Pullen Update November 12, 2017

Lunch Bag Items Needed We continue to pack 900+ lunches each month for the Round Table Ministry. We need the following items for our next packing: cereal bars, individual serving-sized juice pouches/boxes and cans of Vienna sausages. Please place donations in the blue wagon in front of the Church office or drop them off with the back door volunteers on Sunday mornings. Thank you for your generosity!

Nancy Bradley

Pullen Memorial Baptist Church

1801 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC

919-828-0897 // www.pullen.org

Hope Center Angel Tree Families in Need of Sponsors The Hope Center at Pullen has approximately 25 Angel Tree Families who will need to be adopted for the holidays. Angel Tree Families will have a description of desired holiday gifts, current sizes, and a brief portrait of the recipients. Angel Tree Gifts should be returned to the Hope Center at Pullen by December 3 to prepare for the December 13 holiday party. For more information contact Brian at bcrisp@pullen.org or Laura at lgoulian@hopecenteratpullen.org.

Brian Crisp

Amber Cantorna Discusses Her Memoir of “Coming Out, Being Cast Out, and Discover-ing the True Love of God” Tonight at Pullen

Refocusing My Family: Coming Out, Being Cast Out, and Discovering the True Love of God by Amber Can-torna is a memoir that unveils what it was like to be raised as the daughter of a Focus on the Family execu-tive and how coming out as gay shunned her from the family she loved and burdened her with a degree of devastation that nearly took her life. With grace and transparency, Amber’s book sheds light on the harm that religious and family rejection causes to the human soul; Amber offers a better way to love for LGBTQ people and their religious families. Join us for a night of discussion and a book signing! This event is free and open to the public! Join us at 6 p.m. tonight in Poteat Chapel

Sarah Huffman

Year-End Giving at Pullen Pullen’s fiscal year ends on December 31 so any contributions for 2017 or prepayments for 2018 must be dated on or before 12/31/2017, and be re-ceived or post-marked by that day to be credited to the 2017 fiscal year. Questions about year-end contribu-tions, stock gifts or electronic giving can be directed to Brooks Wicker.

Finance Committee

Pledging Season Presents Spe-cial Opportunity to Share Gifts Stewardship is so much more than supporting a church budget. Steward-ship is about what we do with all that we’ve been given, so that the gifts God gives are used for the things that matter to God. Consider these various quotes. And if you have already turned in a pledge card, thank you! If not, please do so before the end of 2017. You may fill out a pledge card from the pew and place it in the offering plate during the service, or visit www.pullen.org/pledge and submit your pledge online.

“The only ones who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” —Albert Schweitzer

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Ancient Chinese Saying

“True happiness comes from spending oneself for a meaningful purpose.” —after William Cowper (1731-1800)

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” —Pericles

“Self-absorption kills empathy and compassion. When we focus on our-selves, our world shrinks as our prob-lems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands; we increase our ca-pacity for connection and compassion-ate action.” —unknown author

“Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other ac-tivities” —Aldous Huxley

“Do not ask about the meaning of life. You will get no answer. Rather ask what meaning YOU can give to life.” —after Victor Frankl

Be a blessing to others as you consider your role as God’s steward.

Your Stewardship Committee

Raleigh Justice Choir Singing at Pullen November 18 Justice Choir—Raleigh is having a singing event November 18 at 4:00 p.m. in Poteat Chapel. Show up to sing music centered on issues of social jus-tice! All levels of musicianship are welcome to attend. Contact Shannon Gravelle at shannon-mgravelle@gmail.com for more information.

Shannon Gravelle

Volunteer with Incarcerated Women: Tomorrow is Deadline to Register The North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women will host its 2018 Community Volunteer Workshop, on Wednesday, December 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hope Center of the Raleigh Unit of NCCIW at 1201 S. State Street. This workshop is required for

Pullen people wishing to assist in worship services at NCCIW. Background checks and volunteer forms must be completed and returned to the Raleigh Unit of NCCIW by the deadline of November 13 by 5 p.m.—no exceptions. Please contact Brian for more information.

Brian Crisp

Join in Prayer for Our Unhoused Neighbors Tuesday at Oak City Outreach The Homeless Engagement Roundtable will hold a Community Day of Prayer at the Oak City Outreach Center. The purpose is to remember in prayer those who are hungry and homeless. You are invited to par-ticipate in this Community Day of Prayer. Please mark your calendars and join us on Tuesday, November 14 from 12:00–12:45 p.m. at the Oak City Outreach Cen-ter, 215 South Person Street, in downtown Raleigh.

People of faith from various traditions will gath-er for this event. We hope members of the Pullen com-munity will join us to remember those in need in our community.

Brian Crisp

“I was in prison

and you

visited me.”

