Emily Holladay Senior Pastor emily@ibcfrankfort.com
CONNECTIONS
To Experience & Express God’s Unconditional Love
Volume 4, No. 9 - September 2025
Beginning Year Three: Ministry of
something I have never done before:
anniversary, and after two years of ministry, it felt fitting to look back on where we have been and celebrate
cooperate with us that Sunday, so we do not have a streamed recording of the service. If you were not able to be there, but would like to hear the sermon, please let the church office know and we should be able to get
CD.Otherwise, I will also be adding a print version of the sermon to the
During the sermon, I mentioned that
Still, I knew that our ministry together could be one of untapping potential and letting our light shine in new and vibrant ways.
I also noted that it feels like we are at a “precipice moment” in the life of the church. The direction we take in the next few years may indeed be indicative of what the future holds for Immanuel Baptist Church. We have choices to make about where and how we will invest our time and energy, and what choices we make will determine to what extent we allow our potential to flourish.
As we begin year three together, a new word has come to mind: momentum.
neighborhood and the people I met, I just knew this church had so much going for it. The search committee
fact, they did the best job possible of making sure I was clear-eyed about IBC’s strengths and areas of growth.
Over the course of the last two years, we have built a lot. Our energy has grown and expanded as we have updated the look and feel of our communications platforms. We have significantly increased our ministry with children and youth, reaching out to the community to support more families than have in recent past. This has been a very exciting time in the life of the church.
Continued on Page 7
Zambia
Every morning, she rises before the sun. Her heart is full, but her pockets are empty. She’s a mother. A fighter. A woman doing everything she can with almost nothing. Not just surviving, but sacrificing, day after day.
This National Women’s Day, we pause to reflect on the daily struggles faced by women, especially single mothers living in poverty, whose resilience often goes unseen and uncelebrated.
Imagine having to wake up before sunrise, not to meditate, but to carry heavy buckets for miles just to collect water. Imagine doing that in the dark, terrified of being attacked, raped, or even killed. For far too many women, this is not imagination - it is their reality.
These women live in overcrowded, unsafe
The Deacon of the Week is here to support you with any ministry needs or to respond to any prayer concerns. Please feel free to reach out to them any time during the week of their service!
areas with no access to clean, running water, proper sanitation, or privacy. They go to work with heavy hearts, leaving their infants behind because they have no choice. They raise their children with little to nothing, sometimes without any income at all.
These are not just struggles - these are violations of dignity. These are human rights issues.
Thanks to your generosity and continued support, we’ve distributed 20 bags of mealie meal to single mothers and their children, offering immediate food relief. We have also been able to build 19 houses for single mothers and their families, and we aspire to build even more. They now have a safe space, a place to call their own - a place to call home.
No woman should be forgotten. No woman should be left behind.
In gratitude and hope for your support.
Partners in Development
PRAYER AND CARE
Deacon of the Week
9/7/25 Tabitha Martin
270-589-2498
9/14/25 Carol O’Connell
502-545-3920
9/21/25 Brent Irvin
859-576-0259
9/28/25 Susie Stivers
502-330-3722
REMEMBERING LONNIE TURNER
Lonnie Turner, 77, passed away on Thursday, August 14, 2025. He was born in Harlan, Kentucky to the late Otis and Alice Turner on June 20, 1948. Lonnie spent his enitre life as a humanitarian, spending 40+ years in Zambia and South Africa. He loved reading a wide variety of books, including political, history, fiction, and philosophy. His music choices were almost as vast as reading
interests including classic country to classic rock. Lonnie was an amazing man, dedicated husband, father and grandfather!
We, at Immanuel Baptist Church, know Lonnie through the mission work he did with his wife, Fran Turner. Together, they founded Partners in Development and spent nearly 50 years in Africa to bring her dream to life. From the very beginning, Lonnie stood faithfully by Fran’s side, supporting her mission with unwavering dedication and love, right up until his final breath.
Their work was never about recognition or reward, but about serving others - uplifting the poor, the vulnerable, the overlooked, and the forgotten. It was a calling they embraced wholeheartedly.
After Fran’s passing, Lonnie often recalled her final words to him: “Don’t let my dream die.” He carried those words with him every day, doing all he could to continue her legacy of compassion and service. Now, Partners in Development will
MISSIONS
carry forward both of ther legacies, honoring their shared vision and keeping their dream alive.
Lonnie will be laid to rest alongside his beloved Fran at the Field of Hope in Zambia - date to be confirmed. We will also host a celebration of life at IBC at a date to be announced.
Lonnie’s death, less than a year after Mama Fran’s, left us heartbroken. But through the grief, we find strength in their example and remain deeply committed to continuing the mission they began.
To continue supporting Lonnie and Fran’s legacy, please send memorials and gifts to Partners in Development. You can do this by noting “Partners in Development” on your offering check or offering envelopes, or by giving on the IBC online giving platform and designated your gift to “Partners in Development.”
