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The Newsletter of First Baptist Church Halifax Vol. 21 No. 3 October 2011

Where Faith Comes To Life!

THANKSGIVING IS THANKS-LIVING!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in

all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

O ver the years I have read these verses many

times, and even preached on them once or

twice, yet I do not believe I understand fully what St.

Paul was getting at. It seems strange, for example,

that he would command another person to rejoice.

After all, whether or not we feel joy or sorrow, or

something in between, is not always under our

control. As well, if you think about it, praying

without ceasing is impossible for most, if not all, of

us - there is just too much else going on in our lives!

To give thanks in all circumstances is surely an

equally impossible command, simply because some

circumstances are so terrible as to offer no visible

reason for thanksgiving.

So, what do you do when you find that the wisdom

of the Bible is not resonating with your own

experience or conventional wisdom? The obvious

answer is to ignore it. The more fruitful answer

would be to go deeper.

One way of doing this (and I hope you will find

others) is to think of these “commands” from Paul as

“invitations” to discover something we were not

aware of in our lives, especially in the tough times -

a reason to rejoice, to pray and to give thanks!

When particularly difficult times come along, the

loss of a job, serious illness, the death of a loved one,

our first response is not to rejoice. In fact, rejoicing

may not be our second, third or fourth response!

Continued on page 2

PASSING IT ON…

“It only takes a spark to get a fire going,

And soon all those around can

warm up in its glowing;

That's how it is with God's love,

Once you've experienced it,

Your spread the love to everyone

You want to pass it on…”

S o begin the words of Pass It On, a song I first

learned as a child at summer camp. I smile as I

realize just how much we as a congregation are living

those words in so many dimensions of our life togeth-

er. This fall, we have rejuvenated our Church School

ministry with a change to engaging SPARK curricu-

lum, as well as presenting each of our children with

their very own Bible (the proceeds of the Plant Sale

at work!). Already, positive comments are coming

from parents about how their children’s interest has

been piqued.

In recent weeks I have heard heartwarming refer-

ences to the contributions First Baptist has made to

the work of the Youth Project and Family SOS, or-

ganizations that have expressed appreciation for fi-

nancial support, yes, but even more for our affirma-

tion and value of their work. Once again we are part-

nering with Parker Street Food Bank who will benefit

from proceeds of the Harvest Supper at a time when

the need is great. The level of interest for volunteer-

ing at the Brunswick Street Breakfast and St. An-

drew’s ARK Suppers has never been higher. May we

continue these significant partnerships

within our community!

Continued on page 2

Page 2

THANKSGIVING IS THANKS-LIVING! Continued from page 1

Nonetheless, it has been my experience as a pastor

and in my personal life that even in the darkest

moments there can be light - the understanding of a

friend, the gift of a particular memory, the receipt

of a card, the presence of a loved one - and in that

light one’s heart is lifted and joy, albeit bittersweet,

seeps in. At these times I, too, can say, this is the

will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Similarly, when we are going along in daily life from

busyness to more busyness and from deadline to

deadline, it is not unusual to become myopic and even

cranky under the burden of responsibility. Here is

where the words of the old hymn become so relevant -

Count your many blessings, name them one by one... .

Sometimes we call this “lifting our heads above water”,

or “stopping to smell the roses”. Whatever we call it,

the reality is that when we count our blessings we soon

find our spirits lifting again and our hearts suddenly

warming with gratitude. It is possible to give thanks in

all circumstances! As I look at the blessings in my life,

I can surely say, this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

for you.

Sandwiched between the invitations to “rejoice” and

“give thanks” is what may be Paul’s deepest wisdom -

pray without ceasing. But let’s be clear - this is not

about giving up your vocation, your family, your social

life and your home so you can enter a monastery! No,

this is about an orientation or an attitude in the midst of

life. Here is how it works: we let our lives be shaped by

this question, Is what I am doing right now something I

can offer to God as worship?

