Sunday, November 23, 2014

Chris L. Simmons, Pastor
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas
CORNERSTONE FAMILY REUNION SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 23
REGISTRATION FOR LUNCH ENDS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!

CHRIS  SIMMONS TO PREACH 

Join us Sunday, November 23, as we celebrate our annual Reunion Sunday with our friends from Cornerstone Baptist Church.  We will share a combined choir and worship service at 10:30 am with Pastor Chris Simmons.  There will be no CBF, SBF, or ABF.

 

If you would like to sing with the combined choir, please join us for rehearsal in the Sanctuary at 9:00 am that morning.

 

Children's Ministry will be available for ages 5 and younger during the worship service. If you are participating in the choir, Children's Ministry will be available during the rehearsal prior to the service.  

 

We invite VRBC members to come early to be available to welcome our Cornerstone friends when they arrive!

 

REGISTER FOR LUNCH

Immediately following our worship service, we will share a Babe's Fried Chicken lunch in the lobby. As hosts, we provide 250 or more lunches for our friends at Cornerstone. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and under. Please also consider sponsoring meals for our Cornerstone family.  

 

Click here to register for lunch online. If you are UNABLE to attend but would like to assist with the sponsoring of the Cornerstone lunches, please click here to contribute.

 

CORNERSTONE SUNDAY OFFERING 

We are excited to worship together with Cornerstone Baptist Church and  to celebrate our unity in Christ.  During Sunday's offering, you may give to either church (or both)--just note on your check or offering envelope which church(es) your offering should be designated.  All loose change will go to Cornerstone. 



NEW MINISTER TO CHILDREN: KAREN SIMMANG 

 

We are excited and pleased to announce that Karen Simmang was unanimously approved as the Minister to Children for Valley Ranch Baptist Church. We look forward to seeing how God will work through Karen in the lives of our children and are thankful for Karen's commitment to serve God, our church, and our children. Please take the opportunity to congratulate Karen and see how you can support her in her new role.

 

CHURCH COUNCIL UPDATE

 

The Church Council is excited to give you an update on two important initiatives that we first introduced to you at the Church Conference back in August. 

 

First, we have engaged a vision consultant in October.  The firm's name is Auxano (website: http://auxano.com).  The members of the team are Pastor Larry Parsley, Buzz Lupton, John Hewlett, Amy Wilkins, Rich Roush, Karen Simmang, Marv Knox, Katie Warren, and Deirdre LaNoue.  We got off to a great start this last week with our first all-day session, and we are excited to see what God will show us through this process!  You will hear more soon.

 

Second, we have a search committee in place for an Executive Pastor, and they are already meeting regularly.  The members are Mark Rountree (Chair), Pastor Larry Parsley, Tony Howard, Jerry Sims, Kevin Ashby, Gloria Williford, and Kathryn Goldsmith. Many thanks to the Personnel Committee for their work in putting this team together.

 

We are grateful to each of these folks for their service.  Please pray for each of these teams, that we will listen well to the Spirit and follow His lead with courageous faithfulness.  I am personally excited about what God has in store!

 

Deirdre LaNoue

Chair, Church Council

VR KIDS CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP 
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 AT 6 PM

 

Unconditional gift giving starts by sharing a piece of yourself. Come join the fun as we create six gifts to give to others!  We will start the Christmas season off with lots of great music, snacks, and a Christmas story.

 

Christmas Workshop is open to kids in kindergarten through 5th grade.  We will meet in the church lobby from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.  Cost is $20.

 

Spots are limited...don't miss the fun!  And be sure to bring a friend!!

 

Register by clicking here or by visiting the Events page on the church website. Deadline to register is November 30.


NIGHT OF WORSHIP 
DECEMBER 7 AT 6 PM

 

Do you ever feel overwhelmed in December?  Sometimes the weeks leading up to Christmas can become so busy that we lose the wonder, mystery, and beauty of the season.  

If you'd like to slow down, breathe deeply, and connect with Christ, please join us in the sanctuary for a Night of Worship at 6:00 pm on Sunday, December 7.  This will be an informal, relaxed time of worship and prayer for our entire church family. Come worship with us!
PARK FRIDAYS
SAVE THE DATE: DECEMBER 12

Parents of our preschool children are invited to join us at a local area park on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.  

Where do YOU like to play? Do you know of other great indoor playgrounds that we can all explore together when the temperatures are too low to play outside?  Send your suggestions to Johanna Hewlett at [email protected].

PLEASE NOTE:  There will be no Park Friday on November 28.  Happy Thanksgiving!
VRBC MARRIAGE RETREAT
SAVE THE DATE: JANUARY 9-10, 2015
 

Jump start the New Year by attending a dynamic retreat with your spouse that promises to bless your marriage!  Registration begins November 16. Click here to register.

 

Place:   DFW Airport Marriott

 

Time:    6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Friday

              8:00 am - 1:00 pm Saturday

 

Cost:    Overnight Package - $235/couple
              Meals and Meetings Only - $140/couple

Speakers will be Jim and Robin Johnson.  Jim is co-founder and and senior pastor of Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas and has over 35 years experience pastoring in Texas, Georgia, and Florida. A native of Midland, Texas, Jim earned his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary and his BA and PhD from Baylor University. He and his wife, Robin, have three adult children and one granddaughter.

 

More details will follow, but please mark your calendar now for this special weekend.  Additional information will be forthcoming and available on the Events page of our website.  If a childcare need would prevent you from attending this event, please contact Karen McCord at [email protected].

re|engage
MONDAYS 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 
LAUNCHES JANUARY 19, 2015

re|engage is a marriage enrichment program which examines God's design for marriage and applies principles from the Bible to guide couples towards growth in their relationship with each other. Marriages in any condition can benefit. 

 

Whether you are struggling to get along with your spouse, your marriage is broken, or you simply want to grow closer together as a couple, mark your calendar now to come and re|engage.

 

Additional information will be coming shortly.  You can learn more general information about re|engage by visiting or clicking marriagehelp.org or by contacting us directly at [email protected].

VRBC CARE NETWORK

 

Do you have a prayer request or care ministry need (e.g., illness, death in the family, marital struggle, etc.) you'd like the staff to know about?  Email us confidentially at [email protected]. 


THE 2014 CHRISTMAS STORE
DECEMBER 12 & 13

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN--CLICK HERE!

 

There are many opportunities to serve, including several ways to volunteer to prepare in advance for the Christmas Store.  Be sure to sign up early...you don't want to miss serving in this dynamic and much-anticipated ministry in partnership with our sister church, Cornerstone Baptist Church, in South Dallas.     

 

Click here to visit the Christmas Store web page to learn more about the Christmas Store, to give to the Christmas Store Love Offering, and to volunteer to serve.

 


CORNERSTONE THANKSGIVING LUNCH 
NOVEMBER 27

 

If you would like to volunteer on Thanksgiving Day to help prepare and serve lunch at Cornerstone Baptist Church in South Dallas, please contact Amy Wilkins at [email protected]

 

Serving time will be from 9:00 am to about 1:00 pm.  Families, including children, may serve in the kitchen and deliver meals to shut-ins (as needed), but you must be at least 18 years old to serve in the sanctuary. Specific volunteer roles will be assigned by Cornerstone the week prior to serving.  

CORNERSTONE SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
We have several opportunities each month to serve alongside Cornerstone Baptist Church, our sister church in South Dallas:


JOBS FOR LIFE GRADUATION
NOVEMBER 21 AT 7 PM

For the past eight weeks, the adults in our Jobs For Life ministry have prayed together, overcome numerous barriers to employment, grown in confidence, and really become like a family with each other and the outstanding VRBC team of volunteers. We would love for you to come and cheer them on as they graduate this Friday night at 7:00 pm in the VRBC lobby, with a reception to follow. 

Please RSVP to Teresa Brundige at  [email protected] by this Thursday if you would like to attend.
MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT:CHARLOTTE WOOTTON

Each month VRBC is highlighting a VRBC-supported missionary. We will have information in the lobby about them, along with note cards, and we encourage you to write notes of support to them and to pray for them during the month.

This month, we are spotlighting Charlotte Wootton. As a Church Planting Coordinator with e3 Partners Ministry, Charlotte has the privilege of taking North Americans on short-term mission trips and seeing their lives transformed as God uses their testimonies to tell a lost world about His love. As the coordinator for Ministry to Children with e3 Partners, she is helping to develop materials and training for nationals to effectively minister to children and establish a children's ministry as each new church is planted.  At VRBC, Charlotte is partnered with the Jones ABF. 

You can learn more about Charlotte by watching this short video.  If you are interested in traveling with Charlotte on a mission trip, please contact her at [email protected].




UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS



 
Register for children's events at vrbc.net/ministries/vrkids/
Stay up to date on all things "Refuge" at
Men's Thursday Knights - 7:30-9:00 pm,
1st & 3rd Thursday of each month
 

Through November 16, 2014
Worship Service

 Actual
Budget
Difference
$314,993
$394,600
         ($79,607)
 
 538