weekly update

Greetings, Church Family and Friends! 

As you prepare for the Lord's Day tomorrow, take a few moments to give the Lord thanks for the relatively mild temperatures we have had this summer. It is forecasted to heat up today and throughout the next week or so. It is our custom to open up the church on exceptionally hot days for those who need a place to cool off. If you know of someone who might be in that situation this week, please let them know that we are open daily.

Our association sponsored a Transitional Pastor Training on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I was privileged to attend. Gary Dean and Walter Thomack and 8 others also attended. Gary Mathes from Clay-Platte Baptist Association (formerly associate pastor at Green Valley Baptist Church) and Buddy Funk with Resound Network/Missouri Baptist Convention led the training. As I shared with our folks Wednesday evening, I don't have any plans to become a "transitional pastor" anytime soon, but I was encouraged to attend by our associational leadership. The training was outstanding. So much of it overlaps with church revitalization. The Resound Network works with both churches who are without pastors and churches who need some level of revitalization. I left personally refreshed and encouraged to reignite the revitalization process for us. We are in an excellent position as a church to undertake this work. You will be hearing more about this from me in the near future.

THE LORD'S DAY (8/20):

• Bible Study for All Ages, 9:30 am. Nurser through Senior Adults, we have a group for you.
• DISCOVER FBC, a 4-week class for those interested in becoming members of the church, will be finishing up with its final session during the Sunday School hour, 9:30 - 10:20 am. The class is highly recommended for all current and future members of FBC. The class covers the following subjects: 
  • The Gospel
  • The Church: Its Meaning, Membership, and Ministry
  • First Baptist Church: Our History, Confession, Structure, and Affiliation
  • Spiritual Gifts: Finding Your Place of Service
• Worship Together at 10:40 am in the Sanctuary.  Our sermon text will be Luke 24:36-53 on Jesus' Benediction and Ascension. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared several times to His disciples. Luke records that final meeting along with some of the most intriguing and compelling words to His followers. He essentially commands them to proclaim the message of the Gospel "to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." This last paragraph of Luke's Gospel overlaps with the first paragraph of the book of Acts, which is Luke, Volume 2. It is my intention to lead us in studying Acts, beginning with an introductory sermon next week, Aug. 27. 
• Scriptures for Sunday.  Here are the Scriptures we will be reading that will shape our corporate worship. Take a few moments to read and meditate on them as you prepare for worship tomorrow. Click anywhere on the link to see a printable version of these passages on biblegateway.com

• Call to Worship: Psalm 67
• Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:15-35 
• Assurance: Isaiah 1:18 
• Sermon Text: Luke 24:36-53 
• Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14

• Baptist Catechism Questions 33-34 "On the Redemption Purchased By Christ"
  • Question 33: How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
    • Answer: We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effective application of it to us, by His Holy Spirit.      
    • Scripture: John 3:5, 6; Titus 3:5, 6.
  • Question 34: How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
    • Answer: The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
    • Scripture: 1 John 5:1; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 16:14; 18:27; John 3:8; 6:64f.

• Member Meeting/Fellowship Meal Following Morning Worship.  The church will supply drinks and table service. You may bring main dishes, sides, salads, and desserts. All are invited to attend. **NOTE: We need a class or a group to serve as "hosts," setting out the food, table service, getting the drinks made, placing salt and pepper on tables, etc., as well as clean-up. Please e-mail or text me if you or your class would like to take your turn this time.
• Prayer Walk at the School, 6 pm. We will gather outside of Maysville R1 school on the front lawn to pray for students, teachers, staff, administration and school board members. We will have a season of prayer as a group then disperse in small groups to pray around the campus. Teachers have already been busily at work this week, and students will return on Tuesday, Aug. 22. 

