Happy New Year! We say this every year, but this year we actually mean it! Many, if not all, of us are excited to see 2020 exit (no offense 2020… or all offense 2020) and are ready for 2021 to enter. This year has produced troubles, stresses and headaches in almost every area of our lives. When we look back over this year we experience a range of emotions including anger, grief, fear and confusion. As we look to 2021… we may still feel some of the same with maybe a little hope that it will be better than the last. 

As I look to 2021, I see what I saw looking back over 2020: Jesus. What we need in this new year ahead is to Encounter Jesus on a daily basis. We need Him to lead and guide us every day we wake up. We need Him to guide our Encounters with other people. We need Jesus to guide our thoughts and words. We need Him in every facet of our lives just as we did this year. He’s the only stable factor in our lives year in and year out. 

We have  been focusing on the vision for Ava G/B church to Encourage one another all the more as we see the Day of Christ’s return drawing near (Hebrews 10:25), to Equip one another with the Word of God for the work of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and to Encounter those not following God with the salvation message of forgiveness through Jesus Christ alone (Matthew 28:18-20). Our focus for 2021 will intensely be on Encountering Jesus Daily. We don’t know what this year holds, but I know one thing: every one of us needs to Encounter Jesus Daily. That is in prayer and the reading and studying of His Word. We need to Encounter Jesus Daily ON PURPOSE. If we are not intentional in setting a time and plan for reading the Bible then we won’t. If we are not intentional in conversing with God daily then we won’t. We will find ourselves scrambling to Him in times of crisis and then blaming Him when we are lost in confusion instead of walking with Him daily to find clarity for the things and people whom we will Encounter daily. 

Will you pledge with me to Encounter Jesus daily… on purpose? Are you ready for 2021 to be the biggest year of personal growth with your relationship with God? Are you ready to surrender 2021 to your Lord and Savior? 

We will help you do that as a community of believers who identify as Ava General Baptist Church. We will be giving a devotion to everyone in person during the January 3rd worship service. Anyone who wants one who joins us online that Sunday we’ll ask to comment on the Facebook live feed and mail/deliver them a devotion. 

This devotional is written by a lady in our congregation who  Encounters Jesus Daily. She currently sends a text every morning to a group of women to Encourage and Equip them with God’s Word. We are thankful for the work and study that Stephanie Degase puts into these and would like to thank her for the commitment to the body of Christ and letting us print her work. I know it will Encourage and Equip you in your walk with God. 

I challenge you to commit 34 days to reading God’s Word by using this devotional as a guide. Will you join me? 

I would also like to thank you for the partnership in ministry for 2020. We had 2 baptisms and 6 new members join the church. Together, we have helped our community with food by partnering with The Food Harvest in Ava and the backpack program within the Ava School system to send children home with food on the weekends and long breaks. We’ve also  helped students with needs for learning by partnering with the local Care to Learn chapter,  and provided supplies/training for new parents in crisis pregnancy by partnering with the Options Pregnancy Care Center. We’ve helped those struggling with utility bills by partnering with the Ava Ministerial Alliance to bring relief during difficult times. There have been numerous cards/flowers sent to those mourning the loss of a loved one and those recovering from sicknesses/surgeries. We’ve been able to partner with G/B International Missions to help feed people around the world and provide pastoral assistance to those on our G/B mission fields and drill wells for people in India with little/no access to fresh water in their village/city. We’ve helped fund our local FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) for Ava Schools and have been able to offer a scholarship to both High School students by partnering with the Ava Ministerial Alliance and to college students by partnering with Oakland City University. We’ve had updates to our signage and other needed repairs that came up during 2020. We’ve been able to provide all of this while still taking care of our church grounds and every day operating expenses without having to receive help from any outside agency. Thank you for your faithfulness and partnership in ministry with Ava G/B church. I know it’s true: we are Better Together! I’m excited as to what God will do through us in 2021. 

Pastor Tim

Becoming the Encounter – Acts 28

New Year Necessities

 

Main Point: As we Become the Encounter, we are to look for new opportunities to grow in our relationship with God and lead others to do the same as we Encounter the unexpected.

 

Acts 28:23-31

 

To be ALERT, we need:

 

     2.      Ears that hear

 

To ADJUST, we need:

     3.      A heart that understands

 

 

January 2021

8:30 a.m. Service

03 – Theresa Miller

10 – Janice Gray

17 – Kylie Loftin

24 – Cindy Garrett

31 – Helen Hoogendoorn

 

Sunday School Service

03 – N/A

10 – Lyndsey Reese

17 – Kim Johnson

24 – Helen Hoogendoorn

31 – Andrea Naylor

 

10:45 a.m. Service

03 – Alisha Jones

10 – Micca Sims

17 – Lauren King

24 – Morgan Loftin

31 – Kwincie Hannaford

 

My Prayer

 

Humbly let me walk, oh Lord,

beneath the heavenly sky;

Daily may I seek, oh Lord,

thy blessings from on high;

May all my acts—my deeds, oh Lord,

be the extension of Thy hand

to loved ones, neighbors, friends or foe,

to all throughout the land.

 

Meekly let me walk, oh Lord,

with grace Thy light to shine;

Sincerely may I feel, oh Lord,

good works are yours—not mine;

Give me the faith, oh lord,

to feel Thy presence ever nigh;

When for advice of choice I need

To Thee alone I’ll cry.

 

Humbly let me walk, oh Lord,

that I may keep in mind,

that I, vain self, am oh, so small,

To thee, the One most high.

 

—— Faye Case

 

 

 

               Special Events

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verses For The New Year

 

Psalm 96:1-3

At the dawn of the new year I’m filled with hope for what is to come, and I have thankfulness in my heart for what has already passed. I pray that I will keep my focus where it needs to be this year and that we’ll all have a year filled with joy, love and happiness

 

 

Isaiah 43:18-19 

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

 

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Tex-Mex Fantasy

 

(From The Kitchen Of Lula Mae Denney)

 

 

In a 13”x 9” Pyrex dish layer the following:

Layer 1: 2 cans of  Frito Jalapeno dip

Layer 2: Mix together 2 ripe avocados, mashed

   2 T. lemon juice, fresh

   1/2 t. salt

   1/4 t. pepper

Layer 3: Mix together 1 c. sour cream

   1/2 c. mayonnaise

   1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

Layer 4: Layer these– 1 bunch of  green onions, tops and all

    chopped

    1 – 6 oz. Can ripe olives,           chopped

    3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

    1-2 c. shredded Monterey

    Jack cheese

 

Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos