Thursday Thoughts

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”

We are rapidly approaching that time that George Gershwin was talking about in those lyrics! Along with longer days, warmer temps, and cool drinks, we are also entering a season of Summer Choir! As you can see in the schedule below, our meetings in the summer are a little more spaced apart, to allow for more flexibility for those singing. Trips can be more easily planned, and the pressure is low. This is such a wonderful group of humans, and we’d be honored to welcome you in for the season, or longer. I hope any and all will feel invited and welcome!

If you’ve ever thought about singing with us but worried you didn’t have the time or the right experience, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try. You don’t need to be able to sight read complicated sheet music, and there are no auditions to join. Just show up, grab a folder, and add your voice to the mix. We will learn the music together, and I can guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun doing it. Rehearsals during the summer start at 7:00 pm. Check out the schedule below, and come fellowship, worship, and lead with us! Reach out to me at zderr@fbcaiken.org with any questions!

Soli Deo gloria,

Zach Derr

It seems as though spring is finally here! With that, the baseball season is in full swing (pun intended). Growing up in Baltimore, I was a fan of the Orioles, and we hated the New York Yankees. However, I was more occupied with Johns Hopkins, because Maryland, at the time, was the lacrosse capital of the country. (I was not a crab guy, because I do not like to work for my food, but my mother made delicious Maryland fried chicken.)  

Most professional athletes believe that hitting a baseball is the most difficult thing to do in sports. This makes baseball a unique team sport. Each individual batter steps into the batter’s box for a battle with the opposing pitcher. The strike zone runs from the armpit to the knee but is only 17 inches wide. In professional baseball the team’s pitching coach has a “book” on each batter. Most coaches know exactly where each batter’s weaknesses are. From the batter’s perspective, the ideal pitch would be right down the middle of the plate, the sweet spot. The pitcher’s objective is not to throw the ball in that sweet spot. They do throw the ball up to 100 miles per hour, thinking the batter cannot hit it.  

I have learned over the years that playing baseball is like the discipline of following Jesus. Let me explain. Baseball players develop through a system of levels, from Low A to AAA. AAA means you are one phone call away from “the Show,” professional baseball. At every level, minor league players will say they have so much to learn. When they reach the “pros,” they will tell you they have so much to learn.  

When it comes to our Christian lives, Jesus is a Rabbi, and we are students– with much to learn. My question is, why does God throw so many pitches that I can’t hit? It’s as if He’s deliberately trying to strike me out. Why all the curve balls? Perhaps he needs us to learn more. He does know our weaknesses, so maybe He’s trying to strengthen us. I have been following Jesus for sixty-six years and have learned that those curve balls, sliders, screwballs, and knuckle balls are trying to tell me something, usually something I need to face about myself. He wants me not to do better, but to be better. He wants me to be a real follower of His Son, looking more like Him every day. 

Here’s the real kicker: the opposing pitcher is on my team. The game has already been won, so “batter up”! 

In peace and love, 

Ray Barrow

Is it just me, or do certain times in your life prompt you to think about ways you wish you had been better? We have a funny way as humans of putting things on the back burner and not thinking about them again until they start bubbling over. Over the past year(s), the Spirit has convinced me that I do this with selfcare. I realize that while I have a passion for understanding what makes others tick and figuring out how to help them, I neglect doing the same for myself. I think we have an idea that this is admirable in some way, but it lessens our impact. At first, I thought the remedy to this might be to take control of the situation by making more time for myself. I was right, but not in the way I originally thought. You see, I acted as though making more time for myself meant minimizing time with others. In a way, I thought that if I could just get enough alone time to “fix” myself, then I could get back in the game and be better. Spoiler alert: it rarely works that way.

Why do I share this with you? Well, to put it simply, God is showing me that we figure out how to be the best version of ourselves with people, and that means we need each other. It’s easy to think things like, “They won’t like me,” “They don’t need me,” or even, “I don’t have anything to offer,” but being better requires vulnerability. Whereas my original solution to make time for myself by being alone didn’t work, it has started to work by intentionally seeking others, sometimes in big ways, but most of the time, in small ones. Whether it’s a spontaneous round of disc golf with the young adult group, an unplanned trip out to eat, or intentional conversation with the Vanguard men’s group, my life has been made better by plugging in rather than trying to be as unplugged as possible.

