Volume XXXVI, No. 38 The Banner September 20, 2011
Abingdon Baptist
Church
Goal $5,000.00
SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
11:00am Worship
Called To Serve Acts 6:1-7
Exodus 17:1-7
6:00pm
Sunday Night Kaffee’
Fellowship Hall
FFaith In Action . . .aith In Action . . .
SSpecial Thanks . . .pecial Thanks . . .
The Members of Abingdon Baptist Church
would like to especially thank Sammy and
Lois Campbell for their generous donations
of a delightful popcorn machine and for the
beautiful drapes that adorn our Chapel.
“Thank You Sammy and Lois!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are very grateful for the many prayers and
expressions of concern during Tivis Owens’ long
hospitalization and since his death.
Russell Owens and Family
Washington County
CROP Hunger Walk
Through Ecumenical Faith in Action (EFIA)
Crop Walk will be held in Abingdon on
Sunday, October 2nd beginning at 1:00pm
If you would like to participate or if you have any questions, please contact Margaret Klose
at 628-2204.
Deacon of the Month: September
Don Salyers Home (276)628-3256 Cell (276)393-6519
§ SUNDAY SCHOOL
Bring a friend! Greeters
Upstairs entrance Jim Hughes Charles Grogan
Downstairs entrance Louise Blevins Peggy Hughes
John Blankenship Extended Session Workers
September 25 Amanda Sills and Jill Harless
§ Ushers & Greeters
11:00am Co-Chairs:
Larry Payne, Buddy Carrier, Mike Overstreet September Greeters:
Carolyn Fuqua Mary Fraysier Janet Lambert
John & Janet Berry Ushers:
Kevin Abel John Blankenship Mary Fraysier Gene Compton Barbara VanHuss Wayne Hayter
§ Worship Technicians:
Chuck Callahan and George Strong
§ Van Drivers
Sunday Morning & Evening—September J. E. King 623-0302(H), 698-5444(C)
§
Financial Update September 18, 2011
Budget Funds Weekly Requirement $8,035.96 Received Today $8,166.00 Year-to-date Budget $305,366.48 Year-to-date Receipts $323,365.14
Building Fund To-date $88,871.78
Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions
Goal $5,000.00 To-date $1,867.11
F.Y.I. F.Y.I. . . .. . .
FRIDAY September 23 10:00am Aerobics/Walking
SUNDAY September 25 9:45am Sunday School
11:00am Worship—Deacon Ordination
12:00pm Called Deacon‟s meeting
6:00pm Sunday Night Kaffee‟
MONDAY September 26 8:00am Counting Committee
10:00am Hearts of Gold
Aerobics/Walking
7:00pm Pre-School Renovation Comm
TUESDAY September 27 10:30am Staff Meeting
WEDNESDAY September 28 10:00am Aerobics/Walking
5:00pm Wednesday Fellowship Supper
Menu:
Brown Beans Mixed Greens Corn Bread Assorted Desserts
5:30pm Mission Friends (Missions for 4 & 5 yr-olds)
Children in Action (Missions grades 1-5)
Music for Threes (Music for 3 yr-olds)
Youth Missions (6th Grade)
6:00pm Worship
6:10pm Mission Friends (Missions for 3 yr-olds)
Cherubs (Music for 4 & 5 yr-olds)
Music Makers (grades 1-3)
Young Musicians (grades 4-6)
7:00pm Sanctuary Choir
FRIDAY September 30 10:00am Aerobics/Walking
HHappy Birthday . . .appy Birthday . . .
Tuesday, September 27
Kevin Abel
Brad Abel
Wednesday, September 28
Barbara Ely
Stacey Crouse
Thursday, September 29
Anne Owsley
Mary Buck
Amanda Light
Friday, September 30
Barbara Campbell
Rebekah Burkett
Saturday, October 1
Denise Gobble
Sunday, October 2
Eugene Eades
Gene Cregger
PPrayer Concerns rayer Concerns
In the Hospital Emory University Medical Center George “Sonny” Heath (Sheila Hoyle‟s brother)
Hagerstown Maryland Hospital Linda Logan (friend of Susan Buchanan)
Treatments Continuing/Pending: Vivian Anderson, Barbara Barker, Lois Campbell, Buddy Carrier, Ellie Carrier, Roger Clifton, James Collins, Louise Crigger, Beverly Eason, John Foil, Carole & Ron Fuller, Tom Gangi, Butch Gillespie, Evelyn Gregory, Ann Berry Hardee, Janelle Hayes, Bo Henderson, Po Hogston, Clara “Sue Holt, Paula Howington, David Hoyle, Jimmy Hughes, Paul Jones, Ruth Keith, Jack Keller, Michelle Kessler, Rena Kidd, Terry Lynn Kirk, Sandy Kiser, Jake Lowe, Mark Martin, Burt Maxwell, A.J. Miller, Chadd Minor, Frank Mounts, Charlene Mulder, Keaton Mullins, Shirley Pollard, Debby Roe, Peyton Rogers, Kermit Stanley, Cindy Sullivan, Kerry Tharp, Treva Wilder, Diana Willard, Lauren Wimmer, Louella Woodward, Michael Worrell
Homebound of the Week Coma Tiller
19499 Rustic Lane Abingdon, VA 24210-1603
(276)628-2289
Long Term: Jack Bailey, Curtis Burkett, Corine Collins, Clayton Dickens, Frances Dover, Trula Edwards, Jim &Ann Howard, Ernest Humphreys, Mary Hunicutt, David Kampenga, Kim Kilby, Mack Kiser, Peggy Lord, Edna McMillen, Dorothy Perkins, Ronda Phillips, Thelma Roberts, Irby Snead, Bill & Margaret Sorensen, Audrey South, Lewis & Sally Stevens, Fred Sutherland, Sr., Jennifer Watson, Jane Whitaker, Joyce Wright
Independent Living/Retirement/Assisted Care & Rehab Facilities: Lydia Collins, Margaret Frayser, Esther Grossman, Helen Harris, Helen Holliday, Lola Hutton, Nettie Logan, Lois Maiden, Ruth Noe, Howard Smith, Marion “Jenkie” Tomlinson
Homebound: Katherine Glover, Luther Johnson, Mae Ledford, Jeanette Millsap, Jim Repass, Virginia Saunders, Sloan Southerlin, Coma Tiller, Jake Turner, Elbert Umberger
Sympathy: We extend our Christian love and sympathy to . . . ...Garland Blevins and other family & friends of his co-worker Kathy Dunford ...Dorothy Fannin and family in the death of two extended family members this week ...Janice Johnson and Virginia Williams and family in the death of their mother, Gladys Dolinger Greer, on September 18, 2011 ...Ellen Mitchell and other friends and family of Paul Mitchell who was killed in an accident in the parking lot of Mentow Baptist Church, in Bedford County, Virginia ...Jack & Norma Johnston and family in the death of his father in Phoenix, Arizona.
FFrom Your Pastor . . .rom Your Pastor . . .
There are a number of sermon topics that, in days gone by, were broached regularly from the pulpit. Some of those subjects, for a variety of reasons, don‟t make it to the sermon stage very often, any more. One of those subjects is that of “gossip.” I suppose I don‟t think much about gossip because I assume most of us are “grown-up” enough to have learned not to talk about folks behind their back. Alas, not so! I‟m usually aware when I am the subject of someone‟s gossip (surprisingly, that kind of thing reaches me rather quickly). I have become accustomed to ignoring it because I think the more attention you pay to that kind of “hogwash” the worse it gets. I have to admit that when I hear some things, I am truly hurt. I think to myself, “That person ought to know me better than to think that I would…” Such is not the case. Probably the worst thing about gos-sip is that the person who is the subject has no recourse. You don‟t have the opportunity to refute, deny, explain, clarify, or even plead guilty. The story has gone around through so many people you could never catch up to it. Not only is gossip hurtful; it‟s just not fair. I think that‟s why Jesus only spoke about other people if they were present. He didn‟t com-plain about the Pharisees behind their back. He spoke to them face to face. When he con-demned an activity he did so to the people who were doing it. In Matthew 18 verses 15 and following, Jesus laid out a process for dealing with someone who has wronged you:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that „every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax col-lector.”
There is nothing in here about spreading your complaint around before you talk to the one you think has wronged you. There is nothing in there about sharing with folks things that are none of your business. In fact, this entire passage is about restoring relationships through the grace of forgiveness. You can‟t do that with gossip. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that if one calls his/her brother a fool, it is tantamount to murder. I think gossip is even worse. There have been times when someone has come straight to me and asked if something they heard was true. I appreciate that so much. Most of the time what they have heard is a tidbit of truth polluted with a goodly portion of untruth. Gossip is simply unfixable once it‟s out. It is an assault on the character of another person who has no way to defend them-selves. If you want a good definition of gossip: If the words coming out of your mouth (or fingers for Facebook-ers or Tweeters) aren‟t building someone up or sharing a legitimate prayer con-cern, IT IS GOSSIP. That also means if you are engaged in criticizing anyone behind their back (legitimate or not) that‟s gossip, too. I don‟t expect everyone who engages in gossip is going to stop because you‟ve read some article in a church newsletter. My hope is that at least once in a while you‟ll walk away from someone who is about to share something they shouldn‟t, with you; you at least may stop and consider if what you are about to say will bring Glory to God or build up a brother or sister; you might even venture to think about whether it would be okay to say it to God. We all fight the temptation of some kind of sin; may God lend His strength to helping us limit our words to those truly worth sharing with everyone. Can‟t wait to see you Sunday!
Your pastor,
Steven
Ministers Entire Congregation
Pastor [email protected] ext. 23 Dr. Steven Pollard
Minister of Music and Worship [email protected] ext. 24 Rev. Parke Deans
Church Organist Mr. Edward Eller
Church Pianist Mrs. Rose Payne
Church Secretary [email protected] ext. 32 Mrs. Susan Buchanan
Receptionist [email protected] ext. 21 Ms. Judy Osborne
A church with a world mission and a world program in association with the Lebanon Baptist Association, Baptist General Association of Virginia, Southern Baptist Convention, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and Baptist World Alliance.
Church office hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Phone: 276/628-8126
PRAYER LINE: extension 42, FAX: 276/628-5743
WEB Site: WWW.ABINGDONBAPTIST.ORG
During the month of September, the Joanna Maiden
Owens S. S. Class is challenged to bring items for
the Stone Soup Food Pantry. So, please help by
bringing at least one food item each time you come to
church. Collection baskets are at each entrance.