the calvary heraldcalvarybcmtairy.org/herald/heraldjanuary2019.pdf · 2018-12-29 · choir...
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12345 West Main St., An 1 1234 West Main St., Town, ST | 555-555-1234 | www.FirstAnyChurch.org
The Calvary Herald Expanding the Embrace of God’s Kingdom – Within, Among and Beyond Us
January 2019 | VOLUME 45 | ISSUE 1
Calendar of Events
January 1 Church Office Closed January 3 Deacons’ Meeting—6:30 p.m. Uplift Rehearsal—7 p.m. January 6 Blood Drive—11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. January 9 Mid-Week Ministries Resume Choir Rehearsals Resume—7:15 p.m. January 13 Discovering Calvary Class—10 a.m. January 15 B.Y.W. Meeting—6:30 p.m. January 20 Discovering Calvary Class—10 a.m. Sabbatical Info Session—3 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting—4 p.m. Church Business Meeting—5 p.m. January 23 Handbell Rehearsal Begins 6:15 p.m. January 27 Discovering Calvary Class—10 a.m. Sabbatical Info Session—3 p.m. January 29 Women in Mission—10:30 a.m.
“Discovering Calvary” Class
Pastor Alex will lead a three-week “Discovering Calvary” class on
January 13, 20, and 27. The class will meet during Sunday School from
10:00 to 10:40 in Room 112 on the Lower Level of the Educational
Building. While not required for membership, the class is provided so that
non-members and members alike can get a better understanding of our
church’s mission, ministry, and organization. There’s no need to pre-
register. However, if you have any questions, please contact Pastor
Alex.
Gearing Up for Ministry in 2019
A new roster of committees and ministry teams officially begins work on
January 1. For all of those who are part of a committee or team, please
remember that we would like you to meet as soon as possible to select a
chairperson and to notify the church office of any immediate schedule or
resource needs. Please remember, too, that the pastor would like to meet
with your committee or team if possible to discuss ministry plans for the
coming year. For those who are not part of a committee or team, rest
assured that we are eager to connect you to ministry, which is why all of
our ministry teams are open, even to non-members. To learn more about
ministry possibilities, please contact Alex Martin or Alex Bracey.
Calvary Hosts Blood Drive
On Sunday, January 6, Calvary will partner with the American Red Cross
to offer a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please consider giving the
gift of life by being a blood donor. Extra volunteers are needed to staff the
canteen area and to register donors. If you would be willing to serve for
an hour (or more, if you desire), please contact Jessica Simandle at 336-
401-2667 or [email protected]
January Highlights
Calvary Baptist Church | 314 South Franklin Rd, Mount Airy, NC 27030 | 336-786-4778 | calvarymountairy.org
2 Calvary Baptist Church | 314 South Franklin Rd, Mount Airy, NC 27030 | 336-786-4778 | calvarymountairy.org
From the Pastor: An Invitation to Rest, Reflect and Renew
Believe it or not, I’ve been doing “full-time professional ministry” for a little more than 25 years. Fortunately,
I love what I do! And what’s more, I’m deeply grateful that I get to do ministry with a church family as
wonderful as the one here at Calvary Baptist. Still, after 25 years of preaching, teaching and serving, I realize
that I’m not as “fresh” as I used to be. That doesn’t mean that I’m getting tired of ministry – and it definitely
doesn’t mean that I’m getting tired of Calvary. But it does mean that I’d be a better pastor and a more
effective servant of what God is trying to do here if I had a little time to recharge my spiritual batteries.
That’s where the “Clergy Renewal Program” comes in. Funded by the Lilly Foundation, the Clergy Renewal
Program offers sabbatical grants to congregations, so they can provide their pastor with a time of renewal.
Not surprisingly, the application process is extensive and competitive. But to those selected, a significant
sum is awarded; which allows the church to plan activities that nurture revival – and allows the pastor to
“step away from ministry” for a season so that he can do some things that will “make his heart sing.”
Because I’ve been aware of this grant program for some time – and because the opportunity to take a
sabbatical was written into the “Pastor-Church Covenant” that we established when I came to Calvary – I
asked our deacons recently if they’d be willing to have our church apply for one of these grants. With their
permission, a “Sabbatical Team” was formed; and together, that team and I started developing a proposal –
the broad outlines of which were approved at our November church business meeting. Now, we need your
help to refine that proposal, so that it becomes a plan we can all embrace.
Right now, the broad outline of our proposal looks like this. If a grant is awarded, I will take a 3-month
sabbatical during the summer of 2020. The beginning and end of that time will be spent visiting with family
and friends, engaging in reading and study, and preparing to do some writing that will allow me to share my
sabbatical experience with the church. At its core, however, my sabbatical will involve a “bicycling
pilgrimage” in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England. For approximately a month, I will ride between key
sites in the development and spread of Celtic Christianity, stopping at selected locations to study, pray and
worship with the religious communities there. At the very end of this journey, Teresa and Windham will join
me in Britain for a family tour before we return home.
While I’m away, Calvary will have a sabbatical of its own. With the help of some guest preachers and
teachers, prayer experiences, Bible studies, fellowship events and more, the church family will have a chance
to rest in the presence of Christ, to reflect on walking with Christ, and to be renewed in the call of Christ.
Ultimately, we hope to lay the groundwork for a meaningful revival—one that begins in our hearts and
radiates outward to impact our lives.
Naturally, there are bound to be many questions about a proposal like this. For example, some might ask:
“What’ll this cost the church?” [Answer: Nothing. All sabbatical-related activities will be funded by the
grant.] Others might wonder: “Is this just a prelude to our pastor leaving?” [Answer: Absolutely not. I love
Calvary, and I look forward to serving here for many years to come.] I’m sure there are other questions, but
here’s the thing: We need your participation so that we can be prepared with meaningful congregational
activities if and when the sabbatical grant is awarded. That’s why there will be two “Information & Input”
sessions—one from 3 to 4:30 PM on January 20, and the other from 3 to 4:30 PM on January 27—for you to
learn more and offer your suggestions.
I can’t tell you how excited I am about the prospect of sharing this journey with you. I believe that it will
make me a better pastor and that it will make us a more fruitful church. I hope you can join us for our
sessions on the 20th and the 27th. And if you have questions that you’d like to ask me directly, I encourage
you to give me a call.
12345 West Main St., An 3 1234 West Main St., Town, ST | 555-555-1234 | www.FirstAnyChurch.org Calvary Baptist Church | 314 South Franklin Rd, Mount Airy, NC 27030 | 336-786-4778 | calvarymountairy.org
Thank You Notes
Dear Calvary Baptist,
Thank you for your continuous prayers for me. Thank you for helping to supply lumber for the ramp
that I needed. Thank you for the awesome soup and the wonderful dinners. And thank you for the nice
holiday fruit basket.
Love, Frank Boyd
Dear Calvary Family,
There’s really no way that I could thank you enough for all the expressions of kindness with which
you’ve blessed me, my family, and our church staff during the holiday season. It is a privilege to share life
with a congregation that’s so thoughtful and generous. Your friendship and faithfulness over this past year
has meant a great deal, and I look forward to everything that God will do in and through us in the year to
come.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Alex
Dear Calvary Baptist Church,
Thank you for your generosity to the members of our department during the holiday season. The food
was certainly appreciated by our personnel. If I or my staff can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate
to call. Again, thank you so much for your kindness.
Sincerely, Dale A. Watson
Dear Calvary Family,
Thank you for your prayers, food, memorials, calls and cards, but most of all, thank you for your
outpouring of love in Jessi’s passing. She was intelligent, smart, beautiful inside and out, but lost her path in
this journey of life.
You gave.
With much love to our church family. From Donna & Roger Keck and Gray Beverly & Morgan
Dear Calvary Family,
Thank you so much for all the goodies and treats you have provided, not only at Christmas, but all
throughout the year.
Merry Christmas! From Lynn Holmes
Dear Church Family,
I would like to express my sincerest
thanks for the fruit basket that you sent to
me. I also want to thank everyone for the
beautiful Christmas cards that I received
from you. They touched my heart in a most
profound way. I miss each of you. I miss
seeing you in church every Sunday. I truly
appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers
and I wish you all a blessed Christmas and
New Year. Thank you for your continued
prayers and support.
All of my love to each of you.
From Lavon Thompson
The sanctuary choir led by Teresa Martin presented the Christmas cantata “Peace Has Come” on December 16.
4
January Birthdays Alex Bracey 1/1 Sam Gurley 1/2 Alexandra Nichols 1/3 Wilma Roberson 1/3 Glenda Laster 1/4 Matt Phillips 1/4 Kelly Smith 1/4 J.A. Bryant, Jr. 1/6 Cynthia Flanagan 1/7 Hope Lineberry 1/7 Charles Wagoner 1/7 Brenda Barfield 1/9 Simon Cawley 1/9 Andra Montgomery 1/9 Kerry Berrier 1/11 Phillip Hiatt 1/11 Keith Doyle 1/12 Tyler Payne 1/13 Myrtle Wagoner 1/14 Jimmy Byrd 1/15 James Hall 1/15 Doug Odell 1/15 Jason Beasley 1/17 Megan Berrier 1/17 Gray Shelton 1/18 Chuck Johnson 1/20 James Belton 1/21 Tommy Morrison 1/22 Will Jarrell 1/23 Sue Westmoreland 1/24 Jim Grimes 1/25 Teresa Martin 1/25 Rick Sowers 1/25 Kathryn Beasley 1/26 Owen Stone 1/26 Yvonne Beck 1/27 Brinkley Church 1/27 Rhys Gentry 1/27 Donna Martin 1/27 Jessica Shelnutt 1/28 Denise Stone 1/28 Cooper Mauck 1/29 Kent Moser 1/29 Paulette Surratt 1/30 Velvet Tucker 1/31
Calvary Baptist Church | 314 South Franklin Rd, Mount Airy, NC 27030 | 336-786-4778 | calvarymountairy.org
Gifts and Memorials
In Memory of Jessi Beverly
J. A. and Claudia Bryant
Lonnie and Rachel Jackson
Mary Jo White
In Memory of Mary Nell Byrd
Nancy and Salvatore Calvagna
Lonnie and Rachel Jackson
Ken and Barbara Nowlin
Bob and Pam Peake
Sharon Thornburg
Carolyn Underwood
Mary Jo White
In Memory of Robert (Bob) Crisp
Roger and Carol Jarrell
Brenda Price
Brenda and Donny Troll
Clif and Lorie Walker
Wake Forest Baptist Health
In Memory of Glen and Emma Davenport
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Blanche Davis
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Daylon Greene
Bob and Pam Peake
Sharon Thornburg
In Memory of Faye Jarrell
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Fred and Cena Jarrell
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Gray Jarrell
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Kester Jarrell
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Jeanette Kennedy
Stan and Shelia Wilson
In Memory of Lum and Lelia Snow
The Jarrell Family
In Memory of Richard Surratt
Ken and Barbara Nowlin
Sharon Thornburg
Mary Jo White
In Memory of Lee Thomas
Mary Jo White