focus 2-24-11 end of feb for march 2011send this one

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FOCUSFirst Baptist Church, Chico

850 Palmetto Avenue

Chico, CA 95926

530-343-3446

Monthly Newsletter Vol. 30, No.2 - 2/24/11

We are a richly varied church community celebrating the grace of God through worship, through encouraging spiritual

growth, and by living as reminders of God’s loving presence in our world.

Can you believe it? Much to the consternation

of some in Chico, I’ve been preaching the

love of God. Terrible, they say. Preach

judgment, they say. Preach their interpretation of theScripture, they say. No wait. That’s not what they say.

They say to preach the truth of the Scripture – which is

crystal clear to them, but maybe only them. They, and

they alone, seem to know what the Bible says, what the

Bible means. If you or I don’t agree with them, them

obviously, we aren’t Christians.

For those of you who haven’t read the Letters to the

Editor section of our local newspaper, I need to bring

you up to date. A week and a half ago, someone angry

with us (me) for placing “We Love Our MuslimNeighbors” on our street sign phoned the Tell It to the

E-R section of the paper suggesting we’re not Christian

because we love Muslims. Then last Saturday, a

gentleman wrote a letter to the Editor complaining

because we want to allow Muslims to speak in Christian

churches. (I haven’t the foggiest idea where he came up

with this idea.) He then went on to complain that we

had fliers supporting Prop 8 in our foyer during that

election. (The fliers came from the California Council

of Churches and were intended to provide information

about all the propositions to be voted on.) He foundthese fliers reprehensible. The writer went on to say,

“This letter is about pastors who ill-serve the

community by preaching ‘God is love’ sermons without

mentioning the ‘wages of sin is death.’” A second letter

supported this position by saying, “It is really sad to see

so-called Christian churches changing what they are

teaching.”

I’ve talked with many about how to respond to these

letters, and have had many reactions myself. Let me

share some of my thoughts with you.

First, I confess that I may not be 100% correct in my

theology, because this is God we’re thinking about, anGod is far beyond the knowledge of anyone. No one

can understand everything about God or about the

Scripture with 100% certainty, no matter what the lett

writers may believe.

Second, I believe I can make a strong case that God

loves all people – from Muslims to Jews to Catholics

Baptist to atheists to homosexuals to slaves to divorce

to African Americans to liberals to conservatives. I pr

only that God will love me.

Third, I believe that preaching the love of God is what

I’ve been called to do. If I preach God’s love, if peo

believe God loves them, then we/they will want to do

what is good in the eyes of the God they love, just as I

want to do what is good in the eyes of my wife whom

love. I, therefore, am not called to continually preac

condemnation and fear. If we love God, we’ll do ou

best not to sin.

Finally, I believe that too many Christians have

preached “hellfire and brimstone” for far too long, and

this is one of the main reasons today’s youth wantnothing to do with Christianity today. The more

Christians preach “against,” the more people seem to

stay away from Christ’s church – which is tragic.

I learned early in life, “Jesus loves me,” and I’ve neve

found a person whom Jesus doesn’t love. I wish the

same could be said about we Christians.



First Baptist Church, Chico

850 Palmetto Avenue

Chico, CA 95926

530-343-3446

www.chicofirstbaptist.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

E-Mail:[email protected]

Every Member a Minister

Rev. Ted Sandberg D. Min.

M A R K Y O U R C A L E N D A R

Sunday, March 6 - Choir Festival

Saturday, March 12 - ABW General Meeting & Election 10am

Sunday, March, 13 - Daylight Savings Time Begins

Sunday, March, 13 - Lent Begins

Thursday, March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day

Sunday, March 20 - Spring Begins

FOCUS Articles due in office-March, 24

Expediters: Joyce Shannon, Louise Logue, Evelyn Cash, Marta Torres, Bernice Sherrill ,



M A R C H C A L E N D A R

Date Sermon Title Sermon T

March 6 Communion “Let The Light of Jesus Shine” Matthew 17:

Worship Leader: Jerry Fogle

Communion Servers: Marta Torres & Margarita Rainey

Cal Rainey & Jackie Long

March 13 First Sunday in Lent “Tempted in the Wilderness” Matthew 4:1-

Worship Leader: Rev. Sandi John

March 20 Second Sunday in Lent “Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy” John 3:1

Worship Leader: Doris Arbuckle

March 27 Third Sunday in Lent “This Business of Worship” John 4:16

Worship Leader: Marta Torres

ADULT DISCUSSION CLASS Sunday Mornings at 9:15 am with Shirley Stanley and Jerry Fogle

We are using Judson Press Material. This material covers the Bible in 5 years.

