VOLUME MMXV, ISSUE IV

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

APRIL 2015

Baptist Children’s Home 3

Births 7

Church Staff Contact Information 8

Church Family Softball League 4

Easter Week Services 1

Family Movie Night 3

FBC Calendar—April 7

Graduation Recognition Form 6

Looking Ahead 8

Memorials & Honorariums—February 6

National Day of Prayer 8

Offering/Tithing Envelopes 7

Online Giving 7

Parent-Child Dedication Service Form 6

Pastor’s Corner 2

Sanctuary Flowers 7

Scholarship Opportunities 6

Senior Happenings 4

Senior S-T-R-E-T-C-H 8

Thank You’s 6

Vacation Bible School 5

Volunteer Schedule 7

Website Information 8

Wednesday Night Meal Menu 7

Youth Connect 4

OUR VISION: We live to be disciples of Christ who exalt God, prepare people, and share Christ.

THIS MONTH at FBC …

03—Good Friday Tenebrae Service

05—Easter Sunrise Service and Easter Worship Services

06—Office Closed

12—Deacon’s Meeting

19—SS Teacher Training (K-6 Grade)

20—Church Council Meeting

24—Movie Night

26—Brazil Mission Team Training Session

Easter Holy Week Services

Holy week is an extra special time at FBC-Morehead and we invite you and your family to be a part of it. Join us as we reflect on the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ

and celebrate His resurrection with special Easter services.

Good Friday Service—April 3 @ 7:30pm We will gather on the evening of Good Friday to enter into the dramatic narrative of Je-

sus’ betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion, and to reflect on God’s wondrous love.

Easter Sunrise Services—April 5 @ 6:45am Will be held at the Jaycee Park on the Morehead City Waterfront in front of Harborview. (Remember to dress for the weather—In case of rain, service will be held at First Baptist

Church.)

Easter Worship Services—April 5 The 8:30am service will be held in the Sanctuary and the 11:00am service in the FLC.

You are invited to participate in decorating the wooden cross in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning by providing a fresh flower cutting or two from your yard or a purchased

flower. Upon entering the sanctuary at 8:30am, or the Family Life Center at 11:00am, you may place your flower upon the cross. A decorating committee member will be there

to assist as needed. Extra flowers will be available for those unable to bring a flower.

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“Behold, your…”

If I may, let me draw your attention once more to the third word from the cross. I myself

have returned to this passage time and time again during this season of Lent. May the

Word of the Lord and the devotion that follows draw us all nearer to the heart of God.

In these few words and simple act, I believe Jesus teaches us how we are to love one another. You might say he

teaches us what it means to be the church.

Here we see that the love and care Jesus has for his mother Mary, one who is by blood his own, is transferred to the

one who is his disciple. John would have held no responsibility for the care of Mary, but because Mary is bound to

Christ and because John is bound to Christ, now, Mary and John are bound to each other.

This relationship that Jesus establishes between John and Mary exemplifies the kind of relationship we are to have

with each other and the way in which we are to love those whom Jesus loves.

Here on display is what it means to love as Christ loved, to see those who are not your own as your own and to love

them accordingly.

This attitude must begin here, with us, with those who call themselves the church. Paul said in Acts 20:28 that

Christ "purchased the church of God with his own blood."

We are not kin, you and I, according to the blood in our veins but we are kin by the blood of the lamb. It is this

blood relation, this bond, this new covenant made between us and God through Christ that makes us one and makes

us strong and makes us family…the family of God, the church.

And it is this kinship that cannot be broken by the hardships of life or the doorway of death. No, this family,

purchased by the blood of Christ, will hold us in this life and the life to come.

It is to this eternal bond, to this joyful fellowship, to this Christ-centered family, that we invite the lost and the least

of these.

So let us not be ashamed, church, to offer that invitation. May it be that we hear and obey the call to love those who

are not our own as our own. This is the call of Christ upon us, for we are the disciples whom he loves.

