SUNDAY, March 6
The spring Inquirer’s Class begins at 5:00 p.m. and will be held in the Rose Garden outside the church. Subsequent classes will take place in the Parlor (same floor as the church office). If you have any questions, please contact Pastor David Dunderdale.
Wednesday, March 9
Please join us for this week’s Lenten communion service, starting at 7 p.m. There is no childcare for this service, but children are welcome in the sanctuary.
SUNDAY, March 13
Congregational Meeting: Members of Blacknall will have an opportunity to vote on officers (Class of 2025) at the end of each service. More information is below.
Updated Mask Policy (effective 3.7.2022)
Beginning tomorrow, March 7, masks are no longer required in the church building, except in the circumstances outlined below. Blacknall’s decision to lift the mask requirement is consonant with the decision made by the city of Durham and Durham County to end their mask mandate effective Monday, March 7.
Masks are still REQUIRED:
At the 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning service;
In the Fellowship Hall during the 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services; and
For all individuals participating in Children’s Ministry programs (0 yrs. – 5th grade), including volunteers and workers, children ages 2 and older, and parents or other adults attending to children in the Nursery Hall or Children’s Ministry classrooms. Nursery/Preschool volunteers and workers must also be vaccinated.
As of 3.7.2022, masks are OPTIONAL:
At the 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning service;
Adult Sunday School (10 a.m.);
Youth Ministry programming (middle and high school), including Youth Sunday School and Sunday evening Youth Group; and
In church common areas and rooms not affected by the restrictions outlined above.
Please note: these policy changes will not affect Sunday Morning worship until March 13.
To ensure the health and safety of our congregation, we will continue to monitor the spread of COVID cases in our area and modify our policies as the situation merits.
Sunday School
Nursery & Sunday School resumes this week! This includes Adult Sunday School, Youth Sunday School, and Children’s Sunday School. The Sunday School hour begins at 10 a.m.
Check out Blacknall’s updated homepage to find a collection of Lenten resources — online guides, books and children’s books— as well as updates about Lenten services, events and more.
The Men's Ministry Leadership Team invites all the men of Blacknall to join in the observance of Lent this year in two ways:
We will provide a daily prayer liturgy that we encourage all Blacknall men to use as a way of uniting ourselves before the Lord during this season. (Details coming soon.)
Starting March 2, we are offering specific times to connect with other men on a weekly basis during Lent for fasting, prayer and fellowship.
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Congregational Meeting to elect officers— elders and deacons — on Sunday, March 13. Please take a moment to get to know the candidates. You can view their bios here.
Jo Oldham (right) and her husband Newland (left), who preceded her in death in 2019
The flowers today are given by the Frush and Paulson families in loving memory of Jo Oldham. A memorial service for Jo was held at Blacknall yesterday, March 5. View the recording here.
Jo was a member of Blacknall since 1979. We remember Jo for her laughter, wisdom and insights shared as a teacher and friend. Her family is sharing books and DVDs from Jo's personal library. Please look through the collection outside the library and take home a memory of Jo. The bookcases were donated to Blacknall by the Oldham family as well.
Blacknall Library upgrades to serve you better. The Blacknall Library offers books, CDs and DVDs to build up the body of Christ at Blacknall to advance the kingdom. And now we’re automated for easier access and streamlined check out.
Now you can…
Find if we have an item in the library and if it’s available
Search by topic/author/age group/series
See book lists
Plus, when you log on, you can see all your checked out items, renew an item, reserve an item and much more! For login details, stop by the library or email us at library@blacknall.org.
Visit us today at blacknall.org/library to try it out. Better yet, stop by the library!
Take April Perry and Shelia Rittgers a meal as they care for Gaelle and Hadassa. Sign up to bring them a meal.
Please help minister to the Riggs family as Lori continues to experience health challenges. Sign up to bring them a meal.
The Smith family is experiencing circumstances that would make meals extremely helpful right now. Sign up to bring them a meal.
Blacknall directly supports two Afghan refugee families relocated to Durham — a family of 11 (children ages 4-20 yrs.) and another family of seven. Through the generosity of the congregation, Andrea Tshihamba is happy to report that both families secured all the beds they had requested.
Working with an interpreter, Andrea Tshihamba was able to determine other basic needs of a typical Afghan home. Please consider signing up to donate a household item. There are three delivery options:
1) Bring items directly to the family’s home (you may be invited for a cup of tea);
2) Have items directly shipped to the family’s home address; or
3) Drop items off at Andrea Tshihamba’s home (4905 Montvale Dr., Durham, NC 27705).
Should you choose either of the first two options, Andrea will provide you with the family’s address. You may also contact Andrea at andreapersists@gmail.com with any questions.
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
Tammy Laurence, Executive Director, Families Moving Forward
Durham—We pray for one of our Deep Common Journey partners, Families Moving Forward (FMF), in their work with homeless families. Pray for their new Executive Director, Tammy Laurence, as she leads during a time of uncertainty, low housing stock and during a pandemic.
Tammy requests prayer for:
The Chefs For Change dinner on Tuesday, March 15th. Chefs for Change is one of the major fundraising efforts for FMF and is an event where one of the great chefs in the Durham food scene cooks a multi-course meal with all of the proceeds going to FMF.
Clear guidance as their Management Team considers plans to reopen their kitchen and resume full-scale in person programming and volunteer engagement.
Restoring hope in their families who are having a hard time finding housing they can afford and is safe for their families.
The Lord to open the hearts and minds of landlords in our community to consider how they can better collaborate and become better partners in addressing our affordable housing crisis.
Blacknall’s hospitality rotation on Thursday, April 7th as we cook for the families at FMF that evening.
Campus & National
Kris Cooper, RUF campus minister at NCCU
We pray for Kris Cooper in his work with RUF at NC Central.
Kris requests prayer for:
A new Bible study on 1 Corinthians called, “Learning to Live in Christian Community.” So far, students have responded with honesty and confession, leading to a deeper prayer life for forgiveness and holiness. This study has created a desire among students to change their ways and incorporate more Godly rhythms in their everyday life.
The men’s Bible study weekly that Re. Kris is leading. Pray for this to be a fruitful time as they study the book of Psalms together. It will be through the lens of the Gospel and how God matures us into the image of a man who looks, thinks, and matures in Jesus.
A student event called “Transformation Tuesday”, which encourages students about the importance of prayer and why it is useful.
Increased financial support for this ministry that is growing at NCCU.
International
Lambeth Family working with Young Life in the Middle East
We pray for Blacknall global workers, Hunter & Lauri Lambeth as they support the work of Young Life in Israel/Palestine and the Middle East.
Some months ago, Hunter wrote, “A dear friend shared one of the more thought-provoking perspectives on the COVID crisis with me this week. He made the assertion that waiting is not wasting. Referencing a story about a monk who challenged the observation that waiting is not to be equated with doing nothing, my friend shared the monk’s perspective that in waiting we are given an incredible opportunity to ‘grow up our souls.’ And furthermore, that if we can’t learn to be still and wait, we ‘can’t become what God created us to be.’”
Requests prayer for:
Guidance for the indigenous staff and volunteers, as they seek creative ways to reach and disciple youth:
Thanksgiving with director Yousef and his wife Nisreen, on the birth of their third child, Rafael, on Feb. 2nd;
Rozan, the newest staff person, as she forms relationships to start ministry in Cana;
Renay’s ministry: her follow up with those who attended the family camp, her work with youth in an Orthodox church, and her ministry in three Young Life clubs; and
Wisdom and love for Renay’s as she ministers to Linda, a woman in her village who is suffering from gangrene in both feet and depression.
Griefs
We pray for the family and friends of Jo Oldham whose memorial service was yesterday.
We grieve for the people of Ukraine and for the loss of life from the Russian invasion.
Joys
Phoebe Ann born to Jack and Goodie Bell
We rejoice with Barry & Ann Housel who celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary last week.
We rejoice in the birth of John Charles to Susan Emmett & Bill Steinbeck on February 10.
We rejoice in the birth of Phoebe Ann to Goodie & Jack Bell on February 11.
Concerns
We pray for the group of people from Blacknall, Mt. Level Baptist, and Epworth Methodist churches who are journeying together this week to some of the Civil Rights sites in Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery, Alabama. Pray that they will journey well together and be attentive to the Holy Spirit.
World
We pray for the people of Ukraine and the cessation of violence and the thwarting of evil intent.
We pray for an end to the COVID virus.
Life Together
We pray for our Congregational Meeting next Sunday, March 13, for the purpose of electing elders and deacons. We thank God for those willing to stand for election and to serve us in this way.
We thank God and pray for our custodial staff, Calvin, Ronnie, and Enrique.
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