Firstnews august 2014 web

FirstNews

August 2014

Promotion Sunday is August 24th We have a Sunday School Class for You. Lists of Classes are available in the Welcome Center.

Pastor Mark Bryant Ministerial Staff Senior Pastor

Mark Bryant [markbryant@ssfbc.org]

Associate Pastor

Fred Lewis [fredlewis@ssfbc.org]

Worship Pastor

Neal Terwilliger [nealterwilliger@ssfbc.org)

Associate Worship Pastor

Darren Gray [darrengray@ssfbc.org]

Minister of Education

Bruce Welch [brucewelch@ssfbc.org]

Minister of Recreation & Outreach

Mike Armstrong [mikearmstrong@ssfbc.org]

High School Student Pastor

Heath Anderson [heathanderson@ssfbc.org]

Middle School Student Pastor

Michael Tollison [michaeltollison@ssfbc.org]

Minister to Children

Brit Fisher [britfisher@ssfbc.org]

Director of Preschool & Kindergarten Tracey Cody [traceycody@ssfbc.org]

Business Administrator

Tommy Johnston [tommyjohnston@ssfbc.org]

Director of Technology Scott Singleton [scottsingleton@ssfbc.org]

La Primera iglesia Mission Pastor

Amadeo Miranda [amadeomiranda12@ yahoo.com]

FirstNews is a monthy publication of First Baptist Church 116 Oak Avenue Sulphur Springs,Texas 75482 (903) 885-0646 www.ssfbc.org

I want to take a moment to encourage you as the people of God. It is amazing to see how God is working through this body to offer HOPE to this community and to the world. As I consider the number of people who are involved in offering HOPE through the ministries of HOPE, it makes me very grateful to be called your pastor. To every person that has prepared a meal, worked on a car, mowed a lawn, worked in the garden, visited a prisoner, prayed for the sick, and contributed through the investment of your time, talent and treasure, I want to say thank you. Our Lord is honored as we touch people at the point of their need.

I also want to take a moment and thank everyone that has been involved in the mission work that reaches from Sulphur Springs to the ends of the earth. We are indeed making a difference in the Kingdom of God as we go and demonstrate the love of Jesus to a lost and dying world. I want you to begin praying about how you can be involved as we begin to make plans for future trips next summer. We need to begin to make plans to contribute through our going and our giving. I encourage you to be intentional about setting aside time for missions on your calendar as well as setting aside an offering from your income so that you can be involved in taking the gospel to the world. If you have never participated as a volunteer on a mission trip I want to ask you to begin to pray about being a part of what the Lord is doing through these trips.

As we head into the fall our focus remains the same. We are called to be a people who offer HOPE. Throughout the first seven months of the year we have focused on the idea that “HOPE does”. The HOPE that is experienced in Jesus Christ is expressed through us as we take the Good News of the gospel and show others the love Jesus Christ. As we turn the corner into the fall we can broaden the spectrum of HOPE. HOPE not only “does”, HOPE also goes. In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus tells a story about a great banquet. In the book of Revelation there is a great banquet in the future and it is called “The Marriage Feast of the Lamb”.

Only those who are the follower of Jesus will attend that banquet. In order to make sure that the banquet hall is full, Jesus tells this story and illustrates how we can be a part of inviting people to come. In verses 18-20 we find that there will be many who are invited and of those who are invited, many will have all kinds of excuses for not responding to His invitation. As we read the story we find that the Master actually sends his servants out two more times. We need to see that HOPE goes - HOPE goes out to the streets of the city. HOPE goes out to the highways and along the hedges (verse 23). In other words, HOPE has no boundaries.

Today, I want you to look around and realize that there are people who need you to bring HOPE into their lives. They are everywhere when we decide to open our eyes and see. They are in the grocery store, they are in the stands at a football game, they are in our neighborhood, our city and on the outskirts of town.

We have an incredible opportunity to go to those who need to know Jesus. I would like to present all the households of FBC with a challenge. Make it your goal to take the HOPE that is in you and go into this community and reach out to those who will need to know the love of Jesus. Specifically make it your goal to bring 3 families into the fellowship of FBC between the months of August and December. I pray you will not be discouraged by those who say no, just keep on going and keep on reaching. We will be blessed as we walk in obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit because we know that HOPE goes.

