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TRANSCRIPT
BBC
October,2015
onnections
expecting…
I’m gonna give you a peek behind the newsletter curtain.
By now you’ve probably realized that for each issue of Connections, we try to come up with a theme that, well, connects to what’s going on at Benson Baptist that month.
Most of the time, that’s easy to do. One benefit of an active congregation like ours is that there’s always something going on to catch our attention.
Sometimes, however, this approach presents challenges. For instance, there are months where there are several important things occurring—how can we highlight one without placing the others in its shadow? Or, there are other months where the theme-worthy event is an annual occurrence, meaning that it’s most likely already been the theme for that month before—how do we continue to focus on the event without replaying the same old theme?
And every once in a long while, these challenges collide in a type of journalistic “perfect storm,” paralyzing the pastor/editor/theme-come-up-wither in a state of creative gridlock.
October is one of those times.
First off, we have a LOT to focus on at BBC in the 31 days between September and November. There’s World Communion Sunday, there’s a Deacon Ordination, there’s the new committee members starting, there’s UNIFY Sunday, there’s a baby to be born (which probably isn’t too pressing in the congregation’s psyche, but you can bet it’s sure got ahold of my attention), and on top of all that, this is the month of the year where we focus on one of the greatest challenges facing our world, a challenge that we, as Christians, are called by God to combat: World Hunger. In fact, the Missions Council has dubbed October at BBC as “WHAM!”—World Hunger Awareness Month, and for that reason we plan to keep hunger at the forefront of everyone’s minds in the weeks to come.
One way to do that would be to make “Hunger” our Connections theme for October. It’s a great idea—-which is why we did it last year. And thus we embrace challenge #2—coming up with a fresh theme that still relates to established events.
This is the kind of scenario where the Type-A, perfectionistic elements of my personality do me a great disservice. I’m like Achilles, pinned down by this tiny nagging arrow piercing my creative heel. I don’t expect it, to get caught up on something as little as a theme. I expect a theme to come to me easily. I expect it to be quickly identifiable, easy to express, and neatly presentable thru a catchy image on the cover.
And now, as I sit at my computer, affixed by the dart in my heel, I realize how woefully dependent we all are on the fulfillment of our expectations.
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expecting a themeby Paul Burgess
October 2014 issue of Connections, with the theme, “Hungry”
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Expecting a Theme by Paul Burgess………………………………..2 - 3
Table of Contents…………………….……………..3
INTERNal Thoughts by Muriel Lasater
Events for Retired Adults……………………….…4
Wood’s Word to the Wise by Tyler Wood
In Tune with Darla by Darla Hamm…………………………….……..5
Notes from Stephen by Stephen Church The View from Debbie’s Desk by Debbie Champagne……………………………….6
World Hunger Awareness Month……..……..…7
UNIFY Sunday………………………………………8
“The Youngins” Children and Youth Updates…………………………..9
Birthdays October Happenings…………….………….……10
September Photos…….…………..…………11 - 12
The Reassurance of the Rainbow by Paul Burgess…………………………………..13
In This Issue…
Just think about it—what happens when our expectations aren’t met?
We’re thrown off. We have to re-group. We lose time, we lose energy, and in some cases, we lose a lot more.
That’s a bit frightening when you consider just how much of our life hinges on the fulfillment of expectations. Take October, for instance. This month, farmers expect a harvest. Eliza and I are expecting a healthy little boy. Children trick-or-treating expect candy. People starving expect food.
Expectancy. Maybe that’s a theme worth considering. After all, expectations are something we face everyday, and so much of who we are depends on their fulfillment.
Perhaps that’s why the Bible is so committed to reminding us of God’s faithfulness and imploring us to trust more in God than we do in ourselves. Ultimately, if we place our expectations in the hands of others, we’ll be disappointed. But the promises of God are sure; we can expect God to deliver for us because God already has in Jesus Christ, who saves us from the brokenness that breeds unmet expectations and delivers us to a life where hope is eternally fulfilled.
So let that be something you think about this month—as you go to church, as you serve on a committee, as you drive to work, as you feed the hungry—what are your expectations, and whose expectations are dependent on you? Let your responses to those questions be founded in God’s faithfulness and our call to emulate it, and I expect October will be a pretty good month, not just for you, but for those expecting your love.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
It was my senior year of high school and we were hosting our biggest rivals in the conference, the Clayton High School Lady Comets soccer team. Not only was the Clayton vs. Smithfield-‐Selma High School soccer game a big game in general, but it was also our Senior Night. So it was even more important that we win and defeat those stinkin’ comets.
