17
Nov 2022
Over the past five years, I have had the chance to do some intentional work with high school seniors in Nashville. These are seventeen and eighteen year olds who are busy filling out college applications and preparing to make that major life transition in the near future. Along with their head of school, my primary goal is to get them to think about the bigger picture of life, matters of character, values, relationships, and to reflect upon the kind of person they want to become. In the process, I have also tried......
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14
Nov 2022
Leading a congregation through Covid was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Other faith leaders that I have talked to agree. Nobody took a class in seminary focusing on church leadership during a global pandemic. Over the past two years, many ministers have retired early and many others have left the church to do something completely different. This became easy to understand when they got repeatedly criticized for holding a worship service, youth activity, or fellowship dinner. Covid brought out some of the worst behavior and divisions among......
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06
Nov 2022
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01
Nov 2022
This year, one of our MAJOR church ministries returns after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. For 39 years now, Woodmont has been putting on Walk Thru Bethlehem for the Nashville community, and many who travel from out of town. What first started as a live nativity scene up at South Hall in 1983 put on by our youth (to honor Anne Keith) has grown and evolved into a major community event where thousands walk through the doors of our church to experience what it was like when Christ was......
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28
Oct 2022
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20
Oct 2022
How do others know you are a Christian? Is it because you go to church? Is it because of the beliefs you hold? Because you know the lingo? Or, is it by the way you talk, behave, and treat other people around you? This Sunday, we will begin a new sermon series at Woodmont focusing on the core virtues of the Christian life identified by Paul in Galatians 5:22, known as the “Fruit of the Spirit:” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. He sets them in contrast......
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30
Sep 2022
The Woodmont Board held its second meeting of the fiscal year on Monday night. Our church remains in healthy financial shape even though pledged giving tends to lag behind in July and August each year. A financial summary will be provided after September books are closed. Jay Hutchens provided an update of the discipleship and small group ministries. Over 170 people have signed up for dinners for eight this fall. We remain committed to our discipleship path of Seeking (Worship, Prayer, Bible Study), Sharing (Groups and Classes), and serving (using gifts to......
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20
Sep 2022
• To acknowledge that faith and morality do play a significant role in the life of our public servants regardless of political party. • To acknowledge that the civil and political landscape in America is fractured and deeply polarized, affecting every aspect of our culture including the church. • To believe that Christians have a responsibility to model and be advocates for civil dialogue among people of different backgrounds and political ideologies • To honor Woodmont’s ongoing commitment to being a “Big Tent” or “Purple” Church that seeks to bring conservatives and......
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12
Sep 2022
On Friday morning, September 2nd, thirty-four year old Liza Fletcher got up early to go for a run as she often did many mornings. Running was her passion and her outlet. It was the way she stayed in shape and handled stress as a pre-k teacher at St. Mary’s School, a wife, and a mother of two young boys. But this run was different because she didn’t return. She was tracked down and then forcefully abducted right next to the University of Memphis campus around 4:20 a.m. Surveillance cameras showed a GMC......
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