Weekly Update – December 9th, 2021
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:
- 247 people groups have been engaged
- 18,380 additional churches planted.
- 86, 587 people baptized
- 144,322 new believers.
- 769,494 people who have heard the gospel.
There is still work to be done though:
- 7,200 unengaged people groups
- 155,000 people dying daily without Christ.
- 4.5 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. This year the SBC has set a goal of $185 million for international missions. This may sound like a lofty goal, but it is a goal that through the power of God, we as Southern Baptists can meet. Our goal at First Baptist Church is $9,000. 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
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:8-9
Announcements:
Christmas Food Baskets: First Baptist Church is partnering with Conn-West Elementary to provide 4 food baskets for families in our community. Would you consider helping? The following are an example of items that are needed: bag potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, cake mix and frosting, yams and marshmallows, cornbread, mac/cheese, green beans, corn, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken, peanut butter, jelly, tuna fish, premixed lemonade, etc. We will put the baskets together on Monday, December 13th. Bring all food either this Sunday or next Sunday and place them on the right side of the stage.
Help Box: In the welcome center there is a new “Help Box” located on the right counter, under the book store. This box is designed to provide you with a form of communication if there is anything physical or practical that you might need help with. The box will be checked on a fairly regular basis and help will be organized as needed. There are communication cards on the side of the box.
First Wednesday Prayer: Join us on the first Wednesday of every month 7:00-8:00pm in the sanctuary for an hour of prayer. On these evenings, we will have a mixture of structured and less structured times of prayer as we seek the Lord to move for our sake, the sake of our church, as well as the sake of our community and world.
Christmas Eve Service: Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be held on December 24th at 6:00pm. On this evening, we will read the Christmas story, sing Christmas Songs together and hear a short Christmas message. Join us in person this year and invite someone to come along with you. This service will also be available via livestream as well.
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: Every year at this time, we raise funds to support missionaries all over the world who are serving with the International Mission Board (IMB). The goal of the IMB is to raise 185 million dollars this year. Our goal at First Baptist Church is to raise $9000. So far we have received $1,984. If you haven’t already, will you consider partnering with us by giving, as we seek to support international missions? You can give on Sunday mornings through one of our offering boxes located in the foyer or the welcome center. Just mark your envelop as “missions” or “Lottie Moon.” Or you can give online HERE. Choose “missions” under the Fund tab. You can find more information about this offering HERE.
Awana
Every Sunday at 5:45pm, children ages 3 years to 6th grade are invited to join us for Awana.
Bible Study
Join us in the Sanctuary at 9:15am on Sunday mornings for a study in the John 1:1-14. A women’s Bible Study meets at the same time at then end of the hall near the nursery.
Join us on Sunday evenings at 6:00pm for a 10 week Study through the devotional titled, Gentle and Lowly. No need to buy the book, because it is available to you for free in the welcome center. We will meet in the sanctuary. You can find an introduction to this study HERE.
Giving
To Give Online, Go HERE.
You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030
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.
You can find First Baptist Church’s policy for health guidelines in light of the most recent Jackson County health order HERE.
Livestream
Continue to join us at 10:30am on Sunday mornings.
Facebook live: HERE.
YouTube: HERE.
Guide for Worship can be found 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.
Pre-K and Kindergarten meet in the nursery suite.
Grades 1st – 5th meet upstairs in U-5.
Grades 6th – 12th meet downstairs in the Youth Room.
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