Even if you missed the first two sessions, you need to be here Sunday afternoon at 5:00 for the session this week. We will be looking at how to become an "essential church," and tying up the loose ends related to the things we have been looking at. The session includes the research information, a Bible study with instructions to the church related to the issues we are discussing, and a time to gather in small groups and discuss applications of these issues related to our church.
We've had about 15 people each week, though a few of the faces have changed. We are looking forward to seeing you this week. Whether you participate in church leadership or not, you are welcome.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
A Summer Full of Missions
Several of our college students are involved in missions and ministry activities this summer. They need your prayers.
Josh Hill, who is a student at Jacksonville College, is serving in New York City this summer with the North American Mission Board. We have been receiving word from Josh about his work, and will post a page on the website so you can read about what he is doing.
Lisa Rivera, a student at Houston Baptist University, is on the Rec Team, and is in the Hill Country conducting children's and youth camps.
Jacob and Jennifer Millard, also students at HBU, are doing an internship at First Baptist Church in Willis, Texas.
In addition to that, there are several other mission activities taking place at GOBC this summer.
Partners in Faith recently completed a project collecting and delivering food and clothing to My Brother's Keeper, a mission ministry in the Alief area which provides assistance to families in need, including food and clothing distribution, but also assistance finding a job, housing, and counseling. Families seeking help through My Brother's Keeper are also given a presentation of the gospel to help their spiritual needs.
World Changers will begin July 4th. Eleven participants from GOBC will travel to Missouri's Mineral Area to help minister to 24 families who have specific needs related to their homes. Neighbors will also receive the benefit of having a crew of students and adults in their community sharing their faith by helping families in need. The GOBC group will join with participants from two other churches in Texas as well as from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma and Indiana.
Woodridge Baptist Church from Kingwood will be bringing their junior high youth for an inner city mission project in our area July 6-10. They camp out in our church for the week and use it for their mission headquarters.
Josh Hill, who is a student at Jacksonville College, is serving in New York City this summer with the North American Mission Board. We have been receiving word from Josh about his work, and will post a page on the website so you can read about what he is doing.
Lisa Rivera, a student at Houston Baptist University, is on the Rec Team, and is in the Hill Country conducting children's and youth camps.
Jacob and Jennifer Millard, also students at HBU, are doing an internship at First Baptist Church in Willis, Texas.
In addition to that, there are several other mission activities taking place at GOBC this summer.
Partners in Faith recently completed a project collecting and delivering food and clothing to My Brother's Keeper, a mission ministry in the Alief area which provides assistance to families in need, including food and clothing distribution, but also assistance finding a job, housing, and counseling. Families seeking help through My Brother's Keeper are also given a presentation of the gospel to help their spiritual needs.
World Changers will begin July 4th. Eleven participants from GOBC will travel to Missouri's Mineral Area to help minister to 24 families who have specific needs related to their homes. Neighbors will also receive the benefit of having a crew of students and adults in their community sharing their faith by helping families in need. The GOBC group will join with participants from two other churches in Texas as well as from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma and Indiana.
Woodridge Baptist Church from Kingwood will be bringing their junior high youth for an inner city mission project in our area July 6-10. They camp out in our church for the week and use it for their mission headquarters.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Goodbye, Doc
Sometime early this morning, after more than 100 years of life in this world, the Lord called Doc Scarborough home.
Doc was in his Sunday School class just two Sundays ago. He was there as often as his health would permit, which was almost every Sunday morning. His presence in the class always brought an added bonus, as his personal care assistant would accompany him and sit in class with him.
Two years ago, a group of church members met a few days before Christmas, divided up a list of our older adults, many of them homebound, and then went out caroling. I had just been teaching the Fellowship Class for a couple of months then, and Doc was on the list for the group I happened to be driving. We pulled up to the door, and he warmly responded to our carols. It was dark, and so he couldn't really see who we were and asked what church we were from. He brightened up when we told him we were from Garden Oaks, his own church, and then he recognized my voice. He told me that he had heard I was a really good teacher, and then apologized for sleeping through most of my lessons.
"After all," he said, "I'm almost a hundred years old."
Last August, he celebrated his 100th birthday in the fellowship hall of the church. Imagine how much he had seen in his lifetime. Of course, there is no sense of time in heaven, but perhaps those of his family who had gone on before had sensed that it was taking a little bit more time than usual for their loved one to arrive. Today, he came home.
Doc was in his Sunday School class just two Sundays ago. He was there as often as his health would permit, which was almost every Sunday morning. His presence in the class always brought an added bonus, as his personal care assistant would accompany him and sit in class with him.
Two years ago, a group of church members met a few days before Christmas, divided up a list of our older adults, many of them homebound, and then went out caroling. I had just been teaching the Fellowship Class for a couple of months then, and Doc was on the list for the group I happened to be driving. We pulled up to the door, and he warmly responded to our carols. It was dark, and so he couldn't really see who we were and asked what church we were from. He brightened up when we told him we were from Garden Oaks, his own church, and then he recognized my voice. He told me that he had heard I was a really good teacher, and then apologized for sleeping through most of my lessons.
"After all," he said, "I'm almost a hundred years old."
Last August, he celebrated his 100th birthday in the fellowship hall of the church. Imagine how much he had seen in his lifetime. Of course, there is no sense of time in heaven, but perhaps those of his family who had gone on before had sensed that it was taking a little bit more time than usual for their loved one to arrive. Today, he came home.
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