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Andrew Brownfield sent me this picture of his daughter, Brooklyn, receiving communion last Sunday. I thought it was such a beautiful picture of life at Park Road, I wanted to share several things that stand out to me.

While Brooklyn is a teenager, and no one at any Baptist church would question her taking communion, our policy practices an openness regarding this wonderful sacrament. All are welcome! As a dyed-in-the-wool Baptist, I will admit to you that this policy took me a little time to understand and affirm – but I believe in it wholeheartedly now.

We allow all participants to take communion, leaving to the discretion of parents whether their young children will participate. That practice is unusual for Baptist churches, which generally require children to have been baptized first. When I first expressed some unease with this practice, one of our members, who had spent her career in Early Childhood Development, said to me something like: Children do not understand most of what happens in worship. Singing hymns is often beyond their ability, and they are not old enough to grasp sermon concepts. Therefore, most of worship is a spectator sport not a participatory experience. Why then, would we deny children the opportunity to participate in the one thing they can fully “understand?” Children are tactile learners, they only grasp concrete ideas, not abstract ones. In communion, they can taste and touch and smell and see the elements. What a wonderful way to experience faith, to participate in their church community on their level, in a very tangible way. Why would we deny this opportunity to them?

She sold me in one brief lecture! I know we could spend a lot of time debating the nuances of the doctrine of communion. What does it really mean? How should we practice it? Who can participate? Who should be allowed to serve?

For me, personally and pastorally, giving our children the opportunity to participate in worship, fully, even as they grow into different and deeper understandings of what such a rich symbol might mean, that experience is more important than adherence to any dogma purity. But if that does not work for you, we are a Baptist church! All get to make their own decisions – and while we are the professionals, parents are primarily responsible for their children’s spiritual growth and development, so we leave this decision to them, and trust their judgment.

That last question I asked, “Who can serve communion?” Brings me to another poignant part of this picture.

In Roman Catholic churches, only ordained priests can “consecrate the host” and serve the Eucharist. In other traditions, that privilege is extended to any who are ordained, perhaps, including deacons. Again, in true Baptist fashion, we preach the priesthood of all believers. All are welcome!

Your ministers who are ordained, and those who are not, the deacons we have ordained, even you who have not enjoyed that experience – all would be allowed to share in the experience of offering communion. Since Baptists do not adhere to the doctrine of transubstantiation, we do not require duly ordained clergy to offer the proper ceremonial words that officially sanctify the bread and cup. Communion is a beautiful symbol, with multiple deep and rich meanings, yet for us it is a symbol. Those worshiping at home, in front of a computer, can assemble their own elements and serve themselves!

An important focus of our theology, for 23 years, has been the equal representation of the body of Christ in the male and female voices which Amy and I offer. We have never offered a single communion service in which both voices were not present as we offered the symbol of abundance and sacrificial love.

Thanks to Laura Leach, who was our deacon of the week last Sunday, for her leadership in worship, which included standing with me to offer communion.

The French Jesuit Priest, Teilhard de Chardin, once said, “There is a communion with God, and a communion with earth, and a communion with God through earth.” I experienced that communion with God through earth on Sunday: An open table. The priesthood of all believers.

This picture is worth a thousand words, speaking so well of the communion we enjoy at Park Road. Thank you, Andrew and Brooklyn and Laura, for bringing communion to me on Sunday. - Russ

Are you retired? Do you like a tasty meal? Do you like sharing time and laughter with friends? Do you like music and entertainment? Is your October 19 lunch open? Do you like free (except for a Love Offering donation)? If you answered yes to these questions, you probably think there is a catch. You’re right! There is! You have to sign up in Helt Hall or by emailing info@ParkRoadbaptist by Sunday, October 15. See you there, all you Yes Folks!

Thanks to LeDayne McLeese Polaski for kicking off PRU with a bang. We had excellent attendance for her class on Diversity and Difference. We will take two weeks off, please regather with your Connection Groups October 8 and 15.  On October 22, Bill Hemingway will begin a class on The Ten Commandments. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God, so Bill cover those issues this fall. In the spring, we will resume the class by looking at the six commandments governing relationships with one another. Bill will use the book Words of Life: Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today by Adam Hamilton. If you would like to dig a little deeper, you can purchase the book from any local or online dealer. Thanks to our PRU teachers. Especially if you do not have a Connection Group, PRU is for you! What are you doing to deeper your own spiritual growth?

We welcome Sander Rogers (pictured left) as our newest member. Sandy has been visiting regularly for a good while and decided to make it official last week. She is part of the Religion Faculty at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. We look forward to her leading one of our upcoming Park Road University classes after the first of the year. Welcome, Sandy!

As everyone was leaving worship last week, we realized that the final two folks remaining were new member Sandy and long-time member Peggy McIntyre (pictured right). It only seemed fitting for them to have their picture made together as Peggy move to the Raleigh/Durham area in a couple of weeks for a new job. We will miss you, Peggy!

Church is such an interesting place full of hellos and goodbyes for so many different reasons. We give thanks for all who pass through and makes Park Road their community of faith for however long we are together!

If you have questions about the 5-day pilgrimage along Spain’s most-famous route to the cathedral in Santiago, please contact Russ or Amy. Trips with Andaspain Walking Adventures are already being booked for 2024, so we are setting a deadline of Sunday, October 15. A $300 deposit will be required to hold your space.

October’s undesignated offering will go to the Charlotte CROP Walk which supports the hunger fighting efforts of Church World Service, both locally and in more than 40 countries around the world. Charlotte’s CROP Walk will be held on Sunday, October 22, 2023.

The Neighbor Nights hosts and I gathered on Friday and had a lovely time connecting, eating, sharing gifts (including mums and insomnia cookies, and some emergency chocolate almonds 🙂). We also talked about your neighborhoods! Excited to begin soon! If you’ve not already heard from your host about scheduling your neighborhood meeting, you will very soon. -JD

Our “Preacher Camp” friend and colleague, Amy Butler, former pastor of Calvary Baptist in Washington, DC and then The Riverside Church in the City of New York, has just published her first book. We are fortunate to get on the schedule for her book tour. We are delighted to host Amy Butler for a conversation during our regular “First Wednesday” in November. Amy’s book is a powerful memoir of the “beautiful and terrible things” she experienced along the journey to becoming the first female pastor of one the country’s most prominent pulpits. Her stories are poignant, painful, joyful, and powerful. You can purchase the book online or at Park Road Books. Also Amy will have copies with her on November 1. You will enjoy meeting Amy and hearing from her. Please plan to join us.

• Worship Wednesday - tonight, October 4, will be at 6:30p with Martha Kinney and Amy Erwin providing dinner, Claire Neereimer, Jack Palmer, Clara Kinney, Andra Mills, and Carter Erwin will lead during the service. If you can't make it to any other Midweek times, this one is it! 

• Ask your students about the Spiritual practices they're learning at Midweek. Encourage them to "practice" them during their week. Most of our practices are geared towards helping us notice and pay attention to God and to others. A secondary benefit is that they help grow the gray matter in our brains, which helps with emotional regulation and executive functioning among other things.

• On October 15, our children will go to a pumpkin patch and corn maze right after church. We do not have a youth specific outing this month because of retreat; however, JD is inviting youth and families to join us if they like. The pumpkin patch is in Indian trail, and here's the site :https://countrydayscornmaze.com/

• On October 15th we will go to Country Days Corn Maze (https://countrydayscornmaze.com) corn maze after church. We'll have a bus to transport those who want to ride instead of drive but this IS for children and their parents/caretakers. We may also have some youth come along to help.  On that Sunday, we will leave from church for lunch and the corn maze. We will plan on returning to church by 5:30p for those who ride the bus. 

The Abundant Grace Connection Group, taught by George Miles, always has an Abundance of food, an Abundance of laughter, an Abundance of compassion, an Abundance of sharing, and an Abundance of fine prizes whenever they gather. (The games and fine prizes always supplied by Ann Miles.) This group meets every Sunday morning at 9:30a for discussion and study and connection. They regularly gather for food and fun. Finding ways to connect in smaller group settings is a wonderful way to be Church together. Thank you, Abundant Grace, for showing us how it is done!

Last Friday the food was fabulous, and the company was even better at Fin and Fino. We splurged a bit with some fancy food and expensive parking, but as always – A Fun Time Was Had By All!

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

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