We want to welcome our newest members to BCC! We are so grateful that the Lord has led you to BCC and we are excited about your involvement in our ministry to the community. Pictured are Nikki and Nicholas Dodson, Patsy Snyder, Neal Click and Juli Marzuola.
Pictured is Sandra Bruner.
Throughout history the followers of Jesus have been strengthened by the testimony of their fellow believers in the face of persecution. The world has never been a place of comfort and ease for those who refuse to bow their knee to compromise or concession. Throughout history there have been faithful men and women who have felt the inescapable call of God to “preach the Word in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV) regardless of the cost. They have found the courage and strength to be faithful to the call not because of their strength, self-discipline, or determination, but because of their Savior’s willingness to carry the Cross and suffer its shame for their sake. The commitment, faithfulness, and willingness to suffer shame and persecution for the sake of the Gospel has stirred the strength of others and enabled them to take their stand when it was their turn to answer the call.
I’m so excited! I’ve always dreamed of taking a trip to the Holy Land and having the opportunity to see places that I’ve read about in God’s Word. A few months ago the Lord opened a door of opportunity and next week I am getting to make the trip! I will spend 18 days walking where Jesus walked with my pastor, Dr. David Darnell, and about 100 other folks. Dr. Darnell has been to Israel five times, he speaks and reads Hebrew like a native, and I can’t wait to learn from David as we walk the streets of Jerusalem, stand at the Jordan River, gaze at the Sea of Galilee, and see the sights of Petra. It is truly going to be the trip of a lifetime!
While I am away things will carry on as usual at BCC. I am so thrilled that our new Pastor, Herman Stevenson, has hit the ground running. He has joined the best staff that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with and Herman has raised the bar for all of us. Ray, Becky, Herman, Connie, and Kristin are such a blessing to me and all of us at BCC. Don’t hesitate to call one of them with any need you have. I hope to see you Sunday before I leave.
We want to welcome Latrece and Shamareyia Robinson to BCC as they came forward on Sunday to join the fellowship of faith at BCC.
We also went to welcome Mike, Debbie, Chris, and Preston to BCC. Preston accepted Christ on Sunday and we will be planning his baptism soon. Make these folks feel at home
You can check out all of the fun that was hadat this link.
As we have worked our way through Revelation I have tried to remind us about the situation of those who read the letter for the first time. We must remember the persecution and perseverance of the brothers and sisters who were living under the heavy hand of Roman oppression. Emperor Nero was the first Roman Emperor to brutalize and execute Christians, but he was not the last.
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Parents! On Wednesday, April 26th at 6:00 pm, all children from Pre-K through 5th grade are invited to Stranger Safety Night 2006!
Children will meet in the BCC gymnasium for dinner from 5:45 to 6:00 pm. From there, we will head to the children’s church room for the program.
During the program, children will watch a Stranger Safety Video and hear from BCC’s own Police Officer, Kim Luther!
Children will receive a finger printing album for parent’s records, a crime prevention coloring book and PRICELESS safety information!
Please invite all the children you know to Stranger Safety Night! Let’s work together to keep BCC’s kids safe!
For more information, contact Kristin Wilsey.
I wanted to let you know that Sandra Luke is back in St. Anthony’s Hospital with blood clots in her lungs. Please keep Sandra in your prayers.
Also, Myles and Lidia Manley went home today with their new son, Eliah. Everyone is doing very well and they are grateful for your prayers. We are trying to organize meals for their family for the next two weeks. If you would be willing to help out please email me.
In His Steps,
Mike
Attention all Skier’s! If you are planning on going with us next year, we will be having registration immediately after the second service on Sunday, April 23. You will need to bring your parent and a $25 deposit. We will also be handing out our 2006 ski trip group photos as well as allow you to pick out some other pictures for your photo album. The meeting will last from 12:30-1:00pm.
We had a wonderful time Sunday and the pictures from the day’s events are posted. I hope you enjoy them because we had a great time.
