IN THIS ISSUE Page 2

A Word from Our Pastor“Dave Says” by Dave Ramsey

Page 3 Education Ministry

The Counselor’s Corner Page 4

Stewardship EmphasisWorship Ministry

Job Concerns MinistryStudent/Activities Ministry

Page 5 Senior Adult Ministry

Cheergivers MinistryChildren’s Ministry

Page 6“In Touch with

the Church Family”Welcome, New Members

Page 7 August Calendar

Ministry Weekend Rotation Page 8

General Information

Sign up on-line today.

“Becoming Great Commission Christians by Making Much of Jesus”

A Monthly Publication of the First Baptist Church of Pelham

“The humble Christian is far happier in a cottage

than the wicked in a palace.” —A.W. Pink

August 2011

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Sunday 8, 9:15, 10:45 am & 6 pmMonday-Wednesday 7 PM

RevivalAugust 7-10

“2 A Word From Our Pastor

I love big yellow school buses

When I grew up in Birmingham (many, many years ago), I always envied those lucky boys and girls who

were taken to school on big, yellow school buses. Alas, I always had to walk to school (five miles, barefooted, uphill - both ways, in the snow, fighting wild beasts and hostile native Americans, in storms, hail, lightning, thunder, torrential rain, drought, dust clouds, swarms of locusts, dodging eighteen-wheelers, without food or water, in blistering heat, in darkness of night, with very few holidays or three day weekends to comfort me, carrying hundreds of pounds of school books before back packs were invented, with thousands of homework pages that were due each day … It is a miracle that I survived!) My sons were so very fortunate that Shelby County Public Schools graciously provided big yellow school buses to pick them up right in front of our house and bring them safely home again. The school buses remind us that summer is over and its time to get ready for school, football, band, and hopefully

more regular attendance in Sunday school and church. It seems like this summer, more than any other in my forty years of pastoral ministry, has seen our church families on many vacations and road trips on Sunday. We all need time away but it is time to get back to regular Sunday school and church attendance. If you have never been involved in Sunday school NOW IS THE TIME! Plug in to one of our many ministries and discipleship groups as well. I hope to see YOU this Sunday with a friend by your side, a Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and the Lord Jesus Christ reigning in your heart. I love you, I love you, I love you. God bless you and God bless America!

Bro. MikeP.S. I might have exaggerated just a wee little bit about my walking to school. There was a grain of truth in my description!

Dr. Mike ShawSenior Pastor

Dear Dave, Should I continue to contribute to my 401(k) at work up to the match if I’m still trying to get out of debt? AnonymousDear Anonymous, Nope! I know, you probably think I’ve lost my mind on this one. Yeah, I know how important it is to take the match in a situation like that. In fact, it still kind of irks me to have to say these kinds of things. I’m a math nerd, so I really don’t like the whole idea of it very much. But I’ve learned a few things over the years. One of those things is that personal finance is 80 percent behavior and only about 20 percent head knowledge. And in the short term, the power of passionately focusing and sacrificing deeply to attack your debt will supersede the mathematics involved where your company match is concerned. In other words, if you stop saving temporarily for a year or two, and in that time wipe out your debts, the power you’ll gain in being free from those debts will be more

beneficial to you than a couple of years of your company match. I would never tell you to stop investing or doing the company match for 10 years or anything silly like that. But if you stop for just a little while and clean up your mess, then go back to investing for retirement, you’ll reap so many more rewards down the road. Not only will you have permanently changed your behavior, but you’ll also be able to invest even more for retirement and other things! Dave

Dear Dave, I’m shopping around for a new bank, because my current big bank has gone fee-crazy. They want $15 to tell me my mortgage payoff amount. Besides asking about fees, do you have any other advice when it comes to looking for a good bank? JimDear Jim, I learned to stay away from the mega-banks a long time ago. It seems to me that somewhere along the line they forgot how to treat their customers like human beings. That’s why I stick with community and regional banks. I love local credit unions, too. These are the kinds of places where you can go in and talk to the branch manager if they go fee-crazy. They have the power to waive fees, or fix situations if something gets out of whack or is just plain stupid! Dave*For more financial advice, you mayvisit www.davesays.org. .

