South Main Baptist Church
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It's Time to SMILE!
By Jeannie Chambers
SMILE starts in 2 weeks and I am excited to reconnect with friends after a long, hot summer.missions -
A Back to School Prayer
By Dolores Rader, Adapted from a prayer by Carrie Harris, 2017
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Where Did the Books Go?
To read the first part of the library transformation, click here.
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SODZO INTERNATIONAL MISSION TRIP
Desmond Tutu famously said “When you are pulling drowning people out of the river, there comes a time when you must look upstream and see why they are falling in.”
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527 TRIBE MISSION TRIP TO OKLAHOMA, JUNE 21, 2019
By Lucas Tirado
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527 TRIBE MISSION TRIP TO OKLAHOMA, JUNE 20, 2019
By Kiran Harper
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YOUTH MISSION TRIP TO PERU, JUNE 14, 2019
By Allison Kolter
“She is clothed in dignity and strength and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25
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YOUTH MISSION TRIP TO PERU, JUNE 13, 2019
By Stephanie Donson
When I was asked to write about my experience here in Peru, I didn't know what to write. What comes to mind first is my experience working with the kids at OSA and the time I've spent bonding with the other youth.
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YOUTH MISSION TRIP TO PERU, JUNE 12, 2019
By Cameron Elliott
When getting ready for the trip to Peru, I was nervous. I knew very little about what I was getting myself into. I was mainly worried about being able to interact with the kids. Then the first day came around and every worry went away. Interacting with the kids was a lot of fun; they all had great attitudes and never let the disadvantages bring them down.
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YOUTH MISSION TRIP TO PERU, JUNE 11, 2019
By Chase McKnight
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YOUTH MISSION TRIP TO PERU, JUNE 10, 2019
By Gareth Holder
It was my first day with the OSA kids. I don’t remember a lot of specifics from my last trip three years ago but I remember the kids’ enthusiasm. Being around children always puts a smile on my face. This year, their energy is infectious as ever, and it made me realize something I want to share.
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LIBRARY SPACE REIMAGINED
By Brad Jernberg, Minister of Administration for Operations
We want to make our church family aware of a change to the library space.
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SENIORS THANK THEIR CHURCH FAMILY
Abigail Rader
“My Church Family,
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Holy Week 2019 Highlights
We journeyed through the Wilderness together during Lent encountering God in various settings. While wilderness can look and feel different for each of us, we corporately submitted our hearts for cleansing, our spirits for repair, and our lives for formation.
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Holy Week Devotional: Easter Sunday, April 21
By Steve Wells, Pastor
John 20:15
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Holy Week Devotional: Saturday, April 20
By, Dolores Rader, Minister to Families
Job 14:1-14; Matthew 27:57-66
It is Saturday. The evening before, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down from the cross and laid it in a tomb cut out of rock. The despair and anguish of those who believed must have created a palpable, near-suffocating heaviness. Hope was lost. All was lost.
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Holy Week Devotional: Friday, April 19
By Matt Walton, Minister for Discipleship
Psalm 22; John 18:1-40; 19:1-37
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Holy Week Devotional: Thursday, April 18
Remember
By Carey Cannon, Minister of Music
Exodus 12:1-14a; Luke 22:14-30
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Holy Week Devotional: Wednesday, April 17
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
By Greg Funderburk, Minister for Pastoral Care
John 13:21-35; Matthew 27:1-10
The despair of Judas is an event in Holy Week that often evades deeper scrutiny. His is a wilderness that often escapes our sympathy. Are there some barren wilderness places from which there is no return?
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Holy Week Devotional: Tuesday, April 16
He Leadeth Me...But do I follow?
