Pastor Dr. Jim Ewing Music Leader Danny Granstaff Children’s Ministry Director Janet Dietsch Youth Leaders Lance & Trena Gregory Ministry Assistant Jan Moore Church Organist/Pianist Vicki Madison Custodians Marshall & Gail Agent

The Challenge Our Mission: Encounter … Grow … Serve … Share

Our Vision: Becoming Fully Committed Followers of Jesus Christ … making a Kingdom Impact on Calvert City

Sunday Schedule Wednesday Schedule 9:00 am Sunday School 6:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting 10:15 am Worship Service Youth Ministry

5:30 pm AWANA J.U.M.P. (K-5th Grade)

First Baptist Church

PO Box 366

Calvert City KY 42029-0366

270-395-4600

Return Service Requested

December 2017

Prayer Concerns for Our Church Family Prayer Concerns for Friends & Loved Ones Letha Sickling – undergoing chemo treatments Oral Sickling – recovering from heart valve replacement June Sewell – Lourdes physical therapy, CCCC, room 114 Phyllis O’Bryan – back pain, difficult to walk Ron Lappin – at home recovering from foot surgery

John Kerr (Ray Tucker’s half-brother) – stage 4 lung cancer, Lindsay & Patrick (Ashley Lanier’s sister) – babies born premature; Kosairs Hospital for care Keith Shelton (wife Caroline) – health issues Pam Truitt (Troy’s daughter-in-law) – diagnosed with breast cancer Alan Moore (Nancy Whitler’s brother) – health issues Joyce Hearell – fell, broken hip, at Baptist Health

Convalescent Centers/Assisted Living Homebound Rivers Capps - living with daughter’s family in Benton Linda Terry Carolyn Burt

Polly Norwine - Stilley House, room 418

Military Members Corey Joiner Ben Sewell Stephen Ewing

$$$ NOVEMBER FIGURES $$$

GENERAL BUDGET FUNDS ACTIVITIES BUILDING & SIGN FUNDS Budget Needs Monthly $ 21,285

Budget Receipts (thru Nov 26th) $ 18,771 Activities Bldg. Total $ 25,372

YTD Budget Needs $ 212,850 Sign Fund Total $ 13,249 YTD Budget Receipts (thru Nov 25th) $ 211,786

Children’s Ministry: Janet Dietsch

O come let us adore Him! Jesus Christ our King! This is

one of my most favorite times of the year. I love the holidays,

especially Christmas. When I decorate for Christmas, the first

thing I put out is the nativity set my Mom made for me. It is

always first, because Christ should always be first in our lives.

Then I get all the other decorations out. I love all the

decorations, the lights, good times with families and friends,

and the giving and receiving. The children get so excited about

this time of year too! They love the presents they get, but they

can also tell you about the greatest gift of all – Jesus.

In November, we started working on service projects in

JUMP. We made Thank You cards for our Veterans,

Christmas ornaments for the Convalescent Center, and are

collecting hats and gloves for the Calvert/Sharpe Resource

Center to help keep the children warm. We did this project last

year and it was a big hit with the resource center. Please help

us out by donating hats and gloves to give to them.

We have two more nights in AWANA for this semester. The

children have been bringing in their offering for Lottie Moon.

So far they have donated $422.76. They have such a giving

heart and are so happy to do it.

Soon 2017 will be coming to an end and 2018 will be here.

We have been doing a lot this past year and I know next year

will be better.

Merry Christmas!!

Children in Christ

Janet Dietsch

Youth Ministry: Lance & Trena Gregory

Tis the Season to be Jolly!! It’s hard to believe Christmas is on

its way!! In November we continued our weekly studies on

various topics that our Youth encounter daily in their busy

lives. We also had our Youth Thanksgiving meal and we all

came dressed as either an Indian or a Pilgrim. it was a fun

time of fellowship and we all enjoyed a feast together!

Coming up we will be participating in the Calvert Christmas

Parade on December 2nd and helping with the Hanging Of the

Green service on December 3rd. We are planning our

Christmas party and have the Xtreme Winter Youth

Conference coming up December 29th-31st.

