December 2010 Messenger

8/8/2019 December 2010 Messenger

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“P eoPle of influence in a city of influence .”

Te Me s se n e rDecember 2Vol. 52 No

Internat ional Miss ion Offer ingGoal - $80,000

70% - Lot t ie Moon Chris tmas Offer ingThis fund provides support for over 5,000 Southern Baptis tMissionaries.

30% - Internat ional Mission FundThis fund wil l be available to provide support to churchmembers planning to take internat ional mission tr ips.

This special offering will be received during the months of Dec. , Jan. , & Feb.



“Peop e ofSo much about the waywe envision the FirstChristmas distances usfrom the reali ty andmessage of Jesus’ bir th.Our Christmsa cards andcreches are bathed in softl ight , framed by fr iendlyfarm animals, drummer

boys, and earnest shepherds al l focused onthe l i t t le Lord Jesus, “no crying He makes.”

We are simply more comfortable with aSavior born “inside,” quiet ly occupying awarm nook somewhere on the margin of ourl ives, a lul laby playing while He sleeps onthe hay. This picture, however, bears l i t t leresemblance to what happened that night .In fact , Luke is at pains to contrast thehumiliat ion of Christ’s arrival with thepower, prest ige, and privilege of CaesarAugustus and the securi ty of Rome. Jesuscame into the world squall ing, naked, and

covered in afterbirth. His parents had noplace to stay because news had alreadycome to Joseph’s ancestral home (whichwould have been fi l led with relat ivesobligated to take them in) throughthe t ightly woven gossip system of Judea that the circumstances of Mary’spregnancy were too shameful to warrant anyhospital i ty. So, Jesus was born outside,on the ground, with the warm pungentsmell of manure hanging in the chil ly air.

Mary delivered her f irst child with noanesthesia, no skilled midwife, so the night wasprobably not “si lent ,” “calm,” or“bright ,” and i t completely redefined theword “holy.” The first recipents of andwitness to the glory of the Advent wereshepherds, men whose reputation as l iars andthieves was so ubiquitous that they weren’tal lowed to give test imony in court . They l ivedtheir whole l ives outside - geographically,social ly, morally, rel igiously. And so Jesus was born outside, to outsiders, for

outsiders. He ministered outside, observ-ing that while even animals had homes,“the Son of Man has nowhere to layHis head” (Luke 9:58). He died outside between two outsiders, f ulf i l l ing the destinyforeshadowed in His bir th. How, then,do we celebrate Christmas in a mannerfai thful to the First One? The writer of Hebrews tel ls us: “Therefore Jesus also,that He might sanctify the people throughHis own blood, suffered outside the gate.

So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:11-12). Letthe Christ Child call you away fr om the cozyChristmas of our own creation and out intothe Adventure of service to those st i l l outside.

Opportu

Life Universi ty Spring 2011Life U resumes on Jan. 16 @ 5:00 pm.Some wil l continue and new ones

wil l begin. Anyone can join thesegroups even if you weren’t involvedin the fal l . The studies that we know asof now that wil l be offered in Januaryare:1. The Whole Counsel of God - Dr. Er ic Hankins2. Women’s Bible Study (TBD) - Janet Hankins3. Women’s Explorers - Study of Genesis- Jan. 94. Men’s Explorers - Study of Genesis- Jan. 95. Men’s Fraterni ty:The Quest for Authent ic Manhood6. Men’s Bible Study - J im Propes

The Book of Judges: Bui lding Israel

Good Thoughts



in a city ofYouth Stuff Our FamB r e a k f a s t C l u B

Tuesday, Dec. 7 @ Chick-Fil- A @ 6:30 am.Tuesday, Dec. 14 @ CLC @ 6:30 am. Greatfel lowship and a devotion. Buses leave forschool @ 7:15 am.Yo u t h W o r s h i pWednesdays @ 6:00 pm. Great fr iends, greatfun, great music!Yo u t h C h r i s t m a s e v e n tSunday, December 12m i l e s t o n e s J o u r n e Y C o n f e r e n C eSunday, January 9 @ 5:00 pm. A conferencedesigned to equip the generations to grow

spiri tually and to lead the next generationtoward spiri tual maturi ty. This conferenceis for al l parents and adults .********************************************

2010 C o n t r i B u t i o n s In order to receive credi t for char i table contr ibu-t ions made in 2010, they must be received in thechurch off ice or have been postmarked by Dec.31, 2010. Other contr ibut ions (s tock, bonds, e tc . )must be t ransferred by Dec. 31, 2010 for credi t in2010. Electronic t ransfers need to be made by Dec.29 in order to provide c learance by Dec. 31. Formore info on contr ibut ions , contact Pat Freeman orRober t Al len a t 234-3515. Al l donat ions to FBC arehandled according to IRS rules and regulat ions .********************************************

f i n a n C i a l p e a C e u n i v e r s i t Y ( fpu )This a a 13-week class that begins on Wed. , Jan.26, @ 5:45 pm in room 312. FPU will help familie sand individuals change their family t ree forever, beat debt and build wealth, and provide per sonalf inancia l control and secur i ty wi thin their home.************************************************e n g l i s h a s a s e C o n d l a n g u a g e (es l )

