September 18th, 2021

GREETINGS, EVERYONE! (There is a lot here this week, so you may want to scan the bold headings first)
This week, Psalm 43 came up three different times in my personal reading and group sharing. On Monday, Sept. 13, it was one of the Psalms of the day (13, 43, 73, 103, 133). On Wednesday, I read it in preface to our evening prayer time focused on Missouri missions. On Friday, it was part of my regular Bible reading plan. It seems the Lord was bringing it to my attention on purpose! If you will, indulge me to share just a couple of verses from the middle of this brief psalm:

"Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God."

In the very order of the phrases, the psalmist states that his worship, his joy, and his praise (signified by the "altar of God" and "the lyre") follows and flows from the light and truth which God sends out from Himself. They lead the psalmist into His very dwelling. It is the same for us: God's light and truth (yes, His very word) is the catalyst for praise. Praise is always for something, never without a reason. Some Godly attribute; some truth concerning God's nature and being; some Divine intention, purpose, or action. All of these are found in the pages of Scripture and provide abundant kindling to stoke the fire of our affections and send our praise and worship upward to the very throne room of God! 
The Valley of Vision prayer concerning "Scriptural Convictions" relates it this way: "I cannot find out thy perfections, but I know thou art good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy. Thou hast displayed thy wisdom, power, and goodness in all thy works, and hast revealed thy will in the Scripture of truth. Thou has caused it to be preserved, translated, published, multiplied, so that all men may possess it and find thee in it."
As we prepare for corporate worship this week, I pray that we would so individually and personally read God's word, reflect and meditate on it, and inwardly digest it that, when we come to the gathering on the Lord's Day, our hearts would be so full of the truth of God that we cannot but praise and magnify the God of all truth!

TOMORROW (SATURDAY, 9/18)
Work Day at the Church House! Folks will start arriving at 8 am, and I plan to have donuts and coffee ready for those who come. I cannot promise there will still be donuts at 10, so plan on getting here early. Here is a "punch list" of possible projects for you to work on (more may be added):

• Cut trees from pampas grass on property line south of church
• Remove carpet remnants next to building on lower parking lot
• Install remaining LED lights in Fellowship Hall and Minister of Education office
• Organize/sort/remove items from old sanctuary and nearby rooms
• Clean baptistry out
• Paint curbs and parking bumpers
• Paint outside trim around basement door (east side of old sanctuary)
• Sealer outside front door

There will be a little something for everyone, and the more hands on deck, the quicker we will be done. Even if you can come to do just one project, that will be greatly appreciated!

THE LORD'S DAY (SUNDAY)

• Fellowship Breakfast at 8:30 am. Join us as we start the day out with breakfast in the Fellowship Hall at 8:30 am. Some of the meal will be cooked on site, and you are welcome to help beginning around 7:15. Feel free to bring breakfast items prepared at home as well (egg casseroles, hash browns, french toast, fresh fruit, etc.). Contact Ron McElwain at 816-465-1637 for more information.
• Sunday School/Bible Study for All Ages at 9:30. If you are not in a Bible Study class, there is no better time to join than this Sunday!
• Worship Together at 10:40 in the Sanctuary. Here are the Scriptures we will be reading that will shape our corporate worship. Take a few moments to read and meditate on them. Also, we usually have seven different Scriptures in our morning worship, so they make a great resource for personal or family worship Sunday through Saturday.

Fighter Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Call to Worship: Psalm 1
OT Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31
NT reading: James 3:13-4:3, 7-8
Prayer of Confession: Psalm 54
Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 55:22 
Sermon Texts: 2 Timothy 4:1-15; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 
Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14

• Church Council at 5 pm. Planning, calendaring, coordinating ministries for the rest of 2021.
• Member Meeting at 6 pm. All members are urged and invited to attend as we take care of necessary business, celebrate and discuss ministry, and hear reports from the ministry team. We have a time of corporate prayer following the member meeting. (The member meeting is open for non-members to attend).

MONDAY

• Monday "Sunday School" online via ZOOM at 7 pm. See Pastor Kyle to join this virtual Bible study group.

WEDNESDAY

• See You At the Pole, 7:30 am, at the front entrance to MHS. Pray for your school! Students are encouraged to gather to pray for their school, fellow students, teachers, administrators, and staff. Donuts will be provided by Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 
• Kids' Club, 3:20 - 5:15 pm. Children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade gather for a time of snacks, tutoring, games, music, crafts, Bible lesson, and more! We've had a great couple of weeks, and we are looking forward to many more, Lord willing. Just click on the link to our website to enroll a child in Kids' Club.

