Occasions 12/3/23

Starling Avenue Baptist Church

Occasions This Week at SABC Sunday, December 3, 2023 10:00-10:30 a.m.—Sunday School 10:30 a.m.—Choir Rehearsal 11:00 a.m.—Worship Tuesday, December 5, 2023 6:00 p.m.—Deacon Meeting Wednesday, December 6, 2023 10:30 a.m.—Midweek Gathering 5:15 p.m.—Handbell Choir 6:00 p.m.—Midweek Gathering 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, Patsy Roach; Offertory Prayer, Tommy Wells; Greeters, Donna Wells & Susan Franklin; Open and Close, Tommy Wells

Advent begins today! Advent means “coming,” and together we are waiting for Christ to come on Christmas and to come again.

Hanging of the Greens will be tonight, Sunday, December 3, at 5:30 p.m. Following this service, we’ll have refreshments in the fellowship hall. Please bring finger foods, and if possible, please have them on serving plates. Thanks.

The Annual Mission Offering begins today. Through your generous giving we help fund ministries of our partners here in Martinsville and around the world. The AMO runs through Pentecost Sunday. Special envelopes are located at both entrances to the church.

You are invited for cookies & punch at the Zimmerman’s Open House on Sunday, December 17, from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

213 Oakdale St., Martinsville, VA

A Love Offering for Local Benevolence will be taken by a deacon at the exit of the sanctuary after the Worship Service.

The Activity Department of Mulberry Creek Nursing & Rehab Center is asking for help to make Christmas a happy memory for their residents. Each year they set up a Christmas store and allow their residents to shop with $5.00 Mulberry Creek Bucks to purchase five gifts for their family, friends or themselves. The community is asked to donate items for this store.

Examples include lotion, shampoo, body wash (full size bottles), blankets, Word Search books (large & regular print), diabetic socks, hulless popcorn, cheese puffs, candy bars, Little Debbie cakes, etc. Items should be brought to the church by Sunday, December 10.

Boxes are located at both entrances to the church.

Begin your Christmas Season by visiting the church library and checking out holiday books, movies and puzzles.

Remembering in Prayer: Geneva Winn, Helen Moore (Carol Merchant’s aunt), Nancy Snyder, Freddie Donavant, Reed Finley, Danny Joyce, Mike Spicer, J. G. McMillan, Susanne Travis, Pete Mabry, Lois Johnson, Airman Cody Minter, USAF, Myron Richardson (Richard Caldwell’s brother-in-law, Lauren Werner (Linda Pulliam’s granddaughter), Dana Sharon (Shirley Simmons’ daughter), 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: Emma Barrow. Happy birthday to Emma! If you are having a birthday this week, please let Barbara in the church office know.

Gift Given in Memory of Clarence Stegall by Shirley Stegall Grace Network Items for December: boxed dinners (Hamburger Helper), dish detergent, deodorant & laundry detergent. Items can be left in the box located outside the library on the 2nd Floor.

From Our Chrismon Tree

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and will make a path for his steps.

Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight,’ ” so John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

STEWARDSHIP REPORT – November 26, 2023 Budget Needs, YTD: $222,029.76 Budget Offerings, YTD: $210,340.46 Budget Needs Each Sunday: $4,625.62 Budget Offerings for 11.26.23: $2,396.00

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