FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH MARCH 6, 2013 WINCHESTER, VA.

VOL. 74 NO. 5

A Loving & Caring Church Transforming God’s Vision Into Action

We are well into the Season of Lent - a time of preparation for

Easter. It is a time when we take stock of our lives, acknowledge

that we are sinners, and remember and respond to the atoning

death of Christ. In the weeks before Easter, we are waiting for

spring. We begin to notice the lengthening of daylight, which

gives the Season of Lent its name. The word “Lent” comes from an old English word “lente” which

means “spring,” referring to the lengthening of days. The new life characteristic of springtime

reminds us of our new life in Christ. The pause between winter and spring gives us time to reflect on

our spiritual lives and make preparation.

The sixth chapter of Isaiah tells of the call and commission of the prophet. Isaiah experienced the

glory of God. He was surrounded by the divine presence; everything in the created order spoke of

God’s glory. As a result, he was made fully aware of his own sin and defilement. Isaiah’s response to

God’s glory was a cry of despair, “Woe is me! For I am lost!” He had never realized the depth of his

sin and depravity until he stood in the revealing light of God’s holiness.

The manner in which Isaiah was cleansed and forgiven is revealing. One of the seraphim from the

heavenly throne flew to him with a burning coal. It was pressed to Isaiah’s lips, which symbolized the

removal of his guilt. This reminds us that there is no painless cure for sin. Forgiveness always comes

with a price - the price of suffering and death.

When the seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips, his guilt was removed and his sin forgiven. H.H. Rowley

described the change that came over Isaiah. “He who a moment before felt that in the presence of

the Holy God sin could not exist, and that therefore he must perish with his sin, now felt that he was

separated from his sin so that it alone might perish, and he might live.” Isaiah was shown exactly

why he deserved to die. But he did not die; he was forgiven.

This shows us as Christians the work we need to do during the Lenten season. In the presence of God

we cannot help but acknowledge our sin. We do not deserve God’s love and mercy. We live so badly

in the presence of such grace. But the amazing thing is that God doesn’t reveal to us our sin in order

to destroy us. We know that as we confess our sins, we are forgiven.

I invite you to use these days of Lent to examine your lives in the light of God's glory, and through

confession and repentance, draw closer to Him.

Thanks to all who made possible our 85th Anniversary Celebration, not only the service and luncheon

on February 24th, but throughout the past year. Special thanks to the Deacon Planning Team and the

History Committee, and particularly Mary Will Bowen, Nelson Isenhower, and Sue Spangler. God has

led and blessed us in the past, He will lead and bless us into the future.

George Fletcher

Check Out Our Website www.firstbaptistwinchester.com

We continue to work at building an interesting and helpful church website. If you have any suggestions for additional material please let us know. The Tie and the Church Calendar are now available online from the News page. Audio files of the previous Sunday’s Worship Services are now available online from the Worship page.

SLC Love Offering begins

Stewardship and Finance Committee article:

Understanding the Treasurer’s Report

ATTENDANCE CONTRIBUTIONS

DATE: 8:30AM 11:00AM TOTAL NEEDED WEEKLY

RECEIVED TODAY

NEEDED TO DATE

RECEIVED TO DATE

BUDGET OVER(UNDER)

RESTRICTED GIVING

RESTRICTED TO DATE

FEB 24 — 288 288 $ 12,096 $ 10,558 $ 96,768 $ 82,625 $ (14,143) $ 507 $ 11,851

MARCH 3 77 166 243 $ 12,096 $ 13,550 $108,864 $ 96,175 $ (12,689) $ 1,813 $ 13,664

Bible Friends Schedule Volunteers for the 11:00 am service for the coming

Sundays are:

March 10 Lynne Esslinger - Tracy Howard

March 17 Stephanie Duvall - Shelby Comstock

March 24 JoAnne Long - Emily Gordon

March 31 Nan Pell - Heather Wilson

Nursery Volunteers Volunteers for the 11:00 am service for the coming

Sundays are:

March 10 Eileen Fluelling

March 17 Jan Habeck

March 24 Jae Hinson

March 31 Cheryl Jones/JoAnne Long

Women's Wednesday Bible Study Continues

Come join the women of FBC on Wednesdays for

a Bible study based on the "Dick Van Dyke Show."

