Matthew Focht

Vol. XXXVIII • No. 16 • August 15, 2008

“Among Friends” “See, I am making all things new.” (Rev. 21:5) Since early July you’ve been getting wind of something good that’s headed our way on Wednesday nights. For months our pastoral staff has been holding our Wednesday night ministries up to the light, looking at them from a variety of angles and asking, over every element: “Is this particular ministry serving the Main Thing?” In other words: •Is it laying a solid foundation of faith for children? •Is it helping teenagers and adults find biblical handles for day-to-day life? •Is it opening a door of faith for people who are far from God? •Is it encouraging believers to discover their gifts and unique calling in the body of Christ and in the world? •Is it inspiring men and women to re-orient their lives around the enormous, all-encompassing mission of God? •Is it significantly enriching the worship life of our congregation? •Is it helping to build authentic community at FBC? After asking these questions over every ministry offered at FBC on Wednesday nights, the pastoral staff began to dream big. We prayed. We talked with lay leaders. We met with our kitchen staff. We walked around the facilities. We put everything on the table and asked God to shine some new light. What emerged from this process is a fresh approach to congregational life on Wednesday nights. We’re calling it New Community and I hope you’ll give it a try! Here is some of what you’ll find each week at New Community: •A delicious family meal—more variety at a smaller cost! •A new approach with children. In the fall we’re offering DiscoverKids: On Mission! and in the spring we’re offering DiscoverKids: Celebrate & Sing! This 2-semester format will give our children a more focused (and always fun!) environment for a) learning how to serve others and how to listen for God’s unique call upon their lives and b) finding their own voice for a lifetime of praising God. •A new worship experience for youth. After the weekly church family supper, youth will gather in the chapel for a time of worship designed especially to help teenagers connect with God as they praise, pray and are shaped by Scripture. •Great opportunities to connect with God through music. FBC’s choir, Fresh Start band, handbell choir and Avé ensemble are ways for people to express their love for God and to lead the congregation in worshiping God more fully. •Bible study that connects with real life and draws us closer to the heart of God. This fall Sharyn Dowd, who has taught the Bible to seminarians and university students for 21 years, will teach FBC adults in Carreker Hall. In Spring of 2009 we’ll begin increasing the number of adult options on Wednesday nights. Stay tuned. Your time is precious. These days no individual or family has time to waste. All kinds of activities in your school, workplace and community are clamoring for your participation. First Decatur is committed to excellence in our mission of helping men, women, teenagers and children to become devoted followers of Christ. Will you give New Community a try and discover how God wants to touch your one-and-only life?

Welcome New Members! Brian and Alicia Frey Mikinzi and Garret (by letter) August 10, 2008

Blessings, There are 4 other new members whom we will feature in the next Outlook.

Congregational Life Your Benevolence Offering Helps! This Sunday, August 17, after the Lord’s Supper we will receive an offering for the poor. This money is spent by the Missions Team based on requests from DEAM, DCM, or members who know of someone who has a need. We don’t spend significant amounts without verifying the need. Usually on Sundays and Wednesdays we have folks seeking help for various needs. Katie Howard has recruited volunteers who can talk with such visitors, determine the need and, if necessary, give a bag of food prepared by Women on Mission, or a MARTA ticket. Other needs have to wait until the person can be interviewed by DEAM or another helping agency. WE DO NOT GIVE CASH DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS, and we ask that you not give cash either, since it is impossible to know for what the cash will be spent. If you are approached for help, please politely direct people to the welcome center, where there will be a volunteer who can help them. If you are uncomfortable telling someone “No,” you may say, “We have been asked not to give cash to people.” Thank you for your support. Financial Peace University—New Class Starting Soon! What: A way to get out of debt, save more, and give more. When: Sunday nights 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Where: Carreker Fellowship Hall How long: August 24 – November 23, skipping August 31 (Labor Day weekend) For more information, call Mark Carter at 404-805-3442 or see www.daveramsey.com. Women’s Ministry Informational Meeting On August 28th, the Women’s Ministry planning committee will hold an informational meeting at 6:30pm in the fellowship hall. This meeting will be about the Women’s Luncheon to be held on November 1, 2008. If you are interested in this ministry, please call the church office and leave your name and phone number. We will return your call.

Prayer Concerns as of August 13, 2008 In The Hospital: ▪ Tyler Cagle, Acute Neuro Rehab, Phoenix, AZ. Congratulations To: ▪Mary Beth and Nick Carmichael on the birth of their fourth child, Joshua Trey. Bill and Judy Neal— grandparents. ▪Susan and Brad Malemezian on the birth of Chase Winston. Phil and Mary Lou Whitlow—grandparents. ▪Liza and Byron Fewell on the birth of Annabelle Fewell. Richard and Bonnie Fewell—grandparents and Dot Gordon and Pat Fewell—greatgrandparents. ▪ Matthew Focht and Jillian Ham, who were married Friday, Aug. 8. Sympathy To: ▪ Sarah Helen Killgore on the death of her brother. ▪ The family of Helen Jenkins. ▪ The family of Blanche Henderson.

Tithes & Offerings

Eddie Hammett @ FBC Decatur Wed., Sept. 10 Many church leaders are asking how to keep people over 60 years of age while at the same time reach people under 40. Does meeting the spiritual needs of one group necessarily create a barrier to working with the other? Join us in Carreker Hall for a special Wednesday night session with Eddie Hammett and Randy Pierce as they share insights from their book, Reaching People Under 40 while Keeping People over 60. Lay leaders from around Atlanta have been invited to join us for our Wednesday night meal followed by the session with Eddie & Randy. Please note—on this night only, the Bible study hour will run from 6:30-8:00 pm.

