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90 Day Vision Half Way Through                                                      February 22, 2012

 

 

Back on January 8, we agreed as a church to walk together toward a 90 Day Vision.  From January 8 till April 8, we determined to ask God to do abundantly more than we could think or ask for his glory and for the church to be reached among every generation.

 Our 90 Day Vision Theme Verse:  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph. 3:20-21)

 Here is an update on where we’ve been and what is still to come.
  

1.      Impact of Teenagers - DiscipleNow Weekend – 169 teenagers in attendance, 25 first time decisions for Christ, already 3 baptisms (1 at LBC; 2 at another church), and several new college students who were the small group leaders are now attending LBC weekly.  Huge success for God’s glory!

 

2.      Impact on Children and Families – Upward Basketball and Cheerleading – We are nearly finished.  Hundreds of kids and parents have been impacted. The coaches and volunteers have built long-lasting relationships with the children.  Probably 10 families have visited LBC as a result of Upward.

 

3.      Impact on Missions Involvement –Over 200 people in attendance for the Mission Night.  Also, the Souper Bowl can food drive for the local food pantry and Eastern KY.  Nearly 4000 cans were collected in three weeks.  Wow!

 

4.        Impact on marriages and couples – Sunday evenings with Dr. Scott Wigginton.  Great turn out so far.  Over 150 each Sunday night receiving great teaching and practical wisdom.

 And we aren’t finished yet.  There is still more to come!
  

5.      Impact on Garrard Co. Athletics – March 11 – Golden Lion Appreciation Day for spring athletes.   

 

6.        Impact on Evangelism – Inviting 2500 homes in Garrard Co. and Lancaster to the Holy Week services, Saturday, March 24 & 31st.

 

7.      Impact on Men, Fathers & Husbands – The Courageous movie night March 25 at 6 PM.

 

8.      Impact on Women, Mothers & Wives – Women of Joy Conference March 30-April 1.  

 

9.      Impact on Our Community – 4 Amazing Holy Week Services

 Palm Sunday Celebration - Message: Sin Lost!       April 1 • 10:00 AM

LBC Night of Praise Choir Presentation                April 1 • 6:30 PM

Seder Meal w/Dr. Damon Eubank                             April 4 • 6:30 PM

Resurrection Sunday - Message: Love Won!            April 8 • 8:30 & 10:00 AM

 We ask you to walk with us as we set about to finish this 90 Day Vision together. 

Grace and peace,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

Giving Beyond Our Means                                                                February 15, 2012

 

 

 If you were out Sunday morning, you might have heard through the grapevine about my little challenge about giving.  In it, I thanked the entire church for their generosity in this time.  Normally during an interim period giving does down significantly as people wait for the transitional period to be over. 

 That is not the case at LBC.  We are actually a slight bit ahead of budget for 2012, which I truly appreciate.  But the goal in giving to God is not to be slightly ahead of the stated church budget.  The goal is to be generous above and beyond what you think you can do.  The goal is to do more together as a church family than could be done as individuals.  The goal is to give sacrificially knowing everything belongs to God anyway, we are but managers of His stuff. 

Therefore, I challenged the church to consider what we could do if we dreamed big, gave sacrificially, and asked God to help us be generous.  To that end, Jennifer (my wife) and I have decided that for the remainder of the interim period, we are bringing our tithes and offerings to LBC to join you in God’s work.  We are asking Him to expand your vision beyond our church budget and help us GIVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AWAY to people around the world in need.

 For the duration of the interim period, if we give over and above the budget think of what we could do together.  If we gave…

 …$  5,000 over, we could fully fund the youth mission trip to New Orleans, LA.

…$10,000 over, we could dig 20 wells in Uganda so thousands could have clean drinking water.

…$20,000 over, we could fund a local food pantry for nearly a year.

…$50,000 over, we could fund an IMB missionary family for a year in salary & ministry funds.

…$75,000 over, we could fund 2 complete orphanages built from the ground up in Ghana.

 We are so blessed by God.  The lights are on, the heat is warm, the church staff is well compensated for.  We could use the giving overages to be a blessing to the nations or we can squeak by until the new pastor comes.

 You decide.  I’d like to see God do something radical in our midst for His glory.  Whatever the outcome, we are going to stand beside you giving unto the Lord. 

Grace and peace,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

Marriage & Family Month                                                            February 8, 2012

 

 

Are you married?  Are you single but hoping to get married someday?  Have you been married before and hope to find God’s direction the next time around?

No matter if you’ve been married for 30 years or newly engaged, you will not want to miss our Marriage & Family Month each Sunday evening during the month of February.  We have an extra special guest who is going to a major blessing to every family in the church.

Dr. Scott Wigginton will be our featured speaker.  Dr. Wigginton is a professor of pastoral ministries and counseling in the Campbellsville University School of Theology and a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of counseling experience.  He has led marriage workshops and weekend retreats all over the country.

The theme for the month is “Keeping the Home Fires Lit” and will feature three very special messages entitled:

            Feb. 12 – Learning to be a Lover

            Feb. 19 – Rekindling Fire: An Ancient Recipe

            Feb. 26 – Beyond Dr. Phil: Focus on Christian Family

Dr. Wigginton has been married to Elizabeth, his college sweetheart, for 27 years and they have three children.  Auburn who is a junior at the University of Kentucky, Hope who is a freshman at Centre College and Caleb who is a sophomore at Taylor County High School.

Dr. Wigginton holds a B.A. from Western KY University, and the M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. all from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville.  For 13 years, he was the director of LifeCare Counseling Center in Louisville.

These three weeks are going to be outstanding.  Mark your calendars and bring YOUR SPOUSE!  February 2012 could be a major shift in your home and relationship.

Grace and peace,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

Be a Blessing to the Hungry                                                                    February 1, 2012

 

 

Consider these median annual income levels for families, not individuals, living in America.

 Average Annual Income Level per Family

·         USA              $39,635

·         KY                $32,258  (roughly $7000 below national average)

·         Garrard Co.   $25,258  (exactly $7000 below KY average; $14,000 below US)

·         Floyd Co.      $21,168  (roughly $4000 below Garrard; $11,000 below KY; $18,000 below US)

 Conclusions.  First, we must be aware that there are families in our immediate surroundings, within a 1 mile radius of our church, who are struggling financially and are without question battling hunger.  $25,000 per year is not much to live on, especially with the cost of gas and food going through the roof.

 Secondly, the GAP Ministry in Floyd Co (Eastern KY) that we support with volunteers, mission teams and various help throughout the year is experiencing an even more drastic picture.  With the average family just $1500 per month after taxes.  Friends, that is not much to make ends meet.

 Third conclusion.  We can help!  We can be a blessing to others.  We can help the hungry here in our community and we can help others across our state.  We can help in a very easy, basic way through giving food.

 I invite you to join us in meeting our goal of collecting 6000 cans from our church for the Souper Bowl competition.  We have two more Sunday’s to bring in our can goods – Feb. 5 & 12.  I think we can do 8000 with God’s help. 

 I am bringing 20 cans this Sunday.  How many will you bring?

 Grace and peace,
 Shane

 Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

200+ Attend Mission Night                                                                     January 25, 2012

 

 

Again, God does abundantly more than we could think or ask for his glory and for the church (Eph. 3:20).  We had over 200 people attend Missions Night last this past Sunday evening.  Take a look at the variety of opportunities and mission fields on hand.

 Daniel & Mary Beth Roberts  -  Vapor Sports        Beth  -  Operation Christmas Child

TJ & Kelli Wilder  -  Living Waters/Way of the Master

Marty Allen  -  All God’s Children                           Kenneth & Barbra Montgomery  -  Belize

Rick Gastineau  -   Pit Stop Challenge                      Hope53  -  Haiti

Eastern KY  -  GAP Ministry                                   Barbara Satterly  -  Gethsemane Church

Sunrise Children’s Home                                                  • South Africa

Oneida Baptist Institute                                                    • Panama

Gretta Wilson  -  Japan                                                    • Dakota Indian

Coy Webb  -  Baptist Men                                             Donna Fegenbush  -  WMU

Dr. Jim Clontz  -  South District Association

    • Deaf Ministry
     • Isaiah House
     • Hispanic Ministry

 Leah Chevren, a member of the Mission Team, shared this testimony with me.

I am simply amazed at how God planted an idea and then showed us how HE can do more than we could have imagined!  A big, big thank you to the mission team and the food and fun team for all their hard work.   Also to all the ministries and our church members for making the different food displays.

 The 90 Day Vision is catching steam and momentum. 169 students at DNow with 25 professions of faith, 220 attending Missions Night, and two consecutive Sunday’s with over 300 in the morning worship service. 

 God is moving and working in our midst!  Will you join Him in his work?

 Grace and peace,
 Shane

 Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

DiscipleNow…Wow!                                                              January 18, 2012

 

 

Read this brief report from Pastor Stephen about the student DiscipleNow Weekend.

Wow! Over 20 professions of faith, 169 students praising the Lord, 22 amazing college leaders, 35 host home leaders and over 15 other adult leaders, Ed Newton & Chris Orr made this an unforgettable weekend. Praise the Lord!     

This report is truly a gift from God.  As most of you know, ministry with students is not as easy as it once was.  Back 25 years ago, a church could do anything for teenagers and have more than they could imagine.  But nowadays, many students have an edge toward the church.  They have gone through terrible church experiences in the past and want nothing more to do with the organized, institutional church. 

But then you have a report like this one.  Not only did we have more teenagers than ever before attend the weekend event (169 to be exact), but God moved on the hearts of 25 students to make professions of faith.  25 young men and women giving their lives to Jesus.  This is worthy of a shout!  What a harvest.  What an outpouring of God’s spirit.

And then you have 22 college students who served as Bible study leaders.  Some are in our church already serving and worshipping as part of this faith community.  Others are considering the drive from EKU or UK to make LBC their new church home because they sense God was here.  This is absolutely amazing!

And finally, we have to mention the servant-leaders from our church how made this weekend possible.  We thank the 35 host home leaders who opened up their doors to students for two nights providing a place for God to move.  We thank another 15 leaders who made food, lead in worship, took care of details, and worked behind the scenes to make the weekend a success. 

To Stephen and the whole DNow weekend team, we as a church say Thank You!  Thank you for helping us see that God is at work in a mighty way and we can believe on him to do abundantly more than we could think or act for his glory and for the church (Eph. 3:20).

Grace and peace,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

The 90 Day Vision                                                                     January 11, 2012

 

 

This past Sunday, we agreed as a church to walk together toward the 90 Day Vision.  From January 8 till April 8, we are asking God to do abundantly more than think or ask for his glory and for the church to be reached among every generation. 

What is the 90 Day Vision?  Simply, to make an impact on Lancaster & Garrard Co. through the following events in the next 90 days.

1.      Impact of Teenagers - DiscipleNow Weekend – January 13-15 – Praying for over 150 teenagers from Garrard Co. coming to hear the Word, to worship and to be disciple in their walk with Christ.

 

2.      Impact on Children and Families – Upward Basketball and Cheerleading through January and February.  Hundreds of kids and even more parents will be here every Saturday, using the gym, with coaches that love God and are trying to explain the Gospel to children every week.

 

3.      Impact on Missions Involvement – January 22 Missions Night – Over 20 booths with all sorts of ministry opportunities for you to get involved with to make a difference for the kingdom of God.

 

4.      Impact on Garrard Co. Athletics – February 5 – Golden Lion Appreciation Day for spring athletes.  Last time, we had over 100 student-athletes here in worship.  I anticipate that again.

 

5.      Impact on marriages and couples – February 12, 19, 26, we have Dr. Scott Wigginton, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and veteran marriage and family counselor, coming each Sunday evening to teach us how to keep the home fires stoked in our marriages.

 

6.      Impact on Evangelism – Find It Here campaign to put invitations for Easter weekend services and a Gospel presentation on the doors of 2500 homes in Garrard Co. and Lancaster. Saturday, March 24th & 31st.

 

7.      Impact on Men, Fathers & Husbands – Super Bowl Sunday Spectacular Feb. 5 at 6 PM & the Courageous Movie Night March 25 at 6 PM.

 

8.      Impact on Women, Mothers & Wives – Women of Joy Conference in Louisville March 30-April 1.  

 

9.      Impact on Our Community – Easter Weekend. April 8.  Two worship services: 8:30  10 AM. Gospel message available to all who come and hear the word preached.  Praying for 600 in attendance!

All in the next 90 days.  We ask you to walk with us as we set about this 90 Day Vision together.  With God, all things are possible.

Grace and peace,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 Game Changers: 8 Stories That Changed Everything                          January 4, 2012

There has never been a story-teller quite like Jesus.  His stories, or parables, captured the hearts and minds of every person listening.  He could keep a crowd spellbound for hours weaving everyday things into stories in ways they had never heard or considered before.  Yet the deeper meaning of these stories were what changed attitudes, behaviors, ways of thinking, and how people responded to God. 

 There is no question Jesus was the greatest story-teller and teacher who ever lived.  We are so blessed and thankful to have these stories recorded in the Bible to hear for ourselves. 

 Over the next two months, I am going to share 8 of these Jesus’ stories in a new sermon series called “Game Changers: 8 Stories that Changed Everything.”  Here is a quick list of the sermon titles and the parables that are going to be featured.

 

Jan.   8 -  Buried Treasure (Matthew 13:10-17, 44)

Jan. 15 -  Location, Location, Location (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Jan. 22 -  Spraying for Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

Jan. 29 -  A Clean Slate (Matthew 18:21-35)

Feb.  5 - My Punk Brother (Matthew 21:28-32)

Feb. 12 - Tensions with Tenants (Matthew 21:33-45)

Feb. 19 - Sending Out Wedding Invitations (Matthew 22:1-14)

Feb. 26 - Mr. Money Bags (Matthew 25:14-30)

 I would really encourage you to come and invite a friend, especially if they love a great story. 

 Grace and peace,
 Shane

 Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

New Year Commitment Service                                                      December 21, 2011

 

 

Even before Christmas get here, I am already getting very excited about the new year.  New set of goals to reach for.  New slate of things to accomplish.  Another year to see my kids grow up and succeed.  Another joy-filled season to be with you, my new friends and family at LBC.  There is nothing like a new year to begin fresh by looking back and looking forward.

I want to invite you and your family to a very special New Year Commitment Service on Sunday, January 1st at 6:30 PM.  During our Sunday evening worship time, we are going to be experiencing something quite unique.  During that time of worship together, there will be a special concert of prayer. There will be singing and music uniting our hearts in praise and worship.  But during the sermon something unique will take place.

I will definitely bring a message from the Word of God.  But here is the unique thing – so will you!  Each of you will become an integral part of the sermon.  Each of you will have a small part to play in the way we apply God’s word to our lives.  Each of you will be actively involved, not just sitting and listening to me.

I don’t want to say too much and spoil the surprise for you, but I promise it will be a memorable service as we look back and look forward as a faith family.

I do hope you will come. 

Merry Christmas,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

Three Groups I Am So Proud Of                                                   December 14, 2011

 

 

There are 3 groups that I want to brag on for just a little bit this week: the Student Ministry, the Children’s Choir and the Deacon body.

