This Advent, we will be focusing on the theme “What do you fear?: Insisting on Hope this Advent.” Created by A Sanctified Art, this series will walk us through the Gospel of Luke, looking at the stories of Jesus’s birth – stories with implications of fear of the world around them layered throughout the texts. … Continued
The members of the Missions and Advocacy Council have been very busy doing God’s work. The following is a summary of the projects we are working on. 1. We are sending teams to Western North Carolina to help residents rebuild. As you know, many families have lost their homes as a result of hurricane Helena. … Continued
By Bill Baxley A recent Post From Welcome House Raleigh: Early one morning, U.S. Marshals arrived at a partner church that hosts one of our English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The church secretary, alone at the time, was informed that law enforcement was conducting a stakeout behind the church to arrest a suspect. … Continued
Throughout this Lenten season, we will travel throughout the Gospel of Luke with our series, Everything [in] Between. We’ll look at several familiar stories, such as the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha, the fruitless fig tree, the Lost Sheep, Zaccheus, and more. This series is an invitation to navigate the polarities in our lives with more faith, … Continued
By Chrissy Tatum Williamson In the last post I shared the background on how the sabbatical theme came to be. As soon as I realized what I wanted – no, what my soul needed – the rest seemed to fall into place. The heart of my trip would consist of my daughter and I exploring … Continued
By Bill Baxley As the season of spring approaches, we are reminded of the beauty and renewal of God’s creation. The bursting forth of flowers, the songs of birds, and the life-giving rains all point us back to the Creator. Scripture tells us that we are not merely observers of creation, but stewards entrusted with … Continued
By Chrissy Tatum Williamson What will make your heart sing? Strange question, isn’t it? That’s the prompt for the Lilly Grant for Clergy Renewal. “What will make your heart sing?” Two years ago when I began working on the grant proposal, this question was a barrier for me. It was easy to think of ways … Continued
By Chrissy Tatum Williamson I can’t remember the name of the book I was reading, but I know it was written by Barbara Brown Taylor. I can tell you exactly where the words were on the page (left side, last couple of lines on the page). When I read the words, I felt utterly convicted: … Continued
By Chrissy Tatum Williamson Words for the Beginning. Beginnings are exciting, they fly on the wings of vulnerable hopes; and they are tethered by risk of not becoming reality. Advent is a season of beginnings. These are characterized by hope and fear, reward and risk, preparation and whimsy, and the reality that before anything can … Continued