From Lynn Crawford, Associate Pastor
What an amazing and busy summer! I hope you had an opportunity to get out and enjoy the sunshine with your family and friends over the past months!
Our Summer Small Groups had 2 successful drives for their outward-focused projects. For the first drive, we (along with some help from Olympic Kids Dental) collected 73 suitcases to donate to DSHS so that kids entering the foster system in our area can have a suitcase to put their things in instead of a garbage bag.
The second drive our Summer Small Groups organized was to collect backpacks and school supplies for families who move into the area mid-year and are not able to afford school supplies for their children. We were able to collect thirteen backpacks to take to Jefferson Elementary to help them prepare for this eminent need!
Next we had our Celebrate Life Sunday on August 19th supporting our local Habitat for Humanity where we were able to spot-light their organization and raise $2,000 to help them partner with local families to make owning a home more accessible.
I cannot thank everyone enough for the amazing amount of help that went into this event! Our Outreach Committee organized, prepared, and served the food as well as secured the bounce house and dunk tank. Over 25 volunteers contributed to this successful event! Good job everyone and thank you all so much for giving of your time and talents in this way!
As I look ahead to the fall, I can’t help but be excited about all that is coming and I hope you’ll mark some of these things down on your calendar, join me in prayer for them, and plan on joining us as we seek God together!
Our Fall Small Groups are quickly approaching and will start the week of September 30th. As a church body we will be studying Francis Chan’s Crazy Love which is an awesome examination of our response to God and His amazing and sacrificial love for us:
“Have you ever wondered if we’re missing it?
It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe - the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor - loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.
Whether you’ve verbalized it yet or not ...we all know something’s wrong.
Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts - it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, you will never be the same.
Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.”
I hope you’ll take a moment to watch this video about the study (https://www.vimeo.com/60780588), and click over to our Small Groups page (http://firstbaptistpa.org/smallgroups) to check out our awesome line-up of leaders, co-leaders, and hosts!
We are also going to be trying out, for the first time, a small group that is geared towards 10-13 year olds! They will be going through a book called My Heart, Christ’s Home that discusses how God calls us to give every area of our life over to Christ and what that looks like in our day-to-day routines. More information for this small group can be found at http://firstbaptistpa.org/smallgroups#my-heart-christs-home
If you are a new member or are new to our church, we have an event coming up on September 16th, following 2nd service that is especially for you called Pie with the Pastor! It’s a unique space for you to fellowship and share a scrumptious meal and dessert with other new folks and your pastors, to hear about First Baptist, and to have an opportunity to ask any questions you have! We would love to have you join us and to have the opportunity to get to know you better!
Finally, on September 21st from 5:30-8:30p, First Baptist will be hosting our Fall Volunteer Summit where we will be training our Small Group leaders, Barefoot Students leaders, Barefoot Kids leaders, Serve Team, and initiating and setting up our new Security Team. If you are apart of any of these teams or are interested in learning more about joining one of them, we would love to have you join us for any of the trainings and the volunteer meal:
5:30: Small Group Leaders, Barefoot Students, Barefoot Kids
6:30: Volunteer Dinner
7:30: Security (Barefoot Kids, Serve Team)
Praying that God is blessing you and teaching you as seek to draw ever closer to Him and bless those around you with His love!
Much Love,
Lynn Crawford
Associate Pastor