The SpireNEWSLETTER OF THE

VOL 58 NUMBER 7 WILLIAMSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH JULY 2011

This Month We

Celebrate . . . the baptisms on PentecostSunday, June 12, of DylanWigley, Natalie Cross, and Sydney Cole.

Men’s Bible StudyBeginning July 7, a Men’s Bible Study, led

by the Rev. Harry W arren, will meet on

Thursdays at 10 am in the Fellowship

Lounge. All men of the church and guests

are welcome.

July Birthdays2. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jilla Dittmyre, Ed W igley

13. . George Sampson, Christopher Guse

15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Alice Tillotson

16. . . . . . . . Rachel Childress, Susan Ruff

18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Medford

19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace Turner

20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan W illiams

21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bess Hoskins

22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Britton, Jr.

23. . . . . . . . . . . Brian Bower, Steve Griggs

26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eloise Agee

27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Liddell

29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clara Christopher

30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia W arren

Thank YouThe family of George Haynes wishes to

thank you for your love, support, and

prayers during his illness and his recent

death. Our hearts were touched. May God

bless you and grant you peace.

A note of thanks has been received from

Liz Filer in appreciation for the cards and

phone calls received following the death of

her father.

DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES

FOR THE AUGUST SPIRE IS JULY 15

W ILLIAMSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH

757-229-1217

churchoffice@williamsburgbaptist.com

www.williamsburgbaptist.com

Quarterly Business Meeting

and Covered Dish Lunch

July 24, 12:00 pmggg

Report deadline for Book of Reports:

Friday, July 8

July Calendar of Church Events

July 3 @ noon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunday Fellowship in Social Hall

July 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food Collection for FISH

July 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Church Office Closed

July 7 @ 10 am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s Activity: Park Outing

July 7, 14, 21, 28 @ 10 am. . Men’s Bible Study (Fellowship Lounge)

July 8. . . . . . Meal Preparation for Homeless Families @ Family Inn

(Missions Council, Kitchen)

July 8. . . . . . . . . . . Report Deadline for 2 Quarter Book of Reportsnd

July 10 & 24, 5-7 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kids Club

July 13, 1-5 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s Activity: Williamsburg Hunt

July 14, 7:30 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Missions Council

July 17, 8:30 & 11 am. . . . . . Guest Preacher: The Rev. Leslie Straw

July 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food Collection for Gym Bag Program

July 17, 6:30-8:30 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Game Night for All Ages

July 19 @ 7 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leadership Council

July 21, 11 am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s Activity: Visit to Shut-ins

July 24, noon. . . Quarterly Business Meeting/Covered Dish Lunch

July 26 @ 10 am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s Activity: Alpaca Farm

July 26 @ 5:30 pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance Council

THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT MEET IN JULY AND AUGUST:

Men’s Breakfast; 1 Wednesday Fellowship Dinner;st

Women’s Bible Study; Praying Through the Times;

Choir Rehearsal

July Special Missions OfferingOur special missions offering for July is dedicated to HopeTreeFamily Services, providing residential care and support services forat-risk children and for adults with developmental disabilities as well as foster care and adoption services. Use the lilac envelope in youroffering box or write “HopeTree” on the memo line of your checkmade payable to WBC.

During July and August, you are invitedto join the Adult Choir in leading thecongregation in hymn singing at the11:00 service. There will be noWednesday night rehearsals and noprepared anthems; just come to theSouth Wing at 10:30 on Sundaymornings and try on a robe. We will

welcome your help! Regular choir practice will resume on theWednesday after Labor Day, September 7.

DEAR ONES,

Bill Moyers, Baptist minister, aide to a President, broadcast journalist andcommentator, tells a lot of good stories. One of my favorites follows.

The only time I ever bet on a horse race, I lost. I saw this Catholicpriest standing beside a horse and later it came in last. I saw thepriest afterward and told him, ‘You’re responsible for this Baptist losing$2.’ And he said, ‘That’s the trouble with you Baptists. You can’t tell ablessing from the last rites.’

I guess it’s good to know the difference. It’s important to know where we arein things. And, it is vital that we consider honestly what is needed, for now,anyway.

The azaleas burst forth first in this year’s garden, then the clematis and the iris, and now everything else isattempting to outdo the others: day, canna and calla lilies, the roses, hostas, and wildflowers. My visits to thegarden bring to mind quite a few scripture verses. Among them:

• “And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil norspin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes thegrass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clotheyou – you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry...” (Jesus, Matthew 6:28-31a).

• “Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the richwill disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers in the field; itsflower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they willwither away” (James 1:10).

• “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living andenduring word of God. For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grasswithers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’” (I Peter 1:23-25)

Observations about how lovely, fragile and short life is, but how durable is the word of the Lord and certainly hisfaithfulness to us. Counsel worth considering: to be humble, to be faithful, and to be confident in God.

And, as opposed to horses, when we bet on God, then it’s all a blessing, even if on the occasion of our last rites,you know! Hope you are enjoying your summer. “Bloom where you are planted” for the summer is soon gone.

And see you where the church gathers. JIM

Guest Preacher on July 17The Rev. Leslie Straw, Adult Ministry Strategist on the Emerging Leaders Team forthe Virginia Baptist Mission Board, will be our guest preacher for both services onJuly 17. Following the 11:00 service, the Missions Council will provide a light lunchand discussion time with Mrs. Straw.

A graduate of Westhampton College (BA, Sociology & Religion) and Duke DivinitySchool (Master of Divinity), Mrs. Straw’s primary area of ministry centers onidentifying and equipping adults who are sensing and responding to God’s callingin his/her life. She works with churches, associations and individuals to providementoring for adult emerging leaders and to provide support networks to assist inthe ministerial development of these adults.

W ILLIAMSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH

227 Richmond RoadWilliamsburg, VA 23185

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