Winter 22/23 CrossTie

CROSSTIE

How Great Our Joy

December 11th at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary

Join us as we celebrate the season with a presentation by our Smoke Rise choirs, and orchestra. Read more on page 2.

Children's Winter Retreat

January 27-29 at Rock Eagle, Eatonton GA Third to fifth graders come be part of the “Story” at a fun-filled Winter Retreat! Read more on page 16.

Evensong

February 19 at 6:00 pm in the Chapel Contemplative worship with music, scripture and prayers.

From the Pastor

Reflections at the Nativity

The Gifts of Christmas

All Saints' Day

Launch into the New Year Academy of Arts

Missions Begins at Home

Advent: A Season of Anticipation

Octoberfest

Finding Family at Smoke Rise

Ten Years at Passport

The Story of Smoke Rise Missions

Journeys

Christmas Weekend

Ash Wednesday Journeys

FROM THE PASTOR

We are entering four of my favorite seasons of the year! Winter is certainly considered a single season, occurring in December, January and February on the calendar. But on the church calendar, these months lead us on a spiritual journey through four different seasons. In order to appreciate the beauty of each season, we must understand them.

MISSIONS BEGINS AT HOME

Missions Begins at Home. That was our focus for Mission Sunday 2022. If we are going to be true to our theme of “Missions Begins at Home,” let us not overlook the reflection of the world that walks through the doors of our Weekday School every single day during the week.

CAROLS SING TO THE KING

Asking me to pick my favorite Christmas carol is like asking me to pick my favorite color or my favorite hymn. If pressed on the matter, my answer is usually “Once in Royal David’s City.” I learned this carol as a child. While it was not sung in my home church, it was played repeatedly on the record player in our home.

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FINDING FAMILY AT SMOKE RISE

Once I retired from fulltime pastoring, Sandy and I spent the next five years searching for a church home. We visited practically every denomination in Gwinnett County, but none felt like home. We want more than just to fit in; we want to belong.

Stop by Our Office 5901 Hugh Howell Rd. Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Give Us a Call 770.469.5856

Follow Us on Facebook facebook.com/smokerise

Visit Us Online smokerisebaptist.org

From the Pastor

We are entering four of my favorite seasons of the year! Winter is certainly considered a single season, occurring in December, January and February on the calendar. But on the church calendar, these months lead us on a spiritual journey through four different seasons. In order to appreciate the beauty of each season, we must understand them.

ADVENT (November 27-December 24) -- Long ago, church leaders made a decision that we should do more than merely spread the celebration of Christmas over four weeks and actually incorporate a season of waiting, setting aside time to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ. They called it “Advent.” Christmas consumerism says, “Hurry up! Buy, Buy, Buy!” Advent says, “Slow down. Wait.” It is a season which offers us time to invest in relationships instead of simply being concerned with things such as wrapping paper and to make the most of this wonderful treasure called time that God has given us.

CHRISTMAS (December 25-January 5) -- “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is not merely a song about rings, turtle doves, French hens and a partridge. It is a reminder that Christmas is more than a single day of celebration; Christmas itself is a season. We are invited to celebrate for 12 days the “good news of great joy,” reminding us that “unto us is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ is Lord!”

Christmas doesn’t change anything. Christmas changes everything. Because of the incarnation, God is with us. The child born in Bethlehem is still among us. So, come let us adore Him!

EPIPHANY (January 6-February 21) -- Epiphany literally means “shining forth.” Epiphany is the season commemorating the time when wise men traveled from far away to see the newborn Savior. Epiphany is the season when we are called not only to celebrate, but to carefully consider how this once newborn babe will change our lives. We find new purpose during this season. We may not be guided by an ancient star, but we will still find direction if we follow the same Light.

This Epiphany, the good news of the Gospel is that: It takes only one life to change our world. It takes only one light to pierce the darkness.

LENT (February 22-April 8) -- Lent is a season of sacrifice. The Lenten season culminates with Holy Week events, including Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus gave not simply something, but everything. Jesus offered not only his love, but also his very life. Lent calls us to contemplation and to reflection and invites us into the shadow of the cross.

Baptists have traditionally been a bit unsure about Lent, thinking the whole season sounds a “little too Catholic” for our comfort. But Lent is not about making us more Catholic or. for that matter. more comfortable. Lent is a call for us to be more deeply Christian. If we agree to put aside our preconceived notions and embrace the experience, it might just change our lives.

Three months and four seasons encompassing many opportunities to encounter The Christ and to grow deeper in faith.

It really is “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Pastor Chris

Reflections at the nativity

Spiritual Formation

During Advent

byRebeccaCaswell-Speight,MinisterofFamilies,FaithFormationandConnection

In Luke’s Gospel, we see that Jesus was born among the powerless. He was raised by a rural carpenter who, before Jesus was born, was forced to journey many days to pay taxes that were demanded of them by an oppressive ruler.

Jesus’ parents, arriving in Bethlehem, were too poor to find space in the crowded town and given the only space left on which to lay their weary heads. Christ’s first bed was on any other day used to hold food for animals. When it was time for the new baby to be dedicated to God, his parents were able to afford only two small pigeons.

In Luke’s telling of Christ’s story of origin, there is no angel visitor who came to Joseph in a dream. In fact, Joseph is barely mentioned at all. There is no visit by Wise Men with generous gifts. And there is no evil king or heroic trek to Egypt. Luke’s Gospel is simple while simultaneously majestic.

This Gospel portrays Christ in all his glory while simultaneously showing us that God’s heart truly lies with the least of these. This Advent, may we find ways to focus on the majestic simplicity that is the Christ King. And may we find ways to make our lives mimic that of the Christ-child.

And All Shall See

A Visual Experience of God's Love Shared with the World

This Advent, ponder that first Christmas through a visual display of over 100 nativities, pictures and other art interwoven with the words and story of Luke’s gospel.

The chapel will be open for you to come December 7-11 from 10am to 4pm.

This year’s Advent devotionals will be available online on Mondays and Wednesdays for four weeks. (There will also be hard copy versions in the welcome area for households that would prefer to not go online.)

Advent Devotional: This year our Smoke Rise Advent Devotional will focus on eight different images used to help usher in the Christ-child.

End-of-Year Stewardship Campaign

Mail

Ways to Give

Give the traditional way by check or cash each week through the mail or in the offering plate.

Text

Give through text, by texting "givesrbc" to 73256 followed by the gift amount to give.

Online

Give online at smokerisebaptist.org/ give/. Through online giving, you can set up a recurring gift or tithe.

Stock

To give through a transfer of stock and securities, please contact Fe Williams in our church office at financeoffice@ smokerisebaptist.org or by phone at 678.533.0545.

Our annual end-of-year giving emphasis, the Gifts of Christmas Offering, is fast upon us. Our goal with this effort is to receive $450,000 toward our budgeted ministry plan between November 13 and December 31.

Over the past three years, our congregation has given enough in offerings to meet our ministry budget – even in difficult times; but those gifts that were given toward our end-of-year goal were essential to that success.

This year, we are asking you again to give generously to the Gifts of Christmas Offering. These gifts will empower Smoke Rise Baptist Church to sustain the vital missions and ministries of our church.

As we near the end of the year, our budgeted ministry plan is facing a deficit of a little over $106,000 as of September 30. Although this lag is not inconsistent with giving at this point in recent budget years, we need the extra offerings given during this season to cover our expenses by year-end. Our people have exhibited consistent faithfulness and generosity for which we are grateful. Meeting or exceeding our Gifts of Christmas goal will place us in optimal position to overcome any deficit and to start the new year on sturdy ground.

We ask you to prayerfully consider how God is leading you to give during this emphasis. All gifts, both tithes and offerings, received from November 13 to December 31 will go toward this goal, assuring the continued health and vitality of our church. Look for weekly updates which will be shared in the Ties that Bind bulletins.

All gifts are tax-deductible, but must be received by December 31 to apply to the 2022 tax year. Any stock transfers must be initiated at least seven days before December 31 to be sure the church is notified and that the transaction takes place in a timely manner.

On behalf of your stewardship committee, let me express our thanks for your faithfulness to God’s kingdom through Smoke Rise Baptist Church.

Sincerely, Joe Moore, Chair

This year, on Friday, December 30, we will host our End-of-Year Hospitality Station as a drive-up event. We invite everyone who has given to support our budgeted ministry plan to drive up between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm at our sanctuary portico for hot chocolate or coffee and to pick up a sweet goodie bag. You can also drop off any last minute gifts in support of our goal on this day. Our volunteers will be sure your gift is immediately delivered to our finance office for timely processing in this calendar year.

If you are delivering a gift to post in the 2022 tax year, the church finance office must receive your gift no later than January 4th, in order for your gift to be credited in this tax year. You may drive up and place end-of-year gifts in the secure portico mailbox at any time before that date.

If you are planning to transfer stock to the church as a tithe or offering, we encourage you or your broker to finalize the transfer on or before December 30 and to email our finance manager, Fe Williams, at financeoffice@smokerisebaptist.org on or before the date of your transfer, so that the church finance office can confirm with you and your broker the details of the transfer and post the appropriate amount to your giving statement in this tax year.

All Saints' Day

Church members who have passed away between November 1, 2021-October 31, 2022 William W. Bargeron . Mary Benefield Chambers . Paula Clark . Carolyn Price Clutteur . Betty Crowe George Davenport . Jeannine Moore “Jean” Dollar . Edd Larry Eidson . Thomas Dewayne Fowler James “Jim” Leroy Huston, III . William Watson Lavigno, III . Joy Mikul . John Richard Owens, Jr. Paul L. Parham . Lester Smith . William T. “Bill” Stephens . Charles Costner Thomas Lynda Landers Towe . Margaret Gheesling Trawick . Laura M. Womack . Clayton “Clay” Dean Wood

Winter Gatherings for Our Grief Support Group

Grief Support meets one Sunday a month in room 223 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm. The group is led by Adam Arnold and Jim Smith.

Launch into the New Year

God has made a way for you.

by Jim Smith, Pastoral Care Associate

During the time period for this issue of the Crosstie, we will enjoy and endure the rush of the holidays. We will celebrate Christmas, decorate homes and trees, and then put all the trappings of the season away. We will hear countless renditions of “Auld Lang Syne,” be flooded with advertisements for “one-time-offers” of gym memberships to undo the damage done by holiday food indulging, talk about New Year resolutions, and then launch into a new year.

The Christmas season can stir up feelings of longing as we recall memories of times past, feel again the loss of a loved one, or grieve some other loss in life. It is okay to feel somewhat anxious or unfulfilled during this time of year.

In whatever way we might end one year and begin the next, the important focus is our relationship with God. Turn to God and ask for God’s help in filling you with hope for what lies ahead in 2023.

Colossians 4:5 reminds us, “Be wise in the way you act…make the most of every opportunity.” When I think of being wise in our ways, I think of Ashley Smith’s inspiring story that took place in Atlanta. Maybe you remember.

One day in March 2005, Ashley came home to find a fleeing murderer waiting for her. She was held hostage at gunpoint for several hours. During that time, she responded in an extraordinary way. She cooked breakfast for her captor. She read to him from Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, she talked about God’s plan for the man’s life and about Jesus. Later, the man peacefully gave himself up to police.

