Spring 08 Complete

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3Q Third Baptist Church’s Third Baptist Church’s

New York ConnectionNew York Connection

THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH 2601 GRAND AVE. GRANITE CITY, IL 62040 www.thirdspeople.com (618) 877-0040

DL’s Perspective 2

Breaking News 4

Notebook 5

Pictorials 7

Easter Pictorial 8

3Q History Page 10

From the Editor’s Desktop 13

Jots from Jane 6

Party Time! 12

INS IDE THIS ISSUE:

3Q3Q3Q

3Q Magazine is an independent publication created and published

by the members of Third Baptist Church, Granite City, IL.

On the Cover: The North Fenton Baptist Chapel, located in Chenango Forks, New York.

This is the church pastored by Clint and Pauline Potter, great friends of Granite City and

Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Central New York Baptist Association.

3Q is available online — in full color —

at www.thirdspeople.com

Special thanks to Earl Drennan for the fund-raiser newspaper spread and concept.

2 3Q SPRING ‘08

By D.L. PattersonBy D.L. Patterson

Our New York Connection

I have been asked to write an account of Pastor Clint Potter in New York, and his association with the people of Third Baptist Church. I believe it would be fitting to do so in the same genre as Dr. Luke did in the first of his two volumes found in the New Testament. (You know Luke – the one who wrote a gospel, the book of Acts, and was St. Paul’s physician).

So, I have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, so that we can hand them down, because we were eyewit-nesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I have investigated every-thing from the beginning, it seemed good to write an orderly account for you, most excellent church members, so that all may know with certainty of the things we teach.

After their season of suffering, Clint and Pauline have shown up for yearly visits to Third Baptist Church, mostly in September, due to family obligations – weddings, first grandchild, etc. During these visits, they have given us a report of their ministry with pictures. We had prayer, gave them an offering, blessed them, and sent them back to New York for another year.

Now, flashback to 1996. I was pastoring in Samaria (outer MCBA) when I attended the Holiday Wrestling Tournament at the high school gymna-sium with my brother Jerry. We sat in the right balcony with a group of men who were my dad’s old friends. During a break in the medal round, I stood, stretched, turned, and spotted a guy I hadn’t seen since high school: Clint Potter. So, we talked a little, and he told me he had two boys going for medals. By then, it was time to start the finals.

Well, during the finals, all I could think about was Clint. Because I knew he had been a ‘sinner’ in high school, just like me. After all, you get to know a person pretty well when you have classes, plus P.E. together (Patterson / Potter). Clint and I had met at Coolidge our freshman year (I had come from Central Jr. High). In fact, out of that class, I know of five guys who accepted Christ after high school, and are in ministry now.

I kept thinking that this may be the only time I’ll ever see him, and I’ve got to tell him about Jesus. My next thought was “No – look where you are and who is with you (friends). Besides, you are a pastor and you already tell a lot of people about Jesus. Take a day off, have fun.” This conflict went on all during the wrestling meet. Finally, it was over. I told the Potters good-bye and walked to the stairs. When I reached the stairs, I just knew I had to

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3Q SPRING ‘08

talk to him about Jesus. So, I waited for him to come, and I started to share my faith. As I started talking, Clint also began to talk about his faith in Jesus. We had a good laugh about what happened, because he had been going through the same thing that I did during the finals.

During the next several years, I’d see Clint at church or MCBA events. Well it was during this time that Clint became involved with Meals of Love, and had gotten to know Jane Raphael. Also, during this time, he had the opportunity to do some Bible teaching, and the Lord called him into minis-try.

He and Pauline were involved in mission efforts through the church they attended here in the association. They even went on a mission trip to south central New York. Well, one of those churches asked him to be their pastor.

So, about a year later, and after much prayer, Clint and Pauline quit good paying jobs to go pastor in New York. The Home Mis-sion Board promised Clint and the church that they would support him financially. And, as all missionaries do, they took tests, had their backgrounds researched, provided refer-ences, etc. They passed each stage of the process with flying colors. Then they got the OK from the Board to move to New York.

Once they had arrived in New York, the Board decided not to fund them because of the fact that before they became Christians they had been married, divorced, and were now remarried.

So, then, there they were in a strange place with no money and no jobs. What do you do?

Clint said “God called us here, and He will provide.” And He has. They have been pastoring in New York for about 10 years now.

After I found out that the Home Mission Board had denied their funding, I told Jane and Pastor Mark about it. Then I wrote a request to our Missions Committee at Third Baptist, asking them to help the Potters with an offer-ing – which they have done. I am so thankful for TBC’s response to Clint and Pauline.

After all, he is a kid from Granite City wanting to be obedient to the Lord. Isn’t that what the apostle Paul tells us – that we are His bondservants? And, this equals obedience.

So, this is how my relationship with Clint was rekindled 25 years after high school.

I always look forward to our visits when he returns to Granite City, and the phone calls we have in between those times, as we share what God is doing in our lives.

4 3Q SPRING ‘08

Breaking News!! The Clint and Pauline Potter Fund Raiser at Third Baptist Church of Granite City was

a rousing success!! Fund Raiser promoters report donations of over $1,200. This was

enough to cover costs of the event plus send the Potters $1,000 to help them in their minis-

try. Rusty Rogers was on hand to entertain the crowd, as he made a made dash on his

horse through the Fellowship Hall every time a new donation amount was announced.

Curiously, main attraction Patsy Cline was a no-show at the event. Rumor has it that

the excitement of the event simply did not leave enough time for Ms. Cline to perform. Ei-

ther that, or she was stuck doing kitchen duty; no one is really sure.

Finally, there have been conflicting reports on whether the Granite City man pictured

above actually did ingest five bratwursts. However, no one is denying this was the best

BBQ ever.

Breaking News!!

5 3Q SPRING ‘08

By Mark PowellBy Mark Powell

This article continues on Page 13...

Toward a Missional Church

As we think of TBC and our calling to missions, and if we consider the current emphasis within Christendom on doing acts of missions -- every-thing from fighting global warming to feeding the hungry, we might well ask within this prevailing context just what a missional church would look like?

At its base, a missional church comes into being because a local disciple-ship community recognizes that it is God Himself who is on mission in the world, and that he has, in grace, chosen to outwork this mission primarily (but not exclusively) through his local congregations.

There are several important implications from this idea:

• This means the church is not the goal of missions...

• The church is a witness to God’s mission...

• And finally, all a church does is missions...

Another way to say this is to say that if the only missions a church does is its annual foreign missions offering promoted by the denomination, or if some sort of mission work is added to whatever else the church is doing, then this must be seen as a failure of mission!

For it must be remembered that God’s mission is nothing short of Jesus, as the Christ, who is God’s final and complete word of redemption for all of humanity. That is, in the mission of God, we witness to the fact that we our-selves have met and found completion through the power of the Christ, the risen one, and that the world will also find this same power available for new life and a new way to live if it will turn to this God who is on mission, this God who ever seeks those who have lost their way and who are willing to admit this as reality. And it must also be remembered that this Jesus, and him alone, is the calling of the church -- for we have been sent!

But, and here’s the kicker, how is a church to be missional without a thor-ough consideration of its surroundings (read: context). I mean, to assert that a church must “preach” the gospel, but then fail to not think through just what that gospel sounds like to the ears (and minds) hearing it preached, is selfishness, and spells the doom of the gospel!

So, the question here is simple and challenging: How does the gospel we

6 3Q SPRING ‘08

Grab Your Paddle and Get Set for VBS

By Jane RaphaelBy Jane Raphael

Imagine the Hawaiian islands and the heart-pounding thrill of the Pacific

Surf. You almost can smell the salt-scented breeze. Surfers are not the only

adventurers you will see riding the crest of a wave.

Outrigger canoe racing teams ride the waves with speed and skill. Their

specialized canoes are fitted with lateral supports known as "outriggers."

These supports give stability to otherwise unsteady canoes allowing the pad-

dlers to navigate the rough seas and thundering tides of the ocean.

Lifeway's Vacation Bible School theme for 2008 is Outrigger Island: Liv-

ing God's Unshakeable Truth. With the crashing waves of modern-day me-

dia, the unpredictable seas of daily family life, and the troubled waters of

simply growing up, it is no

wonder that our children’s be-

lief systems can capsize before

they even get started.

We cannot change the world

in which the kids are growing

up, but we can equip kids to

navigate that world with the

stabilizing truth that God is

real, Jesus is His Son, Jesus is

the only way to receive salva-

tion, the Bible is God's word, and ultimately, their actions show what they

truly believe. Based on Psalm 86:11, Outrigger Island is more than a tropi-

cal paradise. It's the place where kids will develop the stability they need to

face a world of shifting sands and wavering opinions.

Here at Third Baptist Church on June 9 to 13 the Island Guides

(teachers) will be helping the Wave Riders (kids) to understand these un-

shakable truths and make them a part of their daily life. To do this we will

use worship, music, crafts, mission study, recreation, and snacks.

Mark your calendars! You don't want to miss it.

3Q3Q3Q3Q

7 3Q SPRING ‘08

Super

Time A good time was had by

all on Feb. 3 as a crowd

partied and enjoyed —

well, some enjoyed —

the big upset by the

New York Giants over

the New England Patri-

ots. A huge big-screen

picture made for great

viewing and snacks

flowed aplenty.

The Quicker Picker Uppers

When the ladies visited the Christian Activities Center in East St. Louis in Feb-

ruary, they discovered a huge need existed for paper towels. Third responded

with over 180 roles of paper towels that were picked up by CAC assistant

director Russell Smith. Jane Raphael and Debbie Heil helped with the loading.

8 3Q SPRING ‘08

9 3Q SPRING ‘08

10 3Q SPRING ‘08

Solid Foundations

Edited by Rob RaphaelEdited by Rob Raphael

As Third Baptist Church entered its second full year of existence, the

church still met in the McKinley School building. Members had agreed in

July 1937 to proceed with the purchase of two parcels of land at the inter-

section of 26th and State Streets. The church’s second pastor, W. K. Sisk,

had been in charge for seven months as the Third’s first an-

niversary approached.

On April 17, 1938 the church met to celebrate its first

year of existence. Among the many accomplishments publi-

cized in the bulletin were:

• Sunday school was organized on April 4, 1937 with 108

in attendance

• The church was organized on April 18, 1937 with 97

members, increasing to 164 within 30 days

• The church ranked in the state’s top ten in giv-

ing to missions

• Maintained a Sunday School mission in a

“trailer camp,” leading several to Christ

• Accepted a fine lot donated for use as a parson-

age

As that first anniversary passed architect plans

were being finalized for the new church building,

now deemed to be located at 26th St. and Grand

Ave. As stated above, another “valuable lot” at 25th

and Edison Streets had been donated by Mrs.

Stubbs for use as a parsonage. The site of the

church was chosen “judiciously” to be in a residen-

tial location “in the direction of the growth” in popu-

lation just a half-mile from Downtown.

The cornerstone ceremony occurred on Oct. 23,

1938, as seen in the news article at right. The foun-

11

dation and brick work for the first floor had already been completed prior to

the laying of the cornerstone. There remained enough work to “carry the

construction in to the next year.” It was also noted that “men of the church”

had donated their time to construct the new building; and also a

team of bricklayers had donated their services on a Saturday to

help the cause. The cornerstone was donated by R.J. Cox of Win-

stanley Church in East St. Louis.

When the building was to be finished, it was estimated that it

would be valued at $28,000 and church members would take out

a loan for between $10,000 and $12,000. At this point, it was

noted that the membership of the church had increased to 300.

The Rev. E.W. Reeder of Carbondale was to speak at the corner-

stone service.

Rev. Sisk resigned on Sept. 1, paving the way for Third’s next

preacher, Rev. H.R. Moore of McLeansboro. It was he that was

presiding when the cornerstone was laid and the new church

building was completed. The building was dedicated on the church’s third

anniversary, April 21, 1940. This editor wishes every one could see the in-

credible two-page spread that appeared in the Granite City Press-Record on

the Monday before the dedication. Such a decidedly biased and grand view

of a church event would never be seen in a paper published within the last

30 years, guaranteed.

For the dedication, Third brought in a heavy

hitter. Dr. Lee R. Scarborough, president of the

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and

the Southern Baptist Convention was the main

speaker at the event. A “loud speaker hook-up”

made it possible for the overflow crowd — seated

in all parts of the building — to hear the speak-

ers.

A news brief in the Press-Record after the

event said Scarborough was “at his best” in deliv-

ering a “dynamic” and “powerful” speech about

the “Human Side of Church Building.” Quoting

the Press-Record still, Scarborough said to the

unsaved: “Prepare to meet thy God, for we can be

so alive today and so dead tomorrow.”

The services of the day resulted in the addi-

tion of six members to the church.

3Q SPRING ‘08

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Rev. H.R. Moore,

Third’s third pastor.

12 3Q SPRING ‘08

— Jane Raphael

Every month, usually the second Monday, there's

a party going on in Adult III department. The offi-

cial name for this group is "The Keenagers" but most

of us know it's just a bunch of "old folks" out for a

morning.

However from time to time we do allow a young-

ster or two (65 or younger) to join us. After all it is

our duty to help them know what the good old days were

really like.

What happens at the party?

We have time to visit! You

know like folks use to do while

sitting on the porch on Sun-

day afternoon. We chat about

what happening in our lives - good or bad. We often laugh

with each other.

We also have a time for learn-things like why do

we tell our kids to mind their P's and Q's or why

does a bride carry a bouquet of flowers? Then

there's always time for games. No we haven't

played hop-scotch lately but there are a lot of pencil

(brain challenging) games. And the highlight of the

morning: food. When the party is over we leave

smiling, refreshed and full. We leave counting our

blessings for friends and fun.

Party Time!

13 3Q SPRING ‘08

Addictions

By Rob RaphaelBy Rob Raphael

I decided to write about something I could really relate to this time in 3Q.

By the way, we have missed you. It’s amazing what the Devil will do to try

to delay the publication of this magazine. And unfortunately he often gets

his way. Anyway, when it comes to being an expert on a subject, for me it’s

easy: addiction.

There was a story about a man who was a long-time addict. He remem-

bered his lowest point. He was laying in a field, too drunk to get up, and too

drunk to fall asleep. He just kind of went in and out of consciousness wait-

ing for enough liquor to pass through his system that he could get up and

make his way home; or at least to a bed somewhere. He remembered a

bright light shining on him. When he opened his eyes, he saw the fuzzy im-

age of a policeman shining a flashlight at him. There was trouble on the

property, and a fight had broken out. But this man was so obviously wasted

the cop didn’t even consider him a threat. He left the man alone and went to

check on other people on the property.

It’s pretty sad when a drunk teenager is so out of it that he can’t even

cause trouble. The episode stuck with the man; and the image of the police-

man is clearly visible in his memory. How worse off can you be than that, he

thought. It’s a question I would ask too, especially considering that man in

the story is me.

That incident happened some 30 years ago or so, but it haunts me to this

day. I’m not really sure why. I should have been arrested — I was underage

— but I caught a break. I guess that made up for the time when I was 14 or

15 and got arrested for trying to sell marijuana when in fact I was not trying

to do that and was basically in the wrong place at the wrong time. That

would probably count as another low spot in my earlier life, although I hon-

estly cannot count that incident as the result of an addiction.

I think about the children and adolescents growing up today with so many

worries that they should not have to deal with. Fortunately they are edu-

cated about the dangers of alcohol and drugs and most of them do not fall for

that trap. It’s one of the Devil’s greatest tools. Yeah, I know the kids can

This article continues on Page 13...

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have consistently preached sound to postmodern-postchristian people? If a church would ever be brave enough to think through this, they would find themselves deeply challenged. Another way to think about this is to remind ourselves of the Sally Morgenthaler quote: “The culture is having a spiritual discussion, and the church is not invited.”

And why aren’t invited? We are not invited, partly, because we have lost our ability to listen, and partly because the culture no longer thinks we have anything to contribute to the discussion. So, here we are, the light of the world to proclaim, and we cannot find a hearing. What a tragedy! How far we have fallen!

still get into a lot of trouble, but — and this is not a challenge — they could-

n’t hold a candle to us in those days. We were terrible — terrible!

I wish I could tell you that it got better right after that drinking incident

but it did not. I went on to develop my drinking problem even further, and I

added a couple of new addictions along the way. But something happened to

me that changed my life. Over a period of 20 years, I slowly got away from

these habits and found more positive things to hold on to. I can tell you that

throughout those years of drugs, alcohol, troublemaking, indecent behavior

— despite the fact that I tried to run away from him as fast as I could —

there was someone with me through the whole journey. Because as soon as I

turned to look for him, God was there.

God helped me break my addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and

cocaine. He did this by helping me find the church, discover the love of His

people and the love of His son, Jesus Christ.

What I wish now is that I was done with all of my addictions, but I am

not. There are some things that are harder to get away from than others.

These addictions are powerful, and frustrating to live with. They separate

me from a true relationship with God. I know He is aware of them, and He

knows what needs to be done to deal with them. I know that God will one

day cure me of all addictions. That will be a glorious day.

Addictions come in all forms. Who among us can say they don’t have any

addictions? I hope that I can at least say I am facing my addictions, and

with God’s help I am dealing with them. I know I can do better. Help us all,

Lord.

Notebook continued from page 5

Editor’s Desktop continued from page 13