IN THIS ISSUE

New Schedule Bro Dan shares information about the upcoming schedule changes.

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Seek His FaceA reminder that no matter what we may face in life God is right by our side.

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Say Yes to the ImpossibleBeing obedient to God even when it seems impossible.

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First Baptist sevierville | octoBer 2014

Volume 93 , No. 6

First Baptist Church of Sevierville’s Monthly Newsletter

Seek His FaceTrish Munasque

There are those who are in our lives who bless us, lift us up, and who support and encourage us on a regular basis. And, there are those in our lives who seem to enjoy nothing more than to see us hurt; they in no way lift us up or encourage us. They are often times the people closest to us. It is those people that cause us to make the most significant changes in our lives.

It is true that what doesn’t kill us will make us stronger but that strength may be a long time coming. Being able to travel that crooked road with God on our side will make it straight once again. One of the hardest things to see clearly is that we envision for ourselves may not be His will; the direction we are wanting to take may not be His direction; the changes we want to happen may not be under His veil. As we go about our way looking for the answer, we should not forget to surrender to Him as His plan is the right plan no matter where we are in our lives. We need to prayerfully seek Him and listen when He responds; knowing it is His voice and not the voice of disappointment and pain resounding in our heads.

God reassures us and tells us to seek His face over and over in Scripture: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer-emiah 29:11). “My heart says of you, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8). “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always “ (Psalm 105:4).

Remember as you face trials and struggles, God has and always will be in control and you are always in His righteous right hand!

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First Baptist Church has operated with the same Sunday morning schedule for many years. Recently it has come to our attention that our schedule could be improved with a few adjustments. We are excited about the major benefits of these minor changes.

Below you will find the current and updated schedules compared, along with some explanatory comments.

The updated schedule essentially extends our current Sunday morning timetable by 15 minutes at the beginning and the end.

As you can see, the updated schedule retains the current time period for worship while allowing for an extra 15 minutes in Sunday School.

The current start time for Sunday School (9:30) will not change.

The groups that meet in Sunday School form the backbone of our church and the basic building block for discipleship. We need to provide additional time for them to function more effectively. Presently we expect our teachers to pack a lot of activity into 60 minutes: prayer, fellowship, church announcements, care group time, mission project planning - all in addition to teaching a Bible lesson. In Steve’s initial meetings with our Adult Sunday School teachers, a consistent comment he heard was, “We need more time.” Leaders in our Youth and Children’s Divisions also think this will be a positive move. Choir members who were always rushing to get to Sunday School and then back to choir for second service will be able to do both effectively.

We believe an extra 15 minutes in our schedule will provide for a less hurried atmosphere on Sunday mornings. A 15-minute “buffer” will slow the pace a bit, allowing time for our early service attenders to interact.

Please be patient as we adjust to a new routine. I trust each member will adopt this updated schedule smoothly.

To God be the glory,

Dan Spencer, Senior PastorSteve Brewer, Associate Pastor of Discipleship

CURRENT Schedule:8:15-9:30 Early Worship Service9:30-10:30 Sunday School10:45-12:00 Morning Worship Service

UPDATED Schedule:8:00-9:15 Early Worship Service9:30-10:45 Sunday School11:00-12:15 Morning Worship Service

UP 6th Grade WeekendApril 30th and May 1st

Sign up in Sunday Schoolor call the church office

Eph. 4:29

5-5-5 Quilting ClassTuesdays; 4:30pm/Good News Building For more info or to sign up for the class please call Lori Mahaffey at 932-1343.

Prayer Room Open HouseSunday, October 53:00pm-4:30pm/6:00pm-7:30pm The prayer room is located on Court Ave next to the Crossing.

SON LIGHT 2014 - Sr. Adult Revival October 6-8; 10:00am/ChapelSpecial guest; Dr. Jerry Spencer and Rick Jordan. Light lunch provided after services.

Triple L LuncheonTuesday, October 14; Noon/FLCKings Academy Chorus

Judgement House 2014October 15, 16, 19, 20 & 21; Tours begin at 6:00pmContact Monica at 453-9001 to make your reservation.

Children’s ChurchSunday, October 19Grades K-6. Both 8:00am & 11:00am services will meet in the Chapel.

PEP MomsFriday, October 17; 9:15am/ParlorTopic will be meal planning and grocery shopping on a budget. If you registered for the Fall luncheon then you will not need to register again. If you didn’t register for the luncheon then you will need to register for this event by visiting the PEP Moms page on the church website, www.fbcsev.org or you can register in the church office. Childcare is provided. Please contact trice@fbcsev.org with the names and ages of the children.

Fall FestivalFriday, October 31; 5:30pm-8:00pmFree admission. Kids of all ages. Games, face painting, hot dogs, candy, popcorn and much more! No scary masks and no pets please.

Festival of HolidaysMonday, November 10; 6:30pm/FLCSpecial guest; Kim Bolton. Cost is $20. Hostess registration begins on October 12, guest registration will begin October 19.

Men’s Ministry Wild Game SupperFebruary 21, 2015; Music Road HotelTickets will go on sale January 2015

Upcoming Events

Special AnnouncementsBible DrillBible Buddies (Grades 1-3) - Sundays at 5:30pm in C-220Children’s Bible Drill (Grades 4-6) - Sundays at 5:30pm in C-212

Youth Bible Drill-Grades 7-9Sundays at 5:30pm in the 6th grade Sunday School room.

Mission OpportunitiesRoyal Ambassadors(RA’s); RA teachers needed.

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Children’s ChoirsWednesdays; 5:30 Play & Praise: Pre-K & Kindergarten PRAISE Kidz: Grades 1-4HIS KIDS: Grades 1-6

Sunday Morning Schedule Change - October 12Worship 8:00 to 9:15 a.m. Bible Study 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Worship 11:00 to 12:15 p.m.

Special Friends MinistryIn need of a Sunday School teacher a few times a month. If interested contact Tammy in the church office.

Adopt-A-ScholarIf you would be interested in helping encourage one of our college students by sending him/her a few notes and a goodie bag ever so often please pray about signing up for this opportunity. You can sign up by calling Amanda in the office, 286-6978.

Oct.2014

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Fred McClureJane JacksonJim Miller Joe & Libby WilliamsTed Blalock Robbie & Sandy Fox David & Margaret

Goode Phil & Karen Ownby Rex & Louise Delozier Highway Materials, IncRalph RobertsonHD CourtneySylvia McKinneyTed Blalock Ben & Connie OgleBuILDING FuNDRandy Franklin Rex & Louise DelozierTom Nash Rex & Louise DelozierHELPING HANDSCarl McCarter Joe & Laura Christopher Firpo Nix David & Dorothy

JohnsonCHILDREN’S MuSICPaul & Ruth Galyon Robbie & Sandy FoxCHRISTMAS STOREPeni CooperRoger OgleDarris Clabo Frank & Barbara PartonIn memory of our

daughter, Sharon Duncan’s birthday

Curtis & Shirley KingRalph RobertsonDot Tinker Clell & Betty Jean KingMuSIC MINISTRYFred McClureCharles Clifton Albert & Kathy ValentineLon Sutton Beulah SuttonEarl & Trula Lawson Sue Lawson,

Cathy & SarahCharles CliftonRalph Robertson Joe & Libby WilliamsMISSIONSMy mother, Sallie Turner Jean White

PARK ROAD PROJECTRalph RobertsonFred McClureAnnette McCroskeyBillie Ruth Houk Jo BlalockCHILDREN’S DEPTFred McClure Bill & Barbara McClureDot Tinker Randy & Rhonda Hodge Joe & Libby WilliamsuPWARDDewey Wilson Gayley & Norma HesterYOuTH PROJECTRalph Robertson Clara & Dwayne Hodges Doug & Polly Stamper Charles Hardin Chuck Sexton’s SS Class Christy & William

Valentine Kenneth & Brenda Justice Rowena McFalls Glenn & Laura Turner Bobby & Janice Castle Allan Steve Loveday Bob & Diane McFarland Jeff & Nancy Sims Jerry & Yvonne Gibson Jimmy & Christy Maples Margaret Etherton Georgia Freels Janice & Larry Sorrell Leslie & Saundra Sauls Marc, Kim & Nathan

RobertsonGOLDEN STATE MISSIONSHoney Gregg & Tracy PriceBryan Blalock Jo Blalock

TribuTedGivinG

Attendance Report 7/13/2014 7/20/2014 7/27/2014 8/3/2014 8:15am Worship 722 691 675 667 9:30am SS 1321 1348 1265 1210 10:45am Worship 1163 1111 1152 1219 6:30pm Worship 451 452 850 445

Biblical Stewardship 7/13/2014 7/20/2014 7/27/2014 8/3/2014 Total Weekly Needs $ 95,381.00 $ 95,381.00 $ 95,381.00 $ 95,381.00 Tithes & Offerings 94,248.60 92,317.36 95,332.82 78,177.12 Building Fund 1,012.00 661.00 50,826.00 886.00 Designated Fund 2,116.50 7,146.25 2,850.05 754.10

New MembersBill QuickSteve & Nicole BoundsCaleb LuskMaggie SantiagoKennedy AtchleyLandyn OgleColton AllenJennifer Baldwin

Recently HospitalizedDonna ConellyChrista RoachBuddy GlennRuby ScrivnerDavid HuffakerClyde TrenthamLarry StinsonWoody JacksonHerman WilsonSamuel McGahaMyrle GillisTiffany HodgeKeith RatcliffElisabeth MansfieldKanetha BroughtonBeverly DoaneJohnny KingJackie CollierRonnie RimelAudrey StangerSue Cobb

• Aaron Ward & family in the passing of his father, Jerry Ward

• Tina Marshall in the passing of her uncle

• Kathy Lee in the passing of her aunt

• Anthony Linebarger in the passing of his sister, Sylvia McKinney

• Marilyn Davenport in the passing of her brother, Richard Reagan

• Cynthia Graham in the passing of her father

• Mike McQueen in the passing of his brother-in-law

Sympathy to

IN HONORBuILDINGFreda Meade’s birthdayOur grandson Brent

in the Navy Rex & Louise DelozierBuDGETOur daughter’s birthday Conley & Carolyn MurrellOur son Joey’s birthday Terry & Gail GossettHELPING HANDSJack Denton Thomas & Carolyn

McMahan

IN MEMORYBuDGETEunice & Melvin Carr Wilma HeltonElben White Jean WhiteHoney Gregg & Tracy PriceRalph Robertson Dave & Dink TinoFred McClureDale Bradshaw JB & Shirley MatthewsDewey WilsonFred McClure Helen BlackGeorge Headrick Barbara HeadrickTed Blalock Annette LaneTv MINISTRYRalph RobertsonTommy Nash Dot LaddMelvin CarrJohn Edd Blalock Katie BlalockLon Sutton Beulah SuttonSandy Webb Robbie & Sandy FoxJimmie Temple Harry & Sara ValentineRalph RobertsonHD CourtneyDot TinkerFred McClure Marie TempleRalph RobertsonBetty Seals Mr. & Mrs. Jack DentonTony Proffitt JB & Shirley Matthews

Say Yes to the ImpossibleApril Mills

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was asked by God to do a seemingly impossible (and quite crazy!) thing when the angel visited her: become pregnant (by the Holy Spirit) while unmarried yet engaged, and then raise the Child as the Son of God. Luke 1 tells us that Mary was initially “confused and disturbed.” But it did not take her long to accept the calling that God had placed on her.

A few years ago, God asked me to do something that initially disturbed, confused and intimidated me. He brought before me the opportunity to be Director of part of our Ladies ministry, called PEP Moms. Obviously, the task does not compare to the one that Mary was confronted with, but nonetheless, God was asking me to do something that was out of my comfort zone.

Luke doesn’t tell us exactly how long it took Mary to tell the angel that she was willing to take on the task, but it appears it wasn’t very long. I’ll admit that it took me several days to finally say yes. But I truly believed what the angel told Mary: that with God, all things are possible. (Luke 1:37)

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Send questions or comments to newsletter@fbcsev.org

guy came and he gave us some chicken. Just for a day. It touched my heart to know we could provide some good healthy nutrition for these people,” Abraham said. “It brought joy to their hearts for us to bring beans and other food. Just to make them feel they are normal and loved.”

Baptist Global Response has been providing relief to refugees and displaced families throughout the Middle East for years now Abraham said. But the ISIS advance across northern Iraq has compounded one crisis with another.

“That makes it more tragic, in a sense, but at the same time it helps us because we already have work, we already have projects on the ground, to pool our efforts together, to pool our teams together,” he said. “Now some of our national team members are

Less than a year ago as a couple, Ben and I were asked to do something that was out of our comfort zone: lead the Newlyweds Bible Study. In a similar fashion, we were confused, disturbed and initially resistant to the prospect. As we prayed and sought advice, again, we came to the conclusion that with God’s guidance, we could do it, and that He was asking us to say yes.

We have learned so much about what it means to be obedient to God through both of these situations. He has entrusted us with these tasks in order to bring Himself glory and to grow us closer to Him. Thinking about how He has guided us thus far and blessed our efforts, ideas, and attempts at new things makes me feel so joyful. It is not always easy or even fun, but I know that God is pleased with my willingness as long as I am doing it for Him.

Mary responded with a beautiful song of praise to God. She said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name...” (Luke 1:46-49).

God has been so gracious to me in the tasks that He has put before me. Mary mentions the “generations” calling her blessed. For me, those generations are my children, grandchildren, and so on.

I pray that as a result of my faithful willingness to say yes when led to do so, they can call me blessed, Godly, wise, obedient, faithful, and loving.

forcibly displaced themselves, becoming victims of the crisis as well.”

BGR is drawing on resources provided by Global Hunger Relief to provide food, water, baby formula, propane burners and temporary shelter. They also have been helping families obtain cooling units to provide relief from scorching summer heat.

Crucial resources for the relief effort are coming from Global Hunger Relief (GHR), the Southern Baptist channel for giving to hunger needs across North America and around the world. Donations to GHR will be in focus when many of those churches observe World Hunger Sunday on Octber 12.

Displaced Christians Receive Life-Saving SuppliesBaptist Global Response

Life-saving relief supplies are being delivered to Iraqi Christians and other minorities forcibly displaced in northern Iraq by radical ISIS Islamists.

Abraham, who leads BGR work in the Middle East, reports that these persecuted Christians believe they are facing extinction and worry Christians in the West do not know of their suffering.

Many of these families have gone for three weeks with little to eat, Abraham said.

“We entered this one camp, and they said, ‘So far we are just eating rice and some watery tomato soup. We have only had meat once. A

Published monthly by First Baptist Church of Sevierville.Periodical postage paid at Sevierville, TN | 317 Parkway, TN 37862RETURN POSTAGE REQUESTEDPostmaster send form 3579 to “First Word,” 317 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862(865) 453-9001 | FAX (865) 428-3920 | fbcsev.org

(USPS 661-090)

Rev. Dan Spencer Senior Pastor

Scott AndrewsAssoc. Pastor of Worship

Jerry HyderAssoc. Pastor of Adults

Scott CarterAssoc. Pastor of Youth

Address317 Parkway Sevierville, TN 37862

Office HoursMonday- Friday8:00am - 5:00pm

Office Phone(865) 453-9001(865) 429-6309 (fax)

Craig MintzAssoc. Pastor of Equipping

Royce BaileyAssoc. Pastor of Children

Steve BrewerAssoc. Pastor of Discipleship

Clark ByramAssoc. Pastor of Stewardship/Administration Contact UsSenior Staff

fbcsev.org

info@fbcsev.org

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twitter.com/fbcsev

Pastor on Call(865) 453-9257

Prayer Line(865) 429-PRAY