MONDAY (8/21)

• Monday "Sunday School" online via ZOOM. See Pastor Kyle to join this virtual Bible study group.  To join Zoom Meeting, follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87573789453?pwd=Zjg5ZWZ2N1h5WklxOEFjM3IrVUt1QT09      Meeting ID: 875 7378 9453       Passcode: 478672   

WEDNESDAY (8/23)

• Women's Wednesday morning ZOOM Bible Study.  (CURRENTLY ON HIATUS until October 11)
• YOUTH BIBLE STUDY meets at 6:30 in the Youth Room. All students in grades 7-12 are welcome to attend as we journey through the book of Mark. 
• Bible Study and Prayer, 6:30 pm in the Great Room, live and via ZOOM.  Join us for a time of prayer and time in God's Word walking through the book of Exodus. We will be in Exodus 19:10 and following, which is Moses and the people at Mt. Sinai. To join Zoom Meeting, follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87573789453?pwd=Zjg5ZWZ2N1h5WklxOEFjM3IrVUt1QT09    Meeting ID: 875 7378 9453    Passcode: 478672 

ICYMI: Last Sunday's sermon audio from Luke 24:13-35 "Journey to Emmaus ... and Back"

Other previous messages are archived here .   Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. 
COMING UP:

• Sunday, August 27 - Worship in the Park, 4:30 pm families begin to gather for games and recreation at Bartlett Park; 6 pm will be the cookout; 7 pm brief devotional service. The church will provide burgers, dogs, buns, and some condiments (mustard, ketchup, relish, pickles), you bring the rest!
  • NOTE: We will need someone with a ball and hitch to pull the grill over to the park, a team to start up the grill and supervise the cooking, and a group to haul a few tables to the park, so let me know if you are available to help. We will have a brief organizational meeting following worship on the 27th. 

• Friday, Sept. 8 - Life Celebrators (SJBA Senior Adult Ministry) trip to Leavenworth. Cost is $25 and includes transportation and lunch at Solarium Lunch Buffet at Ft. Leavenworth. A flyer is attached to this email. Call Jodi at the SJBA office at 816-233-2504 to make your reservation as space is limited.
• Saturday, Sept. 9 - Baptist Homes Trap Shoot at Smithville, a fund raiser sponsored by Kansas City Trap Shooters Association. For more information, call Nick Davis with Baptist Homes at 573-822-4319. See the attached flyer.
• Saturday, Sept. 16 - Missouri Quilt Festival, 9 am - 4 pm, Platte County Fairgrounds, benefiting Missouri Baptist Children's Home. If you are interested in helping in any way (set up, donating a quilt, tear down), contact Steve Noyes at 816-271-3891. 
• Sunday, Sept. 24 - Pregnancy Resource Clinic will present a "Be Informed" session 5:30 - 7 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Libby Owens, director of the PRC, will be the speaker. A light supper will be provided by Her PLAN, a support organization that facilitates collaboration between assistance providers and their communities to empower women and families through comprehensive medical, social, and material support. The purpose of the event is to provide relevant information to help rural communities be life-affirming. This is for all churches in the region.  All are invited, but please let us know if you plan to attend so we can have an accurate count for supper. 
• Saturday, Sept. 30 - Another Churchwide Game Night! 6 - 8 pm, in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite board games, snacks, and drinks. We'll provide cups, plates, ice, and plasticware. Seventeen of us gathered last month and had a great time of fellowship and fun. This is also a wonderful way to make new friends in the congregation. Come out and join us!
• Sunday, Oct. 1 - SJBA Annual Meeting, 4 pm - 6 pm(ish), at Green Valley Baptist in St. Joe. Our speaker this year will be Mark Clifton, specialist in church revitalization and replanting. Mark is an engaging speaker, has helped a number of churches work through revitalization, and is very down to earth. You should plan to attend if at all able. You will be blessed.

FIGHTER VERSE: Our Fighter Verse this week is Psalm 30:4-5
"Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning."

REMINDER FROM THE COUNTING TEAM: To receive a record of your donation at the end of the year, please place your offering in an envelope with your name and amount given printed on the outside.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE The Five-Day Bible Reading Plan is attached to this e-mail for your convenience. You may want to access additional resources to support your reading available at this website. 


CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY is extended to Russ Wright on the death of his brother, Hooker. Services will be at 2 pm, Monday, Aug. 21, at Ebenezer Baptist in Fulton, with visitation at noon. Obituary link is here.

BONUS: We continue to pray for those who have been devastated by the wildfires in Hawaii. Here is a link to a brief article from Tharran Gaines of the Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief Team about the fires, as well as a way you can give to help those in need through MBDR.


See you in church!


Grace & Peace,

Pastor Greg