As our Wednesday night programs wind down and we head towards summer, it can be easy to unplug, to put community on the backburner for a while in the interest of “selfcare.” While that 100% can (and probably even should) look like rest, vacations, and solitude, I hope you’ll also look for opportunities to call on and include others around you, both in this community of faith and outside of it. Here at AFBC, we have continued to be intentional about leaning into more opportunities for community and relationship-building, especially in an intergenerational way. I hope you’ll continue to join us in that work by plugging into events on a large scale, but also by creating meaningful opportunities on a personal scale. Only you know how you can do the second, but let me tell you of some ways you can be involved in the first. We will be having a Churchwide Picnic on May 13th at the Gem Lakes Pavillion from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.! We will provide the hotdogs & drinks, and we invite you to bring any kind of fixing, side, or dessert. Please dress comfortably and bring whatever kind of outdoor game or activity you like. Bathrooms are close by as well as a playground, pickleball/basketball courts, etc.

We hope you’ll join us for this fun event for all ages! If you’d like to grill hotdogs or assist in any specific way, let me know. Even if you can’t attend this event, there are many other opportunities I’d love to tell you about whether it’s volunteering for VBS, praying with those going to our annual summer camps, or tutoring at Brothers and Sisters! One thing I know and am thankful for is that you make us better, and we need you!

In truth and love,

Matt Waller

n just over a month, each of our high schools will be handing our seniors a diploma and sending them out into the world. They are doing this because these students have worked hard, they’ve made it through some of the toughest times, and they have grown and been shaped into the people they are meant to be. Don’t get me wrong, they still have a lot of growing to do. I can say that because as I sit here, I remember how I felt as I prepared for my high school graduation.  

I remember the last few weeks of school and all they held. I remember how excited I was to play in the senior powderpuff football game. I remember the way I crossed my fingers praying my grades were good enough to skip a few final exams. I remember standing with my best friends in line for what felt like hours in the Convocation Center for graduation practice. I also remember being so scared. I was scared of change, scared of the unknown, scared of the pain I would feel when my friends and I parted ways for different schools. I carried so much excitement and so much sadness all at once; and that’s okay.

On Sunday, May 24, at 11:00 am we will have our Graduate Recognition service. Graduates, I cannot wait to celebrate you and all you’ve done! You’ve completed something wonderful, and while we celebrate your accomplishments now, this is just the beginning for you. You’re on to something brand new, and new can be scary. But it’s also so very exciting! Whatever you are feeling, whatever emotions you may be carrying all at once, that’s okay. You do not carry them alone.

Congregation, I hope you will be present for our Graduate Recognition service. The church family who has raised, taught, nurtured, and loved these graduates. Continuing to walk alongside them and their families as they close this chapter and prepare to begin the next.

Grace and Peace,

Sarah

I am easily distracted. I have always been that way. My extroverted nature means that I am always looking outside of myself. That means if a person walks by, I will notice and probably try to start a conversation. I keep a guitar beside my desk. Sometimes it will catch my eye, and I will stop and play and sing for a bit. If I hear any noise, I will stop what I am doing and check it out. 

Speaking of noises, we have more than usual around here lately. I am sure you are well aware that we have begun our renovation process. Currently our construction team is on the second floor, directly above the office area. There is banging and cutting and dragging and hammering and, well just all sorts of sounds coming from up there. I did not realize we had a boulder up there, but I am pretty sure they dropped one yesterday. 

You probably inferred from my earlier comments, but sometimes concentration is not easy for me. Well, you try to concentrate listening to a robust demolition team working above you and see how it works for you. For me it is rather distracting. 

And it is wonderful!  

The sound of progress is often loud. All that noise upstairs means that we are closer to seeing the finished product of refreshed facilities. It also means that we closer to being able to flex our bold faithfulness muscles with facilities that are better geared for ministry. 

