December 11, 2011
TODAY—Keith Boyer
Preaching 9:00AM Service
-Teens back from Retreat 1PM
-NWT Small Groups
Dec. 13—Tutoring 5:30PM
Dec. 14—Keith’s Kitchen
Dec. 17—Adopt-A-Road
Clean Up 8:00AM
-Parents Night Out 5:00PM-9
Dec. 18—Youth Christmas
Activity
-NWT Small Groups
Dec. 21—Keith’s Kitchen
Dec. 25—Christmas Day
-9:00AM Abbreviated Worship
Service (no classes)
Dec. 26—Office Closed
Dec. 28—NO Keith’s Kitchen
Dec. 30—Office Closed
-Teen Lock-in
Jan. 1—Special New Year’s
Day Service 9:00AM
Jan. 2—Office Closed
L o o k i n g A h e a dL o o k i n g A h e a d
Jan. 13-14—NWT Youth Rally
Feb. 17-19—Winterfest in
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Apr. 6-8—Lads to Leaders
Convention in Orlando
Welcome!
Earnestine Marshall
16124 Rambling Vine Dr. East Tampa 33624 813-264-7690
Earnestine is a retired teacher.
Finish Holiday Shopping
Go on a Date With Your Spouse
Take a Nap
Do Laundry
Clean House
Visit Friends
Games
Crafts
Videos
Worship
Dinner
Snacks
Please sign up no later than December 15!
For the Kids For the Parents
Four Hours of
Free Time
This Saturday 5:00-9:00PM
It’s FREE!
”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (NIV)
Potty
Trained &
Up!
P a g e 2
Notes of Thanks… Be sure to check the
bulletin board for “Thank You” cards
sent to the church.
Home Bound… Please take time to pray for, visit
or call our home-bound members:
Toni Carver
Bill Hood Keith and Marylyn Lupton
Thelma Varner
Serving Far and Away…
Michael Birt, Stephanie Birt,
Reed Gibbs, Dave McGhee,
Marc Venditti, Tara White
Attendance Cards… Members & Guests, please fill out an at-
tendance card for your family and drop
in the collection plate.
Our Missionaries…
Honduras: Esteban Portilla
Haiti: Perceviel Jackson
Jackie Pierrot
Directory Update…
Carl & Linda Cross PMB #23091
P.O. Box 2428 Pensacola, FL 32513
813-986-7769
Kristin Mitchell 6301 S West Shore Blvd.
Apt. 1416 Tampa 33616
WHAT CHRISTMAS IS!
Many people all over the world observe Christmas in one form or another.
In America people buy stuff they can’t afford, with money they don’t have, to im-
press people (they don’t want to) with stuff they don’t need, because we want eve-
rybody to have a nice Christmas. In America people buy stuff, exchange gifts, take
trips, have big dinners, decorate trees, sing carols, mail cards, decorate houses and
even set up manger scenes of the birth of Christ.
Perhaps you have celebrated Christmas in some or maybe all of these ways.
I ask, why do we celebrate Presidents Day, Fourth of July, MLK Day, Juneteenth,
Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Halloween, Christmas, and New Years?
I mean no disrespect, but most people don’t know “why”. It has just been
a tradition passed down by word of mouth and has been added to and subtracted
from for centuries. Let us jump in:
The observance of Christmas is not taught in the Bible either by example,
command, or necessary inference.
It is not possible to determine in what month or on what day the Savior
was born. Faithful Christians do not celebrate Christmas as a religious festival.
It is no more than a holiday around which family, social, and national tradi-
tions have gathered and there is in it no religious implications.
The most commonly accepted dates for the birth of Christ are Dec. 25, Jan.
6 or 10 and March 25. These are not dates from the Bible; you find them on the
web, encyclopedia and dictionary.
Can I participate in Christmas? Yes, if you pay for it! Col. 2:16 “Let no one
judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths”.
Read 1 Cor. 8, Jesus’ birth is mentioned (Matt. 1:21) but his death, burial and resur-
rection is what is emphasized (1 Cor. 15), (Jn. 19), (Col. 1:14), (Col. 2:14), (Jn. 16:16).
What Jesus did while he was in heaven, while on earth, and after he left
earth is the central theme of the Bible, we say between the dash. The same is true
of us, what we do between the —.
~Hayward
Poinsettias of Remembrance ~Tommy Ackley & family, in memory of his mother, Jenny Ackley ~Paulette
Arey, in memory of J. R. Arey ~The Betz & Whelan Families, in loving memory
of Leon Eckstine ~In memory of Alma Bonk, with love, Rick, Cindy & Girls ~In
loving memory of Our Grandparents: Sennett, Chambers, Thompson, Bonk,
Rick & Cindy Bonk ~The Del Castillo & Hernandez families, in loving memory of
Christy Del Castillo ~Connie Eckstine, in loving memory of her husband Leon
~Butch & Jan Manuel, in loving memory of Perry & Jeanette Stephens, parents
of Jan, and in memory of Buddy Manuel, brother of Butch, and in honor of our
church family ~Butch Manuel, in honor of wife and daughter, Jan & Hayden
~In memory of David Morrow, Jimmy’s brother, with love, Jimmy, Christy &
Kids ~Billie Russell, Bo & Adam Morris, in loving memory of Sherman G. Morris
Jr. ~Carole Watson, in memory of dear friend, Earline Tyler and parents,
Mattie Lou & Albert Watson
P a g e 3
Keith’s Kitchen…
Keith’s Kitchen is an op-
portunity to support our
work in Honduras. Each
Wednesday at 6:15PM
Keith prepares a deli-
cious meal. The teens help with the
dessert, drinks and clean-up. All
proceeds go to the accounts of stu-
dents who help. There is no set fee
but your generous checks should be
made to Tampa Youth Missions.
Dessert this week is Betz, Rosado,
Sanchez.
Website Photo Directory Update…
Our new website will have
a photo directory which
will include a section for
new members as well as all
members, elders, deacons
and staff. We are going to
make an effort to replace all of the
out-dated photos and will need your
help. Office #2 is set up for taking
pictures. All throughout the month
of December, Tonia and Matt will be
available at this location, before and
after all services. All you need to do
is go to room #2 and smile. The
process should move along very
quickly and will only require 2 min-
utes at the most, of your time. Be
aware that if you do not have a new
picture taken, we will use what we
currently have on file. Having uni-
formity in background and size will
make for a much more attractive
website.
We’re Going Green…
Containers for paper, plastic and
aluminum cans are located in F-2.
Please help us by recycling your
trash. A can crusher and pop top
container is provided for you to use.
On the Horizon... In Our Prayers… Our Northwest Family:
Health Issues: Teresa Chewning, Joy
Coston, Fred Hilliard, Greg Hutchison,
Matt Ingram, Debbie Keske, JoAnn
Maute, Dixie McNeil, Bill & Shirley
Mills, Christy Morrow, Ellen Ray, Mi-
chelle Reid, Alan Schemitsch, Paula
Schreiner, Sengul Family, Evelyn Sut-
ton. Cancer Treatments: Hayward
Brooks, Liz Kirkhart. Personal/Family
Struggles: Cheryl Britton, Esther Ecke-
brecht, Holly Hulett, Vicky Johnson,
Kelly Matthews, Odalis Richiez-
Williams, Fran Rosado, Lisa Snelling,
Terry & Wa Ying Steadman. Needs
Employment: Teresa Chewning, James
Ilion, Calvin Montgomery, Ellen Ray,
Richard Trexler.
Our Extended Family:
Anna, daughter of Kelly Johnson’s
friend, ACU accident victim. Bob &
Family, brother of Donna Coyle, strug-
gles. Celia, grandmother of Helyn Pen-
dleton, very ill. Constance, mother of
Regina Polite-Warren, health. Don,
husband of Holly Hulett, health.
George, father of Lisa Snelling, heart
surgery recovery. Gwen, aunt of Dave
Brogan, cancer. JoAnne, mother of
Dan Greaves, cancer. Kim, daughter of
Dean Olsen, stroke recovery. Kim, sis-
ter of Angela Garcia, heart problems.
Liam, nephew of Doug Cline, test.
Marie, mother of Carla Haskins, not
doing well. Marion, former member,
cancer has spread. Matthew, grand-
son of John & Faye Marincin, surgery
recovery. Clara Morey, former mem-
ber, upcoming knee surgery. Nancy,
friend of Roger Jarmon, cancer. Rick,
son of June & Pat Flanigan, cancer.
Tilden, father of Tom Stewart, upcom-
ing bypass surgery.
Please provide the office with updates. on those on the prayer list.
The Spring of Tampa Bay…
The Spring is Hillsborough County's
only certified Domestic Violence Pre-
vention and Emergency Shelter
Agency. Prevent. Protect. Change.
The mission of The Spring of Tampa
Bay is to prevent domestic violence,
protect victims and promote change
in lives, families, and communities.
We are collecting retail gift cards
(Wal-Mart, Target, etc) in small de-
nominations to allow each mother to
become more independent and em-
powered by purchasing what she
knows will make her children happi-
est. There is also a list of items for
teens and families on the bulletin
board if you would rather purchase a
gift. Checks should be made payable
to the church with “The Spring” on
the memo line. Please give to Tonia or
Shirley or drop in door #1. One of our
members will deliver the items on
Thursday, December 15, so please
drop off by December 14.
Change for Children Campaign…
Our “Change for Children”
is half way there. Keep
dropping those coins in
the cans and (when full)
dropping them off at the
church office. Lisa Snelling has
more cans if you need them. This
change will make a difference in the
lives of many children. Remember,
all cans are due to be turned in by
January 10, 2012.
Baby Girl Basket for Taryn Groves…
Taryn is having another
girl, so if you would like
to show her your love
with a gift or gift card, a
basket is provided on the table in
the Fellowship Hall.
S t a f f :
Matt Bancroft
Youth Minister
Matthew Betz
Family Life Minister
Rick Bonk
Worship Minister
Keith Boyer
Minister
Tonia Boyer
Administrative Assistant
Shirley Daniel
Secretary
S h e p h e r d s :
George Forcht [email protected]
886-7815
Tracey Gray [email protected]
727-474-2533
Bob Matthews [email protected]
412-1202
Lewis Patterson [email protected]
926-5473
D e a c o n s : Rick Azzarelli
Richard Baldock Mark Berry Rick Bonk Doug Cline
Gabriel Garcia Daniel Greaves Jacob Groves
John Marincin Chip Price
Mick Whelan Don Williams
Assembly Schedule
Sunday Worship 9:00AM Bible Class 10:15AM Small Groups (PM)
Wednesday Bible Class 7:15 PM
For the Record
Kingdom Growth 2011
Baptized 14
New Members 55
Attendance Last Week
Bible Class 235 Worship 340 Small Groups
Giving
Contribution $14,273 Weekly Budget $ 11,800 YTD Contribution $590,739 YTD Budget $578,200 Specific Contribution YTD $ 39,274 Missions Sunday $ 24,896 (Goal surpassed by $3,896)
Next Week
Gabriel Garcia
* * * Today’s Memory Verse
6th-12th Grade
Worship Guide
#72—Blessed Be the Lord God Almighty
Great Are You Lord
Welcome
Prayer: Matthew Betz
#76—How Great Thou Art
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper
Presiding: John Raymond
Giving Our Gifts
#810—Listen to Our Hearts
Someday
#100-101—Holy Ground
Scripture Reading: Doug Cline
Message: Keith Boyer
”Lest You Forget”
Light The Fire
Shout to the Lord
*Parents of children in Praise Time and/or Kid’s Kingdom should leave to get their children during the final song.
Adult Classes
Sunday Morning Adult Classes Adult Class (Fellowship 1)
The Righteous Judgment of God
Jacob Groves
Adult Class (Fellowship 2)
Reality Check: A Study of Real Life in God’s Care
George Hernandez
Adult Class (Auditorium)
Oh, Theophilus: Life Lessons from Mature Christians
Mark Henthorne
College / Young Adults (Room 9)
Keith Boyer
Wednesday Evening Adult Classes Adult Class (Fellowship 1)
The Normal Christian Life
Jason Reid
Adult Class (Fellowship 2)
Philippians
Ed Chambers
Singing Class (Auditorium)
Rick Bonk
“AND LET US CONSIDER
HOW WE MAY SPUR ONE
ANOTHER ON TOWARD
LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS.
LET US NOT GIVE UP
MEETING TOGETHER, AS
SOME ARE IN THE HABIT
OF DOING, BUT LET US
ENCOURAGE ONE AN-
OTHER-AND ALL THE
MORE AS YOU SEE THE
DAY APPROACHING.”
- Hebrews 10: 24-25