The shepherds who watched their flock the night of Christ's birth were well acquainted with the night sky. Two thousand years ago the stars shone much more brightly than we have ever seen in our lifetimes. There were no glaring street lamps and neon signs to lighten the night, no jet contrails to blur the transparent heavens, nor was there a hint of the thick atmospheric pollution that today clouds even our daytime sky. The darkest night was awash with the bright glory of God's magnificent universe. Thousands upon thousands of brilliant points of light speckled the canopy, and it was indeed a sight to behold.
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Associational WMU treasurer, Mrs. Jeanette Southall, 2306 Old Farm Road, Lynchburg, VA 24503, reports receipt of WMU Dues from the following: Flint Hill, Mentow, Mount Olivet, Sedalia, Shady Grove, Suck Spring, Thaxton, and Timber Ridge. Dues are $2.00 for each member of Women on Mission and consultants for age-level organizations. If your church is not listed, please try to get the dues in by the middle of December.

WMU Executive Board Meeting (Church WMU Directors and Associational Leadership Team) Monday, January 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Association Office Come prepared to share ideas about the WMU Annual Meeting in March, WMU Annual Training, Association Missions Week, etc.

As you read this article, most of you are probably making final preparations for Christmas. In a survey of over 1500 people, Christmas was second on the stress and worry list of the people surveyed. Stress has many negative effects on a person's body and affects almost every body system. So, in the midst of all the last-minute Christmas preparations, how can we also control stress? Primarily, we can control stress by focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Take time to experience the many worship opportunities that can help us focus on Christ during this season, and remember to keep up your daily personal prayer and devotional time.

Our next Association Youth Event will be Youth Movie Night on January 11, 6 p.m., at Thaxton Baptist Church. On Sunday evening we will be showing "The Climb," a movie about two hotshot solo climbers who forge an uneasy alliance in order to ascend one of the world's most dangerous peaks. Their treacherous journey takes them higher—and deeper—than they've ever been before.

Bad weather date is Sunday, January 18.
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Under the Lordship of Christ, to equip, support, and involve our family of churches in meeting the spiritual and physical needs of a changing community and world.

To see an online copy of our 2004 proposed budget, please click here.

Bedford Baptist has recently begun a Parish Nursing ministry. Parish Nursing is a nursing specialty that is recognized by the American Nurses Association. It is a visible means of expressing Jesus' love within the church community. It is an opportunity for the church to show that it recognizes the interplay of our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves and is involved in caring for all these aspects. Parish Nursing makes resources available to the church and staff for consultation about medical needs of the congregation; assists in meeting those needs, and provides knowledge for the support of members of the congregation. For more information about this ministry, please contact Lora Padgett, 586-6202
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Jeff Powers' surgery went perfectly! He is now recuperating at home. Pray for a smooth and quick recovery from this last cancer surgery.

January 4 Mike Jones (Pastor/Sedalia/10 yrs.)

January 1 Norman & Virginia Gooding (65 yrs.) (Retired)