The noise also reminds me of Paul. The Apostle Paul, who wrote letters to churches, and those letters became a part of our New Testament. In one of those letters Paul makes a confession to the church in Corinth. He confessed that he was distracted sometimes, too. He calls his distraction a “thorn.” He does not articulate exactly what this distraction was. And that is for the best. Paul allows us to see that our own distractions can be seen in a better light. 

Paul says that rather than focusing on doing away with the distraction it is possible to learn from it. He says that through this thorn, he learned that God’s grace is sufficient all the time, even when one feels like they are not at their best. Especially when we feel like we are not at our best. He indicates that it is only when we feel weak can we know how powerful God is. You can read all about in 2 Corinthians 12.

So, from now on, whenever I am startled by a boulder being dropped upstairs, I am going to take a moment and thank God for the distraction. And I might play and sing for a bit, too.

Peace be with you.

Christian 

Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NRSUE) 

The echoes of Sunday’s joyous music, strings, congregational hymns, and choir paired with our hallelujahs have begun to settle. The Easter lilies, which stood so vibrantly on the platform, might already be softening at their edges. The pastel dresses and pressed suits have been returned to the closet, and the rush of family gatherings has yielded once again to the quiet, steady rhythm of ordinary time. As we sit just a few days removed from Resurrection Sunday, I find myself pondering what happens after that stone is rolled away. It is wonderfully easy to feel the triumphant spirit of Easter when we are surrounded by a sanctuary full of brothers and sisters in Christ, bathed in the bright morning light, singing of an empty tomb. But the true power of the resurrection is not meant to be confined to a single Sunday morning on the calendar. It is meant to be the lens through which we view every ordinary, and sometimes painful, day that follows.

When Mary went to the tomb, she carried spices to anoint a body, weighed down by the grief of a shattered hope. We, too, carry with us our own spices. The anxieties about the future, our sorrow over broken relationships, our lingering fears for our health or the health of our children. We walk through a world that often feels more and more intimately acquainted with Good Friday than Easter Sunday. Yet, the promise of the empty tomb is that darkness does not have the final word. Christ’s victory over the grave meets us exactly where we are, in the midst of our struggles.

To be an “Easter people” means that we are called to live with a defiant, enduring hope. It means that when we encounter despair, we do not surrender to it, because we know the end of the story. The resurrection assures us that God is perpetually in the business of making all things new. Every act of forgiveness we extend, every moment of unexpected grace we offer to a neighbor, and every choice we make to love when it is difficult. These are all echoes of the resurrection resonating through our daily lives. We are invited to be the hands and feet of that same resurrecting power, bringing light to the forgotten corners of our communities.

As we journey further into this season, my prayer for you is that the joy of this past Sunday does not fade with the blooms of those Easter lilies. May you carry the life changing truth of the risen Christ into your workplaces, your homes, your neighborhoods. When the shadows grow long and the path seems uncertain, remember the empty tomb. The Lord is risen. He is risen, indeed. And because He lives, we can face whatever tomorrow may bring with peace. Grace and peace to you all as we continue to walk in Christ’s light.

Zach Derr

Dear Church Family, 

Holy Week, the week that marks Jesus’ final days leading to the cross, begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday when we celebrate Jesus triumphal entry to Jerusalem.  We will sing our own hosannahs and our children will bring palm fronds to the front of the church as we remember those who joyfully shouted “Hosannah in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” and laid their cloaks and palm branches along Jesus’ path. 

On Thursday night, we will gather at 6:30 to remember Jesus’ final supper with his disciples where he instituted the Lord’s Supper, washed his disciples’ feet, and commanded all of us who follow him to love one another just as he has loved us. 

Then, on Friday night, we will gather at 7:00 pm for our yearly Good Friday Tenebrae service.  This service is marked by music and scripture and the growing darkness of nightfall as we remember Jesus’ death upon the cross. 

All of these services help us to remember the entire path that Jesus walked and the depth of his love and sacrifice.  Walking through each of these moments of Holy Week helps to prepare our hearts for the great joy of Easter Sunday when we remember that Jesus was raised and death was overcome. 

I do hope that you will be able to join us for these services.  However, whether you can join us in person or not, I do want to encourage you to take time this week to journey with Jesus.  One way to do that would be to read scripture’s account of Jesus’ final days.  You can find this account in any gospel, but below you will find appropriate passages to read each day from Matthew’s Gospel. 

Sunday:  Matthew 21-22 

Monday:  Matthew 23 

Tuesday:  Matthew 24 

Wednesday:  Matthew 25 

Thursday:  Matthew 26 

Friday:  Matthew 27:1-56 

Saturday:  Matthew 27:57-66 

Sunday:  Matthew 28 

Another way to journey with Jesus would be to focus your prayers on some of the things that Jesus did, experienced, or endured in his final week.  Those prayers could look something like the following: 

Sunday:  Pray for a spirit of genuine and unfettered worship, just like those who shouted hosannah before Jesus, their Lord. 

Monday:  Just as Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers so that it might be a house of prayer for all people again, pray for Jesus to reveal if there are any places in your life or our common life together that we need his holy disruption to clear barriers out of the way. 

Tuesday:  Pray for the heart of a disciple who is ready to listen to and live out Jesus’ teachings, many of which were given in his final days and hours. 

Wednesday:  Search your own heart and life for the places that you need Jesus’ strength so that you don’t succumb to the temptations of betrayal or denial to which Judas and Peter succumbed. 

Thursday:  Pray for a renewed and deepened communion with God, for the willingness to make space and time to abide with God, and for the eyes to see that God is already abiding with you. 

Friday:  As hard as it is to behold, ponder the pain and the agony of the cross, giving thanks for the depths of God’s love, giving thanks for the forgiveness of sins, and giving thanks for the grace of life eternal given so freely. 

Saturday:  Ponder the bewilderment of the disciples who had just lost everything and didn’t know where anything would land for them.  Pray for anyone who is in a liminal space where life has been disrupted but has not yet landed back to any sense of normal again.  Pray for all of those who bear the heavy grief of loss. 

Sunday:  Rejoice and give thanks that the grave could not hold Jesus, that the life of God conquered death, and that this power of new life lives in us. 

I pray that we all have a transformational Holy Week and joyful Easter! 

Peace, 

John

Is anyone else excited about the way our relationship between us and Second Baptist is continuing to grow? Is our group service one of your favorite ones of the year? Me too!  

I can remember when our partnership began though I am not sure how many years ago it was established.  Based on the strong friendship of Dr. Andrea and Rev. Slaughter, we entered in a time of worship that transcended what is usually the most segregated day of the week. Even in these early exchanges, you could feel the energy and the spirit of the Lord just a little more deep in your soul.  

These shared worship experiences have led to more conversation, more connection, and more awareness of the world we live in today. Together, we are facing racism, educational gaps and simply every day life together in unison, and I have to be honest, it deepens my faith. 

For my husband Victor and I, Sunday mornings at Second Baptist are a little like reunions. Each service I look forward to seeing friends from high school and former students. Victor is a current teacher at Aiken High, and I was there for 16 years. Some of the congregants are young men and ladies we saw on a daily basis, but now we see each other in a different light. I always hope that they know we love and care for them, but they recognize now that our connection is so much deeper. We all love and worship the same Jesus. It opens a whole new world for our relationship. 

Recently some of our members have gotten involved in the mentoring program at the Teen Center at Second Baptist Church. Together they have built blessing boxes and are tackling the issues facing our youth. The Teen Center is led by none other than one of my favorite students of all time, Chris Emmanuel. He is doing some great things, and we are honored to be a part. We are not just talking the talk; we are being the hands and feet of Jesus. 

I think “the best is yet to come” when it comes to this collaboration in bringing people to Jesus, and I can’t wait to see you all on Sunday! 

Sally Tice

Renovation and construction plans are moving right along, and you will begin to see some construction dust and visible progress very soon. This Sunday, immediately following the worship service, we will officially kick off our renovation efforts with a groundbreaking and prayer celebration. Please plan to attend and take part in a brief ceremonial prayer and ribbon‑tying moment—and enjoy a cupcake or two. 

The first phase of work, beginning the week of March 14, will focus on renovating the second floor of the Education Building. Once that work is completed and staff offices are relocated to that area, renovations will begin in the current Office and Preschool spaces. This phase will also include the construction of an elevator.

As work continues inside, there will be areas on our campus that must be dedicated to storing construction materials and equipment. The designated “lay‑down area” will be the space between the Preschool wing and the Roberts Building. This will temporarily remove that portion of the parking lot from use, so please be mindful that the entrance and surrounding area will not be accessible.

The MTS Team has also developed a communication plan to keep you informed throughout the renovation process. You can expect updates on construction activities, timelines, financial and pledge progress, and opportunities to celebrate milestones and pray together as we move forward.

Be on the lookout for more information—and please join us this Sunday for our Groundbreaking celebration.

Here at Aiken’s First Baptist Church, we understand the importance of intergenerational ministry. Whether it’s giving our youth and children the chance to lead in worship, facilitating important conversations between Sunday School classes, coordinating mentor groups, engaging in mission projects for all ages, or simply gathering as a church family for food and fun, we strive to provide opportunities to build relationships across all lines, especially age. I am excited to have the pleasure of telling you about some of those opportunities we have in the near future. I invite you to plug in as you are able as we value the wisdom and growth that comes through intergenerational relationships.

The first opportunity is actually taking place this weekend! On Saturday, February 28th, we will have our Children’s Hallway Moving Day to help prepare the way for the first round of renovations to our building. This will take place from 8:00 a.m. to Noon, and all are welcome. As most of us have heard before, “Many hands make less work,” and that is certainly the case with this event! The primary goal is to relocate most of the children’s rooms and their contents from the second floor of the Administrative Building to the second floor of the Trinity Building. This will require many trips up and down stairs, but there will be other tasks that do not require as much physical exertion at all. Whenever you can come and whatever you can give, whether it’s one trip, one hour, or even one encouragement, it will go a long way. We will conclude the event with lunch, so please use the following link to register if you plan on coming to help us with our numbers. 

Children’s Hallway Moving Day – Aiken’s First Baptist Church 

Then, on Sunday, March 1st, we also have a big day planned! I hope you will join us for worship at 11:00 a.m.! Children’s Sunday is a wonderful service where little ones from our church’s preschool and children’s ministry get to lead us in worship. This is not only for those children and their families, but all of us! We all know how impactful our presence can be, but it especially means the world to our children. They have so much to share with us, and I hope we will listen, both with our ears and our hearts as we are able! 

On the evening of March 1st, we will have our annual Pancakes and Pajamas event from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.! While the little ones are in our Fellowship Hall eating pancakes and playing group games, parents are invited to enjoy a meal together downtown. There will also be a nursery at the church for parents with extra little ones who want to participate! You do not have to take part in the parent meal for your little ones to participate in the event (and vice versa)! We want you to be able to plug into this in whatever way is best for you! We just ask that you use the following link to help us with numbers. 

Pancakes & Pajamas Night – Aiken’s First Baptist Church  

While we have many more things coming up, the last event I will bring to your attention is our “Dill or No Dill” Pickleball Tournament! This will take place on Saturday, March 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (lunch provided). We put on this event for the first time last year, and it was a big hit! I hope that all of you who participated last year will join us again and maybe even bring a friend! If you didn’t come last year or don’t want to play, I still encourage you to come watch! It is a day full of friendly competition, food, and fun that you won’t want to miss. If you want to play, please use the following link to register. You may register as a team or as an individual to be paired up later. It only costs $5 per person or $10 per team. Those who have their own equipment can bring it, but we have extra as well. 

Dill or No Dill Pickleball Tournament – Aiken’s First Baptist Church 

There’s way more going on and coming up than I can tell you about here, so please stay locked into our church communications in whatever way you receive them! And, as always, thank you for the ways you support and plug into this place! We are great, but we make each other even better, so don’t stop pouring into one another during this season! 

In truth and love, 

Matt Waller 

It’s almost here! Sunday, February 22nd from 7:00 to 8:30 pm is our annual Dessert Auction! The Dessert Auction has proved to be the largest fundraiser in the life of our youth ministry. The funds raised provide scholarship money to supplement the cost of our trips for our youth throughout the year. The cost of trips is always going up, and the money you give is a huge help to our ministry!

