newsletter june · celebrating our china time, therein listening to our stories, helped to heal...
TRANSCRIPT
John & Jennifer Balmer
Training Pastors International
MISSIONARY OF THE MONTH
WHO we are…
Training Pastors International is an
international ministry training
program devoted to training
national pastors throughout the
world. It started in the Fall of 2000
in response to the enormous need
of providing ministry training to
pastors in less-developed countries
of the world.
WHY we train…
There are more than two million
pastors in the Majority World and
most of them (95%) have no
opportunity for further ministry
training.
HOW we do it…
We partner with individuals and
churches in the United States and
key national leaders in Africa and
Asia to take short-term mission
trips to conduct one-week pastoral
training institutes.
Our total statistics…
We have taken 47 mission trips (1
to 2 months), conducted 155
institutes, and trained 29,821
pastors in 29 different countries
over the past 24 years.
Church Events
• June 1st
- VBS Registration Opens!
• June 2nd
- Reminder: Vote in the Primary
• June 6th
- Men’s Breakfast
• June 7th
- Reopening In-Person Worship Service (see details on page 2-3)
• June 11th
- Children’s & Teen’s Bingo Night
• Worship Service - Sundays, 10 AM,
also streamed live on our website,
YouTube, & Facebook
• RIOT Youth Group -
Sundays, 6 PM
• RIOT Teen Guys’ Bible Study -
Wednesdays, 6 PM,
• Enjoying Jesus: Young Ladies’
Study - Tuesdays, 6:30 PM
• Small Groups - Contact group
leaders for more information.
PARK FOREST BAPTIST CHURCH - JUNE 2020
June newsletter
Dear PFBC Family,
As you are aware Centre County is moving to the
green phase today, Friday, May 29th. This is good
news and it’s a day we have all been waiting for and
welcome!
As the people of God, we mourn the loss of those
who have succumbed to Covid-19 in the last few
months and we will continue to pray for their families
and that God’s comfort and the hope of the gospel
would minister to their hearts. Let us continue to ask
God for empathy in our hearts for those who were
impacted in greater ways by this virus than others.
Let us always be mindful that God has called us to
love our neighbor as ourselves and to honor one an-
other.
As Centre County moves to green, the elders of PFBC
believe that we can now consider how to reopen the
building for us to gather together for worship for
those who feel they are ready and comfortable. As
we move towards gathering again, we recognize that
the virus has not been eliminated entirely, so as we
seek to gather again, here a few thoughts that we
believe would be prudent for all of us to consider.
Following a few thoughts, I’ll share three options that
are available to all of us for worship.
As we move into the green phase, let all of us strive
to be like-minded, having the same love, being one
in spirit and purpose, looking to the interests of oth-
ers (Phil 2:1-4). No matter where a person chooses
to worship on Sunday mornings, we value their deci-
sion and recognize that no one is more godly for
making one decision over the other. This has been
an unprecedented time and as brothers and sisters in
one family of God we honor each one’s decision in
their own conscience.
As we begin to have services in the building again,
we would ask that you come when you feel ready
and comfortable. PFBC encourages personal respon-
sibility for your worship. We believe that is a free-
dom given to us by God. If you feel ready to come
to the building, we would ask that you please accept
full personal responsibility for your decision to gather
with others. We look forward to the day when we no
longer need to have concern over Covid-19, but until
that day comes, each of us should welcome the per-
sonal responsibility we each take in life to manage
risks. When you feel you are ready, you are welcome
to come.
3 Worship Options (Beginning June 7th)
Option 1: In-person worship gathering
• Come as you feel ready
• We are creating more space between each row of
chairs.
• We ask for the time being that you leave two
chair spaces between non-family members or
people that you do not regularly see throughout
the week.
• Continue to practice physical distancing of at
least 6 feet away from others not in your house-
hold when possible.
• Wash your hands with soap and water or use
hand sanitizer. We ask if you are not allergic to
hand sanitizer, please use one of our touchless
dispensers before entering the worship center.
• Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside or
your elbow. Dispose of tissues after single use.
• Stay home if you have symptoms of sickness or
have been around anyone who is sick, has flu-
like symptoms, or if you have been around some-
one with a positive Covid-19 case.
