Ways We Celebrate Christmas in East Central Baptist Association Churches
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December 2022 Volume 36, Issue 12
The Communicator Ways We Celebrate Christmas in East
Central Baptist Association Churches
We asked our ECBA churches to share how their Alexandria and Muncie campuses held
church has celebrated Christmas this year. Here Christmas Day services at 11:00 am.
are just some of the ways they shared,
worshipped, and enjoyed commemorating the
birth of Jesus. (see pictures throughout the
newsletter.)
New Day Baptist Church
New Day’s celebration of Christmas began in
November. Both the Alexandria and Pendleton
Campuses are official collection sites for the New Day in Pendleton decorates their sanctuary with lights.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry.
They collected 827 boxes! Upcoming is the New Day’s Muncie campus also held a
opportunity to help at the Charlotte, North Carolina Christmas party following their worship service
processing center from February 5 – 10. ECBA is on December 11. At the service the children
providing the transportation. See more details in presented short play for the church. After the
this newsletter. pitch-in they had a gift exchange.
On December 2, the Alexandria campus held a Halteman Village and Remedy City
“Cookies and Canvas” event. Attendees were able
to paint a Christmas picture and enjoy Christmas Halteman Village Baptist Church and Remedy
treats. The Pendleton campus hosted the City combined their services. The musicians
Christmas Eve service at 6:00 pm and the practiced together in advance and pastors
Nathan Watson and Jeremiah Kinney shared the
Disaster Relief Continues in sermon. Jeremiah presented the first point and
the Wintertime Nathan the second, both from Luke 2.
Disasters do not slow down in the wintertime. Our On Sunday, December 11th, Remedy City went
disaster relief team continues to serve God by into the neighborhood surrounding their building
serving others. Most recently the team has been and Christmas caroled. They had about twenty
working on a home in Bremen, Indiana. The home carolers and knocked on about 30 doors, with
belongs to an elderly couple who have been about ten who answered and got to enjoy the
experiencing many difficulties. Their floor joists caroling. They gave out outreach cards and got
had fallen and they could not afford the repairs to know their neighbors a little better.
due to hospital debts. Our team went in and raised Redeemer Baptist Church
the house and repaired the foundation.
Additionally, the team had 18 volunteers helping Redeemer’s annual Angel Christmas Tree
to build a wheelchair ramp in Yorktown in early collected gifts for the Christian Center (for men)
December. (Continued on page 5)
If you are interested in joining in these
opportunities for service, please contact Joe Fox, Inside This Issue
765-729-1366. The next available Disaster Relief
Training Session will be on Saturday, January The Katecheo 2
14th, 2023 at Cornerstone Church, Miami County
Birthdays/Anniversaries and upcoming events 2
Fairgrounds, 1029 W 200 N, Peru, IN 46970, from
8:00 am to 2:00 pm. First-time certification cost is Shoebox Ministry Opportunity 3-4
$45. Recertification cost is $25. Lunch is provided. Christmas Pictures 5
Page 2 V O LU M E 3 6 , IS S U E 1 2
Dr. Ron Ross
Unpacking His Presence at Christmas instead, He became flesh as evidenced in a historical
event as referenced in Romans 1.3; 8.3; Philippians 2.7;
Recently this writer had an opportunity to share a 1 Timothy 3.16 and Hebrews 2.14.
message about Christmas with a family of believers. The
message was based on one of, if not the best, summary III. The EFFECTS of His Presence ("and dwelt among
statements about the Incarnation found in the Gospel of us,")
John. You will remember this letter was written by John
to assist the church he was part of in Ephesus. Written The Gospels detail examples of the effect Jesus had on
around A.D. 85, the church was experiencing the power the people of that day, while the word "dwelt among" in
of the Gnostic message. That message was causing the original language means "to spread one's tabernacle
believers to question the basic integrity of Jesus Christ among us." Jesus tabernacled among those living in that
and His Personhood. John 1.14, formally in the Greek time period.
text as an introduction to the third paragraph, now in the IV. The EVIDENCES of His Presence ("and we beheld
latest revision of the Greek text, it serves as the His glory,")
conclusion of paragraph two. Note the verse as it is
unpacked— Psalms 19.1-6 and Romans 1.20 provide the student
with what some have called Natural Revelation. Every
I. The ETERNALITY of His Presence ("And the human being that has ever lived or will live experiences
Word") the encounter with God's presence through the things
The logos [the word for Word] was not used of reason or He has made. Maturing Christians realize that Psalms
mind nor of any human creature; rather it was used as 19.7-11 confirms the importance of Special Revelation
speech or word. It is not an attribute of God, but an or the written Word that, through the ministry of Holy
active reality of God. If you'd like to do additional study Spirit, people are convicted of sin and called to salvation
on this, consult Colossians 1.15-20 and Hebrews 1.1-3. in and through Jesus Christ.
This concept logos may become clearer if thinking of A. An ENSURING Personhood ("glory as of the only
Acts 17.22ff (and following), as Paul addressed the begotten from the Father,")
intelligencia of that day by addressing the inscription,
"TO AN UNKNOWN GOD." Jesus manifested God's presence before an depraved
creation and this was all done prophetically through a
II. The ESSENCE of His Presence ("became flesh") "chosen" virgin girl. At this point we must check out our
Contrary to some Gnostic belief, LOGOS was not a Bible translation—Jesus is the only begotten Son of
spirit, merely taking a new form that could come and go; God. Remember the sin of Adam has been and
continues to be carried through each male; thus, Jesus
is the only begotten Son of God. True, God has many
sons and daughters, but through "adoption."
B. An ENDEARING Purity ("full of grace and truth.")
Please pray for our pastors and their wives on these Since Jesus is God (John 1.1c), we note that grace and
special occasions. truth are key words. The Greek word pleres conveys the
meaning of
Birthdays
"completely full of
None grace and The Truth."
Anniversaries Upcoming Events In January
Wow, who would have
January 23—Jim & Jama Marlow’s 42nd SBC Emphasis for January ever thought this verse
anniversary (North Delaware—Muncie) had so much to say!
January 1-8 —January Bible Study Something to ponder
Church Anniversaries
None January 22—Sanctity of Human Life Sunday in this Christmas
Season!
V
VOOL
LUUM
MEE 3
364 ,, II S
SSSU
UEE 1
22 Page 5
(Continued from page 1)
and the Willow Place (for women) in
Anderson. The choir presented the
Christmas musical, “O Little Town of
Bethlehem” on December 11th during
the morning worship service. A
special Christmas Eve
service was planned
but an icy parking lot
and some frozen pipes
prompted a decision to
New Day—Muncie had a pitch-in and gift cancel. A pancake and
The children presented a Christmas play at New
exchange following their worship service sausage breakfast Day Baptist Church in Muncie
was provided
Christmas morning
starting at 9:15 am and the Christmas
Day worship service was held at
10:45 am.
On Saturday, December 3rd,
Redeemer hosted their annual White
Elephant gift exchange Christmas
party. It is always a enjoyable evening
of good fun, food, and fellowship.
Just a couple of the photo op pictures.
New Day-Muncie set up a photo op.
Cookies and Canvas at New Day—Alexandria
was a fun time for all! (above) Painted pictures
were all similar but unique. (below)
The Adult Christmas Party and White Elephant Gift Exchange is always at hit at Redeemer.EAST CENTRAL BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
c/o Pat Storm
8900 W County Road 950 N
Middletown IN 47356
Phone: 765-623-3940
Email: ecba@theecba.org
www.theecba.org
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