Excerpts from The New Outlook

Early September 2006

Focusing on the Beatitudes
To further develop Second Baptist Church’s commitment to growing into the Beatitudes, Rev. Dixon plans to focus on one Beatitude on the second Sunday of each month. The sermon, music, prayers, and other elements of the worship service will emphasize the Beatitude for that month. The children will learn it and talk about what it means in their church school classes. On some months we’ll have special activities or emphases around it. An adult class on the Beatitudes is in the planning stages.

September’s Beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” On our window it is translated as “Blessed are those who feel their spiritual need, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them,” and we see the proud Pharisee and the humble publican praying. (Click here to see a picture of this Beatitude window.) The worship service on September 10 will be devoted to reflecting on this Beatitude’s meaning and significance for our lives.

Launching Our Fall Program
September 11 is Launch Sunday, the day we begin our fall program. It will be great to be in church school again! We’ll move back up to the sanctuary for worship that day, and our choir will return. 

Launch Sunday will begin at 9:15 with refreshments in Fellowship Hall. At 9:30 we will gather so the kids can meet their teachers and head off to class. Adult teachers will introduce their classes. Each class will meet briefly until 10:15.

Here’s the lineup:

Meeting in the educational wing (classrooms are marked):
                                  Ages/grades                 Teacher
Nursery                      Ages 0 - 3                    Feng Mei Guo
Primaries                   Ages 4 – 7                    Kathryn Nall
Juniors                      Grades 2 - 5                 Dotty Daily
Middle school             Grades 6 - 8                 Shari Nelson-Faulkner
High school                Grades 9 - 12               Melanie Keeney and Kara Reagan

For adults, three and maybe four (depending on level of interest) Sunday School classes are planned for this fall.

The Bible Study Class - This exciting, in-depth and lively trip into one of the books of the Bible will be led once again by Bill Gurley. The class, using a variety of commentaries and translations of the Bible, will fully explore all aspects of the selected book. Meets in the Community Room 

Reflections Class – This class will explore topics relevant to how we relate our Christian faith to our daily lives and the world around us. Topics for this fall will be chosen by the class under the leadership of Pat Justis and Fred Adams. Meets in the room behind the sanctuary.

The Support Group – Members of this group support and encourage each other as they try to live out their faith in the challenges of everyday life. Jo Koehler will facilitate. Meets in the Pastor’s office.

The Beatitudes Study Group - Depending on the level of interest, Jay Jensen will lead a discussion of each Beatitude and its relevance to us. Jay is discussing this class with Mike Dixon and they are working on possible ways to use upcoming sermons as a part of the class. Meeting place - TBD (may be the library)

Marilyn and Brad Short To Lead Music Program
We are happy to announce that Marilyn Short will be our new interim music director and Brad will direct the choir. We can look forward to lots of beautiful music this fall!

The choir practices each Thursday night from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 9:20 a.m. Youth are welcome to join the adult choir as is anybody else who likes to praise God in song and bond together in fellowship. The youth will also be encouraged to share their artistic talents in church from time to time.

Brad and Marilyn will have singing times with the children in the church sanctuary each Sunday morning from 9:20 – 9:30 a.m. just before church school. This will begin September 17, the Sunday after Launch Sunday. The children will sing in church throughout the year on occasion.

Marilyn says, “Brad and I are always thrilled to share our love of music and God together with our fellow church members, and are pleased to be able to help out during this transition. We are looking forward to much meaningful and joyful music-making together at Second Baptist Church.”

It’s Time to Dance. . .  
Dust off your dancing shoes and bring your friends and family for dance lessons beginning Friday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m. Larry and I will be your dance instructors. We will meet each Friday evening in October from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. (October 6, 13, 20, 27). After four weeks of lessons, we’ll be ready for a dancing celebration at Casa Loma Ballroom on Friday, November 3.

And Eat!
We will again be having a progressive dinner on Saturday, December 2. We will need four or five hosts—one for appetizers, one for salad,, two for the main course, and one for dessert. If anyone would like to volunteer to be a host, please let me know.
Linda Marks

Special Events for Kids and Middle Schoolers
Young Youth Cluster, a consortium of churches offering joint programs for kids and middle schoolers, has two events coming up in September. Grades 3 – 5 will meet at Samuel United Church of Christ on September 15 from 6 – 8 p.m. Middle schoolers (Grades 6 – 8) will meet here at Second Baptist on September 22 from 6 – 8 p.m.

Can You Help?
The Katrina survivor family that we adopted for 6 months has received a chest of drawers from a member. If anyone has a dresser to give away and a truck or van with help to get it to her home, we will appreciate the blessing.

The baskets for medicine bottles and soup labels are near the kitchen while the worship service is in Fellowship Hall. They will go back upstairs September 10 when worship resumes in the sanctuary.
Mildred Shelton

Book Group Resumes
Second Baptist’s book group will begin its fall season on Saturday, September 9, with a discussion of The Mighty and the Almighty, by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. This book explores the role of religion in America’s political life and how both religion and politics can be forces for justice and peace. Meets in the library at 10 a.m.

An Invitation from Third Baptist
Third Baptist has invited Second Baptist to come Tuesday, September 5, at 10 a.m. to hear Kit Ripley speak. Kit is a missionary in Thailand. If you’d like to stay for lunch, please call Third at 314-533-7340 to make a reservation. Several women from Second’s ABWMinistries are meeting at the church at 9:30 to go together. If you’d like to join us, please call me.
Mildred Shelton

Thank You
Thank you, Second Baptist, for the farewell gifts you gave us at the dinner.  The book of notes from the members is so nice to read and re-read. The gift certificate to Hartke Nursery will be used this fall to add beauty and personality to our lawn.  Cindy has already been to our home and  given great suggestions that we plan to implement.  The stepping stone from the children is currently sitting in the corner of our kitchen, and we will eventually find a place of honor for it in a flower bed.  The gifts were appreciated - your friendships are valued.
Sincerely,
Bill and Becky Rook

From the Pastor
If you read this New Outlook carefully, or even if you just skim it, you will get a feeling for a dynamic, caring, busy faith community. There is a lot going on, in terms of mission, education, worship, witness, and fellowship. Launch Sunday is coming up soon, and our plates will be full!

It’s going to be a great day, and we hope and pray that you will get to be a part of it. It’s a new beginning as a church, and it’s a new beginning for each of us to grow in faith and love in the year ahead.

Grace and Peace,
Mike

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
Mon    7:00 p.m.    Obsessive-Compulsive Group in Community Room
Tue     6:30 p.m.    Adult Children of Alcoholics Group in Community Room
Thu     7:30            Choir practice

9030 Clayton Road (at McKnight Road, 3/10 mile west of the Galleria)    St. Louis, MO 63117     (314) 991-3424