Do not be afraid

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

The Christmas message remains unchanged through centuries and millenniums. God is with us before and on that first noel, today, and always.

Thus, let us not be afraid. Jesus Christ has met our hopes and fears.

May we persevere despite the challenges and afflictions our world is facing. Let us live in courage and confidence, for the Messiah, the Lord, has come.

New Year’s Day is a Sunday

What an excellent opportunity to start the first day of 2023 with a worship service at 10:00 AM.

Oamaru Baptist Church will hold the regular worship service on 1st January 2023.

SEE YOU AT 14 SANDRINGHAM STREET, OAMARU

The bright shining light of Christmas

Amidst the myriads of dazzling lights, Christmas trees, lively music, and glittering adornments to mark the festivities of Christmas is the sad reality that many people neglect the most important person of the season. What makes Christmas merry?

Gail’s Christmas decorations she put up a week ago at the church remind us all that Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season. He is our amazing grace, who has brought peace, love, joy, and hope to humanity.

No amount of beautiful lights could match Jesus Christ, the one true light who illuminates the whole world from the darkness of sin. Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

Let Jesus Christ be the one true light shining in our lives, now and forever!

CHRISTMAS 2022 SCHEDULES

18 December at 4:00 PM – Carolling at Sandringham House

24 December at 6:30 PM – Christmas Eve Service. Please bring supper to share

25 December at 10:00 AM – Christmas Sunday Worship

But when the time had fully come,
God sent His Son, born of a woman,
born under the law, 
to redeem those under the law,
that we might receive our adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5

Prayer Meeting, Preparation, and Working Bee

In preparing our church building for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Worship Services, we will clean after our Wednesday prayer meeting at 3:00 PM.

Those who cannot make it on Wednesday, please come for a Working Bee time on Saturday, 24 December.

Indeed, friends and family members will come to town for Christmas and join Oamaru Baptist Church’s worship services.

New Year’s Day is a Sunday

What an excellent opportunity to start the first day of 2023 with a worship service at 10:00 AM.

Oamaru Baptist Church will hold the regular worship service on 1st January 2023.

Discipleship through home Bible studies

We have identified a home Bible study area in the Totara-Teschemakers-Kakanui area. Home Bible studies are one of the ways we can make disciples for Christ. The Lord God is growing His church.

Let us pray for more Bible study groups to be organised- as we look forward to training group leaders in 2023.

OBC’s Direction – Where are we and what’s next?

As I mentioned last Sunday during my message, we have stopped at the “Spiritual Gifts Inventory” to focus on the Advent and Christmas seasons.

We will resume in February 2023. The diagram below indicates that we will focus on “Faith-Wisdom Discovery” next.

Please refresh yourselves with the sermon series related to the diagram above by clicking the button below.

Keeping Out of the Pit of Nothingness

“Behold, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; But You have kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For You have hurled all my sins behind Your back. Isaiah 38:17

Make bitterness a season of testing, a vital ingredient towards spiritual growth and maturity. Treat it like the fog that eventually dissolves. We thank God for keeping us out of the pit of nothingness.

Sin quickly discourages us not to continue with our faith journey. The world accuses us of our unworthiness. Praise God, for He has cast away our sins behind! The Lord God has taken our souls out of the pit of nothingness. CLICK to read more.

Children’s Sunday School Restarts

Congratulations to our Children’s Sunday School Team – Erin, Jane, Cheryl, and Ray! Thank you so much for your availability.

I have asked Erin to be the team leader. Let us pray for them as they plan and implement.

Please note that in last week’s meeting, we all agreed to support them through our availability to assist as helpers and with other tasks they might need help with.

Christmas Around the World Sunday DETAILS

On 11 December, we will hold a Christmas Around the World Sunday. We will share how we celebrate Christmas in our native countries.

Sharing could be through a testimony, a Christmas carol in your native language, or Bible readings in different languages.

We will also have a taste of “home” during our shared lunch as we bring food that we customarily have on Christmas.

Our Regional Leader, Rachel Murray, will be our guest speaker.

REMINDERS…

Carolling practice after the worship-service

We will have a practice after the service for the 9 December Carolling at the Observatory Village.

Prayer Meeting @ OBC on Wednesday, 3:00 to 4:00 PM

It is a beautiful time to thank the Lord God for answered prayers, say intercessory prayers for those who are sick and suffering, and petition God’s will for His faithful children. Come and pray.

Please send your prayer requests through our CONTACT US form, phone number, or FB page.

Group Facilitators’ Training on 17-18 February 2023

In pursuit of our mission to follow the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, we will be holding this training on 17-18 February.

Next year, we aim to organise home group Bible studies. We need to train facilitators who will lead and facilitate these home groups.

Please pray about joining the Group Facilitators’ Training.

Christmas 2022 Activities

• 9 December, Friday – Singing Christmas carols at the Observatory Village
  
• 11 December, Sunday – Christmas Around the World Worship-Service; shared lunch;
  Guest Speaker – Rachel Murray;
  
• 18 December, Sunday – Carolling at the Sandringham House Rest Home
  
• 24 December, Saturday – Christmas Eve Service
  
• 25 December, Sunday – Christmas Day Worship-Service

Watch out for more details!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Isaiah 9:6a