Issuu

The First Baptist Church of Redlands

T A PE S T R Y

Feb 2020

Wo v e n To g e t h e r I n L o v e : C o l o s s i a n s 2 : 2

Issue No. 2

Let Us Pray A Message from Pastor Shawn

In the morning when it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” (Mark 1:35-38)

changes in how we do things and we have experimented. It has not always been easy and at times we ask the question “Is anything really happening?” And now we have been given a significant gift that has the potential to be a resource for continued ministry well into the future. But more than that, we have been made stewards of this gift that, under the power of the Holy Spirit, could change the trajectory of our church, moving us into a future of relevance and impact for the Kingdom of God. Already we have prayerfully structured the gift into four general categories: “Tithe,” physical improvements, ministry and growth, and investment for financial stability. We will be moving into a phase of discernment as to what we will do in each of these categories, which will take some time. So now it is time to pray.

It was early in his ministry and Jesus spent time in Capernaum. While he was there he taught in the synagogue, cast out a demon, healed Simon’s mother-in-law and then healed and cast out demons into the wee hours. He made quite an impression and people wanted him to stay. But he got up early in the morning and went to a place by himself to pray. When the disciples found him and told him that everyone was looking for him Jesus announced to them that they would be leaving to go to other places to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God. It seems as though this time of prayer was one that enabled Jesus to reconnect with his mission and put his priorities in place. There are other times in the life of Jesus in which he stops for a time of prayer, often before a “big moment” or a turning point in his ministry. This is part of the rhythm of his life and he passes this on to his disciples. We see this in the early church that the people will take time to pray, and even fast, before making a decision. Or in the midst of extended prayer God reveals and gives direction to them. I believe we are at a turning point in the life of our church. In a sense, we have been in a season of change for the last 5 or 6 years. In that time we have a new Senior Pastor and a significant change in staff. Sadly, many of our past leaders have left us to go to be with the Lord. We have made some

I hope that each of us will commit to pray for our church daily. In that prayer we must pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in how we will use this resource for our future as a church in the work of the Kingdom of God within and beyond our walls. We will also be intentionally setting up times and opportunities for prayer, such as prayer vigils and prayer groups as we seek together God’s direction for our church. We will be presenting those opportunities very soon. For more than 130 years the First Baptist Church of Redlands has been involved in significant, relevant ministry, making investments into the Kingdom of God that continue to make an impact locally and globally. In fact, I would say this gift is a part of that investment made early in the history of our church. It would seem that God is not finished with us yet. Join me and the leaders of our church in intentional prayer to discover what God has in store for us next and how we might be good stewards of ALL of the resources God has provided for us. We are blessed to be a blessing! Let us pray!

Grace and peace in Christ, Pastor Shawn

COVER

MISSION

1 A Message from Pastor Shawn : “Let Us Pray” 2 Staff and Contents

7 Worldwide Prayer Concerns: Puerto Rico, Bolivia, China

F E L LOWS H I P MINISTRY

8 Devotional Guide

3 Pastor Nick : “A God Worth Exploring”

9 Ann Smith: “Interview with Erin Estey”

4 Richard W. Steffen: “Bookends”

NEWS

5 Prayer to God

10 Church News

6 Children’s Ministry

11 February Calendar

S TA F F Rev. Dr. Shawn Zambrows Senior Pastor shawn@fbcredlands.org

Nathan Jones Youth Director youth@fbcredlands.org

Nicholas Quient Associate Pastor nicholas@fbcredlands.org

Angel Florence Office Administrator angel@fbcredlands.org

Rev. Cheryl Sneller Director of Children’s Ministry cheryl@fbcredlands.org

Isa Terrell Communications Specialist isa@fbcredlands.org

Richard W. Steffen Minister of Music rwsteffen@gmail.com

Richard Colunga Buildings/Grounds

Linda Gentile Organist

The Tapestry is published monthly by The First Baptist Church of Redlands, 51 West Olive Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373. All material for the Tapestry should be typed and emailed no later than the 15th of each month to tapestry@fbcredlands.org. If you would like to be added or removed from the Tapestry mailing list, please email tapestry@ fbcredlands.org. Current and previous Tapestry issues are available in digital format at issuu.com/fbcr.