Yes, working can be prayer, studying can be prayer,

doing household chores can be prayer, caring for

children or elderly parents can be prayer, serving in

government can be prayer, etc. The point is not that we

suddenly become pious or constantly seek a “place” to

pray, but that we orient ourselves so that our daily life

becomes a prayer without ceasing. In this we will

discover joy that can never be fully taken away and find

a host of reasons to give thanks.

Rev. John E. Boyd

Senior Minister

PASSING IT ON … Continued from page 1

Sept. 19, I took part in a Children’s Ministry training

seminar offered at Birch Cove Baptist Church, where

about fifty people from across the HRUBA gathered

to learn and share experiences in connecting children

with the broader congregation. We were told that one

of the greatest predictors for ongoing engagement of

children and youth in the life of the church is oppor-

tunities for intergenerational fellowship where they

are able to see adults significantly involved and shar-

ing what their faith means to them, and feel that they

belong, as a family, to the wider church community.

This is another area of our ministry where we are do-

ing well and moving forward – our young families

felt this need several years ago, and now the Intergen-

erational Family Fellowship that meets monthly for

potluck, fun, and discussion is one of our most vi-

brant ministries.

The opportunities for learning and growing are many.

Come and join us on Sunday mornings for thoughtful,

meaningful worship and uplifting music. Share in

spirited discussion with the Saving Jesus study group

on Wednesday nights. Learn some of the background

for the Gospel of Mark with the Tuesday morning

Bible Study group beginning on September 27th.

Wherever you choose to feel the spark of God’s love

within you, what matters is that you find a way to

pass it on.

Rev. Renée Clark, Associate Minister: C.E.

Page 3

BE YE THANKFUL

A few days from now we are going to have

Thanksgiving Day. The first Thanksgiving in

North America was celebrated by the Pilgrims in

1621. President Lincoln declared a national day of

Thanksgiving in 1863. Long before Thanksgiving

was a 'day,' it was given to us in the Bible as a re-

sponsibility, as a duty, as an exercise in obedience.

God's Word says, Be ye thankful (Colossians 3:15b,

KJV).

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to

an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying

to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Fro-

bisher's Thanksgiving was not for harvest but home-

coming. He had safely returned from a search for

the Northwest Passage. In 1578, he held a formal

ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for sur-

viving the long journey. The feast was one of the

first Thanksgiving celebrations by Europeans in

North America..

After the American Revolution, American refugees

who remained loyal to Great Britain moved from

the newly independent United States and came to

Canada. They brought the customs and practices of

the American Thanksgiving to Canada.

The first Thanksgiving Day after Canadian Confed-

eration was observed as a civic holiday on April 5,

1872 to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of

Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious ill-

ness.

Starting in 1879, Thanksgiving Day was observed

every year, but the date was initially a Thursday in

November. The date of celebration changed several

times until, in 1957, it was officially declared to be

the second Monday in October.

In Colossians 3:15 the author writes: And let the

peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also

you are called in one body and be ye thankful. Let

us look at those last three words.

Thanksgiving is all over the Bible. The children of

Israel had special days of thanksgiving when they

were to come before the Lord and express their grati-

tude and appreciation to Him. In fact, some of the

Levites were set aside particularly to lead God's peo-

ple in the exercise of thanksgiving. Then when you

pick up the Jewish hymnbook, the book of Psalms in

your Bible, you will find out that there are many of

those psalms that are dedicated to the theme of

thanksgiving. We are to enter into his courts with

praise and with thanksgiving. Many times, in the

book of Psalms, it says, O give thanks unto the Lord,

for He is good.

Then you go to the New Testament and you just find

it scattered all over the New Testament. You will

find that thanksgiving is connected with prayer. Je-

sus, when He prayed before meals, would give

thanks to the Heavenly Father. When Jesus broke the

bread in the last supper, the Bible says that He gave

thanks and He broke the bread. The Apostle Paul, in

prayer, would give thanks. He wrote, I thank my God

upon every remembrance of you, always in every

request of mine with thanksgiving. So, prayer is a

part of thanksgiving.

Praise is a part of thanksgiving. When we praise the

Lord, one of the things we do, one of the ingredients

of our praise to the Lord is our gratitude and our

thanksgiving. Hebrews 13:15 says, Let us therefore

offer unto him our sacrifice to God continually. That

is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

So, prayer and thanksgiving go together. Praise and

thanksgiving go together. Be ye thankful.

May there be a flood of thanksgiving (II Corinthians

9:12, NEB) for all the blessings we have received.

Rev. Nelson A. Metcalfe,

Minister of Visitation

Page 4

Saving Jesus

Last winter and spring we began a study called Saving Jesus Redux, a 12-session DVD-based series from Living the Questions that explores what a credible

Jesus looks like for the third millennium. Contributors include Brian

McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, Robin Meyers, Marcus Borg, Walter Brueggemann, John Dominic Crossan, Matthew Fox, Amy-Jill Levine, and a host of other theologians, scholars, and pastors.

In September we resumed the study. It doesn’t take long to “catch up”, so don’t worry about whether you have participated before! Each 1½ hour session includes conversation around the readings in your participant guide, a 30-minute video segment, and guided discussion.

Join us on Wednesdays at 7 pm for Saving Jesus Redux and be a part of saving a

relevant Jesus for today!

THE ANNUAL FIRST BAPTIST

CHRISTMAS TEA AND SALE 2011

P reparations and plans are well under way for

this year’s “Tea and Sale”. Please make note

on your calendars Saturday, November 5, 2-4:30

p.m. This event is our biggest fund raiser and thus

requires the greatest involvement, commitment and

support from our congregation and extended church

family! We need whatever amount of “time, treas-

ure, and talent” which you can give. Be it great or

small we need it all!

Our members and friends have been busy but could

definitely use your help. All crafters are invited to

donate any examples of their creative efforts; knit-

ting, crocheting tatting, rug hooking etc. Donations

of baked goods, books, craft supplies, Christmas

decorations, jewelry, and items for the “new to you”

table are needed. Please note that the craft supplies

and Christmas decorations are new requests this

year. Any glass, crystal, paintings, silver, or antiques

suitable for the silent auction are also welcome.

Please note that items which are designated for the

“Silent Auction” need to be appraised. Therefore, as

this takes a bit of time in order to ensure that all ap-

praisals are accurate, it would be appreciated if you

could donate your auction items sooner than later.

Tax receipts for the selling price are issued to the

donors of those items We are very appreciative to

receive all of these items which you have been so

kindly storing for us in your homes and cottages just

waiting for the opportunity to donate them for such

a worthy cause.

In as much as there is a tremendous amount of lifting

required, from tea cups to tables, there are even more

uplifting moments filled with fun (uncontrollable

laughter), friendship (new and renewed), and that

joyful fellowship comes from working together to

achieve a common goal. Proceeds from this event

are used to support not only the “upkeep” of the

church, but also the “upkeep” of those individuals

and groups who benefit from our continued efforts

on their behalf.

INTERGENERATIONAL

FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

T he Inter-generational Family Fellowship meets

on the first Saturday of the month, generally

5:30-8:00 p.m., at the homes of various members or

occasionally at the church.

The format consists of a potluck supper or cost-

shared pizza, followed by an hour of adult discussion

and prayer time, while the children are supervised in

play or watch a child-friendly program in a separate

room. We have mainly been viewing the NOOMA

DVD series http://nooma.com by Pastor Rob Bell ,

in which he gives a thought-provoking reflection on

an issue in the day-to-day struggles of modern Chris-

tians, with references to passages in Scripture.

New members of all ages are always welcome! The

next meeting will be Saturday, October 1, 5:30pm at

the home of the Sampsons. For more information,

contact Sandy Yip at amyip@eastlink.ca.

Page 5

Tickets are presently available from the church

office and from our Ticket Convenors, Warren

and Esther Hoeg, who will have tickets available

during coffee and Conversation. After September

27, tickets will also be available from members of

the Women’s Auxiliary. Tickets are $5.00 each or

6 for $25.00.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on

November 5!

