Volume 68, Issue 11, November 30, 2021 Published by The Hill Baptist Church

Mission Statement: “Our mission is to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ.”

First Sunday of Advent 11:00 AM Worship Service — November 28th

Hope 6:00 PM Service — Hanging of the Greens

Second Sunday of Advent

11:00 AM Worship Service — November 5th Peace

Third Sunday of Advent

11:00 AM Worship Service — December 12th Joy

Fourth Sunday of Advent

11:00 AM Worship Service — December 19th Love

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

6:00 PM — December 24th

Christmas Day

In 1918, Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) named the annual Christmas offering for international missions af-ter Lottie Moon, the woman who had urged them to start it.

Edmonia Moon, Lottie’s sister, was ap-pointed as a missionary to Teng chow, China, in 1872. The following year, Lot-tie was appointed and joined her sister there. Lottie served 39 years as a mis-sionary, mostly in China’s Shantung province. Disease, turmoil and lack of co-workers threatened to undo Lot-tie’s work. But she gave herself com-pletely to God, helping lay the founda-tion of what would become the mod-ern Chinese church. Her call for sacrifi-cial giving rings with more urgency than ever.

In one of her letters, she wrote:

"Why should we not ... do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?" (Lottie Moon, Sept. 15, 1887, Tung chow)

The Hill Baptist Church’s goal for con-tributions to the 2021 Lottie Moon Christmas season offering is $4,000.00.

Dear Church Family,

We have all heard news that people are becoming more secular and less inter-ested in Jesus. I’m sure there is truth in that statement but a recent Lifeway Research poll revealed that people are especially open to Christianity during Christmas.

Not only did the poll reveal that almost 80% of people believe Christmas should be more about Jesus, over 60% said that Christmas should include attending a church service. That means that two out of every three people you know are most likely going to attend a church service in December. This is a great op-portunity to invite your friends, family, and neighbors to join you for one or more of our worship services. Remem-ber, Jesus came into the world to save us and enable us to go into the world to reach others! Who can you reach this season? In Christ, Pastor Ron Jones

The insert with this Beacon contains the motion on the 2022 General

Fund Budget that will be voted upon by members who are present at the Called Church Conference on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at 11:00 AM. We are nearing the end of 2021. The Fi-nancial Management Board requests that readers take time before the end of the year to individually evaluate the giving of your time, talents, and other resources to support the operation and missions of this church. If you would like a copy of your 2021 contribution record through November, please contact Patsy Wallace. To receive contribution credit for 2021, donations must be received by the church on or before December 31, 2021, or if mailed, postmarked on or before December 31, 2021.

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Do You Hear What I Hear? Advent and December are filled with the sounds of

Christmas carols and songs. Each song brings "great news of great joy!" Can we pause each time we hear a song and examine what the lyrics are telling us about the "good news...great joy...and peace on earth?" This past year has been filled with news, joy, and some peace for each of us. The songs in our heart and mind keep reminding us of how much God loves and cares for each of us. My "play list" would have to include "Joy To The World." Just think with me about how much "joy" we have experienced in being able to worship together in our sanctuary with our church family members. That "joy" can also be expressed by the "new joy" of having a new sound system and a new video sys-tem. We are now able to "live stream" our worship into the homes of our neighbors and our members confined at home. Express your "joy" each week as we grow into the full ca-pacity of use with these blessings which we use to spread the gospel. My next "play list" selection should be "Angels We Have Heard on High." These an-gelic sounds are provided by our talented and professional musicians. Anita Barnes makes our piano "sing" each week with beautiful preludes and postludes. In addition, she plays in order to keep us all "singing sweetly o'er the pews" for our hymns and spiritual songs. Dr. Robert Foster, Angela Shaw, and Asjah K. Spann fill our sanctuary with angelic sounds of instruments that enhance and in-spire our singing and worship experience. I know that we will want to express our grati-tude for their faithfulness and abilities with special verbal and financial gifts this Christ-mas season. This selected "play list" would not be complete without the strains of "O Come All Ye Faithful." Each week as our worship sing-ing has changed. You, the congregation, have

become a much more vocal part of worship singing. The songs have really come to life as I hear your voices become stronger and more animated. The phrase that comes to mind for this is, "Sing choirs of angels, sing in exulta-tion!" My "joy" comes from your smiling fac-es, expressing what your mouths and voices are singing. Worship is truly expressing, through written and sung words, God's truths. In closing this "play list," let us all sing continually, "Go Tell It On The Mountain!" As we all crave Christian fellowship through so-cial interaction, let that craving be expressed through using your "play list" to share with others your favorite Christmas carol or song. You will be surprised at how God will use your sharing to invite others to worship with you at The Hill Baptist Church. That's the Christmas spirit in sharing the gospel! "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Jesus Christ is sharing "Good News of Great Joy." Floyd Montgomery, Director of Music Ministry

YOUTH

MINISTRY This month we will continue to go through the book of 1st John on Wednesday nights. We have two chapters left.

The main point 1st John makes is that actions are the evidence of our faith. On Sunday mornings we will continue to talk about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; who they are; and what they do for us, in us, and through us. Brandon Brown, Youth Pastor

The Hill Baptist Church 2165 Kings Way Augusta, GA 30904

The Beacon (USPS 579-320) is published monthly by

The Hill Baptist Church, 2165 Kings Way, Augusta GA 30904-4497

Periodicals postage paid at Augusta, GA

POSTMASTER.: Send address changes to

The Hill Baptist Church, 2165 Kings Way, Augusta, GA 30904-4497

The Staff of The Hill Baptist Church

Pastor: Rev. Ron Jones Director of Music: Floyd Montgomery Youth Pastor: Brandon Brown Administrative Assistant: Sherry Johnson Associate Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Fred Gunter

Phone: 706-736-8446 E-mail: office@thehillbaptist.com

On Call

Minister

Rev. Ron Jones 706-945-7619

If you cannot reach the minis-ter, please call the following Deacon of the Week.

December 5 - Roy Jones December 12 - Ed Stalnaker December 19 - Clay Bagby December 26 - Charles Kee

Carolyn Atkins Edwin Blanchard Nancy Calfee

Eugene Cook Michael Cook Donald & Sarah Dickert

Ernestine Gattis Bo Gibson Zach Gilmore

Ann Gunter Fred Gunter John Harris

Ruth Harris Pat Henderson Emily Herrin

Carl Hill Frances Koger Chris Kitchens

Karen Kovolew Bengovan McNeace

Jimmy Mills

Pearson Family Ann Stalnaker Johnny Stanfield

Ricky Thompson Cynthia Usry

P r a y e r L i s t

Information as of 11/28/2021

Please submit articles or information for the Bea-con by the 15th of each month. Contact the church office via phone at 706-736-8446 or send an email to office@thehillbaptist.com.

December 3 - Huck Bagby December 4 - Lily Jones December 4 - Karen Kitchens December 11 - Cope Simpson December 25 - Karen Kovolew