GREEN STEEPLE MESSENGER
First Baptist Church
81 Saint Paul Street Ste. 1
Burlington, VT. 05401
VOLUME NO. 11 November 1, 2022
GREEN STEEPLE, GRATEFUL PEOPLE, GROWING IN FAITH, PROCLAIMING GOD’S LOVE
OPENING DOORS
To open a door is to move from one place to another. It is a liminal experience – standing on the threshold between the familiar and the yet to be known. It is an opportunity to see with a new perspective. It is an invitation to welcome new ideas and new people. Opening doors can also mean reopening and reconnecting with people and with activities that were put on hiatus due to the pandemic. Opening Doors is a wonderful image and theme for our Stewardship Campaign and for our ministries in 2023.
In November, we stand on a threshold as we look ahead and make plans for our ministries in the coming year. After more than 2 years of pandemic strictures, it is a great blessing (and relief!) to open our doors to ministries of Outreach, Fellowship, and Education as we share the love of Christ with each other and with the wider world. Our ministries are made possible by God’s grace and the support of our members and friends. I thank you for your prayers, your time, your care, and your financial support of our work together. Please join us on November 13 as we pledge our support for the upcoming year. Let’s open wide the doors!
Yours in Christ,
~ Karen
Rev. Karen A. Mendes
Pastor
First Baptist Church Staff
Rev. Karen A. Mendes .…………………………… Pastor
……….. ………………… CE Director
Adam Chamberlain …………… Church Administrator
Steve Perkins ……….. Instrumental Group Director
Evan Allen ………………………………..Organist
Anna Roy…………………..Chancel Choir Director
Julie Sweeney …….………………………….Sexton
Hto Lwee Wah ……………….………Tech Support
Officers of First Baptist
Sarah Dopp.…………………………….Moderator
Mark Paulsen…………………Assistant Moderator
Cindy Little………………………….…………Clerk
Beth Gamache……. ………………Assistant Clerk
Chris Thompson…………………………Treasurer
Bill McCormick….……………Assistant Treasurer
Marilyn Siple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Financial Secretary
Marie Morton. . . . . . . . . . . . . Asst. Financial Sec’y
Sarah Dopp ……………………………..Historian
….……………….Parliamentarian
Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:00
Office Phone: (802) 864-6515
Conference/Kitchen Phone:
(802) 864-4721
Office Hours: M, W, F (9-1) T, Th (9-3)
Email address: welcome@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Web Site Address: www.fbcburlingtonvt.com
Visit us on Facebook
First Baptist Church, Burlington, Vt.
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
FOR DECEMBER IS NOVEMBER 15th GIFT OF TIME VISITATION
During this time of social distancing, we can still share our time and attention through phone calls, email, cards, and letters. In fact, these connections are more important now than ever! All of us are part of the First Baptist Visitation Team.
Please take some time to reach out to the church members and friends who live in your town. You can access the church directory through Instantchurchdirectory.com or through the Instant Church Directory App.
Sunday Worship Services
Nov 06. All Saints Sunday
Luke 6:20-31
For All the Saints
Nov 13. Pledge Sunday
Isaiah 65:17-25
Opening Doors
Nov 20. Reign of Christ/ Thanksgiving Sunday
Colossians 1:11-20
Thanks Be to God
Nov 27. 1st Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 2:1-5
Walking in the Light of the LORD
UPCOMING SECOND HOURS
Nov. 13 – A Congregational Meeting to discuss and vote upon changes to the Church Bylaws. In 2019 the church voted to change our governing structure to the Unified Governing Board and Ministry Teams. The Bylaws changes reflect this governance change. Copies of the proposed Bylaws were emailed with this newsletter and are available in the Narthex or from the church office.
Nov. 20 – Greening of the Church – Following Thanksgiving Sunday Worship we will decorate our sanctuary for Advent and Christmas.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP AND LEARNING
THE SILENT VIGIL FOR RACIAL JUSTICE will happen on November 6 at 11:30am on the church front steps. Please join us for this important witness.
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY
meets in Fellowship Hall and on Zoom each Monday at 11:30am. We are exploring the Acts of the Apostles.
FBC COFFEE HOUR MEETS ON THURSDAYS
at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. All are welcome for informal chatting!
THE FALL BOOK GROUP IS READING THE COLOR OF COMPROMISE; THE TRUTH ABOUT THE AMERICAN CHURCH’S COMPLICITY WITH RACISM by Jemar Tisby. We have copies of the book available for purchase for $11.00. We meet via Zoom on Monday evenings. Our next meeting will be Nov. 14 at 7pm.
