First B

aptist C

hu

rch

11

35

Watso

n B

lvd.

Warn

er Ro

bin

s, GA

3

109

3

FIR

ST

EX

PR

ES

SIO

NS

(US

PS

97

9-9

80

) Pu

blish

ed m

on

thly

b

y F

irst Bap

tist Chu

rch, 1

13

5 W

atson B

lvd

, Warn

er Rob

ins,

GA

31

093-3

461

. Perio

dical P

ostag

e paid

at Warn

er Robin

s, G

A P

OS

TM

AS

TE

R: S

end

add

ress chan

ge to

Fir

st Exp

res-

sion

s, 113

5 W

atson

Blv

d , Warn

er Rob

ins, G

A 3

109

3-3

461

FACTS—FIGURES—FELLOWSHIP GIVEN TO REACH OUR WORLD FOR CHRIST

BUDGET REPORT FOR November 1-27, 2015

NOVEMBER 1-27 RECEIPTS ……………..…...……........$28,707.25

MONTHLY BUDGET NEEDED …………………………..$33,327.98

RECEIPTS NEEDED FOR BUDGET………….…..……$ 4,620.73

ACTUAL BUDGET RECEIPT/EXPENSE REPORT

NOVEMBER 1-27 Receipts….…………………….$28,707.25

NOVEMBER 1-27 Expenses………………….……$17,178.25

NOVEMBER 1-27 Receipts over expenses……….$11,529.00

Our Ministerial Staff:

Chad Wood Pastor

Nick Prieto Worship & Youth Pastor

Rusty Grace Discipleship & Systems Pastor

*USHERS FOR DECEMBER* Curtis Dalton, Aaron Daigle Ray Durham & Carl Wood

DECEMBER LIST FOR DEACON OF THE WEEK* 4—David Peck 11—David Anderson

20—Jon Huguley 18—David Burquest 25—Curtis Dalton

Some of my favorite memories as a child were waking up on Christmas morning and seeing all the

new gi�s under the tree. Every year I would have a present that was my favorite and I would play

with that present a lot. But some�mes, on a few occasions, I would have some gi� that I didn’t

really care about. In fact, I neglected it. There was no need to really take it out of the box because

I didn’t use it or enjoy it like my parents thought I would. Now that I myself am a parent, it

saddens me to think about how I some�mes neglected things that my parents sacrificed to give

me. Whatever the gi� was, my parents had a purpose in giving it to me, even if that purpose was

just so that I’d enjoy it. But to neglect the gi� almost made it a waste. I think the same could

almost be said about the spiritual gi�s that God has given us. 1 Timothy 4:14-15 says, “Do not

neglect the gi� you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their

hands on you. Prac�ce these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”

If you are a follower of Christ, God has given you some spiritual gi�s in order to glorify him by

edifying the church. So the ques�on is simple: Are you using your spiritual gi� in serving the

church in order to Glorify God? Or are you neglec�ng it? If God has called you to this church, He

has a place for you to serve Him in some way. So I want to encourage you to begin praying about

what God has for you in the ministry regarding your spiritual gi�……because He gave it to you for a

PURPOSE!

Pastor Chad

Recommended Reading: The Celebra�on of Discipline by Richard Foster

From the Pastor

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE FOR NOVEMBER

SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY—— 117

MORNING WORSHIP—— 147 If you are not plugged in with a Small Group Bible Study you are missing a blessing. Small Group Bible Study begins at 9:15 a.m. Join Us! We have groups for all ages!

FINAL BUDGET REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2016

RECEIPTS …………...…...…...............................................$44,048.85

MONTHLY BUDGET NEEDED …………………………..$33,327.98

RECEIPTS OVER FOR BUDGET……………..………...$10,720.87

FINAL ACTUAL BUDGET RECEIPT/EXPENSE REPORT

October 1-31 Receipts….…………………………$44,048.85

October 1-31 Expenses……….………….………..$30,243.83

October 1-31 Receipts over Expenses.....…..……$13,805.02

WMU—Current Missions

Our WMU Current Missions group meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. (occasional exceptions) We encourage our ladies to join us as we study, share and plan for mission opportunities. Our Christmas Outing will be Friday, December 16.

Keenagers Wednesday, December 12, 2016

Noon—Covered Dish Entertainment: Jeff Cleghorn

(A love offering will be taken for him)

Keenagers to Rock Ranch Lights—December 15th Sign-up sheets are located in your Bible study classes

or contact Jon Huguley

1(USPS 979-980) Volume: 50 November 30, 2016 No. 11

FIRST EXPRESSIONS

First Baptist Church of Warner Robins 1135 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, GA 31093 478.922.8152 or 478.922.8148

www.fbcwr.org

“We Seek to Glorify God By Making Disciples of ALL Nations”

Coming January 17, please join us for a ladies Bible study inspired from the movie, War Room. This is sponsored by the Ladies’ morning D-Group. Held twice a month, we will meet from 10-12 p.m. at the church. Kicking off the study with the movie, we will follow each week with what the Bible has to say about the power of prayer. What a perfect time to sharpen our prayer lives and create our personal “War Rooms.” If you have questions, please see Beth McConnell.

Pastor Chad,Pastor Chad,Pastor Chad,Pastor Chad, Pastor Nick,Pastor Nick,Pastor Nick,Pastor Nick, Pastor Rusty,

AnnAnnAnnAnn, Daniel &

DECEMBER 2016 Sundays 8:30 am Prayer Group 9:15 am Small Group Bible Study 10:30 am Morning Worship 6:00 pm CONNECT—Youth

Wednesdays 6:00 pm Mid-Week Activities 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal 8:00 pm Band Rehearsal

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Rusty’s 2 year anniversary

2 *Chuck Gibbs

3

WR Parade

Outreach

10am

*Madison Silverstruck

4

Christmas Evening

of Worship—6pm

NO CONNECT

*Dottie Scacciaferro

5 6

*Mike Sullivan

*Susan Silverstruck

7 8

Deacon

Christmas

Gathering @ the

Huguley Home

9

*Beth McConnell

10

Fellowship Hall

in use from

1pm—4pm

(Stephens)

11

NO CONNECT

12

Keenagers

Noon

Men of Faith

Christmas

Meeting - 6:30pm

*Jewel Jones

13 14

15

Keenagers to

Rock Ranch

Lights

16

Bus in use by

WMU

17

18

Communion

Student Christmas

Party

19 20 21

*Ann Cooper

*Lee Miller

22

Office Closed

for Christmas

Holiday

23 24

Christmas Eve

25

Christmas

NO CONNECT

26

Office Closed

for Christmas

Holiday

*Barbara Evans

27 28

*Brent Humphries

29

*Jon Huguley

30

*Miranda Gibbs

31

*Mark Burquest

*Birthdays

From the Worship/Youth Pastor

We have entered into the “Advent” season. Although we’ve observed Advent for a few years now, the idea of Advent may be unfamiliar, so a brief introduction may be helpful. In short, Christians in the ancient world arranged a calendar of worship around different theological and biblical emphases. This practice was probably rooted in the prescribed schedule of different annual feasts in the Old Testament, commemorating different aspects of God’s care for His people. Over the centuries, this “church calendar” morphed. Things were added; things were subtracted, but the general shape remained and particular passages of Scripture were association with particular days within the calendar and with particular seasons. The season of Advent became the beginning of this yearly worship calendar. In some circles, Advent is another name for a month-long celebration of the birth of Christ. Historically, however, Advent had a related, but distinct focus. The word “Advent” comes from a Latin word that means “coming” or “arrival.” Over time, Advent became a penitential season focused on the coming of Christ, both as a preparation for celebrating His first coming in His Incarnation and a reminder that He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and bring the full consummation of God’s Kingdom, in which sin and evil and the brokenness they bring will have no place. As we look back, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to His unshakable promises and thereby are encouraged to both believe God’s promises about Christ’s Second Coming and to live a steadfast life that reflect faith in those promises. Regardless of how you celebrate Christmas and whether or not Advent traditions are a part of it, there is wisdom here for us. The Psalms constantly call to mind God’s past deeds as a basis for believing God’s promises that have been offered but not yet fully realized. The New Testament offers numerous exhortations to remain faithful. As you try to navigate life in this broken world, look forward to the hope of glory, seek to live as “aliens and strangers” who are “in the world” but not “of the world,” and when frustrations and difficulties come, remember Jesus who came as a tiny baby in Bethlehem to be your Savior. Remember the “Word of God who took on flesh and whose glory you have beheld by faith. Remember the that the One who has promised to come again has already demonstrated that He is “Immanuel,” our “God-with-us.” Remember the Light of the world who has already shone into the darkness of the world and who has brought light and life to your broken soul. Remember that He came for you, is with you, and will return.

Rusty

Rusty’s Ramblings

What are the things you are most passionate about? We can be passionate about many different things. It might be Jesus, serving, encouraging one another, your family, your job, a hobby, football, music, playing a sport, reading, or maybe something else. The passions we have reflect our natures individually and can be good or bad depending how we view these things in light of God. We know that He is to be worshipped alone. Personally, I am challenged by verses like Romans 12:11. It says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” The word zeal means having great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a specific thing. Could you be characterized as passionately pursuing Jesus with great energy and enthusiasm? While the things of this world constantly compete for our devotion and energy, I have been reminded recently that we worship (not just musically, but with our lifestyle) because we are compelled to do so. When we fully grasp our sinful state and our lost and dead condition prior to knowing Christ and how Jesus willing became the complete sacrifice for our sins so we might be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession…(1 Peter 2:9),” how can we not be compelled to live to glorify Jesus in everything we say and do. While we battle our sinful nature still, the worldly system and enemies of darkness, may you and I be people who relentlessly worship Christ simply because of what He has done and because He alone is worthy.

Don’t forget, December 4th at 6:00pm in our Worship Center we will be having our Christmas Evening of Worship. Invite friends and come ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We are praying for a powerful evening of passionate worship!

Nick

Merry Christmas to our

Grow and Go Families! We

pray everyone will have a

safe, fun, and God-filled

holiday.

Building Fund Receipts Thank you for giving to the Building Fund. As of November 27th, you have given a total of $1,175.00.

MEN OF FAITHMEN OF FAITHMEN OF FAITHMEN OF FAITH

Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas

GetGetGetGet----TogetherTogetherTogetherTogether

Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday,

December 12December 12December 12December 12

6:30pm In the Fellowship Hall6:30pm In the Fellowship Hall6:30pm In the Fellowship Hall6:30pm In the Fellowship Hall