BlessingsA u g u s t 2 0 1 1

A p u b l i c a t i o n o f B y r o m v i l l e B a p t i s t C h u r c h

InsideYou’re planting a what?. . . p. 2

Church Triumphant.. . . . . . p. 3

Pastor search begins. . . . . p. 3

Pray for nominating com. . p. 3

About the cover. . . . . . . . . p. 3

Letter of thanks.. . . . . . . . . p. 4

Associational news. . . . . . . p. 4

Open Hearts Thrift Store. . p. 4

Train the Trainer . . . . . . . . p. 5

Year end party. . . . . . . . . . p. 5

July photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 6

Monthly info. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 7

The great battle. . . . . . . . . p. 8

Page 2

Pastor’s column

You’re planting a what?

Part 1Since announcing that God wascalling me to plant a church inAlbany several people havetaken the opportunity to quizme on exactly what that means. The words “plant” or“planting” in context of churchare almost unheard of to some.It is never reassuring when Itell them that I don’t think Ihave it all figured out, but heythat’s what makes this such an

adventure. I am learning as I go! With all this inmind, someone asked me if I might take my lastremaining newsletter articles and try to shine somelight on this subject so that my Byromville familymight gain a better understanding of what I will be upto.

First thing, many want to know the name of thechurch. God has opened up a door for me to be part ofNew City Church in Macon. They will be partneringwith me to plant New City Church Albany. The goalof this partnership is to create a network thatcontinues to plant more and more churches. WhyNew City? This name totally captures the heart beatof Jeremiah 29:7 as well as Hebrews 13:14. Whenpeople hear this name, I want them to associate it witha group of people who want to see the city they live inexperience gospel transformation, but also a group ofpeople who have put their hope in the city to come.My doctrine and methodology line up with these folksand plus they are just a bunch of really awesomeguys, and at the end of the day, you just want to workwith people you really love and get along with.

Secondly people often want clarity on the term“church planting.” This is a term used to refer tostarting a brand new church from scratch. My familyand I are parachuting into Albany with the goal ofgathering together some people to form a brand newchurch. While some church planters are sent out withother committed people from an established churchwho serve as the initial members of the plant, myfamily and I are the only real members of this new

work. These leads to another important question:Where will you get people?

As I continue to read and meditate on scripture, themore I am convinced that word of mouth andreputation are not enough to grow a church. Ipersonally believe that it is to be the goal of my life tolive on mission with Jesus and take His name into thepublic square. This involves great intentionality. Thisphilosophy of church and ministry is what compelsme and my family to get out into Albany and meetpeople. Our goal will be to intentionally go out toplaces in our city that we might build relationshipsand invite locals to gatherings at our home or anyother place where good conversations can be had.This will be places like movie night in the park, artshows at the parking deck downtown, the river walk,etc. As we get to know people, we will invite them tothings we host like bible studies and barbeques at ourhome and possibly a local coffee shop. The goal willbe to get to know people and identify those who areinterested in being a part of this new work.

Facebook and twitter pages will serve as our primarymethod of continuous communication with those whoare interested–to give information and receivefeedback. Once we have ten or so interested people,we will host a series of meetings where basicinformation about our church will be revealed i.e.doctrine, polity, etc. Through these meetings, the goalis for people to commit to the mission and vision ofthe new church. Lord willing, this will grow to thepoint of needing to find a regular meeting place.

We will advertise and promote in numerous ways. Aspreviously stated, facebook and twitter pages havebeen started. Business cards will provide informationabout our internet pages and bible studies. We willtake advantage of other free local advertising as well.

Please pray for us and New City Church Albany! Praythat God will pave the way for us to engage people inconversations and that these folks will feelcomfortable enough around us to attend small groupmeetings to hear the word and hopefully become partof our church.

Because He lives,Andy

Andy Blankenship

Page 3

Pastor search begins

Our pastor Andy Blankenship has resigned , thus thepastor search process begins. BBC members votedfor five people to serve on this committee on July 31. The ten people who received the most votes will becontacted to see if they are willing to serve. Then atthe regular conference on August 14, members willvote for five from the list of ten. The five people whoreceive the most votes then will serve as our pastorsearch committee.

Andy, Mary Kathryn, Cooper, Alex and Finley havemoved to Albany. Their new address is 2012 GaryAvenue, Albany, GA 31707. Andy will continue topreach on Sundays into September.

Please pray for

nominating committee

Yes, please pray for this committee and their task offilling the positions of service in our church. Thecommittee, chaired by Frank Thompson, includes JoeKent, Mary Lamberth, Bob Latimer, BrendaLockerman, Paula Smith and Sue Thompson.

There are quite a few opportunities to serve. Pleasecontact someone on the committee today to volunteer.

Consider the following: There are three types ofChristians who respond to the call to service.

1. Rowboat Christians–have to be pushed.

2. Sailboat Christians–always go with the wind.

3. Steamboat Christians–make up their minds wherethey ought to go (with the guidance of the Holy Spiritof course) and go there regardless of wind andweather.

About the coverThat’s Michael Kitchens in his new walker. GoMichael!

Transferred to the

Church Triumphant

Audrey Welch Burnam

July 23, 2011

Barbara East Barlow

July 26, 2011

Page 4

To all our good ole Byromville friends,

We certainly appreciate all the wonderful thingsyou’ve done for Aunt Audrey and the girls during herillness and death. The food was delicious. Ourfellowship after the service was truly a blessing! Youhave always been special to us! It’s good to knowthat you’re never forgotten. Although we live in adifferent town, Byromville will always remain ourhome, and it’s because of all of you great people thatremind us there’s no place like home!

Thank you for loving us! We are going to miss AuntAudrey so much. She was truly our sweet dear auntand more!

Love y’all,Jack and Melba [Welch] Wood

Associational news

Omar Heights hostingannual WMU/WEM meeting

Omar Heights Baptist Church will host this year’sannual associational Woman’s MissionaryUnion/Women’s Enrichment meeting on August 20 at11:00 a.m. This summer event is designed to helpwomen learn and share ways they can lead andencourage those in their churches to discover andembrace a missional lifestyle.

Lunch will follow the meeting. Salads, sandwichesand drinks will be provided. Attendees are asked tobring dessert.

Omar Heights Church is located on 191 Ingram Blvd. in Cordele.

Open Hearts Thrift Storeshares the Gospel inDooly County

Located at 921 East Union Street (across from the carwash next to Dollar General) in Vienna, Open Heartsshares the Gospel by reaching out and meeting theneeds of people in Dooly County. The ministry ismotivated by 1 John 4:19: We love each other as aresult of his loving us first.

The ministry was begun by Liberty Baptist Churchlast November. Since then several more churcheshave joined the ministry. Pam Garrett, who heads upthis ministry, is hopeful more churches will becomeinvolved. Volunteers are needed to staff the store, aswell as donations of good, usable items to stock thestore such as small appliances, baby items, clothing, shoes, purses, home decor, holiday decorations,dishes, linens, lamps, books, DVDs. All donationsare tax deductible .

Open Hearts has also partnered with other communityagencies to help meet local needs. On August 17,they will co-host a Safe Kids event with the State ofGeorgia and the Dooly County Health Department. Booster seats will be given away at this event so thatpeople will be able to comply with new state laws.

To find out what other wonderful things Open Heartsis involved in, visit their Facebook page. For specificquestions about volunteering or donating items, callPam at 229-645-3939 or 478-808-4194.

Page 5

Train the Trainer: Child Safe Zone Hotel ProjectSeptember 1; 10 00 AM to 2 00 PM

Many hotels, unknowingly to managers and staff,have become places used by predators where ourchildren are forced into prostitution. Georgia Baptistwomen have been asked to rise to the challenge ofapproaching every hotel in every community of ourstate to make sure managers and staff are aware of theissues and know how to respond. You are invited toa training event to learn more about how to interactwith the hotels of your community. Download aregistration form or register online atwww.gabaptist.org.

