First Family News

“How well do we do at preparing ourselves for Jesus?” Do we put as much thought and effort into our eventual face-to-face meeting with our Creator as we do our own 401k’s? Do we spend the same amount of time considering the eventual return of our Savior as we do buying and wrapping presents for Christmas? What’s more important, being pre-pared for our post-earthly visit with Jesus or having enough money in the bank to afford tuition at our teen’s university of choice? Most of the things we prepare for are important, but shouldn’t preparing our hearts for Christ be of utmost importance? The season of Lent, leading up to Easter is the perfect time for such preparation. I encourage you, dur-ing this time, to linger a little longer in prayer, reading the Word, and worship than you normally would. What areas of your heart still need to be prepared for Christ’s presence? One help for preparing for Christ that we hope you take advantage of will be happening on Sunday March 29th at 6pm in our sanctuary. Dr. Al Reichman, a Messianic Jew from Fort Worth, will be coming to share with us how the Jewish Passover meal points to and is fulfilled by Jesus. We’ll also share the Lord’s Supper together. This presenta-tion will be both informational and inspirational. Jesus was God’s plan from the very beginning, and Passover was part of the preparation. Join us for this presentation to help prepare yourself to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday in April!

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” – Mark 1:3 (ESV)

John the Baptist was an interesting fellow, with the dressing in camel hair and snacking on locusts. Add to that his baptizing people in the wilderness for forgiveness of sins, and you have the formula for an attention-getter. Even from before his birth, he was known as uniquely excitable. He leaped in his mother’s womb upon hearing the voice of Mary, mother of Jesus according to Luke 1:41. His story only becomes more intriguing from there. While in Israel last month, we visited a site named Qumran, which is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1940s. Historians believe that a peculiar Jewish sect known as the Essenes lived at Qumran and created the famous scrolls. The Essenes lived commu-nal lives in voluntary poverty. They were known for their ascetic rejec-tion of worldly pleasures, and they were also believed to engage in daily ritual cleansing in special baths named “mikvahs,” many of which we saw among the ruins at Qumran. Many historians believe that John the Baptist lived among the Essenes in Qumran for a short peri-od. It makes sense that a peculiar man would live among other peculi-ar men. John’s attention-getting persona fits perfectly with his divine mis-sion. It’s almost as if God made him that way on purpose! John came to prepare the way for the Lord. The Gospel writer Mark presents him as an answer to Isaiah’s prophecy in the Scripture above. He even had the pleasure to baptize Jesus as we read later in Mark’s first chap-ter. In God’s story of salvation, John is a marker that says, “Everyone look! Pay attention! Someone amazing is coming soon!” In John the Baptist, we see God working to prepare the people of the first century Judean world for the coming of the Savior. Preparation was key, and having a loud, smelly, and unique announcer was the perfect call to attention. We still believe preparation is key in our world today. When we are children, we spend years preparing ourselves for what we’ll do after high school. After high school, we spend more time and more money to prepare ourselves for a family and a career of some kind. As we raise our families, we prepare for our kids going to college or into the workforce. We also try, along the way, to prepare for retire-ment. Then, if we’re forward thinkers, we prepare our estates for our families with a will some time before we die. On a much smaller scale, we prepare ourselves for big events like anniversaries and birthdays every year. Our entire American culture unites at the end of every year to prepare for the Christmas season. We like to think ahead so we can be ready to enjoy important and meaningful events when they occur. This entire article has been a long build-up to this question then,

Ahavath Messiah Ministries (Hebrew Translation: Love of Messiah)

present

Christ in the Passover with Communion (Lord’s Supper)

Dr. Al Reichman, Guest Speaker

Sunday, March 29th, 6pm

FBC Sanctuary

A love offering will be received.

