From the Desk ofSenior Pastor Jon Vincent

time of reflection andpreparation (How youprepare will be differentwith each person) forChristmas – thecelebration of Christ’sbirth. In Advent we alsoacknowledge and live inanticipate of thepromised second comingof our Lord Jesus Christ.During this season ofAdvent, we celebrateChrists coming in threeways:

continued on page 3...

Our Pastor’s ParagraphsI felt rushed. It feltforced. I wanted tolinger in the moment.I wanted that feelingElvis expressed “whycan’t every day be likeChristmas, why can’tthat feeling go onendlessly, if every daycould be just likeChristmas what awonderful world thiswould be.” Wasn’t thisthe season “Heavencame down and gloryfilled my soul”. If that istrue let me linger. Forme Advent is aboutlingering and ponderingthose opportunities andembracing thosemoments and let thepresence of God infusewith my soul.

Now to theHistory of AdventThe word “advent”means “coming”. AsChristians, the seasonknown as Advent is our

Advent is here,Lets lingerMost of us as Baptistshave not had theopportunity to celebratethe Advent season as wegrew into maturefollowers of Christ.I know for mepersonally I had littleknowledge of Adventuntil I was into mythirties. Christmas forme was often times “theone and done thing”.You know, theChristmas message thatinterrupted the series.We certainly sangChristmas carols thatwas a given starting inDecember. But whenDecember was over allthose songs were putaway until the next yearChristmas “season”.I always felt somethingwas missing. It didn’tfeel like a season it feltlike a single event.

December 2017

The Baptist Visitor

Letters fromLaura

2

Prayers&Birthdays

4

The 12 days ofChristmas

6

Youth Bake Sale

Choir Concerts

8

9

FinancialReport

11

ChristmasPoinsettia

5

A ChristmasCarol

3

Inside this issue:

F I R S T B A P T I S T C H U R C H1 2 3 S T R E M O N T S T . K E W A N E E , I L

JOY

C FFINANCIAL REPORT

Year-To-Date

Total 2017 Budget $294,257.44

IncomeGeneral Offering $181,119.21Initial Offering $134.00Gas for Vehicle $0.00Now Acct Interest $164.681/2 Merritt Dividend $37.55Use of Building $150.00Boss Comm. Center $6,050.00Total Income $186,665.44

ExpensesMission Tithe $12,353.17Payroll $109,059.97Payroll Benefits $11,656.48Trustee Board $41,017.58Deacon & Deaconess Bd. $8,463.57Mission Board $373.51Music Committee $3,759.71Decoration Committee $342.09Social Committee $145.83Dues $35.00Boss Comm. Center $14,833.85Total Expenses $202,040.76

C F R F N

General Off - $13,689.64Mission Tithing - $1,521.07Total Offering - $15,210.71

Approx. Expenses:$13,909.57

Sunday School - $446.48 Fellowship off. - $321.00

Dividends - $15.12 Designated Ministry -$630.00

Coffee / Pop - $51.70 Boss Community Center -$450.00

Special Programs Fund-$535.01

Youth Fund - $214.00

Special Interest Fund -$1,177.02

College Fund - $214.00

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The Baptist Visitor

Nov. Sun. Worship Sun. School

5th 165 100

12th 159 117

19th 129 102

26th 151 106

LETTERS FROM

LAURA

of ministry with our teammatesfrom the US, from Trujillo, Peru, and from the twohost churches.Here is the fruitthat God produced:177 received wheelchairs (143adults and 34 children) and31 received a walker, cane orcrutches. More importantly:278 heard the Gospel(recipients and those whoAccompanied them)...128trusted in Jesus Christ, 101were already Christians, 10recommitted their lives toChrist and 39 listened.Next month, for the first time inmy missionary career, I’mgoing to the US just for Christmas!

- Praise the Lord for the“Women ServingWomen” module, and pleasepray about how God would usewhat I have learned in futureministries.

- Praise the Lord for the“Ladies of Light”discipleship group and all thatwe have learned. Please praythat we would be ableto put it into practice.

- Praise the Lord for theWheels for the Worldevent, for our team from

Ecuador and their work, andfor the results that the Lordgave!

- Please pray for the salvationof Jolimar, my hair stylist,Señora Magdalena, myFormer landlady, Galo andMartha, my currentlandlords, and Carlos andPaola and their children, myformer neighbors.

