THE BAPTIST INFORMER

THE BAPTIST INFORMER News Of Interest To Members & Friends Of First Baptist Church Four Oaks January 2018 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1 (NRSV) The one who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21 (NRSV) Mission Statement The family of First Baptist Four Oaks believes in God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. To fulfill the Great Commission, we will love, serve, learn, and fellowship together. The Bible is truly an amazing book. Consisting of 66 books, the Bible is made up of differing literary styles - history, wisdom, hymns, narrative, apocalyptic, gospel, and letters. When reading and studying the Bible, we read each book guided by the type of writing it contains, realizing each chapter and verse speaks to the message of each book. Yet, at the same time, the Bible also contains a message which weaves its way through all of its books. The Bible tells us the story of God s interaction with the world. Beginning on the first Sunday in January, we will begin a series of sermons addressing each of the books of the Bible, and looking at how the message of each book plays a part in the message of the Bible as a whole. The title for the series will be, The Story We Find Ourselves In, based on a book by that name written by Brian McLaren. McLaren reminds us that, as Christians, we take part in a larger story that began before we were born, and (unless Christ returns) will continue after we are gone. The story we find ourselves in. But, according to McLaren, we are not only immersed in a story that swirls around us, we also find ourselves as we become part of that story and it becomes a part of us. The story we find ourselves in. Church: 963-2102 Parsonage: 963-3199 Preschool: 963-2013 www.fbcfouroaks.org As we look at the books of the Bible, and the message of the Bible as a whole, I hope you will take time to read the scripture. If you need a guide, the 3.5 format (referenced in another part of the newsletter) can be a great help. And, as the last verse of the Bible says, May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all. Amen. John

Worship in January January 7, 2018 The Story We Find Ourselves In: Genesis January 14, 2018 The Story We Find Ourselves In: Exodus January 21, 2018 The Story We Find Ourselves In: Leviticus January 28, 2018 Baptist Men s Day Speaker: Mr. Mark Johnson Wednesdays in January 6:00 PM Dinner Served - Suggested Cost: $4.00 per meal 4-10 years old-$2.00 3years old and under-free 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting Children/Youth Choirs Discipleship Training (See Schedule Below) 8:00 PM Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal January 3rd : RA s/ga s Acteens/Youth on Mission Adults: Jesus Disciples Study January 10th: RA s/ga s Youth: Jesus early life Adults: Jesus Disciples Study January 17th: January 24th: Discipleship Training Schedule for January Quarterly Business Meeting - No Discipleship Training Classes Children Group Activity Youth Activity Adults: Jesus Disciples Study January 31st: HYMN SING (All classes, all groups) Meal Schedule for January January 3rd: New Century Class (Celeste Byrd) Chicken Pasta Bake January 10th: Dorothy Parker A Circle (Patsy Parker) Fried Chicken, Vegetables, & Banana Pudding January 17th: Youth (David Little) Pancakes and Sausage January 24th: Agape Circle (Ann Massengill) Chicken Pastry January 31st: Choir A (Phyllis Toothman) BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Thank You... Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for the wonderful lunch prepared by so many loving hands. The flowers sent for the service were beautiful. Thank you for all the cards, prayers, and words of comfort. Love in Christ, The J. Russell Lee Family Dear First Baptist Church Four Oaks Family, Thank you so much for the beautiful spray that you sent during Sammy s passing. Thank you for your prayers, visits and cards. You all are so dear to us. Love, The Surles Family Congratulations... Congratulations to Amanda and Eric Strickland on the birth of their new baby girl! Evie Mae Strickland was born on December 27th. She weighed 8lbs. 13oz. Congratulations also to proud grandmother Brenda Strickland!

