Update

Thank you for your continued prayers for Gene B. He is in a back brace and should be moving to Surrey Place soon to go through therapy. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated for him and his family during this time.

Blogging will be slow the rest of the week, but be encouraged to "give thanks to the Lord" as we reflect and enjoy a special time this week of Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer Request

Many of you are aware of this special request, but your fervent prayer is needed for Gene B. Gene was on a lawn mower last week and a tree fell across his back causing serious injury to his back. He is in a back brace and is in the hospital now for evaluation of the damage. Our prayer is that his back will heal in place without him needing a very intense surgery. They will make a decision this week. Please remember Gene and his family.

A few other requests were mentioned at church and your prayers are also appreciated for these.
Ida D. had recent surgery and a few complications and needs our prayers.
Robert S.'s nephew is in his 40s and suffering from cancer.
A few men, some church family and some loved ones have been deployed to Iraq and left yesterday. Please pray for these and the many others serving along with their families. Especially as they face the holidays without their men.

Special thanks to our church for a fantastic Thanksgiving lunch and for your generous giving through Operation Christmas Child and the food baskets which were filled to overflowing to share this Thanksgiving. Thank you and God bless you!

Remember for Sunday...

Tomorrow (Sunday) will be full of activities and opportunities in the house of the Lord. Remember the Thanksgiving lunch, the church will provide the meat, church family is asked to bring a complimentary dish - salad, vegetable, dessert etc.
If you have prepared a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, please bring it for a time of prayer and blessing.
The M&M children will be staying after the lunch through the afternoon until after the evening service. They will have dinner provided for them.
Also, the church is collecting food for four families to bless them for Thanksgiving. If you would like to donate food for the boxes, please bring it by tomorrow night.

"Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me." Psalms 50:14,15

Food Basket Update

There are four boxes prepared to receive food donations for some families who need some assistance during the Thanksgiving holiday. The number of people in these families are 7,6,5 and 3. Here is a brief run down of items already donated:
2 families have the turkey provided for
2 families have stuffing provided
All families have green beans and sweet potatoes provided.

Needed items are:
2 more meats - turkey or ham
mashed potatoes and gravy
rolls
desserts
fresh fruit
other vegetables

Canned staple goods are also welcome, peanut butter, crackers, canned food etc.

Thank you for sharing with others this holiday season!

Church Thanksgiving Meal

On Sunday we will be having our annual Church Thanksgiving lunch following the morning service. Something special we will be doing is to invite those in the community to attend. We have put an announcement in the paper and on the sign in front of the church.
The meat for the meal will be provided by the church and the church family is asked to bring food dishes consisting of salads, vegetables, desserts, bread etc. We are hoping to have a great crowd, so please bring accordingly. Thank you!

Choir Meal and Practice

This Friday at 6:00 PM, the choir and their families are invited to a meal together followed by a special choir practice. The meal is covered dish and if you have not touched base with Mrs. Dianne, please advise her what you will be bringing. This will be a soup and sandwich type meal.

Our choir has been enjoying the blessings of God through growth, and through the joy of the Lord which overflows in our hearts to praise to our God. Our choir is richly blessed by the leadership and direction of Sis. Dianne and we appreciate and love her dearly.

"I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises." Psalms 101:1

Save the Date

We will soon be entering a joyous and activitiy filled season. Our church has several things planned for all ages as we celebrat the holidays. The following is a list of church activities for you to go ahead and save the date!

Novmeber 21 ~ Choir Dinner and Practice 6:00 PM
November 23 ~ Church and Community Thanksgivng Lunch. We are opening this time of fellowship and meal to those in the community this year as an outreach of God's love. Watch for more details on this later in the week.
November 23 ~ Following the Thanksgiving lunch, the M&Ms will stay through the afternoon for Christmas practice and other activities. The kids will be served dinner and you can pick them up following the evening service.
November 25 ~ Tuesday night - we will have our weekly prayer meeting to allow families to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday.
December 3 ~ Family Meal and Prayer
December 5 ~ Deacon's Christmas Dinner
December 12 ~ Special Choir Practice
December 13 ~ M&Ms Special Christmas Practice 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
December 13 ~ Youth Christmas Caroling and Party begins at 5:00 PM
December 14 ~ Adult Christmas Musical ~ 11:00 AM
December 20 ~ M&M Christmas Dress Rehearsal 2:00 - 6:00 PM followed by party from 6-8 PM
December 21 ~ Children's Christmas Program 11:00 AM followed by Church Christmas luncheon
December 12 ~ 6:00 PM Christmas service
December 24 ~ No services
December 31 ~ Church Movie and Meal

Go ahead and mark your calendars and be involved with these holiday activities with the church family.

The Gift of Giving

Although there is not much time before Thanksgiving, our church will be blessing4 families who are in need of food for a Thanksgiving meal. This is a wonderful outreach for our church and an opportunity to show those who have a need that God loves them and will meet their needs.

On Wednesday we will have boxes out for all four families. Here are some specifics on the families:
Family 1 - is a family of 6
Family 2 - is a family of 5
Family 3 - is a family of 3
Family 4 - is a family of 5

Posted on the box will be a list of items for Thanksgiving items, you are welcome to donate these or also staple foods which are needed.

Here is an example of Thanksgiving foods for the boxes:
Turkey or Ham
boxes or bags of stuffing
boxes of mashed potatoes
jars of gravy
green beans *Green Beans are taken care of* or other canned vegetables
boxes of macaroni and cheese
rolls or bread
dessert items - pies etc.
fresh fruit - apples, oranges etc.
*fresh sweet potatoes have been donated*
feel free to include any other menu items.

There will be a list posted on the boxes with the amount of each item requested. This will ensure a good variety of food and eliminate duplication of items. Please call the church office with any questions or call or email Joyce at rejoyful@windstream.net

If you read this and know what you would like to donate, you may also leave a comment. Go to comments at the bottom of the post, click anonymous and type your comment in the space it says "leave your comment". Please be sure to sign your name in your comment. You do not have to register with Blogger etc, just choose anonymous!
Thank you so much for your help and support!

Sunday Blessings

O, come let us sing unto the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with pslams. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His and He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. O come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Psalms 95:1-6

Poll Results

Last week's poll was how many book are in the New Testament and everyone answered correctly: 27
Check out the new poll this week!

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ.
Read for more information about how to pack a shoebox HERE

If you would like to pack a shoebox as a family or a class or church group, there are instructions at the church. You are encouraged to pack a shoebox and bring it to church November 23. The church will pray over the boxes and the children that will receive them. They will be taken to our local drop off location Monday morning.

Thank you for caring and sharing!

Prayer Request

There are a couple prayer requests to share for today.

Eldora B. is in the local hospital for some evaluation.
Robert S. will have a MRI today on his back.
Ida D. had surgery Monday and is home doing well.

Thank you for your prayers and love for one another!

Funny For the Day

Veteran's Day

Many Americans mistakenly believe that Veterans Day is the day America sets aside to honor American military personnel who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained from combat. That's not quite true. Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America's war dead.

Veterans Day, on the other hand, honors ALL American veterans, both living and dead. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for dedicated and loyal service to their country. November 11 of each year is the day that we ensure veterans know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in the lives to keep our country free.

We have several from our church family and church friends who are currently serving overseas. Your continued prayers for them and their families are appreciated. We also have several veterans in our church family and we want them to know also how thankful we are to them for their sacrifice.

Monday Prayer Needs

As we begin a new week, you are encouraged to keep close to your heart and in your prayers a few needs from our church family.

Ida D. will be having surgery today (Monday). Please keep her in prayer for a successful surgery and a fast recovery.

Pat and Sandy R.'s daughter Summer had a baby girl this weekend. We have been keeping Summer in our prayers as there were some concerns with the baby's heart. We are rejoicing with the family over the birth of a healthy baby girl - Abigail Joy. Today they will be doing an MRI on baby Abigail just to ensure everything is well with her. Please keep the family in prayer today as they do this test.

Kathy F.'s aunt took ill a little over a week ago and passed away this weekend from a sudden illness. Please keep this family in your prayers as they make arrangements and grieve the loss of a wonderful woman.

Remember to keep these in prayer and offer some encouragement to them. There are also many prayer requests on the back of the church bulletin each week. Ask the Lord for opportunities to share His love with these. May your week be blessed!

Check Out the Poll

This week we are adding a new feature - a Bible trivia poll! Make sure and vote, you will stay annonymous, you won't need to sign up for anything, just vote! Answer will be revealed next week.

Things To Remember For Sunday

There are some things going on at church tomorrow, so consider this an early reminder so you can be prepared!

The M&Ms will be staying from after the morning service until the after the evening service. Lunch and dinner will be provided, parents are asked to provide snacks for the children. The kids will be practicing the Christmas program, doing some mission activities and also enjoying some fun and games.

The church has a telephone prayer chain in operation and we will be updating this list. If you are currently on the list and would like to make any changes, or if you would like to be added to the list, please sign the prayer chain sheet on the bulletin board.

There will also be a sign up sheet for anyone who would like to volunteer to help in the nursery. We have a nursery schedule in place now, but lately we have been having several children in the nursery and we need to add another person to help with their care. Isn't it great to have a challenge like this? Thank you for your assistance.

Our pastor will be preaching in the morning service and then leaving for the Florida Baptist Convention. Bro. Pat R. will be speaking in the evening service at 6:00 PM. Come out and support Bro. Pat and be prepared to receive a blessing from the Lord.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You, You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. I Chronicles 29:11-13

Fall Festival Fun

Sermon Recap

The last two Sundays we have heard messages on God's Truth For Difficult Times. Truths to hold on to were shared and here is a reminder on some of the truths that were shared:

The Lord - He is God. He is:
Alive
In Charge
Omnipotent
Filled with splendor
Revered
Holy
Glorious

The Bible is God's Word and reveals Him to us. In Psalms 19:7-11 we heard how powerful God's Word is and some things the Word does in our lives.

Psalms 19:7-11 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure,making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous all together. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned and in keeping them there is great reward."

God's Word is called
The Law - it teaches and gives instructions. It converts our soul when we follow God's Word.
It's Statutes - These are commands or orders. These flow to us through reading God's Word. These cheer our hearts and encourage us. They give confidence by taking away uncertainty because God's Word is truth.
The Fear of the Lord: reflects an awe for God. God's Word convicts of sin, cleanses us, teaches us how to rightly respond to God.

This series will be continued. You won't want to miss these truths to stand on during difficult times.

Fall Festival

Last Friday Antioch hosted a Fall Festival. What a wonderful time was had by all who attended. There was a great turn out of people - over 200, great food, lots of games, prizes and FUN! There are more pictures to share later, but a highlight for the children was a pinata. Here are some scenes of the children trying to get it open!

There's a rip...

It's getting bigger:

Batman to the rescue! He did it: YEAH Batman...

Activities For This Week

Reminder for today: Hopefully you have or are getting ready to VOTE today! You are also encouraged to be in prayer throughout the day and night for our elections and our country.

The Family Meal and Prayer will be Wednesday night beginning at 6:00. Everyone is encouraged to bring a covered food dish to share and gather up the family for a great mid-week service. We will enjoy a meal together and following that there will be ministries for the entire family.
The youth will meet for Bible Study at 6:30
M&Ms will meet at 7:00
Adults will meet in the sanctuary for prayer meeting.

Also a reminder for Sunday: The M&Ms will be staying from after morning service, through the afternoon until after the evening service. They will be working on Christmas music, doing mission activities and will enjoy some play time also. There will be two meals (lunch and dinner) provided for them. Parents are asked to provide snacks and drinks for the day for the children.

Thank you to Kathy and Lisa for your willingness to minister into the lives of our children. We appreciate all that you do as leaders and we also appreciate each one who has a part in this "booming" M&M ministry. There have been many who stepped up to work with the children each Sunday and Wednesday night and all that you do is deeply appreciated!

Hope to see you there!

Do You See What I See?

If you have been to services at Antioch lately, you have noticed a few things going on. Let's ponder a moment on the goodness of God and be thankful to Him for His blessings.

Did you see:
The crowd of over 200 at the Fall Festival Friday night?

The number for Sunday School Sunday? 132!!!

The nursery filled with 14 children?

The choir that was overflowing?

The baptism services two weeks in a row?

The M&Ms - 2 rooms full of children singing and learning.

The Youth - full of teenagers who did an outstanding job helping with the fall festival, conducted themselves beautifully on recent outings and are filling up the church services?

Look closer:
Growth in numbers is great, but it is the spiritual growth that is lasting.

Have you noticed the Lord working in families to bring everyone to Sunday School?

The increase of families attending each service together - getting rooted and grounded as a family in the things of the Lord?

Those rising to the challenge of ministry to lead and to help. Without leaders and helpers, many ministries could not be done.

The Lord putting a song into the hearts of many that comes out together as a joyful praise in the choir?

New faces and those not seen in a while being drawn to the church?

How thankful we are to the Lord for His blessings and for the things He is doing at Antioch. We welcome His continued blessings and His work in the lives of all that we may be drawn nearer to Him and to each other. May we seek His direction to minister to our community and to the lost, leading them to Jesus.

"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us..." Psalms 40:5

Homecoming Parade

Our town recently had a school homecoming parade. Our youth joined together to watch it, return to the church for pizza and fun and then attended the football game that evening. Here are a few scenes from the parade:

David marched with the Boy Scouts

She had something important to say, but no time - talking on the run!

Bulldog Spirit

One of our cheerleaders

One of our football players

Like my teeth???

Sounds of Suwannee Marching Band

Spectators!

Campaigning!

ROTC

Don't you just love a parade??

Sunday - Youth Activity

Sunday after the morning service, the youth (grades 6 and up) are invited to stay for an afternoon of fun. There will be a meal and some fun activities to fill the afternoon.
Come out and enjoy a great Sunday afternoon!