JANUARY 2015

We had two great events to close out the 2014 Jolly Elders’ calendar. The first was a large gathering of folks for our Christmas luncheon where we dined on food NOT prepared by Chef Belinda and the Culinary Crew. Belinda was a very sick lady on the day of our event but we were fortunate to have volunteers step up and get the meal to the table. We

are glad Belinda is better and thankful for all she does in sup-port of this ministry. Rather than exchanging gifts we decided to receive a love offering to go toward a person in need during the Christmas season. Our members were most gracious with their giving and $388.00 was collected. Kenny had just the right person to be the recipient of this gift. Thank you Jolly Elders for making this possible. Our second great event was hosted by Kenny and involved a bonfire, cookies, hot chocolate, hot cider, and the shar-ing of Christmas experiences from yesteryear. The weather was perfect and the fellowship unsurpassed. The after-noon ended with S’mores, what more could one ask for? Thank you Kenny for a great time! January 8th, 12:30 p.m. – we will gather at FBCLG for a luncheon prepared by Chef Belinda and the Culinary Crew (please bring a dessert to share if possible). January 22nd, 9:30 a.m. departure time from FBCLG – the Jolly Elders will be traveling to Yoder’s Deutsch Haus in Montezuma for lunch. This will be followed by a stop in Vienna to visit the Georgia State Cotton Museum and Ellis Brothers Pecans.

New beginnings! The Bible is a book of new beginnings. The first couple had a new beginning after their rebellion in the Garden. Mankind had become so wicked and vile that God judged humanity but gave humanity a new beginning through Noah and his family. Israel was in bondage for 400 years in Egypt but seized a new beginning under Moses’ leadership. Rahab the harlot, who lived in Jericho, had a new beginning when she helped the Israeli spies. Gomer experienced a new begin-ning when her husband, Hosea bought her out of the slave market. Samson lost his strength but God gave him a new beginning when he stood in the pagan temple and called on the LORD.

Before going to the cross, Jesus inaugurated a New Covenant, a new beginning through His blood. When you read the end of the book, there is a new heaven and a new earth. All new beginnings are based on grace, forgiveness, and redemption! All stand in need of new beginnings. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning as is every week and every year. You cannot change the past (granted, we are to learn from the past) but you can make choices in your present that will be a new beginning. However, something must change in order to experience a new beginning; otherwise, it will be just another trip around the same old mountain like Israel had so many years ago. The necessary change does not involve someone else or something else, but you! New beginnings can be seized with a different attitude, heart. New beginnings are facilitated by renewed thinking. New beginnings permeate the heart that is clear and clean. It’s a new day, a new year and a great opportunity for a new beginning. Determine that you will live today with Christ as your Lord, His truth as your light, His Spirit as your guide, His kindness in your heart! Your New Beginning is waiting on you.

Memorial Gifts During the month of December, donations were made to the church:

In memory of Sarah Murray by Anne Wyatt’s Sunday School class and Maydelle Ward;

In memory of Alfred Otis Blissit and Annie Mae Price Blissit by James Blissit;

In memory of John Baldwin by Anne Wyatt’s Sunday School class;

In memory of Lille Tippens by Gene & Annette Phillips; and

In honor of Rod Shearouse by the Agape I Sunday School class in recognition of his birthday.

Kenny’s Korner

kenny.heath@fbclocustgrove.com

Paul’s Pen paul.zahn@fbclocustgrove.com

Christy’s Comments

christy.mclendon@fbclocustgrove.com eddy.mcbroom@fbclocustgrove.com

THE STUDENT SCOOP

Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” as the first line of his famous novel A Tale of Two Cities. I’m reminded of that opening because we may well be living in “the worst of times” today. Many in our culture have rejected absolute truth, the values in soci-ety are shifting, and the moral foundation of our nation is crumbling before our very eyes. It’s easy to feel discour-aged and it’s tempting to insulate ourselves from the messiness of a culture that’s far from God. But this may also be the best of times. Why? Because the opportunity for ministry has never been greater. God did-n’t call us to retreat or run for the hills. He called us to be “in the world” and to be "the light” of the gospel. In order for us to be ready to minister, we must be on the alert. Our Bible study that begins in January will help you be more sensitive to some of the struggles and addictions that people in our community are facing. This study will also give us a biblical understanding and perspective for ministering in the midst of crises. READY: Ministering Life to Those In Crisis – begins Janu-

ary 4, 2015.

The beginning of a new year always reminds me of new beginnings. It’s a fresh page, a fresh start, a time to try something new. If you’ve never been in choir, then why not let this be something new that you try? Or maybe you’ve been in choir before, but haven’t been able to sing for a while, then this new year may be the time for you to get back involved. We rehearse on Sunday afternoons at 4:30 in the Choir Suite. There aren't any auditions, all you have to do is come and sing. No pressure, just lots of fun. Our choir is committed to one another and you will find a place where you can belong and have people care about you. So, why not give it at try?

As we welcome 2015, here are some suggested com-mitments for the new year: 1) Get into the Word more, 2) Go on a mission, 3) Spend more time talking to God, 4) Bring a friend to church, 5) Share Jesus with a classmate, 5) Memorize Scripture, 6) Honor your par-ents more than you ever have, 7) Set an example of Christ through the way I live. There are so many things I could list, but summing them all up is just to say LIVE LIKE JESUS. I believe God has great things ahead for our student ministry in 2015. Let’s be ALL IN and go ALL OUT for the cause of Christ to know Him and Make Him known. Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV) 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I am extremely excited about what 2015 has in store for our kids and preschoolers! Both the Kids and Preschool SEEK Teams have created an awesome schedule for the year that is family friendly and full of fun! To kick things off in January, our preschool families are going bowling on January 5th. Make sure you RSVP and we will be meeting at Fun Bowl at 10:00. On Saturday, January 17th our kids (K5-5th) are having a Kids Night Out at the ROC at FBC Jonesboro. We will meet at the church at 4:30, the event is from 5:00-7:30 and we hope to be home by 8:00. Pizza will be served. You must RSVP by Wednesday the 14th, so make sure you let me know if you will be joining us! Parents are wel-come to join us as well. It is going to a lot of fun! Mark your calendars now for a Parents Night Out on Feb-ruary 6th. Details to come soon. Lastly, make sure you say a special thank you to our SEEK Team leaders who helped plan for this year. Thank you Jessica Gowen, Margaret Livingston, Vicki Miles, Vicki Edwards, Jen Benton and Amanda Bartlett!

Leadership Team Dr. Craig Bowers-Senior Pastor

Kenny Heath-Minister of Education/Administration Paul Zahn-Minister of Music

Christy McLendon-Preschool and Children’s Director Eddy McBroom-Minister to Students

Max Elliott, Missions Coordinator Fred Lacey, Minister of Counseling Services

Tim Prater-Ministry Assistant/Finance

Belinda Bowers-Administrative Assistant First Baptist Church Locust Grove

2950 Tanger Blvd. Locust Grove, GA 30248 (770)957-9715

Financial Report

Monthly Budget Requirement: $ 107,208.33 Total General Offerings: $ 90,688.30 Surplus/Shortfall $ 16,520.03 Building Fund Offerings: $ 14,623.00 Loan Balance (as of December 30): $4,050,437.53

Weekly Attendance

Date Bible Study Worship Dec. 7 450 479 Dec. 14 400 433 Dec. 21 354 387 Dec. 28 248 273 Average 363 393

Worship with us!

Sunday 8:30 Bible Study

9:45 Blended Worship/Bible Study 11:00 Contemporary Worship/Bible Study

4:30 Celebration Choir Rehearsal 6:00 Evening Worship

Wednesday

5:15 Family meal 6:30 ACTS classes, children’s choir, youth,

RA’s & GA’s, praise team rehearsal

We Welcome Our Newest Members!

December 7: Don, Christy, & Emmy Nesmith (Transfer of Letter)

“And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:47 (NASB)

January 2015

DECEMBER — By the Numbers

Save the date:

Revival with Brian Fossett

February 8-11th

Did You Know…

We raised over $1,500 for Missions in 2014 just by recycling cans? This is a great way to support our Mis-sions Team. All you have to do is save your cans in-stead of throwing them in the trash. Bring us the cans - and together we’ll turn cans into cash for Missions!

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Upward Games begin

Chicken tenders, baked potato, green beans,

salad, cream of mushroom soup, brownie truffle

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Preschool Bowling

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12:30 pm Jolly Elders

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Lasagna, salad,

garlic bread, pasta fagioli soup, cheesecake

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LOVE Feed the Homeless Ministry

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Kids Night Out- FBC Jonesboro

Hard/soft taco, rice, refried beans,

salad, chicken tortilla soup, ice cream & tortillas

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9:30 am Jolly Elders

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Breakfast— Biscuits & gravy,

bacon, eggs, grits, cinnamon rolls—

no soup/salad

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Wednesday Menu Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday