This category contains everything pertaining to the Forerunner.
Bible Study classes are starting to resume almost every week. If you as a Bible Study leader are planning to resume your class on campus, please let me know so we can allot a space for you. We are currently at 50% capacity, so planning needs to be done to accommodate each class that resumes.
Our current available classes can be found on our website: feefeebc.org/sunday-bible-studies/.
It’s hard to believe Easter has past, but I pray the expectancy of the hope that Christ brings hasn’t faded! Paul tells us in Colossians 1:5, “Your faith and love are based on the hope you have. What you hope for is stored up for you in heaven. You have already heard about it. You were told about it when the message of truth was given to you. I’m talking about the good news that has come to you.”
We are teaching that to our preschoolers and children in Bible Study at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays, KidsZone at 11:00 a.m. during worship, and to our preschoolers in Bible Study and Worship Care on Sunday mornings, AND in AWANA on Wednesday evenings! There are only a few more weeks left in AWANA. I am so thankful for dedicated teachers who are willing to teach our kids God’s word. AWANA Club Awards night is May 19 at 6:00 p.m. Plan to come and see what our kids have accomplished!
Church-wide Movie Night will be in the courtyard on May 21 (time to be announced). Bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs and your own drinks. We will provide popcorn!
July 26-30 is VBS Wilderness Escape and Sports Camp. VBS will be in the morning and basketball camp in the afternoon. We hope to offer VBS in-person and virtual! If you would like to be involved in leading, it’s not too early to let me know, kathy@feefeebc.org. Registration will be online in April. Please be in prayer for the workers, the children who will attend, and the Sports Crusaders who will lead the basketball camp.
Our virtual choir project for This Must Be Grace has been completed and returned by the company who compiled our recordings. We will present this video in our 8:30 a.m. worship on April 11. We owe a debt of gratitude to both Vance Stewart and Andrea Jennings, as they worked diligently to bring this project to completion.
This must be grace, love in this place.
So we take our bread; we take our fish;
We offer it up to You so You can multiply it!
This must be grace!
Recently I came across an article which listed a number of hymns with strange titles. I decided to share three of these with all of you.
Lord, I Can Suffer thy Rebukes – The text of this hymn was written by Isaac Watts. The tune was by Mozart. Here is the first verse of the hymn:
Lord, I can suffer Thy rebukes,
When Thou with kindness dost chastise;
But Thy fierce wrath I cannot bear:
O let it not against me rise.
Blest Be the Man Whose Bowels Move – This is another hymn written by the great hymn writer Isaac Watts. “Bowels” as referenced in scripture are the seat of emotions. It’s that realization that your feelings come from deep within. Here is the first verse of the hymn:
Blest is the man whose bowels move
And melt with pity to the poor;
Whose soul by sympathizing love,
Feels what his fellow saints endure.
Although Isaac Watts composed the text for these two “strangely titled” hymns, he is best known for writing text for When I Survey the Wondrous Cross and Joy to the World.
If Men Go to Hell, Who Cares – This hymn was written by E.M. Bartlett in 1939. In the first verse and chorus, you can clearly see the underlying message of the hymn is all about CARING.
While the world rushes on in its folly and sin,
And men go down in despair
To reign where demons are shrieking within,
If men go to hell, who cares?
Who cares, who cares, O Lord, who cares?
While the world rushes on in sin to despair:
If men go to hell, who cares?
A very popular hymn written (text and music) by Bartlett is Victory in Jesus. An interesting piece of trivia…Bartlett was from Waynesville, MO!
Please sign up in the new Connection Center for our April 16 outing. We have a brand new area for our members where the sign-up sheets will be. Walk towards the media center through the coffee Café and it is on your left, before entering the Café Annex. The Fee Fee mailboxes have also been moved there.
On Friday, April 16 we will leave at 10:00 a.m. for Kimmswick. Lunch will be at the Blue Owl and there will be time for some shopping afterward. I hope you will be able to join me! It’s been a long time and I personally am looking forward to some great food, much-needed fellowship, a lot of laughs, and a little shopping.
