Acts of Faith
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH
We are a family of faith, sharing God’s love in a spirit of hope.
Every year the church takes time to prepare ourselves before Easter and we call it the season of Lent. We began this season with an Ash Wednesday service where we reflected on our mortality, admitted our sinfulness, and renewed our commitment to repentance through Jesus. On Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, we remember that we need a savior and have confidence and gratitude that Christ has conquered death and sin. We shared several resources in an email last month to help you personally observe Lent through different spiritual practices. Below are several opportunities to participate in Lent communally with your family of Faith.
During Lent, our worship theme is "Sacred Stories." Every Sunday we'll hear a sacred story from a congregant as they share their favorite hymn. We'll also explore some of the sacred stories in scripture that have formed the faith we hold.
Wednesday night meals continue in March as we gather in the RA each week at 5:30 for a family dinner. The suggested donation to help cover the cost of food is $5 per person, with a $15 family maximum. After the meal, we offer programs for all ages. During Lent, in addition to children's and youth classes, there will be two opportunities for adults to explore their faith through small group discussions at 6:15.
• Rev. Dr. Bryan Harrington is a former CBF Pastor who just moved to Georgetown when his wife became an Associate Pastor at Georgetown Baptist. We are delighted that he will be joining us on Wednesday nights to lead a class called, "Ain't I a Child of God?: Dismantling Oppression to Embody Belovedness."
• Pastor William will lead "Exploring Our Faith," a class that uses the Apostles' Creed as a guide to examine some of the basic tenants of our faith like why Jesus is so important, what the Trinity is, and what happens to us when we die.
Stories are one of the most sacred forms of expression we have. Our whole faith, our whole world, is built on stories. Whether we know it or not, every day we are storytellers, sharing our stories with the world around us. At our Lenten Storytelling Workshop, we will explore how we might better engage with stories in our lives. On Saturday, March 18, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Jeff Stone, Bryan Langlands, and Jawanna Herd will lead engaging and practical sessions exploring various aspects of storytelling. This workshop is free and open to the public, and breakfast will be provided. Please register online if you plan to attend so that we can have enough food and supplies.
A series of posters with the seven last words of Christ are lining the children’s hallway. Each poster is accompanied by a devotion. You are invited to meditate on these words and take a devotion with you to read during Lent. This is a meaningful experience for everyone. You can journey as an individual or as a family. These will remain up through Holy Week.
All children are invited to bring a lunch and stay after church as we explore different ways to see God in our world and share God’s love with others. During our Visual Arts afternoon, children will learn about artists and how they have used their art to make the world a better place. We will draw, paint and use other mediums to create masterpieces. During our drama afternoon, we will act out Bible stories and talk about how God has been present in the world and continues to be present with us.
Visual Arts: March 12, 12-1:30 p.m. | Drama: March 19, 12-1:30
All children are invited to bring a lunch and stay after church on Sunday, March 26, as we continue to learn about Bali and Jonathan and Tina Bailey, the CBF missionaries who are stationed there. Bali is a beautiful island in Indonesia where art and dance are embedded in the Hindu culture. Jonathan and Tina use those to make connections and teach about God’s love.
On Wednesday evenings the children will explore who God is and how we are known and loved by God. We will be talking about what it means to follow Jesus and how our lives can reflect God’s wonder and love to others through our choices and actions.
Children learned about printmaking and used this method to create hearts at the visual arts day of Arts Academy last month.
Escape Quest, a breakout games-style adventure, was a hit! You can see the children lined up and ready to begin.
This month’s JOY luncheon will be on March 20, at 11 a.m. in the RA. We will enjoy a program from Jerry Haranczyk, who will be playing the Didgeridoo from Australia.
On Thursday, March 16, we are going to lunch at Tres Amigos in Georgetown, just around the corner from the church. We will meet at the restaurant at 11 a.m.
Then on Friday, March 31, we are going to Woodford Theater in Versailles to see “Lend me a Tenor.” Tickets are available for $25 each and must be paid in advance. To do that, sign up on the JOY bulletin board and bring your money to church by March 15. Make checks payable to the church with “Tenor Play” in the memo line. Should you decide to go after the 15th, you will have to buy your tickets at the door. We will leave the church at
5:45 p.m. and go to Ricardo’s for dinner prior to the show.
Remember, JOY is providing finger foods and desserts for the AMEN House held at Faith on March 4, 11, and 12. Contact Rick for more information. Michele Carlisle spoke at our JOY Lunch in February and told us how much the AMEN House appreciates all that our church does for them.
We’re having a Pancake Fundraiser for the youth summer experiences on Saturday, March 11, from 8 to 11 a.m. in the RA! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and can be purchased from any of the youth, Sharon, or in the Sanctuary foyer on Sundays. David Baird and company will be providing a delicious pancake breakfast to benefit our two youth trips this summer. In June, we will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to the Civil Rights Museum and 16th Street Baptist Church. We will then head to Selma to learn about the Voting Rights Act and all that transpired on the bridge in Selma. The next stop will be Montgomery, Alabama, where we will visit several historic places, a museum, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. In July, we will attend Passport Camp in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where we will learn how to turn the world upside down with s love. We would appreciate your prayers and your support as we plan for these two life-changing experiences!
On Wednesday nights we are discussing movies dealing with race. Our movie discussion this month will be about Hidden Figures! Make sure to watch, take notes, and be ready for discussion by March 1.
Our group is going bowling with the youth of Georgetown Baptist Church on Saturday, March 25! Please sign up with Sharon ASAP to get more details!
I want to thank all of the adults and youth who made Disciple Now and Youth Sunday happen! Our youth had safe, wonderful places to stay, more food than they could eat in a weekend, crazy fun afternoon adventures and great Bible study all thanks to adults who opened their homes and hearts to help our teenagers draw
closer to God. I am so grateful to serve alongside each one of you! Thank you also to our youth who led us in worship on Youth Sunday! They worked so hard and spent hours planning and preparing to help us worship. They have grown so much in the last few years and I am so excited to see how God continues to use them to love the world!
