The Grace Place
SUNDAY WORSHIP
We look forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday.
Celebration Worship meets in the Sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. You may view our Order of Worship here.
Connexion Worship meets in the Family Life Center inside Morgan Hall at 11:15 a.m. You may view our Order of Worship here.
Sunday School classes meet throughout the church from 10:15 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Find your class by asking a Welcome Host on Sunday or by consulting this list.
We look forward to seeing you for Wednesday Night activities! On February 4, we will be enjoy an Italian night with your choice of Alfredo or marinara sauce, Caesar salad, Texas toast, and strawberry shortcake.
Our menu and other Wednesday night details are also available on our website.
Be in the Know...
Church Community Announcements
Wednesday Night Activities
Get connected with others through fellowship, study, and conversation on Wednesday nights! Our fellowship meal begins at 5:00 p.m. in Morgan Hall. At 6:00 p.m., adults are encouraged to choose a study from the following options: Dr. Randy Peters is leading a conversation on the biblical perspective on Work and Generosity in the Hardee Hospitality Room. Dr. Jeff Rogers is leading a study of American Christians and the Revolution in Bramblett Chapel. Sandra Long is leading a women’s group in the Cheatham Room (104). Michelle Norris and Scott Welborn lead a parents group in Education Building 313. Grade school children begin their evening in the gym at 6:00 p.m. before moving over to the second floor of the Education Building. Preschool children begin their evening in the Weekday Education hall. Youth (6th through 12th grades) begin their worship, games, and study in the Student Center (basement) at 6:30 p.m. Musicians have rehearsals at varying times on Wednesdays. The Church Library will be open from 6-8p.m.
More Information about the Wednesday Study facilitated by Dr. Randy Peters
Over the spring term, Dr. Peters will explore two topics from a Biblical perspective on Wednesday nights in the Hardee Hospitality Room: work and generosity.
On Work
Our labor should mirror God's creation and care for the world, but often it is mere drudgery because we idolize work or distort its meaning.
Matt Beal considers how to respond to underemployment, which takes a high spiritual toll as work becomes entwined with personal identity. Robert Dickie critiques both the "poverty gospel" and the "prosperity gospel" for focusing on "what we earn and what we own rather than for whom we work and why we work." Mitch Neubert and Kevin Dougherty study faith-work integration, and Bob Newell explores options to empty retirement.
The study integrates Bible study, prayer, and worship to explore work's goodness in the Christian moral life and diagnose its contemporary diseases.
On Generosity
Since generosity echoes God's love, practicing it in our lives and congregations is essential. This study explores the distinctive features of Christian generosity, its central role in discipleship, and why its practice is so difficult in a consumerist culture.
Allen Walworth and Richard Stearns offer prophetic calls for us to be generous with our resources. Patricia Snell Herzog examines our "comfortable guilt" with giving so much less than we want to give or our religious commitments require. She recommends that we foster a new culture of giving in our congregations, and for this Ruben Swint has a suggestion: that we learn to speak the language of generosity as well as the language of stewardship. Jonathan and Elizabeth Sands Wise provide a winsome portrait of a generous and hospitable lifestyle.
Founders Week
We look forward to celebrating together during Founders Week at FBC! On Sunday, March 1, we will recognize our newest 50-year members in both worship services. (All of our 50-year members are encouraged to wear their medallions on that date.)
On Sunday, March 8, we give thanks for 185 years of ministry at FBC Griffin during a special One Church worship service in the sanctuary featuring special guests. A photographer will be on hand to capture these moments on March 8. Following the One Church service, a catered lunch will be served in the Family Life Center. We request that you RSVP for the luncheon no later than February 24 by calling the church office or responding with the button below.
Ash Wednesday services will be held in Bramblett Chapel at 8:30 a.m. and noon on February 18th. Pastor Steven Norris will lead these services.
Our annual Church Conference will be held on Wednesday, February 18th. A meal will be served at 5:00 p.m. and the conference will begin at approximately 5:45 p.m. The conference agenda and material will be made available to members by email prior to the meeting.
FBC Family & Friends Get Away!
If you are traveling to Tugaloo State Park during our winter break, February 14-17, please notify Ellee Hilley ([email protected]) that you are going to be there. FBC will have a worship service on Sunday morning led by Ron Murray and Ellee Hilley, as well as a meal after service, and we need to plan how many hamburgers to buy. Please plan to bring a covered dish to share with others who are gathering for the fellowship meal. We look forward to getting away with you!
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? You do not have to suffer alone. Please consider participating in our GriefShare group. Meetings begin February 18th and run through May 20th. Sessions meet in Education Building Room 301 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Registration is required. Find details on our website, or call the church office for more information.
How many generations back can you trace your family history? As FBC nears its 185th birthday, you might expect to find some family trees rooted in this enduring soil — even back to its earliest days. For example, James and Aley Butler, two of FBC’s founding members, were the great-great-great grandparents of current member, Robert Sullins. Those same founding members are also ancestors of Matt Raybon, husband to member, Austin, and father to Caroline and Rooks.
By the grace of God, generations of believers have planted their lives at FBC and have offered themselves in service and devotion to God’s work here. Their lives are models of generosity of spirit and stewardship that continue to teach us. Author and professor, Mark Allan Powell, notes that “stewards are people who acknowledge that they belong to God.” As a result of this profound calling, managing God’s resources is a way of life for a steward, not an occasional gift.
Each month we publish an installment in the “Your Giving in Action” series because we want you to see the tangible impact that your contribution to the regular budget makes. Your offering changes lives. Whether you give your time, talent, prayer, or money, your generosity sustains ministries at our church where individuals are meeting real needs in the community. Your gifts support the work of teams that are making our church a welcoming place to be for visitors, as well as regular attenders. Your selflessness inspires and uplifts others.
This year, watch for “Your Giving in Action” articles to share stories about the men and women who have given generously from their God-given resources to steer our church from the mid-19th century into the 21st century. They knew, as we do today, that tending God’s resources faithfully is a key responsibility in the life of a believer.
As part of our Your Giving in Action series, at the end of each installment, we report on average attendance and financial information from the previous month.
Budget for December 2025
Budget Required: $1,434,000
Budget Received: $1,523,863.89
Expenses: $1,510,390.01
Difference: $13,473.88
Average Attendance December 2025
Celebration worship: 155
Connexion worship: 131
One Church 12/21: 533
Christmas Eve: 464
One Church 12/28: 187
Sunday School: 194
Grace Notes
a weekly blog written by Senior Pastor, Steven Norris
Letting the Bible Read You
“My goal has not been to teach you students how to read the Bible. My goal has been to help you discover how to let the Bible read you.” Dr. Charles Bugg was my preaching professor in seminary. He had a passion for the scripture and for shaping would-be ministers into true disciples of Jesus.
Whenever we read literature or watch a good film, we face the temptation to “center” ourselves in the story. We tend to relate to the main character or hero and imagine ourselves in such a role. “Our” story becomes “their” story and vice versa.
The same is true when we read the Bible. Christian readers instinctively place themselves in the main characters' roles. For example, we might read the Exodus story and see ourselves crossing the Red Sea as Pharaoh’s army chases us from behind. We might close our eyes to feel the heat of the fiery furnace where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood. We might think about our leadership choices when acting in the shoes of Moses, David, Elijah, or Isaiah.
However, if we learn to let the Bible “read us,” we may find that the Spirit of God leads us to see ourselves as the villain at times. What happens to our interpretation of the Exodus story when we are the Egyptians instead of the Israelites? How do we align ourselves with the plans of God when the command “Let my people go!” is directed to us as a part of an oppressive majority? How do we read the lament psalms of David when we are not the victims, but the persecutors? How do we read Jesus’ harsh rebuke of the Pharisees when we begin to realize that we are often no different? How do we see the crucifixion when we are the Romans or the thief hanging next to Christ?
When we allow the Bible to “read us,” it opens new insight and allows us to see ourselves more clearly. I have found that evaluating my scriptural conversation partners is essential as I cultivate this practice. If I only read the Bible with people who look like me, think like me, and share my experiences, I am more likely to allow that experience to be the exclusive “lens” through which I read the scripture.
However, I can choose to listen and engage with those who are just as committed to following the Way of Jesus, but whose experience is different from mine. Doing so teaches me to distinguish between authentic “gospel” and personal bias. When I open myself up to the possibility that I may be more closely aligned with Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Pilate, or Herod in the Bible’s narrative, I can better understand the transformation needed to make me more like Jesus.
Take time as you read this week to ask, “Who am I in this story?” Listen for the Spirit’s guidance. Talk to trusted friends about it. Read a commentary or devotional from a different perspective. Be open to go where the Spirit of God leads as you seek to align yourself with the heart of Christ.
Did you miss a Grace Notes article? If so, we encourage you to read it on our website!
Be in the Know...
Adult Ministries Announcements
Mens Ministry Breakfast
The Mens Ministry will host a breakfast on Saturday, February 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Morgan Hall. Please RSVP with the button below or by calling the church office by February 21 to help us get an accurate count on how many will be attending.
If you would like to attend the CBFGA Senior Adult Retreat at St. Simons Island (May 3-6), please call Lisa in the church office and let us know. (770-229-5517)
XYZ Activities
Our February XYX meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026 @ 11:30 a.m. in Morgan Hall. Our program will be historical and biblical trivia, led by Jenna, the activities director at The Woods Senior Care facility. Our menu will be meatloaf, mashed potatoes, collard greens, cornbread and apple cobbler. Please RSVP no later than this Friday, February 6 to the church office.
WOM Activities
WOM meets again on February 10th at 1:00 p.m. in the Hardee Hospitality Room, located in the Family Life Center. Steven Norris will be our speaker. This month's project will be a monetary donation to the Amani Sasa benefit.
WOM's evening meeting takes place at 6:00 p.m. on February 4th in the Cheatham Room (Room 104/106).
Are you plugged in?
Did you know that we have 12 adult Sunday school classes that meet each week at 10:15 a.m. throughout the church? If you want to dive deeper into scripture, or if you are looking for a place to be reassured of God's love, we invite you to check out our Sunday school groups. See what is available here: Sunday School Classes.
Living generously through ministry to our students...
Children and Student Ministry Announcements
Weekday Education
Registration for the 2026-2027 academic school year is now open. Currently enrolled families are eligible for a registration discount if they re-enroll by April 1.
Did you know that you can support our Weekday Education program simply by shopping for groceries? Kroger and Ingles both offer "rewards" for nonprofits when you link your grocery store account to a particular organization. If you would like to help, you may sign up with the following information.
KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM
Weekday ID #: 23153
Sign up online with your Plus Card at krogercommunityrewards.com
INGLES TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Weekday ID #: 31058
Sign up at your local Ingles store or online at www.ingles-markets.com
Get Your Student Connected
KIDMIN Schedule
We are excited to provide your student opportunities to learn more about God's Word and work here in our own town and around the world. If your student has not gotten involved in our Sunday school classes or Wednesday night activities, then we invite you to check out our programs this week. Sunday school for all age groups begins at 10:15 a.m. Contact Lori Welborn for preschool and grade school children's program information. Contact Seth Brown for middle and high school student program information.
Join us for a colorful evening of creativity, music, and joy! We’ll paint together, sing fun worship songs, and enjoy delicious pizza with friends. No art skills needed—just bring your imagination and a happy heart!
Pizza is provided; please bring a snack to share.
The Children's Choir will be singing during the Connexion Worship service (11:15 a.m.) on Sunday, March 8. Parents, please watch for announcements about rehearsal that morning.
A Note for Families Using the Gym...
If you would like to request access to the weight room, aerobics room, or gymnasium outside of a regular church activity, then we need your signature on a waiver (in accordance with our insurance policy expectations). Please see Leigh Ann Williams in the Church Administrative office during regular business hours (M-F, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00-5:00 p.m.). Members and regular participants at First Baptist will find the gym available for their use on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays after 6:00 p.m. If you would like to inquire about the schedule for the gym on any other day, please reach out to the church office to ensure that your use would not conflict with anyone who has reserved the space.
Save the Date!
FBCYTH (Student Ministry)
The Student Ministry will be on a winter ski retreat February 16th-20th. Please pray for their safe travel to and from West Virginia. We also ask that you pray students will nurture friendships and have open hearts and minds as their leaders share the love of Jesus with them. These are the individuals traveling:
Jack Joiner, Hannah Smith, Bo Powers, Caroline Powers, Shaw McElroy, Avery McLean, Camille Patton, Charlie Davis, Jimmy Davis, Vivi Benefield, John David Knight, Bailey Bowen, Makayla Stikes, Jon Doughtie, Boyd Esary, Jones Esary, Lizzie Shepherd, Silas Melton, Xander Brown, Sheppard Brown, Quinn Clarke, Bauer Clarke, Dane Slaughter, Jeff McLean, John Elliot Matlock-Carter, Leslie Benefield , Amanda McLean, Taylor Brown, Seth Brown
Living generously in service to others...
Missions
This annual 5K run/walk fundraiser held at the UGA Griffin Experiment Station campus on March 21st benefits the Abundant Life Soup Kitchen, as well as other local ministries. The event is open to all ages and fitness levels. You can register for the event by March 14th.
LifeSong serves women who desire to improve their life situation, job skills, and education, but lack the resources to do so. This ministry provides FREE classes to prepare women for job readiness, financial management, and spiritual discipline. If you know a woman who would benefit from these skills, please contact Jenny Flowers or Bonnie Brown at 404-980-5549. Classes begin on February 23 and will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Join us for a 5K Fun Run!
5K Fun Run/Walk to Benefit Amani Sasa
Over the past year, we have been talking about walking the way of Jesus. Our ministry partner, Amani Sasa, is holding a “virtual 5K” to raise money to support their ministry to refugees in Uganda. While you can participate virtually (anytime/any place), we invite you to join our group on this fun run/walk together at 5:00 p.m. on March 7th. When we finish our route back at FBC, we enjoy a light pizza supper and fellowship. Please use this link to register for our team:
Mission Council Meeting Recap
The Mission Council held its first meeting of the year on Monday, February 2. The following reports were received from the ministries (listed alphabetically):
Abundant Life Soup Kitchen reported feeding 100 people a day. They are no longer getting support from Kroger.
Benevolence Ministry reported providing assistance in 502 cases in 2025, representing 489 houses and 1147 individuals. They served 637 with food (including vouchers), 463 with clothing, 29 with gasoline assistance, 8 with medicine, 26 with help obtaining identification, 62 with Christmas toys, and 300 during Thanksgiving/Christmas.
Caregivers Clothes Closet reported for the year of 2025 that they gave 304 male hygiene bags, 198 female hygiene bags, 286 sets of towels (1 towel and 1 washcloth), 136 sets of sheets, and 57 quilts/comforters.
Christmas Toy Shop reported serving 188 children in the Spalding County community during the Christmas Toy Shop experience in December. None of this would be possible without the wonderful support of our church family.
Community Garden reported a productive fall garden with cabbages, broccoli, and collards. They will begin preparing beds for the spring garden in March and will plant in April. Volunteers will be needed during the growing season.
Five Loaves & Two Fish Food Pantry reported 11 FBC volunteers serving in October and December. This ministry served 81 households (179 people) in November and 60 households (141 people) in December.
Grace 127 reported a donation of 70 coloring books and 45 colored pencils or crayons to Headstart on November 5, 2025. On November 6, they donated blankets, stuffed animals, kid hygiene and grooming products, baby bottles and diapers, and bags to Fortify for Foster Families and Kinship placement.
Life Song Ministry reported that they begin a new session that runs from February 23 to April 15. Thank you, FBC, for your prayers and support.
Spalding Samaritans reported helping 101 households in the 4th quarter with $15,079.25 in utility assistance. In 2025, they helped 412 households with a total of $58,555.09 in assistance. They are extremely grateful for the financial support of both the Benevolence Ministry and the Mission Council.
Women on Mission reported that they donated to Olive Branch Ministries for their Christmas boxes in Appalachia. They collected paper products for Head Start and delivered them. They delivered recycled Christian literature to Love Packages.
Five Loaves & Two Fish Food Pantry
If you would like to be part of this ministry team, or if you would like to donate canned or boxed food goods, please contact the church office. Donation boxes are located in the Welcome Center and in the Family Life Center.
Benevolence Ministry
Our Benevolence Ministry and Caregivers Clothes Closet serves the public each Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (with the exception of holidays). If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, then please contact the church office. The Caregivers Clothes Closet is in need of blue jeans of any size (but especially boys, sizes 4-16 and larger sizes for men), as well as adult-sized book bags. You will find drop boxes in the Welcome Center on the Hill Street side of the church and in the Welcome area on the Family Life Center side of the church. Thank you for supporting this ministry and those who are vulnerable in our community.
Rehearsal Schedule
BEGINNER'S UKULELE
Beginner's Ukulele class meets on Tuesdays from 12:00-1:00pm. Contact Ellee ([email protected]) if you are interested in joining.
HANDBELLS
Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the Handbell Room.
INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE (ORCHESTRA)
Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Instrumental Room.
PRAISE TEAM
Praise Team Vocalists rehearse at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in Morgan Hall. Praise Team Band rehearses at 7:00 p.m. following the vocal team.
SANCTUARY CHOIR
Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Choir Room.
UKULELE ENSEMBLE
(Big Group)
Rehearsals on Thursdays at noon in the Instrumental Room.
Church Community News
Dear First Baptist Church Family,
I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the cards, visits, and kindness you have shown me since I moved to Brightmoor. Especially during the Christmas season, your thoughtfulness meant more to me than I can put into words.
Every card, visit, and prayer lifted my spirits and reminded me that I was not alone. Your love and encouragement brought me comfort, peace, and hope during a time that I could have felt very lonely. I truly felt surrounded by God’s love through each of you.
Thank you for being such a caring and compassionate church family. I am deeply grateful and will always cherish what you do for me daily.
May God bless you all,
Margaret Schilling
Many thanks to our Troop 2 Boy Scouts and their Leaders for their roles in our Celebration worship service on February 1.
Floral Arrangements
The flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Jimmy Harvey (father of Marie Knight and Zeke Harvey) and John Haygood (father of Lori Harvey) by their family. If you would like to place flowers in the church in honor or memory of a loved one, please contact Alice Blake or call the church office.
Exercise Opportunities
Yoga classes will not meet on Tuesday, February 17 due otherwise winter break schedule. Otherwise, yoga meets at 4:00 p.m. in the Hardee Hospitality Room, located in Family Life Center across from Morgan Hall.
Journey in Grace Class
Do you have questions about faith? Would you like to know more about First Baptist Griffin? We invite you to join us for Journey in Grace, which meets at 10:15 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month in the Heritage Room with a minister. Light refreshments are served.
Ministry Opportunity
Phyllis Wilcox has been laying the ground work to open a women's shelter in Griffin that will be called Penny's House of Hope. If you would like more information about this effort, or if you wish to make a donation, please contact Ms. Wilcox at 470-574-8457.
