Hats off to Dad!

Well, tomorrow is Father's Day. Time to show dear ol' dad just how much he means to us. As with Mother's Day, we should not wait for only one day a year to arrive to show mom and dad how much they mean to us. All year long they show us how much we mean to them.

I am thankful each and every day for my dad. He means a lot to me (more than words can ever express). I don't know where I would be without him. He has instilled in me a sense of right and wrong but most of all he has shown me many, many times just how much he loves me. Not only me, but all his children.

Not only am I thankful for my earthly father, but I am also grateful for my Heavenly Father. I am humbled that He sent His only Son to die to save me from my sins. A blessing that amazes me each and every day that He could love us that much. I look forward to the day when I will see my Savior face to face.

I encourage each of us to take the time to show dad a little extra love and patience not only tomorrow, but everyday.

Don't forget about Men's breakfast tomorrow morning at 8am. Remember to set your alarm clock so you don't miss this wonderful time of food and fellowship.

I also wanted to mention that during VBS, we had one profession of faith. This young lady made a public profession of faith last Sunday and is a candidate for baptism. Tis a beautiful moment in her life and I encourage each of us to help her grow and become the person Christ would have her to be. Congratulations and welcome to the family. The family of God!

Take care and happy Father's Day!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Busy, Busy Busy

Happy Wednesday to each of you! I hope you are having a good week. As for me, I have been feeling a little under the weather. I left work early yesterday with a terrible pain in my stomach and started running a fever late last night. Have had a fever off and on today, but don't feel like I did yesterday. I have never been one to like being sick (don't know of anybody that does like to be sick) and I would DEFINITELY not make a good hospital patient. Anyway, enough about me and my ailments.

We have some exciting things taking place in our church. Remember to mark the dates on your calendar so you don't miss out!

Camp at White Oak will be coming soon for rising 4th, 5th and 6th graders. If you are looking for an adventure, you don't want to miss out on this exciting time at camp. A deposit of $25.00 is in order if you would like to attend. Please see our children's and youth leader for more details!

AtlantaFest for youth is this Thursday, June 15th-Saturday, June 17th. You are sure to have a blast!

Children's Day Camp: Monday, June 26th-Thursday, June 29th. Come on out and bring a friend!

Our Sunday School class the "TruthSeekers" is continuing the reading and studying of "The Purpose Driven Life". I am continuing to enjoy the readings and discussions. This is a book that should be read by everyone!

The drop in that was held this past Sunday for our pastor and his wife was wonderful! Much appreciation and thanks to those that spearheaded this drop in and also to those that assisted with the preparations, clean up, etc. The pastor was given a beautifully engraved keepsake box (it has the picture of North FBC engraved on it along with his years of service). His lovely wife was given a day at the spa (which will be greatly needed after all the loading and unloading of boxes is complete!) as well as a keepsake box for her curio cabinet. These are small tokens of our love and appreciation for them both. They will forever be in our hearts and prayers.

That concludes all I have for now. I pray that each of you will continue to have a safe and blessed week. Also, please remember my cousin in your prayers. She is scheduled to have surgery Monday, June 19th.

God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Current Happenings

Hello! I trust you all had a blessed week. I am glad that it is Friday! Today was a bear. I am thankful for the busyness of the day. We have so many things going on in our lives that we often times overlook the things that really matter.

Speaking of things that are happening; we have lots of things going on around our church. You don't want to miss any of it.

The children will be heading off to camp at White Oak soon. A deposit of $25.00 is in order. This camp is for rising 4th, 5th and 6th graders. I can remember when we took trips like this. I encourage those that wish to be a part of this event to take part. You will have memories to cherish for many years to come.

The "Secret Power" seminar for teenage girls will be this Monday, June 12-Wednesday, June 14th. There will be a special outing on Tuesday night (you will be going to Fatz cafe in Orangeburg).

The youth will be taking off for AtlantaFest this Thursday, June 15 and they will return Saturday, June 17th.

Let us not forget the "Farewell Drop-In" for our beloved pastor and his loving wife. They have come to mean so much to each of us and will be sad to see them go. They will always be a part of our family here at North FBC. The drop in will be this Sunday, June 11th in the fellowship hall from 3-5pm. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. May God continue to bless them and their family!

That about covers all I have for now. I hope you all enjoy your weekend. I understand we are in for some hot weather. Try and stay cool! Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

I am a Promise!!

I am a promise! I am a possibility! I am a promise, with a capital "P"! I am a great, big bundle of potentiality!! Boy, the kids did such a great job last night!! I remember singing songs like the ones they performed last night when I was in the children's/youth choir. We had so much fun. We are indeed a promise! A promise of God's faithful and undying love for each of us. He has so much in store for us if we just open our hearts and minds to all He has to offer.

Our Sunday School class is continuing with the study of "The Purpose Driven Life". It is certainly making me reflect and think on some areas of my life that need improvement. We are all jars of clay, waiting to be molded into what God wants us to be. Sure, I get frustrated with the things of life. We all do. But we have to remember we have a higher purpose than the trivial things of this world. We have a beautiful home waiting for us with our Lord and Savior. I am thankful to be a part of the family of God!!

We have some exciting things about to take place in our church. Vacation Bible School is about to start. The children and youth have many activities to look forward to. There is something for everyone to enjoy!

Speaking of VBS. It is to begin this Sunday, June 4th @ 6pm. There are classes for everyone. Classes will end each night at 8:30. The last night will be Thursday, June 8th. Come out and bring a friend and enjoy the fun time of food, fellowship, games and crafts. You won't be sorry!!

Youth: remember Sunday evening worship services have begun for you! Please be in the gym at 6:30 and be prepared to worship. Services will end at 8pm.

Children: there will be a summer kick-off party this Saturday, June 3rd. Meet at the church at 1pm to ride on the van. Parents: children will return to the church at 4pm.

Rising 4th, 5th and 6th graders: if you are looking for an adventure, look no further! Camp at White Oak is coming soon. A $25.00 deposit is in order if you would like to attend.

We will be having a guest speaker this Sunday. Please remember to keep him and his family in your prayers. I pray that God's will be done.

There will also be a "Farewell Drop-In" for our pastor and his wife on Sunday, June 11th in the fellowship hall from 3-5pm. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Your presence will be your gift. I know they will be missed. We have truly been blessed to have them and I know God will continue to bless them!

That is all I have for now. If you know of any other activities that I neglected to mention here, please let me know. I hope that each of you will have a blessed week!

Take care and see you next Sunday!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Memorial Day Weekend

Good Friday evening to each of you. I trust each of you had a good week. Mine was a bit hectic. I am so bogged down, I don't know if I will ever get it all caught up. Course, that's why they call it work, right??!! I try to remember that God doesn't give us any more than we can handle, but sometimes it truly is hard. What should have taken me about an hour to do today, ended up taking about 3-4 (computer problem). Oh well, I am glad to say that with the assistance of a very helpful support person on the other end of the phone, she and I were able to get it corrected! Thank goodness!!

Memorial Day is fast approaching. Soon May will be over. Time just seems to fly by so fast. I encourage each of us to remember those brave men and women who defended our freedom years ago as well as those defending our freedom today. Without them we would not be able to do the things we do (worship freely, come and go as we so desire, etc.). Although it seems as there are many driving forces (Satan's army) trying to discourage us from honoring our Lord and Savior. God is the basis on which this country was founded and it is in God we should most definitely trust. Without Him, NOTHING is possible!!

Here are some activities that will be coming up in the next few weeks. Boy aren't we busy??!! :-)

God's Kids will be presenting "I am a Promise" this Sunday night (May 28th). The children have been working hard on this presentation and I know we will be blessed by their performance (as always). Many thanks to their faithful leader for working with them so hard and helping them to grow in God's love. Come out and join us and bring a friend or two. The service starts at 6pm.

Don't forget about Discipleship training on Sunday evenings at 5pm. We have classes available for everyone and would love to have you join us. We are never too old to learn something new and we always need to be growing in our stewardship.

The children will have a Summer Kick-off Party. This event will take place next Saturday, June 4th. Meet at the church at 1pm (you will return at 4pm).

Vacation Bible School is about to begin. There are classes for everyone. The first day is Sunday, June 4th and ends Thursday, June 8th. Classes begin at 6pm and end at 8:30pm. Come out and bring a friend. It will surely be a blessing!!

"Secret Power", a seminar for teen girls will begin Monday, June 12. The cost is $35.00. This price includes a trip to Fatz cafe Tuesday night. The last session will be held on Wednesday, June 14th. For those that signed up, I am sure you will have lots fun!

The youth will be leaving for Atlanta Fest on Thursday, June 15 and will return Saturday, June 17th.

Children's day camp will start Monday, June 26 and ends Thursday, June 29th.

Children's camp at White Oak is slated for June 30th-July 2nd.

Children and youth: you don't want to miss out on any of the activities scheduled for you! For more information or to sign up for these events, please see our Youth and Children's leader. She will be glad to assist you!!

I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

It's Not About You

It's not about you. That seems to be the topic as of late. When you ponder that statement and really (and I mean really) begin to think of it in a totally different light, you realize that it is NOT about you. It's about a higher purpose. Something that is bigger than any of us. We all live such consuming lives. It is very easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life. We have to remember, as Christians, to stay focused on the ultimate goal and the rewards to be reaped in the end. We all have a purpose in life.

