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Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1
As more snow fell over Roanoke this weekend, more winter memories from childhood came to the surface. Ice Skating in my backyard on the rink my Dad would build. The rare day off from school when the snow actually was a lot (for Western New York Standards) and the trek to the hill to go sledding. What wonder and joy our Creator has provided and provides for us to experience in this season!
Yet as an adult, there are many more responsibilities that come with the snow. Now you’re the one trying to make a path through it, stretch the groceries till it’s safe to go out again, keep the kids entertained while also trying complete your work.
Snow days are just one sort of day of joy that can become the days of trouble with no pleasure in them as we age. The awe and wonder of a day disappears as we grow bitter about the current day, even though the current day, can hold awe all the same.
As I’ve spent time with the Parents as a Verb class during January reading the book Raising Awe Seekers, we’ve been reminded that awe is what we feel when we encounter something vast, wondrous, or beyond our ordinary frame of reference. Awe is not limited to a location, easy times in life, or childhood. It does not require a trip far from home. Awe is a feeling that can be known in the now that has the power to transform how we engage with the world around us. Researcher Dacher Keltner speaks of helping ourselves and others to experience awe as a “one simple prescription [that] can have transformative effects: Look for more daily experiences of awe…their benefits are profound.”
As we continue through these cold, wintery days, that seem a bit never ending, as we watch with worry the state of our country and try to act as leaven, may we open ourselves to our Creator – who is still writing moments of awe into our daily lives. The God of yesterday is the God of today. In the times of calm and in the times of trouble. As the years draw on, may we find pleasure in them, stopping to marvel in awe of our Creator, who brings snow days and sunsets and good meals shared with loved ones and laughter, showing us the way to live, no matter the day or year.
Prayer:
Creator God,
Morning by morning new mercies you grant us to see.
Remind us that you are the author of our days no matter the year of life.
Break open our hearts to your wonders,
So your mercies are all the easier to notice.
Amen.
The Rev. Isabella Fagiani
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Instant Church Directory
After many months of research and testing, the Hospitality Committee is excited to announce that we have an online directory for RCPC! Instant Church Directory will allow us as a congregation to stay connected on the go with a digital directory that includes pictures. Follow the instructions below to gain access to the directory through the website and/or mobile apps (available on iPhone and Android).
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Website: members.instantchurchdirectory.com (also linked at rcpres.org and click “Connect with Us”)
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Sign in with the email address you’ve provided RCPC—not sure what that email address is? Email Julie@rcpres.org or to find out or update. Follow the prompts in the email you’ll receive to finish setting up your log in.
Need help getting access or uploading a picture, visit the Help Desk at the Chili Luncheon on February 8 or the Congregational Brunch on February 15.
| | Menu for February 4: Classic Chicken Divan, Rice Pilaf, Steamed Broccoli, Homemade Bread, Cookie Variety, Orange Ginger Tofu Triangles | |
Fellowship Dinners - Wednesday at 6:15 PM
Join us for dinner on Wednesday nights at 6:15 PM from January 7 to the end of April. Check the bulletin and This Week @ RCPC each week for the menu. The food and the fellowship around the table are worth it each week. Please RSVP by noon on the Tuesday before.
The Fellowship Committee is always looking for people willing to help with Fellowship Dinner. Sign up to set up, serve food, or take leftovers on Thursday morning by contacting Kathy Sebolt at ksebolt@rvgs.k12.va.us.
The suggested donation for Fellowship Dinners is increasing in the new year to accommodate the rising cost of food to $10 per person and $30 for a family.
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Chili Luncheon: February 8
You’re invited to purchase Chili to Go or stay after the 11:00 AM service for a church luncheon to support Youth summer trips.
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Youth Group Dinner Cooks
Do you like cooking for a crowd? We could use your help cooking a meal for our Youth Group. Click below to see dates open for dinner.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F4AABAB2CA6FC1-58223510-youth#/
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Variety Show
NEW DATE COMING SOON
Look for information at a later date about a rescheduled Variety Show. You won’t want to miss this fun night where we get to know our church family better through the acts. Interested in performing? Sign up online at the linkbelow or in the Gathering Area. Donations are welcome to offset the cost of the Montreat Worship and Music Conference.
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Senior Session
Tuesday, February 17 at 10:00 AM
Mac Snead will present a home safety session beginning at 10:00 AM at the church. He will provide basic first aid information, including how to administer the Heimlich maneuver and other essential skills to handle a crisis until help arrives. After Mac’s presentation, we will enjoy refreshments and fellowship until noon.
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RCPC Rail Yard Dawgs outing
Our next Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs hockey game will be Friday, February 20 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $18. The parking pass is $10 (attendees should plan to purchase those on their own) or attendees can take the shuttle from the Elmwood Park Garage. Parking rates may still enforced at the garage. Reservations are due by Tuesday, February 17th. Anyone with questions can contact Jeff Bossert at jbossert71@outlook.com.
Ticket Reservation >> https://forms.gle/KLkzLrqXmdjE3fEZ6
Parking Passes >> https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01006389E0786760
| | Christian Education & Worship | |
Music Ministry Sunday
Voices Raised to You—Alleluia!
Sunday, February 15 at 11:00 AM—Sanctuary
This year’s Music Ministry Sunday is based on Psalm 150 and will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the dedication of our pipe organ. Each music ensemble of our music ministry will offer anthems and lead us in hymns alongside the organ. We give thanks to God for the sacred beauty of music and for those who dedicate their time and talents to this ministry.
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Canticles at Sundown
Led by Dillon J. Swanson—Room 201
Mondays in February at 5:30 PM—6:30 PM
This four-week class invites participants to slow down and enter the quiet beauty of Evening Prayer and Compline. Together we will explore the gentle rhythms of psalms, hymns, and simple sung prayers that help us release the day into God’s care. Through listening, singing, and shared reflection, we will discover how these sacred practices draw us into awe, wonder, and deep trust in God’s presence as night falls.
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2026 Lenten Devotional Writers are NEEDED!
The theme this year is - The Way of the Shepherd. The shepherd reveals a kind of power rooted not in what can be taken, but in what can be given. Not in coercion, but in care. Not in fear, but in faithful presence. The shepherd knows the flock by name, tends to their needs, searches for the lost, protects the vulnerable, and stays close—even in the valley of the shadow of death. In Jesus, that Good Shepherd takes on flesh—walking among us, feeding the hungry, healing the wounded, welcoming the outsider, and laying down his life for the sheep.
We have selected scriptures about shepherds and sheep that we hope will inspire your thoughts and words that in turn will inspire and move our congregation in this coming Lenten season as they read your devotions. If you would like to write a devotion sign up with the link below ... more about the theme and guidelines for your devotions can be found by clicking on the link.
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Intergenerational Winter VBS: Faith Shared Across Generations
Saturday, February 7, 9:00 AM—12:30 PM
This winter, our one-day Winter VBS for children ages 3 through 1st grade will be a joyful, intergenerational celebration of faith. Building on last year’s grandparent theme, children will be paired with adult members of our church for a day filled with stories, crafts, music, play, and worship. These shared moments are about more than fun—they are about forming relationships. Children will experience the wisdom, care, and faith of older members, while adults will be renewed by the curiosity, energy, and trust of our youngest disciples. Together, we will strengthen the bonds of our church family and live into God’s vision of faith passed lovingly from one generation to the next.
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Terry Steer Memorial Presentation:
Before DEI: Our Story
The 6th Annual Terry Steer Memorial Presentation presents Before DEI: Our Story on Sunday, February 22, at 3:00 PM at Christ Episcopal Church (1101 Franklin Rd, Roanoke). Join Jerusalem Baptist Church and Christ Episcopal Church for a story about an interracial friendship that spans years. Guest speakers: Rev. Dr. William Lee, Senior Pastor Emeritus at Loudon Avenue Christian Church, and Rev. Dr. George Anderson, Senior Minister at Second Presbyterian Church.
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Annual Men’s Group Book Study
Each winter a number of men at RCPC and a few friends in the community gather to study a book that
carries us to springtime. This year they have chosen the book, "Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to do With You", by John MacArthur. They will have a limited number of books available through the men's group church budget. The group will meet on Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM starting on February 24 in Room 202. All men are invited to join. They hope to collaborate at some point this spring with the Monday night men's group as well - more to come on this opportunity. For questions or more information, feel free to contact Andy Travers (atravers4@gmail.com) or Mark Derbyshire (samd123@vt.edu).
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February Adult Sunday School
Full Class Descriptions Available Online at rcpres.org/adult-education
The Seekers
February 1—15: The Gospel Truth of Social Justice, presented by the RCPC Justice Equity and Belonging Committee
In February, the Seekers class will be exploring Christ’s call to racial and social justice through scripture. In addition to David Dixon, we are excited to welcome two of Roanoke Justice Ministries leaders who will share the teaching on these three Sundays. On February 1st, Dr. David Dixon will have us read and discuss several excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham jail. On February 8th, our guest leader will be Pastor Vernie Bolden, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, who will lead us using scriptures from Matthew 25 and Micah 6. And on February 15th, our guest leader will be Reverend Dr. David Jones, Williams Memorial Baptist Church, who will lead us using verses 16-19 from chapter 4 of Luke’s gospel. Please join us for an eye opening opportunity to learn how Christ calls us into action!
February 22: AI, Faith, and You: Artificial Intelligence, Christian Spirituality, and Morality
Rescheduled class led virtually by Andy Morgan from First Presbyterian Church in Knoxville.
February 22—March 29: This American Gospel: Public Radio Parables & The Grace of God, led by Andrew Whaley
Parent as a Verb
February 1—8: Raising Awe Seekers by Deborah Farmer Kris. Led by Isabella Fagiani
February 15—March 22: Book Study, Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley led by Eric Kessler
Confessions of the Church
January - May: Confessions of the Church: Nicene and Apostles Creeds. Led by Mike Lockaby
| | Opportunity for Generosity & Mission Updates | |
Mission Partner Support
Each month, we designate all cash and coin
to one of our local mission partners. For the month of February, we are supporting Family Promise. You can place your money in the offering plate or make an online gift, noting that it is for Mission and making a note for Family Promise in the text box.
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Hunger Mission Team Volunteers
The Hunger Mission team that serves Lincoln Terrace Elementary could use your help with food packing in the New Year! We pack food bags for 109 students each Thursday at 10:00 AM. You can signup to help with packing by using the UPDATED link below or contact Paula Derbyshire at 540-309-8816. If Sign-Up Genius isn’t for you, we welcome walk-in packers. We could not do this work without you! Thank you.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0949AAAC28A7F94-57911905-lincoln#/
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Earth Care
Weather Permitting: Our extended plastics collection continues this month on Wednesday, February 4, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM in the parking lot. Reminder: we collect hard plastics, Styrofoam, and e-waste. This collection will take place monthly on the last Wednesday. Remind friends and neighbors that they are welcome to be part of this effort.
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Rotary Club
Win a Harley or $10,000 - Over the last 7 years, our church and the Rotary Club have packaged more than 175,000 meals in the fall food packaging events. Those meals have supported our 2 elementary backpack programs, the PCC food pantry, and a few other local organizations. This spring the club is selling raffle tickets for your choice of either the Harley (2026 Low Rider ST) or $10,000. Tickets are $20 or 3 for $50. See Fred Hoffman to support this fundraiser that supports us. Cash, check (written to RCRV), or Venmo are accepted. The drawing will be on April 9 at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood. You are welcome to attend. Email Fred at fred@hoffdad.net if you have questions or would like for him to have tickets available for you the next time you see him.
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Prayer Requests
Marvin & Roena Barbre, Dawn Blakeman, Jackie Blakeman, Beverly Day and family (friend of Camilla and Johnsey Cabaniss), Nate Ellison (son of Jay and Polly Ellison), Nancy Farthing, Carolyn Hampton (sister-in-in-law of Mary Hampton), Debra Harris, Cameron & Susie Hutto, Cheryl Gilliland, Susan Lindstrom, Megan Mallare (friend of Kathy Grove), Philip Moore (Hunter Moore’s father), Louise Morris, Betty Nance, Connie Pearlman, Amy Starr Redwine, Randy Remington (friend of Betty Remington), Ian Richardson (brother-in-law of Jonathan Crook), Janis Wertz, and all caregivers.
(Prayers request as of Friday, January 30. Names in bold indicate an addition to the prayer list this week.)
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Birthdays: February 2-8
2/3 Jason Burton, Al Sganga
2/4 Connor Clayton, Susan Honeycutt
2/5 Rob Crittenden, Henry Flowers, Sidney Poole, Robbie Whitehead
2/7 Riley Newman
2/8 Beth Giles, Jaye Harvey Wellons
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Monday, February 2
12:30 PM - Monday Small Group
5:00 PM - Canticals at Sundown
7:00 PM - Men's Small Group
Tuesday, February 3
9:00 AM - Staff Meeting
9:30 AM - PW Coordinating Team
4:00 PM - Small Group: Dixon
5:00 PM - Mission Committee
7:15 PM - Raleigh Court Ringers
7:30 PM - Women's Small Group
Wednesday, February 4
3:15 PM - Genesis Ringers
4:00 PM - God Alive
5:00 PM - Hospitality Committee
6:15 PM - Fellowship Dinner
7:00 PM - Wednesday Small Group
7:15 PM - Sanctuary Choir
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Thursday, February 5
10:00 AM - Hunger Mission Packing
10:30 AM - Thursday Small Group
5:30 PM - Parents of Young Children Small Group
Friday, February 6
Saturday, February 7
9:00 AM - Winter VBS
10:00 AM - Youth Sunday Rehearsal
Sunday, February 8
Youth Sunday
9:00 AM - Worship: Sanctuary
10:00 AM - Sunday School & Discover RCPC
11:00 AM - Worship: Sanctuary
12:00 PM - Chilli Luncheon
12:15 PM - Earth Care Committee
12:15 PM - Vistation Committee
4:30 PM - Alleluia Ringers
5:00 PM - Youth Choir
6:00 PM - Youth Group Super Bowl Party
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WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR GROUPS
- RCPC Preschool: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM
- Centering Prayer at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church: Monday, 10:00 AM
- Scouts-Troop 2 B: Monday, 7:00 PM
- AA-Primary Purpose: Tuesday & Thursday, 10:30 AM
- Tai Chi: Tuesday & Thursday, 5:30 PM
- Hip Sober Chicks: Thursday, 6:30 PM
- Opera Roanoke Chorus: Thursday, 7:00 PM
- Al-Anon: Friday, 11:45 AM
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The Herald - Deadline for Articles: 10th of each month
This Week @ RCPC - Deadline for Articles: Wednesday of each week
Send submissions for The Herald and This Week @ RCPC to Julie Satterwhite
Video Board in the Gathering Area - Send Information to Carole Banks
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