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GOOD TIDINGS

The Weekly Newsletter for Park Road Baptist Church

April 26, 2023

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Can you hear me now?

One of the cellular phone companies made that a famous line, with the guy walking around, all over the place, sharing the amazement that you can now take a cell phone… anywhere… and still be in touch. Being heard is such a good thing.

Thanks to a very generous donation from church members, we have finally been able to complete the sanctuary renovation. Beginning this Sunday, I believe you will notice a big improvement in the acoustics,. From the first conversations about a sanctuary renovation, we knew that if we were going to change the size/shape of that room, the sound dynamics would change, too. Some modifications would need to be made to adjust for that – but until now, we’ve not been able to bring this need to fruition.

On Monday morning, a work crew with WAVE, Inc. showed up to install panels and baffling in our sanctuary. The back wall of the sanctuary, both the floor level and the brick wall above (at the upper rear of the room), are now covered with sound absorbing panels. These same panels have been installed on the recessed side walls, toward the front of the sanctuary. The new ceiling, above the Helt Hall expansion, is also covered with a roll of sound-absorbing material.

In acoustical terms, the “decay” time in our beautiful room needed to be shortened. The room was so “live” that sound bounced all around. Spoken words folded back on themselves, jumbling the sound, making speech intelligibility difficult. These sound panels have shortened the decay time nearly in half, to enhance the spoken word, yet the room is still wonderfully resonant.

I couldn’t wait to pull out my trumpet. The sanctuary has been my own, private rehearsal room for me all these years – and who has ever had such a wonderful rehearsal studio!? I was anxious to play in the new room, to make sure we had not muffled the sound too much. Hurray… I’m so pleased. The sound still resonates throughout the room, it just dies away a little quicker. I believe the room will still be resonant for musical performances and better for the spoken word.

An ad hoc committee of Mike Hamrick, Brian Smyth, and Chris White joined me several times to meet with the acousticians from WAVE, Inc.. This company has worked with us over the years and had already taken sophisticated measurements of the room, showing in precise detail all the acoustical measurements, such as the delay time. The committee explained that we were trying to find a good solution for a room that is used so frequently and for such a variety of reasons. We offer sermons and choral music, organ and piano solos, and the Charlotte Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Charlotte Pride Band (50 wind instruments and percussion) both call our campus their home. I think the experts have offered a wonderful solution.

This work has not affected the loop for our hearing aid system at all, but it should enhance the experience for all. We’ll know even better after Roxanne Holt-Watson comes this afternoon to warm up for the choir. Choir practice is at 7p, and then there’s Pride Band rehearsal tomorrow night – but the real test will be your ears on Sunday morning…

Can you hear me now?

-Russ

Fun Food Friday - Nellie's Southern Kitchen, May 12

Since Nellie’s is so popular, we need an early signup. The deadline is THIS FRIDAY, April 28. Also need to know if you are joining us there at 11:30a, or meeting in the parking lot at 11a. Please call the office or email Becka in the office to let us know: becka@parkroadbaptist.org.

PRBC Spring 2023 Directory

VSP Summer Send Off - Please RSVP

Summer will be here soon! Before you pack that picnic or head off to the beach for a little fun in the sun, mark May 18 for VSP. At noon, we will have a delicious lunch prepared by Chef Tam. We will have lovely door prizes for the lucky. We will have Max’s knee slapping jokes. We will have a time for fellowship and renewing friendships or making new friends. For our send-off to summer entertainer, we have our dear friend John G. Franklin! No one does summer beach music better than him! Be sure to make your reservation no later than Sunday, May 14. You can sign up in Helt Hall, RSVP to Max’s email, call the church office (704-523-5717), or contact Becka at Becka@parkroadbaptist.org. You don’t want to miss our VSP’s summer send off!

Sunday Worship

April 23 , 2023

First Wednesday

Our First Wednesday suppers have been well-attended, the Vespers-style program has been well received. This time is a wonderful way to get to know folks and to catch your breath mid-week. If you’re coming for our 7p choir practice, it’s a convenient way to eat and be here for rehearsal. Please sign up in Helt Hall on Sunday or call the church office by Tuesday, May 2, at noon.

Continuing to "Pay it Forward"

We recently had a fun and inspiring experience with the “Pay it Forward” project, thanks to the generous Legacy Gift from Mack Duncan’s estate. We had a chance to experience how generosity multiplies. We want to give you another opportunity to experience this “multiplicative property of love”! Every 5^th Sunday we take a collection for our Magolene “Mack” Cameron Good Samaritan Fund. Named in memory of one of Park Road’s dear saints, the Good Sam fund supports church members in need – and is perhaps used more than many folks would imagine. It has been so nice to have money available when those needs arise, so thank you for your support. Please come prepared to “pay it forward” again with a donation in memory of another great “Mack” at Park Road – Mack Cameron!

Youth News...

Retreat Success

When you hop on a bus with 14 youth and drive the mountain road to Black Mountain, NC, stopping for supper at Granny’s Country Kitchen, then stay up too late and eat too much junk and jump off a high dive into a freezing cold lake and figure your way out of an escape room and enjoy s’mores by a campfire - then you know you have had a successful Youth Retreat! It was a fantastic weekend filled with so much fun and laughter and goodness. Add to all of that fun an amazing retreat leader in our long-time friend, Dan Davis, and you’ve got one for the records. Dan led us to consider gratitude as a way of life, and he challenged us to find ourselves in the stories of faith. He captured our attention and held us tight in the moment, and in so doing the youth opened up and shared honestly about their lives and how God is at work in us and through us. It was amazing to watch and to experience. Weekends like these are what young people will remember for a lifetime about how their church invested in them. A huge THANK YOU goes out to Beth Heaton, Geoff Palmer, Crystal Smyth, and Russ Dean for chaperoning like champs! Next up . . .

Baccalaureate Sunday

On Sunday, June 4 we will recognize our graduates in worship followed by a cake reception in the Community Center. Plan to stick around for a bit after worship that day to greet and celebrate our high school graduates. That evening, the youth will host a dinner for graduates and their families in the Youth Building. And then . . .

Mission Trip

Destination – Birmingham, AL from June 19-23. Monday and Friday will be travel days leaving Tuesday -Thursday to dip our toes into several different ministries and missions in the city to serve. We will also take advantage of the wonderful Civil Rights museum and learn about transformative work being done to bring justice and equality to all. Make sure your name is on the list with Amy. But we are not done . . .

Unidiversity

We already have an amazing group signed up for this annual week of youth camp goodness. We will travel again to Maryville, TN to join a couple hundred more youth for a week of learning, fun, worship, study, and growth from July 10-14. There’s still time to add your name to the list!

This year's theme is, "Where is God?". Drawing from the ancient story of Esther and the everyday stories we tend to tell ourselves, our 2023 camp theme will lead us to questioning systems of power, the purpose of faith, a responsibility for others, and our own core identity.

And as always . . .

Sunday School in the AM and Youth Group in the PM – EACH WEEK!

The big events are fun and great, but these weekly times are foundational to the thriving of the youth group. Everyone is certainly looking forward to JD McDonald joining our team as our new Associate Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families. JD will meet us for the Mission Trip then be on board full-time beginning July 1.

Only Four Spots Left

The PRBC Community Garden is off to a great start. We have several new gardeners and several gardeners who have participated with us for years. It’s not too late to claim your plot. We have 4 plots left at $75 a plot. Email parkroadgarden@gmail.com to get your plot.

You still have time to get those tomatoes in the ground. I look forward to seeing you in the garden.

- Laura Leach

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.