Non-Profit Organization

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Permit No. 123 Big Spring, TX 79720

First Baptist Church of Big Spring

705 W. FM 700

Big Spring, TX 79720

Phone: 432-267-8223

fbcbigspring.org

CHURCH STAFF & OFFICERS

Rev. Mark Lindsey Pastor Mike Couch Business Administrator Jonathan Raffini Minister of Youth Melody Rodgers Worship Arts Tiana Hergert Financial Secretary Regina Warren Church Secretary Tracy Boeker Mother’s Day Out Director Jodi Mims Children’s Director Lori Morgan Preschool Director Erven Fisher Media Center Director

Wednesday Night Meals

Dec. 24th &31st Christmas Holiday New Year’s Eve Holiday No Meals

Dec. 3rd Chicken Taco Soup Cornbread Hot Dogs Sugar Cookies

Deacons of the Month

Mike Warren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 816-5997

Mike Couch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263-3561

Clem Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263-0057

Ray Tant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267-3376

Dec. 10th Beef Enchilada Casserole Rice Beans Salad Oreo Ice Crème Pie

www.fbcbigspring.org

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Sunday Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship 10:45 a.m. AWANA 5:30 p.m. Saturate Youth 6:00 p.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

Wednesday Night Supper 5:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study 6:00 p.m. Adult Choir Practice 6:00 p.m. WOW 6:00 p.m. Mission Classes 6:15 p.m. Saturate Youth 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 17th Hamburgers/Hot Dogs Tator Tots Ice Cream Sundaes

Postmaster: Return Service Requested

Phone Numbers & E-mails

If you have changed to a cell phone, please let the church office know your new

phone number. We also would like to have your e-mail address for our church records.

Reception Acknowledgements

www.fbcbigspring.org December 1, 2014

THE PROCLAIMER

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BIG SPRING, TEXAS The miss ion of F i rs t Bapt is t Church i s to evangel ize the unsaved, d i sc ip le the saved and nurture a l l church members .

The book Intervention by Terri Blackstock was given in

memory of Dale Worthan by the First Baptist Choir.

The book Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock was given in

loving memory of Dale Worthan by Vaughn & Helen Martin.

The book The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis was given in loving

memory of Mary Lynn Welch by Vaughn and Helen Martin.

The book Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers was given

in memory of Mary Lynn Welch by the First Baptist Choir.

The book Perfect Ending by Robert Jeffress was given in loving

memory of Mary Lynn Welch by Lloyd and Pat Underwood.

The book I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins was given in memory of

Mary Lynn Welch by the Grace Sunday School class.

The book on CD Crazy Love by Franci Chan was given in

loving memory of Mary Lynn Welch by Clovie Shannon.

Come Celebrate Mrs. Betty Downey’s 30 Years of Service

Join our church family as we honor Mrs. Betty

Downey for her 30 years of service as our Church

Pianist. We will celebrate her years of beautiful

music and faithful service to our Lord on

Sunday, December 14, in the parlor from 2:00

p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Let us acknowledge our

appreciation for her timeless ministry to the Lord

through our church.

Christmas Eve Service

Lord’s Supper

6:00 p.m.

Christmas Worship

Bring your family and

friends to our morning

worship service on

Sunday, December 14th!

The Sanctuary Choir

will lead the

congregation in

singing the songs of Christmas while our Drama

Ministry interprets the Nativity Story. This will be a

special time of family worship as the church

celebrates the coming of our Lord.

Church office will be closed

Dec. 24th-26th

Christmas Party

The Chapel Class Christmas gathering

will be at the home of Londa Henry,

508 Scott Street, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00

p.m. on Friday, December 12th! Please

bring a finger food to share and bring

your spouse or a friend! See you there,

Janell and Londa

Upward Basketball Practices begin the

week of Dec. 1st

LLL is Dec. 2nd at 12:00 p.m. in the

dining hall.

Finance Meeting-Dec. 7th at 5:00 p.m.

Deacons’ Meeting-Dec. 14th at 5:00 p.m.

The prophecy of the coming Christ given

hundreds of years before His birth tells us the

child to be born would have some amazing

names. According to Isaiah, he would be

called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Join us

each Sunday morning in December as we unwrap

the significance of these names of the Messiah.

Upward Basketball

We are in need of volunteers. Please be in prayer

for our Upward Basketball program. We need

volunteers to be: Prayer Warriors, Coaches,

Referees, Scorekeepers, Announcers, Spot light

workers, and Concession stand workers. Games

will be on Saturdays and we will need many

volunteers to work with the children of our

community. Please consider what you can do to

help with this mission.

DECEMBER EXTENDED SESSION KID’S KORNER

Thank you to all who brought candy, sodas or

baked goods and all who worked to make

our Fall Festival successful!

PAGE 2

We are in need of a GA leader and helper and Mission Friends leader. We are also in need of

Extended Session workers. Please contact Jodi or Lori if

you would be interested in serving in these areas of our

Children’s ministry.

Happy Birthday to:

December 10th: Mary Kate Gabehart

Dec. 7th: Christmas Carol Night Dec. 14th: Store Night & Christmas Party There will be no Awana the rest of December until January 11th.

News

December

Our Upward Basketball season is now underway! We have 289 players divided

into 35 teams! Every Saturday we will have those 289 players AND their

families in our church gym. This is a HUGE opportunity to minister to those families. We need the people of FBC to be there to show them the love of Christ

and to help with this vital ministry! There are so many things that can be done that

do not require any knowledge of basketball. We will begin games on

Saturday, January 10th. Games will be every Saturday until February 21st.

There will be no games on January 24th because of DNOW. PLEASE, mark your

calendars and plan to help!

Bed Babies: (every Sunday) Sylvia Draper

Toddlers & Three Year Olds:

Dec. 7th: George and Elissa Bancroft

Dec. 14th: Harvey and Rhonda Rothell

Dec. 21st: Buster and Susie Gartman

Dec. 28th: Trayce Spencer and Kim Phinney

ACTS 1:8 ANNOUNCEMENTS

PAGE 5

FROM THE PASTOR

As we celebrate Christmas 2014,

the rush of the season threatens to turn

our attention away from the expression of

love manifested through the coming of

Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The birth of

Christ was more than a miracle; the birth

of Christ was more than an event; the birth of Christ

was more than a story. The birth of Christ was the

appearance of the Creator God coming to earth with

you in mind.

In fighting the commercialization of Christmas,

the mantra of believers is “Jesus is the reason for the

season.” As society omits the Christ from Christmas,

yes, we must remind our friends and neighbors this

observance is spiritual, not commercial. Unfortunately,

though, even Christians fail to make the distinction.

The reason for the season, actually is you and

me. If it were not for God’s unfailing love for you and

me, Jesus would have never been born of a virgin,

lived a sinless life, died upon a cross as the atonement

for our sin, raised from the dead, and ascended to the

Father, completing God’s plan for our redemption. You

and I are the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Jesus came because of you and of me. Jesus

came because you and I needed our holy God to rescue

us from our sin. Jesus came because you and I were

living in darkness needing the light of Christ. Jesus

came because you and I were destined for and eternal

existence apart from God the Father. Jesus came

because you and I were hopelessly lost in our sin.

Jesus came because of you and me. We are the reason

we celebrate Christmas.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only

begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should

not perish but have everlasting life. God’s love for the

world (you and me) is the reason he sent his only

begotten Son (Jesus) so we might have everlasting life

(salvation). While you and I may be the reason for

Christmas, we worship and celebrate the One who

makes Christmas possible, our Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ.

Celebrate with your church family this

Christmas Eve as we worship our Lord with the

observance the Lord’s Supper. This 6:00 p.m. worship

is intended for all generations to gather with one

purpose, to acknowledge the coming of the Messiah

who takes way the sins of the world. We will worship

and praise the Lord God of the universe! I look forward

to meeting you there!

LOTTIE MOON OFFERING FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Below is a quote taken from a letter Lottie Moon wrote while

serving as a missionary in China to the Foreign Mission

Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"How many there are ... who imagine that because Jesus

paid it all, they need pay nothing, forgetting that the prime

object of their salvation was that they should follow in the

footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing back a lost world to

God." - Lottie Moon

Tungchow, China

Sept. 15, 1887

This year we have set an offering goal of FAITH,

above what we can do in our own strength, but

fully relying on God and His strength.

We cooperate with other Southern Baptist churches

and support 4900 International missionaries. Our

goal of $15,000 will give $3.06 to each of these

4900 missionaries.

OFFERING REPORTS. $6,730.26 was received for the Mary

Hill Davis Offering for State Missions. This was just short

of our church wide goal of $7500. This money is used

throughout the state of Texas to plant churches, equip and

train leaders and reach people with the message of Jesus

Christ.

OILFIELD. One of the ways many in our congregation who

work in oil field related industries are reaching their areas

of influence is through the distribution of the Oilfield

Bible. Would you pray for those in our congregation who

work in this industry that God will open a way for the

Gospel?

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD. Thank you for giving

to children around the world through Operation Christmas

Child. To date, 351 boxes have been given which means

that 348 children and their families will have an

opportunity to personally hear the Good News of Jesus

Christ. Continue to pray for the children who will receive

the boxes you have prepared.

MISSION CENTER. The month of November saw a record

number of families at the Mission Center with twelve

families being first time visitors. Continue to give to this

ministry and above all, make this ministry a matter of

prayer. Each month the Gospel is presented to each

person who comes. Would you pray for those who come to

have hearts that are drawn to the Father?

CHRISTMAS CARDS. Let the Lottie Moon Christmas

Offering for foreign missions receive the postage money for

sending your Christmas cards to others in our

congregation. The Christmas card postage boxes will be in

the west foyer throughout the Christmas season.

MISSION CHRISTMAS TREE. As in years past, a

Christmas tree will be in the north foyer. You are

encouraged to help decorate the tree with new pairs of

socks for children and adults of all ages. The socks will be

used in various ministries throughout are area.