First Thoughts David Hull, Pastor

These are exciting days as our church moves through Faith Steps to the Future. Many things are happening. Let me try to summarize what you can expect over the next few weeks:

October 30 – Our Student Ministry is having a Rummage Sale with the proceeds going to the Capital Campaign. Students and leaders are working hard to make this event

be a significant contribution to the stewardship efforts for our new building. Invite your friends to join you at the Rummage Sale on Saturday at the CLC from 7:00 – 11:00.

October 31 – Advance Commitment Sunday is the day when a group of church members will offer to step out first by making their commitments early. You may bring your commitment cards to the Parlor from 9-12 a.m. this Sunday.

November 7 – In both morning worship services we will announce the total of the Advance Commitments. After this is done, commitment cards will be mailed to everyone in the church in preparation for the next Sunday.

On Sunday night we will have our final session of Foundations for Life. Then, at 6:30 p.m., a Deacon Ordination Service will be held in the Chapel.

November 14 – Commitment Sunday is a very special day for our church. Because of that we will follow a different schedule on that day. You have been invited to a Celebration Brunch at 9:00 a.m. in the CLC. (Children will meet together in the Fellowship Hall at that time.) Food will be served and a program will help us to wrap up the campaign emphasis. Following the Celebration Brunch we will all move to the Sanctuary for one combined worship service. During this service we will have a time of commitment when the church family brings forward our commitments and literally takes “steps” of faith into the future.

On Sunday night our Music Ministry will offer a Veterans Day Concert, which should be a very memorable ending to a great day.

November 21 – The total amount committed will be announced in both worship services as we celebrate what God has done in our midst.

Our annual Church Thanksgiving dinner will be the final “step” in our journey of commitment as we give thanks to God for all of the blessings that we enjoy. I anticipate that our thanksgiving will be filled with great praise this year.

Big things are happening at First Baptist Church! I hope that you will join us as we take these steps together!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sermon

“Stepping Out in Thanks”

Psalm 116:12-19

First Fellowship - 8:15 a.m.

Music from Jeremy Wilkerson and Band

Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.

Sanctuary Worship - 10:30 a.m.

Advance Commitments for Faith Steps to the Future

will be received in the Parlor from

9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Evening Activities - Foundations for Life

October 28, 2010

Saturday, October 30

7:00-11:00 a.m. CLC

Proceeds go to the

Ministry Calendar Sunday, Oct. 31 First Fellowship/FH 8:15 AM Langley S. S./Chapel 8:30 AM Library Open 9-9:15 AM Sunday School 9:15 AM Library Open 10:10 AM-10:45 AM Worship/Sanct. 10:30 AM Library Open 11:40 AM-12:00 PM Music Comm./Parlor 11:45 AM Ct. of Honor/Chapel 1:30 PM Ct. of Honor Reception/FH 2:00 PM Faith Study /107 3:30 PM Capital Camp. Comm./Chapel 4:00 PM Youth Handbells/329 4:00 PM Foundations for Life/ 111, 114, Parlor 4:00 PM 108, 115 5:00 PM Pastor’s Class/FH 5:00 PM Youth Choir/CR 5:00 PM Student Fun Night/Off site 6:00 PM

Monday, Nov. 1 Letter Writing/ 242 9:00 AM WEE Ministry Chapel 9:30 AM Hallelujah Choir/CR 10:30 AM HCCA/CR, 241-242 4:00-10 PM Men’s BSF/Parlor, Chapel, 3rd FL 5:00 PM Delta Kappa Gamma/CLC 6:00 PM CODA/140 6:30 PM

Tuesday, Nov. 2 Tues. Morn. Intercess./242 7:00 AM Ministers Mtg./242 9:00 AM Beth Moore Bible St./342 9:00 AM Library Open 10 AM-12 PM Staff Mtg./242 10:30 AM Music Staff Mtg./242 1:00 PM Mommy Time/Parlor 4:00 PM First Fellowship Worship Tm. 5:30 PM Grief Share/CLC 6:00 PM Boy Scout Trp. 70/ 343 7:00 PM Adult Handbells/329 7:00 PM

Wednesday, Nov. 3 Writing Your Life Story/118 11:00 AM Library Open 4:00-5 PM Young Musicians Handbells/ 329 4:15 PM Supper/FH 4:45 PM M & M/2nd, 3rd FL 5:25 PM Y.A. M&M/107 5:45 PM Prayer Meeting/FH 5:45 PM “Liftoff”/309-310 6:00 PM Sanctuary Choir/CR 7:00 PM Finance Comm./Parlor 7:00 PM

Thursday, Nov. 4 Moms in Touch/Parlor 8:00 AM Forum/107, 118 6:30 PM Clarion Winds/242 7:30 PM

Friday, Nov. 5 Men’s BSF Leaders/Parlor 4:30 AM Scrap Booking/CLC 9:00 AM-1 PM LCT Retreat/CR, Sanct.,, FH 141, 241 6:30 PM

Saturday, Nov. 6 LCT Retreat/CR, Sanct. 241, 141 8:00 AM-2:00 PM New Song. Sat./FH 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Missions and Outreach Mike Pearce, Minister of Missions and Outreach

Place These 2010-2011 Serving Opportunities on your Calendars!

Haiti The First Baptist Mission Team is going back to Haiti, Sat. Nov. 20 - Sat. 27th, 2010. Additional volunteers are needed to join the team returning to Port Au Prince to work with Baptist Missionaries, Sam and Dolores York. Workers are needed for eyeglasses, pharmacy, witnessing, dentistry, and medicine. Cost for trip participants is $1,250.00. Some financial assistance is available. Call 256-461-7482 for more information.

Serving the City as ONE – Friday, April 1 – Sunday, April 3

New this year with Serving the City—instead of one day of service we will extend the opportunities for service over the weekend. We know that many people have conflicts and it

would be impossible to avoid all of them, but if we offer a variety of projects over the whole weekend, classes, families, and individuals can choose the best time to serve. Write these dates down and keep them open on your calendar.

Perry County Again this summer we will offer work projects in construction led by Gordon Perry and other service projects led by Mike Pearce. The dates for this mission work are June 5 – 10, 2011. Watch for interest meetings in the spring for Perry County.

Interest Meeting for Summer Mission Trip to Alaska We are interested in taking a group of adults to Alaska this summer to serve in the Anchorage area. On Sunday, November 7 we will have a stand up 2 minute interest meeting immediately after both worship services. We will give you the basic information on the trip, what services we will be offering, cost, lodging, airfare, and other information related to the mission of this trip. Then on Wednesday night, November 10 at 5:30

we will have a more detailed interest meeting in room 141. This group works through Southern Baptist Churches. See Mike Pearce or Mark Seanor for more information.

Prayer CalendarPrayer CalendarPrayer CalendarPrayer Calendar

Have you been praying through your Prayer Calendar? It will assist you in praying for different aspects of our building process. Feel free to use the Prayer Calendar as a guide as you seek God’s will for our church and in your life as you consider your role in giving. The Prayer Calendar can also be viewed online at www.fbchsv.org.

This week in Sunday School:This week in Sunday School:This week in Sunday School:This week in Sunday School: • What produces unexpected generosity?

• How are we devoted to the “House” of our God? Join us for Sunday School on Sunday morning, October 31st as we study God’s Word and discuss these questions and more as they relate to our Capital Stewardship Campaign.

How to decide on a gift through Faith Steps to

the Future:

Decide:Decide:Decide:Decide: Trust God to sustain you in your giving decision, just as you trusted God to lead you in this decision. Cheerfully give a gift that has meaning and value to you. Not equal gifts but equal joy!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Campaign Gifts and Commitments

CASH GIFTS

Cash is the most common form of campaign giving. Cash gifts can be one-time gifts. Cash gifts most often are given weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually for three years. Some people will develop a three year plan and give the same amount on a regular basis. Others will consider three separate one-year plans and give differing amounts regularly each year. Often people give an up-front gift plus contributions regularly over time.

GIVING STRATEGIES FOR CASH GIFTS

1. Set Priorities. What priority does this project have among all the good and important ways that you spend your money? Are there priorities that can be postponed for a while? Are there current expenses that can be reduced? Sacrificial giving in-volves giving up one thing for something else of greater value to the donor.

2. Reallocate income. You may have current obligations that will end during the giving period of the capital campaign. What reduction in expenses do you expect that will free up cash and enable you to increase your gift?

3. Anticipated income. Some people receive periodic salary increases or bonuses from their employers. This may be a source for giving increased amounts each year of the campaign giving period.

4. Additional resources. What do you have that you no longer use or need that you could transform into a sacrificial campaign contribution?

5. Surprises. Unexpected windfalls do happen. Ask yourself the question: Have I received money I didn’t expect that I could commit to the campaign?

6. Monetize time and talent. “Time is money” and some of us may have more time than money! Are there enjoyable and mean-ingful income-producing opportunities available to you that would enhance your gift?

APPRECIATED ASSETS

By transferring ownership of appreciated assets to the church, the donor avoids paying capital gains tax on the sale of the as-set (owned for longer than one year). In addition, the donor receives an income tax charitable deduction for the full market value of the asset on the date of transfer of ownership. The church is “not for profit” and pays no tax when the asset is sold.

Stocks Bonds Mutual fund shares Paid up life insurance policies Real Property

CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST

A charitable lead trust may be established to distribute income to the church for a period of years. After the term of years is satisfied, the remaining trust principle is distributed to the beneficiary of your choosing.

GIFTS THROUGH YOUR CORPORATION

Some persons can give more when they give either in part or entirely through their corporation rather than from their personal income.

Gifts and commitments to Faith Steps to the Future can be made in memory of or in honor of persons you cherish.

If you own financial assets that are lower in value than when you first owned them, you can sell them, record a loss on your tax return and give the cash to the church.

The decision process...Pray — Discuss —Prioritize —Decide

1. GIFT PROFILE GUIDE

This Gift Profile Guide represents the great variety of gift amounts that are necessary to reach our financial goal.

The amounts are for three–year sacrificial commitments that are over and above members’ tithes and offerings.

Giving Period: Dec 5, 2010– Nov 30, 2013 (4 Tax Years)

To Raise $8,000,000

GIFTS @ SIZE each

2 $500,000 each

4 $250,000

6 $125,000 10 $ 75,000 20 $ 36,000 30 $ 24,000

40 $ 18,000 60 $ 12,000

80 $ 9,000 100 $ 6,000 120 $ 3,600 Many less than $3,600

2. “What is my part?”

No effort will be made to “tell” any person the amount he or she should commit. There are, however, some guidelines that might be used to deter-mine one’s part. “Have I asked God to direct my decision?” “Does this amount give an accurate reflection of who I am and what my resources are?” “Is this amount truly sacrificial?” “What will I sacrifice to give at his level?”

3. Concerned about making a commitment?

We make commitments every day of our lives. When we accept a job we commit to show up for work. We buy houses by making commitments of thirty years! We have electricity and our telephones because we have committed ourselves to pay for the services we use. None of us know the future, but to obtain important things in life we commit our financial re-sources and ourselves. We do it for ourselves. Will we do it for our Lord?

Celebration Brunch

The Celebration Brunch is the culminating event of our Faith Steps to the Future campaign. The brunch will be held on November 14 at 9:00 a.m. in the CLC. We look forward to a time of food, fellowship, and music, as well as words of reflection and anticipation. It is appropriate that we gather in the facility that served our church well in the past as we look forward with faith and hope to an expanded, refurbished facility that will better meet the needs of our church and ministries. Children, age 4 years of age through 6

th grade, will have their own special food and activities in the Fellowship

Hall. Nursery care will remain unchanged. After the brunch, we will join together in the Sanctuary for a combined worship service. First Fellowship and Sunday School will not meet on this date.

You may RSVP by returning the reply card to your Sunday School Department or by email at clcbrunch@fbchsv.org by October 31st.

Recreation Chris Sims, Christian Life Center

Coordinator

FYI Menu

Wednesday, November 3

Adults Baked Ham

Cheesy Potato Casserole Baked Apples

Rolls Dessert

Salad

Grilled Chicken Salad (Reservations for salad must be turned

in by noon on Wednesday.)

Kid’s Meal Pizza, Fruit, Cookie, Milk

STEWARDSHIP REPORT

Week # 4 Year-to-Date Goal: $231,840.00 Offering:

This Week $79,736.47 YTD $259,394.12

Debt Retirement: This Week $921.00 YTD $6,175.00

ATTENDANCE

Sunday School

Preschool 68 Children 110 Students 106 Adults 615 Brookdale—Regular Attenders 20 New Members 0 Visitors 40 TOTAL 961

Worship Services First Fellowship 409 Sanctuary Worship 566 TOTAL 975

Thank You

A Thank You note has been received from Janice and Bill Whipple. It has been placed on the bulletin board across from the church office.

