Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
I started a four sermon series on Sunday entitled “A
Prophet Among Us” in which I will share passages
from four Old Testament prophets (Ezekiel, Amos,
Jeremiah and Elisha) and call our attention to the work
of a few modern day prophets like Martin Luther King, Jr., William
Sloan Coffin, Dorothy Day and Helen Prejean. In the sermon I
mentioned that there may be a few prophets in the world today
from our tradition. I did not realize at the time that we had just lost
one of the most prophetic voices in the Baptist family. Dr. James
Dunn, the former Executive Director of the Baptist Joint
Committee for Religious Liberty, passed away on Saturday. Dr.
Dunn was a courageous champion for religious liberty who spoke
hard truth to presidents, congressional leaders, justices as well as
denominational leaders, preachers and laity. His opinions were not
always well received, but Dr. Dunn was not governed by popularity
polls and did not form his beliefs by conventional wisdom. He
fervently believed in the freedom and responsibility we have as
American Christians to worship and serve God without the
imposition or support of the government.
On our mission trip to Louisville last week I had a conversation
with one of the youth about the differences between Baptists and
other Christian traditions. I mentioned that we have much in
common with our friends in other denominations. I added that the
primary distinctive of our Baptist belief and practice is not so much
what we believe as how we believe. We believe in freedom, the
freedom of each local church to govern itself and the freedom of
each individual to have a personal relationship with God through
Christ. In Baptist life we call these principles the Autonomy of the
Local Church and the Priesthood of the Believer. They are vital to
who we are as Baptists and they are the principles that Dr. Dunn
defended and proclaimed each time he stood in a pulpit.
It seems quite fitting that Dr. Dunn died on the fourth of July (as
did Thomas Jefferson and John Adams), a day in which we
celebrate the birth of our nation. If God times our deaths, it seems
God was affirming the freedom to which Dr. Dunn committed his
life while challenging us to continue the good work of securing
religious liberty for all people. We must understand that being
good stewards of freedom means more than waving a flag and
asking God to bless America. As Baptist Christians we value our
freedom by growing in relationship with Christ and respecting our
neighbors’ right to believe, worship and serve as God leads. This
is not easy or popular, but our Baptist forefathers and mothers lived
and died to give us this right and we owe it to the generations who
will follow us.
Grace and Peace,
David
July 9, 2015 Volume LII No. 7-b
July Sermon Series
Preparing for Sunday. . .
“The Plumb Line”
Amos 7:7-17
Amos was not a professional prophet but
he shook things up when he shared his
vision of God measuring Israel against a
plumb line. The real “religious
professional” in the story is Amaziah, a
priest at Bethel. Amaziah is so bothered
by Amos’ prophecy that he tells him to
return to Judah and make his living there.
In verse 13 he tells Amos to never again
prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s
sanctuary, and it is a temple of the
kingdom (verse 13). Amaziah is saying
the sanctuary belongs to the king and not
to God and by saying this he proves
Amos’ point. As we hear this story we
are sure to wonder what Amos would say
to us. Are we any better than Israel was
and, most importantly, what or who is
The Plumb Line God is holding before
us?
Louisville, KY—June 27-July 3
Upcoming Events. . .
July 20—Finance Committee & Deacons Meeting
July 22—Quarterly Church Conference
July 26-28—Friends of Jesus Happiness Retreat
July 31-Aug. 2—Youth Leadership Retreat
August 3-7—Music Day Camp
August 11—Cub Scouts (Act. Building @ 6:00 p.m.)
August 13—Candlelight Vigil for Families of Victims of Murder
and Homicide
August 14—ECM Staff Development Day
August 15—Community Café hosted by Young Adult Couples Class
August 17—Finance Committee & Deacons Meeting
August 19—Youth Sunday School Leaders Meeting
August 20—ECM Open House (6:30 p.m.)
August 23—Youth Fall Kick-Off
August 30—Sunday School Promotion
7th Grade Welcome (Youth)
September 1—Cub Scouts Resume Weekly Meetings (6:00 p.m.)
September 7—Labor Day (Church Offices Closed)
September 10—Fun & Fellowship (11:00 a.m.)
September 14-16—Senior Adult Retreat, Caswell, NC
September 14—Baptist Women’s Luncheon (11:45 a.m.)