That brings me to the topic our Sunday School class, the Truthseekers, is currently studying. We are reading 4 chapters each week of "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. I am enjoying the reading and the discussions immensely. The first statement in the book is "It isn't about you." I have heard this statment many times over the past week, and indeed it isn't about me or you. Now, this statement can be taken many, many ways. But the ultimate way for it to be taken goes back to my earlier statement..."It's about a higher purpose and God's intent for our lives." We all have to really look at our lives and ask "are we where God wants us to be" or "are we where we want to be?".

This also brings up some of the things the guest speaker at the Men's breakfast mentioned yesterday morning. I am so glad I went to hear her speak. It really touched me. So much of what she had to say reminded me of things in my life I am currently dealing with. The "busy"ness of life. Are we busy doing the things that God would have us to do, or are we busy doing the things we think we are supposed to be doing and missing out on a greater lesson? Often times we find ourselves too busy to take a few minutes to call that person we have been meaning to call or to go and visit that person(s) we have been meaning to visit for a while now. We have to learn to stop and smell the roses and grasp every opportunity that is put in front of us. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, all we can do is live for today.

I also stepped outside of the box yesterday and went to hear the Mass choir at St. Mark's United Methodist Church perform. I was so blessed by this experience. My neighbor invited me to attend and I am glad I went. They were awesome. I felt that the roof of the church was going to be lifted off of it at any moment. That's how we should be as Christians. Overflowing with love and praise for our Lord Jesus and all that He has done for us. We should spread His love to everyone and have His light shining through us so that we "explode" with love for everyone. The best witness we have is to be an example of Christian love to our fellow man/woman. If they don't see Christ through us in our example, we have failed an important test.
We have to walk the walk and talk the talk.

I encourage each of us to "be all we can be". We are part of a grand family, the family of God. I am glad to be a part of that family and I know you are too!

Here are some happenings in our church this week:

We have several young people who graduated or will be graduating this year. My hat is off to each of you for striving forward and I urge you to keep up the good work! This is but a stepping stone in your life and will be one of many. Grasp it and continue to press on towards the goal God has placed before you! Congratulations and best wishes to each of you! You deserve it!!

Youth worship services began last night at 6:30 in the gym. If you are a young person looking for a church home, we would love to have you join us. If you are already part of our youth group and know of someone who is looking for a church home, I encourage you to invite him or her. Everyone is welcome in God's house!

The $25.00 deposit for AtlantaFest is due next Sunday. Don't forget!!

Children's summer kick-off party is next Saturday, June 3rd from 1-4pm. Flyers were mailed out last week. If you have any questions, please contact our children's and youth leader for more details.

Rising 4th, 5th and 6th graders: if you are looking for an adventure, look no further. Camp at White Oak will be coming soon. A deposit of $25.00 is needed if you would like to attend.

Yesterday was the last day for permission slips and money to be turned in for the "Secret Power" seminar for teen girls. A deposit of $35.00 was needed.

If you have any questions about any of the upcoming events for children or youth, please contact our youth and children's leader. She is happy to assist you!!

God's Kids will be presenting their spring musical. It's entitled "I am a Promise" and will portray a message of obedience. This presentation will be next Sunday, May 28th at 6pm. Come and join us and bring a friend!

Please keep our sick, bereaved, our missionaries, world leaders and troops in your prayers.

I hope each of you will have a blessed week. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Weekend Happenings at FBC

Good afternoon! I hope everyone has been having a wonderful week. I wanted to remind everyone of some activities that will be taking place this weekend.

First there will be an XYZ meeting Friday night at 7pm. A picnic meal will be provided!

Children will have gym time this Saturday, May 20th from 2-5pm. Come out and bring a friend!

Don't forget...there will be a special Men's breakfast this Sunday morning. The ladies of the church have been invited to attend. There will be a special guest speaker and breakfast will start at 8am. You don't want to miss the wonderful time of food and fellowship.

Remember to keep our upcoming VBS in your prayers. Please keep not only the time of teaching in your prayers, but those who will be leading and assisting. Everyone is encouraged to be in attendance. There is a class available for all ages! VBS starts Sunday, June 4th.

That's all I have for now. I hope the remainder of your week goes well and will see you on Sunday! God bless!!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Current Happenings

Hello! I trust everyone had a wonderful Monday. I also hope all the Mother's had a grand Mother's Day.

The sermons yesterday were a blessing indeed. An excellent way to remind us all of the place Mother's have in our lives. They do so much for us and care far more than we can imagine. Thank the good Lord for Mothers!!

Here are some upcoming events happening in our church:

Youth worship services start next Sunday (May 21st) in the gym. They will begin at 6:30 and end at 8pm. All youth are encouraged to attend. If you have a friend or relative that would love to become a part of our youth group, invite him or her to attend. They will receive such a blessing!

Attention teen girls: On Monday June 12th at 3pm and Wednesday June 14 there will be a special study just for you. The donation is $35.00. This price includes the necessary books, meals and even a night out at Fatz cafe in Orangeburg Tuesday, June 13th. Signed permission slips are required and must be returned by May 21st. If you are interested in this study, please contact our faithful youth leader. I know she will be glad to assist you!

Children: there will be a swimming party Saturday, June 3rd. Please meet at the youth building at 1:30 that Saturday. You will return to the church at 4:30 that day. This promises to be lots of fun!! Permission slips are required for this activity as well.

Men's breakfast will be next Sunday (May 21st) at 8am. The ladies of our church have been invited to attend. You don't want to miss this special time of food and fellowship!

Don't forget about our Wednesday night supper this week at 6pm in the fellowship hall. Women on Mission will be meeting this Wednesday at 7pm. All other organizational meetings will be held as well.

I believe that about covers all I have for now. If you have any news you would like posted, please let me know.

Adult choir (old members and those wishing to join us): don't forget about choir practice immediately following the evening worship service. Practice usually starts about 7pm and lasts an hour. If you are thinking of joining us, we are more than happy to have you do so.

Until next time, I hope you have a blessed week!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

A Mother's Love

Good Friday evening to each of you. I hope you had a wonderful week! In just a couple of days it will be time to honor the special ladies in our lives. We shouldn't just confine our gratitude and special thoughts to only one day, we should show our mother's how much they mean to us all year long. After all, don't they give unselfishly of themselves every day??!! The world would be a sad place without Mom. I am thankful for mine each and every day. A mother's love is so vast and strong. It grows and grows throughout the years. I don't know if we could ever repay the thoughtfulness and generosity our mother's exhibit. Remember to take the time this Mother's day (Sunday, May 14th) to let Mom know how much she means to you. It will make her heart swell with pride and love! Thanks Mom for all you do!!

In keeping with the news of our church we have several things happening over the next couple of weeks. For starters, we will have baby dedication tomorrow morning during the worship hour. We will recognize the Mom's as well during the morning worship hour.

Women on Mission will be meeting this Wednesday at 7pm. Don't forget about the Wednesday night supper at 6pm with Prayer Meeting and other organizational meetings immediately following.

Newsletter deadline is this Thursday, May 18th. Please have all information that needs to be in the newsletter into the church office by then!

Youth will be having Gym time tomorrow night, May 13th from 7-10pm. Come on out and bring a friend!

XYZ will be meeting Friday, May 19th at 7pm. A picnic meal will be provided.

Children will be having Gym time next Saturday, May 20th from 2-5pm. You don't want to miss this time of fun and fellowship!

Men's breakfast will be Sunday, May 21st at 8am. If I remember correctly, the women of our church have been invited to attend. You don't want to miss this special occasion!!

Also, if you know of someone who is graduating this year, please notify the church office. We don't want to leave anyone out. Please provide the person(s) full name as you wish for it to appear in the bulletin. Graduation is a special time and graduates deserve that special recognition.

I think that about covers all I have for now. As always, keep on keeping on. God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Rainy Day

Happy Sunday! Hope everyone has had a good weekend. I am so thankful to see this rain. We surely need it. God certainly knows when to time things to occur. Always in His perfect plan!

I have a few announcements I want to share with you. This is a busy time of year for our students. Especially for those preparing to graduate. I remember when I graduated from high school and college. It was truly a scary, but memorable stepping stone in my life. My wish for those that will be graduating this year is that you follow God's plan for your life and not let things of this world influence your decisions for your future(s). We have a higher goal than anything this world has to offer. Just remember to keep God in all aspects of your life and you will wind up where you are supposed to be. Always turn to Him for His ever faithful guidance. He will not guide you astray!

If you know of someone who is graduating this year, please call the church office and let them know. Make sure to give the name of how it should appear in the bulletin. We want to be sure to recognize our graduates and don't want to leave anyone out! Congratulations and best wishes to each of you!!

XYZ club: you will be meeting Friday, May 19th at 7pm. A picnic meal will be provided. Be sure to make note of this on your calendars (the old date had been the 12th, but that has been changed in lieu of another event taking place in our fellowship hall that evening).

Speaking of which...remember to pray for our two young people who will be joined in marriage that Saturday (May 13th). The blushing bride and her handsome groom will surely have a life filled with love because it will be based on God and His expectations for them! Congratulations and best wedding wishes to you both!

It is my understanding that the youth raised $312 at the car wash they had a couple of weekends ago. I also understand that amount will be matched. That means that altogether they will have raised $624 to be used towards their summer ministries. Keep up the good work!!

Also, summertime is fast approaching and the grass at the cemetery will be in need of cutting. Donations to maintain the Riverside Cemetery will be helpful, appreciated and they are tax deductible. Please keep this in mind!!

