A Monthly Newsletter of First Baptist Church
From your Interim Pastor . . . IT IS CHRISTMAS - AGAIN! The Christmas Season has arrived! The trees, bells, lights, and packages are everywhere. Your church staff and a host of members are busy getting everything in order for our Christmas Celebrations. It IS a wonderful time of the year! The very word “Christmas” calls us to worship. Our modern term “Christmas” comes from an old English phrase “Christ Mass.” The root of the word is one of the names for Jesus: Christ, which means The Anointed One. The suffix “mas” is a shortened from of Mass, the church’s name for the Eucharist – what we observe as Communion or the Lord’s Supper. This means the very word “Christmas” calls us to worship Jesus who was anointed by the Spirit to redeem our lives through His broken body and shed blood.
First Baptist Church offers our community and our many opportunities to worship Jesus in this season. You can read about the worship services and special presentations in this issue of The Bridge. Many of you are involved in leading us in Christmas worship. Whatever part you have in helping us worship, “Thank You!” We are grateful for your ministry, and the Lord is pleased by your desire to serve Him by serving us. It is going to be another great Christmas at First Baptist! SINGING CHILDREN
Sunday evening, December 16th, the children of First Baptist will help us celebrate Christmas through their singing. You know what happens in us when children sing: we become children ourselves, and can take in the wonder and joy of the season more easily and fully. THIS is Yes, Christmas has its frightened what children are singing about shepherds, wooly sheep, and Jesus do for us: they pull us into angels in the night. All this is who we really are, little children most wonderful and not to be set who laugh and love and grow in aside, but we have not had the presence of our most “Christ Mass” until we have wonderful Heavenly Father. bowed before a cross and experienced the presence of the Whether measured in numbers, resurrected Jesus who is Lord activities, or the hearts of the Over All. leaders, Children’s Ministry in this
church is top shelf! This is possible because of the excellent leadership of Kelly McElveen and those who work with her. Children’s ministry is not childcare or babysitting to entertain children or allow adults to be free to do other things. Children’s ministry is MINISTRY. It is carrying the good news of the grace and love of Jesus to children and their families. In this ministry children say “yes” to Jesus and families are blessed in and through their children’s lives as they grow in faith in Jesus. It is a tremendous opportunity to reach moms and dads who do not know Jesus. A team of committed adults called to this ministry is the foundation for this great work. “Thank you!” Children’s ministers! The strength of the ministry has brought a great need. We have so many children coming to Children’s Choir that we must have multiple choirs – and all of the choirs need leaders. Jesus may be calling YOU to be one of those leaders. If so, please respond now! Let Kelly know you are ready to be part of the Children’s Choirs team. YOU will make a difference in the sacred lives of children, and YOU will be an instrument of outreach to their families. Thank you!
Family Daily Discipleship Readings for December 2018 Contact us First Baptist Church 950 Self Street Franklinton, LA 70438 Phone: (985) 839-3427 Fax: (985) 839-3572 Prayer Line: (985) 839-3337 Office E-mail: fbc.natasha@gmail.com
Prayer E-mail: fbcfranklinton.prayer@gmail.com
Website: www.fbcfranklinton.org
Facebook: First-Baptist-Church-Franklinton
Service Times: Sunday Worship Services Sundays at 8:15 a.m.,10:45 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Bible Study Groups Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays 5:45 p.m. Ladies Bible Study 6:00 p.m. Preschool/Children’s Activities 6:00 p.m. Youth Activities
Prayer Times 7:30 a.m. Sundays in the Chapel 5:00 p.m. Sundays in the Senior Adult Center 7:00 a.m. Tuesdays in the Fireside Room 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays in the Sanctuary
24/7 Prayer Room
Choir Rehearsals Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. Preschool & Children’s Choir 6:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir
Sundays 4:00 p.m. Praise Team Rehearsal
December 2nd Memory Verse: And the LORD said to her: Two nations are in your womb; two peoples will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger. ----Genesis 25:23
December 9
th
Reading Plan: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Memory Verse:
❑
“Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” -----Genesis 28:15
❑
December 16th
❑
Memory Verse:
❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD. "Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children. ----Genesis 29:35
December 23rd Memory Verse:
❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”----Luke 1:33
❑ ❑ ❑
December 30 Memory Verse:
th
❑ ❑
The LORD said to him, “Go back to the ❑ land of your fathers and to your family, ❑ and I will be with you.” ----Genesis 31:3
1st Genesis 25:19-26 2nd Genesis 25:27-34 3rd Genesis 26:1-11 4th Genesis 26:12-22 5th Genesis 26:23-35 6th Genesis 27:1-13 7th Genesis 27:14-29 8th Genesis 27:30-40 9th Genesis 27:41-46 10th Genesis 28:1-9 11th Genesis 28:10-22 12th Genesis 29:1-12 13th Genesis 29:13-20 14th Genesis 29:21-30 15th Genesis 29:31-35 16th Genesis 30:1-13 17th Genesis 30:14-24 18th Genesis 30:25-36 19th Genesis 30:37-43 20th Genesis 31:1-13 21st Genesis 31:14-21 22nd Genesis 31:22-35 23rd Genesis 31:36-42 24th Genesis 31:43-55 25th Genesis 32:1-12 26th Genesis 32:13-23 27th Genesis 32:24-32 28th Genesis 33:1-10 29th Genesis 33:11-20 30th Genesis 34:1-12
REACHing In and REACHing Out in Student Ministry
Rev. Cody Thomas Student Pastor fbc.codythomas@gmail.com
Word of Truth Baptist Church Buena Vista, Honduras
Buenas Dias, As I begin this article I’d like to start with a note of deepest and sincerest thanks to all of you who have prayed for and supported the mission in Honduras, for Sam and Peggy Feazel and the staff of Ignite Missions (especially for Sam’s recovery from the 4 wheeler accident), and for David and Nellie Lopez and the church in Buena Vista. Thank you and may the Lord bless you! A large part of church planting and mission work is discipleship. The fruit of those labors is when we see those who have come to faith in Christ begin to go out and share their faith and start to disciple those they have led to the Lord. When we first went to Buena Vista in 2010 we found no evangelical church in the village, but my vision and hope was that one day a thriving church would be there reaching people for Christ, living out their faith, and helping others to do so too. There have been many who have gone with us to Honduras, but the majority have been back here in the states, behind the lines and lifting us up in prayer, giving to and supporting the mission. Make no mistake, God has used and is using it all for His glory. This past April the church in Buena Vista went on its first mission trip to the island of Amapala: disciples making disciples. In 2019, from May 27th to June 2nd, we will take another team of folks to Honduras. Next year we hope to revisit the village of Guayabo with a Bible school for the children, and then have a children’s and adult’s Bible school in Buena Vista. We will be having a Honduras Team Interest meeting on December 9 at 5:00 P.M. in the Fireside Room (by the kitchen). I encourage you to begin praying now and asking the Lord if this is the year that He wants you to go to Honduras. I hope to see you on December 9th. Love in Christ,
Brother Dale
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES Though He was in the form of God, (He) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 (ESV)
Rev. Joey Miller Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care fbc.joeymiller@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
On our Thanksgiving visit to Texas to see our daughter Sally Ann and her family, Karen and I went with them to get a Christmas tree. Sally Ann and Cory have made it one of their Christmas traditions to take their girls ages two and five to shop for a live Christmas tree, cut it down and bring it home to decorate for the season. This tradition began for Sally Ann years ago when she was a little girl. We used to load the children in the pickup and head out to Kennedy’s Christmas Tree Farm. We would ride around the field and then walk with a saw in hand until we found the “perfect” Christmas tree. Each of the children would saw some on the tree before dad finished it off, each of them shouting “Timber!” as it fell to the ground. We would then complete the purchase and load our prize tree to bring it home. Christmas brings with it many traditions and memories for all of us. It is a season filled with sights, sounds, and smells that make this time of year so special. These sights and sounds bring to mind special times with family and friends that have been treasured through the years. They also bring to mind Christmas presents and pageants of long ago. They remind us of times around the family Christmas tree and the blessing of Christmas caroling.
But the heart of all the traditions and memories is the story of the birth of our Savior in a manger in Bethlehem, and how shepherds adored Him, and wise men came to seek Him. His name would be Jesus because He would save His people from their sin. He was called Emmanuel because He was God with us. This is the message we share each time we put on some Christmas music and decorate the tree with family or bake Christmas cookies for someone in need or sing Christmas carols to a homebound person. Christmas is so special because it is a season for giving. Christ gave Himself, and we live the season most fully when we give of ourselves to bless others. Concerning what our Savior gave, Paul said of Christ in Philippians 2, “He emptied Himself…” This passage is one of the deepest studies of the meaning of what Christ did when He came to earth to be born and take on human flesh. He emptied Himself of all His Heavenly glory and took on the form of a servant who would serve man and give Himself a ransom for many. He humbled Himself and became obedient going all the way to the cross. Oh, what a Savior! Spend some time meditating on this wonderful passage from Philippians 2 during this Christmas season. It will make all your traditions and memories take on new meaning. And as you share with family and friends, don’t forget the Christmas events that are on our SAM calendar and our churchwide calendar. I look forward to seeing you as we celebrate the season at our December 7 Adult 55+ Luncheon and as we go caroling and seeing the lights together. May you and your family have a blessed and very Merry Christmas!!! We love you,
Karen and Joey
NURSING HOME MINISTRY Thursday, December 13th
Monday, December 17th
at 3:00 p.m. Worship at Good Samaritan
at 3:00 p.m. Worship at Heritage Manor
Happy Birthday to our
the prophet Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of peace. Because of what He did on the cross, we can have that quiet assurance that only comes from God.”
December
Through this presentation, we will all be reminded that, in the chaos of this world, each one who truly believes can have a heart that peacefully rests in the abiding presence of Jesus, the Prince of peace. Perhaps during this Christmas season, we can rediscover and share with others that Peace Has Come!
For our Senior Adult Ministry (55+)
Eva Beahm Angie Beahm John Bickham Edsel Brock Cherry Brown Chris Collins Jerry Dick Helen Erwin Jackie Fussell Lou Fussell David Harmon Malinda Harris Sarah Hartzog George Hingle Ann Hingle Margaret Holiday Joann Holland Beverly Jackson William Jenkins Darlene Jones Robert Jones Fred Kirby Dusy Knight Kelley Lawhon Drew LeBlanc Chris McMillian Mike McNeal Mildred Miller Donnie Miller Jim Morgan Keith Morgan Ben Morgan Chris Morgan Jessie Mulina
Marsha Newman Ralph Parks Dieudonne Passman Brenda Prescott Linda Richardson William Russell Ricky Simmons Juanita Smith Walt Smith Karen Spears Steve Stafford Cindy Stafford Ann Stokes Janet Thomas Mike Thomas Virginia Varnado Bob Wallace Theresa Wascom If your birthday is not listed, please let us know! Email:
fbc.joeymiller @gmail.com
or call the Church Office at
985.839.3427
Note these other opportunities for Christmas worship.
Rev. Butch Reviere Minister of Music fbc.butch@gmail.com
On Sunday, December 9th, our Sanctuary Choir will present the musical entitled Peace Has Come in both morning worship services. In a foreword to the musical, the creators, Dennis and Nan Allen, offer the following: “We often differ in our definitions of peace. Some believe that peace is the absence of war or conflict. Some think of peace as a quiet, tranquil setting … or the absence of noise. Others say that it is the absence of disorder. Notice that all of these definitions include the word “absence.” But Ephesians 2:14 states that “[Jesus] is our peace.” Peace is a person. There is no absence or void in Him. He makes us right with God through the sacrifice of His life, and His peace “surpasses all understanding,” according to Philippians 4:7. This musical, though it is distinctively Christmas, unwraps the idea of why
On the evening of December 9th, I’m asking some of our soloists to share a favorite Christmas song. The very next Sunday, December 16th, in both morning services, The Senior Singers and the FBC Bell Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Jerry Dick, will be leading our worship. That night at 6:00pm, our children’s choirs will be offering the gift of worship to Jesus through seasonal music that they have been preparing for many weeks. Their singing always brings many guests to worship with us, so be present to welcome family and friends and to support our kids in their service to our Lord. On Sunday morning, December 23rd, we will have our normal schedule of worship and Bible study with no evening service. Then, on the 24that 4:00pm and 6:00pm, we will share in the annual Christmas Eve worship service with the singing of carols and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The next day…have a very merry and blessed Christmas with your families!
SANCTUARY FUNDING COMMITTEE UPDATE & SANCTUARY DESIGN COMMITTEE REPORT If you were unable to be with us on Pledge Sunday or if you have not yet turned your Pledge Card in, please know that it is not too late. You may return your Pledge Card in the offering plate or to the church office. Pledge boxes are located in the foyer of the Sanctuary and on the Praying Hands table. Please continue to consider prayerfully how God would have you give.
Funds Raised Thus Far:
$ 314,689.69
April
This Christmas season, please prayerfully consider how you can serve in one of the following ways:
*Nursery Volunteers: Nursery volunteers assist our paid nursery staff in either the infant or toddler nursery. Volunteers are called upon approximately four times per year with our new rotation. Criteria for volunteers include being a member of FBC, at least 21 years of age, and willing to submit to a criminal background check through the church office. As a reminder, our nursery is available for infants and toddlers from birth to age 36 months. To add your name to our list of volunteers, please call the church office at 985.839.3427 or email Kelly at fbc.playschool@gmail.com.
