The Mainstream

News of Ministry and Mission

American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region

February 2009 No. 1 Email: grrabc@abcgrr.org web: www.abcgrr.org

GRR Calendar

2009 Theme - Plant the Harvest

March

14 -Area V Annual Meeting,

14 - Area V Annual Meeting,

FBC Edwardsville IL

15 -Area II Annual Meeting

15 - Area II Annual Meeting

Jacksonville FBC

21 -Area IV Annual Meeting

21 - Area IV Annual Meeting

First Baptist Church, Benton IL

22 -Area I Annual Meeting

22 - Area I Annual Meeting

First Baptist Church, Ottawa IL

22 -Area III Annual Meeting

22 - Area III Annual Meeting

North Bridge Baptist Church

Normal, IL

April

17 -18 -Clergy Spouse Retreat

17 - 18 - Clergy Spouse Retreat

Lake Springfield Camp

2424 -25 -GRR Missions Conference- 25 - GRR Missions Conference

Cherry Hills Baptist

Church, Springfield, IL

May

28 -28 -Church for All GenerationsChurch for All Generations

with Edward H. Hammett

FBC Bloomington, IL

GRR Missions Conference

April 24 - 25, 2009

Cherry Hills Baptist Church Springfield, IL

A Conference Designed for People with a Heart for MISSIONS

Friday:

3:00 p.m: “Mission & Ministry in Rural and Small Town Churches” with Susan Gillies

6:30 p.m.: Plenary Session

-Testimonies on Habitat Projects in the Gulf

-Special Music by 4-Given

-Preaching by Rev. Wilfred Brown

-Offering for Alajuelita Project in Costa Rica

Saturday:

7:30 AM Continental breakfast with GRR Staff

Workshops

11:15 a.m.: Plenary Session

-Special music Karen Musical Troupe

-Message on Baptists in Burma with Dr. Angelene Naw

Offering for Break the Chains project

Area Meetings

Harvest Time

Area I

FBC Ottawa, IL Sunday, March 22, 2009

Speaker: Dr. Alistair Brown President of Northern Seminary Children and Youth Events

Area II

FBC Jacksonville, IL Sunday, March 15, 2009

Afternoon: Reports From: Dr. Dwight Stinnett Rev. Lisa Harris Dr. John Grisham Breakout Groups

Evening Speaker: Rev. Lisa Harris

Area III

North Bridge Baptist Church Normal, IL Sunday, March 22, 2009

Afternoon Speakers: Pastor Christian Ricker, Chenoa FBC Rev. Wally Holt, Macomb FBC Dr. Brett Smith, University Baptist Church, Champaign, IL; Workshops

Evening Speaker: Rev. Karen Boucher, Associate Pastor of FBC Pontiac, IL Concert with Russell Zehr

Area IV

First Baptist Church, Benton, IL Saturday, March 21, 2009 Theme: Sowing For Harvest

Speakers & Workshop Leaders: Rex and Becky Cooper Charles Klassen, Jon Lobos Ron Haynes

Worship Leader: Rod Mays

Area V

FBC Edwardsville, IL Saturday, March 14, 2009 Opening Session & Business Workshops Closing Session and Worship Speaker: Rev. Dr. Dwight Stinnett

Blitz Build 2009

The long process of recovery from Hurricane Katrina continues, and in places like the New Orleans neighborhood of Little Woods, much more help is needed.

Sunday, April 19 - Saturday, April 25 Sunday, April 26 - Saturday, May 2 Sunday, May 3 - Saturday, May 9 Sunday, May 10 - Saturday, May 16

Contact: Victoria.Goff@abc-usa.org

FBC Galesburg Hold Installation Service for Martin Wolin

On the afternoon of December 21, 2008,

First Baptist Church of Galesburg, IL celebrated in worship the installation of Martin Wolin, Minister of Worship Arts

Martin Wollin accepted an invitation to come to FBC in April for a trial experience for the purpose of mutual exploration on the merits of employing him as Minister of Worship Arts. After spending this time with him, the church extended a call to him. He accepted and Martin, his wife Lois, and four of their eight children all moved to

Galesburg from Germany.

Martin is an accomplished pianist, organist, and composer with a Masters of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and a degree in

Lutheran Church Music from Berliner Kirchenmusikschule, Berlin-Spandau. While he was pursuing the music degree, he played the organ at the largest Baptist Church in West Berlin.

FBC Galesburg feels this definitely was God working in all of our lives by sending us Martin and family. The church feels truly blessed.

First Baptist Church Mason City, IL

“Blessing Builders”

Members of First Baptist Church of Mason City, IL wanted to be involved in missions in their community. “Blessing Builders” was the name chosen with a purpose of “blessing the place where we live.” This mission group planned three projects for the church and community.

The first one was making old fashion “May Baskets”. The baskets were homemade and each basket consisted of pens, pads, cookies, candy and fresh flowers. The baskets were given to the recipients of “Meals on Wheels”

The second project was a surprise birthday party for a lady who had been a part of the church for many years. This was her 81st birthday and she had NEVER had a birthday party. The surprise birthday party made her “Queen for the Day”. She was surprised by friends of her present and her past in a “This is Your Life” style.

The final group project was for the local “Food Pantry”. “Christmas Bags” were filled with toiletries, chips, fruit and candy.

In addition to these three projects, the church members have done yard work, welcomed new neighbors with a welcome basket full of goodies, taken care of children and pets, taken food to the sick, sent care packages to those in service, and prayed faithfully.

We plan to continue to be “Blessing Builders” for our church and HIS glory.

Pat Elmore--Missions Coordinator

GREAT RIVERS REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

There are scholarship programs in the Great Rivers Region to assist young people who are members of Great Rivers Region American Baptist Churches to help with college and/or seminary education costs.

Scholarships for any college student (regardless of major) or seminary student are available from the Gernenz-Shurtleff / Wilcoxen Scholarship.

Ministerial students attending ABC-related schools and seminaries in preparation for ministry can also apply for the Harold O. Long Scholarship. All applications must be received in the GRR office by April 1, 2009.

To receive an application for these scholarships, write to: Scholarship Committee, Att: Sharon Downs, PO Box 3786, Springfield, IL 62708, phone: 217-726-7366; fax: 217-726-7566, or email: Sharon@abcgrr.org

Mainstream Contact Information

Send your stories of mission and ministry. Please also send the names of new members (fruit of this mission and ministry) to:

Linda Ricks 232 Devron Circle East Peoria, IL 61611

E-Mail: Ricks4Lr@comcast.net

Our Great Rivers Region Family Is Growing!

First Baptist Church, Benton, IL Welcomes: Andrew Neal

New Hope Baptist Church, Roxana, IL Welcomes: Joe Casto, Brad Moore, and Jim Palmer

Second Baptist Church, Peoria, IL Welcomes: Brittany Archibald, John Draggist, Carissa Draggist, Karley Levi, Joyce Richwine, Sharon Schuh,Terri Schockency, Robert (Bob) Shockency, and Marianne White

Harvest Grants

Harvest Grants are

intended to empower

and encourage church

es to “open their eyes”

to the fields all around them during 2009. These matching grants can be used by GRR churches for just about any evangelistic effort. Our operational definition of an “evangelistic effort” is any program, activity, or event directed to those outside the church and including an intentional invitation to Christian discipleship.

To get a packet, including application, call the GRR or download it from http://www.abcgrr.org/evangelism/Harvest_Grants_2009.pdf

The Mainstream is a twice-monthly publication of the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region, 3940 Pintail Drive, Springfield IL 62711 Telephone: (217) 726-7366 Fax: (217) 726-7566 Email: grrabc@abcgrr.org Web: www.abcgrr.org