A Letter From Pastor Tom Re: Bon Air Baptist Church's Updated Response to the Coronavirus
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Dear Friends,
As you can imagine, we've been receiving all kinds of emails and telephone calls about closure, upcoming events, planning into the future, etc., and I wanted to make sure you have the latest information.
Church Facilities Now Closed Through Tuesday, April 14
Last night, Church Council passed a recommendation to keep church facilities closed through Tuesday, April 14. They will continue to monitor the crisis to see if further closure is needed beyond that date.
Ministry is Ramping Up!
I wanted you to know that though our buildings may be closed, ministry is ramping up in all areas of church life. Staff continues to work a full schedule — some onsite and others offsite — and I'm proud of the way w
e're working creatively and collaboratively to introduce ways to worship, learn, and serve together in virtual ways. We've pulled together a list of all of the details just below my note.
Need Help? Know Someone Who Does?
If you have a need or someone you know has a need, please do not hesitate to call the church
office at 804.272.1475
, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
or fill out the
Get Help
form.
About Giving
I have also been amazed at how many folks have reached out regarding how they can give their regular tithes and offerings while the facility is closed. I shouldn’t be surprised; Bon Air Baptist Church (BABC) has always been faithful to the call of giving generously.
Many of you asked if you could still drop your tithes and offerings off at church, so we've made a way for that to happen along with the following online methods —
all of which can be trusted as safe and secure:
- Give Online: Give via Pushpay online — no app required. You can give one time, or you can set up an account to set up recurring giving options.
- Give By Check: Mail checks to the campus address at the bottom of this email or drop checks off at the Buford Road Campus lobby door Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Give Via Text/Mobile App: Text "BABC" to 77977 to get the free, secure Pushpay app or text "BABC" and a dollar amount to 77977 to give via text (example: BABC 50) — no app required.
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Continue to Be the Church!
Many of you continue to ask how you can help meet critical needs in our community. I’m glad to say that we are being the church, and that in the face of this crisis, you’re demonstrating how much #weluvrva through the following actions:
- Children are being fed in all of our school districts.
- Books are being dropped off in communities and apartments.
- Aid is being given to families in the most vulnerable areas of the RVA.
- Homeless communities are being moved from tent towns to hotels and given meals daily.
- We are serving alongside community partners like Feedmore, CARITAS, and many more.
We're Going to Need More People
As this crisis continues and new needs become evident, we will need more people who are willing to serve. As we move forward, we'll hear about places that are in need of servant leaders like you who have been equipped for a time such as this.
If you're able and are not in a high risk group, please go to the list our Missions Pastor, Otis Hall, has compiled on our
weluvrva.com
site,
and find a way to meet critical needs like these:
- Deliver meals
- Distribute food to families
- Go to Feedmore to help in the larger distribution of food
Next Steps
We'll continue to provide new information as we receive it. Remember that
bonairbaptist.org
continues to be the primary, most up-to-date place for you to receive answers to frequently asked questions.
I'm praying for you, Bon Air Baptist Church family. If there's any way we can serve you during this time, let us know.
Blessings,
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Rev. Dr. Tom Stocks
Lead Pastor
Bon Air Baptist Church
804.272.1475
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While our buildings remain closed, we're blessed to be able to worship together online each Sunday.
Sundays through April 12 (Easter), join us as we gather together on Facebook and YouTube:
Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
Worship from the Buford Road Campus Commons
Message by Lead Pastor, Tom Stocks
Worship led by:
Buford Road Campus Pastor, Mac Jordan
James River Campus Pastor, John Sawyer
The Gathering Worship Pastor, Katherine Phillips
James River Worship Pastor, Daniel Johannesson
Sundays at 11 a.m.
Worship from the Buford Road Campus Sanctuary
Message by Lead Pastor, Tom Stocks
Worship led by:
Buford Road Campus Pastor, Mac Jordan
Buford Road Campus Worship Pastor, Stuart Condra
*Previous worship services and messages are also available at these links. If you're unable to attend at 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m., the worship services will be available for replay.
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Get Resources & Stay Connected
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Bon Air Baptist Church is A Place to Belong... A Place to Become! — even as we practice social distancing. Here are some ways to stay connected to God and others during this time:
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- Stay Connected to BABC Kids Ministry: Email [email protected] to receive emails and information about what's going on virtually for kids at BABC.
- Sign up for the RightNow Media Kids Library! It's Free! And it's filled with a huge library of excellent and safe children's videos. Children's Pastor, Kim Boswell, recommends the following: Slugs & Bugs, The Rizers, Yancy and Friends, VeggieTales, Hermie and Friends and The Parables. Contact Candyce Saunders to learn more and sign up!
- Save the Date! VBS 2020: Knights of North Castle, July 13-16
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- Stay Connected to BABC Student Ministry! Students will have virtual opportunities to hang out, worship, and learn together every day of the week.
- Email [email protected] to sign up to receive emails.
- Follow our student Instagram and Facebook pages.
- Follow us on TikTok! Yes, we will be starting a student TikTok.
- Serve! Go to weluvrva.com to find out how students and families can help meet critical needs in our community. We've provided a list of ways to help from home and in person. Note that some serve opportunities require participants to be over 18 years of age.
- For more info about BABC Students, contact Student Pastor, Chris Wondree or Annalise Covert, Student Ministry Coordinator.
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- Virtual Bible Studies & Small Groups: We're working with our Bible study and small group leaders to provide tools to enable all groups to meet virtually. Some classes are already underway online. Others will be soon. In the meantime, remember to keep connected over the phone, email, text, or other methods.
- Sign up for RightNow Media! RightNow media is an online video streaming service that provides powerful, Biblical video content anywhere, anytime, and it's available to you for free as our gift! Email Discipleship Admin, Candyce Saunders, for your user name and password. Once connected to RightNow Media, Discipleship Pastor, Deb Upton, recommends the following:
- RightNow Media has excellent content for personal and family devotions as well as for class and group study.
- In light of the Pastor Tom's sermon series leading up to Easter, Pastor Deb recommends The Path to the Cross. She also recommends Ray Vander Laan's, In the Dust of the Rabbi. This is a personal favorite of Deb's. Ray's studies are interesting, require thinking, and definitely help people discover "Aha!" moments for themselves. Enjoy! Contact Deb for more details.
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Serve: Meet Urgent Needs in Our Community
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Check out ways to luv the RVA at
weluvrva.com, or jump to a section:
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Get Help With Meals or Small Jobs
If you or someone you know needs assistance with meals or small jobs, contact the Bon Air Baptist Church office at 804.272.1475
, M-F, 8:30-4:30 p.m. or fill out the
Get Help
form.
Request Prayer or Talk to a Pastor
Request prayer or to ask to talk to a pastor at bonairbaptist.org/prayer or by calling the church office at 8
04.272.1475.
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Buford Road Campus
2531 Buford Road
Richmond, VA 23235
804.272.1475
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If you know someone who would like to receive Buford Road Campus emails like this one, let them know they can sign up at
bonairbaptist.org/brcemails
.
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