dec 2013 voice
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THANK YOU!!! Lynda Hodge and church members: I want to thank you and all the members of the FBC of Sebring for allow-
ing Special STARS to use your Recreation Outreach Center for our basketball program in September. We had 40
athletes compete in the event and they really love your facility. I look forward to working with you again next
year. Special STARS provides 12 different sports and six recreational activities to approximately 400 children and
adults with mental and physical disabilities in Highlands, Hardee and Okeechobee counties. Thanks again for
making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Happy Holidays.
Cindy Marshall Special STARS Coordinator
Dear Church Family: Ed & I want to thank you for your prayers, the beautiful cards, and your notes of encour-
agement during my illness. It’s been a long year and we are truly thankful for your faithfulness in remembering
us for so long. Thank you all so much.
Ed & Connie Joubert
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF
(PHONE) 863-385-5154 (FAX) 863-385-4184
PRESCHOOL 863-385-4704
Intercessory Prayer Line 385-0120
www.fbsebring.com
SENIOR PASTOR…………………………......REV. MATT CRAWFORD
ASSOC. PASTOR MUSIC & SR ADULTS .…REV. NUNO NORBERTO
HISPANIC PASTOR…………………..….. ….…..…….REV. LUIS LUNA
PASTOR EMERITUS.………………..…...................DR. JAMES MCALL
CHURCH BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR…...............GEORGE SMITH
MUSIC, YOUTH & SR. ADULT SECRETARY…..…...LYNDA HODGE
EDUCATION SECRETARY……………………..CONNIE RODRIGUEZ
PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR……….…………....DIXIE LYNN KREULEN
HOUSEKEEPER………….………..………….…….SANDYWISENBERG
MAINTENANCE………….………………..…………... .WADE LINDLEY
AFTER HOURS COORDINATOR………………………...HAL GRAVES
OFFICE HOURS 8:00 AM TO 4:30 PM
Closed for lunch 12:30-1:30
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
252 Crew Kindergarten – Fifth Grade * Sundays at 10:30am * Room D203
Week One (Dec 1) Week Two (Dec 8)
Family Worship Sunday in Sanctuary Zechariah and Elizabeth
Happy Birthday, Jesus!! Luke 1:5-25; 57-79
In Fellowship Hall after service I can have joy because anything
(Kids, Parents, Volunteers) is possible with God.
Week Three (Dec 15) Week Four (Dec 22) Week Five (Dec 29)
Jesus is Born Shepherds and Angels Simeon at the Temple Luke 2:1-7 Luke 2:8-20 Luke 2:21-35
I can have joy because God I can have joy because God’s I can have joy because God
sent His Son. Story is for everyone. Has a plan to make things right.
Mission Offering: Sponsor a local family in need who have three kids. We’re collecting Christmas toys, clothes
and gift cards for them up until Sunday, Dec 22.
YOUR CHURCH MEDIA LIBRARY
Hark the Herald Angels Shout,
“Come on in and Check One Out!”
The Christmas Cross: A Story about Finding Your Way
Home for the Holidays by Max Lucado
Keeping Christ in Christmas: Helping Families Find Their Focus
by Steve Russo
In Search of...The Real Spirit of Christmas
By Dan Schaeffer
Christmas Treasures of the Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming
Stories and Traditions By Cheri Fuller
The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
YOUR MEDIA CENTER IS LOCATED AT THE
TOP OF THE STAIRS ACROSS FROM THE ELEVATOR.
HOURS: SUN. 9:00 - 10:15 A.M. & WED. 5:45 - 7:15 P.M.
TH
E V
OIC
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ISSUE #320 MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, SEBRING, FLORIDA December 2013
We, the First Baptist Church of Sebring,
are committed to become fully devoted followers
of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the Great Commandment
(Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission
(Matthew 28:18-20) in order to reach and convert
the lost and to equip the saved to be on mission
with the Lord.
THE LORD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER
2013 ANNUAL CHURCH BUDGET….…..$895,000
BUDGET NEEDS TO DATE………….......$803,174
BUDGET RECEIPTS TO DATE…....…......$748,987
NOVEMBER REQUIREMENTS……..........$66,856
NOVEMBER RECEIPTS.…….....................$74,890
OUR MISSION STATEMENT Under the Lord Jesus Christ, we will connect with
others, grow as disciples,
and serve with our gifts.
Merry Christmas, FBCS family!
I am so excited to enter this time of
year together with you! We have
enjoyed seeing how the town of Sebring really gets
into celebrations during the different seasons, so our
family is looking forward to experiencing Christmas
as members of this community. I especially look
forward to celebrating Jesus’ Incarnation and birth
with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. And
doing so with our newly-arrived winter friends will
be a joy.
Thank you for your encouraging words about our
new sermon series. I pray that the Lord uses to
change all of our hearts, so that we approach giving
with joy and worshipful anticipation. The Lord is
gracious to bring us into His work of redeeming and
changing lives.
For the month of December, please note the follow-
ing schedule for Sunday evening:
December 1: normal Sunday schedule
December 8: “A Classical Christmas” presented by our
Music Ministry along with Sebring High School Choirs
- 7 PM
December 15: In lieu of evening service, we encourage
adult Bible Study classes to have in-home Christmas
fellowships. From 5-8 PM, childcare for ages birth to
preschool at the church will be provided at no cost to
you, but you must RSVP by Friday, December 13 by
emailing Connie at [email protected] or
calling the office at 385-5154.
December 22 AND 29: No evening services.
God bless you and your family this
Christmas!
Pastor Matt
SENIOR PASTOR
December Keenager Program
Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 11:15 a.m.
Sebring High School Show Choir with Luanne Hawk
Celebrating and caring for one another. Serving and ministering in Christ’s Name.
Enjoying fellowship with God and each other.
It’s that time of the year! The year has gone by
so fast. We have had many celebrations this year
within our family: Taylor is now 1; my grandma
turned 80; our church family celebrated the
arrival of the Crawford family as our pastoral
family. So many exciting things have happened
to all of us and now is time to be thankful and to celebrate!
December is marked by the celebration of the birth of our Savior!
Hallelujah! We celebrate Jesus!
Reading Robert Morgan’s special version of his book Then Sings
My Soul, made me want to share a little story about the composer of
one of the most well known songs of all times. George F. Handel’s
father wanted him to follow a legal career and tried to discourage
him from musical talents. But his love for the organ, violin, and
harpsichord was much bigger than anything. One day while
improvising on the organ, his music made its way to ears of Duke
Johann Adolf. Adolf loved it and soon encouraged him to start
writing his own music. Quickly, Handel became the most well paid
composer of his time and many would come from far away to hear
his music be performed.
But the time passed, and his music and his body started to become
old. One said at the time “Handel’s great days are over…his
inspiration is exhausted’’.
One day a friend gave to Handel a word-for-word collection of
biblical texts about Christ. The opening words of Isaiah 40 moved
Handel: ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people…’ The words about
Christ inspired the old composer and on that day in the year of
1741, Handel shut the door of his apartment and 23 days later the
oratorio Messiah with its famous Hallelujah Chorus was written.
During this Christmas season, take time to shout Hallelujah to the
reason for the season!
Hallelujah! For He Shall reign forever and ever! This is the truth we
proclaim! For Jesus’ love endures forever and ever; Amen!
Love you in Christ!
Jezimar Nuno Norberto
Associate Pastor, Music and Senior Adults
MINISTER OF MUSIC
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Savior, which is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:11 As we all get ready for this Christmas season, please let us not forget what the
true meaning of Christmas is all about. It’s not about how many gifts we have
to buy, or making sure we get that perfect gift, but about the ultimate gift that
God gave to us. His Son. Because of His gift to us, we all can have eternal life with Him.
Please join us December 16th at 6:30pm as our Preschoolers sing about what happened on that
wonderful night that Christ was born.
Dixie Kreulen, Director
Como se mide el nivel espiritual de la
iglesia.
El nivel espiritual de la iglesia no se mide
como se nos ha hecho creer.
Por el número de personas, el numero de servicios o la
cantidad del presupuesto (esto no es malo) la medida de
una iglesia está en el cumplimiento de su misión…el
éxito es otra forma de derrota si se nos olvidan las prio-
ridades.
Una iglesia no debe olvidar sus prioridades, si alcanzar
las masas quiere decir que no se van a atender las nece-
sidades profundas de las personas entonces no se puede
considerar un éxito.
Cuál es la misión de la iglesia? Hasta que no sepamos lo
que la iglesia debe hacer no mediremos adecuadamente
el éxito o las faltas.
La escritura nos dice que la misión de la iglesia es la
misma que tuvo Jesucristo.
Porque el Hijo del Hombre vino a buscar y salvar lo que
se había perdido. Lucas: 19:10.
Su hermano en Cristo;
Luis Luna
HISPANIC MISSION