First Family News Page 2

A Brief Holy Land Report . . . As you

probably know, Lynn and I were blessed to get to visit the Holy Land for several days in January. Every day was a new adven-ture as we visited sites in Nazareth, Bethle-hem, Jericho, and Jerusalem among other places. We also sailed the Sea of Galilee, visited the Dead Sea, and walked among some olive trees in the Garden of Geth-

semane that were already growing when Jesus prayed there on the night He was betrayed. Among the places we visited on our last day were sites consid-ered possibilities for the places of our Lord’s crucifixion and burial. Though 2000 years have likely altered the appearance of some of the places we saw, including these two, we could clearly see why this particular location might be called “The Place of the Skull.” We could similarly imagine Peter and John entering the empty tomb (as we did) while they were still unconvinced of Jesus’ Res-urrection. We often think it must have been so much easier for first century followers of Jesus to believe, but clearly this was not the case. We must admit that we have it so much easier, given 2000 years of church history and a complete New Testament in our own lan-guage, not to mention the Holy Spirit indwelling our lives. Our tour guide told us that, at peak season, some 3000 tour buses could be found on the streets of Jerusalem alone, as thou-sands of pilgrims apparently seek “hard evidence” of their faith. Seeing so many traditional sites of Jesus’ activities, we realized that we need not know exactly where these various events oc-curred to know that they are true. As exciting as it was to make our trip, we already have all we need to believe and testify to the truth of our own experience. May we be as faithful as the first cen-tury witnesses to share our own testimonies here where we live, thousands of miles and years separated from those amazing events that altered the history of the world.

Bill

Check out our online giving option!

Go to www.gvfbc.org.

MUSIC

NOTES

Preston

COMING Up Soon for FBC’s

Students Gr 6-12

Latham Springs, Aquilla, Texas

June 29th—July 3rd Cost: $195.00

Now Accepting Nonrefundable $50 Deposits!

MARCH DEACONS ON CALL

01 Jeff Hudson ...............................................214-663-5976

08 Greg Firebaugh .........................................214-212-6328

15 Erin Jenkins ...............................................817-659-8039

22 Kenneth Pipes ...........................................817-648-6048

29 David Quisenberry .....................................817-825-6322

February was a full month in student ministry. We completed our Disciple Now weekend and it was incredible! We had 43 students discuss salvation or rededication on Friday night, 7 students on Saturday, and 7 students begin pur-suing a calling towards vocational minis-try!! We are so thankful for a church that

supports student and children’s ministries and that we get to serve alongside an incredible community. Thank you, FBC Grandview, for your service to our students throughout the DNOW weekend! We are looking forward to how God will contin-ue to move in the lives of our students. I had the great opportunity of talking with our students in grades 9-10 throughout the weekend. We discussed what it means to “reflect” Christ in the way that we live. 1 Peter 1:14-16 says, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the pas-sions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” In this part of the New Testament, scrip-ture defines holiness as Holy character. Put simply, being holy does not mean BEING God, but being LIKE God in how we act and behave. The decisions we make show that we have been set-apart to serve God. It might seem impossible, and we certain-ly can’t even be perfect, but God wants us to conduct ourselves in a manner that would be described as “holy,” or set apart. As followers of Christ, we have been given a great responsi-bility to carry the message of the Gospel with us. We do that with our words but we also do that with our decisions and our actions. Our goal is to focus on Jesus. He’s the one who changes us in-wardly through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we focus on Him, good things come out of our lives. The hope is that we remember that being made holy through following Christ is not something that happens in one big moment. But it is an ongoing process that we walk in throughout our Chris-tian life. May we be a community that desires to grow in holiness as we follow Christ.

Joel

First Family News Page 3

From the Children’s Director

Hello CDO! We have made it to March. It is hard to believe! This month we have several things going on! On March 3rd and 5th we will celebrate our friend, Dr. Seuss!! I encourage you to bring your kids in Seuss like clothes if you wish! Funny hair, mismatched clothes!! Whatever you wish to do! We will have a couple of extra fun days together celebrating Dr. Seuss’ 116th birthday! I want to remind you that over spring break (March 17 and 19) we will not have CDO! Enjoy your school break! We will be excited to see your kiddos the next week on the 24th! On March 24th, we will have “Wear Green Day!” Green is our color of the month!

Happy March, Everyone!

Happy March, Everyone! Wednesday for the month of March we will wrap up our mis-sions’ study with a mission project night on the 11th! Spring break week (Wednesday the 18th) we will not meet! When we come back on the 25th, we will start on “The Armor of God.” It is going to be a fun month! Hope your kids can join us! Reminder for all kids’ 3rd- 5th grade: Kidz Kamp will be here before you know it! We are going back to Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose, Texas. The kids had such a great time last year! If you have questions about camp, come and see me! It is going to be lots and lots of fun! The total cost is $200. The nonrefundable $50 deposit is due April 19th. The dates are July 9-13! If money is going to be an issue, please talk with me!! We have scholarships available. Don’t forget about the time change on the 7th. VBS will be here before you know it!! This year’s Vacation Bible School dates are June 21-25. Let me know if you want to help with this amazing outreach opportunity! It’s a great way to show love and to help children know love. You may grow in that love also!

Blessings!

introducing

Kidz at Kamp (For Kids Finishing Grades 3-5)

July 9-13, 2020 Riverbend Retreat Center

Glen Rose, Texas

Cost: $200.00

Nonrefundable $50 Deposit Due April 19th

Ms. Amy

Ms. Amy

Wear green Day Tuesday, March 24

Candy/Prize Filled

Plastic Easter Eggs Needed for the

Community Easter Egg Celebration

at Grace Baptist Church

Collection containers are now available in the main hallway.

NON-PROFIT U.S. Postage

PAID Grandview, TX Permit No. 8

First Baptist Church PO Box 454 Grandview, Texas 76050 (817) 866-4430 www.gvfbc.org / gvfbc@usapathway.com Corey Cornutt, Pastor Joel Allen, Pastor of Students & Contemporary Worship Amy Curry, Children’s Ministry Minister Bill Louthan, Minister of Music

Sundays - Traditional Worship 8:30am Sunday AM GROW Grps 9:45am Contemporary Worship 11:00am Sr Adult Grp 4:00pm

Wednesdays - Student Ministry Grp 6:00pm FBC Kids 6:30pm Ladies/Men’s GROW Grps 6:30pm Mixed Adults GROW Grps 6:30pm

FOR THE RECORD WEEK OF: Jan 26 Feb 02 Feb 09 Feb 16* SS Attendance: 152 182 190 188 8:30 Worship: Combined 81 89 44 11:00 Worship: 197 157 178 DNow Income Rec’d: 10286.01 25307.90 15784.82 12782.51 BUDGET: YTD Required: 47709.60 59637.00 71564.40 83491.80 YTD Receipts: 38332.48 57483.49 70192.84 74526.91 Wkly Required: 11927.40 11927.40 11927.40 11927.40 Wkly Receipts: 6767.91 19151.01 12709.35 4334.07

*All online donations have NOT been reported /included this date at newsletter print time.

Address Service Requested

Pledge Campaign

From the entire Youth and Children’s Ministries, we want to

extend our sincerest appreciation to all who have and/or will par-

ticipate not only in our new “Send Me” camp pledge campaign

but also to those who continue to support us in all areas of our ministries through your scholarships, service, prayers, etc. Any-one wishing to learn more about this particular campaign is en-couraged to refer to the February newsletter or contact Joel Allen or Amy Curry. Pledges are still being accepted and collected.

On Saturday, March 21st,

server volunteers are to depart from the FBC Missions Building parking lot

at 10:15am.

Communitywide Canvassing for Easter Tuesday, March 31st

Join us at 6pm on the 31st as we go from door to door in our commu-nity to invite folks to experience Easter Week with our church family.

S U N D A Y MARCH 8TH

Set Your Clock ONE HOUR FORWARD Before Going

to Bed on Saturday Night

First Family News Insert

Our Christian love and sympathy

are extended to . . .

Skeet Patrick, Charles Stevens and family on the loss of their wife and sister, Margaret Patrick.

Robert, Kathrine, Zach and Stephen Stewart and family plus

caregiver/nanny, Julie Swift, on the loss of their son and brother, Dustin Stewart.

