Myers Park Baptist News
an ecumenical congregation in the baptist tradition
March 2015
www.mpbconline.org
STOP HUNGER NOW
Meal Packaging Event
Wonderful Wednesday, March 18, 6:30-8:00pm,
Cornwell Center Gym
“When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, ‘Now is that political, or social?’ He said,
‘I feed you.’ Because the good news to a hungry person is bread."
~ Desmond Tutu
By Cheri Lindblom
Hunger. The first and most natural response of a newborn: "I’m hungry. Feed me." As human beings, hungering for nourishment is part of our nature. We respond, we feed, and
the infant stops crying (or not). It is the same in the spiritual sense, although sometimes
when we feel spiritual hunger we may not realize that is really what it is.
During this Lenten Season you have the opportunity to address both: Physical and
Spiritual Hunger.
• Spiritual Hunger: During the six weeks of Lent, we have the opportunity to feed our
spiritual hunger by participating in our annual Stop Hunger Now event. You may also
find spiritual nourishment in one of our Lenten Journey groups, which you can learn
more about on the church website, www.mpbconline.org.
• Physical Hunger: We are reminded during Lent to focus not only on our own physical hunger, but on that of our neighbors, both local and international, who do not have
enough to eat. You can help feed the hungry by participating in the STOP HUNGER
NOW (SHN) Meal Packaging Event on March 18.
...Continued on page 8
Creation Care: Charlotte’s Challenge
By Cam Wester
Myers Park Baptist will be the venue for an important panel conversation about local and
regional environmental issues on Wednesday, March 25. Sponsored by the Ministry of
Faith Formation and the Earthkeepers Servant Leadership Group, this forum is free and
open to the public.
The conversation will be led by a panel of environmental experts and local leaders,
including Ernie McLaney, Deputy Director of Clean Air Carolina; Sam Perkins, the Catawba Riverkeeper; Mary Newsom of UNCC’s Urban Institute, Dr. Mark Jensen of Wake
Forest University Divinity School, and Charlotte Mayor Dan Clodfelter. MPBC’s own Chris
William will moderate the discussion.
Members of the panel will begin by speaking about current actins being taken to help
create a more sustainable Charlotte. Then they will respond to questions from the audience. Please join us for this important forum on March 25 at 6:30pm in Heaton Hall.
Following the panel conversation, you are invited to a reception in the Cornwell Center Foyer and a photography and poetry exhibit, Creation. Care! The exhibit will highlight the juxtaposition between the beauty of the earth and the destruction of the earth
...Continued on page 6
The Week Called Holy
By Jonathan Crutchfield
Also called “Passion Week,” the road from
Palm Sunday through crucifixion and on to
Easter morning is fraught with drama that
even movies love to capture. Join us this
year as we again reenact through scripture,
spoken words and music the triumphal entry of Jesus and his disciples on Palm Sunday (March 29 at 11:00am). During the
Palm Sunday worship service we will move
as a congregation from the Sanctuary to
the front lawn as we follow the large wooden cross. It is a most sobering moment as
the cross is lifted skyward. The mood that
began as joyful turns decidedly somber as
we remember the rest of Holy Week. The
Maundy Thursday service (April 2 at
7:00pm) helps shape our remembrance of
the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples. This is followed by the stripping of the
altar, the darkening of the Sanctuary, and
the removal of the Christ candle. The glorious Easter Sunday morning service (April
5 at 10:30am) resurrects the sounds of joy
through the ringing of Alleluia bells by our
children, the sounds of brass and organ,
and the thrilling congregational singing as
we sing together, “Christ the Lord is Risen
Today.” Walk with us through this week. ■
Inside This Issue:
Executive Minister’s Column 2
Community Life
2-5
Faith Formation 5-7
Financial Resources
7-8
Outreach
8-9
Worship & Music
10
Cornwell Center
11
Executive Minister's Column
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Happenings
By Robin Coira
Since writing my last
newsletter article, we
held our Quarterly
Congregational Meeting on January 25th.
Prior to the meeting, a group of about
25 church members
worked together on
Saturday and Sunday to provide a wonderful lunch—soup,
Brunswick stew, sliders and brownies. They
decorated the tables, served us, cleaned up
after us and created an atmosphere of warm
hospitality. I’m pretty sure, because of their
efforts, we had a record number of folks stay
for the Congregational Meeting. Many thanks
to all of those who joined together to make
our time at the Congregational Lunch and
Meeting an enjoyable time of fellowship and
learning about the happenings at MPBC.
During our Congregational Meeting we
approved our amazing budget for 2015. Our
new budget allows Joe Aldrich to become
our full-time Associate Minister. That’s really good news! We have also increased Anne
Clarke (our Program Assistant) from 25
hours to 30 hours per week. Since we do not
currently have a Pastoral Assistant, Anne’s
additional hours will allow her to cover some
of those responsibilities. The new budget also
brings my position back to full-time.
Now for the month of March. Here is our
preaching schedule:
• March 1: The Rev. Joe Aldrich
• March 8: The Rev. Debbie Warren, CEO and
President of RAIN
• March 15: The Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard
• March 22: The Rev. Dr. Dan White
• March 29, Palm Sunday: The Rev. Robin
Coira
As we enter the Lenten Season, the Ministry of Faith Formation is offering a series on
Ruth Haley Barton’s book, “Sacred Rhythms.”
It’s not too late to join a Lenten Journey
Group where we will learn about and experience various spiritual practices. Each season
will be led by a member of our church staff. I
hope you will make this part of your journey
through Lent.
Please plan to support our annual Youth
Fundraiser on March 1st. Dinner and a worship service will be provided by the youth
from 5:00-7:00 in Heaton Hall. For those
who attended last year, it was a remarkable
and memorable event. You will need to make
reservations for the only fundraiser the youth
will host this year. All proceeds will underwrite their summer mission trip.
Mark your calendar for our Wonderful
Wednesday on March 18th. Following dinner
we will host the annual food packing event,
Stop Hunger Now. This is our most anticipated outreach event of the year. Bringing
people of all ages together in this worthwhile
project not only gives us life by participating,
but also gives life to those receiving the meals
we package. Join us…you will be glad you did.
Our Happy Birthday to Me Luncheon
will be held on Sunday, March 22 following
worship. This is a great time for fellowship
and for meeting new friends. Be sure to read
Lalla Dabbs’ article on page 4 of this newsletter.
