Pastor Jim Update #4
Hello RBC Family,
After additional walking and improvements in his oxygen levels, Pastor Jim has finally been moved out of ICU. Praise the Lord, he continues to show significant improvement. Please continue to pray for his complete recovery with no setbacks or infections. Our next update will be when he is released from the hospital to continue recovery from home
Thank you for your continued prayers for Pastor Jim!
(If you missed Jim’s announcement about this surgery, you can find in the announcements section of the May 17 service here.)
Pastor Jim Update #3
Hello RBC Family,
Just a quick note on Pastor Jim’s continued progress: Jim has been able to successfully complete a short walk as his strength and circulation continues to improve. The medical team is keeping him in the ICU for now so he can continue to focus on breathing exercises that increase his lung capacity. Please continue to pray:
- That the exercises will increase lung capacity and that Jim can reach the milestone of being release from the ICU.
- Pray for the Lord to encourage and minister to Pastor Jim that he would not grow discouraged during these early days of recovery.
- Pray that the Lord will keep infection and other illness away while his immune system recovers.
- Pray for pain management.
- Pray for peace, encouragement and peace for Jim’s family as they care for him throughout his recovery.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Pastor Jim!
(If you missed Jim’s announcement about this surgery, you can find in the announcements section of the May 17 service here.)
Pastor Jim Update #2
We will continue to keep you updated on Pastor Jim’s progress and recovery after his aortic valve replacement surgery. Praise the Lord, Jim is able to move from bed to chair, a milestone which demonstrates he is regaining strength and that circulation is improving in his body. It appears he may be able to move out of cardiac ICU as early as tomorrow. Below are a couple specific prayer requests:
- Jim’s blood pressure remains a little high – pray this can be mitigated through a change in medications.
- His body is retaining some fluid – pray that this would drain as his body continues to recover.
- Pray that the Lord will keep infection and other illness away while his immune system recovers.
- Pray for pain management.
- Pray for peace, encouragement and peace for Jim’s family as they care for him throughout his recovery.
We are grateful for your continued prayers for a swift and full recovery for Pastor Jim.
(If you missed Jim’s announcement about this surgery, you can find in the announcements section of the May 17 service here.)
Pastor Jim Update #1
This is just a brief note to let you know that Pastor Jim is out of surgery. The surgeon reported that the procedure went as planned and that Jim did very well. Pastor Jim is being moved to an ICU unit to start the recovery process. We are grateful for you care and continued prayers for a swift and full recovery! We’ll keep you updated as we receive news.
If you missed Jim’s announcement about this surgery, you can find in the announcements section of the May 17 service here.
VA Constitutional Amendment Vote on Redrawing Congressional Districts
Many Virginians may not yet be aware of an important development in our state government. Along party lines, the Virginia Democratic leadership in the General Assembly has advanced a referendum that would amend the state constitution to give lawmakers the authority to redraw congressional districts.
This move stands in sharp contrast to the will of VA voters just a few years ago. In 2020, roughly two-thirds of Virginians approved a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission. The message then was clear: voters wanted to take map-drawing power out of the hands of politicians (Republican and Democrat alike) and ensure a fairer, more transparent process. Now, that decision is effectively being revisited.
If you’re looking to better understand what’s being proposed, we’re providing resources to help you make an informed decision – click the link below. These include voting times and locations for Loudoun and Fairfax counties, as well as side-by-side comparisons of the current and proposed congressional maps. You’ll also find background information and perspectives from both sides of the issue.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE INFO DOCUMENT
After careful consideration, we ask you to consider a “no” vote on this amendment. Early voting is already underway until April 18, and Election Day is Tuesday, April 21. Because this is a lower-profile election, turnout is expected to be lighter than usual, which means your vote carries even greater weight. Thank you for taking the time to stay informed, to pray, and to participate in this important decision.
Livestream Only – January 25
Dear RBC Family,
The RBC campus will be closed all day both Sunday and Monday (Jan. 25-26) due to the winter storm.
A recording of Jim’s new message in our Romans series will be streamed on live.restonbible.org and our YouTube channel on Sunday at 9:00am and then available in the sermon archive afterwards. The livestream and sermon archive are also accessible via the RBC app.
As we move into the week, keep an eye on restonbible.org/weather or contact your ministry leader with any questions about church activities and events. Our snow removal contractor and facility crew will be working to clear the parking lot and sidewalks on Monday afternoon. All events are tied to the Loudoun County school opening and closure schedules unless exceptions are granted.
Remain prayerful and alert as to how the LORD might use this time beyond enjoying the beauty of it to build new or existing relationships that one day lead to spiritual conversations. Shoveling snow, cleaning cars, sledding, and hosting warm snacks and meals often provide opportunities to engage neighbors in unique ways. When Diana and I were first married and living in an apartment in Reston, there was a significant snow, and we met an upstairs couple for the first time. Eventually, they came over for dinner and we talked about their spiritual journey and Jesus Christ. He became their Savior and LORD, and after all these years are still His active disciples.
Looking forward to seeing you for in-person services on Sunday, February 1st.
Thanks,
Bruce
Bruce Campbell | Executive Pastor
As a resource to our church body, RBC partners with RightNow Media—think of it as “Christian Netflix,” giving you online access to thousands of video Bible studies, sermons and teachings for adults, youth and kids. This resource is offered to anyone who considers RBC their church home. To request an account, click here or email info@restonbible.org.
VA “Right to Reproductive Freedom” Amendment
VA Constitutional Amendments and House of Delegate Elections: The Virginia Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment is a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would establish a right to “reproductive freedom,” defined as the “right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy.” By clicking on the link above, you can find the full text of the amendment, Senate Joint Resolution No. 247, House Joint Resolution 1, and the breakdown of the vote in each chamber.
The constitutional amendment process in Virginia requires four steps. Here’s the full process:
- A simple majority of both the state House and Senate approves an amendment.
- There must be an election for the state House (all 100 House seats are up for election this November.)
- A simple majority of both the state House and Senate approves an amendment for a second time. This attempt will be made in January or February of 2026.
- Voters decide on an amendment in a statewide election. It only requires a majority vote to be added to the state constitution. This would occur sometime in 2026 likely coinciding with next fall’s midterm federal elections.
The proposed amendments have all completed the first step. A governor cannot veto an amendment.
Currently, Virginia allows abortions into the third trimester, with restrictions. That will no longer be the case under this amendment. Babies who survive an abortion attempt will no longer have the legal protection of reasonable, life-saving care currently required by Virginia law. Abortionists will be legally allowed to deliver the baby and let it die on a medical table if it survives the abortion process. Further, rights of parents to know about or consent to their teenage daughters’ invasive abortion surgery will be eliminated.
“Reproductive Freedom” is an umbrella term not limited to women. Men, women, and minors would also have a right to sterilization and therefore “transgender” surgery. One of the other constitutional amendments is on codifying same-sex marriage. It is also destructive to our society, but for different reasons. Please vote for the delegate who will protect life. We will keep you posted as the process unfolds next year.
Memorial Service for Cindy Wiese
Longtime RBCer Cynthia “Cindy” Edwards Wiese, 70, passed away peacefully at her home in PA on March 26. Click here to read her full obituary. A memorial service to celebrate Cindy’s life will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, May 10 at New Story Church, 110 Valley Park Road in Phoenixville, PA. To RSVP for in-person attendance or to request the livestream link, email Roy.
Loudoun County Special Elections
As Pastor Jim discussed during his series on “Christ in Culture,” we wanted to alert our body to an opportunity to be involved in our local elections. There are some critical moral issues to be decided by our local government authorities in a upcoming special elections that we can impact not only for our good, but for society’s well-being in general (Romans 13:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-17.)
On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, a special election will be held in Loudoun County for Senate of Virginia, (District 32) and House of Delegates (District 26.) The stakes are exceptionally high, and will determine who holds the state senate majority until 2027 and whether the House of Delegates will require bi-partisan support to pass legislation. To further understand the implications and moral issues of those candidates running for District 32 State Senate—including the important topics of abortion/life, gender & sexuality, preventing boys from playing in girls’ sports and keeping boys out of girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms—Tumay Harding’s website is here and Kannan Srinivasan’s website is here. To understand the implications and moral issues of those candidates running for District 26 House of Delegates, Ram Venkatachalam’s website is here, and J.J. SIngh’s website is here.
Only residents of House District 26 and/or Senate District 32 are eligible to vote. To determine if you are eligible to vote visit the Loudoun Co. Government website. You can vote early through Saturday, January 4 at the Office of Elections in Leesburg or at Claude Moore and Dulles South Recreation Centers. There is no pre-application required. Otherwise, voters must vote at their assigned precinct on election day between 6:00 am – 7:00pm, January 7. The turnout will likely be very low. Your vote will matter.