News RRVBA/BSM Donations

October 26 - November 26

0

50.00

112.00

208.75

0

191.46

100.00

0

796.32

273.12

499.26

208.33

0

0

50.00

200.00

1,134.77

100.00

333.23

0

40.03

1,304.67

0

224.00

0

0

0

2,000.00

61.20

0

382.00

783.08

150.00

832.00

532.00

142.98

0

75.00

300.00

105.09

300.00

749.04

434.55

0

0

12,672.88

RISE & BUILD FUND: $34,461.92

Alice Ann White RRVBA WMU Director

903.632.5681

Year

To Date

0

500.00

1,233.72

2,122.90

0

1,536.75

1,000.00

1,350.00

2,815.55

1,733.65

6,458.46

2,083.30

0

1,154.00

550.00

1,800.00

10,941.01

1,000.00

3,565.56

0

527.19

11,048.17

0

1,638.00

0

0

0

6,000.00

756.72

10,225.00

1,482.00

5,448.67

1,500.00

4,627.92

5,463.00

1,609.04

0

275.00

3,000.00

1,031.50

3,000.00

7,011.43

4,256.68

0

0

108,745.22

During this very busy Christmas season, may it find us with “Unshakable Pursuit” living out our watchword: “My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile” (1 Cor. 15:58 CEV)

The World Day of Prayer held at Springlake Baptist Church, Paris had 45 in attendance from 14 churches. Our prayer time had a special touch with the different pastors leading out. Thanks to Springlake for hosting and to Margaret Melton and her planning team for a very moving evening.

The Lottie Moon Week of Prayer for International Missions is the first week in December. Please make plans to promote educating you church as to what is happening around the world in missions and to take a special offering for this work.

An Open House at the Association office is being held on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Drop by and enjoy the fellowship and food!

Several planning teams have already been meeting to plan events for next year.

Save these 2019 dates: CIA Day~~March 2; Mission Study~~April 27; Ladies Retreat~~September 14; World Day of Prayer~~November 4

Merry Christmas to all!

JOY ON THE JOURNEY with ‘SEASONED SAINTS’ by Gloria Parker

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS! May we GOD's Beloved Children HONOR YOU not just one day each year, but with every breath YOU give us! We are so grateful that YOU are not ashamed to call us YOUR Brothers and Sisters even though we're not perfect YET like YOU! We want to FINISH WELL this year, December, 2018, and everyday until YOU Return for us! Thank YOU!

One way to Finish 2018 Well ~ Whoever God has chosen to step up and FILL the OPEN Monday, August 19, 2019, the 4th week of Senior Adults VBS. What a Blessing to close out this year with ALL 5 Host Churches ON READY!

The Red River Valley Old Fashioned Hymn Singers have had a GREAT YEAR with 22-30 JOYFUL Singers at two Retirement Homes every month, except August when we were privileged to lead the singing all 5 Mondays at 5 Host Churches for our 14th year of Senior Adults VBS. On December 13 we'll meet at 9:30 am at Springlake BC and go sing at Heritage House and Colonial Lodge. Come help us be a Christmas Blessing to these precious Residents, many of whom never have anyone visit them personally.

Another GREAT way to Finish 2018 WELL ~ Many "Friday Night Out At Denny's" Folks do not like to drive at night, and it's DARK now between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. Sooo, we're putting out an URGENT PLEA to Men, Women or Couples who will offer to Chauffeur one, two, a car or van full of us. We will even BUY YOUR SUPPER, and you'll enjoy a great 2 hours of Fun, Good Food, Fellowship and be home EARLY beginning Friday, January 4, 2019. We're saving December Fridays for Christmas Parties, etc. Call Gloria Parker, 903-737-0650 if the Lord lays this wonderful MINISTRY on YOUR HEART! What GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS/PRESENCE YOU WIILL BE TO US!

KEEP LOOKING UP, GET READY ~ JESUS, THE PRINCE OF PEACE IS COMING BACK SOON, AND WE MUST BE READY!

ATLAS

BAGWELL

BETHEL

BOUNDS

BROOKSTON

CHICOTA

CHISUM TRAILS

CUNNINGHAM

DIRECT

DOUBLE R

EAST DELTA

EAST PARIS

EMBERSON

FAITH

FBC ANNONA

FBC BLOSSOM

FBC BOGATA

FBC CLARKSVILLE

FBC COOPER

FBC DEPORT

FBC DETROIT

FBC PARIS

FBC ROXTON

FRIENDSHIP

FULBRIGHT

GLORY

GRAHAM ST.

HIS PLACE

HOWLAND

IMMANUEL/WMU

LAMAR POINT

LEESVILLE

MAXEY

MT. OLIVE

NOVICE

PACIO

PATTONVILLE

PETTY

POWDERLY

PROVIDENCE

SALEM

SOUTHSIDE

SPRINGLAKE

TRINITY

YOUNG’S CHAPEL

TOTAL

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!

Dec 2-9: Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - Week of Prayer for International Missions

Dec 3: BSM Lunch—Novice

Dec 6: Secretaries/Support Staff Christmas Party, 11:30 am, RRVBA Bring finger food & a $10 gift to share.

Dec 7-8: Living Nativity, Providence, 6:30—8:30 pm

Dec 10: BSM Lunch—Mt. Olive

Dec 11: RRVBA Christmas Open House, 10:30 am—1:30 pm

Dec 13: RRVBA office closes for Christmas holidays

Dec 30: 5th Sunday Singing with The McNeills, Direct, 6:00 pm

January 2019

Jan 2: Office reopens at 8:00 am

Jan 5: WMU Leadership Team meeting, 10:0 am, RRVBA (Lunch will be provided)

Jan 7: Ladies’ Retreat meeting, 5:00 pm, RRVBA

Jan 7: CIA Day meeting, 6:30 pm, RRVBA

Jan 8: Finance Committee meeting, 5:30 pm, RRVBA

Jan 15: Executive Board meeting, Mt. Olive, Meal @ 6:00 pm, Meeting @ 6:45 pm

BSM NEWS ... It is hard to believe that we are almost finished with the fall semester at PJC. It has been a blast kicking off the new school year, meeting new students and faculty and ministering to such a diverse group of students. Our Monday meals have been outstanding and we have served as many as 56 and have averaged around 40-50 each week. I am extremely grateful for all of the churches that have come alongside us this semester to help feed these students. I want to thank the following churches: First Baptist Cooper, Pacio, Bounds, Maxey, First Baptist Bogota, Salem, Chicota, Leesville, First Baptist Paris, Direct, Immanuel, His Place Fellowship, Novice and Mount Olive. Without you, we could not make this ministry happen! I still have three dates open for lunches during the spring semester. If you would like to come and serve the students a meal next April or May, please contact me or Nancy at the Association office.

Our Monday night Bible studies have been great this semester. We have had 22 different students attend our bible study including students from Africa, Belgium and Venezuela! We have been going through the book of Revelation and the students have really been engaged. I have been able to help minister to a student that lost a dear friend to suicide and have been able to minister to several other students that are dealing with tough family and personal issues. I have come to realize that for many students, college life is tough and also how valuable it is to have spiritual support available to these college students who are away from home and dealing with so many new struggles for the first time. I have truly been blessed to have been given this opportunity to minister to these students!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful, blessed and Christ-filled Christmas!

Pray up! Plug in! Preach out!

Mike Clark 903-905-1336 mikeclark42@yahoo.com

RRVBA Mission Statement:

Help each other become healthy “Great

Commission” churches.

RRVBA Vision Statement:

We are a family of churches who are

committed to sharing ourselves, resources,

and expertise with one another for the purpose of fulfilling the “Great

Commission.”

Director of Missions

Mike Fortenberry mikefortenberry@

hotmail.com

Baptist Student Ministry Director

Mike Clark mikeclark42@

yahoo.com

Admin. Assistant Nancy Redus

redrivervalleybaptist@gmail.com

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Red River Valley Baptist Association Regular Office Hours: Monday—Thursday, 8 am to 2 pm

E-Mail Address: redrivervalleybaptist@gmail.com Web Address: www.redriverbaptist.com

The monthly publication of the Red River Valley Baptist Association

Volume 1 4, Iss ue 1 2 ( December 20 1 8)

December Birthdays 2 Michael Julian, administrator East Paris 3 Neil Barnes, music Providence 9 Peggy Stewart, secretary FBC Annona 13 Eugene Adams, pastor Pacio 13 Tommy Turner, pastor FBC Paris 21 Karl Bush, pastor Bagwell 22 Lori Russell, secretary Immanuel 25 Mike Segleski, spouse Bounds 28 Jami Thompson, spouse His Place 28 Jo Ann Seigler, spouse Springlake 30 Kristy Falk, spouse Novice 31 Donna Houchins, clerk East Delta 31 Tena Segleski, treasurer Bounds

December Church Anniversaries 1 Ronnie Aubrey, pastor, 15 yrs Trinity 1 Brandon Bell, pastor, 7 yrs Fulbright 2 Denise Harbison, admin asst, 16 yrs East Paris 30 Tim Parker, pastor, 31 yrs Howland

Birthdays and Anniversaries

December Wedding Anniversaries 3 Charles & Darlene Shouse, 41 yrs Mt. Olive 12 David & Denise Harbison, 31 yrs East Paris 13 Kevin & Brena Burgan, 10 yrs Leesville 24 Johnny & Kathy Witherspoon, 41 yrs FBC Cooper 29 Justin & Jami Thompson, 11 yrs His Place 31 Karl & Kathy Bush, 35 yrs Bagwell

Red River Valley Baptist Association

2320 Clarksville St. Paris, TX 75460

903-785-2890

Secretaries & Support Staff

Christmas Party Thursday, December 6 @ 11:30

Please bring finger food & a $10 gift to share

RSVP to Nancy @ 903-785-2890 or redrivervalleybaptist@gmail.com

Please join us for our

Christmas Open House &

Building Rededication Service Tuesday, December 11 from 10:30 ~ 1:30

Rededication Service at 12:00 Noon

Come and Celebrate!

From a Shepherd’s Heart and a DOM’s Pen “The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told”, Luke 2:20. It is my favorite time of year … the Christmas Season. I love Thanksgiving and the many blessings we remember and give thanks for but the greatest blessing of all is the Lord Jesus Christ! It is at this time of year Dickens’ said that “want is most keenly felt” but it is also at this time of year that our greatest hope and help can be known. Each and every church service, Sunday School Class party and special Christmas program has the potential to be a visible and audible recounting of the birth of the “Christ Child”. The Christmas musicals and dramatic presentations take us right up to the manger, and there lays the “infant Holy” with His mother Mary and her husband Joseph. Do you see the animals, observe the shepherds, or hear the angels sing “Glory to God in the highest and peace and good will to all men?”

It is during this time of year that many un-churched or unsaved people attend our services. I wonder if they ask themselves this question … “can His story really be true?” Did God come to earth in the form of man and take upon Himself the sins of the world so “whosoever will” can have the greatest Christmas gift that has ever been given … eternal life? This Christmas may every church and every Christmas song, or sermon declare the Good News of the too good to be true glorious gospel … “for unto us a Savior is born.”

May God bless you and yours as well as each of our association churches as we come to the end of one year and look forward to the beginning of another. What was it Paul said … “putting those things behind I press towards the high calling of the Lord Jesus Christ”! As a dear preacher friend says … “Press on, press on, press on!”

Our January executive board meeting will celebrate my 4th anniversary of serving as your Director of Missions. I want to take this opportunity to thank each of our association churches, pastors and leaders for the privilege to be a servant leader to this organization. However, it is with great personal emotion that I must now inform you of a decision Genc and I have made. Due to my increasing responsibilities as pastor of His Place Fellowship I have given my notice of resignation to the Association Personnel Committee and have asked them to begin searching for a new DOM. I will continue to serve in the position until the association has acted upon their recommendation for a new DOM and that person is in place.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me this great and very humbling privilege to serve!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Bro. Mike

“Every Church, Every Nation”

National Goal: $160 million Living Nativity Come to the 21st Annual

Living Nativity at Providence Baptist Church

located at 4680 FM 195 in Paris.

Presentations will be Dec. 7 & 8 from 6:30—8:30 pm. This is a drive through

depiction of the birth of Christ.

For more information or to volunteer call the church at 903-785-4780.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

The Association office will close on December 13th and reopen on

January 2, 2019.

YOU ARE INVITED! 5th Sunday Singing at Direct featuring

The McNeills

Sunday, December 30 starting at 6:00 pm

Call 903-785-5005 for information.