December 2020 Volume LXXI, No. 07

December 4 Hospice Festival of Trees, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm December 5 Hospice Santa Stroll, 10:00 am Hospice Festival of Trees, 10:00 am-5:00 pm December 6 Hospice Festival of Trees, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm December 13 Lessons and Carols, 11:00 am Children’s Bike and Playground Activity, 3:30 pm (Movie in Fellowship Hall if weather is too cold or rainy) December 16 Youth Party 6:30 pm December 24 Services, 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm (Please RSVP. For more information, please see “A Note from the Pastor” inside.)

The Church Office will be closed December 24-January 1. Tony will be on call; please contact him (864.344.2630) about any illnesses, deaths, or urgent church matters. For information about 2020 contributions, contact Linda Miller at [email protected].

Advent Devotional Guide Why did come into our world? To reveal God, to show us how to live, and to help us discover God’s plan for our lives. This last purpose is the focus of an devotional guide entitled Preparing to Hear God’s Call. The devotional guide was prepared by Pinnacle Leadership and Central Seminary. It offers readings from November 26 – January 3, from two days before Advent through the first week of . Members and friends of FBC Greenwood can access the devotional guide by going to our website (fbcgwd.org). A WORD ABOUT ADVENT (AND CONSPIRACY!) For the last few years, our church has participated in the . (If you are new to us or the Advent Conspiracy is new to you, watch the three- minute introductory video at adventconspiracy.org.) It suggests four simple but powerful steps to help us move back to the true meaning of Christmas:

Worship Fully Spend Less Give More Love All

While I don’t always practice what I preach (that’s just confession), here’s a place I’ve done so pretty consistently. And again this year, Carol and I will do the four things I’ve just listed. We will worship fully and gladly. (Since FBC is continuing to video worship each week, no one has an excuse not to worship fully.) Again this year, we will consciously spend less at Christmas. Our giving list is smaller than ever, because so many of our family and friends are like us: we already have more than we need. As a way of giving more, we are giving a special gift to each of our missions offerings, Greenwood Area Habitat for Humanity and CBF Global Missions. We give these gifts with gladness because they are in honor of you, our church family, whom we love. Because of you, a family in our community will have a home, and people around the world will drink clean water, eat decent food, and hear the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ. It is our sincere prayer that in 2021, these small steps toward loving all people will grow, that God’s people-- including at FBC Greenwood-- will become increasingly committed to loving others in the name of the Savior whose birth we celebrate.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP OPTIONS Like so many things in 2020, Christmas Eve worship will be different this year. First, for those who are not comfortable with in-person worship, a virtual Christmas Eve service will be available on our website and YouTube channel. For our in-person worship, to ensure social distancing, we will have two services, at 5:00pm and 7:00pm. Childcare will be available for babies and 1K. We are asking everyone to RSVP by December 20 with service time preference and childcare needs by calling the church (229-5557), emailing David Jennings ([email protected]) or filling out the form on the Engage page of the website (fbcgwd.org). We will accommodate all requests until the service is full; then we will move people to the service at which there is availability. After the 5:00 service, the church will be closed until the sanctuary is sanitized. Sadly, we cannot serve Communion at the altar, but we will take Communion during the service. As we did on World Communion Sunday, each person will pick up pre-packaged Communion elements on the way into the sanctuary. Finally, with everyone spread out, we will not be able to pass the flame. We will, however, do what is most important: we will celebrate the birth of our Savior!!

Sunday Morning Worship in December GREETER SCHEDULE 2020 WORSHIP SERVICE ONLY

Worship—December 6, 2020 Station 1 – Narthex Second Sunday of Advent Station 2 – Door K— closest to the Scripture: Luke 2:1-7 playground Sermon: “Christmas Expectations” Station 3 – Door H— closest the elevator Tony Hopkins

Special Music: 1ST SUNDAY Station 1: Pat Penn, Linda Koone, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Bonnie, David, and Lauren Corbitt Jackson Williams Station 2: Dan English, Carson Nave Station 3: Wayne and Liz White, Camden Nave Worship—December 13, 2020 Third Sunday of Advent 2ND SUNDAY Station 1: Pat Penn, Terry Gilchrist, Lessons and Carols Marshall Smith Congregational hymns, solo, and Station 2: Scott White, Nathan Smith ensembles Station 3: Reed and Brenda Rickborn, Special Music: by Quarndra Battle-Ryan Sam Smith

3RD SUNDAY

Station 1: Pat Penn, Vaughan Free, Worship—December 20 2020 Evie Craigo Fourth Sunday of Advent Station 2: Shelby Reed, Scripture: Luke 2: 8-20 Anna Griffis Atkins Sermon: “Christmas in the Real World” Station 3: Mike Craigo, Lake Atkins Tony Hopkins

Special Music by Lindsey Gardner 4TH SUNDAY Station 1: Pat Penn, Ann Skinner, Brecklyn Timmons Worship—December 24, 2020 Station 2: Kelly Rhodes, Nina Moore Station 3: George and Linda Coleman Christmas Eve Christmas Communion 5TH SUNDAY Scripture: Luke 2:1-20; John 18:33-37 Station 1: Pat Penn, Jo Ann Moore Sermon: “Born to Die” Station 2: Sonny and Erin Nodine Tony Hopkins Station 3: Henderson and Ellison Rowe

Special Music: Keith Jameson, First Baptist Church Octet, Caleb Hopkins and Susannah Stewart duet

Worship—December 27, 2020 First Sunday After Christmas Scripture: Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Slate Roof Shingles Sermon: “Gifts from God” Joey Fuson C.E. Bourne saved over 200 slate tiles from the roof for anyone who would like Special Music: “The Birthday of a King” one. The tiles are located near the bus Caleb Hopkins shelter. Please feel free to stop by and pick up what you would like.

ADVENT CONSPIRACY Festival of Trees First Baptist is excited to announce two and Santa Stroll areas to which you can give during the Advent season. First Baptist will once again host the Hospice and Palliative Care of the The recipient of our 2020 Advent Piedmont’s annual Festival of Trees in Conspiracy Offering is Greenwood Area the Fellowship Hall. The three day event Habitat for Humanity, building on the is December 4 (1:00 pm-5:00 pm), partnership which is the centerpiece of December 5 (10:00 am-5:00 pm), and FBC’s 150th Anniversary. CBF’s December 6 (1:00 pm-4:00 pm). The tree Offering for Global Missions funds auction is December 6 at 5:00 pm by CBF’s missionaries and field personnel invitation only. No food will be sold, and around the world. To ensure that the no live performances will occur during funds go where you want them to, please this year’s Festival. note: gifts marked “Advent Conspiracy” or “Habitat for Humanity” The annual Santa Stroll is Saturday, will go to Greenwood Area Habitat for December 5. Registration begins at 9:30 Humanity; gifts marked “Global am in the FBC parking lot. The stroll Missions” will go to CBF Global starts at 10:00 am. Missions. A form is also in the church office for donors to indicate where the donation is to go and if the gift is in honor or memory of someone. Gift cards are Edgewood available. Bring gifts to the church office Cemetery early to have your cards before Cleanup Day Christmas. On Christmas Eve, FBC will

publish a list of donors and those The Edgewood Cemetery Board has honored or remembered through a planned a Clean Up Day in the special offering during Advent. cemetery on Saturday, December 5. The workday will begin at 9:00 am and last until Noon. The workday is open to anyone. For additional information about the day, please contact Chuck Moates or the church office (229-5557).

2021 Offering Envelopes

The 2021 Offering envelopes are available near the elevator for pick up. If The First Baptist Church staff wishes anyone is unable to get out or everyone a blessed and Merry uncomfortable about picking up their Christmas filled with wonder, hope, envelopes, please contact the church peace, joy, and love. office and your envelopes will be mailed to you. For questions or additional It has been a privilege and blessing to information about envelopes, please minister with you through 2020. We look contact David Jennings by phone (229- forward to many opportunities in 2021 to 5557) or by email worship and serve with you. ([email protected]).

Christian Sympathy is extended to… 2021 Committee Orientation  Family of Ray Wilson the loss of his The First Baptist Church 2021 Committee cousin, Ernest Ray Allen Orientation will be held in the Sanctuary at  Family of Strom Williams 3:00 pm on Sunday, January 10. Because of COVID restrictions, the committee  Family of Bob Leake orientation will be organized a little differently. Greenwood Rehab: Ed Carson Committee members are asked to locate their committee’s assigned pew in the Hospice at Home: Jo Wash Sanctuary. Committee members are asked to sit no more than three people per Home: Furman Mauldin, Coy Gray pew. Following a brief orientation in the Sanctuary, committee members are asked to continue discussion in the following room assignments.

 Children’s Committee God’s Backyard - LL130 The Diaconate met on Sunday evening,  Church Visitation Committee November 15, for their Faith Builders Class - LL107 monthly meeting. As part  Congregational Life Committee of the meeting, the Fellowship Hall Diaconate received the following update from Tom Gordon on the roof project.  Global and Local Missions Committee Bowers Class - LL103 Roof Replacement Project  Heritage Committee Completed Heritage Room - UL209 Good News. FBC has a new roof and  Nominations and Lay Leadership gutter system. C. E. Bourne completed Fellowship Hall the roof replacement with a GAF 50 year shingle and copper gutter system. The  Outreach and Membership Comm. project was completed within budget and Sojourners Class - LL108 on time. It looks great and withstood a 3.5 inch rain last week with no leaks.  Personnel Committee Thanks to Jerry Timmons, Bill Heard, Upper Room - LL104 Josh Sims, David Jennings and Tom Gordon for oversite on this work. Thanks  Property Committee be to God to allow FBC to demonstrate Fellowship Hall Good Stewardship for the facilities we enjoy.  Spiritual Formation Committee Carpenter Class - UL210 November 2020 Ministry Plan

(November 1-22, 2020)  Stewardship Committee Mauldin Class - UL208 Monthly Need 85,688.63 Monthly Gifts 82,736.31  Worship Committee Ministry Plan Req’d YTD 929,392.10 Ministry Plan Rcv’d YTD 741,470.71 Sanctuary Deficit (Under) (187,921.39) Worship Attendance (Avg) 128  Youth Committee Youth Lounge - LL102

Christmas Eve Childcare December brings us to the joy and anticipation of Advent and Christmas! There will be childcare for the Christmas With the difficulties this year has brought, Eve Service for babies to 1K in room I pray you and your family will take the 118. You will need to mark that you time to experience the gift of Jesus. We need childcare when you RSVP for your are reminded of how precious God’s gift Christmas Eve service spot. is, through the words of Frank Houghton, from the anthem, Thou Wast Rich, “Thou Extended wast rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s Session sake became poor. Thrones for a manger Resumes in didst surrender, sapphire paved courts for December stable poor.” Come and worship, celebrate, and share the blessing of the Extended Session will begin again in greatest gift, the Prince of Peace, Christ December. The nursery and toddler room our Savior! will be available, excluding fifth Sundays. - David Corbitt Babies will be in the nursery and the toddlers will be in room 118. Children's Church will not start back yet, although 3K is welcome to join the toddlers. Please RSVP by the Thursday before if your child(ren) will be in Extended Session. A few additional volunteers are needed on fourth Sundays.

Extended Session Volunteer Schedule

Jan., March. May, July, Sept., Nov. First Sunday CIAs Meet In-Person on Babies: Sherri Chandler, Nancy Poston Toddlers: Kayla and Cody Beard December 2 Second Sunday CIAs will meet in person on Wednesday, Babies: Nan Smith, Anna Burch December 2, 6:30-7:30 in the Backyard. Toddlers: Tara Stoddard, Brittany Dunlap

Third Sunday Babies: Anna Burch, Lane Riley December Toddlers: Catherine White, Ashley Wilkie Playground/Bike Fourth Sunday Afternoon Babies: Ashley Batson, Katie Funderburk Toddlers: TBA There will be a playground/bike afternoon on Sunday, December 13, 3:30 pm-4:45 Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec. pm. 1K and 2K will play on the small First Sunday playground, 3K-5th on the larger Babies: Ashlee Atkins, Diane Chastain playground, or kids are welcome to bring Toddlers: Erin and Sonny Nodine their bikes and ride in the back parking Second Sunday lot. Bring masks (not required for 1K and Babies: Alice Gilchrist, Jill Riley 2K), water bottles, and bikes. Please park Toddlers: Debbie Burnett, Ellison Rowe in the spots on Edgewood or on the grass on North. The back parking lot will be Third Sunday closed for kids to ride bikes. In case of Babies: Shelby Reed, Kelly Rhodes rain or very cold weather, we will watch a Toddlers: Michelle and Jess Timmons Christmas movie in the Fellowship Hall. Fourth Sunday Babies: TBA Toddlers: Corley Fox, Sandra Davenport

Sunday School In Person Schedule

First Sunday Youth Sunday School Sojourners Class in Fellowship Hall

The youth are meeting virtually for Second Sunday Sunday School at 9:30 am for the first, Bowers Class in Fellowship Hall second, and fourth Sundays each month. Upper Room in Bowers Class On the third Sunday the youth meet in Children in God’s Backyard person in the Youth Lounge. Therefore in (RSVP by Thursday before)

December, the youth will meet in person Third Sunday on December 20 at 10:00 am. Mauldin Class in Fellowship Hall Faith Builders in Bowers Class Youth in Youth Lounge Children in God’s Backyard The Grind Is Meeting (RSVP by Thursday before) In-Person Fourth Sunday Carpenter Class in FH The Grind is back to being in-person! On

Wednesday. December 2 and December 9 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, youth are Stewardship News invited to the Youth Lounge as we continue to study of the life and ministry Fourth Quarter of Jesus and try to figure out who Jesus Missions Payment really was. The Stewardship Committee voted to pay fourth quarter missions on time and in full. The quarterly missions payment for 2020 Youth is $26,150.00. The payment of fourth quarter missions represents thirty-seven Christmas Party consecutive quarters First Baptist has December 16 paid quarterly missions on time and in full. 6:30 pm The Stewardship Committee wishes to thank the First Baptist congregation for your dedication and generosity to the If you were wondering what we might do annual Ministry Plan, which provides in December, now you know! Let's have funds for our mission partners. us a socially distant Christmas Party! We will have food, fun, games and a white 2020 Contributions elephant exchange. Wear your masks Anyone wishing to make a contribution for and your bad Christmas Sweaters, warm the 2020 tax year must do so before the up the hot cocoa, and bring a cheap gift end of the year. All gifts must be received white elephant gift! It will be a frostin’ or postmarked no later than December good time! 31. Because the church office will be The Christmas party will be held at the closed the week between Christmas and church in our regular Wednesday night New Year’s Day, everyone is encouraged time slot on December 16 and will last to drop their offering off at the church prior around an hour and a half: 6:30 pm-8:00 to December 24, place a check in the pm. Joey will need a parent or two to help mail, or use the FBC online giving tool at chaperone this event so please let him https://www.fbcgwd.org/giving. For know if you can help. information about 2020 contributions, contact Linda Miller at [email protected]. 722 Grace Street Greenwood, SC 29649 (864) 229-5557 (864) 229-2561 Fax Website: fbcgwd.org

Cheerful Cherubs ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED (864) 229-2787 www.cheerfulcherubsfbc.com

Tony Hopkins ...... Senior Pastor……………………..……………[email protected] David Corbitt ...... Minister of Music ………………………………[email protected] Josh Harrington ...... Organist…………………………………………[email protected] Joey Fuson……… ...... Associate Pastor and Minister to Youth [email protected] David Jennings ...... Minister of Administration ...... ……………[email protected] Anna Burch ...... Minister to Children ...... ……………[email protected] Claudia Burch ...... Director of Cheerful Cherubs…………………[email protected] Mary Frances Thompson ..... Ministry Assistant ...... ……………[email protected] Linda Miller ...... Financial Assistant ...... ……………[email protected]

Helping Hands Ministry Information Line ...... ……………...(864) 229-8051