June Newsletter 2019

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 Designer 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:

Special Announcements...................................................page Church-wide Calendar .....................................................page Announcements ................................................................page Music Ministry & Piece Makers . ......................................page Thank Yous, Sympathies...................................................page Bible Studies and more ....................................................page Encore Ministry...................................................................page A Letter From Reba & Mother’s Day Out. ......................page Student Ministry ................................................................page Children’s Ministry ............................................................page Preschool Ministry ............................................................page FBC School & EEC ..............................................................page From Troy’s Heart ..............................................................page

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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CHURCH-WIDE CALENDAR

JUNE -

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Lord’s Supper Both Services Churchwide Business Meeting VBS 2019 Begins Piecemakers Student Center WiRED Camp Begins Precept Class Fellowship South Asia Trip Begins World Hunger Sunday God and Country Sunday

4:00pm Gym 8:30am – 12:30pm 9:00am 9:30am

Pahl House

11:00am

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 Recently, our youth pastor, Chad Marrs, led us in a discussion on Generation Z based on a book he recently read. Generation Z is the generation born after 1995, and they are the generation after the millennials. The purpose of the book and the discussion was to understand better the unique characteristics of this generation and how to reach them with the Good News of Jesus Christ. There were a number of characteristics that I found most interesting and important, but the two that stood out to me were that this generation is lost (have little exposure to the Gospel and are spiritually/biblically illiterate) and leaderless (do not have anyone to turn to for their spiritual and moral questions). Closely connected to these characteristics is the importance of understanding that this generation, generally speaking, is not leaving the church; they have never been a part of the church.

What was your response when you read the above paragraph? Was it disgust? Was it anger? Was it frustration? Honestly, I felt some of these emotions when I read these characteristics. A better question is, “How does God view this generation?” He views this generation in same way he viewed you and me when we did not know Jesus: He loves them and desires that they repent and believe upon Him. This leaves us with a question, “How are we going to engage this generation?” Are we going to mock, ridicule, complain about, and express our frustration about this generation? I believe this is the dominant response of those of us older than this generation outside the church and, sadly, inside the church. My prayer is that we will be different. What if we saw this generation as an opportunity for God’s glory to be put on display as people come to faith in Jesus? What if we prayed for this generation more than we complained? What if God used this generation to spark a great revival in America? A good starting point for all of us is to ask God to help us see people the way He sees people: He loved them (and us) enough to send His Son to die for their sins. I realize there are lots of challenges, but challenges are opportunities for God. Let us join together as a church in prayer, with our attitudes, and with our commitments to help spread the joyous Gospel of Christ Jesus to Generation Z. P.S. One of the ways you help reach Generation Z is with your financial support to First Baptist Church. We are blessed to have Chad and resources available to reach this next generation. Thank you for your faithful financial giving, especially during the summer months.

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MUSIC MINISTRY

PIECE MAKERS

Piece Makers stitched 200 fleece bears to be taken to Colombian orphans by a FBC mission team in October. The bears were stuffed during Vacation Bible School for Seniors this week. Thanks to all who participated! Come join Piece Makers on the first Tuesday of each month and sew projects for missions at home and abroad. We meet in the Student Center from 9 am until 4 pm to stitch something for someone 6 to love.

THANK YOUS & SYMPATHIES

We appreciate all the love and care given to our sister Margaret Walker, by members of your congregation.

Brenda & Bob Robeson Dear First Baptist Brenham and School, Thank you all so much for the socks and underwear you so graciously gave to the City of Franklin. All of us here at Southside Baptist Church appreciate it. Thank you for showing Christ’s love to this, our city.

In His Love, Pastor Bob Wimberly and members of Southside Baptist Church

SYMPATHIES: McCoy family in the loss of Virginia McCoy.

Libby Shelton Shawn Collins Doug & Karla Collins Donna Finke 7

BIBLE STUDIES & MORE

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

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

HOME TEAM GROUPS ·Scott and Tricia Schroeder – 620 Country Place W., Meets 1st & 3rd Sunday at 5pm. ·Roger and Juanita Atkins – 9250 Lake Dr. Chappell Hill, Meeting one Sunday a month. Please call 281-389-2859 to confirm meeting time. ·Rick and Diane Houston – 808 Spinn, Every other Sunday at 7:00pm ·Ronnie and Debbie Fathauer – 1607 Longhofer, Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday at 6:00pm. ·Widows & Single Ladies – Pahl House, 1st & 3rd Monday at 6:00pm.

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ENCORE MINISTRY NEWS

CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAYS! Wayne Sales Tim Bledsoe Eloise Hudspeth Lisa Hammer Charlotte Avera Carole Gessner Kim Lytle Martha Haydon Lisa Linden Carolyn Watson Amber Homan Donna May Sheila Suders Charles Cottingham Dixie Rutledge Kathleen Brown Arretta Gallagher David Doelitsch Betty White

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John Hermann Jean Miller Wayne Brown Lynn Schmidt Janis Kennedy Joyce Burchfield Billie Cooper Larry Groover Sallie Moody Gene Cooper Don Loesch Johnnie Hamilton Kay Gregory Gary Hamaker Doddie Messick Gary Sonnenburg Barry Templeton Bob Billington

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A LETTER FROM REBA Dear Friends,

Home Sweet Home where each lives for the other, and all live for God.

Today I am thinking about the word ready.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word ready to be Prepared Mentally or Physically for some experience or action. To be prepared to be used immediately. Have you ever thought about that in the sense of our Christianity? We should always be ready to do what God calls us to do. With Father’s Day approaching I always think of my dad as we all do, but I have to think back a long way as my dad died at the young age of 49 from cancer. My dad was a very Godly man to be admired by all who knew him. Right before he died he was given a certificate from his church for a 25 year perfect attendance in Sunday School. He was a respected Sunday school teacher, deacon and a helper to anyone who needed help. He taught me to love, to laugh, and always be at the ready to help others who come into our lives, but most of all to love God. Right before he died he marked this verse in his Bible. “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure at hand. I have fought the 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 that day and not to me only, but them also that love His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8.

Lets all make this our goal now to be ready to go and do what we are called for.

Happy Fathers Day to all our men out there. If you are a young father always remember you have little eyes watching what and how you react to situations.

Show them the right way.

Blessings, Reba Pair

MOTHER’S DAY OUT This school year has come to an end and it was wonderful.

We ended with 30 little ones craving to learn and worshiping Jesus!

We still are taking enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact the church office or email at mdo@fbc-brenham.org

STUDENT MINISTRY Summer is here – DON’T blink or it will be time to start school again. Every time a season ends it seems like we’ve just begun. Is your calendar crazy full like mine – Senior Adult VBS, Kids’ VBS, Student Camp, Kid’s Camp, Mission Trip?

In May, the student ministry celebrated its first Graduating Seniors Banquet honoring the fourteen FBC students who graduated from high school this year. My goal was to take a little time to privately honor the graduates with their parents and to reflect on their life so far and encourage them on their new journey. I looked back at the nearly seven years I have served here at Brenham’s FBC at a HUGE collection of pictures from Disciple Nows, Camps, Mission Trips and other events and created a small video of our seniors through their time in student ministry. It was a lot of fun seeing the baby-faced 7thgraders turn into mature young adults ready to conquer the world.

After the video presentation we reminisced a little about all the ministry opportunities the students had been a part of. I encouraged them to continue serving in ministry no matter where their journey takes them. I challenged them to always serve where God had gifted them and to get plugged into a church or a group of believers.

Jon Lineberger, author of Tips for Academic Success in College and What God Did With a Mess Like Me, was our keynote speaker for the banquet. Jon cautioned the students about things to watch out for in the next phase of their life. Jon’s testimony was a great inspiration to me as well. I was so grateful we had the opportunity to invite him to speak truth and wisdom into our seniors’ lives.

Our seniors still need your prayers. Would you continue to think about them and pray from them as they make big decisions?

Congratulations to the class of 2019!

We are so proud of you.

In Him. Bro.Chad

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Luke 10:39 (HCSB) Good Morning, “You know, I am truly blessed.” This was a response I witnessed as a friend of mine was inquiring as to the well-being of the family of a friend he had passed on the street. The responding friend did not reflexively answer the inquiry: “How is your family doing?” Instead, she paused, seeming to contemplate for a short 3 seconds almost as if she was looking through the current events of her family, and then choosing the correct response from a mental list. After responding, you knew it was genuine, and not just a quick passerby response. I truly believed she was living a happy time of her life to label it as “blessed,” but what if she wasn’t?