Did you Know...?
If you missed the worship service, you can always watch it on demand from our website. Visit fbcgriffin.org/watch-live and then select Watch Last Service or Watch on Demand if you would like to find an older service. Both Celebration and Connexion worship services are archived in this space. Special events held in the Sanctuary can also be viewed on demand by searching the year and month they took place.
Comcast Broadcast of Celebration Worship Information
If you watch the broadcast of our Celebration Worship service on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. (Channel 26), please note that they are now listing our service as two (2) thirty-minute broadcasts. If you are recording the service for later viewing, then you will need to schedule your recorder to pick up both "blocks" of the service from 11:00-11:30 and 11:30-12:00.
Richard Gallery Exhibit
Richardson Gallery now features the work of local artist and long-time FBC member, Fred Roney. We invite you to stroll through Richardson Gallery and enjoy his original oil paintings at your earliest convenience. Our goal is to feature local artists in rotation throughout the year in the gallery. We celebrate the gifts and talents with which the Lord has blessed individuals throughout our congregation.
Around the Neighborhood
If you are looking for something fun to do with your family in the coming weeks, you might consider these local events. (Look for FBC in the program when you attend.)
Main Street Players: Bonnie & Claire, by Bo Wilson, February 11-22 (Tickets at https://www.mainstreetplayers.org/event/bonnie-and-claire/)
Griffin Area Concert Association: The Next Generation Leahy, March 17, 7:30 p.m., Griffin Auditorium (Tickets at https://www.griffinconcerts.org/)
I NEED TO KNOW...
We get it...finding the information you need is not always be easy. If the answer to your question is not obvious here, please reach out to us.
We have a very active church membership! If you would like to request the use of a meeting space at the church, please contact Leigh Ann Williams.
If you would like to request access to the weight room, aerobics room, or gymnasium outside of a regular church activity, then we need your signature on a waiver (in accordance with our insurance policy expectations). Please see Leigh Ann Williams in the Church Administrative office during regular business hours (M-F, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00-5:00 p.m.). Members and regular participants at First Baptist will find the gym available for their use on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays after 6:00 p.m. If you would like to inquire about the schedule for the gym on any other day, please reach out to the church office to ensure that your use would not conflict with anyone who has reserved the space.
Are you inviting friends or family to church? Or maybe you just need to know all the places you can park when you are here? Visit this link: DIRECTIONS AND PARKING.
Contact us at 770-227-5517 by Friday at noon (or Thursday if Friday falls on a holiday) if you need us to help coordinate a ride to worship service.
If you would like to place flowers in the Sanctuary or Morgan Hall in honor or in memory of a loved one, then please contact Alice Blake at 678-463-6305.
The First Baptist Church Endowment Foundation, Inc., is a separate entity from FBC Griffin. If you wish to donate to the FBC Endowment Foundation, there are three convenient ways to do so. Please make checks payable to the FBC Endowment Foundation, Inc.
1) Mail a check to FBC Griffin, P.O. Box 908, Griffin, GA 30224.
2)On Sunday morning, place a check in the blue FBC Endowment Foundation envelope (located in the pew rack or in the Welcome Center) in the offering plate.
3)Drop off a check in the church office.
For more information about the Foundation, please visit https://fbcgriffin.org/fbc-endowment-foundation/.
Access to the church outside of regular business hours may be requested through the Church Office. Please contact Leigh Ann Williams during regular business hours (M-F, 8:30-noon, 1:00-5:00 p.m.) to inquire about this process.
We want to help you use the electronic resources available to you at our church. If you have a question or need a tutorial, or if you need help troubleshooting a technology problem with some of our resources, please REQUEST IT HERE.
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, Monday following Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth (observed on June 20th this year), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day following Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
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Mailing address: P.O. Box 908, Griffin, GA 30224