Our ladies meet the first Thursday of every month 12 :15 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We have several mission projects that we are working on and would love to have you join us. Our “Undie Sunday” project is going well. We ask the congregation to bring in underwear and socks for children on the last Sunday of each month. These items are taken to Helping Hands and distributed from there.
As the cold weather gives way to spring, so does our clothes closet here at Helping Hands. The winter clothing is packed away and the spring and summer items are brought out. These clothing items, along with non-perishable food, are what our clients receive when they come in once a month. Through your donations, along with donations from local grocery stores, is what enables this ministry to help those in need in the Beckley and Raleigh County area.
The blankets and coats you donated during the winter were much needed and appreciated. Your generosity and those of some community groups helped us keep people warm this winter and for this we give you much thanks.
We are always in need of volunteers to donate their time. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 9AM until noon. It’s only three hours one morning a week and you will be blessed. See Edna Nasby and let her know what day would be best for you.
by Pastor Bryan
Spring Cleaning!! It’s that time of year again, when we turn the furnace off and open the windows to the cool night air and the sound of the frogs singing. It’s also that time of year where we begin to clean out our houses and storage buildings. Have we ever thought about why it’s important to take care of what we’ve been blessed with? Have we ever thought about how our belongings are actually attached to God and simply on loan to us? Where does this idea of “stewardship” begin and end? Let’s start with scripture.
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” If we begin here, we obviously understand that all of creation belongs to God. Anything man has made or created must first start with raw minerals that are already in existence. Man has never created anything that didn’t start with something already in existence. Only God has. That being said, all that we own, including our bodies, is property of God. Shouldn’t that elevate our habits of caring?
Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” Wow, we read here that man has been created with a purpose, Christians should be leading by example in how we handle what we are surrounded by. If we begin with the understand that “all” things belong to God and then He created man to have dominion over His belongings, why have we not shown more care for them? Much less, how have we not shown this same care for our basic blessings?
“The biblical doctrine of stewardship defines a man’s relationship to God. It identifies God as owner and man as manager. God makes man His co-worker in administering all aspects of our life. The apostle Paul explains it best by saying, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Starting with this concept, we are then able to accurately view and correctly value not only our possessions, but, more importantly, human life itself. In essence, stewardship defines our purpose in this world as assigned to us by God Himself. It is our divinely given opportunity to join with God in His worldwide and eternal redemptive movement (Matthew 28:19-20). Stewardship is not God taking something from us; it is His method of bestowing His richest gifts upon His people.”
We must then ask ourselves an introspective question, am I the lord of my life or is Christ the Lord of my life? What am I dedicating to God? Does God get every aspect of my life or is He guiding my life’s decisions? Do I plan around God’s sovereignty or do I tithe, offer, service when it’s convenient to place Him in the gaps of my weekly schedule?
Don’t just give God 10% of what’s left of yourself, give Him 10% of what we begin with. He rejoices in the condition of our hearts, not with what is given.
Spring is here and the weather is improving. Our Backpack Children will start their Spring Break on April 7th and will have a whole week out of class. We are praying that the children will have fun during their break and that they will have adequate food.
After the Spring Break only six weeks of school remain. It seems we just started the 2022-2023 school term. We continually shop every week to keep our pantry stocked. Finding food that is reasonably priced is becoming more of a problem but God has seen fit to provide money for our purchases.
Thanks to each one of you who has donated food, money and prayers for our Backpack Ministry. May God bless each one of you.
For the month of April please donate 12oz jars of peanut butter.
Our ladies of the Lizzie Lewis Circle continue to meet the first Thursday of each month here at the church. Our “undie Sunday” idea seems to be growing each month. We ask the congregation the last Sunday of each month to bring in underwear and socks for children and these items are taken over to Helping Hands and distributed from there. We also have several other mission projects that we continue to work on and would welcome you to join us.
We here at FBC have been involved in Operation Christmas Child for over 20 years and countless number of children’s lives as well as their families, towns and villages have been changed by simply receiving a shoebox filled with personal items, toys and school supplies as well as going through the program “The Greatest Journey” after they receive their shoebox. This shoebox shows them that someone loves them and cares about them enough to pack this box. This may be the first time a child ever receives a present and possibly the first time he or she has learned how much Jesus loves and cares for them. So with that in mind, my favorite saying around OCC is “The power of a simple shoebox can change the world.” You will never know how this simple shoebox will impact a child’s life.
For the month of April we will be collecting small (and I mean small) toys for our boys and girls. Some suggestions might be cloth dolls for our 2-4 year old girls, small baseballs and footballs for our boys and items they use outside such as jump ropes. These are just a few suggestions. Just remember what you used as a child and let your imagination take it from there. You can leave your donations in the box located in the Welcome Center. Please keep this ministry in your prayers as they distribute these boxes to children around the world spreading the name of Jesus.
Now that the cold blustery days of winter are hopefully gone, Helping Hands switches out their winter clothing for spring and summer clothing which is always needed. We continue to help those less fortunate who need assistance with food and clothing. Donations of soap, toilet tissue and non-perishable food can either be dropped off at Helping Hands or leaving it in the black container outside the church office. Our numbers are increasing steadily which means we are reaching out and providing assistance. As always, volunteers are greatly needed. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 9AM until noon. So any time you can volunteer would be appreciated. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we help those in Beckley and Raleigh County.
by Bret Floyd
Both Jessica and I grew up in Oak Hill and graduated from Oak Hill High School. We were both raised in Christian homes and gave our lives to Christ as teenagers. We were high school sweethearts and entered into ministry together first as Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ student leaders in high school and then as youth leaders at Oak Hill Baptist Church. In 2001 we got married. We often joke that we were the first “FCA” couple because our huddle coach married us.
After high school we attended Concord University where I earned my B.S in Education (Social Studies) and Jessica earned her B.S. in Education (English). Jessica took her first teaching job in 2002 as a Gifted Education teacher. She later obtained her Masters in Special Education from Marshall University with certifications in Gifted, Learning Disabilities, Behavior Disorders, and Mental Impairments. She is currently in her 21st year as a Gifted Education teacher. In 2004 I took my first teaching job as a Social Studies teacher at Collins Middle School where I taught for 10 years. I then moved to Oak Hill High School where I taught Senior Civics for the last 9 years.
Throughout our lives we have sought to serve the Lord in any way that we could, wherever we were, and to go wherever He leads us. We were the FCA huddle coaches within our schools ministering weekly to coaches and athletes. I served as the Youth Leader at First Baptist Church Beckley from 2005-2009. God then led us back to our hometown of Oak Hill as the Youth Leaders of Calvary Baptist Church from 2009-2013, and finally to Oak Hill Baptist Church where I have been the Youth Pastor for the past 10 years and Jessica has served as the Children’s Director for the past 6 years.
This summer I was called into full-time ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and left my teaching job of 19 years to pursue God’s plan. Since then, I have stood in awe and amazement at what incredible things that God is doing through this ministry. I am so thankful to be a part of His great work in the hearts of kids and coaches within our schools and communities! I am currently the South-Central FCA director for Raleigh, Fayette, and Nicolas counties.
My greatest work for the Lord, however, begins with the family that God has blessed me with. Our oldest daughter, Jordyn, is 16, enjoys performing in plays, runs cross country and track, and serves the Lord as an FCA leader for Oak Hill High School and is a Sunday school teacher at church. Our oldest son, Noah, is 14, enjoys playing football, soccer, basketball, running track, and is an FCA leader for Oak Hill Middle School. Our youngest daughter, Ryleigh, is 11, enjoys performing in plays, plays basketball and soccer, loves math, reading, and being creative, and serves the Lord by helping in Sunday school and the nursery. Our youngest son, Landon, is 8, and likes to play basketball and soccer, play board games, watch TV, and serves by helping in the nursery at church.
Our family is so excited to begin ministering again at First Baptist Church Beckley! I can’t to see what God has in store!
by Megan Knight
What We Are Doing Now
During Kid’s Church, the elementary age children have been busy learning about the 66 books of the Bible! We have enjoyed the first few lessons in this series called, Route 66, and are excited to travel further on this journey to know the most important book ever written…God’s Word! Through song, games, and Bible study we have learned the 5 books of the law, the 12 books of history and the 5 books of poetry! Come join us to learn more!
What We Are Looking Forward To
March 4th: Spring Children’s Rally at Parchment Valley
April 1st: Family Easter Event from 1:00-3:00 pm – More details to come! Please be praying for this event! Volunteers will be needed to help! Mark your calendar and start spreading the word!
Camp Cowen: Dates are set for summer camp! See Megan Knight for a flyer and more details! Mark your calendar!
The Lizzie Lewis Circle continues to meet on the first Thursday of every month at 12:15 p.m. here at the church. We have several mission projects that we continue to support and new project ideas are always welcome. Join us and see what Lizzie Lewis is all about.