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GOOD TIDINGS
The Weekly Newsletter for Park Road Baptist Church
March 23, 2022
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They are prayers you can actually feel. Anyone who has received a prayer shawl knows what I’m talking about.
It’s a simple, knitted blanket - not quite large enough to cover a whole body, they are, nonetheless, large enough to provide a lot of warmth. A lot of comfort. A lot of spiritual strength.
Years ago, when someone proposed that we begin a ministry of knitting these special shawls, the announcement was made on a Wednesday night, and one person laughed. A “prayer shawl” seemed silly, like a rabbit’s foot or a rosary, a little too superstitious or a little too religious for our sophisticated tastes…
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But there’s nothing silly about praying in our own ways for those in our concern, and nothing superstitious about making our deepest spiritual hopes beautifully tangible. Prayers you can feel? You better believe it. Here are a couple stories…
- One of our regular guests had surgery recently and was taken a shawl before the surgery. As she recalled receiving that gift to Amy, she was tearful in expressing how much the thoughtfulness, the expression of concern meant to her.
- During a recent Deacons’ meeting, Sharon Miles shared that Ann Miles had taken a shawl to the recent funeral for Sharon’s father. The shawl was intended for Sharon’s mother, who is a close friend of Ann’s, but when Sharon saw it, she was instantly moved and excited – “a prayer shawl, for me!” There was a moment of disappointment when she realized the gift was for her mother, but Ann quickly reminded her that another shawl was awaiting Sharon.
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Amy received a shawl after her father died, and before we misplaced it in our house move five years ago, she frequently sat with hers covering her shoulders as she read or watched TV. When her mother died, they graciously gave her another one to hold her close. The reminder is powerful: someone prayed for me.
Our “Needlers” group meets once a month, and the shawls are among several projects always on their table. Their records show that more than 300 shawls have been given. Three Hundred!
These wonderful shawls are available through the church office for anyone who would like to give one. If you know of someone who would benefit from being warmed by these prayers, please let us know.
Thanks to our Needlers for making the discipline of praying so beautiful, so practical, so tangible. Anyone who has received a prayer shawl knows what I’m talking about.
-Russ
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Easter Lilies - Order Now! | |
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Each year the purchase of Easter lilies provides a chance to memorialize a loved one or to honor friends or family members Also these lilies provide a beautiful backdrop for our celebration of resurrection. This year lilies may be “purchased” for $10 each. (Please note that you do not actually receive the lilies. They are purchased in order to decorate the Easter cross for Easter Sunday morning.) Please contact the church office (704-523-5717 or Becka@ParkRoadBaptist.org) or sign up in Helt Hall this Sunday.
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First Wednesdays, April 6 | |
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On Wednesday, April 6 we will have our Midweek Meetup in the Community Center, with a meal prepared by Tam Gordon. Can you imagine food… fellowship… and faces! It will be nice to be back together in person, for the first “First Wednesday” since 2021. Dinner begins at 5:30p, and programs for children, youth, and adults begin at 6p. We’ll be finished in time for Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal at 7p. We know Charlotte traffic can be crazy, but if you can make it, the Meetup is worth the effort.
Please RSVP for dinner by Sunday, April 3. You can sign up in Helt Hall on Sunday Morning, call the church office, or email Becka@ParkRoadBaptist.org. Cost is $8 per adult and $5 per child - 12 and under. Cash or check will be collected on April 6.
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Always Fun. Always Food. Usually Fridays! | |
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This is one of my favorite events. For several years we’ve taken the chance, about once a month, usually on Fridays, to explore a Charlotte restaurant. We’ve never failed to find good food – and the fun and fellowship are even better. Anyone may join us. Signup in Helt Hall on Sundays or call the church office to RSVP. We will meet in the parking lot on Friday, April 8 at 11:15a to ride together, or meet us at 3022 Freedom Drive for another great “FFF” at Po Boy’s Low Country Seafood Market. -Russ
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Al Wilson Community Garden Cleanup Day, March 26 | |
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Thanks to Brian Hedgepeth for enthusiastically leading our community garden. Boxes are free to church members and can be rented by our neighbors. Thanks to Micah Belong, this year our children will work one box, and the youth will plant another. Gardening together will give our young people (and their parents) a wonderful chance to “bond,” and to learn a little about “tilling and keeping” the earth (Gen. 2). There is a cleanup day to prepare garden boxes this Saturday, March 26, beginning at 9:00a.
*Parents of Children and Youth keep an eye out for additional Saturday gardening times this spring and summer.
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A Story about God as the Mother Hen | |
Two Sundays ago, the wind had knocked a power line down on Saturday night, and we still had no power on Sunday morning. We reverted back to our days of worshipping in the Community Center like riding a bike. What a way to welcome Micah to a first Sunday on staff! Micah offered the Children’s Time by telling the story from Luke 13 where God offers us a metaphor of how God loves and cares just like a mother hen: How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. | |
Micah and Ellie Fox clucked around like chickens until Micah played the role of hen and tucked Ellie under the protective wing of care. Then Micah invited Ellie to spend the rest of worship drawing chickens. And she did! She worked so hard and drew so many chickens. Ellie remained up front on the special rug for children for the entire service drawing her chickens. I can’t help but think that maybe for the rest of her life, every time she sees a chicken, she might just remember that God is something like a mother hen. The thought of that memory staying with her from church for a lifetime makes me happy.
And even if Ellie doesn’t remember, I know I will. Thank you, Micah and Ellie, for a beautiful moment in worship.
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Sunday Worship
March 20, 2022
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Welcome to our Newest Church Member | |
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We are so happy to have Yvonne Lewis join our church family. Yvonne has a 12-year-old son who attends A.G. Middle School, she works at Fifth Third Bank. We very much look forward to getting to know Yvonne better in the days to come as we become community together.
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And a wonderful time was had by all! Tam Gordon prepared a wonderful meal, and the entertainment was a wonderful mix of music and laughter as Erica McGee led us in her program about southern girls and guys. | |
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Youth Pancake Breakfast
Pancake Breakfast was amazing! Shoutout to Jacob and Sophia for cooking and for everyone who showed up!
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Volunteer Service Project with MeckMIN
Calling all middle and high schoolers to join us on Saturday, March 26 at 1p for a fun service project with Promising Pages. We'll be sorting donated books and getting them ready for distribution to students and organizations that need them the most.
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Upcoming Young Adult Meetup | |
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The Young Adults are invited to help with backpack snack packing for Marie G. Davis on March 27, immediately following worship, and then they will go to lunch together.
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Guest Organist - Anthony Hammond | |
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Park Road welcomed Anthony Hammond as our guest organist Sunday. Anthony is a critically acclaimed English concert organist, composer, and musicologist known particularly for his specialism in French Romantic and twentieth century organ music, and as an improviser. Anthony begins his new work and life as Director of Music at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, NJ on April 7. He and our own Allie Blum will marry in November!
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your love, prayers, cards, visits, and phone calls. They kept me going. You are truly a gift from God. I am filled with gratitude for my church family. I love you! Thank you! - Geneva Owen
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Snack Packing this Sunday, March 27
Join us in the Community Center immediately after worship or grab a quick lunch and come back to help (but hurry!) and we will pack 800 snack bags for students at Marie G. Davis. These bags are sent home with the students every Friday afternoon to supplement their food for the weekend. They are much needed and appreciated!
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Housing Students for Spring Break
Quinnipiac: A small group of students from Quinnipiac University worked with Habitat Charlotte during their spring break and stayed in our youth building from the 13th to 18th of March.
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Iowa State Students Paying it Forward
The service organization is called “Pay it Forward,” and every year students pay to spend their spring break week traveling the country (23 states over the last few years) completing service projects for a variety of non-profit organizations. On Tuesday we hosted 42 students, providing lunch between a project in Fort Mill and a road trip to Virginia Beach where they will work tomorrow. Thanks to Tam Gordon for providing a wonderful meal of pasta and salad and to these wonderful students who are giving their spring break for such a worthy cause.
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Abundant Grace Connection Group Knows How to Party | |
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George and Ann Miles lead our Abundant Grace Connection Group. It takes intentionality to form a group, and this group does it best with food and games. In addition to gathering on Sunday mornings for study and reflection, they frequently get together for social events to just simply spend time together and to laugh and share their lives together. Last Saturday night in the Youth Building, they gathered 29 people strong to enjoy food and fellowship, games, and of course, fine prizes.
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Mr. Russ found Lucky the Leprechaun’s hat at chapel today. The CDC was filled with excitement on St. Patrick’s Day looking for that sneaky leprechaun! We never found Lucky, but he did leave each classroom a bag of treats.
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Holy Comforter Service: Prayers and Music for the People of Ukraine
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The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter will host a service of prayer and music in support of the millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine and other unsafe places around the world. An offering to benefit Episcopal Relief and Development's aid to refugees will be received. The service is open to the public and will last about an hour.
Holy Comforter Church
2701 Park Road, Charlotte, NC
Sunday, March 27 at 5p
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Whether you can go to Spain and walk Camino de Santiago or not, you can still be a part of the training – both physical and spiritual. Each week we will include in the newsletter a walking plan, a reading plan, and a listening plan. Take a few steps, read a few lines, listen to a few notes as a way to find your own Good Journey or Good Way. Buen Camino! Click Here for week eight's plan.
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Your Lent Lunch with Park Road Clergy | |
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Friends at Home
Please check in on each other via phone,
email, text, Zoom, or letters.
Thank you.
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We list an individual each week that we call our “Friends at Home” with their contact information.
Drop a card or give a call to check-in. Even if you do not know someone personally, a contact from someone from their church is always an encouragement.
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Coming Up at Park Road
Sunday Worship
Facebook Live and In-Person
11a
Midweek Meet-Up
Wednesdays, 6p
Facebook Live
Tuesday and Thursdays
Flexercise
(In-person in the Community Center)
9a
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