Acts of Faith
2021
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH We are a family of faith, sharing God’s love in a spirit of hope.
After Dale Stowe resigned in January, the church decided to accept the recommendation by the Senior Committee to wait six months to hire his replacement. At the end of that period a search committee was formed with members from the Senior and Personnel Committees. After accepting resumes and conducting interviews, the committee selected Rick Hawthorne as their finalist for the position. They provided time for him to interact with the JOY group, and then they officially recommended him to the church. At a special called business meeting on Sunday, August 29, Rick was approved to be the Minister to Senior Adults. His first day will be September 1. The search committee was impressed with Rick’s passion for others and his experience planning outings and activities for senior adults. They also appreciated his warm and friendly personality. Rick seems to possess all the talents and qualities necessary to love and support our senior adults. Rick is excited about being a part of our family of Faith and is honored by the opportunity to use his gifts to love others. We are excited for our church as we welcome a new Minister to Senior Adults. We cannot wait to see what God has planned for Rick’s time at Faith.
We had a great time at our Fall Kickoff Party! Congratulations to Team Sans Wisdom for winning the Third Annual Faith Trivia Cup!
We are thrilled that we will get to sit around the table together again and share a meal on Wednesday nights! Our Family Dinner will be the main focus of our time together on Wednesday nights so we can practice shared life, one of our six core practices. We will meet outside by the playground while COVID numbers remain elevated. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 and we hope this hour will be a time for people to connect over food as they share their joys and concerns with one another. After dinner, from 6:30 to 7, we'll have a program or activity that further enriches connection by providing a chance for people to share their passions, learn, and enjoy the beauty of play. Check the bulletin and Faith File for each week’s menu, chef(s), and activity. We hope you will make Wednesday Nights a regular part of your routine this fall. It won't be family dinner time without you! If you would like to prepare a meal, contact Wanda Pruitt or Peggy Blanton, or sign up on the bulletin board in the main hallway.
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We had a beautiful wrap-up to the summer as the children celebrated art together. Our week of Art Camp was spent learning about amazing artists, creating our very own masterpieces, discovering how God is a colorful and surprising Creator, and just playing and having fun together. The transformations that took place over the week in our art, in the children and even in the volunteers was a beautiful thing to behold. Thank you to everyone who helped make it the inspiring week that it was. My hope is that everyone continues to look for the beauty around them, finding God wherever they are!
This fall we are gathering around the table for a BIG family dinner on Wednesday nights at 5:30 p.m. All families are invited to come, eat dinner, and spend time visiting with others and playing on the playground. At 6:30, the children will gather for a devotion. In September and October, we will be learning about the importance of spending time with God every day and what that looks like. We will explore this through reflective and creative ways—exploring color and other sensory fun. In November, we will take time to learn about, celebrate, and give thanks for church members who have come before us and done amazing things. One Sunday a month in September, October, and November, children are invited to bring their lunch and stay at church after worship for Kids on Mission. We will enjoy lunch together, play on the playground, and then learn about missionaries around the world who are using their gifts and talents to share God’s love with others. We will hear stories about their adventures, play games, make crafts, and enjoy other activities that help us learn how we can share God’s love too. The first one is Sunday, September 19, and we hope you’ll join us! Parents, we will be finished at 2 p.m.
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All middle school students are invited to join us for a Back to School Retreat on Saturday, September 11. It’ll be a day of Bible study, service, food, and fun! We’ll be helping at Elizabeth’s Village, going to Breakout Games and a Lexington Legends game, and more! The cost is $50. Sign up with Sharon ASAP! During Bible study this month, our middle school students will be exploring some of the most unusual stories in the Old Testament! As they learn about the stories and how they connect with us today, they will be making videos of each story to share with the group. Our High School Coffee Hour is off to a great start on Sunday mornings! We are learning more about each other, discovering how our faith impacts how we view the world, and what we can do in our own lives to grow in our faith. If you would like to send breakfast foods for our youth to eat on Sunday mornings, please let Sharon know so we can get every Sunday covered. We love everything from breakfast burritos to homemade bread, fruit, bagels and pastries! Our youth have been planning and working on an ongoing mission partnership with Community Action. Look for more information in October as to how you can help and be a part of serving our neighbors.
The JOY group has been busy this month! We enjoyed an outing to Boone Creek Creamery in Lexington where we saw cheese being made and learned how to make it! (Fun fact: The only difference in ricotta and mozzarella cheeses is the processing time!) Also, all their cheese is lactose -free because, as with all naturally-aged cheese, the lactose is used up on the process. Afterwards we dined at Ramsey’s for lunch. Our next outing will be to the Paradise Café in Paris (KY!) on Friday, September 24. This café is owned and operated by a Vietnamese refugee who came to Kentucky in the 1970s as a teenager sponsored by Georgetown Baptist Church. He worked here with Tony (of Shanghai Express) before opening Paradise Café in Paris. The September potluck will be Monday, September 20, at 11 a.m. in the RA. The Senior Committee will provide pork loin, savory potatoes, and green beans. You can bring your favorite side dish or dessert if you are able. We are excited to have Rick Hawthorne as our new Minister to Senior Adults! We appreciate the work of the search committee and look forward to getting to know Rick and his wife, Joanna. We hope members of all ages will meet the Hawthornes and welcome them to Faith.
