Annual Gathering, Mills County Cowboy Church
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| We appreciate the hospitality of the Mills County Cowboy Church and their willingness to host this year’s Annual Gathering. Our theme this year is “The Whole World” drawn from Matthew 24:9-14. Don Fawcett, Network Missionary, will give a theme interpretation in his message during the worship session (6:00 p.m.). The theme is a challenge to the church to return to the Great Commission through evangelism, missions, church planting, and a commitment to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with all peoples, especially those who have not been reached. Brother Randy Rives, (FBC Early), will lead our worship with musicians and singers from several area churches.
The governance session will begin with a guided concert of prayer at 3:30 p.m., followed by a report from the Nigeria mission trip, including testimony from trip participants and Ray Ellerson, who serves as Director of Evangelism with H.E.L.P. West Africa. We will also approve a budget for 2012, officers, and a calendar. Adam Hardy (HPU student), videographer for our trip to Africa, will show video he has produced.
During the governance session, the pastor’s wives will meet at the Youth Center, First Baptist Church of Goldthwaite (beginning at 3:30 p.m.). We very much appreciate First Baptist and their willingness to host this event. Bobbie Fawcett (Don Fawcett, Network Missionary), Julie Battenfield (Kent Battenfield, Mills County Cowboy Church), and Lindsey Trull (Neill Trull, Calvary Baptist Church, Brownwood) will serve as hostesses for the meeting. These women have a burden to serve as catalysts to develop a ministry to the wives of our pastors. We believe that these women serve in a very special ministry. They need ministry and sharing with colleagues for support and encouragement. This meeting will basically entail dialogue. We are asking that it be limited to spouses of the senior pastor only at this time. A van will provide transportation from FBC Goldthwaite back to the Mills County Cowboy Church at 4:45 p.m. for the meal. We will not provide transportation to the event at 3:30 p.m. Brother Eddie Ailshie, Pastor of FBC Early, moderator for the Heart of Texas Baptist Network, will preach at approximately 4:25 p.m. Brother Eddie has served with distinction as our Moderator, and we are looking forward to his message.
Our meal will be provided this year by Sedexo (Howard Payne University Food Service) starting at 5:00 p.m. This is going to be an excellent meal of chicken fried steak, gravy, rolls, green beans, corn, and cake for desert. We are asking for donations at the time of the meal. We appreciate Ron Dunne, Vice President for Development at HPU for his work in making the meal a reality this year. HPU approached us with this idea as a way to bless the local churches of the Network, and we are very thankful.
At 6:00 p.m. we will move into a time of worship and celebration. Brother Randy Rives will lead our worship. Don Fawcett will deliver a charge and a challenge to the churches entitled “Our Unfinished Business of the Finished Business” from Matthew 24.
This meeting is going to be simplified. I hope you can join us for a time of fellowship and worship. We will also consider, in the governance meeting, a revised budget for 2012. We ask that messengers prayerfully consider this budget, which can be obtained ahead of time by calling our office and requesting a copy. We can also post it on our website at www.heartoftexasmissions.org where one can also find a messenger formula as well. |
Training Conference “Ready and Willing”
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If you have served the Lord in any capacity, you could attest to the fact that often times a “willingness” to serve does not automatically mean there is a “readiness” to serve. I remember how inadequate I felt the first time I was called upon to teach a Sunday School class. Readiness speaks to preparation, and stemming from a dialogue with Brookesmith Baptist Church and others, we are hosting the “Ready and Willing” training conference at the First Baptist Church of Early on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. This conference will give training to potential t eachers and those who need further help in basic teacher training in the local church. Our focus will be upon those who teach children and youth in the local church (Jr. High and High School). Many churches have a teacher and worker shortage, but this can, in some context, be linked to lack of training. This conference will equip and give instruction in the fundamentals of teaching. Our leaders will be Diane Lane, a specialist in pre-school religious education and Jane Wilson, a specialist in youth religious education in the local church. Both of these women have served extensively in local churches as teachers and church staff. We appreciate Marcia and Bill Wells, (Bill is pastor of Brookesmith Baptist Church) and their work to make this training a reality. Huckaby Baptist Church (Erath Association) is also participating. If you would like to attend and/or bringing children, please call this office so we can get an accurate count for materials and for child care. Thank you, Brother Eddie and FBC Early for your willingness to host Network training events. Your location makes these events readily accessible from most parts of the Network and your hospitality is appreciated. |
Texas Baptist Men and Volunteers Working in Bastrop
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| We are getting reports out of Bastrop that in some churches up to 1/3 of the congregation were directly impacted by the fire through a total or partial loss of property. This is a devastating disaster that will permanently impact the area. In Paige, Texas, the Timberline Fellowship Church requested a shower unit and small feeding unit, and the Second Baptist Church La Grange responded with a shower unit and the Piney Woods Baptist Camp feeding unit responded as well. TBM is working with Southern Baptist of Texas in responding to the wildfire recovery. Leo Smith with TBM is the White Cap for the response to the Montgomery County fires, and Mike Northern (SBTC) will serve as the White Cap for the Bastrop Area fires. The First Baptist Church of Bastrop is serving as headquarters for this effort (1201 Water Street, Bastrop, Texas, 78602). Some have asked about helping. I have contacted pastors in the area and they are saying they cannot store any additional clothing. We suggest at this point contacting the Austin Baptist Association for information regarding how a church might help. Please go to their website at www.austinbaptist.org and click on “Relief Information for Central Texas Fires” and then click where it gives information about Oak Meadow Church (I-35 South). You will find a list there of items needed. The Austin Baptist Association can be reached by phone at (512) 454-2558. |
Report from Conference on Alternative Church Structures
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| Brother Marty Mosher, Church Planting Consultant and Strategist, led a conference on alternative church structures on September 15, 2011 at the Network Resource Center. Marty presented 4 different paradigms or types of church structure and gave working examples of each from the congregations he has worked with during his ministry assisting church planters and churches. Those attending reported that this conference challenged them to think about their own contexts and how they might more effectively reach those to whom they are called to minister. The Network Missionary’s charge at the Annual Gathering (October 16, 2011, Mills County Cowboy Church) will include a challenge to the Network to share the gospel and bring into fellowship in new or existing churches the thousands of people in our Network who are totally unchurched and not walking in fellowship and discipleship with Christ. We appreciate Marty Mosher and his work with our people and churches. |
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