DECEMBER 23, 2009
VOLUME LVI NUMBER 9
In Lieu of Cards
The following folks made a contribution towards Hagar’s House
instead of sending cards this year:
Jim Brooks
Claudia Dickerson
Bob and Becky Duvall
Terry Fletcher
Louise and Melvin Griffis
Harold and Bea Hoffman
Tom and Kay Mann
Lanny and Karen Peters, Thomas and Ashe
Kimberly, John and Zachary Starbuck
Quinn Stevenson
Edith and Harold Williamson
Leslie Withers and
Mark Reeve
Sally Wylde
CHRISTMAS EVE VESPERS SERVICE
Thursday, December 24
6:00 p.m.
A quiet service of scripture, carols, and communion, concluding with a circle of candlelight. Designed to include children. (Sanctuary)
SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
No activities at the church
Thursday, December 24, 2009—Christmas Eve
6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Vespers Service: A quiet service of scripture, carols, and communion, concluding with a circle of candlelight. Designed to include children. (Sanctuary)
Friday, December 25, 2009—Christmas
Church Office closed
Sunday, December 27, 2009—First Sunday of Christmas: Joy
Messenger deadline
9:00 a.m. Café Oakhurst (Fellowship Hall)
9:30 a.m. NO Church School for children or youth
10:45 a.m. Worship begins with Morning Music: Randy Harris, piano
Monday, December 28, 2009
Church Office closed
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
No activities at the church
Friday, January 1, 2010
Church Office closed
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Oglethorpe Prison Trip
Sunday, January 3, 2010—Epiphany Sunday
9:00 a.m. Café Oakhurst (Fellowship Hall)
9:30 a.m. Christian Education for all ages
10:50 a.m. Worship begins with Morning Music: Full Circle
Epiphany / Breaking Up Christmas
1:00 p.m. Gospel Choir (Room 103)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
7:30 p.m. Transformation Task Force (Parlor)
Wednesday, January 6, 2010—Epiphany
12:00 p.m. Centering Prayer Group (Chapel)
5:45 p.m. Church Family Supper.
6:30 p.m. Carol Choir (Room 109); Cherub Choir (Room 108); Youth Group Lounge)
6:30 p.m. Prayer Meeting led by Lucas Johnson (Prayer Meeting Room)
7:40 p.m. Sanctuary Choir (Room 103)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
7:00 p.m. Missions Committee (Library)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
9:00 a.m. Café Oakhurst (Fellowship Hall)
9:30 a.m. Christian Education for all ages.
11:00 a.m. Worship
1:00 p.m. Gospel Choir (Room 103)
2:00 p.m. Church Council
6:00 p.m. Deacons (home of Carolyn Conner)
CHRISTMAS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
Worship begins at 10:50 with morning music by Randy Harris on the piano (We know that will be special!) Bring your out-of-town guests for a celebration of Christmas Sunday.
EPIPHANY SUNDAY/BREAKING UP CHRISTMAS, JANUARY 3
Worship begins with Morning Music at 10:50 a.m. with the wonderful music of Full Circle (David Woolf, Sue Buchholz and friends.) Come celebrate Epiphany Sunday, which includes the children bringing us the march of the Kings and Queens. An Oakhurst tradition for 20 years now, the service ends with the celebration of “Breaking Up Christmas.” It comes from the tradition of “Olde Christmas,” January 6, the day once celebrated as true Christmas by many in the Appalachian South. In one area of North Carolina, for example, neighbors would gather at one house to eat, play music, dance a set or two, and then take the whole party to the next house. This event would grow from house to house until dawn, when Christmas was officially over—thus the “Breaking Up of Christmas.” The service seeks to honor the spirit of Epiphany: excitement and wonder at Jesus’ birth, and a willingness to take that spirit into the world as we journey forth in the new year.
UPCOMING PRAYER MEETINGS
December 23 and 30: No activities at the church.
January 6: Prayer meeting will be led by Lucas Johnson: “Deconstructing my American identity: Me, James Baldwin, and Paul Tillich, traveling together through Germany meeting Erik Erikson, Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx along the way.”
SEMINARY ON SUNDAYS
As part of the ongoing series of classes we’re calling Seminary on Sundays, we will be starting a DVD-based series called “DreamThinkBeDo” (DTBD) on Sunday, January 10. “DTBD” is a series featuring the insights of some outstanding progressive theologians whose remarks serve as beginning points for conversation about the core of Christian belief and practice. The series is geared toward young adults but is excellent for anyone wishing to stretch a bit! The call to “Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind” serves as the starting point for the conversation. Watch for more details in coming weeks.
—John Spencer
UPDATE ON 2009 GIVING
The increased giving following the summer shortfall has continued and it appears that we could end 2009 with a net surplus. This is a dramatic turnaround from the situation we faced in the summer with an annualized deficit approaching $60,000. It is even more significant considering that we also had an approximately $60,000 deficit for 2008. It had appeared that we where in a pattern of a consistent shortfall in funds.
The Stewardship Committee is recommending that any 2009 surplus be placed in reserve at the end of the year. Further, we are recommending that the Task Force which is charged with developing a long term financial plan, use the surplus in their planning. The commitment to our church community has been demonstrated to be both deep and wide. An excellent expression of this commitment can be seen in the following letter that was provided by a couple in the church to the Chair of Stewardship on December 12. As expressed in the letter, the stewardship committee hopes this will encourage everyone to consider the importance and value of their gifts as we close out 2009.
To Chair of Stewardship (12/12/2009)
We have followed closely the manner in which Oakhurst has responded to the gap between budget needs and income over the two years now in which the community has attempted to pay the mortgage as part of the general budget. For 18 months it seemed that the community had a consistent 50 to 60k annual shortfall.
Once the magnitude of the need sunk in, Oakhurst responded exactly as it said it would in dealing with financial issues. If there is value in what we are and what we are trying to be in the world, the resources will follow.
Turning a 60k deficit in August into a surplus by the end of the year, in the midst of the worst recession in recent memory, is a testament of how important this church is to the congregation. And the way it was done was remarkable. It wasn’t begging or hand wringing. It was the congregation addressing the issue, and many individuals deciding, quietly and without fanfare, “I can do more,’ and many apparently are doing much more.
We want to participate and be a part of securing this Church’s financial health not just for a year or two or five, but permanently. Due to recent unexpected circumstances we are able to increase our giving to the church for 2009 by $50,000. We want this gift to be used to help pay down principal on the mortgage. We hope this will help the task force in dealing with our long term budget issue, and further encourage all of us to financially support the experiment in grace that is Oakhurst.
Unsigned but delivered in person
—Billy Hall, Chair, Stewardship Committee
Merry Christmas
from the Church Staff
Lanny Peters
Melanie Vaughn-West
Karen Shipp
Cathy McGaughey
Rachel Frank
Peter Junker
MINDING OUR BODIES AND SPIRITS
Sunday Mornings, January 10-31, 9:30 am
Bill Stayton, Professor, Assistant Director of the Center for Excellence for Sexual Health at Morehouse School of Medicine, and Annie Hardison-Moody—soon to be doctor of theology from Emory University—will lead our high school youth and their parents in several Sunday morning sessions on sexuality. Parents, please make plans to attend with your youth! There will be more detailed information for parents to follow soon. Please contact Melanie Vaughn-West in the church office with any questions.
2009 YEAR END CONTRIBUTIONS
The church’s accounting books for 2009 close on December 31. Please insure that all your gifts for 209 are received by the church, or postmarked by December 31, 2009, in order to be recorded as 2009 gifts. Thank you for giving systematically and sacrificially to insure that Oakhurst Baptist Church continues to share God’s grace and love in the world.
OAKHURST BAPTIST CHURCH
Every member a minister
CHURCH TELEPHONE 404-378-3677 • FAX 404-378-3225
www.oakhurstbaptist.org
Lanny Peters Pastor (lanny@oakhurstbaptist.org)
Melanie Vaughn-West Pastor (melanie@oakhurstbaptist.org)
Karen Shipp Minister of Music (karen.shipp@oakhurstbaptist.org)
Cathy McGaughey Church Administrator (cathy@oakhurstbaptist.org)
Rachel Frank Assistant Minister
Peter Junker Custodian
Oakhurst Recovery Program
ORP Office Phone: 404-371-0590; Fax: 404-371-0577
Joe Canzoneri Editor, The Oakhurst Messenger
Published 25 times a year (bi-weekly except in July and December)
by Oakhurst Baptist Church, 222 East Lake Drive, Decatur, GA 30030