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Rev. Eric Davidson, Associational Missionary Mrs. Nancy Evans, Administrative Assistant
Telephone: 919-776-9423 FAX: 919-776-8490
Email: [email protected] Web: www.sandycreekba.com
Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday 9:00 am.—12:00 pm. Other Hours by Appointment
The Link Newsletter Sandy Creek Baptist Association of Churches
March, 2018
Strengthening Churches to BE the Church: To Equip, To Encourage, To Engage
“Your Missionary’s Musings” for January
As we begin a new year, I want to encourage you with the following article.
“The obituaries of rural and small-town churches are premature,” wrote Thom Rainer in his article, “Five Reasons Rural and Small-Town Churches Are Making a Comeback.”
“Indeed, we continue to see clear evidence of hope and promise for both the churches and the communities. While the need is still great in the cities and more urban populations, we cannot ignore God’s work and opportunities in less populous areas.
What is taking place to give us such optimism and hope? Allow me to share five reasons. I must admit I was sur-prised at some of the research I found on this topic.
1. The migration trend from these less populated areas has reversed. There seems to be conventional wisdom that people are fleeing rural areas. There is a good reason for this perception. It indeed has been a negative trend for decades. But did you know the trend has reversed? Did you know the rate of decline in rural populations began re-versing in 2011? Did you know the population in rural areas actually began increasing in 2016? This development is huge and should not be ignored by church leaders, denominations, and networks!
2. There are a lot of people in rural and small-town areas. The population number depends on how you de-fine rural and small town. If you include any areas under 2,500 in population, there are 60 million people living there. That is a huge mission field that cannot be ignored.
3. More church leaders are expressing a calling to rural churches and small-town churches. Though our data is anecdotal, we have confidence we are seeing a trend. We began to notice it more in our conversations with Gen Xers and Millennials, but we are seeing this trend even among older Boomer pastors today. Much like the move to replanting and revitalization, we are seeing a calling among these leaders to become a part of these churches and communities.
4. More church leaders are serious about rooting themselves and their families in these communities and churches. Par t of the calling we are hear ing is a desire to establish roots in these less populated areas. For many decades for many leaders, these churches were perceived more as stepping stones to the next opportunity. This attitude is shifting. The metaphor is changing from steppingstones to roots.
5. The simpler life of rural or small-town areas is becoming increasingly attractive to many people, including church leaders. Simply stated, many people are weary of the frenetic pace and cluttered life often emblemat-ic of more densely populated areas. There is a desire to return to the basics of an uncluttered life. Church leaders are among those seeking this life balance.
The revitalization and replanting movement is growing. Among those churches in this growing movement are churches in rural [areas] and in small towns. It is an incredible thing to watch.
God has not given up on rural and small-town churches.
We shouldn’t either.”
Together IS Better!!! Eric
Rev. Eric Davidson, Associational Missionary Mrs. Nancy Evans, Administrative Assistant 205 N Steele St., Sanford, NC 27330
Telephone: 919-776-9423 FAX: 919-776-8490
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sandycreekba.com
Monday—Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Other Hours by Appointment
The Link Newsletter Sandy Creek Baptist Association of Churches
January, 2020
“Strengthening Churches to BE the Church: Equip, Encourage, Empower”
CHURCHES November YTD
Antioch $ - $ 500.00
Bear Creek $ - $ 1,200.00
Bennett $ - $ 2,000.00
Bethany $ 250.00 $ 1,650.00
Bonlee $ 536.00 $ 1,161.00
Brookdale $ - $ 2,250.00
Brush Creek $ 610.50 $ 2,372.25
Centro Familiar Cristiano $ - $ 1,850.00
Cool Springs $ 1,500.00 $ 5,175.00
CoolWater Cowboy Church $ 177.87 $ 1,821.90
Cornerstone $ - $ 750.00
Cumnock $ 208.33 $ 2,083.34
East Sanford $ 125.00 $ 1,768.00
Emmaus $ - $ 9,200.00
Fall Creek $ 350.00 $ 4,615.00
Fellowship $ 200.00 $ 4,361.00
Flat Springs $ - $ 4,735.00
Filipino American $ - $ 300.00
Grace Hill $ - $ 600.00
Goldston $ - $ 2,404.00
Good News $ 250.00 $ 2,750.00
Gum Springs $ - $ 1,875.00
Hickory Grove $ - $ 3,447.30
Hickory Mountain $ - $ -
Hunt Springs $ 198.00 $ 2,046.00
Jonesboro Heights $ - $ 1,959.94
Joy $ - $ 1,950.00
Juniper Springs $ - $ 4,500.00
Kingdom Builders of Christ $ - $ -
Loves Creek $ 143.75 $ 1,686.25
Mays Chapel $ - $ 840.00
Moncure $ - $ 2,759.86
Moons Chapel $ - $ 1,900.00
Mount Olive $ - $ 8,984.00
New Life Praise $ 50.00 $ 700.00
New Salem $ - $ 500.00
Oakley $ - $ 6,621.14
Pittsboro Baptist $ 545.24 $ 5,510.60
Pleasant Hill $ - $ 900.00
Primera Iglesia Bautista $ - $ -
Rives Chapel $ - $ -
Roca Fuerte $ - $ -
Rock Springs $ - $ 1,000.00
Rocky River $ 436.47 $ 5,925.75
Sandy Branch $ 2,109.22 $ 9,359.16
Sanford, First $ - $ 14,000.00
Shepherd's Flock $ 72.72 $ 906.24
Siler City First $ 208.33 $ 4,791.63
Tramway $ 300.00 $ 3,300.00
Tyson Creek $ 250.00 $ 2,416.64
TOTAL CHURCH INCOME $ 8,521.43 $ 141,426.00
Other Income - Special Offering $ 634.00 $ 1,874.00
