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300 S. Main St.
Mount Holly, NC 28120
Mailing address: PO Box 385 Mount Holly, NC 28120
Phone: 704-827-2481
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Kendell Cameron, Pastor-704-214-1022
Rev. Marie Graeper, Minister of Children/Newsletter Editor
704-740-6360
Mrs. Cathy Pate, Organist
Mrs. Kim Payne, Administrative Assistant
Taylor Vancil, Minister of Music 336-549-0832
First Baptist Church
Sundays 9:00 AM Library Open 9:45 AM Bible Study 10:55 AM Morning Worship 12:00 PM Library Open until 12:30 PM 4:00 PM Exodus (Youth Handbells) 5:00 PM Deep Impact (Youth Studies)/Bellissimo (Adult Handbells) 6:00 PM Youth Snack Supper 6:30 PM Genesis (Youth Choir) Tuesdays 11:00 AM Senior Adult Choir (Joy Choir) 3:00 PM Tinkerbells (Grades K-2)/Bible Discipleship (Grades 3-5) 3:45 PM Children’s Bells (Grades 3-5)/Bible Discipleship (Grades K-2) Wednesdays 5:30 PM Family Fellowship Meal (Fellowship Hall) 6:00 PM Music Makers (Grades K-2), Young Musicians (Grades 3-5), Youth Missions 6:15 PM Mission Friends 6:15 PM Adult Bible Study 6:45 PM Children’s Discipleship, and Cherub Choir
7:30 PM Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal
Weekly Schedule
w w w.fbc mount ho l ly .o rg
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Ministerial Staff E-mail
Church Office Hours
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Friday
Closed for Lunch from
12:00-1:00 p.m.
If there is an emergency, you may
contact Kendell at 704-214-1022.
The Messenger F i rs t B a p t i s t C h u rch
December 2016
Volume 11, Issue 12
Church Life 2-7
Weekly Schedule 8
Calendar insert
Inside this issue:
Christmas Eve
Communion and
Candlelight Service
Saturday, December 24
5:00 P.M. & 9:00 P.M.
Church-wide Fellowship
Christmas Drop-in
Sunday, December 4th
3:00-5:00 P. M.
Fellowship Hall
Christmas and New Years Day Worship Services
Sunday, December 25th 10 A.M.
Sunday, January 1st 10 A.M.
Page 2 The Messenger
Chu
rch L
ife Gifts Given to the Building Fund
Gifts Given to the Winecoff Scholarship Fund
In memory of Nan McGlohon by Ken & Elaine Crosby
In memory of Charles & Madge Hensley by Joan Lanier
In memory of James McLain by Ken & Elaine Crosby
In memory of Charles & Madge Hensley by Joan Lanier
Alice Nixon and family in the passing of her nephew
Marie Graeper and family in the passing of her aunt
Christmas Luncheon
Winsome Sunday School Class
Saturday, December 10th, 12:30 pm
Billy’s Restaurant
Christmas Parade Soup Meal has been cancelled for Wednesday, November 30th.
For the safety of our members and those who normally come to our annual soup meal,
we have made the decision to cancel it this year.
Page 7 Volume 11, Issue 12 Church L
ife Pastor’s Pen
Who invited that Old Guy?
21 "I hate, I despise your religious festivals; I cannot stand your assemblies.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a mighty stream!
Amos 5:21-24
This text is one that is assigned to the First Sunday of Advent—the Sunday of Hope. Why is Amos the prophet one of the passages for this week? Who invited him to our
Advent party?
Most of the paintings I have seen of Amos over the years have not been very flattering. They usually depict a serious looking old man with burning eyes. Anger flashes in those eyes as he pronounces God’s message: "I hate, I despise your religious
festivals; I cannot stand your assemblies.”
With this in mind, we return to the question: Who invited him to our Advent party? The seasons of Advent and Christmas are supposed to be seasons of hope and joy, not judgment and guilt. The old guy with the flowing beard that visits us this season is supposed to be jolly old Saint Nick, not crotchety old Amos. However, Amos is there nonetheless. Moreover, he’s there in the middle of our week of hope. Right on the mid
of our celebrations of hope, we see Amos sitting at the dining room table staring at us.
Indeed, we need Amos at the table because Advent is about the reality of two Advents: Christ has come and Christ is coming again. Amos reminds us of the work God has left us until he returns. He reminds us that before we can truly celebrate of the birth of Messiah in Bethlehem and worship him, we must be reminded of his call to let
justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a mighty stream!
Amos reminds us that God does not want empty sentimentality from us in worship, indeed, God sees how through that superficiality. The hope he offers us is never superficial, and he desires our hope-filled relationship with him to be about more than
trivialities.
As I read the texts for Advent, I wondered why Amos would be picked in a week dedicated to hope. Then, the light bulb came on. Amos comes to the dinner table that we have been offered all the hope we can imagine through that child in the manger.
Now, Amos reminds us that the Christ child calls us to be instruments of his hope.
Thanks for coming to my table Amos. I pray I’ll work to let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a mighty stream!
Grace and peace, Kendell Cameron
The Messenger Page 6
Chu
rch L
ife Mount Holly Christmas Concert
Given By the Community Concert
Choir
Saturday, December 3
3:00 PM & 7:00 PM
First United Methodist Church
Mt. Holly
Fundraiser for CRO
Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for the many acts of kindness you have shown to us during the passing of my dad, James McLain. It was comforting to know that we had a church family and friends who were praying for us and thinking about us during one of the most difficult times of our lives. We love you all and appreciate everything you have done for us. We look forward to the day when we all get to Heaven.
Love, Tom, Angela, Erica & Wade McLain
Dear Church Family,
I would like to thank each of you for your prayers for my knee-replacement surgery. Also, for your visits, calls and the beautiful cards I have received. I am doing quite well and my home care ends soon. I hope to be back to church very soon. Bennie is still dealing with his eye problems, he had a stroke at the back of his eye. He has been receiving shots in the right eye and it is about 75-80% better. He starts on a new shot on Monday and hopefully he will be
even better. We do appreciate your prayers. God bless each of you.
Love In Christ, Bennie & Shirley Brookshire
Dear Church Family,
The overwhelming support Sarah and I have felt over the past weeks since our daughter was born has been truly wonderful. We literally would have starved if it weren’t for the rotation of meals that you all provided. We continue to be reassured that God has lead the Vancil family
to our new home in Mount Holly and our new family of faith.
With all sincerity, Taylor, Sarah, and Selah Vancil
Page 3 Volume 11, Issue 12
Service Opportunities
Extended Care—Infants
Dec. 4– Gina Hough & Julia Benfield Dec. 11– Missi & Macee Fortsch Dec. 18- Ashley & Patrick Hager Dec. 25–
Church Security
Nov. 28– Dec. 4-David Wrenn Dec. 5-11– Keith Piercy Dec. 12-18– Gary Farmer Dec. 19-25– Jim Benfield Dec. 26-Jan. 1– Richard Flowers
October Record Totals
Sunday School Average
Total Receipts $47,952
Building Fund $4,747
Building Fund YTD $17,729
Other Designated $7,089
Other Designated YTD $108,185
2016 Church Budget $433,153
Avg. Needs through 10/31 $360,961
Budget Receipts through 10/31 $351,111
Dec.4–Dr. Kendell Cameron preaching “Preparing for the Unwanted
Guest” Matthew 3:1-12
Dec.11-Dr. Kendell Cameron preaching “Preparing for Hope”
Matthew 1:18-25
Dec.18– Sanctuary Choir “An American Christmas”
Dec.25-Dr. Kendell Cameron preaching “Preparing Our Homes” Luke
2:1-14, (15-20)
Worship At A Glance
Extended Care—Toddler/Preschool
Dec. 4– Ashley Haley/Need one more person Dec. 11– Daniel & Andrea Noles Dec. 18– Anna & Darius Czekaj Dec. 25– Joe & Amanda Haverty
Wednesday Night Suppers
Dec. 7– Breakfast Dec. 14– Pizza and Santa Dec. 21-NO WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES Dec. 28-NO WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES
Sunday School-Infants
Dec. 4– Gina Hough Dec. 11– Lakena Marsh Dec. 18- Missi Fortsch Dec. 25– No Sunday School
Wednesday Night Infants 6:10 pm-7:15 pm
Dec. 7– Ashley Hager/Donna Dobbins Dec. 14–Tami Piercy/Savannah Piercy
Page 4 The Messenger
December Birthdays
Chu
rch L
ife
Happy Anniversary
December 4-Reeves & Peggy McGlohon (29 years)
December 6-Jim & Julia Benfield (30 years)
December 8-John & Marie Graeper (26 years)
December 9-Scott & Lisa Collier (27 years)
December 11-Gary & Hilda Farmer (50 years)
December 13-Tom & Linda Medley (42 years)
December 21-Bennie & Shirley Brookshire (64 years)
December 21-Hunter & Shane Hawkins
December 22-Derek & Tina Staton
December 23-Brian & Nicole Smith
December 27-Al & Jane Rhodes
Dec. 21-Barry Grice Dec. 22–Ken Crosby Dec. 23-Cori Cauthen Dec. 26-Cheryl Lineberger Dec. 27-Joey Matz Dec. 29-Erin MacIntosh & Karmen Missak Dec. 30-Missy Arndt & Gail Grice Dec. 31-Jo Ann Duckworth & Marie
Graeper
Dec. 2– Steve Williams Dec. 3-Brandon Greene & Ralph Miller Dec. 4-Katie Cauthen Dec. 5-Frances Black Dec. 6-Larry Jenkins & Kyle Piercy Dec. 7-Jake Dobbins & Julie Reid Dec. 8-Shelley Caldwell & Brooke Shepherd-Lopez Dec. 9-Mandy Hare & Joan Moore Dec. 10-Lynn Ealey Dec. 12-Ruth Mundy Dec. 13-David Drinkard, Susan Greene, &
Jackie Wheeler Dec. 17-Christie Batchelor & Jessica Medlin
Youth Save the Date
The following are some important dates for youth in December in addition to our
normal schedule and the other activities on this page:
December 18—Progressive Dinner (5:00 pm)
December 20—McAdenville Lights (6:30 pm)
December 24–Genesis (Youth Choir) singing in the Christmas Eve Service (9:00 pm)
Volume 11, Issue 12 Page 5 C
hurch Life
Jubilant Seniors Fruit Cake Factory Here We Come
SENIORS, you cannot be late because the church vehicles MUST depart from the church parking lot at promptly 8:15 am Thursday, December 1st for The Supreme Fruit
Cake Factory in Bear Creek, NC. Driver, David and Frances have mapped the mileage and stops to the minute to meet the schedule for the day. We will go by the way of Siler City with a fast food stop for lunch. The fruit cake tour is at noon. We should be arriving there by 11:50 am. After the tour, we will have plenty of time in their “show room” to purchase “all those delicious food items for the holidays.” From there, we will travel a different direction in order for our stop in Lexington by 4:00 pm, early dinner at Speedy’s BBQ. If you don’t like BBQ, their menu has plenty of other selections. We are all on our own “financially” on this outing. Arrival time back in Mt. Holly, is approximately 6:15 to 6:30 pm; leave a light on at home so you won’t have to go into a dark house!
Come prepared to have a “fun day” and much “fellowship.” As always, Frances and the team will do all they can for you to have a great trip! Water, soft drinks and snacks will be available on the bus and the van. See you on December 1st, loaded in vehicles and ready to depart at 8:15 am!
Frances Gurley and The Jubilant Team
Youth Christmas
Youth are invited to our Christmas Progressive Dinner Sunday, December 18 at 5:00 p.m. We will meet at the church and then go for appetizers. We will then return to the church for a special dinner in the fellowship hall followed by a candlelight communion service especially for you! Finally, we will go to the Cameron’s house for dessert and gifts. Parents can pick up youth at the Cameron house at 124 Birchwood Court. We will finish
around 9:00 p.m.
Youth should bring $5 to offset the cost of the food and bring a small inexpensive gift to be traded. Note: it’s OK to bring a funny gift, but it needs to be something Kendell would approve! If you’re not sure, check with
him!!
Youth are also invited to go to see the McAdenville Lights the next night December
20. Meet at 6:30 to go see the lights and share dinner together.