We'll explore the lessons of the Bible while having

some laughter and fun along with Rob and Laura

Petrie. Sessions are scheduled

for 6:30pm after Wednesday

night fellowship dinner. If

you have any questions, call

Cheryl Jones at 665-1880.

Christian sympathy is extended

to Juanita Belt and family

whose sister, Madalyn Iser, died

on March 3rd.

Children’s Story Time Speakers Volunteers for the coming Sundays are:

March 10 Patsy Stainback

March 17 Kim Riley

March 24 Sherry Headley

March 31 Marge Davis Spring Study Group

The Spring Thursday Morning Bible Study will focus on the Epistles of John (I, II, III John). In

these letters the apostle John says exactly what Christians need to hear today – announcing that God is light, truth, love, and life. There will be nine weekly sessions beginning March 14th. Each session will be held from 10:00 to 11:30 in the lower auditorium. There will be no charge for the study books, but please call the church office (662-5367) by Monday, March 4th, to pre-register so that books can be ordered in time for the first session. The class will be led by Bob

Stainback and Lori Pendleton.

The Word Sunday School Class to Begin New Study

The Word class will start A Purpose Driven Life on March 10th. It runs 6 weeks. Pastor Rick Warren's best seller is celebrating it's 10-year anniversary with a newly released copy containing two new chapters. Even if you have studied this before we encourage you to take a fresh look at it. After all, are you the same person with the same goals and purposes as 10 years ago? Some of you were mere babies at the time! Cost of the book is $12. We want to support the newly released version, since most of the money will be given to charity. We are very excited about this study and hope you can join us!

Contact John or Jan Habeck 336-5158 and 5159 for more information. Also, please note, The Word class now meets in the CEB basement.

A column for parents of young children, brought to

you by the “Son”Shine Learning Center

Dear “Son” Shine Learning Center Students,

Thank you so very much for providing snacks for guests in the W.A.T.T.S program. That was very thoughtful of you. It was a nice thing to do for our homeless guests. They appreciated your gift.

It is wonderful that at such a young age you have learned to do what Jesus wants all of us to do: help those who are poor.

Thank you, W.A.T.T.S Volunteers

Dear Parents and Friends of First Baptist Church,

At a time when the cost of running any private organization/school is

on the rise, fundraisers have become an important source of income.

At “Son” Shine Learning Center, we use raised funds to offset the cost

of educational materials and updates to our classrooms. Our goal last

year was to raise $4,000 and we raised $4,000! We thank you for your

contributions as it allowed us to purchase eight Dell computers for our

Computer Lab. We were also able to purchase new software to go along

with these computers. Studies have shown that starting a child on the road

to computer literacy, from an early age, will mean that they are always at

ease and comfortable with technology, and readily able to embrace the

further changes which will undoubtedly follow in the 21st Century.

With your help, our 5th annual “Son” Shine Love Offering will be held from Monday,

March 11 through Thursday, May 23, 2013. This takes the place of multiple events that

require door-to-door sales and the purchase of candy, candles, popcorn, and wrapping

paper. Our goal this year is to raise $4,200. Our plan for these funds is to purchase new

teaching materials, add one component to our playground, purchase additional gravel for the

playground, and offset the cost of CPR training for staff members.

Every contribution, whatever the amount, goes directly to the SLC Fund and your donations

are tax deductible. Thank you very much for your continued support.

In His service,

Sherry Schryver, Director

“Son” Shine Learning Center

Bible Friends Ministry Volunteers Needed

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.

Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven

belongs to those who are like these children”

Matthew 19:14

Volunteer helpers are needed

for the Bible Friends Ministry in

2013 (thank you to those of you

who are already volunteering)!!

We need to have two non-

related volunteers for the Bible

Friends Ministry during our

eleven o’clock service.

