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Happy Birthday, Church! Overview - Diaconate Role In her writings on the Diaconate, Dr. Pauline Allsop, our Deacon Emerita, eloquently reminds us that the role of Deacons originated very early in the Christian church. Centered on serving the spiritual and physical needs of the congregation, Deacons have always strived to be models of selfless giving, providing service to meet the needs of others as Jesus taught us. The Diaconate is the Congregation’s structure that organizes and optimizes the Deacons’ collective inputs into spiritually related decision making and that provides coordinated supports to our Ministers. With our Ministers’ help, the varied views and diverse perspectives represented around the Diaconate table are heard and considered as we seek to guide in a compassionate and loving way that will honour God and follow the ‘mind of Christ’ in our decision-making. In all of this we continually and regularly ask, “What would Jesus think and do?” and we are fed by the Holy Spirit working with and among us. In partnership with our Ministers in this labour of love, Deacons engage in activities to support and guide the work to meet the needs of our Congregation and the communities we touch. On a regular basis, you see Deacons participate in worship, prepare and serve Communion, lead Prayers of the People, welcome worship service attendees, visit the sick and needy, act as providers and conduits for information flow about the Congregation and its members, provide support to our ministers and the Director of Music and participate in Church Committee work. The Diaconate, in a spirit of collaboration, also continued on page 2
I love birthdays! There is a tradition in my family that when it is your birthday, you get to choose what the dinner will be. These special meals ranged from a full turkey dinner to fruit salad and ice cream. Whatever you requested, that's what the whole family ate. We also would sit in the dinning room (usually reserved in the off chance the Queen would visit), we used the best china, and the "Happy Birthday" sign hung from the center of the curtain rod. The whole family would gather together, we would share our meal together, give presents and cards and end the meal with a prayer. The birthday prayer was usually said by my father. Before we would pray, we would go around the table reflecting over the last year of the celebrated guest. We would each add in a memory or two. We would then wonder together about where the birthday person would head in the year(s) to come. Once we have all had a chance to share some hopes and dreams together, my father would bring all these memories and dreams together in the birthday prayer. Pentecost, this year on May 15th, is the birthday of the church. We gather as a church community to celebrate not only where the church has been, but also where the church is going. We take a moment to remember that the Spirit came down (Acts 2) on all peoples, regardless of their nationality, age, or gender. We remember that because of this we are empowered, that the Spirit of God is always with us. But what does that mean for us now? What does the Spirit of God look like in the church of 2016? What are the dreams and visions that we will take with us in the months and years to come? What will we include in "the birthday prayer" for the church? The season of Pentecost is a perfect time for us as First Baptist, to be going through transition. We hear the mirroring stories of the early church in Acts visioning and wrestling with who they are. We as a church community are engaged in a process to guide us through these questions. I strongly encourage you to attend all three opportunities that the Transition Team has developed for the whole congregation to wonder, dream and vision together for the future of First Baptist. Who knows, maybe they'll even be birthday cake!
