On Sunday, July 4, Dr. Mercy Jeyarajarao shared a portion of her faith journey.
Faith Story by Mercy Jeyaraja Rao from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
Group Shot
June 20-23, I preached at First Baptist’s version of Camp-Ba-Yo-Ca. So many of our folks grew up attending camp on Happy Hollow Road. This year, we connected generations of grandparents, parents, youth, and students to provide training, renewal, and formation of 3-5th graders.
Stephen Carlone and his critter at the "Critter Crawl".JPG)
Joel Smith Loaded down
Our 2010 strategic plan challenged us to teach students to grow in their faith by connecting the generations. In a year of economic austerity, we needed creativity and partnership. This story began last summer. Our youth began dreaming about a mission project for this summer and approached Michael about leading a camp for our kids. There is no better way to grow than to take the leap of teaching, with a great safety net of course.
Second, we partnered with Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where FBC alumna and Money Scholarship recipient served on the children's staff.
Third, not only did we need parents; but we also received the gift of grandparents. Grandmother Jane Hall sent her grandson Joel Smith. Grandparents Peter and Elaine Smith invited grandson Stephen Carlone.
The camp turned into more than your average get-a-way. Students shined like never before. I think Parker invited the entire neighborhood. Susan Tatum, Michael McEntyre, and Kara and the Smoke Rise staff pulled off an incredible experience. This would not have been possible without your generous gifts and the creativity of our staff and young people. And without camp, I would not have met Joel or Stephen.
Joel Smith lives in Knoxville, but his grandmother Jane Hall wanted to make sure he had a chance to experience Christ the only way camp can do. She worked to arrange schedules with his parents to attend.
Stephen Carlone does not live in Knoxville. His grandparents, Peter and Elaine Smith, do. Peter and Elaine attend the deaf congregation. Stephen often visits with his grandparents on weekends and worships with them on Sunday mornings. Stephen can hear perfectly, but he listens to Greg Johannsen preach when Stephen is in town. When the Smith’s read about the camp, they registered Stephen. And when Stephen came to camp, I met one of the most dynamic kids in the bunch. He prayed one night in worship and demonstrated the power of a family committed to Christ.
These are just two examples of the way this camp touched my life and continues to touch the lives of those we serve in East Tennessee across the generations.
This past week, students, parents, senior adults, volunteers, and staff have been lost in the land of Egypt. We have brought to life a boy named Joseph, the favorite son of Israel. In the process, for the first time in three years, Casey left home and found herself in a whole new world.
Scripture nurtures the mind with the wonderful gift of heroes, heroines, and adventures that are better than any Hollywood script could write. Children don't want perfect heroes; but they do need ones who put their hope in God. Our VBS material this year focused on one of those adventures. We traveled back in time to imagine a world where a deceitful boy was betrayed by his blood brothers. A slave was chosen to become the head of a household. A banished prisoner was chosen by a Pharaoh to become prime minister.
This was a time in history when Egpyt was one of God's instruments to bring his redemptive plan to the world. Instead of the arch-enemy of Israel, or skeptical international neighbor, Egpyt's hands were God's hands to save and feed a chosen people. The great mystery and wonder of God's plan comes down to some seemingly small decisions that involved long sleepless nights, terror-filled dreams, a family needing food, a son setting aside grudges, and a ruler using an immigrant to run the highest levels of government.
Of course, it's one thing to read the story; but it's another to bring it to life. That's what over 75 volunteers did this past week. Senior adults painted hieroglyphics, middle schoolers escorted tribes, a music minister led aerobics, and together we were in Egpyt again to welcome everyone into an ancient land that seems to resonate with today's issues.
And this takes me back to a little girl. Casey was one of the first to arrive. She had never been out of her home before because she just turned 3 in February. Both of her parents work from home. Mom works full time with Casey, and her Dad runs his photography business out of a home office. She gets the blessing of 2 stay-at-home parents. Casey's parents are not members of First Baptist. As far as I know, this was their first time to come to church. For a little girl who rarely goes to babysitters and had never seen what a daycare looks like, Egpyt seemed like a pretty safe place to start on the long journey toward Christ.
We welcome 3 year olds, 13, 33, and 83 year olds into VBS because it's a good introduction to the greatest adventure of life, the life of Christ with a community called the church. Just as his story began with characters like Joseph, so ours does too. Now little Casey and her parents have a story they can always tell. Her first step of faith was a very short trip to Egpyt.
This past week, students, parents, senior adults, volunteers, and staff have been lost in the land of Egypt. We have brought to life a boy named Joseph, the favorite son of Israel. In the process, for the first time in three years, Casey left home and found herself in a whole new world.
Scripture nurtures the mind with the wonderful gift of heroes, heroines, and adventures that are better than any Hollywood script could write. Children don't want perfect heroes; but they do need ones who put their hope in God. Our VBS material this year focused on one of those adventures. We traveled back in time to imagine a world where a deceitful boy was betrayed by his blood brothers. A slave was chosen to become the head of a household. A banished prisoner was chosen by a Pharaoh to become prime minister.
This was a time in history when Egpyt was one of God's instruments to bring his redemptive plan to the world. Instead of the arch-enemy of Israel, or skeptical international neighbor, Egpyt's hands were God's hands to save and feed a chosen people. The great mystery and wonder of God's plan comes down to some seemingly small decisions that involved long sleepless nights, terror-filled dreams, a family needing food, a son setting aside grudges, and a ruler using an immigrant to run the highest levels of government.
Of course, it's one thing to read the story; but it's another to bring it to life. That's what over 75 volunteers did this past week. Senior adults painted hieroglyphics, middle schoolers escorted tribes, a music minister led aerobics, and together we were in Egpyt again to welcome everyone into an ancient land that seems to resonate with today's issues.
And this takes me back to a little girl. Casey was one of the first to arrive. She had never been out of her home before because she just turned 3 in February. Both of her parents work from home. Mom works full time with Casey, and her Dad runs his photography business out of a home office. She gets the blessing of 2 stay-at-home parents. Casey's parents are not members of First Baptist. As far as I know, this was their first time to come to church. For a little girl who rarely goes to babysitters and had never seen what a daycare looks like, Egpyt seemed like a pretty safe place to start on the long journey toward Christ.
We welcome 3 year olds, 13, 33, and 83 year olds into VBS because it's a good introduction to the greatest adventure of life, the life of Christ with a community called the church. Just as his story began with characters like Joseph, so ours does too. Now little Casey and her parents have a story they can always tell. Her first step of faith was a very short trip to Egpyt.
The church shares stories about people who are not on the front of people's minds. In the clutter of the 24 hour news cycle, people like William Burnie are easily missed. Don't forget his story.
Nashville Flood Relief: William Burnie from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
NASHVILLE (WATE) - A group from First Baptist Church Knoxville left Monday morning to help with the flooding cleanup effort in Nashville.
The group of nine volunteers was assigned to help an East Nashville homeowner.
"As a Christian, Christ compels us to serve people in need, but I think also in this instance, we immediately thought to call First Baptist Nashville because they are brothers and sister right down the road," says First Baptist Community Pastor Carol McEntyre.
The home the church members helped gut belonged to Kay Hardison, a single mother with five kids.
"I didn't know I had gotten flooded actually," says Hardison, "There was water up here and in the back."
This is the first time Hardison has received help. She lost everything in the flood.
More here
Ashley Riemer began her senior year of high school at a medical center, not in the classroom. While her friends were experiencing the joys of the last year in high school, Ashley was starting chemo for leukemia. But the staff at Walter Reid Medical Center decided to try something creative. And it became a bit of normal in the midst of a storm. Hear more of Ashley's story Sunday at First Baptist Church Knoxville.
By her own admission, Jennifer Mabe says that her Christian life was pretty easy. But when a surgery challenged her faith and obedience, her church family in Winchester, Kentucky, surrounded her family with love. She uses life lessons to explain her perspective on generosity and love for the Church.
Generosity Testimony by Jennifer Mabe from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
Meet Rolando Rosales, Father and New Homeowner. Rolando and his family are the faces of Strategic Missions. Two years ago, the Missions Council recommended that we give directly to projects that transform the lives of people-- both the recipient's and the donors' lives. We would contribute to mission projects that we could be a part of and could see lives changed.
Rolando fit the criteria. When his wife was dying of cancer, she had 1 last wish for her family, that they would have a home. But Rolando was also not a believer. What better way to share the gospel than to serve beside someone who needed Jesus?
This was a project that we could be a part of. We supplied the labor, resources, and willingness to go. We could see the face of some of the deepest poverty in our country as well as participate in the greatest opportunity for sharing the gospel. Our lives could be enriched with hands-on education about border issues, immigration, service, and love in one place. Our lives could be formed by the work of sacrifice. We could bring that information and transformation back home to shape our priorities here.
And that's exactly what happened on the Rio Grande border. Thanks to a partnership with Buckner International, we met the Rosales family. We worked with another congregation, Calvary Baptist in McAllen; and God brought all of this together dramatically for one week in April.
Group from FBC Knoxville Helps Answer a Mom's Dying Wish for Her Family from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
Watch two videos
Join us tomorrow night to hear about God's work in the Rio Grande Valley. At 6 pm in the Chapel, we'll hear from our mission team as they share how the Penitas family now has a home thanks to a mother's prayers. We are grateful for Buckner's partnership and the work of this good team.
John Hill Interview from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
"Cancer killed Martha Rosales two years ago, but on Tuesday her final plea was answered when her husband unlocked the side door and the children ran inside to the three-bedroom abode for which their mother had prayed.
"Buckner International, a global Christian ministry, with the help of volunteers from First Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., built the $15,000 home for the widowed father, who has struggled since his wife's death to raise the children and do odd jobs to put food on the table.
Read the full story...
http://bit.ly/ddNv94
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from U.S. Cellular
We have been contacted by First Baptist Nashville to come and help with flood relief. They are in need of:
1. Teams to remove the interior of damaged homes
2. A team to prepare box lunches for people in the field.
First Nashville has housing available for volunteers at the church. If you are interested in going anytime between May 6-21, we could use you.
To sign up contact: Wanda and Andy Edmonson at aje@utk.edu <mailto:aje@utk.edu> or 865-567-6694 or Marion and Dianna Graybeal at magraybeal@comcast.net <mailto:magraybeal@comcast.net> or 865-579-4221. (In your response, let us know what dates you are available.)Thank you for your willingness to serve,
Carol McEntyre
Buckner Community Minister
First Baptist Knoxville, TN
865-246-4661
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from U.S. Cellular
When a single mom with two kids needed help with her home, Appalachian Outreach arrived just in time. They used the resources of First Baptist Church and Operation Inasmuch to bind her children's faith for life.
FBC Stories Operation InAsMuch 2010 from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
What is Stephen Ministry? Watch this video from PBS. First Baptist Knoxville is a Stephen Ministry congregation. If you are interested in receiving care from a trained Stephen Minister, click here.
How do you celebrate generosity? With greater generosity. On Sunday, the First Baptist family committed to giving; and we shared what had been given.
Yesterday, we combined worship with our 3 services in one unified service. We committed to tithing and generosity financially. In preparation for this day, we also baked goods and delivered them to the church. Over 160 households brought breads, cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, pies and other sweet treats to the church Sunday morning. We brought them not for ourselves, but to share. Like the widow in Zarephath (1 Kings 17), we baked a "cake of faith" to deliver to our neighbors
Following another great Herman Weaver meal, dozens fanned out all over Knox County delivering baked goods to the homebound, the women's jail, South Knoxville elementary, Next Door Ministry, and our neighbors. Some even made it to the bus stop this morning. As one child who helped bake the bread said, "I thought my bus driver needed it the most."
The stories of these deliveries are being shared via phone, email, and face-to-face. Recipients of the treats have called the church office to offer a thank-you for this simple act of sharing.
We give thanks for the many, many people that made April 25 a day to remember. Because you have been given much, you have given!
What happens when you realize your Starbucks receipts total more than your offerings? Enjoy this great personal story about the Generosity Effect from Daniel Headrick.
Generosity Testimony by Daniel Headrick from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.
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