The decision to postpone tonight’s zoom mtg. is based on updated information our lay leadership received this morning. Thanks for your flexibility and also for helping us put the word out to your classes, committees, teams, and small groups.
We’ll reschedule the meeting after we’ve explored the info we’ve just received.
Background:
During this past summer our church leadership agreed for the Building & Grounds Committee to focus energies on safety and security for all of our facilities for at least six months, with the idea to begin outlining a staged process of implementing safety measures. Our work began during the summer in conjunction with TCCC and Noah Rogers, safety expert from the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
As a result of our assessments, the Building & Grounds Committee and the TCCC Director are recommending a Stage 1 of activities that highlight our need to protect the children that we serve every day in our facility. We have already:
● Updated interior door locks to enable an emergency lockdown (funded by TCCC).
● Fixed the door closer on the front door to ensure it closed securely each time the door was used. (Funded by TCCC)
● Changed the door codes for all parties- parents, staff, and church and plan to routinely do this as well as in the event of a staff member leaving, etc.
● Revisited the church’s role in providing spaces for classrooms in the event of a weather emergency or other event that requires relocation from the Williams Building to the main church building.
● Began working with the City to determine if we can add a screen around the mulched playground area.
● Considered a schedule for routine emergency training for the staff.
The next steps in our Williams Building Stage 1 are to install a new, monitored fire panel and to upgrade the access security and intercom system. The fire panel is our first priority based upon our discussions with a number of professionals. We have obtained a proposal that will provide fire protection on all levels of the Williams Building, covering materials and installation at a cost in the range of $40,000-$45,000 (allowing for contingencies in the event of unexpected costs). TCCC is preparing to cover 2/3 of the cost (for the space that they occupy) and TBC is being asked to cover 1/3 (for the space that we occupy). Costs related to security measures applicable to childcare are planned to be covered by TCCC.
We are continuing our due diligence in the event we can find a vendor with a system adequate to meet our needs at a lower price.
We will be holding a Zoom meeting on Monday, November 21st at 7pm for you to ask questions and to provide you with more proposal details. We are hoping that you will join in this discussion so that you have an awareness of potential steps for the main church as well as the building where the child care center is located. We believe that this kind of discussion is helpful prior to a church-wide vote regarding such an investment.
Here is the Zoom link information for the meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88230623508?pwd=alFFUnRPend4Rm5rYkJ3OWJ1aDg3QT09
Meeting ID: 882 3062 3508
Passcode: 278753
| Community Room HVAC Replacement |
Background:
Around 2004-2005 Barbara Spain led the way for an engineering review of the entire main church facility to determine the best approach to provide heating and air conditioning. As a result of that analysis, the congregation agreed to install five York HVAC systems in 2006-2007. These systems have served us well. Based on their age, we are now in need of repairing and fixing them to properly maintain heating and cooling.
Back in April-May of this year you may recall that we replaced the HVAC systems that service the Choir/Youth Room areas and the Blue Room/Welstead classroom area, replacing the same kind of York system that services the Community Room area now. The HVAC system that services the Community Room area has a leak in the coil. Repairing the leak would cost over $5,000—more money than is reasonable to spend on such an old system. We attempted using a sealant refrigerant in the coil to repair the leak; that attempt failed.
Vassars Services is recommending and we are asking for your approval to replace the interior unit of the system that services the Community Room area at a cost of approximately $9,000. This work will be scheduled to be completed as soon as your vote of approval is received.
Note: The technicians believe that we will probably get another two-three years of service from the exterior unit of this system, understanding that it does not have the roof exposure that the two systems have that were replaced earlier this year. Therefore, we will monitor this system closely. We urge that we move forward right away with this replacement request to be sure we continue to meet the FDA requirement of keeping food in this area at 72 degrees F.
This expense and required funding has been approved by the Administrative Board. Voting is open now and will close on November 20, at 3:00 PM. You must be a member of TBC to vote and you may only vote once. A paper ballot will be available in the back of the Sanctuary on Sunday, November 13 and Sunday, November 20, for those who do not wish to vote electronically.
Please CLICK HERE to vote electronically.
| 2022-23 Deacon Board & Nominating Committee Vote |
The Administrative Board is bringing the following recommendations to the members of the church for your vote. Voting is now open and will close on Sunday, November 13, at 5 PM. You must be a member to vote and are only allowed to vote once. A paper ballot for those of you who do not wish to vote electronically will be available in the back of the Sanctuary on November 6 & 13.
Recommended for the Board of Deacons – John Burgess, Bill Gradwell, Jerry Jones, Carol McMurray.
Recommended for the Nominating Committee – Mary Jo Dailey, Nathan Hatfield, Linda Southworth, Tori Tyndall
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SDZ65VDCLICK HERE to vote electronically.
Our 4th Quarter Business Meeting was held Sunday, October 30, 2022, in the Fellowship Hall and via zoom. Thank you to all who were in attendance either in person or virtually. If you missed the business meeting, CLICK HERE for the recorded video of the meeting.
If you still need a copy of the Quarterly Report, please CLICK HERE.
Click here to see the information for the parents and youth that are attending the Youth Retreat at Eagle Eyrie on November 11-13, 2022.
Hello Youth Families: This year’s CBFVA Fall Retreat is happening November 11-13 at Eagle Eyrie in Lynchburg. This event is open for all middle and high school students (and their friends)!
The cost to attend is $95/person but we have scholarship funds available for those that may need it.
The deadline to sign up for the Fall Retreat is Friday, September 30th. Payment is due by the time we leave for the retreat on November 11th.
Please complete the form by CLICKING HERE for each youth who plans on attending. There may be more forms to fill out for CBFVA in advance of the event, but we will get those you when we have them.
Video specifically mentions two sign-up links. Please RSVP ASAP
1) Youth Night – this Friday, September 13
2) This Sunday’s lunch. (Sept 18)
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We launch into this fall season with confidence that God will give us the resources we need in accomplishing the important work of the church. It is our hope that every member of the church will: 1) Deliberately take a deeper step in their faith walk 2) Every member will find one area to regularly serve (weekly or monthly) Which of these many opportunities would you like more information about? A member of our staff will reach out to you to answer questions and help with your discernment process. Please CLICK HERE to take the survey. Please click on the boxes to find out more information on how you may serve. PRIORITIES: CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL (9:45 – 10:45 AM) – Cindy Hutchinson is our week-to-week lead teacher. We need a minimum of one adult to serve with her. We’re likely looking for a rotation of adults to serve once a each month. (background checks required) YOUTH GROUP MENTORS (Sundays, 12:30 – 2:30 PM) Sterling Severns is our week-to-week leader. We need 2 other adults to serve beside him. We’re likely looking for a rotation of adults willing to serve once each month (Background checks required) DIALOGUE FACILITATOR (serving larger community) – ExCell is beginning a new zoom based program which gathers a small group of preschool parents together on a monthly basis. Facilitators will be trained in a 1.5 hour session and then commit to facilitating a conversation for 1 hour….once a month. We’re looking for facilitators with these attributes and attitudes: – Positive and uplifting leadership with others Guide conversations through keen observations – Demonstrate curiosity and interest in learning from others – Share patience and a sense of humor with others – Ability to listen responsively (demonstrate to the speaker that you are listening and understanding what is being said, which encourages the speaker to continue) We’re looking for a total of 10 facilitators. YOUTH EVENTS: We have a handful of upcoming youth events requiring additional chaperones. Check the box if you’d like info on events and dates. TABLE PREP AND/OR FOOD PICKUP: Mid-September, we’re beginning a new Wednesday night program called “Dinner Church”. We’re looking for folks willing to pickup food and deliver it to the fellowship hall on Wednesday afternoons and others to help prepare the tables (late Wednesday afternoon) ONCE A MONTH CLEANING AND ORGANIZING: We’d like to have a list of folks that will be willing to come into the building, once a month on a weekday of their choosing, to help tidy up and/or organize classrooms and hallways. HANDY PEOPLE: We’d like to have a list of folks that would be wiling to come into the physical building to help with basic “handy” projects. Think – hanging frames, powerwashing, preparing walls for painting, etc. SHORT TERM PROJECTS IN THE BUILDING: SANDERS: use a belt sander and mouse sander on small oak classroom desks STAINERS: Stain some of the furniture out sanders have prepared. TECHNOLOGY: organize our cables, test equipment, and/or install AV in classrooms “AT HOME” PROJECTS SEWING: new cushion covers for sitting stools, a sitting bench, light blocking curtains, and cushions for “This End Up Furniture” BASIC FURNITURE BUILDING: Break down a piece of furniture and use the wood material to create a basic sitting bench (we have a leather cushion for the bench) Please CLICK HERE to take the survey. Please click on the boxes to find out more information on how you may serve. We’ll continue to post other opportunities as they arise and appreciate you discerning YOUR place of service. |
Joseph Myers in The Search to Belong, with the help of sociologist Edward T. Hall, identifies four kinds of spaces in which we find a sense of belonging. DISCIPLESHIP HAPPENS IN ALL FOUR OF THESE SPACES. Each intentional space has a unique purpose and set of expectations.
Our goal is to prompt each one of us to take a deeper step in our walk with Christ.
Public space is about sharing a common experience in a larger space, like a public worship service.
WE SHOULD EXPECT to come to worship with expectation of encountering the living God, prepared to listen to stories about the in in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, and leave with a renewed sense of purposefulness. We should not expect this space to do the challenging and long-term work of transformation.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT this space to do the heavy lifting in the long-term work of transformation. While this space may feel intimate to those participating, it isn’t meant to be a replacement for the smaller spaces where people can be vulnerable and practice accountability.
AT IT’S BEST, corporate worship becomes missional if it reshapes people to inhabit God’s story in their everyday lives.
Community space is where people select a community – people with whom they want to go deeper – to belong to. In our congregational setting, this space is more like a mid-sized group of 20 to 40 people. The It’s small enough for people to experience authentic community, but big enough to mobilize.
WE SHOULD EXPECT this space to facilitate deeper relationship building and lighten the load by spreading out the work.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT the deepest levels of vulnerability and accountability to take place in this space.
AT IT’S BEST, this space gives people a foretaste of the Kingdom, where people are known and, together, we’re living out love and relationships in meaningful ways.
Jesus discipled the disciples through constant invitation and challenge. Personal spaces of belonging are small by design, 5-12 participants, and are uniquely suited for a deeper formation.
In this closed and temporary space we invite people to live out a common rule of life and share in habits together that will help us to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and practices that will encourage us to live out the mission of God.
WE SHOULD EXPECT accountability to happen in this space because Christ calls us to help one another explore our unique struggles, hopes, and callings. In this space we invite and challenge one another to open up honestly. We create safe space a shared commitment to expectations and embracing the importance of keeping trust in the holding of one another’s stories.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT everyone to feel comfortable to participate (yet) and we shouldn’t assume this is space where we expect the “naked truth” of our lives to be fully revealed.
AT OUR BEST, The farther we move from the public space into personal/intimate spaces, the greater the accountability and vulnerability becomes and the more intentional we should be in fostering the invitation and challenge to walk with Christ into a hurting world.
Higher depths of accountability and vulnerability don’t come easy for many of us. Trust takes time to build. Whereas, we should assume that everyone is expected to go deeper, with each step they take with Christ, the stride and pace of those steps will vary dramatically. If you’re ready to step into something that promotes vulnerability and accountability, we’ll have a space for you now. If you aren’t ready yet, it’s ok. We’ll be ready when you are.
This is like the space Jesus had with Peter, James and John. Whereas, we aren’t yet ready to invest energy in creating intimate space, we want to be mindful of it’s importance!
Explore our fall programming guide
Short on time? Here’s a snapshot of what to expect this fall
