FBC Carthage E-News for April 27, 2009

FBC Carthage E-News
April 27, 2009

Good Morning,

This is going to be a great week as we close out the month of April and begin the month of May. It is hard to imagine how fast the year is going and that summer is upon us. This E-News has several items for you to give special attention as we prepare for Summer ’09. Look for the information on Mission Trips, Lighthouse Camp, and especially Vacation Bible School. This is going to be one of the best summers ever at FBC Carthage.

All high school and college graduates are reminded of the date change for our Graduate Recognition and Luncheon. We will honor our graduates on Sunday, May 17 with a special video presentation in both services and a luncheon at 12:00 Noon. At the luncheon we will present gifts to each of the graduates and have opportunity for them to share plans for their future. The luncheon in their honor will be a church-wide potluck luncheon and everyone is invited. Bring your pictures by the church office as soon as possible.

The Youth Lock-In was quite an experience this past weekend. We had around 40 people including the chaperones who braved the night. The Jimmy Floyd center is an excellent facility for events and I believe everyone had a good time. And Yes, I was able to stay up for the whole night. I am still a little wobbly but it was a lot of fun. The Youth Lock-In gave us opportunity to fellowship with the several of the churches who will be involved in ReFuel: the Community Youth Mission Event scheduled for June 10-13. All youth are urged to place these days on your calendar as we serve the Lord in Smith County. Adults will also be needed that week to help in the projects, feed the kids and assist with the activities.

I would like to express a special thank you to John Etheridge and all the workers in Awana. Last night we had the Awana Awards Night Program and I was blessed by the large number of children we have been ministering to each Sunday night. Awana will begin again with the new school year and I look forward to an even greater response and opportunity for reaching boys and girls and their parents.

I talked to Michael Kilgore, director of Lighthouse Christian Camp, this morning and he was very appreciative for the warm welcome and good respose from FBC Carthage yesterday. He said we sponsored over ten children to camp and that several adults and youth expressed interest in volunteering during one of the weeks of camp. For more information you can call the camp at 615-597-1264 or check out their web site at www.lighthousechristiancamp.com. The weeks of camp for the children of Smith County are:
June 1-5 Girl’s Camp
July 13-17 Boy’s Camp
You can serve as a volunteer during these weeks or any of the other seven weeks of camp. Lighthouse is a great ministry in sharing the love and gospel of Jesus Christ to boys and girls. Thanks for the great response.

It was great to have Hazel Grandstaff with us in the 10:45 AM service. She celebrated her 90th birthday Saturday and stayed overnight to be with us in worship on Sunday with her family.

Have a blessed week as you continually celebrate the peace, hope and joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Bro. Tim Frank


Here’s the news for the week:
1. We welcome Clint Estes as our newest member at FBC Carthage. Clint came forward in the 8:00 AM service professing his faith in Jesus Christ and desiring to follow the Lord obediently in baptism. We look forward to observing baptism on Mother’s Day, May 10. If you have trusted Christ but not yet followed Him obediently in baptism, this would be a great day to do so. Contact Bro. Tim or come forward at the end of one of the services next Sunday.

2. Speaking of baptism, we will have an extra special service Sunday night, May 17 at 5:30 PM as the Hispanic Mission joins with us for our evening service. They have several persons who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior and have asked for us to conduct the baptism service. We will have a time of fellowship after the service in the Christian Life Center. The Hispanic Mission holds their service each week at FBC Carthage on Saturday nights.

3. This Sunday night, May 3 will be the Children’s Choir spring musical at 5:30 PM. They will present “GPS: God’s Plan for Salvation.” This is always a great night to share together with friends and family. Invite someone to attend with you. We will have a finger-food fellowship following the service in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is encouraged to bring a treat to share.

4. Vacation Bible School preparation has begun and we are on our way to a great VBS. In fact, I am challenging our church to have 250 children and workers in VBS this year. That will be our largest VBS ever! The dates of our VBS are June 15-19 from 6:00-8:30PM. There are two things we must have for this to be such a great success:
Children – Invite every boy and girl you know to join in the fun. We begin at age 3 and this year will have classes through 12th grade.

Workers – We already have many adults enlisted for VBS but there are many places of service still open. In other words, we need you! If you have never served in VBS, we need you. If you served years ago, we need you. Listed below are the classes and workers already signed-up. Pray and ask the Lord to place you in one of the open positions and then contact Rhonda Etheridge or Lisa Reece to sign-up.

