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I love this job. I’ve told you over and over. It may be the best job in the world. I get to preach and teach and write about important issues. I get to spend time with people in some of the most significant moments of their lives – births, deaths, weddings, and other major milestones. I get to spend time with “the guys” and with “the kids.” We eat together and study together and travel together – sometimes even walking across Spain together! And, sometimes I get to spend time on a backhoe, landscaping and shaping the yard. I love this job. Thanks for letting me do it.

What I don’t love about the job is this…

Where’s the money!? 😊

We had an amazing summer and were able to be away for sabbatical without a care in the world. Our staff is wonderful, and we knew we could be gone for those extended weeks, knowing everything was in good hands.

I don’t know whether our being away had anything to do with the dip in our finances, but not long after we returned, Allison Wieland, our really wonderful Financial Administrator let us know… “We’re pretty far behind. The gap is with AMP contributions.”

The Annual Ministry Plan is our name for the budget, so AMP expenses are just the expenses for our ministries and missions, and AMP income is made up of pledges, non-pledged contributions, and rental income (from the many organizations that use our campus throughout the year).

As of the end of August, we are underbudget on most of our expense line items, and overbudget for rental income – which means the resulting gap is from AMP giving, that is, church member contributions (whether pledged or not pledged) have fallen off.

We really have not had to talk about money for the last few years. It has been wonderful. You’ve made your pledges, and you’ve given faithfully. We have tracked consistently during the year and ended the last few years solidly in the black. It’s wonderful not to have to talk about money.

However, that’s also part of the job, so let me just ask: if you are behind in your giving, or if you could do a little more, would you make that gift to your church now? It would be terrific to catch up, so we don’t have to spend the rest of the year scrimping and worrying (and talking to you about money!) It’s not my favorite part of the job!

Park Road has been generous over the years. We have accomplished so much with that generosity. I trust that our programs and missions and staff are going to be able to continue, that we are going to be able to continue to be the church on the corner of Park and Ashcraft that I believe Charlotte really needs.

Thank you for being found faithful. – Russ

We have good news about Room In The Inn for this winter! We have been invited by Myers Park United Methodist, located less than two miles from our campus, to use their new space. They have just completed a multimillion-dollar facility dedicated to their youth and the community. Part of this facility is an area upfitted specifically for Room In The Inn (RITI). Dan and I have viewed this facility and are very impressed.

Myers Park United Methodist works through Roof Above to maximize the use of this space for RITI. We will be able to keep our normal twice a month schedule, on every other Saturday. What is most important to Dan, and I, is that these are our regular nights, run by us the way we choose. I see using Myers Park United Methodist’s facility as a blessing and an opportunity to continue to serve our unhoused community as we have for over 25 years. We have set up two times for us as a group to view this facility so we can all share in the excitement. I hope all of you will find the opportunity to visit the Room In The Inn space that we’ll be using.

The following dates are available:

• Sunday, September 8th @ 12:45p (following worship)
• Wednesday, September 11th @ 6:30p

Please email boosterbubba@yahoo.com or call me at 704-280-6323 so that we can coordinate our visits. We will meet at Park Road to travel together to Myers Park. 

Thanks for your service and patience in this long-awaited decision.



– Jimmie Niell,

Unhoused People Action Team Leader

Our next opportunity to prepare and serve dinner at the Men’s Shelter is on Saturday, September 14 from 3:30p. until 6p. Please sign up if you can help. It’s easy and fun working together to provide a much-needed service. Click the link below to volunteer!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0945aca92da2fd0-roof#/

3 Ways to Sign Up

1. Sign Up at the Retreat Table each Sunday in September in Helt Hall.
2. Call the Church Office
3. Scan the QR code below and sign up online.

What to Bring

• Your favorite snack for our snack Pot-luck table
• Lawn chairs or Blankets for the Sing-A-Lawn

Schedule

Hi, I'm Kathleen! My husband, Ryan, and I have been going to Park Road since 2020. It has been the perfect community for us. We volunteer regularly with our youth group, and I am the team leader for our Tiny House and New & Potential Member Orientation Action Teams. So far 2024 has been a big year for our family - we bought our first house, adopted a second puppy, and went on our third international trip together. We’re looking forward to a slow fall filled with plenty of football games and maybe one or two more home projects.

Join us on September 20 for our best meal of the month – eating together at one of Charlotte’s restaurants. In September we’re in for the southern cuisine of The Eagle Charlotte, at 2120 South Boulevard. The menu is mouthwatering, and you can either ride with us (from the parking lot at 11:15a) or meet us there – but please let us know if you are coming either way - You can sign up in Helt Hall or email the church office info@ParkRoadBaptist.org. Let’s eat!

