Loop Monthly Newsletter | December 2015

DECEMBER

2015 FAITH COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

ChristmasPractice Second Baptist Church belong | believe | become

A Note From Pastor Jason

DECEMBER

Table of Contents The children lead us at the beginning of each Advent service this month by lighting candles of hope, peace, joy and love. Then, as they return to their seats, we respond together by singing these words: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love These are gifts you bring from above Jesus, Emmanuel, come to be Light of your love, reflected in me.

Within these words, the composer captures the guiding theme of our worship services this Advent. When God’s son became Emmanuel, God with us, on that first Christmas night, God’s hope, peace, joy and love really did come to dwell among us in a new way, a living way. But these were not meant to only be God’s Christmas gifts to us, but also through us. We are meant to embody the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus in this world each day of our lives as the character of Jesus continues to be formed within us.

This is the idea behind this year’s Advent theme: Christmas Practice. As followers of Christ, we can anticipate our Christmas celebration with purpose by practicing hope, peace, joy and love in tangible ways throughout the Advent season. And, we can continue to anticipate the coming of Christ beyond December 25th by keeping Christmas practices alive in our lives all year long.

May it be so with all of us now and forever more, Amen.

Jason Edwards Senior Pastor 2

Page 3

Advent Information Page 4

Churchwide Events Page 5

Church Health Survey Results Pages 6-7

Calendar Page 8

Churchwide Events | Senior Adults | Students Page 9

Equipping Update Page 10-12

SEND Initiative 2016 Opportunities

Come to

Gather in the Sanctuary as we start the season of Advent by singing the songs of the season, hearing the prophecies of the coming Christ, and listening to our children’s choirs sing. Then we’ll move to the Social Room for fellowship with warm treats, and more fun songs of the season.

Dec. 6 | 6:00 p.m.

Advent 2015 : Christmas Practice December 6 | Second Sunday of Advent | Practice Peace December 13 | Third Sunday of Advent | Practice Joy December 20 | Fourth Sunday of Advent | Practice Love December 24 | Christmas Eve (Services at 5 and 9 p.m.) | Practice the Presence December 27 | First Sunday After Christmas (11 a.m. service only) | Practicing Your Faith

It’s not to late to pick up an Advent Devotional!

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Pick up a hard copy at the Welcome Center desk Receive the devotionals each morning via email. If you already receive the weekly eblasts, you'll get the devotional emails as well. Sign up on the homepage at 2bcliberty.org to get on the list!

Visit 2bcliberty.org/advent to read them on a computer or device.

2BC Christmas Party

Dec. 13 | 5 – 7 p.m. | Pastor Jason’s Home Jason and Christy Edwards and our Deacons will host a church-wide Christmas Party on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 5 p.m. at Jason and Christy’s home, 431 Arthur, Liberty.

A shuttle will be available from the 2BC parking lot from 5:00–7:00 p.m. as limited parking space is available at the Edwards’ home. If you do park on Arthur Street, please park on the opposite side of the street from their house.

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2BC in the loop Keeping You

coming up at 2bc . . . churchwide

Fa La La La La! It's Parents' Night Out!

Friday, Dec. 11 | 6:30-9p | Free! | Reserve Spot by Dec. 7 We are providing a FREE Parents’ Night Out for all children birth through 5th grade. Parents will have the opportunity to be child-free so they can shop for Christmas, take in a movie, go out to eat, sit in the tub and vegetate for two hours … their choice!

We will entertain the children and provide some Christmas cheer, and Pre-K through 5th graders will get to Christmas carol with us! Please reserve your sport by Dec. 7 There are registration/permission forms at the Welcome Center desk and online at 2bcliberty.org/parentsnightout. Questions? Ask Gwen at gphillips@2bcliberty.org.

Second Sessions: Dec. 9 | Sunday’s Comin’ | 6:30 p.m.

A discussion with Pastor Jason about the Advent Texts and upcoming sermon.

Dec. 16, 23 and 30 | No meal or regular Wednesday

Night activities. Sanctuary Choir and Handbellls will still have rehearsals.

Music Students to Play Christmas Eve Christmas Eve Candlelight & Communion Services Dec. 24 | 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Our traditional Candlelight and Communion worship on Christmas Eve is a very special time to share music, carols, Communion, and a Christmas message. We close with a beautiful congregational candlelight experience.

Worship with us at 5:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Dec. 24. We hope you, your friends, and family will join us for this special worship.

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Children taking piano or other instrumental music lessons and who would like to play the gathering music for Christmas Eve should begin preparing their pieces now. Contact Ann Posey at poseyannphil2@sbcglobal.net for further information.

annual Church-wide New Year’s Breakfast

Dec. 27 | 9:30 a.m. | NO 8:30 a.m. worship service or Bible study this morning Please join us for a casual continental breakfast featuring fresh pastries, muffins, fruit, juice, and specialty coffees.

