January 2009 Newsletter

Dear Friends,
Well, it’s January again, which means it is the time of year when many people make “New Year Resolutions,” promising themselves and others to improve their lives by taking special actions.
We all know about resolutions – perhaps you have already made yours. If not, here are some of the more common ones that people make:
· Go on a diet
· Eat healthy (more veggies and fruit, less junk-food)
· Exercise regularly
· Watch less TV and read more
· Enjoy life more.
The resolutions listed here are just a small sample of ones you may hear from relatives, friends and neighbors. There is nothing unique about them, yet if followed, they can make a tremendous impact on one’s life.
When making resolutions we often think of diet, exercise and the like. Most of our resolutions are related to our physical and emotional health. And that certainly is appropriate. However, I believe it important that we consider resolutions for the New Year that will greatly benefit our spiritual health. Consider these:
· Praying daily
· Worshiping regularly (meaning weekly or most weeks of the year)
· Giving generously – of our finances, our time, our talent
· Developing relationships with my church family – getting to know fellow-Christians that I don’t know as well, or getting to know the ones I do on a deeper level.
· Participating in a ministry of the church or the community.
· Reading God’s Word devotionally
· Joining a Bible Study, Sunday School Class, or some other group that studies and discusses God’s Word
These are just some of the many ways we can develop spiritual health. Making resolutions to grow and develop spiritually is a great way to begin 2009.
Now I understand that resolutions are difficult to keep, no matter if they are for our physical health, emotional health or spiritual health. Certainly we need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us keep our resolutions. Here’s the Good News: we have it! We don’t have to rely on just our own will power (which is why most resolutions fail). We can rely on Holy Spirit power to empower us. That’s so good to know.
Resolutions for the soul, for spiritual health, are extremely important for us. I pray God helps us to make resolutions, and empowers us to keep them.

Happy New Year!
Pastor Jim

Youth Discipleship Class

A new Youth Discipleship Class is about to begin! This class is for any youth who are interested in learning more about our Christian faith, being baptized as a believer in Christ, and/or joining our church. Any youth who are interested in the YDC, and their parents/guardians, are invited to a meeting following our worship service on Sunday, January 11th. Questions? Give Pastor Jim a call.

YDC Mentors

One aspect of the YDC is that each youth has a mentor. A mentor meets regularly with the youth to talk about class activities, answer questions about faith, and be an encouragement to the youth. If you are interested in being part of a “pool” of mentors that youth can choose to contact, please call Pastor Jim.

Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Whiting Community Baptist Church will be held on Sunday, January 25th, 2009, following our worship. Our meeting will include a Potluck lunch, so please bring some food to share. At this business meeting we will approve our annual report items, as well as approve our 2009 budget. Staff members and committee chairpersons are encouraged to get their reports for the Annual Report to Pastor Jim no later than January 11th

International Ministries Update

Just a few years ago First Baptist Church of St. Paul, MN, was a small congregation with less than 100 members, but then growth came in a most surprising way – Refugees. At first it was just a few, but then later, hundreds of people who had fled violence and persecution in their former home of Myanmar (historically known as Burma) were showing up at First Baptist. These Karen and other ethnic minority refugees from Myanmar have ultimately tripled the Sunday morning attendance at FBC, forming the Karen Baptist Fellowship at the church. And now, the influx of refugees and others who sought political asylum has resulted in the birth of two new American Baptist congregations – First Karen Baptist Church and First Burma Christ Church.
Amy Twe, a leader in the First Burma Christ Church, said she and her husband stayed in the basement of FBC for nearly two years, shortly after arriving in the U.S. “FBC helped us in many ways,” said Amy. “They gave us, all of [us], rice cookers, clothes, household goods…we really appreciate them.”
The First Karen Baptist Church started out as an interdenominational group, said leader Saw Josiah. But the ABC connection and the work of FBC led the group to want to join the denomination as well. “The American missionaries went to Burma 200 years ago,” said Saw, referring to the work of Adoniram and Ann Judson. “After we arrived in the U.S., we wanted to join the American Baptists.”
For FBC, the appreciation is mutual. “When I was a lay leader at FBC years ago, we kept saying we needed a mission, but God came along and gave the church a mission,” said Rev. David Johnson, now a retired ABC pastor who has returned to FBC.
Missionary Duane Binkley, who works in the U.S. and Thailand with Karen refugees, says FBC is a pioneer in birthing two churches, but as American Baptists embrace a ministry to refugees we can expect continued growth. “It’s been a cooperative effort. Everybody involved can feel good and join in the celebration that they have become official churches within the region and the denomination,” Duane said. “I think as a denomination, we can anticipate more Karen, Chin and Burmese churches wanting to join us to do God’s will in the U.S. and around the world.”
from American Baptist International Ministries Update, Nov/Dec, 2008

Did You Know?

• Ethnic Karen were some of the first converts to Christianity in the Burma mission pioneered by Adoniram and Ann Judson in 1814.


• Karen have been a persecuted ethnic group in Burma for years. Estimates are that anywhere from 500,000 to one million Karen are in hiding and internally displaced in Burma.


• Over 155,000 refugees – mainly Karen – live in camps along the border of Burma in Thailand.


• The U.S. Government has been active in resettling up to 19,000 Karen, Chin and other refugees from these camps.
  from American Baptist International Ministries Update, Nov/Dec, 2008

Christmas Giving

Thanks so much for your donations for Christmas gifts for our refugee friends. The outpouring of your generosity was truly wonderful! We were able to bless them with the love of our congregation through gifts of wonder and delight. Many thanks!

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Are you looking for a way to help people in our community this winter? Take a look at VITA/TCE – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly. The VITA/TCE program needs 100 volunteers from throughout the Fox Valley to help taxpayers who cannot afford professional tax assistance. Tax background can be helpful, but is not necessary. Training will be provided. VITA/TCE volunteers are asked to commit to at least 20 hours on Monday, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays between February and April, 2009. The volunteer opportunities include: Site Greeters, who make sure taxpayers have brought the right materials; E-File Tax Preparers, who help taxpayers work through the return; Reviewers, who check the returns to make sure they are completed correctly. For more information, call 968-6872 A.S.A.P.

Ministry Council

Congratulations to our new Ministry Council members: Julie Delikowski and Pat Lewis. Completing their terms are Randy Lehl and Mary Hill. Our thanks to them and the rest of the Ministry Council (Barb Moravec, Tom Romnek, Mike Kesselhon, Trudi Woods, Becky Luebker,) for their faithful and helpful service to our church.

Church Officers

Donna Mentink was elected as Treasurer and Sheila Piunti as Financial Secretary, at our church business meeting on Sunday, December 14th. Our thanks to these two servants for their faithfulness and for using their talents to serve our church.

Velte Committee

Congratulations to our new Velte Committee members: Pat Lewis, Kathy Hoehne and Fritz Bowers. Completing their terms, and for who we give thanks for their years of faithful service, are Kathy Schroder and Dave Isom. The rest of the committee consists of Kim Rose and Sharon Fesko.

Things To Ponder

• OK, so what’s the speed of dark?


• How do you tell when you’re out of invisible ink?


• When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.


• “Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

The Wisconsin Baptist

The Wisconsin Baptist is a monthly publication of news related to American Baptists in Wisconsin. As each new edition comes it is posted on the bulletin board in our hallway. If you would like to receive a copy via email, please phone Sue Kindl at 800-311-3140, or send her an email at sue.kindl@abcofwi.org