RBC Online Resources
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we won't be meeting for services in person, but we will be posting some resources here every week to keep our fellowship alive remotely. RBC OnlineServices in church resumeThe suspension of church services and meetings in the church buildings is now coming to an end. As of Harvest Sunday, 27 September, Sunday services in church will resume, albeit in restricted and simplified form. Please watch this video if you'd like to know what to expect. If you'd like to attend one of our services, please book your place (for free) via our Eventbrite page. Please watch the video below if you're unsure about the process. From the newsletter — for 27th SeptemberA word from DavidMy father (a builder) used to say that it is only when you lean on a wall that you discover whether it will topple over. The last six months have been a struggle for churches. We have been lent on, especially as so many have worked so hard recently to get the church ready to reopen. I want to again say thank you to all those who have contributed, behind the scenes, to keeping RBC going in difficult times and helping us safely reach the point where we can open our doors again. And what an auspicious week to open! Harvest – when we celebrate God’s provision and goodness and care during the coming winter months. Online Church Hall, Chat and PrayerYou are invited to join us over Zoom at 11:00am on Sunday for a chat and prayer. Here's a link to join. Please do get in touch with David, Peter or Emma if you need the password. Harvest Service in ChurchIf you’ve booked a seat and are coming in person to church on Sunday, please would you:
There are no pew Bibles available nor cushions in the pews, so if you would like either, please bring your own. You must not come if you have any symptoms of the virus or if you are meant to be self isolating. There is a video on our website which gives a bit more detail about what to expect. The service will also be live-streamed and available to watch at any time via our website after the event. This may suit some people better if they prefer not to come to the church building at this time. This is the first time we’ve done this quite in this way - we’re doing our best and will take it all as it comes! Please do get in touch with David, Peter, Gill or Emma if you have any questions. Huge thanks go to everyone who is working hard to make this happen. Network Groups will NOT be happening for now, but Sunday Shoal + will continue to meet via Zoom at 10:30am. There will be no tea and coffee after the service, but we will still meet over Zoom at the slightly later time of 11.30am. Harvest AppealsOur two Harvest Appeals this year: BMS World Mission’s Operation: Chad. Donations can be made directly to BMS. Alternatively, donations of cash (or cheques made payable to BMS World Mission) can be made via the BMS envelopes. These will be available in church on Sunday 27th September at our harvest service or will be posted out if you receive the newsletter by post. Please return envelopes to church by Sunday 11th October. Food Bank Appeal. The foodbank has asked us NOT to have a collection of food in church this year. Instead you are invited to support them by making a donation via our food bank bank account (please contact Gill for the details). If you prefer to give a donation of food, then you will need to do this via one of the supermarket collection points. Booking Seats for Sunday ServicesBooking for Sunday 4th October will open on Monday – this will give us a chance to make any adjustments after our experience from this Sunday. Please do let us know if you had any difficulties with booking! NB: if you are booking a seat in a pew and another seat is shown as taken in that pew already, you need to leave 5 empty seats between! Booking: rugbybaptist.eventbrite.com or call the church office! Church open for private prayerThe church continues to be open every Tuesday from 11am - 1pm for Private Prayer. Please note that face coverings are now mandatory in places of worship. Any other access to church needs to be arranged with Gill, our office manager (tel 07305 619012). If you’re a group / activity leader interested in resuming meeting at church, please contact Gill in the first instance for a chat about the process that we need to go through before you have the green light to come back. CongratulationsOur heartfelt congratulations to Peter on his call to Leamington Spa Baptist Church as their minister. We’re going to miss Peter, Inger and Nathan so much, but we rejoice with them at the start of this exciting new chapter in their lives and our prayers, love and best wishes go with them. What you might not know is that Peter’s Preach with a View Weekend should have been in March – but this was interrupted as the whole country went into lockdown! After this six month pause and to help our friends at Leamington Spa who must be keen to reach the end of their pastoral vacancy, David, the deacons and Peter have agreed Peter’s final Sunday with us will be Sunday 18th October. This will also enable Peter to have a couple of weeks break before starting his new role at the beginning of November. Annual Church MeetingOur Annual Church Meeting has been postponed until 10th November in the hope that we will by that stage be able to meet in person. Pastoral careWe have set up a telephone network, we are using email, Facebook and our website, and we’re using Zoom for some of our meetings. If you would like a church directory so you can phone a friend, please let Emma know. If you’re aware of anyone in need of a bit of extra pastoral care, then please let Bobbie, David or Peter know, or a member of the pastoral care team or one of the deacons. Prayers can also be requested via the prayer chain: please contact Bobbie. Prayer meetingsA prayer meeting takes place on Zoom every Wednesday at 7pm. We're also meeting daily for 20 minutes at 9am via Zoom to pray together, and this is proving to be a helpful pattern for some of us. If you'd like to join either, please contact David, Peter or Emma for the Zoom link. Bilton house updateWe know that many of you have missed visiting friends and family in Bilton House so thought you might like an update on the situation there. The residents are as well as can be expected at this difficult time and had just begun to have visitors in a controlled and limited way. However, one member of staff has tested positive for Covid 19 and so visiting has been stopped for at least a fortnight. None of the residents have shown any symptoms to date. On a brighter note, Sandra, a new Activities Organiser has been appointed and she is helping to keep the residents busy and entertained. This follows the retirement of Janet who was a wonderful friend to them all and who will be sorely missed. We will keep you updated as we get more news. Rachel and Rosemary (Trustees) OffertoryDo you usually give to the work of the church via the offertory plate on a Sunday? If so, you might like to consider giving by standing order or bank transfer instead. We depend on donations and income from room lettings, both of which will be negatively affected by the current situation. Account details: Lloyds Bank, Rugby, 30-97-17 Account No 00344633. QR Code Posters in ChurchScan the QR code with your phone whenever you come to the church building using the NHS COVID-19 app. This is to help trace and stop the spread of coronavirus. For more info and to download the app: https://www.covid19.nhs.uk/ FlowersThe flowers this week are given by Elfreda for Celebrations. Please speak to Fiona if you would like to give flowers one Sunday as we begin to meet again in church. All donations for flowers can be made directly to the church account (please contact Gill for the details) or via cash or cheque to Gill in the office. Please ensure all donations are marked for flowers. RBC Online ArchiveMissed an RBC Online service from a few weeks ago? Catch up on our Youtube channel. |
