Rev. Steve Hogg, PaStoRaPRIL 2017 | voL. 52 | ISSue 8

Joshua Carswell can’t remember a time when he wasn’t singing. A winner of the American Traditions Competition in Savannah, GA, one of the nation’s most prestigious vocal contests, and a graduate of Elon University, Joshua traces his musical inspiration to an unusual source. ‘When I was only three, I started singing specials in church. A lady in the congregation came to me afterward and said, “I will make you brownies if you will sing again.” So I did… again, and again, and again.’

Music was ever present in the Carswell home. ‘I would record musicals on our television and watch them over and over. I started subscribing to Turner Classic Movies magazine at the age of 12 just so I could record rare movie musicals!’, says Joshua. Disney soundtracks, crooner legends like Tony Bennett, pop innovators like Billy Joel and the Carpenters, and the songs of the Great American Songbook shaped his artistic sensibilities early on. ‘The excellence of those songwriters and performers is distinctively American. They inspire me to continue their legacy.’

March Madness capped off an exciting run Sunday, March 26, with a great turnout in Sunday School. Our turnout of 922 may not have hit our big audacious goal of 1000,but we did establish a four year high, had 125 guests in Sunday School and 125% of our average attendance this year. The best stories I heard as a result of the prayer and effort to invite folks to be a part of this great day went something like this. “We had people in our class this Sunday that we haven’t seen in 6 months and even a year.” I also saw people who are regularly in worship attendance take the opportunity to attend Sunday School for the first time in a very long time. Not only were these great results, but we had a tremendous number of guests in Sunday School. What I love about these new friends attending Sunday School is that they attended because you invited them. The old adage is still true, “invite them and they will come.” Thank you so much to those who committed to pray, call, invite, and even inspire others to join you in Bible study. I am sure each person had a great experience and made a new friend along the way. Remember, every Sunday is worth inviting some to join you in Sunday School. This effort is not just a one day effort, but creates an opportunity to build relationships with new people. Keep praying, inviting, and inspiring people to know Jesus and His people.

Text the word FBCROCKHILL to 73256 and follow screen directions. You can give to the General Fund, Building Fund, Missions Fund. Once you set up your card info, it will be saved securely for the next time you want to text a donation!

First Baptist NOW offers

GIVING! TEXT

Welcome to the “Family oF Faith”

By Baptism: 8 By Letter: 21 By Statement: 17 = total: 46

Kay stoneStatement

William stoneStatement

suzanne harriottLetter

BoBBy harriottLetter

caleB steeleBaptism

holly hooDStatement

Justin hooDStatement

nathan autenBaptism

Joseph DeyerleLetter

We are collecting plastic eggs filled with individually wrapped candy. (No chocolate or nuts please). Collection buckets will be

near the Welcome desk, at the DOCK, and at the COVE. If you would like to help out on the day of the event, please email Tracee at traceed@fbcrockhill.org.

Parents and Preteens, join David Mitchell and Scott Blasingame for a special transition breakfast in your honor. We will take time to introduce the Middle School program and give students the opportunity to sit in on a small group. As well, we will talk with Parents about how to best move your kids from B45 to the youth group.

Sunday, April 239:30 a.m. in Rooms 324 & 325

If you would like to volunteer and sign up your child, you can sign up at the table at the

back of the Worship Center today. You may also volunteer online at fbcrockhill.org/events/vbs-2017

THANK YOU!!! You are the reason we are successful.

If you, or your child, are graduating from college this year, we would like to share your joy with the church family. Please provide us with the graduate’s full name, the name of their parents, the school they are graduating from, and the name of their degree. You may call Tammy in the Church Office (327-7181)or email her at tammyw@fbcrockhill.org. Deadline for submission is April 23.

Attention Soon-to-Be College Graduates and/or their Parents!

April 29, Saturday (9:00 a.m. - Noon)at First Baptist Church Rock HillWatch your child’s imagination become a reality as they experience everything from the sirens of the police cars to the roaring rumbles of the big semis and the drivers who operate them. Take in the wonder of the vehicles by sitting in the driver’s seat and seeing the world behind the wheel. In case of rain, the event will be cancelled.For more info visit comeseeme.org/everything-trucks

parent/chilD DeDicationSunday, June 4 during the 9:10 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Worship Service

Deadline to sign up by May 15If you would like to be a part of this special time,

please sign up on the church website at bit.ly/FBC-Dedication.

