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A Note from the Pastor. . . If you have ever watched your investments in the stock market, you know that the only c onsistency of high-risk/high-yield stocks is their flux-causing reflux in your stomach. The only sane manner to both keep u p with it all, and stop popping Nexium, is to consider the investment on the long term. Short-term losses can be made up
Parenting can be as stressful and similar to the stock market, but the subject matter is of almost inconceivably greater
importance. Our youth of today will be our leaders of tomorrow. Don’t we want the dividends of their beliefs to reflect the
ways of God, rather than the topsy-turvy views of this world?
Chip Ingram is the president of Walk Through the Bible Ministry and has a DVD teaching based study entitled, “Effective Parenting in a Defective World: How to Raise Kids Who Stand Out from the Crowd.” Our church will begin this 9
week study on Sunday, January 27th, at 5:45 p.m. I want to encourage all of our parents to consider taking this class. I believe what Chip Ingram will teach will not just be i
nformative, but inspirational in helping us rear our children to love God and become respectful people. I know I still need
h elp with that, and I bet you do too. Our children are worth our sacrifice of time for this study… their future is more
valuable to us than any other investment! Grow in His Grace, Pastor Phil
Music Notes . . .
in a song or musical is so powerful that it is worth
Commitment: The state of being bound emotionally
repeating. We re-use choir anthems all the time. We have
or intellectually to a course of action.
been trying to determine what we would be working on for
I am not sure that any of us understand the meaning of
our spring musical and just could not come up with
the word commitment any more. We so quickly abandon
anything new we felt like God was leading us to. God just
kept leading us back to a musical we did approximately 4
anything that does not measure up to our expectations. I
years ago called Somebody’s Praying You Through. This is
was a loyal Atlanta Braves fan for years. I became a fan
the first time we have ever repeated a musical that I can
during the seventies, not when they were winning and
remember. Make no mistake, THIS MESSAGE IS
going to the World Series, but when losses were more the norm. When they did begin to win and started going to
WORTH REPEATING. This was, and IS, a powerful
play off games and to the Series, suddenly the ballpark
message about just how important the power of prayer is.
was inundated with new fans. Tickets became hard to get
If we are honest with ourselves, when we pray, most of the
and everyone wore a Braves t-shirt. However, at the first
time we do not pray EXPECTING an answer. We may
sign of a return to the “old Braves”, many deserted
pray HOPING for an answer. The Bible is full of examples
team for a more productive franchise. These new fans
and testimonies of God’s people calling out to Him and of
His answering these prayers because of their faith and
lacked a real love for the team and did not understand
what being a true fan meant. A fan is a fan, win or lose.
This musical is something we want our entire church
Today we are so quick to abandon our church, our
family to participate in. ALL of us can pray. Our health,
denomination and, I fear, even our God when we are not
our finances, our schedules, nothing should affect our
producing, the numbers, the style of worship, the
programs, we want. Commitment to God, to a body of
ability to pray. We have invited any of the Youth Choir
believers that He has placed us in, is at the core of who
to join us in this wonderful message of praise and
we are as Christians. Our road will not always be easy;
worship. We also want to extend this invitation to you, our
we will not always be the most sought after organization.
church family. There is a devotional guide that is available
However, if we stay true to our commitment to God and
as well. I would like to FILL the choir loft with people
praising God. I am really excited about this musical. I am
to the Church body where He has placed us, I believe
trusting and believing that many people will join us, and
much will be accomplished. It is easy to root for the
God will use this time to deepen our personal relationship
team on top, it takes a dedicated fan to cheer for a team
that is in a season of rebuilding and change. But, the rewards for the loyal are often a hard won championship
good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we 9 Days of Prayer for Mexico Mission Trip! do not give up. Galatians 6:9 Sherry
(Departure Date – January 26, Noon)
Phil & Jason Roy, Dan Barker, Domingo Ramirez,
Help Wanted! – Sunday School Teachers for the
1st & 2nd Grade Department. Please see Phil Holmes
(Dan & Domingo wil depart on Tuesday, Jan. 22)
If you can bring new Tennessee or Sweetwater t-shirts for
them to take with them, please bring them to any of the team
members or the church no later than this Sunday, Jan. 20th.
