fbcmonroe.com

Vol. 45 Issue 37

First Baptist Monroe

November 1, 2017Newsletter

WARE IT ISDr. Todd WareSenior Pastor

It’ been around 30 years ago. I was part of the choir at Truett-McConnell College and our group had finished singing at the Georgia Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. As our clan of

singers was boarding our chartered bus, my then good friend Teri introduced me to her parents, Shuford and Ann Jones. Little did I know our brief introduction would be the beginning of the weaving together of our lives. This past Thursday I joined others as the Mulberry Baptist Association of churches celebrated the ministry of Shuford and Ann Jones by presenting Shuford with a Lifetime Service Award. It was the first time I’ve witnessed the presentation of such an award. It was certainly an appropriate recognition of one who has faithfully served to build the Kingdom. Born to preach, Shuford Jones has pastored churches throughout Georgia. As a convention servant,

he worked faithfully in the Sunday School department before being tagged by Dr. James Griffith to develop and lead Church Extension work for Georgia Baptists. As a result, hundreds of new churches were planted across our state. At his core, however, Daddy Jones is a Bible scholar. He loves the Word and has a passion for teaching it - whether from the pulpit or through his books. And in every endeavor, Mama Ann has been a faithful partner in his ministry. As you would expect for ministers, much of Mama Ann and Daddy Jones’ life is often on display for the world to see. A select few of us, however, get a ringside seat. And while no home is perfect, I can tell you their devotion to the Lord is as authentic inside their home as it is out. I along with the rest of the family have been and continue to be blessed by their sacrificial love. The Lord willing, on this Sunday I’ll stand before you alongside parents who dedicate themselves to teaching their children the way of Jesus. One of those children will be Hannah Ware, the great granddaughter of Shuford and Ann Jones. What a wonderful testimony to the faithfulness of generations who have lived a lifetime serving the Lord.

HANNAH KATHERINE WAREDaughter of

Brandon & Madelyn Ware

OLIVIA ROSE BROWNDaughter of Lytle & Lindsey Brown

WILSON MACLEOD PHELPS “MACK”Son of

Mark & Suzie Phelps

LILLY MARIE BROWNDaughter of Lytle & Lindsey Brown

HARPER LYNN MILLIANSDaughter of

Ryan & Sydney Millians

CHANDLER JAY BROWNSon of Lytle & Lindsey Brown

Parent/ChildDedicationNovember 5, 2017

BELONGING AROUND A CAMPFIRE…AND TO ONE ANOTHERDr. Greg DeLoachTeaching Pastor

In a couple of weeks Amy and I will slip away for a few days to go camping in the Smoky Mountains. We are already anticipating leaves to be in

their full fall glory and reminders of autumnal beauty. We love the mountains even though we did not grow up in the mountains. Neither did our parents or their parents or their parents. We both hail from Middle Georgia environs surrounded by gentle, rolling hills where the closest thing to a mountain was the fire ant mounds. Yet each time we lose ourselves “up there in the hills” and huddle around a campfire we feel a certain reconnection with our past. Many of Amy’s best childhood memories are of family camping trips. My grandparents rarely left the dairy, but the two or so times I remember them traveling it was to head to the mountains. One time it included taking my brothers, sister and me to see those mountains for the first time.

Every time we are up in mountain territory – in a tent, on a trail, a hotel room, or just riding along the winding highway – we feel a reconnection, a belonging as if we have always been there.

Deep within every one of us is the need to belong. Young children take pride in belonging to their parents; adolescents carve out new identities and belong to their friends; emerging into adulthood there is the need to belong to independent ideas and convictions; and it is not uncommon that as we grow older in our adulthood we seek out our past recovering what and who we are and to whom we belong.

What a lovely place church can be as we seek to reconnect with our past as well as face the unknown future. Whether one is a church member going back many generations, or simply a pilgrim passing briefly through, we all are wanting and seeking the same thing: to belong.

Each time we gather we are cultivating a time of belonging in Christ. Like a drive in the mountains where an old homesickness is stirred up, we are at

our best when we can sense a hunger to connect, belong. This happens when we worship. Hymns or praise music; sermons or testimonies; high liturgy or simply casual – worship can be a beautiful dance with one another and the Most High God.

Cultivating a time of belonging happens around the table too – and here I mean the supper table. Wednesday evenings are some of my favorite times of belonging. Walking among the tables and speaking – even if it is briefly – to children doing their homework while rushing through a meal; catching up with harried adults who are moving quickly between work and home; and seniors who come early to see their friends have become a highlight of my week. Belonging.

The biblical and liturgical image is the table that Christ has set inviting us to come, sit, and share. Belonging is God’s gift to us and our gift to one another. This is church. This is belonging.

Grateful to belong to you,

Greg

THANK YOU NOTES have been received from Aaron & Daisy Andrews and Jeanette Stone. The notes have been placed on the third floor bulletin board.

