FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…

For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of what thou hast seen and heard. ACTS 22:15

The dramatic transformation of Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road demonstrates how Christ cleanses the vilest of sinners and calls them to a higher purpose. Still, when the new apostle rose from the desert sand, he was blind and dependent on his companions. Did he wonder if his men would abandon him? Did he fear those he was to persecute? Could he fulfill the new orders he received? Witness what you’ve seen and heard. He could and did!

We are to witness what we’ve seen and heard. We’ve seen much: wars, famines, disease, the breakdown of government, civil discourse, and the family. We’ve heard more: false prophets of prosperity and doom, self-proclaimed saviors and saints, political promises, and pulpit pandering. These are not the things born-again believers are to witness. Paul witnessed the revelation of Jesus Christ. He heard the words of the Lord in his ears, and he professed them at every opportunity. His bold yet simple approach enabled him to win souls and spread the gospel like no one else.

What have you seen? I’ve seen the gospel pluck fear and defeat out of a young man’s heart, giving him peace and understanding. I’ve heard the testimony of saints rescued from the fires of hell by the Word of God. Witness! Proclaim the gospel and witness what great things God has done! I’ve seen proud men and women refuse to believe because they’re “too smart for superstition.” I’ve heard children confess, “Everybody should believe in Jesus, duh!” Witness! Tell the world! Heaven is real, and hell is hot! Heaven’s for the saved, and hell is not! Christ is the answer; His blood the cure! All need Christ, for none is pure. The song pleads, “Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!” Tell it today!                                                                                                  ~~ Pastor Greg

OCTOBER SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

October 1                130

October 8                115               

October 15               121     

October 23               147

October 29              110

                            5) 623. (125 average)

If you cannot attend, all services are streamed live on our Facebook page: Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist (church building is the profile pic). Immediately after services, you can watch on YouTube channel “Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church.”  

Prayer requests may be sent directly to the prayer line which is maintained by Sharon Chapman at babcprayer@aol.com, or called into the church at 304-743-5854. 

Offerings may be mailed to the church at P. O. Box 247, Ona, WV 25545. Please mail Sunday School Class (and other groups) offerings directly to your class treasurer.

Your attendance is very much welcome at any time. Love to see everybody back!

BIBLE READING PROGRAMS

WVBC ABWM 5-year Bible Reading Plan:

November: II Corinthians

December: Isaiah

Evangelistic Outreach Bible Reading Calendars give an Old and New Testament selection to read each day of the year. A chronological Bible Reading schedule is also available. All these plans are on the front foyer table.

OVER 50 ANNIVERSARIES

Tommy & Juanita Nance, Nov. 19, 62 yrs.

Ray & Peggy Scarberry, Nov. 27, 66 yrs. 

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEWSLETTER FUND

Thru church treasury                    $90.00

Willing Workers                           $40.00

Sally O. Cyrus                             $20.00

Thank you for your generous support.

If at first you do succeed, try to hide your astonishment!

MISSION PROJECTS

In September and October, we gave on shipping costs for Operation Christmas Child Love in a Shoebox. A total of $2,679 was given.

In November, it is time to prepare for our Christmas Basket project. Funds are needed to buy fruit and other supplies to complete the baskets. We help those in need and honor those aged 80 and over, widows and widowers, those with serious health concerns, and those in nursing home care. We make about 80 baskets each year. To give, just put “Christmas Baskets” on the memo line of your check. 

The ABWM Community Outreach Project for October was for liquid hand soap, Johnson’s baby wash, baby bottle brushes, and diaper rash cream for Lily’s Place. Our basket was full! Thanks to all who gave. In November, we are asking for individually wrapped snacks for the Veteran’s home in Barboursville. Cookies, cakes, granola bars, peanuts, etc. Thanks for your help. 

CONGRATULATIONS: 

To John Hagley and Leigh Blankenship, who were married on Oct. 28. John is the son of Gladys Burns.

To Lexi Dillon and Levi Mitchell, who were married on Oct. 28. Lexi is the daughter of JD & Jessica Dillon, and granddaughter of Eddie and Debbie Dillon. 

To Sgt. 1^st Class Stephen Morrison, who graduated from the University of Charleston with a BS in Organizational Leadership. Steve is the son of Patty and the late Jim Morrison, and husband of Emileigh Morrison.  

To Easton Petitt, who was admitted to Marshall University School of Medicine, hoping to become a doctor! Easton is the son of Ted & Missy Pettitt and grandson of Eddie and Debbie Dillon. 

THANK YOU 

The Trustees want to give a big shout of thanks to Brent Chapman. He completed all the necessary electrical work in our garage. He hung all the overhead lighting and placed all the electrical receptacles. He spent a lot of hours completing this. We appreciate it.

                   ~~Mike Meadows for the Trustees

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF:

KEITH O’NEAL COOPER, 82, of Milton, whose funeral was Nov. 5. He was a long-standing member of our church. Among his survivors are his son George (Tammy) and granddaughters Casey and Mary. 

JUDY KAY JOBE, 79, of Barboursville, whose funeral was Nov. 3. She was a close friend of Clara and Jerry Zerkle.

CLEO “PUNKIN” JOHNSON, 92, of Ona, who passed away Nov. 6. A memorial service will be held later. She was a sister-in-law of Naomi Dailey, and aunt of Linda Hayes.

JOSHUA MICHAEL MCGREW, 39, of Ona, whose funeral was Oct. 21. He was a son of Doug and Beverly Mohr, of Mohr’s Tire Farm.

WILLIAM DARRELL RAYBURN, 70, of Barboursville, whose funeral was Nov. 8. He was the father of Amy Holland Hill.

KEITH LEO SAVAGE, 90, of Barboursville, whose funeral was Nov. 7. He was the grandfather of Amy Holland Hill.

BARRY LEE SMITH, 84, of Ona, whose funeral was Oct. 18. He served for many years on the Ona Volunteer Fire Dept., and was a friend to many in the church.

ROBERT “BOB” WELLMAN, 78, of Kenova, whose funeral was Oct. 30. He was the lead singer of the Happy Valley Boys, and a dear friend of Butch Vititoe.

NEW RADIO MINISTRY

At our October Quarterly Business meeting, the church voted to begin a new radio ministry on WEMM-FM, 107.9. It will air every Monday at 7:45 am, and is a 15-minute program entitled, “Child-like Faith.” Listen in to hear Pastor Greg bring a condensed version of sermons he has brought to the church.

SALUTE TO VETERANS

Under the direction of Duane Adkins, the Sanctuary Choir presented a program on Sunday morning, Nov. 12, entitled, “I Love This Land.” We recognized Veterans and active service personnel from all branches of service. Soloist Bethany Beckett was wonderful, and a PowerPoint presentation of beautiful and thrilling photos of America and the American military and firefighters was very moving. It was prepared by Susan McComas. There were quite a few tears shed.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY NEWS

The Circle of Treats held on Oct. 25th in our gym was amazing. We started out at 7:00 pm with a “Light the Night with Jesus” or Glow with Jesus theme. Kara Litteral told the story of this. We also had different activities for the kids. Then after church adults sat in a circle of chairs in the gym loaded with candy for the kids. Of course, the kids dressed up and went around filling their bags. Even parents dressed up too!! Great Family Fun! Thank you, adult church for treating our kids. Special Thanks to Ben Ross who donated bright colored pumpkin buckets for our kids.

Sharon Hayes always leads our Christmas Shoebox event. The children bring in money for this and the items are bought and the boxes are filled. Then the children went upstairs with their boxes for the Shoebox dedication on November 12th.

On November 13th the Jesus Kids, twelve to be exact, performed their play “Lost but now I’m Found.” They did it at the Paramount Senior Living home at 3:30 that day. The residents loved it. Then at 7 pm they did it for our church family. We want to mention their names because they worked so hard on this and did such an amazing job. Taz & Cannon Queen, Kara Holley, Joanna & Arianna Cook, Keeley Carter, Julianna Lawson, Avery Black, Navy Crouch, Finn Shafer, Abilene Chapman, and Harper Christian. Tom McComas was the King on the island and the kids loved him. The directors of the play were Brenda Boo Meadows & Christy Holley. Loretta Chunky Floyd was the wardrobe designer and Deby Chapman was the set designer. This play had a lot of the old hymns and it was great to hear the kids singing them.

Sunday, December 10th at 7 pm will be the whole Children’s Ministry Christmas program for ages 2 thru the 5th grade.

Always pray for our kids.
                           ~~Children’s Ministry Team

 Sushi is fish for men who don’t know how to build a fire.  

If a plant is sad, do the other plants photo-sympathize with it?

BAMBY FALL RETREAT

“I Can’t, But Our God Can” was the theme to this year’s youth retreat at the Baptist Camp. The day was full of fun activities and Bible lessons. Our lesson focus was how God can get us through anything that we alone cannot.

