 |
December 13, 2020
Souvenirs:
"The Gift of Majesty"
|
|
LIVE NATIVITY: FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
THIS FRIDAY | DECEMBER 11 | 6:00 TO 8:00 PM | VRBC
On December 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, we are hosting a very special drive-through Christmas event. There will be hot chocolate and a live nativity for you to enjoy! Simply drive around to the circle drive at the south entrance and follow the signs.
Everyone is invited so make sure to join us for this church-wide event!
|
VIRTUAL CONCERT IN MEMORY OF
GRANT KNIPPA
TONIGHT | DECEMBER 9 | 6:00 PM
Tonight at 6:00 pm, the New England Conservatory, where VRBC member Grant Knippa was a trumpet student, will host a concert in memory of Grant after his sudden passing over the weekend. This concert was filmed in recent weeks and Grant performs on the first three musical numbers. For more information and to watch the concert, please visit this page. Note that the listed time of 7:00 pm is Eastern time, so the concert will be 6:00 pm Central time.
SERVICE DETAILS
Funeral services for Grant will be held at VRBC this Saturday at 10:00 am, followed by a graveside service at 12:00 noon at Restland Coppell (400 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, TX 75019). Visitation will be held at Restland on Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.
|
VRBC CHRISTMAS STORE 2020
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
We are so thankful we were able to host our 21st Christmas Store this past weekend. There were a lot of challenges in place but with some adjustments, tons of volunteers, and your financial support, we were able to bless 328 families with 940 children from our community and from Cornerstone in South Dallas.
We had more than 320 volunteers serving this year, working hard over the last few months helping to prepare the Christmas Store. This past Saturday, 719 bags of toys, 1394 bags of clothes, and 187 boxes of food were delivered and blessed hundreds of people from our local community! To watch a recap video from the big event, click here.
SUPPORT: You can still support this ministry! Through your generosity, we were able to raise 89% of the total budget for this year's Christmas Store. If you'd like to contribute financially to the Christmas Store or other VRBC ministries, click here.
SERVE: Y ou can still serve and impact the lives of our Christmas Store local guests from the comfort of your home. If you would like to write letters with an encouraging word, a Bible verse, or even a prayer to our local guests, you can sign up
here and we'll send you all the information you need.
|
YEAR-END GIVING AND BUDGET UPDATE
It is with thankful hearts we share that after the first two months of our fiscal year, total contributions ($486,246) are ahead of our budget by 13%. Thank you so much for your faithful generosity! God is using you and your giving in powerful ways for his glory and his kingdom, and we are grateful.
VRBC historically receives almost a fifth of our annual contributions during the month of December. As we approach the end of the year, we encourage you to prayerfully consider how God may be calling you to support the ministries of VRBC through your generous giving. Here are a few ways you can make a donation:
- Online here or on the VRBC app
- Text to give by simply texting the word "Give" to 972-430-7733 and following the instructions
- Mail to Valley Ranch Baptist Church, 1501 E. Belt Line Road, Coppell, TX 75019 (postmarked by December 31 for 2020 giving)
- Hand deliver to the VRBC Finance Office (open 9 am to noon on December 31)
- Stock transfer per IRS guidelines by December 31. VRBC transfer instructions can be found here.
|
FOLLOW JESUS IN BAPTISM
THIS SUNDAY | DECEMBER 13 | 9:30 AM
If God has been nudging you to be baptized, we'd love to visit with you about it! We have reviewed our safety protocols and believe that we can now safely do baptisms at our in-person worship services. On Sunday, December 13, we will celebrate baptism in our morning worship service at 9:30 am, and we would love for you to be a part of it! If you are a follower of Jesus but have never been baptized, this is a great opportunity to take that step. For more information, contact Amy Wilkins at awilkins@vrbc.net.
|
JINGLE JAM: SIMPLY CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 12 | 7:00 PM | VRKIDS FACEBOOK EVENT
As a special treat this year, we would like to invite you and your entire family to join us for a live Facebook event, "Jingle Jam: Simply Christmas," on December 12 at 7:00 pm. This event is designed for all ages and will include games and music and drawings for prizes during the live chat! You can join us simply by going to our VR Kids Facebook page here.
You can pick up your Jingle Jam supplies during the drive-through Christmas event on December 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
If you can't join us for the live event, it will be available online afterward to watch at your convenience.
|
COCOA, CAROLS, AND CANDLES
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 24 | 5:15 PM
Bundle up, bring your blanket or lawn chairs, and join us on in the south parking lot on Christmas Eve for a special time of celebrating Christ's birth! We'll have time for hot chocolate and visiting with friends, followed by a brief service of Christmas carols, Scripture reading, a message, and, of course, the lighting of candles as we sing together! The service is scheduled so that we'll be arriving just before sunset and the candle lighting will take place just after dark. We hope to see you there!
|
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS EVE AT HOME
For those who aren't able to join us in person for Cocoa, Carols, and Candles, we're excited to bring you a "Make Your Own Christmas Eve Service!" In mid-December, we'll post all the resources you need to have a Christmas Eve service with your family at home. It will include on-demand video content (Christmas carols, a special presentation by VR Kids, and a short message from Pastor Larry), along with activities you can do together, including Scripture readings, prayers, and candle lighting. Watch the website and eNews for more info soon!
|
VRBC PRESCHOOL REOPENS IN JANUARY
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
After much prayer, research, and consultation with health and safety experts, VRBC Weekday Preschool is excited to announce that we are planning to offer two preschool options starting January 25, 2021. Our options are:
- Option 1: In-person
- Option 2: Hybrid (virtual + a social opportunity)
We want to assure you that the safety of your children is of utmost importance to us. This summer, in coordination with the other preschools in Coppell, we developed a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety and Response Plan as required by the State of Texas. Details on in-person and hybrid preschool options as well as the Safety and Response Plan are available on our website. We feel that this plan addresses the majority of concerns that parents may have regarding our response to COVID-19.
Registration for preschool is currently in progress. To register, visit the preschool website. If you have additional questions, please call Sarah Waters or Anna Hazelrigg at 972-304-8444.
|
IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY | DECEMBER 13 | 9:30 AM
We have added weekly in-person worship services to our Sunday morning schedule and we'd love to have you join us! Here's how it works:
- We will hold an in-person service each week at 9:30 am.
- No reservations are required.
- Seating will be socially-distanced and masks will be required.
- No in-person children's ministry will be provided, but kids are welcome to join us in the services!
- If you've been exposed to COVID or experienced any symptoms in the past 14 days, we invite you to join us online.
Also, please plan to join us after the service for an outdoor coffee reception immediately following the service on the south lawn.
If you're not ready to return, that's ok! We'll continue to stream our services each week at 9:30 am and on demand throughout the week. Just visit vrbc.net and click the "Worship Online" button!
Questions? Email Amy at awilkins@vrbc.net for more information. We look forward to seeing you soon!
|
"SOUVENIRS" CONTINUES THIS SUNDAY
Do you remember a time when your parents would go on a business trip or vacation? One of their most important tasks was to remember to go by a market in whatever town they were visiting and pick out souvenirs. This Advent season, we'll dive into Isaiah 40, the great turning point in this powerful prophetic book. Israel has felt God's absence for so long. But now Isaiah predicts that God is on His way, and He's bringing "souvenirs" - gifts of comfort and joy and majesty and strength. Join us as we continue our "Souvenirs" series this week in person and online at 9:30 a.m. and on-demand throughout the week at vrbc.net.
|
|
|
|
|
