December The Challenge

Transcription

1 First Baptist Church PO Box 366 Calvert City KY Return Service Requested Pastor Music Minister Children s Ministry Director Leaders Ministry Assistant Church Organist/Pianist Custodians Dr. Jim Ewing Danny Granstaff Janet Dietsch Lance & Trena Gregory Jan Moore Vicki Madison Marshall & Gail Agent December 2018 The Challenge Our Mission: Encounter Grow Serve Share Our Vision: Becoming Fully Committed Followers of Jesus Christ making a Kingdom Impact on Calvert City Sunday Schedule Wednesday Schedule 9:00 am Sunday School Prayer Meeting 10:15 am Worship Service Ministry 5:30 pm AWANA J.U.M.P. (K-5 th Grade) (Kid s Choir First Wed) 7:00 pm Choir Practice

2 Prayer Concerns for Our Church Family Carolyn Outland recovering at home Jackie Prater recovering from broken ankle at CC Convalescent Center Lowell O Daniel rehab at home Becky Tynes back issues, significant pain Nancy Whitler son Bryan in a serious automobile accident, recovering at home with Nancy & Earl Jerry Devine health related issues Clint Poague surgery recovery Kendall King (Kathy Poague s brother) hip surgery recovery Chelsea Tucker (Ray & Sheri s granddaughter) dental surgery recovery Tom Low (Gene Low s husband) Vanderbilt hospital, significant back pain and surgery Convalescent Centers/Assisted Living Rivers Capps CCCC rehab Lillian Dees Stilley House Homebound Carolyn Burt Military Members Corey Joiner Ben Sewell Trent Low Prayer Concerns for Friends & Loved Ones Emily Smith (Dale & Jean Smith s daughter-in-law) recovering from spider bite Kara Wilson (daughter of Glenda Adair, CC City Hall) dealing with very aggressive cancer Alison Risher looking for full-time work Judy Dumer (Edna Pierce s sister) wrist injury Matthew Sickling (Oral s son) significant back pain Johnny Phillips & Family passing of his father College Students Allie Owen UK Law School Shelton Owen - University of Alabama Kayla Travis - MSU $$$ NOVEMBER FIGURES $$$ GENERAL BUDGET FUNDS ACTIVITIES BUILDING & SIGN FUNDS Budget Needs Monthly $ 21,385 Budget Receipts (thru Nov 26) $ 19,237 Activities Bldg. Total $ 18,381 YTD Budget Needs $ 235,235 Sign Fund Total $ 11,418 YTD Budget Receipts (thru Oct 30) $ 248,327 Facility Manager: Ray Tucker Dec 2 Kourtney Gregory Dec 3 Karen Dodson Dec 4 Aaron Smith Dec 8 Marvin Travis Dec 11 Jill Pagel Dec 19 Janet Dietsch Dec 21 Karen Howard Dec 21 LeRoy Sewell Dec 23 Jamie Tucker Dec 28 Brandon Cayton Dec 13 Sam & Jo Beth Jones Another change to our gym has taken place. New official glass backboards are in place for those of us who like round ball. Changing the structural metal to match our building was a challenge but thanks to A and K Construction all went well. Some paint work still needs to be done on the wood portion of the wall structure. Thanks to all who were part of this project. New outdoor signs have been installed to guide people to the proper buildings, entryways, and handicapped entrance. Thankyou Eric Littrell for suggesting the handicap signage and where to put them. Folks, when you see a need for our building and grounds, please let it be known. Our current phone system is severely behind today s technology and this has been causing some issues so a new system will be installed soon. Updating is critical to our offices and will also put our elevator into compliance with state requirements. This is not related to building and grounds, but a big thank you to all who helped put the Christmas parade float together. A special thanks to Jan (our secretary) and her husband Mark Moore for their help and use of their truck and trailer. It s great working with the church family on projects like this. If you haven t tried it - jump in next time. Hey our float even won an award this year! The best part of this job is seeing God s blessing flow. Ray Tucker

3 From Your Pastor: Jim Ewing Merry Christmas! As we enter the final month of 2018, I wanted to mention a few things that have happened in recent days. I want to start by saying THANK YOU to the many folks that helped make our Salute to Veteran s Fish Fry a great success. We served somewhere over 250 people and raised $1, for the Wounded Warrior Project. Thanks to Ron Lappin and his team from FLW Outdoors, our kitchen team led by Nancy Whilter and her crew of faithful ladies, and the many folks from our local churches who help us make it all come together. Our annual Church Family Thanksgiving Dinner was another huge success with well over 100 in attendance. The food was soooooo good and the entire evening was fun. Thank you to Jean Smith and Nancy Whitler and their faithful crew of kitchen wizards. FBC joined with the other Ministerial Fellowship Churches (St Pius X Catholic Church, Pathway Baptist Church, Calvert City United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, and 4Rivers Church) for our annual Community Thanksgiving Service held this year at Pathway Baptist Church. They were gracious hosts, the music was great, and if you went away hungry, it was your own fault. The Area, soon to be formally named The Upper Room, is incredible. If you haven t seen it yet, you will be so pleased with the tremendous efforts of a host of folks! Even as I type, the contractor is installing our new glass backboards in the Activities Center. We re calling it Center because we re confident that we ll have lots of activities starting up for folks of all ages. Also, I trust you noticed the new directional signs throughout the church. It took a while to work out the placement, but they look great and it helps our guests... and maybe some of our members... get around more easily. Just a heads up, we presented the 2019 budget proposal at the Nov 28 th Membership Meeting. If you would like a copy, please stop by the church office. We call a formal vote at our Dec 19th Meeting. As I close, I want to share a story that I believe really highlights the importance of our church fellowship. We need each other. A man from the big city was enjoying a relaxing drive in the country when a dog ran in front of his car. He swerved to miss it but lost control of his car and ended up in a ditch. After a few unsuccessful attempts to get his car out, the man sat on his bumper and waited for help to arrive. He didn t have to wait long. A farmer who lived just down the road came to his aid with a big, powerfullooking horse. The farmer hitched the horse to the car s bumper, and when the rope was secure, the farmer yelled, Pull, Nellie, pull! But the horse didn t move. Then the farmer yelled, Pull, Buster, pull! But the horse didn t move. Next the farmer yelled, Pull, Coco, pull! But the horse still didn t move. Finally, the farmer said, Pull, Buddy, pull! And the horse dragged the car from the ditch with very little effort. The motorist was appreciative and a little curious. Why did you call out four names when your horse only responded to one? he asked. The farmer smiled. Oh, Buddy is blind, he explained, and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn t even try! Just like Buddy, we need other people to bring out the best in us. As the Scripture says, Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). That s why God created us to be part of a community, part of a family, and part of the church. We all really need each other. Don t forget our Christmas Breakfast at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, Dec 23. We will cancel Sunday School that day and enjoy a time of holiday fellowship. The Worship Service will still be at 10:15 am. More information will be coming through announcements and in Sunday School. Thank you for the blessing of being your pastor. I can t think of any place I d rather be. My prayer is that 2019 will be one of fresh blessings and new joys. Together in Him, Bro Jim Children s Ministry: Janet Dietsch Well, the hustle and bustle have started and the Christmas season is underway. Wait, just what is the Christmas season? Is it all the decorations? Is it buying the right presents? Is it getting and receiving? Is it Santa Claus? Is it the dinners and the parties? Is it the Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel and others? Is it the Christmas tree and all the ornaments? What is it? Christmas is a season of praise and thanksgiving for the birth of Jesus Christ, which begins with Christmas Eve (December 24 after sundown) and continues through the Day of Epiphany (the 12 th day after Christmas). I, like so many others, think of the Christmas season starting after Thanksgiving and ending the day after Christmas. That is really the period of Advent, which is the period of preparation for Christmas, which is His coming. As we begin Advent, we prepare ourselves for His coming. We fill our hearts with love, joy, peace, and hope. This is a time to enjoy and get ready to celebrate His birth.

4 On November 25 th, we topped off the Christmas tree at AWANA. We talked about what really tops off Christmas. The children knew that it was the birth of Jesus. They still enjoy Santa and presents, but they also know what Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus. Come join us in celebrating the birth of Jesus. Merry Christmas! Children in Christ, Janet Dietsch Music Ministry: Danny Granstaff The following is an article by: Sam Storms, Lead Pastor at Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, OK THE IRREPRESSIBLE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS There was a time when the glitz and tinsel of Christmas used to bother me. But no more. It bothered me, then, because it seemed at times as if Jesus had become lost in all the hoopla of the holiday season. I was fearful that the secularism and sophistication of society had somehow obscured Christ right out of Christmas. But I ve come to realize that it can t be done. I m not bothered by the trinkets of Christmas anymore because I ve come to realize that no matter what anyone does or what a court may decree, the irrepressible Christ will be there. Even in the stores and shopping malls where crass commercialism is so rampant, Jesus is there. Although the Salvation Army may be banned from certain stores, his name is yet on the lips of adoring shoppers. The intercom in the department stores broadcasts for all to hear, strains of Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the new born King! No matter how hard people may try, and they are indeed trying harder and harder with the passing of time, they can t avoid Christ at Christmas. Whether in the ever-present nativity scene in someone s front yard (though it be banned from the courthouse lawn) or the TV broadcast of a choir singing the Hallelujah chorus from Handel s Messiah, Jesus is there. Jack Hayford put it this way: Jesus is the central personality of history, and whether Christmas is canned or canonized, packaged in ribbon and sold for profit or sanctified in a cathedral where humble souls worship, He is the inescapable Christ. The fury of demon-inspired opposition to His praise seeks to ban pageantry and sterilize holy celebration to suit the antagonism of organized unbelief. But Jesus keeps rising again. Every Christmas turns out to be an Easter. The irrepressible power of his life keeps the song rolling from age to age. So who is this Jesus, this inescapable, irrepressible figure who fills Christmas with his presence? How shall we think of him: as the baby in a manger, the child who fled with his parents to Egypt, the teenager in the temple confounding the scribes, the angry prophet routing moneychangers in the temple, the teacher revealing eternal truths, the healer giving sight to the blind, the deliverer casting out demons, the savior dying for sinners, the Lord rising from the dead, the king now ruling from heaven? Yes, all this, and far more. He is God become flesh. He is virgin born Son of God, sinless man and eternal God in one person. He is the last Adam, who alone can reverse the damage and death of the first Adam. He is the substitutionary sacrifice for sinners (after all, the only real Christmas tree is the Cross). He is risen Lord. He is exalted at the right hand of the Father. All power and dominion and authority are his. He is coming King! So, let us never forget, especially at this time of year, that... Although he entered time and history, he is the source and creator of both (Col. 1:17; Jn. 1:1-3). Although he became a participant in our world, he is the providential Lord over it (Heb. 1:3). Although he is in himself eternally invisible, he became visible and revealed the fullness of deity (Jn. 1:14,18; 14:9). Although sinless, he became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Although now unseen, he will one day return in visible and irresistible glory to consummate his kingdom. Worshipping always, Danny Ministry: Lance & Trena Gregory Christmas is fast approaching!! With the Celebration of the Birth of our Savior coming up we started the video series The Christmas Experience. What a neat and different perspective this series shows us of the events leading up to the birth of Christ. We focus so much on just the birth that we sometimes miss the whole story of the relationship between Joseph and Mary and what they may have went through with the great task that lay before them. If you ve never seen it I urge you to check it out! We also plan to have a Lock-in and Christmas party this month. Thank you for your support!! In Christ, Lance & Trena Gregory

5 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Hanging of the Green Service Prayer Mtg CC Christmas Parade Prayer Mtg Deacons Mtg. Business Mtg Christmas Breakfast 9:00 am No Sunday School Christmas Eve Candelight & Lord s Supper Service 5:00 pm Merry Christmas All Activities Cancelled Activity Center Reserved Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Happy New Year! Resumes Office Closed Office Closed NURSERY ASSISTANTS USHERS PRAYER ROOM DEACON OF THE WEEK Dec 2 Alison Risher & Debbie Mahaffey Gerry Poague Oral Sickling & Dale Smith Dale Smith Dec 9 Alison Risher & Hadley Pagel Adam Morton Jill Pagel & Anna Hodge Andy Pagel Dec 16 Alison Risher & Jenny Travis Les Evans Phil Broyles & Jason Young Lance Gregory Dec 23 Alison Risher & Tricia Greer Larry Coursey Andy Pagel & Sam Jones Ray Tucker Dec 30 Alison Risher & Kathy Poague Phil Broyles Becky Tynes & Carolyn Outland Aaron Smith Dec Jan Kids Town Worship Marcella s Drivers Counters Teller Team Jill Pagel Schedule needed Tue Dec 4: Ray Tucker Fri Dec 7: Nancy Whitler Mon Dec 3: Rebecca & Becky Tue Dec 11: David Madison Fri Nov 16: Nancy Whitler Mon Dec 10: Tue Dec 18: Sam Jones Fri Dec 21: Nancy Whitler Mon Dec 17: Nigel Tue Dec 25: n/a Christmas Fri Dec 28: Nancy Whitler Mon Dec 24: Mildred (Subject to Marcella s Holiday closings) Mon Dec 31: Betty Dec: Les & Ronda Evans Jan : Schedule needed