church logo Milledge Avenue Baptist Church

We are a worshipping family of God, living and sharing Christ's love with each other, our community and our world.

Friday, October 31, 2014

In This Issue

Daylight Savings!

Students @ Milledge

Midweek @ Milledge

Pumpkin Patch

Golden Glows

Handicap Accessibility

IHN Host Week

Union Service

Just4Lunch

Commission Baptist Church

Save the Date

Personal Message

Volunteer Opportunity

Downstairs decorations provided by Pat Britton.

November 2nd!

Students @ Milledge

Tonight we WILL have P56 and Inside Out. P56 will continue their advent study. Inside Out is doing a NOOMA Bible study called "SHE" all about gender identity and God. Come for supper at 5, recreation at 5:30 and activities at 6. Parent pick up at 7 pm.

Sunday, November 9th is IHN set up. We will eat lunch, set up for IHN and then go BOWLING! Parent pick up is 3:30. Cost will be about $10.

Upcoming Events for Youth and Children:

Sunday, Nov 2	Youth Inside Out Planet 56
Wednesday, Nov 5	Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Sunday, Nov 9	Youth IHN Set up and Bowling
Wednesday, Nov 12	Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Sunday, Nov 16	Youth Inside Out Planet 56
Wednesday, Nov 19	Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Sunday, Nov 23	Thanksgiving Union Service (no evening youth activities)
Tuesday, Nov 25	Deck the Halls (part 1) Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Sunday, Nov 30	Youth Inside Out Planet 56 (last meetings until January)
Wednesday, Dec 3	Deck the Halls (part 2) Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Saturday, Dec 6	ALL Children's Parents' Day Out from 10am - 2pm
Sunday, Dec 7	Christmas Cantata during worship Singing Around the Chrismon Tree and Family Dinner from 5-7pm
Wednesday, Dec 10	Children's Choir Rehearsal and Bible Time
Saturday, Dec 13	6-12th grade Youth reverse Progressive Dinner and Christmas Party from 5-8pm
Sunday, Dec 14	Churchwide Christmas Caroling from 3-5pm Children and their families Christmas party from 5-6:30pm

Wednesdays!

Family Dinner @ 5:30pm...RESERVATIONS NEEDED!

You can make your reservations online, by calling the church office, or emailing Carrie. Please reserve your meal before 10am on Mondays. To ensure we have enough food for everyone to enjoy, please be sure to make your reservation.

Cost: Adults ($7.00)
Children ages 4-12 ($4.00) *children under 4 eat free
Family cap ($20.00)

Children's Choir @ 6:05pm
Our Pre-k children will meet in the nursery on the 1st floor of the Kinney Children's Bldg for learning and preschool choir, led by Graham Brooks.

Our children in grades k-6th will meet in the Children's Choir room located on the 2nd floor of the Kinney Children's Bldg for choire rehearsal, led by Laura Marlow.

Adult Spiritual Growth Opportunities @ 6:00pm
Adult Bible Study...Adults and youth gather together for thought provoking discussions.

Pumpkin Patch...

We had our best Pumpkin Patch ever this year and we would like to thank each and every one of you for all the support you gave. We'll have a detailed report for you next week!

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MABC Legacy of Love: Paying it Forward Campaign

November 2-23rd

More than two years ago we accepted God's calling to make our church facility fully accessible for all people. And led by the Spirit, much has been accomplished: handicap accessible restrooms, parking spaces, modified sanctuary seating, and internationally recognized signage. All paid in full. Last year we began the costliest part of this journey: making our choir and pulpit platform, the chancel, fully accessible.

Having witnessed the valiant effort of our beloved late pastor emeritus, Claude McBride, struggling to remain active in the choir, we knew this was a task that had to be done. In April last spring, you voted unanimously to renovate this area and to conduct a fund-raising drive to make it a reality. The MABC Legacy of Love: Paying it Forward Campaign begins November 2nd and continues through Sunday, November 23rd, when we will join in a Thanksgiving Celebration Luncheon, giving God the glory for "accomplishing more than we could ever ask for or imagine...." Ephesians 3:20-21.

In the campaign's "Silent Phase," thirty-five of your church leaders, members of the Board of Deacons and the Accessibility Committee, acted on the principle that you cannot ask others to do what you are not willing to do yourselves. Together with several others, this group has pledged or given up-front $78, 815.00! An amazing example of leadership and sacrificial giving!

Now it is your turn, and we are challenging members and friends of the church to do an equally amazing thing for the glory of God: we are challenging you to MATCH the gifts and pledges of our leaders! It will require you to dig deeply, to consider your gift an investment in the future of our church, to Pay Forward the Legacy of Love you have experienced at MABC.

If you do this, in addition to the bare bones chancel renovation, we will be able to upgrade the sound system to eliminate "dead" spots, to replace the 1968 vintage lighting system with LED lighting and reduce energy usage by 83%, to purchase four lighter, easier to move pulpit platform chairs, and to add two handicap parking spaces to meet current and future needs. Those who have already given may want to consider an additional donation for a bronze cross in the handrails, or to purchase a pulpit platform chair in memory or honor of one of our four pastors: Bob Ashworth, Claude McBride, James Revels, or Edward Bolen.

For the next four Sundays, leaders of this church will share their "MABC Legacy of Love" stories with us, telling why they felt God calling them to "Pay it Forward" in an act of sacrificial giving or lavish generosity. Updates on giving will be posted electronically and displayed in the rear sanctuary each Sunday. We look forward to celebrating with you on Sunday, November 23rd, with lunch following worship service.

Joan Humphries, Chair

Accessibility Committee

IHN Host Week...

Our next IHN Host Week begins November 9th. There is a sign up board in the Gathering Room for anyone who would like to volunteer to help during that week. We have three guest families (4 adults and 9 children) scheduled to be here. Please contact the church office is you're interested in this volunteer opportunity or have questions about the various jobs available.

Union Service

for First Baptist, Beech Haven Baptist and Milledge Avenue Baptist...

Our three congregations will gather at First Baptist Church on Sunday, November 23 at 6pm. Dr. David Mills, the new Senior Pastor of Beech Haven Baptist, will be the preacher. Rev. Randy Brittain, Minister of Music at First Baptist, will direct the combined choirs of the three congregations.

Adult 55+ Event...

JUST4LUNCH--Friday, NOV. 21

A dutch treat for food and fellowship!

11:30 AM @ FIVE & TEN restaurant on Milledge Avenue.

Call the church office to make your reservation!!!!!

Responding to an Epidemic...

In late July, Rev. Augustine S. Weah, Sr., the Pastor of Commission Baptist Church in Monrovia, Liberia, communicated the dire situation facing his nation and congregation as a State of Emergency was declared by the government. All schools, colleges, and non-essential governmental services were closed. (And remain closed.) The nation's fragile health-care system was overwhelmed by the Ebola epidemic. Because most members of Commission Baptist could not work, malnutrition and extreme food scarcity were a growing anxiety for the congregation. In August, Milledge Avenue Baptist collected $2,585 for our sister church.
In August, Commission created a "Welfare and Relief Committee" to determine the best means of responding to the numerous crises facing the church. Informed of our offering, they requested that $2,250 be wired to them--in two separate transfers--as they do not have access to a bank and were fearful of holding too much money. With the funds, they purchased 90 25kg bags of rice (about $1,800) and distributed a bag to each household in the congregation. The remaining funds have been used for emergency health-care needs (basic medicines and supplies of Clorox.)
In September, the "Welfare and Relief Committee" officially requested that MABC financially assist Commission so that they could provide subsistence food for the 100 households that attend Commission Baptist Church, plus food for a neighboring blind community and a deaf/mute community. The MABC Missions Team met to consider these requests and developed the following plan: during the months of October, November and December, MABC will assist our Sister-church with (a) $1,000 per month from the existing Foundation Grant that the Mission Team already held and (b) a monthly "Love Offering."
The Missions Team asked Dr. Bolen to write a letter to Commission's "Welfare and Relief Committee" communicating our three-month commitment. The Missions Team will receive reports from Commission Baptist and will evaluate future needs during the last quarter of this year.
On October 15, $1,000 was wired to Commission Baptist from the MABC Mission Team's funds. On October 19, MABC members contributed $3,434 towards hunger relief. We are awaiting direction from Commission's "Welfare and Relief Committee" as to how they want to use these funds. Both Commission and Milledge Avenue Baptist are keeping detailed accounting as to funds raised, transferred and how the funds are being utilized.
This week, Rev. Weah informed us that Sister Kebbah Beyan--a 22-year-old mother of four--has been in an Ebola isolation ward for 10 days. Her family has been able to communicate with her by phone, members of the church are caring for her children (who remain healthy) but they do not have a clear understanding of her health status.

--MABC Missions Team and Pastor Bolen

Date Savers

November 2	Planet 56 / Inside Out Women's Bible Study CBF GA General Assembly
November 3	Church Council Mtg
November 4	Men's Fellowship Breakfast Women's Bible Study
November 5	Golden Glows Midweek @ Milledge Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal
November 9-16	IHN Host Week
November 9	IHN Set Up Women's Bible Study
November 10	Finance Team Mtg Deacon Mtg
November 11	Women's Bible Study
November 12	Midweek @ Milledge Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

Click HERE to see more of our upcoming events!

ON THE WEB

MABC

CHURCH WEBSITE

www.milledge.org

Missions@Milledge

Food 2 Kids

Donation Item for October is RAVIOLI!!!

Interfaith Hospitality Network

Here is a great four page article in the monthly newsletter of The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship about Baptist congregations that are engaged with IHN. You can click HERE to read it.

Smart Lunch, Smart Kid

If you'd like to give to this wonderful program, you can text LUNCH to 41444.

To keep up with Action Ministries and their programs, you can text ACTIONHERO to 51555.

2014 MABC Deacon Ministers

Chester Sosebee, chair

John Allen

Sue Chapman

Rubielen Norris

Bruce Ferguson

Chris Taylor

Barry Coleman

Mike Daniel

Doug Gatchell

Will Marlow

Akinloye Ojo

Deacon of the Week

Lonnie Varnedoe

Will Abney

Jan Bell

Lucy Bell

Suzanne Griffeth

Donna McEwan

Mark Sorrow

VITAL SIGNS

Weekly Offering and Attendance Report

Budget offering for Sunday, October 26th: $8,644.00

Other Contributions:

Women's Bible Study: $61

Bldg Fund: $2300

Liberia: $941

Tues. ODB: $250

IHN: $200

Handicap Access: $2000

Total Weekly Contributions: $14,396.00

******************

October Budget offering to Date: $34,688.00

Monthy Budget Requirement:

$32,071

Balance to Date:

$1,375.00

******************

Attendance:

Week of 10/26/14

Sunday School: 78

Worship: 152

Carnival: 213

Read All About...

Children's Choir Blog...

Click HERE to find out what Laura Marlow and our children are doing.

Darryl Mathis' Blog...

Walk With God Today

Charity Bracewell's Blog...

Click HERE to read what Charity is saying!

BWIM Blog...

Click HERE to read about Baptist Women in Ministry!

Scripture Readers Needed...

If you would like to volunteer as a Scripture Reader during our worship service, please let us know by emailing or calling the office.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE

Prayers for Our Family and Friends

(Please contact the church office to update the prayer list)

Church Family

Joel Gunnells, Barbara Reid, Bill and Pat Edwards, Jimmy Godwin, Pat Britton, Chandler Griffin and his family, Louise and Irene Hill, Jean Johnson, Gayle McBride, Paul and Beverly Kormanik, Joel Gunnells, Florice Akin, Margaret McReynolds, Beth Duncan, Betty Weaver, Al and Eleanor Danielsen, and Peggy DeWeese.

Extended Family & Friends

Donald Daniel (father of Mike Daniel); Gene and Adrian Bowers (parents of Elyse Daniel); Mrs. Myrtle Chambers (mother of Debbie Waters); Evelyn Howard (mother of Chester Sosebee); Lee Baird Jackson (mother of Carole Sosebee); Mozelle Simmons (aunt of Darryl Mathis); Florice Akin (mother of Dan Akin); Carol Sartain (daughter of Lucille Sartain); Ron and Judy Clark (former members of MABC, Ron was recently diagnosed with cancer).

Global Mission Partners

We continually pray for our global mission partners: Commission Baptist Church in Monrovia, Liberia and Bethlehem Ministry in northern Haiti. May the Lord shine His light on Rev. Augustine Weah (Commission Baptist Church) and Father Bruno (Bethlehem Ministry) as they guide our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Praises and Blessings

Chet Sosebee, son of Chester and Carole Sosebee, is home from deployment!

SERVING TOGETHER

November 2, 2014

Deacon of the Week: Akinloye Ojo

Worship Prep: Eloise Hancock

Acolyte: Ike Ojo

Audio: Chester Sosebee

Greeters: Debbie Waters, Tim and Julie Graham

Door Opener/Closer: Jim Cunningham

Ushers: Kevin Chapman, Noah Chapman, Jim Cunningham, Peyton Bell, Carroll Humphries, John Waters

Nursery Coordinator: Sarah Pledger

Nursery during Worship: Deidra Jones

Children's Church: Kristi Terry and Lynn Mathis

Gathering Room Prep: Kevin and Sue Chapman

Planet 56/Inside Out Meal Provider: The Hall Family

CHURCH STAFF

Dr. Edward Bolen, Sr. Pastor, edward@milledge.org

Dr. Ginny Dempsey, Associate Pastor for Students, ginny@milledge.org

Shelynn Scott, Interim Director of Music, sscott@oconeeschools.org

Karen Byrd, Organist, karenfbyrd@gmail.com

Carrie Juarez, Church Secretary, carrie@milledge.org

Susan McCullough, Financial Secretary, susan@milledge.org

Manuel Sanchez, Custodian, manuel@milledge.org