Dave Says

Dave Ramsey

3 Education Ministry

The Counselor’s Corner

1. Live to please God and not man. Pleasing man is a downhill battle of serving man rather than God and ends up corrupting the server. (Gal. 1:10)2. Humble yourself. Luke tells of two men who went to pray. The one was rather pompous and the other was a humble man. God says “for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14 KJV). 3. Learn to be content (Phil. 4:11). In order to learn contentment, we must practice contentment. For example, during a time when you would normally be discontent, learn to act in a way that shows contentment and acceptance. That would require changing your behavior and learning to accept. 4. Do not easily anger. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Prov. 16:32, KJV).5. Be patient. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Ps. 37:7 KJV).6. Do not be anxious. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”

(Phil 4:6 KJV).7. Do not be gluttonous. Unload your plate. Food and activities have much in common. If you overload your plate with either one, you are endangering your health. Prov. 23:20-21 indicates that no good thing can come from it.8. Participate in positive self talk. This involves “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5 KJV). In other words, change your thinking.9. Share your burdens and pray for one another. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2 KJV).10. Live one day at a time. “Give no thought for tomorrow” (Matt. 6: 25-34). I call that the “Scarlett Principal”. Well, Fiddle-Dee Dee. Tomorrow is another day. I’ll worry about that tomorrow. 11. Take a break when it gets stressful. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa 40:31 KJV). WOW! What more could you want or even need? Be-ing on the go all the time and constantly stressed depletes valuable resources. We have to reenergize our bodies.

12. Stop procrastinating. (Is that lazi-ness?) “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich” (Prov 10:4KJV). A great deal of stress can be avoided simple by avoiding procrastination. Pro-crastinators bring stress on themselves by putting off things until the last pos-sible minute. What they fail to recognize is the physical and mental damage they are causing.13. Exercise. Daily exercise is one of the best stress relievers that an individual can participate in. The Bible is short on scripture as it pertains to exercise. That could possibly be because they walked everywhere and exercise was a normal part of life. We know that we are to take away the things that get in the way of pleasing God and hinder us in our race. Additionally, we are to take care of our body as it is the temple of God. Well, it is easy to quote and read scrip-ture. But the truth of the matter is that reading it does not help if you do not apply what you read. Making application is the hardest part of being obedient to God. This is scriptural evidence (written thousands of years ago) of how we can be less stressed. But the neat thing is, all the above statements have been backed up by science that (unknowingly) stands in agreement to God’s word. —Linda Story

Stress is a fact of life (continued from July Vision)

Revival! Let me encourage you to attend every session of the Every Believer a Witness revival August 7-10, 2011. I

know that this is just before school starts, but what better way to pre-pare our children for school than to give them tools for reaching their class-mates for Christ. I look forward to you joining my fam-ily and me at the revival.

Discipleship Training Posters are up in the building with the Discipleship Training classes for August. You can also find information on the website. If you have any questions about classes, please e-mail me at rheard@fbcpelham.org or call me at 664-0237.

Thank you Thank you to everyone who prayed for and participated in the annual summer mission trip to Moulton, AL. We registered 522 people at various block parties and saw 49 people give their lives to Christ. One of those was a young lady from our own student ministry. What a blessing!! There were 25 other decisions for a total of 74 decisions for the week. Thank you for praying! Thank you for going! Most of all thank God for His faithfulness!

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4

Student/Activities MinistryInvitation extended for incoming 6th Grade students and parents Our Student Ministry Team would like to invite the incoming 6th grade students and their parents to join us for a free pizza meeting on Wednesday, August 10, at 5:30 in the Quad Room of the main building. Please call the Student Ministry Office, 663-7492, or e-mail ltroutman@fbcpelham.org, to make a reservation no later than Monday, August 8. We will talk about our Student Ministry and introduce you to Ben Birdsong and the Student Ministry Team. Then you and your student can stay for revival with Dennis Nunn.