And finally, about Palm Sunday weekend. Our 8th grade Discipleship Class will be
baptized on March 28th. We will welcome them
into church membership during worship on
Palm Sunday. That day also begins the week
we know as Holy. So come; let us welcome our
new disciples, worship together, and stand
beneath the cross that ultimately leads us to
New Life. ■
Deacon of the Week
March 1-7: Mack Clark,
704.544.8015, [email protected]
March 8-14: Richard Pearsall,
704.965.5558,
[email protected]
Dr. Bill Leonard to
Preach at Prestigious
Harvard Lecture Series
By Ed Williams
Dr. Bill Leonard will take a break in his series of guest sermons at Myers Park Baptist Church to preach the Sunday morning
sermon March 29 at Harvard University’s Memorial Church, an interdenominational Protestant
church in Harvard Yard.
On March 30 he will present the Harvard Divinity
School’s annual William
James Lecture on Religious Experience. The lecture series honors
the Harvard psychologist and philosopher
whose works include “The Varieties of Religion Experience” (1902).
Dr. Leonard will be in the Myers Park
pulpit on March 15, April 5 (Easter) and
May 10 as one of the guest preachers during
the church’s search for a new senior minister.
Dr. Leonard, the founding dean of the
Wake Forest University Divinity School, retired from that position in 2010 to become
a professor of church history there. His research focuses on church history with particular attention to American religion, Baptist studies, and Appalachian religion.
He is the author or editor of some 22
books including Christianity in Appalachia
(1999); Baptist Ways: A History (2003); The
Challenge of Being Baptist (2010); and Can I
Get a Witness?: Essays, Sermons and Reflections (2013). His newest book, A Sense of
the Heart: Christian Religious Experience in
the U.S., was published by Abingdon Press in
October 2014. ■
March 15-21: Sidney Lockaby,
704.759.8874, [email protected]
March 22-28: Carol Pearsall,
704.562.3100, [email protected]
March 29-April 4: Charley Faulkenberry,
803.493.2821, [email protected] ■
2
Myers Park Baptist Church
Community Life
Milestones
(as of February 15, 2015)
DEATHS/LOVE AND SYMPATHY TO:
• Neal Rodgers and his family on the death
of his aunt, Veneta Pauline Tohline, of
Tulsa, OK on January 25.
• Rita Quesada-Rodgers and her family on
the death of her aunt, Margaret Alvah
Stroupe, of Morganton, NC on January 26.
• Agnes Barnett on the death of her niece,
Bonnie Paper, of Silver Spring, MD, on
January 27.
• Abby and Adam Thomas and their family
on the death of their grandfather, Thomas
Wayne Roebuck, of Charlotte, on January
31.
• John Reeves on the death of his father, John
(Jack) Reeves, of Charlotte, on January 31.
• Deb Steiner and her family on the death of
her aunt, Helen Witwer, of Greenville, OH,
on February 1.
• Paula Testerman and her family on the
death of her uncle, Robert Meador, of
Nashville, TN, on February 3.
• The family of Nora Chapman Heebner, of
Charlotte, on her death on February 5.
• Jill Kinney and her family on the death of
her uncle, Vander B. West, or Charlotte, on
February 9.
• Jonathan Crutchfield and his family on
the death of his uncle, Everett Tucker, of
Salisbury, NC on February 10.
• Vikki Yeghoyan and her family on the
death of her mother, Louise Yeghoyan, of
Charlotte, on February 14.
BIRTHS/CONGRATULATIONS TO:
• Allison and Alex Gnilka on the birth of
their daughter, Danielle Phoebe Gnilka, on
February 3. ■
March Loose Plate
Offering Recipient
By Cheri Lindblom
The March Loose plate offering will provide
meals for the Men's Shelter of Charlotte.
Each month, a group of MPBC volunteers
provides, prepares and serves dinner or
lunch to our homeless neighbors at the Men's
Shelter of Charlotte. For more information,
or to help serve, please contact Bob Bishop,
[email protected]. ■
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Family Dedications
January 25, 2015
The Ministry of Human Resources
Staff Spotlight:
Rainey Underwood
By Martha Odom
Chrissy and Collin Brown,
along with Liza and Anna Leigh,
bringing Michael Walker Brown.
Kasey and Jeff Fisher,
bringing James Miller Fisher.
Micah and Meg McInnis,
bringing Henry Davis McInnis.
Megan and Michael Meuse,
bringing Colin James, Maurice Paul and
Marlon Anthony Meuse.
Rob and Anne Ward,
bringing Jude Christopher Walton Ward
and Fiona Hailey Ward.
www.mpbconline.org
If you sneak in the back door at Myers Park
Baptist Church, you have to make it past
Rainey Underwood. She is in the same office she has happily occupied for over 30
years. While I visited
with Rainey recently,
no fewer than a dozen
co-workers came by for
help, direction, a quick
“hello.” Rainey doesn’t
dare hang a curtain or a
shade in the big window
that fronts her office, for
it would block some of the great energy that
is moving back and forth.
Rainey has been Events and Scheduling
Coordinator for about 10 years. She knows
every room, every square inch of the Church
campus. She enjoys meeting the people
whose various groups rent event space at
the Church and the Cornwell Center, and she
enjoys knowing that rental revenue from
these events helps the Church maximize resources.
And what about the 20 years before
that, you might ask. Rainey came to MPBC
as a mother to two young boys, Christopher
and Will. She worked part-time at first, creating a school lunch program for the children enrolled in daycare. She moved on
to be Food Service Manager after a couple
of years. Rainey fondly reminisces about
feeding the church congregation for two
decades. Those were the days, she recalls,
when 250 people would gather for the
weekly Wednesday night supper program.
Life then was more closely centered around
church activities and gatherings. A simpler,
less busy time perhaps. . . .
Rainey snaps back to the present, where
she seems perfectly content. When she is
not at work, she is probably digging in her
garden at the Charlotte home she and husband Chris have shared for many years. Or
perhaps she is reading or listening to books
on tape. Or perhaps she is walking on one of
the Carolina beaches she adores. Wherever
Rainey is, something good and fun is happening. ■
3
Community Life
An Invitation to Our Guests
Please plan to join us for our:
Spring 2015
Orientation Series
Sunday, March 1
9:45–10:45am: Involvement in the Life of
MPBC, Cornwell Center Lounge
Tuesday, March 3
5:45pm: Gathering
6:00–7:30pm: Dinner with Ministerial
and Program Staff, Cornwell Conference
Center and Lounge
Campus Tour immediately following
Sunday, March 8
9:45–10:45am: Overview of Church
Covenant; Discussion about Commitment
and Joining, Sunday, Cornwell Center
Lounge
And, for those who are ready to
formalize their commitment to this
community of faith, we offer:
JOINING SUNDAY
Sunday, March 15
9:00–10:45am: Light Breakfast and
Pictures, Cornwell Center Lounge
11:00am–Noon: New Members
welcomed into Congregation during
Worship
Noon-1:00pm: Welcoming Reception,
Heaton Hall
Any updates will be available on the
website (www.mpbconline.org).
Please contact Mariah Currin at mcurrin@
mpbconline.org or 704.334.7232, ext. 41
to RSVP or with any questions.
*Childcare is available for all sessions.
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Happy Birthday To Me
Luncheon
Sunday, March 22, Heaton Hall,
Following Worship
By Lalla Dabbs
The Ministry of Community Life invites you
to join us on Sunday, March 22 in Heaton
Hall for the annual "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
ME" luncheon. We will start immediately
following the worship service. MPBC will
provide fried chicken, beverages, and
birthday cake! Please bring a dish to share.
If your last name begins with:
A-I Please bring a vegetable or side dish
J-R Please bring a salad
S-Z Please bring a dessert
This is a great opportunity to get
acquainted with new friends and catch up
with old friends. We are doing things a
little differently this year – we will be
sitting at tables by the DATE of the month
we were born. (i.e. March 22 would be at
a table labeled ‘22’).
Also, new this year is a CHILDREN'S
GIFT EXCHANGE. If your family would like
to participate, please bring a $5 wrapped
gift for each child (ages 0-16) in your
family attending the luncheon. Your child
will receive a number for his or her gift,
and during the luncheon, we will call the
numbers. The child with that number will
be able to select a donated gift. It is not a
birthday party without presents!
Come and enjoy lunch with other MPBC
members of all ages. We look forward to
celebrating with you!
If you would like to help in the
preparations for this rewarding event,
please contact me at ddabbs@carolina.
rr.com. ■
March 18, 2015
TIME: Dinner begins at 5:45pm
COST: $6 adult / $3 child 12 and under /
$21 immediate family max
RESERVATIONS: (By noon on Monday,
March 16)
• Email Rainey Underwood at
[email protected]
• Call 704.334.7232 x56
STOP HUNGER NOW: 6:30-8:00pm in the
Cornwell Center Gym. This will be our 6th
annual Meal Packaging Event – an assembly
process that combines rice, soy, dehydrated
vegetables and a flavoring mix of vitamins
and minerals. There are several ways to
volunteer: Help unload supplies/set up
stations; package meals and breakdown
the site. All ages are welcome. We need
everyone to register for this event at www.
mpbconline.org or in Heaton Hall Foyer.
Contributions to help purchase ingredients
can be made to MPBC and sent to Barry
Metzger in the Church Office. Please note
“Stop Hunger Now” on the memo line. The
March 1 Rice Bowl offering will help fund
this event. Contact Cheri Lindblom for more
information, [email protected]. ■
LGBT Fellowship
Quarterly Meet 'n Greet
Financial Report
March 29, 12:15pm in the Parlor
(As of January 31, 2015 - These are preliminary numbers before final closing of January.)
By Scott Crowder
Year-to-Date
Income
Actual
Budget
$213,273
$261,757
Expenses
Actual
Budget
$168,281
$179,579 ■
4
Drop by the Parlor off of Heaton Hall after
worship. This is a short and relaxed place
to meet and connect!
We have some new (newer) members,
so this is a great opportunity to put a face
with a name!
We will have coffee and sweet treats. ■
Myers Park Baptist Church
Community Life & Faith Formation
Ministry of Leadership
Accepting Nominations
to Fill Two At-Large
Positions
By Richard Pearsall
At-Large is defined as those people
who have never served as Deacon as well as
non-active Deacons. Self-nominations will
be accepted. The Ministry of Leadership is
responsible for nominating, recruiting and
training church members for leadership
positions. We also facilitate church member
involvement. If you would like to be
considered, or would like to recommend
someone, please submit these names to
me at ([email protected] or
704.965.5558) by April 1. ■
EarthKeepers
Finding Solace
in Beautiful Places
By Linda Whitesitt
One of the threads that is woven through
many EarthKeepers’ discussions is how
many of us seek solace in beautiful natural
spaces. We go to many places — lovely gardens, stunning trails, flower-filled meadows,
backyard sanctuaries — for many reasons.
We visit these special natural sanctuaries to
find rest from the busyness of life, restore
our bruised spirits or reconcile parts of ourselves. Sometimes we spend time in our favorite places to revitalize our creative lives,
revision our life’s direction or have a conversation with the Creator. Our 21st-century
lives are full of reasons to look for natural
places that are healing and comforting. In
“The Peace of Wild Things,” Wendell Berry
writes that “When despair for the world
grows in me / . . . I go and lie down where
the wood drake / rests in his beauty on the
water . . . / . . . For a time / I rest in the grace
of the world, and am free.”
Where do you go to find solace and
sanctuary in nature? Where in Charlotte
would you recommend others go to find “the
grace of the world?” EarthKeepers would
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
like your help in compiling a list of places in
Charlotte (places open to the public) that offer visitors an opportunity to connect with
nature in ways that restore body, mind and
spirit. Where would you suggest friends visit
if they are looking for public places to take a
stroll in or sit and meditate, write or sketch?
Where are the best places to soak in nature’s
beauty in quiet, contemplative and healing
ways? EarthKeepers would like to know so
we can visit them and perhaps take some
friends along. Please email your suggestions
to me at [email protected]. We will post
the list on EarthKeepers' bulletin board in
Heaton Hall Foyer. And keep an eye out for
Connections sessions that offer contemplative outings to one or more of your special
sacred places.
One nature trek that is coming up this
spring is a family hike and backpack lunch
facilitated by George and Mary Lou Buck.
Join the Bucks on Saturday, May 2 for a walk
on land along the South Fork of Crowders
Creek near Crowders Mountain that has
been in Mary Lou’s family since before 1860.
You’ll be awed by a profusion of wildflowers:
trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, foam flowers and
many more. Please email Mary Lou Buck at
[email protected] for more information.
