FBC Carthage E-News for April 4, 2011

FBC Carthage E-News

April 4, 2011

Good Morning,

This is the season for missions at FBC Carthage. I hope you enjoyed meeting and hearing Donny Coulter yesterday in the morning services. He is one of our 5000 North American Missionaries serving in the United States and Canada. Donny’s work is in starting churches in Canada with the native people of Canada, the First Nations people. Take a minute and visit the North American Mission Board web site at http://www.namb.net/.

Speaking of North American Missions, during the month of April, we will be receiving the Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions. Our church goal is $7000 which goes directly to the work of the missionaries as they serve in the United States and Canada. You can be “friends with Annie” on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/annie.armstrong.aaeo

The special 40 Days of Easter Devotionals will continue this week and into Easter. I am enjoying reading the devotional thoughts of our members and friends each day. In addition to sending the devotions by e-mail, we also are posting them each day at www.ontheword.blogspot.com. Share them with a friend and the Lord may open a door for you to share the good news of this season, Jesus’ death for our sins and His glorious resurrection.

Be praying for a new ministry which is forming in our community, the Pregnancy Help Center of Smith County. This ministry will share the sanctity of life and walk with ladies through their pregnancy with encouragement and resources. The center will also promote and teach sexual abstinence before marriage. One of the center’s volunteers, Barbara Kannapple will be going into the schools this month and sharing with students using a curriculum titled, “Choosing the Best”. The center itself is planning to open at 108 College Avenue West in June. There are opportunities for volunteers and training is scheduled for the last week of May. There are several projects remaining to be done on the house the center will use for its ministry. If you have some time and can help, contact me at 735-1929.

Have a wonderful, blessed spring week,
Bro. Tim

Here’s the news for the week:
1. This Wednesday, April 6 will be the monthly business meeting in Fellowship Hall at 6:30 PM. There are several recommendations to be considered as well as reports from this past month. One of the recommendations will be to purchase a 25 passenger bus for the church. This will be a blessing to many groups in the months and years to come. Here is a specification list of the bus for your review: http://www.carpenterbus.com/detail.php?recid=10866&WebCategory=Medium%20Buses

2. As part of our Easter Celebration 2011, we have two special events set for Saturday, April 9 and 16. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30 AM each morning for prayer and to form prayer and invitation distribution teams. We will be prayer walking each of the streets and roads in Carthage and South Carthage. We will also be distributing an invitation to the Easter Service on Sunday, April 24 at 10:00 AM at the Smith County High School Auditorium. With the invitation we will also be distributing a tract with the message of salvation. It will refer persons to the website www.findithere.com. Take a minute and visit this site to become familiar with the resources and information it shares.

3. As part of the Easter 2011 celebration, we will be having a Good Friday service at the Smith County High School Auditorium on Friday, April 22 at 7:00 PM.

4. Several have asked if we are having a sunrise service on Easter Sunday. We are not having a special sunrise service, however, we are having the service at the Defeated Creek Campground at 8:30 AM on Easter Sunday, April 24, which will be similar to a sunrise service. You are invited to come and celebrate the resurrection with the campers on that morning. We will also be conducting the Campground service on May 22, June 19, July 3, September 4, and October 9. If you and your Sunday School class would like to lead one of these services, contact Bro. Tim at 735-1929.

5. The FBC Carthage Relay for Life Team will sponsor “Painting for a Cure” this coming Sunday, April 10 at 2:00 PM. The project will meet at the Paint Pail on Main Street. Participants will purchase a canvas (8X10 - $20; 16X20 - $35) and be instructed in painting a cross. The proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer. The signup contact the church office or see Denise Hackett. In addition, special Relay for Life shirts are available for a contribution of $10. The Smith County Relay for Life will be held on June 4.

6. Just a reminder to High School and college graduates, the 2011 Graduate Recognition and Luncheon will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2011. We are gathering pictures and making a special graduate video to show during the morning services on that day.

7. LifeLine Screening will be providing several medical screening tests on Tuesday, April 26. Contact Deborah at the church office to schedule a priority screening. Church members may qualify for a $10 discount by calling this week, 735-1929.

8. An upcoming event that will be extremely informative will be the Islam Awareness Conference on May 8-10 at the Smith County Ag Center. The Smith County Ministerial Alliance, of which we are a part, is sponsoring this conference. Pastor Mujahid el Masih is a former Muslim who now has a ministry of exposing the truth of Islam and sharing how Christians can share Jesus with their Muslim friends. We have an information flyer posted on the church web site www.fbccarthage.com. Look for the picture link at the bottom of the “About” page.

9. The Priscilla Shirer Simulcast this past weekend was a blessing to the approximately 60 women who were able to attend. While Priscilla taught on Jonah and “life interrupted”, she also shared a very practical way to have a quiet time each day. The conference was for women only, but her “5 P’s of Bible Study” will work for anyone who is seeking a more effective devotional time with our Heavenly Father. Shirer says that when we study the Bible and know God better, aligning with His ways more and more, it will be easier for us to determine when other voices are talking, voices like fear, ego, and even Satan, voices we need to ignore. Satan makes his will enticing. We have to know God well enough to know when it is His voice we’re hearing.

Here are Priscilla’s suggestions:

With your Bible open – and a journal by your side -

• Position yourself to hear from God.

o Find a place to be silent and hear from God.

o Stay as long as you can. If you can only spend 10 minutes, then spend 10 minutes.

• Pore over the passage and paraphrase the major points.

o Sometimes we try to read (or cover) too much scripture when we are in our devotional time with God. Only read what you can pore over (maybe two or three verses). You might also try reading the same verses for 7 days, placing index cards with the verses in visible places in your life so that you see the verse and think about it from time to time during the day, allowing God to continue to speak to you.

o Paraphrasing is summarizing. Write down ideas like “Who are the participants?”, “What are the promises in this scripture?” and “What’s happening here?”

• Pull out the spiritual principles.

o Look at the paraphrase. Consider what principles are there and what they mean.

 Priscilla says even if you’re in the “begat” passages, ask yourself “what does this reveal to me about the character of God?”

• Pose the questions.

o Take the spiritual principles and turn them into questions.

 “Am I… being obedient, believing in God’s power, …?

• As you ask questions, the Holy Spirit will ask more questions, questions that only He knows that we need to ask. He’s our Helper.

• Plan obedience and pin down the date.

o God does not speak just to be heard. He speaks to be obeyed. Have an accountability partner. Do what God tells you to do according to the scriptures. Tell your partner what you believe God wants you to do so that you will be accountable to obey.

If you are seeking this type of personal devotional time with God, try this simple plan. For more information, Priscilla has also written a book - Can We Talk. Ladies, make your plans now to attend the Beth Moore Simulcast on September 10. You’ll be blessed.