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FEBRUARY
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH J E F F E R S O N C I T Y, M O
The death of our pastor, shepherd, and friend, Dr. Doyle Sager, on January 22, 2021 is a life-changing event for our congregation. In the days ahead we grieve, remember with gratitude, and find our strength in God’s loving presence. In the 2018 Beacon, Doyle wrote “Grieving is part of loving and, eventually, God’s love heals all our sorrow. As Corrie Ten Boom once said, ‘No matter how deep the pit, God’s love goes deeper.’” How deeply we love Doyle. How deeply he loved us. Love outlasts our sadness and our mortal bodies; love never fails. We are, therefore, compelled to be Christ’s love and hope. During our Lenten sermon series, Fixer Upper: Renovation of the Heart, we’ll explore the why, what, and how of embracing God’s desire to reframe our lives. What renovation does Christ desire to do in our hearts? Where do we begin? How can we connect with God’s transforming work in our everyday lives?
Renovations often involve demolition days, and demos can get messy. The good news is this: Jesus meets us where we are, offering his healing and redemptive power to fill our deepest longings and heal our deepest hurts. Our Lenten memory verse is: I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5). How important it is for us to abide in Christ and seek his leading as the Lord of our lives in the days and months ahead. We begin Lent with our online only Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 17, 6 pm. We hope you’ll register at fbcjc.org/lent to receive an Ash Wednesday kit.
With Christ’s hope and love,
FBC Pastors
UPCOMING Feb 17 Ash Wednesday 6pm Online Only Lent Devotionals To receive these daily devotions via email, go to fbcjc.org/lent
Feb 21 Quarterly Business Meeting @ Noon
“Grieving is part of loving and, eventually, God’s love heals all our sorrow.” Doyle Sager
FIXER UPPER R E N O V A T I O N
O F
T H E
H E A R T
Beginning February 21 In-Person Sundays @ 8:15 & 10:45am // online @ 8:15am
Watch online services on You can once again watch our services on Blue Tiger Multi Media (formerly JCTV) each Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm on CenturyLink channel 99 or Mediacom channels 81 and HD 80.16. You may continue to view our services online at fbcjc.org; facebook.com/fbcjc; and youtube.com/fbcjc. You may also contact the church office to receive a DVD of the service each week.
U P C O M I N G DAT E S – Wed, February 17 – Ash Wednesday service will take place at 6:00pm, Wednesday, February 17 - online only. Register at fbcjc.org/lent to receive an Ash Wednesday kit. Sun, February 21 Quarterly Business Meeting @ Noon
2 - PRAISE & WORSHIP
facebook.com/fbcjc OR yo u t u b e . c o m / f b c j c O R a t f b c j c . o rg
G IV I N G OP T ION S 301 E. Capitol Avenue Jefferson City, MO 65101
fbcjc.org/give
churchlife app F B C T E A M G R OW S – To assist the pastoral staff with administrative needs during this time of transition without a Church Administrator and Lead Pastor, the Personnel Committee has contracted with two individuals to provide temporary help with some administrative responsibilities. Ken Satterfield is serving as our new interim Information Technology coordinator. Stan Farmer is serving as our new interim Business Administrator. Questions? Contact Stephen Mathis, Personnel Chair, or Rod Maples, Staff Liaison.
S E RV I N G G E N E R O U SLY A pandemic creates many challenges, but it also affords opportunities for creative thinking. Our own Chef Michael Ferguson has done just that! The FBC Food Service team found itself under-utilized after the pandemic canceled Wednesday Fellowship meals and other activities. At the same time, food insecurity in our community is significant. Our Mission Leadership Team approved a plan from Chef Michael for a food ministry to bless our community. The goal is two-fold; to express appreciation for essential workers in our community and provide food for individuals facing food insecurity. Our Food Service team, employed by FBC, will carry out the projects funded by our FBC mission fund. The Food Service team has, and will continue to, prepare and deliver muffins of thanksgiving for hospitals, fire stations, law enforcement, and other essential workers. Thus far, groups served have been grateful for this outreach. To further strengthen our Salvation Army support, the team will prepare food for 60-70 persons to contribute to their Wednesday dinner meal. These initiatives will continue through March 2021. In a separate initiative, the Missions Leadership Team provided food to Lewis and Clark Middle School to restock its pantry for students with increased needs due to Covid-19. While we miss FBC Fellowship meals, we praise God for these opportunities to welcome warmly and serve generously. MISSIONS
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First Baptist Continues to Reach Out
Global.
MISSIONS offering
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$3,785.98 REM E M B ER I N G PASTOR DOY L E SAG E R On Friday, January 22, our lead pastor, Doyle, passed from Stage IV Lung Cancer. Services were held Saturday, January 31. Visit fbcjc.org/doylesager for more information including links to the service, tribute video, funeral program, memorial fund, and more. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for Janet and the Sager family during this time.
20th
STA F F A N N I V E R SARY Please join us in saying a special thank you to James Woodland for his 20 years of work on our FBC maintenance team. His faithful and good work is appreciated by all of us and we look forward to many more years of serving with James.
In the midst of disrupted traditions, social isolation, and some heartache, First Baptist Church continued to offer love, hope and joy to our community this past holiday season. Bolstered by generous contributions received in December, the Missions Leadership Team made good on our commitments with $3,785 given to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for Global Missions, $3,000 donated to Common Ground, and about $200 given to the Samaritan Center. In 2020, $62,925 was given to FBC Missions, and through benevolence offerings received from the congregation, FBC gave $22,550 to Common Ground and over $2,600 to Samaritan Center. Thank you for your faithful generosity and heart for missions. The Missions Leadership Team continues looking for opportunities to involve the congregation in targeted, Covid-safe, local missions. An example is First Baptist Church’s annual tradition of preparing and distributing Thanksgiving dinners throughout the community. There’s been some difficulty in making ends meet in recent years but last November the donations exceeded expenditures. There is a nest egg of $500 to build on for next November’s Thanksgiving meals.
In a time when the temptation is to withdraw from our community, First Baptist Church is reaching out!
Rules aren’t famous for freedom. But in a world where Jesus leads us, rules can do more than keep us safe. They can become our allies and an opportunity to love and serve the world around us. Every student needs to know that the right rules can set you free. It doesn’t always feel like freedom when a rule limits something you want, but what you want changes when you know who Jesus is. You become a free person, and free people don’t dance with danger, free people make decisions that benefit others, and free people give up their freedoms for others. WEEKLY SCHEDULE 6:30 - 7:30 pm - Grades 6-8 (doors open at 6:15) 7:30 - 8:00 pm - Transition/Cleaning 8:00 - 9:00 pm - Grades 9-12 (doors open at 7:45) WHAT TO EXPECT // We will meet as a large group in the gym, seated in chairs socially distanced. The gym gives us plenty of room to spread out and tall ceilings. The first 25 minutes will be a game, worship and a message ... all following our guidelines. We will dismiss small groups one at a time to go to their designated meeting space inside or outside (if weather permits) for the final 30 minutes. Temps will be checked when youth enter, hand sanitizer will be available and masks will be worn by everyone at all times. Chairs and all touch surfaces will be disinfected between the MS and HS gatherings. FEBRUARY IN PERSON MIDWEEK SCHEDULE FEB 10 & FEB 24
LOCATION FBC GYM, 107 Monroe St. Down the hill from youth room.
Get text updates: RefugeJC to 313131
FIND US ONLINE @refugejc
refugejc.com
SAVE THE DATES: April 11: Youth Sunday May 16: Graduate Sunday June 1–7: Senior Trip* July 12-16: Refuge Youth Week* *Dates are firm. Locations and plans are subject to change due to recommended COVID protocols at the time of trips. Questions / Contact Melissa Hatfield at melissa@fbcjc.org or 573.634.3603.
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Virtual Gatherings for Kids Virtual Gatherings for kids, Sunday’s in January @9:30am online. Email hannah@fbcjc.org to receive the weekly link.
Our preschoolers will learn that Jesus is a friend who loves us no matter what and wants to spend time with us.
Family Devos & Weekly Videos Each week this year, our families will receive weekly Bible story videos that are age-specific for each child in your family. The weekend is a great time to watch and talk about these videos together. We hope these videos and devos will be helpful for your family. Email hannah@fbcjc.org for more info.
6 - K I D S & FA M I LY
Our elementary students will learn about showing kindness in Jesus’ way.
