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.
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Men's Ministry Leadership Team
We are in the process of establishing a leadership team to launch men's ministry at Blacknall. The first meeting will be Wednesday, February 23. If you are interested or would like to learn more about this opportunity, please contact Cullen Rodgers-Gates at 919-641-8198 or cullen.rodgersgates@gmail.com.
Updated: In-Person Worship
Beginning this Sunday, February 13 Blacknall will resume serving communion by intinction (bread and cup) at the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services.
We have increased the number of people who can attend worship in the sanctuary; however, please continue to register for worship. The livestream will start at 8:30 a.m.
Children’s Worship or Nursery
Children’s Worship is still limited to rising kindergartners through current second-graders with limited spots for the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services.
There will be no nursery for children under four 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.
Want to know more about Blacknall? Have you considered membership? The spring New Inquirers’ Class will begin meeting on Sunday, March 6. Pastor Dave Dunderdale will lead the class, which runs for five consecutive weeks. After completing the class, participants will have an opportunity to formally join as a member of the congregation. More details about the class content and schedule are on the registration page.
When: March 6 - April 3
Time: Sundays, 5:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Where: Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church (Room TBA)
Cost: Free
Childcare Provided: Yes
Contact: Dave Dunderdale
The season of Lent is quickly approaching. Please mark your calendars for weekly Lenten communion services beginning on Wednesday, March 2 at 7 p.m.
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. For more information, please visit the registration page.
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.
Updated: The Finance Committee will provide a more detailed presentation this Sunday February, 13 during the Sunday morning worship services.
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
Elizabeth Brill, Executive Director, Samaritan Health Center
We pray for Samaritan Health Center and their Executive Director, Elizabeth Brill. Elizabeth shares with us the following Praises and concerns:
Praises:
We have had some gifted, energized, and much needed volunteers come our way to start 2022. Praise God for continuing to supply the clinic's needs!
We lasted 22 months without a COVID+ staff member. I'm so grateful that it didn't happen sooner and that we were able to continue operations seamlessly while some of our colleagues were out. 3. Our staff had the chance to sing together at year end (video here). We had been talking about this for a while, and gathering in person to sing felt like a tangible step forward in the midst of the pandemic. 4. Our new website launched in the fall to better showcase our patients, community partners, staff, and volunteers.
Requests prayer for:
Peace, comfort, and healing for an SHC staff member who lost a family member and then had a personal injury to start 2022. She is out for about 8 weeks;
All of our patients still battling through COVID, health goals, and lack of resources; and
The right partnerships to keep growing our vision clinic, so we can serve more patients with exams and glasses each month 4. that God will lead us as we redesign our staff team (details here).
Campus & National
Cullen Rodgers-Gates, Director of Development & Membership, National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
We pray for Cullen Rodgers-Gates in his work with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Cullen asks for prayer for:
Grace and stamina in my role as director of development and membership, which is essentially a start-up operation at the NAE;
God would enable the NAE to increase awareness of its mission and impact, not for our own sake, but for the sake of Christian unity and a more effective gospel message;
NAE to find the right person to serve as director of our new initiative – the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Collaborative; and
The continued planning and strategizing for the NAE to launch a Center for Evangelical Thought and Engagement, which will serve as a training center to equip followers of Christ to be faithful witnesses in the public square as an integral component of Christian discipleship.
International
Jim & Julianna (Hawkins) Gieser (and Timo (8), Mattias (6), Hawk (4), and Ruth (2), Y Christian Study Centre (Cape Town, South Africa)
We pray for Blacknall global workers, Jim and Julianna (Hawkins) Gieser (and Timo (8), Mat-tias (6), Hawk (4), and Ruth (2). They serve under The Antioch Partners in Cape Town, South Africa.
They are on staff with the Student Y Christian Study Centre, which is a place of faith-life integration at the heart of the University of Cape Town, and prepares students to serve God and the common good with their whole lives.
There was a severe campus fire at the University of Cape Town last spring. About this, Julianna wrote:
“Jim’s office is still standing, as is the other small house where three students have been living, and the larger fellowship hall, which they rearranged last week after the fire to make into a lounge and (physically distanced) study space.”
Praises:
For good schools for their three sons.
Requests prayer for:
Their academic growth during the current term;
Thanksgiving that Cape Town University is requiring students to be on campus this term for the first time in two years;
Opportunities for the Y staff to form good relationships with the students and wisdom in programming events; and
The hiring an additional Y staff.
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
Phoebe Ann born to Jack and Goodie Bell
We rejoice in the birth of Phoebe Ann who was born on February 11 to Goodie & Jack Bell.
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.
Concerns
We pray for Theo Roddy recovering from a serious car accident.
We pray for Priscilla Allard slowly recovering from COVID.
We pray for Jeanie Hamilton recovering from shoulder surgery.
We pray for Diane Felton recovering from hip surgery last week.
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 for control of the spread of COVID in Tonga as they are experiencing their first cases of the virus.
World
We pray for Rabbi John Atkins in Wake Hospital. Rabbi John is the pastor of the Messianic Jewish congregation that has met at Blacknall.
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 our elders and staff as they participate in a training this coming weekend that is being led by Renew Partnerships. The purpose of this training is for our leaders to explore together what the scriptures have to say about the issues of racism and racial justice. Please pray that this training will help our congregation to stand together against racism in a manner and with a language that is rooted in God’s Word and his Way.
We pray for wisdom as we seek to make decisions about how we can be together in this season of COVID.
We thank God and pray for Brad Turnage and Tanya Kronstad as they lead our youth ministries. We pray for wisdom as they seek to help our students connect with each other and with the Lord.
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.