Our Life Together: 8th - 15th December 2013

Sunday 8th
10:00am Worship Service Preacher: David Morland Ex 1:1-22 Introduction to the 10 Commandments (plus Sunday School) followed by Morning Tea in the hall 6:00pm Portland Christmas Carols on Bentinck St lawns

Thursday 12th Friday 13th

9:00am KYB at Lois Browns home 9:30am Walking Group 7:30pm Decorate the Church Christmas Tree

Enjoying God, Blessing Others

Sunday 8th December 2013 Welcome!

Sunday 15th

Tuesday 10th

9:30am Walking Group 10:30am Prayer at Church House 2:00pm Seniors Christmas Carols Afternoon in the hall

10:00am Worship Service Preacher: David Morland Matt 2:1-18 Christmas (plus Sunday School inc. Gr. 4-6) followed by Morning Tea in the hall 2:00pm BUPA Monthly Service 5:00pm Our Church Christmas BBQ & Carols at Drik Drik

A very warm welcome to everyone joining us in worship this morning. We trust that everyone will receive a blessing from the Lord today.

Tonight - 6:00pm:
Community Christmas Carols at the Bentinck St. Foreshore

Wednesday 11th

Home Groups: 7:30pm Blakes at J & J Simpsons 7:30pm Symes at L & D Oakleys 7:30pm Young Adults (see Rachael or phone 0427 295 475)

Our Upcoming Highlights

Our Seniors Christmas Carols Service: Tuesday 10th December - 2:00pm

Loaves & Fishes

Thank you to everyone for your faithful support and donations. Items most needed include: tea; coffee; sugar; canned vegetables; soup; pasta; tissues; shampoo; conditioner; toiletries; jam; biscuits. Please place donations in the foyer basket. BULLETIN NOTICES: To place
notices in the bulletin, please contact Wilma Crouch on 5523 3595 or email c r o u c h c a s t l e @ b i g p o nd . c o m b y 10:00am Thursdays. Thank you.

Decorate the Church Christmas Tree: Next Friday 13th - 5:30pm Roster 15th December
Door Greeting: Media Desk: Morning Tea: Dianne Adams Dallas & Yvonne R & R Mibus R Dalliston Lawns & Garden: M Atwell Ch. House Clean: D Wulff Church Cleaning: P & J Westlake Hall/Kitchen Clean: L & D Oakley Our monthly Service at BUPA Aged Care: Next Sunday 15th - 2:00pm Church Christmas Carols & BBQ at Drik Drik: Next Sunday 15th - 5:00pm Our Christmas Day Service: Wednesday 25th - 9:00am

Door & Offering: Len Caddick

Pastor:

Secretary:

Deacons:
Dianne Adams Paul Adams David Hein 5523 6202 5521 1875 5523 3958 (Treasurer) Nathan McLean 0429 691 477 Ted Skewes 5521 1580 Doug Smith 5523 6950 Glenn Sobey 5529 2439 Jan Westlake 5523 3639

Offering Counting: R Crouch &

Glenn Sobey David Morland PO Box 574 1 Palmer St Portland 3305 Portland 3305 Ph: 5529 2439 Ph: 5523 7005 M: 0409 258 135 Mob: 0407 805 711 damorland@bigpond.com tractor_commander @hotmail.com

Church Phone: 5523 2257

Website: www.portlandbaptist.org.au

The Churches of Portland present:

Carols by Candlelight and the Christmas Story TONIGHT!

6:00pm on the Bentinck St Lawns Come and hear the Christmas story and join in singing the songs of Christmas Bring chairs and picnic blankets - food and coffee available

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col. 4:2

OUR FINANCES
November Offering total: $11,847 Monthly Budget: $15,150 Weekly Target: $ 3,500 Weekly Average $ 2,722
(avg. from 1st July 2013)

Several of our number - laid low

with severe flu/bronchitis/cough, pray for their swift healing and return to full strength Continue to pray for those with ongoing health needs - Helen Sobey; Matthew Harris; Mieke Walker; Rob Selwood; Peter and Joy Simpson; Daryl Hobbs; Marie Wilson; Lyndon Oakley; Ken Douglass; John Brown; Julie Manson; Jenny Batten; their families. Norm & Karen Roberts - pray for rest on their annual leave. Pray that God will find support for the NT Yapa Churches in 2015 & onward. SUFM - Pray for all the young people now training to take part. Monday Joyce Wyllie Tuesday Pastor David & Anne Morland Wednesday Secretary - Glenn Sobey Thursday Treasurer - David Hein Friday Deacons - Paul Adams, David Hein, Nathan McLean, Ted Skewes, Glenn Sobey, Jan Westlake Saturday Sunday School students & teachers Sunday Worship Team - Helen Sobey

Week Week Week Week

of 3rd November $3,109 of 10th November $2,594 of 17th November $3,293 of 24th November $2,850

A good friend reaches a special milestone!

To our dear friend, Marie Wilson, heartiest blessings and good wishes for your 80th birthday tomorrow. We return to you in abundant measure the love, kindness and thoughtfulness with which you embrace us so often. And to all Marie's many friends - You are invited to a special afternoon to honour Marie: on Saturday 21st December in our Church Hall between 2:00-4:00pm with the cutting of the cake at 3.00pm. Come along and surround Marie with your presence - and bring a plate of finger food to share.

Direct Debit Payments for offerings and donations can be made electronically. Details are as follows: Acc Name: Portland Baptist Church Direct Offering BSB 704 922 Account No. 100 006 869

Building Fund
November Donations: $210 Current available balance: $126,765 All gifts to the building fund are fully tax deductible. Please take the information sheets (blue & yellow) and envelopes which are available in the porch. You can deposit straight into the building fund via internet banking using the following information: Acc Name: Portland Baptist Church Direct Building Fund BSB 704 922 Account No 100 007 044

Seniors Christmas Afternoon

Tuesday 10th December

Calling all Seniors!

Our annual Seniors Christmas Carols afternoon will be held this Tuesday 10th December at 2:00pm in the Hall. All Seniors are warmly invited to come along for an early taste of Christmas - Carolsinging, items, and a special Afternoon Tea provided by the BWF ladies. RSVP to Dianne (5523 6202) by TODAY. Please call Dianne with any queries.

Lets press on in faith!

Roberts Ramblings
Norm and Karen Roberts latest issue of their newsletter is now available. Do collect a copy from the foyer and please keep Norm, Karen and the communities in prayer. Our weekly Prayer Group meeting is held every Tuesday at Church House from 10:3011:30am. Everyone is encouraged to join in this vital ministry. You will find a very warm welcome there!

Happy 18th Birthday!

Very special Congratulations to Karissa Malseed for her 18th Birthday this Tuesday - already very thoroughly celebrated last night!! May God always bless and guide you Karissa through the exciting years of your future.

Decorate our Christmas Tree!

We will decorate our church Christmas Tree next Friday 13th December at 5.30pm, early enough that the young ones can join in. Pizza, nibbles and cuppas provided afterwards. This will be a great church family/any age activity! All welcome!

DATES TO REMEMBER
Portland Community Christmas Carols on Bentinck St. lawns: TONIGHT - 6:00pm Walking Group: Meet at Hood St carpark Tuesday & Fridays - 9.30am Prayer Meeting at Church House: Tuesdays at Church House - 10:30am Seniors Christmas Carols Afternoon: This Tuesday 10th December in the hall - 2:00pm Decorate the Church Christmas Tree - Pizza Tea provided: Next Friday 13th - 5:30pm Our Monthly Service at BUPA: Next Sunday 15th - 2:00pm Church Christmas BBQ & Carols with the Holmes at Drik Drik: Next Sunday 15th December - 5:00pm Our Christmas Day Service: Wednesday 25th December - 9:00am SUFM - Portland Beach Mission program on Bentinck St lawns: from December 30th - January 8th

SUFM is Coming!
A note for your Diary:
SUFM will be running programs on the Bentinck St lawns from December 30th - January 8th. Church visits will be held on December 29th and January 5th. Please keep the whole SUFM team in prayer during this busy time of preparation.

Thought for the Season . . .

There are some of us who think to ourselves, If I had only been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby. I would have washed His linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger! Yes, we would. We say that because we know how great Christ is, but if we had been there at the time, we would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem ... Why dont we do it now? We have Christ in our neighbour. Martin Luther

Drik Drik ~ Drik Drik ~

Drik Drik!

Parents & Tots Room

Parents are welcome to use the room off the foyer, with activities for children up to 2 years old, if your child is unsettled. It is sound-linked to the auditorium.

Our Annual Church Christmas BBQ and Carols Night at Peter and Punay's home at Drik Drik

NEXT Sunday 15th December

Remember to register for Drik Drik! Forms in church foyer & church hall.
We have been asked to take a salad, a sweet and a drink to share - and a chair. See Christmas Dates page for directions.

Some notes from last Monday's Deacons' Meeting

On the property front: (1) (2) (1) (2) (3) (4) we hope to fix the water damage on the church back wall during January. we spent time analysing our manse situation. we redrafted the Nomination form for the position of Deacon we noted two applications for Membership we made preaching arrangements for Sunday 22nd December. Our pastor will be in Melbourne for a wedding. we set the dates for Members Meetings 2014: 23rd February; 25th May; 31st August; 23rd November.

A few Christmas Dates

Carols by Candlelight: TONIGHT! - 6:00pm on the Bentinck St lawns. Bring chairs,

picnic blankets, be warm. Food & coffee available or BYO if you prefer.

On the admin front:

Seniors Christmas Carols Service:

Tuesday 10th December - 2:00pm in the Church Hall, including Afternoon Tea. All Seniors warmly invited! RSVP by TODAY to Dianne (5523 6202). All queries to Dianne.

Decorate the Church Christmas Tree:

Next Friday 13th December - 5:30pm at the church. Pizza Tea provided afterwards. All welcome.

RELAY FOR LIFE

PBC TEAM February 2014
Its time to register our team and start fundraising, either individually or as a Church.
Theme: NARNIA Registrations: close 31st January 2014 Cost: $20.00 which includes Insurance and Shirt Registration forms: are with the Roster on the church hall notice board. People can also register online at the Relay for Life Website - search for Portland Baptist Church Team. Then register and join the team and/or make a donation to help reach our target of $1,000. Roster: People can put down the times they want to walk. We need volunteers for midnight to 6:00am times and Saturday 12:00 - 4:00pm - these are the hardest time slots to fill. We need as many team members as possible to come for the final ceremony. Its a good way to finish Relay and makes light work for final pack up, when people are very tired especially those who stay overnight. Banners and Costumes: A working bee will be held at the church hall on Saturday 18th January at 12.00noon. Please contact Debbie for more details (5521 7164 or 0439 550 244).

BBQ & Carols Evening at Drik Drik:

Next Sunday 15th December - at Peter and Punay Holmess home, Nelson Rd, Drik Drik starting at 5:00pm. Please register your attendance in the foyer or hall.

Directions: Take the Henty Highway to Heywood, turn left toward

Mount Gambier, drive to Winnap (about 15-20 minutes). You will see a standard size, green direction sign at Winnap pointing to a left turn for Nelson. You will also see the Paestan Canoe Hire sign. Turn left, look for the Drik Drik cemetery on the right after about 6 kilometres. Peter and Punays home is 1km further on from the cemetery on the right hand side.

Christmas Day Service:

Wednesday 25th December - 9:00am

Our Annual Christmas Day Offering

Every Christmas we give a special offering to Baptist World Aid to help support those who do not have the many blessings which we take for granted. Please come prepared to give a generous offering on Christmas Day. Special offering envelopes and information will be available Sunday December 22nd.