E-Letter
July 2010
News and information about the Santa Fe River Baptist Association—and more
Prepared by Wayne Harvey, Director of Missions
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My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.
U.S. Sen. Carl Schurz (1829–1906) |
The Christian is the real radical of our generation, for he stands against the monolithic, modern concept of truth as relative. But too often, instead of being the radical, standing against the shifting sands of relativism, he subsides into merely maintaining the status quo. If it is true that evil is evil, that God hates it to the point of the cross, and that there is a moral law fixed in what God is in Himself, then Christians should be the first into the field against what is wrong.
... Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984)
News from Your Association—and More
Gainesville Fire Assessment Fee Will Hurt Churches
Several pastors in our association and I have attended recent meetings of the Gainesville City Commission to address the issue of assessing churches and other non-profit organizations in Gainesville to pay for fire services, something never done before.
Greg Magruder, pastor at Parkview Church, Gainesville, has learned that his church’s fee will cost over $2000, an amount that will cut deeply into their benevolence and local ministry funds, he says. In addition, the Salvation Army, one of the primary agencies serving the homeless and the poor in our county, will pay over $10,000 in fire fees. He adds that the city claims it will have a projected deficit of $7.5 million next year but the fire assessment fee on religious institutions and non-profits will only raise $126,000 of that amount, a drop in the bucket by comparison yet a significant amount for the churches.
We have met and written to the city commissioners but more people need to register their outrage with this awful step by the commission. Plan to bring a group from your church to the next city commission meeting July 15 at 1 p.m. and urge our city commissioners to change their plans for the sake of the many who will fail to receive ministry from our churches because of this appalling fee. For information about the next meeting, visit the city commission web site.
From Your Church and Community Ministries Director
Our Mobile Dental Clinic went great! We served about 60 people during the week of June 1-4. We had five area dentists who attended to the dental needs of the clients. Thank you, First Baptist Church of Alachua, for allowing us to park the dental bus at your church and using your youth house for client intake procedures. Thank you, volunteers, for helping up with this ministry. There were many opportunities for evangelistic encounters that resulted in two salvations. Praise the Lord!
The Summit Church hosted a children’s program at the Alachua Apartments. As you can see by the pictures, we had a great time. The children enjoyed a Bible puppet show as well as games. We had thirty in attendance.
The North Central and Forest Grove churches both had a children’s ministry at Tree Trail Apartments. Thirty children participated in Bible study, crafts, and games. Two salvations were reported during the ministry. Thank you, Lord!
Our upcoming backpack giveaway will be our next major endeavor. Last year we gave away 75 backpacks to the Alachua Apartments and Tower Road Triangle area. If your church or group would like to take part in this, please contact me at the association office.
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Alachua Apartments |
Tree Trail Apartments |
Serving the Lord together in the Gainesville area,
Vicki Lawrence
Many Thanks . . .
Go to Charles Litzell (pastor, New Cross Creek Church) for bringing a team of helpers to cut up and remove seven large oak trees that fell behind our association building several weeks ago. Helping Charles were Mitchell Bryant of Union Baptist Church in Newberry and Neil Hamill of FBC, Trenton, both in the Harmony Association, and Richard Ridaught of New Cross Creek Church.
Thank you for your church’s contributions to your association |
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Member Churches |
June ‘10 |
Year to date |
1 |
Alachua First |
228.97 |
2,444.47 |
2 |
Antioch |
456.81 |
4,015.40 |
3 |
Centerpoint Christian |
0.00 |
250.00 |
4 |
Country Crossroads |
106.61 |
390.82 |
5 |
Eden |
0.00 |
1,837.09 |
6 |
Eliam |
1,500.00 |
12,870.45 |
7 |
Evangelica |
0.00 |
2,029.57 |
8 |
Faith-Tabernacle |
0.00 |
0.00 |
9 |
Fellowship |
0.00 |
1,410.36 |
10 |
Forest Grove |
650.00 |
5,850.00 |
11 |
Gainesville First |
402.18 |
3,564.11 |
12 |
Grace |
158.43 |
1,226.88 |
13 |
Hague |
148.31 |
972.72 |
14 |
Hawthorne First |
100.00 |
662.06 |
15 |
High Springs First |
1,937.74 |
12,934.71 |
16 |
Island Grove |
0.00 |
0.00 |
17 |
Journey |
0.00 |
0.00 |
18 |
Korean |
0.00 |
0.00 |
19 |
Lake Butler First |
200.00 |
1,800.00 |
20 |
Lake Forest |
128.00 |
1,144.90 |
21 |
Lighthouse |
0.00 |
564.95 |
22 |
Living Covenant |
159.45 |
1,358.13 |
23 |
Mount Carmel |
0.00 |
0.00 |
24 |
New Hope |
0.00 |
744.00 |
25 |
North Central |
569.53 |
4,732.01 |
26 |
North Pleasant Grove |
116.18 |
1,122.85 |
27 |
Northwest |
533.81 |
5,032.26 |
28 |
Oak Park |
1,048.00 |
5,061.39 |
29 |
Ochwilla |
100.00 |
450.00 |
30 |
Parkview |
0.00 |
4,362.15 |
31 |
Pine Grove |
0.00 |
1,204.59 |
32 |
Pleasant Hill Missionary |
0.00 |
0.00 |
33 |
Ridgeview |
559.61 |
2,435.17 |
34 |
River Cross |
320.00 |
2,914.00 |
35 |
Santa Fe |
105.72 |
1,647.80 |
36 |
Sardis |
400.00 |
1,800.00 |
37 |
Waldo First |
0.00 |
5,429.00 |
38 |
Westside |
3,821.14 |
34,028.83 |
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Affiliated Churches |
|
|
39 |
Harvest |
0.00 |
0.00 |
40 |
Hispana, Alachua |
0.00 |
0.00 |
41 |
Hispana, Archer Road |
0.00 |
18.76 |
42 |
Hispana, Gainesville |
0.00 |
150.00 |
43 |
Hispana, Santa Fe |
0.00 |
127.42 |
44 |
Journey of the Word |
0.00 |
250.50 |
45 |
Linton Oaks |
0.00 |
0.00 |
46 |
Micanopy |
313.80 |
2,680.75 |
47 |
New Cross Creek |
0.00 |
0.00 |
48 |
The Summit |
368.08 |
722.76 |
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Totals |
$14,432.37 |
$130,240.86 |
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Monthly needs:
$15,688.00
Percentage of budget received to date:
92.24 % |
Budget needs through June
$141,192.00 |
Giving under budget through
June:
$10,951.14 |
Christ did not die for society, but for humanity.
... Kathryn Lindskoog (1934-2003), C. S. Lewis, Mere Christian
News and Information from Our Churches
Church Vacation Bible School Dates
If you would like to know more about any church’s VBS, check our association web site for church contact information.
Northwest |
July 11-15 |
Hawthorne |
July 11-15 |
Alachua First |
July 12-16 |
Pine Grove |
July 12-16 |
High Springs First |
July 19-23 |
Waldo |
July 25-30 |
Fellowship |
July 26-30 |
Living Covenant |
August 1-5 |
River Cross |
August 1-5 |
North Central |
August 2-6 |
Forest Grove |
August 2-6 |
Our churches without pastors: Journey and North Pleasant Grove
Short Notes from Some of Our New Churches:
- Attendance and membership at New Cross Creek Church continues to rise regularly. A week ago, about ninety people attended the Sunday morning worship service. The church and their partner church, Woodlawn Church of Hawthorne, have collected nearly $100,000 to apply to the cost of the building in which they meet, the site of the old Cross Creek Church. They expect to close on the purchase in July and will need to borrow only $100,000. Charles Litzell is pastor.
- The Church at Linton Oaks has outgrown its meeting place in only four months. Last Sunday they had standing-room-only with sixty people present. They are continuing their after-school tutoring program for neighborhood children three days a week for four hours daily during the summer and five days a week during the school year. Arthur Clark is pastor at Linton Oaks and at Harvest Church in downtown Gainesville.
- The Summit Church, meeting in the Seventh Day Adventist conference center in High Springs, is near capacity with more than eighty people worshiping there each Sunday. Rick Lawrence is pastor.
New Pastor Begins at Northwest Church
Pr. Craig Canton began his ministry at Northwest in June. During his nearly twenty years in ministry, he has served and led churches in Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio and has earned degrees at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min., 2009), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. BL, 2000), and Baylor University (B.A., 1994). He and his wife Melinda met while attending Baylor University. The Cantons have two daughters, Katie and Cameron. Most recently, he was pastor in Westminster, S.C. Welcome to the Cantons!
First Church Lake Butler is seeking a full-time youth pastor. Resumes should be sent to Jason Johns, Pastor, 195 E. Main St., Lake Butler, FL 32054.
July Birthdays of Pastors, Church Staff, and Their Spouses
(If you would like your pastor or staff members’ special dates to be noted here, please send us the information and we will be happy to include them.)
1 Pam Slocumb (wife of pastor), Pine Grove
2 Tom Grubbs (recreation/sports), Westside
3 Aimee Stewart (children), Oak Park
4 Tia Mosby (wife of music/education), Northwest
6 Pr. Ray Debusk, Country Crossroads
7 Tania Chesser (wife of pastor), Forest Grove
10 Pr. Danny Austin, Oak Park
11 Shane Johnson (children/youth/families), Parkview
13 Pr. Jason Johns, Lake Butler First
13 Pr. Calvin Carr, North Central
14 Vicki Lawrence, (church and community ministries), association
16 Matthew Braddy (husband of pianist), Forest Grove
18 Johnnie Cellon (husband of ministry assistant), Forest Grove
22 Anabel Colon (wife of pastor), Hispana Santa Fe
23 Marvena Goodwin (wife of pastor), Ochwilla
28 Bill Smith (husband of ministry assistant), Grace
31 June Gilly (pianist), Parkview
July 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
14 Pr. Dean and Pam Slocumb, Pine Grove
19 Pr. Jim and Terry Riley, Grace
19 Pr. Jim and Pala DuBois, Waldo First
July Work Anniversary
Vicki Lawrence (church and community ministries), association, July 15, 2007
We Express Our Sympathy to . . .
Pr. Jim Riley (pastor, Grace Church, Gainesville) in the death of his mother, Syble Riley, a long-time active member of Ridgeview Church, Gainesville.
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Free Community Concert, La Crosse Church
La Crosse Baptist Church, 5700 NW 203rd Place, La Crosse (Map)
Friday, July 2, 6:00 p.m. – Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating
Youth Night Out – Free Concert!
Featuring contemporary Christian artist: Jake Cogan (at left)
Jake will be opening for Christian artist Jason Gray in August
Jake, who is an Eagle Scout, will be accompanied by teen evangelist Robby Brown
Full-service concession stand - food and drinks
Listen to Jake’s music at Facebook.com |
If something I am asked to do for another feels burdensome; if, yielding to an inward unwillingness, I avoid doing it, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
... Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)
Think on These Things
YouTube is a popular destination for kids, but not all the content there is kid-appropriate. So, send your toddlers and tweens to Kideos instead. The site serves up thousands of child-friendly videos, from Animaniacs to Pixar shorts to Sesame Street to Word Girl.
All you do is click an age group (0-2, 3-4, 5-6, etc.), then choose a "featured video" to watch or click into any of the dozens of available "channels." There is also a search option. When you click a video, you are presented with a simple player and none of the often-disturbing user comments commonly found on YouTube.
Do You Know if Your Church Insurance Is Adequate?
'U.N.' of Faith Groups Provide Aid When Disaster Strikes
A majority of this article from the Associated Press describes disaster relief being done by Southern Baptists.
Organic Church Effectiveness Comes From Relationships
An objective observer is hard put to tell the difference (at least in terms of values affirmed) between the church members and those who maintain an “unchurched” status. Usually the most that can be said is that the church members hold the same values as everybody else, but with more emphatic solemnity. Thus, church membership in no way means adherence to a set of values at variance with those of the general society; rather, it means a stronger and more explicitly religious affirmation of the same values held by the community at large.
... Peter L. Berger (b. 1929)
For Those Who Endured to the End
Unusual Church Buildings around the Word
(Thanks to Doug Felton for these pictures and descriptions.)
Harajuku: Japanese Futuristic Church
This futuristic church is located in Tokyo and was first unveiled in 2005. The ceiling is specially made to reverberate natural sound for two seconds to provide a unique listening experience for worshipers and tourists.
Hallgrímskirkja Church is a Lutheran parish church located in Reykjavak, Iceland. At 244 ft., it is the fourth tallest architectural structure, the largest church, and the most recognizable landmark in Iceland. The design of the church was commissioned in 1937 and it was finished 38 years later.
The Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida in the capital of Brazil is made of 16 identical assembled concrete columns. These columns, having hyperbolic sections and weighing 90 tons, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven.
Chapel of St-Gildas sits on the bank of the Canal du Blavet in Brittany, France. Built like a stone barn into the base of a bare rocky cliff, this was once a holy place of the Druids. St. Gildas traveled widely throughout the Celtic world of Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He arrived in Brittany in about AD 540 and preached Christianity to the people from a rough pulpit, now contained within the chapel.
Borgund Stave Church in Laœrdal is the best preserved of Norway's 28 extant stave churches. This wooden church, probably built in the end of the 12th century, has not changed structure or had a major reconstruction since the day it was built.
THOUGHTS ON EXERCISE
~ I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently, you have to show up.
~ If God meant us to touch our toes, he would have put them farther up our body.
~ I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
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Safe Exercise Program
I tried it, I liked it, and you will too! The older we get the more important it is to incorporate exercise into our daily routine. This is necessary to maintain cardiovascular health and maintain muscle mass.
If you're over 40, you might want to take it easy at first, then do more repetitions as you become more proficient and build stamina. Warning: It may be too strenuous for some.
Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program!
FIRST, SCROLL DOWN...
NOW SCROLL UP…
That's enough for the first day. Great job!
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