FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, HARRISON

DECEMBER, 2012 VOL. 57 NO. 12

Challenger The

FBC Holiday Highlights

December 1st

Parent’s Night Out 6:00—9:00 p.m.

December 2nd

Harrison High School Chamber Singers

Special Christmas Music 10:00 a.m.

December 6th

Ladies Night Out Dinner “Ozark Christmas”

6:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall

December 9th

Children’s Choir Christmas Music 6:30 p.m.

December 16th

Adult Choir Christmas Musical

10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

December 18th

Dave & Kirsten Hart Concert sponsored by NABA

1:00 p.m.

December 23rd

Special Christmas Candlelight Service 6:30 p.m.

December 24th & 25th

Christmas Holiday… Office and ROC closed

We wish You and Your Family

a blessed Holiday Season!

For unto us a Savior is born! Remember that Jesus

is the Reason we celebrate!

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from

above, coming down from the Father of Lights.

May your Christmas be full of

His Love, Joy & Peace!

YOUR

CHURCH

STAFF

I suggest you do likewise. Remember that the alternative

is bitterness – what you HAVE to buy, what you HAVE

to do, etc.

2. Choose the best. Three things: Chores, Church, & Children. Don’t think

you have to do everything. Choose the best activities at

work. Church events are important without question.

However, it has been said that in a Baptist church you

can meet yourself coming back. Choose worship first

and then fill in with the rest of the best. Oh, and par-

ents…monitor your children’s calendar. You can actu-

ally be robbing them while trying to give them every-

thing.

3. Say no to the rest. Manage your “margin.” Have a little down time.. That

alone will really help you remember the “reason for the

Season.” I like to say “hectic promotes heresy.” Christ-

mas becomes something God never intended when we

become SO busy.

4. Return the gift. No, I don’t mean as in shopping but as in serving. Make

it personal. If no one else chooses to live this way YOU

will. Make it intentional. Determine your purpose this

season and do it as unto Him. Make it meaningful. There

are people out there with special or particular needs.

Think: target practice. Aim for it and hit the target. You

can’t do everything but you can do something.

Wow! I may be on to something here! If each of us adopts this “policy” then, who knows????

We may just have the REAL Christmas spirit all year.

But, take the lights down. Seriously.

Your “dreaming of a right Christmas”

pastor… Rob

Ladies Night Out Dinner “Ozark Christmas” Thursday, December 6 6:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall

Guest Speaker: Jaclyn Rowe Speaker Personality Expert Author

Energetic, Poised, Humorous, Smart, Professional, Conversational, Powerful,

and Entertaining...all words that have been used to describe Jaclyn Rowe’s speaking style

as she seeks to inspire and move others to live an extraordinary life through Christ.

She is a co-author of the book “Ready, Set, Succeed, Making Your Dream Come True”. Growing up in a

rural community instilled in Jaclyn the value of family ties, honest work, and deep moral roots.

With the heart of a teacher and a teachable heart, Jaclyn’s desire is to present the truth of God’s Word in

a relevant and relatable way while moving people to action. She is sure to lead you in re-discovering that

Christ is the way to life extraordinary!

Tickets: $12 per person….available at the ministry desk! Child care will not be available

Also, you may sign up to decorate a table

THE.ROB. BLOG

Here is THE #1 RULE at the

Davis house…concerning Christ-

mas decorations: NONE ‘til after we

finish Thanksgiving dinner. The #2

rule is NONE that I have to help with

while the HOGS or BAMA play football that weekend. Of

course, if either of those games is going horribly wrong I

might decide I need the distraction. (I am nothing if not

flexible.)

I’ve noticed the “the season” is…coming more

quickly every year. I was in a Wal-Mart in Rogers as the

employees were putting out Christmas decorations and

trees 3 WEEKS BEFORE HALLOWEEN!!! The good

news: soon we won’t have to be embarrassed about leaving

our Christmas lights attached to our house year round.

(“We” is used descriptively not personally. Jonesy would

never allow that.) Yep, pretty soon the Christmas spirit will

be with us year round…the Christmas shopping spirit, that

is. Basically, it is making the grandest time of year nothing

special. The longer ‘it” is there the less exciting “it” be-

comes. Methinks there is a subversive plot going on here –

but more on my conspiracy theory another time.

So, how do we continue to…make it special??? I

think I can help with that. Don’t worry…I’ve been depu-

tized by the “Keep Christmas Special” organization (Amy

Breedlove Davis, President) to do just that. Here are my

humble and amazingly profound suggestions:

1. Let the thinking continue the thanking. Keep the forgotten holiday going.

(Thanksgiving – for those who forgot.) Daily re-live the

purpose. Mary pondered “all these things” in her heart.

What’s happening in FBCH Student Ministry…?

In November, the students have been learning

about the theme “Get a Grip”, which is teaching

them about their emotions and self-control.

On November 10th we had 9 students come and

participate in the Turkey Run. The Turkey Run is

a scavenger hunt type event where students form

teams and then race to go get food from volunteers’ houses. The food

then is donated to Share and Care for their food pantry. This year we

collected 124 pounds of food. Here is a picture of the participants: >>>

Wednesday night December 19th, the youth will be going out Christmas Caroling. We will leave the church at 6:00

pm and return by 7:30 pm. This will be a fun time to go share some Christmas cheer with senior adults in our

church. Keep your eyes and ears open as we will be having a New Year’s Bash again this year!!!

ROC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! Thursday: 6:30-8:00 am and 6:00-8:00 pm

Bring your family for 2 hours in the evening while you volunteer/team up with someone and trade off weeks or months

at a time/take some time during your week to serve the community through this ministry.

If interested contact Ryan or call the church office.

Upward Basketball and Cheerleading

We are now looking for and enlisting Upward Coaches and Referees. This is a great way to

serve this great program and share Christ. Pray about your involvement and then sign up.

Practice and games start in January and go through the beginning of March.

Let Ryan or the church office know if you’re interested.

Kim’s Korner

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who helped make

our annual “Pumpkin Patch Party” another success. From

volunteering to work in a booth, making cookies, filling bags, deco-

rating, coloring fish, cleaning up, and praying for this awesome min-

istry- your servant hood was appreciated! We had over 1500 attend

this event with over 100 volunteers working the night of Pumpkin Patch.

It always amazes me how long it takes to set up for this one night and so little

time to take it down. I am so thankful to all of you for making this another

successful event with over 50 prospective families who were unchurched and

wanted to know more about our preschool and children’s ministries.

Thank you for your kindness and concern!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your prayers for my brother, Randy as he

experienced two Grand Mal Seizures last Wednesday night and was rushed to the hospital. He

hasn’t had one of these type of seizures in over 21 years.

It has been a very long week for my family. Randy said that he could tell people where praying

for him. We all agreed because we would never have been able to go through any of the tests and

drawing blood without God’s help. My parents are also tired and weary from this ordeal and I ask

that you continue to pray for them and Randy as we try a new medicine for him regarding his sei-

zures.

I appreciate all of you who visited him, brought food, called, sent cards and prayed for him. Our family is very

blessed to have you as our church family. Thanks again. I appreciate you all and for lifting my family up in prayer.

First Baptist Church

P.O. Box 996

Harrison, AR 72602 Return Service Requested

HARRISON, AR 72601

PERMIT NO. 73 NON-PROFIT ORG.

Our Purpose: First Baptist Church exists to help people develop loving relationships with God and with others.

Our Staff: Rob E. Davis Jr., Pastor Dave Hart, Associate Pastor Music/Senior Adults Bob Johnson, Associate Pastor/Administrator Ryan Puls, Associate Pastor Youth/Recreation Kim Rosson, Director of Preschool Ministries Susan Anderson, Financial Secretary Betty Johnson, Receptionist/Secretary

fbc@fbcharrison.org

FBC-Harrison FBCH Students

fbcharrison.org

TrueLife.org

Join us December 18

for a time of singing your

favorite Christmas songs

and a musical

performance by

Dave and Kirsten Hart

1:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Sponsored by

North Arkansas Baptist Association

Senior Adults

Love Offering will be taken

Cobbler Social following concert

Christmas Musical presented by

the Adult Choir

Sunday, December 16 Morning & Evening

Worship

“Changed by a Baby Boy” is a

Southern Gospel work that

celebrates Jesus’ birth and

what it means to each and every one of us. As

you listen to the songs, your spirit will be lifted,

you will be encouraged by God’s ultimate gift of

love, and you will experience a deeper walk with

the One who changed everything.

This Baby Jesus that we celebrate this season

changed the whole world forever! The miracle

of all miracles is how he has changed us. His

death, burial, and resurrection 33 years later

made it possible for us to enter into God’s pres-

ence. This Christmas may you focus on His com-

ing as a Child, and then come like a child to

Him—arms open, hungry for His embrace.

You are invited to attend the Arkansas Baptist Boys Ranch

Open House on Saturday, December 8th

12:00 p.m.—2:00 p.m.

The staff and boys will be waiting to visit with you in the cot-

tages and we will have refreshments in your honor. We are

very grateful for your commitment to caring and praying for

our boys as home church to Choctaw and Cheyenne Cot-

tages and hope to see you!

Please kindly R.S.V.P. regarding your attendance by Friday,

November 30th by calling 741-5784 or email at

jhunt@abchomes.org

May the Lord bless you and yours this holiday season!

ABBR

We are in desperate need for a Sunday morning power point operator.

It is a month to month rotation job. Training available and is an easy job to do.

If you can volunteer, please call the church office.