A Vision of Christian Formation at Binkley

Christian Formation at Olin T. Binkley Memorial

Baptist Church strives to create a variety of sacred

spaces in which all people feel welcome and can

nurture their spiritual lives no matter where they

are on their journey.

• We explore Biblical narratives and Christian theology, and we

ground ourselves in the traditions of Church.

• We celebrate God by making music together in its many

different forms.

• We foster discussion and encourage action in areas of peace

and justice as we strive to be a covenantal community

inspired by Christ's example.

• We trust that all of the components of Binkley's Christian

Formation program lead to sound character formation for

members of this faith community.

• We create safe spaces to question, to explore spiritual

practices in Christianity and other faith traditions, and to

challenge ourselves toward spiritual growth.

• We provide support for our teachers and intergenerational

relationships/mentorships.

• We foster community, faithful public leadership, social

service opportunities, and the pursuit of one’s spiritual

vocation.

• We provide opportunities for all people to experience God’s

love within ourselves, in community and in nature.

At Binkley, Christian Formation is at the heart of all

we do as we find and follow the path of Christ.

BINKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH

Christian Formation & Music

for Children, Youth and Adults

Fall 2011

Peter JB Carman, Minister

Dale Osborne, Associate Minister

Stephanie Ford, Minister of Christian Education

Leandra Merea Strope, Minister of Music

Duane Gilbert, Bookkeeper/Facility Liaison

Maureen Rosen, Office Manager

Bo Lloyd, Organist

1712 Willow Drive

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

919-942-4964

www.binkleychurch.org

Binkley Baptist Church offers a community that nurtures

growth in faith. Our church covenant reflects our commitment

to be church together as we “express our faithfulness to Christ in

love for one another and for the whole of God’s creation.” Our

church programs flow from this desire to love God, each other,

and our neighbors. In the coming year, we have a number of

opportunities available for children, youth and adults

in Binkley Church’s programs.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

Christian formation for children at Binkley is marked by a

commitment to explore the foundations of Christian faith by

engaging the Bible, sharing experiences of our spiritual

journeys, participating in service projects, singing together, and

creating community through friendships old and new. Children's

ministry is coordinated by the Children's Committee, chaired by

Ilona Page.

Church School: Launch Sunday is September 11, when we

resume our 9:30-10:30 a.m. Church School classes for all

ages. We begin Children’s Church School this year by

gathering and singing songs in Children’s Assembly. Church

School is a foundation for faith and community, as we learn

stories and build relationships.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION

FALL 2011

September 2011:

11 Launch Sunday

24 NC Pride Festival

October 2011:

8-9 Youth Rafting Trip

9 Creation Season Begins

Blessing of the Animals

15 Youth Yam Jam

16 Children’s Sabbath (No Worship with Children)

Binkley Brainstormers; guest Dr. Gary Duncan

23 Worship at Barbee’s Chapel (No Worship/Children)

Youth Clean Booker Creek

28-30 Women’s Retreat

November 2011:

6 All Saints Sunday (No Worship with Children)

20 Alternative Gifts Fair

December 2011:

4 Christmas Crafts

11 Love Feast

17 Nativity reenactment Rehearsal

18 Intergenerational Church School

Special Music, Nativity Reenactment

(No Worship with Children)

24 Christmas Eve Worship Services

25 Christmas Day Worship (No Worship with Children)

No Church School

Youth Choir: The Youth Choir rehearses on Sunday evenings

from 5:00 until 6:00 and leads worship approximately once

each month. Participation is open to youth in 6th through 12th

grades who make a commitment to attending rehearsal weekly.

Chancel Choir: The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesday

evenings from 7:30 until 9:00 and leads worship weekly. This

ensemble usually sings two or three pieces in each worship

service, and it prepares and presents two larger works each

year. This group works hard at rehearsal and also gets together

for social events several times each year. Some members of

this ensemble joined with little or no experience, while others

have decades of choral experience; all are welcome!

Participation in this ensemble is open to adults who commit to

attending rehearsal weekly.

- Music Ministry is coordinated by Leandra Merea Strope.

Please contact her for further information.

If you have thoughts, questions, or suggestions about any

of these programs, or want to become more involved in the

ministries at Binkley Church, please contact a member of

the staff, Ashley Nissler or Meg Graham (Chairs of the

Christian Formation Committee), or Sue Wallace (Chair of

the Music Committee).

Children’s Assembly: Leandra Merea Strope, Room 17

Toddlers and Twos: Pat McKenzie, Jo Lea, Room 4

Preschool: Nancy Cheek, Jane Walters, Ashley Nissler,

Room 2

K–1st: Roal Carlson, Angela Snider, Nina Stein,

Room 10

2nd– 3rd: Laurie Heffner, Kathy Keyser, Brennetta

Simpson, Lisa Parks, Room 13

4th – 5th: Michael Bean, Lori Cahill, Steve Jernigan,

Room 15

Worship: Each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. we gather to be

renewed for faithful living in the world. We celebrate the

many ways children participate in Binkley worship by

serving as acolytes during the school year; singing in

worship; leading as liturgists; presenting Bibles to 2nd

graders each year; blessing and dedicating infants and

children; and participating in worship as

part of the larger community.

Acolytes: Children in grades 1-5 help

the congregation begin worship each

Sunday by bringing in symbols of God’s

word and light. Acolytes light the candle on the communion

table and carry in the Bible bookmark.

- Coordinated by Wanda Burton-Crutchfield and Heather

Rabalais

Worship with Children: During the worship hour, we offer

worship for children about three Sundays per month. Adults

and youth lead this program, focusing on stories, discussion

and spiritual growth. This program has a Montessori

influence.

- Coordinated by Wanda Burton-Crutchfield

Nursery: Childcare is provided on Sunday mornings year-

round for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Binkley

employs several qualified caregivers, assisted by volunteers

from the congregation.

- Coordinated by Anna Kirby and Betsy Hughes

Service Projects: Binkley seeks to be a generous church in

the care of one another, our facilities, and our wider mission

in the world. Children may give an offering in VBS, church

school, and worship, and may bring non-perishable food to

the narthex, which supports the local Inter-Faith Council

(IFC). Children have participated in CROP and NAMI

walks. Some have chosen to serve as church greeters, water

a church plant, or bake bread for communion. Elementary

children have service projects in the fall and the spring.

YOUTH MINISTRY

The Youth Ministry at Binkley is composed of 6th through 12th

graders and their adult leaders. The focus of youth group is

aimed at allowing young people to explore their relationship to

God and God’s creation. We lift up hospitality, compassion,

service and courtesy as important practices of our faith. We

strive to have fun as we develop lifelong relationships and build

lasting memories. We look to Jesus, the incarnation of God’s

love in human form, as our guide.

Primetimers: is a group consisting of retirees and people who

have the leisure to eat lunch on the second Wednesday of each

month during the school year. Its primary purpose is social, a

gathering when people can enjoy each others’ company over a

meal. Usually we have a speaker give a 30-minute talk with

discussion following. As a rule, we offer a catered lunch in the

Binkley Lounge, though sometimes we change our venue. In

December, we regularly have lunch at one of the retirement

communities along with a musical program.

- Coordinated by Peter Carman, Gove Elder, Don Hamm, Nancy

Joyner, Peg Kinnaird, and Nell Morton, Lounge

MUSIC MINISTRY

The music program at Binkley serves the entire congregation.

Choirs, soloists, and instrumental music provide a container in

which the congregation may worship. Participation in a choir

allows an individual to participate in worship leadership, to

develop relationships with others who love to make music, to

explore dimensions of spirituality that can be accessed by

singing with an ensemble, to learn musical and performing

skills, to experience the power of their own voices sounding

with others.

Children’s Choir: The Children's Choir rehearses on

Wednesday evenings from 6:00 until 7:00 and leads worship

approximately once each month. This ensemble encourages

children to use their voices well, to develop good musical

habits, to learn to read music, to take the risk of singing in front

of others, and to make strong friendships. Children are

challenged to lead in worship, and the ensemble prepares for

this in many ways, including learning about the different parts

of worship and learning the hymns that the congregation will

share. Participation is open to children in kindergarten through

5th grade who can read and who make a commitment to

attending rehearsal weekly.

Journeying with Prayer

We are invited to bring our joys, struggles, hopes and

questions to this open discussion about connecting with

the divine. Topics will include:

• “Knock, Knock, who’s there?”: how our concepts of

God shape the ways we pray

• What can we learn from the Lord’s Prayer?

• Obstacles to connecting with the divine

• Varieties of prayer: intercessory prayer, confession

and more

• Approaches to Contemplation

• And/or other topics of interest to class participants

Participants will be asked for input on topics, so bring

your own particular concerns and questions.

- Facilitated by Peter Carman, Bill Eastman and

Martha Hamilton, Room 16

ESL Bible Study

This class is designed for those learning English as a

second language and interested in Bible Study. It will

include the following topics:

1. The Bible: different parts, how to find things.

2. A story from the Old Testament: Creation

3. A story from the New Testament: Jesus is announced

in the different books (by John, to Mary by angel)

4. Another story from the Old Testament: Abraham

5. Another story from the New Testament: Jesus is born

6. Another story from the OT: Moses

Participants will learn basic English vocabulary and

share from our own cultures and histories about why the

stories are important.

- Taught by Maria Palmer

Opportunities for youth in grades 6-12 include these Sunday

events: Church School: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Middle School: Dale Osborne, Pocket Room

High School: Pocket Room

Youth Choir: 5:00-6:00 pm, Choir Room

Youth Group: 6:00-7:30 p.m. Our gatherings begin with a

shared meal in the Sun Room. The meal is followed by

opportunities for educational, social, service-oriented,

worshipful and purely fun activities.

- Coordinated by Dale Osborne, Mark Walters, Brooke

Wheeler, Judy Sordean, Jordan Hale and Tessa Benjamin

We are supported by the Youth Committee which is chaired by

Pamela Nielsen. This past summer the youth participated in a

Habitat Mission Trip, Vacation Bible School Leadership and

Baptist Youth Camp among other activities. We look forward

to sharing these experiences with our new sixth graders and

building on the leadership skills we have developed as a group.

Join us!

ADULT MINISTRY

Church School: Christian formation for adults is an important

part of nurturing the faith and spiritual lives of all people.

Church School for adults meets 9:30-10:30 am each Sunday

morning this fall.

Coffee and Conversation

What does it mean to know and be known? What would

it take to know and be known by others? Just as Parker

Palmer challenged people of faith to wonder about these

questions, this class asks participants to risk creating

relationships based on knowing and being known. Using

poetry, lectionary scriptures, artwork, stories from NPR,

or the day-to-day challenges of living, participants in the

class engage one another while sharing a cup of

coffee. The class is open to anyone who wants to dip

their toe in the waters of connection. Our reputation is

raucous, but we promise not to bite—too hard! The

class shares leadership among its members. Bring your

coffee, or your coffee cup, and join us!

• Facilitated by Marilyn Metcalf, Lounge

Is That Really in the Bible?

A Feminist Reading of Some Difficult Biblical Passages

In recent decades courageous feminist theologians have

been writing about difficult issues related to women,

their stories in the Bible, and the language used to talk

about women and about God. In this class we look

closely at the historical setting of the biblical texts and

the function of gendered language in both the text and

the contemporary church. What metaphors do we use to

talk about God? What assumptions guide the way we

speak and interpret the Bible? Two texts from which we

will be drawing during our time spent looking at Old

Testament themes are the following: Renita Weems'

Battered Love and Phyllis Trible's Texts of Terror. For

those who decide on this class, you may have an interest

in purchasing one or both books. Susan Rogers will be

glad to order copies for class members; contact her at

roger129@mc.duke.edu. (There are no required

readings for the class.) Want more information about Is

That Really in the Bible? Check out the website which

Micheal Palmer is putting together for the class:

www.greek-language.com/binkley

- Co-leaders: Micheal Palmer, Susan Rogers, Velma

Ferrell, Sunroom

The Return of Jephtha, by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini