West Lake Baptist
by Naomi Bledsoe

Thanksgiving meal: There were around 300 in attendance Sunday for the annual churchwide Thanksgiving Meal, held in the fellowship hall. We'd like to thank all of those who attended and those that worked so diligently to make this a success.

Welcome Newest Members: We'd like to welcome Chris Richardson and Loenora Campbell as our newest members.

Operation Christmas Child: The dedication service for the shoeboxes was held at 5:30 p.m. The shoeboxes will be shipped to other countries and distributed by Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse Organization. We'd like to thank all of those who participated and Marilyn Noel for coordinating this annual project.

Sunday Service: We were delighted to have Marc Nichelson playing sax with the full instrumental ensemble which shared an inspiring "swing/big band" rendition of Amazing Grace during the offeratory.

The new theatrical lighting in the worship center is a great complement with its progressive changes during the service. Pastor Eric's message was entitled "Discovering the Extraordinary Revolutionary Powerof Gratitude" from Phillipians 4.

Christmas Mission Offering: This is the annual emphasis for the nationwide offering for International Missions, which is called the Lottie Moon Mission Offering. Through these gifts, Southern Baptists are able to fund the largest mission enterprise in the world, (over 5000 missionaries) without requiring missionaries to gather their individual monthly financial support.

Southern Baptist Missionaries are funded through a Cooperative Program, which is an effort that voluntarily pools the resources of many churches, allowing our missionaries to focus on missions and not fundraising. Please make this offering a part of your annual gift giving.

Christmas Musicals: The Kidz Choir will present "Cooking Up Christmas" on December 9th in the evening service. The adult Celebration Choir will present "Bringing Home Christmas" on Sunday, December 16th in the morning service.

Breckenridge Village: WLBC and Breckenridge Village have formally entered into a Memorandum of Understanding which makes available the facilities of WLBC for the residents of B.V. in the event of an emergency that might require temporary shelter.

Additionally, some of the ladies from the Evangels Sunday School Class attended the 2nd Annual "Christmas in the Village," a lighting of the campus at Breckenridge Village of Tyler. For more information regarding the Breckenridge ministry and opportunities to serve and/or donate, please call Linda Taylor at 903-596-8100.

Holiday: The church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving - There will be no midweek evening service, choir rehearsals, nor any other scheduled meetings on Wednesday, Nov. 21. Please take this opportunity to reflect on the many blessings that God has bestowed on us.

Announcements - The church office will close at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21 and will re-open on Monday, Nov. 26 at 8:00 a.m.

Poinsettias - It is time to order your poinsettias for Christmas. Fill out the form in the bulletin and place it in the offering plate. The price is $8 each.

"TELL ME - The story of Jesus" - Lottie Moon Christmas Mission Offering Church goal: $4,000.