ALL SAINTS DAY

November 1 is All Saints Day. Following the Wednesday night programming, the youth will be setting up an altar in celebration of All Saints at the display case outside the fellowship hall. Everyone in the congregation is encouraged to visit the altar and participate in honoring those who have passed through our lives and left an impact on us. 

Feel free to print out/bring a photo of someone (pets welcome!) who has passed that you would like to honor and remember, and then place it on the altar with the others. There will be flowers and battery candles you can place along with the photo. You can also simply write names of those you'd like to remember. There will be sheets of paper and pens provided at that altar for you to use. 

Cultures around the world have many traditions to honor their saints and ancestors. All Saints Day is one of the fundamental Christian holy days where we have an opportunity to do the same. As one of my beloved mentors, once said; "the dead are not dead." In so many ways, (however one wishes to interpret it), they live on with us and through us. They guide us in many ways and call us to remember who we are, where we came from, and the beautiful lives we have ahead of us. So, please join us in remembering the Saints that have passed through our lives this season! -- Leah Reed

CENTERPOINT

THIS WEEK

On Wednesday, November 1, Dr. Charles Kimball, the former Director of the Middle East Office of the National Council of Churches (1983-1990), and the former Chair of the Department of Religion at Wake Forest University (1996-2004), will speak on the context of current warfare in Israel and Gaza. 

This week only, you will also be able to view our program over Zoom.

View via Zoom with this link 

meeting ID: 865 5867 7191, passcode: JSaTM1. 

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 312 626 6799, meeting ID: 865 5867 7191 Passcode: 776310.

 Adult Wednesday Night Schedule:

5:15–6:15pm - Supper line is open

6:15–6:30pm - Prayer time and announcements

6:30–7:15pm - Adult program

 Children's Wednesday Night Schedule:

5:15–5:45pm - Supper line is open

5:40pm - Blessing and dismissal

5:45–6:30pm - Children's music

6:30–7:15pm - Children's missions

FINAL PREPARATIONS

FOR TOY JOY!

Toy Joy 2023 is fast approaching on Saturday, November 11, and we are in need of teen gifts for girls and boys. Click here for the Amazon link with ideas. Balls, gym bags, crafts kits for older girls, wallets, wireless earbuds are all great ideas for teens. If you are still looking to help with a Toy Joy donation, check out the Amazon link or you can write a check and put "Toy Joy" in the memo line. We can shop for you. 

We still need volunteers on the day of the event, as well as for set-up the day before! On the day of the event, you may volunteer either for a morning session or an afternoon session . . . or both! If you do both sessions, lunch will be provided for you. There are jobs for every age—anyone from middle school students on up can help in the building on November 11. Parents and their children (ages 3–5th grade) may volunteer to help in the parking lot in our hospitality area serving refreshments to our guests after they finish shopping. The handbell choir Music Made in Heaven will be entertaining our guests during the morning session, and we’d like people to sign up to provide vocal or instrumental Christmas music during the afternoon session in 30-minute increments.

Our church family always comes through for Toy Joy— we certainly couldn't do this event without you! Over the years, many of you have invited friends, neighbors, and co-workers to participate and some of these folks continue to return each year. While we hope that the families we serve will be blessed by the gifts they receive, we know that as volunteers, we gain so much more than what we give. It's truly a blessing to be able to help these families have a joyful Christmas.

Click here to volunteer! Email Lynn Lingafelt directly if you're interested in helping with the hospitality area. Email Anne Cooke or any member of the Toy Joy team with questions.

CLOTHING MINISTRY NEEDS

Many of you have seen the pictures circulating of our empty men's racks in the Clothing Ministry. We had to close the men's section this past Monday due to a lack of inventory, but we want to provide a little context for how and why this happened. In the month of October alone, we served over 500 guests. That was just the physical people who walked through our doors. If you translate that to numbers, that means we would need 1000 pairs of pants in one month to give each person two pairs of pants, just the individuals coming through the doors, not their families. Now multiply those numbers by 12 months, and you’re talking about 12,000 pairs of pants.

Our church and community donate generously to our clothing ministry, and we are incredibly grateful to be able to open our doors weekly every Monday. In general, our guests do not abuse the system that has been set up to give away what we receive. We are just seeing lots of new guests as refugees arrive in this area and an influx of people who are having financial struggles. 

The biggest challenge of inventory in the clothing ministry is that while we receive lots of items, there are gaps in the sizes and types of clothing we receive. When we have gaps in our inventory, we try to supplement by requesting specific items from our own church, as well as partner churches all across our community. In addition to donated items, we have several people who spend time making connections, going to thrift stores, and looking for avenues for purchase. We trust that the donations for men in our community will come, but it may take some time to build it back to a sustainable level. The good news is that we were able to serve over 500 people in the month of October for four weeks! If you have questions, want to schedule a donation drive, or volunteer with us, please email Sabrina Tyndall.



HONORING OUR VETERANS

The church maintains a list of members who are military service veterans and those on active duty having connections to First Baptist. If you know of eligible individuals whose names have not previously been on these lists, please email Jennie Herrick by Wednesday, November 8.

CITY OF OAKS MARATHON

The City of Oaks Marathon is Sunday, November 5, but should cause little or no difficulty for travel to FBC that morning. All downtown streets will reopen by 8:30am. Some street closures in West Raleigh and the Crabtree Valley area may hinder travel in those areas prior to 9:30am and some even after worship. For a course map and information, visit the City of Oaks Marathon website.

THIRTY-NINERS &

WEEKDAY PRESCHOOL

TRICK-OR-TREATING 

Forty-plus precious children from our weekday preschool came to our weekly Thirty-Niners gathering to show off their Halloween costumes and receive a little candy. The costumes ranged from firemen and ballerinas to dinosaurs and superheroes. The costumes for Thirty-Niners were a little less creative — we just wore something orange. There was a lot of oohing-and-aahing, picture taking, and fun for all. Both groups look forward to this time each year.

 CROP WALK

Dear First Baptist Church,

We at Greater Triangle Area CROP Hunger Walk wish to thank FBC for all the support given to GTACHW this year. Not only did you sponsor the Walk as a Golden Sponsor and raise money through your two CROP Walk teams but you allowed us to hold the Walk day activities at First Baptist. The proximity of the State parking deck and the lot by your sanctuary made parking availability the best ever. The And Also with 'Cue food truck was also a fantastic addition to our Walk. Thanks to David With for being there and you for the 20% of sales being donated to GTACHW. I cannot tell you how great it was to not have to carry tables and chairs from multiple locations to the venue. The FBC youth helped immensely with setting up/taking down outside tables, chairs, and canopies for our partner agency displays and the Raleigh Drum Circle. Your youth also moved ice and water from your kitchen to the parking lot for our Walkers. Rev. Hood, FBC facility staff and members who volunteered were great representatives of FBC. It was a beautiful day for the Walk for our 400+ walkers - made better by all the support from FBC. Thanks so much! - Wayne Hager, Co-Coordinator of GATACHW

Thirty five FBC family members walked and others volunteered with administering the Walk. Donations are accepted through November 30. Donate to the FBC church-wide team here. FBC youth have an additional team and you may donate to it here. You may also donate through the FBC electronic options. Make checks payable to FBC with "CROP Walk" in the memo line and to mail to: Financial Administrator, FBC, 99 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, 27603).

2024 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and participation in our 2024 stewardship campaign. Pledge cards were mailed out last week, and they contain three thoughts from your stewardship committee concerning our campaign. We ask that you consider these thoughts and give generously with gratitude.

1.  “This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118: 24. Your participation in our Stewardship Campaign is an opportunity to acknowledge dependence on God through his son, Jesus Christ, for everything we have and rejoice each day.
2. Our Stewardship Campaign is an opportunity to reaffirm our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and to demonstrate how thankful we are for this Church where we serve him.
3. This Stewardship Campaign is truly “ours.” The Campaign is neither the Stewardship Committee’s Campaign nor any individual’s Campaign. Each of us is an important part of this process and each of us can positively impact our Church’s ability to fund the 2024 budget. Your contribution, cheerfully given, is important. Please prayerfully consider how you will respond. Thank you.

Your Stewardship Committee,

Jessica Helms, David Kelley, Robert Ponton, Jane Weathers, and Robin Willis

NEW MEMBERS

On Sunday, October 15, Charlotte Phillips joined our church by profession of faith requesting baptism.

On Sunday, October 22, Claire Carothers joined our church by profession of faith requesting baptism.

We celebrate these two decisions in the lives of Charlotte and Claire!

THANKSGIVING PRE-ORDERS

FROM AAWC

It's time again to place your pre-orders for your Thanksgiving feast. Please click here to place an order. For 2023, we've added some new and delicious items for your Thanksgiving spread.  Pick-up information included on the ordering site. Thank you for continuing to support us and our mission!