CHURCH SCHOOL STARTED SEPTEMBER 18 10:30-11:30am
All children 5 years to 11 years old are invited to join the Sunday school class on the second floor. The class starts at 10:30 right after the children’s message. Children who attend the Karen service at noon may join the class without attending the 10:00 o’clock worship service. Just come to Church around 10:30. Come in through the front door and take the stairs or elevator to the second floor. You will be welcomed by either Lois Lynch or Cindy Little our Sunday school teaching team. The class provides activities, stories and art that explore Bible lessons and messages about God and Jesus. A snack is provided and at 11:15 children have the opportunity to sing with Brenda Perkins and enjoy familiar songs and learn new songs of faith. Please join us.
TEACHING TEAM NEEDS HELP: Occasionally there will be a time when both Lois and Cindy will be unavailable to teach. Illnesses, family occasions and travel are part of life. Sunday school will need to be canceled when both teachers are gone unless we have another substitute teacher. There is an organized curriculum to use with suggested activities and support. Teaching is fun and so important for children’s faith development. Additionally, the Christian Education Team would like to offer a Bible and faith based group for youth and teens 12 and up. Curriculum is available for this age group, too. If you are interested in either of these ministry opportunities please speak with Pastor Karen Mendes, Lois Lynch or Cindy Little.
PLANNED GIVING BROCHURE
The Trustees of the Permanent Funds have completed a new version of the brochure entitled, “Bequests and Special Gifts.” It is now available in the church office, the narthex information table, or from one of the Trustees. The church has recently received several generous bequests. If this option interests you, pick up a copy of the brochure.
MAKING YOUR FINANCIAL DONATION
If you are unable to attend worship in person, you may mail a check to the church office or give electronically through the donate button on our church website: http://www.fbcburlingtonvt.com or through the smartphone app called Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement.
Our ministries depend on the generous gifts of our members and friends. Thank you for your participation in sharing the love of God in our community and our world.
OCTOBER UGB MEETING REPORT
We met on Mon. Oct. 17th. The group discussed the timing for information sessions and action by the congregation on two items: The new Bylaws revision(which will be acted upon Nov. 13th) and a proposed “Declaration of Inclusion”, (stay tuned; we’ll send a draft of this in Jan. and schedule a meeting about this for Jan 16th.)
The main part of the meeting was devoted to completing the stewardship brochure which will go out about the time you receive this newsletter. Part of this is a chart with the budget requests for 2023. We are recommending an 8% Cost of Living Adjustment for all staff, which sounds like a lot, but not when you look at peoples’ increased daily expenses in this challenging time. The actual amounts arising from this calculation do not seem large, but we do want our staff, on whom we rely so much, to feel supported and valued. By way of comparison, even Social Security payments to retirees are going to increase by 8.7% in 2023!
We heard reports from the Ministry Teams and the Property Committee and from Karen, as she plans toward Thanksgiving and Advent activities. One interesting piece of information is that the lawyer’s office on Pine Street, behind the church, is going to be sold. It was formerly(before the 1950’s)the church parsonage and is part of the Historic District, so it will not be torn down or replaced. More information as we have it.
Looking at our financial reports, we noted that we have come up short on the Childcare income line, as expected. We are hopeful that One Arts Community School will move in during Nov., which will help balance our end of year finances.
All pledgers are also reminded to try to complete their 2022 pledge payments before Dec. 31st. We are blessed. We have financial resources invested and we have generous people, but it is undeniable that these are rocky times for churches and parishioners alike.
MISSION OUTREACH
I-89 FUNDRAISER…..
Once again First Baptist had a successful I-89 Rest Stop Fundraiser on October 1 with
a total donation of $687.73 from generous rest stop visitors. A big thank you to our 17 volunteers: shift workers and goodie providers, Cindy and Dave Little, Sarah Dopp and Betty Capponi, Chris Thompson with friend, Lucy, Ed Bigelow and Joanne Rittwage, Fern Sparks
and Bev Nichols and other goodie providers Carol Gaylord, Ginger Calder, Lois D’Arcangelo, Pat Reasoner, Peni Saulnier, and Marie Morton. McKenzie Country Classics provided free hot dogs for this event.
THANKSGIVING SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20…
We will be providing Thanksgiving food baskets with turkeys for those families who need a little help. Your contribution of non-perishable Thanksgiving food items and monetary gifts can be left in the Narthex on this Sunday.
FIRST BAPTIST GIVING TO AMERICAN BAPTIST INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES….
Bill Mason and Deb Holonitch were our representatives to the World Mission Conference at Green Lake in July. While there, Deb had the opportunity to talk with global servants Annie and Jeff Dieselberg and Toya Richards. The Dieselbergs are global servants in Thailand. Annie is the founding CEO of Nightlight International, a global organization that restores the lives of women affected by sex trafficking. Nightlight Bangkok is a place where women can get shelter and employment (making and selling jewelry). Toya Richards is “endorsed to serve in Cape Town, South Africa as a teacher and professor at the Cape Town Baptist Seminary”. Go to www.internationalministires.org/author/t-richards/ for more information. Deb says Toya worked at the Burlington Free Press several years ago.
Deb and Bill had the opportunity to hear about the work of Bill and Ann Clemmer helping the homeless and vulnerable street children of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (See newsletter from Bill and Ann Clemmer on our mission bulletin board in Fellowship Hall.)
Your mission team will be researching the best ways to support our many IM global servants and/or global projects, based on pledged mission money and earnings in our mission investment account in 2023.
COOPERATIVE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AT UVM (CCM at UVM)
CCM at UVM is collaborating with various campus partners in presenting a progressive Christian voice for inclusivity and justice. Through a grant from the Episcopal Church’s office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries, CCM hosted the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, an openly LGBTQ black person and Executive Conference Minister in the United Church of Christ and also arranged for Debbie Ingram from Vermont Interfaith Action to speak on the proposal to amend Vermont’s constitution to prohibit slavery that will appear on November’s ballot. Rev. Joe Cotner, Campus Minister says “CCM is now part of a new national network of progressive Christian campus ministries that is in the process of forming.”
Beth Gamache is First Baptist’s representative to the CCM board. CCM is in our mission budget to receive $566 in 2022.
ANEW PLACE DONATIONS
ANew Place is currently in need of the following items. They can be new or gently used. If you can help, contact eregan@anewplacevt.org
Bath Towels
3-drawer dressers
TVs (27″ or smaller)
Pillows (preferably wipeable hospital-grade)
Twin mattresses (college or hospital grade)
Travel-sized shampoo & conditioner
Gently used/new Belts (sizes 32-38)
Backpacks – Gently used
SUNDAY FELLOWSHIP TIME
We have refreshments following worship. Please look for the signup sheet in the narthex. You may bring beverages and treats (individually wrapped if preferred.) Now that the cooler weather has come, we have resumed inside fellowship and refreshments in the narthex. Please join us.
FLOWERS FOR WORSHIP
All are invited to provide flowers for a worship service. The flower chart is again posted in the Narthex. This can be a meaningful way to memorialize a loved one or commemorate an important event and bring God’s beautiful creations into the sanctuary to enhance our spirit of praise and joy in worship.
THE CHURCH OFFICE HOURS FOR NOVEMBER ARE – Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9-1 and Tuesday/Thursday 9-3. November 24th and 25th the office will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving.
CHURCH EMAIL ADDRESSES
Karen Mendes – revkamendes@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Evan Allen – eallen@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Anna Roy – aroy@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Steve Perkins – sperkins@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Julie Sweeney – jsweeney@fbcburlingtonvt.com
The church office (Adam Chamberlain) – welcome@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Treasurer – treasurer@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Financial Secretary – financialsecretary@fbcburlingtonvt. com
Karen Baptist Community – KBC@fbcburlingtonvt.com
Advent and Christmas Events for all Ages
Celebrate the Season with your Family of Faith
Greening of the Church –
Sunday, Nov. 20 following worship
Help decorate our sanctuary for Advent and Christmas.
Intergenerational Advent Craft workshop – Sunday, Nov. 27
Make Advent calendars, wreaths, and ornaments.
Advent Stories and Songs –
Sunday, Dec. 11
Our Second Hour will be filled with music and story.
Christmas Sunday Worship –
Sunday, Dec. 18
Wonderful music and the Christmas Pageant to celebrate
the 4th Sunday of Advent.
Christmas Pageant rehearsals to be announced.
The Longest Night Service –Wednesday, Dec. 21, 7:00pm
A Christmas service for those who mourn.
Christmas Eve Services –
Saturday Dec. 24
Family Service- available online starting at 2pm
Candlelight Service – 9:00pm
Christmas Day Worship –
Sunday, Dec 25, 10:00am
Celebrate Christmas Day with our Karen and English Speaking Church Family!
Christmas Caroling – TBA
Bringing Christmas cheer to our homebound members and friends.
A New Year’s Epiphany Party – Sunday, Jan. 1 following worship
Join us for Three Kings Cake and other treats as we celebrate the new year and the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child.
For more information please contact the church office. 864-6515,
welcome@fbcburlingtonvt.com