Inside: A note from Pastor David, End-Of-Year Giving Update, Nursery Remodel Update, Deacon Ordination Service, Wednesday Night Kickoff, New Giving Envelopes, and New Sermon Series.
Happy New Year and Merry 12th Day of Christmas!
Today is Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and celebration of the day the Wise Men visited the infant Jesus, fulfilling the prophecies that the nations would come to worship the Messiah, reminding us that Jesus came as King of all the world. I hope you and your family have had a blessed Christmas season and have been able to “slow down” and reflect on the miracle of God’s incarnation—taking on flesh and blood and coming to dwell among us as one of us. This is one of the greatest and most mysterious doctrines of the Christian faith. And I’m very excited to begin this Sunday a sermon series to help us unpack those kinds of vital beliefs. I hope you’ll join us each Sunday as we look at what “We Believe: Doctrines that Make a Difference.”
I also am looking forward to this Sunday’s ordination and installation service for the 2022 deacon body. We will be installing eight men to serve a three-year term as deacons in our church, and we will ordain two of them as deacons: Chase Beggs and Stephen Swann. Due to the recent surge in COVID cases, we will not be able to follow our tradition of all church members laying on hands and speaking a word to these men and their wives. Rather, you are encouraged to write a note or bring a card and place in a basket before or after the service. We still want to make this a special moment for Chase and Stephen, because being ordained as a deacon is a sacred responsibility.
Speaking of COVID, I appreciate all the prayers and words of encouragement this past week as I deal with my second bout with COVID. While the omicron variant is overall less severe, I have had a harder time with this illness than I did in 2020. Still, I am doing very well, considering how devastating this illness has been for so many families. I am under good care and fully plan on being in worship Sunday, following my quarantine period.
Finally, I want to give God all the praise and glory, and thank His people for their continued faithfulness, sacrifice, and generosity. We finished 2021 with one of our best years financially! And this December was certainly the best month we’ve ever had. Please look at these year end numbers with both a heart of thanksgiving and a word of challenge—let’s continue in 2022 to partner with God in His Kingdom work here and abroad. Thank you for helping us exceed all our goals this past year! Now let’s move onward in 2022 to further love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus from all generations.
We hope you will join us on January 9 as we ordain Mr. Chase Beggs and Mr. Stephen Swann to the office of deacon.
Please bring a card with a word of encouragement for Chase and Stephen.
Wednesday night activities kick off January 12.
David and Matt will be co-leading a study written by Matt Chandler on the Apostles Creed. Books for this study are $10. Contact the church office if you would like to participate in this study.
If you purchased a church T-Shirt they are available for pickup! We also have a few extras if you did not purchase one but would like one!
Offering envelopes for the new year will be available in the atrium. Please note that the envelope numbers have changed.
Our new nursery area is ready!!! We look forward to welcoming kids to the new space this Sunday!
We will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new space on January 23 following the Quarterly Church Conference.
Our January Ministry Donation is Hair Care Products.
Please place your donations in the blue bin in the atrium.
In a new sermon series, We Believe: Doctrines that Make a Difference, Pastor David will help us understand the basic truths of Baptist Beliefs. In his first message, we will discover three key truths about The Bible as God's revelation to us.
Comments