20 21
OCTOBE R
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH J E F F E R S O N C I T Y, M O
Dear Church, With nearly seven hundred thousand deaths in this country alone, who has not been touched by the Covid-19 pandemic? Our Sundays in October will focus on the narrative arc of Job’s story. We’ll hear Job as a dramatic play in four acts that explore his story. Upon entering the sanctuary, you will be given a Playbill that gives a synopsis of the play and specific information about each of the four acts. On the back will be discussion questions you can use wherever you meet with a group of likeminded believers who want to explore how the complicated issues of loss and grief are experienced. Come with an open heart and your questions. All of life is a story. Story is a way of seeing, a way of organizing
experience We are a meaningmaking people who experience the pendulum of life lived between experience and reflection., and a way of making sense of life. Things happen and we ponder their meaning. When significant events occur, we go deep seeking to know why those events have such power in us. How do we interpret these unplanned events that shape & redirect our lives? What happens when the normal course of life is altered? What do we do with the interruption that takes over our life’s story? It can be the simplest of things. It can be the intrusion no one sees coming. No matter, when life’s direction is broken, the whole of life takes a new turn.
(continued on next page)
UPCOMING October 8 Project Homeless Connect October 10 8:15am & 10:45am Sylvia Ferguson, Worship Guest October 14 Red Cross Blood Drive 1-5:30 pm Fellowship Hall October 24 Quarterly Business Mtg Noon, Sanctuary October 31 Trunk or Treat 3-5 pm
OCTOBER SERMON SERIES
[continued from page one] When we are visited by suffering or grief, we come face-to-face with our questions of Why? We wonder why God doesn’t intervene on our behalf. We wonder why God doesn’t respond to our prayers asking for relief. God seems more distant the more we suffer. This is at the core of Job’s story in Scripture. Some talk knowingly about what they call God’s will. Most talk beyond what they actually know or at least with a noticeable lack of humility about such conversations. Much of this kind of talk is a less-than-veiled version of determinism that depicts God as the director of the drama and who controls events small and large in our lives. Surely the “God’s will” crowd have provisional meaning for only those events or occurrences that we like but not for those mysterious events we cannot explain. Is there no room for mystery in assigning blame or credit on God? Often our lives are given direction by the mystery of the slender threads that occur. The slender threads are any unplanned gift or curse of circumstance that alters the trajectory of your life. Slender threads are the counter-melody to your wish to intentionally direct your path through the decisions you make, or they are the steps you take you mean to create to control your future. The slender threads are those happenstances you don’t control but that control you. Even though we exert our free will and make plans and set goals and proceed with full confidence as though we are in control, it also seems true there is a larger hand at work in directing us through life. Call it fate or blind luck, call it destiny, or call it the hand of God. Call it what you will, but know, there are events and plans we control and there are intrusions and surprises we don’t control. This is the complexity of Job. Join us in worship in October as we explore this amazing story together. Intentional Interim Pastor Keith Herron / [Adapted from Living a Narrative Life, Smyth & Helwys 2019]
o J in us for worship each Sunday ! Ine -P rson and Lie v streaming @ 8:15 & 10:45am
facebook.com/fbcjc yo u t u b e . c o m / f b c j c
Syliva Ferguson Sunday, October 10, 8:15am & 10:45am Worship Guest
ADULT CHOIR, ORCHESTRA, PRAISE & WORSHIP TEAM (all in sanctuary) Sunday, October 3 7:30am – Adult Choir Rehearsal 10:00am – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Wednesday, October 20 5:45-6:30pm – Orchestra Rehearsal 6:45pm – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Wednesday, October 6 5:45-6:30pm – Orchestra Rehearsal 6:45pm – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Sunday, October 24 7:30am – Orchestra Rehearsal 10:00am – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Sunday, October 10 NO Orchestra or Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal; Worship Guest/Sylvia Ferguson
Wednesday, October 27 5:45-6:30pm – Adult Choir Rehearsal 6:45pm – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Wednesday, October 13 5:45-6:30pm – Adult Choir Rehearsal 6:45pm – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Sunday, October 31 7:30am – Adult Choir Rehearsal 10:00am – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
Sunday, October 17 7:30am – Adult Choir Rehearsal 10:00am – Praise & Worship Team Rehearsal
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.
G IV I N G OP T ION S 301 E. Capitol Avenue Jefferson City, MO 65101
fbcjc.org/give
churchlife app
FALL DAILY DEVOTIONS BEGAN SEPTEMBER 20 This fall we resume our daily devotions sent to your inbox each weekday. If you did not receive them in your email inbox and would like to, contact Mary Huhn at mary@fbcjc.org. An email address is required.
S H A R I N G H O P E a n d H O S P I TA L I T Y Janée Angel is a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) Field Personnel in Antwerp, Belgium. She and her husband, Hary, work with the growing Arabic-speaking population of refugees and immigrants resettled in Belgium. Many of these refugees and immigrants are from Syria and Iraq and have traveled there to start their lives over due to the wars in their home countries. They come as a family unit or individuals with only the items they can carry. Hary says, “When a refuge comes to this country, they feel lonely because everyone in Europe is busy. So, we as the church should make them feel as if we are their family.” CBF’s mission commitments include cultivating beloved community, bearing witness to Jesus Christ, and seeking transformational development. As believers in Jesus Christ and partners in mission, we are called to be about these values because the gospel compels us to do so. At First Baptist Church, we continually seek to live out these values and our vision to be Christ’s love and hope. Our Missions Leadership Team is in communication with local organizations on how our church can warmly welcome Afghanistan refugees resettling in mid-Missouri. There is an invitation for us to share hope and hospitality with these new-to-us friends as they carry few possessions, multiple cultural challenges, and hidden scars from violence and trauma. We will share more as details become available. Join us in praying for all refugees and consider how you might extend hospitality and friendship to those God brings to our community. FBC Missions Leadership Team (Ron Medin, Missions Coordinator; Melissa Hatfield, Marty Drewel, Tony Hammond, Marlene Medin, Jim Nelson, Rachael Preston, Carolyn Swanigan) A PRAYER OF HOSPITALITY Lord, we are grateful for the blessings You have given us—for a safe place to live, clean water to drink, a comfortable home, and food to eat. But we know that many live in unsafe places. Lord, we are grateful for the hope that You give to us, especially in uncertain times. And we know that we are called to share that hope with others. Open our eyes to see You in the strangers around us. Help us to show them Your hospitality. Remind us that they, too, are Your creation. Open our hearts to the stranger, to the refugee. Help us to see them as brothers and sisters. Come, let us find ways to share hope and hospitality with all we meet. For by doing so, we may entertain angels without knowing it. Come, let us share hope with the stranger and welcome others in.
*Some excerpts from this story provided by CBF.
4 - MISSIONS
O C TO B E R M I DW E E K WEDNESDAYS MS (Grades 6-8) // 5:45-7 pm HS (Grades 9-12) // 7:30-9 pm Refuge Youth Room (2nd Floor) Masks are required at this time. Let’s face it, life isn’t easy. In times of loss, grief, pain, or doubt, it’s normal to have questions — and it’s okay to ask them. If you’ve ever tried to make sense of your circumstances, or wished life didn’t have to hurt so much, or wondered why God won’t fix what you’re going through, you’re not alone. In this 4-week series, we’ll hear about a few people from Scripture who know exactly what it’s like. With Esther, David, Peter, Amos, and John, we’ll explore hard questions you thought you weren’t allowed to ask, like “When people are hurting, where is God? When I’m hurting, why does God feel far away? If God is good, why do bad things happen? And when life hurts, is God listening?”
FOR YOUTH IN GRADES 6 -12 Get text updates: RefugeJC to 313131
FIND US ONLINE @refugejc
refugejc.com
BASECAMP // Sundays - 9:30-10:30a Join us for some fun, some study, and some donuts!
Visit https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/26802/ for daily devotions to go with this series!
REFUGE FALL RETREAT 2021 NOVEMBER 12-14 @ LOGAN VALLEY $100 (includes everything) Registration opens soon for youth grades 6-12
Questions / Contact Melissa Hatfield at melissa@fbcjc.org or 573.690.1286.
