April Newsletter - First Baptist Church

The
F IRST Edition
AT THE HEART OF THINGS DOWNTOWN
April 2015
“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found
the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”
John 1:40-42
Easter always presents opportunities to talk about our Christian beliefs. How
do we make the most of the opportunities as followers of the Living Lord? If
you are a baseball fan, you may want to read the entire story of former St.
Louis Cardinal and now Christian, Colby Rasmus. (http://
everysquareinch.net/former-cardinal-baseball-player-becomes-christian-andwhat-we-can-learn-from-it/) But due to space, I want to provide you the
answer to the above question from the blog of Keith Simon:
Six Principles for Influencing Others for Christ
1. Friendship Matters. When talking about coming to faith in Christ, Rasmus mentioned by
name four guys who reached out to him, sat next to him on the bench, and cared about him as a
person. Oftentimes the first step to influencing others for Christ starts with being a good friend.
2. Teammates Not Pastors. The people who pointed him to Jesus were guys he worked with not
a pastor. You have far more opportunity to influence someone you work with or live next door to
than I do. God has put you in your office, neighborhood, on a team, or in your school to be a light
to people who would never be interested in talking to a pastor. Insiders (like teammates) often
have far more power to influence than outsiders (like pastors).
3. Like and Unlike. Tim Keller points out that Christians need to be like and unlike people who
don’t follow Christ. Rasmus’ Christian teammates shared the same job, same temptations, same
struggles, same lifestyle he did. Your friends should look at you and think “You can be a Christian
and be normal, have a family, be successful at work, have fun,
etc…” And yet Rasmus also said that he noticed that his
FBC TOTAL DEBT
Christian teammates were different than him. Christians
should be different in the areas of integrity, generosity,
Jan. Balance: $87,139
hospitality, and how they handle adversity.
Received Feb.: $11,000
CURRENT BALANCE:
$76,139.32
4. Adversity. Everyone eventually faces times of adversity,
and it’s often in those times that they are willing to consider
the gospel in a more serious way. For Rasmus adversity came
in the form of disappointing performance on the field. Maybe
for your friends it will be a broken relationship or infertility or a
A note of appreciation has been received from the following: Darrell and Blye Moore
the First Baptist Church Newsletter
miscarriage or marital struggles or depression or job loss. In those difficult times they will turn to
someone to talk to. Have you built a good friendship, have you expressed your care and
concern, have you proven safe and trustworthy so that in their moment of need they will turn to
you?
5. Talk About Jesus. Rasmus says that his teammate Lance Berkman used to sit on the bench
with him and talk about Jesus. I don’t know what those conversations were like, but I do know
that at the right time, it’s necessary to talk about the gospel. Maybe it’s best to put it in the
context of your life. Explain how you became a Christian and what Jesus means to you. Most
people will be interested in hearing your story.
6. Time. We get discouraged when people we care about don’t immediately respond to Christ or
even just come to church when we invite them. But as Rasmus’ story proves, it often takes time.
Based on the article it seems that several years elapsed between his first exposure to his
Christian teammates and his becoming a Christian. That’s pretty normal.
Keith Simon concludes by writing, “Be patient. Love people. Be a good friend. Follow Jesus.”
That is great advice for all of us as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ all year long.
In Christ,
Michael
WANTED: Handbell Ringers
If you’ve ever wanted to try ringing bells, call the church office
(866-7202) or see David Nolte, Dan Givens or Sue Norris.
Must be able to read notes (but only two at a time) and count. We’ll arrange to give you a short private
or small group lesson to try out ringing. We especially need men to hoist the bigger bells. We could also
use a few substitute ringers who could fill in when a regular ringer has to be gone.
Strength and Stability – Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 9 a.m. Starting April 1st
Uses transitional postures and body weight movements to improve body awareness, increase mobility
and create a stronger core.
Primal Boot Camp – Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 10 a.m. Starting April 1st
A high intensity, full body workout designed to improve cardio conditioning, strength and stability.
Functional Movement – Mondays and Fridays at 11 a.m. Starting Monday, April 6th
Why do we fall, have those constant morning aches and pains, become restricted in our movement?
Learn how to better manage and even relieve these issues with Functional Movement. Improve
balance, range of motion and strength through purposeful postures, breathing techniques and soft
tissue work.
$5 per class in April.
Park on the south (off Mt. Vernon) and use south doors of the Christian Life Center (west building).
I look forward to seeing you.
Call or text Kim Eoff @ 417-865-7598, or e-mail keoff1@sbcglobal.net for questions or more
information.
the First Baptist Church Newsletter
Children’s Choirs Spring Sharing
“The Light of the World”
Sunday Morning at 10:45 am, May 3, 2015
Due to the new Sunday evening schedule we
have had to adjust our plans for our end of the
year sharing time. We are now scheduled to
be able to present our preschool and children’s
music during the Sunday morning worship (10:45 am) on May 3.
Our Music Time Preschool Choir will begin our worship time with three of their songs from
this year’s curriculum. Our Music Makers (Grades 1-3) and Young Musicians (Grades 4-6)
will be combined to share worship songs, scriptures and short dramas that will encourage us to
not only remember that Jesus is the light of our life but we are to be that Light to the world
around us. Our adult leaders in both children’s choirs and our mission groups will be assisting
the children in that special worship time.
Our Preschool and Children’s Choirs will be finishing their 2014-15 year with a Wednesday
“taking our music message to others night” on May 6 and a Recognition Party in our choir room
on May 13. We want to say a special thank you to parents who have helped their children be
faithful in their participation this year!
Please plan to be here on Sunday morning, May 3, to support our children and to join them in
the challenge to “letting Jesus shine through us as the Light of the world.”
Events and Opportunities
Crystal Bridges Museum of Art
Saturday, April 18, 8:00 am from CLC Parking Lot
The Crystal Bridges Museum celebrates the
American spirit through heritage and artistry. We
will have the opportunity to visit Van Gogh to
Rothko: Masterworks from the Albright-Knox Art
Gallery. The exhibition features masterpieces by
some of the most prominent names in art history
including Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso,
Georgia O’Keeffe, Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo,
Andy Warhol, and Mark Rothko. Admission to
the museum is free, but the cost for the art
exhibition is $10. In addition, there is a $3.00
transportation fee lunch on your own at one of
their restaurants. You may bring your lunch;
there is room for a small cooler under your seat.
We will be leaving at 8:00 a.m. from the CLC
parking lot and will leave the museum at 5:00
p.m., expecting to arrive home between 7:30 and
8:00 p.m. Please sign up in the church office
and indicate if you plan on riding the bus and if
you want to secure a ticket for the art exhibition.
The deadline to sign up is April 5.
Springfield Cardinals Game, June 5, 7:10 pm
There are thirty tickets available in Section C,
and van transportation from the church parking
lot will be provided if needed. Please sign up by
calling the church office at 866-7202.
APRIL BIRTHDAYS
Mary Hazlewood
Mary Saxton
Brooklyn Wright
Margaret Butler
Lylia Corbett
Timmy Pfeil
Carole Tarrant
Debra Hastings
Mary Cullers
Bonny Langston
Keith Pennington
Ben Zachary
Zoe Green
April 1
April 1
April 1
April 2
April 2
April 2
April 2
April 3
April 4
April 4
April 4
April 4
April 5
Juanita King
Morgan Brock
Jim Corbett
Kristin Harbin
Betty Austin
Felicia Boyd
Jack Buckley
Charly Strothkamp
Tobias Watters
Paulette Webb
Alfred George
Charles Hedrick
Jewell Smith
April 5
April 6
April 7
April 7
April 8
April 8
April 8
April 8
April 9
April 9
April 11
April 11
April 11
Mary Mitchell
Mila Pinegar
Phyllis Stratton
Don Tarrant
Deanna Dutton
Sue Tate
Jocie Sinclair
Norma Lou Wells
Paula Spence
Linda Potter
Nadine Sumpter
Kael Givens
Marilyn Jozwiak
April 12
April 13
April 13
April 14
April 16
April 16
April 17
April 17
April 18
April 19
April 19
April 20
April 20
Carolyn Longtin
April 20
Lynn Tynes
April 20
Georgia Talley
April 22
Riley Brock
April 23
Andrew Enlow
April 23
Karen McDonald April 23
Jonathan Carney April 28
Marqua Weathers April 28
Katherine Baurichter April 29
Hester McCullough April 29
Tina Sibley
April 29
Nathan Walker
April 29
the First Baptist Church Newsletter
Blessings from the Library
From the Shelves
When I asked library assistant Deborah Hall for a recommendation for
this month's review, I expected her to hand me one of the new books
she was at that moment processing. Instead she enthusiastically
guided me to one of her old favorites...Evidence Not Seen by
Darlene Deibler Rose. The acknowledgments begin with the words
"More than ten years ago I began to write the story of my
experiences during World War II for Bruce and Brian, my sons. I wished them to know, if ever difficult
circumstances came into their lives, that their mother's God is still alive and very well, and His arm
has never lost its ancient power!" Darlene neither had nor needed a ghost writer. Her beautifully
written memoir of childhood dedication to mission work, young love, travel to New Guinea jungles,
and the fun (yes, that is the word I meant to use) of meeting the natives is wonderful. The account
grows more terse and filled with God's miracles in bringing survival to some in a place where none
could have been expected to survive. Bless Deborah for her knowledge of books and wonderful
enthusiasm. I'll have to get more recommendations from her.
From the Archives
Continuing from last month about Bill and Kathryn Richardson.
First appointed to Brazil in 1964, Bill and Kathryn had many fruitful experiences as they ministered
there. They sent back a record of their life in Brazil via newsletters that we now have in the Archives.
In 1992, the Mission Board sent the Richardson’s to Bucharest, Romania. Those times of ministry are
also recorded in newsletters all bound in a large book entitled “Tidings From Brazil and Tidings from
Romania.
Their home was on the sixth floor of an apartment building. They find the market is filled seasonal
products, melons, tomatoes, carrots, red and green peppers, eggs, cabbages and peaches. Corn is
grown but it is used for animal feed.
Means of travel was farm wagon, gypsy wagon, bicycles, cars, busses, metro, trains and airplanes.
Kathryn tells of traveling to Oradea to meet a librarian friend who would help her learn to work in the
seminary library. The train trip was eleven hours. The sleeper car had room for two and cost
$9.00. On the trip back she could only get a sleeper car for six – three bunk like beds on each
side of the aisle. Both men and women slept in these beds and the cost was only $4.00.
In 1997, Kathryn was teaching English in a girl’s school/orphanage/home. She was able to teach
and witness about Jesus. Several girls came to know Jesus.
This precious book contains many triumphs and many trials lest we forget what our missionaries
give up to follow Jesus’ command to go and teach.
The Richardsons retired in 1999, to move back to Missouri. We can only say Thank You for your
service.
In Memory Of
Jean Matthews and Bette Bogart have given five beautiful new children’s books to the library in
memory of Esther Wright King. They became friends in Wilma William’s FBC Sunday School class
in 1955. Esther’s father, Clarence Wright, and 2 brothers were Baptist preachers. She retired
from teaching in Aurora, MO where she was awarded outstanding teacher of the year. She is
remembered as a wonderful teacher, wife, a mother and friend.
You can see these books on display in the Library window. Remember we have many books to
read with your little ones until they can begin reading them back to you.
the First Baptist Church Newsletter
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April 2015
The
FIRST Edition
THE RECORD SPEAKS
3/1
N/A
ATTENDANCE
FINANCIAL
WEEKLY OFFERINGS
3/8
262
3/15
297
3/22
295
$N/A $41,096 $ 12,204 $23,172
MONTHLY TITHES TO DATE....................................................$78,664
MONTHLY BUDGET TO DATE ...........................................$99,862
MONTHLY NEEDED TO DATE................................ UNDER $21,197
RECEIVED THRU MAR .................................................$212,230
BUDGETED THRU MAR ..............................................$251,577
YEARLY NEEDED................................................ UNDER $39,346
Y O U R C H U R C H S TA F F
C H U R C H I N F O R M AT I O N
Worship with us at 10:45 AM & 6:00 PM Sundays
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9AM - 5PM
Telephone: 417.866.7202, Fax: 417.862.4925
Check us out on the web at www.fbcspringfield.com
The First Edition is a monthly publication of the First Baptist Church of Springfield, MO.
www.fbcspringfield.com
525 South Avenue
Springfield, MO 65806
SENIOR PASTOR ---------------------------------------------MICHAEL OVERTON
PASTOR OF WORSHIP & ADMINISTRATION ----------------------DAVID NOLTE
CHILDREN’S MINISTER -------------------------------------------STACY HEATON
PRESCHOOL MINISTER -------------------------------------------VALERIE PFEIL
STUDENT MINISTER -------------------------------------------------LUKE TOLLEY
ACCOUNTING-----------------------------------------------------------RMMC, PC
ACCOUNTING ------------------------------------------------------PAULA SPENCE
PASTOR’S SECRETARY-------------------------------------------JANE ADAMSON
ADMINISTRATION SECRETARY------------------------------------VALERIE PFEIL
RECEPTIONIST/MUSIC SECRETARY ------------------------VALERIE MCBRIDE
ORGANIST-------------------------------------------------------------BLYE MOORE
PIANIST --------------------------------------------------JANICE BRANDENBURGH
MAINTENANCE --------------------------------------------------DOUG MCKINNEY
BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT------------------------------ CHARLES GOODWIN
CONTRACT CLEANING --------------------------------------------------JIM SMITH