November 18, 2020 | A note from Allan Poole
Dear Blacknall family,
As I write, yet another storm has swept in from the Gulf of Mexico. The latest in what has proven to be one of the most tumultuous storm seasons in the Atlantic. It is difficult not to see these storms as a metaphor for this year of 2020, with all that it has held. Even today, more than two weeks following the vote, we are still awaiting the final resolution of our national election.
Yet in the midst of all these storms, here we are at Blacknall, adapting, seeking to remain faithful to our Lord and to our mission, even as our most fundamental rhythms of worship and life together are disrupted and uncertain. There remains so much for which to be thankful.
Every weekday morning you can hear laughter coming from the elementary hallway where Durham Public School students are gathering each weekday under the watchful eye of their YMCA guides, attending to their schoolwork.
Our usual fall gathering, called Table Talk, has just completed its abbreviated classes via zoom.
Sunday School classes are continuing remotely, thanks to the faithfulness of those teachers and you who are participating.
Youth groups are meeting with appropriate precautions, and even our younger girls who have contributed to our worship through their dance are practicing in a field!
Our Fall Inquirers Class is underway, combining those whose class was interrupted back in March with several new attenders.
About a third of our congregation is participating in Sunday worship via several zoom “congregations” and in backyard gatherings, and we have determined that each week the carefully prepared “Worship from Home” liturgy is being opened around 600 times; we are learning that one of the unexpected gifts of this new connection is the participation of Blacknall alums and newcomers in far off places.
New connections and friendships are being formed through these and other opportunities. When the corona virus first emerged, I had hoped that one of the fruits might be strengthening of our ties and come to understand more fully what it means to be priests to one another; that is happening as we hear reports of texts, letters, and calls to those who are facing particular challenges during these days. Of course, there is always a need for continued and more expansive contact, especially with those who are limited in their ability to be with others. We all have a part to play in praying for and reaching out to one another.
I am also excited to tell you about our efforts to love our neighbors in the name of Christ in these times where too many are facing especially difficult circumstances. Thanks to your generosity, we ended our last fiscal year well ahead of our expenses, and as a result we are in the process of providing additional support to some of our local and international mission partners with gifts of more than $140,000, the bulk of which will go to those who have been most affected by the coronavirus. (There are more details to report to you about this and will be forthcoming.) We rejoice that the Lord has given us the opportunity to be a conduit by which He might bless those most in need.
While we are talking about finances and such…. In more typical times we would have had a congregational meeting to present the budget to you for this fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Our Finance Committee deserves our thanks for their care and faithfulness as they help the Session in our stewardship as a congregation, especially as they offer their best wisdom in the midst of all the uncertainty we face. Attached here you will find a broad overview of our budget for this ’20-’21 fiscal year. I know Rich Frothingham, our Finance Committee chair, would be glad to offer his best response to any questions you might have.
No one can foresee the future, but as we head into the last six weeks of this calendar year, it would be extraordinarily helpful for us to end the first half of our fiscal year in a strong position. This is certainly an unusual year, and our expenses will probably be less than expected, but we are still needing to make up ground to finish the year where we need to be. We are projecting expenses at $730,000 through December 31. We have received offerings through October 31 of $367,000, so we are in need of an additional $363,000 to end the year in balance. That benchmark will be especially important as we face the year ahead and the decisions that will be required
As has always been the case since I have been one of your pastors, every year we have met our obligations and then some. I am certain that this year, even with all of its challenges, very keenly felt by many of our members, will be no different. And I hope, given the news of our mission giving reported above, you have every confidence that we will honor Christ and his Kingdom in our stewardship of the resources he provides through his people.
Meanwhile, storms seem to be the order of the day. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount the storm that caught the disciples by surprise as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee, a body of water known for its sudden violent squalls. This must have been quite a gale, given that these practiced fishermen were captured by fear and uncertainty. In their anxiety they turned to Jesus; to their amazement, he was sleeping. “Don’t you care, Jesus?” they pleaded. Their cry is ours as well in these tumultuous uncertain months. But Jesus’ response is telling; it’s almost as if he planned this test for his followers. He calms the sea, and he gently chastises his disciples. “You can trust me, even in this,” says the One who himself entered into the turmoil of our angry, violent world and yet entrusted his own life into the hands of his Father. “I am more than you want to believe.”
I haven’t known another season like this in my own life, graced as it has been by many advantages and natural securities. Those securities… of health, of money, of relationship… are all being tested. He is certainly aware of our need. He is very kind in his chastising, but he has my attention. Let’s help one another trust him more. He’s not sleeping.
Gratefully,
Allan