The Witness
Volume 39, Issue 44
November 3, 2021
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REMINDER for TONIGHT:
We will have dinner (5:30 PM), Children's Choirs & Thrive Youth (6:15 PM), Praise Team (6:30 PM), and Chancel Choir (7:30 PM) as usual tonight. In lieu of Adult Bible Study at 6:15 PM, we will have a special presentation by Nancy Hans with Prevention Council of Roanoke County on "Keeping Our Children Safe on the Social Media Highway." This one-hour event is highly recommended for parents, grandparents, and guardians of children and teens.
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About Nancy Hans & the
Prevention Council of Roanoke County
Nancy joined the Prevention Council of Roanoke County in the fall of 2001 as a parent volunteer shortly after moving to Roanoke from Annapolis, MD. She began with the Council at a time when the sole focus of the group was administering the national evidenced based Guiding Good Choices parent education program.
The mission of the Council is to foster the healthy development of youth and support the families of our youth in Roanoke County and beyond. In the spring of 2005, Nancy was hired to coordinate the Council’s grant efforts through the Drug Free Community Support Program at the Office of Drug Control Policy at the White House. In 2011 she became the Director of the Council, and as of 2014 was named Executive Director.
Over the past 18 years Nancy has guided the Council through the second phase of the DFC in 2008, when the Council secured its own 501(c)3 status, and was instrumental in securing the National Coalition of Excellence “Got Outcomes!” award in 2010 from CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America), the SAVVY Model Program Award from the Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
In 2015 and 2016 the Council was awarded both state and national awards for the community partnerships, data driven outcomes and use of SPF, the strategic prevention framework process.
Since 2014, the Council has been committed to reversing the opioid/heroin epidemic in our community, and Nancy has served on the Opioid/Heroin Prevention Task Force since its inception 5 years ago. In 2017, the Council’s Urgent Love Initiative was launched to give a face to the local needs of our valley, as well as our neighboring counties and cities. Nancy has served as the President of the HOPE Initiative Board (2019 – 2020) and sits on the steering committee of the Collective Response that was founded in 2018.
As a parent of now 3 young adults, she is deeply invested in the health of the Roanoke Valley community as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia. Her passions include traveling to see her children, who now live around the globe; music; reading; and, to date, completing 55 triathlons.
Please help us welcome Nancy Hans and the Prevention Council of Roanoke County this evening at 6:15 PM in the gym. Also, click here for an article recommended to us by Nancy regarding social media and children.
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Sunday Worship,
November 7th
Remember, we "Fall Back" this weekend to end Daylight Savings Time. That means you get an extra hour of sleep! Since you'll be well rested, we hope you'll plan to join us for worship this Sunday at 8:45 or 11:00 AM (Sunday School at 9:50 AM). We have a special musical guest, Jane Greene Goforth, with us this Sunday. We will also recognize our veterans and observe the Lord's Supper this week. If you choose to worship virtually, please access our livestream through our website or FB live.
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There will be no youth activities Sunday evening because youth will be returning from Fall Retreat Sunday afternoon. However, Handbell and Steel Drum rehearsals will go on as usual Sunday evening. |
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Deacon Nominations
Deacon nomination forms are available at the Welcome Center and are due this Sunday, November 7th. If you have not yet made your nominations, please do so by the close of Sunday morning worship. Thank you!!
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Bible in a Year Reading
Read this week:
The Old Testament: 2 Kings 13-19
The New Testament: 2 Timothy 3-4; Titus; Philemon
Old Testament Prophecy: Hosea 5-12
Psalms: Psalms 120-136
Meditate: “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.” -Philemon 1:6
Prayer: A Prayer for Our Nation
And then all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
And then both women and men will be strong
And then no person will be subject to another's will
And then all will be rich and free and varied
And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many
And then all will share equally in the Earth's abundance
And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old
And then all will nourish the young
And then all will cherish life's creatures
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.
-- Judy Chicago
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Thrive Student Ministry
Upcoming Dates:
Our Youth will be headed to Fall Retreat this weekend! Our theme is Called2Follow: Examining who Jesus is and why we should follow. We currently have 55 students and chaperones planning to attend our retreat weekend. Please pray for a safe and meaningful trip for our group.
-We will meet at 4:30pm, Friday, November 5th to pack the bus and head out for the weekend! We will return at 12:15pm on Sunday, November 7th.
-No Extreme on November 7th
*At Extreme on November 14th, we will be packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for our Missions Night. Please bring items to put in the box. Emilie and Taylor have made an amazing video showing options to bring!
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Wednesday Night Dinners & Activities
Following are our dinner menus for the remainder of November:
November 10th - Oven BBQ'd Chicken, Baked Beans, Coleslaw, Cornbread, & Dessert.
November 17th - Thanksgiving Dinner: Hot Open-faced Turkey Sandwiches with Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cranberry Relish, & Holiday Desserts.
There will be no Wednesday Night Dinner or activities November 24th.
Ice tea, lemonade, & water are available every Wednesday. $6/adult, $5/child (ages 4-12), children < 4 are free, max per household is $18. Sign up by calling the church office at 540-343-7685 no later than 5 PM the day prior to dinner. We cannot take late registrations.
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JOY Seniors Events
November 18th: Ikenberry Orchard & Heritage Market day trip, with lunch at Cracker Barrel. Lunch is your only cost, and we will depart at 9:00 AM. Please sign up as soon as possible at the JOY Seniors table in the Welcome Center.
November 30th: What's going on with Medicare updates? If you want to learn about the most recent changes to Medicare, plan to join us November 30th as Shannon Abell provides this information. We will have boxed lunches from Honeybaked Ham at a cost of $10. Sign up and make your lunch selections by Friday, November 26th.
December 11th: A good belly laugh will be the order of business for the JOY Seniors' trip to the Attic Theater on December 11th. We will view the matinee of "Welcome to Mitford," then travel to Bellacino's for a pizza/salad and dessert dinner. Please sign up at the JOY Seniors' table.
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2021 Christmas Craft & Vendor Fair
Mark your calendars for December 5th from 1:00-4:00pm, when the VBC Youth and Children will be hosting a Christmas Craft & Vendor Fair fundraiser for Passport Camp. Join us to spend the afternoon checking off your Christmas shopping list with local vendors!
Are you a crafter, artist or vendor who would like to set up a booth? We're now taking reservations. The vendor registration fee is $40 per 8' x 6' space with one 6' table included (if needed). Priority is given to vendors who are church members; their registration deadline is November 14th. All other vendors should register no later than November 28th. Click here for all the details and a vendor registration form.
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Joyce Keaton
1536 Gordon Avenue
Roanoke VA 24014-2616
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October 31, 2021:
10:30 AM (Fifth Sunday)
In person - 248
Online - 220
Sunday School - 170
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Thanks to the Alma Hunt Circle for their donation to Trunk or Treat! |
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Offering Envelopes
Please note that the church office will soon be preparing offering envelopes for 2022. We have a significant number of offering envelopes that were never picked up last year, and we are also aware that many folks are submitting their donations online and are no longer in need of envelopes. We do have 2022 envelopes and want to provide them for those who want them, without wasting envelopes for those who no longer use them. If you would like to receive a box of offering envelopes for 2022, could you please call the church office at 540-343-7685 and let us know by November 21st? Thanks so much for helping us to be good stewards of the resources God has given us!
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Please extend a warm welcome to Joshua Little, who joined VBC Sunday, October 31st by profession of faith. Joshua is the son of Keith Little and Johanna Sweet; his sister is Emma. His address is 4804 Easthill Drive, Roanoke VA 24018. A baptismal service is being planned. |
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Christian sympathy is extended to Betty Marshall and Steve & Darlene and family in the death of husband and father, L. Julian Marshall, on October 30th.
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Operation Christmas Child
Only a few more days to go! Filled shoeboxes are due this Sunday! The November 7th deadline for Operation Christmas Child is fast approaching! There are wrapped boxes available at the Missions Tables for you to pick up and fill with goodies for children in need worldwide; please also pick up a brochure with your box for the boy/girl labels.
Items to include in shoeboxes (or donate for us to pack in extra shoeboxes): school supplies, toothbrushes, bar soap, wash cloths, combs, balls, crayons, yo-yos, jump ropes, trucks, cards, dolls, stuffed animals, etc. Older children like deflated soccer balls with a pump included. Flashlights with extra batteries are also great. We CANNOT include candy, food, toothpaste, lotions, vitamins, or any type of liquid. Items to go in shoeboxes are needed as soon as possible.
If you cannot fill a shoebox, you can help by donating funds to help pay for shipping costs for extra shoeboxes. Make your check payable to Vinton Baptist Church and mark the memo line, "Shoebox shipping." Questions? Contact Darlene McCaskill.
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Youth Choir Fundraiser: Bird Houses
We still have a few bird houses remaining for sale ($20/each) as a fundraiser for the Youth Choir Mission Trip 2022. These bird houses were built by Charlie Chattin. There are a couple of samples to see and purchase at the Welcome Center. Take a look!
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Children's Basketball
Registration is now available for Children's Basketball for Kindergarten - 5th grade! Please stop by the Church Office to complete a registration form, or simply click here to print your form (please complete the form appropriate for your child's age/grade level.) This year's fee is $40 per participant, payable by cash or check to VBC. Your registration form and fee are due in the Church Office no later than Friday, December 3rd. The season will begin in early January (check back for the exact date). The locations of practices and games have not yet been determined.
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Children's Volunteers Are Needed
Children's Worship volunteers are needed every Sunday. Thanks to all those who regularly help out. If you're interested in helping, but don't know what is required, please contact Sarah. Otherwise, please sign up here (dates available through November).
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Supporting VBC through Shopping!
Just in time for the holidays! You can support Vinton Baptist financially simply by using your Kroger card and doing your Amazon shopping through Amazon Smile. VBC is set up with both retailers to benefit from their charity programs. It doesn't cost you a thing. Here's how:
Kroger - Click here for the details of Kroger's Community Rewards program. If you need help setting up a digital account or changing the charity on your account, give us a call at 540-343-7685 (you will need your Kroger card number and a valid email address).
Amazon Smile - You can benefit VBC by shopping smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com (same login info). Click here for more details on Amazon's charity program. To select your charity, simply type in Vinton Baptist Church. Please note that three options appear: one based in Vinton, OH and two based in Vinton, VA. Please choose one of the options based in Vinton, VA (either one will work - both are for our church).
Once you designate VBC as your charity, each retailer donates a portion of funds to our church based on the amount of shopping you do with them. Again, these programs cost you nothing extra. But the benefit for VBC adds up over time.
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"Check out" our new books in the library:
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Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates
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Colliding with Destiny: Finding Hope in the Legacy of Ruth by Sarah Jakes
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Blessing Box
Following is an updated list of items needed for the Blessing Box. Donations can be placed in the tub at the Missions Tables marked "Blessing Box." Thank you for showing the love of Christ to our community!
Muffin mixes, soups (any kind), canned green beans, canned tuna, canned chicken, spam, canned carrots, baked beans, toothbrushes (single only - we can't use multi packs), and detergent (large bottles available at Dollar Tree).
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Vinton Baptist Family,
Thank you so much for the Fall Goodie bag, the adorable artwork, and cards. Mom's room looks festive and ready for Thanksgiving! We appreciate you remembering her. Thanks again,
Kathi Pennington's Family
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Thank you, Vinton Baptist Church family, for the Fall Care Bag. It was very appreciated and will be fun doing the activities and puzzles. Especially enjoyed the visit with the delivery person. Thank you again. Best wishes,
Eddie Mae Rader
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Thank you, Vinton Baptist Church, for the Fall Gift Bag. I want you to know how much I enjoy the things in it. I especially enjoy all the cards and letters.
Liliane Johnston
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Thank you for the Fall Goodie Bag. Special thanks to the person in charge of this project (Joanna Williamson); they did a great job!
Wayne Wray
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