Introducing RBC Cares
The Deacons are launching a new initiative called “RBC Cares,” whose goal is to connect those who desire to share their gifts (material or services), with the needy in our congregation, who are under the care of the Deacons.
RBC Cares will assist the Deacons in meeting the needs of RBC families, while tapping into the talents of the congregation.
The first step is to create a central repository of donors, which enables the Deacons to match needs with gifts. To do this we need your help. First, we need to know who is willing to help (free of charge) and how you’re gifted.
Here are a few examples of ways to serve:
- Opening your home to a displaced widow/family
- Offering legal advice
- Offering tax advice or financial guidance
- Offering real estate advice
- Assisting with job searches
- Providing child care
- Doing home repair
- Giving rides to church
Here’s how it works:
- Let us know you’re willing to serve by registering at the link below (donors will be kept anonymous).
- Tell us how you would like to serve.
- If a need arises within your area of giftedness, we will communicate the need and if you’re willing and able, you can elect to serve. If not, we will keep you on the list for the next opportunity within your area. There’s no time commitment or obligation.
- You can serve as little or as much as you prefer, as needs arise within your area of giftedness.
Update on Bill Hurley
Dear RBC Family,
We have some very difficult news to share with you. As most of you likely know, Bill Hurley, our Missions Director here at RBC, unexpectedly disappeared about a month ago. It was discovered yesterday that Bill died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while apparently on his way back to Virginia. We have no idea what drove Bill to do this, and we don’t have any other details at this time.
Pastor Mike and Kay have been ministering to his wife, Cheryl, and the family. Many of you who love Bill and his family may wonder what you can do to help at this time. Here are some ideas of what you can do for now:
WEEP: Sorrow in itself is not sin. Though he was perfectly sinless, Jesus wept and felt sorrow and grief. Paul wrote in Romans 12:15 that we should “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Weeping and feeling the sorrow of such tragic events aligns our hearts with all who feel the sting of this loss. More importantly, our weeping should ultimately align us with the heart of God, who is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
PRAY: Sorrow in this world is meant to push us into the arms of our Savior, and prayer is one of the greatest means we have of experiencing His embrace. Let our grief lead us to our great Comforter, “that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Here are some specific ways you can pray: Please pray for Cheryl and their children as they grieve – pray that God would be their refuge and fortress in time of need. Please pray for our local staff and missions committee, as we are hit hard by the loss of someone we worked with and loved very much. Please pray also for our extended staff, hundreds of missionaries all around the globe, many of whom have worked side-by-side with Bill and Cheryl over the past thirty years.
REJOICE: What a strange command from scripture, that in trials and sorrow we should also rejoice: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6). We can rejoice because Jesus is our “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3), and because of Him, we do not grieve as those “who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). To rejoice in sorrow as a Christ-follower is not insanity or denial of the reality around us. Rather, as we “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2), we look forward to that day when Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). We rejoice because our God is greater than our sorrow, anger or confusion. We rejoice because He is good, and He will set all things right at His appointed time.
Bill was a dear friend and a co-laborer in the Gospel – we know his absence will be felt keenly by many. Please pray for Pastor Mike as he ministers to the family and for our services this weekend, that they would glorify God and honor Bill’s memory. We will let you know when Bill’s memorial service will be held as soon as those plans are made. Until then, weep, pray and rejoice.
UPDATE: Memorial Service Information
We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and sympathy from so many who knew and loved Bill. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Bill Hurley will be held at Reston Bible Church on Tuesday, August 18 at 10:30am EDT. A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, condolences to the family may be made in the form of donations to the Reston Bible Church Missions Fund. Letters of sympathy and encouragement to the family may be sent to:
The Hurley Family
c/o Reston Bible Church
45650 Oakbrook Court
Dulles, VA 20166
**For our extended missionary staff as well as friends and missions agencies in the U.S. and around the globe who are not able to attend, we will provide live streaming video of Bill’s memorial service here.
UPDATED: Prayer for Bill Hurley
Dear RBC Family,
We want to let you know that our Missions Director, Bill Hurley, unexpectedly disappeared on July 19. We know very little about the circumstances of his disappearance. Below is a recent statement from his son, Billy Hurley III:
Last Sunday, nine days ago, my dad took some clothes, he took some cash, he got in his truck and drove away and no one has heard from him since. So he’s been gone about nine days, I guess. No one really knows why. It’s complete speculation as to why he left.
