Wednesday Night Update

(Things Have Changed Slightly):

• There are NO Children's Choirs until February 5th; the Property Committee is working to get the heat in the Children's wing working in the meantime.
• We WILL have Youth Missions Group tonight because the youth are simply excited to get back to their missions projects! Tonight the youth will meet in the church library to do a project for Keystone Community Center. Over the next two weeks, they'll get back to their regular schedule, serving at the Rescue Mission and visiting homebound folks.
• We WILL have Chancel Choir rehearsal at 7:30 PM. We will soon begin our Easter Musical, so any interested singers are welcome to join us!

This Sunday @ VBC

Reminder: Sunday School meets at 9:15 AM. Please note that all children's classes, including the Nursery, will meet in their usual rooms in the Children's wing this week (using space heaters) EXCEPT that 2nd - 3rd graders will continue to meet in the Pastor's Conference Room. Youth will meet in the Youth room.

During Morning Worship at 10:30 AM, Travis will continue his series about evangelism. His sermon is "Teachers," and the scripture is Ezra 7:1-10.

Please note that Children's Worship will return to room 200 in the Children's wing using space heaters.

This Sunday our Finance Administrator, Carrie Tolley, will join us for worship. Carrie is a long standing member of Hollins Road Baptist Church, and she has been on staff with VBC for over seven years; however, she is leaving in order to dedicate herself to the needs of her family. Her final day with VBC is Sunday, January 26th. We hope you'll take time at the conclusion of this Sunday's service to express your gratitude to Carrie for all that she has done.

If you can't join us in person for worship, livestream is available through the Vinton Baptist Church app, at www.vintonbaptistchurch.org, and through our Facebook page.

Youth Choir will rehearse at 11:45 AM. Handbells will rehearse at 5:00 PM. Youth Dinner/Extreme will resume this Sunday at 5:30 PM. And there will be a New Deacon Orientation at 6:00 PM in the Pastor's Conference Room (PCR).

Wednesday Women

Due to the ongoing frigid weather, Wednesday Women is postponing the start date for their new study, The Chosen 4: God's Goodness to the Chosen. They will tentatively begin January 29th. It's not too late to sign up in the church office if you're interested. You can purchase your own Interactive Bible Study book online.

Soup for Seniors

The annual LOA Soup for Seniors Drive, sponsored by the JOY Seniors, runs the entire month of January. Thousands of seniors in our community live at or below the poverty line. You can help provide a hot meal on a cold day and remind seniors in need that we have not forgotten them. The items that are most needed include low-salt, nutritious items such as soup, peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruit, canned vegetables, crackers, oatmeal, and Boost/Ensure. Collection boxes are available in the Welcome Center and by the elevator in the New Ministries Building. Thank you in advance for helping meet this need.

Deacon Ordination & New Deacon Books

Mark your calendars for our January 26th morning worship service, when we will ordain new deacons and install all deacons. The deacons who are beginning their three-year-term in 2025 are Wayne Foster, Tray Rives, David Semones, Teresa Nicely, Jodi Estienne, Robert Mauck, Wayne Sink, Terri Cundiff, and Neil Zimmerman.

Jodi, Neil, Tray, and Robert are all first-time deacons who will be ordained. In the Welcome Center you will find a table set up for you to write notes of encouragement, prayers, affirmations, and/or Bible verses for them. Your notes will be included in a keepsake binder for these new deacons to remember their ordinations. Please take time to write your notes within the next week.

January JOY Senior Luncheon

Beat the cold and enjoy the fun and fellowship found at the annual JOY Senior Beans & Cornbread Luncheon! We will have winter games with prizes, and our meal will be a variety of beans, cornbread, slaw, apples, and dessert, with condiments to include chow chow. The cost is $12/person. The luncheon date is Tuesday, January 28th starting at noon. You will also learn about trips and activities planned for 2025. Come early to visit with friends. Please sign up and pay at the JOY Senior table.

Youth Ski Trip

The youth will head to Wintergreen for a ski weekend January 31st - February 2nd. Participants will stay in condos across from Devil's Knob. Skiers will be able to ski all day Saturday and have the option of adding on night skiing for Saturday night. Non-skiers will be able to go tubing and hang out at the resort, which includes an indoor swimming pool and indoor pickleball courts. Click here for the sign-up sheet, which includes the details.

Thursday Morning Small Group

Travis' Thursday Morning Small Group will resume regular weekly meetings at 10:00 AM February 6th. This group is informal in nature and is open to all adults. We discuss various subjects, and no topic is off limits. On the first Thursday of each month, we generally move over to Pok-E-Joe's for lunch and continued discussion at 11:00 AM (for those who choose to have lunch with us). See Travis or call the church office with any questions.

Ann Allen

c/o Friendship North Assisted Living

320 Hershberger Road, Apt. 514

Roanoke VA 24012

Sunday, January 12, 2025:

Sunday School: 191

10:30 AM Worship

• in person: 350
• online: 464

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping us reach and EXCEED our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal for our church! Your contributions will be used for missions work worldwide!

Offering Envelopes

We still have a number of boxes of assigned offering envelopes at the Missions Tables; if you usually use envelopes, please check there for yours. If you need offering envelopes and do not see yours, please make a note for Patsy on the tablet at the Missions Tables so that she can issue them for you.

Please extend a warm welcome to Tray Rives, who has officially become a member of Vinton Baptist Church after many years of attendance and involvement with his family. Tray is the husband of Blair Rives and father of Marshall & Avery. Their address is 130 Charleston Place, Daleville VA 24083.

Church Counseling

Just a reminder that we have individual adult and youth, family, and marriage counseling available at no charge for church members and their families. This ministry is offered by Cathy Abraham, LPC. If you, or someone you know, is interested, please call the church office at 540-343-7685 for more information. Days and times are flexible.

Bible Reading Plan

CONGRATULATIONS to Audrey Thrasher, Gloria Charlton, and Beth Meador, who all finished our two-year Bible Reading Plan! I know that Frank Lang and Mary Kendrick were working through it, as well. If YOU finished our 2023-24 plan, please let me know: kim@vintonbaptistchurch.org.

As of today, we are halfway through Genesis on our new 2025 plan. It is available several ways: you can click here to save or print a copy; you can pick up a copy at the Welcome Center; or you can access our new plan on our VBC app (available through your app store - just search for Vinton Baptist Church VA). If you use our app, you can even have each day's scripture read to you. It's certainly not too late to get started - especially since you have a catch-up day every Sunday!

With chapter 12 of Genesis, where Abram is called by God to "'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you'" (12:1), the story of the Jewish people officially begins. While the creation and flood narratives are very important parts of Genesis - and are referred to throughout the remainder of the Bible - the "history" of God's people begins with the call of Abram and the promises God makes to him in this chapter:

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;

I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (12:2-3)

Chapter 22 is particularly troubling in its portrayal of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his own son (and heir) at the request of God. Keep in mind that in Canaanite culture, child sacrifice was common. As we move through the Pentateuch and encounter some of the laws that God later gives the Israelites, we will see that child sacrifice was condemned by God. Yet, in this passage reflecting Abraham's obedience and faith, I find shadows of things to come from God the Father. While God does not require Abraham to sacrifice his own son, God is willing to sacrifice Jesus for us. How much more meaningful God's sacrifice is for us as we reflect on what Abraham endured.

I would love to get your feedback on the chapters we're reading. Please feel free to email me or post to our FB account. God bless you as you read!

-- Kim

Realm Updates

2025 Committees, as well as committee chairpersons and members, have been added to Realm. You can utilize Realm to communicate with members of your committee and to store documents, etc., for your group. If you need an invitation to Realm or if you need help learning how to communicate using Realm, please see Kim Yonce.

AARP Tax-Aide

AARP will once again offer Tax-Aide free tax preparation at a number of locations in the greater Roanoke Valley, including Thursday mornings at Vinton Baptist starting February 6th. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, there are two ways to make an appointment:

1. The easiest option is to make an appointment online at aarp.org/findtaxhelp starting January 20th.
2. The second option is to call 540-345-2820 starting January 27th to make an appointment by phone. Generally you will need to leave a message, and a Tax-Aide volunteer will return your call.

Please keep in mind that trained volunteers are preparing your taxes; however, if you have a complicated tax situation, they may refer you to a paid tax preparer. There are no age minimums or maximums for having AARP prepare your taxes.