Fee Fee Baptist Church

Author: Tara Smith

  • Prime Time – Vol. 60, No. 02

    We have some exciting events coming up! Don’t forget to sign up for the trip to Union Station to visit the Aquarium on Thursday, February 13. The cost is $25. Afterwards, we will have lunch at one of the best restaurants on The Hill – Zia’s. And we can likely find time to walk across the street to the Missouri Bakery. As a reminder, the bakery only accepts cash. The bus will depart from the church at 10:00 a.m.

    On Thursday, March 12, we will meet in the dining room for Art’s famous chili with all the fixings, brownies, and games. Please bring your favorite game and we will play until we get tired of playing. The cost for lunch is $6.

    Next, we have a day trip planned to the Churchill Museum in Fulton, MO. The bus will leave the church at 9:30 a.m. We will have lunch at Bek’s and then tour the museum. What is the story behind a Churchill museum in Missouri, of all places? In 1946, at Westminster College, Winston Churchill delivered one of the most significant speeches of his long and illustrious career entitled, “Sinews of Peace.” To find out more about how this museum placed in the heart of our state came to be, join us on a historically rich tour. The cost of this trip is $14 ($9 tour, $5 transportation), plus cost of lunch.

    All sign-up sheets are on the table by the Media Center.

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 02

    A few weeks ago, I preached a sermon on Biblical Community, which is part of our vision pathway. In this sermon, on Acts 2:42-47, I shared a quote about prayer. Charles Spurgeon said, “The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. So is the prayer meeting a grace-ometer, and from it we may judge of the amount of divine working among a people. If God be near a church, it must pray. And if He be not there, one of the first tokens of His absence will be a slothfulness in prayer!”

    We can have a great mission statement, and we can have excellent music. We can have great children’s programming and wonderful special events like the Tree. However, if we aren’t bathing it all in prayer, we are completely missing the point. We want to seek God’s heart in prayer and be willing to submit completely to His will for our church.

    That is one reason why I am excited that we are going to be walking through the book of Nehemiah this spring. We are calling the series “The God Who Builds,” because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, we will labor in vain. In this book, Nehemiah is focused on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and renewing the covenant between God and His people. However, there is a common theme that runs throughout the book: Nehemiah is a prayer warrior! He is constantly seeking the Lord in prayer and submitting himself completely to God. I pray that as we walk through this book together, the importance of prayer will continually be brought to our minds.

    One other thing I wanted to bring to your attention is our Mid-Winter Bible Study. We are privileged to have Dr. Jason Duesing, the Provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, coming down to lead this study. He is going to be challenging our church on how we can “Love God.” He will be preaching three different messages on this topic. I want to encourage you to come to both services that Sunday (8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.), and then stick around after for lunch in the dining room. After lunch, Dr. Duesing will finish with one final message. Dr. Duesing was one of my professors during my time at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and I know you will be blessed by him!

    Please join me in praying for our church, our study through Nehemiah this spring, and our Mid-Winter Bible Study. I am believing that God is going to be working in a big way in 2020. We need to simply get on our knees and submit to His will!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

     

  • Chi Alpha News – Vol. 60, No. 01

    Youth Super Bowl Watch Party

    Come on up to the Rafters with your family on Sunday, February 2, at 5:00 p.m. to watch the big game (or the commercials) and eat some delicious food! Kyle will be providing drinks and a sub sandwich that is over 4 FEET LONG that night! If you are planning on being there, please bring a side dish or a dessert to share. Invite your friends, family, and neighbors for a night of fun!

    Winter Jam

    On Sunday, February 9, we are taking students to the biggest concert of the year…Winter Jam 2020! This concert features some of the leading names in Christian Music such as Crowder, Passion, Hillsong Young & Free, Andy Mineo, Building 429, and more! PLUS all of this entertainment is only $15, paid at the door! No tickets needed! We will be leaving church at 2:00 p.m. that day and will return when the concert is over (normally around 10:00 p.m.). Students will also want to bring money for concession dinner that night, as the concert lasts through dinner time. So sign up in the Rafters if you want to go.

  • Family Front – Vol. 60, No. 01

    We have some exciting family events planned over the next couple of months that your family won’t want to miss!

    Loaves & Fishes Ministry

    The Children’s Ministry will be taking a meal to be served at Loaves & Fishes on Tuesday, January 21. An email will be arriving soon with a link to sign up to bring items for the meal.

    Family Nerf Games

    On Friday, January 31, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. we will have a family showdown in our gym! Bring your own Nerf gun and Nerf darts. We will also have extra darts for non-stop fun throughout the evening.  Fun for all ages! When we are finished for the night, you will be able to take home the same amount of generic Nerf darts that you brought.

    Mid-Winter Bible Study

    There will be three sessions taking place on Sunday, February 9: during both Sunday worship services and one session in afternoon. There will be sign-up sheets for lunch that day, as well as childcare, so make sure to get your name on the list! Childcare will be provided for kids through 3rd grade.  Livewires will be able to sit in on the afternoon Bible Study session with their parents.

    Parent’s Night Out

    Make your reservations for Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.  Use this time for some much need parents’ time or self-care, and all the while your kiddos will be having a blast! Sign-up sheets will be up end of the month, so keep your eyes open. See Kathy Scott if you want to volunteer that night. Students, this is a great way to volunteer to earn mission trip money!

    Parents’ Boot Camp: Keeping Kids Safe Online

    On February 16, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., Loran Maloney will be leading a class to teach parents how to take the lead in guiding their children and teens in what are appropriate practices when using electronic devices. Lunch and childcare (up through 5th grade) will be provided with a reservation. Sign up by the Media Center for this important class.

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 01

    Have you set resolutions for 2020? In the midst of making resolutions to lose weight or cancel debt or travel the world, can I encourage you to make a different kind of resolution: Get more involved in missions! There are thousands in our neighborhood, and billions around the world, that have not experienced the salvation of the Gospel message of Jesus. What can you do in 2020 to help them hear?  You could give money to several different places – the Annie Armstrong offering, the Lottie Moon offering, the Tom and Lela Warner fund at Fee Fee, or many other organizations that declare the Gospel near and far. You could go on a mission trip to Windermere with Fee Fee, to Mexico with Wheels for the World, or on your own. You can also find a local ministry here at Fee Fee or in our community that “pursues the good of our community for the glory of God,” like Meals on Wheels or Loaves and Fishes. One thing all of you could do is commit to pray every day for missions: local organizations, the work at Fee Fee, missionaries around the world, other countries like the Dominican Republic and Ukraine, and the lost in the world.  How are you going to be more involved in missions in 2020?

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 01

    The Fine Art of Whistling

    Professional Whistling: It’s really a thing. Molly Lewis, considered to be the world’s best whistler, was asked what she did to prepare for competition. Her reply was, “Always stay hydrated and NEVER forget your Chapstick.”

    The salary for professional whistlers: average annual salary $77,292; if you are a virtuoso – $155,628. You may have watched the New York Philharmonic on New Year’s Eve and noticed a professional whistler on one of the Sondheim pieces. I wonder what her salary was.

    Whistling as a Language: Did you know there is a Turkish village where whistling is a means for communication? They communicate numbers and words using a language referred to as “bird language” with the other villagers delivering the news of the day.

    In some worship settings (not Fee Fee), people have been heard whistling during worship. I recently read an article which cited scripture reference to the Holy Spirit whistling.

    Zechariah 10:8 – 9 says, “I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them: And they shall increase as they once increased. I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in far countries; they shall live, together with their children, and they shall return.”

    And in Isaiah 5:26 it shows us this phenomenon in all its glory, “He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth; surely they will come with speed, swiftly.” Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to whistle and call for the harvest through us!

     

    One Day

    This is an old hymn written by Dr. John Wilbur Chapman, a noted evangelist in the late 19th century.

    In the hymn, One Day, Dr. Chapman chose 4 key events in the life of Christ to highlight.

    • Verse 1 – Jesus’ birth
    • Verses 2 and 3 – Christ on the cross and His burial
    • Verse 4 – The resurrection
    • Verse 5 – The triumphant return of Christ

    The group Casting Crowns rebirthed this song in 2009 and called it Glorious Day. The hymn, One Day, had been a favorite of Mark Hall from this group. He loved it as a child and chose to write his version to share the entire Gospel message just as the original hymn. Glorious Day ranked at the top Billboard spot of Hot Christian Songs for a total of nine weeks in 2011.

    We sang the original hymn, One Day, in 8:30 a.m. worship on January 12. What do you think? How do the two versions compare in their style and continued message?

  • Bible Study Corner – Vol. 60, No. 01

    Pastor Zach has challenged us all to be involved in Bible Study this year so we can be disciples who make disciples. There are many opportunities to do this.

    Join us in Bible Study every Sunday at 9:45 a.m. All classes are currently unpacking and discovering markers for accomplishing our 2020 vision.  Stop by the Welcome Center if you are unsure where to go.

    Each Wednesday night at 6:15 p.m., there are Bible Studies for everyone:  AWANA for kids in the gym; small groups for the youth in the Rafters; Pastor’s prayer meeting in the Dining Room; The Patriarchs by Beth Moore for the women in room C112; and Ephesians for the men in room B1.

    On Sundays at 5:00 p.m., Precepts is ongoing in room C112 studying the Gospel of John.

    Finally, see Gloria Fox if you are interested in a small group or a Transformation group.

  • Announcements – Vol. 60, No. 01

    (Announcements including births, baptisms/new members, thank yous, or sympathies.)

    Welcome, New Member

    On Sunday, December 29 — Presenting himself as a candidate for church membership by transfer of letter:

    • Rick Huber

     

    Sympathy

    Our love through Christian sympathy is extended to

    …Bernice Stewart and Carol (Wayne) Gollaher on the passing of their nephew and cousin, respectively, Kevin Hoffert, on December 20.

    …Geri Stevenson in the passing of her father, Lee Glasgow, on December 26.

    …Ronna (John) Paden in the passing of her cousin, Karen Collier, on January 5.

    …Mary Jane Garrison in the passing of her cousin, Betsy Congemi, on January 5.

     

    Thank You

    The church has received a Thank You card from Phyllis Hackney.

     

  • Prime Time – Vol. 60, No. 01

    Welcome to a new decade! It’s going to be a great year. The Senior Adult Council has planned many great activities for the year and I hope you can attend and bring some friends. This is a great opportunity to introduce someone to the church!

    Mark your calendar with the events for the next few months:

    • Tuesday, January 28 – Science Center for da Vinci Exhibit and lunch at Bloom Café.
    • Thursday, February 13 – Aquarium and lunch at Zia’s.
    • Tuesday, February 25 – History museum and lunch at Joey B’s.
    • Thursday, March 12 – Chili, brownies, and games.
    • Thursday, March 26 – Churchill Museum in Fulton, MO

    Coming soon – An overnight trip to Casey, Illinois to see BIG THINGS.

    Don’t forget to sign up by the Media Center for all of these activities so we can plan accordingly!

     

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 01

    It is official, 2020 is here! As we start a new decade, I can’t wait to see how God moves and works in the life of our church. As you know, we are currently walking through our new vision and mission for Fee Fee Baptist. Our new mission statement is:

    Fee Fee Baptist Church exists to make disciples who build their lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community for the glory of God.

    When it comes to building our lives on Jesus, we see that occur through two main avenues: Biblical Worship and Biblical Community. When it comes to pursuing the good of our community, we see that occur through the avenue of Biblical Mission.

    Biblical Worship is seen through connection with God, both individually and corporately. In order to ensure we are living out this idea, we have developed some markers of Biblical Worship that we believe should be on display in a growing disciple’s life. These markers include engaging in Gospel-centered preaching and teaching; growing knowledge of God and His Word; actively seeking God’s face in prayer; participating in worship through music; and giving sacrificially to the church.

    Biblical Community is seen through connection with other believers here at Fee Fee. To properly live out this idea, we have developed markers of Biblical community as well. These markers include active engagement in discipleship opportunities; understanding and utilizing your spiritual gifts; and Gospel-centered fellowship and accountability.

    Biblical Mission is seen through connecting to the world around us. The markers that help us live out this concept include awareness of and engaging with everyday opportunities to share the Gospel; taking part in local, national, and international missions opportunities; serving the under-resourced in our community; and aligning with God’s heart in justice issues.

    During our Bible Study time on Sunday mornings for both January and February, all of our classes will be walking through some of these markers of our vision. It is going to be exciting to have our entire church have a common conversation around the vision and mission of our church. I’m praying you will be blessed by this study and we will increase in unity as a church as we live on mission for the cause of Christ.

    Please join me in praying for our church – that we will make disciples who build their lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community for the glory of God!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach