PRAYER & THANKSGIVING
Pray for Hunter and Lauri who are living in the U.S. in Georgia but are supporting the work of Young Life in Israel, Palestine and North Africa. Pray for R., one of the Young Life leaders in an Arab village outside of Nazareth. She is a mom of five children, wife to B., works and leads Young Life in her village. Pray for the new Young Life club started in her village for youth with special needs. Please pray for R. and her family, and that “God will use her and many like her to bring true peace to the Holy Land through Jesus Christ.”
Pray for Walltown Neighborhood Ministries and for Sylvia Belcher as she leads this ministry. Pray for the monthly food bank, that Blacknall and other churches would respond to the need for food donations. Pray for Sylvia and her team of volunteers who gather, bag, and distribute the food each month. Pray that the Church would supply the volunteers and resources needed to respond to the growing number of families in need of help.
Pray for Blacknall supported missionaries using the May prayer guide.
LOVE & SERVE
Take a meal to the Gaghans, as they prepare to welcome baby.
Take a meal to the Hammans, as they welcome baby Constance.
Take a meal to the Weems.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Know Your Neighbor Month - We encourage you to read the book The Art of Neighboring. To join us in this neighboring journey, read more here.
Farewell Drive By for Joe & Johnena Brown — Joe, Johnena and family would like to say farewell to their Blacknall family before moving to Ohio. Drive by their home at 3100 Mellwood Dr., Durham, on Sunday, May 17 from 2-5 p.m. to wish them well!
FINANCES
Special Mission Offering: $32,218Thank you for your incredible generosity!
July 1 through April 30, 2020
Actual offerings: $1,257,220
Offering need: $1,363,307
Ahead/(behind): ($106,087)
There are multiple ways to give to Blacknall:
Checks mailed to the church office.
Automatic bank drafts as a part of bill pay directed to Blacknall using your local bank.
Gifts of stock. Contact Rick Every or Carol Smith.
Online giving (including ACH, debit card, and credit card donations). Members can also schedule recurring online gifts when signed on to CCB. Details here.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
All the way through the 1800s, in rural America, a high percentage of homes included among their meager possessions a copy of the Bible, and a hymnal, most commonly just the lyrics. In many congregations, there might be but a single hymnal with printed music, so a designated song leader would “line out” a hymn – the leader would sing a line which would then be echoed by the congregation. As jazz was being birthed, this “lining out” practice morphed a bit into “call & response”, where the response might not be precisely what was initially sung; in fact, it might be quite different, as if what was happening was a sort of musical conversation between leader and crowd. Both practices are found in some form in every culture. To me, this is a tiny example of our lives on earth being preparatory to our lives in heaven – in essence, we are rehearsing. Read the grand passages in Revelation about the hosts of heaven calling to one another in song, “Holy! Holy! Holy!” and “Worthy is the Lamb” and “Salvation belongs to our God.” When we sing today, you will notice that a couple of the songs are “echo songs” – think of Jamie on the recording as “calling” and you get to “respond.” Yes, it will feel strange and small and maybe not quite right – but I hope you will engage with it. Our sung praises now are rehearsals for the eternal choral experience that awaits – as our song reminds us, “Throughout the endless ages, You will be crowned with praises, Lord Most High!” Thanks, Jamie, for your winsome leadership!
With our heads bowed in prayer (echo)
With our voices in song (echo)
In our cry of repentance (echo)
(together) Your name be praised!
With our hearts filled with joy (echo)
Or from depths of despair (echo)
With the strength that you give us (echo)
(together) This song we raise, Lord –
Throughout the endless ages,
You will be crowned with praises,
Lord Most High.
Exalted in ev’ry nation, Sovereign of all creation,
Lord Most High, be magnified.