At the start of a day, who can tell what a day may bring forth? Cause me therefore, gracious God, to live every day as if it were to be my last, for I know not but that it may be such. Cause me to live now as I shall wish I had done when I come to die. O grant that I may not die with any guilt on my conscience, or any known sin unrepented of, but that I may be found in Christ, who is my only Savior and Redeemer.
—Thomas à Kempis
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This past month Dora, Ethan and I took a vacation trip to northern Kentucky, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Besides just getting away, our goal was to visit the Ark Encounter (a replica of Noah’s Ark) and the Creation Museum. What an awesome experience that was. We also made a visit to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio and did some touring of the city of Cincinnati: getting to see the Bengals' and Reds' Stadium, downtown and surrounding areas. One thing that caught my attention was the many tall church steeples. Almost any direction I looked, there was a tall, church steeple.
As we were touring the city, we came upon one of these churches. My curiosity got the best of me and so I drove to it to get a better look. It was a beautiful, red and white tall brick church, tall steeple and I am assuming big stained glass windows…all locked up and windows boarded up, with weeds growing around it. What a sad site! I wondered what kind of ministry this church used to have and what caused it to close.
It led me to think about us as Christians…do we outwardly look and act like Christians but inwardly shut out the light of Jesus in us? Have we shut out His love, His example, His teachings, His desire to lead us and instead allowed self to be our “light?” I hope not. There is plenty of darkness in our world today and we as Christians have the privilege and the responsibility to let His light shine in us so that we can share that light in this dark world. Matthew 5: 15
“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
Let the Lord’s light shine in on you so that you in turn can bring light to those around you. Today we have a great opportunity to live our lives differently than the world we live in and we can let His working in our hearts cause people to say
“I want what he/she has!”
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I challenge each of you to pray Psalm 139:23-24 –
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Allow the Lord to show you where you are shutting Him out, and then let Him lead you to where His light is once again shining in and through you. Don’t be like that shut down church in Cincinnati. Instead be living and active in sharing the Lord’s love with others.
On another note, if you have a chance, you really do need to go see the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. It will lighten your life.
Your Fellow Servant,
Bro. Loren
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September 2018
3rd - Labor Day (FRBA OFFICE CLOSED)
4th - OCL Meeting - 6:30pm
5th - West Zone Pastor’s Prayer Meeting - 9:00am
hosted by FBC Dilley, TX
5th-7th - National Boomer Ministry Conference
(FBC -San Antonio, TX)
6th - East Zone Pastor's Prayer Meeting - 9:00am
hosted by FBC Charlotte
6th - North Zone Pastor's Prayer Meeting - 9:00am
hosted by FBC Devine
7th - Fam Blitz Live at Cowboy Fellowship
8th-12th - REVIVAL at Somerset Baptist Church
15th - RESTORE Ladies' Gathering (at FBC Dilley)
25th - FRBA Executive Board Meeting
9:30am – Fellowship
10:00am – Business Meeting & Lunch
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October
2nd - OCL Meeting - 6:30pm
3rd - West Zone Pastor’s Prayer Meeting - 9am
12th-14th - Marriage Retreat (Alto Frio)
20th - FRBA Annual Gathering (FBC Cotulla)
10:30am-2:30pm
15th-17th - Texas Baptists Youth Ministry Conclave
(Arlington Convention Center - Arlington, TX)
27th - South Texas Church Worker Training Clinic
(at FBC Pearsall)
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ATTENTION!!
PLEASE NOTE
:
the fall
Executive Board Meeting
has been moved
from October 9th to
September 25th
!!
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SAVE THESE DATES!!
2018
Dec. 8th
- FRBA Church Administrators' Fellowship Christmas Potluck
Dec. 11th
- FRBA Exec. Board Pastor/Spouse & Staff Christmas Fellowship
2019
Feb. 8th-10th
- Sustain Ladies Retreat at Alto Frio
May 3rd-6th
- FRBA Ladies' Retreat at HEB Foundation Camp
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NEWS FROM CONNECTION CHURCH IN NYC!
Baptisms — Mother and Son!
Arianna and James were both baptized on July 15th! Arianna shared her testimony before baptism and captivated our church with the clarity of her profession of faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The Lord has brought healing and restoration to her life in great ways. She also had the privilege of sharing this day with her son (15) who professed his faith in Jesus. James is a quiet young man who knows the love of Jesus through the love and faith of his mother. Praise the Lord for two new followers of Jesus, and we pray for them to blossom in their new lives. Lift them up in your prayers as they continue their journey.
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Special thanks to
FBC Pearsall
for providing a wonderful meal for our August Executive Board meeting!
