Strong Tower Bible Church | worshipping at The People’s Church | 3pm on Sundays phone: 615.791.7050 | fax: 615.791.8337 | email: info@stbch.org www.strongtowerbiblechurch.com

Experiencing and Expanding God’s Diverse Kingdom

May 2012

Christian Education Equipping Center

Our 13-week spring semester comes to a close this month. Stay tuned for summer opportunities as well as our NEW fall

semester of discipleship/mentoring classes beginning in September. If you have any ideas for future CEEC classes

please contact Kristi McLelland.

CEEC Teacher Appreciation Dinner Saturday, May 26 | 5:00pm Carrabbas’s (Cool Springs)

High School Joshua Cochran

Independence High School

Ora Corr Homeschool

Darius Fitzgerald Homeschool

Ashley Jones Franklin High School

Tim McClung Franklin High School

Jasmine Mullen Franklin Classical School

Bianca Nouvet Franklin Classical School

Elkena Kadijah Steele Renaissance High School, Detroit

Dante Williamson Franklin High School

Higher Education Edward Allen, Jr.

Belmont – MBA

Asa Briggs Vanderbilt - Nurse Practitioner Master’s Degree

Sherena LeeAnn Hudson Christian Brothers University – Bachelor’s Human Resource Management

Raye McDonald Belmont – Master’s Sports Administration

Sharese Richardson MTSU – Master’s Teaching Education

Adrienne Inez Sands Washington University – Bachelor’s Mathematics & Economics

We will have a special service to honor graduates on Sunday, May 27.

Sunday, May 13th

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Experience God’s Diverse Kingdom in Spanish!

Iglesia Biblica Torre Fuerte

Sundays 1:30pm Studio B at The People’s Church

Pastor Dagoberto Figueroa dagofigo@yahoo.com

615-977-4809

Calendar�of�Events�

May 6 Worship Service, message by Marvin Corr, 3pm May 13 Mother’s Day, message by Alfreda Harris & Debbie French, 3pm May 20 Children’s Ministry Teacher Training May 20 Worship with One Voice Gospel Choir, 3pm May 27 Graduation Sunday, message by Pastor CZ May 30 Girls’ & Women’s Summer Discipleship begins June 3 Message series begins: Dr. Luke’s Parables June 14 C3 Fight Hunger: Games June 16 Pre-Membership Class, 9am-12pm

Host�families�needed�for�the�One�Voice�Gospel�Choir!�

�

We need several STBC families to host this group of 20 college students for three nights (May 19-21). They can be divided into groups of two, three, or four depending upon the size of your house. There are 8 women and 12 men in the choir.

If interested, you will need to: 1. Register with Tanya (tfranklin@stbch.org) and let her

know how many students you can accommodate. 2. Pick up your students from Pastor Chris’ home on

Saturday May 19 at 7:00pm and house them for the evening.

3. Bring your students to The People’s Church (TPC) on Sunday May 20 at 6:30am. You will pick up your students from TPC at 7:30pm, provide dinner, and house them for the evening.

4. Bring your students to TPC on Monday May 21 at 6:30am, and pick them up between 5 and 6pm from TPC, provide dinner, and house them for the evening.

5. Bring your students to STBC Office on Tuesday May 22 by 9:00am.

Thank you in advance for your kindness STBC!

April 2012 Contributions: $123,710.07

If you have an urgent need, please call our 24-hour iCare number at 615-693-2795.

You know the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” Well, many Diverse Kingdom flowers will blossom at Strong Tower Bible Church in the month of May.

Smell the May Flowers…

Gardenias on May 6 when our very own Marvin Corr will deliver God’s word. Marvin is a former pastor of 16 years in the great state of Michigan. God brought Marvin, his wife Lorrie, and their “large tribe” to STBC several years ago, and they have been faithful and fruitful assets to our body ever since.

Cherry Blossoms on May 6 when I “expand God’s Diverse Kingdom” by preaching at Calvary Evangelical Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Orchids on May 7-12 when I begin the first classes for my doctorate at Regent University in Virginia Beach. Classes will be held from 8am to 8pm everyday. Please PRAY for your pastor!

Marigolds on Mother’s Day, May 13 when Mrs. Alfreda Harris and Mrs. Debbie French will both minister God’s word. These two women will bless us from the perspective of being daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, and yes—grandmothers!

Geraniums on May 20 when Cedarville University’s Gospel Choir, One Voice, will visit us. This diverse group of 20 college students from Cedarville, Ohio will minister in both morning services for The People’s Church before ministering at our 3:00 service.

One Voice will also share with our youth on Sunday evening, and on Monday morning they will sing at New Hope Academy. Finally, on Tuesday afternoon they will minister to the teenagers at Franktown Open Hearts before heading to Memphis. We will need some of our STBC families to provide housing for them. See the announcement in this bulletin and online for details.

Jasmines on May 27 when Pastor Curtis Zackery and his wife Monique will fly in from Richmond, California to bring us the word on this special Graduation Sunday. “CZ” served in our church for several years as our Student Director and Pastor of Outreach before accepting the Lord’s call to go to California to serve at a revitalized church plant and go to seminary. STBC will honor our high school and college graduates on this Sunday.

Be sure to tell a friend about God’s great garden at STBC. The bouquet He is assembling is beyond beautiful and the fragrance is out of this world!

Pastor Chris’ Corner

May Flowers

We are preparing to take 2 teams to Israel in 2013. Our March 2-15, 2013 Israel Team (Team #1) is FULL, but we are currently receiving applications/deposits for the April 26-May 9th Team (Team #2). If you would like to participate on the 2nd Israel Trip/Program, please contact Kristi McLelland.

2013 Team #1 Meeting

Saturday, June 2 | 6:30pm Room 312 @ TPC

Snacks & drinks provided

RSVP to: Kristi McLelland | kmclelland@stbch.org

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Baby Dedications are the 2nd Sunday of the month. If you would like to have your baby dedicated, please contact the church office.

Baptisms are the 3rd Sunday of the month. If you would like to be baptized, contact Akilah Brooks to participate in a baptism class on the 2nd Sunday of each month.

Interested in Membership at STBC? STBC has a Pre-Membership class every other month on a Saturday morning from 9 to 12. If your schedule does not allow for this class, you can meet with one of our staff members at the church office during the week. Fill out a Connect Card in the lobby or visit the STBC website to sign-up for the

next class and get a Pre-Membership Application.

For Baby Dedications & Membership, contact: Tanya Franklin | tfranklin@stbch.org

For Baptisms, contact: Akilah Brooks | akilahbrooks@att.net

Need a Notary Public?

Contact Linda Bailey at 615-599-1657 or call the church office

It’s not too late to join!

Destination: Miami to Key West, FL, Cozumel, Mexico

Cost: inside cabins start at $349 per person

Contact: Kristi McLelland | kmclelland@stbch.org

Women’s Calibration Cruise January 3 – 7, 2013

Want to learn more about Strong Tower Bible Church?

Whether you are new to Strong Tower or have been coming around for a while, we invite you to join us for our next Pre-Membership Class:

Pre-Membership�Class�Saturday,�June 16,�9-12pm�

(childcare will be provided)

In this class, you will get to learn more about STBC’s history, structure, integrity, doctrine, goals, and ministries. You will also be able to discover how you can connect spiritually, socially, and vocationally. Fill out a Connect Card in the lobby, call the church office or visit the STBC website to sign-up and get a Pre-Membership Application.

Book: Hinds’ Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard

13 weeks, beginning May 30 & May 31 Wednesday nights 6:30-8:00pm

Room 312, 3rd floor of TPC

Thursday mornings 9:00-10:30am Room 164A, 1st floor of TPC

for rising 9th graders & older

(childcare provided on Wednesday nights)

Sign up on Sundays or RSVP to kmclelland@stbch.org

Children’s Ministry�

We begin a new semester in Children’s Ministry in June. If you would like to serve our children,

Nursery through 5th grade, please sign up to volunteer and plan to attend Teacher Orientation on May 20th at 2pm.

Semester dates: June 3-September 30.

3 ways to sign up:

1. Visit the table in the lobby, Sundays beginning May 13, 2012 2. Visit our website to submit an application 3. Email Carrie Barga at cbarga@stbch.org

First Impressions Team

We are looking for volunteers to join the First Impressions Team. The mission of the First Impressions Team is to represent Jesus through hospitality by welcoming, informing and serving our guests and church family. Stop by the Welcome Desk on Sundays for more information about the First Impressions Team. The only qualifications are a desire to serve and a warm smile!

Contact: Robin Warden | rwarden@stbch.org | 615.791.7050

See below for opportunities to serve your church:

C3�Summer Missions 2012�

We are focusing on Missions and Community this summer! C3 is collecting food items in the month of May to fight hunger

throughout Middle Tennessee! Find out what it’s like to live in one of the poorest ‘Districts’ and have to survive when food, money, and resources

are scarce. You won’t want to miss this!

Fight�Hunger:�Games�A reality game of survival!

Thursday, June 14th (Drop your items by the Smoothie Connect bar on Sundays)

C3 Smoothie Connect bar is back! Sr. & Jr. High Students: meet us in the Gallery before AND after service

on Sundays through the summer to pick up a FREE smoothie and a schedule of fun community and missions events for the summer!

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Jr.�High�Students�(6th�– 8th�Grade)�

Sr.�High�Students�(9th�– 12th�Grade)�

Sundays – 5:00

C3 Sr. High Pursuit will meet May 6 & 20th after service at the Big White House. Beginning May 27th, our meeting time will move to before church from

1:00-2:30pm @ The Big White House

Contact: Ryan Roth | rroth@stbch.org 615.915.9066

The Red Road, a Native American ministry run by Charles and Siouxsan Robinson, will again be returning to reservations with Baskets of Hope. By teaming up with local churches on the reservations, they will be delivering these laundry baskets filled with household goods to families in need. They use this

opportunity to share the Love and Hope found only in Jesus with tribal members. Anyone interested in supporting The Red Road by providing a Basket of Hope, or would like to make a financial donation, can see Charles at his table in the lobby on Sundays.

Deadline to have the Baskets turned in is Sunday, May 13. To learn more about this ministry, visit www.theredroad.org.

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June�4�– 8th�9am – 12pm�

TPC is having their annual VBS for children who have completed Kindergarten-4th grade. Volunteers are needed for set up and to serve the children during the week. (Free childcare for volunteer’s children).

Contact: Janeane Decker or Amy Fenton at TPC to register your children or to volunteer!

Janeane Decker | jdecker@thepeopleschurch.org Amy Fenton | afenton@thepeopleschurch.org

615.465.5000

Sundays Alive! 6th-8th grade will remain in service for the

months of May – July.

Wednesdays – 6:30-8:00pm (3rd floor of TPC in the C3 Room)

Fun, fellowship and a great message in a challenging way! Bring your Bibles and your friends!

Contact: Stefani Johns | sjohns@stbch.org

The Gathering�an�opportunity�for�community�

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Sunday, June 3, 12pm�@The Little White House

If you are a part of the Worship Ministry (choir/singers, band, drama,

dance, or media), Security, Ushers or First Impressions, you are invited to join us for The Gathering on June 3, at 12:00pm.

If you are interested in serving in one of these ministries join us at The Gathering to learn more about Upreach Ministries at STBC.

RSVP through The Hub or at strongtowerbiblechurch.com

The Key Alliance, partnering with the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission, will hold the second annual Run for the Homeless 5K through Downtown Nashville on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Hall of Fame Park (across from the Country Music Hall of Fame). All proceeds

will benefit Housing First, which connects Nashville's most vulnerable homeless individuals with housing and case management opportunities. Runners, walkers, individuals, families & teams are welcome!

For more information or to register, visit: thekeyalliance.org/5k

Pre–registration Fee: $25 per person, $10 for kids 12 & under. Registration at the event is $30 per person, $15 for kids 12 & under.