The Window Newsletter 12.16.20

Advent Celebration
Saturday, December 5 our Family Ministry team hosted a drive by Advent Celebration. Families had the opportunity to “drive through” and pick up a gingerbread house kit, an “Advent-in-a-Box” (gift box filled with fun activities for families to use during Advent), their mission stocking to fill for a child, and have window art applied to their car windows. There was also the option of having their children’s photo taken with Santa on the east side of the church (socially distanced of course!) Families later shared pictures of their completed gingerbread houses on social media. This was a wonderful, fun way for our church family to connect during this challenging time.

Christmas Eve Broadway Family Slideshow!
Send in a holiday picture of yourself or your family to be a part of our Christmas Eve BBC Family Slideshow! This picture montage will be shown at the end of our Christmas Eve service. We will miss being together and seeing all of your pictures will be a special way to connect on this meaningful night. Take selfie, pose in front of the tree, or use a recent picture to join us in wishing each other Merry Christmas! Email your picture to Tracey McKee. DEADLINE for pictures to be turned in is Tuesday, December 22 by 5:00 pm. We look forward to “seeing” everyone!
 

Worship Sunday
December 20, 10:50 a.m.
This Sunday we will light the fourth candle, the Love Candle. David Grogan will sing “Behold, I Tell You a Mystery,” “But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming,” and “The Trumpet Shall Sound” from the Messiah. James Sims will join on the trumpet. Pam Adams and Tiffany McClain will play a flute duet. Bradley Welch is the guest organist. Ryon Price will preach on Luke 1:26-38.Join us online for live stream worship on our website at broadwaybc.org/live-stream/ or on our Facebook page. 

Broadway Alternative Gift Catalog

Broadway has the perfect solution for your Christmas shopping this year. Our Alternative Gift Catalog allows you to choose a meaningful gift to honor a loved one or friend from the safety and security of your home. The catalog includes gifts that support six different areas of Broadway ministries: Camp Broadway, Community Ministries, Congregational Care, Family Ministries, Missions, and Music Ministries. 

You can view the catalog here. 

You can choose the pre-selected amount on any gift or choose an amount that is right for you. Broadway will send a personalized letter to each person you give a gift to. We will not mention the amount of your donation, but we will include the ministry area you selected for them. 

All gifts are tax-deductible and will be included in your year-end giving statement from the church. 
 

Stewardship 2021 -2022
Thanks to all who continue to make their commitment to ministry of Broadway. To date we have received $1,253,989.88.
If you have not already done so, please prayerfully consider submitting your pledge now. Pledges received by December 31,2020 will be extremely helpful in determining the amount of our ministry budget for the coming year.

Print and mail in your pledge: Click Here to print a copy of the pledge card and ACH form and submit by mail. 

Make your pledge online: You may also submit your pledge card online by using the easy link located on our website. This pledge is the same as the mail in card. 

ACH Authorization: All members who submitted via ACH previously will still need to complete a new pledge form and authorization. 

If you have questions about making a pledge or ACH authorization, please contact Rachael Moffett in the church office.

Christmas Eve Live Stream Service
December 24 at 5:00 p.m. 
Christmas Eve we will light the 5^th candle in the Advent wreath, the Christ candle. We will continue with our traditional service of lessons and carols. Ellie & Jonathan Hatley will sing the carols, accompanied by Scott Ayers on organ. The Brass at Broadway will also play for the service. The service will end with the sharing of the light and singing of “Silent Night.” Gather the family, dim the lights and have your candles ready for this special live stream service. 

Agape Meal Schedule

Here is the upcoming schedule for our Thursday night Agape Meal.

• Thursday, December 17: Agape Meal served from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. 
• Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24:  No Agape Meal
• New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31: Agape Meal served from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. 

Each week at the Agape Meal, Broadway provides hot, to-go meals to our guests and neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Please contact Peter Nelson if you are interested in serving at the Agape Meal. 

Clayton Youth Services Returns to Broadway 
 
We are glad to welcome Clayton Youth Services back to Broadway’s campus over the Christmas holidays. Clayton used our facility from August – October to provide all-day childcare and school support to working families while Fort Worth ISD school campuses were closed. This is a great service to school-age children whose parents and guardians are essential workers. 
 
Clayton will provide childcare from 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. on the following days:  

• December 21-23
• December 28-30
• January 4-5

FWISD school campuses are scheduled to reopen Weds. January 6. 
 
Clayton has used Broadway’s facility previously during the COVID-19 crisis and has significant safety protocols in place to protect staff, students, and families. Click here for more information about Clayton and their services. 

Community Center Schedule
Broadway’s Community Center will be open regular hours on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24. This includes sack lunches, May Street Market, and adult clothing distribution. The center will be closed on Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28 in observance of the Christmas holiday. The center will reopen on Tuesday, December 29 with regular hours of operation and essential services.   

Disaster Relief for Nicaragua
The Atlantic coast of Nicaragua was recently hit by two major hurricanes. The two storms made landfall within two weeks of each other with devastating effects. Thousands have been left homeless, hungry, sick, and in desperate need of assistance. The communities most impacted by these two hurricanes are some of the poorest people in one of the world’s poorest nations. 

Broadway’s Missions Committee recently voted to commit $2,225 in disaster relief to those who have been hardest hit by these two hurricanes. Broadway has partnered with a missions team based out of Athens, TX. The agency is led by Jim Palmer, retired Baptist missionary who served in Nicaragua for over 30 years. Thanks to Broadway member Lester Merriwether for connecting Broadway with Jim and his agency. 

Here’s how the funds will be used: 
•    $850 – one week of support for a Community Feeding Center
•    $625 – 25 family survival kits ($25 per family)
•    $750 – 25 family food packets ($30 per family)
Click here for the disaster relief website where you can learn more about their efforts and even contribute personally to help those recovering from these two hurricanes. 

Please pray for the thousands of people who have been displaced and impacted by these hurricanes as well as the disaster relief personnel working to restore hope and healing to these communities. 

TCHC Housing 500 Challenge
Broadway’s Missions Committee recently approved a Broadway Blessings request to use $1250 to provide Welcome Home baskets for five families transitioning from homelessness as part of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition’s Housing 500 Challenge. TCHC’s goal is to transition 500 people out homelessness by the end of the year. Welcome Home baskets provide families with all the things they need for a smooth and easy transition out of homelessness: bed linens, towels, bath supplies, kitchen supplies, dinnerware, cleaning products, and household goods. Baskets will be funded by Broadway Blessings.Broadway will deliver five Welcome Home baskets to TCHC this Friday, December 18. Volunteers are needed to assemble and deliver the baskets. Contact Peter Nelson to volunteer.   

Welcome Genie!
 Broadway is excited to welcome, Genie, our new cargo van for the Community Center. The van was purchased about two months ago through a grant from the Ryan Foundation. Recently, the Broadway logo was put on the sides of the van by One Stop Printing, a near Southside neighbor and partner. The logo features Broadway’s icon spire as well as our physical address and website address. 
 
The cargo van is named Genie in honor of Rev. Gene Thompson, former pastor and early leader of Community Ministries at Broadway. His vision and legacy continue at Broadway through the work of our Community Center ministries and partnerships. 
 
Genie has also worked a little magic with our weekly pickups at the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Genie has helped deliver meals to residents at Samaritan House, school uniforms and groceries to FWISD families, and books and reading supplies to community centers across Tarrant County. Next week, Genie will help deliver Welcome Home baskets to TCHC families who are transitioning out of homelessness and Christmas baskets to our neighbors at Samaritan House. 
 
We give thanks for this wonderful gift through the Ryan Foundation and for the dedicated service and ministry of Rev. Gene Thompson. 
 

Earth Friendly 
By the BBC Recycle Guild

Did you know many of our daily activities cause emissions of greenhouse gases? Greenhouse gases (GHG) trap heat and make the planet warmer. The EPA states that the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.
Here are a few ways to reduce household greenhouse gas emissions:

• Live car free or buy a more efficient car
• Get a home energy audit 
• Buy green energy
• Adjust your thermostat by 3 degrees down in the winter and up in the summer. 
  • • • • • • Use non-toxic household products
            • Wash clothes in cold water
            • Recycle
            • Eat a plant-based diet

Visit the National Parks Service website for ways to reduce GHG. By incorporating just a few of the suggestions listed you can help lower greenhouse emissions. Thank you for helping to protect our precious planet!

Grants Available for Members in Need
Many members of our congregation are feeling the financial effects of the COVID 19 crisis.  Some have been furloughed from their jobs, some have incurred medical expenses, while others have lost their livelihood altogether.  In an attempt to assist with the many needs arising from this crisis, funds from the Congregational Care and the pastoral care budgets are being made available for our members.
 
Each grant amount will be up to $500, depending on the need of the individual or family.  We are asking that members in need of assistance complete a simple grant application form.  Information from the application will be kept in strict confidence.  Our Pastoral staff will review the applications and make the grant assignments.
 
If you and/or your family could use some help during these uncertain times, please email Fran Patterson for an application.  Also, if you are looking for ways to help during this crisis, please contact Fran.
 

Financial Report Budget Year 2020-21

Online Giving
If you would like to contribute to the ministries of Broadway Baptist Church, you can do so by visiting our website Giving Page, download our Mobile App, or Text “Give” to 817-383-1336. 

Prayer Requests
During this time of uncertainty we need prayer more than ever. Let us know how we may pray for you using the following link:                Prayer RequestsYour requests will be prayed over by the Broadway Ministry team and Intercessory Prayer Group.