# From the Pastor 8/6 - From: First Baptist LaPlace — General Emails - Sent: August 6, 2026 (2026-08-06T20:40:34.553Z) - Web version: https://firstbaptistlaplace.flowforth.co/emails/general-emails/14318 - More emails: https://firstbaptistlaplace.flowforth.co/emails/general-emails --- **First Baptist Church of LaPlace** Pastor's Letter | August 6, 2026 --- ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/Open_book_2026-05-19T18-27-24-120Z.jpg) FBC LaPlace family, This week has reminded us of both the sorrow and the hope we have as followers of Christ. Our church family grieves the passing of our beloved sister in Christ, **Mary Epperly**, who faithfully finished her race and has now gone home to be with the Lord. While our hearts ache because we will miss her, we rejoice knowing that she is now in the presence of her Savior, completely healed and experiencing the fullness of His joy. Please continue to pray for the Epperly family and all who loved Mary during these days. We are thankful for her faithful testimony and the legacy of faith she leaves behind. Even in seasons of both grief and joy, we are reminded of God's faithfulness. As I look back on this past Sunday, my heart is filled with gratitude for what God is doing in our church family. One of the greatest joys was celebrating **two baptisms** during our worship gathering. Baptism is a beautiful picture of the transforming power of the gospel, and we rejoice with these believers as they publicly declared their faith in Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is to celebrate new life in Christ together! Our worship service was also a special time as we gathered around the **Lord's Supper**. Remembering Christ's sacrifice and proclaiming His death until He comes is one of the sweetest privileges we have as a church family. Thank you for preparing your hearts and worshiping with such sincerity. I continue to be encouraged by the way God is drawing us closer to Himself and to one another. This Sunday is another exciting opportunity in the life of our church as we host our **Ministry Fair**. Before and after our worship services, many of our ministry teams will be available to share how God is working through their ministries and how you can become involved. Every believer has been gifted to serve, and our prayer is that every member of FBC LaPlace will discover a place to use those gifts for the glory of God and the good of His church. If you are not currently serving, I encourage you to take time this Sunday to visit the ministry tables, ask questions, and prayerfully consider where God may be leading you to serve. This past Sunday we also began our new sermon series, **Real Faith**, through the Book of James. James reminds us that genuine faith is more than something we profess—it is something we live each day. This Sunday we will continue our study in **James 1:19-25** as we look at **"Real Faith Obeys."** Together, we will be challenged to be "doers of the Word, and not hearers only." My prayer is that each of us would allow the Lord to shape our hearts so that our faith is evident in the way we live and obey Him. Everything we do at FBC LaPlace is centered on our mission of **reaching people, discipling people, and sending people**. Whether we are celebrating baptisms, gathering around the Lord's Table, studying God's Word, serving through our ministry teams, or walking alongside one another in times of joy and sorrow, our desire is to know Christ, make Him known, and faithfully live out the Gospel every day. I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Invite a friend, come expecting God to work, and let's continue pursuing Him together as we seek to reach people, disciple people, and send people for His glory. ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/761729763_1053822184003161_6914889172811811956_n_2026-08-06T19-56-45-118Z.jpg?shape=square&w=616) ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/764006270_1053822104003169_861104452724095538_n_2026-08-06T19-57-04-470Z.jpg?shape=square&w=616) ## **Men's Breakfast This Sunday** **Men's Breakfast – This Sunday at 7:30 AM** Men of all ages, we would love for you to join us for our Men's Breakfast this Sunday at **7:30 AM** in the **Fellowship Hall**. Come enjoy a great breakfast, meaningful fellowship, and encouragement from God's Word as we challenge one another to grow as godly men. Whether you're a regular attendee or it's your first time, there's a seat waiting for you. Invite a friend and make plans to join us! As we gather together, we are strengthening one another to **reach people with the gospel, disciple people to follow Jesus, and send people to live on mission for His Kingdom**. [Men's Breakfast Sign-up](https://lpfbc.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1239734) ## **Updated Church Website** One of the exciting updates we are thrilled to share is our newly refreshed church website! Whether you're looking for information about upcoming events, ministry opportunities, sermons, giving, or simply want to learn more about First Baptist LaPlace, our updated website is designed to make it easier than ever to stay connected with everything happening in the life of our church. Take a few minutes this week to explore it at [**www.lpfbc.org**](http://www.lpfbc.org). We hope it will be a helpful resource for your family and an inviting place to share with friends and neighbors who are looking for a church home. A special word of thanks goes to our Creative Arts Leader, Dylan Newton, for the countless hours of work, creativity, and attention to detail he invested in making this project a reality. He has done an outstanding job creating a website that not only looks great but also serves as an effective tool for communicating our mission and helping people take their next step in following Jesus. Thank you, Dylan, for faithfully using your gifts to serve our church family so well! ## **FBC Kidz Luau Next Wednesday** FBC Kids is back, and we can't wait to kick off another exciting year of Midweek with our **Kick-Off Luau** on **Wednesday, August 12, at 5:30 p.m.**! This fun-filled evening is for all kids in **Kindergarten through 5th grade** and will be a great way to celebrate the start of an incredible semester of growing in God's Word, building friendships, and having lots of fun together. Parents, make plans now to have your kids here, and encourage them to invite friends from their school to join them! We are praying God will use this year to help our children know Jesus more deeply and boldly share His love with others. ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/757186181_122100723782540727_4108724967472007828_n_2026-08-06T20-19-53-991Z.jpg) ## **Ignite Students Midweek is Back** Ignite Student Ministry is back, and we are excited to kick off a brand-new semester on **Wednesday, August 12, from 5:45–7:00 p.m.**! If you have a student in **6th–12th grade**, make plans now for them to be part of what God is doing through our student ministry each week. Midweek is a great opportunity for students to build lasting friendships, enjoy exciting games and fellowship, engage in passionate worship, and grow deeper in their relationship with Christ through the teaching of God’s Word. Parents, help your students make Midweek a priority this school year, and encourage them to invite their friends to come along. We are praying God will use this semester to transform lives and raise up a generation of students who boldly follow Jesus. ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/Students20Worshipping_2026-08-06T20-30-26-338Z.PNG?shape=square&w=616) ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/IMG_1565_2026-08-06T20-31-24-745Z.jpg?shape=square&w=616) ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/IMG_1757_2026-08-06T20-31-04-516Z.jpg?shape=square&w=616) ![](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/IMG_1810_2026-08-06T20-31-43-803Z.jpg?shape=square&w=616) I love serving as your pastor and am grateful for each one of you, ![Shane Newton](https://churchusercontent.com/41f39d42-3533-472f-ad58-5c65ed4ebf92/IMG_8955_2026-05-19T18-31-01-721Z.png) Shane Newton Senior Pastor [![mail](https://churchusercontent.com/api/image-proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fauth.churchspace.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Femail_assets%2Fsnv-png%2Fblack%2Fenvelope.png)](mailto:snewton@lpfbc.org)