Mother's Day is next Sunday (May 14th). Remember to take the time to let our mother's know how much they mean to us. Mother's contribute so much to our lives. I don't know where I would be without mine!!!! So remember to take a moment to share encouraging words and blessings with those precious women who influence our lives!

Hope you all have a good week. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Morning Revival Service

Good afternoon. For those that weren't able to be in the morning revival service, I hope we will see you there tonight. You missed a wonderful service. This morning's message was on "The Lostness of Man". Man indeed is lost. We can be saved and still be lost. As Christians, it is important for us to strive each and every day to be the person that God wants us to be. It is a hard task if we try to do it alone. But if we look to God for His wisdom and grace, it will make the journey so much easier and the load that much lighter. I don't profess to be perfect by any means. I certainly have a long way to go myself. I know I am a sinner and I am thankful that I have a risen Saviour who loves me.

I encourage you to join us this evening. Come and bring a friend. The evening service starts at 6pm tonight. Services Monday-Wednesday will begain at 7pm. There will be a meal on Wednesday night at 6pm in the fellowship hall. Let's strive to make this a revival we will remember for a long time to come.

If you are in the choir, please meet in the choir room at 5:50 tonight.

I hope to see you there!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Revive Us Again!

Good Saturday morning to each of you. I hope you had a blessed week. Our church is getting ready for our spring revival starting tomorrow morning. Our guest speaker will be the pastor from Congaree Baptist Church. We are looking forward to having him come and speak to us. I encourage each of us to try and be there as many nights as we can. Come and bring a friend. The services will be 11am Sun., 6pm Sun. evening and Monday-Wednesday at 7pm. There will be a supper on Wed. night at 6pm. We are sure to blessed!

Don't forget: the youth are having a car wash at Best Auto Sales this morning. It will run until 1pm. So come on out and bring your car and let the youth spiff it up in time for revival tomorrow! Our young people mean so much to us and we need to encourage them in every positive way we can. Come on out and show your support!

Youth and Children's committee meetings will be held Sunday, May 7th. The children's committee will meet at 4:00 and the youth committee will meet at 4:30.

Children will have gym time next Saturday, May 6th from 2-5pm. Remember to mark it on your calendar! If you know of a young person(s) that are in need of a church home, encourage them to come and join us and allow God to speak to them through us.

This is also the time of year to remember our mother's and all they have done for us. Not only is Mother's Day next month, but it will also be a time to recognize our graduates. Graduation is a big stepping stone in a person's life. I remember when I graduated from both high school and college. I was excited and nervous at the same time. It brings on new and challenging experiences. So let's remember not only our graduates, but the proud and loving mother's of each and everyone of them and what they all mean to us!

Things will certainly pick up even more with summer right around the corner. Let's be much in prayer for all of the upcoming activities and that God will touch us as only He can. We also need to remember the nominating committee as they prepare to search for willing folks to fill positions on various committees.

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday. Also, choir members don't forget.....our faithful choir director has asked that we attend revival services as many nights as we can so we can be fill the choir loft. If you are wishing to join the choir, we would love to have you! Choir practice is at 7pm immediately following the evening worship service. Come and make a joyful noise. There's always room for more!!

Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Upcoming Events

Happy Sunday morning to each of you! Hope you are having a good weekend. We have lots of upcoming activities to look forward to in our church. You'll want to be sure to be there!!

First off, the youth will be having a car wash Saturday, April 29th at Best Auto Sales from 9am-1pm. Come out and help support our youth!

Revival services will begin Sunday, April 30th with a service at 11am and one at 6pm. Monday through Wednesday services will begin at 7pm. If you know of someone who is looking for a church to call home, invite them to attend our revival services. It is sure to be a blessing!

Vacation Bible School is on it's way. Our ever faithful VBS director is looking for willing volunteers to help teach, etc. If you are interested, please contact her as soon as possible!

Remember to keep our nominating committee in your prayers. They will begin their search for people willing to serve on various committees. Allow God to speak to you and find the right place to serve Him in our church. Every position is important and there is a place for everyone! It is never an easy job to find the right person(s) for the job, but when we are working for God's glory the task will become easy!

I must say that the church was quite beautiful last Sunday with all the Easter lilies. Now, I am not trying to be biased by any means, but I feel that we indeed have been blessed with the beautiful sanctuary that we have. I feel it is even more beautiful when the Easter lilies and poinsettas adorn it. Absolutely wonderful!!

Men: don't forget Prayer garden on Friday at 7am. I encourage you to come and join this group if you haven't already. You will be blessed!

That's about all I have for now. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Easter Blessings

Happy Easter to each of you. I hope you had a blessed day today with friends and family. Tis a wonderful time to reflect and remember the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We have so much to be thankful for. I know I am blessed many times over with the wonderful church family of which I am proud to be a part of, the loving family I have at home as well as the terrific friends God has so graciously placed in my life. I don't know where I would be without any one of them. Most of all I don't know where I would be without the annointing love of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that He gave His life for our sins that we might live in Heaven with Him for all eternity.

This morning's service was indeed a blessing. It was good to look out and see many of our church family in attendance today as well as those who were visiting. I find myself often wishing I could be in the choir and sitting in the congregation to get the full effect of everything. One thing is for sure, if you ever think you are missing out on something by not being in one place or another rather than where you are, you are truly missing out on a grand experience just being where God puts you in the first place! I love being a part of our choir and encourage those that might be contemplating to come and join us as well. You surely will be blessed.

Will post more later on the upcoming events around our church. For now, enjoy the rest of your Easter Sunday and God bless!

My love to each of you!

Tina :-)

Good Friday!

Good Friday to each of you. I hope you had a terrific week. Easter is almost here. In 2 days we will be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior!! Amen! In light of that, please remember to come and be a part of the Community Easter Sunrise Service being held this Sunday (April 16th) at North Pentecostal Holiness Church at 7am. Breakfast will immediately follow in the NPHC Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to attend! Come and bring a friend or two! Our beloved pastor will be the guest speaker.

Our activities for Easter morning will be as follows: Sunday School at 9am and Worship at 10am. The adult choir has a special song for this glorious morning. You don't want to miss any of the acitivites that will be taking place on this special day. There will be no evening services.

The children will be having an Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 15th from 2-5pm. All children are invited to attend.

Our youth will be working very hard on Saturday, April 29th at a car wash they will be having at Best Auto Sales from 9am-1pm. Come on out and help support our young people!!

Remember First Place on Monday evenings. Weigh-in is at 6:30 and sessions begin at 7pm.

Revival services will begin Sunday, April 30th with a morning service at 11am and an evening service at 6pm. Services Monday-Wednesday will begin at 7pm. Everyone is invited.

I hope each of you will have a blessed and wonderful weekend. Hope to see you Sunday at our Easter services. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!! :-)

Glory to God!!

Hello to everyone. I hope you are having a good week so far (even though it has just begun). I wanted to take a minute to give you a quick update on some things that will be happening this week and in the coming weeks.

First and foremost, if you missed last night's performance of "Behold the Darkness" by the adult choir, I wish you had been there. I don't say that because I am in the choir, it truly was a grand experience. We need to remember and remind others of what Christ did for us all so many years ago. Our Sunday School class has been watching "The Passion of the Christ" and everything that we have been talking about in that class as well as last night's performance are leading up to the miraculous resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

In other news, there will be an Easter egg hunt this Saturday, April 15th for ALL children from 2-5pm. If you would like to donate eggs and snacks, they will be greatly appreciated!

The youth will be having a car wash at Best Auto Sales on Sat., April 29th from 9am-1pm. Be sure to stop by and put our youth to work!

The Easter sunrise service will be at North Pentecostal Holiness Church Sun., April 16th at 7am. Breakfast will be immediately after the service in the NPHC fellowship hall. Our beloved pastor will be speaking. Sunday morning services at our church will begin with Sunday School at 9am and worship at 10am. There will be no evening services. Be sure to mark your calendars!

The church office will be closed Friday, April 14th in observance of Good Friday.

Remember that Gardening sessions have been suspended until further notice.

Revival services will begin Sunday, April 30th at 11am and 6pm. Monday-Wednesday services will begin at 7pm. Come and bring a friend!

Next month, the ladies of the church have been invited to attend the Men's breakfast Sunday, May 21st at 8am. There will be a guest speaker from the North United Methodist church! Will be an exciting time for both men and ladies! Make plans to be in attendance that day!!

As always let's remember those who are sick or bereaved, etc. When there is nothing else you can physically do for someone, you can certainly always pray for them!

I hope you each have a blessed week and will see you on Sunday. The adult choir has a special song planned for this grand day. You don't want to miss it!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Happy Wednesday!

Hello! Hope everyone is having a great week. I have a few updates on some things happening in our church.

First and foremost, I am sad to announce that the Gardening sessions have been suspended until further notice. The leader of this class is not able to continue sessions at this time due to health reasons. Please keep him in your prayers. God has blessed him with the ability to share his knowledge of gardening and I hope he will be able to resume the sessions soon.

Youth: remember the gym will be open Sat., April 8th from 7-10pm. Come on out and bring a friend!

There will be an Easter egg hunt on Sat., April 15th for all children from 2-5pm. It is sure to be a fun time! Donations of eggs and snacks will be greatly appreciated.

Don't forget to place your order for Easter lilies. The cost is $12.00. Please place your order form in the offertory plate. The last day to submit orders will be Sun., April 10th. Make sure to include the name of the person(s) placing the order as well as the name(s) of the person(s) the flower(s) are in honor/memory of. Flowers will be placed in the church prior to Easter Sunday and can be taken home following the Easter Sunday morning service.

