Vol. XXXIV • No.

6 • March 20, 2009

Reexamining, Rebuilding, Reinventing…
It takes resources to “do” ministry, to launch and I’m convinced that by reexamining every dollar (no let me correct
sustain ministry. that: every penny) that passes through our church, we’re positioning
ourselves for future freedom to do God’s work, unhindered. Oh what
Q: How much ministry can I “do” for $100? a day it will be when gifts exceeding those planned for will be used
A: About $100 worth. for ministry rather than for meeting budgetary shortfalls. That day is
coming.
Q: How much ministry can God “do” for $100?
A: Reread the fish and loaves story found in Matthew 14. As 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 tells us, while we are each uniquely
singular, we are all in this together, and together we will drink of the
Last year when the congregation approved the 2009 Ministry Action Spirit and respond in a way that lifts our eyes heavenward and opens
Plan, we promised ourselves that we would reexamine the plan in us to receive all that God has planned for FBC Decatur.
early 2009 to make any necessary adjustments. Well, we’ve been
heavily engaged in reexamining our situation and will offer a Dreaming of fish and loaves, fish and loaves,
congregational report Wednesday night, March 18. In the mean
time…
Beth Smith
Prayer and thoughtful deliberation led the finance, budget and pastoral
teams to discern that we should rebuild our 2009 plan around last
year’s actual giving rather than the budget. Deacons agreed, so we
took last year’s total, actual giving and decreased it by 10%, creating
a 16% overall decrease from budget. Trimming $350,000 from an
already lean plan is neither easy nor fun. However, the spirit in which
these teams approach their necessary work is nothing shy of
inspiringly God-led.
We will have an old fashioned covered dish after worship on ING
Prior to beginning our work, Pastor Julie shared with us a CD titled Sunday, March 29, and the church is providing the paper products and
“Vision-Driven Budgets” featuring Billy Hybels of Willow Creek drinks for the meal. Everyone is encouraged to bring at least one
Community Church. The CD’s title may send your head bobbing and protein type main dish and one other type of dish like a vegetable,
nodding with boredom, but the message is exciting and has given us salad, or dessert. Please bring your dishes to the Fellowship Hall
hope, vigor and inspiration for our task. We’re going beyond before worship starts. If you are interested in
rebuilding and into reinventing that which our budget can be and do helping setup or cleanup for the
for our church. lunch please let Kurt Varney
know. (kvarney@fbcdecatur.com
With Willow Creek’s model as a backdrop, we’re laying groundwork or 404-219-3920)
for a God-honoring budget, where proactive vision-based budgeting is
used to allocate our resources to where God is moving within the
church. (Where do you feel God moving in the church?)

As we aim to resource God’s work in our church, we must

acknowledge that we’re beginning with minimal wiggle room, so
we’re asking questions such as:

• How do we present user-friendly financial data to the

•
congregation?
Which ministries are priorities? What are our ministry
We Need to Hear From You!
dreams? How do we resource these dreams? If you received this issue of the Outlook by mail, this will be the
LAST issue you will be receiving UNTIL we hear from you. We are
• What changes do we need in our existing ministries? How
trying to reduce costs and would love to make the Outlook
do we believe the Holy Spirit operates in our congregation?
available in more cost effective ways.
Does it breathe life into a ministry for a season or in
You can receive an email with a link that will let you know when
perpetuity? How do we discern the whims of the Spirit?
a new Outlook is available online or you can always access the
• Who are our new young leaders who are dreaming up
Outlook on our website (www.fbcdecatur.com). If you would like to
Kingdom ministries?
receive the Outlook by email ONLY please make sure the church
• Who are our seasoned leaders who undergird the church with office has your correct email address. Also, copies are always
their wisdom? available at the church to pick up.
• Where can we (God) accomplish the same with less? How If you are unable to read the Outlook online or if you are not able
many color copies do we really need to make? to pick one up at the church we can continue to mail it to but you need
• How do we respond in these tough economic times when we to let us know! If we do not hear from you, you will not continue to
may have the greatest opportunity (responsibility?) to reach receive an Outlook. Please contact the church office
people who need to meet God and receive God’s loving (arussell@fbcdecatur.com or 404-373-1653).
kindness?
• How do we plan for God’s blessing – plan for that which
God gives us over the conservative budget?
Congregational Life
Trip to Savannah, Jekyll, & Beaufort
A Young At Heart group from our church will
be heading to Savannah for the dates of March
23 – 27. Our bus leaves at 9 a.m. on Monday the
23rd and we return Friday afternoon about 2:30
p.m. While we are there we will tour Jekyll
Island one day and spend another day in
Beaufort, S.C. Remember our group in prayer
through the week as we build on friendships and
relationships as well as have fun and see the
sights.
Rock Band Video Game Tournament
The FBC Decatur Music Ministry
is sponsoring a Rock Band Video
Game Tournament/Party on
Sunday, March 29, beginning at
6:10PM. There will be prizes, food and a rockin’
time! For info: email rforbes@fbcdecatur.com.
YAH field trip to Evansdale School
ON April 3 we have been invited to attend a
musical play production by the students at
Evansdale Elementary School where Maris
Mann teaches the music program. Last year they
brought the play to us and it was wonderful.
This year our Young At Heart group is going on
a field trip to them! There is no charge for this
outing. We will leave from the church at 9 a.m.
and arrive at Evansdale at 9:30. After the play
we will go to the food court at Northlake Mall
for lunch. After lunch we head back to church.
WE DO NEED TO KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO
GO SO WE CAN ARRANGE THE
TRANSPORATION. Call the church office and
get your name on the list.
...on Spring Break-April 8
Most school systems are on Spring Break the
week of April 6-10, so New Community
activities will not be held on Wednesday, April 8
(with the exception of Sanctuary Choir
Rehearsal from 7:00 – 8:15pm).
Maundy Thursday Worship-April 9; 7:00pm
We will gather in the sanctuary on Thursday,
April 9 to worship the Christ who was
a divine example to us of love. In
worship, we will observe the Lord’s
Supper and remember Christ’s
command to “love one another.”
Flowers for the Cross
The Flower Committee will decorate
the Cross on Saturday, April 11 at 1:00
PM. Please bring any flowers, especially
azaleas that are blooming. We need lots
of flowers! Please bring them to the cross
on Saturday, April 11 before 1:00 pm.
Yard Sale Update
The Youth Yard Sale is quickly approaching and
we need your help! You can help us by
donating your unwanted stuff for the sale by
bringing it by the church or contacting us for a
pickup. You can also help us by coming in and
helping sort and price just about anytime during
the week. You can contact Kurt Varney in the
church office with any questions about the Yard
Sale! (kvarney@fbcdecatur.com - or - 404-373-
1653)
Help us communicate better!
We are in the process of
updating our church
records and would like to
collect as many email
addresses as possibly. If
you are a church
member, Sunday school member, regular
attender, or just enjoy being on our e-mailing list
please get us your current email address. This is
the quickest and most cost effective way we can
communicate as a church. You can get your
email address to Holly Upchurch in the church
office with a phone call, note or email
(hupchurch@fbcdecatur.com or 404-373-1653)
Bring Us Your Old Newspapers!
As you are coming to
church on Sundays or
Wednesdays don’t forget
you can also bring us your
old newspapers. We collect
them in the bin near the ball
field. The money we earn from the collection of
the newspapers helps covers expenses for our
church vans such as oil changes, inspections
etc… We appreciate your help!
Go...Be...Do! Missions Corner
Stretch Your Food Budget
Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit
organization that buys food in large quantities at
a discount and sells it at about ½ price. A typical
box costing you $30 would contain: 4 steaks,
(6oz.); 3lb split chicken breasts; 6 country fried
steak patties (4oz.); 1lb. ground beef; 1lb.
meatballs; 1lb. mild sausage; 12oz. deli sliced
ham; 1lb. california blend; 1lb. green beans;
20oz. shoestring fries; 1lb pasta; 28oz. marinara
sauce, 21oz. condensed soup; 1lb. pinto beans;
32oz. 2% self stable milk; 1 dozen eggs;
dessert. To learn more about the program and to
read the organization’s response to recent news
stories, see www.angelfoodministries.com.
Prayer Concerns as of March 18
In the Hospital:
•Billy Smith, Wesley Woods
Sympathy To:
•The family of Elizabeth McEntire.
•Joe and Carole Wright on the death of
Joe’s mother, Pauline (Polly) Wright.
•Beth Preston on the death of her father
Archie Preston.
•Evelyn Jackson on the death of her
niece.
•Johnnie Hudgins on the death of her
niece, Vickie Reagin.
Weekend Emergency Pastoral
Care—Pastor On Call
March 20-22 .............Sharyn Dowd
March 27-29 ........ Bob Williamson
Call 404-373-1653 opt. 8 for the
Pastor On Call
Tithes & Offerings
A Generous People
2009 Ministry Action Plan
Weekly Need:...................... $ 29,126
Received on March 8........... $ 35,241
Received on March 15......... $ 17,795
YTD Budget: ..................... $ 320,387
YTD Received:.................. $ 238,136
YTD Spending Deficit (Feb. 28)
...........................................($ 19,933)
“Years of Opportunity 2007-09”
Campaign
Given to Date .................... $ 387,031
Bank Loan Balance ........... $ 207,607
Owed to FBC Foundation.. $ 180,000
Missions Offering YTD ....... $ 5,267
Wednesday Dinner Menus
March 25
Combined Menu
Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce, Steamed
Veggies, Salad Bar, Texas Toast,
Chocolate Pudding, Potato Soup,
Cheese Pizza
April 1
Pick one of the following menus:
Blue Plate Menu
Roast Beef w/ Carrots, White Rice,
Green Beans, Salad Bar, Biscuits,
Coca Cola Cake
“Lighter Side” Menu
Vegetable Soup, Baked Potato/Salad
Bar, Chopped Steak, Pepperoni Pizza,
Vanilla Pudding
Youth Sp•t Kid’s Zone
The youth are getting ready to head to Newnan for March Mission
Madness. This is a youth mission weekend sponsored May 31-June6
by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia. Crocodile Dock:
There is still a little room left for any youth who Where fearless kids shine God’s
might be interested in going along. We are pulling light. (Jekyll Island beach retreat)
out of the church on Friday evening, March 20th! If Completed 2nd grade-5th grade
you have any questions about the weekend or want to Cost $295.00
get your name on the list please contact Brandon
Tubbs (Brandon.tubbs@gmail.com or 501-837-4986) Reserve your spot for Crocodile Dock on Jekyll Island Beach
with a 100.00 deposit. Reservations will be based on the number of
Our youth meet each Wednesday evening for a deposits received by April 5th
time of Worship at 6:30 PM that we call
Unplugged. Starting next Wednesday, March
18, we will begin having Unplugged in the
Small Games Room in the Activities Center. Upcoming Extended Session Volunteers
Youth are also invited to eat dinner in the
Fellowship Hall between 5:15 and 6:30 for only $3.00. Fresh Start
March 22 March 29 April 5 April 12
The annual youth Spring Break Retreat is just around the Mullins Verdery Salcedo Castleberry
corner. This is open to youth in grades 8 Fisher Sunday Carter Adair
through 12 and costs only $300.00 for a week C. Parr School S. Schneider Jones
on the beach. Space is limited on this trip and
reservations are necessary. Please contact Kurt Sanctuary
Varney with your questions. March 22 March 29 April 5 April 12
(kvarney@fbcdecatur.com - or - 404-373-1653) Morris Verdery Hinkle Howard
Madden Sunday Hamrick Kennedy
Celebrating G. Gilmore School E. Hill

Sarah
Ziglar’s
Baptism!

The Outlook, a publication of the First Baptist Church of Decatur,

Georgia, is mailed to members and friends of the First Baptist family.

Main Office......................................404-373-1653
Finance.............................................404-370-7694
First School ......................................404-370-7688
Activities ..........................................404-373-2442
FAX ..................................................404-370-7692
Debbie Britt .....................................404-373-1653
Sharyn Dowd....................................404-373-1653
Ryan Forbes.....................................404-370-7690
Julie Pennington-Russell.................404-370-7684
Kurt Varney......................................404-373-1653
Bob Williamson ...............................404-370-7687
Computer Connections:
Website—www.fbcdecatur.com
E-Mail—fbcd@fbcdecatur.com

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Christmas week, by First Baptist Church Decatur, GA

Postmaster: Please send address changes to First Baptist Church,

308 Clairemont Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030