Pastor Mike. Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers. September 20, 2017 The Mosaic Volume 31 Issue 18

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1 September 20, 2017 The Mosaic Volume 31 Issue 18 Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers As we drove into Dallas for the first time a year ago, the first impressive landmarks my family saw were the many stately bridges. The Margaret Hunt Bridge with its 400-foot steel arch and the cables radiating from it in an expressive manner beckoned us to the bustling downtown. I finally saw the bridge up close on my thirty-ninth birthday. After a delicious dinner at the exciting restaurant incubator community, Trinity Groves, my family, Cathy Webb, and Carol Tabor walked the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge. We gawked at the setting sun along the Trinity River and gleefully explored the bridge s oversized chairs, human chessboard, and vendors selling glow-in-the-dark glasses, fidget spinners, and snow cones. Even though the sun was going to bed, humanity was coming alive. The families and couples on the Pedestrian Bridge were diverse and lovely. All people, from all backgrounds, found a reason to be together in joy and exploration. The bridge brought us together when barriers sought to keep us apart. Barriers. We are living in a divided world. Every day brings news of wars between nations, skirmishes between races, and distrust between faith groups. Self-interest, fear, anger, and national pride are rupturing the human family into bitter, isolated tribes. The walls of misunderstanding rise as people position themselves for power. The barriers of beliefs, skin color, economic status, and ideology keep us separated and suspicious of one another. We must get to know each other and share our stories so we can build bridges and break down barriers. On Saturday, we, the people of Royal Lane Baptist Church, built a bridge. We hosted an interfaith bake sale with the Turkish Muslim community of the Dialogue Institute of Dallas. My good friend, Emrah Aktepe, approached me with the idea that our two faith groups should come together to raise money for hurricane Harvey victims. Our Turkish friends provided the savory foods, sweet snacks, and rich coffee. Royal Lane was the host, providing the space, tables and chairs, and volunteers. It was a perfect match and we raised over $2,400 for hurricane relief. Every time I thought we would run out of food, someone would arrive with another big container of pastries, salad, or rice. The delicacies filled our stomachs while the fellowship and new friendships filled our spirits. A bridge between two communities was built that day and the barriers of misunderstanding and misperception were broken down. Bridges are the connections while barriers are the obstacles. The future of the world is in our hands and we can choose the way we want to live and thrive. Either we can build bridges or create barriers. Which will you choose? Pastor Mike The next issues of The Mosaic are scheduled for October 4 & 18, The deadline for submissions will be 5:00 p.m. Tuesday prior to the date of publication.

