Author: GabeP

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Our Official Statement Regarding The Guidepost Report

Many of you have become aware of the Guidepost report documenting patterns of ignoring, denying and deflecting on issues of abuse brought to the floor of the Executive Committee at the Southern Baptist Convention. We are mourning over the pain these egregious sins have caused. In that mourning, we are also thankful this report is out and sin is being brought into the light. We did not respond right away due to the length of the report, desiring to read it in its entirety to best convey our thoughts. Here is what your Elders want you to know, Amelia Baptist:

  1. We are grieving. There is no doubt that many victims went to the EC for help only to be cast aside or hushed in order to save face and finance. The church should be the safest place for the hurting and the vulnerable. We mourn with those abused by people they trusted. God has determined as he said in Luke 12:2-3, that the secrets will be uncovered, the truth will come forth, and God’s thought about every behavior and action will be vindicated. What’s done in the dark will come to light, and thank God he has created it to operate so!
  2. Unlike other denominations, churches within the Southern Baptist Convention are autonomous. In the convention, churches choose to cooperate together for God’s glory and His mission to save. We are thankful for congregational polity, but we know it has been used as an excuse to abuse power and cover up sins by this small group in powerful positions. The men mentioned in the report are no longer serving on the Executive Committee, so we hope and pray at our annual convention in Anaheim this June, our committees will adhere to the will of the messengers, representatives of local churches, as many have publicly vowed to bring restitution and restoration to those affected by these injustices.
  3. We want to be transparent about the procedures and protocol our local church puts into place to keep those in our church family safe from predatorial acts. We issue background checks for all staff and volunteers who work with minors, and it remains our policy that no adult is to be left alone with a child who is not a family member. These will continue to be and have already been the policies of Amelia Baptist. If any abuse allegation reaches the desk of our leadership, the first call we make is to our local police or the dept. of child services. We believe this is how all churches should operate.
  4. Brothers and sisters, do not let the devil get a foothold. Do not forget the need for the Gospel to reach the ends of the earth. Our flesh and our adversary will use times like this to create distance and doubt among believers, throwing away the call to gather, serve and walk through this life together. Now is the time for prayer, action, restoration, healing, transparency and reason. God is still God and He is Good. We do not serve an executive committee or any other man, we serve the King of Kings and He remains close to His Church.

In Christ,

The Elders of Amelia Baptist Church

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What is Advent?

How can we prepare for this Advent Season? We want to make much of Christ Jesus in all seasons, but how can we stay focused on Christ Jesus in the here and now?! Pastor Neil has some wise words. Give 8 minutes of your time and let’s talk Advent! Click here to listen!

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Update: COVID Precautions

We want you to know that your church leadership is aware of the outbreak in Nassau County and we are taking the proper precautions to protect those of us still gathering together. The good news? As of right now our church is not dealing with an outbreak, just a couple isolated cases. We want to do our best to keep it that way! Over the last month, our church has added 4 families in membership and every Sunday brings new visitors! We cannot wait to have everyone together again, but before that happens may we walk in wisdom and obedience together in the Spirit.

We have two services every Sunday morning, 9:00am and (new time) 10:35am! We go LIVE no later than 10:45am every Sunday for those participating from home! We are thankful for the technological capabilities that allow those at home to continue worshipping alongside their church family! With 200 seats on the floor, less attend the first service than the second if you are desiring more physical distancing.

Precautions we are taking: Our Building Manager Stephen Henslee is using Purtabs to sanitize and disinfect the buildings weekly. Purtabs is an electronic and chemical spray capable of killing viruses on hard and soft services.

In addition, we have asked each Sunday School teacher and Small Group leader to communicate with their classes. They will garner health conditions and comfort levels moving forward into the Fall.

Our fellowship dinners will not start August 18th, the date is TBA based on an evaluation every two weeks.

All singing in the worship service will continue to be conducted at the end of the worship services!

Masks are available at our Welcome Center for anyone who wants to wear one, specifically in Sunday School or Small Group.

Our Fall Wednesday Night Student and Children’s Ministries will begin on August 18th but, as is everything, this is subject to change. Everything else on our calendar (communicated via website, social networks, mass email, welcome desk and church bulletin) is tentative.

We thank each of you for your mercy, grace and patience with your staff, Elders and fellow church members. It is vital we be a people of grace now more than ever!

We are asking you to commit to the following out of a love for your brothers and sisters:

Individuals who are ill, with cold symptoms, or have been exposed to someone who is ill in the past week are respectfully asked to avoid enclosed gatherings at this time.

Approach each and every person with the consideration they are practicing safe social distancing during the rise of the Delta Variant in the state of Florida.

Pray for one another fervently! Check in on one another until you can come to weekly corporate worship face to face! Now is the time to be the church! If you can come Sunday, we cannot wait to see you as we celebrate the love of our Savior Jesus Christ! God bless!

In Christ Alone,

The Elders of Amelia Baptist Church

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Sisters In Christ, Choose The Good Portion

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, “Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Have you ever related to Martha more than Mary? This a running theme in my life and as it turns out, prevalent in the lives of many of my friends. We have found it quite helpful to remind each other “this is no new problem” but rather one that brings forth much introspection. This account reminds us that a servant’s heart is a cherished thing, but nothing is more valuable than the time and energy we devote to our relationship with the Lord. In other words, seemingly good things can make the most subtle, dangerous idols. Whether it’s an unrealistically clean house, excelling at our job performance, or being everything to everyone in whatever capacity, it has become a daily fight to find our worth in Christ alone. So it is with that context in mind, I want to focus on the last part of this passage. Jesus says to Martha “you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

We often get caught up in the act of serving but have we stopped to evaluate why? You naturally have a servant’s heart? You were asked to do it by people who depend on you? You want to remain willing to do whatever is needed as an ambassador of Christ? These are great reasons, but I think they are too often coupled with other motivators: guilt, pride, expectation, and the approval of others. It was Jesus Christ that said to Martha, “…you are anxious and troubled about many things.” The longing to serve those around us is often used as a faulty barometer of our standing in the eyes of the Lord, rather than the evidence of spiritual fruit overflowing from a place of love and thankfulness. We serve so we can relieve our troubled hearts from anxiousness. We choose service as an act of recompense rather than an act of love.

The Lord tells Martha, “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” He showed Martha that she had a choice to make and He was the One who would give her the power to do it well. How often do we allow anxiousness to cloud our judgement or blind us from seeing the one thing that is most necessary when committing our tasks? Sisters, how do we move on from an anxious heart to a peaceful one, a heart just dying to sit and have time with our Lord? The answer might seem simple to write, difficult to live out.

We surrender to Him daily. It is for His glory, not our own. It is by His power, not our own. True strength lies in recognizing our weakness without Him.

It is dire that we first humble ourselves and ask the Lord for help as we surrender our “rights”, plans, expectations, and again, the approval of others. Notice a trend? Surrender is the pathway to true freedom in the Lord. Submitting to His will by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is choosing the good portion.

Martha could have taken her anxiousness, surrendered it and knelt before her King, spending her time focusing on the main thing in the living room. Allow me to reiterate, it wasn’t that Mary was a “better” Christian than Martha and it isn’t a bad thing to serve. It was the root of her service that was misaligned. Start with surrender and let your service be guided by the leading of the Holy Spirit. As we surrender ourselves to the Lord, our service becomes the overflow of a thankful heart that loves to bring God glory through opportunities to serve Him and His people. Be encouraged as you ask God to help you fully surrender and in the process, grow closer to the one thing that is most necessary in our lives: honoring a WORTHY Lord. My friends, let’s choose the “Good Portion.” Praying for you and thankful for my sisters in Christ!

Sister in Christ,

-Amy Jo-

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Update From Your Elder Council: COVID-19 Cases

To our Brothers and Sisters at Amelia Baptist Church,

COVID is here to stay. We cannot predict the future, only comment on our present reality. We want to remain helpful, transparent and prayerful as we continue to gather together for corporate worship.

In the last 4 weeks, our church family has experienced an increased number of positive cases. For this reason, worship choir is on hiatus and all singing will take place at the end of the worship services, until we are able to reevaluate our situation in two weeks. As we continue to meet for Sunday morning worship and our Sunday classes, we hope our Amelia Baptist Church family will consider the following in the Spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord:

1) If you are exhibiting COVID symptoms, we hope you will continue worshipping with us LIVE at 1045am, available on our YouTube and Facebook pages.

2) If anyone in your household is exhibiting these symptoms, we hope you will continue worshipping with us LIVE at 1045am, available on our YouTube and Facebook pages.

3) The first service is less attended than our second service. There is more room for distancing for those more concerned.

This will help us stay connected in discipleship and mission! God has carried us so far and we are grateful for His mercy and grace! God bless!

In Christ Alone,

Amelia Baptist Church Elders and Staff

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Pastor Neil: 8/5 Update

A PASTORAL LETTER TO MY DEAR FRIENDS:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2).