Women On Mission (WOM) will be meeting the third Wednesday of this month at 7pm. All ladies are invited to attend.

Choir: If you are a member of the choir, please remember that there will be 2 special practices this weekend in order to prepare for the program Sunday night (April 9th). Practice starts on Sat., April 8th at 7pm. We will meet in the sanctuary. There will also be a practice Sunday afternoon in the sanctuary at 4pm. The cantata starts at 6pm. Everyone is invited to attend. Bring a friend to hear the story of how Jesus died to save us from our sins. The title for the cantata is "Behold the Darkness". You don't want to miss it!!

Please continue to pray for those in need. God knows our needs before we do and we certainly don't know when we will be the person in need of prayer.

That about covers all I have for now. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.

What a mighty God we serve!!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

News! News! News!

Good evening to all of you! I trust that you each had a wonderful Sunday. The weather certainly has been beautiful the past few days. I am so glad to see the sun shining and hear the birds singing. We have so much to be thankful for!

I just wanted to take a few minutes to update you on some recent events in our church. A special conference was called tonight to discuss whether to change the times back to their regular times on Sunday evenings (Discipleship Training @ 6pm and Worship @ 7pm). The vote was unanimous. The times will stay the way they are now (DT @ 5pm; worship @ 6pm and choir practice @ 7pm). Please make note of these so you won't miss any of the services, etc. that take place on Sunday nights!

In other news, we are looking forward to the cantata the adult choir has been working on. I encourage you to come out and bring a friend or two. We will be taking a somber look at the journey to the cross. It still amazes me how God can love us so much to send his Son to die on the cross for us (what bountiful love he has for each of us to have suffered and died the way he did)! The cantata will take place Sunday, April 9th at 6pm. (**Note: if you are in the choir, please make note to be at practice Sat., April 8th at 7pm and again on Sun., April 9th at 4pm. Attire will be all black (long-sleeve shirts and pants or black dresses) for the presentation!). Make plans to be in attendance!!

We are also preparing for our spring revival. Services will begin Sunday, April 30th and will end Tues., May 2nd. The pastor from Conagree Baptist Church will be our guest speaker! Hope to see you there!

Gardening Sessions: The session for Mon., April 3rd has been cancelled. The leader of the sessions is not feeling well and will not be able to conduct the session as planned. I pray that he will be feeling better soon!

There will be an XYZ meeting Friday, April 7th @ 7pm. I understand this group always has a lot of fun! Make plans to join them if you are interested in being part of a fun, God-loving group! They'd love to see you there!!

The gym will be open for the youth on Sat., April 8th from 7-10pm.

There will be an Easter egg hunt Sat., April 15th for all children from 2-5pm. Donations of eggs, snacks, etc. will be greatly appreciated!

Also, don't forget about First Place on Monday evenings. Weigh-in is at 6:30 and the sessions start at 7pm. All are invited to attend.

I would just like to say a special thank you to all who make our church run smooth! It takes everyone doing his/her part in God's kingdom for things to get done. There are so many people doing little things that make it all happen. Without them, it just wouldn't be the same! Thank you again and God bless!

I hope each of you will have a wonderful week. Remember to keep our military, those in positions of leadership, sick, bereaved, etc. in your prayers. We truly never know when we will be the person in need. Take care and bye for now!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

April Happenings

It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks we will be celebrating Easter! For me it is a time of reflection. A time to remember that our Lord and Saviour came to earth to save us from our sins. He bore the pain and anguish of all our transgressions that we may have eternal life. It is so hard for me to comprehend that someone would say there is no God. When you look at the beautiful sunrises/sunsets that we are able to see or you hear the birds singing, how could one ever believe there is no God? While Easter is a somber time, let it also be a happy time. A happy time in knowing that when we leave this earth, we will live forever with our Father in Heaven!

In light of the upcoming events surrounding Easter, we have many things happening in our church and around our community. Please make note of them on your calendar. You don't want to miss these wonderful times of fellowship. They are as follows:

Our adult choir has been faithfully practicing for their upcoming Easter cantata. It is entitled "Behold the Darkness". It will be held on Sunday, April 9th at 6pm (Palm Sunday).

Easter Sunrise Community Service will be held at North Pentecostal Holiness Church, Sunday, April 16th at 7am. Our beloved pastor will be speaking at this service.

The youth and children's committees will be meeting this Sunday, April 2nd. Children's committee will meet at 3:30pm and the youth committee will meet at 4:00 in the youth building. (will keep you updated should these times change!)

Boys & girls: Don't forget about the sports program available for you. Sessions begin at 2pm on Sunday afternoons (beginning with Bible study for 45 min.). This promises to be a fun time for all in attendance. Come out and be a part of something will help teach you to be a good sport both on and off the playing field!

Gardening Sessions are being held in the Fellowship Hall each Monday at 2pm. Sessions are free and open to the public!

Deacons: Don't forget about the upcoming Deacon's meeting this Sunday (April 2nd) at 8am.

REMINDER: Daylight savings time begins Sunday, April 2nd. Remember to "spring your clocks forward" Saturday night so you won't be late for church on Sunday morning!

Also, if you would like to place an Easter Lily in the sanctuary in honor or memory of someone, the cost is $12.00 per flower. The deadline is Monday, April 10th. If you have any questions pertaining to this, please notify someone on the flower committee. Flowers will be placed in the church prior to Easter Sunday and can be taken home following the Easter Sunday morning service. (you will also need to include who the flower has been placed by and the number of flowers you are purchasing).

As you can see, we have a lot going on! You don't want to miss these blessed opportunities to worship with fellow believers! I will keep you posted on any changes that need to be made or of any other events I am made aware of. As always, keep on pressing on the upward way! My love to each of you! God bless!!

Happy Spring!!

Sure doesn't feel like spring, but I am glad it is here!! As I have gotten older I have to come to love spring and fall more than any other time of year. For me, it is a time of reflection and I love to see everything blooming and all the beautiful colors God paints everything. How anyone could ever say there is no God, I have no idea. Who else could paint the sky with the beautiful sunrises and sunsets we see! Certainly not man. We fall short every time.

In reporting the business of our church I am pleased to announce that the youth were able to raise $534 from this past Sunday's spaghetti dinner/talent show. It is always a blessing to see our young people working for the Lord!

I also want to apologize for not mentioning the Men's breakfast that was held last Sunday. Was truly an oversight on my part. When I realized I had neglected to mention it, I felt terrible. Please forgive me!!

In other news, our director of Vacation Bible School is looking for willing teachers to help with the upcoming VBS time this year. If you would like to teach or assist in teaching a class, please let her know. You will truly be blessed!

Don't forget about First Place on Monday nights. Weigh in starts at 6:30 and the session begins at 7pm. Don't miss out on this opportunity to grow and learn how to become more spiritually and physically sound.

Children and parents: remember the children will be going to the zoo and Finlay Park Saturday, March 25th. If I remember correctly, they will be gone from 9-3 that day. I will double-check and post if it is a different time than I recall.

Let us remember those that are sick, bereaved or otherwise in need of prayer. We should also remember our President, military and their families, and other leaders.

That covers all that I have for now. I hope the remainder of your week is wonderfully blessed. Take care and my love to each of you!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Talent Abounding!

The spaghetti dinner/talent show was a big success! We are fortunate to have so many talented folks in our church. Talents that were on display ranged from vocal stylings, to guitar or trombone playing, yo-yo tricks and clogging. Everyone did a fabulous job!! The grand prize was a red velvet cake made by one of the ladies of our church and it was awarded to a father and son team for their talents with a yo-yo.

Everyone who participated is a winner. It takes a lot of courage to get up in front of a group and perform. Several folks tried to coax me into joining the clogging group that performed, but I bowed out! As I said before, everyone did a great job and my hat is off to each person who participated!

Kudos to the youth who did a terrific job preparing the meal (along with the adults who helped them) and serving. I know the judging of the talent show wasn't easy, but you did a fine job there as well. Everything was delicious and I am proud of all of you! Keep up the good work!

You've Got Skills!!

Attention boys and girls:

There is a new and exciting activity available for you! If you are interested in learning more about a sport you are already involved in or if you wish to learn more about another, then look no further. The answer is here!!

One of our talented men has started a new activity that involves 45 minutes of Bible study followed by learning more about the rules and skills of a particular sport. This promises to be a great learning experience for all involved. You will also learn how to become a better team player. It is important to be a positive part of the team. It only takes one bad banana to ruin the whole bunch.

These sessions are held every Sunday between from 2-4:30. I encourage you to come out and be a part of this great time of Bible study and sportsmanship.

And before I forget: the adult choir is working on an Palm Sunday cantata. If you would like to be a part of this wonderful experience, please come and join us for choir practice this Sunday immediately following the evening worship service. We would love to have you there!!

Also, the youth are having a spaghetti lunch following the morning worship service tomorrow. There will also be a talent contest. Our youth will be doing the judging. Come on out and join us for a great time of food and fellowship and see what wonderful talent our church has been blessed with!

Until next time, take care and God bless!!

Items of Interest

Happy Thursday to each of you! Hope everyone is doing well. We have several items on the agenda that I wanted to let you know about.

