April 2017
Volume LX No. 4
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By: Dr. Paul Baxley, Senior Minister We are less than ten days from the beginning of Holy Week. Already we have shared a very meaningful season of Lent, not only through our #mes of shared worship and study, but also through the devo#onals that have been oered by members of our deacon body and church sta. Holy Week is the culmina#on of all of our prayer, reec#on and study. So, I hope you are planning to join us for all of the services we will oer during Holy Week this year. Elsewhere in this newsle+er you will ďŹ nd a complete schedule, but I want to take this space to tell you a li+le more about our plans for these services so that you not only will decide to join us, but also prepare prayerfully for these worship opportuni#es. This year we will spend Holy Week reec#ng on signiďŹ cant texts from the Gospel of Ma+hew’s account of the ďŹ nal hours of Jesus’ life. On Palm Sunday morning, we will look at Ma+hew’s chao#c account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. On Wednesday evening of Holy Week, Brandon Pendry will preach a sermon based on Ma+hew’s portrayal of Judas Iscariot. Thursday evening, we will seek to learn from the ďŹ rst Gospel’s portrayal of Pon#us Pilate. At noon on Good Friday, we will pay a+en#on to the powerful example set by those who remained with Jesus un#l the very end. Easter Sunday, the preaching will come from Ma+hew’s wonderful witness to Jesus’ resurrec#on. Our Maundy Thursday schedule this year will also include a new opportunity for those who are interested. Following the conclusion of the regular service, we will oer a foot washing service in the chancel area of the Sanctuary. John’s (Pastor’s Reflections, continued on page 2)
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Please mark your calendar for Sunday, April 9 for our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Family Luncheon. Our children’s choirs will be singing and waving palms for our Palm Sunday 11:00 a.m. worship service. Following the service we will go outside and have our hunt and then return to the Fellowship Hall to share lunch together. Chicken ďŹ ngers and drinks will be provided. Families coming to our luncheon are asked to bring either a bag of chips or fruit as a side. We are in need of pre-ďŹ lled Easter eggs. Dona#ons can be dropped o in the marked containers in both foyers. Thank you in advance for your help!
Pastor’s Reflections, continued from page 1
Gospel tells us that on the last night of his life, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and instructed that they do the same for each other. Foot washing is a sign of service, of humility and of cleansing. If you have never had this experience, I hope you will remain a9er our Maundy Thursday service so that you can par#cipate.
M Paul Baxley Senior Minister
Frank Granger Minister of Christian Community
Randy Bri%ain Minister of Music
Brandon Pendry Minister of Youth and Mission
Janet Cleland Minister of Children, Families and Outreach
Amanda Lewis Minister of College Students
Anne Bri%ain Organist/Music Associate
I share this with you in advance in the hope and prayer that you will not only plan to be present for our Holy Week services, but that you will prayerfully prepare for each one of them by reading these texts and reec#ng on them. Holy Week gives us the incredible opportunity to reect on the events most founda#onal for our Chris#an faith, namely Jesus’ death and resurrec#on. Year in and year out, travelling with Jesus and his disciples through Holy Week has been transforming and renewing for my faith. I hope you have found it to be so as well and that you will plan to be present and invite others to come with you! I look forward to seeing you as we worship together!
Alan McArthur Pianist Church oďŹƒce: 706.548.1359 www.firstbaptistathens.org
Submit items for inclusion in the May 2017 edition of FBC news by noon on April 24.
D U 0 1 2 A33 4 O 6 A0 6 L 7 8 M 2 At their regular mee#ng on Monday, March 20, the Deacons of First Bap#st Church unanimously and enthusias#cally endorsed a mo#on that Amanda Lewis be ordained to the ministry. Late in 2016, Amanda formally requested that our congrega#on consider ordaining her. In response to that request, and in keeping with our prac#ces, the Deacons authorized the selec#on of an ordina#on council to meet with Amanda and bring back a formal recommenda#on. That ordina#on council met on March 19 and unanimously recommended that the church proceed with the ordina#on. The ordina#on itself will take place on Sunday, May 14 during the 11:00 a.m. worship hour. More details about the service will be announced in the May newsle+er and in other church publica#ons as that date draws closer. Please pray for Amanda as she prepares for this extraordinary moment in her life, faith and call to ministry.
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WORSHIP NEWS F
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@ In addi#on to our morning worship services on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, members of First Bap#st Church and our guests will have the opportunity to par#cipate in a series of addi#onal worship opportuni#es. The schedule for those opportuni#es follows: • Palm Sunday Evening – April 9, 2017 – 5:00 p.m. At Milledge Avenue Bap#st Church — See below for details • Wednesday, April 12, 2017 – 6:00 pm – Holy Week Worship (Sanctuary) Sermon: “The Tragic Repentance of Judas Iscariotâ€? Texts: Ma+hew 26:14-16, 47-50, 27:3-10 • Thursday, April 13, 2017 – 6:00 p.m. – Maundy Thursday Service (Sanctuary) Observance of Communion Sermon: “Pilate: Could He Do Nothing?â€? Texts: Ma+hew 27:11-26 *following the service in the Sanctuary, worshippers who are interested in doing so will have the opportunity to remain for a foot washing service • Friday, April 14, 2017 – 12:00 noon – Good Friday Service (Sanctuary) Sermon: “S#ll There!â€? Texts: Ma+hew 27:45-61 • Sunday, April 16, 2017 – 6:45 a.m. – Sunrise Service (Oconee Hill Cemetery) Join members of our church and other congrega#ons in our community for a sunrise service in WingďŹ eld Chapel at Oconee Hill Cemetery.
R 91 0 8 L 4 : By: Randy Bri%ain, Minister of Music The adult choirs of FBC Athens and Milledge Avenue Bap#st Church will present Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living on Palm Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at Milledge Avenue Bap#st Church. The 45 minute concert will be accompanied by a ten-piece chamber orchestra and will be followed by a recep#on for our choirs and congrega#ons. Below are some thoughts regarding the Requiem by composer Dan Forrest. A Requiem, at its core, is a prayer for rest- tradi#onally, for the deceased. The ďŹ ve movements of my Requiem for the Living, (2013), however, form a narra#ve just as much for the living, and their own struggle with pain and sorrow, as for the dead. The opening movement sets the tradi#onal Introit and Kyrie texts- pleas for rest and mercy- using ever-increasing elabora#ons on a simple three-note descending mo#ve. The second movement sets Scriptural texts from Ecclesiastes and Job that speak of the turmoil and sorrow which face humanity. The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is performed next as a plea for deliverance and peace; the Sanctus, following it, becomes a response to this redemp#on. The Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) oers three dierent glimpses of the "heavens and earth, full of Thy glory", all of which develop the same musical mo#ve: an ethereal opening sec#on inspired by images of space from the Hubble Space Telescope, a s#rring middle sec#on inspired by images of our own planet as viewed from the Interna#onal Space Sta#on, and a closing sec#on which brings the listener down to Earth, where ci#es teem with the energy of humanity. The Lux Aeterna (Light eternal) which then closes the work portrays light, peace, and rest- for both the deceased and the living. I hope you will join us for this meaningful service as we begin our Holy Week journey together. 3
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As Holy Week and Easter are upon us, we come to the #me in Chris#ans’ faith that is perhaps the weirdest of all — celebra#ng and believing centrally in the resurrec#on of a middleeastern man as the cornerstone of our faith. Along with this belief comes a week dedicated to some prac#ces that set us apart and draw us closer to the God we worship. Let’s start with the week itself. HOLY WEEK — I realize that it’s called Holy Week because Jesus rises from the dead on Sunday, culmina#ng God’s plan for God’s crea#on and for Jesus. But you have to admit it’s a li+le weird that we call a week “holy� in which our Lord is betrayed, arrested, beaten, given the death penalty by the Roman empire, and abandoned by his friends. Perhaps it’s less weird in a #me where entertainment that li9s up blood, guts, and human brokenness are thriving. Don’t believe me? Go watch The Walking Dead or any horror movie made in the last 10 years.
we could do would be to have more foot-washing services and opportuni#es to humbly serve the world as our Lord did on Maundy Thursday.
Special Note: This year, FBC will oer an opJonal footwashing service immediately following the Maundy Thursday service. We’ll stay in silence in the sanctuary and proceed to the plaNorm for the service, expected to Nevertheless our insistence on not skipping past the cross last only 20 minutes longer. to the empty tomb is weird for a world that wants cheerful, prac#cal sermons and applicable life lessons GOOD FRIDAY — There is no consensus on why it’s from Chris#anity. We celebrate Holy Week because it’s called Good Friday when we gather at noon to remember important we be reminded that you can’t get to new life Jesus’ moment of death. It’s awful, painful, heartwithout death. As uncomfortable as that is, it’s also wrenching as a new parent to know at that moment, God something the world needs to hear and it’s another watched God’s only son die. And for all the world knew, it witness to the unique nature of the kingdom of God that was just another so-called prophet killed by the demands something dierent. A9er all, holiness means government, another Jewish one who failed to produce ‘set-apart’. any change or overthrow the Romans. A successful execu#on. Perhaps there is no other worship service or MAUNDY THURSDAY — What on earth is ‘Maundy’? day during the Lenten season that is weirder while also While derived from the La#n ‘mandatum’ meaning being so important to the church’s witness in the world ‘mandate,’ it comes from Jesus’ words of instruc#on to than Good Friday. the disciples to wash each other’s feet in which he begins, ‘A new commandment I give to you, love one another, as I We must acknowledge the depth of love God displayed have loved you.’ that day, that Jesus displayed on that cross. We must show the world that we understand pain and suering Aside from the name being odd, this day reframes because our faith is centered on it, dependent on it. leadership in terms of humble service — in fact the Without the death, there is no resurrec#on. The church humblest of service — as washing feet during a #me has long ignored the pain of the world, retrea#ng to blithe when walking was the predominant mode of statements such as ‘God has a plan’ or ‘things will get transporta#on. If you’ve ever par#cipated in a footbe+er’ rather than siQng with folks in their pain and washing service, you know how odd it seems. Most suering. The disciples thought it was all over and they leadership conferences and books aren’t centered around le9 Jesus alone. The women stayed and mourned. Many in#mate forms of service, but rather eďŹƒciency, people around the world need friends to sit with them in mo#va#onal techniques, and self-improvement jargon. mourning and like the women who stayed on Good Friday This day is, and will always, and should always, be weird. and tended to the body over the weekend, to con#nue with them un#l resurrec#on breaks out. Prac#cing ‘withBut in a post-Chris#an world-view wherein many ness’ as our witness is the only way we can mimic God’s outsiders have seen the church become part of the ‘with-ness’ to us in Jesus. empire and its rhetoric and poli#c, perhaps the best thing 4
MISSION NEWS IHN H W
@ Our ďŹ rst hos#ng week for the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens begins on Easter. If you are otherwise available, please don’t allow the holiday to be an excuse not to serve. What a great way to live out lives as resurrec#on people by serving families experiencing homelessness star#ng on Easter Sunday. In April, June, and August of 2017, we will host guests in the upstairs area of the Hancock House (across Hancock Ave. from the church parking lot). It takes a small army to pull of a great hos#ng week. Sign up online today! We will share addi#onal informa#on about the changes in procedure at least one week before the host week begins. Con#nue to pray for our Interfaith Hospitality N Network Ministry and guests during this exci#ng #me!
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6 Please bring dona#ons of Vienna Sausages, Canned Tuna and Canned Salmon) to FBC to be delivered to the Emergency Food Bank. Place these dona#ons in the marked container in the Branyon Foyer.
S M Sisters on a Mission will gather at Ebenezer Bap#st Church West (205 N. Chase Street) on Monday April 24 at 6:00 p.m. to assemble hygiene kits for Athens Nurses Clinic – and to enjoy fellowship over a light supper (a small dona#on for meal will be welcomed). Susan Henderson will be oering reec#ons on her volunteer work with the clinic as our devo#onal. Also, a new opportunity to connect with sisters from Ebenezer will be presented. If you’d like to help with providing items, please donate monies this year instead of the item itself. Checks can be made payable to FBC Athens with the nota#on “Sisters on a Missionâ€? in the memo line. As always, thank you on behalf of the guests of Athens Nurses Clinic.
Bunch of Weirdo’s: Part 2 — cont. from p. 4 EASTER —the culmina#on of our faith on the day when despair and death got le9 behind by a Savior who arose from the dead. There is nothing in the Chris#an faith more challenging or weird for outsiders than our insistence on a faith centered in breaking the most fundamental physical law that everything dies. It’s un-veriďŹ able by scien#ďŹ c standards yet it has captured me personally and the Chris#an world for centuries. And as wild as it is, our celebra#on of resurrec#on may also be the most accessible thing we do. For nearly everyone has experienced literal death and ďŹ gura#ve deaths in their lives, leaving open to many the reality and possibility of transforma#on and new life a9er death. So while folks may not be able to grasp a literal resurrec#on as non-believers, the 1st step is s#ll resurrec#on, for no one I know would reject the no#on that it is indeed good for things to die if what comes to life a9erward is something close to God. As we live through this April, Holy Week, and Easter, may we con#nue to embrace our weirdness and invite others to be a part of it. Let’s stop pretending we have nothing that needs to be made holy and set-apart in our lives, or any part of us that needs more humility, or that we’ve never needed to simply sit in silence and cry. And in the end, let’s not forget that because of all the weird ways God works, weirdos like us have a chance to be remade and reborn into a weirdo like Christ, who would rather die for the world than save himself. That’s weird. That’s salva#on. That’s our God in Jesus Christ. 5
COMMUNITY NEWS T8 G A64 1 — C8 6 D 4 : G 6 B2: J C
6, M C8 6 , F 0 6 O1 8 We had so much fun at the Emergency Food Bank on Sunday, March 19. Seven parents and nine children had lunch together in the fellowship hall and then headed over to the Food Bank. They had just received one of their largest shipments of the year and it needed to be sorted and counted. Parents and children worked together to gather all the dierent food items, organize them and count them. They all served so well together and had such fun. It was great to listen to their conversa#ons as they worked. One child said “I like helping so the people who are poor have something to eat.â€? And two of the children talked all a9ernoon about how working at the food bank meant they were being missionaries like they learn about in Mission Kids. Another child said “when can we go back and do this again?â€? The unit verse for March was “For I was hungry and you fed me.â€? Our children got the opportunity to live that verse out in a fun and meaningful way. PuQng what we are learning into prac#ce with our families, a great way to discover God together! In the month of April we will con#nue our Sunday morning “Great Adventureâ€? as we experience the story of Easter. Our children will learn that the Resurrec#on is all about how much Jesus loves us. Our unit verse will be – “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!â€? Luke 24:6.Experiencing the truths of Scripture is truly a “Great Adventureâ€? in discovering God.
STAR TRIP: THE TRUTH AWAKENS Vaca#on Bible School at FBC June 5-9 from 9am to noon Rising Kindergartners— 6th grade Online registra#on is now open. Follow “News� link from FBC home page.
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W @ : 8 L B2 8 D1 : A3 9-15 As part of our emphasis upon prayer, and the dierent ways of praying, we have arranged to have a labyrinth here in our fellowship hall during the week of Holy Week. Below is a lis#ng of #mes when people can come and receive instruc#on about the labyrinth, how to walk it, and have opportunity to experience walking the labyrinth. Informa#on will be provided to explain the labyrinth, as well as guides for how to pray and reect while taking part in this experience. The labyrinth we will have is the same pa+ern as the one in the Chartres Cathedral in France. (The picture shows the design). This cathedral was built in the 13th century. Dis#nguished from a maze which has hidden passages, and dead ends within it, the labyrinth has the same entrance and exit. Dr. Lauren Artress says that a labyrinth is usually in the form of a circle “with a meandering but purposeful path, from the edge to the center and back out again, large enough to be walked into.â€? Labyrinth Schedule: During the #mes, at the beginning, and top of the hour, a brief introduc#on along with simple instruc#on for walking the labyrinth will be given. • • • • • •
Monday, April 10: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. (These would be great #mes for children and families) Tuesday, April 11: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Tuesday, April 11: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. (These would be great #mes for children and families) Wednesday, April 12; 7:00 p.m. following the worship Thursday, April 13: 5:00 p.m. prior to our Maundy Thursday service, and 7:00 p.m. following the worship Friday, April 14: Immediately following the 12:00 noon Good Friday service.
Following the path of walking the labyrinth may be a new experience for you. As you make your plans to come and avail yourself to this opportunity, consider these words from Dr. Artress: “Walking the labyrinth clears the mind and gives insight into the spiritual journey. It urges ac#on. It calms people in the throes of life transi#ons. It helps them see their lives in the context of a path, a pilgrimage‌ The experience is dierence for everyone because each of us rings dierent raw material to the labyrinth. We bring our unique hopes, dreams, history, and longings of the soul.â€?
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#MOMS The #MOMS group enjoyed a #me of fellowship and planning over a meal on Wednesday, March 15 and planned the topics for our April mee#ngs. • Wednesday, April 5 at 6:00 p.m. “Scriptures for moms to prayâ€?. • Wednesday, April 19 at 6:00 p.m. “Talking about diďŹƒcult issues in our families.â€? We also spent #me discussing ideas for fun and fellowship during the summer months. We will kick o the summer fun on Thursday, June 1 with a dinner at White Tiger and then go to Mary Conley’s home for dessert. Mark your calendar and plan to join us!
Please join us for Adult Discipleship on Wednesday Evenings a9er Easter. We will gather as one group at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall • April 19: Chris#an Muslim Dialog, Paul Baxley, Senior Minister, First Bap#st Church, Athens, GA & Adel Amer, Imam, Al Huda Islamic Center of Athens • April 26: Seminaries, Congrega#ons, and Theological Educa#on: A conversa#on with Jerey Wille+s & Greg DeLoach. Dr. Willets is the new Dean and Professor of the Philosophy of Religion, McAfee School of Theology, and Dr. DeLoach is the new Director of Development, McAfee School of Theology & PenďŹ eld College of Mercer University. • May 3: Construc#on Update and Preview of Fall 2017, Church Sta • May 10: Children’s Choir and Mission Kids Recogni#on.
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Each year our teenagers pray, plan, and carry-out worship on a Sunday in the Spring, with the tradi#on being that High School seniors preach that day. In many ways, it’s one of the most authen#c ways churches can worship, being led by some of our newest bap#zed members whose faith is fresh and growing and through whom we see things new again. As our seniors prepare their sermons, as the youth choir prepares its worship offerings, and as the en#re group works together to lead us in worship, please pray for us all and plan to join us on Sunday, April 30 as our teenagers lead you in worship at 11:00 a.m.
UPDATE ON RENOVATION OF FACILITIES The renova#on of the facili#es of First Bap#st Church began on schedule on March 7, 2017. The previous day, the church signed papers closing on the line of credit with Pinnacle Bank and also signed the contract with Van Winkle General Contractors as authorized by the church in conference on January 29. Renova#ons began with demoli#on on the third floor of the campus. The ini#al work is focused on the third floors of our 1950s and 1990s buildings. The work is primarily demoli#on, removal of walls, carpe#ng, and ceiling #les. These areas of the third floor will con#nue to be under renova#on for the next few months. In many of the other areas of building, carpet and flooring has been removed. This was done in order to address poten#al asbestos issues, and where issues were discovered, they were cleaned properly and safely. Although it means we are using these areas with li+le or no carpe#ng for the next few months, it should serve to keep our project moving smoothly and efficiently. Construc#on fencing has been installed outside the sanctuary building along Hancock Ave. in prepara#on for the outside work that will begin over the next several weeks. This work will be done to address the con#nual water and drainage issues which affect the first floor of the sanctuary building directly under the sanctuary. By
late April or early May demoli#on of the exis#ng Branyon Foyer arrivalhood will occur, followed by construc#on of the new arrivalhood. At this #me, we are able to announce that the renova#on work in the Sanctuary will begin a9er worship on May 14. So beginning May 21, worship services will be held in Fellowship Hall. Restora#on and construc#on work in the Sanctuary will con#nue over the summer. The Sanctuary renova#on work is projected to be completed in midAugust. During the Wednesday night program on May 3, we will provide an update on the renova#on and informa#on about how the later stages of the renova#on will impact late summer and fall ministries at First Bap#st Church. We are grateful for the volunteers who gave #me and effort to help with the clearing of the rooms on the third floor so that the first stage of the renova#on could begin on #me. We are also grateful to all Sunday School classes for flexibility in moving to temporary spaces. Watch the May newsle+er and other publica#ons for more updates! 8
A N 0 A0 6 L 7 Dear First Bap#st Family, I am happy to report that I graduated from McAfee School of Theology in December! Thank you all for the support and encouragement you gave me while I was working on my degree. Each day felt long, but those three years went by in the blink of an eye. I loved the classes, even though I did not always enjoy the late nights it took to ďŹ nish my assignments.
Even though I have ďŹ nished my degree, I long to con#nue learning and growing as a minister. As a way of inten#onally pursuing such growth, I am once again entering CPE. This #me of my own voli#on. I have accepted a one-year residency with the Spiritual Care and Educa#on Department at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlo+e, North Carolina. The posi#on begins in late August. I am looking forward to the ways in which I will One of the requirements for my concentra#on in Pastoral experience God in this new context, but I grieve that it Care was to complete a unit of Clinical Pastoral Educa#on. means I will be living far from you all. While I heard wonderful things about CPE, I must admit that I was in#midated by the prospect of serving in a Serving here has been a deeply forma#ve experience. I am hospital seQng. Last summer Gwinne+ Medical Center thankful for the opportuni#es you have given me to oered me a spot in their CPE program. I spent many minister to our college students, teach Sunday School, hours studying, wri#ng, and visi#ng with folks in the pray, preach, and to share life with you. You have shown hospital. It was challenging, but through those challenges, me God’s love. I am inspired by your commitment to I grew. Being in that seQng helped to deepen my serving the community, your voices of all ages leading in understanding of what it means to be a minister, and to worship, your devo#ons which tes#fy to the work of God walk alongside people in some of the most diďŹƒcult in your lives, and your love for God. Surely, the Spirit of moments of life. God is moving in and through our church. I cherish all of the #me that I have with you over the upcoming months. With Gra#tude, Amanda
