On October 7 Hamas attacked the state of Israel, killing approximately 1200 people, mostly civilians. Whole families were slaughtered in their homes. Among the victims were hundreds of young adults at a music festival. The killings were accompanied in numerous cases by torture, disfigurement, and rape. Around 240 hostages were taken
Giving Thanks (Even Now) By Shannon Vowell This is the first Thanksgiving in my adult life when the scripture verse that most accurately describes our collective mood seems to be Matthew 10:34-36. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not
Subscribe Now The Church’s Compassionate Response to the Foster Care Crisis In this episode of Sermon Notes, host Jay Strother is joined by guest Elizabeth Cochran, the Foster and Adoption Director at Brentwood Baptist Church. They discuss the importance of the church’s involvement in foster and adoption ministry, highlighting
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows Stores are stocking their shelves for the Christmas shopping season and families are setting up Christmas trees and decorating them and stringing their houses and yards with Christmas lights. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year and the real Christmas Season, the Twelve
A new phrase has entered our conversations: Imposter Syndrome. “Imposter syndrome is a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals. These individuals cannot internalize their success and subsequently experience pervasive feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and/or apprehension of being exposed as a fraud in their work, despite verifiable and objective evidence of their successfulness.” (National
The Marks of a Methodist 4: Mission By Thomas Lambrecht We have been examining what it means to be a Methodist in honor of John Wesley’s tract, The Character of a Methodist, but following a modern version of those ideas in Bishop Gerald Kennedy’s 1960 book, The Marks of a
Cultivating a Heart of Generosity: Unpacking the Uncomfortable Topic of Stewardship In this episode of the Sermon Notes podcast, host Jay Strother is joined by special guest Ken Schafer, the Stewardship Minister at Brentwood Baptist Church. They discuss the importance of giving and stewardship in the Christian faith, highlighting the
Methodist Heritage: World Methodist Council 1961 Address by Bishop Gerald Kennedy Tenth World Methodist Conference Oslo, Norway August 19, 1961 In the nineteenth century, the English theologian Frederick Dennison Maurice wrote: “I cannot but think that the reformation in our day, which I expect to be more deep and searching than