he Messenger
october 2015 Vol. 57 No. 10
from the Pastor
What does it mean to be Southern Baptist? I pose this question because there may be some of you who are members of First Baptist who might not have the slightest idea how to answer this question. There may be others who wonder why we need to be part of a denomination at all, and still others who, honestly, may feel that the particular words “Southern” and “Baptist” don’t serve us well anymore. The simplest answer is that Southern Baptists are people who share a common set of beliefs and a common structure for doing kingdom work. Our common set of beliefs is stated in the Baptist Faith and Message (www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp) and our common structure is cooperative missions funded through the Cooperative Program (www.cpmissions.net). The Baptist Faith and Message is not a binding creed on any individual Baptist or church, but it is a confessional description of what Southern Baptists commonly believe about the core doctrines of the Christian faith. Forty thousand like-minded churches contribute a percentage of their budgets to the Cooperative Program, which funds kingdom efforts through each state convention (www.mbcb.org) and the Southern Baptist Convention (www.sbc.net). The state conventions fund church planting, evangelistic work, Baptist colleges, children’s homes, disaster relief, hospitals, camps, and much more. The Southern Baptist Convention’s agencies are the International Mission Board (www.imb.org), the North American Mission Board (www.namb.org), the six seminaries that train ministers and missionaries, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (http://erlc.com) (our voice in Washington), Guidestone Financial Services (www.guidestone.org), LifeWay Publishing (www.lifeway.com), and the Executive Committee (www.sbc.net/aboutus/entities/sbcec.asp), the agency that helps all the others work together. All of these structures exist because, since about 1925, Southern Baptist churches have believed that we could do more together than we could individually. First-Oxford does not have the resources to keep a full-time missionary on the field, provide all the needed relief for disasters like Katrina, and provide for the education of future ministers, while, at the same time, trying to do ministry right here in Oxford. However, we are partnered with other Southern Baptist churches who value all those kinds of ministries, and our combined efforts are enough to do them all. Being Southern Baptist means we are strategically linked with other like-minded churches to reach the world for Christ. Dr. Eric Hankins
fbcoxford @fbcoxford n www.gotofirst.org 800 Van Buren Ave., Oxford MS 38655 n 662.234.3515
October
Check out featured events at www.gotofirst.org
October 3
October 14
10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Women's Challenge Conference
Noon Prayer Meeting 5 p.m. Fellowship Meal 5:30 p.m. AWANA 6 p.m. Adult Bible Study 6 p.m. Women’s Explorers Bible Study 6 p.m. English as a Second Language 6 p.m. Rev.o.lu.tion Youth Worship 6 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Band Rehearsal
October 4 8:30 a.m. Worship Service 9:45 a.m. Bible Study classes 11 a.m. Worship Service – Baby Dedication 4:15 p.m. Bible Drill 5 p.m. Children’s Choir 5 p.m. Student Worship Arts Group (SWAG) 5 p.m. Youth Bible Study 5 p.m. Life U Classes 6 p.m. Evening Worship
october 5 11 a.m. XYZ Program & Luncheon 5:30 p.m. Touch Oxford (Preschool and Adults)
October 6 6:30 p.m. Sav-A-Life Banquet
October 7 Noon Prayer Meeting 5 p.m. Fellowship Meal 5:30 p.m. AWANA 6 p.m. Adult Bible Study 6 p.m. Women’s Explorers Bible Study 6 p.m. English as a Second Language 6 p.m. Rev.o.lu.tion Youth Worship 6 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Band Rehearsal
October 11 8:30 a.m. Worship Service 9:45 a.m. Bible Study classes 11 a.m. Worship Service 4 p.m. Missions Committee meeting 4:15 p.m. Bible Drill 5 p.m. Children’s Choir 5 p.m. Student Worship Arts Group (SWAG) 5 p.m. Youth Bible Study 5 p.m. Life U Classes 6 p.m. Evening Worship
october 12 5:30 p.m. Touch Oxford (Children and Adults)
october 18 8:30 a.m. Worship Service 9:45 a.m. Bible Study classes 11 a.m. Worship Service 4:15 p.m. Bible Drill 4:30 p.m. Youth Corn Maze trip 5 p.m. Children’s Choir 5 p.m. Student Worship Arts Group (SWAG) 5 p.m. Life U Classes 6 p.m. Evening Worship
october 19 5:30 p.m. Touch Oxford (Youth and Adults)
october 20 9:30 a.m. Inmon Circle in the Conference Room
october 21 Noon Prayer Meeting 5 p.m. Fellowship Meal 5:30 p.m. AWANA 6 p.m. Adult Bible Study 6 p.m. Women’s Explorers Bible Study 6 p.m. English as a Second Language 6 p.m. Rev.o.lu.tion Youth Worship 6 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Band Rehearsal
october 25 8:30 a.m. Worship Service 9:45 a.m. Bible Study classes 11 a.m. Worship Service 4-6 p.m. Kids Karnival 6 p.m. Purple Hulls Concert
october 28 Noon Prayer Meeting 5 p.m. Fellowship Meal 5:30 p.m. AWANA 6 p.m. Adult Bible Study 6 p.m. Women’s Explorers Bible Study 6 p.m. English as a Second Language 6 p.m. Rev.o.lu.tion Youth Worship 6 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Band Rehearsal
October 31
Daylight Saving Time ends: Fall back 1 hour
Sav-A-Life Banquet Tuesday, October 6 featuring Sydna Massé
$15 per ticket. Call 662.234.4414 All proceeds go to Sav-A-Life Pregnancy Test Center of Oxford
in concert Sunday, October 25 6 p.m. in the sanctuary
Penny Lea & Katy Lou Clark bluegrass gospel duo
Our Family Sunday school attendance Sept 6 - 621 Sept 20 - 545 Sept 13 - 627
Budget for September 1-20, 2015 Budget $175,346.49 Building $3,947.60 Designated $12,479.02 Total Building Fund to date Margaret Lackey to date
$191,773.11 $5,731,515.86 $1,860.02
New Members in September Ezra Powell, Jotham Powell, Rena James October Deacons of the Week Sept. 27-Oct. 3 Larry Little, Jim McNeely, Mark Moore Oct. 4-10 Mike Quarles, Dan Reed, Chris Riley Oct. 11-17 Greg Brewer, Brodie Burns, Thomas Herrington Oct. 18-24 Todd Johnson, Walter Locke, Rick Mize Oct. 25-31 Breese Quinn, Jim Vinson, Glenn Wilson Congratulations To Ginny & Jeremy Metheny on the birth of a son, Graham Edward Metheny, on Aug 30. Proud big brother is Wood and proud grandparents are Susan & Tom Dawson. To Anna & Brodie Burns on the birth of a daughter, Brooklyn Elise Burns, on Sept 15. Proud big sister is Carlyn Grace. To Kim & Steve Lavoie on the birth of a son, Thatcher John Lavoie (Thatch) on Sept 18. Proud siblings are Teagan, Talan, and Tillie. To Lauren & Josh Hill on the birth of a daughter, Catherine Anne Hill, on Sept 22. Proud big brother is Henry. Our Sympathies To Ara Harvey and family in the loss of his sister-in-law.
Preschool & Children's News
Basketball
Registration begins Oct. 4! Register online at
https://registration.upward.org/UPW59694/ Deadline to register is October 31. Practices begin in December.
Youth News @FBCOxfordSM
Trip to
corn maze
Sunday, October 18 Leaving the church at 4:30 p.m. and returning at 9 p.m.
College News Ways to connect: @FBCOxfordCM FBC Oxford College Ministry Email:
[email protected] Sign up for text alerts: Text @Godsgood to 81010
Lif e
Universit y Conference
with Lisa Smartt Saturday,
October 3 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
$25 per person. Register in the Atrium on Sundays and Wednesdays or in the church office.
Conference with Tony Inmon Saturday,
November 14 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Becoming an Ephesians 5 Man. $25 per person. Registration ends Nov. 9
To u c h O x f o r d Come help us reach Oxford, one touch at a time. Light meal at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall, followed by outreach. Join us in making phone calls, writing letters, and visiting. Preschool care begins at 5:45. Oct. 5 Preschool & Adults
WEEKLYFocus:
Oct. 12 Children & Adults
Oct. 19 Youth & Adults
Training will be offered to new participants each week at 6 p.m.
Library & Media Center
Open Sundays 9:30-11 a.m. and Wednesdays 5-7 p.m. Books: The Battle Plan for Prayer by Stephen and Alex Kendrick The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren, Counter Culture by David Platt
DVD: Alone Yet Not Alone
XYZ Senior Adult Program and Luncheon Monday, October 5 at 11 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall Hymn singing led by Tom Barrett. Mike Tomes and team will share about their construction mission trip to the children’s home in Oaxaca, Mexico with video, testimonies and pictures.
A delicious meal will be served. Invite a Senior friend and join us. For the month of October, we will be collecting pop top beanie weenies for Lovepacks. A collection box will be in the Atrium on Sundays.
Weekday Education has 3 openings available for children ages 2.5-3 years old. If you have a child this age or know someone with a child this age that is looking for full time care, please call Linda Glaze (Weekday Director) at (662) 234-3517.
New D-groups meeting now. Contact Jeff Holeman for more information. (662) 234-3515 or
[email protected]
(USPS 571-680) Published Monthly by First Baptist Church Periodical Postage paid at 800 Van Buren Ave., Oxford, MS 38655-3844
