There's a Chill in the Air

Hello and good Sunday evening to each of you. I hope you had a wonderful day. I trust that you all are staying warm and cozy. It has certainly been a windy day. I wanted to take a few minutes to remind you of some activities taking place in and around our church this week.

If you are participating in the "Know Fear" study, don't forget about the make-up session tomorrow night. The class is being held in the fellowship hall and will begin at 7pm for those who aren't able to make it on Sunday evenings. The topic for this week is death. Never an easy subject to discuss, but one that bears some attention. In other words, we must be prepared for that day.........the day we will leave this earth and stand in front of our creator. We will be held accountable for those things we did here on earth. The opportunities we had to witness to others and be an example of Christ's love for us. We are only on this earth for a time and if you are a believer in Christ, you will spend eternity with Him in paradise. It is an important decision..........the most important one you will make in your whole life. If you haven't or someone who know hasn't accepted Jesus Christ..............allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into accepting Him as Lord and Savior of your life. The benefits certainly outweigh the reasons not to accept Him.

Attention WMU members: All ladies are invited to attend the next WMU meeting Wed., Feb. 21 at 7pm in the choir room (located in the fellowship hall). Along with the regular items on the agenda, you will be given an opportunity to participate in the Valentine Swap. It has been asked that you bring an item from home instead of going out to buy something. Please make sure the item is in good condition. Come and join in the fun and fellowship.

Craft Night: originally it was stated in the bulletin that craft night would be held every Tuesday. That has been changed. Ladies are invited to participate in craft night on the first and third Tues. of each month. The first Tues. will be a night to work on crafts for the Christmas bazaar. The third Tues. will be a "do your own thing" kind of night. If you enjoy scrapbooking, crocheting, knitting, etc......then you are invited to join in the fun. Even if you aren't sure if you would be able to make something, folks are available the first Tues. of the month to assist you in getting started on your crafts for the bazaar. So remember that you will meet this Tues. evening, Feb. 20th at 6:30pm. Come and bring a friend!

The youth will be venturing out this Friday evening (Feb. 23rd). The van will leave the church at 5pm. The concert will begin at 7pm at the Colonial Center in Columbia. The cost for tickets is $10.00 at the door and money is needed for food. This event is being hosted by New Song, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson and Sanctus Real. If you would be willing to chaperone, please contact our Minister of Students. I can remember being in the youth group and going on outings such as this..........it is certainly worth the trip and the time! An experience you won't forget!!

Next Sunday, Feb. 25th, there will be a brief meeting after the morning service with our Pastor, Music Minister and sound techs. If you help with the sound system, remember to be in attendance next Sunday.

The adult choir has been working on the Easter Cantata. I will say we are all in for a treat. If you wish to join the choir, now's the time. We would love to have you join us! If you are a member of the choir and haven't been in a while, then please consider coming back. You are greatly missed!

Don't forget: while the remodeling of the church offices is being done, mailboxes are located outside the old choir room in the hallway near the counting room. Remember to be in prayer that things will go smoothly with this undertaking. Your patience and understanding during this time is greatly appreciated!

I believe that covers all I have for now. I also want to say thank you to those who read this blog and for the encouragement received. It is my honor and privilege to be blessed in this capacity. I praise the Lord for granting me the ability to perform this duty. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!

Until next time, take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Upcoming Activities

Hello and good Sunday afternoon to each of you! I hope you have had a wonderful day so far. Here are some activities that will be taking place around our church over the coming week.

Don't forget about the "Know Fear" session this afternoon at 5pm in the fellowship hall. Tonight's session is on "Fear of Loneliness". Being lonely does not necessarily mean being all by yourself. You can be lonely even in a group of people. Something just isn't right and you can't put your finger on it. You just don't feel whole/complete. Some folks are quite happy being alone, but that doesn't make them lonely. I was in a relationship several years ago and things just didn't work out the way I had hoped they would. The relationship came to an end and I haven't found that "right" person again. I have placed this in the Lord's hands and trust that He will supply the right individual for me. Does this mean I am lonely? No!!! I have family and friends who love me and best of all I have a Lord and Savior who loves me beyond all measure! I am quite happy in my singleness. His will is to be done in this area of my life (along with all the others).

Then the topic of tonight's sermon is "A Cure for Loneliness". If you are feeling alone, then this might be the message you need to hear. Sure, there times when we all feel a little isolated, but that doesn't mean that we feel that way all the time. God wants to cure our loneliness and give us the peace and comfort that only He can provide.