He’s been married to my mom for 30-plus years. You know, they still live in the house that I grew up in in Leesburg and I’m just hoping that there’s a story – that maybe he goes to pgatour.com to check my tee time or check my score and sees this and understands that dad, we love you and we want you to come home.
We would ask you to please be in prayer for Bill’s safe return and for his family as they await news of his whereabouts. We will post any updates here as they become available.
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7/28 – Here is a missing persons bulletin from the Leesburg Police Department asking for public assistance in locating Bill.
7/31 – According to the LCPD and other reports, Bill was located safe and sound this afternoon in Texas after someone recognized him and contacted local authorities, who confirmed his identity. We are thankful to God that Bill is safe, but we do not have any further details at this time. We would ask that you avoid speculation and please continue to be in prayer for him and his family.
8/2 – Our Executive Pastor, Ed Nalle, gave a brief update on Bill to our congregation and we spent some time in prayer together for Bill and his family. If you missed services this weekend, you can watch the update and prayer below.
8/7 – Pastor Mike is releasing the following video in hopes that Bill will watch it and come home.
8/13 – We have some very difficult news to share with you. As most of you likely know, Bill Hurley, our Missions Director here at RBC, unexpectedly disappeared about a month ago. It was discovered yesterday that Bill died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while apparently on his way back to Virginia. You can read more here.
8/14 – We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and sympathy from so many who knew and loved Bill. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Bill Hurley will be held at Reston Bible Church on Tuesday, August 18 at 10:30am EDT. A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, condolences to the family may be made in the form of donations to the Reston Bible Church Missions Fund. Letters of sympathy and encouragement to the family may be sent to:
The Hurley Family
c/o Reston Bible Church
45650 Oakbrook Court
Dulles, VA 20166
For those who cannot attend, we will livestream Bill’s service.
Ideas for Worshiping at Home
SUNDAY, FEB. 22, 6:25AM – BOTH SUNDAY SERVICES, CLASSES & MINISTRY ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED FOR THIS MORNING due to hazardous road conditions. Please be safe and enjoy time worshiping the Lord at home this morning!
The Youth Missions Application meeting scheduled for this afternoon is also canceled.
Updated 11:55AM – AWANA and Financial Peace University are canceled for this evening.
Scripture is clear about the importance of being a part of the church – both the “big-C” Church (the universal body of believers for all time) and being involved in the localized expression of the Church, what we might call the “little-c” or local church. Scriptures like Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 4:12, Hebrews 10:24, Galatians 5:13, Romans 12:10, Romans 15:14 and 1 Corinthians 12 – among many others – show us the importance of the Christ-based community unique to church, where we can use the gifts God has given us to love, serve and instruct one another for His glory. Though we will not meet together this morning as we usually do, we encourage you to use the time at home this morning to do the same – to love, serve and instruct one another in the context of worshiping our great and glorious God.
Here are some quick ideas for at-home family worship this morning:
- Worship God in song: Put on some of your favorite worship songs and sing along. Our live worship album No Other Name offers some familiar voices to sing along with.
- Proclaim His excellencies: 1 Peter 2:9 tells us “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Tell about a time you recently saw God do something great.
- Honor the Word of God: The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Peruse our sermon archives and pick out an old favorite to listen to or watch again, or catch up on a missed Sunday. Take some time to read some of your favorite Scriptures aloud and share why they are meaningful to you.
- Pray: Spend some time praying for each other, for others you know are in need and for our church.
- Give: To give tithes or offerings, you may do so securely online here.
Event Update: Daddy-Daughter Dance
This year was the 5th Annual Daddy-Daughter Valentine’s Dance, and it was a huge hit once again! I had the privilege of serving at the event for the 4th year in a row. Needless to say, I am richly blessed by this event each year, so that is why I keep coming back to serve!
This year’s theme was “Paint the Town Red” and the painting theme was incorporated throughout the church. In addition to a large paintbrush in the lobby, there were paint cans hanging above the tables in the Clubhouse where red plastic flowed out and onto the tables. There were even dipped pretzel sticks that looked like paintbrushes!
