Sunday Feb. 6
Cancer Support Group | 10-10:45 a.m. | Zoom (Link on CCB)
Gather for prayer, education and sharing our lives. This is for all cancer survivors, caregivers, and loved ones. Contact Karen Allen with questions or to join the email list. The Cancer Support Group meets the first Sunday of every month.
SUNDAY, Feb. 13
Prayer for Mission Partners (4 p.m.) and Congo (6:30 p.m.) | Zoom (link on CCB)
From Cape Town to Amsterdam. From Tonga to Kyrgyzstan. From Blacknall to Beni and lots of places in between! We are invited to gather to pray for our Blacknall-supported missionaries. Come participate in what God is doing in our world! Contact: Dave Dunderdale.
Updated: In-Person Worship
Beginning this Sunday, February 6 Blacknall will return to two worship services at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The 8:30 service will be livestreamed.
Children’s Worship or Nursery
Children’s Worship for rising kindergartners through current second-graders will resume on Sunday, February 6. Spots are available, but limited, for the 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services. Please register. There will be no nursery for children under 4 and they are welcome to participate in sanctuary worship. There is a cry room available in room 402 with audio of the service.
Sunday School
Nursery & Sunday School will resume on Sunday, March 6. This includes Adult Sunday School, Youth Sunday School, and Children’s Sunday School.
Women’s Bible Study (WBS) is underway. WBS will gather at the church on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. for fellowship, worship, teaching, and small group time.
When: February 3 - April 28
Time: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Where: Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church
Cost: Free | Purchase book at your favorite bookstore
For those who can't come on Thursday mornings, small groups will meet at other times throughout the week, too, either in person or over Zoom.
This spring, we will be studying Hebrews with the study guide "Better: A Study of Hebrews" by Jen Wilkin. There is no fee aside from the cost of the book; please purchase a copy online or at your favorite book store.
If you have any questions, please contact Becky Gould.
Become an Email Penpal!
Blacknall is once again participating in an email penpal program with students in the English club at Christian Bilingual University of Congo (UCBC). This is a great chance for UCBC students to practice their English while we get to know a new friend and build deeper relationships with our Congolese brothers and sisters in Christ. Correspondence will be informal and focus on topics designed to help build their vocabulary. Questions? Contact Kim Dunderdale dunderdalek@gmail.com.
A more detailed presentation from the Finance Committee will be given in February during a Sunday morning Focus On Missions.
Blacknall received offerings of $739,086 in December. Total offerings for the first six months of our fiscal year (July 1 to December 31) were $1,270,127. Both of these numbers are the highest in our history. We are thankful for God’s provision and the generosity of our congregation.
Expenses for the first six months were $833,628, so offerings exceeded expenses by $436,499.
While it is typical to have a surplus at the end of December, the current surplus is larger than previous years. If a surplus remains at the end of the fiscal year (June 30), it will be transferred to the Future Vision Fund, and the Session will direct its use.
GIVING STATEMENTS
Your giving statement for calendar year 2021 is available here. Select Giving Statement. Complete three drop down menus with Family, Last Year, and Deductible Only. Select Run Report, then print out your statement.
STOCK GIFTS
Donation letters for stock gifts will be mailed. We received anonymous stock gifts on 4/28/2021, 7/1/2021, 8/18/2021, and 12/21/2021. If you donated stock around any of these dates and would like a donation letter, please contact Carol Smith or call the church office.
Reality Ministries is hosting Community Worship on Thursday February, 17 from 7-8 p.m. at the Reality Center (916 Lamond Ave., Durham). This is a family- friendly hour of worship led by friends of all abilities. All are welcome!
Abundant Joy Center for Women's Ministries
Abundant Joy CWM serves women who are experiencing a difficult time. Our services are free and confidential and include one-on-one counseling to women 18 and over, support groups, and Bible study groups. We are offering the following groups in the Winter of 2022. Women can register for a group at abundantjoycwm@gmail.com or call 919-943-0789 for more information.
January 18 - March 15: Sermon on the Mount by Jen Wilkin on Tuesday morning 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.,
February 2 - April 13: Prayer Group for Mothers of Adult Children on the first and third Wednesday afternoon of the month 1-2:30 p.m.
February 3 - April 21: Basic Peer Counseling Training will be offered for anyone interested in volunteering as a peer counselor or group facilitator. An application will need to be completed as well as an interview with Priscilla, the Center Director, before taking this class. The class will be offered on Thursday morning 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., .
The Smith family is experiencing circumstances that would make meals extremely helpful right now. Sign up to bring them a meal.
world relief durham
Wondering where to find the list of donations still needed for Afghan and other refugees? Please find the Amazon Wishlist and other donation info here
Iglesia Emanuel Food Pantry
Volunteer at the Iglesia Emanuel Food Pantry. Not comfortable gathering? Sign up to bag rice and beans from home.
Walltown Neighborhood Ministries Food Bank
Food needs appear to be increasing in Durham. The Food Bank in Walltown is now serving well over 175 families each month. Volunteers are needed to shop, sort food, distribute food and deliver food. For those who want to volunteer to shop, sort food and distribute food please sign up on the updated Signupgenius. Volunteers who would like to deliver food can call Sylvia Belcher at 919 286 0332 ex 20. Funds are also needed to help needy families. Please make checks payable to and mail to Walltown Neighborhood Ministries.
