First WordIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. John 1:1

First Baptist Church of Fulton, MissouriEmail: 1baptistfulton@sbcglobal.net April 2012

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

Palm Sunday, April 1Church Goal: $6,000

Easter Egg HuntSaturday, April 7 starting at 11:30 we will have an Easter Egg Hunt at the Humphrey Pavilion in the City Park.  The Egg Hunt will be for Children 6th Grade and under and their families.  There will be sections for each age group to hunt so each child has an opportunity to hunt for eggs. This will be a great time for families to come have a hot dog and hang out.  We look forward to seeing you there. Also, we need donations of candy, plastic eggs and small toys.  Please bring your donations by the church office this week.

Volunteers needed: See Brad or call the church office.

Easter Worship

8:30 am Traditional Worship 9:45 am Bible Study11:00 am Team-Led Worship

No Evening Activities

April 29 is our next Fifth Sunday Service.  On our fifth Sundays we meet together in one service at 10:00 for worship, followed by a fellowship meal together.  These services are not only a great time to get together as an entire church body, but to invite friends and family.  Please bring salads, side dishes, and desserts, as we will provide the main course.  On fifth Sundays we only have the one service, so we will not have Sunday School or Sunday night services on April 29.  These are important times in the life of our church as we express our complete unity as a body in one service of worship.  Can’t wait to see you there!

At the business meeting Wednesday, March 14 the proposal to upgrade and improve our audio/visual equipment was unanimously approved.  We are hoping to have our new equipment and sound system up and running by our fifth Sunday service in April. This will vastly improve the sound quality of our worship services and help us as we continue to praise and honor God.   If you were unable to make it to the business meeting and have any questions or want more details about what we are doing, please contact the church office. 

Sunday March 25 we met about a new curriculum for our Sunday School classes here at church.  The Gospel Project is a Christ-centered curriculum that examines

the grand narrative of Scripture and how the gospel transforms the lives of those it touches. Over a three-year plan of study, each session immerses participants — adults, students, and kids — in the gospel through every story, theological concept, and call to missions from Genesis to Revelation.

Using this curriculum as a church will help bring about unity in the body of Christ.  If we are all studying the same subject, then when we get together outside of Sunday School, we already have something Christ-centered to talk about with one another.  Kids will be learning about the same ideas and concepts as their parents, and grandparents which will develop built in conversation starters.

In His Service,Brad KerrAssociate Pastor of Music and Education

We have finalized the plans and specifications for the remodeling of the third floor of the educational building and have three contractors bidding on the project. A copy of the floor plan will be on display in the entry way for those who are interested. We anticipate the project to be completed sometime in July.

This year

the dates for the

youth

mission trip will be July 13-21. We will again be going to The Bottineau North Dakota area and will focus our outreach on the Turtle Mountain Reservation.

This trip will be for those students that have completed 7th – 12th grade and are “regular attenders”. For us that means that in a normal week We have Sunday School, Sunday Night and Wednesday Night. Being in attendance for two or three of those would make you a “regular attender” missing two or three of those would make you a “regular non-attender”.

Attendance is critical as we make sure that we are ready to bring Jesus to the people that we come in contact with. I have a sign up sheet in the youth room as well as application packets. The applications are due no later than April 29th.

Adult Mission TripOur association of churches is planning an

adult Mission trip for June 1st – 9th to Shoal Lake, Ontario, Canada. We will be working with NAMB missionary Jay Kim, helping to turn a house on the Shoal Lake Native Reservation into a church building.

I will be meeting with Jay and looking at the project on April 10th and will have more details to share on Sunday April, 15th.

The cost for the trip will be about $300.00; you will need a passport and although the main focus of the trip will be construction, we will be doing some community outreach and some fishing!

Offering Total:$1,805

Good News Ministry Team wants to explain why we aren't giving out the Easter Food Baskets.  Simply put, Shingles came to Judy Vieth and Becky was tied up with many activities.  When we finally realized how quickly Easter was coming, there was not the time needed to prepare for program.  Our apology to everyone, we know how much you have enjoyed the ministry and the neighborhood enjoyed the bags.  We have learned that the area is being treated this year by another group.  However, we have put together small food bags and a gift for our ladies that have attended Good News Place and large chocolate crosses or fish (the sign of Christian used in the early church) and age-appropriate workbooks or coloring books for the children that have come to Good News Club.  The Mabel Murphy Baptist Women are helping with those.  Again, please forgive us for not being able to put the regular program together, there simply wasn't enough hands to carry out the work.  And, again, thank you for your willingness to carry on the ministry to bring the love of Jesus to the neighborhood.

Camp Dates

Girls camp – ages 8-13 July 9-14Director: Candice Bockenstedt (573-581-2479)Email: campcedarcrestgirls@yahoo.com

Boys camp for those that have completed 3rd-6th gradesJuly 16-21, 2012 Director: Kyle Stephens (573-999-7168)Email: cedarcrestboyscamp@hotmail.com

www.grandcrossingsba.org for more information

Registration forms are available at the welcome center and the church office.

First Baptist Family,Thank you so much for the flower

arrangement that was sent to our house after the birth of our daughter. Avery is such a blessing in our

lives and I look forward to watching her grow and live in the love of Christ and the love and support of our church family. God bless you all.

Love,Autumn, Rory, Caroline & Avery Young

Dear First Baptist Church Family,We would like to thank all who sent cards of

comfort and condolences to us at the passing of Everett’s father, Leland Austin, and all who attended his visitation to let us know your thoughts and prayers were with us in our time of loss. In addition, we especially want to thank the entire First Baptist Church family for the memorial contribution given to Unity Baptist Church to honor “Grandpa’s” life and service there. If he could know, “Grandpa” would be very humbled at the immense outpouring of love and concern shown to his family by their friends at the time of his passing.

We were blessed to have “Grandpa” in our lives for such a long time, and we are also blessed to have such a kind and loving church family in our lives. God is good!

God bless all of you. The Family of Leland Austin – Helen Austin, Everett and Dianna Austin, Jerry and Beverly Austin, and Dwight and Patsy Austin

Dear Church Family,Thank you so much for your prayers, the

lovely cards, and visits to the hospital during my recent surgery. Thanks, also, for the flowers, and a special thanks to Pat O’Rourke for delivering them and for her visit.

God Bless,Bernell Hogan

Dear Church Family,We would like to thank our church family for

the many acts of kindness shown during the recent loss of our Mother, Grace Harrison. Your calls, the flowers, food, visits and sharing remembrances of the many ways Mother touched your life in such a positive way were so appreciated. A special thanks to Murray and Barbara and Pastor Gary for their comforting words and the special music; to the

ladies who helped prepare and serve the delicious meal for the family after the funeral service, thank you so much. We have been deeply touched and blessed by your love and concern. God bless each of you.

Ann & Jack Ruffel and family

Dear Friends at First Baptist,We hope this finds all of you in the First

Baptist family doing well. It was such a blessing to be able to connect with many of you during our recent time back in the States.

As we reflect on this past year, we are incredibly humbled by and grateful for God’s faithfulness in providing for our every need. Thank you for being a crucial part of that provision through your dedicated prayers, encouragement and ongoing financial support.

It is an honor to serve with you to expand God’s Kingdom and to provide for the educational needs of the Deaf in North Africa. May you all be blessed in 2012!

Sincerely,Justin & Janelle

Dear Church Family,I cannot begin to thank you enough for all

that has been done for us during Dean’s illness, the outpouring of love has been overwhelming. Thank you for the cards, the delicious food, the flowers, calls, transportation to treatment, prayers and any other way you have given and blessed us. We thank God for all of you.

Dean & Linda Nichols

Dear Church Family,Thank you for the beautiful flowers for my

birthday. I was really surprised. Thanks to Mary Shively for delivering them to me.

God Bless,Trellis Blansett