The evening began for the girls with a special dinner date with their dad. Afterwards, they arrived at the church to receive their corsage and to get their portraits taken with their dad. Both dads and girls were all dressed-up for the evening. The girls had obviously spent time carefully picking out their lovely, sparkling, flowing dresses especially for this evening. They were absolutely stunning with their hair styled and make-up done (some of them better than I can accomplish, I might add!). Afterwards, they enjoyed an evening of crafts, ice cream sundaes and dancing. The evening finished off with a talk about the “Grand Finale of Creation” – the girls themselves. What an excellent ending to the evening where these girls were being celebrated! The second grand finale was a shower of red balloons falling from the ceiling of the sanctuary, which the girls absolutely loved!
While all of the dresses, decorations, crafts and desserts were amazing, the REAL focus of the evening was daddy-daughter relationships. This dance provides an opportunity for dads to be intentional about spending one-on-one time with their daughters, which is something that can be hard to do in the hustle and bustle of life. I especially loved watching the girls posing for pictures with their dads. I was able to look through the pictures at the end of the evening and tears filled my eyes. What a wonderful keepsake for the girls to remember this evening with their dad, where they felt cherished and connected with their father. I know the girls will remember this time fondly.
Not only was this evening important for the special relationship between dads and their daughters, but it also has implications for the girls’ future. A friend of mine posted something on Facebook that I think directly relates to this. She said that when she was younger, her Daddy gave her a strand of pearls and told her that she, like the pearls, was beautifully refined and worthy of being treasured. Now in college, she was wearing the strand of pearls while on a date with a man who truly treasured her. She said she was thankful for her dad who set the standard for how she should be loved. I love how the Daddy-Daughter Valentine’s Dance provides a place where this teaching can begin. Here, fathers can teach their daughters what it looks like to be cherished and loved, setting a precedent for the rest of their lives. It is truly a special event!
-Angela Caldwell, event volunteer
From the Field: Where’s the Ban-yay-ro?
Twenty-two members of Reston Bible Church, led by Mike Meyers and Jason Goetz, are preparing to jet down to Brazil over spring break to help host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for up to 200 children of the Terena Indian Tribe. The mixture of parents and kids from 5th grade and up met for the second time last week to get to know each other, learn important words like ban-yay-ro (bathroom), and figure out how to make this VBS absolutely amazing.
A few numbers from the meeting:
7 pizzas consumed
2 cups (of water) spilled
5 sentences learned in Portuguese
2 worship songs sung
5 craft projects picked
And a zillion other details discussed
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FAMILY MISSION TO BRAZIL? Join us for Family Fun Night on February 20 from 6pm to 10pm as we play games, eat, and have a bonfire on Mount Minter. Where else can you go for dinner, friends, and hours of fun for just $10 and get to hear about our mission to Brazil? Hope to see you there!
Corey Mattison Visitation & Memorial
VISITATION: Visitation with the family of Corey Mattison will be held on Wednesday, January 21, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Reston Bible Church. The visitation will be held regardless of weather conditions.
MEMORIAL SERVICE: The memorial service will be held at RBC on Thursday, January 22, starting at 1:00 p.m. Click here for directions to Reston Bible Church
***PLEASE NOTE THAT NO CAMERAS OR RECORDING DEVICES ARE ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING FOR THE VISITATION OR MEMORIAL SERVICE, AND NO MEDIA INTERVIEWS MAY BE CONDUCTED ON CHURCH PROPERTY.***
FROM THE FAMILY: Corey was thankful each day for the blessings the Lord provided for him. He found joy in everything. On any given day you could find him fervently serving others without a hint of desiring anything in return. His greatest days were spent with his wife and 5 children regardless of what they were doing. Corey laid down his life every day for his bride and his children, a beautiful reflection of his love relationship with Jesus Christ. Corey died the way that he lived, sacrificing his very life to save his family.
MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: Financial contributions made to www.gofundme.com/kdjh1o will go to support his wife Denise and the five children.
Please remain in prayer for Denise, her children, and the many others affected by this tragedy. In addition to memorial contributions (link above), we will post updates here should other specific needs for the family arise.
