For more information on any events please visit the church website:
www.fbc-brenham.org
www.facebook.com/BrenhamsFirstBaptistChurch
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
Sympathies & Thank Yous -Susie Chovanec and family in the loss of her mother, Brenda Templeton. -Ebert Steele in the loss of his wife, Marilyn Steele. -Bobbie Mckenzie and family of the loss of her brother, Robert. Dear Church Family, Words cannot express our gratitude for our church family. We want to thank you for the prayers and beautiful plant. It means a lot to know Godly people are praying for us. This is a difficult time in our lives but we know mama is with Jesus. She made sure all of her kids, grandkids and great grand kids know Jesus. What a wonderful legacy. We are so blessed to have her for 76 years. Thank you again. In His Service, The Templeton & Chovanec Families
In the midst of this, the Lord provided a word I needed from His Word in Psalm 62:1-2. These verses have become my theme verses for this season. I have memorized them, and when I feel discouraged or tired, I remind myself of these words from God. Maybe these words will encourage and inspire you as well: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
From Pastor Ross
Concerning the circumstances in our world, nation, and community, we have – to put it mildly! – been on a roller coaster of changes and emotions. One of the lessons I have been learning during this season is how important it is to have my life centered in Christ. If my life is centered on what is happening with our circumstances, I will find myself emotionally exhausted. Honestly, there have been some seasons during these past months where I found myself feeling this emotional exhaustion.
A Letter From Reba Dear Friends, Here we are knocking on the front door of fall already. As we all know this has been an unusual year. The Corona virus has basically shut down nations around the world. The one thing that has not changed is that God is still on His throne and He is still in control of everything. One of the biggest reminders of that is when our church started the dirt work on our new property. Now it is beginning to get real as we watch the work being done. Living around the corner we are watching it very frequently. We should not forget there is still a job to be done before this is a finished work. We need to keep on ministering to our neighbors as we grow our church family. We do not know how long it will be before we move over to our new location, but we must remain faithful in our giving, support and prayer for our church and its ministers. One thing I really enjoy in September is Grandparents day. We are blessed with five grandsons. I pray they all continue down the path that God has laid out for them. I would like to wish all our grandparents a Happy Grandparents Day this year!
Focus of the Month: Games Suggestions for boys and girls of all ages: Small musical instruments (harmonica or recorder), small size travel games, checkers, mancala, jacks, pick up sticks, cards, marbles Contact Doddie Messick for more info: doddie.messick@gmail.com
Music Ministry News Choir Update! Like me, you’ve probably seen the writing on the wall for some time now that resuming choir in the fall, the way we’re accustomed to, was looking highly unlikely. The procedural things we need to abide by still don’t allow for a choir in the loft at this time. So instead of focusing on what we CAN’T do, I really wanted to shift my / our focus to what we CAN do! So, in the spirit of making lemonade out of lemons, we are embarking on a new, exciting journey together by preparing for and presenting a “virtual choir” Christmas presentation! Jeff Freeman has graciously agreed to team up with me to provide us an opportunity to still use your gifts to bless our church and community this December! In case you haven’t experienced a “virtual choir”, check out Jeff’s work for the Cy-Fair ISD from earlier this summer for a little inspiration on YouTube by searching “Cypress-Fairbanks Virtual Choir”. Our presentation is shaping up to include several choir pieces, as well as a couple dramatic elements we are working on to help tell the Christmas story in a captivating way. I’m not going to get into all the technical details here, but just know that you will have the option of scheduling a time to record with me, here at the church (no technical skills needed), OR (the GREAT thing about this format) follow our instructions to record yourself at home! This will allow an opportunity for ALL OF OUR folks, especially those who are needing to stay distanced at this time, to be in the choir. I am even hoping that some of our friends who have sung with us in the past - maybe they’ve even moved away will sing with us. There could be some of our church members that have NEVER sung with us because of time commitments that might be interested in jumping in as well! While, admittedly, this won’t feel the same as large in-person presentations we’ve done in the past, I truly believe we can work together and make something that can impact people’s lives and bring glory to Jesus! We will begin Wednesday rehearsals starting SEPTEMBER 9 at 6:30pm in the sanctuary! Our kickoff evening will be a sweet time of worship and reconnection. We’ll have a little pre-packaged treat for you, get caught up with one another, do some singing, and preview our Christmas presentation! We will be seated in the pews to allow for plenty of room to spread out. ***IN PERSON REHEARSALS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESENTATION! If you are unable to join us in person, we will GLADLY get music and recording to you, with information on how you can add your voice to the virtual choir loft! We won’t be meeting for Kids’ Choir rehearsals, but I AM planning on our Kids’ joining us for a song in the virtual presentation, so be on the lookout for info concerning that! I REALLY think this is going to be an awesome experience. And WE NEED YOU to be a part of it! This is the kind of project that, to be done well, is going to need MANY VOICES. I’d love to get a quick email from you letting me know if you think you’ll be able to participate or if you have any questions! Looking forward to singing with you again, soon! Feel free to share this opportunity with others who need to join us. It’s going to be fun! Love and grace, Charles
From Troy's Heart
I love the months of August and September! Those two months always represent something new. August says, “Something new is coming!” School is starting. New clothes are purchased. New school supplies are gathered. New friends are about to be made. New things are about to be learned. September say, “Something new is here!” I have new teachers. I have friends. I have new routines. I have new activities to be involved in. August and September leave behind the lazy days of summer and start something new. At BFBC, we are starting new things! Sunday Bible Studies are starting again. Our mid-week ministries are back. School is happening. Campus prayer groups, fellowships and Bible Studies are once again gracing our campus. AND, there are bulldozers on our relocation property moving dirt and preparing for a foundation in the near future. Praise God! It is an exciting time to be a missionary at Brenham’s First Baptist Church. Let me encourage you to start something new as well. Take a step in a new direction. Throw out an old habit and get into a new one…a positive one. Determine that you will say yes to growth and no to procrastination. The Lord is always doing a new thing. Let’s take a page from His book. Do me a favor. When you see me, ask me how my “new” thing is going and let me know about yours as well. I love you, Troy
Small Groups, Big News Did you hear the screams of joy a few weeks ago as we joined together in Sunday Bible Study on 8/23? What a great time it was as people were in the hallways and in classrooms, even at a safe distance. You could feel the excitement and closeness returning to our fellowship. I know things are not fully back to “normal”, but this is a good start. Thank you to each of our leaders for staying with us during this break. Through Zoom Classes, Facebook Live sessions, emails and phone calls you have been faithful. We are indebted to your dedication. Now that we are together, let’s continue to build cohesion and closeness. Reach out and contact class members and see how you can pray for them. Invite them to join the group if they can. If you have a “couples class”, invite your members to be a part of the Live Stream Marriage Night made available through our FBC School. I think they will enjoy it. You can find information in this newsletter. We are better together, aren’t we?
Piece Makers
Walker Caddies and Wheelchair Pockets made by Piece Makers will be donated to area nursing homes this month as restrictions loosen. Our patterns for these handy totes have been adapted over time to better serve the needs of those in wheelchairs as well as those using walkers. Piece Makers meetings are set to resume September 1st in the FBC Student Center from 9 am until 4 pm.
Preschool Ministry Christmas in September: Well it is September and the month that our Preschool Ministries celebrate our Christmas in September Mission. This year things might look a little different because of the many changes we have had to work through over the past 6 months. However, we are still going full steam ahead with our annual preschool mission project. We are moving it back to the last Sunday of the month. We wanted to make sure that we were all able to get several Sundays of being back to Sunday school under our belt. It has been so wonderful having our little ones back. This area has been way too quiet. Our normal baked goods will not be available this year, because we want to minimize the amount of hands involved with this process. We know there is still concern over sickness and we want to try to make people feel comfortable with our goodies. Therefore, instead of the baked goods this year, we are doing goodies/recipes in a jar. All those involved in making them will be gloved and masked. This year, we have chosen our very own “Brenham’s First Baptist Church School” to support. With all the struggles from this year and everything, we would like to help Brenham’s First Baptist School with a few things. Things they might need that they were not able to plan for due to the Covid-19 and maybe a few wants they that will help them with this school year. Here is how we are asking for your help. On September 27, 2020, our preschoolers will have our goodies/recipes in a jar available for donation. We are asking for donations to help us raise money to give to Brenham’s First Baptist Church School. This year our goal is $3,000. We normally do not ask for a specific amount but we want to make sure that they are able to purchase what they want/need to make this year the best it can be for the kids. Please make sure you stop by and support our preschoolers in their new mission.
