Church family, This week we will have our Strategic Planning Committee Town Hall. We will share some of our process over the past year as well as updates ahead of our Member Meeting on Sunday. Please plan to attend the Town Hall and Member Meeting this week. Bring your favorite dish for us to share a family meal together. We continue to have new members join with several more attending our Next Steps Class yesterday . Look for people you don't know to enjoy fellowship with them at our Member Meeting on Sunday. This week, we will have Easter at the Commons invitations ready. Easter is less than a month away. Would you begin praying for the person(s) you can invite? On Wednesday, March 18, at our adult Bible study, we will begin a brief study through 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 on the power of the gospel to open eyes and our role as Christ's ambassadors. Grace and peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, I want to share with you several upcoming days in our church life. First, our Strategic Planning Committee has been working for the past year to review our growth trajectories as well as things we can do to address current and future growth needs. In a letter sent at the end of 2025, we noted that we would have a Town Hall update/conversation in the new year. That Town Hall conversation will take place on Wednesday evening, March 11, during the Adult Bible Study window. We will share some important updates and take your questions. Second, as a follow-up to the Town Hall conversation on March 11, we will have our regular Member Meeting on March 15. One update you will receive at the Town Hall concerns property acquisition possibilities, which could come as a motion at the Member Meeting on March 15. For those unable to attend the March 11 Town Hall, we will record and make available on our podcast channel by Thursday, March 12, ahead of the March 15 Member Meeting. Would you continue to pray for WBC, our Elders, Staff, Deacons, and Strategic Planning Committee? Would you plan to attend the Town Hall where your questions will be welcome? Would you plan to attend the Member Meeting on March 15? Thank you again for the opportunity to take a few weeks to refresh and reset. I took advantage of those weeks to read, study, and write. With the link that follows, here are some initial mini-reviews of some of the books I completed during my sabbatical: https://chrishefner.org/2026/03/02/a-sabbatical-reading-review/

Church family, thank you for the opportunity to take a sabbatical. It was a timely season for rest, worship, and reset. I'm deeply grateful to the elders for leading and teaching in my absence, for the deacons and staff continuing to serve, and for your support as a congregation. The timing was perfect as God let me grieve and reset instead of drowning myself in work, which would not have been good for me or for WBC. I've written some extended thoughts below about sabbatical and Sabbath, and plan to share some additional posts in the weeks to come about reading, writing, and Sabbath. Grace and Peace, Dr. Hefner https://chrishefner.org/2026/02/23/thank-you-wilkesboro-baptist-for-my-sabbatical/

Easter Sunday (April 5) is roughly 40 days from this writing. Over the next few weeks, we will be preparing for the community Easter Egg Hunt in March. So, bring candy to fill the plastic eggs as we show the love of Jesus to our community. We will have a special time of communion to celebrate and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. We will also have a wonderful celebration at the Wilkesboro Commons on Sunday morning. Start learning some songs now so you’ll be ready to sing out about the hope Jesus gives us through his resurrection. There will be links in the email Beacon Newsletter to several songs we will be singing on April 5. Let’s prepare our hearts for this glorious celebration so everyone will see the mighty acts of God in our lives.

Church Family, On Sunday, February 15, the youth will serve the senior adults of the church at the annual Valentine Banquet. It is a wonderful opportunity to show service rooted in love. I am always encouraged to see people serving one another. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, let’s reach out to our neighbors with the love of Christ. Continue seeking ways to serve through Christ’s love. If you are interested in serving, please reach out to the church office. We would love to share opportunities for service. Grace and peace, Pastor Tad

Thank you, church, for being patient during these last few weeks with the winter weather coming to town. The elders and staff of WBC appreciate your flexibility as we navigate the obstacles that snow, ice, and cold temperatures bring. We try to make decisions out of an abundance of caution for everyone’s safety. Please continue to check email, the WBC website, and social media channels for special announcements. We were able to have a modified worship service on Friday, January 30, at lunchtime to record and upload to YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo. Elder Steve Robinson and the worship team did a great job leading us through song and Scripture. I hope all those who watched the service later were blessed by the wonderful time of worship. We should be able to join together in person this Sunday, February 8. I look forward to seeing everyone. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to the church office or an elder, and we will do our best to help this week. In Christ Alone, Pastor Tad

Church family, I want to thank you for the love you showed my father over the years here at WBC. From deacons to the Women’s Ministry Care Team, to friends, staff, elders, and many others. Thank you. Thank you for the way you cared for me and our family this past Saturday at his memorial service. We felt your love through the cards, text messages, prayers, meals, and support at Saturday’s memorial. Over the past few years, my dad said to me on a number of occasions, “I would like to get back to church.” Well, he wasn’t physically able during his illness, but I know he would have been moved by your outpouring of love and support for our family. With deepest gratitude, Pastor Chris and Family.

This coming Sunday, January 18, at 5:30 p.m., we will have our first member meeting of 2026. We will celebrate the financial blessings God gave our church in 2025 and hear about upcoming events from our children’s and worship ministries. After the meeting, we will gather for a time of fellowship with finger foods and desserts. Please continue to pray for Pastor Chris as he mourns the loss of his father last week. He deeply values your prayers during this season of grieving, rest, and study. The elders of WBC are available for counsel and prayer; reach out to the church office to schedule a time to meet with an elder. Grace and Peace, Pastor Tad

Church family, I want to thank the Personnel Committee and Elders for granting me a sabbatical. I will be in the office this week (January 5-11) and will preach on Sunday, January 11. My sabbatical will be January 12 through February 16. During that time, I have plans to read, write, rest, and refresh my soul. You can be confident in the leadership and teaching/preaching while I’m out of the office. Your affirmation of our qualified elders has been a great blessing to me and a measure of health for Wilkesboro Baptist Church. On Sundays, Tad Craig and Steve Robinson are scheduled to preach on the book of James. On Wednesdays, each elder will take a Wednesday teaching slot working through the virtue list in 2 Peter 1:5-11. Also, every Wednesday afternoon, an elder will be available in my office for counsel, prayer, or meeting with prospective church members. That schedule for elder availability will be posted in the Beacon and Worship Guide. During those five weeks, you will continue to see my family at church. I will be disconnecting from much communication during this season. If you have a critical need, you can trust our pastors and elders to care for you. Here are some ways you can help me and WBC through this season. First, lead others to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Second, find a place to serve. If you aren’t serving, make time to talk to a pastor or elder about where you can serve. Third, pray for pastors, elders, deacons, and staff during these weeks where they will increase their workload. Fourth, pray for me during this season that I will rest in God and hear from God. Thank you for your prayers and support. Grace and peace to you this season. Pastor Chris