1

The Watchword The Newsletter of

Washington Baptist Church 180 Gay Street/PO Box 209 Washington, Virginia 22747s 540.675.3336

March-April, 2019

A Pastoral Perspective

Although this Perspective is a reprint from a previous Lenten Season, it bears a message that is worth repeating: the importance of practicing R&R. R&R originated as a military term used to describe an extended furlough for soldiers during times of war. However, in modern vernacular, it has come to mean any period of time used for relaxation.

For Christians, the Lenten season marks a special time of R&R: Repentance and Remembrance.

Repentance is consciously recalling our sins, asking God for forgiveness, and deciding to turn away from sin toward God as David did in Psalm 51:1-3.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my sins. Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions: and my sin is always before me.

Remembrance is calling to mind the redeeming work our Lord completed on the cross in order to ensure our salvation as described in I Peter 2:24.

He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness: by His wounds you have been healed.

Ultimately, the Holy promise bursting from this season of R&R is embodied in Easter. May we experience the power of Christ’s resurrection and celebrate the proclamation of Romans 8:11.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He... will also give you life through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Walt Childress, Pastor

Special Articles

General News, Pages 2-4

Thank You, Page 5

Youth Update, Page 6

Lenten Season, Page 7

o Ash Wednesday

o Lenten Dinners and Ecumenical Worship

o Sunday Worship

o Palm Sunday

o Maundy Thursday

o Good Friday

o Easter Sunday

o Easter Play

Missions, Page 8

Church Calendars, Pages 9-10

2

TELLERS SCHEDULE

MONTH PERSON

March Sandra Hudson and Lavonne Adkins

April Dave Compton and Lavonne Adkins

BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH, 2019

DAY NAME DAY NAME

3/1 Linda Dodson 3/3 Webber Moore

3/3 Ian Moore 3/6 Lisa Ramey

3/8 Sandra Jenkins 3/13 Sam Snead

3/17 Carolyn Birckhead 3/18 Mary Ellen Elliott

3/23 Barbara Hudson 3/24 Ivy Racer

3/27 Emily Massie 3/28 Frances Foster

BIRTHDAYS FOR APRIL, 2019

DAY NAME DAY NAME

4/2 Mary Bailey 4/3 Pete Fetter

4/3 Grace Snyder 4/5 Patrick Lee

4/7 Katie Giles 4/14 David Compton

4/15 Nicolas Barnes 4/15 Benjamin Giles

4/20 Phil Butler

FINANCIAL REPORT

January/February General Fund & Capital Gifts Surplus 1/01/19

$20,045.19

Jan/Feb General Fund Receipts 16,131.88

Jan/Feb General Fund Expenses 17,871.77

Jan/Feb Capital Gifts Receipts 862.00

Jan/Feb Capital Gifts Expenses 0.00

General Fund & Capital Gifts Surplus 02/28/19

$19,167.30

PRAYER LIST

Congregants, friends and families with continuing needs

Among current specific needs are:

Aney Massie Mary Bailey

Johnny Broyles Carol Patton

Macklin Gangel Kenny Burt

Rev. Maxine Crenshaw Rev. Jim Payne

Pearle McNamara Theresa and Jeff Light

Family of Leroy Hall Family of Charlotte Nichols

Flint Hill Baptist Church Specific Unspoken Requests

DEACONS REPORT

The deacons are currently undergoing a routine self-evaluation process as they continue to identify ways to improve their function as vital leaders within the congregation. Commonly referred to as a “scrubbing process” in the corporate world, this type of evaluation allows any group to pause and take a closer look at itself in order to promote better alignment and performance. For our deacons, this process will include reviewing the theological history and purpose of deacons, assessing personal effectiveness in fulfilling deacon-ministry, and continuing to identify and address congregational needs. The following topics are being considered during this evaluation process:

Root Analysis (Origins, Concepts)

Rationales/Reasons for Deacons

Routines (Processes)

Results Desired

Reinventions (Realignment, Reorganization)

We greatly appreciate our deacons and the work they do on behalf of the congregation.

CHURCH COUNCIL REPORT

The Church Council continues to meet monthly to conduct the business of the church. Among recent decisions and actions were to…

Complete the 2019 budget and present it to the congregation for approval; and

Approve the Deacons’ “scrubbing process.”

The Council meets from 12:15-1:15 p.m. the first Sunday of every month. Congregants are welcome to attend any meeting as observers.

3

BIBLE DONATIONS At the suggestions of several members, we have replaced the pew Bibles in the sanctuary. We now have large print editions of the New International Version (NIV) for use during worship. If you would like to donate a Bible(s) in the memory or honor of a specific individual, you may do so for $15.00 per Bible. The name of the person you wish to honor or memorialize will be recorded in the Bible itself.

Please contact Carrol Beard in the church office (540.675.3336) to make your donation.

LIBRARY NEWS

I have ordered a few more books for the church library. By the end of the month we will have a Robert Whitlow legal thriller, a book on the Dust Bowl, and stories about Lydia and Saul of Tarsus.

To check out, please look for the shelf labeled "Check out/Returns & Donations." There is a notebook with pencil attached. Please write your name, the title, and the date. Enjoy your item at home and try to return it in two or three weeks. Returned items can go on the shelf with the notebook or on the empty shelf below.

Marcie Brandriff, Church Librarian

TALENT SHOW

On Saturday, February 23, approximately 150-180 people gathered at Reynolds Memorial Baptist Church for a talent show to benefit the Rappahannock Benevolent Fund.

Specifically, we raised money to help pay for the services of Ms. Montse Vittitow (RBF Community Coordinator) who represents the faith community by directly meeting, assessing, and assisting the needy in our county. Our stated goal was to raise $1,300.00 to contribute to Montse’s salary and expenses. But due to the generosity of those who made donations, we actually raised over $3,000.00. We are grateful for all of you who contributed to this very successful event. We also want to thank those who attended the show and brought food. Special thanks go to two groups of special people from WBC:

Workers: Becky Harmon and Dave Compton for hospitality; Jessica Burleson and Jan McKinney for on-site donation collections.

Performers: Morgan McKinney, Pete Fetter, Angela Snyder, Wendy and Gary Aichele

Everyone involved in this event in any way contributed greatly to the goal of RBF:

Neighbor Helping Neighbor

4

CONGRATULATIONS

Morgan McKinney participated in a recital at Lord Fairfax Community College as the final examination for her dance class. With her usual grace and elegance, Morgan performed eight different types of ballroom dancing. Her family and several members of WBC had the joy of attending her performance.

MARY UPDATE Mary Bailey continues to undergo treatment at the Fauquier Health Center. She is scheduled to be released in the coming week and will go to live with her daughter, Grace, in Culpeper. Mary wants to express her deep appreciation for all those who have called, sent cards, and visited. Until Mary can return to active attendance in church services with us, she hopes you will feel free to come visit in her new home. We will all keep Mary in our thoughts, prayers, and good wishes.

GAME DAY

Kevin, Marcie and Lily Brandriff hosted Game Day on Saturday, March 2 from 1-4 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Not only did they provide all sorts of games suitable for kids, families, teens and adults, but drinks and snacks as well. Brought “all the way from Massachusetts,” their game of Dirty Marbles was intense. Thank you, Brandriffs, for an afternoon full of laughter and learning!

5

Thank you for your $300.00 contribution to the Shiloh Baptist Association Inc. Your generous contribution helped to further the mission of the Association and give greater definition and meaning to the Mission Statement of the Association. The leadership of the Shiloh Baptist Association, the supporting volunteers, the individuals, families, churches and organizations served, thank you.

Sincerely, Richard E. Becker, Treasurer

Shiloh Baptist Association

Thank you so much for the gift from Washington Baptist Church to our ministries at Hope Tree family services through the Virginia Baptist Mission Board cooperative program. We greatly appreciate the prayers and support our ministries have received from your church over the years.

Sincerely, Alex Denny

Church & Community Relations Coordinator

We thank God for you! Your gifts to Emmaus Christian Church throughout 2018 are gratefully acknowledged. Because of your contributions, our congregation has been able to support the work of Jesus Christ locally, regionally, and around the world.