Upward Flag Football practices begin the week of August 15

Stewardship Emphasis

Workers are needed for:Musicmakerz Choir - Ages 3-5 Meets Wednesdays at 6:30 pm beginning August 17Praisemakerz Kids Choir - Grades 1-5 Meets Sundays at 4 pm beginning August 28 Contact Jonathan Williams or Paula Kornegay if you can help with a children’s choir.

Christmas is just around the corner! Now is a great time to join the Celebration Choir. Plans for Christmas are underway and it is going to be a great time of celebration of our Lord Jesus!

Fall music opportunitiesCelebration Choir meets Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the choir room.

Revival with Dennis Nunn - August 7-10 Revival choir will sing every service. Come and join us as we sing some of our favorites!

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Worship Ministry

First Sunday Seating On the first Sunday of each month, the students all sit together in the 9:15 am morning worship service. Students sit on the piano side balcony wing. This is an opportunity to remind our church that God is moving in our student ministry. If parents want to sit with their students in the service, they are welcome to join their student for First Sunday Seating.

In May this year, the percentage of our population seeking unemployment benefits were as follows: state of Alabama 9.5%, Shelby County 6.9%, Jefferson County 9.2%, Chilton County 9.8%, and Tuscaloosa County 9.0%. If you are seeking employment, contact the Job Concerns Ministry. If you have job vacancies at your place of employment, let us know. We will make every effort to match our pool of unemployed to the skills required. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “So do not fear for I am with you, do not dismay for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Job Concerns Ministry Staff

Job Concerns Ministry

5

Dear Senior Adults, The summer time is about over and we have a busy schedule ahead of us for August through December. First up is our fall revival with Dennis Nunn August 7-10. We will look forward to

Dr. Nunn and our staff being with us for our August luncheon. I know our Senior Adults will be faithful in all the services. Our Senior Adult Luncheon is on August 9. It will be a covered dish meal again. Our group voted that when we have covered dish luncheons in the future, we will furnish the meat item with a $1 donation from the previous month. This way, no one has to bring a meat item. We can just bring side dishes to go with chicken this month. Our next day trip is July 28. We will eat at Wayside Cafe and see some of our North Alabama tor-nado damaged area. I know twenty-four Senior Adults are getting excited about the Alaska trip coming up August 24-September 3. Please pray for each one on the trip, that we will be positive witnesses even in Alaska.

We will also have another day trip planned for August. We will announce that at our August 9th luncheon. The Celebrators Conference in Sevierville will be October 24-27. We must make reservations ASAP if we want the best price. For His Glory, Bro. Paul

Senior Adult Ministry

August 3 - Last “What About Wednesday” (Ice Cream Bash)August 7-10 - Revival (includes 1st grade through adult)August 11 - 2011-2012 Shelby Country Public Schools BeginAugust 14 - Church Wide Fellowship

at Pelham YMCA - 4 pmAugust 17 - Wednesday Night Activities Begin The C.R.E.W. (Elementary) - 6:30 pm Musicmakerz Preschool Choir - 6:30 pmAugust 28 - Praisemakerz Elementary Choir Begins - 4 pm Bible Drills and Faith Weavers (FW Friends) 5pm

Elementary SS TeachersBible Drill AssistantsWednesday AssistantsKids Church

Preschool and Elementary Needs for the 2011-2012 Year

Cheergivers MinistryMeet Bobby and Beverly Wyatt This month we would like for you to meet Bobby and Beverly Wyatt, who have been mem-bers of FBCP just over 4 1/2 years. They live in Calera, Alabama. Bobby was born and grew up in Clanton and Beverly was born in Mobile, but spent most of her childhood in Shelby County. Bobby and Beverly met at a Methodist church party in Clanton and have been married for 29 years. They have four children and two grandchildren. Bobby loved fishing in his younger days and loved to play baseball. He had an injury that kept him from playing with the Cincinnati Reds. He also coached little league baseball. Bobby retired from Alabama Power Company. Beverly worked at Cracker Barrel and several other jobs. Bobby was saved as a 12-year-old boy during a revival at Clanton First Baptist Church and Beverly was saved at Liberty Hill in the 1970s. Beverly has worked with Sav-A-Life and has been a contributor to their cause. They have several health issues and ask the church to please pray for them. They would love to be able to come back to church and hope their health will allow them to do so. (contributed by Janet Thomas) In July we said goodbye, for now, to our precious Mrs. Ola Leverett, as she went home to be with our Lord and her sweet husband, Louis. We will truly miss her. August birthdays: Ruth Garvin (18th), Jesse Weaver (10th), Christine Bauer (29th). Jeanette Owens - 664-9700

Preschool SS Teachers Worship Care RotationWorship Care Floor LdrsPreschool Choir

We need loving ladies to take up the First Touch Ministry

First Baptist is having lots of new babies. We need someone to visit them. Please contact Jonathan Williams if this is something God would have you do.

Children’s Ministry

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6 In Touch With the Church Family

Welcome, New Members!

2011 Church Family Giving

(through July 25)

General Fund given to date Debt Retirement given in 2011 $ 1,310,679.23 $ 36,852.98 Year to Date Expenses Loan Balance as of 7/15/2011 $ 1,265,226.28 $ 8,678,107.99

Congratulations to ……Lacey and Hunter Russell on the birth of Collin Harper Russell on June 22nd, weighing 6 lb 9 oz. Proud grand-parents are Sharon and Steve Barth.…Stacy and Billy Barton on the birth of Christopher William Barton on June 23rd, weighing 9 lb 15 oz and measuring 21 inches. Proud big sisters are Stephanie and Savannah.…Amanda and Maurice Mercer on the birth of Emma Reese Mercer on July 12th, weighing 6 lbs 11 ozs and measuring 19 1/2 inches. …Jill and Michael Davis on the birth of Sophie Lynne Davis on July 20th, weighing 7 lb 13 oz and measuring 19.5 inches. Proud big sister is Emma. Sophie’s grand parents are Josephine and Jack Roberts and her uncle is Jacob Roberts.

Thank you for the beautiful floral gift in honor of our mother and grand-mother, Ruth Phillips. Your thought-fulness is deeply appreciated. The Phillips family We would like to thank all our FBCP family for all the notes of en-couragement, visits, calls, cards, food, and most of all prayers for my mom over the two months of her illness and her going to be with the Lord. Special thanks to our SS class (Sonrise), the choir, all of the church staff and espe-cially Bro. Paul, Paula, and Bro. Mike. Words cannot express how much each of you mean to us. We love you. Jim and Mary MinorFirst Baptist Church Family and Saved by Grace SS Class Thank you all so much for being there for us during the death of our son, Jonathan Sullivan. Your prayers, cards, flowers, food, and love have been such a blessing to us. We love you all so much. God bless each of you. Harry and Beth Horton

…Mary Minor and family in the death of her mother, Sarah Cooper. …Barbara Lee in the death of her mother, Mrs. Jones.…John McCombs in the death of his sister, Sandy Bruie. …Janice Poole in the death of her mother on July 16.…John Sample and Janette Sample and family in the death of his aunt and her sister, Florence Annette Bradley.

…Pam Leverett and friends and family of Mrs. Ola Leverett, who passed away on July 7.

David, Denise, Erin andAnna Grace McDonald (by letter)

Unavailable for photo:Mrs. Sharon Austin (by statement)

Natalie Coyle (for baptism)

Jill Smitherman (by statement)

Jamie Tubbs (by letter)

First Meeting of the YearWednesday, September 7

Ryan Dillahunty (for baptism)

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

7 August Schedule

SUNDAY SCHEDULE 7 AM Prayer Team8, 9:15, 10:45 AM Sunday School & Morning Worship4 PM Praisemakerz Kids Choir (for Elementary, Begins August 28)5 PM Bible Drills (for Elementary) Faith Weavers (FW Friends for Preschool)

