Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Christmas Eve candlelight service and parsonage open-house

Our traditional Christmas Eve 7 PM candlelight service will feature plenty of Christmas music both for the congregation to sing and special music from the choir, culminating with Lois Ann Schaeffer's rendition of O Holy Night!  Please join us, everyone is welcome.

Before the service, you are also invited to join us at the parsonage from 6:00-6:45 (connected to the church, just park at the church and come on in through the church itself) for cookies, fruit, coffee, etc. as well gather for fellowship and enjoy the many Christmas decorations in our Victorian home.

Image may contain: plant and indoorImage may contain: christmas tree, plant, tree, indoor and outdoorImage may contain: plant, christmas tree, table, living room, tree and indoor

Hope to see you all on Christmas Eve!

Friday, December 16, 2016

Stepping into history: A conversation with Jo Beach.

Joe holding newborn Clara in May of 2015

I had the privilege yesterday of visiting with a member of my church, something I do as often as I can for those who have difficulty in getting to church.  I went to the home of Jo Beach, who is in her 98th year and has been a member at First Baptist for over 80 years.  In our conversation, Jo talked about the past quite a bit, which is always fascinating to me as a lover of history.  Three things in particular stood out from that conversation: (1) That Jo's grandfather was a POW at the notorious Andersonville, Georgia prison in the Civil War.  Jo's grandfather never got over the horrors that he witnessed there, and was unable to work the rest of his life.  My grandfather was in the merchant marines in WWII which was 75 years ago, what an incredible step back into history that Jo's grandfather was a Civil War veteran, that war having ended 151 years ago. (2) Jo herself was born 16 days after Armistice Day, the end of WWI on 11/11/1918.  Her father was not yet conscripted, but would have soon joined the army to be shipped over to Europe, but the war ended. (3)  Jo was born near Cook Forest and her father worked at one of the lumber mills there.  The lumber mill only paid its employees with script redeemable at the company store.  One day, Jo's mother went to the store and demanded a portion of her husband's earnings in cash, to which the company employee replied, "What do you want cash for?"  Jo's mom made her husband quit his job, presumably after an interesting conversation, and the family moved before Jo started school here to Franklin where several of their extended family members already lived.

The next time you have a chance to talk to somebody who was born sixty years or more before you, take it, you won't regret the chance to get a glimpse at the window into the past that they can provide.

First Baptist adds new Youth Worker: Kari Yount

Local special-education teacher Kari Yount has accepted a part-time position at First Baptist to work with our youth with the emphasis upon Junior Church and the Awana program.  Kari and her new husband Catlin are currently in Florida enjoying their honeymoon, so it will be a few weeks until she posts for herself, but for now we'd just like to welcome the Yount family to the church and share our excitement at having someone so qualified and enthusiastic to work with our great kids.  Welcome to First Baptist, Kari!

First Baptist fifth-grader inspires toy drive for Children's Hospital.































One of the youngest members of First Baptist, Josie Seely, has helped inspire a toy drive with a collection taken up tonight here at the church.  It is awesome to see young Christians in our church reaching out to help the less fortunate in imitation of the compassion of our Lord.  Our new youth worker, Kari, certainly has some great kids to work with.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Friday, August 26, 2016

Awana begins September 11th

Image result for Awana logo



The 2016-17 Awana club year will begin on Sunday, September 11th.  The club will run at its usual time, from 5:45-7:30, and will be for kids entering kindergarten through sixth graders.  Awana consists of three segments: game time (the kids' favorite, who can blame them), book time (when the kids memorize and recite their scripture verses), and council time (the weekly Bible lesson and songs).  We also throw in a variety of themed nights in the year like Crazy Hat Night.  Awana is open to the community, you certainly don't have to attend First Baptist to bring your kids to Awana, all are welcome.

In addition, this year we will begin our cooperative youth ministry with our neighbors down the street, Christ UMC.  Kids from the two churches in K-6 will attend Awana, and those from 7-12 will be a part of the MS and HS youth groups led by Pastor Jonathan Smith of Christ UMC.  We are excited for this opportunity to pool our ministry resources with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we together do Kingdom work.  Looking forward to a great year of Awana!

Friday, July 8, 2016

History of the Bible class to be given at 1st Baptist of Greenville

The same history of the Bible class that Pastor Powell has given previously will be held at the First Baptist Church of Greenville, PA on July 17th, 24th, 31st, and concluding on August 7th.  The class will begin at 6:00 PM and go until 7:30.  It is free and open to the public, no registration required.  There will be an opportunity for Q&A each week.

First Baptist of Greenville is located at: 60 Shenango St. Greenville, PA 16125
Their website is: First Baptist of Greenville

The History of the copying, preservation, and translation of the Bible will be given in a four-part class taught by Pastor Randy Powell of First Baptist of Franklin.  This class will include helpful visual aids that will assist in the telling of the amazing history of God’s Word, beginning with the original manuscripts in Hebrew and Greek, and ending with the modern English translations that we read today.  When we understand the history of how an accurate rendering of the original words of the authors of the Bible has been preserved for two millennia, our faith in its trustworthiness will only increase.  The class will include an opportunity for Q&A, is free and open to the public with no reservation required; it will be a benefit both to novices and to those who only need a refresher, including pastors.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

1st Baptist looking to hire part-time youth worker

First Baptist of Franklin is looking to hire a part-time youth worker/pastor to assist with our youth program.  Please consult the job description below if interested.

Youth Worker Job Description

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

40 Days of Prayer to begin on Ash Wednesday

The Venango County Joint Ministerium is once again sponsoring 40 Days of Prayer beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 10th, followed by prayer at a different location with a locally focused topic for the next 39 days, culminating with a service of praise at Cranberry High School on Palm Sunday.  People are encouraged to attend as many of the services as they are able to, and to participate at home, by themselves or with family and friends, when not able to attend by praying for the need of the day's topic in our county.  The booklets we will be utilizing for these days of prayer are available through your local church, or by contacting Fishermen's Net at 437-5355, or by purchasing the app on your smartphone.

 2/10- Children, Grace Lutheran of Franklin 7 PM
2/11 Homeless, 1st Baptist of Franklin 7 PM
2/12 Women, St. Stephens of Oil City, 7 PM
2/13 Single People, Christ Episcopal of Oil City 2 PM
2/14 International Visitors, Hasson Heights Presbyterian of Oil City, 4 PM
2/15 Gangs, Abundant Life Fellowship, Franklin 7 PM
2/16 Marriages, Christ UMC of Franklin 7 PM
2/17 Sick People, The Caring Place of Franklin 7 PM
2/18 Educators, Seneca UMC 7 PM
2/19 Health Care Workers, Franklin Alliance 7 PM
2/20 Ministries, Fishermens Net @ Grace UMC of Oil City 8:30 AM
2/21 The Poor, First Church of the Nazarene, Franklin 6 PM
2/22 Refugees, Grace UMC Oil City 7 PM
2/23 Pastors, Victory Heights United Brethren 11 AM
2/24 Prisoners & Families, St. John's Episcopal of Franklin 7 PM
2/25 College Students, Venango SEED, Robert Rhoades Center @ Venango Campus 3:15 PM
2/26 Physically Disabled, 1st Church of God of Oil City 6:30 PM
2/27 Mothers, ABC Life Center @ 1st Baptist of Franklin 11 AM
2/28 Gov't Leaders, Galloway UMC 6 PM
2/29 News Media, Salvation Army Church of Franklin, 1 PM
3/1 Orphans, 1st Church of God, Franklin Noon
3/2 Business People, Heckathorn UMC 1 PM
3/3 Men, Cornerstone Bible, Oil City 7 PM
3/4 Native Peoples, East Grove UMC Noon
3/5 Judges & Law Enforcement, Church of the Nazarene, Oil City 3 PM
3/6 Unemployed, 1st Presbyterian of Oil City 6:30 PM
3/7 Youth, Youth for Christ, Seneca
3/8 Substance Abusers, Celebrate Recovery @ Free Methodist of Oil City 7 PM
3/9 Depressed People, Free Methodist Church of Siverly 7:30 PM
3/10 Fathers, Victory Heights United Brethren, 7 PM
3/11 Agricultural Workers, Seneca UMC 7 PM
3/12 Arts & Entertainment, 1st UMC Franklin
3/13 The Military, Grace UMC of Rocky Grove 7 PM
3/14 Broken Families, Fox St. Church of God, Rocky Grove 2 PM
3/15 Laborers, 1st Presbyterian of Franklin 2 PM
3/16 Athletic Industry, Trinity UMC of Oil City Noon
3/17 Ethnic Communities, Calvary UMC Oil City Noon
3/18 The Unborn, ABC Life Center @ Christ UMC of Franklin 7 PM
3/19 Elderly People, Oakland UMC 11 AM
3/20 Palm Sunday, The Coming Generation, Cranberry HS 7 PM