Grace and Peace Be Unto You,
It is good to share with you in these beautiful Autumn days, the kingdom work of the 92 Baptist churches here in central Louisiana. But before I get into some particulars, allow me to digress for a drowsy excursus.
In the Daniel household, there is an ongoing discussion about my sleep peculiarities. Basically, I go to bed around midnight and I arise around 6:00 a.m. in the morning. I fall into the category of nearly one third of all working adults--who get six hours or fewer of sleep a night. Strange as it seems to my wife, Linda, six hours of night time sleep seems to work just fine for me. To wit: my answer to the age old question: "Are you a morning person or a night person?" is to reply: "Neither, but I do lunch time really well!" That being said, though, sleep is vitally important.
The New York Times recently published an article entitled: "Rethinking Sleep" http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/opinion/sunday/rethinking-sleep.html?_r=0, in which the notion that an eight hour block of sleep is essential is challenged. Apparently, deep sleep is more significant than the length of time one sleeps. If you sleep deeply, and you are not sleep deprived, the good news is that you may be doing just fine...regardless of whether you sleep in longer blocks of time or in shorter blocks of time.
The Bible speaks about sleep in numerous ways. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). We can sleep well in the peace of the Lord. Also, the Bible informs us that God does not sleep: Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4). Thus, we can pillow our heads knowing that the One who keeps His people, will be on watch at all times. Relax, Christian servant...and sleep well my friend. Then, arise and enjoy the Fall beauty of our beloved Louisiana habitat, and labor as ye ought...as unto the Lord!
Many churches, it seems, have Fall Revivals scheduled. I pray that you will take note of nearby sister churches in revival and support them with your prayers and attendance. The Central Louisiana Baptist Association Annual Meeting will be held on October 14, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. (Executive Board at 5:00 p.m.), at Baptist Temple. The North Rapides Baptist Association Annual Meeting will be held on October 21, 2012, with a Missions Fair at 5:30 p.m., followed by the 6:30 p.m., main meeting, at Alpine First Baptist Church. Support your local association by your attendance. Prayerfully, your church will consider transferring your Sunday night service that evening, to join with other churches for a grand annual gathering to be together in worship and service.
Oh, and by the way...sleep is NOT overrated!!
Blessings,
Robert Daniel, Director of Missions
Big Creek, Central, and North Rapides Associations
Robert's Schedule:
Wednesday Prayer Breakfast, September 26: 7:00 a.m. at Bethel Baptist Church. Bus Trip for a Prayer Drive to Bethel...bus departs the Baptist Mission Center at 6:30 a.m..
September 30:
Vacation
October 7:
Vacation
October 14: AM at Trinity Baptist. PM is Central
Association Annual Meeting at Baptist Temple
October 21: Wilda
Baptist morning service, North Rapides Association Annual Meeting at Alpine in
the evening.
October 28: Wilda
Baptist AM and PM services. Pastor Joey Rudisill on mission in Philippine
Islands.
November 4: Wilda
Baptist (see above)
November 11: AM is
open, St. Claire Baptist Church, PM, for community Thanksgiving
Service.
November 18:
Open
November 25:
Open
December 2:
Open
December 9:
Homewood Baptist Church Annual Homecoming Service and Dinner on the
Grounds
December 16:
Open
December 23:
Open
December 30:
Open
Note: Open dates
will become visits to churches to enjoy a time of worship with congregations
around the three associations.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Annual Meeting Time
Grace and Peace Be Unto You,
On Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012 (while not forgetting 911), the Big Creek Baptist Association gathered for their 141st Annual Meeting at the Verda Baptist Church. It is a tradition among Baptist churches to belong to an association, to cooperate together in multiple areas of ministry, and to assemble messengers from the member churches to conduct the official business of the association. At this annual meeting of the Big Creek Association, the obligatory reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, the report of the finances, and the adoption of the budget for the coming year were quickly but thoroughly executed. Then, reports were presented. This is an extraordinary time in such annual meetings. The messengers heard reports from associational ministries and from entities of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, such as the Executive Committee, Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Children's Home, and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry from a local university.
These reports, as always, included amazing examples of the wonderful ways that God touched the lives of people to bring about His kingdom work locally and across Louisiana. So, business was accomplished simultaneously with testimonies of praise and adoration. It was a reminder to us all that the business of the association (and churches) remains...ministry, evangelism, and missions...not just numbers and procedures.
Fundamentally, these meetings are not only to include times of inspiration and worship, they are to be principally focused on those features... for our Lord, Jesus Christ. In that meeting of the Big Creek Association, fifteen or more churches provided around one hundred messengers to unify voice and heart to sing the praise songs sung in corporate worship and hear the message of God's Word delivered in the Annual Sermon. Wow, what a dynamic event an annual associational meeting can be!
I encourage you to be a part of your association's annual meeting. Here in the central Louisiana area, there are two associations that have upcoming annual meetings: Central Louisiana Baptist Association gathers her messengers on October 14, 2012, seven o'clock in the evening, at the Baptist Temple Church on MacArthur Drive. North Rapides Baptist Association's annual event is on October 21, 2012, with Missions Fair at 5:30 p.m., with the meeting at 6:30 p.m., at Alpine First Baptist Church on Shreveport Highway. Do come, and see for yourself, the amazing kingdom work you participate in through your church, association, and state convention.
Blessings,
Robert Daniel, Director of Missions
Big Creek, Central, and North Rapides Associations
Robert's Sunday Schedule:
September 16: Vick Baptist and Homewood Baptist Churches
September 23: Open
September 30: Vacation
October 7: Vacation
October 14: Central Association Annual Meeting at Baptist Temple
October 21: Wilda Baptist morning service, North Rapides Association Annual Meeting at Alpine in the evening.
October 28: Wilda Baptist AM and PM services. Pastor Joey Rudisill on mission in Philippine Islands.
November 4: Wilda Baptist (see above)
November 11: AM is open, St. Claire Baptist Church, PM, for community Thanksgiving Service.
November 18: Open
November 25: Open
December 2: Open
December 9: Homewood Baptist Church Annual Homecoming Service and Dinner on the Grounds
December 16: Open
December 23: Open
December 30: Open
Note: Open dates will become visits to churches to enjoy a time of worship with congregations around the three associations.
On Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012 (while not forgetting 911), the Big Creek Baptist Association gathered for their 141st Annual Meeting at the Verda Baptist Church. It is a tradition among Baptist churches to belong to an association, to cooperate together in multiple areas of ministry, and to assemble messengers from the member churches to conduct the official business of the association. At this annual meeting of the Big Creek Association, the obligatory reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, the report of the finances, and the adoption of the budget for the coming year were quickly but thoroughly executed. Then, reports were presented. This is an extraordinary time in such annual meetings. The messengers heard reports from associational ministries and from entities of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, such as the Executive Committee, Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Children's Home, and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry from a local university.
These reports, as always, included amazing examples of the wonderful ways that God touched the lives of people to bring about His kingdom work locally and across Louisiana. So, business was accomplished simultaneously with testimonies of praise and adoration. It was a reminder to us all that the business of the association (and churches) remains...ministry, evangelism, and missions...not just numbers and procedures.
Fundamentally, these meetings are not only to include times of inspiration and worship, they are to be principally focused on those features... for our Lord, Jesus Christ. In that meeting of the Big Creek Association, fifteen or more churches provided around one hundred messengers to unify voice and heart to sing the praise songs sung in corporate worship and hear the message of God's Word delivered in the Annual Sermon. Wow, what a dynamic event an annual associational meeting can be!
I encourage you to be a part of your association's annual meeting. Here in the central Louisiana area, there are two associations that have upcoming annual meetings: Central Louisiana Baptist Association gathers her messengers on October 14, 2012, seven o'clock in the evening, at the Baptist Temple Church on MacArthur Drive. North Rapides Baptist Association's annual event is on October 21, 2012, with Missions Fair at 5:30 p.m., with the meeting at 6:30 p.m., at Alpine First Baptist Church on Shreveport Highway. Do come, and see for yourself, the amazing kingdom work you participate in through your church, association, and state convention.
Blessings,
Robert Daniel, Director of Missions
Big Creek, Central, and North Rapides Associations
Robert's Sunday Schedule:
September 16: Vick Baptist and Homewood Baptist Churches
September 23: Open
September 30: Vacation
October 7: Vacation
October 14: Central Association Annual Meeting at Baptist Temple
October 21: Wilda Baptist morning service, North Rapides Association Annual Meeting at Alpine in the evening.
October 28: Wilda Baptist AM and PM services. Pastor Joey Rudisill on mission in Philippine Islands.
November 4: Wilda Baptist (see above)
November 11: AM is open, St. Claire Baptist Church, PM, for community Thanksgiving Service.
November 18: Open
November 25: Open
December 2: Open
December 9: Homewood Baptist Church Annual Homecoming Service and Dinner on the Grounds
December 16: Open
December 23: Open
December 30: Open
Note: Open dates will become visits to churches to enjoy a time of worship with congregations around the three associations.
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