Musical Mission Trip to China

Bill and Michele Cayard, missionaries in China who are also members of South Main, have requested we send a musical group from July 8-17, 2010. If you are interested and have the requisite time to help form a group, please speak to Thomas Coker. We hope to have some scholarships available for this trip.

January Bible Study: Dr. Todd Still Teaches from the Book of James

This coming Sunday is January Bible Study. The four-part lesson series will be led by Truett's Dr. Todd Still on the book of James. Sunday school will be held at 9:40 in regular classrooms, as usual.

Session 1: "Make Lemonade!" (James 1:2-8, 1:12-18) - 8:30, Sanctuary
Session 2: "Taming the Tongue" (James 3:1-18) - 11:00, Sanctuary
Session 3: "On Judging Books, Laying Plans, and Stockpiling Resources" (James 2:1-13, 4:13-5:6) - 1:45, Fellowship Hall
Session 4: "Pacifiers, Pink Ducks, and Other Things that Go Together" (James 2:14-26) - 2:45, Fellowship Hall.

Dr. Still serves as an Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures in the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University. Dr. Still, who joined Truett's faculty in the fall of 2003, teachers courses in New Testament Studies and Greek. Before coming to Truett, he taught at Gardner-Webb University's School of Divinity in Boiling Springs, NC, where he occupied the Bob D. Shepherd Chair of New Testament Interpretation. Dr. Still's first academic appointment was at Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, TX, where he served from 1995-2000.

In addition to his acadmic work, Dr. Still is committed to and involved in local churches. A licensed and ordained Baptist minister, he has had the opportunity to preach and teach in many congregational and conference settings and has served in a variety of ministry capacities, including church custodian, music minister, youth minister, college minister, education minister, pastor, and interim pastor.

Dr. Still is married to Carolyn, his wife of some twenty years. They, along with their two sons (Samuel, age 14, and Andrew, age 10), live in Waco. Outside of work, Dr. Still enjoys gardening, golfing, watching Baylor Bear athletics, playing with his family's many pets, and traveling.

Update for January 17, 2010

Announcements:

• Manna, South Main's mission to the homeless right on our doorstep, takes place at 8:00am every Sunday morning. If you would like to volunteer to set up and/or help lead the Manna worship service, please contact Erin Conaway.
  
• This month, we're taking up a special missions offering that will be distributed among several organizations, including the CBF Global Missions Offering, Texas State Missions Offering, and several local endeavors. You can make your contribution at smbc.org or in the offering plate; just designate "missions." To give specifically to the Haitian relief efforts, please designate "Haiti."
  
• January Bible Study is January 31. Dr. Todd Still of Truett Seminary will be leading four sessions about James at 8:30am (Sanctuary), 11:00am (Sanctuary), 12:45 (Fellowship Hall), and 1:45 (Fellowship Hall).
• An Interest Meeting for the All-Church Mission Trip to Eagle Pass will be held February 3, 5:30-6:30 in the Parlor (behind the Sanctuary). There is a missions activity for anyone and everyone on this trip, so be sure to check it out!
  
• Join us in the Fellowship Hall on Feb 7th at 5:00pm for our annual Chili Bowl. The Super Bowl will be playing on the big projector screen, and crockpots full of steaming chili will abound!
• The Youth Auction will be held on March 28 at noon in the gym. If you have a good or service to donate to the auction (such as hair cuts, gift cards, photography services, baked goods, tickets, etc), contact Angie Durand, Sally Reed, or Missy Wells. All proceeds will go to the youth mission trip fund.
  
• College Mission to Collique, Peru, May 22-29, 2010, organized by Tallowood Baptist Church. The cost is $1,500 per person. We will be ministering through worship, VBS, sports camps, construction, and painting. We'll also get to sight see in Lima. Contact Chuck Westbrook if you are interested in going.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Bryan (former college community student) has had a recent medical scare. Please keep him in your prayers.
  
• Keep Jim's mom in your prayers as she continues to recover.
  

Update for January 17, 2010

I hope you enjoyed the little break Monday (for those of you who had the day off) and took the opportunity to give thanks for our nation's diversity and its earnest efforts -- past and present -- to end discrimination. We have a lot going on at the church, so be sure to check out the announcements and prayer requests.

Announcements:

• Manna, South Main's mission to the homeless right on our doorstep, takes place at 8:00am every Sunday morning. If you would like to volunteer to set up and/or help lead the Manna worship service, please contact Erin Conaway.
  
• You know you want to come to the quarterly business meeting this Sunday, Jan 24th in the Fellowship Hall at noon! Lunch will be served for $7. Seriously, though, it's good to know the ins and outs of the church and to be involved in our decision-making process. So come on down!
  