C81 8 F 0 2 N 7 Sympathy We extend our Chris#an love and sympathy to • The family of Gay Crawley who passed away on March 1, 2017. • Julie and Michael Jenkins in the death of their brother-in-law, Carman Wright, on March 4, 2017. • Chip Folendore in the loss of his mother, Manita Folendore, of Milledgeville on February 26, 2017. • Ralph Peters and family in the loss of his wife, Valeria Peters on March 20, 2017. • Fred and Amy Young and their children, Porter, Wilson, Mary Jane, Molly, and Owen, in the loss of Fred’s mother, Jane Young, on February 18, 2017. • Kelley Blanton and family in the loss of her husband Mike Blanton who passed away on March 25, 2017. New Members Welcome Harry and Alison Cunningham, who joined FBC on March 26, 2017. Thank You Notes Thank you to everyone for the cards, le+ers, and meals a9er the recent death of my mother. She was a dedicated Chris#an lady and my family and I will miss her very much. Fred Young Thank you to everyone who sent cards, owers and made phone calls to me during my recent surgery and recovery. I would especially like to thank everyone for remembering me in their thoughts and prayers, each act of compassion and kindness has meant more to me than you will ever know. Evelyn Mar#n
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Co-Deacons for the Weeks of: Mar 26-April 1: April 2-8: April 9-15: April 16-22: April 23-29: April 30– May 6:
Jane Hubert, Cindy Haygood Helen and Milton Mills Leslie Gordon, Tony Dillard Carol Cofer, Kathy Coleman Marcia and Phil Caskey Mary and Steve Barton
Fellowship Team for April Kim & Wayne Rogers, Beth & Mark Sanders
Usher Team for April Jerry Gouge, Carl Hedrick, Jimmy Thomason, Milton Mills, Randan Ashmore, Steve Smith
Welcome Center Team April 2 Branyon Foyer: Fanning Foyer: April 9 Branyon Foyer: Fanning Foyer: April 16 Branyon Foyer: Fanning Foyer: April 23 Branyon Foyer: Fanning Foyer: April 30 Branyon Foyer: Fanning Foyer:
Teresa Granger, Chris#ne Lo Wanda Grogan, Al Henderson Becky Adams, Amy Young Jane Hubert, Pam Dillard Wanda Grogan, Al Henderson Teresa Granger, Chris#ne Lo Jane Hubert, Gayle Noblet Becky Adams, Amy Young
WEDNESDAY MENUS Teresa Granger, Chris#ne Lo Wanda Grogan, Al Henderson
CounJng Commi%ee: April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30
Jackie GriďŹƒn, Michael Jenkins Joyce Fleeman, Mike Lacy Bevan Hopper, Lewis Shropshire Dallas Cannady, Kelli Smith Buddy Snow, Heather Stover
Children’s Worship: April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30
Kathryn Fountain No Children’s Worship TBA Ashley Gable Jennifer Ellis
Acolytes: April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30:
Sunday, April 2, 2017 – The Fi:h Sunday in Lent Sermon by Amanda Lewis Texts: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 Sunday, April 9, 2017 – Palm Sunday Sermon: “Turmoil and Tes#monyâ€? Texts: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Ma+hew 21:1-17 Sunday, April 16, 2017 – Easter Sunrise Service WingďŹ eld Chapel, Oconee Hill Cemetery, 6:45 a.m. Gather with Chris#ans from across our Community Sunday, April 16, 2017 – Easter Morning Worship Sanctuary — 11:00 a.m. Sermon: “More than an Empty Tombâ€? Texts: Ma+hew 28:1-10, Colossians 3:1-11 Sunday, April 23, 2017 – The Second Sunday a:er Easter Sermon: “Risen Christ and Living Wordâ€? Texts: Hebrews 4:12-14, II Timothy 3:14-17, Luke 24:13-25 Sunday, April 30, 2017 – The Third Sunday a:er Easter YOUTH SUNDAY
Lily Gordon, Jon Millians Emma Hooper, Zachary Rawls Maria Baxley Skylar Randa, Sadie Leigh Randa TBA
F C B1 February 26 March 5 March 12 March 19
$9,445.00 $23,338.05 $15,556.71 $22,900.65
Adults $7.00; Children $3.50
April 5 Hot Meal: Children: Salad Bar: April 12 Hot Meal: Children: Salad Bar: April 19 Hot Meal: Children: Salad Bar: April 26 Hot Meal:
Children: Salad Bar:
SpagheQ with Meat Sauce, Tossed Salad, Fruit Cup, Bread S#cks, Dessert Hot Meal Baked Irish or Sweet Potato Chicken Fingers, Macaroni & Cheese, Broccoli Spears, Fruit Cup, Breads#cks, Dessert Hot Meal Baked Irish or Sweet Potato Hamburger Steak & Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Sliced Peaches, Biscuit, Dessert Hot Dog and Tater Tots Baked Irish or Sweet Potato Sausage & Egg Casserole, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon, Cheese or Plain Grits, Fruit Salad, Biscuit, Dessert Hot Meal Baked Irish or Sweet Potato
Make reserva.ons and view supper menus on the church website. You may also call the church oďŹƒce to make or change exis.ng reserva.ons. All reserva.ons or changes should be made no later than noon on the Monday prior. 10
APRIL 2017 Sunday Schedule 9:15 a.m. Coffee, Donuts 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship 5:15 p.m. Youth Choir 6:00 p.m. Handbell Choir 6:00 p.m. Youth Ac#vi#es
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Wednesday Schedule 5:00 p.m. Dinner 5:45 p.m. Children’s Choir 6:00 p.m. Adult Discipleship 6:00p.m. Youth Ac#vi#es 6:30 p.m. Mission Kids 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir
2 Sunday Worship and Ac=vi=es 4:30 p.m. Pathway to Prayer workshop
3 2:00 p.m. Staff Mee#ng
4 10:00 a.m. Farrall-Hynds Circle 6:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 6:30 p.m. Young Adult Bible Study
5 Wednesday Night Ac=vi=es 5:30 p.m. Property Management Commi+ee 6:00 p.m. #MOMS
6 11:00 a.m. The Seekers 50+ Team
7 9:00 a.m. Samaritan Counseling
9 Palm Sunday Sunday Worship and Ac=vi=es — No choirs will rehearse 12:00 noon Easter Egg Hunt and Family Luncheon 5:00 p.m. Requiem of the Living 6:00 p.m. College Ac#vi#es 6:00 p.m. Youth Ac#vi#es
10 10:00 a.m. AIM Board 2:00 p.m. Staff Mee#ng 4:00 p.m. Guided Labyrinth 5:30 p.m. Founda#on Mee#ng
11 11:00 a.m. Guided Labyrinth 12:00 noon Bible Study 4:00 p.m. Guided Labyrinth 7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop
12 5:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Supper 6:00 p.m. Holy Wednesday Worship 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir 7:00 p.m. Guided Labyrinth
13 5:00 p.m. Guided Labyrinth 6:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday worship with Communion
14 15 12:00 noon Good Friday Worship 1:00 p.m. Guided Labyrinth
16 Easter Sunday Worship and Ac=vi=es 6:45 a.m. Sunrise Service 11:00 a.m. Easter Worship
17 Church office closed
18 6:30 p.m. Young Adult Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Virginia Appleton Circle 7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop
19 20 Wednesday Night Ac=vi=es 5:15 p.m. Finance Commi+ee 6:00 p.m. #MOMS 6:00 p.m. College Bible Study
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23 Sunday Worship and Ac=vi=es
24 10:00 a.m. Embroiderer’s Guild 12:00 noon Newsle+er Deadline 2:00 p.m. Staff Mee#ng 5:00p.m. Kiwanis Club 6:00 p.m. Sisters on a Mission
25 7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop
26 Wednesday Night Ac=vi=es 6:00 p.m. College Bible Study
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30 Sunday Worship and Ac=vi=es 8:30 a.m. Reach Out Team 12:00 noon Boy Scout BBQ
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First Baptist Church (USPS 193-040) 355 Pulaski Street Athens, Ga 30601
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID ATHENS, GA 30601
FIRST BAPTIST NEWS (USPS 193-040) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT NO CHARGE BY FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 355 PULASKI STREET, ATHENS, GA 30601-2860. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ATHENS, GA. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO FIRST BAPTIST NEWS, 355 PULASKI ST., ATHENS, GA 30601-2680
Holy Week at FBC Journey with us towards the cross of Easter with worship during Holy Week:
Palm Sunday — April 9 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Evening Worship — April 12 6:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Communion with Foot Washing— April 13 6:00 p.m. Good Friday Service — April 14 12:00 noon Easter — April 16 6:45 a.m. — Sunrise Worship at Oconee Hill Cemetery 11:00 a.m. — Morning Worship at FBC
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