Dear First West Family,

I hope you had a great Mother’s Day. I enjoyed teaching from God’s Word with my favorite teacher, my wife Donna. Thanks for your great response at both campuses. It was awesome to be able to speak both to the West Monroe campus and to the first Mother’s Day service for First West Fairbanks. There was great response in all of our services, and I hope that God spoke to each one of you about how to receive His nurture and all the treasures of His inheritance and then to be able to pass them on to your family and others around you.

RIVER BAPTISM! It is here! This is one of our greatest nights of the year, and it’s this Wednesday. We already have a great crowd of people ready to follow the Lord in baptism. Are you aware that throughout history, many people have literally given their lives to stand up for the freedom to baptize biblically? In certain times of history, there have been those who tried to forbid Christians from baptizing by immersion the way that Jesus was baptized and the way that every baptism in the New Testament was done. There have always been those courageous ones for whom God’s truth was more important than even life itself. So, if you are one who has not been baptized by immersion since you came to know Jesus, this night is for you. Call the Church Office first thing Wednesday morning and let us know that you want to be a part. I can’t wait to share in baptism with so many people and in fellowship and joy with all of our people.

Summer is upon us with school finishing. Even though it’s still May, summer is really beginning. It is our desire to see our church have the greatest summer we have ever experienced. More importantly, it is God’s desire. So begin right now preparing your heart to be consistent in worship every Sunday that you are in town. I promise you that we will take every Sunday seriously because God deserves that. He also deserves your faithfulness in worship, in giving, and in serving. So let’s make that determination together and prepare for an awesome summer at First West.

Get your tickets NOW for the “Hope for the Nations” Transform Scholarship Fund Dinner/Auction this Sunday at 6 pm in Tennison Hall!! This is one of the most fun events of every church year, and the proceeds help individuals who are going on mission trips. The First West Band and First Praise (our youth band) will be playing lots of the fun music we use in our outreach concerts in Wales. We’ll have a variety of items for auction including artwork (including Lissy Sanders Compton’s Easter painting), dining experiences, golf items, and more. We’re bringing back one of the highlights of last year’s event—auctioning off the opportunity to sing with the First West Band during the performance!! You’ll have a choice of songs to bid on including “Hound Dog,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Mustang Sally” or “Eye of the Tiger.” Cost is $15 per ticket, or a reserved table for 8 for $150. Please contact Tanisha Merrell in the Global Ministries Office at 398.9280 before Friday. Any remaining tickets will be on sale Sunday morning in the Grand Hallway.

Wow! In addition to the great things happening here on our West Monroe campus, I continue to be amazed at how God is working in the First West Fairbanks’ community. Here is a report from Campus Pastor Chad Merrell:

Sterlington High School has become a mission focus for FWF, and God is blessing the relationship. Our vision says that “we will give ourselves away for the transformation of our community,” and God is providing avenues for us to do just that within the school system!

▪ Last week, five FWF men cooked for the SHS field day at Sterlington Park, getting a chance to meet dozens of students and to build relationships with the faculty. 

▪ Neill Roshto, Campus Worship Pastor, and I, at the invitation of the school, attended a faculty event recognizing Principal Ross Davis in honor of his retirement. Ross was presented a gift on behalf of First West for all he has done to help us through these past ten months. 

▪ Last Thursday, FWF members served as volunteers at the annual SHS Sports Banquet, setting up pipe and drape and serving in other capacities. 

▪ Tonight, FWF will be providing lights and sound for the annual SHS drama presentation. 

▪ Vice Principal Dell Ashley has asked FWF to partner with two other local churches in support of Fellowship of Christian Students at the SHS and Sterlington Middle School campuses for next school year. 

▪ With Cody Keys coming on board as FWF student pastor, these relationships ensure that God is allowing us access to students in the Sterlington school system. We are looking forward to the great work God is going to do through Cody and Neill and the partnership with faculty at these two schools.

▪ In addition to what God is doing in the schools, I wish all of you could have seen the events of the AWANA Finale this past Wednesday at the FWF Family Center. Over 250 parents, kids, leaders, and students were in attendance to celebrate what God is doing in the lives of kids and students on Wednesday nights! What a great picture of MERGE as kids ranging from 3 to 14 years old, along with their parents, came together to worship and then play. We have seen 8 kids baptized thus far through our AWANA ministry, several more made decisions for Christ and then were baptized in their home churches, and we have 3 more getting baptized tomorrow evening at the river! Nine months ago, at the final service as Fairbanks Baptist Church, we were excited to see 70+ in attendance. To see what God has done—the LIFE He has brought to the AWANA ministry—was just simply humbling and amazing. AWESOME GOD!

I look forward to seeing church family members from both campuses come together tomorrow night for river baptism. Join us at the river and then again Sunday morning! Bring someone with you!

In His passion,

Pastor John

If you missed Sunday's message, click here to access your choice of video or audio, http://www.firstwest.cc/firstwestWM/currentmessage.html.

And check out our Community Transformation blog at http://firstwestct.com/.