If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;
if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:36
2015
De Soto Baptist Church
ENGAGED IN THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
As with heavy heart I was recently pondering the reality of the
drug culture involving the practice of illegal drug use in today’s society, with the resulting destruction of so many lives, it occurred to
me that the drug culture is in a sense a “religion.” Looking at the
definition of religion according to Webster’s dictionary, we find that
religion is “any system of beliefs or practices which becomes a
person’s “’religion.” Thus, the practice of using drugs to enhance
one’s feeling of ecstasy, in reality, becomes a person’s ”religion.”
The irony as I see it is that those who rebel against, or have nothing to
do with religion in the traditional sense have indeed become “religious. This
form of religion, centered in the power of drugs, is extremely dangerous and
lead to great heartache, or disaster, or even death!
On the other hand, a relationship to Christ as our Savior leads us to
green pastures, to still waters, and to lives of contentment, self worth, and the
knowledge of eternal life in our heavenly homes. Add to this the hope, and
joy, and love of the Christmas message, along with the resurrection assurance
of the Easter message and the difference between the darkness and the light
is quite clear.
At this time in history, as never before, my prayer is for all God’s people
to hold in prayer all those who follow a “religion” of darkness, that they might
come to fully embrace the only religion of “light”, as provided for each of us by
the greatest sacrifice ever made. And may each of our lives reflect the words
from Acts 13:47
"For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I have placed you as a light for the
Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.”
Pastor
DE SOTO BAPTIST CHUR CH
October 2015
It was in 2008 that the youth of First Baptist Church in New London, N.H., raised 60,000
pennies to represent the number of children living in poverty in their state. And from that
initiative the American Baptist Home Mission Societies joined in encouraging the youth of
American Baptist Churches USA to raise 15 million pennies to represent the number of
children living in poverty in the United States and Puerto Rico.
To date, 230 AB churches have raised 10 million pennies – if you don’t want to do the
math, that’s $100,000! De Soto Baptist has never gotten started with this effort to specifically benefit the
many children in America living in poverty; but in the next 2 months, with a goal of 5 million pennies, this
would be a great time to start! Reaching this goal of $50,000 in pennies CAN happen if enough churches
which haven’t yet participated will act quickly! Our challenge is to see how many pennies
can find their way to De Soto Baptist in the next 70 days! Our national goal . . . 15 million pennies . . . equaling the number of children in the U.S. and Puerto Rico living in poverty, can become reality if we all rise to the reality of the poverty existing in the midst of
us. And while the amount raised is reported to National Home Mission Society, the money
can remain in our local community for specific needs here!
PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This is the month that is set aside to make a
special effort to recognize and show appreciation to pastors throughout our country. De
Soto Baptist tradition is for each of us to sign up for one day to do something special for
Richard and Mary Etta. This can be as simple as an encouraging card or note, a small
gift, home-made food, taking Richard out for lunch, or whatever seems appropriate for
each one involved. It is not the size of the remembrance, but the love and sincerity that
is shown. A calendar is posted on the church bulletin board. Please sign up for one of
those days if you have not already done so. If all spaces are taken, it is just fine to have two names for the
same day…a double appreciation day!.
This could also be a time to show appreciation to our Minister of Visitation, Joe Woywod, our Music Ministry
Leaders, Church School Teachers, or others that work so diligently serving our Lord at De Soto Baptist
Church. A simple note of appreciation can do so much to affirm and encourage those around us.
M.O.P.S.
(Mothers of Pre-Schoolers)
Our M.O.P.S. group will meet this month on the evening of Oct. 14. Please
encourage any young mothers that you know to join our group for an encouraging, friendly, and funfilled evening. The meetings start at 6:00 and end promptly at 7:30. Babysitting is provided for
the Pre-3 year-olds, and special lessons are provided for the children ages 3-6. A simple meal is
provided for the children and their mothers at 5:30.
Members of our church family are helping with the details of this program, but we definitely need
more people to commit to this great outreach program. Brooke Brownell and Alicia Champlain provide the leadership for the mothers’ meetings. Please contact Brooke if you have any questions
about the program or if you would be willing to volunteer for one of the evenings: 782-562-8532.
October 2015
DE SOTO BAPTIST CHUR CH
Monday Evening
Every Monday evening
@ 6:30 P.M. in the new
conference room
“The Doers”
Oct. 4th – Communion – World Fellowship Offering/ Karl Beesley
will be our guest speaker on this day
12:00 noon AB Girls meeting
Contact Karen Wall or Mary Etta Copeland
____________________
Monday Evenings
th
6:30 PM
Oct. 5 – 6:30 pm Doers of the Word & Men’s Bible Study
In the Galen Weese room
Oct. 6th – 7:00 – 8:30 pm DAR Meeting
Oct. 9th – Central Region Gathering
th
Oct. 10 – Central Region Gathering
7:30 am Men’s Breakfast at JT’s
2:30 pm Tyrone Flowers will lead Worship at Hillside
—
—————
Contact Pastor Copeland
———
—
Oct. 11th – 10:15 am Jr. Joys will rehearse
11:00 am Jr. Joys will sing in Services
Oct. 12th – Columbus Day
6:30 pm Doers of the Word & Men’s Bible Study
Oct. 13th – Pray for our Central Region Churches
Our church will serve lunch at Central Seminary
Oct. 14th – 5:30 MOPS
7:00 pm Deacon & Trustee Meetings
7:30 pm Church Business Meeting
Oct. 19th – 6:30 pm Doers of the Word & Men’s Bible Study
Oct. 20th – 1:00 – 3:00 pm Women Sewing for Others
Oct. 25th—5:00 pm Trunk or Treat
Oct. 26th – 6:30 pm Doers of the Word & Men’s Bible Study
DOERS OF THE WORD WOMEN’S GROUP
All women are invited to Participate in our Doers of the Word Bible Study and Prayer Group.
Our group has a three-pronged mission: to
learn more of the Word of God and apply it to
our lives; to enrich our personal prayer time as
well as praying for the needs of others; to serve
and encourage others by doing not just learning. (James 1:22 – “Be doers of the Word, not
hearers only.”) We meet on Monday evenings
(except on ABW meeting nights) from 6:30-8:00
in the Copeland Gathering Center. Please join
us. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mary Etta Copeland, Karen Wall, or Alicia
Champlain.
Oct. 31st – Halloween
Month of August
Bal. Forward
Deposits
Disb.
End. Bal
$ 67,469.59
$ 14,993.00
$ 14,499.44
$ 67,963.15
Imp. Fund
$ 63,087.95
THE SCRIP PROGRAM - These are gift cards that
are available to numerous merchants such as Applebee’s - Chili’s – On the Border – Long Horn Steak
House – Borders – Kohl’s – Pizza Hut – Panera Bread
– Red Lobster/Olive Garden – Wal-Mart.
These merchants donate a portion of each purchase back to our church.
Contact Rick and Monica Walker for
more details. Some cards are available
immediately. Other merchants may be
available upon request. Order today!
October 2015
DE SOTO BAPTIST CHUR CH
TRUNK OR TREAT
Mark your calendars for Sunday evening, October 25. This will be
our annual Trunk or Treat night. This activity, sponsored by ABW,
gives the entire congregation a chance to provide Halloween treats
to our children as well as those in our community.
Congregational members bring candy and goodies that are put on display in their car trunks. The
children come, dressed in their Halloween costumes, to parade for all of us as they go from trunk to
trunk.
Then, everyone goes to the Church Basement for doughnuts and cider. It is a great opportunity
for community outreach as well as a time for fun and fellowship. Please plan on taking part in this annual event. The parade will begin at 5:00 in the north church parking lot.
DHS Choral Department will be happy to accept your donations of clothing, bedding,
linens, etc. in plastic thrash bags, or dishes, class ware, books, pictures, etc. in boxes
through Sunday Oct. 11. Check with Mary Etta if you have any questions, and much
thanks for your help!
FOOD PANTRY NEEDS—Dried beans - Meal Starters (hamburger helper) -Sugar, flour,
cooking oil -Canned fruit - canned carrots -Canned tuna or chicken
Volunteers Needed -The De Soto Food Pantry is run on 100% volunteers, and we
would love to have any time or talent you can share!
Can you help pick up food donations on Tuesdays from local stores? Contact
Randy at [email protected]
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:26
I never has “just” a headache, or “just” a toothache. If any part of my physical body hurts,
I know how difficult it is for my other parts to ignore the pain. God designed by body so that if
certain parts are injured, other parts will compensate for the injured part. If I strain my knee, soon
my hip starts hurting because it is using more muscle power to pull the weight that my knee usually carries. On the other hand if I wake up feeling good, it is because all of my body is doing well,
and my whole body can celebrate.
And so it is with the church body—as Paul stated in the verse quoted above. In close community, when one of us suffers, others also feel the pain and offer comfort. We are not always suffering, and so we can rejoice and celebrate life when good things are happening.
No matter what condition we are in—suffering or rejoicing—it is better to go through it with
the help of others. Together, suffering is more bearable, and rejoicing feels even greater. As a
member of Christ’s church, I am committed to helping others and rejoicing with others, whether in
sickness or in health.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for creating your church as a body that functions together in all
things. Help us to be more loving when others suffer and more joyful when they are happy.
Amen.
From the Upper Room, Deanne Ruedemann
DE SOTO BAPTIST CHUR CH
2015
A Moment with Jo.
Wonderful Surprises, unexpected graces
The end of 2014, I read a book by Elizabeth Sherrill, who is a wonderful Christian author and who has also
written for Daily Guideposts for many years. The book was entitled God of Wonderful Surprises. As I finished this excellent book, I felt the Lord telling me this is a statement of confirmation of my attitude for the
next year and all to follow. The God of joyful surprises would show Himself in different ways throughtout
2015 and beyond.
As I look over the last year, what surprises and joys we have experienced:1) Our son-in-law, Dave and Amy
with his daughter and our 3 great-granddaughters came to to Florida and the joy of seeing them at the
beach-just precious.l 2) a quickly- arranged cruise that was very relaxing with many unexpected graces
throughout the cruise. 3)Son Johnny coming To Florida on business and we were able to go to Tampz and
spend meaningful time together. 4) Being asked to offciate at son, Johnny and our new daughter, Kate's
marriage. Spending time with her family. It is truly the Lord's blessing when people come together, who do
not know each other, and leave good friends. 5) In June, I experienced great pain in the abdomen, but PTL,
Csan shows no cancer 6) officiating at grandson, Taylor and his wife"s marriage in Toledo, OH. 7) Seeing 2
of our granddaughters go to new schools and they are doing well. 8) Grandson Jacob making the marching
band at KSU and he loves college. 9)Childhood-Seniorhood friend Karen Wall being diagnosed with Lymphoma and 10 days later, she did not have it and is well. 10) driving the roads in Miami County for a flower tour
and seeing beautiful cloud formations, fall colors begining to arrive and very kind people along the way to
help us find the next garden.
May our hearts and eyes be open for God's wonderful furprises and be quick to thank Him for those unexpected graces, as Elizabeth Sherrill would say.
SAVE THE DATE
Our Annual Baked Potato Dinner and Craft Auction.—Sunday, Nov 1—
Noon to 2:30
Ladies, Gentlemen, Children.
It’s time to be making those one-of-a-kind items for our annual craft auction: Holiday crafts,
home-baked/canned goods, woodworking, sewing,
THEN
Join in on the fun and fellowship as we enjoy A LIVE AND LIVELY AUCTION to raise funds for
the many ABW projects throughout the year. Jeff Ruckert, a former active youth member of
our church family, will again lead the auction.
Remember, this auction is designed for home-made and crafted items. All other items will be
placed in a Silent Auction section. This is to quicken the live auction so that it con be completed
in a timely fashion.
There will be a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for those who would be willing to donate all
of the “fixins” for those potatoes.
E n gage d in th e m in is tr y o f
r e c on c iliatio n
De Soto Baptist Church
Richard G. Copeland, Pastor
P.O. Box E
De Soto, Kansas 66018
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT #3
DE SOTO, KANSAS 66018
Address Service Requested
October
www.desotobaptistchurch.com
Join us for Trunk or Treat in the church parking lot
for lots of fun and smiles!
October 25—5:00 PM