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Vol. 49 Issue 11

First Baptist Monroe

March 17, 2021NewsletterL e a r n i n g T r u t h • L o v i n g G o d & O t h e r s • L i v i n g L i k e J e s u s

WARE IT ISTodd WareSenior Pastor

Sixteen years ago, Gloria Briscoe went into the waters of baptism and preached her first sermon of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It was the obvious next step for her as the Briscoe family was a permanent fixture around First Baptist. If the church doors were open or the church bus was rolling, they were inside or onboard.

Gloria’s early years of following Jesus included Sunday School, worship, Wednesday evenings, Bible Drill, VBS, kid camps, youth camps and mission trips. When she left for college, she served on a church staff in Milledgeville and worked as a leader with Centrifuge, a Christian camp for teenagers. Upon graduation from Georgia College

in 2017, she joined our staff assisting Gordon with student ministry and was later called to serve as our Minister to Students. She has served our congregation well!

Below is a letter from Gloria explaining how the Lord is working in her life, and how she will transition from her current position later this year. While I regret that she will be moving on from the Minister of Students position, I am excited about the opportunity she will be embracing.

-Pastor Todd

Growing up here in Monroe, I always felt the calling to be a teacher. I attended Georgia College and majored in English Literature with teaching high school as the career in mind. However, after serving as a summer intern at FBC in 2015 and as a Staffer at Fuge Camps in 2016 and 2017, I wrestled with a newfound call to ministry. I felt stuck between two paths -- ministry and teaching -- and thought I had to choose one.

When the opportunity arose for me to work with youth at FBC Monroe, I assumed that God had made the choice for me, and I gladly accepted. As a 21 year old recent college graduate, I poured my heart and my limited knowledge into our students, doing everything I possibly could to create a vibrant, loving, and healthy student ministry. I could not have asked for a better first “real job.” This was exactly where God wanted me and planted

me, and I have grown more these past few years than I imagined possible.

In August of 2020, I began teaching one class at the Christian Learning Center (CLC) of Monroe Area High School, thinking it would be a temporary thing. Since then, I have absolutely fallen in love with this ministry and the opportunities that it brings to minister to teenagers in a public school setting. We always hear that God’s plan is better than our own and that if we trust in His timing and listen to His voice, He will lead us exactly where we need to be. Through CLC, I realized that I did not have to choose between teaching and youth ministry; I could do both.

The past four years on staff at FBC Monroe have shaped me and grown me in ways I never could have imagined. I would never trade or change these years for anything. I mean this in the most sincere way: to work under the leadership of Todd Ware as he has also followed God’s calling in his life has been the greatest blessing. While my intention is to transition into a full-time teaching position by August 2021, I am not leaving the church or moving away. I am simply pursuing new ministry opportunities, both inside and outside of the church.

I ask for your prayers as I follow God’s call on my life, but even more so, I ask that you pray for our church as we all make this transition together. I truly believe that God has something great in store and that the best is still yet to come for this church.

Thank you FBC Monroe for investing in me and loving me so earnestly. I will never forget your kindness, encouragement, and support during such a transformative and defining season of my life. You are and will always be my family.

-Gloria

SUNDAYS IN MARCH OUR UNIT OF STUDY IS:

PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT JESUS Unit Verse for the month is:

These words were written so we can know that Jesus is God’s Son.

John 20:31

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PRESCHOOL WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS MARCH 21: Team Leader - Rebecca Barrett 8:30amBabies/Toddler/2’s:

Ryan/Sydney Millians 3-5 year olds:

Sandra EtheredgeCarrie Owens

10:55am/11:11amBabies/Toddler/2’s: Rita Millians 3-5 year olds:

Roger BrannenVolunteer Needed

LIVE ON

The Floral Committee is so thankful for everyone who has signed up to place flowers in the sanctuary for this year. We have a few dates left: April 18, April 25, May 23, June 27, October 3, October 17, October 24, October 31. If you are interested in signing up for any of these dates, please give Charlotte Seymour a call at 770-314-7830. Thank you!

