This Sunday at Binkley
April 7, 2019
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Morning Celebration
9:00 am, Lounge
Sunday School
9:30 am
Worship
11:00 am, Sanctuary
Austin Maynor preaching
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College Student Lunch
Post-Worship, Lounge
Peace and Justice
Post-Worship, Library
Youth Group
6 pm, Sunroom/Lounge
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Binkley is a teaching congregation
. What do I mean?
Few churches are as well situated as ours both geographically and theologically; a progressive community of faith located down the road from the state's flagship university, and just eight miles from a world-class school of theology. Alongside UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke there are divinity schools at Wake Forest and Campbell within the borders of North Carolina. Schools, divinity and otherwise, have students and faculty drawn to the love of learning and practice of ministry. Congregations can serve as laboratories for both instruction and learning; the synergy generated from intergenerational discoveries can last a life-time.
I believe that I have been in ministry for lo these 32 years (yikes!) because of the mix of my college church, First Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, my campus ministry leaders at the Baptist Student Union, my minister (Browning Ware), and the unusual gift of freedom to try, fail or succeed, in pursuit of the call of God. Just last week I received two messages out of nowhere, one from a high school student I taught decades ago in Austin who wrote: "I
'm not sure you'll remember me but you were one of my Sunday school teachers and I just wanted to say thank you. I now teach at Westminster Choir College.
" I had a combination of delight and depression (am I really that old?!?!?). Our Choral Scholar program fits beautifully in this whole concept of a "teaching congregation."
The other message was from a graduate of KU who was part of our church and college ministry there at FBC Lawrence (he was our family's "adopted student") writing to express gratitude for our place in his development---he's an OB/GYN at a women's clinic in Kansas City. Health care, justice, and ministry, he said, all rolled into his vocation. My goodness how wonderful.
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Gratefully, similar stories across 60 years at Binkley are everywhere. Making a positive impact on the lives of students by providing a place for community and encouraging the growth of mind, heart, and will, are part of our unique role as a teaching congregation. And so, too, is populating our ministry team with interns, and possibly in the future residents, finding their way in ministry in a setting like ours which, I believe, is rich in wisdom, counsel, and love. They learn from us and we all learn from them.
Churches that intentionally move toward an embrace of college students (as well as faculty and staff) and are committed to providing opportunities for young, would-be ministers, witness growth in untold ways. My prayer is that Binkley will become a place where such mutual teaching and learning, serving and growing, mentoring and mentee-ing, become a signature hallmark of our congregation.
Our campus ministry coordinator, Austin Maynor, preaches this Sunday at the 11:00 a.m. service. As you know he's a Duke Divinity school student. His preaching professor this semester is...wait for it...James Forbes, one of our early interns here at Binkley. My goodness, that's poetic symmetry.
I hope to see you this Sunday. The Table of Christ will be set for us all to feast, to taste and see that the Lord is good.
With affection for each of you,
Your Pastor
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Adult Sunday School Classes
9:30 am
Join us on Sunday morning, April 7, 9:30-10:30 for an adult Sunday School class. There are a variety of opportunities to choose from, and each class is open to newcomers!
Mindful
Parenting,
Lounge:
This week, Marcus McFaul will be facilitating the conversation.
Finding Myself on a Journey
, Chapel:
Meredith Bratcher guides this Bible-based experiential learning and life reflection class. This Sunday, the passage to be considered is
John 12:1-8.
It’s Not Just One Way
, Room 17:
Each week in this class, an individual or couple shares their spiritual journey with the group.
English as a Second Language and Christianity
, Room 18:
Bo Lloyd leads the class in an engaging study of Christian faith, while also helping participants improve English vocabulary and fluency.
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For the Beauty of the Earth: Lenten Art Exhibit
Reception planned for guest artist Joan Meade
Sunday, Apr. 7, Post-Worship, Narthex
Join guest artist Joan Meade at a reception in the narthex following morning worship this Sunday. Mrs. Meade is the landscape and seascape painter whose works are featured in our lovely Lenten art exhibit,
For the Beauty of the Earth.
She will be available to discuss her work and answer questions about it.
The reception on April 7 is sponsored by Binkley’s Fine Arts and Fellowship committees. Light refreshments will be provided. To see more of Mrs. Meade’s work or to contact her, go to
www.joanmeade.com
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Wednesday Night Series
Apr. 10, 5:30 pm, Fellowship Hall
One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Christian Meditation.
The final installment of this six-part series led by Dana Trent. For full details, please check the March newsletter. Check ‘Event’ in the Friendship Register or RSVP to the
office
by Monday, April 8 at noon. Dinner is $7 for adults, $4 for children.
Can't make it on Wednesdays or want to enrich your meditation experience even further? Click
here
for a free Lenten Guide from Dana.
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There are several Lenten Opportunities still available to you throughout the 40 days of the season: a study of Richard Rohr's
Breathing Underwater
, a prayer class led by Meredith Bratcher and Stephanie Ford, and a 6-part series on Christian meditation led by Dana Trent.
It's too much to list here, so click
here
to get details on everything!
New Lenten Offering for Students:
Compline
Tuesdays during Lent,
beginning March 19, 8 pm, Chapel
All graduate and undergraduate students are invited to gather in the chapel each Tuesday evening during Lent for Compline. Offered at the close of day, Compline is an ancient prayer service that directs the heart toward God as the body prepares for evening rest. Our services will include poetry, scripture, responsive readings, and a guided prayer. The service will begin at 8PM and will last for about half an hour. Please contact
Austin Maynor
with any questions.
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Easter Lilies
Help us decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday by donating an Easter lily in memory of or in gratitude for loved ones and friends. Order forms can be found in your bulletin this Sunday or
here
.
The deadline for orders is Monday, April 15.
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Binkley Golf Open
Tuesday, April 23, 9:30 am
Southwick Golf Course
The Occasional Binkley Spring Open is upon us! We will gather at 9:30 for team selection. The first tee time is 10:00 AM. The Open format is Captain’s Choice with randomly selected teams competing for a Binkley Open Trophy specially crafted by Fred Schroeder. This fun filled and mildly competitive golf outing features a fun day in the sun, friendly companionship, golfer friendly “rules,” and a few prizes. Most importantly, FUN is the name of the game for this outing for all Binkley members and friends.
The Open fee of $30 includes green fees, cart and a hot dog and drink at the turn. Checks should be made out to Joe Clontz and can be paid at the Tournament. Information, registration and directions are available from
Joe Clontz
(919-969-4517) Registration deadline is
Sunday, April 21.
Join us for fun!
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Deacon Elections
On April 28, we will elect new deacons to take office in May. A list of Binkley members eligible to serve as new deacons is currently posted in the narthex. Please prayerfully consider leaving your name on the list of possible nominees this year. If you feel you are not able to serve as a deacon at this time,
please mark your name off this list or notify Stephenie Sanders in the church office by April 22
. The names remaining will become the nominees on the ballot on April 28.
Click
here
for more information on what it means to be a Deacon.
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In the Light of Self-Compassion: Women’s Retreat
May 3-5, 2019 – Salter Path, NC
Registration Deadline: April 24
Join Binkley women (and invite friends) for a weekend to renew body and spirit at the beach. We’ll consider practices of self-care physically, spiritually and mentally. Laughter is sure to be on the menu.
The Trinity Center is our host,
and May is a lovely time to be at the seaside. Registration forms are available at Stephanie Ford’s door and
online
.
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A Week Behind the Asylum Lines in Tijuana:
Alice Glover's Experience at the U.S./Mexico Border
At the end of February, our own Alice Glover, an immigration law attorney, joined three colleagues to volunteer in Tijuana, Mexico, for a week. What they encountered was a chaotic, disturbing, and most uneven process for worthy asylum seekers. To read Alice's riveting first-person description of what she witnessed, click
here
.
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The Yard Sale is Coming!
August 17
Spring is in the air! Are you spring cleaning? Spiffing up your yard by cleaning out flower beds and separating plants? Think of Binkley when you gather up a box of gently used household items that the ‘house just can’t hold’ any longer. Our yard sale is scheduled for August 17, so now is the time to let go of those treasures. And, the Yard and Garden department can sell plants that you pot now and tend over the summer. More to come in the May newsletter, but start collecting NOW. Questions? Contact
Sue Wallace
, Yard Sale Chair.
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Binkley is a Cool Congregation!
Binkley is among five churches in the nation chosen as a Cool Congregation by Interfaith Power and Light in recognition of our recycling and composting efforts. Click
here
to learn more, and be sure to thank Linda and Karin for helping us achieve this honor!
March Challenge
For the Beauty of the Earth
The Fine Arts Committee will be featuring a very special art exhibit in the Sanctuary during the entire Season of Lent, from March 1 until after Easter. The exhibit, titled
For the Beauty of the Earth,
will feature over thirty paintings of nature by local artist, Joan Meade.
To the side of each painting will be a quote or saying by poets and other authors. The Earth Ministries Challenge is to ask viewers of the exhibit to comment in writing on what they have seen and read. At the end of the exhibit, near the Baptistery, will be a large glass container and some paper, on which we encourage everyone to write comments that are expressive of thoughts and feelings evoked by the exhibit. It is the hope and challenge of the Earth Ministry Team that all ages, members and visitors, will take the opportunity to really ‘take-in’ all of the paintings and share their impressions in writing. We, in turn, will share many of the comments in Friday Updates while the exhibit is on display in the Sanctuary.
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Click the links below for more information on each event.
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Yesterday, HB 370 passed the NC House. This is a racist bill that would force Sheriff departments across NC to collaborate with ICE by asking people about their immigration status, reporting anyone who might be undocumented to ICE, and honoring ICE detainers or other requests. Click
here
to read more and sign the petition for Gov. Cooper to veto the bill.
Sunday, Apr.7, 3-5 pm, Southern Human Services Center (behind the Seymour Senior Center)
Chapel Hill Islamic Center Open House
Chapel Hill Islamic Center is hosting an open house on April 13th, Saturday 4-6 PM. Please come by to learn more about your Muslim neighbors, get answers to your questions/concerns and taste some snacks. We are located at 103 Stateside Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
Friday, Apr. 26-Sunday, Apr. 28. Calvary Baptist Church, Wash. DC
Theme: What is Liberty Without Liberation? Visit
allianceofbaptists.org
for details and registration.
April 29-May 2, Baltimore, MD
June 21-23, Virginia Beach, VA
Peace in Our Land: Toward a World Without Violence
July 15-20, 2019, Cali, Colombia
Link your grocery store loyalty cards to BPS.
Here's how.
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Church Office Hours
Mon.-Thurs.
8:30 am - 4 pm
Friday
8:30 am - 3 pm
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Publication Deadlines
Submissions for the May
Newsletter are due by:
April 15
Submissions for the weekly bulletin and Friday Update are due by:
Wednesday Noon
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The Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church
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