To start, our children, ages 4 to 2nd grade, are working on a Spring musical entitled "I am a Promise", delivering a message of obedience. Choir practice (followed by play time) is held each Sunday in the educational building during the evening worship service. If you have a child or children who would like to participate or if you know of other children who might like to be a part of this, I am sure they are more than welcome to join. The children's choir leader always does a fabulous job with them and we are blessed to have her.

The Youth will have a St. Patrick's Day party Saturday, March 18th at 6:30pm. Youth will need to meet in the youth building. You may have this date on your calendars for Friday, but it has been changed to Saturday, so please make note of this change! You don't want to miss the fun!!

The Youth will also be holding a spaghetti dinner/talent show following the morning worship service Sunday, March 19th. If you wish to participate in the talent show, please sign up in the vestibule. You might even be able to contact the church office and have them add you before Sunday. The judging of the talents will be done by our youth. Come on out and join us for a fun time of food and fellowship!

I have also been informed that the gym will be open this Saturday for the children from 2-5pm. Will be a good time of fellowship for the children and I know they will have as much fun as they always do!!
The children are doing to the zoo and Finlay park Saturday, March 25th. More info to come regarding this event.

Tis the time of year for our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. Our national goal is $56million. Our personal church goal is $3,500.00. The theme for this year is "Tell His Story". Please contribute to this wonderful mission so that His story can reach many who need to hear about Christ!

Spring is in the air and gardening will soon be starting. Don't forget about Gardening sessions the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Sessions begin at 2pm in the fellowship hall. All sessions are free and open to the public!

Also, First Place began Monday, March 6th. This program is designed to help you get fit not only physically but spiritually. The fee for this program is $33 if you have no materials from a previous course. If you do have the materials, then the fee is $20.00. Weigh-in begins at 6:30 and the session begins at 7pm. Come out and be a part of something that promises to enrich your life!

Men, remember Prayer Garden each Friday at 7am. Prayer time is held either in the prayer garden or in the church (depending on the weather). Come join your brothers-in-Christ for a time of prayer and brotherly fellowship.

As always, take care and God bless! My love to each of you! :-)

News! News! News!

Hello and good morning to all. I hope everyone had a wonderfully blessed week and you are enjoying your weekend thus far. I wanted to take a few minutes to update you on some things that are going on around our church.

First off, our Sunday School class (the Truthseekers) is about to complete our study on Revelations. It has been a very interesting study and I feel that we have learned a great deal. I encourage you to come and join us if you aren't already involved in a class. Everyone is welcome and we would love to have you be a part of our group!

First Place started Monday, March 6th. This course is designed to change your life not only physically but spiritually. It has nine commitments that will help you draw closer to God and aid in establishing a solid, consistent and healthy Christian life. It lasts for 13 weeks. Weigh-in is starts at 6:30pm and the meeting begins at 7. Materials for the course will be about $33.00 unless you already have materials from a previous course, then it will be about $20.00. For more general information about the program go to www.firstplace.org.

Don't forget about Gardening sessions the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Sessions begin at 2pm and are free and open to the public. Come on out and grow in the Lord!

Vacation Bible School is in the air. It will begin on June 4th and end on June 8th. It's theme is "The Arctic Edge--Where Adventure meets Courage". There are classes available for all ages. You don't want to miss being a part of this exciting time. Be strong! Be courageous! Follow Jesus!

We are beginning the "Annie Armstrong Easter Offering" for North American Missions. The national goal is $56 milliom. Our personal church goal is $3,500.00. The theme for this year is "Tell His Story". This is a wonderful way to help reach those who need to hear about Christ.

And last but certainly not least. Our pastor since 1994 has given his resignation for retirement. We have come to love him, his wife and family very much. They have been a part of our church for a long time now and will be greatly missed. His last day will be June 10th, but he has graciously agreed to stay on until we find someone else. Tis never an easy thing for a church to seek a new pastor, but we must trust that God has someone as special as our current pastor and He will lead him to us. This was not an easy decision for him to make and he and his family need our support and prayers. We wish them all the best and love them very much!

That about covers everything I have for now. If I overlooked something, please let me know. Am always glad to add things. Take care and enjoy your Saturday. God bless! :-)

God is so good!!

Hello everyone. I trust that everyone is having a wonderfully blessed week. My week has been going by quite well. I reconnected with an old friend yesterday and we had lunch today. It was certainly good to visit with her. God brings people into our lives for various reasons and He has certainly blessed me with some awesome friends. I don't know what I would do without them. What makes it even better is rekindling those old friendships. For them, I am truly thankful!

As for the activities in and around our church, I think you will find there is something for everyone.

Youth Community Service day is Saturday, March 4th. Our youth will be in town collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. Items they will be collecting are sweatshirts, blankets, canned food, teddy bears, and hygiene products. We are so fortunate to have been spared from such an ordeal, and as Christians we need to reach out to those that are need. We must share some of that glorious feeling that we get from knowing Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Please keep our youth in your prayers that this endeavor will be a success!

Also the Youth & Children's committees will be meeting this Sunday, March 5th. Children's committee will meet at 3:30 and youth committee will meet at 4pm. Our youth and children's leader is doing a fabulous job and continuously needs our prayers. Tis not an easy job when dealing with young people and it takes a special person to fill that need. Keep up the good work!

It has also been brought to my attention that the XYZ will be meeting on Friday, March 10th. If you are involved in the XYZ or know of someone who enjoy this time of fellowship, please let them know. They are asking those who are planning on attending to bring a covered dish with them for everyone to enjoy!

Don't forget about the Gardening sessions that are being held the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month at 2pm. All sessions are free and open to the public!

First Place begins Monday, March 6th from 6:30 to 8pm. In these sessions, you will learn how scripture, exercise and healthy eating habits will help make you a new creature! Please be sure to sign up in the vestibule of the church.

Men, don't forget about Men's prayer group every Friday. Depending on the weather, each prayer time will either be held in the prayer garden inside the church. Prayer group time is at 7am.

Choir practice is every Sunday immediately following the evening worship service. Would love to have those of you who wish to participate join us in praising the Lord in song!

Remember that the times for evening services will soon be changing. I will keep you informed as to when the change occurs.

I believe that about covers all I have for now. Be sure to get outside some this week and enjoy this beautiful weather we have been blessed with. It certainly is giving me a good case of spring fever. Spring and fall are my favorite times of year. I like the summer too, but with spring and fall the weather is just right! Not too hot and not too cold.

I will close for now, but until next time, keep on pressing toward the kingdom of God.

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Also, let's remember those in who are in need in our prayers. We never know when we might be the one in need!

FBC Happenings

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I wanted to update you on some of the things going on in our church. If anyone knows of anything taking place and would like for me to post it here, please let me know.

Here are some of the items on the agenda:

Parents remember that the gym will be open on Friday, Feb. 24th from 6-8pm for children.

The youth will be going to the WinterJam concert, Friday, Feb. 24th. The concert is in Columbia. The church van will leave from the church at 5pm. I remember when I was in the youth, we always had so much fun going to things like this. It is so important to keep our young people and children involved in positive things. Especially this day and age when so many things are at their disposal and can lead them down some very bad avenues.

Youth Community Service Day is Saturday, March 4th. The youth will be in town collecting donations for hurricane victims. Items they will be collecting are sweatshirts, blankets, canned food, teddy bears and hygiene products (i.e. toothpaste, toothbrushes, toiletries and such). We have so much to be thankful for and the people that are affected by the damage done by the hurricane will have a long road ahead of them. We need to, as Christians, show how loving and caring we are by extending acts of kindness such as this to those in need. Come out and support our youth and this worthwhile cause!

Also, if you would like to donate $10 for a t-shirt for the youth to wear that day, please drop it in the offering plate and mark the envelope "t-shirt". I am sure the youth will appreciate the donations.

Don't forget about the Gardening sessions being held the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month. Sessions begin at 2pm and are free and open to the public.

There is also a new program that will begin Momday, March 6th from 6:30-8pm. This program is designed to not only change your physical life, but your spiritual life as well. During these sessions, you will learn how scripture, exercise and healthy eating habits will help you become a new creature! If you are interested, there is a sign up sheet in the church foyer.

Vacation Bible School is already in the works. I am sure those in charge have been busy already with choosing which program to use this year. It is entitled "Arctic Edge--Where Adventure meets Courage". VBS will begin on June 4th and ends on June 8th. The motto for this year is "Be strong! Be courageous! Follow Jesus". Classes will begin at 6pm each night and end at 9pm. Come on out and bring a friend!

Please remember those that are sick, bereaved, etc. in your prayers. We never know when it will be one of us needing those same prayers!

Also, happy birthday or anniversary to those of you that are having a birthday or anniversary this week. Here's to many more happy years!

Tis all I have for now. Until next time, take care and God bless!

Love is in the Air

Happy Monday to each of you. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. As I stated in the previous entry, Valentine's Day is approaching (will be here tomorrow). Remember to take a minute to let those you love know how much they mean to you. In light of our pastor's motivating messages yesterday, tis also a good time to extend a Christian hand to someone in need. We don't need to save our expressions of love and thankfulness for special days only, we need to make sure we continue it all year long. If you missed yesterday's services, you missed some wonderful messages on being a good neighbor and loving your church. God expects us to do our part, both in the church and around our community. I urge you to become an active part of your church, if you aren't already. Take the time to become involved in things going on around the community (i.e. Town meetings--held the 2nd Monday of each month in the town hall at 7pm). When we see someone in need, hold the door open for him or her; help them reach something that is too high up on a shelf; or simply smile and say hello. I never mean for anyone to put themselves in harm's way by treating others the way we want to be treated. We must remember to take time from our busy lives to do for others. After all, no-one is busier than God and HE always makes time for us!

