First Baptist Church Connecting with GodMonday, January 1 New Year’s Day Church Office Closed Tuesday, January 2 Church Office Closed The Spire Wednesday, January 3 No Evening Activities

First Baptist Church

Special Events Monday, January 1 New Year’s Day Church Office Closed Tuesday, January 2 Church Office Closed Wednesday, January 3 No Evening Activities Tuesday, January 9 7:00 p.m. Leadership Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. Deacons’ Meeting Sunday, January 14 5:30 p.m. Sister Chicks Monday, January 15 12:00 p.m. Spire Information Due (for February) Tuesday, January 16 5:15 p.m. FBC/CPBC Collaborative Meeting Wednesday, January 17 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 6:15 p.m. Quarterly Church Business Meeting

Return Service Requested

Regular Weekly Schedule

Sundays 8:00-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Club 9:00 a.m. Prayer Time 9:15-10:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:10-10:30 a.m. Coffee & Donuts 10:30-11:30 a.m. Worship

Mondays 5:30-7:00 p.m. Handbells

Wednesdays 4:45-5:30 p.m. Rabbit Hole Study Time 5:30-6:00 p.m. Supper is served 5:30-7:15 p.m. Childcare (infants-3 years old) 6:00-7:00 p.m. Youth Group 6:00-7:15 p.m. Children’s Music and Bible Study 6:15-7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study 7:15-8:45 p.m. Church Choir

The Spire Volume 76 ~ No. 12

December 15, 2017

871 Main Street Danville, VA 24541

Office: 434-793-8331 Fax: 434-793-3228

[email protected] www.fbcdanville.com

January 7, 2018 Isaiah 60:1-6

Matthew 2:1-12 ~~~~~

January 14, 2018 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Mark 1:1-20 ~~~~~

January 21, 2018 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Mark 1:21-45 ~~~~~

January 28, 2018 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Mark 2:1-22

Connection Groups Start Back Connection groups are starting back the week of January 21, and all groups are open to new members. Now is your chance to get involved in this great opportunity for spiritual growth. Three groups started last October and are continuing into this new year. We also have one new group beginning, and it will be led by Karen Harris. Here is information about each group.

When: To Be Determined Where: The home of Karen and Matt Harris Hosted by: Karen Harris For Whom: Everyone

When: Monday nights at 7:15 pm Where: The home of Angela and Steve Zimmerman Hosted by: Angela Zimmerman For Whom: Ladies Only

When: Monday nights at 6:30 pm Where: The home of Ray Garassino and Tom Millner Hosted by: Ray Garassino, Tom Millner, and Ray Robinson For Whom: Everyone

When: Monday nights at 7:30 pm Where: The home of John and Casey Carroll Hosted by: John Carroll For Whom: Everyone

If you want to join one of these group you may contact our pastor or contact the host of the group directly.

Remember, we are offering the groups because we believe they are a great way for us to connect with God, connect with others, and connect others with God. We also deeply believe that as Christians we need to be involved in an ongoing process of discipleship so that the life of Christ can take greater form within our own lives. We have found that the best way to do that is to be involved with a small group of other Christians that gathers regularly to study the Bible, to pray for one another, to encourage one another, and to share the ups and downs of life together. Connection Groups are one of the ways we live into this belief. We hope you’ll join us.

First Baptist Church Connecting with God

Connecting with Others Connecting Others with God

Connecting with God ~ Connecting with Others ~ Connecting Others with God

From John One of the writers that I deeply appreciate is Howard Thurman, an African-American author, philosopher, theologian, pastor, educator, and civil

rights leader. From Jesus and the Disinherited, a work that gave theological roots to the civil rights movement, to Meditations of the Heart, a work of rich spiritual reflection, Thurman’s writing are potent and powerful. I would recommend them to anyone.

It is around this time of the year that one of his poems always comes to my mind.

When the star in the sky is gone, When the Kings and Princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins. To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry To release the prisoner, To teach the nations, To bring Christ to all, To make music in the heart.

In the next few weeks, we will all begin to pack away the many sights and signs of the season. We will pack away the decorations and the manger scenes, the left-overs will dwindle, and even the bits of tinsel and glitter will eventually stop showing up all over the floor and the couch. Even as these sights and signs fade, however, I pray that the gifts of Christmas will not.

