This Sunday, May 3 will be our last Sunday to be online only! We will re-gather for Worship on Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10. Seating will be limited to 25% capacity which means 75 to 100 in a service. Please sign up for the service you desire by clicking on the appropriate link or call 547-3717: Sat. at 5pm; Sun. at 8:30am (age 65 and up only); Sun. at 10:30am; Sun. at 12:30pm. Thank you to all the people who have signed up for Saturday! That service is nearing full but there is plenty of room at 10:30 and 12:30 Sunday for all ages and at 8:30 Sunday for senior adults. If you are not ready or able to join us in person we will continue live-streaming the 8:30am service. We'll be sharing more with you next week about what to expect when you come.

It will be great to be together again. However, we can be thankful the Lord has blessed us and worked with us and through us in these days. Things have happened in this season that would not have happened if it were business as usual. God got our attention and spoke to us. He taught us new ways of doing ministry. He has increased our love for one another and reminded us what a privilege it is to gather with other Christians in worship and ministry. He has sent His Word out through the internet into hundreds, thousands, and millions of ears. Praise the Lord for the great things He has done, is doing, and will do in the coming days! It's not over but we're moving forward by His grace.

I love you and I'm praying for you,
Pastor Mark

I'm thrilled to tell you that we will start gathering again to worship beginning May 9 and 10th! We will carefully follow the Governor's and State Health Service Department's guidelines in order to protect everyone's health and safety. Our service schedule will be Saturday 5pm and Sunday at 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm.

• There will be no childcare, HUB or Connection Groups at first. The services will be 45 to 50 minutes (rather than 60 to 75 minutes) and children are welcome and their noises will not bother us--we are family!
• The 8:30am service will be set aside for adults over 65.
• The other services will be open to all ages but seating will be limited to keep us in the Governor's 25% of capacity recommendation. We should be able to seat 75 to 100 in each service.
• In order to help us ensure we can seat everyone, we ask you to let us know what service you would prefer to attend. Click on the service and add your name and the number in your family: Sat. 5pm; Sun. 8:30am; Sun. 10:30am; Sun. 12:30pm; or call 547-3717 and we'll add your name. Note: the 10:30 service will likely be in higher demand, if you are able willing to come Saturday at 5pm or Sunday at 12:30pm that would be a great help.
• We will welcome and strongly encourage the wearing of masks; will not shake hands; will sit six feet apart and only use every other row; will not pass offering plates or bulletins; but we will smile, wave, and praise the Lord together!
• There will be an hour between services to allow for safe exiting, sanitizing the facility, and safe entrance.
• We will continue to live-stream the 8:30 service for those who are not ready to join us because of sickness or health conditions that make you more vulnerable.
• I'll unfold more details for you in the next week and a half.
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I'm also excited to share with you that on Sat/Sun, May 16-17 we will bring Christina Dale in view of a call as Minister of Worship and Next Steps. She will be leading all four services with our worship team and church members will vote regarding extending a call to her to serve with our church family. We will provide a way for people who are not yet able to attend for health reasons to participate and vote.

The search team is excited to introduce Christina to you and to recommend we call her to serve with us. Our Leadership Team, Deacons, and Church Staff are in full support of this recommendation. I have received many positive responses to the letter we sent to church members as well. I welcome any questions you have about Christina, this position, or the process via pastor@fbccove.net or 547-3717. One question I have received is whether it is appropriate for a woman to serve in this role. I have written an answer which our Leadership Team has affirmed. If you are interested click here to read it. Another question has to do with the fact that she is young. I remind you that 28 years ago, our church called a 25 year old man to serve as pastor. It was a bold move on the part of the congregation at that time. While the jury might still be out, it seems that it has worked well and God's hand was in it. What I can tell you is that I personally have seen God's hand in this process with Christina from the beginning up to this moment and I am sure our search team is acting in step with His Spirit in making this recommendation.

Beginning Tuesday, May 5 the church office will be open Tuesday through Friday 8:00 AM to Noon and we will gradually expand back to full hours. You can still reach us by phone at 547-3717 or by email at reception@fbccove.net or pastor@fbccove.net.

I'll see you this Wednesday at 6:30pm for Prayer Meeting on the Church's Facebook page and this Sunday at 8:30am for Worship on either the Church's Facebook page or my personal Facebook page.

Until we meet again, "May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26).
I'm praying for you,

Pastor Mark

It's been six weeks since we have met face to face with one another to seek God's face in worship. This Sunday will be our seventh Sunday of live-stream only worship. But we're beginning to talk and plan toward getting back together. If you haven't read my Tuesday update, refer to it for more details. I hope to be able to share with you even more concrete plans this coming Tuesday. But for now we persevere in faith and hope as worship and serve our Lord in different ways during these strange times.

I love what one of our members who is battling illness (not covid 19) told me. He said, "Whatever I go through, God goes through with me." What a great reminder of a wonderful Biblical truth. God has said to His people "I will never leave you or abandon you" (Hebrews 13:5 CSB) and we can say to God, "Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4 CSB). We also have this promise, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28 ESV). God is good! Keep seeking Him and trusting in Him.

Church members, watch your mail for an important letter from First Baptist Church. Our Minister of Worship and Next Steps Search Team has sent a very important announcement to you!

I'll see you via Facebook Sunday but if you need anything at all don't hesitate to call or email me.

I love you and I'm praying for you,
Pastor Mark

I want to thank you again for your giving during this time that we have been unable to gather! It is really overwhelming to see the faithful generosity of our church. We have no need to worry about whether we can pay our bills, meet our payroll, or support our mission and ministry commitments. More than anything your giving witnesses to your love for and commitment to the Lord, His Church, and His mission. Your gifts are "a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God" and I am confident "my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:18, 19).

As talk begins of re-opening the Texas economy, we are beginning to make plans to re-gather the church for worship. We have no firm date for re-gathering yet but our hope is that it will be possible at some point in May. We'll keep monitoring the conditions with covid-19 in our area and the leadership of our governing officials. Our priority is to glorify God and protect your well-being.

Our initial gatherings will not be the same as our Sunday mornings were before the pandemic. In order to follow the recommended social distancing and sanitizing practices, we will have more services spaced further apart with fewer people present in each service (probably Saturday at 5pm, Sunday at 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm with less than 100 people in each). Initially we will not have nursery, ETC, or the HUB but we will seek to make the services family friendly. We also will not have Connection Groups in the beginning because social distancing and sanitizing guidelines would be hard to maintain in that setting. We will continue to live-stream one of the services for those who are not able or ready to re-gather with us.

Please pray for wisdom from the Lord for our church staff and other leaders as we work out the details of our re-gathering plans and determine the right time to move forward with them.

The office remains open Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 AM to Noon. We are actively working our usual hours each day and can be reached by phone at 547-3717 or by email at reception@fbccove.net or pastor@fbccove.net. I remain available for video or phone appointments. If you need anything, please let us know.

I'll see you this Wednesday at 6:30 pm for Prayer Meeting on the Church's Facebook page and this Sunday at 8:30 am for Worship on either the Church's Facebook page or my personal Facebook page.

Until we meet again, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:13)

I'm praying for you,

Pastor Mark

God is teaching me new things during this season--ways to do ministry and outreach through technology; and He is reminding me to practice old things--patient endurance and faith. Revelation 14:12 says concerning tribulation in the end times, "This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus" (NIV). Certainly this applies to our present time.

For a time all these changes are novel and maybe even a little exciting while at the same time cause for serious concern. But as it drags on with the end uncertain, it requires deeper trust in God and patience to wait on His time and ways to see us through to the end. He will indeed see us through to the end but He also has things He wants to teach us and do through us on the way to the end. "Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1b-2 CSB).

I urge you to take care of yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically during these times. If you find yourself struggling or in need of prayer, feel free to reach out to me.

I'm praying for you,

Pastor Mark

Join us for Worship on Facebook Live at 8:30 am (the Church's page or Mark Kemp's) or watch the replay later on Facebook or through our website or app.

Our Worship Team will lead us in "Your Great Name" and "O Lord My Rock and My Redeemer." Click here or visit our home page to find the lyrics so you can follow along.

The message is "What Time is It?" from Mark 1:14-20. We focused on the end of the story of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark last Sunday. This Sunday and the next several we're going back to the beginning to discover anew what it means to Follow Jesus.

Our Good Friday service live-stream was difficult but thankfully Easter Sunday went much better. All in all we had a good weekend of worship and ministry in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ! We will do the Sunday morning live-stream at 8:30 AM again this Sunday. We will live-stream to the Church's Facebook page using WiFi (and we'll be right side up!) and to my Facebook page using cellular data. This way if one fails you will be able to switch to the other and continue watching. Both went smoothly this past Sunday and we extended our reach by streaming through two pages!

The office hours are now reduced to Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 AM to Noon. This is allows us to do our essential business while abiding by the Shelter in Place guidelines. If you need to come to the office to drop off offering you can do so in those hours. We will be actively working our usual hours and can be reached by phone at 547-3717 or by email at reception@fbccove.net or pastor@fbccove.net. I am available for video or phone appointments. If you need anything from prayer to groceries or something else, please let us know.

Thank you for continuing to give faithfully and generously! I've been blown away and blessed by your response to making sure your tithes and offerings are given in these trying circumstances for the Lord's work through the church, building, and missions.

I hope you are staying strong in the Lord through spending time in His Word as we walk through this season. Remember, "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105). God will surely guide us by His word through our present and future challenges. One way for you to stay in the Word of God is by joining us in our First Baptist Cove Bible Reading plan. You can find it at fbccove.net/bible-reading-plan or on our Church app.

There were some challenging verses in our Bible reading passage Monday which I have been asked to shed some light on. 1 Corinthians 14:34 says, "the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak." This verse has been the subject of much debate as you can imagine and I won't do full justice to it in a paragraph but a couple of things are clear. One is that Paul did expect there would be times that women would speak and pray in the church (1 Co. 11:5; see also Acts 2:16ff. & 21:8-9). Another is that there were some unusual disruptive activities taking place in Corinth which involved some of the women. The Corinthians knew what these issues were but we do not. Paul tells those women who were disrupting the services (possibly by publicly questioning the prophecies that were given) to be silent and speak about the matter to their husbands at home. Obviously in our church we do have women in ministry positions, women who teach in Connection Groups, women who lead and serve in ministries, and women who lead worship through songs, prayer, Scripture reading and testimony. We do not believe this is a violation of the teaching of Scripture here or in 1 Timothy 2:12. Where we do limit leadership and teaching to men alone is the role of Senior Pastor and Deacons. I hope this brief explanation enlightens you or perhaps drives you to study it more deeply for yourself.

Our next get together is Prayer Meeting on the Church's Facebook page Wednesday at 6:30pm. (Only Sunday morning will be carried on my personal Facebook page.)

I continue to pray you will be filled with peace, joy, faith, strength and wisdom for the living of these days.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark

Join us for Good Friday Worship on Facebook Live at 6:30pm or watch the replay.

Our Worship Team will lead us in "At the Cross (Love Ran Red)" and "You Alone Can Rescue." Visit our home page to find the lyrics so you can follow along.

We'll reflect on Jesus cry from the cross in Mark 15:33-37 to remember the agony of Jesus' suffering and to rejoice in the wonder of it.

We'll conclude with a celebration of the Lord's Supper. You will need to supply your own bread and juice (or as close as you are able to come under the circumstances) and have them ready as we partake together in remembrance of the Lord's body and blood.

Join us for Easter Sunday Worship on Facebook Live at 10am or watch the replay later on Facebook or through our website or app.

Our Worship Team will lead us in "Victory in Jesus" and "O Praise the Name." Visit our home page to find the lyrics so you can follow along.

The message is "Who Are You Seeking?" from Mark 16:1-8. We'll celebrate the fact of the resurrection and focus on how we experience its reality in our lives today!

for Grade-School Kids
Have your child join us on Zoom for Easter story lessons: today, Sunday, and Monday from 5:00-5:40pm. We’ll have a fun starter activity, video based Bible story, discussion, & prayer.
E-mail children@fbccove.net for the link to participate!

The apostle Paul wrote from a prison cell, "Rejoice in the Lord always I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the LORD is your strength." We sometimes differentiate between happiness and biblical joy by saying happiness depends on good happenings (circumstances) but joy comes from the Spirit of the Lord dwelling within us and can be experienced in any circumstance. "The fruit of the Spirit is...joy..." (Galatians 5:22). Happenings are challenging right now and we are apt to grow weary of the present circumstances. We need the deep and abiding joy of the Lord to fill and overflow our lives in these days. If you will seek Him, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and when You find Him, you will find joy! For Jesus said, "I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete" (John 15:11).