Attendees will:

• Gain deeper understanding of the commercial,sexual exploitation of our children (CSEC) issue

• Be introduced to the Child Safe Zone project

• Be prepared to make presentations to hotels in theircommunity urging them to become Child Safe Zones

• Be equipped to train others in their church orcommunity on how to present Child Safe Zonematerials to hotel managers & staff

Training will be facilitated by Kaffie McCullough, AFuture, Not a Past, National Campaign Director. Sponsored by Georgia WMU&WEM in partnershipwith A Future, Not a Past; Wellspring Living andStreetGrace.

Location: Georgia Baptist Missions & MinistryCenter, 6405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097

Cost: $10 per person, lunch included. Register onlineor mail the completed registration form and a checkmade payable to: Georgia WMU&WEM, 6405Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097

Deadline for registration is August 15. No refunds forcancellations, but substitutions are accepted.

For more information, please contact Beth AnnWilliams at 1-800-746-4422, ext. 327 or770-936-5327.

Three hymns

One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that thechurch needed some extra money and asked thepeople to prayerfully consider giving a little extra inthe offering plate. He said that whoever gave the mostwould be able to pick out three hymns. After theoffering plates were passed, the pastor glanced downand noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill inthe offering. He was so excited that he immediatelyshared his joy with his congregation and said he'd liketo personally thank the person who placed the moneyin the plate.

And there sat our Rosie all the way in the back. Sheshyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to cometo the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor.He told her how wonderful it was that she gave somuch and in thanksgiving asked her to pick out threehymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over thecongregation, pointed to the three most handsomemen in the building and said, "I'll take him and himand him!"

Year End PartyAugust 28 at 7:00 p.m.

MENU

BBQ chicken

Green beans

Potato salad

Sandwiches

Ice cream

See morephotos from

July onwebsite.

Page 6

Photos by Sherry Wilkes

Girls in Action & Younger YouthTrip to Helen, GA

EXCELerateYour Sunday SchoolSunday School Training Workshop

for Sunday School Teachers/Officers

August 6, 2011; 8:30am–12:00pm$5/person

Sherwood Baptist Church2201 Whispering Pines Road,

Albany, GA

Register at www.gabaptist.org

Page 7

Schedule of Volunteers for AugustPlease remember it is up to you to arrange coverage if you are unable to serve on your scheduled day.

Date Flowers Nursery AM Nursery PM Deacon of the Week Ushers

Aug. 7 Dianne

Thompson

Jill Brannen

Jenn Hughes

Brenda Lockerman Floyd Tucker Daniel Thompson

George Massey

Aug. 14 Open Rhonda Youngblood

Paula Smith

Suzy Grantham Joe Kent Mark Smith

Quint Smith

Aug. 21 Open Sharon Thompson

Sue Thompson

Sue Thompson Jimmy Lockerman Monta Averill

William Preston

Aug. 28 Open Michelle Kitchens

Kim Godfrey

Katrina West Arthur Roney Mark Peavy

Arthur Roney

June Sunday School StatsSenior Adults 9FBIC 9CIA 4VOC 5Young Adults 7Older Youth 06 , 7 & 8 Graders 6th th th

3 , 4 , & 5 Graders 3rd th th

1 & 2 Graders 4st nd

Older Preschoolers 2Younger Preschoolers 7Nursery 2General Officers 2TOTAL 59

Financial $ummary

June receiptsGeneral offerings $9,237.00VBS offerings 175.00Special–Mail Box Club 20.00TOTAL 9,608.00

June disbursementsGeneral expenses 9,478.35GA Baptist Children’s Homes 65.00Houston Baptist Association 524.74Cooperative P r o g r a m 1,364.33TOTAL $11,432.42

Byromville Baptist Church713 Patterson Street ` POB 126Byromville, GA 31007www.byromvillebaptistchurch.com478-433-2505Pastor: Andy Blankenship

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 2

BYROMVILLE GA

31007

Blessings is published monthly by Byromville Baptist Church. Send news items and/or comments to Editor Brenda

Lockerman at POB 217, Byromville, GA 31007, email to brendalockerman@windstream.net or call 478-433-2791 .

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Page 8

The great battle

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach and green and yellow vegetables of all kinds, so

man and woman would live long and healthy lives.

And Satan developed the fast foods industry. And fast foods brought forth the 99 cent double cheeseburger. And Satan

said to man,"You want fries with that?" And man said, "Supersize them." And man gained pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair.

And Satan froze the yogurt, and he brought forth chocolate, nuts and brightly colored sprinkle candy to put on the yogurt.

And woman gained pounds.

And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad."

And Satan brought forth creamy dressings, bacon bits, and shredded cheese. And there was ice cream for dessert. And

woman gained pounds.

And God said, "I have sent your heart healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth chicken fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And man gained pounds, and his bad

cholesterol went through the roof.

And God brought forth running shoes, and man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And Satan brought forth cable TV with remote control so man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN

and ESPN2. And man gained pounds.

And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried of them. And he created

sour cream dip also. And man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol. And Satan saw

and said, "It is good." And man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed, and created quadruple bypass surgery, angioplasties, and stents...

and Satan created HMOs...

And thus goes the battle between God and Satan. God gives us things that are good, and Satan comes along and changes

them or adds to them. We all must choose what we will do with the things that God has given to us. What will you do

with your life and the things that God has given you? You must choose every day whether you will use these things for

God and his glory or for yourself and the world. The choices that you make today will determine what kind of life you

will have tomorrow.

10:30amWomen onMission

National

W atermelon Day

Dogs Days end

National

Relaxation Day

National Banana

Split Day

Conferencefollowing 7pm Worship

7:00pm YearEnd Supper

8:00am

Brotherhood

Breakfast

11:00am Assn’l

W MU/W EM Mtg.,

Omar Heights

Church

9am–12pmWMU Training,FBC, Tifton

8:30am–12:00pm

Sunday School

W orkers Training,

Sherwood

Church, Albany

6:00pm

Seasoned Saints

leave to go to

Pat’s Camp

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

8-1 Keagan Cavanah

Brooke Thompson

Sherry W ilkes

8-2 Sue Thompson

8-3 Julie Humphries

Kim Knaggs

Jesse Raper

8-4 Alex Blankenship

Marley Collier

Larry Crutchfield

Gage Roney

Sharon Thompson

Jeffrey W itmer

8-5 Cheryl Foster

8-7 Jimmie Collier

8-8 Betty Barrett

8-8 Cameron Bodrey

Mendy Bodrey

Kelly W oodruff

Ed Youngblood

8-9 W endy Barlow

Brittany Kidd

Dale Raper

Jeremy W ilkes

Brandi W itmer

8-12 David Thompson

Garrett W right

8-13 Abby Dorsett

David Hendrix

Paula McKinley

8-14 Daniel Brown

Rhonda Youngblood

8-17 Martha Sellars

8-18 Jeff Overton

8-20 Jeff Lockerman

8-24 Bragan Gambrell

Ronnie Hatcher

8-26 Paula Pece

8-27 Bob Latimer

8-28 Laura Lamberth

Darlene Stephenson

Jeff W itmer

8-29 Daniel Thompson

8-30 Chris Johnson

Please pray for these folks

on their birthday.

Weekly

Schedule

SUNDAY

Sunday School. . . . . 10AM

W orship. . . . . . . . . . 11AM

W orship. . . . . . . . . . . 7PM

W EDNESDAY

Prayer Meeting. . . . . . 7PM

Nursery for all services.

Children’s Church for

Sunday 11AM W orship