From the Pastor There is no season like the Christmas season! The festive side of Christmas is wonderful! It s the hap-happiest time of the year until it turns you into Scrooge! The American Christmas is exhausting for most people. Few seasons are more demanding hope at Christmas lies in remembering and focusing on its true meaning. Our church, with its Advent season and celebration of Christmas through worship, helps redeem everything else about this time of year. The Christmas truth is that we are loved in ways we can only partly understand. One of my favorite poems is about a little boy who is awakened one night by a light. His father had come to see if the child was all right. He had struck a match and held it cupped in his hands. In that brief moment the boy caught a vision about the reality of a larger truth. The Secret Heart by Robert P. Tristram Coffin Across the years he could recall His father one way best of all In the stillest hour of night the boy awakened to a light. Half in dreams he saw his sire With his great hands full of fire. The man had struck a match to see If his son slept peacefully. He held his palms each side the spark His love had kindled in the dark. His two hands were curved apart In the semblance of a heart. He wore, it seemed to his small son, A bare heart on his hidden one. A heart that gave out such a glow No son awake could bear to know. It showed a look upon a face Too tender for the day to trace. One instant, it lit all about, And then the secret heart went out. But it shone long enough for one To know that hands held up the sun. Blessed Christmas, David The next issues of The Mosaic are scheduled for December 18, 2013 & January 8, 2014. The deadline for submissions will be 5:00 p.m. Tuesday prior to the date of publication.
Coming Events Sunday December 15 Third Sunday of Advent 9:30 am Donuts, Coffee/Juice Family Hall 9:45 am Christian Education Christian Education Classrooms 10:55 am Morning Worship Sanctuary 12:15 pm Program Council Portable (childcare by reservation) Monday December 16 6:00 pm Women of the Church Dinner & Christmas Program Family Hall (childcare by reservation) Wednesday December 18 Mosaic 5:30 pm Youth Supper & Study Youth Center 5:30 pm Family Supper Family Hall Linguini with Meat Balls, Caesar Salad, Brownies 6:15 pm Children s Choir/Missions Children s Building 6:15 pm Midweek Service Family Hall The Practical Wisdom of James, a study of the epistle of James, taught by David Matthews 7:15 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary Sunday December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:30 am Donuts, Coffee/Juice Family Hall 9:45 am Christian Education Christian Education Classrooms 10:55 am Morning Worship Sanctuary Tuesday December 24 Christmas Eve 6:30 pm Christmas Eve Service Holy Communion Offered Sanctuary Wednesday December 25 Christmas Day Church Office Closed No Wednesday Evening Activities Sunday December 29 First Sunday after Christmas 9:30 am Donuts, Coffee/Juice Family Hall 9:45 am Christian Education Christian Education Classrooms 10:55 am Morning Worship Sanctuary Wednesday January 1 New Year s Day Church Office Closed No Wednesday Activities The deadline for the order of service, the Midweek, and the Mosaic is Tuesday, 5:00 p.m. prior to publication. Follow RLBC on Facebook & Twitter. Don t do Facebook? Follow RLBC at www.facebook.com/royallane Spread the Word Office Furniture for Sale Now We recently received a very large donation of office furniture for the rummage sale. Due to the large number of pieces we collected, we have rented a temporary storage pod in which to keep most of it. We would LOVE to sell as much of it as possible as soon as possible so that we don't have to pay the monthly rental on the pod any longer than necessary. I have placed an ad on Craigslist. Here is the link: http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/fuo/4229939836.html Please help by sharing this ad in whatever ways are available to you! Email it around and post it to all of your social media such as Facebook and Twitter. The faster we move it, the more money we will be able to spend in whatever community we find ourselves next summer! Thanks for your help! Garland Hamic
Posadas y Piñatas This Friday! Posada y Piñatas, originally scheduled for December 6, will take place on December 13, from 6:00-10:00 pm. All children through 6th grade are invited to spend the evening together celebrating the Christmas story while parents have an evening to themselves! Parents, please bring the children to the church at 6:00 pm (or as soon as you can), then feel free to stay or treat yourself to a night off! We will have a Mexican dinner for the children during the first hour, allowing time for everyone to arrive and eat. Following dinner, the children will dress as the characters in the Christmas Story and travel to selected homes to act out the story in the Mexican tradition of Posadas - remembering the sacred pilgrimage of long ago: seeking a home for Jesus. Upon returning to the church, we will share a piñata, games, crafts, food and maybe even a Christmas movie. RSVP to the church so we may plan appropriately. Parents, please return no later than 10:00 pm. We need drivers from 7:00-8:30 pm. If you can help, contact Melanie Briscoe at 972-750-1377. Thank you to the Decorators & Poinsettia Donors Thank you to all who helped prepare the greenery and poinsettia tree for the sanctuary. Lots of tender care was needed and we could not have done it without each and every one of you!!! Poinsettia donations will be listed in the December 15 th bulletin. This list will also appear in the December 18 th issue of The Mosaic. Thank you to all who made donations in memory or honor of loved ones. A Christmas Blessing Women of the Church Monday, December 16, 2013 6:00 pm Family Hall (childcare by reservation) Dinner A Christmas Blessing Make or purchase a Christmas card Write a Christmas Blessing to be shared Most unique Christmas sweater contest Share a blessing with Leslie & Forrest McKinney, new foster parents, with a gift card from Target, Amazon or BuyBuyBaby.
Prayer Requests: Jackie Arnold, sister of Cathy Webb Joey Belgard Ed Bright Barbara DeWitt, mother of Michael Knight s partner, Mark DeWitt Paul Fjerstad, son-in-law of Maebelle Raiza Tom Foster, friend of Laurence & Janet Schultz John & Jaye George, brother & sister-in-law of Sheila Bright Tara Gray, mother of Donnie & Jasmine Gray Lonnie Harris Shirley James & Family on the death of her brother-inlaw, Melton B. James Ted Kraus, friend of Harry & Debi Wooten Donna Ledgerwood Andy Moore, father of Melanie Briscoe June Rohne, mother of Wendy Miller Chris Scruggs mother Terry Simmons Mary Ellen Spealman, sister-in-law of Gordon & Lyn Brown Dorothy Tilden, on the death of her aunt, Zelda Kuhns Marla Wells, friend of Jordan Weilage Robert Lee Womack III, brother of Nancy Holland The Family of Libby Wonder on her death, friend of Susie Leinneweber DeeDee Young ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please continue to pray for: Mary Ann Baker, daughter-in-law of Betty Renfroe; Betty Beckman, mother of Paul Burnett; Anna Lou Brown; Thomas Jarvis, brother of Martha Box; Dot Johnson; Lydia Kandol; Wanda Lee, mother of Cathy Webb; Annie Levy; Hector & Josefa Mederos; Jill Mullinax, daughter of Jack & Judy Mullinax; Bill Prickett; Rex Raiza, husband of Maebelle Raiza; Corrie Stokes & Kerry Sheehan; Jordan Weilage ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Remember the homebound: Dorothy Cantrell; Nadine Francis; LuDean King; Faye Laney; Bruce Lowe; Dorothy Miller; Norman Morris; Everett Nelson; Ruth Smith; Libba Studdard; Allyene Wilcox Wheelchair Needed Donnie and Jasmine Gray s mother, Tara Gray, was in a motorcycle accident that required 2 surgeries. She will go to rehab before she is discharged. Tara will need a wheelchair when she is able to go home. If you have a wheelchair that you are able to loan, please contact Joey or Rosa Belgard at: joeynrosa@yahoo.com From the Parents of Jacque Neatherlin As you know, we will soon reach four years since Jacquelin's death. Although it is always a deep time in our lives, we wanted to say a few things about Royal Lane and what it meant in her life. Every time she visited us, or when we visited with her, she kept us aware of what you all meant to her. She loved you to a fault and we knew her life was filled with the love of Christ. When we knew we would have to remove life support, the way the Royal Lane Members loved us, as well as Jacque, is still in our hearts. We will always remember when one of the members of the Choir said to us, "When it is time for Jacque to go over to the other side, it will be a very short journey." Our thanks for the love you gave to our Daughter. Bruce & Dorothy Neatherlin
Deacons of the Week December 8 John Glass [214] 500-7812 Melissa Walker-Luckett [214] 538-5399 December 15 Theresa Helms [214] 538-6069 Kristene Ruddle [317] 755-7023 Midweek Service 6:15 p.m. Wednesday December 18 in Family Hall The Practical Wisdom of James Taught by David Matthews Join us for a Fellowship Meal at 5:30 p.m. No Midweek Service December 25 or January 1 In the Hawkins-Box Gallery 11/5/2013 12/14/2013 Toni Wengler 12/14/2013 1/24/2014 Herb Reed Scriptures of the Week December 15 Isaiah 35:1-10 Luke 1:46b-55 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Midweek Menu Wednesday, December 18 Linguini with Meat Balls, Caesar Salad, Brownies Congratulations to Corrie Stokes & Kerry Sheehan on the birth of a baby boy, December 7, 2013. Happy Birthday! December Connie Bechtol... 4 Elyse Glass... 4 Steven Gonzalez... 4 Jonah Hammett... 4 DeeDee Young... 4 Charlotte Sewell... 5 Kirk Grant... 10 Sean Berrier... 13 Linda Binder... 14 David Soames... 14 Janet Schultz... 15 Bridget Glass... 16 Jordan Simmons... 16 Chris Cechan... 17 Clint Cechan... 17 To change mail or email preferences for The Mosaic, contact Barbara Merry, 214-361-2809, ext. 10 or bmerry@royallane.org.
The Mosaic is published bi-monthly. Royal Lane Baptist Church 6707 Royal Lane Office Hours: Dallas, TX 75230-4145 Monday - Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Wednesday Midweek: 6:15 pm Office: [214] 361-2809 Sunday School: 9:45 am Fax: [214] 361-2988 Sunday Worship: 10:55 am www.royallane.org Melanie Briscoe, Interim Children s Minister Janet Schultz, Administrative Assistant Michael Hurder, Facilities Manager Chan Thui, Pastoral Intern C. David Matthews, Senior Pastor Ray Vickrey, Pastor Emeritus Barbara Merry, Administrative Assistant Garey Wisdom, Pianist Blake Miller, Minister to Youth Harry Wooten, Minister of Music and Worship Danny Wesley Ray, Organist Royal Lane Baptist Church 6707 Royal Lane Dallas, Texas 75230-4145