OUR STORY 301 E. CAPITOL AVE.
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JEFFERSON CITY, MO
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FBCJC.ORG
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573-634-3603
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JANUARY 2016
Dreaming beyond our wildest imaginations
The “Imagine If” journey continues for First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri What is God calling us to be and do in Jefferson City and around the world? This is the question First Baptist Church began asking over a year ago as they launched Imagine If, a journey of congregational spiritual discernment. “This past year has been an exciting and challenging process for our congregation,” says Melissa Hatfield, Pastor of Youth and Missions. “First Baptist has a rich and beautiful story to celebrate. But that story isn’t over. I’m thrilled by the truth that God has more chapters to write that are beyond our wildest imaginations.” During the 2015 Lenten season the congregation prayed through Mark Tidsworth’s book, 40 Days of Prayer: Preparing Ourselves for God’s Calling. They also participated in weekly small groups focused around the sermon series, Finding Our Rhythm: Lining Up With the Heartbeat of God. In March FBC JC enlisted Dr. Bill Wilson, founder of The Center for Healthy Churches, to help lead the congregation through the discernment process. In April, thirteen Imagine If facilitators were commissioned by the church and tasked with listening to the dreams of the congregation and reflecting those God-sized dreams back to the church. Three congregational conversations and one community conversation were held during the fall to discuss God’s vision for FBC JC. The first conversation focused on the past – why people came to this church and why they stayed. During the second conversation, participants identified ministry priorities and offered some assessments of those ministries. The final congregational conversation gave the church an opportunity to share God-sized dreams for our congregation. The church also held one community conversation where three community leaders shared about the needs of the community. These needs will play a pivotal role as God calls the congregation to look not only in the mirror but out the window at their neighbors and the world. “My dream for our church is that we would experience God’s love in Christ Jesus so profoundly that it propels us to
SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Final Congregational Conversation on our proposed Godsized Dreams for the future. 11:45 am - Lunch; 12:30 pm Congregational Conversation
Members and attendees of First Baptist Church gathered together for three congregational conversations this fall. life-changing service,” says Deborah Scott, co-chair of the Imagine If facilitators, along with Ken Enloe. “Imagine if we can make this kind of difference – the kind Jesus intended for us to make right here on the corner of Capitol and Monroe streets in Jefferson City, MO. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store as we yield ourselves to be and do all that God has for us as part of His glorious, eternal, redemptive plan – right here, right now, right where we are!” Charles Foster, one of the facilitators, says the process has been an exciting time, especially reading all the dreams of our congregation. Foster reflected that “if God leads and we follow His leading we will have spiritual renewal and God’s work will go forward in a mighty way.” Foster pleads with the church “to join the facilitators in prayer for this endeavor in which we are now engaged. It is of utmost importance to catch and follow God’s vision for our church.” The facilitators will hold a writing retreat on January 16 under the guidance of Dr. Wilson. The purpose of this retreat is to take what they have heard from the church family and craft three to five God sized dreams for the congregation. Those dreams will be shared at one final congregational conversation on Sunday, March 6, at 12:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall following the 10:45 am service and a light lunch. “We encourage each church member to Thursday, December 31, 2015 save the date for this very important conversation as we We areour grateful for yourresponse faithful gifts. To isbeGod credited share congregation’s to What calling us for 2015 contributions be the in the Church to be andgiving, do in Jefferson City andmust around world?, ” said Office by noon Dec. 31 or postmarked Dec. 31. Hatfield.