THE
INFORMER
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SHELBY, NC DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 42, NO. 12
Advent 2021 at F irst Baptist Church “Is Your Heart Prepared for a King?”
First Sunday in Advent, November 28 -- Wait Second Sunday in Advent, December 5 -- Watch Third Sunday in Advent, December 12 -- Musical Worship Sunday Fourth Sunday in Advent, December 19 -- Pray Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Service, December 24 Two Services to Allow for Social Distancing
4 p.m. & 6 p.m. (Preludes Begin 10 Minutes prior to service)
(We will not have child care during the service -- children of all ages are welcome) First Sunday after Christmas, December 26 -- Oh Worship the King!
“Advent” comes from a Latin word meaning “coming” and it is the initial season on the Christian calendar set aside to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus in his birth on Christmas day.
December Calendar Wednesday, December 1 First Deadline for Angel Tree Gifts 7 p.m. Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Second Sunday of Advent, December 5 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship in the Sanctuary 10:45 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 11 a.m. Spectrum Cable Channel 9 Broadcast (previous week’s service) Monday, December 6 7 a.m. Depart for Boone Operation Christmas Child Trip Tuesday, December 7 2 p.m. Blood Drive in the Gym Wednesday, December 8 7 p.m. Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Third Sunday of Advent, December 12 Second Angel Tree Deadline 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship in the Sanctuary 10:45 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 11 a.m. Spectrum Cable Channel 9 Broadcast (previous week’s service) Wednesday, December 15 6 p.m. “Possible” Steak Dinner in the Gym 7 p.m. Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 19 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship in the Sanctuary 10:45 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 11 a.m. Spectrum Cable Channel 9 Broadcast (previous week’s service) Friday, December 24 4 p.m. Christmas Even Candlelight and Communion Service #1 6 p.m. Christmas Even Candlelight and Communion Service #2 Christmas Holiday -- Church Office Closed Saturday, December 25 Merry Christmas Sunday, December 26 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship in the Sanctuary 10:45 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 11 a.m. Spectrum Cable Channel 9 Broadcast (previous week’s service)
STAY TUNED!
Christmas Steak Dinner -- "PROPOSED" Wednesday, December 15 Decision Day, December 1 Everyone pay attention in early December for a decision about a steak dinner this Christmas. Our Pandemic Task Force has been monitoring the positivity rate of coronavirus in our county. Thankfully, the rate has been gradually dropping. On December 1, we will decide if the rate has fallen to within the range that indicates the end of "community spread." If so, we will announce that we are "ON" with the steak dinner and begin to take reservations! So, STAY TUNED!!
Christmas Poinsettas
If you would like to provide a poinsettia for our Sanctuary during the Advent Season, please fill out this form and bring the money to the church office, send it in, or place it in the offering box on Sunday. The Poinsettia’s will be $12.50 each this year. Thank you for helping us decorate the Sanctuary for the Advent Season!
Name:_________________________________ Phone:___________________________________ Purchase (number):_______________ poinsettias And/or make a donation to the Christmas Offering for Missions $___________________. In Memory of:____________________________
Monday-Tuesday, December 27-28 Christmas Holiday -- Church Office Closed
________________________________________
Friday, December 31 New Year’s Holiday -- Church Office Closed
________________________________________
In Honor of:______________________________ 2
Financial Snapshot
30 September 21 2021 (75% of the Year) FBC Financial Snapshot – 31 October 21 the year FBC Budget YTD FBC Receipts YTD Behind the Budget
83.33% of
$1,101,540.80 (83.33%) $ 843,163.02 (64%) $ -258,377.78
FBC Receipts YTD FBC Expenses YTD
$843,163.02 (64%) $891,555.53 (67%)
Deficit for Sept YTD
$ -48,392.51
Oct ’21 YTD O’Plate Oct ’20 YTD O’Plate Behind Last Year
$ 799,979.10 $ 909,155.86 $ -109,176.76
INC/DEC
December Nursery Volunteers During Worship and Sunday School
5 - Jane Blake & Laci Frye 12 - Becky Allen & Sara Tidwell 19 - Jody Wilkins & Beverly Weaver 26 - Mary Lu Spake & Pam Harris
Weekday Ministries – 31 October 21 83.33% of the year WDM Budget YTD $575,732.50 (83.33%) WDM Income YTD $622,137.48 (85%) * WDM Expenses YTD $550,512.23 (69%) Surplus for OCT YTD $ 71,625.2 *$12,873.52 in Grant Received in October
Thank you for giving 108+ shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child this year!
Staff Anniversary
Jeri Ledford, Organist December 19, 1982
Eric Lopp, Audio Specialist December 1, 2018
Dan Phillips, Custodian December 4, 2014
3
Community - Compassion - Service Feed the Hungry Christmas Bags Sunday School Classes Requested to Bring in Items!
This year our Sunday School classes are asked to bring in items to help those who attend the Feed the Hungry Friday lunch around Christmastime. These bags will be assembled in early December so we need classes to bring in their assigned items by Sunday, December 5. Thanks for planning to be a blessing to our neighbors!
A Grateful Heart!
Our Weekday Ministries Classes collected goodies for a goody-basket to encourage the Palliative Care Team at Atrium Hospital -- Cleveland. The Palliative Care staff wrote back saying: "Thank you so much for the snacks and encouragement! We appreciate all you do to keep children safe everyday"....."Thank you all for the wonderful surprise of art work and snacks! You have brought us sunshine"..."Thank you!"
Angel Tree in the Welcome Center!
Thanks so much for taking an Angel from the Angel Tree in the Welcome Center and returning the gifts UNWRAPPED by the date indicated on the angel. This year, we are working with the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association’s Toy Store, Marion Elementary School and our Weekday Ministries. The toys for the GCCBA Toy Store are due by December 1. These toys will help parents care for their children as volunteers share the good news of Jesus with those who come to "shop." The toys for Marion School will help the administration address specific goals for year's end. These are the gold angels and they are due by December 12. Thanks for stopping by the tree and helping make a child's Christmas!
Week of Prayer for International Missions November 28 - December 5
During the Week of Prayer for International Missions please plan to look at Facebook each day for a prayer guide and encouragement for your prayers as we remember the work of our missionaries and seek God's direction in giving to the FBC Christmas Offering for Missions featuring the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Offering for Global Missions. Parents, watch, too, the FBC Kids Facebook page for videos and activities you can use to encourage your children to pray for the work of the Gospel around the world!
Greatest Treat Festival 2021 Report
Thanks to everyone who served at this year's Greatest Treat Festival at Shelby City Park on October 31. We were able to interact with nearly 3000 people who were in attendance as we shared the message, "You Matter to Jesus!" Thanks to Jennifer Burnette, Becky Allen, Pam Harris and Jene Baxter for heading up our preparation team. We were thankful for more than 40 members of our church who worked together with the team of 20 young adults from FBC Orlando who served alongside us for the weekend.
5
In the Youth Corner Hey church family, my name is Artur Hofer, and I am the new Interim Youth Pastor if you have not heard. For those of you who do not know I was adopted from Russia and moved to Shelby, NC in 1998. I first came to FBC Shelby and attended with my family until 2005 when Artur Hofer we moved to Boiling Springs, SC. I found my way back to Cleveland County in 2016 when I started as a freshman at Gardner-Webb University. I majored in Youth Discipleship and graduated in 2020. I started divinity school at Gardner-Webb in August of 2020 and I am currently in my second year studying Pastoral Care and Counseling. I am so excited to be back at FBC Shelby and feel God’s calling on my life to be here. I think this is such an amazing story that God has ordained. I look back on my life and am blown away at how He has worked in my life to get me to where I am today. I look forward to serving alongside Pastor Doug, Pastor Tony, and the rest of FBC to bring the church and community the love and care that is to be expected. I cannot wait to jump in and start serving the youth and their families in the coming weeks to work towards a youth ministry that is passionate about discipleship, hungry for truth of the Word, and excited to share with others. I will build this ministry with relationships in mind, I want each student, volunteer, and parent to feel that I am available and willing to listen, talk, and be with anyone who needs it. I want to show up for the students and their families, so they feel that I am one extra person in their corner always. I know that God has great plans in store for this church and the youth. I am excited to share some ideas and activities I have in store. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you in the near future!
The Youth helped to pack shoeboxes at Pastor Doug’s house! It’s always great to spread Good News and Great Joy, with a lot of fun mixed in!
The Christian Calendar! What?
Have you ever wondered what is meant by "the Christian calendar" or "the Christian year?" The concept is inspired by the Hebrew scriptures in the Bible. You will recall how the Hebrew calendar, a lunar calendar, follows the special holy days which mark the year and which are repeated annually: Rosh Hashanah (the "head" of the year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Feast of Tabernacles (remembering the wilderness), Purim (the defeat of the plot to destroy the Jews of Esther’s time), Passover (deliverance from Egypt), Feast of Weeks (also called Pentecost, remembering the giving of the Law on Mt Sinai). As the Hebrew people follow this calendar each year they remember and celebrate God's work in their lives. Likewise, the Christian calendar was designed as an annual reminder of the work of God in the lives of Christ Followers by recalling these seasons: Advent (the prophetic anticipation of the coming of Jesus), Christmas (the birth of Jesus), Epiphany (remembers the magi's witness of the manifestation of the star to the entire world), first Ordinary time remembers the ministry of Jesus leading to the season of Lent (which means "springtime" and is a 40 day time to prepare for the resurrection life by way of repentance), Palm Sunday (Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem), Maundy Thursday (which means "command," viz. Jesus' command to love one another when washing the disciples' feet), Good Friday (the day of Jesus' crucifixion), Easter Sunday (resurrection celebration), Pentecost (remembering the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2), second Ordinary time which emphasizes the life of the church in the world, and then the culmination of the year on Christ the King Sunday (last Sunday before Advent) which looks forward to Jesus' eternal reign in a new heaven and new earth. The Christian year is an annual discipline that remembers the life of Jesus in the New Testament and his life in us today!
Pastor’s Corner Doug Hankins Christmas time is here Families drawing near Oh, that we could always see Such spirit through the year
One of my favorite Christmas songs is the tune called, "Christmas Time Is Here," written by Lee Mendelson and composed by Vince Guaraldi for the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas. The last verse turns hopeful and longs for what Christmas could possibly accomplish -- to become a catalyst for Christ-centeredness year round. It poses a main question for us to consider: What if we could see the same spirit of Christmas time all year? For fun, think with me on this: • What if we could could be generous and gift giving year round? • What if we could gather as friends and family over warm meals year round? • What if we could sing songs to one another year round? • What if we could consider the needs of the poor, orphans, and widows year round? • What if we could have expectant energy in worship services year round? • What if we could throw parties in our groups and classes year round? • What if we could love our families year round? • What if we could make room in our lives for our single friends year round? • What if? I partially love Christmas for this type of vision. I love the way the church behaves at Christmas. And I would love to be a part of a local church that practices this vision of Christianity year round. What about you? What would it be like if you practiced this type of Christianity year round? What adjustments would you have to make to be this generous, this communal, this celebratory, this compassionate? The good news about Jesus is that the only thing we need to have a great Christmas is the same thing we need to experience this type of Christianity year round: Jesus at the center of it all.
The INFORMER (USPS 581-520) Published Monthly First Baptist Church 120 North Lafayette Street Shelby, NC 28150-4456 Second Class Postage Paid At Shelby, NC 28150 Postmaster: Send address changes to The INFORMER 120 N. Lafayette Street, Shelby, NC 28150
120 North Lafayette St. Shelby, NC 28150
STAFF DIRECTORY Doug Hankins, Lead Pastor...............................................................................doug@fbcshelby.org Tony Tench, Executive Connections Pastor..........................................................tony@fbcshelby.org Penny Corn, Weekday Ministry Director........................................................childcare@fbcshelby.org Donna Dryden, Financial Coordinator.............................................................finance@fbcshelby.org Jene’ Baxter, Operations Coordinator.........................................................operations@fbcshelby.org Bruce Boyles, Chairman of Deacons..............................................................deacons@fbcshelby.org Eric Johnson, Interim Director of Music................................................................eric@fbcshelby.org Artur Hofer, Interim Minister of Youth................................................................artur@fbcshelby.org
CHURCH INFORMATION Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Check out our website and blog: www.fbcshelby.org Wi-fi Password: FBCS-120NLaf
120 N Lafayette St, Shelby, NC 28150 (p) 704.482.3467 (f) 704.482.1137
Find us on Facebook and Twitter! @FBC_Shelby_NC
Remember, you can make your plans to give financially to the church online by going to the church website (www.fbcshelby. org) and clicking on this symbol at the bottom of the page or click on “Giving” at the top right corner of the homepage.