A Rock and a Bridge,

RBCC Monthly Newsletter
Vol. 24 No. 1 - January 8, 2006
Page 2

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

The adult Sunday School class is studying portions of the “Thermostat” curriculum during Epiphany. “Thermostat” focuses on one part of our call to peacemaking – the call to make peace with our enemies rather than go to war. It will invite us to address the powerful and seductive forces around us which offer easy answers about security, terrorism, allegiance, and violence. We will be using two parts of this curriculum – “Peacemaking” and “Terrorism.” Each session will include DVD clips, scripture reflection and guided discussion. Class starts at 9:45 am (adults begin gathering at 9:30) and goes until 10:20.

Week of Compassion
STORMS/FIRES HIT -
January 3, 2006

Winter storms along the Pacific West Coast and wildfires across the US Southwest have brought misery and worry to scores of communities at the beginning of this New Year.

Heavy rains and flooding in northern California and southwestern Oregon have flooded up to a thousand homes, and several rivers are at their highest level in years. Warm temperatures and high winds continue to fuel grass fires in drought stricken Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. Several hundred homes have been destroyed, including 90 houses in the small Texas town of Cross Plains. Two western Texas villages - Ringgold and Kokomo - also fell to flames on Sunday, leaving about 125 people homeless. Firefighters in Texas were battling at least 32 wildfires on Sunday - including a 22,400-acre blaze that threatened 200 homes near Carbon, some 125 miles west of Dallas. About 200 families near Oklahoma City were evacuated yesterday as fires threatened their homes.

WOC is contacting regional offices and congre-gations about any impact on Disciples families and facilities. Thus far, the news is good news but local assessments continue. WOC is also awaiting a response report from Church World Service and will support any ecumenical relief and recovery efforts that develop in response to the floods and the fires.

OFFERING UPDATES

As of December 25th, the Christmas Offering was $562.50.

Additional Thanksgiving Offering contributions received in December bring our total for this special offering to $309.

Our general offering for December (as of the 25th) was $8,140 – significantly higher than in recent months. Our treasurer is still calculating final expenses for 2005, but this income will go a long way in reducing the $1,500 deficit reported in this column last month. A final recap of income and expenses for 2005 will be reported next month.

Your financial contributions to both the general and building funds (as well as all the other ways you support RBCC) are critical to the ability of Rock Bridge Christian Church to carry on the ministries and missions that help define who we are. The congregation approved a budget with a projected deficit of over $3,000. With God’s help and your help, we must erase that projected deficit. Please remember to keep your contributions current.

Financial statements for 2005 will be distributed by the end of January. Thank you for your commitment to RBCC.