Saturday
October 1st
Intergenerational Family Fellowship Saturday Yip-Ashton Home January 7th 5:30 PM Coffee with Brené Sunday
October 2nd
3:00 to 6:00 pm FBC Parlour Wednesday College/University January 18th Students Staff, Board/ Potluck & Games Committee Reports for inclusion in Friday Annual Report
As I write this short article, a glance around my office shows me Christmas decorations ready to be put away while Lent and Easter ideas jump up on my "to do" list. But what happens in the middle of these two celebrations of the church is a season that we can not be too quick to jump over. This is the season of Epiphany.
October 14th
Harvest Supper FBC Assembly Room— 5:30 pm Sunday Sunday
January October 22nd 16th Return of Reverse
St Luke Service Advent Food Boxes FBC am (Old10:30 Creché) Friday ~ Sunday
October 21-23
A Weekend with God Sunday NB Tatamagouche, January 29th Congregational Saturday Meeting October 29th HRUBA Fall Meeting Faith Baptist Church Lower Sackville, NS Registration 8:30 am Saturday
November 5th Christmas Tea & Sale FBC 2:00 - 4:30 pm
. . .This year, Easter comes later, not until April 16. So what we are left with in between is a joyful extended season of Epiphany.
You may know that the day of Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, and is a representation of when the Magi came to visit the Christ child (you can read about this in Matthew 2). This marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas. And you may know that Lent begins 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter. And Easter changes based on the cycle of the moon. This year, Easter comes later, not until April 16. So what we are left with in between is a joyful extended season of Epiphany. This season, and the readings we will find in the Lectionary during it, help to focus us on the mission of the church. With the first Sunday of Epiphany being the Magi coming to visit Jesus, this helps us to see that God did not come just for one group of people, but through Christ to the world. We will hear stories of the disciples being called by Jesus into ministry and the foundation of a lot of Christ's ministry with the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7). We will join the worldwide church for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January, and our congregation during February will honour African Heritage Month, again, emphasising the mission of the church. This "renewal," (as James Hazelton challenged us), this fresh start of a new year, causes all of us to look at where we have been and where we want to go over these next 12 months. We don't just look at this in our personal lives, but in the context of the church calendar as well. We have the gift this year of a longer season of Epiphany, where is God calling us to have our mission?
Rev. Jenny Csinos
Coffee with Brené – A Women’s Discussion on Braver Living and Loving Join us for coffee, a video presentation of Brené’s TED talk and discussion in an informal atmosphere on Saturday, January 7, 10:30 AM at J.D. Shore’s Cafe (across from the Marine Museum on Lower Water St). Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston has spent the past fifteen years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of three #1 New York Times bestsellers – The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, and Rising Strong. Her TED talk – The Power of Vulnerability – is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world with over 25 million views. This is not just for First Baptist women, so bring a friend or two
From the moment you walked into the sanctuary on January 1st and were greeted by Sophie Yip-Ashton, or Diana Hazleton or Emma Hazelton or Jeiel Ugbebor; and you listened to the scriptures read by Thomas and Aaron YipAshton; and listened to the message delivered by James Hazelton—you knew 2017 was off to a very good start. Religion and First Baptist are in very good hands.
Guest Speaker James Hazelton
. . . A new day has dawned, a new year begun. . .
I found it very interesting and exciting to hear the topic of “RENEWAL” addressed from the perspective of a youth. Our speaker, James Hazelton, whom many of us have known as a child growing up at First Baptist, spoke of his experience in the Core Programme (leadership) at Bayside Camp. He came to recognize the Face of God in many different places at Bayside and especially on the faces of the camp children. “Renewal” is usually defined as—making it new again but James sees it as building upon the foundation of who you are. He then posed these questions to the congregation and asked them to discuss each with their neighbour: 1. “So what are you going to do to build upon yourself in 2017?”; 2. “How are you going to improve your relationship with God?” and 3. “So for those of you who think you don’t need to improve and those who think you can improve, have you done all this?” (given food to the hungry, shelter to the stranger, drink to the thirsty and didn’t care for the sick).
In conclusion James left us with this - “if there’s one thing you get out of this I hope it's that renewal is a doorway to success and change, and I was always taught that without change nothing would ever happen. This is a new year and God is making all things new. Let this be our challenge this year”. The audio version has been posted on our website—time well spent in listening to the January 1st worship service. Frank McGill
At the beginning of each new year our church has two important Congregational Meetings which all members and adherents are encouraged to attend. Members can speak and vote while adherents are invited to speak but are not eligible to vote. These meetings are a wonderful time to become aware of the wide variety of ministries, programs and, missions that our congregation undertakes as well as becoming aware of our needs for financial and volunteer support. Annual Budget Meeting: January 29, 2017 (lunch served) This meeting will receive the Annual Operating Budget of the church, also known as the General Fund Budget, as prepared by the Treasurer and reviewed by the Finance Committee and the Board of Management, which will summarize our anticipated revenue and how that money will be used in 2017. We will also have a presentation on the First Baptist Church Missions Budget, which is separate from our Operating Budget and identifies the external missions, ministries and projects for which we will raise money during 2017. Documentation for both budgets will be made available in advance of the meeting. Annual Meeting: February 26, 2017 (lunch served) This meeting will receive the Annual Reports from the Ministers, Elected Officials, Boards, Committees and Groups of the church and the report on the external review of the 2016 Financial Statements of the Church. We will also receive a Nominating Report for Church Officials, Boards and Committees and a separate Nominating Report from the Diaconate. The 2016 Annual Report will be made available in advance of the meeting.
The Lord’s Prayer is undoubtedly the most well-known and oft-repeated prayer (or biblical text) in Christianity. Many of us, though, may not have considered or challenged our understanding of the meaning of the words of this prayer, or looked at the prayer’s origins and history. The early Church believed that The Lord’s Prayer held much power and mystery, and these characteristics are reflected in John Dominic Crossin’s book, The Greatest Prayer. Crossin considers The Lord’s Prayer nothing less than “a radical manifesto and a hymn of hope for all humanity.” Join us in the Church parlour for each of the four Wednesday evenings in February at 5:30 PM until about 7:00 PM for an interactive and thought provoking look at this very important and spiritual prayer. We will begin with a soup supper and then proceed to discuss the prayer in order to gain insights into its meaning as well as its role for us personally and in today’s world. We will use Crossin’s 2010 book as a guide in our discussion (available from Rev. Lynn Uzans, though copies are limited). However, reading the book is not a barrier to attend and interact with our discussion group— though it is an interesting read, and will help each of us to form our own thoughts. Our discussion facilitator will be Clyde Evans. Hope many of you will choose to attend and participate in this very interesting discussion and social interaction!
Upcoming Services January 8: Epiphany Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 The Star That Stopped – Rev. Jenny Csinos Music: Dubois and Chilcott January 15: Epiphany 2 Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42 What Are You Looking For? – Deacon Arla Johnson Music: Duruflé and Handel January 22: Epiphany 3 Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23 Out on a Limb – Rev. Lynn Uzans Music: Halley and White January 29: Epiphany 4 Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 Dr. Anna Robbins, V.P. Acadia Divinity College Music: Williams and Henderson
Returning Reverse Advent Calendars: Thank you to the many families who participated in the reverse advent calendars this year. Please bring your full boxes to the old creche (on the first level) by January 22 as Feed Nova Scotia will be picking up all the boxes on January 23. Children/Youth Bible Study: Join Rev. Jenny to study the book of Esther over three Monday's in February from 6-8pm. We'll meet in peoples homes, enjoy dinner together, and dive into Scripture. This study is open for anyone in grades 5-12. Bring your appetite, Bibles and questions! More details will follow.
Back to School—Good Bye Winter Break!
All Staff, Board/Committee Reports to be included in the 2016 Annual Report are due in the Church Office not later than
January 18, 2017.
St. Matthew's United will kick off the Week of Prayer on Sunday, January 15th, 1-2 pm at the Oval (public skate). We'll bring hot cocoa and some sort of WPCU identifying signage around which we can gather. Skates can be rented with photo ID. Let’s have a good attendance!
Monday January 16th at 12:15 St. Paul’s Anglican Church Paul Friesen - Jenny Csinos 1749 Argyle Street Tuesday January 17th at 12:15 St. David’s Presbyterian Church Kenn Stright - Rhonda Britton 1544 Grafton Street Wednesday January 18th at 12:15 First Baptist Church Lynn Uzans - Brian MacMillan 1300 Oxford Street Thursday January 19th at 12:15 All Saints Cathedral Paul Smith - Kenn Stright 1330 Martello St
A huge thank you to the staff at First Baptist for your devotion, care and above all, your unconditional love. During the year 2016 and especially during the Advent and Christmas Seasons—continuing into Epiphany, you have provided us with so many opportunities to experience the real meaning of Christmastide and caring for one another. May the Blessings you have given to us be returned a hundred fold to you and yours during 2017. To Rev. Lynn, Rev. Jenny, Rev. Nelson, Lynette, Alana, Chip and the able team of Assistant Sextons—thanks!
1300 Oxford Street Halifax, NS B3H 3Y8 Phone: 902-422-5203 Email: office@fbchalifax.ca Facebook.com/FirstBaptistHalifax Twitter: twitter.com/FBCHfx
. . .was founded in 1827 as the Granville Street Baptist Church (renamed First Baptist Church in 1886) and is a member of the Halifax Region United Baptist Association as well as the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms (formerly the Atlantic Baptist Fellowship). We are intentionally ecumenical and inclusive in our services (Sundays at 10:30 a.m.) and programs. We are an affirming church. Photo by Warren Hoeg - June 2016
at We’re on the web ca x. www.fbchalifa
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