Missions Breakfast

Turn your clocks back and come

Sunday October 29^th

9:00a.m. Breakfast

(Call to let us know you are coming 410-825-3360)

9:45 Missions Speakers:

This year our speakers will be Drs. Laura and David Parajon. Laura works for PROVADENCIA a project for vaccinations and community development, which serves 33 remote rural Nicaraguan communities. David serves the Baptist Hospital in Managua, many of his patients have come through the PROVADENCIA program to the hospital.

Come and learn about the work of medical missionaries.

From the Pastor:

The other day, during the Church Retreat (and if you didn’t come you should have), Ruth Kulkarni put together a wonderful program. Her remarks about human development were well thought out, and the presentation by Dr. Foserelli, about faith in children, was excellent. If you have small children and were not able to attend and would like to hear Dr. Foserelli some time let me know and we might be able to set up another visit.) someone mentioned how I often speak of, and quote, people from other religious traditions, and that there may be some people who don’t clearly understand my commitment to Christianity. I appreciated that statement, because it gives me a subject to address in this newsletter.

In a letter written recently for new visitors I wrote: “As our name indicates we are a Baptist congregation. You might have ideas about what that term Baptist means, but for most of those who attend Calvary it means that we are part of the “free Church.” Both of those terms, ‘free’ and ‘Church,’ are significant for us. Even though we participate in denominations for missions and education, we are congregational in our governing structure. We believe that the members of this congregation, empowered by the Holy Spirit, guided by scripture and the example of Christ, can faithfully discern and map out the direction of ministry for this body in our community. We are also free in that we do not insist that members subscribe to any single creed or confession, yet we firmly believe that our freedom entails commitment and responsibility to God.”

I am deeply committed and happy to be both a Baptist and a Christian. While I may not always be happy with statements made positions taken by other Baptists or Christians, I have never been disappointed by the example of God in Christ. It is through Jesus that I have come to understand God’s grace and appreciate God’s calling to service, as well as the essential freedom latent in that calling. So, while I might hear the voice of God outside the Christian tradition, I still hear it and see it through my understanding of the person of Jesus, the Christ.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday Evening Programs as usual

November 1^st, 8^th, 15th. There will be no programs November 22nd due to Thanksgiving Holiday.

November 5th Communion

November 11^th

6:00 p.m. FUND RAISER FOR MISSIONS spaghetti dinner. Our mission projects include American Baptist home and foreign missions and local missions including Towson Assistance Center, shelter meals, Our Daily Bread, homeless and other needy people, food pantries. This is a large portion of our annual budget and we are falling behind. The cost of the meal is $7.00; all proceeds will go to support these needy projects. Please sign up on the cards and give us your support.

November 12th

Coffee Hour following Church Service.

November 13th

12 Noon – Annie Armstrong Circle. Meeting in the Church Social Room with Alta Schuster as hostess, 410-252-2855. Bring a sandwich.

7:30 p.m. Needles & News at the home of

Ann Ray, 8 Theo Lane 410-321-0202.

November 22nd; we will not have any programs.

THANKSGIVING MORNING

at 10:00 a.m. November 23rd We will have our Thanksgiving Service at Towson Methodist Church.

November 26^h Pick-up cakes for Our Daily Bread and return by Saturday.

BUDGET CONCERNS:

Every year at this time it seems we talk about budget concerns. Currently, we are behind what we estimated we would receive in tithes and offerings. I put “we estimated” in bold because we did estimate and project what we would receive. What we need you to do is:

1. Check to see if you have given what you did pledge to the congregation, and if you have not and you are able to make a gift, please do this now.

2. Fill out a pledge card this month so our projection for next year will be less of an estimate.

3. Please return the pledge card by Sunday November 19^th.

Wendy Wallace is a Notary Public. If you have need of her services, she will be available.

Call her at home 410-321-0043

Needles & News is collecting food for Thanksgiving baskets. There are boxes at the front and back doors for this purpose. If you wish to prepare a basket yourself, please call the Church office for the specific instructions. Cash is also needed for these baskets.

Dear Friends at Calvary Baptist Church,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and especially the patients at the Shepherd’s Clinic, I want to thank you for your gift of $250, which was received by a check dated September 20, 2006. This enables the clinic to continue its service of providing health care to those who cannot afford commercial health insurance and care.

Gratefully,

Meg B. Meyer

Adm. Director