It Is Finally Here!!!

After lots of planning and prayer, the FBC Troy 2011 Spring Retreat is finally here!  It will last from Friday night through Sunday morning.  All the rallies will be at the Family Life Center.  God is going to do amazing things this weekend and His children will be blessed.  I hope you are able to be a part of it!

God Truly Does Bless Obedience

The trip to the Baptist Children's Home this past weekend was a huge success.  We had a good group go down there to play with the kids and help out the house parents.  I'm proud and appreciative of everyone who went.  I think that our youth enjoyed playing with the kids as much as the kids enjoyed playing with them!  God truly blesses us when we are obedient.

I strongly encourage all the youth to sign up and be in prayer for the Spring Retreat on April 1-3.  During the morning and afternoon on Saturday, April 2, the youth will be helping out some senior adults in our church by assisting them with various chores around their homes.  Just as God blessed us when we ministered to the kids in Dothan, He will bless us when we minister to the senior adults at the Spring Retreat.  I hope you are able to come and be a part of this blessing!

James 1:27 

Baptist Children's Home Visit

This Saturday, the youth and all interested adults will be going to the Baptist Children's Home in Dothan.  We will have opportunities to minister in a couple of different ways.  One will be to play indoor or outdoor games with the kids down there.  A second will be to help the house parents by doing yard work (picking up sticks, getting rid of weeds, transporting bricks, etc). 

I strongly encourage all who are able to attend to make it this Saturday.  We will leave from the church at 8am and return at approximately 2pm.  Adults, we will need to carpool down there.  If you are able to help transport kids, please let Chris know.  I am excited about ministering together with you this Saturday, March 12!

Spring Retreat Update

Hey all, just wanted to give you an update on where we are at for the Spring Retreat (D-now).  We have the speaker and worship band already lined up.  We're in the process of getting host homes and Bible study leaders for the weekend.  Also, we are organizing our mission sites for Saturday.  This week I'm hoping to recruit the 2nd most important person of the weekend....the person in charge of food :). 

Now, what we need to keep working on is the most important part of the weekend....YOU!!  Students have already started signing up, and WE NEED TO KEEP THAT GOING.  Just a reminder, the discount price of $35 is good through this Sunday, March 6.  If any students or parents need a copy of the release form or registration form, you can pick them up at church or download them at www.troyfbc.org/dontbefooled.html. 

Once again, this is an open event.  The students are encouraged to bring as many friends as they like.  Come be a part of what God is doing!

Upward and Mama Goldbergs

This Saturday, Feb 26, will be the last weekend of Upward Basketball games.  As we did a couple weeks ago, the youth will be manning the concession stands and serve as greeters at the door.  Please contact Chris if you are able to take a time slot between 8-5 to help in either area.  

Also, I want to encourage everybody to stop by the FLC on Saturday and pick a Mama Goldbergs flier.  Then, take that flier to Mama Goldbergs and order lots of food.  They have agreed to give 10% of the proceeds to the mission fund at FBC.  But please remember that this is for this Saturday, Feb 26, only, and that you need to take them a flier.  Support FBC as it sends out LOTS of missions teams this summer and enjoy good food at the same time!  

Religion that is Pure and Faultless

James 1:27--Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

Over the next couple months, the youth ministry at First Baptist is going to have an opportunity to practice religion that is pure and faultless.  On Saturday, March 12, the youth and all interested adults will be going to the Baptist Children's Home in Dothan for a workday.  We will have an opportunity to support the ministry there through a variety of means inside and outside the home.  Also, on Saturday, April 2, during the Spring Retreat Disciple Now weekend, the youth will have an opportunity to minister to senior adults by working around their homes.  It is our prayer that God will be honored and greatly smile upon His children as we seek to be obedient.  Won't you come join us?!  

Sunday Night Bible Studies

For the next several Sunday nights the youth are going to study the book of James.  James is a New Testament book that has alot of practical application to it.  In addition to the practical side of it, this will also be a good opportunity for the students to learn how to study the Bible.  We have been looking at James 1 the past couple Sunday nights and will study James 1:22-27 this Sunday night.  Verse 22 is a great verse for all of us to remember, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says."