Week of June 23, 2024

Welcome New Members!  After last Sunday morning's service, new members were welcomed into the congregation by proper action of the congregation's voting members at a special meeting of the First Baptist Church of Etna. Please greet and welcome Rhonda Fenton, Janet Grecsek, and David Parsons as members the next time you see them! Your editor (mrh) would also like to extend extra-special thanks to Janet Grecsek for leading last Sunday morning's Bible discussion on Jonah chapter 3!    

Church Directory Update:  In other congregational news - a recent update to the church directory has been completed and is now available in printed form on the table in the back of the church to the left of the sanctuary doors (viewed as you exit the church towards the parking lot).

Bible Study Opportunities:   Our church offers two weekly opportunities for study and discussion of the Scriptures.   Join us on Sunday mornings at 9 am (before our worship service) in Trumbull Hall.   We will finish up our discussion of Jonah on Sunday June 23rd.  We'll also take a few minutes on Sunday to decide as a group whether we'll continue meeing through the summer.  Please join us if you can!  
We also offer a weekday Bible discussion, expanding on the Scripture covered in the previous Sunday's sermon, on Wednesday mornings at 10 am in Trumbull Hall.
In either case, please join us for coffee, baked goods, and lively discussions of Scripture. All are welcome, no previous experience required!

Missions Committee Update - Showers of Grace: Our Missions Committee wishes to share this update from Morgan Tam (Showers of Grace ministry) from the mission field in China. We ask you to keep Showers of Grace and the missionaries, Christians, and Christians-to-be in China and to the ends of the Earth in your prayers.

Writes Morgan:
I went to China with a severe cold and came back with cold/cough. By God’s grace, I am now almost done with jet lag and 80% recovered from sickness.
Your letter makes us feel honored and loved. Please send our greetings to Baptist church in Etna.
As we're going into the peak time of summer, I may be able to reschedule some of my online teaching lessons to the Fall, then I will have more time to prepare a trip report for our ministry partners.
Please remember to pray for Christians in China because they need a lot of encouragements due to the ever increasing government surveillance upon churches and their normal activities.
Have to sign off now. Will keep in touch.
Morgan Tam

Hanover Center Old Timers' Fair - June 29! The full fair is back on Saturday, June 29. https://www.oldtimersfair.com/

The next two weeks' Book Sale Donations schedule (June 22 - June 27)

We continue to gladly accept donations for both the "White Elephant" (tag) sale and Booksale for the Old Timers' Fair, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The remaining times for bringing them in are as follows:

Saturdays, June 15 and 22: 
   BOOKS ONLY 9:00 - noon and 1:00-3:00
   White Elephant 1:00-5:00
Tuesdays, June 18 and 25:
   Books and White Elephant 1-5:00
Thursday, June 20: 
   Books and White Elephant 1-5:00
Thursday, June 27: 
   Books and White Elephant 1-5:00
   BOOKS ONLY 10 - 5 (or maybe later, if necessary  )

Note that we will be especially grateful to receive your nice donations of items for the "White Elephant" sale! Now is still a good time to do some "spring" cleaning and help provide resources for the Fair!

What is Family Guy's Peter Griffin doing here?!?  Why would he be a problem?  Could he have something to do with Paul's letter to the chuch at Ephesus?  If you missed it last week, watch Pastor Chris's sermon on Ephesians 5:21 to 6:4,  In Days Like These, and find out -- or, of you've seen it already, you can watch it again!  Simply click here to see it.