Category: Church Staff Members

Ministry Staff Update

The First Baptist Board and Pastor are pleased to announce that Michelle Wiggins has agreed to step into an updated ministry role with the title of Director of Children and Youth Ministry while retaining her visual arts responsibilities.

After thoughtful discernment and recognizing the growing need for year-round support of our children and youth, we are excited to announce a re-envisioned ministry role that builds upon the strong foundation of our LOGOS program. This expanded role encompasses programs such as Vacation Bible School (VBS), mission trips, childcare, and safety supervision—offering a holistic faith formation throughout the year.

After careful consideration and input from the Spiritual Formation, Worship and Human Resources committees and Pastor Brian, the Board unanimously agreed that the best way to proceed was to honor and recognize the calling, giftedness and dedication that Michelle Wiggins has demonstrated in the life of our congregation since 2018. We are blessed that she said “YES” and has agreed to take on this re-envisioned role, along with refinements to the visual arts coordinator position.

The change takes effect on May 1,2025 which will be helpful for additional coverage during Pastor Brian’s sabbatical.  Her two roles together create our second full-time salaried position at First Baptist in support of the ministry we feel God is calling us into.  Our continued engagement in the ministry of the church, personal encouragement, and ongoing financial support are part of how we can build for the future together!  

More information on this exciting development will be shared at the May 4th annual meeting. Please congratulate and thank Michelle for her continued dedication and commitment to our church.

FBC Trivia Night – April 26

Think You’re Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Prove It at Trivia Night!

April 26: 6:30-8:30pm

Join us for a fun-filled, family-friendly trivia night where you can test your knowledge against friends, family, and even fellow challengers from FBC! Bragging rights (all in good fun) are on the line for the winning table—so bring your A-game!

  • Sign up as a team of 6-8 players (5th grade & up) or register as an individual, and we’ll match you with a team.
  • Team Captains: When signing up, include your team name, a contact person with phone number, and the total number of players in the comments section.

Need Childcare?  
We’ve got you covered! Childcare is available for $5 per child (under 5th grade), but spots are limited to 15 children. If you need childcare, reserve your spot by signing up each child individually with their name and age—we can’t accommodate walk-ins.

Sweet Treats & Snacks!
Desserts and drinks will be provided, but teams are welcome to bring their own snacks if desired.

RSVP by 4/19/25 to secure your spot!

Think you’ve got what it takes? Gather your team, sign up, and let’s see who comes out on top!

Pollinator Habitat update

2026 Update: 

We are pleased that we have received another generous grant from the Illinois Prairie community foundation Nature and Environment Fund. The $2000.00 awarded to the FBC Community Pollinator Habitat Phase three will be used for educational signs. The Support from IPCF has allowed us to do so much to enhance the habitat.

Since beginning the Prairie Habitat project, the Facilities committee has been hard at work making additions to the pollinator habitat. Some of our money from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation grant has been used to purchase 4 bluebird nest boxes. These were installed at the edges of the habitat to give the birds a good flight path and to be easily accessible for clean out. In order to try to attract bluebirds as intended, we need to be diligent about checking the boxes once a week and cleaning out other bird eggs before they hatch. We need to monitor the boxes from May – September. If you are interested in signing up to assist with this necessary task, please see Sue Strauch who will be compiling a list of names. Instructions will be provided on how to clean out the box.

We were also gifted a purple martin house which you will see at the top of a tall pole off the parking lot. This was donated to us by the Grand Prairie Bird Alliance who will be maintaining it. Eventually we hope that the church will take on this responsibility. This has been strategically placed so these birds have an open flight path from the pond at Northpoint to the box. It may take a year before we see these birds, but we do hope that they will come!

Additionally, we have had donations to provide for benches visitors can use to enjoy the paths mown into the habitat.

 

Latest News & Worship Information

  eLink and bulletin for March 1-8

                (Click to join live stream)​

 

 

 

Upcoming at FBC:

SUNDAY, March 1
9:45 am Coffee & Conversation
10:00 am Worship Service
11:00 am Coffee & Conversation
11:15 am Small Groups for Adults: Pathfinders & Koinonia
5:00 pm Online Bible Study

MONDAY, March 2
5:00 pm Sharing the Blessings Mtg

TUESDAY, March 3
6:30 pm Spiritual Formation

WEDNESDAY, March 4
4:30-5:00 pm LOGOS arrival
5:00 pm Adult Small Groups
6:00 pm Vespers Service
6:15 pm Shared Meal-
7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal

THURSDAY, March 5
5:45 pm Worship Staff Mtg

SUNDAY, March 8 Daylight savings Time Starts
9:15 am Choir Rehearsal
9:45 am Coffee & Conversation
10:00 am Worship Service
11:00 am Coffee & Conversation
11:15 am Small Groups for Adult

 

Ministry & Events

Art Journaling – March 8-29
Art Journaling 101 begins Sunday mornings, March 8-29 from 11:15 to 12:15 pm. Join us for some artful fun learning the benefits and techniques of art journaling, as well as some drawing secrets. Bring a journal or composition book, and a watercolor paint set if you have one. Together we’ll learn how to tend the soli of our hearts through self-expression!

America for Christ Offering 2026
Thanks to the generous donations to the America for Christ (AFC) Offering, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) has provided financial support to American Baptist churches and affiliated organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico year over year. Some examples of the positive impact your dollars have had on our beloved communities:

      • Funding direct assistance to the residents of Youngstown, Ohio, that included food boxes, meals for children, clothing banks and distribution of commodities such as diapers, school supplies, clothing, and housewares.
      • Funding youth education and enrichment programs as well as senior services that delivers lunch, health education and socialization opportunities, and groceries in bulk through a food pantry, among other things, to communities in and around Kansas City, Kansas.
      • Funding Rainbow Acres, a faith-based residential community with a wide range of programs for developmentally disabled adults from more than 15 states and representing an array of faith backgrounds including American Baptists.

These are just a few of the ways your dollars provide aid and comfort to those in need; there are many more. Please help us continue to bring healing and hope to communities, families, children and Jesus’ disciples in 2026 by supporting this year’s America for Christ Offering.

 

Tending the Soil of our Souls
In the six weeks before Easter, we’ll be exploring how Jesus’ parable of the four soils can help us look at our own lives and ways that we can grow as disciples walking in Jesus’ way.  It’s a season to invite God to move in our lives in new ways. 
As one invitation to try something new, the sanctuary seating has been changed back to a pattern we used several years ago.  This arrangement, which we’ll use through the season of Lent, is a way to think about the people we sit near, and an invitation to reach out and get to know them better. 
Some Ideas for this season:

      • For those not engaged in a small group or class, Jennifer Devine is starting a class on art journaling after Sunday worship from March 8-29.

      • Check out the table near the front of the sanctuary for ideas on ways to grow our faith and care for our souls, including ideas on a ‘digital fast’ from technology and social media.

      • We’re inviting people to illustrate ways that we care for our souls using canvas panels that can be decorated, painted and illustrated.  

      • If you have other ideas that you are practicing, we’d love to hear about it.  Please tell Pastor Brian or share with the church office

Meet and Eat Friday March 13 @ 11:00 am
You are invited to share lunch and conversation with members and friends of the congregation at the next Meet and Eat lunch on Friday, March 13th at 11:00.    The Feeding the Soul Committee will be providing the main dish of mini meatloaves, with yummy side dishes.  Come feed your soul as well as your body.  

 

Lenten Art Project 
As we reflect on the parable of the four soils through Lent, we would like your help in creating a visual meditation that illustrates different ways of ‘Tending the Soil of our Souls’. 

      • Take a 5”x7” canvas panel from the table in the front of the sanctuary
      • Use whatever media you wish on the canvas panel
      • Turn it in during the six weeks of Lent and we will add it to the display.

 

Through the Bible in 2026 –The Bible Project
Come share in a journey to better understand the books of scripture and how they fit together into one story using fantastic resources from BibleProject. We will be featuring two short videos per week that will bring us through the whole of scripture and key concepts in a year.

Supporting the Ministry Together:

FBC

Contact Us: 

Office Hours —
Mon. -Thurs.– 9 am -1:30 pm.; Fri: 9 am – 11 am

Office Phone – (309)-662-4253
Church Office: Secretary@fbcblm.org/ 309-662-4253
Pastor Brian: Brian@fbcblm.org/920-924-6857
Director of Children and Youth Ministries: Michelle@fbcblm.org/618-303-3630
Vespers Coordinator & Praise Team Leader: Allison@fbcblm.org/309-846-0403

Through The Bible – Spending Time with Jesus in 2025 

    
For 2025, our FBC family and friends are invited into a journey together through the Gospels to draw closer to Jesus and listen for how the Spirit leads us to respond.
The reading schedule is adapted for 2025 from one created by Bob Rognlien*, and is meant to be part of a slow, prayerful devotional every Monday through Saturday.  With a daily reading of around 10-15 verses at a time, it is paced to give space to reflect on Jesus’ words and actions and how they connect to our lives today.
Some suggestions for your devotional time:
  • Set aside 15-30 minutes a day around the same time each day (if possible) – the best thing is not to rush it.  The goal is not to ‘get through’ the readings like an assignment, but to spend time with Jesus and listen for what God is saying to us. 
  • Begin and end with a simple prayer; for God’s Spirit to guide us as we read, to be sensitive to the presence of Christ with us in the Spirit’s power, and to be responsive to God’s invitation to follow Jesus in what we hear that day. 
  • You may wish to use a translation other than what you are most used to.  This will help us hear scripture in a fresh way and to avoid ‘skipping over’ familiar passages. 
  • If it helps, the length of the readings are perfect for practicing the Lectio Divina method of reading scripture OR for using Bible tools like a commentary to help with questions and other insights. 
  • If you journal; you may find it helpful to write down your questions: what does this mean / why did Jesus do or say that?   And your insights and connections you notice with other parts of the Bible – particularly back to the Old Testament.  Likewise if you sense God calling you to apply the scripture or respond in a specific way. 
For those who would prefer to read through the whole Bible again, the 2025 reading schedule can be found here: https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com/

Wednesday Ministry at First Baptist Church

Wednesday Evening Schedule 
3:30 pm- 4:20 pm Optional Homework/ Quiet Time for students 
4:20 pm– LOGOS program begins for Children / youth
5:15 pm Vespers Service for all ages
5:40 pm   Adult Small Groups
     * Jazz Class – studying ‘Women of the New Testament’  Led by Ashley Benton
    * ‘Teach your Children Well‘-Led by Nathan & Chrissy Jennings (11  Sessions)
     * Finding our way around the Bible -Led by Pastor Brian (6 Sessions)
6:10 pm Share Meal for everyone (Please RSVP in the narthex the Sun  before)
7:00 pm LOGOS Dismissal, time for rehearsal meetings

 

Women in the New Testament – Curriculum by Lynn Cohick, Led by Allison Benton and Ashley Benton

Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? Is the story of Martha of Bethany about homemaking? Were the women in Jesus’s genealogy all sexual sinners? Was Junia an apostle or not?

Each session examines an aspect of the social and cultural world of the New Testament and explores a biblical woman’s story in relation to her context. The course looks at marriage, at motherhood, at discipleship, at patronage, at teaching, and at leadership as New Testament women live out their callings before God and in the Christian community.

‘Teach Your Children Well’ – Curriculum by Sarah Cowen Johnson, led by Nathan & Chrissy Jennings  (11 sessions)

How do we parent our kids in ways that lead to lasting faith?  In this course, Sarah Cowan Johnson unpacks how parents can have an active discipleship role in forming their children’s faith, with age-appropriate insights and strategies for different developmental stages. She shows how we can identify God moments, facilitate spiritual encounters, clarify emerging beliefs, and encourage new faith habits in our children.  Filled with exercises and activities for families to do together, this course is an essential resource for discipling children with confidence and creativity.

Finding our way around the Bible – led by Pastor Brian (6 sessions)

This group is for the curious, new believers, and anyone interested in building their core understanding of what the Bible is, finding our way around it, and ways to grow in our understanding and application.  From how we got the Bible, how it is put together, the differences in translations, and how to use study tools; this group is part of a larger series on ‘Faith 101’.

New Sunday Morning Small Groups

Our Sunday morning schedule will include new opportunities for all ages  with the launch of two new classes before worship in addition to the ongoing adult classes following worship.  We will provide childcare as needed, please confirm with Nathan Jennings, so that we can make appropriate arrangements. 
Sunday Morning: 8:45-9:45am (before worship)
Adult Class – Canoeing the Mountains
This new class will begin with a video curriculum by Tod Bolsinger, author of ‘Canoeing the Mountains’.  The class will foster learning and discussion on navigating Christian life and community in the midst of change.   The initial class will run until the Easter Season and will potentially have occasional breaks.  Senior High School Students are welcome to join the discussion.   
Children’s Class
This will be a small group session for grades 1-8, to include a time of learning and a recreational time before the start of worship.  Full schedule and lessons are being determined by the leader(s).  If you are interested in being part of the leadership rotation for this class, please reach out to Nathan Jennings or Michelle Wiggins
Sunday Morning: 11:15 – 12:15am (following worship)
Pathfinders Class
The “Koinonia” Small Group is composed of working and retired friends. The word “koinonia” is defined as “fellowship, sharing in common, communion with other believers, with Jesus Christ”. Our studies include published study materials, books, and other references—selected collectively through our group discussions, with shared leadership within Koinonia. We all participate in fellowship with each other and invite guests to join us for numerous social activities and gatherings, in addition to our Sunday Class study. All are welcome in Koinonia and loved!  
Koinonia Class
The Pathfinders class consists primarily of senior adults who meet regularly on Sunday morning to discuss material explored in the Formations Study Guide based on selected Bible passages from the New Revised Standard Version.  The passages and commentary are designed to reflect Christian reactions and applications to life in the 21st Century.  The lively discussions are led by individuals who are also members of the class