Advent Living

Just before Halloween, I saw a commercial for Christmas holiday shopping. By the time this newsletter arrives in your mailbox, you’ve probably been reminded how many shopping days there are until Christmas. Cousin Moe’s yard is a haze of Christmas lights, and the radio station playing in your car has the latest retread of a Christmas carol by somebody who is looking for an extra single to sell.

As keepers of the Christ story, we use ritual, liturgy, and biblical narrative to remind ourselves (and the outside world that thinks of the season as the rush up ‘til December 25th) that waiting and watching is part of our faith journey. On the first Sunday of Advent, you arrive at church, singing hymns like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” We light a single purple candle, and we watch, wait, and pray. The commercialized version of the holidays doesn’t quite know what to do with the Christian practice of Advent. We spend four weeks in a time of spiritual preparation. We refrain from immediately kneeling in Bethlehem, taking a longer journey through the biblical texts than just going to the “nativity” story.

At First Baptist, we will be busy during the holy days of Advent. The mission committee offers you the opportunity to adopt a family in need. The Christian education committee will be helping our children learn an important part of faith formation: learning to tell the Christ story during their evening program and soup supper on December 10. The choir will rehearse and offer anthems to help us reflect on the season. The deacons will work diligently to ensure that the sanctuary and worship services welcome the community. The trustees will be working on some last minute projects to help our building look great for the holiday season. Kerry and I will offer a reception at the parsonage on December 17th, and opportunities to sing for our shut-ins and others in the community will also take place.

The most important part of the Advent and Christmas observances is your part in inviting friends and family to worship at First Baptist. I cannot stress enough the importance of YOUR work in helping persons know about First Baptist. The lay leadership and church office staff work hard at preparing schedules, designing events, and opportunities to acquaint the community with the ministry of First Baptist. Nevertheless, this work cannot compare to the personal invitation extended by you to someone in the neighborhood. The church office has copies of our Advent schedule (poster or postcard) for you to distribute. We will gladly make as many as you request.

May we be a church inviting the community to learn the discipline and joy of Advent. May we pray with Arlene Mark, a Mennonite writer of worship resources, this Advent prayer:

We come, our God, seeking light:

          light to reveal your majesty;

          light to clear our blindness;

          light to illumine our understanding.

Come into our hearts and lives as we worship,

          so that we may serve in your kingdom

          as bearers of light and guide others to the Light.

          In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

(From Words for Worship, Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1996. Used by permission.)

Signs of a New Life in Autumn

Signs of a New Life in Autumn”

This summer, we had two significant transitions in the life of the congregation. One transition came in the form of a staff resignation. In June, longtime organist Heather York left for her native Canada, and the Music Committee (Byron Spafford, Ann Smith, Josie Shepherd, and Cindy Watson) worked diligently in cooperation with First Congregational Church (aka “Old First”) to answer the question of “what’s next?” The result was a wonderful collaboration between the two churches, resulting in the hiring of Michael P. Daunis as our new organist and director of music. Michael brings significant experience as a music educator in public schools as well as service to various congregations. Michael will conduct choral rehearsals at 6:30 PM on Thursdays for the existing choir group, and he hopes to develop more programming to our music life at First Baptist. Please offer a word of welcome to Michael and his wife Lois as they join us for this next chapter in First Baptist’s life. In the late summer, we welcomed five new members to the congregation. Hattie Hustler, Travis and Darcy Oakes, and Alyssa Orr and Joseph Gilleran joined First Baptist earlier this month. Each person joined the church for different reasons: longtime friendships within the congregation, welcoming attitudes toward visitors, willingness to tend the spiritual lives of children. First Baptist will grow in as many different ways as we make possible. Help support the ministries of hospitality, Christian discipleship, and outreach so that more folks can know the “good news” of the gospel and the good people of First Baptist!

On October 1, 2006 as part of our World Communion Sunday, we kick off the World Mission Offering in support of American Baptist International Ministries and celebrate the arrival of new pew bibles, a new pulpit bible, and paraments, a set of cloths for the altar, pulpit, and lectern with the four basic liturgical colors to beautify our worship space. Through the generosity of an estate gift from Mrs. Mildred Jepson, eighty bibles and the paraments were purchased. And through the generosity of many congregants, an additional seventy-plus bibles were purchased in memory or in honor of various loved ones. The new pulpit bible (given anonymously) and pew bibles feature the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation. (On a side note, the previous pew bibles were placed in 1971 and featured only the New Testament. We celebrate the advent of a pew Bible that contains the spiritual wisdom of both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament alike!) On World Communion Sunday, we will celebrate our faith and bless our new worship resources mentioned above. Our Fall Bible study will continue as we learn how to “read” the Gospel of Mark. Rather than just “verse by verse”, this Bible study aims to teach adult learners about the “nuts and bolts” of how to read the gospels with deeper appreciation. We meet on Tuesdays at 7 PM in the Della Whittier Lounge. All are welcome!

I also wish to acknowledge the great volunteerism that has helped First Baptist in recent weeks. From persons organizing church cleaning days to setting up the office with new telephone and computer technology (and all the little bugs that come with changing tech!) to serving as persons planning and hosting events here at the congregation to folding even this newsletter (all 200 of ‘em!), I am deeply grateful for the way that First Baptist is supporting its ministries. There will be plenty of other opportunities to help (more church cleaning days, more need for volunteers for office or event needs). Keep on volunteering! Your service in small and great projects alike matters greatly at First Baptist! First Baptist will move forward with the energy created by its membership. We need you to tell your friends about why First Baptist is a good place to be. We need your help in creating new projects and supporting the ongoing spiritual life of the church.

One final note: I hope as 2006 draws to a close that First Baptist will distinguish itself in faithfulness to its annual budgetary needs, particularly in reference to the mission budget. We provide funding to a few organizations as well as support to “United Mission,” the denominational support system. For every dollar that FBC Bennington sends to UM, sixty-five cents of each dollar remains in this region (ABC of Vermont/New Hampshire). With this funding, our region continues to flourish as Dr. Allen Abbott and our sister congregations seek new ways to arrest the “stuck, stale, and stagnant” feeling that has been within our congregations. Also, the 65 cents represents regional programming, support to our camp and conference center, and a variety of other ministries. The remaining 35 cents of each UM dollar supports the work of our national offices, as International Ministries and National Ministries create and sustain a multitude of ministries to carry the American Baptist witness to places near and far. As First Baptist journeys towards a new chapter in its life as a church, let us not forget our responsibilities and calling to support the denominational family as well! Ministries around the region, around the nation, and around the world begin with First Baptist’s faithfulness to mission giving!

Pastor's Notes September 2006

Pastor’s Notes

As I prepared my thoughts for this newsletter, a church supply catalog
appeared laden with church supplies, books, and other resources related to
Advent and Christmas. While we might wince a bit at how early “Christmas”
products appear at the retail stores, the reality is that months ago,
retailers started making decisions about sales plans, buying strategic
products, and gearing up to ensure that your dollar is in their hands by
the time anyone else is selling their wares.

Like the retail world, strategic planning is helpful to churches. While
we are not a business, we are a gathering of people who wish to catch the
attention of those in the community. We are not in “sales” but “care of
souls”. We are in the ministry of helping people grow deeper in love of
God and neighbor! At the same time, to grow this ministry, we need to
realize that this vision for ministry indeed takes time, planning, and
prayerful intention.

I would like to invite First Baptist to think about a distant date that
will be here very soon. What can we do during the fall months to affect
how we understand the ministries of First Baptist in the year 2007?

Last autumn, you began a transitional process, voting to seek out an
intentional interim to spend upwards of three years before actively making
decisions about your “next” minister. For the last six months, you have
had me on the field, serving as the intentional interim. I have spent time
getting to know the people of First Baptist to learn how First Baptist
understands itself and its current challenges at hand. I have worked
diligently in making connections with the community to learn how First
Baptist can be an intentional part of Bennington. I am working on
certification as an intentional interim minister through funding provided
by the American Baptist Churches of Vermont/New Hampshire.

But more important, it has not been just “me” trying to get the
transitional process underway!

First Baptist is experiencing an upswing in attendance. Over the summer
months, we had seventy at church on some Sundays. There have been many
special occasions to celebrate (a baptism, two baby dedications,
welcoming four new members with five more to join in September). We’re
working on new strategies to publicize First Baptist, especially now with
our online presence.

In the last few months, a transition team is now selected and
commissioned to guide the church through a time of reflection,
discernment, and hope for its future. Greg Lewis, Cindy Watson, Lisa
Flynn, Jean Hoag, and Carolyn Peckham will be “up front” at various times
leading you in opportunities to think critically about “what’s next?” for
First Baptist and how you see ways of getting to a healthier, more
involved life as a congregation. (For more on these opportunities, see
“Transition Times”, filed under the links on our transitional journey.)