INTEREST INCOME $ 6.07 $ 54.44
TOTAL RECEIPTS $ 9,161.50 $ 143,354.44
Expenses This Month $ 10,764.88
Expenses To Date $ 134,054.65
Budget Requirements Per Month $ 13,836.58
Budget Requirements To Date $ 152,202.38
SCBA FUNDS 11/30/2019
Capital Bank - Checking $ 30,881.48
Capital Bank - Restricted $ 19,334.62
BUDGET 2019 $ 166,039.00
SCBA WMUSCBA WMUSCBA WMUSCBA WMU: At the New Year, most turn to thoughts of
what to do better, do more, or do less or not at all. How many make it a matter of prayer, asking God to “change me into the woman You created me to become, grant me the grace to receive Your direction, and grant me the courage to trust You in the process?” A quote on page 48 of the Janu-ary 2020 issue of Missions Mosaic states: “I would rather be comfortable and slightly miserable than change.” I was compelled to ask myself just how comfortable can I be wal-lowing in the misery of spiritual stagnation? Psalm 37: 4-6 slipped in between my thoughts and seemed to be my answer. If I “delight [my]self also in the LORD, …He shall give [me] the desires of [my] heart.” If I “commit [my] way to the LORD, trust also in Him, …He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth [my] righteous-ness as the light, and [my] justice as the noonday.” How could I, or any of God’s children, want to live any other way? To live this way is the only way to glorify God in the days ahead, and open ourselves to His working in and through us. Here are a few of the opportunities for celebration, mis-sions, growth, and change in 2020: January 3-5, HERE & NOW EXPERIENCE in missions for college students and young adults (baptistsonmission.org/collegemissions); Feb-ruary 10-16, FOCUS on WMU; February 21-22, students and leaders MISSIONS JAM at Piedmont Assoc. office, Greensboro (Julie Keith at [email protected] or 336-462-
4088); and April 24-25, MISSIONS EXTRAVAGANZA and 129th Annual Meeting of WMU NC at Pritchard Memo-rial Church, Charlotte (www.wmunc.org/missions-me-
2020). January Prayer Patterns focuses on spiritual gifts as do other articles in this issue. Perhaps this is a good year to discover your spiritual gifts and how to use them “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edi-fying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). A great way to live our 2019-2020 Watchword by “be[ing] steadfast, immova-ble, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that [our] labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58) and ful-fill our mission to inform and inspire Christians to influence their world for Christ.
SCBA WMU Director: Susan Ferguson, (919) 548-0115, [email protected]
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, cry-ing, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Gala-tians 4:4-7
November is National Adoption Month. Over 100,000 chil-dren are adopted each year in the U.S. but more than 400,000 remain in foster care. One couple out of South Da-kota has stepped up. They have 5 children all adopted or fostered. A few years ago, Meredith and Matthew Pfishter were ready to start their family but struggled to conceive. After careful consideration, they decided to look into adop-tion and so they landed on foster care. Within the past six years the Pfisher’s have fostered over 100 children and eventually adopted 4 of those children. The Pfishter’s might have a full house, but they say they’re open to adopting more. Their hope is that their children feel safe and know that they’re loved and that they’re special. The family now advocates and encourages people to foster and adopt, stating that it has been one of the best decisions they have ever made. (Care Net)
It is our hope that moms considering abortion will choose LIFE through adoption. We offer resources that will con-nect them with a local adoption agency, who will guide them every step of the way. Choosing LIFE through adop-tion is the most sacrificial thing a mom can do for her baby.
As adopted Children of God, we share with Jesus all rights to God’s resources. As God’s heirs, we can claim what He has provided for us – our identity as His children. This is our prayer this Christmas season; that our moms would say “YES” to “JESUS” and therefore be adopted into the family of God!
Reach Out News………November 27th is my last day as Executive Director at Reach Out Crisis Pregnancy Center. My husband and I are retiring from full time ministry and moving out of the Sanford area. I thank God for the oppor-tunity to serve these past five years at RO. I could not have done it without all your prayers and support. Continue to pray for our staff and Board of Directors as they move for-ward in filling this position.
Updates….. We have new logo! Also, we are working on a new Facebook page. Go to Reach Out Pregnancy Center Sanford and like the page!
Needs…. Size 4 & 6 Diapers, and Hooded Infant Towels.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Together for Life, Executive Director
January—Calendar of Events-
1 New Year’s Day—Office Closed
4 9:00am SCBA Office moving to Sanford First Baptist
6 6:30pm Executive Council Team Mtg. at Fellowship
21 12 Noon Pastor’s Luncheon at Best Food, Siler City
23 12 Noon Pastor’s Luncheon at Golden Corral, Sanford
February—Calendar of Events-
18 12 Noon Pastor’s Luncheon at Best Food, Siler City
20 12 Noon Pastor’s Luncheon at Golden Corral, Sanford
The deadline for articles or event fliers to be turned in to the office, for THE LINK Newsletter is the 15th of the month
prior to the published month.
403 Carthage St Sanford, NC 3770
919.292.2657
