Morningside Baptist Church March 2018 Volume 61 Number 3

The Messenger The Monthly Newsletter of

Morningside Baptist Church Spartanburg, SC

We Seek a personal, life-changing relationship with God through prayer, engaging worship, and Bible teaching. We Serve others by modeling the love of Christ through missions and ministry involvement. We Share God’s grace through genuine, loving fellowship and discipleship.

Calendar of Events

4 - 11 Week of Prayer for North American Missions 4 Missions Spotlight - Good News Club Donut Fellowship - 10:30 A.M. Information Meeting for Unspoken Men’s Bible Study - Noon 5 Beautiful Hats - Mr. Gatti’s - 11:30 A.M.

Beautiful Hats - Home of Janice Parris - 6:00 P.M.

7 Home Missions Focus - 6:00 P.M.

10 Scouts Pinewood Derby - 1:00 P.M.

11 North American Missions Offering Received - 9:30 A.M. Nicaragua Team Evangelism Training - Noon 12 Deacons’ Meeting - 6:30 A.M.

13 WMU Facilitators Meeting - 9:30 A.M.

14 Youth Volunteer at Brown Roof Thrift Store - 4:45 P.M. 15 Prayer Shawl Ministry - 11:00 A.M.

17 Anderson Senior Follies - 2:00 P.M.

18 KidZone Victory Party - 6:00 P.M.

22 Hearts and Hands Crafters - 10:00 A.M.

24 Children’s Great Surprise - 10:30 A.M. Scout Family Campout 25 Holy Week Begins Palm Sunday Service - Procession of Palms Mside Weekday Preschool and Mside Children’s Choir Sing during Worship No Evening Activities 27 Joy of Missions - 12:00 P.M.

28 Youth Dress Rehearsal - 6:00 P.M. No Evening Activities 29 Maundy Thursday Service of Shadows - 6:00 P.M.

30 Good Friday Service, Luncheon - 12:00 P.M.

April 1 Easter Service, Baptism - 9:30 A.M. No Evening Activities

Come Worship with Us Palm Sunday, March 25 - 9:30 A.M.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final days of Jesus’ ministry. The children will enter the Sanctuary at the beginning of the service, waving palm branches just as the crowds did upon Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. The adult and children’s choirs of Morningside and the Preschool Partnership will sing.

Maundy Thursday, March 29 - 6:00 P.M. The youth of Morningside and the Sanctuary Choir will present the Service of Shadows based on the stations of the cross. The narrator—speaking from the point of view of the centurion—will offer a series of nine images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion.

Good Friday, March 30 - 12:00 P.M.

We will meet in the Sanctuary for a devotion and music by the Golden Tones and then enjoy a luncheon in the Fellowship Hall. Area nursing/retirement facilities have been invited to attend. Sign up for lunch in Sunday School classrooms or in the Welcome Center.

Easter Sunday, April 1 - 9:30 A.M.

In addition to special music and message on this Easter morning, we will celebrate the ordinance of baptism at the beginning of the service. Anyone who has recently made a decision to trust Christ as Lord and Savior—but has not yet made the decision public—is invited to respond during the invitation in the upcoming weeks. What an excellent day to participate in baptism! If you would like to speak with Pastor Steven about your decision, please call Kathy Green (Ext. 2) to make an appointment.

Letting the Shepherd Lead On the day that I sat down to write this column, two events collided to make that day unique. One of those events was the passing of Dr. Billy Graham. As he commented in a sermon, "Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will have just changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God." Though Dr. Graham is credited with that stirring statement, he was actually quoting the sentiment of another great evangelist of the prior century, D.L. Moody. Regardless of who receives credit for the quote, those words succinctly capture the gospel truth. As I reflected on the life and legacy of this servant of God, it struck me that Dr. Graham is now experiencing the reality he had so often proclaimed. After his faithful service and long battle with Parkinson's, even those who do not believe seemed to celebrate his death as though they were believers. With the attention from every media outlet, one would think that a revival has broken out in our land. Seemingly every paper and news clip about Billy Graham's passing includes a quote in which he shared the good news about faith in Christ. Due to the blessings of modern technology, we are still able to hear Dr. Graham's distinct voice reminding us of God's preparation of a heavenly home for all those who believe in Jesus Christ. While I never met Dr. Graham, I have found myself looking to his words often and taking new comfort from them. On the same day of his death, I was called on to take care of my mother while my father was out of town. Overall, Mama's health is fair for her age. Even so, she has some distinct challenges; she is now experiencing some dementia, and her eyesight is very limited. Mama has always been a constant in my life, but now our roles are reversing. My great-grandfather would often say, "once a man and twice a child," referring to the way that the ability to care for ourselves is fleeting. I now have a better understanding of what he meant by those words as I help care for my mother. Of all the changes that have occurred with the dementia, Mama’s faith has remained strong. She clearly remembers most the hymns and verses she learned as a child. Those same hymns and verses are the ones she taught me during my childhood and youth. I have always admired her sense of assurance in Christ and the fact that heaven awaits her. While she will never have the platform that Dr. Graham had, her life is still no less a testimony to the difference that faith makes here on earth and in the hereafter. As we enter into this month that leads to Easter, contemplate the difference that faith in Christ makes for life now and for eternity. Think of your loved ones and friends. Are any of them far from Jesus Christ? Ask them to come join us at Morningside as we remember the events that occurred during the last week of Jesus’ life and rejoice in his resurrection on Easter Sunday. They, too, can experience our celebration of Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Most of all, friends, exult in the good news that we have a heavenly home because of Jesus Christ our Savior. Pastor Steven

mside men

Men, we would like to determine a convenient time and location to schedule these small group sessions. If you are interested in participating in the study of Johnny Hunt’s book Unspoken: What Men Won’t Talk about and Why, please come to an information meeting with Mike Warner and Pastor Steven, facilitators. Hunt takes a commonsense approach in guiding men to look deeper into who they are and how they can become a more godly representative of Christ. He identifies eight common struggles and offers resources to help men combat these burdens: Pornography Alcohol Abuse Financial Stability Bitterness Depression Forgiveness Connection with Spouse Pressure to Provide Make plans now to learn how you can strengthen your relationship with Christ through the Bible-centered teaching of Unspoken. Cost: $10 for book

Men’s Small Group

Bible Study Information Meeting

Sunday, March 4 Noon

Youth Room

mside youth

OUR YOUTH

VOLUNTEER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

Brown Roof Thrift Store Wednesday, March 14

4:45 - 7:30 P.M. Meet at the Church, and bring $ for supper at Zaxby’s.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Dress Rehearsal for Maundy Thursday

Service of Shadows Wednesday, March 28

6:00 P.M. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

June 18 - 22 Charleston Southern

University

MFuge is designed to give students a mission experience that opens their eyes to similar opportunities where they can serve in their own communities. The total cost is $200. Sign up in the Youth Room by March 14. $50 deposit is due at that time. Contact Steve Kibbe for more information.

mside seniors

mside kids

The Creation and

Ark Encounter October 19-22

Some highlights of our four-day journey to Kentucky:

*Kentucky’s Artisan Center *The Genesis Creation Museum

*Dinner Buffet at Emzara’s Kitchen *Paddlewheel Boat Cruise and Captain’s Dinner

*Tour of Noah’s Ark Replica *Shopping and Sightseeing See Jack Dodds for more information about the trip.

Kidzone Victory Party! Sunday, March 18

6:00 P.M. We will celebrate

getting our full “armor.” Ephesians 6:10

Family Easter and Community Event

Children Age 3 - Grade 5

Saturday, March 24 10:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Families will experience hands-on fun with

a variety of surprising activities. Through these WOW activities, children will learn that

JESUS IS ALIVE!

Snacks and Sno-cones

Silly Selfies

Inflatable House

Science Experience Booths

Free Hot Dog Lunch

Clowns

Cake Walk

Contact Freida Cole soon to volunteer to serve on one of the following teams:

Snack, set-up, outreach, or science and faith stations.

mside missions

"We must not love with words or

speech, but with truth and action.”

1 John 3:18

Season of Prayer for North American Missions

The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, named after the first corresponding secretary for the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU), gives assistance to missionaries serving in North America. It celebrates Annie Armstrong’s life and legacy—one that centered around encouraging others to support and be involved in missions endeavors. She worked diligently to reach out to those around her and stress the importance of the WMU. Please pray with your family about your financial contribution to this annual missions effort. Upcoming Emphases:

Sunday, March 4 * Receive On Mission Here and Now Prayer Guide in Worship Guide * Missions Spotlight on Good News Club

Wednesday, March 7 * Home Missions Focus - Char Taylor with the Crossroads Youth Center will share during Prayer Meeting

Sunday, March 11 * Annie Armstrong Easter

Offering Received during

Worship

Mission Project for March

This month we will collect and donate items for SPIHN, one of our missions partners that organizes the network of

area churches that provide food, temporary shelter, and support services for homeless families in our community. The day center, located on the Morningside campus, also assists in housing and job searches. Items needed: baby wipes, combs and brushes, bath soap, and liquid dish detergent. Place donations in the tubs at the display in the hallway leading to the Welcome Center.

Spartanburg

Interfaith

Hospitality

Network

Team Evangelism Training Sunday, March 11

Noon Youth Room

NICARAGUA MISSION TRIP SUMMER 2018

Morningside Website Our monthly newsletter and our weekly worship bulletin can be found on our website at www.msidechurch.org under the Publications tab. You may also stream, download, and/or subscribe to our weekly podcast under the Sermon tab.

MORNINGSIDE THE MESSENGER (USPS 363-420) is published monthly by the Morningside Baptist Church. Periodical postage paid at Spartanburg, SC. Postmaster, send address changes to The Morningside Messenger 897 South Pine Street Spartanburg, SC 29302

Morningside Baptist Church Staff

Steven Owensby, Senior Pastor (Ext. 3) ................................. sowensby@msidechurch.org

Jack Dodds, Associate Pastor (Ext. 6) ......................................... jdodds@msidechurch.org Freida Cole, Children’s Minister (Ext. 4) ....................................... fcole@msidechurch.org

Robert Mitchell, Worship Director (Ext. 5) ............................. rmitchell@msidechurch.org Steve Kibbe, Youth Director (Ext. 8) ........................................... skibbe@msidechurch.org John Kelly, Financial Office (Ext. 7) ............................................ jkelly@msidechurch.org Robin Kelly, Financial Office (Ext. 7) .......................................... rkelly@msidechurch.org

Linda Alverson, Membership Ministry Assistant (Ext. 1)....... lalverson@msidechurch.org

Kathy Green, Communications Ministry Assistant (Ext. 2) ........ kgreen@msidechurch.org

Debbie Bishop, Weekday Preschool Director ........................... dbishop@msidechurch.org

Paula Joye, Organist ........................................................................... paulajoye@juno.com

Gail Medlin, Pianist ........................................................................ ggmedlin@wildblue.net

Sympathy Extended to

… Dean and Regina Martin and family in the death of Dean’s aunt, Bertha Parker, on February 4 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Joe and Linda Sisson and family in the death of Linda’s mother, Ruby Wheat, February 11 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Mary Jo Hayes, Andy Hayes, and family in the death of Hugh Hayes on February 12 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Maurice and Julia Pace and family in the death of their great-niece, Ashley Robinson, on February 19 in Apex, North Carolina. … Bernard and Jean Hall and family in the death of Bernard’s sister, Elizabeth Hill, on February 19 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Ministers on Call This Month

Fridays Steven Owensby 590-7985

March 2-4 Steven Owensby 590-7985

March 10-11 Freida Cole 884-4793

March 17-18 Jack Dodds 590-8951

March 24-25 Steven Owensby 590-7985

March 31-April 1 Jack Dodds 590-8951

Thank You Notes for Your Love, Prayers, Concern, and Support Received from

Tom and Hilda Badger

Linda Sisson

Betty Revan Family

Seeking, Serving, Sharing

897 South Pine Street Spartanburg, South Carolina 29302

Office: (864) 585-5457 | Fax: (864) 585-6217

Weekday Preschool: (864) 585-5424 Office Hours: Monday - Thursday

8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Previous Sunday’s Sermon at 10:00 A.M.

WDRF 95.9 FM or 1510 AM

Join Us Each Sunday Morning Worship: 9:30 A.M. Bible Study: 10:45 A.M.

Welcome New Members

John and Jean Donald