Thursday Thoughts

Each year, this church so graciously supports our Student Ministries in our fundraising efforts to subsidize travel costs for trips and events. This year you will be helping both the youth and children’s programs once again grow their scholarship funds by participating in our new Youth & Children’s Chili Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament! 

On this fun-filled Sunday afternoon, you can expect to find great chili, healthy competition and a whole lotta fun! While you are enjoying the event, you can make donations several ways. General admission will be $6, and you can simply pay at the door when you arrive. While you can donate via the church app, we recommend everyone bring cash as votes are made by putting cash or check in the jar in front of your favorite chili! We will also have donation jars on all the tables to make a private donation of cash or check.

As you taste some awesome chilis, you also have the opportunity to participate in our cornhole tournament in the gym! It only costs $10 per person to register ($20 per team). You can register with a partner already in mind, or you can register to be paired up with someone on the day of the event! Either way, the winning team will win a prize, and any extra money from the tournament will also go towards our Youth and Children’s programs! We will also have a few cornhole boards and activities set to the side for our younger ones or those who just want to play casually. If you have an extra set of boards and bags that you’d be willing to let us borrow for the event, please contact one of us or the church office!

If you wish to enter a chili into the cook-off and/or participate in the cornhole tournament, please follow this link to register! And yes, you CAN do both of them! If you just plan to attend the event, there’s no need to follow the link. Just plan to pay general admission day of!

https://aikensfirstbaptistc.subspla.sh/4xsdcwf

We hope you will be present on Sunday, September 21 following worship from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm to attend the ONLY combined fundraiser our youth and children’s ministries will host this year. Come enjoy the Chili Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament, but please remember our goal is to raise funds for our students and their programing. Invite your friends, your neighbors, and bring the whole family for a day of fun!

We have a wonderful group of students and parents in our ministries, and we never want money to get in the way of students having an opportunity to be with their group, to build meaningful friendships, and engage in learning about their faith. Your donations help supplement the cost of the amazing activities we can continue to do. Thank you for being a church family who is supportive of our young people and the many opportunities that we can provide for our students to grow and learn in their faith.

Grace and Peace,

Sarah and Matt

Seeing that this is my fifth summer working at Aiken’s First Baptist (fourth with Sarah), I’ve gotten used to this “end of summer reflection” piece I am always asked to do. Year after year, I talk about how much I’ve learned and how excited I am to return for the following year. And that same can be said for this summer. Like all the others before, I have all sorts of experiences that have helped shape me as a person and a future minister. I have such great role models, co-workers, and, as I like to call them, true friends! I spent all of my summer with our Staff and loved every minute. You guys wouldn’t believe all that goes on during the week, and neither did I when I first started spending my summers working here! Not only am I learning the ins and outs of ministry life, but I am also learning how to care for others and how to care for a growing and changing church. It’s such a great experience to grow up in a church and have the excellent opportunity to invest in it and work to help it grow fully. Aside from who I get to work with, I also have a fantastic time with our youth. Summer after summer, I see how much they have grown in so many different ways. They always know how to twist their way into my heart, no matter what. They truly are a joy to work with, and especially after this year at Unidiversity, I am so excited to see what else they have in store for Sarah and me and where they go in life. Whatever it is, I know it will be good, because these are some of the best kids… and I’m not just saying that, I mean it! Throughout this summer, I could connect with students I had yet to connect with, and I enjoyed every minute of it. We had so much fun this summer, from nights at the movies to movies outside, slip-n-slide kickball (my favorite), lunch clubs, prayer breakfasts, bowling, big games day, and lake day! It was a summer filled with laughs, food, nightly conversations, 2-hour traffic stops, early mornings, late nights, wigs, and many other things. I say it at the end of every summer, and I mean it, but this summer was one of the best, and I cannot wait for another summer with everyone! Now, before I sign off and check out for some of y’all who are unaware, I start Seminary this coming Monday, the 25th! It’s been a few years since I decided to listen to this calling. Since my first summer working with Sarah, I have felt that tug, whisper, nudge, or whatever it was to listen and to do. But now that it’s actually here, I am nervous and scared, but I am also so excited to learn and grow. I am excited to become a minister who makes students feel safe, seen and loved! This couldn’t have been done without my family, friends, classmates, and mentors, but especially without my church family who have supported me in ways you might not even realize. Whether it was a “great prayer” or “I just loved your children’s message today,” “Are you coming back next summer,” or “Have you ever thought of going into ministry” (this one especially threw me for a loop). These interactions have shaped me and led me to this moment in my calling and my walk into ministry. You might not realize it, but words have power, and what you say has real impact, and I am so proud and lucky to have a church family that supports my calling and believes I have what it takes to be a minister. I’m so excited for all that is to come and excited to see y’all so much more this fall as your Youth Family Intern! 