Myers Park Baptist Church has its own
sacred refuge — The Point, a meditative
space along the side of the Church on Roswell Avenue. It’s a beautiful natural space,
and EarthKeepers invites you to visit it and
absorb the solace it offers. We also need your
help in maintaining it. Please email Cathryn
Rivers at [email protected] if you
are interested in volunteering. ■
Jesus in the 21st Century Lecture Series
Save The Date
John Dominic Crossan
"Paul and the Justice of God"
October 16-18, 2015. ■
Couples' Enrichment
March 20, 6:30-9:00pm
Led by Charlie and Pattie Butler
By Chrissy Williamson
Couples’ Enrichment is an evening to gather
to learn about the journey of a relationship
and to learn how to communicate and connect over a lifetime. Dinner will be included
in the evening. Save the date and stay tuned
for more information, including registration
information in our weekly news publications and on the church website. ■
Ministry of Faith Formation
Senior Adult Fellowship:
Shelton Vineyards
Wednesday, April 15
Small Group Proposals
Needed
• Do you have an idea for a June Connections group?
• Would you facilitate for us in June?
• Don’t wait to be invited; submit your
proposals anytime before April 15! Go
to www.mpbconline.org and click on the
Connections logo to complete a proposal
form. ■
www.mpbconline.org
By Chrissy Williamson
All senior adults (60+) are invited to a taxday get away to Shelton Vineyards in Dobson,
NC. We will leave MPBC around 10:30am
and arrive at the vineyard between noon
and 12:30pm, with enough time for a picnic
lunch on the property. Our tour of the vineyard/winery, with a tasting of five wines, begins at 1:00pm. Cost for the tour is $5, lunch
and transportation are TBD. To sign up, contact Anne Clarke at 704.334.7232 x15. ■
5
Faith Formation Senior Spotlight
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
KATE FIALKO
By Chris Hughes
By Steve Cranford
Kate Fialko, the 17-year-old daughter of
Chris Fialko and Ann Hester, has been going to Myers Park Baptist her entire life. Her
parents are criminal defense attorneys. She
has a 14-year-old brother, Andy.
As a senior, she will be leaving us in the
fall for college. Where she will end up is not
yet settled. Kate applied to seven colleges,
and by mid-February had been accepted at
two (N.C. State and Appalachian State) while
waiting to hear from the others. Her preferences are UNC and Tufts University. Spanish
and comparative government are her favorite subjects in high school. While she plans
to continue studying the language in college,
she realizes job prospects would be limited.
So she will likely combine language studies
with a double major, possibly with political
science.
Kate is a standout at East Mecklenburg
High School. She’s taking AP-level classes
while serving as vice president of the student congress and being active in sports.
The student congress entails meeting
after school for activities related to the community and school spirit. “East is trying to
become a global immersion school, so we
are helping with that,” she says. To gain international perspective, the students are
working with an orphanage in Mexico and
learning about sustainable agriculture and
entrepreneurship by building gardens at
Greenway Park Elementary School. “The
purpose is to get kids in every subject to
connect what they’re learning to the bigger
world,” she explains. She points to the book
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats for use
in the curriculum -- “It can start a conversation” about genetically modified foods and
obesity."
Kate has long been playing soccer as a
way to relax, but a stress fracture sidelined
her this year. She plans to continue playing
in college on intramural teams and will investigate water polo. ”I need to pick a sport
with less impact,” Kate says. She did one season of swimming and cross country before
deciding those sports weren’t her cup of tea.
She also does yoga and is working a wallsized collage at home as a way to relax.
Kate has worked in the summer as a
6
lifeguard at her swim club,
but plans to return this summer to an organization called Promising Pages. She heard
about the nonprofit at student congress and
volunteered there last summer. The organization promotes literacy, and the experience
allows her a chance to learn about how nonprofits work while encouraging young people to read. “I love to read, and I hate to hear
kids say they don’t like to read,” she says.
So with a background in student government, an interest in political science and
community service, could law school be part
of her future? No, she says, “I don’t want to
be a lawyer; I can’t take that much responsibility for someone else’s life.”
At church, Kate has long been active
in youth group, although her attendance
dropped off a bit last fall before picking back
up. “It’s a good community that’s always
there, even if my attendance was slack. It’s
a very accepting and welcoming community.” She went on youth trips to Appalachia
and Puerto Rico and found the time in the
mountains revealing: “That was more different from life here than Puerto Rico was.” The
trips allow kids to bond and solve problems
together, she adds.
When she talks to friends about Myers
Park Baptist, what does she say? “One thing
I really like about the Church is you can believe what you want and you are accepted.
It’s unlike other churches -- I helped a friend
at vacation bible school at another church
and it was very different. I think we’re accepting of all beliefs and people in general.”
Favorites:
• Vacation: Going with the extended family
and friends to the beach at Emerald Isle,
N.C.
• Food: “That’s really hard -- popcorn and
dark chocolate and avocados -- but not
together.”
• Music: Beyonce/Bruce Springsteen/Bob
Marley
• Movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
• Book: A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson
Burnett
• Junk food: Reese’s
• Ice cream flavor: Cappuccino Crunch ■
Save the Dates:
March 1
Service According to Youth
March 8
Bowling Night at Ten Park
Lanes
March 28
Baptism Service
March 13-14 Discipleship Lock-In
March 18
March 29
Stop Hunger Now Event
No Youth Fellowship
Service of Baptism on March 28
This spring, our Discipleship Class has been
journeying through the meaning of baptism
and Christian discipleship. On March 28, our
journey concludes with a service of baptism
and we would like to invite the whole congregation to join us in this sacred and important act.
On March 28, we will meet at 11:00am
at McDowell Nature Preserve for lunch.
Each discipleship student, along with his or
her family, is responsible for packing a picnic lunch for their family and their mentor.
Pending weather issues, our back up plan
will be to have the lunch in Heaton Hall and
the service in the Chapel, so please watch
the Church in Witness and Mission and the
weekly News Sheet for updates.
After lunch, we will head to Camp Thunderbird and gather at the waterfront for our
service at 1:00pm. We hope you will join us
as these young disciples take their next big
step on their journey of faith. ■
Creation Care:
Charlotte’s Challenge
...Continued from page 1
by humans. Photographers include Byron
Baldwin, Nancy Pierce, Linda Foard Roberts,
Carolyn DeMeritt, Dot Griffith, Rob Amberg,
Wade Payne, Ahmer Inam, Charles Johnson,
Raymond Grubb and Eleanor Brawley, Exhibit Curator. Poet Kathie Collins selected
works from well-known poets to accompany
the photographs in the exhibit. For more information contact Anne Clarke at aclarke@
mpbconline.org or visit our event page on
the church website. ■
Myers Park Baptist Church
Faith Formation/TTWS/Financial Resources
Children’s Ministry
Sunday School
training session for 48 parents in Infant/
Child CPR. This will become an annual event
at TTWS.
By Carrie Veal
Wiggles Dance Party
Parents and TTWS students enjoyed the 2nd
annual Wiggles Dance Party on February
28. The “luau” theme featured a preschool
friendly disc jockey and the gift of a beach
ball for everyone!
We still have a few spots left for camp! Here
are the details: Passport Kids offers completed third - fifth graders a chance to deepen
friendships, learn about themselves, and discover how they can be a part of what God is
doing in the world.
Ministry of Financial Resources,
Planned Giving SLG
By Carrie Veal
We are entering our final three months of
the Sunday School year for our children. We
have explored many stories and topics. Our
children have created dream catchers and
masks; they made home-made chicken noodle soup to share with our RITI guests. They
have played games and even went on a wandering progressive meal! And all of this has
been possible because of volunteers who
said that faith formation matters. Will you
follow in their footsteps? Will you give a few
weeks to our children, helping them engage
the stories of our faith? If you say, yes, then
please contact me at [email protected]
for more details. ■
Children’s Ministry
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4; 10:00am
Passport Kids Summer
Camp
Here are the basics you need to know:
When: Saturday, July 18 - Tuesday, July 21
Where: Clyde York 4-H Camp in Crossville,
TN (4 ½ hours away)
Cost: $200 (this includes everything but
travel meals for the four days)
Registration Information: $60 non-refundable deposit holds your spot. Balance is due
by June 1, 2015. ■
By Carrie Veal
All families with children in 5th grade and
younger are invited to the Easter Egg Hunt!
Children will be divided according to age
group, each group hunting eggs in a different location around the Church campus.
Here are the ages and locations:
• Ages two and younger: toddler playground
• Ages three and four: main playground
• Kindergarten–2nd Grade: Cornwell Center
Picnic Table Area
• 3rd–5th Grades: the Point.
The younger children will hunt first. Be
sure you bring something to put your goodies in; we will keep the eggs.
We need candy!! We have A LOT of eggs
to fill and we need your help. Please bring
individually wrapped candies or pre-filled
eggs to the blue bin in Heaton Hall Foyer
near the entrance to God’s Garden. All candy
needs to be received by Wednesday, April 1.
For more information, please contact
me at [email protected]. ■
MPBC Newsletter
March 2015
TTWS March News
By Belinda Geuss
TTWS preschoolers recently enjoyed a traditional lion dance performed by the Hung Gar
Kung Fu Academy. This event was planned
as part of our new cultural arts program and
in celebration of the upcoming Chinese New
Year. All children and staff received a red envelope, a tradition of this holiday representing happiness, good luck and fortune.
CPR Training
Through-the-Week School parents Jen and
Bryan Loeffler generously hosted an evening
www.mpbconline.org
Camp Kaleidoscope
TTWS is currently registering for Camp Kaleidoscope which will be held June 1-5 and
June 8-12. This camp is open to the community for ages 1-6. ■
Friends of the Covenant
There is a wonderful quote from Isaac Newton saying that if we can see further, it is
because we “stand on the shoulders of giants.” Together, the founders and members
that crafted the Myers Park Baptist Church
Covenant looked into the future and called
us all "to be faithful stewards of our lives and
of this world." We would ask you to prayerfully consider joining them in supporting a
bright future for our Church by becoming
a part of the Friends of the Covenant with
your planned gift to the MPBC General Endowment.
Planned giving to the Endowment is
usually done as part of a long-term estate
plan with the help of an attorney or financial advisor. It can be a viable option for all
income levels. Depending on how and what
kind of a planned gift is set-up, it may also
provide the donor with income for life or reduce capital gains or estate taxes for loved
ones.
The most common form of planned gift
is a bequest contained in a person's will or
revocable (living) trust. These gifts could be
in the form of cash, real estate, or securities.
In most cases, the donor (or their estate or
trust), is entitled to a charitable income tax
deduction for the value of the donation. If
the donated property has appreciated in the
donor’s hands, the donor can usually see a
deduction for the full value of the donated
property without having to pay capital gains
taxes that would otherwise be charged. It
...Continued on page 8
7
Financial Resources/Outreach
...Continued from page 7
can be a very tax effective way to make a donation.
One example of a planned gift by beneficiary designation is through a Life Insurance
policy. If the Church is named both the sole
owner and beneficiary of a policy, the donor
may receive an immediate charitable deduction for the lesser of the policy's fair market
value or the net premiums paid. Additional
premiums paid may also be tax deductible.
Another way is to name the Church as a beneficiary of a retirement plan. In that case, income and estate taxes are not imposed when
plan assets are distributed to the Church
which can make this a very appealing option.
Less common planned giving options
involve sharing the benefit of assets between the Church and the donor or the donor’s family by donating property or creating a charitable trust. With a Retained Life
Estate in Property the donor may generate
a current income tax deduction by giving
real estate to the Church, while retaining
the right to use the property or live in their
home during their lifetime. With a Charitable Lead Trust, a donor transfers assets to
loved ones at a reduced tax liability because
the trust first makes fixed payments to the
Church for a specified term after which the
trust assets are passed on to loved ones. Finally, Life Income gifts (Charitable Remainder Annuity or Unitrust) serve a dual purpose: they provide philanthropic support
for the Church while also providing both
a charitable income tax deduction and an
income stream for the donor and/or loved
ones. These options are general suggestions,
and should only be considered after discussion with your financial and legal advisors.
To learn more about joining The
Friends of the Covenant, please contact our
Church Administrator, Barry Metzger at
704.334.7232 ext. 16 or a member of the
Planned Giving Servant Leadership Group:
• Mack Clark, Chair
• Steve Cornwell
• Beth Haenni
• Laura Kratt
• Jay Rivers
• Jeanne Steele
• Jeff Trenning
• Sharon Bremer, Director of Stewardship
Save the Date: First Annual Friends of the
Covenant Appreciation Event ~ April 28,
2015. ■
8
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
STOP HUNGER NOW
...Continued from page 1
Almost 1 billion people across the globe
will go to bed hungry tonight, 200 million of
them children (USAID, 2013). Our Stop Hunger Now event will package and provide AT
LEAST 20,000 meals. The cost is $0.25 per
serving. Through our monthly Rice Bowl
offering and individual contributions from
church members, we are able to cover the
cost of the rice, protein, and dried vegetable
mix that we package. For the past six years
we have held our SHN event toward the end
of the Lenten season as a testament to remembering those who are hungry each time
we feed body and soul.
When our lives become focused on our
own needs, desires and plans, we can neglect the needs of those around us. The hungry go unfed, the homeless remain homeless
and we walk past opportunities to put our
feet to the gospel. We miss the opportunity
to offer the good news of bread (or a rice/
soy/vegetable mix) to someone who is hungry. Feeding the hungry is an integral part of
true spirituality, and is a moral imperative
for all people of faith.
So, join us in our effort to package meals
on March 18. Everyone, from age four to one
hundred, friends, neighbors, individuals and
groups (shout-out to the Charlotte Martial
Arts Academy) is invited. Be the "power of
example" to help alleviate hunger.
There are several ways you can be involved:
• REFLECT: Take some time each day to
ponder how you hunger. Use the SHN
Lenten Calendar (found on the church
website) as a tool for daily practice.
• PACKAGE: Giving your time on this one
evening can feed those who hunger daily.
We need volunteers to set up, package,
and break down. Please be involved in one
or all three ways.
• 4:00-5:00: Unload and set up in the
Cornwell Gym.
• 5:45-6:30: Congregational Fellowship
Dinner in Heaton Hall. Make reservations by Monday, March 16.
• 6:30-8:00: PACKAGE. We need ALL
hands on deck. Come to the Cornwell
Center Gym and help package the
meals.
• GIVE: The cost of each SHN meal is $0.25.
The Church designates SHN as a Rice Bowl
recipient but we have to provide the funds
to purchase the supplies You can help us
reach our goal by:
• Giving generously to the March Rice
Bowl Offering. Write an additional
check or start a "Hunger Collection Jar"
on your kitchen counter.
• Give an extra gift to the Church for the
SHN cause. Setting aside a dollar each
day for Lent ($40) will provide 160
meals.
• REGISTER: We want to ensure we have
enough packaging stations and hands
and feet to set up. PLEASE sign up on the
church website, www.mpbconline.org, or
visit the SHN table in Heaton Hall Foyer.
SHN is one of the truly inter-generational and immensely fun outreach projects
at MPBC. You will meet new friends and reconnect with others. Generations work side
by side, practicing acts of kindness together.
SHN is an opportunity to remember those
who are hungry during our own Lenten journey.
* If you would like to see how the SHN packaging event works, view the photo gallery at
www.mpbconline.org. ■
Men's Shelter Team
By Bob Bishop
A big thanks to our volunteers who prepared
and served over 300 meals (including seconds) at the North Tryon Street campus and
over 200 meals at the Statesville Road location on January 27. Great job everybody! ■
Join the RAIN Care Team
By Scott Crowder
We invite you to join us on Sunday, March 8
from 12:15-2:30pm in the Conference Room
in the Education Building to learn about our
new MPBC RAIN Care Teams. We will begin
with a 20-minute information segment followed by a training session. We will determine a lunch solution, so stay tuned. Please
RSVP to [email protected] ASAP. ■
Myers Park Baptist Church
Outreach
Loaves and Fishes Take 2!
By Cheri Lindblom
Next up to feed the 5000 (ok, actually 15)
were the members of our Youth Department. They gave away any silly notions of
love potions on Valentine's Day, and instead
joined hands to serve our RITI neighbors.
The youth made and served dinner, set the
table and even cleaned the dishes. They
made cards, made the beds and made our
guests feel welcome. So in essence, they experienced the true meaning of Valentine’s
Day.
A special thanks to our adult cupids:
Van Wilson, Koren Cranford, Porter Merrill,
Mary Perkins, Mariah Currin, Nina Suddeth,
Lisa Rubenson, Freddie Quick, Eric Roberts
and Youth Minister Extraordinaire Chris
Hughes.
RITI Continues every Saturday through
March 28. We need you! Please volunteer
today on the Church website, www.
mpbconline.org. ■
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Reflections on Room In The Inn
By Cheri Lindblom
Over the years, I have been fortunate to hear
from those who share their experiences
working with our Room In the Inn ministry. Their stories are touching, enlightening,
moving and sometimes funny.
I love hearing your stories and want to
find a way for us to share them with each
other. The stories are a reflection of how
RITI helps us see ourselves in our neighbors.
How they touch us more often than we touch
them. I hope to help start a conversation
within us and among us.
This month, Beth Frueh offered to share
her story. Beth and the LGBT Fellowship
served our RITI neighbors breakfast on two
Sunday mornings. I was touched and inspired by her story and asked her to share it
with all of us.
Heed Beth’s words:
Over the holidays, radio host Peter Sagal
announced on "Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me!“ ... a
new study from the National Academy of Sciences reveals that being a bully during childhood correlates to a lifetime of happiness, success and vibrant health.” My heart sank when
I heard it. That message again? Where’s the
encouragement for empathy, gentleness and
courtesy? The world as we know it is a bully
-- work, the news, the economy, traffic, ”reality” television, sometimes neighbors, and even
those from whom we least expect it, those
who are supposed to treat us with kindness,
respect and love -- our own family members
-- can be the bullies in our lives. And now we
hear that bullying wins? Does it just get harder, all the time? Can we ever escape it?
In his book, "Love Wins," Rob Bell maintains that ours is not a “beam me up” escapist
theology. Heaven is alongside us, within our
reach, he contends. Our challenge is to work
now, with urgency, to bring heaven here. Having a history of abandonment and hurt is like
carrying a backpack, Bell points out in his reflection, "Owning Your Story." As we walk, it
gets heavier, becoming a burden and making
our journey more difficult, until we stop, sit
down and open our baggage. Looking at the
contents, we discover that we have things that
other people need for their journeys. What
was my greatest source of pain is now the
greatest source of help to someone else. Once
I’ve struggled through suffering, when others
speak of their suffering, I say, “Me, too.” Together we walk, heal, and in the process help
bring heaven closer, sooner.
www.mpbconline.org
Many in our LGBT Fellowship carry stories of confusion, hurt and abandonment. But
brothers and sisters in our fellowship have
come alongside and said, “Me, too.” Through
the healing, love and the Holy Spirit, we find
ourselves doing things we didn’t imagine possible. Us . . . a group of LGBT and allies, in
a church, making breakfast for those who
come not only with psychological baggage
and emotional experiences of bullying, but
with visible backpacks and experiences of
physical bullying on the street. In our fellowship of love, on sacred ground and with the
blessing of the Holy Spirit, we come to Room
In The Inn to cook, make hot coffee, sit down
and say, “Me, too.”
