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Greetings, everyone, in the matchless name of Christ!
Since I am out of town and (mostly) away from the internet, this week's update will be brief. The reason I am gone is to get my mom moved out rehab and into a home environment where dad can care for her. I'm the only sibling available to do this since my brother's death this summer and my sister isolating from COVID til the vaccine happens. Mom came home today, but your prayers are appreciated as we figure out how much and what kind of help my dad will need to make everything work during a period of significant decline for her. I intend to stay with them a couple of nights to help them settle in. Tonight: MACH 4 Men's Ministry will meet at Fairport at 6 pm. All men and boys are invited to attend. Tomorrow is the Lord's Day: Everyone is encouraged to join a Bible Study group on Sunday morning at 9:30. Corporate worship will be at 10:40 am. Take a few moments to read and meditate on these Scriptures that will frame our service: Fighter Verse: John 1:12-13 Call to Worship: Psalm 139:1-3, 13-18 Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 New Testament: John 1:43-51 Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 32:1-2 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 A big thanks to Jerry Scott in advance for his willingness to fill the pulpit in my absence. This Week: · Monday: "Sunday School" via ZOOM at 7 pm. Check with Pastor Kyle about the text and topic for this study in God's word. · Wednesday: Midweek Service in person and via ZOOM at 6:30. Join with us for praise, proclamation, and prayer as we gather together to encourage and build one another up in the Lord. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE If you are following the 5-Day Bible Reading Plan, here are the readings for Week 3: Day 1: Genesis 28-29; Mark 11 Day 2: Genesis 30-31; Mark 12 Day 3: Genesis 32-34; Psalm 145; Mark 13 Day 4: Genesis 35-37; Psalm 12; Mark 14 Day 5: Genesis 38-40; Mark 15 Please visit the church website www.fbcmaysvillemo.org for more updated information, including last Sunday's sermon on audio and the complete service on our YouTube channel. See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg
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Greetings, everyone! While I was gone for a few days last week helping my dad take care of some necessary family matters, the new floor was laid in the Fellowship Hall, kitchen, and pantry. Go back and take a look at the finished work. We will still have some work to do to help deaden the sound and enhance the lighting, but getting the floors done is a huge step. Thanks to all who helped with painting, carpet pulling, staple pounding/pulling, and baseboard take-up and put-back!
TODAY: No MACH 4 Men's Ministry meeting tonight. Postponed to next Saturday at Fairport. TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY! Join us for Bible Study and worship at 9:30 and 10:40 am respectively. We will observe the Lord's Supper during morning worship, Lord willing. Please be in a spirit and attitude of prayer, self-examination, and reconciliation as we approach the Lord's Table tomorrow. Then let us eat the bread and drink the cup with joy and gladness for all that Christ has done on our behalf! Here are the Scripture readings that will frame our time of corporate worship tomorrow. Click anywhere on the link to view the Scriptures in a printable format: Fighter Verse: Deuteronomy 10:12-13 Call to Worship: Psalm 105:1-6 Old Testament Reading: Exodus 12:21-28 New Testament Reading: Luke 22:7-18 Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 1:8-10 Sermon Text: Luke 22:19-23 Benediction: Hebrews 13:20-21
THIS WEEK
COMING UP
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message Audio Luke 2: 25-25 Simeon's Song: Peaceful Departure of a Faithful Servant For video of the full service, visit our Youtube channel and click on the most recent service. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Here are the readings for next week on our annual Bible reading plan. Please consider joining us on this journey through God's word this year. (If you want to just read through the New Testament, those passages are marked in italics). Genesis 16-18; Mark 6 Gen 19-20; Psalm 1; Mark 7 Gen 21-23; Psalm 107; Mark 8 Gen 24-25; Psalm 4; Mark 9 Gen 26-27; Mark 10 BONUS Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is coming up on the third Sunday of this month, January 17. This is the Sunday prior to January 22, marking 48 years since the Supreme Court of the US handed down its Roe v. Wade decision which declared a constitutional right to abortion-on-demand and right to privacy. Since then, roughly 60 million babies have been killed in the womb in America, although the annual numbers have been steadily decreasing since 1990. This is our national holocaust, and as human being, much more as Christians, we should be appalled. Yet, this anniversary date will likely receive scant attention from our national government. Many on the left in Washington would prefer to repeal the so-called Hyde Amendment which prevents federal funds from being used to fund abortion. The Hyde Amendment (not a constitutional amendment, but a long-standing policy named to honor its chief sponsor, Illinois Congressman Henry Hyde) has been a part of every appropriations bill since its inception in 1976. Time will tell whether or not 2021 will be the year all that changes. Al Mohler talked about how the recent election, and especially the Georgia runoff, will have far-reaching consequences for the matter of preserving unborn human life. Here is a link to The Briefing from Monday in which Mohler discusses the radically pro-abortion position of Rev. Raphael Warnock, recently elected senator from Georgia. Mohler references and interacts with an article which appeared on The Hill entitled Pro-choice pastors like Raphael Warnock have the Bible, history on their side. Mohler takes strong exception to this assertion, as should all Christian believers, because it simply is not true. Let us pray for all those who are affected by the abortion industry, both women seeking abortions and those working in the industry to supply them. Pray that hearts and minds will be changed so that abortion-on-demand becomes completely unthinkable. What can you do besides pray? Donate and/or volunteer with your local crisis pregnancy center, in our case St. Joseph PRC (Pregnancy Resource Clinic) which also has had a presence in Cameron, MO, since the summer of 2019. Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone, and Merry Christmas! We enjoyed gathering for Christmas Eve candlelight service this week, and I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas yesterday. We will gather for the Lord's Day tomorrow. Bible study for all ages meets at 9:30 am and corporate worship is at 10:40 am. If you are not yet a part of a Sunday morning Bible study, come and join us!
THE LORD’S DAY WORSHIP will be framed around the following Scriptures. Take a few moments to read, meditate on, and pray through these Scriptures as we prepare for assembling tomorrow: Call to Worship: Psalm 148 Old Testament: Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3 New Testament: Galatians 4:4-7 Assurance of Pardon: Jeremiah 31:33-34 Sermon Text: Luke 2:21-24 Fighter Verses: Revelation 21:5-7 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 THIS WEEK Tuesday, Dec. 29 Join us at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall to help take up the carpet and linoleum in preparation for the new flooring. Wednesday, Dec. 30 On our last midweek service of the year, we will be spending a generous portion of our time in intercessory prayer for our world, our nation, our state, our community, and our church family. Please join us live or via ZOOM at 6:30 pm. Thursday, Dec. 31 We are tentatively planning a New Year's Eve Game Night depending on how many folks would like to do it. Starting time: 7 pm; Ending time: ? (Let me know if you are interested in coming). COMING UP January 2, Bible Quiz Competition Pray for our Bible Quiz Team ("Contagious") as they compete in the first quiz of 2021 next Saturday, 12:30 to 4:30 pm. If you want to watch the competition, it is located at Journey Baptist Church, 5708 King Hill Avenue in St. Joseph. Prepare to wear a face covering if you attend. January 3, Observance of the Lord's Supper during the morning worship service. Take this next week to begin preparing spiritually for this continuing ordinance of the church that causes us to look back on the vows we took at baptism and to renew those vows together. I have attached a list of starter questions to help you prepare for this special service. January 12, 6:30 pm, St. Joseph Baptist Association Board Meeting will be at the Baptist Mission Center, 4608 Mitchell Avenue in St. Joe. Our church is one of 45 Southern Baptist churches in this part of northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas who voluntarily cooperate to carry out the Great Commission together, pooling resources and people to do so. Please pray for the work of ministry and mission and for our Director of Missions, Bro. Roger Brumley, as he works to coordinate the effort. ICYMI here is the audio of Last Sunday’s Message from Luke 1:67-80 "Child of Love." If you are looking for the video, find it here on our YouTube Channel. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE At the end of the year, I always encourage you to read through the Bible in a systematic way. All types of plans are available: chronological plans, one-year plans, two-year plans, dated plans, undated plans. The plan you choose is not the important thing; the important thing is that you are intentional about doing it. Here is a blog post entitled 21 Bible Reading Plans for 2021 that has numerous suggestions. One of them is called the Five Day Bible Reading Plan which I am going to print off and have available for those who would like to join me in using it. Bible reading plans work best if you have a partner, someone with whom you are accountable in your reading plan. Whichever plan you choose, know that the purpose is to get you into God's word in 2021, and to get God's word into you. Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! We are approaching the fourth Sunday of Advent, which means Christmas is truly right around the corner. "Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room, and heav'n and nature sing..."
TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY! "Day of every day the best, emblem of eternal rest." As you prepare for the day of worship, take a few moments to read, meditate on, and pray through the Scriptures which will frame our corporate worship. Click anywhere on the link for a full, printable version of the Scriptures from BibleGateway: FIGHTER VERSE: Revelation 21:4 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 89:1-4:19-26 OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 16:25-27 ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Isaiah 53:4-6 SERMON TEXT: Luke 1:67-80 BENEDICTION: Numbers 6:24-26
LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING for INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS amount given to date is $955. Praise the Lord, and thank you for giving! How about $1000 or $1500? Pray about what the Lord would have you give, then give freely and cheerfully. Every dollar, dime, and penny of this offering goes to support our IMB personnel on the field; none is used for administrative or overhead costs. FELLOWSHIP HALL FLOORING COMMITTEE recommended resurfacing the fellowship hall and kitchen area with hard-surface, wood-like polyvinyl flooring. In our special business meeting, we voted to authorize a combination of memorial funds and undesignated funds on hand to complete the project, estimated at about $10,000 including labor and materials. At this writing, $7,819 of the need has been met through memorial and designated giving. Praise the Lord! If you would like to give to this project, simply write "Flooring Project" on an envelope with your gift enclosed. Thank you so much to all those who have given already!
OFFERING ENVELOPES are available in bundles of 25 at the rear of the sanctuary for your convenience in giving for 2021. THIS WEEK
COMING UP December 27: Birthdays and Anniversaries recognized at the end of the service. Birthday offerings go to support Missouri Baptist Children's Home and anniversary offerings go to support The Baptist Home, Missouri Baptists' home for the aged. Visit the links to learn more about both of these vital ministries. January 3: We will be observing the Lord's Supper in our morning worship service. Begin preparing for that service through prayer and self-examination. ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message Luke 1:46-56 The Song of Mary Here are the sermon notes for that message. FIGHTER VERSE bookmarks will be available in the narthex beginning next week. If you want a headstart, follow this link to the Fighter Verses for 2021. This is Set 1 of the FIghter Verses. BONUS: It comes as no surprise to anyone reading this that the sexual revolution has had far-reaching consequences for our entire society and culture. It is of particular relevance to us as Christians trying to live out the Biblical worldview. The Biblical worldview is countercultural in its essence, but it has become more so in the last few decades. Carl Trueman has written an important book which will be on my list to read this year entitled The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, and Al Mohler takes the time to interview him about this book on his most recent installment of Thinking in Public. (just over an hour) Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas, and see you in church! Grace and Peace Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! As we approach the third week of Advent, just a whole lot of information in this week's update to absorb. Some of these items are more consequential than others, but I have given them here in no particular order. Take your time, read, and be blessed. Blessings to you!
FELLOWSHIP HALL FLOORING COMMITTEE recommended resurfacing the fellowship hall and kitchen area with hard-surface, wood-like polyvinyl flooring. In our special business meeting, we voted to authorize a combination of memorial funds and undesignated funds on hand to complete the project, estimated at about $10,000 including labor and materials. A little less than half of that amount will be from undesignated funds which we will ask our members to give towards repaying over the next several months. This project will enable us to have a much cleaner and sanitary environment when we start up regular meals and midweek ministries again. Praise the Lord! AED (automated external defibrillator) is located on the wall in the foyer next to the cloak room. This unit and ones like it were provided to the churches of DeKalb County by the local health board. While the unit is self-explanatory when used, we will seek to provide training on the unit in the near future. We will keep you posted, but for now, just know that it is available in case of an emergency when seconds are precious. MACH 4 MEN'S MINISTRY will meet at Hopewell Baptist on Saturday at 6 pm. We will begin with a meal, have a devotional message, and discuss any upcoming ministry projects. All men and boys are invited to attend. ANNUAL BUDGET PROPOSAL: This Sunday morning, the first draft budget proposal for 2021 will be distributed to those in attendance, along with a brief explanation. The 2021 budget proposal from our Stewardship team is essentially the same as the 2020 budget with slight increases under personnel and missions. The overall recommended increase is 4%. We will discuss it during the member meeting Sunday evening at 6 pm. Any questions should be brought at that time or directed to Stewardship chairman Russ Wright before the meeting. After discussion, the final version will be tabled until Sunday morning, December 20, when it will be brought to a vote of the members assembled. OFFERING ENVELOPES are available in boxes of 100 at the rear of the sanctuary for your convenience in giving for 2021. We also have a limited supply of 25-envelope bundles for those needing fewer envelopes. DEACON ELECTION Having been nominated according to the process set forth in our church's by-laws, Randy Morrow, David Ousley, and Chet Owen have each agreed to serve a 3-year term as deacon beginning January 1, 2021. Each man's service is contingent on receiving the affirmative vote of the church body gathered in conference on Sunday evening, December 13, at 6 pm. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM Preschoolers through 6th graders will present a Christmas program during the first half of morning worship service this Sunday (Dec. 13) under the direction of Dava Hackett. Come out and support our children as they present the story of Jesus' birth! MARTHA SPIERS CARD SHOWER As most of you are aware by now, Martha Spiers, our church secretary of more than 30 years, is retiring from that position. We will be honoring her and her service at the conclusion of the morning service on December 20, Lord willing. What we are asking of the congregation is to bless her with a card shower. Share your appreciation, thanks, and tokens of esteem by means of a card that morning (or if you are unable to be here that morning, get it to your Sunday School teacher beforehand). We will be recognizing her during the service, of which she is aware. However, the card shower she is not aware of, so let's keep that part discreet until the time of recognition. (Also, if you get The Pathway, the Missouri Baptist news journal, they did a story on Martha, and it should come out in the next issue of the paper). LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING for INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS amount given to date is $360. Our church's baseline goal is $800, but I think we can do better than that this year. How about $1000? How about $1500? Pray about what the Lord would have you give, then give freely and cheerfully. Every dollar, dime, and penny of this offering goes to support our IMB personnel on the field; none is used for administrative or overhead costs. ADVENT DEVOTIONAL: Last Sunday, I shared with you the devotional booklet The Peace and Promise of Christmas: 10 Christmas Reflections from Our Daily Bread (click on the link if you prefer the online version). Our family has been using these devotionals during our family worship over the past week. I have been impressed with their depth, especially given their brevity. One of the bonuses is a series of brief videos that the author, Bill Crowder, has done to complement each of the ten reflections. If you want to quickly link to each one, I have provided the list here. Each one is 2 or 3 minutes in length: go.odb.org/Christmas-1 go.odb.org/Christmas-2 go.odb.org/Christmas-3 go.odb.org/Christmas-4 go.odb.org/Christmas-5 go.odb.org/Christmas-6 go.odb.org/Christmas-7 go.odb.org/Christmas-8 go.odb.org/Christmas-9 go.odb.org/Christmas-10 BONUS:
See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "Pastor Greg, it's just the second week of Advent. How can it be looking a lot like Christmas?" Well, even if you aren't thinking that, I want to explain what I mean. On Tuesday, our decorating team decked out the sanctuary and narthex with Christmas greenery, poinsettias, garland, candles, etc. They always do such a great job! Add to that the quilted banners that tell the story of Jesus' birth so well visually, and that is why it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at First Baptist! I hope that you will be able to be with us for Bible study and corporate worship.
TODAY please pray for our Bible Quiz team "Contagious" as they compete in monthly quizzing today in St. Joseph. Roughly 25 teams will be competing with questions and quoting from the Gospel of Matthew. Pray that all the teams will do as well as they possibly can and that God is glorified in the process. If you want to watch any of the quiz competition, go to Journey Baptist Church, 5708 King Hill Avenue in St. Joe between 12:30 and 3:30 pm and find our team. THIS LORD’S DAY we will gather for Bible study for all ages at 9:30 am and worship at 10:40 am. If you aren't in a Bible study group, this is a great time to join one as we move into a new quarter of study. For our adult classes using the Explore the Bible curriculum, this will be the Gospel of Luke. During the worship hour, our time together will be framed by the following Scriptures. Take a few moments to read, reflect, meditate, and pray through them. Click anywhere on the link to read the entire : Fighter Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Call to Worship: Psalm 85:4-13 Old Testament: Isaiah 40:1-11 New Testament: 2 Peter 3:8-15a Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 85:1-3 Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-38 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 THIS WEEK
COMING UP
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message "Mayday!" on Luke 8:22-24 with Guest Missions Speaker Scott. BONUS
Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! I trust that you had a pleasant Thanksgiving Day. This week is a reminder to God's people that our lives ought to be characterized by the giving of thanks.
1 Chronicles 16:8-11 gives us this encouragement: "Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the people. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually." THE LORD’S DAY This Sunday begins our Week of Prayer for International Missions. Join us in person for emphasis on this mission. Lottie Moon Christmas Offering commences this week. Our nationwide goal is $175 million, and we have the opportunity to be a small part of that goal. Every penny of this offering goes directly to support our 3,535 field personnel on the worldwide mission field. Lottie Moon was one of 300 missionaries in the 175 year history of the International Mission Board of the SBC who gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Here is a brief video that pays tribute to those 300. Please pray about what the Lord would have you give this season. Advent begins this Sunday. We remember the coming of Christ into this world, when true God became true man to take our sins upon Himself and pay the penalty for them on the cross. Rising, ascending, sitting at the right hand of the Father, Christ will come again one day to judge the living and the dead. Advent also looks forward to that glorious day. Scripture readings, songs, sermons, and prayers will reflect this traditional season of the church culminating in Christmas Day. Here are the Scriptures that will frame our time of worship tomorrow. Take a few moments to read and meditate on them as we prepare our hearts to gather: Fighter Verse: 1 John 4:4 Call to Worship: Psalm 5:11 Old Testament: Isaiah 64:1-9 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 1:8-9 Sermon: Luke 8:22-25 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 I often use the word "meditate" when it comes to the Scripture, and I understand that various understandings exist for that word. I am using it in the sense so well and thoroughly described here by J. I. Packer in his seminal work, Knowing God: "Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. "Its purpose is to clear one's mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let his truth make its full and proper impact on one's mind and heart. It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God's power and grace. "Its effect is ever to humble us, as we contemplate God's greatness and glory and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage us and reassure us-- 'comfort' us, in the old, strong, Bible sense of the word -- as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ." (p. 23) THIS WEEK
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87573789453?pwd=Zjg5ZWZ2N1h5WklxOEFjM3IrVUt1QT09 Meeting ID: 875 7378 9453 Passcode: 478672 COMING UP Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is still on at this point, at 6 pm. It is always a special time to gather together with our church family for a service of Scripture, song, prayer, and sermon culminating in a candlelight singing of "Silent Night." We believe this can be done safely as we gather in families that evening. Please plan to join us! ICYMI: Audio of Sunday’s Message on Luke 1:5-25 "God of Promise and Of Prayer" A PASTORAL WORD ON COVID-19 Ever since the COVID-19 virus has been a concern, opinions abound concerning how best to address it. Church family, you have been gracious in your words and deportment on this matter, and I trust that will continue to be the case. Regardless of what your personal opinion on the virus is, most of us have known someone personally who has been seriously affected by it. I have known 3 people personally who have died due to COVID with no compromised health otherwise. None of these cases have been in our immediate area. With the recent uptick in cases in our immediate area, some of you have asked what we are doing as a church to be proactive in addressing it in our gatherings. Please allow me, first of all, to share a few of the facts as I understand them followed by what we have already done to respond, then some pastoral advice which I believe will help us maintain "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," and maybe stay healthier especially as cold and flu season are upon us. First, the facts: 1. DeKalb County has had 579 total cases of COVID-19 reported since March, with 10 deaths. 2. Of those cases, 138 were reported during the period of November 13-26; that's 24% of the total cases in the most recent 2-week period. 3. The total population of DeKalb County is 12,547, meaning the rate of positive cases in the county is 4.6% of the total population. (If our experience of COVID at home is typical, for every one positive test case, there are two who experienced symptoms during quarantine without being tested). 4. The percentage of deaths in relation to total positive cases is roughly 1.7 %, or 1 in 58. The inverse is, of course, a 98.3% survival rate. (It is my understanding that the death rate goes up with those who are above 60 years of age or have other complicating issues). What we have done to respond so far: 1. Shut down completely for 8 weeks, mid-March to mid-May 2. Provided online and FM radio options in the parking lot for those choosing not to attend in person 3. Once we returned to in-person services, provided disposable masks and hand sanitizer to all attendees 4. Discouraged handshaking 5. Encouraged social distancing of 6 feet or more for periods of 15 minutes or more if unmasked 6. Taped off our seating in the sanctuary to help maintain the suggested distances 7. Made mask wearing voluntary, not mandatory 8. Pastoral staff have been more proactive in recent weeks to wear masks in worship center until seated or at the pulpit. What has happened in and among our congregation: 1. Several folks have self-quarantined when they became aware of primary exposure. 2. Five families in the church have had at least one member who tested positive. 3. These positive test instances have been over the course of the last 8 weeks, and only two have overlapped in time due to being in a common extended family setting. 4. None of these instances were traced to contact while at a church gathering. 5. Virtually all have occurred following prolonged close proximity to a friend or family member who had COVID-19. Now, how we plan to respond in the future: 1. We have no plans to shut down in person services again, preferring instead to allow you the freedom to make the choice to stay home and watch online, attend in the parking lot, or attend in person. 2. We have no plans to issue a "mask mandate," preferring instead to allow you to make that choice to wear or not to wear a mask or other protective gear. 3. We have no plans to alter our worship services in any way, but we reserve the right to add an earlier or later service for those who are more wary of the virus. 4. These decisions are not made unilaterally, but in consultation with and approval of the deacons, and in some instances, the church body gathered in conference. Now the advice section (suggestions, not mandates). Because of health concerns not only with COVID, but also flu season: 1. Wear a mask whenever you are unable to socially distance from those around you. 2. Wear a red adhesive dot if you prefer not to shake hands, hug, or otherwise have physical contact with someone at church. (Wave, "fist bump," "elbow bump," or otherwise find an alternative to shaking hands as greeting). 3. Wash your hands frequently and make use of the hand sanitizer when needed. 4. Recognize that we are all breathing the same air, filtered through the returns and circulated throughout the various zones of the building, so none of these precautions are "fail safe." 4. If you consider yourself to be particularly at risk, please stay home and join us online or come to within 300 feet of the sanctuary and join us by radio, FM 103.1. 5. Above all, "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Beloved, let us seek to glorify the Lord and enjoy Him forever as we live lives of faith, love, joy and peace in Christ. Remember these words from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians 4:1-3: "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Wonderful job, everyone! Operation Christmas Child collection week is this week, and you did your part by collecting 106 shoeboxes with gifts for children in need in places all around the world. Practical items like soap, washcloths, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pencils and sharpeners were included along with age appropriate toys. You also gave money for postage o $608! It costs $9 per box to mail each one to its destination, so roughly two-thirds of the postage was offset by your gifts. Well done, church family!
Thanks also to those who came out and/or joined us virtually for IMB Virtual Sending Service last Wednesday evening. Our IMB appointed 79 missionaries, 30 of whom were featured during the service itself. If you were not able to join us, click on the above link to watch the service in its entirety. Also, at the bottom of the page are all of the missionary testimony videos, including the ones not able to be included in the virtual service due to time constraints. TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY! "Happy are they, they that love God, whose hearts have Christ confessed! who by His cross have found their life, and 'neath His yoke their rest. Glad is the praise, sweet are the songs, when they together sing, and strong the prayers that bow the ear of heav'n's eternal King." These lyrics from a hymn by William Croft (1678-1727) have been at the front of my mind in the last few days. They will also as we gather for worship tomorrow, to acknowledge Christ's Lordship over sin, death, hell, and the grave, and to magnify the One who has given us life and in Whom alone we have life. As you prepare to gather for worship tomorrow, meditate on these Scriptures that will frame our time in worship together. Click anywhere on the link and it will take you to a printable version of these Scriptures: Call to worship: Psalm 100 Fighter Verses Psalm 84:10-12 OT Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 NT Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23 Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 25:7 Sermon Passage: Luke 1:5-25 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 Stewardship Committee will meet right after morning service in the conference room to discuss the 2021 budget proposal. If you are responsible for a budget line item and are requesting a change in that line item from 2020, please submit that request in writing to church treasurer, Marsha Smith at iam2messy@gmail.com or text her at 816-312-0032. If no change is requested, it will likely be the same as 2020. THIS WEEK the office/building schedule will be adjusted due to Thanksgiving:
COMING UP Week of Prayer for International Missions will kick off on November 29 with a visit from Scott Hill. Scott and his wife, Stefanie, were commissioned by the IMB during their Virtual Sending Service on Wednesday. Scott is the immediate past youth and children's minister at First Baptist Church in Cameron. Scott and Stefanie are the parents to three small children and will be serving in an area of the world that cannot be disclosed for security reasons. For this reason, their real names and images will not be used during the sending service. Scott will be sharing a challenging message to our youth during the Sunday School hour, and he will be preaching a missions message during the morning worship service. Join me in praying for and encouraging the Hills as they plan to begin their international missions journey in January. ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message Luke 1:1-4 The Prologue BONUS: I share online resources with you from time to time, and this week I would like to share Breakpoint from The Colson Center, named for its founder Charles Colson. This week, the feature is Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito and his speech to the Federalist Society on the subject of religious liberty. I highly recommend you listen since we are living in a time when religious liberty is in the crosshairs of the political left. Here is the specific link. (About 37 minutes in length). See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! This week we celebrated Veteran's Day, first on Monday as a legal holiday, then on Wednesday as the 102nd anniversary of the Armistice which ended hostilities of World War 1 at 11 a.m. on November 11,1918. For many years, the day was known as "Armistice Day," changing to Veterans Day in 1954 by an act of Congress to honor American veterans of all wars. Thank you to all those who served our country so that we might remain free.
TOMORROW: MACH 4 Men's Ministry has been canceled. THE LORD’S DAY Every Lord's Day is special because God's people come together to worship in local congregations and remember the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what we will do this week as we corporately come under the preaching and teaching of the word of God. This week, we will more closely examine Luke 1:1-4 as we launch into our expositional study of the Gospel of Luke. Here are the Scriptures that will frame our worship gathering this week. Clink anywhere on the link to view a printable version of these verses: Fighter Verse: Psalm 79:9 Call to Worship: Psalm 100 (sung) Old Testament Reading: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 New Testament Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Assurance of God's Pardon: Psalm 103:10-12 Sermon Passage: Luke 1:1-4 Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14 Visit from the Johnstons: This Lord's Day will also be special because Dan & Kali Johnston, international workers with Reach Beyond, will be with us sharing at the conclusion of the morning worship service. Kali (Carroll) grew up at First Baptist, and she and Dan began serving with Reach Beyond in Central Asia four years ago. They will briefly recap the mission of Reach Beyond and share what has recently been happening in their ministry. Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes will be collected this Lord's Day. Our children and adults have assembled several boxes already, but there are always some that come in on the collection day. If you have a filled Christmas Shoebox, bring it with you Sunday morning and we will include it in the collection. At the end of the service, we will creatively carry the Christmas Shoeboxes to an awaiting vehicle for transport to a collection center in St. Joseph. If you fill a box after Sunday, you may still drop it off at one of the collection centers. Click on the link to find the locations of collection centers near us. THIS WEEK Our IMB (International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) will be commissioning 79 missionaries in a virtual sending service this week, including Scott and Stefanie Hill (see announcement below). The IMB Virtual Sending Service will be Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 pm Central Standard Time. Click on the link to watch the service or go directly to the IMB Facebook page to watch via Facebook Live. Please join us at the church house to watch this special time of praying over and sending out mission personnel all over the world. If you have ever attended an IMB Commissioning Service, you know how moving and special it can be. We look forward to sharing in this experience with you. COMING UP
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message Luke: Tell Me the Story of Jesus (Overview of Luke's Gospel) BONUS:
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