THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY

WEDNESDAY NIGHT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FALL BLOCK
(Wednesday Nights, September – December)

Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, September 3, Informational Meeting
Wednesday, September 10, A Christian Response to Life Hardships, taught by Bryan Harris
Wednesday, September 17, Four week Bible Study taught by Donnye Rooks on the book of Job

Bible Women: Their Faith and Their Influence (5 Weeks)
The lives of women used by God and recorded in His Word will be a model for discovering how God can use us in our roles as wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law - employees and the list goes on! Bring a notebook and Bible.
Cost: None
Time/Location: 6:30-7:30 p.m./Room 221
Class size: 15
Facilitator: Judy Williams

Bible Study: Hebrews (4 Weeks)
"The one sign of discipleship is intimate connection with Jesus Christ - a knowledge of him which nothing can shake."- Oswald Chambers, Utmost for His Highest
Let’s review the book of Hebrews together and learn what God has to say to us concerning our intimate connection with Christ Jesus.
Cost: None
Time/Location: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m./Parlor
Class Size: 15
Facilitators: Faye and Bill Downs

Men’s Bible Study
Issues of Faith This study will discuss issues of faith like prayer, the nature of our relationship with God, and how our culture influences our understanding of God. Each of the 6 weeks will be independent discussions based on short videos
Cost: None
Time/Location: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m./Rm. 224
Facilitator: Blair Maust

Divorce Care (13 Weeks)
Cost: $20 per person
Room: Conference Room
Facilitator: Alice Colbert

All Small Groups begin on September 17

YOUTH NEWS
FBC Youth Group will meet Sunday, September 7th for the first Youth Group Meeting, 6:15 pm. Snack Supper followed by Bible study at 7:00 p.m.

See You At The Pole T-Shirts – Last day to order your SYATP T-Shirt is Sunday, September 7th. Cost $10 – 15.

Busch Gardens Trip is Friday, September 26th. The cost is $60.00. Sign up and pay by Sunday, September 7th. Make sure we have a permission form for you. We will leave at 6:00 a.m. (bring breakfast) and return around midnight.

WALK OF FAITH: CHRIS AND RACHEL EMBLER
On Thursday, September 4th, the Emblers will be sharing their experiences and the faithfulness of God as they walked from Smithfield to Peru. Come to the fellowship hall at 7:00 p.m. to enjoy pictures and stories of God working as Chris and Rachel were used to minister to people along the way. This will be an exciting experience for young people and adults of all ages.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY
Attention Men. Monday night Men’s Bible Study will be cranking up for our first meeting September 8th at 7:00 p.m. in the Youth Room. We will be studying the book of Judges. We will meet at times at my home during the study for purposes of watching DVDs by David Jeremiah on some of the Heroes of Judges. Workbooks will be provided. Your commitment will be to attend and participate in Christian discussion. More info. in the next couple of weeks. Please let me know if you are interested so I can order workbooks. Please call me at home: 919-300-1764 or on my cell: 919-634-1742. I'll appreciate hearing from you. Steve Adkins

OUR KNOWN SICK
Bob McLamb (Wake Rehab, Zebulon), Helen Parham (Home), Billie Cretini (Wake), Iris Adkins (Home), Becky Blackmon (JMH)

CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST
Get ready for Christmas in August. For the remainder of the month, every M&Ms Cookbook you purchase at full price, you can purchase another one for half price. The first cookbook will be $20.00, but your second one will only be $10.00. This is a great way to stock up for Christmas. It will be here before you know it. Cookbooks will be available in the Church Fellowship Hall before Sunday School for the remainder of the month, or contact Michelle Ball for large quantities at 524-9631.

STATE MISSIONS OFFERING DESIGNATION
At the August 10, 2008, Deacon’s Meeting our Deacons recommended that our church designate 33% of the NC State Missions Offering collected in September to support the NC WMU, which no longer receives funds through the State Convention. The offering continues to support NC Baptist Men, Church Planting and Evangelism, Mission Education and Promotion, Association Projects and Missions Work Camp.
THANK YOU
Dear First Baptist Church, I wanted to thank everyone for all the letters and packages and kind thoughts and prayers I received while deployed. It means a lot to know I have people back home thinking of me. May God bless you, and I hope to see everyone soon. Casey Harrison

CALLING ALL LADIES
Please join us for our Fall Tea, Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This will be a great time of fellowship. Please sign up in Sunday School or call the church office. Bring a friend.

PRIMETIMERS TRIPS UPDATE
September 5 trip to Northwood Temple, departing 5:15 for Dinner Theatre in Fayetteville. Cost: $23 for meal, play, transportation. You may call to sign up to ride the church bus (a few spaces left) but must make your own reservation with Northwood Temple.

September 30 (Tuesday) trip to Raleigh to see Dead Sea Scrolls special exhibit at NC Museum of Natural Science. Depart church at 9:15 a.m. for 10:15 tour; followed by lunch at Farmer’s Market restaurant (on your own) and some time to browse in the farmer’s market stores and stalls. Return by mid afternoon. Cost: $17 includes gas and admission ticket. Sign up by September 17.

October 11 (Saturday) trip to New Bern to see “free” garden tour at Tryon Palace, also attend/browse in “MumFest” street fair in downtown New Bern. Lunch on your own. Depart 9 a.m. Arrive back by mid to late afternoon (group’s preference) This will be a “walking” day. Cost: $5 for gas. Sign up by October 8.

October 20-22 Charleston trip is full. Call to be put on waiting list.

November 18 (Tuesday) “Star of Bethlehem” at Morehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill, must have 40 sign up to make the trip happen! Leave church 10 a.m. to go to Chapel Hill for lunch (on your own in Franklin Street area) 1:30 p.m. showing, return to Smithfield by 4 p.m. Cost: $7 includes show ticket and gas. Sign up by October 15.

December 8-9 (Mon-Tues.) Old Salem/Shoebox Packing trip. Cost: $78 includes transportation, double room/breakfast at Holiday Inn Express, Pineville, lunch at Salem Tavern, “Town Visit” admission ticket to historic buildings in Old Salem. Depart church at 9:30 a.m., lunch at Salem Tavern 1:15 (choose when signing up from Moravian Pie or Quiche and Salad); afternoon walking/touring Old Salem, on to Charlotte area, supper on our own. Tuesday morning 9 a.m. start at Operations Center (lunch provided there at small cost) Depart for Smithfield by 2 p.m. Sign up by November 19.

BELL RINGER NEEDED
First Baptist Belles, a ladies group which rehearses on Tuesday evenings, is in need of a bass clef bell ringer. If interested, call Kelley at 934-9771.

TRAVELERS’ CLUB THANK YOU
Over 90 children were ministered to through trips and programs on Thursday mornings this past summer. Thank you to the following volunteers who helped with chaperoning and travel: Margie Littlefield and Summer Adventures staff, Mike and Renee Wooters, Jo Justice, JoAnn Wiggs, Joyce Wright, Amy Galloway, John and Geri Hubbard, Tim Bradshaw.

SOUP KITCHEN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
WE ARE FIVE YEARS OLD SEPTEMBER 12TH!
Calling all Soup Kitchen volunteers to come to our Birthday Party on September 12, 2008 at Smithfield Community Park at 6:00 p.m. Please bring a covered dish, veggies and/or salad, or bread. Meat, dessert and beverages will be furnished. Let’s have a good time! Call Anesha at 934-1601 if you will be attending and what you will be bringing.

WELCOME TO WORSHIP
Welcome to Worship is a four week class offered for our First Graders. This will be held during the 10:55 worship service September 7, 14, 21 and 28. These classes will help our First Graders to find ways to worship God, learn about baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and give them some helpful tools they can use as they join us in worship. Children will go back to their Sunday School classroom after the Children’s Sermon and stay there until you pick them up after worship. Look for more information in the mail.

BACKPACK PROGRAM
NEEDS YOU
We are looking for volunteers to help deliver backpacks to South Smithfield and Selma Elementary on Friday mornings from 9:15 – 10:15. We have approximately 102 backpacks that will be packed with food for children on the weekends, so a little muscle will be needed. If you could help, please call Tommy at the church office at 934-9771.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPER REMINDER
Wednesday Night Suppers resumed Wednesday, August 27th. Each week sign up sheets will be in the Sunday School classes. There will be cards in the pew racks in the Sanctuary for those who do not sign up in Sunday School. You can also sign up by calling the church office by 5:00 p.m. Monday, or leave your reservation on the answering machine Monday evening. We have new cooks this year. They are Pat, Nell and Jo. Come enjoy their yummie food.

BIBLE BUDDIES AND BIBLE DRILL
Bible Buddies and Bible Drill will resume September 7th at 6:30 p.m. All 2nd and 3rd graders are invited to join us in Bible Buddies, and 4th – 6th graders are welcome in Bible Drill. Come join the fun.

ON MISSION
The disaster Relief Team will be going on a Mission Trip on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, 2008. They will be going to Grifton or Red Springs, NC. If you are interested, please contact Joyce Wright at 934-3547 or call the church office at 934-9771.

OPPORTUNITIES OF THE WEEK

* Nursery provided