• April 30 @ 9:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Choir Room (Rm 314)• A multimedia presentation• For anyone interested in learning more about First Baptist Church.• Call the Church Office (327-7181) to make your reservation or email

tammyw@fbcrockhill.org or sign up online at bit.ly/1ST_CON.• Class size limited. Sign up early.

First connect : sunDay, april 30 @ 9:10 a.m.

Deadline to register for class is Tuesday, April 25

MIDDLE SCHOOL MISSION TRIPSStudents in 6th-8th grade and the Middle School ministry team will be going to Spartanburg, SC for a mission trip during spring break. They will leave on Thursday, April 13 to work with the Spartanburg Baptist Network and Greater Spartanburg Ministries. Pray for our students as they serve and share their lives with others. Also, pray for David Mitchell as he leads the team as well as for the adults who will be supervising. They return on Saturday, April 15.

At our March Men’s Underground meeting, Will Crute & David Bennett, two youth pastors who grew up in our church, shared with our

men lessons they learned from their dads.

Will Crute David Bennett

EaglEs NEst group EVENtApril 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Church OfficeParents with children in college or recently out of school meet monthly for fellowship and projects. On April 19, we will put College Exam Care Boxes together. Sign up for items to donate to the box project online at bit.ly/2mty5rs. Contact Terri Hood at TerriH@fbcrockhill.org for more info.

Saturday, April 29 to Saturday, May 6Every month, we have individuals, Sunday School classes and men’s and women’s groups participating in local missions in ways that impact our community. We have people serving at the Rock Hill Dream Store, working with international students, visiting nursing homes, and more. All of these individuals and small groups impact the local community in many different ways.

Servolution is our chance to gather as a church and serve our community over two weekends. We will be painting houses, visiting nursing homes, working at local schools, packing meals, and more. Beginning on Sunday, April 2, you will have the chance to sign up to serve with a team for Servolution.

Here are some of the opportunities we will have to serve Rock Hill during Servolution.

SATURDAy, APRIL 29EVERYTHING TRUCKS - As a part of Come See Me Festival, the FBC parking lot will be filled with trucks of all shapes and sizes. Volunteers will hand out information, give directions and more.WORTHY BOYS AND GIRLS CAMP - In cooperation with the City of Rock Hill, the team will help get the camp ready for summer. That includes cleaning, moving mulch, hanging blinds, and more. Lunch will be provided

FRIDAy, MAy 5ROCK HILL DREAM CENTER MOVIE NIGHT - As a part of RHDC’s mentoring program, we will host a movie night in a local neighborhood. Jobs include cooking & serving hot dogs, serving popcorn, inviting neighbors, supervising children, and more.MALL BASKETS OF LOVE - Rock Hill Galleria has 35 stores. We need people to prepare baked goods beforehand and then prepare baskets to deliver to the stores.JOY CHOIR PERFORMANCE - The senior adult choir will be presenting their spring concert at the mall’s center court at 6:30 pm.

SATURDAy, MAy 6ROCK HILL DREAM CLOSET - This team will be sorting and stocking all of the clothes that have been donated to RHDC.A HAND UP STORE HOSPITALITY/ CLEANING - Working at The Hand Up Store serving snow cones and playing games as well as doing some spring cleaning.STOP HUNGER NOW - We will pack 10,000 meals that will be shipped throughout the world to support those in need.LOCAL SCHOOLS - We will be cleaning & yard doing yard work at local schools.FIREHOUSE BASKETS OF LOVE - The City of Rock Hill has six manned fire houses. We will be delivering baskets containing homemade baked goods, bottled water, fruit, and more.SALVATION ARMY - Building shelving for their basement for food donations and help cleaning and straightening the basement area.PAINTING HOUSES - Working with the city of Rock Hill, we will paint the exterior of selected houses in the city.YORK TECHNICAL COLLEGE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER - Work with yTC to do spring cleaning.ZACCHAEUS HOUSE - Working with a ministry that helps people transition from prison into the community, we will do yard work, cleaning, and light repair.GROUNDS OF GRACE - The Women’s Ministry will host the Grounds of Grace for a morning of pampering, while others are needed to clean and wash cars.

