A couple of years ago, on an Advent Sunday morning, before the worship service, I was in the choir room.  Choir members were getting on their robes and starting to practice.  I too was putting on my robe and preparing for worship.  Something hadn’t gone quite right for the morning – I can’t remember what.  Maybe the sound system was broken or we’d had a last minute change with something or other.  I was feeling anxious and I knew there were a few other choir members with full plates or difficult family situations.  We were all lamenting the stress of the …

By this point in 2020, you most likely have learned a new way to do something that used to be routine. Maybe it’s the way you shop for groceries, how you keep your friendship going or remembering to grab a mask when you’re leaving home.  Worship would be on this list.  We’ve worshiped in a variety of ways in the past few months, through a podcast, on Facebook Live, outdoors and spread out.  During November, we will continue to worship outside.  When the weather isn’t favorable, we’ll go online.  Right now this means a Facebook Live service at 11:05 on …

Since the first three months of the year, when the world changed dramatically because of COVID-19, there has been a lot of loss.  As of this week 822,000 have died from the virus worldwide, 122,000 of those in our own country and 2000 in Alabama.  People have lost jobs, lost income, lost freedoms and, in some cases, their way of life.   Grief is the natural expression of loss, and it occurs not only when we have experienced the death of a person, but the death or removal of anything important.  During September, we will explore grief, healthy grief, and share …

During this COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot gather at the church building; however we can still be the CHURCH, following Jesus Christ and sharing God’s love with others.  Here are ways you can BE THE CHURCH.  *Reach out to friends, family, church members. You can do this by phone or letter.  Call the church office if you need a particular phone number or address.  Leave a message if we don’t answer. Especially remember those who are alone where they are (home, retirement or nursing facility). *Worship God  You can do this ANYWHERE!  Pray, Sing, Dance, Read Scripture in your home, outside …

Last Sunday morning, a robbery and shooting happened a block from the church. A Birmingham police officer was shot trying to stop the robbery suspects.  Officer Finke remains in the hospital today; but we rejoice that he is on the road to recovery.  I had just arrived in the parking lot when the shooting occurred, but by the time much of our congregation were on the way to the church, many of Woodlawn’s streets, including ours had been barricaded. The investigation was in full force.  It can be very disconcerting to drive towards your church and see blue lights flashing …

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.  (John 1: 14) “Enfleshed” is our theme for worship this Advent.  Advent pretty much comes with its own theme – it is the season we prepare for the coming of Jesus.  The thing is, there are SO MANY things going on at the same time as Advent that don’t prepare us for the coming of Jesus.  My hope is that worship every Sunday for the next few weeks will focus us on …

I’ve been using this space in recent months to share with you about our church’s move to create a non-profit organization to sustain and grow our low-income food cooperative ministry.  This month is no different, except I want to share one step that we didn’t expect. We named our organization Table to Table, Inc. because the co-ops bring neighbors together serving each other to put food on their dining tables.  It also represents God’s bountiful table where we are fed a meal of forgiveness and redemption, and where there is space for all people.  We were notified last month that …

September 2019 marks five years that we’ve operated our low-income food cooperatives.  The first one began meeting on September 2, 2014 with 10 families.  We’ve grown to serve 50 families which represent 156 people we are engaged with in our community.  Over the past 5 years, we’ve served 300+ people and made some wonderful relationships and connections, in the midst of this empowering endeavor. As communicated earlier this year, we’ve formed Table to Table, Inc, a non-profit organization supporting this ministry.  Currently, the Table to Table board is working on fundraising, with the goal of expanding to three co-ops.   We …

Friends, As you are out and about, could you please help us with our “wish list” for items we would like to add to our stockpile for community events such as Trunk or Treat, the Easter Egg Hunt, and perhaps a new one or two!  Stay tuned! Just put the item(s) in the brown basket and we’ll get them sorted!  Also, there is one “big” wish at the end of this list.  It’s not an immediate need but is something we could really use if one becomes available. Thanks!Kenny   Community Event Wish List   Gently loved stuffed animals of …

During July and August, our sermon series is on PERSEVERING, and we are using stories from the book of Acts to learn how to persevere in our discipleship.  As I was studying this topic, I came across another story where someone had persevered in getting what they needed.  In Luke 11: 5-13, Jesus tells of a friend who needs some bread and knocks on a neighbor’s door late at night with his request.  At first the answer is “no” but the friend is persistent in knocking and asking for bread.  Finally, Jesus says, the neighbor will get up and get …