FBC Raleigh News • November 15, 2022
2023 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN

A young boy, in the middle of a large, hungry crowd, is asked to share his meager lunch. The question no doubt entered his mind — how can this little amount I have to offer really help? But his small basket of bread and fish fed thousands of people that day through Jesus’ miracle. We rightly focus on the amazing miracle in this story, but can you imagine the wonder, joy, and fulfillment the boy must have felt watching Jesus magnify his gift?
Throughout the Bible we see this repeated countless times —- one small gift making a dramatic difference for others. And in each story the “giver” ends up receiving so much more than they give.

Today, we have the same opportunity to experience the wonder, joy, and fulfillment that come through giving. Your pledge of support to FBC Raleigh powers the programs, missions, and ministries that make a significant difference in our lives and the lives of our neighbors near and far.

The FY23 budget reflects a 5.7% increase over the prior year, allowing the church to meet the challenges of these times without sacrificing our commitment to our congregation, community, and staff.

During this time of stewardship, we ask you to prayerfully consider your gift to FBC Raleigh knowing in full faith that God will use your offering to transform lives.

A stewardship packet has been mailed out which includes a budget and a pledge card. If you have not received a packet and wish one to be mailed to you, please contact Wayne Hager. For your review, the proposed budget is available in the members-only section of our website. You may also request a copy by calling the church office at 919-832-4485.

You may pledge online here.

CHURCH CONFERENCE TOMORROW NIGHT

Our regularly scheduled Church Conference will be held this Wednesday, November 16, at 6:15pm. The Zoom link is below, as well as a call-in number for those who would rather join via phone. Our by-laws require 50 members in attendance (in-person and Zoom) in order to transact business. Please make plans to attend so we can vote on important matters for our church.


View via Zoom with this link, meeting ID: 850 6201 7518, passcode: wDefe3. 
To view the speaker throughout the presentation, click the three dots
on the right portion of the screen and choose "pin this video." 
If you would prefer to call in,
use 646-558-8656, meeting ID: 850 6201 7518 Passcode: 490422.
SCHEDULE CORRECTION

The GA/RA Buddy Breakfast that was included on the calendar in the bulletin this past Sunday was listed in error. We're working on having this event soon, but it will not occur this Sunday, November 20. Please watch for details in future church publications as to when we will have this event! We apologize for the error.   
THANKSGIVING OFFICE SCHEDULE

In whatever way your family chooses to celebrate, we hope it is filled with moments of gratitude, and God's abiding love. The church office will be closed November 23-25, and we will not have an edition of the Rose Window Weekly next week. Our next publication will be on November 29. 

HOT CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY

We are thrilled to bring back our annual hot chocolate giveaway for the Raleigh Christmas parade! This is always a great chance to offer our local community hospitality with a simple act of kindness, and this is a great service opportunity for all ages. Join us on Saturday, November 19, from 8:30-11:30am at our Hillsborough Street entrance, as we give away free cups of hot chocolate to our community. All volunteers will be given a parking pass for their windshield for easy access to our back parking lot. Also, there's no better seat for the parade! If you are able to volunteer, please email Crystal Bacon.
OUR 46TH HANGING OF THE GREENS!

Hanging of the Greens will be held Sunday, December 4, at 6pm, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall. We hope you are able to join us for this special time of carols and readings, as we prepare our Sanctuary for Advent.

TOY JOY WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, THANKS TO YOU!

What a successful day we had Saturday! Everything went smoothly and I know our guests were well taken care of. Your kindness in serving is most appreciated. We rely on so many people to pull this event off — from the WMU group who put together the wrapping kits, to the youth group which sorted hundreds of books for us, to the Thirty-Niners who stuffed candy bags for the stockings, to the Japanese Ministry who filled 1000 stockings in record time, to the children of our church who designed Christmas cards for each family, to those who donated toys or money, to the folks who came on Friday and helped to set up the Fellowship Hall for shopping and to those who were there Saturday — you were the face of Jesus to our guests. Hundreds of children will have a happier Christmas due to your efforts.
 
Anne Cooke
Toy Joy Volunteer Coordinator 

WELCOME, SCOTT!

On Sunday, November 13, we welcomed Scott Burton into the fellowship of our
church family through profession of faith, seeking baptism.