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE 6 PM Prayer Meeting (Choir Room)6:30 Musicmakerz Choir (for Preschool Begins August 17) The Crew (for Elementary) Refuge (Students) Celebration Choir Rehearsal Adult Discipleship Training

August Ministry Staff Weekend Hospital RotationAugust 6 & 7 - Jonathan Williams - Home 663-4325, Cell 223-4277 August 20 & 21 - Donnie Sisk - Home 620-1157, Cell 567-7475August 13 & 14 - Mike Shaw - Home 663-1788, Cell 283-4749 August 27 & 28 - Paul Moore - Home 663-0155, Home 913-5129

6 PMParents Night Out

9 AMJob Concerns

Ministry

1 PM “Crafty Chicks”

9 AMJob Concerns

Ministry1 PM

“Crafty Chicks”

Flag FootballPractice Begins

7 PMDeacons Meeting

“Every Believer a Witness” Revival - Sunday - Wednesday with Dennis Nunn

Sunday 8, 9:15, 10:45 AM and 6 PMMonday 7 PMTuesday 7 PM

Wednesday 7 PM

5 PMFPU

(Financial Peace University)

Preview

Senior AdultsLeave for

Alaska(Return Sept. 3)

6:30 PMWednesday NightActivities Resume(Including Refuge, Adult Discipleship,

The Crewand Musicmakerz)

5:30 PMnew 6th Graders

and ParentsMeeting

(Quad Room)

11:00 AMSenior Adult Luncheon

SHELBY COUNTYSCHOOLS START

ChurchwideDessert Fellowship

at the Pelham YMCA4 PM - Swim & Play

6 PM - Desserts

4 PMPraisemaker Begin

5 PMBible Drills BeginFW Friends Begin

New AdultDiscipleship

Classes Preview

9 AMJob Concerns

Ministry

1 PM “Crafty Chicks”

1 PM “Crafty Chicks”

9 AMJob Concerns

Ministry

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6:15Last

“What AboutWednesdays”

(Ice Cream Bash)

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9 AMJob Concerns

Ministry

1 PM “Crafty Chicks”

Address Correction Requested

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Non-Profit Org.PERMIT NO. 7

Pelham, AL 35124

Dated Material

Pelham Vision is published one time per month. Items for publication are accepted on a space-available basis and are subject to Post Office regulations for our class of mail. Please submit in writing or email pat@fbcpelham.org. No phone submissions, please. Pelham Vision exists to inform and to show the Good News in action. Check out all our activities and read us online at www.fbcpelham.org. Editor: Pat MacKay

CHURCH STAFFDr. Mike Shaw, PastorRev. Robert Heard, Administrative PastorDr. Paul Moore, Assoc. Pastor: Ministry/Senior AdultsRev. Donnie Sisk, Pastor to Students/ActivitiesRev. Jonathan Williams, Preschool/Children’s DirectorPaula Kornegay, Worship LeaderLinda Kennemore, Administrator

GENERAL INFORMATIONOffice Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00-5:00Church Office Phone: 664-0237Children’s Offices: 216-0028Fax: 621-2351HOPE Center: 663-2779School of Fine Arts: 664-2466Sunday School Annex: 664-0237, ext. 5020 (All phones are area code 205)Web Site - www.fbcpelham.org

2867 Pelham ParkwayPelham, Alabama 35124-1728

Monthly publications are subject to change. Please check www.fbcpelham.org for the latest information.

Wednesday night meals begin in August Our first Wednesday night meal of the new semester will be September 7. Due to food price increases over the past few months, it will be necessary to initiate a small price increase. The new prices are as follows: Adults (ages 12 and above) $ 5.00 Children (under age 12) $ 3.50 Family Maximum $18.00 Thank you. We look forward to a time of fellowship on Wednesday, September 7, in the Annex. —Your Kitchen Staff

Forgive the inexcusable To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single injury. But to forgive the inces-sant provocations of daily life — to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son — how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it means to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says. —C.S. Lewis

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” —Marcus Aurelius