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For the week of December 31, 2017

Finish 2017 Strong, and Get a Great Start on 2018!
 
Worship Christ on New Year's Eve!
     "Just try harder!"  That's what most resolutions for the new year boil down to. But when is "Just try harder" not enough?  Find out this Sunday morning at 10:45 AM as we give thanks to the Lord for bringing us through 2017, and pray for His blessing in 2018. This will be a morning filled with music led by our choir, praise team, and special soloists, and we will share the Lord's Supper together. Bring a friend!

     Please note: there will be no evening service or activities on December 31. We will return to our regular schedule on January 2.
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Awesome! You Did It!

       As part of our Christmas Eve Service, we observed a special time of gathering for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. What a moving sight to see dozens from our New Salem family stream to the altar to place their gifts before the manger!  Thanks to your generosity, we not only met our goal---we exceeded it! If you missed your chance to give, we will continue to accept offerings to the Lottie Moon fund for the next couple of weeks. You can make a gift using the designated envelopes in the sanctuary, or by writing “Lottie Moon” on the memo line of your check. You can also give online at www.newsalembaptist.net. Thank you for helping to send the story of Jesus Christ throughout the world!

Click here to donate to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (select "Lottie Moon" from the fund menu)
Draw Closer to Christ in 2018!
      A deepening understanding of the Bible is so important to your spiritual development. Why not make a commitment to spend a few minutes each day in personal Bible reading and prayer during 2018? This year Pastor Alan is recommending a Bible-reading strategy called the F-260 plan, developed by Robby Gallaty, the pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN, formerly the pastor of Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga. Try it for 30 days, and see if you can tell the difference in your relationship with Jesus! Use the link below to get a free copy of the F-260 plan for yourself, or visit Robby's website, www.replicate.org.
Get a Free Copy of the F-260 Bible Reading Plan
Moving Forward in 2018!
 
        At the December business meeting, New Salem Baptist Church voted to create a transition team tasked with developing a plan to implement Strategic Initiative #4, which our membership approved as part of our Strategic Plan last August.  Strategic Initiative #4 calls on New Salem to "Reinvent our ministry structure to be more flexible and responsive to the needs of our mission by transitioning from committee-led ministry to team-led ministry."
        Between January 7-28, you will have the opportunity to nominate fellow New Salem members to serve on this five-member team. Look for the nomination forms and the submission box in the main lobby beginning Sunday, January 7. The top five nominees will be submitted for approval at New Salem's February business meeting.
        The target for the transition team's recommendations is the April or May business meeting (with the option of giving them more time if necessary). Specifically, the transition team will look at:
  • Which committees should be transitioned to the team concept, and which should continue to operate under the present system.
  • How the new teams will work: their make-up, responsibilities, procedures and accountability structure.
  • What changes would need to be made to New Salem's by-laws to accommodate this new system.
        Why are we doing this?  As our Strategic Planning Team concluded, our present committee system is too rigid, too unresponsive to change, and requires a lot of personnel to maintain.  By transitioning key ministries away from committees towards smaller leadership teams, we hope to cut down on the number of people the Nominating Committee would need to recruit each year (and focus on people who have a passion for particular ministries), make it easier for leadership teams to adapt to changing conditions during the year, as well as making it easier to plug in new people to serve in areas of interest and giftedness.
        Of the give strategic initiatives recommended by our Strategic Planning Team, this transition has the possibility of being one of the most consequential for our church, as well as one of the most complicated. Therefore, we are committed to making sure we do it right. Please pray for those who will be nominated, and for the work they will be engaging in.
Get connected!
Click here for a directory of New Salem's Sunday School groups!
Click here to submit your prayer request!
Please pray for:
  • This Sunday's services
  • Our pastor and staff
  • Spiritual renewal in our lives, our church, and our nation
  • For the Lord to add new people to our choir and praise team
  • Our worship leader search committee
  • That the Lord would draw people around us to faith in Jesus, baptism, and discipleship
Thought for the Week:
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