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 From Pastor Ross ...............................................................page Music Ministry ....................................................................page Thank yous and Sympathies . ..........................................page Bible Studies and more ....................................................page Encore Ministry...................................................................page A Letter From Reba & Piece Makers ..............................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
OCTOBER-
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FBCS Book Fair Pahl House Piece Makers 9:00am Student Center No Wednesday Night Activities - Homecoming Lord’s Supper - Both Services An Evening of Worship & Prayer 4:00pm Sanctuary FBCS Student Holiday/EEC Open/Staff Development Wednesday Night Activities Resume Budget Council Meeting 5:00pm Room 112 Encore Luncheon 11:00am Pahl House Handbells play @ 8:30am worship service Kids Klub Family Fall Time 4:30pm Morrison Home Hope Class Evening Event 6:30pm Location TBD No Wednesday Night Activities - Lights in the Night
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 As of September 17th, we’ve raised $5,242,030.74 toward our $7 million budget for the first phase of our relocation! These funds have come from giving in previous years, four real-estate transactions, and our current capital campaign, Faith Building. I give you this number in order to keep you updated but, more importantly, to give you an opportunity to thank God for His provision. As we prepare to move into the next season, can you please pray for the following? -Pray that God’s glory is experienced and revealed in both the process of relocating and the outcome (the new facility). God’s glory is the ultimate goal of this whole experience! -Pray for God’s continued financial provision. We have experienced the abundance of God’s provision in getting us to our current point. We also recognize that we still have a ways to go to meet the entirety of the financial provision for our first phase. -Pray for the Relocation Committee and me. The Relocation Committee is composed of Brandon Musser (co-chair), David Baker (co-chair), Heather Kirby, Arlen Thielemann, Robert Haydon, and Stephen Puckett. Pray for God to give us wisdom and insight into the numerous decisions that will need to be made. Also, please pray that this will be positive, faith-enriching experience for everyone on the committee. I have told the committee many times that my hope is that they will not be burned-out after the first phase is built. Instead, I pray they will be filled with joy as they experienced God working in this process. -Pray for all the people that we have hired to design, plan, and build the building. Pray for God to give them wisdom in the planning and protect them during the building process. -Pray about your involvement. Maybe you have stepped out in faith in giving to the Faith Building capital campaign and you need to ask God to help you continue in your faith. Maybe you have not been involved in Faith Building capital campaign for whatever reason. Please know: We need you! Pray how God might have you get involved. Whatever the case, I want you to experience the joy of being a part of this process so that when we enter the new facility for the first time, you will rejoice and say, “Look at what God did!”
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MUSIC MINISTRY October 2018 Christmas Choir
Christmas Choir rehearsals have gotten off to a great start, but it’s not too late for you to join us as we prepare to share an amazing presentation in December entitled, ONCE UPON A HOLY NIGHT. Practices are on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm in the sanctuary.
Praise Choir
Worshippers wanted for our 11am Contemporary Service Praise Choir! No handheld microphones, no sheet music, no mandatory rehearsals. All that’s required is that you be a least high school age, love to worship, and are willing to listen and learn a few great worship songs at your leisure each week!
Kids’ Choir
Kids’ Choir is well underway at 5:30pm on Wednesday evenings and it’s going great! We’ve got a really good number of singers already and would love for any / all 1st graders – 6th graders to come join us each week in the Choir Room for music, fun, and food! *We will not have Kids’ Choir rehearsal on Oct. 3rd (Homecoming Parade) or Oct. 31st (Lights in the Night) *Kids’ Choir is singing in both morning worship services on Sunday, Oct. 28th!
For more details, contact Charles Covin! ccovin@fbc-brenham.org
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THANK YOUS & SYMPATHIES Dear Church Family, THANK YOU for sharing with us in our 50th wedding anniversary celebration on August 25. Your attendance at the party, your many cards, notes, texts, and congratulations are each so special to us. We have a basketful of your loving thoughts. We are constantly blessed by you and are so thankful to be a part of such a loving church family. Love, appreciation, and blessings to you all! Robert and Martha Haydon Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for the beautiful plant you sent for Ralph Blevins service. It now sits in mom’s apt. window. Your love and care for the 12-13 yrs since Hurricane Katrina has made us feel at home. Love to you all, Ralph, Tim, Linda, & the entire Blevins family Thank y’all so much for ministering to our family all these years. Our dad enjoyed his years serving as a deacon. Thank y’all for the flowers and thinking of us. With Love, The Johnston Family Brenham’s FBC Thank you so much for opening your church to accept school supply donations. Because of your kindness, around 800 local students were able to start the school year off on the right foot. Thank you, Tori Bryan - For The City
SYMPATHIES:
-Jeremy Johnston and family in the loss of his dad, Glynn Johnston -Mary Kay Billington and family in the loss of her mom, Thelma Ricarrdo.
Danny and Bobbye Thompson Gregory Ivy Cody and Angelina Soape Brooks Roznovsky Troy and Lori Gaddie Mason Messana Susan French 7
BIBLE STUDIES & MORE
Men’s Prayer Breakfast Studying “Deuteronomy” Wednesdays, 6:00am Sycamore House Pastor’s Bible Study: Ask the Pastor Wednesdays, 6:30pm - Room 112 Bible 101: How It Fits Together Wednesdays, 6:30pm - Room 111 Young Mom’s Bible Study: Wisdom for Mothers Wednesdays, 6:30pm, Upstairs in Sycamore House
Sweet Hour of Prayer Thursdays, 10:00am Sycamore House Garage “Undaunted” by Christine Caine Women’s Bible Study Wednesdays, 6:30pm, Sycamore Downstairs Precept Bible Study, “Covenant” Tuesdays, 9:30am, Pahl House
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, 2nd & 4th Monday at 6:00pm.
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ENCORE MINISTRY NEWS
CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAYS! Sarah Fraley Gayle Wells Arlie Eckermann Glynette Smith Diane Houston Thomas Messick Debbie Eaton Loretha Baker Gladys Johnson Diana Batdorf Dagmar Poteet Lynne Hollowell Sam Bell Don Kramer Sami Rahman Bette Sommers Phyllis Glasscock Kathy Landrum Lee Bufkin Joe Williams David Towell Buford Langston
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David Beyer Peggy Marshall Kathy Japp Richard Miller Audrie Martin Sandra Smith Danny Thompson Marsha LeGard Michael Temple Ralph Kirkland Candy Arth Johnnie Pitts Pat Brannen Margaret Walker Kim Sales
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A LETTER FROM REBA A word I have heard quite a bit in recent weeks is, shine. I began to think about the newsletter and it came to the front of my thoughts. What does shine really mean in the light of being a Christ follower? In Matthew 5 we are told to be the light of the world. We are also told not to hide it under a bowl, but to let it shine to the world. Websters Dictionary gives several thoughts on shine one being “to be bright by reflection of light.” We need to always be the reflection of light from Jesus who is our light and salvation as it says in Psalms 27. I would like to encourage you to also read Ephesians 5:8- 21. We have an opportunity to shine our light to the world as Operation Christmas Child is fast approaching. I have seen so many stories of children receiving these boxes and coming to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. I believe we have one or two in our church who have received OCC boxes before their adoptions. I hope you have a wonderful fall. Blessings, Reba Pair
PIECE MAKERS Making small tactile quilts with variations in texture especially beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients is an ongoing project for Piece Makers. These Touch Quilts are delivered regularly along with Walker Bags and Caddies to area nursing homes. Pictured is Nettie Ragstad, Activity Director of High Hopes Care Center, a secured Altzheimer’s facility in Brenham. She oversees the distribution and use of these Touch Quilts and reports that they are much appreciated by the residents of High Hopes. Touch Quilts have also been placed in the Emergency Room at Brenham Scott and White Hospital and have helped to calm agitated patients. If you want to be a part of sewing for our community come to a Piece Makers meeting on the first Tuesday of each month from 9 to 2 in the FBC Student Center.
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STUDENT MINISTRY This summer while preparing for our fall Wednesday night Bible study series the Lord really laid on my heart the topic of spiritual warfare. I began praying about this and when I got back from Africa we started a year-long emphasis on spiritual warfare called RISK. The primary question I posed to our students was, Are you at risk? To be perfectly honest, I had some wide-eyed stares when discussing principalities and the powers of darkness. But it has never been more evident to me that our teenagers and our families are going to war. Every. Single. Day. For many of you, the issues they face and the evil they are exposed to would make your skin crawl. By the time kids get to the youth ministry much of their childhood has already been stolen by the enemy. They are dealing with depression and anxiety, eating disorders, sexual depravity, drugs, and a host of other things that many of you probably never even heard of until you were an adult and even then, it was a concept far removed from your reality. It is not so for this generation. And it is long past time for us to take our heads out of the sand and fight. Fight for our children. Fight for our families. And it is my job to train them to fight for themselves. From now, until Christmas, we will continue our series of RISK discussing spiritual warfare and what it looks like. We’ll talk about the weapons that Satan uses (darkness, destruction, deception & division) and our weapons against the enemy (light, salt, truth & love). We will be looking at real world examples and trying to identify spiritual warfare around us. In the new year, we will begin a series called Battlefield of the Mind addressing the fact that the most difficult battle we face is often the one in our own minds. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. In the spring we will do a series called Game of Thrones where we’ll look at those things that battle to occupy the throne of our hearts. Now I know these sound like heavy topics and not quite as fun as usual. We also still have games, worship and of course, fantastic dinner every week. The kids are divided into groups based on their grades into Air Force (7th grade), Army (8th grade), Marines (9th & 10th) and Navy (11th &12th) and each week they battle it out with random hijinks and shenanigans. Our first battle, which included peeling a banana with their toes, was decisively won by the 7th grade Air Force, thanks to Mariah Morrison who peeled her banana with surprising agility in 1.7 seconds. So I hope you hear my heart and understand that I take my mission here very seriously. Our kids hang in the balance. But, on the other hand, I don’t always take MYSELF so seriously. So sprinkling laughter and fun into a heavy topic is just the way I roll. But I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY need something from you. If you’re reading this, then you have a divine mission. I’m not kidding. Right now and every time you think about it in the next year, would you PRAY? Pray like my life depends on it. Pray like my kids’ lives depend on it. Pray like my family depends on it. Pray like our church depends on. Pray like a warrior.
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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 (NASB)
We need Lighthouses for the Lights in the Night. Please Good Morning, contact Alex should you In two days, my wife, daughter and I leave to Colombia wish to make your front yard to bring home our soon-to-be adopted daughter. Right available for this fun ministry now, she is an outsider to our family that has been opportunity. allowed to peer through the window of our family home. In about two weeks, she will be inducted into the family to be a Morrison forever. She has done nothing to deserve this. She has paid none of her fees. She has not filled out any of the paperwork. She has not undergone any training. All the fees, paperwork and training has been done by us (with help from a lot of you). She did not seek us out. We sought her out. Soon, she will have equal access to our family as any of my biological kids. What a beautiful picture of what God has done for me and every other sinner, be they Gentile or Jew. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul clearly explains God’s desire and plan to unite the Gentiles and the Jews as one entity in whom Holy Spirit will dwell. This was new and uncharted territory. However, this was God’s revealed mystery, that the Gentiles are no longer to be outsiders but to be insiders, sharing in the inheritance of God’s salvation. This great mystery is rooted in God’s magnanimous mercy. He reaches out to all people to offer salvation and forgiveness. God loves Jews and Gentiles both unconditionally. God’s mysterious plan is to “…reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:16). Now what does this little history lesson out of Ephesians mean for you and me? God created every living being. No matter what their ethnicity or current status of faith, He loves them so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for them – for us. None of us has a larger claim to the God of Heaven than the next person. So, we should remember that we are all adopted into His family and treat each other with respect and love. Have you loved someone today just because they are a creation of the King? Can you remember what it was like to be outside God’s family? Someone invited you in, will you do the same by sharing the gospel? His Servant & Yours, Bro. Alex As we finish our adoption, thank you to our loving church who has supported, encouraged and prayed for us over this past year.
Upcoming Events:
October 3 – Homecoming Parade (no Wednesday night Bible study) October 31 – Lights in the Night; various different homes around Brenham (no Wednesday night Bible study)
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PRESCHOOL MINISTRIES •
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am so proud of our preschoolers. Our preschoolers were able to participate this past September in their very own mission project. They baked yummy treats and gathered donations for a great organization. With God’s help and yours our preschoolers were able to raise around $1500 for Hope Rising here in Washington County. This money will go to the Equine Therapy program at Hope Rising. I am so proud of our “SUPER KIDS”! Thank you for your help in teaching our little ones how to help others in need. If you would like more information on Hope Rising and all they do please let us know.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KINCAID MESSICK NOLAN YELDERMAN CERENIDDY BAILEY TIBERIUS PHILLIPS WYATT CLARK MOLLY EBERLY JEDD GESSNER PRESTON ALLEN
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Sunday Mornings in October Big Picture Question: Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful. Memory Verse: If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed. Galatians 3:29
Parent/Child Dedication:
We have decided to cancel our November dedication and go back to only doing one Parent/Child Dedication a year. I hope you will not be too saddened. I love to make a BIG TO DO for our families and littles and this way I can do one amazing day for our families. We will continue to have our dedication on Mother’s Day in May. Thank you for your understanding and support.
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FBC SCHOOL & EEC Happy Fall Y’all! Our annual book fair is this week. It is being held in the Pahl Street House. Please feel free to come by and shop for your family. All proceeds go towards our library. Thank you to Rita Homeier, our librarian, for her hard work! We appreciate the many volunteers who work along-side her to make this week a success, too! Our mission focus in September was on Adam’s Angels Ministry. This is an opportunity to help where there is a need. It helps our students to start noticing needs around them, and it shows them that they can make a difference in someone’s life! We are making plans to help with Operation Christmas Child for our next mission.
OCTOBER
God is moving in the hearts of our staff and students. Please pray for His spirit to overflow in all we do! Blessings, Nancy Jahns
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Begin 2nd Six Weeks PTO @ 5:30 in rm. 112 Book Fair – Pahl House Ms. LouLou – preschool chapel “Grand” day @ book fair/lunch Ms. LouLou – for elementary Core Essentials – elementary only Volleyball here vs. St. Paul’s @ 4:00 Football vs. St. Paul’s @ Hohlt Park @ 5:30 Student Holiday – school closed/EEC open/ staff workday Poinsettia Sales begin Vision & Hearing Volleyball here vs. FBCS Caldwell @ 4:00 Kinder trip downtown Mile Run PTO Movie Night in gym @ 6:00 BHS Cheer @ chapel Football vs. FBCS Caldwell @ Hohlt Park @ 5:30 Volleyball vs. Grace Christian Here 4:30 Volleyball vs. FBCS Caldwell here 4:00 Poinsettia money due Noah’s Ark Day – preschool 3’s-K Take Your Parent to PE Day Fire Prevention K-4th @8:10 in gym
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FROM TROY’S HEART By the time you read this article, I will be on my annual fall renovation. Yes, you read that right, “renovation”, not vacation. Each fall I take a week off to do some home projects, some small renovations. Over the years, I have painted rooms and the front porch, put together shelves for the garage, planted grass and cleaned all 40 of our windows(inside and out)! This year, I will be staining our columns on the front porch and the wood on the back porch AND once again, cleaning all 40 windows. How do those windows get so dirty so fast? I tell you this not to try to engage your pity, amaze your HGTV spirit or to enlist your help. I tell you this for this one point: we all need to take time to do some evaluation of where we are at and where we want to be. My life, along with my house, is changing. By the way, your life is too. We all change physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Therefore, I think it is always good to do some assessment and renovation. In Ps. 139: 23-24 the psalmist says to God, “Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” You see, he was doing some renovation preparation. He was saying to God, “Show me where I need some fixing up and help me with the renovations.” I encourage all of us to spend some time in spiritual examination and renovation. Ask Jesus where work needs to be done and then let him do His work. By the way, He is a carpenter you know? I Love you, Troy
MOTHER’S DAY OUT
MDO school year has become and it has already been super! Our theme this year is “Jesus is our superhero” and we love learning about ways we can be heroes too. We have 30 little ones enrolled in our program and they love learning about God. In September, we celebrated grandparents day with inviting our grandparents to have breakfast with us. We also took our first field trip to the fire station and the kids were so excited to see the fire trucks. This month, we are learning about creation and Adam and Eve. We are also learning about farm life! We will be celebrating harvest with a costume party on October 30. We will parade down the main hall of the church to show off our costumes. Our bible verse for October is “Love God and love others.” Luke 10:27
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Brenham’s First Baptist Church P. O. Box 600 Brenham, TX 77834-0600
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