The
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MAGA ZI N E
VOL 2 | ISSUE 12 | DECEMBER 2018
Advent 2018
Sunday, December 2: Advent I 9:00 AM: Worship in the Chapel • 9:00 AM: Family Advent Breakfast 9:45 AM: Sunday school • 11:00 AM: Worship in the Sanctuary 7:00 PM: “Stars and Promises,” Peter Mayer in Concert Wednesday, December 5 4:45 PM: Fellowship Meal 6:30 PM: Annual Nativity Pageant Sunday, December 9: Advent 2 9:00 AM: Worship in the Chapel • 9:45 AM: Sunday School 11:00 AM: Worship in the Sanctuary Sunday, December 16: Advent 3 9:00 AM: Church-wide Christmas Breakfast • 9:45 AM: Sunday school 11:00 AM: Worship in the Sanctuary 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00PM, 8:00PM: Sanctuary Choir Christmas Concert in the Chapel Wednesday, December 19 Church-wide Caroling (Meet at 5:00 PM for dinner at Mathews in Tucker) Friday, December 21 6:00PM: Youth Christmas Progressive Supper Sunday, December 23: Advent 4 9:45 AM: Sunday school • 11:00 AM: Worship in the Sanctuary Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve Children and Families Candlelight Service at 5:00 PM • Candlelight Communion Service at 7:00 PM
Christmas Eve 5:00 PM - Children and Family Candlelight Service 7:00 PM – Candlelight Communion
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C ON N EC T W ITH U S
SM OK ER I S EB A P T IST. OR G O UR M INIST E R S
C O N T EN TS
Be c k y C a s we l l- Spei gh t Minister to Families with Children rspeight@smokerisebaptist.org 678.533.0546
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From the Pastor
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Worshiping
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Growing
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Serving
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Caring
Je r e m y C o l l i v e r Minister of Communications, Missions and Youth jcolliver@smokerisebaptist.org 678.533.0551 Ka t h y Dobbi n s Minister of Spiritual Formation kdobbins@smokerisebaptist.org 678.533.0548 Chris G e o r ge Senior Pastor cgeorge@smokerisebaptist.org 770.469.5856 Ba r t M c N i e l Associate Pastor bmcniel@smokerisebaptist.org 678.533.0540 Da nn y Va n c i l Minister of Music & Worship dvancil@smokerisebaptist.org 678.533.0560
1 0 Generosity 11
Family Ministry
1 2 Youth 1 3 Connecting 1 4 Monthly Snapshot
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Smoke Rise
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F RO M T H E PASTOR
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WO RSH IP ING
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GROWING
This year, I am going to ask you to do something difficult. It may seem almost impossible in a world that is trying to force us to fast forward to Christmas. I want to ask you to slow down. I want to ask you to wait.
The Sanctuary Choir will be presenting a Christmas concert, What Sweeter Music, on December 16 in the Chapel. Chosen as this year's venue in celebration of its recent renovations, this lovely, intimate space with its superb musical acoustics promises to be the perfect setting for this special concert.
Having read the title to this article, you may be thinking, “who needs or wants to think of waiting as connected to spiritual practice?” If anything, we would like to eliminate as much waiting as possible from our lives.
A B O UT S M O K E RIS E 5901 Hugh Howell Rd. Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Tel: 770.469.5856 Fax: 770.498.3598 Office Hours M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Smoke Rise Baptist Church is a loving and caring faith community where people come to grow spiritually, worship communally and serve faithfully. We are committed to fostering authentic relationships and engaging in meaningful ministry in our congregation, our community and around the world. We partner with others in an effort to be about God’s work. We commit to love God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We proclaim the Good News of Christ in all that we say and do.
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FRO M TH E PASTO R CH RIS G E ORGE - Senior Pastor
Christmas is coming. We are surrounded by the signs. Christmas music is in every department store. I saw the first Christmas decorations arrive this year on the shelves of Hobby Lobby in June! Many folks basically skip Thanksgiving. Black Friday has bled into Thursday. Stores once opened at 7:00 AM on Friday, now open at noon on Thursday. This year, I am going to ask you to do something difficult. It may seem almost impossible in a world that is trying to force us to fast forward to Christmas. I want to ask you to slow down. I want to ask you to wait. I am not telling you not to put up your lights or your tree. (We put ours up November 9!) You can listen to Christmas music. In fact, we hope you will come and carol on Wednesday, December 19. We are meeting at Matthew’s Cafeteria at 5:00 PM; then we will set out–children and adults, young and old, everyone is welcome--to spread some “Good Tidings of Great Joy” in our community. Long time ago, church leaders made a decision. They decided to do more than merely spread the celebration of Christmas over four weeks…They decided to create a season of waiting. They decided to set aside time to prepare hearts and minds for the coming of Christ. They called it “Advent.” In our world, this time of year, people think far more about Amazon than Advent. But, what if we do something counter cultural this year? What if we don’t get so wrapped up in choosing the right gifts, but instead invest time and energy in building real relationships? What if we write personal notes on our Christmas cards that send an important message to the recipients…You are more than merely a name on a mailing list; I care about you. Some will respond saying, “That seems like a lot of work and takes time.” Yes! Exactly! That is the gift–the time you invest. What if we decide to share experiences with friends and family instead of exchanging gift cards. Christmas is a single day that passes quickly. Advent is a season that causes us to linger. We stop to look at the lights. We pause to listen to the music. We don’t skip to the end of the story. Advent reminds us to take our time, to read the preface, and to read the prophets. Because, I am convinced, Christmas will be better if we take the scenic route to Bethlehem together. Once upon a time, people did more than just travel to make the best time. We did more than merely exist, we experienced life together. We worried about more than just the destination. We found joy in the journey. We know where we are going this year, but let’s not get in too big a hurry to get there. God invites us into the Season of Advent, encouraging us to wait during this holy season so that when Christmas day arrives, we can truly celebrate.
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WOR S H I P I N G AT SM OK E R I SE
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DA NNY VA NC IL - Minister of Music
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information, call the churchsetting musicforoffice at 770-469-5856. this special concert. With limited seating, portions of the choir will present each9 of • four performances 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, December 11:O0 AMat Worship 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. While there is no charge for admission, tickets will be required. They may be obtained from the church music December 9 •Manley, 11:O0orAM office, on Sundays and Wednesdays in the upper and lower breezeways from MaryLynn at theWorship Welcome Center reception desk. Tickets will be limited to four per person. Childcare will be provided at the 4:00 and 6:00 PM performances only. Plan to be a The Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE part of this unique celebration of the season. For more information, call the church music office at 770-469-5856.
December 9 • 11:O0 AM Worship The Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE The Second Sunday of Advent: The Children Choristers willPEACE debut the anth The Children Choristers will debut the anthem The Children Choristers will debut the anthem December 9 • 11:O0 AM Worship The Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE The Children Choristers will debut the anthem
For the season of you invited to enjoy beautiful nativity scene located ForAdvent, the season of are Advent, you are invited the to enjoy the beautiful nativity scene located in the breezeway alcove between breezeway the is narthex. in the alcove between the upper andthe theupper narthex. This and scene from the This scene is you from the Fontanini collection. pieces have been donated For the season of Advent, are invited toAdvent, enjoy theThese beautiful For the seasonbeen of you are invited tonativity enjoy the beautiful nativity Fontanini collection. These pieces have donated by Saralyn and George Jaleel and For the season of Advent, you invited to enjoy the beautiful nativity sceneare located in theMary alcove between the upper breezeway and the narthex. by Saralyn and George Jaleel and Ann Niermann to honor or scene located in the alcove between the upper breezeway and the narthex. Mary Ann Niermann to honor orscene memorialize the following members of our Smoke ismembers from the Fontanini collection. These pieces been donated memorialize the This following of pieces ourbreezeway Smoke congregation. scene located in the the Fontanini alcove between the upper and thehave narthex. Thiscongregation. scene is from collection. These haveRise been donated Rise by Saralyn and George Jaleel and Mary Ann Niermann to honor or The Holy Family figures areAnn in memory of Jerito Pike, in honor Rev. John by Saralyn George and Mary Niermann honor or This sceneand is from theJaleel Fontanini collection. These pieces been donated memorialize the following members of and, ourhave Smoke Rise of congregation. and Jayne Owens. The Angel is in honor of Betty Freeman. We remember memorialize the George followingJaleel members ourfigures Smoke Rise congregation. by Saralyn and and Mary Niermann tohonor honor or The Holy of Family are in memory Jeri Pike,of and, in honor of Rev. John The Holy Family figures are inand memory of Ann Jeriservice, Pike, and, inof Rev. John these members their Owens. devotion, love and generosity to God and and and Jayne The Angel is in honor of Betty Freeman. We remember memorialize the following members of our Smoke Rise congregation. The Holy Family figures are in memory of Jeri Pike, and, in honor of Rev. John Jayne Owens. The Angel in these honor of Betty Freeman. remember these members Smoke RiseisBaptist Church. members and their devotion,We service, love and generosity to God and and Jayne Owens. The Angel is in honor of Betty Freeman. We remember Smoke Risegenerosity Baptist and service, love toPike, God and Smoke Rise Baptist Church. Thetheir Holydevotion, Family figures inand memory ofChurch. Jeri in honor ofplease Rev. John If you wish toare honor someone with additions toand, this exquisite set, these memberscontact and their devotion, service, love and generosity totoGod and set, please If you wish to honor someone with additions this exquisite the church music office at 770-469-5856 for information. and Jayne Owens. The Angel is in honor of Betty Freeman. We remember Smoke Rise Baptist Church. contact the church music office at 770-469-5856 for information. Ifthese you wish to honor someone with additions tolove thisby exquisite set,toplease contact Thisand special nativity display will be enjoyed generations come. members their devotion, service, and generosity to God and the This special nativity to display will be enjoyed by please generations to come. If you wish to honor someone with additions this exquisite set, church office atChurch. 770-469-5856 for information. Smokemusic Rise Baptist contact the church music office at 770-469-5856 for information.
IfThis you wish nativity to honor someone with additions to this exquisite set, please special to to come. This special nativity display displaywill willbebeenjoyed enjoyedbybygenerations generations come. contact the church music office at 770-469-5856 for information. This special nativity display will be enjoyed by generations to come.
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GROWING AT S M O KE R I SE K ATHY DOB BIN S - Minister of Spiritual Formation The Spirituality of Waiting By Kathy Dobbins Having read the title to this article you may be thinking, “who needs or wants to think of waiting as connected to spiritual practice?” If anything, we would like to eliminate as much waiting as possible from our lives. I invite you to give consideration to the idea that waiting is not always negative but may be a spiritual teacher. We are all impatient people. We get tense or irritable waiting in lines, waiting on hold, waiting in traffic, etc. Some waiting produces worry and fear such as waiting on test results, waiting on a job offer or news about a loved one. Has worry or fear ever taught us anything useful? Jesus said, “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?" (Matthew 6:27) We are entering in to the season of Advent – the season of waiting. The Dutch priest Henri Nowen notes that all the figures which appear on the first pages of Luke’s Gospel are waiting: Zachariah and Elizabeth, Mary, and Simeon. “The whole opening scene of the Good News is filled with waiting people. And right at the beginning all those people in some way or another hear the words, ‘Do not be afraid.'” He points out that waiting is open-ended. Of course, that is the hard part of waiting. Nowen says that “to wait open-endedly is an enormously radical attitude toward life.” It is to give up control of what will happen in the future and let God lead the way ahead. Waiting is a spiritual practice when we make the decision to wait with patience and faith – when we can stop, reassess and demonstrate grace and kindness while in the midst of our circumstances. When Mary received the words of promise from the angel of God, she went to Elizabeth who was also experiencing a promise. These two women waited together. Nowen says that this is the model of the Christian community. A community of support in which we can lift up what has already begun in us. Let us cling to hope as we wait. This is the hope of Advent.
Ladies on Retreat Fall finally arrived for the 21 ladies that spent an October weekend in Toccoa, GA. We were inspired by Darlene Swanson’s presentation of “A Women’s Worth” and renewed by the connections we formed during these days. The bonds that women form and the experience they share make these experiences a blessing. And . . . we affirm that you never get too old to enjoy a campfire and smores! 7 | SMOKE RIS E BAPT IST.ORG
Advent Devotional Guides The Season of Advent begins Sunday, December 2, and continues through December 24. This year we are using the Lectionary scripture texts to guide us devotionally. There are four scriptures featured each week: One from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a New Testament Epistle, and a Gospel reading. The ministry staff have each taken a week of these readings and written a devotional guide for each day of that week. We pray that these four weeks of Advent will bring us deeper into the mystery of Christ and closer in community with each other. The printed guides will be available to pick up beginning November 18 in the upper and lower breezeways. You can also receive the daily reading through our SRBC Facebook posts. To receive the posts, go to the Smoke Rise Baptist Church page and click “like” at the top.
SE RVIN G ON M I SSI ON Give More Store – December 2 The Give More Store will be in the downstairs Breezeway on Sunday, December 2, 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM, 6:00 – 7:00 PM prior to the Peter Mayer Concert in the upstairs Breezeway, and for one hour following the concert. This is your chance to buy Christmas gifts and give gifts that help someone else. Cash, checks, or credit cards will be accepted. For more details, please contact Lucy DeForest at 770-789-6005 or lucydeforest@yahoo.com. Have You Given to AWMO? Mission Sunday has ended, but the 5th Annual World Mission Offering has just begun. By reaching a goal of $40,000, we will support the One Egg project in Honduras ($5,200), Tijuana Pastor’s home purchase fund ($5,000), NETWorks’ refrigerator/freezer fund ($5,000), Edgewood Church building renovation fund ($2,000), Friends of Refugees’ Embrace Program ($7,000), and Family Heritage Foundation’s Youth Tutoring Program ($3,000). Please make and complete your pledges and gifts for the AWMO by March 31, 2019. These gifts should be above your regular budget giving.
Honduras Mission Trip March 2-9, 2019 Please contact Jeremy, Page, Glenn or Pat in the Missions Office to let them know that you will be a member of the Honduras Mission Trip Team. This trip will broaden your mission vision and you will be glad you went.
Thanksgiving Baskets We packed 150 baskets! These baskets will be distributed to local families through Lilburn Co-op and NETWorks. We would like to thank you all for all your contributions on making this happen. These baskets don't fill themselves. We would also like to thank the Academy of the Arts and Smoke Rise Weekday School for helping us collect the food.
Men’s Winter Clothing Needed in NYC Metro Baptist Church in New York has a Winter Clothing Closet for homeless men. They have had unusual response and are out of clothes. Please bring the following used men’s clothing (larger sizes) and place in the container outside the Missions Office: jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters, long sleeved shirts, pants, gloves, scarves, and hats. Thank you for your generosity to our New York Partnership.
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CARIN G AT S M O KE R I SE BART McN IE L - Associate Pastor Magnifying our Compassion through Listening Prayer For followers of Jesus, listening is a spiritual discipline born of prayer and practice. It is the nature of guilt, fear and judgment to suppress our best spiritual instincts. These harmful sentiments work singularly and in concert to create unhealthy noise in our lives. When we allow their bitter cacophony to swell in us, we will always struggle to understand and respond to others as Jesus taught us. When we embrace listening as a spiritual practice, we are better equipped to decipher the feelings and attitudes that suppress our capacity for compassion. In our fast-paced world it can be difficult to turn off the noise. Jesus critiqued the prayers of people who only speak to God when they know others are listening. Jesus instructs us to first make our petitions to God in private when no other people can see or hear us. Being alone takes patience and practice. It is a commitment we make to rise early, to pause before we lie down, to check out so that we can check in, to shut down so that we can open up. The practice of being alone and listening for an intentional period of time can be a powerful beginning to prayer. In the Book of Acts, Paul affirmed the idea that God’s presence is pervasive. Even when we are not aware of God, Paul was convinced that in God we all “live, and move and have our being.” Listening to God begins with awareness, and we expand our awareness of God’s pervasive presence when we make intentional time to listen. When we “hear” God speaking, it is a hearing we experience in our inner being and not an audible lecture. A popular story of Elijah tells of an encounter with God where Elijah heard a “still small voice.” Scholars have suggested a more nuanced translation of the original Hebrew where Elijah doesn’t actually hear a whispering voice, but instead experiences the “sound of sheer silence” before God speaks to him in his innermost being. God’s presence heals us in the sheer silence. When we listen for God’s still small voice, we are listening with ears and minds of faith. As we listen in prayer, we may discover words to describe some lesson or new understanding of God in the wake of the silence, but it is God’s presence with us that sustains and heals us. When we spend time alone in silence before God, we learn to forgive ourselves as God forgives us, and to do the same for others. When we take time to listen well and experience God’s healing presence in our lives, our capacity for compassion towards others grows.
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CARD MINISTRY Sending personal cards to encourage and brighten the day VISITATION Visiting members with smiles, prayers and personal touch GRIEF SUPPORT Supporting others after the loss of a loved one CAREGIVER SUPPORT Supporting caregivers for people suffering with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia NANCY’S HEART STITCHERS Sharing the warmth of Christian love with handmade quilts and blankets Contact Rev. Bart McNiel to volunteer to serve on a TouchPoint team.
GENEROS I T Y It was the week before Thanksgiving, and even though some of the activity around the church that day was unique to the season, the experience was typical of the diverse sights and sounds you might encounter at Smoke Rise on any given day throughout the year. Folks were coming in with arms loaded full of food for Thanksgiving baskets. Others were stopping by to leave coats for one of our mission partners in New York City. Little pilgrims filed by in a line on their way to a feast. Our support staff was busy making sure our church building was ready to receive all of us. Our ministry staff was ministering to church members and to others in our surrounding community. The aroma of turkey filtered through the air from the church kitchen where Lou and the hard-working kitchen crew were preparing for members to join together for food, fellowship, and holiday basket stuffing. The Stewardship Committee is so thankful for a church family that does so much for so many. The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful family of believers who put their faith into action. We have been given such a precious gift in Smoke Rise Baptist Church, and it is our responsibility to take care of this place, our members, our staff, and our community. We are blessed at Smoke Rise that our members freely give their time and talents. Our many volunteers and workers truly lead from the heart. Although some leadership is naturally more visible, we are equally blessed to have so many who quietly go about their tasks without notice or fanfare. And yet, no matter how we give, we are united in our commitment to do so with open and loving hearts. The End-of-the-year stewardship emphasis is “What Can I Give Him?” The beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti that was later set to a hymn ends with this verse: What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part; Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart. As we approach the end of the year, remember that it takes all our financial contributions to keep the work of our church going each day. Our end-of-year giving goal between November 18 and December 31 is $450,000. Consider what you have given? Have you done your part? We are commanded to give back to God out of the blessings given to us. Let’s do our part this year and give from our hearts. With love and thanksgiving to all, Kathy Goodenow, Chairperson Stewardship Committee
MONTH OF OCTOBER Amount Given $154,591.61
Amount Spent $172,965.03
Negative Balance ($18,373.42)
REFRESH REPORT Pledged $1,346,104.00
Received Current Balance $1,019,082.76 $249,396.51
FISCAL YEAR-TO-DATE (APRIL 1, 2018 - OCTOBER 31, 2018)
Amount Given $1,189,435.15
Amount Spent $1,248,611.10
Negative Balance ($59,175.95)
NEXT PROJECT Office Renovation
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FAM ILY MI N I ST RY AT SM OK E R I SE Let me tell you about one of my special friends at church. Her name is Alice McLendon. Her smile can light up a room. She reminds me so much of one of my granddaughters at Alice's age. My granddaughter doesn't live close so I love getting Alice hugs. We may be at church or out somewhere, like Eagles Landing, and I know I'll get an Alice hug. Alice has a very good sense of humor, and her parents love to record that with her very own twitter feed. They have been capturing this since she was one. She loves cute clothes, playing dress up, and especially bows for her hair. Her favorite food is “sketti� with meat sauce. She likes Sprite but doesn't get it as much as she would like. She is hosting her kindergarten class's gerbils for the summer. Summer lets her go barefoot, which she loves. She is on the swim team and also enjoys ballet and gymnastics. She loves writing and singing in choir. She was an angel in the Christmas story at church. Alice has a cat named Rachel Parker. She is a connoisseur of tomatoes. She can tell the best ones. She makes sure her mom gets plenty for her on Wednesday nights. Alice shares the same birthday as her grandfather, Allen, for whom she was named. When you see Alice, you need to get her to smile for you. Not only is it a sweet, happy smile, but with no front teeth it is extra special. Have I mentioned that her smile lights up a room? I love getting smiles and hugs from this precious girl. -- Ms. Lou
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YOUTH AT S M O KE R I SE J E R E MY C OLLI V ER - Minister of Communications, Missions and Youth
“Life is Good” is a popular brand and campaign with a stick man in various sporting and leisure scenarios. The problem with this campaign is that life isn’t always good. Life isn’t always good, but we can live a VEMBER 9TH - 11TH good life. When we walk in theN Ofootsteps of Jesus, we live a good life. When we follow The Beatitudes, we live a good life and help others live a good life as well. During DNOW weekend, we not only talked about what it meant to have a good life, we lived it out. We worshipped together Friday and Saturday night. We had Bible study throughout the weekend. Saturday morning we served in Clarkston, packed containers of hot chocolate for the Thanksgiving baskets, created cards for our Touchpoint members, and sorted and counted canned food items. And, we stayed up late telling stories and laughing. As we walk back into our schools, we’re recommitted to living the good life and helping others live the good life as well.
YOUTH PROGRESSIVE DINNER DECEMBER 21ST 6 - 9 PM 1 2 | S MOKE RIS E BAPT IST.ORG
Join us June 23rd - 28th in Greensboro, NC at Passport Choices! This is a great week for our students to worship with peers, be challenged in Bible study, learn more about how to use their gifts, and have a whole lot of fun! The total cost is $400 but you can reserve your spot now with a $75 non-refundable deposit. You can pay to Jeremy or Monica, or you can pay your deposit online here: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/passportchoices-tickets-52058315824
CONNEC T I N G AT SMOK E R I SE On October 28, Smoke Rise hosted a reception of the Atlanta Metro Baptist Association in honor of Rev. Joel Harrison on the occasion of his retirement after 39 years of service as the Associational Missionary and Executive Director of AMBA. Joel was ordained to Gospel Ministry at Columbia Drive Baptist Church in Decatur at request of First Baptist Church Chickamauga, Georgia in 1973. Joel and his wife, Georgianne, have been members of Smoke Rise Baptist Church since 1979, and Joel also served as part-time staff at Smoke Rise when Dr. Truett Gannon was Senior Pastor. Joel and Georgianne were joined at the reception by their daughter Andrea, her husband Evan and granddaughter McKenzie Vitch, and by their son David, his wife Vivian and granddaughters Lily and Ella. AMBA leadership and association members, as well as Smoke Rise church family and staff were in attendance. Lou Tankersley and kitchen staff prepared colorful and tasty tables of goodies for guests who gathered for fellowship. Over his nearly four decades of service, Joel helped congregational leaders navigate an array of challenges across a changing Atlanta mission field. During his service, Joel led AMBA to be a “Baptist Association” and not just a Southern Baptist Association. Joel’s leadership made it possible for African-American churches to join AMBA and still maintain their unique heritage, identity, denominational connectivity, and other associations.