What if her husband had lost his job? Her children were in rebellion? Or she is attending to a parent who is struggling with Alzheimer’s? Did she category these events, and then return with, “You know, I am truly blessed.”? It is possible, but I think most would not see their lives as “blessed” if they were living with struggle and in the midst of trials. Yet, do our lives have to be absent of pain to consider our lives as “blessed?” Is it possible to be “blessed” in the middle of life’s torrents when you feel in the middle of an inescapable fire, surrounded by debris riddled gale winds, engulfed in blinding dark?

Jesus told his disciples they would have trouble in this world, but to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16). A psalmist boasts in God’s strength, and ever-present help in trouble even should the mountains fall into the sea (Psalm 46). The Israelites are assured by God through Isaiah to not fear, but to remember He is with them to strengthen them and help them (Isaiah 41).

The Bible is filled with stories about God’s people who have endured suffering – sometimes even when they have done nothing wrong (Job, Daniel). We cannot give reason or explain why trouble befalls us (Job), but we can choose how we will face the troubles. I believe as we hold God’s hand, we will every time be able to answer, “You know, I am truly blessed.”

His Servant & Yours,

Upcoming Events: VBS June 3-6, 2019 Camp Tejas July 9-13, 2019

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PRESCHOOL MINISTRIES Memory Verse:

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations.” Psalm 145:13a

Big Picture Question:

Is anything greater than God? No, God is greater than everything.

Family Starting Points: -God is greater than anything.

-Jesus told people God’s words.

-God is more powerful than anything or anyone.

-God sent Jesus to be our Savior and King.

HUNTER CLARK KNOX BRANNON

6/08/15 6/12/14

BEAU YELDERMAN 6/11/18 LINCOLN ANDERSON 6/14/17

GABBI BRANNON

6/21/13

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FBC SCHOOL & EEC Summer is here, but FBCS is as busy as ever! Our EEC continues in the summer months. Their summer program is SLAM (Serving, Loving & Missions). The EEC staff works extremely hard to plan fun, engaging activities for the students that come for For God so summer care. We are so grateful to Alex Morrison and Stacey Strickland for including these kids in loved the world their activities. It is one more way your FBC staff that he gave his one and works together, and it’s one more way to plant a only Son, that whoever seed for eternity in the hearts of kids! Isn’t God so good! believes in him shall not Blessings, Nancy Jahns

perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

P.S. This spring, our mission focus was GoDrill.

Through candy, soda, pickle, and snow cone sales, we were able to raise $900. We give Him the glory! May this be a blessing to the people of Tanzania.

SCHOLARSHIPS NEEDED

We recently awarded scholarships for the 2019-2020 school year. A need usually arises after we give out tuition assistance. Would you please consider making a donation to the scholarship fund? It would help us meet future needs. Thank you!

Thank you to our FBC Preschool and Children’s Ministries for working with the school to spread His love!

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FROM TROY’S HEART Did you hear that noise a few days ago? It was a collective cheer from kids and teachers all over Brenham as another school year came to a close. After another year of intense learning and growing, students, teachers, and school personnel are now excited about the summer break.

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 2019-2020 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 for you too! Each day we should follow the same pattern of work and rest in all parts of our lives.

·Physically, we should work each day and then sleep well in rest.

·Emotionally, we should laugh, smile, frown and maybe shed a tear each

day, but then settle into the peaceful contentment of God’s faithful care.

·Intellectually, we should stretch our mind with new knowledge, but also

spend some time letting our mind wander in a day dream.

·Spiritually, we should exercise our gifts and obedience, as well as, lose

ourselves in praise, adoration and quiet thought, meditation and prayer.

·Relationally, with the ones we love, we should spend time in engaging

conversation, debate and thought, but also dabble in the mundane and trivial.

·Vocationally, we should pour ourselves into tasks and projects, but also

enjoy joyful lunches with co-workers where topics include Little League,

hobbies and who is your favorite “superhero?”

How balanced are our lives?

Enjoy your summer and be safe.

I love you, Troy

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

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