior adults do for our church!

-Vacation Bible School: This year’s theme is “Walk This Way.” Children will learn how to listen to God, talk to God, and share their faith.

-Summer Camp: Our teenagers will be loading up on a charter bus in June and head to Florida. This time away can be an important and formative time in their lives. I’m praying that this summer camp time will be spiritual marker in their lives in that some will come to faith in Christ for the first time, some will recommit their lives to Christ and turn away from compromise, and others will be encouraged to continue living for Jesus.

-Camp Tejas: In July, many of our children head to Camp Tejas in Giddings for a week of fun, worship, and Bible study. I love getting the opportunity to go out there a couple of times to see the kids and adult volunteers.

As with the teenagers, this is also an important and formative week for our children.

-Mission Trip to Honduras: We will be spending a little over a week in Honduras. We will be doing food distribution, door-to-door evangelism, and a small construction project. I’m excited because I will be taking my oldest daughter, Audrey, on what will be her first international mission trip.

These aren’t the only things taking place this summer, but it does give you a glimpse of all the ways God is working through our church. I’m thankful that we don’t take the summer off and try to coast. Instead, we see the summer as an opportunity to reach people who don’t know Jesus and to equip those who already know Him. Because of these ministries taking place during the summer, summer is also a time when our financial expenses go up. Cheerful and obedient giving is important all year, but it is especially important during the summer months. Thank you to everyone who faithfully supports all that God is doing through our church. If you aren’t giving, now is as good a time as any to invest financially in what God is doing and will do through our church. You can learn more about giving by going to http://fbc-brenham.org/give/. I hope you have a blessed and happy summer. Let’s pray that God will do some amazing things through our church!

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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MUSIC MINISTRY

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ADULT MINISTRIES PIECE MAKERS

Don’t miss Vacation Bible School for Seniors June 5, 6 and 7 in the church gym! Piece Makers will be hosting a Build-A -Fleece-Bear clinic for Colombian orphans during craft time! Come, participate, have fun and make a soft lovey for a child in Colombia.

Last month Piece Makers had an opportunity to help the Here I Am Orphan Ministries by making a quilt to be auctioned for the support of this ministry.

The quilt pattern and technique were taught by Karla Schlabach and Beth Taylor during the April meeting.

Members of Piece Makers made individual blocks that were sewn together by Beth & quilted by Sara. This unique quilt was auctioned on June 1, 2017 at the Here I Am Orphan Ministries fundraising event.

Piece Maker meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Student Center from 9 am until 2 pm. The June meeting will be held during VBS for Seniors. Contact Sara Byman at 979 830-8555 for more information.

All are welcome!

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ADULT MINISTRIES CONTINUED

First Impressions Parking Lot Greeting Team.

Each Sunday, We have greeters in the parking lots guiding people to a worship service or Sunday Bible Study. With bright yellow vests and friendly smiles, they will also be there to give you a helping hand with anything you need.

Presently we need more people on the Parking Lot Greeting Team and our Welcome Guest Greeter Team, if you would like to help us make a lasting impression by serving on our First Impressions Team.

Contact Troy at: tsikes@fbc-brenham.org or call the church office at 979-836-2807 if you are willing to serve as an Usher, Welcome Center Greeter or Parking Lot Greeter.

HOME TEAM GROUPS UPDATES! Widows & Single Ladies – “The Mission of Jesus.” Triumph of God’s Kingdom in a world of chaos. Pahl House 1st & 3rd Monday’s 6:00pm Bishop – “Psalms” 4803 Salem Rd., 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 6:30pm Yeakley/The More Excellent Way – “Knowing God’s Secrets”

by John Hunter Meets at 800 Loesch St. Monday at 6:30pm Schroeder – “Kingdom Marriage” by Dr. Tony Evans 620 Country Place W. Dr. Meet on the 1st & 3rd Sunday at 5:00pm Atkins – Prayer and fellowship 9250 Lake Dr. Various times and subjects

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BIBLE STUDIES & MORE

Men’s Prayer Breakfast Studying “I John” Wednesdays, 6:00am Sycamore House

Sweet Hour of Prayer Thursdays, 10:00am Sycamore House Garage

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ENCORE MINISTRY NEWS THE ENCORE MINISTRY IS ALWAYS UP TO SOMETHING!

CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAYS!

Neatha Muery Tim Bledsoe Lisa Hammer Charlotte Avera Carole Gessner Martha Haydon Lisa Linden Carolyn Watson Bob Cook Donna May Dixie Rutledge Kathleen Brown Arretta Gallagher David Doelitsch Betty White

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John Hermann 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 Gary Hamaker Doddie Messick Gary Sonnenburg Bob Billington

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A LETTER FROM REBA As I sit down to write this it is Mother’s Day, so now we are looking forward to Father’s Day. I am so blessed to have been raised in a Christian home. Both of my parents were very strong in their Christian faith, and they lived it daily. My mom was the church Pianist or Organist depending on what was needed at the time. I’ve been in Choir rehearsals since I was a small child. We sat and listened quietly as the choir rehearsed and all with none of today’s electronic toys to play with during that hour after prayer meeting time. I know that is why I can stand up and sing almost any hymn without any music or words, because they are ingrained into my heart. I am so thankful that God gave me the parents that he did. I am so richly blessed. My dad was a plumber and pipefitter by trade. He was always helping someone with their plumbing problems after getting off of work. He loved to laugh, and he was one of the greatest servants of men I have ever been around.

I think I learned those two things from him. I do love to laugh, especially with my brother and sister, and I do serve others in several ways and I am so glad I was taught to recognize the needs of others before myself. My mom taught me many of the things I can do to serve others from sewing to cooking. My mother’s family were all seamstresses as well as her dad, who was a Tailor and a Hatter by trade. He also instilled in all of us a love of gardening, not only for the beauty of flowers and plants, but to supply our daily food.

I hope you have been blessed by your father as we think of Father’s Day coming up. If you are a young father, may you strive to be the father that God would have you be to those sweet children he has blessed you with.

May you have a great Father’s Day and take time to spend with your children no matter their age.

Blessings, Reba Pair

SCRIPTURE OF THE MONTH “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”

Proverbs 17:6

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STUDENT MINISTRY

Last February while I was in Africa, during the loooooong journey back to the airport through the bush, I saw a Green Mamba snake dart across the road in front of our vehicle. It was very easy to see because it was bright, neon green. And man was it fast! I have never seen a snake move that fast in my life. And I was super glad I was in a moving Land Cruiser.

There’s no question, if the Green Mamba and I had been in a “foot” race, he (despite not having feet) would’ve beat me “hands” down (despite not having hands).

Being slower than other things isn’t a new feeling for me though. You probably can’t tell by looking at me, but I was a lineman in high school football. Folks called us the hogs. The hogs always ran at different times that our faster teammates, the backs and receivers. I guess I’ve always seen things moving at a faster pace around me.

And this summer will be no different. In case you haven’t seen the new school calendar, summer vacation has been shortened with Brenham schools starting back August 16th. Summer is also going to fly by because it’s packed with things to do. During this extra fast summer, would you pray for me and for our students? Would you join me now in praying that God would move their hearts and minds through worship, Bible studies, and witnessing on missions? My prayer is that even though it is a “fast and furious” summer, that it would be the most powerful and impactful summer yet. I know it starts with all of us seeking the Lord in prayer.

On your mark, get set, go!

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Good Morning, Registrations, volunteer sign-up lists, fundraisers, ticket counts, Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, event calendaring, postcards, invites, supply gathering, volunteer coordinating, check requests, and on, and on, and on… The sabbatical is over and summer is definitely here. The above are just a few of the items on a daily checklist.

Such is the life of a kids and families minister from March to August. However, the speed is extra fast when you come back to an office that has been dormant for a month.

When life begins to speed up to these speeds it is sometimes easy to lose sight of the real goal.

The last week of my sabbatical was spent at a pastor’s retreat in Kaufman, TX. Over the weekend, Nicole and I spent some time with two professional counselors who have a heart to invest in pastors and their wives to prevent them from experiencing the burn-out, moral crisis, marital stress or spiritual failures that have too often plagued men and women in the ministry. At the close of the weekend, Nicole had to go back home because of her job responsibilities, but I stayed to continue with individual counseling. This counseling focused upon me personally and my ministry. Once again, I did not think that I necessarily needed this time. However, God used it to teach me more about myself and about my service to Him. Most importantly, He taught me more about Him. The biggest lesson learned was that I had lowered my nose too close to the grindstone to keep aware of the greater purpose for the work - Him. Let me explain.

I had been lost in doing the work of the ministry, and not in the Lord for whom the work is to glorify. More time was spent on planning, coordinating, organizing and executing events than was spent in prayer for supernatural provision and success. In short, I have been working most of the ministry in my own strength, talents and skills, and not enough out of faith, and dependence upon God to accomplish the impossible.

