Looking for a new way to jump start your week?
Kern United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge is offering an exciting, new Sunday evening service beginning on Sunday, November 2, a press release said.
“We will have a free dinner at 5 p.m. followed by an awesome energizing experience at 6 p.m.,” the release said. [Read more…]
It’s the holidays—a time of year when churches are often on the move and active in a community. Anytime a church is in motion and doing something in the community, that action reveals something of the character and nature of the church and her mission. But what if a church decides to lay low? What if little to no movement is taking place at all? Is this a “bad” thing for a church? Shouldn’t we all be doing something???
We live in a culture defined by motion and noise. The bigger the motion and the louder the noise, the more people stop to take notice—just check out your favorite Black Friday YouTube video for examples of motion and noise over the holiday. We’re all human and sometimes we can start chasing noise for all the wrong reasons. That’s why I believe it’s critical for churches to first ask if the lack of motion is really such a bad thing.
What does it say about a church that decides to loaf over the holiday? The word “loaf” has received a bad rap in our society. A loafer is seen as a lazy person in a culture that is obsessed with work and productivity. If the loafer isn’t doing anything to contribute to his or her own financial well-being, then the assumption is that something must be wrong with them (which may or may not be true). As working and being a productive member of society, you could make an argument that maybe Jesus’ was a loafer. Yikes! [Read more…]
Construction work has started at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church between Oak Ridge Turnpike and the Joe L. Evins Federal Building.
Construction work has started at the site of a new home for the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church near the Joe L. Evins Federal Building.
Hickory Construction Inc., which has headquarters in Alcoa, announced on Thursday that it has broken ground at the 4.6-acre site. The building could be complete by next summer, a press release said.
Hickory will work with Johnson Architecture Inc. to create a larger church building that will give the congregation an extra 3,000 square feet, compared to the current building a few miles down Oak Ridge Turnpike, the press release said. The new church will feature an updated, modern appearance. [Read more…]
What an amazing sight! A middle-aged woman and a man sitting at a picnic table surrounded by fascinated young people all listening attentively to what she was saying. I wanted to go over there but didn’t. I waited to see what would be said afterward.
Revonna has had visions. You might ask, “Visions? Were they about the past? The present? The future?†The answer is yes. They are as ancient as the earth and as modern as tomorrow. These kids wanted to hear about it.
We don’t do church like everyone else. We didn’t even mean to start a church, and I’m not sure we should even call it a church. One night with seven people present, after three hours of nothing but prayer and scripture, suddenly the Holy Spirit broke in and spoke to us that we were to meet in our basement on Sunday morning, and have Rich Bean bring the message. We were shocked honestly because none of us had talked about it. Rich didn’t even answer whether he would do it or not. One woman said, “Yes, please.†I responded as any gracious hostess would, though tentatively, “Ok.†Everyone then left. [Read more…]
The Bates family of Anderson County, including County Commissioner Zach Bates, left, and father and pastor Gil Bates, second from right, and mother Kelly Bates, right, sing “This Land is Your Land” and “God Bless America” during a Tuesday ceremony for new “In God We Trust” signs at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.
CLINTON—In a ceremony that featured pastors, prayers, and patriotic songs, a group of about 150 people watched Tuesday morning as the first of four signs emblazoned with the national motto “In God We Trust†was unveiled at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.
Supporters celebrated the installation of the seven-foot, 180-pound sign as a victory for the majority, a chance to honor the nation’s heritage.
“Whether you agree with this or disagree with this, the democratic process took place,†said Tom Byrge, director of missions for Clinton Baptist Association. “The majority of the U.S. citizens will continue to believe, and will not be ashamed to say, ‘In God We Trust.’†[Read more…]
A large area of our United States experiences major drought conditions frequently. This is unusual for some of the affected areas. Occasionally, this happens everywhere but when it happens to your territory you react differently. The Bible used the phrase, “It depends on whose ox is getting gored.†We don’t mind if the desert Southwest goes dry, they are used to it! And it’s okay if the Sahara Desert gets a little bigger, nobody important lives there anyway! However, when your grass turns brown or they start water rationing in your neighborhood…then it is a crisis!
Wherever there is a crisis, it affects those around them and larger areas in a ripple effect. If the hay crop is reduced, if the tomatoes don’t bloom, or if the corn withers away, then it hits the farmers first and gradually stores, and finally our own pocketbooks. If people thought Katrina only affected those in Louisiana, they learned in subsequent months just how far-reaching disaster spreads. Just ask your local insurance agent! [Read more…]
Ephesians 5:21-33
When was the last time you said—“Thank You�
When was the last time you said—“Please�
When you introduce your spouse…How do you do it?
With…enthusiasm,
embarrassment,
appreciation,
a joke—
with love.
When you talk about your church, how does it sound? Are you ready to invite someone? Are you hesitant because your church doesn’t have a particular building or music? Do you hold back because you do not attend church very regularly yourself?
When you talk politics or city government, do you appear distraught? Are you constantly griping about the way things are in the world today? Are you still upset that you have not won the lottery!? [Read more…]
It was a line from a Dirty Harry movie. The first time I heard it, I loved it. Such wisdom for a violent movie, yet the truth was so obvious. Make no mistake…man does have limitations! We may refuse to accept that; we may not want to recognize it, but it is a physical and spiritual truth.
I want to address this as our great church problem. We are supposed to be a people of faith in God. Yet, we consistently attempt to do things, in our own strength, which are beyond our ability. We seek new programs, new ideas, new pastors, NEW ANYTHING, rather than admit we are unable. As that old cliché says about Grandma finally giving up: “I guess we’re gonna’ have ta pray. It looks like it has came down to that!â€
