Second Avenue Baptist Church

October 16, 2007 Volume XXIV Issue 20

Thanks!

Wow, what a day Sunday was! The worship service was incredibly moving. The Atlanta Festival Brass combined with our own musicians and choir to make beautiful music. Chairman Drinkard offered a Spirit-filled prayer of dedication and the Sanctuary glowed with the Shekinah Glory of God. I was blessed just to be a part of that wonderful time.

On Monday morning as I write this, I am reflecting on the past few months and all I can say is thank you. Thank you to the 100th Anniversary Committee for planning services, putting up displays, coordinating meals and providing so much leadership to our yearlong celebration. We have honored and celebrated 100 years of faithfulness well due to your hard work. Thanks to folks who came back to be a part of these days like Rev. and Mrs. Fred White, who did not miss any of our celebration days. Thank you to our construction oversight committee and contractors who worked overtime to get most of the work done for yesterday. Thanks to everyone who was a part of our Second Century Campaign that is funding our renovation. And certainly, thanks to all who have gone before us in this place that laid the foundation for yesterday and all the days to come.

Most of all, I say thanks to God on this day. I thank Him for calling together a congregation called Second Avenue Baptist Church to be a family of faith being the body of Christ in the world. I thank Him for calling me to serve as your pastor. What a blessing that is to me and my family. I thank Him for calling Steve, Charlie, Lisa, Mary Beth, Ann and Annette along with the strongest lay leadership I know anywhere to serve together. I thank Him for giving us a future in this place and a call to reach our community. What a joy it is to serve alongside others who desire not only to love God and one another well, but also to love our neighbors as Christ loves them.

I could go on saying thank you and it seems to me that we simply do not say it enough. Speaking of “thank yous,” inside this edition you will read a letter from the Iglesia Alianza Cristiana y Misionera de Higuito that thanks us for the contribution we sent them earlier this year to complete the purchase of their property. It is great not only to have renovated our campus, but also to be a part of providing for a sister congregation in Costa Rica.

So, thank you for all that you are and do and mean to me. Thanks be to God to whom all praise, honor and glory belong forever and ever, Amen.

Blessings,

Monty

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Worship Ministry

We had a wonderful day of worship and celebration of our 100th Anniversary last Sunday. Thank you for making the Atlanta Festival Brass feel so welcome. I have never been in a church that sat during the Postlude in order to listen to the players. What you heard Sunday was no ordinary brass group. They are composed of the best of the best from the Atlanta area. I believe all of them are full time musicians and college professors.

A special thanks to all of our musicians and choir for leading so well during the worship service. We were all blessed by your efforts.

The Chancel Choir is currently rehearsing one hour per week and preparing music for the Christmas season. This would be a great week for you to join them.

The Instrumental Ensemble will meet this Sunday, October 21, at

9:00 AM in the Sanctuary. Warm up those old band instruments from the past and join us as we prepare for the coming worship services.

The Joyful Singers will lead worship at Merrill Gardens this Thursday, October 18, at 10:30 AM. Everyone is invited to join us to sing and to have lunch at one of our Luncheon Club restaurants.

Games, Inflatables, Fun, and Food at Community-Wide Fall Festival

October 28 4:00-6:00 PM here at SABC

Volunteers Needed for Community Kitchen October 29-November 2

Volunteers are needed to help throughout the week. (Two male volunteers are needed daily for lifting, etc.) If you would like to volunteer, contact the day captain for the day(s) you are available.

Day captains: Monday-Brenda Bennett, Tuesday-Jane Gray Collier, Wednesday-Ann Pinson, Thursday-Chuck Hicks, Friday-Marsha Spota, or you may contact the church office at 706-232-3663.

Feeding the Hungry

October has been designated as Hunger Month by Baptist World Aid and we will observe it here at Second Avenue Baptist Church.

Globally, support the efforts of Baptist World Aid. Locally, you can help Rome Action Ministry in two ways. First, you can take a “Bag of Blessing” grocery bag from the Fellowship Hall, and fill it up with the items listed on the bag and return it to the Fellowship Hall. Second, we are beginning a new ongoing collection for RAM as Second Avenue becomes RAM’s “pasta church”. So, bring spaghetti, canned spaghetti sauce and boxes of mac and cheese to the collection bins on the first floor.

Women’s Ministry Opportunities

Sunday Morning Prayer: Meet at 9:00 AM in the Bride’s Room, on the first floor, for special and confidential prayer time.

Bible Study: Fridays at 9:30 AM meet in the College/Career Class, on the third floor.

Community Kitchen: Women always serve on Fridays when the Community Kitchen is at SABC.

Family Ministry

Lots of Bagged Candy Needed

Bagged (individually wrapped) candy will be given out to all children at our fall festival, Sunday, October 28 from 4-6 PM. You can help by donating any kind of bagged candy, dropping the candy in the marked bin, located in the Fellowship Hall, or you may leave the candy in Charlie’s office. Thank you in advance for your contribution to our fall festival. See you there!

RESCHEDULED

October 20 at 10:00 AM Pre-School thru 5th Grade

(Pre-school parents must attend with child)

Parents are encouraged to attend to make it a family event
Cost: $10 per person
Adults willing to drive, see Charlie.

"ONE LIFE" Youth Fall Retreat Coming Nov. 10-11.