Original loan amt Total paid Interest paid Principal paid Loan Balance

$2,250,000.00 $1,142,084.62 $ 179,921.82 $ 962,605.35 $1,287,394.65

Fellowship Hall

Cost: $3

Saturday, september 27 All ages welcome!

8:00 am

SAVE THE DATE

Accept your email invitation and login onto www.rightnowmedia.org if you did not receive an invitation please call shirley in the church office

Women of Hope Ladies Retreat October 3-4, 2014 Rockwall

9.13.2014

Offerings given through the Hope Chest help us spread the love of Jesus through our various HOPE ministries.

Prayerfully consider how you can help and give as God guides..... to Him be the glory!

8:00am - 3:15pm Grace Fellowship Ministries Winnsboro, Texas Cost: $10 Tickets available at www.gracefm.org Price includes a continental breakfast and lunch

ATLAKEVIEW 1st & 2nd Graders August 11th & 12th Cost: $35 3rd Graders August 11th-13th Cost: $50

Sign up online or in the church office.

Deadline to sign up is August 4th

Middle School & High School Save the Dates

August - Wednesday, August 20th *HS Road Trip - Chick-fil-A/Starbucks in Greenville....Incoming Freshmen are invited. *Middle School - Sweet Frogs 6:00 - 7:00 pm Wednesday, August 27th *Back to School Bash – Middle School on 3rd Floor & High School in Youth Building September - Wednesday, September 24th SYATP (See You At The Pole) – October - Wednesday, October 8th Fields of Faith @ The Prim

We are "Spreading Hope across Texas" through Christmas in August by supporting the Mission Centers of Houston and our SSISD Teachers.

A goal of $5,000 will help with items that the teachers can use with the children in need of school supplies.

VBS - June 15 - 19 Camp Dates

High School Camp – June 7 – 13 Middle School Camp – July 5 – 10 Grades 4 &5 Camp – July 7 - 10 Grades 1-3 Kid’s Camp – Aug 3 - 5

Mission Trip Dates

New Orleans Mission Trip – March or April Austin Mission Trip – June 21 - 27 Border Mission Trip – June 21 - 27 Provo Mission Trip – July 19 – 27 Milwaukee Mission Trip – July 19 - 25 RISE Choir TRip - July 3 - 11 Nicaragua Mission Trip – TBD

LIMITED SPACE Adults 55+ New England Trip September 29 - October 6

Contact All World Travel to make your reservation

Do YOU receive FBc’s Weekly E-Mail?

Don’t miss out on getting all the info!

Weekly E-Mails contain Birthdays, Prayer List, Weekly Calendar and Upcoming Events.

If you are not currently receiving emails and would like to, contact Denise Hurley in the church office.

Adult 55+ Trip Dickens on the Strand, Galveston, TX

December 5-7, 2014

Tour Includes Motor coach from SS to Galveston, Galveston Beach Hotel, Bishop’s Museum, Festival of Lights & Ice Exhibit, Hand bell Concert Tickets, Admission to the Strand, Sunday morning church at FBC Pasadena For more information contact All World Travel or church office.

NEW LIFE JOURNEY

Begins September 7th & 10th We want a NEW picture of Your immediate family for our self-published directory!

You can send us a recent picture or we'll take one for You. We're taking pictures in the Conference Room during the Morning Worship Services. (Not during Bible Study)

What is Hope@Home?

A ministry to create God-honoring families

Hope@Home is an integrated church strategy for creating a culture of intentional families.

Its' purpose is to increase the likelihood for families to (1) Build a life-long, thriving marriage; (2) Introduce their children to Christ; (3) Launch their teens as committed believers.

The Hope@Home Center offers a physical and online connection point for families to deepen their relationships with the assistance of: 120-Day Plans; Hope@Home Pointers & Guides and many other "going further" resources (free and/or for purchase).

To have Yours taken, drop by during the service You do not attend.

Got questions?

Call Shirley in the church office. email Pictures to shirleybland@ssfbc.org

The Hope@Home Center is located in our Welcome Center and online at www.ssfbchopeathome.org/

116 Oak Avenue Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482

Non-Profit Organization U.S Postage Paid Permit No. 174 Sulphur Springs, Texas

Address service requested

10 am - 2 pm

SUNDAY * OCTOBER 12th