Growing and Learning

“STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD…”

It takes many people working together to make a church run smoothly.  Although the focus of Goshen Baptist Church is to ultimately point people toward an understanding of Jesus Christ and eternal salvation, it takes a strong staff to provide the facilities, atmosphere, encouragement and support needed for a congregation to grow and learn.

The congregation of Goshen Baptist Church, along with other churches, appoints officers to guide the overall direction of the church in much the same way as officers in for-profit businesses.  Officers are often the most experienced, resourceful and active members of a church congregation and must divide their time between the personal needs of church members and the administrative needs of the organization.

In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.  So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.  If your gift is serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.  If it is giving, give generously.  If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

–Romans 12: 6 – 8

Regular Ministries

“USE WHATEVER GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED TO SERVE OTHERS”

Monday Bible Study was originally called Senior Bible Study and started in 2002.   It was an idea from an elderly lady who wanted to come to Bible Study on Wednesday night, but was unable to drive at night. This lady was in her late seventies and jokingly said she did not want her daughter to come, so she asked that this Bible Study be for people over sixty-two. We have joked and said that one must be sixty-two to come to Senior Bible Study, but we do not card anyone.  It is now called Monday Bible Study and everyone is welcome.

We meet every Monday morning at 11:00. On the last Monday of the month, the American Baptist Women fix lunch for those attending.

Currently our Monday Bible Study is being led by Pastor Allen Burnsworth (Hebron Baptist Church), David Mills (Goshen Baptist Church) and Pastor Dan Meadows (Goshen Baptist). There are usually between fifteen and twenty-five people that attend this Bible Study.  Baptists, Methodists, and other denominations attend this Bible Study as everyone is encouraged to come.   We study God’s word by reading a passage and discussing it’s meaning verse by verse. The Bible Study leader facilitates the session and  everyone is encouraged to participate.

We invite anyone who has an interest in studying God’s Word to come and join us.   Everyone is welcome; if you are over sixty-two, under sixty-two or sixty-two exactly!!!

Our American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) members give generously of their time and talents to serve our Savior and to help with the building of His kingdom. ABWM meets at 6:30 pm on the first Tuesday of each month, and all women are welcome.

Our ABWM raises and disburses over $5,000 annually to local, state, national and international missions. The three major fundraisers each year are Souper Bowl Sunday, the Spring Yard Sale and the fall Holiday Bazaar. The ABWM does not believe in holding onto its money: these women contribute financially to disaster relief when the need arises and to mission trips taken by our members; they provide migrant worker kits each spring; administer the backpack program at the local grade school; provide refreshments for the WVU Baptist Campus Ministry, and minister to the bereaved by providing a funeral dinner at the church upon request. Participating in Baptist Women’s Sunday is another of the many ways Goshen’s women fulfill their mission to “become and develop as God’s person, build God’s faith community and serve God’s world.”

Goshen’s ABWM is also active in the Goshen Association ABWM and helps meet the association’s state Special Project and Mission Outreach Project goals. For more information, please contact Katie Linderman at katieann623@gmail.com.

The choir at Goshen Baptjst Church consists of 18 to 23 members whose goal is to sing praises to the Lord on Sunday morning. You d not have to be a professional to join the choir, just willing to have a blessed and joyful experience singing praises to the Lord. It is a joy to have Bonnie Meadows as our choir director.

The choir meets every Wednesday evening from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. for practice. The choir sings every Sunday morning, from the months of September through May and is on vacation from June through August when the church welcomes special guests with musical talent. The choir also performs a Christmas and an Easter Cantata.

We have Sunday School/multi-use rooms available for all ages of Sunday School attendees – Nursery, Pre-School, Elementary Age, Middle School, High School, College, Young Adults and Older Adults. Sunday Schoolers are encouraged to attend whichever class they prefer and are welcome to change classes to see where they feel more comfortable.

A bright and cheerful nursery is available during Sunday School and worship services when we have babies or toddlers that are too young to stay in the sanctuary.

Goshen Baptist Church has a very active youth ministry. Although many of our own Goshen youth attend our youth activities, many others who do not attend the services will join us for youth activities. The youth are divided by those younger than 5th grade, and 6th-12th grade. Youth going into the 6th – 12th grades meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30pm. Come early at 5:30pm and join us for dinner. Our youth group is very active in the community and has one scheduled community outing per month. Our youth also have a room they call their own. They have decorated the Youth Room uniquely and use it for their Sunday School, as well as for Youth Meetings on Wednesday evenings.

It takes many people working together to make a church run smoothly.  Although the focus of Goshen Baptist Church is to ultimately point people toward an understanding of Jesus Christ and eternal salvation, it takes a strong staff to provide the facilities, atmosphere, encouragement and support needed for a congregation to grow and learn.

The congregation of Goshen Baptist Church, along with other churches, appoints officers to guide the overall direction of the church in much the same way as officers in for-profit businesses. Officers are often the most experienced, resourceful and active members of a church congregation and must divide their time between the personal needs of church members and the administrative needs of the organization.

For more information about the officers and committees, see this PDF.