May 4 - Smoke Rise Baptist Church

Financial Corner:
April 1, 2015 - March 31, 2016
Given,
YTD
Expenses,
YTD
The
Cross ie Newsletter
Giving Over
Expenses, YTD
(+/-)
Fiscal 2015
$2,168,401
$2,186,318
($17,917)
Fiscal 2014
$2,016,054
$2,156,299
($140,244)
May 4, 2016
Questions? Feel free to call our Church Administrator
David MacFarlane at 678.533.0567
Dates to
Remember
5/07, 2-4pm
Associate Pastor Meet
and Greet in the
Fellowship Hall
Exciting Times!
The transition from 5 to 6 grade is a big jump. New schools and new friends. New schedules and new
responsibilities. There is a lot of “new” to take in that can be exciting and but can also be scary. There is
also a lot of “old” that holds understanding and memories that comes with transitioning as well.
th
th
At Smoke Rise we’re trying to smooth the jump from 5th to 6th with our 5th Grade Ascension Group. May
15th at 5:00 PM will be our second meeting for the 5th graders and their parents to meet with Becky and
Jeremy to discuss how the Children and Youth Ministries are similar and how they are different, to field
questions about weekly schedules and activities, and for parents to share what they look forward to and
their anxieties. Our hope is to take some of the fear out of the jump from 5th to 6th grade and the students
and their parents will have a soft landing in the Youth Ministry.
THE CROSS TIE ISSUE 1605P1 SMOKE RISE BAPTIST CHURCH Send feedback, information and updates to: [email protected]
Sanctuary
Help Needed
SMOKE RISE BAPTIST CHURCH 5901 Hugh Howell Road Stone Mountain, GA 30087
5/11, 6:30pm
Yonder in the Chapel
5/13, 8pm
McAfee Commissioning
Service in the Sanctuary
5/22,
Graduate Recognition
Sunday
5/22, 8:30am
New York Gourmet Bake
Sale in the Fellowship
Hall
5/22, 12pm
Strategic Vision Listening
Session in the Fellowship
Hall
Periodical Postage Paid at Stone Mountain Georgia 30086 Smoke Rise is in need of
someone to assist in the
care and cleaning of the
Sanctuary once a week.
This may be done on your
own time, with no set
schedule.
Please contact Carolyn
Smith at 770.449.8646 to
volunteer.
Introducing Rev. Bart McNiel,
Stacey, Mattie and Evie
As Chair of the Associate Pastor Search Committee, it is
my great pleasure to introduce you Rev. Bart McNiel and
his family.
Bart is currently the Senior Pastor at Azalea Baptist
Church in Norfolk, Virginia. Since his arrival in 2013, he
has served in a variety of different leadership positions,
including service on the Executive Board and Finance
Committee of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
In his current role, Bart has breathed new life into an
aging congregation, emphasizing the importance of
connecting the church and the community. A gifted
teacher, preacher, and caregiver, Bart is a minister
committed to excellence.
Before entering ministry, Bart McNiel served for twelve
years in a successful legal firm. While practicing law, Bart
served as a lay teacher and preacher for more than 20
years. Bart served as a pastoral intern under Dr. George at
FBC Mobile prior to accepting a position at Azalea Baptist
Church.
Bart’s professional and academic preparation for his
ministry career includes a B.A., cum laude, in Religion and Psychology from University of
Mobile; an M.A., summa cum laude, in Biblical Studies from Florida State University; and a
Juris Doctor from FSU College of Law where he served as Executive Editor of Law Review and
graduated with honors. Bart has completed his course work for his D. Min. degree at Central
Baptist Theological Seminary and expects to graduate in 2017. Dr. Molly Marshall, President of
Central, said of Bart: “He is wonderfully gifted in many areas...he loves church, loves to care
for people...combines intelligence with pastoral care...”
Bart has been married to Stacey McNiel for 22 years. Bart and Stacey have two children,
Mattie, age 8 and Evie, age 5. Stacey has served on the faculty of Old Dominion University in
Norfolk, Virginia, teaching mathematics. She is a gifted musician and enjoys singing in the
choir.
THE CROSS TIE (USPS 002172) is published semimonthly by Smoke Rise Baptist Church Address Correction Requested
Sincerely,
Associate Pastor Search Committee Chair
R. Page Fulgham
Submission Deadline: Wed,
4:30pm, week before
publication
Smoke Rise Baptist Church | 5901 Hugh Howell Road | Stone Mountain, GA 30087 | 770.469.5856
www.SmokeRiseBaptist.org
10th Anniversary Celebration
On Sunday, May 1st, we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Danny Vancil as
Minister of Music at Smoke Rise Baptist Church. We are fortunate, indeed
blessed, to have this congenial, servant minister as part of our outstanding
staff.
Through the years, Danny has endeared himself to those involved in the
music ministry and to the entire congregation. He is one of those rare people
who seem to effortlessly relate to all age groups. With his wonderful sense of
humor, he makes rehearsals fun for our children, youth, and adults, and has
nurtured them to appreciate and perform excellent sacred music. In addition,
each week, our church engages in meaningful corporate worship planned
and coordinated by him. His service has had a profound spiritual impact on
our membership and community.
As we have observed Danny through his stroke and recovery, we have all
been amazed at his courage and determination to improve his health and
continue his ministry.
We thank God for Danny Vancil and his ministry these past ten years.
We also pray for God’s continued blessings on him and his ministry as he
continues to serve here at Smoke Rise.
Written by: Mike Holt
On behalf of the Sanctuary Choir and the Smoke Rise Congregation
Our Ministers
Tim Adcox
Becky Caswell-Speight
Jeremy Colliver
Kathy Dobbins
Page Fulgham
Truett Gannon
Chris George
Danny Vancil
Church Office: 770.469.5856
Minister of Missions
Minister to Families with Children
Minister to Families with Youth
Minister of Spiritual Formation
Interim Minister of Congregational Care
Pastor Emeritus
Pastor
Minister of Worship & Music
Smoke Rise Counseling Center 404.636.1457 x406
Affiliate of Care and Counseling Center of Georgia
Faye Herring, M.Div., M.S.
John Moore, Ph.D., M.S.,M.Div.,LAPC
Claire Wheeler, Ph.D.
Lanta Cooper Carroll, M.S., M.Div., LAPC
Resident Counselor
Director, Counselor
Counselor
Counselor
Thoughts on the “Journey”
Pentecost Sunday
By Kathy Dobbins
May 15, 2016
We call the
educational
portion of
what we do
on
Wednesday
evenings,
“Journeys,”
because we set out on a mission to explore
our faith through Bible study, relationships,
and the deep questions of life and faith. In
the first half of 2016 we have looked at faith
vs. works in the book of James and
pondered what the Bible teaches about the
afterlife. Young mothers have gotten
together to discuss the book, Women are
Scary: The totally Awkward Adventure of
Finding Mom Friends. During the season
of Lent we asked how and why we need to
enter sacred time and space to help us on
our faith journey. We went on an amazing
journey with Tim Ternes from the St. John’s
Bible project to learn how this hand written
Bible with illuminations was created and
spent 5 weeks with the print exhibit in our
parlor. Then we considered how we create
a culture of hospitality, generosity, learning
and evangelism at Smoke Rise. We are
finishing up with a plunge into some of the
Old Testament stories that cause us to
wrestle with those texts and ideas. I hope
you have been on this journey with us and
have been inspired, learned something new,
or gone deeper into your faith. I look
forward to more “Journeys” together this
fall.
For Christians, Pentecost is a
day on which we
commemorate the coming of
the Holy Spirit on the early
followers of Jesus.
Till then ....
We Need your Information
Please help us
acknowledge
our graduates
for Fall 2015
and Spring/
Summer 2016.
We need the
graduate’s
name, school, degree, any honors
(optional), and what they will be doing next
(optional).
Send all information about high school
graduates Jeremy Colliver at jcolliver@
smokerisebaptist.org and all other graduate
information to Amy Allison at atlanta.
[email protected] by May 11, 2016.
When the day of Pentecost had
come, they were all together in
one place. 2And suddenly from
heaven there came a sound like
the rush of a violent wind, and
it filled the entire house where
they were sitting. 3Divided
tongues, as of fire, appeared
among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. 4AII of
them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in
other languages, as the Spirit
gave them ability.
1
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living
in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was
bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native
language of each. 7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all
these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each
of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites,
and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and
Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya
belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and
proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs-in our own languages we hear
them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12AII were amazed and
perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But
others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
5
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and
addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let
this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 151ndeed, these are
not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the
morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17
‘1n the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
19
And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the
earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the
Lord’s great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:1-21 NRSV}
14
The church color for Pentecost is Red. All are encouraged to
wear red on Sunday, May 15th
Dear Smoke Rise Family,
On behalf of the Strategic Vision
Committee, it is my pleasure to give
you an update of the work of the
committee, and also be sure you
know about the next church-wide
listening session, which will be held
on Sunday, May 22nd. It will be
immediately following the 11:00
a.m. service, and a light lunch will
be provided. This will be our
second listening session. The
purpose of these sessions is to
solicit feedback from church members about the direction
they want for Smoke Rise, both in the short-term and long­
term future. Please plan to participate.
We are learning a great deal about the church as we move
through this process. Although the final recommendations
are far from complete, it is clear that there is very strong
interest in increasing the impact Smoke Rise can have in the
community. This includes addressing questions such as
what comprises our community, what the community needs
are, and the best way to address those needs. This is an
issue of resources and priorities and being true to our
mission.
Also, the need for more effective communication is
emerging as an issue. The goal is to have an informed
congregation. Church members want to know what is going
on, and they want simpler ways to get the information. For
example, perhaps financial information for church-wide
distribution could be presented in easier to understand
formats. Also, some people are not getting adequate
information because they do not have the electronic tools
necessary to do so. This needs to be addressed. There is no
doubt that significant strides need to be made in
communication.
Other issues include how we can connect church members
with each other, especially between various generations.
Also, we plan to address the question of what are the best
ways to use our buildings and grounds in order to enhance
our ministry and better fulfill our mission.
So, there is much work to be done. One way you can help us
is by attending the listening session on May 22nd. Please
plan to join us.
Richard V. Swindle
Chair, Strategic Vision Committee
Reserve Your Session!
Pictorial Directory Dates:
Tuesdays-Fridays 2pm-9pm; Saturdays 10am-5pm
May 3rd-7th, May 10th-14th, May 17th-21st
Schedule a reservation for your photo session on our
website at www.smokerisebaptist.org, call Life Touch at
800.521.4611, or call Laura Perkins in the church office at
770.469.5856. Each session receives a free 8x10 and directory.