May it be that we look upon the widow and hear God say, behold, your mother. May it be that we see the widower

and hear God speak, behold, your father.

May it be that when we meet the lonely friend or downtrodden stranger and hear the Lord say, behold, your brother,

behold your sister.

May we stand with the orphan child and hear our adoptive Father in heaven say, behold, your son. Behold, your

daughter.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. When he does, may he find us busy filling seats around the

table with brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters from every tribe and every tongue and every

nation, that it may be on Earth as it is in heaven.

Your servant for His sake,

Pastor Nate

“...but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the

wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple

whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your

son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the

disciple took her to his own home. John 19:25-27 (ESV)

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Baptist Children’s Home 2015 Food Roundup

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me some-thing to drink, I was a stranger, and you took me in....” Matthew 25:35 (NIV)

The words of Jesus from Matthew always remind us of our churches and how you faithfully feed our boys and girls through the Food Roundup each April. You may not know the names and faces of the children Baptist Children’s Homes serves, but you still care for them in Christ’s name. And when they see food you give, they know without any doubt you care about them unconditionally.

While food is what we think of when we think of “Food Drive”, we asked the person who is in charge of the food if there is something they need that would help that is not normally given. We were told that

expenditures for cleaning supplies such as Laundry Detergent, Dryer Sheets, Bleach, Fabric Softener, Dish Soap, Dishwasher Soap, Cleanser, Glass Cleaner, Dusting & Disinfectant sprays is very large. Buddy Gurganus told us that cleaning supplies are a big expense and that they can use any kind of cleaning supplies. If you would still like to donate food or other items, that will be OK too. A complete list of items needed has been posted on the bulletin board in the central hallway as well as a box for your donations. All items donated will go to the Kennedy Baptist Children’s Home in Kinston, NC on May 2.

A POWERFUL MOVIE ABOUT FOOTBALL AND PERSEVERANCE THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL ENJOY

During spring break on April 8 we are going to Wilmington to an indoor

trampoline park called DEFY GRAVITY along with lunch and shopping at the

mall. We’ll play trampoline dodgeball and jump in huge foam pits and do lots of

bouncing! Cost to each student is $10 plus lunch. We will cover the rest of the DG

fee and fast food supper. Be on the bus at K-mart ready to leave at 8:30am. We’ll

return around 7:30pm. The $10 must be paid in advance or by cash or check that

day.

On Sunday, April 19, we are having FRIEND DAY, focusing on inviting as

many friends as you can get to come to Sunday School on Sunday morning. After

worship we’ll go to Mexico Plaza for lunch, you pay. So reach out to your friends

and get them to join us!

On May 8 and 9 we are planning to have separate guy/girl Pure Freedom

retreats, focusing on God’s perfect plan for sex. It is so important that we address this subject openly

and honestly with our young people and teach them what scripture says. If there are any adults

(especially those who are not youth parents) who would be interested in helping with these retreats or

sharing a testimony please see Deborah.

We’ve divided our youth into groups of 4 or 5 and now have prayer warriors, mostly parents, praying

specifically and regularly for each of the youth in their group. Please, church family, remember our youth

in your prayers regularly as they face daily challenges to their faith in our culture.

We’re taking a group to the Atlantic Baptist Associational Senior Adult Rally on April 14 at FBC in New Bern. We’ll leave around 9:30am and do a pick-up at K-mart. Cost for the meal is $5. Please sign up by April 8. Due to the low number of people who signed up for the trip Washington D.C. trip, we have canceled it and are instead looking at Springtime Jubilee in Myrtle Beach from April 27-29, the same week we had planned to go to DC. If there is enough interest we will put a trip together. It is a wonderful 2 night, 3 day trip filled with gospel music by singers Sandi Patti, Larnelle Harris, Wayne Watson, Guy Penrod, other gospel groups, a Christian comedian, and great preaching from Johnny Hunt and Herb Reavis. There are also shopping and wonderful dining experiences. The cost is around $220/person for double occupancy, $320 for a single room. Please let me know immediately if you are interested. I must move quickly on obtaining tickets, so come go with us! Contact me (Deborah Lockey) at 725-7510.

