Fee Fee Baptist Church

Category: Forerunner

This category contains everything pertaining to the Forerunner.

  • Heart of Worship – Vol. 62, No. 25

    As this year comes to a close, I am reminiscing about all the things we have gone through as a church this past year. Pastor Zach and his family moved to Texas, and we gained two wonderful interim pastors to help us during this transitioning period. We started new ministries at the church and are gaining new members. We have seen God work in and through our congregants as they give of their time, money, and share the love of Jesus to our community. We have so many things to be thankful for!

    Yet I also think of the struggles we have gone through as well. Some of our members have experienced sickness and are still recovering. We continue to fight mental illness and the loss of loved ones. There are many unknowns that we go through in this world that can cause anxiety, fear, and doubt. So, I wanted to share a few lyrics to one of my favorite songs with you:

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus
    Look full in his wonderful face
    And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim
    In the light of His glory and grace 

    God never promises to take away all troubles in this life as soon as we decide to pick our cross and follow Him, but He DOES promise He will always be with us, every step of the way. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I am with you always, even until the end of the age.” 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” In John 14:27, Jesus also says, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid.” Let’s turn our eyes to Him and experience this gift of peace He gave us – that only He can give. Then may we not only experience this peace ourselves but share it with the people around us.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 62, No. 25

    Holiday Playlist

    Did you think I had forgotten about my Christmas listening list? No way! When you receive this list actual Christmas day will have been celebrated, but the “12 days of Christmas” will still be going on! And to tell the truth, Christmas music is appropriate all year long.

    Here are some Christmas songs for you to enjoy this Holiday season.

    • Mary’s Boy Child by GENTRI
    • Where Are You Christmas? by Voctave
    • We are the Reason by David Phelps
    • Jingle Bells by Wynton Marsalis Jazz Big Band
    • White Christmas by Michael Bublé
    • Personet Hodie by Oakville Choir for Children & Youth
    • Up On The Housetop by Pentatonix
    • Sleigh Ride (An Appalachian Christmas) by Mark O’Connor
    • O Holy Night, Minuit Chrétien (Cantique de Noël) by Andre Rieu
    • Little Drummer Boy (African Tribal Version) by Alex Boye ft. Genesis Choir

    You can listen to this festive playlist here: https://bit.ly/3Wj4xi7

    Reflections

    There are so many to thank as we reflect on our recent Christmas Production, Hope is Born, Emmanuel! Obviously, a production such as ours is no small undertaking. So many contributed to the completion of this project. If recognition was expressed for everyone who gave of their time and talent, it would take every page of this Forerunner to list names and contributions.

    So many gifts were shared to bring this project to fruition. We count on the talents of singers, instrumentalists, narrators, announcers, choreographers, dancers (angels), actors, various directors, technicians (sound and lighting), visual designers, decorators, and greeters to bring everything together! As some would say – it truly takes a village – and we at Fee Fee are very blessed with people of such diverse talents! Thanks also to our Fee Fee family who offered words of encouragement along the way!

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!

  • Announcements – Vol. 62, No. 25

    Holiday Schedule
    • Monday, December 26 – Christmas Day Observed. (Church office & building closed).
    • Saturday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve. (Church office & building closed).
    • Sunday, January 1 – New Year’s Day. Regular Services and Bible Studies.
    • Monday, January 2 – New Year’s Day Observed. (Church office & building closed).
    Sunday Night Connection

    Our next Sunday Night Connection is January 15 at 5:00 p.m. We will be having a Taco Bar!  We will furnish the meat, and we just need you to bring toppings and desserts. The adults will be playing board games and the kids will watch the movie Encanto in the Dining Room. Sign up in the Connection Center.

    Sympathy

    Our love through Christian sympathy is extended to

    …Bobby Casteel on the passing of his wife, Carolyn Casteel, on December 10.

    Mobile Market

    Our partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank will continue into 2023 with more Mobile Markets. The 2023 schedule is as follows:

    • January 9
    • February 13
    • March 13
    • April 10
    • May 8
    • June 12
    • July 10
    • August 14
    • September 11
    • October 9
    • November 13
    • December 11

    Anyone is welcome to come get groceries on the second Monday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. (until the food runs out).

    If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, talk to Kathy Webber and she will make sure you have a spot to serve!

     

  • Prime Time – Vol. 62, No. 25

    I hope your 2023 is full of grace and peace and love! Also, I hope you can join in the activities we have planned for our seniors this first quarter of the year. So, get out your calendar and write these down, but remember to be flexible as many places are still understaffed and not always keeping a regular schedule.

    Thursday, January 12 Omnimax “Born to be Wild” – St. Louis Science Center with Lunch at Zia’s. Leave at 10:00 a.m.
    Monday, January 30 I Heard the Bells movie and sandwich lunch in Dining Room at 11:00am. Cost $7.
    Thursday, February 9 Mission Project – Make and send Valentines to shut-ins and St. Andrew Nursing Home residents and staff.  Chili lunch – Cost $7.
    Wednesday, February 22 Holocaust Museum $10 and lunch at Grazzi’s.
    Wednesday, March 8 Neon Museum and lunch at Chava’s Mexican Restaurant.
    Thursday, March 30 Day trip to Hannibal, MO for cave and museum. Lunch at Finn’s.

    In addition, we are working on a two-night trip in late spring or early summer to the Creation Museum and Noah’s Ark in Kentucky.

  • Announcements – Vol. 62, No. 24

    Angel Tree

    Just a reminder that Angel Tree gifts must be returned to the church and placed under the tree by Sunday, December 18. Please make sure  the gift is wrapped and the ornament gift tag with the listed gift is attached to the gift.

    Gifts will be distributed during the week before Christmas. “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person?”

    (1 John 3:17).

    Holiday Schedule

    Friday, December 23

    Office & Building open till Noon, by appt only.

     

    Saturday, December 24

    Christmas Eve (Building closed). Christmas Eve Service at

    5:00 p.m. in Worship Center.

     

    Sunday, December 25

    Christmas Day.

    Combined Service 11:00 a.m. (No Bible Studies).

     

    Monday, December 26

    Christmas Day Observed.

    (Church office & building closed).

     

    Saturday, December 31

    New Year’s Eve.

    (Church office & building closed).

     

    Sunday, January 1

    New Year’s Day.

    Regular Services and Bible Studies.

     

    Monday, January 2

    New Year’s Day Observed.

    (Church office & building closed).

    Mobile Market

    Our partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank will continue into 2023 with more Mobile Markets. The 2023 schedule is as follows:

    • January 9
    • February 13
    • March 13
    • April 10
    • May 8
    • June 12
    • July 10
    • August 14
    • September 11
    • October 9
    • November 13
    • December 11

    Anyone is welcome to come get groceries on the second Monday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. (until the food runs out).

    If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, talk to Kathy Webber and she will make sure you have a spot to serve!

     

  • A Word From Our Prayer Warriors – Vol. 62, No. 24

    Many of our Christmas traditions center around children. The Christmas story itself revolves around the birth of the infant Jesus and his dependance upon his family: Mary and Joseph. In human terms, children are meant to grow from dependence to independence. But in our relationship with God, maturity means moving from independence to dependence on Him. Jesus illustrated our dependent ways when He taught His disciples and all of us who have come to believe in Him – to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). He was teaching a prayer of dependence. Jesus illustrates our dependence even more clearly in the metaphor of the vine and branches.

    “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).

    It is impossible to forget that during December so many of our personal and church activities focus upon the birth of our Lord. That is as it should be. Likewise, in this time of transition and beginning of the pastor search process we need to pray for strong consistency and focus on all the present ministries of the church. Please pray that the Lord will grant great power to our interim pastors, Dr. Matt Easter and Derald Harris, as well as to our staff, leaders, and workers in all of our ministries and worship this month.

    Our new Pastor Search Committee must be a continuing major focus for our prayers. As they organize and prepare themselves for the task before them, pray for deep spiritual cleansing and fullness of the Holy Spirit in each team member. Pray this for each member by name:

    • Mia Baugher
    • Ashley Bowman
    • Betsy Brisch
    • Don Jack
    • Caitlin Knepper
    • Brian Land
    • David Pfeiffer
    • James Wittig

    As Jesus said in John 15:5, it is not our activity that produces fruit, it is our relationship with Him.

    Merry Christmas and God Bless Fee Fee Baptist Church!

     

    Larry Condra

    Prayer Warrior

  • Prime Time – Vol. 62, No. 24

    Christmas can be super stressful and busy. Here are 10 ways to focus on Jesus this Christmas:

    1. Seek out quiet moments for yourself. Take 5 minutes to focus your mind and heart on Jesus.
    2. Make time for your Bible. Read Luke 2:1-20 or do some research on passages in the Old Testament that point to Jesus.
    3. Ask for Jesus’ advice. Make your day a constant conversation with Him.
    4. Volunteer. Serve others in your community.
    5. Pray. Write down everything that is stressing you out and tell Jesus. Then ask Jesus to help you keep your focus on Him the rest of the day.
    6. Spend time with your loved ones and be a Mary not a Martha.
    7. Celebrate Advent. Don’t search the Bible for how to do it. It’s not even in the Bible. Find your own way.
    8. Give gifts with a purpose, like a new Bible, a journal, or a devotional book.
    9. Say no.
    10. Embrace imperfection. No family is perfect. Let Jesus make up the difference.

    Make sure you remember Jesus is why we celebrate Christmas.

  • Heart of Worship – Vol. 62, No. 24

    As we celebrate this season of Advent, I’m reminded of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel appeared to her as recorded in Luke chapter 1, he told her that God picked her to give birth to a son. She was to name Him Jesus, and He would be the Savior of the world.

    One of my favorite Christmas songs is Breath of Heaven. It gives an account of how Mary might have felt during her journey being pregnant with Jesus and bringing forth the Prince of Peace into this world. Here is a portion of the song:

    Do You wonder as You watch my face
    If a wiser one should have had my place?
    But I offer all I am
    For the mercy of Your plan 

    When the angel told Mary about God’s plan, she could have said no – but she said yes. She said yes to the unknown. She said yes to something bigger than herself. She said yes, even though there was a potential to be rejected by her fiancé and other people. She took a huge risk because she trusted in God. She exchanged all of herself – for God’s plan for her life.

    Let’s look inward for a moment: Do we say yes to God? Do we say yes to His Word? Do we say yes to His plan, even when it’s uncomfortable?

    We can definitely reflect on Mary’s story during this Advent season and allow our heart of worship to say YES to God!

  • Music Musings – Vol. 62, No. 24

    Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas!

    As the song says:

    Have a holly, jolly Christmas,

    And when you walk down the street

    Say “hello” to friends you know 

    and everyone you meet!

    AND

    Invite them to attend our 2022 Fee Fee Christmas Presentation! They will hear some great music and see a beautiful pageant of the Nativity celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

    More importantly the Gospel message will be presented in the music and by our youth pastor, Kyle Baldwin.

    Here are dates and times:

    Friday, December 16 – 7:00 p.m.

    Saturday, December 17 – 3:00 p.m.

    Sunday, December 18 – 3:00 p.m.

    See you there!

    The First Noel – The First Noel, an English carol first published in 1823 as The First Nowell, was written to express excitement and wonder of Christmas. A couple of hundred years ago, the people sang it in the streets to spread hope and joy!

    We sing this song still today as a testament to the fact that no matter how much time passes, the encouraging story of Jesus will always connect with our hearts.

    Listen to this arrangement that pairs The First Noel with a contemporary companion piece.

    Stars Go Dim – The First Noël (Official Music Video): https://bit.ly/3iOX77t

  • Family Front – Vol. 62, No. 24

    It is this most wonderful time of the year! But it can be a stressful and busiest time of the year. Take time to reflect on God’s great love for us and celebrate that gift – JESUS!

    International Mission Study Recap

    Our teachers did a great job teaching our kids the International Missions Study about Philippines and what God is doing there. We look forward to reaching our $30,000.00 goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Encourage your kids to do extra chores to earn money to give. It is important to help them understand that part of worship is giving back God. Consider setting a family goal.

    Parent’s Night Out Recap

    Thanks to all who helped with our Parent’s Night Out on Friday, December 9.  It was a fun night! Thank you to those that donated items for the store in which our kids could shop. It was a highlight of the evening for the kids to be able to shop for their families.

    2022 Christmas Presentation

    Our children will be featured at the Christmas presentation on December 16-18. They have done a wonderful job narrating and acting out the Christmas story. Thank you, Justin Flack, for editing the video. Don’t miss this wonderful part of the Christmas presentation “Hope is Born, Emmanuel.”

    Family Nerf Games

    Add January 27, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. on your calendar for an EXCITING and FUN-FILLED Family Nerf Games night for all ages, —it’s right around the corner! Invite friends and neighbors. Bring your own Nerf gun; we will supply the foam bullets. Also bring a snack to share. We will provide water and popcorn.

    Thank you for your continued support of our children and family ministries.