Yours in Christ, Stuart Townes

Emmaus Christian Church

Dear Supporters of the Chaplain’s Ministry at VCCW, On behalf of the female prisoners at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women, thank you for your involvement in our recent Christmas Package distribution. Each year the chaplain’s ministry continues to advance its mission of providing packages of hygiene products and Christmas correspondence materials to the women housed at VCCW. Through this distribution many lives are touched by the joy of the season and much happiness is brought to the recipients of your generosity. Your donations, either financial or physical, are a blessing to these women.

Gratefully, Karen Powell

Former Grace Inside Chaplain at VCCW Thank you for your recent donation of scarves, gloves, socks, etc. We had our first parent night last week. Over half of the families were in attendance, so we used the opportunity to distribute your “goodies. Thank you for your “warm” and generous gift.

Love in Christ, Amy L. Holley Administrator

6

FINDING GOD’S MESSAGES ON THE BIG SCREEN

The Youth Sunday School class has started a new unit of study involving the use of contemporary film and drawing parallels with the Bible, particularly with finding Gospel messages. Our first film in the series is JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit. So far, we have identified many Biblical parallels and principals of Christ’s teachings. The kids really seem to enjoy analyzing the film and searching for Biblical comparisons and messages. They are becoming quite adept at locating similarities and explaining them.

DRAMA GROUP UPDATES

The snowy days have played havoc on our youth group schedule! Unfortunately, the missed practices have resulted in the rescheduling of our Dinner Theater. Our new date will be Sunday, May 5 at 5:00PM. There are plenty of upcoming opportunities to see our talented youth on stage:

Wednesday, April 10: The Lenten Series Dinner and Ecumenical Services finale. The Drama Club will be performing an adaptation of the play we did at Christmas. The Lenten theme is the “least of these” and this play does a great job of portraying that message.

Sunday, April 28: During the 11:00 service the club will present a reader’s theater entitled, Have you Seen my Son? This rendition gives a unique perspective of the time leading up to and including Christ’s crucifixion.

Earlier this month we welcomed 7th grader Abigail Renner as the newest member of our group. We are so excited to have her join us. She brings our group size to twelve students! Many, many thanks to all of our Secret Pals! You really are a blessing to these kids. Also, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude, Phyll and Wendy, for your continued support and patience. Without you, this program would not be possible. And, finally welcome and thank you to our newest adult volunteer, Jeanie McNear!

A YOUTH MISSION – KIDS HELPING OTHER KIDS!

Our youth group will be partnering with several local churches to participate in the mission “Hope for Appalachia.” The youth voted to use a portion of the youth budget to support this mission and will be collecting donations or making personal donations so that we can fill Hope Boxes to be delivered to school age children in Kentucky in April. The kids set a base goal of 25 boxes and a stretch goal of 50 boxes. Boxes include hygiene items, small toys, and candies or snacks. These boxes are delivered to school systems in some of the poorest counties in our country. When the boxes are delivered the teams are allowed to share the Gospel with the kids. Many of the “missionaries” involved in this project are teens. They spend a week in Kentucky visiting numerous schools. The group we are partnering with hopes to deliver nearly a 1000 boxes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY

The Youth Drama Club celebrated Lily Jenkins’ 15th Birthday with goodies supplied by members of the club and by Lily’s grandmother Sandra Jenkins.

7

Lent is a solemn religious observance in the Christian liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, penance, and repentance. At WBC we engage in various activities during the season.

ASH WEDNESDAY (3/6/19) For this first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday is the time of placing repentance ashes on the foreheads of believers. The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. We have two events for this special day:

Ashes in the Square: Members of the clergy association will be available in the town square from 11:00-11:45 to distribute ashes and prayers. Please join us for another year of “drive by ashes” celebration.

Ash Wednesday Service: 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of WBC.

LENTEN DINNERS AND ECUMENICAL WORSHIP

When: Wednesdays, March 13 – April 10, 2019

Where: Washington Baptist Church

Time: 6:00 pm, Pot-luck dinners in Fellowship Hall 7:00 pm, Services in Sanctuary

Lenten Theme 2019: To the Least of These DATE MUSIC PREACHING

3/13 St. Peter Catholic Rev. Russ Savage Father Kevin Beres

3/20 Reynolds Memorial Rev. Jessie Cowell Rev. Miller Hunter

3/27 WBC &First Baptist/ Community Choir

Rev. James Kilby Rev. Jeff Light

4/3 United Methodists Rev. Nathaniel Townley Rev. Walt Childress

4/10 Trinity Episcopal Youth Drama Club

SUNDAY WORSHIP, 11:00 a.m.

He set his face to go to Jerusalem… (Luke 9:52)

The Faces of Lent DATE READINGS SERMON

3/10 I Kings 18:36-39 Luke 9:51-55

The Face of Soulful Determination

3/17 Genesis 12:1-4 Luke 9:57-62

The Face of Sacrifice

3/24 Job 22:21-28 Luke 10:1-17

The Face of Submission

3/31 Deuteronomy 6:4-8 Luke 10:25-37

The Face of Service

4/7 Psalm 121:1-8 Luke 11:1-13

The Face of Spiritual Persistence

4/14 Psalm 118:25-29 Luke 19:28-44

The Face of Sovereign Fulfillment

4/21 Psalm 16:7-11 Luke 24:1-12

The Face of Sudden Celebration

PALM SUNDAY (4/14/19)

Joyous music, prayers of jubilation, and distribution of palms mark this special service in the sanctuary at 11:00 a.m.

MAUNDY THURSDAY (4/18/19)

The Lord’s Supper is celebrated with music, prayers, and meditation in the sanctuary at 7:00 p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY (4/19/19)

This service of solemn music, prayers, and meditation ends with a time of quiet reflection as the darkness descends in the sanctuary. 7:00 p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY (4/21/19)

The most joyous day in the Christian religion includes exciting special music, enthusiastic praise, and engaging liturgies. Worship is at 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary.

EASTER PLAY (4/28/19)

A reader’s theater entitled, Have You Seen my Son, will be presented by the Youth Drama Club on Sunday, April 28, during the 11:00 service. This rendition gives a unique perspective of the time leading up to and including Christ’s crucifixion.

8

Missions for March-April Sally Fetter, Mission Team Lead

In the next two months, we will be sending hope to those in need through our prayers and giving.

GIDEONS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

This special ministry partners with churches to reach people everywhere with the word of God. More than one million copies of God’s word are given out every five days. With the body of believer’s financial help and active prayers, Bibles are getting into the hands and lives of millions of people with no access to the scriptures. Our WBC goal is $300.00.

BGAV (BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF VIRGINIA) Monies are given quarterly for a total of $1,500.00 annually. This ministry follows the pattern of the New Testament churches worshipping together, cooperating in evangelism, and giving jointly to support missionaries and help people in need.

STOP HUNGER NOW MINISTRY

This volunteer-based ministry (organized in 1998) is a meal-packaging program. With more than 1 billion people lacking adequate food around the world, this ministry plays a significant role in feeding th0se in need of food for survival. The meal packages of dehydrated, high protein, and highly nutritious substances are sent to support school feeding programs and to respond to crises here in the U.S. and over 65 countries. More than 5 million meals and 400 tons of aid were sent to support the victims of the Haiti earthquake in 2010. 200,000 meals were sent to victims of hurricane Sandy in 2012. Stop Hunger Now continues to meet needs and we continue to be part of the solution to stopping hunger as we give. Our WBC goal is $300.00.

RAPPAHANNOCK BENEVOLENT FUND COMMUNITY MINISTER

We give monies quarterly to help meet the salary of our community minister to work with and help those in our county needing assistance for an annual total of $2,500.00.

ANNIE ARMSTRONG EASTER OFFERING FOR NORTH AMERICA MISSIONS

Among the 363 million people living in North America, we as the body of believers, are the ones to send hope through over 5,000 missionaries. Our giving and prayers are the fuel for their work to continue to change lives. Among their challenges are 350 languages and more than 14 religions. These 5,000 missionaries are bringing the living hope to cities, small towns, and college campuses across the U.S., Canada, and U.S. territories. We at WBC support this work through our giving and prayers to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Our time of concentrated prayer and giving will be April 7–21, 2019. WBC goal is $400.00.

SHILOH ASSOCIATION MINISTRY We work as a combined group of Baptist churches to meet the needs in our geographical area demonstrating that we can do more for the Lord when we do it together. WBC’s annual contribution is $300.

9

10