Blacknall is setting up an apartment for a new refugee family this weekend, January 21-22. We need individuals willing to pick up groceries and other needed items, retrieve items from World Relief storage, and/or assemble furniture.
Looking for Supper Club Hosts
ISI is looking for additional Supper Club hosts to sign up for the spring 2023 semester. The registration deadline is January 29.
Supper Clubs connect international students with committed hosts in the Triangle area by sharing meals together in hosts’ homes during one semester. Two - four students are assigned to each host. The hosts and students will meet at the Kick-Off event at Blacknall and then at the host’s home for three meals throughout the semester.
Sign up Now for Spring Small Groups
*** The signup has closed for the spring session. However, if you are interested in joining a group, please email Goodie. The signup for summer small groups (June-August) will open in May. ***
The Blacknall Mission Study Report
The Blacknall Mission Study Report is now available on our website at blacknall.org/mission-study-report. This area is password protected and the password can be found on the front page of CCB (login required). The password is also in this week’s (1/11) Life Together e-newsletter.
BSF Offering a Men's Bible Study at Blacknall
Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), a Blacknall partner, invites all men to an ongoing Bible study that meets on Monday nights at 7 p.m. at Blacknall. The study, “People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided,“ unpacks a fascinating period in Israel’s history across 15 books, from its split into two nations, through dozens of kings and prophets, and ultimately to the heartbreaking exile into Babylon.
Mission Minutes | Welcoming the New Year
Eleven O'Clock Christmas Eve Service Moved Indoors
Church Office Holiday Hours & Deadlines for Year-End Gifts
A Thank You to Jeremy Kamiya
The Blacknall Guild would like to express its appreciation to Jeremy Kamiya for donating the beautiful bench he crafted for the church’s Iredell Street entryway. You can read more about Jeremy’s unique approach to furniture making on his website: www.kamiyafurniture.com.
Art Camps Are Back!
Mark your calendar! Art Camps at Blacknall are back for summer 2023:
June 19 – 22: morning camp for four- and five-year-olds (currently PreK and K);
June 26 – 29: morning camp for first and second graders (current school year.
More information coming in the new year! Please contact Beth Solie with questions.
Mission Minutes | Monthly Update From the Session (Dec. 2022)
In this Mission Minutes video, Blacknall Elder Mark Paulson provides the monthly update from the Session. Mark discusses where we are and where we are headed in the pastoral transition process — including an Information Session on January 8 about the recently completed Mission Study Report. (Note: There is no adult Sunday School on January 8; however, Nursery and Children's Sunday School will resume that Sunday.)
It's Official! We Have a PNC!
The results are in from Sunday’s Congregational Meeting and all candidates nominated to serve on the Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC) have been elected! We thank the Officer Nominating Committee for their work to select the candidates, whom the congregation has now approved.
Please keep them in your prayers as they meet as a committee for the first time on Dec. 7 (7:30-9 p.m.). They will meet with our Presbytery Vacancy Advocate, Lori Pistor.
Meet the PNC Nominees
The Officer Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the nominees for the Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC), the committee responsible for searching for Blacknall’s next Senior Pastor. Read their bios to learn more about these candidates. The congregation will vote on the PNC this Sunday, December 4.
Congregational Meeting Next Sunday, Dec. 4
The Session is pleased to announce that a Congregational Meeting will be held next Sunday, December 4 for the purpose of electing the Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC). See the nominees. Members can vote at the end of the 8:30 or 11 a.m. service.
The presbytery approved the Mission Study Report last week. We thank the Transition Team for their hard work on the report and thank the congregation for everyone’s participation.
Three Ways To Get the 2022 Advent Devotional
Blacknall's 2022 Advent Devotional Guide is now available! Prepare your heart and mind for the coming of the Savior with devotionals written by 26 current and former Blacknall members, partners, and friends. There are three ways you can either get or receive it:
New Music from Blacknall Arts - Buy Now To Donate!
We’re excited to announce the first album from Blacknall Arts, our new songwriting and recording initiative. Blacknall Arts seeks to harness the musical creativity of Blacknall musicians to bless our church community, the larger church, and the world. Co-produced by Wen Reagan and Sam Gould—and featuring the talents of 15 Blacknall members—the five-song EP “Joy” was released on November 23. Released in time for the start of Advent, it will serve as an accompaniment to our journey through the season.
While the record will be a digital release only (no physical CDs), the album will be available across all major streaming platforms upon release. All album proceeds through 2022 will be donated to our Deep Common Journey partner Reality Ministries. Order your copy today to support Reality Ministries during this holiday season. Contact Wen Reagan with questions.
You're Invited: Urbana 22
Blacknall’s International Ministries Team would like to invite you to prayerfully consider attending Urbana 2022. InterVarsity’s triennial global mission conference will happen this year in Indianapolis, IN on December 28 - January 1. Blacknall is offering partial scholarships to any Blacknall member or attender who registers for Urbana.
Seeking Blacknall Officer Recommendations
Do you know a Blacknall member who possesses the qualities of an elder or a deacon? The Bible says that these leaders should be “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom (Acts 6:3); able to exercise oversight willingly, Do you know a Blacknall member who possesses the qualities of an elder or a deacon? The Bible says that these leaders should be “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom (Acts 6:3); able to exercise oversight willingly, eager, able to lead by example (1 Pet 5:1–4); and above reproach, gentle, known for integrity and character, spiritually mature, and proven in faith (1 Tim 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9)? Who comes to mind? Please consider recommending him or her to the Officer Nominating Committee to serve as a Blacknall officer. You can submit your recommendation online or fill out a paper form (yellow sheets) located in the Narthex and Upper Atrium. The deadline to make your recommendation is November 16.
Nov. 12: Volunteers Needed To Prepare the Home of Ron & Betsy
Ron & Betsy, longtime Blacknall-supported global workers, are joining International Students, Inc. and the iStudentsDuke staff team! They will travel from Central Asia where they have been working for nearly 25 years. We need your help to prepare their home in Durham for their December arrival.
On Saturday, November 12, let’s “pitch in” to do outdoor clean-up: raking & collecting of leaves, sticks and acorns; also, dusting cobwebs and sweeping porches. Easy. Together. “The more the merrier!”
Use this sign-up to let us know you will be there. The address is 401 Clarion Dr., Durham.
Samaritan Health Center Looking for Drivers
Samaritan Health Center, a local Blacknall partner, is looking for a few friendly drivers to surprise our volunteers with a hand delivered thank you gift during the first weekend of December. The majority of the delivery locations are in Durham, with some in Hillsborough, Cary, and Raleigh. SHC will match the quantity & location to your availability. Put on some Christmas music and enjoy a drive across the Triangle while you bless our community—-children are welcome! Email Meredith Martindale with interest.