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Merry Christmas! First Baptist will present its

annual Christmas program

Sunday, Dec 22, at 9:00 am.

We will be featuring music performances by our

adult vocal choir and handbell choir.

Our acting troupe, the Mound Hill Players, will also

perform a short play entitled “The Good News Flash.”

Christmas Eve Service Tuesday, Dec 24, 7:00 pm

Candlelight and Communion

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First Baptist Church

1701 Mound Road

Jacksonville, IL 62650

Phone: (217) 245-6119

E-Mail: fbc@fbcjaxil.org or

pastorjim@fbcjaxil.org

Weekly Services:

Sunday 9:00 am

Sunday School 10:15 am

For Information on

Bible Study Groups, Choir, Bell

Choir, American Baptist Youth

or other ministries, please

contact the church office

Our Website

www.fbcjaxil.org

Great Rivers Region Website:

www.abcgrr.org

American Baptist Website:

www.abc-usa.org

From My Heart to Yours…..

Pastor Jim Harper

This last Sunday in the Journey class, Lucy and

Kallia shared a great Sunday School lesson on the

Christian symbolism behind the song “The 12 Days

of Christmas.”

About 400 years ago the Catholics were

suppressed and persecuted in England. Under those

circumstances it was difficult to train or catechize

Catholic children. But an unknown, and clever,

priest found a unique way of teaching the Gospel to

Children, using the theme of the 12 days of

Christmas and Epiphany, when the Wise Men, ac-

cording to tradition, arrived with their gifts for the

Christ child.

The priest hid biblical truth in the symbols he

used in his carol, beginning with the words “On the

first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…”

the “true love” referred to God the Father, and the

“me” represents the Christian who receive the gifts.

The “partridge in the pear tree” is Jesus. Why a par-

tridge? Mother partridges are known for feigning

injury to decoy predators from their babies. The

children were thereby taught about Christ’s sacrifice

on our behalf.

The two turtle doves represented the Old and

New Testaments.

The three French hens symbolized faith, hope

and love—the three great virtues we should display

as we come to know Christ as Lord and read the Old

and New Testaments.

And so forth through the song. As you enjoy

Christmas this year remember that many other

traditions are also filled with Biblical meaning. For

example:

Candy canes were reportedly developed by a

Christian candy maker in Indiana who built the story

of Jesus into each piece. The hardness of the candy

represented the solid rock of the Christian faith. The

white represents the sinlessness of Christ, and the red

stripes symbolize the bloody wounds caused by his

flogging. The shape of the candy is that of a shep-

herd’s staff, representing Christ as our Good Shep-

herd. Turned upside down, it forms the letter “j” -

for “Jesus.”

Wreaths: the circle symbolizes the eternal nature

of God. You trace the line of a circle and it never

ends. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, without

beginning and without end.

Nativity Scene: It was invented by St. Francis of

Assisi for Midnight Mass in the year 1223. They

used live animals and local church members took the

roles of the people in the Gospel event. It was a very

creative way to meditate on the mystery of Christ-

mas.

So, this week as you sit and look at Christmas

decorations, ponder the meaning and the history of

all those beautiful Christian customs. By under-

standing the meaning of these Christian symbols,

you can share them with others, and draw hearts and

minds to Christ.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Jim

The 12 Days of Christmas…

and other stories

Parish Nurse

Have you remembered the church in your estate planning?

Brochures and pamphlets on this topic are available in the church

office upon request.

Budget Report (as of 12/15)

………………………………..General Fund Missions YTD Budget Need $ 175,800.00 $ 13,200.00

YTD Receipts $ 163,910.53 $ 10,912.30

Difference $ (11,889.47) $ (2,287.70)

Office Hours:

Mon 10am-3pm

Blood pressure clinic:

2nd & 4th Sundays

Home, nursing home

& hospital visits:

upon request

Contact: church

245-6119; Sis Goben,

245-6204 / 248-7519

Page 3 T HE B A PTIS T BE LL

FIT WITS—Fostering Improved Thinking While

Incorporating Training Strategies I recently attended a memory workshop that his article from the U of I Extension entitled

“Fit Wit” was discussed. It contains many helpful ideas for brain health—hope you do some these each day! Enjoy, Sis Goben, RN, Parish Nurse

Brain Health As we age, many of us work harder to maintain or improve our physical health. We eat right, get enough sleep, have medical checkups and exercise regularly. Most of us do not realize that these lifestyle changes alos have a postivite impact on breath health and function. Researchers are consistently reporting that what is good for our bodies is also good for our brains. Brain health can be promoted by: eating a good diet. Being physically active, having social/emotional support, decreasing stress and challenging the brain.

Brain Fitness Strategies Researchers agree that challenging the brain, especially as indi-viduals get older, is beneficial. The chosen activities should be interesting in order to stick with them. It is also important to reach beyond what is comfortable and try more difficult puzzles or new activities. Activity suggestions that challenge the brain include: board games, crossword puzzles, ping pong, timed word games, Scrabble, playing musical instru-ments, Sudoku, juggling, reading, puzzles, dancing, video games, Simon, card games, volun-teering, Boggle, learning a new language, taking a class for fun.

Daily life experiences are also occasions for learning and enhancing memory. In fact, we should look for opportunities in everyday life to continue to challenge the brain.

Stewardship Report Attendance Report

General Fund Offering

Missions Fund Offering

Special Offerings 9:00 AM

Attendance Sunday School

Attendance

Sep 1 $ 4,526.54 $ 522.97 $ 168.00 Communion 104 47

Sep 8 $ 3,574.70 $ 107.30 101 45

Sep 15 $ 2,019.20 $ 229.80 114 32

Sep 22 $ 2,498.70 $ 152.30 102 53

Sep 29 $ 2,809.20 $ 171.80 132 61

Oct 6 $ 5,486.20 $ 347.30 $ 126.50 Communion 108 46

Oct 13 $ 2,472.70 $ 256.80 101 42

Oct 20 $ 2,552.70 $ 204.30 $ 918.35 World Mission Offering 103 49

Oct 27 $ 2,428.75 $ 176.00 129 49

Nov 3 $ 4,514.73 $ 375.63 $ 182.00 Communion 112 47

Nov 10 $ 3,544.60 $ 89.30 113 35

Nov 17 $ 3,451.20 $ 190.80 106 45

Nov 24 $ 4,221.15 $ 226.30 121 44

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November 24, 2013

Dear Members and Friends of First Baptist Church,

The fall of 2013 has seen a wonderful opportu-

nity come into my life. In January of 2014 I will be

63 years old young. So I have recently been thinking

and praying about what I want to do with my life

when I leave my pastoral position at First Baptist

church. I still want to work part time and stay active

in my post-First Baptist life. Therefore, this summer

I began praying and asking God to guide me in these

important decisions. And I believe he has.

Soon after I began praying, God opened a huge

door and asked me to walk through it. The door was

an opportunity, a part-time ministry position at Pas-

savant Hospital. More specifically, the position of

Assistant Chaplain to the patients and staff and Pas-

savant. They began with 22 qualified candidates in

late October. On November 6th I received a call and

was offered the position. And this last Tuesday I ac-

cepted their offer.

Here are the details. For the next year or two I

will continue my full-time position as pastor of First

Baptist Church. And please make no mistake, my

pastoral position will be my main priority and will be

number one in my mind. But on my off-time I will

work my part-time position at Passavant. I will work

there Thursday and Friday from 8am-4pm and also

be on call on those two days. If any First Baptist is-

sue arises on my Passavant work days I will be able

to give it my full attention because I have a large

group of volunteer chaplains who can fill in for me at

the hospital. My 40 hour work week for First Baptist

will continue uninterrupted. The same weekly en-

ergy and time commitment that I have given to First

Baptist Church for the past 20 years will continue as

I begin my chaplain’s duties in January.

This part-time ministry position will be a great

blessing to our family and also to the First Baptist

family. First, it will allow me to secure a good part-

time job which I can continue as I semi-retire from

full-time ministry. These positions are very difficult

to find and, therefore, I took this opportunity now.

Secondly, our family will be able to join the Passa-

vant health care plan which is a major answer to

prayer. For 4 years blue Cross has refused to fully

cover me because of my back surgery. Now with

our new insurance (which is also a Blue Cross plan) I

will finally have full coverage in a great health pro-

gram. No more fear that a back injury could wipe

out our life’s savings. And amazingly this new

health plan will actually save the church several

thousand dollars a year in premiums. That’s the

power of 950 employees, I guess.

Also, I have recently had conversations with

some folks on our church’s leadership teams where I

explained my new position and my reasons for seek-

ing it. Their response was very positive and suppor-

tive.

Finally, let me state one more time that my new

part-time position will not take any time or energy

away from my pastoral work at First Baptist church.

And I will endeavor to work with groups such as the

Pastoral Relations Committee to make sure that hap-

pens.

Thank you for your love and support as our fam-

ily begins an exciting new chapter in our lives.

In His Service,

Pastor Jim Harper

A letter from your pastor...

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Retired Ministers and

Missionaries Offering to

be taken December 22

THE IMPORTANCE OF RMMO

Following God’s call does not come without

sacrifice. Retired ministers, missionaries and

their widowed spouses often have limited op-

tions for adequately planning for the future.

The assistance provided though RMMO

maintains an ongoing connection to the ABC

family. Like anyone else, retired ministers and

missionaries experience stress and worry when

faced with unexpected expenses. RMMO exists

to alleviate that stress, worry and hardship.

HISTORY

The roots of RMMO go back to the mid-

1930’s, when American Baptist congregations

received a Communion Fellowship Offering on

the first Sunday of each month to support retired

ministers, missionaries, their widowed spouses

and elderly clergy within their churches. In

1948, churches began donating to the November

Communion Fellowship Offering. Finally, in

1977 American Baptist Churches USA launched

the RMMMO to continue this tradition of

thankfulness.

GRATITUDE

Today, RMMO is a tangible way for Ameri-

can Baptist congregations to say “Thank you

for…” the commitment, service and spiritual

guidance of retired ministers and missionaries.

The offering supports those who have devoted

their lives to God’s service by providing emer-

gency assistance in their times of need and a

Thank You check at the end of each year. In

2012, RMMO provided Thank You checks to

more than 3,300 recipients. This year’s national

RMMO campaign goal is $1.2 million.

To understand how your gift to the Retired

Ministers and Missionaries Offering impacts

lives here in Central Illinois, read these words

from retired minister and member of First Bap-

tist Church, Rev. Al Eastin: “Dear Friends, the

‘thank you’ offering from the Missionaries and

Benefit Board of our ABC came my way re-

cently thanks to your gifts received each year.

My membership here for the last 20 years has

been a joy and blessing for me and my family.

Thank you again for remembering all us older

soldiers of the cross. Yours in Christ, Rev. Al

Eastin.”

Volunteer Opportunities Now is the time of year when we start to prepare the volunteer schedules for the upcoming year. We have several opportunities available. If God is leading you to become more active, please pray about how you can use your talents for our church family.

CURRENT NEEDS:

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS: We need several people to join the tech team for Sunday mornings. This position is responsible for operating the computer, sound system and video elements of our service. We will be developing a ro-tating schedule. This position will require training on our equipment and proc-esses. See Pastor Harper or Kim Runkle if you want to help with this.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH: Every Sunday we offer a children’s learning time in the Library while the sermon is taking place in the Sanctuary. Persons leading children’s church are asked to do so once every other month (6 times per year). We need 1 person for the rotating schedule and 1-2 people to be “subs”. See Kim Runkle if you can help with this.

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER: We are in need of a teacher for the 3rd and 4th grade class. Please speak with Mike Hubbs about this opportunity.

OFFICE HELPERS: Three mornings per week, we have church members and friends volunteer to answer the phone, greet guests, and do very light of-fice work. Most volunteers work one morning a month. If you can help out, please see Kim Runkle.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:

KIDZONE CHILDREN’S MESSAGE: On the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month there is a special message time just for the kids. Persons volunteering for this are asked to present a message once every other month. (6 times per year). See Pastor Harper if you can help with this.

USHER: Our ushers distribute bulletins before worship service and collect the weekly offering and occasionally a special offering. Our ushers serve one time per month. See Kim Runkle or Brett Ripple if you’re interested in this.

WORSHIP LEADER: Worship leaders are an important part of our weekly ser-vices; their job is to start off each service with prayers and announcements. See Pastor Harper if you’re interested in this.

AWANA LISTENERS: The AWANA program is always in need of folks to pop in and listen to the kids recite their Bible verses. We don't use a schedule for this—see Paitra Gibson if you’re interested.

MUSIC: We are always looking for new faces in the choir, handbell choir, praise team and for special music. See Diane Headen or Deb Boston.

Non-Profit Organization

U.S.POSTAGE PAID

Jacksonville, Illinois

Permit # 217

First Baptist Church

1701 Mound Road

Jacksonville, IL 62650 T

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Annual Meeting Scheduled for Jan 26

The annual business meeting has been scheduled for

Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 11:30 am.

Items presented at this meeting include the budget for

2014, the membership report, and the 2014 church offi-

cers.

All members of the church are welcome and encour-

aged to attend.

Call for Annual Reports

All Commissions and ad-hoc groups and ministries of

the church are asked to please begin preparing their

2013 annual reports.

If this is your first time preparing a report, copies of

prior years can be obtained from the church office.

Please submit reports on or before the annual meeting

on January 26, 2014.

Personal Needs Pantry Update The year 2013 was an important one for the Personal Needs Pan-

try. We saw tremendous growth in this outreach, serving over 150

families this year with slightly over 250 visits to the Pantry.

We benefitted from financial and/or product donations made by

the Missions Board of First Presbyterian Church, Illinois College’s

Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Turner Residence Hall staff,

Heart for the City (formerly Faith in Action) and our own members

and friends—including our littlest friends from VBS and AWANA!

As of December 8, we have received just over $5,000 in funding

for the Pantry this year, and have spent over $4,300 of that. A full

report will be available after January 1st.

We know that items like deodorant and toilet paper are mundane

and unexciting, but for the people we serve, they are important for

their pride and dignity.

If you want to see true gratitude on someone’s face, consider

helping out with the Pantry ministry. Your heart will be forever

changed.

AWANA Schedule All meetings Sundays 4:30-6pm

unless otherwise indicated.

Dec 29: Make A Snowman Night

Jan 5: Skating Party (1-3:30 pm)

Jan 12: Regular Meeting

Jan 26: AWANA Store Night

Feb 9: Spread the Love Night

Feb 23: Bring A Friend Night

March 9: Regular Meeting

Friday, Mar 14: Family Movie

Night 5:30 pm

March 23: Paper Airplane Night

April 13: Beach Night

May 4: Awards Night

Commissioning Service

Larry and Becky Stanton, endorsed mis-sionaries to Liberia, West Africa, who were guest speakers here this earlier this year, will undergo a commissioning service on Sunday, January 5, 2014, at their home church, Pate Chapel in Mur-physboro, IL. The Stantons were first endorsed by International Ministries to form a Mission Partnership Team less than one year ago. Assisted by their Team and IM staff, they then began building a Partnership Network to secure commitments of prayer and financial support from individuals and churches. Having built a network sufficient for an initial level of support, Becky and Larry moved from endorse-ment to missionary appointment on August 1, 2013, and now take another important step with their commission-ing. Continue to pray for them as they begin their ministry.