The Woodmont Word

E-Newsletter

A Family of Faith on Mission

November 2015

You may pick up your new church directory at one of the desks in the lobby of the Worship Center. Please take only one per family. Please note Belinda Green's email address on the back of your directory bgreen@woodmontbaptist.org.

A Word from the Interim Pastor

It is an honor and privilege to begin my Interim ministry in the Lord's Woodmont Baptist Church. You have been so generous in your welcome. I offer you some thoughts that will make a huge difference as you move into this period of transition and prayerfully await the coming of your new pastor.

It is a time for you to share Christ with the people who need him. You have people in your circle of friends who need a personal relationship with Jesus. There is no greater encouragement to the Body of Christ than to see lost people make that decision.

It is time for you to invite unchurched people to come with you to Bible study and worship. It is a proven fact that most newcomers at church occur because someone personally invites them to attend. It also gives evidence you are a growing church instead of maintaining. A prospective pastor will notice this fact immediately. There is no reason why a church cannot grow during the interim between pastors.

I look forward to seeing you each time we meet with a Word from the Lord. I love you!

Tom

Thompson's Text

I am thrilled to have Tom Whatley as our Interim Pastor. I look forward to working with him in the months ahead. I believe that he will provide solid Biblical preaching and teaching from the pulpit. He has a wealth of experience and is an excellent speaker, communicator, and storyteller. Woodmont is fortunate to have him and the church staff is also confident that he will pastor and love our Woodmont family as Interim Pastor.

The newly elected Pastor Search Committee will soon be at work.They need our continued prayer support. The committee elected and willing to serve are....

Kathy Austin

Charlotte Cramer

Eddy Garner

Kyle Green

Chad Hess

Bill Inskeep

Jason Lenz

I have already heard many comments concerning what our members feel need to be qualities and strengths in our next senior pastor. I came across an article years ago I thought was most enlightening concerning this point that I would like to share.

The Perfect Pastor - "After hundreds of years, a model preacher has been found to suit everyone. He preaches exactly 20 minutes and sits down. He condemns sin, but never hurts anyone's feelings.

He works from 8 am. to 10 pm. in every type of work from preaching to custodial services. He gives 20% of his income a week to the church. He also stands ready to contribute to every good work that comes along.

He is 26 years old and has been preaching for 30 years. He is tall and short, thin and heavyset, and handsome. He has one brown eye and one blue, hair parted down the middle, left side dark and straight, the right side brown and wavy.

He has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and spends all his time with older folks. He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work.

He makes 15 calls a day on church members, spends all his time evangelizing the unchurched, and is never out of his office." (Christian Beacon)

Let us all be in prayer for the Lord to be the one to determine who and what the perfect pastor is for Woodmont Baptist Church.

Under His Grace,

Steve

Reese's Pieces

"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving..." Psalm 147:7

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." Heb. 13:15

"They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord..." Ezra 3:11

"...sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16

Does anyone else see a connection between thanksgiving and singing? I love the way Eugene Peterson paraphrases Psalm 30:5 in The Message: "All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank Him to His face!"

Clearly, one of the most powerful, genuine, God-pleasing expressions of gratitude that human beings are capable of is singing. Because God's love and faithfulness toward us is so enormously overwhelming, a mere spoken word of thanks just doesn't seem adequate. I think that is why we find singing and thankfulness hand-in-hand throughout the scriptures. The raising of our voices to pour forth praise in song transcends spoken words, and that is exactly the kind of response His transcendent goodness requires: transcendent praises.

We all have holiday traditions this time of year that are near and dear to us, and that is as it should be. But before the hubbub of Christmas sets in, don't let the season of thankfulness pass you by. Take time to be thankful. Sing quiet prayers of thanksgiving in your secret place. Sing out loud and joyfully in the assembly of worshipers. Thank Him for all He's done and what He's yet to do.

Meditate on the lyrics of this song the Woodmont Choir and Orchestra share every year around this time: "Thanks Be To Our God" (words & music: Cottrell, Moffitt, and Smith). We have so much to be thankful for.

For the road that leads from darkness into light, for the hope that rescues us from endless night,

For the grace that covers sin at the door where life begins, for salvation reaching in to guide us through,

Thanks be to our God.

For the healing that no mortal can explain, for deliverance that breaks the sinner's chains,

For the strength to carry on and forgiveness great and strong, and the promise of Your mercies ever new,

Thanks be to our God.

For the emptiness that cries out to be filled, for the promise that Your Word is deeper still,

For the longing and the need to have more of You in me, because nothing satisfies the way You do,

Thanks be to our God.

For the mysteries beyond the veil of death, for the peace that opens with our closing breath,

When our struggles pass away and we finally see Your face and a greater glory rises into view,

Thanks be to our God!

Hallelujah! Everlasting songs will rise for all You've done!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Thanks be to our God!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Kevin

Student Ministry

We had the biggest turnout ever for our One Night Unite

on Wednesday, October 21 with a total of 466.

Upcoming Events:

November 21: Delivering Thanksgiving Baskets
December 13: Christmas Party
January: Possible Winter Retreat (Gatlinburg)

Jarod

Women's Ministry

Operation Christmas Child

Pick up Shoebox

Sunday, November 1

Deadline to return - Sunday MORNING, November 25.

Please help share the joy of God's love by sending a shoebox filled with small gifts and toys to a hurting and impoverished child. The Samaritan's Purse organization has collected and delivered over 100 million shoebox gifts around the world. More than 650,000 children in over 65 nations have made decisions for Christ because of these simple gifts.

For your convenience, prewrapped shoeboxes are available in the worship center as long as supplies last. Packing labels and instructions are also available in the lobby.

The process of packing a shoebox is simple.

Start with an empty shoebox
Choose Boy or Girl
Chose Age (2-4 yrs.) (5-9 yrs.) (10-14 yrs.)
Fill shoebox with age appropriate items:

School supplies (Pencils, pencil sharpener, erasers, pens, paper, markers)
Hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, toothbrush holder, soap, plastic soapbox holder, washcloth)
Hard candy (Suckers, Sweetarts/Smarties, Peppermints - NO tootsie rolls, chocolates, crackers or chips - hard candy only)
Toys/Gifts - Girls (hair accessories, jewelry, small purse, jump rope) Boys: balls, cars, flashlight with extra batteries, small tool set)

Pray - ask God to use your gifts to show His love to the child who receives your box.
Include a $7 donation for each box you're sending to help cover shipping costs and other charges. Place your check on top of the gift items in your box. If you're packing more than one box, one check may be written. You may donate on line (samaritanspurse.org) for this purpose, and track your box or boxes.
Bring your gift-filled shoebox to the worship center lobby, no later than Sunday MORNING, November 25. There will be a prayer of dedication for the boxes during the morning service. All of Woodmont's boxes will be taken to the collection point for shipment to Atlanta, following the service.

Thank you so much for your participation. Woodmont Women's Ministry

The Annual Ladies Christmas Luncheon

When: Saturday, December 12

Time: 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Christy Wright

Kathy

Singles Ministry

Remember to pray for our law enforcement!

***On October 31st, the Singles teamed up with the Allen/Moore and Spinks/Green classes to work at the downtown Soup Kitchen. Members of those classes provided lots of delicious chili for the meal, and also gave each guest a "goody" bag to take home. Great teamwork !!!***

Surviving the Holidays is a helpful, encouraging seminar for people facing the holidays after a separation or divorce. This free seminar is being offered at Woodmont Baptist Church on Monday, November 9th, 2015 from 6-8 p.m. For more info or to sign up, please call the church office, 256-766-1255, between 8 and 5 weekdays.