FBC CHORAL SCHOLARS

The Music Ministries Council is pleased to announce the establishment of the First Baptist Church Choral Scholars Program beginning this fall. Nurturing both the lives of young adult students and our broad music program, this new ministry is made possible by the Robert H. Lewis Music Endowment of FBC, supporting up to two singers currently enrolled in collegiate choral and/or vocal studies for participation in our Sanctuary Choir. We are pleased to welcome Izzy Humpheys (from Lake Waccamaw, NC, pursuing graduate studies in Media Arts and Technology) and Niya Petkova (a second-year Business Administration student from Apex, NC). Both are students at NC State. Join us in welcoming Izzy and Niya!

CHURCH CONFERENCE TONIGHT

Our regularly scheduled church conference will be held Wednesday, September 25, 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. Church conference will be held on the following dates for the remainder of the year: October 23, November 20, and December 18.

Church conference agenda

Finance chair summary report

Finance report 

Draft minutes of August church conference

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.

CHILDREN'S RETREAT TO CAMP KANATA

This past weekend we joined eight other churches in the area for our annual 3^rd – 5^th grade fall retreat at Camp Kanata! With an overarching connection to the Olympic games, our theme was, “We are ONE” based on Ephesians 4:2-6.  

In our Bible study rotations, we explored scriptures demonstrating the words of the Ephesians passage that call us to unity – humility, gentleness, patience, love, and peace.  Saturday morning, we looked at the story of Joesph and his brothers, considering how the story challenges us to build unity in our families in the midst of jealousy, hurt, repentance, and forgiveness; on Sunday we looked at the story of Lydia, who learned about Jesus and in turn shared her faith with those around her, and we considered how sharing the love of Christ with others can create a ripple effect to build unity in our community and world.

In our mission rotation, we engaged in a mission project to benefit Miracle League of the Triangle, a baseball league specifically for children and adults with disabilities, in the hopes of building unity, value, and belonging in our greater community.   We made cards of affirmation for the players and assembled 104 post-game goodie bags filled with Gatorade, snack bags of chips and cookies, bubble gum, and various kinds of fidgets.  During Sunday night worship, we collected $1045.63 for Miracle League of the Triangle which will go toward covering the cost of the goodie bags as well as helping to provide jerseys for the players.  

In all of our activities this weekend – Bible study, missions project, worship, group games, camper’s choice activities, and free time -- our hope is that our children were reminded that God calls us to be ONE, united by our love for Christ and compassion for one another. Many thanks to our wonderful chaperones – Lacey Pegram, Wyatt Yelverton, and Wade Sasser! We couldn’t have done it without them! - Lynn

DOWNTOWN CHURCH WALK

On Saturday, October 5 from 9-12pm, the historic churches surrounding the North Carolina State Capitol will open their doors for the annual Community Historic Church Walk. Participants are encouraged to explore each sanctuary at their own pace before strolling along the sidewalk to the next church. Our very own church historian, Carolyn Dickens, will be available in our sanctuary to share stories and answer questions. Greeters will be available to answer questions and highlight the unique features of each church, offering a fascinating look into their physical and spiritual roles in Downtown Raleigh. Balloons and signs reading "Community of Historic Churches" will guide the way, and handouts will be provided at each participating church. If you are interested in helping us greet for any length of time that morning, please email Leah. We invite you to join us for this free, beloved family event!

JAPANESE CHURCH SUPPORT EVENT

On Sunday, October 6, our Japanese congregation will be hosting a support event at 12pm in the Fellowship Hall. Join in a delicious boxed lunch for $10 directly following worship, as we fellowship together for this fundraiser!

SAVE THE DATE – GADDY LECTURES

First Baptist Church is very fortunate to have a fund that enables us to host significant speakers and musical artists who enrich the life of our congregation and offer a service to our community. It is the Gaddy Lectures and Concert Series Fund established in the year 1999 in honor of the late beloved church member Mary Lily Gaddy. In the past, this fund has enabled us to hear novelist Clyde Edgerton and singer/songwriter Ken Medema. It has helped us to experience “The High Lonesome Mass” with the Chuck Nation Band and the play “Defamation.” And it has played a role in funding other lectures and presentations as well.

We are delighted to announce that the next Gaddy Series event will take place March 28-29, 2025, when we will hear from historian/writer/speaker Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Dr. Du Mez is Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the author of the New York Times best seller Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. She has spoken at a CBFNC General Assembly and more recently at Campbell Divinity School, informing and inspiring as much in these lectures as she does through her writing. Look for more details on this event in upcoming issues of the Rose Window Weekly.

Moving forward, we want to be more intentional in planning for future Gaddy events. We would like to alternate between the Gaddy Series and the churchwide retreat in the spring. Therefore, our next retreat would be in the spring of 2026. We would also like to alternative Gaddy events between lectures and concerts. Thus, we anticipate a concert in the spring of 2027. Alternating years will allow time for the fund to earn the necessary income, and balancing the focus will honor the full intent of the fund. We look forward to being challenged and inspired in different ways, and we give thanks to the Gaddy family for envisioning and making possible this fund.

RISE AGAINST HUNGER

MEAL-PACKING

Last year, we packed another 10,000 meals and reached our goal of 100,000 meals packed for distribution around the world. The fellowship hall was bustling with the sounds and cheers of 80 volunteers as they hustled to reach this goal of our first 100,000 meals. More importantly, they hustled to do their part to make a difference in the lives of many who struggle to find food. We can’t stop with the success of reaching this goal. The need for food is still there. We'll have lunch planned to feed you when you join us on Sunday, September 29, at 12:15pm in the fellowship hall. The supplies will be there, but we need at least 60 volunteers to pack the meals. Bring your family or bring a friend—all are welcome!

There’s a job for everyone. Standing, sitting, running (for the youngest), and even ringing the gong! The choice is yours. Please RSVP to Nancy Moore Phillips by TODAY, September 25.

CROP WALK

The Greater Triangle Area CROP Hunger Walk is our October church-wide mission project and it starts and ends at First Baptist parking lot on Sunday, October 27. Funds raised support local agencies and the international work of CWS (Church World Service). Click here to see information about each of these agencies.

You can participate in this month's mission by walking and/or contributing monetarily. Walk day sign-in is at 2pm with the walk beginning at 3pm. You may join the FBC Team (no separate youth team this year) here.

Walkers this year are asked to donate $5 for the GTA Crop Walk t-shirt. This money is being used to pay for the 200+ disaster hygiene kits that will be assembled by walkers beginning at 2pm. So plan on coming to join with other walkers in putting together the hygiene kits. This will be a fun activity for children and adults! Another fun activity is to use the Calendar of Blessings to count your blessings each day during the month. You are encouraged to set aside an amount of money for each blessing and then donate it to the CROP Walk at the end of the month.

Please consider donating when you register. If not walking, you may donate to support any walker by going HERE and searching for the walker. You may also make a general donation to our team.

You may donate through the Vanco Online, PayPal, or the Credit Card Kiosk. If you prefer to write a check, please make it payable to FBC and write "CROP Walk" in the memo line and either place it in the offering plate or mail it to the Financial Administrator (FBC, 99 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, 27603). Donations for this year's Walk will be accepted through November 30.

SEPTEMBER MISSION PROJECT

The Toy Joy planning team has begun planning for this year’s Toy Joy event, which will be held on Saturday, November 16.

As part of our churchwide missions, you can support our Toy Joy ministry in one of several ways. First, we will have a second donation drop-off/collection day in the near future. At that time, we will collect new or GENTLY USED toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, and books. Please make sure that all used items are clean and in very good condition, with ALL of their pieces and parts included (otherwise we cannot use them). 

We also are including links below for wish lists from Amazon, Walmart and Target if you would like to shop for new items to donate. You can either purchase items and bring them to church or have them shipped directly to the church address.

Amazon wish-list

Walmart wish-list

Target wish-list

If you prefer for our Toy Joy team to do the shopping, you may also donate funds directly to the church, specifying TOY JOY in the memo line. We will use those funds to purchase items as needed to serve families we register. To make it easier to donate to Toy Joy, we have included QR codes below.



In October, we will share additional ways to volunteer and support this wonderful ministry!

FALL FESTIVAL DETAILS

Sunday, October 6, from 3-7pm is the date of the Fall Festival at Optimist Farm Park (2908 Optimist Farm Road, Apex, 27539)! This is sure to be a fun afternoon of fellowship, food, and games for all ages! The cost will be $10 per person (4+), a maximum of $40 per family.

Payment can be made at:

• Vanco Online

• PayPal

• On the credit card kiosk

• By check, with "Fall Festival" in the memo line

Please click here to register, so we can know an accurate number for food preparation.

We will have an obstacle course inflatable along with various competitions (pie eating contest, egg toss, corn hole, and relays). Around 5pm we will have hamburgers and hot dogs with the fixings prepared by Troy Dye and team. The evening will conclude with smores and music led by Mike Cooke and Bob Kimball around the campfire.

Anyone with a musical instrument is invited to play with Bob and Mike Cooke. As in the past, bring a chair and/or blanket! We're looking forward to seeing everyone there! - Social Committee

THIRTY-NINERS RESUME WEEKLY GATHERINGS

Come join us Thursdays at 10:30am in the fellowship hall for interesting speakers, mission projects, and once a month, a program that's a little out of the ordinary. We also have an outing each month, but mostly we enjoy spending time together, learning something new and useful, and always ending with a meal. Come check us out before you are “too old” to get here.                            

SEPTEMBER 

26 Lunch Outing: High Park Grill, 625 East Whitaker Mill Road (11am reservations)

OCTOBER 

3 Fire Education in Our Homes with Lemuel Hubbard, Fire Prevention Coordinator/Deputy Marshall, Office of the Fire Marshall, Raleigh

10 FBC Programs from Birth to Elementary School with Crystal Bacon, Weekday Preschool director, and Nikki Harris, Infant Toddler Center director

17 State Fair Food and Games: bring a handmade item for show-and-tell

24 Holiday monthly mission project: Toy Joy preparation 

31 Halloween Memories: trick-or-treat visit from the children of ITC, showing off their costumes and receiving candy from us.

NOVEMBER 

7 Water Pollution, Recycling and Our Drinking Water, Source-to-Tap with the City of Raleigh Educational Resources  

14 Southern Supreme Fruit Cake (1699 Hoyt Scott Road, Bear Creek, NC) shopping trip with lunch at Bestfood Cafeteria, 220 11th Street, Siler City (12 noon)

21 Meals on Wheels of North Carolina, Non-Profit Statewide Network 

28 NO MEETING FOR THANKSGIVING 

DECEMBER 

5 Holiday monthly mission project: write Christmas cards to home-bound members, make ornaments for Lewis Lobby tree

12 Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief and More with Richard Brunson, executive director 

19 Thirty-Niner family Christmas luncheon: bring a gift for White Elephant exchange 

26 NO MEETING FOR CHRISTMAS 

Jan 2 NO MEETING FOR NEW YEARS 



THIS WEEK AT CENTERPOINT

October 2: We will offer two tracks that participants may choose based on their individual interests. Track 1 is entitled Speaking about Faith in a Pluralistic Age. Participants will use a podcast interview as a catalyst for discussing how to have authentic conversations about faith in a context of diverse points of view. Track 2 will be A Prayer Walk Experience in Downtown Raleigh. Small groups will participate in a contemplative walk in the downtown neighborhood with an opportunity for sharing observations and reflections on the experience. (The FBC sanctuary will serve as a backup space in case of rain.)



October 9: The FBC youth will report and reflect on their mission experiences during the summer. 

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

We would love for you to join us for a mid-week meal! The supper line is open each Wednesday night from 5:15–6:15pm. You may reserve your spot at this link on the website or by calling the church office. Please note that every person eating Wednesday night supper must check-in with our volunteer collection team before getting their meal. Even if you have pre-paid online, please check-in with our volunteer. We accept cash, checks, or credit cards.



Ages 0–3: Free

Ages 4-12: $4

Adults (over 12): $8

Family cap (over 3 people): $24

The menus for upcoming Wednesday night suppers are as follows (all meals come with salad and bread):

September 25: Breakfast for dinner.

October 2: Roast beef with potatoes and carrots; non-meat option: veggie meat patties in gravy; kids: macaroni

October 9: Mediterranean meatballs with lentils, rice, and roasted vegetables; non-meat: chickpea stew; kids: pita and hummus

October 16: Mexican chicken casserole; non-meat option: vegan Mexican casserole; kids: nachos

October 23: Smothered chicken with cabbage, pinto beans, and sweet potatoes; non-meat option: mock chicken

October 30: Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn; non-meat option: veggie meatloaf; kids: nuggets