On May 4 we are planning to take a group to hear the NC Baptist Singers at FBC in Kinston. Details to come!

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CHURCH FAMILY SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Come join the fun as we play softball in the Havelock Church Softball League sponsored by the Havelock-Cherry Point Ministerial Association. This will be a league for the entire family ages 10 years old or older, women, men, and senior adults. Games will be played on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Havelock Parks and Recreation field from May 6 through June 27. There will be a $15 charge per player to offset the league entry fee.

Please contact Tony Maynard at either:

252-646-4948

anthony_magic@yahoo.com.

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Discover God’s Everlasting Love! Incredible…Faithful…Invincible…

Unconditional…Real

There are few, if any, experiences as exciting as the day your child first enters this world or the day that you get the call that the child you have been waiting to adopt is finally available. There is no gift that can ever match that tremendous gift from God! We hold our new baby in our arms and a thousand thoughts begin rushing through our

minds. What will he/she want to be when he/she becomes an adult? What will he/she look like? What will his/her talents be? Who does the baby look like? Won’t we have a good time playing together as the years go by? Where will the child want to go to school? The list goes on and on. We begin thinking of all of the things that we want to give to our child throughout his/her life. Will we be able to afford all that we want to give to him/her?

However, the most important thing that we can give to our children is the gift of FAITH. We must teach them about God through teaching and by example. Our children will learn very quickly if God is important in our own lives by observing our actions. The saying that “actions speak louder than words” is very true! Do they see us reading our Bible? Do we pray with them? There is not one of us that will not face difficult times in our lives. It may be today, it may be next week, or it may be years from now. But, we will face difficult times! Knowing that God is with us and carrying us through the valleys of our lives is such a comfort. We are never by ourselves. Don’t we want our children to know the comfort and peace that we have when we know that God is there with us? We must equip our children with the necessary tools to survive in the world. The most important tool for them to have is faith in our Lord and Jesus Christ. We can lose material items but our faith can never be taken from us. Isn’t that a wonderful gift to give to our children? Vacation Bible School is one way we can teach our children about God. One week in VBS is the same as attending Sunday School for four months without ever missing a Sunday!

Our theme this year is “Bible Blast to the Past………Discover God’s Everlasting Love!” The daily lessons are designed to bring children closer to God by experiencing His everlasting love and discovering what it means to us. The lessons will help the teachers take the children into a relationship with Jesus Christ inspiring them to a lifetime of service. Our natural response to God’s INCREDIBLE, FAITHFUL, INVINCIBLE, UNCONDITIONAL, and REAL love and grace is to serve Him gratefully – and we can do that most effectively by serving those around us. Our mission outreach this year will be Martha’s Mission. Each VBS Department will visit the mission, learn about what the mission does, and deliver can goods that have been brought from home. All of our offering collected during VBS will be given to Martha’s Mission. The children will learn that they can be missionaries right here in Carteret County. Our VBS IS making a difference in our community!

Workers are still needed! It is NOT too late to volunteer! No experience is necessary! Please pray for God’s guidance as to how He would use you in VBS!

We still need workers for several departments! We also need youth to help in several departments!

Please keep our VBS in your prayers!

We have many workers preparing Bible stories, crafts, music, and snacks to get ready for this most important week!

Make it a priority in your summer schedule to have your child in VBS! It will be one of the greatest gifts you can give to your child this year!

Make it a priority in your summer schedule to HELP in VBS! It will be one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself this year!

Mark your calendars now!

June 15 – 19, 2015

9:00 am – 12:00 noon Rising 4 Year Olds – Rising 6th Graders Nursery for workers’ children: Birth – 3 Year Olds

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Dear Church Family, How does one express fully the love and support of my church family? The cards, visits, flowers, my prayer shawl, which is never far from my side, the walker bag and especially all your prayers. I have been told I have many years of therapy ahead. My love for Nate and Darrell and many others will give me the encouragement to “press on”.

Amber

Dear First Baptist Church Family, My family and I thank you so much for the prayers, visits, phone calls, cards and deli-cious food—which always seemed to come at the perfect moment. My fall on December 22nd and fractures followed by surgery and then rehab at Har-borview and home has stopped me and made me realize I must get back to my old job of looking after those in need as you have done for me. I have received God’s care through you—thank you, thank you, thank you.

In Christ, Dot & Ed Johnson & Family

FEBRUARY 2015 MEMORIALS & HONORARIUMS

To the Prayer Shawl Ministry in memory of Carol Taylor By Dorothy Dorsett; RC & Susan Boyd; Charlene Havens; Betty Clonts; Sally Coughlin; William & Diane Robinson III; Nancy & Jeffrey Wilson; Carolyn & Tommy Farmer and family; Alison & Bill Lehman; Nancy & Doug Windes; Her friends in the Prayer Shawl ministry; Jim & Wanda White; Carolyn & Edgar Taylor; Mary Ann & Ben Holland; Frank & Hunter Heavenly To the General Budget in memory of Carol Taylor By Ann & Wayne Stanley To the JOY-Maker’s Choir in memory of Carol Taylor By Footprints Sunday School Class; Catherine & Garry Baptist; Carolyn & Edgar Taylor; Carolyn & Tommy Farmer and family; Sally Coughlin; Charlene Havens; Helen & Terence Taylor; Jacquelyn & Gus Davis

The John Tillery Scholarship forms are now available to high school graduates and college students. Applications can be picked up in the church office, at any high school, Carteret Community College, or at St. Luke's Baptist Church. Applications need to be turned in to the office by April 15. If you have questions, please call Mary Jo Hull at 726-5524.

Privette Scholarship Worthy students seeking to study for the ministry are able to receive financial help through this scholarship established in memory of Rev. H. A. Privette, who served the Atlantic Baptist Association as Director of Missions from 1963-1985, and his wife Polly Privette. If you are a member of an Associational church and are studying for a career in missions or ministry, please write a brief written essay on your sense of call as well as your thoughts on Cooperative Missions. Please include your contact information and the name of the institution being applied to. The deadline for applications to be received at the Association office is Friday, July 17.

First Baptist Church Child/Family Dedication

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Join us on Mother’s Day for a special Child/Family Dedication time!

If you have a child or children that you would like to have dedicated please fill out the following information and return this form to the

church office by Monday, May 4, 2015.

Parents Name: _________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________

Name and Birth Date of Child/Children: _____________________________ ______________________ _____________________________ ______________________ _____________________________ ______________________

Check which service time you prefer:

8:30am 11:00am

First Baptist Church Graduation Recognition

On Sunday, May 31, 2015, we will be honoring our high school and college students who are graduating this year. If you are graduating or have a family member who is a member of

FBC graduating this year, please fill out the information below and return it to the office with a photo by Tuesday, May 19th so that we

can recognize the graduate in our June Newsletter.

Full Name:___________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________

__________________________________________

Phone No: ___________________________________

Graduating From: ____________________________________

College Degree Acquired: ______________________________

____________________________________________

Parents Name: _______________________________________

Future Plans: ________________________________________

School/Employer: ____________________________________

Degree/Career Goal: __________________________________

Please return my photo to the above address.

I will be participating in the Worship Services.

You may email the information and photo to vlewis@fbcmhc.org.