There was such a sweet spirit throughout the camp. The teens carved pumpkins, played kickball, launched pumpkins, and had an awesome color war. After dinner and our 3rd lesson, we showed the movie Jesus Revolution. It tied into our theme so well!  If you’ve not seen it, we highly recommend it to all of you.   

Part of our lessons focused on the “things” that get in the way of the teens allowing Christ to use them. They wrote them on giant post it notes and they were put on the wall in the form of a cross. They were completely anonymous.

The leaders spent ALOT of that time looking at the wall, their challenges and praying for them. Our teens and teens everywhere need our prayers. They face so much more than teens of the past. Pray for them and for us as we lead and mentor them. 

We want to extend a thank you to the parents who provided soup, chips, chili, drinks, and desserts!! A special Thank-you to Connie Chapman for loaning us the movie, Becky Childers for the delicious homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, Leigh Bellomy for the cookies and hot wing dip for our evening snacks and Mike and Boo Meadows for the eggs for breakfast.

The highlight of the weekend was when Brooklyn Childers accepted the Lord as her Savior!! We knew the Spirit was present but He made it known Sunday morning with her decision of Faith!!!              ~~Mitzi Beckett

SOCKTOBER

A very special thank you to our church family for contributing socks and underwear to Youth Ministry’s annual Socktober event. Because of your generosity, 303 pairs of socks and 35 pairs of underwear were collected.  A special thank you to Becky Childers for delivering them to the mission for us.                     ~~Mitzi Beckett

CALENDAR

**Wed., Nov. 22 – Horn–of-Plenty Service.

**Fri., Dec. 1, 9 am – Complete and distribute Christmas Baskets, Beaver Building. Volunteers are needed to deliver. 

**Sat., Dec. 2, 6 pm – Church Christmas Dinner, Family Center. Turkey and ham will be provided by Sunday School Classes. Please bring side dishes and desserts. 

**Sun., Dec. 3, 6 pm – ABWM (Family Center), ABMM (Caldwell Classroom).

**Mon., Dec. 4, 7 pm – Board of Deacons Meeting, Family Center.

**Tues., Dec. 5, 12, 19, 10 am – Sew Blest, Family Center.

**Thurs., Dec. 7, 14, 21 ,28, 6 pm – In Stitches, Family Center.

**Sat., Dec. 9, 8 am – Noon – Youth Ministries to Facing Hunger Food Bank.

**Sun., Dec. 10 – Newsletter Deadline.

**Sun., Dec. 10, 7 pm – Children’s Ministry Christmas Program.

**Mon., Dec. 11, 7 pm – Christian Board of Education Meeting, Family Center.

**Wed., Dec. 13, 7 pm – Youth Ministries Christmas Party.

**Fri., Dec. 15, 9 am – Newsletter Work Party, Family Center.

**Sat., Dec. 16, 6 pm – Willing Workers Christmas Dinner, at Fratelli’s in Barboursville.

**Sat., Dec. 16 – Faithful Servants Christmas Party, Family Center.

**Sat., Sat., Dec. 16 – Caldwell Class Christmas Dinner, Camp Ona.

**Sun., Dec. 17, 11 am – Youth Ministries Stick Drama.

**Sun., Dec. 17, 6 pm – Jesus Kids Practice.

**Sun., Dec. 17, 11 am & 7 pm – Children’s Ministry Christmas Party.

**Tues., Dec. 26 – Happy “149^th” Birthday Beulah Ann!

**Sun., Dec. 31 – 5^th Sunday Night Sing. 

Planning Ahead: Sat., Jan. 27, 2024, 6 pm, Critter Dinner, in the Family Center.

In Star Wars, anyone can hop in any spaceship and instantly know how to fly it. I just spent twenty minutes trying to find the headlights on a rental car.

A smart husband buys his wife very fine China, so she won’t trust him to wash it.

