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Spring Break and Our Backpack Kids

Spring is here and it won’t be long before our Backpack Children will be on Spring Break. We always send additional food home for the children’s break but we are limited because of the extra weight the children will be carrying.

After they return from their break they have only five more weeks of school. I am sure they are looking forward to Summer Vacation. Hopefully the Board of Education will make arrangements for a Summer Feeding Program as they have the past few summers.

Thanks to everyone who has donated food or money for our ministry and especially for your prayers. May God Bless You!

For the month of April please donate instant oatmeal packs.

Shoeboxes for Over 20 Years

So we’ve made it through another winter and now spring is in full bloom. We here at FBC have been doing shoeboxes now for over 20 years and through your efforts and hard work thousands of children have received a box and felt the love of someone they don’t even know who packed a box that God put specifically in their hands and for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Even though collection week is still months away, we have been so successful so far in collecting items that we will need to back our shoeboxes later this year and for this I also thank you a bunch.

For the month of April we will be collecting small stuffed animals for our shoeboxes and these have to be small to fit in the boxes.

Mission Relief for the Ukraine

In response to immediate needs resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022, International Ministries has sent an initial grant of $15,000 in One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) emergency relief to the European Baptist Federation to provide humanitarian aid. The initial relief will provide basic provisions—food, shelter, medicine, and hygiene items—to at least 2,500 people who are fleeing their homes. Displaced people will be served by distribution centers set up by the Ukrainian Baptists to provide temporary shelter and relief.

We are starting this special mission offering which will be collected through the end of April.

What If It Were Today?

by Pastor Rick Watson

I woke up this morning and in my mind there was this song: “What if it were today? “Jesus is coming to earth again. What if it were today? Coming in power and love to reign. What if it were today? Coming to claim His chosen Bride. All the redeemed and purified. Over this whole earth scattertered wide. What if it were today? “

Perhaps it’s because of the marathon pandemic we have been experiencing for the last 2 ½ years or maybe it’s because of what’s happening in the Ukraine (wars and rumors of wars), or maybe it’s the nv environment (glaciers melting – the sea level rising). Whatever the motivation, my thoughts were simply this: What if it were today? Am I ready for the return of Christ? He is coming again you know!!!

In Acts 1:11 the angels spoke to His disciplies saying “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into the heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The apostle Paul wrote these words “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up togeter with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” ( I Thessalonians 4:16,17).

We are in the Lenten season, a time of reflection and consideation of the sacrifice of Christ. Many will fast and pray, new commitments are being made as we judge oursevles and our relationship to Christ. He, Jesus, has challenged us to take up our cross daily to follow Him!! Are we doing that?

During the month of April our thoughts will turn to thoughts of spring and New Life as the trees present their buds and the flowers begin to bloom but this time represents so much more! Jesus’ last meal with His disciplies (the Last Supper), His prayer in the Garden ( He prayed for us), His trial (illegal) and His beating with a ‘cat of nine-tails” (by His stripes we are healed!), His crucifixion (sins of the world ), burial (in a borrowed tomb), then His Resurrection (bodily).

The Ukranian people are fighting to the death for their country and their freedom – they are truly at war! We are at war as well – fighting for the souls of men and women, boys and girls! Jesus gave His life so that we could be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life. That was his mission – our mission to make disciplies and teach them the things He has commanded.

We have a real enemy !! Jesus said in John 10:10 (The enemy has come to steal, to kill and destroy but I have come that they may have eternal life.”

The signs of the times reveal that Jesus could return at any moment, “What if it were today?” Is your house in order? Have you given your heart, your all, to Jesus! If not, why not? If not now, then when?

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN, ARE YOU READY ???

Backpack Ministry March 2022

As winter drags on we are watching for robins to arrive. We have blessings of sunny warm days occasionally to keep us hopeful that spring will soon be here.

Our Backpack Ministry has received a wonderful financial blessing. Mountaineer Food Bank notified us that we could receive $5,000. from the “Cares Act”. After completing the necessary forms, the check was mailed to us. We are so pleased to receive such a “Shower of Blessings”!

Food prices have been skyrocketing and we were fearful that we might have to cut back on the amount of food we give our Backpack Kids. God has always blessed our Ministry and provided enough for us to send our children tasty and nutritious food.

Thanks to each one of you for your contributions of money, food and prayers. May God Bless You!

For the month of March please donate fruit cups. Donations can be left on the back counter in the kitchen.

Wednesdays Starting in March

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY is resuming on Wednesday, March 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Pastor Rick is anxiously going to be sharing with us what God has put in his heart to say to us. Please make a point to be here on Wednesday evenings.

CHOIR REHARSAL will be following Bible Study at 7:00 p.m. in the Choir Room. The Bible says to make a joyful noise – it doesn’t have to be pretty – just joyful. We hope to see many of our former members as well as some new faces.

BUSINESS MEETING – We will be resuming our monthly church business meetings on March 16th at 6:00 p.m. We need 35 people to make a quorum. We need your input as to several important items that need to be discussed. Come and be a part of what’s going on.

American Baptist Ladies Here at FBC

The ladies of the A.B.W. have not resumed meeting in person yet but nevertheless we are still working. We are still collecting used postage stamps which we send off as part of one of our mission projects. The other project that we are involved in is at Weirton Christian Center. They have a Quarters for Grades program to help inspire the children to keep their grades up and we send them $100 at least twice a year. If you would like to be involved in one of these programs, contact the church office and The ladies of the A.B.W. have not resumed meeting in person yet but nevertheless we are still working. We are still collecting used postage stamps which we send off as part of one of our mission projects. The other project that we are involved in is at Weirton Christian Center. They have a Quarters for Grades program to help inspire the children to keep their grades up and we send them $100 at least twice a year. If you would like to be involved in one of these programs, contact the church office and Debbie will put you in touch with the right person. We hope to start back to meeting in person soon.

Operation Christmas Child 2022

Operation Christmas Child is another mission project that just passed its 20th year here at FBC. This project has grown and grown over the years and is a year-round venture.

Just in case you have no idea what I’m talking about – here’s the short version. You take an empty shoebox and you put in items such as school supplies, a coloring book and crayons, markers colored pencils, personal hygiene items such as a hair brush, a comb, toothbrush, soap and washcloth, a small stuffed animal and a small “special” toy for a boy or girl ages 2-4; 5-9 or 10-14. Once filled, you add a check for $9.00 to cover shipping, handling and other material costs and bring your box back to the church the week before Thanksgiving where it starts its journey to Princeton, WV; then to Charlotte or Boone, N.C. and then hops aboard a plane to its destination and into the arms of that one boy or girl. Once your box is delivered, the child is given some special printed material and they are given the chance at the completion of the program to ask Jesus to come into their heart. WHAT A MARVELOUS ENDING.

Tracy Salango is going to be your new coordinator starting this year but I will still be involved in collecting items to make our boxes in November. Please remember her in prayer as she takes on this new role. For the month of March, we will be collecting hair brushes, combs and toothbrushes. There is a box located in the Welcome Center for your donations.

As always we covet your prayers as we continue to spread the name of Jesus Christ to the children of the world one shoebox at a time.

Always Reaching Out to Help

Helping Hands has been a vital mission project of First Baptist Church for many years and is still going strong. We are here to help with food and emergency clothing for those in need of it. We also need volunteers to work in the front office, the food room, the clothing room or to help separate and size clothing. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM until noon. We have people from all over the Beckley area as well as residents from Raleigh County who depend on agencies such as ours to lend them a “helping hand.”

We are always in need of toilet paper and bar soap which we include in each box we give out. We could also still use gently used sheets, blankets and clothing. These items can be dropped off at Helping Hands during our regular hours of operation or left in the large black container outside the church office.

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to help the people of Beckley and Raleigh County one at a time.

Spring is on it’s way!

by Pastor Rick Watson

This morning I saw a beautiful cardinal – the brightest red-dazzling! The sun is shining, the temperature is going up, certainly spring must be on its way. Spring is always related to new beginnings – a fresh new start.

I wondered what does the Bible say about spring? Spring as an action is mentioned in Psalm 85:10-11 “Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

Such powerful symbolism “Truth shall spring out of the earth.” I saw where my Easter lilies are trying to poke their “heads” out from the earth! When the Easter lilies and the daffodils begin to bloom I get excited knowing the spring is here. The long, hard, cold winter is over; spring is here and summer is not far behind.

When you think of spring, what comes to mind? Of course, Easter!! The wonderful time of remembering and celebrating the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Before I got saved, Easter was all about Easter egg hunts, Easter candies and Easter new clothes.

Psalm 85 says “Truth shall spring (forth) out of the earth.” When I read that, I think of the resurrection of Christ! Wouldn’t you love to have been there that morning – where life, new life sprang forth that morning! We will talk more about that next month – obviously I am excited for spring!

Like so many words in the English language, the word “spring” can mean different things. Like “spring” forth – a verb or a “spring” a body of water – a noun.

In James 3:11 we read “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same spring?” This passage is talking about the tongue and it says in verse 10 “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”

Sometimes we use “spring” and “fall” to describe the stages of life a person is in.

To me “spring means new beginnings, especially this year! The last two years the threat of COVID-19 has caused people to stop doing and going as they would normally. Many churches even stopped having in-person services, fully on-line. I am glad to say that we are almost back to pre-COVID schedule. If you haven’t heard, we will restart our Wednesday evening services March 2nd at 6:00 p.m., followed by choir practice at 7:00 p.m. Come and make a joyful noise – sing unto the Lord a new song!

Spring is here!!!!!

Hope to see you in church this Sunday and if you can’t attend, please join us on Facebook live.