A PUBLICATION OF ROCKY CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH

DECEMBER, 2017 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10

THE CHRONICLE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE :

CALENDER 2

PASTOR ’S POINT 3

YOUTH NEWS 4

MUSIC NOTES 4

L IBRARY PAGE 5

CHILDREN ’S INFO 5

SERVICE TIMES 6

RCBC sent sixty (60) boxes to

Samaritan’s Purse for Operation

Christmas Child. Please pray

that these boxes will transform

the lives of the children as they

receive them. Some of our boxes

were barcoded so that we can

track where they went. A big

thanks to all who donated that

the boxes could become a reali-

ty, and thanks for all those who

brought boxes.

Christmas Continental Breakfast

Join us December 24th at 9:00 am for a Christmas Continental Breakfast! We will begin serving at 9:00 am, and we will worship at 10:00 am. Bring family and friends for this special time of fel-lowship and worship.

This year the Rocky Creek Church family will

celebrate Christmas on Sunday, December

17th at 6 pm. The service will include Scrip-

ture readings, the singing of carols, the light-

ing of candles, special music, and a song by our

Children’s Ministry. As usual, bring your

favorite cookies for the fellowship time fol-

lowing the service of celebration.

December 2nd & 3rd

Join us on Saturday Dec. 2nd at 5 pm for

a meal and at 6 pm as we have services

for spiritual renewal. We will meet again

on Sunday, Dec. 3rd at 11 am and 6:30

pm. We will be led by the preaching of

Richard Jackson and worship by Nick

Ewen. This is a time for revival and re-

newal as a church and as individuals.

Please make plans to join us in this vital

time in our church life.

2

December Birthdays

December 2 Opal Duhon

December 4 Kerry Mayfield

December 5 Deborah Vaughn

December 5 Patsy Batteas

December 5 Sam Kirbie

December 5 Tim Matthews

December 10 Donna Smith

December 19 Jensine Stephens

December 20 Frankie Hodges

December 28 Jim Kingston

December 28 Peggy Powell

December 28 Luther Thompson

December 11 Mildred Cole

December 12 Emily Matthews

December 15 Trinity Wilson

December 16 Gary McDougal

December 17 Michael Turner

December 19 Johnny Gooch

December 19 Logan Wright

December 2017 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 Renew

Services Meal 5 Pm

Services 6 PM

3 Renew Services

11 am & 6:30 pm Deacon of Week

Jim Kingston

4 5 6 Mid-Week

Service 7 pm

7 8 9

10 Lord’s Supper

Evening Service

Deacon of Week Jessie Partin

11 12 13 Business

Meeting 7 pm

14 15 16

17 Christmas @ the Creek

6 PM

Deacon of Week Dale Sides

18 19 Christmas Caroling @ Oakridge @ 6 PM

20 Mid– Week Service 7 pm

21 Jolly Elders

10 am

22 23

24 Christmas Brunch 9 am

Worship 10 am No Evening

Service Deacon of Week

Mickie Bush

25

26 27

No Services 28 29 30

31

No Evening Service

Deacon of Week Randal Bush

Office Closed Christmas

Holidays

3

Pastor’s Point

There is nothing like a fresh start. You have to envy life for video

game players. If the session is going badly, then press Restart. If you are

not your best self, you got it . . . Restart. If the mouse (or joystick, or

keyboard or whatever your input device) causes you to err, yes . . . Re-

start.

Life is more complicated. There is no magical “Restart” button.

Does that mean we can never start over? Not so fast! Jesus made it clear

that he came for those who were not at their best (Mark 2:17). He came

to help the sinners become saints. By the way, the New Testament word

“saints” does not denote some perfectly, performing believer who never

needs forgiveness. The word was equivalent to using the title Christian.

It applied to those who had been touched and transformed by the work

and the presence of Jesus.

So, how about a fresh start? Is it time to press the “Restart” but-

ton. Do you wish you could have a new beginning? Guess what? That is

what Christmas is all about. Israel was in a major spiritual rut. They had

placed God in a box, and all conventional wisdom was that there was on-

ly one way out. God would need to send someone to defeat the Romans

and give them a new government. Then came Jesus. The Prince of

Peace, the bright and morning Star, Immanuel-God with us; he came to

the rescue. The method was unconventional-a child in a manger. The

message was inconceivable-a baby as a Savior. The mandate was unbe-

lievable-trust the plan of God through this Child. Make no mistake, Jesus

was (and is) the Restart button. He is the reset switch. He provides the

means, the method, and the miracle.

So this Christmas don’t miss the miraculous because we are look-

ing for the minuscule. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us (John

1:14). He came that we may have life, that is life of the abundant variety

(John 10:10). Find a fresh start in Jesus.

We have an opportunity for this on December 2nd and 3rd as we

have RENEW services. What an opportunity this Christmas season, to

take a step back and find the miracle of Jesus in our lives again. The

times are Saturday, Dec. 2nd at 5 pm, Sunday, Dec. 3rd at 11 am and 6:30

pm. Richard Jackson will preach, and Nick Ewen will lead the worship

time, but Jesus will provide the fresh start. Join us in choosing a fresh

start. The Savior is waiting!

Merry Christmas,

Rick

November

Records

November 5, 2017

Offerings $5,249.00

SS Attendance 67

November 12, 2017

Offerings $6,748.00

SS Attendance 82

November 19, 2017

Offerings $2,256.00

SS Attendance 66

November 26, 2017 Offerings $3,116.69

SS Attendance 61

Totals

Offerings $17,369.69 Avg. SS Attendance 69

Amount Needed Each

Month $20,303.00

Annual Budget

$243,636.00

4

Let the redeemed of the Lord Say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary. Psalm 107:2

In America it has be-

come a socially acceptable

thing, at least in many cir-

cles, to celebrate the

“holidays”. Unfortunately

America has made the

“holidays” a time for com-

mercialism and a time to be

off work. These are not all

that bad, especially the time

off from work. Can I get an

“Amen!”?

All joking aside, this

time of year should be a

time to celebrate the Lord

Jesus Christ and the re-

demption of mankind. The

scripture above clearly

states, let the redeemed say

so. That begs the question

then, are the redeemed say-

ing so? Are the redeemed

speaking up and a letting the

world know the redemption

of mankind? It’s time that

the redeemed begin to re-

vive the message of salva-

tion brought to us in the

form of a tiny baby filled

with hope!

I lay the challenge

down before you to-

day. SAY SO! Plan out

your opportunities to share

the hope of redemption dur-

ing this Christmas sea-

son. During your adven-

tures into commercialism,

MUSIC NOTE

Youth News

Youth Activities

December 16th—Christmas Party

@ The Wright Manor—6:30 pm

January 12th—14th—Winter

Retreat @ HOTBE

February 9th—10th—Reset Student

Conference

Christmas has arrived, and all of the stores

have put out their Christmas décor, even though some

stores have had their Christmas decorations out since

Halloween. But as Christmas draws closer, we also

draw closer to our New Year events. The first event of

the New Year is the Winter Retreat which is a great

opportunity for our students to focus on Christ while

beginning a new school semester. We will need help

in various ways for this event.

In February we have the Reset Student Con-

ference, and we are going to need help setting up and

working various jobs during the conference. I am very

thankful we are a loving church that wants to invest

into the lives of students. So I want to urge everyone

to start praying and helping get ready for these events.

Dustin

PAGE 4 THE CHRONICLE

otherwise known as shop-

ping till you drop, use it

as an opportunity to share

the love of Christ. The

latest and greatest or big-

gest and best can wait,

salvation can not! Today

is the day to begin to

share your faith and your

redemption.

The Psalmist said it

best, “let the redeemed of

the Lord say so!”

God Bless,

David

5

December 3 Dustin & Linzie Wright December 10 Rhodes Family December 17 Renee & Jacie Blisard, Skyla Matthews December 24 Celeste Justice, Misty, Christina, Kirsten December 31 Eva Bush, Emily Matthews

CHILDREN ’S CHURCH SCHEDULE

NURSERY SCHEDULE

PAGE 5 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10

December 3 Katie Rhodes December 10 Celeste Justice December 17 Sharon Horine December 24 Katie Rhodes December 31 Celeste Justice

Library News “The greatest tragedy of the Christmas holiday each year is not so much its

commercialization (gross as that is), but its trivialization. How tragic it is that

people have forgotten Him to whom they owe so very much.”

Kennedy/Newcombe

The foregoing is an excerpt from the book, WHAT IF JESUS HAD NEVER BEEN BORN?,

written by Dr. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. As Christians, we appreciate the sacrifice

Jesus made to ensure our salvation. But what of our lives here on earth? How did Jesus’ birth

affect our day-to-day living conditions? This book will open your eyes to a whole new realiza-

tion of the differences Jesus made in our world.

Other books and videos pertaining to the Christmas season have been placed out on display in

the library. A blessed and Merry Christmas to all!

Sharon Horine & Mary Foster

Librarians

6

Rick Justice, Pastor David Williams, Worship Pastor

Dustin Wright, Youth Pastor Glynith Matlock, Financial Assistant

Allison Williams, Nursery

Phone: 325-752-6406 E-mail: glynith.rcbc@gmail.com

ROCKY CREEK

BAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday

Bible Study 9:45 am Worship 11:00 am Evening Worship 6:00 pm

Wednesday

Youth 6:30 pm Team KID 7:00 pm G Force 7:00 pm Energize Mid Week Service 7:00 pm

SERVICE TIMES

SERVING CHRIST

TOUCHING LIVES

CHANGING PEOPLE

W E ARE ON THE W EB !ROCKYCREEKCHU RC H .ORG

4300 CR 557

Brownwood, TX 76801