Thursday, August 19, 2010

Preparing to welcome new members to the family.

The Board of Deacons met with Jesley Souvenance, Jamie and Ingrid Todd tonight to share their testimonies and talk about the upcoming service of believer's baptism. All three were approved for baptism and church membership.

Several years ago we established a process for meeting candidates for baptism and/or church membership. The Board Deacons would take the opportunity to introduce themselves and share a bit of their story. They also encourage the candidates to do the same if they so desired. It has become a very meaningful time for all involved. Tonight Jamie and Ingrid shared how the death of Jamie's sister started them on a journey of discovery as they began reading the Gospels. A miracle followed as Ingrid found out that she was pregnant and carrying a baby that doctors told them they would never have. The story brought tears to our eyes as we marveled at what God can do.

On August 29th we will glorify God with a very special service as we rejoice with the Todds as they bring their son, Gormon, forward in a service of family dedication. After the ceremony Pastor Lord will deliver a message titled, "Who is on Jesus' Guest List?" The service will then be suspended and moved to Billings Lake at Camp Wightman where Jamie, Ingrid and Jesley Souvenance will be baptized. There will be hymns and prayers as we give thanks to God for new life and bright beginnings.

Come and join us at 9:30 a.m. and renew your own baptismal vows.

FBC Softball team hits bump at end of season

Our FBC Softball season came to an end last night with a weird series of events. With the FBC team leading 13 -10 in the top of the sixth inning, members of Calvary Chapel protested the game and declared that our team was using an ineligible player. Play ended there with a win awarded to Calvary Chapel giving them their second victory in the best of three series.

The protest was strange in the sense that the opposing manager knew about the player and said he didn't have a problem with it when he was notified that Mark Ferguson was going to be in the starting line-up by Pastor Lord before the game. Two days earlier Calvary's manager and Pastor Lord talked about it and agreed that although Mark was added to the roster as an injury replacement one day after the deadline, he was definitely not a ringer. Mark is a member of the church and had played in ten of the team's final games. Calvary's manager told him that the other play-off team managers may question the validity and that Pastor Lord needed to be prepared for it. When Calvary protested it was as if the two managers had never talked.

There was a heated exchange between the teams as the events unfolded but in a display of good sportsmanship, the FBC team slapped hands with the Calvary team and left the field. It was hard for many of them to walk away with a victory to even the series within their grasp. Many wondered why the protest had not come earlier when Mark came to the plate to bat in the first inning. We will never know that.

When one of the more vocal players from Calvary who was calling for the protest heard that the two managers had talked, he wondered aloud how come he and other team members weren't told about the talks prior to the game. He went on to say that when the Calvary manager began telling players about the ineligible player that he didn't let on that he had discussed it with Pastor Lord at all. The player said he wouldn't have made a fuss if he had known who the player was and that it had been discussed in advance.

As is often the case, miscommunication leads problems. In hindsight Pastor Lord should have addressed the players on the Calvary ball club directly instead of assuming the opposing manager was going to do so.

Prior to the game the FBC team voted to have Mark play even though it could have, and eventually did, lead to a disappointing end. It was a great display of team unity and reflected our philosophy of team first even over victory. We would have loved to win the series and had a chance to compete for the championship but a rule made to stop teams from bringing in ringers forced our team to decide whether we were about victory at all costs or building friendship and fellowship. In the end, even though we lost, we won.

The FBC team finished the year with a record of 15-9 and took fourth place in the division. Members of the team included;

Daryl Alves, Chip Chaffee, Dan Dutrumble, Mark Ferguson, Ken Kreger, Eric Larsen, Cal Lord, Steve Moon, Paul Pont, Eric Poore, Tony Snurkowski, Mark Staron, Mike Staron, Fred Stone, Chris Vaillancourt, Sean Wilding and Mike Young.

On Sunday we will celebrate a great season during our time of worship. Join us at 9:30 a.m. to meet the team and their families.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

FBC Softball team finishes strong

Eric Larsen hit two home runs and Sean Wilding hit a grand slam to lead the FBC team to a 27 - 8 victory against St. Marks tonight. Dan Dutrumble, Mark Staron and Tony Snurkowski all added three hits to the attack.

Paul Pont pitched very well and the defense held St. Marks to two runs until the fourth inning when the opponents put together a rally of their own. FBC responded by putting up a ten spot.

The team finished up with a 15 - 9 record, matching the highest win total ever for a First Baptist team. Last year's squad also had 15 wins as did the Championship team in 1993.

The team is on a roll going into the play-offs. They won their last five games and saved their best for the final two, winning both of them by 20 and 19 runs respectively. It is a good thing too because they will face Calvary Chapel in the first round of the play-offs. Calvary finished the season 21 -3. The good news is that until this week we were only the team to beat them. We split the season series with them. They won the first two by scores of 12 - 9 and 13 - 7. The second game was a nail biter that they broke open in the seventh inning. We won the third game convincingly and they forfeited our lost match up.

If FBC can keep up the hot hitting they stand a good chance of coming away with an upset. It is all in their hands now.

Cal

Friday, July 30, 2010

Day two in the Big Apple

Today we went up to the edge of Harlem to work at the York Common Food Pantry. It is one of New York's largest pantries. They feed 1800 families a week and serve over 3oo breakfasts five days a week and up to 400 dinners three days a week.

Gladys showed us what to do and for three and a half hours we packed food bags and distributed them to a crowd that came in to take them. Today was senior citizen day and the hall was filled with people ready to go even before we arrived. It was non-stop work until we c leaned up and got ready to go at 1:30 p.m.

The Pantry also ministers to the poor and the homeless by providing just about every kind of service you can imagine. Gladys described their services and we just stood there amazed. From social workers to showers and dog food, this community ministry went beyond anything most of us have ever seen.

We had lunch in a pizza parlor in Harlem and then stopped by a market place. Then we rode the train out to Brooklyn. We got off on 54th Street and crossed over to the church. As we were approaching the building we came up behind a man who started asking the neighbors if they could help with the prayer station. He began complaining out loud that he was going to be all alone. He didn't know what God was going to do. He got louder and louder and suddenly some of us realized we had been punked.

Robert saw the group of fifteen in their neon green shirts and immediately recognized us as the group of volunteers for the prayer station and decided to have some fun with us. He got us. Robert is a lay leader and has been doing a lot of extra ministry while Pastor Larry Piita recuperates after a near fatal accident last month.

He gave us a history of the church and shared about their long standing ministry to the homeless. Pastor Larry regularly distributes sandwiches to the poor and counsels them in love. Our job today was to simply be a presence in the community. We set up a prayer station, handed out tracks and greeted the neighbors as they walked by the church. We had three or four people stop and ask for prayer. One many asked for healing. Another was asking for help to get a job. A third man asked God to use him to make a difference in the world. We also prayed with Robert and for the church.

Before we left Robert then prayed for us and asked God to bless our ministries. It was a real nice moment and it empowered us as we headed back home. We were pretty beat and we decided to pass on going out to dinner and have it brought in instead. We found a great local restaurant that delivered and we ate out on the deck of the hotel. It was a nice end to a busy day of service.

Here are a few photos of the fun we had in God's name today.




That's all for now. I'll write more tomorrow.

Cal

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Day one of the mission to New York

My feet are sore as I get ready for bed after Day one of our New York City Mission Trip. The group must have walked a good six or seven miles but a few of us added even more with a couple of side trips.

We are staying at the Fairfield Inn on Long Island City, Queens. It is a nice place and we began the day with a free continental breakfast. We liked the price. At 8:30 a.m. we left and headed for the subway. It was an hour and a half ride from the hotel to Coney Island which is on the outer shores of the borough of Brooklyn. We never knew New York City was so big.

We got to the Salt and Sea Mission just before 10:00 a.m. and met Rocco, the business manager. He informed us that Pastor Debbie Santiago was in the hospital in serious condition. She had pneumonia and ended up having surgery and after more complications was scheduled for more surgery today.

He showed us a video that explained what they did at the mission and then we worshipped with several members of the community, some other short term missionaries from Ohio and the staff. The staff called on us to lead the worship service. I opened with prayer and then the group from Ohio lead the singing and shared some testimonies. Then one of their young people gave a short message about how God is always with us.

We didn't know they would call on us to help lead worship but Melanie and I led some singing and June Deptulski offered a short testimony. The staff member then shocked Sandy by asking her to offer a prayer. Sandy froze and her sister, Sharon stepped up and did a great job of closing the service.

The Mission packs food bags for people and they began coming up to get them at noon. There were a lot of volunteers today and somehow Rocco got word that we weren't coming so they didn't expect us. He told me they always had things to do so five of us went out to the Boardwalk with snacks and tracts. It was a stretch for most of us because we haven't done that before but it was ok. We had a number of copies of Daily Bread to share and several people actually wanted them.

At 2:00 p.m. we did a short devotional and prayer and then headed for lower Manhattan to make our firehouse visits. We had five visits scheduled for the fire stations around ground zero. It was an hour ride into the city on the subway and then a lot of walking. We got to see China Town, Wall Street, South Street Seaport and Ground Zero.

You won't believe this. Our visits to the first two fire houses were interrupted by fire calls. The bell rang and the guys were off while we were chatting with them. We stood outside the stations and prayed for the guys as they took off. We had gift bags for them filled with all kinds of goodies made in Connecticut. We also gave them a poster which was a reprint of a painting hanging in Washington, DC signed by Julie's husband's uncle.

We stopped for lunch and then finished up and of the last three stops, one left for a call and one was out on a call when we visited. All day we only made one visit and got to give our whole spiel. The firemen in New York really do need our prayers because they are always on the move serving and protecting the people of the city.

After finishing up our assignments, a part of the group headed to Time Square for a short visit. Some of the group had never been there. It was an experience. The lights, the crowds and the noise were amazing.

Here are a few photos from our adventure.




It was a long day and I'm turning in. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.

Cal

Settling in as we prepare for our first day

We arrived in New ork last night. Melanie, Barbara, Doreen, Michelle and Taylor got here before dinner and did a good job of scouting out the area. They learned that the hotel was offering a free barbecue dinner to the guests and they obliged. Then they took a walk to the Food Lion to pick up some groceries for our bag lunch on Thursday.

The rest of us arrived at 8:50 p.m. and got settled in within the next half hour. They we went ot onto the deck and had our first devotion of the trp. I talked about looking for Jesus in the people we met as we ministered to "the least of these." Were-introduced ourselves and spent a little time in prayer for friends and family.

There is another group in the hotel this week for Waco, Texas here to do mission work. They have mostly teen-agers and they shared a bit of what they have done already. We learned that the pastor who runs Salt and Sea Mission is in the hospital in serious condition. She has an incredible story and we are praying for her. We go there this morning.

It is supposed to rain but I believe we will be inside most of the morning and be safe under cover. It is sad because we will be just off Coney Island and the beach today an no be able to enjoy it. (No roller coaster for me!)

This afternoon we head down to the area around Ground Zero to visit five fire houses and to deliver our care packages. I'll write more later. We are leaving for the day in fifteen minutes. For a few in our group this will be their first subway ride. Woo hoo!

Cal

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sent off to serve in New York on Thursday

This morning during worship we commissioned our New York City Mission team. It was very nice. We prayed with them and promised to cover them all week long.

The team will leave on Wednesday night and make their first stop at the Salt and Sea Mission on coney Island. The mission was established in 1987 as a statement of Christian faith by Debbe Santiago. While Debbe was still homeless, the Lord led her to minister to homeless people under the boardwalk in Coney Island with food, clothing and the Bible.

The outreach program expanded to Debbe Santiago's home. Homeless men and women were able to take showers, have dinners and Bible studies. Debbe also allowed homeless women to live there. The street ministry was conducted out of a shopping cart filled with food, clothing and compassion for those whose only shelter and comfort were found under the boardwalk and in subway stations.

The need for a permanent facility in Coney Island became apparent, and a small apartment was acquired. Having outgrown that space, the Mission relocated in 1991 to a larger building where it is presently housed. By using the mission facilities, working in the streets, the subways, and having an outreach program to families in a Hotel that houses homeless families, the Salt and Sea Mission Church, Inc. provides the following services:

Food Pantry: Feeding approximately 28000 meals monthly.

Hotel Ministry: Special dinners and events each month and at holidays, feeding approximately ninety-five homeless families at each dinner. Families participate in Sunday worship services and furniture ministry and youth programs. Families receive sponsorship for apartments with Project Domiciles and follow-up for one year after getting their own apartments.

Russian Ministry: Once a week on Wednesdays

Spanish Ministry: Once a week on Fridays

Christian Fellowship: Bible studies are given five times weekly. Discipleship classes are offered separately for children and adults once a week. Prayer meetings are conducted five times a week. The Mission also provides Sunday School, and performs weddings, infant dedications and funerals.

Other Vital Ministries: There are Overcomers meetings once a week. Salt and Sea Mission Church, Inc. also offers drug and alcohol counseling, referrals to detoxification programs, job training, legal assistance, medical and dental, HIV/AIDS entitlement, literacy classes, long term residential programs, ESL classes for Russian and Spanish speaking people, reading classes for children, and outreach and food distribution to senior citizen apartment buildings

Along with these programs, there is also social service and housing advocacy, TB and HIV testing, distribution of clothing, blankets, toiletries, and assistance through the disbursement of donated furniture and household items. Salt and Sea Mission Church, Inc. is also used as a mailing address and approximately 11,000 pieces of mail are collected yearly.

The Youth Development Program offers summer camp, special excursions, Bible studies, arts and crafts, on-site recreational facilities, one-on-one counseling, after-school homework sessions, junior choirs, adopt a child, new back to school clothing, recreational time, Christmas gifts and knitwear, and new Easter and Christmas clothing.

The staff of the Salt and Sea Mission Church, Inc. are all volunteers. All food, clothing and funds of the mission are obtained through charitable contributions and grants. Tax-deductible gifts are welcome.

We can't wait to get there. The rest of the week includes work in food pantries, a prayer station and visits to give encouragement to firefighters around Ground Zero and in mid-town Manhattan. Keep us in your prayers.

Cal