December, 2019 Vol. 13, Issue 12

THE CONTACT: First Baptist Church of Burlington

First Baptist Church of Burlington

FirstBaptistBurlington.com

Phone:336.226.2433

info@FirstBaptistBurlington.com

Sunday Service Broadcast Live

on 1150 AM and 105.9 FM

CHURCH STAFF

Dr. Terry E. Peele Senior Pastor

Rev. Joel N. Marshall Associate Pastor of Music & Worship

Rev. Stacey L. Grimm Associate Pastor of Admin. & Communication

Rev. Cameron M. West NextGen Pastor

Katherine Thomas Lucier Principal Church Accompanist

Jerry Cerezo Awakening Worship Leader

Lydia Jones

Children’s Ministry Intern

Gwen Mitchell Ministry Coordinator

Lynn Anderson Financial Secretary

Al and Patricia Paschal Church Custodians

Danny Scott Maintenance Technician

Lisa Moore Child Development Center Director

Deck the Halls!

On Wednesday, Dec 4th, FBC will host a new event

called Deck the Halls! This will be in place of our tradi-

tional Hanging of the Greens. We will enjoy a spaghetti

dinner at 5pm in the Worship Center/Fellowship Hall. At

6:00 pm we will all go to the Sanctuary for a very brief

service and then, we will all Deck the Halls!

This is a casual service of participation. There will be

something everyone can do. You may want to help dec-

orate or you may want to sit and sing Christmas carols

to add to the festivity of the evening. This is a wonderful

opportunity for our whole church to come together in

fellowship, worship and fun! Please don’t miss this

chance to enjoy old friends and make new ones. Let’s

Deck the Halls together!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

The staff, congregants and members of First Baptist Burlington are happy to

welcome Ernie and Pamela Keck!

Our Deepest Sympathy

The ministers, staff, and congregants of

First Baptist extend our deepest sympathy to:

The Finley family and friends in the loss of Sarah Finley

At the end of December we will say goodbye to our Ministry Coordina-

tor, Gwen Mitchell. Gwen has decided to retire after over 11 years of

service here at First Baptist. Gwen has gone above and beyond in her

service to First Baptist. She has loved and cared for us. There have

been countless times over these last years when Gwen has saved the

day! She always finds a way to get things done! She is loved and treas-

ured by us all. While we selfishly hate to see her go, we wish her all

the best!

On Sunday, December 15, after our 11:00 Worship Service, everyone is

invited to join us in the Gathering Place for a reception in Gwen’s hon-

or. We will also be receiving a love offering for her in December. We

encourage everyone to take a moment over these next few weeks to

express gratitude to and for Gwen.

THIS IS OUR FAVORITE PICTURE OF GWEN.

IT SHOWS HER BEAUTY INSIDE AND OUT!

Thank you, Gwen Mitchell!

World Missions Christmas Offering

Our Church Goal : $16,000.00

Christ said, "I have come that they might have life and they might have it more abundant-

ly." John 10:10 We are all part of reaching every nation with the gospel. We can all con-

tribute to the World Missions Christmas Offering. You may give to either the SBC Lottie

Moon Offering, or the CBF Global Missions Offering. Please specify. Please be prayerful

and generous. Thank you.

Transition Team Update

Transition Team Members: Ralph Harwood, Christine Landess, Roger Phillips, Jani Rosario, and David Smith

On January 26, 2020, Dr. Bill Wilson of “The Center for Healthy Churches” will be with us. He will preach at

the 9 AM and 11 AM services. He will also be available that morning during the SS/D-Group time to answer

questions relating to his role in our transition process.

He has been an invaluable resource for our transition team as he leads us in our transition process. His

experience and wisdom in how to form an effective search team, how to develop a profile of our congrega-

tion and how to determine, “what we need,” in a pastor, rather than, “what we want,” has been very in-

sightful and helpful to our transition team.

Dr. Wilson has been active in Baptist life for 33 years serving as a Senior Pastor, on church staff, President

of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and on the Richmond and Mercer Universities Trustee

Boards, and in many other capacities of Christian service.

His profile states, “Bill’s work with churches and ministers is marked by a positive and unyielding belief that

Christ-centered ministry is fulfilling and relevant. His deepest desire is to encourage churches and clergy to

discover a vital and vibrant future. He believes that, as difficult as it is to be the church today, there has

never been a day when the church was more needed.

Please be in prayer as we enter into this time of transition, and plan to join us on January 26.

Merry Christmas!

Now Get Out of My Way!!

Several years ago someone in our

church came up with what we all

thought was a very good idea.

Since the patrons of the annual

Burlington Christmas Parade fill

up our parking lot for the event,

why not encourage parkers to

bring a canned food or make a do-

nation to help the local helping

agencies in our community?

Great idea? Should have been. . .

We did what we could to notify

the community of this opportuni-

ty. We were prepared to be un-

derstanding and gracious to

parkers who had not heard or did

not bring a donation. No prob-

lem! They would be welcomed to

park anyway. Sounds like a good

attitude? Should have been. . .

The Saturday of the parade we

were ready! All the attendants at

the entrances to the church park-

ing lots knew the plan. Everyone

was on board with the

“understanding and gracious” atti-

tude. Grace! Smile! Merry Christ-

mas!

