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Making the week Holy…



The outspoken atheist, Sam Harris, has said, “There is clearly a sacred dimension to our existence, and coming to terms with it could well be the highest purpose of human life.” I’m confused about professing atheism while affirming the sacred dimension of life, but I could not agree more with Mr. Harris: life is sacred – it’s just that. The best way I know to come to terms with it is to experience that sacred dimension within a community of faith.

As we celebrate Holy Week this year, we have a number of offerings we hope you may choose, in order to remember the final week of Jesus’ life. Holy Week spans the days between Palm Sunday, April 2, and Easter, April 9. It is the religious and spiritual high point of the Christian year. We hope you will join us:

Palm Sunday, April 2

A string quartet from the Charlotte Symphony will enhance this grand Sunday, which begins with a processional of our children, waving palms in remembrance of Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. This year, we will have two processions on Palm Sunday – the second being a bridal procession! We will adjust the worship service to accommodate the wedding of Marvin and Yolani, and there will be a reception in the Community Center. (But, have no fear, you will not be late for lunch!)

“The Last Week”

You are invited to join Russ for a study of the book by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. Each day of the week, Monday – Friday, we will meet in Helt Hall at noon. Bring your own lunch if you care to eat. We will study each day’s chapter as we walk with Jesus from Monday to Friday of that final week in Jerusalem. There will be a Zoom option as well. Please contact Russ if you would like to be included.

Maundy Thursday: “On the Passion of Christ”

We have a special service planned this year. Bob Pritchard will lead our sanctuary choir in their performance of David H. William’s 3-movement work entitled, “On the Passion of Christ.” A quartet from the Symphony will be with us, and Mahari Freeman, Linwood Little, and John G. Franklin will be guest soloists. Worship will begin with communion, and then the choir will perform. Dinner, with a slightly Mediterranean flare, will be served, beginning at 5:15p (note the earlier time). Please call the church office to sign up, by next Tuesday (704-523-5717).

The Seven Last Words: Good Friday Service (Virtual)

Again, this year, we will have a brief service commemorating the death of Jesus. We invite you to join us virtually, via our Facebook Page livestream only, Good Friday (April 7). We will hold this virtual service of remembrance at 3p, which the Gospels attest as the time of Jesus’s death. The service will be brief. We will read each of the seven last words, extinguish a candle for each, and have a brief reflection in music.

Easter… Glorious Easter!

Make plans now to join us. With musicians from the Charlotte symphony and the Charlotte Pride band, the music will be spectacular as we celebrate resurrection. Following worship there will be an Easter Egg hunt in the courtyard.

Join us this year in making Holy Week special – and all of life sacred. - Russ

Each year our Easter Sunday cross is decorated with beautiful flowers of the season. Lilies will be purchased, and for a donation of $10 each, you can designate a lily in memory or honor of someone. This is not a fundraiser. The donation provides for the purchase of the lilies to be used. A list of names will be published in the Easter Sunday bulletin. Please sign up in Helt Hall or contact the church office to designate a lily in a loved one’s name.

Our Search Committee for a new minister for our children and youth has completed its work. The committee, chaired by Gina Helt, is excited to have selected a candidate to recommend. While we are finalizing some last-minute details, the candidate has been approved by the Personnel Committee and Ministry Council. A bio will be included in next week’s newsletter, and he will be available to begin work this summer. The congregation will vote on the committee’s recommendation during the Called Conference, at the conclusion of worship on April 16. 

If you have any hardy perennials that you are dividing or thinning (specifically Daffodils and Lentin Roses), please contact Lisa Mason (masonlisa9370@gmail.com). We would love to add them to The Prayer Garden.

We need lots of candy-filled (no chocolate) plastic eggs to hide for the children on Easter Sunday. Drop off, the pre-filled, eggs in the church

office by this Sunday, April 2.

Every other month, on the second Saturday of the month, Park Road prepares and serves lunch for residents of the Men’s Shelter at 1210 North Tryon Street. The meal preparation begins at 10:30a and serving the food ends before 1p. All tasks are easy to do and they provide a good opportunity to work together and get to know one another. If you have never participated, you should give it a try! Please sign-up here:

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

After a wonderful meal of home-cooking at the Harrisburg Family House restaurant, we had a wonderful visit with Bette Honeycutt. Bette was delighted for us to be there, and delightful to be with. After sitting together to catch up on all the church news, she insisted we visit her new room. Thanks to all who went with us. The church showed up for Bette, hooray!

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.

• July 10-14, Unidiversity – not too late to sign up – let Amy know.

Children



• Palm Sunday – Children will lead the processional waving palm branches as we reenact the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Children will meet in Helt Hall just prior to worship to get palms. After the Processional, the children will return to their parents to sit with them for the remainder of the service.

• Easter Sunday – Children bring your Easter baskets to worship and immediately following worship there will be candy-filled eggs everywhere – in the courtyard and on both playgrounds. Families plan to stay after worship for the fun of the hunt and the celebration of the find.

• 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

The PRBC Child Development Center is so excited for another fun-filled week celebrating young children and their families with hands-on, collaborative activities encouraging movement and healthy lifestyles through music, food, and art.

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association, with nearly 60,000 members and a network of 52 Affiliates. 

The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we—as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation—will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.

Thanks to Daniel and Rebecca Terry for leading an interesting discussion of Borders and Belonging: The Book of Ruth: A Story for Our Time. Attendance has been strong and the conversation stimulating. If you are not involved in a Connection Group like the Prelude Group, we would like to help you “get connected!”

Park Road will sponsor a Book-A-Palooza event on April 4 and 5 at which students at Marie G Davis K-8 School will be able to select 3 books for themselves. Volunteers are needed on Monday, April 3, to transport the books, and to unpack the books; on Tuesday, April 4, they will assist the elementary students in selecting books, pack up some books, and unpack others. On Wednesday, April 5, the volunteers will assist middle school students in selecting books, packing the remaining books, and transporting them back to church. Please sign up to help here:



https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4caaae2daafe3-bookapalooza6?useFullSite=true#/

Someone asked for the snail-mail addresses for our newest members, Mary Copeland-Meyers and Jimmie and Roy Harris. With their permissions, we are listing them here. Please consider dropping a note in the mail, to introduce yourself and to help welcome Mary, from SC, and the Harrises, from VA.

Mary Copeland-Meyers: 97 Ramage Rd, Laurens, SC 29360-8406

Jimmie and Roy Harris: 1217 Stocker St, Staunton, VA 24401-2085

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 Wednesdays

Dinner and Vespers

(Community Center)

5:30p Dinner / 6p Vespers

Third Wednesday of Each Month 

Virtual Midweek Meet-Up - Facebook Live

6p

First and Third Tuesdays

Coffee and Kibitz Bible Study

(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