RAYMOND BAPTIST CHURCH NOTES
Greetings to all,
I hope all is well with each of you. I know this has been a lot longer than anyone had originally expected, but I look forward when we are together again
I wanted to let everyone know of a few things that have been happening, and how we have been able to help our communities through your gifts for our Easter offering, and through other means.
Over the last weeks we have been able to distribute dozens of Hannaford cards and have helped multiple families through the food pantry ministry. Anyone within our own congregation has received assistance they have needed when the need has been revealed. I have been thrilled to see individuals in the church taking on direct care and concern for those they have come across who have been in need.
We have directly connected with many of the small business food service owners in the area and provided help to employees directly who had been furloughed during this time. All of whom have expressed their appreciation. What gratifies me is the reputation you as a church have in this community. “Raymond Baptist, that’s the place where people find help” is the common response.
One of the greatest helps we have been able to offer has been to help dispose of medical debt for many on the verge of total financial and life collapse. In cooperation with several other NH churches, we were able to join to eliminate about $750,000 in medical debt for those in greatest need in our state. Thank you for making that possible. One of the great benefits has been seeing people putting their faith into practice- making meals, caring for people in need- being the church as God intended it. Thanks to all.
Now to the question that is on everyone’s mind- “When will we be together again?” As a leadership team, staff we continue to put together a plan for our eventual, gradual regathering. Please know what ever process we put into place- and it will be a process, we will listen closely to the guidelines that will be given by CDC and the state. This past Wednesday I participated in a conference call with Sen. Bob Guida who is chairing the sub-group for Houses of Worship that will coordinate with Health and Human Services to prepare guidelines for us to follow. This should be forthcoming very shortly. We want to be sure that we do not unnecessarily endanger those amongst us who could be vulnerable. During the conference call with Sen. Guida it was made abundantly clear that from his perspective as well, this is a health and safety issue of which we all should be concerned. Coming together will be process, not an event, and will take patience, prayers and help from all of us.
I have said this before that it has also been exciting seeing how creative people can be in ministry. This time has pushed us to try new things, new ways of serving. One example will be Tara’s alternative program for VBS- stay tuned.
I will continue to give you updates as time goes on. Thanks for your prayers and support during these days. Know that God is still at work through this time- and is impacting many.
Glad to be serving alongside each of you and I will keep you informed to any developments.
Pastor Kevin
Anyone mailing in checks for the offering please use the following mailing address:
Raymond Baptist Church
PO Box 106
Raymond, NH 03077
The Programming Team would like to thank everyone for their participation in the worship service survey we conducted this winter. There were many interesting findings and great suggestions offered. We have already initiated some changes based on those surveys, and there will be more to come as we persevere through this pandemic and make plans for the return to live service.
There will be no Worship Service at RBC on Sunday. Please see the attached Facebook Live directions for Worship Service. Worship Service will be available on Facebook Live, Website and RBC App as well as Channel 13. (Attached is this week’s Prayer Request, Bulletin and Sermon Bulletin to follow along with the service). Please note that no one will be allowed access to the Church on Sunday morning except for the people working the service. There are no exceptions to this request.
Spring Sermon Series will be: “Healing for Today’s Modern Family”; “Family Conflict”. (Genesis 29:21, Genesis 30:22 and James 4:1-12).
If anyone is in need of assistance of any kind, please contact the office by calling 603-895-2859 or email at marion@raymondbaptistchurch.com.
There has been a Tab created “Stuck at Home?” on the Website which will have documents and YouTube Videos (Great Tools to use) that you can incorporate into your home and family worship. Please check it out! It will keep changing and more and more added to it so keep checking it out!
IMPACT 2 GO: Registration is now open for: Impact Adventure Camp 2 Go – Because we cannot meet in person, Raymond Baptist Church Children’s Ministry is working hard to provide 5 days of Bible-based activities for your child ages 4 – 12. A box filled with lessons, supplies and surprises will be ready for pick up June 26 and 27 to use throughout the summer wherever you are. Invite friends, neighbors and family to join the fun.
To volunteer or participate, visit Raymond Baptist Church website, call the church office at 603-895-2859 or use the website address below to register. Registration will end June 12th.
https://vbspro.events/p/events/rbcimpactadventurecamp2go
For Questions, please contact Tara Swist, Children’s Ministry Director, at 603-895-2859 or TaraSwist@raymondbaptistchurch.comcastbiz.net.
MISSIONS:
Please see a recent communication from Dan Peront serving in South Africa:
“We have been able to distribute food into one of the shanty towns (Joe Slovo) a couple times, and as soon as this lockdown is over we are planning to bring the Jesus film in. We are praying for a revival and that the whole village will get saved…. Will you and Raymond Baptist pray this with us? There are around 2000 people in this settlement.”
PICTURES NEEDED: You all probably saw or viewed the Being the Church Video shown on May 10th. We are now doing a Take 2 and gathering some more images of how the RBC family is continuing to worship and serve! We would love to see your photos. For example, still images of the family in prayer, reading the bible, helping a neighbor, shopping for those in need, gathering around the streamed service, singing praise to the Lord, sewing face masks etc etc etc, you get the idea. As we persevere through these difficult times, we take comfort in the knowledge that God is in control! We will combine these photos into a video presentation to share during Sunday service as well as our website and local cable. (your submission indicates your permission to use these photo’s in this manner) We have all had to think outside the box to answer our calling to be the church. We can’t gather in the sanctuary right now, but together we can still find ways to support, pray for and encourage each other and the community. We are a family, we are the church.
Please email your photo submissions to: rbcbeingthechurch@gmail.com
Video’s will be shared in the coming weeks.
SCT DINNERS: Due to the concerns over the coronavirus and the fact that the majority of guests that attend SCT dinners are both seniors and people with compromised health; the SCT dinner for next week (Monday 16th) has been Cancelled! We will resume SCT when we have a better picture on preserving the safety of our elderly and vulnerable guests and staff. We will keep you all informed as to when they will resume.
RBC SERVICES WILL AIR ON CHANNEL 13. Channel 22 has been designated for Town and Government Notices. If you know of anyone who is utilizing the Public Raymond Station, please pass the word. Following is the Schedule for RBC Services:
Sunday 9:00am
Monday 2:00pm
Tuesday 6:00pm
Wednesday 10:00am & 7:00pm
Thursday 10:00pm
Friday 2:00am
Saturday 6:00am
This week I encourage all, except those directly involved in direct participation in our worship service to take advantage of the on line opportunity to view service. This is to protect those who are vulnerable, and those who would come out of a sense of responsibility who should remain home. We will continue to keep informed as time goes on, but for this week all public worship and programs in the church will be suspended this week. You may send in your weekly gifts through our church app, or simply main in your offering if you so desire. Again, these are not normal times and we will continue to monitor and make changes as appropriate. Please be in prayer, and let the office know of those who may be in need, and offer what assistance you can personally, and do so safely. Thanks for everyone’s support during these days
Kevin McBride
Lead Pastor
ONLINE GIVING Instructions (This is a safe and secure site as well as 100% goes to RBC, there are no processing fees.)
Go to the website: www.raymondbaptistchurch.com
Go to My RBC
Click on Give
Choose a Fund
Fill in the blanks requested (amount, check, credit card or debit card number and amount)
Submit
HANNFORD PICKUP ON SATURDAY’S: If anyone is in need (Church and Community) of the Hannaford Produce, Bread pickup from Saturday please contact Sandy Unger.
YOUTH GROUP
GRADUATES: We will be honoring those who will be graduating High School or College in 2020. Please help us know who they are by emailing marion@raymondbaptistchurch.comcastbiz.net or calling the office at 603-895-2859. If you do have a graduate we will need a picture and a brief synopsis on where they are heading (college name, military, etc.). Thank you!
Youth Group has been cancelled till further notice.
In this time, I would like to take the opportunity to share thoughts and teaching in a different format. I have posted a video to YouTube which is attached below. Your students can watch it at their leisure. Also Sunday we will have material on the church website. This material will be a lesson/quiet time for them to use weekly in their personal walk with God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oanF9CnTwXY&feature=share
YOUTH GROUP SCHEDULE & CONTACT INFO:
5th thru 12th Grade 6:00pm-8:00pm Ministry Center
Please contact: Matt Chouinard (603)895-2859 Matt@raymondbaptistchurch.com
RBC TECHNOLOGY UPDATE(S)/NEWS/NOTICES
AWAY or PLANNING A TRIP? USE THE RBC APP: Now Available~ Online Giving; Sermon Messages (Audio & Video); Important Alert Notifications; Weekly Bulletin & Prayer Requests; Upcoming Events; Pastor’s Blog; and more! Download from Play Store or iTunes for Tablets & Smart Phones. Check it out and keep in touch! Check Out: Facebook Live
APP ISSUES? Anyone with an Android phone and have noticed that you cannot get into the current sermons please try the following. Try a hard refresh. While in the app, go to the menu (horizontal bars upper left), and press and hold the refresh icon (circle with arrows bottom left) for 10-12 seconds until a message says it needs a few moments to sync. Give it about 10 minutes to sync, then get out and go back in to the app and this should allow you to get into the current information.
We are now on Facebook Live. Check it out!
CURRENT BIBLE DISCOVERY SESSIONS
Men’s Group 6:00am Tuesday Bible Study (meeting via zoom. Anyone interested can reach out to Les Houston for the zoom meeting link).
MISCELLANEOUS
It’s that time of year. This is a call for help to spruce up the gardens at RBC. Mulch will be delivered next week, and we need volunteers to spread it on Thursday, May 21st. Time will be determined once volunteers sign up and the time is determined based on the availability of volunteers. We are asking that you bring your own rake, shovel and a wheelbarrow if you are able to. Social distancing may or may not be difficult so for safety purposes please bring and plan on wearing a face mask. Please call Clare Mackinnon at 244-2764 or Marilyn Unger at 583-5784 if you are able to help. Thank you!
Prepared By: Marion Guay | Church Office | Raymond Baptist Church
145 Route 27 :: PO Box 106 :: Raymond, NH 03077 :: 603-895-2859