Thank you to everyone who attended the Congregational Meeting on Sunday to receive the budget and approve the “Terms of Call” for our pastors. If you were not able to make it, we encourage you to review the report presented by Pete Gerend, elder and Session representative to the Finance Committee. (You must be logged in to Church Center to view this report on the “Links” page.) You can also find a hard copy of the FY23/24 budget, along with printed Session minutes, in a new location: on the whiteboard next to the Church Office (corrected from the announcement in Life Together).

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.

By Sarah Lapp

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.

BY LIZ SHIVELY

“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.