Volume 40, Issue 3

Jan. 17, 2013 This Week in Worship:

Bruce Tippit Connect to Know John 14:2, 1 John 2:26-27

Encounter

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Our mission is to build a community of faith - connecting with God, growing together,

serving the world, all through Jesus Christ.

I am so excited to

tell you, as of

Monday, Jan. 14,

our remaining building debt is

$355,690! Our debt for the LIFE

Center in 2006 was $7.2 million

so in approximately six years

our church family has given

over $6.8 million to relieve our

debt. This great sacrifice has

occurred during the most chal-

lenging economic times in our

nation’s recent history. It is such

an amazing testimony to God’s

grace in the life of our church

family. Thank you for your

faithfulness to our Lord and his

church in all things.

This dramatic reduction in our

debt energizes us toward the

completion of our Master Plan.

The final phase of the Master

Plan involves relocating the

Care Center out of the hotel

building, removing the hotel and

creating a parking lot in its

place. That phase will be done

debt-free as we raise the funds

necessary to complete those

steps. This will allow us to serve

more effectively those in need

with food and clothes but also

with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a staff we have chosen

John 15:5 as our verse for the

year: “I am the vine; you are the

branches. Those who remain in

me, and I in them, will produce

much fruit. For apart from me

you can do nothing.” May we

continue to stay connected to

Christ’s life so he may change

lives through us!

See you Sunday,

Bro. Bruce

From the Heart

The so-called “fiscal cliff” law just passed by Congress and signed by President Obama, formally

known as the “American Taxpayer Relief Act” (the Act), includes a little-publicized provision

providing a very short window of opportunity for eligible taxpayers to make direct charitable

distributions from their IRAs in January of 2013 and count them as made on Dec. 31, 2012. The

Act also contains a relief provision for eligible taxpayers who took distributions from their IRAs in

December of 2012 (not knowing that the direct charitable IRA distribution exclusion would be retro-

actively renewed). The Act allows those taxpayers to exclude those distributions from their taxable

income (within the prescribed limits) so long as they transfer the distributed funds to a qualified

charity by the end of January 2013.

These rules relate to the fact that the Act re-extends through 2013 the exclusion for direct charitable

IRA distributions by taxpayers 70½ years old and older. That exclusion had expired as of Dec. 31,

2011. The renewal is retroactive and covers 2012. Given the fact that the renewal of the provision

did not occur until January of 2013, Congress is allowing taxpayers a temporary window through

Jan. 31, 2013, during which taxpayers may make direct charitable IRA distributions (within the

prescribed limits) and treat them as having been made on Dec. 31, 2012. The Act also provides

leniency for distributions made from an IRA to a taxpayer in Dec. of 2012, if the funds are subse-

quently transferred by the taxpayer to an eligible charitable organization by Jan. 31, 2013 (and

otherwise meets the criteria for exclusion).

Some taxpayers who meet the criteria for making direct charitable distributions from their IRAs may

realize a substantial tax benefit by taking advantage of this unique and very limited opportunity. For

taxpayers who qualify, up to $100,000 per taxpayer may be excluded from income under this provi-

sion of the law for each year that it applies. If you believe that such a gift may be appropriate for

you, we encourage you to promptly consult with your tax advisor and IRA custodian, as this limited

window of opportunity in the tax law expires at the end of this month.

Thank you for your regular and continued support of First Baptist Church.

Important Tax Information for January 2013

Page 2 ENCOUNTER

Check it Out

Excerpt from Chapter 6

Crossroads,

By William Paul Young

"Jesus reached over and took Tony's hand. On this journey you can

choose to physically heal one person, but only one and when you make

that selection, your journey will end"

"I can heal someone? Are you telling me that I am able to heal anybody?"

His thoughts without prompting, immediately returned to his own body

in the ICU room.

"So, lemme get it straight. Anyone? I can heal anyone I want to?"

Jesus leaned closer. "You can't actually heal anyone; not alone, but I will

be with you, and anyone you choose to pray for, I will heal through you."

In Memoriam

Helen Freeze

Jan. 14, 2013

Melvin E. White

Jan. 15, 2013

“I am the resurrection and

the life; he that believeth in

me though he be dead, yet

shall he live; and whosoever

liveth and believeth in me

shall never die.”

Thank You The church has received a message

of thanks from Kaye Webster for

considerations concerning the loss of

her mother, Mary Deetress Neal.

Kids Korner

Centri-Kid 2013 July 22-26

Windermere Conference

Center in Roach, MO Registration Deposit is $50.

Deadline to sign up is Feb. 3.

Your Photos Are

Ready!

If you had portraits made for the church directory and did not order extras, your

free 8x10 is available for pick-up in the church office. Drop by any time during regular office hours to get your photo.

Home Link

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 10 a.m.

in the Conference Room

Sympathy The church expresses Christian

sympathy to Dennis & Sharon Hill and

family in the loss of their grandson,

Phillip Tubbs, son of Jace & Missy Tubbs.

Deacon on Call We have a new ministry at First Baptist

Church called the Deacon on Call.

There will be a deacon on call seven days a

week during the hours of 7 a.m. until 10 pm.

This deacon will be able to assist you with

spiritual needs as well as those needs that

may arise during a crisis. Whatever your

need, please call the voicemail at 932-3456

ext. 199, day or night, and leave a short

message with a return telephone number.

The Deacon On Call will return your call

and assist you with your need.

Page 3 VOLUME 39, ISSUE 4

Mid-Week Groups Spring 2013

Wednesdays 5:45 - 7 p.m. Jan. 23 - March 13 (8 wks)

Caregiving for Aging Parents - (MPR) Kathy Holler & Ginny Blaylock

Foundations in Personal Finance - (SMB) Brett Hall Dave Ramsey material - college edition; $5

Men’s Discipleship - (301) Robb Vrbicek Accountability, Bible study, Prayer; no cost

Basic, Who is God - (302) Tim Stewart DVD study by Francis Chan on the Trinity; $12

Share Jesus Without Fear - (328) Stan Wooldridge Personal Evangelism; $12

Wednesdays 5:45 - 7 p.m. Feb. 6 - March 13 (6 wks)

Married People vol. 2 - (303) Arliss Dickerson The Core 4 Habits of a Great Marriage; $12

Life Together - (SMB) Mitzi Young Engaged Couples Seminar; no cost

JOY Senior Adult Survey

It is time for Senior Adults to be thinking about things

you would like to do together.

If you know of any trips or events that would be fun to

do with a group, give the information to Ross so that

he can include it in the upcoming JOY Trip Survey.

All ideas need to be submitted by Wednesday, Feb. 6.

The survey will consist of ideas that have been turned

in before it is printed. Ross will then plan the year’s

activities based on the results of the survey.

It is too late to turn in ideas after the survey is printed,

or to write them in on the survey.

For your idea to be considered, submit it to Ross now.

Another New Study Group for

Ladies Only!

Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 23, Lisa Gueno will lead the

Andy Stanley DVD Study,

Christian: It’s Not What You Think

The cost for the book is $10.

The class will meet each Wednesday at 5:45

in 320 ED.

Attendance

Sunday School 532

Sunday Evening 99

Mid-Week Activities 307

Offering

Weekly Budget Receipts $28,500.43

YTD Budget Receipts $112,734.00

Weekly FTT Receipts $9,754.50

YTD FTT Receipts $77,252.63

Weekly Report

First Baptist Church 701 S. Main

Jonesboro, AR 72401

Return Service Requested

NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID JONESBORO, AR

PERMIT 506

Jan. 7-10

Sandwiches 235

Clothes 348

Food 683

Helped this Week 1,266

Helped this Year 1,934

Amount Spent this Week NA

Care Center

Sunday, Jan. 20

Phil Taylor 8-10 a.m.

John St. Clair 8-10 a.m.

Gwyn Jowers 10-Noon

Ron Johnson 10-noon

Matt Modelevsky 5-7 p.m.

Security Team

Dr. Bruce Tippit Pastor

Ross Burton Administrative Minister

Kathy Holler Special Ministries Minister

Mark Parsley Interim University Minister

Wade Smith Youth Minister

Tim Stewart Education Minister

Kristie Stokes Children’s Minister

Jana Wolfe Music Minister

Ministerial Staff

FBC Community Calendar

Sunday, Jan. 20 The altar flowers will be placed in memory of Rollo and Robbie White, given by the family. 8:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship, Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Library Open, ED 210 10:50 a.m. – Classic Worship, Sanctuary 12 p.m. - Country Garden Fellowship 3:30 p.m.- Huntington S.S. & Worship 4:45 p.m. – Celebrate Recovery, CAC 5 p.m. - Children’s Bible Study 5 p.m. - Youth Choir Rehearsal, ED 210 5 p.m. - Evening Worship, Chapel 6 p.m. - Main Street Ringers, ED 213 9 p.m. - University Leadership, SMB Monday, Jan. 21 6:30 p.m. - Deacon’s Meeting, FH Tuesday, Jan. 22 6:15 a.m. - Men’s Bible Study, 113 East Jackson 6:30 a.m. - Men’s Bible Study, FH 8:30 a.m. - Mother’s Day Out 10 a.m. - Home Link, CR 12:30 p.m. - Women’s Bible Study, HMC

Wednesday, Jan. 23 10 a.m. - Women’s Bible Study, MPR 4:30 p.m. - Fellowship Supper/Prayer & Share Bible Study/Business Meeting 5:30 p.m. - GLOW 5:45 p.m. - Adult Mid-Week Groups Gospel Project/Youth Parents & Leaders Caregiving for Aging Parents, MPR Men’s Discipleship, ED 301 Who Is God, ED 302 Share Jesus Without Fear, ED 328 6:15 p.m. - Common Ground, SKYBOX 6:20 p.m. - Celebrate Recovery Support Team, Lounge 6:30 p.m. - Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal, ED 210 7:30 p.m. - ReMIX, SMB Thursday, Jan. 24 8:30 a.m. - Mother’s Day Out 5:30 p.m. - Prayer Time, HMC 6 p.m. - Bible Study, HMC Friday, Jan. 25 Saturday, Jan. 26 8 a.m. - Upward Basketball, CAC

Wednesday Night Supper - Jan. 23

Meat Loaf, Potatoes & Gravy, Peas, Dessert

Hamburgers