- Praise the Lord that I get tospend Thanksgiving withfriends here in Ecuador,and the Christmas holidayswith family and friends in theUS!

A blessed Thanksgiving andChristmas to you,

Thanks so much for praying!The last week inSeptember found mein Texas, participatingin the “WomenServing Women”module. It was verybeneficial to mepersonally, as well asfor future ministries.Here are some of thelesson titles: “TheBiblical Basis and Calling ofWomen in Ministry,”“Spiritual Gifts,” “Understandingour Temperaments,” “BuildingTeams,” and “Discipling Womenas Ministry Leaders.”My facilitation of the lesson“Appreciating BiblicalSingleness” went well. And whata wonderful group of ladies tolearn with and from!After my return, the “Ladies ofLight,” our discipleship group,finished our study. This hasbeen another wonderful group ofladies with which to learn and Ipray for their own ministries inthe future. Last week, theteam of six of us from our churchin Cumbayá, Ecuador, wentto Chiclayo, Peru toparticipate in Wheels for theWorld.

I was proud of our team of fourinterpreters and twomechanics. It was a fruitful time

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- We celebrate the coming ofour King as a human baby.Born in a manger.

- We celebrate the coming ofour King in word and spirit.His Spirit indwelling allthose that believe.

- We anticipate the secondcoming of our King, whenJesus shall return to establishHis kingdom forever.

The Advent wreath, in theform of a circle, representsGod’s eternal love.The evergreens symbolize

Pastor’s Paragraphs Continued...year and above all celebrate thegreatest gift of all. Jesus camedown and glory filled your soul.

-Pastor Jon Vincent

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1. 2.“And on

EarthPeace”4:00 &7:00pm

3.Communion

Sunday

“And on EarthPeace”7:00pm

4.

HannahCircle Potluck

6:00pmTroop 106

7:00pm

5.

Ladie’s BibleStudy 6:30 pm

CommunityChoir

7:00 pm

6.

Youth GroupKitchen

6:00 - 8:30pm

Choir7:00pm

7.Women’s

Club 12:30pmGirl Scouts

4:00pmCub Scouts

6:00pmCollegeGroup

8.

A ChristmasCarol Live

Radio Show7:00pm

9.AnniversaryParty 2:00-

4:00pm

A ChristmasCarol

4:00pm

10. CommunityChoir Concert

3:00pm5:00 - Deacon5:30 - Mission/

Deaconess/Trustee

6:00 - YouthGroup

6:30 - Advisory

11.Kitchen

Reserved8:30 am -4:00pm

Troop 1067:00 pm

12.

Community Choir7:00pm

13.

Choir7:00pm

14

Girl Scouts4:00 pm

*Cub ScoutsBreak

CollegeGroup

15. 16.

17.

W.C. roomreserved

12:00 - 4:00pm

Youth Group6:00pm

18.

Troop 1067:00 pm

19.Ladies Bible

Study4:45pm

CommunityChoir

7:00pm

20.

Choir7:00 pm

21.

Girl Scouts4:00 pm

CollegeGroup7:00pm

22. 23.

24.Christmas EveService 5:00pm_____________

31. Happy NewYear

25.

MerryChristmas

26.

CommunityChoir

7:00pm

27.

Choir7:00pm

28.

Girl Scouts4:00pm

College - 7:00

29.

Women’sChoice Center

9:00am

30.

DECEMBER 2017

our hope of everlasting lifethat God has promised to hispeople.

The four candles set in thewreath represent the fourweeks before Christmas andalso symbolize the thousandsof years have awaited thecoming Messiah.

My Prayer for you is that youslow down take the time toprepare your heart, enjoy “theseason” and linger. Make sureyou read the scriptures thisseason. Read them in a newversion maybe the NLT this

Don’t miss a live radio show of Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol adaptedfor radio by Philip Grecian.

Experience the ghosts,Cratchit family and the

transformation ofEbenezer Scrooge before

your very eyes!

Show times are:

December 8th at 7:00 p.m. &December 9th at 4:00 p.m.

*Play will be held inthe Sanctuary.

