Churches:

Argenta

Arthur

Atwood

Boody

Calvary

Emmanuel

Fellowship

Findlay

Forsyth

Galilee

Hammond

Heyworth

Lincoln

Lovington

Mt. Zion

Shiloh

Sullivan

Summit Avenue

Tabernacle

Tri-Valley

Mission Statement Central Baptist

Association exists to foster

relationships among

churches in order to assist

them in fulfilling the Great

Commission.

The Vision of CBA is to

see churches collaborat-

ing together to build the

Kingdom of God.

In This Issue:

Front Page-CBA Semi-

Annual Meeting & Tom’s

Prayer Pointers

Page 2-Anniversaries &

Birthdays, Coming

Events, BCH&FS New

Director Named

Page 3-Pro-Life News,

Children & Youth events

Back page-Calendar,

News from the Pews,

Focus Funnies

Central Baptist Association (217) 330-7593

Email: CBADecaturOffice@yahoo.com

Volume XIX No. 9

September 2016

1255 S. Lake Ridge Ave. Decatur, IL 62521

Website: www.cbadecatur.com Building God’s Kingdom -Together Eph. 2:19-22

the darkness...prayer is a key weapon in the battle.” Glen Martin writes, “The last think Satan wants is a praying people. He will do everything possible to intimidate and discourage you, to make you feel overwhelmed by the task.”

Thom Rainer writes, “Evangelizing the unchurched is spiritual warfare. Satan and his demonic horde will do

anything they can to hinder someone from becoming a believer. Only prayer can effectively break the bonds of complacency, tradition, and nit-picking that keep a church’s focus off evangelism.” Thom Rainer writes of his extensive research, “I could not find one declining church that had an ongoing prayer ministry specifically for the lost—churches that are asking for souls are receiving evangelistic harvests—prayer is still the primary church growth principle.” Jesus said (John 15:5) “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.” Our job is to abide in a relationship with the Master Builder and allow Him to build His church through us.

From Thomas E. Miller

Some years ago, Tim Sadler challenged our churches with REACH (Reaching Every Available Community Household). I was the Interim Pastor at Heyworth at the time and was blessed to be given much of the material Tim was sharing with our churches. I’ve read some of it over and over and over, because it was so practical—down to earth—what I felt our churches needed to be looking at IF we truly wanted to experience church growth. Some of what you’ll be reading, you’ve read before, but it is good stuff and you’ll do well to read it over and over until it is part of who you are. C. Peter Wager writes, “The more deeply I dig beneath the surface of church growth principles, the more thoroughly convinced I become that the real battle is a spiritual battle and that our principle weapon is prayer.” Chuck Lawless writes, “Because making disciples is the central aspect of fulfilling the Great Commission, it stands to reason that Satan would want to scheme against churches that seek to produce disciples...the Enemy works daily to defeat those who have invaded

Saturday, October 1st, 2016 At First Baptist, Atwood, IL

10 AM-2 PM

Lunch at Noon

Messengers need to sign up at churches and contact

the CBA office (217) 330-7593, with the number attending the meal by Sept. 27th.

THE REAL BATTLE-A SPIRITUAL BATTLE

C. Peter Wager writes, “The more deeply I dig

beneath the surface of church growth principles, the

more thoroughly convinced I become that the real

battle is a spiritual battle and that our principle

weapon is prayer.”

National Sunday School

Directors Seminar Saturday, Sept. 10th, 2016

At Second Baptist, Marion, IL Basic overview of the workings of an effective Sunday School. LifeWay is charging $39 per person to attend. IBSA has a scholarship available for the representative (Pastor or SS Leader) from 25 churches to attend.

Where: St. Paul's Lutheran Church 1 Bachrach Court, Decatur, IL 62526

When: Fri, September 23-Sat, September 24, 2016

Once again, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Tabernacle Bap-tist Church of Decatur, Illinois have partnered together to spon-sor the Feed My Starving Children, Decatur Community Mo-bilePack Event. We have set a goal to pack 250,000 meals this time. Over two days and five packing sessions, we will engage 1,300+ volun-teers for this MobilePack event from all over the Decatur Com-munity. With each meal costing 22 cents, we need to raise a total of $55,000 to cover the cost of these meals. We encourage you to form a team, set a goal and begin fundraising, join along with us in our key fundraising events, and get ready to pack with us in September. Make A Difference, Decatur!

