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Worship Ministry - December 2022

Thankfulness
"Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1

For some, being thankful comes easily, and others find it difficult. Having a thankful spirit takes practice and patience, especially in a world in which the attitude of “more, more, more” is the norm. We are bombarded with personalized ads, telling us all the things in the world that will make us healthier, happier, and "handsomer." Every day, we are pressured to get the new thing, just so we can feel like we fit in with those around us.

“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Psalm 17:15

Lord, may we be satisfied in you! Help us to rely on You for all that we need, and may You be all that we want.

We are in the season of thanksgiving and giving as we celebrate the holidays. It is easy for us to hang on for dear life as we go from one event to the next, buying all the presents, and eating all the food around us. My prayer for each of us this year is that we would remember for whom we should be thankful and who gave us the great gift ever. To help us do that this year, here are some ideas that will help us practice thankfulness:

1. Have your family write down things they are thankful for on little slips of paper. Place those in a bowl and pull one out each day so you can specifically thank the Lord for what He has done, and given to you.
2. As you wrap presents up, pray over each one for the person that will receive it. Pray that they will know the gift of Christ's salvation.
3. Set a reminder on your phone to take 5 minutes a day to sit quietly with the Lord. Silence and quiet will be in short supply during the holidays, so take time to be still in the Lord’s presence.
4. As you sit down for a meal this holiday season, specifically lift up those who are going without this year, and those that are hungry. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to help those in need.

Lyric of the Month
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord, unto me
faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Psalm 150:1-2
¹ Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! ² Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

May the Lord fill us up with thankfulness this year!

Women On Mission - December 2022

Who is this Lottie Moon, anyway?                                                                       

Charlotte Diggs Moon, 1840-1910, better known as Lottie Moon, became a legend in her own time.  A daughter of old Virginia and one of the best educated women in the South, Miss Moon was petite 4 feet 3 inches.  Her voice is described as deep, rich, gentle, musical, which she used skillfully as a teacher/missionary.  But no photographer ever captured on film the animated, attractive, charming, delightful, energetic, fearless Lottie Moon, although a few photos do exist.

For 40 years she represented Southern Baptists in China.  Again and again she wrote back to America, “Send on the missionaries.”  Once she wrote, “It is odd that the million Baptists of the South can furnish only three men for all China.  I wonder how this looks in heaven.  It certainty looks queer in China.”

After the Japanese-Russian war, economic conditions in China produced much poverty, but there were some new missionaries.  Miss Moon welcomed them, advised them, mothered them, and loved their children, who adored her in  return.  The Chinese women and children came and went in her home as if it were their own.  If the Pingtu Christians were starving, Miss Moon would not eat.  By December of her seventieth year, she was so frail the doctors sent her back to the States.  But enroute on Christmas Eve, while the ship rode at anchor in Kobe, Japan, Miss Moon died.  The memory of such a life never ends.

In 1918, Annie Armstrong, the woman who refused marriage to a China missionary so she could fulfill her calling as the leader of mission support among Southern Baptist women in the homeland, wrote: “Miss Moon is the one who suggested the Christmas offering for foreign missions.  She showed us the way in so many things.  Wouldn’t it be
appropriate to name the offering in her memory?”* And so it was.

Our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal is $10,000. Offering envelopes will be provided for each family.

Hallelujah! We received approximately 833 can of green beans for the Evansville Rescue Mission. Thank you Oakhill!

Women on Mission will meet on December 1st at 1:00 pm in the Grace classroom.