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SAVE THE DATE!!
This year's
South Texas Church Worker Clinic
will be held at at FBC Pearsall (
204 S. Walnut; Pearsall, TX 78061
) on
Saturday, October 27th.
8:30 am registration
9 am conferences
12 noon lunch
Conference for Pastors & General Officers, Adult , Youth , Children, & Preschool Workers
Click
HERE
for a brief video with more info!
Fliers are available
HERE
.
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FBC Devine
is hosting
Financial Peace University
beginning on September 9th!
It will be led by Marcus and Kennan Buckner.
Contact 832-646-0647 for more information.
Event details & registration can be found at:
https://fpu.com/1065080
.
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January 1st thru August 31st
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2017
Income: $99.253.09
Expenses: $63,318.13
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2018
Income: $109,109.57
Expenses: $90,286.34
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The youth puppet team from
Encinal Community Church
recently performed at the
Cotulla Public Library
.
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Our recent
Progressive Youth Fusion
event was a great success!
The attendance was:
80
- at FBC Carrizo Springs
101
- at FBC Charlotte
111
- at FBC Pleasanton and
135
- at Trinity Baptist Church in Lytle
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The second annual iCare conference was presented by
STCH Ministries
with support from the Blanche Davis Moore Foundation, was held on August 9, 2018, in Victoria, Texas.
STCH Ministries created the iCare conference to equip “people who help people”. This event brought together more than thirty presenters from ten area organizations, who provided training and resources for dealing with tough topics and mental health issues, including suicide, addiction, divorce, depression, anxiety, and others.
Click
HERE
to learn more about it.
Our churches have benefitted from this conference and from many of the other resources offered to us by STCH Ministries. We're grateful for their service.
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DON'T MISS THIS!!
Cowboy Fellowship
is hosting a Family Night on
Friday, September 7th
.
Don't forget to get your tickets and come join the fun!
If your church is interested in getting a bundle of tickets, they can reach out to Christy Reed at Cowboy Fellowship. Otherwise, just click
HERE
f
or tickets & all the details.
You can also click
HERE
to see a video clip of Fam Blitz so you know what to expect!
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REVIVAL 2018 - Somerset Baptist Church
THEME: C.O.F.F.E.E. (Christ Offers Forgiveness For Everyone Everywhere)
Saturday, Sept. 8th
4-8pm - Wet & Wild Block Party/Revival Kick-off
THREE water-based bounce houses, hot dogs, chips & drinks as well as washers, horseshoes & Christian BINGO with prizes.
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Sunday, Sept. 9th
11am - Revival Service with Herman Cramer
12pm - Potluck Fellowship Meal
6pm - Revival Service with Herman Cramer (PACK A PEW)
Monday, Sept. 10th
11:30am - Lunch/Bible study (bring a dish to share)
6pm - Senior Adult Fellowship Meal
7pm - Revival Service with Herman Cramer (FAMILY NIGHT)
Tuesday, Sept. 11th
11:30am - Lunch/Bible Study (bring a dish to share)
6pm - Youth & Children Pizza Fellowship Meal
7pm - Revival Service with Herman Cramer (YOUTH/CHILDREN NIGHT)
Wednesday, Sept. 12th
11:30am - Lunch/Bible Study (bring a dish to share)
7pm - Revival Service with Herman Cramer (BRING A FRIEND)
8pm - Ice Cream & Snack Fellowship
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CALLING ALL LADIES!!
Come join us for a day of restoration and personal growth.
We're going to be hearing from
Candace Payne (aka "Chewbacca Mom")
by way of video clips, and gaining some biblical insights on
unshakable joy and freedom in every circumstance.
Bring your friends and come get your JOY on!
REGISTRATION (Sept. 1-Sept. 6) is: $20 per person
(plus $3.16 service fee - if purchased online)
Tickets WILL NOT be available at the door.
Lunch and study materials are included in all registrations.
We apologize, but there will be no childcare available during this event.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite by clicking
HERE
.
Please contact Laurie Beth Scantlin at (830)334 -2061
with any questions or if you prefer to pay by cash or check.
FBC Dilley is located at: 201 W. Hugo St.; Dilley, TX 78017
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OUR CHURCHES IN SERVICE TO OTHERS
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FBC Natalia
provided lunch and goodie bags for Natalia ISD Staff as they start a new school year.
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The Natalia Post Office was recently destroyed by fire, so for the immediate future, all Natalia mail is being handled through the Lytle Post Office.
The good folks at
FBC Natalia
were concerned about the needs of those people who walk to the post office to get their mail. So...they will be offering rides from Natalia to the Lytle post office every Thursday for at least the next month. They plan to continue offering the service as long as there is a need.
