N E W S L E T T E R December, 2016 Dr. Paul Noe, Pastor Rev. Mark Abbott, Associate Pastor & Minister of Music Rev. Brian Ayers, Associate Pastor & Minister of Youth Mrs. Missy Ferraro, Children s Coordinator GOLF CART MINISTRY Beginning Sunday, December 4th Golf Cart Stops are located at the two locations listed below:...i will bless thee And thou shalt be a blessing. Genesis 12:2 1. The Nursery Door Entrance of the Sanctuary Building. 2. The Playground Entrance of the Family Life Center. December 15 Deadline For all info to be included in the January Newsletter. Inside this issue: Pastor s Message 2 Christmas Day Worship Service December 25th, 10:00am (No Sunday School or Evening Service or Activities) Events/Birthdays 3 December Schedules 4 INTERNATIONAL MISSION STUDY Wednesday, December 14th Music Ministry 5 Contact Info 6 6:30pm in the Family Life Center Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Goal: $20,000.00
Page 2 PASTOR PAUL S PARAGRAPHS Dear Members and Friends of Sweetwater Baptist Church: Christmas is my favorite time of the year! It is going to be an exciting holiday season here at Sweetwater. We have numerous special events planned throughout the month of December to help us celebrate. I am certainly looking forward to this year s Christmas musical by our Celebration Choir entitled Our Coming Savior. There will be two performances. One on Saturday evening, December 3 rd, at 7:00 pm and one on Sunday morning, December 4 th, at 10:45 am. Let me encourage you to invite your family and friends to this special event. The Saturday evening presentation will allow those who are involved in other churches to participate. One of the highlights each December is the annual Widow/Widowers Banquet at Sweetwater. This year s banquet will be on Saturday, December 10 th. The delicious meal will be provided by Riley s On Main from Johnston, and Russell and Kristi Johnson will be providing our special music. If you are a widow, widower, or deacon (active or inactive) and are planning to attend, please contact the church office as soon as possible. You don t want to miss this delightful evening. The week of Christmas will be a meaningful time as we have our Candlelight Communion Service on Wednesday, December 21 st, at 7:00 pm followed by our Christmas Day Celebration on December 25 th at 10:00 am. Tis the Season for Missions! One of the great traditions of Southern Baptist Churches is the collection of the Lottie Moon Christmas offering during the month of December. Our goal this year is $20,000.00. Let me encourage you to prayerfully consider what God would have you to give to support missions across the globe. Our International Mission Study will be on Wednesday, December 14 th, at 6:30 pm in the Family Life Center. We are excited about our Golf Cart Ministry that begins this month. If you need a ride, please go to a Golf Cart Stop. They are located at the nursery door entrance of the Sanctuary Building and the playground door entrance of the Family Life Center. A special thanks goes out to Mark Stewart and the Greeter Ministry for heading up this important ministry. There are two main attitudes about Christmas. Some ENDURE Christmas. Their goal is just to survive the holiday season. They just want it to be over with and their lives to get back to normal. They are turned off by the commercialism and the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Others, however, ENJOY Christmas. They thrive during this festive occasion. Their hearts are filled with excitement and wonder. As Christians, we can enjoy the Christmas season by staying focused on the true meaning of this special time of the year. Jesus is the reason for the Season! When your focus is on Christ it puts everything into perspective. Allow the decorations, music, food, family get-togethers, and programs to direct your heart to the Babe in Bethlehem who is the Savior of the World. Merry Christmas!! With a Pastor s Love, Brother Paul Philippians 1:3
December Events December 3 Celebration Choir Christmas Musical Our Coming Savior, 7pm December 4 Christmas Musical Our Coming Savior, 10:45am December 10 Men s Prayer Breakfast, 8am; Widow & Widowers Banquet, 5pm December 11 Special Christmas Concert with Russell & Kristi Johnson, 10:30am December 13 Norma Pate Group, 6:30pm December 14 Neely Group, 10am; International Mission Study in the FLC, 6:30pm December 16 Joyous Seniors Christmas BRUNCH 10am December 17 Youth Christmas Party, 5pm December 18 Children s Christmas Musical, 6pm December 21 Christmas Candlelight Communion Service, 7pm December 23 Church Office Closed December 25 Christmas Service, 10am; No Sunday School or Evening Service December 26 Church Office Closed January 1 New Year s Concert Cliff Duren and Overflow, 10:30am Happy Birthday! 12/1 Stephanie Redfern, Mike Clark 12/2 Ann Skinner 12/3 Joyce Campbell, Joe Braswell, Jeanette Clark 12/4 Coy Barnes 12/5 Zack Canady, June Arrington 12/7 Eric Wiggins, Sunnie Cook, Paul Towner, Jessica Majerus, Joel Robinson, Kim Slater 12/8 David Reynolds, Jere Roswech 12/9 Shawn Bohanan, Trevor Lyons, Tom Dorn 12/10 Jim Crawford, Malissa Browder, Edwina Abbott, Jim Wilmoth 12/11 John Lyons, Helen Butler, Anna Wagher 12/12 Christina McClure, Chuck Jernigan, Barbara Pleasant 12/13 Debbie McKie, Vic Emeneker 12/14 Chuck Jewell, Terry Dearman 12/15 Iris Fox 12/16 Susie Robinson, Shannon Bohanan 12/17 Don Carter, Bonny Gronski, Sharon Stuckey 12/18 Keith Edwards, Linda Gillespie 12/19 Susan Moore, Dena Sims 12/20 Judy Farmer 12/21 Russ Eubanks 12/22 Deborah Ashcraft 12/23 Spencer Preston 12/24 Christina Mundy, Gladys Cross, Angie Smith, Shelba Stone 12/26 Duncan Oliver, Katie Richardson 12/27 Miller Butler 12/28 Susan Shealy, Kathy Whisenant, Kristen Williams 12/29 Cara Brown, T. J. Gillespie 12/31 Anna Lepard
December Schedules Page 4 NURSERY SCHEDULE 8:30 AM 11:00 AM 6:00 PM December 4 CMC Ministry Delivery Schedule Clydie Blackwood & JoJo Payton Crib: Mike & Nancy Clark Toddler: Paul Bunch & Robin Lanham Theresa Todd & Kathy Crawford December 15 Libby Zahner & Deena Latargia December 11 Benay Byers & Julie Little Crib: Rachel Ayers & Cindy O Driscoll Toddler: Katie Johnson & Ginny Pardue Gina & Cassidy Farrer For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. Psalm 33:4 December 18 Charity Lyons & Jackie Lyons December 25 No 8:30am Service Crib: Stephanie Redfern & Cade Hawkins Toddler: Libby Zahner & Aurora Spangler Crib: Toni Steedley & Susan Folk Toddler: Eric & Tina Wiggins Barbara Schmidt & Linda Black No Evening Service SECURITY: December 4 December 11 December 18 December 25 8:30 AM Russell Britt Robert Thompson John Morgan No Service 11:00 AM 6:00 PM Earl Butler Jim Reece David Bunch Mike Mock Allen Timmons David Harley Tim Thaxton No Service Deacons on Call December 4 Ronnie Berry Chris McBride December 11 Jim Wilmoth Robert Ratcliff December 18 Carl Boulware Billy McBride December 25 Jim Reece Dick O Driscoll 8:30 AM 11:00 AM 8:30 AM 11:00 AM December 4 December 11 Tillman Miller Jimmy Pardue Melvin Scales Steve Whisenant Robert Thompson Terry Mathis Lee Hanks Eric Wiggins Rod Ingle Miller Butler Chris Gillespie Jim Williams Rocky McKie Chuck Nail Jeff Kervin Jimmy Pardue Gordon Ferguson Robert Ratcliff John Majerus Terry Mathis December 18 December 25 Billy Todd Miller Butler No 8:30am Service Dean McDaniel Mark Stewart Chuck Nail Jim Williams Mike Lybrand Robert Ratcliff Jimmy Pardue Phillip Dickert Steve Whisenant Terry Mathis Ronnie Berry Eric Wiggins Miller Butler U S H E R S
Church Office: 803-279-2821 Family Life Center: 803-426-1860 Web Site: www.sweetwaterbc.org FOREIGN MISSION FIELDS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER December 4 Bahamas December 11 Honduras December 18 Brazil December 25 India Please remember to pray for our Southern Baptist missionaries and workers this month. Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 4:6 GOAL: $2,500,000.00 Reveal God s Plan Received: $670,557.46 Joyous Seniors Our December meeting will be a Christmas Brunch of bacon, sausage, eggs, grits, gravy, and biscuits! We will meet on Friday, December 16th at 10:00am in the Family Life Center. You will not want to miss this special treat. You do not need to bring anything, but there is a $5 charge per person at the door. Men s Prayer Breakfast Saturday, December 10th 8:00am in the Fellowship Hall New Year s Concert Sunday, January 1st Cliff Duren and Overflow 10:30am in the Sanctuary