Presently in a video series of archeological finds in the Holy Land.

Coffee and Donuts provided.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Happy January Birthday Wishes to:Galen Latham-Fairchild (3/5), Seth Catterall (3/5),Laura Sederberg (3/13), Kevin

annon(3/16), Kimberly Rychtera (3/17), Marcia Moore (3/22), Diane Burke (3/22) ****REMINDERS: Can Food Drive - Salvation Army Barrel is in the Narthex

Table in the Narthex - Donate your old Eye Glasses for Haiti

Table in the Narthex - Soup Labels for Education

At the right of the table in the Narthex - Torres Shelter Milk Bottle

Next FOCUS Article Deadline - Thursday, March 24 ................................................................................... .

ATTENTION!

The Eighteenth Annual Community Choir Festival is 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, at the LDS Chico Stake Cente2430 Mariposa Ave. Eight Chico church choirs will sing individually. The grand finale will be all of the choirs

singing three numbers together on stage. Refreshments are served after the program. We are planning our

performance and are excited to participate.



Focus on Chico First Baptist FamilyWe are continuing to pray for: The WAR in Iraq and Afghanistan

FRIENDS WITH CANCER: CAROL: Catherine Hendrix’s neighbor - diagnosed with kidney cancer; PAUL

METTLE - Jill Ramsey’s brother-in-law; FERN MORGAN - Mother of friend of Terre Reynolds;CHERYL

DEAN- Evelyn Cash’s cousin bone cancer ; FRANK JAMES - Mary Jane Bowser’s friend - esophageal cancer;

MARGARET BALLINGER’S SISTER - extensive cancer; CANDACE- Jill Ramsey’s friend, ovarian cancer.

***

J. T. HENDRIX: Now in Hospice care; LILLIAN WENDORF: Doing well; MARY JANE BOWSER: Fluid

under knee cap - dislocated right toe; GEORGE SMITH: recovering from knee surgery; TIM CLELAND:

Margaret Nevin’s friend - recovering at home and in rehab; SHIRLEY SMITH: Has Parkinson’s and Palsy SP;

AMY: Ed Hightower’s daughter - Parkinson’s disease; RICK: Jill Ramsey’s cousin - has kidney failure;

***

Courtyard at Little Chico Creek: HELEN WALLACE

The Inn at the Terraces (Apt 12):EDITH MCCONNELL

Roses & Ivy Elder Care Center: DOLLY SKINNER

Twin Oaks Care Center: LOU HAYES

Roseleaf Senior Care: PAULA JOHNSON

Windsor Chico Care Center: J. T. HENDRIX

Feather River Canyon Home: ELAINE HERRINGTON

MILITARY: JASON WILLIAMS - Ed Hightower’s step grandson

WILL DUNHAM - Doris Arbuckle’s grandson

DAN GERFEN: - Joan Hannis Gerfen’s son deployed to Afghanistan

Pacific Coast Baptist Association. Remember those who are grieving.*If there are names that can or should be removed please contact Ted or the office at 343-3446*

******************************************************************************DID YOU KNOW that First Baptist Church has walkers, crutches, wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment to loan

If you or someone you know needs to borrow any of these items, call the church office at 343-3446 to arrange pick-up.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ABW MINISTRIES CIRCLE MEETINGS - Tuesday, March 15

Charity Circle 10:00 AM Country Waffle 690 Rio Lin

Hope 7:00 PM Joan Hannis Gerfen 905 K

Lauran Bethell 6:30 PM Logans Roadhouse 1900 E. 20 th

LADIES! Start your spring cleaning as we are having our "In and Out Yard Sale" at church on May 14th

with set up days on the 12th & 13th. Make sure to wash whatever you bring - no holes or stains please.Pacific Northwest/Evergreen Women's Conference is on April 15-17 this year in Yakima, WA. There are

five women driving up this year. Contact Cheri Sandberg or Louise Logue if you are interested in going.

This is always a fun trip.

Submitted by Cheri Sandberg



AB Women’s Ministries

Bible Book for January: Mark

News & Updates

AB Women’s Ministries Board MeetingABW Ministries will meet on March 12th for a General Meeting with updates from National and Pacific NW

Women. The ABW Board members would like to invite any women to come on board and learn what it takes to beofficer. We'll have you work along side of us and prepare you for the year 2012.

Please contact Cheri Sandberg if you are interested.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Circle of Hope

Our February meeting was held at the home of Sue Rychtera, Those in attendance were: Sue, Cheri Sandberg,

Marty Brandstatt, Louise Logue, Ann Wheelock, Joan Hannis Gerfen, Joyce Shannon, Marta Torres and Carol

Willette. We started out our evening with some lively conversation, Joyce read a devotion about the A-Z’s on stres

and how to handle it. Cheri brought us up to date on the bandage rolling held February 12 , sixty-eight were rolled.th

Marty informed us they would be sent back east.

Cheri brought up the ABW conference held in Yakima, WA in April and some of the ladies seemed interested i

attending. Our church women will be providing table decorations for the Saturday afternoon meal for

approximately two hundred women. It was suggested we bring almonds individually boxed for each lady who atten

the conference. We all agreed almonds would be a great way to express a typical product of this region. Louise and

Carol volunteered to purchase the items needed and we will assemble them at the March meeting at Joan’s house.

Louise will host the April meeting and we will eat dinner out in May.

Love Gift and offering were taken and we adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Submitted by Joyce Shannon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Christian Education CommitteeThe Christian Ed meeting was held on February 8 . Marta Torres opened the meeting with a devotional. Weth

discussed that junior church teachers will be Jill Ramsey, Joan Gerfen, Louise Logue, Sue Rychtera, Kim Rychtera

Tracy Cumber and Alice Reed as Substitute. We will continue adult bible study with teachers Jerry Fogle and Shirl

Stanley. There will be a class on prayer practices presented by Rev. Sandi John on Sun. 2/27 following church.

Attendees are to bring a sack lunch. Cookies and punch will be provided by the Christian Ed. committee.

Submitted by Tracy Cumber

Susan Linderman Circle

The Susan Linderman Circle met on February 18, 2011 at the Country Waffle Restaurant.

Those attending were Jackie Long, Betty Hannis, Margaret Ballinger, Vivian Anderegg, Lena White, Ann Clark,

Virginia Bolton and Louise Logue. We collected $20 for the Love Gift and $9 for the regular offering. That make

total of $49 for regular offering. The quilt squares were discussed as well as the Catalyst address. Cora Rae Hubbar

is moving to Oregon and will have a new address shortly. Virginia reported that we had rolled 68 bandages for th

Congo. The devotion was delivered by Virginia. Ann will bring the devotion for March. The meeting was adjour

by Virginia.



Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturda

March 2011Flowers for the Month of March “Provided by church members”

March is“America for Christ”offeringmonth

1

Martial Arts for Peace-Soc Hall

9:15-12:30

2

Worship Cmt:11 am

Country Waffle

Stewardship6 pm

3

Communications9am

Choir 6 pm

4 5

6 Communion

Choir

Festival=LDSChico StakeCenter 2430Mariposa Ave. 7:30PM

*J. Fogle

7

Pastor/Staff

5:30 pm

Evangelism/membership6:30 pm

8

Martial Arts

9:15-12:30

Christianeducation 6pm

GoverningBoard 7 pm

9

Ash

Wednesday

CAIC 11:45 am

10

Choir 6 pm

11 12

ABW GeneraMeeting &Election

10 am Soc Ha

13

First Sunday in

Lent

Daylight Saving

time begins

*J. Rychtera

14 15

CIRCLES

16 17

St. Patrick’s Day

Choir 6 pm

18

Focus deadline

19

20 Second

Sunday in Lent

Spring Begins

*J. Hannis Gerfen

21 22

Martial Arts

9:15-12:30

Missions/Social5:15 pm

23 24

Choir 6 pm

25 26

27

Third Sunday inLent

*C. Hightower

28 29

Martial Arts

9:15-12:30

F.O.R.7 pm

30 31

Choir 6 pm

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