Pastor Ricky Powell

Are You Keeping Bad Company For A Good Reason? Jesus Did!

8/28/11 from Fort Caroline Baptist Church on Vimeo.

I just received this note from Arlington Community Services (ACS), a ministry our church supports. ACS assits needy individuals and families with groceries and other items. They need your help. Here is a way to show Christ's love to the people of our community. Read the note below.

Arlington Community Services is in desperate need of brown paper grocery bags. We have had so many clients in recently that we are running very low. If you can donate paper grocery bags, please bring them by the center at 1450 Rogero Road any weekday between 8 a.m. and noon.

Thank you so much for your assistance and your continued support.

Many Blessings,
Joyce Pruitt

Ways To Pray For The Spiritually Lost (Romans 10:1-2)

8/21/2011 from Fort Caroline Baptist Church on Vimeo.

There were 38 people baptized at Hanna Park on August 14. There were about 200 people who came out to join us at the beach. If you would like to see all the pictures from baptism, go to www.flickr.com/fcbcjax .

Love Your Neighbor...Share Christ (The Great Connection)

8/14/2011 from Fort Caroline Baptist Church on Vimeo.

"Faithful and True" Support Group at Fort Caroline Baptist Church

 
I recently received an e-mail from one of the missionaries our church supports. His name is Jerry Sinclair. He leads a ministry support group that meets in our church called Faithful and True. This support group helps men who struggle with sexual sins. They also provide support for their families. If you know of someone who could benefit from this type of group please contact Jerry at the number below. Here is Jerry's e-mail to me (shared with permission).

Pastor Ricky,

Thank you for the $100 donation to Faithful and True from Ft. Caroline Baptist Church.  We are extremely honored to have you as a systematic financial partner.  Last month, a hurting gentleman was referred to us.  He was so grateful that for the first time he could attend a meeting and talk with six other men about his struggles and addiction. He is already making major progress in a relatively short period of time. 

Also, a young man was in Minneapolis last month to be with our founder, Dr. Mark Laaser at an intensive recovery workshop.  We had, three of our couples in Nashville to be at a Bethesda Intensive Couples Reconciliation Workshop.  One husband returned from the couples workshop to share with the Sunday night group an enthusiastic report of how much different things appear to him.  His own demeanor has made a dramatic change from the appearance of being cold and indifferent to warm and receptive.

Pastor Ricky, because of Ft. Caroline's help (and the help of many others), we are able to have resources and meetings for our constituents.  Their testimonies and transformation is proof of God's grace.  We appreciate your contribution.  Thank you and God bless...

We stand ready to serve...together. 
Jerry and Susan Sinclair
Faithful and True of Jacksonville, FL
904 553 4703 (no texts please)  www.southpointbaptist.org/psalm51.htm

Many people have asked me how they can contribute to the Cabaret Orphanage and School. Visit www.JBAHaiti.org to find out more about this great ministry.

The FCBC Haiti team arrived home safely tonight. I cannot thank all of you enough for your support and prayers for us as we were away. God did amazing things during the last eight days. I will tell you more about it in the coming days. But let me say that I could not be more proud of our team. They worked together for the glory of God! I love them more than they will ever know. While we are grateful to be home, each of us will go to bed tonight with the children of the Cabaret Baptist Children's Home on our hearts. Their beautiful faces will haunt our dreams. Their sweet singing that woke us every morning will be missed tomorrow as the sun rises. And their unconditional love will inspire us to be more like them and more like Jesus. As we sleep in our air conditioned homes, safe in our plush beds, and surrounded by our families, they will still be in the orphanage. We will not forget them. We will continue to love them and care for them. And by God's grace we will return. Pray for the children of Haiti tonight.

Takin' It To The Streets (Acts 17:16-37)

7/31/2011 from Fort Caroline Baptist Church on Vimeo.

What Not To Say When Someone Dies

I have been thinking lately about the things people say when someone has died. We have such a desire to be helpful and comforting to people in their time of grief. However, some of the things we say are not helpful. When I return from Haiti I am going to develop this idea into a full post. For now I would like your help in formulating a list of things not to say when someone dies. What are these and why are they inappropriate. I will give my preliminary list below. Please use the comments section of my blog to respond with your thoughts or add to my list.

This is a serious list, not one of funny things people say. My goal is to equip you with ways to be helpful and comforting when a family member or friend is dealing with a loss. (I recently performed a funeral for a good man and dear church member. Thankfully, I did not hear any of these spoken by well-intentioned church members. So I am not writing to correct someone.)

Here is my list:

• I know how you feel. 
• Don't cry. 
• God needed another angel in Heaven. 
• God needed your loved one in Heaven more than you needed him. 
• You have to move on with your life.
• You wouldn't want to be selfish by keeping them here would you?

Why are these statements wrong or not helpful? What would you add to the list and why? Leave your comments below. Thank you for helping me in this way.