Santa Fe River Baptist Association
Gainesville, Florida

Association Sunday School Training
Monday, September 20
6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Northwest Church, 5514 NW 23rd Avenue, Gainesville
 
This training will include age level classes for preschool, children, youth, college, young adults, and senior adults. There will also be four general classes.
 
Schedule
5:00-6:15 BBQ meal ($6.00) (Call 352.377.5076 to make reservations, which are required by September 16.)
6:30-6:40 Opening
6:45-7:45 Session 1
7:45-8:00 Break
8:00-9:00 Session 2
 
Childcare provided (Birth-Grade 5). Call 352.377.5076 (the church office) for childcare. Hosted by SFRBA and Northwest Church

Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, September 9
10:30 a.m.-noon (lunch provided)
Iglesia Hispana Gainesville, 3508 NW 19th Street, Gainesville
Expected business:

1. Presentation of the proposed budget for 2010-11 by the association Stewardship Committee
2. Recommendation by the Administrative Committee to accept the La Crosse Baptist Church as a member of our association
3. Recommendations for association officers and committee members by the Nominating Committee

Perry Kenner, president of the Florida Baptist Credit Union, will make a brief presentation, telling you how you can make good investments while helping missions causes at the same time.

La Crosse Baptist Church to Be Recommended for Membership The La Crosse Baptist Church will be recommended for membership in our association at the Executive Committee meeting Sept. 9. If you would like to know more about the church, visit their web site. Roy Silvers (at left) is pastor. The Association office will be closed on Monday, September 6, for Labor Day. Have a safe holiday!

A Busy Summer with Local Ministries
This summer we were as busy as ever. There were six college students and a professor from the Baptist College of Florida here in our association for a week who did Backyard Bible Clubs in High Springs and in Alachua Apartments where many children heard the gospel of Christ, participated in activities and games, and made crafts to take home.
 
Journey Church and First Church of High Springs both had a children’s ministry at Tree Trail Apartments where thirty children participated in Bible study, crafts, and games. First Church of Alachua sponsored a “Back to School Bash” at Alachua Apartments. Parents, as well as children, had a great time.
 
Last year we gave away 75 backpacks to children in the Alachua Apartments and Tower Road Triangle area but this year we gave away 200 backpacks filled with school supplies. Thank you, Tonya Bates, from Forest Grove, in helping me put the school supplies into the backpacks. Thank you, churches, for your part of supplying these needed supplies to children in low-income neighborhoods. May God bless you for your efforts!
 
There will not be an Alachua County Fair this year, so, during the months of September and October, I will be asking churches to collect food for the families that are homeless. Please collect non-perishable food at your church, call me, and I will pick them up and deliver the items.
 
Serving the Lord together in the Gainesville area,
Vicki Lawrence
Church and Community Ministries Director

Ministry to Internationals
The International Learning Center began its 33rd year of English classes on Monday, August 23, when we registered 35 students from South Korea, China, Japan, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Haiti.  Some of the students have been in the U.S. less than one week and others have been in Gainesville several years.  Some are professors or researchers at UF and others are searching for work.  Some are Christians and others have no religious background.  It definitely feels like a United Nations meeting in Gainesville at our host church, Parkview.
 
We are in need of additional teachers and childcare workers. In the past we have offered five or six levels of English.  This year we are offering only four levels because of the need of more teachers.  Our Advanced class has been combined with Level 4.  This is sad because some of our students are the best English speakers we have ever had and I am afraid they will drop out if we do not challenge them.  Remember, this is our time to share the love of Christ and as I always say, "Do international missions while sleeping in your own bed at night." Most of these students will return to their home countries in 1-3 years.  They can become the missionaries in their countries.
 
Come and visit the International Learning Center and discover if God is calling you to this international ministry.
 
Contact Mary Lynne Moore, ILC Director, at cell: 352 665-8525 or email: ml@myilc.org.

Retirement Planning Seminar
Retirement planning assistance for anyone over the age of 55.
Tuesday, September 14, 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Parkview Church, Gainesville
Gary Townsend, Florida Baptist Convention, will be leading the seminar. Call the association center for more information, 352.373.5030.

