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News First Baptist – Greenville

We are a community of believers in God as revealed in Jesus Christ as Lord. We believe in the authority of the Bible, the equality of all members, unity in diversity, and the priesthood of all believers. In communion with and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we follow the Way of Jesus the Christ and share the Good News through worship, education, ministries, and missions. As an autonomous Baptist Church, we value our heritage and the freedom it allows us to minister alongside other groups, both Christian and non-Christian. We express our love for all in gratitude for the love God has shown to us. November 24, 2014

Mission Statement

www.firstbaptistgreenville.com

Thought from the Spiritual Formation Committee

“Follow thou me. ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.’ Without the Way there is no going; without the Truth there is no knowing; without the Life there is no living.” – Thomas à Kempis

Rustlings...

Some of the sweetest words in the English language are, “Allow me to

do that for you.” We are an independent people. We love to do things ourselves and do things our way. But every once in a while, it’s nice to have someone see our need, muster their resources and tend the tiredness of our lives. Even Jesus allowed others to do things for him. Who among us would not want to be the woman who bathed Jesus’ feet in perfume and tears…or Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry the cross…or Joseph of Arimethea who gently held the lifeless body of Jesus and provided for it a tomb.

Some of the sweetest, yet most precise and powerful words in print, were penned by Henri Nouwen. Many of us have allowed his words to guide our thoughts about faith and faith formation. This Advent, I’d like for us to allow Henri Nouwen to devotionally guide us through the season. I know we are accustomed to writing our own devotional guide – procuring writers, putting pen to paper, continued on page 3

typesetting, designing, printing distributing. But we are already tired moving into a tiring season. So let’s let Henri do this for us. Your devotional guide may be picked up at the Reception Desk.

– Jim

Tiempo con Javier

Amigos…our Cuban pastor, Javier Perez, is here in Greenville and is staying through December 5.He was a leader in worship on November 23 and will be again on November 30. Please feel free to join any or all of these gatherings!

*Sunday, November 30 – in Carpenter Chapel during the Sunday School hour, a time to hear an update

from Javier on what is happening in our partner church *Sunday, November 30, 4:00 p.m. – Cuban-style outdoor worship at Bootie Cothran’s house, with casual dinner and bonfire to follow Please RSVP here for this event: http://bit.ly/14zB7Sh. For more information, contact Anne Garner at 346-0112 or anne.garner@att.net.

December 1-28MinisTREE for Mission Backpack

and Just Clothes And Love in the Reception area

December 4, 7:30 p.m.South Carolina Governor’s School

for the Arts and Humanities Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Cantus Chamber Choir Concert

(Sanctuary)

December 5, 10:30 a.m.First Friday Lunch and More

(Fellowship Hall)

December 7, 10:30 a.m.The Second Sunday of Advent

Jim Dant, proclaimer

December 7, 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Children’s Ministries Lunch and

Christmas Caroling

December 7, 4:00 p.m.Preschool Gingerbread House

Decorating(Children in 2- through 5-year-old

Sunday School Classes)

2014 Budget Goal $2,300,406

Giving as of 11/20/2014 $1,769,872

Sunday, November 30, 2014The First Sunday of Advent10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Proclaimer: Jim DantScripture: Mark 13:24-29 Sermon: A Kaleidoscope of ComingsAnthems: “Keep Your Lamps” – arr. THOMASSoloists: Bootie Cothran, Priscilla Harris, Kyle Matthews

The service choir for this Sunday is the combined Youth and Sanctuary Choirs.

The 10:30 a.m. worship will be simulcast live on WLFJ 660 AM and 92.9 FM from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

The wreaths on the gates of the Remembrance Garden are given in loving memory of Dr. William Mitchell by Patsy Mitchell.

The garlands are given in loving memory of Edna and Tom Hartness by Becky and Bobby Hartness.

Sanctuary Flowers

When shopping for your Thanksgiving meal, keep two words in mind: “organic” and “local.” These keywords will guarantee a fresher, more nutritious meal. Buying local food also supports your neighbors in your community.

A Green Tip from SAVER

Giving as of 11/20/2014 $76,527

Su

nd

ay’s

Wo

rsh

ip

The tenth annual

Operation Inasmuch

is scheduled for

March 21, 2015.

Read The News for more information

Registration in January

If you are planning to donate stock to First Baptist Church in 2014, please be sure that there is adequate time for it to be deposited into an FBC broker account on or before December 31, 2014. If possible, please donate early in December so that the gift can be processed, and the check received by the end of the year.

If you are 70½ years old or older and have IRA Required Minimum Distributions (RMD), please continue to check with your financial advisor and/or tax preparer regarding the status of legislation in process that may make the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) tax break permanent. If this legislation passes, these donations can be used to satisfy required minimum distributions from an IRA without having the distribution included in your taxable income in 2014. Checks must be paid directly from the IRA and be payable to First Baptist Church. If you wish to donate from your IRA, and the legislation does not pass, it would be a charitable contribution to FBC and a deduction if you itemize, and would be considered taxable income to you.

Please contact Gail House if you plan to donate using either of these options.

Year-end Giving

The Wednesday Morning Men’s Bible Study Class will not meet November 26 but will resume

meetings on December 3.

Remember that gifts to the Lula Whilden World Missions Offering in honor of someone make wonderful Christmas presents. The goal of $100,000 is in reach. The children are continuing to fill their banks. The offering at the Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols will also benefit Lula Whilden. Don’t let this opportunity to participate pass you by!

Rollin’ with the Holy Rollers

Remember these in our congregation who are not always

able to be with us in worship:

November 1 Dwight Hughey

1165 Parkins Mill RoadGreenville, SC 29607

November 10 Helen Mace

284 Henderson RoadGreenville, SC 29607

November 11Eugenia “Gene” Cantrell

52 Mount Vista Ave.Greenville, SC 29605

DECEMBER 9

Madison, Georgia Tour of Homes

Lunch at Cracker Barrel(pay your own)

Depart FBC – 9:00 a.m.Tour of Homes – 11:30 a.m.Return to FBC – 4:30 p.m.

November 15 Anne Brady

6 Westchester RoadGreenville, SC 29615

November 17 Flora Chamblee973 Fargo Street

Mauldin, SC 29662

November 21 Edgar McKnight

Woodlands at Furman1128 Trailhead CourtGreenville, SC 29617

November 28 Ruth Poole

Cottages at Brushy Creek107 Cottage Creek Circle

The Lilac Cottage #5Greer, SC 29650

November 30 Lena Smith

2700 Edwards RoadTaylors, SC 29687

Please contact Sylvia Clyborne at 370-2522 ext. 137 or sylvia.

clyborne@firstbaptistgreenville.com by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday,

December 2, to make lunch reservations.

First Friday Lunch and More

December 5

10:30 a.m.

Bingo

Rummikub

Janet Huskey offers a book review of Souls in Full Sail: A Christian

Spirituality for the Later Years by Emilie Griffin

11:15 a.m.

Christmas Carols by singers from Enoree Baptist Church

Cost for Lunch – $5

On the Road with The Roadrunners

December 18Christmas at Ashtabula Plantation

in Pendleton, SC

Lunch at 1826 on the Green (pay your own)

10:30 a.m. – Depart FBC4:00 p.m. – Return to FBC

Cost – $15(includes bus and tour)

Please contact Sylvia Clyborne at 370-2522 ext. 137 or sylvia.

clyborne@firstbaptistgreenville.com by December 11 to make

reservations.

Please contact Sylvia Clyborne at 370-2522 ext. 137 or sylvia.

clyborne@firstbaptistgreenville.com by December 2 to make

reservations.

CALENDAR continued from page 1

December 7, 6:30 p.m. Youth Pack College Care

Packages (AYMC Terrace Level)

December 9, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Holy Rollers to Madison, Georgia,

Tour of Homes

December 14, 10:30 a.m.The Second Sunday of AdventSanctuary Choir and Chamber

Orchestra present Handel’s Messiah

December 14, 5:30 p.m.Children’s Choir Christmas

Program (Sanctuary)

December 17, 4:30-7:30 p.m. – First on Main

December 18, 10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.Roadrunners to Pendleton, SC,

for Christmas at Ashtabula Plantation

The N

ews

(USPS N

o. 597060) is published weekly January thru D

ecember (except

one week in July and D

ecember) by First B

aptist Church, 847 C

leveland Street, Greenville, SC

29601. Periodicals postage paid at G

reenville, SC 29602. PO

STMA

STER: Send address changes to TH

E NEW

S, 847 Cleveland Street G

reenville, SC

29601. (Phone 864-233-2527). Kim

berly Coates, Editor.

Vol. LV November 24, 2014 No. 46

PASTORAL CAREEMERGENCIES

Nights and Weekends

If you are unable to reach this minister immediately, please call the Church Office, 233-2527, and leave a message by pressing the number “3” for “Pastoral Care Emergencies.”

November 24-25Jim Dant 478-737-7298 (m)

370-2522 ext. 199November 26-30

Matt Rollins 346-0971 (h)370-2522 ext. 199

December 1-7Kyle Matthews 236-8587 (h)

370-2522 ext. 199

Extended Session: November 30

Jamie and Jay Womack (Directors)Carmen and Will Feemster (Twos)Boggs and Miller Howard (Threes)Melissa and Roy Janse (Fours)Carol Ann and Paul Good (Fives)Helen Lee Turner (Worship)Kathy Stewart (Pianist)

In the Hospital:

St. Francis: Jimmy Paul

Memorial: Oscar Funderburk

Returned Home: Gwen Smith

Sympathy to:......Dick Locke and family in the death of his brother.

Care List as of 11/24/2014

Christmas PoinsettiasDuring Advent, the Flower Guild will place poinsettias in the Sanctuary.

Church members may purchase these plants at $15.00 each. The poinsettias may be given in memory of a loved one or in honor of a living person. A list of all memorials and honor gifts will be published in the News as these donations are received and in the Candlelight Service order. If you are interested in providing a poinsettia, mail the form below to Kimberly Coates, c/o First Baptist Church, 847 Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC, 29601. All orders and checks (payable to First Baptist Church) must be received by Tuesday, December 2.

I WILL PROVIDE A CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA

Name _________________________________________________

Phone_______________ E-mail_____________________________

I will give ________ poinsettia(s) at $15 each.

In honor of _____________________________________________

In memory of ___________________________________________

I will pick up my poinsettia immediately following the worship service on Christmas Eve, December 24. _____ yes _____ no

Poinsettia Gifts

Julie Cline donates three poinsettias in honor of the Sanctuary Choir and in memory of David M. Cline and Ted Ellett.

Willis and Cynthia Tisdale give two poinsettias in honor of John and Anne Crabtree.

Floyd and Sidney Surles donate a poinsettia in memory of Carol League Surles.

Keeter Horton gives a poinsettia in memory of “Sonny” Horton.

Joanne Montague donates a poinsettia in memory of Jo Bell.

Boyd and Polly Gaskin give two poinsettias in memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Anthony and Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Gaskin.

Gail House donates two poinsettias in memory of Dr. Thomas Edward House and her parents, Grady and Louise Toney.

Rosalind and Ted Tedards give two poinsettias in memory of Mell and J.D. Todd and Helen and Jack Tedards.

Tom & Sherry Atkinson donate two poinsettias in memory of their parents, Floyd and Genie Jones and Ben and Louise Atkinson.