Little s Little Youth Word It s hard to believe that 2017 is already over. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was looking back on 2016 and preparing for 2017 to come. Now I am looking at the calendar and wondering what is going to happen in 2018. Resolutions are a very normal thing this time of year. We look back on things we want to change from the past year. We say we are going to change over the coming year and how we are going to change. Two days later, we have already failed. This year I am not going to make a resolution. As I look back at 2017, there are things I wish I would have done differently. Yes 2017 was full of heartache. But 2017 was also full of many great things that I think sometimes get lost in the midst of the failures. For 2018, this is all I want: I want to continue to do better. I want to continue to grow closer to God and learn more. I want to continue to walk on the path that he has set out for me. I know within my first day of 2018 I am going to fail. But during 2018 I want to accept my failures and get back up and continue my walk with God. 2018 is going to be an amazing year, and I can t wait to see what God has in store. Now onto what 2018 has in store: On January 7 th Dawnings will be hosting a meal to support the Blackfeet Mission Project. Following the meal there will be a Church-wide Family Feud tournament. 4 teams of 5 will compete to see who is the best. On January 20 th the youth will be sponsoring a tech day. On this day, the youth will be available to help seniors with any new or old technology that they may need help with. Whether it be your I-phone X, your new mac-book, or that DVD player that has been sitting in a box for 5 years that you still don t know how to use. Let us help you learn how to use it! Also, if you have a special skill you would like to share with us we would love to learn it as well! On February 4th there is also a big game going on. We will gather as a church and watch the game. There will be lots of food and fellowship and a special halftime devotional. We will also be gathering cans of soup for our food pantry. Come on out for our SOUPer Bowl Party. Dates to Remember: January 7: Family Feud Tournament January 20: Teen Tech Day (9am-Noon) February 4: SOUPer Bowl Party

Churchwide Missions for JANUARY and WMU-FO News WMU Mission: is to inform and inspire the Christian woman to influence her world for Christ. Events for WMU Mission Groups in January 2018: Agape Mission Group will meet on January 9th at 10:30 AM in the FH with Ann Durham. Dorothy Parker Circle will meet on January 9th at in the Prayer Room. Lib Canaday Circle will meet on January 11th at in the library. Missions for Christ Mission Group will meet on January 4th at 6:00 PM in the FH with Susie Norris. Beginning in January 2018, we will start collecting items for the Samaritan Purse shoebox for 2018: A collection box will be placed in the library. The item to begin collecting in January is a small toy. Remember ages are: 2-4, 5-9, 10-14. If we dream big, maybe we can reach 350 shoeboxes! New WMU directories were handed out in September at the banquet. Extra copies of the 2017-18 Directories are on the table underneath the WMU bulletin board. Our WMU Organization is in need of a Secretary for the 2018 year. Anyone interested in this position, please let us know. The Johnston Community College Campus Ministry on Wednesdays started again in January. Each week this ministry needs at least $90 towards purchasing food and drinks for the weekly Bible study. (Attendance last fall averaged 39 in the Wednesday meetings). Dates available for spring lunch: If you are able to help with this, please let Kelton Hinton or Tonya Grice know at JBA office. This is the largest campus college ministry in the state, so please try and support these students. The SECU Hospice House in Smithfield is requesting that area church groups make meals for those individuals who have a family member staying in Hospice. The coordinator of this project is asking for desserts on Wednesday nights and a lunch on Saturday or dinner on Sunday nights. This would entail 15 individually wrapped desserts on Wednesday and Saturdays/Sundays would require 15 lunches or dinner plated items wrapped. A schedule for the 2018 year will follow soon. Anyone or group interested in working on this project contact Laura Rogers for a sign up date or Wanda Johnson at Hospice in Smithfield with your selected date and menu item. Camp Mundo Vista is having a fundraiser. They are in the process of replacing the old beds with some bunk beds and some single beds in each cabin. They are challenging each association/church to help fund at least one bed each. To donate you can send a check to WMU-NC and send to: P.O. Box 18309, Raleigh, N.C. 27619-8309. Camp Mundo Vista is owned and by WMU-NC.

Sunday, February 4, 2018 is WMU Focus Sunday. The invited guest speaker is Heather Hemphill, from Ft. Caswell Conference & Retreat Center, Oak Island. She will speak on the WMU theme for 2018, By All Means from 1 Corinthians 9:22b-23 during the morning church service. The 2018 Watchword: I have become all things to all people so I could save some of them in any way possible. I do all this because of the Good News and so I can share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:22b-23 NIV). Please bring either a salad or dessert for a covered dish lunch to be served after the service in the Fellowship Hall. All four WMU groups, Acteens, G.A. s and Mission Friends are invited to lunch. CHECK OUT THE WMU BULLETIN BOARD LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE PRAYER ROOM FOR ANY NEWS ITEMS. ACTEENS AND GIRLS IN ACTION GROUPS ALSO HAVE SPACE FOR ITEMS AVAILABLE. The newly revised Funeral Food Committee sheets are available on the table. We have tried to keep this updated to better serve everyone. Samaritan s Purse - Operation Christmas Child Beginning this month we will start collecting items for Samaritan s Purse. Just as last year, we will focus on one item each month. January s item is small toys. A collection box will be placed in the library. You may bring small toys at any time during January and place them in the collection box. At the end of the year, all items collected will be combined and used to fill our shoeboxes. Because of your overwhelming support we packed 289 boxes in 2017! If we dream big, maybe we can make it 350 boxes in 2018! 3.5 Ministry Have you ever read the entire Handbook of Life, the Bible? By committing to just 3.5 pages/day (20 minutes) you can complete it in 2018 and check it off your bucket list! Give it a try-you won t be disappointed! Reading Guides for the entire year are available in the foyer. Baptist Men s Day Sunday, January 28th Guest Speaker - Mark Johnson

JANUARY 2018 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY *Designates each week 1 2 3 *6:00 PM Fellowship Meal *6:30 PM Prayer Meeting Ch./Youth Choirs RA s/ga s Acteens/Youth on Mission Adults: Jesus Disciples Study *8:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 4 *12-2:00 PM Food Pantry open at church 6:00 PM Missions for Christ meets in FH with Susie Norris 5 6 7 *10:00 AM Sunday School *11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Spaghetti Lunch Fundraiser 6:00 PM Presch. Comm. meets Deacon Board meets 8 Building and Grounds Comm. meets 9 10:30 AM Agape Mission Group meets in the FH with Ann Durham Dorothy Parker Circle meets in Prayer Room Yth. Comm. meets 10 RA s/ga s Youth: Jesus Early Life Adults: Jesus Disciples Study 11 6:30 PM Relay for Life-Party of Tables Mtg. Lib Canaday Circle meets in the library 12 13 14 15 16 11:30 AM Young at Heart- Eats at Bob Evans Worship Comm. meets 17 Quarterly Business Meeting 18 Personnel Committee meets FH Reserved 19 20 9 AM-12 PM Teen Tech Day 21 7:45 AM Baptist Men s Breakfast-Cancelled Communion 22 23 24 Children Group Activity Youth Activity Adults: Jesus Disciples Study 25 26 27 28 Baptist Men s Day Guest Speaker Mark Johnson 6-8:00 PM Prayer Vigil in Sanctuary 29 30 Outreach Planning Committee meets 31

Birthdays 01 Daniel Sumerel 02 Alison Blackmon 03 Meilyn Norman 05 Tucker Barnes 06 Carmella Norris 07 Nicholas Heritage Michael Moore 09 Kelly Parker Rebecca Thornton 10 Bailey Coe Sherwood Lee 11 Caroline Coats 12 Andrew Baker Liz Barbee 14 Jack Parker 15 Sterling Parker Kay Surles 16 Jeffery Toothman 18 Seth Williams 19 Mario Gonzalez Riley Raynor 22 Logan Baker Harrison Byrd 24 Walter Holt 26 Nancy Evans 28 Grant Stewart 29 Michael Byrd Jeanette Dixon Jennifer Dixon Anniversaries 25 Chris and Emily Vann 26 Jon and Tiffany Driggers

Cradle Roll First Baptist Contacts January 7th January 14th January 21st January 28th Wendy Heritage Logan Baker &Viki Grimes Yorke Johnson and Michele Norman Debbie Blackmon and Tally Jackson Pastor Minister of Music Minister of Youth Secretary Organist Preschool Director Deacon for the Month Rev. John Norman, Jr. Mrs. Phyllis Toothman Rev. David Little Mrs. Deirdre Parker Ms. Annette Langdon Mrs. Carol Adams Mr. Terry Parker Nursery (2 s & 3 s) Acolytes January 7th January 14th January 21st January 28th Brenda Strickland Carol and Robbie Adams Wendy and Chris Heritage Margaret Baker & Debbie Lee January 7th January 14th January 21st January 28th Caroline Tucker Allie McLamb Delilah Sharp Camden Winters 3 3 3 Children s Church January 7th Melanie and Charlie Autry January 14th Melanie and Charlie Autry January 21st Melanie and Charlie Autry January 28th Melanie and Charlie Autry January 7th January 14th January 21st January 28th Flowers James and Susie Norris Available Available Available Four Oaks First partners with the Johnston Baptist Association, Baptist State Convention of NC, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (National), and the Southern Baptist Convention. First Baptist Church P.O. Box 717 403 North Main St. Four Oaks, NC 27524 Change Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT No. 6 PAID FOUR OAKS, NC 27524