WEST VIRGINIA BAPTIST CONVENTION ANNUAL MEETING

Pastor Greg, Jim and Jo Ross, and Patty Morrison attended the annual meeting at South Parkersburg Baptist Church Oct. 19-20. Patty and I attended Women’s Day Thursday morning. The sanctuary was beautifully decorated with white flowers and white pumpkins. Missionaries to South Africa, Rick and Anita Guiterriez, who are both doctors, gave a wonderful presentation on how they build “domes” out of PVC pipes with covers, in which the people, mostly Zulus and Indians who have migrated there, learned to grow fruit trees, raise chickens, and many other uses for these structures. We learned what our ABWM projects will be for 2024, and elected officers, and heard an inspiring message from Clare Cottrill. We were asked to bring lots of coins for a “noisy” Love Gift offering. The offering was taken up in metal containers then dumped into a bigger metal container, and it was really noisy! A bank counted it during our lunch, and the total was $1,573.40! A big change was announced concerning Love Gift, and our officers recommended a new name for it, “WV Blessings.” The whole offering will stay in WV. Thirty percent will be for WV ABWM, and 70 percent for WVBC. We gladly approved this motion.

 At the first business session, Dr. Mike Sisson informed us that this year, one new International Missionary was commissioned from WV (Sarah McCloy), eight college campuses had active BCM’s, five had graduated from Palmer Seminary, thirteen leaders participated in the Mentoring Program, five new Pastors had been ordained, thirty young leaders had participated in the Ministry Internship Program, seventy had been saved at Camp Cowen, and eighty-seven had been saved at Parchment Valley! And 1.66 million dollars was given to missions!

At the BCM dinner Thursday night, we heard from many students and graduates who told how BCM impacted their lives. It was inspiring.

At the WV Baptist Historical Society luncheon on Friday, Mary McCloy spoke about how Jesus used stories to teach, and how important our stories are now, and how we need to preserve our Baptist Heritage.

 At almost every meal served in the gymnasium of the church, which also served as the Exhibit Hall, we got to dine with Jeff and Ileene Fetty. Jeff is Pastor of the Main Street Baptist Church in Point Pleasant. It was great to catch up with them.

In the exhibit hall, you could see displays and get information on all the ministries of the WVBC, plus more! It is encouraging to see so much ministry going on.

 Pastor Greg attended the keynote address by Verlon Foster, a pastor of a church in Seattle, WA, where they have an effective ministry called Dinner Church. Pastor Greg may adapt some of this ministry as an outreach in our area. Stay tuned.

We were not able to attend all sessions, but we can tell you that it is a wonderful experience to attend an event like this and see that the message of Jesus is being spread all over the state of WV in churches just like ours. The people are wonderful. Next year, I encourage you to go!                                  ~~Jo Ross

FALL REVIVAL 

Pastor Greg had the church well prepared for revival this fall. The Holy Spirit could be felt in services leading up to Oct. 8, when Evangelist Tommy Reed preached in a mighty way, Sunday through Friday. He is from Prestonsburg, KY, and is the Pastor of the Fitzpatrick Baptist Church.

Special singing was a great blessing also. On Oct. 8, our own Blessings sang, and it was so good. The rest of the week we were joined by choirs from Antioch, Lighthouse, Sunrise, and Susannah. Of course, our own choir sang too!

On Friday night, when Susannah choir was here, Beulah Ann choir members joined them for a great big combined choir. Together, we can really make a loud joyful noise for the Lord!

All the sermons were good. On the last night, Tommy preached about the 7 Rs of the Church:

Rescue, Refuge, Reconciliation, Redemption, Repentance, Restoration, and Rejoicing.

For a better morning, talk with God first.

For a better night, talk with God last.

For a better life, talk with God all day.

SHOEBOX DEDICATION

It was a beautiful sight to see a long line of our children standing along the front of the sanctuary on Nov. 12, each holding a full shoebox, representing a child somewhere in the world who will receive the box. This year, we filled 313 boxes. We prayed that these boxes will bless children and lead them to Christ.

GOOD NEWS NUGGETS

J  The ABWM would like to thank everyone who participated in our Love Gift program on Oct. 22. The offering was $617.00. Love Gift is being changed to WV Blessings, and the whole offering will stay in WV, for which we are thankful. You can still use the little Love Gift boxes to collect your coins and dollars.

J  We observed Pastor Appreciation on Oct. 22. Pastor Greg and Jeannie were presented with gifts from the Church and Adult, Youth, and Children’s Ministries. We love them so much. Then after evening service, we all enjoyed desserts!

J Our Fifth Sunday Night Sing guests were Third Harmony, consisting of Lily, Abby, and Mattie Browning. They truly had great harmony! 

J The Waymarks brought our special music on Oct. 15.

J Our choir traveled to Lighthouse Baptist to sing in their revival, and were delighted to get to hear a sermon from Evangelistic Outreach’s Brian Baer.

J The Caldwell Sunday School Class and the Middle Adult Sunday School Class combined for an early Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Patty Morrison. Good food and fellowship!