Emily Berry

Good day to you, church family!

Here at Aiken’s First Baptist Church, we are already looking ahead to Christmas! Even though it seems very early, it is time to start preparing for this joyous season. This is particularly true for the music ministry, so much so that we will be having our Christmas Cantata Kickoff on Sunday, September 7, from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm. This event serves as an opportunity for those interested in singing in the Christmas Cantata on December 14, 2025 during our 11:00 am worship to come together and become accustomed to this year’s music. The first part of the kickoff will be spent running through the entire work but beginning at 5:00 pm we will transition to a wonderful dinner in the fellowship hall. If interested in joining us, please follow the registration link below so that we have an accurate count for the meal. Please do consider singing with us as it is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and leadership in worship. After the kickoff, the first 40 minutes of regular Wednesday night rehearsals beginning at 7:30 pm will be devoted to cantata work. Even if you can’t make every rehearsal, you are invited! We would love nothing more than to fill our choir loft for this very special service.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Zach Derr

Signup here! https://aikensfirstbaptistc.subspla.sh/zxkh9gw

As Minister to Children and Families, it is my job to always be on the lookout for opportunities that we can utilize to help ourselves engage in more meaningful faith conversations and spiritual interactions! So, I wanted to make you all aware of a few resources that are easily accessible to you and encourage you to try them out as we strive to start a new church year and a new school year off on the right foot! It doesn’t matter your age or whether you have children of your own or not; we all have access to people in our families and our circles of influence who we can share the love of God in new ways. I hope you all will check out these awesome tools, explore them for yourselves, and share them with the people in your life who could also benefit from them! 

“D365: Devotions 365 Days a Year” – https://d365.org/  

I have learned that many in our congregation have come to love this tool. You can access it online or via an app that you can download onto your phone. It can be used individually or with a group. Here’s a bit from the website: “D365 is a daily devotion written for youth and adults. The devotion follows a five-step format – Pause, Listen, Think, Pray, Go. Instrumental music is available for your devotional experience. You can start the music by selecting the music notes at the top right of the screen, and then you can adjust the volume as needed. Typically, an author writes on a single theme for one week. In these devotions, you will read honest struggles and questions, all in the context of real faith. As you read the thoughts of the writers, think about your own response to the scripture for the day. Let the writer’s words serve as background for your own conversation with God. Our devotions are written by ministers, professors, students, teachers, missionaries, denominational leaders, and others who work with and care for students.” 

“The Growing Faith Initiative” – https://passportcamps.org/growing-faith/ 

You may occasionally notice documents with this name on them near the bulletins on Sunday mornings during different seasons of the year. Well, now you can have online access to them as well! Here is a bit about this initiative, which comes from the organization that puts on our children’s summer camp: “Several times a year, Passport, through our Growing Faith Initiative, shares resources with the parents of our campers designed to help families have simple faith conversations.” The link will provide the most recent resource and all previous resources for parents (or anyone looking to engage in meaningful family conversations around different, important topics and seasons on the calendar.) 

“The Parent Cue App” – https://theparentcue.org/parent-cue-app/  

As the name implies, this app is designed primarily for parents, and it is valuable for a couple of reasons. First, it offers a way for you to see what your child is learning on Sunday mornings as well as access to supplemental tools and activities that you can use throughout your week to build upon what the children are learning at church. Second, it offers tons of parenting resources such as newsletters, articles, age-specific guides, and a shop with fun and formational tools for the whole family. Just downloading the app and creating an account will get you some of this, but a subscription will grant you full access to more resources! Whether you pursue the subscription or not, I would encourage all our parents to download the app and create an account for free. Then, click on the “Church” icon at the bottom of the screen and link your account to “Aiken’s First Baptist Church.” 

