A Word from our Chair of Deacons

by Bryan Whitfield
I always think of summer as a special time for fellowship: watermelons and home-churned peach ice cream, singing around the piano, catching fireflies at dusk. Just as that was true for my family growing up, so I’ve found it true for our church family at First Baptist Church of Christ. In recent summers, we have gathered for fellowship at Vespers at the top of Poplar. This year, however, only one Sunday School class volunteered to serve as hosts. Knowing the importance of fellowship, we decided to develop a series of home fellowships centered around our deacon family groups. Our deacons will team up together to host First Family Fellowships on June 27, July 25, and August 22.

On these Sundays, we will gather in homes for a meal, a time of fellowship, and a brief devotional focused on passages from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. This time of fellowship will enable us to get to know one another better, to deepen our understanding of a short biblical passage, and to have fun together. In most cases, two or three deacon family groups will meet together. The informal atmosphere and brief time of study mean that the fellowships are designed for all ages to join together for intergenerational fellowship.

We will also have a weekly devotional resource for individuals and families to use each week during the summer. These resources will be available in print copies and on the FBC website.  Families and individuals will use them on Sunday nights, or perhaps at another convenient time during the week. These devotional resources will also focus on Philippians and will include material especially designed for families. They will suggest mission project options that members may complete during the week. On these Sabbath weeks when we do not have a First Family Fellowship, we will encourage families and individuals to use the devotional resource and also to plan creative ways to have fellowship within and beyond the family unit. You might meet with another family one week, or invite a single adult to join you for supper and Bible reading, or find a group to work together on a common mission or service project.

You will be hearing more about these exciting summer events during the month ahead. In particular, you will receive a note, card, letter, or email from your deacon reminding you about the dates and indicating where your deacon family group will meet. I look forward to hearing about the ways you find these new initiatives strengthen our fellowship as a congregation and deepen our faith.