It will take a while for the community to come up with a more permanent solution for their residents, but this church has jumped in to provide a temporary solution until that can happen. That is being the hands and feet of Christ!
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The
FBC Devine
Mission Trip to Olathe, Colorado to work with
Harvest Community Church
was a tremendous success. The trip lasted from July 13th-21st, with a day of worship and Block Party on July 15th, followed by the GAME ON VBS from Monday through Thursday. There was great attendance each day, with a high attendance of 50 children from the community. There were 10 older children who attended, 5 of whom prayed to accept Jesus. This was such a miracle since many of the children had NEVER HEARD of the Bible, Jesus or any of the great Biblical names such as Moses, Noah or any others. Join us in continuing prayer for this growing mission church.
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FBC Carrizo Springs
provided a Watermelon Feast for Carrizo Springs High School Cross Country and Football Teams on Aug. 21st.
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They also fed around 260+ CSISD faculty and staff on Aug. 22nd, encouraging them as they start the new school year. These were deeds done in Jesus’ name.
For more pictures of all the fun, click
HERE
.
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We at
FBC Devine
, are so blessed to have had the opportunity to minister in the Lord’s name in
Wasilla, Alaska
. The formative stage of the plans moved from one miracle to another as far as who would participate (electricians, carpenters, pastor, women for the children’s ministry), how each would pay their way, cost and shipping of building and electrical supplies - to name a few of the considerations.
Prayer for divine appointments began weeks before the trip and continued as we went through airport securities and into Alaska.
Our team of 10 church members (including the pastor) partnered with “Thirst Missions” team of three who scheduled & coordinated our week of ministry.
The main focus was expanding space allocations for new classrooms in a building space moved from another Alaskan Baptist church. It took our electrical team 5 days to completely rewire and program all the lighting - in a building that had been wired several times before.
The carpenters took out a door, made a space for a new door and put up walls for new classrooms and a fellowship hall. The men even opted to complete their work to make it easier to hand to the next group rather than go on a day glacier cruise.
The three ladies were prepared for a 4-day kids’ Kamp, and delivered three puppets, with a set of costumes, for future use by the church. The pastor had puppet experience & was excited to have them - he even built a stage.
We canvassed a dangerous area where drug use was known, looking for prospects, praying with many who came to their door with welcoming smiles.
The whole group ministered at the Anchorage Rescue Mission one evening, which was a very moving experience. Pastor Mike was privileged to preach both at the rescue mission and the state prison. Decisions were made in both places.
We had three “dinner on the grounds” events - two were for reaching out to the community. At the third we had Alaskan salmon.
The Great Commission is always a great challenge but a tremendous blessing for our church as well as for the Kingdom of God - in Alaska & Texas!
(Polly Barrera, 8/24/18)
Click
HERE
for more pictures!
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Operation Christian Love
by Beth Ann Brundrett
As the blistering rays of the sun burn deep into the last weeks of summer, our thirst is unquenchable. Think of the homeless in cities or areas where water is not freely shared to all. OCL is beginning a Water Ministry along with His Island Shelter in San Antonio. Any individual or group that would like to donate a case of bottled water, please drop off at the Frio River Baptist Association office in Pearsall.
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FBC Charlotte
is partnering with His Island ministry to help them restart their ministry of feeding the homeless three nights a week on the streets of San Antonio. Their pick-up, that has a feeding unit on the back, is being repaired by the church. It will provide a serving of hot soup from the stew pot, a cup of sweetened punch and some donated bread & pastries. The ministry also hands out Bibles, snacks, toiletries, feminine products, blankets, clothing, coats, socks & shoes (when available). The water ministry will enable them to give out bottles of water as well.
The
Frank Banda
ministry continues to provide all kinds of support to those in need in their area. In addition to regular monthly support, donations have been made towards finishing the second-story addition to their
Bethesda
church in Periodista - including windows, doors & monetary donations for assistance with plumbing & electrical. There is always a need for more.
Frank, along with
Sister Ursula
, graciously furnish their vans to drive OCL volunteers into Piedras Negras, and they serve as translators for us while we're there.
Jack Seals
of Cotulla, was recently elected to the OCL board, and is now in charge of our
Meat Program
. Anyone wishing to donate venison or money to help pay for processing fees, please contact him at
830-965-5450
.
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OCL recently led a food shopping spree at Gutiérrez supermarket in north Piedras Negras to purchase items for 105 elderly individuals/families - 80 for
La Mano de Dios
, 15 for the
Banda Ministry
and 10 for the
Mundo de Fe church and soup kitchen
. Sister Ursula, Frank & Isabel Banda, Alford & Beth Ann Brundrett, Br. Sepulveda & a church member & Br. & Mrs. Ramirez joined together with store employees to joyfully gather needed items, balance items with funds, get through the check out, box the items, & load them into the waiting vehicles. After a group prayer, all gathered at Br. Sepulveda’s for refreshments.
