STATIONS IN THE STREET

For centuries, communities of faith have marked the Lenten season with the practice of Stations of the Cross. The traditional model presents a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus on the day of his crucifixion with accompanying prayers. Beginning March 18, we invite you to take a walk down our block of Edenton Street to experience the Stations of the Resurrection by artist Scott Erikson. This art show will be showcased on the side of our building until the Monday after Easter. We hope these images speak to our community, telling the story of the resurrection in a new and fresh way. All posters contain QR codes that link to meditations for further reflection during the days leading up to Easter. Scott writes, "What does it mean to practice Resurrection while we're here? This art show is an invitation into a whole new way of seeing."

CBF GLOBAL MISSIONS WEEK OF PRAYER

For the week of March 10–15, CBF churches across the globe are encouraged to join in a week of prayer for the offering for Global Missions. Each day this week, there is a guided prayer prompt that can be found on CBF's website for ways to pray for the work that field personnel are doing across the globe. Join us in praying for the transformational work that is happening through CBF Global Missions.

Today's prayer prompt: Equipping and cultivating beloved community

Equipping with every good thing includes experiencing beloved community. Everyone is equipped by the God of peace as they cultivate relationships. Field personnel experience and cultivate community as they are present in their places of service because of the Offering for Global Missions.

GA TEA

If you stepped into our fellowship hall this past Sunday, you would have thought you were in a lovely tea room: floral centerpieces graced each table; beautiful music set the tone, thanks to Maureen Howell on piano and Charlotte Phillips on flute; and a variety of delectable finger foods filled the buffet table. It was none other than the day of the GA Mother/Daughter Tea!

HONOR A LOVED ONE

AT EASTER



By paying tribute to a loved one this Easter, you will also support FBC mission teams. With each gift of $10 or more, a portion will be used to prepare a small display of lilies in the sanctuary on Easter and the remainder will be directed to the Day Mission Fund, supporting the efforts of various mission teams sent from our congregation. An insert in the Easter worship order will list the names of those memorialized or honored along with the donor’s name. Submit your requests here. Checks or electronic payments should be received no later than Wednesday, March 20. Electronic gifts may be made on the credit card kiosk or by going to the church website. Forms are also available in Sunday School boxes. Checks should be mailed to: Financial Administrator, First Baptist Church, 99 N Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27603; please write “Easter Gift” in the memo line.

EASTER EGG HUNT

Calling all preschoolers and grade schoolers, friends, and neighbors! We’d love for you to join us for our annual egg hunt, sponsored by our children’s Sunday School teachers, on the Capitol grounds Saturday morning, March 23. We’ll be joining with our sister church, First Baptist Wilmington Street, to enjoy songs and a Bible story, then will head to the Capitol grounds for our egg hunt and refreshments! Please sign up with Lynn Lingafelt by next Wednesday, March 13, and more details will be forthcoming!



URGENT NEEDS FOR THE CLOTHING MINISTRY

The following items are urgently needed in the Clothing Ministry:

• Men’s shoes, especially tennis shoes size 8 1/2 to 11
• Adult-sized backpacks 
• Kids tennis shoes size 10 1/2 toddler thru size 5

You may bring your donations to the donation bin by the parking lot doors any time the church is open! We are grateful for your continued support of this vital ministry in our community.

CBFNC ANNUAL GATHERING

This year, CBFNC marks its 30^th anniversary – thirty years of learning, growing, and thriving together. North Carolina Baptists have faced many seasons together, and our Fellowship has faithfully responded to the needs of our clergy and congregations and we will continue to do so in the years to come! It is this journey of Thriving Together that we will celebrate in a variety of ways at the 2024 Annual Gathering. The theme is reflective of Psalm 100:5, "We know the Lord is good and that God’s steadfast love and faithfulness endures to all generations."

The CBF North Carolina Annual Gathering will be held on Thursday and Friday, March 14 and 15 at First Baptist Church in Greensboro. This year’s event will be an in-person gathering with both worship sessions live-streamed online. (No registration is required for streaming!) There will also be a 30^th anniversary celebration event in downtown Greensboro on Thursday night, a special experience at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum during the workshop sessions on Friday, and a state choir. A separate Leadership Forum (separate registration/fee) will once again be offered on Thursday. 

Click here to find information on the gathering, including a full listing of workshops as well as the registration link. — Teresa Teague, Denominational Relations Committee

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

FOR ALL AGES

Our intergenerational VBS will be Sunday, July 28 – Thursday, August 1, from 5–8pm (which includes an optional supper). There will be self-contained classes for babies through rising kindergarteners, and for rising 1^st graders through adults, we’ll have age-grouped Bible study followed by the ever-popular craft, recreation, and music electives! 

It’s never too early to let Lynn know if you can help teach and/or if you have ideas of fun and engaging elective ideas! Teaching opportunities include:



• self-contained preschool classes
• Gradeschool Bible study
• craft and recreation electives

We hope you can join us! It’s a great time of intergenerational fun and learning!  

CHECK-IN FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

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 recognize that many of you do this every week, but many do not. This is just an attempt to streamline our process and make sure every person is checked off the reservation list. A volunteer will be stationed in the Lewis Lobby with the Wednesday night supper reservation list. You may reserve your spot at this link on the website or by calling the church office. The volunteer will check-in your family and collect payment for the meal - 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):

March 13 - Ziti and spaghetti with Normandy veggie medley; kids: macaroni and cheese.

March 20 - Eggs, sausage, mock sausage, grits, pancakes.

March 27 - No Wednesday night activities (Holy Week)

April 3 - Pizza

April 10 - Shrimp and grits with vegetable medley; non-meat option: mock shrimp and grits; kids: pizza rolls.

April 17 - Hamburger steak and gravy with rice and mixed veggies; non-meat option: non-meat patty; kids: hamburger.

April 24 - Chicken fried rice, egg drop soup, Asian veggies; non-meat option: mock chicken fried rice; kids: spring rolls.

NEW WIFI NETWORK

Due to the high use of the WiFi at the church, we have established a guest WiFi network. Please begin using FBC-MG when at the church. The password is "biography." This network refreshes each day so we will not clog up the network with users, many of which are connected only one time. Last fall, we were unable to connect any new devices to the FBC network due to the high number of users being retained by the network. We refreshed the network but do not want to clog it up again. The FBC network will soon have a new password that will be used only by staff.  Thanks for shifting to the use of FBC-MG. You will need to sign in upon each use.