Author: Secretary

Latest News & Worship Information

 Scripture this week: 1 John 3:14-20

 

 

Upcoming at FBC: 

Remember — To make sure your event is added to the eLink calendar, please make sure dates and times are sent to the office no later than Wednesday of each week.

SUNDAY, April 21  
Choir Rehearsal @ 9:15 am
Coffee & Convo @ 9:30 & 11 am
Worship Service @ 10:00 am
Welcome Luncheon @ 11:00 am
FBC Small Groups @ 11:15 am
Bible Study @ 6:00 pm 1 John 3:14-20 (Zoom)

MONDAY, April 22
Ukulele Jam @ 5:15 pm
Fiber Arts Gathering @ 6:00 pm @ the Hastings’ Home
Capital Ad- Hoc Committee @ 7:15 pm

WEDNESDAY, April 24
Crusaders @ 11:00 am
LOGOS @ 4:15 pm Talent Night
Vespers Service @ 5:45 pm

SUNDAY, April 28
Coffee & Convo @ 9:30 & 11 am
Worship Service @ 10:00 am
FBC Small Groups @ 11:15 am
Safe Harbor @ 5:00 pm
Through the Bible Check-In @ 6:00 pm (Zoom)

 

Ministry & Events: 

Welcome Luncheon Sunday April 21 after Worship Service
New and interested visitors to our church are invited to a Welcome Luncheon after worship on April 21st.
Meet other people and ask questions you may have about the church. Everyone is welcome!

Annual LOGOS Talent Show!April 24, @ 6:30 pm
Sadly, the end of the LOGOS year is coming near, but we always end with the much-loved LOGOS Youth Talent Show!! Please come and support our youth as they share their talents! A sign-up sheet will be available in Barker Hall for youth to sign up and share any technical or prop needs they may have. Youth are able to bring in a video sharing a talent outside of what they can do live (ex. Sports ir digital short) or they can bring in a piece to share (ex. A painting or Lego creation). The talent show will be on April 24th during dinner at 6:30pm. Hope to see you there and to our participants, break a leg!

How Does your Garden Grow?
The Missions Committee is offering members and friends a small plot on the eastside of the playground area to grow your own produce or flowers. The committee encourages all gardeners to donate some of their produce to Home Sweet Home Mission. Sign up for your small plot at the Mission Committee table under the bulletin board!

Annual Congregational MeetingMay 5 after Worship service
The Annual Congregational Meeting will be on May 5 after Worship.  We will be affirming the new Board members and thanking those going off the Board.  We will also review accomplishments from the past year and discuss goals for the coming year. Please try to attend because your input is important. Click here to access previous meeting minutes

Condolences for the family of Ramona Janssen
The family of First Baptist Church extends its condolences and prayers to the family of Romona Janssen, who we learned passed in late March after a battle with cancer.
Romona was part of our LOGOS program working from 2016 through the spring of 2020 as our LOGOS Music Director. She assisted with a number of musicals produced by LOGOS, including: 100% Chance of Rain, Music Machine: The Fruits of the Spirit, and Mr. Pfster’s Christmas Time Travelers.
A service celebrating her life will be held at Calvary Baptist Church this Saturday, April 20 at 11:00am, with a visitation beforehand at 10am.  You can click here to access her obituary

A Journey with Paul and John – May 8
Earlier this year, Pastor Brian and Gabrielle visited Istanbul, following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul across Greece, and then visiting the sites of the seven churches of Revelation.
You’re invited to a special evening of worship, food and learning on May 8, where they share about their experience and learnings. 
Pastor Brian will be giving a special reflection during Vespers at 5:45 pm
Following the vespers service, a combined meal and presentation will take place in Barker Hall from 6:30 to 7:30pm.  Come for the Vespers service, the meal and presentation, or both! 
A freewill offering will be taken for the meal, RSVP to the meal is appreciated to help us, please sign up in the narthex.

 

Read Through the Bible

On the last Sunday of each month, we will have a 6 pm (Zoom) check-in to discuss the readings, your observations and questions. Don’t forget to send in your questions to brian@fbcblm.org.

 

Supporting the Ministry Together: 

FBC

Contact Us: 

Office Hours —
Mon. -Thurs.– 9 am -1:30 pm.; Fri: 9 am – 11am
Office Phone – (309)-662-4253
Church Office: Secretary@fbcblm.org/ 309-662-4253
Pastor Brian:     Brian@fbcblm.org/920-924-6857
LOGOS Director: Michelle@fbcblm.org/618-303-3630
Vespers Coordinator & Praise Team Leader: Allison@fbcblm.org/309-846-0403

 

Volunteer Opportunity with Judson University

Judson University has invited us (the Baptist Builders as they call our group) to come June 3-7 to assist them with some projects. They will provide food and housing for the group. Here are a few highlights for the trip:
Judson will give the group a tour of campus while we are there.
Any High School students interested in learning more,  meetings with students and faculty can be set up.
For those coming in from out of town, housing will be available on Sunday night June 2.
Projects include:
    1. Drywall repair and patching in dorm rooms area-Volkman Hall.
    2. Carpentry- build cased opening at Lindner Tower service elevator area.
    3. Painting- campus wide.
    4. Carpentry- cabinet hardware repair/replacement- campus wide.
    5. Landscaping- campus wide.
    6. Concrete repair- light concrete repair to include skim coating and patching of stairs around campus.  
    7. Painting- Hawac
    8. Low- carpet square replacement
There are projects for every skill level (or unskilled), from gardening to construction.
We have a long history of supporting our Baptist university. This is a great trip for a first time person who has never been involved in missions. Come for a day, two days or the entire week.
Please contact Don Rogers or Steve Street if you are interested in attending, or if you have any questions about the trip.

