Volume LIII No. 7aVolume LIII No. 7aVolume LIII No. 7a

This past Tuesday President Obama attended a memorial service for five slain police officers in Dallas. I

did not hear his entire speech, but I was intrigued when he said “we are not as divided as we seem.” I do

not fully understand the meaning of this statement, but I hope he is right. I hope our nation is not as

divided as we seem, but racial unrest, the widening gap between the rich and the poor and political

bickering makes it hard to believe that our nation is not in serious trouble. We are

living in uncertain times and there is reason to be concerned. But, where there is

reason for concern, there is more reason to pray, so I am asking you to pray for our

nation. Pray for President Obama, the Congress, and Judiciary. Pray for Governor

McCrory and the State Legislature, and pray for Mayor Davis and the City

Council.

And don’t forget to pray for yourself. You may not need to be encouraged to pray

for your life, but I am asking you to pray a specific prayer of examination. In light

of the unrest in our nation, I believe we need to ask the Lord to help us examine

the strength of unity within ourselves. We need to ask for an awareness of the

tensions within us along the continuums of faith and fear, hope and despair and

love and hatred. This is not an easy prayer to offer. The Spirit will show us truths

about ourselves we would rather leave alone, but the unity of a community, a state,

or nation begins with people who are at peace with themselves. We cannot be

peacemakers in a fractured world if we’re fighting a war within.

On June 16, 1858 Abraham Lincoln stood before the Republican party of Illinois

and accepted their nomination for a senatorial election. Speaking to the unrest in

the country of the day, Lincoln said… a house divided against itself cannot stand.

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do

not expect the Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the house to fall – but I do

expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Thanks be to God, we have come a long

way since the days of Lincoln, but the truth of his statement holds. Division and rancor make for the undoing of a nation

and we, the body of Christ, cannot sit idly by and wish for better days. We must do our part to build a truly “United”

States by seeking unity with God, ourselves and our neighbors.

Joy in the Journey,

David

Sunday School

Teachers Meeting

July 17, 2016

4:00 p.m.

In the Activity Building

We will be sharing some important

general information and plans for the

upcoming year.

This Week . . .

Sunday, July 17—Communion 8:45 am Early Worship Service 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Worship Service 4:00 pm Sunday School Teachers Meeting

Monday, July 18 9:00 am Staff Meeting 9:30-12:00 Art Mini-Camp 6:15 pm Finance Committee Meeting 7:30 pm Deacons Meeting

Tuesday, July 19 9:30-12:00 Art Mini-Camp

Wednesday, July 20 7:00 am Men’s Prayer Circle 9:30-12:00 Art Mini-Camp 5:15 pm Family Night Supper: Baked Potato Bar 6:00 pm Family Night At Prayer

Music Day Camp

August 1-5 For children who have

completed grades 1-6

Cost: $55

9 spots are still available.

Sign up now!

The Day Camp Musical, “It’s Okay to be Different” will

be presented on Friday, August 5th at 5:00 p.m. in Cherry

Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited!

Cardboard paper-towel tubes are needed for a Music Day

Camp craft. Please donate your tubes at the church office!

Preparing for Sunday. . .

“The One Thing Needed”

Luke 10:38-42

When a dozen or more guests show up at your door there is work

to be done. There are meals to be prepared, dishes to be washed

and beds to be made. Hospitality is hard work and if you are the

only one making an effort, your patience will quickly run thin.

Martha is completely out of patience in this Sunday’s text. Jesus

and his disciples are visiting and Mary has left Martha to do all

the work. When Martha complains Jesus tells her that Mary has

chosen the better part. This story irks the industrious among us,

but without receiving we have nothing to give. Martha has made

a place at her table for Jesus, but can she see that The One Thing

Needed is for her to take a seat at his table?

“In the Good Ol’ Summertime”

Sing-Along and Silent Movie

July 28th The Carolina Civic Center presents Mark

Andersen at the console of the Robert

Morton theater organ on Thursday, July

28th at 7PM for an old fashioned Sing-

Along and that wonderful silent comedy

“Mighty Like A Moose.” Songs will be

led by Tim Little. Tickets are $10 for

Adults, $5 for Students. Contact the

Carolina Civic Center for more

information, 738-4339.