The year ahead will present us with many opportunities to make wise choices, to be the presence of Christ and to point others toward God. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. But that verse in Ephesians 2:10 does not end there, continuing to remind us that our good works “God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has prepared opportunities for each of us in 2023! What a humbling thought—that God has been making a pathway of opportunity for what will come before us in the new year! Let us be wise and willing to make the most of those opportunities, especially in sharing our faith with those sent our way.

Right now, with this newsletter in your hand, join me in praying this prayer: Dear God, when my heart aches with longing and I have anxious thoughts, comfort me and help me to focus on my future planned by you and filled with hope. Give me the wisdom to see each opportunity you place before me to do your will and share my faith in Jesus. Amen.

by Denise Burcham, Academy of

Director

Fall semester was kicked off with three new classes and many new students being added to the rosters! In addition to our music lessons, Musikgarten, dance and drama classes, we welcomed many new students in our West African drumming class, our Fall craft workshop and our anticipated Dalcroze Eurythmics class!

Dee Desnoyers, a graduate of the Drumming Instructors Program, directed by Bill Scheidt at the renowned Tam Tam Mandingue Djembe Academy– Winston Salem (TTMDA-WS), leads a class of West African drumming on Fridays. She is also certified as a therapeutic drumming instructor through Youth Villages Inner Harbour and has completed drum circle training with Arthur Hull and Health RHYTHMS Group Empowerment Drumming. She has been in multiple performing groups and studied with many African and American teachers in the Atlanta Metro Area, including Tom Harris, Chuck Cogliandro and Aly Camara. The class meets on Fridays at 3:30 with a possible 4:45 class to be added for students needing later class times. Drums are provided; so what is stopping you from joining the fun?

Angela Graham began six craft classes this fall, including loom knitting, tie-dye / reverse dye, paper-making, hydro-dipping, arm knitting and felting bookmarks. This class meets on Tuesdays at 4:00 and 5:30. Listen for details of our upcoming winter / spring workshops!

Dalcroze Eurythmics, created by Swiss composer Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, is a method of music education that emphasizes dance and kinesthetic rhythm games as a means of teaching various elements of music, including structure, rhythm and musical expression. Michelle Li has degrees in piano performance and psychology from Carnegie Melon U and piano pedagogy from GSU. She holds the first Georgia certificate granted to lead Dalcroze classes. We anticipate this becoming a valuable part of the Academy.

Exciting news! Our Junior Theater Festival troupe is honored to have been asked to perform a newly-released work for school ages at the upcoming Junior Theater Festival in January. Our drama troupe has performed twice for adjudication at the JTF event and won Most Outstanding Performance both times! The event is held at the Cobb Galleria each January and has become the largest theater festival for school ages in the world, hosting over 6,000 students! The festival partners with Music Theater International and invites groups to debut newly-released works by MTI. While we cannot disclose the title of the work at this time, the Smoke Rise Academy of Arts drama troupe will be the first to present a portion of this work on stage before thousands of other students.

We will host professionals from the JTF / MTI teams for a workshop with our troupe before the January festival. While it is a tremendous honor to be asked, it comes with added work and expenses. In addition to preparing for their adjudication performance, troupe members must add the time to prepare for the New Works performance. Smoke Rise will be responsible for all costumes, props and set expenses for this debut performance. Several fundraisers have helped raise money to offset lodging expenses. As one more fundraiser, on December 10, we invite you to come enjoy a festive Holiday Showcase and browse the JTF team’s Holiday Market prior to the show. We hope you will join us and we thank you for your generous support of the Academy of Arts. Our Academy of Arts reaches hundreds of students from all around our area and has become a vital part of the Smoke Rise community. THANK YOU!

Missions Begins at Home

Celebrating the Diversity at the Weekday School.

by Rebekah Edmonds, Assistant Weekday School Director

Missions Begins at Home. That was our focus for Mission Sunday 2022, based on the commands of Jesus recorded in Acts 1:8: “You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, even until the ends of the earth.”

