Dear Friends,

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow.  As I told the children last Sunday during the Children’s Chat, I hope that in the midst of family gatherings, good food, football games and all the rest, that you’ll take time to thank God for all of His blessings.

This Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. I hope you’ll join us as we begin our spiritual preparations for a true celebration of Christmas.  I’ll be speaking on the subject, “Repent”, based on the story of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-12.  Are there letters you need to write, calls you need to make, and conversations you need to have before it’s too late?  We’ll talk about it Sunday.

If you have not yet returned your 2016 pledge card, please do so at your earliest opportunity.  You may drop it in the offering plate or mail it to the church office.  Extra pledge cards are available at the Welcome Center.  On Sunday, December 13, there will be a Congregational Business Meeting immediately following worship to discuss and vote on the proposed 2016 ministry budget.

This Sunday is the deadline for ordering Christmas flowers.  To order a poinsettia to be placed in the sanctuary for the Christmas season, please pick up an order form at the Welcome Center and put the completed form with payment in Sue Jenkins’ church mailbox or leave in the church office.  Please pay in cash or by check payable to “Grace Baptist Church of Blue Bell”.

December newsletters are in your church mailboxes today.  Grace Notes is also available for viewing on our church website, www.gbcbb.org.

Order your pot pies today!  The deadline is December 13.  This annual sale of these delicious pies will help to raise funds for our youth group’s 2016 mission trip to Hurricane, WV.  Order forms are available at the Welcome Center.  Your frozen pot pies may be picked up after the worship service on December 20.

See you Sunday,

Pastor George