“Youth, Children, & Family Resource Lists” 

These are always available via call, text, or conversation with Sarah Laurence and me. We are always available to discuss what you are looking for, lend you resources, and provide any guidance we can. Thank you for trusting and supporting us in our roles as we seek the best for our younger ones and our families here at AFBC! It is truly a privilege.

In truth and love, 

Matt Waller 

Call for Student Prayer Pals

The majority of our students have already begun a new school year, and our college students will return to classes in mid-August. Think about all that a new school year brings – new teachers, harder subjects, new friends, peer pressure and new school campuses for some of our students. Add to that the concerns about safety on school campuses. College students will face the challenges of making important life decisions during their collegiate years. Our students need the prayer support of their church family.

We were so blessed last year by the response of our church family that we were able to pair all of our students in 3-K through college with prayer pals. We hope to do the same again this year. We hope that families with students will consider being prayer pals for other students. This will be a great opportunity to teach your students the importance of praying for others. We are asking prayer pals to pray at least once a week for 2-4 students. When you receive your list of students with contact information, we ask that you let them know that you are their prayer pals for this school year. We would encourage prayer pals to send a few cards during the school year, but that is optional. Supporting our students with our prayers is what is most important.

If you would be willing to bless the lives of our students by praying for them, please contact Sara Adams at 803-292-8551 or at barry_adams@bellsouth.net. There will also be sign-up sheets in the Sunday School packets this coming Sunday Thank you for being a loving, caring church family as we entrust our students into God’s care this school year through our prayers.

The Prayer Ministry Team

Wednesday Nights are coming back August 13, 5:15 to 7:15 pm and it will be a blast.

Come join us for food, fun, and fellowship on the church grounds as we gather back up after being all over the place during the summer. There is no charge for dinner, but we do need you to register so we make sure there is enough food for everyone.

Register Here!

We are ordaining Holly Strother on Sunday August, 17 at 5:00 pm!

We have all been able to witness the great gifts that Holly has for ministry as she has led our young adults, preached on Sundays, taught Wednesday Night Bible Studies, and offered leadership in multiple church venues. Now we get the opportunity to speak a word of blessing over Holly and declare to all that we know she is gifted for and called to gospel ministry.

Join us Wednesday, August 6 at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall for a business meeting.

I know these can sound boring, but they are one of the main vehicles by which we can keep everyone updated on the major things happening in our church life, including how we are moving forward on our building needs and opportunities.

As it seems prone to do, summer has absolutely flown by this year, BUT with that, comes the exciting opportunity to join together in preparing for the new school year ahead and sharing about some of our experiences from camp! Whether you are involved in our children and youth programs or you just want to show them your support, here are a couple of worship services that you won’t want to miss! We hope everyone will make it a priority to come out and experience God in these unique ways over the next couple of weeks!

Sunday, July 20th – Blessing of the Backpacks

As we prepare for the return to school, we encourage all our children and youth to bring their backpacks with them to church to be blessed. During our “Children’s Moment,” we will pray over the backpacks and pass out tags that our young ones can keep with them as reminders of our love and support for them! There will also be family resources available with intentional conversation prompts for families with children going back to school!

Sunday, July 27th – Youth & Children’s Summer Share and Move-Up Sunday

A Sunday all about our young people. This is a wonderful morning celebrating our children and youth and their involvement in this church. This service allows them to participate in worship leadership, as well as share stories from their summer. A spiritual year in review! We invite everyone to wear your favorite youth or children’s ministry t-shirt and come be a part of this special day dedicated to our kiddos! Also, join us as we support our 1st graders and 6th graders who will be receiving their new Bibles as they move up to their next stage of life both at school and here at Aiken’s First Baptist Church!

In truth and love,

Sarah L. and Matt W.

Did you know that money is NOT the root of all evil? And nowhere in the Bible is it ever said that money is the root of all evil. So, if someone has told you that it is, they are not speaking Biblically.

Money, in fact, is an often-mentioned topic in the Bible, and it is usually seen as a way to gauge one’s spiritual walk. Money is never seen as a problem from the Biblical perspective. The problem is how we see money.

Jesus talks about money.  Paul talks about money.  Peter talks about money.  Whoever wrote Hebrews talks about money.  The wisdom literature in the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs) talks about money.  All of those mentions about money address how the love of money and wealth can hinder one’s spiritual walk.  It is the love of money that opens the door to evil.  We are encouraged to love God and our neighbor and not love material wealth.

So, let’s talk about some healthy ways we can see and use our wealth. The Church Administrator always has the church budget in mind, but I hope you do too. Often, we will use the term Ministry Action Plan for our budget.  This is a great reminder that we have a church budget for one reason – it is fuel for our ministry efforts. As you contribute to the church budget you are providing fuel for ministry, which means you are loving God and loving your neighbor through your wealth.

Soon you will be hearing about new ways to use your wealth.  As a part of our Bold Faithfulness initiative, we will be renovating our facilities and raising funds outside of our budget to accomplish these endeavors.  We have partnered with Generis, a company that works with faith-based organizations in developing cultures of generosity. The Bold Faithfulness Committee has had some great conversations with our consultant, Rusty Lewis, and are laying the groundwork for our campaign.  

Interestingly, Jesus mentions money in 11 of his 39 parables.  That is roughly 1/3 of his parables.  Jesus’ parables are all geared toward allowing an understanding of the Kingdom of God.  I guess if Jesus thinks that examining our attitudes towards wealth is a good way to perceive God’s Kingdom maybe we should too? 

Peace be with you. 

Christian 

The Safety Team (ST) has been busy over the last few months working on putting together plans for all facets of safety and security on the First Baptist campus.  The ST has 3 focus areas for safety planning and implementation: Campus Safety and Security Patrol, Emergency Preparedness, and Medical Response.   A summary of accomplishments to date includes: 

• Established a duty roster for safety patrols during Sunday & Wednesday services 

• Assumed lock and unlock duties from the Properties & Grounds committee 

• Identified 11 individuals who will serve as medical emergency responders  

• Conducted CPR training to certify additional ST personnel and other church members 

• Met with a security training professional with regards to evaluation and advice for enhancing church security, specifically with regards to active shooter mitigation and response 

• Purchase & installed fire blankets in the Fellowship Hall kitchen and office area 

• Provided campus surveillance, door security and general support for the Jordan Feliz concert in February.  

• Authorized four Safety Team members for concealed carry on campus in accordance with the church Safety Policy document. 

The Campus Safety and Security Patrol has been tasked with locking and unlocking the church campus every week and maintaining roving patrols before & during Sunday and Wednesday services.  The campus patrols have been in conjunction with Powell Asset Security.   The contract with Powell Security will phase out at month-end as the ST evolves to self-performance in terms of campus patrol and surveillance, which will include a limited number of personnel authorized to conceal carry a firearm.  Those authorized to conceal carry on campus have been through a thorough vetting process and will continue participating in any trainings deemed necessary by the ST.  Powell Security will remain available for events on an as-needed basis.   

Emergency Preparedness is working in conjunction with the Medical Response team to develop plans for medical emergencies, fire evacuations and weather-related safe shelter areas.  The Medical Response team has posted a bulletin board of members along with photographs so the congregation can identify members easily.   CPR training was conducted in May for 9 individuals learning CPR for adults, children and infants along with AED, Basic First Aid, and Tourniquet training.  The AED (automated external defibrillator) was updated with a new battery pack and new chest pads are being ordered.  Additional training dates will be forthcoming for team members and congregation to maintain certifications. 

Future plans and focus areas for the ST moving forward include: 

• Have means of easily identifying ST personnel on sight: vests, lanyards, etc  

• Add an additional AED for the Fellowship Hall/Gym area and increase the medical/first response equipment around the campus.   