Marjorie Stevenson and Robin MacInnis

443-1670 422-6238

CRAFT GROUP NEWS

The ladies of the Monday Dorcas group, and the

Wednesday Craft Group, have been working all

year on projects for the Tea and Sale.

The Convenors of this table would be pleased to

accept donations of knitted and sewn articles and

any other crafted items.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Johanne McKee

CRAFT SUPPLY TABLE

A new feature to be added to the Tea and Sale

this year is a display of craft supplies for sale.

This will be of particular interest to tole painters,

needle craft fans, knitters, sewers, rug hooking,

etc.

There will also be craft books, magazines and

material for sale. If any “crafter” has such items

they no longer need, please consider donating

them to this new project.

THANKSGIVING OFFERING

A n offering envelope is enclosed with this edi-

tion of First Baptist Voices so that you can par-

ticipate in our annual Thanksgiving Offering. Three

times a year (Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas)

we seek a special offering in addition to our Sunday

giving as a way of highlighting the importance of

these seasons in our life of faith. All three offerings

go directly to our budgeted ministries and are crucial

for meeting the challenges we set for ourselves each

year. The fall is a good time to remind ourselves of

these challenges and of the exciting ministries we

support through our congregation, our Baptist con-

nections and in community outreach. If you have

any questions about our ministries, pick up a copy of

the latest Annual Report, or speak directly to one of

the Ministers, a Deacon, or the Chair of our Finance

Committee, Bill MacInnis. Please join with us in

using the gifts God has given us to do the work God

is calling us to do!

ST. LUKE SERVICE

A highlight of our fall is the annual St. Luke’s

Service when members of the medical commu-

nity, the Dalhousie Medical School and the Dalhou-

sie Medical Chorale join us for worship.

This year’s service will be held on October 23rd at

10:30 a.m. and our guest speaker will be Dr. Drew

Bethune. Dr. Bethune, MD MSc FRCSC FCCP, is

Assistant Professor of Surgery and Head, Division of

Thoracic Surgery for Dalhousie Medical School.

Drew is well known to us, having grown up as part

of First Baptist and now serving as one of our Dea-

cons.

Also participating in the service will be readers from

the various classes and the Chorale. The Children’s

Story will be told by Ellen

Boyd, a second year medi-

cal student, who spent the

summer in southern Africa

in an educational program

sponsored by Doctors

Nova Scotia.

Page 6

50 YEARS AGO: LOOKING BACK TO 1961

REACHING OUT

A lthough the Tom Allen Mission and the Afri-

cville Project were the most visible, the con-

gregation reached out in other ways, too. The Dea-

cons set a goal of $13,000 for the Missionary and

Extension Fund, which was exceeded. For Acadia,

the congregation raised $1500. There was strong

support for the Churches in New Communities Pro-

ject. H.E. Crowell helped raise over $2000 assist

the new Birch Cove Baptist Church.

Missionary work was important to the con-

gregation. Mrs. Neil Price, Superintendent of the

Home Mission, came to speak to the Women’s Mis-

sionary Society, which had 146 members. At anoth-

er meeting of the WMS, Mrs. Philip DeLong spoke

about her missionary work in India. Miss Gene

Morrison led a study group for the Senior CGIT to

share what she had learned about Russia during her

recent visit to Moscow. Miss Maxine Morse re-

turned from the worldwide convention of Baptists in

Japan and had a slide show for the CGIT. Miss

Sandra Morse wore a kimono and sang a Japanese

song. Jean Smith used the Japanese theme for the

Mother/Daughter CGIT banquet.

Earl Dexter, as Superintendent of the

Church School, organized a training session for

teachers which included a visit to the Beth Israel

Synagogue.

Other groups that received support from the

congregation included: Grenfell Mission, Maritime

Home for Girls, NS Temperance Foundation, Home

for Coloured Children, Camp Hill, Red Cross, For-

eign Mission, and World Refugee.

Elsewhere in the world, John F. Kennedy

was inaugurated and spoke: “Ask not what your

country can do for you; but what you can do for

your country.” Basque terrorists derailed a train in

Spain. The first hijacked commercial flight landed

in Cuba. Adolf Eichmann was hanged for war

crimes committed during World War II. And in

Canada, the New Democratic Party was created by

the merger of the Cooperative Commonwealth Fed-

eration (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress.

Research by Ed Tummers

“MEN WITHOUT JACKETS”

C alling all male voices. Our Men’s Choir, called

“Men Without Jackets” starts a new season this

fall. Rehearsal last Saturday of each month from

10:00 am until noon.

Schedule

Sat Sep 24 Rehearsal

Sat Oct 29 Rehearsal

Sun Oct 30 Church Service

Sat Nov 26 Rehearsal

Sun Dec 17 Victoria Hall

Sun Dec 17 Carols by Candlelight

Sat Jan 28 Rehearsal

Fri Feb 10 Valentine’s Supper

Sat Feb 25 Rehearsal

Sun Feb 26 Church Service

Sat Mar 24 Rehearsal

Sun Mar 25 Afternoon Hymn Sing with RCCO

Sat Apr 28 Rehearsal

Sat May 26 Rehearsal

Sun May 27 Church Service

Remember, we call ourselves "Men Without Jackets"

because God never said we needed to dress up to

sing his praises.

For further information, contact our Director of Mu-

sic, Lynette Wahlstrom.

Men Without Jackets: Luke Morrison, Bryan Darrell,

David Morse, Mac Philips, Ian McKee, Jim Stanley,

David Bourque, Alan Manchester, Erick Lee, Joe

O’Brien, Brian Ashton, Ken Margeson, Nelson

Metcalfe, David Dexter, Paul Henderson, John Dal-

ton, David Gibson, Garnet Colwell, Rex Deverell,

Tom Crowell, Alan North, Jeremy Dutcher, Gordon

Taylor, Kim Davison, Ed Tummers, Dahrl Whitney,

Richard MacMichael, Guest organists, Patrick Salah,

Shawn Whynot.

Page 7

Dedications Anais Young Cherin, September 4, 2011

Emmanuel and Vick yCherin

Grandparents—Alex and Diana Young

Weddings Sherwin Chan & Eun-Ju Kim, July 30

Barry Connors & Leanne Colley, Aug. 6

Andrew White & Blair McIntyre, Sept. 10

Philip Aulenback & Michael Best, Sept. 24

David Allen & Mari Tanaka Allen, Sept. 24

Robert & Susie (Cruess) Ammerman, Oct. 1

Baptisms

Adrien Mopoho, June 12

Amanda Ballam, Aug. 28

Accepted into Membership Tom Murdoch, June 12

Natalie Corbitt Sampson, June 12

Shealagh McGrath, Aug. 28

GIVING THROUGH

PREAUTHORIZED GIVING

D o you know that your weekly offering may be

given through First Baptist’s preauthorized of-

fering plan? (POP)

This plan offers you a convenient way to give regu-

larly and provides the church with a dependable and

consistent flow of income to meet budget commit-

ments throughout the year.

When you enroll, you simply authorize your bank to

debit to your account the amount you wish to give on

a monthly basis. This means that your annual giving

will be reflected in twelve monthly gifts, and you will

receive your tax receipt at year end.

Preauthorized giving is confidential and you are free

to adjust your level of giving , in writing, at any time.

Those who are already committed to giving through

this Plan are pleased at how easy it is to participate

and to support the work of the church in this way.

Why not contact the Church Office (422-5203) to

find out how you may become part of preauthorized

giving at First Baptist Church.

DESTINATIONS I have been to a lot of places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with some-one. I've also never been in Cognito, either. I hear no one recognizes you there. I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips, thanks to my friends and family. I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump and I'm not much on physi-cal activity.

First Baptist Church Halifax

Children’s Choirs

Two new choirs have begun rehearsals, in

the Sanctuary, following the service.

