Arbor Baptist Church

Arbor Newsletter for December

** Please click on each section title to expand and close. **

Sunday
9:00 AM Sunday School
10:00 AM Worship Service

Wednesday
5:30 PM Kids Choir
6:30 PM ESL
6: 30 PM GA'S
6:30 PM RA'S
6:30 PM W.O.R.D (Youth Group)
6:45 PM Adult Bible Study
7:30 PM Adult Choir Practice
December 2nd: Men's cornhole fellowship and social will be in the FLC from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM.
December 3rd: You’re invited to a drop in shower honoring Gracie Passmore bride elect of Matthew Miles on December 3^rd, 2023 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM in the Social Hall. They are registered at Amazon and Walmart.
December 4th: ABC Christmas Part will be in the Family Life Center. Each person please plan to bring a party food. RSVP by December 1st to Julie at 229-423-3001 if childcare (5th grade and under) is needed.
December 10th: Join us for a Baby Shower honoring Amanda and Blake Yarbrough. It will be from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM in the Social Hall. They are registered at Amazon.
December 13th: Church Conference will be in the Sanctuary at 6:30 PM.
December 14th: Young at Heart will meet in the social hall from 11:30 PM -1:00 PM. We will be having soup and sandwhiches. We will be doing a ornament exchange.
Deecember 24th: Christmas Eve Candle Light Service will be in the sancturary at 5:00 PM.
The staff at Arbor feel so blessed as you are always generous to us. Thank you for recognizing us. Thank you to all who worked to make the staff lunch delicious. Also, thank you for making the reception for the Smith family successful. A special thanks to Trisha and all who helped in any way.

The Personnel Committee has asked Tia Pridgeon to be our interim Youth Director. She will do a wonderful job. She will also need the help of others to rebuild our youth attendance.

I heard so many positive comments from last Sunday. B.J. Cobb delivered a wonderful message. We are grateful to God for those who have grown up at Arbor and are serving God either in vocational ministry or in lay ministry.

Our church-wide Christmas party is on Monday, December 4. We will be having our new Director of Missions to speak on December 10. Please mark as well, the community musical on Sunday night December 17. Since Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, we will have our regular morning service and our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

I hope you all have a great and meaningful Christmas season!
Christmas season is a great time of year to intentionally disciple your children. Since your family will likely be on off from work and out of school, you can be together in the same way that Jesus was with His disciples. You can make disciples of your children in fun and meaningful ways while getting the most out of this special time of year! There is a tremendous opportunity to focus your family and your neighbors on Jesus during the month of December. Seize the moment! This is a wonderful time to disciple your children in a unique way as you focus in on the birth of Jesus.

Here a few ways you can disciple your children during the Christmas season:
1. Read the Christmas story in Luke chapter 2.

2. Spend lots of time together and avoid family-dividing distractions.

3. Reach out and minister to others.

4. Create a Jesus-focused environment.

5. Look for Jesus. Play a game with your children of “looking for Jesus”. Look for baby Jesus images in nativities, in stores, and in churches. You will find adult Jesus images on stained glass, at churches and on billboards.

6. Make a commitment to disciple your children year-round.

You will never regret the extra time you spend with your family and the impact you will make on your community. Jesus showed us for three years how to make disciples. He “adopted” the twelve and then lived with His chosen family. He was personally shepherding them, being with them all day, teaching them frequently throughout the day, showing them how to minister to others, and protecting them from the wolves. After showing us how to make disciples, Jesus gave us the Great Commission. He told us that we too are to make disciples. Fix your eyes upon Jesus and make disciples of your family like He did!
A Note From Beth

Christmas time is officially here! And with that comes some awesome events this month; check them out!

First, we have our young adult Christmas party on December 11th at 6:30pm in the social hall. Even if you don’t come to the usual events, you are more than welcome to join us for this Christmas party! We will have a gift exchange so just bring a gift that is $10 or less.

Next, we have our most exciting event of the year: our Christmas program! This program will include adults AND children and will take place at the Grand Theater on December 17th at 6:00pm. Come help us spread the gospel to the community with this mission focused program.

We also have the wonderful privilege of celebrating Christmas Eve on a Sunday this year! This doesn’t happen often, but when it does it is so special. Come join us on the 24th at 5:00pm to celebrate the birth of Christ with our church family. I just know it’s going to be extra special this year!

With all the events coming up, with all the gifts to buy, and with all the chaos going on, it can be so easy to miss why this season is important. So many times we get through, read the story of Jesus’ birth, and then move on. This year, I would love to see our church family grow in Christ and grow together throughout this whole month. Spend some time praying for the folks you sit close to in church, or maybe someone who can’t come anymore, or maybe even someone you haven’t seen in a while. Let them know you’re thinking of them this season.

The joy of Christmas is also not always felt by all. Some are dealing with the loss of a loved one, some are dealing with serious health concerns, or maybe a child in the middle of a fierce addiction. We don’t know what people are dealing with throughout the week. Take some time to talk to those people you might not know that well. Ask them what their Christmas will look like, listen and then pray with them and for them. You would be surprised at the beauty of true fellowship amongst believers.
There will be a Deacon’s Meeting on December 3^rd after the morning service.
Dec 3   Paul Henry, Adam Cobb, Blake Yarbrough, Ashley Pate,

            Bobby Cobb, Roy Bryan, Randy Hughes, Charlie Young,

            Jarrett Yarbrough, Jamie Passmore

            Deacon of the Week – Bobby Cobb

Dec 10 Jeff Lewis, Walter Chaney, William McKinley, Brad King,

             Kenny Ray Davis, Jr., Sammy Reynolds, Tracy Nipper, Lee Cone

             Deacon of the Week – Lee Cone

Dec 17 Tracy Parker, Brian Hendley, Scott Hendley, Sammy Guy, Jim Clark,

             Allen Conger, Jr., Matt Parker, Dwight Huggins, Andy Pridgen,

             Wyatt Pridgen

             Deacon of the Week – Tracy Parker

Dec 24 Matt Cleghorn, Brian Cobb, Jeff Kight, David Conger, Chris Wynn,

             Vince Yarbrough, John Clements

             Deacon of the Week – Walt Gordon

Dec 31 Paul Henry, Adam Cobb, Blake Yarbrough, Ashley Pate,

             Bobby Cobb, Roy Bryan, Randy Hughes, Charlie Young,

             Jarrett Yarbrough, Jamie Passmore
December Birthdays

2nd Christy Guy
3^rd Pam Chaney
5^th Gracie Passmore
6^th Walter Chaney, Kaylin Pridgen
7^th Debbie Yarbrough, Jamie Passmore
9^th Donna Young
10^th Jodi Alexander, Marissa Reynolds
12^th Henry Patterson, Debra Rutland
13^th Jim Luckie, Kelly Kight, Reese Morgan
16^th Ann Daniels
17^th Tammy Miles, Cindy Dobbins
18^th Billy Schell
20^th Jimmy Clark
22^nd Walker Smith
23^rd Sarah Schell, Adam Cobb
24^th Nikki Johnson
25^th Amanda Conger
26^th Jeff Miles, Zach Bryant
27^th B. J. Bowers
31st Nonie Cobb, Leshia Lewis, Mike Hendley