Our church supports these local mission partners: Networks, Lilburn Co-op, the Family Heritage Foundation and Friends of Refugees. At Smoke Rise, we do an excellent job of serving, partnering and providing financial support to our “Jerusalem” neighbors through these wonderful organizations, right here at home, just as Jesus commanded.

Over the past few months, I have had the privilege to begin working with Rashette Walker in the Weekday School here at Smoke Rise. It is a role that I was hesitant to take on because it has been so long since I was in the work force. I felt a huge weight coming into the position, because the Weekday School is a ministry of the church and is a vital part of the church that provides life to our building throughout the week.

I also knew that the program we offer here is the only connection to a church that many of the families at the Weekday School have. However, after much prayer, it became clear that this was the open door that God had prepared for me. I have felt right at home since joining the Weekday School team and I look forward to all

God has planned for this vibrant ministry. The thing that has stood out to me most since coming to the Weekday School is the diversity of the population we serve. We have 45 students currently enrolled. Half of our students speak a language other than English at home. In our student population, there are at least eight languages other than English spoken, with students connected to roughly 12 different countries. That diversity is represented in our staff as well. One staff member speaks Amharic (from Ethiopia) and another speaks Arabic. (Her husband is from Lebanon and grew up in Kuwait.) Another, whose family is from Jamaica, laughs and says she speaks “broken English” as her language.

If we are going to be true to our theme of “Missions Begins at Home,” let us not overlook the reflection of the world that walks through the doors of our Weekday School every single day during the week. At the Weekday School, our ministry is to welcome little children, as Jesus did and to care for them and their families personally, nurturing them in a safe, loving and creative environment.

But what are we doing as a church to welcome, to care for and to nurture these families? How can we help them feel they are a part of who we are? How can we embrace this ministry and the diversity that it brings? We don’t have to go anywhere. The people from the “ends of the earth” are right in our midst. Will you join us?

Advent A Season of Anticipation

Sunday, November 27

Advent 1: Hope

9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: Worship Sunday, December 4 Advent 2: Peace 9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: Worship 7:00 PM: Stars and Promises Peter Mayer Concert

Sunday, December 11

Advent 3: Joy 9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: “How Great Our Joy” Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 18

Advent 4: Love 9:00 AM: Churchwide Christmas Breakfast 9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: Worship

Saturday, December 24 3:00 PM: Family Christmas Eve Service 7:00 PM: Candlelight Communion Service

The 7:00 PM service will be available via live stream.

Sunday, December 25 Christmas Day 9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: Worship

Carols Sing to the King

Singing carols and anthems as we are preparing for the coming of baby Jesus by Danny Vancil, Minister of Music and Worship

“Carols Sing to the King, Jesus Christ Our Savior.” Asking me to pick my favorite Christmas carol is like asking me to pick my favorite color or my favorite hymn. If pressed on the matter, my answer is usually “Once in Royal David’s City.” I learned this carol as a child. While it was not sung in my home church, it was played repeatedly on the record player in our home. Later in life, I began listening to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College in Cambridge each Christmas Eve. While there is a variety of lovely carols and anthems featured from year-to-year, the beginning of the service is always the same. A boy soprano soloist sings the first verse a cappella, with the rest of the carol building to a climactic finish. It is a Christmas tradition that I cherish. I’m certain that you too probably have a favorite carol and, along with that, a special memory. At Smoke Rise, many will say their favorite carol is “Silent Night” because of the beautiful way our Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion service always ends. Although time does not allow us to sing all the carols, or even perhaps your favorite, it is my hope that you will experience hope, peace, joy and love though the music and worship of this Advent and Christmas season.

On October 26 we celebrated the fall season with many families of Smoke Rise and our community! We enjoyed delicious food and many fun activities including, bounce houses, hayrides, face painting, Trunk or Treat, and even some dancing thanks to the music provided by our very own DJ Bartlett! Thank you to MaryLynn Manley and her crew of over 60 volunteers and their helping hands and hospitality for making Octoberfest a success!

