When working in the corporate world, we would always seem to “wind down” towards the end of the year. Many would begin to slow down. In some cases, budgets would be close to depletion and some work would have to wait until the following year. I know of cases where employees would take their final vacation days in order to not lose them and take time to relax. Winding down at First Baptist Church is not in our future. We are now in the Season of Advent. Advent is the time we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child. It is a time when we set our hearts of preparation for the days to come. And here, at FBC, we work to bring that message to the community and beyond.
The preparations began this past month. Items were collected for the Bland County Shoebox mission. Items were collected to bring Christmas morning to those less fortunate. Hygiene items were collected for the annual Northington Work Center Sock Stuffing Christmas. The First Christian School collected items and filled shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse.
We are getting out into the community. We are this year participating in the town lamp decorating contest. On December 3rd, we will participate in the South Hill Christmas Parade. We will have a group walking along side of the First Christian School float handing out candy canes with a tag attached providing information about our church. Because we are at the end of the parade route, we will have hot chocolate available for those that need a warm beverage. On Sunday, December 10th, our choir will present the cantata, “Silent Night” by Greg Adams during our regular worship time. We are also planning a living nativity this year. Sunday evening, December 24th at 5:00 PM, we will come together to welcome the Christ child at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service.
I am looking forward to our worship time together. The following are the sermons through the end of the month:
December 3, 2023 11:00 AM Mark 13:24-37 Christmas – Waiting
December 10, 2023 11:00 AM Mark 1:1-8 Christmas – Preparing
December 17, 2023 11:00 AM Luke 1:46-55 Christmas – Rejoicing
December 24, 2023 11:00 AM Luke 1:26-38 Christmas – Believing
December 24, 2023 5:00 PM Luke 2:8-20 Christmas – Celebrating
(Christmas Eve Service)
December 31, 2023 11:00 AM Luke 2:22-40 It’s Not Over Yet
Yours in Christ,
Pastor John