Breakfast begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by our 11:00 a.m. worship.

CHURCH HEALTH SURVEY RESULTS

136 members of our church community responded to our October survey on the health of the church. A big thank you to all who took the survey! Each Sunday in December, we will share with you some of the findings and how these findings are impacting our ministries in the church.

Attitudes about Second Baptist

90% of our community is proud to be a part of 2BC and believe that we are a meaningful Christ-centered community.

90% also agree that they would invite their friends, neighbors or family to attend 2BC. These are strong responses!

Over 80% agree that we a welcoming place and are excited about the future of 2BC, albeit with slightly less gusto than the prior statements. 80% also agree that 2BC helps them grow in their faith journey.

Disagree

2BC is a meaningful Christ-centered community.

I am proud to be a part of the 2BC community.

I would invite my friends, neighbors or family to attend 2BC. 2BC helps me grow in my faith journey.

Neutral

2% 8%

Slightly Agree

Strongly Agree

77%

14%

3% 7%

14%

76%

5% 6%

14%

74%

7%

13%

16%

65%

2BC is a welcoming place.

5%

10%

20%

64%

I am excited about 2BC’s future.

64% 7% 20% 9% We are excited to see that within our community we are meeting our mission of being a meaningful Christ-centered community and that so many of you are proud to be a part of our community. While this is encouragement for many of our current ministries, we also recognize there are opportunities for continued improvement: • We continue to explore new discipleship opportunities for Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights to help you grow in your faith journey • We are investigating weeknight in-home bible studies for those who want an alternative to Sunday morning Bible studies • We are making efforts at hospitality both towards guests and our current community to improve being viewed as a welcoming place Next week we will share findings around Sunday morning worship including potential for a 3rd Sunday morning service.

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church-wide

calendar Sunday, Dec. 6 | Food Share Sunday Student Handbell Rehearsal | 8:45 a.m. | Music Suite Children’s Choir Rehearsal | 9:00 a.m. | Rm 402 Not a Silent Night Study | 9:45 a.m. | Social Room Couples With Young Kids | 4:00 p.m. | Oak Room Student Choir Rehearsal | 5:00 p.m. | Music Suite (Rm 501) Come to Christmas Fellowship | 6:00 p.m. | Sanctuary Student Innermission | 7:00 p.m. | Student Ministry Room

Tuesday, Dec. 8 MomsNext meeting | 9:00 a.m. | Oak Room

Wednesday, Dec. 9 | Sanctuary Regular Wednesday Night Sanctuary Activities for Children and Students (see box below) Adult option: Sunday’s Comin’ | 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 11 MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) | 9:30 a.m. | Social Room Parents’ Night Out | 6:30 p.m. | Social Room Sunday, Dec. 13 Student Handbell Rehearsal | 8:45 a.m. | Music Suite Coffee Break for Children’s Leaders | 8:45 a.m. | Social Room Children’s Choir Rehearsal | 9:00 a.m. | Rm 402 Not a Silent Night Study | 9:45 a.m. | Social Room All-Church Christmas Party | 5:00 p.m. | Edwards’ home (431 Arthur) Stephen Ministry meeting | 5:00 p.m. | Library (Rm 312)

Student Choir Rehearsal | 5:00 p.m. | Music Suite (Rm 501) Student Ugly Sweater party/Gift Exchange | 6:00 p.m. | Student Ministry Room Monday, Dec. 14 Sr. Adult Christmas Lunch | 11:30 a.m. | Social Room

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Weekly Wednesday Night Activities

Second Servings Food & Fellowship | 5:45 p.m. | Social Room Beginning Handbells (Grades 4-5) | 6:00 p.m. | Rm 502 Student Formation (Grades 6-8) | 6:15 p.m. | Student Area Sanctuary Handbells Rehearsal | 6:15 p.m.

Second Sessions (Adults) | 6:30 p.m.

Missions Groups (Pre-K-Grade 5) | 6:30 p.m.

Student Watershed (Grades 9-12) | 6:30 p.m. | Missionary House (429 Wilson) Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal | 7:15 p.m. | Choir Room (Rm 501)

DECEMBER

Wednesday, Dec. 16 | No meal or Regular Wednesday Night Activities Sanctuary Bells Rehearsal | 6:30 p.m. | Assembly Room Couples With Young Kids | 6:30 p.m. | Oak Room Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal | 7:15 p.m. | Choir Room Sunday, Dec. 20 Student Handbell Rehearsal | 8:45 a.m. | Music Suite Children’s Choir Rehearsal | 9:00 a.m. | Rm 402 Not a Silent Night Study | 9:45 a.m. | Social Room Personnel Committee meeting | 5:00 p.m. | Rm 303 Deacons Christmas Party | 5:00 p.m.

