Announcements
Moses Cate Memorial Service
Monday, Feb. 15, 8 pm | Zoom link on CCB
A memorial service for Moses Cate hosted by Blacknall Presbyterian. This day would have been Moses' first birthday and Evan and Lucy would like to take time to gather together on Zoom to remember him and celebrate his life. They'd be honored if you could join, and please feel free to share the zoom link with others.
Missions Prayer Gatherings
Sunday, Feb. 14, 4 & 6:30 pm | Zoom Link on CCB
From Cape Town to Amsterdam. From Tonga to Kyrgyzstan. From Blacknall to Beni and lots of places in between! We are invited to gather to pray for our missionaries and for our mission partners this Sunday via Zoom. We will pray at 4 p.m. to pray for our Blacknall-supported missionaries and at 6:30 p.m. to pray for our Deep Common Journey partners with Congo Initiative in Beni, DRC. Come participate in what God is doing in our world.
Cancer Support Group
Sunday, Feb. 14, 10-10:45 am | Zoom Link on CCB
The Cancer Support Group was unable to meet last week and will gather over zoom this Sunday for prayer, education and sharing our lives. This is for all cancer survivors, caregivers, and loved ones. Contact Karen Allen with questions.
New Blacknall Directory
Blacknall is updating the church directory! You can help us out by updating your CCB profile (view tips) with a current photo and information. Sign up here to let us know if you’d like a hard copy mailed to you.
Lent at Blacknall
Ash Wednesday
Imposition of Ashes, Feb. 17, 12 & 5 pm
Perry St. | Sanctuary steps“From dust you came and to dust you will return.” Throughout the ages, Christians have marked the beginning of Lent by remembering their mortality and receiving the imposition of Ashes. During the past year we have been reminded that death is all around us; yet, we prepare to celebrate the familiar but strange news that Jesus has opened the way to life beyond the grave. If you would like to receive the imposition of ashes, come to the sanctuary steps at 12pm or 5pm on Ash Wednesday. We ask that all participants wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Livestream Service, Feb. 17, 7-7:30 pm
Lent Packets for Children
Sunday, Feb 14 - 12:30-2:30 pm
Monday, Feb 15 - 3:30-5:30 pm
Drive by pick up at Blacknall, Iredell St. entrance. (Note the new pick up times due to inclement weather on 2/13.) Lenten craft and devotion packets for families of Elementary and Preschool age kids. If families are unable to pickup and would like a packet, please contact Leslie Petree or Beth Solie.
The Cost of Discipleship Book Study
Sundays, Feb. 28-March 28, 7-8 p.m.
A Lenten book study with Goodie Bell and Chris Blumhofer.
DMET Lent Devotional offering
As we enter the season of Lent, these on-line resources may be useful in expanding our Christian imagination for coming alongside those who are marginalized and to listen in on what the Lord may be whispering to us. Our hope is that these resources may help us to situate the real issues of our time theologically.
Habitat for Humanity – weekly Devotional exploring ways “we can honor Jesus by caring for others.” Each weekly reflection includes prayer, scripture, a contemporary reflection and questions for discussion.
An American Lent – an on-line (or downloadable) daily Lenten Devotional developed by The Repentance Project and is a “journey through America’s history of slavery, segregation and racism.” Each day includes an opening and closing prayer, scripture, reflection and links to resources for deeper resources.
Presbyterian Mission of PCUSA Beloved Community Lenten Devotional – Using a model of Christ’s words in Matthew 25, this Lent Devotional is intended to increase commitment to “creating beloved communities in our own backyards.” Each day includes scripture, a reflection, and a closing prayer. This guide was designed in 2020 but is very current and easy to use.
Prayer
Ministry Partners:
Durham—We pray for Pregnancy Support Services and for their new Executive Director, Cindy Kouhout. PSS offers help to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy. They also offer Healthy Relationship Education (RelationshipsEd) to schools and other organizations.
· Pray for women with unexpected pregnancies, particularly in this season, to reach out to PSS for help and hope.
· Pray for Community Education as RelationshipsEd presentations are underway.
· Pray for our Executive Director, Cindy Kouhout, as she transitions into her new role at PSS.