Safe Harbor Mission

You have probably seen Safe Harbor listed on the calendar for the 4th Sunday of each month.  In case you have wondered what this is, here are some details and ways to help if you would like.  The Koinonia church school class has been preparing and serving a meal to the homeless at the Salvation Army Safe Harbor Shelter every month for over 15 years.

Our meal consists of ham, rice, green beans, mandarin oranges, cornbread, brownies and lemonade.  We purchase the food and Al Strauch schedules the volunteers to cook and serve.  Cooking is from 5:00-7:00 and the meal service starts at 7:00 and is typically finished a little after 7:30. The meal recipients are always grateful for a hot, nutritious meal and we are thanked by so many of them.

If you are interested in helping with this mission, you could volunteer to assist in serving or cooking, donate funds to this mission (this option is available through on-line giving or designating such on your check), or by donating items that are needed by Safe Harbor for services provided at the shelter.

Some items needed for the facility and/or the participants are:

  • printer paper
  • pens
  • paper towels
  • single ply toilet paper
  • 55 gallon trash bags
  • travel size soaps and deodorants
  • new towels and washcloths
  • pot holders
  • Pam cooking spray

Items may be brought to church any time (In the Narthex) and we will deliver them to Safe Harbor.  If you have questions, please contact Al Strauch.

 

Current Youth Ministries!

Being intergenerational is one of the primary bones of FBC’s ministry! During this pandemic we still have multiple ways to help guide your youth on their faith journey:

LOGOS: Hybrid Wednesday Night Program right now offering small in person groups and virtual for ages 3-18! Check our our LOGOS page and our LOGOS videos! 

Sunday School Lessons: Our FBC youtube page posts Sunday school lessons for Pre-school and Elementary Schoolers each Sunday! You can find their playlists here.

We also send home to families,  LOGOS Faith Activity Kits (monthly) and Activity pages with Sunday School lessons. If you would like either of those please email michelle@fbcblm.org.

Advent 2020

We need your help to help keep us connected and
make our spirits brighter this Christmas season.

 

 

 

Photos for Advent
Send Pictures to Michelle between Nov 27 -Dec 16 
Throughout Advent Send in pictures of your Nativity scenes at home with or without your family in the photo.   These will be shared each Sunday during the virtual service.

                                                 *****

Family Greetings
Send Pictures to Michelle between Nov 27- Dec 22.
Since we can’t see you in person we’d love to here from you virtually… Send in a  Christmas Greeting from you and your family for Sunday mornings during advent.

                                                 *****

Advent Wreath and Manger Scene
Thursday December 24, 2020
As you are watching the virtual services each advent Sunday we invite you to light your advent candle at home at the same time we are lighting it at church.  And if you have a Nativity scene at home, have your children point out the different figures which are being presented each Sunday.

                                               *****

Virtual Christmas Eve Service
Thursday December 24, 2020
Plan to join us online at 5pm
Traditional service will have Silent night candle lighting so be sure to have your candles ready at home. Service will be available on YouTube after 5pm 

                                                 *****

“It’s a Wonderful Life with Music”
Thursday December 24, 2020 2 pm
Plan to listen and watch a past and present musical offering from First Baptist starting at 2 pm . We pray it will bring Christmas Spirit into your home Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  Music will be available on YouTube after 2pm 

 

Stories of Faith
Through the season of Advent, we’re looking for people who willing to share a brief story (2-3 paragraphs max) of how God has impacted your life in faith, peace, joy and love.  

If you’d like to participate, send an email to Cheri Grizzard or letter to the office and we will share the stories we receive in worship and/or online (if we have more than we can share during worship).  If you wish your story to remain anonymous, please so indicate in your email.  

Stories of peace: Share a time when God has helped you reconcile or make peace with someone.  Turn in before Dec 6

Stories of joy:  Describe a time when you felt what you would describe as true joy (beyond happiness). Turn in before  Dec 13 

Stories of love: How does God shape your understanding of what love is?  Turn in before Dec 20 

 

 

RMMO – Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering

The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO) originated in the mid-1930s, when American Baptist congregations received a Communion Fellowship Offering on the first Sunday of each month to support retired ministers, missionaries, their widowed spouses and elderly clergy within their churches. In 1977, American Baptist Churches USA launched RMMO to continue this appreciation of God’s service.

This year, to honor this tradition and acknowledge the current circumstances, we chose Hope for Today, Hope for Tomorrow as our theme. This theme encompasses the true strength and dedication of ministers, missionaries and their widowed spouses who have devoted 15 years or more to ABCUSA.

Please Click Here to GIVE

Checks 
Make checks payable to the church and mark RMMO on the memo line.

Online 
( To specify the selected mission Select Missions- Retired Ministers/ Missionaries from Dropdown box)

 Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes Mission Drive

 

This year we are having a  “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” Mission Drive where we are collecting hats, scarves, gloves, lap blankets and socks for both children and adults in need. These will be given to multiple organizations including Sugar Creek Elementary and the local Mission!|
 These items can be donated through the next month from October 28th to December 2nd and can be either store bought or handmade.
To stop the spread of illness we will be packing the items individually in Ziploc bags with dates so the organizations can know when to safely open them. You can turn in these items to the drop-box in the Narthex.