A Message from Pastor Ed

Transcription

1 A monthly newsletter for members and friends of First Baptist Church of Painesville - December 2016 Church Link A Message from Pastor Ed Christmas Is Always On Sunday, November 27, the first day of Advent, I was a bad boy and preached something other than a Christmas sermon. The main reason I did that is because for Jerie Leigh and me, that was our last Sunday serving the First Baptist Church of Painesville. There were some things that I felt God wanted me to say in that final message. The sermon was still about Jesus, but it didn't have much about his birth. For those who might have been disappointed with my slighting of the first Advent Sunday, this column is for you. (The rest of you are also encouraged to keep reading.) Look above at the title of this column. Have you ever heard that expression before? My guess is that it is new to you. It is the title of a book and the title of one of my favorite Christmas Carols. Dale Evans Rogers wrote both the book (in 1958) and the music and lyrics to the song (in 1957). The song is one of 12 Christmas songs on an old 33 rpm vinyl record and on a CD. Check it out on Youtube. Here are the lyrics: If you have Jesus, then you have Christmas. Jesus was Christmas in Bethlehem. And if you have Jesus, your heart is singing Heavenly songs with the Angelic Choir. If you can say, "Jesus is mine," His star in your heart ever will shine. Like Mary just say, "be it unto me," Take this gift of love, and live eternally. If you have Jesus, Christmas is always, For Jesus is Christmas all through the year. All through the year!

2 As a retired high school English teacher, I love quotable quotes and imaginative ways of putting words together--like "Christmas Is Always"--and like "If you have Jesus, then you have Christmas." Even more, as a Christian, I love the thought, "If you have Jesus, then you have Christmas." And I agree with the opposite expression that is also true, "If you do not have Jesus, then you do not have Christmas." Take those expressions one step further, and you come up with the central TRUTH of the Bible. "If you have Jesus, you have been saved from your sins," and "If you do not have Jesus, you have not been saved from your sins." Dale Evans Rogers (who also wrote "Happy Trails") gave us a wonderful Christmas Carol, and I wish it were more familiar to people. It would be a great addition to the standard Christmas hymns sung in church. It fits right in with Matthew 1:21 where an angel told Joseph, "And Mary will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." My Christmas prayer for all of you reading this is that you do have Jesus and therefore are saved from your sins--and therefore have Christmas "All through the year"-- and therefore have Christmas for all eternity. First Baptist Church of Painesville, Jerie Leigh and I love all of you, we will miss all of you, and you will be forever in our hearts. Pastor Ed A big THANK YOU for all your donations of money and food for the pantry! In October 9 families were helped through our food pantry ministry. Please continue to help us keep the following food items on our shelves so we may be able to help the needy in our community: applesauce, canned fruit, vegetables, tuna, soups and baked beans, cereal, pancake mix and syrup, spaghetti sauce, macaroni & cheese, boxed potatoes, Hamburger or Tuna Helper, Miracle Whip, 100 % fruit juices, and Jell-o. Monetary gifts will be gratefully appreciated, as well. We are also in need of grocery bags. Please bring in your extras. Hosanna Circle November 7, 2016 was the last regular meeting of Hosanna Circle. Eight Sisters joined voices in song and shared very inspirational readings/ thoughts. Our prayer list continues to be long for our church family members and friends. Three Sisters will provide the meal for Project Hope on Thursday, December 29, Plans are to meet Saturday, November 26 at 9 a.m. to decorate the church for Christmas. Brandee presented an appropriate devotion for Thanksgiving which we all enjoyed. Our next meeting is Monday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. for the Annual Christmas Pot Luck and the sharing of Christmas readings. Help a child to stay off the streets this Christmas. Shelter one child for one night $39.11 Shelter a family of 4 for a night $ Shelter a child for 2 weeks $ Shelter a child for 30 days $1, the Father makes known to the children your faithfulness. Isaiah 38:19 TOP 3 Items for Shelter Christmas List 1. Gift cards to SAMS, Giant Eagle, McD s, gas stations, Walmart, local pizza places. 2. Paper products - Toilet paper, paper towels, bowls, cups. 3. Other: snacks for lunches, water, coffee, uten sils, creamer, latex gloves. ChurchLink A Monthly Newsletter for Members and Friends of First Baptist Church Johnnycake Ridge Road, Painesville, OH Phone:(440) Fax:(440) fbcpainesville@sbcglobal.net Website: fbcpainesville.org Rev. Anthony J. Edwards, Interim Pastor

3 The Chrismon Christmas tree, which originated in the Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Danville, Virginia, in 1957, is a way of honoring Christ. Chrismon is derived from two words, CHRISt and MONogram. The designs are monograms of and symbols for our Lord Jesus Christ. They were used by early Christians as identification to one another, to designate meeting places of the church, and as a witness to unbelievers. More significantly, these early symbols were a way of transmitting their faith. Because these designs have been used by His followers since Biblical times, they are the heritage of all Christians and serve to remind us, regardless of denomination, of the One we follow. Chrismons are always made in combinations of white and gold denoting the liturgical colors for Christmas. Gold also symbolized His majesty and glory. The tiny white lights reflect the purity of our Savior, the light of the World, as they decorate the evergreen tree. The ladies of the church made and presented the Chrismons that hang on the tree in the sanctuary as gifts of love to First Baptist Church in Chrismons make the celebration of our Lord s birth more meaningful by emphasizing God s great Gift to the world, our Savior Jesus Christ. Many Chrismons are combinations of two or more symbols. In order to help you read these monograms, the following brief explanation is offered. MONOGRAMS, LETTERS, WORDS X - Chi, the first letter of the word for CHrist in Greek. XP - ChiRho, the first two letters for CHRist in Greek. XC - Chi Sigma, the first and last letters of CHrisT in Greek. IHS or IHC - The first three letters of JESus in Greek. IC - The first and last letters of JesuS in Greek. IX - Monogram of the first letters of Jesus and CHrist. A- - Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They symbolize Christ as the beginning and the end. NIKA - Greek for Conqueror. M The first letter in the name of our Lord s mother, Mary. The Chrismon Christmas Tree

4 Several Ways to Celebrate Christmas Christmas Cards for the Homebound Place your Christmas cards for our homebound members and friends in the card box in the foyer. They will be delivered during Christmas Caroling. A list of names and addresses can be found next to the box. The Mitten Tree Hosanna Circle will sponsor our Mitten Tree again this year. Everyone is invited to bring mittens, gloves, warm hats, scarves, socks, etc. to decorate the tree, located in the foyer. The gifts will then be given to those in need. Christmas Caroling Spread Christmas joy by going caroling with your friends at First Baptist on Sun., Dec. 18 at 12:30 p.m. This year we will visit our homebound members and friends. Advent Worship and Music: We invite you to the Lord s house to worship Him with Carols of Christmas at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday in December. The Messiah Chorus will present Handel s Messiah on Sun., Dec. 4, at 4 p.m. at St. John Vianney Church,7575 Bellflower Rd., Mentor, OH. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Every Christmas Eve the congregation fills the church to sing carols and to celebrate the birth of Christ by lighting candles. The Christmas worship begins at 7:00 p.m. Bring your family and relatives.

5 December Birthdays Judy Whipple 1 Elisabeth McCurdy 2 Arlene Silbaugh 2 Viola Batuski 6 Pamela Leivo 6 Marissa Sell 6 Mikey (Cunningham) Wizniak 8 Anna Samples 9 Nathan Luzier 11 Nora Luzier 12 Norm Alber 29 June Barnes 31 Bradley Caton 31 No December Anniversaries If you are not included in our birthday and/or anniversary lists and would like to be, please call the office at Thank you! Hospitality Volunteers Greeters Welcome Center 12/4 Brandee & Sean Jackie Dwyer & Masterson Lindy Leathers 12/11 Peggy Ryan & W. Fredebaugh & Crystal Reed Mary Anne Kelly 12/18 Betty Swails & Jacquie Wolf & Hedy Takacs Lindy Leathers 12/25 Merry Christmas Janet Neil & From many Jackie Dwyer Worship Service Scripture Readers 12/4 Peggy Ryan 12/11 Tom Bishop 12/18 Bob Wolf 12/25 Bev Smith Wednesday Bible Study/Prayer Meeting Nursery/Toddler Volunteers (9:50 am) 12/4 Caregiver: Lori Humphreys Helper: Sandy Namestnik 12/11 Caregiver: Jackie Dwyer Helper: Sandy Namestnik 12/18 Caregiver: Wendy Fredebaugh Helper: Sandy Namestnik 12/25 Merry Christmas! No nursery/toddler volunteers Come at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday and join in with others who are seeking God s face, praising Him, and then interceding on behalf of others. We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all. J. Oswald Chambers Annual Business Meeting Sunday, December 11 Following Worship Service

6 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1: 2 3 Faith through Gratitude According to the dictionary, faith is a noun. But in practice faith is closer to a verb, an action word. Through our faith in God, and our gratitude for the salvific actions of Jesus Christ we are called to be faithful servants of the gospel and to live out the ministry of Jesus in word and deed. The gratitude that we have for Jesus gift to us is the seed from which springs the gratitude that manifests toward the people of God. Therefore, we understand that actualizing our faith matters. And faith expressed through gratitude for others matters to those who are hurting, and to those who are in need. In the scripture from 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul commends this community for their service that is grounded in their faith, love and hope in Jesus Christ. As Christians we recognize that thousands of years later we too, must serve just as the Thessalonians before us. The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO) replicates the important message of the Thessalonians passage. Through RMMO, American Baptist congregations are given the opportunity to express their gratitude to the many servants who stepped forward and said, Here am I, send me. In 1948, churches began donating to the November Communion Fellowship Offering, providing financial assistance to the denomination s elderly ministers, missionaries and their widowed spouses. As a way to continue this practice of gratitude, in 1977 American Baptist Churches USA formally introduced the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering. We continue this tradition each year and provide assistance to those who have devoted their lives to God s service by providing a Thank You check. Through your generous giving, in 2015 RMMO provided checks to more than 3,436 recipients and distributed $1,105,147. Our goal for RMMO in 2016 is to raise $1.2 million. Will you help us with this appeal? We hope you will join us in honoring God s committed servants

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00 p.m. Painesville Friday 4 9:00 a.m. Bible Blast & ABF 10:00 a.m.. Praise Practice 10:30 a..m. Worship, Communion 7:00 p..m. Kensington Sunday 5 6:30 p.m. Hosanna Circle Potluck at the Church 6 7 6:30 p.m. Bible Study/ Prayer Meeting 8 10:00 a.m. Mary/Martha Prayer Circle 9 7:00 p.m. Painesville Friday :00 a.m. Bible Blast & ABF 10:00 a.m.. Praise Practice 10:30 a..m. Worship 11:30 a.m. Annual Business Meeting 7:00 p..m. Kensington Sunday :00 p.m. North Coast Historical Recovery 14 6:30 p.m. Bible Study/ Prayer Meeting :00 p.m. Painesville Friday :00 a.m. Bible Blast & ABF 10:00 a.m.. Praise Practice 10:30 a..m. Worship 12:30 p..m. All Church Caroling Link Reports Due 7:00 p..m. Kensington Sunday :30 p.m. Bible Study/ Prayer Meeting 22 OFFICE 23 OFFICE 7:00 p.m. Painesville Friday 24 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (?) 25 Merry Christmas No Bible Blast or ABF 10:00 a.m.. Praise Practice 10:30 a..m. Worship 7:00 p..m. Kensington Sunday 26 OFFICE :30 p.m. Bible Study/ Prayer Meeting 29 OFFICE 30 OFFICE 31

8 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Johnnycake Ridge Painesville, OH Return Service Requested Guest Weekly & Monthly Events & Meetings Bible Blast & ABF - Sundays, 9:00 a.m. Praise Practice - Sundays, 10:00 a.m. Worship - Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Communion - First Sunday of each month, 10:30 a.m. Worship Service 1st Baptist Singers - 3rd Sunday of each month, 12:30 p.m. Hosanna Circle - First Monday of each month, 7:00 p.m. (October - December, February - June) Bible Study/Prayer Meeting - Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Mary/Martha Prayer Circle - 2nd Thursday, 10:00 a.m. Link Reports Due - 18th of each month Upcoming Events & Meetings Handel s Messiah - 12/4 at 4:00 p.m. at St John Vianney Church Hosanna Circle Christmas Potluck - 12/5, 6:30 p.m. at FBCP Annual Business Meeting - 12/11, 11:30 a.m. (following worship service) All Church Christmas Caroling to our Homebound - 12/18, 12:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 12/24, 7:00 p.m. Christmas Morning Worship Service - 12/25, 10:30 a.m. (No Sunday School)