Happy New Year!

I hope you and family had a Merry Christmas. As we enter this new year I wish you and your family a Happy New Year. We're embarking on a new year, and our minds are drawn to new commitments, or even fresh versions of previous commitments. Whether your hope for 2008 includes a better way of balancing your budget, or simply finding less of you to balance on your bathroom scales,almost everyone is in a mood to consider change as the New Year approaches.

The challenge from the Bible could encompass all of that change. Ephesians 4:1 "I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received." The Bible message is that we're expected to walk in a different way once we follow Christ. Walking as a follower of Jesus requires a different step than the rest of the world.

I pray that as we enter this new year we will walk in the name of Jesus and allow him to direct our path.
Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

I would like to invite you and your family to attend our Christmas Eve Service on Monday, December 24, 2007. Our service will begin at 6 PM and be done by 7 PM. We will sing Christmas Carols and have special music and read the Christmas Story. We also will observe the Lord's Supper and light the Christ candle.

I realize that Christmas is a busy time but I ask that you take time to stop from the busy schedules and focus on Christ who is the reason for season. I find this Christmas Eve service does exactly that and you will have plenty of time after the service to be with family and friends.

It is my wish that you and your family have a Very Merry Christmas.

Begin Praying about Jamaica

The dates have been set for us to go to Jamaica with Dr. and Mrs. Long! This year we will to go to Jamaica on July 11-18, 2007 and we will be staying at the Bethel Christian Mission in Newport, Jamaica. As usual we will be running Vacation Bible School for local churches. We are asking for Youth and Adults to begin praying; ask God if he is leading you to work in Jamaica this summer. Space will be limited this year so seek God's guidance.

If you have questions, as you pray, you can always talk with Pastor Jeff or myself. We will have an orientation meeting early in January to answer any questions and lay out the guidelines for our trip. This will be a great trip, I am looking forward in going back to Jamaica this summer.

Christmas Cheer Boxes

All throughout this year we have shared with you different needs within our church. Each time I believe God has used people within our church to meet each one of those needs. As we come to a close of this year let me share with you another need. This year for Christmas we are need of help with our Christmas Cheer Boxes. We need food items, and money to buy items for the food boxes.

This year I'm seeing a great need for these boxes in our community. We have already received some request for these boxes and I hope we have enough food and money to purchase the items we need. We are finishing off a year where we have spent all of our funds designated for benevolence needs. We do not have extra money for this cause so we need your help. If you can donate food, please bring it to the church by December 16th and if you would like to give a cash donation, please give it by December 20th.

It's my prayer that we can give everyone who needs one a Christmas Cheer Box this year.

Prayer for Haiti

Last week I received an e-mail from our Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Convention, Dr. John Sullivan. He was asking for prayer and financial support for the 700 churches in Haiti that have been started and nurtured by the Florida Baptist Convention. Late in Hurricane session Hurricane Noel devastated this island nation. One hundred seventy five churches were damage and seventy one were destroyed. Also Two Hundred seventy six Pastor's had their Home's damaged. Their also was 943 church members that had their home damaged by the storm.

Last week I asked our Missions Committee to take $1,000 from our Missions Fund to send to the Florida Baptist Convention for the work in Haiti. The committee approved this action. Please be in prayer for the work in Haiti.

I would also ask for your prayers for a Mission Team that my daughter, Aarika, is a part of that will be leaving for Haiti on Monday, December 10 and returning on December 17th. They will be doing Vacation Bible School and working in the orphanages.

Celebration Sunday!

Last Sunday was our Celebration Sunday for our Capital Stewardship Campaign. For the last three months we have been asking members and friends of First Baptist Church to pray about making a 3 year commitment to our Capital Stewardship Campaign. Our Campaign Goals were SEED $600,000, GROWTH $900,000, HARVEST $1,200,000.

I was able to report to the church that as of 12/3/2007 we have received $1,014,000. We praise the Lord for that amount. I would like to thank everyone who helped in our Capital Stewardship Campaign to make it a great success. If there are individuals who would like to still give to our Capital Stewardship Campaign, just turn your pledges into the church office. If you need information about our Capital Stewardship Campaign, please call the church office.

Individuals may begin giving their commitment to the church for our building program. You may use your regular offering envelope that you use for your tithe and mark the portion you are giving to the Building Fund. We also have special "Future Is Now" Building envelopes.

I ask each member to continue to pray as we have many more important decisions to make toward building our new education building.