Issuu

The First Baptist Church of Redlands

T A PE S T R Y

June 2022

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.6

As the Spirit Moves A Message from Pastor Shawn

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s! Romans 8:9-11 The Message June brings with it so many things! For those of us who have lived or are living on an academic calendar, we notice right away, with great relief, that it is the beginning of summer! We think of all those things that we like about summer: vacations, no school, the Redlands Bowl, change of pace, and more. This year, June also brings Pentecost, the day that we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in a big way in and through the people of God. We consider this the birthday of the Church.

We have spent all of May and a little bit of April considering what it means to us and the world that Jesus rose from the dead. This year we have looked at it from the “already but not yet” of the book of Revelation. We have found the book of Revelation to be a book of hope, despite all the images that baffle and confound us. We know that in the end God’s Kingdom wins. It outlasts every other kingdom and defeats all the tactics of empire. We see the power of the resurrection despite the awful awfulness of what is going on in the world. We have seen how it all ends. What now?

And then we have Pentecost, which for Christians is a celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit in full power. So, as we celebrate Pentecost at the beginning of Summer, celebrate the activity of the Spirit that we see around us. Make a list. In what ways do you see the Holy Spirit at work in your life? In the life of our church? I am excited that the Spirit has brought new families to be a part of our church—and they are already actively serving in the congregation. I am excited when I see the Spirit at work in our children and youth! I am excited when I see people taking the initiative to care for each other and make it easier for others to do the same. I am excited when I see the Spirit at work in the people who are currently serving on our staff and the ones that may be coming soon. I am excited to see the Spirit at work as we have another opportunity to give away money to those who have Godgiven dreams. What is on your list? As we move past Pentecost we ease into “Ordinary Time.” But that is when we have the most potential for growth. We live out the Resurrection in the power of the Holy Spirit in the regular days of our life. May this summer be a time when we rediscover the habits and practices that help us to live that kind of life—a little bit of transformation every day. May we live that way together as God’s people focusing on God’s Kingdom come, God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. The Spirit is moving!

Grace and peace in Christ, Pastor Shawn

COVER

FELLOWSHIP

A Message from Pastor Shawn: “As the Spirit Moves”

Staff and Contents

MINISTRY 4

Ann Smith: “Interview with Rita Chapman”

NEWS 10 Church News

Abby Kishimoto: “Care for God’s Creation”

11 June Calendar

MISSION 6

Worldwide Prayer Concerns: Burma, Hong Kong, Nigeria

Pastor Shawn Zambrows: “Mission Update”

STAFF Rev. Dr. Shawn Zambrows Senior Pastor

Nathan Jones Youth Director

Abby Kishimoto Interim Director of Children’s Ministries

Angel Florence Office Administrator

Rhonda Bauer Interim Choir Director

Isa Terrell Communications Specialist

Sally Rehfeldt Organist

Stephen Stark Senior Maintenance Custodian

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.

Contact us: admin@fbcredlands.org 909-793-3289 www.fbcredlands.org Our office will be semi-open during regular office hours. However, we are still receiving mail and phone messages. Staff can be reached by email (see above). Office Hours Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

M IN I S T RY

Caring for God’s Creation by Abby Kishimoto

For the past few months, the children have been learning about the Creation story on Wednesday nights. In the more recent weeks, we have shifted our focus to protecting God’s creation. Most of our activities have centered around the importance of recycling; for instance, we had a “recyclables scavenger hunt” where the kids found items around the church campus that are recyclable. Additionally, we repurposed some old cardboard boxes that will be placed around the church to use as a place to put recyclables. So be on the lookout for those in the upcoming weeks! Last week we discussed all the different things that God created that we can be thankful for. Of course, the children said that they were thankful for their families, friends, the church, and even Baker’s burritos. Of course, this led to one child exclaiming that “Baker’s burritos are not created by God!”, but after careful consideration they realized that God made all the things that can make a Baker’s burrito happen. They quickly began to try to think of something that God did not create. When they were stumped, they asked me, I told them that is a question for Pastor Shawn! The rest of May we will continue our focus on God’s Creation, and we will finish the summer session up with some fun and games! The last night of Wednesday night programming will be in mid-June, so come join the fun while there’s still some time left! Additionally, May 29th is the Church picnic, so be on the lookout for more information as we approach that day!

Worship Outside the Box

* * *

Saturday, June 25 “Hymn Sing and Cookout” Saturday, July 23 “Campfire Sing and picnic dinner” Saturday, August 20 “Family Stage Night and Potluck”

M I S S ION

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

BURMA Pray for Ja Seng Brim as she discerns when she can safely make the trip back to Burma. Pray for Brang Ying as he returns home. Pray for his safety in travel and that he can make it all the way back to the village of Bamaw without any significant problems. Pray for the Roberts Mission School as they plan to reopen during June after being closed for two years. Pray for the students to be eager to learn. Pray that the school is able to find all the workers and the materials that it needs in order to reopen. Praise God for our partnership and pray that the training Brang received will bless the teachers and students there.

HONG KONG www.persecution.org Pray for the island of Hong Kong. The incoming Chief Executive, John Lee, is known for his support of anti-democratic laws, such as the National Security Law, imposed by the mainland Chinese government in response to protests in Hong Kong. Many Christians fear that he will further erode freedoms there. Christians in Hong Kong have been helping support non-violent protests in favor of democracy and in support of social justice, but have been targeted as criminals. Recently, Pastor Moon-Yuen was denied bail after being arrested on sedition charges based on the fact that he applauded a democracy activist as she spoke on her own behalf during her court hearing. Also, the retired Catholic archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Zen Ze-Kiun, age 90, was arrested for helping organize a humanitarian relief fund for pro-democracy protesters. The government falsely claimed the fund supported violence. Many feel that his arrest is a warning that if they are willing to go after such a high-profile target as Cardinal Zen, then no one is safe. Pray for Christians to continue to trust God in these difficult times.

NIGERIA www.persecution.org Pray for Christians in Nigeria, as International Christian Concern recently shared several stories of persecution in that country. In April, several girls in the Chibok region were abducted by a group called Islamic State West African Province. The same group is responsible for an attack in May on the village of Kautikari, which is also in the Chibok area, killing eight people and destroying homes in the village. Also in May, in the state of Sokoto, which is a different region in northern Nigeria, a 25 year old college student was beaten to death over a social media message that her classmates viewed as blasphemous. School authorities tried to stop the mob but were unable. The students who beat her have not yet been arrested. Pray that Christians would be able to live freely in Nigeria without having to fear for their lives because of their faith. Pray against those who would use religion as a hateful wedge between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. - Jonathan Peske If you have information to share about the persecuted church or news from the mission field, please share it with Jonathan Peske.

Mission Update by Shawn Zambrows

As you know we sent ½ of our Easter Offering to help the Baptist Churches and Global Servants in Europe as they are working with refugees who are coming out of Ukraine. Here is an update on some of that work: In Hungary, IM Global Servants Amanda and Jon Good have been offering refuge in their own home to Ukrainians fleeing the war. Their partner church, Szappanos Baptist Church, has also become a place God is using to provide safe, temporary shelter for families who have lost everything. “Their stories have touched our hearts,” Amanda says. One of the families the Goods hosted traveled through the night “on prayer and coffee” in a Chrysler minivan that somehow managed to hold eight people. They used cooking oil for power steering fluid. “The hardest part of the conversation came later when we discovered that they were actually a family of nine,” says Amanda. “As they were crossing the border, they were told their 18-year-old son was not allowed to leave

Ukraine. We all cried when we heard this. Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are generally required to stay behind for potential military service. Yet the family was quick to say that they were at peace because their son was with good friends. They believed without a doubt that God would take care of him. This is the kind of hope only Jesus can bring.” Because of your support, Global Servant Larry Stanton is able to bring food and basic comfort to Ukrainian refugees at the Hungarian border alongside Hungarian Baptist Aid, and Global Servant Carmella Jones and her church in Budapest have provided shelter and care for African students who also had to flee Ukraine. (IM-Online, May 23, 2022)

We are grateful that we can participate in this work from afar through our financial and prayer support. We support the ongoing work of International Ministries through special offerings, like this one, as well as through our regular giving throughout the year. When you put money in the offering plate or send it in electronically or by mail, 11% goes to international and local missions. Let us continue to be faithful in our support of God’s work around the world.

F E L L O W S H IP

Interview with Rita Chapman

by Ann Smith

Rita has two older sisters. Her oldest sister, Miriam Noyes, is a graphic artist. Rita served in Congo as an American Baptist missionary working with adult literacy and developing tracts, as well as traveling with a Congolese team to train adult literacy teachers. Her middle sister, Evelyn is a graphic artist and illustrator who worked with Partners International for a number of years. She was homeschooled by her mother from preschool age until she turned ten. Then she went to the American School of Kinshasa until she was eighteen. She lived with children of other Baptist missionaries in a hostel until she graduated from high school. Rita met Glen while they were at the school in Kinshasa. For a time, they were both residents of the school’s hostel. She says the two of them developed a special friendship in High School but implies that it was not especially romantic. They did keep in touch after they left the school. In high school, Glen had a very shy friend who thought he wanted a romantic relationship with Rita. But the boy decided he needed some help. He asked Glen to help him get to know this attractive girl who had piqued his interest. Rita and Glen soon found out that they were much more interested in each other than in Glen’s luckless friend. Twice, Glen biked through the African bush for 3 days to visit Rita while they were separated during summer vacations.

Rita was born in a mission hospital in what was then called the Belgian Congo. Her parents were American Baptist missionaries in an area of the Congo River basin known as Sona Bota. Her parents were stationed at Kinshasa, a short distance from the hospital. She grew up in the Congo except for two years when she came to the United States with her parents when they were on furlough. Her father sometimes taught high school and sometimes acted as the school’s administrator. But his joy was his opportunity to train village church lay leaders. Her mother also taught high school as well as writing books for adult literacy and to help her husband with his program of training for lay leaders. On the side, Rita says, her mother taught people to raise chickens and rabbits, to garden, and even to raise tropical plants and fish which the young men could sell to foreigners in the capital.

Seven years after graduating from High School Rita and Glen were married. The ceremony took place in the First Baptist Church of Santa Cruz, California. Rita says that her first memory of church was of the singing at the mission church her father served. The hymns were in the Kikongo language. The sisters did not know the language and soon got tired of listening to the singing. They learned to entertain themselves quietly by rolling their mother’s handkerchiefs into “babies in a cradle” and by folding paper into cranes and “cootie catchers.” When Rita was 7, she wanted to be baptized. Two years later, when she was a 9–10-year-old, she was finding comfort in the psalms. She says both Sunday School and Good New Club kept her faith growing. She was impacted by a strong youth group in Santa Cruz, California when she was in 7th grade. She was baptized there.

In 2017, when they were home on furlough, Rita and Glen came to see his parents, Orville and Virginia Chapman. They were happy to be part of our congregation. They were glad to reconnect with is when they completed their missionary service in Congo. Rita says she has a hard time picking a favorite Bible story. But she says she is amused by the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. She points out that not much has changed. Humankind’s relationship with God in the story becomes so strained as a result of rebellion. She sees God’s redemption story begin there and runs through the whole of the Bible. Her favorite hymn is How Great Thou Art (number 21 in our hymnal). She is moved by the first line: O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hand has made. She says she never ceases to wonder at all the worlds the Lord has created – down to the tiniest unseen worlds under the microscope. Rita says she felt especially close to God while she was going through radiation for cancer. She spent part of her mornings in her daughter’s sunny bedroom for her devotions. Many of her scriptures during that time focused on trust and thanksgiving. She says it was truly a time of blessing.

News HAPPY June BIRTHDAYS TO... 2

Holly Allen

Don Olson

Myra Daniels

James Estey

Kevin Fisher

Salvador T. Martinez

Jonathan Peske

Royal Copple

Samuel Warren

Fleury Laycook

Hilary Craw

Mae McLaren

Barbara Williams

Rita Chapman

Betty Thomas

Dianne Creech

Sandra Pickett

Penny Walker

Ben Dillow

George Nelson

Claudia Guzman

Allison Nottingham

Madeline Keierleber

Nora Tapia

Erick Mendoza

Richard Bueermann

Lisa Olson

Nicholas Quient

Meridyth McLaren

Michael Reynolds

Haylee Richardson

Melanie Medlin

Richard Carlson

Lauren Olson

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

WEDNESDAY Dinner MENU June 1 – Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Veggies; Cookies for dessert June 8 – Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Veggies; Marbled Cake for dessert June 15 – Taco Bar and Assorted Desserts

For Your calendar Summer BBQs The Diaconate Commission is excited to announce that we’ll be organizing our summer barbecue series again after a two year hiatus. These events offer a great way to connect with one another for fun and fellowship. If you’re interested in hosting a barbecue at your house, please call Jonathan Peske at 909-794-4814 for more information. Dedication of the Plymouth Village Meditation Garden June 29, 10 AM

In Memory

Edmund Irvin 1/5/1930 to 5/11/2022

You are invited to the celebratory dedication of one of the Gregory Gift projects in our community. See the “fruits of this labor” that have come together in a quiet place of reflection with a salute to orange trees and set among sustainable landscaping. Follow the signs at the Palm St. entrance to Plymouth Village

Pray for the Ushers

Pray for Optimism

Pray for Reconciliation

Pray for Hong Kong

Pray for Brang Ying

10:15 a.m. Worship in-person: Sanctuary and Livestreamed

26 Pray for

- Father’s Day - Juneteenth -

10:15 a.m. Worship in-person: Sanctuary and Livestreamed

19 Pray for Fathers

27 Pray for the underprivileged

7 p.m. Executive Council online

28 Pray for Clarity

Pray for Focus Groups

10 a.m. Plymouth Village Meditation Garden dedication

29 Pray for Ukraine

22 Pray for Openess

7:15 p.m. Choir Practice

Pray for Bible Studies

5:30 p.m. Gatherings

7:15 p.m. Choir Practice

6:30 p.m. Dinner

5:30 p.m. Gatherings

8 Pray for the Cooks

7:15 p.m. Choir Practice

6:30 p.m. Dinner

5:30 p.m. Gatherings

Marginalized Groups

1 Pray for

Wednesday

11:30 a.m. BYF

7 p.m. Commission Meetings

7 Pray for Burma

Tuesday

6:30 p.m. Dinner

20 Pray for Hope

7 p.m. Local Outreach Commission (zoom)

Monday

10:15 a.m. Worship in-person: Sanctuary and Livestreamed

9 a.m. Sunday School Classes

11:30 a.m. BYF

10:15 a.m. Worship in-person: Sanctuary and Livestreamed

9 a.m. Sunday School Classes

Sunday Pray for Safe Travels

Pray for Kindness

6:30 p.m. Corner Booth online

Emergency Workers

30 Pray for

6:30 p.m. Corner Booth online

23 Pray for Neighbors

6:30 p.m. Corner Booth online

with Mental Health

3 Pray for Perseverence

Friday

Pray for Myanmar

Ja Seng Brim

17 Pray for

9 Pray for those struggling 10 Pray for Friendship

6:30 p.m. Corner Booth online

Thursday

J une 2 0 2 2 Pray for Health Care Workers

Pray for Endurance

5:30 p.m. Hymn Sing and Cookout on the Lawn

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

25 Pray for Health

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

18 Pray for Nigeria

7 a.m. Walking for the Health of It

Saturday

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Worship Outside the Box This summer we will have some opportunities for worship and fellowship that will happen “outside the box.” They will happen outside of the building, on the lawn. They will happen outside of Sunday mornings, Saturday nights. They will happen with more relaxed format than what we normally do on Sunday mornings— “outside the box.” Put these dates on your calendar and invites some friends to join you “outside the box.” Details will be available soon! Saturday, June 25, “Hymn Sing and Cookout” Saturday, July 23, “Campfire Sing and picnic dinner” Saturday, August 20, “Family Stage Night and Potluck”