Steeple Views. Christmas Lovefeast. Christmas Service for the Bereaved. Christmas Eve. Wednesday, December 17, 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room

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1 Steeple Views Issue 49 December 10, 2008 First Baptist Church Monroe North Carolina Christmas Service for the Bereaved Sunday, December 14, 3:00 p.m. in our Sanctuary Co-sponsored by Gordon Funeral Service The community-wide service will include traditional lessons and carols and a homily by Dr. Hewett. Those attending are invited to bring a photo of their loved one for display during the service. A coffee hour will be held immediately following the service. Help us spread the word about this service. If you know of people outside our church family who could benefit from this service, please extend them an invitation. Christmas Lovefeast Wednesday, December 17, 6:30 p.m. Featuring: LESSONS AND CAROLS LIGHTING OF CANDLES TRADITIONAL MORAVIAN FARE Chick-fil-A supper served at 5:30 p.m. permanent reservations apply for additions or cancelations call the church office by noon on Tuesday, December 16 Parents, if your child would like Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, sign up in Sunday School or call the church office Christmas Eve Wednesday, December 24 6:00 & 11:00 p.m. Lighting of the CHRIST candle Lessons and Carols Homily by Dr. Hewett Glimpses of Incarnation: A Sign Celebration of Holy Communion Child care will be provided for the 6:00 p.m. service Young-at-Heart Christmas Luncheon Thursday, December 18 12:00 noon Cost: $6.00 per person Please sign up by December 16

2 This Week at FBC Sunday, December 14 9:15 AM Prayer Room Open (Room 305) 9:15 AM Media Center Open Circulation: Audrey Bales 9:45 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Preschool Extended Session 11:00 AM Service of Worship 12:30 PM College Group Lunch/Bible Study 3:00 PM Service for the Bereaved 5:00 PM Youth Group 5:45 PM Youth Choir 6:30 PM Snack Supper (McBride Family) 7:00 PM Chancel Ringers Monday, December 15 6:30 PM TOPS 6:30 PM Board of Missions - home of Paul Sims Wednesday, December 17 10:00 AM Advent Bible Study for Adults 5:30 PM Fellowship Meal Buffet: Chick-fil-A sandwich, chips Kid s line: chicken nuggets, chips 6:30 PM Christmas Lovefeast Thursday, December 18 12:00 PM Young-at-Heart Luncheon - Multipurpose Room Friday, December 19 2:30 PM Blood Drive in Multipurpose Room Loaves & Fishes is requesting contributions of 5-pound bags of sugar and selfrising flour, as well as cake mixes for December. Please place donations in the marked container in the Gathering Area. Thank you for continuing to help feed the hungry in our community. Pastoral Care Emergencies Minister on Call December Paul Sims By the Numbers Sunday, December 7, 2008: Kid s Korner Join us on December 24 at 6:00 p.m. for the Christmas Eve Service Bible Study Attendance Adults College Group Youth Children Worship Attendance Weekly Budget Requirements...$ 12,992 Budget Receipts...$ 16,154 Budget Requirements to Date...$181,888 Budget Receipts to Date...$158,649 Stewardship Report for November: Budget Receipts...$53,079 Budget Expenses...$52,837 Baptism If you are interested in being baptized at the 6:00 service on Christmas Eve, please contact the church office to make an appointment to speak with Dr. Hewett Volunteers are needed to provide childcare at the 6:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. (We will not provide childcare for the 11:00 p.m. service.) If you can help, please call the church office. Flower Calendar The 2009 Flower Calendar has been posted on the wall outside the church office. If you would like to secure a Sunday to place flowers in the sanctuary either in memory or honor of someone, please fill in the information on the calendar. The flowers need to be paid for ($60.00) the week before your scheduled Sunday. Please drop by the church office to make payment. Make checks payable to First Baptist Church.

3 The Worship of God December 14, 2008, 11:00 a.m. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Lighting the Candle of Joy Richard and Glenda Poindexter Jackson Wall, acolyte Voluntary O Come, O Come, Emmanuel by Raymond Haan Jackie Forbes, cello Anthems The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns by Carol Schalk Chancel Choir Men Taylor Vanvil, guitar; Jackie Forbes, cello On Jordan s Banks the Baptist s Cry by Hal Hopson The Chancel Choir Hope Will Come by James Brighton The Student Choir Sermon by John Hewett Glimpses of Incarnation: A Witness Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; I Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-9, Audio CDs of our worship services are available in the church office Audio recordings of sermons are available on our website, Congratulations to FBC members Ron Sumrow, incoming Chairman of the Union County Chamber of Commerce, and Bobby Griffin, recently named as Union County s Man of the Year. We salute these gentlemen for their extraordinary leadership in our community. The FBC family extends best wishes and heartiest congratulations to Lance Dunn and Teresa London- Dunn on their recent renewal of wedding vows. BLOOD DRIVE Friday, December 19, 2:30-7:00 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Monroe Lions Club and First Baptist Church Book Club Members of the Faith in Fiction Book Club have chosen William Young s The Shack to be discussed at their January 8 meeting. For the February 5 meeting they will discuss A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. Giving Statements on the way Quarterly Giving Statements for the first quarter of this fiscal year (September-November) will be mailed in the next few days. In early January, you will receive a statement of all your giving for calendar year Committees Sunday School Greeters: Joy/Agape Class Church Office Volunteer: Katherine Cox Security: Thirby Harrill Ushers: Sylvia Baker, Tom Coffey, R.V. Lee Tim McBride, Carolyn White Offertory: Paula Lee, Gerhard Ungerer, Melody Hawkins, Carol Baker Preschool Extended Session: Nursery-Christina Kale Preschool Susan, Lauren, and Hannah Echols Money Counters: Bob Cassels, Claire Trowbridge Wednesday Night Helpers: Annette Kilby, Jane Hawkins, Buddy Lyon, Joel Myers First Baptist Family Please remember the following in prayer. At Home: Russ, Terri and Matt Sharp John Whitley John Ward Other: Dr. Paul Helms at Monroe Manor Eleanor Ward, mother of Eleanor O Neill Robert Berryhill, uncle of Larry Tuggle Nancy and Clyle Tilley, sister and brother-inlaw of Pat Herrell Immanual Baptist Church, Peducah, Kentucky sanctuary burned

4 Farther Along... The chorus of Amens which erupted at the end of worship Sunday bore witness to the powerful stirring of the Spirit of God. It was a good and blessed day. Paul Sims does such masterful work in weaving strains of praise and wonder into a tapestry of authentic worship, and Sunday was yet more evidence of his considerable gifts. Thanks to all our ministers of music choristers and instrumentalists - who invested hours in preparation and rehearsal so we could be led to the heights. And thank you for coming. We had our highest worship attendance (other than Easter) in the past two years. Praising God with an increasingly full house feels better and better all the time. Guests and visitors wander into empty churches and wonder, Is there life here? They didn t have to ask that question Sunday morning, did they? I read this week about a Baptist megachurch in Texas that s adjusting its Christmas Eve services to make them more seeker friendly. Specifically, they ve deleted the Lord s Supper from their worship on Christmas Eve. Communion, it seems, can be off putting to nonmembers. They want their Christmas Eve services to be nonthreatening to holiday visitors. Well. Shall we also remove the crosses from the altar and baptistry, which can be offensive to some? And perhaps weave into the liturgy a few choruses of The Little Drummer Boy and Holly Jolly Christmas so people will feel familiar and comfortable? And maybe we can gloss over those verses in Matthew about Herod killing all the little boys in Bethlehem, and the flight into Egypt to escape his murderous pogrom. And the passage in Luke where aged Simeon announces: this child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too (Lk. 2:34-35). Maybe we could just hand out candy canes and lick them together in remembrance of Jesus. The dumbing down of Christian worship in a silly and vain attempt to reach people with the gospel is an exercise in futility. You can gather a crowd that way, and what you get is a crowd, not a church; an audience, not a congregation. Having drawn them with spectacle and entertainment, how do you fashion them into the body of Christ? Join us for worship Christmas Eve. We re going to read the Bible, preach the gospel, confess our sins, gather round the Lord s table, pray, sing, give our money, and light candles of hope, peace, joy and love. That may be too esoteric for some who would feel more comfortable with sleigh bells. So be it. John Hewett Steeple Views First Baptist Church First Baptist Church 109 Morrow Avenue Monroe NC Free and faithful Baptists ministering in the heart of Union County since 1852 Web-site... John H. Hewett, Senior Minister... john.hewett@monroefirstbaptist.org Paul M. Sims, Minister... paul.sims@monroefirstbaptist.org Sara Spahr Stubbs, Minister... sara.stubbs@@monroefirstbaptist.org Joyce Helms, Interim Organist Marsha Sexton, Business Manager... marsha.sexton@monroefirstbaptist.org Kathy Cole, Ministry Coordinator...kathy.cole@monroefirstbaptist.org Cissy Brewer, Weekday Preschool Director... chbrewer@carolina.rr.com RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED TO: 109 Morrow Avenue, Monroe, NC PRSRT STD Non-Profit Permit #34 Monroe, NC 28110

5 MissionsFirst ANGEL TREE Twenty-two children are represented by ornaments on the Angel Tree located in the Gathering Area. To sponsor a child, take the top ornament listing requested items. Write your name on the corresponding bottom ornament and leave it attached to the tree. Purchase items and return them (unwrapped in a plastic bag) with the ornament attached to the outside of the bag. Please return by Sunday, December ornaments remain on the Angel Tree come by or call today to sign up for an Angel Tree child. (in partnership with Union County Public Schools and the Union County Christmas Bureau) NEEDED A young single mother (with three children), new to Monroe, is in need of the following items. If you can help, please contact Denice Harris, Debby McBride or Paul Sims: Pillows Pots and Pans Towels other Kitchen items Sheets Clothes Dryer Memorials By Mary Humphries, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Akers, Jane Austin, and Lois Jones in memory of Howard Randall. By Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Price in memory of Johnsie Montgomery and Howard Randall. By Frances Vaughan in memory of Evelyn Brinkley, Margaret Boatwright, Johnsie Montgomery, Steddy Parris and James Sherwood. By Dr. and Mrs. C.G. Hopper in memory of Sterling Vaughan and Howard Randall. By Mr. and Mrs. Ken Hedgepath in memory of Johnsie Montgomery. By Barbara Austin in memory of Clint Benton, III. By Mr. and Mrs. Harold Funderburk in memory of Margaret Boatwright. By Frances Vaughan in honor of Mike Knight and Mary Nash. By Mr. and Mrs. Gene Herrell in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Sain, Mr. and Mrs. Carol Baker, Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Nance, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Funderburk, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sowder, and Joe Beach. By Mr. and Mrs. Ken Hedgepath in honor of Vickie Tuggle and Pat Turner. By Buddy Lyon in honor of Robert Berryhill. Churchwide Christmas Caroling Sunday, December 21, 4:00 p.m. Hot chocolate and cookies served afterwards in the Multipurpose Room Need donations of home baked cookies to be given to our shut-ins during the Caroling If you are willing to bake cookies, sign up in Sunday School or call the church office Ornaments Help us decorate the Christmas tree in the Gathering Area. Bring an ornament from your house to God s house starting this Sunday, December 7. You can place the ornament directly on the tree. If you can t be here Sunday, you can bring the ornament during office hours next week. Purchase a poinsettia in honor or memory of someone you love. These poinsettias will fill our sanctuary Sunday, December 21 and the week following, including Christmas Eve. They may be picked up Sunday, December 28. Cost is $7.50 each. Sign up in Sunday School, call or the church office to place your order. Orders need to be placed by this Sunday December 14.

6 Youth Christmas Party Sunday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. home of Sally Goodwin (202 N. Crawford Street, Monroe) Everyone is asked to bring a wrapped $7.00 or less gift and a finger food to share Thank you Dear Church Family: Thank you for all the cards, calls and remembrances during the recent death of my brother, James. I am indeed fortunate to be part of such a loving and caring church and community. Harry Sherwood Thank you to Mable Bivens for donating the Christmas wreaths on the church doors. They are in loving memory of J. W. Bivens and Kendra Bivens Gordon. Let It Snow! a retreat for women First Baptist Church Monroe January 17, :00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration Fee: $15.00 Includes a light breakfast and catered lunch Bible Study Leaders: Susanne Ungerer, Carol Tyson, and Babs Simpson Worship Leader: Sara Spahr Stubbs Register by calling the church office ( ) or at the registration table in the Gathering Area Childcare will be provided INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!