Children’s Ministries Cindy Russell, Minister to Children

“Faith Steps to the Future” is the title of our capital stewardship campaign. Our goal in children’s ministry is that our unique faith heritage will be passed on to our children through the renewing of our faith in Christ. To accomplish this we have the following events and activities planned for our children:

Currently: If your child fills their piggy bank before November 14th you have two options: 1. You may bring the bank to the Childhood Ministries office and put the money into the collection bin. 2. You may place the money into a zip-top bag and keep it for your child to turn in all together on the 14th. November 7: “Faith Steps Sunday” . Our children will have a second Bible study designed just for them. This is also Advance Commitment Sunday. November 14: Celebration Sunday! The children 4 years—6th grade will have a Celebration party in Fellowship Hall; babies through 3 years will also have party activities planned, but they will be in their regular classrooms. Our party will begin at 9:00 and we will all share in the Celebration service at 10:30 in the Sanctuary. Our children will present their piggy banks as part of the Celebration service. This is quite a bit of information...so keep watching The Messenger and your e-mail for reminders and additional details. Also, be in prayer for the work we are doing. Prayer is the first work we do.

2010 Fall Festival at Tate Farms Thank you to all who helped make this year’s Fall Festival a success! From those

who sold tickets to those who performed...thank you for a great night!

Please note: The CLC will be closed on November 2nd due to the General Election. We are serving as a polling precinct and all other events are cancelled.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH PERIODICAL

600 GOVERNORS DRIVE

HUNTSVILLE, AL 35801

The MESSENGER (USPS 591-280) is published weekly except the week of Christmas by First Baptist Church, 600 Governors Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801. Periodical postage paid at Huntsville, Alabama 31801-5178. POSTMASTER send change of address to THE MESSENGER, 600 Governors Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801. Volume 61, Week Number 43, October 28, 2010

Experienced Adult Ministry Mark Seanor, Minister to Experienced Adults

It’s Almost Time for

Ethan Alexander Lea

At the writing of this Messenger article I am awaiting the call from Natalie and Michael to come up and be with them as Ethan Alexander comes into the world. We have been praying, preparing, and waiting for this day for nine months now. Angela, Aimee and Rylee are already up there helping Natalie as she gets ready for this special day. I will be traveling up later. As I look forward to Ethan’s arrival, his Grandpa has already purchased (as I have for both John David and Rylee) his very own fishing pole. I have also prepared a special letter to be given to him; this letter is to be opened and read at an appropriate time in his life. That letter is what I would like to share with you at this time. Dear Ethan, This letter comes to you long before you will be able to read or comprehend its message. I trust that your parents will save this letter for you, put it away in a safe place, and when the time comes that you are older and wiser, that it will be given to you. You begin your life at a wonderful and yet a dangerous time. The world is moving into new avenues of discovery with each new day. In your lifetime you will see many things come to pass that my mind cannot begin to comprehend now. You will enjoy a life full of love and joy from parents who are thrilled at your coming to live with them. You are afforded the high privilege of living in a Christian home. Although you will find things around you in constant change, I want you to remember that there is One who never changes - Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Learn of Him, Trust in Him, and Live for Him! Remember in life to Study Hard, Play Hard, and Keep the Son in your Eyes. Joy in your Journey, Grandpa Seanor Prov. 3:5-6

Ethan Alexander Lea born Saturday, Oct 23 at 12:39 p.m. 7 lbs 13 oz

Family Matters WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Stephen Frady 115 Irongate Rd Madison AL 35757-8724 Kathy Green 815 Billy D Harbin Rd New Market AL 35761-7506 CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY Rosie Byrd in the loss of her brother, Willie Merchant James & Sallie Keith in the loss of his mother and Ryan Keith in the loss of his grandmother, Berith Keith Mike & Becky Soutullo in the loss of his uncle and Mark Soutullo in the loss of his great-uncle, Francis Vogtner, Sr. Zack Wilson in the loss of his grandmother, Peggy Sue Wilson

Faith Community Nursing Ministry

“Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he

healed everyone.” Luke 6:19 NLT

Treatment options for mental illness include medication, talk therapy, or a combination of various treatment modalities. Because of the options, each person must receive an individual treatment plan to address his/her diagnosis and personal needs. Starting with

your family physician, find a hospital or psychiatrist that can treat the entire family. The plan should include interventions to educate the family, treat the person

medically, and address the spiritual and interpersonal components of the illness. Mental illness affects more than just the patient so make sure everyone that is

physically and emotionally connected to the patient seeks assistance for the

ramifications of the illness.

Angel Tree

The children from the Sarah Tate Reading Room who are still involved in our church will once again be placed on our Angel Tree. This is a wonderful

ministry opportunity to share the love of Christ this Christmas season. The tree will be set up Sunday, November 21.

Spring ….May 1-7, 2010 Location: Amelia Island, St. Augustine & Jacksonville, FL

Cost: $550

************************************************** Fall…September 24- October 2, 2011 Location: Cape Cod & Plymouth Cost: $725

(For more information and Reservations contact the Adult Ministry Office)