We will continue our church’s commitment to regularly supporting Partners in Development through our annual budget.
Infant Resource Center Collecting Magazines
Gena, in the Infant Resource Center will be collecting women’s holiday magazines for the IRC clients from September through November. If you have any generic and/or holiday themed magazines, such as Better Homes and Garden, Lifestyle, etc., she would like to add these to their bundles when they pick up baby supplies. This will be a nice way to contribute to the parent’s ability to decompress!
Also, a big thank you to the Baptist Mission Women’s group for the donations of children’s books, books and clothes. The inclusion of these gifts has meant a lot to the parents and children we serve.
Just a little over halfway through the year, we have already served more families than we did in all of 2024!
Thriving Traits Sermon Series
During the work we did with through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, we learned about five traits that CBF identified as indicative of vibrant, thriving churches. This fall, Pastor Emily is leading us through a sermon series based around the five traits so that we can envision a future built around these ways of strengthening our church.
The definitions below come from CBF’s Thriving Congregations Resources.
Compelling Clarity
Sunday, August 24
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Compelling Clarity is knowing who you are, your giftedness, the importance of your ministry, and being clearly defined by what you are rather than what you are not.
For your convenience, Immanuel is now set up for online giving to the church and its various missions!
If you would like to donate online, go to the church website at: ibcfrankfort.com/give/
When you get to that screen, click on “Give Online Today” and include the amount and fund(s) to which you wish to give.
You will be asked for your credit card information at that point and whether you wish to cover the processing cost (this is the cost the church has to pay in order to receive donations online).
Rooted Relationships
Sunday, August 31
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Rooted Relationships are defined by having a life and faith marked by deep, meaningful relationships. These relationships helps us hear and clarify God’s call.
Holy Tenacity
Sunday, September 7
Luke 14:25-33
Holy Tenacity is a persistence that flows from a growing faith; not surrendering in the face of challenges and not merely enduring difficult seasons.
Faithful Agility
Sunday, September 14
Luke 15:1-10
Faithful agility is being flexible and innovative in the face of changes and challenges.
Dynamic Collaboration
Sunday, September 21
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Dynamic collaboration is being connected to, and rooted in, the Kingdom of God beyond one local church in order to see places for partnership and support.
Please be sure to come to worship or catch up on the sermons in order to learn more about how these traits have and will inform our church life.
STEWARDSHIP
Online Giving Now Available
Please contact Jill LeMaster at the church office, 502-223-7601, if you have any questions.
*If you are happy with the way you currently give to the church, you do not need to switch to online giving. We added online giving for people who would like to have this option.
Thank you, as always for your support of the church! Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue reaching out to the community and making a difference in each other’s lives and the lives of our neighbors.
Grandparent’s Sunday Christmas Cantata
Christmas Cantata Rehearsals will begin on Wednesday, September 17. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us for this year’s cantata, please let Mac know! He would love to offer you or them the “opportunity” to sing with us.
We will be singing “Candles and Carols” by Mark Hayes and Pamela Martin. It is nicely matched with the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love well represented in the cantata, as well as a piece on Christ’s light, which lends itself to the lighting of the Christ Candle.
Come and join us!
Welcome Pat Pennington
Following Sara League’s retirement as our church pianist, Pat Pennington has agreed to step into the role, beginning her service on Sunday, September 7. We are excited to welcome Pat, who comes to us with decades of experience as a church pianist. We are looking forward to welcoming her back, as she and her family were members of IBC for many years, and it will be good to see her face among us regularly once again.
Please welcome Pat when you see her!
REMINDERS
Upcoming Events and Noteworthy Updates
ImmanuelFest
ImmanuelFest is coming up on Saturday, September 27, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Invite friends and family! (For more information about volunteering, turn to the next page of the Connections).
Capital City Pride Festival
Once again, IBC will participate in the Capital City Pride Festival on Saturday, October 11. Please let Sam know if you would like to volunteer!
Where’s the Pictoral Directory?
We are working on the directory, and this is a new process for us! We will have dates for pictures and retakes, and the directory will be fully available by the end of the year.
Trunks of Treats
We will host Trunks of Treats on October 31. Save the Date! More information to come.
Note: Children’s events, including Sunday School, now require KidCheck registration. All current families should have received a registration link. If you have not, please let Sam know at sam@ibcfrankfort.com.
Visit www.d365.org for daily Back to School devotionals. While these devotionals are written for youth, many adults have shared how much this daily practice has meant to them!
ADULT ACTIVITIES
Lydia Greear Baptist Mission Women Lunch Outing
On Friday, September 12, the Lydia Greear Baptist Mission Women group will travel to Berea for a lunch at the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant. You can meet us at church at 10 a.m., to ride share or drive yourself and meet us at the restaurant at 11 a.m.
Invite a friend to come too!
These lunches are a nice way to fellowship, get to know new people, and deepen relationships with friends, all while exploring a different area or new restaurant! During conversation, the group often also talks about future ways to engage in missions and service together.