-Teri Moore, Pastoral Administrative Assistant

Once I retired from fulltime pastoring, Sandy and I spent the next five years searching for a church home. We visited practically every denomination in Gwinnett County, but none felt like home.

Loosely quoting Homer from the Simpsons, “All the problems and solutions in church are its people.”

One might ask, “Why did you join Smoke Rise Baptist Church”?

Some of the obvious answers might be:

• The facilities are magnificent and well maintained.

• The worship services are simply amazing –inspirational, well-planned and executed. Every Sunday “the presence of the Lord is surely in this place.”

• The SRBC Sanctuary Choir is easily one of the best in the state.

• The sermons, prayers and reflections are moving, challenging and well-organized.

• SRBC is also affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, an organization to which we belonged for many years before becoming a part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Those characteristics we found that mattered most to us personally are:

• SRBC is a mature congregation (with which we proudly identify). It is an inspiration, not an obstacle to see folks pushing on, being active and attentive.

• There is an infectious smile with direct eye contact from nearly everyone.

• Sunday school is well organized and a key part of SRBC, with people who are truly committed to learning and forming a serious community. The

Finding Family at Smoke Rise

by Jay White, SRBC Member since August 2022

question was never, “Have you tried a Sunday school class, but which Sunday school have you decided to join?” As we visited, we heard many discuss their faith journeys, struggles and joys.

• A very busy pastor willing to take time for a shared meal is exceptional in larger churches.

• Wednesday night dinners, where people sincerely say, “Come sit here; let’s get to know each other,” makes newcomers feel welcomed.

• It’s so nice for people to know our names.

• The monthly worship and study offered to five of our local assisted living facilities are encouraging.

• There is a marvelous Men’s Disaster Relief Team willing to travel to Kentucky and beyond to spend weeks helping those in need.

• The list goes on….

We want more than just to fit in; we want to belong. Fitting in is about becoming what we need to be accepted. Belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are, but requires us simply to be who we are.

We’ve found that the people of SRBC are indeed a community of believers who take the call of Christ seriously and seek the Kingdom from within. Quoting Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

The power of our church is knowing that our community takes seriously the reality and presence of God’s grace and forgiveness in the world.

It’s good to be Home! Sandy and I are blessed to call Smoke Rise family!

Ten Years of Passport

Continuing to grow, learn and have fun year after year at Passport Camps.

One of the things I look forward to each year is Passport Camp. In fact, I look forward to it from the day camp ends in one summer to the next year when it is to start again. My love for Passport Camp began when I was in the third grade. That first time, I had no idea what to expect. But as soon as campers drive up, they are greeted by fun and loving staffers who make sure the week is going to be a good one.

Passport has been very important to me in my faith journey. Spending a week talking about Jesus with likeminded people is refreshing and inspiring. And there’s something for everyone! They do a great job of making sure that there is an interest or need being met for every single camper. In my case, I always choose the sports elective. So, I would get to play a fun game, followed by a lesson on how the game related to our Bible story. Our mission site trip is always a personal highlight. During the week, we go to a local mission site and help with whatever they need help with! It is so important to serve in the community that has welcomed us in for camp, and we get to do just that!

As I enter the summer of my last Passport Camp, I am beyond excited to see how God will work through me and all the other campers this year.

Chilli Cook-Off

Help us raise money for the Family Mission Trip!

February 5th after Worship

To sign up to bring a chili or cornbread, email Amanda Coe Burton at aaalburton@gmail. com

Pancake Dinner

Help us raise money for the Youth Choir's Music and Mission Trip!

Tuesday, February 21

5:00 pm - 7:00 PM

Family Mission Trip

February 24-26

Chattanooga, TN

Cost: $250 Max per Family (Deposit of $100 is due at registration, and the remaining payment will be determined after the Chili Cook-Off. If payment is an issue, please contact Rebecca Caswell-Speight.)

