THE MACEDON "MESSENGER"

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MACEDON, NY WELCOMES BELIEVERS, DOUBTERS & SEEKERS,

58 MAIN ST., MACEDON, NY 14502 + 315-986-4510 + www.fbcmacedon.org + MINISTERS: ALL MEMBERS +

PASTOR: CAROL HOLTZ-MARTIN

"A FAMILY CHURCH WITH A COMMUNITY SPIRIT" FEBRUARY 2006

Trustee of the month for February is Ron. Please contact Ron for any issues of the church building.

BYF: Sunday, February 12th, Valentine Brunch and Dessert Auction – The BYF is excited to extend an invitation to our church family and friends for a special fundraising event. Brunch and auction will be held in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. That day there will only be one service at 10 a.m. A free will offering would be greatly appreciated and be sure to bring your sweet tooth! All proceeds go toward the 30-Hour Famine.

Friday and Saturday, February 24th and 25th, The World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine – did you know that over 29,000 children die every day from hunger and hunger related diseases? I’m proud to announce that our youth have decided to take the challenge of a 30 hour fast designed to not only educate people around the world on this serious issue facing millions of people every day, but also the opportunity to save lives! Please help by praying for the Famine participants and those they’re working to save, and by supporting the Famine participants with a donation. God bless you as you support this worldwide movement to save lives. Kelli

American Baptist Women's Conference: Last call for scholarship application for girls entering or attending college the fall of 2006. These applications must be postmarked by March 1st - no exceptions. Scholarships up to $500 are awarded if you qualify. See Betty for an application or applications are in Betty's mailbox. (Just a side note - Lindsay has been awarded $465 for the last two years, so give it a try.) Bunny

Financial Report Received for

Attendance Church Expenses

1st 2nd

12/4 78 22 $5,619.00

12/11 71 27 $1,779.00

12/18 127 - $1,905.00

12/24 79 138 $ 555.00

12/25 54 - $2,264.00

$12,122.00

Average Weekly Attendance: 1st: 83; 2nd: 25; Average Weekly Giving: $3,030.50; Unpaid 2004 Pledges (7): $1238.00; Unpaid 2005 Pledges (16): $1,463.68. December Specials: Thanksgiving $65.00; Advent $1,289.00; Christmas $691.00; Christmas Eve $215.00.

Is your 2005 church pledge paid? $1,046.68 is unpaid to date. New pledges for 2006 total $89,252.00 from 46 of us.

Caring About People Everywhere: Our mission group (whole church) is alive with four ongoing projects as of this month. Meeting times will be announced in the bulletin on Sundays. Now we are collecting soda cap tabs, Campbell labels, loose change for the "Heifer Project" and filling a "wish list" for The Victim Resource Center in Wayne County. Thank you for all the contributions as of January, and for the rest of the year. Marilyn

Women's Philathea News: I want to thank Barb for hosting the January meeting and Jean for the program called Sailing In New Directions and to be Wild About Jesus. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 15 at Jane 's home at 7 p.m. Joan will be presenting the program. All women are welcome. Psalm 90:176 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Betty

Joys & Concerns: Joys! Nick & Alex have been selected for the Red Cross Youth Leadership. Scott & Danielle are expecting a baby in July. David was licensed by him home church. Christie and David are expecting a baby. Ethany Ryan was born to April and John on January 6th. All are well. Congratulations to Grandpa Merv and Grandma Sharon. Jane will become a grandmother again. Joanne is expecting in July. Prayer Concerns: Jessica, friend of Erika had surgery for ovarian cyst and appendicitis. Casey, one year old with a broken leg. Robbin had a hysterectomy. Guy, Ron's brother, suffered second and third degree burns on his legs. Carl is seriously ill. Mollee, David's sister, underwent surgery to repair a congenital defect in her heart and it was unsuccessful. John & Jean, Deb's parents, faced with having to find a new place to live. John is suffering with pain from shingles. Marty, friend of Bryan, is in the Marines and going back to Iraq. Teddy, co-worker of Gary, has cancer of the throat. Karen, co-worker of Cheryl, has breast cancer. Grant, friend of Bunny, went to hospice. Betsy has a ruptured disk and is in much pain. Christian Sympathy is extended to: The family and friends of Anna, Marilyn's aunt who went home to the Lord. To family and friends on the death of Charles. To family and friends of Joan. To the family and friends on the death of James, Ron's father. Lori, Pastor Carol's friend went home to be with the Lord. Leila Mae went home to be with the Lord on Dec. 24th. To family and friends of Bob who passed away. Donna went home to be with the Lord and leaves a husband and five sons behind.

2005 Operation Christmas Child Follow Up: Dear Friends, 2005 Operation Christmas Child has come and gone. I want to send out a special thank you to Carol for all of the help she gave me during this program since I was laid up from surgery. The campaign appears to be a success nationwide, although I have not seen final figures yet. As of December 29, 2005, boxes had begun to arrive at the mission sites in Africa. Our efforts collected about 20 boxes this year. This was down ˝ of what was collected for our project in 2004, but was a welcome sight. We will again be running Operation Christmas Child for 2006, and I encourage you to begin collecting shoe boxes and their fillers throughout the year. These items can be purchased new at the local dollar stores, retail stores or anywhere you find them. Spreading out your purchase of items to fill shoe boxes for collection may be a way to make this easier on your household at a time when your time and finances may be stretched thin. And children can be collecting these items throughout the year as a project too. Please begin praying for our 2006 Operation Christmas Child project to be a rousing success this year, and pray that the 2005 campaign will help reach those who will be blessed as we are knowing a life with Jesus Christ. Sincerely in blessings, Cheryl

Macedon Baptist Church, I want to thank you all for my birthday card. As you know this is going to be a big one for me. I was born January 25, 1916. Thank you all for thinking of me. As ever, Harold

Hello Everyone! Thank you for the cards and e-mails. We really enjoy hearing from you. We just moved into our house on December 20th. We live in town in a 1 1/2 story - cottage like house. We love it very much and wish we could have taken our church family with us! Best wishes to all! Love, The Dan, Angela & Ryan

Greetings - Someone sent me a lovely hand made Christmas card from the church with a star and gingerbread cut out on it - charming. Thank you. I am slowly getting better. Happy New Year. Mary

Here are excepts from my Mother-In-Law's Christmas Letter, my thanks for your kindness to her - Pastor Carol

Christmas Greetings, The joy of celebrating the birth of my Savior Christ Jesus softens the sadness of losing Ralph. He enjoyed the magic of this season so much... Our nation is in turmoil from military losses in the Middle East and is also reeling from terrible weather disasters all over the country. Our resources are not sufficient for rebuilding and returning people to their hometowns. Restoration and real peace comes only through our relationship to Jesus. My love to you, Lois

p.s. Thank you for your prayer support, especially the past six months. I am gaining comfort from the booklet, and Give You Peace.

Hello and Happy New Year to all - Thank you for sending me a copy of the church directory. It was very thoughtful and I was thrilled to flip the pages and find a listing included for myself. It was fun to look at and be able to see some familiar names. Thank you for your kindness. Good wishes to all - Sincerely, Mary

Dear Carol and All the Macedon Congregation, The nicest thing that has happened to me in a long long time came to me in the mail - the leaflet sent under cover of a letter signed by all the deacons and deaconesses of Macedon First. I shall keep it near so I can refer to it often. It is, and will continue to be, most helpful to me. I would like also to express thanks for the many expressions of sympathy and support received during all the recent difficult times, the telephone calls, visits from Pastor Carol and members, numerous mailings with personal messages and prayers. These have all been so very much appreciated, and thank you. You really touched my heart. I wish all a Merry Christmas. Love to All, Gratefully- Doris

Dear Church Family, Halito! This is one of the first Choctaw words I learned and it means "Hello!" I recently encountered an opportunity to take free Choctaw classes in the nearby town of Hugo. Although many Choctaws speak English, I have also learned a lot about their culture through this class and it has allowed me to meet many Choctaws I wouldn't have otherwise met. The Sunday before Thanksgiving we held a big dinner at our church. Much hard work was put into the preparation and it was very much worth it. We had a good crowd that included first time visitors who got to hear the Word of God preached. WiseGuys, the Scripture memory program we hold on Wednesdays for the children, is rapidly coming to the close of its first year. We are looking forward to a final celebration ceremony near the end of January. Donna has recovered well since her gall bladder surgery in September. Praise the Lord! Please continue to pray with us over how the bills will be paid. Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and support. God Bless & Merry Christmas! Kevin & Donna

Dear Friends, Thank you for your assistance this year with the Christmas Program for the Macedon Food Pantry. You generously helped us provide gifts for 50 individuals here in Macedon. This year we had 117 families that we assisted, which consisted of 440 individuals. Without the support of the community we would not have been able to meet all the needs of providing these families with a food box and gifts. Thanks again for helping us make our goal. Sincerely, Jan Freiberger, Chairperson, Christmas Program, Macedon Food Pantry, Social Ministry Committee, St. Patrick's Church

Dear Friends, Thank you so much for donating toys and other items to the Victim Resource Center. These items were given to families during the holidays that have been affected by domestic violence. The Victim Resource Center is a not-for-profit private agency that depends on small grants and the support of individuals, schools, churches, local agencies, and area businesses. We continue to focus on the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in our community, striving to do our very best at representing these victims, children and families. We provide shelter, counseling, and legal, medical, and community advocacy for these victims from our community - all at no cost to the clients we serve. Our continuing goal is to expand these services along with creating new community outreach and preventative educational programs. The support of community organizations, area businesses and special donors allow sour organization to continue to meet the needs of this very special segment of our community. Once again, thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Sincerely, Sarah E. Lunch, Educator & Volunteer Coordinator

The Macedon Fire Department wishes to thank you for your $50 donation to the Ambulance Fund. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Macedon Fire Department

Save the date! Dinner-Dance-Silent Auction to benefit Advent House on at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2006 at Casa Larga. Please plan to join us! Advent House ~ 585-223-6112.

Thanks for your continued support of Habitat's ministry. The Draves are waiting for the weather to break in the spring. I know they are eager to get started on house #23, so it can become their home, the place that they can grow into all God intends them to be. Thank you for making their dram a reality. Irene Fadden

LIKE THE ROCK: 2006 National Gathering for Girls, July 22-29 Green Lake Conference Center, Green lake, Wisconsin, AB GIRLS/ American Baptist Women's Ministries

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

3 MIKE

AMY

PATRICK

5 MARLYS

6 WIN

LINDA

7 SARAH

10 JOAN

OWEN

MATTEO

11 TODD

15 JORDAN

17 NOAH

18 AUSTIN

20 TRISHA

23 NICHOLAS

24 ELLEN

25 JIM

26 JIMMY

27 JANE

27 JOCELYN

FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES

7 BOB & SUE

14 MARION & HAROLD