Guests in attendance included Joan Johnson of Greenforest Community Baptist Church, who Joel undergirded, advised and resourced in her effort to teach African-American churches in AMBA how to use Sunday School as a community transforming and empowering force. Under Johnson’s leadership as Sunday School Director at Greenforest, Sunday School attendance grew from 20 to 3000. And in the wake of this success, she was sought after all over Georgia. Matt Stacy, church starter and pastor of a new urban community church, Tapestry, also highlighted Joel Harrison’s commitment to gospel ministry that meets people where they are and without judgment. When Stacy was looking for guidance on how to pastor congregations with increasing cultural and social diversity, Stacy recounted Joel’s simple and wise advice: “As a pastor called to serve all people, you should avoid taking positions and hard lines that take away from your ability to form and be in relationships with people in your community.” Joel and Georgianne continue to be part of our church family as members of the Pairs and Spares Sunday School class and as newly elected deacons. Joel also serves as our Smoke Rise congregational leader for the Park Springs Satellite worship service, helping to coordinate volunteers and providing kind and caring support to members and friends in Christ who meet together to worship with us from a short distance away each Sunday at 11:00 AM. Congratulations to Joel on 39 years of faithful leadership among Atlanta Baptists. As you officially retire from AMBA later this month, your church family gives thanks and prays for God’s continued blessing on you and your family. We are grateful for your fellowship and service among us. 13 | SMOKE RIS E BAPT IST.ORG
MO N THLY S N A P S HOT
TH A NKS N KS G I V VIN THA IN G AT S M OKE RIS E
WEE KLY S C H E DUL E
SUN DAY SCHO O L PA RTI ES
Sunday 9:00 AM - Worship in the Chapel 9:45 AM - Sunday school for all ages 11:00 AM - Worship in the Sanctuary 4:00 PM - Liturgical Dance 5:00 PM - Youth Choir 5:45 PM - Youth Dinner 6:00 PM - Youth Vespers Wednesday 4:45 PM - Dinner in the Fellowship Hall 6:00 PM - Journeys, Children's Activities, Youth in the basement 7:00 PM - Sanctuary Choir
December 2 Berean Sunday School Class during the Sunday School hour December 2 Pairs and Spares Sunday School Class after 11:00 AM worship in the Fellowship Hall December 4 Agape and Koinonia Classes 12:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall December 8 Discovery Class Party 6:00 PM at the home of Joel and Susan Gilbert December 8 Faith Sunday School Class Dinner at Imperial Chinese Gardens and the the home of Sally and Gene Slaton December 11 The Seekers Class Party 5:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall December 14 The Friendship Class 5:30 PM in Room 223
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Rediscovering the Bible
Wednesdays at 6 pm in Fellowship HallYouth Choir Rediscovering the Bible: The Pauline Epistles
Winter Retreat
Last Fall, Pastor Chris and Bart began a study through the New Testament beginning with the Dogwood Lodge Camp and Retreat Center gospels. During these 14 weeks, they continue with theChurch letters of Paul. Begins January 9
Chattanooga, Tennessee January 18 – 20
Dogwood Center is property First Baptist Church of Chattanooga.
Youth Choir Youth Choir
Winter Retreat Winter Retreat Youth Choir
Winter Retreat
Dogwood Lodge Church Camp and Retreat Center Tennessee Dogwood Lodge Chattanooga, Church Camp and Retreat – 20and Retreat Center Dogwood LodgeJanuary Church 18 Camp Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga, Tennessee Dogwood Center is property First Baptist Church of Chattanooga. January 18 – 20
Center
January 18 – 20
Dogwood Center is property First Baptist Church of Chattanooga.
Dogwood Center is property First Baptist Church of Chattanoo
Sundays in January January 6, 2019 Epiphany Sunday “Reactions to a Newborn” Matthew 2:1-12 January 13, 2019 The Baptism of Our Lord “The Ripple Effect” Luke 3:15-17, 21-23a January 20, 2019 Second Sunday after Epiphany “I’ll Be the Big Toe” 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-7, 12, 1618, 26-27 January 27, 2019 Martha Sterns Marshal Day Elizabeth (Ebby) Arnold SRBC Member and PhD. Candidate, Emory University
Church-wide Christmas Caroling
Wednesday, December 19th Meet at Matthews Cafeteria at 5:00 PM for dinner
Church-wide Christmas Caroling Wednesday, December 19th Meet at Matthews Cafeteria at 5:00 PM for dinner
Christmastide
Sunday, December 30th 9:45 AM: Sunday School 11:00 AM: Worship Rev. Jeremy Colliver Preaching
Choir: Hallelujah Chorus Address Correction Requested