May 2024 Tapestry

The First Baptist Church of Redlands

TAPESTRY

Woven together in Love: Colossians 2:2

May 2024 Issue No. 5

“April

showers bring M A y flowers!”

In April we participated in the Redlands Earth Day Celebration. Thanks to Sunny Hyon and Barbara Stein who put on a wonderful public workshop, “Gardening to Attract Pollinators”. We then planted pollinating plants in our planter in front of our church building. Tamera Scherer, Debbie Crowley, and Rod Zambrows hosted a table at the Earth Day celebration at the Redlands Bowl, where they handed out “seed bombs” and bookmarks on recycled paper, to people who came by. They had wonderful conversations with people who were happy that a church would take the issue of climate change seriously. We have planted the “seeds” for more cooperation with other people and groups in our community around this important issue.

We have planted other “seeds” as well! We have been working with the team of young people and their chaperones to prepare for their journey to Iona, Scotland. This will be a life-changing spiritual experience for them in July.

Over our history we have planted many seeds of connection with Burma. Currently, we are supporting our friends and spiritual family in Myanmar who are struggling with the injustice and violence that has been their existence since the coup which took place in 2021. We continue to pray for those who are in Bamaw at the Roberts School and Kachin Baptist Church who are no longer able to meet because of the violence that has come close to them. Many have had to leave their hometown to find a safer place to live. We have designated $9,000 from Gregory Legacy Funds to support the building of a program to develop leadership among the displaced people in the western part of Myanmar, near Thailand. On July 28 we will have Global Servant, Kyle Williams here to share with us more about that project. And in our own location, we will be hosting the meeting of the Burmese Christian Fellowship of North America July 11-14. Let us continue to pray for peace and justice to come to that troubled country.

We continue to cultivate our “seeds” of connections as a church family. Upcoming are some great opportunities of fellowship and growth together in the coming months. We will be having our Church Picnic/ BBQ on Sunday, May 26, following worship. We will also be having our All-Church Family Camp, August 2-4, at Camp de Benneville Pines, near Jenks Lake, less than an hour away from here. Come and create new memories as we grow together as followers of Christ.

Service is another way that we cultivate the good news of the Gospel in our community, striving to live into the Kingdom of God by our actions. We will have the opportunity to support Family Service Association by participating in the annual Hunger Walk, coming up on June 1 at the University of Redlands. We are supporting the ministry that we have for kids who are in the foster care system with Royal Family Kids Camp the last week of June. There are many ways that you can support that ministry from volunteering with registration or the “birthday party” at camp, or even being a camp counselor. Also, we will be going to Rainbow Acres twice this coming year, in October and March, to share a week serving the “Ranchers.” More information about that will be coming soon!

May Flowers (and June, July, August, etc) as we continue to plant “seeds” of ministry, fellowship, and service!

Grace and peace in the Risen Christ!

Pastor Shawn

Rev. Dr. Shawn Zambrows Senior Pastor shawn@fbcredlands.org

Glenn Molina

Associate Pastor of Arts in Worship and Community Life glenn@fbcredlands.org

Rev. Karin Mazzeo

Interim Pastor of Children’s Ministries karin@fbcredlands.org

Angel Florence Church Administrator angel@fbcredlands.org

Sally Rehfeldt Organist playitbach@verizon.net

Jennifer Winter Communications Specialist jennifer@fbcredlands.org

Rhiannon Fisher Youth Director youth@fbcredlands.org

Jared Sumners Intern for Young Adult Ministry jared@fbcredlands.org

Gabriela Morales Carillo Senior Custodian

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A LitAny Pr Ayer

Lord God,

because Jesus has taught us to trust you in all things,

we hold to his Word and share his plea: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where nations budget for war, while Christ says, “Put up your sword”: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where countries waste food and covet fashion, while Christ says, “I was hungry . . . I was thirsty . . .”: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where powerful governments claim their policies are heaven blessed, while Scripture states that God helps the powerless: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where Christians seek the kingdom in the shape of their own church, as if Christ had come to build and not to break barriers: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where women who speak up for their dignity are treated with scorn or contempt: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where men try hard to be tough, because they are afraid to be tender: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where we, obsessed with being adults, forget to become like children: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where our prayers falter, gour faith weakens, our light grows dim: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Where Jesus Christ calls us: Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Lord God, you have declared that your kingdom is among us.

Open our ears to hear it, our hands to serve it, our hearts to hold it. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, © 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources.

