Announcements
Sanctuary Worship Delay
Based on rising Covid cases in Durham, the session and pastors have decided to delay indoor worship until 2021. While we wait to gather in the sanctuary, let's continue worshiping in our homes, in backyards, and over zoom. Stay tuned for creative ways to worship during Advent.
Advent Wreath Kits
Drive by pick up on Saturday, Nov. 21, 9-11 a.m. or Sunday, Nov. 22, 12-2 p.m. Blacknall is providing Advent wreath kits this year as our gift to the congregation so we can walk through the season of Advent together, even while we're apart. Kits include 4 candles, a floral foam wreath ring, and instructions. Sign up here.
Advent Devotional
Jesus is coming – so let’s sing! This year, our daily Advent devotionals will be centered around carols. Each day will include a reflection by Dave Stuntz and a carol recorded by fellow Blacknallites. Sign up here.
Prayer & Thanksgiving
MINISTRY PARTNERS:
Durham—We pray for Kairos Prison Ministry and our own Ken Woods-Henderson. Kairos does weekend discipleship events at Central Prison in Raleigh with inmates and volunteers. Pray for the men who have been impacted by this ministry that they would continue to grow deeper in the Lord even though Kairos volunteers have not been allowed into the prison since March. Pray for good favor for Kairos with the new warden at the prison. Pray for believers who are on death row that they would be encouraged and know the peace and presence of the Lord. Pray for believers to be a faithful witness to Christ and pray for the opportunity to return to the prison as soon as possible with the coronavirus.
International—Please pray for Woody and Mary McLendon with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Waxhaw, NC. Woody is President of JAARS, which partners with Wycliffe in providing aviation and technological support to the work of Bible translation. Prayer requests: (1) praises for God’s protection and provision at JAARS during the pandemic; (2) help in developing new approaches so that JAARS can continue to provide technical and logistic support for language and translation projects; (3) Mary and Dr. Kikama’s collaboration in translating the New Testament into the Iyansi dialect of Congo (DRC); (4) the cooperation of the worldwide church to make the Good News available in the heart language of everyone; (5) health and grace for their family during these trying times.
Campus—We pray for Scott and Jenny Hawkins and his work with International Students, Inc. in the Durham area. This work is listed as “Campus,” but the vision is larger: every international student in the Triangle area will encounter Christ Jesus, bringing glory to the living God and the transformation of nations! For the not-yet-believers to encounter Christ we must find ways to meet them, cultivate relationships of trust, and bridge to the Gospel. Doing that meaningfully has been deeply challenging since March! We seek from our Captain: perseverance, creativity (online) and discernment of the Spirit’s leading with persons and with methods. However, we do celebrate:
W’s readiness to follow Jesus - but worries about the future are pulling her down;
H’s deepening knowledge and articulation of faith in Christ;
P’s (from a S. Asian perspective) expressions of awe for a Creator’s design; and,
J’s journey (7+ years) to know & entrust himself to Christ.
GRIEF:
Pray for Rev. Robert Daniels of St. John’s whose sister died recently.
Continue to pray for family and friends of Joanne Hodgson.
JOYS
We celebrate the engagement of Amy Whisenand and Joe Krall.
We celebrate Philip Whisenhunt and Sarah Dehart's wedding this weekend.
CONCERNS
We pray for Taylor Brennan and Scott Crane as they continue cancer treatment.
We pray for students, teachers, and all those helping with education.
WORLD
We pray for deliverance from the virus as it surges in our nation and around the world.
We thank God for the election and for a political system that allows us to elect our leaders. We pray for a peaceful and fair resolution to our election and for all of those who were elected to serve that they would do so in service to righteousness and justice.
We pray for Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are facing persecution because of their faith in Christ. We pray for perseverance and hope and relief for them.
LIFE TOGETHER
We give thanks for the work of the search committee for the position of Director of Music Ministries (chair, John Nicholson) and we pray for the search committee for the Director of Congregational Care (chair, Melissa Hartemink).
We pray for Leslie Cenezy, Carol Smith, Mary Grimm, and Ali Shoenfelt as they maintain our building, operations, and communication. We give thanks for their diligence and creativity.
We pray for the Nominating Committee as they continue their work of nominating people to serve as elders and deacons.
About the Music
The song invites us to ask opposite questions followed by the same prayer: Deliver me, O God. If asked honestly, the questions cut deep, as they expose many things that we might prefer to keep hidden. What do you most crave? Even if I massage it with the Biblical term, “longing,” in truth I know the difference. I think the only time “crave” is used positively in Scripture is in 1 Peter, “crave pure spiritual milk.” Look at the lyrics below – the love of my own comfort, the need to be understood and accepted – these are a form of fleshly cravings. “Deliver me, O God.” What do you most fear? When God tells His people, “Don’t be afraid,” He is inviting us to name that which He is offering to “unempower.” The fears named below are not of violence or upheaval; they are much more quiet and personal. The craving to be accepted is rather similar to the fear of humility. “Deliver me, O God.” Listen as Dana and Jamie pray on your behalf. If you were adding verses, what would you name? I encourage you to do just that, to name a personal craving or fear – the Lord already knows, right? After the sermon, feel the strength of verse 1 of “In Christ Alone” – “What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!” Our God is in the deliverance business. May we taste His goodness, today, and be assured that we shall not want. Give thanks.
From the love of my own comfort,
From the fear of having nothing,
From a life of worldly passions,
Deliver me, O God…
From the need to be understood,
From the need to be accepted,
From the fear of being lonely,
Deliver me, O God;
Deliver me, O God.
And I shall not want, I shall not want,
When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want;
When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.
From the fear of serving others,
From the fear of death or trial,
From the fear of humility,
Deliver me, O God;
Deliver me, O God.
And I shall not want, I shall not want,
When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.
Community Event
Why we believe there is hope for Africa
Sat., Nov. 21, 11-12:15 p.m. OR Sat., Nov. 28, 9-10 a.m.
Is there hope for Africa? Based on a career of academic and theological training, and years of leadership experience crisscrossing Africa, come and hear why Dr. David Kasali believes that the answer is Yes! Please join us for a DRC Discussion Group. We will reflect together on the basis for our hope and implications for finding hope in our own contexts. Details here.