Fifth Annual Yerman Run and Walk for Friends of Children of North Central Florida  
Sat., Oct. 23, starting at 8 a.m. at the Westside Park on NW 34th Street, Gainesville
Sponsors for this event are always very important to making it financially successful.  Help us spread the word about this important event and its sponsorship opportunities. Visit www.moovingforkids.com where you can register for the Run and Walk.
 
A new event this year will be a Health and Fitness Expo at Westside Church, Gainesville, the night before the Walk and Run.  It is a great opportunity to raise money for our children while you're having a good time, so please start spreading the word!
 
We look forward to a great year!
Yerman Friends of Children Race Staff

Association Calendar for September
5-12 Maguire State Missions Week of Prayer
6 Labor Day, Association Center closed
9 Executive Committee Mtg., Hispana Gainesville (Ridgeview Church), 10:30 a.m.
11 Florida and USF
11 Prayer Council Meeting, Ridgeview Church, 10 a.m.
11 Blind Fellowship, Lighthouse Church, 4:00 p.m.
14 Retirement Planning Workshop, Parkview Church, 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
18 Florida at Tennessee
20 Association Sunday School Training, Northwest Church, 7:00 p.m.
22 See You at the Pole Prayer Day
23 First day of Autumn
25 Florida and Kentucky
 
Thank you for your church's contributions to your association

Letters We Have Received
Dear Donor, Thanks for the backpack. It is beautiful and I needed all the stuff inside. It has been a rough year. God bless your heart.  Megan
 
To who this concerns, Thank you for the school supplies. I really needed them and appreciated all of it. May God bless you.  Justin
 
The thank-you notes above are from children who received backpacks and school supplies from our churches. What a blessing!!  

The staff of Bell Nursery School and we are sincerely thankful of the toys and items given to us by the Santa Fe River Association. Our children were so happy to have more toys. May God richly bless you in return. 
Pr. Willie and Kate Mayberry (Pleasanthill Missionary Church)
[The Mayberry family operate this non-profit school, the oldest Christian daycare program in Gainesville, ministering to hundreds of children and their families through the years. WH]

Church News

Journey Church at the Jamboree in Newberry
Three churches in Newberry, including Mount Zura Baptist, Acts of Faith, and our own Journey Church, participated in the local Back-to-School Jamboree recently, providing school supplies to children from low-income families. About 300 people attended the fun event throughout the day. (See pictures below.)
Brad Files, Interim Pastor

The "Bigger Breakfast" at Westside Church, Gainesville
Southern Baptist Men in the United States and Canada will be joining Baptist Men in Europe and Africa on Sat., Sept. 25, at 7 a.m. for a simultaneous men’s breakfast.

For Southern Baptists, The Bigger Breakfast 2010 theme is “Grasp the Vision.” The Bigger Breakfast’s primary objective is to gather men across the Southern Baptist Convention to launch a 40-day prayer plan for spiritual awakening among men in North America. Call the church office (352.333.7700, x100) if you want to participate.

Outdoor Concert in La Crosse
Sat., Sept. 18, 4 p.m., La Crosse Church
Featuring singers Jason Gray and Jake Cogan and evangelist Robbie Brown
General admission: $10
VIP tickets (front-row seats and mixing with the performers after the concert): $25
Tickets are available online at www.evangelismtickets.com. For further information about tickets, call 800/519-9030 or 386/462-1004 or visit www.lacrossebaptist.org. Roy Silvers is pastor.

Music Ministers Needed
Forest Grove and Southwest churches are seeking part-time ministers of music. For more information, contact Pr. Warren Chesser of Forest Grove ((386) 462-3921) and Pr. Don Farley of Southwest ((352) 528-9689; formerly Lake Forest Church). 

Our churches without pastors:
Journey, New Hope, and North Pleasant Grove.
 
First Church Lake Butler is seeking a full-time youth pastor. Résumés should be sent to Jason Johns, Pastor, 195 E. Main St., Lake Butler, FL 32054.
 
North Central to Celebrate 75 Years
North Central Church’s 75th anniversary celebration is scheduled for Sunday, September 12, with a special service on Sunday morning and a dinner to follow. If you know former members of North Central who would like to attend, please let them know.
 
We extend sincere sympathy to Robin Steele, in the death of her father, Jack Sawyer. Robin is the wife of Brad Steele (worship) at First Alachua.

Internationals Ministry at Westside Grows
From Sheryl Bennett, Minister of Missions, Prayer, and Evangelism, Westside Church, Gainesville:
God has brought us 86 internationals in Bible Study this last Sunday, which is very exciting to us.  We have prayed and prayed that God would allow us to impact the international community for his kingdom.  Although we have at least ten countries represented in our ministry, our primary people group is Chinese students and visiting scholars!  We have seen six of them make professions of faith in the last two months, three more commit to baptism, and two are now out with us on Monday nights learning how to share the gospel!  We also have internationals in our leadership.  Brazilians, Koreans and Filipinos are all teaching in our ministry and finding success in leading outside of their own cultures. 

September Birthdays
1 Mary Griffis (ministry assistant), Westside
2 Pr. Steve Pettit, Centerpoint
2 Sheila Fairless (wife of pastor), Gainesville First
2 Pr. William Burroughs, Journey of the Word
3 Mark Dykes (music), Eliam
3 Pr. Jim Blevins, Eden
4 Glen McKinney (pastoral care), Westside
5 Carolyn Morris (wife of music/worship), Westside
10 Wayne Harvey (director of missions), Association
12 Ed Brezina (husband of ministry assistant), Northwest
12  Brandon Denmark (youth), Eliam
12 Vicki Johnson (wife of children/youth/families), Parkview
13 Pr. John Parker, Micanopy  
21 Marlene Gardner (music), Parkview
22 Jon Acree (husband of ministry assistant), Eliam
22 Vicki Davenport (wife of pastor), Ridgeview
22 Pr. Gary Crawford, Westside
 
September Wedding Anniversaries
9 Pr. Eddie and Carmen Gandy, High Springs First
13 Pr. Don and Brigetta Farley, Southwest
16 Pr. Bill and Vicki Davenport, Ridgeview
27 Dave and Mary Lynne (ILC Director), Moore
 
September Ministry Anniversaries

• Sandra Chesser (ministry assistant), Alachua First, 9/24/1992
• Pr. Steve Pettit, Centerpoint, 9/1/1996
• Tim Harris(music), High Springs First, 9/22/1997
• Pr. Warren Chesser, Forest Grove, 9/1/2003
• Charles Ball(music/education), Sardis, 9/18/2005
• Pr. Henry McKinney, Hawthorne First, 9/24/2006
• Lynn Williams(families), Gainesville First, 9/17/2006
• Steven Wells (worship), Lake Butler First, 9/03/2007
• Pr. John Parker, Micanopy, 9/21/2008

Think on These Things

The Christian Pastors’ Association of North Central Florida, comprising many different evangelical churches in and around Gainesville, has issued a statement that they “denounce the Quran burning scheduled to take place on September 11, 2010, at Dove World Outreach Center [in Gainesville].  We also further denounce the death threats made against the people at Dove World Outreach Center, and pray that peace will reign in the hearts of those in our community. . . .
 
“Our prayer is that Muslims and others see the beauty of Jesus Christ through the love and respect shown by the many Christians who object to this act of burning the Quran. . . .
 
“While we also do not agree with the teachings of Islam, our attitude toward individual Muslims is love and goodwill.  We, as Christians, seek to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ by living lives devoted to God and His Holy Word, and to love our neighbors by demonstrating respect and compassion.  Just as Muslims are encouraged to live faithfully to the commands of the Koran; similarly, as Christians, we must live faithfully to the commands of the Bible.”

For more information, call Greg Magruder (pastor, Parkview Church; 352.378.2606) or Phil Courson, president of the CPA.

Learn How to Use the E-Cube Ruth Klingman (Eden Church) would like to teach you how to use the Evangecube, a great evangelism tool. “My experience in using the Evangecube,” she says, “has shown great success in homes, schools, and prisons. It adds another dimension for those who need a visual connection with the gospel presentation. Since I began to use the Evangecube four years ago, I have seen hundreds of adults, youth, and children come to the Lord.”   The class lasts about an hour consisting of why we are to evangelize, demonstrating how to use and incorporate Bible verses, offering tips in getting started, and providing a little practice. If interested, contact Ruth at 352-481-5512 or from her website: lonandruth.com.

Child Evangelism Fellowship to Offer Two Training Events for Children’s Workers
The first training event, “Teaching Children Effectively,” is a Level 1 course for four weeks on Saturdays starting September 25, designed to offer a fresh approach to evangelizing and teaching children.
The second training event on Saturday, September 11, is a Children’s One-Day Ministry Conference for anyone who wants fresh ideas for working with children.

Both of these events will be held at Oak Park Church, 4610 Archer Road, Gainesville. For more information or to register, contact Steve Carlson, 352-378-0949.

Help Stop Violence in the Home and Minister to Victims of Abuse
[I learned years ago that many people, especially women and children, are being hurt regularly by members of their own families. Although we may want to think that this violence happens to “other” people and not to people in our churches, the facts show that domestic violence happens without regard to a family’s income, neighborhood, or church affiliation. If this kind of violence concerns you, attend the seminar and learn more.
 
Vicki Lawrence and I have met with Tracey Hickmon, the director of this project and the wife of a local pastor, and appreciate this attempt by the Gainesville Police Department to educate us about the phenomenon and teach us how we can help reduce the incidence of domestic violence and minister to its victims. If your church is interested in hosting one of Tracey’s seminars, contact Vicki or me.]
 
Faith Communities Coming Together to Stop Intimate Partner Violence Training Seminar
Thursday, September 16, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Greater Ft. Clarke Missionary Baptist Church, 9121 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville
Topics:

• Understand Domestic Violence Power and Control Issues
• The Faith Community’s Domestic Violence Risk Assessment
• The Danger of Failure to Protect Children in Domestic Violence
• How to Disarm Domestic Disturbances

Call, fax, mail or email registration information to:
Tracey Hickmon, Rebuilding Outreach Coordinator, Gainesville Police Department (Investigations Bureau), 721 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601
Office: 352-334-2418 Fax: 352-334-3232;
Email: hickmonrt@cityofgainesville.org
Alternate Registration Contact:
Pamela Wilson, Admin. Assistant, Greater Fort Clark MBC, 352-332-3130; gfcbc@cox.net
RSVP BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Dinner will be provided. Childcare will not be available. An offering will be collected to defray expenses at the host church.

For Those Who Endured to the End

IF MEN RULED THE WORLD...
..nodding would be considered an acceptable response to "I love you."

..the funniest guy in the office would get to be CEO.

..your raise would be tied to the fortunes of your fantasy sports team.

..a "night out with the boys" once a week would be obligatory.

..the workday would start a lot closer to noon.

..every anniversary gift you would ever need could be found at the local hardware store.

..tanks would be a lot easier to rent.

JUDGE NOT
 I was shocked, confused, bewildered
 As I entered Heaven's door,
 Not by the beauty of it all,
 Nor the lights or its decor.
 
 But it was the folks in Heaven
 Who made me sputter and gasp--
 The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
 The alcoholics and the trash.
 
 There stood the kid from seventh grade
 Who swiped my lunch money twice.
 Next to him was my old neighbor
 Who never said anything nice.
 
 Herb, whom I always thought
 Was rotting away in hell,
 Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
 Looking incredibly well.
 
 I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal?
 I would love to hear Your take.
 How'd all these sinners get up here?
 God must've made a mistake.
 
 "And why is everyone so quiet,
 So somber - give me a clue."
 "Hush, child," he said, “they're all in shock.
 No one thought they'd be seeing you."

Military Reunions
Watch this video with a box of tissues. You will appreciate the unique type of reunion by military families after watching this wonderful video and sharing the unmatched joy of reunited children and parents, husbands and wives, and girlfriends and boyfriends.

"We are Jerusalem. This is where missions begins." Acts 1:8