Alta Woods Baptist Church

God is good, all the time!

What have you learned from the Lord in 2022, that will make you more like Jesus in 2023?

I AM LEADING YOU along a way that is uniquely right for you. The closer to Me you grow, the more fully you become your true self—the one I designed you to be. Because you are one of a kind, the path you are traveling with Me diverges increasingly from that of other people. However, in My mysterious wisdom and ways, I enable you to follow this solitary path while staying in close contact with others. In fact, the more completely you devote yourself to Me, the more freely you can love people.

Marvel at the beauty of a life intertwined with My Presence. Rejoice as we journey together in intimate communion. Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself through losing yourself in Me.

Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us every day.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! —2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. —EPHESIANS 2:10

"I am only one, but I am one.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something.

What I can do, I ought to do,

And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I WILL DO."

January 25 - Business Meeting Report

Del Slone, Moderator, called the meeting to order and led in prayer.

November business meeting minutes were approved as printed.

Budget Committee Report for November and December given by Billy Roberts, Chairman.
Brief discussion followed. Voted on and passed.

Discussion on sale of Church Van no official report.
Sid reported 2023 Church Resource book is being worked on.
January mission project - collection food items for parents and children, Children's Hospital of Mississippi (formerly Blair Batson)
February Mission Project - New Jerusalem's Neighborhood Food and Clothing ministry, Shortage of men's t-shirts; help with Mississippi Food Network costs

Adjourned

REVIVAL - God’s Spirit is Moving

Asbury university Revival, Kentucky is spreading - prayer, worship, repentance

God's Spirit is moving at Asbury University in Kentucky. Located not far from the life-sized replica of the Ark, God is stirring people to turn their hearts and attention to Him. The revival has been going on 24/7 for about two weeks. Thousands of people are traveling from all over the US and other nations to experience this genuine outpouring of God's Spirit.

Similar to what I experienced in the Jesus Movement in the 70's, people, particularly young people... college students, became more bold in speaking about God's love and forgiveness for all men and women...so He sent His Son, Jesus to save us from eternal punishment and show us what real living should be like.

While there was always worship taking place in our churches, just as today, there was a shallowness and inconsistency of genuine individual and personal worship taking place. Yes, God was and always is present in our corporate worship but personal heart to God encounters from the individual were missing. This is what I see this generation hungering for. One person said that "generation Z ers“ are looking for something other than what the world is giving them right now. That generation has suffered so much in recent years and they are spiritually hungry for genuine truth and honesty. I believe that they are fed up with the dishonesty of our government, the weakness of our Christian witness, the seeming fear of law enforcement, and the fearlessness of criminals. These things cause our children and grandchildren to lose hope and trust and become fearful and terrified of the future - even of tomorrow. We need to unashamedly tell them that the hope and trust and security that they are seeking are only found in a genuine personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

This event is receiving the same response we did in the 70's. A lost world cannot explain it and is seeking to downplay the activity of God's Spirit. It is simply because they are not indwelt by the Spirit of the One True God that they cannot understand it. The Bible tells us that.

It is a genuine movement of God and cannot be stopped by the lost. Other schools are experiencing the same boldness of speaking the good news about Jesus, expressing repentance and forgiveness - Cedarville University in Ohio; Samford University in Birmingham; Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee; and Belmont University in Nashville.

Praise the Lord!!!

I heard that several churches in our area were experiencing the outpouring of God’s Spirit and many have trusted in Jesus for their salvation and been baptized. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Soup and Cornbread to Homebound Members - March 8, 2023

Huge Thank You

Thank you to all who made soup, cornbread, brownies for our homebound members.

AND to all who helped deliver it to them. They are always most appreciative of anything anybody does for them. It is a simple reminder to them that they are still significant members of Alta Woods and it is our way of saying "Thank you" to them for their years of loyal service to our wonderful Lord at Alta Woods. It is their commitment to the Lord through the years that have supported the church's mission and work and helped the church remain faithful to the Lord.

Mississippi Baptists Disaster Relief - 2023

EF 4 Tornado hits Rolling Fork, Amory - 25 died; Friday March 24

Alta Woods Baptist Church: You are helping with the disaster relief efforts, cleanup, tree cutting, etc. Part of your tithes and offering go every week into a disaster relief fund through your Mississippi Baptist Convention Cooperative Mission Giving. Years ago, several of us attended the Disaster Relief training courses right here at Alta Woods. Courses were offered in Disaster counseling, Cooking and feeding through the portable Feeding Units, Mudding out flooded homes, Chainsaw classes, etc. Updates are required for continued certification.

Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Update:

MS BDR teams quickly deployed across the state after storms originally moved through on Friday, March 24. Below is a quick summary of key information and status of various locations.

Rolling Fork - Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief (MS BDR) has been supporting cleanup, chaplaincy, chainsaw, tarping, and feeding units. Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief quickly helped respond to needs in the community. Feeding teams distributed nearly 600 meals per day this last week. Alabama is now on-site helping with feeding support. 117 work requests have been received by the site with 87 completed or closed as of 04/03.
Amory - MS BDR has been supporting cleanup, chainsaw, and tarping. Eight chainsaw teams operated over the weekend. 197 chainsaw, tarping, and cleanup request have been received and 169 have been completed or closed. Teams included church DR teams and associations across the state.
Montgomery/Carroll County - Utilizing 3 "drive-in/drive" out chainsaw/cleanup teams. Over 15 work request for chainsaw/debris clean up have been completed or closed at this point.
Eudora/Desoto County - Initial Assessment was completed on 04/01 and the MS BDR deployed local teams to assist. 12 work requests have been received at this time and Association teams are deployed for those request.
Pontotoc/Pontotoc County - Initial Assessment was completed on 04/01. The local Pontotoc County Association Disaster Relief Team deployed following the storm and is assisting with tarping and tree removal.
Tupelo - Initial Assessment was completed on 04/02. MS BDR affiliated team at Belden BC/Lee County Association is monitoring the needs that may be identified in coordination with Lee County Emergency Management.