I also have one correction from the last issue. The date for the Perryville trip is Friday, June 11 (not July). Good catch, Prime Timers. I think most of you called me to tell me!
I know that many of you have been reading along in our Grounded Reading Plan through the New Testament. I would be interested in knowing your thoughts about what to do next. Do you want to continue the momentum by reading though the Old Testament at a slower rate (perhaps 2 chapters a day, Monday – Friday, with catch-up on the weekend)? Or do you need a break? Do you have other suggestions? You can email me at gloria@feefeebc.org, or text me at (314) 604-6071, or call me at the church office (314) 739-1525, but remember, I am not in the office every day and this is not the best way to reach me.
Hope you are all enjoying God’s handiwork as He is changing the seasons for us. Don’t sneeze too much and I look forward to being with you on our upcoming event on April 16!
As we prepare to look forward to our crazy busy summer schedule, I want to send a couple reminders. First and foremost, the safety of our students and volunteers is of the highest importance. While vaccinations are being rolled out and people are feeling more comfortable in returning to normalcy, this virus is still very real and present. So here are some steps we are taking to make sure we are as safe as possible:
We are so excited for the opportunities ahead of us this summer and we hope your student will be a part of it. I know that we are still in some crazy times, so if you have questions or concerns about anything at all, please reach out and I will be happy to help out. Be praying for our students as we gear up for an exciting summer! God has great things in store!
Chi Alpha Summers – Every Wednesday – June 2-August 11
| June 4-5 | Summer Blast |
| June 6 | Graduation Sunday |
| June 15 | Movie Night at FFBC |
| June 26-July 2 | Minneapolis Mission Trip |
| July 9 | Church Mini Golf Night |
| July 23-25 | DNOW |
| July 26-30 | Serve for VBS |
| August 7 | Paintball |
| August 22 | Youth & Family BBQ |
In life, there are different kinds of milestones that we encounter. Some, we simply want to acknowledge. Others, we need to pause and celebrate. For example, this month we hit the milestone of one year of life being drastically altered because of COVID-19. While that is not a milestone that any of us want to celebrate, it is definitely something worth acknowledging. I am thankful that, in the midst of this past year of difficulty, our God is still faithful and in control.
One major reason that we know that God is still faithful and in control is because of another milestone that we get to celebrate next month. Can you believe that Easter is just a couple weeks away?! This is a milestone that is well worth celebrating. In fact, it is the most important date on the Christian calendar! If Christ didn’t rise from the grave, our faith would be in vain. Let’s make sure that we do our best to really celebrate Christ’s resurrection this year!
I wanted to share with you a few things that we are doing as a church as we celebrate Easter together. First, we are going to have a special online-only Good Friday Service. At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 2, we will be premiering a video on our website, Facebook, and YouTube pages that will be centered on Good Friday. We will sing songs, hear a short message, and worship by taking communion together.
While Resurrection Sunday is a joyous occasion, Good Friday is a time for us to reflect on why Christ had to go to the cross in the first place. It is a time of repentance where we acknowledge our sin and our need for the atonement. I want to encourage you to set aside time on Good Friday to participate in the service and remember Christ’s sacrifice. We would love for you to share the video online and worship with us as we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday.
Then, on Easter Sunday, we will be having a service celebrating the resurrection. I will be clearly sharing the Gospel and we want to encourage you to invite friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers to join us in worship, either in person or online. It is going to be a great Sunday as we celebrate the fact that Jesus is the Answer!
We know that not everyone is comfortable worshipping in person yet, so we are going to do a “social media blitz” with our Easter services that Sunday. We want everyone, whether you are worshipping with us in person or online, to take a moment and share the service online. The more people that share the service, the more lost ears have the opportunity to hear the truth of the Gospel. Would you be willing to participate in this social media initiative with us?
Studies show that people are more apt to attend church on Easter than almost any other time of the year. My prayer is that we will invite people to join us this Easter at Fee Fee, in person or online. Finally, please join me in praying that God moves in a big way this Easter! We know this world needs hope. And we know that Jesus is the answer the world is looking for!
