Calendar of Ministry Events December Monday
25
Christmas Day Service - 10 – 11 a.m.
Tuesday
26
Office will be closed
Wednesday
27
No morning or evening Bible Study – will resume 01/20/2018
Sunday
31
Annual New Year’s Eve Worship - 9:30 p.m. - Midnight
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 January January 1, 2018, marks Bishop’s 44 years as under-shepherd here at SBC. Sixty years as a clergyman as of February 18, 2018. Fifty-four years as an under-shepherd over four different parishes in his ministerial pilgrimage. Monday 1 New Year’s Day Tuesday 2 Office Closed Wednesday
3
No morning or evening Bible Study – will resume 01/10/2018
Saturday
6
BLL Breakfast 8-10 a.m.
Sunday
7
The Lord’s Supper Celebration 4:45 p.m.
Monday
8
UWFG Officers meeting 6-7 p.m.
Sunday
14
Martin Luther King Jr. Presentation
Monday
15
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Thursday
18
Board of Trustees Meeting 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
25
Bishop’s Advisory Council meeting – Diakonos – George Harrison, Ron Demps, James Harvey, Dennis Craig, Michael Dickson, Bobby Laird, Thelma Jones, Jessie Anderson and JoAnne Craig @ 6:30 p.m. Joint Board Meeting 7:30 p.m. All Diakonos and Board of Trustees Annual Convocation 7 p.m.
Tuesday
30
SAVE THE DATE: Providence Missionary Baptist Church Women’s Ministry Fashion Show Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 11 a.m. at Second Baptist Church in the Fannie Goodwin Hall.
Church mailing address: P.O. Box 479, Monrovia, CA. 91017
Bishop Wm. LaRue Dillard, Ph. D. Parish-Shepherd/Soul-Watcher
December 24, 2017
HIS GLORY IS OUR STORY! (John 1:1-14) “Troubles Break the Syndrome of Independence and Willfulness and Bring Us Back to the Lord!” Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard www.secondbaptistmonrovia.org---sbcmon@aol.com
JESUS HAS AUTHORITY, HIS PEACE IS OURS ONLY IF WE GIVE IT AWAY! Bishop’s Epistle
December 24, 2017
OH, THE WONDER OF IT ALL DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON! (Isaiah 9:6,7) Holy Ones of God’s Family, Grace to You! The prophetic message declared 700 years before it came to pass is a wonder to us all. Isaiah, the Prophet says: “His name shall be called Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6). By far the greatest problem of our contemporary celebration of Christmas is the lost sense of wonder. Faithless familiarity with the Christmas message, the rote repetition of carols, and the pressures of the holiday season keep many from breathless wonder over Jesus Christ’s birth. Recently while reading John’s gospel, I came to five words that riveted my attention and filled me with wonder: “If I had not come” (John 15:22). What if Jesus, the Christ, had not come? I made a list of all that the kingdom revealed of God, died for our sins, rose victorious over death and returned as indwelling Lord. The wonder of our wonderful Savior! My great grandmother who reared me from birth to the age of eight, was not an educated woman. She knew hardship and difficulty. The joy of her life was Jesus. She did not have the gift of words to express the depth of her love. Sometimes when she was overcome with a realization of His power, majesty and grace she would exclaim, “Oh, the wonder of it all!” At Christmastime she could not contain her amazement and repeatedly expressed her humble parse with these words. I have proclaimed for years that the account of the birth of Jesus Christ is filled with wonder: Mary’s awe in being chosen to be the mother of the Savior, the shepherd’s wonder at beholding Him in a manger, the kings bearing gifts. Wonder surrounded the Savior’s ministry. He did wonders and signs of the power of God incarnate. And wonder and praise distinguished the church He founded. Humility precedes wonder and adoration follows closely after. That’s what we saints should mean when we say, “Have a wonderful Christmas!” Today and tomorrow I will let myself go in a full experience of the wonder of Jesus Christ’s birth and all that He means to me. How about you? Amen Serving Christ Joyfully U|á{ÉÑ WÜA jÅA _teâx W|ÄÄtÜw? Parish Under-shepherd
The Call to Worship…………………………Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard Hymn of Devotion………………………………………….Gathered Assembly “O Come, All Ye Faithfull” #59 Diaconates Ministry Leading the Worship Responsive Scripture Reading..........................................Diakona (Luke 4:16-21) Fervent Prayer..................................................................Diakona Glorious Praise unto the Lord…………Praise Leader/Gathered Host Financial Stewardship of Worship………………………………......Diakona (Paying Tithes and Giving Offerings) Choir Selection……………………………………...Anointed Voices of Praise An Extended Welcome… (Parish members & Visitors) ……… Diakona {Intercessory Prayer for Special Needs} Choir Selection…………………………………… Anointed Voices of Praise
SERMONIC GOSPEL MESSAGE Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard, Preaching “GIVING YOUR CHRISTMAS STRUGGLES TO JESUS!” (Luke 4:18,19) A Christian Appeal your Request and Decision of Christ To be born again, restore your faith, and/or join this parish church Announcements…………………….……………………………Dr. Precious Flemings The Doxology (Reverently Chanted) “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!” The Blessing of the Benediction and Recessional Chant “Let the Church Say Amen”