First Baptist Church

P.O. Box 779 Graham, NC 27253

(336) 226-7395 - Church Office

(336) 226-0261 - Fax

Non-profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Permit No. 12 Graham, NC

Return Service Requested

2017 Newsletter and Calendar

Making Connections That Make A Difference

2nd Annual Downtown Graham Pumpkin Bash

First Baptist Church is planning to be a part of the Graham Pumpkin Bash on the evening of Friday, October 27 from 6:00 to 9:00 around the courthouse circle. This is a FREE event for the community of Graham and Alamance County.

First Baptist will have a table set up alongside other community groups and organizations, and we will give out treats to children and youth who come to this fun event! Organizers are expecting 1000 people to attend, and we need your help to be able to provide candy on that night. If you would like to buy large bags of individually wrapped candy or lollipops, bring them by the church office by Wednesday night, October 25, and place them in the donation box. Also, we would love to have volunteers help out during the event.

If you are interested in helping at our table at the Pumpkin Bash, please contact the church office (336-226-7395)

or email Shannon Hall at shannon@fbcgraham.org.

Hurricane Relief Offering

As a way of allowing our church family to respond to the immense need created by multiple devastating hurricanes over

the last two months, First Baptist Graham is currently receiving offerings to be sent to CBF Disaster Response.

CBF is networking with national and state partners to assist as requested. CBF, CBF Texas, and CBF Florida are in

contact with partners in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Bahamas, Cuba and Florida. CBF will work with all affected CBF state and

regional organizations, FEMA, the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), and other local and

national partners in any response.

In keeping with CBF’s focus on long-term impact, CBF Disaster Response participates in networks seeking to help

communities after a devastating event, but employs most of its resources on the long-term recovery, rehabilitation and

resiliency of a community after first-responders have finished their work. Your gifts will allow these efforts to have

maximum effect.

In addition to financial help, please continue to pray for families who have lost everything they own and first-responders

who are giving everything they have to save lives. Pray for communities as they cope and as they heal.

Would you consider providing financial support so that funds can be used to respond in the most effective way to meet

needs? Checks can be made payable to First Baptist Graham, and we will then send all donations directly to the CBF

Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund. Please turn in all contributions by October 22nd. Thank you for your generosity!

Baptist Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, October 14th,

at 8:00 am in the Ministry Center.

Please sign up on the sheet located

on the registration table in the middle hallway.

Operation Christmas Child

Church Conference Wednesday, October 11, 2017

6:30 pm

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Good News. Great Joy.

The world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child uses gift-filled shoeboxes to share God’s love in a tangible way with needy children in over 150 countries. We can contribute to this wonderful ministry by participating in our church’s effort to pack 100 shoeboxes. Shoeboxes, along with information brochures, are available in the educational hallway. Please return your gift-filled shoeboxes no later than Sunday, November 12th, as we will be dedicating our shoe-boxes that morning during our worship service. A small shoebox can teach a child about the love of God, and lead him or her to faith in Christ. What goes into the shoebox is fun, but what comes out is eternal. Be a part of changing lives through the power of a sim-ple gift. If you are able, please include $7 per box to cover

cost of international shipping and handling.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Do you love to sing? Would you like to

join others like you in praising God

through music? If you answered yes, come join us on

Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 in the FBCG choir

room as our Chancel Choir rehearses music for upcoming

Sundays as well as Festival of Carols in December. We do

work hard and also enjoy being together each week to learn

more about music, to sing new and familiar songs, and to

worship God through singing. Consider joining the Chancel

Choir--there is a place for you!

First Baptist Fall Fun Night On Friday, November 3,

at 6:00 p.m., everyone is invited to a Fall Fun Night in the

Ministry Center. All ages are encouraged to come be a part of this night of food, fun and games as we enjoy being together as a church family. We will have supper (fried chicken and sides!) as well as bingo, ping pong tournament, board games, and several of our famous carnival games (bowling, plinko, etc.). There will be something for everyone, and we hope you’ll join us!

It’s hard to believe we are already thinking

about next year’s camp schedule, but it’s true!

