Worship Service Times

9:00 AM - Chapel

10:00 AM - Sunday School

11:00 AM - Sanctuary & Livestream

Baby & Toddler Nursery is available during both services

Podcast Raleigh Court Herald May Issue

Church Office Hours

Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM

Friday 8:30 AM-1:00 PM

Online Pledge Form

“Do not answer fools according to their folly,

    lest you be a fool yourself.

Answer fools according to their folly,

    lest they be wise in their own eyes.”

Proverbs 26: 4-5

Read that again…. Yes, you’re correct. This proverb says one thing and then immediately voices the opposite. So what are we to do? Do you accept the incorrect information, stance, knowledge of the fool and play along, making yourself a fool too? Or do you correct their misguided notions in order to provoke humility and correction?

The answer: Yes.

A piece of wisdom I was given years ago that sometimes I manage to remember gives advice on how to respond to someone in a moment of tension or disagreement. Before responding, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does this need to be said?
2. Does this need to be said now?
3. Does this need to be said by me?

That’s some serious discernment. Sometimes you let the fool remain foolish in order to preserve the relationship, maintain peace, or pursue future possibilities. You hold your tongue. Sometimes you know something needs to be said but the public environment or the heated emotions tell you this isn’t the correct time.  And still other times you recognize that someone needs to be told the truth, but you don’t have the clout, the trust, the relationship to be the one to speak it.

Wisdom is this capacity to know how to proclaim the truth, how to practice integrity, while also thinking about the long-term and the possibility for peace. The greatest marriage partners, the strongest parent-child relationships, the most accomplished foreign ambassadors know how to do this.

In a time of “call out culture” or “cancel culture” or “alternative facts” it can be hard to practice discernment. It is easier to be aggressive, defensive, ironic, sarcastic, crude, and cruel. But the one who is wise in God’s eyes, that person practices prudence, preserving both integrity and future possibility.

PRAYER:

O God, give me wisdom.

Teach me when to speak, what to say, and how to say it.

May your Holy Spirit guide my silence and my words.

Make me a prudent ambassador for your kingdom.

Amen.

-The Rev. Andrew C. Whaley, Head of Staff

First Quarter Giving Statements

We are trying something new this first quarter with our financial giving statements. To help with cost of postage and to help with time of delivery, we are going to try emailing giving statements for the first and third quarter of the year. You will still receive a paper copy mid-year and at the end of the year with your giving to RCPC. Your giving statement through March 31 is attached to this email. If you prefer to receive each statement in paper form, please reach out to Lori Tosoni in the church office (540-343-5541; finance@rcpres.org)

Online Directory

Make sure to add your picture!

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).

• Website: members.instantchurchdirectory.com (also linked at rcpres.org and click “Connect with Us”)
• 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, email Julie@rcpres.org

Women of the Church, Join Us for a Baby Shower Celebrating Isabella!

Saturday, May 16th at 10:30 am in the RCPC Fellowship Hall

In place of gifts, contributions to the baby fund can be made via cash, checks, or online giving with a note "PW baby fund."

Savvy Seniors

Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 AM

Historian Nelson Harris will visit the Savvy Seniors on Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 AM for a presentation on “The Roanoke Valley in the 1950s.” Join us after for a luncheon featuring Honey Baked Ham sandwiches and bring along a side or dessert to share. Please sign up for this event online or in the Gathering Area.

Fellowship Hour Volunteers

The Fellowship Committee would welcome help from anyone who would like to help with Summer Fellowship Hours. You can help with set up (preparing coffee and water), providing snacks (baking/cooking or buying), or clean up (cleaning out coffee pots, water pitchers, and putting away supplies). If you're interested in helping, please contact Kathy Sebolt at 540-520-2538.

Montreat Youth Conference Dinner & Snack Support 

We're so grateful for the congregation's willingness to support our 17 youth and 4 adults headed to MYC June 14-20. We all stay in a house together and prepare 3 meals a day, as well as gather together for backhome group at the end of the day and midnight snacks. When you send food, it helps the group focus on time together and participate in the conference rather than spending all the time in the kitchen! If you're interested in helping with a meal or a snack, please contact Emily Jarrett (dodsonjarrett@yahoo.com, 662-610-2705) . 

Food needs to be labeled as for MYC and dropped off to the RCPC Kitchen by 6/5 

Dinner Help Needed: 

• Lasagna (can be stouffers), frozen garlic bread - looking for 1 more person to partner with Kirk Martin 
• Breakfast for Dinner - looking for 1 more person to partner with Tyler Person 

Snacks & Sweets: Homemade baked goods are strongly desired to provide dessert after every lunch and dinner and during the back home group late at night. You could also send along a frozen log of cookie dough or a frozen cake.

Legacy Sunday - May 17

Join us on Sunday, May 17, for Legacy Sunday. During the 11:00 AM worship service, we will look back over the year at the RCPC Endowment’s mission of helping the world outside our walls and keeping our walls up. Representatives from the non-profits that have received gifts from the Endowment will be present during worship. Following worship, light refreshments will be available in the Fellowship Hall, and representatives from the non-profits will be available to answer questions and share more about their organizations. River Birch, the group managing our funds will be here to answer your questions.

Mission Partner Support

Each month, we designate all cash and coin to one of our local mission partners. For the month of May, we are supporting House of Bread. 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 House of Bread in the text box. We’re thankful for your generosity in the month of April, as we raised $3,137.72 for Habitat for Humanity.

Rethinking Justice Workshop

Thursday, May 7, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church (2505 Electric Road, 24018). If you’d like to attend contact Carol Burmeister-Prichard at cbp449@gmail.com.

Roanoke Justice Ministries (RJM) is an ecumenical organization seeking to address real community problems in our city and region. The work of RJM focuses on the call of God in Micah 6:8 to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbling with your God." RJM is part of a national network of faith-based organizations with a similar purpose, the Direct Action Research and Training Center (DART). The Rethinking Justice Workshop will feature Bishop Lafayette Scales from Columbus, Ohio, as well as members of the DART network in Richmond, Virginia. We will gather to learn more, grow in our biblical understanding of justice, and continue to strengthen a network of support.

Pump-a-Pint Blood Drive

Tuesday, June 2

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Sign-ups are available on the Red Cross website at REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG. You are welcome to schedule your appointment, or you can contact Lillian Alexander at 540-632-8921 or alexanderlj@yahoo.com, and she'll be happy to get you scheduled. The sign-up sheet will also be available in the Gathering Area before and after Sunday worship services starting May 17. The Pump-a-Pint Mission Group would love to have you join the ranks of faithful donors here at RCPC. Come for the snacks and fellowship, leave knowing you have saved three lives!

Seed & Plant Share Sponsored by the RCPC Earth Care Committee

Sunday, May 17

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Have perennials that need dividing? Extra seed packets? Use only part of a seed packet? Bought a 6-pack of plants and only need 4? Have extra gardening tools? Bring any extras to share! You don't need to bring something to take something.

Hunger Mission Team Volunteers

The portion of the Hunger Mission team that serves Lincoln Terrace Elementary could use your help on Thursday mornings through the end of May. Our greatest need is for help with loading food from the food closet onto tables for packing in the gathering area. While there is one designated slot for Cart Loader on Sign-Up Genius each week, the Cart Loader works with another volunteer to load food and prepare for packing. Cart loading begins at 9:00 AM and packing begins at 10:00 AM. You can sign up to help by using the link below or contact Paula Derbyshire at (540) 309-8816. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0949AAAC28A7F94-57911905-lincoln#/

Prayer Requests

Marvin & Roena Barbre, Dawn Blakeman, Fred Davis, Beverly Day & family (friend of Camilla & Johnsey Cabaniss), Nate Ellison (son of Jay & Polly Ellison), Nancy Farthing, Carolyn Hampton (Mary Hampton’s sister-in-law), Debra Harris, Mary Hopkins (great-aunt of Tyler Person), Cameron & Susie Hutto, Susan Lindstrom, Megan Mallare (friend of Kathy Grove), Louise Morris, Betty Nance, Connie Pearlman, Amy Starr Redwine, Shirley Scruggs (sister of Susan Davis), Campbell Tims (granddaughter of Kay Tims), and all caregivers.

(Prayers request as of Friday, May 1. Names in bold indicate an addition to the prayer list this week.)

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

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