Reaching Our Full Potential

     Ava Missionary Baptist Church has grown Spiritually in the year 2008.  As we approach 2009 my prayer is that we will make strides in Reaching Our Full Potential.  As we come together tomorrow, the last Sunday of 2008, in truth there will be three of us sitting in each seat. There is the person you are today. There is the person you could be for evil, and there is the complete person you could be for God.  The question is who will you be in 2009? Who will you be next year? Who will we be when we die?  There are two things which can, and sad to say in many cases will , keep us from reaching our full potential. # 1 is INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE  and # 2 is PRIDE!

Christmas Day 2008

Carolyn and I just want to wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  And just think of what this picture means to us:

"You too have a destiny and someday ...

someday soon, your destiny will cross with His." !!!!

Christmas For Christ

Sunday Evening December 21st was a very special night at Ava Missionary Baptist Church. We came together as a Church Family and celebrated Christ's birth. We brought our gifts for Christ and put them under the tree and after a special time of Christmas Hymns the children opened the presents. Our gifts to Christ were: 2, 8 Ft. folding tables for our fellowship and class room areas, two coffe makers, money for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offereing, and about 

$150.00 dollars to be applied to additional tables for our fellowship and class room areas.  After opening the presents we enjoyed a finger food fellowship, hot cider, sandwiches, chips, dip, and of course all kinds of sweet stuff.  Oh what a privilege and blessing it was to not only give gifts unto the Lord but to come togehter as a church family at this very special time of the year. We want to say to one and all Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Sunday Morning 12.21.2008

The truth of Christmas:  it doesn’t really matter what Jesus looked like. The important thing is that he was born. The important thing is that He is God’s Christmas present to the world. The important thing is that He is the king of all kings and the Lord of all Lords! The birth of Jesus Christ is not a made up fantasy. IT HAPPENED!!! IT HAPPENED!!! IT HAPPENED!!!!! Jesus REALLY WAS born into our world! He REALLY DOES want to forgive your sins! He REALLY DOES want to give you eternal life! He REALLY DOES love you!!!” How do I know that? Because John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life!” 

That truth of Christmas was tgruly shown when Rick Hobbs came forward and presented himself as a candidate for baptism and church membership.  The church welcomed himwith open arms and a Baptisimal Service will be held in early January 2009.

Christmas Baskets

The blessings of Thanksgiving overflowed to Christmas on Dec. 21st 2008 as  Food Baskets were assembled and distributed to 18 families in the Ava area.  

What does 180 Lbs of Tater's; 36 lbs of white beans; 108 cans of Gree Beans; 108 cans of Corn; 36 cans of Cramberries; 72 cans of  Sweet Taters; 54 boxes of Stove Top Stuffin; 36 Packages of Rolls; 36 Loves of Bread; 36 boxes of Brownie Mix; 36 dozen of Eggs;p 18 gallons of Milk; 36 boxes of Margarine; 18 sacks of mixed fruit and 18 sacks of candy + 18 10-12lbs Hams mean?   LOVE!!! The combined LOVE of God's People from FOUR different churches, of FOUR different Denominations  for 18 families in need around the Ava community. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  My prayer is that this is but just the beginning of a special ministry in the Ava Area.

December and January Opportunities For Service

Opportunities For Service 

 December    January 2009

Holiday food baskets will be distributed on 20 Dec. 2008. If you know someone who is in need please let me know asap.

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Dec. 21st 2008  6:30 PM. Christmas For

Christ Service. “I have no gift to bring .. That’s fit to give our King.”  Sound familiar? “Little Drummer Boy” one of the favorites Christmas Carols. What could I possibly bring Jesus in celebration of this Christmas Season?    I am thinking I would like to give Him something unique this year ..something uncommon, something precious to me. Le me ask you this have you ever considered “Time”  For many of us the decision to set aside time for Him would be costly, but it should be if it is to be a gift fit for a King.

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We have been invited to join Crain Baptist Church in their Watch Night Service Wednesday Dec. 31st 2008. Service will begin at 8:00 PM. Worship, Fellowship and Prayer. Say good by to 2008 and hello to 2009.

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January 4th....................Celebration of the Lords Supper.    January 11th  Quarterly Business Meeting.  

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Known January Birthday's:  January 4th..Allen Cross; January 7th Alisha Cross; January 9th Beth Gearhardt; January 15th Susan Cross and January 23rd Skylar Rogers.

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January 18-20th 2009  Southern Illinois Evangelism and Bible Conference, Immanuel Baptist Church Benton, Sponsored by the Franklin Baptist Association. Sunday Jan 18th service begins at 6:00 pm. Monday and Tuesday Sessions at:  10 am - 1:30 pm and 7:00 pm. Great Preaching and Inspired Music.

 

Unwrapping The Gift of Faith

     Eleven days until Christmas. Christmas gifts are being bought and wrapped and placed underneath trees all over the world. What is it you will be unwrapping this year?

     My prayer is that many will unwrap the gift of faith that the Lord is offering to each of us this season.

     For some it is the Saving Faith.  In Eph. 2:8-9 we read: "For by grace are you saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift. Not from works, so that no one can boast."  The greatest gift to be unwrapped this Christmas is the Gift of Salvation.

     For many today my prayer is for Living Faith, a faith that helps you preserve and grow deep in your relationship with the Lord so that you can be complete.

     God wants the very best for each and everyone of us, but we must ralize that it will not be found in the world, it is only found in a relatioship with Him that is by faith from the first to the last.

     

A Prayer For Zimbawe

Dear Lord, make Ava Missionary Baptist Church one who fives constant praise to You. And let us share the joyous news of Jesus Christ with a world that needs His transformation and His salvation.  And Lord during this season in which we celebrate your birth, let us not forget those who who have little at all and those that serve them so willingly our Missionaries.  

BINGA, Zimbabwe –– Southern Baptists have brought badly needed relief to an isolated region of Zimbabwe, where a national political impasse – compounded by hyperinflation, a cholera epidemic, and a burgeoning food crisis – have brought the country near the point of collapse.

Zimbabwe’s government declared a national emergency Dec. 4 because of the cholera epidemic, which has spread across the entire country, claiming at least 565 lives, according to news reports. The inflation rate has been estimated at 231 million percent and United Nations food analysts believe the hunger crisis will grow worse in the spring because many families have eaten seeds needed for planting.

People in Zimbabwe are growing more desperate by the day, said Susan Hatfield, who with her husband, Mark, directs work in Sub-Saharan Africa for Baptist Global Response.

“Grocery store shelves are almost completely empty, except for the U.S. dollar stores, accessible by only a very few,” Hatfield said. “People do not want to be paid in cash, but in food, as many are hungry and starving. Many of the schools have closed. The main hospital in the capital, Harare, has closed down. The water has been turned off in most parts of the country, including much of Harare, and I just received word of an anthrax outbreak that has killed several people as well as a growing number of cattle in the Bulawayo area.”

The Gifts Of Jospeh and Mary.

Matthew 1:18-25.  Did you know that Jospeh and Mary have some gifts for us today.  The problem is we often do not un-wrap those gifts because we overlook them. On Sunday Dec. 7th and Dec. 14th I hope to unwrap those gifts in your presence.

Decorate The Christmas Tree

Wednesday evening AVA MBC came together to decorate our Christmas Tree and the Sanctuary and to enjoy some of the cookies left over from Tuesday Night. Thanks to every one who took part. Our Sanctuary looks a little like Christmas. As we prepare for Christmas let us not to forget our Gifts For Christ Service on the 21st of December.  A time when we honor our Lord by bringing Him gifts to be used to His glory. 

Cookie Exchange

What does 8 AMBC Women at The Well and a Cookie Exchange mean. I'll tell you what "Women Worshipping" & COOKIES!!!!!! If my math is correct, and you know the possibilities of that, it means 64 dozen cookies.  There are 8 families that currently have approximately parts of 8 dozen cookies sitting around someplace. Well except for poor old Wanda I know that some of hers, primarily the chocolate peanut clusters are gone, dissappeared between Tuesday Night and 6:00 pm Wednesday night. Of course all of ours are still in tact!!!!.  Praise the Lord for the Women of Ava Missionary Baptist Church.

Sunday Nov. 30th 2008.

What a day! The last day of November tomorrow is the first day of Winter, and God was at work at Ava Missionary Baptist Church. Our Sunday school lesson was one we all could learn from My Ongoing Mission. How to take steps to repair the brach in your life between worship and witness. The morning worship service was spirit filled to say the least. God truly blessed.

     As great as Sunday morning was, Sunday evening as we worshiped with Crain Baptist Church on the 5th Sunday was very special. I was truly blessed by the testimony, singing and prayer of an 89 year old warrior for God.  God does special things with special people and he is truly one of those.