Passport Camp Registration starts on October

2, and we would like to reserve our spots at

camp as soon as possible. If you have a child

who will have finished third grade by summer

of 2018, he or she is old enough to attend

PASSPORTkids next summer! And if you

have a student who will have completed 7th

grade by summer of 2018, he or she is old

enough to go to camp with our youth. We al-

ways have a wonderful and life-changing time

at Passport Camp, and we would love to take

more of our church’s young people with us in

2018. If you are interested in knowing more

about Passport Camps, contact Shannon or

David Hall or go to www.passportcamps.org.

New Children’s

Sunday School Class

We have exciting news to share

regarding our new Sunday School class for 4th

through 7th graders. On October 8th this new class

will meet for the first time with Whitney Russell

leading the group! This class will meet in the room

right next door to our younger children's Sunday

School classroom.

Our older children have been a part of Ms. Patsy and

Ms. Brenda's class for a very long time, and we are

so thankful for the amazing teachers they are and the

great class that gathers with them each Sunday.

Now, these older students are ready to learn and

interact with each other in a way that is right for

them as they are growing older. Patsy and Brenda

will honor these special class members on October

8th at 9:30 with refreshments for students and their

parents and other family members. Also, during

worship on October 1st, we will celebrate with a time

of promotion for our older children as they move into

their new class.

NOVEMBER 5

SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE

In morning worship

Church Staff Rev. Travis Russell, Pastor

Rev. Shannon Hall, Associate Pastor of Music & Family Ministries Ann Holt, Organist

Diann Clapp, Administrative Assistant

Tune in to Station

1200-AM or 104.5-FM

at 11:00 am,

for a live broadcast

of our service.

Visit our website –

www.fbcgraham.org

Last week Whitney and I took the boys to Lowe’s Home Improvement to purchase a few Halloween decorations for our

front porch and yard. At first the boys were excited, but quickly they became frightened. The Halloween aisle was full of

spooky inflatables, ghostly figurines, shrieking skeletons, and all kinds of ghastly creatures with glowing eyes and sharp

teeth. It was quite a scene. In response, the boys quickly ran back to Whitney and me with all kinds of questions and

descriptions. They clung to us and told us all about what they had experienced. They wanted us to help them understand

what they had seen, our affirmation that it was all pretend, and our assurance that we would keep them safe.

As adults, I think we need that same assurance. We live in a world of repeated natural disasters, global threats of war and

terrorism, heated racial tensions, a completely polarized political scene, and a multitude of views on the shape and reality

of “freedom and justice for all”. We are all thankful for the country in which we live—it is a blessing to us in more ways

than one. Yet based on the current climate, we do not have to go far to find a scary aisle or two; unfortunately, unlike the

Halloween aisle at Lowe’s, these aisles are not pretend.

How do we respond? What can we do? According to scripture, out of all of the responsibilities to which Christ calls us,

one of the most important is prayer—but maybe not the kind of prayer to which we are accustomed. In “Working the An-

gles” by Eugene Peterson, he describes prayer in this way: “Prayer is not something we think up to get God’s attention or

enlist his favor. Prayer is answering speech. The first word is God’s word. Prayer is a human word and is never the first

word, never the primary word, never the initiating and shaping word simply because we are never first, never primary . . .

the first word is everywhere and always God’s word to us, not ours to him” (Peterson, 47).

When Jesus was faced with a scary aisle of evil and temptation in the wilderness, he responded by saying, “It is written:

‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus knew

the necessity of listening to God, which is why he would often find a quiet, secluded place to pray. As he declared to Sa-

tan in the wilderness, the word that comes from God gives life—it feeds, nourishes, and sustains. And yet the only way to

receive that word is to listen. John repeatedly said it this way in the book of Revelation, “Let anyone who has an ear lis-

ten to what the Spirit is saying” . . . (Revelation 2:7).

By listening, Paul heard the voice of Christ and was given a new name and mission. By listening, Peter heard the voice of

God and discovered his view of the Gospel was too small. By listening, Jesus overcame his fears, went to the cross and

saved the world. All throughout scripture we see the power and impact of listening to God. Lives are not transformed by

what is said to God, but rather what is heard from God. Fear is not squelched by what is described to God, but rather

what is revealed in God. The world is not changed by those who speak for God, but rather by those through whom God

speaks. In the coming days, if we happen to find ourselves on a scary aisle or two, may we run to God, cling to him, de-

scribe what we’ve experienced, and then be willing to listen for his response—our lives might just be changed by what

we hear.

Dear Church Family,

Thank you for the generous scholarship presented

to me in August. It is so comforting to know I

have such a great support system at home.

Love,

Sydney Smith

FROM OUR PASTOR Rev. Travis Russell

Dear First Baptist Church,

Your kind expression of sympathy is gratefully ac-

knowledged and deeply appreciated. You were so

kind to prepare such a great meal for our family.

Our mother loved her church family and serving her

Lord in music. Your kindness will never be forgotten.

God Bless you!

Peggy McSwain Family

To my Church Family, Thank you for all your sympathy and car-ing. You shared in so many different ways with us during Pete’s illness and “Homegoing.” Your prayers led the way, your kindness lifted us, lighted our paths and smoothed our journey, carrying us through. Our families and I will be forever grateful. With love, Doris Foster Norwood

Those Serving This Month

Deacon of the Week 1 - Mike Harden

8 - Judy Henderson 15 - Reade Allen 22 - Linda Moore 29 - Cathy Phelps

Nursery 1 - Patsy Godwin & Betty Euliss 8 - Lionell Johnson & Robin Self 15 - Ronda Howe & Manivone Sisouphanh 22 - Gwen Sharpe & Butch Farrell 29 - Jan Peterman & Brittney Moody

Deacon Greeters Judy Henderson & Debbie Farrell

Usher Captains Brewer Roberts & Vernon Taylor

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Meals on Wheels - October 3 October 17 October 31

1 9:30 am – Sunday School, Open Assembly, Dixie Mann Room 11:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Celebration Choir 5:45 pm - Spark 6:00 pm - Handbell Choir

2 6:30 pm - AIM meet in the Ministry Center

3 6:30 pm - Properties Team

4 6:30 pm – Midweek Bible Study 7:30 pm - Chancel Choir

5

6 7 11:30 am – Starfish

Ministry (Team 1)

8 COMMUNION SUNDAY 9:30 am – Sunday School, Open Assembly, Dixie Mann Room 11:00 am - Worship Service, Communion 5:00 pm - Missions Team 5:00 pm - Celebration Choir 5:45 pm - Spark 6:00 pm - Handbell Choir

9 10 1:00 pm - Volunteer Enlistment Team 6:00 pm - Stewardship Team

11 6:30 pm – Church Conference/Midweek Prayer Service 7:30 pm - Chancel Choir

12

13

14 8:00 am - Baptist Men’s Breakfast Ministry Center 11:30 am – Starfish Ministry (Team 2)

15 9:30 am – Sunday School, Open Assembly, Dixie Mann Room 11:00 am - Worship Service, Deacon Nominations 5:00 pm - Celebration Choir 5:45 pm - Spark 6:00 pm - Handbell Choir

16

17

18 6:30 pm – MidWeek Bible Study 7:30 pm – Chancel Choir

19 20 21 11:30 am – Starfish Ministry (Team 3)

22 9:30 am – Sunday School, Open Assembly, Dixie Mann Room 11:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Celebration Choir 5:45 pm - Spark 6:00 pm - Deacons’ Meeting

23

24 25 6:30 pm – MidWeek Bible Study 7:30 pm – Chancel Choir

26 27 6:00 pm - Graham Pumpkin Bash

28 11:30 am – Starfish Ministry (Team 4)

29 9:30 am – Sunday School, Open Assembly, Dixie Mann Room 11:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Celebration Choir 5:45 pm - Spark 6:00 pm - Handbell Choir

30

31 HALLOWEEN

October 1 Allen Chatman

Donna Harden

October 3 Cathy Phelps

October 4

Clarence Brown October 6

Frankie Blair

October 7 Sandra Arnette

Deborah Elbel

Jeff Walker

October 8

Norma Smith October 9

Mary Lou Allison

October 14

Tommy Bruton October 15

Linda Naylor

Adam Robertson

October 18

Betty Euliss

October 19

Dalton Byrd

Stephanie Chatman

Michael Foster

October 20

Nicholas Graham October 23

Jean Way

October 30

Amy Woolard October 31

Julie Webster