In October of 1998, Messiah Baptist Fellowship (as Fellowship Baptist Church was then known) had a Church Charter Day at the facilities next to the Red Door Sub Shop in Salisbury. Thirty people signed the church charter that day as they were led by Pastor Steve Wagner. After having a family style dinner at English's Restaurant, they returned to the church facilities for an afternoon service. Dr. William Woodhall, a retired pastor from Delaware who later served here as Interim Pastor, was the guest speaker for the afternoon service and preached from Acts 2 regarding the necessity of building a church based upon the principles of God's Word.
Looking through the history this week in preparation for our Anniversary, I was amazed at all the changes that have occurred in the short eight-year history of this church.
The original charter was signed by thirty-one people. In the past eight years, some of those original charter members have moved out of state, some of them have moved on to other places of worship, and some of them have moved on to their Heavenly reward. There only remains a handful from that original group, yet the church is moving forward and thriving.
God has provided us with a great "core group" of believers and has brought the church through many things in the last eight years. I rejoice in the leadership of Pastor Wagner and Pastor Woodhall in laying a solid foundation for this church. I rejoice in the leadership of our deacons and men in allowing us to stay strong as the church went through a leadership change with Pastor Wagner's call to South Carolina (often difficult for a small and young church).
As I have looked at the changes and thought about things (even the restaurant they ate at that Charter Sunday is no longer in existence), I rejoice in the things that have not changed. Our God is not changed, His Word is not changed, and the firm stand of this church on the unchanging Gospel has not changed.
May God give us many more years of faithfulness to Him.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
Monday, October 23, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
Pastor's Pen (Bulletin Version) - October 15, 2006
Thank you for all who came out yesterday to pass out brochures and invite people to church. It was great to have a good turnout and we were able to contact well over one hundred homes in the process. I have heard that some good contacts were made. Please pray that this effort bears some fruit.
Thank you as well for praying for me and my family last week as we went up to the Bible Conference of Hardingville Bible Church. The Lord gave us safety as we traveled and things went well with the Bible Conference service that I preached. We presented a little Power Point presentation about what God is doing down here at Fellowship Baptist Church and Missy gave a testimony about life as a Pastor's wife. We also sang "My Jesus, I Love Thee" as a duet and I preached. The people were responsive and I believe that God was honored and the people were challenged by the Word of God. I really do appreciate your prayers when I have the occasion to go and preach at other places. I am mindful that as I do go to Conferences and things of this nature and preach, that, in addition to representing Jesus Christ, I am also representing this church.
While I am on the subject of preaching at other places, this might be a good time to mention and request your prayers for me for the future. In December (after Christmas), I will preaching for a College and Career Retreat at Peniel Bible Camp in Ohio. This is a camp that is run by the Ohio Bible Fellowship, a strong, fundamental group of churches in the state of Ohio. I have often heard of the OBF and of this camp, but this will be the first time that I have been able to preach there. I am looking forward to the being at the camp and request your prayers as I partake in this ministry opportunity.
Thank you as well for praying for me and my family last week as we went up to the Bible Conference of Hardingville Bible Church. The Lord gave us safety as we traveled and things went well with the Bible Conference service that I preached. We presented a little Power Point presentation about what God is doing down here at Fellowship Baptist Church and Missy gave a testimony about life as a Pastor's wife. We also sang "My Jesus, I Love Thee" as a duet and I preached. The people were responsive and I believe that God was honored and the people were challenged by the Word of God. I really do appreciate your prayers when I have the occasion to go and preach at other places. I am mindful that as I do go to Conferences and things of this nature and preach, that, in addition to representing Jesus Christ, I am also representing this church.
While I am on the subject of preaching at other places, this might be a good time to mention and request your prayers for me for the future. In December (after Christmas), I will preaching for a College and Career Retreat at Peniel Bible Camp in Ohio. This is a camp that is run by the Ohio Bible Fellowship, a strong, fundamental group of churches in the state of Ohio. I have often heard of the OBF and of this camp, but this will be the first time that I have been able to preach there. I am looking forward to the being at the camp and request your prayers as I partake in this ministry opportunity.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
It all started with Sunday School
I am excited about the beginning of Sunday School. I hope that you were here this morning and that you will make plans to be here regularly for Sunday School.
The following is given as an encouragement regarding Sunday School.
IT ALL STARTED WITH SUNDAY SCHOOL
In 1858, Mr. Kimball, a Sunday School teacher, went to visit a Boston shoe clerk who had come to Sunday School. That young shoe clerk came to Jesus Christ for salvation and God worked in his life as went on to become a famous evangelist who reached thousands for Jesus Christ. The clerk's name was Dwight L. Moody.
The story does not end with Moody, however, as the influence of Mr. Moody continued to have an impact. As Mr. Moody visited England in 1879, Frederick B. Meyer, a pastor of a small church in England became convinced of the need to be more evangelistic and God began to do great things in and through his ministry as well.
Pastor Meyer was preaching to an American College campus some years later and brought to Christ a young man by the name of J. Wilbur Chapman.
Mr. Chapman, began to be involved in the Young Men's Christian Association (in the days when the focus of the YMCA was evangelism) and employed a former baseball player to do evangelistic work. That baseball player was Billy Sunday, who became one of the most well- known evangelists of American history.
The chain could continue indefinitely if we were able to go back and look at all of those who were won to Christ or motivated for Christ through the influence of these men - and it all started with Sunday School.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
The following is given as an encouragement regarding Sunday School.
IT ALL STARTED WITH SUNDAY SCHOOL
In 1858, Mr. Kimball, a Sunday School teacher, went to visit a Boston shoe clerk who had come to Sunday School. That young shoe clerk came to Jesus Christ for salvation and God worked in his life as went on to become a famous evangelist who reached thousands for Jesus Christ. The clerk's name was Dwight L. Moody.
The story does not end with Moody, however, as the influence of Mr. Moody continued to have an impact. As Mr. Moody visited England in 1879, Frederick B. Meyer, a pastor of a small church in England became convinced of the need to be more evangelistic and God began to do great things in and through his ministry as well.
Pastor Meyer was preaching to an American College campus some years later and brought to Christ a young man by the name of J. Wilbur Chapman.
Mr. Chapman, began to be involved in the Young Men's Christian Association (in the days when the focus of the YMCA was evangelism) and employed a former baseball player to do evangelistic work. That baseball player was Billy Sunday, who became one of the most well- known evangelists of American history.
The chain could continue indefinitely if we were able to go back and look at all of those who were won to Christ or motivated for Christ through the influence of these men - and it all started with Sunday School.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Good Start to Sunday School
On Sunday, we held our first Sunday School at Fellowship Baptist Church in Salisbury, Maryland.
It was great to see that a number of folks came out a little earlier to take part in our Sunday School classes. In fact, while I did not get a chance to look into all the classes since I was teaching the teen class, I heard today that all but three people who came to the morning service were also here for Sunday School.
In our testimony time tonight at church, it was encouraging to hear some comments about the way that God is already using things that have been taught in Sunday School. Please make plans to join us for Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.
Also, please pray for our Sunday School teachers and Sunday School students. (While you are at it, please pray for me, as well.)
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
It was great to see that a number of folks came out a little earlier to take part in our Sunday School classes. In fact, while I did not get a chance to look into all the classes since I was teaching the teen class, I heard today that all but three people who came to the morning service were also here for Sunday School.
In our testimony time tonight at church, it was encouraging to hear some comments about the way that God is already using things that have been taught in Sunday School. Please make plans to join us for Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.
Also, please pray for our Sunday School teachers and Sunday School students. (While you are at it, please pray for me, as well.)
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
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