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

Church family, Our mission at WBC is to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Our Journey Outcomes flow out of our mission and reflect a life of following Jesus. Three of those outcomes that address our devotional life are: 1) Listen to God daily through Scripture and personal worship. 2) Record what God is speaking to share with group/community. 3) Be accountable to a person or group. The New Year is a great time to evaluate your devotional life of following Jesus and begin practicing Journey Outcomes if you are not already. If you do not have a Bible reading plan (listening to God daily), January 1 is a great time to start. The main thing is consistency in reading/listening to God’s Word. Here’s a link to a number of Bible reading plan options. You can also download a Bible app (like the ESV Bible app) and discover Bible reading plans in the app. https://www.ligonier.org/posts/bible-reading-plans Bible Reading Plans for 2026 Grace and Peace! Pastor Chris

Merry Christmas, church family! We will gather for our Christmas Eve Communion services at 4 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, December 24. Beginning December 28, we will begin a new sermon series through the book of James entitled “Genuine Faith.” In preparation for this series, please read James 1 this week. Merry Christmas, church family! We will gather for our Christmas Eve Communion services at 4 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, December 24. and send out by mail and email the week of December 29. We will have no activities at the church on Wednesday, December 31. Our mission at WBC is to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Our Journey Outcomes flow out of our mission and reflect a life of following Jesus. Three of those outcomes that address our devotional life are: 1) Listen to God daily through Scripture and personal worship. 2) Record what God is speaking to share with group/community. 3) Be accountable to a person or group. The New Year is a great time to evaluate your devotional life of following Jesus and begin practicing Journey Outcomes if you are not already. If you do not have a Bible reading plan (listening to God daily), January 1 is a great time to start. The main thing is consistency in reading/listening to God’s Word. Here’s a link to a number of Bible reading plan options. You can also download a Bible app (like the ESV Bible app) and discover Bible reading plans in the app. https://www.ligonier.org/posts/bible-reading-plans?srsltid=AfmBOorZ75bY0nTNflSpdYPeOlhSSj9HCDyNVq4_7pCLNQG279RzO71_

Church family, what musical celebration yesterday! I want to say a special thank you to Brian Price, the praise team, choir, and audio/video technicians for leading us in musical worship for all three services. The music was moving and elevated Christ our King. It was a great day of Advent celebration. Over the past two weeks, we’ve approved our 2026 budget, baptized 5 new members, celebrated with a great musical program, and reflected on the gifts that Jesus gives to us at Advent. Keep inviting friends, family, and neighbors to worship with us. We love seeing new faces and getting an opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. I was speaking with a visitor who came to faith in Christ last week. He told me something beautiful. He and his family were invited by a church member, but he kept coming back because he felt like this was “home.” He felt welcomed and named specific people who made him feel welcome. Thank you church family! Keep looking for people you don’t know on Sundays and introducing yourself to them. Grace and Peace! Pastor Chris

Church family, In the busyness of this Christmas season, let’s take advantage of our access to the Father through prayer and the privilege of pausing for worship gatherings. Thank you for all the ways you are serving others this season and enjoying worship and community at WBC! Grace and peace to you all this holiday season. Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, you overwhelmingly approved Bruce Nisley to serve as a lay elder at Wilkesboro Baptist with your vote nearing 92% approval. Our elders serving into 2026 are as follows: Chris Hefner and Tad Craig (staff elders); Steve Melton (beginning his second three year term January 2026); Steve Robinson (beginning his final year of his first term beginning January 2026); Tam Hutchinson (beginning his second year of his first term in January 2026); Dustin Deal (beginning his first year of first term November 2025); Bruce Nisley (beginning his first year of first term December 2025); Marsh Lyall (completing his three year term December 2025). Deacon ballots have been mailed to the congregation and are due on December 7. Please turn them into the church office or bring them with you to worship on December 7. Also on December 7, we will vote on the proposed 2026 church budget as a part of the Sunday morning worship services. Please pray for your church staff, elders, and deacons as we lead and serve the church in the coming months. On Wednesday, December 10 during the adult Bible study time, we will have an ordination service for Dustin Deal as elder as well as an installation service for Bruce Nisley. This will be in the Fellowship Hall at 6:15 pm. Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, thank you for inviting people to visit with us at WBC. Parents, thank you for bringing your children to church/Awana and for talking with them about faith. The vast majority of our baptisms this year have come from children whose parents have shared their faith with them and from church members who have invited friends and family to WBC. When you invite others to worship, and they come to faith in Christ, that’s replicating. That’s what it means to lead our neighbors to follow Jesus. Keep it up! Thank you for participating in our Member Meeting and 2026 budget presentation on Nov. 16. Your faithfulness to give, participate, and grow is an inspiration and encouragement to others. Grace and Peace to you this week! Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris