September 4, 2014 September 4, 2014 September 4, 2014 September 4, 2014

Church Leadership
Our ministers and lay leaders are
available to answer any questions you
may have to help you connect with
the ministries of First Baptist Church.

Rev. Matt Sturtevant
Senior Pastor, x.202
matt@firstbaptistlawrence.com

Jenny Purvis
Office Manager, x.203
jenny@firstbaptistlawrence.com

Jim Davidson
Chancel Choir Director
jamesrdavidson@ku.edu

Holly Grassy
Bookkeeper
grassyclan@att.net

John Pauls
Moderator
jphawk@yahoo.com

Evelyn Falen
Organist
edfal13@gmail.com

Buddy Langford
Custodian

Church Office:
785/843.0020
office@firstbaptistlawrence.com
www.firstbaptistlawrence.com
Preparing for Worship
September 7, 2014
Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Why the Bible?
Rev. Matthew Sturtevant
Scripture:
Psalm 119.33-40
Join us for Worship this
Sunday!
We return to two services
8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Why the Bible?
Worship Series September 7 October 5

How often do we take for granted that book on our shelves with the crinkly thin pages?
In these next weeks, we will together in worship explore what the Bible means to us,
how it came to be, and why it is important in our lives and our church.

September 7: Why the Bible: Why Care What This 4,000 Year Old Book Says About
My Life?
September 14: What Was Happening When the Old Testament Was Happening The
Context of the Hebrew Scriptures
September 21. The Bible Jesus Read: Comparing the Old Testament and the New
Testament
September 28: From Let-
ter to Scripture: How the
New Testament came to
be The Bible
October 5: Why Our
Scriptures and No One
Elses: What Makes Us So
Special?
Special Wednesday Night Offering:
Poetry and Prayer Gatherings
Wednesdays: September 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
This 4 week workshop is a time for adults interested in the prayerful quality of poetry.
It offers a time for reflection, peace and creation.
Facilitators share poetry that has a prayerful quality and is based around a theme (spiritual componentsnot poems of a
specific faith). Facilitator engages the participants through quiet reflection,
open discussion and through tangible activity connected to the poetry. The
tangible will be a take home from the gathering to offer reflection and joy
during the week. Participants are also given handouts of the poetry for later
reading, reflection, prayer. Participants close the gathering by sharing in light
refreshments which include tea and a baked good or fresh produce. Gathering
Themes will include these offerings: 1) Flower and Stone: The Beginning; 2)
Spirit in the Wind: The Prayer Flag Tradition; 3) Placing the Mark of Our Ex-
perience: Edible Carins; 4) The Wait: Planting Faith.

The workshop will be facilitated by Trish Dowd Kelne with the assistance of Faith Club members from Ottawa Universi-
ty. Trish Dowd Kelne is the director of Winter Center for Restorative Justice, a nonprofit community outreach organiza-
tion. Trish has worked in the nonprofit setting for 15 years, with community outreach, education and empowerment.
She was co-chair of Martha and Marys Way, an interfaith organization and has facilitated poetry and prayer classes for the
retired religious professionals. She is dedicated to faith based outreach. She is a certified instructor for the Academy of
Tai Qi through which she teaches classes and seminars. Trish received her degree in Creative Writing from Kansas State
University, her facilitation certification from Winter Center and her Tai Qi certification from HuoLong Studios.

This offering is provided through a partnership with Winter Center (a community non-profit) and Fredrikson Center for
Faith and Church Vitality (part of Ottawa University).
Our Five Points of Spiritual Formation at First Baptist
Below are the Five Points of Spiritual Formation that our ministry team and our worship series have been developing.
Let us together follow the steps of Christ in the power of the Spirit, as we form and are formed by our Creator!
Spiritual Formation is about the whole person. Like the spokes on a wheel, God forms not just our
spiritual part, but all of us: our physical, intellectual, and emotional selves.
Spiritual Formation is about honest dialogue, questions, and conversation. Like
sandpaper that irritates for the sake of re-creation, we recognize that embracing
scratchy doubts and questions is more formational than easy answers.
Spiritual Formation occurs as we are a teaching church. Handing off the baton to the
next generation of leaders is a critical part of who we are and how we form and are
formed.
Spiritual Formation occurs as we are a partnering church. We know that we cannot do it all
ourselves, and so we belay ourselves (as with a carabiner) to other churches
and organizations to partner to do the work of formation.
Spiritual Formation occurs within the context of relationships. Like Luke Skywalk-
er, who saved the galaxy through his relationships with both peers and men-
tors, our formation happens with both like-minded peers and intergenerational
mentoring.
Remember in Prayer
International Ministries Missionaries: Carole Sydnor, serv-
ing in Nepal.
Regional Minister: Philadelphia Baptist Association: Rev.
Betty Wright-Riggins, serving in Philadelphia, PA.
Local congregation: North Lawrence Christian Church
You are invited to send prayer requests to:
Martha Gage, msgage@sunflower.com.
(E-mail prayer chain)
Hazel Nitcher, 843-5302, Annie Merriam, 841-1384, or
Judy Stuart, 856-1782 (Telephone prayer chain)
The church office: 843-0020,
jenny@firstbaptistlawrence.com
Building Reconstruction Updates
Construction Schedule

Currently: Bid-ready document sent out to contractors,
who will bid on projects.
September: The RWR will be closed Sept. 2-6 for ceil-
ing work. Lights will be installed first, followed by ceiling
tiles, followed by paint.
September/October: Project Committee will review bids
and congregation will approve main project to begin.
Fall/Winter: Construction begins. Roger Williams Room
project begins first (lighting, ceiling tiles, flooring) then sanc-
tuary work begins (reconstruction, lighting, flooring, A/V)


A Testimony to the Importance of
Our Building Project:

Why do we need new lighting in the Sanctuary? We can
sing songs, pray and hear the sermon that Pastor Matthew
preaches without new light, right? Well after 23 years in our
home, a ceiling light went out last week. Finding a replace-
ment was impossible. We ended up with much less light
than we are used to and replacing the wiring was beyond
belief. I now understand why the lighting is on the agenda
for the Sanctuary and I agree progress is making it impossi-
ble to keep the usual. I hope I am not too old to realize this
and to accept changes in my church that I love.
~Annie Merriam


Save the Date!
Crop Walk
Hunger Walk
Join a
group to
get to know
one anoth-
er!
Register by
September 7 in
the church office:
(jenny@firstbaptistlawrence.com), by phone, 843-0020 or by filling out a
slip of yellow paper and placing it in any red & white checkered box.
Operation Christmas Child
Since 1993, more than 100 million boys
and girls in over 130 countries have experi-
enced Gods love through the power of
simple shoebox gifts from Operation
Christmas Child. Samaritans Purse works
with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the
gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus
Christ. If you would like to donate already prepared
boxes, please bring them to the church between Nov.
2 and Nov. 9. This early notice is for those who like to
work ahead! The website is http://
www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack
-a-shoe-box. Or, you may E-mail or call Dawn Trent for
more information. dctrent@att.net, 841-6865.
First Baptist Church
1330 Kasold Drive
Lawrence, Kansas 66049
785/843-0020
785/843-0021 (fax)
www.firstbaptistlawrence.com
Staff Whereabouts:
Pastor Matt will be at the Dawnings Retreat in Kansas City Sept. 4-6.
He and members of the congregation will be engaging in a vision-
ing process for the church.
Sunday Morning Volunteers
September 7
Nursery 9:30 a.m.Amy Munsterman
11:00 a.m.Amy Munsterman
Extended Care 11:00 a.m.Brenda or
Shane Schenkel

Wednesday
Supper
September 10
6:00 p.m.
Calling All Book Lovers
The First Baptist Book Club will
be starting a new year on Septem-
ber 8 with Dead Man Walking by
Sister Helen Prejean. This is a
book about the criminal justice
system and capital punishment.
This book is available at the Lawrence Public Library. We
will be meeting at the Carlsons home 1905 Crossgate Dr.
at 7:00 pm., 830-9169. At this meeting, we will select
books to be read this year so please bring your suggestions.
Hope to see you there.

By the Numbers...as of Aug. 31
GENERAL OPERATING
Weekly Receipts: $4,156.58
YTD Receipts: $214,319.61

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Weekly Receipts: $1,580.00
Cumulative Giving: $293,466.46

If you would like more detailed financial information, please
contact our bookkeeper at grassyclan@att.net.

Thank you for your generous giving. Your generosity helps to
make our many ministries possible.
Life of the Church
Sunday, Sept. 7
8:30 a.m.Worship Service
9:30 a.m.Sunday School for all ages
11:00 a.m.Worship Service
Monday, Sept. 8
11:00newsletter announcements due
7:00FBC Book Club (at Carlsons)
Wednesday, Sept. 10
6:00 p.m.All-church supper
6:30 p.m.Sacred Music Academy (3-8th gr)
6:45 p.m.Poetry & Prayer Gathering
7:30 p.m.Chancel Choir rehearsal

Looking Ahead:
Sept. 8: FBC Book Club resumes
Sept. 14: Heartland Medical Clinic Tour
(afternoon)
New pictures have been added to the church website photo gallery! Be sure to
check them outwww.firstbaptistlawrence.com, click Connect tab then click
Photo Gallery on the right.