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

Sudan

Wall Street Journal

In April of 2023, Sudan slipped into civil war as two rival generals who had cooperated to oust the dictator Omar al-Bashir turned on each other in an effort to take full control of the nation. Now, just one year later, more than 8 million people (out of the 47 million in the country) have had to leave their homes and are barely surviving in camps for internally displaced people. Children are starving in numbers that could match the famine that occurred in Ethiopia in the 1980s. UN agencies think that over 200,000 children could starve to death in the next few months, but fear that it could be as many as 700,000 by the end of the year, since fields lie fallow due to the fighting and what little food remains is unaffordable to those who have been out of work due to the fighting. Parents feel helpless as they watch their children become too weak even to cry. $2 billion in aid has been pledged by foreign governments, but this is only about half of what relief agencies think they will need to address this crisis. Pray that help can get to these people who are in such a desperate situation, even though their plight rarely comes across our news feeds. Pray for peace in Sudan and that people can return to growing food and making a living. Pray that children there would grow strong and be rescued from starvation.

Burma

cnn.com

In mid-April, the Karen National Liberation Army and its allies were able to push forces of the military dictatorship out of the city of Myawaddy, which borders Thailand. This is a significant victory for rebel forces. Since this isn’t the only town that has changed hands, there is hope that the oppressive junta government may finally be losing its grip on power. Pray that Burma can return to civilian leadership and that the ordinary people in Burma can live in peace and freedom.

Bi B le d i S tri B ution around the world

Voice of the Martyrs newsletter

Pray for Bibles to reach eager seekers all around the world, especially in nations that seek to restrict Christianity. The Voice of the Martyrs highlighted several stories in their newsletter about how reading the Bible transformed the lives of people in Cuba, Uganda, and Turkey. As Americans, we take our religious freedom for granted and don’t think twice about how lucky we are to have easy access to Bibles. But for those who are wanting to find out more about the truth of Christ, being able to pick up a Bible is truly an encounter with the living and active Word of God. Pray for all the ministries around the world that distribute Bibles. Pray that each book would find its way to those who need to hear the good news of Jesus’ love for them.

if you have information to share about the persecuted church or newsfromthemissionfield,pleaseshareitwithJonathanPeske.

An Easter Prayer

From Corenne Smith

Global Servant in Brazil

YesterdaY I Had a prostItute over for tea . . .

What picture does that conjure up in your head? I could have also said, “Yesterday, I had tea with the sister of one of our graduating boys,” which would also be true. She’s 22, probably 90 lbs, and pregnant with her third child. But being a prostitute is a label she will wear for the rest of her life. Even if others don’t know, she does. So, Juliana uses drugs to numb the pain.

And yet, here we are, laughing, sharing stories, and getting to know one another for the sake of Enzo who is desperately worried about his sister, her two little tykes, and now the baby yet to be born.

Enzo has been with us long enough to have decided what he wants for his life. He gave up drugs, was baptized, is passionate about the Lord, is articulate, athletic & a natural leader-but even at 17, he is still, only in the sixth grade, trying to catch up. When he turns 18 in a few months, he wants to be prepared to be the head of his family,, and responsible to provide for them.

But memories of seeing his grandmother sell his sister to men night after night, the way she used to sell his mother, still haunt him. He blames his grandmother for his mother’s death right after he was born. He never got a chance to know her, but he has her name tattooed on his forearm.

In Enzo’s eyes, he thinks I can do anything. He wants me to send his sister to rehab and to make sure the unborn baby will be okay. She tells me she doesn’t use drugs, but as soon as I dropped her off (at her grandmother’s house-yes, the same one who sold her), she grabbed a cigarette.

We know that anyone baptized in Christ, they are a new creature. The old has passed away. But change is hard. Lives that are truly and radically transformed are rare.

However,...we have been experiencing amazing things on the mountain. Baptisms, lives transformed, even demons cast out (and I am a Baptist). There is harmony and accountability among the students who live here. They are begging-literally begging to go to church. Everyone was involved in cell groups, youth groups, Sunday schools, and church. But along with this transformation comes the impatient yearning for change in their own troubled families.

I know I have written too long. “Keep it short and simple,” they always say. But this isn’t a marketing piece. This is a plea from me to you, asking you to pray-- not just for Enzo and his sister but for all of our children and their incredibly complicated families.

Pray for the death of their sinful natures. Pray that their old way of life will be replaced with the reality of the risen Savior. That their lives will be changed on this Easter Sunday --when I will once again share my table with a tiny, pregnant prostitute.

Greetings From Jae Stockton

Global Servant in Mexico

Beloved friends and ministry partners,

Greetings in the most sweetest name of Jesus Christ! I pray you are well and enjoying the Spring weather as you read this email.

Have you heard the acronym “PCS”? You will hear that acronym a lot from servicemembers’ especially from the Army. PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station.

Since the passing of the Seminary Director, Pastor Gregorio Gamboa in November of last year, the Seminary went into transition. And because we are short of professors, our last semester ended in January. Since then, the Seminary was temporarily closed. I think, it is God’s timing. While all these events are happening in the Seminary, my area director, Adalia, and my colleague, Sarah McCurdy were implementing a school program for the kids at Deborah’s House in Tijuana.

Deborah’s House in Tijuana is a refuge for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. In this safe environment, the women and children have an opportunity to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Currently Deborah’s House does not have the staff or resources to help the children who are not receiving any schooling while staying at the house. The children cannot enroll in public school as this is a security risk.

As I had mentioned in the beginning of this email about the acronym “PCS”…. this time as a Global Servant, I am PCS’ing to Tijuana, BC, Mexico. I was invited to help with the technological needs and assist the children being sheltered at Deborah’s House with their schooling through online classes with the partnership of the local Baptist School so that they could keep up with their studies. At the same time, there is a possibility that I might be teaching basic computer skills to the women so that after they finished the program at Deborah’s House, they can find a better job to meet their daily needs as they start their new life.

Although I am super excited to help with the ministry at Deborah’s House, my heart is heavy leaving Mexicali. I have good friends now here in Mexicali that I consider like family. I am blessed. Praise God! Please pray for all the Churches and Pastors in the Baja California Region.

Please pray for my safety and smooth transition to Tijuana.

Please pray for my heart in this transition, leaving good friends behind and building new relationships in Tijuana.

Please pray for this new ministry that I will be assisting and that I may have more love, more grace and mercy, more patience and more of Christ in me that I may be a blessing to the women and children at Deborah’s House, and that my faith be strengthened in every circumstance.

Praising God for His love, His grace and mercy, His healing, protections and provisions in my life. And for giving me the privilege to serve Him.

Praising God and I am grateful for your unceasing prayers and faithful financial support to the ministry. Your partnership is vital in the ministry and is a fulfillment of God’s plan in our lives to serve Him through me. Glory to God!

May God bless you and keep you. God is good! Beloved friends, keep walking with me in this journey!

“For we live by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7

Sunday BYF Dates

May 5th

May 12

May 19th

**Save The Da T e**

august 2nd -4th all Church Retreat

august 1st - Youth & Young adults will head up a day earlier

Dear Church family,

Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting the youth going to the Iona Abbey in Scotland this summer. Our fundraisers for the past 9 months have raised $8,635 to defray the costs of the trip significantly, and our tickets are booked! We leave July 2 and return July 13. We are grateful to those who have donated, eaten baked potatoes and listened to bagpipes, given jobs to youth, made delicious treats for the bake sale, brought their car to be washed, had enthusiasm for the youth to tell them about the trip, and shared in our hopes that a week at a monastery will be a life-impacting experience for ten high school students. We are also grateful to the various church commissions who have blessed us with additional funds to make the trip costs feasible for families. Please join us in praying for God to prepare these teens to meet Him in a new way at Iona.

Sincerely,

The Scotland travelers and their families

In Memory of Kevin Clark Fisher

June 4, 1962 - Sept 26, 2023

Celebration of Life

k evin Clark Fisher

Saturday, June 15

11 a.m., Church Sanctuary lunch Reception Following in the Chapel

The Fisher Family is asking if you have any pictures of Kevin please send them to https://tinyurl.com/kevinfisherphotos. They will be included in his Celebration of Life Service. Please upload your photo into the folder where the time of the picture took place. Please add a description to the photo by clicking on the three dots next to the photo. After clicking on the three dots next to the photo. If you have any questions please email jennifer@fbcredlands.org.

In Memory of Rev. Robert B Wallace

August 28 1933 - April 8, 2024 Pastor of FBCR 1973-1983

Celebration of Life

Rev. Robert B. Wallace

Saturday, June 8th 3 p.m., decker Hall, Pilgrim Place Health Services Center 721 Harrison Ave, Claremont

Katelyn Zabaleta

Schreur

Shellie Skinner

Xotchil Spandakis

Neera Daniels

Mike Aguirre

Abigail Kishimoto

Garrett Zambrows

Barbi Carpenter

Glenda DelRosario Jim Hollenberg

Janet Roberts

May 1 - Cheese, and chicken enchiladas, tacos, served with rice and beans, and assorted desserts.

May 8 - Penne pasta with sausage, garlic bread, salad, and birthday cake for dessert.

May 15 - BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, salad, and banana pudding pie for dessert

May 22 - Oven fried chicken, rice pilaf, veggies, and cookies for dessert.

May 29 - Stir fry chicken with vegetables, white rice, and assorted desserts.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The First Baptist Church of Redlands 51 West Olive Avenue, Redlands CA 92373-5243

909-793-3289 | www. fbcredlands.org