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May 24, 2011 Haiti As you read this I should be in Haiti with a wonderful team of God's servants building the medical/dental clinic that for many months we have hoped and prayed for. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to put in place the first structures of this planned community. Updates from the mission team can be found on the FBCJ Mission Blog at mission.fbcj.org. Sabbatical Long before I came to FBCJ as Senior Pastor someone was wise enough to include a sabbatical provision in the personnel policies of our church. After a certain number of years, ministers are entitled to a 6 week sabbatical for "professional retraining" and "personal renewal." I recently submitted my sabbatical request and the Personnel Committee approved that request. The dates are June 27-August 8. After serving at FBCJ for more than 7 years, I am in need of an extended time away. My body, mind, and soul need rest. During my 6 weeks away, I will disengage completely from the day-to-day life of FBCJ. The only church-related matter in which I will be involved is a wedding during the month of July. However, please know that Bob Gladney has worked very hard to ensure that we have a stellar preaching lineup in my absence:
Please pray that I will be able to use this time wisely. Then, I hope to return in August with renewed energy and a new preaching series beginning August 14. Special Prayer Team Gean Claire Belknap has been working very hard to develop a special Prayer Request/Update Email for Project Haiti. If you would like to receive these prayer requests and updates via email, please contact haiti@fbcj.org and we will put you on the list. to see the most recent one. Click here to see the most recent one. May 10, 2011 It’s for Everyone The Legacy Renewal Revival begins this Thursday, May 12. Our own Eva Hart and Tom Washburn have been working hard with other leaders across our state to bring this revival to Jackson. Please know that while there will be an emphasis with senior adults, this revival is for everyone. If you want to be renewed in your walk with the Lord, come with an expectant heart to hear Dr. David Uth of FBC Orlando as he shares God’s Word and join Dr. Jim Whitmire, formerly of Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, as he leads the music. The schedule is as follows:
All services will be held in our sanctuary. Please be praying for these two men who will be leading as well as the 250 voice choir that has been preparing for this special time. Musical Our children’s musical is Sunday night, May 15. This year, our music department has decided to do something different. The musical will be held at the new Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center. The doors will open at 5:00 p.m. and the musical will start at 6:00 p.m. The children have been working very hard. Be sure and support them as they seek to honor the Lord through His gift of music. Almost Here It’s hard to believe, but Vacation Bible School is almost here. The dates this year are June 6-10, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. VBS is a major event each year at FBCJ. In fun and creative ways, children are exposed to the wonderful news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some children hear this Good News for the first time. Others have heard it all their lives but come to fully embrace Jesus during this week. We have a big need this year for volunteers. If you are able to help, please contact our Preschool Minister, Kandy Mason (601-949-1911 or kmason@fbcj.org), or our Children’s Minister, Zach Zettler (601-949-1909 or zzettler@fbcj.org). Through VBS, you can make an eternal difference in the life of a child. Pray, Pray, Pray I want to encourage everyone to pray for those who are being impacted by the flooding along the Mississippi River. Pray for those whose houses and land have already been flooded. Pray for those whose houses and land are in the pathway of the coming water. Pray for those who are working to prevent the flooding. Pray for relief agencies. Pray that God will be merciful and cause the floodwaters to stay within their normal channels. Pray that the levees will hold. Pray that a major disaster will be averted. Let us cry out to the Lord and ask for His grace and His mercy during this time of need. May 3, 2011 Storm Relief We were all shocked by the devastation caused by recent tornados in our state and across the South. How can you help? You can make contributions to the Miss. Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) and mark them for disaster relief. This is the best way to provide help to tornado victims in our state. 100% of your donation will go directly to disaster relief. Donations can be made to MBCB, Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205. If you wish to donate in Alabama the address is State Board of Missions, P.O. Box 11870, Montgomery, AL 36111. On the Alabama Baptist website donations can also be made through Pay Pal at www.alsbom.org. Annie I am happy to report that $110,737 has been given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. Our goal was $105,000. Way to go, church! Recent Events I am going to let Bob Gladney, our Executive Pastor, write the remainder of this column. Bob is on vacation this week with his wife, Barbara. However, last week, the day after Easter, Bob sent the following message to the entire Ministerial Staff: I am guilty of coming in some Mondays in the “it’s Monday but Sunday is coming” mode and not spending enough time reflecting upon the blessings of Sunday. I’m probably not the only one on this team who does this. I have the privilege of seeing everything the church is involved in and get the joy of seeing ALL of the good things that God is doing here at First Baptist Jackson. We just completed the 18th Sunday of 2011, and I could outline for you pages of great things God has done in 18 weeks. But I would like to narrow my thoughts to the past two Sundays, April 17 and April 24. God has truly blessed us as a church family through Bible Study and Worship the past two Sundays. The people who have come to Sunday School through the hard work of our Education Team and the invitation of our church family has been outstanding. Our worship services have been off the charts. Every component God has used to bless our hearts – orchestra, music, sermons. Second to this are the final numbers that have come across my desk this morning that are worth celebrating as well… Sunday School – April 17 = 2,450 + April 24 = 2,022 (no Sunday School at the Madison Campus) = 4,472 for an average of 2,236 per week New Sunday School Members – April 17 = 14 + April 24 = 11 = 25 for an average of 12 per week Guests Present in Sunday School – April 17 = 166 + April 24 = 82 = 248 for an average of 124 per week New Church Members – April 17 = 14 + April 24 = 16 = 30 for an average of 15 per week Contributions to the Mission and Ministry Plan (Budget) – April 17 = $179,573 + April 24 = $176,410 = $355,983 for an average of $177,991 per week Earlier this year we decided due to the numbers of people who have been coming to worship at the Madison Campus that on Easter Sunday we would not have Sunday School but have two worship services as we felt we would have at least 500 people in worship. God blessed us with 566. Grace City (church plant) baptized their first three candidates on Easter Sunday and had 180 people attend worship. Continue to pray for David Hederman and Rich Price. CityChurch (inner-city partner church) served the Lord’s Supper for the first time on Easter Sunday, had two people to trust Christ, and had 185 in attendance. Continue to pray for Luke Epperson, Jay Taylor, and Will Dorman as they lead this congregation. Thank you for always giving “your best” each Sunday. April 26, 2011 Nothing Like It There’s nothing quite like Easter Sunday. The message of Easter, the music of Easter, and the hope of Easter all combine for an incredible day. I want to thank all who worked so hard to make Easter Sunday a special day at FBCJ last Sunday. I must admit that I was overwhelmed with the beauty and majesty of the day. The choir, soloists, and orchestra helped to make the day extra special. Also, we had a great day at the Madison Campus. Two morning worship services were held for the first time and 566 people attended those services. We’ve come a long way from those days a few years ago when 40 people were attending worship in the fellowship hall. Way to go volunteers, Kevin Cooper, and the rest of the staff! Barbie Bassett You may have heard that our church is working with the MS Baptist Convention to host the Legacy Renewal Revival. These special services will be May 12-13 and will include Dr. David Uth, pastor of FBC Orlando, and Dr. Jim Whitmire, former Minister of Music at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. Everyone is invited, though there is a special emphasis on Senior Adults. For more information, click HERE. To see what WLBT Chief Meteorologist Barbie Bassett has to say about this revival, click HERE. My Friends Are Coming I will never forget that Sunday morning when Anne Van Devender shared about her experience on the Dental Trip to Haiti. She said she told those poverty-stricken Haitians, “my friends are coming.” And indeed, we are! In a few short weeks (May 21), I will be leading the first construction team. We will begin building the medical-dental clinic. In fact, as I type this, Mark Rich and two American surveyors are on the property in Haiti staking out the buildings for the clinic. My team is full. However, we have other teams going on May 28, June 18, July 2, July 30, and Sept. 3. There are slots available for each of these trips. If you know you want to go, you can sign up by clicking HERE. If you have questions, you may contact our Project Coordinator, Barbara Gladney, by calling her at 205-937-1977 or by emailing her at haiti@fbcj.org. Please don’t wait too late to sign up. After serving at FBCJ for more than 7 years, I am well aware that we like to sign up for everything at the last minute! However, with these trips we must secure the airline tickets in advance. Also, other churches who are partnering with us are asking for additional weeks to send their teams. We are trying to hold these dates for FBCJ as long as possible. So, if you are interested, please let us know soon so we can continue to make appropriate plans. I can’t tell you how excited I am about fulfilling the promise that Anne made to those Haitians several weeks ago. Truly, Anne’s friends are coming. And we’ll be there soon! April 19, 2011 Wonderful Day What a marvelous day of Bible study and worship we had this past Sunday! I want to say "thank you" to all who worked so hard to prepare for that day: Sunday School teachers and workers, orchestra and choir members, cross bearers, sound and lighting teams, greeters, and many others. Our focus on the cross was a wonderful reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made so that our sins might be forgiven and we could be justified before God. You might be interested to know that in addition to the important matters of Bible study and worship, we had 14 new members, over 2,400 in Sunday School, and an offering of $180,000. Also, the Centurion monologue I shared was something I first saw about 15 years ago. It was written by the late D. James Kennedy and I had been saving it for a day like we had Sunday. No Dinner on the Grounds For a variety of reasons, we will not be having Dinner on the Grounds on May 1. If you already bought your tickets, please bring them to the church office on the third floor and ask for Nema Donovan for a refund. He Is Risen Easter Sunday is the greatest day of the year. On that day each year we focus on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. With the resurrection, we are reminded of how much God loves us and the fact that He has provided a way for us to live forever with Him. We see all over again how Jesus defeated the forces of evil, death, and hell. In the living Christ, there is life. There is hope. There is a future. Come this Sunday as we boldly proclaim, He is Risen! April 12, 2011 Friends Are Friends Forever Who is the one? Who is the person you've been wanting to invite to church but you haven't done so because you were looking for the perfect opportunity? That opportunity has arrived with Friend Day this Sunday, April 17. We are encouraging everyone to invite someone - a friend, neighbor, co-worker - to Sunday School and worship this Sunday. We are expecting a marvelous day of Bible study in Sunday School and a very special time of worship as we focus on the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. Make sure you invite someone this Sunday. Both you and your friend will be glad you did! Sunday Night This Sunday night, April 17, Dr. Gailen Marshall will be speaking during our worship service in the sanctuary. Gailen is a member of our church and is also a medical doctor at the University Medical Center. Gailen will be sharing with us the physical aspects of crucifixion. He will relate to us the agony and suffering Jesus would have experienced on the cross. When we understand all that Jesus endured for our sakes, we have a greater appreciation for His willingness to submit to the Father's plan. We become more thankful to Jesus for making it possible for our sins to be forgiven and for us to receive the gift of eternal life. As we begin to focus more and more on the crucifixion and resurrection, make plans to attend this special service. Great Idea While we know that Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, many people celebrate Easter with bright colors, Easter eggs, family meals, and a variety of other ways. Gail Pittman, a faithful member of FBCJ, has designed a line of Easter Bunnies that can be purchased at her store in Ridgeland (115 West Jackson Street, Suite 1F). Why would I tell you that? I tell you that because Gail has graciously partnered with Mission First to give a portion of the proceeds for each bunny sold. If you are looking for Easter decorations, I encourage you to work with Gail and Mission First to make a difference in the lives of hurting people right here in Jackson. Dinner on the Grounds Don't forget about our Dinner on the Grounds on May 1. You can purchase meal tickets in advance at this link or in the atrium on Sundays. Make sure you are a part of a great time of food, fun, and fellowship on May 1. April 5, 2011 Dinner on the Grounds Do you remember the old fashioned Dinner on the Grounds? I recall fried chicken, plates of vegetables, casseroles, and lots of fun! Well, it’s time we had our own version of Dinner on the Grounds at FBCJ. On Sunday, May 1, following the 10:30 worship service and Sunday School hour, we can all go onto President Street between the sanctuary and the Capitol and enjoy a meal together. Box lunches from McAllister’s Deli will be available. Each lunch will include a turkey sandwich, chips, pickle, cookie, and bottle of water. We have permission to spread out across the lawn of the Capitol. Bring a blanket for a picnic and perhaps a chair or two. Also, tables and chairs will be set up on President Street for those who need them. Tickets for each box lunch are $7 and must be purchased in advance at this link or in the atrium on Sundays. We’re all going to eat lunch somewhere on May 1, so let’s eat on the lawn of our beautiful state Capitol and enjoy spending time with one another. Also, you may want to consider dressing a little more casually that day so that you can relax on the lawn. Friends Do you have a friend, neighbor, or co-worker who isn’t a Christian? Is there someone you’ve been wanting to introduce to your faith, but you haven’t had the right opportunity? Friend Day at FBCJ is the perfect opportunity to invite someone to a Bible Study and worship service. Friend Day is April 17, Palm Sunday. The Bible Study classes (Sunday School) will be wonderful and we may even have a surprise or two during the worship services that day. It really will be a great day to invite a friend to church to hear God’s word and meet some of His choice people. Speaking of Friends While it’s important to invite our friends to church, it’s also important for us to be able to give a verbal presentation of our Christian faith. If you’ve always wanted to learn a solid, Biblical presentation of the gospel, then you should attend our Share Your Faith Workshop this Saturday, April 9. Already, 24 people have signed up. For more information or to register, call 601-949-1982, or click here. Gaitherites In a church where I used to pastor, there was a couple that loved the Gaithers. When I say they loved the Gaithers, I mean they REALLY loved the Gaithers. They went to countless Gaither concerts, sat on the front row, and had over 90 Gaither Homecoming videos. That’s right, over 90! You may not be as enamored with the Gaithers as that couple, but if you are interested in their music, please note that we are hosting the Gaither Homecoming Tour on May 19. I understand the Gaithers will be singing in only two churches this year. The rest of their concerts are in large arenas. You can get your tickets online or in the atrium on Sundays. Swapping It has been over a year since I preached at our Madison Campus, so this Sunday I will be swapping locations with Kevin Cooper, our Madison Campus Pastor. Kevin and I have both been preaching through the gospel of John so Kevin will pick up where I left off at the end of chapter 17. Our Madison Campus is strong and healthy, has maxed out the Sunday School space, and is in need of a second Sunday School hour. I look forward to spending time with our members at the Madison Campus and sharing God’s Word this Sunday. March 29, 2011 Haiti Funds We are blessed that almost $500,000 has been given thus far to Project Haiti. You maybe wondering how those funds will be administered. In order to move forward in an appropriate manner, we need both accountability and flexibility. Thus, we have formed the Project Haiti Oversight Committee consisting of Buddy Huff (former Chairman of Deacons), Lee Cope (former Chairman of Deacons), Doug Rule (current Chairman of Finance), David Gibbs (former Chairman of Finance) Barbara Gladney (Volunteer Coordinator of Project Haiti), and me (Senior Pastor). Each month this committee will provide an accounting of all expenditures and a record of the expenditures will be placed in the Baptist Record as well as presented to the Finance Committee and the Deacons. Wednesday, April 6 We have a special treat in store on Wednesday night, April 6, during Prayer Meeting. Our good friend, Robert J. Morgan (author of “Red Sea Rules”), will be in town and he has agreed to speak at our church. He has a new book coming out in October on the subject of angels. If you’ve always wondered about angels, be sure and here Rob Morgan on April 6 during Prayer Meeting. Did You Know? Did you know that we now have a Facebook page for our church? Check it out for the latest news and updates. Click here. Did you know it’s time to nominate qualified men for the office of Deacon at our church? The deadline to nominate is April 11. You can find nomination forms around the church or at this link. Annie We have begun promotion of the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. North America is now one of the biggest mission fields in the world. I received from one of our members recently an interesting email that illustrates the need for the gospel on our continent. The writer shared, “My wife and I had never given to Annie Armstrong until our daughter moved to a large, northern city several years ago. She told us she was the only resident in her entire apartment complex who goes to church every Sunday morning. Also, she said that her coworkers who grew up in that area make fun of her for going to church so much. And, the church which she joined is nowhere near where she lives. She told us to always give to missions through Annie Armstrong and my wife and I have done so since then.” We are living in a lost and confused world. Much of the population in North America lives without Christ and desperately needs to hear the Good News of God’s grace. March 22, 2011 Welcome Children’s Pastor This past Sunday Zach Zettler and his wife, Laura, joined our church. They have a one year old, Lily, who was in the nursery. Zach is our new Children’s Pastor. Please take time to welcome the Zettlers to our church and the Jackson area. You’re going to love getting to know the Zettlers! No Parking We have been informed by our neighbors at the Capitol that this weekend is the one weekend each year when the legislature meets all weekend. Therefore, no parking will be available at the Capitol on Sunday, including the spaces they have reserved on President Street. Senior Adult Day Senior Adults play a vital role in the life of our church. In fact, of our 5,000 members, we have over 1,500 who are over the age of 60. These Believers have played, and continue to play, a significant role in the growth, leadership, and ministry of FBCJ. They have contributed, and continue to contribute, to the strong financial health of our church. Plus, they’re just great folks! Senior Adults are some of the funniest, kindest, wisest, and most enjoyable people at our church. They really are! Because of all of these things, we are having a special day to honor our Senior Adults. On Sunday, April 3, we will have Senior Adults participating in the worship services in the sanctuary downtown. Among other things, our Senior Adults will be singing, praying, and sharing. Also, we want you to be aware that through the leadership of our Senior Adults and the Reflections Choir, cooperating with the Senior Adult leadership at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, a statewide revival will take place at FBCJ on May 12-13. Called the Legacy Renewal Revival, this special time of worship will involve preaching by Dr. David Uth of FBC Orlando and music by Dr. Jim Whitmire, former Minister of Music at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. Coming Up
Glad to be Back Last week, my family and I took a vacation during Spring Break. It was a wonderful time to get away, relax, and be refreshed. However, whenever I am away I am reminded of how special our church is. There is nothing quite like FBCJ. There is nothing like worshiping in our beautiful sanctuary with the marvelous music. It refreshes the soul. So, while it was good to be away, it’s great to be back. There is much work to do and many great opportunities before us. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” May we roll up our sleeves, work hard in the glorious pursuit of the gospel, and experience God in all we do! March 8, 2011 To God Be the Glory Stunned. Overwhelmed. Amazed. All of these words describe how I felt this past Sunday when I learned of the total amount given to Project Haiti thus far. It was with great joy that I announced Sunday night that $490,000 has been given to Project Haiti. Our God has provided immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He has moved, His people have responded, and we are one step closer to building a sustainable community for hurting Haitians. Thank you church! Thank you for your sacrifice and your generosity. Thank you for believing that God can do the impossible. To God be the glory! The next steps involve finalizing the plans for the community before construction begins near the end of May. This is a very important step and includes issues such as water, sanitation, and exact placement of the medical center/church/houses/food plots on the land. Once we have the final plans in hand, we will simply send teams to execute the plan. I ask you to pray earnestly over the next month as these plans are completed. All About God We learned a great lesson Sunday night. We had anticipated Charles Billingsley coming to lead in a concert involving our sanctuary choir and orchestra. He was scheduled to fly in Sunday afternoon from Virginia. However, due to the weather, he was unable to make it. At the beginning of the concert, Lavon Gray announced that Charles would not be here and then he reminded us that the concert was never about Charles Billingsley. It was all about God and His glory and His greatness and His countless blessings in our lives. Then, we all experienced the reality of that truth as we had a marvelous time of praise and worship. Thank you choir, orchestra, and technical crews. You did an amazing job of pointing us to an amazing God. March 1, 2011 600 Approximately 600 people have signed up for Shine 2011. Some have already worked this week and others of us will be working this weekend. If you do not yet have a place to serve, you may want to join some of us at Clausell Elementary School this Saturday, March 5 from 8:30 a.m. - noon. Thank You Thank you so much for your prayers for our dental mission trip to Haiti. We returned Monday evening after a wonderful experience. God really blessed and in the days ahead we hope to share some of the experiences we had. It’s Here Finally, after almost five months of waiting, our March 6 Ingathering Day has arrived. This Sunday we will have the opportunity to bring a special offering for Project Haiti. This offering is, of course, over and above our regular tithes and offerings. Please use one of the special Haiti envelopes that was mailed to you, or can be found in your packet of envelopes, or is located in the pew racks. Celebration I hope you will be present in our evening service this Sunday. At 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary our Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra will join Charles Billingsley in the recording of a live concert. Charles is known around the country as a gifted artist and a godly man. Also, during a break in the concert we will announce the total amount given to Project Haiti thus far. February 22, 2011 Cans for Christ This Sunday, February 27, is the beginning of Shine 2011, the week where we join thousands of Christians around the metro area in community service projects in order to shine the light of Christ. One of the main things we are doing and which almost everyone can participate is a food drive called “Cans for Christ.” We are asking everyone to bring to church this Sunday at least 5 food items per family member. (See suggested list of food items.) The food will be distributed between Stewpot and Crestwood Ministries. There are two ways to drop off your food items: (1) drive onto North Street in front of the Christian Life Center and the Boy Scouts will take your items right from your car; or (2) at each entrance to the Sanctuary you will find food bins where you can deposit your canned goods. Also, you can click here to see what other projects are available. I’m sure there is one for everybody. If you are not working with the deacons or the choir or the women’s projects, you may want to join me at Clausell Elementary School on Saturday, March 5. Prayers for Mission Trip I want to thank Doug Rule and Gailen Marshall for praying Sunday for our dental mission team that will leave this Thursday for Haiti. What a blessing to have fellow Christians lift our team before the Father. I would ask that you pray for us as we leave on Thursday and return the next Monday. We will have 3 days of clinic (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). We hope to treat as many people as possible in the clinic, share the gospel with as many people as possible, and establish a trusting relationship with the leaders of the village. Mark Rich and Buddy Huff began developing those relationships last week when they were in Haiti and we want to build on their great work. Please pray for wisdom, safety, insight, and flexibility for our mission team. We know there will be obstacles in the way and the enemy will try to disrupt whatever he can. He wants to keep the people of Haiti enslaved in darkness and hopelessness. However, we know that “the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Two Sundays We are only two Sundays away from our March 6 Ingathering Day. On that day we will have the opportunity to bring a special offering for Project Haiti. This offering is, of course, over and above our regular tithes and offerings. I hope you have been praying and thinking about what you might give to help in this wonderful project God has set before us. Sunday School Matters While foreign missions is very important, we must never forget the home front. We must make sure we are providing opportunities for believers in our church to grow in their faith each and every week. Sunday School is one of the main ways we do this. Because of the importance of Sunday School, this Sunday afternoon, Feb. 27 at 4:30, is a Sunday School Leadership training time in Fellowship Hall East. The training will be a baseball theme complete with Trusty, the Mississippi Braves Mascot, food (peanuts, popcorn, apple pies, and drinks) and an MC for the meeting—Bryan Eubank. During the training session, we will be casting the Game Plan for Friend Day on April 17th and there will be Group Team Sessions led by Team Coaches. This should be a great time of food, fun, and fellowship as we share the Game Plan for Sunday School at FBCJ. Youth at Madison Campus God is moving in some exciting ways among our students at the Madison Campus. I’ll let our Youth Pastor, Austing Bahm, explain what is taking place. The following is an email he wrote recently: “We have 71 students signed up to attend Emerge this weekend!!! We have had 28 sign up since Sunday so we have been scrambling to find extra everything. I think we have the details in place, but I do continue to ask for your prayers. Our Sunday School classes, Kevin, and my wife and I have been praying for God to move and be all over the students and He is. I know great things are in store. Also tonight we discussed baptism during our Merge time with the students. Two students came to me afterward wanting to be baptized. I'm excited to see students understand the importance of baptism. We will be lining those up in the near future. I feel I will hear from more students about baptism through what God said tonight. Incredible times happening at the Madison Campus. Thank you for allowing my wife and me to serve at the Madison Campus!” February 15, 2011 Incredible! I am just amazed at the coats you brought to church this past Sunday for Wesley Rule’s Eagle Scout project! The bins were overflowing. Wesley is reporting that you brought 753 coats!! That’s wonderful. Way to go Wesley! Way to go church! Three Sundays We are only three Sundays away from our special Ingathering Offering for Project Haiti. March 6, 2011 is the day we will have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of hurting Haitians by giving sacrificially to help meet the basic needs of these long-suffering children of God. Then, the night of March 6, during a special concert with Charles Billingsley and our sanctuary choir, we will announce the total given to the project. Please pray for Buddy Huff and Mark Rich as they travel to Haiti this Thursday, Feb. 17, to survey the land where the community will be built. Then pray for the dental team that will leave the next week, Feb. 24, to conduct a clinic on that same land. The three dentists going are Bill Boteler, Lee Cope, and Danny O’Keefe. The oral surgeon is Mike Nichols. Bill, Lee, and Mike are deacons of our church and Danny is a new member. Also, I am going on this dental trip along with Sarah Boteler Frisbee, Anna Buckley, Barbara Gladney, Martha Mangum, Suzanne O’Keefe, Becky Rainey, Scott Tuminello, Anne Van Devender, and Billy Van Devender. We hope to minister to the physical needs of the people, earn their trust, share the Good News of the Gospel, and prepare for Phase I of Project Haiti. Many of you have expressed interest in helping build the medical clinic, houses, and church. The dates for the trips have been posted and you can sign up at www.fbcj.org or by calling our Project Coordinator, Barbara Gladney, at 205-937-1977. Let it Shine We are moving closer to Shine 2011, that area-wide event involving over 40 churches in which we will shine the light of Christ all over Jackson through community service projects. Thousands of Christians are expected to be involved in Shine this year. When: Feb. 27 - March 5 What: Projects for everyone (women, deacons, sanctuary choir, cancer survivors, and everyone else); see the list of projects at www.fbcj.org How: Sign up for a project (1) online, (2) at the booth in the atrium on Sundays, or (3) by dropping the tab from the bulletin in the offering plate. Food Drive: Sunday, Feb. 27 – five food items per family member Hawgs ‘n Horns This Friday, February 18, is the Hawgs ‘n Horns wild game supper. You can get your tickets online or in the CLC or at the door on Friday night. Hawgs ‘n Horns will be a great night of food and fun and talking about God’s great outdoors. Be sure and invite your lost and unchurched friends. February 8, 2011 Brrrr!!! Can you believe how cold it’s been lately? We have had some unusually frigid weather. I don’t know about you, but I feel blessed to have a nice coat to keep me warm during these cold times. Unfortunately, not everyone has a nice coat. Have you ever wondered what people do who don’t have a coat? One young man who is a member of our church has been giving that a lot of thought. His name is Wesley Rule. Wesley is 13 years old and he’s been working on his Eagle Project for Scouts. I learned recently that his project is to provide coats to people in our area who don’t have coats. In fact, his plan is to distribute coats through CityChurch, our inner-city partner in ministry. I thought Wesley’s idea was so good and inspiring that I want to do two things: (1) give one of my coats to his project, and (2) encourage others to do so as well. Wesley has placed boxes around the church for this Sunday, February 13, to collect the coats that he will distribute. Remember, it’s been really cold lately. March 6 March 6, 2011 is fast approaching. We are only weeks away from that important date. What is March 6? That’s the Sunday we set aside for the Special Ingathering Offering to help build a community in Haiti. As I reported in this space last week, we are moving forward nicely with this vision to make a difference in the lives of hurting people. Already, we have received tremendous support from individuals, Sunday School classes, other churches, and our television audience. March 6 will be a day in which we can all participate by giving to this worthy cause. Some of us are giving an entire house ($3,000), while others are giving half of a house ($1,500). Some are giving a quarter of a house ($750). Still others, like one of my teenage sons, have been saving to give a portion of a house ($215). However you feel led to participate, please know that you are going to be making a huge difference in the lives of those who have been suffering for so long in a land not too far away. Please note that you will find a special Haiti envelope in your batch of envelopes for the month of March. The morning of March 6 we can bring our offering and then that night we will have a special service in the sanctuary to announce the total amount given to Project Haiti. As part of that special night of celebration, guest musician Charles Billingsley will join our Sanctuary Choir in recording a live album. That should be a wonderful time of celebration! Shine That Light A couple of years ago a number of area churches came together for the purpose of shining the light of Christ into our community. That first effort was known as “Shine ’09.” Our church participated as we worked in local schools and neighborhoods, cleaning and painting and landscaping. Also, we partnered with New Horizon Church and had a joint worship service on Sunday night of that Shine weekend. That was a lot of fun! Last year the number of churches participating increased. This year there are approximately 40 churches participating, including churches such as Broadmoor Baptist, Christ United Methodist, New Horizon, Pinelake, and many more. Thousands of Christians from all over the metro area will spend part of a week in community service sharing the love of Christ. When is “Shine 2011”? It lasts one week, beginning Sunday, Feb. 27 and ending Saturday, March 5. How does “Shine” work? Each church chooses various projects around the city. A list of projects we have chosen can be found on our website at www.fbcj.org. The list includes projects for our women, for our deacons, for the sanctuary choir, and for those interested in the Hope Cancer Conference that we host each year. The biggest project in which anyone can participate will be the workday at Clausell Elementary School on Saturday, March 5, from 8:30-noon. The work there will include cleaning, painting, landscaping, and light construction. Clausell is the school where our inner-city partner, CityChurch, meets for worship every Sunday. Since I don’t have any technical skills and can serve as a “gopher,” that’s the project in which I will participate. Will we be helping the hungry this year? Yes, the food drive will be Sunday, Feb. 27, the first day of “Shine 2011.” You can sign up for any project of “Shine 2011” (1) online, (2) at the booth in the atrium on Sundays, or (3) by dropping the tab from the bulletin in the offering plate. Ready, Aim . . . All hunters and fishermen need to know that the annual Hawgs ‘n Horns wild game supper will be February 18, a week from this Friday. Be sure and invite your lost and unchurched friends. We’ll have a great time and we’ll be sure and share the Good News with those you bring. February 2, 2011 Update on Project Haiti Last fall I shared with you the vision of creating a community of hope on the hopeless island of Haiti. I showed you photos of thousands of homeless people living in tent cities – living with very little shelter, food, water, and clothing. Since last fall, not much has changed for the people of Haiti. In fact, in many ways life has gotten worse. Disease and political turmoil continue to wreak havoc among these long-suffering people. And yet, God has not abandoned them. He is using Christians from around the world to bring hope and dignity and shelter and food and life. Here at First Baptist Jackson we continue to move forward with Project Haiti. As you may recall, Phase I of this project includes the construction of 40 houses, a medical clinic, and a church. In addition, agricultural plots will be developed within the community so the people can sustain themselves with food they grow. March 6 is still our big Ingathering Sunday when we will have the opportunity to bring a special offering to fund this life-changing project. As we have said all along, this offering will be over and above our normal tithes and offerings. Slight Adjustment Our plan was to build the houses in Jackson out of magnesium panels, ship them to Haiti, and then send teams to assemble those houses. Over the last month, however, we have realized we could not guarantee the shipment of the houses from Jackson to New Orleans to Haiti and then to the site where the community will be built. Due to inefficiency, corruption, and other related issues, many relief organizations have millions of dollars worth of supplies sitting in Haitian ports and they are unable to move those supplies through the ports and to the people in need. Because of these logistical complications, we have altered the construction plans. Instead of building the houses in Jackson with the magnesium boards and then attempting to ship the houses to Haiti, we will build the houses on-site using block construction. Craig Miller, a Southern Baptist who founded an organization called “Thirst No More,” will make the blocks on-site, as well as at his compound outside Port-Au-Prince, and we will use those blocks to construct the houses, medical clinic, and church. Craig has a block-making machine that he has been using for some time to build houses in Haiti. Craig is a wonderful Christian man. I have stayed in his compound outside of Port-Au-Prince and he was in my home recently for a meeting about this project. Frankly, we are extremely relieved that this change in construction has taken place. There are many, many advantages of making the blocks on-site and then using those blocks to build the houses and other buildings:
We are more than relieved at this change in construction plans. We are thrilled that we can now begin making the blocks and preparing for our teams to travel to Haiti to help with the construction of the community. In fact, we will begin making the blocks this month (Feb.). in preparation for our constructions teams later this year. Timeline
Not Parachute Missions Please note that Project Haiti is not Parachute Missions where we fly in for a short time and then leave with no plans to return. We are making a significant commitment in time and effort and resources. Most likely, it will take at least two years to complete Phase I of this new community. Many opportunities will be available for teams to travel to Haiti and participate in this endeavor. Our goal is to build a sustainable community, not merely provide temporary relief. God continues to bring partners alongside us in this endeavor. He amazes us as He calls out individuals, sister churches, associations, non-profit organizations, and even businesses to partner with us. Often they are telling us they felt a passion to help but did not know of a reliable avenue through which they could work. They were excited when they learned of FBCJ’s plans because they knew they could trust us in this project. Mission Trips in 2011 All of the mission trips listed below will be construction trips. Twelve people can go on each trip. The two trips in May will involve building a medical clinic. The rest of the trips in 2011 will involve building houses. We will be using block construction on all of the trips. Please note that each block weighs 25 pounds. The following dates are available for mission trips to Haiti:
You can sign up for a trip in two ways: (1) register online at this link or (2) by calling our Project Coordinator, Barbara Gladney, at 601-825-5764. We will contact you shortly thereafter to confirm your trip. Also, for any questions about the trips, contact Barbara Gladney. The cost for each trip is $1,250. Please continue to pray for God’s wisdom and guidance and direction as we seek to share His love in Haiti. |
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