 First, the student ministry.  This past weekend 22 students and 8 adult leaders spent a weekend in Gatlinburg, TN for their annual winter retreat.  Read this outstanding report from Pastor Stephen.

 “We had an awesome weekend working through a study titled The WAY from John 14. Not only did we enjoy precious time in God's Word but we had a wonderful time of sweet fellowship. I love our students so much and enjoyed spending the weekend them. They were so caring and willing to help me anyway they could, considering my present situation. It was one of those weekends you wish could go on and on. I am also blown away by my Gospel partners. Our amazing adults joined us for the weekend and were absolutely amazing. Whether preparing amazing food or getting the students where they needed to be, all I had to do was teach the students. Thank you to each and every one.”

Secondly, I want to congratulate the Children’s Choir who did an amazing job on Sunday night presenting their Christmas program. Smiling faces, beautiful singing, and joyful little hearts telling us the story of Jesus’ birth.  A very special thanks to Lauren Oliver, Jana Oliver, and Shelly Ives for all their hard work and many others who helped put all the details together.  Everything was perfect. 

Finally, I want to brag on the members of the Deacon body who made the Christmas meal so special a couple weeks ago.  Over 250 people came to the lunch which is the highest attendance ever at a Deacon Christmas meal.  We had more desserts than anyone could have ever eaten.  Thank you also to the Food & Fellowship Team for adding their special touch to the meal.

These groups make LBC so special.  I am so thankful for them and their ministry efforts in spreading the love of Christ over the past few weeks.  Keep up the great work.  It is truly appreciated.

Merry Christmas,
Shane

 Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

John 3:16 The Greatest Verse in the Bible                                        December 7, 2011

 

 

I hope you will be with us the entire month of December as we begin a new sermon series entitled “John 3:16 The Greatest Verse in the Bible.”  Starting Dec. 11th and running through Jan. 1st, each message will come from this most quoted, most memorized, most known verse in the entire Bible.  The goal is to intertwine John 3:16 with an explanation of the nativity of Christ and to lead people to consider if they truly believe what the verse says.

Here is a quick highlight of each message

Dec. 11 – For God So Loved the World

In this first message, my hope is to answer two questions: “Who is God?” and “How does He love us?”  Both questions are enormous in scope, but you must always start with God and his love in order to fully understand Christmas or the cross.  If God didn’t love us, then Jesus would have never been sent.

Dec. 18 – That He Gave His One and Only Son

In the second message, I will attempt to link the Christmas Story in Luke 2 to John 3:16 in describing how God gave the most extraordinary gift ever given.  He gave His son – the baby in the manger, the perfect spotless lamb, the savior of the world and sacrificial atonement for our sin.  

Dec. 25 – That Whosoever Believes in Him

On Christmas morning, I pray you will invite friends and family to come to worship with you.  My hope is to explain the Gospel, the goodnews of Jesus Christ, in the simplest way possible so that all who hear can understand, no matter if they are 9 or 99.  Here’s my promise to you: If you bring them, I will share the Gospel and invite them to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Deal? 

Jan. 1 – Shall Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life

In this final message on New Years Day, I want to make clear the difference between eternal death (perishing) and eternal life.  We believe everyone is going to spend eternity somewhere.  So we better describe the differences now, while we still have a choice in locations.

I am so excited about this series.  Please come and make it the most memorable Christmas at LBC in a long time.  You make the difference.  You matter.  You are the reason we are here.

Merry Christmas,
Shane
Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

LBC Christmas is Coming                                                                   November 30, 2011

 

 

 We have many ways for you to get in the Christmas spirit over the month of December at Lancaster Baptist Church.  Here are 5 ways for you to worship the new born King and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with your church family.

 1.  Deacon Christmas Meal

Our deacons will be serving up a fine Christmas meal on Sunday, Dec. 4th with turkey, ham and all the fix’ns.  Immediately following the AM worship service in the Family Life Center.  Bring your whole family and a friend to start the December holiday season off right.  The children’s choir will be singing a couple songs during that meal.

2.  New Christmas Sermon Series

I will be starting a new sermon series Dec. 11 called John 3.16 The Greatest Verse in the Bible. In this series, I will retell the nativity story of Jesus’ birth by using the most memorized, most quoted, most known verse in the whole Bible.  If you don’t have John 3:16 memorized yet, you will soon enough.

3.  Children’s Choir Christmas Musical

Also on Dec. 11 during the PM worship service, our children’s choir will be presenting their Christmas program.  There is nothing better than hearing our children sing about the coming of Jesus, the Savior of the world.  It’s going to be outstanding, I promise.

 4.  Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

On Saturday, Dec. 24 at 6:30 PM, we will be having a brief Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  We will sing favorite Christmas carols, hear our children’s choir sing, and close the evening by candlelight singing “Silent Night, Holy Night.”  There will also be chocolate chip cookies for everyone who comes.

 5.  Christmas Morning Worship

And finally on Sunday, Dec. 25 at 10:00 AM, we will be having worship on Christmas morning.  I love worshipping together on Christmas morning.  It will make your Christmas holiday extra special I promise.  Joy to the world the Lord has come!

I hope you will put all these dates on your calendar.  It is going to be a great Christmas season together.

 Merry Christmas,
 Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

A Night Unlike Any Other                                                                                   November 16, 2011

 

 

All I can say is WOW!  Sunday evening’s Night of Worship was absolutely amazing!  God’s Spirit was so sweet and heavy among us.  Truly the song He is Here was right on target.  God was definitely in the house.

 For those able to be with us, I hope you sensed that there was something God-inspired taking place in our midst.  Words do not adequately describe how blessed we all were.  Each and every song added a new dimension to our time of worship.  I felt like we were on a musical journey and each worship leader directed us to a new place where we could communion with God in a different way. 

By the end of the service, I was ready to burst out of my skin in praise and adoration to the King of kings and Lord of lords.  I will remember Sunday night for quite some time.  It will go down in my memory as one of the most Spirit-filled worship services I’ve ever been a part of.  If you were not able to be with us, you truly missed a special evening together as a church family.

 I want to personally thank Eddie Woods, Alex Alford, Lauren Oliver, Debbie Hoskins, Lauren Woolums, David East, Amy Domidion, Caleb Major, Mike Stevens, Alexa Stone, the LBC Praise Band, Greg Ives in the sound booth and Chris Woolums on the media.  Each of you blessed us by your gift of song and led us into the very presence of Holy God.

And a HUGE thank you goes to Pastor Nehemiah for making all this possible.  Thank you for being willing to bring this group together and organizing all the details.

Another Night of Worship is in the planning phase for the spring.  The date will be announced soon.

 Grace and peace,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

LBC Night of Praise                                                                                                     November 9, 2011

 

 

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
(Psalm 67:3)

I want to personally invite you and your family to an amazing time of worship and praise in which Jesus will be high and lifted up and God’s people will be united in spirit and truth.

This Sunday evening, November 13, at 6:30 PM, we will experience our first LBC Night of Praise.  During this time of worship, we will hear glorious music from many in our church family.  Nearly the entire night will be devoted to sharing hymns, songs, and various musical gifts to glorify our great God.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

 So far we have the following worship leaders who will be sharing with us that evening:

Mr. Eddie Woods                               Mr. Alex Alford
 Ms. Lauren Oliver                               Mrs. Debbie Hoskins
 Ms. Lauren Woolums                          Mr. David East
 Mrs. Amy Domidion                           Mr. Caleb Major
 Mr. Mike Stevens                               The Children's Choir
 Ms. Alexa Slone

Plus, there might be a few more surprises that you will have to come to see. 

Our hope is that this evening will be a tremendous blessing to you personally and spiritually.  I know I can’t wait to be with you in this special time together.

And as we look toward the spring, we are already planning for our second LBC Night of Praise which will be Sunday, April 1, Palm Sunday.  If you have a desire to share a song or talent with the church, be thinking about your part next spring.

 Till Sunday,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

Reaching Families & Kids                                                                                         November 2, 2011

 

 

 Over the past week, two ministries have made me SO proud to be a small part of LBC.  I want to take a minute and share about these outstanding leaders.

 1.  Wednesday Meal for the Kids  -   Last Wednesday, I was privileged to see the wonderful team of leaders who feed and teach our children every Wednesday nights.  The children come from all walks of life; some are churched, others have no Christian influence whatsoever.  They fly in on the bus, get dropped off by parents or come with friends.  The gym is full in a matter of minutes.

 The meal team takes the initial lead.  Each meal team member is extremely kind and helpful with the kids.  The food is really good.  For some kids, this meal is the best dinner they have all week.  After the meal, the TeamKid leaders kick in to teach the Bible in a meaningful way.  Crafts, games, teaching, music, it is all done with excellence and tenderness toward young ones.

 I am so proud of each leader who helps in this fine ministry.  Ministering to children is ministering to Christ himself for he said in Matthew 18:5, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me…”  To the whole Wed. night crew, outstanding job.  I appreciate each one of you.

2.  Trunk or Treat  -  Hundreds of people came and were blessed by the Trunk or Treat event this past Monday night.  Candy was everywhere!  Lots of smiling faces!  We were the hands and hearts of Christ extending to our community and town.  I would like to say a huge thank you to Jenny Alford and her team of leaders and all the volunteers for making this happen.  This event was huge and you did amazing!  We will never know how many seeds were planted.

 These ministries are what we, as a church, must be about in reaching our community for Christ.  Ministry to families is an essential component of God’s kingdom work.  All in all, I want to say to each and every one of you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  I am honored to call you friend.” 

Grace and peace,
Shane

 Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

4 Things I Want You to Know                                                                     Oct 26, 2011

 

 

Dear Church Family,

I would like to share 4 things with you this week that I am VERY excited about.

1.  The Oil Change Ministry – This Saturday, October 29, our men will host a free oil change for single ladies, widows, and wives of our active duty servicemen.  This ministry is such a blessing and I am proud of our men for their servant-leadership in our church and community.

2.  The Community Trunk or Treat – We are expecting over 1000 people to come Monday night, October 31, to our church for this event.  Please, please bring candy, decorate a trunk, and pray for these families.  This could be one of the largest outreaches to our community all year long.

3.  The LBC Night of Praise – You will not want to miss Sunday night, Nov. 13.  We will have a time of worship where music will be the primary feature.  We will have special choirs, solos, instrumentalist, and I will be sharing a short message on how God uses art and music to inspire and communicate His great truths. 

4.  Saying Good-Bye to Pastor Michael – I want the church to know how much I appreciate the overflow of love and support shown to Pastor Michael and Sarah this past Sunday.  You are an amazing church! 

As we move forward in this interim/transition period, our three bi-vocational pastors, including myself, Pastor Nehemiah, and Pastor Stephen, will do our best to serve you and the church well.  But please take the effort and serve one another.  When everyone pitches in, we go much further together.  

Grace and peace,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

When Opposites Attract                                                                           Oct 12, 2011

 

 

Starting this Sunday, we are going to begin a new sermon series called “When Opposites Attract.”  It will be a verse-by-verse study of the New Testament letter of 1st John. 

The messages will be organized to present two things that are opposing to each other; two contrasting themes.  In several of the messages, we will be contrasted to God.  At other times, we will be on God’s side in contrast to the world.  The goal of the series is for believers to look at their lives in comparison to the things around them, either the ways of God or the ways of the world.

October 16       Light vs. Dark
October 23       God’s Ways vs. Our Ways
October 30       Old Commandments vs. New Commandments
November 6      Me vs. the World
November 13    ProChrists vs. Antichrists
November 20    God’s Kids vs. Satan’s Kids
November 27    God’s Blessings vs. Our Response

I hope you will come on Sunday’s at 10 AM or listen on the radio or listen online.  My prayer is this series will be mightily used by God for our church and for our people.  Read the book. Invite a friend.  Come ready to hear from God.

Grace and peace,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

Fall Sunday Evening Worship Schedule                                                           Oct 5, 2011

 

 

Dear Lancaster Family and Friends,

As you’ve all heard by now, Pastor Michael, Sarah and baby Henry will be leaving us in a few weeks.  He has accepted a call to be the new senior pastor of Durbin Memorial Baptist Church in southern Fayette County.  Our hearts break to see this wonderful family go, but we celebrate what God is doing in their lives and the opportunity He has opened before them to minister in a sister church.

Pastor Michael will preach his last message on Sunday, October 16 in the evening service.  There will be a special going-away reception for the York’s on Sunday, October 23rd at 6:30 PM.  During that gathering, the church will present him with several tokens of appreciation.  We would invite you to bring a card, note, monetary gift and/or favorite photos with you that evening.  There will be a time in the reception that you will be invited to stand and share a word of encouragement to this fine couple and express what they have meant to your life.

Which brings me to Sunday Evening Worship.   With Pastor Michael leaving, a group of leaders including myself, pastors Nehemiah and Stephen, the chairmen of the Deacon Body, Personnel Team, and Pastor Search Committee, determined the best option for Sunday evening worship was to make it a time where our pastoral staff, guest speakers and other Bible teachers come and fill the pulpit.  We will also have a few special times of worship where music and singing will be primary worship element. 

Here is the schedule through the end of the year.

Oct. 9   - Pastor Nehemiah Wilkinson
Oct. 16 - Pastor Michael York
Oct. 23 - Pastor Michael & Sarah's Going-Away Reception @ 6:30 PM
Oct. 30 - Pastor Stephen Brogli
Nov. 6  - TBA
Nov. 13 - LBC Night of Praise
Nov. 20 - Pastor Nehemiah Wilkinson
Nov. 27 - Pastor Stephen Brogli
Dec. 4   - Deacon Christmas Meal (AM), No PM Service
Dec. 11 - Pastor Nehemiah Wilkinson
Dec. 18 - Pastor Stephen Brogli
Dec. 25 - Christmas Morning AM Worship, No PM Service
Jan. 1   - New Year Commitment Service

I hope you will come and make Sunday night worship a special time during this period of transition.

Grace and peace,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison, Interim Pastor

 

Benefit of A Doubt                                                                                 Sept 21, 2011

 

 

Dear Lancaster BC Friends and Family,

I am very excited to share with you that I am beginning a new sermon series on Sunday mornings from September 18 through October 9.  The title of the series is the “Benefit of a Doubt.” 

We often think that doubt is a negative thing in our spiritual lives.  That God is disappointed when we have moments, or even seasons, of doubt in our faith journey with Christ.  But that is not the case with five specific people in Scripture.  Thomas, John the Baptist, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and Sarah, the wife of Abraham, all had serious moments of doubts in their life.  They expressed their doubts in different way, but nevertheless, they doubted God and his ability to work.  In each situation, God uses the doubt in their hearts to confirm in them His power, grace, and lordship over all things. 

My hope for this series of messages is that God will use whatever doubts you might have to confirm in you His almighty power and authority over things.  I want you to come away knowing that doubt is part of the Christian journey and that God can use it His greater glory.

I hope you will join us on Sunday mornings at 10 AM for these messages.  I believe they will bless your heart and ease your soul.

Grace and peace,
Shane

Dr. Shane Garrison
Interim Pastor

 

 

 

 

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