It is a slow slope that allows ministers to fall into this pit of self-reliance, and is masked by an overarching purpose statement – “For the glory of God.” However, God didn’t ask me to go to work for Him. He asked me to make Him my Lord. That means He is the boss. When I can begin a project, and finish it without seeking God’s direction or provision, then I have just become a social worker and not a minister of the Gospel.

In Kaufman, TX, God opened my eyes, and pulled me out of this pit. However, I feel my wheels trying to fall back into the deep ruts of routine when ministry speeds up like I mentioned earlier. It is these times when slowing down to wait on God seems illogical and inefficient. Yet, for true kingdom success, it is wisest to seek His direction, strength and provision. My advice: seek God daily, and do what He commands, but don’t go to Him with your agenda to ask for a rubber stamp. Let Him be the strength, provision and direction you need for each day.

Upcoming Events:

Encore VBS – June 5-7, 9am-Noon; 4th – 6th graders will serve on the 6th.

FlipFloppin’ Outta School Party – June 7th, 6-8:00pm FUNtime at the Morrisons – June 9th, 7-10pm; 4th & 5th Graders VBS Canvasing – June 16th, 11am-1pm; 4th – 6th graders beTWEENtime FUNtime – June 16th, 7-10pm; 5th & 6th Graders VBS Community Blast – June 17th, 10am-2pm; 4th – 6th graders VBS – June 18-22; Register today.

Camp Tejas Parent Meeting – June 25, 1:30pm

PRESCHOOL MINISTRIES Kids Rock! We are excited to celebrate kids with a rocking good time this summer. Throughout the summer, our preschoolers will be introduced to people in the Bible who did amazing things while they were still kids. They rocked because they did what God wanted them to do, and our preschoolers can do that too.

In June, we’ll hear the stories of Jesus in the temple, young Samuel learning to listen to God, and two stories of young David. We’ll learn how David was chosen to lead and be king when he was just a kid, and then how he was brave and defeated a giant with just a sling and a stone. We are looking forward to having a rocking good time in our preschool ministry.

Stacey

Thank you

We had such a wonderful time celebrating our little gifts from God on Mother’s Day. We had six beautiful families join us for Parent/Child Dedication.

What an amazing blessing they all are.

Sunday Mornings in June Basic Truth: God made me.

Key Question: Who can do what God wants you to do?

Bottom Line: I can do what God wants me to do.

Memory Verse: “God made us to do good works.” Ephesians 2:10 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER CLARK 6-8-15

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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

UPCOMING JUNE EVENTS May 31st - Summer EEC begins

VOLUNTEERS & DONATIONS NEEDED 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 all the ways you have supported FBCS & EEC!

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS CHURCH THANK YOUS: FBC Brenham, Thank you so much for providing and serving the food for the free lunch at the Baptist Student Outreach at Blinn College. Your continued support and prayers is greatly appreciated.

Baptist Student Outreach Blinn College.

OUR SYMPATHIES TO: Sylvia Roundtree and family in the loss of her sister-in-law.

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FROM TROY’S HEART In a few days we will hear a collective sigh from school campuses across our area as children and teachers finish another year of intense learning and growing. Way back in August 2016, there was nervous excitement about what experiences the year would hold. Undoubtedly, some wondered if they would survive. (Yes, I am talking about the teachers!)

However, now nine months later, students and teachers alike look back and realize that through all of the stress, anguish and hard work, everyone is better for the experience.

Now is a time for a rest! Summer, a time for relaxation and restoration to get ready for another August and the work of the 2017-18 school year.

Work and rest. Work and rest. Work and rest. That pattern was set a long time ago. God said it in the first book of the Bible. Work 6 days and then rest and worship on the seventh.

Work and rest works for God, students and even Associate Pastors. At the end of this month(June 26), I will take a rest for a few weeks. By the graciousness of our church family, I will take a sabbatical. In our personnel policies all full-time ministerial staff members are afforded a four-week sabbatical after seven years of service. After over eighteen years of service, I will spend time resting and restoring, physically, emotionally and spiritually…sigh. In so doing, I believe I will come back better, renewed for the work ahead of us.

Thank you for the opportunity to rest, but moreover, thank you for allowing me to work with you in the mission of growing God’s kingdom. Each one of you has impacted my life and the lives of my family members. We are blessed to call you friends!

I love you, Troy

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SPECIAL EVENTS

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Brenham’s First Baptist Church P. O. Box 600 Brenham, TX 77834-0600

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