By Susan Moore, Minister of Administration for Communications
John 12: 27-38, 42-50
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Holy Week Devotional: Monday, April 15
Take Hold
By Brad Jernberg, Minister of Administration for Operations
Mark 14:1-9; Isaiah 42:1-9
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Holy Week Devotional: Palm Sunday, April 14
Palm Sunday
By Steve Wells, Pastor
Matthew 26:35–27:54; Psalm 118 and Psalm 22
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Lent Devotional: Friday, April 12
In the last few years, I have experienced a wilderness, which at the time seemed unbearable. The darkness covered any glimmer of hope and the pain seemed to swallow me up. I have experienced the wilderness of addiction followed by the light of recovery, of loneliness followed by loving community, and of loss followed by abundance.
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, April 11
By Alice Ketchand
The wilderness times in my life, whether triggered by outside challenges or not, were marked by a deep sense of inner emptiness or lack, a sense of something of God being deeper and beyond me. This sense has motivated my spiritual seeking throughout my life.
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Lent Devotional: Wednesday, April 10
By Trey Westerburg
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Lent Devotional: Tuesday, April 9
By Jessica Horton
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." -Isaiah 40:31
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Lent Devotional: Monday, April 8
Four summers ago I had reached a point in my battle with addiction that I needed to get help. I checked into wilderness therapy, a forty-day treatment program that required complete immersion into wilderness living. This could not have been further from my comfort zone. Growing up, my family never went camping. My outdoor skills and experience were exactly zero.
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Lent Devotional: Friday, April 5
By Everett DuBroc
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, April 4
"To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight, and find that the dark too, blooms and sings." – Wendell Berry
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Lent Devotional: Wednesday, April 3
By Jane Benesh
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Lent Devotional: Tuesday, April 2
The Wilderness of our Everyday Life
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Lent Devotional: Monday, April 1
Living in the Weeds
By Krystol Wheeler
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Lent Devotional: Friday, March 29
By Tate Shannon
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, March 28
By Josie Adney
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Lent Devotional: Wednesday, March 27
Hope for Dry Bones
Wilderness. Living in the wilderness. Wandering in the wilderness. For many years I felt I was wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. I lost my career and calling due to deteriorating eyesight. I struggled pursuing other artistic outlets. I gave myself shingles and then descended into depression, all because of a simple genetic disorder.lent-devotional -
Lent Devotional: Tuesday, March 26
By Mollie Musgrove
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Lent Devotional: Monday, March 25
In the Highways, In the Hedges
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Lent Devotional: Friday, March 22
By Nick Woolley
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, March 21
By Anna Bernal
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
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Lent Devotional: Wednesday, March 20
Still the Wilderness?
Occasionally, weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have. --John Piperlent-devotional -
Lent Devotional: Tuesday, March 19
I don't remember the last time I was physically lost. It had to have been at some point driving in Houston before the introduction of GPS on cell phones. I remember having to carry a set of maps in my car to get around in the city. Now, all I need to do is speak where I want to go and the phone plots my path.
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Lent Devotional: Monday, March 18
My mom's parents lived in a small town called Lazbuddie, about an hour and a half northwest of Lubbock where I attended Texas Tech University. God led me to Texas Tech so that I would have 4 years with my Granna and Papa. The weekend I graduated from college in December of 2012 was the last weekend I spent with my maternal grandmother. She passed away a few weeks later.
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Lent Devotional: Friday, March 15
By Nathan Moeller
My own road through the wilderness deals not so much with sin and straying from God, but a life torn apart and forged into something new. At the outset of this journey, I stepped into the unknown with a few close friends and family by my side, but God knew I needed more. Much, much more.
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, March 14
Mustard-Seed Faith
Luke 13:18-19: "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches."lent-devotional -
Lent Devotional: Wednesday, March 13
Abundance in the Wilderness
Over the past several years I've had the privilege to visit the Middle East, much of it the same wilderness where the children of Israel likely wandered. I can't even imagine what that would have been like. You are in the middle of nowhere. You can look for miles in every direction and see nothing but desert. It is desolate - hot, barren, dry.lent-devotional -
Lent Devotional: Tuesday, March 12
By Daniela George
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Lent Devotional: Monday, March 11
By Louis Gomez
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…” Matthew 4:1.
