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E-Letter
July 2009

Enjoy a safe, patriotic Independence Day celebration!

 

News and information about the Santa Fe River Baptist Association—and more
Prepared by Wayne Harvey, Director of Missions

 

 

 

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation [the United States] was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

Association and Other News and Events

	Summer Missionaries A grant from the Florida Baptist Convention has provided our association two students from the Baptist College of Florida who are serving as missionaries for ten weeks this summer. Brittanie Paladino (left), from Palatka, and Lacie Carter (center), from Cross City, have been working with Vicki Lawrence (right), our Church and Community Ministries Director, and several churches: Vacation Bible Schools at Lake Forest Church and Tacachale Center for the Developmentally Disabled Backyard Bible Club at Oak Park Church Day camp in Tower Road Triangle neighborhoods Day camp in Tree Trail Apts., Gainesville Arbor House ministry to women
Five Rosenberger Scholarships Awarded for This Fall The association Rosenberger Scholarship Committee has awarded scholarships of $500 each to five seminary students for this fall: Stephen van Bever and Kristin Jones van Bever (at left) are members of North Central Church, Gainesville, and were married in June. They will study at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina. Todd Burus (at right) is also a member of North Central Church and will study at Southeastern with plans to start a church in New York or New England after graduation. Jaime Zalaya is a member of Iglesia Hispana Gainesville and a microbiologist at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He will take classes from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Jacksonville with plans to become a pastor. Bobby LaMee is a member of Westside Church, Gainesville, and is a music student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Tex.   Members of churches in our association who attend a Southern Baptist seminary may apply for Rosenberger scholarships. For more information, contact the association center.   Church and Community Ministries Director Report From Vicki Lawrence, Church and Community Ministries Director Here are some activities going on in our association and ways you and your church can minister locally: • Give backpacks and school supplies to needy students:    · Alachua Apts.-33 students    · Majestic Oaks, Tower Road Triangle-20 students    · Chester Elementary-40 students • Back-to-School Bash: Sat., Aug. 15-Majestic Oaks, Tower Road Triangle • "Adopt" a resident from Arbor House-birthdays and Christmas • Tree Trail Apts. Day Camp, east Gainesville: July 6-9 • Holly Heights Day Camp, Tower Road Triangle: June 15-Aug 14 (Mon. and Wed. only) • Alachua Apts. Summer Festival: July 25, hosted by Living Covenant Church, Alachua • New ESL classes at Alachua Branch of the Alachua County Public Library: beginning Sept. 14., each Monday night at 6 p.m. Executive Committee News Because the Executive Committee lacked a quorum for its June 11 meeting, the Administrative Committee voted on the two items of business. The committee elected Edwin Gardner and Henry McKinney, pastor of First Church, Hawthorne, to the association Nominating Committee and approved the goal of $24,928 submitted by the Florida Baptist Convention for the Maguire State Missions Offering. If our churches contribute this amount or more, the convention will send the association part of this amount for use in local ministries.   July Events 2 Association Center closed for Independence Day 6 Monday night prayer, Ridgeview Church, 6:30 p.m. 11 Prayer Council Mtg., Ridgeview, 10 a.m. 12 World Hunger Day/Offering   Our Churches’ Contributions: Thank You!   Churches June 2009 Oct '08 - Jun 09           Alachua First 0.00 3,000.00   Antioch 488.58 3,966.96   Centerpoint 125.00 250.00   Country Crossroads 46.85 497.92   Eastside 0.00 0.00   Eden 0.00 700.00   Eliam 1,807.76 6,880.59   Evangelica 0.00 1,500.00   Faith-Tabernacle 0.00 0.00   Fellowship 0.00 1,687.91   Forest Grove 650.00 5,850.00   Gainesville First 368.83 3,632.17   Grace 130.71 1,473.36   Hague 124.80 1,074.44   *Harvest 0.00 95.88   Hawthorne 296.26 2,134.25   High Springs First 1,481.63 12,805.99   *Hispana-Archer Road 0.00 21.82   *Hispana-Gainesville 30.00 240.00   *Hispana-Santa Fe 0.00 64.14   Island Grove 0.00 0.00   Journey 0.00 860.00   Korean 0.00 500.00   Lake Butler First 200.00 1,800.00   Lake Forest 204.94 1,258.54   Lighthouse 155.84 1,391.14   Living Covenant 136.07 1,283.21   *Micanopy 377.07 2,734.26   Mt. Carmel 0.00 0.00   New Hope 0.00 872.00   North Central 549.95 4,733.73   North Pleasant Grove 157.56 1,146.28   Northwest 545.06 4,982.83   Oak Park 1,111.00 5,881.00   Ochwilla 50.00 450.00   Parkview 0.00 3,606.09   Pine Grove 187.40 1,711.90   Pleasanthill 0.00 100.00   Ridgeview 342.41 2,374.00   River Cross 320.00 2,478.00   Santa Fe 174.24 1,617.97   Sardis 510.66 4,162.87   Waldo First 659.00 5,256.00   Westside 4,051.45 33,755.52 Total Church Receipts  15,283.07 128,830.77 * = Affiliated churches   Monthly budget needs $16,162.00 Budget needs June $145,458.00 Received thru June $128,830.77 Giving underbudget $16,627.23 Percent of budget received 88.5%

 

 

Where there is no wonder there is no worship.

 

Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking even in the presence of God. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there will be nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words ... never really speaking to others.

Church News and Events

Vacation Bible School Is Still Going Strong!

 

 

The Country Crossroads Church (Ray Debusk, pastor) had a three-day VBS June 22-24 with an average of thirty students each day.

 

Oak Park Church, Gainesville (Danny Austin, pastor), will send a team of nine adults, one youth, and three children on a mission trip July 4-10 to work with a Haitian Church in Ft. Lauderdale that is one-and-a-half years old.  Also, one adult will go on an extended mission trip in July and August to China.

Our churches without pastors:
Island Grove, New Hope, Northwest, North Pleasant Grove, and Pine Grove

 

Journey Church Plans to Step Out in Faith on 4.69 Acres North of Newberry
Mike O’Carroll, pastor, reports that his church is considering a proposal to purchase property on Highway 27 north of Newberry at NW 71st Place (south of the flashing light) for relocation of the church. “The 4.69 acres is cleared, has 324' of highway frontage, and includes a doublewide mobile home in good condition, as well as a large, sturdy pole barn,” Mike said. “The church leadership team believes this property will allow the Journey Church to reach people for Christ and grow for years to come! A permanent home-base, a place where we can reach-out, train-up, and send-forth laborers into the harvest fields in these last days.”

 

Member Church Closes

The Rivers of Life Ministries Church of Gainesville (Earnest Williams, pastor) has dissolved and merged with the Monteocha Baptist Church of Gainesville (Eric Benson, pastor). The church joined our association in 2001.

 

Parkview Church, Gainesville, Staff Wanted

Part-time minister of music is needed. Contact Parkview Church (352/378-2606) or Greg Magruder, pastor, for details.

 

New Web Site

Lake Forest Church, Gainesville, has a new web site: lakeforestbc.org. Don Farley is pastor.

 

News from First Church, High Springs

From Eddie Gandy, senior pastor:

 

Kudos from the Alachua County School Board for River Cross Church
From David Patterson, pastor, River Cross Church, Haile Plantation

Last month our church collected money to give gift cards to teachers and staff at the Lake Forest Elementary School. We needed $1330 to be able to give every teacher a $25 gift card and every staff person a $10 gift card.  The church exceeded its goal and gave $1346!  Praise God! 

 

The following is a news release from the Alachua County School Board about River Cross’s special gifts: 

“River Cross Church began its partnership with Lake Forest Elementary School four years ago with a school supply drive. Since then the partnership has expanded dramatically. Church members work at the school throughout the year sponsoring field trips, tutoring students, serving on the school advisory council and participating in a host of other activities. They provide snacks during FCAT testing week, collect holiday gifts for students and families and present gift cards to every teacher during Teacher Appreciation Week.

“Principal Diane Hill says the church’s contributions are particularly important at her school, which serves a high proportion of children from low-income families.  ‘They’ve been a true blessing for us,' said Hill. 'You can tell that it really comes from their hearts and that they really want to see our kids make it.’

“River Cross pastor David Patterson says serving the community is a high priority of the church.  ‘We see the needs of these children, our future generation, and the Bible is very clear that we should be taking care of them,’ he said. ‘It’s very much what we believe is our directive and our mission.’”

(If your church would like to adopt a school, contact David Patterson or Vicki Lawrence, our Church and Community Ministries Director. WH)

 

July Special Days

Birthdays

2 Tom Grubbs (recreation/sports director), Westside

4 Tia Mosby (wife of music minister), Northwest

6 Pr. Ray DeBusk, Country Crossroads

7 Tania Chesser (wife of pastor), Forest Grove

10 Eva Austin (wife of pastor), Oak Park

12 Pr. Jason Johns, Lake Butler First

13 Pr. Calvin Carr, North Central

14 Vicki Lawrence (CCM Director), Association Center

18 Johnny Cellon (husband of ministry assistant), Forest Grove

20 Belinda LaMee (wife of facilities director), Westside

22 Anabel Colon (wife of pastor), Hispana Santa Fe

23 Pr. Johnny Goodwin, Ochwilla

25 Gina Hernandez (wife of youth pastor), Westside

 

Wedding Anniversaries

5 Sandra (ministry assistant) and Bobby Chesser, Alachua First

8 Pr. Daniel and Lydia Kendall, Antioch

12 Glen (pastoral care) and Debbie McKinney, Westside

16 Pr. Jim and Terry Riley, Grace

19 Pr. Jim and Pala Dubois, Waldo First

 

Ministry Anniversaries

 

Never confuse the will of the majority with the will of God.

 

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

 

Missions/Ministry News and Events

 News from the Florida Baptist Children's Homes, Jacksonville Campus

From Randy Harrison, Administrator, Northeast and North Central Florida, Florida Baptist Children's Homes:

After first fostering the children, Laurie Ott, one of our foster home moms, was able to adopt Cody and Tori. Tori is bi-racial with a skin color darker than her mom or brother so it was no surprise to Laurie that she would ask, “When is God going to send us a brown baby to take care of?”

 

Laurie told Tori that God worked on His own timing and no one could say what His plans were for their future. Shortly after that, Laurie was called by the FBCH-JAX Foster Care Office to tell her two African-American babies needed placement. She welcomed them both at around 9:30 one night, after her own two children were asleep.

 

Imagine Tori’s surprise the next morning when she woke up to find a “brown baby” in the crib in her room. “Mama, mama!” she shouted. “God gave us a brown baby.”

 

Laurie replied, “Go look in your brother’s room.”

 

Tori rushed to Cody’s room to find yet another crib with a second baby. “Oh, mama,” Tori exclaimed, “God gave us two brown babies! He really does listen to our prayers!”

 

Children’s Homes’ Leader Appointed to Governor’s Faith-Based Advisory Council

Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Jerry T. Haag, Ph.D., president of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes to a three-year term on the Florida faith-based and community-based advisory council.

 

 

Give so much time to the improvement of yourself you have no time to criticize others.

 

Men perish with whispering sins, nay with silent sins, sins that never tell the conscience that they are sins, as often as with crying sins; and in hell there shall meet as many men that never thought what was sin, as that spent all their thoughts in the compassing of sin.
... John Donne (1573-1631)

 

 Book Report
Book Says SBC Lacks System of Preventing Sexual Abuse

By Bob Allen  

A book released in advance of the June 23-24 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention claims the nation's largest Protestant faith group has more than 100,000 clergy, but no effective system of denominational oversight to protect children from sexual abuse.

 

This Little Light: Beyond a Baptist Preacher Predator and His Gang is a combination memoir and exposé written by Christa Brown, an anti-clergy-sex-abuse activist.

 

Brown tells her own story of being sexually abused by a youth minister at the Texas Southern Baptist church of her childhood and how years later as an adult she met a bureaucratic response when trying to warn denominational officials there might be a sexual predator in their midst.

 

'Daunting' Scriptures Get Another Comic-Book Look 

 

If you are not content with what you have, you'll never be content with what you want.

 

Think on These Things

SBC Overwhelmingly Approves GCR Task Force

By James A. Smith Sr., Editor, Florida Baptist Witness

Southern Baptist Convention messengers June 23 overwhelmingly approved a motion authorizing their president, Johnny Hunt, to appoint a task force to study how Southern Baptists can work “more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.”

 

Stetzer Predicts Dramatic Decline for SBC without Action
By Rob Phillips, LifeWay Christian Resources
Southern Baptist membership will fall nearly 50 percent by 2050 unless the aging and predominantly white denomination reverses a 50-year trend and does more to strengthen evangelism, reach immigrants, and develop a broader ethnic base, according to data just released by LifeWay Research.

 

Study Probes Reasons People Are Leaving Christian Churches
By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service
Think former parishioners have left the pews because of sex scandals? Or because they no longer believe in God?

While some have departed for those reasons, the vast majority of former Catholics and former Protestants who now are unaffiliated with any faith have “just gradually drifted away,” the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reported.

The new analysis, called “Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.,” found 71 percent of both former Catholics and former Protestants said their decision to leave happened over time, unprompted by any one-time event.

Research Reveals: No Substitute for a Personal Invitation to Church
By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service
An invitation from a family member or friend is the most effective way to get people to attend church, a new survey shows, casting doubt on several time-tested methods used by churches to attract new members.

The other approaches—from broadcast commercials to information packets left on doorknobs—are far less effective, LifeWay Research reports.

A majority of respondents—67 percent—said an invitation from a family member was either somewhat or very effective. Likewise, 63 percent said an invitation from a friend or neighbor was effective.

In contrast, just 33 percent said an invitation left on a door hanger would be effective, while 31 percent said door-to-door visits from a church or faith community member would be effective.

Ministry Expansion Doesn’t Always Lead to Attendance Growth

By Mark Kelly

Two-thirds of all Protestant churches have expanded their ministry space or outlets in the past five years. Two of these types of expansion correspond to higher levels of growth in church attendance: adding a worship service and building new space on site. Five other types tested showed no significant relationship with growth.

 

Avoid Liability Lawsuits by Keeping Volunteer Driver Records: Simple, Quick Ways to Set Up and Maintain Your Volunteer Driver Files

It takes as little as 30 minutes to set up a simple vehicle recordkeeping system for volunteer drivers. This investment in time could significantly reduce your litigation liability in the event of an accident.

 

 

In vain does any man pretend that he will be a martyr for his religion, when he will not rule an appetite, nor restrain a lust, nor subdue a passion, nor cross his covetousness and ambition, for the sake of it, and in hope of that eternal life “which God that cannot lie hath promised." He that refuseth to do the less is not likely to do the greater. It is very improbable that a man will die for his religion, when he cannot be persuaded to live according to it. He that cannot take up a resolution to live a saint, hath a demonstration within himself, that he is never like to die a martyr.
... John Tillotson (1630-1694), Works of Dr. John Tillotson

 

For Those Who Endured to the End

Buddy and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year, and every year Buddy would say, "Edna, I'd like to ride in that helicopter."

Edna always replied, "I know Buddy, but that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks."

One year Buddy and Edna went to the fair, and Buddy said, "Edna, I'm 85 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance."

To this, Edna replied, "Buddy, that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks."

The pilot overheard the couple and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word, I won't charge you a penny! But if you say one word it's fifty dollars."

Buddy and Edna agreed and up they went.

The pilot did all kinds of crazy maneuvers, but not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, trying to elicit even a peep, but still not a word!

When they landed, the pilot turned to Buddy and said, "I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I am impressed!"

Buddy replied, "Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Edna fell out, but you know, fifty bucks is fifty bucks!"

I Love This Doctor
 Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
 A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
 
 Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
 A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
 
 Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
 A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
 
 Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
 A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!
 
 Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
 A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! ..... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

 Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
 A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
 
 Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
 A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans ! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!
 
 Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
 A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
 
 Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
 A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!
 
 Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
 
 And remember:
 Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO, What a Ride!” 
 AND.....
 
 For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
 
 1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
 
 2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
 
 3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
 
 4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
 
 5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
 
 CONCLUSION
 Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.