Entre Nous Feb 2014

DOM Lines

Bert Langley, Director of Missions Missions William Cowper (1731-1800) was a British poet and hymnist. He wrote the poem “God Moves in Mysterious Ways. ” Take moment moment to read his poem and allow God to speak to your heart today: God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to  perform; He plants his footsteps in the the sea, and rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, and works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head.  Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust trust Him for His grace; behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain. When it comes to God’s plan for our lives, we may never understand all the ways God leads us through this world as we journey homeward. But this one thing we do know, “God Moves in Mysterious Ways.” Jacob’s son Joseph may be the classical example of God at work in mysterious ways. Sold into slavery by his brothers at 17, he spent the next 13 years as a slave and a prisoner. At the age of 30, 30, Pharaoh took Joseph from prison and made him the second most powerful man in Egypt. Joseph was faithful to God in the bad times as well as the good, even though he did not understand the mysterious ways of God.

Take heart dear saint and be filled with courage no matter what comes your way. God has a plan for your life and HIS plan is as perfect as HE is. HE still works in

Counselor’s Corner Mary Langford, Counselor Heads up all you dating, engaged and married folks out there! February is th the month of love. Valentine’s Day is Friday, the 14 . How will you express your affection to that one who is special to you? Plan ahead. Use your creativity. Do and/ or say something that will convey your feelings to one who means much to you. Of course, there are several kinds of love. There’s  phileo, which designates brotherly love, and could be expressed as cherishing another in friendship. There’s eros, that romantic passion which God meant to be expressed between a man and woman in marriage. Another is storge, which sounds a bit dull, but which actually refers to the lovely sense of belonging with and affection for another person. I’ve seen so many recent examples of these various kinds of love. A husband who stays faithfully by the bedside of his wife who has been seriously ill for two years. A mother who brings her teenage son for counseling because of her concern for him. A single parent who has lost her job, but is devoting much of her time to help and support her neighbor whose husband has  just died. A brother who is making effort to achieve reconcilia tion with his sister. Two grandparents who travel miles to attend an eight-year- old’s birthday party.   Fellow church members who stop to give a hug or step aside to pray with each other. A husband who has been serving morning coffee to his wife for almost sixty years. Friends who show concern and pray daily for one who has a serious illness. You are seeing these kinds of examples too — all around us, people speaking and living out their love for others. And all that love flows from one source, the one we haven’t mentioned yet — agape — self-giving, unconditional love. This is the way God loves us, not based on who we are or what we have done or how attractive or talented we are, but based solely on who and what He is. He loves us because He is love. What a diff erent place this world would be if more people believed God loved them personally and has given His life for them. How well this is expressed in a verse of that wonderful old song “How Great Thou Art”:  And when I think how God, His Son not sparing, sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.  And on the cross my burden gladly bearing, bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

In November of 2013, Pastor Sam Blaylock of the Trinity Baptist Church of New Iberia, and Pastor Ernest Davis of the Genesis Baptist Church of New Iberia, an African American church, met at the Starbucks Coffee Shop of Lafayette, Louisiana, and discussed the possibility of the Genesis Baptist Church utilizing their facility for worship services. Pastor Blaylock favored the idea and presented it to his Board of Deacons who approved the possible endeavor. The concept was presented to the congregation at large who voted unanimously for approval. Pastor Blaylock is the former Pastor of the Northside Baptist Church of Lafayette where he instituted a similar merger with Pastor Brandon Nealy of the Covenant Baptist Church. Pastor Blaylock has a gift for revitalizing churches and is setting examples for other Southern Baptist churches to do the same. Pastor Davis related that his congregation is excited and enthusiastic about the utilization of the facility, as it allows them to have access to classrooms, a fellowship hall, and of course, the edifice. To Pastor Davis’ surprise, Pastor Blaylock is an excellent musician and has a vision of putting together a praise team which will encompass instruments of all sorts. Pastor Davis and Pastor Blaylock are asking for the prayers of the Evangeline Baptist Association and the Louisiana Baptist Convention for the success of this merger in the New Iberia community.

6 - Becky Boutte, Boutte, The Bayou - Andy Manning, Church Acadiana 9 - Linet (Mrs. Steve) Horn, FBC Lafayette Lafayette 11 - Flo (Mrs. Joe) Sauce, Myette Point 12 - Jessie Charpentier, Jenkins Memorial 13 - Kevin Phillips, The Bayou 14 - Tom Lambert, Community, Lafayette - Heith Guilbert, The Bayou 16 - Linda Frederick, Retired 20 - Glyndia (Mrs. Nick) Peters, FBC Carencro 23 - Pershing Pitre, Retired - Michelle (Mrs. Kevin) Phillips, The Bayou 24 - Marianna (Mrs. Wallace) Primeaux, Esther 26 - Queenie Lau, FBC Lafayette 28 - Fran (Mrs. Paul) Vandercook, FBC Franklin

New Year - New Email Address? If you have changed or added a new email address recently, please be sure and let us know here at the EBA office. We want to be sure that you receive all notices from the office. Please send your new address to

[email protected] Thank you for helping us keep our records current! We would love to include your church news in the Entre’ Nous. Please send notices to the office before the 20th of each month for inclusion in the next month’s newsletter. Share your news by calling Melaney at 337-237-6956 or email: [email protected]

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ENTRE-NOUS

Non-Profit

ORGANIZATION

Evangeline & Gulf Coast Baptist Associations P. O. Box 81244 Lafayette, LA 70598-1244 (337) 237-6956 • Fax: (337) 237 -4319

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PAID Lafayette, LA

PERMIT No. 201

www.ebalaf. com

Phone: 337-237-6956 Fax: 337-237-4319

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Website: www.ebalaf.com Bert Langley Director of Missions

James Craft & Nathan Rush Moderators

Elizabeth Langley Office Administrator

Melaney Dudley Administrative Assistant

Mary Langford Counselor

Coll egiat e Evangel ism Conference.

February 7-8

East Bayou Baptist Church Lafayette, LA Register online at LBC.org/CEC/or email Collegiate Team representative Janet Williams at

Kaleidoscope 2014 invites women of all ages and stages of life to explore their own relationship to Christ, to explore personal and group ministry ideas, to develop new skills for sharing their faith and to share ideas for strengthening women’s work in our churches. Kaleidoscope is a gathering place for those whose heart is in discipleship and Bible study and for those who live their Bible study and discipleship in missions and ministry efforts.

February 1, 2014

COLLEGIATE  E EVANGELISM C CONFERENCE The voices of university students have never been louder. louder. A voice is a shout, a tweet, a post, a text, really anything that communicates a message. Challenge, support and encourage college-aged students in your church to attend the

Kaleidoscope

Evangeline Association

First Baptist Church, Pineville 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

February 2014 6 7-8 7 10-16 11

Singing Women, Broadmoor, Shreveport Collegiate Evangelism Conference, The Bayou, Lafayette EBA/GCA Ministry Assistants’ Luncheon - EBA Office, 11:30 AM Focus on WMU EBA Ministers’ Conference - FBC Carencro, 10:30 AM

Gulf Coast Association February 2014 4 6 7-8 7 10-16 15

GCA Pastors/Staff/Wives Fellowship, FBC Morgan City, 6:30 PM Singing Women, Broadmoor, Shreveport Collegiate Evangelism Conference, The Bayou, Lafayette EBA/GCA Ministry Assistants’ Luncheon - EBA Office, 11:30 AM Focus on WMU GCA Brotherhood Breakfast - Calumet, 8:00 AM

Louisiana Baptist Convention February 2014 1 1 1 5 9 15

Disaster Relief Roundtable SE - Hammond Hymn Playing Festival - First, DeRidder Kaleidoscope - FBC, Pineville Baptist Doctrine Study Preview - NOBTS Racial Reconciliation Sunday Children’s Ministry Day

Mardi Gras Alternative Youth Retreat

March 2-4, 2014 Acadian Baptist Center Cost: $45 Contact ABC to pre-register:

www.ABCCamp.com/MG or call 337.457.9047