“UPCOMING EVENTS IN MAY”

LADIES ‘ DAY BREAKFAST! – May 9′ @ 8:00 am

The Men’s Ministry of Friendship Baptist Church will sponsor its Annual Ladies’ Day Breakfast for the women of FBC on Mother’s Day morning, May 9, 2010 at 8:00 am.  Please come out and enjoy the wonderful breakfast the men are planning.

MOTHER’S DAY PROGRAM, May 9 @ 10:15 am

Please be reminded that we will have our Mother’s Day Program on Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 10:15 am.  The guest minister will be Minister Michelle Page from Second Baptist Church.  The program is being sponsored by the Deaconess Ministry of FBC.

GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

We are happy to announce that Minister Willar Hightower will be graduating from Morehouse School of Religion at the Martin Luther King Center on Saturday, May 8, 2010.  Pastor Edwards and the Freindship Baptist Church Family salute you Minister Hightower on your accomplishment.  May God continue to bless and keep you and your family!

WARD #2 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION – May 15 @ 3:00 pm will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 3:00 pm at Ryans of Aiken, Whiskey Road.

ATTENTION GRADUATING SENIORS!!

All Seniors of Friendship Baptist Church, graduating from high school this spring are asked to provide a picture and a brief biographical sketch for the May 23rd bulletin.  Information needed in the sketch is as follows:  your name; parents; high school; community, school and church involvement; college you will be attending and planned major.  Give the information to Sis. Loretta Bush by the 1st Sunday, May 2nd (pictures will be returned).

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE – May 21

Celebrate and support the American Cancer Society by participating in the 2010 Relay for Life marathon!  You can help support this worthy cause that affects so many of us by walking with a team or giving a donation.  The Relay for Life event is Friday, May 21, 2010 at Aiken High School.  Contact Kim Toney for more information or you can make an online donations at www.relayforlife.org/aikensc under the “Friendship Baptist Church” team.

Beside The Lake Youth Rally

FBC Warriors for Christ will attend “Beside the Lake Youth Rally” at Lakeside Baptist Church in Clearwater, SC, Saturday, May 8, 3-6 p.m.  Teens who have signed up will depart from Friendship Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Youth Personal Development Workshop Ages 13 – 18; Saturday, March 20, 2010

Friendship Baptist Church will host a personal development workshop for youth, ages 13 – 18, Saturday, March 20, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  This event is open to the public.  This workshop will introduce physical, mental and spiritual perspectives, ideals our young people need to know to help them grow to become respectable, God-fearing men and women. 

“BOYZ TO MEN” AND “WOMAN NOT OF THE HOOD”

VISION:          Bring back those values and morals instilled in young people years ago that helped to create a disposition of self-worth, self respect, and integrity. 

MISSION:  To develop respectable and mannerable young people, ages 13-18, under the Godly instruction of Christian adults.

FORMAT:  Initially, participants will gather together for a welcome and opening prayer.  Then, participants will separate by gender.  The sessions will be conducted simultaneously, and then reconvene for a closing and lunch.

Parents, we need your support to ensure teens are present and on time.  For more information, contact Sis. Donna Moore Wesby, (803) 502-0777.

Children’s Church

Children’s Church Lessons for February 7 – May 9, 2010; Kids Time: God’s Big Picture

Purpose: God’s Big Picture takes the students through a gallery of the major characters and themes of God’s Word. This approach will give our students an understanding of the Bible as a picture of God’s plan and purposes.

Lesson 1           God’s True Story

Lesson 2           Created by God’s Hand

 Lesson 3           The First Family

 Lesson 4           Safe in the Ark

 Lesson 5           Abraham Answers God’s Call

 Lesson 6           Jacob Is Forgiven

 Lesson 7           Joseph Faces Tough Times

 Lesson 8           Moses leads the Escape

 Lesson 42         EASTER – New Life In Jerusalem

 Lesson 9           Joshua Takes Charge

 Lesson 10         Deborah Calls for Courage

 Lesson 11         Gideon’s Hiding Place

 Lesson 12         The Strongest Man Fails the Test

 Lesson 13         Ruth’s Reward

Bible Jeopardy

Bible Jeopardy is scheduled again for July, 2010. Watch for the dates of distribution of study materials to the children.

Children’s Church Retreat (March 2010)

Friendship Baptist Church’s Children Church Retreat is scheduled for March 26-27 at Camp Kinard in Batesburg, South Carolina.  Activities will include Bible Education, Bible Trivia, Arts & Crafts, Fishing, Kite Flying and Wall Climbing.  Registration for the Retreat will be held immediately following church service on 2/28, 3/7, 3/14, and 3/21.  The registration fee is $13.00 per child.  Parents interested in their child or children participating please contact the church’s office for more information. 

 

Sunday School (April 25, 2010)

Sunday School (March 2010 Quater At-A-Glance)

This quarter’s study explores the concept of community in the Old Testament books of Jonah and Ruth, as well as in the teachings of Jesus and the early church.  It highlights the response of faithful people to God’s call and how their Spirit-led mission inspires a new kind of relationship between God’s followers.

UNIT 1  COMMUNITY WITH A MISSION

The four lessons in this unit examine community through the themes of mission, redemption, family, and survival as seen in the books of Jonah and Ruth.

Lesson 1:  March 7, 2010 Mission to the Community Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-9

Jonah was unwilling to help a community that God wanted to save.  When told of their impending destruction, the community of Nineveh mourned their sin and repented.  The people acted individually and as a community.  Fasting and applying ashes were a part of their sign of penitence.

Lesson 2: March 14, 2010  A Community to Redeem  Jonah 3:10-4:5 

God responded positively to the repentance of the Ninevites.  Because the people of Nineveh were the Israelites’ enemies, Jonah responded to God’s forgiveness of Nineveh with anger.  He did not want to accept God’s will.  However, Jonah came to realize that God is sovereign (in control of things in the world) and God’s way of dealing with others differs from ours.  He also learned that God’s steadfast love abounds to all.

Lesson 3:  March 21, 2010  Family as Community  Ruth 1:1-9, 14b, 16

Because his own community experienced famine, Elimelech and his family moved to a foreign Community, Moab.  But when Elimelech and his two sons died, for support, his wife Naomi decided to return to her original community, Judah.  Ruth, her daughter-in-law, forsook her own native community of Moab to remain with her mother-in-law and moved to Judah as well.  She also made a loving commitment to her mother-in-law and accepted Naomi’s God as her God.

Lesson 4:  March 28, 2010  Acceptance in Community  Ruth  2:5-12; 3:9-11

Boaz admired Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi and offered her work and protection in his household, clan, and community.  Ruth asked why she should be favored in Boaz’s household, acknowledging that she was a foreigner.  Boaz revealed, by expressing care for her, his willingness to accept kinsman-redeemer responsibility for Ruth.  Most of us long for acceptance in our communities.  Ruth, who felt she was a foreigner in a strange land, took the initiative to let Boaz know  that she was willing to be a part of the community.

UNIT 2  TEACHINGS OF JESUS

 This unit looks at four lessons that illustrate “Teachings of Jesus” in relationship to community.  The themes deal with light, love, connectedness, and a feast.

Lesson 5:  April 4, 2010 (Easter) The Community Faces Pain and Joy           John 16:16-24; 20:11-16

Communities experience not only great pain and sorrow but also great relief and joy.  Why should communities have hope?  Jesus foretold His betrayal, death, and resurrection, and He taught that pain and sorrow will be replaced by relief and joy.

Lesson 6:  April 11, 2010 Love within the Community  1 John 2:9-11, 15-17

Hate is rampant in our world, and we see evidence of that daily.  Is there another way to live?  John reiterates Jesus’ teaching about love and exhorts believers to walk in the light of love.

Lesson 7:  April 18, 2010 Connecting to the Community  Matthew 22:34-40

Jesus taught about God’s Law saying that He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.  When later asked by religious leaders which of the commandments was the greatest, Jesus replied by telling them the two greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Lesson 8:  April 25, 2010 Inclusion in the Community  Luke 14:15-24

Jesus told the parable of the great feast, noting in the parable how many people turned down the invitation to attend because the timing was inconvenient.  People send flimsy regrets to invitations without realizing that what they missed could have been a fantastic, life-changing event.  Who is offering a life-changing-event today?  God is inviting everyone, anyone, to a banquet of food for the soul, and we had better not miss it!

 UNIT 3  TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH

The last five lessons draw on three teachings from Colossians and one each from Philemon and Jude that relate “Teachings of the Church” on community.  In Colossians, the learners will study the faithfulness of the community and how the community was established and chosen.  The letter to Philemon helps us look at welcoming in the community, and the letter of Jude examines a community at risk.

Lesson 9: May 2, 2010 A Faithful Community   Colossians 1:1 – 14 

Paul prayed that the Colossians would be made strong in the strength of Christ and Assured them of their salvation promised in Christ.  There are people in the communities of faith who lack the power to lead worthy lives.  Where and how can we connect with God’s strength and glorious power?  Paul told the Colossians that their power as congregation of hope and faith had come to them by their acceptance of the Word of Truth, the Gospel.

Children’s Church 4th Qtr: Living My Purpose

Children’s Church
Lessons for November8-January 31, 2010

Unit 1   In The World

• Lesson 1           Living for God
  • Power Point: God wants me to live for him.
•  Lesson 2           Living for Others
  • Power Point: God wants me to care about others.
• Lesson 3           Used by God
  • Power Point:     God can work through me.
• Lesson 4           Doing God’s Work
  • Power Point: I will do God’s work in our world.

 

 Unit 2   Above the World

• Lesson 5           Peer Pressured?
  • Power Point: God helps me overcome peer pressure.
• Lesson 6           A Forgiving Heart
  • Power Point: I will forgive because I’ve been forgiven
• Lesson 7           Loving the Unlovable
  • Power Point: I will bless even those who do wrong to me.
• Lesson 8           All Around Us
  • Power Point: How I live affects others around me.

 

Unit 3   For The World 

• Lesson 9           It’s All About Jesus!
  • Power Point: I will let Jesus show me the way.
• Lesson 10         Word Victory
  • Power Point: God’s Word gives us power over the devil.
• Lesson 11         Standing Strong
  • Power Point: I will stand strong against sin.
• Lesson 12         God’s Direction
  • Power Point: I will trust God’s direction for my life.

 

Review Living My Purpose 

• Lesson 13         The Main Event!
  • Game-day review

Sunday School (Sep09)

September 2009

The study this quarter focuses on God’s covenant
as manifested in communities. It highlights persons
God chose as covenant leaders, the invitations God
offered to enter into community, people’s responses
to the invitations, and the nature of God’s new
covenant community.

UNIT 1. LEADERS IN THE COVENANT
COMMUNITY
The four lessons in this unit look at four people—
Joshua, Gideon, Ezra, and Nehemiah, who were
called to lead the Israelites in living in covenant with
God.

Lesson 1: September 6, 2009
Joshua: A Leader for the People
Joshua 1:1–11; 16–17
God chose Joshua to succeed Moses as Israel’s
leader. God’s criterion for choosing Joshua was
based on Joshua’s careful observance of the Law
given through Moses. God promised to be with
Joshua, and encouraged him to be strong, obedient,
and courageous.

Lesson 2: September 13, 2009
Gideon: A Deliverer for the People
Judges 6:1–3, 7–14
The Israelites were disobedient to God. As punishment,
God allowed them to suffer at the hand of
the Midianites for seven years. God then called
Gideon to deliver the Israelites. Gideon, an ordinary
person with feelings of inadequacy, was empowered
by God to complete the task. The story of Gideon,
the self-described weakest member of the weakest
family in Israel, demonstrates that God calls and
equips ordinary people to bring about extraordinary
changes.

Lesson 3: September 20, 2009
Ezra: A Priest for the People
Ezra 9:5–11, 15
Ezra leads the people of Israel in a prayer of confession
for their disobedience to God. Sin, wherever
it may be found, seems so prevalent that we often do
not know how to deal with it. What should be our
response to sin? The priest Ezra, who had opened his
heart and mind to God’s teachings, diligently taught
the people the laws of God and responded to sin
among the Israelites by fervently praying for God’s
forgiveness and grace.

Lesson 4: September 27, 2009
Nehemiah: A Motivator for the People
Nehemiah 2:5, 11–20
Nehemiah prayed for guidance and then sought
permission from the king to go to Jerusalem to
rebuild the temple. His actions motivated Jews to
help accomplish this task. Life’s problems sometimes
threaten to immobilize us. Where can we find
encouragement to move in the right direction
again? The story of Nehemiah shows us that God
sends dedicated leaders who pray for change and
motivate people to move in God’s direction.

UNIT 2. AN OPEN INVITATION TO
COVENANT LIVING
In these four lessons, stories are taken from the
book of Mark in which Jesus interacted with people
and invited them to live in covenant with God.

Lesson 5: October 4, 2009
Looking for Jesus
Mark 1:35–45
Because of people’s recognition of His teaching
and healing, Jesus’ ministry extended into all of
Galilee. We often seek out people we believe can
help us solve our problems. Where can we find such
people? The people of Galilee realized that Jesus
had the words of life and a healing touch, so they
went looking for Him.

Lesson 6: October 11, 2009
Recognizing Jesus
Mark 5:1–13, 18–20
Jesus encountered a man possessed by demons.
He delivered the man and cast the demons into a
herd of pigs. Afterward, He commissioned the man
to go out and share his story. At times, our problems
are so overwhelming and can cause such alienation
that we do not know where to turn. What help is
available? Mark’s account of the Gerasene demoniac
demonstrates that Jesus is able to break the chains
that bind and isolate us, and bring us back into community.

Lesson 7: October 18, 2009
Begging to Get In
Mark 7:24–30
Jesus encountered a Gentile woman who believed
that He could heal her daughter who was possessed
by an unclean spirit. Though Jesus challenged her,
the woman persisted in her faith. We are sometimes
astonished by the faith and tenacity that people
exhibit. What motivates people to maintain such an
attitude? The woman of Syrophoenicia believed that
Jesus could heal her daughter, so she persisted
despite Jesus’ challenging questions.

Lesson 8: October 25, 2009
Opting Out!
Mark 10:17–31
A rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life. Jesus instructed the young man
to sell all that he had, give to the poor and follow
Him. The young man was unwilling to do so and
went away sad. People wonder whether eternal life
exists and how they may obtain it. What leads to eternal
life? Jesus teaches that to become true followers
and inherit the gift of eternal life, we must submit
ourselves wholly (completely) to God.

UNIT 3. THE NEW COVENANT
COMMUNITY
These four lessons examine 1 and 2 Peter to discern
the qualities that people who are part of God’s
covenant community possess.

Lesson 9: November 1, 2009
A Holy People
1 Peter 1:13–25
Peter teaches us to have holiness modeled after
God’s holiness. The world is a sordid place where
people try to step up and over others in order to get
ahead. Why, then, should we want to become holy
people? Peter’s first letter says that God’s people
should be holy because God is holy.

Lesson 10: November 8, 2009
A Chosen People
1 Peter 2:1–10
Peter called the people to come together in faith
and form a new community. He taught that salvation
includes an ongoing process of being built into a
“spiritual house” where Christ is the foundation and
cornerstone. The people of God are called to proclaim
God’s amazing deeds. The way we live sends a
clear signal about who we are and what we believe.
What distinguishes members of the Christian church
from other groups? Peter teaches that we are a “royal
priesthood,” a “holy nation,” whose purpose is to
declare God’s mighty acts, as Peter did in Acts 4.

Lesson 11: November 15, 2009
A Suffering People
1 Peter 4:12–19
Peter teaches how Christians are to respond when
they suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Life tests us in
many ways. How are we to respond to the trials and
sufferings that come our way? Peter believed that
those who suffer as Christians are to rejoice as they
follow Christ, even as the apostles did when they
were arrested for teaching people about Jesus.

Lesson 12: November 22, 2009
A Faithful People
2 Peter 1:3–15
Peter teaches about the faith of a godly person
and the relationship between deeply rooted faith
and godly living. We all have faith in something or
someone, but we often find it hard to develop this
faith. How can we support and strengthen a growing
and effective faith? Peter’s second letter teaches that
goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness,
mutual affection, and love all undergird a growing
faith.

Lesson 13: November 29, 2009
A Hopeful People
2 Peter 3:1–13
To encourage them to endure through persecution,
Peter writes to persecuted Christians concerning
the promise of Christ’s return. Even in the toughest
situations, an encouraging word from a friend
can make all the difference in how we respond to
challenges that confront us. How, then, can we
encourage others to keep persevering when barriers
seem insurmountable? Peter taught people how to
live as they awaited Christ’s return, and Paul and
Barnabas taught people to hold fast to their faith.

Children’s Church 3rd Qtr: Loving The World

 Children’s Church
Lessons for August 9-November 1, 2009

  

Unit 1:  Service

• Lesson 1           Kid Serve
  • Power Point: God wants me to serve others. 
• Lesson 2           Doing My Part
  • Power Point: l am part of God’s plan. 
• Lesson 3           Humble Hearts
  • Power Point:     I will serve with a humble heart. 
• Lesson 4           Faithful Finisher
  • Power Point: I will be faithful in serving Jesus.

 

Unit 2: Evangelism

• Lesson 5           I’ll Tell!
  • Power Point: I can tell others about Jesus. 
• Lesson 6           Good News!
  • Power Point: Jesus gives us good news to share! 
• Lesson 7           Come With Me
  • Power Point: We can invite friends to church. 
• Lesson 8           Walk My Talk
  • Power Point: My life’s example will show Jesus. 
• Lesson 9           Faith Story
  • Power Point: I can tell my faith story to others.

 

Unit 3: Missions

• Lesson 10         God Calls
  • Power Point: God calls us for exciting things.
•  Lesson 11         Spirit-Filled Sharing
  • Power Point: God’s Spirit will help me share Jesus. 
• Lesson 12         God Goes with Me
  • Power Point: I’ll go with God’s saving message.

 

Review:  Loving the World

• Lesson 13         The Main Event!

Game-day review

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