• Enhance campus lighting and surveillance cameras to aid safety and security as well as early alert capability 

• Document ST protocols & procedures in a binder (hard copy & electronic) 

• Conduct training for the ST members in areas of severe weather response, evacuations (e.g.- fire) and active shooter scenario 

• In turn, the ST will conduct similar training for the congregation 
• Establish periodic drill calendar to maintain ST proficiency as well as congregational familiarity with evacuations and response to emergencies 

Another Thursday, another Thursday Thought! Perhaps this time around, we’ll call it “Thursday Thought: Evening Edition” This week, the task falls to me, your resident Director of Music & Worship.

The topic this fine Thursday brings us back to our fantastic church app! For those who have been persistent in using it, you will likely have noticed that its function has improved of late. Church wide notifications are being delivered, committee chats are buzzing, and settings are staying set. Our friends at Apple and Android have recently pushed some updates to improve the experience. If you haven’t noticed this, you might need to update your app through your preferred app store. For those who haven’t been using their app, read this missive as an invitation to do so! There are myriad reasons to hop on there, and I hope you’ll get in and poke around all of the content!

Feeling a bit uncertain? Perhaps you think you just aren’t cut out for app life. Maybe you’ve been so frustrated with the hundreds of apps 2025 life demands that you’re contemplating a more low-tech existence. Step away from that flip phone you’re eyeing, and fear not! Here at AFBC, we have our very own Geek Squad. Well, it is more of a Geek Guy. Ok, it’s really just mostly me, and I’m actually only marginally better with tech than most. However, I make up for what I lack in knowledge with enthusiasm (and strategic googling)! Together, we will sort out your tech problems and you’ll be tippy-tapping your way across this galaxy of gadgets in no time! Reach out, and I’ll be happy to assist in any way I can. In the meantime, I wish you a most relaxing evening, and pray that you are well!

Peace,

Zach Derr

So, it is Thursday, and I have been assigned the Thursday Thoughts column.  I guess I had better get to thinking. 

I am thinking that I have found a good spot at Aiken’s First Baptist Church.  It has been 3 delightful months working and being with you.  Dana and I had a pretty good idea that there were good people at AFBC, otherwise, we would not have moved here.  But you continue to show us what love looks like. 

I am thinking that we have arrived at a good time.  The Bold Faithfulness conversations have developed into what I think is the best “heavy lift” I have ever seen.  The scope of the conversations and the imagining of what church can be is really astounding.  It is Bold and it will require great Faith.  Both of which I have seen in abundance here. 

I am thinking that the next few steps might not be the most comfortable, but I know that people grow only when they are challenged. 

Our next step will be to remodel the Roberts Building and prepare it to become the permanent home of Brothers and Sisters of Aiken County.  This means that we will have to relocate our existing classes/groups that meet there.  

Most of our Adult classes will be affected.  In time, Adult 1, 3, 4, and 6 will find new homes for study and fellowship.  I will be dropping in on some of our Adult classes this Sunday (6/1) to offer some detail and answer any questions.  Our target to begin this changeover is June 8.  Please know that we will make every effort for a smooth transition. 

In the meantime, feel free to call me with any questions or concerns (706 669 2990). 

I am thinking that new space and a change in routines just might be the best way for people to grow into their potential.  And I know that people of faith are called to do just that – sometimes in a bold way. 

Peace be with you. 

Christian 

Good afternoon, church family!

I write to you today to let you know about our Summer Choir. Have you ever found yourself pondering, “I sure would love to get involved with the Sanctuary Choir, but it is just such a big commitment!”? Well, if so, fret no longer! This summer, the choir is going to meet biweekly beginning May 21. Below you can find the detailed schedule. There has seldom been a better opportunity to join up and make some music. In addition to this modified schedule, we will also begin rehearsal at 7:00 pm. It is my prayer that if you’ve ever given thought to how you might lend your voice in leadership you will consider coming alongside this group. We are a community within a community here at Aiken’s First Baptist Church. Consider yourself invited to come, sing, care, and worship!

Summer Schedule 2025

Peace,

Zach Derr