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FRONT DOOR GREETERS 8:10 – 8:30 am 10:40 – 11:00 am 05 – Fletcher & Kate Noe Mack & Glenda Baker 12 – Bruce & Yvonne Howard Blair & Valerie Blankenship 19 – Carroll Rice Mary Jo Hull 26 – Carol Gartman Carole Pelletier

SUNDAY SCHOOL GREETERS Pre-School Suite Sanctuary Stairs 05 – Amy Nelson Bev Kannan 12 – Pattie Eaton Roger Latham 19 – Vivian Marshall Mike Marshall 26 – Dana Luettich Rick Luettich

CHILDREN’S CHURCH POST GREETERS 05 – Deb Banks 9:30am Patricia Latham 12 – Sandra Phillips 12 Noon Faye Ballou 19 – Sam Chapoton 26 – Beth Davis Harborview: Lighthouse ABF (12)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT NURSERY 01 – No Activities 22 – Sandi Kelly 08 – No Activities 29 – Diane Herring 15 – Gina Sanderson

WORSHIP CARE 05—Mark Knight, Barrett & Beth Davis, Warren & Andrea Benton 12—Melodie Daniels, Suellen Leonard, Ashley Snipes, Joe & Connie Carraway 19—Debbie Butler, Judy White, Martza Majstoravich, Deb Banks, Bo Kot 26—Scott Foley, Chris & Vicki Bouler, Jon & Jennifer Lewis

FBC APRIL 2015 CALENDAR

M ONTHLY S CHEDULE & S PECIAL E VENTS

Fri 03 7:30pm Good Friday Service

Sat 04 8:30am Help with Morehead City Easter Egg Hunt

Sun 05 6:45am Easter Sunrise Service

Mon 06 OFFICE CLOSED—Easter Holiday

Wed 08 8:30am Youth Spring Breakaway

Sun 12 6:00pm Deacon’s Meeting

Mon 13 7:00pm BMG Meeting

Tue 14 9:30am Senior Adult Spring Rally—New Bern 7:00pm Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Sun 19 Youth Friend Day/Lunch

Mon 20 7:00pm Church Council Meeting

Fri 24 6:00pm Movie Night

Sun 26 3:30pm Brazil Mission Team Training Session

Mon 27 Senior Adult Myrtle Beach Trip

Sunday

8:30am Worship Service 9:45am Bible Study for All Ages 11:00am Worship Service 5:00pm Youth Ensemble 6:00pm Youth—F6

Wednesday

(Note: No Activities 1st & 8th)

10:00am Prayer Shawl Ministry 5:30pm Family Meal 6:00pm Children’s Choirs 6:15pm Youth—Worship Band 6:30pm Discipleship University 6:45pm Children’s Mission Studies 7:00pm Youth G-Force 7:30pm Handbell Choir 7:30pm Worship Team Practice

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Tuesday 7:00am Men’s Breakfast @ Cox’s 9:30am Senior S-T-R-E-T-C-H

Thursday—Choir Rehearsals 10:30am JOY-Makers Choir 7:00pm Sanctuary Choir

Wednesday Family Meals—April

Call the church office or sign up online at fbcmhc.org/Wednesday_meal by Tuesday at Noon to make your reservation each week.

Cost: Adults & Youth—$5, Children Age 4-11—$3, Children 3 & Under—Free

Adults & Youth Age 12 & Up _ Children Age 11 & Under 15— Barbecued Chicken Chicken Nuggets 22— Hamburgers/Hot Dogs Hamburger/Hot Dogs 29— Pizza & Salad Bar Pizza & Salad Bar

No Meals 1st & 8th—Easter Holiday (All meals with Sides, Bread, & Dessert—Coffee, Tea, or Water)

Sanctuary Flowers If you would like to put flowers in the Sanctuary on a specific Sunday morning in memory or in honor of someone or for a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday, please call Vonne Lewis in the church office to make arrangements or sign up on the Communication Card. Available 2015 dates are: Sept. 6; Oct. 11 & 18

Congratulations on the birth of …

Cooper Davies Compton

March 15, 2015

Parents: Matt & Carole Compton

Grandparents: Chris & Brenda Davies

Christian Sympathy is extended to the families of

Carol Wylie Taylor January 25, 2015

Sophia Barefoot Patterson March 1, 2015

OFFERING/TITHING ENVELOPES We are in the process of placing our yearly order for Offering/Tithing Envelopes for the 2016 year. To help us with this order, we need to know who would like to continue using the envelopes, or if you are not using envelopes, would like to do so. If you do plan to use the envelopes, you may also choose to have them dated weekly as they are now or dated monthly.

If you are currently using envelopes but plan to switch to “online giving” through the FBC website or “online banking-bill pay” through your bank, you do not need envelopes.

To help us with our order, please contact Carol in the church office with your preference.

Donat ions Tithes Offer ings

Now available at www.fbcmhc.org

02— Kennedy Home Workday 03—Quarterly Business Conference & Deacons Meeting 04—Senior Adult Trip/Kinston, NC Baptist Singers 07—National Day of Prayer 08—Youth Sleepover & Campout 13—Last Wednesday Night of Meals/End of Year Program 17—Choral Dinner Show Fundraiser 26—Office Closed—Memorial Day Holiday 27—JOY Club Meeting & Lunch 31—Graduate Brunch & Recognition

Looking Ahead—May 2015

Event Photos Online Giving Church News FBC Member Directory Bible Reading & Study Tools Ministry Opportunities Sermons You May Have Missed Monthly Newsletter Church Calendar of Events Devotions

Senior

S -T-R-E-T-C-H

Tuesdays , 9 :30am

Family L i fe Center

Led by Phyl i ss Adcock

Devot ion Senior - fr iendly Exerc ise

Great Fe l lowship

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

The 64th annual National Day of Prayer, May 7, 2015, will have profound significance for our country. It is an unprecedented opportunity to see the Lord’s healing and renewing power made manifest as we call on citizens to humbly come before His throne.

Our theme for 2015 is Lord, Hear Our Cry, emphasizing the need for individuals, corporately and individually, to place their faith in the unfailing character of their Creator, who is sovereign over all governments, authorities, and men. To further highlight our theme, we’ve chosen I Kings 8:28 as our Scripture for this year: “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.”

At this crucial time for our nation we can do nothing more important than pray. Will you make this spiritual discipline a personal priority and encourage others to join you? The church will be open from 8 am to 6 pm for those who are able to enter our sanctuary and present petitions before our Lord. He can move His mighty hand across our country in exciting ways.

Look for more details on other opportunities you can participate in this year leading up to National Day of Prayer.

810 Bridges Street Morehead City, NC 28557

Phone: (252) 726-4142 Fax: (252) 726-4784 Email: fbcmail@fbcmhc.org Website: www.fbcmhc.org www.facebook.com/fbcmhc

SUNDAY SERVICES 8:30am—Traditional Worship

9:45am—Bible Study for all Ages 11:00am—Blended Worship

Office Hours Monday—Friday: 8:00am—5:00pm

Church Staff

Dr. Nate Leonard - Senior Pastor nleonard@fbcmhc.org

Rev. Darrell Williams - Associate Pastor dwilliams@fbcmhc.org

Deborah Lockey - Director of Youth & Senior Adults Ministries dlockey@fbcmhc.org

Diane Hawkins - Music Director & Organist dhawkins@fbcmhc.org

Lori Muns - Pianist lorimuns@yahoo.com

Vonne Lewis - Ministry Assistant vlewis@fbcmhc.org

Carol Reed - Financial Secretary creed@fbcmhc.org

Fran Welch - Head Custodian Sabrina Juarez—Custodian

DVD’s ($5) and CD’s ($3) of the various church activities and

Sermons are available.

DVD copies of the Easter Cantata “It Is Finished” and 11am Easter

Sunday Worship Service are available in the church office.

Photos Recently added:

Children’s Easter Egg Hunt

Check out our website www.fbcmhc.org