The babe in a manger has brought us hope, peace, joy, love, and grace, and as a grown man this same one will call us to follow him in sharing these gifts with all the world. The gifts of Christmas now become the work of Christmas.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast The men of the church are invited to a Bible study and prayer time held in the parlor at 7:30 a.m. You may bring your own breakfast or order a biscuit from Biscuitville through the church office prior to Tuesday. Coffee and juice are provided. John Carroll will be our devotional leader. Join us before going to your other activities of the day to pray for our church, our members, our city, and our country. Due to the holidays, the dates of the January Men’s Prayer Breakfast are to be announced in the coming days.

Pastor’s Anniversary On January 14th we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of our pastor’s service to First Baptist Church. We have all been blessed by the presence of John Carroll among us. He has given guidance, knowledge, hope and love to us all. He has shared his gifts with us and led us in our walk with God.

For his presence among us we thank God. Take a moment to let John know how much his being here has meant to you.

Wednesday Night Schedule We will not have Wednesday Night Dinner and Activities on December 27 and January 3. We will resume our regular Wednesday night schedule, complete with activities for all ages, on Wednesday, January 10. Also, we will have our quarterly business meeting the following Wednesday, January 17. We hope you will make plans to join us.

Connecting with God ~ Connecting with Others ~ Connecting Others with God

From your Missions Team As busy as December always is, your Missions Team still found time to work in a few ministry projects. On Monday evening, December 4th, seven of our members joined the staff of the Madeline Centre in our Fellowship Hall to provide a Parents' Night Out for about 26 children from the Center and their siblings. A special thank you to Jan Richardson, who created two crafts and two games to entertain the children and to Neda Haymore who helped come up with the ideas. Thanks also to the seven church members who were there to run the crafts and games and to help welcome everyone who came. The parents appreciated having a few hours to themselves, and the Madeline Centre staff appreciated all that we did to set it up and make the evening go smoothly.

This year, the Missions Team decided not to provide an Angel Tree for children from Woodberry Hills Elementary School. However, there was a family in our church who needed help, so the Sunday School classes led by Chuck Vipperman and by Tony Snipes and Neal Edwards volunteered to buy food and clothes for that family. A gracious thank you to those folks for their generosity!

Our Annual FBC Missions Offering will begin in mid-February, so you'll be hearing all about that in next month's Spire. And don't forget about The Giving Corner, right next to the antique organ in the Gathering Space outside the sanctuary, where you can bring items to help our six Missions partners continue their ministries. There are signs on the book shelf listing items needed by each ministry.

As always, thanks for the many ways you show Christ's love in our community.

End of Year Giving

The church office requests that all final 2017 contributions be made as early as possible. The office is open the week of December 18 as well as December 27 & 28. Sunday, December 31 contributions will also be counted towards 2017 contributions. We pray that 2018 will be a joyous and prosperous year.

Stewardship (As of November 30, 2017) Year-to-date Budget $326,976.83 Year-to date Income $309,891.13 Year-to-date Expenses $325,711.28 Excess/(Deficit) of Income over Expenses ($15,820.15)

Sanctuary

Flowers

January 7

At Epiphany, the sanctuary

flowers recall the majesty of

God made manifest to all the

world in our pure and spotless

Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the

light of life.

January 14

The flowers in the sanctuary

are given in honor of John

Carroll for his five years of

service to First Baptist Church

and the community.

January 21

The sanctuary flowers are

given in memory of Christine

Gregory by the Christine

Gregory Friendship Class.

January 28

The sanctuary flowers are

given to the glory of God to

honor our 2018 deacons, by

Karen Harris.

Connecting with God ~ Connecting with Others ~ Connecting Others with God

Thank You Notes Thank you all so much for the cards, visits, communion and especially the prayers that Nancy and I have received. We are blessed to have such a loving and caring church family.

John and Nancy Garwood

I just want to express my deepest gratitude for your help during my time of need. I do so greatly appreciate your support during my time of need. Knowing that God has people like you spreading the gospel to all that need to know Him and trust in Him is a very comforting feeling. Again, thank you for your support and prayers during this time of struggle in my life. Please let me know how I, with the Lord’s help, can help you.

A Benevolence Recipient

2017 Deacons

Thank you so much for all your hard work in 2017. You have helped FBC make progress in our community and within the church. You have been and continue to be a great team of people who live the ministry of Christ - you are His hands and feet! Also, thank you for allowing me to serve as your Deacon chair. It has been an honor to work with such dedicated people. Continue to strive for reaching out and reaching in!

Karen Harris, Deacon Chair 2017

Planning Ahead Christmas is almost here, 2018 is within sight, March is just around the corner, and we are getting ready. First Baptist will be hosting Pepper Choplin in a composer weekend in March. Pepper will be rehearsing and conducting our choir and others in his cantata, “Our Father”. What a wonderful opportunity to get to know the composer and to hear his insights and some of the stories about his music. But we need to start preparing now--there

are notes to learn and songs to rehearse. We are seeking other people to join us for this special event. In fact, we would love to have the choir loft full to overflowing! If you would like to join us for the composer weekend and concert, please contact Angela for rehearsal schedules and other details.

From the Wyatts CBF Field Personnel and FBC Mission Partners

As we pause and give thanks for God’s blessings, we send you our heartfelt gratitude for your prayers and encouragement this year. Your faithfulness continues to sustain this ministry of welcome and hospitality toward strangers, who have become neighbors and friends. We anticipate the seeds that have been planted are being watered and will produce fruit of praise and glory to God our heavenly Father.

Here are a few highlights:

We have ministered to immigrants and refugees from 10 different nations this year.

In partnership with several Baptist churches, three new Welcome Houses have opened in Raleigh, Durham, and Winston-Salem. They are already providing much needed housing for refugees and asylum seekers.

Felix and Nicole Iyoko, former refugees from the Congo, were commissioned in Atlanta during the CBF General Assembly to serve as church-starters of Shiloh Restoration Church, Raleigh. The church began in their two bedroom apartment in Raleigh and quickly grew to over 100 people.

We have published two new resources: Embracing Our Neighbor—30 Days of Prayer for Internationals Guide and I can learn about Refugees Children’s Activity Book. If you would like a free copy of either of these please let us know.

From our family to yours we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Marc and Kim Wyatt

Connecting with God ~ Connecting with Others ~ Connecting Others with God

From Angela Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas is, undoubtedly my favorite time of year. All of the decorations and

the carols; the gift giving and the receiving; the parties and family gatherings; the whole season is wonderful. Not only is the Christmas season the best time of year, it is also the busiest and craziest of them all.

Even with the busyness and craziness, there is a certain familiarity and comfort in the traditions of the season. We sing the same favorite carols every year at church (which a few soon-to-be-favorites mixed in for good measure). We have the same Christmas Dinner with family. (Ours is at the Waffle House, but that is a whole different subject.) The tree goes in the same spot every year, with the ornaments that bring back so many memories.

Although things are busy and crazy, we know what to expect at Christmas.

Then comes the New Year. Families return home and we return to watching what we eat. We undecorate our homes and put all the “pretties” away in boxes until next year. We remove the poinsettias, garlands, bows, and candles from the church sanctuary. We turn the page on the calendar to a brand new year.

A brand new year with brand new possibilities. A blank slate. A chance to start over. Kind of a scary moment. The traditions and familiarity that we enjoyed through the Christmas season are replaced with uncharted territory. Even our houses and our sanctuary become a canvas awaiting new décor.

The angels told the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid.

I bring you good news of great joy.” That admonition and promise of joy were not just for the shepherds, but apply to us even now. Perhaps reframing this transition from Christmas into the New Year would be a good idea. Uncharted territory gives us the freedom to chart a new course of action and to take new direction—or it gives us the freedom to continue the same course, if that is best. A blank slate is a place to draw a new picture—one of hope and joy, of love and peace. Now is an excellent time to decorate our homes (and our lives) with things that bring joy and a great opportunity to discard things (and attitudes) that aren’t as appealing as they once were. This new year can be the time to dream new dreams and sing new songs—dreams of promise and songs full of the “good news and great joy” that come from our gracious God.

And so I wish for you a very Merry Christmas full of the wonderment and traditions of the season and a very Happy New Year full of good news and great joy!

Sister Chicks Happy New Year Fellow Sister Chicks! We are going to start the new year with all of us coming together to share any and all ideas you might have for activities for the coming year. All suggestions are welcomed! They can be fun, educational, artistic, good deeds to help others, devotionals, etc. Put your thinking caps on and join us at Frank’s Italian Restaurant at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 14, 2018!!

Hope everyone has the Merriest of Christmases and…

Happy New Year 2018

Sister Chicks of FBC

Sunday Nursery Schedule January 7 Eva Inlow

January 14 Pam Harris

January 21 George Davis, III/Melody Cook

January 28 Jeannie Bennett

First Baptist Church

January 2018

Birthdays January 10 Judith Ramsey January 11 Katherine Daniel January 13 Lily Vega January 15 Danny Mills Gwen Yarbrough January 16 Piper Fairplay January 17 Kevin Bailey January 18 Lamar Barr January 20 Laura Lewis January 21 Bill Hopkins Frances Moore January 22 Jason Lind Hodges Motley January 25 Melinda Fisher January 27 Erin Marshall January 29 Harold Brinkley January 31 Vern Cowan

Sunday Mornings 8:00-8:30 Breakfast Club

9:00 Prayer Time

9:15-10:10 Sunday School

10:10-10:30 Coffee & Donuts

10:30-11:30 Worship

The Breakfast Club 1st Sunday: Neda Haymore, Sharon

Logan, Sherry Turner 2nd Sunday: Mollie Duren, Janice

Gilstrap, John Gilstrap, Mark Mills, Dave Slayton

3rd Sunday: Ray Garassino, Tom Millner, Sherry Turner

4th Sunday: Harold Brinkley, Jimmy Flippen, Neda Haymore

5th Sunday: Jimmy Flippen, Neda Haymore, Sherry Turner

Deacons on Call

John Gilstrap (H) 434-792-7143 (C) 434-203-8944 Pam Harris (H) 434-822-5253 (C) 434-489-5132 David Slayton (H) 434-836-1868 (C) 434-770-8753 Steve Zimmerman (C) 336-214-3958

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

1 New Year’s Day

CHURCH OFFICE

CLOSED

2

CHURCH OFFICE

CLOSED

3

NO EVENING ACTIVITIES

7

8:00-11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Schedule

8

7:00 PM Starmont Band

9

7:00 PM Leadership

Council Meeting

7:00 PM Deacons’ Meeting

10

4:45-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

14

8:00-11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Schedule

5:30 PM Sister Chicks

15 Martin Luther King Day

12:00 PM

Spire Information Due

(for month of February)

7:00 PM Starmont Band

16

5:15 PM FBC/CPBC

Collaborative Meeting

17

10:30 AM Staff Meeting

4:45-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

(with Quarterly Business Meeting)

21

8:00-11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Schedule

22

5:30 PM Handbells

7:00 PM Starmont Band

23

24

4:45-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

28

8:00-11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Schedule

(with WBTM broadcast)

29

5:30 PM Handbells

7:00 PM Starmont Band

30 31

4:45-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

Connection Groups Resume Contact John Carroll for details

Ushers Harold Brinkley, Captain

Jimmy Flippen, Asst. Captain Scott Bennett Adrian Lilly Bill Rigney

Sherry Turner Substitutes

Gary Grant Cecil Murray

Offering Dick Inlow, Captain

Gary Duren, Asst. Captain Judy Cox

George Davis, III Tom Harris

Randy Richardson David Slayton Sandra Turner

Suggested Substitutes Vern Cowan, Tom Duren,

Karen Harris, Mike Hendrickson, David Holshouser, Betsy Osborne

Counting Committee Elizabeth Compton & Mollie Duren

Wednesday Night Supper January 3

No Evening Activities

January 10 Hostess: Sandy Turner

Serve/Clean: Deacons & New Beginnings Class

January 17 Hostess: Kip Caton

Serve/Clean: Faith in Action Class

January 24 Hostess: Ellen Davis

Serve/Clean: Covenant Class & Leadership Council

January 31 Hostess: Jane Gilbert

Serve/Clean: Friendship Class

First Baptist Church

January 2018

Wednesday Evenings

4:45-5:30 Rabbit Hole Study Time

5:30-6:00 Supper is served

5:30-7:15 Childcare (infant-3 yrs)

6:00-7:15 Kids Music/Activities

6:00-7:00 Youth Group

6:15-7:00 Adult Bible Study

7:15-8:45 Church Choir

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NO EVENING ACTIVITIES

4 5 6

-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

11 12 13

10:30 AM Staff Meeting

-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

(with Quarterly Business Meeting)

18 19 20

-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules

25 26 27

-8:45 PM

Wednesday Evening Schedules