September-October 2016

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH157 W. JACKSON ST.VIRDEN, IL 62690

www.virdenfirstbaptist.orgREV. JOHN PARRISH

PASTOR

CHURCH PHONE: 965-4028CELL PHONE: 217-358-9577

DEBBIE KERSHAW, EDITOR

E-mail:messenger@virdenfirstbaptist.org

Theessenger

Sunday, September 18th is National Back to ChurchSunday. We’re calling it “Rally Day,” as we rallytogether to make an all out effort to invite both childrenand adults to Sunday School and Worship on thatSunday. The idea is to get back full swing into the fallactivities as children return to school after the summervacation. In addition, we will be celebrating 5 years of theministry of John and Kelsey Parrish and family at FirstBaptist! We are planning a time of fellowship followingworship, with cake and punch, so plan to be there forthat! Start thinking now about who you can invite. Whohasn’t been here in a while? Who do you know that findsit difficult to get out that you can provide a way tochurch for? Can you drop someone a card? Pay someonea visit? We all know how time slips by, so begin praying NOWfor Rally Day and for the person or persons you want toinvite. And pray every day for Pastor John, Kelsey andtheir family. God willing we can celebrate many moreanniversaries with them!

“Rally Day” and “Celebrating 5”set for Sunday, September 18

EVERYONE THIRSTS,

but there is only one drinkthat can TRULY SATISFY.

As a follower of Jesus, you know that He alonecan quench our thirst for comfort, peace,healing, and meaning. However you also knowmany people who have not discovered theLiving Water that Jesus offers. Your heartaches for your family, friends, neighbors, andco-workers who are separated from God. Youwant to share your faith but find it difficult todo in today's culture. Yet, sharing your faithhas never looked like this. H2O could be thetool you need to begin sharing your faith witha thirsty world. H2O is a powerful, visually engaging,group-oriented experience designed to create asafe atmosphere where people are comfortableconsidering the person of Jesus Christ. Invite your family, friends, neighbors, andco-workers to join you on September 11 atthe home of Steve and Debbie Kershaw at6 PM for the first session. Each week we’llstart with a meal, followed by a 20-30minute video and a short discussion session.Childcare will be provided at the church.Times and meeting dates will be adjusted asthe group sees fit and as the study progresses. There are seven stories in all with one time-less quest - to quench the thirst that burns inevery human spirit, and let them discover howthe offer of Living Water has the power tochange everything.

Bible Studybegins

September 11

Breakfast at theHawkins’Saturday,

September 3AND October 8

80 Sugar Creek Hills

8:00 AM - 10:00 AMEveryone is welcome, the food is wonderful and the

company is the best!

–2–September-October 2016Theessenger

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Jim & LyndaHotarek

2 3

Breakfast at theHawkins’8-10 am

4 5 6 7Supper & Kid’s

Club 6:00-7:00 PMBusiness Mtg 7:15Bible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

8 9Betty Mullen

10

11

Supper & BibleStudy 6 PM atKershaw home

12 13 14Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

15 16 17Night at the

Movies TriviaNight7 PM

18

Supper & BibleStudy 6 PM atKershaw home

19

Brianna Walters

20 21Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

22

Tony Kershaw

23Homecoming

Parade3 pm

24

Jan MoronyMike Hawkins

25

SUNDAY

26 27 28Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

Ryan Burch

29

Barb Taylor

30

Jennifer BrownJustin Dibler

Homecoming Parade help needed

Friday, September 23 is North Mac’s home-coming parade. “Disney/Pixar” is the theme.The youth at FBC will be participating with ourown Pastor John portraying

“Wreck-it Ralph” as “The Pantherswill ‘Wreck’ the Trojans”.

We could use lots ofhelp with costumes,and with adults thatcan walk in the paradewith the youth. If you wouldlike to join in the fun, please talkwith Pastor John soon!

Business meeting shortens Kid’s Club

The regular bi-monthly church business meetingis held on the first Wednesday, after the firstSunday of the odd numbered months. That means a shortened Kid’s Club schedule forSeptember 7 from 6-7 PM and Business meetingwill begin at 7:15 to give the kids time to “clearout.” This month the deaconate is proposing a smallchange in the wording of our church constitutionwhich requires advance notification to all members.While the proposed change is minor, as memberswe should all be committed to the “business” ofFirst Baptist and plan to attend. If you are amember of First Baptist your opinion matters.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you canuse to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela

–3–September-October 2016Theessenger

Wednesday nightmeals

Hungry families inour community hasbecome our missionfield and we encourage

everyone at FBC to get behind this important workon Wednesday nights. Our recent joint venturewith the food bank has given us the ability topurchase a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables,meats, and lots more for just pennies and evenhave plenty of extra to send home with families inneed. Janis Hawkins has taken the lead to purchasethe food, plan the meal, and even supervise itspreparation. But she needs help––-LOTS of help. You can volunteer each week, or you can choosewhich Wednesdays are best for you. There areplenty of ways to help–you can prepare food, servefood, clean up…all help is welcomed. Just sign upon the calendar hanging in the church kitchen orlet Janis know how you want to be a part of thisgrowing ministry.

Steve Kershaw is working on a “new look”to our church’s website. Keep an eye peeledin the next few weeks for the many changesand once its up and running, please let himknow what you think!

Night at the MoviesTrivia Night

Saturday, September 17First Baptist Church

Pitman Hall

Doors open at 6:30 pmQuestions begin at 7 pm

$60 per teammaximum of 6 players

on a team

Call Pastor John Parrish965-4028

to register your team.

Prizes for winning triviateam and winning team dec-orations. Small concession

stand will be available.You are welcome to bringgoodies for your team.

Choir resumes as ChristmasCantata is chosen

For the past few years, because of our ownchoir’s participation in the community cantata atChristmas, we have chosen to do just specialnumbers instead of a full cantata. This year, choir director Janis Hawkins hasfound a musical titled “He Shall Be Called”which focuses on the names of Jesus. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlast-ing Father, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, Blessthe Name of Jesus and Savior… from beginningto end, this dynamic new musical honors andglorifies His Name and celebrates His gloriousbirth! Come and lift your voice with our choir’s aswe resume practices on Wednesdays at 8 pm.

–4–September-October 2016Theessenger

Friends,

Faith In Action! It sounds good on paper. In theory a call to put our faith into action is something weas believers in Christ should be practicing daily. Faith In Action as many of you know is somethingthat our church has adopted as an Annual Service every September where we worship through service.We gather together as a congregation and we go out into our community and serve Christ by servingothers through work projects. Projects we have completed in the past include: painting the monumentat the park on the city square, painting fire hydrants, picking up garbage around the parks and streets, cleaning gutters forelder members, small construction and landscaping projects for others in our community who aren’t mobile, singing songswith our young people at the nursing homes, working with Mission Outreach to package medical supplies for use in othercountries, praying for our community, our state, and our country, as well as preparing baked goods to deliver to our civilservice agencies and groups, and preparing a meal to deliver to shut-ins and families in need. We then gather together for ameal as a community of believers who have worked together doing kingdom work.

This year our Faith In Action Sunday is changing a bit. We will have several other churches joining us this year. We willhave a total of 6 churches working together from both Virden and Girard. We have more projects, with something foreveryone. While we still have our staples like Mission Outreach and the various work projects, we will also be incorporat-ing projects in Girard and Thayer. We truly are working as a “community” of believers to put our faith in action as we dropour denominational tags for at least one day and partner with other believers to worship together. A glimpse of whatHeaven will look like if you ask me!

Why? Why do we do this? It isn’t to garner recognition for us or any other church, or the North Mac Ministers Association.It is to be representatives of Christ to all people in our community. It is to provide a glimpse of hope, joy, and love thatonly comes from one true source and that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! May it not be a competition on whichchurch gets the most people in their pews on a Sunday morning, instead may it be about walking hand in hand with oneanother, sharing Jesus in tangible ways with those who have ears to hear, and hearts to receive.

James 2:17 says this, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Our theme for this yearis “Awaken!” May we as a church (collectively) awaken from our slumber and realize that all the sermons in the world, allthe hymns and worship songs sang, and all the communion taken, doesn’t do much if there isn’t any action that backs it up!

First Baptist Virden, it is time for us to “Awaken.” Not just on Sunday September 25th for Faith In Action Day. But it’stime right now as we do the 30-Day Church Challenge together over the next month. And it’s right now as the youngadults reach out to their friends and community to invite others in. And it’s September 18 for “Back to Church Sunday.”And it’s on Wednesday nights supporting ministries like the youth and kid’s club, and coming to adult bible studies andsinging in the choir.

Let’s have an Awakening right now church, and become God’s church by being obedient to his call and direction for us.Let’s not stay comfortable in our pleasant bubble, let’s burst into the action we are called to. It will be hard, it will getuncomfortable, we will shed tears, but we will rejoice, we will celebrate, we will worship, we will grow, we will be HisChurch, and it will be worth it!

As I close I want to say thank you for 5 awesome years of being your pastor. My family and I feel so loved and accepted byall of you. However, on September 18, I am not showing up satisfied. I am still hungry, still thirsty, still thriving to lead asGod calls us too. We can’t stay silent, we must keep moving church. Let’s strive for another 5 years of seeking Christ in allwe do, shining light in this community, and doing life together!

And all God’s people said…Grace and Peace,

–5–September-October 2016Theessenger

October

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2

Stacy Moughan

3 4 5Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

6 7David Liles

Jim & Pat SmithMike & Debbie Liles

8

Breakfast at theHawkins’8-10 am

9

Church cookoutat Liles’ - 6 PM

10 11

Katie Marshall

12Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

Jaylie Clark

13 14 15

16 17 18 19Supper 6:00

Kid’s Club andBible Study 6:45

Choir 8:00

Sue Langley

20 21 22 Paisley Parrish Tim & Katie

Marshall

23 24 25 26Halloween

Party6 - 8 PM

27

David & Kaye Liles

28

Peg Vidakovich

29

Joshua Snodgrass

30 31

Kathy Tibbs

While traveling with Youth for Christ in Asia in the1940s, Baptist minister Robert Pierce saw many orphansand suffering children. He wrote in his Bible, “Let myheart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.”Pierce then dedicated his life to relief work, eventuallyfounding World Vision International and Samaritan’s Purse.He believed the church had to meet people’s physical needsbefore it could share the gospel message with them. The work Pierce began continues today: World Vision isnow active in 90 countries and Samaritan’s Purse in morethan 100.

Break my heart

Remember, the 3rd

Sunday of every month isfood pantry Sunday. Bringyour food, hygiene, or clean-ing items to church withyou and put them in thecontainer near the organ.

Those items are then taken to theVirden food pantry for distribution toour community members in need.

Food Pantry donations

–6–September-October 2016Theessenger

You are invited toattend an all churchcookout at the home ofMike and Debbie Liles on Sunday,October 9 at 6:00 PM. There will be hotdogs and fixings provided, but you canbring a pot-luck dish to share! Snuggleround the campfire as we fellowshiptogether! Mike and Debbie live on PostRoad in Virden.

First Baptist Church157 W. Jackson St.Virden, IL 62690 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Theessenger

ChurchBonfire/cookout

planned Kids andgrown upsalike arewelcome tocome incostume tothe annualHalloween party in Pitman Hall onWednesday, October 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

There will be treats for all but no regularsupper time as we usually have onWednesdays. We’ll also need help gettingPitman Hall decorated, games planned, andof course lots of yummy treats. Please let theSWAT leaders know how you are willing tohelp.

Have fun and dress crazy!

Halloween Costume Party for all onOctober 26!

How canYOU

serve atFirst Baptist?