TONIGHT: We will have our quarterly Ministry Matters business meeting tonight at 6:15 PM in the gym. Youth Missions Group will meet at 6:00 PM, and the final Children's Choirs (6:15 PM), Praise Team (6:30 PM), and Chancel Choir (7:30 PM) rehearsals for this year will also take place tonight.

Our Playground is in the News!

The Vinton Community Playground was recently featured in an article from Baptist News Global! Both Travis and Boys & Girls Club representative Emily Pinkerton were quoted in the article. Click here to read!

This Sunday @ VBC:

We will celebrate the third Sunday of Advent this Sunday! We hope you'll join us to hear the Pandemonium Steel Drum Band and to worship. Travis' message is "The Oil," and the scripture is Matthew 25:1-13. Worship will take place at 10:30 AM. If you can't make it to church in person, you can livestream at www.vintonbaptistchurch.org and on our Facebook group page. Reminder: Sunday School is at 9:15 AM. There will be no Sunday evening activities this week.

Poinsettias

Thank you to everyone who purchased a poinsettia this year to beautify our sanctuary! Please click here for a list of honorariums and memorials for this year's flowers.

Family Christmas Tree

The Giving Tree has officially transformed into our lovely Family Christmas Tree, and all the ornaments that have been donated by various individuals and families over the past few years have been added to it! If you are new to VBC over the past year, or if you have simply never donated an ornament representing your family, please bring your ornament and place it on our tree this season. Please notate your name/family's name and the year "2023" on your ornament. When Christmas is over, we will store all ornaments here at the church to be used on next year's Family Christmas Tree.

Thrive Youth

Next Wednesday, December 20th our youth will be serving Christmas dinner (prepared by our Casserole Committee) and giving out gifts for the children at the Rescue Mission. Please meet at the church at 5:00 PM.

PLEASE NOTE: The church office will be closed Monday and Tuesday, December 25th - 26th. We will reopen Wednesday, December 27th at 9:00 AM. Please note that The Witness will NOT be published the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Holiday Worship Schedule

Both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve fall on Sunday this year. On Christmas Eve, we will have our 9:15 AM Sunday School, 10:30 AM Worship service, and 5:00 PM Christmas Eve service. On New Year's Eve, we will only have 10:30 AM Worship (no Sunday School). Please mark your calendars accordingly.

Joan Williamson

805 Ruddell Road

Vinton VA 24179-2140

Sunday, December 10, 2023

9:15 AM Sunday School - 187

10:30 AM Worship

• 372 in person
• 481 online

Congratulations to Seth & Kayla Webb in the birth of Wyatt Kenneth on December 5th, weighing 7 lbs., 10 ozs. Proud grandparents are Scott & Debbie Thomas Webb, and great grandmother is Mary Ann Thomas.

Blessing Box Needs

Following is a list of the most pressing needs for our Blessing Box. Donations can be dropped in the marked bin at the Missions Tables. Thank you!

• Fruit (any kind/size)
• Spaghetti pasta & sauce
• Peanut butter
• Hamburger Helper meals
• Pinto beans
• Cans of sloppy joe

WMU Mission Projects

September - November, 2023

$50.00   Salvation Army - Turning Point

$50.00   Keystone Community Center for Christmas Food Boxes

$175.00 WMU Foundation Heart Fund - use where needed

$100.00 Baptist World Alliance

VBC Food Pantry

Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes

Keystone Community Center - 2 complete Thanksgiving food boxes

City Rescue Mission - 10 pies for Thanksgiving dinner

Visits and cards to shut-ins

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal for our church is $5,200.00. There are special envelopes in your box of envelopes, and also in the pews. Your assistance in helping our church reach this goal will be appreciated.

The Lottie Moon Post Office is now available at the Missions Tables in the office lobby. The cost is 25 cents per card and is for church members only. There is an envelope in the lower right corner of the box for your money. All proceeds go to the Lottie Moon Foreign Missions Offering. Church members should check the Lottie Moon Post Office for any mail that you have received. 

Bible Reading Plan

I'm finding Isaiah challenging simply because there's so much going on, and it appears to be deeply layered. There are mentions of current events, people, and places; and yet there are prophecies, as well - some to be fulfilled imminently and others to be fulfilled much later. And some still to be fulfilled even now. The BibleProject does a great job of exploring and explaining the imagery and themes. It divides Isaiah into two parts for two separate videos. Click here to take a look at the first one, and it will help connect the dots of the first half of the book. Happy reading!