ESL is a minis t ry to those who would l ike to bet terlearn and speak the Engl ish language. I t i s led byThomas Herrington & others on Wednesdays @ 6:00pm in room 305. ESL resumes on Wed. night , Jan 5 .************************************************

GEMS m i n i s t r YGEMS is for women who desi re an

int imate walk wi th the Lord as they learn& apply Biblical principles found in Titus 2.

GEMS meets on the 2 nd Tuesday each month f rom6:30-9:30 pm at the home of Stephanie Garneau.For more info, p lease contact Stephanie a t gems@ bellsouth.net or visit www.thegemministry.com.

B u d g e t r e p o r t -n o v e m B e r 2010Budget $133,552.08Building $ 25,435.33Designated $ 17,721.00Total $176,708.41Building Funds Given to date: $5,126,586.7Redeem the Time to Date: $1,768,828.06

f a m i l Y B i B l e s t u d Y

Nov. 7, 2010 - 592 Nov. 14, 2010 - 637Nov. 21, 2010 - 508 Nov. 28, 2010 - 515 n e W m e m B e r s

Penny Nelson; Payton & Gini Bramlet t ; Gene &Kim Yi , John & Joshua; Michael & Kinney Ferr is

d e a C o n s o f t h e W e e kNov. 28-Dec. 4-Larry Lit t le , Rick Mize,

Victor Newell , Breese QuinnDec. 5-11 - Glenn Wilson, Eddie Aune,

Anthony Hart , Steve HurdleDec. 12-18 - Scott Kendricks, Mark Moore,

Michael Meurrier, Don BuchananDec. 19-25 - Mitchell Diggs, Jeff Evans,

Brad Golmon, Keith ScruggsDec. 26-Jan. 1 - Stan Abel, Taylor Boone,

Bubba Robinson, Chris Riley

o u r s Y m p a t h i e s

To Todd Warrington and family in the lossof his mother, Mrs. Gladys Warrington.

s enior a dult XYZ m inistrYOn Tuesday, December 7, the Senior Adult XYZ Ministwill be having their annual Christmas program in theFellowship Hall at 11:00 am. The program will featureDavid Kincaid and daughter Olivia as well as Abbie andGracie Swartzendruber with their violins. Lunch will beserved after the program. Invite a friend, come & join ufor a wonderful time of Christmas fellowship!

u p Wa r d B a s k e t B a l la n d C h e e r l e a d i n g

Pract ices s tar t the week of Dec. 6 . Your coach wil l be

contacting you with thenight and t ime your team

pract ices . For info cal l 234-3515



h e M e s s e n g e r e n d a d d r e s s c h a n g e s t o T h e M e s s e n g e r 0 0 V a n B u r e n A v e . , O x f o r d , M S 3 8 6 5 5 - 3 8 4 4

( U S P S 5 7 1 - 6 8 0 ) P u b l i s h e d M o n t h l y b y

F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u r c h P e r i o d i c a l P o s t a g e p a i d a t

8 0 0 V a n B u r e n A v e . , O x f o r d , M S 3 8 6 5 5 - 3 8 4 4

This Month Dec 5 - An Oxford Christmas: “Let There BeLight!” at the Ford Center @ 6:00 pm

Dec 7 - Senior Adult XYZ Ministry @11amChristmas Program & Lunch

Dec 9 - Annual Senior Adult ChristmasBanquet in the Fellowship Hall@ 6:00 pm by the Deacon Body

Dec 12 - Bible Dril l Christmas Party andReview Day after 11:00 Service - Youth Christmas Event

No PM Activit ies

Dec 14 - GEMS - Dec 14 - 6:30-9:30 pm

Dec 15 - AWANA Caroling and lastWednesday Activity unti l January

Dec 16 - Weekday Education ChristmasProgram @ 5:30 pm

Dec 18 - Upward Game Day@ the TadPad @ 3:00 pm

Dec 19 - No PM Sunday Services

Dec 22 - No PM Wednesday Activi t ies

Dec 23 & 24 - Church Offices Closed forChristmas

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Lord’s SupperServices @ 4:30 and 6:00 pm

Dec 26 - No PM Sunday Services

Dec 29 - No PM Wednesday Activi t ies

Jan 2 - No PM Sunday Services

Jan 3 - Church Offices Closed

800 Van Buren Ave. • Oxford MS 38655662.234.3515 • www.goto rst.org

December 2010 Messenger

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