Blog Archives

February 2023

1/27/2023

Spinning News

As we defend our faith to an unbelieving world, inevitably, one of the first questions we face is how can a loving God allow such suffering to go on in the world. This question is nothing new. It has always been something that has spiritually plagued those searching for explanations. It has always been a challenge for believers to respond to with sensitivity and empathy.
     But in the past few years, it seems that this challenge has been increased and this question has escalated to a point where unbelievers are more convinced that the God we profess cannot exist. Perhaps it is because evil and suffering in the world has increased to the degree where it is all the more important that we ask this question.
     In an interview with Lee Strobel, Peter Kreeft concludes that the answer to suffering is not an answer at all. “It’s the Answerer,” says Kreeft. “It’s Jesus himself. It’s not a bunch of words, it’s the Word. It’s not a tightly woven philosophical argument; it’s a person. The person. The answer to suffering cannot just be an abstract idea, because this isn’t an abstract issue; it’s a personal issue. It requires a personal response. The answer must be someone, not just something, because the issue involves someone — God, where are you?”
     When we don't have answers to questions, doesn't it make all the difference in the world that we can personally know the One who does have the answer? If our questions cause us
to turn to the Lord and trust in Him in the midst of the questions, then that is all the answer we need.
     Thanks be to God for our salvation from sin and our deliverance from evil. In the blessed assurance of the eternal and abundant life found in knowing Christ, we can have the “peace that passes understanding.” It is a peace that doesn't make sense to those who don't know Him. May you all know that peace.
    With love, Pastor Scott

Here at SRBC we collect a Fellowship Offering on the 3rd Sunday of every month. This offering is used for emergency needs and financial assisstance for those in need. This has been a great ministry of our church through the years, and we just want to remind you that we are continuing to collect this offering. There is a basket marked Fellowship Fund on the communion table, or you may send in your offering specified as Fellowship Fund. We still focus on the offering on the 3rd Sunday, but you may give at any time. Your giving Matters !

Due to cancellation of activities on, Sunday, January 22, 2023 we have rescheduled our annual meeting for Sunday, February 5, 2023 after the morning service. The reports are in your mail boxes. Please read them over and then on February 5 you will be able to ask questions about the reports as well as vote on any new business.

NEXT STEP

Attention youth Super Bowl fans (Grades 7th – 12th),
join us Sunday, February 12th for a Super Bowl watch Party from 6:15 PM until halftime (about 8:30 PM). We’ll have food, games, and more! Bring snacks and/or desserts to share. Pizza & Drinks provided. Friends welcome! Pick up time at 8:30pm. Please contact a leadership team member for further details.

Please join us for Men’s Breakfast on February 4, 2023 @ 8:30 am.

Women’s Breakfast will be February 11, 2023 @ 9:00 am.

February 15, 2023 ~ Team Meetings ~ 6 pm and Church Council ~ 7 pm

Church Offices will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2023

Join us for a time of crafting with others of the church. Bring you craft, whatever that may be, scrapbooking, knitting, sewing, card making or any other project you may have going. We will be meeting at 7 pm on the 4th Friday of the month. For more info contact Michelle Prince @ 937-689-1017.

Join us as we celebrate Connie’s Coles 90th birthday on February 14, 2023. There will be a party and lunch at noon @ 10 Wilmington Place. Reservations for lunch will be $10. Please contact Pat Trent @ 937-293-1402 with reservation info. Please bring cards or a small gift.

VBS 2023 SPARK STUDIOS!
Mark your calendars! Vacation Bible School 2023 will be the week of July 16-21 from 6pm-8:30pm (Sun – Fri).

AWANA MINUTE
     It is truly amazing how quickly the year is flying by.
It seems like we were just celebrating the New Year and here it is February already, anybody see January, it seems to be gone.
     God continues to bless the Awana Ministry here at SRBC. We arrived back to club January 4 after a holiday break from club spending time with family, friends, and playing with new toys etc. Clubbers got back to the business at hand, of learning and reciting
Bible verses, completing sections, and playing games.
January 18, Clubbers arrived dressed and ready for layer night our January theme. They dressed in as many layers of clothes and accessories as they could either find, and/or walk/waddle to club. Many layers were worn in, requiring many bags to carry them back home. One clubber was counted as wearing over 60 layers, whew, they survived as it wasn’t such a cold day outside.
     February 8 Clubbers are scheduled to arrive wearing their favorite NFL gear and most importantly bringing cans of soup to help refill our Church’s food pantry. This “Soup ’er’ bowl” theme night focuses not on football, but on needy families right here in our community.
     A few exciting things are happening in Awana during the month of February! It’s time to start thinking about our Awana Grand Prix! Car kits are available for purchase ($5 per kit) at the registration table on Wednesday nights before and after club! Awana Grand Prix 2023 Race Day is Wednesday, March 15!
     Sparks late night out party, Fri. February 24, 6-10 pm.
     Finally, our theme nights for this month are Soup ‘er Bowl Night on February 8, Card night on February 15 and Glow night on February 22.
     We remain committed to serve and honor our Lord in teaching and reaching the kids of our neighborhoods and community thru this important ministry. We are truly blessed! Please remember to pray for all involved as we attempt to bring the word of God to young lives from our church & community, with the gospel of Christ and train them to serve him!

Cool with Christ,
Tere Sharp
Co-Commander

We will be taking candy to residents of Mad River Manor as an outreach of love and care for them on Valentine’s Day. If you would like to contribute candy for this purpose, please put it into the baskets in the foyer sometime in the next
few weeks.

January 2023

1/4/2023

Over two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to find the source of the Missouri River. His hope was to find a relatively easy water route west to the Pacific. In their search, they discovered that such a waterway does not exist.
But they did succeed in mapping the Northwest. And in that process they were able to find the headwaters of the mighty Missouri River near the Montana-Idaho border. It was just a tiny little rivulet, which one member of the expedition was able to completely straddle. He found himself putting one foot on either side of the great Missouri River. At its source, the Missouri looks a lot different from the powerful current that flows into the Mississippi River near St. Louis.
As we start this New Year, we think about new beginnings. May we remember that the things we do today, which may seem very small in the whole scheme of things, may turn out to be the very things that God uses to do great and powerful things. A welcoming smile, a note of encouragement, an idea for a new church program, an invitation to church, a step out in faith to speak to someone about Christ ~ these are the very things that God may use to change the lives of those around us.
The little things we do in the Lord's name may be the trickling stream that God turns into a rushing river. May everything that we do this year,
whether great or small, be done in faith that God can do much more
with it than we can. Let us watch what He will do.
With love, Pastor Scott

We will not be having our Men’s Breakfast in January.
We will meet again on February 4, 2023.
Stay tuned for further details.

Please join us for our annual meeting on Sunday, January 22, 2023 after the morning worship service. We will serve lunch with the meeting. Please join us as we hear how our church has done in the past year.

Love Packages will no longer be accepting pill bottles for Matthew 25 Ministries. You can still put the pill bottles in your recycle bin at home.

This past fall season has been a fun and busy time for our youth group! A typical night at youth group includes games, snacks, a Bible message, and more led by adult volunteers. It’s been exciting to see the youth of SRBC and our neighborhood come together, build friendships, worship together, and grow in their faith!
In addition to our weekly meetings, we have also had some fun events throughout the fall. In December Our Christmas party was a big hit. We ate pizza, sweet snacks, played games, had a devotional message, and a “White Elephant” gift exchange.
In the new year, we’re hoping that God would continue to use the youth ministry in the lives of our students. Please join us in praying for our students as they walk with Jesus and navigate the various challenges of being teenagers.

Women’s Breakfast will be January 14, 2023 @ 9:00 am. Join us as we enjoy breakfast, fellowship and some devotional time.

Annual Committee reports are due to the church
office by January 13.
Please send them to [email protected].
Sending them electronically cuts down on the number of mistakes I can make. Thank you, Fran

Saturday, January 7 at 9:00 am
Breakfast will be provided

Colleen and I would like to thank you, our loving congregation, for the kindness and generosity you once again showed us this Christmas. We are humbled by this demonstration of support and sacrificial love. Knowing we could never be worthy of it, we pledge to do our best to demonstrate those same qualities in our
service to you. Pastor Scott

January 17, 2023
Team Meetings ~ 6 pm
Church Council ~ 7 pm

Join us for a time of crafting with others of the church. Bring you craft, whatever that may be, scrapbooking, knitting, sewing, card making or any other project you may have going. We will be meeting at 7 pm on the 4th Friday of the month.
For more info contact Michelle Prince
@ 937-689-1017.

      All women of the church are invited to join us for a baby shower. Abbie Rose Goodman-Lawson and her husband Ross are expecting a baby! The baby’s due date is
March 2, 2023. The baby shower will be held on January 14, 2023 in the fellowship hall from 1:30 ~ 3:30 pm. Abbie is registered at babylist.com. Babylist.com combines registries from Amazon and Target and gives you the best price for the item you would like to order.
Please join us as we celebrate the coming arrival of Abbie and Ross’s daughter.
     There will be a diaper raffle at the shower. If anyone brings a package of diapers (any size) your name will be put in drawing / raffle and one lucky person will win a prize. Do not feel obligated to participate. It is just for fun.
     If you so desire you can help build the baby’s library by bringing along a book for the baby. The book can be used in place of a gift card. Just write a message or sign your name in the book. Again do not feel obligated to participate in this activity. It is for fun and to start a book collection.
     If weather conditions are inclement on January 14th, an alternate date for the shower will be on January 28th at the same time and location. An email notice will be sent out on the morning of January 14th to notify everyone if the shower is to be rescheduled for the 28th.
     We hope you can come and we would greatly
appreciate an RSVP notice by January 7, 2023.

Thank You,
Abbie’s family

AWANA MINUTE
     HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! It's a whole new year, where has the time gone? Our AWANA Club took a holiday break and will be restarting January 4th at 6:05 pm like normal. We look forward to hearing about all the clubbers exciting adventures
over their break.
December 2022 went quickly as, on the 7th, Clubbers were challenged to see how quiet they could be for the entire night. It was really pretty quiet as clubbers recited verses and completed sections. The nights’ theme “Silent Night Holy Night” provided a challenge during game time, Trek club did the best job playing games while staying silent.
     On the 14th The Awana Christmas Shop was a huge success as clubbers shopped for Christmas presents for the Adults that they live with.
A gift-wrapping elf quickly assisted clubbers in preparing their gifts to go home and be slid under the tree. Thank-you Miss Kelly & Mr. Ron for getting the Christmas Shop together!
  We broke from club Dec. 21 & 28, so that all could celebrate the birth of our savior with family and friends. Club starts back January. 4th as we get club off to a Great start in 2023! We are so excited to see what God has in store for our clubs in the New Year!
Thank you to all who volunteer each week and assist clubbers with learning God’s word, so they can begin hiding it in their hearts!
Thank-you for your continued love, support, and most importantly prayers! Pray for our children to be reached with the gospel of Christ and that they learn to serve God, and for our entire leadership staff.

Cool with Christ.
Tere Sharp
Co-Commander

Church Offices Closed
Monday, January 16, 2023

Our church nursery is open once again. We are still in need of volunteers on Sunday mornings to take a turn in the nursery. If you would be able to serve, please notify Felicia Chambers.

Our mission focus for January is our own church food pantry.

We gave out 33 Christmas baskets this year! What a ministry to our community!
But, now our shelves are bare. Please help us restock the pantry so that we can continue to help meet the needs of those who come in during the year. We are in need of everything!

As always thank you for your generosity to this ministry.

February 2023

January 2023

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