Six months ago the pandemic intruded on the peace of our lives.  And we are all aware that it has hit close to home. However, we know that our Lord remains unchanged in His power and grace.  While we remain vigilant we are reminded to respond to fear and distress with the confidence of Psalm 46:7, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

I saw a video about what we know about the virus.  It was a segment on a desert with a tumbleweed rolling along.  The point was, “the populous knows very little.”  We have a tendency to listen to what the ‘experts’ say, and (guess what!) they don’t agree. We don’t know what to believe!  Having said the obvious, let us mention what we do know.

  1. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”  That’s a great start.
  2. We should take this health situation very seriously, for yourself and others.
  3. We should look for opportunities to love and serve others when possible.  While being consistent with health requirements, remember the call of Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
  4. We should continue to pray. Pray for our civil leaders, first responders, the vulnerable, medical personnel, school admins and teachers, parent who are making agonizing decisions about school, business owners whose livelihood is being threatened, and the employees who are without work. Let us pray for God to awaken this nation to its need to embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord so that many will be saved.  Thank you for your continued prayers for your church leaders as we seek to make wise and godly decisions and to be able to respond to ministry needs that will arise.
  5. We should be prepared for gospel conversations with our unsaved friends.

Last Sunday there were 57 at 9 a.m. and just under 70 at 10:45 a.m. and 60 families viewed online during the service.  If you are still tuning in online, thank you for your continued faithfulness.

Just a reminder: a smaller room on campus is available to you during the sermon for your convenience.   We continue to enjoy our singing in the courtyard. The kids love playing together on the playground.

Blessings,

Pastor Neil

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Pastor Neil: 7/29 Update

A PASTORAL LETTER TO MY DEAR FRIENDS:

I just finished reading an article entitled, “Physical Presence is a Spiritual Gift” by David Kakish on the “Gospel Coalition website.

His text was taken from Paul’s introduction to the church in Rome.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you- that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (Rom 1:11-12)

Perhaps the reason Paul doesn’t specify the gift that he wants to bring them is because he himself is the gift.  He longs to be with them in the flesh.  He may not know exactly what they need; but he wants to be there for them.  As always, he’s willing to become all things to all people (1 Cor. 9:22), but he needs to be present first to determine how best to serve them.  What’s the difference between a letter and a face-to-face conversation?”  You see, one of our greatest needs may not be more information; that can be communicated a number of ways.

Christ has made us a gift to one another.  I want you to remain safe at all times.  And, while we miss each other at worship due to COVID-19, “Can we safely physically be present with a few brothers or sisters in Christ in other venues that we can control?”  We all need mutual encouragement.  So, pray with me about finding ways to be around a few Christian friends safely.

Last week I mentioned that I was invited to come to visit a family outdoors in the shade to help me with some of my sadness. Is that a possibility for you as well? BTW:  I am much better now!  Outdoors in the shade at a distance can be a spiritually and an emotionally healthy experience.  I would never encourage you to compromise your physical health. So pray and ask God how you might be a spiritual gift to another believer who is experiencing sadness.

If you were unable to be present in body on Sundays, I know you were being careful while missing your friends and extended family.  We continue to miss you.  Last Sunday there were 62 at 9 a.m. and 40 at 10:45 a.m. and 61 families viewed online during the service.  If you are still tuning in online, thank you for your continued faithfulness.

A smaller room on campus is available to you during the sermon for your convenience.  Then join us in the courtyard after the sermon to sing with the others. You know you are welcome.  The kids love playing together on the playground.  It is a great time for families with young children at home to catch up.

People continue to place safety of others by keeping the doorways free from crowds and wearing face coverings.  Thank you for fulfilling Romans 13:8 which reads, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” 

Keep encouraging one another, keep praying for each other and continue calling one another, continue being the church.

Blessings,

Pastor Neil

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Pastor Neil: 6/25 Update

A PASTORAL LETTER TO MY DEAR FRIENDS

 

To help you make the important decision as to when you may worship with us in person, we continue to let you know about the attendance on Sunday mornings. Last Sunday there were 80 at 9 a.m. and 110 at 10:45 a.m. The increase was due, in part, to the presence of Allegiance. We continue to see new faces in the worship services on campus. If you are still tuning in online, thank you for your continued faithfulness. You are missed!

 

We had several families to join us in Building B for live streaming at 10:45 a.m. You may feel more comfortable in a smaller room with less people. We continue to enjoy singing in the open air in the courtyard after the sermon. Some of our dear friends are wearing masks or face coverings, while others are not. Thank you for respecting the distance and safety of others.

 

As you know, a few Sunday School classes have started meeting on campus. Below you will find information about when and where they meet.

 

Something new will be coming your way in the coming weeks. Covid-19 and the shutdown have changed that way our nation temporarily does things. We have had to make some temporary changes here at Amelia Baptist as well. We are a congregationalist system of government. We value your wisdom and input. Yet, out of necessity, we have not been able to meet to make important decisions. We, elders, have been meeting each week via zoom to seek God and discuss, “What’s next?” We desire to understand what will glorify Christ and benefit his people here at Amelia Baptist. So, throughout these last several months we have sought God’s leadership and made decisions that, under normal circumstances, we would have brought before the congregation for discussion and approval. We know that some of our most faithful members are also some of our most vulnerable members. Until we can meet to vote on important decisions, we will be asking you, in a survey, to tentatively confirm some of the decisions we needed to make during these strange times. Your voice is important to us and we look forward to hearing from you.

 

Blessings,

Pastor Neil

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Pastor Neil: 5/29 Update

A PASTORAL LETTER TO MY DEAR FRIENDS:

 

Well, this coming Sunday will be our third week worshiping together both online and in person. We had about 60 people present at 9 a.m. last Sunday and about 100 at the 10:45 a.m. worship service. Interestingly, the more that are present in person, the less who are streaming during the service itself. So, it is a blessing to know that you are still engaged in Sunday morning worship, whether on campus or in your homes. Thank you all for your continued faithfulness.

 

As we have mentioned previously, we continue to meticulously clean and sanitize the areas of our buildings we are using. It was a joy to see friends spending time with each other outside before and after the services.

 

Thank you for helping us maximize our imperfect seating plan in the auditorium. We are asking you to keep three chairs between family units; however, if you socialize with others in different venues or in your homes, feel free to invite them to sit with you.

 

Since more people are coming to worship, we have several rooms in Building B open for those who wish to worship in a smaller venue. SINCE EACH OF YOU HAS YOUR OWN INNER SENSE OF COMFORT AND CONVICTION ABOUT RETURNING, WE HAVE THREE ROOMS DOWNSTAIRS AND ONE ROOM UPSTAIRS THAT ARE OPEN FOR LIVE STREAMING. During the 10:45 a.m. service you are invited to the church campus to worship in the auditorium or in one of our rooms in Building B during the preaching part of our service, then you can come out into the courtyard to sing in the open air with your friends. Some of our dear friends are wearing masks or face coverings, while others are not. We need to respect the distance of others. Safely enjoy your fellowship with one another.

 

Thank you for keeping the aisles and doorways clear so that others feel safe as they walk to their seats. After the sermon, please exit the doors nearest you in an orderly manner to join us for singing together in the courtyard.

 

Thank you for your prayers during these strange times. I love you and I look forward to being with you again.

 

Blessings,

Pastor Neil

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Pastor Neil: 5/21 Update

A PASTORAL LETTER TO MY DEAR FRIENDS:
Last week was my first pastoral letter concerning reopening our worship services. It was a blessing to worship together again with those who were comfortable in attending our services. We had about 70 people present at 9 a.m. and about the same number at 10:45 a.m. It was a joy to know that we had a good number to join us via streaming as well. Thank you all for your continued faithfulness.
Just a reminder: PHASE 1 PROTOCOLS ARE ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. PHASE 2 WILL HAVE RELAXED PROTOCOLS; BUT THERE WILL BE SOME. This brings me to another topic. While the government may have its phases and the churches as organizations may have their own phases, EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVE HIS/HER OWN PHASES; THAT IS, EACH MUST MOVE ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN INNER SENSE OF COMFORT AND CONVICTION. To that end, we all need to keep in mind the feelings of others as we move about in the building. Some of our dear friends will be wearing masks or face coverings, while others will not. We need to respect the distance of others. Safely enjoy your fellowship with one another.
As we have mentioned, we continue to meticulously clean and sanitize the areas of our buildings we are using.
It was a joy to see friends spending time with each other outside before and after the services.
We have devised an imperfect plan for special seating in the auditorium to maximize your safety and capacity. There are signs on the back of rows encouraging you to respect distancing between families. We are asking you to keep three chairs between family units; however, if you socialize with others in different venues or in your homes, feel free to invite them to sit with you. While there is no exact science to these seating suggestions, it would be helpful if you would consider the suggested seating.
Thank you for keeping the aisles and doorways clear so that others feel safe as they walk to their seats. After the sermon, please exit the doors nearest you in an orderly manner to join us for singing together in the courtyard.
Thank you for your prayers during these strange times. I love you and I look forward to being with you again.
Blessings,
Pastor Neil