Acts of Faith
JUNE 2020
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH We are a family of faith, sharing God’s love in a spirit of hope.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
AMANDA’S 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Now that school is out and June is upon us, we move into our summer schedule. For right now, that mostly means no regular programming on Wednesday nights. But it also means more special events, like the Best Zoom Baker competition (see more info on page 4)! A full overview of summer events will be published soon so be on the lookout for that.
Amanda Langlands has served as our Minister of Children and Education for 10 years as of this month! Our entire Family of Faith has been so blessed by Amanda and her ministry. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating her all month long! Below, Amanda reflects on her 10 years at Faith.
In May the deacons decided we would not return to in-person worship services just yet. A video explaining their decision is on the church website. The deacons will meet again this month for another discussion. We hope you have enjoyed our virtual worship services and programs, and we hope you’ll continue to join us! Our Sunday worship services and Monday devotionals are streamed live on Facebook. To view these events when they happen (or to watch them later), go to our Facebook page. You do not have to have a Facebook account to watch. You can also watch our worship service on the worship page of the church website.
{ William’s view on Sunday morning during worship } We are so grateful for Jeff Stone, our tech wizard, and Cecelia Reilly, our online worship coordinator, both pictured here, as well as all the musicians, staff, and members who make the magic happen!
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It is hard to believe that this month I will celebrate 10 years of serving at Faith. I remember that very first day a decade ago, stepping into my blue office for the first time. I was greeted warmly by Kathy Fraley and Chuck Bugg as Bob Fox was heading out on his summer sabbatical. Bryan showed up that morning with flowers to mark the day and to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I was nervous but also excited about where the future would lead. Looking back now, I have had the privilege of helping create 10 summers of Vacation Bible Schools traveling from the high seas to the country of Peru, planning and hosting almost as many Parents’ Night Outs and Parking Lot Parties. We’ve built a playground and a Children’s Library together. We’ve assembled hundreds of Thanksgiving baskets and collected everything from toilet paper to shoes to money to buy a cow. I’ve taken numerous children to camp, put on plays (like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) and living nativities and Roads to Resurrections. I have preached sermons and baptized my first children here at Faith. I have walked with children as they decided to follow Christ as their savior and welcomed new families with open arms into our Continued on page 3…
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CHILDREN’S CORNER Our 5th graders have graduated and were honored with a sign in their yard and a Bible of their own to take to Youth. Our Fruits of the Spirit Bible study is complete and the last Bible Story Bag has been delivered. We have entered the summer with a bang celebrating Pentecost by releasing our own biodegradable dove balloons and now it is time for our children to CHOOSE THEIR OWN ADVENTURE as they learn how to BE THE LIGHT at VBS!
This summer we’re traveling the world and shining God’s light along the way! Our hope is in the Light of God. When we follow Jesus, he lights our path and guides us everyday.
“Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12 We’re grabbing our passports and learning about God’s light around the world for five weeks starting on June 15. Each Monday your family will receive an adventure box packed with Bible stories, amazing crafts, exciting games, and mind-blowing hands-on experiments. You will learn about a magical place of light in different countries around the world each week…and get a stamp in your passport! It’s up to YOU if you want to complete your activities throughout the week or all in one day. Plus, YOU get to choose the order of your boxes! Then tune in every Monday at 8 p.m. for a nighttime devotion by Pastor Amanda on Faith’s VBS Facebook page. All children ages 4 through rising 5th graders are invited to join in the fun. To request your own passport, register on the church website! Be sure to sign up by Saturday, June 13.
www.familyoffaith.net/children/VBS2020 If you have any questions, contact Pastor Amanda or the church office.
3 Amanda’s Anniversary continued… ministry. I have said goodbye to other families who have moved away and to members and friends who have passed away, and I have seen the transition from one pastor to another. And all this is just the tip of the iceberg. As I think through all that Faith has meant to me over the last decade of my life, of all these things, it is the relationships I have formed within its walls and words of encouragement that stand out to me the most. It is the visits we received when Ava was in the hospital at age 4, the meals we received when Bryan had his knee surgery, the baby showers full of love and anticipation of the birth of our sweet Hazel and Emiline, the words from my committee encouraging me to explore new ideas and programs, the words of support challenging me to step outside of my comfort zone when I was feeling stuck and the grace when I have made mistakes and not lived into my fullest. And it is the smiles of the children, some now youth, and their emphatic hugs that have been my joy and filled me with purpose all these years. I cannot imagine Faith apart from my journey. I appreciate beyond words those who have walked with me along the way, sharing their gifts and making this ministry the hands and feet of Christ. I thank each and everyone of you, too many to list by name, who have believed in and cheered me on, filling me with light and love, and made these years beautiful for me and my family. I am excited about what lies ahead for this ministry and for Faith, and its impact on our community. And so I leave you here with a simple message: Thank you. You mean the world to me.
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Freda Hale celebrated her 93rd birthday in May and her kids got her a fun yard display!
REFLECTIONS FROM DALE We said goodbye to a beautiful man recently. Eddie Powell passed away after fighting many health battles. Fifteen years ago Eddie and Jackie relocated to Georgetown and became part of our congregation after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. Jackie has been so faithful, sitting in the front pew Sunday after Sunday. Over the past five years I have watched Eddie’s grace dealing with kidney failure and other health issues. I have also enjoyed getting to know their wonderful family. At the memorial service, their son-in-law, Kevin, gave such a heart-warming talk about Eddie’s kindness, sweetness, warmth and compassion. Other family members followed with their tributes of love and respect for their father, father-in-law, grandfather. It was clear Eddie loved the Lord and his life made a difference. Jackie was a source of strength for her family as they grieved his loss and celebrated his life. We are blessed that the Powells are part of the Faith family. As a college student I learned so much in my undergraduate and graduate studies, but I learned about living life from role models at Faith. Ernest Fields shared how his faith sustained him through World War II and throughout the ups and downs of life. Carolyn Redding taught all of us how Jesus cares for the whole world. Through their humorous anecdotes, Laverne Wentworth and Wayne Moore reflected Jesus in their lives. Ruth Snyder continues to be such a wonderful influence through her love for the Lord.
Hazel & Vivienne Langlands releasing their biodegradable dove balloon on Pentecost.
I have learned from these and other great role models how Jesus changes lives, especially mine. —Dale
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In the wake of the September 11 terror attacks, Walter Brueggemann wrote a book called Reality, Grief, Hope. In it, he identifies three “prophetic tasks” society must undertake. Three things necessary to move forward. He labels them reality, grief, and hope. I have been reminded of his analysis a lot lately as we begin to reemerge from our COVID caves and resume a “new normal” of life. The first task is reality: the acceptance of how things actually are, not how we wish them to be. As Brueggemann states, “Our society, like ancient society, lives in a bubble of illusionary ideology. I take ‘ideology’ to mean a passionate commitment to a view of social reality, even if available data tells to the contrary.” The first thing we must do is acknowledge that reality. For some, that means acknowledging we no longer have the false sense of control we thrived on. Perhaps it is acknowledging a lack of safety. Maybe it involves acknowledging inequity we were once blind to. Or seeing the lies and conspiracies we once were gleeful to share. This pandemic has brought a realization of a reality we might not have admitted before, so now we must accept it. After seeking to acknowledge reality, Brueggemann next encourages grief. He says, “It is, I judge, a prophetic task to break that denial (of reality), and that can only be done by honest, public acknowledgment that takes the form of grief for what is being lost.” After admitting to the truth of reality, we must take time to grieve the false reality we are losing. After 9/11, people needed time to grieve their lost sense of security. It is okay to feel sad and distressed as our lives begin to fill with new realities. We mourn this old self, not in the hope that it will return, but to acknowledge that it will be missed. As you confront the new realities that COVID has brought about, it is okay to grieve what you must leave behind. However, grief is not the end of the journey. The third act is hope. Brueggemann tells us, “prophetic hope insists that the circumstance of social failure has not defeated God’s capacity to generate new social possibility.” As we grieve the old way, we must hope for the new goodness that is coming. We are an Easter people that believe death is not the end. As our old reality dies, we can create a new reality full of hope of the kingdom of God. This final step invites us to see how God is working in the world and join in that work. As we resume life after quarantine we are invited into a life full of hope for a better one that we are leaving. To quote every commercial right now, “In these uncertain times,” remember to look for what is really going on, grieve what you are forced to give up in light of that reality, and walk in hope toward a new way of life built on the promises of God. Let this be a time when our society grows from the pains and trauma we are experiencing. Together we can lead the charge in bringing about the society we hope for.
Best Zoom Baker
BEST ZOOM BAKER Faith is home to a plethora of talented bakers, but there can only be one BEST ZOOM BAKER! On Friday, June 5, at 7 p.m., we will hold our first-ever Zoom baking competition. Will you rise to the challenge or get burned? Competitors will have one hour to create a specified baked good (you won’t know what you’re making until that night) and must do so while on Zoom. After the time is up, William and Cecelia will pick the winner based on presentation, creativity, and style. Individuals, couples, and entire households are welcome to participate on a team. To participate you must contact William (william@familyoffaith.net) for the Zoom link and instructions. Let’s bake!
