Occasions 1/28/24

Starling Avenue Baptist Church

Occasions This Week at SABC Sunday, January 28, 2024 10:00-10:30 a.m.—Sunday School 10:30 a.m.—Choir Rehearsal 11:00 a.m.—Worship 12:15 p.m.—Quarterly Business Meeting Tuesday, January 30, 2024 5:30-6:30 p.m.—Community Meal Wednesday, January 31, 2024 10:30 a.m.—Midweek Gathering, Conference Room 5:15 p.m.—Handbell Choir Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.—Midweek Gathering, Conference Room 7:05 p.m.—Choir Rehearsal Welcome to Starling Avenue Baptist Church!

If this is your first time visiting with us, we sincerely hope that you find meaningful worship and a loving community here. There are guest cards in the pew racks if you’d like to let us know more about yourself. Drop these into the offering plate or the basket in the back of the sanctuary. We’re happy to welcome you as our guest today!

Lay Leader, Linda Pulliam; Offertory Prayer, Jeff Franklin; Candle Lighter, Becky Nance; Greeters, Becky Nance & Shirley Simmons; Open and Close, Jeff Franklin

The Quarterly Church Business Meeting will follow today’s worship service. Lunch will not be served.

Donations will be appreciated to help SABC Bell Choir attend North Carolina’s Spring Festival in Hickory, NC in March.

We are happy to welcome back Debra Anthony, Nolan’s mom, and appreciate her contribution and worship leadership during today’s service.

The Recreation Team will be hosting a Spaghetti Lunch immediately following Church Service on February 12, 2024. We hope that you will be able to join us!

Through your generous giving to the Annual Mission Offering, the church helps fund ministries of our partners here in Martinsville and around the world. Last year’s goal of $6,500 was exceeded. This year the goal is $6,500, with the hope that it will also be exceeded!

The Annual Mission Offering runs through Pentecost Sunday, May 19. Special envelopes are located at both entrances to the church.

Mission Partners: BGAV Alma Hunt, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions, Martinsville/Henry County Warming Center, God’s Pit Crew, Karen (CBF Field Representative), and Vernie Lewis Scholarship Fund.

The CARE Group is collecting the items below for The Warming Center and would like your help. If you can help with any of the items, it would be greatly appreciated. Collection boxes will be located at both entrances.

Adult Coats (Men & Women all sizes); Warm Hats, Mittens, Gloves; Plastic utensils, paper plates, bowls, cups & napkins; Ground Coffee, coffee filters, powdered creamer & sugar; Snack Items (Nabs, Granola Bars, Vienna Sausage, Pop Tarts); Bottled Water; Cleaning Supplies (Pine-Sol & Lysol type cleaners), paper towels Remembering in Prayer: Family of Gloria Weaver, Family of Patsy Draper; Margaret Caldwell, Lonnie Yarbrough (Linda Pulliam’s niece’s husband), Kay Spencer, Donna Wells, J. G. McMillan, Regina Carter, Nancy Snyder, Freddie Donavant, Danny Joyce, Mike Spicer, Susanne Travis, Pete Mabry, Lois Johnson, Airman Cody Minter, USAF, Larry Smith (Tonie McMillan’s brother), Sharon White (Kathy Long’s sister-in-law), Myron Richardson (Richard Caldwell’s brother-in-law), Kaitlyn Smith, Kody & Kasey Redfern (niece & friends of Becky Nance), Karen Gribble & Becky Joyce (friends of Pat McKinster); Our Country; All Those Affected by War & Violence; Our Homebound Members.

Birthdays this week: Robin Jarett & Freddie Donavant. Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating! If you are having a birthday this week, let Barbara in the office know.

Dear Starling Avenue Baptist Church, Thank you for inviting me to preach and worship with you on December 31. It was a pleasure!

Also, thank you for your generous honorarium. I look forward to visiting again!

Laura Davis, CBFVA Grace Network Items for January: saltine crackers (box), toilet paper, feminine products & deodorant. Items for February: saltine crackers (box), bath soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush (individually wrapped). Items can be left in the box located outside the library on the 2nd Floor.

SCRIPTURES Psalm 111 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.

He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful.

He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.

He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever.

Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge, but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed. But when you thus sin against brothers and sisters and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never again eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Mark 1:21-28 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

STEWARDSHIP REPORT – January 21, 2024 Budget Needs, YTD: $14,237.88 Budget Offerings, YTD: $11,899.53 Budget Needs Each Sunday: $4,745.96 Budget Offerings for 01.21.24: $1,546.00

Here are current ways to continue to give to the ministry and mission of SABC: -Through USPS to 932 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112. Your offering envelopes are already self-addressed. All you need is a stamp and tape to reinforce.

-Drop off your envelopes in the locked mailbox outside of the Church Office.

-Set up an automatic or one-time bank draft through your bank. Simply go to your bank’s bill pay webpage. Set up SABC as the “payee” and have your payments automatically delivered electronically. This is simple and doesn’t cost you or the church any fees.

-Online giving available at www.starlingavenue.org. You can choose “Cover Fees” to slightly increase your gift to pay processing fees.

How to Connect to Sunday Worship & Other Gatherings If you are unable to participate in our live service, you may stream it.

To connect to Worship from your landline (audio): Call 1-844-621-3956 (toll free), Access Code: 132-630-0075## To connect to Worship from your computer, tablet, or smartphone (video): Go to the SABC Facebook page (bit.ly/FacebookSABC) or our YouTube channel (bit.ly/YouTubeSABC).

Closed Captioning is available on YouTube.

Church Office Hours Monday: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 pm Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

(276) 638-8861 -- www.starlingavenue.org Pastor: Rev. Angela Zimmerman (azimmerman@starlingavenue.org) cell phone (336) 212-3213 Office Administrator: Barbara Rakes (church@starlingavenue.org) Director of Music: Nolan Anthony (nanthony@starlingavenue.org) Interpreter for the Deaf: Joan Joyce