Volume 32
May 2019
No. 5
NEWS & VIEWS OF WILLIAMS Church Phone: (256) 435-5020 Church Email: fbcwilliams@cableone.net
Daycare Phone: (256) 435-8313 Church Website: fbcwilliams.org
“All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful.” -Flannery O’Connor Not too long ago, I was talking to a friend and colleague in ministry about our Holy Week schedules when he said to me, “Chris, when Easter is late [like it was this year] there is a tendency to almost be lulled to sleep, and then summer sneaks up on you before you know it!” That seems to be true. It seems like Easter Sunday was just last week, yet here we are on the brink of summer. Many of you are looking forward to high school and college graduations, whether it’s you, your children, or your grandchildren who are doing the graduating. Others of you may already be gearing up for your summer vacation, counting down the days until the school year is over, dusting off the pool toys and the beach chairs. Still others are planning for baseball and softball tournaments, sports camps, cheer camps, band camps, or other sorts of camps. The summer is without a doubt the busiest time of year, as we seek to fill every moment with activity as the weather is warm (or hot) and the sun stays out longer into the evening. I want to encourage you, though, to not let the gravitational pull of summer scheduling to pull you away from participating in the life of Christ’s Church here at Williams. It can be easy to give into the feeling that we need to be at every event, that our kids need to take part in every sport, camp, or activity that comes along, but it is so important that we remember our first love—our commitment to Christ. Summer can be a time of simultaneously high activity and low attendance, and it seems to get a little worse each year. I often hear folks say, “Once we get through the summer, things will go back to normal and we’ll be back in church.” Each year, however, it seems to take longer for “normal” to come back around as are time is taxes more and more. I think summer activities are wonderful; they can be meaningful times in the lives of our families. However, I want each of us to pray, to reflect on what all this busyness does to our personal relationship with Christ, to our need for worship and engagement in the kingdom of God. What lessons are we teaching when we give so much of ourselves to these other activities at the expense of those that may draw us closer to Christ? Will you join with me in praying about how you will make time for regular worship and participation in the life of Christ’s Church here at Williams this summer? Will you join me in making worship and discipleship priorities now and on into the months ahead so that we set an example of faithfulness for future generations? Will you join me and the rest of your sister and brothers at Williams as we worship and serve together throughout the summer, making Christ and his kingdom a priority? Grace and Peace, Chris
Ministry & Missions Budget Needs Monthly $ 26,006.68 Year to Date $ 110,528.39
Receipts $ 25,751.00 $ 85,698.00
TOTALS ARE THROUGH 04/28/2019
“A special thank you to each and every one of you for your monetary support and hard work that enables First Baptist Church of Williams to touch lives by sharing the love of Jesus”. ~Finance Committee
COUNTING COMMITTEE FOR MAY Matt McFall & Wendy Ponder
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY SCHEDULE NURSERY HELPERS
GREETERS & USHERS FOR MAY Mike, Jamie, Brooks & Gracie Davis
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CENTER Our church is scheduled to provide the following items to the J.C.O.C. for the month of May: Rice, Mayonnaise, Mustard & Ketchup. Please take your donated items DIRECTLY TO the JCOC located just behind McDonalds.
May 5 May 12 May 19 May 26
Carol McGinnis Cheryl Lyon Kari Haynes Sharon Williams
Nursery helpers will assist one of our regular nursery workers each Sunday morning for Sunday School and Worship. Our regular nursery workers are: Terri Harris and Sharon Williams. Nursery Helpers if you need to reschedule your day to work, please contact Nikki Haynes. ======================
ADULT GAME NIGHT: Bring your favorite snack foods and join us on May 2nd and May 16th for our game night. SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Sunday Sunday School 9:00 am Morning Worship 10:00 am Choir Practice 4:00 pm Tuesday Bible Study 10:00 am Wednesday Devotion 6:00 pm
DAYCARE NEWS The graduation and promotion program for the daycare is Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Everyone is welcome to attend. Thank you, church family, for your continued support of the daycare. Here are the names of the 2019 graduates. Congratulations!! Riley Beth Brooks Ruby Catherine Dempsey Braxton Douglas Doss Miles Nolan Grady Raylan Sawyer Green BrookLynn Mae Griffin Ella Hope Skidmore Kohl Justice Thomas Austin Lee Waits
3 & 4-YEAR OLD HELPERS May 5 May 12 May 19 May 26
Candace Burns & Haley Stephens Hattie & Callie Ewing Marleah Blades & Gracie Davis Callie McFall & Maggie Hedgepath ======================
CHILDREN’S CHURCH May 5 May 12 May 19 May 26
Kate Hamby & Randy Blades Rhonda Duncan Nikki Haynes IN CHURCH ======================
CHILDREN’S STORY May 5 May 12 May 19 May 26
Randy Blades Rhonda Duncan Marleah Blades Chris Thomas
FOOD PANTRY Our food pantry distribution for May will be held on Friday, May 24th beginning at 3:00pm.
May 2019
FBC WILLIAMS ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Apr 2019 S M T W T 7 14 21 28
1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
5
1
Jun 2019 F S 5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
S M T W T
F S
2 9 16 23 30
7 14 21 28
3 10 17 24
6
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
Happy Birthday Skyler McLeod
Happy Birthday Steve Green & Samantha Preston
12 Happy Birthday Cindy Newsome
13 PVHS Band Banquet in CMC
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
19 10:00 AM Graduate Recognition
14 10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY 6:30 PM DAYCARE GRADUATION
20 5:00 PM -8:00 PM PVHS SENIOR FUN NIGHT
2
8
10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
21 10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
27
28
Happy Birthday Peggy Hamby
10:00 AM BIBLE STUDY
MEMORIAL DAY CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
Happy Birthday Shirley Johnston
Saturday
3
4
10
11
Happy Birthday Linda Hedgepath
6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
Happy Birthday Donna Thomas
15 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
16 6:00 PM Adult Get-together
17 Happy Birthday Tyler Teal
18 Happy Birthday Jim Justice
Happy Birthday Samuel Duncan & Allison Ostrander
22 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
2:00 PM Wedding Shower for Taylor & Melissa McGinnis
26
Friday
6:00 PM Adult Get-together
9
Happy Birthday Cheryl Green
11:00 AM Pot Luck Lunch
Thursday
6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
1 8 15 22 29
7
11:00 AM Memorial Brick Dedication for Dolores Green
Wednesday
29 6:00 PM Devotion, Children & Youth Activities
23
24
4:00 PM Pleasant Valley High School Graduation @ JSU 8:00 PM Jacksonville High School Graduation @ High School
30
31
25