FO
URTH OF JULY CHURCH-WIDE BLOCK PARTY
Sunday, July 2 at 5:30-7:30 p.m.
East Campus
Join us for food, fun, games, and fellowship.
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Homemade Ice Cream
FREE!!!
Deadline to sign up is Sunday, July 2
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Hess's Headlines
Dear Church,
Occasionally I will pick up a book I read while in seminary and reflect on what it taught me then and what it teaches me now. So the book of choice on a particular day this week was titled
Baptist Ways: A History and was a book that we had used in our Baptist Heritage class. The class was focused in on the history of the Baptist and I have always enjoyed history. On this day, I had remembered several mistakes I have made in the past few months. Then the Lord intersected that moment with this book. In the most unlikely of sources, a history book, I found an incredible comfort. Charles Spurgeon was born in 1834, and 20 years later he followed an invitation to become pastor of the New Park Street Chapel, London. Spurgeon was humbled by the opportunity and said "Remember my youth and inexperience, and pray that these may not hinder my usefulness. I trust also that the remembrance of these will lead you to forgive mistakes I may make, or unguarded words I may utter."
There it was. Words from a young pastor, Charles Spurgeon, 163 years earlier that comforted this young pastor in 2017. I am thankful for your prayers and support over the past few months. I am also praying that the Lord would bless Woodmont in the same way that he blessed New Park Street Chapel in those days. As I thought more about this, I imagine that you are a lot like me. Sometimes you think about your mistakes, times when you didn't handle situations just right, or when you were blindsided by sin. Isn't it amazing that the Bible plainly tells us that every human is a sinner, yet we are surprised when we sin or others sin against us. With this in mind, I would like to comfort you from another book and words from another pastor, Paul writes in Romans 3:20-24:
"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Prayers and Blessings!
In Christ
Chad
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Reese's Pieces
This August I will have served in full-time music ministry for 30 years. Exactly half of that has been with Woodmont Baptist Church.
It's hard to believe that 16 years ago I didn't even know where Florence, Alabama was. I remember the day my wife found it on an atlas (Boys and girls, that was the predecessor of Google Maps) and said, "That's the middle of nowhere; you're not taking me there." Ha! When we eventually broke the news to our parents (way up in our home state of Missouri), you would have thought we'd announced our plans to take their grandchildren and move to Africa.
My kids were 13, 11, and 9 at the time, and they were happy and content with their schools, friends, and church. It never occurred to me-why should it?-that they would all meet their spouses in Alabama. Of course, the thought of grandchildren was about a billion miles off our radar.
My wife was very successfully running our county's literacy council, and NO ONE involved with that program wanted to turn loose of her. And me? I had been at the same church for 11 years, designed the music ministry the way I wanted it, grown pretty comfortable in my choir room, and was not looking for a change of any kind.
We had bought a house just two years prior (not a nice house, by any means, but a big house), and I was proudly thinking it just might be the last house we'd ever buy. But God had another plan.
It all began with a totally unexpected phone call from a lady I'd never met or heard of, but whose brother and sister-in-law, as it just so happened, had been members of my choir before they moved away. This caller had a sweet, lilting, Southern voice and an effervescent personality, and she was pretty convinced that God wanted me to be her music minister. I thought this was really funny. At first.
Over the ensuing weeks and months, the Lord turned our world upside down...several times. (This is a long story, and I'm leaving out a LOT of tumultuous details!) But I'm glad He comes crashing through the walls of complacency we build around ourselves, because that is what led me to you wonderful people.
Brothers and sisters, I want to THANK YOU for the love offering you gave me for my 15th anniversary. I am deeply grateful for your gift and even more grateful that you've put up with me this long. It has been a great privilege that the Lord has allowed me to co-labor and worship with you all this time.
Thank you to my friends in the music ministry who bless me again and again and again with their tremendous talent and immeasurable love for Jesus.
Thank you to the members of that long-ago search committee who, somehow, thought I was someone worth pursuing: Joel Stephenson, Jason Lenz, Jean Johnson, Sadler Dalton, Susan Hanson, Jack Everett, Angie Pickens, Todd Oullette, and my dear friend and oh-so-faithful choir member who is now in the presence of the Lord, Carlton Davis.
Thank you, Allene Wilson, for picking up the phone and making that call.
To God be the glory, forever and always.
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Thompson's Text
Work Day
Pictured are volunteers that helped paint for Work Day at Woodmont on Saturday June 24. There is a lot of work and activity going on this summer with the painting of the children's floor in preparation of for our new Bible Study Connections year beginning Sunday, August 6.
Volunteers from the Harp/Hope class have been removing walls to make way for new children check-in centers.
New TV monitors are now in the worship center lobby and will be working in the coming weeks. Excitement is growing as we are seeing families join and come to Christ with baptisms almost every other week.
