June 2006 – Vol. 2, No. 6

"Never Alone"

Recently, I mentioned in a sermon that I had not been able to find the music for a spiritual called "Never Alone" anywhere but in a secular movie's score. Several alert listeners came to me–this is an old-time hymn. One of you even brought in the old Tabernacle Hymnal, and I made a copy of the music. Yeah! I stand corrected.

And so, I now reflect even more on the content of this song. The words to the chorus are, "He (Jesus) promised never to leave me, He claims me for his own. No, never alone . . . Never to leave me alone."

Indeed, we are never alone. God is always with us, and we can feel that peace in many ways. But I think there is further meaning for us here. When we claim ourselves as Christians, and unite with a church, we are never alone. God gives us friends in the faith, with whom we can fellowship, debate, encourage, study, wonder, and love. God gives us each other!

Many people in my generation and those after me say they are "very spiritual," but find little use for organized religion. They believe God is always with us, but find it hard to see that in the church. If you are receiving this newsletter, but haven't been to church in a while, I invite you to try again.

Will you find perfection in the congregation at First Baptist? No way. You won't find it in the pastor either. But you will find something far greater than perceived perfections—the living out of the promise that Christ gave us—that we are never alone. God lives—in us, and through us.

Don't feel alone any longer.

WITH You All,
Pastor Steph

What's Going On

Be sure to be at the worship service on Sunday, June 4th for a Pentecost you won't forget. Wear red and be prepared to participate in a very unique service.

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Sunday, June 4th at 6 pm, Essex Street Baptist Church will host our youth choir for concert to benefit their 2007 choir tour and the "KUPENDA for the Children", a Christian Charity.

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Saturday June 10th. The Neighbors' Progressive Munch. It begins at Noreen Kent's home in Hampden and progresses to the Folsoms in Bangor. Please RSVP by June 6th to the Folsoms.

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Sunday, June 11th will be the last day of Sunday School. There will be a Potluck Breakfast at 9am for all student, teachers and parents. We will be honoring graduating seniors and recognizing the efforts of both teachers and students.

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Saturday, June 17th, from 8 am to 1 pm will be our Church Yard Sale. The next Saturday will be the rain date.

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Pastor Stephanie will be away from June 29th to July 16th. While she is away, the following preachers will fill the pulpit:

July 2: Rev. Dr. Glenn Miller
July 9: Rev. Dr. Al Fletcher, Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of Maine
July 16: Rev. Dr. Glenn Miller

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July 28th. We will be hosting the China Lake Music Camp concert at FBC on that Friday. We will be feeding the campers dinner. Details to follow.

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July 30—August 3. Vacation Bible School.

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Need to know what's coming up?  Check out the Upcoming Events page.

Do you have an announcement? Contact the newsletter staff at newsletter@fbcbangor.org.

Awards, Honors & Recognitions

Heritage Festival, Washington D.C.

Concert Band, Bronze – Laura Dearing, Toni Lent, Sarah Livingstone
Honors Choir, Silver – Jackie Cobb, Laura Dearing, Jenny Smith, Matt Taylor
Orchestra, Gold – Stephen Salinas
Fiddlers, Gold – Stephen Salinas

Bangor High also won the sweeps award given to the school with the best representation by a music department. BHS brought 8 groups to the festival.

Academic Awards

Jackie Cobb – Academic All America Award; President's Award for Educational Excellence; Presidential Distinguished Scholar merit scholarship; College of Engineering Scholarship, Margret Chase Morrill Scholarship; Johnson Outdoors Sons and Daughters Scholarship
Stephen Salinas – All State Orchestra; Sophomore Superintendent’s Award; Sophomore Foreign Language Award

Cohen Academic Awards

Rachel Douglas
Seth Livingstone

College

Jackie Cobb – Attending University of Maine, Orono
Laura Dearing – Attending University of Maine, Orono

PVC & State Championship Qualifiers, Track & Field

Jackie Cobb – Javelin (PVC), Shot Put (PVC & State)
Stephen Salinas – 4x800m relay (PVC & State); 1600m (PVC); 300m hurdles (PVC)

Did we miss one of your achievements? Please submit it to John Cheney, Pam Levesque or Ned Salinas and we’ll place it in the next newsletter.

New Members

This spring, we have had four people join us as new members. Cynthia Esty and Darol Kubert became members on Easter Sunday—both through "Christian Experience". On May 28th, Mellisa Crosby was baptized and Mary DeGrave became members through Christian Experience. We have also had several visitors "check us out". Please make the effort to greet people you don't know and make them feel welcome.

Church Yard Sale

On Saturday, June 17th we will be having our 2nd Annual First Baptist Yard Sale, and this one promises to be better than the first. Last year, we raised just a couple of dollars under $700 and we didn't even know what we were doing. This year, we hope to raise more money, get rid of some valuable junk . . . er . . . merchandise and market the Church in the process. What we will need is invaluable volunteers to help as well as valuable merchandise to sell. If you have stuff you want to get out of your life, let John Cheney or Dan Livingstone know. The FBC Youth Choir will be selling refreshments, there will be tours of the Sanctuary available and we plan to give away some Bibles to people who ask us because they don't have one at home.

Vacation Bible School
July 30 through August 3

Get ready for a FIESTA!! Where kids are fired up about Jesus!!

VBS 2006 - July 30 through Aug. 3

Get ready for a weeklong Fiesta at First Baptist Church.

Forget about cooking! Kids, crew, family and friend are invited each night at 5 pm to the Ole Café. Come eat and then stay for the rest of the evening program.

We’ll find that Jesus is our friend, our life, our leader, our Saviour, and our Helper.

We’ll find out about Ray, Rosa, Cody, Spike and Pablo while we go through Chadder's Theater, Grande Games, Hot Bible Adventures, Cactus Crafts, Maraca Munchies and more!! Will Tammy & Tommy make it to VBS this summer??? Come join us and find out!!

Hear a sneak preview of “King Jesus is All” on June 11 as the Sunday school sings the introit!!

Don’t want to get left out of the Fiesta?? Sign up to help out. We’ll need craft helpers, crew leaders, Café & snack helpers. Sign up sheets will be posted soon.

Can’t help out during the week? We’ll be needing supplies so feel free to donate. Supply lists will be coming out soon.

Don’t forget the adult class with Pastor Stephanie.

Still have questions? Feel free to ask VBS Co-directors Ned Salinas and Cheryl Dearing or check out the website http://www.fbcbangor.org/vbs2006.htm

Get ready for a FIESTA!! Where kids are fired up about Jesus!!

Newsletter Contacts: Any submissions for the newsletter may be delivered to the church office or any member of the Publicity Committee: John Cheney, Pam Levesque or Ned Salinas or emailed to newsletter@fbcbangor.org. The deadline for the June Messenger is Sun., June 24.