Christmas Carolling

During the Christmas season, we had our annual church wide Christmas caroling time! What fun it was to bring cheer and joy to some of our church family who are is assisted living facilities and home bound. Many smiles were shared!

  

   

  

Following, we gathered for a time of food and fellowship!!

Family Ministries This Week

There will be no meal for Family Ministries this Wednesday, but there will be church service at 6:30 PM.  Ladies Bible Study will meet to wrap up their current study. There will be no children or youth classes, but all are encouraged to meet in the sanctuary.

 

Let's end 2015 by spending some time in the house of the Lord with a heart grateful for His blessings and renewed hope for a New Year.

What Can I Give the Church - Part 2

We broke down some key points of an article "What Your Church Needs From You".  Here is part 2:

4. Live Like a Christian All Week Long

It is easy enough to be a Christian at church, but then you get home. But then you go to work. But then you go to school. And then you’re surrounded by people acting ungodly, and even worse, you’re left along with your own thoughts and your own desires. Yet your church needs you to live like a Christian all week long.

Make your devotional life something you do not just for the good of yourself, but for the good of others.

Each of us faces different challenges and different temptations. But one key to living like a Christian all week long is spending time in Word and prayer every day. Make this a priority no matter how busy you are and no matter how crazy life seems. Make this something you do no matter how badly you’ve sinned and how little you feel like doing it. Pray day-by-day not only for yourself, but for your church. Take that membership directory and pray through it from A to Z, and then start over. Make your devotional life something you do not just for the good of yourself, but for the good of others.

5. Get to Know People Not Like You

Churches are involuntary communities—we don’t get to pick who comes to them, God does. So what we have to do is learn to live with these people and learn to love these people, even when they are very different from us. “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” If your church is divided so that all the young adults hang out together and all the older folk hang out together, or if all the people with accents hang out together and all the people without accents hang out together, that makes a statement about the gospel—that the gospel is not big enough and powerful enough to really make people love one another even though they are different.

So commit to get to know people not like you. There is no reason you shouldn’t be able to say that some of your best and closest relationships are with people who are very different from you.

6. Learn Generosity

Few things reveal the heart better than money. Money has an amazing way of displaying what you really believe and what you really value. No matter who you are and what stage of life you are in, there is no better time than now to learn to be generous with your money. Here’s what the Bible says: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” You must give, and you must learn to do it cheerfully.

Here are just two quick tips:

a. Remember that it’s not your money. The money belongs to God—he just gives it to you to manage it. And he means for you to manage it well and to his glory.

b. Give to the Lord first. I know people who say they can’t give to the church, and yet they’ve got a new cell phone and are carrying a cup of Starbucks into church every week. That doesn’t compute. Learn to give the first and best of your money to the Lord. The harder that seems, the more you need to do it.

7. Be a Great Church Member

Make yourself invaluable to your church, and do this by serving other people. I love reading about Dorcas, the woman Peter raised from the dead who was described as being “full of good works and acts of charity” (see Acts 9). “When Peter arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.” Dorcas was a great church member. She loved people so much, and did so much good to them, that the whole community mourned when she died.

What Can I Give the Church - Part 1

From Church Leaders:

By this time of the year, you probably don't want to even think of giving another present!  But have you thought about giving to the church?  Not money, but a gift that will continue to grow and bless all through the year.

Things Your Church Needs You To Be, shows some ways that you can make your church better.  Things a church needs from every member.  

  1. Be Humble

If you want to learn humility, you need to act humble.

There is no character quality more important than humility. While humility does not come naturally to any of us, it can be learned, because here’s the thing: Humility isn’t a feeling or an attitude—it’s action. If you want to learn humility, you need to act humble. 

3 Quick How Tos

 a. Find mature Christians who exemplify humility and spend time around them. Learn from them and learn to be like them.

b. Volunteer for the lowliest of tasks. Don’t ask to be in the public eye when you serve, but be content to stay in the back. Find joy in doing the lowliest jobs and do them when and where only Jesus will see.

c. Get to know Jesus. It was Jesus who said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). And it was Jesus who humbled himself the deepest and was exalted the highest.

2. Prioritize Church

Every church has people who make the public gatherings of the church a low priority. These are the people who only come to church when it is convenient and who use any excuse to miss a day or miss a service. Every church desperately needs people who will make the public gatherings a top priority. Today is the day to begin elevating the importance of church in your life.

WHY?

a. First, you need your church. God made you part of your church for your good. You cannot do life on your own. You aren’t strong enough, you aren’t wise enough, you aren’t mature enough, you aren’t godly enough. Without the beautifully ordinary means of grace you encounter in the church, you won’t make it. Without the support of your brothers and sisters, you won’t make it.

b. Second, your church needs you. God made you part of your church for the good of others. 1 Peter 4 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” God has gifted you to be part of your church, and those gifts are to be used for the good of other people. So prioritize church as an expression of generosity toward others.

3. Consider Giving God a Day

Why don’t you consider setting aside an entire day of the week and dedicating it to the Lord in a special way? We believe that the Old Testament law has been fulfilled in Christ, though there is some disagreement among Christians about the implications. But even if you believe that the Sabbath command is no longer binding on us, there is still value in learning from it.

It completely changes Sunday when you give the entire day to the Lord and his people. Now you’re not having to decide whether to take that class or join that club that meets Sunday afternoon. You’re not skipping church during exam time because you’ve got studying to do. You’re not leaving early to get home before the football game starts. Instead, you’re leaving behind all the cares of life, and even many of the joys of life, and dedicating an entire day to worship, to fellowship and to serving others.

Christmas Carolling

We will be doing our annual Church Wide Christmas Carolling on Monday evening.  Plans are to leave the church at 5:00 PM and visit our local assisted living facilities and a few homes of some of our church family who are homebound.  What a wonderful opportunity to bring joy and spread cheer this Christmas season!  

Following the singing, we will gather at the home of Dave and Kathy B. for a light meal.  Be encouraged to take part! 

Christmas Week Worship Schedule

Christmas Week we have some change for our worship schedule.  

Sunday morning will be the church cantata.  In the evening service we will observe the Lord's Supper.

Monday night is Church Wide Caroling at 5:00 PM.  

There will be no services on Wednesday night, but on THURSDAY...Christmas Eve, we will have  Candlelight Service at 6:00 PM.  Be encouraged to stop in the midst of the rush and spend some time worshiping our Lord!

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Every December, we open the opportunity for us as a church to contribute to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Every penny you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering supports Southern Baptist missionaries as they share the Gospel overseas. The offering represents 58 percent of IMB's total income.
Our church goal is $3,500.00.  Please mark your donation "Lottie Moon".  Please also be in prayer for our missionaries and those they are seeking to reach.

Age is just a number...

It has been said, you never retire from Christian service. This sweet couple from Antioch prove that! These pictures were taken a while back when they came very early in the morning to sit with a family while a loved one was in surgery. The other was snapped during a sermon, while he was taking notes. Proves you're never past the age to learn! Love this couple and we are blessed to have them in our church family!

 

Christmas Cantata This Sunday

 

 

 

This Sunday our choir will be presenting the musical "There's Something About That Name" in the morning service.  Be encouraged to come hear and join in worship of our Lord and Savior.

 

In the evening service at 6:00 PM, we will be observing the Lord's Supper.  What a special time to set aside during this Christmas season to reflect and remember the sacrifice and love of the Lord.

Family Ministries Meal

This will be last Family Ministries Meal for December.  It is a good one though, you won't want to miss it!!

Ham and Beans (chicken fingers for the kids), Rice and Tomato Gravy, Vegetables, Salad, Cornbread and Dessert!  Ready at 5:30 PM.  Family Ministries begin at 6:30 PM.  No Ladies Bible Study, due to Business Meeting.

Lessons From the Wise Men

Sunday's sermon brought out some valuable lessons we can learn from the wise men.  They brought precious gifts to the Lord Jesus of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. These gifts represent relevant things of Jesus and can apply to us today.

Gold - a rare and expensive gift, represented the majesty of the King Jesus. 

Frankincense - a precious oil, represented the deity of Christ, He truly is God.

Myrrh - an oil used for burial purposes, a gift that represented His humanity, He would one day suffer and die for our sins.

What Can We Learn from the Wise Men?

1.  We can meet God in the midst of our work. God will meet us where we are, He will speak to us as we are faithful to what He calls us to do.

2. We can also find our way to God, they followed a star, we have God's Word to direct us. 

3.  We can give ourselves to worship.  Before the wise men brought their gifts, they gave themselves.  God wants our lives before He wants our gifts.

4. We can give the gifts that we have, which are valuable and significant. Gold, represents money - finances, Frankincense represents prayer - Myrrh represents suffering and sadness. Giving these represents a sacrifice, something that is costly to us.

5.  We can also find Jesus when we seek for Him.  The wise men crossed various barriers to get to Jesus.

6.  If God can use as star to direct us, He can use anything to reach us.

7. The wise men were willing to take action be beginning a journey that changed their lives. Are we willing to take action and be changed by God?

This Sunday..Children's Christmas Program

This Sunday during the morning worship service at 11:00 AM, our children will be presenting the Christmas musical, "The Light Before Christmas".  

You won't want to miss this presentation where our kids show through drama and song the true meaning of Christmas.  Invite the family to come and enjoy a blessing!

Wednesday Night Meal

The menu for this week's Family Ministry Meal is Chicken and Dumplings, Acre Peas, Greens, Raw Vegetables and Dessert.  Meal begins at 5:30 PM and is followed by ministries for the entire family at 6:30 PM.  Be encouraged even in the midst of the busy Christmas season, to be faithful to mid week worship. 

Prayer Requests

There are always numerous prayer needs in our church and each one is important.  Every service prayer is offered for those in our church family, friends and community.  

Many are aware of the needs of a couple of our church family who are in great need of healing.  Bro. Felton R. and Bro. Bill D.   Both are in need of a heart procedure.  Both are great men of God that have faithfully led, served and loved God for many years.  Sis. Jeanelle C. is recovering from a mild heart attack and currently in therapy. Please pray for her healing and restored health. 

Bro. Felton is currently in the hospital struggling with heart issues before he is able to get his procedure done.  Updates change daily and go from good to bad.  Please pray for him and his family as they are with him.

Bro. Bill has had a recent hospital stay also with a few complications.  Please keep both of these along with the many others on our prayer list close to your heart and in your prayers. 

Men's Cake Bake Off

We had a great time at the men/boy's cake bake off!! Many entries were entered featuring a wide variety of baking talent and personalities! The winning cake impressed the judges so much, it had to be auctioned off...but don't worry, the proceeds go towards supporting a missionary pastor for 2 months!

Here is the cutest winner overall though!!!!