January 20, 2019
Relationship Rescue: 
"Rescue from Foolish Decisions"
SPRING GROW GROUP REGISTRATION
GROUPS BEGIN MEETING IN 11 DAYS!

Registration is underway for Spring Grow Groups! Grow Groups are groups of 10-20 people who meet together once a week for about 13 weeks to connect with each other and talk about how the Bible applies to everyday life. They are the BEST way to get connected at VRBC! Groups begin NEXT WEEK, January 27,   and run through the end of April.

HOW DO I PICK A GROUP THAT'S RIGHT FOR ME?
You can check out the Grow Group catalog in a worship service or online at vrbc.net/grow. We have groups meeting at various times and locations throughout the week, so feel free to select a group that fits your schedule and interest. Most of our groups this spring will be covering content related to that week's message. In our services, we'll be going through the gospel of Mark together, and your Grow Group will be a great complement to what we're learning in worship on Sunday mornings. In addition to our sermon-based groups, we also have several topical groups, such as Starting Point (a conversation about faith for those new or returning to Christianity), re|engage (a marriage enrichment group), and Financial Peace University (a group focused on bringing peace to your financial life).
CHURCH LEADERSHIP VOTE
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER CELEBRATION JANUARY 27

After last week's church leadership vote, we are happy to announce that our candidates were approved by an overwhelming majority. On Sunday, January 27, we will have a chance to recognize, celebrate, and commission our newest committee members in both the 9:30 am and the 11:00 am services. Please be sure to say a kind word of recognition and thanks to our newest committee members.

CHURCH COUNCIL: Don Harton, Belinda Branstetter, Claudia Adame, and Kevin Gunn

DEACONS: Mina Boyle, Kevin Casey, Carolyn Porterfield, Melissa Quintero, and Clint Riley

MINISTRY PLACEMENT COMMITTEE: Deirdre LaNoue and Lynne Acosta

FINANCE/HR COMMITTEE: Jeanne Wray, Angie Casey, Jeff Fink, and Woody Conradt
NEWCOMERS RECEPTION
THIS SUNDAY| JANUARY 20 | 12:15 TO 12:45 PM

If you are new to VRBC, you are invited to a Newcomers Reception in your  honor! At this informal 30-minute gathering after the worship service THIS Sunday,  January 20, you'll have the opportunity to get to know some of our church staff,  as well as to meet others who are new to the church. We promise you will  receive great hospitality and food, PLUS a chance to win some cool prizes. No  RSVP is required to attend--just come! The reception will be held at the east end  of the church lobby.

Children of all ages are welcome to attend, so please pick up your children after  the worship service and bring them with you to the reception.  If you have any questions about the Newcomers Reception, please contact Amy Wilkins, Pastor of Serve & Invite, at  [email protected] .
FOLLOW JESUS IN BAPTISM
SUNDAY | JANUARY 27 | 9:30 AND 11:00 AM
 
On Sunday, January 27, we will celebrate baptism in both of our morning worship services, and we would love for you to be a part of it! If you are a follower of Jesus but have never been baptized, this is a great opportunity to take that step. If God has been nudging you to be baptized, we'd love to visit with you about it! For more information or to register,  contact John Hewlett at [email protected].


RE|ENGAGE
PREVIEW SESSION | JANUARY 21 | 7:00 TO 8:30 PM

Are you prepared for the next phase of your marriage journey? Recently married? New parents? Young children? Teenagers? Empty nesters? Blended family? You are not alone. 
 
Relengage is a safe place for married couples to grow together and to learn new communication skills, as well as how to navigate different stages of life together.  Classes include a time of music, prayer, and stories by couples who have navigated different life stages and experiences, as well as small group time, which follows a biblically-based curriculum.  Whether you are happily married and just want to improve your relationship or you find your marriage is in distress, relengage can help. 

Make plans to join us on this Monday, January 21 for an introductory get-together. The class will officially begin on January 28, and the group will be closed at that time. Join us for the spring Grow Group semester (January 28 through May 2) and re|engage! We meet from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on Monday nights in the VRBC Student Auditorium. Free childcare is available. Please contact Karen McCord for details at  [email protected].
DAVE RAMSEY'S FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY
WEDNESDAYS | 6:00 PM | BEGINS JANUARY 30

We all need a plan for our money. Financial Peace University  (FPU) teaches God's ways of handling money. Through video teaching, class discussions, and interactive small group activities over nine weeks, FPU presents biblical, practical steps to get from where you are to where you've dreamed you could be. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more! 

FPU will meet each Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm beginning January 30. The cost to attend the nine-week seminar is $50 per family (scholarships are available). CLICK HERE to register to attend. 
JOURNEY WITH JESUS
COMING JANUARY 27! 

We are excited to announce that on Sunday, January 27 , we will launch "Journey With Jesus"--a 12-week exploration of the gospel of Mark. In our worship services, we'll be going through the book of Mark together, and in our Grow Groups, we'll talk about how these texts impact our daily lives. We'll also follow a personal reading plan together that will take us through the entire gospel of Mark, as well as a devotional book based on Mark written by our very own senior pastor, Dr. Larry Parsley.
 
The best way to be a part of the Journey with Jesus is to sign up for a spring Grow Group at vrbc.net/grow or by completing a Connection Card this Sunday morning. And here's some fun news . . . every person who signs up for a spring Grow Group will receive a copy of Larry's book absolutely free! (Note: This has been made possible by several generous donors and Larry will not be receiving any royalties from these books.)
 
For more information, check out the "Journey With Jesus" video by clicking the logo to the right. We invite you to journey with us . . . starting next Sunday!
MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT: CHARLOTTE WOOTTON
CLICK HERE FOR A SHORT VIDEO FROM CHARLOTTE
As a church planting coordinator with e3 Partners Ministry, Charlotte has the awesome privilege of taking North Americans on short-term missions trips and seeing their lives transformed as God uses their testimonies to tell a lost world about His love. 

In her role as coordinator for children's ministry, she is helping to develop materials and training for nationals to effectively minister to children and establish a children's ministry as each new church is planted. This often involves being a part of an e3 expedition in a country where children's ministry has not been introduced and modeling for the team, as well as the nationals, how children's ministry can be implemented and the rich benefits to be reaped when children are led to accept Christ at an early age.

Charlotte continues to co-lead teams on expeditions as a church planting coordinator to incorporate children's ministry as part of the new church plant. 

If you are interested in learning more, CLICK HERE to see a short video from Charlotte. To find out more information about this ministry and how you can be a part of it, please contact Charlotte at  [email protected]  or at 214-803-0463.