Over the summer, the Christian education committee, church staff
(particularly Rhonda Harmon, our Christian education director), and other
congregants got behind planning the first Vacation Bible School in recent
years. What began as a curious wondering (“Can we do it?”) turned into
great enthusiasm (“Wow! We’re having so much fun!”) Because of a
committee wanting to see something new happening, upwards of twenty
children embarked on “The Adventure of the Treasure Seekers”.

The board of trustees is seeking new ways of getting First Baptist
involved in serving the community. During the Fall and Spring, look for
some interesting events being advertised with the key phrase: “To be held
at the First Baptist Church, Bennington.” I commend the trustees for being
willing to get the doors open wide to new ventures, partnerships, and
opportunities to serve our area organizations.

In late August, the board of deacons will gather to discuss the current
role that they play in the life of the church. Out of this workshop and
training, the deacons hope to begin strengthening present ministries and
expanding their service to the congregation. I commend the deacons for
tithing some of their committee time to “blue sky” dreaming.

The board of mission is offering its enthusiasm for mission support. In
a time where many congregations need persons willing to advocate for
mission, First Baptist has some great folks already at work. The mission
board attended a region-sponsored mission event last year, and it gave
them a renewed sense of why we support mission. Whether it is
humanitarian aid, domestic and global mission, remembering faithful
servants through the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering, or
advocating for local mission projects, your mission board wants to see
First Baptist be good supporters of mission.

Where does that get us four months away from 2007? This snapshot of
"what’s happening” at First Baptist says that there is a sense of
equilibrium, a desire to attain higher goals that just maintaining what we
already know, and a sense that this transitional journey is a
congregation-wide effort, not just something dependent on the minister or
select lay leadership.

In the latter part of 2006, would you tithe your presence, voice, time,
and prayers to the effort? Certainly, when we think of tithe, there’s the
financial end of things. (And yes, we need you to fulfill—and
potentially surpass, if possible—your pledge to finish 2006 stronger than
2005 and plan to pledge for 2007 in a manner that says, “YES!” to 2007
being a significant year for First Baptist to move forward on this
transitional journey.) More importantly, with my use of the word
“tithe”, think of it as an opportunity to give what is most important to
the church: yourself.

First Baptist is not a building or a set of bylaws. It is and always
shall be “THE PEOPLE”. This fall, will you carve out time to pray daily
for renewal—personal and congregational alike? As new events are
offered, will you support them by attending? (For example, I will offer a
bible study on Tuesday evenings, we hope to have
family/intergenerational “fun” events, we are kindling interest in a
“younger women” group and a new Sunday school class for kids beyond Godly
Play age.) Will you give yourself to weekly worship attendance,
consistent participation in the transitional events planned this fall, and
seek out ways to fellowship with other congregants beyond the
offered church events? Will you invite family, friends, and others to
join us on the journey of faith? (The best catalyst for change is also
the best evangelist we have: YOU!)

If First Baptist wants to see change, we have to start somewhere! Let us
build on the momentum of the past year’s adjustment to a pastoral
transition and entrance into a new approach to interim ministry. Perhaps
a year ago, you thought it so, but no longer is First Baptist staring at
the falls coming up just ahead. We have an extraordinary opportunity to
start paddling upstream towards new adventures. Will you join the effort
to make 2007 a year that great changes started happening at First
Baptist?

The Baptist Window

JULY & AUGUST 2006

The ABW will sponsor an Ice Cream Social and Hymn Sing held on Wednesday, August 9th, at 7 p.m. This event requires a large number of song birds and people who enjoy cooling off during the long, hot summer with ice cream sundaes. Come, eat some ice cream and enjoy some hearty hymn singing.

Please watch Sunday bulletins in July for further information.

Pastor's Notes July 2006

Pastor’s Notes

Noting an Important Transition

In a few weeks, our church organist Heather York will be returning home to Canada to care for her parents. The people of First Baptist lament Heather’s leaving, but we are also grateful for Heather’s many years of faithful service. As this newsletter was going to press, Heather’s last Sunday with us had not been determined, although it is anticipated to be within the next two months. Heather gifts and graces us each Sunday with her musical talent. The Old Congregational Church likewise is blessed, as she runs from our service to theirs each week. These two churches, Grace Christian School, where she served as an instructor, and her piano students will miss her gentle spirit and desire to serve. Please take a moment during these next few weeks to say “thank you” to Heather and join us for her last Sunday service. The church office, the bulletin, and the web site will include information as it becomes available.