Thankfully our live-stream worship via Facebook went much smoother this past Sunday and many of you were able to join us live or watch the replay later. Unfortunately, the call in to listen live option has not worked out the way we had hoped. We'll be discontinuing that option for now but perhaps we'll find a better way to do it soon. If you have a computer with internet or a smartphone but haven't watched either the live or replay video of our services, we can help you learn how to do it. Please ask! If you do not have this option at all, we will continue to provide CDs of the service for you. Let us know if you need us to start mailing those to you.

Easter is coming! Neither death, a large stone, nor an armed guard could prevent Jesus from rising to save us! No virus will stop us from celebrating the truth that He is risen and He reigns! We may not have block parties and large in person gatherings for worship but we will have Easter!

We'll have a Good Friday service at 6:30 pm via Facebook Live. This will include the celebration of the Lord's Supper. You will need to provide your own elements. This is an unusual approach we would not normally take but these are unusual times. If you can, get hold of a cracker and grape juice and be ready to participate as we lead. If you can't get the exact elements, get as close as you are able. The main thing is that we have some kind of bread and some kind of drink that can symbolize for us the body and blood of Christ.

Easter Sunday Worship will be live at 10 am and available for replay afterwards. For the Kemp family, we are planning to dress for worship as we would if we were all gathering together, making plans for a special lunch, and connecting with family members who will not be able to join us in person through video chats or phone calls. You can make your Easter as casual or as formal as you like. The main thing is to focus on and glorify our risen Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!

Our children are having special Easter lessons this week with Melinda via Zoom. If you would like for your children to participate you can email children@fbccove.net and she will give you the information you need. It is simple to join. We will also be providing resources for our families to have Christ centered Easter Egg hunts that help you share the resurrection story with you children.

Thank you for your faithful giving during this season! We had a tremendous offering this week that puts us off to a good start for April so we can continue ministry, outreach, and upkeep. You can give your offerings through fbccove.net/giving, our app, by mail (300 W. Avenue B), or drop off at the office between 8 and noon Tuesday through Friday. You can also text "give" to 254-294-COVE (2683) and it will give you a link to our secure online giving site.

We will meet for Prayer Meeting live on Facebook Wednesday at 6:30 pm.

If you need anything from prayer to groceries or something else, please let us know via email or by calling 254-547-3717.

I'm praying the joy of the risen Lord fills you, strengthens you, and blesses other through you.
In Christ,

Pastor Mark

We're looking at least another month of operating online. Hopefully we are learning as we go and our presentation will be improving as we learn to better use the technology available to us. If you have trouble with reception this Sunday stay with us, it will come back. If it becomes too frustrating, then tune in afterward to watch the replay.

Please notice our Easter plans and some growth opportunities below. Easter will not be the same but it can be powerful and meaningful and change peoples lives as we proclaim and celebrate the gospel.

Our www.fbccove.net and our emails are back online!

Please call or email if you need anything! Plenty of First Baptist people stand ready to lend a hand.

I'm praying for you,
Pastor Mark

Services on Facebook Live:
Good Friday, April 10, 6:30pm
Easter Sunday, April 12, 10:00am

Easter Egg Hunt (at your house!)
You provide eggs, print two handouts, scissors and glue. FBC will provide the link to two handouts and a link to the Easter story video. Parents hide the eggs filled with candy and five story pictures. Children find the eggs and then play the video and follow the instructions to learn the Easter story.

Easter Lessons for Grade-School Kids
Have your child join us on Zoom for five Easter story lessons: April 5, 9, 10, 12, and 13 from 5:00-5:40pm. We’ll have a fun starter activity, video based Bible story, discussion, & prayer. E-mail fbccovechildren@gmail.com for Egg Hunt and/or Zoom links!

Women's Bible Study
Thursdays at 7pm | Six Weeks

Join other FBC ladies live online for an exciting study of the Holy Spirit. Email mark.annettekemp@gmail.com for information or to participate.

Men's Discipleship
Thursdays at 7am | Six Weeks
Join other FBC men live online to study issues important to men who are following Jesus in today's culture.
Email markkemp@fbccove.net for information or to participate.