Greetings to my new church family at Crabtree Valley Baptist. I am honored and consider it a privilege to be able to share in worship and the life of the church during this upcoming Advent season. I look forward to getting to know you and want to take this opportunity to introduce myself so you can know me better as well. I am a native of Virginia and felt called into the ministry during my junior year of high school. I have served as pastor of four churches over the course of 44 years and retired last year after 17 years of serving as Senior Pastor of the Wake Forest Baptist Church. My wife Kathy just retired this fall after teaching special needs students for 32 years on the elementary school level. We have two daughters and two granddaughters, age 9 and 4. We enjoy travels, good books, and long walks.
I hope you will join with me in the many special opportunities that this season provides. All the studies show that people are especially welcome to an invitation to church during the Christmas season. The Christmas Cantata on December 10 at 4 p.m. and the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at 5 p.m. are especially wonderful opportunities.
This coming Sunday we will light the candle of HOPE in the Advent wreath and my message will be “Where is Hope Seen?” Consider your own hopes these days and what it is God is hoping for you and His church at CVBC these days. Last of all, I ask a favor. Will you bring a picture of yourself with your name on it this Sunday and share it with me?. I want to call you by name and this will greatly help. It is the most special time of the year as we celebrate the Christ who has come and who continues to come when we make room for Him in our lives..
Brave Journey,
Bill Slater
