Sunday, November 8, 2015

Deacon Ordination For

James P. Mills

“Bjo” 11:00 am

Multi– Purpose Building

Great Swamp Baptist Church

November 8, 2015

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Prelude

Call to Worship

The Welcome

Announcements

Invocation Fred Stanley

Presentation of Colors

Veteran’s March

Pledge to the American Flag

Selections of Praise and Worship

Hymn #630 “America The Beautiful”

We Pray for Special Needs

Pastoral & Offertory Prayer Pastor Ralph Lee

Demonstration of Stewardship

Offertory

Special Music Sadie O’Connor

Deacon Ordination

James P. Mills

Recognition of Candidate

Testimony

Message Pastor Ralph Lee, Jr.

Charge to the Candidate

Charge to the Church

The Laying On Of Hands All

Benediction

From

Pastor Ralph’s Desk:

The Kind of Priest That God Wants

Malachi 2:1-9

Intro: In these verses we find a connection with the verses that we

were last examining in chapter one. In chapter one, we last exam-

ined a series of messages dealing with a challenge to God’s honor.

The focus of this challenge was that the priests who were the spiri-

tual leaders of the people were the ones who were carrying out this

challenge by dishonoring God’s name by offering up sacrifices that

were not acceptable to God. Tragically, their dishonor to God

spread to the people. When we began examining chapter two, we

find right off the bat that God continues His condemnation of the

priests. He also reveals to them that unless there is a quick, drastic

change in their behavior, they are going to face some severe conse-

quences. Now, it is not God’s desire that they continue down this

road nor is it God’s desire that they experience some severe conse-

quences. Instead, God shows them the kind of priest that they need

to be and if they will respond quickly then they can avoid the se-

vere consequences. From the emotions in the text, sadly, however,

they are about at the point of missing out on God’s gracious offer

to them.

Now let us come to the present. In the present , we tend to

equate the pastor or preacher with the priest. They, like the priest,

are our spiritual leaders. Well, it is true that we play an important

role in leading the people spiritually. However, we learn in the

New Testament, particularly, the Book of I Peter, that priests today

are not just the pastor and preachers, but rather all of God’s peo-

ple are priests. I Peter 2:4-5, “As you come to Him, the living stone

rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him, you also,

like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy

priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through

Jesus Christ.” So, each one of us must ask ourselves, are we being

that kind of priest that is pleasing unto God or are we like the

priest we are examining in our text? Let us learn from these verses

on what kind of priest that God wants us to be.

I. First, the kind of priest God wants us to be is not the kind

that comes under condemnation and is cursed.

Now this point clearly arises out of our present set of

verses. For in these verses, these priests were on the verge of con-

demnation and therefore on the verge of being cursed all because

they had failed to honor God and instead did just the opposite.

They blatantly dishonored His name. They did this by failing to

honor God’s Word and by failing to carry out their true responsi-

bilities. If they continued down this road, they will be condemned

and God would curse them. The curse would primarily be that they

would become completely useless to Him and to the people. As a

matter of fact, God put it out there in a very strong and straightfor-

ward manner. He tells them that unless they turn around and begin

honoring His name they and their descendants will become like the

dung of the sacrifices they offer up. It is useless and it stinks and no

one wants to be around it. It is simply good to be cast upon the

dung pile. When we, as the priests of our God, in the world began

dishonoring God, then if we don’t get it right, we too will become

useless as a dung cast upon the dung pile. As a matter of fact, dung

is not only useless and stinks, but it also can be very dangerous.

Let us ask ourselves the question, what kind of priest are we? Are

we the kind that offer up as Peter said, Spiritual sacrifices pleasing

to God or will we become useless only good for the dung pile?

II. Second, the kind of priest God wants us to be is one that re-

members the covenant.

God had a covenant agreement with Israel’s tribe of Levi to

be a tribe of priests for Him. He chose them for this purpose and

promised to give them life and peace if they kept the agreement.

Now the way in which they kept the agreement was by revering

the Lord and His Holy name as the priests of the past had. He

tells us here what the priest of the past had done to revere His

name and in turn experience life and peace. First, Malachi tells us

that they walked close to our Lord.

Second He said they gave true instructions to the people,

and third nothing false came out of their mouths.

Now, let me point out that God has a new covenant agree-

ment with us today as the New Testament teaches us that His

covenant agreement with us is through the Blood of the Lord Je-

sus Christ. In other words, God’s covenant agreement with us is

based upon grace, His grace. He accepts us freely through Jesus’

shed blood. This agreement can’t be broken. This agreement gives

us life as well both abundant and eternal, also, peace that the

world can’t take away. Therefore, we should seek all the more to

walk close to our Lord. As well as give true instructions to the

people and allow nothing false to come out of our mouths.

III. Third the kind of priest God wants us to be is one that

knows our calling.

The priest of Malachi's day had forgotten what their call-

ing was. Instead of fulfilling that calling, they were accomplishing

just the opposite. Now, what their calling was, was to understand

the teachings of God’s Word. Then they were to instruct the peo-

ple out of the knowledge they had gained from God’s Word so

that they might turn many people from their sins to follow the

Lord. Instead, however, they were causing people to stumble in

their walk with Jesus.

What about us, are we following our calling as priests of

our Lord? Do we know His Word and are we instructing people in

the way of the Lord so that many may become followers of Him?

So, again, I ask you, what kind of priest are you? One that

God can use or one only good for the dung pile?

Jesus Loves You Ralph Lee, Jr.

Today: Cassandra Bradley Krey Lowther Next Week: Dorthie Armstrong Krey Lowther

Today: Fred Stanley

843-226-5641

IF YOUR DEACONS

CAN MINISTER TO YOU IN ANY WAY,

CALL THE CHURCH @ 726-3631

DEACON OF THE WEEK :

Next Week: Robert O’Dell

843-422-9521

Nursery Workers

Today:

Donna Carter

Next Week:

Latrelle Steedly

Kim & Kimberlyn Malphrus

Toll Committee For

November

Latrelle Steedly & Dorthie Armstrong

HELP SUPPORT Operation Christmas Child 2015

Donations of any amount

will be greatly appreciated.

Check mark box □ 043

on your tithing envelope.

See Alice Way for more info.

The Proclaimer’s Gospel Choir will practice on

Wednesday, November 11th

to perform on

Sunday, November 15th

Announcements

Saturday, November 14th

Watchman Prayer Group

8:00 am

******

Thursday, November 12th

Quilting Club / 10:00 am

Home of Shirley Jean Wing

Monday, November 9th

Deacon’s Meeting

Wednesday, November 11th

Business Meeting

Christmas Country Store

Gift Bags

This year we will be fixing Gift bags for the residents of the

Nursing Home.

Women 1.Ponytail sponges

2. Socks

3. Lotion

4. Hair Brush

5. Tissues

6. Chapstick

7. Toothpaste

Men 1. Aftershave

2. Socks

3. Lotion

4. Comb

5. Tissues

6. Chapstick

7. Toothpaste

All items need to be placed in a Christmas gift tote bag and

brought to the church by Sunday, November 22nd.

A sign up sheet is in the foyer to sign up to bring a bag for

a woman or man or both.

Thank You

Patricia Malphrus

Grandmother’s Group

Please Pray for our

Southern Baptist Convention

Chaplains of the Week

This Week:

November 8th Kelly Scherger

November 9th Jordan Raines

Amanda Anderson

November 12th Nick Adesso

November 13th Alicia Holland

November 14th Michelle Waitt

Anniversaries This Week:

November 9th

Robin & Ann Malphrus

S.O.F.F.E The WMU group S.O.F.F.E will meet on Monday,

November 16th at 7:00 pm.

THA Veteran’s Day Program Dear GSBC members,

You are cordially invited to our free Veteran's Day Program, Ol'

Tried and True, on Monday, November 9th @ 7pm in the THA

gym. Hope to see you all there!!

Von☺

President Barack Obama

United States of America

Surgery / Recovery

Nursing Centers

Called to Ministry

Sherwood Fender (11/02)

Lane Malphrus (10/8)

Barry Jones (11/05)

Billy Benton (10/8)

Mya Thurmond (10/26)

Church Needs

Leadership

Hospitals

Chris Carter & Family

Robin Gray-Central Asia

GSBC Prayer Pages November 8, 2015

Sunday School

Small Groups

SFCA-Donna Carter

Ralph Lee, Jr. - Pastor

Richard Waitt- Music Director

Deacons

Child Dev. Ministries

Mary Cope (10/15)

Betty Nettles (10/15)

Jean Daring (10/13)

Mary Fell (10/15)

Saylor Moser (10/15)

Jean Daring Tindal (10/15)

Barbara Mills (10/15)

Sarah V. Sanders (10/29)

Leonard Steedly (11/05)

Cancer / Treatments

N/A

Nicole Cole (10/8)

Shelby Greene (10/8)

Holly White (10/8)

Helen Harvey (10/17)

Ronnie Nettles (11/05)

Gary Breland (11/05)

Unspoken

Ministries

Outreach Ministry

Nominating Committee

Mack Pope, Sr. (10/15)

Mickey Reed (10/15)

Nicole Cole (10/16)

Expecting / Births

Other Health Needs

Elaine Degler-RNC

Thomas Way-Bft. Memorial

Bereavement Family

Of

Jonathan Malphrus-Job Search

Ann Malphrus

Max Cole

Bobby Emerson- Fort Hood-Army

Jared Blanton-Afghanistan

If you have someone who needs listing, call either the

church office a@726-3631 or E.L. Ambrose @ 726-5479.

Thank You

Pray For Our Military

Today’s Prayer Team

Group IV E.L. Ambrose– Leader

Mack Pope, Jr. Kevin Malphrus

Watchman Prayer Service

Saturdays @ 8:00am

Prayer Note For emergencies

a prayer chain

is available for needs.

You may access

by calling the

church @ 726-3631

Or

E.L. Ambrose @ 726-5479

Please Continue To Remember

Ricky Cleland

Mike Hodge

Shirley Malphrus

Rose Boyles

Myia Angala Ellis

Susan L. Vaigneur

Norris Sauls

Lula Floyd

Dot Nettles

Jimmie Mills

Betty Nettles

Tom Hinely

Olivia Stanley

Joyce Sutler

Kevin Roach

Wofford Malphrus

Lois Bootle

Myrtle Rowell Smith

Billie Langford

Lisa Koon

Mitzi Cramer

Gary Way

Christy Gagel

Vera Miles

Mary Daley

It is Paul in Philippians 1:10 who gives some good prayer lan-guage to us. “It is my prayer that your love will abound (full and overflowing) more and more with knowledge (of God and His word) and discernment (seeing and de-fining things through the eyes of Christ) to the Glory and Praise of God.” Parenthesis are mine. E.L. Ambrose

Chicken Pot Pie

Salad

Corn on the Cob

Dessert

Tea & Coffee

Donna Carter

Cooking Team

Budget Offerings This Week Weekly Budget Surplus/Deficit

+ / -

Tithes & Offerings $4,182.25 $ 4,616.28 -$434.03

Designated Funds This Week ********* Acct. Balances

WNS (Youth) $215.55 ********** $

Youth Camp $298.00 ********** $1,606.98

Harvest Fest $361.50 ********** $1,129.00

SMB $81.00 ********** $258.81

Senior Adult Trip $50.00 ********** $837.45

Office Supplies $25.00 ********** $375.00

Lottie Moon Offering $50.00 ********** $50.00

VBS $20.00 ********** $396.28

Great Swamp Baptist Church 9009 Tarboro Road, Ridgeland, SC

Office - 726-3631 Fax – 726-3294

Email: greatswampbc@gmail.com

Website: greatswampbaptistchurch.com

Church Staff Pastor: Rev. Ralph Lee, Jr………………………………………………………………………....jehu27@gmail.com

Music Director: Richard Waitt………………………………………………………..waittfamily@embarqmail.com

Sunday School Director: Wallace Malphrus……………………………………………...Josie6@embarqmail.com

Pianist: Michelle Waitt…………………………………………………………………waittfamily@embarqmail.com

Administrative Assistant: Sybil Reynolds……………………………………………......greatswampbc@gmail.com

Treasurer: Faye Lowther…………………………………………………………….......kreyleesmom98@gmail.com

School Administrator: Donna Carter…………………………………………………………..dcarter@hargray.com

Custodian: Ann Malphrus………………………………………………………………....ramalphrus@hargray.com

Landscaper: Wallace Malphrus…………………………………………………………....Josie6@embarqmail.com

Calendar of Events

For

November 9th through November 15th

Sunday Morning Breakfast (September thru May Only)........................................................................ 8:30AM

Sunday School………….….…………………............................................................................................ 9:45AM

Morning Worship…….….…...…………………........................................................................……….....11:00AM

Evening Worship…….…….……………………..........................................................................................6:00PM

Wednesday Night Supper (September thru May Only)........................................................................... 6:00PM

Wednesday Night Service………………………………...............................................................................7:00PM

Saturday Watchman Prayer…………….………….……….........................................................................8:00AM

Stewardship

Great S

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9009 T

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Rd.

PO

Box

446

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9936