J The six-week Ladies Bible Study on the book, In the Footsteps of the Savior, by Max Lucado, has concluded. It was well attended, and everyone agrees Connie Chapman is a really good teacher.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

BEULAH ANN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 66 NUMBER 10 OCTOBER 2023

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK…

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6

Revival is over, according to the calendar. However, I can’t help but believe it’s still burning in our community. Not everyone we invited attended. Only some of those who promised to come made it out. Still, personal revival, restoration, and salvation are available to whosoever will come. The world needs Jesus. He came for the whole world. But many reject him, even today. We’re so caught up in this “modern” world that we can’t possibly accept the virgin birth or benefit of Jesus’ crucifixion and shed blood for our sins. Even the Resurrection doesn’t mean much to 21st-century men and women.

But Revival has taken hold of Beulah Ann, and I don’t expect it to release its grip anytime soon. We’ve been encouraged to witness to others, to share the love of Christ, and to step outside the walls of the sanctuary to bring in the harvest of souls. Dear friend, as you read this, please know I am praying for you. If you’re lost, repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you’re backslidden, come home to Jesus. Remember the Prodigal Son; he came home, and the Father rejoiced! If you’ve gotten away from the body of Christ, come back. We need you as much as you need us. Together, we function as the Church. Separately, we’re prey for the devil and his henchmen.

Revival is overflowing! It’s contagious! But, we have a difficult task ahead. We must extend our reach beyond the sanctuary. Visit that lost neighbor. Invite that angry relative. Forgive those who’ve wronged us and encourage them to come to Jesus. Be courageous and unafraid. Be bold in your witness for Jesus Christ! The Lord is with you!                                                 ~~ Pastor Greg

SEPT. SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

September 3              95

September 10           121               

September 17           138     

September 24           138

                            4) 492 (123 average)

 The church is thoroughly cleaned between all services. If you cannot attend, all services are streamed live on these Facebook pages: Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist (church building is the profile pic); Greg Lunsford; and Erin McComas-Carter and broadcast live on FM radio 89.5 which can be heard from the church parking lot. Immediately after services, you can watch on YouTube channel “Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church.”  

Prayer requests may be sent directly to the prayer line which is maintained by Sharon Chapman at babcprayer@aol.com, or called in to the church at 304-743-5854. 

Offerings may be mailed to the church at P. O. Box 247, Ona, WV 25545. Please mail Sunday School Class (and other groups) offerings directly to your class treasurer.

Your attendance is very much welcome at any time. Love to see everybody back!

BIBLE READING PROGRAMS

WVBC ABWM 5-year Bible Reading Plan:

October: I Corinthians

November: II Corinthians

Evangelistic Outreach Bible Reading Calendars give an Old and New Testament selection to read each day of the year. A chronological Bible Reading schedule is also available. All these plans are on the front foyer table.

OVER 80 BIRTHDAYS

Betty “Gail” Wetherholt, Oct. 17, 82 yrs.

Tommy Nance, Oct. 19, 81 yrs.

Alliene Caldwell, Oct. 21, 81 yrs.

Rowena Bonde, Nov. 3, 93 yrs.

Beverly Harshbarger, Nov. 6, 88 yrs.

Cleo “Punkin” Johnson, Nov. 9, 92 yrs.

OVER 50 ANNIVERSARIES

David & Linda Chapman, Oct. 29, 58 yrs.

I am proud to announce that I completed the 1st item on my bucket list. I have the bucket.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEWSLETTER FUND

Thru church treasury                    $25.00

Gene Caldwell                              $20.00

Charles Robert Markin                 $25.00

Beverly Harshbarger                    $15.00

Nina Nowlin                                 $15.00

Nina writes, “The skies look beautiful everyday because Heaven cannot contain the beauty that you radiate. I miss you.” (Author Unknown). In loving memory of Mommy, the late Maye Nowlin, on her birthday, Oct. 31.

Thank you for your generous support.

MISSION PROJECTS

In September and October, we are getting an early start on shipping costs for Operation Christmas Child Love in a Shoebox.We hope to have between four and five hundred boxes again this year. Each box costs $10.00 to ship. We take ours to a collection center at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church, and from there they are trucked to North Carolina, then by plane all over the world. We have received $1,185 to date. To give, just put Shoebox on the memo line of your check. 

