December 2007 Newsletter

West Wind

Westwood Baptist Church Newsletter

Retirement Announcement
Of Charles Allard
January 1, 2008

I am today announcing my retirement effective January 1, 2008. When I accepted the call to become Pastor of Westwood in 1994, I promised the Pastor Search Committee that I would give the church at least 10 years, if God permitted. By the grace of God and by your generous support, I will celebrate my 13th anniversary with you on January 1.

Serving as your pastor has been the icing on the cake of 48 years of ministry. Serving you and serving with you has been a wonderful privilege and joy and an experience that I will treasure as long as I live.

Our church has been deeply involved in a spiritual renewal process called “It’s Time”. In my own spiritual pilgrimage over the last year and also through this special study, I believe that “It is time” for me to pass the mantel as Shepherd of the Flock to younger and more energetic hands. I believe that a strong foundation has been laid and that the greatest, brightest and most exciting days in the life of Westwood are still ahead. This is especially true if Westwood will continue to join God in the work that He is doing.

I am announcing my retirement today so that my resignation can be accepted at the November 4, business meeting and in order to give the responsible committees ample time to fill the necessary leadership roles that will lead to a smooth transition of the churches ministry. My decision has been shared with our Ministerial Staff, and with the chairpersons of our Church Council, Deaconate and Personnel Committee.

According to our Church By-laws, it is the task of the Church Council to name a Pastor Search Committee. I ask you to pray earnestly for the Council’s wisdom in fulfilling this great responsibility.

In making my retirement announcement, I want to express my deepest appreciation to you, the members of Westwood, for entrusting in me the awesome responsibility of being your pastor. I thank you for calling me to this great work, for loving and supporting us and for being the people of God that you are.

I want to express my deep love for and appreciation of our church staff. No pastor could ask for a better team of people who are truly servants of God. They deserve your strongest support and your faithful prayers in this period of transition.

I also express my heart-felt appreciation to my family, without whose support my ministry would be impossible.

Words are not adequate to express my love and appreciation to my wife, Gloria, who has stuck with me through the good times and the bad through all these years of ministry. She has indeed, next to God, been the wind under my wings, my strongest supporter and best critic. Her love and encouragement has kept me going when I might otherwise have been tempted to throw in the towel.

My children, Micky, Anita and Jonathan have through the years loved me and supported me despite the fact that their lives were often disrupted because of our call to the ministry. I love them more than words can tell and I owe them a deep debt of gratitude for their flexibility and for the inconveniences forced upon them when they had no choice and when they did not understand.

For all that has been accomplished in my life and at Westwood, I give God the glory and praise. Great things He has done. My family and I were just privileged to be a part of it.

Until January 1, 2008, we have much work to do. As we enter this blessed holiday season, let us work together to fulfill the mission that our Lord has entrusted to us. Let us look to Him who holds the future to guide us and to show us what He wants to accomplish through us. May God bless you and keep you in His love.

Weekly Activities

Sunday
9:15am Sunday School
10:30am Worship
5:00pm DivorceCare
5:30pm Orchestra Rehearsal
6:30pm Back Porch String Band
6:30pm YAC-Youth Center

Monday
10:00am Women’s Bible Study
4:00pm Youth Handbells
7:15pm Adult Handbells

Tuesday
6:30am Prayer Breakfast
4:00pm Children’s Handbells
6:30pm ESL Classes
7:00pm Outreach (1st, 3rd &
4th Tuesdays)

Wednesday
5:30pm Fellowship Meal
6:00pm Nursery (Rm. 104)
6:00pm Youth Missions
6:00pm Preschool & Children’s
Activities
6:30pm Prayer & Bible Study
6:30pm Men’s & Women’s Bible
Study
6:45pm Ensemble Rehearsal
7:00pm Youth Praise Band
Rehearsal
7:30pm Outreach (2nd Wed)
7:40pm Adult Choir Rehearsal

Minister on Call

If you have a ministerial need over the weekend please contact the minister on call:

Dec. 1-2 Mike Eddinger Home: 846-2108
Cell: 805-1022

Dec. 8-9 Caroline Allen Home: 872-0579
Cell: 522-3046

Dec. 15-16 Mike Eddinger Home: 846-2108
Cell: 805-1022

Dec. 22-23 Charles Allard Home: 363-4020
Cell: 606-8360

Dec. 29-30 Charles Allard Home: 363-4020
Cell: 606-8360

*Look every month in the West Wind for the
schedule.

December Sermon Topics

2nd - Trust in the Lord
Proverbs 3:5-6

9th - Dr Rob Nash-Mission Speaker

16th - I Can Do All Things Through Christ
Phillipians 4:13

23rd - God So Loved The World
John 3:16

31st - The Debt of Love I Owe
Romans 1:14-16

Mission Statement

A community of believers
worshiping God, making
disciples and sharing
Christ’s love

Charles Allard, Pastor
Mike Eddinger, Associate Pastor
Caroline Allen, Minister of Music
& Worship
Michelle Anderson, Minister of Youth
Becky Bullock, Administrative Assistant
Sandy Dennis, Secretary
Rob McLain, Deacon Chair
Diane Owens, Pianist
Kim Taylor, Organist

Dec 2 - NO YAC - 6pm Advent Service

Dec 8 - 10am - Noon Mission Brunch

Dec 9 - 3pm - Heartfield's Assisted Living 430-630pm - Youth Christmas Party

Dec 15 - 6pm - Westwood Christmas Party

Dec 16 - NO YAC - 6pm "The Living Light"

Dec 23 - NO YAC

Dec 24 - 6pm - Christmas Eve Service

Dec 30 - 630pm - YAC

Wednesday Schedule

On Wednesdays we have a missions study
from 6:00-7:00pm and Praise Band practice
from 7:00-7:30pm. Those youth not involved
with Praise Band may fellowship quietly or
work on homework in a side room.

You are cordially invited
to a reception for
Charles and Gloria Allard
on Sunday, December 30
following the worship service.

A BIG Thank You to everyone who contributed to Operation Christmas Child. We collected 172 shoe boxes! A special thanks to the Chinese Bible Church for donating 10 boxes and to the GA’s for their great job wrapping the shoe boxes.

A Christmas Party!

You are cordially invited to the
Annual Westwood Christmas Party,
Saturday, Dec.15th, 6:00PM in the
Fellowship Hall.

This event will be covered dish. Please bring food for your family plus one! Come celebrate the season with family and friends!

Christmas at Westwood

Sunday, Dec. 2, 6:00p.m.
Advent Candlelight Service

Saturday, Dec. 8, 10:00a.m.-Noon
Mission Brunch ~ Rob Nash, Speaker

Sunday, Dec. 9, 10:30a.m.
Global Missions Offering Ingathering
GOAL: $30,000

Saturday, Dec. 15, 6:00p.m.
Westwood Christmas Party
Covered Dish

Sunday, Dec. 16, 6:00p.m.
“The Living Light”

Cake Ministry

Please sign up to make cakes for the Women's Prison in your Sunday School Classrooms. There will also be a sign up sheet on the mission bulletin board outside the Media Center. You will get a reminder postcard with the date and instructions. The cakes will be collected on Dec. 12th and 13th. If you have any questions please call Debbie Dion.

Fall Campout

On October 26-28 the RAs, dads and leaders enjoyed their annual fall camping trip at Camp Lapihio in Umstead Park. It was another very successful weekend of recreation, relaxation, good food and spiritual renewal for dads and sons. Those attending this year were Daryl and Harrison Duncan, Luther Davis, Brian Davis and his sons Paul and Austin, Grant Hoke, Seph Hefelfinger, Edward Mendoza, Tim and JC Cunningham and Tony Edwards.

First Friday

January 4th, 2008
6:30pm Covered Dish Dinner
7:30pm Artist, Jerry Miller

Ringing In the Good News!
It Is Advent Season! Listen for the Bells!

Dec.2 ~ 10:30am Worship, Adult Handbell Choir
6:00pm, Advent Service Adult Handbell Choir

Dec. 9 ~ Youth Handbell Choir Rings….
9:00am, Phoenix Nursing Home
10:30am, Westwood Worship Service
1:30pm, Cary Towne Center
3:00pm, HeartFields Retirement Center

Dec. 16 ~ 10:30am Worship, Children’s Handbell Choir
Dec. 23 ~ 10:30am Worship, Adult Handbell Choir

Caught Speechless When a Mormon
Comes Knocking?

Then this one-day seminar is for you. Come hear Dr. George Braswell, senior professor of world religions, explain what members of the Church of the Latter-day Saints believe and how we can witness to them about Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. This seminar is scheduled for:
Monday, February 25, 2008
10:00a.m.—3:00p.m.
Campbell University Divinity School
Taylor Hall of Religion
There is no registration fee for this seminar,
however there will be a $10 charge to cover lunch.

If you are interested in attending this seminar please sign up on the bulletin board in Hall A by February 3, 2008.

Save Your Grocery Coupons

Westwood Singles are collecting grocery coupons for our servicemen. They are able to use them in their commissaries up to six months after they expire. Please cut your coupons from the newspaper, magazines, etc. and place them in an envelope and put them in the box next to the refrigerator designated for them in the Singles Sunday School class, Room 209.

A New Baptist Celebration

January 30 – February 2 Baptist from North America will meet in Atlanta, Georgia in an historical gathering entitled “Unity in Christ”. The meeting is not political and there is no intention of beginning a new denomination. The focus is on issues that bind us together as followers of Christ rather than the differences that exist among us. You are invited to attend. For detailed information go to www.newbaptistcelebration.org.
Dr. Bill Leonard, Dean of the Wake Forest University Divinity School said that….”Probably not since 1845 has this kind of effort been made to bring together Baptists, black and white, and of diverse theological and regional backgrounds.