Here are some things happening in our church:

Youth & Children:

The children enjoyed making the Valentine's for the Shut-Ins,but weren't able to deliver them due to the weather. Hopefully someone will be able to deliver them today or tomorrow.

Parent's Date Night is Friday, February 18th from 6pm-10pm. This is a fundraiser for the youth and they will be collecting donations. This is to help send them to youth camp. We ask that only children who are walking well attend and dinner will be provided.

The youth will be attending the WinterJam concert on February 24. The van will leave the church at 5pm and the concert is at the Colonial Center in Columbia.

The children will have open gym time on Friday, February the 24th while the youth are at the concert. The gym will be open from 6-8pm.

March 4th: Youth Community Service. More information to come later!

Men's Breakfast is Sunday, February 19th at 8am. This is always a wonderful time of fellowship for the men of our church. If you haven't been able to attend before, I encourage you to join them this Sunday. Bring a friend or two! If you know of any men who are new to our community, please invite them.

The XYZ Valentine banquet was a success! Everyone in attendance enjoyed the performance by the Livingston United Methodist Church Choir. Tis always a blessing to come together with fellow believers in our community.

Don't forget: Gardening sessions are being held the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month. These sessions are free and open to the public!

Remember God loves you and so do I! Have a happy and blessed Valentine's day!

Current H appenings

Hello to all. Hope your week is going well. I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the things happening in our church this week.

First of all, the XYZ Valentine banquet will be held on Friday, Feb. 10th at 7pm in the fellowship hall. The choir from Livingston United Methosdist Church will be performing and a meal will be provided for those in attendance. Come on out and bring a friend or two!

Women On Mission will be meeting next Wed., Feb. 15th at 7pm immediately following supper in the fellowship hall at 6pm.

Gardening Sessions have started as of Mon., Feb. 6th. Classes are at 2pm the first and third Monday's of each month. All sessions are open and free to the public!

Youth: Progressive Valentine's dinner Sat., Feb. 11th from 6pm-until.

Children: Remember the gym will be open during choir practice on Sundays as well as Wed. before and after Wed. night service. The children will also be delivering Valentine's to our shut-ins Sat. Feb. 11th. I know that each of them will appreciate the cards as well as a visit from our children. Little ones bring so much joy to so many people!

Don't forget to make sure you do something extra special for your sweetie on Valentine's Day (Tues., Feb. 14th). It's always nice to be reminded of what we mean to those we love.

Newsletter deadline is Fri., Feb. 17th. A special thank you to those who do such a fabulous job with our church newsletter each month! It isn't always easy to find things to put in a newsletter (I speak from experience of having written our newsletter at work for a while). Can be quite a challenge!

That's about all I have for now. Til next time, keep on keeping on and God Bless!

The Big Game

Greetings to all! Hope you had a wonderful week and are enjoying your weekend. Just wanted to take a minute for a quick update.

As you all know, the big game is tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 5th). Tis a huge moment in sports history. While we may enjoy watching the game, we mustn't forget about an even bigger game.....the game of life and what we have to look forward to in the end. We should continue to sprint toward our goal line and strive to make the touchdown for Jesus by reaching those that are lost for Him! He is our coach and cheerleader and without Him nothing is possible.

Some upcoming events in our church:

Deacon's meeting Sunday morning, Feb. 5th (at 8am I believe).

XYZ meeting (will fill you in on more details later)on Friday, Feb. 10th.

The youth will be taking up "Souper Bowl" donations to help aid those in need in our community on Sunday, Feb. 5th.

Choir practice will be held at 5pm Sunday, Feb. 5th with evening worship immediately following at 6pm.

Don't forget about supper on Wednesday night at 6pm and Prayer Meeting and other organizational meetings at 7pm.

Youth: don't forget about your Superbowl Party after church services on Feb. 5th.

I also would like to mention that we had some new faces in our congregation last Sunday. It is always a blessing to see new people in our church and to watch our numbers grow for Christ! I look forward to getting to know them!

That is about all I have for now. Will keep you informed as new info. becomes available. Take care, stay warm and God bless!

Upcoming Events

Hello! I trust everyone is having a good weekend so far. We had a beautiful day today, don't you think?! God is so good to us all the time!

As mentioned a few days ago, the youth and children have quite a few activities going on, so I though I would take a minute to mention some of them here. I encourage any children or youth in our community to come and join the groups that we have available for our young people. We have a new children's and youth leader and she is very excited about the opportunity she has to witness and grow with the young people. You won't be disappointed!

Children: The gym is open during choir practice on Sunday nights (7-8pm) as well as on Wednesday evenings before and after the Wednesday night service. Don't forget supper starts at 6pm! The children will also be delivering Valentine's to our shut-ins on Saturday, February 11th from 1-5pm (a good way to not only spread our love but God's love as well!). "Parents Date Night" is on Saturday, Feb. 18th from 6-10pm.

Youth: Superbowl party after church services on Feb. 5th (this is bound to be an exciting game!). Progressive Valentine's dinner Saturday, Feb. 11th from 6pm-until. "Parents Date Night" Saturday, Feb. 18th from 6-10pm. Winter Jam concert on Friday, Feb. 24th at 7pm (will provide more details on this when I have them available).

So, children and youth, come on out and bring a friend!

Don't forget about the upcoming Gardening sessions beginning on Feb. 6th at 2pm. The sessions will be on the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month. All sessions are FREE and are open to the public. We are never too old to learn something new!

Before I forget.....our wonderful church secretary and faithful pastor recently brought some updated numbers to my attention regarding the trip to West Virginia. They are as follows: Nine Pastors received a food box and a love gift of $90 each. 611 shoe boxes, 127 food boxes, 57 senior adult cold kits, 104 comforter sets, 110 blankets, 12 afgans, 72 baby blankets, 15 bags of winter clothes and 134 towel sets were donated. This is a wonderful ministry and I am sure that all donations were very needed and appreciated. We have so much to be thankful for and it's important to share with others when we can. We never know when we might be the one(s)in need. Tis a good way to share the love of Christ with others.


That's about all I have for now. As always, keep on keeping on and may God continue to bless each of you! :-)

P.S. Our Sunday School class (The Truth Seekers) started a new study on "Revelations". I have missed a few of the sessions (due to not feeling well), but the one(s) I have attended have been very good. Our adult Discipleship Training class is studying the book of "Daniel", a study that was left to us by the former teacher of the class. It has been very educational as well (the one(s) I have been able to attend). I encourage you to come out and join us. We would love to have you there!

Let the Gardening Begin!

Now that is a statement that can have many meanings! Beginning February 6th at 2pm, one of knowledgeable church members will be leading gardening sessions. All sessions are open to the public and are FREE! There will be two sessions each month, falling on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. I encourage those of you who are able to attend to do so. It promises to be very inciteful. I wish that I could attend, but I have to work most Mondays. Come on out and join in the fun!

I also understand that the youth have quite a bit going on. If you are a young person and are looking for a church to call home, come and join the gang! It is always such a blessing to see young people in our congregation.

Ladies: Don't forget...if you haven't signed up yet, you should do so. If you are interested in having a mammogram on the Mammography Van on Tuesday, Feb. 7th, you need to sign as up soon as possible. I am not sure of the cut off date, but if you are interested I am sure you can find answers to your questions by contacting the church office. This is an important procedure as you well know, so if you haven't signed up, please do so.

That is all I have for now. Until next time, take care and God bless!

P.S. If you know if any activities going on in our church that you would like to have posted here, please let me know.

Baptist Men's Day

The men of our church led the morning worship service today. It was a grand time for all who were able to attend. I always look forward to this service every year to see what treats the men have for us. As always, they did a marvelous job. From the Moments with the Children, to the anthem the men's choir sang, the soloists, musicians that performed and speakers. Each one participating had a story to be told either in song or words. It is wonderful to see God's glory in the talent we have in our church. I understand that our church moderator was the speaker this morning at the Men's breakfast and he bestowed some challenges upon each of them. Much applause and appreciation to each of you for sharing your talents with us!

In keeping with the theme the men have going for this day...we each have a calling, some of us have entered into that calling or are about to enter. Rest assured that whatever it is God has in store for you, you will not be taking that road alone. I feel blessed to be a part of such a loving church family and know that if I needed something, they would help in any way they could. I encourage those of you who might be reading this that if you are looking for a church to call home, please come and be a part of our church family. The Lord Jesus Christ is our employer and He provides much more than a weekly paycheck and the benefits are abundant!

January Happenings

Hello! Welcome to 2006. Sorry it has taken me a little while to post again. Just went back to work after being off all last week and it takes a little time to get back in the routine of things. Here are a few of the activities that will be going on this month around our church.

Wednesday night suppers will resume their normal time this week. I have not been able to attend as of yet, but I understand they have been wonderful. Prayer meeting immediately follows in the fellowship hall. Other organizations meet in their regular places. In case you have forgotten or are new to the area and are looking for a church to attend, the suppers begin at 6pm. Come on out and join everyone for a great time of worship and fellowship.

Men don't forget about the Prayer group on Fridays. Meeting time is at 7am. Speaking of men's activities....the men of our church will be in the spotlight on Sunday, January 15th for Baptist Men's Day. The day will start with breakfast/fellowship at 8am and the men will be leading the morning worship service. There will also be a men's choir that day. If you wish to participate, please meet at the front of the church immediately following this Sunday mornings service. There will be a short practice (lasting about 15min or so). Plan to be a part of something truly inspiring.

