We’re already seeing God at work! He has given us all sorts of grace. Not just amazing grace, but sufficient grace, enduring grace, discerning grace, and more!
There are some great opportunities for God to be glorified—the testimony we have as a church family in the community can go a long way during these trying times-more than a new church program or a big church budget.
Tomorrow during church we are excited to get together, even without power and dealing with the high temperatures and rank smells, to show God He means more to us than the aftermath of Dolly. We are going to celebrate that our lives were spared and that most houses are still standing, and that things aren’t worse than they are. So much to be grateful for.
Every time you see rebuilding in the Bible-from what I can remember, revival breaks out. Oh Lord, may it happen in Raymondville!
Some have asked more details, and I've sent out notes, but just so you all know:
You have asked where you can send donations as we rebuild. That touches my heart more than you KNOW! All charitable donations can be sent to:
First Baptist Church
P.O. Box 367
Raymondville, TX 78580
You will receive a receipt for tax purposes, as well.
Another question I received was about our insurance benefits and what we will be left to pay to redo the church, and what offerings we have to work with. We do have insurance, but it is a 20/80 plan, plus our deductible, plus to get things to look historic (we are on the historic registry with a marker in front of our building) we will have more expense than just using modern church design. Our church is a very small church membership, with primarily senior citizens on fixed incomes, and those still working just making it paycheck to paycheck. An average week of offerings is only $1500 to run all the ministries of the church and pay the salaries and the utility bills. Our county is the 12th poorest county in the entire nation, so fundraising will be challenging.
BUT WE ARE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!
Showing posts with label First Baptist Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First Baptist Church. Show all posts
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Work Day Photos
Today, 18 members of First Baptist Church met to bring order back to the chaos caused by Hurricane Dolly. The first step was to remove the fallen ceiling tiles, soggy carpet, and soaked pew cushions. We discovered more damage today. The beautiful beams in the church now have wood popping loose--must be a type of veneer. Also it looks like the new carpet we just put down a couple of months ago in the Sunday School classrooms has mold starting to grow (it smells that way too). Not sure the wet vac will be the remedy. Maybe if we could have gotten to it the first or second day, but with power out, that wasn't possible. We plan for services tomorrow. A little hurricane isn't going to keep us from worshiping God!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Two Days After...
Just like two days after surgery is the most painful, two days after a hurricane the overwhelming impact of what you've just survived and what is left to deal with hits. I have no real mental focus for my business, although I want to work to have something different to focus on than what is around me here. Sort of a different version of Paul's statement of old, "the things I wish I could do, I can't, and the things I wish I wouldn't do, I find myself doing."
The media heard about our church building's destruction and came to the church to interview Russ and get footage for the evening news. It should be on video stream at:
http://www.kveo.com/
The parsonage is like Grand Central Station with phone calls, planning meetings, and emergency prayer requests. I'll be honest and say I've had to pray for God to give me grace because even though I'm a people person to the max, I also like a certain amount of alone time each day to decompress.
I'm grateful, though, that we have a place we can use for God and for our community, to reach out to them in their time of need. We will have at least one house guest spend the night, and others coming for a meal tonight, and perhaps a quick shower. And of course, those without power have been invited over to watch the news coverage of our church loss. I'm making a big pot of chile verde because it will feed a crowd and I don't need to fuss in the kitchen all day with it.
The insurance adjuster will be coming on Monday to do the appraisal, and she gave us permission to go ahead an start the clean up work since we have documented everything with photos. So, we will be able to remove the foul-smelling ceiling tile (it has been getting wet for years and years, so you can imagine...) and the soggy carpet. We'll also sort through the hymnals and pew Bibles and separate the damaged pews from the decent ones. Of course, we don't know many churches with mismatched pews, so they will probably count it a total loss since it would be near impossible to find pews to match today since these were quite old. Tomorrow we are calling for a work day for anyone who can come out, but we aren't expecting them to if they have health ailments or their own emergencies to tend to. But there are a few members who really want to have a part in the clean-up, so this will give them a chance to get the church ready for services on Sunday.
Russ and a couple of other guys (thanks Rich and Jesse) already set up the Fellowship Hall for church service on Sunday. We still don't have power, but we are prepared to have at least an abbreviated service no matter what because we don't want to allow the devastation to get the better of us!
So many of you have asked what you can do to help. I know we have cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer coming. We will know more what we need after the adjuster gets the appraisal complete. There will be deductibles to meet for sure. We will be meeting in the Fellowship Hall for several months while the repairs are going on. I'll keep you posted. We are just so blessed to report that as far as we know, no lives were lost in our area due to this horrific storm, and the rescue teams that came in to offer aid to our community were quick and efficient, ready to offer ice, water, and food rations (RTE Army-style).
My odd sense of humor kicks in at the strangest times. Like today when I read that Hurricane Humberto was the last Texas hurricane of 2007 and Dolly the first of 2008--and we experienced BOTH of them. We had Humberto on our way down here to try out for the position. And we warned the people here that extreme weather follows us wherever we go. And then now we have Dolly. "We told you so!"
We aren't discouraged. We have a great God. And we know things could be much worse. And we also know that the church is the people, not the building. But there's just something sacred about that sanctuary, so to see it destroyed really knocks the air out of you when you first walk in.
In fact, when we walk our church members through to tour the damage, it is very similar to being at the funeral home and meeting someone at the door who came to the viewing, and walking them up to the casket telling them all the good memories of the deceased and helping them gently walk the walk of grief to say their good-byes. Those first moments for anyone seeing the damage are very somber.
Thank you, THANK YOU, for your many notes of kindness, prayers, and support.
The media heard about our church building's destruction and came to the church to interview Russ and get footage for the evening news. It should be on video stream at:
http://www.kveo.com/
The parsonage is like Grand Central Station with phone calls, planning meetings, and emergency prayer requests. I'll be honest and say I've had to pray for God to give me grace because even though I'm a people person to the max, I also like a certain amount of alone time each day to decompress.
I'm grateful, though, that we have a place we can use for God and for our community, to reach out to them in their time of need. We will have at least one house guest spend the night, and others coming for a meal tonight, and perhaps a quick shower. And of course, those without power have been invited over to watch the news coverage of our church loss. I'm making a big pot of chile verde because it will feed a crowd and I don't need to fuss in the kitchen all day with it.
The insurance adjuster will be coming on Monday to do the appraisal, and she gave us permission to go ahead an start the clean up work since we have documented everything with photos. So, we will be able to remove the foul-smelling ceiling tile (it has been getting wet for years and years, so you can imagine...) and the soggy carpet. We'll also sort through the hymnals and pew Bibles and separate the damaged pews from the decent ones. Of course, we don't know many churches with mismatched pews, so they will probably count it a total loss since it would be near impossible to find pews to match today since these were quite old. Tomorrow we are calling for a work day for anyone who can come out, but we aren't expecting them to if they have health ailments or their own emergencies to tend to. But there are a few members who really want to have a part in the clean-up, so this will give them a chance to get the church ready for services on Sunday.
Russ and a couple of other guys (thanks Rich and Jesse) already set up the Fellowship Hall for church service on Sunday. We still don't have power, but we are prepared to have at least an abbreviated service no matter what because we don't want to allow the devastation to get the better of us!
So many of you have asked what you can do to help. I know we have cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer coming. We will know more what we need after the adjuster gets the appraisal complete. There will be deductibles to meet for sure. We will be meeting in the Fellowship Hall for several months while the repairs are going on. I'll keep you posted. We are just so blessed to report that as far as we know, no lives were lost in our area due to this horrific storm, and the rescue teams that came in to offer aid to our community were quick and efficient, ready to offer ice, water, and food rations (RTE Army-style).
My odd sense of humor kicks in at the strangest times. Like today when I read that Hurricane Humberto was the last Texas hurricane of 2007 and Dolly the first of 2008--and we experienced BOTH of them. We had Humberto on our way down here to try out for the position. And we warned the people here that extreme weather follows us wherever we go. And then now we have Dolly. "We told you so!"
We aren't discouraged. We have a great God. And we know things could be much worse. And we also know that the church is the people, not the building. But there's just something sacred about that sanctuary, so to see it destroyed really knocks the air out of you when you first walk in.
In fact, when we walk our church members through to tour the damage, it is very similar to being at the funeral home and meeting someone at the door who came to the viewing, and walking them up to the casket telling them all the good memories of the deceased and helping them gently walk the walk of grief to say their good-byes. Those first moments for anyone seeing the damage are very somber.
Thank you, THANK YOU, for your many notes of kindness, prayers, and support.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
MAY TEA AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
“How did we get someone the caliber of a Vonda Skelton in Raymondville, Texas?” seemed to be the common question asked May 10th at the First Baptist Church. Vonda is a nationally known speaker and writer, famous for her humorous vignettes and timeless truths. First Baptist invited Vonda to provide the program for their first annual May Tea.
What’s a May Tea, you may ask. It’s a Tea held in May to celebrate womanhood and sisterhood. Is it a fundraiser? No, it’s a mood-lifter — an event designed especially for ladies from all walks of life in all seasons of life. Women invited to park their problems at the door and enter a worry-free zone for a two-hour time of refreshment and camaraderie.
As ladies arrived at the corner of 5th and Raymond they knew right away good times were ahead. Yellow-vested members of the Raymondville Noon Lion’s Club greeted them and directed parking in the 100-degree heat. They even offered free valet parking if the driver so wished. Entering the Fellowship Hall they discovered bright and festive decorations festooning the tables, walls and ceilings. Conversations buzzed and hugs were given as women connected with women.
The theme for the event was “Peel Away the Mask” and masks of various sizes, styles and colors represented the theme. Betty Young handmade eighteen different plastic canvas masks, customizing each mask to be unique. These, along with feathered or sequined Mardi Gras masks and glittered mask-themed “funeral fans” were given as door prizes.
The event officially kicked off with the warm welcome by pastor’s wife Kathy Carlton Willis. Kathy invited the women to wave their napkins in the air — those with gold-colored napkins cheered when they discovered they won the door prizes, while those with purple or green napkins groaned in disappointment. So no one was empty-handed — all received a tea-packed party favor, beads, and bookmark. After a prayer asking God to bless the Tea, attendees were dismissed by table to load their plates in the colorful and fresh buffet line. The menu included: chicken bundles, mini-quiches, assorted tea sandwiches, watermelon boats with fresh fruit, Asian slaw, spinach strawberry salad, fruit/cheese picks, assorted muffins, tea cakes, mini-cupcakes, lemon bars and other assorted desserts at the sweet station. Many brought food for the buffet, but those also assisting with the catering included: Charlene Fambrough, Lois Land, Barbara Chappell, Kim Fambrough Williams, and Jamie Kirman Morris. Bonnie Brown and Virginia Denny decorated beautiful watermelon boats.
The sanctuary was also decorated for the event. Every fichus tree and topiary draped with baubles and beads. Brenda Kirman, Jamie Kirman Morris, Kim Fambrough Williams, Barbara Chappell and Nelda Moreno assisted with decorations. Gaynell Karseno created the colorful flower arrangement perched on the church organ.
Women flooded the sanctuary for the program, provided by guest speaker Vonda Skelton from South Carolina. She is a busy author; her latest book is “Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe.” Vonda’s poignant message about celebrating womanhood inspired hope and joy. Laughter pealed through the sanctuary one minute, and tears slipped down faces the next. Vonda sung familiar tunes with new words, entertaining us with her real world examples of teen girls and senior ladies. And her hilarious vignette, “Solomon’s Beloved” can be viewed on You Tube.
At the conclusion of the program, women exited with hesitancy, ready to face the real world again, but sad to leave the glow of their two-hour mini-vacation now known as the First Baptist Church May Tea. But don’t worry; the church is already making plans for its next community event.
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