FBC Raleigh News • March 31, 2020
WE WANT TO SEE YOU!

In an effort to help us feel connected, we want to gather pictures of our church family. We miss seeing your faces, and would love to check in with you through photos!

Show us pictures of:
• Ways you're maintaining your sanity (or not!) while being cooped up in the house.
• Ways you're being the Church and showing the love of Christ.
• New practices you've taken on during the last two weeks -- nature walks, watching worship on your patio, yoga, family board games, etc.
• Ways you're slowing down during this time of social distancing.

During the next few weeks, email Deborah pictures (in their original size), and we'll put together a PowerPoint to send out around Easter. Hopefully, this will provide familiar faces of our faith community continuing to be the church as we find new routines and remote ways to serve.  
CHURCH CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
The 2020 dates for Church Conference will be as follows:
May 20 • August 19 • September 30 • October 28 • November 18 • December 16
WEEK AT A GLANCE • MARCH 31 - APRIL 7
All regularly scheduled programming is canceled.
BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE
  • Tuesday, March 31: Psalm 143; 2 Kings 4:18-37; Ephesians 2:1-10
  • Wednesday, April 1: Psalm 143; Jeremiah 32:1-9, 36-41; Matthew 22:23-33
  • Thursday, April 2: Psalm 31:9-16; 1 Samuel 16:11-13; Philippians 1:1-11
  • Friday, April 3: Psalm 31:9-16; Job 13:13-19; Philippians 1:21-30
  • Saturday, April 4: Psalm 31:9-16; Lamentations 3:55-66; Mark 10:32-34
  • Sunday, April 5: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Matthew 21:1-11 
  • Monday, April 6: Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 36:5-11, Hebrews 9:11-15, John 12:1-11
DEACON ON CALL • MARCH 29 - APRIL 4
Alan Taylor (919) 604-2473
THE SEASON OF LENT

As we near the end of the holy season of Lent and approach the Day of Resurrection, we invite you to continue your days of reflection, examination, and preparation. We hope these devotionals have served as a daily guide as we have journeyed to the cross together.

HONOR A LOVED ONE
AT EASTER

By paying tribute to a loved one this Easter you will also support FBC mission teams. With each gift of $10 or more, a portion will be used to prepare a small display of lilies in the sanctuary on Easter and the remainder will be directed to the Day Mission Fund, supporting the efforts of various mission teams sent from our congregation. We will list the names of those memorialized or honored, along with the donor's name, in the Easter worship order. Submit your request  HERE. Checks or electronic payments should be received no later than  tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1 . Checks should be mailed to: Financial Administrator, First Baptist Church, 99 N Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27603; please write “Easter Gift” in the memo line.
CHURCHWIDE
RETREAT CANCELED

Unfortunately, we have officially canceled our churchwide retreat that was scheduled to take place April 17-19. We had our largest group ever going this year, and we were looking forward to our time together. We are counting down the days until next spring with anticipation and excitement!
 
Full refund checks will be issued and mailed this week, unless you have communicated otherwise to Lynn or Jodi. We thank you for supporting this intergenerational weekend of fellowship, small group study, and worship. We hope you can join us in 2021! Until then, we’ll hold each other in the Light of Christ, being the virtual community we need right now.
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

As the state-wide "stay at home" order goes into effect this week, we need to inform you that we have decided to close the church office for the immediate future. We regret any inconvenience this causes, but we feel like this is another small thing we can do as a church to embrace the requests of community leaders to help limit the spread of COVID-19. No activities are taking place in the building right now and almost no one came by the office last week. We will monitor the answering machine and respond to messages quickly, and we encourage you to contact any of the ministers if you have a pressing need. We have linked each of the ministerial staff's emails below, so please do not hesitate to reach out with concerns.
WAYS TO GIVE

There are several different ways in which you can continue to support the church financially during this time of social distancing. We know many people are facing their own financial challenges right now, and you have been very generous already, but a number of you have asked how you can support the church while we are not able to gather together physically. Wayne Hager has provided the following answers to this question.