Join us in welcoming him to First Baptist!
HOLIDAY SERVICE OF HOPE

After two years of being cancelled because of COVID-19, the Holiday Service of Hope and Remembrance will be held again this year at First Baptist Church, 101 South Wilmington Street on Thursday, November 17 at 7pm. Co-hosted by the downtown churches of Raleigh for over twenty years, this ecumenical endeavor provides space for those who have known loss to openly acknowledge grief, experience the encouragement of fellow believers, and find comfort in the assurances of our faith. We will light candles of hope and remembrance, hear inspiring music, and name the loved ones whose absence we experience. Everyone is invited to attend whether you are in need of healing or willing to offer support to others.

HONOR A LOVED ONE
DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Our sanctuary is so lovely during Advent and Christmas when it is decorated with candles, fresh flowers, and greenery. This holiday “dress” transformation will occur as members of our music ministry share special musical offerings during the annual Hanging of the Greens service at 6pm on Sunday, December 4. You are invited to honor a loved one by making a donation toward the decorations for the service. With $15 for each honorific or memorial gift, all monies will help defray the cost of the trees, wreaths, fresh flowers, and greenery for the service. An insert in the December 11 worship order will list the names of all for whom gifts were given. Please submit your request here. Checks or electronic payments should be received no later than Friday, December 2. Forms are also available in Sunday School boxes. Mail checks to: Financial Administrator, 99 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603; please write “Holiday Greenery” on the memo line.

FBC SKI RETREAT

The FBC Ski Retreat is coming in January! The retreat will be January 6–8 in West Virginia. We will be staying at Pipestem Resort State Park and skiing at Winterplace. This is churchwide invitation, so if you or your family would like to be a part of the weekend, or if you would like more information, either click here or contact Michael. The recommended cost of this retreat is between $80–$200 per person. This is a “pay-what-you-are-able” event; so you may pay what makes sense for you and your family, and as always, please don't let the cost inhibit you from enjoying time with your church family.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE MISSIONS OFFERING

Our NC Mission Offering helps fund non-profit organizations doing work and providing services primarily in North Carolina. Through the generosity of FBC members, we have already received $3,632 toward our goal of $10,000. The following organizations will receive our offering:
 
Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief is currently serving Hurricane Ian survivors in some of the worst hit parts of Florida. Manna One feeding unit (30,000 meals per day capacity) is set up and providing meals in Cape Coral, Florida. Feeding, recovery, shower/laundry, logistics, safety, Medical Reserve Corp, communications, admin and chaplaincy are all currently working.

Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina (BCH) was born in 1885 with the Thomasville Orphanage and later the Kennedy Home in Kinston in 1914. Today, BCH as a nonprofit in 21 statewide locations has added a variety of services to offer help and hope to children, families, single mothers, college students, intellectually/developmentally disabled adults, and aging adults. 
 
Baptist Retirement Homes is a faith-based, not-for-profit organization with a 70-year legacy of excellence to provide older adults with a second-to-none senior living experience rooted in our core values — honesty, fairness, compassion, cooperation, dependability, humor, kindness, loyalty, patience, and conscientiousness. 
 
Baptist Hospital (Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist) touches the lives of so many from the smallest child to aging adults. As a nonprofit healthcare organization, it provides the highest quality compassionate care, conducts lifesaving research, and offers leading-edge medical education as well as patient assistance with medical bills.
 
Thank you for your gifts and prayers for this offering.
Nancy Moore Phillips, WMU Director 

NOVEMBER MISSION PROJECT

For the month of November, we will be collecting food (see list below) for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC. We all know how prices have gone up at the grocery store so the problem of food insecurity is becoming more of an issue now than ever before. You may put your donations in the marked drawer in the Lewis Lobby cabinet anytime before the end of the month.
 
Pasta: all types — spaghetti, bow tie, elbow, shells, etc.
Rice: brown, white, wild, instant
Dried beans: pinto, black, chickpeas, split pea, etc.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPERS
 
We invite you to join us for a mid-week fellowship meal Wednesdays at 5:15pm. Reserve your spot at this link to the page on the church website or by calling the church office.

