First Baptist Newsletter | April 10, 2024

SUNDAY WORSHIP

APRIL 14, 2024 | 10:55 a.m.

Songs of Worship

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Pass It On

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

My Jesus, I Love Thee (Anthem)

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Sermon

"Transformed: Lydia"

Acts 16:11-15

Aimee Hobbs

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

On Sunday, we started a new sermon series centered around transformation. How has the resurrection transformed us? And what can we learn from New Testament people about the transformation they experienced after encountering the resurrected Christ?

We started with Thomas - often referred to as Doubting Thomas. Thomas was a brave follower of Jesus, and the only disciple who voiced a willingness to follow Jesus even until death, but he wrestled a bit with the extraordinary miracle of resurrection. He was hesitant to take the word of others but wanted to experience seeing the risen Christ for himself.

Thomas was transformed because he had the invitation and space to doubt, ask questions, wonder. And Jesus welcomed those things - met him where he was, inviting him to do what he needed to do in order to believe.

We, too, are invited to offer up our doubts, questions, and wonders to God. In fact, our faith may transform to deep and vibrant levels if we allow ourselves to voice those things - and give space for others to voice theirs, too.

At the end of our service, you were invited to jot down one of your doubts, questions, or wonderings and bring that forward during our time of communion. What a gift it was to spend time reading through those! Included are some incredibly thoughtful questions about scripture. Many of you raised the struggles you have with bad things happening to innocent people (especially children). Why does God allow that to happen? By far, the majority of the wonderings and questions center around the afterlife. What happens when we die? Is there really a heaven? What about hell?

I look forward to dialoguing more about our questions, wonderings, and doubts as we journey together in faith. May we always be a place that offers space for those conversations!

Blessings,

Aimee

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAW UPDATES: CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Church Family,

The Long-Range Planning Team of First Baptist Church Rutherfordton is presenting its rewrite of our Church Constitution and Bylaws. The full document is attached below so you can read it carefully and prayerfully. Printed copies are available in the vestibules and Welcome Center, or by stopping by the church office during the week.

The primary revision was approved by the church 18 months ago as a Transition Plan to ease our movement into a new way to do church administration. 

This document also includes a new policy related to membership in the church (Article 1, Section 2), in regards to our requirement of baptism by immersion. Here is the proposed bylaw change:

The ordinance of water baptism symbolizes our identification with Christ as Savior and Lord and our initiation into the body of Christ as Church members. Individuals newly confessing Jesus Christ as Savior and requesting membership and baptism will be baptized by immersion, as is the practice of our congregation. Those requesting membership who have previously confessed Jesus Christ as Savior, have experienced a form of baptism practiced in another denomination, and can attest that their previous baptism is an integral part of their ongoing faith journey, may be accepted into membership by statement.

This statement was drafted by the Deacons and approved by members of the Long-Range Planning team.

We will discuss the document over lunch on Sunday, April 21, and vote on the new document in church conference Sunday, April 28 after worship. 

In Christ, 

Nell Bovender, Chair; Lynn Blanton, Daryl Camper, Lori Herrick, Frank Jones, Penny Parker, Mike Stephenson

How does the Bible say God’s call will come to us? Whom does God pick to call? What kinds of things does God call us to do? Through exploring Biblical stories of call, we'll seek to answer these questions - and more!

Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Church Conference Room

To join by Zoom, follow these directions:

(Note: the link and password will remain the same each week.)

PASSWORD: 773850

MEETING ID: 981 2521 4162

YOUTH GROUP TRIP TO ALTITUDE THIS SUNDAY

Immediately following worship this Sunday (April 14), our youth will head to Altitude Jump Park in Gastonia, NC! We'll be stopping for lunch in Shelby on our way.

We're grateful to First United Methodist Church next door for allowing us to use their 15-passenger van to get us there. They're also letting us use their van this summer for our mission trip!

We'll be sharing pictures on social media and in the newsletter next week!

SUMMER IS COMING!

CHECK OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING:

• THANK YOU! | A donation has been made to the Welcome Table Fund by Claude & Elaine Waters, in appreciation of our Church Family!



• Fellowship of Christian Women | Our next meeting will be Monday, April 22 in the church conference room at 11:30 a.m. Please bring your own lunch and a drink. Note: this is the 4th Monday instead of the 3rd Monday this month. Hope you can attend!  

• Welcome Table on April 29 | We are responsible for Welcome Table on April 29 and can always use desserts (individually wrapped) and volunteers! Questions? Contact Nell Bovender, 828-429-9129.

• Prayer Update by Email | If you'd like to receive prayer request updates throughout the week, in addition to the prayer list found in the weekly newsletter, request to be added to our new prayer distribution email list! Just click here and add your name and preferred email address. You can also join by calling or emailing the church office.

• Volunteers Needed! | More volunteers are needed to assist in the preschool room on Sundays during worship. Volunteers are background checked and trained. You are generally scheduled to volunteer one time every 8 weeks. No experience needed, just a kind heart for children. Contact Donna if you would like more information.

PRAYER MINISTRY SCHEDULE

Apr 14 Willis Archer, Brenda Archer,

Nell Bovender

Apr 21 Dale Heffner, Penny Miles

Daryl Camper

NURSERY SCHEDULE

Apr 14 Beth Archer, Bob Smith

Apr 21 Laura Hodge, Hannah Nyamiwa

MEALS ON WHEELS SCHEDULE

Apr 19 Janis Rosenbaum

USHERS FOR APRIL

Todd Hodge, Boone Hodge, Steven Barnes

Andy LaBreche, Bob Smith

BIRTHDAYS OF THE WEEK



Apr 10 Robin Lattimore

Apr 11 Lola Barnes

Apr 12 Kurt Parker

Apr 12 Hannah Onyango

Apr 16 Martha Jones

Apr 16 Priscilla McBrayer

Apr 16 Melea Jones

YOKEFELLOW ITEM OF THE MONTH

Canned Meats

April Goal= 30 cans

1 Collected

COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE WEEK

Peter Moore

Gardner Webb University

PO Box 6650

Boiling Springs NC 28017

You can now give online through our website! Click "Giving" at the top of our website, or click the button below.

OFFERINGS

Records for April 7, 2024

Budget Requirements $8,195.00

Budget Offering $7,468.00

Special Offerings $12,359.00

YTD Requirement: $229,460.00

YTD Received: $237,503.71

Upcoming Schedule

April

14 - Deacon Meeting | 4:00 p.m.

14 - Midwives of a Movement Film Screening | 4:00 p.m. at FBC Asheville

15 - ALC Meeting | 6:30 p.m.

21 - Churchwide Lunch & Discussion of Proposed By-Laws and Constitution

28 - Special Called Church Conference | Immediately following worship

28 - Western North Carolina Baptist Fellowship Spring Gathering | FBC Forest City

29 - Welcome Table | 5:30 p.m.

30 - Final Tuesday Night Programming for the School Year

May

5 - Pastor Installation Service | 6:00 p.m.

19 - Pentecost

June

2 - Graduate Sunday

10-13 - Messy Slime Camp for Kids

17-21 FUGE Camp for Youth

19-21 - Cooperate Baptist Fellowship General Assembly | Greensboro, NC

23 - Youth Led Worship

July

8-11 Sewing Camp for Kids

Physical Address:

246 N Main St

Rutherfordton, NC 28139

Mailing Address:

246 N Main Street

Rutherfordton, NC 28139

firstrutherfordton@gmail.com

www.firstbaptistrutherfordton.com

(828) 286-9047