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works with the members of the Congregation and with other committees and organizations within the Church and beyond to help bring unity, coherence and confidence to the work of the First Baptist Church Halifax - the “ Body of Christ” and to help engage the many partners and friends who make our contributions possible and meaningful. Support for Ministers and Ministries We are blessed with an excellent Ministry Team. One of the important aspects of Diaconate work is to support them and to help guide the work the Congregation has called them to do. On your behalf we regularly assess their work, performance, needs and concerns. We are currently involved in evaluation initiatives with our Transition/Interim Senior, Faith Development and Music leaders assessments and would welcome Congregation members’ inputs. (Please contact Jim Stanley for Lynn and Jenny and David Morse for Lynnette). Building the Future Church As a Congregation we are currently in the middle of a transitioning process that will guide our Church in building on the 188 years of prominence in Maritime Baptist ministry toward the future Church God is calling us to be. Guided by the Transition Leadership Team and ably supported by our Transition Minister Rev. Lynn Uzans , the Congregation will discern and chart a path forward to new leadership and vitality. Your Diaconate has been deeply involved in this process and has full confidence that, through this work, God will lead us all on into robust, energized and renewed dimensions of being Church in our times and in our communities. Baptist Connections – Partners in Ministry Beyond keeping in touch with our Congregation, the Diaconate seeks to keep in touch with our partners in ministry, with other South-end Halifax Churches, with the Halifax Region United Baptist Association, with Acadia Divinity College and the Atlantic School of Theology, with Canadian Baptist Ministries, with like-minded Baptist Churches in the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms and the Alliance of Baptists in the US. All of these activities keep us connected, keep us real and
help us keep centered as a congregation. An Invitation to Serve Each Deacon brings her/his individual gifts to the Diaconate role, and the gifts vary from one Deacon to another. It is not unusual to hear from potential Deacons that they feel they could not possibly be a Deacon, that they are not comfortable with one or more of the activities that I have described here. But not every Deacon does all the same activities. More than a group of individuals, the Diaconate functions as a whole with each member contributing and supporting others, using their unique strengths. There are vacant seats at the Diaconate table. If you feel called to this way of serving and being part of your Church contact Lee Nicholas-Pattillo, David Dexter, Jim Stanley or any of our Deacons. Final Thoughts (for now) We are profoundly touched by the fact that at least six of our FBCH members are currently involved in theological studies, have been recently ordained or are on a path to ordination as a minister. This is the first time in many years we have been blessed with this much of this type of activity among us. Our God has truly blessed our Congregation with energy, with a proactive Diaconate, with a powerful group of committed volunteer leaders across the Church, with gifted ministry leaders and with a Team leading us forward to an even brighter and stronger commitment to be leaders among God’s people here in Halifax , following in the path of Jesus. Jim Stanley Chair, Diaconate
are alive and well at First Baptist! On April 14th the McGill’s hosted a group of friends for a lively and informative one and a half hours. Faith journeys and spiritual growth stories were told and shared; aspirations for the future along with concerns and the uncertainty that comes with an unknown future. Without a doubt we all left the gathering with much more knowledge (and understanding) than what we arrived with and hopefully added to the pool of information being amassed to assist in the discernment of the future for FBC. To end a great evening of fellowship, the tea and coffee pots were set out along with some home made sweets to enjoy and conversation continued. This was a typical meeting—many of which are being held throughout HALIFAX. If you would like to host a discussion group or would like to be part of a group, it’s not too late—contact Rev. Lynn (902-422-5203; lynnuzans@fbchalifax.ca) or Anne Marie (902-423-4721 or akrueger@dal.ca ) .
May 8: Ascension Sunday Acts 16:16-34; Psalm 97 Luke 24:44-53 The Prison Mirage – Rev. Lynn Uzans Music: Men Without Jackets, Willan May 15: Pentecost; Baptism; Holy Communion Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Acts 2:1-21; John 14:8-17, 25-27 Assembling the Scattered – Rev. Jenny Csinos Music: Songsters, Thompson May 22: Trinity Sunday Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8 Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Many Faces – Rev. Lynn Uzans Music: Tchaikovsky, Byrd May 29: Pentecost 3 1 Kings 18:20-39; Psalm 96 Galatians 1:1-12; Luke 7:1-10 Who Are We Now? – Rev. Lynn Uzans and Rev. Jenny Csinos Music: Stanford
meaning "the 50th day" in Greek), also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas, is a holiday and season in the Christian liturgical year. It is the 50th day after Easter (and the 10th day after Ascension Thursday). It is Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot. It is to remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the book of Acts in the Bible, as Jesus had promised after he rose from the dead. About 3,000 people were baptized that day, which to many, makes it the real start of the Christian Church” (excerpt from Wikipedia). And from Richard Wagner — “Pentecost is a Christian holy day that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days after Easter. Some Christian denominations consider it the birthday of the Christian church and celebrate it as such”. While surfing the internet looking at what others had to say about Pentecost, I also learned that Red, and Gold and White are liturgical colours for Pentecost—but at FBC, let’s proudly announce on May 15th, by what we are wearing that day, that we are Christian and are celebrating the Holy Spirit’s coming—to the Apostles—to the Church and to the people of God, by wearing something RED. Let’s celebrate with a sea of red in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church. Contributed by Frank McGill
First Baptist Church
November 5th As one member in our church would put it - ”It’s only 6 months to the Tea & Sale”! “Its gotta be fun!” It may be only 6 months to the Tea & Sale, but when you take the summer/cottage months away it’s really only 3 maybe 4 months away. Planning has already started and as it is with every sale there are two main concerns — getting the word out and getting good saleable items in. As you look around your home and decide that although a certain item has lots of good life but not in your home — think of the Sale; we may not want to think about it but some days during the summer are bound to be rainy - a good time to finish of a knitting project or craft project — think of the Sale; a letter or card to a friend — why not pick up a book mark announcing the sale and include it in your correspondence. Later in the month we will endeavor to place throughout the church small baskets of book marks for you to take home for distribution. Also, for those who communicate by email we will have an attachment you can include with your message. More on the Tea & Sale after the summer — this is only intended to get you thinking and to get the word out early about the sale in the Fall. Co-conveners: Joanne Stonehouse and Frank McGill
The mild winter weather has allowed us to take a good break from shovelling snow this winter. The late arrival of Spring is another story. But it did not stop us from heading up to Caritas at Mount Saint Vincent for the Easter Communion service with the ladies. It is with regret that we say farewell to Joe O'Brien whose voice will be missed. And a hearty welcome to Julian Summers who has recently joined our chorus. Our final rehearsal of the season was Saturday April 23. Thanks to Garnet Colwell for the invitation to hold our closing luncheon at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron dining room. Lynette has scheduled a benefit concert for Patrick Simms (tenor in the choir), to raise money for Graduate studies. Place: FBC Sanctuary at 7:30 on Thursday evening, June 2nd, 2016. Patrick will sing, and Lynette will play piano; and perhaps another guest instrumentalist. Till next season. For further information, contact our Director of Music, Lynette Wahlstrom. Remember: We call ourselves Men Without Jackets because God never said we needed to dress up to sing his praises. Men Without Jackets [current and former]: Julian Summers, Peter Fillmore, Anthony Zadeh, Bryan Darrell, Mac Philips, Ian McKee, Jim Stanley, David Bourque, Alan Manchester, Erick Lee, Ken Margeson, Nelson Metcalfe, David Dexter, Paul Henderson, John Dalton, David Gibson, Garnet Colwell, Tom Crowell, Alan North, Tony Marshall, Kim Davison, Ed Tummers, Dahrl Whitney, Alan Cruess, Benjamin Shaw. Guest organists, Shawn Whynot
Take Sunday School Home! Our curriculum offers at home resources for continuous conversations of faith formation for the whole family. Check out the church website for each weeks take-home sheet. Upper Room: May-June copies of this Da il y D e vot io na l a r e a va i lab le throughout the church. Vacation Bible School: This year First Baptist Church Halifax will join together with St. John's United Church for a joint VBS, August 15-19 held at First Baptist. (approximate cost $100 per child). The program will run from 9:00 4:00 for those who have completed grade 2-7. Youth volunteers ages 15 years and older are encouraged to participate. More Details will follow, but mark your calendars. For more information, contact Rev. Jenny Csinos.
May 6th Friday Evening with Supper A fun 2 hour exploration of our history, significant events, what our witness has looked like through the years, and what we have learned about ourselves and our core values.
May 28th Plant Sale 9:00am - 12 Noon Church Parking Lot - 1300 Oxford St Perennials, Bulbs, Shrubs, Herbs, Fruit Plants, Garden Books, Tools, Garden Accessories, Pots, Bird Feeders, and of course free advise.
May 29th Sunday Morning Worship and Luncheon A worship service with three short homilies on the scripture of the day. We will be asked for feedback using a generally accepted guideline for healthy churches. We gather the feedback, and at lunch reflect together on what we find, and what we have learned.
