This Sunday at Binkley
June 9, 2019
|
|
Early Worship
9:45 am, Lounge
Worship
11:00 am, Sanctuary
Marcus McFaul preaching
The Day of Pentecost
Deacon Ordination
|
|
Let's pray for...
There are all sorts of "prayers" and "pray-ers." Ms. Pelosi said last week amidst yet another bizarre presidential tweet-storm that "I pray daily for the President of the United States." We all should. But how?
The 45th stopped by a McLean, VA mega-church (popping in after a round of golf) and asked if the minister would lift him in prayer. You can read all about that
here.
The pastor has come to regret fulfilling the request, not because he suddenly stopped believing in prayer but due to it being a manipulative partisan ploy. My friend Dwight Moody has written a piece I share with you
here.
Franklin Graham, bless his soul, called on Christians to set aside a Special Day of Prayer for the President last Sunday. The press release cited the call to pray for authorities in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, then added:
"We believe our nation is at a crossroads, at a dangerous precipice. The only one who can fix our country's problems is God Himself (sic), and we pray that God will bless our president and our nation for His (sic) glory."
I actually agree with Franklin that the nation is at a crossroads and a dangerous precipice; in fact it has been for awhile. Clearly we disagree as to the reasons why the country needs renewal of healthy civic engagement, an end to hateful speech, and ensuring protections under the law "for liberty and justice for all" to mean something.
Do you recall years back when several "Christian" leaders led what is described as "imprecatory" prayers for President Barack Obama? Imprecatory means asking for Divine wrath to fall upon and ruin one's enemies; that type of prayer crosses the political aisle of course. But the coarseness, crudeness, and dehumanizing rhetoric emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is, well, unprecedented and unpresidential in my opinion.
|
|
It has a corrosive effect that has affected so many other arenas of public life. Thus, the need to pray for him and the nation, not with an imprecatory posture but one of healing and hope.
A nation is considerably more than its president. At the behest, and with leadership of our Binkley Diaconate, we will observe a
Call to Prayer for the Nation on June 30th;
the Sunday nearest to July 4th.
Our deacons Susan Rogers, Dele Famoyegun, and former Diaconate chair Terry Huneycutt, are crafting with staff a service of worship that will invite us into places of thoughtful reflection, prayer, and hope.
This won't be a service extolling America as the New Jerusalem, the great Shining City on a Hill, with its Manifest Destiny as god-given map of supremacy. It will be one in which we pray that the values and virtues that create good will for the common good are pursued by all Americans regardless of religious background, ethnicity, and social/financial status. The significant issues of our time
(such as gun violence, immigration, mental health, racism, sexism, xenophobia, discrimination, oppressive structures of any kind, and so much more--- it's a long list) call for prayer. And action---often the most faithful prayerful response.
C.S. Lewis (whose life and writings we examine this summer) once said that "prayer doesn't change God; it changes me." So a Call to Prayer for the Nation is not finger-wagging, name-calling, 'Impeach him!' rally. Instead the needs of the nation demand that as part of our Christian witness we lift up in prayer all folks within our land. Including Mr. Trump. A democratic republic, as imagined by baptist Roger Williams no less, can survive only when good will for the common good prevails. That is the essence of my prayer. How might I change so as to reflect such love of God and all neighbors?
We ordain some remarkably gifted persons as deacons this Sunday, which is Pentecost Sunday. This service is a meaningful opportunity for us to commit to pray and bless them in their roles as servant leaders within our congregation. My sermon is drawn from John 14 and Acts 2, "Another Advocate." I so hope to see you this Sunday for worship. Wear the colors of the Holy Spirit flame---red, yellow, and burnt orange!
With affection for you,
Marcus
|
|
 |
Deacon Ordination
This Sunday, we ordain five new Deacons:
Stewart Bankhead, Tonya Hamm, Josh McIntyre, Rhonda Szostak, and Linda Textoris
. They join two other Deacon classes comprised of the following members:
Margie Billinger, Barbara Davis, Dele Famoyegun, Anne Fishel, Vivian Honor, Lyn Lamont, Karin Mills, Marty Moore, Susan Rogers, Sybil Wagner, Anne Winfield, and Jim Wise, Chair.
We are deeply grateful to the six deacons who are rotating off the Diaconate:
Gretchen Aylsworth, Marcella Burk-Groon, Stuart Cantrell, Tom Fewel, Terry Huneycutt, and Allan Maltbie have served the congregation faithfully with kindness and compassion. Terry has served this year as Chair of the Diaconate which she has led with great warmth, wisdom and grace.
|
Reminder:
Summer Sunday Schedule
Sunday School is no longer in session for the summer. Instead, please consider joining us for Early Worship at 9:45 am in the Lounge.
|
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Book Group
Wednesdays, June 5-19, 12 pm, Lounge
Shadowlands
Movie Screening
June 16, 6:30 pm, Lounge
Click
here
for more info on our C.S. Lewis book group and movie screening.
|
ECO Sundays at Binkley
Beginning Sunday, June 9, the Earth Ministry Team is initiating regularly scheduled
Eco Sundays
at Binkley. The primary purpose of the Eco Sundays will be to collect and properly dispose of common household items, but ones not readily disposed of through curbside recycling. On June 9 there will be a location in the Narthex for collecting
old batteries
and
burned out or replaced light bulbs
. The Earth Ministry Team will assure proper disposal of all collected items.
We encourage Binkley members and friends to bring household batteries (including hearing aid batteries) and any and all old light bulbs to church on Sunday, June 9!
Earth Ministry Garden Party Brainstorm
Thursday, June 13 4-6 p.m.
109 Rose Lane, Chapel Hill, NC
Do you raise bees? Are you a bird-watcher or a gardener? Are you concerned about the fate of polar bears, whales, the Earth’s forest or the other 1 million species of plants and animals that may become extinct in the not-so-distant future? Does it offend your sense of justice that the poor are being especially hammered by the changing climate? Are you worried about the world your children and grandchildren are inheriting? Are you fed-up with the lack of serious political action and frustrated about what to do?
If these or other environmental-related issues concern you, then you are invited to join us for a ‘Garden Party Brainstorm’ at the home of Diana and Charles Coble from 4-6 in the afternoon to engage in some creative thinking about how we may use our individual and collective talents to take action and engage others on, perhaps, the most critical issue of our times: saving life, including our own, on Earth!
Light refreshments will be served.
A rain date, if necessary, will be announced.
All are invited to become active members of the Earth Ministry Team.
|
Donations Needed for VBS:
- Toilet Paper tubes (or Paper Towel tubes)
- Cardboard refrigerator boxes (2)
- Cardboad spool from a roll of carpet
To borrow:
- Artificial Christmas trees
- Old Fur or Faux Fur coats
- Rectangular Plastic bins (11" x 17” or larger)
- Swim gloves (webbed)
Please bring your donations to Stephanie Ford's office.
Volunteer your time:
We need volunteers to help in all areas of VBS. If you can't commit to the whole week (June 24-28), we can still use you. You can volunteer to set the stage by recreating the Land of Narnia in our Fellowship Hall! Contact
Stephanie Ford
.
|
Every summer, Binkley folks of all ages retreat to the mountains to relax, worship, and get to know one another away from the normal routines and stresses of our daily lives. Together, we will consider how we might live on Earth with greater compassion and joy. We will worship, reflect, hike, create art, learn, and play. Join us at Blowing Rock Conference Center, with its simple hotel-like accommodations in a beautiful setting. We begin on Friday evening, and end with an outdoor worship gathering on Sunday morning.
Registration forms are available at Stephanie Ford’s door. For more details or to volunteer your gifts, contact
Stephanie Ford
.
|
Click the links below for more information on each event.
|
Tuesday, June 11, 7 pm, Pullen MBC, Raleigh
NC Interfaith Power & Light along with Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle and Pullen MBC will co-host the evening's program.
June 21-23, Virginia Beach, VA
Peace in Our Land: Toward a World Without Violence
July 15-20, 2019, Cali, Colombia
Starting in the Fall
Looking to enrich your spiritual practice? Many of you heard Cate Alexander speak from the pulpit earlier this spring about an opportunity for spiritual growth following the Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. This ecumenical offering takes place evenings October through May at St. Thomas More Church. Contact
Cate
for more information.
Link your grocery store loyalty cards to BPS.
Here's how.
|
|
|
|
Church Office Hours
Mon.-Thurs.
8:30 am - 4 pm
Friday
8:30 am - 3 pm
|
Publication Deadlines
Submissions for the July
Newsletter are due by:
June 17
Submissions for the weekly bulletin and Friday Update are due by:
Wednesday Noon
|
|
|
|
The Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
