june connection
UNION PARK JUNE 2013
“As I look around, I stand in awe at the creativity of our Lord. It is breathtaking”
WORDS FROM WES... - Pastor Wes Foster
Somebody is always watching your Character Quotient. Do you have high character? Let’s continue where we left off last month. We said if you want to build high character in your kids then as parents we have to model it as well as teach it. That modeling begins when we are alone not just when people can see u s . T h a t ’ s h i g h c h a r a c t e r . D o i n g something when no one is watching you. If you get more change then required and the cashier doesn’t notice, do you return it? If you do that’s high character. As you are driving are you polite, courteous and conscientious? That’s high character. How do you treat the person who waits on you? As an equal or some one who is worthy of your respect? That’s high character. Do you click on that image or pass it by? That’s high character.
BAPTIST CHURCH
Your children watch, mirror and judge your actions and behavior. They do this from infancy on into adulthood. They see what you do and mirror and make judgments. If you want high Character Quotient kids you have to have a high character quotient when you think they are watching and when they are not. My dad used to always tell me that some one is watching you. And when no one is, you can be sure God sees. So are you acting as if God is watching you? Not from a negative, I don’t want to get punished by God if I make a mistake, but from my Father in heaven is watching and I love Him and want Him to be proud that I’m His child. We can’t teach our kids to have high character quotients unless we have high character when we think no one is watching us.
[1]
CONNECT...
In The Interim...
“But earnestly desire the greater gifts” (I Cor. 12:31). Throughout all of chapter 12 in 1 Corinthians Paul had been talking about the use (and abuse) of spiritual gifts. He mentions that the purpose of spiritual gifts is for the building up or edification of the church. The church at Corinth had it all wrong, they were using the gifts of the Spirit to build themselves up. The gifts had become a source of personal pride, as if the gifts had been “earned” and therefore gave them status.
Paul used the analogy of the body. Not everyone is a foot or a hand or a finger or an ear or whatever. Each part of the body is only useful as it serves the whole body working in conjunction with each member. In fact, Paul states the “weaker” or “less honorable” parts of the body (by human standards) are, in fact, given more abundant honor by God.
It is not insignificant that Paul follows the discussion of spiritual gifts in chapter 12 by the “excellence of love” in chapter 13. Again, he is putting into perspective the mind set of how spiritual gifts are to be used. Using our spiritual gifts with the attitude of building up the
Union Park Baptist Church -----------www.upbcdesmoines.com [email protected] 821 Arthur Ave. Des Moines, IA 50316
church, as an act of love, is our greatest act of worship. To not utilize your spiritual gift is to withhold from the church the very thing that the church may need to continue ministry. Keep in mind the parable of the talents. The church cannot afford to have you “bury” yours.
So, what are the “greater gifts” mentioned in I Cor. 12:31? According to Paul they are the gifts that do the best job in building up and edifying the body of Christ. In I Cor.14:12 Paul says “…since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.” If the exercise of our spiritual gift causes the church body to grow in a spirit of love then it is a “greater gift”. When a gift becomes a matter of pride it weakens the effect of that gift and thus losses its effectiveness towards the body of Christ.
W e m a y n o t k n o w h o w important our gift or gifts may be in the great plan God has for our church. But what we do know is that God has given each of us gifts for the purpose of building up the church and if we faithful exercise those gifts, in love, God will consider them the “greater” gifts because they will edify the body of Christ.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE SERVE OTHERS
515-265-5258
[2]
-Marty Mauk
SOLID ROCK...
Quinten Behrendsen, Katy Rick, Whitney Williams, Davi Dowell, AJ Highsmith, Morgan Dubreuil, Sydney WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Foster, Sydney Moses, Sara Walte. Regular meeting times: th th JH (6 -8 grades): 6:30-8 p.m. Staff: Dave & Wendy Highsmith Hang out from 6-6:30. Students ADVENTURELAND: Friday, June completing 5th grade are welcome! th th SH (9 -12 grades) – 7:30-9:00 21. 9:15 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (Park hours 10:00-9:00; water park p.m. Hang out from 6:30-7:30. closes @ 7:00) Meet at the church. BRING YOUR FRIENDS! This event is for: JH and SH students (completing 5th through 12th June 5: “Joseph: Abandoned” grades). Cost: $25.00 admission June 12: “Joseph: Promoted” plus $7-$8 for lunch and extra $ for June 19: BBQ/Amazing Race – snacks. Sign-up in the youth room JH/SH Combined; 6:30-8:00. and obtain a flyer/parental permission FREE Hamburgers/hot dogs! form. Bring a swimsuit/towel if you June 26: “Independence Day” plan to visit Adventure Bay.(Swimsuit July 3: NO SOLID ROCK rules: Guys: No Speedos; Girl's: SERVE 2013 Youth Mission trip to One piece only–or appropriate tankini) Pawley's Island, SC partnering with SUMMER CAMP!! Leader Treks. Sunday, June 2: Commissioning June 9-14:Young Teens: Payment due May 26 s e r v i c e ; f i n a l b a l a n c e d u e ; June 16-21: Teens: 4:00-8:00 Meeting #8 Payment due June 2 Saturday, June 8: Meet at the June 23-28: High Teens: church at 6:45 a.m. Prayer to send Payment due June 9 o f f t e a m @ 7 : 1 5 a . m . – A L L July 21-27: Challenge camp: welcome! Payment due July 7 Sunday, June 16: SERVE 2013 team returns. Be praying for us!! Members of the team: Tim Questions regarding Solid Rock: Logemann, Jake Largent, Ciera Contact Wendy Highsmith by phone: Highsmith, Lindsey Drake, Natasha 5 1 5 - 9 7 5 - 6 9 7 1 o r e - m a i l : Gomez, Victoria Wilson, Will Cantrell, [email protected]
WEE CARE
Summer is coming! We have had snow, rain, sunshine & clouds in the month of May! 12 children graduated on May 14th. It was a very special night of celebration. Now we are looking forward to sunshine, swimming & going on walks, playing at the park and much more. At Wee Care, we are ready for some “Fun in the sun.”
[3]
“If this is really true about your God, why didn’t someone come sooner?”
Please be in prayer for our
Pastoral Search Committee Chuck Bloyer | Chair Adam Curl | Vice chair Julie Logemann | Recorder Ann Beetner | Prayer Captain Tina Skinner | Communication Specialist Stefan Behrendsen | Technology Specialist Victoria Wilson | Solid Rock LEAD Team Rep (Non-voting) Gary Lawrence | Overseer Chair Don Jennings Lois Nelson Steve Skinner Marque Wood
Introductions... Hello there! I’d like to take a moment and introduce myself!
surprised if every so often you see an article from me in a
My name is Jessica Jarrell and I’ve been working at UPBC now for
newsletter. I am a writer at heart. I hope we can encourage each other
two months! I’m the new Administrative & Communications
in our faiths and grow closer as we journey together.
Assistant. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you so
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I spent most
far and look forward to meeting the rest of you as time
of my teenage years publishing articles and devotionals. I
goes on.
am currently working on my first full length Bible Study
I am currently a senior at Luther Rice University &
that will hopefully be published sometimes in 2014.
Seminary and by this time next year I will have a
Thank you all for the blessing of being a part of Union
Bachelors degree in Biblical Counseling. My heart is
Park Baptist Church, I am so thankful for this opportunity
completely in ministry and I pray that the Lord uses my life to
and am loving every minute of it!
bring other’s to Him.
As time goes on, I’ll be able to share more of my story. Don’t be
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Jess
FREE CONCERT!
MOVIE NIGHT!
VOLLEYBALL
CUTTING EDGE
Leeland & The City Harmonic - June 7th on the West Terrace at the Iowa State Capitol Building
Free-Drive-inmovie-in-theparking-lot Free popcorn! Bring chair/blanket Free popcorn! June 28th @ dusk
Sunday, July 7th. 5/6 person UPBC Sand V-ball Tournament. Age 16 & up. More info on UPBC website!
Cutting Edge Party @ Myers Farm Watch the UPBC website for more detailed information
[4]
“As I look around, I stand in awe at the creativity of our Lord. It is breathtaking”
WORDS FROM WES... - Pastor Wes Foster
Somebody is always watching your Character Quotient. Do you have high character? Let’s continue where we left off last month. We said if you want to build high character in your kids then as parents we have to model it as well as teach it. That modeling begins when we are alone not just when people can see u s . T h a t ’ s h i g h c h a r a c t e r . D o i n g something when no one is watching you. If you get more change then required and the cashier doesn’t notice, do you return it? If you do that’s high character. As you are driving are you polite, courteous and conscientious? That’s high character. How do you treat the person who waits on you? As an equal or some one who is worthy of your respect? That’s high character. Do you click on that image or pass it by? That’s high character.
BAPTIST CHURCH
Your children watch, mirror and judge your actions and behavior. They do this from infancy on into adulthood. They see what you do and mirror and make judgments. If you want high Character Quotient kids you have to have a high character quotient when you think they are watching and when they are not. My dad used to always tell me that some one is watching you. And when no one is, you can be sure God sees. So are you acting as if God is watching you? Not from a negative, I don’t want to get punished by God if I make a mistake, but from my Father in heaven is watching and I love Him and want Him to be proud that I’m His child. We can’t teach our kids to have high character quotients unless we have high character when we think no one is watching us.
[1]
CONNECT...
In The Interim...
“But earnestly desire the greater gifts” (I Cor. 12:31). Throughout all of chapter 12 in 1 Corinthians Paul had been talking about the use (and abuse) of spiritual gifts. He mentions that the purpose of spiritual gifts is for the building up or edification of the church. The church at Corinth had it all wrong, they were using the gifts of the Spirit to build themselves up. The gifts had become a source of personal pride, as if the gifts had been “earned” and therefore gave them status.
Paul used the analogy of the body. Not everyone is a foot or a hand or a finger or an ear or whatever. Each part of the body is only useful as it serves the whole body working in conjunction with each member. In fact, Paul states the “weaker” or “less honorable” parts of the body (by human standards) are, in fact, given more abundant honor by God.
It is not insignificant that Paul follows the discussion of spiritual gifts in chapter 12 by the “excellence of love” in chapter 13. Again, he is putting into perspective the mind set of how spiritual gifts are to be used. Using our spiritual gifts with the attitude of building up the
Union Park Baptist Church -----------www.upbcdesmoines.com [email protected] 821 Arthur Ave. Des Moines, IA 50316
church, as an act of love, is our greatest act of worship. To not utilize your spiritual gift is to withhold from the church the very thing that the church may need to continue ministry. Keep in mind the parable of the talents. The church cannot afford to have you “bury” yours.
So, what are the “greater gifts” mentioned in I Cor. 12:31? According to Paul they are the gifts that do the best job in building up and edifying the body of Christ. In I Cor.14:12 Paul says “…since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.” If the exercise of our spiritual gift causes the church body to grow in a spirit of love then it is a “greater gift”. When a gift becomes a matter of pride it weakens the effect of that gift and thus losses its effectiveness towards the body of Christ.
W e m a y n o t k n o w h o w important our gift or gifts may be in the great plan God has for our church. But what we do know is that God has given each of us gifts for the purpose of building up the church and if we faithful exercise those gifts, in love, God will consider them the “greater” gifts because they will edify the body of Christ.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE SERVE OTHERS
515-265-5258
[2]
-Marty Mauk
SOLID ROCK...
Quinten Behrendsen, Katy Rick, Whitney Williams, Davi Dowell, AJ Highsmith, Morgan Dubreuil, Sydney WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Foster, Sydney Moses, Sara Walte. Regular meeting times: th th JH (6 -8 grades): 6:30-8 p.m. Staff: Dave & Wendy Highsmith Hang out from 6-6:30. Students ADVENTURELAND: Friday, June completing 5th grade are welcome! th th SH (9 -12 grades) – 7:30-9:00 21. 9:15 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (Park hours 10:00-9:00; water park p.m. Hang out from 6:30-7:30. closes @ 7:00) Meet at the church. BRING YOUR FRIENDS! This event is for: JH and SH students (completing 5th through 12th June 5: “Joseph: Abandoned” grades). Cost: $25.00 admission June 12: “Joseph: Promoted” plus $7-$8 for lunch and extra $ for June 19: BBQ/Amazing Race – snacks. Sign-up in the youth room JH/SH Combined; 6:30-8:00. and obtain a flyer/parental permission FREE Hamburgers/hot dogs! form. Bring a swimsuit/towel if you June 26: “Independence Day” plan to visit Adventure Bay.(Swimsuit July 3: NO SOLID ROCK rules: Guys: No Speedos; Girl's: SERVE 2013 Youth Mission trip to One piece only–or appropriate tankini) Pawley's Island, SC partnering with SUMMER CAMP!! Leader Treks. Sunday, June 2: Commissioning June 9-14:Young Teens: Payment due May 26 s e r v i c e ; f i n a l b a l a n c e d u e ; June 16-21: Teens: 4:00-8:00 Meeting #8 Payment due June 2 Saturday, June 8: Meet at the June 23-28: High Teens: church at 6:45 a.m. Prayer to send Payment due June 9 o f f t e a m @ 7 : 1 5 a . m . – A L L July 21-27: Challenge camp: welcome! Payment due July 7 Sunday, June 16: SERVE 2013 team returns. Be praying for us!! Members of the team: Tim Questions regarding Solid Rock: Logemann, Jake Largent, Ciera Contact Wendy Highsmith by phone: Highsmith, Lindsey Drake, Natasha 5 1 5 - 9 7 5 - 6 9 7 1 o r e - m a i l : Gomez, Victoria Wilson, Will Cantrell, [email protected]
WEE CARE
Summer is coming! We have had snow, rain, sunshine & clouds in the month of May! 12 children graduated on May 14th. It was a very special night of celebration. Now we are looking forward to sunshine, swimming & going on walks, playing at the park and much more. At Wee Care, we are ready for some “Fun in the sun.”
[3]
“If this is really true about your God, why didn’t someone come sooner?”
Please be in prayer for our
Pastoral Search Committee Chuck Bloyer | Chair Adam Curl | Vice chair Julie Logemann | Recorder Ann Beetner | Prayer Captain Tina Skinner | Communication Specialist Stefan Behrendsen | Technology Specialist Victoria Wilson | Solid Rock LEAD Team Rep (Non-voting) Gary Lawrence | Overseer Chair Don Jennings Lois Nelson Steve Skinner Marque Wood
Introductions... Hello there! I’d like to take a moment and introduce myself!
surprised if every so often you see an article from me in a
My name is Jessica Jarrell and I’ve been working at UPBC now for
newsletter. I am a writer at heart. I hope we can encourage each other
two months! I’m the new Administrative & Communications
in our faiths and grow closer as we journey together.
Assistant. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you so
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I spent most
far and look forward to meeting the rest of you as time
of my teenage years publishing articles and devotionals. I
goes on.
am currently working on my first full length Bible Study
I am currently a senior at Luther Rice University &
that will hopefully be published sometimes in 2014.
Seminary and by this time next year I will have a
Thank you all for the blessing of being a part of Union
Bachelors degree in Biblical Counseling. My heart is
Park Baptist Church, I am so thankful for this opportunity
completely in ministry and I pray that the Lord uses my life to
and am loving every minute of it!
bring other’s to Him.
As time goes on, I’ll be able to share more of my story. Don’t be
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Jess
FREE CONCERT!
MOVIE NIGHT!
VOLLEYBALL
CUTTING EDGE
Leeland & The City Harmonic - June 7th on the West Terrace at the Iowa State Capitol Building
Free-Drive-inmovie-in-theparking-lot Free popcorn! Bring chair/blanket Free popcorn! June 28th @ dusk
Sunday, July 7th. 5/6 person UPBC Sand V-ball Tournament. Age 16 & up. More info on UPBC website!
Cutting Edge Party @ Myers Farm Watch the UPBC website for more detailed information
[4]