June 2nd - Patrick Simms, Tenor . . . . . .will appear in concert with Lynette
Wahlstrom accompanying him on piano. This is a Graduate School Fundraiser Concert .
June 3rd Friday Evening with Supper An exciting evening discovering our priorities for ministry together. Everyone gets to choose three top priorities, we categorize them, and sift through them together until we see where the energy may be and what sense of call might emerge from this simple, but powerful exercise.
The LIFE of First Baptist Church “Where Faith Comes to Life�
Youth Activities in the Church Chair of the Board of CE was Dr. Bruce Morton. Earl Dexter was the Superintendent [Sunday School] with 20 teachers and 182 pupils enrolled. Teachers included Mrs. Doug Eisner, Mrs. John Peers, Mrs. Earl Dexter, Miss Lois Duffy, Mr. Don Myers, Mrs. John Conn, Dr. Garnett Colwell; Dr. Doug Eisner. The Sunday School opened its doors to children from the School for the Blind. Volunteer drivers from the church transported them back and forth. During the summer, teachers and students attended the Maritime Baptist Young People's Convention, CGIT Camp Council, Camp Wegesegum, and teacher training at Bayers Road Baptist Church. Senior High had 20 students who met weekly, led by Dr. Carl Dexter and Mrs. John Peers. They also organized an Agape supper with the St. Matthews Group and held two retreats. The Senior High conducted the closing service for Youth Week. In September, for the first time, Sunday School opening was delayed until the second Sunday after Labour Day. This proved very successful. Baptisms Margaret Barrow, Barbara Barrow, Elizabeth Gould, Janet Gorman, Allison Hagen, Janice Keddy, Barbara Shears, Alexander McQuinn, Robert Dexter, Donald Crosby, Ronald Foran, Gregory Prince. Youth The Scout Troop won the District Shield. Queen Scout badges were awarded to Frank King and Clyde Evans. A Venturers program was started for boys ages 14-17. And once again, the Scouts decorated the sanctuary for the Advent season. CGIT had 10 girls led by Frances Prime. Margaret Fletcher and Sandra Morse attended Camp Council. They hosted the Africville CGIT for a meeting. Guides were led by Donna Myers. They attended the annual church parade at St. Mark's. Several girls attended Camp Petpeswick. Six Guides were taking the Religion and Life classes with Rev. Harvey. In the fall, the Guides assisted the NS Tuberculosis Association with their mailing appeal. Elsewhere in the world Anti-Vietnam war protests grow around the world. The rock group, Buffalo Springfield, is formed with Neil Young and Steven Stills as members. In the UK, the State Opening of Parliament is televised for the first time in history. Stokely Carmichael is elected chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and launches the Black Power movement in the US. The Black Panther Party is formed. The Beatles played their last British concert at Wembley. The Vatican abolishes the "Index of Banned Books" which was in effect since 1559.
Contributed by Ed Tummers
As you begin to clear away the winter mulch from your gardens and discover with joy the pale green sprouts poking through the soil; you might also discover that the plants are overcrowded and need separation; remember the FBC PLANT SALE! on May 28th. Anyone having plant pots (4” to 6”) lurking around in their garden shed and that need to find a useful lot in life, bring them to FBC along with any plants and/or soil you have to donate to the sale. Also the week leading up to the sale volunteers are needed. If you can lend a hand call Marlene Dexter 902-455-8512 or Judy Whalen 902-429-0337, all willing hands are welcome. Let’s together make this a PLANT SALE to remember !
Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms June 4, 2016
Searching for Faithful Adult Learning Port Williams United Baptist Church Registration begins at 10:00am Cost: $25.00 (including lunch) To register please contact Kim Sweet: 902-542-1261 or kjsweet@live.ca
As you might expect, there is considerable literature about congregations in transition. From an article by Jeffery Jones, an American Baptist Church pastor, here are a few thoughts on asking new questions to help us discern our call to ministry today. ‘Better answers to the same old questions about the church will not get us through the tumultuous times in which we live. This is a time for out-of-the-box thinking. Old questions keep us in the box. New questions invite us to move outside. ‘Phyllis Tickle, in The Great Emergence, talks about the need for today’s church to have a rummage sale so we can rid ourselves of all those practices, beliefs and ways of being that are no longer effective and get in the way of being the church we are called to be. Many of the questions we have asked for centuries in the church need to be replaced with new questions that lead us into new ways of being and doing—ways that are attuned to the time in which we live. It’s not that the old questions weren’t valid at one time or even that they have no place in the church today. Rather, the new questions, if they are the questions that form our approach to ministry, will lead us to new insights and new learning. ‘One question that has been asked consistently through the years, and even more so in these days of declining church membership is, “How do we bring them in?” It would be better for us to ask, “How do we send them out?” ‘In these days of changing roles and responsibilities many wonder, “What should the pastor do?” But a more important question for congregations today is, “What is our shared ministry?” ‘When congregations focus on strategic planning they ask, “What’s our vision and how do we implement it?” What would happen if instead they asked, “What’s God up to and how do we get on board?” ‘When congregations have financial struggles, they ask, “How do we survive?” Instead they might ask, “How do we serve?” ‘When congregations think about their mission, they often ask, “How do we save people?” or perhaps, “How do we help people?” A better question might be, “How do we make the reign of God more present in this time and place?” ‘If you ask these questions there is no assurance that you’ll find the way to renew, revitalize, or redevelop your church. It may happen. But you may just as likely discover that asking these questions takes you down a road to some other alternative that you hadn’t even thought of before. What I feel pretty confident about, however, is that asking these new questions will bring us closer to discovering what God is seeking from us in this time. I also believe asking these new questions will help ensure that whatever the future holds for us and our congregations we will be more faithful in the work we are about right now. And that is a pretty wondrous thing!’ Contributed by David Dexter, Chair of the Transition Team
Let’s make these important events happen!!!
July 3rd and 10th: St. John's United Church July 17th and 24th: The Presbyterian Church of St. David's July 31st and August 7th: St. Andrew's United Church August 14th, 21st and 28th: First Baptist Church Halifax All Services will begin at 10:30am Communion will be held on the first Sunday of each month.
First Baptist Church will be hosting the Ark Sunday Supper at St. Andrew’s United Church on May 15th. Volunteers are required to bake casseroles (18 of them, I believe) and the recipe is, Ham and Vegetable Bake, and the recipe is located on the Bulletin Board in the Parlour lobby along with the sign up sheet. These meals are an important way for our church community to provide a hot meal for homeless people who would otherwise go without. First Baptist Church Plant Sale will be held on May 28th from 9:00am to 12:00 noon nin the Church Parking Lot. And again, volunteers are needed. There are plant tables to be set up, plants to be displayed, sales persons to look after the tables, able bodied persons to help take purchases to customers vehicles and of course clean up. If you can help, please call Marlene Dexter 902-455-8512 or Judy Whalen 902-429-0337. Opportunities to get involved and make a difference!
from the FBC Refugee Committee Cookbook of 1997. . . . OVEN STEW IN RED WINE 2 lb beef chuck, cubed 2 medium onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 3 Tbsp flour 2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp thyme
Joan McQuinn 1 small bay leaf, crumbled 1 tsp bottled gravy browner 10 oz can mushrooms 14 oz can tomato sauce 10 oz can beef bouillon 1 cup red wine 2 cups cubed potatoes
ln a heavy casserole, mix all ingredients together except liquids and potatoes. Stir in liquids. Cover and bake at 350F for 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender, stirring every hour. Add potatoes during last hour of baking. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4 to 6. Serve with a salad and French bread.
PEACH CREAM PIE
`Marion Crowell
1 can peach halves, or fresh peaches 1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp flour 2 Tbsp butter, melted 2 eggs Pastry Line pie plate with pastry. Cover with peaches, cut side up, Combine sugar and flour. Add butter and beaten eggs. Beat well. Pour over peaches, being sure to cover the peaches. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and bake for 30 minutes. A favorite recipe of Ella Crowell (Mrs. Harvey Crowell) Marion’s mother.