COMING UP

• WORSHIP IN THE PARK. We will plan to meet on Sunday, September 26, following the same schedule as initially planned: 4:30 pm children's games; 6 pm cookout; 7 pm praise and worship. Bring your lawn chairs, side dishes and desserts; everything else will be provided. Invite a friend or neighbor to this relaxed time of food, fellowship, and fun!
• SJBA 150th Annual Meeting at FBC Savannah, Sunday, October 3 at 4 pm. This worship and missions gathering will be followed by a fellowship meal. Dr. Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway Seminary (formerly Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary) will be our speaker. Some of you may also remember that Dr. Iorg was pastor of Green Valley Baptist Church prior to going to Golden Gate/Gateway.
• LORD'S SUPPER, Sunday, Oct. 3 during the morning worship service. "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup." (1 Corinthians 11:28)
• Pregnancy Resource Clinic-Cameron fundraiser dinner will be Tuesday, October 5, in Hamilton. This will be a very nice catered meal of either stuffed chicken or roast beef. I am planning to secure a table for 8 for this event. Please let me know if you would like to attend by Monday, Sept. 20, if possible and which meal you would prefer. To attend just make your check for $25 per person out to First Baptist Church and designate for "PRC dinner."
• Missouri Music Men in concert, Thursday, Oct. 7 at McCarthy Baptist Church, St. Joseph, at 7 pm. It has been a couple of years since this group has been at our church. Come out and hear the brass, bells, and voices of the Missouri Music Men in concert. 
• Disaster Relief: Upcoming training event is Oct. 8-9 in Blue Springs, MO. The format is Friday evening and most of the day Saturday. If you are interested in attending a training, visit mobaptist.org/dr/dr-training. 
• CALLOUT FOR DISASTER RELIEF: From our Director of Missions:
  • Attention Everyone: MODR! (Missouri Disaster Relief) SJBA is looking to send a team to Mandeville, LA to work with other Missouri Team Members.The time frame will depend on how many can go on what week. The Possible weeks are as follows:General Dates of September 19 – 25, September 26 – Oct 2, October 10 – 16, or October 17 – 23.       Please review which week or weeks works best for you and contact Kenny Sisk (816)390-3206 or Roger Brumley (417) 440-0425 ASAP. Needed: Mud Out, Chainsaw, and Kitchen; PLUS Shower Unit and Laundry Unit for Team members. You don’t have to be D.R. trained but can go as a Volunteer.

• Children's MiniCamp, October 22-23, at Grand Oaks. All those in grades 5 through 7 are invited to register for this overnight event at Grand Oaks. We missed our camp week this year, so we are having an overnight retreat/camp experience. If you are interested in attending as a camper or a sponsor, please contact the church office at 449-2731. To sign up, follow the links in the announcement from the St. Joseph Baptist Association below:
  • Mini-Camp Begins Friday at 5:30pm and Continues until Check Out Saturday at 4:45pm Students currently in 5th, 6th, & 7th Grade / Cost is $25 (Meals, Snacks, and Drinks provided in cost) 
    • Campers Registration https://onrealm.org/frederickboulevard/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=OTZhYzRiN2QtNjkzMi00MjQxLTg1YTUtYWQ5NDAxMmY3ZjI4 
    • Staff & Coaches Registration https://onrealm.org/frederickboulevard/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=MjI1MDA1MGUtYzE5OC00NTAyLThjODItYWQ5NjAxMDcxY2U0   

ICYMI: Last Sunday’s Message "The Church: One, Holy, Catholic (Universal), Apostolic"
Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. 


READ THROUGH THE BIBLE schedule is attached. We are on Week 38.


BONUS: Rob Philips, director of the apologetics ministry of the Missouri Baptist Convention, has released a new book, What Every Christian Should Know About Satan: Biblical Names and titles that Reveal his Nature, Activities, and Destiny. Rob has compiled a well-researched, engaging, and hefty (over 400-page!) volume to aid the church in discipleship and defense of the faith. I am ordering 20 of these at the greatly reduced cost of $5 per book (75% off retail). Please let me know and I will reserve your copy (or copies) today. Make checks payable to the church and designate it "Satan book."


See you in church!


Grace and peace,


Pastor Greg