First Baptist Church * Woodruff, South Carolina

December 21, 2011 - January 3, 2012

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP!

Saturday, December 24

Christmas Eve Candlelight

Communion Service

IS THERE ROOM?

Luke 2:1-7

Sunday, December 25

Christmas Day

Worship Service

THE GIFT OF JESUS

Luke 2:8-20

Sunday, January 1

Sunday School

GOING RIGHT IN A

CULTURE GONE WRONG

Proverbs 23:20-21;

Daniel 1:8, 11-16; Romans 13:12-14

New Year’s Day Worship Service

A FRESH START

Psalm 51:10; Isaiah 40:31; Lamentations 5:21

Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

                            Tina Osborne, 12-25 Jim Young, 12-26

                            Emmie Workman, 12-28 Becky Westmoreland, 12-28

                            Mary Turner, 12-28 Rosemary Leake, 12-29

                            Gavin McTeer, 12-29 Joanne Kiser, 12-30

                            Greg Cooper, 12-30 Ann Heitz, 12-30

                            Jack Rhodes, 12-31 Ashton Osborne, 12-31

                            Brooks Osborne, 12-31 Becky Godfrey, 1-1

                            Kevin Murphy, 1-3 Marie Wood, 1-3

                            Altonia Skinner, 1-4 Cheryl Smith, 1-7

                            Pam Scott, 1-7

CONGRATULATIONS!

Altonia Skinner will be 99 years old on January 4.

Cards may be sent to:

Carolina Care Center Rm 224, 111 Harrilson Road, Cherryville, NC 28021.

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY

We extend our love and prayerful support to:

Danny Holland and family in the death of

his brother, Bob Holland;

The family of Rev. Wilkes Skinner.

OVER AND ABOVE

Kitchen and Fellowship Hall Renovation

Fund Balance: $18,030.57

PRAYER MEETING

Each Tuesday Morning * 7:00 – 7:30 am

CHRISTMAS DAY

Worship and Celebration * 11:00 am

We will meet together as a family of faith for a wonderful time of worship, praise, & dedication. Regular activities, including Sunday School and the Evening Service, will not be held.

HIS HEART, HIS HANDS, HIS VOICE

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

For International Missions

Church Goal $5,000.00 Received: $2,648.00

On average it costs around $3,890.00 to support one missionary for a month. Please prayerfully consider what you will give as we seek to be His heart, His hands, and His voice.

GIFTS TO THE GLORY OF GOD!

Work of the Church

In Memory of Rita Hunt

Telewene Stephens

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

In Honor of Lucy McMahan

In Honor of Peggy Gilliland

Evans & Joann Wilkie

In Memory of Ginny Suggs

Noelle Suggs

In Memory of Dot Taylor

In Memory of Essie Sims

Jeff & Doniece Lanford

In Memory of Charles Rhodes

In Memory of Toy Waddell

In Memory of Tom Meadows

Randy & Linda Rhodes

In Memory of Martha Lewis

In Memory of Sara Smith

Bob & Julia Howard

BIBLE STUDY & STEWARDSHIP:

SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE December 18

Nursery 7

Children 23

Youth 17

Adults 130

Total Attendance 177

BUDGET December 18 2011

Needs $ 8,143.90 $ 415,338.90

Offering $ 8,348.03 $ 400,030.60

Over/(Under) $ 204.13 ($ 15,308.30)

Additional Offerings Given for Special Accounts

Over & Above Fund $ 55.00

Lottie Moon $ 935.00

SC Baptist Conv (Element Church) $ 1,000.00

Payments Received for Trips, Books, Meals & Activities

2012 World Changers $ 212.00

2012 Youth Winter Ski Retreat $ 160.00

Wednesday Night Supper $ 24.00

Reimbursement $ 580.00

Christmas Eve

Candlelight

Communion Service

Saturday, December 24 * 5:00 pm

NEW YEAR’S DAY SCHEDULE

Sunday School * 9:45 am

Worship Service * 11:00 am

GOLDEN AGE FELLOWSHIP

Wednesday, January 4 * 11:45 am

Join us for great food and fellowship! All are welcome!

Program Guest: Nancy Drummond

Hostesses: Edith McIntyre,

Molly Love, Loree Anderson, Judy Davidson

Devotional: Mary Dell Scott

Join us and invite friends as we show the movie

COURAGEOUS

Sunday, January 8 * 6:00 pm

First Baptist Church

As law enforcement officers, Adam, Nathan, David, and Shane are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood. COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. You will find yourself laughing, crying, and cheering as you are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.

JANUARY BIBLE STUDY

Sunday Nights * 6:00 pm

January 15, 22 & 29

The Pursuit: Chasing Answers to Life’s Questions

Studies in Ecclesiastes

225 CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

Our earliest record is dated September 16, 1787

We will be celebrating 225 years of ministry with special events and projects throughout 2012 including Homecoming with Dinner on the Grounds on Sunday, September 16. Mark your calendars and help us compile a list of addresses of those who would like to return and help us celebrate.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDIES

This Wednesday, December 21 * 6:30 pm

The Case for Christmas

Consulting experts Lee Strobel searches out the true identity of the Child in the manger. Join us as we look carefully to at the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth.

The Fingerprint Evidence: Does Jesus - and Jesus Alone - Match the Identity of the Messiah?

Next Wednesday, December 28 * 6:30 pm

Prayers for the New Year

Wednesday, January 4 * 6:30 pm

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith

Join us as we begin a fresh, new Bible study that follows the outline of David Platt’s book Radical. In many ways Christianity in America has been changed to fit our cultural preferences. We will explore Jesus’ radical message and be challenged not just to believe but also to obey.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES

We have Bible study each Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Our other Wednesday Night Activities (supper, choirs, mission groups, youth lighthouse) will start back on January 4. We give thanks for all of the workers that make each of these programs possible. If you haven’t been coming on Wednesday nights, add it to your schedule so that we can enjoy times of fellowship & Bible study together.

JANUARY CHURCH CONFERENCE

Sunday, January 22 * After January Bible Study

If your group or committee would like to be included in the printed reports, please turn your information in before Wednesday, January 18.

MEN’S MINISTRY CONFERENCE

Salt & Light: C.A.M.O. - Calling All Men Out

February 4 * Gateway Baptist Church, Irmo, SC

Join with the men from our church that will be attending. Registration (conference and materials) is $50. If you sign up before January 15, lunch is included. Call the church office if you would like to register.

2012 FLOWER CALENDAR

Call or come by the church office to reserve the Sunday you would like to put flowers in the sanctuary in 2012.

THE ENCOURAGER

The Encourager will not be published next week. The next edition will be Wednesday, January 4, 2012.

MINISTRY ANNIVERSARY

We congratulate Jim Skinner as he completes his 26th year of service. Thank you, Jim, for all you do and for your dedicated service in ministry at First Baptist.

The Church Office will be Closed:

Thursday & Friday, December 22, 23

Monday, December 26

& Monday, January 2

YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY

This Wednesday, December 21 * 6:00 – 8:30 pm

At the Home of Kemp, Kelly & Hope Smith

Bring a canned good or a blanket for Helping Hands and a $10 gift for the gift exchange.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Don’t forget to check the post office boxes located in the back foyer for your Christmas cards. Thank you for your donations to the youth mission trip.

THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for remembering Buddy during his last illness in November. We shall never forget being a part of your church body many years ago. Betty Bridges

We want to thank the pastor and all who have visited and sent cards to mom since she in back home in Woodruff again. The family of Geraldine Atkins

Thank you so much for your prayers and other expressions of love during my father’s recovery. He is making progress and we hope to bring him home from the hospital soon. I am so grateful to serve with such a loving, caring congregation. It is a wonderful privilege to be your pastor. In Christ, Andrew Shull

DAY BY DAY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21

6:00 pm Youth Christmas Party – Smith’s

6:30 pm Church-Wide Bible Study

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22

OFFICE CLOSED

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23

OFFICE CLOSED

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24

5:00 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25

11:00 am Christmas Day Worship Service

MONDAY, DECEMBER 26

OFFICE CLOSED

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27

7:00 am Prayer Meeting

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28

6:30 pm Church-Wide Bible Study

SUNDAY, JANUARY 1

9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am New Year’s Day Worship Service

MONDAY, JANUARY 2

OFFICE CLOSED

TUESDAY, JANUARY 3

7:00 am Prayer Meeting

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4

11:45 am Golden Age Fellowship

5:15 pm Fellowship Supper

5:40 pm Preschool & Children’s Choirs,

Youth Lighthouse

6:30 pm Wednesday Night Bible Study,

Adult Choir Rehearsal, Mission Friends,

GA’s, RA’s, Acteens, Challengers

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5

6:30 pm Chess Club

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

5:00 pm Youth depart for Ski Retreat

SHARING THE MINISTRY

December 25

Greeters: Z Orias, D J O’Hara (f)

J Lanford (p) D Bailey (o)

Counting Team: R Smith, T & J Foster

Nursery: B & L Abercrombie Outreach Notes: L Garrett

Welcome Center: R McAbee, R Bryson Sound: Z Orias

Ushers: C Simpkins Sr., T Foster (f)

G Thompson (p) M Green (o)

January 1

Greeters: S Scott, R Smith (f),

R Rhodes (o), W Garrett (p)

Counting Team: B Abercrombie, P & H Elliott

Nursery: J Brown, T & L Morgan

Outreach Notes: D Hembree

Children’s Worship: W Lawson, C Hughes, H Orias

Welcome Center: T & T Sumner Sound: J Young

Ushers: K Schlock, B Scott (f),

M Workman (o), S Jacobi (p)