November 15, 2006

Macedonia Baptist Church

E-News

November 15, 2006

Last Sunday:

Sunday School Attendance: 98

Discipleship Training Attendance: 47

Budget Offering: $ 2,377.27

Lottie Moon Offering: $ 105.00

Total Lottie Moon Offering: $ 231.82

Lottie Moon Offering:

Lottie’s Urgency

“How many million more souls are to pass into eternity without having heard the name of Jesus?”

That question, ubiquitous in the letters of Lottie Moon, seared her heart as she planted her life in China a century ago. As a young Southern Baptist missionary, it compelled her to flee the safety of the Baptist missionary compound in order to live among those “heathen” to whom she felt called. In middle age, it gave her the strength to place her 4-foot-3-inch body in the path of an anti-Christian mob intent on harming believers and saying, “You will have to kill me first.” As an older woman, it compelled her to give away her food so others might live and have one more opportunity to find Jesus.

How many souls? What did she think? One million? Five million? Fifty million?

One hundred years later, we have an answer: 1.6 billion people—indeed, more people than populated the earth when Lottie lived—have never heard the gospel, according to missions researchers.

During the past five generations, Southern Baptists have been motivated by Lottie Moon to plant their lives in missions by going or supporting others who are carrying the gospel light into the darkness. Today, we support what seems a respectable 5,200 missionaries on the field. Today, our goal for the annual missions offering named for Lottie Moon is a substantial $150 million.

Christian worker shares faith with “surprise” guest

The guard called for Dylan Rhoads*, a Christian worker in South Asia, to come to the front gate. An 18-year-old man showed up wanting to learn more about Christianity.

“He looked a little nervous but stepped in as I reached my hand to greet him,” Rhoads said. “After the greetings, he held open a common plastic bag just enough for me to see inside, being careful that the guard did not get a good look.”

The young man asked if he could learn more about Christianity. Rhoads said he immediately recognized the papers that he had printed off the Internet and given out to language helpers. They addressed the differences between Christianity and the Islamic faith.

“They appeared to be well-worn from use,” Rhoads noted.

Rhoads invited the visitor into his house, where he shared his faith with the young man.

“I am amazed at myself sometimes when I have prayed for a thing to happen – then it does – and I am surprised!” Rhoads said. “It is not an everyday occurrence here for someone to just show up and ask this question.”

Because of Southern Baptists’ gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering each year, Christian workers like Rhoads are available to share their faith with those they encounter on a daily basis.

*Names changed for security reasons.

(From International Mission Board Website)

Lottie Moon Offering:

Each Sunday School class needs to set their class Lottie Moon Offering Goal. The church goal is $5,000. Pray and ask the Lord about your part in this offering. Sunday School classes should keep track of their gifts. They will announce their offering on December 3^rd. The total gifts to date is $231.82.

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is used to support our mission effort overseas. The money goes to the International Mission Board and they send it out to our Southern Baptist Missionaries. Our Missionaries rely on these funds on extra things they need to do on the mission field. Let’s support them through this effort.

Pastor Search Committee Report

Dear Church Member,

Over the past weeks, the Pastor Search Committee (PSC) has been laying the groundwork for the search for our next pastor. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the Pastor's Profile Questionnaire. The questionnaire indicated you are willing to allow the PSC to report our progress through bulletin announcements as we have information to report to the church. While 22 respondents indicated the age of the candidate does not matter, 30 respondents indicated they would prefer the pastor's age be between 30-50 years old. Twenty-four respondents stated that previous pastoral experience would not be an issue in their decision concerning potential candidates. There were 21 respondents that indicated a preference that the candidates seriously considered to fill our pulpit have at least three years previous pastoral experience. The majority of church members prefer the pastor be married instead of single. The top three ministries we as a church selected for the pastor to be involved in were (1) preparing to preach and teach, (2) Praying and (3) Visiting the lost.

To date, the PSC has received and acknowledged receipt of 40 resumes.

The PSC has worked with other MBC committees to facilitate the search. The PSC has requested the Publicity committee and the MBC Technology Coordinator immediately work to update the church's website. The information on the website has not been updated since 2004. This will also help us reach families new to our area.

The PSC has also worked with the Personnel and Finance committee to obtain guidance concerning a potential compensation package for the next pastor.

Over the next few weeks, the PSC will continue work to develop an information package about MBC to send potential candidates, coordinate with additional Southern Baptist associations to obtain additional resumes, and verify the resume references of candidates interested in serving as our next pastor.

Very Respectfully,

LAWRENCE H. MADKINS, III

Chairman, Pastor Search Committee

New Website

We are in the process of revising the church website. The new address is http://www.mbcofenterprise.org. It is in the design stage and we are adding to it daily. Look at it and let us know what you think. If you have suggestions, talk to Donna Filipowski or Ken Shoemake.

Pulpit Supply for November

November 19: Ernest Bailey

November 26: Merrell Henry

Grow Team for Week:

The Grow Team for November 21 is the Orange Team headed by Glenn Filipowski. We are beginning a reorganized Grow Ministry. Be in prayer for this team as they contact people this week.

If you are not on a Grow Ministry Team and can participate, please contact Richie Carr.

Women’s Ministry

The Women’s Ministry will meet on Saturday, November 18, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM. Bring a nacho topping or other item. Sign up sheet is in the hall.

Christmas Cantatas

Both the Children’s Choir and the Adult Choir are currently working on their Christmas Cantata. If you have children that should be in the Children’s Choir, please have them at church at 5:00 PM each Sunday for practice. Their cantata is December 3 in the morning service.

The adult cantata is December 17 in the morning service. Rehearsal is each Sunday at 4:00 PM. Please come out and support the music ministry.

Wednesday Prayer Meeting

There will be no Wednesday Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 because of the Thanksgiving holiday.