STAFF > PASTOR

   What a great summer.  San Antonio hit 100 degrees on August 11.  That’s not so unusual, but the strange thing about this is that it is the first time this year that my hometown hit the century mark.  Last summer the 1^st century mark was in June.  The aquifer is 10’ above last year’s mark at this time. The grass is STILL green throughout the hill country.  What a difference a year makes.  Even though it has been somewhat hot lately, we thank God for the rain and the cooler temperatures that we experienced this summer.  Don’t forget to tell God thank you for these and all of our blessings.

God blessed us with great youth and children activities as well as wonderful experiences of worship.  Please tell Gary and all the worship leaders how much you appreciate their dedicated service throughout the summer.  All of the camps and programs were well attended with lots and lots of positive responses to the gospel.  I do not practice high pressure evangelism, but trust in the telling of the gospel and allowing children and youth to respond as they may.  We pray that there will be a day that each person will personally and fully surrender their life to Christ and then follow the Lord with believer’s baptism.

Have you shared the good news with anyone lately?  Have you reached out in service and ministry to a neighbor this summer?  I hope to once again provide you with an opportunity to learn how to share and how you can be confident in sharing your faith with others.  (more about this in the fall)  We studied the parable of the Good Samaritan, earlier this summer, and we’re reminded that God commands us to “go and do likewise.”  Do what?  Use your time, talents, and treasures (all of your resources) to minister to others and thus demonstrate the presence of the Lord in your heart.  The priest and the Levite blew their opportunity, but the Samaritan stepped up to the plate and demonstrated how to love God and others.  I wonder, do we see our neighbors as only those who worship with us or are like us, or do we understand that being a neighbor extends  

to anyone that comes into our lives?  Pray about this and do your best to be and to do what the gospel requires.

The fall schedule returns soon and many parts of the new schedule may already be in place by the time you receive this newsletter.  ROUND UP Sunday will take place on Aug. 22, 1^st Wed. supper on the 25^th, and our return to two services on the 29^th.  We will introduce the Wed. night study opportunities on the 25^th with most of these studies beginning in Sept.  Awana’s will kick off on 9-15.  As we seek to incorporate all of these ministries into the life of FBC, pray that we will be flexible in the time and room scheduling especially for the last couple of weeks in Sept.

Please pray about being a regular and active participant on Wed. nights.  Your presence encourages the family night meal ministry.  The more plates we serve bless the bottom line of this portion of the budget, the more people that participate in the studies bless the leaders, and the more people who fall to their knees in prayer truly blesses the Lord and this congregation.  THINK ABOUT IT.  Where, in FBG, can you receive an entrée, two sides, bread, dessert, tea and coffee, plus a salad bar for only $5?  And, the family minimum makes this the most affordable meal and opportunity for fellowship in this area!

Do you AWANA?  At this writing, there are already over 90 children enrolled.  Please keep this vital ministry in the center of your prayers and also remember to pray for Gary and Jake as they begin leading us into providing Upward Basketball for our community.  These two ministries have the potential to making a huge difference in the life and hearts of the families of our community.

Please set aside Sept. 7-14 for having your photo for the new directory, 12-19 for the week of prayer for the Mary Hill Davis offering for state missions, and 26-29 for our Bible Conference led by Dr. Bill Tolar.

As we return to two services, let’s do our best to invite neighbors, friends, family, and anyone we come into contact with in our community.  As you check out at the store, etc. why not ask the clerk if they do not have a church home to consider visiting FBC.  Provide the time, location (this is as easy as saying we are next to Wal-Mart), and a promise to meet them.  Then, keep your promise.  If everyone would just try to encourage people to come to the house of the Lord, we will be blessed in this effort.

See you Sunday.  God bless you.  Love, Bro. Don