Devore to retire after 43 years at BCHFS. Dennis Hydrick is the new executive director of Illinois

Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services. Hydrick began working alongside current Executive

Director Doug Devore August 15th, and will take sole responsibility for the role Jan. 15th, 2017. Devore has served 43 years with BCHFS, including 21 years as its leader.

Hydrick is currently director of clinical services for Florida United Methodist Children’s Home. He previously worked at Methodist Children’s Home of Mississippi as executive director. He’s a graduate of Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, where he earned masters degrees in Religious Education, and Marriage and Family Counseling.

Hydrick and his wife, Susanne, have four children: Addison, Morgan, Bradley, and college junior Laura Beth.

The annual prayer emphasis near the start of each school year expanded to a full week. “See You at the Pole” day is Wednesday, September 28th, 2016. Students are urged to gather at the flagpole in front of their school at 7 a.m. to pray.

Organizers of the event, which is now 25 years old, have called for a “global week of student prayer” Sept. 25th-Oct. 1st. The goal is to gather and pray each day, and from those gatherings to launch student prayer groups and Bible studies at school. The theme is “We Cry Out, a generation seeking Him!” from Psalm 24:3-6.

At IBSA Building, Spgfld. 9 AM-4:15 PM $10 per person, affiliated; $15 per person, non-affiliated Includes lunch and listening guide. (il.sbcworkspace.com/Pub/Event/Register/55226253)

September 5th, 2016

Birthdays

4-Benjamin Garrett (Mt. Zion)

5-Vickie Marshall (Mt. Zion)

6-Brandon Smith (Mt. Zion)

10-Dale Granda (Lincoln/Summit Ave.)

23-Bethany Andrews (Emmanuel)

-Renee Smith (Mt. Zion)

24-Julie Andrews (Emmanuel)

Wedding Ann.

21-Tom & Pauline Miller (Tabernacle)

Cost: 25 per person includes dinner.

($30 for non-IBSA churches)

Doors open at 2:45 p.m. Event ends at 9:00 p.m.

Youth Encounter T-shirts

pre-sale for $10 (until 9/25) /$15 at door

Check out IBSA.org/YE2016 for artists and speakers.

Register Online Today @IBSA.org/YE2016

—Three-quarters of the nation’s abortion mills have

permanently closed in the last 15 years.

—70 of those clinics have closed during the last 12 months.

—The number of operating abortion mills in 1991 was 2,176.

—The number of operating abortion mills today is 512.

Bloomberg reports show that downward trends in abortions have accelerated to the fastest annual pace to record since 2011, with 321 abortion facilities closing or discontinuing abortions each year. Bloomberg attributes this to state regulations that make it too expensive or logistically impossible for facilities to remain in business. The report also indicated that industry consolidation, changing demographics, and declining demand were also behind the drop, along with doctor retirements and crackdowns on unfit providers. Praise the Lord!

NEW LIFE PREGNANCY CENTER’s

BANQUET FOR LIFE-LAUGH FOR LIFE!

Tuesday, Sept. 27th at 6:30 PM At the Mt. Zion Convention Center

1400 Mt. Zion Pkwy, Mt. Zion, IL

Guest Speaker: Mike Williams Mike is a nationally known speaker and writer who has a passion for life. He is heard daily on the SiriusXM’s Laugh USA. He has recorded 17 comedy projects and written 8 books. Mike’s own adoption story, and the rescue and subsequent adoption of his son will move you to tears of great joy. He will have you rolling on the floor with laughter, while simultaneously building your reverence for the work of local life-saving organizations. This year’s banquet has a waiting list, but if you’d like to underwrite the banquet or sponsor a table or find out how you can volunteer to help at the NLPC, call (217) 872-5556.

Illinois Changers is a low-cost, high-impact missions experience for Illinois Baptist students. Your students will have an opportunity to connect to God through exciting worship, connect to new friends from other churches and to experience hands-on mission projects.

September 23-24, 2016 is our next Illinois Changers opportunity! Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp will serve as our host location. Students will be able to help with several light construction projects on the campus. Space is limited, please check out the registration information at il.sbcworkspace.com/

Pub/Event/Register/55226499 so you can get your space reserved as soon as possible. The cost to attend this year is $25 which includes four meals, project supplies and Illinois Changers apparel.

There is an option for your group to stay over Saturday night at the camp for an additional $10 per student.

New this year! October 1, 2016

9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

IBSA Building, Springfield

Cost: $15 per person affiliated

with IBSA churches which

includes materials, lunch, and

a t-shirt.

Activities are designed for children in 1st-6th grade and their leaders.

This is a great event to build missions awareness for the children in your ministry program. Children will have the opportunity to hear about missionaires, make crafts and learn more about the culture in a certain part of the world through age appropriate activities.

September 2016 5th-LABOR DAY

10th-National Sunday School Directors Seminar @ 2nd, Marion 11th-18th-Mission Illinois Offering 15th at 11:30 AM-Pastor’s Gathering Lunch at Emmanuel 16th-17th-Mother/Daughter Camp at Lake Sallateeska 17th at 9 AM-Beth Moore Simulcast at IBSA, Spgfld. 22nd-23rd-Chaplaincy Conf. 23rd-24th-Illinois Changers at Lake Sallateeska 23rd-24th-Decatur Community Mobilepack Event at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 28th at 7 AM-See You At the Pole (25th-Oct 1st SYATP Week) 30th-Sept. 1st–Children’s Mission Celebration at IBSA Bldg.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE: The CBA OFFICE PHONE

NUMBER is now a landline Call: (217) 330-7593

(The other numbers won’t work)

Hammond MB-We are praising God at Hammond Missionary Baptist for the installation of a new roof that was covered by our insurance! It is an answer to prayer. Mt. Zion-AWANA-Open Registration will be on August 31st (Space is limited, first come/first served). Awana will begin on September 7th at 6:00 pm. This is open to all kids 3 years old–6th grade. For more information call 864-2052.

Sunday School Promotion Sunday, Sept. 4, 9:00 AM-All students will be promoted to their 2016/2017 grade.

Prayer Time Thursdays at 9 AM-This prayer time is essential to help us keep focused on the mission of developing devoted followers of Jesus Christ. You are invited to join us as we pray together for our church and country.

Shiloh MB-has a Family & Friends Day planned for Sept. 11th at 4 PM. On October 23rd, Pastor Alfonso & Margaret Hodges celebrate their Wedding Anniversary at 4 PM at the

church. In November they have a Women’s Day & Men’s Day planned for the 20th, with the women at 11 AM and the men at 4 PM. Then they have their annual Thanks-giving Service on the 24th at 10 AM.

Summit Ave.-had a wonderfully blessed by God VBS with a high attendance of 25 children on Tuesday, and 45 kids, moms and dads on Saturday’s celebration. Kudos to Valena Bragg who as Director brought it all together. The first VBS in several years that was a week long.

Sons of the Father will be in concert on Sunday morning 10:30 AM at Summit Ave. on Sept. 4th. A love offering will be taken up for the group.

Tabernacle-Awana is underway after a kickoff party August 17; we also held a back to school Bounce House Bash on August 19 for a fun night for kids & parents. Parents Day Out resumes September 6, 9am - 2pm, open to everyone, call the office for details, 877-5653. After several years absence, we will again be hosting Bible Study Fellowship on Monday mornings; contact Didi Camfield, 423-0622 for more information if interested in attending. But our most important event is a Capital Campaign to pay off the mortgage that kicks off September 17. Pray that we will be able to completely pay it off to allow us to reach out to more in our community.

Dr. Joey Krol was voted in as Senior Pastor at Galilee Baptist Church in Decatur, IL. Dr. Krol and his family served at South Tower Community Church in Dawson, IL for over 4 years. He also served as the manager of WLUJ Christian Radio in Springfield. Their first Sunday at Galilee is Sunday, September 4th. Welcome, Krol family!

FOCUS FUNNIES

Pastors’ Gathering Lunch Sept. 15th at 11:30 AM Emmanuel Baptist Church

More information to follow.

Adam, please don’t just throw your clothes everywhere.