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Contact Us [email protected] 307-234-6946 514 S Beech St Casper WY 82601 ELDERS Doug Neubert Michael Miller Shane Harkins Scott Gamble Kent Neubert John Marshall Jim Fuhrer John Spear Ministry Coordinator: Charity Harkins Operations: Ron Sucher Youth Ministry: Beau Gamble Childrens Ministry: Diane Shaffer Our Facebook page: First Baptist Church of Casper Website: fbccasper.com Church App: FBC Casper Note: If you would prefer to receive the First Focus by email, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. It is also available to view on our website fbccasper.com First Baptist Church 514 South Beech Casper Wyoming 82601 Operation Christmas Child Start packing your shoeboxes! Return them to the church by Sunday, November 13. We will have boxes here and more information in the foyer. Or visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/ pack-a-shoe-box/ Please read the information carefully as there are items that should not be sent. With each box you send, please enclose $7 in cash or check to cover transportation costs. Remember to pray for your boxes as well as the children who will receive them. Mission OPP: Join us for a trip to Denver Nov. 25-26 to the Shoebox Processing Center. We have 6 openings! Contact Kathy or Paul Grosshuesch for more information. 258-1053 [email protected] National Collection week is Nov. 14-21 On November 8th many of us will take the time to vote as citizens of the United States. I am not here to express my own political views but I would like to say a few words about what I have seen over this last year leading up to the elections and a word about what I see beyond the elections. With every presidential election I experience a sense of hope as I perceive change to be on the horizon. It isnt the rhetoric of the campaign that shapes my perspective but the anticipation that a shift will possi- bly occur in the political landscape of our country. Sometimes I agree with that shift and other times I do not. Regardless of if I like it or not, change does occur. This year, in addition to anticipating change, I have acquired an additional perspective. As the candidates messages began to unfold, I began to realize that the morality of our presidential can- didates can only rise to the level of the morality of those that elect them. This awareness has complicat- ed my perspective. Over the years, I have seen the morality of our country slowly eroding, so the pre- sent state isnt a surprise. As I listen to the messages being presented through the media and from the candidates, my concern has grown significantly regarding the future state of our nation and at the same time I want to assure you that my hope has not diminished. Why? Why am I not concerned about who is going to become the next president? Why am I not pro- claiming a doomsday message? If the country is slowly eroding and the immorality of our nation is rising, why am I not concerned? Why is my hope still intact? Because my hope has never been placed in our elected officials. The future of our country isnt in their hands. My hope is and always will be placed in the One who created it, not in the ones inhabiting it. What will make America great is acknowledging the One who is great; our wonderful, everlasting, mighty God, and sharing His love with our neighbors. What will make America strong is holding on to the mighty arm of our God. Our morality will become healthy when we individually choose to live in the freedom given to us by the Holy Spirit and share that freedom with those around us. Am I concerned about the elections on November 8th? I am not. Why? Because my hope isnt in the one who will be elected on that day but in the One who chose me, died for me, forgave me and wants to live in me and through me every day for the rest of my life. My hope is in Jesus Christ and that hope has not diminished. Volume 12 Number 11 November 2016 Bags of Blessings Join with your friends and family to pack bags of food to deliver to our church neighbors. Stay for a wonderful Potluck dinner. Bring a dish to share.

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Page 1: Bags of Blessingsstorage.cloversites.com/firstbaptistchurchofcasper/documents/First... · November 2016 Bags of Blessings ... Nov. 20 Step 3 Discover Purpose Sundays in November at

Contact Us

[email protected]

307-234-6946 514 S Beech St

Casper WY 82601

ELDERS

Doug Neubert Michael Miller

Shane Harkins Scott Gamble

Kent Neubert John Marshall

Jim Fuhrer John Spear

Ministry Coordinator: Charity Harkins

Operations: Ron Sucher

Youth Ministry: Beau Gamble

Children’s Ministry: Diane Shaffer

Our Facebook page:

First Baptist Church of Casper

Website: fbccasper.com

Church App: FBC Casper

Note: If you would prefer to receive the

First Focus by email, please send an

e-mail to [email protected].

It is also available to view on our

website fbccasper.com

First Baptist Church 514 South Beech Casper Wyoming 82601

Operation Christmas Child

Start packing your shoeboxes! Return

them to the church by Sunday,

November 13. We will have boxes here

and more information in the foyer.

Or visit

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/

pack-a-shoe-box/

Please read the information carefully as there are items that should not be sent.

With each box you send, please enclose $7 in cash or check to cover transportation

costs. Remember to pray for your boxes as well as the children who will receive them.

Mission OPP: Join us for a trip to Denver Nov. 25-26 to the

Shoebox Processing Center. We have 6 openings! Contact

Kathy or Paul Grosshuesch for more information. 258-1053

[email protected] National Collection week is Nov. 14-21

On November 8th many of us will take the time to vote as citizens of the United States. I am not here to express my own political views but I would like to say a few words about what I have seen over this last year leading up to the elections and a word about what I see beyond the elections.

With every presidential election I experience a sense of hope as I perceive change to be on the horizon. It isn’t the rhetoric of the campaign that shapes my perspective but the anticipation that a shift will possi-bly occur in the political landscape of our country. Sometimes I agree with that shift and other times I do not. Regardless of if I like it or not, change does occur. This year, in addition to anticipating change, I have acquired an additional perspective.

As the candidates messages began to unfold, I began to realize that the morality of our presidential can-didates can only rise to the level of the morality of those that elect them. This awareness has complicat-ed my perspective. Over the years, I have seen the morality of our country slowly eroding, so the pre-sent state isn’t a surprise. As I listen to the messages being presented through the media and from the candidates, my concern has grown significantly regarding the future state of our nation and at the same time I want to assure you that my hope has not diminished.

Why? Why am I not concerned about who is going to become the next president? Why am I not pro-claiming a doomsday message? If the country is slowly eroding and the immorality of our nation is rising, why am I not concerned? Why is my hope still intact? Because my hope has never been placed in our elected officials. The future of our country isn’t in their hands. My hope is and always will be placed in the One who created it, not in the ones inhabiting it. What will make America great is acknowledging the One who is great; our wonderful, everlasting, mighty God, and sharing His love with our neighbors. What will make America strong is holding on to the mighty arm of our God. Our morality will become healthy when we individually choose to live in the freedom given to us by the Holy Spirit and share that freedom with those around us.

Am I concerned about the elections on November 8th? I am not. Why? Because my hope isn’t in the one who will be elected on that day but in the One who chose me, died for me, forgave me and wants to live in me and through me every day for the rest of my life. My hope is in Jesus Christ and that hope has not diminished.

Volume 12

Number 11

November 2016

Bags of Blessings

Join with your friends and family to pack bags of food to

deliver to our church neighbors. Stay for a wonderful

Potluck dinner. Bring a dish to share.

Page 2: Bags of Blessingsstorage.cloversites.com/firstbaptistchurchofcasper/documents/First... · November 2016 Bags of Blessings ... Nov. 20 Step 3 Discover Purpose Sundays in November at

Small Group Leadership Meeting

Our Small Group ministry is at the heart of who are at First

Baptist Church. Many lives have been changed through the

gathering of people with a common goal – to go deeper in

relationship with each other and with Christ. If this ministry has

blessed you, it may be time to consider leading a group of your

own! If you have never led a group but would like to, we will

have a training for new leaders on

January 22 at 6PM at the church. We will

communicate the vision of our Small

Group ministry and offer helpful tools for

leading. New groups will be starting

the week of February 6.

Please contact the church office if you have any questions

or would be interested in leading a group.

Connect GROW

As we move into the month of November

and Thanksgiving approaches quickly, I

am incredibly thankful for my church

family. I sit and look back at this year and

I am astounded at what God has done.

The youth ministry at FBC is thriving and

we are continually getting the opportunity

to love on and minister to new kids

weekly. Their growth in numbers and

more importantly in relationship with God

has been exponential this year. We had

four youth baptisms in the month of

October, and I am so blessed to have

been part of that experience.

My heart is full and overflowing with

God’s blessings thus far in 2016. I am

looking forward to finishing out this year

strong, and bracing for the blessing to

come next year. Isaiah 43:19 reminds us

that even in the hard times, when we feel

like the world is going down hill, God is

still at work. The lives of teenagers and

the things they face seem so daunting

these days, and if we focus on that, it is

all we will see. However, God is moving

in their lives and they are shining brightly

in that dark place. I ask you to continue

to pray for our schools, our teachers, our

youth and their leaders as we continue to

battle for their lives.

Beau Gamble Youth Pastor

Youth Group Wednesday at 6:30PM

Sunday Morning Study:

10:30AM in the Youth Room

FBC’s Justice Journey

A HUGE thank you to all of you who served alongside our Justice Small Group at the 24-hour Justice Experience last month!! We could not have done it without you. We had around fifty students and lead-ers at the event and another ten or so of you helped by acting or providing food for the weekend. We explored God’s heart for justice together as well as what we can do to fight the injustices we see in the world around us. We heard life changing testimonies from our phenomenal guest speakers, Ellen Mennell and Lisette Fox. We wor-shiped together, experienced what it is like to be an investigator on the front lines and served together out at the Vision Beyond Borders facility. It was a huge success. Thank you again for making this pos-sible for our youth!

Thank you also to everyone who walked in solidarity with us in the A21 Walk for Freedom. God gave us a wonderfully sunny (and breezy…) day to join with nations all over the world to raise aware-ness about the realities of modern-day slavery.

As the holidays rapidly approach, I encourage you to look for ways to engage with the brokenness you see around you. Justice is not just a slavery thing. As we learned from Pastor John in his justice series, justice means setting things right. Injustice is all around us. And during seasons of harvest, plenty and gift-giving, injustice stands out in glaring contrast to what most of us experience in our every day. Whether it is joining in the upcoming Bags of Blessing outreach, providing a meal for someone in need or investing time in the life of someone who feels forgotten, there is something we all can do to help bring God’s justice into our communities. Pray for an opportunity to be a part of setting things right in the life of someone around you.

Blessings, Laura Gamble Justice Small Group

Hello ladies! Come join us

November 11th at 4 PM

at Metro Coffee. Bring a friend! Questions? text or call Angela 307-259-1896

Growth Tracks Nov. 6 Step 1 Know God

Nov. 13 Step 2 Find Freedom

Nov. 20 Step 3 Discover Purpose

Sundays in November at 6PM

Upstairs in Room 209

FBC Financial Report

Oct. 2 $ 9,126.60

Oct. 9 $ 6,037.66

Oct. 16 $ 8,106.23

Oct. 23 $ 5,209.89

Thanksgiving is coming! What a wonderful holiday to express gratitude to God, our friends, our family, and our community.

I was searching on my Bible app for a Thanksgiving devotion and found one I like called, “Family Thanksgiving”. It would be perfect for you and your family. Your kids might also like “What Does God Say About…”. This devotion goes through a range of topics and explains what God says about each topic in a kid friendly way.

Don’t forget to put our next church family event “Bags of Blessings” on your calendar November 19, at 3:30PM. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall, fill bags with food, split up into groups to deliver them around our church neighborhood, and then come back to the Fellowship Hall for a good ol’ fashioned potluck dinner. Bring a dish to share! My daughter Ashton is planning on making apple cider and her homemade hot chocolate for the potluck - it’s worth coming just for that! I am still looking for people willing to volunteer 3 hours at the Food Bank of the Rockies. I will be ordering most of the food that will go in the bags from them. For every 3 hours volunteered, we will receive 20lb of food. You may also donate non-perishable food items. The staff is praying for the bags to reach our neighbors, give them hope, and allow them to bump into Jesus. We encourage you to join us in that prayer!

Superbook, our Wednesday night children’s program, took us to Noah’s time when God flooded the earth. We learned how God had one door on the ark, and how there is only one door to God, Jesus Christ. My son, Samuel thought it was the best Superbook book episode so far.

I have been encouraging the children to sit by and get to know other children. I am hoping to make church one of the safest, most loved places our kids encounter. So, ask your kids who they met and how it makes them feel to know others. We are all learning that we have much in common.

Blessings, Diane Shaffer Children’s Ministry

Sunday Worship 8:30 and 10:30AM

Youth & Children

Classes and Nursery at

10:30AM

The Bridge between services -

brunch, coffee and

fellowship

Children and Youth

Ministry

Wednesday 6:30-8PM

Online Giving: To give online using your

smart phone, send 'fbccasper' to 77977

and you will receive a one-time reply containing

a link to give to FBCCasper.

There is also a link on our website to give using

our new giving site: Pushpay.

Please be aware that msg & data rates may apply to texts.

For full terms & conditions please visit https://pushpay.com/terms.

For the privacy policy please visit https://pushpay.com/privacy.

For help reply HELP or STOP to cancel.

Can you believe

it’s almost time to

decorate the

church for

Christmas.

Join us on

Dec. 2nd

at 9AM to

help!