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YOUTH NEWS Welcome to summer! While we all stay safe and practice staying healthy at home and physical distancing, we are heading into summer with many questions and unknowns about how our world is going to work as we begin to come out of this time. We are putting together a summer with a mix of virtual and thought-out, limited in-person programs. This is not the summer we had planned, but I am certain we will have a great time, we will grow closer together through this, and we will grow closer to God. Remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even a pandemic! We’ve had a great time honoring all of our grads this past month, including a great surprise parade by each senior’s house! Our high school seniors did a wonderful job leading us in worship this past Sunday. Please make sure to reach out and thank them. We’ve also had fun doing online Breakout Games and studying the Fruits of the Spirit! I hope some of our youth and families will participate in the online cooking challenge on June 5! I know we have some exceptional chefs!
Faithways and has worked very hard to make a great program even if they can’t be in person. One of our college students, Carter Felton, will be a counselor at the camp as well. Please pray for all of them as they participate during the month of June. Our promotion Sunday is coming up on June 7! All incoming sixth graders will officially be a part of the youth group! They will move up to middle school and our rising 9th graders will become a part of the high school group! There will be some fun surprises to welcome these students on Sunday, June 7. Sunday, June 7, is also our Summer of Passport kickoff! We can’t actually go to camp this summer, but Passport has worked hard to provide quality programming through various methods and we are able to participate all summer! The theme this year is BE together so on June 7 we’ll get together online and watch the premiere of the camp theme song! We’ll also take t-shirt orders and walk through the offerings of each week. We will continue to meet via Zoom on Wednesday evenings with all youth and, as it is safe, will begin to have some physically distanced activities. Look for an email with specifics about Passport and other offerings as we go forward.
Thankyou! We have four students participating in Georgetown College’s Faithways Academy, which will be a virtual offering this summer. They are Ally Stone, Jackson Hadaway, Kaden McConnaughhay, and Ava Langlands. Hollis Dudgeon is the director of
Our 5th grade, 8th grade, high school, and college grads received sweet notes and gifts from their family of Faith! Thank you to everyone who celebrated our students!
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MON 1
TUES 2
WED 3
THURS 4
5
12 PM Devotional
SUN 7 11 AM Worship Service 6 PM Youth Passport Kickoff
SAT 6
7 PM Best Zoom Baker
Maya Felton Ron Hastings Jessica Kindrick
Asa Overall
8
FRI
9
10
11
12
13
12 PM Devotional Betty Covington Morgan Hambrick Marilee Pollock
Melisa Custard Dawne McConnaughhay
14
15
11 AM Worship Service
12 PM Devotional
Kirsten Kindrick
16
17
Bill Oster
Dorothy Butler
23
24
Amara Dean
18
19
20
25
26
27
8 PM VBS Devotion
Parks Gullett
21 Father’s Day
22
11 AM Worship Service
12 PM Devotional
CBF General Assembly
8 PM VBS Devotion
Rick Kopp
Jared Cain
28
29
11 AM Worship Service
12 PM Devotional 8 PM VBS Devotion
Sharon Felton
30
Betty Cruse Emiline Langlands
Clarence Craycraft
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FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF Senior Pastor William Reilly william@familyoffaith.net Minister of Students Sharon Felton sharon@familyoffaith.net Join Cooperative Baptists from across the country and around the world for an engaging two-day interactive learning experience with your CBF Family. This year's General Assembly is all about Forming Bold Faith. Over the course of these two days, you’ll worship, participate in timely workshops, chat with your friends, see what’s happening with our ministry partners and browse a virtual exhibit hall, all from the comfort of your own home or office. Registration is free and is required to participate. Let us know you’re coming, and we’ll prepare a place for you! Register at www.cbf.net/general-assembly-2020 by June 19.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Proclaimers for the 2020 General Assembly
Rev. Dr. Paul Baxley — Executive Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Rev. Mary Alice Birdwhistell — Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, Texas
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
Plenary Speakers
Rev. Dr. Emmanuel McCall — Pastor-Emeritus, First Baptist Church, East Point, Ga. Jade and Shelah Acker — CBF field personnel, serving the urban refugee community in Kampala, Uganda
Organist Charlotte McFarland Pianist Judith Williams
Workshops Choose from dozens of workshops on compelling topics chosen especially for this time. All workshops will support the General Assembly theme of “Forming Bold Faith” in one of four ways: In Me Beyond Our Building Through Justice and Inside the Church Reconciliation Each hour-long session will include a presentation, downloadable speaker’s notes and live interaction with the presenter.
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
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