OFFERING BEARERS January 6 Beth Cook Patty McClure Mark Ethridge Ray Moody January 13 Roy Haynes Vicki Mason Chuck Mason Mary Shook January 20 John Allen Rickey Caldwell Fred Buchanan Jeff Greer January 27 Vikki Kinsland Roger Schultz Gail P. Moody Jim Shell

COUNTING COMMITTEE January 6 Carol Shell

January 13 Ed Leatherwood

January 20 Andy Beck

January 27 Gail Moody

DEACONS/YOKEFELLOWS

Deacons Meeting – January 6 Devotion – Andy Beck

January 6

Ray Moody -- 404-372-3499

January 13 Polly Leatherwood -- 456-5545

January 20

Jim Shell -- 646-7564

January 27 Jay Eichhorn -- 246-7411 Matthew Ruff -- 734-8006

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

4. Wanda Hampton 5. Ann Kinsland, Jim Shell 9. Jewell Carver 11. Bob Allen, Jan Plummer 16. Jasper Blanton 17. Ron Ingle, Gay Ann Mooney, Eli Owens 19. Mary Allen, Andy Beck 20. Layna Cope, Landon Plisko, Ashley Riley

21. David Gerlach, Leyna Sjoberg 22. Mary Jane Allen, Roy Haynes 24. Terry Caldwell, Vanessa Golden 26. Doug McClure 29. Beth Cook

USHERS January 6 Roy Haynes David Hendrix January 13 Vikki Kinsland Gail P. Moody January 20 David Hendrix Suzanne Hendrix January 27 John Allen Fred Buchanan

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to Gary & Myra Smith

who will be celebrating their 7th Wedding Anniversary on January 7.

BIRTH

Announcing the arrival of . . .

BRYNN DELANEY to Amanda & Cody Parton on

December 16th. She weighed 8 lbs. 6 ozs. and was

20¾ inches long. Grandparents are Jay & Cheryl

Eichhorn

AND THE LORD ADDED . . .

By Letter:

Chad & Erin Hightower

207 Valley View Circle

Waynesville, NC 28786

OMEGAS

The Omegas have made the decision to discontinue having their covered dish luncheon meetings during the months of January, February and March. With the arrival of spring, they will resume their regular second Tuesday gatherings in April.

THANKS

Dear Friends, Thank you for a beautiful summer. Best wishes to all of you for a blessed new year. Look forward to seeing you next summer. Much love, Linda Garrett

* * * * *

Thank you, Mission Group, for the gift bag and the visit on December 16th. Your thoughtfulness is really appreciated. We hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy new year. We love you, Wanda, Roger & Gloria

* * * * * I would like to thank the mission group for the gift bag you sent me. Also, I really appreciated all of the birthday cards that I received. Your prayers have really meant a lot to me during my illness. I am feeling better and Karen and I hope to be back at church soon. Carol McKnight & Karen Strickland

* * * * * The family of Joann Ruff acknowledges with deep appreciation your kind expression of sympathy. Thank you ladies for a delicious meal. The Ruff’s

* * * * * I would like to extend a warm thank you to all of the members of Hazelwood Baptist Church for donating the thoughtful infant gift bags. Our moms in need have really appreciated and enjoyed them. Happy Holidays! Andria Smith RNC Women’s Care Director

MEMORIALS

Hazelwood Baptist Church has given a gift to the Sanctuary Renovation Fund in memory

of Joann Ruff and Geraldine Kelpz.

Hugh Buchanan Memorials

Carolyn Jordan

Joann Ruff Memorials

Daniel & Brenda Frisbee Linda Garrett (Music Ministry)

Bill Rogers has given a gift in memory of

Regina and Charles Rogers.

SYMPATHY Christian sympathy is extended to . . . . . . Iggy & Heather Borges in the passing of his

mother. . . Clifford & Matthew Ruff, Beth & McKenzie

McMahan, Mary Cogburn, Betty Inman and Phyllis Sellen in the passing of Joann Ruff.

. . . Kevin & Tanya Cable and family in the passing

of Tanya’s mother, Sonja Pangle. . . . T. J. Harris in the passing of his grandfather,

Harold Harris of Afton, NC.

Dear Church Family, Although we have not met or know everyone yet, we want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year. With Love, Bill and Shirley Tidwell P.S. New members who are so happy and blessed to be here at Hazelwood.

ADULT FELLOWSHIP EVENINGS

January 8 . . . . . Snappy’s, Maggie Valley

February 5 . . . . . Sagebrush, Russ Avenue

March 5 . . . . . . . Firefly, 128 N. Main Street

April 2 . . . . . . . . Maggie Valley Restaurant

May 7 . . . . . . . . . Granny’s Kitchen, Cherokee

June 4 . . . . . . . . Kostas, Dillsboro

July 2 . . . . . . . . . Jukebox Junction, Bethel

August 6 . . . . . . Captain’s Bay

September 3 . . . Granny’s Kitchen, Cherokee

October 1 . . . . . Snappy’s, Maggie Valley

November 5 . . . . Sagebrush, Russ Avenue

December 3 . . . . Garrett House, Maggie Valley

THOMAS WATSON WRITINGS Submitted by Chuck Mason In how many ways may we glorify God?

[1] It is glorifying God when we aim purely at his glory. It is one thing to advance God's glory, another thing to aim at it. God must be the Terminus ad quem, the ultimate end of all actions. Thus Christ, John 8:80, ‘I seek not mine own glory, but the glory of him that sent me.' A hypocrite has a squint eye, for he looks more to his own glory than God's. Our Saviour deciphers such, and gives a caveat against them in Matthew 6:2, ‘When thou givest alms, do not sound a trumpet.' A stranger would ask, ‘What means the noise of this trumpet?' It was answered, ‘They are going to give to the poor.' And so they did not give alms, but sell them for honour and applause, that they might have glory of men; the breath of men was the wind that blew the sails of their charity; ‘verily they have their reward.' The hypocrite may make his acquittance and write, ‘received in full payment.' Chrysostom calls vain-glory one of the devil's great nets to catch men. And Cyprian says, ‘Whom Satan cannot prevail against by intemperance, those he prevails against by pride and vainglory.' Oh let us take heed of self-worshipping! Aim purely at God's glory. We do this, (1.) When we prefer God's glory above all other things; above credit, estate, relations; when the glory of God coming in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations lie in our way to heaven, we must either leap over them, or tread upon them. A child must unchild himself, and forget he is a child; he must know neither father nor mother in God's cause. Deut 33:3. ‘Who said unto his father and mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren.' This is to aim at God's glory. (2.) We aim at God's glory, when we are content that God's will should take place, though it may cross ours. Lord, I am content to be a loser, if thou be a gainer; to have less health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory. Let it be food or bitter physic if thou givest it me. Lord, I desire that which may be most for thy glory. Our blessed Saviour said, ‘Not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Matt 26:69. If God might have more glory by his sufferings, he was content to suffer. John 12:28. ‘Father, glorify thy name.' (3.) We aim at God's glory when we are content to be outshined by others in gifts and esteem, so that his glory may be increased. A man that has God in his heart, and God's glory in his eye, desires that

God should be exalted; and if this be effected, let who will be the instrument, he rejoices. Phil 1:15. ‘Some preach Christ of envy: notwithstanding, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice'; they preached Christ of envy, they envied Paul that concourse of people, and they preached that they might outshine him in gifts, and get away some of his hearers: well, says Paul, Christ is preached, and God is like to have the glory, therefore I rejoice; let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine.

[2] We glorify God by an ingenuous confession of sin. The thief on the cross had dishonoured God in his life, but at his death he brought glory to God by confession of sin. Luke 23:31. ‘We indeed suffer justly.' He acknowledged he deserved not only crucifixion, but damnation. Josh 7:19. ‘My son, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confession unto him.' A humble confession exalts God. How is God's free grace magnified in crowning those who deserve to be condemned! The excusing and mincing of sin casts a reproach upon God. Adam denied not that he tasted the forbidden fruit, but, instead of a full confession, he taxed God. Gen 3:32. ‘The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat;' if thou hadst not given me the woman to be a tempter, I had not sinned. Confession glorifies God, because it clears him; it acknowledges that he is holy and righteous, whatever he does. Nehemiah vindicates God's righteousness; chap 9:93. ‘Thou art just in all that is brought upon us.' A confession is ingenuous when it is free, not forced. Luke 15:58. ‘I have sinned against heaven and before thee.' The prodigal charged himself with sin before his father charged him with it.

