A Monthly Publication of Main Street Baptist Church

Physical Location: 313 N. Main St. Grand Saline, TX 75140 Office Phone: 903.962.4536 Email: info@churchonmainstreet.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

themainline SUNDAY

9:40am | Bible Fellowship Groups 10:50am | Worship Celebration

CHURCH STAFF Dr. Bruce Smilie | Senior Pastor Don Johnson | Associate Pastor

Johnny Knowlton | Youth Minister Heather Good | Director of Children’s Ministry

Nancee Reddick | Ministry Assistant Curtis Good | Maintenance Director

WEDNESDAY 5:45pm | Kingdom Kidz

6:00pm | The Following (Student Ministry) 6:00pm | Bible Study Group

To be a disciple-making, multiply-

ing, missional church community,

where imperfect, irreligious, and

inquiring people are encouraged

and equipped, to become life

transformational, servant leaders

for the Kingdom of God.

THE VISION

To become completely committed Christ-followers (3Cs) who:

• Touch God through expressing and demonstrating love to Him, to Christ-followers, & to the unbelieving (worship).

• Transform lives through connecting in small groups, growing together in unity, maturity & Christ-likeness, and reaching out to serve others (fellowship, discipleship, and ministry).

• Take risks through relationally

and compassionately sharing

Jesus Christ locally, nationally,

and internationally

(evangelism/missions).

THE MISSION

Dear MSBC,

As I prepared to write this article, the death of the legendary, iconic comedian/entertainer, Jerry Lewis, came across the newswire. For as far back as I can remember as a child until the year 2010, Jerry Lewis hosted the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Labor Day Telethon. During my elementary school years, I, like many kids my age, both loved and hated the telethon. Loved it, because there were amazing Hol-lywood personalities on around the clock for 24 hours, beginning Sunday night until Labor Day evening. Hated it, because back in the day the new school year began the September day following the telethon. The telethon and Jerry Lewis was thus the last vestige of fun and freedom before the prison camp of school began!

In addition to the great Jerry Lewis, we have lost to death a number of notable Hollywood stars this year including Glen Campbell (the Rhinestone Cowboy), Roger Moore (James Bond), Ty Hardin (Bronco), Leonard Landy (Little Rascals), John Heard (Home Alone), Martin Landau (Mission Impossible), Adam West (Batman), Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band), Erin Moran (Happy Days), Don Rickles (legendary insult comedian), Chuck Bariss (The Gong Show), Chuck Berry (legendary musician), Judge Joseph Wapner (The People’s Court), Al Jarreau (Grammy-winning jazz singer), Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica), Mike Connors (Mannix), Mary Tyler Moore (The Dick Van Dyke Show; The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Barbara Hale (Perry Mason), Buddy Greco (jazz singer/pianist), and others.

We all have something in common with all these named above. Some or all of them may have been a part of your life and mine at some time, at least from an entertainment aspect. Along the way, they all had varying degrees of fame and success. So might we, comparatively speaking…or not. But most like them, we are all going to…to…to…well…die! (unless the Lord returns beforehand). With that stark reality in mind, please remember that burial clothes have no pockets and there are no U-Hauls behind hearses. In other words, when you die, you can’t take it with you. It doesn’t matter how famous you are, or how much stuff you have, or how big your bank account is, when your life is over on this planet, it’s over, and it’s all staying here!

But hopefully, in addition to whatever else you and I leave behind as we enter heaven’s gate, there will be a line of people who love us and people whom we love. These are the ones we’ve connected with and invested in and cared for over the course of our lives. They’re the ones, by the way, who are going to be in line behind the hearse when we pass from this world, not a U-Haul. And they will be there (hopefully in my case not because they are glad to see me go!) because you and I chose to follow Jesus’ words and example as His friends and spiritual fruit-bearers in John 15:12-17: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”

So, I just want to ask you a series of questions. What are you investing in? What matters most to you? What are you focused on? Is it on people or is it just selfishly on you or the things that you will leave behind when you depart this world that really don’t matter all that much in the grand scheme of things? If someone looked closely at your life, what would they say is most important to you?

Well, I want to encourage you to focus on investing in what Jesus thought most mattered, what He believed was most important, and what He invested in…people! By the way, studies have shown that people with the strongest social networks tend to live longer and healthier lives than other people, so investing lovingly in others pays off in multiple ways. So, if you want to delay that ultimate day of departure, invest in people! It’ll really pay off in this life and for all eternity.

Your friend and pastor,

Bruce

FOR THOSE WHO WEREN’T THERE

I couple of weeks ago we held a worship workshop in the worship center of our church. One goal of the worship workshop was to help us all get on the same page when it comes to the ministry of praise and worship to the Lord. In our first session, we covered what worship is NOT. I have included these in this month’s Main Line so that we can continue working on everyone “getting on the same page”. I hope each one of us will take each of these into prayerful consideration and ask the LORD to correct what should be corrected in our thoughts, beliefs and practices in worship.

WORSHIP IS NOT about me being served - it’s about me serving HIM.

WORSHIP IS NOT about your or my preference of music, songs, place, time, or expression. Our role is not the GOD role…it’s the RESPONDER role. We are First Responders to the

grace, mercy and love of GOD.

WORSHIP IS NOT just a routine or rhetoric (meaningless expressions) that we do to fill air

time on Sundays, or something we do by compulsion or by habit.

WORSHIP IS NOT about the setup, the instruments, or the traditions of man. It is not liturgies

or confessions, although these are means we can use to worship God.

WORSHIP IS NOT to be mundane or ordinary, although we can worship Him in the mundane and ordinary aspects of life. Our God is not ordinary or mundane; He is Magnificent and Om-nipresent. Thus, we need to make sure our worship does not become monotonous or it will become meaningless. We must see ourselves in His presence whether we are in a splendid

cathedral, on a beach, or in a basement, hiding from those who would persecute us.

WORSHIP IS NOT for our pleasure or experience. We tend to think that when we come to church, we should feel emotionally moved or be seeking what we can get out of it. Worship does not depend upon where we are or if we are pleased or moved. Yes, worship should be pleasing and we should be moved, but not in the way a lot of us Christians today think. We tend to think we are the ones to be pleased and moved, but this is the opposite of true worship. God is to be pleased. It is not about feeling good or being caught up in the experience or being affirmed or feeling good about self. It is purely giving Christ the glory. It is about bringing self into, [or coming into] His pres-ence with awe and reverence, joy and exuberance!

Do you see the difference? The exuberance, energy, and excitement we are to feel is not what we receive, it is what we give…what we give to Him (Psalm 111:1; Isaiah 29:13; Matt. 15:6; 1 Cor. 11:20; Col. 2:23).

Worship really isn’t an event on Sunday. It’s a lifestyle. Let’s devote ourselves to a lifetime of wor-shiping God! And let’s not make worship what worship is NOT.

Don

-Single Ladies-

September 10th

Lunch at: Peralta’s

…...

Wednesdays from

5:45—7:15pm

All Pre-K—6th Grade

are welcome!!

There will not be a session during the Fall season. We will announce later

when the next session will begin.

MEAL

September 15th After The Game

Chips & Dip, Sodas, Desserts

Ladies Bible Study

Begins Tuesday, Sept. 19th @ 1:00 p.m

@ Doris Duckworth’s

(431 Vz Cr 1717)

“With All I Am” ~ (4 Weeks)

taught by: Anita Thomas

CHOIR NOTES – SEPTEMBER 2017

We are people living in a busy world today. We often think that there just aren’t enough hours in a day to

get everything done that we need to do or want to do. Often times we use that as an excuse when we don’t

have time to be the wife, husband, son, daughter, friend, church member, or neighbor that we should be.

However, it is a fact that we all have the same 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year.

Where we run into trouble is what we choose to do with the time God has given each of us without

consulting Him. Most of the time we manage to do what is really important to us. We should seek God’s

will and ask for wisdom concerning how we spend our time. As Christians we should set godly priorities in

our lives. Sometimes it is hard to consistently take care of these priorities because there are so many other

things we want to do. We have to decide and really focus on the right things to do. Proverbs 4: 25-27 says:

“Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and

take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your feet from evil.”

So how do we decide what our priorities are and how our time is going to be used. We are not capable of

deciding what to do and doing it on our own without God’s help. We know we should not waste our time

like watching TV too much, playing on electronic devices too much, being lazy or sleeping too much,

socializing or going out too much, etc. All of those things are fine in moderation, but can cause us to ne-

glect our prayer life, our Bible study time, helping others, our church duties, or our family time. Psalm 121:

7- 8 says: “He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. The Lord will protect your coming and

going both now and forever.” This verse assures us that the Lord will direct us now and forever if we ask

Him. He will be our spiritual GPS that travels with us and tells us when we make a wrong turn or get on the

wrong track.

