December 27th, 2020

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


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