Marcia Tackett, Bryan Mahanay, Emily Tackett and family

on the loss of their mother and grandmother, Anna Alverson.

Anna Alverson Ladies Prayer and Share Class CM Tom and Sharon Brock MisF Rusty Boyett Marie Moore CM Charles Dahn Erma Burnett CM Tom and Sharon Brock YF David and Paula Quisenberry NC Bobbie Jane Mosley NC Marie Moore CM Ada Rhodes NC H Lloyd Harper Erma Burnett CM Marie Moore CM

Beverly Horan Collectibles Class HM Marie Moore CM

Kenneth McGlaun Erma Burnett CM Tom and Sharon Brock MisF Bill and Peggy Lyle MisF David and Paula Quisenberry NC David and LeAnne Self YF Bobbie Jane Mosley NC Marie Moore CM Margaret Patrick Collectibles Class HM Tom and Sharon Brock MisF Carl Peppers Barbara Peppers CM Patsy Russell Marie Moore CM Martha Bennett MF Dr. Rex Maddox, Monte and Paige HM Dustin Stewart Tom and Sharon Brock CM Ada Rhodes NC Janet Smith YF Butch and Christine Russell HM Martha Bennett MF David and LeAnne Self CM

By Letter

Holt and Lindsey Higgins

Jared and Rachel Ishmael

BF Building Fund BN Benevolence Fund BTSF Back to School Fair CDO Children’s Day Out CDO Sch Children’s Day Out Scholarship Fund CCF Children Camp Fund CM Children Ministry

CF Choir Fund FFF Funeral Food Fund

GF General Fund HM Homeless Ministry

IM International Missions KF Kitchen Fund LF Library Fund

MF Memorial Fund

MisF Missions Fund MTF Mission Trip MusF Music Fund

NC New Construction OO Overcoming Obstacles

SSF Sew ‘n Sews Fund YCS Youth Camp Scholarship

YF Youth Fund

First Family News Insert

March 16th—20th

*Schedule Changes*

March 17th & 19th: No CDO March 18th: No Wednesday PM Activities

If you have any need to arise,

the church office will be open this week.

† Community Easter Egg Celebration—Saturday, April 4th,

11:30am at Grace Baptist Church.

Easter Worship/Activity Opportunities at First Baptist!

† Palm Sunday and Lord’s Supper—April 5th, Both

Worship Services.

† Service of Shadows—Wednesday, April 8th, 6:30pm in

the Sanctuary.

† Children’s Day Out—Thursday, April 9th, Easter Egg

Hunt/Parties. Check with class teachers for times.

† Good Friday—April 10th. Church office will be closed.

† Easter—Sunday, April 12th.

Sunrise Service at Meinen Lake, 7am

Traditional Worship Service, 8:30am

Churchwide Brunch, 9:00am-10:45am

Sunday AM GROW Groups, 9:45am

Contemporary Worship Service, 11:00am

Week of Prayer for N American Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Missions Offering: April 5th-12th.

01 Ramsey Caro, Jami Hahn, John Starkey 03 Joseph Holden 04 Bailey Marbut 05 Tracy Grimes, Sarah Johnson, Addison Pearce, Don Wall 06 Jake Hudson, Christie Pippin, Rebekah Tye 07 Austin Baker, Dakota Holder 08 Amanda Cloud, Mary Ferguson, Joe Hudson, Paige Pol-

lock, Morgan Quisenberry 09 Travis Gregg, Caitlyn Harris, Ruben McCray 11 Amy Diamond, Roxy Firebaugh, Debra Jackson 12 Ross Stanford 13 Ashli Mayse, Brady Mayse 14 Kenna Collins, Jamie Hudson, David Moore, Coy Nall 15 Kim Akers, Frieda McCorkle, Jessica Repenning 16 Rowan Jackson, E. J. Perrin, Janis Sikes 17 Mark Block, Laura Petty 18 Rodney Cheek, Steve Elliott, Cooper Quisenberry 19 Wes Allen 20 Bryan Terry 21 Donna Anderson, Virginia Bishop, Elise Chernosky,

Macsen Smith 22 Angela Braymer, Donnella Carberry, Kandace Collins,

Ryan Macklin 25 Sydney Bailey, Scott Rudduck, Ricky VanZandt 26 Drew Harris 27 Seth East, Aiden Terry 28 Sawyer Bennett, Courtney Luster, Kristin Poyer 29 Nikki Grant, Johnathan O’Bar, Trey Rhodes 30 Donnie Dycus, Kolten Gilliland, Brad Pearce, Bailey Wil-

liams 31 Beau Ray, Lauren Thompson Casares

NEXT PRIMETIMERS LUNCH BUNCH:

Covered Dish Luncheon March 30th, Noon Fellowship Hall

Celebrating Birthdays

Looking

Ahead

to

Easter

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 7:45 Choir Rehearsal 8:00 Prayer Time 8:30 Worship 9:45 Sun AM GROW Grps 11:00 Worship 2:00 GV Nursing Hm 4:00 Sr Adult Grp 6:00 FBI Class

2 9:00 Sew ‘n Sews 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group

3 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 Staff Mtg 9:00 Wives/Moms Prayer Group

4 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group 6:00 Wed PM Supper 6:00 Student Ministry 6:30 FBC Kids 6:30 Adult GROW Grp Ladies GROW Grp Men’s GROW Grp

5 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 FBI Class 5:00 Primetimers

6 7

Move your clocks ahead one hour before bedtime.

8 7:45 Choir Rehearsal 8:00 Prayer Time 8:30 Worship 9:45 Sun AM GROW Grps 11:00 Worship 4:00 Sr Adult Grp 6:00 FBI Class 6:00 Deacons Mtg

9 9:00 Sew ‘n Sews 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group

10 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 Staff Mtg 9:00 Wives/Moms Prayer Group

11 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group 6:00 Wed PM Supper 6:00 Student Ministry 6:30 FBC Kids 6:30 Adult GROW Grp Ladies GROW Grp Men’s GROW Grp

12 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 FBI Class 5:00 Primetimers

13 14

15 7:45 Choir Rehearsal 8:00 Prayer Time 8:30 Worship 9:45 Sun AM GROW Grps 11:00 Worship 4:00 Sr Adult Grp 6:00 FBI Class

16 9:00 Sew ‘n Sews 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group

17 9:00 Wives/Moms Prayer Group

18 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group No Wed PM Activities

19 9:00 FBI Class 5:00 Primetimers

20 21 10:15 Homeless Ministry Servers Depart

22 7:45 Choir Rehearsal 8:00 Prayer Time 8:30 Worship 9:45 Sun AM GROW Grps 11:00 Worship 4:00 Sr Adult Grp 6:00 FBI Class

23 9:00 Sew ‘n Sews 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group

24 7:30/8:30 CDO Wear Green Day 9:00 Staff Mtg 9:00 Wives/Moms Prayer Group

25 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group 6:00 Wed PM Supper 6:00 Student Ministry 6:30 FBC Kids 6:30 Adult GROW Grp Ladies GROW Grp Men’s GROW Grp 7:30 Budget/Finance 7:30 Committee on Committees

26 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 FBI Class 5:00 Primetimers

27 28

29 7:45 Choir Rehearsal 8:00 Prayer Time 8:30 Worship 9:45 Sun AM GROW Grps 11:00 Worship 4:00 Sr Adult Grp 6:00 FBI Class 6:00 Passover Presentatioin

30 9:00 Sew ‘n Sews 9:00 Golden Girls Exercise Group 12:00 Primetimers Luncheon

31 7:30/8:30 CDO 9:00 Staff Mtg 9:00 Wives/Moms Prayer Group 6:00 Communitywide Easter Canvas

Wally Pippin Mar 7 13 Years Amy Curry Mar 15 05 Years

CDO: Dr Seuss Week, March 3rd & 5th

Spring Break: March 16th—20th