International—Please pray for missionaries 'Ale and Lynn VanderWoude 'Aho, with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in the South Pacific nation of Tonga. Lynn is a physician assistant, committed to holistic ministry to build physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy individuals, families and communities. 'Ale is a member of Team Xtreme (featuring amazing feats of strength), challenging youth to commit their lives to Christ. On a recently completed “Discipleship Training School,” Lynn writes, “The team went to one of our outer islands for their 3-month outreach and had a marvelous time seeing the Lord use them, despite their youth, to love and bless and pray for EVERY ONE OF THE over 200 people on the government's list of elderly and/or disabled people in the outer islands group of ‘Ha'apai’." Specific prayer items: (1) the training of 2 new staff to start a youth ministry in their home village; (2) plans for a construction workshop in March-April to give Discipleship Training School graduates practical skills; (3) guidance in arranging the trainers, gathering the supplies, and preparing the lessons for the workshop; (4) wisdom in parenting Fungani in a nation that is quickly copying the worst from abroad.
Campus and National—We pray for Andy & Cheryl White who are working with international students at NC State with Crossworld on loan to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. They have been encouraged by the growing number of students who have been participating in the NCSU English Conversation Club meetings remotely. Particularly encouraging are the students who are attending after midnight in their time zone from Algeria, Jordan, and Morocco. Please pray for new international students arriving for the Spring Semester and opportunities to reach out and welcome them. Pray for the salvation of F. and O. who have returned to their home country but continue to ask good questions. Also pray for R. and E. as Andy and Cheryl spend time with this couple that the Holy Spirit would spark an interest in the gospel in them.
Grief:
We pray for Dan & Tanya, Eric, Caleb, and James Kronstad on the death of Dan’s Dad on Feb. 10.
We pray for Brenda Boardman on the death of her Mom to COVID-19 on Feb. 10.
We pray for Martha Gore whose sister, Linda, died on Feb. 6.
We pray for Sandy & John Stevens on the death of her brother on Jan. 31.
We pray for the friends and family of Barbara Odom, longtime member of our LC’s fellowship who died on January 25.
We pray for those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus.
Joys
We give thanks that Wen & Casey Reagan, our new Director of Music and Worship, are with us now and pray for them and their children, Ezra, Pax, and Lovewell, and give thanks that they have a contract on a house off of Cole Mill Road.
We rejoice that Rick Every had successful cataract surgery last Monday.
Concerns
We pray for Deanna Koenig who is in the hospital and for her parents, Doug and Cheryl.
We pray for Anne Moore recovering from a fall last week.
We pray for Paul & Phyllis Immanuel who are struggling with persistent health problems.
We pray for Lori Riggs as she struggles with headaches, sinus problems, fatigue and ongoing symptoms from the coronavirus.
World
We pray for a speedy and just distribution of these vaccines locally and around the world.
We pray for our schools and our teachers and decisions about students returning to the classroom. We pray that teachers will quickly have access to the vaccine. We pray for the mental health of our students.
Life Together
We pray for the search committee for the Director of Congregational Care (chair, Melissa Hartemink).
We pray for one another as we enter into the season of Lent this Wednesday, the 17th. We pray that we would journey well together to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We pray that we would experience in our bodies, minds, and spirits the greatness of our need for a Savior and the superabundance of God’s provision for us in Jesus Christ.
We pray for our worship life together, whether that is online or in backyards or over Zoom. We pray for our live stream Wednesday evening Lenten services.
We pray for our pastors, Allan, Goodie, and David, and for wisdom, imagination, and love as they lead us in these times.
Community
Walltown Neighborhood Ministries Valentine's Food Bank Fundraiser Gifts for all occasions. Drive up, pick out a gift and pay, gifts are $5 and up. The Walltown Neighborhood Ministries serves over 150 families each month. Because of COVID-19 so many people are in need right now of food, toiletries and cleaning supplies.
Sale Dates:
Feb. 10-12, 12-4 pm | St John's Missionary Baptist Church parking lot (917 Onslow St.)
Feb. 13, 12-4 pm | Roxboro Rd. across from Red & White grocery
Please call Min. Sylvia Belcher at 919-286-0332 to place your order or to volunteer. Donations may be made to: Walltown Neighborhood Ministries
917 Onslow Street, Durham NC 27705. For additional information contact Min. Sylvia Belcher.