In writing about snow days, Rick Hamlin says, “A snowy day feels like a message from God saying: Slow down. Savor my creation. You don’t have to rush, rush, rush. Watch the sky. Look at how I can paint my world.” For all the awfulness that COVID has brought us, it also brought us the ability to stay connected when we would normally be apart. This Sunday, it was wonderful to sit in the quiet warmth of my home and listen to Pastor Marguerite's words about our interim time of waiting and transition. Just as God tells us to slow down during a snow day, she reminded us that He is encouraging us to slow down, reflect, prepare, and wait for what He will do next in the life of this church. While this is an uncertain time, it is also an exciting time. This is a time for us to come together and discern God’s amazing plans for us. It is easy to become impatient and want to move things along, but then we aren’t honoring the process or doing the work we need to be fully ready for our next pastor. The interim time requires us to be intentional in our preparation. Most of all, it requires us to have faith in knowing that no matter what lies ahead of us, God is already there.

(Isaiah 43:16- 19 - The Message Bible)

Sarah Kirby

Clerk of Session

Wilderness can be a Biblical metaphor for our experience of reality...difficult to get through and uncomfortable while in it. Wilderness/reality is HARD and makes us want to go back to memories/fantasy of what it was/should be. It's hard to get through – lots of wandering – because it takes a lot to discern and understand reality as opposed to simply relying on our opinion/perception.

Our Scripture comes from Exodus 13:18-22 and Luke 3:1-6. Marguerite Sirrine, will share her sermon, "Pretty Wild." To print an at-home bulletin, click here: January 23

Bulletins will be provided for those attending in-person. Masks are encouraged at 9:00 and mandatory at 11:00.

Our 11:00 a.m. worship service is livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

When Marguerite preaches, everyone on the group email list will receive a sermon outline during the week leading up to each Sunday, on either Tuesday or Wednesday. You are invited (but not required) to read the outline and respond with your comments, so that the Spirit may move among our community through the sermon preparation process. To join, send email to margueritesirrine@wakeforestpres.org.

Registration Week for the 2022-2023 preschool year will end today, Friday, January 21, at 12:15 p.m. We offer half-day developmentally appropriate classes for two-year-olds through our transitional kindergarten.  Please share this information with your friends, family, and neighbors! Contact Dawn Brown at preschooldirector@wakeforestpres.org or 919-488-1820. Check out the preschool website, wakeforestpres.org/preschool for a virtual tour, registration forms, and more information.

Come one, come all to the beautiful, open field next to our preschool to enjoy some fires and spend time with your church family of all ages. We'll be staying warm these winter months while creatively making use of our campus to fellowship with one another. There will be one centering activity at the beginning of the fire for a couple of minutes, but these gatherings will have different aspects week to week. Sometimes it'll be s'mores (let's be real -- every time), games, intergenerational (friendly) competition, and faith discussions. All are invited. No reservation is necessary; just dress warm and bring a chair to sit in! For specifics on our plans, you can click here! Questions? johnfawcett@wakeforestpres.org

Due to safety concerns, we have called off the planned reception for Marguerite this Sunday. Instead, please join us on Zoom at 1:00 p.m. to listen in as Marguerite educates us on the transition process in a Presbyterian Church. Using Zoom will allow you to ask questions and interact. To attend, please use this link:

Please join us in offering love and sympathy to

Carol Swartz on the passing of her brother, Doug Keller, on January 16.

Anita Mummert on the passing of her grandmother, Edna Chappell, on January 17.

Due to the current surge in COVID and the results from our recent church wide survey, we have made the decision to move our Pancake Breakfast to March 27th! We are looking forward to serving you and sharing this special event with you then!