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Balmoral Presbyterian Church
Where the Spirit Takes Flight
BPC NEWS BRIEF
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
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mailing address: Balmoral Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 17309, Memphis, TN 38187
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NEWS THIS WEEK
- WORSHIP this week November 15
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REMINDER:
- FAREWELL DRIVE-BY for the KAISERS
- INTER-FAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE OFFERING
- ADVENT at HOME
- Advent Begins 11/29
- At-Home Advent Wreath
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Walk Unafraid in the Darkness from Presbyterian Today
- Around Memphis
- COVID-WEARY
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WEEKLY INFORMATION
- Birthdays
- A Good Read
- Calendar of Events
- OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
- CONTACT INFORMATION
- BPC Photos
- Worship last Sunday
LINKS to DOCUMENTS:
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ONLINE on YouTube at 11:00 am
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The BUILDING is CLOSED
thru at least NOVEMBER 30, 2020
BUT
BALMORAL is OPEN !
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Our Session is committed to providing worship during the pandemic that reaches everyone. Those of you who do not have computer access or SmartPhone access, Idlewild will continue to broadcast all of the worship services on the radio 96.1 FM.
Stay at home! Stay Safe!
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Worship and Sunday Studies
Balmoral Presbyterian Church
Sunday, November 15, 2020
SUNDAY STUDIES 9:45 - 10:45am on Zoom
- How Good People Fight Bias
- Bible Study of Romans
WORSHIP at 11:00 AM on YouTube
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 123 & I Thessalonians 5:1-11
SERMON: "Dressing in the Dark"
with Rev. Carla Meisterman
You will receive an email Friday with details, links to the 2 Sunday Studies classes on Zoom, a link to the YouTube site for Worship, and a link to download the Sunday Worship Guide. You will also receive a reminder & links to the classes & worship service on Sunday morning!
The Idlewild service will also still be available at 11:00 am on the radio at 96.1 FM or you can go online to the Idlewild Livestream broadcast at
Previous Worship Services at Balmoral are still available on the
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KEEP YOUR PRAYER LIST
ALL WEEK!
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As we worship virtually and provide the worship bulletin to people who are not members of our congregation, we want to insure that our prayer requests are kept private and within a circle of trust that understands and respects the confidentiality of the names listed.
Please plan to make the weekly Prayer Concern email your daily prompt for prayer and reaching out to support and encourage the people who have requested our support in prayer.
Thank you for taking time to pray daily for needs that are expressed and needs that go unexpressed. Your prayers are powerful and they are a blessing!
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Wishing
Do & Bob Kaiser
a Wonderful New Journey!
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Come and join us for a drive-by farewell to Do and Bob Kaiser who are moving to South Carolina. We will meet in the church parking lot at 1:45pm Saturday, November 14, 2020 and caravan to 6490 Sulgrave.
Bob and Do will either be sitting in their driveway or standing in their front door. We will drive-by and then turn around and drive-by again.
Help us acknowledge the Kaiser's over 45 years of service to Balmoral!
If you're planning to attend, text Becky DeLoach
at 489-3369 or Fran Addicott at 487-0214.
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Memphis InterReligious Thanksgiving
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Due to the Pandemic, our annual in-person Thanksgiving service with Temple Israel, Holy Spirit, Masjid As-Salam, Balmoral & other churches won't be possible.
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Instead, the mosque, churches and synagogue will be doing
an offering to support families in the Metro area by making donations to the Mid-South Food Bank.
The Interfaith Coalition plans "an exciting new approach to our interfaith partnership that allows us to serve together but in a very different way than is typical due to the health pandemic.... We can put our faith into action in the days around Thanksgiving that is safe and responsible, rooted in our shared convictions that call us to serve alongside our neighbors, and that takes the place of an in-person large group gathering for worship in one of our congregation’s sanctuaries," according to Stephen H. Cook, Senior Pastor, Second Baptist Church.
Donations can be made online at the
Hunger is a persistent problem for many in our community and those needs are only increasing as the pandemic wears on. Your donations are greatly appreciated to support our Community!
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ADVENT BEGINS
Sunday, November 29, 2020
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Advent is a Christian season of preparation before Christmas.
Its four weeks represent the four thousand years between the first promise of a Savior in Genesis 3:15 and the coming of Jesus. The word "Advent" means "coming." It prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ as the baby born at Bethlehem at the first Christmas. It also reminds that Christ comes daily through using His Word and Sacraments.
Advent begins the last Sunday of November or the first Sunday of December, depending on which day of the week Christmas (December 25) falls. This year, Advent starts Sunday, November 29, the earliest it has been in decades. Then follows the three Sundays December 6, 13, and 20. Advent ends on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24.
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A Traditional Advent Wreath |
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TRADITIONAL ADVENTS .... BEFORE the PANDEMIC |
Joining together to decorating the sanctuary, lighting the Advent Wreath each week, a Christmas Cantata, the Christmas Eve Candelight Service ...
all will be different this year.
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BUT WE WILL HAVE ALL of THESE ...
JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY!
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Balmoral will still have Christmas decorations in the sanctuary, including the Advent Wreath, special music and a Christmas Even Candlelight service ... just on YouTube! |
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ADD an AT-HOME ADVENT WREATH |
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Some of you may already have an Advent Wreath.
Place it near your computer or TV where you watch Sunday Worship on YouTube. Join in with worship by lighting your own Advent Wreath while Carla lights the candles.
Don't have an Advent Wreath, or is it too large to fit near by while you worship? Make a new one!
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IDEAS for MAKING a SIMPLE ADVENT WREATH |
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Balmoral's Advent Wreath uses a traditional Advent wreath using 5 candles with 1 pink, 3 purple, & a center white candle, surrounded by Christmas greenery.
BUT an Advent Wreath does NOT have to be that way!
The good news is, there are as many Advent traditions as there are sects of Christianity, and you can’t do it “wrong”.
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USE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE!
- Circle or square or oblong - it doesn't matter.
- Use a plate, a tray, a bowl, or even a decorative scarf as the base.
- Different colors or all the same - whatever you have. Whatever style or size of candle, EVEN BATTERY or tea light - all work fine!
- Use 5 candles, 4 candles, even just 1 candle.
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Greenery is not a requirement - use anything around it - or nothing at all if it's a Christmas or pretty plate or tray.
- (One shown hear uses pulled-apart cotton balls, and I have a friend who uses chocolate kisses.)
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Family not coming this year? Use your good china or Christmas platter as the base... a reminder of family times together and hope for next year.
Have decorative candles around the house that match your decor? Group them together....mix and match! (Might be time to upgrade them or change them out anyway?)
Can't find anything to put around the base? Use a scarf or wrapping paper (just be careful of dripping wax.)
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LAST STEP - TAKE a PICTURE and
SEND IT IN FOR THE NEWSLETTER!
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Walk Unafraid
in the Darkness
By Vernon S. Broyles III | Presbyterians Today
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Advent reminds us that God’s light
shines in the world
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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:1–4
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How long, O Lord? It is more than interesting that this refrain of anguish permeates what we Christians call our “Holy Scriptures.” It is the refrain over and over of the people of God. No matter how often we join the people of faith in the Old Testament and the followers of Jesus in the New Testament in praising God’s faithfulness, we have tended to lapse into despair when the inevitable calamities of life best us.
For most of us, no time has been more threatening than the one we face today. Whatever other dangers we face individually and collectively, they tend to pale alongside the invisible terror of COVID-19 — an enemy that we cannot see, that employs numerous plans of attack on a person’s body, and that we still must face without adequate defenses. The situation is exacerbated by the arrogance of those who try to discount it, infecting themselves and others. The virus’ terror reigns even more greatly among the poor, people of color, prisoners and the ill and infirm who are often housed in crowded facilities.
As if that were not enough, millions have been rendered jobless and homeless by the impact that the global pandemic is having on our economy, and our political representatives are more inclined to quarrel than to render aid to the poor. At a time when we hope for collaboration among the nations, the strong continue to lord their privileges over the weak. Where do we go from here?
We start by remembering that this is not the first time the people of the world have faced disaster and death. There have always been places across the globe where poverty, war and disease have ravaged communities. Ironically, for us Christians, we are now moving into the holy season of Advent — a season that invites us to walk unafraid in the darkness with hope that Jesus, the promised light of God — the one the world cannot extinguish — will shine brightly upon us once again. How will we prepare to worship in celebration of the one we call Lord? How will we seek to hold on to hope amid despair? What will we do with this baby that was seen as a threat to Israel’s leaders and who, even as he lived and died, posed a threat to political powers of his day?
Whether the dangers we face are from disease, our own government or even from our own biases and prejudices, let us shout to the Prince of Peace who was born in poverty among us. Let us celebrate the one who comes not sitting on an earthly throne, but who will grow up to ride on a donkey on the way to his death — a death that will redeem all who believe.
Vernon S. Broyles III is a volunteer for public witness in the PC(USA)’s Office of the General Assembly.
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/pt-1120-justice/
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IN THE NEWS AROUND MEMPHIS
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COVID-WEARY PEOPLE ARE LETTING THEIR GUARD DOWN
STAY VIGILANT, PLEASE!
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CONCERNING RISES ABOUT SPIKES in CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Shelby County Health Department reported 691 new coronavirus cases, the second highest number since the start of the pandemic.
Hospitalization numbers are going up, as well.
Gov. Lee does NOT want to issue a mask mandate statewide, but is strongly encouraging mask usage whenever around others.
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Dave Ellis (11), Brucene Harrison (12), Mary Denike (12),
Sharon Blackwelder (14), Ellie Gurlen (16), Kristen Gurlen (17),
Amy Berthouex (19), Amelia Lucas (21)
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A Good Read...
Looking for something new to read while we are staying home? Here's are some books recommended by BPCers!
PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Anna Pigeon's mystery series by Nevada Barr (Fiction)
- The Guardians by John Grisham (Fiction)
- Deborah Crombie's mystery series with Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. Book I: A Share in Death. (Fiction)
- Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone. (Fiction)
- Jeanine Cummins' American Dirt. (Fiction)
- Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (Fiction)
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Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson (Fiction)
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The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
- Countdown 1945 by Chris Wallace. (Non-fiction)
- Before and After by Judy Christie & Lisa Wingate. (Non-Fiction)
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Educated by Tara Westover. (Non-fiction)
- Boom by Tom Brokaw. (Non-fiction)
- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. (Non-fiction)
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The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede (Non-fiction)
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The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer (Non-fiction)
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Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far from Home by Barbara Brown Taylor (Non-fiction)
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The Splendid and The Vile by Erik Larson (Non-fiction)
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Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant (Non-fiction)
Have you found a good book recently? Send it to us so we can share!
Kathy Singleton 901.734-7193
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FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECIPE EXCHANGE
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Start thinking through your recipes as you prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Next week, we will begin asking for your favorites to share!
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THE CHURCH WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL AT LEAST
November 30, due to the COVID-19 Emergency &
Safer-At-Home Executive Order.
The Session will meet again in November to update plans for Advent.
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ONLINE
EVENTS
Every Monday
2:00pm Writer's Group via Zoom
1st Wednesday of the Month
Bible Study with Presbyterian Women 10:30 am
1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month
Ellis Small Group 10:15 am
2nd Tuesday of the Month
BOOK CLUB meets via Zoom
2nd Thursday Evening of the Month
7:00 pm Trouble I've Seen Small Group
Sunday, November 15, 2020
9:45 - 10:45 AM Fall Sunday Studies on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
Sunday, November 22, 2020
9:45 - 10:45 AM Fall Sunday Studies on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
Thursday, November 26 & Friday, November 27, 2020
STAFF OFF for the HOLIDAY
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 29, 2020
First Sunday of Advent
9:45 - 10:45 AM Advent Sunday Studies Begin on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
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Pastoral Care will be supplied by Rev. Carla Meisterman
and by Rev. Anne Hagler as a backup.
Rev. Carla Meisterman 901.235.1014
The current Session members have been re-aligned to be your primary contact for ongoing communication. Here's the new contact list:
Don Lamb ............... (901) 754-5530 ............................ [email protected]
...........................cell: (901) 486-6117
John Van Nortwick (901) 605-2907 ............ jvnortwick@cornerstone-
systems.com
(NOTE: Many of these Session members are working 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 [email protected] or by phone or text to (901) 734-7193.
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BPC PHOTOS
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BPC Worship
Sunday, November 8, 2020
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PRELUDE
"Rigaudon in A Minor"
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Choir: Linda Warren, Erich Shultz, Clinton Bailey and Becky Deloach |
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Becky Deloach is teaching grandson Hudson DeLoach the alto part, according to Fran Addicott!
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“My Lord, What a Morning”
John Gilmer, vocalist; Leiza Collins, piano
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We have been keeping reference articles in the Newsletter each week throughout the summer. It's time to take them out, BUT some of these may still be helpful, so we will store them and give you links to them, but eliminate them from the body of the newsletter itself. |
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To access a document, simply click on the link name. The document will then open in your browser as a PDF file!
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- Newsletter Articles & Photos should be emailed to Kathy Singleton at [email protected] no later than Monday at noon for the week you want the article in the news.
- Bulletin Information should be emailed to Rev. Carla Meisterman, with a copy to Kathy Singleton, no later than Monday noon the week before the Sunday you want the information to appear.
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Prayer Concerns should continue to be submitted via email to Rev. Carla Meisterman ([email protected]) or on a Prayer Request form in the Friendship Pads and placed in the offering.
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NOVEMBER 2020
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 2020 calendar is available to you.
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