Happy Birthday: Andrew Holster Judah Dopslauftt
Student Ministry Hello Church Family What a joy it is to be back together with the students. Sunday School and Wednesday Night “ALL IN” have been a little bit different, but that was to be expected. The important thing is we are together – I was truly excited to be seeing the students’ faces again after so long apart. Humans are made to connect with other people. During these bizarre times I can’t help but think about Hebrews 10: 23-25. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We can certainly see the Day approaching, can’t we! In meeting together, we can encourage one another, profess and strengthen our hope, love people, and serve people. It’s nice to have technology to be able to stay in touch, but it doesn’t hold a candle to being face-to-face. I am so grateful for the prayers the Lord is answering. Would you please be praying for our students? Many of them are going back to school under new and strict rules. Others are trying to learn from home. Their physical, mental, and spiritual health could be fragile right now. Would you pray protection and encouragement over them? The world can seem like a dark place right now – would you pray that they would be light in their classrooms, lunch rooms, locker rooms, and in their homes? In Him, Bro. Chad
FBC School and EEC
“It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.” 2 Samuel 22:23 Thank you to Nancy Fritz for giving our staff a pep talk and helping us to remember all God has done. She was anointed with His words. I wish I had recorded it so I could listen to it again! What a blessing it was! It was just what we needed to start off our first week of school. We have had a super start to the school year! The kids and staff are back in the groove! Please keep praying for families and Staff as we navigate these weird times. We, like you, are adjusting to many things. Our constant is our Lord. And Amen for that! May we remain focused on Him and secure as He guides us daily. In His Service, Nancy
Classroom Openings
SEPTEMBER 7 Labor Day School & EEC closed 16 Fair Day - School closed/ EEC open 23 See You At the Pole 8:15 a.m. (elementary) 25 End of 1st Six Weeks
We have a few openings in the preschool classes and elementary. Please help spread the word about this opportunity to join the FBCS & EEC family. It’s not too late to join!
Thank you
Thank you for praying for FBCS. Only His grace has made the start of school successful!
Children's Ministry Good Morning, How many times do we ask God specifically for one thing, and He blesses us with something different-but is so much better? Instead of saying, “Your will be done,” we offer him our request, and a script of how He should fill the request. For instance, in John, chapter eleven, Mary and Martha hoped Jesus would save their brother from dying. Instead, Lazarus died and Jesus raised him from the dead. Which was the greater miracle? Which brought greater fame to Jesus’ name? Too often our hindsight is keener than our foresight. We are better able to see how God used a situation better to exceed our grandest expectations derived from our own plans, but only as we look back on it, or as we are experiencing it – not as we planned it. Recently, my eldest child asked me to pray for a friend of his who was going into surgery to repair a life threatening issue that had been caused by a chronic disease with which he had been diagnosed. So, I went to God in prayer for this young man. I prayed for the surgeons to have wisdom. I prayed for the young man’s body to have strength to survive the surgery and to heal quickly. Then, I prayed for God to be especially close to this young man and hold his hand as he lives the rest of his life with the painful and incurable disease with which he had been diagnosed. I prayed for the young man to find periods of relief, because I have known others who have been afflicted by this disease and have witnessed the pain it has caused them. I prayed that his faith in God would increase, in hopes to find a peace that passes understanding, even through the pain. This was my prayer. I believe God heard me, but I would say, He did not follow my instructions. The young man did survive the surgery. Things were worse than the surgeon had originally expected, but they were able to fix the problem. Then, God superseded my request about the young man’s disease. After the surgery, the doctors tested for the presence of the life-long incurable disease. The tests reported the disease to be absent from the young man’s body. He is disease free. He is cured, and miraculously so. Thank You God, for not listening to my foolish requests for peace and strength through the pain. What struggles are you facing right now? What pain are you enduring? What hopes do you have for the future? What are your designs to answer these problems? Are you willing to lay your concerns down at the feet of Jesus and say, “Your will be done.”? I can guarantee, God knows better how to deal with them. His Servant & Yours, Bro. Alex
CALLING ALL COOKS: If you love to cook for large crowds and love seeing happy kids faces, we have a few spots open on Wednesday Nights. Please contact Bro. Alex This Month’s Big Idea: Using your words and actions to show others you care. Weekly Bottom Lines: 1. Choose your friends carefully. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). 2. Friends love one other. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). 3. Friends encourage one other. (1 Kings 19:14-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15). 4. Friends forgive one other. (John 21:1-19).
Brenham’s First Baptist Church P. O. Box 600 Brenham, TX 77834-0600
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