Workers for Boomerang Express: Vacation Bible School 2009
3-4 yrs Lead Teacher - Reesa Walsh
Helper – Lyndsey Angel
Helper –

5 yrs and Kindergarten
Lead Teacher - Melody Tackett
Helper - Alicia Hoffman
Helper – Rita Shiverdecker
Helper-

1st and 2nd Grade
Lead Teacher - Christy Nixon
Lead Teacher – Lee Wilson
Helper - Kathy Reece
Helper –



3rd Grade Lead Teacher –
Helper - Suzanne Angel
Helper – Dorsey Jackson

4th Grade Lead Teacher – Jan Trainham
Helper – Christy Eatherly
Helper –

5th Grade Lead Teacher –
Helper – Michael Collins
Helper –

6th Grade Lead Teacher Charlie Daigre
Helper – Vanessa Denny
Helper –

Youth Lead Teacher –
Helper – Richard Deaver
Helper -

Refreshment Café Leader - Amy Broyles
Helper - Denise Hackett
Helper - Samantha Upchurch
Helper - Melissa Hackett
Helper - Jackie

Recreation Leader –
Helper- Milicent Winfree
Helper – Taylor Reece

Crafts Leader - Deanne Currie
Helper – Jennifer Agee
Helper - Katie Goolsby

Music Leader – Michael Deaver
Helper – Hailey Wilkerson
Helper -

Sound Leader – Jeremiah Wilkerson
Helper –

Van Driver - Pat Nixon
Van Driver - Phillip Slagle
Van Driver -
Van Driver -

Prayer Team Leader –

Follow-Up Leader-

Extra help as available – Denise Jackson

Dates to Remember:
A Training luncheon will be held for all leaders on Sunday, May 31 at 12:00 Noon.
The VBS 2009 Kick-off luncheon will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12:00 Noon.
Boomerang Express: VBS 2009 will be held June 15-19 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM.


5. The Church Council will meet Sunday, May 3 at 4:00 PM. The Deacons will meet Sunday, May 3 at 4:45 PM.

6. A tremendous evangelistic presentation will be held May 4&5 at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Lebanon entitled Heaven’s Gates/ Hell’s Flames. We received this invitation last week from Bro. Marty Dodge, our Associational Director of Missions. I have been to this presentation several times in Cookeville and in Frankfort, Kentucky and it is very powerful. It will bring to life the realities of the blessings of heaven and the horrors of hell.

HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH IS PRESENTING HEAVEN'S GATES AND HELL'S FLAME MONDAY AND TUESDAY, MAY 4&5 AT 7P.M. IT IS FREE IT IS A REAL LIFE DRAMA PRESENTATION. THE CHURCH IS LOCATED AT 621HARTSVILLE PIKE IN LEBANON NURSERY AND CHILDREN'S MINISTRY PROVIDED. MORE INFO 444-5923. CHURCH WEB SITE: www.hillcrestbaptist.org
GET THERE EARLY FOR A SEAT.

7. Here is a portion of the E-News from North Shores Baptist Church in King’s Park, New York from Bro. Jim Wilburn. Praise the Lord for a great report from Karen and Baby Colin!

I pray you all are having a blessed week and have weathered the storm! It looks like the next few days will be beautiful here on Long Island.

Karen and I took Colin back to the hospital yesterday for a final examination of his head injury. The doctor says he is 100% in the clear. Praise the Lord! We are not lucky, we are blessed! God is in complete control of every facet of our existence- so when we receive good news, we give Him the praise.

Last night in Bible study, we took an in-depth look at the "parable of the persistent widow" in Luke 18:1-8. We discussed how this passage related to our individual experiences concerning prayer. Here is what we found:

1. Though God knows all our needs before we ask, there is much to be gained through persistent prayer.
2. Persistent praying sends a strong message to God that we believe in His power (and His promise) to answer our prayers.
3. When we come to God with our concerns and do so consistently, we experience the additional benefits of spiritual growth.
4. When we pray, not only should we trust in Him to come to our aid, but also to do it in His timing.
5. We should always pray in expectation of great things to happen- not waiting for tragedy to strike in order for to grow in our relationship with God.
6. Prayer that lacks fervency emanates from a person who is lacking in faith.
7. As Christians, the issue isn't whether or not we believe, but how much we believe and are obedient to Him.


8. I end this E-News with this funny e-mail I received last week from two different people. It makes me stop and think what my actions are communicating to others. I hope it will make you think as well. Let’s live for Jesus Christ and let our lights shine for Him this week.

A man was being tailgated by a stressed- out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, 'I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.' I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk..

Naturally...I assumed you had stolen the car.'