GET CONNECTED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

Tonight, September 9, we are back in the swing of our normal Wednesday night schedule. We’re excited to gather again for an evening of music, learning, fellowship, and faith formation for all ages! Wednesday nights offer something for everyone in our church family. Children of all ages can take part in music and missions programming, giving them opportunities to sing, learn, serve, and discover more about what it means to follow Jesus. Adults are invited to gather for weekly programming designed to help us grow in faith, deepen our relationships, and engage meaningful conversations together.

Music remains an important part of our Wednesday night rhythm. Adult choir and adult handbells will rehearse throughout the evening as they prepare to help lead our congregation in worship. Whether Wednesday nights have long been part of your weekly routine or you’re looking for a new way to connect at First Baptist, we hope you’ll join us this fall. There is a place for you—and for every generation—to learn, make music, build community, and grow together!

Wednesday Night Schedule:

5pm – Supper line opens

5:40pm – Prayer & children dismissed to their classes

5:45pm – Children's music

• PreK/K choir (ages 4–5) – Rm 131, Leaders: Kimberly Taylor, Amy Galvan, Hollis Yelverton

• Grade School Choir (1st–5th grade) – Rm 311, Leaders: Rhonda Lowe, Becky Mercer, Diane Ellis, Ginger Graves, Sarah Catherine Rhodes, Maureen and Warren Howell

• Childcare for babies – Twos – Rm 122, Leaders: Mercedes Holland, Rhonda Towns

6pm – Adult program begins in the fellowship hall, youth meet in the Blue Room

6:30pm – Mission classes

• Mission Friends (3s/PreK/K) – Room 131, Leaders: Elizabeth Riley, Valerie Moore

• RAs (1st – 5th grade) – Rm 233, Leaders: Wade Sasser, Daniel Rohrbaugh

• GAs (1st – 5th grade) – Rm 231, Leaders: Dawn Wade, Dorothy Holley, Hope Phillips

6:30pm – Evening Bells – Rm 301, Leader: Anna Anderson

7:15pm – Adult & children's programming finished

7:30pm – Sanctuary Choir practice – Rm 310, Leaders: Warren and Maureen Howell

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

We would love for you to join us for a mid-week meal! The supper line is open each Wednesday night, 5–6pm. You may reserve your spot at this link on the website or by calling the church office. Please note that everyone eating Wednesday night supper must check in with our volunteer collection team before receiving their meal. Even if you have pre-paid online, please check-in with our volunteer. We accept cash, checks, or credit cards. Click here to pre-pay for your meal via Paypal.



Ages 0–3: Free

Ages 4-12: $4

Adults (over 12): $8

Family cap: $24

The menus for upcoming Wednesday night suppers are as follows (all meals come with salad and bread):

September 9: Shrimp boil with corn on the cob, potatoes, coleslaw; vegetarian option: veggie boil; kids: fish sticks

September 16: Barbecue chicken with green beans, baked beans, and potato salad; vegetarian option: mock BBQ chicken; kids: macaroni and cheese

September 23: Pasta night

September 30: Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and glazed carrots; vegetarian option: mock meatloaf; kids: meatballs 

SEPTEMBER CENTERPOINT PROGRAMMING

Beginning tonight, September 9, we're hosting a variety of programs for adults that we hope will inspire dialogue, service in our community, and building connections throughout our congregation. Join us in the fellowship hall from 6–7:15pm!

September 9 – Speaker: Mike Schley will join us on Wednesday to talk about the Wake Interfaith Immigration Network. Earlier this year, Mike and some people at his church, Saint Andrews Presbyterian, realized the need for churches in Wake County who were concerned about how immigrants were being treated to get to know one another and work together. The group started last February with an initial Zoom call attended by 50 people representing 25 churches, synagogues, and mosques. Since then, the group has grown to over 300 people representing more than 60 faith communities. Mike will talk about the current state of immigration and deportation and what faith communities in our county can do to truly answer Jesus’ command to welcome the stranger. Zoom available; link below!

September 16 – Speaker: Hayden James, Stephen Ministries. Zoom available; link below.

September 23 – Faces in the Pew: Formations Sunday School class, Noel Tucker and Crystal Bacon. Zoom available; link below.

September 30 – Church conference. Zoom available; link coming soon.

Zoom with us! If you're not able to join us in person, Zoom will be available most weeks, as indicated in the monthly schedule.

Join us via Zoom with this link!

Please note that the Zoom link for all Centerpoint programming will be the same each week; however, we will have a different link for church conference.



BIG GROUP EFFORT =

BIG IMPACT

Seventy volunteers are needed to pack 10,000 meals from 12 -2:30pm this Sunday, Sept. 13, right after the worship service. This First Baptist Church annual event supports Rise Against Hunger and makes a significant impact, according to event coordinator Nancy Phillips.

This is the ninth year that Nancy has recruited and organized the 70 volunteers of all ages and abilities to help pack 10,000 meals — all within just a few hours.  

She asks that volunteers come to the fellowship hall at noon, immediately after the morning worship service ends. Pizza, salad, cookies, and lemonade will be served. Then, the volunteers will receive instructions from the Rise Against Hunger representatives and put on the required hairnets and gloves. Next, the volunteers will be positioned at various stations for a variety of tasks. Some volunteers will fill bags with four different food items. Then, other people will weigh the bags while others seal them shut, and another group will put them in boxes. Next, volunteers will load the boxes on pallets and put them on designated delivery trucks. Other volunteers will replenish supplies.

Nancy said the event is really for volunteers of all ages. In the past, people up into their 90s have volunteered, and children like to volunteer because they are able to help take the baskets from station to station. 

“This is a great intergenerational activity that allows our members to be involved with other members they might not meet otherwise, WHILE providing 10,000 meals to people all over the world where it is needed most,” Phillips said. 

Rise Against Hunger is an international organization that provides food to places in the world where many people are suffering from food insecurity. Nancy said that the church has been holding this event for at least 12 years, and it was a big celebration two years ago when FBC had reached 100,000 total meals packed for distribution. Around the world, many people suffer the fate of not having access to nutritious meals. As of 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) measured that 645 million people around the world suffered from hunger. For more information about Rise Against Hunger, visit their website.

For more information or to volunteer for the event on Sunday, email Nancy here. - Will Woodson

YOUTH CHOIR KICK-OFF THIS SUNDAY!

All youth (grades 6–12) are invited to join us as we begin another year of making music, building community, and sharing our gifts in worship together. Whether you’ve been part of Youth Choir for years or are thinking about joining for the first time, there’s a place for you. We’re looking forward to a wonderful year together and can’t wait to get started this Sunday, September13, at 5pm in the choir room!

Here’s what’s in store:

• Door prizes for early birds
• Cool new songs to match our 2026 blend
• Opportunities for solos (vocal and instrumental)
• And announcing: signups for Youth Handbells – fall 2026

Invite a friend!

CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL FEATURE —

ONES & TWOS

Wondering what one- and two-year-olds do in Sunday School? This month we’re learning about coming to church with our families – and reading and singing songs about Jesus. This past Sunday, we built “churches” with soft blocks and then (the fun part) knocked them down! These little Picassos also put brush to paper and decorated a paper church as we thanked God for our church. Thank you, families, for bringing your children to church. What a joy they are! We also thank Ms. Melanie and Miss Valerie for their care, nurture, and bright smiles!  

A STAND FOR DIGNITY RALLY

On Sunday, October 11, from 2–4pm, people of many faiths will gather on the South Lawn of the North Carolina State Capitol for A Stand for Dignity: People of Faith Raising Voices for Immigrants. This is not a protest; it is a community gathering for public witness. Together, we will proclaim a vision of unity over division, affirming the basic human decency and fairness that every person deserves, and calling for changes we believe are needed in the way our nation treats immigrant neighbors.

The event, sponsored by Wake Interfaith Immigration Network, will be a program of prayer, song, and shared reflection. We will listen to what our faith traditions expect of us, acknowledge where current approaches fall short of those expectations, and consider a way forward. Michael Schley, board member and chair of WIIN, will also discuss this rally tonight when he is the guest speaker for Centerpoint.

If you would like to be in community with others who share your concern that there is a gap between what our faith requires and the ways immigrants are treated, come stand with us. Free and open to all, with no registration required. Sign up here to receive updates and information about the event. In addition, you can email Susan Nichols.

SEPTEMBER MISSION PROJECT

For the month of September, we are supporting Toy Joy. The Toy Joy Team has already been hard at work preparing for this year's event on November 14, and as always, the team relies on our church family and friends to make this special day happen for the guests who come to shop for their children. If you would like to donate gently used toys, books, stuffed animals, puzzles, or games, there will be two donation days — Sunday, September 27, and Sunday, October 18, from 9:30am–12:30pm in the fellowship hall. These are the only times that gently used items can be donated—please make sure that all pieces and parts are included and items are in very good condition. Marking puzzles and games as "complete" is very helpful. New items are welcome that day as well, and links to Amazon and Target wish lists can be found below. Both Amazon and Target have the option of shipping your purchases directly to the church. Team members are happy to shop for you if you'd like to make a monetary donation instead (make checks payable to First Baptist, put "Toy Joy" in the memo line, and leave them in the finance office). 

All toys are appreciated, but items for boys of all ages are especially needed—for example, Legos, construction sets, sports balls, and superhero items.

Amazon wish-list

Target wish-list

A sign-up for helping on the day of the event and for the setup day will be coming out around the first of October. If you have any questions, contact Anne Cooke or any member of the Toy Joy Team.

NEW VISITOR TABLE

We now have a gathering place for guests and visitors at FBC! As you leave the sanctuary, you might notice a table with folks gathered around some snacks. This new table is meant to be a gathering place for visitors who are looking to make a connection here at FBC and learn more about the church. Feel free to stop by and say hello—just leave enough snacks for our guests! The table will be placed right outside of the library on the second floor. If you come to worship and find yourself in conversation with a new guest, don’t hesitate to send them over to—or better yet—join them at our new visitor table. We are looking forward to this new way to show hospitality to our visitors on Sunday mornings!  

THIRTY-NINERS WEEKLY GATHERINGS

Join us Thursdays at 10:30am in the fellowship hall for interesting speakers, mission projects, and occasionally, a program that's a little out of the ordinary.

We also have an outing each month, but mostly we enjoy spending time together, learning something new and useful, and always ending with a meal.

September

10: Move . . . or Stay the Course in the heart of Raleigh—updates on Oaks at Whitaker Glen Candace Holley, Community Relations

17: Monthly mission project—seasonal clothes sorting, FBC clothing ministry

24: Lunch outing–High Park Bar and Grill (625 East Whitaker Mill Road); 11:30 reservations

BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE

• Wednesday, September 9: Psalm 121; Exodus 13:1-10; Matthew 21:18-22
• Thursday, September 10: Psalm 114; Exodus 13:17-22; 1 John 3:11-16
• Friday, September 11: Psalm 114; Exodus 14:1-18; Acts 7:9-16
• Saturday, September 12: Psalm 114; Exodus 15:19-21; Matthew 6:7-15
• Sunday, September 13: Exodus 14:19-31 and Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21; Genesis 50:15-21 and Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35
• Monday, September 14: Psalm 77; Joshua 3:1-17; Hebrews 11:23-29
• Tuesday, September 15: Psalm 77; Nehemiah 9:9-15; Romans 14:13-15:2
• Wednesday, September 16: Psalm 77; 2 Kings 2:1-18; Mark 11:20-25

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.

Week of September 9:

Wednesday dinner – Hayes Barton Baptist Fall Kick-Off (5–7pm)

Thursday lunch – Church parking lot, 11am–1pm

Friday dinner – RCA Eagle Fest

Sunday dinner – West Oak neighborhood Fall Festival (5–7pm)

AMONG OUR FAMILY

A link to the entire prayer list may be found below.

Please use your church directory for mailing addresses.



Prayer List • September 8