Sunday, Jan. 23
In the case of inclement weather, the building will remain open for worship for all those who wish to attend, but please stay safe!
In-Person Worship
For the month of January, there will be one in-person Worship Service at 11am only (with livestream).
updated: Children’s Worship or Nursery
There will be no Sunday School, Children’s Worship or Nursery. Children are welcome to attend the service. Children’s Worship, Nursery & Sunday School will resume on Sunday, March 6. This includes Adult Sunday School, Youth Sunday School, and Children’s Sunday School.
Message from the Pastors
As a pastoral staff, we seek the health of our Blacknall community: deep relationship with Christ, loving relationships with one another, and healthy bodies. We have endured a lot in the last few years; now we face the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
So far, the Omicron variant seems to produce milder symptoms, especially for the vaccinated. For this, we are thankful! However, we recognize that a positive case has ripple effects for households and for our life together at Blacknall: volunteers cannot show up; children are unable to attend school; parents and caregivers miss work. As a result, we are delaying the start of Children’s Worship, Nursery, Sunday School, and some programming.
We exhort you to seek the health of the Blacknall community with us: participate in worship, as you feel comfortable; remain connected with brothers and sisters in Christ; take care of yourselves.
There is a new Spotify playlist for songs we’re singing during the season of Epiphany, as well as songs for meditation and contemplation during the season.
Giving Update: The Finance Committee will notify the congregation as soon as possible with a giving update for 2021.
Anonymous Donors: The church office received some stock gifts from anonymous donors. If you gave a stock gift on one of the dates below and want a donation letter for tax purposes, please contact Carol Smith at csmith@blacknall.org or call the church office:
12/21/21 • 8/18/21 • 7/1/21 • 4/28/21Mission Offering Total: In November 2021, we collected our Annual Mission Offering. This offering was collected to provide support for the people of Afghanistan and was divided equally between three ministries. Two of those ministries are local to Durham and are deeply involved in caring and providing for Afghan refugees in Durham. They are World Relief Durham and the Samaritan Health Center. The third ministry is on the ground in Afghanistan, being run by Afghans. It is the International Assistance Mission (IAM), which has been involved in Afghanistan for over 50 years.
The total raised through your generosity was $29,077.27. That means each of these ministries will receive almost $9,700!
May the Lord use these gifts to bring glory and honor to His name and hope to these people loved by Him! Thank you for generously responding to this invitation.
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., .
We rejoice with Hanke & Wilco De Vries on the birth of their son, Sem Willem Asher De Vries on December 29th! Sign up to bring them a meal.
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
Russell Pierce, Executive Director, Housing for New Hope
We pray for Housing for New Hope and their Executive Director, Russell Pierce, as they seek to provide basic housing for vulnerable members of our community. They ask for prayer for:
Connecting with more potential landlord partners;
In this colder season, Durham County and local housing partners will be gearing up for our “Point-in-Time” count. This is a night when housing partners identify how many people are experiencing home-lessness in Durham Count.
Let us also pray for Mary Grimm, Blacknall’s former Communications Director, who is now working at HFNH as their Marketing & Communications Specialist.
Campus & National
Edward Dixon, Executive Director, CCS
We pray for Center for Christianity and Scholarship (CCS) at Duke University and its Executive Director, Edward Dixon. Blacknall provided a gift to CCS out of our Future Vision Fund that helped to fund the hiring of their new Director of Academic Programming, Kathryn Wagner, who began working in late December. They ask for prayer for:
Staff transition as their Director of Community Life, Jeff Bennett, is in Army Chaplaincy training for 14 weeks and Danny Howard fills in on an interim basis, working with undergraduates.
The new cohort of faculty that are convening monthly over the next three years to envision, design, and teach what CCS hopes will be for-credit courses through Duke. Pray that the Lord makes a way for the courses to be offered and for the community building among the faculty in the cohort.
Please pray for rich life at the CCS House on Buchanan Blvd. and for students and faculty to experience deep community in Christian life and learning at the house.
International
We pray for Blacknall global workers, and long-time members of our congregation, Charlie & Frauke Schaefer (Barnabas International, Durham, missionary counseling). “The counseling ministry of Barnabas International is founded on biblical principles yet strives to meet both spiritual and emotional needs.” They ask prayer for:
Praises for a refreshing time at Christmas.
The finding of suitable land for the Malaga Retreat Center in Spain.
For the way to be opened for Charlie to travel to Spain with the board chairman in the near future.
For the information about the MedRetreat in March to come to the attention of those global healthcare workers who need to attend.
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. The memorial service was yesterday.
We pray for those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus..
Joys
We give thanks that Jenn West can be with us in worship this morning. Jenn has been a Blacknall supported global worker for the past several years, working in the Netherlands in international student ministry. Before that, we supported her in her campus ministry work at NC State. Jenn will be sharing with us about her ministry as she steps away from ministry with InterVarsity.
We rejoice with Ray Wilkins in the celebration of her 90th birthday.
We rejoice in the birth of Sem Willem Asher de Vries (Sem) to Hanke & Wilco and siblings, Yael & Rivka on December 28.
Concerns
We pray for Lynn & ‘Ale Vanderwoude-‘Aho, Blacknall-supported global workers in Tonga, as they recover from the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga. We have heard that they are with no extensive damage, just lots of ash. Pray for the long-term effects on crops, fish, and livestock. Also, pray as help arrives from outside Tonga that they would be protected from COVID.
We pray for Bethany & Noe Kasali in Goma, DRC, who are expecting their new baby due any day. Pray for a safe delivery for Bethany and the baby
World
We pray for our schools—students, teachers, and administrators as they try to navigate this season. Pray for students who are struggling with isolation and anxiety because of the stress of COVID.
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 10th graders who are participating in our Confirmation Class and for Brad & Jamie Turnage as they lead these young people as they prepare for their decision to confirm their baptism and join the church as adult members.
We thank God and pray for Sondra Haaga as she is getting settled into her new position with us as Communication and Program Coordinator.
We pray for our continued search for a Choir Director.