Twenty years ago, I was sitting in my dorm room at Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., skipping classes so I could watch the funeral of Pope John Paul II. As an aspiring church musician from the rural South, I was…
Bread of the World — really, the WORLD!
Most liturgical churches have been living into the bread imagery of the Gospel of John for the past several weeks. One of the worship planning resources I use has nicknamed this portion of the Lectionary “high-carb season,” which I thought…
A pilgrim in a strange land: How one United Methodist found a home in moderate Baptist life
It is no secret that The United Methodist Church is in chaos. Churches are voting to leave the denomination left and right, once healthy congregations are now divided, longtime relationships are being damaged, and good people are being hurt. Several…
Let’s reclaim the real Baptist identity
I have the honor of serving a progressive congregation in one of the most beautiful cities of the Southeast. Our church is steeped in history with strong liturgical worship, and we pride ourselves on being welcoming and affirming, while also…