FBC Carthage E-News for September 29, 2008

FBC Carthage E-News
September 29, 2008

Good morning,

Another beautiful day in Paradise! Well, not exactly Paradise but Tennessee in the cool, crisp fall season is a beautiful place. I hope you take some time this week to enjoy life. Read a book outside. Take a walk. Eat your meals outside. Give the Lord thanks for each and every blessing.

The weekend with John Nix was a great blessing. We had 104 at the 5th Quarter which was great for Homecoming weekend. Speaking of Homecoming, what a game, what pageantry, what a parade! Homecoming has changed since I was a student at SCHS. Wow!

The Saturday Powder Puff football game between Smith County FCA and Gordonsville High FCA was a huge success. You can check out the pictures on the http://www.fbccarthage.com/ web site. For the score, let’s just say congratulations to the girls from Gordonsville High FCA. A special thanks to Joe Paul Tackett and John Sanders for officiating the game. Also, thanks to the Youth Committee for a delicious cookout after the game. There were well over 200 in attendance for the game.

The two services on Sunday morning seemed to go very well for our first “experiment” with dual services. There are a couple of logistic details that we saw that can be improved, but the greatest observation was the amount of space the two services created for worship. There were approximately 85 present for the 8:15 AM service. This next Sunday we will be back together in one service at 10:45 AM. As the Lord continues to add to His church we will revisit this option. Thanks for your prayers and cooperation as we seek to be open to His leading.

Sunday School had a High Attendance of 160 on Sunday. This is the highest attendance since I have served as your Pastor. Several classes were full and running over. Let’s keep inviting people to join us for Sunday School and Worship on Sunday mornings.

During the month of October I will be preaching a series of messages on Sunday mornings entitled “The Expressions of Love.” The commandment Jesus gave to His disciples was to love one another. We will examine how we communicate love for others, including the members of our own family.

The fourth message of the series “Four Things Every Member Needs to Know” is up on the church web site under Media. It covers the importance of our working together with other believers in the Kingdom of God. If you haven’t heard this or any of these basic membership messages take the time to listen. The direct link to the series is: http://sermon.net/sermons-First_Baptist_Church-14421.html

Have a blessed week as you speak an encouraging word to someone each day.

Bro. Tim


Here’s this week’s news:
1. We began Operation Christmas Child on Sunday by distributing plastic shoe boxes to fill with toys for the children of the world. Franklin Graham and Samaritans’ Purse Ministries take these shoeboxes and send them around the globe to children in the name of Jesus Christ. For more information about this ministry click on http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/index/. Shoe boxes are to be filled and returned to FBC Carthage by Sunday, November 2.

2. There is still opportunity for you to help in the FBC Carthage booth at the Rendezvous on the Square this Saturday, October 4. We will have teams working from 7 – 10 AM, 10AM – 1PM and 1-4PM. You choose which would be best for you and join us as we serve the community through face painting, balloon animals, and water distribution. We will have a short training for balloon animals on Wednesday night, October 1 at 7:30 PM.

3. All couples are invited to join us at the Roxy in Lebanon, TN for a Couples Night Out as we see the new movie Fireproof. We will attend the 4:30 PM showing as a group and the cost for that special time will be $10 per couple which includes your tickets, two popcorns, and two small soft drinks. The regular price is $7.50 per person. As a couple, I encourage you to go out for dinner after the movie and share your thoughts together. For more information e-mail me at tfrank@fbccarthage.com.

4. The Church Council and Deacon’s meetings scheduled for this Sunday will be moved to Sunday, October 12 at 4:00 and 4:45 PM respectively. The Business Meeting will also be moved to Wednesday, October 15 at 6:30 PM. Please make note of these schedule changes.

5. Here is a listing of the events and special activities for October. Take your calendars and put these down:
October
4 Rendezvous on the Square
6-10 Smith County Schools Fall Break
8 Fields of Faith at Gordonsville High School 7PM
11 Couples Night Out to the Roxy 4:30 PM
12 Church Council Meeting 4:00 PM
Deacon’s Meeting 4:45 PM
15 Business Meeting and Budget Adoption
19 Defeated Creek Campground Service 8:30 PM
Associational Meeting 3PM FBC Gordonsville
20 Bro. Tim’s College Road Trip – ETSU
21 Bro. Tim’s College Road Trip – UT Knoxville
25 Ladies Hospitality Brunch 10AM Fellowship Hall
26 Harp Ensemble featuring Cindy Dowell 5:30 PM
27 Bro. Tim’s College Road Trip – Tennessee Tech
28 Bro. Tim’s College Road Trip – MTSU
30 Bro. Tim’s College Road Trip – Union University

6. This past Sunday Night I shared a message entitled “I’ll Praise You in the Storms.” You may be like me and feel a bit of anxiety as you consider the current events in the world, especially the financial concerns of our nation. I hope to post this message on the web site by Tuesday, but until then here is the key passage for you to read and the outline of the message. God is in control and we can trust Him to care for us through any storm.

I’ll Praise You in the Storm
Matthew 6:25-34 (Click on the passage for Bible Gateway)

1. Life is filled with storms.

2. Worry is a choice. Vs 25, 34
Phil 4:6-7

3. God cares for His creation. He cares even more for His children. Vs 26, 28-30
1 Peter 5:6-8


4. Worry does nothing, but faith moves mountains. Vs 30
Disciples in boat – Matt 8:24-26
Peter walking on the sea Matt 14:22-33
Fig tree – Matt 21:18-22

5. Storms strengthen our faith.

6. Without Jesus, worry is the natural response. Vs. 31-32

7. God knows your needs and He cares for you. Vs. 32
Ps. 139:1-6 God knows me
7-12 God is with me
13-16 God made me
17-18 God thinks of me


8. The Christian response to storms: Seek God. Vs 33

In closing, check out this video tribute from the tornados at Union University that we showed at the close of the service Sunday night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O-IiHCrsK8