FBC Carthage E-News
December 2, 2019
Good morning,
As I look outside the
window on this December morning, I am reminded of the lyrics “Oh, the weather
outside is frightful.” A little mixed precipitation
is falling and my hopes are that it will turn to snow. Wishful thinking for the holiday spirit. The lights, sounds, and feel of Christmas is
in the air. May this be the greatest
Christmas as you celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Our theme for the month of
December is “The Christmas Experience.”
The thought is that Christmas is more than an evet to attend or gift to
purchase. Christmas is an experience in
which we seek to immerse ourselves in the joy, wonder, and amazement of that
first Christmas. A series of special
services will be focused on The Christmas Experience. Each Sunday morning service will be filled
with singing, special music, and a Christmas message. In addition, several special evening services
are planned:
·
Sunday, December
8 at 6:00 PM will be the Children’s Choir presentation of “Christmas Hang-ups.” In addition to the delightful musical service,
we will have a church-wide, finger-food fellowship immediately after the program
in the Christian Life Center. Everyone
is asked to bring a dish and share together.
·
Sunday, December
15 will be our Shut-In Services in the homes of those unable to get out this
season.
·
Tuesday, December
24 at 5:00 PM will be the Christmas Eve service featuring candle-light, carols,
and communion. This is a family favorite
and everyone is encouraged to bring the whole family and come as you are from
your gatherings.
In keeping with our theme
for Christmas, the RightNow Media video series of the month is “The Christmas
Experience” and features Pastor Kyle Idleman, pastor of Southeast Christian
Church in Louisville, Kentucky. This video series weaves the Christmas story in
a dramatic way with the teachings of Pastor Idleman. Each episode will focus on how God chose each
individual in the Christmas story for a specific purpose. To watch the
first episode, click on
“The Christmas
Experience” series would be a blessing to share with others to enrich their
Christmas reflections and celebration.
Pass this registration information on to your family and friends and
invite them to join in the experience of Christmas. In addition to this video
series, they will be able to access and view the thousands of videos Rightnow
Media has to offer. To register and sign
up for RightNow Media simply go to https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Invite/cfbc.
All
the videos are provided free of charge as a gift from FBC Carthage.
A
special thank you goes to:
·
Thank you to those who helped in the Operation Christmas
Child packing, collecting, and delivery.
The church received a total of 312 boxes!
·
Thank you to those who gave, packed, and delivered
Thanksgiving boxes this week.
·
Thank you to all who participated in the Christmas Parade
hot chocolate, coffee, and “Singing on the Steps.”
Last night we shared in
the service the background and message of six of our favorite Christmas
Carols. Last week I conducted a 24 Hour
Facebook Poll with the question, “What are your five favorite Christmas
carols?” In that poll, I received 38
Responses and a total of 47 Songs. The
top ten favorite songs were, in order:
22 votes for Mary Did You
Know?
22 votes for Silent Night
22 votes for O Holy Night
11 votes for Joy to the
World
9 votes for What Child Is This?
8 votes for Beautiful Star
7 votes for Away in a Manger
5 votes for Little Drummer Boy
5 votes for It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
5 votes for Hark the Herald Angels Sing
The most unusual carol
submitted as a favorite was “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” I verified it and it is an actual song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjPm0o04lGE
Thanks to all who
participated in this fun poll.
Have a blessed week,
Bro. Tim
Here’s the News for the
week:
·
This
week is the Week of Prayer for International Missions. Here are the videos from the International
Mission Board that go along with the prayer guide:
Take a moment each day to pray for our
4,000+ missionaries serving around the world.
·
The
Children’s Choir will present a special Christmas program entitled “Christmas
Hang-Ups” on Sunday, December 8 at 6:00 PM in the Sanctuary. A church-wide finger-food fellowship will be
held in the Christian Life Center following the program.
·
This
Wednesday, December 4, the 6:30 PM Adult Prayer Service and Bible Study will
meet in the Christian Life Center to allow the Children’s Choir opportunity to
practice in the Sanctuary for their program this Sunday, December 8 at 6:00 PM.
·
The
December Women on Missions Meeting will be held on Monday, December 9 at 6:30
PM in the home of Marreet Hutchins, 649 Carmack Avenue. All ladies are invited to attend.
·
The
special Young at Heart potluck luncheon and Christmas program will be Tuesday,
December 10 at 11:30 AM in the Christian Life Center. The special theme, “Christmas Around the
World” will be reflected in the decorations, food, program, and maybe even a
little singing. All adults 55+ are
invited to bring a dish, invite a friend, and join in the fun. We will also discuss a special Christmas outing
on Tuesday, December 17.
·
A Special
Offering was received during the Thanksgiving Dinner for a new Primary School
start in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. A
young couple at Ridgeways is looking to begin a Christian School in one of the
poor slums near the church. This is an
opportunity to invest in the lives of hundreds of children through a basic
education. If you would like more
information and would like to contribute to this ministry, contact Bro Tim or
Stephen Russell.
·
The
Library Committee is working on fluffing up our church library. There will be
new books and DVDs available every month this year. Here are the new titles for December:
The Holy Land includes DVD
One Incredible Moment by Max Lucado
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albion (true story)
Is This The End? By David Jeremiah
Women of the Bible by Anne Spangler & Jean Syswerda
The Holy Land includes DVD
One Incredible Moment by Max Lucado
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albion (true story)
Is This The End? By David Jeremiah
Women of the Bible by Anne Spangler & Jean Syswerda
The Church Library is located just off the
Connection Point, behind the Sanctuary.
Check it out.
·
Lighthouse
Christian Camp in Smithville Christmas Parties are:
Girls’ Party on Saturday,
December 7, 10 am - 3 pm
Boys’ Party on Saturday,
December 14, 10 am - 2 pm
The
church bus will leave from the parking lot at 8:30 AM.
Volunteers
can contact Bro. Tim for more details.
·
LifeLine
Screening will be in Carthage on Tuesday, December 17 at the FBC Christian Life
Center. They provide screenings for
atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease and other vascular conditions at a
fraction of the cost charged at a hospital or clinic. More information is
available in the Connection Point or by calling the church office, (615)
735-1929.
·
Remember you can check
the church calendar online at www.fbccarthage.com under events or go directly to http://www.fbccarthage.com/events/
