Monthly Newsletter

From the Pastor's Study
Several reminders:
• Follow the church at Sedleybaptist.org and see my thoughts on things a couple of times a week which is found there; just click on Pastor's Study Blog.
• You can also look up Sedley Baptist on Facebook and join the Fan page and receive updates via Facebook.
• We are continuing on in the life of David until just before Easter when we will switch gears and talk about the Meaning of the Resurrection.
• Thanks to all who read through the New Testament in 30 days! God will bless and use that in your life. I pray now you continue in searching the Word of God for the treasures that are there!

I have a confession to make; I am an Olympic junkie. I love both the winter and summer games. I love the human drama of athletic competition. I love the stories. I love the redemption that comes to people. I love the back stories. I love all these things and seeing how sometimes the things that happen shape and change people's lives.

I have another confession to make; I am becoming a Bible junkie. I love both the Old and the New Testaments. I love the human drama that can be seen in all the chapters. I love the stories. I love the redemption that comes through Christ which is foreshadowed throughout.

I love the back stories. I love to see how the things that happened thousands of years ago still shape the world we live in today.

When it comes to the Olympics, I can only watch them every two years because they have the Olympics on a two year rotation between the winter and summer games. For me, the time between is just enough to make it special to watch and get excited about. When it comes to the Bible though, I can pick it up and read everyday. Another confession for you, I find it easier to sit and watch the Olympics at times than to sit with the Word of God and read. In thinking about this a lot I figured out the reason why this is so. I can watch the Olympics and be moved and even motivated which are both good things.

Now when I sit and read the Bible I am moved and motivated but also I am convicted and challenged to change. That is the difference. With one I can be sedentary and the other I have to be active.

What about you? Do you find yourself not as active in the Word as you are in other things? Hopefully you will find as I have that the Bible offers more than any television program ever could. It is full of information and stories that thrill the soul. What is in the Bible is important to the Christian Life! Here are just two verses of many that encourage us to be in the Word of God.

Let us all become Bible Junkies and be in it and learning. If we are it will transform our lives!

In HIS service,
Pastor Jim

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Thought for
Meditation
By: Ashby Blythe

"More than a carpenter"

Jesus grew up in Nazareth with Mary his mother and her husband, Joseph, his earthly father who was a carpenter. Jesus was there as a carpenter for about thirty years.

Jesus went to Jerusalem once a year for Passover. One time his family traveled three days. On their return when they saw Jesus was not with them, they went back and found Him with the religious leaders talking and asking them questions. When they scolded Him, His answer was "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

After that He told them about His destiny to be killed and rise from the grave. They, as well as everyone else, did not believe until He arose from the dead. Some of the Jews believed He was only a carpenter. That was the least of who He was. He was the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the Savior of the world.

When I started Sunday School as far back as I can remember, I believed all about the virgin birth, the miracles, the Holy Spirit, and I still have that childlike faith. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was always the same, I wanted to be a carpenter. That was my dream. That was retold in favor of an office job that worked to my advantage.

While I was in high school, I worked as a carpenter's helper in the summer for an older gentleman who recognized my wish to learn the trade; and also because of my interest in learning how to use the steel square. When he saw the doorsteps I built he said he had taught me all he knew and I was on my own. I was fifteen years old. I worked with all the contractors in the county and finally built five houses by myself. Two of them were in Sedley and three two family apartments in Franklin.

My work in an office was secretary to a lawyer, yeoman to a navy chaplain, and as a corrections officer where I retired at seventy-five years of age.

So I consider myself more than a carpenter, I hope you agree.
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Mission Friends

Our missionaries for the month of February were Alan and Margaret Au. The Aus live in British Columbia, Canada where the 2010 Winter Olympics are being held. They have been working with other missionaries for years getting ready for the games. Their focus is on ways to share Christ with those who come to Vancouver from all over the world.

We talked about the Winter Olympics: The Opening Ceremony, some of the different events, the medals, and the fact that people come from all over the world to compete against each other, and the Closing Ceremony. We joined the Children in Action group in our own Opening Ceremony to our "Olympics for God". We took turns carrying and passing the "Torch" (a paper towel holder stuffed with construction paper flames) to our friends as the Children in Action group carried the flags for the Opening Ceremony.
We then went back into our class to begin our various Olympic Events. We raced "bobsleds" using ice cubes down the table made into a ramp. We "figure skated" using little plastic people on ice frozen on a baking pan. We also played "hockey" using tongue depressor hockey sticks and a checker for the puck.

For snack we discussed how the Aus and others in Vancouver work in a hospitality center at the Olympics, giving away hot chocolate, helping people find their way around and sharing stories about Jesus with those they meet. We had hot chocolate and snowmen made from ice cream (which we decorated with chocolate chips and other candies) for our snack.

During our "Closing Ceremony", each child received a "gold" medal.

We ended our session with a prayer thanking God for our missionaries, the Olympians who we hope will learn more about God while they are competing, and our family and friends. We hope to see everyone again at our next meeting on March 14th!

Vicki Felts and Penny Hart

Children in Action

The Children In Action met on Sunday, February 14th during worship service. There were fourteen children in attendance.

Our lesson was God's Mission: Witnessing at the Winter Olympics. Alan Au is a church planter in Vancouver, British Columbia and a coordinator for ‘More Than Gold'. We talked about the different ways he and his team witness to not only the athletes but the attendees at the Olympics.

A press conference was held with reporters asking Mr. Au questions about the 1.5 million visitors that come to the city for the seventeen days of Olympic games and the ten days of Paralympic Games.

Mr. Au stated that we want the world to know there is someone more important than a gold medal; we want Vancouver and those who visit to know Jesus.
He also stated that there are some that open up their homes and also churches for people to stay because not all people will be able to find hotels or can afford them.

There are Kid's Games and other activities held where witnessing can be done.
Some information was given to children about the Olympics and also Vancouver.

The Olympic Torch and the flag ceremony were held with the Children In Action and Mission Friends sharing this experience at Sedley Baptist Church opening ceremony.

Refreshments were water and granola bars as we prepared for our own Olympics. We divided into teams and our judge was Travis Felts who had been an athlete in the paralymic games and had won a medal for Team USA.
In the end we all won a 1st Place with Jesus medal.

We sent Mr. Au notes. Some were prayers and some thank you notes for what he was doing telling others about Jesus.

We would like to thank Travis Felts for helping us and also Anne Bryant for making us Red, White & Blue-Sedley Community Pride note cards.

A get well card was signed by everyone to be sent to one of our church members who that had been in the hospital.

Anita Felts & Carol Simms

WMU

Week of Prayer for North American Missions will be observed March 7-14, 2010.
Each year North American Mission Board selects eight missionaries or missionary couples to represent the work of more than 5,300 North American missionaries.

Please be in prayer for these missionaries as they are committed to live out their calling as they help change lives to know God.

We will be collecting for the Annie Armstrong Easter offering during the month of March. The church goal for this year will be $1,300.00.

The amount collected for the Haiti missions offering was $1,957.50.

Joan Munford

Bits and Pieces

The economy can function without love, but man cannot.

When you are a self-starter, others don't have to be a crank.

Sometimes a little is too much.

If your water is muddy, clean out your well.

Love yourself if you want someone to love you.

I know all the answers; the questions I don't know.
God made the universe and rested.
God made man and rested.
God made woman and neither God nor man has rested.
I'm gone. My apology?

Reverend Funny Bones

Members of the WMU will be collecting plastic tops/caps/lids. Each one collected will help someone receive five free minutes towards a dialysis treatment. These caps/lids can come from milk cartons, soda bottles, detergent, bleach bottles, etc. If you would like to participate there is a container in the fellowship hall on the piano to place your caps and lids.

Remember in Prayer!

Harold & Jane Bartlett, Ashby Blythe, Richard Copas, Lessie Edwards, Armand & Naoko, Alisha & Tim Detrich, Roger Drake, Hoyle & Jean Green, Mitzi Lusk, Wendy Rhoten, Cecil Tillery, Leatha Whitley, Ronnie Whitley, Sylvia Allison, John Arvay, Joyce Betts, Sylvia Bilby, Junior Blythe, D. J. Boone, J.P. Bradshaw, Tammy Britt, Dale Bryant, Roy Bryant, Tom Bullock, George Carpenter, Mary Carr, Barbara Clapp, Colbert family, Cathy Collins, Richard Cooke, Ashley Cornwell, Nancy Cornwell, Angela Dentiste, Kevin & Brenda Deweese, Patsy Draper, Scott Earls, Barbara Edwards, Brian Edwards, Cilda Edwards, Jim Edwards, Peggy Edwards, Barbara Flanagan, Skip Gambill, Steve Grace, Aaron Graham, B.B. Gray, Sylvia Hare, Jimmy & Ruth Harris, Andrew Hill, Robert Hobbs, James Howard, Angela Jeffries, Nancy Jenkins, Kenny Jenning, Jr., Ada Johnson, Iola Joyner, Karen Kinney, Greg Koontz, Ellen Lawson, Lena Lee, Mike Lepson, Davis Ludwick, Kelly Makoske, Cathy Matthews, Alan McDonald, Phyllis Mewborn, Rhonda Modlin, Cathy Morris, Syvilla Morris, Irene O'Mear, Elizabeth Parker, Seamaeya Parr, Dale Phipps, Ryan Poteet, Marie Raiford, Mary Raiford, Roberta Raiford, Sylvie Raiford, James Rhoten, Angel Ricks, Connie Rowe, Ramona Sadler, Jenna Salisbury, Larry Shaffer, Gus Simmons, J.E. Steih, Elizabeth Stickle, Gracie Story, Barbara Taylor, Kaitlin Travis, Ruth Vaughan, Dennis Whitley. Jesse Williams, Ralph Williams, James Williamson, Ross Wolfe, Jane Womack, Christina Wright.

Happy Anniversary!

3 M/M Hoyle Green
20 M/M Brad Turner
23 M/M Cecil Burgess

Happy Birthday!

1 Nancy Wellons
2 Mildred Branche
6 LaRue Brittle
9 Penny Hart
10 Wendy Foreman

11 Emma Turner
16 Mark Carr
Teresa Munford
21 Mary Ann Harrell
23 Carter Johnson
25 Judi Cosby
Lauryn McMichael
28 Dorothy Burgess
30 Wilson Seward
31 Jimmy Lusk

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Deadline for information to go in the April newsletter is March 20th. Please call Anita Felts (569-0273), Phyllis Bradshaw (562-2455) or Carol Simms (562-2691) or e-mail to Phyllis at Sedleybird@peoplepc.com