First Baptist Dinner Club

Join us for dinner & fellowship at

Pier 41 on Thursday,

July 21st, at 6:00 p.m.

Please contact the church office

to sign up-739-4336.

Please prayerfully consider . . .

This year we have implemented deacon care teams, and have asked each deacon to take an active role in

congregational care and ministry. As we begin the process of choosing new deacons please consider these new

responsibilities. Deacon Nominations will open on August 1st.

For the Record

Budgeted 2016 ............................ $775,000.00 Needed per week .......................... $14,663.46 Received 7/10/16 ......................... $19, 402.82 Yearly need to date .................... $410,576.92 Received to date ......................... $374,070.08 Over (Under) Budget.................. ($36,506.84)

Sunday School Attendance 7/10 — 231

Servants this Sunday—July 17, 2016 ETC—8:45 a.m.—Audrey Jaenicke,

11:00 a.m.—Audrey Jaenicke, Sara Benson

Welcoming—David & Judy Nicholson, Laura Nance

Collection—Lynn Wilson, Glenn Walker

Entrance Greeters

Children’s Building—Judy Driscoll

Walnut Street—Layton & Dianne Britt

6th Street—Robbie Harrell

Senior Entrance—Jim Driscoll

Security Monitor—George Lawson

Sound— Ross Driscoll

Video— Nate Cribb

Faith in Film Combined Sunday School—Coming in August!

Adult Sunday School Classes will be

combined to examine faith & theology as

presented in recent movies the first three

Sundays in August. Doug Reedy will lead

the discussion of “The Way” on August 7th,

Erin Collier will be discussing “Inside Out”

on August 14th, and David Elks will lead on

August 21st, discussing “The Intern.” Please

take some time to see these films prior to

class as this will be discussion time and not a

viewing.

Passportkids! Camp, Spartanburg, SC—July 10-13, 2016

Person of the Week

Nell Fields—Room 219

The Carolina Inn

400 Forsythe St.

Fayetteville, NC 28303

Send a card, letter, or other remembrance to

our special person this week.

CHURCH STAFF Contact us at 739Contact us at 739Contact us at 739---4336 or daphnefletcher@fbclumbertonnc.org 4336 or daphnefletcher@fbclumbertonnc.org 4336 or daphnefletcher@fbclumbertonnc.org www.fbclumbertonnc.orgwww.fbclumbertonnc.orgwww.fbclumbertonnc.org

Mrs. Nancy Bass Mrs. Nancy Bass Mrs. Nancy Bass ———Financial Coordinator Financial Coordinator Financial Coordinator

Rev. Erin CollierRev. Erin CollierRev. Erin Collier———Minister to ChildrenMinister to ChildrenMinister to Children

Dr. David ElksDr. David ElksDr. David Elks———PastorPastorPastor

Mrs. Daphne Fletcher Mrs. Daphne Fletcher Mrs. Daphne Fletcher ——— Administrative AssistantAdministrative AssistantAdministrative Assistant

Ms. Dorothy HuntMs. Dorothy HuntMs. Dorothy Hunt———Building SuperintendentBuilding SuperintendentBuilding Superintendent

Rev. Tim LittleRev. Tim LittleRev. Tim Little———Minister of MusicMinister of MusicMinister of Music

Mrs. Kandace RamseyMrs. Kandace RamseyMrs. Kandace Ramsey———Administrative AssistantAdministrative AssistantAdministrative Assistant

Rev. Doug ReedyRev. Doug ReedyRev. Doug Reedy———Minister of YouthMinister of YouthMinister of Youth

Address Change!

Effective July 1st, First Baptist will no longer

be using our post office box address. Our

official mailing address is now:

606 N. Walnut Street

Lumberton, NC 28358

This summer, we’re inviting you to remember that God is with you, wherever you go! Take a picture

with a “God is Here” sign (available at church) in the places that you find God this summer, then send

the picture(s) to the church office or any of the ministers. We’ll share the pictures on Facebook and put

together a slideshow at the end of the summer!

Church-Wide Mission Trip November 10—13, 2016

Black Mountain, NC Cost is $100.00.

Missions will be done around Asheville, NC including helping at the Veteran’s Restoration Quarters.

Everyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Includes: 3 nights lodging at Blue Ridge Assembly 3 Breakfasts 2 Suppers Missions Activities T-shirt