Dates to Remember in January

January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Feb 11: Mr. Scott Hall is going to be speaking to us about the homeless

teenagers in the Roanoke Rapids High School district.

Mar 23 (tentative): Ms. Angela Love will speak to us about the things Jo

Story offers us.

Apr 14: Comedian and singer Amy Kornegay will make us laugh.

May 12 or 19: The Spiritual Practice of Simplicity: Practicing simplicity

doesn’t just mean living with less; it also encompasses the inward

desire to live a simpler life. This class addresses loosening dependence

on things, activities, and even human relationships while deepening

dependence upon God. Topics include biblical simplicity, setting

priorities, letting go with peace, and enjoying freedom, contentment and

peace in Christ

Aug 11 or 18: Dementia and the Faith Community. Learn how you

church can minster to those living with dementia and the caregivers.

Participants will gain a better understanding of dementia and learn how

to communicate and minister to those living with dementia as well as

those caring for them. Participants will also learn warning signs of

dementia and concrete ways to help.

The Pulse

515 Becker Dr., RR, NC 27870

Email: info@fbcrrweb.org

Website: www.fbcrrweb.org

Telephone: 252-537-6171

January 2020 Newsletter ============================================

Rev. Dathan Hall

Happy New Year from the staff of First Baptist Church. We are looking

forward to an exciting new decade where God will do mighty things

through each of you. One exciting new thing is going to be the start of

our newest small group called “Next Level”. This group will begin on the

first Sunday of January, meeting at 10 a.m. each week. In addition, the

Sounds of Praise Choir is excited to get back to regular practice and is

seeking new members to use their talents to God’s glory in 2020.

We ask that all church members pray for God’s direction and blessing

over the coming month. We also ask that each person resolve to grow

closer to the Lord and each other this year. May God’s favor rest upon

you all!

Thank you,

Pastor Dathan

Don L. West,

Minister of Music

Sounds of Praise Choir rehearsal every Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

If you have thoughts about singing with us, this would be a

good time to try out for the choir. We would love to have

you.

"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," and "Holly Jolly Christmas" were written by Jewish songwriter Johnny Marks.

The first Christmas song to mention Santa Claus was Benjamin Hanby's "Up On The Housetop." Written in 1864, Hanby was inspired Clement Moore's 1823 poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas."

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

1st: Selby Merritt 14th: Shirley Grady 4th: Paige Dickerson 18th: Lisa Barriger 4th: Donna Draper 18th: Kaylin White 5th: Myrle Moore 22nd: Lynne Smith 7th Verdie Riggan 31st: Angela Love

HAPPY HEARTS

We were blessed to have had a donation of Christmas stockings for Bayberry and the shut-ins. The Senior Luncheon was a great success and fun was had by all. See ya next year. Next one is May 5.

Free Over the Counter Medicine Giveaway will be held at Halifax Community

College Ervin C. Griffin, Sr. Centre Weldon, NC 27890 Friday, January 17,

2020 9:00am—2:00pm Bring Friends, Family & Neighbors

Please pray for the following church

members who are our brothers and sisters in

worship. Any updates should be given to Ms.

Faye Wallace, 252-308-5318 or Ms. Harlean

Shook, 252-678-8209.

Bayberry Retirement Home (252-537-2995) Carolina Rest Home (252-533-0014) Vacant Muriel Knight/Don Barnes 111 Wicker Dr. RR, NC 27870 1361 Carolina RR, NC 27870

Shut In’s:

Margie Davis, 537-9463 Gwen Merritt, 537-4042 322 Monroe St, RR, NC 27870 802 E. 12th St, RR, NC 27870 Anne Emery, 537-4654 Roma Wright & Kay White, 532-0581 42 Henry St, RR, NC 27870 657 Williams St, RR, NC 27870 Margie Holiday, 537-3194 Nell Bailey,532-4778 901 Wilson St, RR, NC 27870 158 Morgan Dr, P.O. 462, RR, NC 27870

Prayer List

Kay White* (cancer) Tina Mead* (back surgery) Shirley Dyer (knee surg)

Nell Bailey * (bad legs) Margie Holiday * Jean Floyd * (heart)

Lessie Johnson* (back) Betty Hodge (cancer) Verdie Riggan* (BP/arm)

Tommy Vaughan* (kidney) Georgia Mae (cancer) Ann Graham Lotz (cancer)

Margie Davis * Jim Martin (agent orange) Melinda Hite (Eye’s)

Roy Barnes* (back surgery) Roma Wright * Anne Emery * (breathing)

Gwen Merritt * Joyce Edwards * (shoulder) Marion Barnes

June Skaggs * Barbara Vaughan * Zettie Jones

Billy Strickland (lung cancer) Becky Jernigan (Tammy Emery’s Mom)

Viola Sykes (Marion Brown’s Mom) Bill Kornegay (foot) Wayne Meade (

Ryker Brown (Faye Wallace’s grt neph) Gisela Kinscheck (Heart) Terri Bennett (kidney/)

Elizabeth Clary (pneumonia) Francis Medlin * (heart)

Whitt Copeland Richard Gaylor Cindy Willey

Ray Mabery (heart) Lia Gennaro Ray (cancer) Linda Overton (cancer)

Evenly Given Sherri Beals (heart) Al Lane (heart)

Barry Skaggs Lynn Wallace (heart) Clay Brickett (hip)

Ann Thanos Brenda Gray (loss spouse)

Brenda Ragland (heart/cancer) Woodruff Family

Military Members

Jacob Bouchard*, U.S. Navy Aaron Purser *, U.S. Navy

Missionary

Rev William (Billy) Hardwick - Kenya

* First Baptist Church members

Fun time at Bayberry meet and greet for the

Christmas party.

Good food and fun.

Please attend Bible Study before our service on Sundays from at 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. We are encouraging more students to attend. Please come or visit the Bible class that fits your age group. Come study the gospel and fellowship. Age Teacher 0 - 4 Victoria Allen, Ronda Riggan 5 – 11 Kathy Abernathy 12 – 18 Amy Hall 19+ Roy Barnes

I would like to thank everyone for the

awesome job with Operation Christmas Child

collection of different items every month and

for the people who helped pack boxes. We did

well this year and collected 134 boxes. We will

start collecting again in February and plan to

go over that number. Thank you!! 😊

Nursery Update

We are in desperate need of nursery workers. Can you play

or rock for 1 hr. on Sundays? Please consider it. See Tori

Allen for times you can work. Thank you!

Sunday School Ms. Kathy Abernathy

This is how we roll in Sunday

School....after the Bible lesson, of

course...We so CWAZY!!🙃🙃

The kids will be making Christmas ornaments and doing other Christmas

activities for the month of January.

Children’s Church The kids are finishing up the new testament with

Revelation and learning what each book is about.

First Baptist Church Staff/Committee Pastor: Rev. Dathan Hall Minister of Music: Rev. Don West

Administrative Assist: Ms. Angela Love Pianist: Mr. Jeff Riggan

Bereavement Social: Jeanne West Finance: Pete Smith

Ladies Ministry; Amy Hall Senior Coordinator: Harlean Shook

Youth Leader: Amy Hall

First Place for best float. Let’s hear it for Jesus!

What a fun time in the Roanoke Rapids Christmas Parade representing Jesus! Let’s hear it for Jesus! Angels we have heard on High! We are so thankful for all who helped build, or ride and share the love of CHRIST with our community! First Baptist Church won the first-place church float entry this year! We are so thankful for togetherness!

JANUARY VOLUNTEERS

Responsibility: 5th 12th 19th 26th

Sunday School: Grades K -5

Kathy Abernathy

Kathy Abernathy

Kathy Abernathy Kathy Abernathy

Sunday School: Youth

Amy Hall Amy Hall Amy Hall Amy Hall

Nursery

(Worship

Service)

Barbara Vaughan/ Faith Durham

Tori Allen/ Abby White

Joyce Edwards/Ronda Riggan

Jane Holt/Meghan Bennett

Children’s Church Lessie Johnson

Lisa Jackson Lauri Johnson Jean Hux

Deacon of the Week

Glenn Woodruff

Pete Smith Jeff Riggan Brandon Allen

Greeters Lisa Jackson Lisa Jackson Lisa Jackson Lisa Jackson

Counters Joyce Edwards/ Lessie Johnson

Joyce Edwards/ Lessie Johnson

Joyce Edwards/ Lessie Johnson

Joyce Edwards/ Lessie Johnson

Prayer List Coordinator,

Faye Wallace Faye Wallace Faye Wallace Faye Wallace

What an awesome powerful evening after many amazing

practices! I am so proud of these young people for singing with us

and Jordan and Melody made me cry as always. Jovita Menefee and

CharMeka Joquelle you both brought such a blessing to me

through this whole process. I can’t begin to say how thankful I am

for you both! Sabrina Paige-Hunter and Viola you guys brought me

so much peace in your completely genuine friendship! You all have

just blessed me and my family! Thank you!

Thank you to all who came both inside

and out for the Live Nativity. Being

with my church family is an amazing

blessing.

Mrs Amy Hall, instructor for both Ladies

Bible Study and Youth Bible Study, would

like to say that classes will resume in

January and would also like to wish you

all a very Merry Christmas and wonderful

New Year . Thank you.

Residents in RR were surprised with caroling from the folks

from First Baptist Church and a special visitor stopped by

the Bayberry too. Santa paid a visit to all the residents and

brought them gifts! Everyone had a blast!

Hardwick Heartbeat Pray for our team as they share the Gospel during Christmas. Pray for us as we daily abide in Christ. Pray for ease in transitions.

Merry Christmas! As many of you know we are about to head out to Kenya on our first term serving with Kenya Baptists. Billy will serve as Director of Finance and Lecturer at Kenya Baptist Theological College. Heather will be connecting with our team and Kenyans in leading them to growing and reproducing relationships with Father. As for our sons James and Andrew they have the awesome opportunity to go to school at Rosslyn, an American International school, where there are 50+ nations represented among the families. Our security level is open, but we still advise not using certain terms in correspondence to protect the safety of our colleagues. We are excited to join our team overseas and are talking through the emotions of leaving family and friends here in the states. Thank you for continuing to pray for us. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for continuing to support us through your gifts to the Cooperative Program and through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Our thoughts and prayers are forever with you. Thank you for HOLDING THE ROPES for us as we go forward to serve our Father. Pray for us as we say "see-you laters” and "until we see you next time" moments. Also, pray for peace as we transition to living in a new country, and for ease as we learn about our new culture and language. Pray for us as we continue to daily seek Father and abide in him, as we trust in what each day holds for us. Merry Christmas to you! We are praying for you to have a wonderful new year and allow Father's grace and mercy to work wonders through you. Love, Billy, Heather, James, & Andrew

We depart for Kenya

on Dec. 28th.

We went to NYC

for our urban

intensive

training, in

which we

focused on

transitioning to

life in a new

city.

You can keep in touch with us via email at

inprayer0247@aol.com, via Facebook,

Messenger, and Skype "William-Heather

Hardwick" or "WEH95.ALL1n".

Please do not forward this email. You may share

our email with friends.

The Christmas

wreath symbolizes

the eternal life we

have in Christ.

Photos taken at

Lego Land FL.