Songsters: Ages 7—12 years

Marshmallow Choir: Ages 3—6 years

We plan to participate in some Sunday Ser-

vices and our annual Carol Service.

Come have fun, learn some music, and

bring a friend! New members welcome!

Page 8

CHILDREN’S PAGE

Page 9

ABF TO CELEBRATE

ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

I t was in the fall of 1971 that a group of pastors

and lay persons formed the Atlantic Baptist Fel-

lowship in response to certain decisions taken by the

United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces

(now the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches).

Of greatest concern were two decisions, one to with-

draw from the Canadian Council of Churches and

other formal ecumenical involvement, and one to

require local churches to choose only persons bap-

tized by immersion as their Convention delegates.

Our early ABF leaders believed that ecumenical re-

lationships were vital for the future of Christianity,

and that local Baptist congregations, several of

which had open membership policies that welcomed

Christians baptized by means other than immersion,

were best suited to decide who their delegates would

be.

Over the last 40 years the ABF has championed ecu-

menism, Baptist freedoms, local church autonomy,

engagement in social justice issues and, above all,

provided a “safe place” for diverse Baptists to meet,

discuss and grow in faith and fellowship.

First Baptist Church Halifax will host the 40th Anni-

versary celebrations of the ABF on the weekend of

September 30th - October 1st. The guest speaker will

be the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, Senior Minister of

the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington,

DC.

Dr. Haggray, the first African American to hold this

pulpit, is an American Baptist pastor who has

worked collaboratively with a variety of Baptist or-

ganizations, including the Progressive National Bap-

tist Convention, the American Baptist Convention,

the Southern Baptist Convention and the Alliance of

Baptists. He will be speaking on Being Baptist in a

Changing World, giving particular attention to being

a Baptist Congregation and being a Baptist Leader.

In business sessions the ABF will present a revised

constitution and a motion to incorporate under the

Society’s Act of Nova Scotia. Included in the new

constitution will be authorization to develop a pro-

cess for the accreditation of ministers, something

that will be vital for First Baptist in the years ahead.

First Baptist Church Halifax has been a member of

the ABF since its beginning. All members of the

congregation are invited and encouraged to attend

all sessions. In particular, you are invited to come to

the Anniversary Banquet on the Friday night, which

is being catered, where you will hear stories, meet

many friends from around the province, and hear

Dr. Haggray’s first address. Registration, including

the Friday banquet, is only $25 for the weekend,

and you can register by calling the Church Office or

emailing abf@ns.sympatico.ca. More details are on

our church website.

Dr. Jeffrey Haggray will

also preach at the 10:30

a.m. service at First Bap-

tist Church Halifax on Oc-

tober 2nd.

TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY

T his November, on the first Sunday of the sea-

son of Advent, we begin the new Church year,

a year which features Gospel readings from the

Gospel of Mark. The shortest of the four Gospels,

it is also the earliest, and we can learn from it much

about how a community undergoing severe persecu-

tion saw Jesus as their guide, saviour and lord, one

who challenged them to follow his way of love, jus-

tice and peace. To learn more about Mark's Gospel,

come to the Parlour on Tuesdays at 10 am. We are

a sociable group, and all are welcome to join us at

any point in the study. Coffee is on by 9:45. Hope

to see you there!

Page 10

TANCOOK ISLAND EXCURSION

E xcitement, energy and enthusiasm bubbled over onto the ferry wharf at Chester on Saturday afternoon,

September 10th as nineteen members of our church family embarked on an outdoor adventure.

The day was picture perfect. The sun shone in a clear blue sky. The waves were gentle and the air, refresh-

ingly dry. Beautiful blue Mahone Bay beckoned us onto the upper deck of the William G. Ernst, where the

air was rare, diamonds danced on the waves, and wind and sun bathed our faces as we surveyed passing

scenes of lovely isles, faraway horizons, white sails and summer cottages along the shorelines.

On Big Tancook Island we revelled in the freedom of roaming on country roads, exploring the fossil beach,

visiting local shops and a gallery on our own or in small groups for an hour and a half—all the while soaking

up the ambiance of rural life in a beautiful maritime setting.

By mid-afternoon we gathered at the historic Baptist “church in the wildwood”—such a special privilege and

a real joy—to be led in worship by Renée and John Dalton. We sang favourite old hymns, listened to scrip-

ture, reflected on Renée's meditation and joined our hearts and voices in prayer. Arthur Stevens, a fifty-year

deacon at the church, gave words of warm welcome and led us in several more songs.

Down the road we poured into the little café/craft shop, enjoying each other’s stories and good-humoured

company. Carolyn and Lee (Stevens?) were our gracious cooks and hosts at supper. Tummies filled with de-

licious seafood chowder, freshly-made fish and chips, scrumptious lobster rolls, and hamburgers with fries

and gravy, we hiked the short distance along the shore road to climb back onto the ferry for the return voyage

to the mainland.

The continuing happy exchange of conversation rose above the roar of the ferry plying its way across the bay

in the stiff breeze of the early evening. On the wharf, hugs were shared in gratitude for the wonderful experi-

ence which had been ours that day. We clambered back into our vans and cars for the journey home to the

city—hearts, minds and spirits greatly enriched. Billowy orange clouds reflecting on the quiet waters of

lakes along the highway and a near full moon rising in the dark blue sky provided the perfect ending to a

wonderful excursion.

Thank you, Renée and John, for your leadership and spiritual guidance, for bringing us together and for shar-

ing with us this memorable time of adventure and fellowship.

- Grace Gibson

Page 11

Carols By

Candlelight

Sunday, December 18, 7:00 p.m.

Our annual service of lessons and carols.

Mark your calendars for this special Advent celebration.

UP-COMING EVENTS—MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

ADVENT EVENT! Sunday, November 27th is the first Sunday of Advent. The Board of Christian Educa-tion invites FBC folks, tall and small, to join us in the Assembly Room following the ser-vice for our second Annual Family Advent Event. Come and enjoy a light lunch, stories, Christmas crafts, seasonal singing, and a surprise or two! Hope to see you there!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

10:30 a.m. White Gift Service

1:00 pm Sunday School

Christmas Presentation.

ALL SAINTS SERVICE Join us on Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. This will be a service of Communion and Re-membrance, remembering all those who died since November 2010. The music that day will be special—excerpts from Duruflé’s Requiem (Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, In Paradisum) with a solo— Pie Jesu, sung by Lucy Hayes Davis.

NOVEMBER 6, 2011

REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE

All veterans of the World War I and II, Korean War.

Gulf War and Afghan conflict are invited to gather in

the parlour at 10:20 a.m. to process with the choir

and clergy into the Sanctuary at the start of the ser-

vice.

Page 12

PRAYER CIRCLE

T here are times in our lives when we all feel the need of prayers - illness, loss of a

loved one, troubles of any kind. Here at First Baptist, we have a Prayer Circle, made up of people who have committed to responding to requests for prayer from anyone who asks. There are six in the circle at present, but we would love to have more. If you would like to be part of this im-portant service to the congregation, please contact Deacon Pauline Allsop (492-1050). If you wish to make a request for prayers, contact Pauline or one of the Ministers, who will pass the request to the Circle.

SUNDAY SUPPER FOR ARK Our turn to provide casseroles for this out-reach is Sunday, Oct. 2. Sign-up sheet and recipe are on the bulletin board outside the parlour. The dish for this turn is Oriental Casserole and the recipe is available, along with a sign-up sheet, outside the parlour, or on the church website. Casseroles must be delivered, hot, to St. An-drew’s church hall, at 4:00 p.m..

SUNDAY READERS

Individuals are needed to read the Scripture

lessons on the 2nd and 3rd weeks of each

month.

Would you like to be added to the list of

those willing to do so?