Continued on next page.
Continued from previous page.
Option 2: Small Group Watch Parties
• Gather with your small group or a new
small group if interested for a watch par-
ty.
• Adhere to social distancing best practices
and honor one another with patience and
grace where differences in comfort may
exist.
• Considerations are:
• Meet in a space where adequate social
distancing can be accommodated.
• Use good hygiene and avoid sharing
food and beverages.
• Stay home if you feel sick or have symp-
toms of illness.
• Children are permitted to be in attend-
ance if the group participants are com-
fortable with this allowance.
Option 3: At Home Worship Streaming
• Worship online at home.
• PFBC Kids at-home resources continue
via email.
What About Children’s Ministry?
When we relaunch Children’s ministry, we
want parents and volunteers to experience
the joy and community to which we are ac-
customed. While we work towards this goal,
we will continue to offer disciple-making re-
sources and fellowship online for parents and
kids to utilize. This means that currently on
Sunday morning’s we will not have children’s
ministry during the worship service. This will
be re-evaluated each month.
What about Youth Ministry?
R.I.O.T Youth Ministry is permitted to regath-
er and follow the same general guidelines as
a Sunday morning worship service. Outdoor
events are encouraged over indoor events
when possible.
Time of Worship Service?
At this time, our in-person worship gathering
will be at 10 AM. In regards to our Grow
Deep Hour which historically has been before
the worship service, as time goes on and as
teachers feel ready, these classes will restart,
but for now, we are not setting a time for
that.
A FINAL WORD
Your patience and support have been appre-
ciated in this difficult season. We are thrilled
that we are able to begin to move towards
being WITH one another again. Please
know – that if you are at risk health-wise
or feel a slower reentry would be best for
your family, we understand. We trust that
by providing three ways to worship we can
minister to people wherever they are.
Grace & Peace,
Jeremy Field
Lead Pastor
WOMEN’S MINISTRY
Reflection from Audrey Ogden:
In just a month Mark and I will be
driving down I-95 all the way to
central Florida to start a new
chapter there. We’ll still be with Cru
and representing the Jesus Film
Project; just closer to Cru HQ in
Orlando.
Reflecting on our time at PFBC I am
most grateful for the joy of
being in community with all of
you, doing life together as I
participated in various small group
settings. Thank you, ladies, for
loving and listening and praying.
The Wednesday morning Ladies
study helped me through the fog of
re-entry after 15 years in China and
through a crisis with one of our
children. A surprise party
celebrating our China time, therein
listening to our stories, helped to
heal sorrow over having left
prematurely because of a family
emergency. The Thursday evening
Ladies Bible Study was so much
more than studying God’s Word
together, which was truly
rich. It was a weekly
knitting of hearts born
through prayer for each
other and mutual
encouragement to press
on in faith. The echoes of
heartfelt and honest
prayers will remain my
sweetest memory.
This leads me to share a
parting hope for PFBC
women (and men); that
the prayer commitment
and connection will grow
steadily stronger. The
words of Eugene Peterson
say it well, “In the long
history of Christian
spirituality, community
prayer is most important,
then individual prayer”.
PFBC’s monthly prayer
nights were so rich and energizing
to my soul. The early Christians in
the book of Acts met daily and
“were continually devoting
themselves to the
apostle’s
teaching and to
fellowship, the
breaking of
bread and to
prayer” (Acts
2:42).
Anchored in
God’s
unconditional
love and promises, doing life
together and being strong in prayer
will yield the fruit of hearts wanting
to go into the harvest. Growth in the
journey is never just about us.
My favorite poem expressed this
much better than I could. (See
above.)
It has been a privilege to be a part
of the PFBC family.
Love and Prayers,
Audrey Ogden
Make Me Thy Fuel
by Amy Carmichael
(missionary for 55 years among orphans in India)
From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher
From silken self, O Captain free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.
From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus our spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified.
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.
Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire;
Let me not sink to be a clod;
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.
MEN’S BREAKFAST
Saturday, June 6, 8-9:30 AM
Tune in for some breakfast, fellowship,
and encouragement.
Contact John Askey or the Church Office for more
info ([email protected].
Talent Show
& Tell Recap
Families
gathered on a
Zoom meeting
on Thursday (May 28th) for a Talent Show & Tell. We
had songs played on the violin, a clarinet, and even a
guitar! As well as some great show & tell from some of
the kids. We got to see some pets, a couple of dogs
and even some chickens (not quite pets). There were
magic tricks, card tricks and we finished the evening
with some jokes. We have some great young
musicians and lots of talented kids! Great job
everyone! It was great to see you all over Zoom.
Did Someone Say "BINGO"?
Our next event on Zoom will be an online BINGO
game. It will be held on Thursday, June 11th, at 6:30
PM. I will be mailing you some BINGO game boards
and markers. Watch your mailboxes!
Looking for something to do?
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Summer Plans?
I am sure you are wondering about summer
plans... I am excited to announce that here at
PFBC, Vacation Bible School will be going
Virtual for 2020! So, grab your hard hat and
tool belt! We are building on the love of Je-
sus with the theme "Concrete and Cranes".
We are going to do VBS online, Monday
through Wednesday, August 3rd - 5th, from
6:30 - 7:15-ish PM each evening.
As kids explore a world of concrete and
cranes, rivets and rebar, bulldozers and back-
hoes, they will learn to build their faith on
Jesus as they uncover the truth that He who
began a good work will be faithful to carry it
on to completion.
Jesus is our Strong Foundation!
Family VBS Toolkits will be available to pick
up the week before VBS. These toolkit will
have all the supplies you will need for VBS.
Online registration is open June 1st through
July 6th.
VBS Workdays
Want to help prepare and fill family toolkits?
Let Babette Manning know if you can help
on:
Thursday, July 9, 10 AM - 1 PM
Wednesday, July 22, 10 AM - 1 PM
Babette Manning [email protected]
Want Your Kids to Follow Along with
Worship Service?
Parents, your kids can follow along with Pastor
Jeremy's sermons with the kid's pages that are in the
worship package email each week. The document has
a coloring page for the younger children and a fill-in-
the-blank and Scriptures for the older children.
Summertime! That
means water activities,
cookouts, youth group
outside, bonfires, summer
camps, swimming pools, and so much
more! Well, maybe not so much all of those
things this year. As more and more things are being
cancelled for this summer, we are looking at what
really matters the most for youth ministry.
I have been reflecting on the last two and a half months
and what God has been showing me, and then looking
forward to seeing how to apply those things. There
have been some frustrating things, like low attendance,
not being able to see the teens in person, and other
things. Yet each time I get down about something, God
reveals to me that He is still good, and He is still
working in the lives of our teens. It is because of this,
that I am realizing more and more that it is not about
the programs that we do, or the activities that we put
on. It is about our relationships with the teens, and the
willingness to challenge them to draw near to God and
to dig into His Word. I look forward to the day when I
can see our teens in person once more. God has gifted
us with “more time” in our days, and we have been
challenging the teens to not waste that gift. I’m excited
to hear how they experienced God during this time.
This summer will look completely different for us as a
ministry, but I am confident that God will use this
summer for His glory. I look forward to the different
plan that He has for us, and all the ways that the teens
will be challenged to grow in their personal walk with
Christ.
Prayer
• Please keep us in your prayers as we plan for
this summer.
• Pray that we would be aware of God’s leading and
guidance.
• Pray that the doors that need to be opened will be
opened, and those that are shut we wouldn’t try
to open.
• Pray that the teens will be accepting
of the different challenges
presented to them.
• Pray for spiritual growth in
each leader and in each teen,
and a willingness to draw
RIOT
REPORT
YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY
Game Nights
As the world continues a practice of social distancing,
we plan to have additional JackBox game nights and
stay connected with one another using online
communication resources such as our GroupMe group
chat and Zoom.
Outdoor Events
We also hope to have some outdoor events soon so
that we can social distance together in person (pending
guidance from church leaders and government
officials)!
Want to get involved?
Stay in the loop by joining our
Young Adults Ministry GroupMe
group chat! Download the Group-
Me app and email the Church Office
to get added.
Any game nights or outdoor events will be posted on
GroupMe when scheduled.