First Baptist Church of Madison, North Carolina

Volume 4, Issue 8 The Church Newsletter August 2010 First Baptist Church of Madison, North Carolina YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!

This month we helps lay the foundation for a successful ministry for the year to come. There are several important meetings that require our mutual leadership, led by the Holy Spirit as we find better ways to reach our community and our world with the good news of Jesus’ love. Please read carefully through this newsletter and see if there are some areas of interest where you think God is calling you to serve. THIS IS YOUR INVITATION to get involved and use the gifts God has given you. Do not let this moment pass you by. We have great need in the areas of ministry through missions, children, youth (yes I said “youth” this year we have a youth group!), nursery, choir and many other avenues of ministry. This is your time to step up and we need you!

In other news we are steadily making progress on what has been nearly a two year endeavor to modernize the administrative functioning of our church. These are far more than cosmetic changes, but you might not notice them at once. Even so they are there. Each office is now computerized with email and internet connectivity. This allows your pastor to be more flexible with his time and less tied to a traditional office structure. Ministry is where the people are, so this addition to our office functioning alone is monumental in its implications.

Finally, in November 2011 our church will celebrate 170 years of ministry to our community. We will be gathering a planning team soon!

Press On! Chuck August Happenings

Sunday – August 1st 10th Sunday after Pentecost Wednesday – August 18th

Independence Day  7:00 Choir Rehearsal

 9:15 Early Worship (meets in Fellowship Hall) Sunday – August 22th 13th Sunday of Pentecost  10:00 Sunday School  9:15 Early Worship (meets in Fellowship Hall)  11:00 Traditional Worship  10:00 Sunday School  2:00 Emily McFall-Duncan Baby Shower  11:00 Traditional Worship Monday – August 2nd  12:00 Children’s Ministry Team Mtg. (working lunch)  7:00 Deacon Board Sunday – August 29th 14th Sunday of Pentecost

Wednesday – August 4th  9:15 Early Worship (meets in Fellowship Hall)  10:00 Sunday School  6:15 Family Night  11:00 Traditional Worship

 12:00 Kids Hope Meeting (Tentative) Saturday – August 7th Monday – August 30th  8:00 Men’s Group – Bob’s Restaurant  7:00 Missions Committee Mtg. Sunday – August 8th 11th Sunday of Pentecost

THIS IS YOUR YEAR TO SING – Join the Choir!  9:15 Early Worship (meets in Fellowship Hall)

 10:00 Sunday School

 11:00 Traditional Worship Tuesday – August 10th Volume 4, Issue 8 The Church Newsletter August 2010 Happening This Month

 Baby Shower in honor of Emily McFall Duncan, Sunday, August 1st at 2-4 pm.

 Deacon Meeting will be held on Monday, August 2nd at 7:00 pm.

 Family Night will take place on Wednesday evening, August 4th at 6:15. Menu – Grill Night

 Prayer Shawl Group will meet at Joyce Fulcher’s home on Tuesday August 10th at 3:30pm.

 Youth Ministry Team will meet after worship on Sunday, August 15th for a working lunch. (Fellowship Hall)

 Children’s Ministry Team (worship and education divisions) will meet after worship on Sunday, August 22 nd for a working lunch. (Fellowship Hall)

 Kids Hope Meeting following church on 29th (Tentative date).

 Missions Committee Meeting will take place at 7 pm on Monday, August 30th. (Knight Classroom).

BE A KIDS HOPE VOLUNTEER

There are more children at Dillard Elementary School who need mentors than we can currently provide. It is easy to become a mentor, but it is impossible to not be moved by the experience. We ask that you commit one hour per week to help a child facing some challenges. These challenges may be social adjustments and/or educational goals. A mentor is a friend who cares and is willing to go and meet with their child in the school for one hour each week. On those occasions you cannot go a substitute mentor will be found.

A Final Word about Vacation Bible School Days

Many thanks to all of our volunteers and our leaders Sarah Lawson and Millie Cocklereece for their fantastic Vacation Bible School this summer. I am sure that no church of our size put on a better, higher quality effort than you did. The fruit of your labor will be felt for some time to come, in the lives of both the children and adults who were involved.

Youth Fall Beach Retreat September 24-26, 2010

Worship, sand sculpture contest, organized beach games, a block party with DJ, Bible study, putt-putt tournament, and lots of free time to play on the beach! An interactive missions/worship experience based on the theme of "Selflessness" (Matthew 16:25). Everyone gets a t-shirt as well as two nights' lodging, three meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. Computer Church Information For a Computer Age

Youth (Middle School/High School) sign up now through your Youth Department! Volume 4, Issue 8 The Church Newsletter August 2010

Computer Church Information for a Computer Age

While nothing beats being in church in person, there are times when you cannot be here or maybe you would like to share a part of our church with another person who might find our fellowship interesting; now you can. We are constantly improving our web site to help both our members and those interested in our church. You can access the following services at www.firstbaptistchurchofmadison.org:

 You can listen to and even download Dr. McGathy’s morning messages. (On the home page click “Listen to a sermon on line).

 Determine church schedule alterations in the event of severe weather.

 Find a link on the home page to listen to an entire worship service live on the internet (11am Sunday EST).

 Learn the requirements for membership and read the Church Bylaws by going to the page “About Us” and clicking the link.

 Read the latest newsletter in the ministries section of the web site.

 Read and share our mission and vision statements on the Ministries page. Here are examples of other things you can do through our web site:

 Find worship times and descriptions.

 Download the entire Bible in an audio format.

 Read thought provoking articles concerning how we express our Baptist faith in the midst of present challenges. An example is an article by William Hull, professor at Samford University in response to the implications of Left Behind theology.

 Take religious literacy test by clicking on the link “The Need for Religious Education.”

 Find descriptions and news on Kids Hope, Back Pack Pals, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Meals on Wheels, The Baptist Men, and Hands of God.

 Learn more about pastoral ministry including wedding and funeral policy, counseling, baptism, child dedication, communion, prayer, and mobility impaired ministry.

 Read the pastor’s code of ethics.

 Read more about Global Missions.

 Read more about the meaning of fellowship and why it is important to each one of us to be involved.

Some great places to link to through our web site:

 CBF national and state; Dan Valley Missionary Baptist Association; Prayer Shawl Ministry; and You’ve Got the Time (Bible Listening).

 Baptist Joint Committee; Baptist World Alliance; Baptist Women in Ministry; and Samaritan’s Purse ministry. Volume 4, Issue 8 The Church Newsletter August 2010  Magazine sites: Baptists Today, Christianity Today; and the Christian Century; The Center for Baptist Studies: and Ethics Daily.

 Resources like: The Revised Common Lectionary; Christian Classics Ethereal Library; Internet Christian Library; and Diotima (Materials for the study of women and gender in the ancient world).

 Baptist History and Heritage Society and Christians for Biblical Equality. Have fun discovering your web site. Even better share it with a friend who is looking for a church home.

, and not just morality.

As people who are called to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God,” the least we can do is to talk about it. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NON PROFIT ORG. P.O. Box 209 PERMIT # 45

MADISON, NC 27025 MADISON, NC 27025

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