As coordinator of this wonderful Children’s

Ministry, I hope we can get at least six

additional volunteers to either teach or help

our teachers. It is truly a blessing to teach and

work with the children ages, older three’s to

first grade. The lessons are prepared for us to

read over and are geared to their learning level.

To see the art work they make for special

occasions for parents and siblings, demonstrates

the true blessings we have in our life!

Please help us in this worthwhile ministry for

the young children at FBC and contact me as

soon as possible at (540) 664-3135 or email

lgfletcher@comcast.net to volunteer in 2013!

God bless you as we continue with this ministry.

In Christ’s love,

Linda Fletcher

Miss Something?

Missing church no longer means missing out on the Worship Service.

The services are now being recorded in .mp3 format which means they can be loaded to the website and available for listening at your convenience from your PC or smart phone. Simply click on the link, adjust your volume, and you are good to go! Check it out at

www.firstbaptistwinchester.com/worship.

Sundays – Every effort will be made to hold services. The early service will be canceled first to allow the weather to im-prove.

Weekdays – We will make a decision regarding the day’s activities as soon as possible.

Listen to the radio stations 1400AM or 92.5FM after 6:00am. We will also have an updated message on our church voice mail and our website.

Choir Rehearsals Resume

The Senior Chime Choir will resume rehearsals on Tuesday, March 19th at 9:30am in the Sanctuary. The Singin’ Seniors will resume rehearsals as well on March 19th at 11:00am in the Lower Auditorium. We will stay after rehearsal and eat together. Please bring a bag lunch and plan to join us for fellowship.

Passport: If you signed up to attend Passport at Wingate University, please

turn in your $75 deposit ASAP to reserve your space. Registration was

completed November 1, 2012. If you would like to be added to the wait list

in case someone who registered drops out, please contact Kristin at the

church office. Substitutes will be added on a first come/first served basis.

Faith and the Golden Rule: This interfaith youth event is sponsored by

the Valley Interfaith Council and area youth ministries. Where can we find

common ground? Come join us on Sunday, March 17th, from 6:00 -

7:30pm at First Presbyterian Church for dinner and discussion with youth

and faith leaders from various traditions as we share how our faiths

understand and apply the Golden Rule.

Apple Blossom Ticket Sales: The more you work, the more you earn!

Join us for the first day of Apple Blossom ticket sales on Saturday, March

23rd. We need folks to hand out numbers, call out numbers, sell tickets, and

make change! We will also need some youth to help entertain the children

of those who come to purchase tickets and make sure things run smoothly.

REMEMBER: each time you work at an Apple Blossom event, you are

earning money for your youth account that can be used for youth trips and

events! If your parents work, they can earn money for your account too!

{youth}UPDATE

{3.17}

Interfaith Youth Event: Faith and the Golden Rule

{3.22}

Apple Blossom Ticket Sales

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming Events {What You Need to Know}

March 2013

Reminder / RSVP!

Please RSVP for the Interfaith Youth Event by March 10th by calling the church office

Questions? / Contact

Rev. Kristin Adkins Whitesides church: 540-662-5367 e-mail: kristin@firstbaptistwinchester.com Medical Releases and Trip Covenants are available in the 301 House or on our website: www.firstbaptistwinchester.com/youth

Palm Sunday Covered Dish Luncheon

A church-wide potluck luncheon and children’s Egg

Hunt will be on Palm Sunday in the CEB following

the 11:00 am worship service. Meat will not be

provided for the luncheon and we ask that you bring

two of your favorite dishes and/or dessert. We look

forward to enjoying the good food and fellowship at

this special time of the year. Following the luncheon

we will have the Egg

Hunt for our preschoolers

and schoolagers. Those

participating are asked to

bring an Easter basket for

gathering eggs.

Maundy Thursday Service

The service will begin at 7:00pm on March 28th. There will be special music, a message from the pastor, and the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. You are invited to join us for this time of worship as we remember the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Need $$ for College? Scholarship Applications for graduating FBC seniors who have been accepted at an accredited institution of higher learning are available in the Church Office. Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2013.

Apple Blossom Tickets

First Baptist Church

GREAT SEATS FOR WATCHING THE PARADE

WHEN: Starting Saturday, March

23rd, 2013 (in the CEB that day

only 9:00am—noon)

After March 23rd, tickets will be sold

Monday thru Friday in the church

office from 10:00am—2:00pm

WHERE: First Baptist Church

WHO: Kristin Whitesides

WHY: Ticket Sales benefit FBC Youth

Tickets: Firefighter’s Parade $4 Grand Feature Parade $6

Parking (behind the CEB): Firefighter’s Parade $12 Grand Feature Parade $15

Port-a-potties

and simple concessions

will be available

“To God Be The Glory”

On Sunday morning, February 24th, 2013, we celebrated our 85th Anniversary in this location by singing “To God Be the Glory” as our hymn of praise. This hymn is a well-recognized and beloved hymn of praise and adoration of God. It is one of the thousands of hymn texts written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915). Although she ranks among the church’s great writers of hymns and spiritual songs, “To God Be the Glory”, was practically unknown in the U.S. until it was first used by Cliff Barrows in a Billy Graham Crusade back in 1954. Since that time, it has become one of Fanny Crosby’s most well-

known hymns.

As with other classic hymns penned by Fanny Crosby, this hymn is a marvelous expression of Praise to God for His wondrous works. It is also a hymn about God’s grace. From the outset all credit goes to God for His work, with no role for man’s efforts. It is Jesus alone who opens the life gate of salvation, so that all have the opportunity to be saved. This is a clear

message of God’s grace, we cannot prove our worth for eternal life to be granted.

The message of this hymn is that salvation is provided as a gift from God to everyone who will put their faith in Jesus, regardless of our sins before or after we become Christians. The act of love from Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, makes it possible for us to truly “Praise the Lord! Praise

the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice!”

As we celebrate our 85 years of ministry here and plan ahead for our future, let us indeed rejoice that

our salvation was freely given to each of us by Jesus Christ!

To God Be The Glory

To God be the glory, great things He hath done; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,

Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin, And opened the life gate, that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, To every believer, the promise of God; The vilest offender who truly believes,

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our victory, when Jesus we see!

Refrain: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

And give Him the glory, great things He hath done!

By Lori

Women on Mission March Meeting

The FBC WOM will meet on Monday, March 11th at 7:00pm in the CEB. All women are invited to attend and help plan our spring mission projects. If you have questions or need a ride to the meeting contact Peggy Fletcher at 542-1802.

First Baptist Church will host the

Downtown Clergy Fellowship

Good Friday Service

March 29th noon - 1:00pm

Understanding the Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer’s report is made available for the first church business meeting of the year, usually at the end of February. It provides a comprehensive review of the balance sheets of the church, Hunting Ridge

Retreat, and “Son”Shine Learning Center.

The standard used for comparison is mostly the budget that was approved for the year – in other words, the actual spending and funds received are compared against what we passed in the budget. This compar-ison is valuable, especially in trying to develop the next year’s budget, but may be incomplete since spending that is kept below budget may be accompanied by donations (or revenue) that is also below budget, resulting in an overall deficit for the year. This balance is the most important figure for practical

purposes since it tells if we are depleting our bank balance to meet daily costs.

Most of the church’s operating budget zeros out at the end of the year, with the exception of designated, HRR, and SLC funds, each of which retain balances (currently negative balances for HRR and SLC) in the overall church bank account. The overall church account described in the Treasurer’s report looks pretty robust, but much of it is not available for daily costs. Over $100,000 is currently “loaned” to HRR and SLC to cover deficits. A large portion of the bank account is “designated” so the donor still determines how it

can be spent.

Finally, the bank account contains funds set aside for multiple years like emergency funds, building funds, missions, etc. Only the funds remaining in the bank account after these three areas are accounted for are available to cover additional daily operating costs. The Treasurer and Stewardship and Finance

Committee are working to make certain that we keep a full accounting for all of those funds.

Overall, the Treasurer’s Report shows that God has blessed us richly in many ways, including financially. Our balance sheets would be considered enviable, although we all need to be aware of

them and our own role in keeping our congregation healthy in His service! Contact Bob Marr at marr75@comcast.net or phone 664-7621 if you have questions or concerns.

Stewardship and Finance Committee

Wednesday Night Activities Wednesday night activities continue with dinner and fellowship at 5:45pm in the CEB. Permanent reservations can be made by calling the Church Office or filling out a dinner reservation card and marking it “permanent.” Then you only need to call the Church Office if you cannot come. If you expect your attendance to be irregular, please call the Church Office for a weekly reservation by the preceding Monday. Noon that day is the deadline!

ADULTS: $4.00 YOUTH: $3.00 CHILDREN UNDER 10: $2.75

CHILDREN’S PLATE (IE., PB&J): $1.50 MAXIMUM FAMILY TOTAL: $12.00

Youth Bible Study/Fellowship begins at 6:15pm in the 301 House. Adult Bible Study, Women’s Bible Study, and Preschool Care and Choristers begin at 6:30.

Please Join Us For Good Food & Fellowship

Critical Need Faith In Action is in critical need of volunteer drivers. As a non-profit that provides free transportation to/from medical appointments for those with no other means of transportation, a corps of volunteer drivers (with training and orientation to FIA service protocols) serve area residents who are registered clients of Faith In Action. Priority is given to those in need of life-saving services such as dialysis and chemotherapy. There is no minimum requirement of hours or mileage; even one-way rides help the schedule tremendously.

Additionally, an office assistant is needed. This would entail donating 10 - 15 hours a week to manage a light load of phone calls and data entry. Hours are flexible.

Interested in volunteering? Please call (540) 536-1006

3/10

Schoolage Bowling

3/17

Sunday School Teacher Training

3/24

Covered Dish Luncheon and Easter Egg Hunt

3/25

Children’s Ministry Team Meeting

3/28

Nursery Committee Meeting

Mark Your

Calendar

children’s news

Feeding our Neighbors

Remember to bring a food item each Sunday as part of your church offering.

Total items donated to

CCAP to Date: 5,718

** All Children’s Ministry Team meetings and Nursery Committee meetings are held in the church office at 6:30pm

Easter Egg Hunt A Covered Dish Luncheon and Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Palm Sunday, March 24th following the worship service. The hunt is for children ages nursery through 5th grade. Please bring a basket for collecting eggs!

March 2013 | Children’s Ministry of First Baptist Church

Vacation Bible School

Schoolage Bowling Please join us from 2 - 4pm on Sunday, March 10th at Northside Lanes. $11 gets you 2 games and shoes. Bring a friend!

Looking for an exciting adventure this summer? Here is just the one! Sign up to be a part of Vacation Bible School as we go on a crusade for Christ with the theme, Kingdom Rock. Mark your calendars for July 8 – 12. We are looking for teachers, helpers, snack and meal preparers, clerks, and more. There are many ways that you can be a part of this wonderful mission. Don’t miss the opportunity to share Christ as we all learn more about His glorious kingdom. Call Sherry Headley at 540-722-4264, email sheadley56@gmail.com, or just stop her in church and let her know that you are as excited as she is about this adventure and you want to help. Let’s make this VBS the best yet!

New Preschool Sunday School Curriculum Training Our Preschool Sunday school will be beginning a new, exciting curriculum on March 24th called “Hands On Bible.” It is a low-prep, high impact curriculum that will be fun for teachers and kids. If you are a preschool teacher or volunteer, we hope you will join Kristin for an introduction and training event at 8:30am on Sunday, March 17th in the church office! Please RSVP by calling the church office to let us know if you can come!

Safety Policies and Procedures If you are a children’s ministry teacher or volunteer, but have never been trained on our Safety Policies and Procedures Handbook, we hope you will also come Sunday, March 17th at 9:15am in the church office for a very brief training. If you are unable to attend that morning, please contact the church office to set up a different training time with Kristin. Those of you who have already been trained, we ask that you return your update card to the church office by March 17th. If you have any questions, please contact Kristin in the church office at 662-5367. Thanks for all you do!

Mom and Me 2013

Mom and Me is a fun-filled missions focused event for 1st – 6th grade girls (yes, 6th grade girls can attend this year!), and their moms to spend quality time together as they participate in activities that include: a visit with a missionary, music, dance, worship, crafts, a

hands-on missions project, and more!

The costs listed below include: linens, lodging, three meals, services & facilities fee, t-shirt and program fees. Everyone must pre-register

with Eagle Eyrie.

Contact Wanda Diehl 868-0833 if you have questions and/or would

like to register. Or register online at

https://eagleeyrie.wufoo.com/forms/mom-me-2013

Please register by March 15th

Winter Book Club 2013 The featured book for the 2013 Winter Book Club is The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel. This is a 7-week study that began on February 4th and will end on March 18th. Sessions are held on Mondays at 10:00am in the lower auditorium.

The Case for Christ is a non-fiction book that describes the author's quest for the truth of Jesus being the Son of God. Strobel investigates issues such as: Gospel accounts, historical evidence, and Jesus' death and resurrection. Educated at Yale, Strobel was once a skeptic himself and his investigative journalism convinced him of the truth of his faith in Christ!

All are invited to join us for the rich discussions on this book. Books are provided and the study is led by Lori Ann Horne Pendleton.

Got Keys?

If you have a set of church van keys please let the office know! Thanks!

Hunting Ridge Retreat

Wood Cutting Rules

Church members needing firewood can

call HRR Director Brian Bayliss 662-9004,

to request location and permission to cut

wood. Please leave the ash trees at the

Ridge in order to control the Asian Long-

Horned Beetles or White-Spotted Sawyer

Bugs at a central location.

The policy is to cut one load for the retreat

for every two loads for yourself. Leave the

HRR load at the wood pile in front of the

tractor shed unless otherwise directed by

Brian. Any questions can be addressed to

Jim Christiansen at 667-3873. Please take

care when cutting wood at the Ridge.

Upon This Rock Cantata

There will be one service on Palm Sunday, March 24th at 11:00am. The Chancel Choir will present the Cantata “Upon This Rock”, the Easter story from the perspective of Peter, by Pepper Choplin. Pepper Choplin is widely acclaimed for his unique "a cappella" scripture settings, filled with a rhythmic, energetic spiritual quality. "Upon This Rock" is a compelling interpretation of Matthew 16:13-20, a celebration of church unity and the church's challenge to be effective in the 21st century.

The TIE (USPS 629340) is published twice a

month by the First Baptist Church, 205 W.

Piccadilly Street, Winchester, VA 22601.

Periodical postage paid at Winchester, VA

22601 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

address above.

Articles can be submitted to the editor by

email.

Periodical

U.S. Postage PAID

Winchester, VA

Permit No. 629340

First Baptist Church 205 W. Piccadilly Street

Winchester, VA 22601

(540) 662-5367

Fax: (540) 662-7947 firstbaptistwinchester.com

Newsletter Deadline The next Tie will be mailed on Wed. March 20th.

Please submit content to Kay by 10:00am Friday, March

15th. Email is tie@firstbaptistwinchester.com

Bulletin Deadline The Church Bulletin is printed EVERY Thursday Morning.

Please submit content to Kathy by noon on Wednesday.

Email is fbcwinc@firstbaptistwinchester.com

First Baptist Church Prayer Chain Ministries

Direct your prayer request(s) to:

Daytime Hours: Donna Walter @ 722-2230 or Linette Spicer @ 662-1120

Evening Hours: Janet Luttrell @ 667-8758 or Laura Beavers @ 667-3191

Sanctuary arrangements are

needed for the 2013 calendar

year. If you would like to place

an arrangement in memory or in

honor of a loved one, please fill

out a Flower Calendar form found in each narthex or the

Church Office. You may also call the Church Office to

place your request.

Homebound Spotlight

Mary Jolliffe

Evergreen Health and Rehab 380 Millwood Ave. #104 Winchester, VA 22601

We encourage everyone to send a note to Mary

In His Love, Lori & the Homebound Team

Sunday March 10