March/April Mission Baskets
The mission baskets in the side foyer and the Fellowship Hall collect donations for Church World Service’s Immigration and Refugee Program, to help refugees settle in to life in the Triangle. The program has a need for bedding, kitchenware, and AA batteries. This includes twin sheets sets (they have plenty of queen and full size currently!), blankets, comforters, mattress pads, dinnerware and silverware. All items should be new. Contact David Heist (david.heist@gmail.com) with questions.
March Minute for Mission
Our March 11 Minute for Mission will be presented by Amy Armstrong from HELP, Health Equipment Loan Program. HELP, a service of Project Access of Durham County, recycles donated durable medical equipment, restores it for use, and loans it for reuse at no charge to any Durham County resident who needs it. Checks may be made to WSBC with HELP in the memo line.
Cub Scout Service Project
Cub Scout Pack 440 is raising money to install a bike rack at WSBC. The project aims to encourage folks to pedal to church and to provide a safe and secure place to park and lock their bikes. In order to raise $500 to purchase and install the seven-bike rack, the Scouts will hold a bake sale after worship on March 18. Please plan to stop by the sale and purchase some tasty treats. The Scouts will be holding other fundraisers this spring so stay tuned and keep pedaling. Pack leaders are John BurtonCrutchfield, Worth Lutz, Jennifer Martin, and John Rublein. Contact any Pack leader if you have questions.
Durham CROP Hunger Walk
Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 25, for the 2018 Durham CROP walk! WSBC will be joining hundreds of other walkers from across Durham to fight hunger. The 2018 walk is dedicated to Chuck Davis. If you would like to support this effort by contributing or walking in the event, please contact Lily Lehman or Karoline Johnson.
Missions Committee is “Seeing White”
This spring, the Missions Committee sponsors an elective Sunday School class for those interested in exploring the history of race and power in the United States. The class will begin April 8, and will draw conversation from the podcast “Seeing White.” It is not necessary to listen to the full podcasts in order to participate. Individuals are welcome to attend this class, or continue with their regular class. Contact April Walton (walton.april@gmail.com) with questions or to get involved with planning. Here is a link to the podcast series: http://podcast.cdsporch.org/episode-31-turningthe-lens-seeing-white-part-1/.
Mental Health Conference: Faith Connections on Mental Illness
On April 13, FCOMI will host “cultivating Mental Health; Hope and Healing.” It is a day-long, interfaith meeting to explore ways faith communities can support families and individuals living with mental illness. Learn more about the conference and how to register at www.faithconnectionsonmentalillness.org/annualconference.html and/or contact Dan Winn (danwinn@yahoo.com). Early registration happens in March.
Groundwater Workshop: Explore Racial Inequality, April 21
Mark your calendar! Watts Street Baptist Church will co -sponsor Racial Equity Institute’s Groundwater workshop, 9 a.m. to noon, on April 21. Join us to explore how race pervades life in the United States in ways that are often taken for granted. The workshop will be at Carolina Friends School. The Friends School, The Duke School, and Durham’s Shambhala Center are cosponsoring the event. Registration is free with a suggested sliding scale donation of $15. More information and on-line registration are available at (http://www.oaralliance.org/schedule ) and (https:// www.racialequityinstitute.org/new-events/). If you want to volunteer to help with snacks or on-site arrangements, contact Gordon Whitaker (whitakergordon@gmail.com).