The Map

On a Journey to follow Jesus,

grow together, and make disciples.

Join us for Sunday worship, in-person or online, at 10 a.m.

The Christmas Journey's

Proclamation

You will get different results if you search the internet for the most influential songs in music history. Opinions include Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Revolution by The Beatles. As followers of Jesus, we have a different perspective on such questions.

One of the most influential songs in human history is a hymn found in Luke's gospel. By definition, a hymn is a song of praise to God. Luke recorded a hymn sung by an angel and the heavenly hosts at the time of Jesus' birth:

Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace on earth to people he favors!

Let's focus on two words in this hymn: glory and peace. In Genesis, we see that humanity was created to live with the glory of God in view all the time. But in a sad moment of disobedience and rebellion, Adam and Eve chose to live for their glory instead of God's. The forbidden fruit looked delicious and offered them something only God possessed: the knowledge of good and evil. Let's think this through. When we disobey God, our choice is to say to God,

No, God. Your boundaries aren't what we want. Therefore, get behind us and take a back seat to our desires and sovereignty. We are the Lords of our own lives, not you.

If we are honest about ourselves, we have a glory problem. It causes us to indulge in works of the flesh, like criticism, complaint, anger, strife, jealousy, rivalry, and separation from God and others. We act this way when our demand for glory is delayed or denied, leading to no peace. Ask yourself: "Is my peace tank full?" If not, God is out of view, and you might be hoarding glory.

This hymn addresses our glory problem in this way: When we seek God's glory instead of our own glory - or the glory of some created thing that promises a benefit - we are put on a path to peace with God to receive his favor. When we stop pursuing glory for ourselves, we experience peace with God. God's glory causes us to see how different we are from God because of our sins. With God and our sin in view, we are faced with a choice to turn from sin, confess it, and stay near to God for continued instruction from the Holy Spirit and the Truth of scripture. Spirit and Truth give birth to new life in union with Christ.

Come this Sunday at 10 A.M. for Lord's Day worship, which includes the Lord's Supper. Jesus calls you to his table so you can taste peace with God

Click below to hear

Pastor Paul's

full sermon:

This Sunday's Sermon:

"The Christmas Journey Points

to a Plan"

Isaiah 53:1-6

Fourth Sunday of Advent

~Love~

Please note: the 5 pm candlelight worship service on Christmas Eve will not be livestreamed.

Christmas Eve Has Other Features!

Every household will receive a gift upon entering the church!

Light refreshments will be served in the Cafe after worship!

The Youth Group will offer a "photo-stop" to take family photos!

(see photo below)

You can visit the Manger on your way to your car when the evening is over!

Office Closed

Please note: The church office will be closed on Monday, December 25, and Tuesday, December 26, for staff vacation.

Thank you, North Hills Chorale!

The North Hills Chorale Christmas concert was enjoyed by many on Sunday (there may have even been an Elvis sighting)! Thanks for supporting the chorale and the Lighthouse with your presence and donations!

With Sympathy

Our sympathy is extended to the family of Patty Depew on the death of her mother, Betty Cochrane, on December 16. View her obituary here.

END-OF-YEAR GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

Please consider the ministry of the church in your year-end giving. The Session is aware that inflation has been challenging for everyone. This is also true of expenses related to ministry. The Session knows that God provides in a measure that is needed - in the time he has appointed!

End-of-year contributions can be placed in the offering plates on Sundays or in the Administration Building's front door mail slot.

The Christmas Eve Offering benefits the FPCB Youth Group, Bakerstown Presbyterian Children's Center, and Mars Home for Youth. In your end-of-year giving please write the amount next to “Ministry Budget” or “Special Offering” on the envelope where indicated. Thank you!

If you choose to mail your support, please have it postmarked in December. Mailed contributions postmarked in January will be assigned to 2024 Contributions.

Mission Partner Opportunities

A Christmas Message from Mantlos

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us! What an amazing thought! This is what we celebrate, the amazing gift of the Word becoming flesh. Sometimes we take it for granted and it ceases to amaze us. But for thousands of people, this year is the first time that this good news has been heard, understood and embraced. Because of your partnership, many people are celebrating Christmas for the first time. People like Bakti and his community.

Bakti lives in a South Asian country. Earlier this year, he heard the message about Jesus through some of our local workers and the Lord opened his heart to put his faith in Christ. Christians are a small minority in this country and are often persecuted, but he boldly declared his faith publicly by water baptism. He desired for his family to come to a knowledge of Christ but was unsure how to do it effectively. He unceasingly prayed for the salvation of his family.

One day, a team from Unto, a ministry of Cru, came to Bakti’s village to drill a well. The whole village had been suffering as a result of no clean water. Bakti willingly gave a portion of land in his yard for the well, so that the residents of his village would access to clean water.

Two things happened. First, access to clean water significantly improved the community’s wellbeing. Second, people have started asking about it. This gave Bakti an opportunity to share about Jesus’ care and provision for them. As a result, this Christmas, not only will Bakti celebrate for the first time but so will his wife and 10 others who came to faith through his testimony. They will celebrate soon by being baptized as well.

Thank you for partnering with us to see changed lives like Bakti’s all around the world. Your special year-end gifts are a significant part of enabling us to stay focused on this task of establishing churches in communities where there was no Christian witness before. Click the link below to donate.

As you celebrate Christmas with your family, remember the thousands of stories like this one that join with us for the first time in their lives. Many blessings to you! More to come in the new year.

Gratefully serving Christ with you,

Wade & Christine Mantlo

Give a special year end gift

Campus Matters

The Church maintains safety systems and equipment to ensure the safety of occupants seven days a week. Items include snow and ice removal for walks and drives, a phone system with extensions throughout each building, sump pumps that actively prevent flooding caused by underground springs, door locks that require ongoing service calls, a fire alarm system and fire extinguishers that require annual inspections and maintenance, an elevator and hot water heating system that requires state certified inspections, first aid kits, and two AED (Automated Electric Defibrillator) units that instruct people how to perform CPR or to apply electrical pulses to kickstart a heart that stops beating.

Here's an example of the cost of safety: We have two AEDs, and each unit has a set of pads for adults and children. These pads expire every two years. The batteries expire every four years. This month, the pads were replaced and cost $743.

The care of our campus is a significant bucket of expenses to fill with allocations from weekly offerings. Please be generous with your offerings for ministry at FPCB. Thank you.

The care of our campus also requires Volunteer Workers who demonstrate a joyful sense of duty and an adventurous sense of initiative! If you are ready to be set apart for service, talk to Pastor Paul or elder Nelson Crooks. You will be introduced to the Campus Care Deacons!

Dec. 24 - 31 Calendar

SUN., Dec. 24

WORSHIP with Communion

10:00 a.m.

Sanctuary

Fourth Sunday

of Advent ~ Love

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship

5:00 p.m.

Sanctuary