Chimes

 

 

A Key Responsibility of the Pastor

 

I want to repeat what I shared at our January congregational business meeting about my responsibilities as your pastor. In addition to preaching, administration and pastoral care, one of my other important roles, a role I share with the other elected leaders of the church, is to keep us centered in our stated Vision for White Stone Baptist Church and to keep us focused on fulfilling the 3 Phase Long Range Plan that you approved within the last two years. Now that I’m your officially installed pastor, that’s a key responsibility of mine.

The vision statement you approved is printed on the back inside cover of this issue of The Chimes and you will find it there every month as a reminder of where we believe God is calling us to go. The LifeWay architect that you enlisted used that Vision statement and the related documents to devise a 3 Phase Long Range Plan for us to follow. You, as a church, formally committed yourselves to follow that plan. It’s my job to help us see that through.

The first phase of the plan calls for us to build on our strong commitment to community ministry by the renovation of the Church House into a center of ministry and at the same time use it to involve more and more younger adults in the life and ministry of our church. If we can successfully do that, then we will need to move to Phase 2: the expansion of our Sunday School space to minister to a larger number of children and provide adequate space for one or more younger adult Sunday School classes. Thus, right now we need to prepare additional teachers for an increase in the number of children and in starting one or more Sunday School classes for adults ages 20 – 40. We also need to start a special building fund for this Sunday School Expansion. Then, after we have expanded our Sunday School space, we can look toward building a new, larger fellowship hall.

As the renovations on the Church House will be completed by April 16^th, those of us who will be responsible for the ministry programming related to the Church House need to keep at the forefront of our minds and in our prayers how to involve young adults who are currently not active participants. We need to both involve them in carrying out ministry at the Church House and

create ministries that will meet the many different needs of younger adults in our community.

At the same time we will need to consider what other changes in the life and work of our church will be necessary for younger adults to find our church to be one that will become an important and essential part of their lives.

Keeping our eyes and minds on our Vision and 3 Phase Long Range Plan is a key responsibility for me as your Pastor. Please continue to pray for me, for all of our leaders and for the many people yet to be touched by our ministry.

Grace and Peace to you all!

Pastor Jeff

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February Sermons

5^th - “Scouting the Deep Water As A Disciple of Jesus”, Luke 5:1-11

12^th – “Why Men Hate Going To Church”, Mark 1:14-22, 29-39

19^th – “The boldness of Ordinary Men and Women”, Acts 4:1-20

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The co-coordinators of the Church House renovations have set a date of April 16^th for the completion of their work so that our new ministries there can commence. Activity had slowed down over the holidays but is now back in full swing. There is still a lot to get done in these next 10 weeks and fortunately, except for the deck and front porch, most of that work is inside which will not be affected by the winter weather.

 

We look forward to celebrating the opening of this now long-anticipated Ministry center and to welcoming the rest of the community to this place that will offer them hope in many areas of their lives. Many more opportunities for Walking Together In God’s Service with each other and many others in our community are just a couple of months away!

 

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Prayer Requests

            Judy Edwards                    Bessie Rice              Susan White                 Madison Owens

Our guests at the Food Pantry

Pat O’Shaughnessy 2/1 (Kathy Kauffman’s mother)

Randy Schuyler 2/1(Friend)

Sally Stetson 2/1(Daughter of Ann Jones)

Grayson Lee 2/1(Son of Stevie and Kenny Lee)

Lee Ann Orefice 2/1(Friend of the Fitchetts)

Kathy Juron 2/1 (Community Friend)

Ella Grace Martin 2/1 (Granddaughter of Wayne & Sheila Rollins)

Rev. Steve Turner 2/1 (Pastor of Claybrook Baptist)

Charles Green & Barbara Summerford (friends of S. White) 2/1

Dick Schreyer 2/1 (Friend of the Johnsons)

Sue Jones (Linda Reeves’ aunt) 2/1

Betty Whitehead 12/1 (Carol Johnson’s sister)

Carlyle Swann & Ed King 2/1 (friend of the Reeves)

Lancashire: Louise Dunaway, Alease George, & Shirley Walton

R-WC: Irma Burke, Maggie and Bunny Gibson, Madeline Hooper & Estelle Slate

In an effort to keep the prayer list current we will list names for 4 weeks and then remove them. Some have been removed that have been on for four or more weeks. If you wish to be returned to the list, please call the church office or drop a note in the offering plate and we will be glad to return the name for another four weeks.

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With Sympathy

Christian sympathy is extended to Ruthie Skinner and her family upon the death of her cousin, Wayne Carter.

 

Sympathy is also extended to Guy White upon the passing of his mother, Barbara White.

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Deacon for the month of February – Ruthie Skinner

Worship – 71               Sunday School – 30

Dear Church Youth Group,

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To All of you at White Stone Baptist,

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White Stone Baptist Church EMMAS

Jean Nelson, Executive Director

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Thank you so very much for all your prayers, cards, food, flowers and love sent my way during my stay at the hospital and home during my recent illness. It is wonderful to have such a loving church family and I’m feeling great.

Please continue to hold me up in your prayers as I try to do what the doctors advise.

Sheila  

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To my Church Family,

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Dear White Stone Baptist Church,

over 26,000 pounds came from our local growers and farmers, which is not simply food, but the best of the best when it comes to nutritional value.

Lance Barton, Executive Director

To Ruthie, Theresa and the Youth Group,

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I would like to thank the youth of White Stone Baptist Church for the bag of fruit that was brought to me. It was nice of you to remember me. Thanks again.

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We are happy to again have the Skyline Boys Gospel Quartet coming to WSBC. They presented a Christmas concert here several years ago and will be bringing us a message through music again. The group is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and has been singing together for almost 17 years. They have traveled extensively in Virginia and throughout the southeast and also have recorded several albums of their music.    A free will offering will be taken. Please join us for an uplifting evening of gospel music and bring a friend.

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As stated in the By-Laws, the Pastor Selection Committee meets with the new pastor for the first six months of his employment as they review his ministry and initiation into the church.  The committee is meeting monthly with Pastor Jeff and would appreciate any comments, compliments and suggestions that members might have.  Please contact any member of the committee: Mark, Sue, Gary, Sheila or Ruthie and of course Jeff prior to our next meeting on Monday, February 13^th.  After April, the Personnel Committee will be responsible for all employees of the church including the Pastor.

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That most important thing we do together is worship. Given White Stone’s Vision, we need to ask such questions as the following about the effectiveness of our worship services: Do we regularly experience the presence of God in our Sunday morning Worship services? Will younger adults (ages 20 – 40) who aren’t coming to our worship services now, experience the presence of God if they do come?

You’re invited to an open forum following our Feb. 12 worship service to begin a discussion of such specific questions as:

·         Do we need to make any changes to how we worship so that we can meet the spiritual needs not only of those of us who are regular attenders but also of those who aren’t attending now? 

·         What experiments with worship over the past two years while Brian Williams was your interim pastor might profitably be repeated now? 

·         Would renewing the search for a Music Director help us to succeed in carrying out our 3 Phase Long Range Plan? 

·         What would we want from such a Music Director in terms of helping us to craft our worship services so that they would not only appeal to the younger adults of our community (as well as children and teenagers) who aren’t coming now but would also help them, along with us, experience the presence of God?

If we choose, we can also continue to discuss these questions in several small groups which would read together the book, In God’s Presence: Encountering, Experiencing, and Embracing the Holy in Worship by N. Graham Standish.

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The Helping Hands Ministry is doing small “hands on” mission projects in our community to help others. If you know someone who needs something done at their home or if you would like to be a part of this group call Stewart Revere, 435-1455 or Doug Skinner, 435-6790.

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Tuesday, February 6^th at 7:00 p.m. at the church.

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All Deacons, both active and inactive, are invited to attend this workshop explaining the newest approach to Deacon Ministry: Deacon Team Ministry. This is an approach that our Deacons began considering last year after learning of the success of this new form of Deacon Ministry at Kilmarnock Baptist Church.

 

While the Deacon Family Ministry plan worked well in its early years beginning in the 1960s, changing times have greatly reduced its effectiveness. Many very faithful Deacons in many churches are finding themselves guilt-laden and overwhelmed by the many tasks involved in fulfilling all of the demands in the Deacon Family Ministry Plan. Consequently the effectiveness of their ministry is lessened and they experience little joy in their ministry. Moving to this new approach will free Deacons from that unnecessary guilt that many feel because of the lack of time or giftedness to perform many of the tasks required under the Family Ministry Plan. 

 

The basic idea of Deacon Team Ministry is that each Deacon either leads or serves on one special ministry team (that is also made up of other lay persons) which is best suited to his or her skills, gifts and passion. That in turn helps Deacons serve more effectively and with greater joy.   The Church decides what ministry teams are most needed and then Deacons and other lay members are paired with a particular team based on the team’s purpose/needs and the persons’ gifts, interests and passions.  

 

What many churches also have found in moving to a Deacon Team Ministry approach is that this same approach works well in other areas of church ministry. Where the Nominating Committees in many churches often have had to resort to some arm twisting to get people to consent to fill a slot on the Nominating Committee’s report, this new approach can match up people’s gifts and interests with the needs of every area of the church. Therefore, the positive results and impact of Deacon Team Ministry can permeate and bless the whole church.

