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First Baptist Church, Ames, Iowa
Joyful Generosity
November 2014
Volume 60, No. 11
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
200 Lynn Ave.
Ames, IA 50014-7188
Worship Sundays 9:45 am
PHONE:
515-292-9612
FAX:
515-292-0403
E-MAIL
[email protected]
WEB:
www.fbcames.org
First Baptist Church is an open and
caring family of faith where
worship is central and faith engages
both heart and mind. We are
warmly ecumenical, delight in our
diversity, and cherish our Baptist
heritage of freedom. We are called
by Christ to share God’s love with
the campus, community, and the
world.
As we seek to follow the way of
Jesus, we welcome all people to
fully participate in our fellowship:
all ages, colors, backgrounds,
political affiliations, and physical
and mental abilities; male and
female, gay and straight, rich and
poor, single and married, skilled
and unskilled. We are all God's
children, and all are welcome here.
Our Fall Stewardship Emphasis will be this month, with a theme of “Joyful
Generosity.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 reads, “Each of you must give as you have
made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver.”
When we think of stewardship, we tend to think of financial stewardship
and stewardship of the environment – our land, water and air. This is a big
part of it, but the Biblical notion of stewardship is much broader. We are
called to care for and use well all that God has given us – out time, our
gifts, our talents, our influence, our relationships, our vocations, our
families, our money, as well as God’s creation that surrounds us and
sustains us. So you might think of stewardship as simply living generously
and compassionately.
A stewardship mailing will be sent out this week, including a copy of the
proposed 2015 budget, a narrative budget that “tells the story” of our
ministry plans for 2015, and a pledge card. Besides the pledge of financial
support for the church’s work in the coming year, there will also be an
opportunity to express your interest and willingness to serve and participate
in a variety of areas in our church life. Gift/interest surveys will be
included in the mailing and will also be distributed at church on November
9. We will encourage everyone to complete one that morning, if they
haven’t already. Individuals will be sharing a stewardship moment in
worship the first three Sundays of this month, offering personal stories of
why it is important to support our ministry together. We will all be invited
to offer our pledges of financial support for the 2015 year in worship on
November 16.
When we stop and realize how richly God has blessed us, we respond both
by giving thanks and by sharing those blessings with others. We will be
doing both as a church in the days ahead.
I’m looking forward to Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Dave
November 2
Worship Leader:
Wallace Sanders
Ushers:
Bob Parrish*, Kent Johnson
Wallace Sanders, Jan Thompson
November 9
Worship Leader:
Lorrie Whitaker
Ushers: Rosemarie Starrett*, Nancy Maydew
Kaylinn Taggart, Michael Thompson
November 16
Worship Leader:
John Whitaker
Ushers:
Dianne Borgen, Jerilyn Logue
Tom Logue, Katherine Thompson
November 23
Worship Leader:
Jocelyn Wilson
Ushers:
Scott Anderson*, Julie Johnston
Jere Maddux, Tiffany Nugent
November 30
Worship Leader:
Pat Coffey
Usher:
Jeanine Cole*, Lee Davidson
Mark Reuber, Barbara Woods
Flowers for November:
Judy Demarest
Lyndsay Whitaker
Abbey Johnson
Lucy Johnson
Helen Sassaman
Harris Seidel
Marilyn Peterson
Earl Hammond
Brian Starrett
Donna Cleasby
Buckley Peterson
Ngaire West-Johnson
4
6
6
8
12
13
21
24
25
27
28
Anniversaries
Joe and Catherine Parrish
20
Much appreciation to Jack
Cleasby who took the food shelf
items to MICA, (Mid-Iowa
Community Action). The items
totaled 48 pounds. The total
monetary amount donated was
$150.Your generous contributions
were appreciated! In February, we
will have another Food Shelf
Month at FBC!
It's a Girl!
A BIG thank you to Wallace Sanders and Catherine
and Joe Parrish for providing food for Student Suppers
in October. The Parrishes also hosted a bonfire for the
students on October 12. Your help is very appreciated!
Congratulations to Alissa and Joe Murphy, and big
brother Killian, on the birth of Kyleigh Nicole Murphy.
She came into the world considerably early, arriving on
October 29 and weighing 1 lb. 4 oz. Kyleigh is in the
neonatal intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital. Please
keep Kyleigh and her family in prayer. Joe and Cathy
Parrish are grandparents and Wayne and Irene
Shireman are great-grandparents.