If you have been considering joining with the BMW group, this is another good opportunity to dive in. It is always a fun time, with women from their 30s to 80s+!
Please call the church office or let Becky Tippett know if you would like to join!
WITH GRATITUDE
Cameroon Africa
Greetings beloved in Christ,
Thank you for always thinking about us.
The mid year funds gave us an opportunity to support eight internally displaced women. Their houses were burnt in the course of the ongoing war. They escaped and sought refuge in Bamenda center.
We began psychological first aid after a meeting with them, where we prayed and encourage them from Psalm 30:5, which says weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Two of the victims were sent
Dear Friends,
to a therapist. They each received $35 and some laundry soap.
May the Almighty God continue to enrich you and replenish your source in Jesus name.
Warmest Regards, Eny
Bunyui
Sara League
“Thank you” seems inadequate to express my deep, deep feelings for all the love, support and encouragement you have shown me over the last 40 years.
I appreciate so much your cards, emails and many other expressions of love and support as I finish this chapter.
But we are not going away, and we look forward to more years of friendship and new opportunities for service at Immanuel.
Sara
You don’t have to spend very long with the people at IBC to realize that the momentum is shifting. Even events that used to have 8-12 people attending have now seen dozens of people come. I can’t count the number of times we have had to pull out extra chairs and tables because more people joined a fellowship event than expected. We even had over 30 senior adults join us for our trip to Ricardo’s last month with Faith Baptist Church.
The Pastor’s Column Continued
Time and time again, we are showing our eagerness and desire to see this community of faith thrive. We want to be able to “experience and express God’s unconditional love” so that everyone in Frankfort - and beyondwill know that the God who created them - the God who took on human form to stand alongside them - loves them unconditionally. We truly believe that God is not done with Immanuel Baptist Church, and we are living like it!
In church leadership circles, a pastor’s third year is often considered to be the year that they “start something.” Most of the first two years is meant to be consumed with listening and learning, so that any vision-casting or planning can be engaged from a deep knowledge of the congregation -
IMMANUELFEST
not from the whims of the pastor.
The past two years have certainly involved a great deal of listening and learning. I believe that job is never done! Now that we are entering year three together, it’s time to let the momentum drive us further. It’s time to see where this potential will take us.
I hope you are as excited as I am about all the possibilities before us. With God’s help, we can do amazing things! God is already moving uswe just have to keep the momentum going. What a future we will have before us if we do!
ImmanuelFest Volunteers and “Sale” Items Requested
Donate:
Household items
Sports equipment
Electronics
Children’s Clothing and Toys
ImmanuelFest is a ministry for individuals in our community. Every year, we are able to offer many free items to members of our community who are in need, and we are ready to re-stock for this year’s event!
Please bring your no longer needed household items, sports equipment, electronics, and children’s clothing and toys to the former church library (first room on the left if you exit the back of the sanctuary and turn left; or last door on the right before the sanctuary if you are walking down the hallway from the choir room) by
September 26. We will NOT be collecting adult clothing or books. We need volunteers to help sort items on Friday, September 25 from 3-5 pm at church.
We also needs cases of water bottles, can soft drinks and cookies packed two to a baggie. If you prefer, monetary donations will also work.
Volunteers
Contact the following people to help with specific tasks:
Free Fair: Jill LeMaster, 502-320-1486
Food: Jennifer True, 502-226-8123
Set up/Take Down: Doug Henley, 502-545-2564 or Steve Dooley, 502-226-0973
We are in need of four pop up tents for the event. Contact Steve Dooley: 502-226-0973 or Doug Henley: 502-545-2564 if you have one we can borrow.
1075 Collins Lane
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
(502)223-7601
www.ibcfrankfort.com
Stewardship Report
Prayer List
Roger Crittenden
Glenn Ison
Janet Lewis
Ernie Murphy
Family of Lonnie Turner
Noland Williams
Susan Wolfe
Joyce Wood
Family of Jill Lee
Opportunities at Immanuel
Sunday, September 7
9:30 am Bible Study 10:30 am Worhip with Communion/ Grandparents’ Day
Monday, September 8
6:00 pm Deacons’ Meeting
Wednesday, September 10
6:00 pm Choir Practice
Thursday, September 11 1:00 pm Line Dancing in Fellowship Hall
Friday, September 12
10:00 am Lydia Greear Baptist Mission Women Lunch in Berea 3:00 pm Crafting
Saturday, September 13 9:00 am Crafting
Sunday, September 14
9:30 am Bible Study 10:30 am Worship
Wednesday, September 17 6:00 pm Choir Practice
Thursday, September 18 1:00 pm Line Dancing in Fellowship Hall
Sunday, September 21 9:30 am Bible Study 10:30 am Worship
Wednesday, September 24 6:00 pm Choir Practice
Thursday, September 25 1:00 pm Line Dancing in Fellowship Hall
Saturday, September 27 10:00 am Immaneulfest
Sunday, September 28 9:30 am Bible Study 10:30 am Worship