NEWS THIS WEEK
- WORSHIP this week October 18
- Change in bulletins
- BAILEY Small Group ZOOM Meetings begin TONIGHT!
- BOOK CLUB November 10
- "Praise on the Parking Lot" this Sunday
- Report from the TIS Panel Discussion
- Around Memphis
- REMINDER: Pastor on Call Oct 19 through Nov 8
- Election week November 2 through November 8
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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 OCTOBER 31, 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, October 18, 2020
SUNDAY STUDIES 9:45 - 10:45am on Zoom
- How Good People Fight Bias
- Bible Study of Acts & Romans
WORSHIP at 11:00 AM on YouTube
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 99:1-5 & I Thessalonians 1:1-10
Sermon: Side by Side Letters
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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We will be removing the prayer requests listed in the weekly worship bulletin, beginning this Sunday.
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.
We will continue providing prayer requests to you each Tuesday in our Prayer Concerns email. You will be able to save each week's email, or print it out and place it where you are able to see it daily, and pray for the people who are in need of our prayers.
Please plan to make this 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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BAILEY Small Group Starts TONIGHT |
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BAILEY Small Group Starts TONIGHT
6:00 pm on ZOOM
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The Bailey Small Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. Bring your dinner to the meeting while we chat and eat together!
We've been on a hiatus since the pandemic closed our building, but we're ready to start a new season & catch up since we last met & see each others' faces again.
Join us this Wednesday, October 14th @ 6pm.
New members are always welcome.
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TUESDAY, November 10, 1:00pm on Zoom |
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The Elephant in the Room
by Tommy Tomlinson
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In The Elephant in the Room, Tomlinson chronicles his lifelong battle with weight. He hits the road to meet other members of the plus-sized tribe in an attempt to understand how, as a nation, we got to this point.
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Book Club meets monthly from 1pm to 3pm
on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
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PRAISE
in the
PARKING LOT
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Come and safely Worship with Circle of Faith Christian Center
October 18, 12:00 Noon
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Rev. Cliff Stockton will lead from the front lawn of the church while worshippers remain in their cars for the service!
For those of us who are missing seeing each other, Circle of Faith has invited BPC members to join them for their "drive-in" worship service.
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TROUBLE I'VE SEEN PANEL DISCUSSION |
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Panel hosted by Trouble I've Seen and led by
The Rev. Dr. K. Andre Brooks and The Rev. Carla Meisterman
Discuss Racism and Reconciliation in Memphis.
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Trouble I’ve Seen, the collaborative small group of members of Circle of Faith and Balmoral Presbyterian Church, meet once a month to address the issue of racism. On Thursday, October 8, 2020 they hosted their first panel discussion to address the challenges of reconciliation. Twenty five people from a number of churches and city organizations gathered to hear two panelists answer questions about what is happening in Memphis to address the issue of racism. The Rev. Dr. K. Andre Brooks and The Rev. Carla Meisterman were invited to speak to the group.
Dr. Brooks spoke about institutional racism and the significance of the history of violence against African Americans. He reminded everyone of the Memphis Massacre after the Civil War when whites attacked African American veterans of the Union Army. What has been documented as a “riot” but was the first large-scale race massacre in the nation. Mobs of white residents and white policemen rampaged black neighborhoods and the houses of freedmen, attacking and killing black soldiers and civilians. Brooks reported that the white mobs robbed African Americans and burned every school and business African Americans had built during Reconstruction. African Americans testified before congress because of the Memphis Massacre prompting Congress to enact sweeping changes to federal policies and constitutional law.
Rev. Meisterman spoke about the benefits of building personal relationships across racial lines. She talked about what she learned being a prayer partner with an African American woman, traveling with her, and being in one another’s family life and homes. She also shared the challenges of institutional racism and the difficulty that white people face identifying it. In 2000 Rev. Meisterman coordinated the heads of 10 major denominations in our country as they stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel and pledged to combat racism. She talked about the problems she witnessed in that process as the leaders in those denominations struggled to define racism.
The Rev. Dr. K. Andre Brooks, is the new Executive Director of The Lynching Project. He serves as Minister of Social Action and Community Engagement at Providence African Methodist Church of Memphis. He is a veteran in education leadership, legislative affairs, and community advocacy. Trouble I’ve Seen meets the second Thursday of the month on ZOOM at 7:00pm. IF you are interested in participating, contact Kristen Gurlen at [email protected]
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IN THE NEWS AROUND MEMPHIS
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Early Voting begins today and runs October 14 to 29
Expectation of large turnout
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Early voting in the presidential general election is staying late with nighttime hours that go to 8 p.m. at most polling places starting with the Wednesday, Oct. 14, opening of the voting period. Most sites open at 9am during the week and 8am on Saturday.
