2025 Trip to Coventry, England

November 11–14

A group of Pullenites and other interested friends convened in mid-2024 to assess interest in attending one of the twice-yearly international gatherings of the Community of the Cross of Nails (CCN). The group decided that we would like to join CCN’s major gathering at Coventry Cathedral, Nov 11–14, 2025. At this event, Partners from many countries will participate in commemorations of the 85th anniversary of the 1940 Coventry Blitz and the never-ending effects of warfare on civilians. This was a significant event in the city’s history and a key part of the CCN’s narrative of peace and reconciliation. It’s an occasion for partners, current and aspiring, to come together at Coventry Cathedral for prayer and contemplation, to meet others in the network, to share their stories and experiences, and to learn from and be involved in the work of the Cathedral’s global reconciliation ministry. The time is getting closer, so we are beginning to make firm plans.

The cost for the program, lunches, dinners, snacks, and activities is £225.00 (current exchange rate $298.93). Breakfasts will be on our own, as will the hotel accommodation, flights, and ground transportation within the UK. Registration should open soon at https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/ reconciliation/community-of-the-cross-of-nails/gatherings, which also hosts information about other recent pilgrimages.

At this event programmed by Coventry Cathedral, attendees will be able to:

1. Join presentations and discussion sessions on topics such as reconciliation and the impacts of war; land and belonging; arts and reconciliation; and resources and networks within the CCN.

2. Meet, connect around meals, and get to know a cross-section of CCN partners from around the world.

3. Reflect and renew in the Cathedral’s pattern of daily worship and prayer, as well as Bible study specific to the gathering.

4. Visit the city itself, which in 2022 was designated the UK City of Arts and Culture.

If you did not respond to the original call for interest but now would like to know more and perhaps join us, contact: Erin Newton, eonewton1979@gmail.com; (H) 919-460-9707; (C) 919-986-2268.

We will be setting up an all-Zoom meeting toward the end of August or early September and would love to see you there!

Seeking Communion Servers

The Deacon Council needs five volunteers to serve Communion during Pullen worship services. The commitment for this role is 20 minutes a month. If you are looking for a way to give back that is not time intensive but still enables you to connect with others, please email Leigh Hambleton.

Fifth Sunday Offering To Provide Emergency Assistance

Each week, the church receives calls from people seeking financial assistance for rent, electricity, gas and medicine. Because our budgeted funds for this purpose cannot begin to address the tremendous need, our Fifth Sunday offering enhances our capacity to respond. All cash placed in the offering plate on the fifth Sunday will be used to meet the basic needs of our neighbors. If you’d like to contribute by check, please note “5th Sunday Offering” on the memo line. Thank you for the generous support you offer to Pullen’s community ministries.

-Missions & Outreach Council

Pullen Earth Ministry — Two Upcoming Activities (Join us!)

Support Partners for Environmental Justice

September 6

8:45 am–noon at Big Sweep Litter Clean Up (Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh)

The Pullen Earth Ministry wants to engage Pullenites in an upcoming Big Sweep Litter Clean Up. Join us at this event to support Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ) and the Walnut Creek Wetland Park.

We hope to make this an intergenerational activity for young and old. If you are interested in participating, please register hereby August 23.

If you have questions about this event or want tocarpool from Pullen to the Wetland Park, please contact Gail Powell.

ICCT 2025 Convention: Grounded in Hope

September 20

noon–4:30 pm at Chapel of the Cross (304 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill)

Join kindred spirits of the Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle (ICCT) for this convention. We will connect with enlightening speakers, share our stories of Creation care, experience the natural world on a meditative walk, and find grounded hope in the face of ecological loss.

Pullen Earth Ministry will sponsor the first 15 Pullenites who register for a complimentary lunch (a $15 value)! To sign up for lunch, email quabbin@gmail.com.

We are organizing carpooling from Pullen to the convention. If you are interested, contact dwfiggins@gmail.com or dwfiggins@gmail.com.

Click here to get details about the convention speakers, lunch, and more.

In Deed and Truth (IDAT) Summit

November 13–16

New Orleans, LA

For the past year, a committee of Pullenites has participated in the In Deed and Truth program to study our church history with a racial lens. In November, the IDAT Summit will celebrate the completion of the 18-month In Deed and Truth cohort experience and transition participating churches into their next steps along the path of racial equity.

All Pullenites are welcome to attend this summit. The registration deadline is September 15. For complete details and to register, click here.

https://sites.google.com/stcharlesave.center/idat/summit-home

-Maggie Zeillmann

Race Relations and Civil Rights Tour 2025

September 24–28, 2025

Join us on the "Footsteps of Justice: A Cultural Journey" bus tour, visiting prominent civil rights sites in Georgia and Alabama. A tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk together through key Civil Rights sites in the American South, reflect deeply on our shared past, and emerge renewed for ministry in the present.

For details about the tour, go to the information website. https://www.racerelationstours.org You can also email info@racerelationstours.com or call Keith Shannon at 919-453-3831.