Entre'N

ous

PublicationofEvangeline&GulfC

oastBaptistAssociations

ofLouisianaBaptists

June/July 2014Volume 42, No. 5

Evangeline Baptist Association3000 W PinhookPO Box 81244

Lafayette, LA 70598-1244337.237.6956

www.ebalaf.comBert Langley

Director of MissionsJames Craft & Nathan Rush

ModeratorsElizabeth LangleyOffice Administrator

Melaney DudleyAdministrative Assistant

Mary LangfordCounselor

JUNE6 - Pres Riley, FBC Abbeville- Joe Garner, Northside

8 - Betty (Mrs. Zack) Young, Retired9 - Jessica (Mrs. Heath) Gilbert, The Bayou11 - Sandra (Mrs. Roland) Fontenot, Retired

- Bobby Powell, Bayou Vista- Marian (Mrs. Steve) Younger, Emmanuel

15 - Elizabeth (Mrs. Larry) Langley, EBA- Sam Brooks, Lafayette Open Door

19 - Ric White, Highland23 - Maria (Mrs. Edgardo) Mancia, Jehovah-Jireh24 - Joe Wilson, FBC Lydia

- Tracy (Mrs. James) Craft, Calvary25 - Jeaneth (Mrs. Pres) Riley, FBC Abbeville27 - Charles Gilder, Retired28 - Steven Kelly, Bayou Vista

Entre' NousEvangeline & Gulf Coast Baptist AssociationsP O Box 81244Lafayette, LA 70598-1244337.237.6956

www.ebalaf.com

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

June 8-9 Baltimore,MD

WMU Misisons Celebration& Annual Meeting

June 7, 2014 Baltimore,MD

June 10-11, 2014 Baltimore,MDSouthern Baptist Annual Convention

JULY1 - Joe Jenkins, Teche, Breaux Bridge2 - Judy (Mrs. Wallace) Millsaps, FBC Jeanerette5 - Gary Funderburk, The Bayou6 - Peggy (Mrs. Tony) Ronsonet, Coteau Holmes7 - June (Mrs. Sam) Blaylock, Trinity18 - Zack Young, Retired22 - Thurman Floyd, Pecan Island

- Sam Perry, The Bayou24 - Scott McKenzie, FBC Lafayette25 - Martha (Mrs. Joe) Jenkins, Teche, Breaux Bridge29 - Johnny Ward, FBC Delcambre

- Ginger (Mrs. Jessie) Charpentier, JenkinsMemorial

Bert Langley DirectorofM

Issions

Mary LangfordCounselors's

Corner

Serving Acadianain Christ's Name

In previous issues of the Entre Nous we havehighlighted ministries that are supported by theEvangeline Baptist Associaiton. This month's issueintroduces the foster care/adoption ministry ofNorthside Baptist Church in Lafayette.

“in Christ we are safe--to not play it safe.”Recently we at Northside Baptist have decided toleverage the strength of our families for the poorest ofthe poor in Acadiana. And, the way we are doing thisis by working with the Louisiana Baptist Children’sHome and the Louisiana State Department of ChildandFamilyServices to foster andadopt neglected andorphaned children.Our strategy involves three key aspects:• Annually highlighting the need.• Challenging, recruiting and equipping the willing.• Financially supporting “core homes” willing and ableto take in the maximum amount of foster children.Here are some relevant statistics since launching thisministry last year. Over 30 children have been served.Seven families have fostered and/or adopted, and sixparents of our foster children have attended church.One core home has been established which has thepotential to serve six foster children. We hope toestablish more of these core homes in the future inaddition to certifying more of our members as fosterparents.Please feel free to contact us for more info. We wouldlove to help you start a foster/adopt movement in yourchurch.On Mission, Northside Baptist Church

FBC Youngsville welcomes as pastorChris Fuselier and his family.

Highland, New Iberia & FBC Lafayettewelcome pastor Melvin Mendoza and

his family to the Hispanic workssponsored by both churches.

Highland, New Iberia also welcomes Kevin Williamsas their new Minister of Worship.Lakefront Community Church in Catahoula will behosting the Willis Family gospel group on Sunday,June 29th at the 10:30 am worship service. Acovered dish luncheon will follow.

"When I am filled with cares,Your comfort brings mejoy." (Psalm 94:19 HCSB)Where do you find relieffrom the concerns of life?In the early years of myministry, there was a familythat lived near the churchwhere I was serving aspastor. They were not

members of our congregation, but the youngwife andmother in the home was related to one of ourmembers. They lived near the building where thechurch gathered for worship weekly. Her husbanddeveloped a rare blood disease, which wouldeventually lead to his death at an early age. They hadseveral children, some the age of our own. Hisdisease caused the family’s income to drop from alucrative salary to social security disability.

OneSaturdaymorning, while I was cutting grassat home, I received a telephone call from the wife ofthis man asking me to come to the hospital. Sheneeded a minister. Arriving at the room I found thehospital bed empty and the mother standing thereholding their 3 year old daughter in her arms. Iassumed her husband was out having lab work donein another part of the hospital. Themom started to tellme of the pressure she had been living under for thepast year. She lived with the fear of rolling over in thenight and discovering her husband’s dead body nextto her. As she continued her story, she said, “Now thedoctors tell memy 3 year old daughter has leukemia.”Her question for a minister was, “Why?” (I wept withthis lady).

It was there I realized we don’t always have theanswers to life. I did tell herwe live in aworld filledwithgood and bad experiences. God never said HEwouldprotect us from the bad experiences of life. What HEdid promise is that HE would never leave us. AndbecauseofHISpresenceweknowwecanget throughthe storms of life.

The Psalmist discovered that during those timesin lifewhenhecouldn’t find theanswer to “why,”God’spresence brought comfort. God’s presence not onlycomforted him, but God’s presence brought him “joy.”Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (20th Century FrenchJesuit, paleontologist, biologist, and philosopher)wrote, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence ofGod.” Faith and trust in God, regardless of ouroutwardcircumstance, alwaysbringscomfort and joy.God is still our shelter during the time of storms. Henever fails! It ismy prayer youwill find comfort and joyin HIS presence today.

When I was about eight or nineyears old, my dad called me tocome to him where he satbefore his old typewriter at thedesk in his makeshift homeoffice. He lifted me ontohis lap and read to me a poem

he had just written about me. The words were simple,sweet and sincere. He described me as one who didn’tgive up, predicted that trait would last, and spoke of hispride in me. I remember feeling like my heart would burstas I buried my face in his shoulder and cried. I was unableto verbalize what his words meant to me. All these yearslater the incident is very clear and precious in mymemory,and I know it to be one of the defining moments of my life.

Now I know that what my father gave me was “TheBlessing.” Some years ago Gary Smalley and John Trentwrote a book by that name inwhich they retold theGenesisstory of Isaac and his sons, Jacob and Esau. They drewout from that account the elements of the blessing whichIsaac gave to Jacob (thinking hewasEsau) and presentedthose elements as what every child needs and longs forfrom his or her father.

I recommend the book to you, but offer here a briefoutline of those important elements:

First is Meaningful Touch, which has manybeneficial effects, as it communicateswarmth, acceptanceand affirmation.

Second is A Spoken Message. The blessing mustbe spoken, or it will not be understood. Children must notbe left to fill in the blanks as to what their parents think ofthem, or hear only words of correction. They need to hearlove and encouragement often.

Third is Attaching High Value to the One BeingBlessed. This is done most effectively by using wordpictures to describe the value of the child. Childrenunderstand best when they are given concrete, every-dayexamples.

Fourth is Picturing a Special Future for the OneBeing Blessed. So many children grow up hearingnegative predictions about their future. It is important tohelp them envision a good life, following God’s plan,reaching positive goals.

Last is AnActiveCommitment to Fulfill the Blessing.Words and touch alone cannot fulfill the blessing. Theymust be backed up with a commitment to do everythingpossible to help the child toward success.

As I remembermy dad,who did the right things beforethe books were written, I think of all the fathers who will behonored this month by their families. May all of you rely onthe Lord to give you thewisdom, energy and staying powerto confirm your children’s blessing.

JUNEEvangeline Association5 Mission Performance Pro. Dir. Meeting:

10 AM at EBA office; CALENDARPLANNING

8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD15 Father's Day

Gulf Coast Association8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD15 Father's Day21 GCA Brotherhood Breakfast; 8 AM; Calumet24 GCA Executive Council; 6:30 PM; Forest

Restaurant; CALENDAR PLANNING

Louisiana Baptists8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD21 Women's Ministry Leader Training; TTBC24 State WMU Council Mtg; Baptist Bldg

JULYEvangeline Association4 Independence Day; office closed10 EBA Missions Development Comm;

10:30 AM at EBA office14 EBA Mission Performance Program

Director's Meeting; 11:30 AM; EBA office;Budgets Due

15 Father's Day

Gulf Coast Association4 Independence Day; office closed19 GCA Brotherhood Breakfast; 8 AM; Calumet

Louisiana Baptists7-11 Clear Youth Camp # 1-TTBC14-18 Clear Youth Camp # 2-TTBC20-23 Girls Mission Camp #1-TTBC23-26 Girls Mission Camp #2-TTBC

Dates to Remember:

Please pray for all churches who will be holdng VBS this summer.Pray for opportunities to share Christ.