FBC Carthage E-News for October 10, 2011

FBC Carthage E-News

October 10, 2011

Good morning,


I would like to begin this E-News with a word of thanks to those who have been praying for me during my battle with a stubborn foot infection. I appreciate and need your prayers every day, especially when going through times of physical trials.


Speaking of praying, I ask everyone to begin earnestly praying for our Fall Revival which is coming up in less than four weeks on November 6-9. Bro. Jimmy Arms will be our guest Evangelist. The theme of the week will be “Committed: Being the Church.” Bro. Jimmy will preach in the Sunday morning and evening services at regular times. The Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday services will begin at 6:30 PM. I am praying for a spirit of revival to cover our church and spread throughout our community. That will happen as we pray and seek the Lord. In fact, God’s plan for revival is given in 2 Chronicles 7:14 where God Himself says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”


To prepare our hearts for revival, I am asking each adult Sunday School class to have a time of prayer for renewal and revival in our church. I suggest meeting at one of the member’s homes during the week of October 24-29 and having this special time of prayer. Revival comes to churches as God’s people pray.

Last week I began my 2011 College Road Trip with a visit to the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. This week I hope to be at Tennessee Tech on Monday night and Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday night. Thank you to Katie Goolsby at Tech and Taylor Reece at MTSU for helping set up these visits.


This coming Sunday, October 16, Fran and I would like to invite you for an after-church fellowship after the evening service. The service and AWANA gets out at 7:00 PM and we’ll meet at our house at 607 Main Street N. If you would like to bring a plate of finger foods we will spread it out in the kitchen. I hope this can be the beginning of after-church fellowships where we can have some unstructured time just to sit, talk, and get to know each other. Feel free to bring your children.


To all our school teachers and students I wish you an enjoyable and safe Fall Break. May this week be the break you needed to do your best through the remainder of the semester. Have a great week.


May the Lord bless you this week,
Bro. Tim




Here’s the news for the week:


1. Just as a reminder, the weekly sermons are available to listen and download on our church website. If you are out one Sunday, simply go to www.fbccarthage.com and open the Media page. Click on Sermons and Listen to FBCC Sermons. You can also access the sermon player directly at www.ontheword.blogspot.com.


2.  We had right at forty persons at the Defeated Creek Campground service this past Sunday. We will also be hosting the service this coming Sunday, October 16 at 8:30 AM with Shawn Pinson preaching.


3. This Friday will be a Fifth Quarter Fellowship for all students, grades 7-12, in the Christian Life Center. There will be food, games, and time to be with your friends. During Fifth Quarters we always have a great devotional time as well. Fifth Quarter starts immediately following the game and ends at 11:30 PM.

4. This Friday and Saturday, October 14-15, the Pregnancy Help Center at 108 College Avenue W is needing some volunteers to help do some work to their facility. Several of the members of FBC Carthage are on the board and serve in this ministry. The work days will be Friday from 8AM-4PM and Saturday from 8AM-3 PM. For more information contact Tim Frank at tfrank@fbccarthage.com.


5. Sunday, October 16 will be the annual Life Chain, organizing at the corner of Main Street and Highway 25 at 1:30 PM. The Life Chain is an opportunity to join with others in the county and across the nation to physically take a stand for the life of the unborn.


6. Attention ladies, a fall ladies retreat will be held November 18-19 at the Lighthouse Christian Camp in Smithville. Several ladies from FBC Carthage, in addition to other churches, are serving as the leaders and organizers of this retreat. For more information, stop by the display in the Connection Point, located just behind the sanctuary.


7. A special “Thank You” to Trey Sanders for the painting of our church logo which is on display in the Connection Point.


8. Here is a good story I have received from one of our members this week. It reminds us of the “blessed hope” we shared yesterday in the message.


Woman and a Fork
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.


She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.


Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.


'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly..


'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.


'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'


The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.


That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.


'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.


The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favourite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'


So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'


The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.


At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.


During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.


He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.


As believers in Jesus Christ, we have hope in the blessed life beyond this life. This hope is not based on our works or goodness, but on Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross as He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead. Paul writing to believers said this in 2 Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” The best is yet to come.