Swift Creek Baptist Church

9300 Penny Road

Raleigh, NC 27606

Swift Creek Chronicler Page 4

December 22

Swift Creek Baptist Church Clothes Closet and Food Pantry

AS OF NOVEMBER 25 WE HAVE FED AND CLOTHED

994 PEOPLE IN NEED THIS YEAR!

Don’t forget the food pantry on your next shopping trip.

Anything you donate that is store bought is greatly appreciated.

CARE

10:00 am

Tuesday Dec. 16th

December Nursery

7– Jennie Jones, Margie Britt

14– Christian Leggett, Judy Durden

21– Dorothy Smith JoAnne King

28– Pearl Strickland, Joyce Powell

Average Attendance and Giving October 26 –November 23, 2014

Bible Study Attendance 51 Worship Service 85 Tithes and offerings $3,992 Needed weekly to meet budget $4,119

Thank you for your gifts!

Online available at

www.swiftcreekchurch.com

Foyer/Portico Building Fund Update

Construction/Architectural Modifications Cost: $129,571

Received as of 11/23/2014: $ 58,301

Balance Required to Complete Project: $ 71,270

Cans for Christ

Shopping List

Instant mashed potatoes

Cranberry sauce

Candied yams

Canned pumpkin

Stuffing mix

From the Pastor…. I begin with thanks for the card and gift from the church for Pastor Appre-ciation Day. It was so thoughtful of you to remember me and Angie and I truly appreciate the ministry we all have here at Swift Creek. I also want to say a word of thanks to everyone who helped in any way with Operation Christmas Child. Our church members gave115 shoe boxes and overall our Relay Center re-ceived 2093 shoe boxes. Special thanks goes to Lynn & Will Cullins who faithful-ly spear headed this project. In the coming weeks we should see evidence of our portico/foyer project. The permitting process has been completed and the final timeframes will be set soon. We anticipate some disruption during construction, so flexibility will go a long way for everyone. It really is hard to believe Advent and Christmas is here. Christmas is filled with so much tradition and remembrances it can be overwhelming to the point where we can miss the simple story of God's love coming to us in a meager manger. Years ago The Christian Century published a story written by Harriet Richie. It was about an incident in her family's life that revealed to her the true nature of Christmas. It is one of my favorite Christmas stories. Following their church's midnight Christmas Eve service, Harriet's family decided to stop somewhere for a late-night breakfast. The only place open that late on Christmas Eve was a truck stop at a nearby interstate junction. A few big diesels rumbled outside. Inside a few truckers sat at the counter. A jukebox played a country song that went something like this: "When You Leave, Walk Out Backwards So I'll Think You're Coming In." On the front window were a few multicolored blinking lights. The place smelled like bacon grease and stale cigarette smoke. A one-armed man stood behind the counter. The family squeezed into a booth. A thin waitress named Rita sauntered over. She man-aged a weary smile and handed them their menus. Harriet looked around. She felt a little bit like a snob and out of place. Her family had just come from a beautiful Christmas Eve service. And soon they would be heading to their lovely home for the night. She thought one day they would look back with a laugh and say to each other: "Remember the Christmas we ate breakfast at that truck stop? That awful music and those tacky lights?"

She was staring out the window when an old Volkswagen van drove up. A young man with a beard and wearing jeans got out. He walked around and opened the door for a young woman who was holding a baby. They hurried in-side and took a booth nearby. When Rita, the waitress, took their order the baby began to cry and nei-ther of the young parents could quiet him. Rita reached over and held out her arms. "Sit down and drink your coffee, hon, let me see what I can do." ***Continued on next page

Church Staff:

Dr. David Vess, Pastor

Rev. David Beaver, Minister of Music

Mrs. Robin Atkins, Director of

Children and Youth Activities

Mr. Bobby Mills,

Grounds Maintenance

Mrs. Sandy Jones, Custodian

Mrs. Sandy Jones, Church Secretary

Mrs. Susan Moore, Financial Secretary

Church Office Hours:

Monday -- Friday - 9 a.m.-1p.m.