2 Coming Events Sunday September 24 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9:30 am Donuts, Coffee/Juice Family Hall 9:45 am Christian Education Christian Education Classrooms & Portable 1 10:55 am Morning Worship Sanctuary Wednesday September 27 5:30 pm Family Supper White Chicken Chili, Salad, Bread, Pound Cake Family Hall 6:00 pm Youth Study Hall Youth Basement 6:15 pm Children s Choir/Missions Children s Building 6:15 pm Midweek Service Being Baptist: A Look at Baptist History and Thought Family Hall 7:15 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary Saturday September 30 8:00 am Delivery of Pumpkins Church Grounds Volunteers Needed to Unload Pumpkins! 1:00 pm Pumpkin Patch Opens (1:00 7:00 pm) Sunday October 1 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost / World Communion Sunday / The Gathering 9:30 am Donuts, Coffee/Juice Family Hall 9:45 am Christian Education Christian Education Classrooms & Portable 1 10:55 am Morning Worship Holy Communion offered Sanctuary 1:00 pm Pumpkin Patch (1:00 7:00 pm) Monday through Friday Pumpkin Patch, 3:00 8:00 pm Wednesday October 4 5:30 pm Outreach/Publicity Committee Room 206 5:30 pm Family Supper Beef Tacos, Beans. Salad, Turtle Brownies Family Hall 6:00 pm Youth Study Hall Youth Basement 6:15 pm Children s Choir/Missions Children s Building 6:15 pm Midweek Service Being Walter Rauschenbusch: A Baptist for the Social Gospel Family Hall 7:15 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary The deadline for the order of service, the Midweek, and the Mosaic is Tuesday, 5:00 p.m. prior to publication. Like RLBC on Facebook or Follow RLBC on Twitter Royal Lane Testimony of Stewardship... the bread of God Dottie Brashear I m Dottie Brashear. I first visited Royal Lane just about a year ago, and you might say it was love at first sight. What brought me here was wanting to share my faith with my new daughter. The problem was the churches I visited were either welcoming and inclusive to all but shied away from tackling scripture in its entirety, or they believed in the enlightened work of God, but my family and friends in the LBGTQ community and communities of color were treated as second-class citizens. So, when my friend told me about a progressive Baptist church, I was cautiously hopeful. I didn t even know those words went together! And when I surveyed the bumper stickers as I parked on that first visit, my hope increased. I walked in and saw this beautiful mosaic of people. Then I heard the sermon and my heart was hopeful. But this was during the interim time. The church had already chosen a new pastor, so I decided to wait to ensure this new guy could deliver. I wanted a pastor that could preach intellectually but also be infused with passion. With conviction. I m happy to say that he passed the test. My decision was quite easy after that. Then came, What can I do to contribute to this mosaic? Because this picture that makes up Royal Lane isn t one or two people, it s piece by piece. Big and small. The shiny and the dull. And I have to say, I m so thankful that I have a place like Royal Lane that I can contribute to. Women of the Church invite you to join our Fall Mission Project September 15 October 15, 2017 Help create a new lending library for kindergarten through 6th grade students in the Youth Believing in Change after school program. Accepting new and gently used children s books including picture books, early readers, and chapter books.

3 Financially Speaking: We missed our monthly target for pledge collections in June, July and August, and our expenses were over budget for the summer. This has put a strain on our cash position beyond our comfort level. Please do your part to ensure that Royal Lane remains financially sound and well positioned to respond to new ministry opportunities. If you are behind on your pledge commitment for this year, please make a point to catch up soon Annual Budget for Offerings $641,600 August 31, 2017 YTD Budget/Pledges & Plate Offerings: $427,733 August 31, 2017 YTD Actual/Pledges & Plate Offerings: $438,012 August 31, 2017 YTD Actual Offerings & Revenues: $478,661 Less YTD Actual Expenses: $535,066 YTD Surplus (Deficit): ($ 56,405) Welcome to Andrea Nuss & Claudia Hinchliffe, who joined RLBC on September 17. More Pictures from the Harvey Interfaith Bake Sale September 16, 2017

4 Prayer Requests: All those affected by Natural Disasters Glenn Brown Gordon Brown Zayne Carrasco, niece of Kirsten Fleenor s sister-in-law Rusty Hatcher, son of Martha Hatcher Reed & Mary Sue Hoover, friends of Steve & Martha Box Chris May, friend of Janet Schulz Forrest McKinney Barbara Merry Karen Miller Brenna Murphy, friend of Blair Wooten Jane Phelan Lou Ray Emelda Schultz, mother of Laurence Schultz Jordan Weilage's friends: Ann; Carol; Cynthia s boyfriend, Stephen Bouquet; Darron; Darron's grandfather, step-father & mother; Jon Rabbe; Keyvan; Leslie, her father, Jerry & brother-in-law, Larry; Robin; Ron; Ron's brother, Shahin Joan Wright, sister of Maebelle Raiza Please continue to pray for: Terry Burke, son-in-law of Dina DiMaria; Jerome Collins, friend of Mike Hurder; Thomas Jarvis, brother of Martha Box; Robert Putman; James Steel; Ron Sumter, father of Steve Sumter; Jordan Weilage Remember the homebound: Faye Laney; Norman Morris; Betty Renfroe; Libba Studdard; James C. Walker AJC Dallas and The Jewish Latino Presents: Jewish Latino Advocacy: Advancing Our Common Interests Sunday, October 15, 2017 Event Co-Chairs Debra Liva Sophia Stoller Claudia Torrescano Featuring Alfredo Carbajal, Managing Director, Al Dia Martin Valko, Legal Advisor on Immigration to the Consulate General of Mexico in Dallas Melanie Rubin, Chair, Jewish Community Relations Council Julie Fishman Rayman, Director of Political Outreach, American Jewish Committee 4:30 pm Registration, networking & refreshments 5:00-6:15 pm Panel Discussion on trending topics 6:15-7:30pm Advocacy training with Julie Fishman Rayman Jackson Walker LLP 2323 Ross Ave, Fed Conference Room, Suite 600 Dallas, TX Free to attend, RSVP Required to squiresc@ajc.org or See poster on Advocacy Section of bulletin board outside Family Hall for more information. Thank You Note Royal Laners, Thank you very much for your thoughts and prayers during my recent heart attack scare. Ken Rempert The Gathering for October Needs for October for NDSM: Peanut Butter; Canned Chicken; Canned Salmon; Ranch Style Beans; Canned Corn, Spinach, Peaches; Applesauce; Spaghetti Sauce; Mac & Cheese; Toilet Paper; and always Diapers & Baby Wipes. Sizes 4, 5 and 6 in diapers are in highest demand. Have you signed up to work in the pumpkin patch? Sign up today!!!

5 Deacons of the Week September 24 Bruce Luedke [817] Kelley Keith [214] October 1 David Doom [214] Lisa Gill [214] Midweek Service 6:15 p.m. Wednesday in Family Hall September 27 Being Baptist: A Look at Baptist History and Thought October 4 Being Walter Rauschenbusch: A Baptist for the Social Gospel Join us for a Fellowship Meal at 5:30 pm. In the Box-Hawkins Gallery Current Exhibit by Muriel Mimura Coming in October & November Gwen Revino & Tony Wrengler To change mail or preferences for The Mosaic, contact Barbara Merry, , ext. 10 or bmerry@royallane.org. Scriptures of the Week September 24 Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm 105:1-6, Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16 October 1 Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 Midweek Menu Wednesday, September 27 White Chicken Chili, Salad, Bread, Pound Cake Wednesday, October 4 Beef Tacos, Beans, Salad, Turtle Brownies Effective September 27, 2017 Adults - $7 Seniors (65+) - $5 Seniors - $5 (no change) Teens - $4 (no change) Children - $2 (no change) Families - $15 (w/children under 18) Happy Birthday! September David McCoy Michael Rogers Denise Turnbull Georgia Bradford Nancy Holland Janet Ramirez Michael Robinson Marsha McRae Terry Berrier Larry Mills Amy Ward-Meier Austen Maddox October Jaime Clark-Soles... 1 Darryl Willey... 1 Rebecca Waters... 1 Harry Hunter... 2 Duane Bever... 3 Jeffrey Page, Jr Violette McKinney... 3

6 Royal Lane Baptist Church 6707 Royal Lane Dallas, Texas The Mosaic is published twice a month Royal Lane Baptist Church 6707 Royal Lane Office Hours: Dallas, TX Monday - Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Wednesday Midweek: 6:15 pm Office: [214] Sunday School: 9:45 am Fax: [214] Sunday Worship: 10:55 am Rosa Barrientos, Housekeeping Laura Benton, Pianist Michael Gregg, Pastor Michael Hurder, Facilities Manager Laura Keller, Minister to Children Barbara Merry, Administrative Assistant Samuel Quesada, Video Technician Tim Schaefer, Minister to Youth Janet Schultz, Administrative Assistant Blake Vickrey, Sound Technician Ray Vickrey, Pastor Emeritus David Weigle, Organist Harry Wooten, Minister of Music and Worship