Church Bond Program

As you know we are issuing through Commonwealth Church Finance, Inc $1.7 million in First Mortgage Bonds. These bonds will be used to finance the building of our new education building. Commonwealth is still selling bonds to church members and friends of First Baptist Church of Labelle. Members and friends who would like to buy bond may contact Mr. Keith Glore at (877) 370-0459 who is a registered Representative of Commonwealth Church Finance, Inc.

Information about the bond program may be picked up at the church office. Bonds are being offered from Six Months to Twenty Five Years at 6.00% to 7.75% interest bonds.
As of last week $784,250 of bonds have been sold. This leaves us with $915,750 of bonds to sell.

If you know of someone who is interested in buying bonds, please give them Keith Glore's name and telephone number and they can discuss buying bonds over the telephone. We need your help in spreading the word about our Bond Program.

Community Thanksgiving Service

I would like to remind you of our LaBelle Community Thanksgiving Service that will held at Caloosa Baptist Church at 7pm, tonight. Rev. Jorge Rodriguez, Pastor of Life Ministries will bring the Thanksgiving Message. Pastors from the community will have a part in the service. Larry Luckey will be bringing special music.

I hope you can come tonight and be part of this special service in our community. I hope you and your family will have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Our Church Bond Program

Keith Glore from Commonwealth Church Finance will be here to present the plans of our bond program this Sunday, November 23rd in our Morning Worship Service. We felt we would have the most people here on a Sunday Morning and that is the reason we are doing this then.

There will a table at the back of the church on Sunday, for those individuals who have IRA's to make appointments to meet with Keith to discuss how those can be rolled over.

On Sunday, November 30th, members of First Baptist Church will have opportunities to sign up for the bonds they would like to purchase. Bonds will be available in various denominations. Everything is handled in strict confidence through Commonwealth Church Finance.

We encourage members to invest in the future of this church. Please tell your friends about our bond program because they might want to invest.

Venezuela

The Lord has truly blessed us in Venezuela. The city of Caracas has a population of 5 million people and only 2% of that population is Christian. We have been working with a group of missionaries in Venezuela that have been a true blessings. They are some of the most committed individuals I have worked with.

Dr. Long presented to them the Bible Training Centre for Pastors Program. They were very interested in this program. They told us that they have been praying for such a program and thought they would have to design it themselves. This program is design for national pastors who need Biblical education but not able to go to college or seminary.

Please pray for Caracas, Venezuela has they will be having elections this Sunday. Let's pray that there will be no violence from this election.

When in Doubt?

Today I was reading a devotion by Henry Blackaby that helped me with the things I been thinking about our world and economic crisis that our country finds itself in. Dr. Blackaby made reference to Daniel 9:23 (NKJV) "At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:"

Daniel was in exile in Babylon as a result of his nation's utter defeat by the Babylonians. He was trying to understand what was happening to him and his country. So we find that Daniel went to God in prayer and God immediately dispatched an angel to revealed that God has sent this angel at the beginning of his supplication. God didn't wait for Daniel to finish his prayer. God loved Daniel greatly and when Daniel was in need, God was quick to respond in love to him.

God wants to answer the prayers of those whose hearts are completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV) "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
We need to be reminded that God can accurately orient you to the events of your day. Media, public opinion, and political leaders cannot tell you the truth of your circumstances, only God can. God loves us and will speak to us in His time. His answer may come immediately as it did in Daniel's case, or it may be delayed, but it will come. At times it seems as though everything is crumbling around you, and you wonder why you do not see God's activity, take comfort in knowing that you are loved in heaven. If you are genuinely seeking God's answers, you can go to your Father confidently with your questions.

If you would like to read Dr. Henry Blackaby's devotions each day you can go to www.namb.net and click Blackaby devotions.

Ground Breaking

Today we broke ground for our new 8,800 square foot education building. This building has been designed for our preschool, children, and youth departments. This new building will give us the space we need now and for the future. It was so good to see so many of you stay for our ground breaking ceremony. It was nice to see our children dig a shovel full of dirt, breaking ground for the building. Many of them will learn in this new building and might come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

In the coming days I want you to pray for the construction of our new building. Pray for the safety of the workers and for decisions that will need to be made. We will have Bond information meetings soon where members and friends of First Baptist Church can learn about purchasing bonds to finance our building. There will be a designated Sunday that you can meet with a representative from CommonWealth to discuss the bonds you want to purchase and sign up for them.

These are exciting days here at Fist Baptist and every day we need to depend upon the Lord. Let's stay faithful.

A Great Work Day!

This morning we had a work day at the church to clear out our education rooms so we can tear down our old education building that has served us faithful for 50 years. I want to thank everyone who came out to help, your present and excitement towards what God is doing in our church is uplifting. As every one worked together we were able to complete all of our work that was schedule for two Saturdays in one.

We begin a new chapter, here at First Baptist Church. Tomorrow we will break ground on our new education building that will have over 8,800 square feet for us to use in the future. As we break ground tomorrow we also dedicate ourselves to be faithful to God and to pay for this new building as soon as possible. Tomorrow as we break ground we pray for all the workers who will work on this building and for their safety.

Today's activities reminded me of a church family that work's together and how we were able to get some much done in a short period of time. I want to thank all you who helped today, because you were a blessing to me.

Leadership Survey's

On any given Sunday we will have 150 to 250 people in church. The majority of those folks are members of First Baptist Church of LaBelle and other dear friends of our church. For a church to work the way the Lord wants it to work it needs each member using the gifts they have in the work of the church. Each year we ask each member and friends of the church to fill out a leadership survey, which tells us which areas you are willing to serve in. Each year we are lucky if we it 25 surveys back from our members. With our building program under way and other new ministries in our church we need to you to work in our church.

We ask each member and friend to fill out a leadership survey and turn it in by Sunday, August 10th. If you don't have a survey to can get one in foyer of the church sanctuary or go to our church web site at www.fbclabelle.org and fill out the survey on line. I hope you understand that we need each member and friend of First Baptist Church.

Please be in prayer for our Nominating Committee as they fill the leadership positions of the church.

Jamaica Praise Report

We returned from Jamaica last Friday evening. The Lord truly blessed us in our trip. As we reflect on our trip, we are thankful for all the supporters who prayed and gave sacrificially so we could go to Jamaica. Those who gave to this cause was a vital part of this trip.

This year we served at Emanuel Missionary Church in Mandeville, Jamaica. This church has lost its last two pastors to cancer and is presently searching for another Pastor. We had 173 children enrolled in VBS at this church and this is the most they ever had. We average 169 children each day. At the end of the week we had 63 of those children accept Jesus Christ as there Lord and Savior.

Different members of our team preach at the night services that we had for the teenagers of this church. I preached Sunday night, Paul Martin preached Monday night, Preston Long, Jr., preached Tuesday night, Jeremy Peery preached Wednesday night and Patrick Mylmount preached Thursday night. Each night our mission team sang praise and worship songs under the leadership of Larry Luckey.

The Lord worked in each member of our team and the Lord gave us a blessed week.

Brian and Pearl Williams

Last Sunday night we had the privilege of having Brian and Pearl Williams share about their work in Vienna, Austria. We started supporting Brian and Pearl last year at this time. We are currently supporting them at a $100 a month and we praying if we should increase this amount for the coming year.

Brian and Pearl work at a Christian school where International Students come to be taught. For most of these students they are there for two years. In those two years the teachers at this school have a opportunities to share Christ with these students. Many of these students have accepted Christ.

Please be in prayer for Brian and Pearl as they will be flying back soon to start a new school year.

Teen Challenge of Southwest Florida

Sunday, June 29th at 11:00 A.M., the Men's group of Teen Challenge will be here to share music and testimonies of what God is doing in there lives. Kevin Cummings, the director of Teen Challenge for Southwest Florida will be our presenter. This will be an excellent opportunity for you to learn more about their ministry. First Baptist Church supports the men's group of Teen Challenge for Southwest Florida by giving $100 a month to their ministry through our Local Missions Program.

Everyone is invited to come to this special service this Sunday, June 29th at 11 A.M. After the service our College and Career Class will be providing lunch for the Teen Challenge group. I am grateful for the College and Career class and their willingness to prepare this meal.

Hope to see you this Sunday.

JAMAICA - Let's give thanks!

In two weeks we will be going to Jamaica with 21 people from our church. For the last 6 months we have been asking for donations and having yard sales. As a team we would like to thank everyone in our church and our community for their help for us to go to Jamaica. For many of our friends you have gone above and beyond in your giving to our Mission Trip. I know God will bless you for your giving.

I ask of you that you will be praying for us as we leave for Jamaica on July 11th. We will be serving at Emmanuel Missionary Church in Mandeville, Jamaica. This church has recently lost their pastor to cancer and is in need of encouragement. We will be conducting VBS in the morning and having services each night. Please be in prayer for these services.

We are still in need of $4,000 to complete our trip. I believe God has someone who has been waiting and now is the time for them to give. This is all in God's hands. Amen!

Vacation Bible School - Outrigger Island: Living God's Unshakeable Truth!

The Lord has truly blessed us this week at VBS. We enrolled 153 students and 58 workers for the week. On Tuesday we had 153 students present. We had 11 children come to know the Lord for the first time. Please pray for these children as they grow in the Lord.

The children gave $219.55 for missions through their offerings each morning. This money will go to help our missionaries in North America and across the world. I ask that you say a special prayer for our missionaries.

We would like to thank all the people who helped in VBS, who donated items for VBS and prayed for us this week.

Our dates for VBS in 2009 are June 15- 19th! Hope to see you there!

Church votes for New Youth Director

In a Special called Business Meeting the church heard the recommendation from the Search Committee to hire Preston Long, Jr. as our New Full-Time Youth Director. Seventy nine votes were cast and there was 75 votes in favor of the recommendation to hire Preston as our new youth director and 4 votes no.

Preston will officially begin work on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. Preston has already been on the job working to get prepared for youth camp and other things. Please be in prayer for Preston and his family as he begins his work as Youth Director.

I hope each of us would look how we can help and support our youth ministry here at our church.

Thanks for the Prayers

I returned home from China yesterday. My Discovery Trip was very rewarding and successful. Over the next several weeks I would like to tell you about my trip to China and about the people of China.

I do appreciate your prayers for me while I traveled to China. The day that I left for China I was very sick. The 13 hour flight over to China was trying and at times I wonder if I was going to make it. I knew that my church family was praying for me and I felt the Lord's presence as I went to this new frontier.

There was 57 people from the United States that went to China. We represented many of the states on this great country. None of us had met each other before so we had great time meeting new friends. Most of the group was younger than myself but it was good to see some of the energy and excitement that came from this group.

Yesterday, as I got back in Labelle I enjoy seeing some of you about town and I knew I was back home. As I look out at the people of Labelle, I'm grateful God has called me to serve him here in Labelle. I know this is my place of service but opportunities like going to China, help me broaden my vision and challenge me in ways that benefit my ministry. I just want to thank you for allowing me to go to China and your prayers for me and my family while I was away.

Thanks

Recommendation for New Youth Director

Our Search Committee is recommending that Preston Long be our New Full-Time Youth Director. As many of you know Preston is a member of First Baptist Church of Labelle. In the last three years Preston has actively served in our church. He is a Youth Sunday School Teacher, works in our Sound Room Ministry, a Deacon in our church, has worked in our Children's Choir Program, has been part of our Jamaica Mission Team and participates in our Wednesday Night Youth Program.