Good Neighbor Concert
The directory will be printed mid-November. A
copy of the current directory is in the narthex in a
binder. Please verify that your information is
correct with a check or ok, or mark any necessary
changes. Do you know of any changes for our nonresident members and friends, or for resident members
and friends we haven’t seen in a while? Please update
their information if you have it. Lastly, don’t forget to
check the birthday and anniversary section, and add
your name(s) and special day if it is not listed. Thank
you for your help in making sure our directory is
current.
You are invited to attend the Good Neighbor
Combined Choir Benefit Concert on Sunday,
November 9, at 2:00 pm at Bethesda Lutheran
Church, 1517 Northwestern Avenue in Ames.
Doors open at 1:30 pm. This year 13 ensembles,
including the First Baptist choir, will be
performing. A free will donation will be received
to benefit Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance,
Inc. For more information about the work of
Good Neighbor, visit www.gnea.org or see the
flyer on the community bulletin board for concert
details
News from the Library
November moves us toward the
Advent season. There are
books for every ages to prepare
us to celebrate the birth of our
Lord and Savior. We'll have
some in the hallway display
and some on display in the Library.
HAYRIDE
Eighteen folks of all ages enjoyed a hayride on October
26 at Eric and Diane Brown’s farm, northeast of
Zearing. The group enjoyed a ride on a wagon pulled
by Clydesdale horses through what was once the
pioneer town of Illinois Grove. After getting back from
the ride, there was a hot dog roast. Thanks to all who
made it a great afternoon!
I've recently added a dozen “learning to read” chapter
books. These were added with funds from the Margaret
Harmon Memorial.
During November the FBC Book Group will be
reading Not A Silent Night, Mary Looks Back to
Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton. Rev. Hamilton is senior
pastor at a Leawood, Kansas United Methodist Church.
The book is an extension of a preaching series where
he imagined Jesus from Mary's point of view.
This is a good time to take a look around your home
for any books belonging to the Church Library. I have
names and will be contacting you for any books that
have been out for six months or more.
GREAT DAY OF SERVICE
October 19 was our Great Day of Service. We had
a brief worship time and then spent the morning
working in a variety of service projects. We
accomplished a lot in one morning:
• assembled 100 hygiene kits for Church
World service that will be given to refugees
• made 16 blankets that will go to children in
need through Project Linus
• washed windows, did other projects, and
delivered health and hygiene items to
ACCESS, a shelter for women and children
who are victims of domestic violence
• visited people in care centers and assisted
living facilities (our children sang)
• cleaned out the former ACCESS drop off
closet and delivered items to Goodwill
• wrote around 25 cards and letters
The other things we accomplished was the joy of
working together and offering our work as our
worship. The various work groups met back at
noon, reported in on our projects, and enjoyed a
soup lunch. Thanks to all who participated.
Thank you to all who gave generously to the World
Mission Offering, which supports our American
Baptist mission and ministry all over the world. Our
church total was $1,035.
Seven walkers (six human, one canine) from First
Baptist raised $950 to fight hunger through Church
World Service at the Ames CROP Walk, held on
October 12. The 5K route began at Brookside Park,
wound through campus, and ended back at Brookside.
FBC participants included Beth Douglass, Jere
Maddux, Kaylinn Taggart, Barbara Woods, Dave
Russell, and Julie Johnston (and her dog Kate). Thanks
to all of our walkers and sponsors!
Please join us on Saturday, November 8 at 9 am for a
leaf raking day. The church has some rakes, but you're
welcome to bring your own equipment. Coffee and
pastries will be available whenever you need a break.
Remember: many hands make quick work.
ALTERNATIVE THANKSGIVING DINNER
Kevin Elias will again host an alternative Thanksgiving
dinner on Monday, November 24 at 6:30 pm. All those
who can’t be with family on Thanksgiving or would
just enjoy a meal together are welcome. There will be a
signup sheet on the bulletin board; see Kevin for more
details.
We invite everyone
to join us following
worship on
November 30 for the
Hanging of the
Greens. We will
decorate the
sanctuary and
building for the
Advent/Christmas
season and then share a simple lunch. This is always a
fun time and great way to begin the season of Advent
Please note that we will not have Church School
classes that morning.
ABC/USA Responds to Ebola Epidemic;
Financial Contributions Urgently Needed
The American Baptist World Relief Committee
approved an emergency grant of $120,000 from One
Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) funds for American
Baptist International Ministries (IM) to help partners
address the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. “In
addition to huge medical needs, food security has
become a major issue,” stated Lisa Rothenberger,
ABC’s World Relief Officer.
Children's Choir to Sing November 16
The Preparatory Choir of Ames Children's Choirs
will be singing in worship at First Baptist on
November 16 as part of their annual church tour.
They will be singing at several area churches that
morning. The Prep Choir includes the youngest
singers of the ACC program. Our own Mindy
Phomvisay directs the Prep Choir and Chorale
(intermediate choir). We look forward to hearing
these young voices in worship on November 16!
This new $120,000 emergency grant comes in
addition to the initial August 2014 grant of $20,000
in OGHS funds. These funds will be invested in the
work of IM partners: Liberia Baptist Missionary and
Educational Convention, Liberia Direct Baptist
Missionary Conference, Baptist World Aid and IMA
World Health. Approximately 70% will be used to
provide food and medical supplies, while the
remaining 30% will focus on Ebola prevention. Half
of the prevention funds will be used by IM
missionary Rick Gutierrez to produce an animated
Ebola prevention video based upon his highly
acclaimed and widely viewed HIV prevention video.
The video will be easily translated into many
African languages.
Congregations and individuals are encouraged to
give to the ongoing Ebola-relief efforts through
normal denominational channels. If you wish to
contribute, you may write a check to First Baptist
with memo OGHS - Ebola Outbreak. Latest updates
are available at
http://www.internationalministries.org.
Yuletide Orchestra
Coming in December
Student Christmas Party, December 7, 6 pm
Budget/Election Business Meeting, December 7, 12
noon
Church Christmas Dinner, December 13, 6 pm
Christmas Cantata, December 14, 9:45 am
Christmas Eve, December 24: Social Hour 5 pm,
Christmas Eve service, 6 pm
Our instrumental ensemble, an eclectic collection
of instruments (or a motley bunch, depending on
your perspective) will be accompanying carols in
worship starting on November 30. The group
currently includes trombone, oboe, flute, alto sax,
tenor sax, clarinet, cello, and violin. The
arrangements are pretty simple and if you play an
instrument, we would love to have you join us!
See Mindy or Pastor Dave if you are interested.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
Time Change:
Remember to set
your clocks back
an hour.
2
3
9:45a
Worship/Communion
11:00a Church
School
4
5
6
7
8:00a Men’s
Breakfast,
Perkins
8
9:00a Church
Work Day
6:30p Choir
9
10
9:45a Worship
11:00a Fellowship
Time
11:15a Church
School
2:00p Good Neighbor
Concert
16
12
13
14
17
7:00p Trustees
6:30p Choir
6:30p Christian
Education
18
19
20
5:15p CCJ Board
Meeting
6:30p Choir
6:30p Deacons
26
27
24
25
11:30a Women’s
Lunch, Perkins
6:30p
Alternative
Thanksgiving
9:45a Worship,
Hanging of the
Greens
Lunch
7:00p Phi Kappa
Psi Fraternity
Initiation
Ceremony
21
22
28
29
8:00a Men’s
Breakfast,
Perkins
9:45a Worship
11:00a Church
School
30
15
11:30a Women’s
Lunch, Village Inn
9:45a
Worship/Stewardship
Sunday
11:00a Church
School
12:00p 3rd Sunday
Lunch, El Azteca
2:00p Prayer Shawl
Circle
23
11
Looking Ahead to December
Student Christmas Party
Budget Election/Business Meeting
Christmas Dinner
Christmas Canata
Christmas Eve Service
Christmas Day
No Church School
7
7
13
14
24
25
28
Worship themes for November
November 2 – “Family and Friends” (Esther
1:1-9, stewardship of relationships)
November 9 – “Minutes and Months”
(Psalm 31:14-15, 23-24; Ephesians 5:15-16,
stewardship of time)
November 16 – Stewardship Commitment
Sunday – “Dimes and Dollars (2 Corinthians
9:6-12, stewardship of money)
November 23 – Thanksgiving Sunday
November 30 – First Sunday of Advent
First Baptist Church
200 Lynn Avenue
Ames, Iowa 50014-7188
Our Church Staff:
Rev. Dr. David Russell
Pastor
Rev. Susan Russell
Associate Pastor
Mindy Phomvisay
Director of Music
Bev Shirbroun
Office Manager
John Kellogg
Custodian
Jane Morrison
Child Care
Nicole Moritz
Child Care