It doesn’t bring all of heaven right here,
right now, but it brings it a little bit closer . . .
soon and very soon. ■
RAIN AIDS Walk 2015
Saturday, May 2
By Scott Crowder
We walk bravely because it's our opportunity to stand up and be counted. All of us
have had our lives changed by HIV. AIDS
Walk Charlotte is the largest HIV awareness
and fundraising event in the Carolinas and is
a visual representation of our community's
commitment to HIV and AIDS awareness.
Over 2,000 individuals will walk two miles
through the heart of uptown Charlotte in
celebration of the past, present, and an HIV
free future.
AIDS Walk Charlotte is the signature
fundraising event for RAIN (Regional AIDS
Interfaith Network), which has served the
Charlotte community since 1992. RAIN's
mission is to engage the community, transform lives and promote respect and dignity
for all people touched by HIV through compassionate care, education and leadership
development. The Walk is a family affair
- kids, pets and all who want to participate
are welcome.
Our goal is $8,500. Register and/or donate to the Myers Park Baptist Team at www.
aidswalkcharlotte.org. The annual RAIN fundraising breakfast benefitting MPBC’s Walk
Team will be Sunday, April 19 at 9am in Heaton Hall, preceding the Ellen Davis forum.
Contact Scott Crowder, scott.crowder@
nbc.com for more information. ■
9
Worship & Music
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Opportunities to Hear
Children’s Choirs in
March
Ministry of Music and Worship
Alternative Worship Task Force
Church-Wide Survey:
What Do You Long For?
By Deborah Moore Clark, Chair
In mid-March 2014, the Ministry of Worship
and Music was charged with the responsibility of creating a task force to determine
what alternative worship experiences might
best fit the worship ethos and needs of our
Church. The task force has done its work,
interviewing select churches to discover
what alternative worship services are being offered; experiencing alternative worship services as a group; compiling data;
and listening to and documenting member
feedback. Despite its efforts to listen to congregant feedback, the Alternative Worship
Task Force [AWTF] was left with many unanswered questions. Why have worshippers
fallen away at MPBC? What might they long
for that our traditional worship does not
provide? Who are these people? How many
MPBC members fall into this group? As a result, the AWTF recommended strongly that
a church-wide survey be conducted to capture a broader sample and to discover what
people really want. The survey has been approved and is currently under construction.
For two weeks in March—specifically
Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March
29—the congregation will be asked to complete the survey, which will focus on alternative worship options. We trust you will
participate and help us enlarge our feedback
base. Even if you regularly participate in and
prefer our traditional liturgical worship, we
hope you will take the survey. If you are a
member, but have decreased your participation in worship or no longer attend at all, we
want you to complete the survey.
Expect to receive an e-mail on Monday,
March 16, which will include the survey.
The survey will be available for two full
weeks in all of our publications and online
at our church website (www.mpbconline.
org). If you do not use e-mail, you may pick
up and complete a hard copy of the survey
from Anne Clarke, in the Church Office.
Thank you in advance for taking a few
minutes to share with us and letting us know
what you are longing for in worship. ■
Music Together Spring
Registration Available
®
By Fran Morrison
• Spring Session - 8 weeks
• Begins week of March 16
• Mondays or Wednesdays 4:00-4:45pm
• Deadline for payment and registration is
March 9
• Questions? Contact Fran Morrison at
[email protected]. ■
Raise a Song VII
By Fran Morrison
• Multi-church Event
• Children’s Choir Festival
• Camp Caraway - Asheboro, NC
• 3-5th graders in Chapel Choir
• 24 hours of outdoor fun, music, & friends!
• Registration is due March 1 to Fran
Morrison. ■
Save the Date
MPBC's Second Annual
Art Show
By Dana Mitchell
Get out your cameras,
needles, paints, crayons,
chalk, yarn, cloth, your
bonsai trees, paper, scissors, and glue. Share your
artistic talents with your
church family. Art work
will be displayed in Heaton Hall for the month of
June. ALL ages are needed in order to represent our congregation. Don't be shy. The
particulars will be forth coming next month.
If you have any questions contact me at
[email protected]. It was a fabulous show
last year. It's up to you to make this one even
greater. ■
10
By Deb Steiner
Perhaps you do not have a singer who is involved in these choirs. However, please plan
to come share our joy of singing at the opportunities listed below:
Sunday, March 1 - The Kinder and Carol
Choirs (TK-Grade 2) will sing in worship.
Rehearsal begins promptly at 9:00am in the
Sanctuary.
Sunday, March 8 - All choirs, Kinder, Carol
and Chapel (TK-Grade 5) will present a
30-minute concert beginning at 4:00pm in
the Great Room at Southminster Retirement
Community. Singers are to be there at 3:30.
Friday and Saturday, March 13-14 - The
7th annual Raise a Song Choir Festival for
members of our Chapel Choir (grades 3-5)
will be held at Camp Caraway in Asheboro,
NC. They are learning five anthems to share
with singers from three additional choirs
that weekend.
Wednesday, March 18 - The KinderChoir
(TK-K) will perform at 6:05pm during
our next Wonderful Wednesday dinner.
Reservations for dinner are due by noon,
Monday, March 16. Contact Rainey Underwood at [email protected] or
704.334.7232 ext. 56.
Sunday, March 22 - The Chapel Choir
will sing in worship. Rehearsal will begin
promptly at 9:00am in the Sanctuary.
Palm Sunday, March 29 - All of our church
choirs will sing in worship, including all the
children’s choirs. Children’s choirs will rehearse in the Sanctuary promptly at 9:00am.
Looking ahead:
Wednesday, April 1 – During Holy Week
there WILL be regular children’s choir rehearsals!
Wednesday, April 8 – During CMS Spring
Break there will be NO children’s choir rehearsals. ■
Myers Park Baptist Church
Cornwell Center
by John Bambach
[email protected]
This is how it looked in mid-February as
Fitness Ambassador, Kenny Littler rolled
the first equipment onto newly installed
flooring in the Fitness Center. In one week
we completed a well-considered, wellplanned, member-responsive transition
from the old to the new, as here:
MPBC NewsLetter March 2015
Denise Bach brings her usual introductory
(or review) lessons as part of this popular
event. Our front desk can provide details:
 Swing Dance in the Gym
Mar.13, 7—11p
(Fri)
Group Exercise Coordinator, Ansley Melnik,
sends this:
Join Debra Toth for a grounding yoga
practice, then delve into your creativity and
spirit by painting a Tree of Life Mandala. All
materials supplied. No previous art or yoga
experience required.
 Yoga & Expressive Art Workshop : Tree
of Life Mandala, w/Debra Toth
Mar.21, 10:30a—2:30p
(Sat)
Registration required, Lunch included
New to our Group Exercise Schedule
 Power Yoga w/ Jana
8—9a
(Mon’s)
Children and Youth
Regular users of this fine resource will
be excited about our array of new equipment, the more airy environment, and the
new, impact-absorbing floor underfoot. If
you haven’t experienced the benefits of
our Fitness Center, why not get a personal
assessment of what it can do for you.
Stop by, take a look, take a tour… get a
plan. It’s all for you.
February 24th brought the return of this
farmers-market-with-a-mission. Locallygrown produce, helping your health as
well as local missions:
 go-go Fresco
8:45—10:45a
(Tue’s)
Only a week away is this workshop with
popular Tai Chi teacher, Mike Gentile:
 Tai Chi Self Defense Workshop
Mar.7, 9:15—10:45a
(Sat)
FREE for Cornwell Members
Registration required
Youth Activities Coordinator, Lauren
Klitzsch, wants you to know about this, for
children, bridging two seasons and running two days each week. Prorate is available for one day a week for parents interested in only Monday or Wednesday:
 All-Sports Clinic (co-ed, ages 3-5)
Mar.2-May 13 (except Apr.6-11):
3:45—4:30pm
(Mon’s, Wed’s)
Summer Camp registration is underway
for activities including Sports, Art, Dance,
Technology, Yoga, Spanish... and more.
This year includes our “Carry Over” option for elementary children enrolled in
morning and afternoon sessions. Sign up
for it and your children will be able to stay
with us between sessions.
Contact Lauren Klitzsch with any questions, at [email protected]
 Summer Camp Registration
Now underway!
www.cornwellcenter.org
T E N
Y E A R S
O F
C O M M U N I T Y
THE CORNWELL CENTER
www.cornwellcenter.org
704-927-0774
www.mpbconline.org
Art & Design
Independent study is self-paced, guided
more than taught. Practice your skills.
Create objects you love, find challenging or
intriguing. Meet formally the first week to
set a progress schedule with Greg Scott,
then for critique or direction as needed.
 Clay and Paint Independent Study
Available per-month or as a 4-month
package, Mar.-May, 11a—1p
(Tue’s)
Learn creative processes with techniques
in watercolors and acrylic on a variety of
surfaces. Mixed water-based and media,
from the representational to the abstract,
using photos and still life for inspiration.
Self-paced and product-approach offered.
 Painting Studio Sessions
10:30a-1p, weekly (see website for dates)
Learning, Technology, etc.
The Olde Mecklenburg Genealogical Society web site includes a wonderful, brief history of Mecklenburg County, including the
text of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (May 20, 1775) and the associated Mecklenburg Resolves (May 31,
1775). Ted Lucas is past President of this
300+ member organization and a gem of a
resource to those looking for their family
roots.
 FAMILY Connections
Genealogy w/Ted Lucas
Second Tuesdays, 6:30-8p
Texture is so much a part of our appreciation of fabrics, furniture, architecture, faces, food... Texture is also the photo assignment for March. Send one or two of
your favorite Texture photos to…
[email protected]
…by Mar.17. Then join us for our monthly
viewing and program.
Beginning in February the monthly galleries of our "Photo Connections" group
will no longer be updated on the Learning
Center page of the Cornwell web site but,
rather, on the "Photo Connections" Facebook page, www.facebook.com/PhotoSIG.
 PHOTO Connections
w/John Bambach
Third Wednesdays, 7-9p
11
Myers Park
Baptist News
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to:
Myers Park Baptist Church
1900 Queens Road
Charlotte, NC 28207-2582
704.334.7232
mpbconline.org
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
The Rev. Mr. Joseph D. Aldrich,
Associate Minister
Sharon Bremer,
Director of Stewardship
The Rev. Ms. Robin Paterson Coira,
Executive Minister
The Rev. Dr. Jonathan E. Crutchfield,
Minister of Music
Mariah B. Currin,
Director of New Member Ministry
Belinda Geuss,
Director of Through-The-Week School
The Rev. Mr. Chris Hughes,
Minister of Youth
Cheri Lindblom,
Director of Outreach
Dr. Matthew Manwarren,
Organist
The Rev. Mr. Barry Z. Metzger,
Church Administrator
Frances L. Morrison,
Associate Minister of Music
DEADLINE FOR THE APRIL 2015 ISSUE IS
4:00PM, SUNDAY, MARCH 15.
Max 450 words, subject to editing for space. Please email all submissions to
the MPBC Communications Director, Laura Geer, at [email protected].
Memorial Easter Lilies
If you would like to participate in our memorial Easter lily tradition,
please complete the form below and return it with your check to the
church office no later than 5:00pm on Sunday, March 22.
NO ORDERS CAN BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DEADLINE.
Please Reserve My 2015 Memorial Easter Lilies
I would like to have _____ memorial lily/lilies placed at the cross on our church lawn
Easter morning.
My check for $_______ @ $15 per lily, made payable to Myers Park Baptist Church,
is attached.
I wish to pick up my lily/lilies Easter afternoon.
The amount of the check can be used to purchase lilies to be delivered to church
members who have had a spouse, parent, or child die during the period since last
Easter; any additional funds will be sent to Crisis Assistance Ministry.
I will be glad to deliver a lily or lilies on Easter afternoon, April 5, to members who
have experienced a death in their immediate family this year.
Please use the same bulletin wording as previous year(s), or as noted below:
Given in memory of:
Deborah A. Steiner,
Music Associate for Children
The Rev. Ms. Carrie Veal,
Minister of Children
The Rev. Ms. Chrissy Tatum Williamson,
Minister of Faith Formation
Jenny Yopp,
Director of The Cornwell Center
Relationship to me:
Donor(s): Phone Number:
Please submit the above form, by March 22, with payment to:
Myers Park Baptist Church - 1900 Queens Road - Charlotte, NC 28207