This morning was our Minister of Students first day with us. Many of you had the chance to speak to him at that time. If you haven't had the chance to meet him, please take the time to give a warm North FBC welcome. There will be a "pounding" for him this Wednesday night at supper at 6pm. Let's extend a friendly, loving hand and help him stock his pantry. We all know how difficult it is setting up housekeeping for the first time (or even in a new place)..let's make his transition a little easier by extending a Christian hand of love and fellowship!

The preschoolers will have their own Valentine's banquet tomorrow night from 6-7:30 in the fellowship hall.

The make up session of "Know Fear" will be held at 7pm in the gym Monday evening.

Men's breakfast will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18th at 8am in the fellowship hall. All men are encouraged to attend.

The youth will be heading to the Colonial Center in Columbia on Friday, Feb. 23rd. They will be joining other young people from surrounding areas at the Youth Winter Jam Tour hosted by New Song, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson and Sanctus Real. Tickets are $10.00 at the door and money is needed for food. They will leave from the church at 5pm. Concert begins at 7pm.

I believe this covers all I have for now. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Welcome..........

to our new youth and children's leader. He will be joining us for his first day tomorrow (Feb. 11th). He comes to us from Union Point, Georgia. Remember to take a moment to introduce yourself to him. Let's do all we can to make him feel welcome. I wish him all the success that God has in store for him.

In light of our new youth and children's leader....there will be a "pounding" for him this Wed., Feb. 14th. This will be a good way to help him stock his pantry. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend Wed. evening. Remember, supper starts at 6pm followed by prayer meeting.

Speaking of Valentine's Day..........don't forget to take the time to let those closest to you know how much they mean to you. Tokens of love and appreciation shouldn't be saved for only Valentine's Day though.........we should remember to tell them each and every day how much treasure them. Valentine's Day would also be a great day to tell someone else of the love that Jesus Christ has for him or her. What better way to share the joy of love than passing along an eternal gift of life in Christ?!

The preschoolers will be having their own Valentine's Day party. It will be held on Monday, Feb. 12th from 6-7:30 in the fellowship hall.

Also, if you have any jeans you would like to donate to a good cause........they are needed to help fill the clothes closet in West Virginia. All sizes are needed. Please bring them to the church as soon as possible so they can be delivered to the folks that need them.

Let's also remember the many renovations that are taking place around our church. Folks are busy trying to get our pastor and ministry assistant settled into their new offices. As we are all aware, when making renovations you are bound to run into a few snags here and there. So let's remember in prayer those who are involved with this project in the hopes that things will go as smoothly as possible and according to God's perfect will.

Ladies (and men): Don't forget about the special craft night being held once a month. Crafts are being made to sell at our Christmas bazaar this year to help purchase a new church bus. If you are unable to get out and come and join in the fun and fellowship, please contact the church office and let them know. They will get the proper folks in touch with you so that you can work on things at home to help with this project. Even if you think you aren't able to make anything, everyone is encouraged to participate and folks are available to help you through any difficulties you may have with the craft you are working on.

The adult choir has started working on the Easter cantata. It is entitled "The Seven Last Words of Christ". If you have been contemplating whether to join the choir or not, this is a good time to make the step to join. You are more than welcome to come and be a part of the fun!

I think that covers what I have for now. If I have left anything out, etc. please let me know. You can always email me at nricha4903@hotmail.com. Until next time, take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Facing the Giants

Good Saturday evening to each of you! I just finished watching 2 very inspirational movies. "One Night with the King" and "Facing the Giants". Both were awesome. "One Night with the King" is the story of Esther, Queen of Persia and the difference she made in being queen. "Facing the Giants" is a football story of a coach in a Christian Academy with a very bad losing streak. He overhears some men trying to get him ousted. He and his wife are having many difficulties (car trouble, household repairs that need to be made with no extra funds to get the work done, and they have been trying to have a baby for 4 years with no success.

At his lowest point, he turns everything over to God and many miracles abound as a result. You will have to watch the film to get the full impact. It lead me to write this entry tonight though. As I was watching, football is a great deal like life. If you go into the game with a losing attitude, then losing will be the end result. If you go into it with a positive attitude and do your best, the chances for winning are increased.

We all have giants to face. Whether they be dealing with a difficult job, things being tough at home, not having enough money to make ends meet, difficulties in having children...........and the list can go on and on. If we face those giants with the attitude that we are defeated before we ever get started, then we have given those giants all the power they need. The power to crush our spirit and keep us feeling less than our best.

When we choose to face those giants with the attitude of an achiever and with the faith that all things are possible for those who love the Lord..............we have a better chance of being successful. When success comes our way, we need to remember to give God the glory. It is through His grace and mercy that we are able to press on when things get too difficut. It is through His grace and mercy that we able to attain the unattainable.

Nothing that I have is not without God's loving grace. In a moment it can all be taken away. We can rest assured in one thing..................God's love for us NEVER fails. He will provide and meet our every need if only we will let Him. He wants nothing but His best for His children.

My prayer tonight is that we all will lay our giants at God's feet. Thus allowing Him to be in control of our lives. Let His will be done. If you are reading this entry and have not committed your life to Christ......now is the time. Do not delay. I pray that you will lay your burdens/giants at God's feet and allow Jesus to come into your heart.

When it seems like all is lost and you wonder why bad things keep happening...........it isn't God causing those bad things to happen. It is often a result of our bad choices. He never gives us more than we can handle. Satan runs amuck and plants little seeds that develop into giants. Giants that can keep us from doing God's work and being where God would want us to be.

So again, I encourage you......if haven't accepted Christ, please make that decision right now. Allow Jesus to come into your heart. You will have a forever friend and a constant guide. If you have accepted Christ and have strayed away from the path He would have you walking on, make the step to return to Him. He will not turn you away. We all have giants to face..............and facing them with fellow brothers & sisters-in-Christ is much better than trying to face them on your own. Aligning yourself with fellow believers is what God would want us to do. We are not to be unkind to those less fortunate than we are. We are not to be unkind to those who have hurt us. We are not to be unkind to those who don't dress like we dress, or walk or talk like we talk. Instead we are to be an example. An example of Christ's love and sacrifice.

Allow Christ to be Lord of your life. It is one gift you can give to yourself that you will never want to return. Allow Him to slay those giants and His will be done in your life.

I hope you will have a restful evening. Until next time, take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)

Hustle and Bustle

Good rainy Thursday! Hope everyone is staying warm and dry. Some areas were blessed with snow, while others got mostly rain. Regardless, it is all a part of God's glorious power and beauty. We have a lot going on in and around our church. I hope everyone will participate as the Lord would allow.

We are continuing our "Know Fear" Bible study. It has been very rewarding and I hope everyone will learn what the Lord has in mind for this study. If you weren't able to participate in this study, hopefully you will be able to do so in the future. Also, if you aren't able to make it to the Sunday night session, there is a make up session on Monday evenings in the fellowship hall at 7pm.

It is my understanding that the craft nights have been going quite well. In fact, the first night was such a success that it has now been expanded. Instead of only meeting one night per month.......it has now grown into a special craft night for making items for our church Christmas bazaar. The bazaar will be held on Dec. 8th along with soup and cornbread. Ladies and men are invited to join in the fellowship. One night has been set aside each month to work on this project. The first night (Tues., Jan 30th) was quite a success. There 20 ladies present that night. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 6th from 6:30-9pm in the youth room in the educational building. A donation of $2-3 will be taken up the first night to cover the cost of supplies. After that, a list will be given to each individual to purchase their own supplies. If you aren't able to get out at night, you can still participate by working at home. Please contact the church office for the individuals in charge of this project.

The other Tuesday nights will be a come and do your thing gathering. A time of creativity and fellowship. A good way to release some tension from a hard day at work or to simply get out of the house for a bit. The fundraiser is being done in order to raise funds to purchase a new church bus. If you have any craft suggestions, please write your ideas down and place them in the basket in the vestibule. If you decide to participate in this activity, you will be assisting in making a snowman out of landscape timbers and other small crafts. So come on out and give it a try. Even if you think you might not be able to make anything, you may be surprised at what hidden talent may be released in working for the Lord!


The children will have an outing this Sat., Feb. 3rd. Children grades 1-6 will leave the church at 1pm and will return around 6pm. Money is needed for a trip to McDonald's, bowling and shoe rental.

There will be a Deacon's Meeting this Sunday, Feb. 4th at 8am. All deacons are encouraged to be in attendance!

Our new student minister will be joining us Sunday, Feb. 11th. He comes to us from Union City, Ga and has been ministering as a part time youth leader at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Fairburn, Ga since Jan. 2005. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Ga and also a major in Biblical Studies and a minor in youth ministry. There will be a "pounding" for him Wed., Feb. 14th. Come and meet him and bring some goodies to help stock his pantry and make his transition to North FBC an easy one.

There is some construction work going on in our church office. If you have a mailbox there, they have been moved upstairs to the first room on the right. Please remember to be careful as you make your way up the steps and remember to check your mailbox periodically. Just because they have been moved, doesn't mean the mail isn't there anymore! Your assistance is appreciated!

I hope the remainder of your week goes well. Take care and God bless!

Love in Christ,

Tina :-)