Rej 122108

Announcements

Need to Know LOTTIE MOON MISSION OFFERING GOAL IS $3,800 *The Bell Tree* When our children come down for Pastor’s Pals they will be placing jingle bells on this tree. Each bell represents $100 given to the offering. We have eight bells to place this morning. *The Mission March* This morning we will once again have our “March for Missions” during the service. Prayerfully be prepared to give so we can reach our goal. DEACON ELECTION Last Sunday morning our congregation elected Randy Church, Dale Cooper, Ray Hawkins, and Danny Whitt to serve on our deacon team for the next three years. BUSINESS MEETING We will have another business meeting this evening to hear the report from our Nominating Committee. LEIGH CAPPILLINO IN CONCERT Next Sunday morning, December 28, Leigh, Bob and Robin Darby’s daughter, will be with us. Leigh joined Point of Grace, one of the top Christian music groups in America, in 2004 when one of the original three ladies left the group. They have to their credit 14 albums which have sold over five million copies, 9 Dove Awards, two Grammy awards, 8 books, and two platinum and five gold records as well as 27 consecutive No. 1's. Dana Cappillino, Leigh’s husband is their manager. Point of Grace is not just another singing group. They have a mission of helping teenage girls. In 2002 they initiated the Girls of Grace project. A devotional book, a workbook, a journal and an album came out first, followed by yearly Girls of Grace conferences. They also support Mercy Ministries of America and Compassion International. Holiday Service Schedule There will no evening services on Wednesday the 24^th, Sunday the 28^th, and Wednesday the 31^st. Men’s Conference Our bus will be going to the 17^th Annual Men’s Conference at FBC Woodstock February 6-7. Cost includes the conference fee of $70.00, a steak dinner, and motel. This is a great conference which draws around 500 men. There is a sign-up list at the information center.	Need to Pray Our Sick: Jeff McCoy (surgery last Wednesday); Virginia Hiott (AnMed 532); Mark Harouff (AnMed 426); Georgia Hawkins (pneumonia); Carolyn Mitchell (recovering from vascular surgery); Charles Davis (Chronic Lympocytic Leukemia); J.K. Heller; Nellie Aiken; Robert Hunter (cancer); Brown Setterlind (NHC); Nancy Sellers. Our Staff Search Team as they seek a minister of music and students. They are Danny Whitt, Becky Boyles, Patti Campbell, Dana Fisher, and Chuck Brooks. They will begin their work in January. Our Budget Giving These are really difficult financial times for everyone. In spite of all the demands on us at this time of the year with many special offerings, let’s make sure we keep the church budget at the top of our list of priorities.

“Some may say it [the Incarnation] is not true, but no one can say it is trivial. If it is true, it is the greatest good news that ever came to human beings on this planet. Those who heard it for the first time called it news; more than that, good news…. Human existence and the world itself are not meaningless happenings but the expression of purpose, of intentionality, and, above all, of intelligibility and love, which have been made known in Jesus Christ.”

“Our lives are so chaotic because in our arrogance we dwell on how our plans have been skewed. God had plans too.

“The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Love brought thee from heaven to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave.

My salvation is the point where perfect created love and the most perfect uncreated love meet together;

For thou dost welcome me, like Joseph and his brothers, not loving and sorrowing, but loving and rejoicing. Thy love is not intermittent, cold, changeable; it does not cease or abate for all my enmity.