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July 2, 2013
What does God require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. — Micah 6:8
I have always loved learning. Growing up, I loved the learn-
ing that took place in my grandfather’s old work shop behind
his house. It was there I learned how to take apart a lawn-
mower and put it back together. It was there that I learned
what a soldering gun can do. (For those who don’t know what
a soldering gun is, it is a tool for soldering metals using tin-
based solder to achieve a strong mechanical bond.) It was in
my grandfather’s work shop that I learned my first math skills
as he taught me how to measure wood pieces to be cut for
stakes in his garden. Without a lot of words and with endless
patience, my grandfather taught me many life skills in that old
work shop that was sacred ground and a sanctuary for me.
As I got older, school became the primary place of learn-
ing – at least formal learning. I have fond memories of ele-
mentary school and how excited I was to be there. That feeling
lessened as I got older and became more interested in sports
and having a social life. Throughout middle and high school,
my attention was on just about everything except learning. It
wasn’t until I went to college and seminary that a deep and
intense love of learning re-surfaced.
Throughout my pro-
fessional life, I have
made it a point to
engage in continuing
education – both
formally and infor-
mally. You, the Pullen people, have taught me so much about
life and ministry – you have been and continue to be like my
grandfather’s old work shop. I have also continued my formal
learning while with you – completing a doctorate of ministry
degree and engaging in continuing education through pro-
grams like the College of Preachers at the National Cathedral
in Washington, DC. Those opportunities have happened be-
cause of your support and the way this church values learning.
I now have another opportunity to engage in continuing
education. I have been accepted to the 2013 Theology Sum-
mer School program at the University of Oxford in England.
The program lasts for two weeks in August and offers me the
opportunity to take four theology classes with other individu-
als from all around the globe. The Personnel Committee has
approved the two weeks as study leave and I am excited about
this opportunity. The four classes I will be taking are as fol-
lows: Some Ethical Issues Across the Faiths; Transforming
Community: The Five Marks of Mission; Empathy, Religious
Practice and Ethical Action; and Ethical Issues in Science and
Religion.
As a part of the application process, I had to write a
“personal statement” as to my interest in participating in the
program. Here is a portion of what I wrote:
My purpose in pursuing ongoing education, and specifically,
Oxford’s Theology Summer School, is to cultivate my ca-
pacity to offer thoughtful reflection to my congregants on
how theology and faith relate to the world in which they live.
As a life-long learner, I draw hope and energy from joining
my colleagues in thinking deeply about our faith and our
work in the world, and feel Oxford’s summer program would
provide me such a forum. And, as one who has devoted my
ministry to congregational life, I feel compelled to leaven
that academic dialogue with the realities of daily parish life.
Such deliberate inquiry is more critical now than ever.
As our world is experiencing rapid change in societal sys-
tems, the church is a part of that change. As we experience
the shift from religious and institutional loyalty to a spiritual
and more pluralistic way of approaching faith, I’m convinced
that the social gospel is how the church will remain relevant
and transformative as a key component of our societal struc-
tures. The courses that deal with ethics and ethical dilemmas
in the world, issues related to the poor and the oppressed,
and our beleaguered environment are critical to what I be-
lieve is a new kind of faith being birthed in the world today.
As a participant in these courses, I offer my 21-year
experience with a particular congregation that has sought to
make a difference in the world by adhering to a thoughtful
theology that bends toward the social gospel in practice and
theory. My congregation seeks to combine the best scholarly
approach to theology while being relevant to the particular
social justice issues that the world now faces. Our congrega-
tion has also been intentional about creating and nurturing
close dialogue and exchange with sister churches throughout
the world, as we strive to be one humanity united in our
common bond of being God’s beloved. As I have visited our
partners in Cuba, Nicaragua, and the Republic of Georgia, I
have found that it is through the exchange of ideas and ex-
periences that we become more wholly the commonwealth
of God here on earth.
The bottom-line reason that I am interested in learning is
so that I can be the best minister to you and our community
that I can be. I feel certain that while I may learn some inter-
esting ideas and concepts through the books I will read for my
study, I anticipate that the most enriching part of my experi-
ence will be learning from my classmates. The exchange of
ideas with others is deeply exciting to me.
So, I wanted to let you know that I will be gone most of
August. I will take a week’s vacation in London before I go to
Oxford to begin my learning adventure. I hope you will keep
me in your prayers, as I will keep you in mine. And I will re-
turn in late August with lots of stories and experiences to
share with you.
—Nancy
2013 Theology Summer School
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
—Gandhi
7/2/13 2
Ins ide Pul len : Summer Sunday School
Pullen Staff
David Anderson (x220)
Community Ministry Coordinator
Laura Foley (x217)
Minister with Youth & their Families
Janice Hocutt (x211)
Organist
Sylvanda Judd
Custodian
Lisa Kazmierczak (x224)
Administrator
Nancy Petty (x215)
Pastor
npetty@pullen org
Larry Schultz (x219)
Minister of Music
Libby Stephens (x212)
Minister with Children &
their Families
Cathy Tamsberg (x214)
Associate Pastor
____________
Church Office
919/828-0897
Church Fax
919/833-9364
Church Web Site
www.pullen.org
@PullenChurch
www.facebook.com/PullenChurch
Podcast
feeds.feedburner.com/PullenBC
Summer Sunday School Continues July 14 No Sunday School July 7. Worship at 11:00 AM
Our Summer Sunday School takes a break this coming
week, then resume July 14 with programs for all ages.
Adults will continue their series called “What’s Trending?
Keeping Faith in a Complex World” with a session led by
Allan Freyer. Allan joined the Justice Center in June 2011
as a Public Policy Analyst focusing on economic and
workforce development issues and economic analysis. He
has over a decade of experience in federal, state, and local
economic development policy, including service as a pol-
icy advisor to three Members of the United States Con-
gress and as an independent economic development con-
sultant to nonprofits, universities, and state and local gov-
ernment agencies. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Duke Univer-
sity and a Masters in City & Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, where he is also currently pursuing his PhD in Economic Development.
All adults will meet in Finlator hall. What’s Trending? Keeping Faith in a Com-
plex World is the topic for this summer’s Sunday school. Our lives are increasingly
fast-paced and complex, which presents both opportunities and challenges for being
faithful lovers of justice and mercy. We will consider trends in a number of areas and
reflect on how we can respond in life-giving ways.
The remaining schedule looks like this:
July 7 NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
July 14 Economic/Employment Trends
Allan Freyer — NC Justice Center Budget Analyst
July 21 Educational Trends
Ann McColl — NC Association of Educators General Counsel
July 28 Technological Trends
Mike Amburn — Red Hat Product Manager
August 4 Where Faith Fits In
Adult Education Committee
Youth Summer Sunday School The youth will be covering the same topics as adults each week, but from the
perspective of their generation. All youth will meet together in the Youth Room.
Children’s Summer Sunday School During Summer Sunday school, the kindergarten through fifth grade (e.g. rising
1st graders through rising 6th grad-
ers) will meet together in Room 125
for lessons and activities focused on
caring for all of Creation. This topic
will offer great connections for the
children as we celebrate Creation
Season in worship during the month
of June. Childcare will also be avail-
able for the three, four and five year
olds in Room 120 and for nursery,
toddlers and two year olds in Room
117.
Sunday school begins at 9:45 AM.
We hope you will join us!
—Education Staff
PullenNews: July 2, 2013
Sundays at Pullen Page 2
Pullen People Page 3
Adult Education Page 4
Pullen Youth Page 4
Pullen Children Page 5
Pullen Missions Pages 6-8
Pullen Partners Page 7
The Hope Center Page 8
3
Ins ide Pul len — Pu l l en Peop le
7/2/13
Deadlines for Newsletters and Bulletin Updates
Next deadline for PullenNews: Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Deadline for Sunday Update: Preceding Tuesday by noon
Submit all articles and announcements to: [email protected].
PullenNews articles should not exceed 500 words;
Update articles should not exceed 200 words.
Pullen People
We grieve with:
Bob Rodriguez and his family in the death of his mother, Helen Rodriguez.
Jeanne Sumpter in the death of her husband, Ed Sumpter.
Jim Epps in the death of his aunt, Alice Dean.
Lib Hutchby in the death of her aunt Kate Sechler.
Marion Gwyn in the death of her daughter, Molly Lee.
Mike Phillips, in the death of his grandmother, Elvie Phillips.
We give thanks for:
God’s glorious creation. We pray for wisdom and courage to embody our gratitude in ways that protect our fragile earth.
Meet Our New Members Lucy Daniels is a writer and
clinical psychologist who uses
the lessons learned in her per-
sonal victory over anorexia
nervosa and writer's block to
assist others. Lucy teaches an
annual seminar, “Our Prob-
lems as the Roots of Our
Power,” that helps others ad-
dress their own creative blocks
and process. Her novels in-
clude the best-seller Caleb, My
Son (1956), High on a Hill
(1961), and The Eyes of the
Father (2005). A memoir,
With a Woman's Voice (2002)
and Dreaming Your Way to Creative Freedom (2005) chroni-
cle her empowerment. Lucy is the founder of the Lucy Daniels
Foundation and the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood
located in Cary, North Carolina. She is a mother of four,
grandmother of eight, and dachshund-owner of two.
LGBT Fellowship Second Sunday Lunch July 14 at David’s Dumplings.
Visitors and new members are welcome.
Summer Chancel Choir: All Are Welcome The Chancel Choir will take a break from worship leadership
through the end of July. The group will resume worship lead-
ership on Sunday, August 4, meeting at 10:30
AM. On Wednesday, August 7, at 6:30 PM,
the Summer Chancel Choir will rehearse mu-
sic for the remainder of August. Join us!
During the month of August, youth and
adults are invited to participate in the Summer Chancel Choir.
Interested persons simply join us for a brief rehearsal at 10:30
AM in the Rehearsal Hall (Room 128-B) on any Sunday
morning. Music for these Sundays will be accessible and easy
to sing with others. The Chancel Choir always welcomes new
members and summer is a great time to consider participation
by joining us to sing for worship.
—Larry Schultz
Mom’s Group Gathers at The Pit
For our July get together, we will meet Thursday, July 11 at
6:30 PM for dinner at The Pit, located at 328 W Davie St in
Raleigh. All moms are invited. Please bring a contribution for
the Moore Square Christmas fund. For more information call
me at 919-360-0975. Hope you can make it!
—Rita Rakestraw
Family Recovery Support Group On Hiatus
The Family Recovery Support group began meeting in Sep-
tember 2011 to provide support for family members dealing
with addiction in their family life, past or present. The group
has met monthly and supported a number of Pullen family
members along the way. Those of us who currently attend
regularly have discerned that the group has served its purpose
well for us and this is a good time to take a break from meet-
ing regularly. The Family Recovery Support group has no
additional meetings planned at this time. We appreciate the
past support of the Congregational Care Committee in the
formation of this group.
—Chris Tew and Ginny Going, co-facilitators
Help Needed with Funeral Receptions
Providers of cookies, fruit, nuts, crackers and cheese, or per-
haps a dish for a family meal are needed to assist our funeral
reception teams. We currently have four teams of Pullenites
who have agreed to assist with food for a reception or family
meal when a member of our Pullen family dies. Each of these
teams could use one or two more people who are willing to
provide these items as they are able. If you can help us sup-
port grieving families in this important way, please contact
Cathy Tamsberg at [email protected] or 919-828-0897.
—Cathy Tamsberg
7/2/13 4
Summer Reading Series at Pullen
On the third Tuesdays this summer, we will gather for our
book series. The books chosen for summer reading touch on
important aspects of our life together. Join us in Poteat
Chapel at 7:00 PM for great conversation and reflection.
The Language of Flowers
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Tuesday, July 16
Our July selection will help us better
understand why the Hope Center at
Pullen now serves youth coming out
of our foster care system. After a
childhood spent in the foster-care
system, Victoria Jones is unable to
get close to anybody, and her only
connection to the world is through
flowers and their meanings. Now 18 and emancipated from
the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a
gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for
them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious
stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her
life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret
from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking
everything for a second chance at happiness.
Finding Sanctuary
by Abbot Christopher Jamison
Tuesday, August 20
In a book that grew out of a BBC TV
series about life in a monastery, Abbot
Christopher Jamison suggests the
teachings of St. Benedict are a tool for
everyday life. St. Benedict wrote his
Rule for monastic living 1,500 years
ago when he was abbot of Monte
Cassino, the monastery that sits atop an
inspiring mountain to the East of
Rome. The name, “The Rule of St. Benedict,” often mis-
leads people into thinking that Benedict wrote “a book of
rules.” In fact, he wrote insights for Christian living with
practical suggestions for daily practice. The insights still
guide people today and many of the rules have been adapted
to local conditions as Benedict requested. This book ex-
plains how St. Benedict’s wisdom can be applied to busy
modern lives, and how sanctuary, peace, and insight can be
achieved by people living inside and outside of monasteries.
The Abbot’s voice is tuned especially for those who
are not sure what they believe, but are looking for ways to
find spiritual space and peace in the busy and often confus-
ing modern world. This simple book contains profound wis-
dom for busy American life.
—Cathy Tamsberg
“Harlots, Heroes, and Hallucinations: Youth Investigating the Bible”
Think of it as Bible 101 designed for Pullen youth taught by
the dynamic and hilarious Brian Crisp with occasional semi-
helpful interjections by your trusty youth minister. Vickie
Leigh and Nora Petty have graciously allowed us to hold this
gathering at their home.
Schedule: Sundays, 6:30 to 8:00 PM
July 7 • July 14 • July 28 • August 4
Brian D. Crisp has a passion for literature that has infil-
trated his studies and work. Combining his studies in educa-
tion and literature with seminary studies, his career has fo-
cused on the transformative nature of story.
—Laura Foley
Adult Education
July is Food Justice Month at Pullen
Because this is a hungry month for many people, for the
month of July we will give attention to ways we can help hun-
gry people obtain the food they need. It’s a hungry month be-
cause food donations are down and children who receive free/
reduced lunch are not in school. More generally, people across
our nation and around the world don’t get enough to eat.
We will focus on hunger in three ways:
Bring Food to Church For the entire month, we ask you to bring nonperishable
food for the Urban Ministries Food Pantry. You can leave it
in the baskets at the back door and in the information room
beside the sanctuary. Rice, pasta, canned meats and vegeta-
bles, cereal, dried beans, and other staple goods will feed
adults and children in the coming weeks.
Package Meals for Stop Hunger Now Join us on Wednesday evening, July 10,
for our Stop Hunger Now meal packag-
ing event for all ages. See the Second
Wednesday information for more de-
tails. There are sitting, standing, simple
and more complex tasks, truck unload-
ing for strong backs, and light tasks for those with bad
backs. Everyone can participate. Come at 5:30 PM for din-
ner or arrive at 6:15 PM to package meals. Dinner is $6.00
for adults and $3 for K-5th grade.
See “A Place at the Table” Fifty million people in America and one-in-four children
don’t know where their next meal is coming from despite
our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food
for all. After worship on Sunday, July 21, join us for lunch
and the film “A Place at the Table” about hunger in America
and what we can do about it. In this 80-minute documen-
tary, actor Jeff Bridges and others describe how we can feed
our nation’s hungry people if we have the will to do so. Res-
ervations are not required.
Please help us help hungry people here in Raleigh and
around the world by participating in these events.
—Missions and Outreach Council
& Pullen Mission Women
D o Just ice, Love Kindness
5 7/2/13
Pullen Programs: Children, and Their Families
Calling All Families: Enjoy a Day at Kerr Lake
We would like for you to join us at Kerr Lake for a day of
fellowship and fun on Saturday, August 3. Come as early as
9:00 AM to avoid the heat of the day, and stay as long as you
want.
It's an easy one hour drive from Raleigh up US 1 or Hwy
50. Can't rule out the possibility of canoeing or a bonfire!
Please RSVP by July 31 to Helen & Walter Tenney, 2parent-
[email protected] or 919-834-9254, and directions will
be sent to you.
Wondering what to Bring? The things you would want
on the beach or the lake:
Swim suits
Towels
Sunscreen
Beach Chair, or blanket
A change of clothes
Some food to share
(burgers, hotdogs, and veggie options provided)
We hope to see you there!
—Helen & Walter Tenney
Vacation Bible School Made a Big Splash!
Pullen’s fourth annual Vacation Bible School was held over
four nights, June 17-20. Twenty-seven children, three year
olds through rising sixth graders, participated in activities
that taught them about God’s gift of water, ways to use wa-
ter wisely and keep it clean, and ways that we can help oth-
ers have clean water.
Here are some of the activities the children partici-
pated in:
Decorating personal water bottles (donated by Whole
Foods)
Baking cookies
Singing songs
Doing science experiments about germs
Learning how a water filter works from the Nicaragua
Mission Group
Playing games (and getting a little – or a lot – wet)
Making rain sticks
VBS was a great time to learn about God’s good Crea-
tion and how we can do our part to take care of it. We also
had some fun, got to know each other better, and made
some memories.
—Libby Stephens
7/2/13 6
Stop Hunger Now at Pullen July 10, 6:15 PM Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief organiza-
tion located in Raleigh that coordinates the distribution of
food and other life-saving aid around the world. On Wednes-
day, July 10, our children, youth, and adults can pack meals in
Finlator Hall to support this good work. All are welcome!
—Missions and Outreach Council
Pullen in the World: Missions and Outreach
Missions & Outreach Council Grants for 2014
If you are a member of Pullen, now is the time to submit an
application for either a support grant ($250) or major grant
($1,000) to organizations or ministries in which you are di-
rectly involved that meet human needs in our community and
around the world. Top areas of concern to the Pullen congre-
gation are: healthcare, education, care of creation, housing,
employment, peace and reconciliation, and child abuse.
Past support grants have included student field trips for
community service for students with special needs, hygiene
items for migrant workers, outreach activities for recovering
addicts, fees for day camp, transportation costs for meal deliv-
eries, and a host of local nonprofits for which Pullen people
work or volunteer. Some Major Grant recipients include Cuba
missions, Emmaus House, AMOS Health and Hope, and NC
Interfaith Power and Light. We look forward to hearing from
Pullen people making a difference in our world.
Local, national, and international projects will be consid-
ered although not all requests for Major Grants will be funded.
However, organizations not selected for Major Grants will be
considered for Support Grants without completing an addi-
tional Support Grant application.
Applying is simple and straightforward. Forms are avail-
able on the church website and in the church office. The dead-
line to submit an application is August 5. Questions may be
directed to Cathy Tamsberg, Associate Pastor, at 919-828-
0897x214 or [email protected].
—Missions and Outreach Council
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sunday: July 21
You are invited to bring a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly
on Sunday, July 21. This will be a contribution to Urban Min-
istries of Wake County to help feed the children that are out of
school. We will have collection places at our main entrances
before Sunday School and our Sunday Worship Service.
This is a part of our emphasis on food justice during the
month of July. Please, do your part. Thank you.
—Pullen Mission Women
Support Pullen’s ‘Moral Mondays’ Arrestees
M oral Monday events of protest at the North Carolina
General Assembly are growing in strength and num-
bers. Already many of our Pullen members are joining in to
participate in demonstrations and support the Forward To-
gether movement sponsored by the North Carolina NAACP
and other progressive groups. These protests cover many con-
cerns around the recent activity of North Carolina’s lawmak-
ers, including: the downward shift of the tax burden to those
who can afford it least, the limitations on voting rights, the
rejection of expansion of Medicaid to many of the working
poor in our community, the diminished funding of our public
schools, disregard for the needs of the mentally ill, cuts in
unemployment benefits, trashing of the Racial Justice Act, and
much more. Already four of our Pullen members have been
voluntarily arrested to show their vigilant witness and strong
resistance to certain laws being passed and considered by our
elected state officials.
There are many ways in which we, as Pullenites, can
participate in this important endeavor. One option is to offer
direct support to those who have taken the step of civil disobe-
dience as they move toward court appearances and possible
fines.
If you are willing to financially assist those arrested
when charges result in court costs and expensive penalties to
them after trial, send a pledge indicating the amount of money
you are willing to offer to help them with this burden. Once
the trials have been held and the penalty fees have been estab-
lished, you will be notified and can send your pledged amount
to help pay the fines.
If you are moved to pledge your financial support to
those who are currently awaiting trial and those who may take
the risk of arrest in the future demonstrations, send your
pledge in an email to Carolyn Billings at [email protected]
or call me at 919-889-0931. You will be called to honor your
pledge only if and when fines are assigned by the court. If you
have questions, contact Carolyn for further explanation.
—Carolyn Billings
Get on Board with Support Circle Team Ministry Helps Families Living in Homelessness
T he Support Circle is a program sponsored by Catholic
Charities to help families transition from homelessness
to stable housing. Members of the Support Circle establish
relationships with members of a family to build mutual trust
by personal interactions with the family. The period of the
support is one year, over which time we walk with the fam-
ily and offer emotional support for the family during this
time of transition.
Pullen formed a Support Circle and partnered with a
family last year. We witnessed the complexity of the causes
and effects of losing housing and helped address the issues
involved in regaining stable housing. The experience of
working with the family to meet the daily challenges they
encountered was frustrating at times but still rewarding. We
also discovered that as we built relationships with the fam-
ily, we fostered and strengthened relationships with the
other Pullen members in the Support Circle.
The Support Circle program offers an opportunity to
work with other Pullen members to support a family as they
work to build better lives for themselves and further a caring
community within Pullen. We plan to partner with another
family later this summer. If you are interested in joining the
Support Circle at Pullen, contact David Anderson at dander-
[email protected], or call or stop by the church office.
—Ben Suttle and Jeff Cherry
Pu l l en in the Wor ld Pu l l en Partners
7 7/2/13
Travel to Nicaragua to Serve with Pullen’s Partners
If you would like to help distribute glasses and
share love with our friends at AMOS Health &
Hope, consider traveling to Nicaragua with
other Pullenites from August 30 to September
8. For more information, please contact Deb Nor-
ton at [email protected]. Some financial assis-
tance is available.
—Deb Norton
A Front-Line Witness for Peace
Join us as we gather for peace in a military
city! The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North
America and Quaker House are partnering
together to host a friendship tour in Fayette-
ville from September 7-9. Tour participants
will visit Quaker House and Fort Bragg. This Friendship Tour
will explore critical military issues such as:
Suicide
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Domestic and family violence
Use of torture and drones
Lack of truth in military recruitment
Impact of repeated deployments
Founded by the Religious
Society of Friends, Quaker
House has been working for
Peace and GI Rights since
1969. Fort Bragg U.S. Army
Base is one of the largest mili-
tary installations in the United
States.
For more information, con-
tact LeDayne McLeese Polaski, program coordinator of the
Baptist Peace Fellowship, at 704-521-6051 or le-
—Jonathan Sledge
First Baptist Church of Matanzas, Cuba, celebrated 114 years of ministry
in their community this past May. Pastor Orestes Roca will be at Pullen
July 23-29. Wanda Roca (far left) will be ordained in Matanzas in October.
Pullen’s Reach Beyond Our Walls: My Friend Millie
I believe you would like Millie because she likes Pullen just
as we members do, even though she has not attended. I met
Mille about six years ago when she moved into my
neighborhood. I went over to welcome her to Merwin Road,
and I discovered a lively senior citizen living alone with
only a trace of vision; despite this apparent limitation, Millie
stays active by gardening, sewing and cooking. Since that
time I have spent many visits talking about our interests,
especially family news and ideas about what I do at Pullen.
Millie wanted to know more about my participation in the
Back Door Ministry, welcoming people living in homeless-
ness into our church and giving them bagged lunches and
bus tickets, as well as other programs at Pullen. She decided
to find a way to get involved. Millie has made blankets for
families in Nicaragua, made regular contributions to the
Backdoor Ministry, and has learned to know Julia and her
flower ministry. Millie knows that we are a welcoming
church and approves of Pullen’s mission. She speaks of
David, Nancy and Cathy as though she is acquainted with
them, and reads
each edition of
PullenNews.
Millie will be
90 years old on
August 10, and she
receives shots every
six weeks to keep
her macular degen-
eration at bay.
Thank you Millie
for being my friend
and a friend of
Pullen. We love
you.
—Sarah Benbow
Pullen Poetry Meeting July 8
Theme: Free Flow
When: Monday, July 8th at 7 PM
Where: Home of Miriam Pritchard
4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary.
Miriam’s phone number is 919-
481-9887 if you need help finding the
house. For more information about the
group, contact Mike Lindsay at: 828-
0619 or email [email protected].
You don’t need to be a poet to
enjoy poetry. Come join us in an eve-
ning of expressing and sharing
thoughts.
—Mike Lindsay
Fall Service Project: Give the Gift of Home
F ew things are as empowering to a fam-
ily as finding quality, safe, affordable
housing. Join other Pullenites in September
as we seek to contribute our time and energy
to making the dream of homeownership
come true for one local family.
Volunteers from Pullen are needed to
work on a new home being built through
Habitat for Humanity in southeast Raleigh on Saturday, Sep-
tember 14.
Habitat for Humanity helps families achieve the inde-
pendence that comes with owning a home, using volunteer
labor, and interest-free financing to overcome the barriers that
keep many families from being able to purchase a home.
No experience, tools, or special skills are necessary.
Contact David Anderson for additional information.
—Missions & Outreach Council
The Hope Center at Pullen
Alex Atwell | Program Manager
Stacy Bluth | Executive Director
Tania Grant | Mental Health
Pat Hielscher | Office Manager
Caitlin Taylor | Education Specialist
Phone | 919-322-2751
Web | www.hopecenteratpullen.org
New Executive Director & Case Manager
Join the Staff of The Hope Center at Pullen
The Board of Directors of the Hope Center are very excited to
introduce to you our new staff. With the move of Diane Daily
and her family back to Arizona, the Board decided to divide
her job and hire two part time staff.
Stacy Bluth is our new Executive Director. Stacy comes
to us with 10 years of experience leading non-profits serving
young people with the goal of insuring a successful education
experience. She also worked for Teach for America. Stacy
graduated from American University and has a master's de-
gree from Stanford University. She and her husband moved to
Raleigh three years ago and during this period of time she has
committed herself to a number of volunteer roles. She is on
the Board and Events Chair of Arts Together. She has also
led a very successful project with Stop Hunger Now at the
Montessori School where her children attend. Stacy de-
scribes herself as committed to" empowering individuals liv-
ing in poverty, work which she loves."
Alex Atwell has joined the Hope Center as our new Case
Manager. Alex is a new graduate from NCSU with a Masters
in Social Work. In addition to her master's degree, she brings
vital experience working with the homeless population.
While at NCSU, Alex was an intern with the Capital Collabo-
rative and also interned at the Raleigh Rescue Mission. She
has volunteered with Neighbor to Neighbor and the Salvation
Army. We feel very fortunate to have Alex join our staff.
Please come by the Hope Center to meet our new staff.
—Anne Sayers
Silent Auction Items Available
We have several items left from out silent auction. Remaining
Items: 4 tickets to Altar Boyz (July 12-21); Mountain Dew
golf bag; one hour golf playing lesson at Pine Needles Resort
for 2 followed by ½ hour range lesson; 2 weekly grounds
tickets for the PGA McGladrey Classic Nov 7-10 on St.
Simon’s Island, Georgia; Custom Fitted Teeth Whitening
Trays (dental); $1000 gift certificate off invisalign treatment
(dental); $1000 teeth whitening session, consultation, oral
exam, custom touch up trays (dental). Make an Offer!
Call Pat if you would like to get additional information.
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church 1801 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 919-828-0897 | www.pullen.org | @PullenChurch
Used Stamps Help the Congo
Pullenites have been a part of the Stamps
for Missions project since early in 2005.
Pullen Church’s part in this mission effort
is to save and donate our stamps. Each
Tuesday afternoon a group of retired min-
isters, missionaries, and spouses come to
Peggy Reinhold’s cottage at Sunnyside
Retirement in Harrisonburg, VA to help with the soaking
and sorting of the stamps. Boxes of donated stamps arrive
there from churches and individuals all over the US and
even Canada. Some stamps will be filed for many months
waiting to accumulate 100 stamps of a kind. Dealers provide
lists of the stamps they are currently buying. Some stamp
companies will take smaller numbers of special stamps. This
processing is very tedious and exacting work and requires
experience.
The Stamps for Missions project has helped to bring
the message of God’s love to the Congo since the 1980s.
Sometimes the message comes through Bibles and hymn-
books in Tshiluba (their native language), sometimes
through continuing education events for pastors and evan-
gelists, and sometimes through scholarships for students
called to leadership in the church. In the midst of their po-
litical, social and economic crises, the church in the Congo
is alive, vibrant and busy. Churches are full for two-hour or
longer services. Choirs of women and men, children and
youth, lift their voices in praise. God is their rock, their ref-
uge and their salvation. The Congolese people need our
prayers, and they are praying for us.
When you open your mail, keep a bag or box handy to
save those stamps for the Congo. Include the entire enve-
lope, or cut a ¼ to ½ inch envelope border around cancelled
stamps to protect the stamp. Deposit all stamps and enve-
lopes in the Stamps for Missions collection box in the Infor-
mation Room off the east foyer of the sanctuary. If you have
questions, please contact Lois Gibbon at star-
[email protected] or at 919-834-4513. Thank you for
your help.
—Lois Gibbon
2013 Cycle for Hope: Saturday, October 5 50K – 100K – 12 Mile Greenway
We are currently looking for sponsors for Cycle for Hope.
Individuals, families and businesses may choose from four
sponsorship levels: $2000 (Event Sponsor), $500, $200, $50.
If you can’t ride you might consider sponsoring a rider for
$50. Help us grow our sponsorship base. Sponsorship forms
are available in the information room next to the sanctuary.
—Pat Hielscher, Hope Center at Pullen
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