The BEACON. Seeking Justice in Israel and Palestine A Binkley Church Adult Education Series. The Newsletter of Binkley Baptist Church

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1 The BEACON Binkley Baptist Church 1712 Willow Drive Chapel Hill NC Church Staff Peter JB Carman Minister Dale Osborne Associate Minister Beth Honeycutt Minister of Christian Education Leandra Merea Strope Minister of Music Duane Gilbert Bookkeeper Maureen Rosen Office Manager Bo Lloyd Organist Not getting this newsletter by yet? What are you waiting for? us at and save a stamp and a tree! The Newsletter of Binkley Baptist Church April 28, 2010 Seeking Justice in Israel and Palestine A Binkley Church Adult Education Series May 9, 2010 What Does It Mean to Be Pro-Israel? Rachel Sobel Bearman May 16, 2010 Land, Justice, and the Quest for Peace, Mark Braverman May 23, 2010 Israel-Palestine: A Historical Perspective, Sarah Shields Classes meet from 9:30 10:30 am in the Binkley Church Lounge RACHEL SOBEL BEARMAN is a pro-israel, pro-peace advocate and has been engaged in numerous groups and events in the triangle area centered on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In November 2009 she traveled to Israel with Rabbis for Human Rights, on a 10 day human rights mission to Israel and the West Bank. She is a graduate of the School of International Service of American University with a MA in Middle East Studies and Peace and Conflict Resolution. Her undergraduate work was completed at Tulane University with a dual degree in Political Science and Judaic Studies. MARK BRAVERMAN is a Jewish American with deep family roots in the Holy Land. Trained as a clinical psychologist, he underwent a transformation as a result of a 2006 visit to the Holy Land. Since his return, he has devoted himself full-time to writing and speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Braverman is the author of Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land (2010), a book on the role of religious beliefs and the function and future of interfaith relations. He serves on the Board of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions-USA and on the Advisory Board of Friends of Sabeel. He is the co-founder of Tent of Nations, North America. SARAH SHIELDS is Associate Professor of History at UNC Chapel Hill, serves on the women's studies faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and is a fellow of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities. She teaches courses on the modern Middle East, women in the Middle East, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and Islamic civilization. She is highly valued as an authority and speaker on Arab-Israeli issues. Among recent awards and fellowships that Shields has received are: American Council of Learned Societies ACLS/SSRC/NEH Fellowship ( ); Sawyer Seminar Program, Principal Investigator, Mellon Foundation (2008); National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2007).

2 FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED: The Inter-Faith Council of Chapel Hill and Carrboro is experiencing a shortage of donations at the food cupboard. They are especially in need of dry cereal of all types, snack foods such as granola bars or cracker packs, pasta and pasta sauce. Part of caring for the world we live in is also caring for those among us who are in need. Please remember to bring food donations on Sunday as part of our regular outreach efforts. When everyone helps, a little goes a long way. - Sherri Davis Join the Chancel Choir for a vespers service including W.A. Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore with soloists and instrumentalists from Binkley and the broader community. 7:00 pm, Sunday, May 16, Binkley Sanctuary, reception to follow BPFNA SUMMER CONFERENCE, July 12-17, Keuka College, Keuka Park, NY: Our theme for the week will be answering the challenging scriptural call for peace rooted in justice. This conference includes a special focus on immigrants and refugees. Youth and adults who have immigrated to North America are especially invited to attend. For more information go to CHRISTIAN ED UPDATES The End Is Near! The program year of the church wraps up soon. - May 2: Teacher Appreciation lunch for Worship with Children leaders, in the Sunroom after worship. - May 23: last day of Church School, and Christian Education Celebration Sunday, with major leadership in worship from our 4th and 5th graders. - May 23: End-Of-Year Picnic, 3 pm, at the Fews Ford Access of the Eno River State Park. Registration for the picnic is May Save the date now! ADULT CHURCH SCHOOL (9:30 am Sundays): Coffee and Conversation, Room 17; How a Poem Means, Library: 5/2 TBA; 5/9 Laurence Avery will read his poems; Intro to the Bible, Lounge: May 2- the Book of Ruth; May 9, 16, 23: special series on peace and justice in Israel-Palestine (Lounge) GENERAL FUND: FEB 2010 Actual Budget Difference Previous year $3,090 $2,890 $200 Current year $158,715 $151,964 $ 6,750 Non-pledged $6,792 $11,000 -$ 4,208 Undesignated $2,090 $2,250 -$160 Birthday bank $175 $375 -$200 Building use $8,735 $8,400 $335 Interest on money market $255 $0.00 $255 Totals $179,852 $176,879 $2,973 Pastor s Discretionary Funds Balance 3/1/2010 Received Disbursed Balance 2/28/10 $ 913 $240 $ 866 $287 FINANCES: Binkley is off to a good start for Primarily due to pre-payment of pledges, pledge contributions are running slightly ahead of budget. There is a concern that non-pledged contributions are running behind, perhaps because last year's non-pledge contributors have moved into the pledged category this year. Stay tuned. The dog days of summer are ahead. The Pastor's Discretionary Fund is running low because of the assistance provided to those in need.

3 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JUNE In terms of age requirements, our program is for children who are 4 years old by August 31, 2010, through those who have completed 5 th grade. Registration for Binkley members is April 18-May 2. Registration to the wider community is May 3-9. And come for our kick-off at 6:00 pm on Sunday, June 20 th in the sanctuary. We will have ice cream afterwards. Throughout the week, bring your child to the sanctuary at 8:50am; pick up is 12:00 pm, also in the sanctuary. Vacation Bible School Celebration Sunday is June 27 th at the 10:00 worship service. We look forward to learning, playing, and working with your child! Volunteers (adult and youth) meet June 1 in the Sunroom for supper and preparation. Angela Snider, Director Beth Honeycutt, Minister of Christian Education Save the Date: Women s Spirituality Workshop (with lunch) With Dr. Reta Finger, New Testament Scholar Saturday, June 26, 2010, Binkley Baptist Church WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPER May 5 : COME HELP PLAN THE FALL SEMESTER OF WEDNESDAY NIGHTS! BINKLEY S CASH MANAGEMENT PLAN As our Capital Campaign and construction progressed, Binkley arranged to draw up to $300,000 against a second mortgage at 6.2% with a balloon payment in As of December 31, 2009, Binkley owed $235,550 on that mortgage. With our budgeted interest and principal payments of $31,000 per year, repayment would take 11 years. Initially there were many uncertainties and money from all sources could be invested in insured accounts at 4.5%. Since then, our cost uncertainties have been resolved and our comparable investment return has dropped to 1.5% and is almost sure to drop further. On March 15, the Finance Committee recommended and the Church Council approved unanimously a Cash Management Plan to mobilize available church cash and cash equivalent accounts to pay off that mortgage and replace it with a Line of Credit of up to $125,000 at a variable rate, initially at 4%, to provide for working capital and for seasonal contribution fluctuations, essentially borrowing the other $110,550 from ourselves. Affected capital accounts will be credited internally with interest at the rate available locally for 5-year CDs and no budget items or planned disbursements will be materially affected. At the end of five years the Plan estimates that we will no longer need the line of credit and will have restored the reserve accounts. Then the Church can consider reallocating that $31,000 annual budget item. In the meantime the Church can continue with its operations and develop and invest its Endowment Fund as planned. Depending on the variable rate over time, the interest saving to the congregation would be $60-70,000. Note: special thanks to Curt McLaughlin for working out details of the cash management plan. JUSTICE UNITED Recently Justice United members filled the Carrboro Town Hall meeting room asking the Aldermen to raise town employees' lowest wage from $10.12 to $13 per hour, following months of research and conversations with town officials, workers, and citizens. Binkley Church, along with 24 other faith communities and 13 nonprofit, neighborhood, and student groups, supports grassroots efforts like this to build a more just and humane community. Action teams focus on needs of immigrant families, schools, health, housing, and environmental justice. Check our website, or contact Paul Lindsay, , plindsay2@aol.com. PRIMETIMERS IN MAY: meets on May 11 at the Seymour Senior Center (Homestead Road) at 12:00 pm. Lunch is provided by Nantucket Grill. Though the policy permits persons to pay whatever they choose, we suggest our contributing $7:00 as usual. We will eat as a group; tours of the Center will be available. The Director will give us an update on Center activities. Sign up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE on the sheet posted across from Beth Honeycutt's office. Directions: as you go North on Martin Luther King Blvd, turn left at Orange Methodist Church onto Homestead Road. The center is 1/4th mile on your left. Anyone is welcome to attend, not just senior adults. Please note the earlier time.

4 MAY 2010

5 HAPPY MAY BIRTHDAYS! 1: Michelle Christopher, Emma McNairy 2: Pat Harriss, Bill Maltbie, Mark Wells 3: Elley Shelp-Peck 4: Jenny Pyatt 5: Susan Wells, Lynn York 6: Bob Trenkle 7: Andrew Baker, Lena Hudock, Andrew Weathers 8: Natalie Wilde 10: Bob Goetz, Talmadge Walker 12: Marge Miles, Lindsay Savelli 14: Ella Guy, Rik Tyndall 15: Bill Dickinson, Meghan Morton, Allen Smith 16: Linda Hill-Wise, Terry Huneycutt-Horn 18: June Bratcher, Colby Rabalais 19: Tom Fewel, Jo Lea, Gloria Lightsey-Lewis, Walker Richards-Baker 20: Tonya Hamm, Shanequa Williams 21: Tessa McKenzie-Keyser 22: Donald Beeson 23: Travis Berger, Jody Hite, Carol Kille, Stephanie O Daly, Hunter Quinlan 24: Michael Resnik 25: Bill Bodkin, Martha Green, Beth Honeycutt, Amy Quinlan 26: Carol Hogue, Allan Maltbie, Wesley Sorrells 27: Mike Reed 28: Willard Hamrick, Eric Nelson, Bereket Selassie, Evey Wooten 29: Libba Wells 31: Gove Elder MAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE MAY 2: Youth Sunday, Communion, Hope for the Future MAY 9: Music Celebration Sunday; Dale Osborne MAY 16: Deacon Ordination; Peter Carman MAY 23: Christian Education Celebration Sunday; leadership from 4th and 5th graders MAY 30: Peter Carman HAPPY MAY ANNIVERSARIES! 1 Susan Preston and Dee Gunn, 2009; Kelly and Adam Kimple, Betsy and Yue Wu, Kathy and Peter Sticksel, Jerry and Elio Soldi, Lou and Sally Shook, 1991; Ellen and Gary Stutts, Sandy Payne and Herman Greene, Susan Read and Randy Russell, 1988; Dean and Linnea Smith, 22 Brian Graves and Beth Honeycutt, Nancy Ehle and Warren Nord, 1985; Daniel and Raqi Guy, Bill and Abbie Dickinson, 1972; Bill McNairy and Libby Fosso, Ellen and Wesley Sorrells, Martha Henderson and Carl Henley, 1981 May 2 May 9 May 16 May 23 May 30 MAY NURSERY DUTY Anne Fishel, Daniel and Raqi Guy, Bob and Pat Goetz. Julie Jennings greets. Mary Alice Dorton, Den Whittaker and Marilyn Metcalf, Meg Graham and Amy Jackson. Angela Snider greets. Don Hamm, Barbara Harris, Pat Harriss, Betsy Holsopple, Cathrine Hoyo. Kara Richards-Baker greets. Buck Horton and Sheryl Scrimsher, Betsey and Robert Hughes, Anne Huffman. Tamara Dempsey-Tanner greets. Martha Hutt, Christine Jernigan, Margie Billinger, Julie Kern. Eva Clontz greets.

6 Prayer Concerns in the Church Family: Wally Hill, Joy Hill, Buck Horton, Tonya Hamm, Jo Flair, Phillippi family, John Overton, Warren Nord, Lew Miles, Marj Boltz, Nettie Bradley Wilburn, Alice Glover, Aaron Shah, Claudia Cannady, Brooke Wheeler, Laurie Freeman, Bob and Betsy Kreutzberg, Beth Jukes, Carolyn Wallace, Nina Stein, Martha Henderson, Andi Elliott, members of Job Seekers, others seeking support. Prayer Concerns in the Extended Family: Geoff and Maria Frank (friends of Karen Long), Dot Peterson and family (Susan Resnik's aunt), Brenda Baker (Drew's mother), Rosalie Skinner (Michele Mabry's mother), Kevin Roberts (Christine Jernigan's cousin), Andrew Henley (Carl and Martha's son), Elizabeth McLachlan (friend of Stacy Shelp), Gail Carson's sister, Tessa Benjamin's family in Haiti, Eric Wells (Julie Jennings' friend), Susan Campbell (Julie Kern's sister), Martha T. Smith (Allison Corum's mother), Sally Rockriver (David Resnik's sister), Bo Stevenson (Bonnie's father), Malone and Betty Thomason (Caryl Price's parents), Martin Radford (brother of Geraldine King), Lynn Marcin and her mother Jean Steele (friends of Frank Smith), Harvey Zelon (friend of Ellen Stutts), Mary Booth (friend of Caroline Lindsay), David McIlwain (Ashley Nissler's uncle), Ram Thapa, Carol Salzgaber, Cathy Hamm (Tonya Hamm's mother), Frances Daughtrey (Heather Rabalais & Nathan Daughtrey's grandmother), Marie Long (Karen's mother), Meg Kemper (Sybil Wagner's friend), Carley Pardington (Joe's mother), Henry Hall (Howard Lee's brother-in-law), Carol Richardson (Bonnie and Laura Rogers' mother), John Kent's father, Johnnie Johnson, (friend of Lillian Lee), family of Thomas Barnett (Karen Long's friend), Tan and Scott Coats, Tara Hogan (Talmadge Walker's niece), Health Center Residents, families in China affected by recent earthquakes. We offer prayers of sympathy to Wally and Joy Hill, upon the death of their mother Jane Hill on April 26; to Tonya Hamm on the death of her mother, Cathy Hamm, on April 25; and to Buck Horton on the death of his mother, Pauline Horton, on April 23. In the hospital: Rusty Wagoner (Carol Woods Health Center); Jane Hill (Carolina Meadows Health Center) Prayers for our men and women in the armed forces: Ray Lloyd, son of Bo Lloyd, who is in Afghanistan; and Paul Smith, grandson of Allen Smith, who is in Iraq. Binkley Baptist Church 1712 Willow Drive Chapel Hill, NC (919) Nonprofit Org. US Postage Paid Chapel Hill, NC Permit No. 70 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED