First Baptist Church December 2014 Volume 58 Issue No. 11

USPS 571-920 Published Monthly by The First Baptist Church 212 East F Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643-3212

Office 423-543-1931 Fax 423-542-8088 www.fbcelizabethton.com Periodicals Postage Paid at Elizabethton, TN 37644

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 212 East F Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643-3212

Donated by Sylvia Chandler: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alsom Taylor’s Gift by Todd & Tara Storch

A Visual Guide to Bible Events A Visual Guide to Gospel Events by James C. Martin

In the Company of Jesus by Bill Donahue

The Justice God is Seeking by David Ruis

The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It and Why It Matters by Charles Colson

New Dimensions In American Religious History by Martin E. Marty

NOVEMBER GIVING

Budget Required: $ 47,109.00 Budget Received: $ 41,361.72 Designated (includes new van): $ 44,298.90 Total Given: $ 85,660.62

Average SS: 192 Average Worship: 320

O ur Christian Sympathy to the family of Gladys Slagle, who passed away October

30, and to Claudia Ledford and family in the loss of her uncle, Billy Carter, on November 19.

T hank you notes have been received from David & Marilyn Irby, the Book Club, Su-

san & Arvena Gardner and Louise Shatley and are on the bulletin board outside the library.

God's Blessings I am so grateful for the generosity that has been expressed by First Baptist Church in regards to Operation Christmas Child. Together we provided 373 shoeboxes of goodies for children throughout the world. I am thankful that we truly do have a missional heart and focus. I hope and pray that each of you has a blessed Christmas and New Year. I am so thankful for each of you. It is truly an honor to serve such a fine group of peo-ple. As we begin our Advent and Christmas season I want us to think about our commitment to international missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. Our church goal is $15,000.00. Lottie Moon was a Southern Bap-tist missionary to China in the late 1800's who sacrificed her own health and livelihood in order to meet the needs of people and share the Gospel with the Chinese. Each Christmas we give to the Lottie Christmas offering to help sup-port missionaries worldwide. Through our giving we are partnering with 16,000 other churches worldwide to share the Gospel of Christ and meet the needs of people. May we be committed to digging deep into our pockets and tangibly make a difference in people. May we be committed to the task so that all people may come to know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. This is the true meaning of Christmas! Wishing you all the very best that God has to offer! In Christ, Rev. Todd M. Hallman

DECEMBER 2014DECEMBER 2014DECEMBER 2014

“Glorifying God, serving the Lord Jesus Christ, and sharing Him with the world.”

Church office will be closed December 24, 25, 26, 31 and January 1. All 2014 contribu-tions need to be in the office by December 30 at 5PM or postmarked by December 31.

December 2 Gary Chambers December 3 Olivia Holly, Elizabeth Powell, Cindy Walker December 4 Chris Hughes December 6 Ben Irwin, Jim Powell December 8 Lisa Burdick December 9 Gabe Deprimo December 10 Carol DuBose, Pam Hutchins December 11 Dana Malone December 12 Joann Gouge, Jane Oakley, Tiffani Shouse December 13 Carolyn Laws December 14 Robert Luttrell, Phyllis Pierce December 15 Ray Lewis December 16 Matthew Myers, Amy Outland, Stephen Wilson December 17 Kelly Walters December 18 Dean Batchelder December 19 Marlee Cornett, Abigail Holly December 20 Reece Cole, Pat Pollard, Sydney Wright December 21 John Wiggins December 23 Shane Billings December 27 Chris Hollifield, Zach Peters December 28 Blake Holly December 31 Isaiah Mirhabibi

LeAnn needs white or blue lights for the children’s Christmas party. Please bring them by December 5 and pick them up after December 8.

Christmas Play Practices: December 3 from 6:00-7:15; December 7 at 5:00PM with the Christmas Party to follow at 6:00 for kindergar-ten through 5th Grade; Christmas play December 14 at 6:00PM. All participating children need to be in the Sanctuary at 5:30 dressed and ready to perform.

No Children’s Route 252 activities December 24 and 31.

The Week of Prayer for International Missions and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is November 30-December 7. Our church goal this year is $15,000. Our annual Lottie Moon March will be Sunday, December 14. Please bring your offering that morning for plac-ing in the Christmas box!

Prayer Shawl Group meets December 1 at 6:00PM in the Parlor. Lottie Moon Post Office opens Sunday, December 7. For new mem-bers and attenders, this is a service for delivering Christmas cards to church family and friends with the postage equivalent being donat-ed to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Envelopes are provided at

the LMPO for your postage. We deliver cards to the Sunday School classes when possible, so please write the name AND Sunday School Class on the envelope. Cards for children should include the parents’ name and SS class. Children’s Backpack Christmas Party Monday, December 8, from 6-8PM at Hunter Memorial Baptist Church. We need cupcakes and cookies to share with the children and their parents. Contact Susan Gardner. Operation Christmas Child shoebox processing in Boone on Tuesday, December 9. Those who have registered (all slots are full) meet at the church at 10:30. We will eat lunch in Boone then go to our work time from 1-5PM. Beth Moore, SBC International Missionary in India (and member of Calvary in Elizabethton), will be speaking after the Christmas dinner on December 17. Open Heart WOM meets Thursday, December 18, 10:00AM in the Parlor. Mission Seekers has a new name — First Ladies! No meeting in December.

Several of our college students will be in final exams during the week of December 4-11 and have requested your prayers: UT-Emily Harris and Eric Carter; Milligan-Hannah Morgan and Emily Dugger; ETSU-Amy Berry, Rich Minton, Kelly Lyons and Holly Guthrie.

Ladies sweet treats exchange Saturday, December 6, at 9AM. Bring 5 dozen of your favorite holiday treats to share. You may also bring a white or silver ornament to be placed on a tree in honor or in memory of someone. Breakfast reservations requested.

Community Handbell Concert December 7, 2:00PM at First United Methodist.

Feast of Joy Christmas Dinner to benefit The Shepherd’s Inn Monday, December 8, at 6:00PM. Call 542-0180 or 543-1931 for tickets. Cost is $20.00.

Elizabethton Choral Club Holiday Concert December 8, 7:30PM at Grace Baptist.

The children will be presenting their Christmas program on Sunday, December 14, at 6PM. (See Children’s ministry for rehearsal times.)

Food Boxes and Angel Tree distribution December 17 from 9-4:30 at the Armory. Please call Martha Laws at 282-5756 if you can help.

Church-Wide Christmas Dinner is December 17. Please add carry-out dinners when making your reservation. Also, if your child is eating a Shirley’s meal, please mark that on your reservation instead of child. It is important so we can order enough meals.

Sanctuary Choir to the Bristol Motor Speedway Thursday, December 18. Meet in the church parking lot at 7:00PM.

Monthly Meetings: Deacons meeting December 7 at 4:30; Business Conference December 10 at 6:30PM; Church Council December 21 at 5:00PM; Men’s Breakfast Decem-ber 27 at 9:00AM.

Monday at Chick Fil-A on December 1 at 6:00. Progressive Dinner & White Elephant Exchange ($5) December 12 from 5-9PM. Help with Christmas boxes December 15, 16 & 17 from 9AM-2PM. No cost. Grades 5-6 “Contagious” Sunday School Christmas Party December 19 at 6:30. Ice Skating December 23 from 3-8PM.