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TRANSCRIPT
Grace Memoria l Bapt ist Church
S P I R I T O F G R AC E
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Stewardship Report 2
Pastor’s Column 2
Nursery Schedule 2
Senior Adults News 2
Youth Ministries 3
Church News 3
JANUARY 2020
Events & Menus on the
January Calendar
DEACONS
OF THE WEEK
December 29-January 4
JIMMIE JONES ED DEMEYERE
WES RAWLS
January 5-11
ED DEMEYERE ANDREW PITMAN DAVID PILCHER BRIAN COGGIN
January 12-18
ED DEMEYERE DAVID HANNA WES RAWLS
JOHN MANSFIELD
January 19-25
ED DEMEYERE MIKE O’DANIELL DON CARRUTH MARK CHEAK
January 26-February 1
ED DEMEYERE SCOTT PURVIS
JOE CHEBAHTAH DAVID KESSLER
Phil Stacey in Concert
Grace Memorial Baptist Church, Friday, January 10, 2020 at 7pm
Benefitting Family Promise of St. Tammany Parish
Tickets required for entry; Free and open to the public, visit
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/84602583605
or https://www.fpstp.org/news--events.html
Donations accepted!
Phil Stacey is a Christian recording artist who appeared as a finalist on the 6th season of
American Idol. He has also been on tour with Michael W. Smith and Natalie Grant.
Congratulations to those in our congregation who have earned college degrees…
GRACIE ELIZABETH RAWLS, Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Louisiana State University
HANNAH SORRELL, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Louisiana State University
Sewing with Grace This ministry group meets on the second Monday of each month at GMBC to sew and make items to support local and foreign missions. For more information contact Lener Carruth at 985-707-7748 or Jan DeMeyere at 985-640-0136. Our next meeting is Monday, January 13, from 10am to 2pm in room WC111. Join us!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
strength. Deuteronomy 6:5
Ladies’ Bible Studies!
“We Over Me- Letters of Hope from Revelation”
by Whitney Capps New, 9-session, Ladies’ Bible Study beginning January 14, 2020 in the choir room. Our closing session is April 2 at FBC Coving-ton where Whitney Capps will be speaking! Facilitated by Shelly Jones. Study Guide $15. Plan to join us! Sign up by Jan. 5 to reserve your Study Guide.
&
“Everything You Need” by David Jeremiah
New Ladies’ Bible Study begins Jan. 16, 2020. Facilitated by Elizabeth Hanna. An 8 week study on essential steps to a life of confidence in the promises of God.
Please let us know if you will need child care by Sunday, January 5.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
“Comfort from Grace”
Meets every 1st Tuesday of the month in WC103, from 1-2:45pm. Join us!
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Stewardship—December AVERAGE WEEKLY
Sunday School 227 Morning Worship Service 295 Van Ministry 11 Sunday Night Live 36 Wednesday Family Night 84
Budget Needed Per Week $ 18,385.00
Average Weekly Receipts (Budget) 29,226.00 Average Weekly Receipts (Budget & Designated) 31,497.70
YEAR-TO-DATE
Budget Needs $ 956,000.00
Budget Receipts 907,683.29
All Missions 20,569.00
Total Other Designated 112,292.73
Total Deposits: $1,040,545.02
Budget Expenditures $ 789,773.20
GVOM Balance $ 905,458.92
Decisions for Christ (Sept. 2019-Aug. 2020) 3
By Baptism (Sept. 2019-Aug. 2020)
Decisions for Christ—December
WILLIAMS, Ashonte, (profession of faith), 188 S. Military Rd., 70461, (985) 685-0240
STALLINGS, Carolyn, (profession of faith), 849 Pine St., 70460
WORSHIP SERVICE CHILDCARE SCHEDULE Childcare is provided during the morning Worship Services in the Children’s Building for birth thru age 3. Children age 4 thru 3rd grade are dismissed to Children’s Church.
Code 100 on the Worship Center monitor indicates more workers are needed in the Nursery
Jan. 5 Damon & Kristina Romero
Jan. 12 Inga Pichon, Randy Baamonde
Jan. 19 Mary Jane Smith, Jan DeMeyere
Jan. 26 Paula Herr, Libby Behrens
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! Contact Elaine Strahan, 290-9619, if you can help, and be blessed!
Proverbs 24:16 teaches, “the righteous falls seven times and rises again, ... ” Every 60 minutes we have a new hour. Every 24 hours, a new day. Every 365 days, a new year.
God created new beginnings into the very design of His universe.
Adam and Eve needed a new beginning after they ate the forbidden fruit. Moses needed a new beginning after he killed the Egyptian. David needed a new beginning after his adulter-ous relationship with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. Elijah needed a new beginning after an emotional breakdown in the desert. Peter needed a new beginning after his denial of Christ. All of the disciples needed a new beginning after Good Friday.
And maybe you need a new beginning. James 3:2 begins, “For we all stumble in many ways....”
The opening chapter of John’s first epistle offers hope: “If we [believers] confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
We begin a new month, a new year, and a new decade together at Grace Memorial Baptist Church. Take advantage of this opportunity to begin again. Look over the past few months. Talk to God honestly and privately. Accept responsibility for your choices. Ask Him for His forgiveness and help. Offer forgiveness to others.
Consider the opportunity to read through the Gospel of John in January and listen to God speak to you privately. Invest at least 5 minutes daily in focused prayer. In the back flyleaf of your Bible write the initials of one person for whom you will begin praying to come to saving faith and repentance toward God in Christ this year and the initials of one prodigal, back-slidden believer for whom you will begin praying will return to renewed vibrant obedience and service to Christ this year.
Because of Jesus you can begin again in 2020. With gratitude for new beginnings and love for Grace
Memorial, Bro. Dennis
Christian sympathy is extended to … ...Sue Howard on the death of her brother,
Thomas.
...Beth Mock on the death of her sister.
Congratulations to… ...Adam & Katelyn Smith on the birth of their daughter, Arden Harper, (10 lbs. 8 oz., 21”), December 30, 2019. Proud grandparents are Jerry & Mary Jane Smith.
LIBRARY NEWS
Grace Library is open most Sundays from 10:00-10:15am and 5-6pm. It is also open on Wednesdays from 5-7pm.
Contact Gail Ducote at 504-343-0379 if you are interested in the Grace Book Club!
Sunday Night Live—5pm •Youth Growth Groups
•Prayer Time, Led by Mike Mohler, FH
•Nursery—for those in class, teaching or Prayer Time (Children & Preschool Choirs, and Parent Ministry resume 1/26/2020)
•Children’s Choir (grades 1-6), C213
•Preschool Choir (ages 4-5), C202
•Parent Ministry-Coffee & Conversation, Admin. Led by Bro. Jerry & Mary Jane
Everyone age 55 and older is invited to…
B.A.S.I.C. Dinner Meeting Tuesday, January 21, 6:00pm
In the Fellowship Hall
ENTERTAINMENT: Larry McEwen
MEAL: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Salad, Dessert
RESERVATIONS REQUESTED! Sign up on the Sunday bulle-tin tear-off, or call the church office by noon on Monday, January 20, to make reservations for dinner.
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REGULAR SUNDAY SCHEDULE—Sunday School-9am, Worship Service-10:15am, Youth Bible Drill-3:30pm, Youth Choir-4:00pm, Growth Groups-5:00pm WEDNESDAYS-Huddle-6:30pm
Extra Activities! High School Winter Retreat Fundraiser January 5th and 12th. Those that have signed up for the trip need to be here to help. Youth Fellowship - January 5th @ 6pm Phil Stacey Concert - January 10th @ 7pm Nursing Home Ministry - January 12th @ 4:15pm Men Of God BBQ - January 24th @ 5:30pm Chick Chat - January 24th @ 5:30pm
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God – Romans 1:1 (NIV) Paul says in today’s Bible verse says that he is a servant of Jesus. The interesting thing
about a servant is that they seek the desires of their master before fulfilling their own.
Fulfilling God’s desires was Paul’s approach to life after He met Jesus. He desired to
please God above anything else. We also see that Paul declares he is a servant of
Jesus before he mentions any of his titles and what he was called to. You might feel that
you are called to be a missionary or serve God as a musician. Those things are great,
but first, you should strive to be a servant of Jesus Christ. It’s exciting to have a God-
given dream and to use your talents for Him but you cannot truly serve Him if you are not
first a servant of Him. So today, decide to follow in Paul’s example and become a servant
of Jesus Christ. God has done so much for you, it’s the least you can do for Him.
Love ya! Bro. Jerry
Hello from the Kids Wing,
Sorry this is going to be brief... I’m writing this from my other job.
I just want to encourage everyone to commit to growing closer to the Lord this year. Each of us should trying to spend time with the Lord daily. Not only for ourselves and our own spiritual health, but also for our family and church’s spiritual health. I think a tool of the devil is how busy we are now. There are so many things that we put before God. It will take discipline. It will take perseverance. It will take a strong commitment. But shouldn’t that be the minimum anyway? Let’s set the example for our kids, and for some, our grand kids.
God bless you! Mitch
CHURCH STAFF
DR. DENNIS PHELPS Interim Preaching Pastor
JERRY SMITH Associate Pastor
Students/Facilities [email protected]
MICHAEL MOHLER Associate Pastor
Music/Adult Education [email protected]
MITCH PELTONEN Children’s Ministry Assistant
RICK JOHNSON Facilities Manager
DEBBIE THOMAS Secretary/Receptionist
ANDI PELTONEN Student Secretary
CHRISTINE HOLTON Music Secretary
AMY LUTMAN Financial Secretary & Outreach Secretary
DIANE LANE Treasurer
ELAINE STRAHAN Nursery Coordinator & Church Hostess
BOB HEUSTESS Pastor Emeritus
Early Learning Center
VENITA RICHARDS Director
Ministers
EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MEMBER
Thank you Church Family… For all the expressions of love– calls, cards, prayers, donations to the Building Fund and meal after the funeral service– after the death of my husband, Larry. Love, Marsha Wiggins
Thank you so much for all the love and ministry we received during my mom’s sickness and after her death.
Love y’all, Bro. Jerry
Thank you, GMBC! In the words of the skilled workers constructing the Tabernacle sanctuary, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” (Exodus 36:5). What a blessing and privilege it is for me to share with you that ALL of the money needed for our Dominican Republic Mission trip has been raised! We still covet your prayers as we prepare to go this coming June. Blessings to you in 2020. ~ Amy and Deliverance Lutman