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Pastor's Pen

     Ready or not…Summer is here!!!  It’s hard to believe, but school is out, and I want to invite you to start off your summer by praying for the gospel going forth from Emory Baptist Church and to Emory Baptist Church in these next several months.

     First, I will be out the first two Sundays of June.  On June 5, my family and I will be on vacation.  On June 12, Christy and I will be in Anaheim, CA for the Southern Baptist Convention.  However, you will be in the good hands of Bro. Ronne, Bro. Chris, and Jason Moczygemba. 

     On June 13-17, Bro. Ronnie will take more than 35 teenagers to Highland Lakes for youth camp.  Some of them are not saved.  Pray for them to be convicted of their lostness and come to Jesus.  Also, please pray for our saved students to grow in their love for Jesus and being more like Him.

     On June 27-July 1, I will be taking a group of 20 plus preteens to Mt. Lebanon.  As with youth camp, some will go that are lost.  Some will go that are saved.  Please pray accordingly for both.

     Finally, Vacation Bible School is July 11-15, and hundreds of children in our community and in our county will come to us.  If you haven’t already signed up to volunteer during this week but can, please talk with Bro. Ronnie or Dena Westmoreland.

     God bless you, have an awesome Summer, and as always, I am grateful to be your pastor!

     The Ark Encounter was incredible! We took a group of 32 to the Cincinnati area and got to experience what the Ark would have looked like in the days of Noah. It was an eye opening and encouraging trip that really made the Biblical account of Noah building the Ark for a global flood when it had never even rained before in history come to life in my mind. I hope to have and exhibit the same amount of faith in the Lord that Noah had in my own life. I would also urge you to read the account of Noah in Genesis 6-8 with the following verses in mind:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

     Notice how Noah exhibited true faith when the Lord told him to build an Ark for a thing that had never even happened before: rain. It’s hard to imagine how much rain and water it would take to flood the earth even if you know what rain is or had experienced it beforehand. Now imagine not even knowing or understanding what rain is. Even further, imagine building a boat miles and miles from any sea, and having faith that the Lord would send enough rain to float it.

     I pray that we will be a church of great faith in the Lord Jesus and the way he rescued us.

This summer we’re doing things a little differently. Usually we are ramping up for Vacation Bible School. Yes, we have opened online registration for Vacation Bible School. However, it is not time for VBS, yet. This year, VBS is July 11-15. So, when your friends ask when VBS begins, assure them that they haven’t missed it. VBS will be back, bigger, and better than ever in July. Encourage them to be a part.

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There will be a VBS Worker Meeting on Sunday, June 5, at 6pm. We will use this time to introduce the theme, pass out curriculum, and answer any questions you may have about VBS this year. If you have signed up for VBS this year, please join us for this meeting. If you have not signed up to help with VBS this year, it’s not too late. We need a little more help and we would love for you to be a part.

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June is about camps! Journey Camp starts June 13-17. EBC will go to Highland Lakes Camp and Conference Center in Spicewood, TX. There will be a camp meeting Sunday, June 5th, immediately after the morning service to talk about camp and answer questions. This year, our church is part of the PURPLE team. If you have purple clothes or items to carry to support our team color, please plan to pack them. It’s not a big deal if you don’t have purple clothes, though.

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Then, on June 23, EBC youth will go kayaking in Broken Bow, OK. We usually go kayaking in July, but this trip fit better in June with our summer schedule. This is a laid-back trip where we go and enjoy ourselves.

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At the end of June, when the Preteens are headed to Mt. Lebanon, some EBC students will go to Dallas Baptist University for Super Summer, June 27-July 1.

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Check the bulletin for other upcoming summer events.

I love where God has put me at Emory Baptist Church. Our Preschool teachers are all dedicated to God and the children but I must tell you about a special person that is a part of our Preschool Department, even if unofficially.

That is Mr. Bobby (my husband).  I call him the “baby whisperer” because he can calm most any baby or child.  The other side of that is….he spoils them!  I have had to resort to bribery with a few of our little ones during Sunday School, convincing them they can have a snack when Mr. Bobby comes in between Sunday School and Worship.  They look for him and the minute they see him, they want him to pick them up, they give him a hug, then say “snack”. See what I mean?

Some of our kids come in, look around, and if he’s not there, they are immediately upset.  Recently I had to get him out of his Sunday School class because one of the "boys” was NOT staying in the nursery without MR. Bobby!  Another one told his Mom that the only reason he comes to church is to see Mr. Bobby.  We’ve had mostly boys in the nursery the last year or so, but now we are getting some girls and they are just like the boys, they love Mr. Bobby. And believe me, he loves them all right back! 

I thank God every day that Bobby has a heart for children.  If you want to meet a real “baby whisperer” come by the Nursery, he’ll be there, spoiling them!

     Thank you all for your prayers for the 2021-2022 school year! We would like to send a big THANK YOU to Bobby and Dena Westmoreland for volunteering their time to help and support our program at Sonbeam.

     We are in need of (two) three year old teachers for the 2022-2023 school year. We are already blessed with 30 students enrolled! If you or someone you know is interested in applying please email Cecily Kirby at sonbeamdayschool@gmail.com.