R E N OVAT I O N OF THE HEART SMALL GROUPS FEB 21 – APRIL 1 Open to adults of all ages. Our Renovation of the Heart small groups, based on Dallas Willards’ book of the same title, will explore God’s reframing work in our lives through small group conversation.
S P I R I T UA L FORMATION
Sunday—9:30am—Theresa McClellan (virtual) Sunday—10:00am—Noel Blythe (virtual) Tuesday—12noon—Celeste Koon (virtual) Wednesday—5:30pm—Sondra Allen (virtual) Thursday—10:30am—EthelMae Champ & Gary Hemphill (in-person) Room 101 You may sign up at fbcjc.org/lent or call the church office Monday-Thursday between 8am-5pm. Please sign up by Saturday, February 20. You will be contacted by the teacher of your class with further information. Friends are welcome. Email hannah@fbcjc.org with questions.
A S H W E D N E S D AY To begin the season of Lent, our Ash Wednesday service will take place at 6pm on Wednesday February 17 online only. We are providing kits for individuals and families which include a Lenten series keepsake, ashes for our online Ash Wednesday service, and more.
SIGN UP To receive these daily devotions via email, go to fbcjc.org/ lent to complete the form. Select “Daily Devotions” from the options. You may also sign up by contacting Mary@fbcjc.org or calling 573.634.3603.
fbcjc.org/lent
To receive a kit go to fbcjc.org/lent and select either “pickup at church” or “porch-delivery”. Kits will be available for pickup and delivery beginning February 3. If you would be interested in helping deliver kits to those who request, please contact Hannah Coe, Pastor of Families & Faith Formation, at hannah@fbcjc.org or 573.634.3603.
LENT DEVOTION S P I R I T U A L F O R M AT I O N
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HOMEBOUND
BIRTHDAY Joyce Knowles (2/4) 2107 Blair, Apt. E. Jefferson City, MO 65109 J.R. Phillips (2/19) 1214 Freedom Blvd. Room 220 Jefferson City, MO 65109 Bill Sankpill (2/25) 1008 Halifax Holts Summit, MO 65043 Dorma Booker (2/26) 1002 W. Main Room 427 Jefferson City, MO 65109 Jo McLaughlin (2/27) 5901 NW 88th Street Apt. 217 Kansas City, MO 64154
Our homebound folks would love to hear from you and your families, even if you don’t know them. A simple note introducing yourself or sharing a favorite scripture verse or the text to a song or hymn would mean the world to them. Contact Mary Huhn at mary@ fbcjc.org or 573.634.3603 for names and addresses. Your notes truly bless them! Here’s an example: “Mom has received many Christmas cards from the church family. With each, we would open the envelope and slowly read the greeting to her. Thereafter, we’d show her the card… and offer to put it by our Christmas tree. Each time we’d offer, she shake her head and direct that she wanted the cards to stay beside her chair. Often, then, over the holidays, we’d find her returning to the stack of cards…reviewing the pictures…trying to re-read the words and notes… holding them on her lap as a precious treasure. Indeed, one day when the mail arrived, she said (with tears in her eyes), “I’m so happy they’ve found me.” Your ministry is not insignificant and most definitely not taken for granted.”
Seniors FRIENDSHIP
SINGERS Friendship Singers are cancelled until further notice to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to protect those who are most vulnerable among us!
THE N U MB E RS Bible Teaching Worship Attendance Attendance
Budget Offering
Jan 3
online $
29,670.78
Jan 10
80 $
42,251.20
Jan 17
90 $
14,401.00
Jan 24
125 $
25,059.28
Sympathy
Weekly Budget Needs . . . . . . $ 25,905.90 Budget needs to date . . . . . . . $101,547.01 Budget given to date . . . . . . . . . $81,711.48 Budget expenses to date* . . . . $30,265.61 *not all invoices have been received
Family and friends of Joan Ward. Herschel & Denise McMillen in the death of his son. Family and friends of Alice Prow. Family and friends of Don Calvert. Jerry Anderson and family in the death of his mother. Family and friends of Doyle Sager. Family and friends of Doris Wommack.
301 E. Capitol Ave. / Jefferson City, MO 65101 / fbcjc.org / 573.634.3603