Wednesday Evening Summer Ministry

Our midweek ministry is about building connections where we grow and share our faith while doing life together.

Through experiences of service and recreation, worship, intentional conversations and shared meals, our midweek ministry provides opportunities for all ages to be encouraged in faith and life.

1st and 3rd Wednesdays – Mission and Fellowship events out in the community  (times indicated in the schedule below)

2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 5:30- Community Table conversation and worship around the dinner table.

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.

Latest News & Worship Information

       eLink and bulletin for May 24-31

                (Click to join live stream)​

 

 

 

Upcoming at FBC:

FRIDAY, MAY 22
6:30 pm Sam & Jo Haning’s Graduation Celebration (@ FBC)

SATURDAY, May 23
11:00 am Rylee Larson Graduation Open House 1503 Tearose Lane Blm 61704
3:00 pm George Dubach’s Graduation Celebration (@ FBC)

SUNDAY, May 24  
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 Safe Harbor
 6:00 pm Online Bible Study

MONDAY, May 25 Memorial Day
OFFICE CLOSED

TUESDAY, May 26
10:00 am Celebration of Life for Florene Lawrence
12:00 pm Florene Lawrence Funeral service

WEDNESDAY, May 27
 4:30 pm ESL Star Literacy (Meeting in Rm 004)
 5:30 pm ESL Star Literacy (Meeting in The Library)
 5:30 pm Vespers (*Meeting at FBC)

SUNDAY, May 31
9:45 am Coffee & Conversation
10:00 am Worship Service
11:00 am Coffee & Conversation

11:15 am Small Groups for Adults: Pathfinders & Koinonia, Narnia Classes
 6:00 pm Online Bible Study

Ministry & Events

Brian on Vacation May 24 until June 3
Pastor Brian will be on vacation from this evening through the afternoon of June 3, please contact Al Strauch or Nathan Jennings if there is a need or emergency. 

Celebration of Life for Florene Lawrence
 A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the First Baptist Church in Bloomington, with the funeral service immediately following at 12:00 p.m. Interment will take place at Hudson Cemetery in Hudson.

Narnia Small Group Sundays at 11:15am Starting May 31st- Meeting in the Assembly Rm
A new Sunday small group adventure is coming soon! Join us as we journey through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Participants can choose to read the book, watch the movie, or listen to the audiobook as we explore this beloved story together.
During class, we’ll break into age groups for fun activities, discussion, and learning as we discover the Christian themes woven throughout the story.
Designed for all ages, this class offers opportunities for elementary students, youth, and adults to learn, grow, and experience the adventure together!
Sundays at 11:15am Starting May 31st in the assembly Room at FBC
For those wanting to read/listen to the book, please read Chapters 1 & 2 for May 31st
Audiobook: Listen through 16:00  YouTube Audiobook Link

Worship Offering Signup
For our musicians, singers, poets and artists – beauty in song and image is one of the ways we offer praise to God.  From a choir anthem to a violin solo, a vocal piece or shared poem or a piece of artwork or video, these gifts help us all to express and enter into worship.  
If you would be willing to share a song, poem or other worship expression, please sign up here to choose an open date: Worship Offering Signup

Annual Meeting Comment
We received a comment in the suggestion box that was not addressed during the annual meeting. The question/comment was that the Church looks nice but the AC units are unsightly, can something be done with landscaping or fencing to hide them? Thank you for the comment and sorry that it didn’t get brought up during the meeting.
The units used to be shielded by pine trees. The pines came to the end of their life and had to be removed. Since that time, Facilities has discussed options for new screening but tabled making a decision. There are several factors for tabling it; replacement of the AC units is imminent, best option of screening them as well as the cost and the funding for all this.
That being said, it is on the long list of potential projects the committee has and reviews regularly.                                                                         Al S; Moderator

Fellowship Fund Request
The Fellowship Fund is a way that the church responds to emergency needs in the community and among the congregation, working alongside local agencies.  We are able to do this thanks to the generous ‘over and above’ giving from the congregation.  If you would like to share in this ministry, gifts can be designated in the offering envelopes in the sanctuary or given online by using the QR code in the bulletin and selecting ‘Fellowship Fund’ from the drop-down menu.    If you are in need or know someone in need, please contact the church office or Pastor Brian.  

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.

Resources from www.bibleproject.com

Supporting the Ministry Together:

FBC

IN THE COMMUNITY

      • Judson College Family Workday
        Judson College Family Workday is Thursday June 11th. Various projects include renovating homes at the University, landscape work and room updates. If you are interested, please contact Steve Street at stevenallynstreet@gmail.com   for more details. Sharing the Blessings will reimburse you a meal for each member of the family and a tank of gas
        .

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
Praise Team Leader: Allison@fbcblm.org/309-846-0403

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.

 

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’.