Weekly Update – December 1st, 2022
The Christmas offering that we as Southern Baptists participate in every year is named in honor of a woman named Lottie Moon. On July 7, 1873, the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention appointed her a missionary to China. Lottie spent most of her missionary years in Tengchow and P’ingtu, China where she taught at mission schools and ministered to women. Through having immersed herself in Chinese culture, Lottie earned respect among many Chinese people and her missions work won many to Christ.
While in China, Lottie wrote letters to the Foreign Mission Board and Baptist women to plead for more missionaries and monetary support to continue and expand missions work among the Chinese people. From her persistent efforts grew the Christmas Offering, first collected by the Woman’s Missionary Union and given to the Foreign Mission Board to fund missions in China. In 1918 the Christmas Offering for China was renamed the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for China at the suggestion of a woman named Annie Armstrong. In 1926 the offering was renamed the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions.
Now the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering provides the largest portion of the International Mission Board’s income (up towards 54 percent) and gives Southern Baptists a chance to support their missionaries through 100 percent of their gifts. Since the offering’s inception, more than $5 billion has been given to the cause of international missions, with every penny you give used to support missionaries as they share the Gospel overseas.
Here are some results of the Lottie Moon Christmas offering since its inception in 2021:
93 new people groups were been engaged.
22,744 additional churches planted.
107,701 people were baptized,
592,408 people heard the gospel.
3,650 missionaries were fully supported.
There is still work to be done though:
- 7,327 unengaged people groups
- 157,690 people dying daily without Christ.
- 4.6 billion unreached people in the world.
Southern Baptist churches partner with their associations, state conventions and the SBC to do more through the Cooperative Program than they could ever do alone. Our goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering at First Baptist Church is $10,000. Will you give for the sake of the gospel to spread all over the world? I pray that as you prepare for Christmas this year that you will consider how you might partner with countless others in praying and funding international missions for the spread of the kingdom of God.
Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson
Written by Pastor
Michael Nelson
Fighter Verse for the Week
"[For] none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. [For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.]" - Romans 14:7-9
Announcements:
Advent Devotionals: There are three options for Advent devotions available in our Welcome Center. The first one is free and it is titled, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. The second one is $10 and it is titled, Gifts of Grace. The last one is also $10 and it is titled, Come, Let us Adore Him. Feel free to check these out and get one for this Advent season.
Advent Music: Check out this playlist of 100 Advent songs put together by The Gospel Coalition: Spotify or Apple Music.
Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are still needed during the 10:30am nursery time. Check the update or email the office for more information on how you can serve. There will be no nursery for our Christmas Day service.
Ladies’ Christmas Cookie Exchange: Sheryl Nelson will be hosting a Christmas Cookie exchange in her home on Saturday, December 3rd. More information about the exchange can be found HERE.
Christmas Tree Decorating: Join us as we decorate the church Christmas tree on Main Street, following the service on Sunday, December 4th. We will have refreshments in the gym after decorating the tree.
Members’ Meeting: On Sunday, December 11th, we will have our regularly scheduled quarterly members’ meeting at 6:30pm. There will be a potluck dinner beforehand at 5:30pm. Come and be encouraged through hearing updates regarding various ministries and participate in making decisions regarding the life and direction of the church. Click HERE to see the updated version of our statement on Biblical Sexuality.
Men’s Basketball: Immediately following the members’ meeting on Sunday night, December 11th, the Faith Center Gym will be open for basketball. Sign up in the hallway to play.
Ladies’ Brunch and Crafting: Ladies of the church are invited to the Diaz home for a potluck brunch and crafting at 10am on Saturday, December 17th. More information can be found HERE and a signup sheet can be found on the bulletin board.
Christmas Caroling: On Wednesday, December 21st at 6:30pm, we will meet at the church to go out caroling to our shut-ins and our neighborhood.
Men’s Retreat: On Saturday, January 23rd, the men will head to Emporia, KS for a day long men’s conference. The cost is $40. There is a sign-up sheet in the hallway. For more information about this conference, go HERE.
Awana
Join us for Awana Bible Clubs on Wednesday nights. Dinner is at 6:00pm and Awana Clubs are from 6:30-8:00pm.
Bible Study
Join us for Bible Study at 9:15am on Sunday mornings. Click HERE for more information.
Giving
To Give Online, Go HERE.
You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030
Home Groups
Home Groups meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. If you are interested in joining one, you can find more information HERE.
Prayer
An updated Prayer Guide can be accessed HERE.
Prepare for Sunday
Guide for Worship can be found HERE.
Worship Service
Worship Service begins at 10:30am on Sunday mornings. Nursery care for children ages 0-3 years is available during the worship hour.
Livestream
Continue to join us at 10:30am on Sunday mornings.
Facebook live: HERE.
YouTube: HERE.
Join us and invite a friend or family member to watch with you.
Sunday School
Children and Youth Sunday School take place at 9:15am on Sunday mornings.
Ages 0-4 meet in the nursery suite.
Grades K-3rd meet upstairs in U-5.
Grades 4th-6th meet upstairs in U-6.
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