Under His grace,
Steve
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Student Ministry
Guatemala Trip 2017
We would like to thank everybody again for all the support we received for the Guatemala mission trip. We would not have been able to go and serve without those who donated money, supplies, helped with fundraisers, and prayed for us. With over 20 people on this trip, we were able to work alongside BBIC to accomplish some amazing work in Guatamala. We built latrines for a community in need, hosted a VBS for local children, and most importantly, we were able to love on these people and share the Gospel with them. Our prayer is that God continues to work amongst these people as we know He has already done so in mighty ways. Through this experience, the Lord has shown us so much about Himself and our calling as His children. Thank you Woodmont family for your love and support, we look forward to sharing with you all that the Lord has accomplished through us this summer.
In Christ,
Jarod
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Singles' Ministry
I am really enjoying working with my summer interns, Taylor and Bradley. They have been so much help and just a pleasure to be around. It is obvious that they both have a heart for ministry and for serving. I am so thankful for this experience of working alongside them
. ~Belinda~
Friday, July 7th @ 6:00 p.m.
Singles & Friends Game Night
@ East Campus
Please bring a finger food. Come and enjoy a hilarious game of spoons or maybe Rook or Dominoes is more your style. There are also pool tables and even sofas for just relaxing. Come and enjoy a great time of good fellowship.
July 16th - Singles Monthly Covered Dish - gym at 11:30. Please bring a veggie dish, casserole or dessert.
July 20-23 - Single Parent Family Beach Retreat-
Trip is full but if you are interested, contact Belinda Green in case of a cancellation.
July 29th - Soup Kitchen
Woodmont Singles Ministry works the Soup Kitchen at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Florence every 5th Saturday. We provide the food and serve about 125 meals. Anyone who would like to provide a dessert, please contact Belinda Green.
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Costa Rica Mission Trip
FAMILY FRIENDLY MISSION TRIP
TO COSTA RICA
As a FAMILY OF FAITH ON MISSIONS we will take our first family oriented international mission trip
July 29 - August 4, 2017.
We have 19 people going, mostly from Woodmont. Almost half of these are youth, including 8 and 9 year olds. We will be working with Pastor Jose in San Jose who views this as a unique opportunity to train young missionaries. We will be doing medical, homeless, food, VBS, etc. We will work with Hope Baptist Church. We request your prayers on our behalf that we will be able to serve those whom God brings before us.
COSTA RICA SUPPLIES NEEDED
In addition, we will need supplies for the ministry programs. Please place in the boxes in the breezeway labeled Costa Rica Supplies:
- Diapers all sizes but especially sizes 2(M) and 3(L).
- Formula
- boy clothes (1-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 12 months, 18 months)
- girl clothes (3-6 months, 6-9 months)
- teething toys
- baby wipes
- bibs
- hygiene travel size items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, wash cloths)
- milk (regular milk for the moms)
- Crayola
- glue
- school supplies
- Flip-flops
- Money for food for homeless and new mothers
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Children's Ministry
A FAMILY TRIP TO "THE ARK" - The Ark Encounter is a world-class theme park featuring the most authentic full-size replica of Noah's Ark in the world. It is located in Williamstown, Kentucky. We will depart July 31 at 3:00 a.m. and return 5:00 p.m. on August 1. Cost is $276 for a family of 4 (plus $28 for each additional child). Includes lodging, The Ark ticket, breakfast each day and one dinner meal. Trip is sponsored by the Children's Ministry. Contact Demi Simmons, (256) 856-7051.
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55 and Older Join Us For These Upcoming Events...
Monthly Luncheon - Thursday, July 20 at 12 Noon. Honey Baked Ham Box Lunch with drink. Cost $6 per person. Pay at the door. Sign up in Breezeway. If you sign up and do not attend, please pay Jim Green or Frances Moore. David Hope will give us a preview of the Summer Stock play Fiddler on the Roof starting at the Ritz on July 20. Join us for this fun luncheon.
Frances Moore
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New Members
Braxton Jones, Baptism Cohen Coats, Baptism Eaden Austin, Baptism
Eli Jones, Baptism Peyton Claunch, Baptism
Rory, White, Baptism Thomas McNeil, Baptism
Not Pictured: Kendra White, Baptism; Danny Hines, Baptism
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Our Mission |
Woodmont Baptist Church's MISSION STATEMENT is:
"To do the Lord's will through prayer, worship, discipleship, service, missions
and evangelism - In His name, by His spirit and for His glory."
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Woodmont Staff
Bro. Chad Hess
Pastor
Rev. Steve Thompson
, Assoc. Pastor/Min. of Ed/Admin.
Rev. Kevin Reese,
Music Minister
Jarod Grimes,
Student Minister
Denise Coats,
Children's Minister
Belinda Green,
Singles and Families Minister
Becky Daughtery & Loretta Young
Personal Ministries Director
Joyce Clark,
Pastor/Outreach Secretary
Angela Riddle
Receptionist/Music Secretary
Carla Hamm,
Finance
Marilyn Nelson, Communications Secretary/Education Secretary
Custodian
Latricia Hensley,
Children's Church
Cindy Ferson,
Children's Church
Jennifer Jones, King's Kids Director
Becky Foster,
Pianist/Orchestra Director
Virginia Moore,
Organist
Jason Staggs, Technical Director
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