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[ Silence ] [ Silence ] >> A voice cries, in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

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[CONGREGATION REPEATS] And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Let us praise the Lord our God.

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May we sing hymn number 53, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." [MUSIC - "O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL"] ♪ (soft music) ♪ O come, O come, Emmanuel

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♪ And ransom captive Israel ♪ That morn till of the air ♪ ♪ Shall appear ♪ ♪ Until the Son of God appear ♪

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♪ Rejoice ♪ ♪ Rejoice ♪ ♪ Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Shall come to thee ♪

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♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪

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♪ And for an empty seat above ♪ ♪ Rejoice, rejoice ♪ ♪ Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Your country glory is forever ♪

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♪ O come, O come, O come, O come, ♪ ♪ And the birds so free ♪ ♪ I am your Savior's chair to be ♪ ♪ The depths of hell are meek to see ♪

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♪ And in their midst we all obey ♪ ♪ Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel ♪ [ Music ] Let us pray. Eternal God, our gracious Heavenly Father, we praise your name that

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you have promised to visit and redeem your people. We invoke your blessings upon us as we worship you this day. Have mercy upon us and grant that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts may be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.

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Let us pray together the Lord's Prayer. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

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and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever amen you may be seated

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[audience talking] We are indeed fortunate today to have to share with us in this service an outstanding tenor, John Miles, who is a recording artist of New York City. He has sung with outstanding symphony orchestras of this nation.

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He's concertized not only at Carnegie Hall and other places in America, but in Europe, and has been here in Austin for a few days now where he gave a concert at the University of Texas and is now preparing a recording that will be released sometime later and it's a happy privilege to have him with us and we

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welcome him now to the Ebenezer Church family. [ Pause ] [ Music ] [ Singing ]

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♪ Which art in heaven ♪ ♪ Now o'er me ♪ ♪ Thy name ♪ ♪ Thy kingdom come ♪

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♪ Thy will be done ♪ [Music] ♪ And is in heaven ♪ ♪ Is in heaven ♪

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[Music] (singing in foreign language) ♪ (soft music) ♪ Give us this day our daily bread ♪

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♪ And forgive us our debts ♪ ♪ As we forgive our debtors ♪ [ Music ] ♪ And lead us not into temptation ♪

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♪ But deliver us from evil ♪ ♪ For thine is the kingdom ♪ ♪ And the power ♪ ♪ And the glory ♪

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♪ Forever ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ - Amen. - Amen.

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(audience applauding) (audience applauding) (tense music) ♪ Oh Rogero ♪

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♪ Roll, Jordan, roll ♪ ♪ I want to go to Hemwinnata ♪ ♪ To hear Sweet Jordan roll ♪ ♪ Oh, roll, Jordan, roll ♪

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♪ Roll, Jordan, roll ♪ ♪ I want to go to Hemwinnata ♪ ♪ To hear Sweet Jordan roll ♪ ♪ Oh brother, you oughta been there ♪

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♪ Yes, my lord ♪ ♪ A second in the kingdom ♪ ♪ Oh yes, sweet General ♪ ♪ Oh, General ♪

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♪ Oh, General ♪ ♪ I would go to him when I die ♪ Yes, sweet German roll. Oh, Mona, you ought to have been there.

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Yes, my lord. A second in the kingdom. Oh, yes, sweet German roll. Oh, roll, German roll.

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Roll, German roll. I would go to Henwin and now to hear Sweet German roll. ♪ Alas, Rita, you have me there ♪ ♪ Yes, my lord ♪

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♪ A savage and a kingdom ♪ ♪ Yes, with Jadon ♪ ♪ Oh, roll, Jadon, roll ♪ ♪ Roll, Jadon, roll ♪

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♪ I wanna go to him when I die ♪ ♪ To hear Sweet General Roll ♪ ♪ Roll, General, roll ♪ ♪ Roll, General, roll ♪

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♪ I would go to heaven when I die ♪ ♪ To hear Sweet General Roll ♪ ♪ Roll ♪ ♪ Roll ♪

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♪ But a hip sweet ♪ ♪ Jolly roll ♪ (audience applauding) Now let us all say Amen.

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Amen. Amen. Let us stand now for our responsive reading number 595, God's Everlasting Mercies. [ Music ]

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[MUSIC] ♪ I am my Lord ♪ ♪ I see no man who walk ♪ ♪ With the Word of the Lord ♪

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♪ In their hearts ♪ ♪ Be silent for the Lord's near ♪ ♪ Glory to His children ♪ - Oh, give thanks unto the Lord for He is good,

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because His mercy endureth forever. - [Congregation] And His will now stay, that His mercy endureth forever. - Let the house of Aaron now say

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that His mercy endureth forever. [All] But they did not, and did not go forth to sleep. [All] But His mercy endured forever. [Pastor] I called upon the Lord in distress.

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The Lord answered me and sent me in a large place. [All] The Lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do unto me?

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[Pastor] The Lord taketh my part with them that help me. Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. - [Congregation] It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men.

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- It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. - [Congregation] I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and I will not consult any.

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♪ I will keep my word in my heart ♪ [singing] The stone which the builders refused has become the headstone of the corner. [singing]

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This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. [choir singing]

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[choir singing] Thou art my God and I will praise thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. [choir singing]

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♪ My word is a lamp unto my feet ♪ ♪ My word is a lamp unto my feet ♪ ♪ My word is a lamp unto my feet ♪ ♪ And a lamp unto my right hand ♪

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♪ Amen ♪ This is the children's hour. All of the children in the congregation from the kindergarten level through the fifth grade

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are asked to come forward at this time, trying up a child the way that he should go. When he is old, he will not depart from it. [Music]

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The Lord Jesus said, "So for the little children to come unto me, do not hinder them, for such is the kingdom of heaven." [Music] When I was a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child. [music]

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Good morning. How are you this morning? Good good. How many of you came to church this morning in a car?

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All of you all of you came in a car. Now in a car there is a windshield. You know what a windshield is? Oh, yes. you all know where the wind and also there is a

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Rearview mirror know what the rearview mirror is Yes, all right the rearview mirror so if a person looks at

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the rearview mirror all the time and Doesn't look at the windshield look through the windshield that person may drive into something just looking to see what's behind him So a person doesn't need to just look through the windshield all the time because you need to know what is behind you. So a good driver

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needs to learn how to look through the windshield and also to look at the rear view mirror. So we need to know how to

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appreciate our yesterday And we also need to know how to conduct ourselves today so we can travel safely into

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tomorrow. That is very very important. There was a man who was 51 years of age and he went back to a place where there was a hill, a very

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Steep hill that he had climbed when he was a boy He climbed that hill when he was a boy and he wrote his initials there in the stone And so he went back after he became 51 years of age To take some boys some little boys with him to that spot that he might show them

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the place where he had carved his initials in the stone. But as he was climbing his foot slipped and he fell down some 30 feet and

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he lost his life. What he was really doing was becoming

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too much concerned With what had happened yesterday To the point that he was a different person climbing that hill at 51 than he was when he climbed it as a boy So we have to not only appreciate what has happened in our lives

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What others have done before us? But we must recognize that we God has something for us to do today and we must be able to look ahead as well as to look backward and Travel safely forward and when we do that we will be doing what is

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best for our lives as travelers in God's world may God bless you and may he keep you [ Music ]

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[MUSIC] [music] [ Music ] [ Music ]

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♪ We'll bring him hearts and love ♪ ♪ We'll bring him thankful praise ♪ ♪ And love so firmly strong ♪ ♪ To walk in holy ways ♪

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♪ And matter of each day ♪ ♪ To offer to the kings ♪ ♪ And riches gifted thou ♪ ♪ Yet these a child may bring ♪

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♪ Yet the infant child may breathe ♪ - This is our time of prayer together. I trust that we will shut out all of the things that would serve as hindrances, that this might be a time when all of us as a family will talk with the Heavenly Father,

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That every one of us will, in our heart of hearts, engage in prayer. Prayer is the pathway of power. Prayer is talking with God. is the sole sincere desire, unuttered or expressed, the motion of a hidden fire

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that trembles in the breast. So whatever may be our situation, we should talk with God about it. We should give thanks to Him for His goodness. We should ask His forgiveness for our sins and then we should make petitions we should not only ask him for the help that we need personally in our families but also to

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remember others as we make intercessory prayers. It's been made known to me that that the William Lindsay family has a son Nathaniel Lindsay who has a physical condition which there is great deal of concern about he's lost some 50 pounds and the real reason why is not yet known but God knows and God is able to work

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and we would ask that every one of us will remember this family and this son in your prayers. There may be other special concerns that I don't know about, but whatever may be those concerns, let every one of us pray for our God is the God who hears and answers prayers. Let us pray. Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth.

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We bless your name. We give thanks to you for the gift of this day and for the opportunity to celebrate your coming into the world in the flesh through the gift of your son Jesus. Oh, we thank you for all this season means in our lives.

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We thank you for the opportunity to call upon your name, for the blessed experience of prayer. We thank you for the gift of life and we thank you for the privileges that we share as families and as friends. We pray, O God, for your loving forgiveness for what we have done that is not in keeping

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with your will. We pray that you would cleanse our hearts and equip us for the ministry for which we are called as your servants. You know what challenges us.

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You know the obstacles we face. You know the frustrations, you know the anxieties that dwell in our hearts. Because oh God, before you all hearts are open, no secrets are hidden. We pray that you will visit us with your loving compassion and with your strength.

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And especially do we pray for this family in our midst, the Lindsay family, this son. We pray that you would visit in this situation to be in the work that is done by the doctors and the medicines that are applied. We pray that especially will we be governed by your spirit

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and be strengthened by your word. For you have promised to bless us in the midst of every crisis that we may face. We would remember those people

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who have experienced tragedy in India, those starving people in Ethiopia, and for those people who suffer under the yoke of oppression in South Africa, for your people everywhere, oh God,

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we come to you in prayer. And we pray that you will bless each one of us and use us as your instrument, working for the coming of the day when your kingdom will come on earth

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as it is in heaven. We ask this in the strong and perfect name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

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[Music] ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ Bright shining star ♪ ♪ Shining very bright ♪

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♪ Shining in the night ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ Beneath ♪ ♪ Beneath that star ♪

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♪ In a manger bed ♪ ♪ Christ was born in a manger bed ♪ ♪ Beneath that star ♪ ♪ Heavenly angels sang ♪

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♪ Christ is king, heavenly angels sang ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪

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♪ Shining very bright ♪ ♪ Shining in the night ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ Beneath that star ♪

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♪ In a manger bed ♪ ♪ Christ was born ♪ ♪ In a manger bed ♪ ♪ Beneath that star ♪

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♪ Heard the angels sing ♪ ♪ Christ is king ♪ ♪ And the angels sing ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪

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♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ A bright star ♪ ♪ Shining very bright ♪ ♪ Shining in the night ♪

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♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ Beneath that star ♪ ♪ In a manger bed ♪ ♪ Christ was born in a manger bed ♪

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♪ Beneath that star ♪ ♪ Heard the angels sing ♪ ♪ Christ is King ♪ ♪ Heard the angels sing ♪

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♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ Shiny star ♪ ♪ Shiny very bright ♪

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♪ Shining in the night ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪ ♪ There was a star ♪

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(audience murmuring) Let's all say amen. Amen. We worship the Lord now in our giving.

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Let us all give according to how the Lord has prospered each one of us. Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy bonds be filled with plenty and thy presses burst out with new wine. the first day of the week let every one of you set the scripture, lay by him in

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store according to how the Lord has prospered you. Giving in the Christian way is voluntary, it is proportionate, it is done with regularity in a spirit of sacrifice, love, and loyalty. Let us pray.

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We come now, God, to make our gifts to you. We pray that your spirit might dwell in us and motivate us, that we may truly worship you in the sharing of gifts, offering ourselves first of all,

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and then our substance in a manner that is pleasing to you and glorifies your name. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen. [ Music ]

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Noah, Noah, let me come in. Doors are fastened and the windows pinned. Keep your hand on the plow. Hold on.

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Noah said you done lost your track. Can't plow straight, keep looking back. Keep your hand on the plow. Hold on.

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Hold on. Hold on. ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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♪ Mary had a golden chain ♪ ♪ Every link was in Jesus' name ♪ ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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Keep on plowing and don't you tire. Every round goes higher and higher. Keep your hand on the plow. Hold on.

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Hold on. Hold on. Keep your hand on the plow. Hold on.

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Hold on. Hold on. ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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♪ If you wanna get to heaven, I'll tell you how ♪ ♪ Just keep your hand on the gospel plow ♪ ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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♪ If that plow stays in your hand ♪ ♪ It'll land you straight in the promised land ♪ ♪ Keep your hand on the plow ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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Hold on, hold on, keep your hand under the plow. Hold on, hold on, hold on, keep your hand under the plow. ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Keep your hand ♪ ♪ Under the cloud ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪

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(audience applauding) Again, I want to say how grateful we are to have Mr. John Miles to share with us and to make such a meaningful musical contribution in this worship service. I noticed that he is making a cassette recording while he is here that will be made available

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a money order payable to him at Liberty Productions at 1801, La Vaca, suite 107 here in Austin, Texas, for $12.04 including the shipping and handling. I think that many of us will want to take advantage of this opportunity and I urge you to do so. I plan to get one because we can have this voice with us

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by this particular medium and again, I want to thank him for that contribution that he's made today. The announcements that are in your bulletin, I hope you will take note of them and

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particularly take note of the fact that Sunday after next, next Sunday we're going to go to the Rising Star Church. And that service I think is four o'clock according to what he's told me. I told him that we wanted to move with some precision because I know that there are other obligations that others have after that,

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that afternoon. So they will be serving dinner for those who want to have dinner there at the church he told me. next Sunday the sanctuary choir and the pastor to choirs to sing and the pastors to preach next Sunday at the Rising Star Church. Then the following Sunday is the Christmas dinner and program that will be under the leadership of the training union the program that is being

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prepared and we would like to get from you the number of persons that will be coming from your families. If you're the only one just we'd like for you to fill out one of the slips and put just one in your name. The others would like you to put the number there so the social committee will know the number of

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persons for whom to prepare. So as the ushers move among you now with those slips we ask that you will take one of them if you have not filled out one and you plan to come and fill it out put the number of persons on it and return it to the ushers today. Please do that it would be very helpful to us and now these are

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the members of the committee I'm going to call your name you are requested to meet following this service. Sister Justine Lewis is and brother Sam Austin are serving as leaders and we urge you to remain and meet with them don't forget it I'm going to call your name meet with them after the service. Sister

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Juanita Wilson, Sister Marjorie Rhone, Sister Juanita Russell, Sister Mary Lee Kennedy, Sister Barbara Wilson, Sister Ethel Haisley, Sister Gertrude Britton, Brother LeBron Washington, Brother Junior Smith, Brother Sam Austin, Brother E.P. Lyons, Brother John Hall, Brother Sam Owens, Brother Robert Arkin, Brother Charlie Reeves, Sister Justine Lewis.

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meet for a few moments following the benediction. Appreciate that very much. The Budget Committee meets tonight at 7 o'clock. I'd like to see the director of the WMU and the presidents of Mission 1 and 2 for just a few moments following the benediction along with the president of the Baptist Young Women if you're

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here for just a few moments following the benediction. I was in Palestine, Texas for our board meeting. I was not able to be present for the Lottie Moon Christmas program which was held Wednesday night in connection with our prayer service but even though the weather was somewhat cold compared to what we are accustomed

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to I understand we had a very good turnout and that we had a very good program. However we are somewhat short of our goal. Brother Curley spoke to me about the men and Rick asking if we could continue so I told him that would be in keeping with what we hope you will do. I think there was some $250 short and I'm

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sure that that money is in our pockets and we are anxious to show the Christmas spirit you know by sharing it and there's not a better way of sharing than missions because that's One way we we can go across the seas, we can go all over the world and we do have mission stations

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that reap the benefit of the money that you give through the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. And that's what this offering is for. I just read of a new allocation by our Home Mission Board to Ethiopia.

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And there are other needs that enable us to carry out that commission. So we're asking that the ladies, the circles, the men, all of us, youth, children, all of us, well,

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I haven't made my contribution, so I want to do that and others of you have made yours and I assume that when some of us who have not made ours get it in that we'll have our goal and maybe something to spare. I was hoping that we'd go at least 10% over the goal

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in keeping with what the trends are today. So please do that. God bless you. I know you're going to respond. We've always done a good job with Lottie Moon and this year we can do no less. So we look forward to that and trust that

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you will follow the other announcements that have been made. Call your attention to the fact that we do have a new arrival in our church family sister

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Harville wheat The family the parents mr. Mrs. Dan wheat sister We teaches the young adult Bible class in Sunday school upstairs to this family was born Daniel Harrison wheat on December the 2nd his weight nine pounds one ounce. It's a big big boy

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And we rejoice with this family. And I went out to see her before I left town, but she'd already left the hospital, so the mother's evidently moving along quite well. And we rejoice with them in this new expression of God's grace. I'd like for you to stand those of you who are visitors.

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For those for whom I have cards, I would like for you to stand as your name is called and remain standing until words of welcome are extended you. Janice and Dax Johnson. [ Silence ]