EMMETT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
January 2024
Discover Christ's Transforming Love
126 S. Hayes Ave. Emmett, Idaho 83617
Lance Zagaris, Pastor
Pam Hodges, Worship Director
A Word From the Pastor
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. ~I John 4:7-12 NIV
Dearly Beloved,
In this passage, twice God commands to love one another (7,11). But John reveals a problem in being able to fulfil it: love does not come naturally to people without God’s presence and power. First, John tells us that love comes from God (7), it is His nature to love (8). Then, he shares that love actually does come from people who are born of God and know God (7), i.e., God has empowered them to be loving. But in verse 8 John says that love does not come from people who do not know God (i.e. do not have a born of God experience). Those outside of Christ are not able to fulfill the command to love one another. They lack divine resources. Since love comes from God and unbelievers are separated from God, they lack His presence, nature, and power to love like He desires.
But John reveals that God worked to overcome man’s inability to love one another. God sent Jesus so that we might live through Him (9)! Since we cannot love naturally, God gives born again believers numerous spiritual resources at their conversion, including the capability to live a different way. Instead of trying to love with your own strength and wisdom, you can now as a believer live a life of love through Jesus! John emphasizes that God initiated His love; man is the one who initiated a love relationship. God loved us when we were sinners who were separated from Him and in bondage to Satan, sin and the world. The ultimate expression of God’s love is seen in the Father giving His one and only Son to die as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (10). What an amazing picture of love!
John reveals that this sacrificial kind of diving love ought to motivate us to become lifelong conduits of Hi love into the lives of those around us (11)!
In verse 12, John talks about an amazing reality that can happen today in the lives of ‘born of God believers. He says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” Even though no one has seen God, we can see the effects of God living in us as we love another. Even if we can’t see Him, we can tell He is present and He is working as we show love to one another.
Since we cannot please God in our own meager attempts to love, let us often pray and ask God to empower us to love others. God, we want to live through Christ! We want Christ to live and love in and through us!!
Shepherding you in Christ’s love,
Lance
A New Beginning
It doesn't take a new year to begin our lives anew
God grants us many beginnings each day the whole year through.
So never be discouraged for there comes daily to all men
A chance to make another start and begin all over again!
Helen Steiner Rice
Annual Meeting & Potluck
The annual meeting and potluck was held on January 21 after church services. There was plenty of delicious food and good fellowship time. The 2024 budget was discussed and approved and each committee provided written reports. 2024 Officer List was shared and it was noted that a Moderator and Church Clerk are still needed. If you are a member of the church and interested, or know someone who might be, contact Wayne Rexford, Pastor Lance or anyone from the nominating committee. The meeting ended with Pastor Lance reading his report and closing in prayer.
Winter Hurdles and Challenges
Freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall and various health issues were some of the challenges we have faced over the past month. One Sunday resulted in a very limited number of people making it to church, while some resorted to watching it online. Thanks to Pam Goff and Kris Waller for representing the entire worship team one Sunday!
Thank you also to Pastor Lance and others who have been willing to help ensure the is snow cleared from around the church.
The Lord is good and we are thankful for the moisture and praying for healing and good health of our congregation and their families throughout the remainder of the winter months!
Good News Club
During the month of January an average of 26 students attended Good News Club. Three students accepted Jesus! Flane Walker helped with worship songs. We completed Joseph Series and a powerful Missionary Story about a girl in Africa.
Women Unite!
February’s Women’s Gathering was blessed to attend. 10 women attended and participated in fellowshipping and conversation following a video and introduction about discipleship. Kathy planned the lesson with handouts, video, and discussion ideas. In addition to the lesson, Gerry and Shirley organized a relay game and provided prizes for those with a steady hand.
Thank you to the talented Jim Foster for making Pushin’ Pullin’s that Shirley offered as prizes for us; they are beautiful! Mike Sturman brought in a bouquet of roses planted in a pot of dirt cake, appropriately served with a garden trowel! It was SO yummy. Thanks to the guys for supporting the women! You’re appreciated.
Next month we are looking forward to listening to the testimonies of two ladies, Janet and Jolene. And we are wondering what treat Mike has up his sleeve for us!
Thank you, Lord, for leading the ladies of First Baptist Church. We ask that you continue to inspire us, encourage us, and help us to be aware of the needs we encounter and how we can serve others. Amen
~ Submitted by Margaret Castle
The Monthly Women's Group meets the first Monday of every month. Women of all ages are invited to meet at 6:30PM in the FBC Fellowship Hall for fun, fellowship, prayer, etc. New activity each month. Bring a friend!
We are stronger together!
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Come to Jesus Christ as you are and let him make you what you ought to be.
Fellowship Hour
Jim Foster is hosting Fellowship time each Sunday morning from 9:30 - 1030 am in the Teen Room below the Sanctuary. If you have already, make sure you check it out! He generally has some coffee, tea, juice, snacks and a friendly smile! Wayne has even prepared pancakes! this is a great time to get to know each other a little better.
Janet Holland – God Will Win the War
Janet Holland came to FBC about a year ago or so and has been a welcome addition. Upon coming to FBC she jumped right into the Women’s ministry, attending the monthly gatherings, Bible Study and is offering knitting lessons to ladies who want to learn to knit. You may have seen her in her side-by-side vehicle, JIM (Jesus Is Mine), or riding her motorized scooter (cart) to church.
Janet came from a loving family from Long Beach, CA. She has one sister and two brothers. At the age 5 she would walk about a mile to a Calvary Baptist Church. She attended Sunday School and still remembers a tall, huge women who would give the lesson. After about 3 years of going to Calvary Baptist she remembers sitting in a wooden, Windsor chair when the big, tall Sunday School teacher asked if anyone believed Jesus was the Son of God and Janet raised her hand. She knew God walked with her.
Janet was baptized in a Methodist church by way of sprinkling, but it was about 4 years after she was married, in 1959, that she and her husband, Larry, were baptized together at the North Long Beach Brethren Church in California.
Larry was an unbeliever when they were married and a neighborhood “hood”. They met when she was 14 years old and went to Jordan high school together. They were so in love; she melted at his touch. When they decided to get married, he had to have a note from his mother due to their young age. They lived in a 28-foot trailer, and she didn’t know how to cook or anything… although she could sew. Larry didn’t go to church with Janet. She had friends in the choir, but he thought they were too goody-goody. One day, a friend asked him to an evening service and to a party after which he did attend. That Saturday they listened to Billy Graham and Larry asked her if he (Billy Graham) was telling the truth. The next day he went forward and accepted Christ. Janet explained that her husband’s faith was the “real thing and his life was an example of that”.
Janet and Larry worked with the youth at her church for 20 years. She told Bible stories in a sandbox at church. She had a Good News Club (GNC) in her home for 12 years with approximately 80 kids. This was during the Vietnam era and some of the children’s dads, brothers, etc. had gone to war. Our GNC missionary, Bruce, was a marine in Vietnam. Bruce came to give his testimony and give thanks to the kids for their prayers, support and the gifts they sent. He arrived in full dress uniform and told how God was with him during the war. This was very special to the children and to Janet. Janet eventually quit her job and worked as a Youth Coordinator for 5 years. She took the youth on trips to New York, Canada, Mexico, etc. (we went as missionaries, held GNC and did choir tours). One of her most memorable experiences was working with the youth and teaching GNC. The kids were so eager. The service God gave her was where she was blessed the most.
Other than when she worked for the church, Janet’s career was Interior Design. She was hired by Lloyds of Long Beach and provided on the job training, and they sent her to school. She worked there for 5 years. It was a great place for her testimony. Janet’s passion is teaching children and youth. But she has another passion and talent for weaving. She had her own studios in California, Las Vegas and Utah where she taught others to weave, sold her product and held demonstrations.
Janet and Larry had one child, an adorable boy. She said, “there is nothing better than to sit and share communion with her son and his wife. What a gift from God”. When her son Danny was 11 years old, Janet started praying for a Christian wife for her son, and he married a wonderful Christian girl, Pam. Janet now has 3 wonderful grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
Janet’s favorite things about FBC is that for a small church there is a lot going. She likes Jim Foster’s coffee hour and commented on how special it is for a man to do the hosting. She explained that even though previous churches she has attended were kind, she has never felt such genuine love as she does with FBC. She felt an immediate sisterhood and felt a part of it which she never felt at other churches. Janet attended Eagle Christian for a while, and it was the best church but she never had a connection with them. Janet feels that fellowship is extremely important… to laugh, cry, share joys. She feels that FBC has that with one another.
With Larry working in the oil fields, they lived in 30 places… Mexico in an adobe house, Duck Creek, UT and generally always in the mountains. Nineteen years ago, they moved to Emmett. Larry had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her son and his family lived in Emmett, which would make it easier for her family with her husband’s illness. Living in a small town she was never dissatisfied. People in Emmett were kind to her and to Larry. The people in Emmett saw that he was different and would just smile. Their kindness was overwhelming.
One of the hardest times in her life was when her husband was going through Alzheimer’s. As the Alzheimer progressed, he would run off. Once he was gone for 3 days and finally found in Santa Monica. Janet had to be able to watch both doors in their house to ensure he didn’t leave. It was tough but the one thing she could not handle was his rejection of her. When the devil finds a weakness in you, he will not give up. She would go into a closet and scream and cry. She couldn’t go to church or Larry would run off. She would do bible studies and CDs at home… “God provides.” When it got to where she couldn’t handle Larry physically, she realized he would be safer in the Cottages. She would visit him for 2-6 hours every day. Things became sweet between them, whether he knew they were married or not… it was good. She would take him places; the park, Albertsons, etc. In his early days he played the trumpet and one day he picked up a trumpet. He couldn’t blow it, but he played it.
Larry went to be with the Lord in 2015.
Janet explained that with individuals with Alzheimer’s, there is nothing you can do but be with them and spend a lot of time in prayer and be in His Word. She wanted to stress the importance of visiting aging people.
The last 12 years of Larry’s life, Janet says she couldn’t have made it without the Lord. Even as the Alzheimer’s worsened, her walk with the Lord was stronger, sweeter, and had daily peace. She knew God would see her through it… every day, every moment was a war. But as it says in 2 Chron. 20:15: “…for the battle is not yours, but God’s”.
Janet's favorite verse is John 14:27:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Thank you, Janet, for sharing. I look forward to you providing your testimony at the Women’s Gathering in March! I know there is so much to your story and I encourage others to reach out to you to learn more, especially if they find themselves in a similar situation. I am so glad you joined our congregation and I have truly enjoyed getting to know you. You are an inspiration to all who know you and your love for, and dedication to, the Lord is as you described about Larry, “the real thing… and your life is an example of that”.
Kathy Osborn, FBC Secretary/Treasurer
Put your faith, not your fear, in charge!
The Dash by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own --
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?
Submitted by Mike Sturman
Right Now Media
If you haven't already signed up for access to RightNow Media, you can sign up through our FBC CUSTOM SIGN UP LINK (https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/fbcemmett) or via the CUSTOM QR CODE.
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- Access the full streaming library from any major streaming device, mobile phone, or tablet.
- Kids’ Shows and Episodes
- Enjoy over 2,000 episodes for kids in the RightNow Media Kids’ Library. Stream them in the living room or on the go
- Resources for Small Groups (In addition to videos, most studies include free downloadable leader’s guides and participant resources.)
- RightNow Media Originals (Watch RNM original studies featuring beautiful, cinematic, biblical teaching— only available on RightNow Media.
Youth Dynamics Ministry
Christa Henry recently shared that our neighbor, Horseshoebend, has a robust Christian youth program: Youth Dynamics (YD)! She gets emails from them when they have a youth activity, (TOADS), and offered to pass them on. She explained that their family have had an amazing experience with YD, and she thought there might be other kids at FBC who would enjoy participating.
Following is some information gleaned from their website, but check it out yourself at Home - Youth Dynamics (yd.org):
Youth Dynamics, founded in 1970, is a Christian ministry serving youth in the Northwest Region through challenging experiences and dynamic relationships. Reaching any child 11 to 24 years old, regardless of religious affiliation, Youth Dynamics offers weekly events and clubs, leadership training, outdoor adventure trips, and retreats, all to build relationships with youth and help them reach their full potential.
Youth Dynamics uniquely serves youth by providing transformational experiences and relationships that produce significant life changes. Research consistently demonstrates that students today face pressures and challenges, unlike at any time in history. More than ever, students need experiences like those offered through Youth Dynamics to help them process life, navigate risk, engage with the outdoors, and create space to learn about themselves and God.
Youth Dynamics reaches youth through relational adventure ministry. Each Youth Dynamics core ministry seeks to create a non-threatening environment where students can meet to have fun while building relationships with adult leaders. Adventures uses adventure-based activities to bring about life-changing learning situations called teachable moments.
Summary of Programs
We offer after-school programs, Bible study, leadership development, community outreach, professionally guided river trips, backcountry trips, mountain and rock climbing, horse camps, summer and winter adventures, one-on-one mentoring, internships, and more!
Many youths today have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ; this reality drives us daily. Many have never been in a wilderness setting that can so powerfully connect them to God’s creation.
- Only 4% of teens today report having a Biblical worldview.
- Teens are twice as likely as adults to identify as atheists.
- Teens spend half the time outdoors as their parents at the same age.
- Suicide, sexual identity issues, pornography, peer pressure, and bullying are prevalent.
* (Source: Barna Research Group, 2018)
Video: https://youtu.be/usvCqsgDR_c
Sally's Sand or Dirt Cake
Submitted by Mike Sturman
For dirt cake use 1 pkg (20 oz) Oreo cookies
For sand cake use a large pkg of vanilla sandwich cookies
In one bowl mix together:
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
½ cup margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
In another bowl mix together:
2 pkgs instant (French Vanilla is good for sand cake)
3 ½ cup milk
Fold one bowl in with the other bowl. Then fog in 1 large container of Cool Whip.
Put cookies through a food processor or some way to grind them to resemble sand or dirt.
Layer cookies and mixture all the way up in a large flower pot or other container.
Cover top with Saran Wrap and place in freezer over night.
In making dirt cake you can add gummy worms for decoration.
Calendar of Events at FBC
Feb 17 .... Valentine's Dinner
Mar 4 ...... Women's Gathering 6:30pm
Mar 7 ...... Church Boards meet 6:30
Mar 11 .... Knitting/crocheting at Janet Holland's house 6:30 pm
Mar 17 .... Start of Rooted Small Group @ 6pm
Mar. 20 .... Start of Philippians Study for women @ 10:30am Janet' H.'s house
Mar 21 .... BUNCO Night at 6pm
Every Sunday.......... coffee, juice, munchies and game for kids 9:30am in the FBC Teen Room
Every Wednesday ... Draw Near To God In Prayer 7pm
Every Thursday ....... men's small group 9:30am
Want to read past newsletters?
All newsletters are posted to the FBC Website. Go to www.FBCemmett.org and click on the 'News' dropdown, then 'Church Newsletters". There you will find a list of all the past newsletters that have been posted to the website.
Note: you can click on any picture within the newsletter to enlarge it!