Annual Report 2014
Our 2014 annual report is now available here online or in print at the RBC welcome desk.
Our Annual Report is designed to provide you with a big-picture overview of what God has been doing in and through Reston Bible Church over the course of 2014.
Scripture tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that Jesus is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, and we continue to see the truth of this in the life of our church. As we pursue our mission, vision and passion of knowing Christ and making Him known, God has been faithful to provide growth and momentum in many areas of church life here at RBC.
As with each year, this report is not a compilation of our accomplishments, but those of our great and glorious God.
In Psalm 77, the author, Asaph, is struggling with discouragement and feels disconnected from the Lord. A turning point comes in the middle of the Psalm, where he says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD… I will ponder all Your work and meditate on your mighty deeds.” The result is worship as he then acknowledges the holiness and greatness of “the God who works wonders.”
It is a joy to look back and remember the great things God has done, and the Annual Report allows us an opportunity to do that in the context of our church.
May this year-in-review booklet be an encouragement to deeper worship and more profound trust as we look back and are reminded of the many wonders God has done among us for the glory of His name.
First Fruits: Beyond the Leaves
Did you know that if you rake leaves for First Fruits, or provide a job for volunteers to do, or donate to First Fruits – you are also helping high school students achieve their dream of going to college? Over the past three years, thanks to the blessings of First Fruits, RBC has helped 18 students realize their dream of going to college by awarding Perseverance Scholarships (totaling over $19K) to graduating seniors at several local high schools (including Herndon, Parkview, Dominion, and Potomac Falls). The scholarship celebrates not the success that may come from persevering, but more importantly the proven character of the person who has persevered and in the process become a positive example and source of encouragement for their peers.
The scholarship recipients have had to overcome (and continue to endure, in some cases) a wide array of challenges – from financial hardships, language barriers, bullying, depression, family illness and severe debilitating injuries, to unstable homes, abuse, homelessness, divorce, and immigrating alone to the United States. Each recipient has demonstrated remarkable courage and strength of character in how they have chosen to persevere. Keep reading to learn more about two of the 2014 inspiring scholarship recipients.
ASHLYN’S STORY: 
Ashlyn, in the process of dealing with financial hardships, abuse, and mental illness at home, became not only an exceptional student with a 4.1 GPA, but also helped others to gain their voice and develop their talents. As a tutor she helped peers overcome academic challenges and as President of the Freethinkers Club, she encouraged others to speak freely and openly in a safe environment. Her great love for literature and music includes looking beyond the text or words for the deeper, unspoken meaning. She is much like the music she loves. As she quoted Victor Hugo in her scholarship application, “music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” Thankfully, Ashlyn did not remain silent. She reached out for help and has started sharing her story and is encouraging others to reach out and have hope. A year ago, Ashlyn didn’t think college would be an option. She is now in her first year at George Mason in the honors program and plans to major in English Literature and Music. (To learn more about Ashlyn in her own words, click here.)
JUAN’S STORY: 
Juan is another 2014 scholarship recipient who has overcome early setbacks in life, five years in the foster care system and difficulties at home and school. But, instead of giving up and dropping out as he had seen so many friends and family members do, he took the radical step at the end of his Junior year in high school of turning away from the poor influences in his life. In one short year, he had an extensive impact on his football team, his school community, and his youth group. He is now known by his peers for his moral fiber, leading not only with words but also his actions. He is widely respected for always encouraging others on and off the playing field and for his positive attitude. He is a true team player. On his high school football team – he played every position except line and was unanimously selected as captain and MVP. He has great compassion for others enduring hard times and looks for opportunities to come alongside to help and encourage others to not give up. In his senior year, he even packed two lunches – one for himself and one to give away. He also takes great pride in a job well done – learning that “that regardless of the job assigned you should always do it to the best of your ability.” Juan is also known for his faith and desire to share the truth of Jesus Christ with those that are struggling. He speaks from experience and gives the glory to Christ in his key verses “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) and “sanctify them in your truth Lord. Your word is truth.” Juan is an exceptional leader and is currently studying business.
If you are interested in partnering with us in First Fruits, get more information or sign up at www.restonbible.org/firstfruits
First Fruits: Ashlyn’s Story
First Fruits is a service project that has rallied the RBC church body for over 25 years. It is a unique serving opportunity for families, shepherd groups, and individuals to come together and make a difference in the lives and families in our area who are in need of help and encouragement. In addition to providing food and support to local families, a portion of the funds raised goes to what we call the Perseverance Scholarship. This is a scholarship we offer in several local high schools to seniors who desire to further their education. The scholarship celebrates not only the success that may come from persevering, but more importantly the proven character of the person who has persevered and in the process become a positive example and source of encouragement for their peers. This year, Ashlyn was one of the recipients of the Perseverance Scholarship. This is her story.
– – –
I want to say thank you to Reston Bible Church for helping me go to college by giving me a Perseverance Scholarship. I am now a freshman in the Honors College at George Mason University. One year ago I never thought it would be possible to go to college. After my junior year all my friends were starting to visit colleges and were asking where I wanted to go. All I could think was “there is no way that this is ever going to happen” for me. Things were too complicated in my life to consider the idea of going to college – I had no hope that I would be able to go.
For much of the past nine years, I’ve felt like my life was a tornado of devastation. From my father losing his job, to family bankruptcy, to losing our house, to moving from state to state, to growing tension between my parents, to my sister suffering from severe depression and an eating disorder… the list goes on. Watching all this and seeing the impact on my family as a whole left me feeling like I had to be the rock for my family. I had to be strong and supportive- hide my own anxiety and misery and fears to be there for them. I felt so brittle, so alone and weak.
In all of this the toughest challenge was living with my father. Ever since I was a child, my father controlled every living aspect of my sister’s, mother’s, and my life. He was an alcoholic and had been clinically diagnosed with major depression and a personality disorder. He took his medication with scotch and sometimes with a sleeping pill and was abusive toward us. He was incredibly manipulative and gained control over us through “mind games” which included taking guns and knives out and threatening to use them to get his way. Countless times I had to confront him- once lying on top of a rifle to stop my father from loading it. My father’s controlling behavior isolated us and as a result, we never knew how dysfunctional our family was until we finally reached out for help.
After many months of planning and many years of contemplation, this past Mother’s Day my mother moved my sister and me to another place – taking our first steps towards freedom and independence. Even though our future is still questionable and slightly daunting due to our current financial difficulties and present circumstances, moving away from my father has proven to be the catalyst for hope and new beginnings. And I am certain that any future challenges ahead will not be nearly as hard as what we have already overcome.
I couldn’t have done it without all of the support I received from people around my community. Organizations such as Child Protective and especially Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS). My friends and teachers have all been supportive of me. And, I am so grateful for the generosity and kindness of my drama teacher, Mrs. Young, and her family. All these people supported me through all of my adversity and have honestly saved my life.
One example I experienced that showed me how things can change for the better is, I remember, sitting down at the dinner table with my drama teacher’s family and being absolutely stunned – there was no screaming, no yelling, tension, crying, negative energy. Everyone was talking pleasantly and eating together. I had never experienced anything like this before. It was so simple, such a day-to-day activity this family had with each other, but to me it was so much more. It gave me hope that real happy, loving families exist. It was an experience I will never forget.
During the early and middle stages of my situation, I was hesitant to reach out for help because I thought it showed weakness. However, I found it is really the most important thing you can do. It shows strength in that you are brave enough to ask for help. At first it is hard to reveal your weaknesses to others, but later you realize it is better to get help then struggle on your own. It is quintessential to seek help when you are in a difficult situation; hiding that pain, anxiety, and stress only lets it fester and build up until you explode. There is always someone out there to help, and there is always hope for better days, no matter what. My counselor and others have helped me realize that the past does not define you- you do not have to be held back something you are not able to change or control. You can move past it and grow from it. The tough times and downfalls I’ve experienced have made me a stronger and wiser individual, and ultimately has taught me to persevere and never give up.
I hope sharing my story will encourage others to reach out for help in order to start a better future for their lives. Starting my new chapter in life at George Mason as part of the Honors College is a dream come true. Thank you to all those that have contributed to First Fruits in any way that made the Perseverance Scholarship possible in order for me to attain my dream of going to college and to know that nothing is impossible.
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For more information on First Fruits and how you can get involved, check out www.restonbible.org/firstfruits.