Br. Nataniel Rameriz reports that the
Mundo de Fe
new soup kitchen is awaiting inspection & approval. In addition to food, they will need new pots, pans, & kitchen utensils. OCL continues to help with the final construction & permit legalities. They are a part of our Meat Program & receive #10 cans of vegetables. OCL provides Bibles & clothing for them to distribute as well.
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Grandparents Day at La Mano de Dios
soup kitchen in Piedra’s Negras, Coahuila, Mexico was a blessing for all who attended. OCL volunteers arrived at 10am. Many of the elderly were already there waiting for the 11am service. During a special musical program, the elderly were served a delicious meal. Our hearts were touched as they sang “One Day at a Time” in Spanish with gusto and joy. We joined in, singing in English. As they left, each family received a bag of food items donated by OCL along with rice & beans from La Mano de Dios. OCL also provided flip flops for all. Two different groups of children arrived to eat after the elderly. They received flip flops as well. Lynn Harvey & Wanda Heiligman delighted the children as they helped them select sizes & colors. Special thanks to Frank Banda for transporting the group.
There have been many work days on the construction at the King Ministry project in Quemado, TX. Local volunteers, along with Mike & Yves Riou from Devine & Castroville, the Steven Guerrero family from Bastrop, Joey, Paula, John E., Steve, Brian, & others from FBC Charlotte have made several trips to help. Thank you to all.
You can see more pictures of our recent activities
HERE
.
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OCL Christmas Ministry
December 2018
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Iglesia Bautista Jerusalen
- 538 Memo Robinson; Eagle Pass, TX
Longhorn Ranch Motel
- Hwy 118 between Terlingua & Alpine, TX
432-371-2541
Gathering for Christ
- Big Bend Lodge
, Terlingua, TX
Saturday December 22nd
led by
Hosanna Baptist Tabernacle, Leming, TX
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Last, but not least, our Christmas Ministry is in full swing.
The following items are needed as soon as possible:
--donations for the purchase of at least 1,000 Bibles
--hair accessories --coloring books & story books (in both Spanish and English)
--stuffed animals --small baby dolls
--socks & underwear --jackets
--blankets --warm crocheted caps & scarves
--gloves (adult sizes as well as children) --small toy trucks & cars
--jacks --other small toys (NO TOY WEAPONS PLEASE)
Please stay away from toys that require batteries unless you also furnish the batteries.
For older youth in the orphanages:
Boys
:
Girls
:
--wrist watches --purses
--razors & shaving equipment --nice blouses
--ties --dress slacks
--dress shirts --skirts
--nice slacks --hair accessories
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CALENDAR FOR 2018 OCL CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES
Save these dates as you help us prepare to celebrate the birth of our savior!
Tuesday, December 4th
Some volunteers to Eagle Pass, TX -
No regular OCL Meeting
!
Wednesday, December 5th
8:30am - meet at Iglesia Bautista Jerusalen in Eagle Pass, TX for trip to Piedras Negras
6:00pm - volunteers start arriving at Jerusalen to set up for sorting & stocking stuffing
Thursday, December 6th
8:00am - breakfast at Jerusalen followed by sorting & stocking stuffing
12:00 noon - lunch
1:00pm - sorting & stocking stuffing continues
Friday, December 7th
8:00am - breakfast & completion of sorting & stocking stuffing at Jerusalen
12:00 noon - lunch
12:00 to 2:00pm - gift pick-up
5:30pm - Kickapoo Gathering (meal provided by the tribe)
Saturday, December 8th
8:00am - breakfast and last-minute preparations at Jerusalen
9:30am - Jerusalen Gathering
12:00 noon - lunch
1:30pm - leave for Gathering at a location TBA
Call Beth Ann at 210-854-9360 if you have any questions or want to get involved.
Our greatest strength comes from prayer!
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FRBA RESOURCE LIBRARY
This Bible study and many more are available
through our resource library!
"The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands"
with Lysa Terkeurst
(6-session DVD study)
Click
here
to download one of our checkout forms. Then just complete it and
bring it by the office to borrow a Bible study to meet your needs.
We’re also accepting donations of used DVD Bible study kits.
If you or your church have some that you are no longer using, we’d love
to have them here to share with other churches in our Association.
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Frio River Baptist Association | Phone: 830-334-2061 | Fax: 830-334-3025 |
Email |
Website
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