Worship God

Equip Believers

Build Community

Share Christ

Dear Church Family,

I am sure most of you are familiar with the phrase “24 hour news cycle.” For the benefit of those who have not picked up on that term, let me explain what it means and why I bring it up. For those of us my age and older, we grew up with limited news reports. The scheduled news on TV was primarily a 30 minute slot in the evening. It was a fairly dry presentation of just the facts. Now? There are numerous cable and network news shows that broadcast 24 hours, non-stop.

The term “24 hour news cycle” generally is used when someone is pointing out that the news department of any of these channels gets desperate for anything to put on the air because they have so much time to fill and so much at stake with ratings and advertising dollars. As a result, the screen is saturated with legitimate news and much, much more. So, that is my explanation. Now to my reason for bringing it up.

We are bombarded with endless, powerful images and examples of just how hopeless the world is and how much is wrong with just about everything you can imagine. And a lot of the reason there is so much hopelessness spread among us is the “24 hour news cycle.” The continuous, constant flow of this negativity has both a subtle and obvious effect on us all. The obvious effect is our becoming dismayed and perhaps angered by some of the information we take in. The subtle effect is the underlying sense of uneasiness and anxiousness that runs right below the surface of our awareness. It is like a low grade fever that is there, but we may not know it.

Even in a world of negativity and division and violence and hopelessness, the gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be shared. Certainly, because of all those realities the good news of Jesus needs to be shared. Missionaries need to keep going, and churches need to keep being churches, especially now. I say this to you because I am saying it to myself. See you Sunday.

From Our Pastor

Awakening Faith

New Ladies Bible Study

Jet Set

Men’s Breakfast

Adult Discipleship

New Baby!

Calendar of Events

First Baptist Church, 2321 Avenue F, Bay City, TX 77414 Website: www.fbc-baycity.org

Volume 119 Number 2 January 21, 2015

Lord’s Supper

Sunday, February 1

8:15 & 10:50 Services

Come join us as we gather together in remembrance

of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Join the Fun at the SOUPER BOWL FELLOWSHIP

Sunday, February 1 5:00 pm until …

Pearl Morton Hall CMC Gym Youth Room

THE Game Visiting Snacks TV Games

Bring: Soup Chili Snacks Game to Play There will be space to set up your crock pots! (2 liter drinks, tea, water & coffee provided by the church)

And while you’re there … Help Tackle Hunger!

Join our Youth as We All Help Tackle Hunger! Bring non-perishable food items or monetary

donations Sunday morning or to the fellowship!

Chili Cook-Off

This Sunday, Jan. 25

You are invited to the Youth Mission Trip Fundraiser lunch in the CMC Gym for a donation of your choice! Enjoy chili from our cook-off competitors, plus bread, veggies and dessert.

The winning Chili Team will be announced after the 10:50 service. Who will win the prize for the best chili?

Come and see …..

In This Issue

Worship Ministry

Deep & Wide Student Ministry

First Kids Children's Ministry

God uses special musical offerings to touch our hearts, give us encouragement, and draw us closer to Him. Would you like to be a part of our special musical offerings on Sunday mornings? I know many who sing and/or play an instrument, and I hope to use you more in the coming months. At the same time, I’m guessing there are talented musicians of which I’m unaware. If you’d like to add to our special music on Sundays, please let me know. Thanks for considering being a part of this ministry!

Spring Music Opportunities

Youth Praise Band Sundays 4:00 pm JwC Youth Choir Sundays 5:00 pm Children’s Choirs Sundays 6:00 pm Praise Band Mondays 5:00 pm Ladies Ensemble Tuesdays 5:00 pm King’s Ringers Tuesdays 5:45 pm Celebration Choir Wednesdays 6:45 pm Jubilaires Thursdays 9:30 am

High School Youth Mission Trip 2015: World Changers, Puerto Rico

Chili Fundraiser Lunch—Sunday, January 25 Everyone is invited to lunch in the CMC Gym for a donation of your choice! Enjoy chili from our cook-off competitors, plus bread, veggies, and dessert.

Garage Sale Fundraiser—February 27-28 We are ready to collect items in good condition that you would donate for our sale. No clothing items are being received.

Pray for Puerto Rico! One of our team members has asked about the religious background of Puerto Ricans. Most are Catholic, and about one-fourth are Evangelical/Protestant. Around 50 churches make up the Conven-tion of Southern Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands. World Changers partners with El Mesías Baptist Church in Juana Díaz, PR.

Sunday, February 1

Bring non-perishable food items and canned goods to the Welcome Center (for the local food pantry).

Bring an offering for the SBC World Hunger Fund to be collected by youth at the end of worship services.

Sunday, February 8

Friday, February 13

May 15-16 ($40)

July 20-24 ($245)

AWANA and Church Family Supper is back in full swing! We are all practicing our verses and becoming all that God wants us to be! I hope to see you there!

And plan to be at AWANA on PIE NIGHT on Wednesday, January 28th! The 2 kids from SPARKS and the 2 kids from TNT that say the most verses will be able to put a

pie in Ms. Jordan’s Face at AWANA! You definitely DO NOT want to miss this!

Come be with me on Sunday mornings as you and I learn about God together! We have a great time PLUS we learn a lot about what it means to live like Jesus wants us to live, and that

means we grow in faith together! See you Sunday! —Ms. Jordan

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Vacation Bible School: Journey Off the Map

June 21-25

Reserve the time now and plan to be a part of this great

Journey of Faith!

CentriKid Camp July 6-10

THE Camp for Kids

2nd-6th grade

It’s time to get FIT! Faith in Training

To Jim and Jean Murry on the birth of their grandson! Rylan Clyde Murry was born to David and Lyndsey Murry on January 3 and weighed 9 lbs. 3 oz.

New Baby!

Robbins Odom January 14, 2015

In Memoriam

The FBC Family extends sympathy to the following members and their families in the loss of their loved ones:

Della Huddleston—Father Betty Odom—Father, Father-in-Law

Marcelle Odom—Husband Jo Quillin—Husband

Thinking of You and Sharing in Your Sorrow

With Heartfelt Sympathy

Awakening Faith: Daily Devotions from the Early Church By James Stuart Bell with Patrick J. Kelly

From the cover: In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the Church Fathers among everyday Christians. Drawn by the purity and passion of the text, new readers are finding the words of the earliest Christians to be a treasure trove of resolute, unapologetic insights into the Christian life…

Prayer and Devotion Joy in Your Blessings

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)

Lord, shed the brilliant light of your wisdom upon our darkened souls, so that we may be enlightened and serve you with renewed purity. Sunrise marks the hour for men and women to begin their toil, but prepare a dwelling in our souls for the day that will never end. Help us to know the resurrection life and let nothing distract us from the delights you offer. Teach us to find our joy in your blessings! Lord, we have your memorial inside of us, received at your spiritual table; let us have its full reality, when all things will be made new. You give us a hint of the goodness you have prepared for us when we observe your Spirit working inside of us to make our souls beautiful. Savior, your crucifixion marked the end of your mortal life; teach us to crucify ourselves and make way for our life in the Spirit. Use your resurrection to make our spirits great, and show us our new selves in the mirror of the sacraments. Lord, bless our souls with the spiritual vision of you, and our bodies with your warmth and sweetness. The mortality lurking in our bodies spreads corruption through us; cleanse this corruption with the healing waters of your love. Help us to our true city and see it now in a vision, like Moses on the mountaintop. —Ephrem the Syrian

EPHREM THE SYRIAN (from the back of the book): Ephrem (c. 306—c. 373) was a deacon in Nisbis (modern-day Turkey) and prolific writer of hymns, sermons, and commentaries, all in the Syrian language. His hymns are known as some of the most beautiful early Christian poetry. He died of the plague after ministering to its victims.

Awakening Faith by James Stuart Bell; published by Zonderman of Grand Rapids, Michigan; copyright 2013 by James Stuart Bell; p. 3.

Awakening Faith

Jet Set

Lunch at Baytown Seafood

Tuesday, January 27 at 11:30 am

Come and “SEA” your friends at Baytown SEAfood

We’ll have a great time together!

For more information, call Carolyn Hale at 245-5109

Jet Set

30 Days to Understanding the Bible

Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am Pearl Morton Hall

Feb. 3—May 12

A 14-week study of the Old Testament that puts the major characters, events and points of geography together in proper chronological order.

New Ladies Bible Study

Lynn Quillin January 21, 2015

Sunday School Report

Date Enroll Attend January 11 641 210 January 18 639 235

Average Sunday School Att. YTD = 221 (through Week 22)

Tithes & Offerings Report

Date Given

January 11 $13,113.75 January 18 $10,928.25

YTD 2015 Needed: $52,347.81 YTD 2015 Given: $45,846.28

Designated Gifts

Benevolence Love Gift Lottie Moon Women’s Pregnancy Center

Special Gifts

In Honor Of: Gwen Kirkpatrick—Lottie Moon

In Memory Of: Marjorie Claybrook—Memorial

Emily Harvey—Memorial Doris Hunton—Memorial

Robbins Odom—Memorial

Information Center

Bring a friend and your appetite and come enjoy the fellowship!

Church Family Suppers

Each week: Extreme Salad Bar , Fruit, Desser t & Dr inks

January 28 Spinach Tortellini Bake, Carrots,

Rolls & Strawberry Shortcake

Serving: Cathy Davis & Mary Henderson Cleaning: John Cerceo, Marty & Bever ly Harris & Bob King

February 4 Broccoli Cheese Soup, Sliders & Chocolate Sheet Cake

Serving: Char les & Judy Koenig Cleaning: Ron & Kara Cowar t Buddy & Sandra Kelley

Men’s Breakfast

January Mission Focus: The Women’s Pregnancy Center

Help supply the following ministry items for the Center:

Newborn disposable diapers Baby wipes

Infant baby bottles Receiving blankets

Burp cloths Baby wash

Pacifiers Newborn onesies

Newborn baby socks Books on caring for an infant

Day volunteers - 2 hours once a week Ladies for Christian mentoring for clients

Prayer Monetary donations

Donation items may be placed in the bassinet in the Welcome Center. Monetary donations may be placed in the offering plate or turned in to the church office. Thank you for participating in this much needed ministry!

FBC Goal—$20,000

Given to Date—$16,585.50

Lottie Moon Offering Update

This ministry is discussion based upon

assigned reading in the book Crazy Busy.

Don’t worry, it is not a heavy load of reading.

It has proven to be both encouraging and

enlightening to discuss the topics that emerge

from the assigned reading. It is also a

powerful, effective way church members can

become acquainted with one another beyond

the superficial level. Childcare available.

Come join us—you’ll be glad you did!

Sunday, January 25 8:15 am Worship Sanctuary 9:30 am Sunday School 10:30 am Chili Cook-Off CMC Gym 10:50 am Worship Sanctuary 12:00 pm Youth Fundraiser CMC Gym 4:00 pm Youth Praise Band Youth Room 5:00 pm Finance Committee Conference Room 5:00 pm JwC Youth Choir Choir Room 6:00 pm Adult Discipleship PMH 6:00 pm Youth Girls Group 4112 Heatherglen 6:00 pm Youth Guys Group 3800 Bucks Bayou 6:00 pm Children’s Choirs CB 201, 203, 205

Monday, January 26 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym 5:00 pm Praise Band Sanctuary 6:00 pm Ladies Bible Study PMH

Tuesday, January 27 9:30 am Ladies Bible Study PMH 11:30 am Jet Set Lunch Baytown Seafood 5:00 pm Ladies Ensemble Choir Room 5:45 pm King’s Ringers B 106 7:00 pm Missions Committee Conference Room

Wednesday, January 28 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym 10:00 am CDC Chapel PMH 5:00 pm Church Family Supper CMC Gym 6:00 pm AWANA CMC Gym 6:00 pm Encounter Youth Room 6:00 pm Intercessory Prayer PMH 6:45 pm Celebration Choir Choir Room

Thursday, January 29 9:30 am Jubilaires Choir Room

Friday, January 30 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym

Saturday, January 31 No scheduled activities

Sunday, February 1 8:15 am Worship—Lord’s Supper Sanctuary 9:30 am Sunday School 10:50 am Worship—Lord’s Supper Sanctuary 5:00 pm Souper Bowl Fellowship PMH, CMC Gym

Monday, February 2 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym 5:00 pm Praise Band Sanctuary 6:00 pm Ladies Bible Study PMH 7:00 pm Deacon Council Choir Room

Tuesday, February 3 9:30 am Ladies Bible Study PMH 5:00 pm Ladies Ensemble Choir Room 5:45 pm King’s Ringers B 106 7:00 pm Prayer Gathering PMH

Wednesday, February 4 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym 10:00 am CDC Chapel PMH 5:00 pm Church Family Supper CMC Gym 6:00 pm AWANA CMC Gym 6:00 pm Encounter Youth Room 6:00 pm Intercessory Prayer PMH 6:45 pm Celebration Choir Choir Room

Thursday, February 5 9:30 am Jubilaires Choir Room 10:30 am Jubilaires Ministry Bay Villa

Friday, February 6 8:15 am Fitness Class CMC Gym

Saturday, February 7 7:30 am Men’s Breakfast CMC Gym

Sunday, February 8 8:15 am Worship Sanctuary 9:30 am Sunday School 10:50 am Worship Sanctuary 4:00 pm Youth Praise Band Youth Room 5:00 pm JwC Youth Choir Choir Room 6:00 pm Adult Discipleship PMH 6:00 pm Youth Girls Group 3800 Bucks Bayou 6:00 pm Youth Guys Group 3800 Bucks Bayou 6:00 pm Children’s Choirs CB 201, 203, 205

Friday, February 13 6:30 pm in the CMC Gym

Tickets—$12 per person Purchase from the church office or at the Welcome

Center on Sunday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 8

Guest Speaker plus Entertainment

Food catered by Jay’s Café Youth will serve as wait staff

and helpers at the children’s party

Children’s Party for Kindergarten—Grade 6

in Kid’s Korner Childcare for birth—age 4

Make plans to be part of this fun fellowship!