THE PASTOR S DESK. Somehow, not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, The joy that you give to others, Is the joy that comes back to you.

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1 P I T T S B O R O B A P T I S T C H U R C H THE PASTOR S DESK Volume 63, Issue 12 December 2018 The Spiral - Keeping the people informed Somehow, not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, The joy that you give to others, Is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing The poor and lonely and sad, The more of your heart s possessing Returns to you glad. -John Greenleaf Whittier The Staff at Pittsboro Baptist Church would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. Pastor Tripp Harmon Ralph Sears Debra Magee Jennifer Cashion Archie Lassiter Pam Romel

2 Page 2 Coastal Women s Retreat # 1 Our theme for this retreat comes from Ephesians 3:12, In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Guest Speaker, Holly H. Myers will join us with a wealth of life experiences and Biblical teaching geared especially for women of all ages and walks of life. Together we will dig into scripture and unravel what it means to be set free in Christ in our day-to-day journeys. Returning to lead worship in song is Christian recording artist, Cindy Johnson, who has pleased audiences at Caswell as well as at many other venues across the country In addition, you can expect Coastal Women s Retreat staples like our delicious meals and meaningful break-out group sessions, to round out the unique spiritual weekend experience. Total cost for the retreat will be determined. For questions contact Amy Harmon or ugetscan1@aol.com

3 Page 3 LOSS OF A SPOUSE Grieving the death of a spouse? Or do you know someone who is? Find help at the Loss of a Spouse seminar. You ll hear: Practical advice from others who ve been there What to expect in your grief How to cope with life without your spouse Why it won t always hurt this much Sunday December 2 nd 2:30pm 4:30pm in the fellowship hall. Register at at the back table, or contact Julie LoRusso julie@jilcpa.com or Rhonda Myers rflyrm@gmail.com Next time you need vanilla, black pepper or a good pot scrubber, shop at The Myrtle Brewer Sunday School Class. Happy Home Vanilla Flavoring $3.50 exceptional vanilla taste Happy Home Pure Malabar Black Pepper 10 oz $9.50 the absolute best black pepper that you'll find anywhere. Then clean-up with the Danny Duzit Scrubber made from a special high-grade stainless steel that will not rust. $3.50

4 Page 4 LIFE GROUP NEWS Are you in a LIFE group? Yes your group will be starting a new study on January 6 th! No you can join a discipleship group that will begin the week of January 6 th! Why should I join a discipleship group? Pastor Tripp s sermons on Sunday will be based on the information from the new study Real Life Discipleship Training Manual. You realize you need to know more about making disciples (don t we all?) You might decide to turn your discipleship group into a LIFE group. What is our goal? Become a church of believers dedicated to seeing the world saved. Become a disciple who makes disciples. How can I join? Sign up at the back table Call the office Contact Paul LoRusso, paul@jilcpa.com Julie LoRusso, julie@jilcpa.com

5 T H E S PI R AL - K E E P I N G T H E PE O P LE I NF O R M E D Page 5 All can serve on a Disaster Relief Team November 10, Pittsboro Baptist Church sent 18 people to help in Onslow County with Disaster Relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

6 Page 6 PBC MEMBER WINS QUILT RAFFLE Congratulations to Rhonda Myers, winner of the 2018 PBC Prayer Quilt Ministry Raffle. Prayer Quilt Ministry members are grateful to everyone who purchased raffle tickets as well as items at the Pittsboro Street Fair. All proceeds are used to purchase materials for prayer quilts. This past year, the group made a total of 60 quilts, which were given to individuals who have experienced life-changing trauma whether from illness, loss of a loved one, or other experiences. Quilts are given by request to provide comfort, healing, and prayers. In addition, the group provides baby quilts for the young women at the Reach-out Crisis Pregnancy Center in Sanford, patriotic-themed quilt blocks for military veterans through the Quilts of Valor project, and special-sized quilts for patients at the Jim & Betsy Bryan Hospice Home in Pittsboro. Early in 2019, the quilters will provide sewing lessons for the girls in the PBC Youth program. The Prayer Quilt Ministry is solely funded through donations and money-raising efforts of the group. Materials alone for a quilt can costs up to $65 - $75 each. Pictured Left to right: Diane Braswell, Patsy Johnson, Quilt Winner Rhonda Myers, Donna Harmon, Lula Bryant, Debra Magee, Betty Jean Hinton In case you did not recognize this man of many talents, this photo is a clue. Is this a new member of the Pittsboro Baptist Church Prayer Quilt Ministry?

7 Page 7 The Story Behind the Song: Silent Night Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 It was Christmas Eve in the Austrian Alps. At the newly constructed Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, a Tyrol village near Salzburg, Father Joseph Mohr prepared for the midnight service. He was distraught because the church organ was broken, ruining prospects for the evening s carefully planned music. But Father Joseph was about to learn that our problems are God s opportunities, that the Lord causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him. It came into Father Joseph s mind to write a new song, one that could be sung organless. Hastily, he wrote the words, Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright Taking the text to his organist, Franz Gruber, he explained the situation and asked Franz to compose a simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, Silent Night was sung for the first time as a duet accompanied by a guitar at the aptly named Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf. Shortly afterward, as Karl Mauracher came to repair the organ, he heard about the near-disaster on Christmas Eve. Acquiring a copy of the text and tune, he spread it throughout the Alpine region of Austria, referring to it as Tiroler Volkslied. The song came to the attention of the Strasser Family, makers of fine chamoisskin gloves. To drum up business at various fairs and festivals, the four Strasser children would sing in front of their parent s booth. Like the Von Trapp children a century later, they beccame popular folk singers throughout the Alps. When the children Caroline, Joseph, Andreas, and Amalie began singing Trioler Volkslied at their performances, audiences were charmed. It seemed perfect for the snow-clad region, and perfect for the Christian heart. Silent Night even came to the attention of the king and queen, and the Strasser children were asked to give a royal performance, assuring the carol s fame. Silent Night was first published for congregational singing in 1838 in the German hymnbook, Katholisches Gesang und Gebetbuch fur den offentlichen and hauslichen Gottedienst zunachst zum Gebrauche der katholischen Gereinden im Konigreiche Sachsen. It was used in America by German speaking congregations, then appeared in its current English form in a book of Sunday school songs in Were it not for a broken organ, there would never have been a Silent Night. (copied from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan)

8 Page 8 Are you looking for a new family tradition? Join us! December 16th at 3:30pm We will meet in the fellowship hall and then travel to a local neighborhood to carol, return to warm up with hot chocolate and Christmas goodies, and then visit Twin Rivers to share holiday cheer with others through song!

9 Page 9 Senior adults are invited to the 3L's Annual Covered Dish Christmas Luncheon, Tuesday - December 4, 10:30am Pittsboro Baptist Church Fellowship Hall Entertainment by PBC Preschool Laugh, Live Longer A Senior Adult Ministry, Age 55+ Join the 3L s as they take a trip to Selma, NC December 7, 8:00am At the Rudy Theatre for The Christmas Show Laugh, Live Longer PBC Senior Adult Ministry, Age 55+

10 Page 10 Ushers Aaron Kivette, Don Dodson, Scott Scheffler & Karl Shaffer Greeters Jimmy & Susie Griffin NURSERY December 2 - Darren Powers & Owen Powers Karl Shaffer & Kimberly Houston December 9 - Amy Harmon & Karlie Wiggins Amy Dibb & Andrew Dibb December 16 - Kelly Fowler & Carolyn Johnson Aaron Kivette & Kelly Kivette December 23 - Roderick Parker & Katherine Parker Tara Smith & Jeremy Smith December 30 Beth Parker & Jen Gunter Ken Haynes & Erica Melton CHILDREN S CHURCH December 2 - No Children s Church Christmas Program December 9 - No Children s Church Christmas Program December 16 Rich Trogden & Christine Trogden December 23 Jo Lynn Perry & Carole Sanders December 30 Christian Batcheller & Ashley Batcheller

11 Join us Page 11 And communion at 4:00 p.m. 3 Doris Griffin Morgan Crutchfield Charlie & Wanda Hudgins Richard & Martha Brigman 7 Don Whitt 12 Jeanne Mitchell 14 Diane Braswell 15 Kelly Kivette Katie Scheffler 16 Brittany Lasater Jeff Magee Munro & Beth Parker 19 Doris Vaughn 22 Leslie Wilkins 24 Betty Jean Whitt

12 Page 12 miracle? Join inspirational author Max Lucado and experience anew the joy of Christmas. (copied from amazon.com) The Christmas season can be hectic, but at least one PBC Library patron says she likes to take a breath and relax by reading a Christmas-themed novel. It is a good plan as the novels listed below remind us of joy, sacrifice, and peace, all which reflect the reason for Christ s birth. Please stop by the PBC Library next Sunday and check out a book. The Christmas Candle by Mac Lucado Imagine a Victorian England village in the Cotswolds where very little out of the ordinary ever happens... except at Christmas time. This year, Edward Haddington, a lowly candle maker, is visited by a mysterious angel. That angel silently imparts a precious gift a gift that s bungled and subsequently lost. The candle maker and his wife, Bea, struggle to find the gift. And when they do, they have to make a difficult choice. Who among their community is most in need of a Christmas Starry Night by Debbie Macomber Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this novel from Debbie Macomber. Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author. Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives. Digging deep into Finn s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart. Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places. ( copied from amazon.com)

13 Page 13 A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas In Sandra Dallas' novel A Quilt for Christmas, it is 1864 and Eliza Spooner's husband Will has joined the Kansas volunteers to fight the Confederates, leaving her with their two children and in charge of their home and land. Eliza is confident that he will return home, and she helps pass the months making a special quilt to keep Will warm during his winter in the army. When the unthinkable happens, she takes in a woman and child who have been left alone and made vulnerable by the war, and she finds solace and camaraderie amongst the women of her quilting group. And when she is asked to help hide an escaped slave, she must decide for herself what is right, and who can she can count on to help her. ( copied from amazon.com) December 2018 Library Schedule 9-9:30a.m :30a.m. December 2, 2018 Judy Beaver Barbara Jones December 9, 2018 Cindy Springle Susie Griffin December 16, 2018 December 23, 2018 Kathy Shaffer Judy Beaver Kathy Shaffer Susie Griffin December 30, 2018 Roderick Parker Roderick Parker

14 December 2018 Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, Amen Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Praise Team 3pm Q&A 2019 Budget 5pm Kidz of Faith 5pm Q&A Budget 5pm JD s 6pm Youth 6pm Staff Meeting 10am 3L s Coverdish 10:30am Prayer Quilter 10am Senior Choir singing at Twin Rivers 3:00pm & The Laurels 3:45pm Called Conference- 6:30pm Senior Choir singing at Cambridge 3:00pm Adult Choir practice 7pm 3L s Trip to Selma, NC 8:00am Youth Xmas Party Griefshare-2:30pm JD s 6pm Staff Meeting 10am Property Mgmt-7pm Prayer Quilters-10am Praise Team 3pm Christmas Caroling 3:30pm Staff Meeting 10am Lunch Break Missions- 11:30am Prayer Quilters-10am Adult Choir 7pm Christmas Eve Service and Communion-4pm Prayer Quilters-10am 30 31