Missions Sunday this Sunday, December 4

This is one of the few RED LETTER days at Rainsville First Baptist. While every Sunday is vital and important, some days are more weighty and this Sunday, December 4 is one of them due to our emphasis on Missions.

Our special guests this Sunday are Joel and MaryEllen Ragains from New Albany, Indiana. Joel served as Worship Pastor at Graceland Baptist Church, New Albany for 35 years and then at the age of 57 was called to serve as International Mission Board missionaries to Kiev, Ukraine.  He was the Founding Director of Church Planting at Kiev Theological Seminary and served there for twelve and a half years.  In retirement, they are back at Graceland where he is serving as an Elder.

I was privileged to teach two weeks at the seminary in Kiev and personally witness the tremendous impact of this couple.

They will be speaking in the 10:15 service and at the 5:30 Christmas Dinner.

This Sunday we begin our annual Mission offering emphasis.  Due to our changes this year in our mission giving, our Christmas offering will be through the On Mission 1:8 Offering.

When you give (which you can do any time during the year or all through the year) your gifts are distributed as follows:

40% - Lottie Moon
20% - Annie Armstrong
7% - Alabama Baptist Children's Home
7% - The Summit
7% - Sav-A-Life
7% - Kilpatrick Mission
7% - Myer-Mallory Alabama State offering
5% - Mission Conference (to fund next year's conference in December)

Use your current offering envelopes simply marking your gift by the "On Mission 1:8 Offering."  If you wish to give to just Lottie Moon or any of the above ministries, you may be writing their name and the amount on your envelope.

You may give throughout the month of December for our Mission Christmas Offering.

Remember:  Give your best Christmas gift to Jesus through the mission offering.

Then Sunday night we have our annual (and only) church-wide Christmas and Missions party beginning at 5:30 in the Large Fellowship Hall.  The church will provide ham and your bring vegetables and desserts for the meal.  Then the Ragains will be sharing more about their life in Ukraine and Christianity in Eastern Europe.  You will have opportunity to give your "On Mission 1:8" Offering Sunday night, as well.