XYZ and Senior Adults will be having a fish fry on Friday, January 13th at 7pm. If you wish to participate, please sign up in the vestibule. I have been told that it is quite a fun time and I know they would love to have as many as possible to attend. If you know of someone who would like to be a part of this event, let them know about it and sign them up!

Youth and Children's committees will meet Sunday, January 8th (children at 3:30 and youth at 4pm).

Jr. Kid's Church volunteers will meet Sunday, January 8th at 3pm in the youth gym for a brief overview of the program. If you wish to participate in this program, Sunday is the day to volunteer!

Youth don't forget about "Hang Time" in the gym on Fridays from 7-10pm. Come out and bring a friend or two!

As you can see things are quite busy. What better way to start off a new year than with a bustle of activity. If you are looking for a great church to be a part of, I encourage you to come and join us. We have classes and activities for all age groups. Until next time, take care and God bless!

Update

Hello everyone! Hope each of you had a nice Christmas. The special service on Sunday was quite lovely. Gave us a time to reflect on where we are in our lives. It's almost a shame that it's time for the decorations and pointsettias to come down. Soon we will be on the eve of a new year. Twill be the dawning of a new day, time for starting over. This time of year always makes me reflect on things I need to work on both personally and spiritually. With the guide of His loving hand, I will strive to become more like the person God wants me to be.

Just to mention a few things going on in our church. As always we encourage each of you to join us each Sunday for Sunday School (starts at 9:45am). There are classes for everyone. Would love to have you become a part of one of our classes.

Don't forget that Wednesday night and Sunday activities will ge back to their regular times. This means: Wednesday night suppers will resume their normal time at 6pm with Prayer Meeting following in the fellowship hall. Sunday activities will remain the same for the most part, the only change is the choir will go back to having practice at 7pm following the evening worship service. We also encourage you to come out and join us on Wednesday night and become a part of one of our organizations (Prayer Meeting, RA's, GA's, Mission Friends, and WOM --which meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month).

In light of WOM....they will be hosting a Prayer Tea for the women of the Muslim world on Tuesday, January 3rd at 7pm. As stated in the bulletin, "God's precious gift of prayer allows us as Christian women to touch the lives of Muslim women across the street or around the world for God's glory. Sharing a cup of tea allows us to identify with Muslim women and the hospitality they value. Plan to bring a scarf to cover your head and a bath towel to use as a prayer rug (scarves and prayer rug are optional)".

We would also like to say "Welcome to Our World" to those who have new additions to their families. Also "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" to those who are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries.

That is about all I have for now. I would also like to thank those who have commented on this website. Thanks for the encouraging words. Please let me know of any activities, etc. you would like to have mentioned here. Will be glad to do so. Until next time, take care and God bless!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Happy birthday Jesus! You came to us many years ago in the form of a baby and grew to be a man. You died on the cross to save us from our sins. You are the reason for the season. Without you there would be no Christmas. All you have done for us gets lost in the hustle and bustle of trying to find the right gift, going to all the holiday festivities, etc. Let us not overlook the true meaning of this glorious day. Remember to join us this morning at 11am for a special Christmas worship service. We will be observing the Lord's Supper during this service. Once again, Happy birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!

Only 2 more days til Christmas. Where does the time go? Seems like yesterday it was only January 1, 2005. We have so much to look back on and be thankful for. This has been a year of many events throughout the country and the world. As for our little part of the world, we have many things going on around us. This past Sunday the adult choir performed the annual Christmas cantata. Being a member of the choir, I am very pleased with all the hard work our faithful conductor put into leading us. He and his wife have truly been a blessing to our church and I am very thankful for them. The cantata (both musically and setting wise) was very beautiful. A special thank you to those who helped with the lights and sound as well the actors that participated. It would not have been the same without them.
Not that I am biased or anything, but I have always loved our sanctuary and its beauty. It is especially beautiful this time of year with the lighted garland, wreaths and lovely poinsettias. All in all, if you weren't there, you missed quite a treat.

In other news around our church, we have a special Christmas service planned this Sunday. There will be no Sunday School or evening services. We will only have worship at 11am Sunday morning with the Lord's Supper. A very special way to commemorate the birth of our Lord and Saviour.

I want to remind and encourage those of you who might be looking for a Sunday School class to join, we have classes available for folks of all ages. Come and join us and bring a friend or two. We also have classes for everyone for Discipleship Training at 5pm Sunday nights.

At this moment, I can't think of anything else. I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas. Remember to pray for those in need as well as the folks in the armed forces. Tis a difficult time of year for those who have loved ones serving. Will close for now. Til next time, take care and God bless!

Happenings at North FBC

What a busy time of year it is for everyone! All the hustle and bustle of trying to get all the shopping done, planning of family or work gatherings, decorating, etc. I urge each of us not to forget the true meaning and reason for this blessed time of year. It can so easily get lost in all the rushing around. Here are just a few things that are happening in our little part of the world.

Christmas card deadline is Sunday, Dec. 18th. The plans are to have them all delivered by next Sunday, Dec. 25th. The youth have been doing a fantastic job of delivering the cards they have received, as always. Remember, they are for members who attend on a regular basis and are 25 cents per card! I also understand that $700 or so dollars was donated at the lunch the youth hosted last Sunday. What a blessing for them!

The children's choir did a marvelous job with their program Sunday night. It takes lots of hard work from all involved to make it all come together. We appreciate and applaud all who participated. It's always wonderful to see God's little angels perform in His name!

Men.....don't forget...Men's breakfast is this Sunday (Dec. 18th). As always, all men are invited to attend and bring a friend. Breakfast starts at 8am and I have been told on many occasions it is a great time of fellowship. If you have not been attending, I encourage you to do so. Am sure you will enjoy it!

Thanks to the help of our faithful church secretary, here is an update of the trip the pastor and his wife made to West Virginia with the shoeboxes. FBC sent 72 shoeboxes, 1 food box, 13 blankets and a number of afghans. An estimated total of all who contributed: 585 shoe boxes, 88 food boxes, 7 pastor boxes, $680 for Pastors, a number of cases of food items, hundreds of comforters/blankets and a number of afghans. This is truly a Christmas blessing for those in need in that area.

Don't forget to bring your donations for the children who are in need in our community as well as the items that are needed for food baskets for folks in our community. Tis far better to give than to receive.

Also, the adult choir will be performing "The Christmas Light" this Sunday, Dec. 18th at 6pm. I encourage you to be in attendance. It is sure to touch your heart.

I think that just about covers things for now. Don't forget to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. Take care, stay safe and God bless!

Weekly News

Hello everyone! I trust that each of you are having a blessed week thus far. We have many things happening in the life of our church. Some of items on the agenda are as follows:

Sunday, December 11th at 6pm, the Children's Choir will be performing their Christmas program entitled "The Christmas S.O.C.C.E.R. Team". Make plans to be there and bring a friend or two. It is always a blessing to see the children perform. I know they will do a grand job this year as they always do!

Also, the XYZ will be going out to eat Friday, December 9th at the Cracker Barrel in Orangeburg. They will meet at the chruch at 6pm and ride together in the church van. If you haven't signed up to attend, you might still be able to contact the church office and let them know if you wish to join them for a fun evening of fellowship.

A reminder about the Christmas poinsettias....the deadline is Sunday, Dec. 11th. Please fill out the order form found in the bulletin and remember to include if the flower is in memory of, in honor of, who it is placed by, etc. The cost of the flowers is 12.00 each. Contact a member of the Flower Committee if you have any other questions, etc.

Some other items are: the WOM organization is still taking up donations for food baskets for the North Cooperative Ministry. You can find a list of the items in the bulletin insert. An example of some the things that are needed are: Sunday, Dec. 11th Grits/Rice; Sunday, Dec. 18th canned meat, stew beef, salmon, tuna or chicken. I know these items will be welcomed and are needed. Beginning Sunday, Dec. 11th, the WOM will also be putting together baskets for children who are in need in our community. Some of the items they are requesting are sweatshirts with football logos on them, teddy bears, Barbie dolls, baby dolls, trucks, crayons, coloring books, puzzles and board games. They are also accepting Bibles, Bible story books, underwear and socks. What better way to extend a Christian hand and share a Christmas blessing!

Don't forget to get your Christmas cards ready for the youth to hand out at church. They are being handed out to members who attend regularly. The cost per card is 25 cents. Help support our youth!

It has also been brought to my attention that there will be a special covered dish supper on Wednesday, Dec. 21st at 6:30pm. There will be no RA's, GA's, Mission Friends or prayer meeting that evening. Remember to mark your calendars and make plans to be there. It is sure to be a great time of worship and fellowship. Another item of importance is there will be no Sunday School or evening services on Sunday, Dec. 25th. There will be a special worship service that day at 11am with the Lord's Supper and will truly be a blessed event. I can't ever remember having church on Christmas day, but am so looking forward to it this year!

It is also the time of year to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. If you are unable to find the special envelopes located in the pews, simply mark the regular offering envelopes with your name, dollar amount and Lottie Moon Christmas offering. If you wish to give to an organization, in memory of, in honor of, etc. please remember to include your name, dollar amount and to what area you wish to have this given.

Before I forget, the youth will be hosting a chili and baked potato lunch immediately following the worship service this Sunday (Dec. 11th). Donations are accepted.

