Grief is a subject that we don’t like to talk about. But because we love so deeply, we all grieve when one of our loved ones dies, whether it be a spouse, a child, another family member, or a long-time cherished friend. None of us is immune from grief; it has happened or will happen sooner or later to all of us. Each of our journeys will be different, but it always helps to have friends walk beside you, to have others to listen to you when your life seems shattered and a hole is ripped into your heart, and all your tomorrows seem hopeless.

Our church recently began a grief support group for our members and residents of our community. It is a sacred time each month for those of us who are grieving either a current or long-ago death to come together to learn more about facing a loss and seeking to find hope once again in our lives. Each meeting is held at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. With the help of George Elliott, Eric Spivey, and Laura Tadlock will facilitate the group using a series of videos, book discussions, outside speakers, and, most importantly, a time of personal sharing by group participants.

If you feel that participation in the grief support group can help you as you walk your personal journey of grief, please call Brittni Scott (205-979-5920) or register online to reserve a place in the group. However, a reservation is not required. We certainly hope you will join us.

Dr. Barry Howard currently serves as a leadership coach and consultant with the Center for Healthy Churches. He served as the senior minister at the Church at Wieuca in North Atlanta from 2020-2024, and as the senior minister of the First Baptist Church, Pensacola, FL, from 2005-2017. Before his tenure in Pensacola, Dr. Howard served churches in Alabama and Kentucky. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Jacksonville State University, a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, and has completed additional studies at Oxford University, Oxford, England. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, and Samford University. 

Dr. Howard has a natural talent for fostering healthy practices among clergy and congregations. In addition to his love for the local church, he enjoys golf, reading, and writing.  His columns are also frequently posted or published by Good Faith Media, Baptist News Global, Christian Century, Nurturing Faith Magazine, The Baptist Standard, Church Executive, The Center for Healthy Churches, and The Lewis Center for Church Leadership.  

He and his wife currently reside on Cove Lake in northeast Alabama. You can subscribe to his blog at www.covecreekreflections.com or follow him on Twitter at @BarrysNotes. 

Dr. Cecelia Ann Walker serves as the Executive Director of Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education for Brookwood Baptist Health System in Birmingham, Alabama, and as an Associate Minister at Birmingham’s Greater Shiloh Baptist Church.

Dr. Walker earned the Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Management from Birmingham Southern College, the Master of Divinity from Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, and the Doctorate of Ministry from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, Georgia.

A fourth-generation Baptist, Dr. Walker is the first woman in her family ordained to the Gospel Ministry. She is an endorsed chaplain of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Dr. Walker currently serves on the Samford University Board of Trustees and is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association for Clinical Pastoral Educators. She was selected as the 2024 Alumna of the Year of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School and is the recipient of the 2025 Carl Hart Award for Excellence in Chaplaincy Ministry by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Dr. Walker uses the gifts and opportunities God has given her to serve as a mentor and innovative Baptist woman in ministry. She was the first female Associate Minister at Greater Shiloh Baptist Church, the second woman Associate Minister, and the first Associate Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL.

A native of Birmingham and a graduate of A. H. Parker High School, Dr. Walker is known as one who loves God and serving the people of God as they journey through the successes and challenges, joys and sorrows of life. She is the mother of Jeffery and Gabrielle (Gabby went to be with the Lord February 25, 2006; Jeffery went to be with the Lord March 2, 2019) and is married to Roy Ambrose, Jr.

Join a staff member for dinner around town! We are getting off campus on a Wednesday night. Pick your spot from the list below and enjoy a time of food, fellowship, and fun with staff and members! This will be a great time to build community and get to know one another better! 

See you at 5:30 pm at one of the following locations:

• Taziki’s Vestavia on Hwy 31 near 65 with Nancy

• Newks in Vestavia with Marty

• Martin’s BBQ in Cahaba Heights with Laura

Grief is a subject that we don’t like to talk about. But because we love so deeply, we all grieve when one of our loved ones dies, whether it be a spouse, a child, another family member, or a long-time cherished friend. None of us is immune from grief; it has happened or will happen sooner or later to all of us. Each of our journeys will be different, but it always helps to have friends walk beside you, to have others to listen to you when your life seems shattered and a hole is ripped into your heart, and all your tomorrows seem hopeless.

Our church recently began a grief support group for our members and residents of our community. It is a sacred time each month for those of us who are grieving either a current or long-ago death to come together to learn more about facing a loss and seeking to find hope once again in our lives. Each meeting is held at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. With the help of George Elliott, Eric Spivey, and Laura Tadlock will facilitate the group using a series of videos, book discussions, outside speakers, and, most importantly, a time of personal sharing by group participants.

If you feel that participation in the grief support group can help you as you walk your personal journey of grief, please call Brittni Scott (205-979-5920) or register online to reserve a place in the group. However, a reservation is not required. We certainly hope you will join us.

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

Wednesday, May 21

5-7 pm

$14/adults

Kids under 12 eat free

Special menu for kids: Popcorn shrimp & tater tots

Join us for a special Music and Missions service after our fellowship dinner at 6 pm.

Our VHBC children will share songs and stories from the past year of music and missions.

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

Prayer Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall
May 6th, 7am

The food line opens at 6:45 a.m.
Enjoy a wonderful breakfast prepared by Adam Casey and his team, and an intentional time of prayer
as we gather to pray for our members, our community, and our world.

Saturday, May 3rd

9 am - Noon

Meet at VHBC to gather with your team
before going to your site.
Wear work clothes and shoes
and your VHBC t-shirt!

Sites:

Lovelady Center - crafts, Bible lessons, and snacks with Phase I ladies

Urban Ministry - Community garden work and housing repair

Hardy House - spring cleaning, window washing, power-washing, etc.

Dolly Ridge Elem - Baking cookies and making thank you cards for the teachers and staff

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

Give the gift of life on April 29th from 1-6 pm in the VHBC Fellowship Hall by donating blood to the Red Cross. There is a critical need for donors, and all donors will receive a $15 Amazon gift card* (*by email). Make sure you’re eligible to give by checking this list.

Join us at Sip & Chat tomorrow at 10:30 am in the library.

It's time to get planting! Mindy Bodenhamer will share her ideas for planning and planting container gardens for flowers and veggies! Coffee and snacks will be served!

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

Grief is a subject that we don’t like to talk about. But because we love so deeply, we all grieve when one of our loved ones dies, whether it be a spouse, a child, another family member, or a long-time cherished friend. None of us is immune from grief; it has happened or will happen sooner or later to all of us. Each of our journeys will be different, but it always helps to have friends walk beside you, to have others to listen to you when your life seems shattered and a hole is ripped into your heart, and all your tomorrows seem hopeless.

Beginning Tuesday, April 22, our church will begin a grief support group for our members and residents of our community. It will be a sacred time each month for those of us who are grieving either a current or long-ago death to come together to learn more about facing a loss and seeking to find hope once again in our lives. Each meeting will be held at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church from 3:30-5:00 pm. Eric Spivey and Laura Tadlock, with the help of George Elliott, will facilitate the group using a series of videos, book discussions, outside speakers, and, most importantly, a time of personal sharing by group participants.

If you feel that participation in the grief support group can help you as you walk your personal journey of grief, please call Brittni Scott (205-979-5920) or register online by April 16 to reserve a place in the group. We certainly hope you will join us.

Practical and Spiritual Strategies for Dealing with Stress
Led by Kristie Chandler
Wednesday nights, April 2 & 9

We all face stress in different forms, but we don’t have to face it alone. Our two-part series on Stress Prevention and Coping Strategies will offer practical tools and spiritual guidance to help you manage stress effectively. In the first session, we’ll focus on preventive measures—how to reduce stress before it takes over. In the second session, we’ll dive into strategies for handling stress when it arises, including biblical wisdom, mindfulness techniques, and practical coping methods. Whether you’re dealing with daily pressures or seeking to better understand how to manage stress, this series will equip you with the knowledge and support you need. We will explore the topic of stress and its impact across all age groups. Come join us as we help each other find peace in the midst of life’s challenges!

The new study is "The Good and Beautiful LIFE". It's the second book in the series but can also stand alone. So, if you know of folks who might be interested in joining us, please invite them. We will meet at 5:45 on Wednesday nights in the Wild Goose classroom. Starting at 5:45 gives us a little more time for conversation and sharing before folks need to leave to get to choir rehearsal.

If you don't already have the book, I've found a few copies at 2nd and Charles, or you can certainly order online. This book has 12 chapters, so it's a little longer than the first. With Easter and a few other odds and ends on the calendar, we may need to be a bit creative about our meeting times, but I'm hopeful we can work it out with very few kinks. If you're able to get the book before next week, go ahead and read the Intro and Chapter 1. If not, come anyway, and we will work through them together. 

The Women of Easter

Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany,
Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene

Mid-week Lenten Bible study
10 am Wednesdays in seminar room

Practical and Spiritual Strategies for Dealing with Stress
Led by Kristie Chandler
Wednesday nights, April 2 & 9

We all face stress in different forms, but we don’t have to face it alone. Our two-part series on Stress Prevention and Coping Strategies will offer practical tools and spiritual guidance to help you manage stress effectively. In the first session, we’ll focus on preventive measures—how to reduce stress before it takes over. In the second session, we’ll dive into strategies for handling stress when it arises, including biblical wisdom, mindfulness techniques, and practical coping methods. Whether you’re dealing with daily pressures or seeking to better understand how to manage stress, this series will equip you with the knowledge and support you need. We will explore the topic of stress and its impact across all age groups. Come join us as we help each other find peace in the midst of life’s challenges!

The Women of Easter

Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany,
Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene

Mid-week Lenten Bible study
10 am Wednesdays in seminar room

Confused on where to start with our new VHBC app or church database?

Join Brittni Scott in the seminar room on Wednesday, March 26th at 10 am for another opportunity to learn all about our new VHBC app and our church database (ChurchStaq/PushPay). Let Brittni know you’ll be there and submit some questions before the seminar below!

Celebrating the spring season and great weather with another round of Sunset Vespers services on the lawn at VHBC! Bring a friend, a chair and/or blanket, and prepare for a time of worship outdoors!

The Women of Easter

Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany,
Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene

Mid-week Lenten Bible study
10 am Wednesdays in seminar room