Forerunner

FORERUNNERS is the Senior Adult Ministry of CHBC, and our focus is all about equipping and encouraging Senior Adults to make sure they finish the race well.

Fulfilling the Great Commission has always been the driving force behind all that has been done to bring us to this point in the unfolding story of who CHBC is. Over the years there have been some people of great faith and great commitment responsible for bringing us to where we are today. Those forerunners, have challenged us, and inspired us, and the blessing of God on their faith and effort has been obvious.Our

Senior Adults are those forerunners. Some of our senior adults were there from the very beginning. Many joined along the way and have given and prayed and worked and invited, investing their life and family in making this a lighthouse in our community that is bright and strong today.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a “Forerunner” as one who goes before and in some way announces the coming of others; one who leads the way; one who is out in front. My prayer and ministry goal is that the Senior Adults at CHBC will be recognized, honored and remembered for their faithful service, and that they will continue to set the standard for the rest of the church.

Senior Adults can be, and should be in the forefront of prayer, outreach, worship, missions and ministry.Senior Adult years are not a time to step down, but the best time to step up. The look of what your ministry involvement looks like may change because of where you are in life, but Hebrews 12:1-3 reminds us that we are running a race which involves moving forward in our Christian lives, going somewhere, pressing on for as long as we are alive – knowing that others are following our lead. May all who come behind us find us to have been faithful FORERUNNERS.

As FORERUNNERS who are focused on living out our faith all the days of our lives, we welcome any senior adult who wants to enjoy an atmosphere of love, respect and honor and the opportunity to still be useful to the work of the church.

This is a place where you will be loved and every effort will be made to meet the spiritual, emotional, and changing physical needs that you will face as a senior adult.We hope that you will join us. We truly believe there is no better place for senior adults than in the FORERUNNERS ministry of Colonial Heights Baptist Church.

Here are some of the opportunities we offer for involvement and ministry:

LIFEgroups – This is our Sunday morning Bible Study program that offers many groups that will share life together with you around the focus of meaningful and challenging Bible Study.

Luncheons – Every other third Thursday, we meet together at 11:00a.m. for fellowship and a meal. In these luncheons, we offer a variety of programs from entertaining to inspirational or educational in nature followed by a relaxed and delicious meal time where you can sit and visit as long as you like. Any and all are welcome to attend. The meals are only $5 and the fellowship is priceless.

Sr. Adult Choir (GPS) – Each third, fourth, and fifth Thursday, for most of the year, anyone who wants to is invited to join us for a great time of fellowship as we sing many of the great songs that you will remember from years gone by. Several times a year our choir sings during the Sunday evening service and once a year we will provide the entire worship experience for the evening. Occasionally we will go as a group to sing at one of the nursing homes in the area.

Higher Ground Newsletter – A Bi-monthly newsletter to challenge us all to take the Higher Ground in our church and our spiritual journey and to set a higher standard for those that look up to us and who are coming behind us to pick up the reigns of leadership. This newsletter is filled with humor, information about Senior issues, health issues, inspiration, puzzles, announcements about upcoming senior adult and church activities, and many other things of interest to seniors.

Occasional Fun Trips – We have taken trips for a day and trips for up to a week and enjoyed great fellowship together as well as seeing some wonderful sights. This past year (2007), we were blessed with the opportunity to travel to Boone, North Carolina and volunteer at the Franklin Graham Samaritan Center. Being a part of a worlwide ministry whose focus is seeing that every child receives a gift a Christmas time was quite a treat. Guests are always welcome on our trips.

Mission Trips – We have adopted as our Senior Adult Mission partnership the Child Evangelism ministry in Warrenton, MO. We try to schedule two or three trips a year to go as a group and work in their Mailbox room. Often the group that goes will all be from the same LIFEgroup, as they make a class project out of it. Many of our Seniors, after having been with the group will go on their own as a vacation or plan to spend a part of their vacation working there as volunteers in that ministry. We also encourage our Senior Adults to participate in any and all of the mission partnerships that our church has all around the world.

LIFEgroup Socials – All of our LIFEgroups are so close knit and loving that they each have their own times of fellowship that will include going out to eat, rook parties, fish fries, trips, parties, breakfasts at Shoney’s and any number and variety of get-togethers to share life with each other.We invite you to join us to share life and to enjoy the process of challenging each other to finish life well for the glory of the Lord and the good of His church.

"May all who come behind us find us

faithful."