TI:IE FIRST EDITION NEWSLETTER - BLANDINSVILLE CHRISTIAN CHU.BQ!

Birthdays 1 - Andrea Brush 2 - Dave M etcal f 3 - Kammie McKee

Donna Purdy 5 - Aaron Allen

Jeff Johnson 7 - Jimmy Wetzel 8 - Becky Cramer 10 - Lee Ward 11- Hal Melvin

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

16- Colleen Woodruff Marshall Link

17 - Breanne Wager Jill Syfert Kollette Rutledge Krista Rutledge

19- Jim Hainline 20- Britt in Moore 21- Pat McCleary 24- Jake Hunt

29- Ashley Smith 30- Jackie Terre ll

Jeff Hardy

Anniversaries 10 - Monte/ Roxanne Mason 13 - Jim/Sherry Meriwether 20 - Nell/Meg Welsh

14- Samantha Hardy Amanda Wetzel AJ Thrapp

25- Luke James Tyler Dihle Brooke Lindell

26- Neal Moore 15- Deik Calvert

DATE ELDERS DEACONS MUSIC

Jan. 5 Randy K./Monte M. Alex Ruebush, Tom Ralston, Jean Dougherty Garek Mason, Blade Mason

Jan. 12 Steve R./Greg J. Drue Calvert, Joe Driskell, Jake Anna James Hunt, Jerry Thrapp

Jan. 19 Monte M./Alan D. Alex Ruebush, Tom Ra lston, Jean Dougherty Glade Mason, Garek Mason

Jan. 26 Randy K./Greg J. Drue Calvert, Jeff Johnson, Joe Marilyn Schroll Driskell, Jerry Thrapp

DATE WORSHIP LEADER GREETERS NURSERY Jan. 5 Anna James Ron T./Donna P. Roxanne Mason Jan. 12 Mary Killip Jerry/Kris Thrapp Laura Twaddle Jan. 19 Andrew Dressler Ed/Millie Hunt Lora Calvert Jan. 26 Monte Mason Bud/Patsy Butterfield Mary Kil lip

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OVERHEAD

Drue Calvert

Monte Mason

Gary Smith

Garek Mason

COMMUNION Ann Keithley Ann Keithley Ann Keithley Ann Keithley

Coffee/Donuts - Sunday, January 26 - 9:00 a.m. - Pat Hainline -We need volunteers foe donut Sunday. Let us know if you can help with this.

Bible Study-Sundays - 6:00 P.M - Resumes on Sunday, January 13, 2020. Coffee/Devotion/Worship Committee- Meets Mondays at 9:00 A.M. - Everyone is welcome to attend. If you cannot

attend but would like some input, please contact a member of the committee or leave a note in t he suggestion box. After School Program -Resumes on January 9 -- Thursdays-4:00-5:00 P.M . EDLERS' MEETING -January 8 - 6:30 p.m. BOARD MEETING -January 8 - 7:00 p.m.

Please be in prayer for Jerry Johnson, Gene Icenogle, Dennis Icenogle, Darrell Badord, Connie Wolbrink, Larry Mason, Rose Lew, Duane Chambers, Carolyn Moore, Laurie Locke, Candy Huston, Susanne Meriwether, Joe Noe, Cam Melvin Nursing Home Residents: Mary Sandstrom, Dorothy Thompson, Clydian Blythe, Neil Welsh, Lillian Bainter

THE HOLY BIBLE AND BIBLE STUDY by Jean Dougherty, FCC Historian What better book to review than the Holy Bible, the best-sell Ing book of all time I I'd also like to report on Pastor Andy's weekly Bible study that began in June on Sunday evenings. A break was taken in December and will resume in January. Pastor Andy respects our time, and we respect his. Sessions start promptly at 6:00 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m.

If you have difficulty reading and/or understanding the Bible, you should attend Pastor Andy's Bible study sessions. I have a completely new understanding of the Bible. Instead of following a Bible study book, P~stor Andy has been taking us through the Bible. We annotate our Bible's Table of Contents with Interesting facts as we go along. We have completed the Old Testament (OT) and are starting on the New Testament (NT). The central theme of the OT Is the preparation for the coming of Christ. The central theme of the NT is salvation through Jesus Christ.

Following are facts I've learned about the Bible: (1) The first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) make up the Jewish Torah and were written by Moses. (2) The Bible was written In three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Most of the OT was written In Hebrew, which was the language the original readers spoke. A few bits of the OT were written in Aramaic (Ezra and Daniel) . (3) The NT was written In Greek, the commonly-spoken language of the time (even though all the writers of the NT were Jews except for Luke, who was a Gentile). Greek was a second language for most people. God was at work preparing the wor ld with a common language to proclaim the message of the Savior. (4) The Bible was written by farmers, fishermen, a tentmaker, prophets, a doctor, a professional scribe, pastors, etc. (5) The books of the Christian OT are arranged as follows: Torah (5 books), History (12 books), Poetry (5 books), Major Prophets (5 books), and Minor Prophets (12 shorter books). (6) The books of t he NT are arranged as follows: History (5 books, the Gospels and Acts) which record the life of Christ; Epistolary (21 books, Romans through Jude) which is letters to churches and individuals; Prophetical (one book, Revelation) . (7 ) There are 27 books in the NT written by 9 authors. (8) There are at least 185 songs in the Bible. About 150 of these are In the Book of Psalms. (9) The 400 years between the OT and the NT are known as the Silent Years. (10) There are over 150 different tit les for Jesus Christ in the Bible, such as: Advocate, Beloved Son, Christ the Lord, Deliverer, Emmanuel, Father Forever, Good Shepherd, High Priest, IA, Jesus the Nazarene, King of Kings, Lord, Messiah, etc.

BOOK REVIEW by Kris Thrapp- ON EVERY SIDE BY Karen Kingsbury Bethany, Pennsylvania, is a small town that became the center of national attention due to a beloved, hundred-year-old statue of Jesus Christ that stands in Bethany's park. A statue that some say is a clear violation of the separation of church and state. A statue that must come down . A statue that suddenly becomes the focus of a bitter conflict - one rife with political intrigue, social injustice and personal conflicts. Jordan RIiey, a powerful attorney dedicated to fighting for human rights and against God, and Faith Evans, an up-coming newscaster, are at odds. Faith Is a woman of honor and integrity who finds herself taking a sta nd against the one man she never imagined would be her enemy. Before it's over, everything that Jordan and Faith and the town of Bethany stand for will be challenged. This book is available at the Blandinsvi lle-Hire Library.

GOOD NEWS STORIES - It has been requested that heart warming stories and acts of kindness be included in the newsletter. If you find an article or know of someone that deserves kudos for their service or good deed, please us know. The following items were taken from the December 2019 American Profile, Nashvi lle, TN, magazi ne.

Lemon-Aid - When $9 was stolen from an 11-year-old girl's le monade stand in Naperv ille, Illinois, neighbors rall ied to make up the difference, raising nearly $350, which the girl donated to Feeding America, a Chicago-based hunger relief organization.

Heart for Education - An unassuming Ames, Iowa, carpenter, who never had the opportunity to earn a college degree, willed his $3 million life savings to pay college tuition for 33 students since his death in 2005. This year, the last of these students finished her degree, debt-free.

M iracle for Mom - A 17-year-old high school student in Jackson, Mississippi, raised more than $600,000 to build Parker Miracle Field, the state's first baseball field fully accessible for children with disabilities. He was inspired by his mother who is wheelchair bound, to create the facility.

NEWS AND EVENTS IN AND ABOUT THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY A big thank you goes out to Cynthia Hagemeier for letting us display her Nativity sets in t he church this Christmas. Of her over 600 sets, 114 units were on display. She took pictures of the displays and shared them with residents of Heartland Nursing Home where she works.

The after-school program personnel hosted an evening meal on Thursday, December 12, for parents, grandparents, and the children who have been attending. There were 48-49 individuals present. The kids and the adults had a meal of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, applesauce, and desserts. It was a fun event for all who attended. Thanks to those who helped prepare the meal, serve, and clean up.

Roberta Welsh is now residing at Wesley Vi llage in Macomb. She is in apartment 207.

on Saturday, December 14, Jim and Sherry Meriwether and Stephanie Raimer participated in setting a new record in the Guinness Book of World Records. This happened in downtown Hannibal, Missouri. Prior to the event, people signed in and received a token. They then lined Main Street where each person who had a token was given a cupcake. At 7:00 p.m. when the firet ruck sounded its siren, everyone ate their cupcake. This was called the "Largest Dessert Party at one Time." The old record (set in Florida) was 1,558. Hannibal beat the record coming in with 1,889 cupcakes being consumed. It was a fun event!

On Wednesday, December 18, 19 adults and kids went caroling in Macomb. They sang to Mary Sandstrom and Roberta Welsh at Wesley Village, Rose Lew at Heartland, Neil Welsh and Dorothy Thompson at Lamoine Retirement Living, and Laurie Smith's mother and friends at the Jefferson House. The singers returned to Blandinsville around 7:00 p.m. They were joined at the church by eleven others who did not go carol ing for soup, sandwiches, salads, and dessert. Everyone enjoyed good food and fellowship .

Eighteen kids and adults attended the movie night on Saturday, December 21. Those present watched the movie POLAR EXPRESS while enjoying beverages and sn acks.

Since new costumes were purchased for the Christmas Eve services, most of the old costumes were given to Jeff and Lisa Hardy to use in the church they are now attending in Colchester.

Christmas Eve Services - Approximately 130 people attended this special occasion. Thank you to Mari lyn Schroll for her assistance with the choir and playing the piano for us as well as singing "Mary, Did You Know?" Thanks to Johanna Wiesbrock for playing a variety of Christmas songs on her violin. Marilyn and Johanna did a wonderful job. For the live Nativity, Josie Calvert and Lily Gabriel were the angels who read a narrative describing the scene. Gary Smith, Monte Mason, and Randy Killip were the wise men; Clayton Hunt and Andrew Dressler were the shepherds; Brittany and Taylor Thompson were Mary and Joseph. A big thank you goes to these individuals as well as those members of the choir who sang "Who is This Tiny Child," those who prepared communion, those who served commun ion, those who brought cookies, and those who helped in any way. Thank you to Joe Driskell for making the frame for the Nativity backdrop and for setting up the outside Nativity scene. After Christmas Eve services, attendees were invited to stay for cookies and cocoa and take advantage of the backdrop provided for family pictures. Andy and Anna did a great deal of work setting up t he area for the cookies, creating the space for the photo opportunity, and making special gi fts for those who attended.

Laurie Smith broke a couple of toes. Ask her about "that darn cat" that caused her tumble down the sta irs!

MJ Yeoman's mother and father in the Philippines lost their home to a typhoon on Christmas day. The church donated funds from the Benevolent Fund. If others would like to donate, please talk to Randy or Mary Killip for more information.

Standard emergency operating procedures: A copy of these procedures is available in the pews.

IN MEMORY

Bobbie Jo Beers, San Antonio Texas p d · d h f h ' • asse away December 7, 2019, after a two-yea r battle with melanoma. She is the step aug ter O S annon Allen, and t he step granddaughter of Dick and Pat Hainline. She leaves behind two children.

;~r: E. )Lewis of Good Hope, Ill inois, passed away on December 10, 2019. He Is survived by his w ife Leslie, his son Joel ed ra ,hgra

ndchlldren (Liam and Toby), two sisters Rebecca (Steve) Conklin and Debra Ca rson (Bill), and several nieces

an nep ews.

YEAR IN REVIEW - FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IFCCl bv Jean Ooughertv, FCC Historian The yea r 2019 marked th 170'h · . S d e anniversary of the Blandinsville First Christian Church. Historical Information was printed '" un ay bulletins and monthly newsletters throughout the year to emphasize the enduring history and traditions of FCC.

Christ mas Tree Sunday funds for December 2018 and for use in 2019 totaled $10,007. Church and playground insurances were paid from these funds ($7,081.23) .

The following church officers were elected to serve during 2019: Board Chairman: Monte Mason; Elders: Dave Hunt, Alan Driskell and Randy Killip; Deacons: Drue Calvert, Jeff Johnson; Deaconesses: Patsy Butterfie ld, Ann Keithley, Becky Cramer, KathY Driskell, Mary Killip, Pat Hainline; Trustee: Millie Hunt; Board Secretary: Laura Twaddle; Treasurer: Sherry Meriwether; Financial Secretary: Pat Hainline; Historian: Jean Dougherty.

FCC's members voted to hire Andrew Dressler as pastor In December 2018, effective in 2019. The FCC congregation welcomed Pa stor Andy Dressler, his wi fe Anna, and their children Jackson and Olivia to Blandinsville in February. They bring new energy, musical talent, and enthusiasm to FCC.

Pastor Andy baptized A. J. Thrapp and Marissa Johnson on August 11 following Sunday service.

Pastor Andy used software programs CCLI Song Select, Faithlife Proclaim, and Planning Center to enhance Sunday worship services, Pastor Andy' s sermons are recorded and available on social media. He updated and maintained FCC's Facebook page: www.face book.com/fccbille and FCC's website: www.fccbvi lle.com.

Sherry Meriwether, FCC's church secretary for 24 years, retired in October. Sherry was honored at a retirement party on October6 at the church. During her tenure, Sherry served 8 ministers, folded over 12,000 church bulletins and prepared 288 church newsletters I

Church Repairs and Improvements: The Safety Committee addressed church safety concerns. The Board approved the Safety Committee's recommendations to install fire alarms, a cordless phone (located at the soundboard), smoke detectors, ca rbon monoxide detectors and an air horn. These items were donated to the church.

A new computer system for the sanctuary was purchased from Bradfield's of Peoria and installed at a cost of $6,671.98, which consisted of a projector, computer, screen, cabling, setup and su rge protectors. Two bids were received. Funding came from the Memorial Fund.

Commercial ceiling fans were installed in the Sunday School side of the church to help circulation at a cost of $1,830.22. A new window air conditioner was purchased for $343.35. Paint was purchased for $413.02. The board room was painted and freshened up. Two new dehumidifiers and a water cooler were purchased for a total of $877.29.

Blue Jay Ba rns power washed, repaired, and painted Noah's Ark on the playground for $1,500.

Church Committees: The fo llowing committees served during 2019: Safety, Finance, Property, Worship and Devotional Life, Christian Education, Evangelism and Membership Development, Outreach and Community Services, Christian Fellowship, Christian Youth Fellowship, Officer Nomination, and Pulpi t.

Church Programs and Outreach: Pastor Andy established weekly Sunday night Bible Study sessions starting in June.

Pastor Andy is the director of the after-school program (Kids Club) for child ren/young adults in grades Kinderga rten through 9th. The Kids Club started in September and meets every Thursday, when school is in session, from 4:00-5:00 p.m.

for food, fun, Bible lessons, games and more. Many FCC volunteers helped with this exciting program which averaged 16

kids per week. Benevolent Funds were used for the program as needed. Snacks and drinks were donated by church members.

The May 11 rummage/ bake sale netted $962.11, which is being used by the church's Benevolent Fund for church programs and benevolent needs, such as: $500 toward Project Santa which benefits children in our area; Sweet Shack gift certificate for Bible School attendees; $300 to Andy Avery for church service In t he park during t he Farmers' Picnic.

Fa rmers' Picnic: Pastor Andy, Anna, Jackson and Olivia rode on the FCC float entered in the parade. FCC also served coffee/donuts/juice before the Sunday service in the park.

Vacation Bible School was June 19 and 20 and was a great success with 36 chi ldren in attendance. Funding wa s provided by the Benevolent Fund.

FCC provided funds for 7 children/young adults to attend LaMoine Ch ristian Service Camp (LCSC) in June at a cost of $1,060,

FCC hosted Christian Men' s Fellowship meal and service on August 12.

FCC assisted Food for Youth each Thursday afternoon during the summer through August . FCC volunteers distribu ted goodie bags to 9 households weekly. Food was provided by Kiwanis, Elks and Salvation Army in Macomb.

FCC's Worship and Devotion Committee hosted a special event with guest speaker, Kathy Farley, on September 21. Her topic was "Jesus Loves Me." Committee member Katie Houston sponsored the event. Special music was provided by the FCC choir, and a reception followed the program.

A pizza party for FCC's young adults and families was held in November.

Trunk or Treat was held in conjunction with Kids Club on October 31 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. A budget of $400 was established to purchase equipment and toys in order to provide a fun space in the chu rch basement for the Kids Club during winter months.

FCC hosted a Parents Night Out on November 16. FCC volunteers cared for children from 3:30-8:30 p.m.

FCC hosted a meal for Kids Club members and their families on December 12 that was well attended.

FCC's Christmas activities included a donation of $500 to Project Santa; hanging of the greens and a potluck meal; Christmas Tree Sunday with special gifts placed on the church tree; Nativity displays; movie night; caroling and soup supper; Christmas Eve candlelight service with special music, choir, a live Nativity, refreshments and a backdrop for taking photos. New costumes and a backdrop were pu rchased for the Christmas Eve service using donated funds; a support frame for the sanctuary backdrop was built with donated labor.

Church Missions: FCC supported the following loca l, domestic and world mission commitments on a monthly basis for 2019: One Family, One Purpose; LaMoine Christian Service Camp; and FCC's Benevolent Fund.

Quote taken from Guideposts, October 2019, by Ann Voskamp: " In stressful times, seek God. In painful t imes, praise God. In terrible times, trust God. And at all times ... thank God."

SUNDAY MORNING SERMONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.

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