Church Council | 6:30 p.m. | Room 505 Monday, Dec. 21 Senior Adult Coffee & Conversation | 10:00 a.m. | Social Room Wednesday, Dec. 23 | No meal or Regular Wednesday Night Activities Sanctuary Bells Rehearsal | 6:30 p.m. | Assembly Room Couples With Young Kids | 6:30 p.m. | Oak Room Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal | 7:15 p.m. | Choir Room Thursday, Dec. 24 |

Church Office Closed until services Christmas Eve Services | 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. | Sanctuary

Friday, Dec. 25 | Church Office Closed

Sunday, Dec. 27 | No 8:30 Service Student Handbell Rehearsal | 8:45 a.m. | Music Suite Children’s Choir Rehearsal | 9:00 a.m. | Rm 402 All-Church Christmas/New Year’s Breakfast | 9:30 a.m. | Social Room

Monday, Dec. 28 - Thursday, Dec. 31 | Church Office Open 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 30 | No meal or Regular Wednesday Night Activities

Beginning Handbells (Grades 4-5) | 6:00 p.m. | Rm 502

Sanctuary Bells Rehearsal | 6:30 p.m. | Assembly Room Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal | 7:15 p.m. | Choir Room

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students

churchwide Stephen Ministers Are Ready to Care for You! We all go through times in our life when we could benefit from a little extra care and attention. That’s what Stephen Ministers do. Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who have been trained to provide confidential, one-to-one, Christian care to people who are going through a difficult time.

They will listen, care, encourage, pray with and for you, and provide weekly support for you as long as your need persists. If you would like to learn more about Stephen Ministry, please contact Mike Lassiter at 816-781-2824 or Carol Kingery at 816-916-8407.

Ugly Sweater Party and Gift Exchange

Sunday, Dec. 13 | 6-8p | Student Ministry Room Wear an ugly sweater and bring a white elephant gift worth less than $5 Although lights have been popping up on houses all over Liberty and Christmas music has been on the radio for weeks, the real start to the holiday season begins Sunday, December 13, with our Ugly Sweater Party and White Elephant Gift Exchange! 'Tis the season to wear ugly clothing on purpose, eat a ton of sugar, and hang out with the coolest people around! Festivities for the evening will include an ugly sweater fashion show, a White Elephant Gift Exchange, and the chance to take in a classic holiday movie that will make you want to be a human raised by elves who's trying to save his father from the naughty list while falling in love and spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear!

Financial Report: Week of Nov. 29, 2015 To help keep our church family informed of our finances, we’ll list the total receipts from the past week in the Loop. If you have questions, contact Linda Jones at 816-781-2824 or ljones@2bcliberty.org.

Our Catalyst 2.0 receipts for the week totaled $39,598.86.

Do you like to be the first to know?

Did you know you can preview Sunday’s Loop Newsletter and Worship Guide on Fridays at the 2BC website?

Visit 2bcliberty.org/newsletters or 2bcliberty.org/worshipguides Sign up for the eWeekly email newsletter on our homepage to get a link to the latest publications every Friday.

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senior adults Senior Adult Coffee & Conversation Our Senior Adult Ministry hosts a twice-monthly Coffee & Conversation in the Social Room open to all. No reservations needed!

Monday, Dec. 7 | No Meeting Monday, Dec. 21 | 10 a.m. Christmas Donuts!

Senior Adult Christmas Lunch

Monday, Dec. 14 | 11:30a | Social Room Seniors, their family and friends, and those who enjoy seniors’ company are invited for homemade soup and desserts, special music and table fun at the Senior Adult Christmas Lunch! Cards to be signed for our Seldom Seen members will be available beginning at 11:00, and gifts for them provided by our MOPS group may be 8 picked up for delivery. RSVP to the church office.

equipping update

gift |

[gift] (n)

something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

When I was a child one of my favorite Christmas carols was The Little Drummer Boy. When you are a child, what’s not to love about singing “pa rum pum pum pum?” It is the other words of this song that have stuck with me with through the years, though.

Little Baby, I am a poor boy too I have no gift to bring That’s fit to give the King

For more information, please contact: Kim Halfhill 2BC Volunteer Director of Equipping khalfhill@2bcliberty.org

And yet, the story told through song ends with this poignant thought, “I played my drum for him, I played my best for him.”

This advent season, let us use the best of our gifts to share the gifts of hope, love, joy, and peace with those around us.

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SEND INITIATIVE

2016

second baptist church

Making space for God’s transforming presence.

Since 2013, we have had over 275 people engage in either a first time or a new mission experience. For the fourth year of the SEND Initiative, we want to continue to encourage anyone desiring to explore the power of missions in their faith journey.

Whether you want to continue exploring missions or it is the first time you have tried an intentional missions experience, hopefully one of the following opportunities will suit you. If not, let the missions committee know of an opportunity you are interested in. While some details are still being worked out, we have the following opportunities for 2016.

To engage in any of these opportunities, contact Mike Lassiter at 816-781-2824 ext. 307, or mlassiter@2bcliberty.org

Bogota, Columbia | June Karin Yohe is leading an opportunity explore the Columbian culture in a city that was formerly one of the roughest cities in South America. Our own Megan Yohe has been teaching in the El Camino Academy, a bilingual private school for families desiring a Christ-centered education. She and some of the school staff will help lead this exploration of the Columbian culture.

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Grand Goave, Haiti | June 13-19

With our decision in 2010, after the devastating earthquake, to engage in one of the poorest countries in our hemisphere, we have participated in building rubble houses, a school, helping Cooperative Baptist medical field personnel, and investing about $30,000. A least one team will return to Haiti to engage with the people of mountainous communities near Grand Goave to work with children and alongside medical personnel. Both Jeremy and Jennifer Huffman are considering team(s) with a date in June as the best option. Grand Goave is a short distance south of Port Au Prince.

HARVEST HILL COMMUNITY GARDEN | March through Fall

SOUTH DAKOTA | June - August

Second Baptist is willing to secure two gardens spots to raise vegetables for In As Much Ministries.

This is a great opportunity for families or anyone to help prepare the garden for planting, planting and tending the garden through the summer in addition to harvesting the fresh vegetables.

All vegetables will help this community food distribution ministry. We will begin in March with planning the garden through harvest in the fall. This team needs a leader or co-leaders‌ interested?

There will be three opportunities during the summer in Bridger or the Cheyenne River Reservation.

College students or seniors in high school can live in Bridger for the month of June to provide learning opportunities and continue to explore the Lakota culture.

In June the Student Ministry will also send a group for a week to work on small projects in and around the Bridger community.

July 30-August 4 is the all church trip to Bridger.

While the emphasis is on the Lakota culture and our Lakota friends, we are completing the fellowship hall addition next summer, hosting a rummage sale, learning about horses, and hosting a community meal. Anyone is welcome to be a part of this opportunity.

IN AS MUCH MINISTRIES Three to four times a year this food ministry in Liberty needs to be deep cleaned before inspections. Second Baptist has been doing the cleaning for the last two years. If interested, your name and email address will be added to the list to donate a couple of hours of your time on a Saturday as needed. Tom Lankford has been the team leader for this opportunity.

TEAM WORLD VISION HALF/FULL MARATHON | Oct. 15

Committed runner or first time at it, this is an opportunity to run for a cause! Sign up for a half or a full marathon or a even a kids marathon (kids kindergarten-8th grade are eligible to run the marathon by running through the summer and finishing the last 1.2 miles Oct 15.) World Vision uses donated funds for creative ways of providing clean, accessible water in Africa. Sign up for the Kansas City Marathon, raise some funds and join the team led by Michelle Prindle.

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SEND INITIATIVE opportunities for 2016

FALL FESTIVAL HOSPITALITY TEAM

SCHOOL CONNECTION TEAM

Second Baptist has found a presence in the Liberty Fall Festival each at the end of September by offering a free shuttle service (last year we grew to two golf carts) and opening the Welcome Center on Saturday for restrooms, rest, or a place to gather out of the sun. We begin our work in August and finish at the conclusion of the Fall Festival September 23-25, 2016. This team is led by Mike Lassiter.

This team led by Debbie Lane connects with specifically Schumacher Elementary and other schools as needed to serve as a support and encouragement for the work of the teachers staff.

The team meets as needed for planned and as needed opportunities.

REBUILDING TOGETHER CLAY COUNTY | Oct. 1

2BC Christmas Store | Dec. 2-3

This an opportunity in Clay County to help eliminate unsafe or substandard housing for an individual or family. October 1, 2016 is the official work day, and follow up work may also be needed.

Some handyman or general building skills are useful. Mark Davis has been our team leader for the last three years.

All ages are welcome to help with this unique store for encouraging those in the Liberty community with the opportunity to provide Christmas for their family at a reduced cost by “shopping� at Second Baptist Friday or Saturday December 2-3. There are multiple ways to participate for people of all ages.

Karri George is the Christmas Store team leader.

Second Baptist Church info@2bcliberty.org 300 E. Kansas | Liberty, MO 64068 816-781-2824 12

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