This will be a comprehensive update providing as
much information as I can to our church members. I will begin by saying
something to all our partner churches and concerned individuals around the
world who are following our situation in Rockport-Fulton. Details on various
aspects of church life will follow.
Information for Partner Churches and All Those
Concerned for Rockport-Fulton
Once again I want to thank all the churches,
families, and individuals who have prayed for us and helped us since Hurricane
Harvey. We are well into rebuilding and remodeling our property. In many ways
our church building will be better than it was before. The rebuilding and
remodeling should be completed by March. I think God is working on the hearts
and minds of our church members as well. We are being renovated, remodeled. We
will not be the same church we were before the storm.
There is still great need in our community. I
believe that food, clothes, toiletries, and the like are readily available in
our community either for purchase or from a few donation centers that remain
open. In my opinion, the greatest need is housing, both temporary and long-term
for those with a lower income. I think the situation is slowly improving, but
there are many families still in need. At FBC Rockport, we are focused on
getting work groups into the community for crisis clean up and rebuilding. We
are not accepting donations of goods, except certain items needed for the
crisis cleanup and rebuilding efforts. Those who would like to donate goods to
Rockport-Fulton should contact organizations like the Rockport Relief Camp,
Bethel Baptist Church, or New Beginnings Church BEFORE you travel to our
community to donate items. Our church office will be happy to help you contact
these organizations.
Two things we need at FBC Rockport right now are
volunteers and monetary donations/gift cards. We have tried to help people as
they transition out of hotels or temporary housing into something long term.
Many of these people need help with furniture, appliances, silverware, food,
medicine, bills, and the like. Visa or Mastercard gift cards in any amount are
extremely helpful, as are cards to Walmart, HEB, or Lowes. We continue to host
Aransas County’s Volunteer Reception Center (VRC), where volunteer groups are
given work orders filled out by property owners. Those wishing to volunteer in
Aransas County through any church or organization are encouraged to register at
the VRC so FEMA can log all of our volunteer hours. Those groups needing
assistance in planning a mission trip to our area can contact Jordan Mims at youth@fbcrockport.net.
Groups can also contact Texas Baptist Men or Samaritan’s Purse for volunteer
opportunities. Both groups are operating out of our property and expect to be
here for a couple of years, possibly longer. The Long Term Recovery Group for
Aransas County is expecting a five year rebuild/recovery process. If you have
questions or need any help, please contact the church’s temporary office number
at 361-230-0146.
Special Called Business Meetings
There are Special Called Business Meetings for
Wednesday night, December 13, at 6 p.m., and Sunday morning, December 17 during
the worship service. On Wednesday, December 13, the 2018 Spending Plan will be
presented and discussed. We will also have a proposal on a site plan for our
property and where to place the Samaritan’s Purse building. The meeting on
Sunday, December 17, will be a ballot vote on the 2018 Spending Plan. The vote
will take place without discussion.
Christmas Happenings and Christmas Eve Service
·
What Kind of Throne: A Christmas Musical of
Worship and Wonder, December 9, 6 p.m. and December 10 at 9:30 a.m.
·
Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions
Goal: $12,000
·
Joy to the World: A Festive Fellowship for the
Entire Church Family, December 17, 5-6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Christmas
Carols, hot chocolate, cookies, and the Christmas Story!
·
Christmas by Candlelight with the Lord’s Supper,
December 24, 5 p.m.
Wednesday Night Activities
We plan to start Wednesday night activities for
all ages on January 17. We will be more specific about what is being offered as
we get closer to that date, but there will be activities and music for children
of all ages, worship for youth, and a variety of Bible Studies for adults.
Sunday Morning Worship
The new year will bring some new things to us in
our worship time. First, our Sanctuary will be unavailable on the first two
Sundays in January (7th and 14th) as repairs takes place:
replacing the carpet, replacing (hopefully) the pew coverings, and painting.
Therefore, we will meet in the tent for worship on those two Sundays, with Life
Groups to follow as we have been doing. It will be the exact opposite of what
it was like to worship in the tent on the first Sunday in September after the
storm! Bring your chairs and maybe your blankets and let’s make the most of the
situation God has placed before us. Second, Marcie, Eric and I have had
discussions about providing more worship and parking space by going back to two
worship services on Sunday morning. We could make this transition on January 21st.
I will have more information in the coming weeks about schedules and worship
formats. I think we have come a long way in building bridges and unity in our
church by worshipping together, and I could not be prouder of Marcie and Eric,
the choir, and the praise team as they have led us in worship.
Church Committees and Ad Hoc Committee on Church
Governance
Many of our committees are meeting as needed right
now. The repairs to our building and the way our building is being used for
recovery efforts will make it difficult to have committee and church council
meetings the way we have historically done it. The church office is contacting
committees when help is needed or when there is work to be done. If your
committee has meetings, please be sure to turn in reports to the church office
so we can keep track of what everyone is doing and then publish those reports
in the quarterly First Family magazines. If you need me or Jeff to attend your
meeting or to help with anything, please let us know. In January I will ask the
Ad Hoc Committee on Church Governance to begin meeting with me. We were
scheduled to have our first meeting around the time the storm hit. I will
replace Jim Morrison, who has moved to Arizona, and then schedule a time for us
to meet and begin our work.
Recovery and Rebuild Efforts
As stated in previous updates, we are hosting
Texas Baptist Men (TBM) and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers,
Samaritan’s Purse, and church groups as they all do recovery work in our
community. Samaritan’s Purse will build and occupy their own building on our property,
which will then be turned over to us when they are finished. TBM has been
housed in our building, but we are hoping to transition them to a
climate-controlled tent on our property. We will also utilize space made
available to us from other churches. The goal is to free up more of our space
to use for our ministries during the week. However, we will still be feeding
TBM in our Fellowship Hall and kitchen as long as they are here. We will also
house mission groups from sister churches from time to time this winter and
spring. We expect to have mission groups staying in our building every week
this summer, except for when we are doing Vacation Bible School. Therefore, I
ask that everyone continue to be patient and thankful that all these folks are
coming to serve in our community. We are doing what we can to make it all work.
I ask the same of all of you.
Reaching Out to Our Community
If God is really renovating our hearts and lives, if
we will not be the same church we were before the storm, it is right that we
ask, specifically, how we think we are going to be different. What is changing?
What will be new? I want to challenge all our members: individuals, families,
Life Groups, and Ministry Teams, to ask God to show you how to be a part of the
recovery process in our community. So many have been doing this all along. Here
are some ideas that families, Life Groups, or Ministry Teams might consider:
·
Volunteering in the VRC
·
Volunteering with TBM or Samaritan’s Purse
·
Ministering to the needs of our shut-ins
·
Ministering to first responders in our
community: EMS, Rockport PD, Aransas County Sherriff’s Department, etc.
·
Showing appreciation and encouragement to local
businesses that have reopened
·
Showing appreciation for and ministering to city
and county employees and officials
·
Showing appreciation for our sister churches in
the area
·
Showing appreciation for and ministering to
ACISD employees
·
Making arrangements with the city, county, and
state to organize work groups to pick up trash on streets and highways.
These are just a few suggestions, but you get the
idea.
I find that people in the community are relatively
open to talking with me, listening to what I have to say about Christ, and then
praying with me. This is an ideal time to invite friends, family members, and
all people to get involved at church and tell them about your faith in Christ.
I would also invite unchurched folks to get involved in the service projects
you plan. People want to help somehow, so let’s give them an avenue of service
and build relationships with them in the process.
Church Staff
I want to end this update by saying how much I
love and give thanks for the paid staff members of FBC Rockport. I would make
the argument that the biggest asset to First Baptist Church right now, the best
thing going on, is not the worship or the various ministries, but the paid
church staff. Without the faithful service of these folks, there are many
things that happened (and are happening) in our community since the storm that
would not have happened. They have done everything I asked and expected them to
do. There were times when they, and their families, had to sacrifice for the
sake of doing what was needed. They returned early from the storm and reported
for duty. They have worked faithfully under less than ideal conditions. Now
they are working hard to help our church resume doing the various things our
church has always done while also continuing the difficult work of recovery in
our community. They are doing this while being displaced from their offices. I
have asked them to continue their normal responsibilities while adding the
burdens recovery work in the community for at least the next year, possibly
beyond. Not only have they risen to the occasion, they have done an amazing
job. I would ask all of you to consider, personally and collectively, how to
best show gratitude and appreciation to our paid church staff. Thank you Jeff
Lanningham, Jordan Mims, Marcie Peterson, Eric Scott, Dianne Nielsen, Patty
Albin, Maria Seaman, Pam Balentine, John Jenkins, and Mary Perdue.
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