us. We remember that with each

new day, each new week, each

new month, each new season

comes a change in the weather,

but no change in our charge

from our God – and no change

in His provision for us.

Recently two dear friends

shared a passage from the

Psalms with my wife and me. At

the time, the need was personal

and physical. However, listen to

the encouragement for every

situation, even those that seem

to never end. “My flesh and my

heart fail; but God is the strength

of my heart and my portion for-

ever” (Psalm 73:26).

“But may the God of all

grace, who called us to His eter-

nal glory by Christ Jesus, after

you have suffered a while, per-

fect, establish, strengthen, and

settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

Winter can get pretty long

– especially when the snow

keeps piling up. We had a brief

warm spell a while back, and

lost a lot of snow. We were al-

most basking in the “warm

weather.” Almost. Then came

last week’s blizzard. Snow eve-

rywhere – again. Of course, I

remind myself that it is winter,

after all. What do I expect? Why

would I think winter was over?

We haven’t even had the state

basketball tournaments yet. So,

like getting to church after the

blizzard, we trudge forward. We

know that spring is coming; we

also know that there is likely

more snow coming. How do we

deal with situations that just

seem never to get better? Should

we merely think spring?

The Lord through His

Apostle Paul encourages us to

press forward, to ignore the

blizzards that were or might yet

be. Because focusing on the

storm will only cause us to sink.

The ministries God has given

each of us continue regardless of

the weather, or any other hin-

drance that might rise up to meet

Bible Distribution Ministry at Walworth By: Ryan Olson, Director, Bible Senders

The members of Walworth

Baptist Church have created a

DVD tract entitled In 100 years.

This DVD is just under nine

minutes and we think it can be a

great tool for outreach. We are

offering to churches a master

copy of the DVD with their own

church name and contact infor-

mation free of charge. After that

you can make copies how you

wish or you can send them to a

company that they are using

called Idea Media. You can get

1,000 copies made with a white

sleeve for around $460.00 plus

shipping. If you would like to

view the video you can visit

www.afterdeathwhat.com and it

will start playing automatically.

If you would like more informa-

tion you may contact Pastor Ben

Carpenter at 218-567-8244 or e-

m a i l a f t e r d e a t h -

what@gmail.com.

A PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

February 23, 2011 Volume V, Issue 1

North Star Update

Calendar

March 12: Twin Cities As-

sociation

March 27: Installation,

Rev. Dwight DePen-

ning, Redwood Falls

April 2: Southwest Asso-

ciation

April 4 and 5: MBA Pas-

tors’ & Wives’

June 24,25: MBA Annual

Meeting

Inside This Issue:

Fellowship Foundations 2

MBA Trustees Report 2

Smetak resumes Ministry 2

Poster for State Ladies 3

Southeast Ladies Meet 3

Twin Cities Association

The Twin City Baptist As-

sociation Annual Meeting will

be held on Saturday, March 12,

2011 at the Lighthouse Baptist

Church, Cottage Grove.

Registration will begin at

Noon with services and business

sessions to follow. The meeting

will end around 5:00 p.m.

* * *

MBA Pastor’s & Wives’

This year’s Pastors’ &

Wives’ fellowship will be held

at First Baptist Church in Bax-

ter, MN. The dates are April 4

and 5. Pastor and Mrs. Grotzke

are looking forward to hosting

the pastors and wives of the

state. Plan now to attend. More

information will be coming.

* * *

The MBA Annual Meet-

ings for 2011 will be at First

Baptist, Sr. Francis, June 24-25.

Events

The Strength of Our Heart

If you like snow, and

plenty of it, you must be giddy

with the blanket of that white

stuff covering one-half of our

Country. Driving the roads of

Minnesota in the winter pre-

sents challenges, but at the end

of each trip Rhoda and I always

receive many blessings.

From December 19 th

where we reported in the last

UPDATE that we would be at

First Baptist, International Falls

teaching the Sunday School and

preaching the Morning Service,

we finished December with no

other “on the road” opportuni-

ties. Our Schedule then in-

cluded –

January 2 – I was asked to

preach the Morning Service at

Grace Baptist Fellowship, Sar-

tell, as their pastor Mark

O’Brien (Brenda) was still re-

covering from an illness. It was

a blessing to become ac-

quainted with that church and

congregation.

January 6 – I attended a

Meeting of the new church

Committee chaired by Pastor

Doug Roman, held at 4th Baptist

church meeting room.

January 9 – I had planned

to attend Services at First Bap-

tist, St. Francis, but the sched-

uled pulpit supply at Coon Rap-

ids became ill, and I was asked

by the deacons to teach Sunday

School and preach both the

Morning and Evening Services.

Pray with Coon Rapids as they

seek God’s man for the pastor-

ate there.

January 23 – We were able

to visit the Evening Service at

First Baptist, New Ulm, Pastor

who prayed and showed

interested in his recovery.

As he had the second sur-

gery, his doctor later com-

mented, “We did all we

were able to do, but it was

the prayers of your people

that really made the differ-

ence (in fact prayers came

from two foreign countries,

a dozen states, and 30 some

Minnesota churches).

Now he is praising the

Lord 1) that the Mayo Clinic

bill has been 99.5% covered,

and 2) that he has been

slowly getting back into

speaking opportunities in

Back in November

2010, Pastor Larry Smetak,

Highland Park Baptist

Church, underwent by-pass

heart surgery. His surgery

was followed by a heart at-

tack. Now, ten weeks later,

he sends a “thank you” to all

recent days. “I am so glad

that the blood of Jesus is

such a great message. It has

become all the more per-

sonal in these days. Thank

you to community friends

who have prayed or shown

interest in all these events.”

“Why? Why me? Good

questions; if we leave it all

with God, He will show

Himself strong on our be-

half. Life is filled with many

trials and struggles,” Pastor

Smetak added. “When you

pass through the waters, I

will be with you.”

Fellowship Foundations By: Rev. Robert J. Fuller, Sr., Interim State Missionary

Dr. Smetak Resumes Duties in St. James

MBA Trustees Meeting

of their board meetings. Mrs.

Gerald (Dana) Stephens pro-

vided a delicious noon meal.

Thank you, Dana.

President Gerald Stephens

led the meeting until he had to

leave and then Vice-President

V. Richard Jensen took over the

meeting. Secretary Dave

Rogers took minutes and Treas-

urer Brian Veth gave the Finan-

Nineteen of the twenty-one

trustees of the Minnesota Bap-

tist Association along with the

Interim State Missionary and

the four officers met at Com-

munity Baptist Church in New

Prague on January 24th for one

Page 2 North Star Update

Continued on page 4

Continued on page 4

Baptist in Owatonna has the

ministry of giving a home-

made blanket to their elderly

members. First Baptist, Pre-

ston has the ministry to the

men and women in the

Armed Forces. Community

Baptist in New Prague has

an outreach ministry to its

community with the food

giveaway called Have-A-

Heart. At the end of our

meeting Cathy Haynes, First

Baptist in Spring Valley,

The ladies of the South-

eastern Association gathered

for their fall Fellowship on

October 16. We enjoy the

time of fellowship at the

Hubbell House in Mantor-

ville, Minnesota. There were

around 30 women who de-

cided to attend this event.

Besides the wonderful meal

three churches presented

different ways in which they

are trying to reach out to

their community. Grace

gave the devotional on hav-

ing compassion for others as

Christ

had

compas-

sion for

us.

Southeast Ladies Meet By: Dana Stephens

Page 3 Volume V, Issue 1

(Loretta), having been invited

to attend a pastor and wife sup-

per and fellowship. The church

has beautiful facilities, and it

was a blessing to be with those

who attended.

January 30 – We took

occasion to visit Rockford Bap-

tist, Pastor Roger Louks

(Sherri). Pastor allowed me

some time at the end of the

Morning Service to give a brief

report on the Pillsbury Campus

Bob Fuller, Sr., (Jacque).

January 24 – I attended the

meetings of the MBA Execu-

tive Committee and Full Board

held at Community Baptist,

New Prague. Pastor Jerry

Stephens (Dana) do a wonder-

ful job hosting the meeting, and

supplied a delectable lunch for

the Board Members.

That evening, we jour-

neyed to Calvary Baptist, Gra-

nada, Pastor John Schofield

sale progress and some of the

latest decisions of the MBA

Board regarding our Associa-

tion. The ladies (and men) of

the church prepared a delicious

carry-in meal that we all en-

joyed thoroughly. We enjoy

many friends at that church, and

pastor Louks is doing a great

job there.

If I can be of any service

to you or your church, please

contact me.

Fellowship Foundations, continued from page 2

A PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

PO Box 527 Willmar, MN 56201-0527

We’re on the web! http:www.mbaoc.org

MBA Contacts

Minnesota Baptist Association

Rev. Gerald Stephens, President

Community Baptist Church

PO Box 212

New Prague, MN 56071

(952) 758-3287

pastor@npcbc.org

Interim State Missionary

Rev. Robert Fuller, Sr.

1549 118th Lane NW

Coon Rapids, MN 55448

(763) 568-4078

rjfsr4@juno.com

MBA Office

contact@mbaoc.org

Minnesota Baptist Association

PO Box 527

Willmar, MN 56201-0527

Send Contributions to:

Mr. Brian Veth, MBA Treasurer

c/o Coon Rapids Baptist Church

11164 Hanson Blvd.

Coon Rapids, MN 55433

Send Update Articles and Pictures to:

drjfjr@comcast.net

North Star Update Editor

315 S. Payne St.

New Ulm, MN 56073

(507) 354-3323

cial Report. Dr. Robert Fuller,

Jr., gave a report on the sale of

Pillsbury. Continue to pray for

the timely sale of this prop-

erty.

Pastor Doug Roman, the

chairman of the Church Plant-

ing Committee, outlined the

“nuts and bolts” of the new

program to start churches in

the State of Minnesota. Candi-

date and pastoral questionnaires

have been developed. Also, a tab

will be placed on the MBA web-

site (www.mbaoc.net) to inform

and encourage church planting in

Minnesota.

The next meeting of the

Trustees will take place a few

hours before the Annual Meeting

starts on June 24, 2011, at the

First Baptist Church of St.

Francis. The next day, Satur-

day, June 25th, will be a full

day of fellowshipping and

listening to God’s Word. Hope

to see you there.

MBA Trustees Meeting, continued from page 2