The 26 early voting sites have longer hours and while there are some different hours by site and on Saturdays, this is probably the most uniform set of hours across all locations since the dawn of early voting here in the mid-1990s. Here is the complete chart of Early Voting sites: Shelby County Early Voting
All the early voting sites have pandemic preparations, including frequent cleaning of all surfaces such as the touchscreen voting machines. The voting machines will be spaced 6 feet apart as part of larger social distancing measures that apply to any lines of voters and contact with election workers.
Election workers will wear face shields and gloves and encourage voters to wear masks. In Memphis, a city ordinance requires masks to be worn in such an indoor setting. A limited supply of masks will be available at polling places on a first-come, first-served basis.
Acrylic barriers will separate voters from polling place workers when voters show up to sign in, and disposable pens will be used for those who vote provisional ballots. There will also be plastic bags available to cover arms and hands for those who want to make no direct contact with any surfaces, including the touchscreen machines. There will also be disposable styli available to use in making choices on the touchscreens.
For more information about early voting, visit these web sites:
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Spike in new coronavirus cases reported Tuesday |
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First, the good news: The Shelby County Health Department reported no new coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The bad news is that the agency also reported 347 new coronavirus cases Tuesday. August 9 was the last time Shelby County reported cases in the 300-range; on that day, it was 337.
Our daily coronavirus case counts are perhaps not as top of mind as they were in March or July, but that might be about to change: Yesterday’s new cases were up to almost 350. This led a a remark in the Daily Memphian that we are going to be in the house forever.
Health Department deputy director David Sweat reported that new cases are now averaging 168 cases a day, which isn’t terrible when compared to our seven-day high (425, in late July). But, the area is once again seeing a virus reproduction rate greater than 1, meaning the number of infections is on an upswing.
STAY VIGILANT!
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Rev. Carla Meisterman
will be out of the office
Monday, October 19 through
Sunday, November 8, 2020
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Rev. Anne Hagler will be the pastor on call.
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PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
November 3,
2020
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Balmoral will again be a voting site for the Presidential Election.
For the safety of voters,
Balmoral will be OPEN ONLY to
ELECTION PERSONNEL and VOTERS
and cleaning crews after the election
from MONDAY, Nov. 2, through SUNDAY, Nov. 8
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The church building will be closed to The SEED Program and all worship recording from Monday, Nov. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 for the week of the election. Scott Dawson is handling all the details for the election. The fellowship hall area will be completely cleared except for what the election commission requests to be available. Preliminary Election Commission plans are for voting machines to be placed in the fellowship hall, voters to enter using the doors near the office and depart the side door of the fellowship hall after they vote.
After the election, a thorough cleaning will be conducted throughout the church building in preparation for the return of the SEED program on Monday, November 9.
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Gordon Brigman (12), Cathy Bailey (17), Heather Baldick (23),
Eleanor Thomas (29), Fran Addicott (31), Bill Thomas (31)
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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)
- 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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Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson (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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THE CHURCH WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL AT LEAST
October 31, due to the COVID-19 Emergency & Safer-At-Home Executive Order.
The Session will meet again in October to update plans for Fall.
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ONLINE
EVENTS
Every Monday
2:00pm Writer's Group via Zoom
1st & 3rd Thursday of the Month
Ellis Small Group 10:15 am
2nd & 3rd Wednesday
6:00 pm Small Group via Zoom
2nd Thursday Evening of the Month
7:00 pm Trouble I've Seen Small Group
Sunday, October 18, 2020
9:45 - 10:45 AM Fall Sunday Studies on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
Monday, October 19 through Sunday, November 8, 2020
Rev. Carla Meisterman Out of Office
Rev. Anne Hagler is on call
Sunday, October 25, 2020
9:45 - 10:45 AM Fall Sunday Studies on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
with Rev. Anne Hagler
Sunday, November 1, 2020
9:45 - 10:45 AM Fall Sunday Studies on Zoom
11:00 AM Worship Service via YouTube
with Rev. Anne Hagler
Monday, November 2 through Sunday, November 8, 2020
Building CLOSED for everyone except Election Personnel and Voters,
followed by building remediation cleansing.
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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, October 11, 2020
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INTROIT &
CHIMING of the BELLS
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
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Bells of Balmoral members
Frank Carney, Lynn Ward, Kristen Gurlen and Ellie Gurlen
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PRELUDE
"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need"
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"How Firm a Foundation"
Linda Warren and Erich Shultz
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"Spirit, Open My Heart"
Linda Warren on recorder and Connie Pride
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Closing Hymn "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God"
(John Gilmer on cello and Connie Pride)
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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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OCTOBER 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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