Mar 13-19, 2023

Schedule

9:45a | Childcare (Birth-Kindergarten)

10:00a | Worship

10:15a | Children's Worship

11:15a | Spiritual Growth Classes & Groups for Adults

11:15a | Children's Nature & Nurture

11:15a | Youth Choir Rehearsal

4:00p | Youth Block

Faith & Community Class presents Churchwide Event

"Do I Stay Christian?” Book Study & Discussion 

SUN, March 19 | 11:15a | Shalom Hall

Conversation with Rev. Tara Gibbs

TUE, March 21 | 7p

Faith & Community Class presents Churchwide Event

"Blazing Speed, Blinding Technology" 

SUN, March 26 | 11:15a | Shalom Hall

Bias is Part of Being Human

The Bias Inside Us | Discovery Place Science

Panel Discussion Led by Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell | THU, March 30 | 6:30p

Confronting Whiteness is honored to be one of Discovery Place's community partners on this incredible Smithsonian exhibit about implicit bias. Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell is leading a panel discussion about the exhibit on March 30 at 6:30p.

Intergenerational Meal + Art + Music

Holy Wednesday | April 5 | 5-6:30p | Heaton Hall

March is Women's History Month at MPBC

Our Theme is "Sharing Our Stories"

WORSHIP

SUN, Mar 12, 2023



SERMON

"Upside Down Compassion"

Music Highlight

"Psalm 1"



Women's Retreat | A Time of Renewal

The Season of Lent at MPBC

March 2023

From book studies, guest speakers, and Lenten studies, we are excited to offer enriching, engaging, and timely classes for your spiritual growth needs!

Childcare is available for newborns - kindergarten from 9:45a - Noon.

Want to be sure you are not missing out on anything related to Spiritual Growth? We'll email you periodically about any new opportunities.

Final Weeks of RITI - Have You Signed Up Yet?

Community Roundtable

Guest | Refugee Resettlement Charlotte

MON, March 13 | 10a | Southminster, Room A

Men's Breakfast

TUE, March 21 | 7:30a | Heaton Hall

This one is going to be interesting and fun! JJ Jansen, the long snapper for the Carolina Panthers (and longest tenured Panthers player at 14 years and 222 games), will be our Special Guest Speaker. Join us and bring a friend! RSVP here

DID YOU KNOW . . .

You Can Access All Church Contacts, Events, Registrations, . . . Right In the Palm of Your Hand?

3. You can add the webpage to your favorites in your web browser.

4. OR . . . if you want it to appear as an App on your mobile devices, click on the upload icon (box with an upward arrow) and choose "Add to Home Screen." 

Easter Lily Delivery Volunteers Needed

SAT, April 8 or SUN April 9

Lunchtime Meditation

WEDs | 11:30a - 12p (EST) | Zoom | Password: breathe (case sensitive)

MPBC was able to approve the 2023 budget at the Congregational Meeting on February 21. This approval gave MPBC the go ahead to close its books for January 2023. MPBC posted a deficit totaling $103,721 for January 2023. While MPBC budgeted for a deficit in January, we do expect this to shrink in the coming months as endowment funds are disbursed for the year. MPBC is reliant upon funding from its Endowments. Because MPBC delayed approving its budget until late February 2023, it was not able to utilize Endowment funds. Said differently, MPBC was forced to fund items rather than utilize Endowment dollars. 

Revenues:  

• Congregational giving remains strong with 151% of pledges budgeted for in January 2023 collected 
• Facility rentals look very strong for January at $7,456, which is up from $1,776 a year prior
• $66,735 in total revenues collected in January 2023, is down from $97,609 a year prior

Expenditures: 

• Expenses are 7.5% higher than budgeted ($170,456 vs. $158,636)
• Had Endowment dollars been available for use in January 2023, an expenditure offset would have occurred 

Stay tuned for our Ministry Impact Report, which details all the life-changing ways your financial support made a difference last year. To make a gift at any time, click here.

Called a Testamentary Charitable Remainder Trust, your heirs can avoid the income tax that would otherwise be due from larger IRA deductions by paying a fixed annual percentage to a beneficiary, with the balance of the gift going to the Church at a later time. For more information on this tax smart way to both leave a legacy and support your family, talk with your tax attorney or financial planner. 

Get your MOJO on With the Seasons of the Church Year!

Be on the lookout for opportunities to hear what these affinity groups are doing and how to get engaged in their work in the worship services on Sunday mornings and here in the Weekly. 

• February 22 - April 9 | Lent & Economic Justice 
• April 9 - May 28 | Easter & Environmental Justice
• May 28 - July 30 | Pentecost & Education Justice

Children's Music & Creative Arts at MPBC

WEDs | 5:30-6:30p | Room 209

Through-The-Week School 2023-2024 Openings

Youth Block

SUNs | 4-6p | Youth Hall

If you have a youth in grades 6th-12th, they are invited to our weekly Youth Block every Sunday from 4p-6p. What is Youth Block? It’s a time for youth to build community through games/activities, music, service projects, and special guests! February’s theme is Black History Month: “Sharing Our Story” and includes special guests, creative writing, photography lessons, and more!

The Alliance of Baptists, which began in 1987 as a prophetic voice in Baptist life, is our primary religious affiliation. Today, they have grown to be a justice movement and community of faith of about 4,500 individual members and 140 congregations knit together by love for one another and God, combining progressive inquiry, contemplative prayer and prophetic action to bring about justice and healing in a changing world.

Annual Gathering 2023

Join the Alliance of Baptists this April 21-23 in Atlanta for their Annual Gathering! This year’s theme for the gathering is “To Set the Captives Free” and the keynote speaker is Derecka Purnell, author of Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom.

Join the Alliance as we learn more about the abolitionist movement. The Alliance has a block of rooms reserved at the Hotel Indigo and Early-bird registration is now open!

Meet the Gathering Presenters here.

Please sign up with us using the button below to show your interest in attending. Then stay tuned. We will continue to share more details as we get them.

Being in community, journeying through life together means making sure we know the joys and concerns of one another to the best of our ability. In the event of a death of a member, the congregation will be notified as soon as possible in email form. All other Congregational Joys and Concerns will be included here in the Weekly.

In Need of Help?

We are here for you. The Ministry of Congregational Care provides care, support & encouragement to all members in times of joy, bereavement, illness, and crisis. Information about Health and Safety, Grief, Stephen Ministry, as well as helpful resources are available on our website. Just search "In need of help?"

Prayer Requests

You can submit a request by clicking here.