FBC Raleigh News • February 14, 2023
A NOTE ABOUT STEWARDSHIP

FBC Family,

We need your prayerful consideration today. In order for the Finance Committee to recommend a final FY23 budget for approval to the church, 80% of the general fund revenue line item ($1,583,079) needs to be pledged by church members. The 80% mark is $1,266,463. As of 2/9/23, the church has received 157 pledges totaling $1,177,723, which is $88,740 short of the goal to approve the FY23 budget.
 
The deadline to make and/or increase your pledge is Tuesday, February 28. If we have not pledged $1,266,463 by this date, budget reductions will be required. A reduced budget will likely negatively impact our various ministries and missions as well as our ability to better take care of our incredible staff. Click here or use the QR code below to go to the stewardship page on the website to make or increase your pledge. Once again, thank you for your consideration and response.  

Warm regards,
FBC Stewardship Committee
Chuck Underwood
Allison Strickland
Matt Strickland
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL DONATIONS

Our January mission project for WMU, RAs, GAs, and Mission Friends was to donate to Heifer International, a non-profit that focuses on giving animals to impoverished families to boost sustainable and dependable food sources. With children and adults working together, we collected $521.72! 

The adults in our church collected a total of $275 and the children were given the responsibility of deciding which animals to give with this money. On the last Wednesday night in January, Mission Friends, RAs, and GAs gathered together to hear the story of “Beatrice’s Goat,” a true story about a nine-year-old girl in Africa whose family benefited in substantial ways from the gift of one goat. The children then voted to give one goat and one flock of chicks. (**At the time the children voted, we only knew of $140 in donations from WMU; since then, other donations have come in, and the other $135 in donations will go into a fund to be used by Heifer International to donate larger animals like an alpaca, water buffalo, or heifer.) 

Our children brought in coins and dollars they had earned or had chosen to donate from their “GIVE” banks at home each week, and they counted their donations at the end of the month and decided as a class what animal(s) to gift with their money!   Below is a picture of each class and their decisions:
Our pre-K/K Mission Friends collected $60, and they voted to give three flocks of chicks! 
Our GAs collected $126.43 and chose to give six flocks of chicks!
Our RAs collected $60.29 and chose to give two gifts
of honeybees! 
ART BANNER DEDICATION

We hope you were present for our worship service this past Sunday when we dedicated our new art banner! If you were not able to be with us, you can always go to our church YouTube page and view the service there. We are so grateful to Max Dowdle for sharing his gifts of art with us over breakfast, the ongoing hard work of the Art Banner Committee, and our entire congregation for adding their hands to the re-created banner during worship . . . a beautiful picture of our community that will be displayed for years to come!
NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
 
We are so excited to offer a new Sunday School class for young couples at FBC. If this sounds interesting to you, please join us for a “Sunday School Kickoff” on Saturday, March 4, 5–7pm, at FBC (more info to follow) and also for our first class discussion on Sunday, March 5, at 9:45am, in room 224. Both gatherings will offer food, fellowship, and exciting conversation about fostering strong community and building new connections as we grow together in our faith. We hope to see you there!
 
Childcare will be provided, coordinated by Lynn Lingafelt, at the Saturday kickoff. Please contact Lynn by February 19 to be added to that list. For additional information, please contact Tonya and Lin Carter and/or Lou Anne and John Liverman. 

THEOLOGY ON TAP'S
FEBRUARY GATHERING

The next time Theology on Tap will meet is on Thursday, February 16, at Clouds Brewing (126 N West St), starting at 6pm. Join in for dinner, drinks, and good conversation!
CHURCH SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Softball season is upon us! If you’d like to join the team for this spring season, or have any questions please email Michael. This is a co-ed team for adults 18 and up. The deadline to sign up is February 19. We need as many people as we can so don’t hesitate to join in on the fun!
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
 
As a Baptist congregation that follows the Christian year, we allow the Jesus story to shape our lives throughout the year and we allow a sacred calendar to shape worship. By doing so, we are borrowing from other Christian traditions, while making them our own. One tradition we have embraced for over a decade is the Ash Wednesday Service to be held Wednesday, February 22, at 6:30pm, in the sanctuary.
 
The service includes congregational singing, prayers of confession and assurance, and a brief homily, but the central act is the imposition of ashes in the shape of a cross, as we speak these words, “From dust you have come, and to dust you will return.” These ashes (created by burning the palm fronds from last year’s Palm Sunday service) offer a sign of our mortality and penance, a confession of our frailty and need for God. Our willingness to receive them demonstrates our commitment to self-examination as well as our openness to God’s grace. Our Ash Wednesday service provides sacred space in which to begin a season of spiritual renewal called Lent. All who are comfortable doing so are invited to participate in person, but the service will be streamed as well.

CBF GLOBAL MISSION OFFERING

We continue to collect our CBF offering through March as we seek to do our part to support our field personnel both here and around the world. All of us are experiencing increased expenses, but we know we are better able to survive the strain than most others. As the scripture says, “To whom much is given, much will be required.” Please prayerfully consider what you are able to contribute to ensure that God’s love continues through the presence of our missionaries. 

We look forward to Sunday, March 5, when Dr. Paul Baxley, CBF Executive Coordinator, will be preaching for us in worship. - Nancy Moore Phillips, WMU President 
CBFNC ANNUAL GATHERING

The psalmist writes, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Admittedly, we do not always get along with our sisters and brothers. We can easily give in to taking sides and endless arguing but we continue to do the work of cooperation and kingdom-building. This idea, this theology of cooperation is what guides our Annual Gathering in 2023 as we explore together in a variety of ways our theme of Living Together.

We look forward to gathering together with Cooperative Baptists from across North Carolina at the CBFNC Annual Gathering on Thursday and Friday, March 23–24, at Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem! This year's event will be an in-person gathering with both general sessions live-streamed online. We hope you will make plans to join us for two days of connecting, worshiping and learning together. Click here to begin registration to attend in-person. (There is no registration required for online viewing of the live-streamed sessions.)
 
Leadership Forum will be offered on Thursday morning. This is a professional/spiritual development event. NEW THIS YEAR: there is a separate registration for Leadership Forum. If you wish to attend the Leadership Forum and Annual Gathering, you will need to register for BOTH. Click here to register for Leadership Forum.
Nancy Moore Phillips, Denominational Relations
REGISTRATION FOR THE CHURCHWIDE RETREAT

We are looking forward to our churchwide intergenerational spring retreat moving to a new location this year, in the beautiful North Carolina mountains! Mark your calendars now for April 14–16 at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC! 
 
As in years past, we’ll enjoy small groups, worship, individual prayer time, free time, meals together, and a myriad of craft and recreation electives from which to choose!  We have reserved the entire Blue Ridge Center for the weekend. Each room in Blue Ridge Center is equipped with air conditioning, telephones, two queen beds, and private baths – hotel-style accommodations. The building has fifty rooms, housing a total of 200 people. We have handicapped-accessible rooms available and elevator access to all floors. The dining hall is located in this building, as well as all of our meeting spaces that we’ll be using for worship, small groups, and electives.

Youth may attend without their parents as long as we have individuals who are dedicated to helping chaperone during free times and transitions. Children 3 and under are free! 
 
The cost of the weekend for all adults, ages 12 and up (two nights lodging + four meals + supplies) will be:  

  • Single room - $290/adult
  • Two per room - $160/adult
  • Three per room - $120/adult
  • Four per room - $95/adult

The cost of the weekend for children, ages 4 to 11 (two nights lodging + four meals + supplies) will be:
  • Two per room - $125/child
  • Three per room - $80/child
  • Four per room - $60/child
  • Family cap = $450
 
Our time together will begin after supper on Friday and will end after worship on Sunday morning. Space is limited, so please register by emailing Leah Reed with the total number of adults and children in your family, indicating your sleeping preferences. Payment in full is due no later than February 26. Single rooms will be assigned on a first-come/first-served basis. We will operate under the most current CDC and NC COVID guidelines. With current realities, we would require vaccination or a negative COVID for all participants, but we will finalize these plans closer to the retreat.

When you register with Leah, she’ll confirm your total amount owed, which can be paid via check to FBC (put "Churchwide Retreat" in the memo line), or by the following links: PayPal, Online Giving, and Vanco.
 
Since we know that not everyone will be able to attend, we will also have Sunday School and worship in our sanctuary on Sunday, April 16. For any other questions, please email Leah.
CHURCH CONFERENCE TOMORROW NIGHT

Our regularly scheduled Church Conference will be held Wednesday, February 15, at 6:15pm. Please note that our prayer time will begin at 6pm, so the conference can begin on time. 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.

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.
2023 CHURCH CONFERENCE DATES

Mark your calendar for the following 2023 dates for Church Conference:
February 15, March 29, May 24, August 30, September 27,
October 25, November 15, and December 13

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPERS
 
We invite you to join us for a mid-week fellowship meal Wednesdays at 5:15pm. 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):
February 15: Chicken marsala with broccoli and potatoes; non-meat option: mock-chicken marsala; kids: chicken nuggets
February 22: Vegetable pasta with cream sauce, spinach, and mushrooms; kids: buttered noodles.
March 1: Smothered chicken with red potatoes and mixed veggies; non-meat option: mock smothered chicken; kids: chicken nuggets.
March 8: Pasta (ziti or spaghetti) with Normandy vegetables; non-meat option: veggie pasta; kids: macaroni.
BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE
  • Tuesday, February 14: Psalm 119:9-16; Deuteronomy 23:21-24:4, 10-15; James 2:1-13
  • Wednesday, February 15: Psalm 119:9-16; Proverbs 2:1-15; Matthew 19:1-12
  • Thursday, February 16: Psalm 2; Exodus 6:2-9; Hebrews 8:1-7
  • Friday, February 17: Psalm 2; Exodus 19:9b-25; Hebrews 11:23-28
  • Saturday, February 18: Psalm 2; 1 Kings 21:20-29; Mark 9:9-13
  • Sunday, February 19: Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2 or Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9
  • Monday, February 20: Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55; Exodus 33:7-23; Acts 7:30-34
DEACON ON CALL
February 12–18 • Jamie Vogel (984-242-7540)
WEEK AT A GLANCE • February 15–22
Wednesday, February 15
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music (301,307,311)
6:15pm Church conference (FH/Zoom)
6:30pm Children's missions (PS/CS)
6:30pm Handbell rehearsal (302)
7:30pm Adult choir rehearsal (310/S)

Thursday, February 16
7am Band of Brothers (Zoom)
10:30am Thirty-Niners (FH)
6pm Theology on Tap (Clouds Brewing)

Sunday, February 19
9:45am Sunday School
11am Worship/Baby dedication (S/YouTube)
11am JBC worship (226)
12:15pm Lunch Bunch (230)
5pm Youth choir (choir room)
6pm Youth supper (301)
6:30pm Youth program (Blue Room)
Monday, February 20
10am Clothing ministry open
4pm Dream Team sub-committee meeting (219)
6:30pm High School Bible study (Wade home)
6:30pm Music Made in Heaven rehearsal (302)

Tuesday, February 21
10am Staff meeting (CR)
10:45am WMU Group 2 (Springmoor)
1pm WMU Group 2 (Independence Village)

Wednesday, February 22
5:15pm Meal served (FH)
5:45pm Children's music (301,307,311)
6:15pm Church conference (FH/Zoom)
6:30pm Children's missions (PS/CS)
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! February 15–18

LUNCH:
Wednesday-Friday at 99 N Salisbury Street, 11am–1:15pm

DINNER:
Thursday—Camden Overlook Raleigh (5:30–7:30pm)
Friday—Auburn Village Neighborhood (5–7:30pm)
**We’re excited to provide BBQ for the Flying Saucer’s “Barley Wine and Swine” event this weekend (Friday and Saturday, February 17 and 18)
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 February 9:
Current Week Revenue: $13,331.44
Month-to-Date Revenue: $32,046.82
Year-to-Date Revenue: $174,618.11
Month-to-Date Expenses: $28,428.22
Year-to-Date Expenses: $144,067.16
Global Missions: $6,244.00

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.