Author: JCunningham

Life of the Church
December 28

Sunday, January 1, is the first Sunday of the month; we will receive our Community Care/Benevolence Offering, which allows us to meet the critical needs of those in our community.
Year End Giving
It is the time of year when generosity takes center stage in our nation. Your generous giving through our church by year-end will help us make a vital step toward meeting our budget. All gifts received in the church office before 5 pm on December 30 or postmarked December 31 or earlier will count toward your 2016 charitable giving deduction.
Missional Giving
December is the month when we receive the Lottie Moon Offering for the work of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board and the Offering for Global Missions for the work of the missionaries of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. There are offering envelopes in the pew rack that will help you designate which of these two vital offerings you wish to support. We have valued mission partners serving through both organizations. Through December 18 our giving numbers are: $5,860.50 for Lottie Moon and $3,482 for the CBF Offering for Global Missions. You have also given $8,475 for response efforts in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. May our missional giving empower the work of those who share Christ across the globe and help us touch the lives of our neighbors.
Wednesday Evening Schedule
There will be no Wednesday evening dinner, Adult Bible Study, youth or children activities Wednesday, December 28, and January 4. Regular Wednesday evening schedule resumes Wednesday, January 11.
New Year’s Day
New Year's Day is on a Sunday, and we do not want to miss the opportunity to begin our year in worship and Bible study together. We will honor our traditional
Sunday schedule with all three worship services and Sunday school at their regular times. We will also share in the Lord's Supper together in both the First Community and the 11 am services. Come and join us as we ring in the New Year together.
Family Promise at First Baptist
January 1 - 8, Mezzanine
Beginning January 1, we are hosting families from Family Promise for one week. Family Promise, one of our mission partners, is a ministry which provides temporary housing for homeless families by allowing them to stay in the buildings of participating congregations. If you want to learn more about how you can assist us as we host these families by staying overnight, providing a meal, or serving in another way, please contact Jim Plemmons at jimilyp@comcast.net.
Church-wide Winder Baby Shower
Sunday, January 22, 2-4 pm, Trentham Hall
The Community Council will host a church-wide baby shower for Ben & Laura Beth Winder in anticipation of the arrival of baby boy Winder. Make plans to join us as we celebrate! The Winders are registered at BuyBuy Baby & Twig Children’s Boutique.
Women On Mission (WOM)
No meeting until February 7, 2017
As we begin 2017, we welcome you to Women On Mission. We will not meet January 3, 2017. Please continue to be in prayer for our missionaries at home and around the world. We look forward to our next meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2017, and hope you will make plans to join us as we continue to learn more about missions and how we can be involved in the mission work of our church.

PRAYER LIST

Weekly Operating Budget Need
Weekly Operating Budget Need	$35,130
Offering on December 25, 2016	$81,969
Budget Need, FYTD	$913,380
Offering Receipts, FYTD	$797,998
Excess (Deficit)	($115,382)

November 2016			FY 2016/ 17 YTD
Unified Expenses	$157,386		$807,142
Unified Receipts	$116,883		$827,964
Offering	$101,054		$583,673
Transfer from Designated	$4,679		$46,002
Kitchen	$4,549		$18,670
Parking Lot	$6,600		$33,000
Estate Gifts	$0		$146,618
Total Receipts	$116,883		$827,964
Excess/Deficit	($40,503)		$20,821

In Service - Week of January 1
First Community Greeters:
Nancy Roberts, Betty Chandler
Welcome Center Greeters:
Anne Scrivner, Virginia Bounds
Preschool Extended Care:
Charlotte Damewood, Kelly Ownby,
Jimmy Ownby
TV Ministry Team:
Steve Bowman, Cliff Shirley,
Betty Vawter, Vince Vawter,
Peyton Johnson, Reba Green,
John Heslop
Hospital Ministry Team:
Richard & Karen Smith
New Member Ministry:
Mark Palmer, Carol Linger
Outreach Deacon:
Clark Denton
TeleCare Ministry:
Wanda Edmondson
Minister On Call
(865) 546-9661
Press 9
Attendance – December 25
Sunday School Combined
First Community Combined
10:30 am 197
Deaf Combined
Passage Combined
Worship Total 197
Menus – January 4
Due to the Holidays there are no meals scheduled.

Prayer List – 12/28/2016
Church Family
Discharged
Abby Weigel
Lorraine Coffey
Elizabeth Dryburgh
Gary Norvell
Monroe Wynn
In Memoriam
Virginia Griffin
March 1, 1944 – December 19, 2016
Date Joined: July 13, 1975
Other Requests
Jim Griffin, injections for severe lower back pain
Carla Farmer, stem cell eye procedure recovery
Bob Davis
Delores Carver, hospice care
Joan Robertson, heath issues
Mary Johnson, treatment
Becky Hudson, debilitating back pain
Bernice Bopp, severe pain and immobility from car accidents and small stroke
Louise and Otha Winningham
Our church extends sympathies to:
Gene and Tommie Reagan and family upon the death of her sister, Hazel Oaks.
Our church extends congratulations to:
Richard and Karen Smith up on the birth of their granddaughter, Lacy Fergison Shafer. Proud parents are Mike and Meredith Shafer.
Paul and Gail Ivie up on the birth of their granddaughter, Ivy Layla Maa. Proud parents are Ted Maa and Kristin Ivie.
Island Home Park Health & Rehab (formerly Hillcrest South) 1758 Hillwood Dr. (37920)
Alice Schaffer Room 107
Friends and Families
Other Prayer Requests
Week of December 19, 2016
Jim Tinsley, cancer – Sandy Hope’s nephew
Week of December 12, 2016
Willa Dean Johnson, hip surgery recovery – Mike Johnson’s mother
Cotton Kelly - Stephanie Dunn’s father
Week of December 5, 2016
Michael Cutshall, (deaf) diabetes issues – UT 1208
Margaret Winsauer, acute leukemia in Miama – John’s sister
Rita England, stage four brain cancer – Carol McEntyre’s mother
Hannah Zapata, brain tumor – Sandy Hope’s cousin
Serving in the Military
Paul Kirby, US Navy – Donna Kirby’s son
Dan Vandegriff, Navy Flight School – Carolyn Nelson’s nephew
Missions Prayer Requests
Prayer Request for school in Puerto Rico
Final step in 4 step process in getting school licensed by Department of Education on December 19th
Prayer Requests from the Black Sea Ministries
Political situation, terror incidents and regional instability
Prayer Requests from Marc and Kim Wyatt, CBF Advocates for Internationals, Research Triangle, NC
Mike Womble and Winter Park Baptist Church launching temporary house for refugees in Wilmington, NC. Pray for guidance as the Wyatts work with this needed refugee service.
Prayer for Missy Ward-Angalla in Uganda
As she and her husband, Francis, are stateside pray for rest and focus. For strengthened relationships and support allowing them to return to Uganda with a strong system in place for Kingdom impact.
Frank and Sheri Moran, West Africa
Pray for God to change the hearts of the people they are working with
Pray for planted seeds to produce harvest