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I’m reeling. I know many of you share the feeling.

For several years now, I have found myself swinging wildly (or swaying, or bouncing, or being dangled from, I’m not sure what’s the right metaphor) between the emotional states of despair and confusion and anger. Surely the world is looking at “the greatest nation on the face of the planet” (as we often hear) with great dismay. The utter foolishness of what we are becoming must be even more bewildering from the outside than from right here.

The Center for Disease Control has just announced that gun death is the leading cause of death in children in the United States. This is an embarrassment of epic proportion. Our children are being murdered at an unprecedented rate, and we will not stop it.

In his most recent speech to the nation, the President urged us: “Enough.” But when is it going to be enough? Have you seen all those heartbreaking tributes, on the lawns of schools and churches and school chairs lined up, empty? Despite the latest massacre of innocent lives, the brutality of which is hard even to fathom, still we do nothing. Nothing.

I’m reeling.

One of my college roommates, who is on the staff at Central Baptist in Newnan, GA, just forwarded a video of his pastor’s sermon from this past week. My roommate said, “He’ll catch flack for this… in the heart of conservative, gun country…” but the sermon is powerful and courageous. In a call for the church to live up to what our scripture says we ought to be, the pastor quotes recent findings from the Pew Research Center (the nation’s largest collector of data regarding religious/political views) showing a direct correlation between Evangelical Christianity and gun deaths. As Evangelical convictions rise, so does the statistical likelihood of someone dying of gun violence. Even more disturbing, this trend can also be seen with the increase in church attendance. We’re not talking about people who claim to be Christian, but who aren’t active. The survey data show that as regular church attendance rises, the incidence of gun violence also rises.

Think seriously about this issue, folks. The data make clear that as conservative, Christian conviction rises, so does gun violence and deaths due to gun violence. Could there be a more damning condemnation of the Church?

I’m writing this Heart and Soul on the Friday before Amy and I leave for a few weeks in Europe. When you read this, we will have enjoyed a few days in Portugal with our children and have met 14 Park Roadians in Sarria, Spain, on Sunday, June 12, where we will walk together along the ancient pilgrimage route known as El Camino de Santiago. Christians began walking there in 1122 after Pope Calixtus II gave Satiago de Compostela Cathedral the right to grant a plenary indulgence to pilgrims. I don’t know how that works in Roman Catholic life, but the plenary indulgence is a forgiveness of sins.

It seems to me that we badly need a plenary indulgence of our own – but that won’t come until the nation takes its own pilgrimage. Apparently, a few members of congress are talking, across the aisle, about doing something. Doing something would be the first step, from the nothing we’ve done for years, as thousands and thousands of innocent citizens have been gunned down in schools and churches and grocery stores and places of work.

Frankly, I’m looking forward to being away from the noise for 17 days. Maybe while we’re taking steps along an ancient pilgrim route, the Spirit of God will guide a few leaders to take the first step here. Please pray for a first step. We need it so badly.

As they say along the Spanish trail, a phrase which means something like “good journey,” I say to you all, with deep prayers… “Buen Camino.” – Russ

A Tu Lado News!

Our Park Road A Tu Lado team has been working with Ana and her 3 children for several years now. They have reached the point, with our help and the assistance of family members in the area, where they are mostly independent. Joey recently transmitted a request to us from Jesuit Refugee Services to sponsor a family from Honduras who is seeking asylum. The team has agreed to help, and we are reaching out to see if there are others in the congregation who would like to join us. The mother is 23, and the father is 25. They have 3 children: a son who, is 8 years, and two daughters, ages 5 and 2. The mother and infant daughter were kidnapped in Honduras and managed to escape, but the family has fled the country out of fear. They have been in Mexico for nearly 2 years, hoping for a chance to come to the U.S. We learned on Monday evening, that they will be cleared at the border on Tuesday, June 21. It may take anywhere from 1-3 days for them to arrive in Charlotte, however, there is much to do before they arrive. Securing lodging for them is the most immediate need, and they will need assistance buying groceries and providing for other basic needs. (Costs will be covered by the church’s mission budget.) What we need is people who can help! Would you like to be a part of this effort to work with this asylum-seeking family from Honduras? If so, please let Dan know of your interest. You can email Dan@ParkRoadBaptist.org or call the church office for more information.

June Mission Offering     

Our June Mission Offering will go to support Baptist News Global. This news organization is a reliable source of online information for progressive Baptists. News, opinions, and analysis are provided that are relevant to concerned Christians. Russ Dean has been a contributing writer for BNG for the past 7 years.

Please designate all checks and envelopes as either “Annual Ministry Plan” (AMP) or “mission.” In keeping with our initiative to “create a culture of generosity,” all loose cash in the offering will be given to our mission for this month. If you write a check or put cash in an envelope, however, please designate this gift. 

Text-to-Give: 704.800.3901 and follow the prompts.

Thank You

The Ukrainian Red Cross recently sent a thank you to Park Road for the $3,250 we sent them from our March Mission Offering. Since the beginning of the war, they have helped more than 4.3 million people in Ukraine, and 220,488 individuals have been moved to safety with their support. More than 16,275 tons of humanitarian aid were sourced and delivered to various regions of Ukraine to support the war-affected population, including the following:

• hygiene products,
• food, drinking water,
• medicines,
• clothes and shoes,
• household items for IDPs: blankets, mattresses, bed linen, towels, utensils,
• home appliances: microwave ovens, bread ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, electric generators,
• children’s items including clothes, food, diapers, strollers.

Cooking Lunch At Roof Above’s Men’s Shelter

Park Road volunteers prepared and served lunch at the Men’s Shelter at Roof Above on Saturday, June 11. The bi-monthly lunches are provided by our church on the second Saturday every other month. The men always enjoy our menu of Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, bread, and dessert. If you haven’t had the opportunity to help yet, sign-up and join the fun in August!

Our Park Road youth have harvested the first veggies from the youth and children's garden plots! Thank you to everyone who has come out to help plant, water, and tend these tasty lettuces.  

Day one. 14 miles! What a great group of pilgrims. So much beauty. So much goodness. So much sweat. So much food. So much laughter. So much gratitude. We give a huge thanks to Kate Goad and Andaspain Walking Adventures for making this pilgrimage so wonderful. We began our day with these words, “May God bless the path on which you go. God bless the earth beneath your feet. God bless your destination. God be a smooth way before you.…

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 Twenty's plans.

At the Child Development Center, our Sharks (Transitional Kindergarten) and our Meck Pre-K classes recently held their graduations. The children sang songs, talked about their future “career plans,” and enjoyed time with their friends and family. They are ready for a successful kindergarten school year! We want to thank Ms. Chrystie, Ms. Maddie, Ms. Marable, and Ms. Groves for helping our students learn so much this year! 

Please submit this form for each person in your family and/or household who attends PRBC by clicking here. If you have five people in your household, you will submit this form 5 times. We are asking EVERYONE to fill out this form, even if there is a chance the church already has your information. If you have questions or would prefer to give your information over the phone, please call the church office at (704) 523-5717 or you can email Becka@ParkRoadBaptist.org

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.

Coming Up at Park Road

Sunday Worship

Facebook Live and In-Person

11a

First Wednesday

First Wednesday of Each Month 

5:30p

Tuesday and Thursdays

Flexercise

(In-person in the Community Center)

9a

Park Road Baptist Church 

 3900 Park Road | Charlotte NC | 28209

Tel (704) 523-5717 

Fax (704) 523-8481

info@parkroadbaptist.org 

 www.parkroadbaptist.org