ALL SAINTS DAY

For a number of years now, we have been celebrating All Saints Day on November 1 when it falls on a Sunday, and the first Sunday after November 1 when it does not. Though still relatively new to many Baptists, it is an ancient Christian tradition that dates back at least to the fifth century. In the Eastern Church, it began in the season of Easter and eventually moved to the season after Pentecost. In the Western Church, it moved to November 1 in 835 C.E.

The celebration began as a way of recognizing certain people, but today it points to the saintly status of all Christians – not to our perfection but to our experience of being shaped by God’s grace as revealed in Christ. All Saints Day also provides space to celebrate our great hope for eternal life. Thus, we include a prayerful remembrance of the church members we have lost over the past year and locate our very real grief in the context of eternal hope.

HONORING OUR VETERANS

The church maintains a list of members who are military service veterans and those on active duty having connections to First Baptist. If you know of eligible individuals whose names have not previously been on these lists, please email Jennie Herrick by Wednesday, November 4.

OCTOBER BOOK STUDY

Join us tonight as we conclude our Centerpoint two-week book study on The End of Civility: Christ and Prophetic Division by Dr. Ryan Andrew Newson. Dr. Newson is the Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at Campbell University. In this book, he explores how our modern understanding of civility has developed and offers Christians a framework for distinguishing between healthy and harmful calls for civility. He argues that the challenge is knowing when civility serves the common good and when it becomes an obstacle to justice. Context matters. Sometimes, calls for civility are used to silence necessary conflict and discourage those working toward a more just world. At other times, particularly when they come from people on the margins of society, calls for civility can help shape conflict in ways that lead to justice and liberation. We're lucky that Dr. Newson is a local, so he will be joining us to lead our book discussion again this evening at 6:15pm in the fellowship hall.

No advance reading is required! Dr. Newson will lead the discussion with the assumption that participants have not read the book, so whether you've read every page or haven't picked it up at all, we hope you'll join us for this engaging and thought-provoking conversation!

If you're not able to join us in person, join us virtually via Zoom with this link!

DEACON ELECTIONS

Per the bylaws, the election of deacons will take place during the month of October. Ballots will be available each Sunday in October and each member may vote for up to eight men and eight women. Beginning this Sunday, ballots will be in the library, the Gathering Room, the narthex, and in the Lewis Lobby; you may also obtain an electronic version from the website or later issues of Rose Window Weekly. The box for ballots will be on the long counter in the library. If you choose to mail yours in, please do so well before the end of the month. On Sunday, October 25, the tellers appointed by the chair will gather to count the ballots, and the chair and vice-chair will then notify those selected.

Click here for a ballot, which has a list of deacons and their spouses who are not eligible based on the bylaws, as well as others who have asked not to be considered for election. Please give thoughtful and prayerful consideration as you participate in the deacon election process.

CROP WALK 2026

The Greater Triangle Area CROP Hunger Walk is our October church-wide mission project and it starts and ends at First Baptist parking lot on Sunday, October 25. Funds raised support local agencies and the international work of Church World Service (CWS). First Baptist is a also primary sponsor of the GTA CROP Hunger Walk through the Day Mission Fund.

The Walk route is either a three-mile walk through Oakwood and back to the church or a shorter one-mile walk, also ending at the church. The thank-you gift for participating this year is a high-quality shopping bag. So you can walk (for the statement it makes, for community, and health benefits), donate to support local agencies and CWS financially (and they need it!) and raise funds from friends, family, co-workers, and fellow church members (increases YOUR support).

Please register as an FBC team member. (You may join the FBC Team here.) On Walk day, you will need to sign up at 2pm with the walk beginning at 3pm. Those who come at 2pm and shortly thereafter will be able to help us assemble over 200 hygiene kits to be distributed by CWS in disaster areas. The assembling goes fast!

Please consider donating when you register. Having your donation next to your name on the team encouragers other people to donate. If not walking, you may donate to support any walker by clicking here and searching for the walker, or you may also make a general donation to our team.

You may also donate through Vanco Online or use the credit card pad in the office. If you prefer to write a check, please make it payable to FBC and write "CROP Walk" in the memo line and either place it in the offering plate or mail it to the financial administrator (FBC, 99 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, 27603). Donations for this year's Walk will be accepted through December 31.

TOY JOY IS COMING!

Toy Joy is happening on November 14 and as always, we count on our devoted church members and friends to make this special day happen for our guests. We ask that all volunteers inside the building be no younger than middle school age students. We'll be having a hospitality area in the rear parking lot (offering refreshments to our guests as

they finish their shopping) again this year that will be staffed by our elementary and preschool age children and their families. If you and your children would like to volunteer for a one hour slot, please contact Lynn Lingafelt.  

We do have a new opportunity for our current 5th graders and their parents this year. In an effort to give them some on-the-job training, we're offering them the chance to work a regular shift in the building with one parent who would stay with them the entire time. We hope that this will give them the chance to see how the process works before they become old enough to volunteer on their own next year. If you and your child would like to do this, please put both your name and your 5th grader's on the Signup Genius in your preferred time slot.

The SignUp Genius link will give you the option of signing up for the morning and/or afternoon session. If you're able to work both sessions, lunch will be provided. If you speak Spanish and can serve as a translator/shepherd, or need to have a job that doesn't require you to be on your feet most of the time, please indicate that in the comments. We will assign you to a specific task and let you know where you'll be stationed a few days before the event. There is also a need for volunteers on November 13 to come in and help set up, so that information will be on the signup as well.  

This year we are in need of books for all ages, but especially for middle and high schoolers. Gently used ones are fine — thrift stores and yard sales are good places to find inexpensive books. You may place the books in the marked drawer in the cabinet in the Lewis Lobby. After your neighborhood trick or treaters have come and gone, we'd love to have your leftover candy to share with our families. You may place the candy in the cabinet in the Lewis Lobby as well.

If you'd like to donate new toys, you may check out the wish lists below and have the gifts shipped directly to the church. Don't like to shop or have the time to do so? The Toy Joy team is happy to shop for you with your check made out to First Baptist with "Toy Joy" in the memo line. Checks can be dropped off to the finance office.

Amazon wish-list

Target wish-list

The Toy Joy team is looking forward to your help this year as we work together to serve the families who will receive the Christmas presents that have been donated for their children. Questions? Please email Anne Cooke.

OFFICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Over time, we have been fortunate to have many wonderful volunteers to work in the church office performing receptionist functions, answering the phone and responding to people who buzz at the door. But periodically, we have a need to ask for more help, and this is such a time.

It is a fairly straightforward yet critical role because these volunteers are the first contact many people have with our church, the first sign of who we are. Volunteers not only greet people who call or stop by the church in a warm and gracious manner, they free church staff to do other important work. And they become a vital part of the ministry team, inevitably closer to the staff and church family.

If you might be able to help us in this way or perhaps have questions about the role, please contact Jennie Herrick by email, call the office at 919-832-4485, or stop by the office. We deeply appreciate your consideration of this important role. – Christopher C.F. Chapman

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

Congratulations to Ike & his wife on the birth of their son! Ike will be away for a short time, and upcoming menus may change.

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

October 21: pizza & salad

October 28: baked ziti with garlic bread; vegetarian option: baked ziti (no meat) with garlic bread

November 4: enchiladas, Mexican rice and beans; vegetarian option: veggie enchiladas; kids: taquitos

November 11: soup night

November 18: lasagna; vegetarian option: veggie lasagna; kids: meatballs

December 2: taco bar; vegetarian option: veggie tacos; kids: cheese quesadillas

December 9: breakfast for dinner

December 16: hamburger steak and smothered chicken with rice, corn, and cabbage; vegetarian option: mock hamburger steak; kids: chicken nuggets

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.

October

22: Lunch outing—Captain Stanley’s Calabash Seafood (3333 S. Wilmington Street);

11:30 reservations; meet at FBC at 11am to carpool

29: Halloween Trick-or-Treat visit with Weekday Preschool and ITC

November

5: Holiday monthly mission project—Toy Joy preparation

12: Southern Supreme Fruitcake trip—11am tour and shopping; 12:30(ish) lunch at Best Food Cafeteria (220 11th Street, Siler City); meet at FBC at 9:30am to ride in bus

19: Raleigh Police Department: Teddy, therapy dog and Officer Robert Wyrick, handler

26: No meeting 

BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE

• Wednesday, October 21: Psalm 63:1-8; Numbers 13:1-2, 17-14:9; Matthew 17:22-27
• Thursday, October 22: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 31:14-22; Titus 1:5-16
• Friday, October 23: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 32:1-14, 18; Titus 2:7-8, 11-15
• Saturday, October 24: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 32:44-47; John 5:39-47
• Sunday, October 25: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 and Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 and Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46
• Monday, October 26: Psalm 119:41-48 ; Numbers 33:38-39; James 2:8-13
• Tuesday, October 27: Psalm 119:41-48; Exodus 34:29-35; James 2:14-26
• Wednesday, October 28: Psalm 119:41-48; Deuteronomy 26:16-27:7; Matthew 19:16-22

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 October 21:

Wednesday Lunch - Private event Morrisville

Thursday Lunch - Closed for scheduled maintenance

Saturday - Wedding Reception Efland, NC

AMONG OUR FAMILY

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

Please use your church directory for mailing addresses.



Prayer List • October 20

WELCOME, NEW MEMBER!

Eric Wallace joined the church on Sunday, October 18, by statement of previous baptism and membership in another church. Welcome, Eric!