A Generous People

Workday September 27 Our fall workday is just around the corner on September 27 and we need your help to make it is a success. There is now a Workday mailbox in the mail area across from the Welcome Center. Please suggest projects that need to go on the “To Do” list for this work day. Also, if you're not able to participate, please consider donating funds to help cover the cost of supplies. Checks may be made out to FBC, marked “Work Day” and place in the work day box. These workdays save the church thousands of dollars in labor and help us to be good stewards of our resources. Plus, they're just a whole lot of fun. Plan to join us!

“Years of Opportunity 2007-09” Campaign

The Young At Heart Committee, in planning for major Senior Adult adventures for the future, has had some interest expressed in taking a group to the 2010 Passion Play presentation in Oberammergau. This trip is a bit challenging to plan so the committee needed your input. To make reservations for a June 2010 Passion Play performance and tour, it would require signing up and putting down a deposit by the first of December of 2008. Approximate costs are $3,500 per person – this includes air transportation, hotels, tour bus, admission to the play, tours of areas/cities in Europe, breakfast and dinner each day. IF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS TRIP PLEASE LET BOB WILLIAMSON OR ONE OF THE YAH COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Sarah Bell, Merlene Benson, Helen Duggan, Buck and LaRose Jones, Jim and Harriett Manley, Bill Neal, Mel and Carolyn Weiss, and Beth Withers) KNOW BY OCT. 1, 2008.

Wednesday Dinner Menus

2008 Ministry Action Plan Weekly Need: .....................$ 27,361 Received on Aug. 3 ............$ 31,709 Received on Aug. 10 ..........$ 23,558 Y-T-D Need:.....................$ 875,561 Y-T-D Received: ..............$ 738,426 Surplus/(shortfall):............ (137,135)

Given to Date:...................$ 314,957 Bank Loan Balance:..........$ 260,278 Owed to FBC Fdn.:...........$ 180,000 Missions Offering YTD ....$ 13,170

August 20 No Wednesday Evening Meal August 27 No Wednesday Evening Meal September 3 “Aloha” Church Family Field Day Please join us on the front lawn!

Youth Sp•t The youth have had another incredible summer. We have had worked together, played together, studied together, served together, and worshiped together. We have seen God’s movement among the group as youth have made professions of faith and been baptized. We have also seen God at work in the miraculous recovery that Tyler Cagle has made over the summer. He is slated to fly home on Wednesday, August 20, 2008. I am sure we will see him in church on Sunday, August 24, and the youth will be having a really big celebration cookout Wednesday, August 27, on the front lawn. This will be a time where we welcome Tyler home and we sing praises to God and offer prayers of thanks to God for Tyler’s return. We ask that you continue to keep Tyler and his family in your prayers as they continue on this path of healing. The youth ministry is also looking forward to a great fall and we want to make you aware of a few change that will be taking place in our fall schedule. We will still meet on Sunday mornings for Bible study and breakfast at 10:00, but we are working to put together a new Bible study hour and we are looking for some leadership for the youth Bible study hour. If you feel that God might be leading you toward working with teenagers please feel free to give Kurt a call. We will be tweaking our Sunday night schedule a little also. Our youth vocal ensemble will meet at 6:00 and youth Rotisserie will meet from 6:30 to 8:00. Our Wednesday evening Half-Time will become a time of worship. We are anticipating a great fall and a great time of God’s presence in our lives. Please keep your eyes out for more information and keep us all in your prayers.

The Outlook, a publication of the First Baptist Church of Decatur, Georgia, is mailed to members and friends of the First Baptist family. Main Office......................................404-373-1653 Finance.............................................404-370-7694 First School ......................................404-370-7688 Activities ..........................................404-373-2442 FAX ..................................................404-370-7692 Debbie Britt .....................................404-373-1653 Sharyn Dowd....................................404-373-1653 Ryan Forbes.....................................404-370-7690 Julie Pennington-Russell.................404-370-7684 Kurt Varney......................................404-373-1653 Bob Williamson ...............................404-370-7687 Computer Connections: Website—www.fbcdecatur.com E-Mail—[email protected]

The Outlook, USPS 600-320, is published bi-weekly, except Christmas week, by First Baptist Church Decatur, GA Postmaster: Please send address changes to First Baptist Church, 308 Clairemont Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030

Kid’s Zone …a time to dance, The Dance Ministry of FBC Decatur begins Sept. 2. Our mission is to bring honor, glory and praise to God through the art of dance. Our goals are: to engage students in active learning, to assist them in establishing a meaningful value system, and to set high expectations for each child. To provide quality dance education in an environment that nurtures every child’s self-confidence, discipline, memory, and grace. To honor Jesus Christ in all our activities and build unity in the body of Christ. To register, please call Dominique Fewell at 678-908-0489 by August 18, 2008 Parents Morning Out gears back up on September 8. We provide loving childcare in a Christian environment for busy parents while helping children develop social skills. We are expanding this fall by adding an extra day and extending our times. PMO will meet on Monday, Tuesday, and/or Thursday’s from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM. You may register online or call Debbie Britt at 404-373-1653. Upcoming Extended Session Volunteers: Aug. 17 Stanford Hayes Fewell Duke

Aug. 24 Eargle Perry R. Leeth Henderson

Aug. 31 Verdery Sunday School Class

Sept. 7 Herndon Williams Minor Visser