DECEMBER 2018 PABCUrbana.org Merry Christmas Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church 600 E. Pennsylvania Avenue Urbana, IL 61801 Where the Hope of Jesus Is Alive
The Reminder Page 2 PABC - 2018 Rich's Review Make a Difference the phrase that accompanied our theme verses (Hebrews 10:23-25) over the past 12-15 months. This is a testament to faith and God s power at work. When I felt the Lord s leading to choose this passage for our theme in 2018 in the Summer-Fall of 2017 there was no doubt in my mind the Lord was at work. Looking back there is little that has happened I could have predicted. Now, PABC is once again in the midst of giving birth to a new church. River of Life Church and Pastor Thomas Li are targeting 2019 to launch Sunday morning services and continue the process of becoming a selfsufficient congregation. This Fall new faces are starting to show up on a near weekly basis for worship. We are indeed making a difference. As this season gives way to the New Year, Titus 2:14 will be our theme passage. The Lord will teach us what it means to be Where the Hope of Jesus Is Alive and PABC will thrive in its 110th year. I am blessed to be your pastor, Rich
The Reminder Page 3 Living Hope by Phil Wickham How great the chasm that lay between us How high the mountain I could not climb In desperation, I turned to heaven And spoke Your name into the night Then through the darkness, Your loving-kindness Tore through the shadows of my soul The work is finished, the end is written Jesus Christ, my living hope Who could imagine so great a mercy? What heart could fathom such boundless grace? The God of ages stepped down from glory To wear my sin and bear my shame The cross has spoken, I am forgiven The King of kings calls me His own Beautiful Savior, I'm Yours forever Jesus Christ, my living hope Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me You have broken every chain There's salvation in Your name Jesus Christ, my living hope (repeat) Then came the morning that sealed the promise Your buried body began to breathe Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion Declared the grave has no claim on me (repeat) Jesus, Yours is the victory, whoa! Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me You have broken every chain There's salvation in Your name Jesus Christ, my living hope (repeat) Jesus Christ, my living hope Oh God, You are my living hope PABC: Where the Hope of Jesus Is Alive!
The Reminder Page 4 Sunday December 9th, 5:00 p.m. Celebrate the reason for the season with a DVD feature presentation. Invite friends and bring the family, enjoy fellowship and some popcorn WEDNESDAY AUGUST 15, 6:30 P.M. Sunday December 16th, 6:30 p.m. This annual event never disappoints. Songs and sweets to celebrate Jesus birth. Don t miss this blessing and bring some friends along.
The Reminder Page 5 WHY THE CHRISTMAS OFFERING IS NAMED FOR LOTTIE MOON: While living in China, Lottie wrote letters to the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board) and to Baptist women. She asked for more missionaries and for money to grow her work on the Chinese. Because of Lottie s determination, WMU collected a Christmas Offering to give to the Foreign Mission Board. In 1919, Annie Armstrong suggested that the offering should be named for Lottie Moon. Today, we still give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in honor of her work and sacrifice to keep our missionaries on the field. One hundred percent of the offering goes to the missionaries, none to administration. LOTTIE'S OWN WORDS ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS OFFERING: Need it be said why the week before Christmas is chosen? Is not the festive season, when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?
The Reminder Page 6 New Studies Begin in December Age-Graded Bible Study Groups a place for every person Preschool - Adult Groups meet at 9:30 every Sunday Multiple Adult Groups A Christmas Tradition Taking the Songs of Christmas to Our Neighbors. If you would like to join the carolers this year call the church office to be placed on the call list.
The Reminder Page 7 Monday December 24, 4:00 p.m. Worship in Spirit and Song for all ages
The Reminder Page 8 The Virginia Theater - Champaign Wednesday December 12, 7 p.m. Storied Nashville singer-songwriter and author Andrew Peterson presents the Advent song cycle Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ. Running for almost two decades, Behold the Lamb features an allstar cast of Nashville songwriters and session musicians performing Peterson s original folk-roots infused rendition of the Christmas story as it is foreshadowed in the Old Testament and brought to bear in the New. Join us for the third year of this unique show in Champaign. December 16 During morning worship
The Reminder Page 9 On Saturday, Dec 22 nd, 6-9 pm, Bring yourself, wear your ugliest Christmas sweater, and bring a white elephant gift to give away. There will be food, fellowship, and fun as we gather together and celebrate Christ s birth. Guys bring a side item, ladies a dessert. The Party will be held at Pastor Dave s Home near Sidney Event is open to 6 th through college students and their families. Sign up on the youth bulletin board near the nursery. See Pastor Dave for details.
The Reminder Page 10 Crisis Nursery s 26th Annual Children s Holiday Shop will run December 1-8. The Children s Holiday Shop is a unique fundraiser for Crisis Nursery and has become a family tradition for volunteers and shoppers alike. It is designed to allow children to shop for gifts for their families and friends. Volunteers assist children, toddlers through 12 years of age, to buy quality items priced under $10. There s something for everyone on their list! This event plays a huge fundraising role for Crisis Nursery allowing them to keep their doors open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Crisis Nursery helps prevent child abuse and neglect by providing an Island of Safety to children and families in the Champaign-Urbana community. Please note the NEW LOCATION for the Holiday Shop! (1808 Round Barn Rd.) EXTREME WINTER STUDENT CONFERENCE December 31-January 2 Gatlinburg, TN Be in prayer for those students going on our annual student conference. This is a good opportunity for those included to grow in their faith and be motivated to reach out to their peers would need Christ. Conference information can be found at http://xtremeconferences.com/summer/winter.html
The Reminder Page 11 READY, SET, GO! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 Are you planning to have a great next year? Worship on Sunday December 30th will focus on what it takes to be ready to walk with the Lord in the New Year. Do you have a Bible Reading/Prayer Plan? What plans and goals is the Lord setting out for you? How will you measure success for 2019? Get ready, God has a great plan for you. Celebrating Seven Years!! Pastor Kang and our partners at Chambana Korean Baptist Church are celebrating their anniversary this December. In honor of their anniversary CKBC will be hosting The Sunday Morning Fellowship Time on December 2nd before worship.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 600 East Pennsylvania Avenue Urbana, IL 61801 www.pabcurbana.org Phone/Fax - (217) 367-5924 Check out the newsletter in full color on our website! Office: 367-5924 Pastor: Rich Gregory Student Minister: Dave Coy Associate Pastor: Phil McGarvey River of Life Church Pastor: Thomas Li Korean Church of Cham-bana: Pastor Kang PABCUrbana@aol.com PastorRich@aol.com PABCStudents@aol.com PABCWorship@aol.com geolih@gmail.com dennis153@gmail.com Sunday School 9:30 am Fellowship 10:15 am Morning Worship 10:45 am