Pastor’s Pen: [ February 10 ] ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE 6:00pm Sanctuary
[ February 15] BUILDING CLOSED PRESIDENT’S DAY
[ February 24 ] QUARTERLY BUSINESS MEETING 5:45pm Fellowship Hall
Each year on my birthday, I reread 1 and 2 Timothy, attempting to take an inventory of my spiritual life and my leadership of God's church. Over and over again, I am struck by some recurring themes: faith is caught as well as taught; we are called to reproduce ourselves (make disciples); this happens best by following Jesus' model of apprenticeship (learning by doing). With that in mind, I am excited to share with you that we will have a pastoral intern working with us the next few months here at FBC JC. Brooklyn McCoy is a student at Westminster College in Fulton and will be working with me and the other pastors during his spring semester. I hope you'll take the opportunity to meet him and assist him in any way possible. I've long had a vision that FBC become a "teaching church," in the same manner that teaching hospitals train physicians. I know one thing--Brooklyn will never be the same after he experiences God's loving work among this congregation! Easter comes early this year! (March 27). The season of Lent will be launched with our traditional Ash Wednesday service on February 10. Our theme this Lent will be "The Path of Forgiveness," as we explore what Christ's suffering and death mean to us. Guilt, shame, broken relationships with others--all are addressed in the reconciling work of the Cross. And we will also seek to find the balance-healthy self-esteem versus our deep need for repentance, cleansing and pardon. Be praying with me about this series and make plans to bring someone with you to church each week. During the first three Sundays in Lent (February 14, 21, 28), I'll be leading a Sunday morning class (9:30am) on Baptist Beliefs. This is for people new to our tradition who want to learn more about Baptist distinctives. The season of Lent will also find us moving from the "germinating" stage to the "sprouting" stage of Imagine If. After our congregational discernment last spring and our three congregational conversations last fall, a team of facilitators is attempting to write up a coherent report, organizing all the data and dreams, to be shared at another congregational conversation Sunday, March 6. Mark your calendars! Grace,