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Sharing God’s Love in the Heart of the City
First Baptist Church of Silver Spring
9727 Georgia Avenue
▪ Silver Spring, MD 20910-1458 ▪ 301-754-1100 ▪ www.fbcss.org
Multi-national, -cultural & -generational, united in Christ to worship, grow & serve
Volume 58 No. 21
November 9, 2014
TALKING ABOUT MONEY
Very soon you will receive a letter about the 2015 Annual Financial Commitment. You may already
have decided how to answer. But, I ask you to consider these thoughts as well. Many times someone
asked me in one way or another, “Why does the church ALWAYS talk about money?” Another like it is,
“Why does the church ALWAYS talk about politics?”
These questions reflect that at one time money or politics came up in a sermon or Sunday School class
and someone disagreed with what was said. We all realize that “ALWAYS” does not always mean
ALWAYS! The person asking surely knows when the church gave comfort during grief, encouragement
during difficulty, inspiration for living, and solid teaching about Jesus and God’s great love and mercy
for us all.
One time, after working through that I was then asked, “But why does the church have to talk about
money at all?” I asked, “How often did Jesus talk about money?” The answer was, “I don’t know. Did
He ever talk about money?”
If that’s your question, I’m sure you’ll also be surprised with the answer. Read the Gospels and listen to
Jesus talk about money. We limit Jesus often to talk about sin without realizing that for Jesus money
was often a very big sin! Do you remember Jesus saying in His “Sermon on the Mount,” “You cannot
serve God and Mammon!” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)? In the Roman Empire, money was religious
because coins were imprinted to honor Caesar as a deity to be feared and worshipped. Jesus paired
money with “laying up treasures on earth” where material (Mammon) disintegrate but “laying up
treasures in heaven” yields wealth (God’s presence) that endured (Mt 6:19-21).
One-third of all Jesus’ parables are about money. Jesus said four times more about money than he did
about hell and judgment. Jesus spoke about money because people were too easily tempted to make it a
deity.
We prefer to water down Jesus’ radical talk about money. We argue that everyone doesn’t need to “sell
all and give to the poor” as Jesus told the rich ruler to do. But, Jesus saw too many people, including the
Pharisees, who LOVED money, (Luke 16:14-15) and that love had become an all-consuming
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compulsion to get, hold, and have! Break the commandments not to steal, lust, or covet and you destroy
all possibility for an honest, open, trusting community!
We talk about money because Jesus did and ordered His disciples to teach EVERYTHING He taught
them. Paul, Peter, and John all wrote about money and urged that we not make it our god, but make it
God’s!
By the way, that is what our Annual Financial Commitment is! We don’t subscribe a budget. We don’t
raise funds for bills! We simply give everyone an opportunity to put God first in all things and GIVE
BACK TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S!! Then the Finance Committee and Trustees build a budget to
distribute what the people of God gave back to the Lord to ministries and mission. So, give as the Lord
has prospered you! Give with Thanksgiving!!!
Pastor Mac
CONTRIBUTING TO FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Your tax-deductible contributions to the church may be received three ways:
 Placing cash and checks in the offering plate on Sunday morning;
 ONLINE BILL PAY: You may contribute electronically through your
bank’s ONLINE BILL PAY feature.
 CYBER GIVING: You may contribute electronically through the church’s website, FBCSS.org
by clicking the Online Giving button. After setting up your personal profile, you may choose
either to contribute a specific amount on a regular basis or make a one-time contribution.
Building Fund Contributions (as of November 2):
$305,708.68
Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, the first
anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for
an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.
Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day–a common
misunderstanding, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial Day (the fourth
Monday in May) honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of
injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or
dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or
peacetime.
DCBC OFFERS TRAINING FOR DEACONS, TRUSTEES, AND USHERS
One of DC Baptist Convention’s objectives is to equip servant leaders. Toward that
end, during November, workshops will be geared toward the work of the deacon, the
trustee, and the usher. For information and reservations go online www.dcbaptist.org
or call 202-265-1526
TRUSTEES
DEACONS
Saturday, November 15, 2014
9:30 a.m. – Noon
th
DCBC Building
1628 16 St. NW, DC
Saturday, November 15, 2014
DCBC Building
1628 16th St. NW, DC
New and Prospective Deacons
9:30 a.m. – Noon
Workshops for All Deacons
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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A 90-10 SPLIT
When the weather prediction is for a 10 percent chance of rain, do we sigh and grumble and stay
indoors? Or do we go ahead and picnic, golf or hike because the chance of bad weather is so low?
