TREMONT TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH 88 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108

www.tremonttemple.org (617) 5237320 email: secretary@tremonttemple.com

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Pastors Letter...
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart.for God loves a cheerful giver! (II Cor. 9:7) Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! It is with deep gratitude and appreciation that I received your many cards and words of encouragement. Thank you for your prayers during my hospitalization. Indeed our Lord is the Great Physician and I am pleased that I am on the road to full recovery! The pathology report was good; all the cancer was contained and excised! Again, thank you for your prayers and encouragement! Now we are ready for a busy church schedule in November and December! Isnt it amazing that the year has gone by so quickly and that there are only two more months until the end of the year!? God has been good to us this year. I believe there is a new sense of purpose and direction in the church. The fellowship has grown spiritually and physically. As someone said, God aint finished with us yet! Let us continue to pray, to attend worship, to participate in Bible Study, and to attend Prayer Meeting! These are all important opportunities to show our love for Christ and one another. 1. Pledge Campaign for 2012 begins November 27th! One of the many things I love about the Bible is that it is so practical and easy to understand. This is particularly true when Scripture reminds us of the necessity to support the work of the Kingdom through our local church. TTBC does not pressure anyone into giving, but we are reminded in our Bylaws about the responsibilities of church membership which includes attendance at the Lords Supper and giving of our tithes and offerings! At our worship service on Sunday, November 27th, we will begin to collect our pledges for our tithes and offerings for next years church budget. Please pray how you may give generously to Christ and His Kingdom! The theme for this years offering is: Giving Cheerfully for Christ! The theme is based on the letter of Paul to the Corinthians: Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (IICor. 9:7) When the Gospel really penetrates our hearts and minds, cheerful giving is an attitude not only for our annual pledge, but cheerful giving should be our attitude towards Christ and His love for all humanity! Lets be cheerful givers this year and indeed all the time! 2. Music and Worship: The Psalms remind us of our responsibility as Gods creatures to praise the Lord: Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!...Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! (Psalm 150: 1f.0 We do not often praise the Lord with clashing cymbals at TTBC, but on special occasions we do. This year we will again invite the people of Boston to celebrate with our choir as they sing The Messiah. It is not too early to begin to invite friends and neighbors to this beautiful Christmas celebration on Sunday afternoon, December 11th at 4:00 p.m.! Arent we pleased at our music team and the wonderful way they encourage us to Praise the Lord! 3. Bible Study/Sunday School: Why do we call Sunday morning Bible Study Sunday School? It goes back to the 19th century industrial revolution in Britain. Young boys were often at 10 years old sent to work all day in the mines. It was a sad and exploitative experience. They received no education. Then a Baptist pastor said, Why dont we have Sunday School for the children and teach them how to read the Bible. They need to learn about Jesus as the source of their strength and hope. And so today we still call Sunday morning Bible Study by that

November 2011

Friday, November 4 YWAM BOSTON ENCOUNTER Hosted by: 88 Tremont Students & Young Professionals 7 pm ~ Converse Hall

Sunday, November 6
ALL CHURCH COFFEE !

(Following Worship)
Narthex (Lobby)

Sunday, November 13 Ordination Service of Mrs. Janice Lotz 4 pm ~ Converse Hall Operation Christmas Child collection Wed., November 23
Thanksgiving Eve Service 6:30 pm ~ Lorimer Hall