We wanted to let everyone know that Myles and Lidia Manley welcomed a new member to their family today! The Lord has blessed them with a new little boy that weighed in at 10lb 8oz. Wow! The rumor is that within minutes of being born he was asking for a T-Bone and baked potato! Lidia and the baby are doing well and appreciate everyone’s prayers. They will be in Mercy Hospital for the next couple of days. Congratulations Myles and Lidia!
I wanted to let you know about an important opportunity that we have to bless some of our elementary age kids who would like to attend Shiloh Summer Camp this summer. At BCC we have taken more than 100 Middle School and High School kids to Kids Across America each summer for the past 13 years. This has proved to be one of the most important opportunities that we provide for the kids of our community as we have seen dozens of young people give their life to Christ while at camp with us.
We are here today to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior! Celebration is in the air! Can you feel it? I sure can. The excitement began to build for me as I made my way to church this morning. I saw banners in front of church after church announcing the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection as I made my drive to church this morning. I heard it as I walked across the parking lot and listened to the birds singing, “He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!” I noticed that the limbs on the trees were swaying like palm branches in the hands of the adoring crowd that welcomed the King just a week earlier.
Parents, it is Shiloh Summer Camp Registration Time! Please download the registration forms and bring them in to BCC as soon as possible!
Dates: Tuesday, July 11th through Friday, July 14th, 2006
Daily, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm*
Cost: $40 per child (Cost includes lunches, snacks, t-shirt and Bible)
Deadline Information: Deposit ($20) & Application are due by WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26th
Final Payment ($20) is due by SUNDAY, JULY 2ND
Contact: Kristin Wilsey
BCCKIDZ@aol.com
Information Sheet (PDF)
2006 Camper Application (PDF)
Happy Easter!
I wanted to inform all the youth that we will not be having any evening activities, so that you may enjoy the day with your family. However, we will be serving a great breakfast during Sunday school in the gym. Remember we serve a Risen Christ!
Ray
Congratulations! Jenissa Harris has accepted a full scholarship to play basketball at Langston University. Jenissa will be graduating from John Marshall in May. She is the daughter of Jerome and Doris Harris. It has been fun watching her play throughout her career, all her determination and hard work has paid off. Wow! Imagine all those tough games and workouts, it is paying for the continution of what is important-your education.
We at BCC are so proud of you!
Ray
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to let you know that we had an awesome Board meeting tonight! I want to thank all of our leaders who were present with us and voted unanimously to hire Pastor Herman Stevenson as our new Associate Pastor. I am so excited to have Herman join our team! Yeah! Woo Hoo! I can’t wait for you to meet Herman Stevenson and his wonderful family. Herman will begin his ministry with us next Monday, April 17th, and you will get to meet his family the Sunday following Easter. Let me tell you a little about Herman.
Herman grew up in Paul’s Valley and graduated from my alma mater, Cameron University, where he played football and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. Herman is currently working on a second degree in Christian Studies from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee. For the past five years Herman has been a juvenile probation officer for Oklahoma City. He is also currently serving as Youth Pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church here in Oklahoma City.
I did not know Herman until a couple of weeks ago, but our Youth Pastor, Ray Arechiga, knew Herman from his days of working at Kids Across America. When I learned about Herman’s background at KAA, Ray and I checked with some of our friends who knew Herman from camp. Stephan Moore couldn’t have been more complimentary. Eric Williams said that Herman had impeccable integrity and was a great “people person.” Jason Mirikitani worked with Herman and said, “Herman’s a ‘long ball hitter.’” You are going to love this guy!
Herman’s wife, Dana, is a CASA worker with the Juvenile Bureau and she comes highly recommended from one of our members, Judge Roger Stuart. Dana’s work with neglected and deprived children is a perfect fit for our work in the community with many kids who come from tough backgrounds, not to mention that she is a preacher’s kid.
Herman and Dana have three kids: Jordan, Amaya, and James. They will join us Saturday morning for our Easter Egg Hunt and I hope you will introduce yourselves to them at that event. I am really excited about Herman joining our team and I know you will be blessed by the gifts that he and Dana bring to our ministry at BCC.
In His Steps,
Mike
I wanted to ask you to pray for Lindsey Sullins, Jeff and Kelly’s daughter who will be having surgery on Wednesday of this week. Please also keep in your prayers Dean Shafer and Sandra Luke who are recuperating from surgery last week. Gracie Manharth is in Baptist Hospital room 1056. Butch and Tracey Rodriguez’ grandson, Zane, is also in Baptist Hospital.
rev-o-lu-tion (rev-e-loo-shen) n. 1.The overthrow and replacement of a government or political system by those governed. 2. An extensive or drastic change in a condition, method, idea, etc.
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The Easter lilies arrived this week and are beautiful in the front of the Sanctuary. If you would like a lily, there are still a few that have not been purchased.
Order forms are in the Narthex and church office. Just fill one out and drop it in the offering plate along with $10 payment for each lily ordered. Forms can also be dropped off in the church office.
A list of donors and honorees will be in the bulletin on Easter Sunday. You may take your lilies home following the second service on Easter.
The annual BCC Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, April 15th, at 9:00 a.m. All children are invited to bring Easter baskets (or a grocery bag) and a friend, and come to the church for a great time. Adult and teenager volunteers are also needed to help hide the eggs at 8:30 a.m.
In order to make this the best Easter Egg Hunt we have ever had, we need more plastic eggs and individually-wrapped candy. Please bring these with you this Sunday or drop them off at the church office during office hours. Boxes are in the Narthex and church office for your convenience.
The “Egg Stuffing Party” will be Thursday evening (April 13th) at 6:00 p.m. in the Lighthouse room. It won’t take long if we have a good crowd of helpers, so plan now to join us for a fun hour as we get ready for Saturday.
I hope you’ve had a super week. I wanted to ask you to pray for Tracey and Butch Rodriguez’ grandson and Kenny and Chrissy Keksi’s little boy, Zane, who is in infant ICU at Baptist Hospital. Zane has a really bad infection which has produced boils on his back. The doctors are giving him the most powerful antibiotics and lancing the boils, but it’s not having the impact that they desire.
Also, continue to pray for Dean Shafer as he recuperates from his heart transplant earlier this week. Kim Smiley was in Dallas all week for her job and she dropped in to see Dean on Thursday and reported that he looked great. Thanks Kim and thank all of you for praying for those in need.
One last thing: The next two Sundays we will have lots of visitors with us and I want to ask those of you who can to please park in the north parking lot, just south of Hope Community Church. We have bad parking problems, but we can help by leaving the spaces closest to the church for those who are visiting with us. Also, if you see an unfamiliar face then go introduce yourself and make folks feel welcome. Have a great weekend.
The April issue of BCC’s monthly newsletter, “The Beacon”, is available online, along with the April calendar.
The Sunday after Easter we will begin a new way of doing Children’s Church. Immediately following our time of praise and worship, just before the sermon, the children will leave the sanctuary and go upstairs for Children’s Church. We will divide the kids into three age appropriate groups for Bible study and worship. This will be a huge blessing for our kids, but we need volunteers, lots of volunteers. You don’t have to have a seminary degree, recite the books of the Bible, or quote Hebrew or Greek–all you need is a willing spirit and a heart for kids. We will provide you and your partner with everything you need for the 30 minute time slot. If you would be willing to volunteer two consecutive Sundays over the next three months please email Kristin Wilsey at Posted in Kidz Nooze, Mike's Posts | No Comments »
I want to thank all of you for your prayers for Dean Shafer to get a new heart. I got a phone call from Melissa, Dean’s wife, this morning informing me that she received a phone call at 2:33 am informing her that they had found a heart for Dean. Dean was operated on about 11:30 am today and he is recuperating at Medical City Hospital in Dallas. Melissa said the surgery went great! Dean will remain in Dallas for some time as he recuperates. Thanks again and please continue to pray.
UPDATE: I talked to Melissa Shafer tonight and Dean came through surgery like a champ. The heart transplant was very successful and they wanted to thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray as Dean has a long recuperation ahead of him.