[3] We glorify God by believing. Rom 4:40. ‘Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God.' Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the lie; ‘he that believeth not, maketh God a liar.' I John 5:50. But faith brings glory to God; it sets to its seal that God is true. John 3:33. He that believes flies to God's mercy and truth, as to an altar of refuge; he engarrisons himself in the promises, and trusts all he has with God. Psa 31:1. ‘Into thy hands I commit my spirit.' This is a great way of bringing glory to God, and God honours faith, because faith honours him. It is a great honour we do to a man when we trust him with all we have, when we put our lives and estates into his hand; it is a sign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing. ‘The God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and will deliver us.' Dan 3:17. Faith knows there are no impossibilities with God, and will trust him where it cannot trace him.

A FATHER’S LOVE On December 7, 1988, an earthquake devastated the northwestern section of Armenia, killing an estimated 25,000 people. In one small town, just after the earthquake, a father rushed to his son’s school only to find that the school had been flattened. There was no sign of life. But he had no thought of turning back. He had often told his son. “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you when you need me!” Though his prospects appeared hopeless, the father began feverishly removing rubble from where he believed his son’s classroom had been. Other forlorn parents only wailed hopelessly…“My son!” or “My daughter!” Some told the father to go home, that there was no chance that any of the children could be alive. Yet he replied: “I made my son a promise that I’d be there for him anytime he needed me. I must continue to dig.” Courageously, he worked alone; no one volunteered to help him. He simply had to know for himself: “Is my boy alive or is he dead?” Finding strength and endurance beyond himself, the faithful, loving father continued to dig…for 8 hours…12…24…36 hours. Then in the 38th hour, as he heaved away a heavy piece of rubble, he heard voices. “Armand!” he screamed. A child’s voice responded: “Dad! It’s me…Armand!” Then, “I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you’d save me, and when you saved me, they’d be saved. You promised you would always be there for me! You did it, Dad!” Moments later, the dad was helping his son Armand and 13 more frightened, hungry, and thirsty boys and girls climb out of the debris. Free at last! When the building collapsed, these children had been spared in a tent-like pocket. When the townspeople praised Armand’s dad, his explanation was, “I promised my son, ‘No matter what, I’ll be there for you!”

LET’S PRAY

Guide to Prayer During the New Year

● Pray that a powerful spiritual awakening will grip our nation, our churches, and Christians as well as unbelievers in the new year.

● Pray that God will provide for the needy during times of economic challenge throughout the new year.

● Pray Christians will stand strong for Christ no

matter the challenges in the new year. Seek God especially regarding the persecuted Church around the world, that He will grant protection and strength to those who suffer the most and even pay the ultimate price for the cause of Christ.

● Pray that unsaved friends and loved ones will

soften their hearts toward Christ during the new year.

● Pray that God will strengthen your faith during

crises and struggles during the new year. ● Pray that your commitment to prayer and

worship will increase throughout the new year. ● Pray that God will provide you with many

opportunities to share Christ with friends, family, and neighbors during this next year.

● Pray for Christian friends and loved ones who

will face difficult spiritual battles in the new year. ● Pray for missionaries, that God will anoint them,

grant them wisdom, meet their needs, protect them, and give them strength through the challenges of ministry in the year to come.

● Pray that God will protect you during times of

work and travel throughout the coming year. ● Pray that youth in our church will grow in faith,

stand firm for Christ through temptation and resistance, and grow as messengers of the gospel to friends and classmates throughout the year.

● Pray that children in our church will form strong,

lasting relationships with Christ throughout the year.

● Pray that the elderly in our church will find

encouragement through Christ during times of loneliness and trial during this next year.

● Pray that God will bless and protect government

officials in the new year, and that they will look to Him for wisdom and guidance.

● Pray that you will renew your commitment to

become more like Christ each day throughout this next year.

Highlights from Beyond

“The Three Steps”

In 2019, my goal is to face each day with “An

Attitude of Gratitude.” It is so very easy to be

negative in a negative world, isn’t it! Believe me,

some days this new goal will be really hard to

keep. But, if I will continue to remind myself of

how truly blessed I am, it will be much easier to

always live each new day and face each new

situation with “An Attitude of Gratitude.” I am

blessed because Jesus loves me, this I know. I am

blessed because, no matter what happens this

year, God has everything under control. I am

blessed because I know that this world is not my

home. I am blessed because God has entrusted

me the great privilege of being the mother of

David (Brittany) and Daniel (Kristan) and

grandmother of Darcy and Liam, as well as the

wife of Alan. I am blessed because God allowed

me to be born in a wonderful family. I am

blessed because He allows me the privilege to

serve Him alongside each of you, my family, at

HBC. I am so blessed! On and on I could go…..