Visit smokerisebaptist.org/ children/ to register.

by Maddox Mullee, Smoke Rise Baptist Youth, Senior

The Story of Smoke Rise Missions

Establishing a New Way to do Missions.

by Page Fulgham, Missions Associate

Beginnings

From day one, Smoke Rise has been committed to missions. It has often been said that “a commitment to missions is in the DNA of Smoke Rise.” Our missions program today is an example of what an integral part missions is to our congregation.

When our church began more than 50 years ago and then for much of our existence afterward, we were part of the Southern Baptist Convention. But when the change in ideologies began to shift in the late 1970s and 1980s, we slowly began a new era in missions. For the next few years after that, we found it difficult to give up a lifetime of commitment to the home and foreign missions that so many of us grew up with and supported with prayers and dollars.

A New Era of Missions

Even before Smoke Rise became active in the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, we launched a customized mission program just for Smoke Rise. While the large institutional sending agencies (like the old Foreign Mission Board) certainly have merit, Smoke Rise Missions adopted a different approach. If I remember correctly, Honduras was our first mission partner. I was on that first trip to northern Honduras the year after Hurricane Mitch in 1999. We worked hard building houses, ate well and took showers in cold water because nobody was willing to risk attaching the wires of the inline hot water system while standing in water!

Honduras was our first international mission partner. The Lilburn Coop was our first local mission partner. And that was just the beginning.

Evolving Missions Programs and Practices

Over the years, missions at Smoke Rise has evolved to what it is today.

Our former minister of missions, Tim Adcox, was the chief architect of the operating principles of Smoke Rise missions. The Missions Committee became a sounding board for new ideas.

These operating principles evolved over the years. Each mission partner— local, national or international—had to have a Smoke Rise “champion” who would carry the torch for the partnership, and even lead teams on trips if necessary.

Second, we would support the mission partner financially, but would also work only with partnerships who provided on-site opportunities for Smoke Rise members to serve. Shortterm missions at Smoke Rise achieved great success.

Just a few years ago B.C. (i.e. “before Covid”), when we counted volunteers who participated in Smoke Rise missions—local, state, national and international—the total was over 300

in one year! Many of those were firsttimers. In May of 2022, four of the men who participated in the God’s Appalachian Partnership (GAP) construction trip were first- timers. Each mission partnership is also encouraged (but not required) to elect a Smoke Rise member to its board of directors. This pivotal step allows us to participate more fully in the mission of the partnership.

Vetting and Accountability

As Smoke Rise adopted new mission partners, the vetting process allowed us to take a snapshot of leadership, financial policies, religious or denominational affiliation, and operational policies. The accountability process continues with a periodic review of all our partnerships to assure our church community that we maintain the highest level of confidence and trust.

Partners for Life?

Once an organization or entity becomes a Smoke Rise partner, are they a partner for life? Situations and ministries change and mature. For example, we have partnered with the Edgewood Church for over 10 years; but over the next three years we will be reducing our support because they have reached a level of sustainability under the excellent leadership of founding pastors, Nathan and Carrie Dean. Current pastoral leadership is on board with this change.

The Deans have moved to north Georgia and are establishing a new ministry which is now in the vetting phase.

Our first mission partner, Honduras Outreach, while they have our love and some support (especially for the “Egg-a-Day” program), is now referred to as a “senior partner.” Since we can no longer travel to Honduras because of a U.S. State Department level three warning, we will have to take a wait-and-see approach. Will we accept new mission partners? That always remains a possibility as

God leads and the good people of our congregation respond accordingly. The demands of the world, nation and the state of Georgia and our own cities cry out to us daily. The needs are great.

Preparation of Team Members

We have trained hundreds of mission team members and have literally traveled all over our state, our nation and the world for the cause of missions. Prior to any mission trip, each team member goes through an information/preparation seminar. For our foreign travelers, this is quite necessary, even critical for a safe and successful trip.

All mission volunteers are reminded of common courtesies of serving those in need. We encourage giving up the idea that we are “helping poor people.” After all, we are all impoverished in some way and broken in others. The solid basis of our mission program is that we go to serve the needs of people, not to disseminate our own preprogrammed ideas about what those needs are. Our motto is, “What can we do to serve you?”

Another important tenant of our indoctrination process is learning about cultural intelligence. Becoming sensitive to local custom and culture is often hard for first-time American missionaries. The language barrier is huge; the cultural barrier is even larger. We attempt to prepare our mission teams both spiritually and culturally.

Costs and Expenses

Each mission team member bears the cost of his or her travel expenses, food, etc. The range is $300 for the trip to GAP in Kentucky to $2500 plus for the Uganda trip. Mission team involvement requires commitment of time, energy and money, all of which are indicative of the calling to missions. Scholarships are available for any who need financial assistance for all our mission trips.

Missions Budget

Each year, the church finance committee gives the Missions Committee a figure to work with. In the recent past, the amount Smoke Rise designates for mission causes has been 8.5 percent of the church budget. Translated into dollars, that amounts to about $184,500 for the 2022-2023 budget year.

Budget monies are divided among our mission partners and help defray other mission expenses. No mission personnel expenses come from the mission budget.

The budgeted amount does not tell the whole story of our financial gifts to missions. First, the World Mission Offering each fall is generously supported by the congregation and has been averaging over $50,000 each year.

Just a few years ago, in the worse season of our national economy, we raised $280,000 for two of

our mission partners who had opportunity to purchase property for expansion. These gifts literally changed the course of those mission ministries.

Special needs arise from time to time and Smoke Rise responds. A current example is our churchwide response to the Ukrainian humanitarian crises.

To date, in 2022 we have given over $37,000 through the Cooperative Baptist Ukrainian Relief Fund.

Disaster relief, local benevolent causes, and the Smoke Rise Families in Need (FIN) program increase the scope of Smoke Rise missions.

Sunday school classes and individuals support mission efforts which are part of the larger picture but which go largely unrecognized and uncounted. Almost all phases of our church life are saturated in mission.

Mission Partners

Honduras Outreach, Centro Shalom (Tijuana, Mexico), African

Children’s Mission (Uganda), New York Partnership, GAP (Kentucky), Lilburn Coop, NETWorks Coop (Tucker), Edgewood Church (Atlanta), Friends of Refugees (Clarkston), and Family Heritage Foundation (Clarkston) constitute the heart of our program. But in addition, we support Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Georgia.

The Joseph Project (local construction projects), disaster relief, Development Disabilities Ministries, and Smoke Rise youth ministries also are supported. One of our newest mission efforts, the Family Missions Trip, gives families with children opportunities to do hands-on missions.

Even a casual reading of this report provides a clear picture of the depth of Smoke Rise Missions. As has been stated, missions is foundational to Smoke Rise, a vital part of our DNA!

Christmas Worship

A Weekend of Worship | December 24th and 25th

Christmas Eve

3:00 pm - Family Christmas Eve Service

7:00 pm - Candlelight Communion Service

The 7:00 pm service will be available via live stream.

Christmas Day

9:45 am - Sunday School

The following classes will be meeting: Bearen Class in Room 310

Large combined adult class in the Fellowship Hall

11:00 am - Worship Service

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Be on the look out for Lenten devotionals to guide you through this season.

The Light of Life: An Epiphany Bible Study January 11-February 15 Wednesdays at 6:00 pm

Led by Rev. Bart McNiel and Dr. Jim Smith

Racial Reconciliation

January 16-April 24 Mondays at 6:00 pm

Led by Dr. Page Fulgham

Models of Moral Leadership Febuary 9 - April 20 Thursdays at 2:00 pm