• This month, we're taking up a special missions offering that will be distributed among several organizations, including the CBF Global Missions Offering, Texas State Missions Offering, and several local endeavors. You can make your contribution at smbc.org or in the offering plate; just designate "missions."
  
• January Bible Study is January 31. Dr. Todd Still of Truett Seminary will be leading four sessions about James at 8:30am (Sanctuary), 11:00am (Sanctuary), 12:45 (Fellowship Hall), and 1:45 (Fellowship Hall).
  
• College Mission to Collique, Peru, May 22-29, 2010, organized by Tallowood Baptist Church. The cost is $1,500 per person. We will be ministering through worship, VBS, sports camps, construction, and painting. We'll also get to sight see in Lima. Contact Chuck Westbrook if you are interested in going.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Bryan (former college community student) has had a recent medical scare. Please keep him in your prayers.
  
• Virginia had an excellent visit at UTD! Looks like we have a winner, folks!
  
• Jennifer's 98-year-old grandmother, Iva Bell Enos, had successful partial hip surgery & already has been walking without assistance -- praise!
  
• Jim's mom has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility! Hooray!
  

Update for January 10, 2010

Hi everyone! I hope your semester is getting off to a great start!

Announcements:

• The ministry that we provided to the homeless at Peggy's Point has begun again, now with a new name: Manna. We will host a service on the north end of our campus at 8:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. If you would like to volunteer to set up and/or help lead the service, please contact Erin Conaway.
  
• Stewardship Sunday is January 17. If you would like to commit to give to the church this year, please fill out a card.
• There will be a Blood Drive in the Fellowship Hall this Sunday, January 17 from 8am-1pm.
  
• January Bible Study is January 31. Dr. Todd Still of Truett Seminary will be leading four sessions about James at 8:30am (Sanctuary), 11:00am (Sanctuary), 12:45 (Fellowship Hall), and 1:45 (Fellowship Hall).
  
• College Mission to Collique, Peru, May 22-29, 2010, organized by Tallowood Baptist Church. The cost is $1,500 per person. We will be ministering through worship, VBS, sports camps, construction, and painting. We'll also get to sight see in Lima. Contact Chuck.Westbrook@interfaceflor.com if you are interested in going.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Remember our homeless, who struggle even more than usual during the winter with cold weather.
  
• Praise: Molly got engaged after Christmas
  
• We pray that Duffy's job and home searches are successful!
  
• Please continue to pray for Anna Barkley's recovery
• The surgery Marie's mom had on the 12th was aborted; she's doing well & they'll try again next month
  

Being Good Stewards

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." -Isaiah 40:31

Stewards are those who know God has blessed them in many ways.

The blessings of God include the gift of life itself. While life has its ups and downs, most of the time we are immensely grateful for the opportunity to be alive. There is so much in life to enjoy -- beautiful sunrises, good food, friendships, and the joy of human love. God gives us everything in life.

Best of all, God gives us the promise of love, God's presence, and the gift of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. We are truly blessed. As an old song says, "count your blessings before you sleep...."

Stewards do count their blessings. Stewards, as a result, want to give thanks to God in how they use life and by the gifts they share.

Prayer: "God, sometimes I become overwhelmed with so much to do, with never enough time to do it all. Lead me to a quiet place to sit with you to refresh my mind and body. Let me find hope and renewal with you. Then my weariness will fade away, and I will no longer feel faint as my spirit begins to soar in your presence."

Update for January 3, 2010

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and that 2010 is treating you well so far!

Announcements:

• The ministry that we provided to the homeless at Peggy's Point has begun again, now with a new name: Manna. We will host a service on the north end of our campus at 8:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. If you would like to volunteer to set up and/or help lead the service, please contact Erin Conaway.
  
• If you would like to commit to give to the church this year, please fill out a card. Stewardship Sunday is January 18.
• January Bible Study is January 31. Dr. Todd Still of Truett Seminary will be leading four sessions about James at 8:30am (Sanctuary), 11:00am (Sanctuary), 12:45 (Fellowship Hall), and 1:45 (Fellowship Hall).
  
• College Mission to Collique, Peru, May 22-29, 2010, organized by Tallowood Baptist Church. The cost is $1,500 per person. We will be ministering through worship, VBS, sports camps, construction, and painting. We'll also get to sight see in Lima. Contact Chuck.Westbrook@interfaceflor.com if you are interested in going.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Please continue to pray for Anna Barkley (Jim's mom) and her family; she has had some additional complications.
  
• Robyn is moving back to Houston -- we are grateful that her medical complications have stopped, and we pray that her move is safe and uneventful.
  
• Please pray for Sarrean's grandmother's health and for Sarrean's cousin, whose spouse recently passed away.
  
• Keep each other in your thoughts and prayers as you travel back to school.