When I woke up on that sunny, Spring morning, I had this feeling in my stomach. It was a good feeling; a feeling of adrenaline and determination.
My gut feeling was telling me that we were going to be victorious over our biggest rivals that night. All day long, I was expecting us to win, and I wasn’t
allowing myself to think any differently. We had been playing so well all season and others were expecting us to win, as well. I was confident in our abilities as individuals but mostly as a team to come out of this game with our heads held high. I was both excited and anxious. I was excited because I kept picturing our reactions if we would actually beat Clayton. But I was also anxious to see if my gut feeling would prove to be true.
When I arrived at the field to begin warming up, it was evident that my teammates all had the same fire about the game that would begin in just 45 short minutes. When it was time for the game to start, nerves were escalated. Everyone was full of energy and ready to start the game. As the intense, high-‐pressure game continued on, my team ended up scoring 3 goals.
By the time that the final whistle was blown, we had all been counting down the seconds on the clock in anticipation because we knew we had won the game. We had not only beaten our biggest rivals, but we had also shut them out, not allowing them to score any goals on us. It was the best feeling in the world. We all ran up to each other and embraced each other in a massively sweaty group hug with cheers of victory and laughter. I was expecting us to win, and we did.
As a team, we knew that having a strong and confident mindset before entering the game would increase our performance. Winning this rival game is one of my favorite memories from my high school years, all because I got what I was expecting: a much needed and deserved win against one of the toughest teams in our conference.
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INTERNal Thoughts
with Muriel
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR RETIRED ADULTS!Join us for the following events exclusively for retired adults:
Lunch and a SPOOKY MatineeJoin us for lunch and then head on down to Chris
Johnson’s basement theater for a movie from film’s golden years that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Monday, October 26 Meet at church at 11:00am
A Christmas CarolTravel with us to Sanford for Lunch at Mrs. Lacey’s
Magnolia House and then it’s on to the Temple Theater for a production of the classic tale, A Christmas Carol.
It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas, so go ahead and put this event on your calendar (and invite some friends, too!).
Friday, December 11 Meet at church at 11:00am
Cost is $20, plus lunch money
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Wood ’s to the wise.
Last year this +me was one of the busiest, yet most joyous +mes of my life. The invita+ons we had typed up, printed, me+culously decorated, and addressed by hand had long been sent in the mail. The recep+on hall was reserved and the playlist was made. The menu was set and the ceremony was planned.
October 25 will be Ashley’s and my one year anniversary! The feeling of excitement, expectancy, and urgency is s+ll vivid in our memories. As we were heading into the final month before the wedding, we had accomplished so much in preparing for this special day; and yet, there was s+ll so much leF to do. It was a strange mix of emo+ons, bouncing back and forth between the impa+ence of wan+ng that day to arrive quickly but also hoping +me would slow down to allow all the finishing details to be ironed out.
The advice we consistently received regarding this whole process was nearly verba+m from everyone: “It will fly by. Just enjoy the day and take it all in.” So that’s what we did, as best we could. We set up the tables and finished the ceremony programs and test and re-‐tested the slideshow and music and poor Ashley (she is truly a saint) stayed up the night before un+l 3am baking cakes for the recep+on. But we did it all with a smile on our faces and immeasurable happiness in our hearts. The wedding came and was absolutely perfect, not because those countless details came together but because there we stood, hand in hand in the presence of God and those who love us to begin sharing our life together. We were “taking it all in” and man, was it a beau+ful picture. There’s a reason scripture compares Christ returning for his Church to a bride and groom being united in marriage. I can think of nothing more profound or lovely.
All of that hard work and planning and hours of sleep lost were well worth it. The eleven months’ worth of pa+ence it took from the +me we became engaged to the wedding day seemed only a moment compared to this past year of experiencing the joy of married life.
Isn’t that how it is with expectancy? All throughout life, we have all kinds of things that we look forward to (or dread). Whenever something lies ahead of us, we can become fixated on that event, anxiously wai+ng for it to arrive or pass by quickly. In such +mes, God’s advice to us is to “take it all in” or, put more directly, “be present in the moment.” How simple, yet how difficult! The process of wai+ng and expec+ng is just as forma+ve as the event itself. When we slow down and seek to be present in each moment, we open ourselves to God’s teaching in a new way. He will take each experience, good or bad, and lovingly shape us more fully into who we were made to be!
Dear friend, as you journey wherever you’re going this day, this week, this year, do not rush yourself along or wish too quickly for the des+na+on. Instead, take each step gently and purposefully, knowing that no ma\er what the journey may hold, you have a God whose love is eternal and whose hands are never far from wherever your feet may be.
“Take It All In”
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” -Ernest Hemingway
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The topic for this month’s newsletter is “expecting”—for obvious reasons!
The first thing that came into my mind was years ago when I was expecting my first child. I was anxious for Alan's arrival. Unfortunately, Alan was NOT! He ended up being three weeks late and I've said he's been late ever since!!
It was a long labor but I gave birth to a six pound nine ounce baby boy!! What a miracle!! Proof that God in his awesomeness created that tiny human being. But the real miracle came a few days later when they found out about his congenital heart problems. He had pulmonary stenosis, which means that the valve leading from the heart to the lungs was not large enough, which made it hard for enough blood to be oxygenated. He also had a hole between the top two chambers of his heart.
The cardiologists said had he been born when he was due, Alan wouldn't have lived. This caused me to rethink my anxiousness over his arrival. Those three weeks were nothing to me, but it made the difference between life and death for my baby boy. It also made me realize who is in charge, and it isn't me!! This baby boy has grown up and is now counseling abused women and children at Interact in Raleigh! God in his infinite wisdom had a plan all along!!
As most of you know, Don and I met in the Army, fell in love and got married. What you don’t know is that it wasn’t so easy to get married. We were expecting to have an easy time getting married. Just run up to the Justice of the Peace and we’re married. No. I was expecting everyone to be happy for us and want us to get married. No. My Commanding Officer and 1st Sergeant, I found out, didn’t like Don at all. I kept asking for time off and they refused the requests. They had long talks with me about how Don was going to beat me and not take care of me. Finally I put in a 30 day written formal request asking for the time off but I still wasn’t sure if they were going to honor it. Because of not knowing exactly when, I didn’t tell my mom & dad about it. I was expecting them to be happy for me. No. I don’t think my mom has forgiven me to this day for not inviting her to the wedding! We finally got married 5 months from the day we met and no, we weren’t expecting. ☺
3 weeks after we’re married Don and I were leaving the gym on base. I left a few minutes after Don and was running to catch up with him when I had this brilliant but not so brilliant idea. I decided
to run and jump on his back to surprise him, not expecting him to act defensively. (Don grew up in a tough town; there were fights all the time. He actually joined the service when they called the National Guard to his high school to control the fighting.) Anyway, as soon as I jumped on his back, he grabbed me and threw me over his head. I get about halfway over his head and he realizes it’s me and tries to catch me, which ends badly. Oh my gosh! My face smashes down into the sidewalk. My face and glasses had deep cuts in them and my arms and knees were all torn up. It was not a pretty sight. Well the next day when I went into work you can just imagine what my C.O. and 1st Sergeant thought. They never did believe that it was an accident. They were expecting Don to beat me and this convinced them that he had. But he never did.
No one was expecting Don and me to stay married but pretty soon we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. When you have the Lord in your life sometimes he surprises you. You think you have a plan but the Lord just sits back and laughs because He has His own plan for you. When we got married a lot of people were getting divorced. I was one of those people not expecting us to make it. I went into the marriage thinking that we would probably get divorced after a few years. Then the Lord showed me that His plan for us was not to get divorced, but to stay married. I sometimes wonder if it’s because He knew that we would someday be raising 3 of our grandsons. I don’t know. Whatever the reason I’m really glad He had His own plan for us.
In my 38 years I have expected a lot of things in my life. I have been on the end of the
expectancy line numerous times. When I was in high school I waited to hear back from
the college of my first choice. I waited to hear if I got in to honors chorus and the roles I
wanted for the fall play and the spring musical.
While in college my patience ran thin being in the expectancy line. I wanted things now and I
wanted them my way. I hated to wait on others. For me, patience had to come with what I was
expecting.
Amy and I waited years for our little buddle of joy to come along. My patience was tested to the
brink during those trying times. The thought of my being a Father was something else. Was I
going to be a good Father? How am I going to be able to provide for her and Amy? Now Amy,
Hanna and Lyla?
Expectancy brought Uneasiness. It was the fear of not knowing what was in store. We turned to
God for guidance and mercy. Through his words my uneasiness became security. Through him all
things are possible. Through Him I saw the expectancy of new life bringing our family complete.
Not just once but twice!
So when I hear or see the word Expectancy, I see patience being tested and the hope of new
beginnings.
otes from Stephen
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World Hunger Awareness Month
! Sometimes, expectations go unmet. That’s the case for the estimated 795 million people who are starving as you read this. Can you imagine what it would be like to expect food, to need it, but never have it come and relieve your pain?
That’s reality for too many people in this world, and at BBC, we want to provide oppor tunities so that some of those unmet expectations can star t to be fulfilled.
On Saturday, October 24 at 2:00pm, help us pack over 10,000 meals in 2 hours!
From the youngest kids to the oldest adults, we’ve got a place for you to serve. See Paul to sign up, or register through our website at bensonbaptist.org.
TWO WAYS TO HELP:1) Volunteer
2) DonateEach meal costs $0.29 to pack, so the more
funds we raise, the more people we can feed!
$2.90 feeds 10 people $14.95 feeds 50 people
$29.00 feeds 100 people $87.00 feeds 300 people
Donate by writing a check with “Stop Hunger Now” in the memo line, or follow the Stop Hunger Now link though our website, bensonbaptist.org.
Stop Hunger Now!
yam jam!
After sweet potato fields are harvested, there’s often a lot of yams left over—help us put them to use.
Join us on Saturday, October 17 as we par tner with the Society of St. Andrews to glean a harvested field and collect unused yams. Everything that we collect will go straight to a hungry Nor th Carolina family.
All ages are welcome! See Tyler to sign up.
Give this tater a home!BACKPACK BUDDIES!
WE NEED FOOD!
Help us stock our shelves as we pack 50 bags each week for hungry students at Benson Elementary. The most needed items are:
• Pop-top meats (Viena sausage, Chef Boyardee, etc.)
• Pop-top or peel-top fruits (Including applesauce)
• Pop-top or peel-top vegetables
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Think of it as homecoming...lite.
One service at 11:00am with special guests from
The Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina
October 25 is
Covered dish lunch to follow
BBC’s Children & Youth Ministries Page
The Youngins
Search: “Benson Baptist Youth” BBC_ _ Youth
I am His & Yours, Tyler Wood
Youth Group - Sundays, 6-7 pm PEAK - Wednesdays, 6-7:30 pm
F A
L L
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ing into October!
Fifth Quarter - Join us after the home South Johnson football games in the fellowship hall for food, Football Friday, and fellowship! The remaining dates are October 8, 23, & 30.
17 Yam Jam - On Saturday, October 17, we will glean sweet pota-toes from a local field for hungry families in need across NC from 8:30am til around lunchtime. All are invited! This is a great hands-on missions opportunity for kids as well! Please RSVP by signing up on the bulletin boards or letting Tyler know directly.
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Lighthouse Parade & Trunk-or-Treat Party - Sunday, October 25 will hold our annual Lighthouse Parade! Children are invited to bring their homemade, decorated lighthouse and wear their costumes! As the parade processes around Main and Church Streets, we will need several vehicles to set up for trunk-or-treat! All are invited and anyone can decorate their vehicle. Contact Tyler to sign up your car or truck. Fire up Pinterest and get your sweet tooth ready!
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OCTOBER HAPPENINGS Sun., 10/4 - World Communion Sunday Tues., 10/6 - Circle Groups Meet (7:00pm) Sun., 10/11 - World Hunger Sunday Feed Campbell Students (7:00pm at Campbell) Sat., 10/17 - Yam Jam Sun., 10/18 - Janet Matthews’ Ordination Service! (11:00am; see below) Deacons Meeting (2:00pm) Wed., 10/21 - Church Conference (6:45pm) Fri., 10/23 - Fifth Quarter Sat., 10/24 - Benson Healthy Harvest (9:00am - 2:00pm) Stop Hunger Now (2:00pm) Sun., 10/25 - UNIFY Sunday (One Service at 11:00am, meal to follow) Lighthouse Parade and Trunk or Treat (5:00pm) Mon., 10/26 - Lunch and a Spooky Matinee (11:00am) Fri., 10/30 - Fifth Quarter
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BIRTHDAYS Steven Burgess 10-1 Steve Reed 10-2 Matt Frazier 10-4 Halle Adams 10-5 William Massengill 10-5 Beth Pate 10-6 Ann Lee 10-6 Reagan Vanek 10-7 Jake Vanek 10-9 Westin Vanek 10-9 Betsy Stevens 10-10 Sue Price 10-11 Maynard Barnes 10-13 Brian Naig 10-13 Braston Newton 10-13 Kenneth Neighbors 10-16
Charley Catherine Johnson 10-20 Tommy Rogers 10-21 Gayle Holmes 10-22 Robbie Hood 10-24 Kendall Tart Denning 10-24 Aleen Langdon 10-25 Mary Helen Paige 10-25 Jenna Hope Johnson 10-27 Tommy Dixon 10-28 Liz Whittington 10-28 Deborah Turner 10-29
THIS Month…What’s happening
Join us for a special service as we ordain Janet Matthews to deacon ministry!
Sunday, October 18 11:00am BBC Sanctuary
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and what we did Last month!Kara (left) and Jessica Johnson (below), who have been telling their father for years that they are princesses, prove it by serving on the 2015 SJHS Homecoming Court
(In a related story, a local eye doctor is charged with Grand Theft Auto, accused of hijacking the mayor’s convertible)
A little rain can’t crush our Mule Days spirit! Despite
sogginess on carnival night, BBC youngsters stay in for an evening of Fellowship Hall fun
and games (thanks to the quick, creative thinking of
their fearless leader, Tyler!)
Boo the clown, a dead ringer for Brian
Honeycutt, is happy to slosh down Main
Street for the big Mule Days parade
(Above) Balaam’s talking
donkey made the long trek all
the way from Numbers 22 to
join us on Mule Days Sunday
FOR FULL COLOR PICTURES, DOWNLOAD THE NEWSLETTER AT WWW.BENSONBAPTIST.ORG (from the homepage, go to the “News” tab and click on “Newsletters”)
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Can you tell which BBC celebrities are waving at you as they lead the way in the Mule Days parade?
Muriel teaches little learners about Adam and Eve on Wednesday night in the nursery.
Campbell sophomore Jordan
Harshbarger was sad to get rained out
of the Mule Days rodeo, but found that
pound cake and Pictionary in the
Fellowship Hall was a close second!
Thanks to ALL the BBC ladies
who helped make Women’s Sunday such a
tremendous worship event!
Students from the Woven college class pack
bags for Backpack Buddies
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So here’s another thing about newsletters…they’ve gotta have an even number of pages. This month, we had an extra one. I was thinking about how to fill it when I saw this picture Tyler took of a rainbow stretching like a technicolor dome above our church (if you aren’t viewing it in color, it’s really worth checking out online).
With all of the rain we’ve been having lately, I’m reminded not only of the initial promise the rainbow represents, but of its underlying truth that, when all is said and done, God’s got this.
Might that be something we all keep in mind when our expectations go unfulfilled, because the truth is, at some point, it’s gonna happen. Somebody will fail to follow through on a promise, a diagnosis will pop up, people will be people, and brokenness will shine through.
In those times, remember the rainbow, arching above the Church and her people, calling their attention upward when the rain down here is thick.
If I were to fill these final white gaps of paper with a prayer, that’d be it. Not that all of your expectations would be met, but that, when they aren’t, you have the strength to look up and, in the quiet beauty of the rainbow, hear God’s promise: “I am here.”
Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.
Genesis 9:12-13
the reassurance of the rainbow
Benson Baptist Church P.O. Box 323 Benson, NC 27504
BBConnections
October, 2015
“I’m buying a sword!” - The giddiest Luke Tart I’ve ever seen, entering the world’s largest knife store.
“You summoned me when you said my magic words—HEE HAW!” - Balaam’s donkey, who visited BBC and made himself at home behind the pulpit on Mule Days
“Steven, do you know who made the rainbow?” “Yes! Jesus. And God!” “Buddy, did you know that Jesus IS God?” “Yes…that’s my man!”
- Paul and his oldest son, talking toddler theology while marveling at a rainbow
wordsinyourown“
“Notable quotes from Benson Baptists
“This is an introvert’s inferno.’” - Self-professed introvert Ashley Lane upon entering a really crowded, really big space in Knoxville