Coming Up
December
1-5: Operation Christmas Child Mission Trip
5: Preschool/Children’s Workers Christmas Party
6: WEE School Holiday
7: Christmas Festival/WMU Mission Project
10: Finance Committee; Deacons Meeting
11: Business Meeting
13: Senior Adult/Widow/Widower Christmas Dinner
13 & 15: Christmas Musical
14: Grace Dinner ~ Natchitoches Detention Center
20: Youth Christmas Party
20-31: WEE School Holiday
24: Christmas Eve Service
24 & 25: Church Office Closed for Christmas
31: Church Office Closed for New Year
Weekly Meetings
Sunday
9:30 am
11:00 am
Worship Service
Bible Fellowships
Tuesday
10:00 am
Bible Study at Natchitoches
Assisted Living
Wednesday
6:00 pm
6:30 pm
7:30 pm
Prayer Meeting,
Student Ministry Worship,
Gospel Project
Choir Rehearsal
Praise Team Rehearsal
January
1: Happy New Year! Church Office Closed
6: WEE School resumes; Upward Practices Resume
11, 18: Upward Games
17: Youth Camp Deposit Due
20: MLK Holiday ~ Church Offices Closed
25: Princess Retreat
The FBC Calendar is available online at www.fbcnatchitoches.net
The First Word is available online
at www.fbcnatchitoches.net.
If you would like to discontinue
receiving the First Word by mail,
please contact the church office at
318-352-3737 or email
[email protected]
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Natchitoches, LA
Permit No. 158
508 Second Street
Natchitoches, LA 71457
318-352-3737
www.fbcnatchitoches.net
Address Service Requested
Prayerfully prepared for:
t
s
r
i
F
Word
First Baptist Church
Natchitoches
Volume 10, Issue 12
Typhoon Haiyan
Preschool Gospel
Project during
Christmas
The Best Way to Help!
The recent super typhoon that brought so much
damage and loss of life to the Philippines has once
again reminded us of how fragile life can be. As we
approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas season,
please make every opportunity to express your love and
gratitude to your family and friends. I would also
encourage you to remember that the best gifts we can
share with others are those gifts that demonstrate the
love of Christ to those who are suffering.
The International Mission Board Relief Fund is a
fund that provides tremendous help to those in need.
100% of the gifts given to the fund go directly to the
disaster area. Our SBC missionaries and volunteers
are on the ground working with the churches to
provide aid to the Philippines. For more details you
can go to our church website and follow the IMB link.
Join the M&M’s Preschoolers for Gospel Project each
Wednesday night as we enter the Christmas Season.
We will begin the first of three Christmas lessons on
Wednesday, December 4th. Please join us at 6:00 as we
begin the account, “The Angels Spoke to Mary and
Joseph,” followed by “Jesus was Born, and “Jesus was
Dedicated.” Happy Holidays and we look forward to
seeing you each Wednesday night in December!
Pray for the displaced families, many of
whom lost not only their homes but
livelihoods.
Please note the Gospel Project will not meet
December 25th and January 1st during the Holidays.
We will resume on Wednesday, January 8th!
Pray for relief efforts and that basic
supplies of food and water reach the areas
of need.
Pray that as Baptist relief workers share a
cup of cold water that they also be able to
share the love of Jesus.
November Fish Fry a Great
Success!
The Senior Adult Fish Fry in November was a great
success. We had the largest group we’ve had to date.
Wow! It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and food.
We want to thank everyone who participated by bringing
a dish, serving plates, cooking, and cleaning up
afterwards. A special thanks to Hunter Mullikin and
David Kees for frying the fish and supplying the music.
We look forward to having another one in the Spring.
Ben Keen
Why Should We Give to the
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering?
No less than all our heart, soul and mind is what’s required of us as believers. Missionaries commit their
lives. Will we support them with our dollars? The world’s population is now 7 billion, and more than half
live among people groups still considered unreached, some having absolutely no Gospel sharing going on.
So no longer can this be your average give-a-few-bucks-on-Sunday-morning, pray-every-now-and-then kind of
challenge. This is giving your everything, all you have--so that people can know the love of Jesus.
That’s what being totally His requires: pouring ourselves out completely to be His heart, hands, and voice-individually and as a church working to reach all the nations.
Remember, every penny given to the Lottie Moon
Christmas Offering goes directly to support missionaries
and their ministries. It’s an investment with eternal
impact!
FBC 2013 Lottie Moon Goal
$20,000
Stewardship
Reminder!
To be included in your 2013 Contribution Record,
your tithes and offerings must be delivered to FBC
by December 31, OR postmarked through the U.S.