Well, it seems some of the parking

public had developed a sense of

entitlement about parking at First

Baptist! While many folks had

heard about and prepared to

make a donation, a number of

folks were not. Of those who

were not, most were appropriate

in response to our grace, smiles,

and Merry Christmas! But, Grinch

did come. In fact, a number of

“Grinchy” folks came. And, they

were not having any of the dona-

tion idea, the grace that was

offered, the smiles that were

smiled, or the Merry Christmas

that was offered.

They were here for the party. . .

the parade. They were entitled to

park wherever they chose, and

many of them had chosen First

Baptist for years. . .for parking at

least. It was soon evident that

what was really a good idea in

theory would not be an idea we’d

continue in practice.

When Christ came to a people

who’d been preparing for His

coming for centuries, He man-

aged to show up during a busy,

busy time. There was no place for

his parents to “park” even to have

the One who had been promised.

And, truth be told, it would have

been impossible for Joseph and

Mary to convince anyone that

they, this humble couple of low

estate, were awaiting this most

important birth. . .the birth of the

One so many had longed to see.

Soon, we will all be busy. We’ll be

scrambling around to get ready

for Christmas. We’ll be rubbing

shoulders with plenty of others

who are also in “panic mode.”

And, we’ll be bumping into folks

with “entitlement syndrome.”

There will be plenty of moments

when the reason for the season

will be completely lost.

But, let’s pledge now that we’ll

not lose this Season. None of us

are entitled to grace. None of us

can bring salvation into the world.

We can do very little it seems to

control the actions of others dur-

ing the Christmas Season. We

can, however, control how we let

our actions impact others and

how their actions impact us.

We can be gracious. We can

smile. We can issue a warm

“Merry Christmas” in the most try-

ing of circumstances. You see, we

know He came. We know why He

came. We know the gift we’ve

been given. The peace, hope, joy,

and love of the season are not ab-

stract emotions. They are real

and renewing in us during this

Season.

Jesus, the Savior, endured so

much and never lost the purpose

of His coming. Our gift to Him

and others is to do the same as

often as it is required. Trust me.

It will be a challenge at times to

do this with grace, a smile, and a

Merry Christmas to a world that

often wants us to just stay out of

the way while they do their own

Christmas “thing.”

Merry Christmas!

Terry

Advent 2019 at First Baptist Church

Dr. Terry E. Peele, the Church Staff, and Congregation of

First Baptist Church

400 S. Broad St., Burlington NC

. . . Cordially invite you to join us as we celebrate the Christmas season!

DECEMBER 1-8

Week of Prayer for International Missions Christmas Offerings

World Missions Christmas Offering

Our Church Goal: $16,000

Our gifts to the World Missions Christmas Offering enable us to send missionaries around the world. They depend on us to support them with our prayers and our financial gifts.

Remember to designate your gift for the Lottie Moon Offering (SBC) or the Global Missions Offering (CBF). Ingathering Sunday is December 22.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1

First Sunday in Advent 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

First Sunday in Advent – Lighting of the Hope Candle

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4

Dinner at 5:00 p.m. for Everyone – Fellowship Hall

Deck the Halls Service, 6:00 p.m. – Sanctuary

This year, instead of our traditional Hanging of the Greens service, we will be Decking the Halls on Wednesday, December 4th. Dinner will be served at 5:00

in Fellowship Hall, followed by our Deck the Halls Service in the Sanctuary at 6:00 with whole-church participation in decorating the building for Christmas!

Our FBC Children’s Choir and Handbells will share Christmas music with us. This will be a casual, informal fun time with friends and family for the entire church.

There will be several teams and places to plug in for you to choose from! Please sign up in the Church Office for Dinner

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8

Second Sunday in Advent 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

Second Sunday in Advent – Lighting of the Peace Candle

Guest Missionary Speakers

Christmas Handbell Concert, Sanctuary 6:30 p.m. First Baptist and Grove Park Handbell Choirs – FBC Sanctuary

Celebrate the Christmas Season as our combined Handbell Choirs from First Baptist and Grove Park Baptist present a service of song, celebration and worship

in the First Baptist Sanctuary – Everyone invited – a Fellowship will follow

Advent 2019 at First Baptist Church

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15

Third Sunday in Advent 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

Third Sunday in Advent – Lighting of the Joy Candle

Retirement Reception for Gwen Mitchell, Church Secretary 12:00 p.m. in the Gathering Place

The joy of your presence is appreciated

Christmas Presence, by Pepper Choplin 6:00 p.m. at Grove Park Baptist, 108 Trail One, Burlington

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22

Fourth Sunday in Advent 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

Fourth Sunday in Advent – Lighting of the Love Candle

Christmas at Awakening 6:00 p.m. in Worship Center

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29

Sunday after Christmas 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5

Epiphany Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services

Christmas Presence, by Pepper Choplin 6:30 p.m., First Baptist Sanctuary – Everyone is invited

Join us for a Celebration of the Christmas Season

as our Music Ministry presents

Pepper Choplin’s Christmas Musical, Christmas Presence

at First Baptist Church, 6:30 p.m., Sanctuary

with First Baptist Choir, Orchestra, Narration, and Guest Singers

with Special Guest Soloist, John Stitt

For more information, contact us at:

First Baptist Church, 400 S. Broad St., Burlington

Phone 336-226-2433 or visit our Website at

www.FirstBaptistBurlington.com

First Baptist Church of Burlington 400 South Broad Street P.O. Box 2686 Burlington, North Carolina 27216-2686

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December 15, 2019

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Come Celebrate With Us!