Telephone: 909-793-3289 Web: www.fbcredlands.org Email: admin@fbcredlands.org

Office Hours Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sunday: 8 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. I 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

MI N I S T RY

A God Worth Exploring Pastor Nick Quient

“Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones.” —Isaiah 49:13 (NRSV) Part of life is slowly realizing that our existence is complex. We are finite creatures, living in a beautiful and intricate cosmos, and we are only beginning to discover the depths of this earthly realm. In some ways, this is part of the journey of faith, of seeking after God. Growing up, God wasn’t something worth following or pursuing or exploring. Like some, I was handed a distinct formula that rigidly enforced what my specific church believed to be correct. I, of course, have no issue with passionately informed belief—but there is something to be said about leaving room for further exploration. God is always on the move, and it is little wonder that Moses was only able to catch a glimpse from the burning experience. In Isaiah 49:13 and throughout the entire section of Isaiah 40-55, we see a majestic display of divine power and sovereignty. God is indeed great, God is indeed wise and powerful. But something that gets missed a lot is the character of God. God’s mightiness and strength not displayed in capricious acts of wanton destruction, but instead on the mighty one stooping to “comfort” the people of God. God’s mightiness is displayed in the glorious realm of having “compassion” on the ones who are “suffering.” The character of God challenges us to think more about what kind of God we worship.

As Saint Paul says in Romans 11:33-36 33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. May our legacy—our commitment to Christ and the church—be a reflection of God’s goodness and glory. May we continue to explore the depths and heights of this God we worship.

Rather than installing an inflexible theological formula that opts for easy explanations to all things, I think we need to step back a bit. The instant we put God in a cage and domesticate the Divine, we’ve ceased exploration. The infinite cannot be contained or caged, but the infinite can be explored—perhaps forever explored.

Bookends

by Richard W. Steffen, Minister of Music

us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:2, 6, NRSV). Anne Sandel read the New Testament fulfillment: “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:3-5, NRSV). And we began to sing: “Silent night, holy night; all is calm, all is bright.” Then that most important candle was lit. I love bookends. In my office above Field Hall, I have lots of hymnals on my shelves. 75 actually. I use bookends to help the hymnals stand tall and to center them on the shelves. One set of bookends has the symbol of treble clefs; another has sixteenth notes. I can look at my shelves and say: “Oh yes, the song I want is in THIS one.” I find bookends not to be stifling or oppressive; not constraining or inhibiting. Bookends give me structure; a frame in which I can become centered and focused. I experienced “bookends” during our Christmas Eve service in December. Our sanctuary was aglow with light that evening before the most important candle was lit. The light on the cross in the baptistry; the candlelight of the 4 Advent Candles; the lights on 3 Christmas trees; the ribbon lights along the sides of the sanctuary; the light of the 14 candles being held by the Worship Choir members surrounding the congregation; and the 43 candles on our candelabras. But we needed one more. The candle that was going to proclaim the message of the Good News: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NRSV). The Christ Candle. Our “bookends” at that precious moment came from scripture. Ben Dillow read the Old Testament prophecy: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. For a child has been born for us, a son given to

That Babe, represented by that final, most important candle, doesn’t stay in the manger; the candle doesn’t only represent a Child. It tells the world that Jesus, who is revealed through his baptism, his words, and his ministry, is the light of the world. This has been an exciting Epiphany Season. During this season we commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. We see water changed into wine at a wedding. We hear sermons preached on the character of the people of the Kingdom of Heaven. We read how to be “blessed” or “happy”. And the color of the season is green: new life, new growth, additional learning, maturing, and further developing. We don’t reach the final celebration this season: we will experience that glory later on Easter morning. But we are given and we use the tools necessary as we travel. I am excited as I learn more about Jesus through you, as we move together during this epiphanal journey through conversation, study, and worship. Let us use the “bookends” of Christ’s birth and His glorious resurrection to lead us.

by Pastor Nick Quient

“For these new manifestations of virtue will bear witness to one and the same Spirit who still operates, and to God the Father almighty, to his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom is splendor and immeasurable power for all the ages. Amen.” —Saints Perpetua and Felicitas, two female martyrs, 203 CE

Loving God You are kind and merciful. We pray that you would cleanse us from our sins, that you would empower us toward a life of holiness. Our prayer is to be conformed to the image of your beloved Son that we might partake in your goodness forever through the power of your Holy Spirit. Lord God, hear us. Answer us. In your great compassion, engage with us. Bring us joy, so that our trust in you would not be in vain. You forgive us out of the abundance of your holy and eternal love. Your well never runs dry; your hands are never far from us. For you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. You are faithful when we are not. Teach us your ways, so we may rely on your faithfulness. Because of your kindness displayed in your son, we praise you. For great is your love toward us; you have delivered us from the depths, from the realm of the dead. You give us new life, calling us, adopting us as your beloved children. With John the Seer we cry out Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to accept power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! With John the Seer we worship your holy name, saying To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

C hil dren ’s ministry

Jesus invited the little children to come to him. He wanted the children to know him, love and learn from him.