When doctors say our child has a 90 percent chance of full recovery from a deadly illness, don’t we
rejoice at the great prognosis? We quickly decide we can live with the slight chance of some
impairment.
When a really tough exam comes back with a 90 percent grade, aren’t we glad to have done well?
When a politician runs for office, 90 percent of the vote would be considered an overwhelming mandate.
Why then, when God gives us 100 percent of our material blessings, are we so horrified at the thought of
giving him 10 percent back?
STOP HUNGER NOW: REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS
Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief nonprofit organization that
coordinates the packaging and distribution of food and other life-saving aid to
people in developing nations. Montgomery Hills Baptist Church will be holding a
“Stop Hunger Now” event on Saturday, December 13, planning to pack enough
meals to feed 20,000 people! This is double what they have done in the past, so
First Baptist members are invited to please volunteer along with MHBC to “get it done.” The goal is to
get 70+ volunteers. To sign up, call the church 301-681-7990
8:30-10 a.m.
ADULTS (able to lift 50 pounds) to unload truck and set up meal packaging area
10 a.m.- 12 noon
Meal packaging event
12 noon-1 p.m.
Clean up, load equipment and meals into truck
Mondays
7:00 p.m.
Wednesdays
Fridays
7:20 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Sundays
10:00 a.m.
10755 McGregor Dr., Columbia
301-307-0021
Led by Don Keuch, Bill Kreitlow, Bob Holt
Online Bible Study (using Google Hangout)
9727 Georgia Ave. (Montgomery Hills Baptist) 301-221-2607
Led by Sharon Husic, Rayness Mayne
@ Takoma Park Community Center
EMPOWERED WOMEN INTERNATIONAL ARTISAN GIFTS AND FOOD MARKETPLACE
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
10:30 AM TO 5:00 PM
Empowered Women International’s Artisan Gifts & Food Marketplace is an event not
to miss! Join us for a dynamic shopping experience to help propel the businesses of
local women entrepreneurs on Sunday, November 16 from 10:30am to 5pm at the
Silver Spring Civic Center. The day will be filled with artisan demonstrations and
diverse creations of women entrepreneurs from around our region and the world. Come
learn, shop, and be inspired!
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November is…
Premature Birth Awareness Month
Diabetes Awareness Month
National Alzheimers’s Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
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Jayson Green
Pamela Crawford
Angelique Forrester
Clara Kimbrough
Donald Crowther
Rayness Mayne
Rosemary Piercey
Delores Showalter
Carrie Nottingham
Len Johnson
Maggie Camp
www.marchofdimes.com
www.diabetes.org
www.alz.org
www.caregiveraction.org
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Bill Kreitlow
George Philips
Rosemary Archin
Hope Cameron
Emerson Browne
Elaine Blackwin
Bob Holt
John Morris
Rosa Branch
Pat Johnson
NOVEMBER 2014
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10
6:30 p.m.
Young Adults @ 10707 Amherst Avenue
7:00 p.m.
Bible Study @ 10755 McGregor Dr., Columbia
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
7:20 p.m.
Online Bible Study (using Google Hangout)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13
@ MHBC
6:00 p.m.
Handbells
7:00 p.m.
Sanctuary Choir
@ MHBC
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
1:30 p.m.
Bible Study
@ MHBC
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
10:00 a.m.- Noon
Food Closet (Team B)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
@ Takoma Park Community Center
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Worship Service / Communion
11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Worship Service
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Children’s Bible Study
@ MHBC
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18
7:00 p.m.
Church Council
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
@ MHBC
10:00 a.m.- Noon
Food Closet (Team C)
Duncan McIntosh, Proclamation
Gareth Murray, Associate Pastor
Barbara Williams, Webmaster, Media Center
Jennifer Martin, The Tie Line
Eric Walters, Associate Pastor
Jerry Orrell, Administrative Assistant
Rosemary Piercey, Celebration Ringers
Bill Smith, Listserve Moderator