Thurs., November 24 THANKSGIVING DINNER ! 12PM2PM Chipman Hall, 6th fl

PAGE 2 name Sunday School. Adults are not too old to go to school, to go to Bible Study. It is a wonderful time of fellowship and also growing in the faith and getting to know one another! Sunday School is not only for children, it is for everyone! Are you in a Bible Study class? 4. Wednesday Evening Prayer Meeting: The Book of James reminds us: confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power in its effects. (James 5:16) Each of us lead busy lives and we sometimes say to ourselves that we are so busy we do not have time to go to church and pray. But maybe we are hassled and bothered because we do not pray enough! Martin Luther said, I have much to do tomorrow, I will get up earlier to pray. Do not neglect prayer. We have a wonderful fellowship on Wednesday evenings. Tony Murrell is continuing to cook good food before the Prayer service. Come and enjoy the fellowship of Gods people! 5. Christmas Tea for the Ladies: Put on your calendars the date of Sunday, December 4th. This is a special time when the women of Tremont Temple celebrate Advent and affirm the work of the various women task forces that have worked throughout the year! I believe that the various ministries of the women are an example of what happens when fellowship takes place. Out of the Womens teas of last year has grown a whole network of ministries that build up the larger fellowship of TTBC. These ministries include: a food closet, health and wellness seminars, a Prayer Retreat, and missionary correspondence. This gives me opportunity to remind you that all are invited to Janice Lotz Ordination service as a hospital chaplain on Sunday afternoon, November 13th at 4:00 p.m. in Converse Hall. All of our children and elevengrandchildren from Europe will be here. Our youngest son, Carsten, will give the sermon challenge to his mother! 6. Thanksgiving Dinner: Thursday noon, November 24th TTBC will hold its annual Thanksgiving Dinner, sponsored and led by Pastor Effie. We are grateful to her for leading this wonderful ministry for so many years! What a wonderful opportunity to serve our community and witness to the transforming power of Christ. Watch the Sunday Bulletin for items that you can bring for the homeless:.. socks, sweatshirts, coats and warm clothing, etc. Communion Offering for November will go towards the Thanksgiving Dinner! 7. Why All Church Coffee Fellowships? Following our worship service on Sunday, November 6th, we will have an all church coffee in the Narthex. Someone may ask why we have these church coffee/fellowships. I have discovered that one of the challenges of an inner city church is that people come on Sunday, sit in the sanctuary for worship, and then go home. Very often there is little contact or even a greeting from one another. Therefore, the purpose of these fellowships is not to spend time with our friends,

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but it is to reach out to those we have not seen for a while and to take seriously our time of real fellowship, sharing in one anothers problems and concerns. Be a good neighbor and friend to other members, visitors and strangers in our midst. Please, we need your help in reaching out to our many new people who come to worship! God will bless you!

8. Check the Calendar on the Web and in Temple Tidings: Do you like the new website? Check it out! It has important information about the programs of TTBC. There you will find the many activities of TTBC which extend the love of Christ to our community. For example, the Friday Night Fellowship of young professionals and students is hosting , along with YWAM, a special presentation of the Gospel Story, on Friday evening, November 4th. Please make a special effort to come to this event and bring a friend! God has amazing things in store for all of us who open ourselves to the mystery of his love in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit wants to break through our cold structures and bring the warmth of His love to our church and the people of Boston. Pray and work towards that end! In the Joy of Christ, THANKSGIVING DINNER AT TTBC ! As many of you know, the Church provides a Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless and anyone who has no family to go to on that day. God has blessed us and made us aware of the need and for the last thirty five years we were able to provide, not only the meal, but also clothing in the form of Tshirts, socks mittens, scarves and hats. We are touched with the response of many people sending contributions and clothing for this outreach. Wont you help us do the same in meeting the needs of those who come to us for help on that day? Thank you , in advance , for reaching out to partner with us to meet the present needs! Whatever you contribute, please let us know so that we can send you an acknowledgement. With gratitude, Pastor Effie Sidiropoulou, BCCC Director

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Wo m e n s Ro u n d - ta b l e R e p o rt M i s s i o n a ry L e t t e r s
This is # 3 of our feed-back from Missionary letters. A letter arrived in late September from our member and missionary, Sarah Wetmore. Sarah has been a missionary nurse in Benin, West Africa with S.I.M.s (Sudan Interior Mission) for over twenty years. Two years ago, she contracted a sickness which made it necessary for her to return to the USA for health assistance. She is currently working in Sebring, Florida at S.I.M.s Retirement Center. However, in June, she and a former nurse at Benin returned to Benin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Evangelical Hospital in Bembereke , where they both served. They visited friends in Simperou and while there, Sarah took 3 1/2 fifty pound boxes of rolled bandages and other needed medical supplies. She was told that just that day the Clinic had only three bandages left! (The Lord knows our every need and provides!) They returned home on July 17th. Sara is looking to the Lord for His direction for her future - be it in Benin or the USA. Please continue praying for Sarahs health and Gods plans for her. Our second letter came in from Dan Bisbee and family. You may recall they attended our TTBC Missionary Conference several years ago - Dan, wife Sue and children: David, Lydia, Christa, Sarah, Jeremy, Faith and Hannah. This family serves in Senegal. Dan has been finding men of peace through whom he hopes to open Biblical studies and a willingness to introduce such studies to their families. Dan is also taking a course in the French language. Although he has lived in French speaking countries for the past dozen years, he has spoken WOLOF, which is the national language spoken in Senegal. His eldest son, David, is working as a volunteer at a medical clinic in addition to studies in order to graduate from high school. Dan is teaching English classes and has ten students who consistently participate and will receive certificates upon completion. Prayer is requested for all the family and for their work for the Lord. Finally, an at home member, Ethel Smith , ( age 102 years ! ), has volunteered to write to a missionary. If you would like to write to one of our missionaries, please send your name to the Church Office specifying your desire. Above all, remember to pray for all Tremont Temple supported missionaries whose names are listed on our weekly bulletin.

Lois Crosby, Missions

Letter Writing leader

N e w s f ro m t h e M e n s m i n i s t ry
CALLING ALL MEN TO BIBLE STUDY! The Mens Bible Study group is continuing to learn great insights from our study in the book of Pauls letter to the Romans. We want to encourage and invite ALL men to join us in the weekly study of Gods Word every Sunday morning at 9:30am on the first floor. If you have never attended, please consider joining us. It has been a great privilege to have the fine teaching of Dick Lynch on the first Sunday, Rev. Geoffrey Hicks on the second and fourth Sundays, and Rev. JP Robins on the third Sunday of the month. ALL MEN ARE WELCOME! Blessings, Rev. Geoffrey Hicks

TREMONT TEMPLE BAPTIST CHU RCH 88 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108

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MUSIC

m i n i s t ry

CHRISTIAN

ED NEWS...

Dear Brothers and Sisters; We are pleased to announce that TTBC will be presenting Handels Messiah at the Church on Sunday afternoon, December 11th, at 4:00 pm. With Gods grace and a financial grant from the Stillman Association, we are able to hold this event with soloists, an Orchestra and a Choir made of our combined Choirs ( Chancel, Gospel, Filipino Ensemble and Praise Band) . Participation is also open to singers from any of the Baptist Churches in the Stillman Association. The event is free and open to the public. Please help spread the word and invite friends and family to this major musical event in the life of our church! Blessings, Rev. Geoff Hicks, Minister of Music

We praise God for an excellent team of teachers! We have a great Sunday School schedule planned for this quarter. We have the addition of Church Moderator, Richard Lynch, who will be teaching in the Mens Bible study class on the first Sunday each month. The next General Assembly Sunday Bible class will be held on Sunday, December 4th, beginning at 9 am in Myers Hall, 6th floor. We are also very thankful for the addition of Sunday School Superintendent, David Daniel Nok, as another team teacher for the ARISE Bible study class. If you have questions about where you should be placed for Bible study during the Sunday School hour, please contact the Director of Christian Education, Geoffrey Forrest Hicks at: gforresthicks@gmail.com or the Church office (617) 523 - 7320.

NOV EMB ER birth days

November 2nd - Mary Jean Jordan Mark Swallow November 4th - Bessie Johnson November 6th - Desmond Roget Janine Jackson November 10th - Kathleen Hicks November 12th - Lea Keyes Jean Sonderman November 13th - Lillian Spooner November 14th - Edna Jordal November 15th- Vonnie Mann November 20th - Chelsa Bailey November 21st - Roger Walton November 29th - Yovanny Pulcini