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Briarwood Weekly • December 2, 2016 •

Briarwood's Annual Wednesday, december 7 Thursday, december 8 Friday, december 9 From 6:45–8:45 p.m. use The acTon road enTrance With Christmas drawing near, the excitement of this year’s Walk Through Nativity increases daily! As family and friends walk through one of Birmingham’s most poignant Christmas depictions, we pray that the various scenes from Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection will be moving and that Christ will work in the hearts of all who participate. There’s no better way to stimulate conversation about Christ! Drop by the Fellowship Hall afterwards for coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks. Be sure to invite your friends!

2200 Briarwood Way Birmingham, AL 35243 205.776.5200 • briarwood.org [email protected]

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Spirit of Christmas

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Americans will turn to dieting and Christmas shopping. I read an article over the weekend that projected we will spend well over $500 billion on Christmas this year. Wow! That’s a lot of fruitcake. One of my challenges every year at Christmas is the development of our lists. One list contains the names of people to whom we will give a Christmas gift. As the years go by this list grows and often I have to ask Sonya who some people are and how they made our list. Once the list is set we begin to think through and discuss the best gift for each person, which as you know can take a lot of time and energy. Our other Christmas list is developed in reverse. The gift is predetermined for this list. This is a list of people that we hope and pray will receive the greatest gift ever given at Christmas—the priceless gift of Jesus. Since we know what to give them we spend our time and energy loving them, sharing our testimony with them and seeking to expose them to the Gospel in as many ways as possible. Of course this is a year-round list, but Christmas presents many great opportunities for us to show them the love of Christ including exposing them to our church family during Advent. As we develop our lists for Christmas let’s pray for one another. Pray that God will not only give us insight into what gift to get for others but would all the more give us a burden and a passion for those to whom we would extend the gift of the Gospel. And may our Lord grant us favor as we love and share and invite others to see and hear and prayerfully believe in Jesus. . . . and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.

Bruce Stallings MERCY MINISTRY

Canned Food Drive Sun., Dec. 4

Support Love in Action Ministry by leaving bags of canned goods and non-perishables behind your vehicle to be picked up while you are in church.

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Sunday, December 4 6:00 p.m. Worship Center

Briarwood’s Children’s Choirs present their gift to us all in their annual Christmas concert. Sweet voices will tell of the Christ Child’s birth in music and in recited Scripture. Diaconal gifts are presented to the children at the concert’s conclusion. People of all ages are invited to come be a part of this wonderful way to begin their Advent season started!

Lord’s Day Worship Services Sunday Morning 8:00 and 10:55 a.m. Advent in Biblical Perspective The Spirit of Christmas “The Holy Spirit and Joseph” Matthew 1:18–25 Dr. Harry L. Reeder III

Sunday Evening 6:00 p.m. “On Christmas Night” Briarwood Children’s Choirs and Diaconal Gifts

Serving in the Nursery Sun., Dec. 4 In One Accord, BYKOTA

Prayer Focus Micah Evans Campus Outreach Alabama

Pray for Micah Evans as he serves as Campus Director for Campus Outreach at Samford University. Campus Outreach’s mission is to glorify God by building laborers on the college campus for the lost world. Pray with Micah as he prays for 100 Samford students to attend the New Year’s Conference in December.

Dec 2

Michael & Sandra Hearon Campus Outreach • Georgia

Baruch & Bracha Maoz Berean Baptist Church • Israel

Dec 3

Gladys Hillman Campus Crusade for Christ • Georgia

Verne & Alina Marshall Mission to the World • Chile

Dec 4

Rashawn Hill Campus Outreach • Alabama

Jules & Ana Martinez La Travesia • Puerto Rico

Dec 5

Scotty & Sylvia Hollins Blueprint • Alabama

Steve & Amy McAdams Adventures in Missions • Swaziland

Dec 6

Walter Leveille Briarwood Elder

Ben Greene Briarwood Deacon

Dec 7

Andrew Wilder Briarwood Deacon

Dave Schultz Briarwood Deacon

Dec 8

Olan Stubbs Campus Outreach Dir.• Leadership Team

Discovery Clubs of Alabama Birmingham

Briarwood Christmas Shop • Thurs., Dec. 1 from noon– 6:00 p.m. and Fri., Dec. 2 from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. in the FH. Admission is free and there will be door prizes. The Shop back and better than ever! Sponsored by BCS. Winter Sunday Schools • The winter quarter begins this Sun., Dec. 4. See what each community will be studying and with whom at briarwood.org/ss or on the App. 2017 Budget Information Meeting • Sun., Dec. 4 at 5:00 p.m. in A105. Members of the Budget Committee will be present to answer your questions. 22nd Annual Meadow Brook Runs • Sat., Dec. 17 to benefit the Jesus Video Project of Alabama. Start times: 5K at 9:00 a.m. and 1-mile Fun Run at 10:00 a.m. Walkers and pets on leash welcome. Go to meadowbrookruns.org. Help our Briarwood Greeters • Wear your nametag so they can tell our members from the visitors. The greeters want to welcome our Christmas guests as well as you. December in the Nursery • SIGN-UP is needed for any Sunday night event in Dec. including the 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Services. Make reservations at briarwood.org/nursery. Nursery teachers • 2- and 3-years-old Sunday School teachers are needed for the winter quarter. If you are willing to volunteer, contact [email protected].

Advent Schedule CHILDREN’S CHOIRS PROGRAM December 4 • 6:00 p.m.

WALK THROUGH NATIVITY December 7–9 • 6:45–8:45 p.m.

BRIARWOOD BALLET

“Light Eternal” December 10 • 7:00 p.m. (Spanish speaking) December 11 • 6:00 p.m.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL December 18 • 6:00 p.m.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

December 24 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. • Family Candlelight Service 11:00 p.m. • Candlelight Communion Service

CHRISTMAS DAY

December 25 10:30 a.m. • Morning Worship

Stewardship • When giving gifts of securities, please notify Matt Moore at 776-5205 at the time of your gift, so that your contribution may be processed accurately and efficiently. Learn about Biblical stewardship • A recent survey of Crown graduates revealed that within three years of completing the course the average graduate had reduced personal debt, significantly increased savings, increased charitable giving and increased their Bible reading. Contact Dave Matthews at [email protected] or 776-5211 for Spring MidWeek Crown class reservations.

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order at briarWood.org/Poinsettia, use enveloPes at the info desk, visit the membershiP office (a101) or call 776-5208. Hearing Loop System • Briarwood has installed a hearing loop in the Worship Center to work with hearing aids equipped with a T-Coil. Visit the Information Desk to see the areas served or go to briarwood.org/hearingloop. Assisted Parking on Sundays • Free curbside assistance for those in need is available. Uniformed attendants will be at the covered entrance next to the Chapel from 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Tips are not required. Usher Team 2017 needs you • Men, don’t miss out on this opportunity to serve the Lord by serving His people in corporate worship. Contact Ken Barton at 296-2865 or [email protected] to sign up if you haven’t already. Smiling men needed to greet on alternate months at the circular drive before Sunday morning services. If you can smile and say “hello” this job’s for you! Contact Wendy Long at [email protected] or 776-5208

Holiday Shopping • Don’t forget the Briarwood Bookstore when making your shopping plans. There are many great gift ideas for the Christian in your life. Pictorial Directories • Members, pick up your book (by last name) in the Bookstore and Church Library hallway. New Direction Ministry 1) Volunteers are needed Thu., Fri. and Saturdays. An excellent opportunity for creative and/or retired people. 2) Do you have unused jewelry cluttering your home? Clean out and donate it to us! Our ladies love it! Contact Becky at [email protected]. BCS enrollment • Children of BPC members, siblings of current students, and children of BCS graduates have enrollment priority at BCS with application submitted by Jan. 31 for K4–6th grades. Contact Kelly Mooney, Admissions Dir., at 776-5812 or [email protected]. Job Openings • 1) Accounting Department. Full–time position processing contributions and payroll. This position requires experience in processing accounts receivable, payroll, Excel, and general ledger. Email résumé to Jeannette Minor at [email protected]. 2) Director of Women’s Ministry. The Director should have ministry experience with women, a heart for women of all life stages, a commitment to equipping them for ministry as well as leading through teams. Interested candidates send résumés to Leigh Ann at [email protected].

Briarwood Families

• Our love and sympathy to Becky Denton and family on the death of her mother, Jean Summers, on Nov. 16; to Kathleen Bunn and family on the death of her grandfather, Richard Gordon, on Nov. 19; to Audrey Jowers and family on the death of her sister, Adrianne Dorroh, on Nov. 20; to Kelley Chandler and family on the death of her mother, Betty McWilliams, on Nov. 23; and to Dorel Elliott and family on the death of her husband, member Jerry Elliott, on Nov. 23. • We rejoice with Matthew and Kelly Forester on the birth of their daughter, Emily Ruth, on Nov. 21. • The Children’s Ministry and Briarwood OCC team would like to thank everyone who brought an Operation Christmas Child shoebox this year. We collected 1,282 shoeboxes! Pray for the children who will be receiving the boxes.