Calendar of Events

2 Clarion Sounds Play during Worship Children’s Choirs Sing during Worship Donut Fellowship - 10:30 A.M. Annual Church Meeting - 10:45 A.M. 2-9 Week of Prayer for International Missions 3 Beautiful Hats - Mr. Gatti’s - 11:30 A.M. Golden Tones Outreach to Eden Terrace Beautiful Hats - Home of Janice Parris - 6:30 P.M. 5 Church Family Night Supper - 5:15 P.M. Guest Speaker - Maggie Bachelor - 6:00 P.M. 8 Ruth and Royal Classes Party - 6:00 P.M. 9 Golden Tones Sing during Worship Children’s Choirs Sing during Worship Family Meal, Leader Appreciation, and Nativity Tableau - 11:45 A.M. Mobile Meals Gift Bags Due 10 Golden Tones Outreach to Pacifica Senior

Living Deacon/Staff/Spouse Dinner - 6:00 P.M. 11 Joy of Missions - 12:00 P.M. 15 Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra Rehearsal 1:00 P.M. 16 Christmas Dreams Cantata - 9:30 A.M. Children’s Choirs Sing during Worship Cookie Fellowship - 10:30 A.M. 17 Golden Tones Outreach to Summit Hills 23 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols - 9:30 A.M. Clarion Sounds Play during Worship Christmas Caroling - 4:00 P.M. Dutch-treat Supper at Fuddruckers - 6:00 P.M. 24-26 Church Office Closed for Holidays 26, 30 No Wednesday and Sunday Night Activities 30 No Sunday Night Activities 31 Youth to Extreme Winter Conference

Morningside Baptist Church December 2018 Volume 61 Number 12

The Messenger The Monthly Newsletter of

Morningside Baptist Church Spartanburg, SC

We Seek a personal, life-changing relationship with God through prayer, engaging worship, and Bible teaching. We Serve others by modeling the love of Christ through missions and ministry involvement. We Share God’s grace through genuine, loving fellowship and discipleship.

Presented by the Morningside Sanctuary Choir and

Orchestra

Sunday, December 16 9:30 A.M.

Throughout time, God has spoken to His people through dreams and visions. In the still, sacred places of our worship, may we quieten our hearts and listen, clear our minds and learn, calm our spirits and live. May we seek and discover the grace that changes everything. Come with us as we examine how God foretold and revealed His perfect plan of salvation and announced the gift of grace through the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ!

The story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus is told in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic book of Isaiah, and the Gospels—Matthew, Luke and John— all interspersed with new and traditional Christmas songs, carols, and hymns sung and played by instrumentalists, groups, soloists, and the congregation. This beautiful service originated in Truro, England in the late nineteenth century and has been presented to congregations the world over ever since. Please join us for this special time of worship.

A Festival of

Nine Lessons

and Carols

Sunday, December 23 9:30 A.M.

mside missions

Week of Prayer for International Missions

December 2-9 Missionaries share the gospel around the world through our financial gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Prayer guides, available in the December 2 Worship Guide, provide information about how you can reach every nation with the gospel. Please be in prayer about your family’s financial contribution to this missions effort. We will receive this special offering for International Missions work on Sunday, December 9 during the Worship Service. You may also give anytime during the month.

Guest Speaker and Family Supper Wednesday, December 5

5:15 P.M. Our guest speaker for the weekly emphasis on International Missions will be Maggie Bachelor, a senior at USC Upstate who will graduate with a degree in graphic design. Maggie spent this past summer in Argentina working with the Nehemiah Project Teams, which shared the gospel with unreached people groups. Be sure to come and enjoy supper with the church family prior to her presentation. Menu: pot roast, green beans, hash brown casserole, salad, dessert, and beverages. The supper is provided at no charge.

Bags for Mobile Meals Please return your gift bags for the recipients of Mobile Meals no later than Sunday, December 9.

Mission Project We are collecting coats, hats, blankets, gloves, and scarves for all ages through January. With colder weather soon arriving, these items will help those in our

community who are less fortunate. Please go through your closets and collect any of these gently-worn items you no longer need. Large boxes are located throughout the church for your donations.

Letting the Shepherd Lead Some of my earliest memories of the Christmas season include images of my mother gathering the supplies and ingredients to make her famous Christmas fudge. She was meticulous about choosing certain measuring cups, and spoons, and special pots. The glass dish Mama always used was just the perfect height to hold the two layers of her chocolate and peanut butter confection. Mama would use only real butter, only Peter Pan peanut butter, only Nestle’s chocolate chips, and only Kraft Jet-puffed Marshmallow Crème. No substitutions were even considered. Through the years, I learned more than I thought possible to know about the proper way to create the perfect fudge. Once a batch of Mama’s peanut butter fudge was set, she made quite a production of cutting the candy into 2 inch squares, placing it in decorated cups, and preparing the cellophane wrappers with bows. I learned at a very early age how to use a pair of scissors to curl the ribbon that would adorn our gift. That special treat—made by our family with love—was given as presents to many, many people. It served as an inexpensive way to share the Christmas spirit. Last year at the beginning of the holiday season, our family made a point to ask Mama to help "teach" our four children how to make her favorite fudge. Though she had given us her recipe some years ago, our batches did not turn out quite the same. She did agree to come to our home and was “somewhat” able to provide directions. We knew then that time was running out on her ability to participate in this endeavor that had become a tradition so many years ago. It seems impossible to believe that as we plan to make a batch of her favorite fudge this year, she will not be present to supervise the cooking and sampling. She will not share her delicious treat with others. We will again rely on Mama’s recipe, but Caroline and I will now carry this tradition into the next generation without her. We will continue this family tradition—begun so many years ago— and share the reason why making fudge and giving it to others is important to us as Owensbys. Certainly you all have similar traditions that characterize your celebration of Christmas. I want to take this opportunity to remind you just how easily circumstances can change. We must be diligent, conscientious, in sharing our traditions, our faith, and our love of Christ with others in order to be certain that they will be passed on to the next generation. Deuteronomy 4:9 commands God's people to diligently talk about Him with children and grandchildren. We read in Exodus 13:14, Deuteronomy 6:20, and Joshua 4:21 that God's people should share what they believe when children ask why traditions are celebrated. 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us. What better way to share our hope in Christ than by celebrating a cherished tradition? As you gather to celebrate your traditions and your faith, remember to pass on why that tradition is so precious and worth repeating. As for me, I plan to tell my children as we make Christmas fudge this year how I watched Mama work for nights on end so that she could give everyone a Christmas treat. I know she did that because she believed Jesus' words in Acts 20:35, which say, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Pastor Steven

mside family

mside music

mside youth

December 31 - January 2 Gatlinburg, Tennessee

The balance of $75 is due Sunday, December 2, for those planning to attend.

Saturday, December 22

5:30 - 8:00 P.M. We will be going to the home of the Emersons (186 Morning Lake Drive, Moore) to party in our pajamas. Be sure to sign up in the Youth Room!

Converge Beach Weekend North Myrtle Beach, SC

February 1-3 High school seniors and college students are invited to attend a weekend packed with inspirational speakers and musicians. Sign up in the Youth Room. Cost: $50.

mside kids

Family Luncheon, Nativity Tableau, and Leader Appreciation

Sunday, December 9 11:45 A.M. On this special day, we will enjoy a lunch provided by the church for the leaders and families of preschoolers and children. We will recognize all of our leaders in Mission Friends, RA’s, GA’s, children’s choirs, Kidzone, Extended Session, and Sunday School. We will enjoy family time activities, and children will present the Nativity tableau. Be sure to watch for assignments in the coming weeks for your child(ren). Most costumes will be provided. You must sign up your family in the children’s reception lobby, call the Church Office or e-mail Linda at lalverson@msidechurch.org, no later than Wednesday, December 5. Be sure to bring your camera!

CONFERENCE

Special Dates

for the Music Ministry of Morningside

Golden Tones Ministry

Please pray for the Golden Tones as they minister to the residents of various retirement and care facilities in our community during the month of December. This group will sing holiday carols and Christmas hymns. The church bus will leave from the parking lot outside the Office at 2:00, and the Golden Tones will sing at 2:30 P.M. December 3 Eden Terrace

December 10 Pacifica Sr. Living

December 17 Summit Hills

Rehearsals for the

Sanctuary Choir with the Orchestra December 8 9:00 A.M. (Orchestra and a Few Singers)

December 12 7:05 P.M.

December 15 1:00 - 3:00 P.M.

Rehearsals Cancelled December 10 No Orchestra December 26 No Sanctuary Choir

Christmas Caroling for the Entire Family Dutch-treat Supper at Fuddruckers

Sunday, December 23 4:00 P.M.

We will meet in the church Fellowship Hall for location assignments, then go to various homes and facilities to sing for our homebound members. Afterwards, all groups will meet at Fuddruckers at 6:00 P.M. for a time of fellowship and a Dutch-treat supper. A room will be reserved just for Morningside. Come and share the sounds of the season with others!

Winter Bible Studies Begin January 20

Watch for more information about two Bible studies that will be offered on Sunday nights. Steven Owensby and Jody Welch will facilitate these six-week classes. Please sign up in the Welcome Center no later than Sunday, January 13. Cost: $10 for materials

Morningside Website

Our monthly newsletter, The Messenger, and our weekly

worship guide can be found on our website at www.msidechurch.org

under the Publications tab. WiFi Guest Password: Morningside

MORNINGSIDE THE MESSENGER (USPS 363-420) is published monthly by the Morningside Baptist Church. Periodical postage paid at Spartanburg, SC. Postmaster, send address changes to The Morningside Messenger 897 South Pine Street Spartanburg, SC 29302

Morningside Baptist Church Staff

Steven Owensby, Senior Pastor (Ext. 3) ................................. sowensby@msidechurch.org

Jack Dodds, Associate Pastor (Ext. 6) ......................................... jdodds@msidechurch.org Freida Cole, Children’s Minister (Ext. 4) ....................................... fcole@msidechurch.org

Robert Mitchell, Worship Director (Ext. 5) ............................. rmitchell@msidechurch.org Steve Kibbe, Youth Director (Ext. 8) .......................................... skibbe@msidechurch.org John Kelly, Financial Office (Ext. 7) .............................................jkelly@msidechurch.org Robin Kelly, Financial Office (Ext. 7) .......................................... rkelly@msidechurch.org

Linda Alverson, Membership Ministry Assistant (Ext. 1) ....... lalverson@msidechurch.org

Kathy Green, Communications Ministry Assistant (Ext. 2) ........ kgreen@msidechurch.org

Debbie Bishop, Weekday Preschool Director ............................ dbishop@msidechurch.org

Paula Joye, Organist ................................................................................. pjoye@juno.com

Gail Medlin, Pianist ....................................................................... ggmedlin@wildblue.net

Join Us Each Sunday Morning Worship: 9:30 A.M. Bible Study: 10:45 A.M.

Prayer Room

Our Prayer Room, located in the Welcome Center, is open Mondays through Thursdays during regular office hours, as well as on Sundays and Wednesdays

before and after worship services.

Ministers on Call This Month

Fridays Steven Owensby 590-7985

December 1-2 Jack Dodds 590-8951

December 7-9 Steven Owensby 590-7985

December 15-16 Freida Cole 884-4793

December 22-23 Jack Dodds 590-8951

December 29 Steve Kibbe 494-1472

December 30 Robert Mitchell 597-3966

Thank You Notes for Your Love, Prayers, Concern, and Support Received from

Cathy Godfrey Martha Taylor

Seeking, Serving, Sharing

897 South Pine Street Spartanburg, South Carolina 29302

Office: (864) 585-5457 Fax: (864) 585-6217

Weekday Preschool: (864) 585-5424 Office Hours: Monday - Thursday

8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Previous Sunday’s Service at 11:00 A.M.

WQUL 95.9 FM or 1510 AM

Sympathy Extended to

… Martha Taylor and family in the death of her grandson,

Taylor E. Hines, on November 15 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Jimmie Ann Collings, Tom and Delanie Collings and family in the death of Dr. Tom Collings II on November 18 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Dean and Regina Martin and family in the death of Dean’s mother, Emily Gore Martin, on November 23 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Family and friends of Floyd Layman who died on November 23 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. … Family and friends of Betty Cantrell who died in Greenville, South Carolina.

Congratulations to … Cole and Kimberly Alverson and family in the birth of their son, Hampton Lewis, on November 9 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Proud grandparents are Ben and Linda Alverson.