Creative Worship & Care

As corporate worship and regular gatherings change shape due to Coronavirus precautions, here are some creative ways to worship from home and care for others.

• Worship from Home: Sermon audio, written prayers and hymn lyrics for worshiping at home, available weekly at blacknall.org.

• Lenten Daily Reflections: Anchored to a Psalm and ranging from praise to lament to gratitude to head-scratching. Sign up here.

• Blacknall Buddy System

  • Need Help with Shopping? If you would like help with grocery or pharmacy shopping during these stay-at-home days, or if you'd simply like a new friend to call, email or text, there are 25 young adults at Blacknall who have signed up to help. This strange time might create surprising friendships. To request help, contact Margaret Frothingham or Joyce Kight.

  • Be a Helper. If you would like to volunteer to help, please sign up here - Be a Buddy in Covid-19 Season. In addition to your contact information, we ask that you watch a brief tutorial with safety guidelines before you serve.  

Do you have other examples of creative worship or care? Contact Mary Grimm.

The Gathering Postponed

A letter from The Fellowship Gathering Board

On March 16, The Fellowship Community board members gathered on a conference call to pray and discern the best way forward regarding our National Gathering. We agreed unanimously — because your health and safety are of primary importance to us, we are postponing the 2020 National Gathering until October 20-22, 2020. We’ll still gather at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC, and we’ll keep our theme of “Leadership for Real Church.” We hope to maintain our same slate of speakers, as well. What does this mean for you?

• If the April time slot was inconvenient for you, you have a second chance to join us! Block off October 20-22 on your calendar now, and we’ll let you know as soon as our new registration site is up and running!

• If you’ve already registered, look for an email from Julie McGowen in the next few days outlining the next steps.

• If you have any other questions or concerns, email us at office@fellowship.community and we’ll respond as quickly as we can.

Over the next few months, we’ll continue to pray for you — and we covet your prayers, as well. Pray that God would grant us “energy, intelligence, imagination, and love” as we lean into what God is calling us to be and do as a Fellowship Community. Be well, and we’ll see you in October!

In Christ’s Love, The Fellowship Community Board

Loving Our Neighbors

If you are in a position to provide extra community support, consider the below ways to love our neighbors during this time.

•  CROP “Virtual” Walk: Sunday, April 5. We encourage people to walk sometime on Palm Sunday as if they were in the CROP Walk.  Durham receives 25% of donations. To give or sign up, click here. Contact: Doug Koenig.

• Iglesia Emanuel Food Bank: They have more food needs than they are able to meet. The safest and most helpful way to contribute is by making a financial contribution through their website.

• Families Moving Forward: To give extra support, contact Anne Paulson.

• Meals on Wheels / Interfaith Food Shuttle: Donate to the BackPack Buddies program for children who depend on school meals.

• School for Conversion Buddy System: Healthy young adults are paired with an elder in order to maintain regular check-ins and coordinate delivery of essential supplies if/when needed. Sign up here.

• Walltown Neighborhood Food Bank: Collection dates on April 9-10, 2-4 p.m. Read more details here.

• Word Relief Refugee Families: A family from Afghanistan and a family from Congo (both families that Blacknall supports through World Relief) are in need of unprepared food items and items to entertain children. To provide support, contact Andrea Tshihamba.

COVID-19 Testing

If you or anyone you know:

1. Have fever or lower respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) and close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case within the past 14 days; OR

2. Have fever and lower respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) and a negative rapid flu test

Then you qualify to be Covid-19 tested. You do NOT need to be seen at ER/urgent care or their primary care office but rather call one of the number below. Do not call multiple numbers.

North Carolina COVID-19 Hotline:
(866) 462-3821
24 hours, seven days a week

NC State Department of Health COVID-19 line:
(888) 850-2684
24 hours, seven days a week

Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline:
(919) 385-0429
8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday

UNC COVID-19 Helpline:
1-888-850-2684 
24 hours, seven days a week

These number are ONLY for patients who are concerned they have covid 19 and need to be screened and tested; not for general questions. UNC is opening ten new dedicated testing sites that will be open this coming week but you cannot walk in, you MUST call one of the phone numbers to set up your screening.  

Please continue to use social distancing, good hand hygiene and read the CDC guidelines.