In Christ,

Lance & Trena Gregory

***********************************

Happy Birthhday

Dec. 2nd Kourtney Gregory Dec. 3rd Karen Dodson Dec. 4th Aaron Smith Dec. 8th Marvin Travis Dec. 11th Jill Pagel Dec 18th Emma Smith Dec. 19th Janet Dietsch Dec. 20th Leroy Sewell Dec. 21st Karen Howard Dec. 23rd Jamie Tucker Dec. 28th Brandon Cayton

Happy Anniversary

Dec. 13th Sam & Jo Beth Jones Dec. 30th Shirley & Steve Harrington

From Your Pastor: Jim Ewing

This is the last edition of the Challenge for 2017! While the

year has gone by fast, we’ve shared some wonderful memories

in the last eleven months. Cheryl and I consider ourselves

fortunate to have shared these wonderful times with you all.

With Christmas just a few weeks away, we have some

tremendous opportunities to celebrate together:

Lions’ Club Annual Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec 2 –

FBC will participate in the annual parade this year. Come out

and support our folks as we let Calvert City know how much

we love them ... and as we remind the community that Jesus is

the Reason for the Season.

2017 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International

Missions starts Dec 3 - Donations to this annual mission

offering go directly to support international missionaries in the

field, making up a large portion of their annual funding. The

Southern Baptist Goal is $160 million ... and our church goal

is $7,500. Please prayerfully consider how you will give.

Hanging of the Green Service, Sunday, Dec 3 at 6:00 pm –

Join us as we decorate our sanctuary for Christmas, sing the

songs of the season, and prepare ourselves to celebrate the

birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Holiday Schedule Changes – Sunday, December 24th: no

Sunday Morning Bible Study classes, worship will still be at

10:15 pm, and the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be

at 5:00 pm. The offices will be closed on Monday, Dec 25th.

Sunday, Dec 31st: no Sunday Morning Bible Study classes,

worship will be at 10:15 am, and there will be activities.

Offices will be closed on Monday, Jan 1st.

Two other important events will take place this month at our

Dec 20th Membership Meeting: Our Stewardship Committee

presented the proposed 2018 Church Budget and our

Nominating Committee will present the proposed list of

Operating Committee members for the coming year. Please

make it a priority to attend this important meeting.

I want to close with a great story ... it’s simply titled 1809.

Had you picked up a daily newspaper in 1809, you would have

read the big news that Napoleon I, emperor of France, had

conquered Austria at Wagram, annexed the Illyrian Provinces

(now part of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), and abolished the Papal

States.

But in that same year, in France ... Louis Braille, who devised

a way for the blind to read, was born.

And in Germany ... Felix Mendelssohn, the great composer of

symphonies, was born.

And in England ... William Gladstone, the four-time Prime

Minister and the father of public education, was born. Alfred

Lord Tennyson, the poet laureate of Great Britain, was born.

Charles Darwin, the most influential scientist of the nineteenth

century, was born.

And in America ... Edgar Allen Poe, the master poet and

storyteller, was born. Oliver Wendell Holmes, the writer and

physician who developed surgical techniques still in use today,

was born. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the

United States, was born.

But at the end of the year 1809, the only event anyone thought

to be important was Napoleon’s conquest of Austria. That was

the big news. Today, who remembers the “big news” of

1809? Hardly anyone. Napoleon’s conquest is just a tiny blip

on the big screen of history. But the world was changed

forever by a few seemingly insignificant births which took

place that same year.

The year Jesus was born, most people missed it. Only a few

were aware of the cosmic implications of his presence in a

manger in Bethlehem. And so it is with all of God’s work.

Most of it is behind the scenes—hardly ever visible. It rarely

makes headlines; instead it makes a huge difference in the

lives of people because it is eternal.

As you approach your Christmas celebrations this year

remember to keep Christ in Christmas ... Jesus really is the

reason for the Season. And may the Lord bless you and keep

you as we look forward to 2018.

Together in Him

Bro Jim

Music Ministry: Danny Granstaff

BAM! The Season many look forward to is upon us! What

happened? One day we are in full swing of good ol’ Summer

time, and the next thing we know, we turn around and

Christmas is staring us in the face. For some, as the song goes,

this may be “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. They

look forward to being with family, sharing a big meal around

the table, receiving and giving gifts, celebrating in all the

festivities that go along with the season and perhaps travel to

that part of the country of their childhood memories, to relive

that special feeling and moment in time where things were

simpler.

For others, they are just as content to pass up the entire season

and go into hibernation until spring, perhaps because this

“Special Time” is – well - not so very special due to

heartbreak, loss, unresolved conflict with a family member,

lack of finances, or even homelessness and the list can go on

and on. Whichever way you choose to celebrate or not

celebrate, no one can pinpoint with precision, the exact reason

anyone does what one does during this time. It’s therefore a

time to be sensitive to those around us, not only during this

time, but also throughout the year.

One thing in which we can be certain however is this: Jesus

came to this earth to redeem fallen humanity. Humans which

show joy, humans that grieve because of loss, humans that are

uncomfortable in all social aspects of life, humans who are

hurting deeply, human who are “on top of the world” thinking

they have it all together, and humans in the lowest of situation.

Wherever you may be and however you choose to celebrate

this season, know this: “There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s

own Son. Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.”- Keith

Green

Danny

KIDS TOWN WORSHIP Drivers COUNTERS DECEMBER

TELLER TEAM Fri Dec 1: Jerry Devine Dec 4: Kathryn Goheen

Oral & Letha

Sickling

Dec Patricia Greer Tue Dec 5: Earl Whitler Fri Dec 8: Nancy Whitler Dec 11: Betty Thompson

Jan Jill Pagel Tue Dec 12: David Madison Fri Dec 15: Nancy Whitler Dec 18: Nigel Broyles

Tue Dec 19: Sam Jones Fri Dec 22: Nancy Whitler Dec 27: Mildred Oliver

Tue Dec 26: Dale Smith Fri Dec 29: Nancy Whitler Jan 2: Rebecca Wilson

DECEMBER 2017

DECEMBER 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Come Play Pickleball!

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. in the gym. Contact Kathy Poague or Darlene Latta for more information.

1 2 Decorate parade

float at 9 am

CC Christmas Parade

4:00 Lineup 5:15 Start

3

Hanging of the Green

6:00 pm

No AWANA

4 5

6

Beginners Pickleball 1-3 pm

(all equipment furnished)

Prayer Mtg Youth Mtg

JUMP

7 8

9 Adam Smith &

Annett Sampson Wedding 4:00

10

Deacons Mtg

11 12

13

Prayer Mtg Youth Mtg

JUMP

14 15 16

17

AWANA Ugly Christmas Sweater Night

18 19 20

Mbr Mtg (2018 Budget Vote)

Youth Mtg JUMP

21 22

23

24 No Sunday School

Christmas Eve Svc

Candelight Svc

5:00 pm

25 Christmas Worship Service 10:15 am

26 27

28 29

Youth head to

Winter X-treme

Conference in Gatlinburg

30

31 No Sunday School

No evening services Youth return

NURSERY ASSISTANTS USHERS PRAYER ROOM DEACON OF THE WEEK

Dec 3 The Burnhams & Anna Hodge Larry Coursey Anna Hodge & Jill Pagel Lance Gregory 270-703-4881

Dec 10 Jo Beth Jones & Hadley Pagel Phil Broyles Karen Dodson & Maury Dodson Andrew Pagel 270-210-7589

Dec 17 Kathy Poague & Cheryl Ewing Adam Morton Sandra Sewell & Karen Howard Ray Tucker 270-556-5115

Dec 24 Trena & Kourtney Gregory Les Evans Lord’s Supper – pray in your seat Aaron Smith 270-395-4204

Dec 31 Jill & Hadley Pagel Larry Coursey Allyson Prince & Jean Smith Dale Smith 270-564-8457