Southside Baptist Church

Newsletter

(USPS 863-520)

Published Monthly

Periodical Postage

PAID at the

Post Office in Decatur, AL

709 Ninth Street SE Decatur, AL 35601

December 2015

709 Ninth Street SE, Decatur, Alabama 35601 • www.southsidebaptist.net • (256) 353-8814

No Wednesday Night Activities

Sanctuary Choir 10:30 a.m.

Evening Service 5:00 p.m.

Choir Party 6 pm

31

1 2 3 4

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

19 18 17 16 15 14 13

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

28 29 30 27

Staff Mtg 9:30 am 39er’s Luncheon

11:45 am Deacon’s Christmas

Party 6 pm

WOM 10 am

Staff Mtg 9:30 am

Awana Treasure

Chest

Adult 4&5 Fellowship Break-

fast at Ryan’s 8:30 am International Missions Emphasis Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Awana Christmas

Party

Brotherhood

Breakfast 8:00 a.m. Joyful Sounds

FBC Hartselle 5:00 pm

Church Council 6:30 pm

Staff Mtg 9:30 am

Family Christmas Fellowship

No Awana

Church Office Closed

Friday, December 4, 6:00 p.m.

Ladies Night Out

Sunday, December 6, 5:00 p.m.

Joyful Sounds Celebrate! The Joy and Wonder

of Christmas First Baptist Church Hartselle

Sunday, December 13, 10:30 a.m.

Sanctuary Choir “Bethlehem Morning”

Sanctuary Choir Fellowship at 6:00 p.m. At the home of Jack and Gail Holbert

431 N. Seneca Dr.—Trinity

Wednesday, December 16, 5:15 p.m.

Family Christmas Fellowship

Thursday, December 24, 6:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Communion

Thursday & Friday, December 24-25

Church Office Closed

at Southside

Merry Christmas from your staff. Have a safe and joyous holiday!

HHH oly

NNNight

Christmas

Dr. Ben Hayes, Pastor Wayne Baggett, Minister of Music/Seniors

Tanya Spillman, Children’s Minister Will Johnson, Interim Youth Minister

Sunday Schedule

9:15 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship, Children’s Church 5:00 p.m. Discipleship Training , Youth Group Children’s Missions and Bible Study 6:00 p.m. Evening Worship

Wednesday Service

5:15 p.m. Fellowship Supper 6:00 p.m. Children’s Activities 6:30 p.m. Prayer Meeting, Youth ARISE Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed for lunch

Ladies Night Out 6:00 pm

Staff Mtg. 9:30 am

No Wednesday Night Activities

Christmas Eve Service

6 pm

Christmas

New Year’s Eve

Staff Mtg. 9:30 am

Sun

Join Awana! Wednesday Nights at 6 pm

It's hard to believe that the holidays are already

here again! As I'm writing this, we are three days

away from Thanksgiving. The children have been

focusing this month on counting our blessings.

Most of our children come from homes where the

family is barely scraping by. They don't have

much by the world's standard. I was asking them one day what they

were thankful for. After we made a long list, I went back through

and we talked about why we are thankful for those things. One

child had mentioned that he was thankful for church. So when I

asked him why, his response brought me to tears. He immediately

said, "Because you love me here." We as a church family (because

it is certainly not just me) are giving these children something that

they don't always get at home. They feel safe here and they know

that they are loved unconditionally. They don't always behave like

perfect little ladies and gentlemen (but then we as adults don't ei-

ther). Sometimes they are loud and sometimes they get excited and

run in the halls. They don't always use good table manners

(although they've come a long way) and sometimes, yes they can

be distracting. But whether they are black, brown, white or green,

rich or poor, quiet or loud, dirty or clean, they are children of God

and we are called to love them. In some cases, if we don't no one

will. So during this holiday season I am thankful for those of you

that help me to love these precious children. They really do

notice and appreciate every kind word, every Wednesday

night hot dog, every ride to church and every Sunday School

lesson. If you haven't had the opportunity to get to know

them, I encourage you to do so. What better time than now

as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior? I assure

you, you will be blessed.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas,

Tanya

Christian Prayers and Sympathy to... Lamar and Joyce Smith on the loss of her mother,

Lillian McCleskey, who passed away Oct. 30th.

Deloris Goforth and family on the loss of her husband,

P.C. Goforth. He passed away Oct. 30th.

Jeron and Judy Witt on the loss of her mother, Evelyn

Borden, who passed away Oct. 30th.

The family of Bobby Ray Jett, Sr.

Mr. Jett passed away Oct. 31st.

Celebrate! The Joy and Wonder

Of Christmas

Joyful Sounds December 6th—5:00 pm

at First Baptist Hartselle Rehearsal: Sun., Dec. 6th at 4 pm

3:30 pm departure

Men, our brotherhood breakfast and meeting will be Sunday, Dec. 6th at 8 a.m. Bro. Kermit Tucker will be our speaker. Mr. Tucker’s career has been in agriculture. He retired when he was 85. He says that was too soon, he should have continued working. Mr. Tucker is now 100 years old. You will be amazed at his ability to do what most of us do at a much younger age. You will think, if he can ac-complish so much at 100, then that’s a goal for me. Don’t miss meeting and hearing this remarkable gentleman.

Ladies Night Out December 4th at 6 p.m. Tickets are still on sale for Ladies Night Out. They are $10.00 each.

My Cup Overflows Southside Coffee/Tea Room Join us Sunday mornings between 8:40 and 10:20 a.m. in Room 106. We have coffee, tea, other beverages, and refreshments. December refresh-ments provided by David Bittle’s Sunday School Class.

Firemen with Christmas Joy The 39er’s and senior adults are sponsoring 8 Deca-tur fire stations—each station has three shifts—with gift cards for Christmas this year. The shifts can use the gift cards to purchase items for their Christmas meal, etc. If you would like to help, please give donations to Sherry Bauersachs.

1—Sandra Clemons 3—Doris Horn, John Jones, Glynice McGrew, Roger Mathis 4—Gorman Grisham 5—Cecile Dye 6—Baerbel Patterson 7—Aurelia Thaxton 8—Lorene Morrow, Donna Mathis 9—Richard Lee, Freida Perry, 10—Jessica Asherbranner, Scott Bazzell, Melissa Powell 11—Joy Lowery 14—Amy Hood, Marlin Hood 15—David Lowery, Bob McGrew, Susan Kennedy

16—Charlottte Moore 18—Bryan Carpenter, Ann Bowling 20—James Griffin, Sam Ward 21—Phyllis Reeder, Libby Johnson 22—John Spillman 24—Freda Perry, Michael Allen 28—Meghan Hawkins 29—Peggy Baggett 30—Dick Morgan, Charles Rankin, Mary Allen 31—Frank Harrison

39er’s Christmas Luncheon Tuesday, December 15—11:45 am Bring your favorite covered dishes and invite a friend to

join us. Jeff and Diane Anders will be our special guests. If you can help hostess, please come 15 min.

early or let the church office know.

Senior Adult MinistrySenior Adult MinistrySenior Adult Ministry

Adult 4 & 5 Breakfast Fellowship You are invited to fellowship with us on Saturday, December 5th at 8:30 a.m. at Ryan’s in Decatur. Come, invite a Sunday School prospect, and enjoy breakfast with us. “Dutch Treat”

Deacon’s Christmas Dinner Tuesday, December 15th at 6:00 p.m.

at JW Steakhouse in Priceville

From Your Pastor... Last month, in the newsletter, I told you that I would

be challenging you to join me in the process of grow-

ing Southside Baptist Church the way the Bible tells us

to do it. I told you that I would be confronting you with

multiple ministry and mission opportunities. And so, in

January, it will begin. Would you join me in praying

for your church council as we begin to solidify plans

for some new ministries that have come from your own

suggestions? Hopefully, you have already been con-

tacted by one of our church council members about

getting involved; if not, you soon will be. We are

working on everything from a tutoring program to

ministry to our teachers to a Do-It-Yourself training

workshop where some of our men will be offering their

talents and abilities to teach other men how to take

care of important projects around the house. I know

that’s one I need!

And all of these will be designed with one purpose in

mind: to touch people’s lives with the gospel of Jesus

Christ. What better gift can we give any time of the

year? There isn’t one. But let’s not wait until January

to touch people’s lives. Here are some suggestions:

Tell someone about Jesus today. All it takes is to

tell them what God has done for you.

Invite them to one of our Christmas programs you

will read about in this newsletter.

Offer to pick them up for church, sit with

them through the service, and take them out to

lunch afterwards so they can ask questions.

Remember, what this church becomes de-

pends on you. And also, remember that your

pastor loves you!

Bro.Ben

December WOM Meeting We will meet Dec. 1st at 10 a.m. in the Fellow-ship Hall. Our speaker will be Bess Russell, a former missionary to Africa. Our project for December will be socks and underwear for the N.C.C. clients. Our mission emphasis will be our Lottie Moon Christmas offering for International Missionaries. We will go to McCollum’s for lunch. If you would like to help with the N.C.C. mission project, please bring your socks and underwear to the church office or place in the receptacle outside the south sanctuary

doors.

Sanctuary Choir

BETHLEHEM

MORNINGWorship Date:

December 13 at 10:30 a.m.Evening Worship: 5 p.m.

Followed by Choir Christmas Fellowshipat Jack & Gail Holbert’s home

Lottie Moon Christmas

Post Office Box Located at bottom of Handicap

Ramp

Bring your Christmas cards and a 5

cent donation for each card.

Remember—check for any cards

you may have received!

Our Goal: $15,000

Rehearsals: Wed., Dec. 2nd 6:30 pm in Sanctuary Wed., Dec. 9th 6:30 pm in Sanctuary

Sunday, Dec. 13th 8:30 a.m. in Sanctuary