Here we are again. The season of Lent is upon us… again. In reality, it feels like it never really left us. Lent is seen by many as the season of giving up luxuries, vices and habits that pull us away from a more faith-centered life. It’s seen as a season of self-reflection, wrestling with … Continued
Be Thou My Vision. I don’t know why this hymn has such an effect on me. Maybe it is my Irish DNA that sings out when I sing it. The words to Be Thou My Vision are a translation of an ancient Irish prayer and are set to an Irish folk melody. There is something … Continued
Saturday, 2/20/2021 10:00 am – 11:00 am We are grateful to The Barnabas Partnership and CBFNC for sponsoring this conference offering a selection of ministry topics designed to help you make sense of, and find opportunity in, today’s world. All are invited to participate. The Seminar topics are listed below and Zoom links for each … Continued
Believers’ baptism has been a fundamental and defining aspect of Baptist identity since the beginning of the Baptist movement in early 17th century Europe. For Baptists, water baptism represents entrance into a “community of believers who can testify to an experience of grace through Jesus Christ.” It is a rite of passage that (usually) occurs … Continued
Matthew 2: 1-12 On this day of Epiphany, Christians often read the story of the visiting Magi from Matthew’s Gospel. We are familiar with the story. Foreign astrologers from outside of the Jewish faith who found the Christ child – while others, insiders, missed him. There’s a lesson in that, perhaps for another day. Those … Continued
The Seventh Lesson: John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and … Continued
The Sixth Lesson: Luke 2:8-16 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for … Continued
The Fifth Lesson: Luke 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee … Continued
The Fourth Lesson: Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is … Continued
The Third Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. … Continued