BPC NEWS BRIEF

Wednesday,

August 24, 2022

mailing address:  Balmoral Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 17309, Memphis, TN 38187

NEWS THIS WEEK


  • WORSHIP for THIS SUNDAY


  • PASTOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SELECTED


  • SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!


  • JOHNSON AUXILIARY NEEDS YOU!


  • BOOK CLUB SEPTEMBER 13


  • FOCUS on SMALL GROUPS:
  • PW Bible Study begins Wednesday, September 7


  • FALL SUNDAY STUDIES


  • REMEMBERING FREDERICK BUECHNER


  • BPC Photos
  • Worship 8/21
  • Visiting a Friend


WEEKLY INFORMATION
  • Birthdays
  • Calendar of Events
  • CONTACT INFORMATION

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
  • BRING FOOD for the FOOD CART
  • Give out Hospitality bags
  • DONATED BOOKS for the VA
  • SIGN UP to be a WORSHIP LITURGIST!


BPC SUMMER SCHEDULE
  • SUNDAY STUDIES will start back up September 11

BPC WORSHIP


Sunday, August 28, 2022


11:00am

IN BPC's SANCTUARY


Scriptures: Hebrews 13:1-8; 15-16

& Luke 14:1, 7-14

We will still send an email on FRIDAY
with the LiveStream YouTube link & Sunday Worship Guide. 
Previous Worship Services at Balmoral are still available on the 
CIRCLE of FAITH WORSHIP 8:30am
IN BPC's Fellowship Hall

Everyone is invited to join Circle of Faith's worship service!
To enter the building, use Office door to the Fellowship Hall.
SUNDAY STUDIES is
ON VACATION for the SUMMER
Studies will start up again in September

PASTOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Last Sunday, August 21, at the Called Congregational Meeting, the following members were elected to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee to search for a permanent Pastor. 

With the guidance and permission of the Presbytery of Mid-South. the Pastor Nominating Committee is charged with the task of recommending a candidate for the congregation to consider as Balmoral's next installed pastor.

Members are:

Robin Ashworth, Clinton Bailey, Frank Carney, Kristen Gurlen, Scott Hill, Mary Schmitz, and Erich Shultz.

Thank you to Ted Pearson, Lisa Koffman, and Phil Shannon for presenting the slate of PNC nominees.

SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Balmoral needs volunteers to serve at the Soup Kitchen at First Presbyterian Sunday, October 9th. Volunteers will leave during Worship, car pool downtown together for lunch at Westy’s, serve lunch and clean up, then carpool back around 3:00 pm back to the BPC parking lot.

If you are interested in being a volunteer,

sign up via text to Scott Dawson at 901.849.1685. 

JOHNSON AUXILIARY NEEDS YOU!

Jogging pants -- men & women(all sizes), and T-shirts are in short supply at Regional One right now.... Your donations are needed!

Can you help?

Bring your donations and place them next to the Food Cart!

BOOK CLUB

SEPTEMBER 13, 1:30pm

Classroom A

(postponed from August meeting)

We will be discussing the book Seed to Dust  by Marc Hamer. Janice Hill and Ted Pearson will co-lead the discussion.

The author is an English vagabond turned gardener, philosopher, poet and artist. This journal will mesmerize non-gardeners as much as those with green thumbs, as Hamer reflects on "the cycles of birth, growth, life and decay in nature . . . and the mysteries of being alive."

FOCUS on SMALL GROUPS:

Psby Women


Bible Study

sponsored by Presbyterian Women


meets the first Wednesday of the month at 10:30am in Classroom A

This year's Bible Study will consider Sabbath using passages from Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, and Acts—

  • as a celebration, not a day of dreary formality
  • as God’s intent for all of creation that includes busy women too
  • as one day of the week, perhaps a Sunday
  • as a time to surrender unhealthy striving and frantic busyness, and instead trust that God will provide
  • as a reminder that life is precious and working too much is against God’s plans for our precious lives
  • as a day devoted to community and justice and not exclusively to self-care.

Ultimately, Sabbath reminds us to honor God who honors us by giving us a day each week to reset our pace, our priorities, and our lives.


Books will be available Sunday, September 4, before and after Worship. Book is $10. (See Janice Hill or Cathy Bailey)


ALL ARE WELCOME!


(It's not just for women! PW sponsors the study but

is an equal opportunity participant list! Bring your friends, too!)

FALL SUNDAY STUDIES
BEGINS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 9:30am in Classroom A!
Our Fall Sunday Studies book study will be:
We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible with the Poor People's Campaign
by Liz Theoharis.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible proclaims justice and abundance for the poor. Yet these powerful passages about poverty are frequently overlooked and misinterpreted.
Enter the Poor People's Campaign, a movement against racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism, and religious nationalism. In We Cry Justice, Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the campaign, is joined by pastors, community organizers, scholars, low-wage workers, lay leaders, and people in poverty to interpret sacred stories about the poor seeking healing, equity, and freedom. In a world roiled by poverty and injustice, Scripture still speaks.
Organized into fifty-two chapters, each focusing on a key Scripture passage, We Cry Justice offers comfort and challenge from the many stories of the poor taking action together. Read anew the story of the exodus that frees people from debt and slavery, the prophets who denounce the rich and ruling classes, the stories of Jesus's healing and parables about fair wages, and the early church's sharing of goods. Reflection questions and a short prayer at the end of each chapter offer the opportunity to use the book devotionally through a year.
The Bible cries for justice, and we do too. It's time to act on God's persistent call to repair the breach and fight poverty, not the poor.
LEADERS: Ted Pearson and Cliff Gurlen

Remembering Frederick Buechner

Presbyterians Today August 22, 2022


The great author’s Vermont neighbor takes us on a loving visual tribute

by Donna Frischknecht Jackson, Presbyterians Today |

Special to Presbyterian News Service

Frederick Buechner, a Presbyterian pastor and a prolific and well-loved author, died Aug. 15 in Rupert, Vermont, at age 96.


The Rev. Donna Frischknecht Jackson, editor of Presbyterians Today and a fellow Vermont resident, invites colleagues and friends who have been touched by Buechner to experience where he lived and wrote by watching her brief film, "Thank You, Mr. Buechner".

(7.5 minute video - click to play)

From the Washington Post:

"Frederick Buechner, a Presbyterian minister who found his flock not in a church but among the readers of his books, dozens of works of fiction, nonfiction, memoir and theology in which he sought to capture “the elusive presence of the holiness of God,” died Aug. 15 at his home in Rupert, Vt. He was 96.

Mr. Buechner was the author of nearly 40 books translated into more than two dozen languages. A master of many genres, he produced a small library of volumes that included funny novels about characters who are saintly, sinful or both, historical fiction drawn from the lives of actual Catholic saints, and more directly theological writings that earned him comparisons to C.S. Lewis."


Read more about Buechner’s life and work from the full Washington Post story and from the Christian Century article "Frederick Buechner’s Many Benedictions" below.

Full article from the Washington Post
Christian Century article "Frederick Buechner's Many Benedictions"

Photo of Frederich Buechner by A. Blake Gardner in Christian Century article above.

https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/remembering-frederick-buechner/

  • WORSHIP will be IN-PERSON and LiveStreamed as usual at 11:00am each Sunday all summer!
  • SUNDAY STUDIES will be ON VACATION for the SUMMER (We will start up again September 11)


Check with your Small Group Leaders about their Summer Plans!

LITURGIST SIGNUPS
We have LOTS of open slots for Worship Liturgist volunteers. Use the button here to sign-up!
LITURGIST SIGN-UP
Choose the Sunday(s) you are available to serve. All materials you need will be sent to you for that week!

(Contact Rev. Mary Gale if you have questions or need help signing up.)
OPPORTUNITIES for OUTREACH
FILL UP
the
FOOD CART!
STEWS & MEATY CHILI
are on the MENU FOR THE
FOOD CART!
St. Luke Methodist Food Pantry needs stews or Chili with meat! Add a can or two to your grocery list this week for the
Food Cart!
HOSPITALITY BAGS
ARE AVAILABLE NEXT to the FOOD CART -
PICK SOME UP!
You can also pick up Hospitality Bags to donate to those you pass along the road who are in need.
(And bring donations for more bags - bring bottles of water,
And bring donations for more bags - bring bottles of water, boxes of raisins or other dried fruit, granola bars, cheese crackers (NO PEANUT BUTTER!!), clean socks - when you see someone asking for a handout, hand them a Hospitality bag!

URGENT NEED: WE ARE OUT of BOTTLED WATER and SOCKS for the HOSPITALITY BAGS! Please bring what you can!
COLONIAL PARK FOOD DRIVE
IF ANYONE IS CALLED TO SERVE....
We work every 1st and 3rd Thursday. 
Colonial Park UMC
5330 Park Ave
CONTACT SCOTT DAWSON for more INFORMATION
THE VA WANTS YOUR BOOKS!
GENTLY USED BOOKS WANTED!
The VA has a need, a big one, that won’t cost you any money!  We need books!!! Books in good condition!  BUT we need to be a bit picky…. 
No books that smell of cigarette smoke, no books that have been sitting in open boxes in someone’s garage or attic gathering dust and/or bugs.  We need books of many genres, fiction & non-fiction: histories, mysteries, DIY, westerns, biographies, cookbooks, etc. We’ll take some romances, but most of the folks here aren’t big on the Harlequin variety!!
The VA ALSO NEEDS:
We are in desperate need of the following items: 
  • T-shirts, sizes M and 2XL
  •  Sleep pants/lounge pants, summer weight, sizes 2XL and 3X
  • Deodorant, men’s  
Of course, we always need all sizes of underwear, t-shirts, sleep pants, but we are either out of or down to just a few of the items listed above. And we get requests daily!

Anything you can do to help is greatly appreciated. 

Karen Pilkington will be collecting the books & clothes – bring them to church in bags or boxes and leave them next to the Food Cart and her DAR chapter will see that they get to the VA.
CLOTHES DRIVE
for
JOHNSON AUXILIARY
Men’s Clothing:
  • Men’s Casual Shoes (athletic-type shoes) /Slippers (with backs) (All sizes needed)
  • Men’s Jackets and Hoodies (all sizes) & gloves
  • Men’s Casual Pants—Waist Sizes (All sizes needed, but particularly need sizes 30-36 waist and sizes 44 and up waist)
  • Men’s Casual Pants—Sweatpants (All sizes)
  • Men’s Casual Shirts—long sleeve (All sizes needed, but particularly need sizes XL and up particularly big and tall sizes); button down the front and pullover
  • Men’s underwear and socks (Must be new)—(All sizes)

Women’s Clothing:
  • Women’s sweatpants—all sizes needed
  • Women’s underwear and socks (must be new); all sizes needed
  • Women’s hoodies/casual outerwear (all sizes needed, particularly plus sizes); gloves
  • Women’s casual shoes (athletic-type) /slippers (with backs)—Sizes 9 and up

Other Clothing Related Needs:
  • Umbrellas
  • Rainwear such as ponchos (unisex, preferred)

If items have been previously worn, they must be clean, odor-free, stain-free and not in need of repair.
Your contributions really help and are greatly appreciated! 
(Place items near the Food Cart in the narthex hallway.)
VOLUNTEERS are also needed!
Contact Beverley Hooker for more information!

 

AUGUST:  Barry Dotson (26)


SEPTEMBER: Lynn Ward (4),

Karen Pilkington (7), Chip Ordman (10), Jada Baldwin (14),

Lisa Koffman (16), Mitchell Lucas (19) 

 
Every Monday
2:00pm Writer's Group CLASSROOM A and/or on Zoom

EVERY TUESDAY & THURSDAY
12:30pm CHAIR YOGA in CLASSROOM B

1st Wednesday of the Month
BIBLE STUDY 10:30am in Classroom A

1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month
Ellis Small Group 10:15 am

2nd Tuesday of the Month
1:30pm BOOK CLUB in Classroom A

2nd Thursday Evening of the Month
7:00 pm Trouble I've Seen Small Group

1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month
COLONIAL PARK FOOD DRIVE

CHECK WITH YOUR SMALL GROUP LEADER for their SUMMER SCHEDULE

Sunday, August 28, 2022

8:30 AM Circle of Faith Worship in the Fellowship Hall

11:00 AM BPC Worship in the Sanctuary

& on LiveStream


Sunday, September 4, 2022

8:30 AM Circle of Faith Worship in the Fellowship Hall

11:00 AM BPC Worship & Communion in the Sanctuary

& on LiveStream


Wednesday, September 7, 2022

10:30am PW Bible Study in Classroom A


Sunday, September 11, 2022

8:30 AM Circle of Faith Worship in the Fellowship Hall

9:30 AM Sunday Studies Begin for Fall in Classroom A

11:00 AM BPC Worship in the Sanctuary

& on LiveStream


Wednesday, September 13, 2022

1:30pm BOOK CLUB in Classroom A


Sunday, September 18, 2022

8:30 AM Circle of Faith Worship in the Fellowship Hall

9:30 AM Sunday Studies Begin for Fall in Classroom A

11:00 AM BPC Worship in the Sanctuary

& on LiveStream



BPC PHOTOS

Worship, August 21

Liturgist Clinton Bailey

with Transitional Pastor Rev. Mary Newberg Gale

Choir directed by John Gilmer, pianist Leiza Collins

Musical Offering "Down in the River to Pray"

Called Congregational Meeting

Hudson DeLoach visits with RJ Powell


CONTACT INFORMATION

Pastoral Care is supplied by Pastoral Care Intern Rev. Elizabeth Dick 314.330.0506

       or email elizabethdick2@gmail.com

and our Transitional Pastor

Rev. Mary Newberg Gale 913.481.7427

       or email mngale@balmoralpc.com

    

Session members are your primary contact for ongoing communication. Here's the current contact list:

Lori Blackwelder .... (901) 262-8282 ............... LORIEB1165@yahoo.com

Leiza Collins ........... (901) 246-5031 ..................... leiza1016@gmail.com 

Barry Dotson .......... (901) 277-1596 ............... barry.dotson@yahoo.com

Janice Hill ............... (901) 826-9747 ................... janicehill81@gmail.com

Beverly Hooker.........(901) 496-1241 ......................... bev.h@earthlink.net

Ted Pearson home: (901) 754-9796 ...................  pearsonteda@aol.com 

...........................cell: (901) 486-6117

Karen Pilkington......(901) 262-5810 ............karenlpilkington@gmail.com

Erich Shultz ..............(901) 268-4951 ...................emshultz@bellsouth.net

Linda Warren............(901) 573-2654..............emighwarren1947@gmail.com


(NOTE: Many of these Session members work during the day, so you may want to text them or email them.)


Keep in mind that ANY Balmoral member who is healthy will most likely be happy to help you in case of need as well!


To contact other members, the most-current contact information is available by requesting a copy of the BPC PHONE DIRECTORY from Kathy Singleton by email ksingle2@bellsouth.net or by phone or text to (901) 734-7193. 

POLICIES for WORSHIP & BUILDING USE
  • Wearing a mask in the church building is optional.
  • Social distancing is still encouraged.
  • Individuals exhibiting symptoms of illness are asked to not enter the building.
  • Unvaccinated individuals are asked to wear a mask, including members of community organizations that use the building.
  • Should a surge in Covid-19 infections prompt the Shelby County Health Department to recommend indoor mask-wearing and social distancing, the task force will convene to decide how to react.
  • Members who test positive for Covid-19 are asked to notify Rev. Elizabeth Dick, who will notify the congregation so members can decide how to respond.
  • To keep the SEED children as safe as possible, the procedures controlling the old end of the building will remain unchanged, except when there is a need for someone to pass through the SEED area.
  • Individuals may bring only water into the sanctuary; food and drink is permitted elsewhere.
  • Passing plates to collect the offering is permitted.
  • The SEED children and staff are allowed to use the new hallway to access the playground and the main bathrooms.
  • The drinking fountains are no longer off limits.
  • The kitchen is no longer off limits.
  • Collections for the Food Cart may resume.
Small Group Meetings in Classrooms A & B must be scheduled with Barry Dotson, barry.dotson@yahoo.com or signed text/cell: 901. 277.1596
THIS ISN'T ENTIRELY OVER YET, HOWEVER!
PLEASE, FOR THE SAFETY OF YOURSELF and ALL THOSE YOU LOVE AND CARE FOR:
Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of illness (EG: sinus infection; flu like symptoms; sore throat; fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea) should consider contacting your Healthcare Provider and let them know you may have been exposed to a breakthrough case of COVID-19 to a fully vaccinated person.
PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE CHURCH
IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS

Thank you for continuing to observe the ever-changing policies as we navigate the pandemic together.
To contact the Chair of the BPC COVID-19 Task Force:
Scott Hill - signed text: 901.277.9794
email: sphill1946@gmail.com (NOTE his new email!)
IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO OR HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID    
Contact: The Reverend Elizabeth Dick 314.330.0506 or elizabethdick2@gmail.com
Let Elizabeth know when you were last in church; Give permission for notification to the congregation; Get Tested, if you have not already been; Contact any person or persons you have been with and follow with your doctor's advice.
  • Newsletter Articles & Photos should be emailed to Kathy Singleton at ksingle2@bellsouth.net no later than Monday at noon for the week you want the article in the news.
  • Bulletin Information should be emailed to Rev. Mary Gale, with a copy to Kathy Singleton, no later than Monday noon the week before the Sunday you want the information to appear.
  • Prayer Concerns should be submitted via email to Rev. Mary Gale (mngale@balmoralpc.com) and/or Rev. Elizabeth Dick (elizabethdick2@gmail.com) with a copy to Kathy Singleton at ksingle2@bellsouth.net.
AUGUST 2022
online church calendar
The calendar will take a few seconds to load and, once it opens, you will see the month that we are currently in. To see the next month's calendar, click on the arrow pointing down - it is just to the right of the name of the month. Once you click on that arrow, an icon will appear with all the months of the year listed. Click on the month that you want to see. To see a specific date, click on the number of the day you would like to see. The entire 2021-2022 calendar is available to you.