Youth
Christmas Party
Friday, December 20th
6:30 to 9:30 pm
Bostick Room
All students and parents are invited. Bring
a cheap “White Elephant Gift” and be prepared
for an epic video scavenger hunt!
Happy Birthday!
2-Richard Morse, Ross Wells
3-Lola Dunahoe, Meredith Phelps
5-Shirley Dunagan, Bill Shaw
6-Jennifer Thornton
7-Lynda Roberts
8-Dot Brungart
9-Shea Boyt, Renee’ Crews, Robin
Hubier, Yena’g Wheat
10-Lynelle Scoggins
11-Doris Whatley
12-Brenda Webb, Betsy Widhalm
13-Chance Fontenot
14-Ellie Starks
15-Jeff Guilliams, Sophie Packard,
Cecilia Smith
16-Tommy Murchison
17-Karen Corkern, Lynn Lindsey
18-Emily Miller, Mark Swafford,
Hunter Vienne
19-Bubba Baker, Avery Keen, Calvin
Phelps, Jerry Smith, Chuck Stoker
20-Julia Hildebrand, Anita Pierce
21-Liz Kennedy
23-Alex Harper
25-Rodney Harrington, John Starks
26-Caron Coleman, Jim Gibson,
Christyn Matt
27-Jennifer Delcambre, Mike
McConathy
29-Stephen Elliott, Karen Terrell
30-Tyler Pierson
31-Keaton Mooney, Brenda Starks
Operation Christmas Child
On November 13th, the Preschool Ministry children gathered to pack
Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The children were so
excited to be packing gifts for other children that lived around the world!
Each child circled the boxes and put in their love and prayers before they left
for delivery!
It was a great night to see such giving children!
We are already looking forward to packing next
year!
Thank you FBC!
Your generosity to the Operation Christmas Child ministry
was amazing this year. We collected the largest number of
boxes we’ve ever done--297!!! Next year, let’s top 300!!
Children’s Ministry
December is a time of giving! But it is also a time when we reflect on the past year. I truly
want to thank all of the students, teachers, parents, and everyone who has helped in any way
with the Children’s Department--the ZONE! From prayers to actions, it has been an amazing
time upstairs.
On our S’more of Jesus night, the kids came with their “game faces” on, some in
costume, and some in good spirits. It was a fun-filled evening with the Gospel Man
presenting a simple way of sharing the message of Jesus. Although we used a s’more,
the children also shared other ways to share the Gospel message with a hobby or
interest of their own. Even the simple act of cooking green beans can be used. “You
open the can and they look one way, you cook them and they become new--something
wonderfully delicious. Just like what Jesus does for us!” Application! Mission
accomplished!
Our Operation Christmas Child packing party was truly a celebration! Stations were
set up, and our 5th and 6th graders took the lead. They helped 1st-4th graders fill their boxes, station to
station. At the check-out station, they were rewarded for a job well done and got a yummy donut! As well as
the routine of the system went, it was the genuine servant hearts that I noticed and admired most. Our
young people are really getting it! We joined hands and prayed for the children who will be receiving these
40 boxes and prayed they would feel all the love that was put into them in Jesus’ name! And that’s the real
reason for the season! Give of yourself in Jesus’ name!
Speaking of giving of yourself, the week before our packing
party, one of our young ladies had her own packing party.
Instead of having a birthday party for herself, Katie
Anderson chose to ask her guests to bring items to give to
others. They had a busy day of their own and ended up with
14 Christmas boxes. What a way to start the Christmas
season! Let’s all share actively with others the wonderful
truths we are learning here at church. Let’s truly be a
“Light in Natchitoches!”
Thanks for sharing your most precious gifts with us, your
children! They are truly a blessing! Merry Christmas!
Mrs. Melody and G-man
Christmas
Worship
Opportunities!
Grace Dinner
December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
9:30 am
The Detention Center Bible Study Ministry is hosting its Grace Dinner this
year on Saturday, December 14th. The inmates who participate in the Bible
Study group, along with their families, have been invited to FBC for a time
of Christmas fellowship. The group meets at the Detention Center twice a
month for Bible study, and the Grace Dinner is a way for them to also
minister to the families and children of group members. Please be in prayer
for this ministry and the families it impacts. If you would like to be a part of
serving in this ministry, please contact the church office.
Christmas Musical
Saturday, December 14 ~ 6:00 pm
Morning Worship
December 13 and 15
6:00 pm
Christmas Eve Service
Reminder!
The church offices will be closed
December 24 and 25 for Christmas and
December 31 and January 1
for New Year’s
Senior Adult/Widow/
Widower Christmas
Dinner
As a Senior Adult, Widow or Widower, the
Deacons of First Baptist would like to
thank each of you for your faithfulness to
our church family by honoring you with a
Christmas Dinner on Friday, December
13th. The dinner will take place in the
Bostick Room and will begin at 4:30 pm.
