2018 November/December Newsletter

OPBC YOUTH MONTHLY SCHEDULE 1ST SUNDAY—Ministry Night 2ND SUNDAY—Large and Small Groups 3RD SUNDAY—Large and Small Groups

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

4TH SUNDAY—Large and Small Groups

Celebrate the Holidays at OPBC

5TH SUNDAY—Group Activities (after church) (No evening youth group—family night) No school on Monday = Evening activities

PROGRESSIVE DINNER 6:00 PM

DEC 30

November / December 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER 4 - Pizza and Raking Leaves (6:00PM) NOVEMBER 23 - Black Friday Bowl Flag Football at PHS (2:00PM) DECEMBER 2 - Pizza and Babysitting for Parents’ Night Out (6:00PM) DECEMBER 30 - Progressive Dinner Christmas Party (6:00PM) 8

1

THE CHRISTMAS MODEL FOR MISSIONS

HELP IS NEEDED WITH ROASTING TURKEY BREASTS AT HOME AND WITH MAKING COBBLERS FOR THE MEAL. SEE BRENDA BRANCH OR SIGN UP ONLINE TO HELP!

by John Piper

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) Christmas is a model for missions. Missions is a mirror of Christmas. As I, so you.

For example, danger. Christ came to his own and his own received him not. So you also.

They plotted against him. So you. He had no permanent home. So you. They trumped up false charges against him. So you. They whipped and mocked him. So you. He died after three years of ministry. So you. But there is a worse danger than any of these which Jesus escaped. So you!!

In the mid-16th century the missionary Francis Xavier (1506–1552), wrote to Father Perez of Malacca (today part of Malaysia) about the perils of his mission to China. He said, The danger of all dangers would be to lose trust and confidence in the mercy of God. . . . To distrust him would be a far more terrible thing than any physical evil which all the enemies of God put together could inflict on us, for without God’s permission neither the devils nor their human ministers could hinder us in the slightest degree.

The greatest danger a missionary faces is not death but to distrust the mercy of God. If that danger is avoided, then all other dangers lose their sting.

In the end God makes every dagger a scepter in our hand. As J.W. Alexander says, “Each instant of present labor is to be graciously repaid with a million ages of glory.” Christ escaped this danger — the danger of distrusting God. Therefore God has highly exalted him! As he, so you.

Remember this Advent that Christmas is a model for missions. As I, so you. And that mission means danger. And the greatest danger is distrusting God’s mercy. Succumb to this and all is lost. Conquer here and nothing can harm you for a million ages.

Trips are being planned for 2019 now! See Gary Jenkins for more information on serving with our church planting partners in Canada in the Spring and Summer of 2019!

November 4 is the first parent/ youth meeting for our April trip to Spain! Make plans to attend at 5PM. Other Spain trips are being planned for late summer and fall. Come to Missions Planning Meeting or see Pastor Brad or Casey Cagle for info.

2

7

A FAMILY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23 9:00AM POTLUCK BREAKFAST 10:30AM COMBINED CELEBRATION

MUSIC, SPECIAL CHILDREN’S SERMON, SOMETHING FOR ALL AGES

A CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 24 @ 7PM ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING, GREAT MUSIC, JOYFUL FELLOWSHIP AND A CANDELIGHT CELEBRATION!

6

3

4

5