ZION BAPTIST CHURCH December 1, 2014 Advent Conspiracy What would you do if you won the lottery? How would it change your life? Would you save or invest your winnings? How much would you spend? Would you give any to charity? This week many folks across the nation are hoping to win the Powerball Jackpot of 500 million dollars. Have you bought your ticket yet? Not all past winners of the lottery still consider themselves lucky for winning. There are some who have chosen to save and invest their winnings. A former social services worker paid off her debt, invested the rest, and lives on a fixed income each month (however somewhat larger than she made before.) Other winners hired a team of lawyers, accountants, and financial planners to help them manage their new fortune wisely. What about the unlucky lucky winners? One man from West Virginia blames the lottery winnings on his daughter’s drug overdose, his divorce, hundreds of lawsuits, and the absence of true friends. Another winner spent all her winnings within the first three years and now finds herself back at work hoping again to get lucky and win the lottery. Why were these lucky winners so unlucky? They did not know how to manage money. Folks with little or no money before suddenly found themselves with millions to spend. This is a great illustra- tion of the hidden rules and view of money for those in poverty. The rule for money for those in the middle class is to be invested and managed with the future in mind. The rule for poverty is, if you have money you spend it, with little or no attention to the future. These unlucky lucky winners spent their money without con- sidering their future. Folks need more than money or a job to leave the cycle of poverty. There are other resources they need such as emotional, mental, physical and spiritual support systems, relationships and role models, and the knowledge of hidden rules. Picture for a moment Jesus and the disciples’ miracle catch of fish from the deep waters. Imagine all these resources listed above are in the deep waters, but the poor are unable to get to them. They don’t know how to fish and they don’t have a boat or nets to catch them. They need the help of fisher- men to provide them with the resources they need. Jesus is calling us to be fishermen and women who take the time to help those who are poor and in need. We are in a very special time of the year for our Church, the Season of Advent. It is a time to wait, to hope, and to prepare for the coming of our Savior. However, it can sometimes be a season of busyness, stress, and debt. We spend our time rushing to decorate for Christmas and then fighting the shopping traffic and crowds to buy all the Christmas presents on the list, only to end up with a headache from the rushing and debt we’ve incurred. What could we do differently this year? This Advent season, we invite you to be a part of Advent Conspiracy. This is a conscious effort to go against the consumerism of Christmas and truly focus on Christ. Will you join us in this Conspiracy? Peace and Joy, Matt Worship Spend Give Love Fully Less More All
Transcript
ZION BAPTIST
CHURCH
December 1, 2014
Advent Conspiracy
What would you do if you won the lottery? How would it change your life? Would you save or invest your
winnings? How much would you spend? Would you give any to charity? This week many folks across the
nation are hoping to win the Powerball Jackpot of 500 million dollars. Have you bought your ticket yet?
Not all past winners of the lottery still consider themselves lucky for winning. There are some who have
chosen to save and invest their winnings. A former social services worker paid off her debt, invested the rest,
and lives on a fixed income each month (however somewhat larger than she made before.) Other winners
hired a team of lawyers, accountants, and financial planners to help them manage their new fortune wisely.
What about the unlucky lucky winners? One man from West Virginia blames the lottery winnings on his
daughter’s drug overdose, his divorce, hundreds of lawsuits, and the absence of true friends. Another winner
spent all her winnings within the first three years and now finds herself back at work hoping again to get lucky
and win the lottery. Why were these lucky winners so unlucky? They did not know how to manage money.
Folks with little or no money before suddenly found themselves with millions to spend. This is a great illustra-
tion of the hidden rules and view of money for those in poverty. The rule for money for those in the middle
class is to be invested and managed with the future in mind. The rule for poverty is, if you have money you
spend it, with little or no attention to the future. These unlucky lucky winners spent their money without con-
sidering their future.
Folks need more than money or a job to leave the cycle of poverty. There are other resources they need
such as emotional, mental, physical and spiritual support systems, relationships and role models, and the
knowledge of hidden rules. Picture for a moment Jesus and the disciples’ miracle catch of fish from the deep
waters. Imagine all these resources listed above are in the deep waters, but the poor are unable to get to them.
They don’t know how to fish and they don’t have a boat or nets to catch them. They need the help of fisher-
men to provide them with the resources they need. Jesus is calling us to be fishermen and women who take
the time to help those who are poor and in need.
We are in a very special time of the year for our Church, the Season of Advent. It is a time to wait, to hope,
and to prepare for the coming of our Savior. However, it can sometimes be a season of busyness, stress, and
debt. We spend our time rushing to decorate for Christmas and then fighting the shopping traffic and crowds
to buy all the Christmas presents on the list, only to end up with a headache from the rushing and debt we’ve
incurred. What could we do differently this year? This Advent season, we invite you to be a part of Advent
Conspiracy. This is a conscious effort to go against the consumerism of Christmas and truly focus on Christ.
Will you join us in this Conspiracy?
Peace and Joy,
Matt
Worship Spend Give Love
Fully Less More All
2014 CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD (ALSO 10TH & 17TH) WEDNESDAY EVENING FELLOWSHIP MEAL - 5:15 - FAMILY LIFE CENTER
CHLDREN’S ORANGE MINISTRY - 6:00 PM; YOUTH - 6:00 PM; ADULT BIBLE STUDY - 6:00 PM; ADULT CHOIR PRACTICE - 6:45 PM; PRAISE TEAM PRACTICE - 7:45 PM
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH BUSY HANDS PRAYER MINISTRY- 1:30 PM - SMALL DINING ROOM (ALSO 11TH, 18TH)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH FEEDING THE HOMELESS AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH -- 12:15- 1:15 PM
WEDDING SHOWER FOR BRANNON CABANISS ALLEN - FELLOWSHIP BUILDING - 5:00 - 7:00 PM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT LAST DAY TO TURN IN OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD BOXES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH LYDA POSTON CHRISTMAS COVERED DISH SUPPER - 6:30 PM - FELLOWSHIP BUILDING
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11TH TRIP TO SAMARITAN’S PURSE IN BOONE, NC - LEAVE CHURCH AT 8:00 AM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT ADULT CHOIR CHRISTMAS CANTATA
YOUTH CHRISTMAS BBQ ORDERS DEADLINE YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18TH
GOLDEN YEARS CLUB CHRISTMAS COVERED DISH MEAL - 6:00 PM - SMALL DINING ROOM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 23RD, 24TH, 25TH
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24TH NO REGULAR WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES
CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE & COMMUNION - 5:00 PM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26TH GAME NIGHT - 7:00 PM - SMALL DINING ROOM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28TH COLLEGE & CAREER SUNDAY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31ST NO REGULAR WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES
Please join us on the first three Wednesday evenings in December for a Bible
study of the genealogy of Jesus led by Melanie Storie.
Please join us on the first three Wednesdays in December for a Bible study concerning
the genealogy of Jesus. Melanie Storie will lead our study in the gospel of Matthew.
Adult Choir Christmas Cantata -- Sunday, December 14th
Christmas Eve Service -- Wednesday, December 24th, 5:00pm
Zion has been asked if we can feed the men at the Cleveland County Rescue Mission on Washington Street on the first Sunday night of each month. Please consider a month that your Sunday School class will be willing to plan, prepare and take a meal. Two classes may even want to work together and take more than one month. Please call the church office and tell Wanda which month you would like to help. This church-wide ministry will take everyone working together, and we will be sharing in a way God asks us to in His Word.
Save the Date: January 5, 2015 - Renay Cooke will do a study on “Christianity’s
Family Tree: What Other Christians Believe and Why.” This study is open to everyone. In a video format, Adam Hamilton presents a generous inspiring vision of eight Christian denominations and faith traditions. The traditions included are Orthodox, Catholicism, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism, Baptists, Pentecostalism, and Methodism. Join us for this enlightening study. We will meet in the small dining room on January 5th, 2015, at 10:30 am, for our first meeting. At that time we will decide our following meetings. Hope to see you there!
CHURCH MEMBERS
Dorcas Barbee Barbara Bridges
Jessica Brooks Claire Cabaniss
Dick Canipe
Dan Cartee Sue Dawson
Jewell Greene Family of Vickie Hamrick
Eddie Harrill
Bob Horn Marshall Mayes
Mozelle McSwain Deanna Phillips Rachel Proctor
Bill Rhymes Brandy Smith
Horace Stallings Melanie Wallace
Kenneth Wellmon
Jessica Yarboro
HOMEBOUND
Mary Helen Cabaniss Pat & Gene Cornwell
Joe Harrelson Mary Hill
Lawrence Proctor
Ray Wright
MISSIONS
THOSE IN THE MILITARY
OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
December Prayer Requests
November 30th - December 7th - Week of Prayer for International Missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
This offering goes to the International Mission Board’s overseas budget
to support your missionaries and their work. Please pray about how much the Lord wants you to give to help spread the gospel around the world.
If we have omitted your birthday or anniversary, please contact the church office and we will be glad to add it to our calendar.
1 Anne White Randy Raynor 2 Steve Boatwright Amber Canipe 3 Linda Alexander Jennifer Gold 4 Brandon Bridges Cameron Bridges Marsha Mathews 6 Paige Scism 9 Sally Hamrick 10 Betty Morehead Orlando Brooks 14 Barbara Bridges Caroline Fitts 15 Bill Rhymes 16 Charles Yarborough 17 Josh Graham 19 Max Cornwell 20 Katie Lail April Wellmon 21 Patrick Gammons 22 Tom Fitts Kyle Cochran 25 Barbara Ward 27 David Ledbetter Heather Cornwell Ora Trivett 30 Nikki Ledbetter Emily Parker 31 Melanie Wallace
1st Bill & Jeanine Rhymes
8th Alan & Kathe Sparks
17th Dan & Vicky Hoyle
19th Leonard & Kathi Fletcher
Dickie & Linda Cornwell
21st Gene & LaDonna Hastings
28th Joe & Paige Scism
December Wednesday Fellowship
Suppers Begin at 5:15 pm
December 3rd
Hostess: Jane Cooper
Menu: Baked spaghetti, salad, bread,
dessert & tea
December 10th
Host: Youth
Menu: Tacos/Nachos, Spanish rice, dessert & tea
December 17th
Hosts: Mike Spangler & Dick Canipe
Menu: Taco soup, toasted cheese sandwiches,
dessert & tea
December 24th & December 31st
No meals
Christmas-themed Wedding Shower for Brannon Cabaniss Allen Friday, December 5th, 5:00 - 7:00 pm (Drop-In)
Fellowship Building All ladies of the church are invited
Christmas Toy Drive The Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association is sponsoring a Christmas toy
collection for needy children in our area. Please bring your unwrapped toys to
church by December 11th ($10.00 - $15.00 value) for ages 2-12.
Christmas Dinner
December 18th, 6:00 pm Small Dining Room
Ham will be provided. Bring a covered dish and a Secret Santa gift if you want to participate. Please bring a paper product for the homeless shelter.
Lyda Poston Circle
Christmas Covered Dish Meal December 9th at 6:30 pm, Fellowship Building
Turkey, gravy, dressing, rolls, tea & coffee will be provided. Please
bring a side or a dessert and bring a Secret Santa gift to exchange
if you want to participate.
Thanks to all who ordered BBQ and Turkeys this Thanksgiving. We were able to
raise nearly $3,000 that will go towards letting the Youth of this church serve as the
hands and feet of Christ this summer in Cleveland, OH, and in Guatemala. We will also be
selling BBQ shoulders & butts, and turkeys & turkey breasts for Christmas, so see me, any
youth, or call the church office by December 14th to get your order in. Thank you again for
all you do to support these youth.
December Youth Dates: 12/3 – Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing
12/7 – Serving at Shelby Men’s Shelter
12/14 - Christmas BBQ orders due; last Sunday night activity of 2014
12/17 – Last Wednesday night activity of 2014 In his new book, Ordinary, Michael Horton calls on the modern church to resist the tendency to constantly
seek the “Next Big Thing” and to celebrate the ordinary stories of faithfulness that have shaped the life of the
church. Towards that end, as we move towards celebrating Zion Baptist Church’s 200th year of bringing the
body of Christ in Shelby together, I would like to hear your stories. Who are the people who impacted you? Who
are the people who, through their ordinary acts of faithfulness to God and the church (universal) brought you to a
deeper understanding of what the life of faith looks like? I’ll be collecting stories through December with the hope
of putting together a finished collection in January. Please take this opportunity to reflect back on your life and
celebrate with the church the stories of ordinary faithfulness that shaped your faith.
Dear Friends, We would like to thank everyone for the prayers, food, and visits after Horace’s surgery. We are thankful for our church family. Horace Stallings Dear Church Family, We want to thank you so much for everything you did for us during this difficult time. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful church family. Please continue to pray for us. Love, The Mayes Family Zion Baptist Church, Thank you so much for your prayers and loving care of the Lawrence Mayes family. We greatly appreciate all you have done, are doing, and are going to do for our uncle’s family. A church family like yours is sometimes better than a blood-related family. It is so comforting to know they are cared for. Please thank those that prepared food, brought it and set it out, then even cleaned up. The fellowship was welcomed as well. May the Lord bless you all. Kelly and Sandra Mayes
Andrew
DEC EMB ER 1 , 20 14
“The Church with a history and a future”
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH 525 West Zion Church Road
Shelby, North Carolina 28150
Phone 704-487-8216, Fax 704-482-2682
HOMEBOUND MINISTRY Sunday, December 7th Tap Ramsey, Sally Barker Sunday, December 14th Barbara Reynolds Sunday, December 21st Joan Sharpe Sunday, December 28th Vanna Wright
YOUTH SNACK SUPPER
Sunday, December 7th - Jason & Emily Parker
Sunday, December 14th - Youth Christmas Party
Sunday, December 21st - No Youth
Sunday, December 28th - No Youth
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM
THE CHURCH OFFICE
The bulletin is printed each week on Thursday Morning. Please
forward any announcements, inserts, or prayer requests to the
office by 10:00 am on Thursdays for
publication the following Sunday.
NEXT CHECK WRITING DATES - DECEMBER 9TH & 23RD
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING INFORMATION FOR
PUBLICATION IN THE JANUARY MESSENGER - DECEMBER 26TH
Church Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Closed December 23rd, 24th, & 25th, and January 1st
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
VIDEO MINISTRY - DECEMBER Cody Dorsey PRESCHOOL CHURCH Sunday, December 7th Heather, Sam & Lily Cornwell
Sunday, December 14th Karen & Candace Gold
Sunday, December 21st Jeff & Mary Cornwell
Sunday, December 28th Jerry & Laura Wellmon
DEACONS OF THE WEEK Week of December 7th Tommy Harrill, Jim Hendrick Week of December 14th Hal Cabaniss, Kenneth Wellmon Week of December 21st Mickey Morehead, Steve Boatwright Week of December 28th Gene Fortenberry, Bruce Martin