The menus for upcoming Wednesday night suppers are as follows (all meals come with salad and bread):
November 16: Early Thanksgiving: turkey and mock-turkey with gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce; kids: mac-n-cheese.
November 23: No Wednesday night activities
November 30: Chicken and rice with gravy and a veggie medley; non-meat option: mock chicken and rice; kids: chicken nuggets.
December 7: baked pork chops with apple sauce, peas, and roasted potatoes; non-meat option: mock chicken patty; kids: buttered noodles.
ADULT WEDNESDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE:

5:15-6:15pm - Supper line is open
6:15-6:30pm - Prayer time and announcements
6:30-7:15pm - Adult program
(Zoom will be offered every week)

CHILDREN'S WEDNESDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE:

5:15-5:45pm - Supper line is open
5:45-6:30pm - Children's music
6:30-7:15pm - Children's missions
2022 CHURCH CONFERENCE DATES
Mark your calendar for the following 2022 dates for Church Conference:
November 16 and December 14
BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE
  • Tuesday, November 15: Psalm 141; Ezekiel 39:21-40:4; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
  • Wednesday, November 16: Psalm 141; Ezekiel 43:1-12; Matthew 23:37-24:14
  • Thursday, November 17: Psalm 46; 2 Chronicles 18:12-22; Hebrews 9:23-28
  • Friday, November 18: Psalm 46; Zechariah 11:1-17; 1 Peter 1:3-9
  • Saturday, November 19: Psalm 46; Jeremiah 22:18-30; Luke 18:15-17
  • Sunday, November 20: Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Luke 1:68-79; Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 46; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43
  • Monday, November 21: Psalm 24; Jeremiah 46:18-28; Revelation 21:5-27
  • Tuesday, November 22: Psalm 24; Isaiah 33:17-22; Revelation 22:8-21
  • Wednesday, November 23: Psalm 24; Isaiah 60:8-16; Luke 1:1-4
  • Thursday, November 24: Psalm 122; Daniel 9:15-19; James 4:1-10
  • Friday, November 25: Psalm 122; Genesis 6:1-10; Hebrews 11:1-7
  • Saturday, November 26: Psalm 122; Genesis 6:11-22; Matthew 24:1-22
  • Sunday, November 27: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14;  Matthew 24:36-44
  • Monday, November 28: Psalm 124; Genesis 8:1-19; Romans 6:1-11
DEACON ON CALL
November 13–19 • Jennifer Bissette (use directory, please)
November 20–26 • JD Rhodes (919-815-7468)

WEEK AT A GLANCE • November 16–30
Wednesday, November 16
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music
6:15pm Church Conference(FH)
6:30pm Children's missions (PS/CS)
6:30pm Handbell rehearsal (302)
7:30pm Adult choir rehearsal (310/S)

Thursday, November 17
7am Band of Brothers (Zoom)
10am Japanese dance class (Blue Room)
10:30am Thirty-Niners (FH)
7pm Holiday Service of Hope (FBC Wilmington Street)

Saturday, November 19
9am Hot chocolate give-away for Christmas parade (PL)

Sunday, November 20
9:45am Sunday School
11am Worship (S/YouTube)
11am JBC worship (226)
5pm Youth choir (choir room)
6pm Youth supper (FH)
6:30pm Youth program (FH/Blue Rm)

Monday, November 21
10am Clothing ministry closed
6:30pm HS Bible study (Wade home)
6:30pm MMiH rehearsal (302)

Tuesday, November 22
10am Staff meeting (CR)
10:45am WMU Group 2 (Springmoor)
7pm Adult choir rehearsal (310/S)
Wednesday, November 23
No activities due to Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 27
9:45am Sunday School
11am Worship (S/YouTube)
11am JBC worship (226)
5pm Youth choir and pizza party (choir room/Mellow Mushroom)

Monday, November 28
10am Clothing ministry closed
6:30pm HS Bible study (Wade home)
6:30pm MMiH rehearsal (302)

Tuesday, November 29
10am Staff meeting (CR)
10:45am WMU Group 2 (Springmoor)

Wednesday, November 30
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music
6:15pm Centerpoint (FH)
6:30pm Children's missions (PS/CS)
6:30pm Handbell rehearsal (302)
7:30pm Adult choir rehearsal (310/S)
AAWC'S WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Each week, we post And Also With 'Cue's weekly schedule here in Rose Window Weekly as well as on our Facebook page to let you know our lunch schedule and if there will be outside events on the weekend for you to attend.

Come eat with us this week,
November 16–18!

LUNCH:
Wednesday and Thursday—99 N Salisbury Street (FBC Raleigh rear parking lot) 11-1:15PM

Saturday—RALEIGH CHRISTMAS PARADE (we will be parked at the corner of Edenton and McDowell Streets)

DINNER:
Thursday— Summerwind Garner (5-7 PM)


Be sure to get your THANKSGIVING Order in by Monday, November 21!



THANKSGIVING ORDERS

And Also With 'Cue is now accepting Thanksgiving orders! Take a break from the kitchen, and let the food truck prepare your next Thanksgiving meal. All orders can be placed through the AAWC website.

Pick-Up:
Wednesday, November 23, 11am-3pm at the First Baptist Church Raleigh rear parking lot.
AMONG OUR FAMILY

A link to the entire prayer list may be found below.
Please use your church directory for mailing addresses.

REMEMBERING JIMMY THOMPSON

On Sunday, November 6, as a part of our All Saints observance, we recognized the passing of our beloved facility staff member Jimmy Thompson. Following the service we held a reception for his family. At the reception, a card was provided for people to write a message to/share a memory with Jimmy’s family if they wished to so. For the next few weeks in the Lewis Lobby at the Welcome Center we will have cards available, along with a basket to receive them, if you wish to take a few moments and send a note to Jimmy’s family. Each note is very special to his daughter, Vanessa, and the rest of the family. Thanks for your support of his family.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Each year, CBF publishes a prayer guide introducing individuals to field personnel, chaplains, pastoral counselors and churches doing incredible work around the world. The 2022 guide includes a weekly prayer focus as well as birthdays of field personnel, chaplains, pastoral counselors and CBF staff so you can pray for them during the week. We hope you will join with CBF churches all across the world in praying for the ways God is at work through this network. Copies are available in the church office, or an online copy may be found here.
SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR CHURCHWIDE SPRING RETREAT!

We are changing locations for our churchwide spring retreat from the beach to the mountains! We hope you will mark your calendar for April 14–16, 2023, and join us at the Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain. Our church has made accommodations to rent the entire Blue Ridge Center, which includes hotel-style accommodations, a dining hall, a gorgeous chapel, and plenty of gathering space. Rooms are handicap accessible and there is elevator access to all floors. In our free time, you’ll be able to enjoy hiking trails, disc golf, basketball, volleyball, tennis, corn hole, and gaga ball! More logistical details on cost, theme, and overall schedule for the weekend are coming soon. 

THE RECORD WE WROTE
As of November 10, 2022:
Current Week Revenue: $12,811.74
Month-to-Date Revenue: $41,564.60
Year-to-Date Revenue: $1,252,395.07
Month-to-Date Expenses: $16,247.45
Year-to-Date Expenses: $1,241,695.26
North Carolina State Missions: $3,632.00

OCTOBER MEMORIAL AND HONORIFIC GIFTS  

Capital Repair and Replacement Fund
In Memory of Robert Fleming

Church Maintenance Endowment Fund
In Memory of William Clarke, Jr.

GIVING STATEMENTS

For a number of years, the Financial Administrator sent contribution statements after the first three quarters of the year. A final statement for the fiscal year was sent in January of the next year for tax reporting. What we found was that many people wanted to know their level of giving and/or amount left on their yearly pledge before the end of the year, in order to be at the level they wished to be for that fiscal year. So we have switched to sending a contribution statement after the first two quarters (in April and July) and then holding off until late November/early December to send a third statement in time for decisions about end-of-year giving. An end-of-year statement will be sent in January. Please know that you can have a statement sent to you at any time by contacting Kathryn Rattie, our financial administrator.
To facilitate your giving to FBC, use the QR codes below to link to the website
for our main electronic giving, VANCO Faith, and the page that lists
all our e-giving options and instructions.        
Use this QR code to e-give
to FBC on line.
Use this QR code to e-give through
Paypal and other options.
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 Tuesday'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 Jennie Herrick. Email Jennie here.