Winn’s Messenger Published for Members and Friends of Winn’s Baptist Church 12320 Winn’s Church Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059 Phone: (804) 798.5512 ● Fax: (804) 752.2401 ● Web: www.winnsbc.org
December 2012
The Set Apart Student Worship Team, Winn’s Sanctuary Choir and Musicians invite you to join them this Christmas Season as they present the musical,
“The Hope of Christmas” Share the Light Created by Phil Barfoot Arranged and Orchestrated by Dave Williamson
Saturday, December 15th @ 3:30pm Sunday, December 16th @ 6:00 pm FREE tickets will be available at the Welcome Center beginning Sunday, November 25th
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 5pm
Dear Church Family, As another year draws towards a close, I am grateful that we end each year with a season of giving thanks and then a celebration of the birth of our Savior. As we give thanks towards the end of November, we are reminded of all that we do have, in spite of our awareness of what we never had, or lost somewhere along the way. For most who might be reading this, highest on the list of that for which we are grateful, is our redemption through Jesus Christ. Going straight into the Christmas season reinforces in our minds, that when we have Christ, we really have everything that is important. All the rest of our blessings are simply ornaments on the tree! With these thoughts on our minds, we can go into the new year focusing on the newness we have in the Lord. Whatever the current year brought or took, we can go into the new year with a fresh start, seeing each day as a gift from God and an adventure with our Dad. Though the holiday season, running from Thanksgiving through Christmas and into New Year’s Day, can be a very busy time, it can also be a time for great introspection. We can look into our hearts and minds as individuals, families, and a church. It’s a great time to re-order our perspectives to align completely with our Father’s if they have drifted out of sequence or been knocked awry by difficulties. So have fun, and enjoy family and friends, but don’t forget to look upward, outward, and inward, during this season as well. Gratefully His and yours, Pastor Jeff
A “VERY SPECIAL” thanks to all who made our 2nd Annual “Operation Christmas Child” Shoebox Party such a “HUGE” success!! The items you donated each month, financial donations, Set Apart Student Worship Team, along with several of our Masterpiece Kids, counting and putting items together for each box and setting up for the party itself; ALL is greatly appreciated and could not have taken place without all of you!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting Samaritan’s Purse, “Operation Christmas Child”. Because of your efforts, I know many children will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior; and that’s what it’s all about!!!
2nd Annual Shoebox Party
147 Shoeboxes were brought in by our congregation.
42 Shoebox es were brought in by the Rocky Ridge Riders 4-H
684 Shoeboxes were put together at the Shoebox Party 873 Gospel opportunities are now being delivered to all children all over the world
Good Morning Church!
Well, things didn’t go the way they should have on Tuesday, November 6 th. It was very disappointing to see the course that our country will be taking for another four years. This election will have longlasting negative repercussions on our nation’s freedom. Although I was surprised and disappointed in our national elections, I was not depressed by them. The reason why is “this is not my home I’m just a passin’ through”. God called His Church to accomplish the great Commission and while doing that, He gave us instructions on how we are to rely and depend fully on Him alone. We are also to maintain the proper eternal prospective while carrying out His directions by focusing on Him instead of temporal circumstances. There is more than meets the eye in this life. (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18 NKJV) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Unfortunately for so long in America we have been only half-hearted in our prayers and dedication to God and as a result our “prayer muscles have gone soft”. Now we find ourselves in a situation that will require us to turn back to God. I am not stating that I think that God is judging our country – because I firmly believe that He isn’t – yet. But He may be withholding blessings from us as a nation, because of our focus on self and material things. One thing that the economic downturn has done is make it harder to buy “stuff”. We are all feeling that, but we can rest assured that if we turn back to God in our personal lives – He will take care of us. (Philippians 4:19 NKJV) And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore we should not worry – but instead pray! And be obedient to God’s directions from His Word. Matthew 6:25-34 sums it up best: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Grace & Peace, Pastor Doug
Family Christmas Breakfast In Celebration of Jesus’ Birthday Saturday, December 8th, 9:00-11:00am Enjoy breakfast in the Fellowship Hall Choose from a variety of age-appropriate crafts Have your children or family’s picture taken 10:30am we will have the Christmas Story and Musical Presentation from the Masterpiece Kids Choir. Everything is FREE!
Pray With Me Prayer habits that last a lifetime are most often formed in childhood. That’s why it’s so critical to teach young children how to pray. As with most spiritual disciplines, prayer is caught more than it’s taught. As parents and teachers model meaningful prayer lives, kids will learn how they, too, can talk to their Creator. Everyone, especially children, would find sitting down to prayer easier if we could find a way to forget our notions of “correct prayer methods” and just start talking. To do this, avoid focusing on form in prayer. Rather, model for your children an easy, comfortable way to simply talk to God as you’d talk to a friend. Urge children to talk to God just as they’d talk to any other friend. They can tell God about their day, express fears, and even share when they are a little mad about something in their lives. God listens to ALL prayers. The best way to help children realize that God truly listens is to point out answered prayers. Be sure to thank God for your answered prayers. Help children understand that God may answer prayers in several ways. God may answer exactly as children request. But God may answer in a different way, wait to answer, or say no. Help children see these answers to prayer also.
The right place is any place. The Bible describes many ways to pray: kneeling, standing, lifting hands, and even lying on a bed. Encourage children to pray whenever and wherever they want to, even if it means a quick “please help my friend” when that friend is hit with a ball on the playground. Prayer is never inappropriate, especially when it comes straight from the heart. In the end, that’s all you really need to teach children to help them communicate with our God who’s always listening. Dana Osborne
Second Saturday Workshop Fabric Gift Bags
We are so thankful for the many women who have participated in our activities this year. We are blessed indeed! Our team is beginning to work on activities for 2013. If there is something you would like to see offered as a class, or if you would like to see a class repeated, or if you are interested in teaching a class next year, please contact any of our team members. We are always looking for interesting and fun ways to get our ladies together. Wishing you all a joyous holiday season filled with family, friends and God’s amazing love and grace.
In His Service, The Women’s Ministry Team
My Fellow Servants, What is the focus of Winns Baptist Church in 2013? Our country is in decline and the foundations are crumbling rapidly. Take a look at history- when homosexuality is embraced by a culture, the end of that people is near. The family unit is broken down and gender roles are confused. Little boys are no longer taught how to be godly men who will lead their families in the fear of the Lord. Little girls are taught to do everything possible to be “independent” women who do not need the biblical family unit. Psalm 11:3 asks, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” If the family is at risk, and the foundations are breaking down, the answer is to rebuild. Now is the time to strengthen family and foundation. Our foundation is the Word of God, so we must labor to teach the next generation diligently as we sit in the house, as we walk by the way, as we rise up, and as we lie down. In 2013, Winns Baptist Church will focus on building family and foundation. The church is a family of families, and as the family goes, so goes the church. We desire to see men leading their families, wives strengthening the home by working diligently beside their husbands, and children being discipled daily in the home. Our vision is to equip families to operate according to the biblical design. Does this vision apply only to the “perfect family unit?” As the apostle Paul wrote, “May it never be!” The church is a family of families, and every make and model of family among us is included in this focus. When we gather together for worship on Sundays, we are part of the church family as God designed it to be. We want those with a broken home to be at home within our walls and take hold of this vision. We want the widow and orphan among us to be built up just as much as a family unit consisting of a father, mother, and children. Catch the vision, church! We are calling this “Family and Foundation, 2013.” While our continues to drift away from God, we at Winns Church will be working to salvage some faith, and freedom for the generations to come. Our family will be strengthened and further unified labor beside each other to build “Family and Foundation in 2013.” Looking forward to the days ahead,
focus, nation Baptist family, church as we
Caleb
Children are a gift from God. (Deut. 7:13, Ps. 127:3) Parents, teachers, volunteers and interested church members We are in the process of reviewing Winn’s Baptist Children’s and Preschool Ministry Policies and Procedures and we would greatly appreciate your input. Our goal is to provide a safe, secure and loving environment where our children can learn God’s word and develop a personal relationship with Him. Copies will be made available, December 2nd. Thank you, Dana Osborne Director of Children’s Ministry
“Tree of Blessings” This ministry is designed to help our church members who are struggling financially to have a
nice Christmas. It operates like the Angel Tree Ministry, except that the focus will be for members of our own church family. Request forms can be found on the table in the church foyer. To bless someone this Christmas look on the tree in the foyer for specially marked tags.
Lottie Moon was born in Virginia on December 12, 1840. She was named Charlotte Digges Moon, but everyone called her "Lottie." She grew to be a cultured and educated woman. In 1873, she obeyed God's call to go to China to share the gospel. Lottie spent most of her years in Tengchow and P’ingtu, China. She wore Chinese clothes and lived like the Chinese people. The Chinese people respected Lottie. Her missions work won many Chinese to Christ. Lottie loved the Chinese people. She often made personal sacrifices to help the Chinese. When there was not enough food for the people, Lottie gave away her food. She ate so little that she suffered from malnutrition. She was very sick. A missionary nurse was bringing her home to the US to see a doctor. But Lottie died on board a ship in the harbor at Kobe, Japan. She died on December 24, 1912. She was 72 years old. It was six years later during the collection of the Christmas offering that Lottie had begun years before that Annie Armstrong suggested that there was no more fitting way for Lottie to be honored than to have the Christmas Offering named in her memory. Thus we have the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering each year. You may wonder how the offering is used. Today one hundred percent of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goes to the overseas budget of the International Mission Board. The money collected for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is crucial in supporting the more than 5,000 Southern Baptist missionaries who share the gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide. How can you contribute? When giving cards to members of the Winn’s Church Family please bring them to our Lottie Moon Mailbox and donate the postage saved to Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. There are specially marked Lottie Moon Christmas Offering envelopes in the pews for our Lottie Moon offering.
Preschoolers and Children will take home a Lottie Moon Christmas Offering bank, encourage your child to save or earn money for missions.
Winn’s Baptist Church 12320 Winn’s Church Road Glen Allen, VA 23059
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Glen Allen, VA 23060 PERMIT #28
Address Service Request
Merry Christmas On Wednesday, December 19th & 26, there are no scheduled activities. During the week of December 24th – 28th 2012 the Church office will be closed. Please feel free to call anyone on staff on their home or cell phone. The main church voice mail will be checked daily for any messages.