Budget Planning Session
September 15—Budget Planning Session
September 19—Community Café (hosts needed)
September 20—Special Education Sunday
September 21—Finance & Deacons Meeting
September 24—Senior Adult Covered Dish Luncheon
September 26—Operation Inasmuch
Save the Date!
First Baptist Church 160th Anniversary First Baptist Church 160th Anniversary
Celebration & HomecomingCelebration & Homecoming October 11, 2015 Our former pastor, Dr. Kevin Head, will be our guest speaker.
Montreat, NC July 6-9
Person of the Week
Anne Culbreth
Wesley Pines, Room 179
1000 Wesley Pines Rd.
Lumberton, NC 28358
Send a card, letter, or other remembrance
to our special person this week.
CHURCH STAFF
Contact us at 739Contact us at 739Contact us at 739---4336 or [email protected] 4336 or [email protected] 4336 or [email protected] www.fbclumbertonnc.orgwww.fbclumbertonnc.orgwww.fbclumbertonnc.org
Mrs. Nancy Bass Mrs. Nancy Bass Mrs. Nancy Bass ———Financial Coordinator Financial Coordinator Financial Coordinator
Rev. Erin CollierRev. Erin CollierRev. Erin Collier———Minister to ChildrenMinister to ChildrenMinister to Children
Dr. David ElksDr. David ElksDr. David Elks———PastorPastorPastor
Mrs. Daphne Fletcher Mrs. Daphne Fletcher Mrs. Daphne Fletcher ——— Church SecretaryChurch SecretaryChurch Secretary
Ms. Dorothy HuntMs. Dorothy HuntMs. Dorothy Hunt———Building SuperintendentBuilding SuperintendentBuilding Superintendent
Rev. Tim LittleRev. Tim LittleRev. Tim Little———Minister of MusicMinister of MusicMinister of Music
Mrs. Kandace RamseyMrs. Kandace RamseyMrs. Kandace Ramsey———ReceptionistReceptionistReceptionist
Rev. Doug ReedyRev. Doug ReedyRev. Doug Reedy———Minister of YouthMinister of YouthMinister of Youth
This Week. . .
Sunday, July 12
8:45 Early Worship 9:45 Sunday School 11:00 Worship
Monday, July 13 9:00 Staff Meeting
Tuesday, July 14
6:00 Cub Scouts (Act. Building)
Wednesday, July 15
5:15 Family Night Supper 6:00 Family Night at Prayer
Thursday, July 16 Youth Music Retreat Begins
Saturday, July 18 10:30 Community Café hosted by The Friends of Jesus Sunday
School Class
For the Record Needed per week ........... $14,903.85
Received 7/5/2015 ............. $8,275.73
Need to date .................. $402,403.85
Received to date ........... $355,485.91
Over (Under) Budget ............ ($46,917.94)
Sunday School Attendance—174
Servants this Sunday, July 12, 2015Servants this Sunday, July 12, 2015
ETCETC——8:45 a.m.8:45 a.m.——Audrey Jaenicke, Ericka DailAudrey Jaenicke, Ericka Dail
11:00 a.m.11:00 a.m.——Audrey Jaenicke, Kim & Hugh WilkersonAudrey Jaenicke, Kim & Hugh Wilkerson
WelcomingWelcoming—— Everett & Ann Davis, Tim HobbsEverett & Ann Davis, Tim Hobbs
CollectionCollection——Lynn Wilson & Glenn WalkerLynn Wilson & Glenn Walker
Entrance GreetersEntrance Greeters
Children’s BuildingChildren’s Building——Elliot & Dale GiffordElliot & Dale Gifford
Walnut StreetWalnut Street——Johnny & Mickey JohnsonJohnny & Mickey Johnson
6th Street6th Street——Robbie HarrellRobbie Harrell
Senior EntranceSenior Entrance——George LawsonGeorge Lawson
Security MonitorSecurity Monitor——Tony ThompsonTony Thompson
SoundSound——Ross DriscollRoss Driscoll VideoVideo——Greg GibsonGreg Gibson
MUSIC DAY CAMP “The Big Fish: Jonah’s Whale of a Tale”
August 3-7, 2015
For Children Grades 1-6 (Completed)
Cost: $55.00
Only 3 spaces are still available!
Register now!
Senior Adult Retreat Fort Caswell, NC
September 14-16, 2015
Cost is $175 a person.
Sign up at the Senior Adult Bulletin Board to attend.
