FBC Raleigh News • September 13, 2022
ISSUE ELEVEN OF
FIRST FOUNDATIONS

The new issue of our First Foundations quarterly magazine is hot off the press, and ready for you to read! Magazines are currently available in the Lewis building lobby by the elevators. There are also copies of the magazine located at both entrances to the sanctuary for you to grab on your way out of worship. Feel free to get an extra copy for a neighbor who might like to know more about who we are, as we continue to reach beyond our walls. We are so grateful for all of our contributors—Anne Bullard, Valerie Cumbea, Dan Day, Nancye Gaj, Lou Anne Liverman, and others. You may also access all the issues of our magazines on the church website. If you would like to receive a copy of First Foundations in the mail, please email Deborah. We hope you enjoy reading about CREATING from a wide range of voices from our community of faith.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT A GENEROUS GIFT

First Baptist Church has received an incredibly generous gift of $2,000,000 as a bequest from the estate of Marvin Mann, a former member of our church and the late father of Tara Mann. The bequest specifies that the funds be used for “property maintenance or capital improvements.” The trustees are responsible for making a presentation to the church on exactly how to honor the intent of the bequest, which they will do when they have examined the document carefully and sought any other input they might need to make an informed decision. We are deeply grateful for Marvin’s generosity and reminded, as we have been before, of the value of planned giving for sustaining significant ministry.
TOY JOY COMING SOON

Toy Joy began many years ago when some of the Clothing Ministry volunteers saw a need to help the clients provide Christmas gifts for their children. Over the years it has grown in size to the point it is now where we provide gifts for hundreds of children, birth through age 18! Each child receives a nice toy, a stuffed animal, books, and a well-stuffed stocking, and each family receives a game or puzzle and a Food Lion gift card. We continued to operate during the pandemic by having guests shop online and then come to the church to pick up their gifts that had been chosen and boxed for them. The Toy Joy team is happy to say that we feel comfortable about inviting families into the church to select gifts for their children this year! The event will be held on November 12 with both a morning and an afternoon session. 

As we have done the last two years, we have wish lists for both Walmart and Amazon that you may use to shop from home for needed toys and have them shipped directly to the church. If you wish to make a monetary donation and have us shop for you, you may write a check to FBC and put "Toy Joy" in the memo line.

On September 25 and October 9, we will have a donation drop-off after worship from 12-3pm for new or gently used toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, and books – please make sure that all used items are in very good condition and have all of their pieces and parts included. These two days are the only time that we can accept donations.

Volunteers for the event are very important – we can't do this without you! There will be an online signup for the event coming out in the next few weeks and if you plan to be at Centerpoint this Wednesday, September 14, there will be a sign-up sheet on each table. We ask that only middle school and high school youth and adults sign up to work the day of the event. Masks will be required of all volunteers and guests while in the building. 
We hope to serve around 900 children this year and look forward to your help and support of this ministry! Questions about volunteering? Email Anne Cooke or call her at 919-986-9465.
THEOLOGY ON TAP
SEPTEMBER GATHERING

The next Theology on Tap gathering will be Thursday, September 15, at Raleigh Times (14 East Hargett Street), starting at 6pm. Join in for dinner, drinks, and good conversation!
CROP WALK

For years, FBC has participated in the local CROP Hunger Walk. Funds raised support these local agencies: Catholic Parish Outreach Dorcas Ministries, Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, North Raleigh Ministries, and Urban Ministries of Wake County. In addition, global efforts are supported through the work of the Church World Service, which has a huge refugee ministry and works locally with the Welcome House. There has never been a greater need as each of these agencies is stretched beyond belief to address hunger insecurity as we come out of the pandemic but face rising food costs.
 
The Greater Triangle Area CROP Hunger Walk starts and ends at Pullen Park, on Sunday, October 30. Registration/sign in is at 2pm with the Walk beginning at 3pm. You may register and join our team here. You may also donate on that page or through the FBC electronic options.
 
Registering makes it easier for our team leaders to contact you with supportive emails and to distribute information you may share to increase your fundraising for CROP. One very effective fundraising tool is to post a Facebook fundraiser with just a few clicks on your personal page (established when you register). Facebook charges CROP no fees on the money raised through the Facebook platform.
 
CLOTHING MINISTRY UPDATE

The Clothing Ministry will be temporarily closed for repairs to the floors. We will be closed through the end of September and will reopen on Monday, October 3. During our temporary closure, we are continuing to accept donations of fall and winter clothing only at this time. We DO NOT accept household items except for rolling suitcases, backpacks, and blankets, which we will also continue to accept. Please bag all items if possible and label them by gender (men, women, children). If you are bringing more than four kitchen-size bags of clothes, please make an appointment for drop-off by emailing Sabrina. After we reopen in October, we will then have accessible storage to take off-season (spring/summer) clothing. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we undergo these building repairs.

CANDY COLLECTION

For the month of September we will collect candy that will be put in the stockings for Toy Joy. Bite-size chocolate and non-chocolate varieties are needed —no Halloween-wrapped, please. Your donations may be placed in the drawer of the cabinet in the Lewis Lobby through the end of September.
 
For the first time since 2019, we feel comfortable inviting our guests into the church to shop for their children rather than to pick up pre-made gifts as we have done the past two years. Please watch the Rose Window Weekly for information on the days that we will accept gently used toys, the Amazon and Walmart wish lists for new toys that are needed, and opportunities to volunteer to help the day of the event. Toy Joy will be on November 12 with a morning and an afternoon session. There will be opportunities for different age groups to help and we look forward to hosting this event that brings joy to our guests as well as to those who volunteer to make it happen. 

CENTERPOINT
THIS FALL

We are looking forward to the return of Centerpoint on Wednesday, September 7! We are grateful for your flexibility over the last two years as we have attempted to keep our programming afloat while juggling layers of covid concerns. This fall, we are relieved to resume some semblance of normalcy in our Wednesday night programming for all ages! Our theme of Reclaiming Community is a very appropriate premise to guide us in imagining ways to bring our community of faith back together after two years of a hybrid, adjusted schedule. Our hope is that we will re-engage not only with our outside community but with one another. We'll have a new menu for Wednesday night suppers, including the reappearance of a full buffet line and a children's table. Seating will be available both inside the Fellowship Hall and outside in the Garth. We have made some slight changes in the timing of supper and programming, so please note that in the schedule below. Supper begins for everyone at 5:15pm, and all programming ends at 7:15pm. We are looking forward to welcoming you back to our Wednesday night rhythm of church life!

September 14 —Reclaiming Community through Serving Our Community: this week’s program focuses on two major ministries of FBC to our local community: Toy Joy and the clothing ministry. We will hear updates that these ministries have made to adjust to the disruptions of covid, learn plans for upcoming weeks, and reflect together on how serving helps us to experience community again after the isolating effects of the pandemic. 

September 21 — Reclaiming Community through Serving the Global Community: FBC members have long been engaged in ministry with the people of Ukraine through direct service and through our partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As we continue to focus on renewing a spirit of community in the emerging period beyond the pandemic, we will hear from members who are traveling to Romania this fall to share in relief ministries to refugee families. 
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 not 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
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPER
 
We invite you to join us for a mid-week fellowship meal this Wednesday from 5-6pm. 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):
September 14: pork chops, sweet potatoes, and cabbage; non-meat: veggie patty; kids: pizza rolls
September 21: chicken and dumplings, baby carrots, and broccoli; non-meat: mock chicken and dumplings; kids: chicken tenders
September 28: smothered chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans; non-meat: black bean burger; kids: pasta
October 5: Sloppy Joes, fries, apple sauce, mixed veggies; non-meat: vegan Sloppy Joes
2022 CHURCH CONFERENCE DATES
Mark your calendar for the following 2022 dates for Church Conference:
September 28, October 26, November 16, and December 14.
BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE
  • Tuesday, September 13: Psalm 73; Jonah 3:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13
  • Wednesday, September 14: Psalm 73; Job 40:6-14; 42:1-6; Luke 22:31-33, 54-62
  • Thursday, September 15: Psalm 113; Exodus 23:1-9; Romans 3:1-8
  • Friday, September 16: Psalm 113; Ezekiel 22:17-31; Romans 8:31-39
  • Saturday, September 17: Psalm 113; Isaiah 5:8-23; Mark 12:41-44
  • Sunday, September 18: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9;  Amos 8:4-7 and Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13
  • Monday, September 19: Psalm 12; Proverbs 14:12-31; Acts 4:1-12
DEACON ON CALL
September 11–17 • Art Jackson (919-270-8483)
WEEK AT A GLANCE •September 7– 14
Wednesday, September 14
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music
6:15pm Adult programming (FH)
6:30pm Children's missions
6:30pm Handbell rehearsal (302)
7:30pm Adult choir rehearsal (310/S)

Thursday, September 15
BWIMNC symposium (building-wide)
7am Band of Brothers (Zoom)
10:30am Thirty-Niners meeting (Five Points Center for Active Adults, 2000 Noble Road, 27608)
6pm Theology on Tap (Raleigh Times)

Friday, September 16
9am Clothing ministry small grp (FH)

Sunday, September 18
9:45am Sunday School
11am Worship (S/YouTube)
11am Japanese worship (226)
11am Worship prep class (231)
11:30am JBC mini-bazaar (FH)
5pm Youth choir (choir room)
6pm Youth supper (FH)
6:30pm Youth program (FH/Blue Rm)
Monday, September 19
Clothing ministry closed (until Oct 3)
5:15pm Dream Team meeting
(Blue Room)
6:30pm MMiH rehearsal (302)

Tuesday, September 20
9am Clothing ministry small grp (FH)
10am Staff meeting (CR)
10:45am WMU Group 2 (Springmoor)

Wednesday, September 21
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music
6:15pm Adult programming (FH)
6:30pm Children's missions
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,
September 15 & 16!

• Lunch •
usually Tuesday-Friday:
church parking lot (11am–1:30pm)
EXCEPT WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Wednesday, September 14, 11:30am–1pm: One Renaissance, 3301 Benson Drive, Raleigh, 27609

• Supper •
Thursday, September 15, 4:30-8pm: Sunset Ridge South
5454 Sunset Walk Lane, Holly Springs, 27540
AMONG OUR FAMILY

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

THE RECORD WE WROTE
As of September 8, 2022:
Current Week Revenue: $11,810.00
Month-to-Date Revenue: $14,378.75
Year-to-Date Revenue: $1,037,428.36
Month-to-Date Expenses: $17,904.77
Year-to-Date Expenses: $984,324.71
Heck Jones: $5,817.00

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.