Latest Baptist Mission Center News
Summer is off to a great start!
Published June 27th, 2010We have had a great first couple of weeks to summer!
We ask this week that you pray for the team coming from Broaddus Memorial Baptist Church of Mechanicsville. They are sending 70+ people! They will minister and work at both centers throughout the week.
We will be posting pictures and updates here during the week. Stay tuned (and in prayer!).
Baptism April 11
Published March 25th, 2010We are having a baptism for four of our youth on Sunday, April 11 at the end of the worship service. A pot luck lunch will follow. The service will be at 17th Street Baptist Church.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP Pat Carter at 342.8452 or pat@bmc.rvba.org.
Thanks!
Baptist Mission Center Update
Published February 18th, 2010Well, now that the snow and ice have melted we’re back to regular routines. We missed a number of days, but we’re praying for the snow to stop for the winter.
Despite the weather, our programs continue to see increased participation. Today at Baptist Friendship House we had 12 women come for Bible Study with two new ladies. That’s remarkable as last year at this time we averaged only 5.
New programs
Baptist Friendship House is adding a new program. On the first Monday of each month we will have Coupon/Budget Club at 6:30pm. We will gather to cut and share coupons, share shopping tips, and find ways to stretch our precious dollars. We hope to have a program every Monday evening that helps the ladies help themselves. Ideas that have been offered are:
- Resume Building
- Scrapbooking
- Computer Classes
- Lawnmower maintenance
- Sewing/Quilting
- Flower Arranging
- Health Issues/Nutrition
If you can help with any of those areas, please contact Nathan White (343.5437).
Community Issues
I don’t like wading into politics, but there are two issues in today’s paper that impact our community. The first are proposed budget cuts and the second is that the city received the regions’ unhealthiest ranking.
Budget cuts:
Within the Department of Social Services, for example, McDonnell has suggested eliminating general fund support for nine programs outright, including $1.2 million for homeless assistance programs, $700,000 for domestic violence services, $4.8 million in child support supplements and $3.6 million for the state Healthy Families initiative.
From the Department of Health, McDonnell’s lieutenants have suggested eliminating nearly $1 million from a teen pregnancy prevention program, cutting $1.8 million for the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, trimming $2.2 million from the Virginia Health Care Foundation and eliminating local health department dental care services. (Roanoke Times article)
Obviously nothing is final, but no matter what happens, this abymsal economy continues to affect the least of these – those that we serve. We can’t count on government; how are we, as God’s people, going to help?
Unhealthy rankings
Roanoke ranked 116 out of 132. The results in the healthiest communities were those that:
…show that people who live in healthier counties tend to have higher education levels, are more likely to be employed, have access to more health care providers, and have more access to healthier foods, parks and recreational facilities. (Roanoke Times article)
Around the neighborhood
Last week there was a shooting just one block away from the Baptist Friendship House. Two of our ladies live on that block. Please pray for them, their families, and for their safety.
Yesterday a body was found in Southeast. Please continue to pray for the families in that neighborhood that Baptist Community Center serves.
Christmas basket help
Published December 21st, 2009This snow really messed up some of our Christmas plans. We were going to have a big day Saturday, but we were too busy making snowmen.
Windsor Hills Baptist Church is delivering food for 50 Christmas baskets tomorrow morning at 10am. These aren’t quaint “baskets” though – there is a lot of food involved as well as a few household items. A number of the volunteers that were lined up to help cannot make it tomorrow.
If you can make it out of your driveway and help us unload the truck, sort the food into their boxes, and deliver them, we would greatly appreciate it. Even if you can only help for a few minutes, we could use it.
So if you can help us out tomorrow at Baptist Community Center at 10am, we would very grateful.
Hunger in Roanoke – video
Published December 2nd, 2009How will you respond?
You can help by:
- sponsoring a $30 Angel Food box for a family that will feed them for one week.
- collecting non-perishable food for our upcoming emergency food pantry.
- purchasing food or donating funds for our After-School programs and Ladies programs
If desired, the video can be placed on DVD for viewing for your small group or congregation. Literature can also be sent detailing the ways to connect with our neighbors at the mission centers. Please email Nathan (nathan@rvba.org) or call him at 540.632.2632.
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