A C C

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Remember In Prayer

Dec. 2nd - Cindy Jacobs

Dec. 4th - Molly Tumbleson

Dec. 6th - Shirley Massey

Dec. 11th - Andy Rash

Dec. 13th - Doris Friend,Tara Rash, & Margaret Watson

Dec. 16th - Rose Melbourne & Susan Vincent

Dec. 18th - Helen Weiler

-Shirley Robbins

Dorothy Hotchkiss,Rollie Omanson,

Don Currier,Tom Pease,

Evelyn Basham

Margaret Donaldson,Peggy Schmelzer,Susannah Talbot,

Millie Cagle, Linda Roller,Buck Fleming,Sherry Flack

Penny Millslagle

Dec. 19th - Denice Bates, Jim Blucker, & Ruth Lang

Dec. 22nd - Julie Witte & Marsha Zang

Dec. 24th - Zachary Shambaugh

Dec. 25th - Carol Allen & Sue Sollenberger

Dec. 27th - Justin Crabtree

Dec. 28th - Lynn Cruse

DecemberBirthdays

LSenior Pastor Jon, Youth

Pastor Luke Kockler,Pastor Dan,

and Church Staff,

FBC Boards andCommittees,

Sunday SchoolTeachers / Officers

First Baptist Choir

O E P:

B C

2 4:00 7:00 . 3 7:00 .

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HappyBirthday!

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Christmas PoinsettiaYouth Group Bake Sale

Our Youth Group will be selling baked goods during theCoffee Fellowship on December 10th. They are raisingmoney for a retreat in January 2018. Please help us supportthem...it will be an experience of a life time! Christmas Poinsettia

Individuals must order or purchase your own Poinsettia(we will not be ordering through the office)

Please have your poinsettia at the churchby 3:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15th

Poinsettias may be placed in honor of or in memory of a loved one. We will have poinsettias in thesanctuary for Sunday, Dec. 17th and Dec. 24th please include a list of names for the bulletin.Please complete the form below and drop off at the church office.

M (or other listing):

__________________________________________________________________________

:____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Community Choir Christmas Concert is set for December 10th at 3:00 p.m.Directed by Sue Sagamoen & Pastor Dan Craig accompanied by Karen Craig,Madeline Green, & Debbie Sayers.

Featured songs are: “A Jukebox Christmas”, “Season’s Tweeting's”,“Here We Come A Wassailing”, and a beautiful number “Unto Us”.

It is sure to be a lovely evening of music youwon’t want to miss it!

Community Choir Concert

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The Baptist VisitorPage 7

The Twelve Days of Christmas From the desk of...Youth Pastor Luke Some believe that The Twelve Days of Christmas was written in code. It had a hiddenmessage, and for a good reason. After you find out what the code means, you’ll never lis-ten to this favorite Christmas song in the same way again…The Twelve Days of Christmas was created in England during a time of religiouspersecution when Catholicism was outlawed in the 16th to 18th centuries. The song,“The Twelve Days of Christmas,” was written as a kind of secret catechism that could besung in public without fear of arrest – a learning or memory aid to Christians in fact. Eachverse refers to a teaching of church doctrine — with the partridge being Christ who diedon a tree and the “True Love” being God the Father, who gave us all gifts. The twelve daysof Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, the birth of Jesus, andthe Epiphany, Jan. 6th, the day Christians celebrate the arrival of the Magi (Wise Men)and the revelation of Christ as the light of the world.Each element in the song is a code word for religious truth:1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus2. The two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments3. Three French hens stand for Faith, Hope and Love4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels5. The five gold rings recall the Hebrew Torah (Law) or the Pentateuch, the first five

books of the Old Testament6. The six geese a laying stand for the six days of creation7. The seven swans a -swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.8. The eight maids a -milking are the eight Beatitudes9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit10. The ten lords a -leaping are the ten commandments11. Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful Apostles12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed.

This article comes from the website: http://todays1019.radio.com/2011/12/14/the-hidden-meaning-of-the-twelve-days-of-christmas/

In September, the youth group started our first RightNowMedia series called “Decisions”. It was a provocative andchallenging 4-week video series that helps students understand theimportance of making wise decisions for the Lord. Each seriesincludes humor, real-life testimonies, and biblical teaching. I enjoyengaging my youth group by asking them questions and allowingthem to think critically about the biblical concepts that are spokenabout that week. Last week, we finished our next series called “JesusChanges Everything”. This was another great series that challengedstudents to have a fresh perspective on their faith and mission. Thenext series we are starting is called “Control”. I am also excited togive students the opportunity to restore themselves and refocus onJesus at the upcoming youth retreat in Dixon, IL this comingJan 5-7. We will be accepting donations for cookies on Dec. 10,in the Fellowship Hall.

MERRY CHRISTMAS