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GOOD TIDINGS

The Weekly Newsletter for Park Road Baptist Church

April 12, 2023

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Counting, making lists, ordering, and numbering the people have often been controversial acts, exposing a seam of mistrust that has often existed between “the people” and “the leaders.” Such lists have been used for assessing taxes, conscripting military service, creating hierarchies, a tool for controlling the masses. Concern over such list-making was seen in the ancient world – and in the last U.S. Census.

How to count? Whom to count? What to do with those we’ve counted!?

And here at Park Road, we’re at it again. We’re counting all the people! We’re not going to assess any tithes. (We hope you’ll do that freely.) We’re not going to conscript any service. (You can sign up for any Mission opportunities on your own.) There’s nothing sinister about our “counting.” We just want to be able to keep in touch and for you to be able to know each other.

Every year we try to produce a Membership Directory. This “counting” includes all Resident Members and Regular Prospects as designated in our database software. Did you know that on average 25-30% of Sunday morning in-person attenders are not “Members”? Many of our “Regulars” are so regular that our “Members” think they’re members, too. There’s not a lot of difference between Members and Regulars, except the former have made an official trip down the aisle to say, “Sign me up.” (I could say more about this conundrum… but I’ll save that for another article.)

So, yes, we’re counting, making lists, ordering, and numbering all of you – because we want to be able to keep in touch and for you to be able to know each other.

One great thing about our church size is that we are still small enough that you can get to know everyone at Park Road if you want to get to know everyone. We’re not all there at the same time. Patterns are different than they used to be. We don’t have as many “every-time-the-door-is-open” attenders as we used to. The Sunday crowd and the First Wednesday crowd look a little different each time we gather, but if you work at it a little, it’s possible to know everyone – and that’s a big reason for producing this Directory.

In the past we printed paper copies for everyone, which was quite a production of time and expense. With all-things-digital these days, it saves the church a good deal to make the Directory available electronically. So, here’s the scoop…

Please contact Becka Eppley in the office (becka@parkroadbaptist.org) to:

Request a digital copy, which will be emailed to you.
Request a paper copy, which will be printed for you.

Directories include:

Family Name(s), including children, if applicable
Contact Information
Birthdays (if we have them)
Family Deacon

We want to keep in touch. Please email Becka today to get your directory. - Russ

Holy Week and Easter Sunday Services

So much work goes into this most holy time of the year. We had multiple offerings to enhance your Lenten journey. There was Forty days of something - from a brief prayer or to a more intense study. Our Maundy Thursday service of communion and music was a powerful experience. The choir and musicians made us feel that we were right there at that Last Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on that hill called Golgotha. We live-streamed a Good Friday reading of the 7 Last Words of Jesus.

Sunday arrived in all of her Easter glory! Easter morning included a Lily-filled cross, more wonderful music, a full sanctuary, all of the elements of worship, and followed by our children hunting for over 400 surprise-filled Easter eggs.

All of the services are still available via the ParkRoadChurch Facebook Page and on our YouTube Channel. You can also click the service title below to watch:

Additionally, we need to offer special thanksgiving to Bob Pritchard, who is doing a wonderful job as our Interim Director of Music, and to Roxanne Holt Watson, our Interim Organist. Both have put in extra hours and are flexible and fun. Thanks to our choir, soloists, guest musicians, and all for making this season inspirational.

Now the story continues in us and through us as we seek to follow in the Way of Jesus. Easter is a chance to recommit to the promise of New Life especially in the places where it seems there is no life. So may we continue to be Easter people.

Click Here to view Sunday Bulletin insert of the Easter Lilies

dedicated In Memory of and In Honor of.

Sunday-Only Choir, This Sunday

On the third Sunday of March, we had our first, and very successful, “Sunday Only” choir. This third Sunday, April 16, is designed for any of you who might like to sing with the choir but are unable to commit to Wednesday rehearsals. Please join Bob, and other sanctuary choir members in the choir room at 9:30a. We will be able to learn the anthem and prepare to lead in the 11 o’clock service. All are welcome.

Book-A-Palooza Spring Event

With your generous support, Park Road held a Book-A-Palooza at Marie G Davis K-8 IB School just before CMS spring break. Each child was to select 3 books to keep. The books were purchased with funds from the Missions item on the Annual Ministry Plan. Overall, the team distributed over 1,000 books over two days!

Thanks especially to the following volunteers who directly helped make this event happen: Susan Allen, Leslie Blum, Judy Bratton, Carolyn Bush, Linda Hefner, Theresa Hemingway, Laura Leach, Matt Leach, Lisa Mason, Dan McClintock, Ann Miles, George Miles, Netta Mosley, Kate Polaski, Dave Robinette, and Amie Rucker (Myers Park United Methodist Church).

We will hold one more Book-A-Palooza near the end of school. Keep a lookout for the announcement so you too can take part in this amazing event.

Sunday Worship

April 9 , 2023

Many Thanks for Another Successful Room In The Inn Season

Once again, Park Road hosted Room in the Inn 8 Saturday nights from December through March. Therefore, we provided meals and a warm place to sleep for 96 people who would otherwise have been outside overnight in the cold. This year, we not only saw the trend toward hosting more women increase, but we also provided lodging for more families with children and infants. A huge thank you to everyone who helped us to make this program a success! First, many thanks to Jim Niell, who is the organizer, recruiter, and primary force behind this Park Road ministry. Susan Melson and her team also deserve gratitude for their work in doing the set-up for each of our sessions and for making the youth building warm and inviting for our guests. The Abundant Grace Group took responsibility for providing volunteers for 2 different Saturday nights, the Camino Group took care of one week and the Dorcas/Lydia Fidelis Group supplied food for 2 meals. In addition to these connection groups who provided volunteers, at least 20 other people participated to help make this vital ministry run smoothly, and that’s not counting many of you who so graciously took laundry home to wash and dry before the following session! Thank you, Park Road, for caring for our homeless neighbors and for doing it so well!

This Sunday We Will Vote

This coming Sunday, April 16, we will vote on a recommendation from our Search Committee (affirmed by both the Personnel Committee and Ministry Council) to call JD McDonald in a new, full time ministerial position. Please plan to join us for worship this coming Sunday.

Youth and Children Updates

Youth

April 21-23, Spring Retreat - We are headed to Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain, NC for a weekend away. It’s time to sign up – we will leave Friday at 6p and return Sunday afternoon at 3p. The cost is $150 per youth. Sign up with Amy. It’s going to be fun!

June 19-23, Mission Trip – many more details to come to mark the date and sign up with Amy.

Children

Do. Love. Walk. – Camp Prism 2023 - It’s one of my favorite weeks of the year. I get to lead the music and also participate in lots of the fun. This year we’ll be back at Bonclarken Conference Center, which has been perfect for our camp (created for children who have completed grades 3, 4, 5). Sign-ups now open for this summer’s camp. The cost for the Tuesday-Friday camp is $225, and the theme is from Micah 6.8: “Do. Love. Walk.” If you have questions, please let me know – since the camp runs the same week as Unidiversity for our youth, I will be leading the Camp Prism group. – Russ

Apirl - Thirsty Third Thursday

We are planning to meet at T. A. P The Auto Pour, 5033-0, South Blvd. (actually on Seneca). It is a great venue for mingling and conversation. The date is April 20^th, and the time is 6p until… All are welcome!

Our Next Fun Food Friday

My Fridays are booked for the next month, so I’ve had to push our next FFF out to May 12. Please mark your calendars now and let me know if you have a request for a restaurant that can handle our Baptist crowd! It’s always Fun. There’s always Food. It’s usually on a Friday. All are welcome. Hope you will join us next time. – Russ

Remembering and Celebrating Jan Burleson

A funeral service will be held at 1p on Monday, April 17 for Jan Burleson with a visitation reception to follow in Helt Hall.

Friends at Home

Please check in on each other via phone,

email, text, Zoom, or letters.

Thank you.

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.