THE “PROCLAIMER” Newsletter of

PROVIDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH 1055 Lawyers Road; Red House, VA 23963

Church Phone: (434) 376-2719

January 2016

The Vulnerability of God

Have you ever thought about the vulnerability of God? Or, rather, I should say, the vulnerability God

chose when he sent Jesus to earth in human form? We serve an all-powerful God who is eternal and

impervious to human illness and injury. THIS God CHOSE to send a piece of himself to his people not only

in human form, but in embryonic form. Really, is there anyone more vulnerable on this earth than an unborn

baby? Jesus was totally dependent on Mary taking care of her own body and protecting this unborn child of an

unwed mother. Then, of course, he was a completely dependent infant counting on parents who essentially

became social outcasts because of his birth. The child Jesus was subject to hunger, the grief of losing loved

ones, and of course the sibling rival that I imagine would develop from younger siblings who literally had the

perfect brother. As a young man at the beginning of his ministry, Satan tested him in the desert by asking him

to use his godly power to improve his situation and Jesus again chose the vulnerability and hardships of

humanity. At the end of his human life, he chose not to call down the powers of heaven and an army of angels

at his disposal to rescue him from the cross so that he could fulfill his mission to be an atoning sacrifice for our

sins.

I think that at the beginning of the New Year when we are prone to making New Year’s resolutions, we

are more aware of our own vulnerabilities – we resolve to change those things about ourselves that we are

weakest in – we resolve to have more willpower around food or exercise or smoking or bad attitudes. . . . We

recognize our human frailties pretty quickly when we, more often than not, fail to attain those resolution goals.

It is encouraging to me that it was in these very human frailties that God’s greatest work was accomplished

through Jesus. Because of his human weaknesses, God’s power was all the more visible in and through him.

So don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and set goals that are larger than your ability to meet. For we serve a God

who has walked this road of vulnerable humanity and he accomplished his God-sized task. The power that he

accessed, he gave to us. He told his disciples in John 14:12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will

do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the

Father.” The Apostle Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “Each time he [God] said, ‘My grace is all you

need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power

of Christ can work through me.” So, in this new year, revel in your weaknesses, knowing that you serve a God

who experienced them himself and, in fact, used them to do the most powerful work imaginable—saving us

from the punishment of our sins and he gave us the victory over our own weaknesses in the process. Because

of his vulnerability, his strength works through our weaknesses today to accomplish great things. Are you

accessing his power in your life today?

Blessings!

The Proclaimer Page 2

CHILDREN’S & YOUTH CORNER

Children’s Church

Sunday mornings

during 11am

Worship

Service For children

through 2nd grade

Children’s Change Offering to

support the Food Bank is

collected

The 1st Sunday of each

month during the

Worship Service

NURSERY Available EVERY

Sunday during Sunday

school and worship

Birthdays, Anniversaries and Special Events

Sunday, January 3

Jon & Melissa Bennett

Sunday, January 10

Connie Barksdale

Sunday, January 17

Jerleen Marston

Sunday, January 24

Brian & Cara Bennett

Sunday, January 31

Melanie Chambers &

Kayla Collins

Sunday, February 7

Crystal Ramsey &

Morgan Curtis

1 Harold Clowdis

2 William Clowdis Janet Reeves

Billy Dixon

4 Joanne Jones

5 Mary Lee Reynolds

Welford Whitlow

6 Billy Guy Mitchell 7 Virginia Marston

10 Savannah Jones

13 Rebecca Reynolds

17 Andy Clowdis

18 Kelsie Barksdale Becky Reeves Mann

Mark Petty

Ryleigh Swanberg

Chris Swanberg

23 Sheila Mullins

Leslie Homan 28 Kent Reynolds

31 Annette Bennett

Sara May

1 Melvin and Betty Reeves

23 Bill and Jane Tomlinson

Resumes January 13

7pm

anniversaries

OPPORTUNITIES for ADULTS

CHURCH BUSINESS

SATURDAY, December 19

9:00 am until Noon

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

The Proclaimer Page 3

The J.O.Y. Group

Will be taking a break in the month of

January. Our next meeting will be in

February, hosted by Rindy Reeves.

Details to be announced.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER NEEDS Patrick Cheatham Ethel Jennings Rachel Rice Carolyn Chambers

Melvin Reeves Jack Chambers Sarah May Carolyn Cheatham

Bob Holt John Fallon Elaine Hamlett Wayland Vaughn

Billy Christian Richard Hileman, Sr. Neola Smith Buck Wilkinson & Family

Clifford Blackwelder Eddie Peck Carol Anne Reynolds Kelci Hendricks

Jerry Greene Reid Hamlet Amy Lynn & Family Amanda Presley

Gary Hunter Helen Mullins Chuck Chumley Leonard Kistner

Buck Chumley Dick & Cindy White Tony Sasser Bill Owens

Rachel Saxton Lula Chumley Sweeny Ruth Ann Mullins Darlene Saucedo

Melanie Chambers Nancy Jones Amanda Winks & Babies Rev. Charles Gibson Rev. Shelby Royal

DEACONS

Chair:

Bill Wells 376-9978

Vice Chair:

Carl Reeves 248-9728

Secretary:

Richard Nunnally 660-5037

Susan Adams 315-4325

Annette Bennett 664-5004

Brian Bennett 664-8309

William Clowdis 376-5044

Benny Marston 248-6350

Emily Mitchell 248-6390

Mike Reeves 660-0423

TUESDAY, January 5

7:00 PM

Adult Bible Study

will resume on

January 13 at 7 pm

Monday

January 4

Meeting once a

month on the 4th

Wednesday.

Next meeting on

January 27

Martha Colwell – Our Missionary

Military: Frankie Jennings, Erica Harris and Chanse Cook

On December 9th, our JOY Group, hosted by Dan and Carolyn

Cheatham, traveled to Danville, VA to the Ascension Lutheran Church to

view their Chrismon tree and learn about this major ministry of their

church. The Chrismon Tree ornaments originated in this church in 1957

and has spread to Christians all over the world. The Christ Monograms

(Chrismons) proclaim the name, the life, and the saving acts of Jesus Christ.

Each year Ascension Church places in their sanctuary a live evergreen tree, 20 to 24 feet tall, full

bodied with a single trunk, symbolizing eternal life. The tree contains 2,000 tiny white lights that

speak of Him who is the Light of the world. The 600 designs of only gold and white ornaments speak

of the purity of

Jesus. This year’s tree has over 2500 total ornaments, some old, some new, and many donated from

different areas around the world.

The focal point of the tree is a large figure 8 loop of ornaments on the front of the tree. It

explains, symbolically, our Lord’s life and the nature of God within the framework of THE

CHRISTIAN YEAR. The smaller upper loop proclaims the triune God. The larger lower loop shows

God’s most complete revelation of Himself in the life of the man Jesus.

When we stepped into the sanctuary of the church, the height,

width, lighting and positioning of the tree was most impressive. After

one of the ladies from the Chrismons Ministry Team explained and

answered questions, we were able to go closer to the tree and take it all

in! The kneelers around the altar were in needlepoint, with Chrismons

in the center of each cushion. The love of God was everywhere!

Carolyn Cheatham

JOY GROUP CHRISTMAS TRIP

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Providence Baptist Church

P.O. Box 116

Red House, VA 23963

“We invite you to Providence Baptist Church where you will

always be welcomed with open arms.”

Rev. Scott Curtis, Pastor

488 Lawyers Road

Red House, VA 23963

Pastor Scott, Kristen and their children.

Upcoming Sermons

January 3 “COLORFUL RESOLUTIONS”

Genesis 9:11-17

January 10 “THE TEMPLE”

John 2:13-22

January 17 “THE ONE & ONLY”

John 3:14-18

January 24 “THE GLORIFIED CHRIST”

John 12:20-33

January 31 “THE TEACHER”

John 20: 1-18 & 11:34

WEDNESDAY 6 pm ADULT CHOIR PRACTICE

7pm ADULT BIBLE STUDY (Resumes Jan 13)

7pm CHILDREN’S CHOIR PRACTICE (Resumes Jan 13)

SUNDAY Sunday School 10am

Worship 11 am Worship

10 am