YO U T H -
5
First Baptist and First Methodist are partnering to host a Family Block Party on October 31 from 3pm - 5pm on the block of Capitol Ave between the two churches. This event will be a community trunk or treat to provide a fun and safe environment for families on Halloween. We need your help! DECORATE A TRUNK // Do you have a vehicle? Would you be willing to be responsible for decorating and manning a trunk? You would be responsible for decorating and manning the trunk and for managing a game (optional). We'll help provide individually wrapped candy and other fun prizes to hand out. If you need ideas for themes on how to decorate the trunk or for games to do at your trunk, we can help there as well! The trunk needs to be set up and ready to go by 2:15pm on Oct. 31. Feel free to dress up in costume. (No scary or gory costumes or trunks, please) Either way, we do ask that all our volunteers wear a mask to help keep everyone safe. DONATE CANDY and/or PRIZES // We need donated prizes (Individually wrapped candy, play dough, stickers, play jewelry, pencils, toothbrushes, to supply those who are hosting a trunk! We’ll have collection bins in the lobby and office beginning October 3 where you can drop off your donations. VOLUNTEER // We will need volunteers to help with registration, food, candy-refilling, planning, etc. Please let me know by Oct. 4 if and how you’d like to help! Cara Harrington (cara@fbcjc.org)
FIRST FRIENDS & FIRST KIDS on WEDNESDAYS Join us for First Friends (age 3-5) and First Kids (K-5) on Wed nights! We are having a blast learning about what it means to love God and love our neighbors. In October, we will pack care packages for college students, explore ways we can show compassion to the homeless, and learn about our mission partners in Kenya and in South Dakota!
6 - K I D S & FA M I LY
MIDWEEK FOR ALL AGES ON WEDNESDAYS 5:45 - 7 pm // Preschool - Room 314 Children (Grades K-5) - Room 201 Middle School (Grades 6-8) - Refuge Room on 2nd Floor Adult Bible Study - Room 326 (see below)
WEDNESDAYS @ FBCJC
7:30 - 9 pm // High School (Grades 9-12) - Refuge Room on 2nd Floor
ADULT BIBLE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES THIS FALL SUNDAYS, 9:30-10:30 am We have multiple Bible Study classes for all ages and life stages each Sunday. To read more about the classes, visit fbcjc.org/classes. WEDNESDAYS, 5:45-7:00 pm, Room 326 October 13 - November 19 // The Parables of Peanuts Teacher: Sondra Allen
There is a critcial need for blood. We are pleased to partner with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive on Thursday, October 14 1 - 5:30 pm Fellowship Hall at First Baptist Church (3rd Floor) To schedule your appointment, go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter the code FBCJeffCity.
Seniors
HOMEBOUND
FRIENDSHIP
Azelene Evans (10/24) 9000 N. Congress Avenue Apt. 239 Kansas City, MO 64153
Monday, October 25, 11:30am Program: Sharing our “How Did You Worship During COVID?” Meal: presented by Chef Michael & his kitchen staff
CLUB
BIRTHDAYS
Stanley Knowles (10/29) 2107 Blair Apt. E. Jefferson City, MO 65109
Our homebound folks love hearing from you, even if they don’t know you! 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 would truly bless them!
THE N U MB E RS Bible Teaching Worship Attendance Attendance
Budget Offering
Sept 5
165
222 $
28,259.25
Sept 12
179
230 $
221,438.48
Sept 19
184
249 $
21,848.00
Sept 26
173
223 $
11,425.00
Budget needs to date . . . . . . $990,083.39 Budget given to date . . . . . . . $867,592.30 Budget expenses to date* . . . $761,837.99 *not all invoices have been received
Sympathy
Family and friends of Louise Summa Karl Drewel in the death of his uncle Maria Bish and family in the death of her brother Gabe Wittenberger and family in the death of her uncle Chris Duren and family in the death of her mother Gloria Gibson in the death of her husband Pamela Wheeler in the death of her mother Family and friends of Dorma Booker
301 E. Capitol Ave. / Jefferson City, MO 65101 / fbcjc.org / 573.634.3603