Inside: Realm, Israel, SHAPE, Envelopes, Upward, Ash Wednesday, Volunteers Needed, and Pastor's Book Club.
This is a copied-and-pasted version of our weekly email. If you would like to receive this information by email, please use the "Subscribe" button in the bottom menu.
Have you joined Realm? It’s an amazing tool that has the potential to help us communicate with each other much more effectively. You can think of it as private social media just for our church—your Sunday School class can post announcements and events that only your class can see; your committee leader can send out reminders and start a chat for just your committee. You no longer have to worry if you deleted that last email from so-and-so, or if you lost that new phone number they gave you. All of it will be in one place. You will have instant access to your giving history. And the best part? You control your own privacy and notifications, just like on Facebook.
If you haven't joined Realm please contact the church office or sign up on the connection card on Sunday to receive an invitation e-mail. The email will look like the one in the picture above.
We are eagerly anticipating taking a wonderful group to Israel from January 13-22, 2022. The amazing people at Yael Group have put together an incredible itinerary for us to experience together. Visit https://www.go-yael.com/fbcthomson/ for more details, a fuller itinerary, and to register for the trip with all the necessary information (No deposits due at this time). The Password for the website is 2022.
We are also excited that Dr. Marcus Merritt will be preaching for us on Sunday, February 21, and then leading us through an informational meeting at 2 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Dr. Merritt led David's trip to Israel last year as the head of Church Minister Relations for the GA Baptist Mission Board. Currently, Dr. Merritt is a professor at Luther Rice Seminary and a representative for Yael Group travel. If you are interested in learning more about this upcoming trip of a lifetime, make plans to join us at 2 PM on February 21.
Offering envelopes for 2021 are still available for pick-up in the atrium. Please come by and pick them up this week! You don't even have to get out of your car--if you call the church office when you arrive someone will bring them out to you!
Check out our new SHAPE Resource section of the Faith@Home resource center in the Atrium!
Wednesday, February 17
6:00 PM
Sanctuary
The Lord’s Supper will be served and a Benevolence Offering will be received.
We are in need of volunteers on Sunday mornings! We are currently in need of volunteers for the nursery, children's church, and children's' check-in. If you are interested in helping in any of these areas please contact the church office or sign up on the connection card on Sunday!
In our continued efforts to expand ministry opportunities in person and online during this pandemic, I am excited to begin a Pastor’s Book Club! Each month, we will come together for an hour-long discussion of that month’s book. That means you’ll need to have read it before we meet! For our inaugural book club selection, we will read Dr. Ken Hemphill’s You Are Gifted: Your Spiritual Gifts and the Kingdom of God. This book goes along nicely with our Sunday morning and Wednesday night SHAPE emphasis. Dr. Hemphill digs into Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in several books, with a special emphasis on 1 Corinthians.
We will meet on Tuesday, February 16. If you want to be part of the in-person book club, join us in the Fellowship Hall at 6 PM. But if you want to be part of the online book club, we will meet separately at 7:15 PM on Zoom. Please purchase your own copy of the book. You can use the links below. Ebook versions are also available. And then contact the church office and let us know which meeting to expect you to attend: in-person or online.
I look forward to discussing with you this informative and inspiring book on spiritual gifts!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805448624/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_nf29Fb06V7D0T
https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/you-are-gifted-P005175501
We are excited to announce Upward Basketball Camp coming in 2021! This is a skills & drills based camp that encourages fundamentals and fun. The camp will take place on three consecutive Saturdays, February 20, 27, and March 6. The age groupings and times are as follows: K/5-3rd Grade boys and girls are 9:00 AM-Noon; 4th-8th grade boys and girls are 1:00 PM-4:00 PM. Please note, these age groupings are subject to change based on the number of signups. The cost of Upward Camp is $32. The cost includes a participant kit with a t-shirt, water bottle, and basketball. Registration will begin Monday, December 14. The easiest way to register and pay is online. A specific link to our church’s payment page will be released soon. You can also go by the church office and complete a Registration Form and pay in-person. Please consider having your child involved or inviting another family to participate in Upward Basketball Camp!
-Ben
Monthly Ministry Donation Items: Dental Hygiene Items
Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Small Bottles of Mouth Wash
Please bring your items and place them in the blue box under the portico.
While we are in uncertain financial times, it is as important as ever for us to trust in God’s providential care and to give so that the Kingdom’s work can continue. We are still doing ministry, supporting missions, helping with disaster relief, and we still have bills and staff to pay. We encourage you to mail or drop by the church office your tithe and gifts. We also have online giving available on our website and via the Realm Connect app.
In the next message about how God shapes us for life and service in His church, Pastor David will help us understand how God shapes and uses our unique personalities. Are you a “life of the party” kind of person or do you prefer a quiet evening with a few friends? Do you tend to make decisions spontaneously, or do you like to plan ahead? How do you cope with changes and stress? No matter your answer, that is how God made you and He can use every aspect of your personality.