People who love children! We need help with our
Monday and/or Thursday tutoring programs at
Please bring any notes of encouragement for these men to the
Valley Park – you WILL be blessed by getting
church office or give them to Anne Wheeler by Jan. 20.
involved in a child’s life! See April for more info.
8:30 Early Worship (nursery worker – April Ingram)
Nursery Workers – Natasha Blair, Tim/Sherry Whittemore,
Memorials have been received from: M/M Bill Collins in
memory of Mary Collins, Joan Thomas, Gladys Allen & Ella Nora Ridgell; M/M DeLane Dacus in memory of Joan Thomas, Clyde Thompson, Ella Nora Ridgell, & Mary Wagner; Lequita Thomas in memory of Joan Thomas &
11:00 Val ey Park Bible Study & Luncheon
Clyde Thompson; M/M William Fronk, M/M John Scharback, M/M Don Hicks & Frank Camp in memory of Emma Lee Tennyson; M/M J.W. Dunlap, M/M Earl
Pardue, Eldon Shirley & Alyce McAmis in memory of
Clyde Thompson; Mildred Schroeder in memory of Bob Schroeder; M/M Martin Bilderback, M/M Charles Wilkins
5:15-6:30 Supper Served – baked spaghetti, salad, rol s, dsrt
in memory of Joan Thomas, Clyde Thompson, & Emma
6:30-7:30 Prayer Meeting, Children’s Missions, Youth
L ee Tennyson; M/M Earl Pardue in memory of Joan
LifeSource, English Classes, Nursery Care
Thomas; M/M Al Spencer in memory of Joan Thomas, Clyde Thompson, Mary Wagner, & Ella Nora Ridgell.
2:00 M & M’s at the home of Irene Thomas
3:30-5:00 Val ey Park Tutoring (grades 4-6)
Local Missions Report: On December 20 we delivered
“Boxes of Love” to 78 children in Val ey Park, and on
12:00 Noon – Departure prayer in fel owship hal for Mexico Team
December 22 we provided 60 local families with Christmas
THANK YOU!! Church family, for giving of yourselves so
that other families in our community would have a blessed
Dear First Baptist Church Members, We want to thank you for the wonderful and much Centri-Kid Camp (June 20-24), Ridgecrest, NC needed food basket. You have no idea how much we
(For children who have finished 2nd grade thru 6th
appreciate your kindness. I also want to thank you
grade) Please sign up and pay $50 deposit by
for how you welcomed and kept SAS in your family. You have no idea how much we will miss y’all, as we Centri-Fuge Camp – June 28 thru July 5 We are looking for another church for SAS and I
Ridgecrest, NC (for 7th & 8th Grade Youth)
will let y’all know how he is doing. Again, thank you
$50 Deposit required. Sign up in the youth house or
for all your kindnesses. Sandy & SAS Smith
call the church office. Please see Jennifer Houston
Thank you very much for the donation of the Gideon
Bibles in memory of Emma Lee Tennyson. She would be
World Changers trip to St. Louis, MO - July 12-19
very honored, just as she was to cal Sweetwater First
Sign up now through Feb. 1 with $50 deposit.
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Steve Riddle, Minister of Music Sherry Cook, Youth Minister Lisa Brackett, Financial Secretary April Ingram, Secretary Angie Roy, Custodian
Reproducing the results Aquaculture has been practised for thousands of years and yet a problem that still persists inmodern day fish farming is the reluctance of many species to breed in captivity. Withtraditional fish spawning methods, fish have to be killed in the process. Alternatively, wild fryhave to be caught and transported. The difficulties of getting fish to spawn is one of th
The Furies from Borås Anders Fager Underryd Dance Hall is a long way into the forest. Between the towns of Värnamo, Borås and Jönköping in a black-as-night corner of north Småland. There’s always been dancing in Underryd. Since God knows when and long before that. First on stony heaths and then at the actual cross-roads, where the roads from three towns meet, to the sound of s