HERE’S WHAT’S NEW
Emory Baptist Church eNewsletter
Pastor's Pen
Bro. Richard Piles, Pastor
Believe it or not, it was about this time in 2022 that our church adopted the FLC Committee’s plan to move forward with our Family Life Center. The plan was presented in February and approved in March.
Since then, the project has been delayed until we raise more money. I want to emphasize that our vision is not DEAD. It is only DELAYED according to our initial time line.
After we went through our RISE UP! Campaign in September and October, our church leadership felt that we did not have enough money committed to move forward immediately with financing and construction. Therefore, we prayed for 90 days asking the Lord what should happen next.
On Sunday, February 5, our Deacons, Budget & Finance Committee, FLC Committee, and Capital Fund-Raising Team recommended that we set a $1.5 million cash on hand goal before moving forward. Therefore, that is where we are currently.
Please keep fulfilling the financial commitments that you made to this project on paper or in your heart. The sooner we reach our cash on hand goal, the sooner we move forward with financing and start construction.
In the meantime, our Budget & Finance Committee is investing approximately $960,000 of money from the FLC Fund in short-term CD’s to earn interest and meet our goal sooner.
Keep praying, and keep giving, and I am grateful to be your pastor!
Choir Corner with Chris
Bro. Chris Henderson, Minister of Music and Senior Adults
Spring is fast approaching; in fact, some would say that spring was here last month with some of the warm weather we had. I love spring because it hearkens the beginning of new growth. The trees bud, flowers bloom, and everything becomes bright and green for a few months before the heat of summer sets in. I also always look forward to springtime because it reminds me that Easter is not too far off.
Our Celebration Choir is currently hard at work learning several familiar songs as well as a couple of new-to-us pieces for our Easter Music Presentation on April 2nd. KidzPraize has been diligent in their learning of Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery and In Christ Alone, and we are so excited to get to share those songs with you on a Sunday morning soon.
If you or someone you know is interested in serving in our music ministry, whether in our choir, with KidzPraize, or in the A/V booth, please visit with me and we can absolutely find a place where you can sing or serve the Lord and EBC in 2023.
Student Ministry Spot
Ronnie Witt, Minister of Youth & Education
Our family went to Schlitterbahn several years ago for family vacation. The boys’ favorite attractions were the “lazy” rivers. (I use quotes because few of the flowing rivers at Schlitterbahn merit the description, “lazy.”) One has a rapid current that is only exceeded in speed by laughing and screaming kids splashily swimming by. Often a passel of teenagers would blow through, creating their own current of chaos. The other river is connected to the wave pool, which produces waves at a regular interval. So, the river, which is moving quickly, will occasionally...or often...swell with giant waves of water pushing you through a narrow canal. It is exhilarating, right up until a flotilla of tubes is pushed over your head which thrusting you down into the surf. After a few seconds of terror, you resurface and start laughing again.
Why on earth would anyone want to get into those turbulent waters? Well, because it’s fun. Those brief moments of chaos, swells of danger, and roiling humanity are what make up the best memories and stories of excitement, survival, and experience. You don’t get those stories sitting in the lounge chair by the water’s edge watching the waves go by.
As I wake up every morning, I look at three maturing young men who used to be very little boys. Their sprawling legs don’t fit on the couch. Their large shoes take up more space piled in the floor by the door. Soon they’ll be out of the house completely. There are lots of things in life to pursue, but I pray that I have encouraged them to seek the adventurous life of following Christ. Paul says in Philippians 3:8 that he had abandoned all things for the “surpassing greatness” of knowing Christ. May we all, like Paul, jump in with both feet and “strain forward” to the high calling of Christ on our lives.
Nursery Rhymes
Dena Westmoreland, Preschool Ministry Coordinator
Hello February! It is the month of Love, but with Jesus, every month should be the month of Love. And that is exactly what it is in the Preschool Department at EBC!
March always reminds me that God renews our spirit and also brings to mind Saint Patrick’s Day. Let me stress that I do not believe in luck, but I do love the story of St. Patrick. He was persecuted in his home country, but later returned and led many people to the Lord. My theme for March is always “It’s not luck, it’s JESUS!” I found a poem that I want to share with you:
A Prayer of St. Patrick
May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.
May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.
May the Host of God guard us.
Against the snares of the evil ones.
Against temptations of the world.
May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us, Christ be over all!
May Thy Salvation, Lord, Always be ours.
This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.
I haven’t mentioned Mr. Bobby lately, but he is definitely still the favorite of ALL the kids in our Preschool Department. They line up when he comes in, so he can pass out snacks.
We are still in need of a Preschool Coordinator. We ask for your prayers in this matter. Love in Christ,
We will have a Children/Baby Dedica- tion in the near future. We have 8 little ones to be dedicated! (On second thought, we may havce to address the dancing before the Dedication Service because he is one of the little ones to be dedicated!)
Here is the song.
1-2-3
1-2-3, Jesus loves me,
1-2, Jesus loves you!
2-3-4, He loves you more than you’ve ever been loved before.
5-6-7, I’m on my way to Heaven.
8-9, Soon to be mine!
8-9-10, It’s time to end
But let’s sing it again!
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY Love,
Mr. Dena and the Preschool Dept. (Mr. Dena per Rhett Land, one of our pre- schoolers).
Sonbeam Day School
Cecily Kirby, Sonbeam Director
Our little “Sonbeamers” have been working so hard this year learning their memory verses and finding out the answers to our monthly family bible questions.
The following are the months and the amount of children that memorized their verse(s) and answered the bible questions.
September: 14
October: 29
November: 14
December: 14
January: 26
February: (still working)
These are 2, 3, and 4 year old's memorizing God’s word! Absolutely amazing!
Our memory verse for March is Psalm 145:8 and our family bible question is “Who spent the night in a deep pit with lions but did not get hurt?”
Please continue to pray for our ministry, staff, students, and their families.