Lookout Mountain Camp at Mentone, Alabama

Youth Concert Friday, November 23 @ The Arena at Gwinnett

The Altar & The Door Tour-Cost is $20.00. See Casting Crowns and Leeland

What is Operation Christmas Child?

Operation Christmas Child is the unique project of Samaritan’s Purse that enables caring people to share God’s love with hurting girls and boys in the far corners of the globe.

Take an ordinary shoebox, fill it with toys and other presents, and you have an extraordinary gift for a child in need of joy and hope. Most important, these shoe- boxes provide opportunities for local believers to tell children about Jesus Christ through Gospel literature and evangelism programs.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV).
Remember to pray for the boy or girl who will receive your shoebox. Through the power of a simple gift, you can bless a child’s life—and make a world of difference.

Second Avenue Baptist Church will collect filled shoeboxes at 6:00 PM Sunday, November 18 at our Thanksgiving Service, in the Sanctuary.

Brochures will be available soon containing gift ideas and labels.

Mark Your Calendar 8:00 AM, Saturday, November 3

Second Avenue will participate in Habitat for Humanity’s Apostles’ Build. This will be an all day event. SABC will be responsible for painting.

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Thanks From Higuito

San Jose, September 26, 2007

Pastor, Monty Stallins and Brother David Miller

Dear Brothers:

The Alliance Church in Higuito greets you in the love of Jesus Christ, and we wish you God’s blessings on behalf of our whole church.

Pastor Monty Stallins and Brother David Miller, we wish God’s blessings on your ministry and on the Baptist Church where God has brought you together to work in His work. Truthfully, your love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the Church in Higuito has been marvelous. It was with great joy that we received the $3,500 (three thousand five hundred dollars that you sent with love.) As soon as we received your gift, we canceled the debt we had with Mutual Alajuela de la Vivienda, that came to 1,639, 000.00 Colones. We also want to let you know that we finished the work on the restrooms, wheelchair access ramps, and parking area that the government requires for the five year permit that we need to continue as a church. Now our goal is to finish the first part of the second floor, it is nine meters long and five meters wide. When we finish, we will have 265 square meters of space upstairs, and 265 square meters downstairs, with a total of 530 square meters. Our budget for this work is three million Colones, or about $6,000.

Without your help, it would not have been possible to continue with this construction. We also want to tell you that the Pastoral staff of the Alliance Church here in Higuito, has made a commitment to remember you in prayer, and we will continue to pray that the Lord will bless you and widen your territory to take the Gospel to the furthest parts of the world. May the Lord continue to crown you with His love and compassion as the Lord tells us in Psalm 103:4 and 5.

We love you in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if the Lord doesn’t come soon, we would like to see you both in 2008.

Sincerely,

Pastor, Francisco Zeledon Rodriguez and the Pastoral Staff of the

Church in Higuito.

Now Showing

Showtime:

6:00 PM Sunday, October 21

SABC Fellowship Hall

Fiesta Food will be served

Homebound Members

October 14:

Carol Watters

October 21:

Lois Wright

October 28:

Mildred Youngblood

Congratulations

Congratulations to Frank and Ruth Pinson, grandparents, and Jim and Anna Poyner, parents of Eva Nell Poyner, born October 10, 2007.

Giving for the Week of 10/07/07

Budget Goal to Date $518,321.

Budget Gift to Date 395,723.

Weekly Budget Goal 12,958.

Weekly Budget Gifts 10,696.

Total Gifts to Date $543,313.

Attendance for 10/07/07

Sunday School 156

Morning Worship 212

Giving for the Week of 10/14/07

Budget Goal to Date $531,279.

Budget Gift to Date 404,043.

Weekly Budget Goal 12,958.

Weekly Budget Gifts 8,321.

Total Gifts to Date $583,398.

Attendance for 10/14/07

Sunday School 183

Morning Worship 301

Total giving as of 10/14/07 for

Second Century Campaign: $172,955.94

Weekly Schedule

Sunday, October 21

9:00 am Women’s Prayer Time

9:00 am Instrumental Ensemble

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Morning Worship

5:00 pm Youth Choir

5:00 pm Missions Committee

6:00 pm Family 2 Family

Wednesday, October 24

5:15 pm Family Night Supper

6:00 pm Prayer Time—

Fellowship Hall

6:00 pm Preschool Choir

6:00 pm Children’s Choir

6:15 pm Finance Committee

6:15 pm Adult Bible Study—Chapel

6:15 pm The Foundry—Youth

6:15 pm Illuminate—College/Career

6:30 pm Chancel Bell Choir

6:45 pm Children’s Mission Groups

7:00 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal

Thursday, October 25

7:00 am Men’s Prayer Breakfast

10:00 am Joyful Singers Choir

Friday, October 26

9:30 am Women’s Bible Study

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MINISTERIAL and WORSHIP STAFF

Rev. Monty Stallins, Senior Pastor

Mr. Steve Grayson, Minister of Worship

Rev. Charlie Mayberry, Minister to Families

Mrs. Ann Hicks, Organist

Mrs. Annette Herrington, Church Accompanist

SUPPORT STAFF

Mrs. Lisa West, Ministry Assistant

Mrs. Mary Beth Musick, Administrative Assistant/ Financial Secretary

Mr. Phil Langston, Custodian

Mrs. Amy Jones, Custodian

Mrs. Dean Money, Family Night Hostess