Newsletter | November 15, 2023

Family Night
This Wednesday

Join us for family night on Wednesday, November 15th.
Supper starts at 6:00 PM, followed by our
final night in the life of Joshua.

Menu for Family Night

Catalina Chicken, Rice, Garden Peas, Rolls, Dessert


We need any and everyone to help decorate the church for Christmas. We will decorate this Sunday, November 19th, following the morning service. A light lunch will be provided before we start. Please let Jonathan know or text Sami Mastrario at 229-567-6572 if you can help. This will also help give us a count for lunch.

Thank You

Thank you so much to each member of the Hostess/Host Committee for their hard work and dedication in preparing for our wonderful Harvest Banquet.  Thank you to Sami and Sue Mastrario for the beautiful decorations.  Thank you to our Finance/Personnel Committee and others for providing the delicious desserts and assistance.  Everything was awesome, and it was a result of the generous, sweet spirit of so many people.  You are amazing! 

Vickie Brown (Chairmen of the Hostess Committee)

Thank you, hostess committee, for a delicious meal. Thank you, Sami & Sue, for the beautiful & festive decorations, thanks to the finance committee who furnished desserts & helped serve & clean up, and thanks to all who donated funds to the harvest fund.

Brenda Lee (Chairmen of Finance Committee)

Christmas Post Office Coming Soon

Start working on your Christmas Cards. The Christmas Post Office will open on Sunday morning, November 26. If you would like to send Christmas cards to church members who live in Ashburn, drop them off and let us sort and distribute them for you. Boxes will be located around the church. Donations to the post office will go towards shipping and items for Operation Christmas Child Boxes.

Giving as of November 13, 2023

Budget for 2023 . . . . . . . .  $348,707.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . $307,766.85
Received to Date . . . . . . . . $215,040.96
Needed for weekly budget . . .  $6,705.91
Tithes Received this week . . . . $4,557.00
Harvest Banquet . . . . . . . . .  $38,865.00

MID-WEEK DEVOTION

Donā€™t forget to check out Brother Davidā€™s Mid-Week Devotion in the book of Psalms. They are uploaded each Wednesday on the sermon page.

From Our Pastor

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you have a wonderful day with family or friends.  We have so much for which to be thankful.  God has been so good to us. 

I was reminded of this recently when I came to Isaiah 12 in my devotion time.  It is a beautiful chapter of thanksgiving, praise, and joy.  Its six verses are filled with reasons to thank God.

Isaiah first reminds us of Godā€™s grace.  Verse 1 says, ā€œā€¦I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away and You comfort me.ā€  What a testimony of Godā€™s grace!  In spite of Israelā€™s rebellion and sin, God will pour out His grace upon her.  Isnā€™t that what He has done in salvation?  Isnā€™t that what God does when we confess our sins?  How thankful we should be for His grace!

We then see Godā€™s care for us.  Verse 2 says, ā€œBehold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.ā€  What an amazing statement ā€“ ā€œI will trust and not be afraid.ā€  We can say that!  Think of all the promises that God has made to us.  He will guide, strengthen, protect, and provide.  We have His wonderful care.

Next, God has given us His wonderful joy from within.  Verse 3 says ā€œTherefore You will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.ā€  God gives His joy from within that we can experience no matter our outward circumstances.  Our Lord told the woman at the well, ā€œBut whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal lifeā€ (John 4:14).  We should be thankful because God gives us His joy in spite of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Last, we are reminded of Godā€™s goodness.  Isaiah was inspired to write, ā€œPraise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth (verse 5).ā€  Think of the ā€œexcellent thingsā€ God has done for you.  James 1:17 tells us that every good gift is from the Lord.  Every good thing in our life is from God.  How thankful we ought to be!

Isaiah was right.  Our wonderful Lord deserves our joyful thanksgiving.  Letā€™s make that our focus this Thanksgiving.

Sunday, November 19

Deacon of the Week:  Daniel West

Deacon Greeters
Front Door:  Daniel West
Organ Greeter:  David Flake
Piano Greeter:  Dwane Lewis

Sound:  Daniel West
Video:  Julie West

Nursery Workers
Sue Mastrario & Jane Smith

Sunday, November 26

Deacon of the Week:  Tom LaRocca

Deacon Greeters
Front Door:  Tom LaRocca
Organ Greeter:  Daniel West
Piano Greeter:  Allen Whitehead

Sound:  Daniel West
Video:  Julie West

Nursery Workers
Sandra Ellis & Elizabeth See