Frank and to the Point

Singer, songwriter, and story-teller Randy Stonehill will be our guest in worship on Sunday, January 7, during the morning worship service. Randy’s music was a strong influence on my life as a young adult. Lori and I owned a couple of Randy Stonehill cassette tapes that we wore out listening to over and over again. He communicates a contemplative and thoughtful gospel using his guitar, a gentle sense of humor, and a sincere faith.

Church member Janie West helped me get acquainted with Randy Stonehill at a recent Bluebird Café concert. I couldn’t wait to invite him to share his gift of music with First Baptist Nashville. Randy will sing before and after my sermon this Sunday, and you will have an opportunity to purchase CDs following the service. Invite a friend to join you for worship on January 7, it will be a great way to begin the year!

I’m excited about the opportunity to preach through the letters of John during the first several weeks of 2007. First, Second, and Third John were written near the end of the Apostle John’s life. We know he was the last of the original twelve disciples, sometimes called John the Elder in reference to his age. John understood something about growing stronger in your love for God that is unique among the other disciples. We’ll look into John’s letters together on Sunday mornings, and you can dig even deeper by using the individual study guide at home on Sunday nights in January.

Join me in making the commitment to finish stronger in 2007 than ever before. We can help you with your fitness goals if you’ll join the First Baptist Nashville Cycling Club (more information available online at www.firstbaptistnashville.org). We can help you grow in your faith as you participate in worship, Bible Study, and discipleship groups. There’s something for everyone at FBC in 2007!

Blessings!

Committee Chair & Member Training

Committee Chair Luncheon—January 14

All church committee chairpersons are encouraged to attend the Committee Chair Training Day Luncheon following morning worship on Sunday, January 14. This is an important day for you as you prepare to lead your committee for the next year. The ministerial staff will lead the luncheon and get the new year off to a good start. You will receive a leadership notebook with important staff contacts, member information, committee job description, goals for 2007, budget, and general guidelines and tips for chairing a committee.

Committee Member Luncheon—January 21

A luncheon will be held for all committees and ministerial staff after worship on January 21 followed by the first meeting of the year for each committee. Please plan to attend!

Thank you for your willingness to give of your time, talent, and resources to serve our Lord. I pray this will be a great year for each committee.

2007 Deacon Officers

In their December meeting, First Baptist Nashville deacons elected the following persons to serve as officers for 2007: Harold Smith, chair; Jimmy Hester, vice-chair; Susie Roberson, secretary; and Eleanor Yarborough, assistant secretary.

2007 Deacon Officers: (from left) Chairman, Harold Smith; Vice-Chairman Jimmy Hester; Assistant Secretary, Eleanor Yarborough; Secretary, Susie Roberson.

Harold Smith and his wife Julia joined First Baptist Nashville in 1980. Harold served as chair of the Executive Pastor Search Committee and teaches a men’s class in Adult 3B. He will serve as a member of the Planning Council by virtue of his position as deacon chairman.

Jimmy Hester and his wife Kim have been members for 21 years. Jimmy co-teaches the Connecting Sunday School Class for parents of teenagers and sings in the Sanctuary Choir. As deacon vice-chair, Jimmy will coordinate the work of the various deacon committees.
Susie Roberson and her husband Barry joined FBC in 1993. They are Directors of the Adult 1A Sunday School department. As secretary, Susie will keep the official record of all deacon meetings.

Eleanor Yarborough and her husband Larry have been members for 35 years. Eleanor
served as Communications Director for the Door to the Future campaign and is a member
of the Deacon Nominee Selection Committee. Eleanor will enlist devotional speakers for deacons meetings and assist Susie with her responsibilities.

Encourage these folks as you cross their paths and remember to pray for all of our deacons.

Parents Night Out is January 12

• For babies – grade 6
• Friday, January 12
• 6:00 – 10:00 P.M.
• $7 per child (payable at time of registration)

Your child must be registered in order to participate. To register, fill out one of the designated envelopes lo-cated on Connie Hartzell’s office door, in the preschool suite, and on the third floor. Place your money in the envelope and return it either to Connie’s office or the church office. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, January 10.

Do you have a budget?

Can you talk to your spouse about money? Do you have a budget?

FIND OUT HOW TO:
Make a budget that you will understand and actually use. Get out of debt and stay that way. Communicate with your spouse about finances. Change your financial future. Invest with confidence.

Sunday nights beginning February 11, First Baptist Nashville will provide a video series on Financial Peace, featuring nationally syndicated radio host, Dave Ramsey. You are invited to participate in these dynamic sessions featuring practical steps to strengthen your financial life. For more details, call Diane Parish at 664-6001 or e-mail her.
Each family’s kit costs $90.

THIS SEMINAR WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! To learn more, join us for a preview session on January 17 or January 24 at 5:30 P.M. in Room 150.

Click here for more detailed information!

Randy Stonehill to Sing January 7

Randy first began blending his honest lyrics of faith, struggle and hope with folk-rock music thirty years ago. His unique and en-gaging voice and his endearing wit have made him a long-time favorite in the Christian music industry, and we welcome him to First Baptist Nashville.

Hoops Time Is Here for Students!

Hoops time is here! Our student basketball league begins January 7 following the Sunday morning service. If you are a parent of a teenager or know any teenager who would enjoy Christian fellowship, please invite them to come! We will arrange the teams so there is room for school friends who might need some Christian influence. Our purpose for this event is outreach. With that said, please do not recruit the superstar athlete! We invite all families to come and cheer for these kids. Parents, we also have something for you. Join us the first Sunday of the New Year! We will be playing January 7, 14, 21, 28, and February 4th.

Weekly Schedule:
11:45 A.M. - Lunch
12:25 – 12:55 P.M. - Games 1 & 2
1:05 – 1:35 P.M. - Games 3 & 4
1:40 – 2:05 P.M. - Huddle Groups
(*Parents Huddle Group will be led by Debbie Harned*)
2:15 – 2:45 P.M. - Games 5 & 6
2:55 – 3:25 P.M. - Games 7 & 8

Bridges Built in One Day...With Tubas!

Our church hosted TubaChristmas on December 19, an annual gathering of area tuba players giving a concert of Christmas carols. There were 140+ tuba and euphonium (baby tubas) players (including some of our own children, teen-agers, and adults) crammed into our choir loft and extended stage. Evidently each player brought along 12-15 spectators because I have never seen as many people at our church—standing room only and people were watching it on the monitor in the foyer. It was a lot of fun.

TubaChristmas outgrew last year’s venue—Downtown Presbyterian Church—and so we invited them to our house. Downtown Pres liked hosting the event because they took up an offering for their Wednesday lunch for the homeless. So we offered to host and take up the offering for them. Last year they collected $1900. This year $6757 was given as people left the concert. Pastor Ken Locke (Southern Baptist missionary’s kid) could hardly contain his excitement. That money will fund the program for almost six months.

Shall we count the bridges built that day? One to the community for opening our home to them; one to TubaChristmas crew and families, one to our spiritual siblings at Downtown Pres, and one to the poor for whom our efforts make possible a weekly lunch. There is no telling how many people in the TV viewing area saw the news coverage with First Baptist Nashville plastered all over it.

I guess bridge-building is not all that hard! We all did a pretty good day’s work.

More Photos and Videos from TubaChristmas available online »

Severe Weather Season Has Arrived

In case of severe weather, a decision to cancel Sunday or Wednesday night services will be made no less than two hours before the scheduled starting time and will be communicated to local radio and television stations. A message will be placed on the main church office number, 664-6000, and the church website, www.firstbaptistnashville.org. Friend-shippers and weekday activities other than Wednesday night activities will follow the Metro Nashville School System schedule. The church office will be open during regular office hours, and Thursday Business Lunch will proceed as scheduled.

Disaster Relief Training

The summer and fall of 2006 have been mild in the disaster relief world. This may not continue in the coming months and years. When disaster strikes, it is too late to get ready!

The Tennessee Baptist Convention is providing some training on Saturday, January 20 in the following areas:

Chain Saw Operation and Safety, Chaplaincy, Childcare, Damage Assessment, Flood recovery, Mass Feeding, Rebuild, Shower/laundry, and Forklift Certification (you must have some experience on the machinery to take this class.)

You must have completed the basic Introduction to Disaster Relief to take one of these courses.

The class will take place at FBC Hendersonville. Cost is $15 (material, lunch, breaks.) Contact Bill Cannady at wjcmcm@aol.com for more information or to register.

Check Us Out...in the Library!

Between Heaven and Ground Zero by Leslie Haskin is the story of the author’s experiences on September 11 soon after she arrived for work on the thirty-seventh floor of the World Trade Center, North Tower. She shares the horrors of the day and the aftermath of crippling mental and emotional distress to her rediscovery of the faith of her childhood. The book gives an honest insight to the feelings and reactions of one whose life was changed forever by a world tragedy.

Encyclopedia of Animals by Karen McGhee and George McKay is a new National Geographic publication filled with hundreds of full-color pictures and brief descriptions of animals of the world. Written for readers from fifth grade up, the book will be great for browsing and retrieving quick information about individual or groups of animals.

Written on the Wind by Judith Pella is the first book of a series of four about the three daughters of a newspaper publisher in Los Angeles during the years of World War II. Their lives are intertwined with historical events and include is-sues and emotions of these times. The books are well-written and will hold the attention of the reader as the young women survive myriad dangers and difficulties.

The Royal Tea Party and The Perfect Christmas Gift are two new titles in the series Gigi, God’s Little Princess. The picture books are designed especially for little girls, and the brief text and illustrations teach a lesson as well as tell a story.

Come by the media library and check out the perfect book for the cold winter nights ahead! The media library is open Sunday mornings from 8:00 – 10:30 A.M. and Wednesdays from 4:00 – 7:30 P.M.

January Sunday Focus

Sunday Mornings in January: Study John’s Letters in Worship

JANUARY 7 - You’ve Got Mail!

John sends this letter to inspire joy and confidence among the followers of Jesus Christ. Imagine how different our testimony for Christ could be if we grew in these two areas alone. Sunday’s sermon will explore this possibility.
1 John 1:1-4, 5:13

JANUARY 14 - Winning the Battle Within

Every believer struggles with something. Habitual or recurrent sin not only discourages the individual Christian, it often scandalizes an entire community. This message will provide encouragement for spiritual integrity and a strategy for victory over temptation.
1 John 1:5-2:11

JANUARY 21 - End Times, the Anti-Christ, and the Second Coming—What John Wants Us to Know

John’s original audience needed a reminder of their identity in Christ and the danger of false teachers who were infiltrating the church like a computer virus. After nearly 2000 years, not much has changed. We’ll examine John’s reference to the anti-christ and find encouragement to live faithful and confident lives.
1 John 2:18-23

JANUARY 28 - Does God Expect Me to Be Perfect, and What Happens When I’m Not?

Verses like 1 John 3:9 (“No one who is born of God practices sin”) can cause Christians to question their relationship with Christ. John said this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so we know it is true. But what does it mean? We’ll address that in the final sermon in this series.
1 John 2:29-3:24

Sunday Nights in January: Study John’s Letters at Home

Start the new year off right with this church-wide inductive Bible study on John’s Letters—How to Grow in Loving God. Pastor Frank will preach a series of sermons on Sunday mornings which correspond to the study guide members can use at home in their inductive Bible studies on Sunday nights.

MORE INFO? 664-6001 or CLICK HERE