I believe this just about covers all the activites for now. The adult choir is still practicing for their Christmas cantata. It will be on Sunday, Dec. 18th at 6pm. I encourage you to come and be a part of this. Bring a friend.

We also need to remember the pastor and his wife as they travel to West Virginia to take the Christmas baskets. They left out early today. This is always a wonderful time of sharing and caring. Let's keep them in our prayers for a safe trip there and back home.

If you have any other items that you would like to have posted here, please let me know. Will be glad to do so. Take care and God bless!

Hello to all!

Hello everyone! Hope you are all having a good week. I have never done anything like this before, so please bear with me. I hated to see this website end and have decided to take it on. I will try to do my best and strive to make this a positive form of communication for our church. I feel this can be a wonderful form of ministry and is a good means to help keep our church family and friends as up-to-date as possible. Currently the children's and adult choir are working on their respective Christmas program/cantata. I always look forward to these events. The youth are delivering Christmas cards to members that attend on a regular basis and as always they do a wonderful job with this. The flower committee will be taking orders for poinsettias, so remember to let them know if you wish to have one placed in the sanctuary (the cost is $12.00 per flower). They also need to know if the flower is in memory, in honor of, etc. The WOM is also taking up donations every week for supplies that are needed for the North Cooperative Ministries (please refer to bulletin insert for items that are needed for each week). I know these items will be very much appreciated. As you can see, we are very busy and have many things going on. I know I haven't mentioned them all. I do ask that if there are any activities, etc. that you would like to have posted, please let me know and I will be glad to do so. Also, a quick word before I close, we had a great turn out for the Christmas parade and tree lighting festivities on Sunday. It was a great time of praise and fellowship. It's always nice to see people come together and remember the reason for the season. Until next time, take care and God bless!

SAD NEWS!

Yes, I have sad news to report to the church family tonight! Pastor Donny, our children and youth minister since June 1 will be leaving our staff as of December 11. We did enjoy having Donny on our church staff, and thank him for the excellent job which he did. I was especially happy to have my oldest son here in the same church with Carolyn and myself, and we were very proud of how Donny handled himself in that special position. Working with teen agers is a most difficult task, and one that takes a lot of help from the parents and the church members in order to have an effective ministry. But the expectations of members of the church, and several of the parents, and some of the youth, made it almost impossible to establish a strong youth program. Perhaps the Lord will send someone who will satisfy and please all the members of the church, I pray that He will.

Along the same line, Carolyn and I have decided to spend some time ministering with our other son, David, who is pastor of Double Branch Baptist Church in Pinehill community. We are blessed to have two sons in the ministry, and for some months I was at Fellowship Baptist Church helping Donny when he was pastor there, so now I feel that I can help David in his great work at Double Branch church.As many of you know, I have been having a lot of medical problems, and had to slow down some.But as long as my health and stength hold out, I will try to serve the Lord as He leads me.
A few weeks ago I resigned from North FBC as minister of education/administration and am giving up the discipleship training class each Sunday night. Susan Gleaton is an outstanding teacher and I am proud to return the class back into her faithful hands.

Now, one of the final things. I have been writing this blog since April of 2004, and tried to make it sort of a journal of activities of the church. But now since I will be away quite a bit, I will not know of all the activities. So, is there someone out there who reads this blog that would be willing to pick it up and keep it going? It would be a matter of writing some of the weekly events in the life of the church. If not, then it will just stop here. The past blogs will remain on line for sometime, but they will not be current. This would be a good ministry for someone who can do this. Let me know, I will give you the password and show you how to do it all.

So, God bless you...Please pray for us as we seek the Lord's leading and serving in the Double Branch Baptist church with our son and grandson..
Bye, God loves you, and so do I.

CATCHING UP!

Since I have retired from the staff of the church I have not had much to say in the blog department. Our church is going well, and we enjoyed a great time of Homecoming and fellowship on November 6. Rev. James Watterson, pastor of this church in the mid-70's, was our guest speaker.

This week our pastor is attending the annual SC Baptist Convention in Columbia, and a good crowd of pastors and church members of all our SC churches will be in attendance. I have not been in years, because there is a lot of standing and walking and with my knee problems, and now a back problem, I do not enjoy going any longer. Carolyn and I used to go every year, and we would meet and talk with our preacher friends and visit with each other for a time. But, now, all the pastors seem so young! I do not known very many of them, and all of us older pastors are sort of fading away. Guess that is the price of getting older.

Pastor Donny and wife Sondra are to be away this week attending the National Youth Ministers meeting in Nashville, TN. We wish them a safe trip and a good meeting there in Nashville. Donny will come back all fired up with youth and children ideas I am sure!

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week. And that the football season is almost over. I used to hear older folks say that time really did go fast when you got into the golden years, but this is unbelieveable! Days pile upon days, and months upon months, and how fast they do go. Sunday to Wednesday to Sunday seems to just dart by anymore. So after next week, we can look forward to Christmas, the choir is working on the cantata, everyone is busy getting food baskets and health baskets and shoebox gifts ready to go to West Virginia, and of course, trying to get in that Christmas shopping. And, praise the Lord, we are having some cooler weather and sweaters and long sleeves are the mode these days. Can we even get a glimmer of hope for any snow this year?

By the way, for those of our church family who read this blog from time to time, If you would like to post a blog, or make an announcement, or just write a column once in a while, let me know, and I will show you how to post the blog. I didn't intend this blog to be mine when I started, but it is the news of the church and church members. Let me know. Help me out and I will appreciate it very much.

Also, as a matter of information, I now have a new email address, drr@tds.net, since we were able to go to DSL. The old address, royster@aikenelectric.net is no longer any good.

See you Sunday if not before, bye for now.

Pictures from around the church

From time to time I will be inserting some of the various pictures which I have taken around the church in the past several years. I hope these pictures will please you, and will give our blog visitors an idea of the type of church family we have here in North.
We started passing out the new church directories last Sunday, and most everyone has now received their copy. If you were pictured in the directory, then you are to receive one free copy. Please call the church office if you haven't picked up your copy yet. I think they turned out fairly well, though I am somewhat disappointed at the photography of the family members. And I do apologize to those who find errors in the spelling of their names or addresses. We tried to proof read the directory before it was printed, and asked for any member of the church family to stop by and help us, which some of you did, and still we find some names mispelled. Sorry about that.It is always very difficult when you are working with hundreds of names and addresses, and even though we corrected some of the mistakes on the proof copy, they missed some at the publishers. Anyhow, it is a historical record of our church, and a treasure for the future.

Looking ahead, we are getting prepared for the annual Homecoming Day celebration and "dinner-on-the-grounds" on Sunday, November 6, 2005. Rev. Watterson will return to preach in the morning services. He is a former pastor from many years ago. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this great day. Bring will filled covered dishes and we will enjoy the combined fellowship meal.Invite former members and friends of the church family to come and help us celebrate.

Speaking of meals at the church, we have started a Wednesday night meal at the church, so that working folks will be able to come directly to church and eat supper before the Wednesday night activities. We will have the Bible study and prayer meeting in the fellowship hall also. There is no charge for the meal, however you may make a donation if you would like. The meal starts at 6:00 PM.

Lots going on in our church, come and be a part of it. God Bless YOU...

A GREAT DAY IN THE LORD!

We enjoyed a great day Sunday as we had such beautiful weather and there seemed to be a lively spirit in our fellowship. The choir is doing an outstanding job, and our music director, Adam Stich is doing an excellent job. We enjoyed the singing of the newly formed trio of Linda Gunter, Lori Creech and Adam Stich. We do have some great talent in our church family.

I had the privilege of preaching in the morning service, and son Donny led in the evening hour. Pastor Larry and his wife were away on a brief vacation and we did miss having them with us, but we are assured that they will be here on Wednesday night.

Our church directories are in, and I plan on passing them out tomorrow night, Wednesday, at the supper and Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. They turned out very well, but lots of folks think their pictures don’t look like them! We just have to be satisfied with what God has made of us, and know that someday in heaven we will all be beautiful, inside and outside. We had about 85 families that had pictures made for the directory, the first one since 1998, and there have been many changes of course. This directory is loose-leaf and will be easy to update with new pictures and names and addresses of new members who join with us in the days to come.  My appreciation to Joan Buckheister, the church ministry assistant, for all the work she did in helping me get this directory prepared and distributed.

So much for now, will share more later. Keep on keeping on, and if you are participating in the Faith Cometh by Hearing campaign to listen to the complete Old Testament on tape or CD which ends on Christmas Day, I hope you are still on schedule. Don’t quit, even if you don’t finish on time, just keep on listening each day. You will be blessed.

General Information

Dear Church Family and friends of the church,
I am so grateful to each of you for allowing me to be your Minister of Education and Administration for the past 18 months or so. But as you know, I have had to give up my position due to my health, and am now just a regular member! of the church. I still will help out as I am able, but not as a paid staff member. I hope to be able to do some things from home on my own computer, and help the church and secretary each week with the necessary paper work that we generate.

You might change my email address if you think about it. I have had the new DSL installed at home, and my new email address is drr@tds.net if you would like to change it on your address book.


We are beginning today our On Celebration Missions Conference with Rev. Joel Flowers, Director of Missions in Kokomo, Indiana as our morning guest, and we will have different missionaries each night through Wednesday. It promises to be a great time of Missions emphasis, and we are asking all of our members to come and bring a friend or two.

Time to stop, more later, God loves YOU, and so do I!