The ABWM Community Outreach Project for September was body wash and wipes for the Huntington Hospice House. Thanks to all who gave. In October, we are asking for liquid hand soap, Johnson’s baby wash, baby bottle brushes, and diaper rash cream for Lily’s Place. If you would like to help, place items in the basket in the foyer. Thank you! 

For “Socktober,” Youth Ministries is collecting socks and undies for both men and women at the Huntington City Mission. A basket is in the foyer, thanks for your help.

Notice: The 911 Addressing Project has reached the church. Our new address is: 3301 Howell’s Mill Road. Please continue to use PO Box 247, Ona, Wv 25545 for correspondence.

CONGRATULATIONS to Isabella Litteral, daughter of Sammy and Kara Litteral, granddaughter of Sam and Charlene Litteral, who received her white coat on Sept. 22 as she begins the next step in her training as a veterinarian at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. 

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF:

JENNY ABBOTT, sister of Donna Clagg, who passed away Sept. 21 at her home in Florida.

WILLIAM HARVEY FOSTER, 87, of Milton, whose funeral was Sept. 23. He was the father of Glen (Maureen) Foster.

NEW MEMBERS

On Sunday, October 1, Ronald and Carolyn Welder presented themselves for church membership by transfer of letter. Carolyn is the half-sister of Ricky Webb. Welcome to this wonderful couple!

THANK YOU all so much for your continued support of our Knight’s Great Hall. Your generosity helps our community so much.

                 Tracy Urian, CMHS Counselor

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY NEWS

First, thank you to the four ladies who have volunteered to help us with the children on Sundays. God Bless you!

Did you hear the Jesus Kids sing on Sept 24th during awards? They sound amazing!! They are singing about their Jesus.

We were so proud of all the kids who said their August & September Bible verses and received an Award.

On October 25th at 7 pm we will have our “LIGHT THE NIGHT WITH JESUS” party and will have different things going on downstairs.
Be sure to invite a friend. Around 8:15 that night will be having our Circle of Treats in the Gym. The kids wear their friendly costumes and the adults treat the kids. Thank you in advance, adults for all the goodies.

The Jesus Kids sang at Paramount Senior Living last Sunday. The kids are a blessing to them. We featured the songs out of the red hymnal and everyone sang along and remembered all the words!!

Jesus Kids are working hard on their Fall Play, “Lost but Now I’m Found.” It will be November 12th at 7 pm.   

                       ~~Children’s Ministry Team

CALENDAR

**Sun., Oct. 15,22,29, 6 pm – Jesus Kids Practice.

**Mon., Oct. 16 – Mon., Oct. 30 – Ladies Bible Study, Family Center. The group is using In the Footsteps of the Savior, by Max Lucado. (Books can be purchased on Amazon.) Snacks begin at 5:30 pm, and study begins at 6 pm. See Connie Chapman for more details. 

**Tues., Oct.17,24,31, 10 am – Sew Blest, Family Center.

**Oct. 19–20 – WVBC Annual Meeting, South Parkersburg Baptist Church. Our delegates are Pastor Greg Lunsford, Jim and Jo Ross, and Patty Morrison. 

**Oct. 21- Oct. 22 – Youth Ministries Retreat, Camp Ona. 

**Sun., Oct. 22, 7 pm – ABWM Love Gift Devotion. Please be saving your dollars and coins for the offering, which is a good way to count your blessings and give” over and above” your planned offering and tithes. This offering helps fill in the gaps when there are shortfalls in the WV Baptist Convention budget items, or unanticipated needs arise. Thank you!

**Sun., Oct.22, 8:15 pm – Pastor Appreciation Reception, Family Center.

**Wed., Oct. 25, 7:00 pm – Children’s Ministry “Light the Night with Jesus”, then, Circle of Treats, in the Family Center, following the evening service (8:15 pm).

**Thurs., Oct. 26, 6 pm – In Stitches, Family Center.

**Sat., Oct. 28, 4:30 pm – Wedding of John Hagley and Leigh Blankenship in the sanctuary, with reception following at Camp Ona.

**Sun., Oct. 29, 7:00 pm – 5^th Sunday Night Sing with Third Harmony.

**Mon., Oct. 30, 7 pm – The Sanctuary Choir will sing in Revival at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Milton, WV.

**Tues., Oct 31, 5 pm – Caldwell Class Shoebox Preparation, Family Center.

**Nov. 22 – Horn–of-Plenty Service.

**Nov. 30–Dec. 1 – Prepare & Distribute Christmas Baskets. 

**Dec. 2, 6 pm – Church Christmas Dinner.

**Dec. 10 – Children’s Ministry Christmas Play.

Little known fact: Before the Addam’s Family “Thing” was an actor, he was a stagehand.

I CAN

On Fri., Sept. 22, a group of about 50 Beulah Anners went to Marquee Cinemas at Pullman Square in downtown Huntington. We were going to watch the movie “I Can” which was directed by our own Tyler Sansom. Tyler, the son of Rick and Debbie Sansom, is currently the lead Pastor at First Capital Christian Church in Corydon, Indiana, and has always had a passion for making movies as well. 

He first met the Pavey Family at his church several years ago and eventually convinced them that their story was worth telling, and would make a difference in the lives of others. The Pavey’s had conceived a daughter, Katelyn, out of an affair, and when Katelyn was born, she had one good arm and only part of another. The film addresses the guilt the father feels as he thinks this was a punishment for their sin. However, Katelyn never considers her circumstances as a hindrance, nor a punishment from God. She does face some struggles but never gives up, because she knows she “Can” do and be all God wants for her. She develops into a great softball player and becomes an All-American Softball player in college. 

This movie expressly tells the story of what we can do if we simply let go and let God have control. He is not going to punish us, he is going to forgive us if we seek him, then he will bless us through our faith. The movie was enjoyed by all, and is recommended to all if you were not able to attend with us that evening.                                           ~~Debbie Sansom

SEW BLEST AND IN STITCHES

On Sept. 16, the sewing groups were invited to attend a Quilt Retreat at the Faith Freewill Baptist Church in Lavalette, WV. Six ladies attended. We made 65 baby burp cloths and 11 receiving blankets for the Wayne County Needy Mothers charity. Breakfast and a wonderful lunch were provided for us. It was a busy day but we made new friends and enjoyed fellowship with eleven of their sewing members.

 Also, on Oct. 5, four ladies of our groups attended the 2023 Mystery Harvest Quilt Shop Hop in Hurricane. We visited four shops, had lunch, and even did some sightseeing in a couple of historical areas. The day was beautiful and we truly appreciated viewing the colorful trees and all of God’s glorious nature.                                                    ~~Shirley Frye

 GOOD NEWS NUGGETS

J  Fall Camp-o-Rama was wonderful as usual. Our campers always have a good time fellowshipping and enjoying God’s creation. 

J  As of this writing, we are in the midst of Revival! Tommy Reed, Pastor of the Fitzpatrick Baptist Church in Prestonsburg, KY, is our evangelist. We will give you a full report next issue!J On Sunday evening, Oct. 1, we had visit from Mark Edwards, who was a childhood friend of Pastor Greg, and is the son of Pat Edwards. He has been a missionary to Brazil, which is 76% Catholic, and only 3% evangelical, for thirteen years. He and his wife live in the southern part of Brazil, serving three states which are the most unreached area of the country. He preaches, and disciples converts, and teaches leadership development. They need churches to pray for and support them. To learn more, go to https://gpamissions.com.

J Charles Robert Markin came home and paid us a visit on Sunday, Oct. 8. He brought a yellowed, faded copy of a church newsletter from 1958! He thinks it is possibly the second issue. It is a treasure! Thank you so much.

FALL GOLDEN’EERS CONFERENCE

Pat Edwards, Donna Brothers and I attended the Golden’eers Conf. at Parchment Valley Sept. 11-13. Our theme for the three days was “Listen Up!” We stayed in the cabins on the hill. There were approximately 45 campers over age 55 attending. It’s a blessing to see people we have associated with before at meetings of the Golden’eer and on “work trips.” Jerry Losh and his committee had everything planned. Jeff Davenport from Hurricane First Baptist Church led our Bible studies. We had a lot of singing, prayer time, painting, making jewelry, and other crafts, playing games inside and outside. We had Communion on our last meeting together. Our meals were served in the red barn. On our last night we wanted to sit by the fire in the new Whippoorwill building, but it was not comfortable for the older ones so we went to the Sandrock Educational Center for our devotions. We had a wonderful time and plan to go again in the spring, May 6-8, 2024.                                            ~~Alliene Caldwell

The following article was featured in the September issue of the Facing Hunger Foodbank newsletter:

!VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT! 

Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Youth

This month we are delighted to highlight the Beulah Ann Missionary Youth Group! They have consistently volunteered every month since September 2022. To date they have volunteered 161 hours with us! We are thrilled to have such an impactful, consistent volunteer group believing on our mission to fight against hunger. 

Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church is located in Ona, WV and have been active throughout the community for many years. Mitzi Beckett, Assistant Director of Youth Ministry, has been coordinating the youth group to volunteer on Saturdays over the last year. She has been a nurse for 38 years and has seen firsthand her share of food insecurity throughout our community. Many seniors she tends to have had to make the choice to buy their medication or food. She mentioned that they have food but it’s not adequate and need supplement and protein to thrive. Her being on the frontline of those we serve is the main reason she chose to join the Foodbanks mission and feed souls.

“We want to teach the teens to have a servant’s heart as Christ does for us. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to learn how to give back. They love coming to Foodbank and have made a friendly competition each time they come on who can stuff the most food boxes. They will try to up that amount each time,” Mitzi stated.

They also love to do any extra projects to help with the Foodbank and last month they brought in cake kits to give to children who maybe have never had a cake to celebrate their birthdays.

We can’t thank Beulah Ann’s Youth group and staff members enough for their time and talents shared with us every month. We can certainly count on them to get the job done and their continuous support in fighting against hunger! Cyndi Kirkhart, our CEO at the Foodbank, speaks volumes about this youth groups dedication. “We are grateful to have the young people from Beulah Ann Baptist Youth Group engage in our work to provide to the communities at the center of our work. That support and donation of time allows us to be able to do more for more people. We recognize that our work is one of service to together and these young people are a great example of what youth with servants’ hearts can do.”

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST – War in Israel! Missionaries to Israel, Simcha and Bella Davidov, who live in Ashdod are close to the war zone. In their most recent e-mail newsletter, they report that they are a 45-minute drive from Gaza. When they hear warning sirens, they have 45 seconds to get into their “safe room,” which is a fortified room in their apartment that also serves as their office. Since the beginning of the conflict, they have been in and out of this room multiple times, as the siren sounds frequently. Pray for the nation Israel and for the Davidov’s.  

 GBA ANNUAL MEETING

For the first time since 2019 (due to the pandemic) the churches of the GBA met at Camp Ona for an annual meeting. Forty-eight persons representing eleven churches gathered for a hot-dog supper and business meeting. Moderator Tom McComas noted that an anonymous donor had given $44,000 for new blacktop on the camp road. Officer’s terms are two years, so all offices were vacant. Moderator (Greg Lundsford), Vice Moderator (Jim Mitchell), Clerk (Lisa Lewis), and Treasurer (Becky Childers) were nominated from the floor and elected. Then a nominating committee of all the Pastors present was formed to fill all the other offices. We will meet again in two months to complete the election. Our delegates were Pastor Greg, Vera Miller, Patty Morrison, Jim and Jo Ross and Jeanne Lunsford. 

GUYANDOTTE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION AMERICAN BAPTIST WOMEN’S MINISTRY

After a long pandemic break, the women of the GBA ABWM met for a Fall Rally for the first time since 2019, here at Beulah Ann. We had twenty-one in attendance, representing four churches. After a lovely meal of a variety of casseroles, we had a short business meeting where were voted to send support from our treasury to Special Project, Scholarship Fund, MOP, Love Gift, and Weirton Christian Center.

Then we had a Zoom meeting with our new young missionary in Japan, Sarah McCloy. (Thank you, Pastor Greg, for setting this up, it worked beautifully.) She is currently in school learning to speak and write Japanese. There are about 300 in the school, and only two Christians. (Japan is about 2% Christian.) She will be in language school for one year, and in Japan for four years before she will get to come home for a while. She told us about her life in Japan, and how she has been able to introduce Christ to many people she encounters daily. For example, a fellow student asked her about Christianity, and he had not heard of Jesus or the Bible, and she was able to discuss salvation with him. Another time, someone noticed she bowed her head before a meal, and that opened a discussion also 

She has her own apartment and is enjoying the Japanese food. She likes to try different foods, but when she craves American food, there is a KFC, and hamburgers are popular.

She walks everywhere or rides a train or subway. She lives in Sendai, which is a “small” city of over one million (Tokyo is sixty million.) Other American missionaries, Gordon and Leann Wong are about a 30-minute train ride away, and they have been a huge blessing to her. She has not felt homesick, she is so busy.

Please pray for this wonderful young lady, so dedicated to being a Global Servant.

I bought new shoes with memory foam insoles. No more forgetting why I walked into a room!

The squirrels must be expecting a bad winter. They are gathering more nuts than usual. Yesterday, my sister disappeared.