 

So, Deacons, come, learn and be set free for ever greater, joyful service.

 

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The Lenten Services and Lunches begin on Ash Wednesday, February 22^nd, and take place every Wednesday during Lent. This year the services will be held at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Kilmarnock. The services are led by local pastors and begin at

12:05 p.m. with lunch at 12:30 p.m. Pastor Jeff will be the preacher for the February 29^th service.

White Stone Baptist will be joining the White Stone, Irvington and Foxwells churches in preparing lunch on April 4^th.

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If you are currently not attending one of our Adult Sunday School classes, our Pastor invites you to a class he will be starting on February 12^th. The Class will last for about twelve months with a break in July and August and will cover the following subjects:

 

 

 

 

You are of course welcome to attend all or as many of these of the classes as you choose.

 

After all topics have been covered, they will be offered again in early Spring 2013.

 

The class will meet in the Fellowship Hall in the area nearest the kitchen at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday. The first four weeks will focus on what are the most important beliefs that Baptists hold that were suggested by Walter B. Shurden, noted Baptist historian:

 

Join in for this encouraging and enlightening study over the coming months!

Sunday, February 26^th, is WMU Focus Day or Woman’s Day. Please plan to join with the WMU and the EMMAS as we celebrate our special day!

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Wednesday, February 1^st  at 10:30 a.m.   

Don’t forget to bring a sandwich.

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Monday, February 13^th , 7:00 p.m. at the Revere home

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Saturday, February 11^th at 2:00 p.m.

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Through January 24, (the fourth Tuesday) we had served 253 families.   With one Tuesday left in the month, it’s likely that January will beat the monthly record of 268.  On January 8, we had 90 families, surpassing the previous weekly record of 87.  Fortunately we had enough help and enough food and were able to serve everyone.

Estelle Slate has reported that when one of the aids at Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury found out that she was a member of WSBC, she thanked the church for the food pantry.  The aide said last year, when she was without a job, she received food from the pantry for a few months to help feed her family.  Since she has gotten the job at RWC, she has not needed to return but the food pantry was a blessing to her and her family during their time of need. These messages from recipients are very encouraging to us.  It reinforces why we put all the time, energy and funds into this mission.

On another good news note, The Rice Bowl Fund of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington has awarded our food pantry a grant of $1000.  Susan Martin originally found out about this grant possibility and was able to obtain it for several years.  Last year, we didn’t receive it but now we have again.  We are very grateful to them for this funding.

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Labels and Box Tops for Education 

Please continue to save Labels and Box Tops for Education! They are not just on soup cans anymore! There is a box in the church office for these. We give them to the Lancaster Middle School to help them receive new equipment that helps promote the educational growth of OUR future generation.

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EMMAS Knit-Wits – We have given out a lot of prayer shawls and our supply is getting low so get those needles clicking and let’s build up our inventory.

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Beginning Sunday, February 5^th, Janet Tayloe will be teaching children’s church on the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th Sundays during worship service for children ages 5 through 9. The children will stay in worship until after the choir special and will then go with Ms. Janet for fun and worship. We look forward to seeing you there.

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Dear Parents,

To many preschoolers, church represents a loving and fun place. In February, preschoolers will hear Bible stories about people going to church and begin to understand that they can do unique things at church.

Preschoolers will hear how Solomon led the people to sing and play instruments at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem and they will have opportunities to sing and talk to God at church.   They will hear the story of the poor woman who gave all of her money at church and how it pleased Jesus and how the people at church help others by taking care of them and providing food. Preschoolers will talk of ways that they themselves can help at church and that church is where they and other people go to learn about God and Jesus.

February is also the “love” month and we will be doing fun things with hearts, Valentines and such!

Hope to see you each week.

Your Preschooler’s Sunday School Teachers

 

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Thank you for sharing your precious children with us!  

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                14 – Randy & Linda Reeves             29 – Ran Reeves, Jr.

            20 – Jack & Carol Johnson               30 – Catherine Dameron May

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 Remember someone with a gift to the WSBC Memorial Fund. Your gift can be designated however you wish – building, music ministry, scholarship, food pantry, community needs, Marchant camp fund, regular Memorial Fund, WMU Extra Helping Hand, etc. Both you and the recipient will receive acknowledgement of the gift by the Memorial Fund Committee.

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Dennis and Susan Martin have new phone numbers.

Dennis – 417-761-0274   Susan – 417-761-0054

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We envision WSBC as a growing congregation of faith, reflecting the Lordship and love of Christ through worship and ministry. To accomplish this, we will: