Third Base - February 2016

Third Base

Trouble in River City What makes a city great? The past few weeks Saint Louis has been reflecting on Stan Kronke moving the Lambs to LA. The billion -dollar stadium which was sched-uled to revitalize north river front is toast. A few prominent restaurants have closed downtown along with a local squabble over quality of life issues, related to homeless shelter’s location in mid-town. The downtown culture and health is related to our experience at Third Baptist Church. In The City for Good! runs constantly on our electronic sign facing Strauss Park and Washington Avenue. I like this slogan. It’s simple, direct, bold, with a dash of “holy stubbornness”. Third’s community is clearly stating—our commitment to Saint Louis will not be held hostage by economics, crime statistics or temptation to greener pastures. We are not in the business of land development or exploring options to expand our product. Third’s task is one of faithfulness and following God’s call—constantly asking—what is God doing in this com-munity?—and how can we partner in the journey. We are called to this place—in the City for Good! Rose Terranova is Director of Community Relations for Grand Center, Incorporated. Rose tells the story often about encouragement she receives—looking out from her second story office—and seeing our electronic sign’s communication of commitment to this place. Sunday, February 7 we will have a day of reflection, thanksgiving and encouragement, as Third celebrates Anniversary Sunday. I’ll also communicate a few markers and directional signs as we jour-ney together in this special place. May we continue to encourage—not only Third’s community of faith—but our Grand Center and Downtown neighbors—who work diligently bringing economic health to our corner of the world. And may we remain a “stubborn people”—offering grace, hope and encouragement to those who remain in “difficult places” because they believe in the power of good and change for the better. Now, that makes a great city… Grace and Peace, Tommy

From the Pastor...

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In Our Church & Community

Urbana Reflections By Candace Owen

Urbana is an international college missions conference held every three years during the Christmas break. It is a sponsored by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). The title comes from the fact that the conference used to be held on the University of Illinois campus at Urbana/Champaign. After outgrowing that campus, the confer-ence moved to St. Louis. I attended Urbana in 1993 and 1996 as a student, and in 2006 I served full-time at the conference as a Volunteer. This year I again had the opportunity to volunteer, this time as a Daily Servant. On December 26th, I helped with electronic check-in of Staff and Exhibi-tors. On December 30th. I helped set up communion in the Edward Jones dome for over 16,000 at-tendees. As a Daily Servant, I was allowed to attend the conference one full day for free, and I chose to attend on the last day of the conference, December 31st. The staff and students arrived to rain – a lot of it. St. Louis got approximately 8 inches of rain in five days’ time. People were saying it reminded them of the Flood of ’93, but the areas that flooded were not the same, since that was due to snow melting in Northern states over a period of time, and this was all due to rain over a very short period of time. So one of the things I will remember about Urbana 15 is all the rain. During lunch for staff and volunteers on the 26th, the people at my table were discussing how tight the hotel situation was and that there were no vacant rooms available at hotels sponsoring students at-tending Urbana. The Spirit moved me to ask if any students needed a place to stay, because I had two vacant bedrooms. I was directed to the Housing Solutions staff, who took my name and contact infor-mation. In the meantime, a student named Sohy had called her hotel to confirm her reservation only to find that the hotel had lost the reservation she had made for herself and her roommate Francine. Before she boarded her plane to St. Louis, Sohy texted her InterVarsity Staffworker, Glenn. Glenn contacted the Urbana Housing Solutions contact person, who did not have any options for him – the hotels within budget were full to capacity. So Glenn and his wife began to pray while Glenn also made his way to St. Louis. An hour later, the contact person for Housing Solutions called Glenn back. An Urbana volunteer had asked if anyone needed housing and said she had two rooms available and what’s more, she could transport the students back and forth to the conference all week because she was off work the entire week.

Continued on page three

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Obviously that person was me. Glenn and Sohy and I met later that evening and Sohy came home with me that night. The next day she attended church with me, had lunch with my mother and I, and I dropped her off at America’s Center in the afternoon to register. That night, I picked up both Sohy and Francine after the conference’s first evening session and brought them to my home. And so began a routine—I dropped the two students off at Union Station in the morning, and I picked them up at America’s Center at night and brought them home. Never before have I felt God use me in such a direct answer to someone’s prayer as I think I was here. It was an incredible feeling of awe and thanksgiving that He worked things out in this way – that Pat-rick decided to go to North Carolina for Christmas, that I chose to stay here, that I volunteered my house at exactly the time when someone was praying that two students would find a place to stay. What a reminder to me that God has a Plan and his timing is Perfect.

Editor’s Note: Judy Parham, chair of the Global Missions Team, received the e-mail below from Kit Ripley, who is an American Baptist Missionary in Thailand. Kit’s ministry was one of the recipients of Third’s World Missions Offering that was collected in December. Dear Judy, Hello! Happy New Year! It’s great to hear from you. I am so thank-ful for this ongoing relationship with Third Baptist. And I am so pleased to get to know you via email. In fact, I have to tell you that your email is a real answer to prayer. One of my top long-term support-ing churches contacted me a few months ago to let me know that they have decided to redirect my support (of several thousand dollars) to another IM missionary, starting in 2016. I was so distraught to hear this news because my funding was already slightly under the required support level in the 2014-2015 fiscal year. The change was not due to any dissatisfaction on the part of the church. They simply decided to start rotating their support, so that they can include their “other favorite” missionar-ies. Unfortunately, their decision has a drastic effect on me. I was concerned because my next trip to the U.S. is scheduled for 2017. I thought…"Oh no!...how can I develop a new supporting partner relationship for the 2016 year, while I am halfway around the world?! If I am underfunded again, I may have to return to the States earlier than expected.” And so I prayed... Unbeknownst to me, it seems the Lord was already laying a plan at Third Baptist Church to cover my need. I am continually amazed at the grace of God and his provision in my life. Thank you for your generosity and for responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit to answer my prayers. Blessings, Kit

Urbana Reflections—Continued from page two

World Missions Offering Update

Children’s Ministry

Family Bible Reading Plan

Sparkhouse, the Sunday School curriculum that we use in the children’s classes has released a Family Bible Reading Plan for 2016. The plan suggests that families read approximately eight Bible stories together each month, for a total of 100 Bible sto-ries during the year. I have challenged the Third’s families with children to participate in this Bible Read-ing Plan, however I think it is a good Bible reading plan for children, families and adults! If you would like to join us in this reading adventure, here are the stories we will read during February:

Joseph and His Brothers Pharaoh’s Dreams Joseph Helps His Family Baby Moses The Burning Bush Free from Slavery The Plagues The Red Sea

I hope you will join us for the adventure through the Bible in 2016. Each month, I will write a blog to be posted on Third’s website with ideas and activities related to this month’s stories. Peace , Maria

ASH WEDNESDAY

SERVICE

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 5:50 PM

Memorial Chapel (Fourth Floor)

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Youth Ministry

This month, I shall be departing the wintery tendencies of our fine city in exchange an even colder and harsher climate in Romania. On February 8, I shall be flying to Eastern Europe in order to participate with the Gypsy Smith School Mobile program founded by our friends at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The nomadic pastoral adventure involves ministers from America traveling from church to church across the rural regions of Romania in order to provide some basic biblical teaching courses for lay leaders who otherwise would have no opportunity to receive any type of formal theological training. I shall be leading a two hour seminar in three differ-ent churches in a session entitled “Seeing God in Our Stories: A Study on The Prodigal Son” where we shall be investigating some basic bible interpre-tation techniques pertaining to stories found in par-ables and how they reflect the stories we live every day. At the conclusion of our time, I will also be granted the blessing of preaching at one of the Romanian churches on Sunday morning! Needless to say I am very excited and honored that our CBF partners have allowed me to be involved in such an inspiring ministry!! And I am eternally grateful to all the church members who have blessed me financial-ly to allow me to embrace such a great opportunity! In other news, our youth group’s first ever Social Saturday was a tremendous success!! After spending several hours sorting cans and carrying groceries at the Food Pantry, our crew ventured off to enjoy some incredibly large slices of pizza at the St Louis Italian Restaurant and Pizza Co. In the midst of our carb comas, we departed to engage in a scavenger hunt at the Missouri History Museum (for the record, the children defeated the adults in an embarrassing manner). The museum proved to be a popular attraction that day as the central exhibit included various actors and singers performing some incredibly impressive pieces reflecting upon the impact and celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. At the conclusion of all the art and fun, we traversed to the home of the Genny and Derek Knight where we were met with enough snacks and sugary drinks to sustain a small army! Overall, it was a very full and rewarding day! Unfortunately, our next Social Saturday shall be found in the distant month of March due to my absence resulting from my European tour. But in the meantime, we can still be found working at the Upward Basketball Games and hanging out on Wednesday nights! So stay tuned to learn more about all the excellent adventures we shall have planned once I return in at the end of the month!! Blessings, Travis

This Month in Youth Ministry

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Welcome to Third’s newest members!

Deacon’s Meeting

Sunday, February 28

8:30 AM

Pastor’s Office

Paul Schmidt Robin and Simon Bailey Timothy Miller

Lakisha Johnson and her sons,

Marquis and Gregory

In the City for Good!

Annual Dinner & Ministry Celebration

Sunday, February 7

Tickets on sale following worship and in the church office.

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Summer Camps 2016 for Children & Youth

Junior High Camp at Lake Springfield Baptist Camp June 12—18

Students who are entering sixth grade through entering ninth grade may attend this camp. Travis Adams is co-directing this camp with another area youth minister.

Music Camp at Third Baptist Church

June 20—24 Students who have finished kindergarten through sixth grade may attend this camp.

Dogwood Camp with First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN

July 10—16 Students who have finished third grade through twelfth grade may attend this camp. It will be a great opportunity to catch up with friends from last year’s Music & Arts Camp.

Vacation Bible School

July 22—23 Children ages three through completed sixth grade may attend Vacation Bible School. Middle School-ers and High Schoolers are welcome to be assistants.

Overnight Camp at Lake Springfield

Baptist Camp July 29—30

Children who have completed kindergar-ten through sixth grade may attend this camp. Travis & Maria will be co-directing this camp.

Senior High Service Trip

July 31—August 5 Students who have completed ninth through twelfth grades may attend this camp.

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Wednesday Nights for Adults

5pm- Dinner in Fellowship Hall 6pm-6:45pm

Continuation of Remembering Who You Are and Where Your From. In each of our studies we discuss and explore origin, author and application. Scheduled for February and March February 3: Colossians February 10: Ash Wednesday Service in Chapel February 17: 1 Thessalonians February 24: 2 Thessalonians March 2: 1 Timothy March 9: 2 Timothy March 16: Spring Break March 23: Holy Week, no Wednesday Services March 30: Titus

Have you checked out Third’s updated website? www.third-baptist.org

February 2016

This month at TBC

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Sunday Schedule

9:00 AM—Doughnut & Coffee Fellowship 9:30 AM—Sunday School, Various 10:40 AM—Worship, Sanctuary

Wednesday Schedule 5:00 PM—Fellowship Dinner 6:00 PM—Adult Bible Study, Children’s Activi-ties, Youth Activities 7:00 PM—Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

2 Staff Meeting

WMS Meeting and Luncheon

3 Friendship International

Fellowship Dinner Upward Basketball Practice Adult Bible Study Youth & Children’s Activities Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

6 Upward Games

7 Doughnut and Coffee Fellowship

Sunday School Worship Annual Dinner

8 Travis Adams leaves for Romania

9 Staff Meeting

WMS Mission Projects


Fellowship Dinner Upward Practice Ash Wednesday Service Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

13 Upward Games

14 Doughnut and Coffee Fellowship

Sunday School Worship Fellowship Children’s Valentine’s Day Party

16 Staff Meeting

Men’s Support Group


Fellowship Dinner Upward Practice Adult Bible Study Youth & Children’s Activities Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

20 Food Pantry

Upward Games

21 Doughnut & Coffee Fellowship

Sunday School Worship Fellowship

23 Travis Adams returns from Romania

Staff Meeting WMS Mission Projects


Fellowship Dinner Upward Practice Adult Bible Study Youth & Children’s Activities Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

27 Upward Games

28 Deacon’s Meeting

Doughnut and Coffee Fellowship Sunday School Worship Fellowship

THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH 620 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103

Dr. Tommy Simons PASTOR Rev. Travis Adams ASSOCIATE PASTOR FOR STUDENTS & MISSIONS Damen Martin DIRECTOR OF MUSIC & WORSHIP Rev. Maria Stinnett ASSOCIATE PASTOR FOR CHILDREN & COMMUNICATIONS

Ella Banks RECEPTIONIST/ASSISTANT Byron Greer BUILDING SUPERVISOR Timothy Harrison CUSTODIAN Betty James CHURCH HISTORIAN Brent Johnson ORGANIST

Tom Kurtz BUSINESS MANAGER

Third Baptist Church Staff

Lansin Lim Kimler PIANIST Clarence McCann CUSTODIAN Christine McCarthy FINANCIAL SECRETARY Raymond Murphy CUSTODIAN Sally Stevenson PARISH NURSE

In the city for good! 620 North Grand Blvd. Saint Louis, MO 63103

www.third-baptist.org

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Third Base - February 2016