March 2022 Acts of Faith Newsletter by Faith Baptist Church

Acts of Faith

MAR

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH We are a family of faith, sharing God’s love in a spirit of hope.

It’s 2022 so March is the new January and there is a new year of Wednesday nights starting soon. With the Omicron wave receding, we will resume Wednesday night activities on Ash Wednesday with dinner at 5:15 and a service at 6. Nursery care and children’s activities will be available during the service. Choir rehearsal also starts back on Ash Wednesday at 7 p.m. Then, March 9 through the end of the semester we’ll have dinner from 5:30-6:30 in the RA followed by a program in the RA meant to encourage shared life while the youth and children go to their areas and do age-specific activities. These RA programs will be things like games, performances, and opportunities to learn from our fellow congregants. As we emerge from winter and COVID hibernations, Wednesday night meals and activities are the perfect way to reconnect with each other and experience some delicious food and community that we are all hungry for.

Inspired by our Lenten worship theme of "Death By Stuff," William is hosting a small group loosely based on the book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. Each week of Lent we'll limit our consumption or use in a certain area of our lives such as media, food, or possessions. Beginning March 1, we'll gather every Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Zoom to reflect on our experiences and set the parameters for the next week. Let William know if you want to participate or have any questions.

Ordination is a practice of the ancient church and can be traced back to the earliest Christian communities. It is the recognition by the church that a person has been called by God and is equipped for life-long service to the body of Christ to a special work of leadership. Last month we did just that when we recognized what God is doing in Hollis Dudgeon’s life by ordaining her to the gospel ministry. Her ordination service, held February 6, was the culmination of a two-year process that involved conversations with other ordained people, theological discernment, written and verbal faith explanations, and questioning and affirmation from a council of lay people and clergy. Throughout that process, Hollis demonstrated a deep love for God, clear giftedness for ministry, and honest pursuit of what God wants for her life. She is already serving as a ministry leader in her role at Georgetown College educating and discipling high school and college students and through her service at Faith leading classes and conversations that deepen our faith. We are so excited to see what God has in store for Reverend Hollis Dudgeon as she lives into this ordination and continues to bring God’s love into the world.

AND WE’RE BACK! I am so ready and excited to be back together. The winter has been cold and snowy and I am ready for some sunshine and warmer weather. We have a FUN and meaningful Lent and Easter planned and it doesn’t work without you, so I hope that you will make plans to be a part of it! The children will be back to meeting on Wednesday nights starting on March 2. We will have our own Ash Wednesday observance in the children’s library where we will reflect on how we can draw closer to God during this season. Then we will begin our Lenten series, God is Still With Us. As we journey through this season of Lent together, children and their families are invited to remember that from the foundations of the world, the Holy Spirit hovered over creation. And that the Spirit hovers, even now. When God’s people seemed abandoned in Egypt, God guided them into the Promised Land. And God guides us, even now. In the birth of Jesus— Immanuel—God was with us. And God is still with us, even now. In Sunday School during Lent, the older elementary children will be exploring The Faces of Easter and creating object boxes to help them talk about their own spiritual journeys. The children will examine the life of Jesus through The Faces of Easter and use it as a guide to wonder about their own life and journey with God as they create a story box about themselves. The wondering time becomes an extension of not only what other things in the room they would bring to the story, but what objects from their story they would they bring? The hope is for them to see the humanity of Jesus and the presence of Christ in their lives, and to share stories of their own journey with their family and the Godly Play circle. All children are invited to stay after the worship service on Sunday, March 20, for Kids on Mission. We will eat lunch together in the RA and then spend time learning about Watering Malawi. It is a mission program set up through PASSPORT, Inc. that ministers to and with Malawians who struggle to access clean drinking water. We will learn about the country of Malawi as well as ways we can help through crafts, games, and stories. All children will need to bring a sack lunch and will need to be picked up 1:45 p.m. Our children's mission project for this spring is CHANGE for CHANGE. Children are invited to bring spare change, or any change they may find, and what we collect will go towards Watering Malawi! Our book for March is Make Room: A Child’s Guide to Lent and Easter by Laura Alary. While the Advent season is filled with fun and expectations, Lent can be more difficult for children. How can we help children approach this season in a way that is meaningful? Make Room presents Lent as a special time for creating a welcoming space for God. Mark your calendars for our one-day Family Retreat happening on Sunday, April 24, at Little Wing Hollow. Details to come…

Flash Williams will be taking photos on Sunday, March 6, after the worship service for anyone who needs a high quality picture to submit for the church photo directory. It’s been a while since we’ve updated the pictures we have on file for our members and friends. Pat Blackburn is taking on the project of getting new pictures with the hopes of having an accurate photo directory that we can provide to new and current members. If you are willing to have your photo included, email a high-resolution picture of you or your family to photos@familyoffaith.net. If you need technical help, contact the church office.

3 I’m so excited to be back on Wednesday nights and finally getting to do all the things we’ve been talking about for months now! Right now we have 13 signed up for our New Mexico mission trip and 15 for Passport! Each trip costs over $400 and with siblings and parents going it will add up quickly. Get ready for some fun fundraisers! We will kick off our fundraising on March 16 with a Wednesday night meal and program hosted by the youth under the direction of chef Jeff Stone! All proceeds from the night will go directly to the youth who are going on these trips. On March 27 we will host our annual (before COVID struck) dessert auction so get those recipes out and get ready to bake! Coming up in April will be flamingo flocking! Watch for more details coming soon. We’re getting together with the JOY group on Sunday, March 13, for a game night! We’ll meet in the RA and have food and fun! Bring your favorite board game and your favorite snack! Everything kicks off at 5 p.m. Families, mark your calendars for Sunday, April 24, for our Family Retreat to Little Wing Hollow! Spring is busy and filled with so many good things. Take time every now and then to stop and look around, take a deep breath, and know that you are loved. Last month the youth helped sort clothes at the AMEN House and serve food at the K-Count community dinner (pictured here).

March 2022 marks two years since the COVID-19 pandemic sent us inside to work from home, bake bread, teach our little ones, and to socialize via phone and Zoom. Seeing the vaccination numbers increase should give us more hope that we may have a more normal summer. There is hope to be found, too, in the difference between this year and last year; we were fearful and confused, unsure of the safest way to conduct ourselves. But now we know now how to limit the risk and events are more likely to continue. I expect there to be plenty of reasons for hope this March 2022, including springing forward and getting more daylight on March 15! It appears that our pandemic may be slowing down so we are going to “re-open” our JOY luncheons! Since our luncheons for January and February were cancelled, we won’t have a program in March; we’re just going to eat, talk, and enjoy good fellowship which has been missing for a while! Wear some green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day and join us on March 21. If you are able, please bring a side dish or dessert to go with a variation of Irish Stew (made with roast, carrots, and potatoes) and green beans. We look forward to seeing you there! We also hope you’ll join us for a night of games with the youth on Sunday, March 13, at 5 p.m. in the RA! If you have a game that you particularly like, feel free to bring it and share it with others. We will have Coney Island hot dogs, drinks, and chips. Please feel free to bring your favorite snack as well! See you there! We are looking for volunteers to drive the bus once a month on Sunday mornings to provide transportation to and from church for those who need it. Pick-up would be during the Sunday School hour and drop-off would be right after the service. Sign up on the JOY bulletin board if you are interested. Contact Rick with questions. The JOY group has volunteered to supply finger foods for the participants of Project Prom Dress Give-a-Way that AMEN House is hosting at Faith. We are looking for snacks for Friday night, March 18, and sandwiches and sides for Saturdays, March 12 and 19. If you would like to participate, sign up on the JOY bulletin board.

Words from William Originally this article was going to be about our Lent series “Death By Stuff.” It was going have statistics about how over the last 50 years less people live in house, but the average house size has gotten bigger to fit all of our stuff. About how our country pays $40 BILLION annually for storage units to store all the stuff that won’t fit in our bigger houses. However, you’ll just have to come to worship to hear all about that because yesterday (February 23) Russia invaded Ukraine. Today my phone has been a buzz with texts from pastors asking what we are going to talk about this Sunday. What do we preach as our world faces a war like we haven’t seen in years? I’ve gotten a lot of these midweek texts over the last two years. What are you going to preach this Sunday… after January 6, in a summer of racial reconciliation protests, in the face of a virus that has shut down our world and threatens everyone’s safety... Hopefully by the time this article runs the conflict is over, Russia has backed down, and peace has been restored. However, I feel like even if that is the case, we will still be feeling the anxiety of moments like these. Therefore, it feels helpful to share a conversation I had last night. As I was watching a live broadcast of the United Nations Security Council’s emergency meeting, caught up in the emotions and seriousness of the moment, I got a message from a friend who has family in Ukraine. Their message simply read, “Russia invaded. Please pray William.” We exchanged words and I grappled with what possible comfort I could offer in this time of crisis. Eventually I offered something along the lines of ‘I’m sorry things are so hopeless right now.’ Their response floored me. They said, “William, it is impossible for me to have hope right now so you must have it for me. You must have hope because I cannot. Hope for both of us. Can you carry that burden for me?” Hope for both of us, a burden that I can carry. I’ve never thought of hope like this before. Some tangible thing that must be carried, that can be held for someone else when they were too overwhelmed. My friend was too worried about his family to feel the light of hope, but I wasn’t. I don’t have family there. Sure, I’m worried about the future of our world, but not in the visceral way he is. So, I accepted his charge. I told him I would feel both of our hopes. Our hope comes from God, it is something that defines our faith. Yet, sometimes it is impossible for us to feel it. In those moments we get to rely on the community around us for our hope. I’m taking seriously my friend’s words. I will hope when he cannot. I will recognize the relative stability of my life and commit to hope. I will be the flame when his candle momentarily goes out so that he can be relit after the wind has died down. I will hope because I can, and sometimes that’s all I can do.

Be sure to attend worship on Sunday, March 13, to hear Janine Williams preach as part of our “Death By Stuff” Lent series. Janine is a student at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky and will serve as our guest preacher for this year’s Baptist Women in Ministry’s (BWIM) Month of Preaching. This national emphasis is designed to provide churches the opportunity to experience the gifts and talents of female preachers. Faith is a longtime participant in this effort, with the added benefit of tying this to our partnership with BSK. We already know that Janine is an awesome preacher because as she was also last year’s BWIM Month of Preaching preacher. However, bad weather and COVID forced her to preach virtually last year, so we are excited to finally get to meet and hear her in person!

Faith Baptist Church turns 60 this year! In preparation for a celebration to come, Molly Fulton is working on a short-form documentary about our church. Molly might be contacting some of you about doing an interview on or off camera about your experiences at Faith and its history. She is also looking for old videos to include so please reach out to the church office if you have any videos of church services, special performances, mission projects, etc. We can’t wait to see what you can dig up!

The Bylaws Committee submitted their proposed changes to the bylaws at last month’s business meeting. The proposal will be voted on at the next quarterly meeting in May. If you would like a digital or paper copy of the changes to review before the next meeting, please contact the office.

We would like to work with Kentucky Refugee Ministries to help a refugee family settle in our area. This would be a threemonth commitment. There are a variety of ways to help, including the following: • Drivers — transport families to and from appointments and activities / Schedule varies. Requires use of a personal vehicle. • Movers — assist KRM with picking up donated items, like large furniture / Schedule varies. Must be able to lift and carry. Owning a truck is not a requirement, but would be welcomed! • Advocates — assist families with specific tasks such as setting up a bank account or applying for services / Regular 3 hours/week schedule primarily during the workday. • Teachers — help families with things like resume creation, conversation practice, and budgeting / Regular 3 hours/week schedule primarily during the workday. Please contact the church office, Mike Collins, or William Reilly to get involved.

Hello, Sanctuary Choir folks, we'll begin rehearsals again after the Ash Wednesday service on March 2. I look forward to being with you all again! We have some good music to look forward to singing. —Natalie

We are so lucky to have a wealth of talented musicians in our church to enhance our worship experiences!

Cynthia Insko led a workshop for Godly Play mentors from Faith and other churches in our area. Cynthia is a trainer for Godly Play Foundation and is yet another wonderful resource in our congregation!

The only thing better than quality financial advice is delicious breakfast biscuits, and on Saturday, March 26, from 9 to 11 a.m. you can have both! A few bankers from Commonwealth Credit Union will present “It’s my budget and I’m sticking to it!” and discuss how to set your budget priorities and reach your financial goals. It will be practical in nature with lots of resources and have lots of space for questions and conversation. We know that you can’t focus on finances with a grumble in your tummy, so breakfast biscuits will be provided. We’ll also have coffee, juice, and other breakfast items. So, on March 26, come to the RA for the biscuits and leave with more confidence about your money!

All are welcome to join Prayers & Squares on the second Tuesday of each month in the church basement at 6:30 p.m. to work on prayer quilts. No quilting or sewing experience is necessary; there are plenty of jobs! Contact Kathy Fraley with questions.

Ash 3 Wednesday

Roger Durr Marijean Long

Nate Dean

Jimmy Shaffer

Ryan Knoblock Patrik Rashleigh

Mary Kaye Abner Diana Niedwick

Abby Stone

Rick Covington Mary Ross Jaycie Wilcox 7

Shirley Cruse

DST Begins 14

Jarrod Abner

First Day of 21 Spring

St. Patrick’s 18 Day

Ance Abner Bob Fox Linda Johnston Terry Lester Wanda Pruitt

Ashlee Knoblock

Ken Harlan

Harrison Earwood-Hall

Stella Cain Patti Miller

Capella McFarland

Scott Wood

Brendan Marinelli John Richardson Damon Ward

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FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF PASTOR William Reilly william@familyoffaith.net ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF STUDENTS Sharon Felton sharon@familyoffaith.net ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF CHILDREN & EDUCATION Amanda Langlands amanda@familyoffaith.net MINISTER TO SENIOR ADULTS Rick Hawthorne rick@familyoffaith.net CHOIR DIRECTOR Natalie Tilford-Kopp natalie@familyoffaith.net OFFICE MANAGER Angela Earwood angela@familyoffaith.net It was a tough competition, but the Wilcox Family pulled out the win! Check out a video of all four of the Wilcox Family’s entries on our Facebook page. Thanks to all the participants for another year of Olympic fun!

—Rick & Betty Covington —Dawne McConnaughhay, Connie Hastings —Clyde McConnaughhay, Mattie Katz —Maya Felton, Lucy McConnaughhay

CUSTODIAN Linda Johnston ORGANIST Charlotte McFarland

PIANIST Judith Williams NURSERY WORKERS Suada Derakovic Melisa Custard Church Office: (502) 863-1537 M-F, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

116 Pocahontas Trail Georgetown, KY 40324 502.863.1537 www.familyoffaith.net

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