PRAYER LISTAudrey Adcock (Wayne’s mother) – HomeSusanne Autry - Out-patient eye surgery 11/13George Baker - Home after surgeryLeena Banks - diagnosed with lung diseaseChuck Bradley (son of Carol/Larry) - Home, Larry & Carol’sDerrick Brown – Home, off his leg for 4 monthsMildred Bryan (Chris Bryan’s mother) -gallbladder surgery, St Mary’s Chris Carpenter (Marvin Reddish’s friend) - cancerTricia Cox - Home after surgeryRuss Dillard - Knee replacement 10/30- PiedmontMike Eckles - Home after surgeryMarge Ellison - HomeLarry Fussell – HomeTaylor Goins – Home after hospital stayMarcy Haymans - Home from Denver, treatment planPeggy Howard - Gwinnett MedicalJim Head - HomeDerrick James (Cathy Inabinet’s son-in- law) - Stem cell transplant at DukeKaren Knight (Larry Richardson’s niece) leg amputee, healingDillon Lewis (Ginny Gregg’s nephew) – Shepherd’s ClinicLee Malcom – HomeMark Millians - Out-patient surgery, 11/09, Athens SurgicalTom Moore - Home after surgeryMarissa Napoli (Marvin Reddish’s cousin) - Cancer, remissionJimmy Payne - HomeCliff Peters - Blood clotsReba Plaster - Surgery 11/14

BIRTHDAYS - NOV 5-NOV 11Brenda MillerTom Walker, JrHendley JonesEdith SmithJohn BeckumLarry FussellBud NguyenFieldon ChapmanNell ChapmanMolly PhelpsLeon PiperBecky AthaShelly PlasterJim Hood

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SHUT-IN OF THE WEEKJeanette Stonec/o Vikki2203 Amber Creek Trail, Buford, GA 30619

MENU FOR NOVEMBER 8, 2017Salad Bar, Beef Stew, Rice, Cinnamon Apples, Biscuits, DessertKids: Hot Dogs/Tater TotsHelpers: Larry and Lois Fussell, Nancy Hightower

LAST WEEKOctober 29, 2017

NEXT WEEK GREETING TEAM8:30amBarbara PryorGayle SmithTommy & Martha Odum

11:00amCharlie & Tricia BrownDiane HardyBetty Buckles

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS8:30amTeam Leader: Karen Harvey Babies:

Audrey KimelmanVolunteer Needed

3-5 year olds:Leigh Kelly Lisa Samples

11:00amBabies:

Sue Kamienski Laura Brown

3-5 year olds:Mindy LandrumBrian & Angel Shinn

WEEKLY FINANCIALS Weekly Budget RequiredWeekly Budget Receipts Sunday Offerings Online Giving Stock GiftsBudget Required to DateBudget Received to DateDesignated GiftsGive to GoWorld Hunger

$30,141.00

$18,042.54 $1,513.50

$0.00$1,326,204.00$1,260,944.88

$5,590.00$85,571.00$2,815.00

SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCEAdultsStudentsChildrenPreschoolTotalAttendance Goal

271604031

402450

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 58:30am Worship in Sanctuary9:30am Sunday School11:00am Worship in Sanctuary11:11am Worship in Fellowship Hall7:00pm Student Ministry Worship Band rehearsal - The Loft

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 710:30am Intercessory Prayer Group

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 85:00pm Family Meal5:30pm Children Bible Drill6:00pm Preschool6:00pm Zip tracks for Kids6:15pm Adult Bible Studies6:30pm Student Mid-Week7:15pm Sanctuary Choir Practice

DEACONS OF THE WEEK - NOVEMBER 2-8Joe GreggJeff Malcom

Mike Reddish (Marvin Reddish’s nephew) - Home Texas,Praise for infection clearedBob Richards - Home, radiationDean Scoggins - severe back painJeanette Stone - With daughterCarol Story - HomeDwayne Wommack (brother-in- law of Kelly Bryan) - CancerGene Wood (Judy Richardson’s brother) - Home after hospiceMatthew Young (Shannon Dominy’s brother) - Home, cancerSheila Young - Cancer

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Robert WhiteRene ThompsonLiz LeachSue SongerMarvin ReddishJeff SatterwhiteNatalie BriscoeSara Hawes

DR. TODD WARE Senior PastorDR. GREG DELOACH Teaching PastorALEX BOSKOFF 8:30 Worship LeaderGLORIA BRISCOE Associate Student MinisterLYNN BROWN Ministry AssistantCHRIS BRYAN 11:11 Worship LeaderDARLENE CHRISTIE Director of Preschool MinistriesREV. GORDON DAVIDSON Associate PastorBROOKE GOUGE Family Ministry AssistantCARROL HOLMAN Financial SecretaryREV. ROYCE MCNEAL Minister to Senior AdultsREV. CURTIS MURDOCK 11:00 Worship LeaderSHANNON RADOSEVICH Minister to ChildrenELIZABETH YOUNG Ministry Assistant

OFFICE HOURS 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Thursday8:30am-1:00pm FridayOffice 770-267-5904 Fax 770-207-7383

-NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

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PERMIT #56

202 McDaniel Street PO Box 351 Monroe, Georgia 30655

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