Important Update From Pastor Mike -5/30/20

UPDATED MAY 30, 2020

Dear First Baptist Family and Friends,

Tomorrow is one of the most important days in our Christian Calendar: Pentecost Sunday. This marks the giving of the Holy Spirit as He came into the upper room where the disciples had gathered. Acts 2:3-4 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.

First Baptist Church will open its doors for the first time on May 31st, Pentecost Sunday since our closure back in March. We are praying for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit not only on our church but within our community as well. As we gather together in our facility, some things will look the same, but some things will be vastly different due to Covid-19.

We will still have two worship services, one at 8:30 am and one at 11 am. We will have only 1 adult class between services at 10 am with Dr. Warren Frankel in the chapel.

Please arrive a little early to accommodate seating protocols. There will be no children’s church during those hours, nor Sunday School between services. We will be complying with our government’s request for social distance during the services. Here is what to expect the worship service to look like:

  • The facility will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before each service, in between services, and after the 11 am service.
  • Hand sanitizers will be available at all times.
  • Ushers will be directing all foot traffic and asking you to do your best to stay 6 feet away from others not in your family group.
  • Ushers will be seating those in attendance in order to comply with social distancing standards.
  • Ushers will be directing traffic into the restrooms to comply with social distancing standards.
  • We will be able to seat about 100 people in the Ministry Center. The chapel and the basement will be open for seating as needed. A worship host will be in each venue.
  • Face masks will be a matter of your choice and conscience. If you feel more comfortable wearing one, then please feel free to do so. We will have masks available for anyone that desires one as you enter the foyer.
  • We will have the Worship Team on the platform singing and leading us into Worship.
  • We will not have a greeting time during the service so to comply with social distancing protocols.
  • All children will need to be with their parents.
  • When the service has ended, we will be dismissed in such a way as to comply with social distancing standards.
  • The service will be live-streamed on our First Baptist Church Facebook Page and available after the service on our web site and our YouTube channel.

We encourage anyone who is uncomfortable going out in public, who is sick, who may have a compromised immune system to stay at home and watch the service online. The service will be available live on our FBC Facebook Page– https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistpaso/.

The service will also be available later in the day on our web site:  fbcpaso.org and our YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRWcfYcE6i93-NxwtJ5i2Q

Though the logistics of our service will look different for a while, you can be assured that our dedication to the Word of God has not changed, our desire to minister to the saints of God has not changed, and our godly love for you has increased during this unusual time. We will continue to seek the wisdom of the Lord in the days ahead here at FBC.

 

In His Service

Pastor Mike Garman

 

 

Our web site:  fbcpaso.org

Our YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRWcfYcE6i93-NxwtJ5i2Q

Our FBC Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistpaso/

 

 

 

Dear First Baptist Family and Friends,

We hope and pray that you are all staying healthy and well during this unusual time. The pastors, elders, and staff have been hard at work discussing when First Baptist will meet again and what that will look like.

First Baptist Church will open its doors for the first time on May 31st, Pentecost Sunday. We will have two services, one at 8:30 am and one at 11 am. Please arrive a little early to accommodate seating protocols. There will be no children’s church during those hours, nor Sunday School between services. We will be complying with our government’s request to social distance during the services. Here is what to expect the worship service to look like:

  • The facility will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before each service, in between services, and after the 11 am service.
  • Hand sanitizers will be available at all times.
  • Ushers will be directing all foot traffic and asking you to do your best to stay 6 feet away from others not in your family group.
  • Ushers will be seating those in attendance in order to comply with social distancing standards.
  • Ushers will be directing traffic into the restrooms to comply with social distancing standards.
  • We will be able to seat about 100 people in the Ministry Center. The chapel will be open for seating as needed.
  • Face masks will be a matter of your choice and conscience. If you feel more comfortable wearing one, then please feel free to do so.
  • We will have the Worship Team on the platform singing and leading us into Worship.
  • We will not have a greeting time during the service so to comply with social distancing protocols. Coffee and donuts will not be served.
  • All children will need to be with their parents.
  • When the service has ended, we will be dismissed in such a way as to comply with social distancing standards.
  • The service will be live-streamed on our First Baptist Church Facebook Page and available after the service on our web site and our YouTube channel.

Your pastors, elders, and staff have spent many hours in prayer and discussion on how best to enable the FBC family to come together again in worship, fellowship, prayer, and hearing the Word preached. We realize that these procedures may be too strict for some and too lenient for others. We ask that all have a spirit of love, humility, peace, and unity as Paul instructed us in 1 Corinthians 8-10 and Romans 14. We will be evaluating our services and procedures each week as we navigate this unprecedented time.