Throughout April, we are collecting clothing items for the Rock Hill Dream Store. We’ll collect items at the back of the Worship Center and in the Church Office. For more info about Servolution, contact Jamie at jamieb@fbcrockhill.org.Tear along the dotted line

Friday, May 1 - Saturday, May 2

On May 1-2, we are working with organizations and ministries across the city of Rock Hill to give

everyone a chance to participate in a local Servolution project. Painting. Cleaning. Planting.

Serving. Baking. Delivering. Schools. Park. Neighborhoods. Everyone gets a chance to serve in

some way. Sign up deadline is Sunday, April 26. Here are descriptions of the places we will be

serving on May 1 & 2.

SERVOLUTION REGISTRATION CARD

Name : _______________________________________________________

Email : _______________________________________________________

Phone # : _____________________________________________________

MAY 1

LOCAL SCHOOLS - We will be working with a number of schools doing some cleaning, painting, and/ or light yard work. If you are doing yard work, plan to bring work gloves.

MALL BASKETS OF LOVE - Rock Hill Galleria has 55 stores. We need people to prepare baked goods beforehand and then prepare baskets to deliver to the stores.

PAINTING HOUSES - Working with the city of Rock Hill we will paint the exterior of houses in the city. All of the supplies (paint, ladders, tape, etc) are provided by the city.

ROCK HILL DREAM CLOSET - Throughout the month of April, FBC has collected clothes to �ll the Rock Hill Dream closet with new inventory. This team will be sorting and stocking all of the clothes that we collected.

MAY 2, 9:00 a.m. - NOON

STOP HUNGER NOW - We will be packing 10,000 meals that will be shipped throughout the world to support school feeding programs, orphanages and crisis relief.

Select projects on back of this card.

The Messenger (0566-150) is published monthly by First Baptist Church, 481 Hood Center Drive, Rock Hill South Carolina 29730. Periodical postage paid at Rock Hill SC.

Postmaster: Send address change to 481 Hood Center Drive, Rock Hill South Carolina 29730.

Ministerial staff

Contact informationOffice

803-327-7181Sunbeams

803-329-2892Website

www.fbcrockhill.org

Pastoral staffrev. steve Hogg

Senior Pastorrev. steve White

Worship & Musicrev. Jamie Burdette

Sr. Adult & Missionsrev. Will Beaty

Communications & Contemporary Worshiprev. David Mitchell

Youth Ministry

Program staffHolly Matthews

DirectorPreschool Ministries

scot McGuire Orchestra Director

Victoria BurdetteYouth Ministry Intern

rev. steve PolkAssimilation &

Spiritual Growthrev. scott Blasingame

Elementary & Preteen Ministry

BUDGETGiven Mar 5 - Mar 26 ............. $193,598.80Given to Date ......................... $1,531,918.30Budget Goal to Date .............. $1,487,040.60

SIX IN 6 CAMPAIGNGiven Mar 5 - Mar 26 ............. $39,508.95Given to Date ......................... $1,253,427.79Total Commitments ................ $1,790,172.44

GIVING

SUNDAY SCHOOLMarch 05 ........................................... 726March 19 ........................................... 696March 26 ........................................... 922

SYMPATHYThe Staff and Congregation of First Baptist Church extend deepestsympathy to Kathy Kitts and Megan Cremeans on the death of their father and grandfather respectively; to the family of Larry Hutcherson; to the family of James Dan Anderson; to Tid Walden on the death of hergranddaughter, Carrie Thompson; to Chicora Gbemi on the death of her father; to Darren Bryan on the death of his grandmother, Jeanette young; and to Boni Howard on the death of her uncle.

BABY ANNOUNCEMENTCongratulations to Steven and Sara Hogg on the March 13 birth of their daughter, Emily Elisabeth Hogg. Also, congratulations to grandparents, Steve and Monieca Hogg.

APRIl BIRTHDAYS:Sam Huffman (3rd)Jamie Burdette (4th)Tom Rinehart (27th)Bryant Polk (27th)Shelley Hamilton (28th)

STAFF NEWS

APRIl ANNIVERSARY:Geri Parrish (1996)Tony Huffman (2004)Tammy Wallace (2006)

STAFF ANNIVERSARY

MEMORIALS Tom DeVinneyJoyce WilbersonEarl JacksonLarry HutchersonMary ShookPeggy White

administrative staffterri a. Hood

Church Administratortom rinehart

Pastoral Staff Administrator

tony HuffmanFacilities Manager

Matt Greer Graphic Media &

Publications Director