BIRTHDAYS

MAR 14-20

HAPP

Y BI

RTHD

AY Jimmy BriscoeRicky MathisJoyce HeadTommy Odum, Jr.Julia WorkmanRebecca BarrettEric WebbWillene McNealAmy KirbyWalker MayJudy RichardsonPonnie PoisalCaleb GaryLauren BrandtCameron HaymansKendall Woodbury

212223

2323

2324

2525

25

2727272727

27

Prayer ListDoris Adams Louis Arnold (friend of Larry & Carol Bradley)Nita Bakay Tara Beauchamp (niece of Lee Myers) Whitney Benton (daughter-in-law of

Gene & Christie Benton)Mary Blakely (mother of Nancy Hightower)Dot Blevins Alan Bolton Jayne Bolton Dawn Bovard (friend of Reba Plaster) Bill Bowers Tony Brooks (brother of Ricky Brooks) Brad & Ellen Brownlow Cody Clay and Parents Jimmy & Ellen

(nephew of Peggy Howard)Dax Conner and Parents Clint &

Brittany (friends of Kevin Barrett)Robert Crane Millie Fowler Ginger Godfree (wife of former staff member)Kim Hartley (friend of Pat Malcom) Haymans family Brandon Hightower Scarlett Kitchens Keith Johnston (cousin of Lynne Goins) Ann Jones (mother of Teri Ware) Steve & Judith Leavelle Meagan Leslie (friend of Debra Smith) Tim LyleMargie McElreath (mother of Darlene Christie)Royce McNeal Rosalia Meadors (great niece of Kathie

Snead)Kip Mercer Bruce Millians Mark Millians Wade Millians Ginny Mobley (mother of Margie Briscoe)Alan Moon (husband of Penny Moon) Edward Moore (father of Thomas Moore)Dave Norvell James Paul (father of Maria Brannen) Jimmy Payne Cliff & Becky Peters Jay Pierce (brother of Ken Pierce) Larry Richardson Will Rump (brother of Lois Fussell) Emily Salley

DEACONS OF THE WEEK - MAR 18-24Tom Walker & Jerry Harkreader

SHUT-IN OF THE WEEKRuby Reeves120 Mears StreetMonroe, GA 30655

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Linda Scolamiero (friend of Larry &Lois Fussell)

Susie Searcy (sister in law of Gena Coggins)Rosemarie Sells Gerald Strickland Brandon Taylor Kathryn Tullar (daughter of Lynda Lee) Kim Whitlock (sister of Karen Shiver) Dave Willoughby (friend of Donna

Reddish) Betsy Yancey CHRISTIAN LOVE AND SYMPATHY TO-The family of Kenneth Hightower-The family of Larry Johnson

FLOWERSThe flowers this week are provided by the Trinity class in honor of our Sunday School Teachers.

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Monroe app today.

LAST WEEKMarch 14, 2021

WEEKLY FINANCIAL NUMBERS Weekly Budget RequiredWeekly Budget Receipts

Sunday OfferingsOnline GivingStock Gifts

Budget Required to DateBudget Received to DateDesignated GiftsGive to Go GoalGive to Go YTD

$32,511.00

$36,500.00 $7.970.00

$0.00$357,621.00$274,618.71

$4,505.00$75,000.00$34,458.40

SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCEAdultsStudents/CollegeChildrenPreschoolTotal

163192118

221

202 McDaniel StreetPO Box 351Monroe, Georgia 30655

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OFFICE HOURS 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Thursday8:30am-1:00pm FridayOffice 770-267-5904 Fax 770-207-7383

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

ALEX BOSKOFF 8:30 Worship LeaderGLORIA BRISCOE Minister to StudentsCHRIS BRYAN 11:11 Worship LeaderDARLENE CHRISTIE Director of Preschool Ministries GORDON DAVIDSON Administrative Pastor BROOKE GOUGE Family Ministry Assistant

PUBLICATIONSIf you’d like to be added to the distribution list (print or digital) for The Vision, our weekly newsletter, please contact the church office (770-267-5904) or email Kim at kim@fbcmonroe.com.

AFTER-HOURSOn-Call Pastor Care Number706-389-9804March 19-21Darlene Christie

KIM HENSEL Ministry AssistantCARROL HOLMAN Financial SecretaryROYCE MCNEAL Minister to Senior AdultsCURTIS MURDOCK 10:55 Worship LeaderSHANNON RADOSEVICH Minister to ChildrenTODD WARE Senior Pastor