Psalm 32: 8 says: “ I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with my eye on you, I will give

counsel.” So in our 24 hours per day that we all are blessed with, let’s devote a portion of it to God and His

work. There are plenty of ways to serve God in our church and community. Our church can only be as

strong and vibrant as we members are willing to work for it. If too many members say “let someone else do

it” or “been there, done that”, our church will not grow or serve the community or God as it should. Some

areas of our church that need some help are Kingdom Kids, His Table, Sunday School, Sr. Adult Choir,

Sanctuary Choir, Ushers, Youth activities, Kids church and activities, and all our committees. Please

consider volunteering in one of these areas so we can be a strong church for God.

An old hymn called “Who Is On the Lord’s Side” written by Frances Havergal in England in about 1877 is

a call to work for God. She was an inspired writer of hymns, books, poems and devotionals. She became

one of the most popular authors in England.

“Who is on the Lord’s side, Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, Other lives to bring? Who

will leave the world’s side, Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side, Who for Him will go? By thy

call of mercy, By thy grace devine, We are on the Lord’s side, Savior we are thine.”

We should consider it a privilege to work for God rather than a duty. Our Sanctuary Choir is working on

Christmas music and other things also. Mr. Mark Beatty will be directing our Christmas music.

Don Johnson will be directing the rest of the program. Help is needed in all areas of the program. Please

consider just joining us for Christmas even if you don’t stay after that. We really need more help.

Shirley Bailey

• Work is underway preparing for Collision by Judgement

House, November 30 - December 3. Time is passing quickly,

so if you haven’t volunteered yet, give Jeff Love or Chris

Means a call today

• Rick Bradley shares 55 decisions made in two children and

youth camps this summer. God at work in the Ukraine

• September’s mission focus is Reach Texas, your SBTC

Missions Offering. Part of our Harvest Offering goes to the

state missionaries through the Reach Texas offering. This

month, We pray specifically for our state missionaries as we learn and celebrate

what God has done in Texas and is going to do. If your Sunday School class

would like copies of the Reach Texas booklets, please let Edell Davis or Nancee

Reddick know. Advancing the Kingdom in Texas!

SAVE THE DATE … Sunday, October 8th - Missionaries to France - Daniel & Tiffany Kilcoyone

Fun Fifty-five Senior Adult Bible

Conference

Monday, September 11

FBC, Terrell @ 9:30 a.m.

Lunch @ Noon - Cost: $7 pp

Speaker: Dr. D.L. Lowrie

Hymn Sing & Free Concert

Day trip on September 15

East Texas Baptist University

Concert by ETBC Choir

Carpool leaving @ 10 a.m.

Stopping for lunch & program begins @2 p.m.

Meal is on your own.

F.A.F.F. Monthly

September 26

6 p.m.

Members are ask to bring a

covered dish

Entertainment:

TBA

Bring Your Friends!!!!

SAVE THIS DATE . . .

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Day trip to Dallas Music Hall

Lunch and ticket prices

will be announced later.

Tithes/Offerings Analysis

January - December 2017

Month Month To Date Year To Date

January $38,192 $38,192

February $34,940 $73,132

March $36,215 $109,348

April $37,882 $147,230

May $36,017 $183,247

June $42,838 $226,085

July $38,309 $264,344

August $38,793 $303,137

September

October

November

December

S.S. Mission Giving For 2017

Unidentified Cash 60.00 60.00 120.00

Pre K-K

1st-2nd-

3rd-4th-

5th-6th-

Charity

Friendship 240.00 240.00

Gleaners 100.00 50.00 150.00

Hispanic 8.00 8.00

Jubilee 75.00 40.00 40.00 100.00 255.00

Koinonea

Maranatha

Rejoicers 25.00 100.00 125.00

Young Adults

Youth

Total 475.00 65.00 48.00 310.00 898.00

Angie Carver 2

Quentin Carver 4

Calistie Norris 5

Luke Fraim 9

Amanda Kindle 10

Kathy Thomason 10

John Wise 11

Doug Flowers 11

David Lowdermilk 18

Judy Ivy 19

Ermal Heddins 19

Amber White 21

Amanda White 23

Bear Brown 24

Tammy Martin 27

Weekly Offerings

6th - $ 18,642.00

13th - $ 4,556.35

20th - $ 10,142.55

27th - $ 5,451.53

Weekly Worship Attendance

6th - 184

13th - 104

20th - 156

27th - 165

Sunday School Attendance

6th - 167

13th - 111

20th - 158

27th - 168

6 13 20 27 T

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS