This time last year we were looking forward to turning the page and leaving 2020 behind. It turns out that 2021 has brought its own challenges. So, once again we enter the final month of the year with anticipation and hope.
Making Jesus Known
December is an excellent time for you to invite someone to church. Studies have shown that most people will attend a worship service if they are invited. And their receptivity increases during the Christmas season. Be praying about the opportunity to invite someone.
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving we will begin a new series: A Tale of Two Kingdoms from the Gospel of Matthew. Because of the length of Matthew’s Gospel, we will present several mini-series beginning with The Advent of the King from Matthew 1-3. Each week we will explore the themes of Advent – Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love – ending with Christ and a celebration of the Lord’s Supper on December 26th.
Our worship ministry will present Christmas at Huffman on Sunday afternoon, December 19th. This will be an afternoon filled with the music of Christmas featuring soloists, the worship team, and our choir. Our friends at Kingdom Family Christian Fellowship will join us. And we might even have a few other surprises.
Across the Street
On Saturday, December 18th Huffman Baptist Church in partnership with Kingdom Family Christian Fellowship and the Christian Service Mission will bless 100 families in our neighborhood. These are families we have ministered to over the past two years through food distribution. We will invite them to our Recreation Center for a free “shopping” experience. Christian Service Mission is providing thousands of free items including clothing, electronics, health and beauty supplies, bedding, and toys.
There are many ways for you to be involved. First, we are also asking for Sunday School classes to write Christmas cards with gospel messages to include in the give away. But we also need volunteers the week before the Outreach event to help unpack and display the items. Then on Saturday morning, we will need volunteers to greet families, assist them with their shopping, and engage them in prayer and gospel conversations.
This is a fantastic opportunity for us to live out our vision of making Jesus known across the street. For more information and to volunteer, go to our homepage at huffmanbaptist.org.
Around the World
I am thankful for the vision of my predecessors who saw the need for a unified mission offering, which we call The Blessing. Through God’s blessing and your faithfulness, we have already given $60,000 to The Blessing through the end of October! We want to have a strong finish and surpass our goal of $68,700 so that we can bless our mission partners and continue to make Jesus known.
Deacon Election
Earlier this fall, our church family nominated thirty-two members to be considered for the office of deacon. In accordance with our Policies and Procedures, the Deacon Screening Committee ranked the nominees starting with the member receiving the most nominations. The Committee then reviewed each nominee’s qualifications to serve as stated in Article IV, Sections 4 and 5 of the church by-laws. Those who did not meet the qualifications were removed from the nominated list.
In November, The Deacon Screening Committee presented a list of twelve qualified nominees to the Deacon Council for their approval. These nominees who are willing to serve will be presented to the church for your approval on December 12th during a called Family Meeting.
Some Changes for 2022
As previously announced, we are moving to a new digital platform in January. For those of you who are “internet savvy,” you may want to go ahead and download the Church Center app for your smartphone. This will give you access to the church calendar and allow you to register for various events and to give online. To access the same information from your computer, visit huffmanbaptist.churchcenter.com/home
As we make this transition, allow me to answer some questions that you may be asking. First, no one has access to your personal information except for you. Staff members and group leaders only have access to your information that is applicable for their ministry assignment. Second, there is absolutely no connection between Church Center and any social media platform. And finally, while we are moving toward a more digital approach, you will still have non-digital options.
Starting in January, The Source will also take on a fresh look and a new primary delivery method. Most of you will receive the monthly newsletter in your email inbox, so it’s important that we have your correct email address. You can verify and update that information in Church Center. Printed copies will also be available for those who do not have an email address.