FBC Raleigh News • October 27, 2020
ALL SAINTS DAY
NOVEMBER 1

For a number of years now, we have been celebrating All Saints Day on November 1 when it falls on a Sunday, and the first Sunday after November 1 when it does not. Though still relatively new to many Baptists, it is an ancient Christian tradition that dates back at least to the fifth century. In the Eastern Church, it began in the season of Easter and eventually moved to the season after Pentecost. In the Western Church, it moved to November 1 in 835 C.E.

The celebration began as a way of recognizing certain people, but today it points to the saintly status of all Christians – not to our perfection but to our experience of being shaped by God’s grace as revealed in Christ. All Saints Day also provides space to celebrate our great hope for eternal life. Thus, we include a prayerful remembrance of the church members we have lost over the past year and locate our very real grief in the context of eternal hope.

Since the Capitol Square churches have had to cancel the annual Holiday Service of Hope and Remembrance because of COVID-19, our All Saints remembrance takes on even greater significance this year. Though we will only read the names of church members who have died since last year’s All Saints Day, we will list the names of extended family members we have lost, remember their loved ones in our prayers, and celebrate their hope in eternity too. We invite you to make a special effort to tune into this service!
DEACON ON CALL • October 25-31
Kent Dickens (919-601-5631)
WEEK AT A GLANCE • OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 1
Tuesday, October 27
10am Staff Mtg.
3:30pm Facilities Assessment
Work Group (FH)
6pm ITC Board Mtg. (Zoom)
6pm Theology on Tap (Zoom/In-person tbd)
6:15pm MS Small Group (Zoom/1107 Marlowe Rd, Raleigh)
6:30pm HS Bible Study (Helms’ Home)
7:30pm Pathfinders Sunday School (Virtual)

Wednesday, October 28
5:30pm Preschool Music & Mission (Bissette Yard)
6pm Oak City Cares Presentation (Zoom)

Thursday, October 29
7am Band of Brothers (Zoom)
10am Preschool Classes (Garth)
1pm Preschool Costume Parade (PL)
7pm Nominating Committee Mtg. (Zoom)
Saturday, October 31
9am Toy Joy Packaging/Prep (1st & 2nd Floors)
11am Toy Joy/Halloween Gift & Goodie Event (Church PL)

Sunday November 1
Daylight Saving Time ends!
10am Japanese BC Worship (301/302)
10am 6th Grade SS (Go To)
10am 7th/8th Grade SS (Zoom)
10am HS SS (Zoom/In-person tbd)
11am Virtual Worship (YouTube)
2pm 1st-2nd Grade SS (Zoom)
4pm 3’s-K SS (Zoom)
4pm 3rd-5th Grade SS (tbd)
5:30pm Youth Group (PL/Zoom)
CENTERPOINT

Wednesday, October 28 (6-7:30pm):
Have you wondered what the pandemic has looked like through the lens of a non-profit in our community? A representative from Oak City Cares will be leading a Zoom presentation about their mission in downtown Raleigh, how the pandemic has affected services for people experiencing homelessness, and their needs moving forward. Oak City Cares is a service hub for connecting individuals and families at risk of, or currently experiencing, homelessness to coordinated services that create a path to stable housing and renewed hope. As a partnership between Catholic Charities, Wake County, Raleigh/Wake Partnership to End Homelessness, the city of Raleigh, and the United Way, they serve a vital role in caring for our neighbors experiencing homelessness in our city. We hope you will make plans to hear about how we can partner together to create change in our own neighborhood. Join us here!

Wednesday, November 4 (6-7:30pm)
The year 2020 has brought many challenges in all aspects of life due to the pandemic. In addition to the stress of the pandemic, many are anxious about the presidential election. In a time when many are divided, let's come together to find out how similar we really are. During this Zoom gathering, we will find out more about our church community as we discuss and discover "Ten Common Threads" - ten things we all have in common. These commonalities might be a favorite dessert, a favorite sports team, a favorite church hymn or otherwise! Let's join together for a night of fun and relaxation as we get to know each other better. Join us here!

Children's Music & Missions:
On Wednesday, October 28, our preschoolers (3-year-olds -- Kindergarteners) will meet in the Bissette’s yard for Music & Missions. If you haven’t already, email Lynn if you can come! The Children's Leadership Team is gathering over Zoom to brainstorm Wednesday night options as Daylight Saving Time ends next week, and Lynn will be communicating our decision to children’s families in the next few days!
HOLIDAY SERVICE OF HOPE
AND REMEMBRANCE CANCELED

Out of a concern for community safety and an awareness of how much the experience depends upon our being able to be together physically, the Capitol Square churches have canceled the 2020 Holiday Service of Hope and Remembrance. We pray for the bereaved, especially during the holiday season, and we look to the day when we will be able to gather together again to share comfort and hope in person.
DRIVE-IN MOVIE NIGHT

Please join your FBC family for an outdoor movie night to watch "Shrek" on Friday, November 13! The church parking lot will have designated spots for each family to socially distance. We will begin to arrive at 5:30pm and the movie will begin at 6pm. Please wear masks and bring camping chairs, blankets, etc. Space is limited to the first 50 people, per COVID guidelines, so make sure you register soon. Register here!
DEACON ELECTIONS
 
We have arrived at the time in FBC’s calendar to elect deacons, spiritual leaders of the church who assist with congregational care. As with so many things in this pandemic, the process this year will be a little different. We will stay as true as we possibly can to the process outlined in the bylaws, while at the same time providing methods for voting that fit with our remote gatherings. Our timing will also be a bit delayed. The process will be as follows.

Attached below, you'll find the ballot for 2020. You have a month to submit a ballot nominating up to 16 deacons (eight men and eight women). Those ballots can be submitted by printing off the form below and filling it out, or by simply writing out your nominations on a piece of paper marked “Deacon Nominations 2020” and mailing it to the church at 99 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27603, attn Jennie Herrick. The paper forms can also be dropped off in the ballot box that will be located at the doorway under the portico facing McDowell Street. In addition, nominations may be sent electronically by email to Jennie Herrick. That email should show “Deacon Nomination” in the subject line and list the nominees. Jennie will then print the form, cut off the identifying information, and place the nominating form in the deacon ballot box. On Sunday, November 15 (four Sundays after the beginning of the nominating period), the tellers appointed by the Chair will gather in the library (masked and physically distanced, of course) to count the ballots, and the Chair and Vice Chair will then notify those selected.

GIFT & GOODIE FUN

Halloween meets Toy Joy this Saturday, October 31, in the church parking lot! Come by and be a part of our “gift & goodie fun" with COVID protocols in place! Here’s the scoop: From 11:30am-1pm, you’re invited to drive through the church parking lot and donate a gift for Toy Joy. Walmart and Amazon wishlists have been created to make shopping as easy as a click of a button. As you enter the parking lot from Hillsborough Street, you’ll be greeted joyfully by our Toy Joy team, dressed up in silly costumes, ready to 1) receive your gift for Toy Joy (i.e. toy donation), and 2) share a Halloween goodie with everyone in the car! 

In keeping with our COVID protocol, all of our team members will be wearing face masks and candy-handlers will be wearing gloves. With a pop of the trunk, one of our team members will receive your donation for Toy Joy so you won’t even need to get out of the car while Halloween goodies travel through a shoot (aka PVC pipe) into each open window as a fun way to respect the need to keep socially distanced!

We would also love to have any medium to large-sized boxes you have. If your toy came in a medium or large box, please bring it with you Saturday, or if you just have a large box sitting around your house, toss it in your car and bring it with you! We’ll collect those when we collect your toys. We hope to see you on Saturday between 11:30am-1pm! All are welcome!
IT'S TIME TO SIGN-UP!

We have 2 more Saturdays scheduled for volunteers to come in and fill Toy Joy orders and could use more assistance on both of those days, especially the afternoon (1-3pm) shift. Here's the link for October 31 and November 7 so you can sign up!

On Friday, November 20, there are volunteer opportunities in the morning and again in the afternoon. That day, we need folks who can help move the filled gift boxes and bags from the second floor down to the Fellowship Hall. They're not extremely heavy, but they do take a bit of muscle to handle. 

The online sign up for the actual Toy Joy event Saturday, November 21, and Sunday, November 22, is divided into general volunteers and translators. The translators will be working in the parking lot as our guests arrive and register. Most of the general volunteers will be in the parking lot as well, helping to take the gift boxes and bags to the guests' cars after they have parked in the lot. There will be a few positions inside and a couple of these can be done while seated. Assignments will be made when you arrive for your shift. Since most of the work will be done in the parking lot with cars coming and going, we are not able to have any children there unless they are in at least 6th grade (please note: all middle school-age children will need to work with a parent). Masks will be required at all times and temperature checks and health screening questions will be performed on all volunteers at each shift. Here's the link for the sign-ups on November 20, 21, and 22.

As always, we're so grateful for your help with this mission and even more so this year as we do it in a very different way. We're doing all we can to make this a safe experience for our guests as well as for our volunteers. If you have questions, email Anne Cooke. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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:

October 27-30 • 11am-1:30pm,
church parking lot
October 30 • 5-8pm, Asbury United Methodist Church Fall Festival

Our Thanksgiving pre-order menu is coming soon!


Have an idea about how to giveaway food in our community? Email Leah!
WAYS TO GIVE

There are several different ways in which you can continue to support the church financially during this time of social distancing. We know many people are facing their own financial challenges right now and have been very generous already, but a number of people have asked how they could support the church while we are unable to gather together physically. Wayne Hager has provided the following answers to this question.

• We continue to receive mail daily. Any gifts mailed to the church will be processed and deposited as soon as possible.
• We will continue to debit bank accounts through auto drafts as we have been instructed by donors.
• If you have set up a recurring donation through one of our electronic options, those donations will continue without interruption unless YOU make a change.
• If you wish to begin electronic giving, please go to this link where each of our options is explained.
• If you are considering a stock gift, please visit this link for instructions. 

If you have any financial or giving-option questions, please email Wayne Hager.
CURRENT OFFICE PROCEDURES
DURING THE PANDEMIC

While the church office will remain closed to the public for the immediate future, we have someone in the office Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5pm to answer the phone and let people in for pre-approved activities. The staff and church council continue to monitor all realities related to COVID-19. In addition, we have formed a Risk Management Team (RMT) made up of John Baldwin, Sam Ewell, Ron Maness (chair), Alice Marshbanks, and Hollis Yelverton to help us make decisions. The RMT has developed a list of guidelines which can be found here. Any group wishing to schedule an in-person meeting or activity should contact Wayne Hager. We still encourage you to contact any of the ministers if you have a pressing need, using the following email links: Chris Chapman, Lynn Lingafelt, Leah Reed, and Michael Hood.
NEW MEMBER
On October 11, we welcomed Walt Perry into the fellowship of our congregation through transfer of letter from Grace Baptist in Knoxville, TN. Welcome, Walt!
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
Week as of October 20, 2020
Current Week Revenue: $17,293.00 
Month-to-Date Revenue: $66,337.16
Year-to-Date Revenue: $1,106,368.87
Month-to-Date Expenses: $54,090.57
Year-to-Date Expenses: $1,086,641.65
NC State Missions: $1,620.00
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 Leah Reed. Email Leah here.