Acts of Faith
2020
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH We are a family of faith, sharing God’s love in a spirit of hope.
AMANDA AWARDED LILLY GRANT As many of you know, I was awarded the Clergy Renewal Lilly Endowment Grant this past August. This grant allows full-time pastors to take a sabbatical and explore their passions, allowing space to breathe and renew their relationship with God. I first applied for this grant back in the spring of 2017, but was turned down, as it is a very competitive process. I applied again the following spring and was again turned down. Thinking I would take a sabbatical regardless that summer, I believed that I was done. However, when we learned that Miss Emiline was on her way and a sabbatical was not in the plan, I decided in the spirit of “third time’s the charm” to throw my hat in the ring one last time. I was completely caught off guard when upon returning to work in September I learned I had been awarded the grant. My sabbatical will focus on connecting to God’s imagination through art. With a deep sense and understanding of my calling to bear witness to God in this world, I am constantly looking for new and innovative ways to show God’s love. It is through exploring art and creating art that I have been most profoundly awakened and surprised by God. Through creation I see God on display, trying to get our attention. I see God as Creator and Artist who crafted a beautiful world with purpose and function. In this beauty is God’s spirit still at work trying to get our attention. The purpose of my sabbatical is to provide a time of discovery, learning, and renewal of wonder in our Creator through travel, art, and rest. I plan to spend three months away from church reconnecting to the imagination of Continued on page 3
Quarterly Business Meeting & Potluck: Sunday, February 16
BWIM GUEST PREACHER Since 2007, Baptist Women In Ministry (BWIM) has promoted the Martha Stearns Marshall women’s month of preaching in February. This national emphasis is designed to provide congregations the opportunity to experience the gifts and talents of female preachers. Faith Baptist Church is a long-time participant in this effort, with the added benefit of tying this opportunity to our partnership with the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. This year we will welcome BSK student Morgan Fritz into our pulpit on Sunday, February 23.
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CHILDREN’S CORNER MS. AMANDA’S NEIGHBORHOOD In February the children are continuing to talk about who our neighbors are and how we can show them God’s love. We are having fun reading books, acting out Bible stories, and playing games that all emphasize how God wants us to live in community with one another. PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT On Thursday, February 13, we will be hosting our annual Parents’ Night Out, and this year it is going to be Out Of This World! We are going to be learning about God’s great universe; we’ll be playing games, making crafts and watching space shows. All children ages 4 to 5th grade are invited to come and have fun with us from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the RA. A pizza dinner and snacks are included!
JOY NEWS February: "Do small things with great love." —Mother Teresa They say music is food for the soul. On Saturday, February 15, at 6 p.m., everyone is invited for food and music performed by our own Sam Pollock and his band, Shanghai Express. They’ll be playing their greatest hits in the RA for all to enjoy! (If you’re wondering whether there is any connection to the local restaurant with the same name, there is! Shanghai Express, more commonly known as Tony’s, is where the band got their start. With Tony’s permission, they named their band after that special place.) On Monday, February 17, at 11 a.m. we'll enjoy more food and fellowship at our monthly senior adult potluck lunch. In this new year, let's forget resolutions and set intentions. —Dale
LENT During Lent the children’s program will welcome Georgetown College interns to help lead the children through different ways to pray. The children will learn that prayer is a tool we can use to bring us closer to God and center our lives. We will be looking at how we can make space in our houses that help us focus on God, as well as using our creative spirits to pray. DISCOVERY CLASS For all children interested in learning more about becoming a Christ follower, there will be a class after church on Sunday, March 8, and Sunday, March 15. We will meet until 1:30 pm. The only thing children will need to bring is a lunch to eat.
Twenty JOY members went on an outing to Honeywood restaurant in January!
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YOUTH We’re having a Super Bowl party for youth and parents in the youth room on Sunday, February 2, from 6 p.m. through halftime! Bring food and drinks to share. Helpers are needed for Parents’ Night Out! Students, if you would like to help Amanda with a this event on Thursday, February 13, from 5:15 to 8 p.m., please contact Sharon. Sign up now for Passport! We’re going to Passport Choices in Greensboro, NC, on July 12-17. Your $75 deposit is due ASAP! Look for more information soon on Panera fundraisers and the Dessert Auction!
AMANDA’S LILLY GRANT CONTINUED God through art. This includes spending time with artists, visiting museums, traveling to see ancient architecture and scared spaces to discover how others have been inspired through the interpretation of divine presence. I plan to carry my camera with me, taking photos of all that inspires me. But this grant is not just for me; there is a part for the congregation as well. I have formed a Sabbatic Committee and together we will create ways for the church to participate in art and creating throughout my absence. Our hope is that this time will also help you recapture the wonder and awe of God. I am excited about sharing this experience with you. I am beyond grateful for a church family that allows this opportunity and is just as excited about all that God has in store! Stay tuned for more information in the coming months. Peace and grace,
We had a busy January with Chopped competitions, bowling, a game night with GBC and Focus Wesleyan, plus we served dinner at the K-Count community meal! These students are growing and putting feet to their faith. We are now studying about calling on Wednesday nights and how we recognize and respond to God’s call in our lives. Pray for our youth as they discern who God is calling them to be in this world!
Amanda
Sabbatic Committee: Regan Lookadoo, Carrie Cook, Kathy Fraley, Carrie Rashleigh, Cynthia Insko (If you are interested in being a part of this journey, let me know; we’d love to have you!)
Family Bowling in January was a blast! Jeff Stone was the high scorer of the day!
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Words from William It was the first year of my first ministry job at a Methodist church. We had been told that in our next planning meeting one of the things we needed to do was talk about Lent and what we wanted to do. Being a person of action, I came to the meeting with a lint roller prepared to address whatever the situation was. Luckily, my colleagues took pity on my non-liturgical Baptist self, and quickly taught me all about the liturgical calendar and the season of Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days (Sundays don’t count) beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending the day before Easter. Similar to Advent, many churches recognize this period as a time of preparation. Most often this is done by either giving up a specific luxury and/or adding a spiritual practice. Christians are encouraged to partake in fasts, times of prayer, special worship services, and several other things that cause us to reflect on what the death and resurrection means to us as believers. It is a time of renewal and focus on our relationship with God. As a church, we observe Lent in part by holding an Ash Wednesday service (February 26) and Good Friday worship service (April 10). This year during Lent, we will focus on spiritual practices. Both individually and as a family we will consider what sort of practices we can incorporate into our daily lives that draw us closer to the divine. Each week in worship we will discuss a different practice and how we might incorporate it into our lives. We will also offer a Saturday prayer workshop and have Bible reading plans and prayer guides available. I encourage you to consider how you might use Lent as a time of preparation for Easter. Maybe you set a specific aspirational goal like attend church every week, go to Sunday School, read the Gospel of Luke, or pray for 10 minutes every day. Maybe it means giving up a vice that gets in the way of you and God. Maybe it means giving up a comfort to remind you of God’s gifts and grace. Whatever you decide to do, I pray that Lent is a time of rejuvenation and deepening of your walk with God.
MISSIONS COMMITTEE The Missions Committee is happy to report that Faith far surpassed the Global Missions Offering goal this year by giving $5,340. You still have a chance to give by completing the “Toward Bold Faithfulness” survey at www.cbf.net/survey. CBF is donating $5 to Global Missions and theological education for the first 3,000 surveys submitted. Every dollar from the Global Missions Offering goes to salary, benefits, and living expenses for field personnel so they can concentrate their efforts on ministry. As of January 1, 2020, Faith’s partnership as an Encourager Church for Scarlette Jasper
became official and it was sealed by the signing of a covenant on Sunday, January 26. We also provided funds for Scarlette to attend a retreat at Saint Meinrad's and for Oleg and Natasha Turlac's ministry to give clothing to 20 children affected by Chernobyl. Check out the new missions bulletin board to learn more about our mission partnerships and opportunities for you to get involved.
5 Christian context, the enneagram helps affirm our unique God-given gifts while identifying ways in which we can grow in our love for others, God, and ourselves. Join us for this threeweek series led by Cynthia Insko where we will enjoy teaching and discussion. Invite a friend who may be interested in the topic, but not familiar with Faith. It’s a great way to get to know ourselves and one another better.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES Wednesday nights are in full swing now! We are having great fellowship and interesting discussions, times of play and chances to rest. We hope you’ll join us! COOKING TEAMS NEEDED We are in desperate need of volunteers to cook dinner on Wednesday nights! If you’d like to be part of a Wednesday night cooking team this spring, contact Connie Hastings (859-619-9158, cwhastingsky@yahoo.com). Each group will plan, shop, prepare, and clean up. Groceries can be reimbursed. PROGRAMS • Children: Miss Amanda's Neighborhood — Amanda Langlands, Children's Classroom • Youth: Calling — Sharon Felton, Youth Room • An Introduction to the Enneagram (see info below) — Cynthia Insko, RA • Men’s Small Group — Jonathan Sands Wise, College Classroom • Yoga — Hollis Dudgeon, Corner Classroom Looking for ways to grow and develop your best self in 2020? Join us for “An Introduction to the Enneagram.” The Enneagram (any-uh-gram) is a popular personality inventory for understanding ourselves and others better. However, unlike many similar tools, the use of it among followers of Jesus dates back to the 4th century. In a
We will have a special service at 6 p.m. on Ash Wednesday instead of regular programs.
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Lee Insko
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11:30 AM— Women of Faith Lunch: Josie’s
Valentine’s Day 6 PM—Jammin’ with Sam & Shanghai Express
6 PM—Youth Super Bowl Party
Elaine Fultz Mark Roszkowski
Lynn Mayo
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12 PM— Deacons’ Meeting
5:30-8 PM— Parents’ Night Out Jimmy Wiggs
Nina Belle Durr
Carter Felton Bruce Mook
Katie Taylor
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Evan Fox Sladen VitaleArehart
Emily Cain
William Reilly
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12 PM— Quarterly Business Meeting & Potluck
11 AM—JOY Lunch
23 11 AM—BWIM Guest Preacher
Ash Wednesday 6 PM—Ash Wednesday Service
Jill Davila Colin Tiilford
Randy Napier Mark Taylor
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HOME GATHERINGS The Transition Team is excited to announce that Home Gatherings will begin in February! What are Home Gatherings? A time where our church family can gather in each other’s homes to get to know our pastor, William, and his lovely wife, Cecelia, better. Light refreshments will be served and a great time of fellowship will be enjoyed by all! Be on the lookout to see where and when you can attend.
FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF Senior Pastor William Reilly william@familyoffaith.net Minister of Students Sharon Felton sharon@familyoffaith.net Minister of Children & Education Amanda Langlands amanda@familyoffaith.net Minister to Seniors Dale Stowe dale@familyoffaith.net Choir Director Natalie Tilford-Kopp natalie@familyoffaith.net Office Manager Angela Earwood angela@familyoffaith.net Custodian Linda Johnston
CARE BEAR AWARD Salmon, watch out! He's back! It might not be Spring yet, but Bearnabus is out of hibernation and on the prowl for deserving volunteers. This month, Bearnabus would like to recognize Pat Blackburn as the Care Bear Volunteer of the Month of the Year Award winner! Pat is being recognized for her leadership with the JOY group, her diligent work on the prayer garden, her service with Gathering Place, and the fact that she is generally down for anything that involves loving God and loving her neighbor. Hooray, Pat, and welcome back, Bearnabus!
Organist Charlotte McFarland Pianist Judith Williams Nursery Workers Suada Derakovic Melisa Custard Church Office M-F, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (502) 863-1537
Faith Baptist Church 116 Pocahontas Trail Georgetown, KY 40324 502.863.1537 familyoffaith@familyoffaith.net www.familyoffaith.net
greeters February 2—Jane Cutter, Mary Hutton, Pat Blackburn, Joyce Baird February 9—Pat Blackburn, LeeAnn Napier, Randy Napier, John Blackburn February 16—Connie Wiggs, Darla Botkin, Fred Meek, Dawne McConnaughhay February 23—Linda Arehart, Eleri Hadaway, PiperAnn Gullett, Jim Land
Greeters are listed in the order of their positions: FLC, Foyer, Foyer, Pocahontas
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