Ron Pelt and Russ Dean will provide an introduction to ORT on Sunday mornings, September 8 and 15 at 9:45a in Milford Chapel. While the name “ORT” may be new to you, this framework for understanding God, ourselves, and our world, is not new. This modern theology for a modern world has found its way into the Park Road pulpit for many years. With the publication of Russ Dean’s last book, he was introduced to a community of ORT pastors, scholars, and thinkers across the country. Join us for an introduction to some of the people and ideas that comprise ORT today.

The summer is over for our Child Care and Development Center, but our friendship is forever. Cuteness overload: embraced the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

In 1992, along with our sister churches in the United Baptist Association, Park Road helped to build a small chapel on property adjacent to what was then the Uptown Men’s Shelter. For 32 years, Hope Chapel has provided a church home for that community, and the facility is also used throughout the week by a variety of non-profit organizations. Hope Chapel provides a secure space for worship and other important gatherings for homeless men.

On Sunday, September 15, we will gather to celebrate 32 years of ministry. All are invited. We hope some of you will choose to join us for the brief worship service, 8-8:30a. Amy Jacks Dean will preach, and then we will enjoy Bojangles’ breakfast biscuits, provided by Ken Reynolds. The staff will return in time to lead the Park Road University session at 9:45a.

The address: 125 Wadsworth Place (just behind the Auto Bell on North Tryon)

No RSVP needed – just show up for worship and breakfast and still have plenty of time for study and worship with your own church.

This video is a glimpse of our week in Pacaya. It's a glimpse of our time connecting with our students in Pacaya and shows some of the more jovial interactions we had. Andrew Brownfield, a youth parent, made the video for us and made the important point that it views our trip through one angle of many possible angles. We had fun and made connections, but we also witnessed poverty that truly angers and discourages us, and most importantly, draws us to action because of the friendships we've made with the people in this video clip. Andrew was very purposeful in not including many of the things that were heartbreaking for us to honor the dignity of the people we encountered, but he and the rest of our team are eager to share with you the stories of heartbreak and suffering that are transforming us into agents of restoration and justice. Big thanks are due to all of our team for telling the story of Guatemala! You may not know it, but PRBC has actually formed an action team for Guatemala that is led by Dan. Our connection with Clubhouse has quickly grown beyond a youth mission to become a church partnership as we sponsor the school in Pacaya and I am so grateful for our ministerial staff and members for your openness to this venture. -JD 

As Amy mentioned last week, I began my Doctorate in Ministry at Campbell University, a lovely Baptist community that is Christ-Centered, Bible Based, and Ministry Focused in eastern North Carolina. The program is designed for pastors in full time ministry. I'll have class every other Thursday and Friday for this semester and part of next. This semester is coursework. Next I’ll have a year of specialized research courses and end with a year of focused on the writing of my project. I really love my cohort and think the work will be generative for me as a pastor and as person. Thank you for being a church that's willing to allow for this space and formation. I really appreciate this opportunity and I am excited to share about my work as I go. - JD

Youth, Children, and Volunteers’ Ice Cream Social

We have done some really good work and some hard work this summer. This Sunday September 8 at 3p we will have an ice cream social in the youth building for all of our students and their families along with the volunteers who helped us both at Compassion Camp and at Guatemala. It'll be a time to reminisce, offer thanks, and, of course, enjoy some really good ice cream. - JD

• September 1- No Programming for Labor Day Weekend
• September 8 - Ice Cream Social, 3pm (this will be in place of SNT)
• Regular Scheduled Programing is as follows:
• Sunday Mornings, 10a - Preview
• Sunday Evenings, 5:30-7p - SNT
• Worship Wednesdays - One Wednesday evening each month (TBD)

• September 4 - First Wednesday - we will have Children's Midweek. We'll talk about journeying as Russ and Amy give their report about the Camino. We'll have Nuggets :)
• September 8 - Ice Cream Social, 3pm
• Regular Scheduled Programing is as Follows:
• Sunday Mornings 9:45a.: Children's Sunday School (K-5th)
• Sunday Mornings 9:45a. & 11a: Nursery
• First Wednesdays 5:30p Dinner/6p Children's Midweek - The first Wednesday of each month.

Sympathy is extended to Jimmie Niell and his family in the recent passing of his mother.

~



A memorial service will be held for Leonard Smith this coming Saturday, September 7^th at 2p, with a reception to follow in Helt Hall.

Coming Up at Park Road

Sunday Worship

Facebook Live and In-Person

11a

First Wednesdays

Dinner and Vespers

(Community Center)

5:30p Dinner / 6p Vespers

First and Third Tuesdays

Bible Study and Fellowship

(Community Center - Room C503)

10a

Tuesday and Thursdays

Flexercise

(Community Center)

9a

Coming Up at Park Road

Sunday Worship

Facebook Live and In-Person

11a

First Wednesdays

Dinner and Vespers

(Community Center)

5:30p Dinner / 6p Vespers

First and Third Tuesdays

Bible Study and Fellowship

(Community Center - Room C503)

10a

Tuesday and Thursdays

Flexercise

(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