(Continued from front page)
Thank you, in advance, for your continued understanding as I will need to make frequent trips to San Angelo in the
days, weeks, and months to come. I want to help Mom continue the transition into her new reality––life without
Dad. Many of you have helped parents in these moments and many others of you have had to make the transition
yourselves, so you know it is not easy. Your continued prayers for me, my family, my sister, and especially my
Mom in the days to come are appreciated and encouraged.
Thank you for taking care of my family in my absence. I never had to worry because I knew they were in good
hands. Thank you also to those who did extra work and took on additional responsibilities in my absence. I never
had to worry about how things were being handled at the church. I knew you were in good hands too. I am deeply
indebted to Cody Decker for his help in taking care of many of my Sunday and Wednesday responsibilities (and
beyond), for Tami Thomas, who ably and skillfully kept the office running and adequately addressed issues as they
arose (and did more than she would tell me), and for Britt Gordon for providing good and godly guidance and
assistance to both Cody and Tami.
What I want you to know more than anything else is that you have done well. You have loved your pastor and his
family well in the midst of a dreadful tragedy. When many of Dad’s and Mom’s friends asked when I had to return
home or my own family members asked if I had to travel back and forth to preach on Sundays, I took GREAT
PRIDE in being able to tell them what a GREAT CHURCH FAMILY I have––one who was willing for me to be
where I needed to be and wanted to be, so I could care for my Mom and Dad in a time when they needed me most.
Thank you for being you! Thank you for showing the love of Christ to me, my immediate family, and my extended
family. Thank you for the great witness you were even to people that you will never meet because of the way you
treated me!
You are a fantastic church. I am privileged and humbled to be your pastor.
Love,
Galactic Starveyors will be orbiting FBCH June 5th—8th.
The missions run daily from 1:15p.m.—4:15p.m.
Mission Control personnel are vital to the success of
these missions. Report to Flight Commander Gordon before
the launch sequence begins, and assist the young star
cadets in discovering the God of the Universe!
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
OF
HOLLAND
Compass
Volume 7
C o m p a s s
Issue 5
P o i n t s
May 2017
Pastor Randy Evans
When I received a call from my sister on the
evening of March 30th––just one month ago
today––it was out of the ordinary. I rarely
receive calls from my sister at seven
something in the evening. When I answered
she informed me that our Dad was involved
in a bicycle accident. She let me know she
was uncertain as to the severity of his
injuries. A second and third call within the
next hour informed me that Dad had
suffered numerous broken bones, as well
as a significant head injury. I was on the
road to San Angelo within two hours of
the initial call. The fourteen days we spent
with Dad in the hospital were some of the
worst of my life––the ups and downs, the
lack of response in Dad, the good and bad
news cycles, but all the while praying
passionately for Dad’s healing. Nothing in
my life or my ministry prepared me for
what I experienced.
guided to us at exactly the right moments.
Prayer is indeed a powerful force. I am
thankful to be a member of a church whose
people believe in prayer and are faithful to
spend time praying.
I have never been in a position where I
needed the support of praying saints like I
have this last month. In my twenty-five
years of ministry, I have often heard people
say, “I felt your prayers.” Maybe they did or
did not––I cannot say for sure. I can tell you
without reservation, however, that during
this past month, “My family and I felt your
prayers.” We experienced a peace that was
unexplainable. We experienced wisdom
when it was most needed. We experienced
God’s compassion through the caring and
kindness of doctors, nurses, and friends
Thank you for understanding my need to be
absent from FBCH this past month and the
calling I felt to be present with my Dad and
Mom. I do not know how other churches
would handle something like this, but the
way you handled it was superb. Your
willingness to free me of my responsibilities
here––even on Easter––so I could be with
my family will never be forgotten. I have
missed you and I have missed our church. I
know that we have something amazing here.
Words are insufficient. That means nothing
I can say or write are adequate enough to
express what I feel. However, I want to take
this opportunity to try and say, “Thank you”
to you for all you have done for me and my
family this past month.
Thank you for your calls, cards, texts,
thoughts, gifts, and meals. Thank you to
those who made the long trip to San Angelo
for our family visitation and for Dad’s
memorial service. The presence of familiar
faces was invaluable and encouraging.
Thank you most of all for your prayers.
Without your prayer support, the past month
would have been unbearable.
(Continued on back page.)
Our Purpose. . .
FBCH exists to
glorify God by
obeying the Great
Commandment
and the Great
Commission as we
participate in . . .
Worship
Ministry
Missions
Discipleship
Facts & Figures
2017 Monthly Budget Need
$16,057.83
April General Fund Receipts
may 2017
FBCH Tomorrow Fund
Goal: $35,000.00
Balance: $17,564.43
Still Needed: $17,435.57
Tuesday
Small Group Bible Study
Average Attendance
Wednesday
3
2
Family Meal
@ 6:00p.m.
Baptist Women
6:00p.m.
@ Olive Garden
in Temple
107
$15,332.25
Monday
1
As of April 28, 2017
As of April 28, 2017
Student Ministry
& Adult Prayer
Meeting @ 7:00p.m.
64
The FBCH students had another busy school month in April––full of One Act Play, track, baseball and softball
advances and playoff games. We are so proud of all of our students who use the gifts God has given them to shine
in our schools and communities!
th
Camp will be here soon! (June 12 -16 ). We still have two open spots. If your student has not signed up yet or
you know a student who would benefit from going, please talk to Cody ASAP, so we can get them registered and
ready to go. A BIG thanks to all of you amazing bakers who brought desserts to be auctioned, as well as to those
who served at our spaghetti luncheon fundraiser on April 2 nd. Thank you to all the parents and students who
participated and to all of you that came to eat, donate, and buy baked goods. We cannot tell you enough how much
we appreciate all of you helping our students go to camp so they can experience a full week of God’s Word and
have a life-changing experience. If you would still like to help sponsor a student to go to camp, please let Cody
or Tami know.
Deacons & Staff
7con
@ 7:30a.m.
Rylee Payne
8
9
Thank you for your constant prayer and service to our students.
Cody and Vanessa Decker
4 National Day
of Prayer
Friday
Saturday
5
6
Teddy & Linda Gaines
10 Family Meal
11
12
13
18
19
20
The church will be
open from 7:00a.m.
to 5:00p.m.
if you wish to pray
in the sanctuary.
@ 6:00p.m.
Nursery Committee
@ 11:30a.m.
Kids For Christ &
Women’s Bible Study
@ 6:45p.m.
Student Ministry
& Adult Prayer
Meeting @ 7:00p.m.
Constitution & Bylaw
@ 4:00p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
@ 5:00p.m.
Student Ministry
Council
@ 6:00p.m.
David Decker
14 Mother’s
Day
15
16
17
NO FAMILY MEAL
No Sunday School,
Adult Bible Study,
or Evening Services
Last Day for KFC
& Women’s Bible
Study
Student Ministry
& Adult Prayer
Meeting @ 7:00p.m.
The next series for our Wednesday Night Bible Studies will focus on the influences the students have and to apply
this, the students have asked for the opportunity to take turns sharing their testimonies at the beginning of each
session. There is such power in the testimony of Christ in everyone’s lives and we are excited to see the outcome
of God’s work through this.
During the month of May we will host the annual baccalaureate service for HISD seniors. Our students who are
graduating this year are Lorenzo Minor, Tucker Burton, and Kyler Gomez. Please be in prayer for them as God
opens a new chapter for their lives and as they prepare for new beginnings.
Thursday
Kids For Christ &
Women’s Bible Study
@ 6:45p.m.
As of April 28, 2017
FBCH STUDENT MINISTRY NEWS
th
Sunday
Morning Worship
Average Attendance
Set-up
@ 1:00p.m.
HCFP
2:00—5:00p.m.
McCoy Marek
Kyler Gomez
21 Morning
Worship
22
23
24
Baptist Men’s
Breakfast
@ 8:00a.m.
HCFP
Volunteer Luncheon
@ 12:00p.m.
25
Houston & CJ Payne
26
27
2017 HISD
Baccalaureate
Service
@ 7:00p.m.
@ 9:00a.m.
Children’s
Sunday School &
Adult Bible Study
@ 10:30a.m.
Choir Rehearsal
@ 5:00p.m.
BAPTIST WOMEN’S NEWS
Ladies, our next meeting will be held tomorrow evening, May 1st @ 6:00p.m. at Olive Garden in Temple.
This is our last meeting for 2016-2017. We’ll kick off again in September for 2017-2018.
We collected 68 various sized packages of cereal for the Baptist Children’s Home
during the months of March and April. Way to go!!
B APTIST MEN
The Baptist Men will meet May 20th @ 8:00a.m. The cook team
on that day will be Rex Arnold, Wayne Spinn, Brandon Spinn, and Scott Stroud.
All men and boys are invited!
Supper & Singing
@ 6:00p.m.
Marie Karl
28
Morning Worship
@ 9:00a.m.
Children’s
Sunday School &
Adult Bible Study
@ 10:30a.m.
Joel Ralston
29
Memorial
Day
Church Office
Closed
Garland Neal
30
Alyssa Dugger
31
Student Ministry
& Adult Prayer
Meeting @ 7:00p.m.
No Evening
Activities
Jody Arnold
Kim Arnold
Robert & Texanna Landin
SAVE THE DATE!
May 21st @ 6:00p.m. we will
gather for a potluck supper
and time of singing. Bring your
favorite entrée, salad, side,
or dessert to share. If you want
to sing a song, come prepared!