Pastor's DeskPreacher Jim
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Greetings & Welcome
I hope this finds you and yours well. The winter months are
just about over, and we enter into spring when everything comes
alive and starts to shine and show all its glory. I hope that is the
case with you as well.
We will celebrate Easter at the end of March and then move
on into the opportunities to reach out to the community of which
we are a part and do our best to grow the number of people sitting
in the pews. After all, that is what we are to do as the church,
according to the Scriptures.
Consider the following: we have met with, or heard
from, Rev. Dr. James Kelsey, our Executive Minister, as to what
we can do and where we might go as a small church body
struggling to make ends meet and see no relief coming in the near
future. He has offered several ideas that have worked in other
churches facing the same issues as us, and it is working there, so,
why not here. At least these ideas are being considered and YOU
will have the opportunity to weigh in with your ideas and thoughts
as we go along.
Some dates to remember: April 26-28, ABW Ministries
and AB Girls Annual Convention @ Corning Radisson Hotel,
Corning. October 11 @ 12, ABCNYS Biennial at the Tabernacle
Baptist Church in Utica, NY.
The two-year theme for the American Baptist Women’s
Ministries is “Rejuvenate to Be Strong, Be Courageous.”
Read Joshua 1:9 to get a glimpse of what this is all about.
Hey, Hey, Hey! There is a Lay Study Program starting April
13 on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. titled “Ministry
Through the Small Church” and the instructor will be Rev. Steve
Reynolds. This will be online via zoom. More details to follow.
Might we consider the following as a way or method to be
tried as to turning our church around and making it what it once
was? Or at least approaching that goal. Get the church
Leadership Board, and the committees of the church, plus the
Transitional TEAM together for a time of prayer. No business, no
discussion, no talking: just praying.
Ask each of our members to spend 30 minutes reflecting on
your own walk with Christ, admitting and confessing any known
sin in your own life while reading 1 John 1:9.
Ask the leaders to name any Spiritual barriers that might be
holding the church back from being all that God wants it to be.
As I look at the American Baptist Mission Support report as
printed last month, I see the figures for 2023. As a state: United
Missions down $ 19,160.00. Annual Offerings down $ 9,455.00
for the year. However, the totals given to ABMS was up
$ 12,598.00.
Now where was Memorial Park in those figures? United
Mission Offering $ 0. Love Gift $ 0. America For Christ $ 0.
Three other categories $ 0. World Mission Offering $ 1,895.00.
RMMO $ 805.00. One Great Hour of Sharing $ 1,045.00. Total
mission offering for 2023, $ 4,575.00. Not a bad total for a
church this size. However, there were 2 areas that are very
important to the life and well-0being of our ABCNYS churches,
which I would like to see increased for 2024.
We have some tremendous challenges in front of us for
2024. Working and praying together we can and will make it
happen. However, it will take all of us doing what we can as God
leads. And that is important: to let God lead us in what we are
doing and what we are about.
God Bless. Looking forward to a great 2024!
Preacher Jim
just about over, and we enter into spring when everything comes
alive and starts to shine and show all its glory. I hope that is the
case with you as well.
We will celebrate Easter at the end of March and then move
on into the opportunities to reach out to the community of which
we are a part and do our best to grow the number of people sitting
in the pews. After all, that is what we are to do as the church,
according to the Scriptures.
Consider the following: we have met with, or heard
from, Rev. Dr. James Kelsey, our Executive Minister, as to what
we can do and where we might go as a small church body
struggling to make ends meet and see no relief coming in the near
future. He has offered several ideas that have worked in other
churches facing the same issues as us, and it is working there, so,
why not here. At least these ideas are being considered and YOU
will have the opportunity to weigh in with your ideas and thoughts
as we go along.
Some dates to remember: April 26-28, ABW Ministries
and AB Girls Annual Convention @ Corning Radisson Hotel,
Corning. October 11 @ 12, ABCNYS Biennial at the Tabernacle
Baptist Church in Utica, NY.
The two-year theme for the American Baptist Women’s
Ministries is “Rejuvenate to Be Strong, Be Courageous.”
Read Joshua 1:9 to get a glimpse of what this is all about.
Hey, Hey, Hey! There is a Lay Study Program starting April
13 on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. titled “Ministry
Through the Small Church” and the instructor will be Rev. Steve
Reynolds. This will be online via zoom. More details to follow.
Might we consider the following as a way or method to be
tried as to turning our church around and making it what it once
was? Or at least approaching that goal. Get the church
Leadership Board, and the committees of the church, plus the
Transitional TEAM together for a time of prayer. No business, no
discussion, no talking: just praying.
Ask each of our members to spend 30 minutes reflecting on
your own walk with Christ, admitting and confessing any known
sin in your own life while reading 1 John 1:9.
Ask the leaders to name any Spiritual barriers that might be
holding the church back from being all that God wants it to be.
As I look at the American Baptist Mission Support report as
printed last month, I see the figures for 2023. As a state: United
Missions down $ 19,160.00. Annual Offerings down $ 9,455.00
for the year. However, the totals given to ABMS was up
$ 12,598.00.
Now where was Memorial Park in those figures? United
Mission Offering $ 0. Love Gift $ 0. America For Christ $ 0.
Three other categories $ 0. World Mission Offering $ 1,895.00.
RMMO $ 805.00. One Great Hour of Sharing $ 1,045.00. Total
mission offering for 2023, $ 4,575.00. Not a bad total for a
church this size. However, there were 2 areas that are very
important to the life and well-0being of our ABCNYS churches,
which I would like to see increased for 2024.
We have some tremendous challenges in front of us for
2024. Working and praying together we can and will make it
happen. However, it will take all of us doing what we can as God
leads. And that is important: to let God lead us in what we are
doing and what we are about.
God Bless. Looking forward to a great 2024!
Preacher Jim