The Northport Baptist Church Beacon (USPS 101990) is published weekly except Christmas week by Northport Baptist Church, Northport, Alabama 35476 (205)345-0100. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Northport Baptist Church, 1004 Main Avenue, Northport, Alabama 35476-4436

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1004 Main Avenue ◊ 205.345.0100 ◊ www.northportbaptist.org

Giving our Treasure

Contributions

Actual given December 28 $40,602.84

Actual given YTD $1,274,456.25

Anticipated this week $26,807.69

Needed/Budget YTD $1,394,000.00

Building Fund

Actual given December 28 $10,288.20

Given YTD $243,211.81

Needed/Budget YTD $263,999.84

Special Accounts Benevolence $1,685.00

AL Children’s Home $20.00

C. Schmidt Scholarship $25.00

Lottie Moon $4,455.51

March to Missions $405.00

Chapel Renovation $400.00

Music Ministry $1,000.00

Children’s Ministry $1,500.00

Student Ministry $1,100.00

Birthdays

1/04: Abigail Buford, Lesley Geer, 1/05: Tiffany Chaffin, Margaret Hamner, Lorene Harris, Audrey Quarles, Bryon Tsiao, 1/06: Savannah LaFoy, 1/07: Darrell Simpson, 1/08: Sarah Morris, 1/09: Elizabeth Davis, Marianna Evans, Dale Kintner, 1/10: Steve Brown, Nelson Dowdle, Doris Howell

This Week’s Events

January 4 Sunday 9:00 a.m. Sunday School

10:15 Morning Worship

6:00 Evening Worship

5 Monday

6:00 p.m. Pastor Search Committee (423)

Upward Practices (FLC)

6 Tuesday

1:00 p.m. Ladies’ Prayer Time (Prayer Rm) 6:00 Upward Practices (FLC)

7 Wednesday

5:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer Time (424)

5:00 p.m. Family Night Supper

5:40 Music & Missions

5:45 Sons of Thunder, Ladies’ Bible Study

6:00 Prayer Meeting (422), Praise Team,

Sisters in Prayer, The Way (109),

The Truth (W)

7:00 Worship Choir Rehearsal

7:30 Orchestra Rehearsal

The Life Meal/Bible Study/Worship

8 Thursday

10:00 a.m. TrailBlazers Coffee (424) 6:00 p.m. Upward Practices (FLC)

9 Friday

Passion Conference (Atlanta)

10 Saturday

8:00 a.m. Upward Basketball Games

9:00 Round Table Book Club (FH) Passion Conference (Atlanta)

Deacon of the Week: Bill McDonald

5:00 p.m. Awana, Discipleship

Northport Baptist Church Staff

Dr. Mark DeVine

Interim Pastor

Dr. John Hinton

Minister of Music

Rev. Stephen Brown

Associate Pastor-Education/Administration

Dr. Jared Case

Associate Pastor-Students

Bro. Kenyon Hamner Associate Pastor-Children

Giving our Time

December 21 - 28

Sunday School Total 392

Preschool 47

Children 59

Youth 43

College 7

Other Adults 236

Worship 426

280

34

32

39

7

168

337

Sympathy

Sympathy is extended to Bessie Haney on the death of her brother, Eugene Seals; and to Lloyd Baker on the death of his mother, Janice Baker.

Memorials / Honorariums

Given to the Benevolence Fund in honor of Lucien Lewis anonymously; to the Building Fund in memory of Charles Ballard, Jr. by the Wilson Sunday School class and by Janelle Gray; to the Music Ministry in honor or Dr. & Mrs. Earl

Glenn anonymously; to Lottie Moon in memory of Sim T. Patterson, Geraldine Ivie, Frances

Landers, and Jo Moore by Margaret Walker; honor of the Office Staff and Kitchen Staff by Margaret Walker; in honor of Dr. Earl Glenn by Leslie Shew; in memory of Rev. Nelson Duke by Regina Hildreth; in honor of Mrs. Wilma Duke,

Rev. & Mrs. Dean Pratt, and Mr. & Mrs. Steve

Smith by Regina Hildreth; in honor of the GAs by Bebe Barnett.

. . . so that at the name of

JESUS EVERY KNEE WILL BOW,

of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and that every tongue will confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:10-11 NASB

Retirement Retirement is a word that brings to mind the end of many things. It is with the expectation of the beginning of many things that I announce my retirement as Minister of Education/Administration at the end of February, 2015. I pray for God’s continued blessings on Northport Baptist Church. In His Service, Stephen Brown

Ladies’ Bible Studies Precept will begin Romans Part 3 on Tuesday, January 13 at 9:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall.

Breathe, Making Room for the Sabbath by Pricilla Shirer will begin on Tuesday, January 13 at 9:30 a.m. in room 106. The facilitator is Sabrina Case. Call Bonnie Branyon 333-9826 or the church office to get a book. Workbooks are $10.

Children of the Day by Beth Moore will begin on Wednesday, January 14 at 5:45 P.M. in room 106 as well as Sunday, January 18 at 5:00 p.m. in room 106.

Acts Coffee Chat Acts Coffee Chat will be on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. All ladies in the church are invited. Friends outside our NBC family are also invited. There will be a speaker from within our family, snacks and prayer. Bring a coffee mug to exchange with a prayer partner.

Family Fiesta

Sunday, January 18 our families are all invited to the fellowship hall after the evening worship service for food and fun.

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Upward

Upward games are underway! Pray for the referees and devotion speakers each Saturday. Games begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m.

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Nursery Workers January 4: Sally Davis, Elaine Kilgore, Brian & Pasha McAbee, Toby & Chanda Fikes, Chuck & Boots Schmidt, Matt & Brandi Odum

KidzBlast January 4: Jason & Jennifer Nicholson, Eric & Asheley Anders, Eric & Christy Tidmore

The Hideout January 4: Lance & Stacey Johnson, Wade & Brandi Dailey

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Awana

Awana will begin again on Sunday, January 4 at 5:00 p.m. Awana is a fun way for children to memorize scripture. We have classes for 3 year olds up through 5th grade.

Volume XXXIII

No. 1 January 4

2015

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS

IMB’s vision is “a multitude from every language, tribe and nation knowing and worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ.” For that to happen, we must pray diligently for the thousands of unreached people groups—billions of individuals—who don’t know their savior. We can pray for missionaries in the field to be urgent about spreading the gospel. We can pray that more people will give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and continue support of Southern Baptist missionaries.

Pray about giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Be generous.

Your giving has a place in God’s story!

Church Goal: $23,170.00

Given Y-T-D: $21,966.54

Orphan Sunday

January 11

Herbie Newell will be our guest speaker in the morning service.

Baby Needs New Shoes!

Well, they can be new or gently used. We need at least 153 pairs of children’s shoes of every size, color and kind for our Orphan Sunday project. Please bring shoes for boys and girls of all ages on January 11. Clean out your closets or pick up some new low-priced shoes at a New Year’s sale. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful ministry.

Learn to do what is good. Seek justice.

Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of

the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1:17 (HCSB)

RAs and GAs Our children learn about missions on Wednesday nights at 6:20. They have wonderful leaders who look for ways to involve the children in outreach projects. This month our children went to a nearby community to sing Christmas carols and pass out candy canes and hot cocoa. Our GAs put up a Christmas Card Corner and collected $101.55 to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Good job, boys and girls! Thank you for your dedication, teachers!

Sons of Thunder All men of NBC are encouraged to join the Sons of Thunder. They meet every Wednesday night at 5:45 in rooms 204-205. There are various ongoing ministries where you can be used by God to touch lives in our church and community. See how you fit in with this program.

Over-Time After Church

Sunday, January 18

7:00 p.m. School is out on Monday, January 19 so our students will have a fellowship after the evening worship service.

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College Outreach

Sunday, January 11 & 18

5:00-7:00 p.m.

College Fellowship

Thursday, January 22

6:00-9:00 p.m. Spring Semester Kickoff Fellowship

Small Group Kickoff Sunday, January 25

7:00 p.m. College small groups begin.

Save the Date We will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of

Dr. John Hinton as our Music Minister on Sunday, March 8, 2015.

Watch for more details in the weeks to come.

I would like to thank my Northport Baptist family for the many prayers, cards and expressions of kindness for my brother, Kenneth Carter during his short illness and death. As difficult as this has been, we have comfort knowing he is healed and resting at the throne of our Savior. In Christ love, Deborah Beck & family

Congratulations to Matt & Ashley Connell on the birth of their daughter, Emery Lashae on December 18. Emery weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. This is their first child.