Varennes Heights Baptist Church

What a great day we had this past Sunday at our Worship Event. I want to personally thank each one for their attendance and especially to thank each one that worked so hard to make this event such a success. More than anything I want to thank our Lord for all that he has done.

I often think that such an endeavor as the church has taken on is like looking at a huge, heavy wheel. At first it takes all of our strength just to get it started to turning. At first it turns very slowly. But little by little, the effort gets less, the momentum picks up, and the wheel begins to turn using its own weight as a plus rather than as resistance.

First, let me say how blessed we are that we missed the terrible storms that have hit most of the southern states. The last I have heard is that 173 were killed . We need to pray for all those who were in those storms.

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Dear Members and Friends,

I like Christmas time! Mostly because of the celebration of the birth of Christ. But, I like Christmas for other reasons as well. It is a time for family traditions. Traditions are not bad things; rather, traditions create both memories and continuity. I know, sometimes traditions can become outdated and boring. That is why style may change in how we carry on those traditions but the fact of carrying them on creates wonderful and heartwarming experiences.

I still remember the lights we used on the tree when I was a kid. I still am amazed that those old, hot lights did not catch the real, dried-out cedar tree on fire! We got one bag of fruit to be shared by the whole family as a gift from the cotton mill where dad worked. One toy, a shirt, and a pair of pants were the gifts because by that time we had outgrown the clothes we started the school year with. Parched peanuts were always fixed by our dad and they were a treat.

There is a song that children sang in times past which said "If you're happy and you know it ....". Happiness is a wonderful thing. Scripture tells us that a "merry heart does us good like medicine". It is true that many people are not very happy. Medicine makes us feel better and happiness can cure a lot of hurt in life. I think you would agree that it is sad when we no longer have a merry heart but there is a constant cloud which hangs over our hearts.

So many have worked so hard to make this year's VBS successful. It is truly unbelievable the amount of work that goes into a successful VBS program. There is as much Bible taught in one week of VBS as there is in seventeen weeks of Sunday School. Each night we have two and one-half hours of Bible School which translates over five nights to twelve and one-half hours. Sunday School is about 45 minutes each Sunday. Seventeen weeks of Sunday School is 12.75 hours.

Hats off to Mrs. Tiffany Bratcher, our VBS Director, for the fine job she did. Tiffany was here at the church a couple of weeks before the start of VBS getting rooms and hallways ready; she began last February organizing the class with teachers; materials had to be ordered. However hard the week of VBS may be, ninety percent of the work is done beforehand by the Director and by the teachers and workers in getting ready. The kids responded tremendously and God has blessed.

This past Sunday the church voted to purchase thirty acres of land on Masters Boulevard for the future vision of the church. We are in the process of securing a loan and doing the other necessary things in order to actually get the land into the church's name. This was a big step for the church but a necessary step in order to move ahead. We cannot do this without God's provision - that is one side of the story. We also cannot do this without God's people - we must be faithful. God has great things in mind for those who trust Him. The foundation has been laid and plans have been made. Now we must build upon those plans for the glory of God. Remember, our purpose is not to reach Baptists but to reach the lost. We are developing a new strategy for a new day. Seventy percent of those who are unchurched are open to a conversation about spiritual things with a friend; someone they know and trust. In today's world relationships are the key to reaching people.

This Sunday night, January 31, we will begin a study on the Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. Two of these parables stand out as great teachers for any church which is seeking to make a difference in the kingdom of heaven. The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast. Bottom line is that both of these were small in comparison to the end product; but the end product was big! Often times we, in our personal life and in the church, want what the Israelites wanted. They wanted Israel to be restored to greatness immediatly! We often want big things and we want them right now!

Dear Friends,
What a great year this has been! It is so wonderful to be a part of a church which expresses its appreciation in so many ways. The cards, the gifts, the cakes and goodies - you have shown you love to Diane and I in so many ways. All of the programs and decorations at church have been such a blessing to so many people. Everyone did such a great job.

What a great time we had at our Homecoming this past Sunday! Every thing was such a blessing and the presence of the Holy Spirit was POWERFUL Sunday morning. The choir did a great job. Thank you choir for blessing us so much. And Brother David Blizzard brought a tremendous message.

Then, that afternoon, the singing by "Sound Doctrine" touched our hearts. And the food filled our plates. The activities filled our lives with fun. To all of you who worked to make Homecoming special - "Thank You"!