In Him,
Pastor Zach
Preschool and children’s Bible Study has started again at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays. I am so thankful for our dedicated teachers who are willing to teach our kids God’s Word. We are requiring teachers and kids to continue to wear masks, as well as check-in at the preschool area where we will take temperatures and sanitize hands, too. This month the kids are all meeting together in room 110 as we walk with Jesus through the last week of His life on earth. On Easter Sunday, we will divide into age group classes: K-1st grade in room 205; 2nd-3rd grade in room 209; and Livewires (4th-5th grade) in room 303.
Wednesdays: AWANA Club 6:00-7:00 p.m. for kids 3 years old through 5th grade. Kids: bring your book, Bible, and wear a mask.
Sundays: Preschool Care is provided for birth through pre-K during 11:00 a.m. worship. We hope to open Preschool Care for 8:30 a.m. worship by April.
KidsZone meets at 11:00 a.m. for kids K-5th grade. The 4th Sunday of each month, K-5th grade kids will worship with their parents and the Lord’s Supper will be observed. When there is a 5th Sunday in the month, KidsZone will have a Birthday Bash to celebrate birthdays from the months prior.
We are planning to do VBS Wilderness Escape and Sports Camp the week of July 26-30. VBS will be in the morning and basketball camp in the afternoon. We hope to offer VBS as in person and virtual! If you would like to be involved in leading, it’s not too early to volunteer – just let me know, kathy@feefeebc.org. Registration will be on-line in April.
This week, we reflected on the one year anniversary of our world being flipped upside down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This has caused all of us to miss out on many big events like school, sports, graduations, weddings, and even youth group activities that we have grown so accustomed to. Well now, we can finally say, it is time to move forward and plan for some fun things! As many people are now in the process of getting vaccinated, and as we continuously monitor recommendations by our state and local government, along with the CDC, we feel that if we follow guidelines closely, we can start to get back to some normalcy. With that being said, here are some important dates to mark on your calendar. More information will come out about these events as we get closer.
June 4-5 – Summer Blast
June 6 – Graduation Sunday
June 26-July 2 – Minneapolis Mission Trip
July 23-25 – DNOW
July 26-30 – Serve for VBS
By the middle of April, most of our Bible Study classes will be resuming on campus. Stay tuned for more info!
We continue to have Men’s and Women’s Bible Study classes on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at the same time as AWANA and youth small groups. Let me know if you need specific info, gloria@feefeebc.org.
Many songs, prayers, and poems have been written in response to our current pandemic in an effort to bring hope and comfort during this strange and difficult time. Here are three songs either newly written or revived in recent months.
Father Jonas wrote this song in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The lyric is influenced by Psalm 23. Contemplate on this excerpt of the refrain verses:
O shelter me, O shelter me.
The way ahead is dark
and difficult to see.
O shelter me, O shelter me.
All will be well if only
You will shelter me.
I will look back in days to come
and realize Your faithfulness has led me home.
Within Your house
I’ll find my peace.
Trusting that in Your mercy
You have sheltered me.
This new hymn was written for the Crown of Glory Lutheran Congregation by Pastor Laura Laughlin and Music Director Tom Paulson in their desire to turn pain into art in this time of uncertainty. The song proclaims “in the light of Your promise give us Your peace” and “guide the hearts of all people.” The entire song can be heard on YouTube.
Waymaker is a song recently covered by Michael W. Smith. This song describes God as One who makes a way for us, works miracles, keeps His promises, and defeats darkness with His light. The song was written by Nigerian gospel singer, Sinach, in 2015 and was hugely successful there. It has since been covered by multiple artists worldwide. Smith listened to the song at his daughter’s request and believed it to be a great response to the rough times people were going through. The memorable chorus goes as such:
Waymaker, Miracle Worker
Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness
That is Who You are.
Our latest virtual choir project has been completed and sent off to the producers. We will soon be adding this beautiful piece to an upcoming worship service. A hearty thank-you goes to all participants, as well as to Vance Stewart for his preparation of recordings, and Andrea Jennings for giving of time and assisting many recordings. We are blessed with wonderful people with servant hearts.