Connecting with First Baptist

Missionary Moment - February 2012

2012-02-21T03:46:00.000-08:00

“The Sharing Way” Annual project for this year is “Good Works – Small Business – BIG Change”. On March 18, 2012 we will be asking you to respond to this year’s Sharing Way project which will focus on the microcredit initiative that Canadian Baptist Ministries has instituted in many of our mission locations. Eighty percent of the people in our world have no access to credit. They are not looking for handouts but merely the chance to make their work count and gain a sustainable living. Repayments rates are between 95% - 98%.

In India, in 2010 members of a women’s business group contributed 3 rupees each (about $0.75) a month and opened their first ever savings account. They used the money to lease land so they could farm their own rice and sugar and begin a small business to make popular rice flatbread. ‘The Sharing Way’ gave them a loan of 12,000 rupees ($ 300).

In Bolivia, through a loan from CBM’s microcredit plan Isabel was able to buy machines to start a small sweater making business. Her business thrived until sickness prevented her from making loan payments. CBM gave her additional time to repay the loan and she is now back in business.
In Kenya, Jane was raising her two grandsons. Not knowing how she’d be able to put them through school she joined “Guardians of Hope” (‘The Sharing Ways’ programme that supports families affected by HIV/Aids). Four years ago she received a microcredit loan to help her start selling surplus rocks from the quarry in the marketplace. Her business grew. She paid off her loan and then took out a second one, now paid in full. Her oldest grandchild is in school and her youngest will start next year.

Will you pray and remember our world’s poorest people? Will you give so others can live in dignity and hope? Will you learn more as you visit www.cbmin.org?

On March 18 cheques should be made out to CANADIAN BAPTIST MINISTRIES –THE SHARING WAY. All monies received in this special offering will be sent to CBM to aid these very successful projects.

Christianity 101: January 29 at 2 pm

2012-01-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? …

Have you ever wondered what it means to be a Christian?

What’s the difference to be a Baptist?

Come Sunday, Jan. 29^th (2-4pm followed by pizza) for Class 101 when we explore the answers to these & other questions. This class is for seekers & new Christians but is also good for those who want to get back to basics. No Biblical or church knowledge is assumed. Please sign up on the sheet outside Pastor Richard’s office or contact the church office so we may prepare enough materials.

Merry Christmas from First Baptist

2011-12-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

Hello from First Baptist,

Jesus is such a wonderful gift and giver of gifts. He came to earth as a newborn, vulnerable and dependant. The Son of God the Father, who is Himself wholly God; all powerful, all knowing, limitless God; choosing to experience life like we do is amazing to me. It is important for me to realize that God has indeed experienced life like we have, birth, life, disappointments, temptation, joy, anger, compassion, loss, grief, frustration, death and all of the rest. But while I take comfort in knowing that Jesus experienced all of these things in similar fashion to my experience, there is one vast difference. I am not God. Not a big shock is it?! But can you imagine being God and having to experience being dependant? Or vulnerability? Or having needs? This is a gift from Jesus to us; that God came, dwelt among us, and genuinely experienced life like we did. Jesus lived His life perfectly sinless, but He did experience life as we do.

So through Christmas, I encourage you to remember Jesus’ birth and the significance of Him coming as a baby. He could have chosen to come as a full grown adult and skipped all of this. But one of His gifts to us was the full experience of human life. Praise God for the gift of Jesus!

Your staff at First Baptist also wish you a wonderful Christmas filled with clarity of faith and the privilege of relationship with family and friends.

Here are your updates for December 23rd, 2011.

1. Child Care: During the Christmas Day and New Years Day services there will be options for children preschool and Elementary ages. Option 1: In both of these services you are welcome to keep your children in the services with you. You may choose to let children bring a quiet toy or game or activity book so you can be in the services together as a family. Option 2: There will be activities in the church vestry with some of our Christian Education Workers to keep busy little ones contented. These activities are for children up to grade 5 in school. We would love to see you and your children come out on Christmas Day to join us in worship. After all, doesn’t it make sense to be together as Jesus’ family to celebrate His birthday!

2. Christmas Events:

a. Saturday, December 24th, 6:30 pm; Christmas Eve Service: Start your Christmas off right with our 45 minute Christmas Eve Service. This is a part of our family tradition when we all come together and worship the Christ who came to earth for the forgiveness of sins. There will be a special treat bag for all of the children present.

b. Sunday, December 25th, 11:00 am; Christmas Day Service: This year Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. We will be having one service at 11:00 am which will also include a baptism service. We hope to see you at the service.

c. Sunday, January 1st, 11:00 am; New Year’s Day Service: This year New Years Day also falls on a Sunday. We will be having just the one service at 11:00 am. This service will feature baptism and communion services with Pastor Mark bringing the message. January 1st is also Brian Ellard’s final service on staff prior to his retirement. We hope you will join us.

May God bless you this weekend!

Pastor Mark

Special Christmas Homecoming Service - December 18th at 6:30 pm

2011-12-01T03:57:00.000-08:00

First Baptist Church Moncton will conduct its second Homecoming style service on the theme of Christmas on Sunday, December 18th at 6:30pm.

Choirs, bells, solos, duets and quartets will lead the congregation in the familiar music of Christmas.

An offering will be gathered for Acadia Divinity College in support of the Theological Teaching Chair named in honour of the late Dr. Abner J. Langley and Dr. Harold L. Mitton.

Plan to come and celebrate Christmas with us.

Take time to rest: Pastor Jackson

2011-11-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

As published in the Times & Transcript, November 26, 2011

You’ve probably heard of the Ten Commandments. These are the commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Out of that list of ten commandments, which one do you think gets broken more than any other?

I suspect if a survey were taken, the fourth commandment would be pretty close to the top of broken commandments on most people’s lists. Do you know what the fourth commandment is? I’ll give you a hint. It’s the one to do with rest. It’s found in Exodus 20:9-10. It says, “You have six days in which to do your work but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me.”

Think about that. In God’s priorities, rest is so important that He included it in his Big Ten, right up there with “Don’t steal,” “Don’t murder,” and “Don’t commit adultery.” That’s how important God considers rest. Now, many of you reading this column would probably never murder anybody, you’d never steal anything, and you’d never have an affair. But you may violate this fourth commandment repeatedly. In God’s mind, this commandment is as important as those other ones. It’s in the top ten.

Six days we’re to work. Every week we’re to take one day off to recharge. This day off is called a Sabbath. Sabbath simply means a day of rest. Now, when should you take your Sabbath? Jesus said it doesn’t matter. The Bible says one day is as good as another. The day doesn’t matter. What matters is that you take one day off every week.

Now, this brings us to a very important question. What are we supposed to do on our Sabbath? What should we do on our weekly day off? Well, you know what we usually do. We usually play catch up on all the work we didn’t get done during the rest of the week. We’ve got our “honey do” list—“honey, do this,” “honey, do that”—we catch up on all our errands. Do you do that? You try to cram in all the work you didn’t get done the rest of the week—getting groceries, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, and on and on and on. That’s not taking a day off. That’s violating the spirit of one of the Ten Commandments. God did not intend for you to cram your day off with even more activity than you do the rest of the week. You should use your day off, your weekly Sabbath, for three things:

1. Recharging your body. God wants you to rest your body on your Sabbath—that means physical rest. As human beings we are not wired to go 24-7 with no rest, no relaxation, no break. Your brain and your body are not built for that. You are wired to take a weekly day off—to rest your body. Have you discovered that if you don’t take time off, your body will make time off. In other words, it’ll shut down. Your body requires rest. God made you that way.

2. Recharging your emotions. You should use your Sabbath to recharge your emotions. As I said earlier, you can’t keep charging without recharging. You’re going to drain the battery dead. It’s important to know, therefore, what sorts of things recharge you emotionally. One thing is quietness. Quietness recharges emotions. Solitude. When was the last time you were by yourself without the radio or TV on, in total silence?

Being with people you love is recharging emotionally. The Sabbath is a good time to spend time with family and close friends. Now, a word of caution here. Some people are draining. We all know people like that. I’m not talking about using the Sabbath to spend time with people who drain us; I’m talking about getting with people who recharge you.

An activity that you enjoy is another great way to rejuvenate yourself emotionally—a sport, a hobby, a game—something that you really enjoy.

3. Recharging your spirit. A third thing you should do on the Sabbath is to recharge your spirit. On my Sabbath I try to give myself a spiritual tune-up. I refocus my spirit. You know, there’s a word for that in the Bible. It’s called worship. Worship is another word for refocusing your spirit on God. Worship means to reconnect with God. You need that. You need that every week. If you’re not spending time in worship on a regular basis, you’re missing the very purpose for which you were created—to get to know God.

If you want to live a happy, fulfilled, enjoyable life you’ve got to schedule time off. In giving you this command God is trying to save you a lot of problems, heartaches, and difficulties. Try it for three months. Begin to keep a weekly Sabbath for a three month period. If you do, you’ll find that your life becomes a whole lot easier and a lot less stressful. If you continue to go against the flow of the way you’re wired, the way you’re made, you’re going to be headed for trouble. Try it God’s way for awhile and see what happens!

Helping out those in need this Christmas season

2011-11-25T07:11:00.000-08:00

Every year First Baptist collects Christmas gifts for those in need in our community.

The Christmas Wishes tree is up in the Vestry. The wish lists have been made and the ornaments are on the tree. You may look them over and choose a gift to purchase to make someone’s wish come true. The ornaments are in two parts this year. It’s as simple as 1-2-3!

a. Write your name, address and phone number on one part and leave it in the basket near the tree.

b. Keep the other half, purchase the gift.

Return the UNWRAPPED gift with your half of the ornament in a gift bag to the boxes near the tree by December 4th. Include a gift receipt with the gift tag, in case an exchange is required (for that reason, we recommend that gifts be paid for with cash).

Financial gifts toward groceries are also welcome.

Christmas Line Up at First Baptist

2011-11-06T02:12:00.000-08:00

Christmas Events Are Coming: Please mark your calendars and determine what of these events you and your family would like to be involved in. We know you may not be able to do everything, but we have a number of options for you to choose from.

a. Friday, November 25th, 6:30 pm; Church Family Decorating Party: This year we are going to have a fun, multigenerational experience of preparing and decorating our church sanctuary, vestry, and entry so we have everything set for the Hanging of the Green Service. You are encouraged to bring your children as there will be activities for them, as well as for our more senior adults. You are also encouraged to bring your favourite dessert, or cookies, or candies, or... well you get the point. We will have a time to eat sweets and enjoy hot spiced lemonade together.

b. Sunday, November 27th, 6:30 pm; Hanging of the Green Service: Mark the First Sunday of Advent with us as the choir leads in the Hanging of the Green. This puts the finishing touches on the decorating of the church, while explaining and celebrating the lessons that can be found in the symbolism behind many of the decorations. You will not want to miss this musical celebration!

c. Sunday, December 4th, 6:30 pm; Sunday School Concert: The children and youth are already hard at work preparing the presentation for our Children’s Christmas Service. There is both music and drama to be presented. This is always a highlight of the Christmas Season, and is a great time of learning, praise, worship and support for our children and youth. Come let our children make Christmas special for you this year!

d. Sunday, December 11th, 6:30 pm; Candlelight Service: One of First Baptist’s more formal services, the Candlelight service really sets the mood for celebration, reverence and inspiration. Being all together in one space, singing songs of faith, and experiencing the warm glow that only candlelight can bring really makes the feeling of the Christmas Season come to life.

e. Sunday, December 18th, 6:30 pm; Christmas Homecoming Celebration: Building upon the success of the “First Baptist Homecoming” held a number of weeks ago, we are going to keep this format and enjoy some fun and singing in this informal Christmas Homecoming setting! We will be taking up an offering for the “Abner J. Langley and Harold L. Mitton Chair of Church leadership” at Acadia Divinity College. The service will be led by Rev. Delbert Bannister (previously known as “Little Abner” at Acadia Divinity). More details to follow, with this service of fun and singing. In the event of a storm cancellation for Candlelight, this service will be discontinued in favour of the Candlelight Service.

f. Wednesday, December 21st, 6:30 pm; Blue Christmas Service: In the midst of all of the celebration, excitement and energy of this season there are times when some just do not feel like celebrating. Maybe you have lost a loved one, and you are struggling with the memories this season triggers. Maybe you have a medical condition that limits your reasons for celebrating. Maybe the season has had negative connotations for you in the past, which makes celebrating difficult. Your church wants to honour you and walk with you along this journey. As such, everyone is invited to take part in this Blue Christmas Service as we join together this season in support for one another.

g. Saturday, December 24th, 6:30 pm; Christmas Eve Service: Start your Christmas off right with our 45 minute Christmas Eve Service. This is a part of our family tradition when we all come together and worship the Christ who came to earth for the forgiveness of sins. There will be a special treat bag for all of the children present.

h. Sunday, December 25th, 11:00 am; Christmas Day Service: This year Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. We will be having one service at 11:00 am. We hope to see you at the service.

Stage Crew Needed

2011-10-30T03:10:00.000-07:00

Looking for a way to get involved at First Baptist without showing off your singing talent?

First Baptist is looking for people who might be interested in being part of a stage crew. We need people who will help with the setup and tear down between the Bridge and the traditional service and also after the traditional service.

It's a fun and relatively easy way to volunteer your time and give something back.

Contact the church for more information: email info@firstmoncton.com or phone 857-1113.

Check out the new Bridge service

2011-10-05T03:52:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to attend the new First Baptist Church Bridge service at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, you are missing a real treat. The new format is excellent. The large stage gives the worship band ample room and the acoustics are great.

I highly recommend you give it a try!

For regular attenders of First Baptist Church, you can download a copy of Pastor Jackson's Thanksgiving letter by clicking here.

The Bridge is Moving!

2011-09-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce the Sunday morning Bridge service is moving into the main sanctuary starting this week. It will be at 9:00 AM instead of the previous 9:15 am.

The sanctuary has been renovated to accommodate the multimedia elements of the Bridge which will make for an outstanding time of worship and praise.

Hope to see you there.

The big Fall agenda at First

2011-09-06T03:34:00.000-07:00

It's gearing up to be a busy fall at First Baptist. First of all, the church is rolling out a number of new creative programs for children and youth including: Children’s Choir; Puppets (middle & high school); Children’s Handbells (gr. 6-8); Youth Handbells (gr. 9 – 12); & Youth Worship Band.

On Sunday, Sept. 25th parents, children/youth are invited to meet in the parlour after each service to hear the plans for these new groups starting this fall.

For adults, we will be undertaking a 50 Day Spiritual Adventure. This journey of spiritual renewal and growth will revolve around a study called “Promises Worth Keeping: Resolving to Live What We Say We Believe.” It all begins on October 2nd and goes to Advent. This promises to be a time of challenging and encouraging our spiritual lives. Keep your ear to the ground for more information.

As always if you are new to Moncton or looking for answers, you will find a warm reception at First Baptist in Moncton.

See you soon.

50 Day Spiritual Adventure: A Journey of Spiritual Renewal

2011-08-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

This Fall our church will be embarking on a journey of spiritual renewal and growth, and you are invited to be a part of this adventure. Over the coming weeks we will be looking for people to sign up for small groups and to help with facilitating this process. There is something for people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of Christian experience! We will be doing a study called “Promises Worth Keeping: Resolving to Live What We Say We Believe.” It all begins on October 2nd and goes to Advent. You will not want to miss this time of fellowship, personal growth and encouragement!

For more information contact Pastor Richard or Pastor Mark.

First Baptist Church's 9/11 10th Anniversary Service

2011-08-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 touched us all. On September 11, 2011 First Baptist Church will be hosting a special 10th anniversary service. This will be a joint service held at 10:00 am. We are inviting a number of special guests and Moncton's Emergency Responders to join us for this special service. Hope you can be there.

Go back to the main First Baptist Church website by clicking here.

Volunteer Opportunity: Website

2011-08-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

First Baptist is looking for someone to help with content, design, etc. of the church website and its social media activities. The job would require 1-2 hours per week and involve uploading content to the website, making modifications as needed to the website and updating our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

If you are interested, send an email to info@firstmoncton.com.

Thanks.

Team Bolivia Funding Update

2011-07-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

John Chute, Myah Walker and Gary Selig will be going on a Missions trip Nov 11th to 25th. They will be doing disease prevention, light construction and participating in CBM ministries. The cost is about $3200 per person.

You can support the team by making your checks payable to “Canadian Baptist Ministries”, and on the memo line put "Bolivia S3538". You can also donate online, please ask a team member how.

Don't forget Team Bolivia is having a “Fund raising BBQ” at Sobeys Vaughn Harvey Blvd. store Saturday, Aug. 13th starting at 10 am. Enjoy a burger and help support the team.

Check out a preview of the new high school Sunday School video series

2011-07-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

The high school Sunday School class will be following an interesting video teaching series this fall starting in September. If you are in Grade 9 - 12, you are welcome to join us! In addition to the video series, we will be acting out a new drama and eating snacks every week. Every Sunday morning from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Church Website Updates

2011-07-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, you may have noticed some changes on the church website. We migrated to a new web hosting company and lost some content in the transfer. I have tried to maticulously recreate all the old content but if you notice something missing, please drop me an email (david@jupia.ca) and I will add it.

Also, if you have new or modified content on programs, staff or other areas of the website, send it along.

Thanks for your help.

Music programs for First Baptist Children and Youth

2011-06-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Music Committee of First Baptist is considering offering music programs for our Children and Youth this fall. This will be for the fun and training of the kids but it is also an excellent outreach to families.

1. Children’s Choir ~ the program would be scheduled around the already established children’s programming on Wednesday evenings.

2. Youth Bell Choirs ~ for Middle and High school youth.

We need to get an idea of how much interest there is in any of these choirs.

If you/your children would like to be involved please indicate below and place in the offering plate or contact the Church office at 857-1113 or info@firstmoncton.com

Music Committee

First Baptist Church

Father's Day Video - First Baptist Moncton Youth

2011-06-19T10:50:00.001-07:00

SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE

2011-06-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

Don't forget as we move into summer, First Baptist still offers services at 9:15 am and 11:00 am on Sunday morning (with the exception of July 3, 31 and September 4).

Join us at 9:15 & 11 am Sundays for our worship services

Wednesdays at 6:30pm for Prayer & Bible Study

Note: July 3, 31 & September 4 there will be ONE service at 11am
September 11 & October 2 ONE service at 10:30am.

Job Opportunity: Summer children’s and youth worker

2011-06-08T03:35:00.001-07:00

First Baptist Moncton is seeking a summer children’s and youth worker for 10 to 11 weeks of paid ministry. This position will be funded largely through a grant from the federal government. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please ensure the interested person sends a resume and cover letter to Pastor Mark Hunter. This can be done through the church office or at revmarkhunter@hotmail.com . Regular mail service is not recommended due to the timeline for this application and labour dispute for Canada Post. The deadline is very short due to the short notice of being awarded the grant, with Tuesday, June 14th being the required date for receipt of application. The following are conditions do exist:

1. The candidate for this position must be returning to school in the Fall and have been a student this past year.

2. The candidate must have experience working with children and youth.

3. The candidate must be willing to procure a background check for working with vulnerable persons, and that check must come back clean.

4. The candidate must be self-motivated and able to work with minimum supervision.

5. The candidate must be a Christian believer with demonstrated commitment to a church.

6. The candidate must be willing to commit to working a 40 hour week, and understand that hours may fluctuate to include evenings and weekends.

We look forward to receiving your applications.

Pastor Mark Hunter

A MAGICAL NIGHT OF MOVIE MUSIC!

2011-06-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Invite your family, friends, neighbours & all to come Saturday, June 18th at 7pm. We will gather in the sanctuary for a night of music from beloved Disney movies performed by bells & puppets along with vocal numbers.

Please bring a donation of non-perishables for the foodbanks or something that could be given to the Pregnancy Resource Centers.

RICH CHRISTIANS IN A HUNGRY WORLD

2011-05-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Originally appeared in the May 21st edition of the Times & Transcript.
Written by Pastor Richard Jackson

There are few prayers as recognizable today as the one that has come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer. How many of us have prayed at one time or another those words that Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “Our Father Which Art in Heaven . . . ?” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve repeated that prayer . . . . Let me confess something to you, though. Until recently, there was a part of this prayer that I felt was somewhat irrelevant to me. Remember the part of the prayer where we say, “Give us this day our daily bread?” I really felt that this line was not something I needed to focus on too much. Do you feel that way? Well, who can blame you? After all, I dare say that many of you who are reading this column are doing so over a big plate of fried eggs, orange juice, toast, and coffee. Most of us are not wondering if we’re going to be able to feed our kids this evening. Most of us are not facing empty refrigerators and empty cupboards. What, then, does this prayer have to say to us?

Well, consider this: Notice the pronouns that are used in this petition. Does Jesus tell us to pray, “Give me this day my daily bread.” No, He tells us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” In other words, Jesus is telling me to pray not only that I have enough to eat today but that all those who are hungry be fed. And when we understand this, suddenly this prayer becomes extremely relevant to all of us. Each time we pray this prayer, we are acknowledging and reminding ourselves that God is concerned for the hungry; we are acknowledging our responsibility to feed the hungry—whether they’re in Moncton, Fredericton, or Africa.
In Matthew 25, Jesus describes what’s going to happen when He returns to this earth in bodily form. You know Jesus is coming back, don’t you? He came the first time as a baby in relative obscurity. But when He comes again, you won’t be able to miss it. Look at verse 31: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.” Oh, yes, you won’t be able to miss His Second Coming. And when He comes Jesus is going to give His Kingdom to those for whom it is prepared. Look at verse 34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’”

Now, for whom is God’s Kingdom prepared? We don’t have to guess at it. Jesus tells us straight up: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:35-36).

Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are acknowledging to God our responsibility to seek to bring in His Kingdom through caring for those whom Jesus calls “the least of these.”

Now, I’m not going to presume to tell you how much you should give to the poor. I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. I have no idea how much any of you should give. All I can say is that when I recite The Lord’s Prayer and read Matthew 25, I am challenged every time I wish to buy the latest can’t live without gadget. The question I hear God’s Spirit asking me is this: “In a world where 30,000 children die every day from starvation and malnutrition, how does God want me to live and how does He want me to spend my money?”

Those of us who live in Canada and the United States are only a small percentage of the world’s population, yet we possess over two-thirds of the world’s wealth. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head, you are already richer than 75% of the world. Hot water, indoor plumbing, cars, televisions, telephones, and computers are extravagant luxuries in a world where 500 million people are starving to death. What does it mean to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” when we are so blessed?

I believe that we have been given abundance as a responsibility. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). Jesus was saying that our blessing has a purpose. God intends for us to care for our brothers and sisters.

Now, I don’t expect that everyone who reads this column will run out to become the next Mother Teresa (although that would be nice). But let me ask you, is there one thing you can do this week to show God that you’re moving in the right direction? If you eat out four times a week, could you cut it down to three and give the extra money to a church or relief organization? Is there a can’t-live-without gadget you can live without? If you’re a teenager, is there some way you could earn a little extra money to help out the poor?
The important thing is not how great our sacrifice is. The question is, “Are we moving in the right direction?” Even a baby step will put a smile on God’s face. And next time you repeat the words, “Give us this day our daily bread,” remember what you are promising God you’ll do.

Promoting First Baptist: New Video

2011-05-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

Do you remember all that filming of the church that was done earlier this year? The result is an excellent new video promoting the church in our community. Click on the image below to view the video. For attendees at First, I hope you enjoy the video. For those of you thinking about attending our church for the first time, after you have a look drop us an email info@firstmoncton.com.

New Church Promotional Video - May 2011

A Special Easter at First Baptist Moncton

2011-04-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

It was a special Easter this year at First Baptist. On Good Friday the Sanctuary Choir of First Baptist Moncton hosted a special service entitled "Where did you stand at the Cross?". The service of readings and music included excerpts from the works of Sir John Stainer (The Crucifixion), Theodore Dubois (The Seven Last Words of Christ) and other contemporary favourites.

The 45 voice Sanctuary Choir (and the 35 stop Casavant Frères organ) explored the suffering, pain and injustice of that day so many years ago. The Sanctuary Choir is directed by Brian J. Ellard and features Suzanne McGillivary as Organist.

Here is a comment we received from someone who attended the service:

"Bravo to First Baptist Choir, Organist, and Director

... I have been, to many a Good Friday service; but I don't think I have been to one that has moved me spiritually and musically as the one I attended at First Baptist Moncton yesterday. Now I know I am the "new kid on the block" musically here in Moncton; but in the five years that I have been here I attended most of your Christmas and Good Friday services--yesterday you people surpassed yourselves. I have never heard your choir sound as good as it did yesterday. It sounded as good as anything I have been in as a member since I have been here (some cases much better). I want to thank FBC for such a wonderful and so meaningful service that I was privileged to attend yesterday. Please pass my sincere appreciations to the choir. Again thank you and God Bless"

The Bridge service at 9:15 am featured several powerful video elements and praise music and an inspriring message by Pastor Jackson. The traditional service at 11:00 am ended with a powerful and compelling rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus by the Sanctuary Choir.

Easter Sunrise Service 2011

Easter Breakfast 2011

The Micah Challenge @ First

2011-04-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Name: The Micah Challenge

Origin: There has been a growing desire among many of our people to have a more visible presence in our community. We are one of the few churches in the downtown area. God has planted us here. We are a downtown church and as such should reach out to our downtown community.

Background: The Micah Challenge is a call for justice and mercy for all. The ministry is named for Micah, an Old Testament prophet of justice, and our aim is to respond to the call found in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Ministry Priorities: Some of the ministry priorities for 2011 include holding barbeques in our community, assisting those struggling financially to learn how to budget, and supporting our soup kitchen ministry.

Interested? Speak to Pastor Richard.

Where did you stand at the cross?

2011-04-12T18:58:00.001-07:00

Easter at First Baptist Moncton

2011-04-11T04:09:00.000-07:00

Easter is a wonderful time for reflection and worship for Christians and for First Baptist Church in Moncton. We put on a number of special services to celebrate the season. We hope you can join us! For more information contact info@firstmoncton.com. The line up of services includes:

Maundy Thursday - Worship 6:30 pm

Good Friday - Musical Reflections 3:00 pm

Easter Sunday
-Sunrise Service 7:00 am (Riverview Gazebo, Coverdale Rd.)
-Contemporary Worship 9:15 am
-Traditional Worship 11:00 am

Hope is what Easter is all about. Let us share our message of hope.

Worshiping with Life Hereafter

2011-03-21T02:45:00.000-07:00

The Bridge service at First yesterday featured a treat. The praise band Life Hereafter joined us to celebrate our faith and worship our Creator.

The band led us in a number of songs familiar to our church and a few new to us (at least new to me).

The music was augmented with a timely narrative about the importance of worship and the effort we put into it.

Bravo, Life Hereafter. Hope to see you back soon.

Here are a few pics from the Bridge service:

For a look at the band and their music style, check out this recent performance at Moncton Wesleyan:

A few worthy Twitter feeds

2011-03-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you looking to enrich your Twitter experience, there a number of really great Christian leaders who are tweeting on a daily basis. Two good examples are:
@RickWarren - Pastor of Saddleback Church in California and author of The Purpose Driven Life
@_nickygumbel - Creator of the Alpha series

If you have interesting Twitter feeds to share, send them to info@firstbaptistmoncton.com.

YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL

2011-03-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL

by Pastor Richard Jackson

As published in the Times & Transcript March 12, 2011

I hope you won't mind if I talk with you about something rather personal. It's about what you think God is like. You see, pastors meet a good many people and hear a lot of confidences, and if my own experience is anything to go by, quite a number of people have got too small an idea of God.

So, what is your attitude towards God? One of the great New Testament scholars of the last century, J. B. Phillips, wrote a book he entitled, Your God Is Too Small. In it, he said that in their attitudes towards God, most people fall into one of several categories:

Some of you look on God as a POLICEMAN. You picture God sitting up in Heaven, looking for someone who's enjoying himself and, when He finds that person, cries, "Cut that out!" This God can only be described as a tyrant whose chief end is to make us miserable. Such a God is little different from George Orwell's Big Brother who watches our every move, just waiting for the slightest infraction.

Others look on God as a kind of HEAVENLY FIREMAN. These people want some fire insurance. They want to make sure that, when they die, they are not going to burn. The problem is they have no real desire to live for God here in this world.

Third, others look on God as a kind of DOCTOR on whom they call when they've tried everything else and have gotten nowhere. He's like a heavenly 911. They act like the man who said, "Well, we've tried everything else and nothing's worked; we might as well pray." Most of the time, these people live their lives completely oblivious to God. Then, some great tragedy strikes and they realize just how powerless they are and, suddenly, they find themselves reaching out to God and asking Him to make everything better.

Fourth, others of us regard God as a HEAVENLY BOOKKEEPER. We picture God as an old man with a long beard, keeping tally of our good deeds versus our sins. The trick is to make sure that when we die, we're not in the red.

Still others of us regard God as a USED CAR SALESMAN –He's someone with whom we try to make a deal. We try to get the upper hand on God. We know, or we think we know what God wants from us, but what's in it for me? "Come on, God, let's talk. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

I could go on and on like this. There is no end to the images of God that people develop. But they all have one thing in common—all these conceptions of God are too small. They do not present a picture of God as He really is. So, how should we picture God? Well, as in all things, we should look to Jesus for guidance. Do you know how Jesus taught us to think of God? Jesus used an Aramaic word—Abba—to describe God. And do you know what a literal translation of the word, Abba, is? Daddy. That’s right. Jesus taught us that we can have the same intimacy with God that a small child has with her Daddy.

In calling God Daddy, Jesus wants us to understand how much God loves us and how concerned He is about each one of us. That’s why throughout the Gospels Jesus tells of a Father who gives good gifts to His children, who knows the number of hairs on our heads, who dresses us more splendidly than the flowers of the field, and who feeds us more faithfully than He feeds the birds of the air.

Now, I know not everyone has had a positive image of a father growing up. Some of you reading this article have had fathers who were distant, abusive, or non-existent. And I know that picturing God as this type of father would not be a wonderful experience. However, when I’ve talked with people who have had absolutely horrific backgrounds, I’ve discovered that they usually have a very clear sense of what a good father should be. They know the love, intimacy, and sense of security they needed and missed. So, if you had this type of father, think in your mind of what an ideal father would be—an absolutely perfect father—and when you’re done, that’s the kind of heavenly Father we have.

So, next time you pray, think of God as your Abba—your Daddy—and talk to Him as you would the best Daddy in the world. He loves you that much!

Thank you, Janice!

2011-03-05T03:34:00.000-08:00

After a number of years of servicing as head of music ministries at First Baptist Moncton, Janice decided to step down from this role in the fall of last year. There was a recent celebration party at the church to thank her for the many years of service. Thankfully, she continues to serve in the Bridge Service praise band.

Photos from Janice Kelly's Thank You Party.
http://firstmoncton.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=79

New church website up and running

2011-03-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

A year in the making, the new First Baptist Church website is now up and running. We are praying this will be an effective tool to reach out into the community and let people know about our church. We are looking for feedback so have a look and connect back with us via email, Twitter, Facebook - you choose the channel.

http://firstmoncton.com/home/

Annual Meeting - Feb 21

2011-02-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Church annual meetings have a reputation for being long and ocassionally boring. But I encourage everyone to come out to our church annual meeting on February 21 at 6:30 pm to see what has been going on in the life of our church over the past year. There will be reports from each of the main ministry areas as well as the Senior Pastor. And we will be reviewing the new church website.

Hope to see you there!

Contemporary worship at First

2011-02-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have had the opportunity to attend worship services at over a dozen churches in the Moncton region and many more in other places I have lived and visited. In my opinion, the praise band during the 9:15 am service at First Baptist Church in Moncton is one of the best.

The praise band leader, Chantal, leads us through compelling and powerful worship through music and praise each Sunday morning. She is complemented by a host of talented musicians playing the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, bass guitar, drums, electric violin and sometimes other instruments. In addition, the praise band features a talented mix of singing talent.

Take it from me, it's worth coming just to see this group in action every Sunday morning at 9:15 am.

Beyond the praise and worship, we are treated by an excellent message from God's word each week. Pastor Jackson is one of the best teachers of the Bible I have sat under. He focuses his teaching in a practical, compelling and easy to understand way.

There's lots of room for more. The coffee pot is on and the people are friendly.

Hope to see you there.

Welcome to the First Baptist Moncton blog

2011-02-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, folks. Welcome to the new First Baptist Moncton blog - a place where we will chat about things going on in our church, our community and the wider world. The blog will help newcomers get a good sense of the kind of church we are and how we minister to - and connect with - our community.

It will also provide attendess of First Baptist Moncton with more indepth information and discussion of activities in the church.

It is meant to be an informal meeting place. Comments to the blog will be moderated but only for questionable content.

We hope you enjoy this blog. Don't forget to visit our main website for more information on the church and our programs. Hope to see you soon.