We’ve been talking a lot about the Ministry Fair coming up next weekend (August 22 & 23) as we have been bringing in different ministry leaders to 7:24/whatever-the-new-name-is to talk about opportunities to volunteer.  I certainly encourage you to check out those ministries and others at the fair this weekend and to be in prayer about if and how God is calling you to invest your time and energy in serving at RBC on a regular basis.  But we also have the opportunity to assist with the set-up and running of the fair!

They need 6-7 people for each service to make and hand out sno cones, cotton candy, coffee, balloons, etc.  A few of those people will need to be available to set-up before the service as well.  We’ll need a total of at least 18 volunteers.

• Option 1 – Saturday set-up:  Those helping with set-up before the Saturday service will need to come by 4:30 to help set-up.
• Option 2 – Saturday fair & clean-up:  If you can’t come that early to set-up but would like to help with post-service fair, let me know – that’s fine too – you’ll need to be outside and at your station before 7:00p.m.  This group will also help put things away for the night.  Need 6 or 7 people.
• Option 3 – Sunday set-up:  Those helping to set-up before the 9a.m. service will need to be come by 8:00 to help set-up.
• Option 4 – Sunday fair between services:  Those helping at the fair between services will need to be outside and at your station before 10:00.  Need 6 or 7 people.
• Option 5 – Sunday fair after 2nd service & clean-up:  Those helping after the 11:00a.m. service will need to be outside and at your station before 12:00 noon.  Clean-up will probably be done by 2:00.  Need 6 or 7 people.

If you are interested in helping out in this way, please email me by Thursday night and let me know which option you would like to volunteer for.  If you are available to help with a combo of those options, that’s great (i.e. we will need a few people to do both Option 1 & 2, and both Option 3 & 4 – to help with set-up and the fair).  Note that you cannot attend church during the service you volunteer – or at least you will have to get in late and leave early and will need to sit in the back on aisle so you don’t disturb others.

Thanks so much!!  Let me know if you have any questions.

Renae

Kim Reynolds, who is on staff with RBC working in the Children’s Ministry, contacted me to ask if 7:24 would be willing to help with the Vacation Bible School carnival on Friday July 17.  They need 4-6 additional volunteers to help set-up, prepare hot dogs, sell hot dogs and drinks, make sno cones and cotton candy, help kids on the rides, and help clean-up.  Volunteers would need to be available from 5:30 to 9:30 – job assignments will be made that day so all you need to do is show up and be willing to help where ever!  If you are interested in serving in this way, please let me know by Sunday July 12.

Thanks everyone!

Renae

As many of you know, Reston Bible Church will be having its annual church picnic two Sundays from now on June 14th after the 11:00 service at Lake Fairfax Park (off Baron Cameron).  This event is being coordinated by the RBC Men’s Ministry and I have been talking with Kevin Marshall about ways that we can help.

For those of you who helped with the Spiritual Emphasis weekend, this event will be similar in the number of helpers and jobs needed.  Kevin listed some ways that we can help:

• Make signs for cars (to know where to turn, etc )
• Welcome table (hand out name tags, help wih gen info)
• Parking team to direct cars
• One person to run to Costco with the cook
• Move tables from church to picnic site (one person to help Kevin)
• Food table team (Organize food on tables as food arrivesa and keep people from eating the food prior to start time
• Beverage team (Keep the coolers full of lemonade, tea, etc)
• Clean-up crew (basic cleanup, labeling leftover re-usable items, wash out coolers, etc)
• Tear-down crew (stronger guys who can help with tear-down of the tent, move picnic tables back to original locations, etc)

Kevin did note that this is not an exhaustive list, so I am sure that there is more that we can help with!    Kevin would like to organize volunteers into teams with team leaders as there will be a lot that he will be responsible for on the day of the picnic and he would like to delegate some of the responsibility for specific areas.  I imagine that being a team leader will mean that you will need to know where things go/what needs to be done (Kevin, Angela, or I will make sure you have all the information you need) and be able to communicate that to the rest of the team.

If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know:  A)  What team would like you to help with (Welcome, Parking, Food, Beverage, Clean-up, Tear-down) and B) Are you willing to be the team leader for that team?  There’s a couple other tasks that don’t fit into teams (helping Kevin move tables, going to Costco, etc.) so if you’d like to do that instead of/in addition to being on a team, let me know.

Given how much work there is to do, I think there’s something for everyone to do – we could easily fill 20 volunteers positions.  If we have enough people, we will organize into shifts so that everyone only has to work a portion of the picnic.  So if you plan on coming, volunteer to help out for a little bit!  Please let me know by this Saturday how you would like to help!

Thanks so much!!

Renae

For questions or more details, email Stephen.

I’ve been in touch with Barb Ruffner, who is coordinating the volunteer efforts for Conversations, and she would love to have 724 help out.  These are the areas that she needs help:

• Ushers
• Child care (nursery, preschool, school age)
• Bakery provisions for the coffee shop
• Dinner for the actors and crew

One idea is that since we have already committed Tuesday nights to be at RBC for 7:24 on a weekly basis, we could serve together that night.  Barb needs 6 ushers per night and at least as many child care workers.  If there’s enough interest, we could also probably also help with the baking or dinner for another night (or the same night).

I just want to get a feel for what the initial interest is so I can talk with Barb about how it would be best for us to help.  So please let me know…

1)  Are you interested/available in helping out as a group – probably on Tuesday, April 7?

2)  What of the four things above would you be most interested in?

Of course you can always volunteer as an individual (you can do that on the RBC website), but for those who would like to serve together as part of our 7:24 community – let me know what your thoughts are.  Reply by Wednesday please!  Let me know if you have any questions.

See you around…

Renae

Believe it or not, there is yet another opportunity for us to serve this month, Lord willing! We are hoping that we will be able to extend God’s love to DC by serving at the DC Central Union Mission. This is a Christian organization that provides many services to the homeless. They serve hot meals, provide sleeping areas for those on the streets and have an extensive “spiritual transformation” program to redirect the lives of homeless men back to God, their families and to the workplace.

I am currently just taking a poll of interest in serving this mission. There are a couple opportunities for us to serve. First, we will need 10 volunteers who are eager to roll up their sleeves and do some serious cleaning early in the morning later on this month (I am thinking either the 21st or the 28th). Second, we need 5 volunteers who would like to serve meals next month on a Saturday evening. Please let me know if you are interested in either one of these opportunities so I can start nailing down some dates.

Let’s work together to extend the reach of HIS arms Thanks everyone!

-Angela

Due to inclement weather on 27 Jan, we were not able to serve the RBC food pantry ministry.  The weather forecast is looking good for this weekend, and the food pantry remains in need; therefore, I’d like to invite everyone to meet at the Shopper Food Warehouse [directions] in Herndon this Saturday, 7 Feb, at 12pm for lunch and to shop.  Also, Ms. Marie Rein, an elderly lady our 7:24, First Fruits team delivered groceries to, has indicated a need for food. As such, I’m hoping we could shop and deliver groceries for her.  Lord willing, we’ll see you this Saturday. 

“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

Grace be with everyone,

Joseph

Cheryl Ryan got in touch with me today to let me know of another opportunity for 7:24 to serve RBC.  (She also told me how grateful she is for all your help at the Spiritual Emphasis conference: “I am still in awe of how the Lord worked through the 7.24 community to bless me and glorify Himself at the Spiritual Life Emphasis conference.  So again, thank you, thank you, thank you!”)

RBC will be holding a baptism service this Sunday after the regular church services.  Cheryl could use 5-6 volunteers to help set up a reception table in the Welcome Center (kind of like we did for the conference) for refreshments after the service, give programs to the guests before the service (they expect about 70 people to attend), hand out towels to the people being baptised (there will be 4) and help them out of the baptismal pool, and laying out towels before the service for the people to walk on so they don’t drip water everywhere, and then clean-up afterwards.

Let me know if you are interested in helping out with this and I will get you in touch with Cheryl.  You would need to be available from 12:30 to about 2:45.  Cheryl needs to know who is available ASAP so she can make plans, so please respond by Tuesday night if you are interested in helping out! 

Thanks so much!

Renae

The 724 Food Run is still tentatively on for tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 27) assuming the roads are relatively clear. For those of you able to make it, Joseph Houston will be heading up a run to Shopper’s Food Warehouse to stock up on non-perishables for the RBC Food Bank. Meet in the RBC parking lot at 7:00pm. If road conditions worsen, we’ll post a cancellation here by 6:30pm. Give Joseph a call with any questions – 703-463-0233.

On January 23-25, Reston Bible Church will be hosting a Spiritual Life conference featuring pastor Paul David Tripp titled “Portrait of a Struggle: Jesus, Others, and Everyday Life.”  First of all, you should come to this conference because it is going to be fabulous and I think you will be challenged and encouraged.  The topic is addressing difficulties in our daily life and God’s purpose for our good in those trials.  Paul Tripp is a great speaker!

In addition to that, however, there are many ways that 724 can serve at this event.  Specifically, they need people to
–assist with registration on Friday and Saturday
–set up the refreshment and coffee table, keep it replenished, and clean-up afterwards
–pass out surveys during the last session.

The conference is taking place at RBC on Friday, January 23 from 6:45 to 9:15 and on Saturday, January 24 from 8:45-12:15.  Paul Tripp will also speak on weekend services at RBC.

Helping at this event will require you to be there about an hour early before the sessions, but you will still be able to sit in the sessions.  Additionally, for those who volunteer, the registration fee of $15 will be waived.

If you are able to help at the Spiritual Life conference, please e-mail me and let me know if you are able to help only Friday, only Saturday, or both days.  If you volunteer, do not register for the conference – there is special system for volunteers, but I will have to tell you what to do later.

I need to let Cheryl Ryan know by the end of this week how many people from 724 she can count on.  So please respond by Thursday night!!  If you signed up at 724 on Tuesday, you don’t need to reply.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

For more info about the conference, go to http://www.restonbible.org/portrait – from there you can link to a promo video of the “Portrait of a Struggle” conference by Paul Tripp.  I watched it and it seems like it’s going to be great!  I’m super excited!

This will be a great way for the 724 community to serve RBC and many other people who come to this conference from other churches.

Let me know by Thursday if and when you can help.

Thanks,

Renae Smith