TAKE BOLD STEPS IN 2020

JESUS MODELED THE ART OF INVITATION As an act of following Jesus the children want to present to you an invitation. Why you may ask? Because of the same thing Jesus was encouraging us to do: to know others, as well as to love and learn from others. The Children of First Baptist Church Redlands formally invite you to attend the Mardi Gras gathering that celebrates fun and silliness. They will be hosting:

*Plan to travel with a Purpose* Mt. Hood, Oregon’s Camp Arrah Wanna April 17 - 19 Confer with other American Baptists of the west how to lead our church in the process of “Growing Young” in this new decade.

Mutti Gras

*SUMMER 2020*

Thursday, February 20

Kodiak Island, Alaska to the Kodiak Baptist Mission June 21 - 27

From 5:45 - 7:45 p.m. Come for dinner and games What is Mutti Gras? Much like Mardi Gras Thursday night dinner and intergenerational game night. This year we are celebrating our furry friends we fondly refer to as Mutts. Mutts have the ability to love us unconditionally, make us laugh and keep us walked and mentally healthy. They even help us in the social arena. When out and about we tend to greet and chat with others also being walked by their pets. Join in the silliness by taking two photos: the first of your dog and the second of you. Then send it to Pastor Cheryl. We will have fun trying to guess and match the dog with the owner. Optional: photo costume disguise.

Along with other westerners, work, serve, worship, and discuss together what our American Baptist churches can offer in this new decade.

*Bold Steps* • • •

Challenge yourself Share your ideas Seek understanding of God’s presence: In community In study In work In the natural world

*Traveling with a Purpose is a Life Changer* Contact Pastor Cheryl for more information. An informational meeting will take place after Morning Worship on Feb. 9th in Judson Hall.

Blessings, Pastor Cheryl

MI S S ION S

Worldwide Prayer Concerns

“But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.” – Hebrews 10:32-33

Puerto Rico Bolivia (Sarah Nash) Email from Sarah Nash LA Times Pray for the people of Puerto Rico as they continue to suffer from natural disasters. The island nation is still trying to rebuild from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in the fall of 2017. Then in January, it was hit by a 6.4 quake followed by hundreds of aftershocks, including several over magnitude 5. The last large earthquake in Puerto Rico was in 1918, so most people have not had experience dealing with this kind of disaster. Homes collapsed and many buildings were damaged, so the rebuilding efforts will take a long time. Pray for the residents of Puerto Rico to get the disaster aid that they need. The American Baptist Home Mission Society has sent money from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering to help with emergency aid and you can donate at http://abc-oghs.org/donate/ Pray that God will provide the people of Puerto Rico with reserves of strength and hope in order to rebuild their communities.

- Jonathan Peske If you have information to share about the persecuted church or news from the mission field, please share it with Jonathan Peske.

Sarah Nash shared that some of the highlights from 2019 for her were participating in the mobile medical and dental clinics and building relationships with the women and children in her Bible studies. She is excited for what 2020 will bring. She plans to continue to build relationships with her national partners and grow in her understanding of the language and culture. She is also planning a Pastors’ Retreat for the Santa Cruz Baptist pastors. She will continue to teach Bible stories at the American Christian School throughout the year and is going to start a Girls Club for underserved girls in Santa Cruz. Pray that she has the health and strength to be able to do the work she has planned. Pray that she would be used by the Holy Spirit to bring a blessing to all who encounter her.

China LA Times The LA Times recently ran a story explaining how the Communist Party in China has been cracking down on unregistered “house churches” that don’t follow the government’s rules for worship. There is an official five year plan, issued in 2018, for the “Sinicization” of Christianity as a tool for supporting socialist ideals and the Chinese government. While we as Baptists champion the freedom of church from state, the government of China is explicitly seeking to use the church as an agent of the state. The gradual coercion is described in the LA Times as starting when authorities ask house churches to register, often with the promise not to interfere with the preaching content. But then they document what the churches are doing, limit the ability of children to come to church, and require a flag. In the end, the pastors are forced to align their sermons with “socialist core values” and post Party slogans on the walls. Pray for these Christians who are seeking to follow Jesus freely, without the influence of the government. Pray that they would remain strong despite the pressure being placed on them. Pray that their faith would triumph over their fears and that they would find community with other believers.

F E L L O W S H IP

Blessed Are

Lenten Devotional Template

For this coming season of Lent, we are continuing what we began last year with the “Hope Springs Forth” daily Lenten devotional. The theme we are drawing upon for this year is the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:1-12—traditionally called the Beatitudes. The reason we have chosen to emphasize the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel for this year is because of their universal power—the teachings of Jesus in these short verses call us to consider (and reconsider, perhaps) the nature of life together as the church. Jesus, as the center of our faith, provides us with some challenging insights about the nature of God, and the reality of our relationship with one another. In a time of strife, the radical words of Jesus should challenge us to draw even closer to one another in the love of Christ. We invite anyone to contribute short essays, poems, or reflections upon certain Scriptural passages in Matthew 5:1-12 and beyond. Last year, this devotional was a wonderful success, and the Spirit led us together into a time of reflection, anticipation, and hope. If you have numerous submissions that you feel called to contribute, we welcome that as well. Some theme words for reflection might include the following, although you are not limited to them: silence, blessing, meekness, joy, fullness, mercy, grace, being a child of God, kindness, suffering, rejoicing, and hope. The suggested structure for a contribution would be the following, in order: •

A title

•

The Scripture text (NRSV or CEB for your English translation)

•

The body of what you feel called to write (250 words max, please)

•

If you have a requested image, please attach that with your submission.

•

A short prayer for us to pray together. Ex: “Let us pray. Loving God....”

•

Your name

If you would like to contribute just a poem or even a prayer, that is welcome too—we are blessed as a church, filled with orators, authors, and artists. May the Spirit of God empower you as we move toward the Lenten season. I look forward to collaborating with you all again! If you have any questions, please talk to or email Pastor Nick (nicholas@fbcredlands.org). Please send your submission in word document form to Pastor Nick. If emailing your contribution is not an option, then type or write it out (as legible as possible, please) and place it in a marked envelope in one of the staff’s mailboxes in the church office. Deadline: February 7, 2020.

Interview with Erin Estey by Ann Smith

Erin transferred to Loma Linda University to complete her dental training. While there she met her husband Mark and hung around in the same crowd. They became engaged after the Feast of Lights in their third year. They were married at the Campus Hill Seventh Day Adventist Church in Loma Linda on December 15, 1996. She first encountered Redlands First Baptist Church when her brother Mark was married here. She was impressed that Pastor Joe DeRoulhac remembered her name the second time she attended. FBCR became her church, where she and Mark chose to bring up their children, when she discovered that it was okay to question statements about theology. She has since become an integral part of the church community. Erin Estey was born in Redlands Community Hospital. She grew up in Yucaipa and graduated from Yucaipa High School in 1990. She has two brothers. Matt Carpenter is an Athletic Director at Yucaipa High School. Ryan Carpenter is a financial planner. Her first memory of anything to do with church was attending the potlucks at Forest Falls with other members of the Adventist Church. As a young person, she had trouble with churches because the ones she attended all seemed to have decided what they believed and were not open to questions about why they believed as they did. While she was growing up, Erin never planned to stay in the Inland Empire. She had no desire to join the family dental practice. She studied German and wanted to spend time in Europe after she graduated from college. As she says, God had other plans. She was a political science major at Cal State San Bernardino when God began to take an active role in her life. First, the guy she was dating broke up with her. She felt the need to leave Cal State San Bernardino and ended up transferring. She changed from political science to dentistry. She ended up at the University of Redlands because of its pre-dental program. There, she became acquainted with Bill Maury Holms who was leading the U of R Inter-Varsity Group.

Her favorite Bible verse is: From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48 NIV She says this was one of the guidelines around which her family’s identity focused. Her favorite Bible Story is that of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) because it also helps her orient her life around service to others. She also appreciates the statue at Loma Linda outside the school of dentistry. Erin likes the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” (Hymnal 519) for its message of reassurance and because it was her grandfather’s favorite. Another time when God seemed to make an impact in Erin’s life was when her father got encephalitis and she had to take over the family business on short notice. God was in the details, keeping both the family and the business afloat while guiding the doctors who were caring for her father.

News

HAPPY FEBruary BIRTHDAYS TO... 1

Robert Hayden

Matt Applebee

Ron Kallander

A. Barry Lee

Matthew Meelker

Berva Smith

Itsel Updegraff

Danielle Daniels

Victoria Hansen

Marcia Kovacic

Karen Olson

Kaye Espinosa

Colby Estey

Elizabeth Laine

Joshua Morgan

Neely Estey

Kathleen Alexander

Walker Price III

Joseph Allen

Marie Hamilton

John Baker

Lloyd Howard

Winter Martin

Submissions for the Tapestry should be sent to tapestry@fbcredlands.org by the 15th of each month.

Getting Ready for Nolan Michele Quient Members and Friends of First Baptist Church are invited to share in a Baby Shower for Allison, Nick, and Nolan, who is expected to arrive around March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day. The shower date is Sunday, February 16th, following the Worship Service. A light lunch will be served. To prepare for lunch, an RSVP would be appreciated; look for a sign-up sheet on the patio or in the church office. If you wish to give a gift, either a gift card from Amazon or visit https://www.amazon.com/ baby-reg/2I8KFLCRNCVWS for suggestions. Another option would be to participate in a joint gift card through the church office or talk with Berva Smith.

LOCAL OUTREACH EVENTS YouthHope Dinner: A Walk in Their Shoes Thursday, March 5, 2020 Orton Center @ University of Redlands 1249 E. Colton Ave. Redlands, CA 92374 Awareness Hour 6:00 PM Dinner and Program 7:00 PM For more information, contact Cathy Zander

Family Service Work Day Saturday, March 7, 2020 9AM - 12PM

Lunch will be served afterward at Uncle Howe’s.

Gerrald’s Craft Beer and Wine Festival Tickets Friday, March 13, 2020

Local Outreach will need volunteers. No cost to volunteers!

RAINBOW ACRES MISSION TRIP APRIL 20 - 25 COST: $200 Join the Team! See Pastor Shawn if you are interested.

8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast Plymouth Village

8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:15 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time 11:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room

Pray for Service Workers

23 Pray for Deborah House

8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast Plymouth Village

8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:15 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time 11:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room

Pray for Your Faithwalk

6 - 8 p.m. Dental Clinic 7 p.m. Executive Council, Lounge

7 p.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room

Pray for Forgiveness

17 Pray for the Hurting

16 Pray for the Groundskeepers

Pray for the Pastors

6 - 8 p.m. Dental Clinic 6:30 p.m. Diaconate, Lounge 7 p.m. Christian Ed, Field Hall Worship, Board Room Fin & Prop, Judson Hall Local Outreach, Chapel

Pray for Guidance

8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast Plymouth Village

8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:15 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time 11:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room 12 p.m. Oregon/Alaska Mission Trip Informational meeting, Judson Hall

Pray for Australia

Pray for China

Pray for Mothers 7 p.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room

Tuesday

8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast Plymouth Village

Pray for Nursery/Toddlers

Monday

8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:15 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time 11:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room

Sunday

Puerto Rico

Pray for Our Pastors

26 Pray for

6 p.m. Men’s Fellowship

12 Pray for children worldwide

Pray for Volunteers

Wednesday

See events online at: http://www.fbcredlands.org/Calendar.html

Pray for the World

Pray for Bolivia

Pray for Classes

9 a.m. Tapestry Team 5:45 p.m. Thursday Night @ FBCR 6:45 p.m. Opportunities Start 7:45 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

Lenten season

27 Pray for the

5:45 p.m. Dinner 6:45 p.m. Mutti Gras 7:45 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

5:45 p.m. Thursday Night @ FBCR 6:45 p.m. Opportunities Start 7:45 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

Thursday

Pray for Fathers

Pray for the Lonely

28 Pray for Good Health

- Devotional Submissions due -

7 Pray for Reconciliation

Friday Pray for Grace

Pray for our loved ones

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

FBC Ministries

22 Pray for

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It 9 a.m. Women’s Bible Study: “Angels Among Us,” David’s Corner

8 Pray for Rest

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

Saturday

F E B R UARY 2 0 2 0

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Blessed Are Lenten 2020

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