Following dinner, the Deacons would like
you to be the special guests of our Music
Ministry’s Christmas Musical which begins
at 6:00 pm. For more information, or
should you need assistance with
transportation, please contact the church
Music Ministry Presents
“And On Earth Peace”
The music ministry would like to invite you to join us on
December 13 or 15 at 6:00 pm for
this year’s Christmas musical
titled, “And On Earth Peace.” In
a day and age where peace is hard
to find, we celebrate the Prince of
Peace. This year’s musical is filled
with some familiar Christmas
songs and many new ones. Pray
for God to use this worship
opportunity to speak to hearts in
search for peace. We hope you will
invite a friend or family member
to be a part of this years
Christmas Celebration.
If you would like to have your end of the year
contribution statement emailed to you instead
of sent by mail, please contact the church office
before December 30th.
WEE School
Preschool and
Mother’s Day Out
]
Upward Ministry
Princess Retreat
The 11th annual FBC Princess Retreat is right around
the corner! This event has grown to what we believe is
the premier girls ministry event in the state and this year
is no different. The theme this year is “A Princess With a
Mission,” which is something that is very much one of
the driving forces of our Church. We hope to encourage
and equip our girls to take the good news that they are
indeed daughters of the King and share this truth with
their peers, that they, too, can be daughters of the King.
If you would like to be involved with this ministry there
are ample opportunities to serve. Anything from teaching
a break-out session to helping in the kitchen, there is a
spot for everyone to serve. So, if you would like to get
involved please just let us know! Thanks for your prayers
concerning this event. Please continue to pray that God
will bless and we will see a generation of girls who are
daughters of the King, and on mission to share this with
the world.
Josh Hargett
YEC
The Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Youth
Evangelism Celebration was a huge success again
this year! We had the opportunity to take a great
group of students to Alexandria to be a part of
this event. A special word of thanks goes out to
our adults who served at this event: Laura
Waldrip, Amelia Ferguson, Ken Bates, David
Dark, and Wade Williams. Please continue to
pray that God will bless, and we will see
abundant fruit from this event! Thanks.
Josh Hargett
Our 2014 Upward Season is off to a great
start! This year’s league has 14 teams made up
of 106 participants. There are seven
kindergarten/1st grade teams and seven 2nd/
3rd grade teams. Practices begin the week of
December 2 and games begin Saturday,
January 11th.
Our amazing Upward Ministry is without a
doubt one of our best outreach ministries
reaching out to our entire community!
Through a fun, simple, non-competitive
basketball and cheerleading program we are
able to serve and share the love of Christ with
the entire family!
If you want to meet the young families of our
community, stop by the Church gym on any
Monday, Tuesday or Thursday night between
5:00 and 7:00 or on Saturday mornings
between 9:00 and noon. We would love to have
you be a part of the ministry!
Mission Trip to
Merida, Mexico
Merry Christmas from the FBC WEE School!!!
We are having an amazing Holiday Season! The
WEE School Family celebrated Thanksgiving
with a Thanksgiving feast on Thursday,
November 21st. We had over 175 children and
parents for lunch and fellowship! This is always
a great time to stop and reflect on God’s
WEEgrace
Holiday
and for what we have to be
thankful for. We are now
Schedule
into the Christmas season
Friday, December
and the children will be
focusing on the Christmas
6th
story during their classroom
WEE School Preschool
circle time and making many
Closed
crafts and treats in celebration
(Festival Holiday)
of the “Season” of Jesus’ birth.
The Christmas Holiday
Friday, December
schedule is listed to the right.
20th to
Please continue to pray for
Friday, January 3rd
the WEE School children
and their families. Also,
Christmas Holiday
please pray for our teachers
who devote so much time to
teaching the children.
A Gift of Water
in Jesus’ Name
The WMU will set up a prayer tent on
the front lawn of the church for the
Natchitoches Christmas Festival on
December 7th. They will also be
handing out water. Volunteers are
needed to serve that day for as little as
30 minute time intervals. Please call the
church if you are interested in serving.
On the last and most important day of the
festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone
is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! The
one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has
said, will have streams of living water flow from
deep within him.”
John 7:37-38
Ron Thompson and
ten other pastors from District 8
recently spent a week in Merida,
Mexico. They saw 196 professions of
faith from their street evangelism, a
service in a Mexican prison, several
park evangelistic meetings and
crusade meetings in about a dozen
churches! God is good! We look
forward to hearing from
Bro. Ron soon
on this fruitful
mission trip to
Mexico.