Kelly McElveen Director of Preschool/ Children’s Ministries fbc.playschool@gmail.com
Happy Birthday! Emily Pope – 13th Abigail Sherlin – 13th Sloane Rome – 14th Gatlin Casanova – 15th Kendal Casanova – 15th Avery James – 15th Nora Kate Rhoden – 15th Lauren Burris – 19th Preston Jarrell – 19th Lanie Warner -20th Charlie Casanova – 27th Miles Gray – 28th
May (approximately 36 Wednesdays per year totaling 18 hours), please contact the church office at 985.839.3427 or email Kelly at fbc.playschool@gmail.com. December dates to take note of: Wednesday, December 12th, beginning at 5:30 pm: Final rehearsal for the Joyful Noise choir’s presentation of ‘Christmas This Year.’ We will practice in and dismiss from the Sanctuary. This is a closed rehearsal and parents are asked to wait in the Family Life Center until we are done. While our goal is to be finished by our normal dismissal time of 7:00 p.m., please be aware that we may run past this time.
Sunday, December 16th: *Wee Worship: Wee Worship Preschool Half Notes Choir and leaders must meet the same criteria Children’s Joyful Noise Choirs as nursery volunteers but are asked presentation of their Christmas to volunteer during two services per musicals. year. Volunteers can serve in the 5:30 p.m.: Children should arrive in 8:15 a.m. service for two consecutive their respective choir rooms, dressed Sundays, during the 10:45 a.m. and ready to lead in worship. Parents service for two consecutive Sundays, should bring their children to the or on one Sunday during the summer restroom before they bring them to in both the 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. their rooms. NO candy, gum, drinks, service. All lessons are provided. You toys, or snacks in the rehearsal do not need to be the parent of a rooms. Any additional belongings preschooler to volunteer, but parents (coats, purses, etc.) should be kept are highly encouraged to be a part of with the parents. Attire for the evening this ministry. As a reminder, Wee is Christmas outfits. Worship is for children that have 6:00 p.m.: Our Preschool Half Notes reached their third birthday through Choir will open our evening of those that have not yet entered first worship with a few of their favorite grade. This area of ministry has an Christmas carols. They will join their urgent need for volunteers. To add parents at the end of their songs. The your name to our list of current Joyful Noise Choir will then present volunteers, please call the church ‘Christmas This Year.’ A cake and office at 985.839.3427 or email Kelly punch reception will follow in the at fbc.playschool@gmail.com. Family Life Center, and all Volunteers that served in 2018 will be participants and guests are automatically added back to the Wee invited to join us. Worship list in the worship schedule Sunday, December 19th: as they currently are volunteering. If Churchwide Christmas Caroling your situation has changed and you Children will go with their families to need to be removed from the list, carol at the homes of some of our please contact the church office or church members. To participate in Kelly by one of the means listed this outing, children must remain with above. their parent/guardian. Please note, Joyful Noise Choir: This is a there will not be nursery, choirs, critically endangered area of Team KID, or Higher Calling this Children’s Ministry that will become evening. extinct in January without someone Sunday, December 23rd: willing to take it under direction. While No Wee Worship; I can assist and will be there to lend No Sunday evening services assistance, music ministry is not one Wednesday, December 26th: of my spiritual gifts. If YOU are st th No Wednesday evening activities interested in leading our 1 -6 graders for 30 minutes of music on Wednesday nights from August until
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. -1 John 5:11 Important Dates to Remember: Wednesday, December 12th: Scholastic Book Order Due (Online Ordering Code: LQ9XN) th
Friday, December 14 : Tuition Due Wednesday and/or Thursday, December 19th and/or 20th: PlaySchool Christmas Parties Friday, December 21, 2018 until Wednesday, January 9th, 2019: No PlaySchool Thursday and/or Friday, January 10th and/or 11th, 2019: Students return to PlaySchool & Christmas Show-and-Tell (One gift they received or a picture of something they received. No live pets.)
Happy December Birthdays to: Maddox G. – 4th Nora Kate – 15th Ady – 16th Karder – 18th Aubrey – 19th Finnley – 20th Landry T. - 28th Alyvia – 29th Karson – 30th Our prayer for you this Christmas is that you would know the eternal life only found in the gift of Jesus Christ.
Emily Phelps Linda Crain Ann Hingle Dianne Cruce Pauline Bankston
Kelly, Sarah, Elizabeth, Kathy & Angela
Kelly McElveen* & Brittany Sherlin** Perfect Attendance for January Kelly McElveen* & Brittany Sherlin** Katelin Allen* & Cathy Mikeska** No Wee Worship
To volunteer for our Wee Worship ministry, please contact Preschool Director Kelly McElveen at fbc.playschool@gmail.com. Must be a church member, at least 21 years of age and willing to submit to a background check.
* 8:15 a.m. ; ** 10:45 a.m.
Ministries of FBC Franklinton
Women in God’s Service
Group will leave FBC Friday, April 5th at 4:00 p.m. and return Saturday, April 6th. If interested, please sign up on the WINGS bulletin board by the Coke machine.
Starting Wednesday, January 9th!
Offered at 10:00 a.m. in the 12:2 Classroom
& at 6:00 p.m.
in the Circle of Joy Classroom
Books Cost $15.00
Ministries Sponsored by & Ministries
WASHINGTON PARISH FOOD BANK UPDATE Do not grow weary in doing good. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 November was a busy month at the food bank because of the food drives that were done for us and the time it takes to sort it all and stack it or put it on the shelves. It was a very good busy, though, and we were so blessed to get such a wide variety of so many food items. Thanks go out to Franklinton Primary School, Enon School, Mt. Hermon School, Moore and Jenkins, and Franklinton Head Start for the awesome food drives they did. We would not be able to provide enough food for our families if not for food drives and monetary donations. Although we were able to order a little more food from Second Harvest last month, it is still not enough to meet the need. If you would like help or suggestions on doing a food drive, please let me know or call the food bank at 322-2017. I also want to again thank Kelly McElveen for her support of our food bank. By offering us the chance to fix chili and hotdogs for the Trunk-or-Treat and using it as a donation opportunity for the food bank, we received canned goods as well as money. After expenses, we still received over $350 to use for the food bank. And thank all of you who came out to support
this effort and donated, sometimes without even eating a hotdog. I will have to say, though, that you missed out on a treat because the chili was really good. And thank you to those who helped prepare and serve the food. You were awesome, as always! Thanks to all of you who regularly donate to the food bank ministry, whether money or food or prayers, we are blessed by you. God bless all of you daily and especially during the upcoming holiday season. Food items needed this month include rice and pasta side items, mashed potatoes, noodles, spaghetti, tuna, dried beans, and always canned vegetables. We require 27 cases of 24 cans each of vegetables for each of the 8 days per month we provide the food choice pantry. This is by far the largest amount of any item needed monthly.
Beverly Cooke
$20,000.00
Welcome to the Family Our New Church Members
Jeremy Christopher
(Baptism)
First Baptist Church Office Contact 950 Self Street Franklinton, LA 70438
Financial Reminder: Any contributions for the 2018 tax year must be made by Sunday, December 23rd to go on 2018 Contribution Statement. If you have any questions, please contact the office.
Phone: (985) 839-3427 Fax: (985) 839-3572
Website www.fbcfranklinton.org
Office Manager Natasha Burris fbc.natasha@gmail.com
Office Assistant Katelin Allen fbc.katelin@gmail.com
Financial Manager Cathy Milner fbc.cathy@gmail.com
Church Office Hours Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
December 2018 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday 1
2
3
4
5
Lottie Moon Week of Prayer 7:00 a.m. Men’s Prayer Breakfast
2:00 p.m. WMU
5:30 p.m. Outreach
6:30 p.m. Celebrate Recovery
4:00 p.m. Deacons Meeting
9
10
11
Sanctuary Choir Christmas Musical
8:15 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
Wednesday Night Supper
~Chicken Rotel
13
14 3:00 p.m. Good Samaritan
5:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Supper
9:30 a.m. SAM Committee Meeting
.
17
Handbells & Senior Singers Performance
8
10:30 a.m. SAM Luncheon (Adults 55+)
~ Pulled Pork
5:00 p.m. Honduras Team Interest Meeting
7
5:00 p.m.
12 6:30 p.m. Celebrate Recovery
8:15 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
16
6
18
19
20
Children’s Choirs Christmas Presentation
6:30 p.m. Celebrate Recovery
5:30 p.m. Outreach
4:00 p.m. SAM Trip to see Christmas Lights in Hammond, LA
22
Christmas Holidays Office Closed
5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Heritage Manor
21
15
Wednesday Night Supper
~ Fried Chicken
Christmas Caroling 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
23
24
No Evening Services
25
4:00 p.m. Deacons Meeting
27
Christmas Holidays Office Closed
Christmas Holidays Office Closed
Christmas Eve Vespers Service
6:30 p.m. Celebrate Recovery
No Evening Services
4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
30
26
Christmas Holidays Office Closed
28
29
31 New Year’s Eve Holidays Office Closed
PRSRT STD
First Baptist Church Franklinton 950 Self Street Franklinton, LA 70438
www.fbcfranklinton.org
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 27