FBC Family,

The iPhone 5 was announced yesterday.  The introduction of the latest and greatest iPhone immediately rendered all other iPhones outdated.  Most iPhone owners now feel a desperate need to get rid of their outdated phone so they can get the newest model.  We love getting rid of old things so we can get new things (as seen in this Virgin Mobile commercial).

But there are a few people in this world who say, “They just don’t make ’em like they used to.”  These people take something that’s been beat up and discarded and they restore it to its original condition.  It’s awesome to see a rusted old car that’s been cleaned up and restored or a dilapidated house remodeled into a beautiful, restored home.

How much greater is it when we see people be restored?  People that have been beat up and feel like they’ve been discarded who are renewed and restored to the person God intended them to be.  That’s what God loves to do.

This Sunday we are going to begin our new preaching series called “re_stored identity.”  We will be going through the book of Ezra and learning together how God restores people.  This week we begin with a prophecy that was very important to the writer of Ezra, Jeremiah 32:36-44.

In other news…

Pastor David is seeking some restoration of his soul this week in Millinocket, ME as he kicks off his sabbatical.  Throughout the next few months, he will be posting periodically to his blog.  You can sign up to receive email updates.

Several women from our congregation will be in New Hampshire this weekend for a women’s retreat to build relationships, share, and pray.   To fill in the empty pews on Sunday morning, we will be hosting a youth group from Galilee Baptist Church in Gorham, ME.  They will be staying FBC this weekend and spending Saturday in Boston.  Our youth will be joining them for lunch on Sunday after worship.

The startup of the fall season will offer many growth and fellowship opportunities:

  • Most of our small groups will begin this week and we are happy to announce that a men’s group is coming together.
  • The Scripture Memorization Program is beginning a new round next week.  If you haven’t signed up yet to receive the email updates, now would be a great time.
  • This Sunday at 6pm, the youth mission team will be presenting on their summer mission trip.  Please come to support the team and hear what God did in and through them.
  • The Lasagna Luncheon will be next Sunday after worship.  Please sign up online or in the back of the sanctuary to bring lasagna or salad.

Here’s what the schedule looks like for this Sunday:

  • 9:00am   Prayer Gathering
  • 9:30am   Sunday School
  • 10:45am Worship
  • 6:00pm   Youth Mission Team Presentation

I’m looking forward to worshiping with you then!

In Christ,

Pastor Eric