ANNOUNCEMENTS
SANCTUARY WORSHIP
Livestream begins today Sunday, April 11 at 8:30 am.
In-person worship begins Sunday, April 18, at 8:30 & 11:15 am. The 8:30 am service will be livestreamed and recorded. An abbreviated worship from home liturgy will also be provided. Read more here: Sanctuary FAQ, Sanctuary Plan.
“WHAT TO EXPECT: PARENTING TEENS DURING UNCERTAIN TIMES"
Sunday, April 11, 6:30 pm | Webinar link on CCB
It's no secret that the mental health of teenagers has declined over the past year. Join us to learn about how loss and change can affect middle and high schoolers, the confusing ways kids show their grief and anxiety, and how parents can be part of the healing process to help kids move forward in the midst of uncertainty. Led by Emily Cox, Blacknall member and a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Missions Prayer Gatherings
Sunday, April 11, 4 pm Missionary Prayer | Zoom link on CCB
Sunday, April 11, 6:30 pm Congo Prayer | 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 pray for our missionaries and for our mission partners. Come participate in what God is doing in our world.
Cancer Support Group
Sunday, April 11, 10 am | 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.
THE GREAT DIVORCE BOOK GROUP
Wednesdays, April 14-May 12, 7:30 pm over Zoom | Sign up here
A book group on “The Great Divorce” by C.S. Lewis, led by Allan Poole.
Allan Poole Retirement Celebration
Saturday, June 5 | In-person gatherings at Camp Chestnut Ridge
Sunday, June 6, 2-3 pm | Drive-by Celebration at Blacknall
Prayer
Ministry Partners:
Campus—We pray for Steve Edwards working with South Asian international students at NC State through Bridges International. Pray for international students who are particularly dealing with depression due to the isolation of COVID on top of being far from family and under the stress of graduate studies. Pray for students like “Nitesh” from India and “Musa” from Iran for whom this pandemic has also created a greater openness to the Bible and asking questions about the Christian faith. Pray for Steve in his work of training teams of people in doing ministry with people from South Asia.
International—We pray for Blacknall supported missionaries Jim and Julianna (Hawkins) Gieserwho 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. Their children are: Timo - 8, Mattias - 6, Hawkins - nearly 4, and Ruth - 1 1/2. Prayer points: 1. praise God for the new academic year at the university which began in March. The Student Y has successfully launched with two in-person discussion groups and two online Bible studies, which is a big improvement on 2020! Jim is thankful to be back at the office, overseeing spiritual life, staff care and the residence life program; 2. for grace and patience as we continue to adjust to the culture here and seek to establish friendships; 3. for God's protection over our home and our children in a city where crime is prevalent and many people are living in poverty - and for the eyes of Jesus to see the poor as he sees them.
Durham—We pray for our neighbors at the Rutba House in Walltown. The Rutba House is a community of believers living together and practicing hospitality with their neighbors and with strangers. Pray for Jonathan and Leah Wilson-Hartgrove who head up this household. Pray for their new housemate who just got out of prison on March 8 and was able to start a new job the next week. Leah asks us to pray, “for the Walltown community as we have lost so many people this year - some to Covid, and some to other illnesses. All have been all the more difficult to grieve due to Covid.”
Grief:
We pray for those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus.
Joys
We celebrate the birth of Lily Turner to Alex and Graham Turner on March 29.
We celebrate the birth of Halle Claire, the great granddaughter of Carolyn and Roy Beamer this week.
We give thanks for the possibility of gathering together in worship in the sanctuary and for the continuing distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.
We celebrate Abby Stitsinger’s engagement to be married to Alvaro Portillo.
Concerns
We pray for Gordie Simons who is scheduled for hernia surgery on Friday, the 16th.
We pray for those our congregation who are looking for jobs.
World
We pray for a speedy and just distribution of the coronavirus vaccines locally and around the world.
We pray for our schools as students are back in class. We pray for teachers and pray that the bonds between teachers and students would quickly be deepened and students might recover academically.
We pray for the ongoing crises in our world in Myanmar.
We pray for wisdom and courage for our government and the world to respond to the oppression and genocide of the Uyghur people in Western China.
Life Together
We pray for volunteers to step up to help us return to worship in the sanctuary. In this season we have lost many of our normal volunteers. Particularly we need:
Ushers to help welcome people and direct people into and out of the sanctuary
People to join the Video team to help with live streaming the service
People to help with the BAT (audio) team.
We give thanks for the announcement that Becky Gould will be Blacknall’s new Director of Congregational Care beginning on July 1. We give thanks for the hard work of the members of the search committee.
We give thanks for our custodial staff, Calvin, Ronnie, and Enrique as they keep our building clean and functioning well. We pray for good health for them and their families.