Sunday Schedule:

Coffee Fellowship—9:30 a.m.

Bible Study—9:45 a.m.

Worship Service—11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Schedule:

Fellowship Meal—5:30 p.m.

Prayer and Bible Study—6:30 p.m.

Handbells—6:15 p.m.

Adult Choir Rehearsal—7:15 p.m.

Monthly Events:

1st Sunday-Men’s Breakfast

1st and 3rd Sunday – Youth

2nd Friday - PNO

3rd Thursday - WOM

4th Wednesday-C.A.R.E. Ministry

Swift Creek Baptist Church

9300 Penny Road

Raleigh, NC 27606

(919) 851-0112

Fax (919) 851-0171

Email:

office@swiftcreekchurch.com

www.swiftcreekchurch.com

Page 2 Swift Creek Chronicler

Robin’s Roundtable

We have a busy and wonderful month of

December ahead. In all our busyness we need to

slow down and Praise God for loving each of us

so much he sent His one and only Son Jesus

Christ as a little baby into the world to show

His Love for each of us. Our children’s choir will

share their love for God during our Cantata

Carols of Christmas singing Away in a Manger on

December 7th. May we each share Christ’s Love

with others this Christmas Season.

Merry Christmas!

In Love & Christian Service Robin Atkins Upcoming Events:

Dec. 5 Senior Adult Banquet 5:30 pm

Dec. 7 Christmas Cantata 11:00 am

Dec. 12 Parent’s Night Out 6-9pm

Dec. 13 Breakfast w/ Santa 9:30-11 am

Dec. 14 Children & Youth Caroling TBA

(all are welcome to join)

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service 6:00 pm

Women On Mission News First, I want to thank everyone who helped with the Operation Christmas Child shoebox Collections. We collected over 2,000 shoeboxes. Swift Creek contributed 115, the most to date. This ministry gives gifts to chil-dren, and provides them with The Greatest Journey, a Bible Study about Jesus in the child’s own language. Second, I want to remind us of the opportunities for service that are coming up. Bake a cake for the Women’s Correctional Center and bring it to the SCBC kitchen no later than December 8 at 2:00 p.m. Assist with Christmas gifts for a needy family. Bring a child to Breakfast with Santa on December 13. Invite someone to come with you to church on December 7 to hear the cantata, Carol of Christmas, by John W. Peterson. Buy some Portico Perk coffee for yourself or as a gift for someone. Bring someone with you to the Christmas Eve service. Contribute some extra money to the Portico/Vestibule project. Third, follow the advice of the psalmist who advise us to “Be Still, and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10a) That can be hard during December because we have so many worthwhile demands on our time. WOM will meet next time on January 15, 2015. May God bless our efforts as we work for Him. Lynne Cullins

It was evident that Rita had done this before with her own brood. She began talking and walking around the place. She showed the baby to one of the truckers who began whistling and making silly faces. The baby stopped crying. She showed the baby the blinking lights on the window and the lights on the jukebox. She brought the baby over to Harriet's table. "Just look at this little darlin'." She said. "Mine are so big and grown." The one-armed fellow behind the counter brought a pot of coffee to Harriet's table. As he refilled their mugs, Harriet felt tears in her eyes. Her husband wanted to know what was wrong. "Nothing. Just Christmas," she told him, reaching in her purse for a Kleenex and a quarter. "Go see if you can find a Christmas song on the jukebox," she told the children. When they were gone, Harriet said, "He'd come here, wouldn't he?" "Who?" her husband asked. “Jesus," Harriet said. "If Jesus were born in this town tonight and the choices were our neighborhood, the church or this truck stop, it would be here, wouldn't it?"

Her husband didn't answer right away, but looked around the place, looked at the people. Finally he said, "Either here or a homeless shelter."

“That's what bothers me," Harriet said. "When we first got here I felt sorry for these people because they probably aren't going home to neighborhoods where the houses have candles in the windows and wreaths on the doors. And listening to that awful music, I thought, I'll bet nobody here has even heard of Handel. Now I think that more than any place I know, this is where Christmas is. But I don't belong."

As they walked to the car, her husband put his arm around her. "Remember," he reminded her "the angel said, 'I bring good news of great joy to ALL people.'"

If you have a cold heart, that story will mean nothing to you. If you have room in your heart for Christ this night, it could change the way you look at the world. This Christmas our Cantata will be presented on December 7th and the Christmas Eve service will be at 6PM. May the blessing of the Christ fill you hearts this year. In God's Grace David Vess

Swift Creek Chronicler Page 3

NOTES

MUSIC

The Sanctuary Choir, soloists, children, ladies ensemble, handbells and instrumentalists will provide worshipful music through-out the Advent season. The cantata, “Carols of Christmas” will be presented during the worship service on December 7

th. The composer, John W. Peterson,

arranged some of our favorite carols in a style that became his trade-mark back in the fifties and sixties. The congregation will have an op-portunity to participate, as well! Harp and strings will combine for our Christmas Eve service at 6:00 o’clock, P.M. This community event promises to be a meaningful time as we celebrate together the birth of our Savior. From my family to yours, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. David Beaver Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoul-der: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Dear Swift Creek Baptist Church, Being part of the Holly Springs Classical

Conversations community has made our

homeschooling experience rich beyond

measure. I don’t know how to describe in

just a note card what an amazing blessing it

has been to all of our families, tomorrow’s

leaders. Though I do know it would not be

possible without you! Thank You ever so

kindly for sharing your facility with us.

Grace and Peace,

Patti B.

Thank you Swift Creek Baptist Church for having us at your

homecoming. We especially thank Mrs. Robin Atkins for inviting

us to the Halloween Trunk or Treat. We had such a good time at

both events.

God Bless. Jessica, Cole, and Avery Zimmer from Goldsboro, NC

Thank you for opening your door and

welcoming our group. May God bless you

100 fold for your generosity and hospitali-

ty. Praise the Lord for He is good!!

Prayers and blessing on this place.

Swift Creek Baptist Church, Thank you for letting us, Classical Conversations,

use your wonderful church for all these years! CC

would never be the same at any other place. Thank

you all so much!

Much love and gratitude,

Benny B.

Dear SCBC, Thank you very much for letting us (Classical

Conversations) use your building! We’ve learned

so many amazing things & have been so blessed

by God these past few years, and none of it

would have been possible without your kindness

and allowance! It’s an amazing church and we’re

extremely grateful.

Thanks a bunch,

Jack Breitenbach

Thanks so much to

my friends and

church family for

helping me enjoy

my 90th birthday

on Nov. 13. I got

calls, cards, visits,

money, food, and

prayers and a beau-

tiful vase of roses.

Thanks so much

and I love you all.

Love Mary Alice

Dear Swift Creek Baptist pastor, staff, & members, We are so grateful for your generous hospitality to-

wards our CC group! It is such a joy to come every

Thursday to have fun, fellowship, and learning at your

facility. We pray that God will richly bless you as you

serve Him. You are a great blessing to us!

Thank You!

Dale, Rebecca, and Olivia Carter

Swift Creek, Thank you for opening

your doors to our

group! Your generosity

has been a blessing to

our family as we gather

with CC each week.

We are grateful!

The Catalanos

Dear SCBC Family My appreciation and gratitude is extended to

everyone for the many cards, calls, and visits

I received in the last 3 months. Those SCBC

Roses have been enjoyed by many people

here at Rex Rehab & Nursing. Your prayers

and kindness helped me along the way, I’m

sure. Please continue to pray for me as I

transition into another phase of my life.

My love & thanks

Doris Vaughn