KNOLLWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH

Transcription

1 DECEMBER 2016 Vol. 59 No KNOLLWOOD CELEBRATES ADVENT & CHRISTMAS Sunday, December 4 10:55 a.m. The Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE Dr. Bob Setzer, Jr. preaching Sunday. December 11 The Third Sunday of Advent: JOY 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Christmas Music Festival Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming Chancel Choir, Youth Choir, Children s Choirs, Handbell Choirs, Knollwood Brass Wednesday, December 14 7:00 p.m. Service of Remembrance Sunday, December 18 10:55 a.m. The Fourth Sunday of Advent: LOVE Agape Communion and Feast Dr. Bob Setzer, Jr. preaching Saturday, December 24 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Service Come as you are child-friendly service with an original Christmas story for the children by Dr. Bob. Music by Carol Choir, Chapel Choir, Youth Choir, Guitars, Youth/Children instrumentalists. 11:00 p.m. Candles, Carols, & Communion Knollwood s candlelight kneeling communion - music by the Chancel Choir and soloists Sunday, December 25 Christmas Day No Sunday School, just a simple 10:55 a.m. service of carols, special music, and faith stories Sunday, January 1 10:55 a.m. The First Sunday after Christmas Corinne Causby preaching Agape 2016 A KNOLLWOOD TRADITION Sunday, December 18 Each year Knollwood celebrates the birth of Christ with Agape Sunday, a time to experience the love of the Father and fellowship among Christians. There will be a special worship service and Communion, followed by a shared meal in the Fellowship Hall and Dining Room. All are welcome to attend. To read more about the history of this celebration, go to agape-traditons. Each family attending is encouraged to bring a dessert (cookies, sweet breads, un-iced cakes, etc.) to share, in a disposable container. Those items should be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall prior to the worship service. There will be special dietary offerings for those requiring gluten-free, sugarfree, nut-free and vegetarian options. This table will be near the Christmas tree and marked with balloons. Contributions for the purchase of food are welcome and appreciated. These may be sent to the church office or placed in the offering plate (designated for Agape). As this event hosts the entire congregation, we welcome your participation in decorating, food preparation, serving and clean-up. Most tasks will just require a couple of hours of your time on Dec. 16, 17 or 18. If you can help, please Debbie Pruitt at debbiepruitt@icloud. com or call/text to ~Debbie Pruitt, Agape Team Chair

2 DECEMBER SOUNDINGS FROM THE WOODED KNOLL Sometimes grief sneaks up on you. You think you have dealt with it. You think it is tagged, boxed, and stashed in the attic. You think the wound has finally healed and all the tears are gone. Then you hear a voice two aisles over in the grocery store that sounds like your loved one lost. Instinctively, you perk up and for an instant, head in that direction. Then you remember. The anguish forms in your stomach and rolls over you like a wave. You crumple against the shelves, fish for a Kleenex, and hope no one is looking. Service of Remembrance December 14 7:00 p.m. Or you see an old movie and the memory of that special one demands its due. Or you re sitting in church, minding your own business, when a certain sight or sound pricks your tender heart. You huddle in the pew and brace yourself, knowing an earthquake is coming. Yes, despite all our attempts to mask and manage grief, grief will not be denied. That, in a strange way, is its power. Grief is God s gift for helping us cleanse the wound of loss so healing can begin. As Jesus promised, Blessed are those who mourn for they (and only they) shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). On Wednesday night, Dec. 14 at 7:00 in the sanctuary, our church will offer a Service of Remembrance. We do this because God s people know grieving in the presence of God and others can help the light of Christ shine in the dark night of the soul (John 1:4-5). The holidays are especially hard on those burdened by grief because such a premium is put on being happy, or at the very least, acting happy. But grief borne secretly and alone is toxic. Grief needs to be publicly acknowledged and even blessed before it can begin to heal. If you or someone you know and love is struggling with grief, make plans to participate in this service. This will be a simple service of carols, prayers, candles, and sharing. These elements will create a sacred space and time for owning grief and offering it to God in the hope of strength and healing. As Nicholas Wolterstorff writes in Lament for a Son, (Another s) tears are salve on our wounds. Year after year at our Service of Remembrance, I have found it so. For some, the thought of a special service for those experiencing a Blue Christmas may seem depressing, even distasteful. But those walking the jagged road of the broken heart instinctively know: our Lord could not truly be Emmanuel --God with us--unless he too were acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3, KJV). Blessings, Bob Setzer, Jr. In Memoriam Wayne Edward Davis Jan. 30, Nov. 12, 2016 Amon Lex Funderburk Mar. 3, Nov. 14, 2016 Betty Jean Bolling Vinson July 30, Nov. 17, 2016 John Weston Henderson Mar. 12, Nov. 22, 2016 The members of Knollwood extend their deepest sympathy to the bereaved and pray for God s healing presence in their lives. Among Our Church Family Our prayers and support are offered to those in the hospital Frank Vogler We continue to remember those recently released from the hospital Manford Haxton, Spencer Owen, Robyn Churn, Jimmy Robertson Our deepest sympathy is expressed to Linda Smith and family, on the death of her father, Joe Sink, Nov. 1. to LaVenta Davis and family, on the death of her husband, Wayne, Nov. 12 to Richard Vinson and Rick Vinson, on the death of Richard s wife, Rick s mother, Betty, Nov. 17. to Brenda Funderburk and family, on the death of her husband, Amon, Nov. 14. to Allison Belton and family, on the death of her father, Jimmy Belton, Nov. 12. to Mary Beth and Weston Henderson and family, on the death of her husband, his father, John, on Nov. 22. to Sara Smith on the death of her grandmother, Anna Dale Bumgarner, Nov. 24. Thank You Notes from Chris I would like to thank Knollwood Baptist Church for the cards, flowers, text, and s over the past few weeks. My family has felt surrounded by your love and prayers. The flowers at the church during my dad s service were beautiful. I want to thank the Senior Adults Committee for the beautiful flowers. They were much appreciated. ~Chris Norman Newsletter Deadline for Jan/Feb Newsletter 9:00 a.m. Jan. 13 Send articles to colleen@knollwood.org. KBC Photographer: Stephen Ball This newsletter is published monthly by Knollwood Baptist Church. Articles should be 300 words or less. Audio Recordings Dr. Bob s Sunday sermons are available online at Recorded worship services are available on CD for $1. Contact the church office, , or frontdesk@ knollwood.org. Sunday 9:45 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 10:55 a.m. Worship Service

3 Women s Evening Book Club This group gathers on the first Thursday of each month. Jan. 5 Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Feb. 2 Unless by Carol Shields The group will meet at 7:00 at Rachel Stinehelfer s home, 2813 Regency Dr., W-S. For more information, or to let the leaders know you plan to come, contact Jamie Southern, jamie. rogers@gmail.com, or Rachel Stinehelfer, ledalucy21@yahoo. com, If you wish, you may order books at a 20% discount through Bookmarks (contact Jamie). Monday Book Club Join us the second Monday of each month at 1:00 p.m. in the sitting area near the library as we share the pleasure and wisdom gleaned from each of the following books: Dec. 12 Lilac Girls Jan. 9 White Trash Questions? Contact Dean Clifford at or cliffordconsult@ mindspring.com. MONDAY MEN 8:00 p.m. Monday Evening Men Foothills at 638 W. 4th St. 7:00 a.m. Monday Morning Men 380 Knollwood, Ste. 700 Contact Chip Mims, cpmims3@gmail.com. ZUMBA Mondays at 5:45 p.m. Upstairs Noffsinger Call to register. Tuesday Evening Yoga 6-7 p.m. - Upstairs Noffsinger with health and wellness coach and yoga instructor, Jennie Schwarz. Sign up at FAITH FORMATION AND EDUCATION DECEMBER Christmas Day and New Year's Day All are welcome to join us for worship at 10:55. Sunday School classes will not meet December 25 or January 1. Sunday School 2017 begins January 8. Given Knollwood s involvement in refugee resettlement: do we have interest in a third Good Neighbor Team? Have you heard about the meaningful experiences of Knollwood s teams working under the guidance of notfor-profit World Relief to assist newly arrived refugees settling in Winston Salem? Team #1 began in May. Team St. Timothy s Overflow Shelter Volunteer Opportunities 7:30-9:00 a.m. Good Neighbor Team New Marriage Enrichment Group to Begin Need an idea for a great Christmas or Valentine s Day present for your sweetheart? How about something that can help you make your good relationship even better? Knollwood will be starting a new Marriage Enrichment Group (MEG) in February for five to eight couples in a committed relationship, who want to commit to a once a month meeting where we work on communication and couple intimacy skills. Contact the church office, or Chuck and Reneé Hinson to express your interest in this opportunity, chuck@thehinsongroup.com, or renee@thehinsongroup.com. ~Chuck Hinson Women s Bible Study Group We gather Wednesday mornings,usually at the home of Rachel Wiggins, 2320 Georgia Ave. Diane Lipsett leads the study using a guide composed by Richard Vinson. For more information, please contact Rachel Wiggins, rdwiggins@triad.rr.com, or Diana Long, dlong1221@gmail.com. CHILDREN S MINISTRY Bible Study for Moms of Young Children Please join us on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month for Bible Study. Led by a group of Knollwood moms, with Peggy Haymes and Carol Habegger, mentors. We d love for you to join us. If you are interested, chrissy@knollwood.org. #2 began its work in September in collaboration with members from Temple Emmanuel. Now we re gauging whether there s Knollwood interest in a third team, again in conjunction with Temple Emmanuel. If you have interest, questions or simply want more information, please contact Dean Clifford, cliffordconsult@ mindspring.com. Knollwood is partnering with St. Timothy s for the third year, and we need people of all abilities to volunteer at the shelter on any Thursday evening from Dec. 1 Mar. 31. Come and help guests check in (7-9 p.m.), provide and serve dinner for 25 (7-9 p.m.), drop off snack bags for 25, or stay overnight and support the staff (7 p.m.-7 a.m.). Knollwood has committed to Thursdays, so please sign up for at least one evening online: Virginia Sparkes for more information sfvsparkes@me.com. 2nd 4th Wednesdays 9:15-10:45 a.m.

4 DECEMBER FAITH FORMATION AND EDUCATION DECEMBER WEDNESDAYS THE ARTISTRY OF ADVENT 5:30 p.m. Meal Serving Begins 6:05 p.m. Sharing Life News & Prayer 6:15 p.m. Program (to 7:00 p.m.) DECEMBER 7 Celluloid Nativity led by Andy Tooze A creative exploration of nativity scenes in well-known films about Jesus. Fellowship Hall. No sign-up needed all are welcome. DECEMBER 7 A Christmas Soundtrack led by Matt Jamison An exploration of classic Christmas carols and other influential music of the season. Chapel, Bldg. A. No sign-up needed all are welcome. DECEMBER 14 Christmas Jazz Knollwood jazz musicians Dan Knight, piano, Bill Poole, drums, John Ray, bass, Ken Wilson, guitar, and Mary Ann Davis, vocalist, will be joined by guest guitarist Greg Hyslop for an evening of jazz standards from the Christmas tradition. The music begins at 5:30, concludes at 6:50, just before the Service of Remembrance. DECEMBER 14 7:00 p.m. - Service of Remembrance in the Sanctuary A special tradition at Knollwood an intimate time when members of our community of faith gather with families and friends to remember loved ones who have passed away this year. Family and friends are invited to bring photographs or other small mementoes. DECEMBER 21 & 28 Christmas Break - No Wednesday programming Wednesday programs will resume Jan. 4, LIFE OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY SUNDAY LUNCH F O R U M What Happens When We Listen to the Fears of Others? At this Sunday lunch forum, we will hear about people who feel threatened by the rise of violent rhetoric and actions in the wake of a bruising campaign season. Why do some people feel afraid? And what difference, if any, does our faith make in responding to our neighbors fears? SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 Immediately after worship in the Fellowship Hall A simple lunch will be served followed by brief presentations and small group discussion. Child care is available. Questions? Contact Deacon Chair, Bill Davis at daviswl@wfu.edu, or Deacon Vice-Chair, Forrest Causby at fcausby@gmail.com. WELLNESS & COMMUNITY CENTER December is a busy month for everyone, including the construction team members who continue their work on the Wellness and Community Center. Exterior brickwork is ongoing, giving a clearer vision of the finished building. Window installation, along with stucco on the west side, will also add to the completed look of the exterior. Grading around the building and removal of excess dirt will be underway as well. The interior, too, is starting to take on a more finished look. This month, workers will hang sheet rock throughout the WCC and finish the walls in the community and office areas. The rough-in work for the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems should also be complete this month. Some interior work cannot go forward until the building is warm, and contractors expect the heat to be turned on by Dec. 15. ~Sandra Boyette

