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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PENN YAN

December 2011

 

We, as God's people, will use our gifts and talents to seek out and bring people to Christ

by maturing in our faith, by deepening our fellowship

and by caring for people for the honor and glory of God.

 

December Worship Schedule

 

Dec. 4

Communion Sunday

2nd Sunday of Advent

Sermon: “Be Prepared”

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Lay Reader: Nancy Marion

Greeters: Mary Lou Hainsworth & Mary Fullagar

 

Dec. 11

3rd Sunday of Advent

Sermon: “Be Hopeful”

Scripture: John 1:6-8, 19-28

Lay Reader: Richard Johnson

Greeters: The Miller Family

 

Dec. 18

4th Sunday of Advent

Children's Christmas Program

Lay Reader: Cheryl Stewart

Greeters: Paul & Cathy MacDougall

 

Dec. 24

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7 pm

Sermon: “Be Present to the Fulfillment of God's Promise”

Scripture:Luke 2:1-20

 

Dec.  25

Christmas Day

Sermon: “Receive the Promise”

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Lay Reader: Rev. Linda Foody

 

December Birthdays!

 1 – Marge Moulton

 4 – Kyle Miller

13 – Richard Burke

15 – Joyce Slocum

17 – Paul MacDougall

31 – Daryl Johnson

31 – Virginia DeLooza

 

December Coffee Hours: Pastoral Relations Committee

 

The Season of Advent

 

We hope you will join us this Advent Season in the many events taking place at First Baptist Church.

 

StarShine Friday, December 2

Because of the closing of the Liberty Street Bridge, this year's StarShine will be held at the Court House Square, the Library and at First Baptist! Musical events will be held in our sanctuary and children's activities in the Great Room. Please see the StarShine Church Fundraiser note below and join us in baking and selling cookies, hot cocoa, egg rolls, and themed baskets. Be on hand to greet and welcome visitors!

 

Community Chorus Concert Sunday, December 4 at 3 pm

Come inside from the cold on this day to witness one of Penn Yan's finest traditions of the Christmas Season. The Community Chorus puts on a wonderful concert that is sure to get you in the Spirit of the Season. Refreshments will be served in the Great Room following the concert.

 

Christian Education Christmas Pageant Sunday, December 18

This is a special Sunday! Our children prepare for weeks for their Christmas Pageant. Don't miss this heart-touching morning, with a message for everyone.

 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Saturday, December 24 at 7 pm

First Baptist Church of Penn Yan is pleased to carry on this tradition of the Candlelight Service. Our choir will be performing “A Carol Fantasia”, 7 familiar Christmas Carols in which the congregation is encouraged to participate.  Rev. Foody's message, “Be Present to the Fulfillment of God's Promise” is a message of hope. And of course, the lighting of the candles to the singing of Silent Night. JOIN US!

 

Christmas Day Service 10 am

Joy To The World!

 

Poinsettias for the Sanctuary

                                   

It is a tradition that every Christmas Season we adorn the sanctuary with poinsettias.

 

If you would like to place a plant in the sanctuary for the Christmas Season in memory or in honor of a loved one, please fill out the portion below and put it in the offering plate, you may leave it in the church office or you may call the church office with the information at 536-9821. These should be received by Monday, December 19, in order to be published in Christmas Eve bulletin.

 

You may bring in your plant anytime during the Advent Season.

Given by: _______________________________________

In Memory of: ____________________________________

In Honor of: ______________________________________

 

Annual Meeting

+ The Annual meeting will be on Sunday, January 15, 2012 with a dish-to-share luncheon at 12 Noon and the meeting starting at 12:45 pm.

 

+ Annual Reports

All boards and committees should have their annual reports in to the office by January 2, 2012.

 

StarShine Church Fundraiser

As noted above, this year's StarShine Festivities will be held at the county courtyard, the PY Library and FBC. We are excited to take this opportunity to “show-off” our church buildings. At the same time we thought we would hold a fundraiser event.

 

~ We will be selling hot cocoa and cookies

~ The ABWomen will be selling theme baskets and

~ Ethel Clancy will be cooking up her special Egg Rolls.

 

It would be wonderful if every family could bake and donate one dozen cookies. The proceeds from these will go to the church. Bring your goodies to the church on Friday, December 2, between 9 am and Noon. Contact Cindy Ovens at 536-2485.

 

New Support Group

Are you a caregiver? Do you feel isolated? Do you fight with feelings of guilt? Do you ever want to just be able to talk with someone for reassurance or direction? Introducing “We Are Caregivers”. A casual support group to help you know you're not alone. This is an opportunity to get together with others going through similar circumstances. If you have been a caregiver in the past, you may be the  source of encouragement or advice for someone who needs your help now. We meet the 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm in the Church Library.  For questions contact either:

Cathy MacDougall at her daytime business phone: 531-8390 Monday through Friday from 9 am-4:30 pm or Pastor Linda Foody at the church office: 536-9821

We Are Caregivers ~ WAC  ~ We Aren't Crazy ~ We Are Courageous!

 

Calling All Knitters and Crochetters

We are collecting  6X6” squares knitted or crochetted in any color, style or pattern to make a quilt. The quilt will be given to someone in our congregation or our community who is in need of an extra “hug”. This is a great way to use up those extra odds and ends of yarn while ministering to  others. There will be drop off boxes for the squares: one on the desk by the Great Room entrance and one on the table in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you in advance for your help – let's get those needles clicking!!!  Any questions please call Pam Scutt at 536-2791.

 

From the Board of Trustees

Help Us Clean out the Basement The Trustees will be meeting on Saturday, December 3rd at 9 am to clean out the basement. We are hoping to remove the “islands”. Anyone interested in lending a hand would be greatly appreciated.

 

Lump Sum to Principle of MortgageWe are pleased to announce that due to our restructuring of lower monthly mortgage payments combined with faithful giving throughout the year, we are able to give a $6000 lump sum to the principle of the mortgage bringing the balance down to approximately $56,000.

 

Stewardship It's not too late to fill out and return your pledge card if you haven't already. We have enclosed a copy of the pledge form in the newsletter if you need one. (Duplicated below)

 

American Baptist Women  Special Interest Missionaries

 

Mr. Jeromy Emerling                              Birthdays: Jeromy 10/28

Friendship House                                       Deborah (Mrs) 5/25

3123 Eight Avenue, South                         Elijah 7/17/05

Billings, MT 59101                                  Matthew 8/16/07

 

Rev. Charles and Mrs Ruth Fox            Birthdays: Charles 4/15

PO Box 64                                                 Ruth 11/24

A Muang                                                   Rachel Marie 9/10/88

Chiang Rai 57000                                     Rebecca Lynn 5/15/90

Thailand                                                   Charles “Kenny” 11/23/92

 

Ladies, These names were not available when our yearly program was printed but there is a place for them on the back page. Please cut these out and tape them there. You are encouraged to send cards of support and appreciation to these people who are serving Christ in places far from their homes.

 

From the Board of Missions

Thanks to your generosity as of November 20th we have received enough contributions to pay almost half of the $4110 budgeted for November and December. For December, we will still owe $2125 for the Basic Budget obligations. This does not include the $1300 for the items in the Expanded Budget. Thanks to all who gave to the World Mission Offering, we received $964.

 

We wish to thank all of you who gave so generously to the World Mission Offering!! To date you have given $964. This is only $36 from achieving our goal of $1000. We are coming to the end of the year. We paid half of the amount budgeted to Institutions (CRDS, Fairport Home, Springbrook, Keuka College, KC Chaplain's Fund and ABC/NYS Campus Ministry) $740 in November. We will need to have $1140 for ABC United Mission and $740 for the Institutions. Please give generously if you can.

 

In addition, in December we will take up the RETIRED MINISTERS & MISSIONARIES OFFERING. At this time we honor our past pastors and spouses as well as retirees.

 

We wish to thank all of you who have continued to bring in Campbell point-upc codes, Gold Metal Boxtops for education and cancelled stamps. Your Christmas cards are a very good opportunity to collect cancelled stamps. It is really amazing how they add up when we join other churches. SPRINGBROOK, HOPI MISSION SCHOOL AND VETERANS GROUPS are able to do extra for their clients thanks to your contributions.

 

~ Your Board of Mission

 

More Missionary News

 

We have received an interesting journal from Wayne  & Kathy Niles on their adventures to repair a solar light system at a Congo hospital. Read about the ways the Lord worked to bring about a successful repair job.

 

Judy Sutterlin, a BIM missionary in China, was the only non-Chinese person to receive a 2011 Charity Award from the Chinese government. Judy was recognized as a “most caring and benevolent model” in her service in China. Please read her journal.

 

Roberta Stephens has a new report on the disasters in Japan – Vol. I :Blessings and Being Blessed.”

The International Ministries summer “On Location” has 3 fine sections. The first tells about how International Ministries is involved in 10 South East Asia countries. The second tells of how our other missionaries in Japan, the Armagosts and the Hwangs, have been involved in aiding in the recovery of Japan from the disasters there. Thirdly, and most interesting is a report comparing the recovery of women rescued from sex trafficking to Lazarus being raised form the dead. Be sure and read these accounts.

 

On a different note,  The One Great Hour of Sharing fund sent $18,000 for the  for the relief of flood victims in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Thailand.

Your giving to the OGHS Offering helps out all over the world.

 

From its beginning, the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering (RMMO) has been described as a “People Offering” - given by the people for people, rather than for denominational programs, resources, budgets, benefits and buildings. The RMMO provides you with a tangible way by which to honor, say “thank you” and provide financial assistance to the retired American Baptist ministers, missionaries and their widowed spouses who supported you in times of need, guided you on your spiritual journey and provided inspiration.

Thank you check recipients and others who received financial assistance in 2010 were overwhelmed by the generosity of American Baptist congregations in the midst of these difficult economic times. Many wrote to express gratitude for this tangible evidence of God's providential care, encouragement and assurance that they have not been forgotten by their ABC family. For example Sophia Stephenson of Delaware, OH wrote: “Thank you so much for the 'Thank You' check! It was a Godsend to help with the many medical bills this year.”

Contributions to the RMMO in 2010 totaled $1,288,585. Of this amount $563,514 was made available to meet immediate emergency and special financial needs. The balance of the receipts was distributed by MMBB on behalf of American Baptist in the form of “Thank You” checks to $3,322 retired American Baptist ministers, missionaries, and their widowed spouses. The average check was $217.61.

Please join me as we Remember with Love and Give with Gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to Christian Ministry. Please make a generous contribution to the RMMO on Sunday, December 11, 2011. Also, we ask that you take a moment before or after the Worship Service to sign the Christmas greeting cards for our retired clergy  families and special interest missionaries. Your gift makes a difference for the women and men who tirelessly carried forth God's work.
Sincerely,

 

~ Your Board of Mission

 

Identify Receptive People

One of the Church Growth Movements contributions to our understanding of evangelism is the discovery of the principle of receptivity.

This principle basically states that people vary in being open and closed to the gospel message. Thus, people who are open to the gospel message today may not be tomorrow. Those who are closed to the gospel message today may be open tomorrow. George G. Hunter, III states, “The church is called to discover, reach, and disciple receptive people i.e., people who are now ready and open to really consider the Christian possibility for their lives” (The Contagious Congregation)

  1. People are receptive when they are dissatisfied with their lives. People consciously and subconsciously seek something new when their needs and motives are in crisis. This opens them up to considering new ways to satisfy needs and dreams.
  2. People are receptive when major elements of a culture are changing. When cultural foundations are changing, there is a natural search for new ones. Thus, changes in family values, kinship structures, educational, political, and social unrest typically create a time of receptivity in the lives of people.
  3. People are receptive when they experience stress. When individuals are going through times of stress, especially when stress is increasing, they look for ways to cope and reduce their stress to a tolerable level. They may look to new faith as a way of managing the stress in their lives.
  4. People are receptive where religious faith is increasing. When religions are growing, it is clear that people are open to religious faith, including the gospel of salvation in Christ. Thus, when people  turn to religion, Christian or not, Christian churches should actively evangelize, knowing that the time is ripe for reaching new people.

Do you have someone that you would like to give honor to?

With a $10 bulletin dedication you can. Provide the church office with the following information. The donation will go towards the building fund.

In Honor of ________________________________________

In Memory of ______________________________________

From _____________________________________________

Preferred date _______________

 


 

A  Stewardship  Commitment For  Our  Church  Ministry

Name:________________________________

Telephone:___________________________

 

With gratitude to God and as an expression of my personal commitment to Jesus Christ and His Church, it is my intention to offer for the Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2012 period:

 

  1. The equivalent of  __________hours/week for the Lord's work,
  2. my personal talents for ____________________________________.
  3. and financial support payable as follows:

       a. ____ I plan to contribute: $________              ___ Weekly    ___ Monthly   ___ Quarterly   ___ Annually

           to be divided as follows:   $____ Local Church Budget ~ Mission Budget ~  $____ Building Fund

 

      b. ____ I am making a one time donation in the amount of $________.

 

      c. _____I am unable to pledge at this time.

 

My total estimate commitment is $_________.

 

Please indicate your offering envelope choice:

______ Weekly     ______ Monthly

Signed:_________________________________Date:__________

 

For My Records:

I have pledged: $_____ weekly/$____monthly____quarterly/$____annually