When I remember my blessings, I can live, no

matter what, in “An Attitude of Gratitude!”

In 1983, Max Lucado wrote a wonderful article

entitled, “An Attitude of Gratitude.” I have

included his article below and pray that it will

inspire you, as well, to live each day in 2019 with

“An Attitude of Gratitude!”

“A grateful heart sees each day as a gift. Thankful

people focus less on what they lack and more on

the privileges they have. I attended a banquet

recently in which a wounded soldier was presented

with the gift of a free house. He nearly fell over

with gratitude. He bounded onto the stage with his

one good leg and threw both arms around the

presenter. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

He hugged the guitar player in the band and the

big woman on the front row. He thanked the

waiter, the other soldiers, and then the presenter

again. Before the night was over, he thanked me!

And I didn’t do anything.

Shouldn’t we be equally grateful? Jesus is

building a house for us (John 14:2). Our deed of

ownership is every bit as certain as that of the

soldier. What’s more, Jesus cured our leprosy. Sin

cankered our souls and benumbed our senses. Yet

the Man on the path told us we were healed, and,

lo and behold, we were!

The grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over

the day, collecting reasons for gratitude. A zillion

diamonds sparkle against the velvet of your sky

every night. Thank you, God. A miracle of muscles

enables your eyes to read these words and your

brain to process them. Thank you, God. Your

lungs inhale and exhale eleven thousand liters of

air every day. Your heart will beat about three

billion times in your lifetime. Your brain is a

veritable electric generator of power. Thank you,

God.

For the jam on our toast and the milk on our

cereal. For the blanket that calms us and the joke

that delights us and the warm sun that reminds us

of God’s love. For the thousands of planes that did

not crash today. For the men who didn’t cheat on

their wives, and the wives who didn’t turn from

their men, and the kids who, in spite of

unspeakable pressure to dishonor their parents,

decided not to do so. Thank you, Lord.

Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. To reflect

on your blessings is to rehearse God’s accomplish-

ments. To rehearse God’s accomplishments is to

discover his heart. To discover his heart is to

discover not just good gifts but the Good Giver.

Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and

away from dread. It does to anxiety what the

morning sun does to valley mist. It burns it up.

Join the ranks of the 10 percent who give God a

standing ovation. “Give thanks for everything to

God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20 NLT)

I am so blessed because…as the hymn so

beautifully proclaims: “Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.”

I am truly grateful and blessed for the wonderful

privilege of serving as the Minister of Music and

Worship here at Hazelwood Baptist Church! I

love and appreciate each one of you!

In His service and with much love,

Denise

I am always available, so please feel free to

contact me anytime.

E-Mail: damathis123@gmail.com

Cell: 828-550-7408

Soli Deo Gloria –

"To the Glory of God Alone!"

LADIES . . . MARK YOUR CALENDAR

NOW FOR FEBRUARY 9TH

We have a special lady coming to teach cookie decorating. She will have all the cookies and icing made up, the edible images and her collection of sprinkles. She will do a brief lesson on how to apply the images and we will then all decorate cookies. So mark your 2019 calendar now and as we get closer, you will be able to sign up for the “free” class. Suzanne will need to know by February 1st who will be attending.

ATTENTION MEN OF OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Jewell Carver has voiced a need for help getting James in and out of the car for doctor appointments. There are others that may also need help in this area. Please call me for more details if you are willing to assist. Ladies, we can help by making phone calls, a pot of soup or for sure a home visit to so many of our homebound family. Please help and thank you for your prayers on this need. Suzanne Hendrix 476-9802

From the Cradle to the Cross

Proverbs 22:6

2019

I am looking forward to this year more than I believe I have in a very long time! And yes, so

much of it has to do with my family and friends and the hope and joy I am finding in my own personal faith! And yet I am reminded daily

that there are so many in this world that feel absolutely hopeless, abandoned, and

desperate! Where we begin anew as Christians some are burdened with the feeling that life will just be

the same old thing day after day!

I want to find myself being the difference in someone else’s life. I want to forgive more

freely the offenses I feel I have suffered, I long to share the hope and joy that Christ has

placed in my heart!! What good can it possibly do me unless I share? In a broken and hurting world I pray that I reach out to the stranger! That I can be the hands and feet of a Savior that loved the least of these including me!

Join me in continuing to pray that we never tire of serving others! That our strength never fails us and that we are hidden behind the cross of Jesus Christ! May God bless you abundantly in

the coming year!!

In His Service,

Tasha L. Byrd