Please contact Sharon McGill

(457-2229/

fmcgill@ns.sympatico.ca)

GREETERS—1ST Sunday of Month The Deacons and Board of Management of First Baptist Church would like to extend the opportunity to members and adherents to provide GREETINGS to our congregation and guests at the main entrance of the church on the first Sunday of the month. We believe that this opportunity will help our congrega-tion to fulfill the following commitments made in our Strategic Plan.

Where faith comes to life through caring A congregation that provides a stronger caring and joyful fellowship and promotes acceptance, support and nurture for individuals and families in their life journeys.

Where faith comes to life in Stewardship A congregation where stewardship of our human, spiritual, physical, and financial resources provides opportunity for ministries and outreach to our com-munity. (This includes employing the talents and gifts of our congregation.) We are delighted to extend this opportunity to you, as we know that it will allow us to get to know one another better. The Bulletin will list names of Greeters; a wonderful “gift” to send Grandparents who love to hear about all their grandchildren’s activities. Time: 10:00 – 10:30 (until the choir goes in) Sunday morning. Nametags are on table to left of the middle doors in Narthex (table behind guest book stand). An email will be sent the week prior: to the Office, to the Deacon on door with you and to you to verify: How you would like your name to appear in the bulletin and on your nametags. If you need to cancel at the last minute, you can contact the Deacon. Please contact Gill Maling at gilland-don@ns.sympatico.ca or the church office for more information or a date that you would like to partici-pate in this ministry. What are your plans for: No-vember 6, December 4, February 5, March 4, April 1 (Palm Sunday), May 6, June 3.

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Worship at First Baptist Fall 2011

September 25: Pentecost +15 Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32

Are We There Yet? - Rev. Hugh Kirkegaard

Music: Bach, Chilcott

October 2: World Communion Sunday

Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15

Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon - Rev. Dr. Jeff Haggray

Music: Handel, Daley

October 9: Thanksgiving Sunday Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23

Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14

Ecology of Thanksgiving - Rev. John E. Boyd

Music: Bach, Poston

October 16: Pentecost +18 Isaiah 45:1-7; Psalm 96:1-9

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

The Faith-Driven Life - Rev. John E. Boyd

Music: Rutter, Tchaikovsky/Luboff

October 23: Pentecost +19 St. Luke’s Service

Scriptures: TBA

Speaker: Dr. Drew Bethune

Music: Dalhousie Medical School Chorale

October 30: All Saints/All Souls Sunday;

Communion Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 130

1 Corinthians 15:50-58; John 5:24-27

Celebrating Life - Rev. John E. Boyd

Music: Duruflé Requiem

November 6: Remembrance Sunday Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon - Commander Baxter Parks

Music: Adsett

November 13: Pentecost +22 Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

Hidden Talent, Hidden Treasure - Rev. Renée Clark

Music: Hatfield

November 20: Reign of Christ Sunday Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Psalm 100

Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46

Music: Inter-generational Service—Children’s Choir

November 27: Advent 1 Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

Wake Up! - Rev. John E. Boyd

Music: Britten

WEEKLY MEETINGS—NEW MEMBERS ARE WELCOME

Mondays Dorcas Group 1:45 pm, Parlour

Tuesdays Bible Study 10:00 am, Parlour

Wednesdays Craft Group 1:45 pm, Craft Room

Saving Jesus Study Group 7:00 pm Parlour

Third Thursday of each month: 1:30 p.m. Mattie Curry Women’s Missionary Society

Fourth Monday of each month: Women’s Auxiliary—watch for time and venue.

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CANADA

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Agreement # 40042667 Return Undeliverable Canadian Address to: First Baptist Church Halifax 1300 Oxford Street Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3Y8

HOW TO CONNECT?

First Baptist Church Halifax

1300 Oxford Street, Halifax Nova Scotia, B3H 3Y8

Telephone: (902) 422-5203 FAX: (902) 422-8665

E-mail: fbaphfx@eastlink.ca Personal E-mail: srminister@eastlink.ca lynettewfbc@eastlink.ca na.metcalfe@ns.sympatico.ca revreneefbc@eastlink.ca

Web Site: http://www.firstbaptisthalifax.org