Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering



Starting in 1888, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® was established to empower the international missions efforts for Southern Baptists. After more than a century, the annual offering continues its steady growth. The National Goal this year is $160 Million. Your giving enables missionaries to be sent to make disciples and multiply churches among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God.

Locally, our church has a goal of $5,000.00 which challenges us to give toward the work of the gospel. 

Prayer is a vital key to reach souls and make a way for missionaries to serve. Click HERE for a daily prayer guide to stay in prayer for the offering. ”God has ordained our prayer as a means to accomplish His purpose in the world. We’ve got to be aware that our praying for boldness for missionaries is actually going to affect whether or not they have boldness. When we pray, God works.”

May we be encouraged to begin now to pray and prepare to give to Lottie Moon this December. 

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Family Ministries Meal



The menu for this week's Family Ministries Meal is one of our favorites!  Breakfast for Supper!  We will be served sausage, pancakes and fruit beginning at 5:30 PM.

Family Ministries will begin at 6:30 PM with youth class, children's play practice, the ladies final session of their Bible Study and prayer meeting. It will be a time to stop mid week, gather the family and come grow in the Lord.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Titus 2 Day Trip



Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be a Titus 2 Ladies Day Trip!  This is an opportunity for ladies of all ages to join together for a time of fun and fellowship.  Ladies will meet at the church at 10:00 AM and carpool for a day of lunch and shopping in Valdosta. All ladies are welcome to join us for a great day!

Monday, November 20, 2017

Thanksgiving Service Schedule

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Remember the church service schedule change this week.  We will be meeting on TUESDAY night at 6:30 PM.  There will be no family meal or classes. Everyone will gather in the sanctuary for a time of praise and thanksgiving.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Church Thanksgiving Lunch



Please remember the church Thanksgiving lunch this Sunday (November 19) immediately following the morning service. Turkey and ham will be provided, church family is asked to bring complimentary dishes or dessert. This is always a special time of fellowship as we join around the table to thank God for His blessings.

Also the Operation Christmas Child boxes are due Sunday.  If you packed a box, please make sure it is at church as we will be saying a special prayer for the box recipients and the ministry.  

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Family Ministries Meal


The menu this week for Family Ministries will be  Baked Spaghetti, Green Beans, Salad and Dessert.
Meal begins at 5:30 PM.

Ministries for the family include children's class (where they will begin Christmas play practice), youth class and business meeting for the adults at 6:30 PM. 

May mid week Family Ministries be an anchor of faith in your busy week. 

Monday, November 13, 2017

Children's Christmas Program



Our children will begin practicing for a Christmas Play on Wednesday nights during Family Ministries beginning at 6:30 PM.  All children are welcome to participate in the program which will be December 10 in the morning service. 

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Operation Christmas Child Lunch



Next week begins the Operation Christmas Child collection week.  Many of you are busy packing shoeboxes for this international ministry. However, there is an additional opportunity for you to make an impact for OCC locally!

Suwannee Station Baptist Church is our county collection site. All week there are workers who stay at the church to collect shoeboxes. Local churches take a turn in providing meals for these workers.  Antioch will take a turn on Wednesday (November 15).  

A sign up sheet will be passed around Sunday for anyone who would like to prepare and/or deliver food.  The menu will be, spaghetti, green beans, salad, garlic bread and dessert.  Food should be brought to our church by 11:00 AM Wednesday and will be delivered to Suwannee Station for lunch. 

If you are able to assist in this ministry opportunity, it would be a great blessing!

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Developing Gratitude




November is here and moving through quickly!  This is the month known as 'a month of gratitude' where we are encouraged to ponder our blessings and be thankful.

Thankfulness is something that must be developed, cultivated. Like godly character, thankfulness isn’t a gift or personality trait that we’re born with. It is a spiritual discipline that must be developed, exercised, and grown in our lives.

Perhaps this is why Scripture instructs us over and over to be thankful, to give thanks always and continually.

When bad things happen to good people, good people have two choices:

  • Allow the negative circumstance to make them bitter, cynical, and angry
  • Allow God to do a work of grace in their hearts so that He can bring good out of the negative circumstance and thus glorify Himself through it.

Imagine what life would be like if we continually responded by allowing God to do a work of grace in our hearts?

This response isn’t natural, but it can be cultivated through discipline and renewing our minds.

There are four ways we can cultivate a thankful heart, so that we live life giving thanks continually.

1. Memorizing and meditating on Scripture
If we want to renew our mind, we must make it a daily discipline to memorize and meditate on Scripture. Scripture memorization and biblical meditation retrains the mind so that it comes into agreement with God’s thoughts.

It replaces the negative thought patterns with God Word, so that in difficult circumstances our thoughts cease to default to negativity, self-doubt, criticism, and cynicism but rather to biblical declarations and principles.

2. Pray the Scripture
Learn to take Scripture, personalize it, and apply it to your present circumstance so that you can see your life through God’s perspective and through the lens of Scripture.

3. Keep a journal
The act of writing is extremely powerful. By slowing down to write our thoughts out by hand, our thinking processes deepen and we are more aware of our emotions.

By slowing down and becoming more mindful of what is in our heart, we would see God’s hand at work in areas of our lives where we have previously been unaware.

By keeping a written record of those things for which we are thankful, we are able to go back and remind ourselves of the goodness of the Lord. We see this example all throughout Scripture.

4. Worship
Worship is powerful tool in the arsenal of the believer! True, authentic worship shifts our focus off of ourselves and our circumstances onto God, His greatness, and His sovereignty.



Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Family Ministries Meal



The menu for this week's family ministries meal will be:

Baked Ham
Macaroni and Cheese
Peas
Creamed Corn
Dessert

Meal begins at 5:30 PM, ministries for the entire family begin at 6:30 PM.

Monday, November 6, 2017

Welcome Baby Graclyn

Welcome Gracelyn Rayne to the church family! She weighed in at 7lbs 1oz 20.5” inches long and comes to a family full of excitement and gratitude for her arrival.

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Church Thanksgiving Lunch



Our annual church wide Thanksgiving lunch will be Sunday, November 19 immediately following the morning service.

Turkey and ham will be provided, church family is asked to bring complimentary side dishes and desserts.

All are welcome to stay and enjoy a time of fellowship as we share gratitude for God's blessings on our church.

Friday, November 3, 2017

Operation Christmas Child




It's that time of the year again...Operation Christmas Child time!  It's more than a shoebox filled with toys, every shoebox gift is an excellent resource for evangelism and discipleship which leads to the multiplication of new believers and churches around the world.  

Many families pack a shoebox every year and make it a family ministry project.  Anyone can pack one and if you need ideas, see this link:   How to pack a shoebox

There are a few changes this year.  Shipping cost is now $9.00.  This fee provides for shipping costs but also the evangelistic material placed in the boxes in the country's native language. Also, due to custom regulations, no toothpaste or candy should be packed in the boxes.  

Visit Samaritan's Purse for more information and creative ideas.