• We continue to receive mail daily. Any gifts mailed to the church will be processed and deposited as soon as possible.
• We will continue to debit bank accounts through auto drafts as we have been instructed by donors.
• If you have set up a recurring donation through one of our electronic options, those donations will continue without interruption unless YOU make a change.
• If you wish to begin electronic giving, please go to this link where each of our options is explained.
• If you are considering a stock gift, please visit this link for instructions. 

If you have any financial or giving-option questions, please email Wayne Hager.
WORSHIP FROM HOME

For the past two weeks, we have invited you to join us at 11am on Sundays for a live stream worship service from our Sanctuary. We hope this time of worship brings you an assurance of God's presence and a sense of peace from the comfort of your home.


We want to answer some of the frequently asked questions we are getting as we all learn this new digital worship experience together!

LIVE STREAM FAQs:

Help, I'm not getting the email link to the order of worship and the live stream!
If you are NOT receiving the weekly worship order and link via email, please email Leah. Also, make sure to check your junk/spam folder. We have found that many email servers send Constant Contact (our email provider) communications straight to the spam folder.

Where can I find the link to the worship order and live stream?
The worship order and live stream will always be posted on our website.

Where can I find the YouTube link for the service?
Upcoming and previous services may be accessed on the YouTube Channel named  First Baptist Church Raleigh on Salisbury Street.   Be sure to subscribe to our channel and it will automatically update when you go online to YouTube or use your device app.
Copy this YouTube link into your device browser and save it as a “favorite” for easy access. On your Smart TV, or any device with apps, locate your YouTube app and search for our channel and the Rose Window graphic.

I can't open my worship order and watch the live stream at the same time!
 We suggest you watch the live stream on one device and view the worship order on another device. If you have a printer, you can also print it so you're not juggling two devices. The worship order for the last service will remain in the PDF reader until one for the next service is opened.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

Community is in short supply during these uncertain times. We're all longing to reach out, finding ways we can "be" the Church when we're not able to be physically present with one another. We are updating new needs every week and will continue to list them below as an opportunity for you to connect with our downtown Raleigh community.

• Donate to the Helen Wright Center - The women at the Helen Wright Center are now staying at the shelter 24 hours a day during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means they are in constant need of lunches, snacks, drinks, games, books, gift certificates for takeout food, hygiene kits, bags of ice, and the daily dinners we would normally provide. Items can be ordered and delivered to or dropped off at the shelter at 401 W. Cabarrus Street, Raleigh, 27601. If you would like to help with lunches, email Evelyn Reade or call 919-215-6948.
If you would like to help with dinners, please email the meal coordinator .

If you have other community outreach opportunities, please email Leah.
AMONG OUR FAMILY
Sympathy to Ken Brown and Debbie Willmschen on the March 25 death of his wife and her mother, Dorothy Brown. Cards of condolence may be sent to
Ken at 11261 Lofty Heights Place, Raleigh, 27614;
and to Debbie at 2224 Hollowgate Road, Raleigh, 27614.

Sympathy to Diane Ellis on the March 25 death of her father, Ward Franklin Rosen. Cards of condolence may be sent to Diane at 1107 Marlowe Road, Raleigh, 27609.

Congratulations to Zach Padget and Alison Coppock on the March 27 birth of their son, Jack Edward Padget. Also congratulations to the proud grandparents,
 Mary Tetro and Jack Padget. Cards of celebration may be sent to
Zach and Alison at 5500 Daywood Court, Raleigh, NC 27609;
and to Mary and Jack at 206 Morrison Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.

A link to the entire prayer list may be found below.
Please use your church directory for mailing addresses.
THE RECORD WE WROTE
Week of March 23, 2020
Current Week Revenue: $38,635.00
Month-to-Date Revenue: $117,716.75
Year-to-Date Revenue: $450,780.74
Month-to-Date Expenses: $72,312.18
Year-to-Date Expenses: $317,452.46
CBF Global Missions: $14,318.82
SUBMIT A ROSE WINDOW WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENT

Do you have an announcement that you would like to include in the Rose Window Weekly ? All information must be submitted by Thursday at noon, to be included in the following Monday's edition. Just fill out the Google form in the link below, and we'll make sure to include it in next week's publication.


For any questions concerning the Rose Window Weekly , contact Leah Reed. Email Leah here.