Every Thursday at 11 a.m. Sharon will be leading Connect, a Bible study on the campus of Georgetown College that is open to all students. Connect will be a time for students to come together in the middle of the week and make connections with God, each other, and themselves. We will be hosting a lunch and Bible study for college students and other young adults on the last Sunday of each month this fall. If you would like to host one of these in your home or yard, or if you would be willing to provide a meal, please let Sharon know.
Blessing of the Backpacks—August 22, 2021
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Words from William As the discernment committee that was formed at the August business meeting began their work, they have talked a lot about what discernment is and how to do it. Our entire congregation has been tasked with spending September in prayer and discernment, so I am going to share some of the things I’ve learned from them. The word discernment simply means trying to obtain spiritual guidance and understanding. I say simply, but it’s actually often anything but. Rose Mary Dougherty describes discernment as, “listening to God in all of life… a life of prayerful attention to God… in the habit of discernment our choices are again and again refined by the invitation to love.” Discernment is a constant act of listening. It involves study, stillness, prayer, and paying attention. It can be a lot! So, how do we do it? There is no simple formula for discernment. Everyone has their own spirit-led process. However, there are tools that we can use to help guide our study and open our eyes to new insights. Cynthia Insko introduced the committee to “Pursuing God’s Will Together” by Ruth Haley Barton. In it, Barton says that there are several areas of questions that can help us in our discernment. They are: • Direction and Calling: How does this choice fit with the overall direction and calling of God on my life? • Consolation and Desolation: Which choice brings the deepest sense of life? • Desire: What is my response when Jesus asks, “What do you seek?” • Scripture: Is there a particular scripture that God is bringing to mind? • Life of Christ: Is this choice consistent with what I know about the mind and heart of Christ? • Character growth and development: Will this continue to nurture my spiritual growth? • Love: What does love call for in this situation? • Clarify perspective: What’s the big picture of what God is doing? How will I feel about this in 10 years? • Community: How does this choice fit with others’ observations? As we consider the options before us, we can ask these questions of ourselves and our church community, and let the answers guide our discernment. Perhaps these questions lead to new research, a new prayer focus, new understandings, or even more questions. All the while, we have faith that somewhere in our earnest asking and seeking, we will discover God’s desires, even if we don’t realize it at the time. Ultimately, discernment is a gift from God that reminds us of God’s active presence in our lives. I am glad to engage in this holy activity with you over the next month (and beyond).
At the quarterly business meeting in August, we voted on the Nominating Committee’s slate of church officers and committees. The Administrative Committee is made up of all the committee chairs, as well as church officers and two at-large members. Here is our Administrative Committee for 2021-2022. Roger Ward, Moderator Jimmy Shaffer, Associate Moderator Laura Stone, Clerk Glenn Williams, Treasurer Jason Baird, Nominating Committee Chuck Bugg, Personnel Committee Becky Collins, Flower Committee Shannon Gullett, Deacons
Jodi Hadaway, Outreach Committee Ann Leigh, Kitchen Committee Regan Lookadoo, Children’s Team Dawne McConnaughhay, Care Committee Laryssa McConnaughhay, Student Committee Diana Niedwick, Senior Adults Committee Mike Niedwick, Trustees Charlie Perkins, By-laws Committee Jeff Stone, Media Committee Glen Taul, Music Committee David Baird, Member-at-large Ally Stone, Youth-at-large Please pray for this group, and all of our committee members, deacons, and Sunday School teachers, as they lead and serve our church in the coming year.
5 At the August business meeting, Pastor William presented a process for the church to discuss and decide our policies regarding inclusion of people in the LGBTQ community. As part of that process, he recommended a special committee be formed to discern and draft recommendations on how we will operate reflecting what our congregation believes God’s will is for us. This discernment committee is made up of Mike Collins, Greg Earwood, Jawanna Herd, Shelby Napier, and Cynthia Insko, who the committee elected as their chair. They will spend the next several weeks praying, studying, and listening. The committee members are looking for your input and would love to hear from you. You can share via an online survey that will be released later this month, at one of our listening sessions (the first will be September 19 at 6 p.m.), or by reaching out to them directly (see their contact information below). We are thankful for this incredible group of people who are willing to help our church discern how we should function. While a committee has been formed, they are not the only ones tasked with discernment. The entire congregation has been asked to spend the month of September discerning for themselves what they believe the church should do. Throughout the month we will provide prayer prompts, discernment resources and study material to help you wrestle. If you’re looking for some information on the topic of LGBTQ inclusion in the church, check out the resource section on our website: familyoffaith.net/further-study/ Cynthia Insko, chair 502-316-3476 cynthia.insko@gmail.com
Jawanna Herd 859-338-3725 fernplace@bellsouth.net
Mike Collins 859-619-5085 coll4270@bellsouth.net
Shelby Napier 502-370-6795 shelby.napier @scott.kyschools.us
Greg Earwood 859-494-4101 gregearwood@gmail.com
This month we are reading Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. We will discuss the book via Zoom on Thursday, September 30, at 7 p.m. Contact Pastor Amanda if you want the Zoom link!
Be on the lookout for choir emails each week. We'll begin Wednesday rehearsals on September 1 at 7 p.m. We'll continue to mask and socially distance. Thank you for helping to lead in worship. Contact Natalie if you’re interested in singing with the choir.
A men’s ensemble sang on August 1 and they all donned bow ties! Most of the ties were on loan from and tied by the bow tie master himself, Flash Williams.
September is a busy month for Deacons. Our service year runs from October through September, making this a month of transition. Deacons at Faith serve threeyear terms, and this year we will have four deacons rotating off and four new deacons taking those places. This is my last month of service and I will be replaced as chair by Shannon Gullett, who has served as Vice Chair this year. Also rotating off are John Blackburn, Laryssa McConnaughhay, and Jodi Hadaway. Replacing us will be Ross McConnaughhay, Elizabeth Robinson, Diana Niedwick, and Rick Kopp. Elizabeth and Diana will be ordained during worship on Sunday, September 19. As with all aspects of life, COVID has complicated our deacon family ministry. Limitations on social interaction strike at the core of what deacon family ministry tries to accomplish. Our deacons have worked hard to overcome this and have utilized new and different tools to try and keep us together as a family of faith. In these times of limited interpersonal activities, I'm sure your deacon would welcome your proactive outreach with both your concerns and your celebrations. As always, let's not forget to pray for each other as we struggle through these trying times, and I especially ask for your prayers for our new deacons and deacon leadership. It is a pleasure to minister together with all of you! —Mike Collins
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SEPT
2021 Labor Day 7
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Rebekah Hatch Wilson Insko Lori Taylor
Flash Williams
Eloise Lewis
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Glen Taul
Sam Pollock
David Baird
Lindsey Apple
Mary Daniel Abner Elaine Ward
Garvel Kindrick
James Cook
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Leila Custard
Darrell Cruse Maya Custard Pat Webb
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Linda Arehart Collin Baird Carrie Cook
Dean Meek
Ellie Mook
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Brayden Cain Sharon Perkins
Betty Parrish
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Kenlyn Knoblock
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Kevin Hall
Ruth Snyder
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Every year we collect shoe boxes full of supplies for our CBF missionary partner Scarlette Jasper to distribute in McCreary County. These shoe boxes provide much needed items to families during the holidays and may be the only Christmas gift many of these children receive. This year we will be collecting those boxes in September and October (instead of November). This will relieve some of our collecting chaos around the holidays and hopefully keep Scarlette from getting so overwhelmed with donations coming in all at once. So, how can you participate in this wonderful endeavor? Pack a shoe box (or two or five!) and bring them to the church! This year we will be supplying the boxes. You can pick them up in the foyer on Sunday mornings or in the church office throughout the week. Let the church office know if you can’t make it in and we’ll drop one off at your house. A list of supplies and instructions will be in each box as well as on the Missions page of our website (www.familyoffaith.net/missions) under the Christmas Shoebox Ministry block. Please remember to label the boxes with the intended age and gender of the child and do not wrap the box (items have to be checked before boxes are distributed). All completed boxes need to be returned to the church by Friday, October 29. Scarlette plans to distribute 2000 boxes this year and our individual church goal is 50. We appreciate your generosity and compassion.
The AMEN House is expanding to the third floor! They need lots of volunteers to help move items and organize the new space. They will be meeting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, September 4, to work! It’s early, but much cooler on the third floor! All are invited to help.
—Rick & Betty Covington —Dawne McConnaughhay, Darla Botkin —Clyde McConnaughhay, Mattie Katz —Maya Felton, Lucy McConnaughhay
FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF William Reilly william@familyoffaith.net
Sharon Felton sharon@familyoffaith.net
Amanda Langlands amanda@familyoffaith.net
Rick Hawthorne rick@familyoffaith.net
Natalie Tilford-Kopp natalie@familyoffaith.net
Angela Earwood angela@familyoffaith.net
Linda Johnston
Charlotte McFarland
Suada Derakovic Melisa Custard Church Office M-F, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (502) 863-1537
116 Pocahontas Trail Georgetown, KY 40324 502.863.1537 www.familyoffaith.net
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