Newsletter for October 1, 2025

Make plans to join us as we continue our sermon series,
"Unshakable: Lessons from the Prophets."

Start your Wednesday evening with a delicious supper at 6:00 PM, followed by a powerful lesson on finding strength in God during life's trials. We will offer a special breakout class for young people, allowing the whole family to participate.
Come discover how to stand firm, no matter what.

Breaded Parmesan Ranch Chicken,
Mashed Potatoes, Grenn Beans
with Dessert

Join us for another wonderful outing with First Baptist Fellowship and Fun!
On Friday, October 10, we’ll depart at 10:00 AM and head to the charming Swanson House in Perry, GA, for a delicious lunch together.

The Swanson is well-loved for its white tablecloths, welcoming atmosphere, famous fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and those unforgettable “little biscuits.”
We’d love for you to join us in sharing the food, fellowship, and fun!

Let Jonathan know you would like to attend or sign up in your Sunday School class. 

Last year, our church family distributed over 500 goodie bags during the Ashburn Halloween Open House—and this year, we’re planning to reach even more families!

Each bag will include candy, information about our church, and the plan of salvation, making this an incredible opportunity to share the love of Christ with our community.

If you or your Sunday School class would like to help, you can donate candy or money for supplies. Please drop donations off outside Jonathan’s office by Wednesday, October 22.

Together, let’s shine the light of Jesus on a night when so many families are out and about in our community!

We are excited to begin collecting items for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes!
For the month of September, we are focusing on toys and school supplies.

Suggested Toys: Small dolls, stuffed animals, jump ropes, balls, cars, puzzles, card games, musical toys (like harmonicas or recorders).

Suggested School Supplies:
Crayons, markers, colored pencils, small notebooks, rulers, erasers,
or pencil sharpeners

 Please Do Not Include:
Toy guns or weapons of any kind
War-related toys

 Drop-off boxes are located outside the church office.

Let’s join together to bless children around the world with the love of Christ through a simple shoebox gift!

We’d love your input! Please take a few minutes to fill out our church survey so we can better plan activities that serve and bless our church family.

Don’t miss Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotions in Psalms!
New messages are posted every Wednesday on our media page—take a midweek moment to be encouraged and refreshed in God’s Word.

Budget for 2025 . . . . . . . .  $329,624.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . $247,442.91
Received to Date . . . . . . . . $205,973.63      
Needed for weekly budget . . . $6,344.69
Tithes Received this week . .  . $3,549.72

Back in 1988, something surprising happened. Denny’s, the restaurant chain famous for being open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, decided to close for Christmas for the very first time in its history. The funny part was that many of their restaurants didn’t even have locks on the doors. Out of 1,221 locations, 700 had to install new locks just so they could close for that one day.

That story reminds me of how distinct God is from anything else in this world. Businesses may be “always open,” but eventually they close. People may promise to always be there, but life’s circumstances can get in the way. Yet, the Bible tells us something powerful: God never closes His doors to us.

Psalm 121:4 says, “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Our God never dozes off, never gets too busy, and never hangs a “closed” sign. He is always awake, always present, and always ready to hear our prayers. No matter what time of day or night, He is near to those who call on Him.

Think about how often we need that truth. Life doesn’t schedule its difficulties between 9:00 and 5:00. Worries, grief, temptation, and loneliness often hit us in the middle of the night, when no one else is around. But God is not bound by business hours. He is present in the midnight hour just as much as He is in the morning. When we call out to Him, He hears.

Hebrews 4:16 reminds us: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Unlike Denny’s, God doesn’t ever need to install locks or take a break. His mercy is constant, His love is unchanging, and His grace is always available.

This also challenges us in our walk with Him. If God is always open to us, are we keeping our hearts open to Him? Too often, we put “locks” on certain areas of our lives. Those parts of our hearts we don’t want God to touch or see. We say, “Lord, You can have Sunday morning, but not Monday at work. You can have my worship, but not my wallet. You can have my prayers, but not my plans.” But a true relationship with Christ means leaving the door of our lives always unlocked and wide open to Him.

So this week, remember heaven’s door is always open. You don’t need a key or a lock, just a willing heart to come before the Lord in prayer. And as you come near to Him, ask yourself: Am I living with an “open door” for God to lead, guide, and use me for His glory?
May we take comfort in knowing our God is truly 24/7, 365 days a year, where He is always faithful, always present, always open.