Last year’s Dessert Auction was a great success with proceeds totaling $6,190! We have 15 amazing desserts that I know you will just love, and I have no doubt this year will be just as successful! Remember to bring your $5/person and partake in all the coffee, tea, water, and milk you could want served by the amazing youth as you enjoy your desserts. We will also have plenty of to-go containers for you to visit your neighbors and sample their desserts as well, (for an agreed upon price, of course)! Once again, this year we will be selling individual desserts at the slice table. There is no expectation of participating in crazy bidding wars if that is not something you are interested in. But everyone loves community, and everyone loves dessert. So please come, buy a slice and spend the evening fellowshipping with your community!

I love this event. I love that this auction is possible because of the willingness of our congregation to donate desserts. I love the laughter and banter that comes along with bidding. I love watching the excitement on faces when dessert gets delivered to the table. More than anything, I love that so many people show up to support this ministry. Thank you for being a congregation who cares and so generously gives. I am excited to share this evening with you all!

Grace and Peace,

Sarah

Speller Education Fund

Dear Church Family,

In the wake of Rev. Ray Speller’s death, so many of you have reached out with grace and kindness to express your own grief and to express your care and concern for Ray’s family, for Second Baptist Church, and for all of us who loved him and called him friend.  I have appreciated all of those words of grace and was so glad to see several of you at Ray’s funeral.  Please continue to pray for Ray’s family and for Second Baptist Church.  The days ahead will be difficult for all of them.

Here at First Baptist, as many of you know, we have a way for people to give gifts in memory of people who pass away through our memorial fund.  All you need to do is simply write “Memorial for __________” on the memo line of your gift and then several things will happen.  The family will be notified that a gift has been given in memory of their loved one (though no amount will be named).  The gift will be compiled with others so that the family may have opportunity to direct the funds toward a particular need of the church, if they wish to do so.  Otherwise, the Finance Committee can direct the funds toward a need of the church, such as the repurposing of stained-glass windows for the walkway that will be covered during our renovations, or toward a need of the community, such as the ministers’ benevolence fund that is used to help people in difficult situations.

At Ray’s funeral it was announced that Second Baptist Church would be establishing an education fund for Ray and Krystle’s four children, so that she would not need to worry about those financial needs moving forward.  Recognizing that many of you have been looking for and asking about a concrete way to support the Spellers and Second Baptist, I spoke with deacon and finance leaders at the church about this education fund.  Together, we decided to take any memorials given to the church in Ray’s honor and give them toward the establishment of this education fund by Second Baptist Church.

If you are moved to support them in this way, please simply give a memorial for Rev. Ray Speller.  But no matter whether you feel called to give or are able to participate in this way, do please continue to keep the Spellers and Second Baptist Church in your prayers.

Grace and Peace,
John Carroll

Two Upcoming Mission Opportunities to Consider

Mission: THERE Trip to Asheville

We will continue our support of the efforts in Western NC for Hurricane Helene rebuilding by traveling to the Asheville area this March. We will depart Aiken on Tuesday, March 3, and work March 4-6. Return plans would either be late Friday, March 6 or early Saturday March 7.  As with prior trips, we will be hosted by FBC Asheville where the team will stay, and we will work with North Carolina Baptist on Mission. The total cost for the trip is $100 including lodging, continental breakfast, and a bag lunch. The team will cover the cost of any meals to/from Asheville and dinners while there. Sign up by this Sunday, February 8! Click here to sign up for the Asheville trip

Mission: HERE Habitat House Construction

Construction of a new Habitat House has begun for 2026 at 218 Stewart Drive, Aiken, SC. Aiken’s First Baptist is registered to send a group of volunteers on Saturday, March 21 to assist with siding installation and potentially other jobs around the home. Work will begin Saturday morning at 8:00 am and last until 1:00 pm or earlier if lunch is not provided, or 3:00 pm if lunch is provided to the group. Volunteers are asked to bring a signed Release and Waiver of Liability form and to arrive early to complete a sign in process. Please register so we can plan! Click here to sign up for the Habitat Construction Day