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June/July 2014
Volume 42, No. 5
Evangeline Baptist Association
3000 W Pinhook
PO Box 81244
Lafayette, LA 70598-1244
337.237.6956
www.ebalaf.com
Bert Langley
Director of Missions
James Craft & Nathan Rush
Moderators
Elizabeth Langley
Office Administrator
Melaney Dudley
Administrative Assistant
Mary Langford
Counselor
JUNE
6 - Pres Riley, FBC Abbeville
- Joe Garner, Northside
8 - Betty (Mrs. Zack) Young, Retired
9 - Jessica (Mrs. Heath) Gilbert, The Bayou
11 - Sandra (Mrs. Roland) Fontenot, Retired
- Bobby Powell, Bayou Vista
- Marian (Mrs. Steve) Younger, Emmanuel
15 - Elizabeth (Mrs. Larry) Langley, EBA
- Sam Brooks, Lafayette Open Door
19 - Ric White, Highland
23 - Maria (Mrs. Edgardo) Mancia, Jehovah-Jireh
24 - Joe Wilson, FBC Lydia
- Tracy (Mrs. James) Craft, Calvary
25 - Jeaneth (Mrs. Pres) Riley, FBC Abbeville
27 - Charles Gilder, Retired
28 - Steven Kelly, Bayou Vista
Entre' Nous
Evangeline & Gulf Coast Baptist Associations
P O Box 81244
Lafayette, LA 70598-1244
337.237.6956
www.ebalaf.com
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
June 8-9 Baltimore, MD
WMU Misisons Celebration
& Annual Meeting
June 7, 2014 Baltimore, MD
June 10-11, 2014 Baltimore, MD
Southern Baptist Annual Convention
JULY
1 - Joe Jenkins, Teche, Breaux Bridge
2 - Judy (Mrs. Wallace) Millsaps, FBC Jeanerette
5 - Gary Funderburk, The Bayou
6 - Peggy (Mrs. Tony) Ronsonet, Coteau Holmes
7 - June (Mrs. Sam) Blaylock, Trinity
18 - Zack Young, Retired
22 - Thurman Floyd, Pecan Island
- Sam Perry, The Bayou
24 - Scott McKenzie, FBC Lafayette
25 - Martha (Mrs. Joe) Jenkins, Teche, Breaux Bridge
29 - Johnny Ward, FBC Delcambre
- Ginger (Mrs. Jessie) Charpentier, Jenkins
Memorial
Bert Langley D
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Serving Acadiana
in Christ's Name
In previous issues of the Entre Nous we have
highlighted ministries that are supported by the
Evangeline Baptist Associaiton. This month's issue
introduces the foster care/adoption ministry of
Northside Baptist Church in Lafayette.
in Christ we are safe--to not play it safe.
Recently we at Northside Baptist have decided to
leverage the strength of our families for the poorest of
the poor in Acadiana. And, the way we are doing this
is by working with the Louisiana Baptist Childrens
Home and the Louisiana State Department of Child
andFamily Services tofoster andadopt neglectedand
orphaned children.
Our strategy involves three key aspects:
Annually highlighting the need.
Challenging, recruiting and equipping the willing.
Financially supporting core homes willing and able
to take in the maximum amount of foster children.
Here are some relevant statistics since launching this
ministry last year. Over 30 children have been served.
Seven families have fostered and/or adopted, and six
parents of our foster children have attended church.
One core home has been established which has the
potential to serve six foster children. We hope to
establish more of these core homes in the future in
addition to certifying more of our members as foster
parents.
Please feel free to contact us for more info. We would
love to help you start a foster/adopt movement in your
church.
On Mission, Northside Baptist Church
FBC Youngsville welcomes as pastor
Chris Fuselier and his family.
Highland, New Iberia & FBC Lafayette
welcome pastor Melvin Mendoza and
his family to the Hispanic works
sponsored by both churches.
Highland, New Iberia also welcomes Kevin Williams
as their new Minister of Worship.
Lakefront Community Church in Catahoula will be
hosting the Willis Family gospel group on Sunday,
June 29th at the 10:30 am worship service. A
covered dish luncheon will follow.
"When I am filled with cares,
Your comfort brings me
joy." (Psalm 94:19 HCSB)
Where do you find relief
from the concerns of life?
In the early years of my
ministry, there was a family
that lived near the church
where I was serving as
pastor. They were not
members of our congregation, but the young wife and
mother in the home was related to one of our
members. They lived near the building where the
church gathered for worship weekly. Her husband
developed a rare blood disease, which would
eventually lead to his death at an early age. They had
several children, some the age of our own. His
disease caused the familys income to drop from a
lucrative salary to social security disability.
One Saturday morning, while I was cutting grass
at home, I received a telephone call from the wife of
this man asking me to come to the hospital. She
needed a minister. Arriving at the room I found the
hospital bed empty and the mother standing there
holding their 3 year old daughter in her arms. I
assumed her husband was out having lab work done
in another part of the hospital. The momstarted to tell
me of the pressure she had been living under for the
past year. She lived with the fear of rolling over in the
night and discovering her husbands dead body next
to her. As she continued her story, she said, Nowthe
doctors tell me my 3 year old daughter has leukemia.
Her question for a minister was, Why? (I wept with
this lady).
It was there I realized we dont always have the
answers tolife. I didtell her weliveinaworldfilledwith
good and bad experiences. God never said HEwould
protect us from the bad experiences of life. What HE
did promise is that HE would never leave us. And
becauseof HISpresenceweknowwecanget through
the storms of life.
The Psalmist discovered that during those times
inlifewhenhecouldnt findtheanswer towhy, Gods
presence brought comfort. Gods presence not only
comforted him, but Gods presence brought himjoy.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (20
th
Century French
Jesuit, paleontologist, biologist, and philosopher)
wrote, Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of
God. Faith and trust in God, regardless of our
outwardcircumstance, alwaysbringscomfort andjoy.
God is still our shelter during the time of storms. He
never fails! It is my prayer you will find comfort and joy
in HIS presence today.
When I was about eight or nine
years old, my dad called me to
come to him where he sat
before his old typewriter at the
desk in his makeshift home
office. He lifted me onto
his lap and read to me a poem
he had just written about me. The words were simple,
sweet and sincere. He described me as one who didnt
give up, predicted that trait would last, and spoke of his
pride in me. I remember feeling like my heart would burst
as I buried my face in his shoulder and cried. I was unable
to verbalize what his words meant to me. All these years
later the incident is very clear and precious in my memory,
and I know it to be one of the defining moments of my life.
Now I know that what my father gave me was The
Blessing. Some years ago Gary Smalley and John Trent
wrote a book by that name in which they retold the Genesis
story of Isaac and his sons, Jacob and Esau. They drew
out from that account the elements of the blessing which
Isaac gave to Jacob (thinking he was Esau) and presented
those elements as what every child needs and longs for
from his or her father.
I recommend the book to you, but offer here a brief
outline of those important elements:
First is Meaningful Touch, which has many
beneficial effects, as it communicates warmth, acceptance
and affirmation.
Second is A Spoken Message. The blessing must
be spoken, or it will not be understood. Children must not
be left to fill in the blanks as to what their parents think of
them, or hear only words of correction. They need to hear
love and encouragement often.
Third is Attaching High Value to the One Being
Blessed. This is done most effectively by using word
pictures to describe the value of the child. Children
understand best when they are given concrete, every-day
examples.
Fourth is Picturing a Special Future for the One
Being Blessed. So many children grow up hearing
negative predictions about their future. It is important to
help them envision a good life, following Gods plan,
reaching positive goals.
Last is An Active Commitment to Fulfill the Blessing.
Words and touch alone cannot fulfill the blessing. They
must be backed up with a commitment to do everything
possible to help the child toward success.
As I remember my dad, who did the right things before
the books were written, I think of all the fathers who will be
honored this month by their families. May all of you rely on
the Lord to give you the wisdom, energy and staying power
to confirm your childrens blessing.
JUNE
Evangeline Association
5 Mission Performance Pro. Dir. Meeting:
10 AM at EBA office; CALENDAR
PLANNING
8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
15 Father's Day
Gulf Coast Association
8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
15 Father's Day
21 GCA Brotherhood Breakfast; 8 AM; Calumet
24 GCA Executive Council; 6:30 PM; Forest
Restaurant; CALENDAR PLANNING
Louisiana Baptists
8-9 WMU Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
10-11 SBC Annual Mtg; Baltimore, MD
21 Women's Ministry Leader Training; TTBC
24 State WMU Council Mtg; Baptist Bldg
JULY
Evangeline Association
4 Independence Day; office closed
10 EBA Missions Development Comm;
10:30 AM at EBA office
14 EBA Mission Performance Program
Director's Meeting; 11:30 AM; EBA office;
Budgets Due
15 Father's Day
Gulf Coast Association
4 Independence Day; office closed
19 GCA Brotherhood Breakfast; 8 AM; Calumet
Louisiana Baptists
7-11 Clear Youth Camp # 1-TTBC
14-18 Clear Youth Camp # 2-TTBC
20-23 Girls Mission Camp #1-TTBC
23-26 Girls Mission Camp #2-TTBC
Dates to Remember:
Please pray for all churches who will be holdng VBS this summer.
Pray for opportunities to share Christ.