We encourage anyone who is uncomfortable going out in public, who is sick, who may have a compromised immune system to stay at home and watch the service online. Whether you are able to attend the service in person or not, all are still a part of our FBC family and dearly loved by us and the Lord.

In His Service,

Pastor Mike Garman

Our web site:  fbcpaso.org

Our YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRWcfYcE6i93-NxwtJ5i2Q

Our FBC Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistpaso/

 

Look for a Video Announcement this week from Pastor Mike

 

Greetings Church Family

Happy Mothers’ Day to you!

As we continue to navigate through these difficult times in our Nation and world, we wanted to take a few moments to acknowledge our Mothers. We hear a lot about our “essential workers” these days, those who are on the front lines in the medical field, our grocery workers, truck drivers, mail people, etc. They not only have to go to work but are expected to go to work as many in the community are depending on them.

The term “essential worker” is a new term in our vocabulary but mothers have always been “essential workers.”  Our mothers have a tremendously important role on our lives. They give us life and love and if they are Christian mothers they hopefully point us to Jesus.

Tomorrow will be a Mothers’ Day like no other. Many of us will not be able to with our mothers or our children. Many of our mothers have gone to be with the Lord. In the midst of this unique time let us give thanks to the Lord for all mothers, for our own mothers, for the mother of our children, and for those women who have been like a mother to us. Let us give great glory to God for the gift of women within our lives, our church, and our community.

Let us thank those “essential workers” we call mom.  Happy Mothers’ Day!

In His Service

Pastor Mike Garman

Dear Beloved,

One of my favorite scriptures is Lamentations 3:22-23:  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I am sure it is a familiar verse to many of you. Not as familiar are the verses that follow in Lamentations 3:25-26:

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

We are all in unique waiting time, one which did not take the Lord by surprise. Our calling each day during this pandemic is to wait well. We have seen in the book of Exodus how the Israelites did not wait well. They grumbled they doubted, they got impatient, and forgot to trust God in all things.

I don’t know about you but there are days when I am more like the Israelites than I’d like to be. But as I focus on the faithfulness of God, remembering that all things are in His Hands (even the coronavirus), I am humbled and reminded that no matter what is going on in our world, my true safety lies in Him.

Thank you to all of you who reached out to me by email to let me know how you are doing. I would love to continue to hear from you via my email at pastorgarman@gmail.com.  Here is what is going on this week at FBC:

  • First Baptist Church will continue to host our services online Sundays at 8:30 am on First Baptist Church Facebook Page, our web site at fbcpaso.org and our YouTube channel at  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRWcfYcE6i93-NxwtJ5i2Q/featured. We anticipate doing this for some time until we get clear instructions on the gathering of churches from our state government. Our Women’s Ministry, Student Ministry, Children’s ministry, and Band of Brothers ministry will also continue their online ministry as well.
  • This Sunday is our Communion Sunday so be prepared to join us online with your elements at home.
  • FBC is hosting a Drive-In Mother’s Day Ice Cream Social at FBC on Sunday, May 10, 11:00 am-12:30 am. Just drive into FBC parking lots and receive ice cream bars for all in your car served by our Elders wearing personal protection equipment. You may park in the parking lots across the street and visit or drive home and enjoy it.

My prayer for you this week as we wait on the Lord together, “Be humble, watchful, and diligent in the means, and endeavor to look through all, and fix your eye upon Jesus, and all shall be well.” John Newton

Blessings,

Pastor Mike

pastorgarman@gmail.com

Dear FBC Family and Friends,

We are nearing the 30-day mark of our “Shelter at Home” and my family and I are healthy and well. We are enjoying being “sheltered” with our granddaughter, Eleanor who is a delight to us, and her parents who are so helpful to us during this time.  But oh how I long to see all of you-to see your smiling faces, to give you a hug, to join in singing praises to the Lord, and to worship together again as the Family of God. I am sure many of you are longing for that as well. My desire today is to reach out to all of you and “check-in” to see how you are doing.

  • Is everyone healthy at your home?
  • Do you have any prayer requests that I can pray for?
  • Do you have any physical needs we should know about?
  • Do you have any financial needs that we should know about and perhaps could assist with from our benevolence fund?
  • Have you been able to view our service online?

I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to respond to this email at pastorgarman@gmail.com and “check in” with me. It is my heart’s delight and privilege to be your shepherd and pastor especially during this pandemic time.

We know right now that our quarantine will last until the end of April and possibly longer. We do not know when we will be able to physically gather again as the  Family of God at First Baptist Church building. Even though we are not physically gathered, we are still the church, the body of Christ doing the will of God in His world.

In the midst of all of this uncertainty, there is still enduring and undeniable good news.  God is on the throne! Jesus rules and reigns over all the universe. Amazing grace is ours through faith in our Savior. The Spirit of peace dwells in us and watches over us.  We have a forever family in the Church and we are seeing God’s people pray, serve, sacrifice, and shine the light of Jesus in beautiful ways.

I am praying Romans 15:13 for all you, dear brothers and sisters,  May the God of hope fill you with all joy peace in believing, so that by the power  of the  Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Looking forward to when we gather again.

Pastor Mike Garman

pastorgarman@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 5, 2020

Dear Beloved FBC Family,

As we enter into this Holy Week, we remember Jesus’ last week on earth – a week that begins with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and culminates with His ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross and resurrection from the dead! Hallelujah!

This week we celebrated Palm Sunday together in our Sunday morning worship service. On Good Friday, April 10th, we encourage you to join with our convention, CONVERGE PACWEST, in the “Converge Day of Prayer and Fasting.” (click for the link)

Also, on Good Friday, April 10th, we will be offering an online journey through “The Stations of the Cross.” Many of you have participated in this special, sacred event in-person with us before, but this year, we want to offer you the opportunity to participate with us online. The Stations will be available all day beginning at Sunrise: 6:36 am on the following First Baptist Church online platforms:

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, in addition to the current ways we are reaching out to you every week, we have a special NEW way for you to connect with Pastor Mike on a weekly basis.

This Wednesday, April 8th at 12:00 pm, Pastor Mike will be piloting “Wednesday’s Word.” He will be bringing us a brief mid-week devotional and his heart is to use that time to connect with YOU!

Join him at any of the links above.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Together with you in spirit until we are together in-person again,

Pastor Mike and your First Baptist Church leaders

UPDATED MARCH 27, 2020

March 27, 2020

Dear Beloved FBC Family,

During these days of “Shelter at Home” our staff at First Baptist Church is reaching out to you in many creative and encouraging ways and we wanted to update you on how to stay connected to us.

WHERE TO FIND US:

Our major communication channels will be our First Baptist Church Paso Facebook page and our web site at fbcpaso.org

EASTER:

Our Easter Service will be broadcast on our First Baptist Church Facebook page on Sunday,April 12 at 10 am. To find that page go to  https://www.facebook.com and search for First Baptist Church Paso. Our Easter Service will be broadcast on Sunday, April 12 at 10:00 am and can be watched live at that time or anytime thereafter. to go to FBC Facebook page click here

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES:

We will be broadcasting our weekly sermons on First Baptist Church Paso Facebook Page every Sunday at 8:30am. A Children’s Sunday School lesson will air directly after the worship service at 10am. They will both be available to view at those times and thereafter on the First Baptist Church Paso Facebook page. Look for Devotions coming soon on Facebook from Pastor Mike!

WOMEN’S MINISTRY:

Our Women’s Ministry is creating and posting “Daily Touchpoints at 10 am”, Monday-Saturday on the Women’s Ministry of First Baptist Church Paso Facebook page. These are daily encouragements and resources from our Women’s Ministry team that will air at 10 am and that will be available thereafter on our Facebook pages. These videos are also on our Women’s Ministry Instagram at fbcpasowomen. Our Women’s Doctrinal Series classes will continue to air online on Facebook from 9:30am-11:30am every third Saturday.

MEN’S MINISTRY:

Band of Brothers and Overwhelmed by Grace will either repost “The Best of Band of Brothers” videos from the past or will be streaming live at 6:00 am every Wednesday on the                           Overwhelmed by Grace Facebook page. To find that page go to Facebook.com and search for Overwhelmed by Grace.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY:

Awana is continuing to meet on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm through Zoom. For more information visit the FBC Paso Awana Facebook page.

STUDENT MINISTRY AND YOUNG ADULTS:

Student and Young Adult Ministries have been meeting for devotional studies and fun virtual activities like online movie nights! They are looking into zoom meetings as a possible meeting platform in the coming weeks. Please login onto https://fbcpaso.org/ministries/youth/ for more information.

Your Ministry Staff at FBC longs to be connected to you and we would love to hear from you. You may contact us with any needs at 805-238-4419, email us directly at office@fbcpaso.org Or use the contact form on our web site at  fbcpaso.org or message us on our First Baptist ChurchPaso Facebook page. For more resources, First Baptist Church also has a YOUTUBE channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgRWcfYcE6i93-NxwtJ5i2Q/featured

In closing, let me encourage you in your giving of tithes and offerings to First Baptist Church. You may give online by going to our website, fbcpaso.org and clicking on the word “GIVING” at the top of the home page or by clicking on this link directly: https://fbcpaso.org/giving/  You may also mail in your checks to First Baptist Church, 1645 Park St. Paso Robles, CA 93446.

Many Blessings,

Pastors Mike & Gus and the Elders of First Baptist Church

 

March 14, 2020

Dear First Baptist Church

I hope you’re well and trusting and rejoicing in our Lord Jesus today, even in the midst of a sobering series of events as our nation responds to the Covid-19 Coronavirus which is now a pandemic. The Elders met Thursday night and actually made a decision to try to hold our services and at the same time offer a livestream option at our website for those who decided not to come. However, events have progressed even since our meeting Thursday night, and therefore the Elders have decided to move our services exclusively to online streaming for two weeks.

Brothers and sisters, Christians should never be motivated by fear, not when we serve the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. But there’s a crucial difference between fear and prudence, and in this case, love for our neighbors compels us to join our nation’s extraordinary efforts to minimize contact between people in order to slow the spread of this virus and “flatten the curve” of the pandemic. We are not cancelling our services because we ourselves, as Christians, are afraid to get sick or even afraid to die. God forbid! “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Rather, we are canceling because we believe it is imperative for us to be a part of our society’s response to this virus that, at best, will be serious for the most vulnerable, and, at worst, could put even more people at risk by creating a severe and sudden spike in demand on our health care system. So don’t be afraid or fearful, brothers and sisters. Read God’s Word, remember God’s promises, help those who are needy, and trust in God. He is sovereign overall, and he loves you dearly.

Now let me give you some more information in a few categories:

LIVESTREAM OF First Baptist SERVICES

For the next two weeks, we will be live streaming the morning service on Sunday at 8:30 am at https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistpaso.   Shortly after the service has ended, you will be able to find it on the home page of our web site:  https://fbcpaso.org

Please do not come to the church building for the services unless you are specifically requested to attend.  This is important. Even if you are quite convinced that all this is “nothing to worry about” or “overblown” or “fake news,” or even if you feel that conscience compels you to come, please don’t come. We’ll be happy to talk with you over the phone about your concerns, but please do not come.

EVERYTHING IS CANCELLED

Until further notice, all First Baptist Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, Children and Youth events,  Home Groups, the Band of Brothers’ Meeting on Wednesday, and other events are canceled. No events of any kind will be happening at the church building, and no events under First Baptist’s name will be happening anywhere else, either. 

FINANCIAL GIVING

We need your help on this. I’m advised that most of our church’s giving is done through physical checks and cash that are placed in offering plates each Sunday. If you are one who normally gives by check or cash, please mail your tithe and offering to the church office at 1645 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446. Or you may wish to begin to give through our online giving platform.  https://fbcpaso.org/give

COMMUNICATION

One of the most important things we can do is continue to communicate with one another through these next couple of weeks. Official church communication will take place by email. You can keep up with needs and prayer requests from fellow church members.

CARE FOR EACH OTHER

The staff and elders will be discussing systems and mechanisms by which we can be in touch with one another and care for each other as a church. By far, the best way for that to happen, however, is to remain in close contact with the members of your Home Group. Set up text threads if you haven’t already, check in on one another, and meet needs as you are able. We’ve asked Home Group Leaders to let us know if any of those students, especially international students, need assistance, and we’ll move to help those folks as efficiently as we can.

Brothers and sisters, thank you again for your help and understanding in these matters. These are not easy decisions, but we think they are the best way for us to love our neighbors in a critical time. And again, just like we’ve said before, don’t be fearful about this. Be prudent and wise, but not afraid; there’s a profound difference between the two. The fact is, this fallen world has always been a dangerous place. We as Christians know this, we have always known this, the Bible teaches us to expect this, and there is a wonderful fear-smashing confidence in knowing that our God is sovereign over it all. So let’s live our lives, let’s be wise and careful, and at the same time, let’s rest in the hands of our sovereign Lord, who is working all things together for the good of those who love him. Please do reach out if you have questions or for any other reason.

 

Many blessings,

Pastors Mike & Gus and the Elders of First Baptist Church