Tremont Temple Baptist Church

Temple Tidings www.tremonttemple.com

FEBRUARY 2010

Pastor’s Letter
Temple Tidings, February 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ of TTBC!

With great joy we greet you in this second month of the year 2010! Isn’t it
amazing how time flies and we are already into the new year anticipating the
many good things that God has in store for Tremont Temple Baptist Church! Dates to Remember:
When I became your pastor, I told the Church Council that I was insistent that
two events needed to take place before our Annual Meeting in April:
1.) A Spiritual Renewal Conference, dealing with the questions of repentance, Sunday, 2/7/10
forgiveness, and reconciliation, and
2.) A Congregational Assessment, dealing with the real life situation of TTBC Fellowship Luncheon
by a Church Growth specialist.
Both of these two events have now taken place and have been very helpful in 12:30 pm - 2 pm Chipman
showing our church the way into God’s future.
. Wednesdays ~
Let me summarize where we have been and where we need to go:

1. Reconciliation: It is a rewarding experience to observe the various forms of Pre-Prayer Mtg. Fellowship
reconciliation that have taken place and are taking place in our church. Recon-
ciliation is the responsibility of the individual. The Bible reminds us: Chipman Hall
“You have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing
judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing 5 : 30 pm - 6 :15 pm
the very same thing. “(Romans 2:1)
Jesus’ warning is even stronger and instructive: Bible Study & Prayer -
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you
make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.
6:30 pm - 7:30pm Chapel
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but not notice the log in your
own eye?” (Matthew 7:1f.)
Reconciliation in Scripture is the act between two persons. The Church can Thursdays ~ 2/4, 11, 18 & 25
provide opportunities for such acts of reconciliation, and we have done that when
Dr. Fredrikson was here. The church cannot reconcile, but each individual is Organ Recital - 12:15 pm
responsible for doing this! Listen again to our Lord Jesus:
“So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your “15 Minutes for God” -
brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar and go; first
be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. “ Sunday, 2/21/10
(Matthew 5:23-24)
With the Spiritual Renewal and Missions Conference led by Dr. Fredrikson the
“reconciliation train” has left the station and many are on board and have begun
Union Service -
the process of forgiving and reconciling. I would encourage each of you to
search your hearts and to continue the process. Converse Hall ~ 11:00 am

2. Congregational Assessment: Dr. George Bullard spent four days with Sunday, 2/28/10
many members of our congregation. On Friday evening, he gave all of us oppor-
tunity to give in-put as to where we thought our church was. Are we at TTBC a Worship with Teen Challenge
viable institution, or are we in the early stages of dying? We have moved from
INFANCY in 1843 to OLD AGE in 2010. After “old age”, if there is not a turn
around, then churches die! A church in infancy has Vision and Relationship. A
11:00 am - Converse Hall
Church in Old Age is determined, mostly by Management, where the vision has
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FEBRUARY 2010

been lost.
In Focus Groups on Saturday, church members were able to share their feelings as to where they thought the church was now and
where we needed to go. Monday evening, Dr. Bullard gave an oral assessment and will send a written report in three weeks. At that
time we will all have copies and will meet and discuss where we are going!
Let me say now though, that Dr. Bullard was encouraging and summarized TTBC as having potential to grow! But, if we are
to grow and become a viable Church then, according to church growth specialists:
1.) We must increase our attendance from 125 to 250!
2.) Furthermore, all members must be involved in a Sunday School Class (we will need ten new classes!),
3.) True friendship and a close network must exist among the members. By our Luncheons on the first Sunday of the month,
Wednesday fellowship time before Prayer Meeting and Bible Study, and Hospitality time after the worship service, we are moving
in that direction, I believe.
4.) All members must have a place of service, either as a volunteer or serve in an elected position.

NOTE: The Church, after these two conferences, has two choices:
1.) To have an outside “Conflict Resolution” expert work with us for the next two years on conflict resolution, or
2.) To take seriously our Congregational Assessment and move on to the next stage of growth and mission.

Conclusion: Church growth specialists have told me that if we go the Conflict Resolution route that in two years there will be so
much more conflict and so much more animosity that the church will have to start over again with another conflict resolution
conference and the church would probably die. Indeed, the way forward for Tremont Temple is to increase our congregational
attendance to more than 250, to get everyone involved in a Sunday School (Bible Study) class, to make true friendships among us,
and to get everyone to volunteer and get involved in mission.
Therefore, I am eagerly awaiting the Congregational Assessment that Dr. George Bullard will be sending us in three weeks. I will
strongly recommend that we proceed with his recommendation of basically “turning the page” and returning to church infancy,
gaining a new vision for the 21st century and becoming a “new church” and the witness for Christ that we should be.
Of course, all of this is based upon the work of the Holy Spirit and our openness to move forward in the Spirit! If we do not
repent, if we do not become a witnessing community, then we will die!
For that reason, I have decided that my ministry amongst you will be committed to Option No. 2…moving forward in the
Spirit, turning the page, growing into the Spirit and becoming what Christ wants us to become.
We can do this in the next several years! As pastor, my questions to each of you are: Are you willing to turn the page and grow in
the Spirit? Are you willing to witness for Christ to your neighbors and friends? Are you willing to bring friends here? Are you will-
ing to be a welcoming people and greet newcomers? Are you willing to move beyond the cliques and clacks of yesterday and
become friends with our newcomers? Are you personally willing to take responsibility for reconciliation? Are you willing to pray
every day for TTBC? Are you willing to join a Sunday School class? Are you willing to be a friend to all? Are you willing to
volunteer and use your gifts for upbuilding Christ’s Kingdom as expressed in TTBC?
A positive answer to these questions will mean that we have a great future before us. Let’s pray and move towards that future
to which Christ is calling us!

Where do we go from here? In three weeks, we should have the written “congregational assessment” from Dr. Bullard. We will
make copies of this assessment for ALL members. Then, we will have a luncheon and spend time reviewing the report and having
open dialogue with one another. At that time, we will need to prayerfully consider appointing a Task Force which will review the
document in depth and come up with a strategic plan for the future directions for TTBC, if we are going to be a new and viable
church in the 21st century!
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement! Please remember that every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., we have prayer and
Bible Study time. Prior to that, we have a time of fellowship with light snacks, beginning at 5:30 p.m. We share the fellowship
time in Chipman Hall. Please come to prayer meeting! It is here that the Church will experience the fresh wind of God’s Spirit in
our midst.
God bless you and give you much courage as we open ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit calling us to be genuine
witnesses to Christ and His Kingdom!

Yours in the Joy of Christ,

Pastor Denton Lotz
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February 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 *Fellowship 4 Organ Recital 5 6 Gospel Choir

Chipman Hall 5:30pm 12:15 - 12:30 pm Rehearsal
Converse Hall 10:00am - 11:00am
Prayer & Bible Study Choir Rm,7th fl
6:30p Chapel
Chancel Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm Choir Room

7 Fellowship 8 9 10 *Fellowship 11 Organ Recital 12 13

Luncheon Chipman Hall 5:30pm 12:15 - 12:30 pm
12:30 - 2 pm Converse Hall
Chipman Hall Prayer & Bible Study
6:30p Chapel

14 15 16 17 *Fellowship 18 19 20
Chipman Hall 5:30pm Organ Recital
12:15 - 12:30 pm
Prayer & Bible Study Converse Hall
6:30p Chapel
Chancel Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm Choir Room

21 22 23 24 *Fellowship 25 26 27
Union Service Chipman Hall 5:30pm Organ Recital
11 am 12:15 - 12:30 pm
Converse Hall Prayer & Bible Study Converse Hall
United worship- 6:30p Chapel
TTBC, Ethiopian, Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Hispanic Church 7:30 pm Choir Room

28 2/2 Donna Poland 2/28 Olga DiBona

Teen Challenge Richard Lynch Eleanor Mansfield
11 am 2/4 Kathryn McKee
Converse Hall Eduardo Bargan
2/10 Donna Narey February Birthdays
2/11 Kham Kou
2/12 Lois V. Garbutt
2/13 James Currie
2/15 Jacquie Johnson
2/19 Barbara Currie
2/23 Lisa McGovern