From the Pastor…
“Thank you” does not seem adequate for how good you have been to our family this Christmas. We thoroughly enjoyed every class and family gathering, and your generous gifts are most appreciated. The goodies shared with us made our tummies happy and the beautiful cards and well-wishes are truly lasting gifts. Christmas at Roberdel is a most special time that we always enjoy.
2022 was a year in which we said “goodbye” (for now) to many dear friends and loved ones. But it was a wonderful year in many ways! We were able to meet numerous ministry and mission opportunities. We continued to pray for 24 hours the first Thursday of each month. On the second Thursday of each month we fed folks at the Richmond County Soup Kitchen in Hamlet. Both of these ministries are very important and I pray we will continue to support them in 2023.
Our school continues to see record enrollment and continued demand for more classes and longer days. As we await the plans for building and renovations on the property of the former Roberdel Children’s Center, we must seriously commit to giving for this urgent need. We are blessed with the best director and staff around, and we need to provide opportunities for more families to utilize this tremendous ministry of Roberdel Baptist Church.
Ministry to children, youth, families, and senior adults continues to recover from the Covid pandemic and we are beginning to experience life that feels more normal than anything we have done for 3 years. Thank you for your faithfulness. Speaking of faithfulness, thank you for giving so that we were able to pay off the bus in just a little over three years. The timing was wonderful, in that we now have room to grow in other areas of our ministry budget. And yes, we approved a conservative, yet challenging, budget for 2023. Our continued systematic giving is needed now more than ever in these difficult financial times.
It is such a joy to see our choir return to lead us in worship. I am very thankful for all of the wonderful talent we have in our music ministry. Logan does a super job leading, while our praise band, musicians, and special singers continue to bless us regularly. We appreciate you all very much. Don’t forget that we could not get it done without the diligent work of our media and technology volunteers!
Our ladies are leading Bible Studies on a weekly basis, while our men and boys quietly go about the Kingdom work of meeting practical needs and witnessing to the recipients of their hard work. Our excellent teachers lead men, women, boys and girls every week in missions, Bible Study, and Awana. Thank you to every teacher and director who makes sure that these ministries are functioning and reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ.
While we are getting back into the daily tasks that come with being the church in the community, there is still room for YOU to be involved here at RBC! The fields are white unto harvest, but the workers are few. Join me in praying to the Lord of the harvest to send forth workers into His harvest fields. If you don’t know where you can use your gifts, please speak to me about your interest in being an obedient servant and I will help you plug into the ministry that best suits your giftedness.
Together we can make 2023 a great year at Roberdel Baptist Church. If we obey Christ and serve as His hands and feet in the community, there is no limit to the blessings He can – and will – pour out upon us. Happy New Year!
In Christian Love,
Billy Dennis