Dr.

Hayes Wicker, Senior Pastor

Pledging Allegiance and Giving Thanks
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we thank God Who gave our land as a heritage, for His lovingkindness is everlasting (Psalm 136:21). He truly has rescued us from our adversaries, and gives food to all flesh (Psalm 136:24, 25), so we give thanks to the God of Heaven (Psalm 136:26). As President Calvin Coolidge said: We have been a most favored people. We ought to be a most grateful people. We have been a most blessed people. We ought to be a most thankful people. Tragically, there are many who do not appreciate America. I heard it with my own ears last week on the radio. A school board in Sioux Falls, in the presence of disabled veterans, declared that there was no time in the school day for students to say the Pledge of Allegiance! One veteran noted that it took more time for his comrade to grab his crutches and walk out in disgust than to give the Pledge in the normal school day. It must be that these foolish and ungrateful board members either do not love our nation or refuse to recognize God as originator of our rights, freedom, and very existence as a people. Perhaps we need rescue from these adversaries. My heart is heavy as I think about the sense of entitlement that so many people have. One of our men overheard an ungrateful custodian, who received a good salary and medical benefits, say, I would work harder if I was paid more. He did not grasp the commands Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (Colossians 3:23,17). It might not be a bad idea, as you gather your family together this week, to not only say the Pledge of Allegiance but also ask, What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? (Psalm 116:12). We must not move the ancient boundary which our fathers have set (Proverbs 22:28). With about 47% of those who live in America paying taxes, we are increasingly hindered by not only the lack of a work ethic but a desire to further the nation. However, LifeWay Research found that 60% of Americans who attend church regularly, actively look to serve others outside of the church who have tangible needs. Americans have always risen to the occasion when they can operate out of freedom and conviction. As someone noted, Thanks-giving is really thanks-living. I certainly give thanks to God for the strong (99.8%) call of Rev. John David Edie to be our new Associate Pastor of Discipleship. He will be on the field in early December. Pray for Rhonda and the kids as they prepare to move from their long-standing home in Springfield, Missouri. This is truly one of Gods benefits and blessings to our church.

Churchwide
Thanksgiving Week Important Church Information
There will be no Tuesday RefresHer, and no Wednesday night ministries this week. In addition, the church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday.

Christmas Ministry Opportunities

November 25 - 29

Living Christmas Trees

Come celebrate the birth of Jesus with us this December. Performances of our 31st annual Living Christmas Trees Searching for the King will be: --Friday, December 6th at 7:00pm --Sunday, December 8th at 4:00pm and 7:00pm --Thursday, December 12th at 7:00pm --Friday, December 13th at 7:00pm --Sunday, December 15th at 4:00pm and 7:00pm Select your seats online at fbcn.org/lct, stop by our kiosk in the Commons after worship service, or call 888-795-1559 (Monday-Friday 9am-6pm).
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NAPLES WORSHIP CHOIR

Tickets on sale now

Your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering are an investment with eternal impact. Every penny of this offering goes directly to the International Mission Boards overseas budget. This yearly giving of Southern Baptists undergirds the thousands of missionaries sent from our churches through IMB, and all for a single eternal purpose: making disciples in the name of Jesus. This is what it means for all of us, together, to be totally His.

Begins Saturday, November 30 and runs through entire month of December

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree provides Bibles for the children of prison inmates. If you would like to purchase one of these Bibles, please stop by the Lighthouse Bookstore for your angel.

November 23 - December 8

THE NATIVITY SYMPHONY

Enjoy our wonderful FBCN Choir with this new CD, The Nativity Symphony. CDs will be available for just $10 each. These also make great Christmas presents. FBCN gave 2,104 shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child this year! Our shoeboxes are going to Belize, Botswana, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Georgia (Russia), Ghana, Haiti, Macedonia, Madagascar, NIger, Seychelles, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago, and the Ukraine.

Available Beginning Friday, December 6

New FBCN Choir CD

First Family Christmas

This is an important ministry to financially-challenged single parents in our church. Pick up a card with a childs gift request at our table in the Commons, and make his/her Christmas a merry one. For more information, call Debbie at 992-7242.

Going on Now

Dr. Hayes Wicker, Sr. Pastor Dr. Todd F. Stearns, Worship Pastor

Operation Christmas Child Results

Volunteers Needed

AWANA Cubbies
Wednesday Nights

Two assistants are needed on Wednesday nights to interact with three and fouryear-old children in AWANA Cubbies. For more information, please call Beverly at 596-8600 x351.

Senior Adults

Pick up a box or sponsor a box for $40. Fill the box with food (the box has a suggested list of items). Have your kids color or decorate the box. Write letters of hope and blessings to the family. Return the box to church on December 7th or 8th by placing it behind your car and we will pick it up.

Begins in Missions Kiosk This Weekend

Blessing Christ Immokalee

Single Adult Ministry

There is a guest reception in the Commons following the Saturday night and Sunday morning 11:00am worship services. Pastor would love to meet you!

Guest Reception

Christmas is Grand at The Strand! Get your tickets in the Lighthouse Bookstore or in any of the Singles BLGs before December 2nd for $30. After that, they are $40. Great food, music, fellowship, and a word from Steve Hayes.

Friday, December 20 at The Club at The Strand

Christmas Dinner Party

If you are able to help our FBA third graders have some fun building gingerbread houses, please call Nancy Wilbanks at 597-2233 x304.

Monday, December 9 at 9:00am in Room DC121

Legacy Builders Gingerbread Houses

Other Ministries
Our benevolence fund is in place to assist church members who fall on hard times with rent, utilites, gas, groceries, etc. If you can help, please make a check payable to First Baptist Church and put in the memo section benevolence.

Student Ministry

Our Benevolence Fund is Low Surviving the Holidays New Arrivals

Associate Pastor of Discipleship

As Our New Associate Pastor of Discipleship

DNow Weekend for Middle School and High School Ministries

Reserve your spot with early bird lower pricing! Call 4494480 for info.

John David Edie

Please Welcome

January 17-19, 2014

Surviving the Holidays can be hard for those going through a divorce. Help and hope will be offered for you at these two classes. Call Jim at 596-8600 x242. Nathan Raphael Hodges was born on November 13, 2013 weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 21 inches long. Proud parents are Brian and Jennifer. FBCN member Juanita Brodie passed away on November 12. We express our sympathy to her family. Geri Filippo passed away on November 3. We express our sympathy to her husband, Nick, and the rest of the family.

Saturday, Dec 7 and Saturday, Dec 14 in Room DC209 at 7:20pm

First Annual Golf Tournament

Saturday, December 7

By an affirmative vote of 99.8%, we are pleased to inform you that John David Edie was indeed called by our church, and he has officially accepted that call. His first day on our staff will be Monday, Dec 2. Please be praying for him and his family during this transition (wife Rhonda, son Taylor (15), daughter Catherine (13), and son Austin (12).)

We invite you to join our first annual student ministry golf tournament located at the Golf Club at the Everglades. For $100, you can enter this four man scramble tournament with lunch provided. Proceeds go to supporting mission trips for students this spring. Hole sponsorships and donations are also available. Call 449-4480 for more information, or visit the student table in the Commons after this worship service.

Absent from the Body; Present with the Lord

Last Weekend
Profession of Faith Kristina Payero

First Time Guests

November 16 & 17
Saturday Night Sunday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Total

Decisions for Christ

Membership by Statement Lauren Pupchik

Worship Attendance
1,263 1,541 928 3,732

Church Baptism Rose Pierre Last Sundays Beach Baptisms are on the back of this First Word.

We are glad that you came to worship with us today. Our worship services are intended to give praise to God and reveal how Jesus gives hope for all who call on His name. We hope that you feel at home here! Greeters at the doors can help with immediate needs which you may have, and someone at the information desk in the Commons can help you find answers to your questions, as well as guide you to a Bible & Life Group fitted just for you. Thank you for joining us today! For more detailed information about our church and ministries, please call Lou Falorio at 596-8600 x258.

Welcome to First Baptist Church Naples

$2,509,230 $2,507,406

2013-2014 Operating Revenues July 1, 2013 - November 17, 2013 Budget Actual Variance

Financial Stewardship

November 16 & 17
Saturday Night Sunday 8:15 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday 9:30 a.m. Home Groups Total

Bible & Life Attendance

853 127 339 698 514 2,531

Disaster Relief for the Philippines

Debt balance as of Nov 17 $5,092,179

($1,824)

Florida Baptists are praying for the survivors of the deadly typhoon. Assessors with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Baptist Global Response are being staged to respond. Relief donations by check can be sent to: Florida Baptist Convention, Attention Philippine Disaster Relief, 1230 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207. You can also give online at https://netcommunity.imb. org/SuperTyphoonHaiyan.

First Baptist Academy

This Upcoming Week

Deacon of the Week Nov 25 - Dec 1 Carleton Case & Rob Kantner
If you need assistance, please call the church deacon hotline at 800-732-9573. For Spanish, call 404-7764.

No Meal This Wednesday No Wednesday Night Ministries

Wednesday Family Meal

Interested in catching an FBA game? Did you know you can find directions and team schedules on the www.fbalions.org website? At the top of the home page, on the far right side, find calendar and click on that link. You will then be directed to the current months calendar. The calendar can be sorted by All School Calendar or by Athletic Team. We are looking forward to an awesome winter season. Hope to see you out supporting your FBA Lions!
Courtney Abraham Kyle Abraham Juliet Asuzu Jack Bueltel Megan Chandler Flake Clokey Rob Clokey Barbara Crespo Jamie Haelterman

FBA Sports Athletics Schedule

Beach Baptisms Last Sunday

Nick Kellen Myrna Lamberson Cristina Landon Eleanor Merrill Erendira Montes De Oca Jorge Montes De Oca Anna Opalatenko Cheryl Poole Michael Poole

Weekly Schedule
Saturday, November 23
5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Bible and Life Groups: Various Rooms on Campus Worship Service: Worship Center Spanish Worship Service: Chapel Bible and Life Groups: Various Rooms on Campus Bible and Life Groups: Various Rooms on Campus Haitian Bible Study & Worship: ED207 Vietnamese Worship & Bible Study: DC221 Worship Service: Worship Center Bible and Life Groups: Various Rooms on Campus Romanian Bible Study & Worship: Modulars 3 & 4 Worship Service: Worship Center Bible and Life Groups: Various Rooms on Campus Spanish Worship Service: Student Center Resonate (Student Center) Romanian Worship Service: Modular 4

Ways to Connect Online with FBCN

Live streaming Saturday at 6:00pm and Sunday at 9:30am & 11:00am at fbcn.org!

John Shelford Susan Sill Elizabeth Staley Barry Taylor Peggy Taylor Julie Teigen Maria Vera Jonathan Wagganer Joshua Wiesen Barclay Weekes

Sunday, November 24
8:15 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

Visit our website: fbcn.org Follow us on Twitter: @fbcn @hayeswicker

Like us on Facebook: FirstBaptistChurchNaples

Contact Us
3000 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples, FL 34109 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Church Receptionist...................................................................597-6057 Enter ext. # for direct connection 596-8600 Lighthouse Bookstore................................................................. 449-4488 First Baptist Academy Naples 597-2233 24-Hour Prayer Line......................................................597-PRAY (7729) Church Email...................................................................FBCN@fbcn.org

Tuesday, November 26

First Baptist Church Naples

No Tuesday RefresHer This Week

Wednesday, November 27

No Wednesday Night Ministries This Week Please note that the church campus is CLOSED this Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving Holidays. For a full weekly schedule listing, please go to fbcn.org/weeklyschedule.