Preston knows many of our youth and has a relationship with them. On Sunday, June 1st, in our evening service we have called for a special business meeting to vote on Preston as our New Full-Time Youth Director. If the church approves his placement as Youth Director, he will begin Monday, June 2, 2008. Please be in prayer as we take this important step in the life of First Baptist Church.

Mother's Day Offering

This past Sunday, we collected a special offering for the Florida Baptist Children's Home. We have collected $1,057.00 for this Mother's Day Offering. I would like to thank each person and family who contributed to this special offering for the Florida Baptist Children's Home.

Each year this church has participated in offering and I believe we have been bless by it. Just to think that we have helped a child through those young years and gave him Christian House parents to help him or her in their life is a blessing.

Please keep in your prayers the workers and children of the Florida Baptist Children's Home.

Yard Sale

This Saturday, May 17th we will be having a Yard Sale at Parsonage 2 on Bronoc Drive. The proceeds of this Yard Sale with helps us with our expenses for our Mission Trip to Jamaica. The dates for our Mission Trip is July 11-18th. For the last 4 years we have gone to Jamaica to work with churches and conduct Vacation Bible School and do Revival Services at night.

Our Mission Team thanks all who have help with bringing items for our Yard Sale. Please be in Prayer for our team as they prepare for this trip. We have 21 people going this year to Jamaica.

Florida Baptist Children's Home - Mother's Day Offering

The Mother's Day Offering is extremely important in Florida Baptist Children's Homes' ability to serve boys and girls who desperately need a Christian home, good medical care, nourishing food, proper clothes, and education. First Baptist Church of LaBelle has for many years supported this offering to the Children's Home. Sunday, May 11th in our Morning Worship Service we will take a special offering for the Florida Baptist Children's Home.
Please give generously to this Offering.

Myanmar assessment underway in aftermath of Cyclone Nargis

Southern Baptists are moving to respond in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia also known as Burma, early May 3 with winds of up to 120 mph.

The storm knocked out electricity in Yangon, the country's largest city, and left up to 1 million people homeless, according to the Associated Press. The latest death toll stands at 22,000, with another 41,000 missing. The United Nation's World Food Program said some villages have been virtually wiped out and vast rice-growing areas destroyed.

Baptist Global Response and its local partners in Myanmar are trying to get an on-ground assessment of the situation, but the massive disruption of communications and travel ports is making that difficult, said Jeff Palmer, executive director of Baptist Global Response. Stringent rules placed upon foreigners by the military government also complicate matters.

"At this time, BGR is doing all it can to assess and respond to this urgent need," Palmer said. "We have made initial contact with some on-ground partners and have readied funds to be used for food, shelter and other emergency needs.

"It looks, however, as if it will be a few days before we can get government permission and resources in place to respond in an adequate manner," Palmer added. "This seems to be a pattern that all relief and development agencies are experiencing at this point."

"Please pray for the people of Myanmar and those who are suffering. Pray also that we will find ways to get to the people in need in a timely manner."

Search Committee

On Sunday, March 16, 2008 the Deacon Body of First Baptist Church recommended to the church that the following individuals serve on a search committee to fill the Minister of Youth and Music position. Kellie Jones, Lonnie Howard, Paul Martin, Donna Hull, Paul Puletti and Roy Herrera. The first meeting for this committee will be Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 4:30pm at the church.

Please be in prayer for this committee as they serve us in finding individuals to fill our ministerial needs.

Presently Larry Luckey and Cathy Deerey are leading us in Praise & Worship on Sundays. Jeremy Peery, Justin Brownlee and Preston Long are taking turns on Wednesday nights with the youth and presenting God's word. Please be in prayer for all the individuals who are filling in gap doing this interim period.

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering - Praise Report

Each year our church takes a special offering for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for Home Missions. This year our goal was $1,500 and the National Goal for 2008 is $61 million.

Each year, we honor the life and work of Annie Walker Armstrong (1850-1938) when we give to the annual offering for North American missions named after her. As a tireless servant of God and a contagious advocate and supporter of mission efforts throughout the world, Annie Armstrong led women to unite in mission endeavors that ultimately led to the formation of Woman's Missionary Union, for which she served as the first corresponding secretary.

Annie believed in Christ with all her heart, but it was her hands that expressed that belief in tangible ways. She spent a great amount of time typing and handwriting letters in support of missions. Many of these letters were quite lengthy and all were filled with conviction that more could and should be done in our mission efforts. In 1893 alone, she wrote almost 18,000 letters! Annie also never hesitated to use her hands to reach out to hug a child or distribute food and clothing and the Word of God to those in need. Her hands held her own Bible as she studied to know how best to share Gods love with others. And, most important, Annie was a woman of prayer, folding her hands in prayer to intercede for the missionaries and for those they were helping discover Christ.

Annie rallied churches to give more, pray more, and do more for reaching people for Christ. As we continue to unite to make her vision a reality in North America today, we can be confident that her legacy will also be ours.

This year we praise the Lord as we have blessed with $2,605.00 for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. I know the Lord will bless each person as they gave to this important offering to share Christ in North America.

Judgement House - Praise Report

This past weekend as we did Judgement House the Lord truly blessed us! We had 575 people go through Judgement House and 78 people accepted Jesus as Lord. We also had 37 rededications and 24 prayer requests. I would ask each you to pray for those who made decisions this weekend. As a church we need to follow up on these decisions. Some of these folks that made decisions attend other churches and we will send notification to their church of their decisions. Many folks have no church afillation and we need to follow up with these. If you are willing to help with the follow up please call the church office at 675-2171.

I would like to thank everyone who had a part in Judgement House. Your sacrifice didn't go unnotice. I appreciate those who helped with clean up and putting things back where they belong. As a church, let us do our best in following up with these individuals who made decisions.

Judgement House - Revenge

The script this year is "REVENGE, When Rage Takes Control", a story, ripped from the headlines, of a young man who gets even with his school mates. Our first performance will be Friday, February 1st from 6:30pm to 9:30pm Our second performance will be Saturday, February 2nd from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm and our Third performance will be Sunday, February 3rd from 4pm to 8pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended. You can make reservations by calling the church office at (863)675-2171 or on the church website. The program takes about one hour to go through. When you arrive to Judgement House you should go to the big white tent and sign in.

The purpose of Judgement House is to have people think about there life and where they will spend eternity. We make plans for all kinds of things in our lives but many people don't think about where they will spend eternity. We don't go to heaven just because we are good or because we treat people with respect. We go to heaven if we have prayed and accepted Jesus as our Lord. Please be in prayer for each person who goes through Judgement House and for the cast and the counselors who will talk with those who want to make decisions for Christ.

Death in Family

Please be in prayer for Cathy and her family this week. Cathy's oldest sister died on Sunday night and we are flying on Wednesday to New Orleans for the funeral on Thursday. The funeral will be held at Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary, Louisiana on Thursday at 1pm. The interment will be in Centerville, Mississippi. We will be flying back on Friday. Please remember Cathy's brother and sisters during this time of loss.

Gideon Speaker - Sunday, January 27, 2008

This coming Sunday, January 27, 2008 in our Morning Worship Service, we will have a speaker coming to share about the work of Gideons.

The Gideons International are an interdenominational association of Christian business and professional men who are members of Protestant, evangelical churches. Members are dedicated to saving the lost through personal witnessing and the distribution of God's Word in more than 180 countries around the world.

Having access to God's Word can lead people to faith in Christ, and those new Christians can then grow by studying their Scriptures and even use them to share their faith with others.

For this reason, Gideons focus on distributing complete Bibles or New Testaments. These Scriptures are printed in more than 80 languages and are either given directly to certain individuals or placed in selected public locations where large numbers of people who may be searching for answers will have the ability to encounter the Word of God.

Distributing complete copies of God's Word also . . .

Plants powerful seeds that God can use in His timing. (I Corinthians 3:6)
Allows people to read the truth for themselves. (John 8:32)
Provides a continuing witness when the Gideon is no longer present. (Hebrews 4:12)
Makes it easier for the people we reach to in turn reach others with the truth about Jesus. (II Timothy 2:2)
Makes it possible for new Christians to learn and grow through personal Bible study.
(II Timothy 2:15)
Areas of Distribution
Scriptures are distributed one by one by members of The Gideons International to these groups:

*Students in the 5th grade and above
*Prisoners and police, fire, medical and military personnel
*Anyone else Gideons witness to individually
*Scriptures are placed in certain locations, including:

**Hotels and motels
**Hospitals, convalescent homes, medical offices and domestic violence shelters
**Prisons and jails

Come this Sunday, January 27, 2008 and hear our Gideon Speaker

Panama Mission Report

My recent trip to Panama was a wonderful experience. I had a safe drive from LaBelle to Miami Airport, was able to get checked in and to my gate without any problems. Our flight was delayed by two hours because of snow in the Boston area (the inbound flight was delayed). I arrived in Panama around 4:15pm and got to the seminary for my first class around 5:30pm. The class was suppose to start at 5:30pm, but because not everybody was there yet I had time to eat and was able to start teaching around 6:15pm. Our class time usually ran from 5:30 pm to 9pm Monday through Friday night. The course I taught this time around was "Missions, Evangelism and Discipleship." I throughly enjoyed going through it with the pastors and lay leader of Panama. I believe this is a course every believer should find time to take.

On Friday they took me into Panama City to do some site seeing and shopping. We used the local buses to travel to and from the seminary to downtown Panama City as this is the way most Panamanians travel. As such there were 40 to 50 people on our bus. It was interesting to see the other buses as we rode since the individual drivers seem to compete on who could decorate their bus in the loudest colors. On the way back however, just as we crossed over the Panama Canal, our bus broke down. We all had to get off the bus and try to flag down other buses. But we finally got back to the seminary and it was a good trip to Panama City.

Saturday, January 19, 2008 we had the Graduation Ceremonies for 24 students that had completed the ten-book course that took two years to complete. The ceremonies where held at the hotel near the airport in the banquet room. There were close to 200 people present. We had a breakfast buffet and then the graduation ceremony. Dr. Jerry Gesell and Dr. Ron Long from Luther Rice Seminary were present with Dr. Long preaching the graduation message. Dr. Gesell and Dr. Long passed out the graduation certificates. It was a wonderful moment to see these individuals complete this achievement in their lives and to see how proud their families were for them. The end of the ceremony was marked by two local dances. One was done by some teenagers from a local indian tribe and the other dance was a traditional Latin dance done by two teenagers. This was a great ending to our Graduation ceremonies.

I would like to thank everyone for allowing me to go to Panama to teach these class and to represent First Baptist Church of LaBelle.

Panama Mission Trip - January 2008

Pastor Jeff and I in connection with Luther Rice Seminary will be in Panama from January 14 - 21st to teach local pastors and leaders. These Pastors and leaders have enrolled in a 10 course study, design for Pastors and Church Leaders. We will be teaching course number 10 entitled "Missions, Evangelism, and Discipleship". This will be the third course we have had the privilege of teaching. It has been a joy in getting to know these men and women who are in the course.

At the completion of this course we will have the honor to be part of their graduation ceremony on Saturday night. Dr. Long is planning to be their to present certificate to these students. On that Sunday morning I will have the honor to preach in one of the church in the area and Jeff will sing.

I ask that you pray for our travel to Panama and back to America. Pray that God will use us in a mighty way while we are there.