Pastor, Dr. Mike Hagan
Cell Phone: 605-359-0862
Email: [email protected]
Secretary, Dawn Hayenga
Cell Phone: 712-578-9771
Email: [email protected]
FIRST CHRONICLES
APRIL 2015
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
4102 190TH STREET
GEORGE, IOWA 51237
Telephone: 712-475-3440
FAX: 712-475-2500
Website: fbcgeorge.org
April Reflections
“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Rev 8:1).
Silence for 30 minutes! Interpreters differ about the reason, but I think it is because of the weight of the
content of the seventh seal with all its judgments and destruction. To ponder what was to come required a
pause.
We are in the middle of March Madness with basketball games on every screen you see. Conversations get
louder during this time, like they do at Super Bowl time or the World Series. In fact, most of our culture
finds reasons to not pause and be silent for any length of time. Sound slams into us from every direction.
We have a friend who talks so much we often feel exhausted after time with her. We love her, but oh my!
Then we wonder why we feel so pummeled by events and conversations and friendships and work and even
leisure. Those chores aren’t going to get done by themselves! If I don’t show up at every thing, who will
support my daughter, my nephew, my friend, my pastor, my busy schedule?
A friend of mine told me to take 15 minutes each day to sit in silence. I mentioned this idea last fall in our
conversations about spiritual disciplines. At first I felt it was a legalistic thing that I determined to do
because someone said it was important. The busier my day looks, the harder it is to sit there with no
agenda, no phone, no ipad, no Bible, no other noise except my breathing and God. I do so after taking my
vitamins but before breakfast and shower. Whatever, if anything, comes into my thinking I take as a gift
from God. If my mind takes off in a direction, off I go. Someone in the hospital? Lord, be close to them at
this moment. Look at that robin hop across the lawn and stare at the grass. Good luck little fella (the robin
or the worm?). Interesting balance in this creation. It’s lighter this morning at this hour! Hey, there goes
Matt to work. No cars or trucks today? Doesn’t that rooster know the sun isn’t up yet? Click. Creak.
House language? I don’t think I like where my initial thoughts on that passage for Sunday are taking me.
Better change it. Und so weiter (and so on).
For some mysterious reason my day gets longer and more productive because of the time in silence alone
(except for God’s presence). Is that why I take the 15 minutes? No. It just seems the right thing, the
balanced choice.
Let your Spring begin with a pause that makes the difference!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
April
2
3
8
9
11
12
George Stratman
Brett Block
Molly Kooiman
Cindy Eben
Lynette Wagenaar
Jim Ruddy
Jace Schrick
15 Lois Mahlman
16 Bridgett Block
17 Nolan Kooiker
20 Bob Arends
Brian Harms
23 Mary Kramer (Herman)
Deb May
27 Alyssa denHoed
Sandy Doeden
Mavis Kanengieter
Stephen May
Chantel Tiedeman
28 Jolene Schneiderman
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
April
16 Roger & Janelle Kooiker
SCHEDULES
GREETERS
NURSERY WORKERS
Sunday, April 5
Henry and Joan Boneschans
Sunday, April 12
Herm and Linda Christians
Sunday, April 19
Doug and Donna DeBoer
Sunday, April 26
Greg and Sharon DeBoer
Sunday, April 5
Amber, Ross
Sunday, April 12
Hannah, Kane
Sunday, April 19
Eddie, Terresa
Sunday, April 26
Ashley, Brenna
AWANA
Wednesday, April 1
Wednesday, April 8
Ice Cream Sundae Night
Earn a topping for each section passed.
Wednesday, April 15
Last Night Of Awana For 2014/2015 Year
Ask about Vacation Bible School and get a surprise.
Sunday, April 19
Awards Night
Invite family and friends.
Thank you Christian Hour Circle ladies for the nice letter you sent
and also for the beautiful flowers.
I appreciate you thinking of me.
Florence Arends
Thank you everyone who donated cupcakes for the Awana Cupcake Walk.
I appreciate you helping in this way.
Crystal deBoer
Thank you for your donation.
We appreciate all the community support that you give to the school.
Without that support, we would not be able to provide activities
to make it a memorable experience for our students.
George-Little Rock After-Prom Committee
Thank you everyone who prayed, sent cards, and visited while I was in the hospital.
Thanks to the church for the flowers.
I appreciated it all.
Mary Kramer
A big thank you to my church family for your cards, well wishes, prayers,
and food showered on us while I was in the hospital recently.
Thanks to Pastor Mike and others in the congregation who visited and called me.
The flowers were beautiful that you gave me.
My visitors just loved how fragrant they were.
Your concern and thoughtfulness will be remembered fondly.
JoAnn Schneiderman
8:30 A.M.
Sunrise Service
(Presented By The Youth Group)
9:00 A.M.
Breakfast
(Hosted By The Youth Group)
10:00 A.M.
Worship Service
Communion
Baptisms
Child Dedications
NO Evening Activities
Step By Step He’ll Lead Us
The Middendorps
February was a very cold month in Chicagoland. We still went out on street outreach twice a
week, but found that most of the people at least found some sort of shelter. Most have pooled
together to get hotel rooms or found some friends to let them come and stay for a few nights on
their sofas. There are still a few that are still sleeping outside under a bridge or in small lean-tos.
We still visit with about 20-25 people twice each week throughout the winter months.
It is a little bit hard to see in these pictures, but there are two small lean-tos that some homeless
guys built under a stairwell of an old building. The building is in use by something that smells like
a John Morrell packing house, but we’re not exactly sure what it is. There are no signs or any
markings on the outside of the building.
The side with the white towel has enough room for one person to sleep inside. The one with
the black garbage bag has sleeping room for two squished in there side by side. There is not quite
enough room to stand up inside of the lean-to. The men try to prop a piece of cardboard or
plywood across the doorway when they are inside sleeping.
We thank you for your prayers for Melody! She has been working full-time and has moved
into her own apartment. She is still struggling to make the rent payment and is living in the
apartment on a sort of trial basis, but at least she has someplace to shower and a safe place to
sleep. Pray that she can make this month’s rent, because this month’s rent is more than usual
because of the deposit plus the rent. She also doesn’t have any furniture or bed yet, but we hope
to use some Salvation Army thrift store vouchers and help her get these needs soon.
Praise and Prayers:
~Please pray for Bill’s brother Gus and his wife (and her 2 kids) as they grieve the loss of their
baby girl (at 20 weeks gestation). Pray that their hearts are softened towards God.
~Please pray for Jimmy who is struggling with the news of possible cancer and depression.
~Please pray for the homeless as the PADS shelter system closes at the end of March and they will
be once again sleeping outside and in greater need of food.
~Praise God for the beautiful SPRING weather!!
~Praise God for the Des Plaines Ministerial Association and continued good relationships with
other ministries and organizations in our community.
Bill, Deb, Darien, Brandi, BilliJo, and BobbiJo
420 West Touhy Ave #149
Des Plaines, IL 60018