5 LIFE OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY DECEMBER SENIOR ADULT MINISTRIES KNOLLWOOD THROUGH-THE-WEEK SCHOOL December 11 Christmas Flowers - Pick up for Delivery Flowers will be ready for pick-up in lower Bldg. A. SENIOR ADULT GAME DAY January 17 Soup Lunch is provided. Join us for board games, cards and other activities. 12:30-4:00 p.m. -Dining Room CHRISTMAS FUN DAY Saturday, December 10 For Children, Infant-Fifth grade 9:30-11:00 a.m. Dining Room & Fellowship Hall Infants - Kindergartners: Parents and kids are invited to a special family party in the Dining Room with holiday crafts, sensory play, music, stories and snack. Our days are full of fun at the Preschool. We had science projects, spent time learning to read, celebrated a Thanksgiving Feast with the Four s and their families, and our children brought food for those who need meals during the holiday. December is the time we are learning about Jesus birth, gift giving to those who are not privileged to receive the gifts like many of us, practicing for our Christmas program, and working on a lot of decorations for the classroom and Christmas trees. This is a fun time for our TTWS. ~Lucrecia Norman, Director 1st-5th graders: Parents may drop off kids in this age group for a separate concurrent party in the Fellowship Hall with crafts, snack, games, a service project to benefit the Family Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence, and a dramatic re-enactment of the Christmas story. We are collecting donations to create toiletry kits for children who have newly arrived at the Family Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence. You may bring to the party: child s toothbrushes child s toothpaste Small bars of soap Small kid-friendly lotion (fragrance-free) Small tear-free shampoo Soft washcloths Rehearsal for elementary kids singing in the Christmas Music Program is from 11:15 a.m. noon. We will escort children to the rehearsal. Parents can pick up from the sanctuary at noon. Habitat Unity Build Work Day Saturday, Dec a.m. - 3 p.m. SAVE THE DATE Women s Retreat March 10-12, 2017 Catholic Conference Center in Hickory

6 DECEMBER MUSIC MINISTRY PIANO TRIO CONCERT Sunday, January 22 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary Jacqui Carrasco, violin; Evan Richey, cello; and Lauren Winkelman, piano Co-sponsored by the Carolina Chamber Symphony Players Wake Forest University faculty members Jacqui Carrasco and Evan Richey collabo rate with Lauren Winkel man for an evening of cham ber music. Come en joy the rich sounds and colors of this timehonored combination of strings and piano. A noted performer of Ar gentine tango music, Jacqui has appeared with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and earlier was the violinist with the contemporary music ensemble Cygnus. She has recorded contem porary chamber music and per formed world wide. Evan was a founding member of the West Side Chamber Players in New York City, has played in shows on Broadway, and has performed live on National Public Radio. He is nationally recognized as a producer and owns the studio Ovation Sound. CHRISTMAS MUSIC FESTIVAL Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming December 11 10:55 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Combined Choirs, Bells and Instruments On Sunday, Dec. 11, at 10:55, and again at 5:30, Knollwood choirs, bell ringers, and instrumentalists will join forces to present a festival with the theme Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming. Our choirs (Chancel Choir, Youth Choir, Chapel and Carol Choirs) will be joined by handbells (Chancel Bells, High School Bells, and Middle School Bells), the Knollwood Brass, and guest instrumentalists in celebrating the Advent and Nativity of the Christ Child. The festival is built around several settings of the well-known carol Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming and other carols and anthems about Mary and the Christ Child. To begin the festival we will take advantage of our two choir lofts, singing the antiphonal version of the Franz Biebl setting of the ancient Latin text Ava Maria. Here the choirs are divided into SSAA on one side and TTBB on the opposite side. The festival will continue with an antiphonal singing of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The festival will conclude with several sections from a Christmas oratorio by a new choir member at Knollwood, jazz pianist Dan Knight. The oratorio was written for solo voices in 2010 for faculty members at the University of Iowa. For our festival this year, Dan has arranged sections of the oratorio for four-part choir for our use. Dan, a nominee for a Pulitzer Prize, is a world-renowned pianist, having appeared at the Montreux Jazz festivals and other venues the world over. We hope that you will plan to join this celebration and invite your friends and neighbors. ~Ken Wilson, Minister of Music LIFE OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LIBRARY RESOURCE MEDIA CENTER FEATURE In the past year we have added more than 100 new titles to our library - resource center. To help others get an idea about all the new choices, readers will be giving some brief highlights on a featured book each month. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, is an attorney driven by a passion to defend the poor and the wrongly condemned and those trapped in our criminal justice system. He tells the story of Walter McMillan, wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for a murder he didn t commit. There are other stories, each describing the disenfranchised and marginalized, some as young as 12, that were caught in a system they couldn t understand, and without an advocate to help them navigate the tricky minefields of the legal system. Stevenson s compassion and tireless devotion is a testament to advice his grandmother gave him. You can t understand most of the important things from a distance, Bryan. You have to get close. The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, increasing from 300,000 in the 1970s to 2.3 million today, and another 6 million people on probation or parole. The book depicts what that means for people whose friends and families stand by helplessly while their loved ones slip deeper into a system that seems designed to be understood only by those in power, and for inmates who see no hope. This is not a story with happy endings. There are hard-fought battles, sometimes with victories. There are moments that will make you cheer, and many that will bring you to tears. It s a story about the forgotten, because somehow we are willing to believe it s okay to forget. It challenges our beliefs about fairness and equal justice for all. The loving message throughout Stevenson s book is that just mercy is not only for the deserving, but equally for the undeserving. ~Cathy Morrison

7 LIFE OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY DECEMBER Years of Blessings Feb. 5, 2017, we will celebrate Knollwood Baptist Church s 60th birthday. In preparing for that celebration, we need your help. As you consider all your many blessings this Thanksgiving season, please take a few moments to think of how you have been blessed by your presence at Knollwood, or how you have been able to bless others through involvement, learning, and nurturing received at Knollwood. There are forms available in the narthex for you to indicate your blessings please take one, fill out and return to the narthex. If you prefer, you may your response to Jennifer Davis, jenniferbdavis51@gmail.com. Your responses will be used at our Sunday celebration of 60 Years of Blessings on Feb. 5. ~Jennifer Davis Welcome New Members Josh and Alyssa Godwin 800 Chatham Rd. Apt 225 W-S, Davis and Melanie Wilkinson 165 Thornbury Ridge Ct. W-S, (254) OCTOBER YTD 2016 YTD General Ministry Income $1,019, YTD General Ministry Expenses $1,006,351 Josh Godwin leads Children s Time amid the abundance of grocery donations for Crisis Control Ministries. Thank You Knollwood Thank you to our Knollwood family and friends for making this year's in-gathering for Crisis Control such a success. The many bags of groceries you collected and brought on Nov. 20 completely filled the Crisis Control truck. Please know that your acts of kindness are helping needy families in this area of North Carolina not only at this holiday season but for many months to come. ~Phyllis Tate, Chair of MAAC Christmas Offering For International Missions Every December, Knollwood focuses on international missions, continuing and expanding upon the Baptist tradition of the Lottie Moon Offering. This beyond the budget offering is yet another way we offer financial support to international mission endeavors that reflect the purpose, vision and values of Knollwood. This year you will see some changes in the organizations included in our International Missions Offering. We will continue to sponsor Africa Exchange in Kenya and Pico Escondido in the Dominican Republic. However, we have added CBF Field Personnel Cindy and Eddy Ruble and Project AMOS in Nicaragua in place of Project Ruth and ProVision Asia. Why the changes? The Missions Affiliations and Allocations Committee believes Project AMOS (affiliated with the American Baptist Churches) and the Rubles in Southeast Asia (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel) are better aligned with Knollwood s priorities at this time. In addition, this year s designated recipients all have active connections with and support from members of our congregation. On collection envelopes, lines will be provided for write-ins if donors wish to continue to contribute to Project Ruth and/or ProVision Asia. Letters, descriptive information and envelopes will be mailed to all members, and additional envelopes will be placed in the pews for your use. We invite you to give generously, in the spirit of Christmas, to these four groups who are spreading the good news of Christ and doing God s work around the world. ~Phyllis Tate, Chair of MAAC

8 DECEMBER LIFE OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY THANK YOU to Knollwood from the following agencies supported by Knollwood AIDS Care Service Africa Exchange Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Churches, USA Baptist Theological Seminary Baptist World Alliance Bethesda Center Bolton Elementary School CareNet Counseling Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Crisis Control Ministry Enrichment Center FaithHealth NC Family Services Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries Habitat for Humanity ican House Imprints Cares Interfaith Winston-Salem International Ministries Mission Family Counseling Services provision ASIA Samaritan Ministries Second Harvest Food Bank Shepherd s Center of Greater W-S Trinity Center Winston-Salem Rescue Mission World Relief Young Life Remember Knollwood in Your Year-End Giving We are approaching the time of year when generosity takes center stage in our nation. Beginning with Thanksgiving and continuing through the Advent and Christmas seasons, people will express their gratitude with generous giving. Your generous giving through our church by year-end will cover the costs of ministry that have resulted in deeper faith, service to others, and changed lives. In keeping with IRS regulations, the church office must receive your generous gifts no later than Dec. 31 in order to count toward your 2016 charitable giving deduction. The church office will be open on Dec. 30 until 5 p.m. ~Marlin Yoder With all the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, please take a few moments to reflect on how fortunate we, as God s people, are to be able to respond to the needs of others. During this 2016, as a result of our generosity, Knollwood s Missions Affiliations and Allocations Committee was able to provide funds to many areas of need. Our church sent $2,500 to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and the Caribbean, and an additional $2,500 for hurricane victims in Eastern North Carolina. Closer to home, your support has provided $3,650 to Bolton Elementary School to purchase two grade-level appropriate books for each student. Every child, Kindergarten through grade 5, was given Each year our church is filled with beautiful decorations for the Advent Season. To honor or remember a loved one, you may make a contribution of $15 to help maintain the decorations. Remembrances will be taken through Dec. 12 and presented in the Agape Sunday worship order. Please complete the order form below, include your payment, and drop it in the offering plate, or mail it to the church office. (Sorry, no phone orders, please.) In honor of: In memory of: Given by: Putting God First In Our Giving Please print clearly. their second book right before the Christmas holidays. Many had never owned a book before last spring when they received their first books through our Bolton partnership. Christ calls us to tithe our income, and we ask that you consider your giving to Knollwood and to God as your highest priority. Thank you for your generosity in supporting Knollwood itself and the many endeavors Knollwood undertakes each year that make a difference in our community. ~Gayle Anderson, Stewardship Chair Financial Commitments For 2017 Our church s annual exploration of generosity and giving has been moved to the Lenten season in the spring. However, if during your yearend planning, you wish to make a new or renewed commitment of your financial support of our church s life and mission, you may do so by: Requesting a Commitment Card from the church office Filling out the online form at www. knollwood.org/resources/ giving-2015, or download a copy of the form ing our Financial Administrator, Peggy Koonts at finance@ knollwood.org Thank you for your continued faithfulness to our church.

9 What does God call you? That was the central question of our youth worship night on Nov. 20. We ve spent this semester together with KBC.ym exploring who God is to each of us, becoming more acquainted with the ways we see God act and move in the Bible as well as the personal ways we recognize God in our lives. Whether that be as a close friend, as a protector, as a guide, or something unique and special, having a way to relate to the God that loves us is a vital part of our faith. However, during our worship night we turned that thinking around and pondered on how God knows us. What is the name that God calls you by? Beloved? Child? Servant? It was a special moment seeing young people recognize that God knows them and loves them boldly and individually. It was one of the moments when I am reminded of the incredible heart that young people possess: a heart that is freely open to listening and responding when God speaks to it. Such listening and responding is a spiritual skill that I often forget to utilize, but it is so very important to developing faith. That has been the most incredible thing about this beginning part of my time here at Knollwood. We ve had a Knollwood has been blessed with several new families with children visiting in the last several months. Our kids amaze me with their natural ability to welcome children they do not know into our community. Many of these kids have grown up together, knowing each other their entire lives. It seems like it would be a tough crowd to break into, but when a new face shows up on Sunday mornings for music before Sunday School, you will quickly hear the children point to an empty chair beside them and say, Come sit by me! (Thanks, Dr. Wilson for instilling this welcoming phrase into the hearts of our children right from the start). In Sunday School and during Children s Worship, these kids are also naturally included by our KBC.youth ministry Sunday Worship good bit of fun and adventure, yes, but at the heart of it all has been this constant longing from these youth for spiritual growth. The desire to grow in faith and to learn about who they are to God undergirds all the fun of SNYG games and all-nighters. That is a very exciting thing to be part of. I am continually awed by these young people and couldn t be happier being with them. After worshipping and praying together during our Worship Night, we shared a meal together; the laughter ringing around the table would have made even pre-ghosts Scrooge happy. And speaking of Scrooge and Christmas, KBC.ym is gearing up for a packed holiday season. I ll be investing in knee pads and a specially Children s Ministry kbc.kids Knollwood children week after week. During our Friendsgiving celebration before Thanksgiving, I saw some of our Knollwood natives reach out to our newer visitors with conversation and connections as they enjoyed a special meal together. I know of at least one family who told me they intended to church shop some other places, but the kids are the ones insisting that they return to Knollwood each week. As we get ready for Advent and prepare our hearts for welcoming the baby Jesus, I hope that we can all learn from the warm welcome DECEMBER {home} designed aerodynamic broom for Broom Hockey. We ll have the ice at the W-S Fair Grounds all to ourselves on a Friday night in December. All KBC.ym alumni are welcome to join us for the night as well dinner beforehand. Contact me if you d like more information. I can never say it enough, but many thanks to all those who support KBC.ym in volunteering, mentoring, teaching, and praying. We could not serve our young people as we do without each of you serving together. God is doing some special things with our young people, and we d love for you to come be part of it.~josh Godwin Minister of Youth & Recreation josh@knollwood.org our children consistently provide. They will teach us what it means to be warm and inviting, not just for new folks who may be visiting our church, but for a special baby born this season. ~Chrissy Hardy Children s Ministry Associate chrissy@knollwood.org

10 DECEMBER Pastor Bob Setzer, Jr. Minister to Senior Adults & Weekday School Lucrecia Norman Minister of Music Kenneth A. Wilson MINISTERS AND SUPPORT STAFF Church Office: Minister of Youth and Recreation Josh Godwin Minister of Faith Formation and Education Diane Lipsett Minister of Welcome and Engagement Ben Wagener Pastoral Associate for Congregational Care Ted Philpott Music Ministry Associate and Organist Lauren Winkelman Children s Ministry Associate Chrissy Hardy chrissy@knollwood.org Marlin Yoder Church Administrator marlin@knollwood.org Colleen Booth Publications/Website colleen@knollwood.org Lisa Ehlers Front Desk frontdesk@knollwood.org Peggy Koonts Finance Administrator finance@knollwood.org Demrice Hayes Custodian Weekend Minister on Call Please call this number if you have a pastoral emergency on a weekend. PERIODICALS POSTAGE AT WINSTON-SALEM NC Expressions of Knollwood DECEMBER 2016 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Knollwood Baptist Church 330 KNOLLWOOD ST. WINSTON-SALEM, NC USPS KNOLLWOOD ONLINE Go to our website: knollwoodbaptist Knollwood Baptist Church is an inviting, inclusive family of faith open to all persons, whatever their race, gender, socioeconomic status, special needs, or sexual orientation, who want to walk in the way of Jesus. All are invited! knoll chat EVERY SUNDAY 9:15 a.m. Doughnuts Coffee and Friendship The Knollwood newsletter is published monthly by Knollwood Baptist Church. Information for the newsletter may be brought to the church office or ed to colleen@knollwood.org. Call for deadline information,