ANNOUNCEMENTS
Families of Nursery, Preschool & Elementary Children
Last Sunday was Promotion Sunday! We recognize that this year is very different from most. We do not have in-person programming happening for children these ages at this point. But we do want to recognize that our children are still growing up in stature and in faith! Last Sunday the Four Year olds become part of the Children's Worship community as they moved into the Bugs classroom. Last year's Bugs are becoming Kindergarteners and would move up to the Elementary age programs. Third graders are graduating from Children's Worship and will remain with their families for the entire Worship service. And we have many Fifth graders who have moved up to Middle school, some of whom are youngest children so these families have "graduated" from Children's Programming at Blacknall. Congratulations to all of these kids!
Please especially note these Third graders who are receiving Bibles (at home!) this year: Hank Connolly, Coltrane Cox, Keira Dombeck, Isaiah Eagle, Patrick hayes, Jackson Honeycutt, Emelia McMurray, Abigail Murphy, Miriam Scott, Amelie Train, Asher VanFarowe, Vivian Wagner, and Owen Weinard.
Parents if you would, please help us by checking your children's profiles on CCB to make sure that we have correct contact information for them, as well as ages and grades and other information found there. This helps us to make sure we have everything correct at the beginning of the school year!
Finally, if you or your children are not in CCB, or you are new to Blacknall, please contact one of us for more information. Leslie Petree, Director of Nursery and Preschool Children's Ministry lpetree@blacknall.org or Beth Solie Director of Elementary Children's Ministry bsolie@blacknall.org
Women’s Retreat | October 16-17, Durham, NC
In-person & virtual options. Our speaker is Jennifer Hagin of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Worship, speaker sessions, small groups, solitude, & free time activities. Learn more here.
The Betty | Rescheduled to Thursday, Oct. 1, 7-8:30 p.m.
A night of storytelling. Read more here.
Virtual Table Talk | Wednesdays, Oct. 7-Nov. 4 (Zoom)
6:30-7 p.m -All the fellowship & fun of a meal together, minus the food.
7-8 p.m. - A variety of courses touching on scripture, art, prayer, and life together in our world. Details coming soon!
The building is reopening!
Reservation request form here. We are taking reservations for this fall. Existing Blacknall Church events are already listed on the CCB Church Calendar and do not need to submit a new request. Many groups will remain virtual and/or outside for several weeks and group leaders will communicate regarding in-person start times with members in advance. The church office will screen and approve new event requests based on a reduced capacity for each room. Masks are required and other safety precautions will be explained upon reservation. Call or email the church office with questions.
PRAYER & THANKSGIVING
Ministry Partners
Durham—We pray for Iglesia Emanuel. We pray for Pastor Julio and his wife, Marty and for Guillermo as they have primary responsibilities for organizing the weekly food distribution every Wednesday. We pray for the Lord to continue to provide the necessary food for the 400 families that are coming weekly now for food. We pray for church and community members who are facing unemployment or underemployment. We pray for Carlos who recently had a kidney transplant. We pray for regular attenders who have drifted away from being together that they would be restored to fellowship with one another.
International—We pray for Blacknall missionary Stacy Rinehart, who founded MentorLink Leadership Institute in January 2000, based upon the servanthood model set forth by Christ in Mark 10: "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.” Specific prayer requests: (1) wisdom for the MentorLink US Board to reconfigure [“align”] itself [ “in a more servant role’] to the global MentorLink movement; (2) recovery from the virus for Magdy, a partner who works among Syrian refugees, and protection for his family; (3) funds to distribute to pastors in Africa and India, who are severely limited in their ability to feed their families; (4) opportunities for worldwide partners to mentor church leaders to become Christ-like leaders.
Campus—We pray for Fred Williams and his work with InterVarsity. Fred is working with Black Graduate students and Faculty in the Greater Blue Ridge area. Thank God for a weekly Zoom Prayer/Bible Study call with Black Faculty and Grad students that has been a great blessing. Fred works closely with our own Steve Hinkle!
Grief
Pray for Mindy Lance whose Mom died on Tuesday.
Pray for Tim McKeown whose brother died last week
Pray for family and friends of Joanne Hodgson who died unexpectedly on Sunday
Pray for Mark Hayes and his family on the death of his father last week
Joys
We celebrate with Jay Huff and his parents, Mike and Kathy, at Jay’s wedding this past Saturday to Lindsay Knights. Brad Turnage and former Blacknall intern, Mike Weiglein, officiated in Charlottesville, VA.
We celebrate the birth of Carys Mary Ebert to Deb and Aaron Ebert on September 20. Take them a meal.
We celebrate the birth of Susannah Wren Stulac to Danielle and Daniel Stulac on September 24. Take them a meal.
Concerns
We pray for Scott Crane as he seeks treatment for cancer in his neck
We pray for Jo Oldham as her cancer has returned and is now entering hospice. Jo is unable to talk, so please let her know you care by writing her a note.
World
We pray for relief from the wildfires in the western United States.
We pray for the city of Louisville and the ongoing tension across our nation over the killing of Breonna Taylor.
We pray for the upcoming election and for the health of our shared civic life.
Life Together
We pray for search committees for the positions of Director of Music Ministries and Director of Congregational Care.
We pray for discernment and action for us to engage in the “works that God has prepared for us to do.”
ABOUT THE MUSIC
How many ways could you complete the phrase, “I am ___,” and what would it tell someone about you? Seven times in the gospel of John, Jesus uses that phrase to describe Himself, in ways that we could never have guessed. “I Am For You” uses three of them to great effect (btw, as you sing today, recognize that the entire song is Jesus singing about Himself, but for/to us). He reminds us that He is the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, and the Good Shepherd; and the song allows us to vocalize another “I am” statement, by singing Jesus’ words in the refrain, “I am for you.” He is the God Who Is For His People. Now read the lyrics of “Thou Who Wast Rich” as if Jesus is singing to us: I am the one who was rich beyond all splendor…I am God beyond all praising…I am love beyond all telling. Zephaniah 3 has the statement, “The Lord rejoices over you with singing.” As powerful as it is for us to sing together, take a moment and listen – can you hear Him singing to you, about you, reminding you of His love for you? Maybe that’s the ninth statement, and it’s a really good one: I Am the Singing Savior.
I am the Bread of Life,
When you’re hungry, I will feed you.
I am the Bread of Life,
When you’re hungry, I will fill you.
I am for you.
***
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Savior and King, we worship Thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what Thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Savior and King, we worship Thee.