Although we are small at the moment, we have many new things planned for 2023 and we need volunteers to teach during the morning worship service. Our children are the future of our church and they need to be taught and encouraged to follow the way Jesus lived and that he died for them. So please contact Megan Knight and let her know when you can help.
The Lizzie Lewis Circle continues to meet the first Thursday of each month h ere at the church at 12:15. We have several mission projects that we support and are looking forward to what God has in store for 2023. Ladies, come and join us.
The ministry of Helping Hands has been helping the people of Beckley and Raleigh County for many years and have helped countless families with both food and clothing. In these times of uncertainty, many, many familes are faced with the problem of providing the basic needs of life and that’s where you come in.
We continue to collect non-perishable food, clothing, toilet paper and bar soap but our biggest concern right now is blankets and coats. Many of our families struggle to keep warm in the winter and that’s where your support has been extremely generous so far this winter and for that we thank you. BUT the need still continues. Every family who comes into Helping Hands is given a blanket for every member of their family.
So let’s check the January sales and help keep Beckley and Raleigh County warm this winter. As always, we thank you for your continued support to this ministry.
With another year completed, it’s time to look ahead to what God has planned for our shoebox ministry for 2023. We’ve been successful these past 20 years and with your continued support we can go for another 20 years. Through this ministry, countless thousands of children have learned the name Jesus for the first time and many of those have given their hearts to Him through the power of a simple shoebox.
For the month of January, we will be collecting children’s gloves. So head to those dollar stores and get those January bargains. Please keep this ministry in your prayers as the name of Jesus continues to be spread to children around the world.
All of our shopping, wrapping and delivering Christmas gifts for our Backpack Children is over. Thanks to our wonderful volunteers we were able to provide clothing and toys for 24 children this year. We needed two trucks to get them all delivered to Beckley Elementary School. I am sure we made lots of happiness happen for our children on Christmas morning.
We will continue to provide food bags to the children starting January 5th.
Many thanks to everyone who volunteered their time. money and food for our Backpack Ministry. May God bless each one of you!
For the month of January please donate 12-ounce jars of peanut butter.
by Pastor Bryan Knight
We will all feel an atmosphere of newness, new number, new roles at church. Some will seek a new start or what many will call, a new year’s resolution. Have you ever stopped to ask what a new year resolution is? Many sources mention its beginnings with the Babylonians thus being adopted by the Romans. And it seems with the Babylonians and Romans that many debts were settled during this time. Now that’s a nice thought. Having any type of debt settled will make anyone excited about the New Year.
The origins of the word “resolution” as applied to our current usage and understanding is slightly comical. According to www.etymonline.com, “late 14c., resolucioun, “a breaking or reducing into parts; process of breaking up, dissolution,” from Old French resolution (14c.) and directly from Latin resolutionem (nominative resolutio) “process of reducing things into simpler forms,” noun of action from past participle stem of resolvere “to loosen”. Well, this sounds like what most folks do with their new lofty goals, they dissolve them.
Around a hundred years later that changed, “In mid-15c. it also meant “frame of mind,” often implying a pious or moral determination. By 1580s as “a statement upon some matter;” hence “formal decision or expression of a meeting or assembly,” c. 1600. New Year’s resolution in reference to a specific intention to better oneself is from at least the 1780s, and through 19c. they generally were of a pious nature.” Now this definition makes more sense. I see nothing wrong with a person pursuing to better themselves.
Many will make resolutions to promote their health, such as diet, physical fitness etc. Most will neglect their spiritual growth, while suggesting they will grow closer to God. 1 Timothy 4:7b-10, “… Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.”
If we apply this to the reality of God/YHWH and the scriptures, we see the debt of sin. Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, …”, we have inherited the sin nature. We all owe a debt to God. This debt isn’t paid once a year nor during any new year or change of a number. Our debt was paid by Christ, as you well know. Promoting the Great Commission must be at the core of our new goals! Not just once a year, but daily! For each day, each breath is a blessing and a new opportunity to present the Gospel message of Christ. Create a perpetual New Day’s Resolution attached to Matthew 28.
Let’s be good stewards in God’s house.
When you’re working in the church during the week, please remember if you turn the lights on, turn them off. If you turn the heat on, turn it off. This may sound a bit trivial, but every penny counts.
We will be closing our financial books for this year on Friday, December 30th. Any contributions for this year must be in the office by noon that day.
The church office will be closed on Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd in observance of Christmas and New Years.
Undie Sunday has been a great success thanks to our generous congregation.
We will continue to collect undies on the last Sunday of each month to provide Helping Hands with an adequate supply for their clients. We currently have enough socks so just undies please. Our next Undie Sunday will be December 18th. Thanks to everyone.
Our sanctuary choir is a vital part of our morning worship and they could always use some new volunteers. You don’t have to sing well – just be willing to use your singing talents to praise God. Choir rehearsal is Wednesday evening at 7:00 following prayer meeting in the choir room.
Several of our ladies spent a morning decorating the Welcome Center and Fellowship Hall for the Christmas Season. The Lizzie Lewis Circle will be meeting on Dec. 1st for a Christmas luncheon. All ladies are in