2018 Budget Pledging 2018 Budget: $1,063,849 Pledged to Date: $528,512 Percent Pledged: 49.68%

Sunday, November 12 11:00 AM Worship, Sanctuary 12:15 PM Worship Council, Library 12:15 PM LGBT Fellowship Lunch, Brixx Pizza 12:15 PM Associate Pastor Search Committee, Room 203 12:15 PM Missions & Outreach Council, Room 122 2:00 PM Deacon Council, Finlator Hall 6:00 PM Conversation with Amber Cantora, Poteat Chapel Tuesday, November 14 2:00 PM Round Table Fellowship, Finlator Hall Wednesday, November 15 12:00 PM Lectionary Lunch, Library 5:15 PM Wednesday Night Dinner, Finlator Hall 5:45 PM Children’s Choir, Room 128-B 6:00 PM Music Discovery, Room 122

6:30 PM Wednesday Night Programming, Finlator Hall 6:30 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Room 128-B

Thursday, November 16 2:00 PM Round Table Fellowship, Finlator Hall 6:00 PM Pullen Orchestra at Cameron Village Saturday, November 18 11:00 AM Memorial Service for Phil Letsinger, Sanctuary 11:45 AM Food Bank Service Project & Lunch Sunday, November 19 9:15 AM Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Room 128-B 9:30 AM Sunday Groups 10:30 AM Choral Worship Prep, Room 128-B 10:30 AM Coffee Fellowship, Finlator Hall 11:00 AM Worship, Sanctuary 12:15 PM Congregational Meeting, Sanctuary 12:30 PM Congregational Care Council, Library 12:30 PM Finance Committee, Room 203 12:30 PM Personnel Committee, Room 122 2:00 PM Interfaith Meditation Group, Poteat Chapel 3:00 PM Memorial Service for Deborah Steely, Sanctuary

November 12 — November 19

Wednesday Night Schedule—November 15, 2017

Dinner—5:15-6:15 PM ($6 Adults & Youth; $3 Children K-5th Grade) MENU: Spaghetti with Meat Balls, Broccoli and Brownies

Program Offerings for Children — 5:45-7:30 PM Children: Childcare, Nursery—3-year-olds Music Discovery & Activities, 4-year-olds—1st Grade Children’s Choir & Micah Kids, 2nd—5th Grade

Program Offerings for Youth — 6:15-7:30 PM Youth: Youth Group Meeting, 6th Grade — 12th Grade

Program Offering for Adults — 6:30-7:30 PM Adults: Young Adults Making a Difference

In our final session on young adults who are making a difference, Emma Apkan and Carly P. Jones will talk about their commitment to justice through their work and volunteerism. Emma is a Duke Divinity graduate working in women’s reproductive health and Carly is one of the organizers of the Women’s March on Raleigh.

Musical Program Offering — 6:30-8:00 PM Choir: Chancel Choir Rehearsal in Room 128-B New voices are always welcome to join us!

Lectionary Lunch Bible Study You are invited to attend the Lection-ary Lunch series Wednesdays from noon to 1 PM. Bring a bag lunch and join Nancy Petty in examining the lectionary texts used to guide our wor-ship on the coming Sunday.

Nancy Petty

Lectionary Texts for Nov. 19 Judges 4:1-7 Psalm 123

Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Matthew 25:14-30

Need to share something? Any submissions for the PullenNews or Update should be emailed to news@pullen.org. The deadline for the December edition of Pullen News is Sunday, November 26.

Support & Encourage Pullen Students Heading to Cuba

Biennially, our juniors and seniors are offered a chance to visit our friends in Cuba under the guidance of some wonderful Pullen adults. This is a po-tentially life-changing visit for them as they near the end of their faith forming years here at Pullen. This crucial time often sets them on a trajectory for the next ten years, or even for the rest of their lives. In an effort to live up to Pullen’s history of inclusion, we are striving to ensure that the trip is af-fordable for all who would like to go. As we prepare, be on the lookout for fundraisers to support the trip. If you are interested in being a partner with one of our teens by committing to praying for them and offering any wisdom from your travels to Cuba or elsewhere, please contact Bryan at blee@pullen.org. Our goal is to have 1-2 adults for every traveling teenager.

Pullen Student Ministry

Christmas Greenery and Poinsettias The sanctuary will be decorated with greenery and poinsettias for Advent and Christmas. You may make a donation of $11.00 to request a poinsettia in memory or in honor of a loved one. Your donation will be recognized in a December worship guide. If you

would like to make a donation in remembrance or honor of someone dear to you, please complete this form and return it with your check or cash to the church office by

Wednesday, December 6 (place in basket marked poinsettias).

Your name___________________________________________________ Phone # _____________________________

In honor or memory of (1)___________________________________ (2)___________________________________

In honor or memory of (3)___________________________________ (4)___________________________________

Relationship to you (1)___________________ (2)___________________ (3)___________________ (4)__________________