The Son & the Sand
November 2006
A Festival for the Rest of Us
The Baldwin Baptist Resort Ministry partnered with teams of students from the BCM (Baptist Campus Ministry) of Faulkner State Community College, 2 BCM teams from Missouri, church volunteers from Calvary Baptist Church, FBC Bay Minette, FBC Summerdale, FBC Orange Beach, and many more. Matt Goins (youth pastor at Lagoon BC) brought students from his church as well as students from the University of Mobile to help out. A WMU team from Macedonia Baptist Church (Gadsden, AL) worked with us for all 4 days of the Shrimp Festival. Northpark Baptist Church of Birmingham,AL assisted us daily during the festival. Performance teams from several churches also assisted (FBC Silverhill drama team, Fish River puppeteers, FBC Gulf Shores youth praise band, and many more). The Townsend Family from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary spent time helping out at the festival. We also received lots of assistance from former Baldwin Baptist Resort Ministry summer missionaries. Wendy Wilson and her family singing group “The Wilson Five” performed on Friday and Saturday. Wendy served as a summer missionary in the summer of 2000. Several of our summer staff from 2006 were on hand to help out: Chase Rogers, Katy Maynard, Alicia Christian, and Derrick Fields. We had a wonderful time working with so many amazing volunteers.
THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE IS A RECAP OF “THE CHILDREN’S ART VILLAGE”
OF THE 2006 NATIONAL SHRIMP FESTIVAL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL VISIT www.nationalshrimpfestival.com
(The schedule may give you some ideas regarding how you or your church may want to be involved with the festival next year)
Thursday October 12
10am to 5pm Kid’s Karaoke
Friday October 13
10am The Wilson Five (songs and fun) www.thewilsonfive.com
11am Puppet Show for Kids
noon to 5pm Kid’s Karaoke Competition
Saturday October 14
10am The Lonely Moon Band with special guest Byron Townsend from Insitu www.nc2.org
11am Cammie’s Dance and Gymnastics Exhibition
Noon Fish River Puppet team
1pm Faulkner State Community College Campus Ministries
2pm Forward Motion Drama Team (FBC Silverhill)
3pm Flip City Gymnastics and Dance Team Exhibition
4pm The Wilson Five (music and kid’s puppet show) www.thewilsonfive.com
Sunday October 15
10am Barefoot Believers Puppet Team
11am International Miss Program
Noon More Kids Games from the Stage (w/ Northpoint BC)
1pm Mega Fun Beach Games (w/ Northpoint BC)
2pm The Breakpoint Youth Band (FBC Gulf Shores)
3pm Faulkner State Community College Campus Ministries
4pm Forward Motion Drama Team
What’s Happening in November of ‘06
Butch and Vi Riek arrive this month. They will live in their camper at the Gulf State Park Campground, and serve as mission serve corps missionaries with the North American Mission Board throughout the ‘06 & ‘07 winter season. Butch and Vi worked with Thea and I back in the ‘04 & ‘05 season. They spend their summers with our good friend Brad Lartigue (another resort missionary) (…) at West Yellowstone in Montana.
Our resort ministries committee meets this month. We will be joined by the new ‘07 appointed members. A special word of welcome goes out to Jeff Eliot (Gulf Shores), Brandon Moore (Orange Beach), and Jason Smith (Summerdale).
Gulf Area Resort Ministries will host a special Gulf State Park Thanksgiving celebration on November 19th.
The Baldwin Baptist Association will have their final executive committee meeting of the year on November 30th.
After a short fall break from leading resort worship at various locations, the resort ministries staff and volunteers will resume leading worship and other ongoing resort ministry events at Gulf State Park, Luxury RV, and Island Retreat RV this month.
Prayer Request
> Due to a recent car accident (thankfully no injuries), the Fords are in the market for a replacement car.
> Butch and Vi’s ministry at the state park
> As we look ahead to the release date of the 2007 Annie Armstrong missions video (featuring Jeff, Thea, and the ‘06 summer missionaries), we anticipate a lot of contact with churches and students in preparation for the summer of 2007. Please pray for us as we prepare.
> The Baldwin Baptist’s resort ministry has also been selected as a featured ministry with the WMU’s ( … ) 2007 Christmas in August ministry. Pray that we can effectively manage the many packages that we will likely receive. This is a big job. We were recipients a few years ago. I think the total count was around 800 packages. We are very thankful for WMU’s love and support.
Be Encouraged (by Thea Ford)
We serve a living, mighty, and good God. Yet, sometimes the stress and busyness of life on earth begins to overwhelm us. If you are like me in this, I want to send out a little reminder: we are servants of the King. His blessings upon us are abundant, and His purpose for us is obvious within His Word. We are called to love others and be ambassadors for Christ. I praise Him for this opportunity, and for His gentleness in reminding me of this when I find myself trying to solve my problems on my own and/or getting too concerned what is going on with me. I pray that as we approach the holiday season, the joy we find in Christ is what guides our thoughts and actions.
Our Prayer
We pray that events like the 2006 Shrimp Festival will continue to be a doorway for sharing the love of Christ with Gulf Coast visitors and residents. Let us know if your church would like to partner with us in ministry at the Children’s Art Village of the festival during the fall of 2007. Many opportunities lie ahead as we begin the many “snowbird ministries” of the fall and winter. Please contact me if you have an interest in partnering with us in a snowbird ministry event or weekly ministry opportunity.
One Last Thing
Challenging words from Jesus…
“Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light.”
Luke 8:16
I hope you have a wonderful month. See you next time.
In Christ,
Jeff Ford
resort missionary
baldwin baptist association
www.baldwinbaptist.com
www.barefootbelievers.com
We are a ministry of the Baldwin Baptist Association, and we are partners in ministry with the Alabama State Board of Missions and the North American Mission Board.