Durham
Rev. Dr. William Turner, Mt. Level Missionary Baptist Church
We pray for Mt. Level Missionary Baptist Church and their Pastor, Rev. Dr. William Turner. We pray for:
Dr. Turner’s physical strength and health. We pray for wisdom as they navigate COVID together as a congregation and for those who are not comfortable worshiping in person to remain connected to the congregation.
The Mt. Level Community Partnership for Racial Justice and for Deborah Boston, Rev. Linda Vanhook, and Denise Rowson who provide leadership for this ministry to engage the Durham community in conversation and action.
The bus tour to Civil Rights sites in Alabama that they are sponsoring March 7-11. Several Blacknallites will be participating in this trip.
Campus & National
Steve Edwards, South Asian Student Ministry with Bridges International, NC State University
We pray for Steve Edwards involved in international student ministry at NC State working particularly with South Asian students.
Steve was diagnosed with colon cancer in November. He began four months of chemotherapy in January, to be followed by five weeks of radiation and then two rounds of surgery. He asks prayer for:
Healing and effective treatment;
Minimal side effects and endurance mentally/emotionally/socially, especially through the cold months. Since he is immunocompromised, he needs to limit time in crowds and isolate or be extra cautious;
Drawing near to the Lord during this season and use the time well. “Days feel long and sometimes boring—almost like another round of COVID lockdowns since my movements are restricted.”; and
Ministry concerns—his teaching of a South Asian cultural training course and wisdom to know how and how much to engage with campus activities.
International
Sean and Carmen Garrigan (and Nathan and Lilly), Missionary Air Group (Honduras)
We pray for Blacknall global workers, Sean and Carmen Garrigan (and Nathan and Lilly), who are currently “reverse furloughed” to Honduras in a small city called Siguatepeque. They are attending the Spanish Institute of Honduras, honing up their language skills.
As Missionary Air Group’s Lead (MAG) Flight Instructor and Flight Department Manager, Sean oversees the MAG flight training department and prepares missionary pilots for field deployment. Carmen writes, “Sean left for the US at the end of September for a two-week process of preparations, actually flying MAG’s air ambulance down to Honduras, and then air strip check out flights for our newly launched Honduran team. It was a super intense two weeks for Sean, but rewarding, as we’ve been working toward these goals for a long time. The first leg of the ferry flight was down to the Florida Keys with an overnight stay. The next day was to Cozumel Mexico where they refueled (and lots of customs paperwork) and then in to La Ceiba Honduras. The following morning, they made the long-awaited flight into our remote base in Honduras. The total flight time down was 16.5 hours.”
They request prayer for:
The annual VBS this month to be a time of learning and spiritual growth;
Protection for their family and patience with challenging living conditions;
The purchase of land and the building of a runway at their mission hospital;
Their spiritual renewal and good progress in their Spanish language study; and
God’s direction in all their plans for his glory.
Griefs
We pray for Ann Talton Lee & Bob Lee on the death of Ann’s mom, Rudein, on January 17. Rudein was almost 103 years old.
We pray for those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus.
Joys
Japhet Shukuru Kasali born to Bethany & Noé Kasali
We rejoice in the birth of Japhet Shukuru Kasali to Bethany & Noé Kasali in Goma, DRC on January 11. Mother and baby are doing well. Japhet is being loved on by his 4 sisters! Japhet means “expand/increase” and Shukuru is Swahili for “gratitude.”
We celebrate our congregation’s generosity and the abundant giving in December. Pray that we would be faithful with this financial provision both as a congregation and each one of us individually.
We celebrate with Rick Every as he was able to sell their house and move into his new apartment at Croasdaile this past week.
Concerns
We pray for Theo Roddy who was in a car accident on Thursday. We pray that she would be able to fully recover from multiple broken bones. We give thanks that she is alive.
We pray for Jeanie Hamilton recovering from shoulder surgery this past week.
We pray for Diane Felton who is having hip surgery this coming Tuesday.
We continue to pray for Lynn & ‘Ale Vanderwoude-‘Aho, Blacknall-supported global workers in Tonga, as they recover from the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga. Pray especially for the distribution of clean water to those who need it.
World
We pray for those impacted by the fertilizer plant fire in Winston-Salem.
We pray against the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine and that leaders would choose peace.
We pray for an end to the COVID virus.
Life Together
We pray for wisdom as we seek to make decisions about how we can be together in this season of COVID.
We pray for our Men’s Ministry and elder, Cullen Rodgers-Gates, as he provides leadership. We pray for the formation of a Men’s Ministry leadership team that is taking place this month and for wisdom in the direction this ministry should take.
We thank God and pray for our pastors, Mark Hutton, Goodie Bell and David Dunderdale. We pray for Goodie especially as Baby Bell’s due date is this coming Thursday!
We pray for the members of our Confirmation Class as they meet with Brad & Jamie Turnage in preparation for making the decision to claim this faith as their own: Anastasia Eagle, Asa Gerend, Andrew Hartemink, Carson Hervey, Ava Kinghorn, Calvin Stultz, Hannah Taylor, Joel Van Farowe.
We pray for our continued search for a Choir Director