Our podcast is located at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=408226327233493
Episode 1 is at https://youtu.be/FnObbEUWE88
The script is located at https://rockfordbaptistchurch.org/general/rbc-the-blog-episode-1-20/
Please feel free to join us as a town in celebrating the veterans who have served our country in each branch of the military. On this night we will celebrate their bravery and courage to give of themselves for all people.
Grab a PDF copy of the monthly newsletter from Rockford Baptist Church on the Digital Communication Tab at the top of this website.
RBC Live is the monthly newsletter from Rockford Baptist Church. You will find this newsletter posted as a PDF file on our website at Rockford Baptist church dot org under the digital communication tab.
This podcast is a more detailed informational presentation of the RBC Live newsletter. We invite you to join Pastor Fuller and his guest, as we share together as a family of faith. We are serving the Father in ministry as the body of Christ meeting in Rockford, Alabama. Now, lets go to the studio for today’s episode of RBC The Podcast, with Pastor Fuller.
TRANSCRIPT 112020
RBC Live The PodCast Episode 2-20
Hey, welcome to RBC The PodCast; I’m Pastor Jeff Fuller and I will be your host today. My guest will be the Austin Sisters. These sweet ladies we have often referred to as the matriarchs of Rockford Baptist Church. Together we are going to share some of the history of the church, since the first Sunday has always been Homecoming for us; but this year we were not be able to meet because of a tropical storm…wait…let’s hold onto those thoughts while we get some other things out of the way.
November is an exciting time for us at Rockford Baptist Church. The Pandemic and the storms have attempted to minimize the excitement and curtail the activities we are normally a part of at this time of the year, but we will not go away quietly. No, never. Remember what Churchhill said: “Never, never, never give up.”
- We Give Thanks Series began Sunday November 1;
- Operation Christmas Child-boxes will be collected until Sunday November 22.
- Thanksgiving-as your Pastor, along with the staff and church leadership, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving as we turn our thoughts and prayers to a Good God, who loves in a time when there seems to be no love or hope, to bring us into relationship with Him. Yes, give thanks with a grateful heart.
Let’s talk about the recent storms…Who would have thought in the beginning days of a new year we would be faced with…
- A pandemic
- Empty meeting houses (March 15)
- Easter ONLINE (April 12)
- Tornado damage (April 19)
- Tropical Storm damage (October 29)
- The loss of members and family…
But we have ventured forward, slow and tedious at times, yet forward we have gone…doing things different, innovative, out of the box type stuff. To bring glory to the Father and display the love of Jesus so others might know him in the surpassing riches of His grace and mercy.
The Tropical Storm, Zeta, (ZAY-DA) hit us in the early hours of October 29, with such force and extreme wind gust, there was no way to overcome the anticipation of damage we found the next morning.
As expected, we experienced a high impact, widespread wind event across Alabama on Wednesday night and in the early morning hours of Thursday, as Tropical Storm Zeta moved through. Winds gusted as high as 76 mph across Central Alabama, knocking down thousands of trees.
It was reported on Wednesday night, October 28, as of 9:30 P.M., Alabama Power had 258,000 people without power across the state. Early Thursday morning, the winds assaulted Rockford and Coosa County with a vengeance. This led us to seeing all of Coosa County without electricity. Many trees came down on homes and cars, but there were no serious injuries in Alabama.
In Coosa County, trees and power lines and poles were so entangled, it appeared as if the Jolly Green Giant had bundled them together for harvesting. Large trees were reported through the middle of houses, on fences, and in the roads. At the McEwen home, Pete Phillips, and the Tindell home on County Road 18 trees came very close. Very close. It has been reported by several news outlets, the storm made a huge impact on Rockford and Sylacauga: much more so in those two locations than in other place in Central Alabama.
I was in contact with the Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Teams on Thursday, but because of neighbors helping neighbors, we did not need to deploy them here.
We are still digging out and thankful for the help others have given us and to the Lord in keeping us safe.
In April, when the tornado ripped through out little town, Rockford Baptist Church became ground zero in assisting others with damage to their property. Triple R had already been busy feeding the school children impacted by the pandemic, but during the week following April 19, the two organizations worked together to assist in feeding and caring for those who were working long, tiring hours to clean up debris, restore electricity, and feed those who were in need. The Town of Rockford recently recognized our church family and Matthew Reams and his staff for aiding others during that difficult time.
Check out RBC Live
It is…well…live on the website under the Digital communication on the website at https://rockfordbaptistchurch.org.
These are few things you will find in a simple two-page newsletter.
Happy Birthday…
2-Brian Brekle
3-Brad Chappell
3-Drake Catchings
6-Tonya McCain
7-Jon Anderson
8-Triston Olsen
10-Annie Lee Ward
10-Devon McDaniel Ward
13- Collin McDaniel
16-Mable Austin
18-Buffy Windsor
20-Wayne Gentry
24-Hunter Carlisle
26- Journey Brekle
28-Katie Windsor
30-Tanner Fielding
Happy Anniversary…
1-Robert and Ellen Smith
14-Hunter and Anletta Carlisle
As a side note, I am already planning a huge birthday and anniversary party for everyone who has celebrated this past year and especially during the pandemic time of separation. We will gather- together-celebrate and enjoy time together with all of the fixin’s. It will be a fun time! I can’t wait! We will nail down a date this month and prepare to share more information next month.
Homecoming Month
November is traditionally homecoming month. Through the last several years on the first Sunday of the November we celebrate together the past, the present and the future. Special guest, past members, families, and friends gather together for a great time of fellowship and yes, eating-we are Baptist and every special occasion is deemed a time to get a chicken leg and banana pudding…
This year was different. At first it was going to be different because of the pandemic, then Zeta (ZAY-DA) came along and without electricity and internet we had another Sunday without meeting together.
I was able to help us, though very different and difficult to celebrate. Here is a clip of the morning Worship Celebration from November 1, on my patio with a cup of coffee and talking about the history of Rockford Baptist Church with oral history by the Austin sisters.
(CLIP of History from Pastor Fuller and the Austin sisters)
We are continuing to build on the foundation laid behind us, a foundation of families loving God and loving others.
Please see the RBC Live newsletter at https://rockfordbaptistchurch.org/digital-communication/
Scripture Thought for the month of November
The segment is on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2958950114205640
“But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near!” Luke 21:28 (HCSB)
We so often walk with our heads down focused on one step at a time. We much unaware of our surroundings, and especially become blind to the great beauty around us.
Lift up your heads…
We need to lift our heads up in a time such as this. Seeing the leadership of the Lord in the midst of all the sorrow around us. Lifting up our eyes to see the beauty, grandeur, and glory of the changing of the season, the vivid colors, the way we are going.
Lift up your heads…
We must look up. Up to the Savior who holds out His hand to redeem us from the foes. Up to the Father who sits on the throne and controls everything. Everything; nothing goes on without His notice and His express permission.
Lift up your heads…
As we look up we see that this is not the end. It is only the beginning. The beginning of life. This is not our home, we are strangers and pilgrims just passing through. His home awaits us.
Lift up your heads…
“Father, make us aware of the greater things, the pure things, the blessed things which are around us and before us. May we be more focused on Your plan and Your purpose than on waddling through this messed up, mired up world with all of these base things that bring us down and attempt to deflate our spirit. For greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. I’m resolved to look up, to see my redemption drawing near. To look up and see the beauty of Your face. To look up and know that my God reigns. Amen.”
Well, this ends the second episode of RBC The PodCast. I look forward to meeting with you again next month, as we share exciting things and remember the reason for the season is Jesus Christ.
I’m Pastor Jeff Fuller and my prayer for you as always that God will keep you in the palm of His hand, direct you in the way you should go, and bring honor to His holy name in all things.