In this Mission Minutes update, Brett McCarty, a member of the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), gives a report on the work and progress of the PNC.
If you have any questions, please reach out to a member of the PNC or email pastorsearch@blacknall.org. For more information, please visit the Pastoral Transition page. Please continue to pray for the work of the PNC as they lead the search for our next Senior Pastor.
In this Mission Minutes video, Dan Kronstad talks about Blacknall's Deep Common Journey partnership with International Students, Inc. (ISI). Dan serves as the Triangle Area Director for ISI and he is a Blacknall member and Elder.
Don't miss these opportunities to bless the nations without needing to leave your own backyard. To get involved with this ministry to international students in the Triangle, please visit volunteers.site and select the "Volunteer" dropdown menu.
At 4:30 on a Wednesday morning, 30 middle schoolers and nine leaders gathered outside Blacknall to load a coach bus; by 5:15, we were Florida-bound for The Great Escape. Twelve hours later, we arrived at Southwind Camp energized by the excitement of being with over a hundred other middle schoolers at a summer playground paradise. Our days were filled with pool parties, volleyball, paddle boarding, jumping into the lake, the Screamer swing, disc golf, and making friendship bracelets. Each night we returned to our mercifully air-conditioned dorms and crashed into our bunk beds, looking forward to waking to another fun-packed day.
The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is continuing the work of in-depth conversation and discernment within the interview phase, as we seek to discern who God is calling to be our next Senior Pastor.
The prayers of you, the congregation, have been encouraging and sustaining us throughout this process. Please continue praying! Please pray that God will guide us clearly through his Holy Spirit and that we will clearly hear His Voice.
Watch the update that Alexa Gerend, member of the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), provided to the congregation during the June 18 worship service.
During the last week of June, 21 high schoolers and six adults went away to High School Camp — though not very far away, because this year we stayed in and around Durham! Two questions guided our time together: What kind of life is God inviting us into? What is God calling us to be and to do? So we structured our time at camp around three things to which God calls all Christians: worship, work, and rest.
“We are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
I was in Lowe’s one day when I saw it: a front door, ready for delivery. Nope, I didn’t need the door — but the box! Oh, what we could do with that box! I had to tell Beth Solie about it.
Beth and I began planning for Art Camp in January. This year’s camp would take its inspiration from the giant artworks of Frank Stella. He doesn’t work alone, and neither would our campers. When we work together, we can make bigger (and better) art. But Stella and his team paint and sculpt with wood, metal, and fiberglass. We needed something lightweight, affordable, and plentiful.
A number of books clubs are revving up for the summer. Don’t miss your opportunity to engage with your fellow Blacknallites on such interesting topics as Beth Moore's memoir (women's), transformational encounters with God's love (women's), reconnecting with stories from our childhood (co-ed), and the problems and promise of global missions (co-ed). There is also a book club for high schoolers that is also a baking club!
The durations of the book clubs range from a single night to six weeks/sessions. Check out all the details in Church Center where you can request to join a group.
When you start making summer plans for your kids, put reading at the top of your list. Here’s the Blacknall twist: When your kids read with us, they can help other kids enjoy reading too!
All summer long, we see how many books our kids can read. Kids of any age are eligible to read — or be read to! Based on our grand total in August, we'll give books to our Deep Common Journey partner, Families Moving Forward. Last year, we read 337 books and donated 34 books. Let's beat that this summer! And to tie in with kids' Discovery Weeks, when kids read books about missionaries, they get a special sticker with double credit.
Stop by the library to sign up. The first day to record books is June 11. Start browsing the children's books in the library.