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Lent Devotional: Friday, March 8
Finding your way through the wilderness isn't hard if you have a good map and compass (or smartphone). However, orienteering skills are not always perfect metaphors for life. I know my family and SMBC blessed me with a good guide and a firm foundation in setting a plan for my life. I was given every navigational tool necessary.
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Lent Devotional: Thursday, March 7
Known
By Angela BellWhen I was growing up, I didn't know what I wanted to be, but I knew who I was. I got a lot of "You seem to know yourself very well" comments.
It's true. I did. I still do.lent-devotional -
Lent Devotional: Wednesday, March 6
John 14:5-6
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life."lent-devotional -
Communications Changes
By Susan Moore, Minister of Administration for Communications
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Of Things Seen and Unseen
By Dave McNiel, Operations Committee Chair during the Generations Campaign
It's never one or the other and, for me, that's especially true of the recent renovation of our worship and fellowship space.
Whether it's the unseen things such as:
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Our Gift to Future Generations
Although we recognize that the church is, at its core, its people, the improvements that were made possible by the capital campaign provide a place where we can bring our family each week to play, laugh, learn, and serve with our family of God. Because of the work done in the kitchen and the Fellowship Hall, our family can comfortably and reliably have meals with our family of faith, enriching
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A Sound of Joy and Worship
By Mark Jones
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Worship Participation Accessible to All
Growing up at South Main in the '60s and '70s, I have vivid memories of being in the sanctuary and worshipping with people of different ethnicities. I never remember a time when there were not people of a variety of cultures actively involved in our church. Our church was open to people from different backgrounds in a time when it was not popular to be so.
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Sanctuary Building Renovations
Serving on the Building Committee was an honor for me. My business has been in the management and construction side of commercial real estate, and to be able to use these skills to serve the Kingdom of God was a true blessing.
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What the Broadcast Ministry Upgrades Mean to Me
In October, 2019, South Main Baptist Church will celebrate 60 years of having a television/broadcast ministry. South Main was the first church to be on television in Houston, and we were on Channel 2, KPRC until 1995. The broadcast ministry has evolved over the years to our present day, state-of-the-art facility, as a result of our recent capital campaign.
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South Main Sanctuary Renovation
By Daryl Robinson, Former SMBC Organist & Artist-in-Residence
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Three Steps Up, Three Steps Down
Three steps up, three steps down, three steps up, three steps down. It may not seem like much, but when you do that over and over again during the course of a meal service carrying full, steaming hot pans of food from the kitchen to the serving line, it is an exhausting task.
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To Applaud or Not to Applaud
By Carey Cannon, Minister of Music
There have been instances in worship at South Main when our congregation has offered up applause. Moments such asthe announcement of a newly married couple, the end of a moving testimony, or a musical offering by choir and orchestra have lent themselves to a just and worshipful response of applause. But is it right for us to do so?
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Strength for Today & Bright Hope for Tomorrow
By Brad Jernberg, Minister of Administration for Operations
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Train up a Child...
Some of the moments of greatest clarity in ministry for me were in response to a simple and unassuming conversation which collided with my understanding of the inherent value God sees in each of us and the overwhelming desire He has for us to live beautiful lives filled with joy and blessing.
The number one conversation on this list goes like this:family-ministrystewardship -
The Promises of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace
By Vlad and Eunice Davidiuk
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I Survived My First SMBC Christmas!
By, Matt Walton, Minister for Discipleship
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Advent Reflections by the Taylor Family
By Randy, Penny, and Joe Taylor
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Fresh Faith. Vintage Church.
I visited a vintage clothes shop with my son, Hank, a couple of weeks ago. He needed some shoes and a matching belt.
“The Buffalo Exchange” was hopping on Friday night around 8 PM — a diverse array of folks weaving through tightly packed racks and rows of colorful clothes, holding up cool shirts, trying on stylish pants, gauging their fit and look.
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The Hands and Feet of Christ in our Neighborhood
By: Charles Grant, Ph.D.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 24: BLESSED GIVING
By Josie Adney
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Acts 20:35
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 23: THE JOY OF JESUS
Fourth Sunday of Advent
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 22: A PILGRIMAGE
By Stephen Fox
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:1-2
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 21: LOVE YOUR GOD
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 20: CHRISTMAS GIFTS
They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, His mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped Him, then opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11 (The Message)
This year I have already received a gift more precious than gold, or frankincense, or myrrh. My health was restored.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 19: HOW THE WISE MEN FOLLOWED GOD'S WARNING
By Pat Gray
On coming to the house, they saw the young child with Mary, His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 18: MORNING STAR
By Chase McKnight
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 17: WE'RE IN GOOD COMPANY
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”
Luke 2:9-10
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 16: COMMUNICATION 101
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
I Corinthians 13:1
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 15: THE BABY JESUS
For a child has been born for us, a Son given to us; authority rest upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
By Jeri Kuhleman Heath
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 14: THE JESSE TREE
I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth, I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 13: WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS
By Matt Walton
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 12: GROWING UP WITH ADVENT
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29
By Charlie Funderburk
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 11: AN UNEXPECTED TURN
When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 10: MARY TRUSTED GOD, AND SO SHALL I
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 9: A CAROL FOR JOSEPH
It was December 2008, and we were days from welcoming Duncan into the world. One of the final scheduled church events was a Wednesday night carol sing. It was our first Christmas with the new Celebrating Grace Hymnal when a curious youth requested the carol “The Hands That First Held Mary’s Child.” As we sang through these verses, I found myself overcome with emotion and incapable of singing.
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 8: JINGLE BELLS
Always be joyful.
I Thessalonians 5:16
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 7: SHARED FEELINGS OF THE SEASON
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22, 25 NIV
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 6: ARE YOU READY?
By Bill Anderson
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:22-23
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 5: REFLECTING THE PAST, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
By Angie Durand
Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things. Philippians 4:8
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 4: GLORY OF THE LORD
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
Luke 2:8-9
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 3: EVER-PRESENT LOVE
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 2: PREPARE
By Phyllis Waggoner
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all men.
Luke 2:14
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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL: FOREWORD
By Pastor Steve Wells
Advent is the season in which we wait for - and then celebrate God‘s gift of Christ and of salvation. But waiting for Christmas morning is different for us than it was for those who awaited the Messiah in ancient times - they did not know when He would come.
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Missions Focus: Sodzo International
In September, a group from South Main went on a mission trip to Maua, Kenya, the home of our mission partner, Sodzo International. Many of the participants were first-timers with respect to this particular mission site and, as with any new adventure, they went with a certain picture in their heads of what might come.
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Family Ministry Focus: The 527 Tribe
By Hannah Rollins
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All Saints' Day 2018
By Steve Wells, Pastor
For All the Saints, who from their labors rest, who Thee, by faith, before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed, Hallelujah!
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Family Ministry Focus: Tribe
By Carey Cannon, Minister of Music/Worship
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Family Ministry Focus: Youth
By Brandyn Adney, Youth Ministry Resident
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A look Ahead to the Class of 2029
By Dolores Rader, Minister to Families I invite you to look ahead with me to a Sunday morning on May 20th in the year 2029.
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Sabbatical Reflections by Susan Moore
Minister of Administration for Communications is my title at South Main Baptist Church. I, along with my Communications Team, facilitate timely, accurate communication being provided and heard. On a good day, my job supports all other ministries.
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Family Strengthening In Kenya
Our recent Kenya adventures led us to the villages of Linjoka, Tiira, and Gekka to hear first hand the stories of success with the family strengthening programs that have begun in these rural villages. The value of the family strengthening program is that it is a prevention method to help keep boys from going to the streets.
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Seeing Promise in Kenya
What a difference a year makes in the lives of the Children of Promise at the Watoto Wa Ahadi Rescue Center.
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Hello, Dolly! Reflections by Carey Cannon
Before I gave the conductor's score one last glance, I turned around to catch a glimpse of who had shown for that evening’s performance - and I saw something. I saw two couples sitting next to each other, the Mooneys, longtime members of South Main who now live out of town and the Perrys, who have joined South Main in recent years. They shook hands and began chatting it up.
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Alleluia for the Acts: By Andrea Hoxie
THANK YOU TO ANDREA HOXIE FOR HER GIFT OF THIS SONG TO OUR CONGREGATION. CLICK HERE TO SEE IT SHARED IN WORSHIP SUNDAY, JULY 15, 2018.
ALLELUIA FOR THE ACTS
The Spirit came and fell on men
And then He stayed to dwell in them
The church was born with so much great excitement so many heard and they believed
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My Shaw Mission Trip Experience: By Kate Arenas
I never thought my parents would let me go to Mississippi by myself. But they did and I’m glad they let me go! I learned a lot from the work and people I met in Shaw. When I first got on the bus, I wasn’t too excited. I knew it would be a long drive. It turned out to be very fun! When we reached Mississippi, we stopped for dinner in Vicksburg.
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5 Years: By Carey Cannon
In many ministry circles that’s an average stint. At South Main however, it’s only a drop in the bucket as both of my predecessors Thomas Coker and Thad Roberts combined served almost 60 years.
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The 527 Tribe Mission Trip 2018 Photos: Shaw, Mississippi
"What I loved most about the trip was working with the people and helping. It's cool to take fun trips, but we were really able to make a difference in Shaw."-Lily Gribble, age 11
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South Main Summer 2018 Reading List
Are you looking for some enriching reading for the summer? South Main's Discipleship Committee has polled our ministers and some fellow congregants to collect this terrific list of books for the upcoming vacation season. You’ll find all sorts of picks from the spiritually edifying and deeply educational to the pleasantly amusing and simply entertaining.
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A Tribute to South Main from Steve Scott
I first walked through the doors at South Main 29 years ago this fall. 18 years old, just a few weeks into my freshman year at Rice, I walked up to the third floor of the Loessner building, where the church offices are now - then education space: painted concrete block walls, tile floors - and into Toni Richerson’s Sunday freshman-sophomore Sunday School class.
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The Horizon is Lifting in Kenya
In April of 2016 thirty-four boys, ages 7-13, who had been orphaned and living on the streets of Kenya moved to the rescue center established by one of South Main Baptist Church’s missions partner Sodzo International. The rescue center is called Watoto wa Ahadi Rescue Center which translates to The Children of Promise Rescue Center.
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Family Ministry Spotlight: Youth
Nathan Benesh, Kendra Skipworth, Ruben Jarrin, Blake Wilson, Robbie and Ally Matteson, Carla Brown, Catrice Mays, and Alan Wilson are the Family Group Leaders in the Youth Center every Sunday who teach, listen, mentor, and love on our 8th - 12th graders. They are amazing small group leaders, and we are grateful for their faithfulness and openness with our Youth.
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Family Ministry Spotlight: The 527 Tribe
Cindy Hippel, Lynda McKnight, Bobbye Kolter, Ryan Lane, and Greg Taylor are the Sunday School teachers for the boys and girls of The 527 Tribe. These leaders are intentional about figuring out exactly what our 5th-7thgraders need intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually during this time in their lives.
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Family Ministry Spotlight: MainKids
Charis Smith, Jim Flynt, Sara Tirado, Julie White, Cleavy McKnight, Becky Humble, Ginger and Jerry Hamilton, Clarence Bell, and Mitch Cutsinger serve each Sunday as our wonderful MainKids Sunday school small group teachers. First through fourth graders have an intense need to engage in the church and the word of God. Our teachers do just that by not only connecting with our children o
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SMBC is wild about Families!
By Heather Ballard
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 30
By Linda Gardner
I still remember the first time I entered the South Main sanctuary on a Sunday morning about 35 years ago. I was in awe of the beauty and grandeur, and the worship experience touched me. This was followed by warm interactions with ministers and others, and Spencer and I soon felt right at home in this special place.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 29
By Rob Jefferies
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 28
By Margie Ehlers
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 27
By Kristy Wade-Carroll
Are you waiting for God to do something in your life? Scripture is full of God’s promises. We read and hear them, and sometimes wonder, “How long do I have to wait, God, for you to act?” I encourage you to read the book of Habakkuk this Lenten season. The prophet asks that very question. The answer he gets is not what anyone wants to hear.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 26
By Greg Funderburk …when you least expect it. God finds me more readily than it can be said I find God. Having said that, I feel God’s spirit sometimes ripple through my heart with a fleeting, yet very real sense of presence when I least expect it.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 24
By Cleavy McKnight
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 23
By Anne Tulek
Finding God can come at the most unusual of times. I have a lifetime history of undiagnosed Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Any readers who were also my childhood Sunday School teachers are shaking your heads, thinking about how obvious this was to you 40 years ago. It’s OK.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 22
By JD Walther
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 21
By Larissa Fletcher
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 20
By J Hill
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 19
By Bobbye Lott
Throughout the Bible are many instances where God was revealed to individuals. One of my favorites is told in 1 Kings 19. Elijah, a powerful prophet, was afraid and depressed. He went out into the desert alone, wanting to die.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 17
By Katy Rudisill
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 16
By Drew Philpot
One thing that always leads me to find God is seeing Christ-like behavior from my non-Christian friends. It can come in many different forms, such as sharing words of wisdom, showing love to someone who is hurting, or forgiving a past transgression. They become the visible representation of God to me.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 15
By Andrea Hoxie
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 14
By Michael Raimer Goodman
God, where are you in these children’s lives? I know you are loving, and I know you are powerful – but these children are suffering. Where are you?
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 13
By Lauren Engle
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 12
By Seth Humble
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 10
By Jeanne Ludemann
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 9
By Thomas Coker
Three quotes immediately come to mind when I ponder this question:
“Be still and know that I am God”
“Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth you have for me”
“Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus.”
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 8
By Jamie Negrete
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 7
By Kathy Bernal
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 6
By Rique Carson
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 5
By Al Moore
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 3
By Linda Brupbacher
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3: 5&6
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 2
By Sarah Villasenor
I can admit it, I am lazy about looking for God. What’s worse is, he isn’t very hard to find in the first place. I try to use lent as an opportunity to reflect and thank God for his faithfulness to me, despite my shortcomings.
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL MARCH 1
By Jane Jefferies
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 28
By Ethan Gwaltney
When "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing," and I feast in good health, he "stand[s] at the door and knock[s]," and waits for my invitation to enter. (Rev. 3)
When I am poor, weak, and losing hope, and I quake under the weight of my sin, then is his "power made perfect" (2 Cor. 12) and he "restore[s] me to the joy of [his] salvation" (Psalm 51).adult-ministry -
HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 27
By Jeanette Stokes
GOD IS LOVE. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in Him. 1 John 4:16badult-ministry -
HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 26
By Kyle Barsch
"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all of your heart" Jeremiah 29:13 -
HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 24
By Angie Fox
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 23
By Steve Rader
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 22
By Helen Hoover
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 21
By Brandon Wheeler
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 20
By Shannon Dove
How Do I Find God is an interesting question. And a sometimes troubling one for me. My whole life I have heard stories of how God revealed Himself to various friends and family members, sometimes in bold fashion, sometimes in quiet, personal ways.adult-ministry -
HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 19
By Byron Keeling
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 17
By Mark Gribble
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 16
By Claire Hein Blanton
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 15
By Charles Williams
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL FEBRUARY 14
By Ann Sullivan
Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12
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HOW DO I FIND GOD?: SOUTH MAIN'S LENTEN DEVOTIONAL READINGS FEBRUARY 14 — MARCH 31
A few years ago, Father James Martin edited a collection of compelling essays. Martin, day by day, one by one, asked a group of writers, cultural leaders, and other interesting people, both famous and not so famous, to prayerfully consider, then answer this quintessential question: “How Do I Find God?”
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Kingdom Coming
For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NIV)
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He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion -Philippians 1:6b
...He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion... -Philippians 1:6b
Dear South Mainer,
A phone call, an email, a notification—there are lots of reasons we drop one thing and move on to others dozens of times each day. It's sort of a way of life now, but there's real satisfaction in not just starting, but in completing a task.pastorstewardship -
The King's Singers at South Main
I am beyond excited to share a little about The King’s Singers performing live in the Sanctuary of South Main Baptist Church on Thursday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m. As of this writing, there are still tickets available, so purchase them here.
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Why do I tell others about South Main?
Many people know that I am the Marketing Coordinator for South Main. But, whether or not I am on staff at the church, it has always been my ministry passion to tell people about this church.
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Life Above - January 2018
In the mid-1800’s, a 40-year-old man named Elisha Otis was called upon to convert an abandoned Yonkers, New York sawmill into a factory which made bed frames. The work required laborers to walk up and down multiple staircases many times a day.
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Year End Need $0 - Thank You!
What a blessing! On December 1st of this year, we needed more money than we have ever needed - and more money than we have ever given in December - if we were to make the budget. For that matter, on December 17th, we needed more money than we have ever needed in December - and more money than we have ever given in December - to make the budget, just over $891,000.
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Advent Devotional December 25: This Little Light of Mine
I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:46 valeriehoman.png
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Advent Devotional December 24: Preparing for the Light of the World
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, and fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13B
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Advent Devotional December 23: Finding a Tradition of our Own
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” — “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” Mark 1:1-3
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Advent Devotional December 22: The Light of the World is Jesus
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will toward men.” Luke 2:13-14
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Won't you join us in finishing 2017 South Main Strong?
Dear South Main Family,
As our Advent journey continues and 2018 approaches, we each have an opportunity to reflect on the year and find the many ways God has worked in our lives. Despite the remarkably challenging events of 2017 in Houston, Texas, our faith encourages each of us to dwell in gratitude, and to continue to grow.stewardship -
Advent Devotional December 21: Without Fear
“But the angel said, ‘do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people’." Luke 2:10 marthadoolittle.png
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End of Year Need: $584,323
On a rustic farm outside Maua, Kenya, 35 boys have been freed from a life of addiction and welcomed back into life in faith, family, and with the promise of a bright future.
In Collique, Peru, 3,000 patients this year were treated by a physician or dentist; 120 children received hot and healthy meals five days per week; and a church is growing in the middle of the community.
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Advent Devotional December 20: Anticipating Christmas
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
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Advent Devotional December 19: Waiting for Things Promised
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:45 livoniaglaves.png
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Advent Devotional December 18: My Heroes
For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 lindagardner.png
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Advent Devotional December 17: Suffering. Death. Love.
For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
By Larissa Fletcher
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God’s Grilled Cheese
Stewardship from the mind of a 4-year-old...
UPDATE 2 (December 22, 2017): Our new total is down to $396,494. We're getting closer and closer, one bite at a time.
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Advent Devotional December 16: Photographs of Living
And he said,“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb… For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.
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The Parenting Stake through the Heart
By Dolores Rader, Minister to Families
What parent isn't filled with dread and instantly inflicted with sweaty palms at the very thought of the day when the question inevitably comes..."Why did you lie to me?" Oh, Santa why must parenting be so challenging?
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Advent Devotional December 15: Girl Talk
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help pick them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
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Advent Devotional December 14: An Ever Present Help
I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and Earth. Psalm 121
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End of Year Need: $891,796
We all saw a great picture of giving in worship in each of the last two weeks. On Sunday, December 3, we had 160 singers - 75 in the adult choir and 85 in the children, tribe, and youth choirs - all join together to make a beautiful offering to God. Some sang louder, some sang more quietly.
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Advent Devotional December 13: The Hope of Advent
Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who was in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. Micah 5:3
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Advent Devotional December 12: God Speaks in Many Ways
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
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Advent Devotional December 11: How Glorious!
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
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Advent Devotional December 10: The Promise of Peace
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
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Advent Devotional December 9: Trusting God - Finding our Path
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:5-6 Anne Tulek
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Musical Nostalgia
By Carey Cannon, Minister of Music
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Advent Devotional December 8: The True Light of the World
In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it... The true light that gives life to everyone was coming into the world. --John 1:4-5, 9
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Advent Devotional December 7: Living Nativity
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” --Matthew 19:14
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Advent Devotional December 6: Advent Anticipation
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” --Matthew 2: 1-2
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Advent Devotional December 5: Hoping for Peace at Home
Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. -Luke 2:14 Amy Graham-Carlson
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Advent Devotional December 4: The Birth of a Baby
He [Joseph] took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son.
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Advent Devotional December 3: Adventure and Peace
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on Earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Luke 2:13-14
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Advent Devotionals Foreword
Advent Devotionals Foreword
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The Sacrament of Story
The Advent Book is one of my favorite South Main traditions, because it affords us the opportunity to peek into the developing stories of church family members we might not typically meet on Sunday mornings.
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#GivingTuesday
Whether it’s catching up on your annual pledge or making an additional gift on this occasion, we hope that you will consider giving to your church today.
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A little bit of everything
What is church? Reflecting on our individual and shared experiences as we prepare to launch our new website—a virtual, but perfectly real, place of authenticity and grace.
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Running the long race
Dave Wottle was a string bean of a kid growing up in Ohio in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was so feeble that his doctor suggested he should do something to increase his athleticism in order to stay healthy. So Dave began to run. And he ran, and ran, and ran...
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I am only one
It was Edward Everett Hale, Sr., who said, "I am only one, but still I am one."
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Living the story
We are called to remember and pass along the story of God's saving work in the world. But how?
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Gratitude
We have so much to be grateful for.
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Am I willing to head into the Promised Land?
Faithful living often comes down to whether we are willing to cross over into the Promised Land.
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Kenya 2016 Mission Trip: Post #4
By Jan Barkley — One day, Michael Goodman said off-handedly, “Hey, Jan, we need to figure out how to bake fruit breads with our excess produce. Do you think as a side project you could figure out how to bake some banana bread or something? And by the way, we don’t have an oven and the only heat source is a wood fire.” I love a good challenge.
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Kenya 2016 Mission Trip: Post #3
Today is National Heroes Day in Kenya, and that means the kids did not have to go to school today. Instead, the staff scheduled a soccer tournament with the Laarei Catholic School boys, a private institution similar to Sodzo International.
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Kenya 2016 Mission Trip: Post #2
When I think of Africa, I visualize hot, desert land with wild animals running around, like what one would see at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom exhibit. I was pleasantly surprised on my journey to Maua to discover lush vegetation along the base of Mt. Kenya. Reality was nothing at all like what I visualized Africa to be like.
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Kenya 2016 Mission Trip: Post #1
We’re here in Kenya, halfway around the world in a place that’s full of beauty, contradictions, and surprises. It’s a place that feels both totally foreign and completely familiar.
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Fall 2016 Mission Trip, Post #4
By Patti Peymann Romeril — What is your vehicle? How do you serve others, share the love of the Lord, and fulfill spiritual needs in your worldly tasks?
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Fall 2016 Mission Trip, Post #3
By Charis Smith — Lunch making has its own spiritual lessons. This year I’ve learned: “Pieces of bread are not alike.”
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Fall 2016 Mission Trip, Post #2
It's important to remember that you do what you can do each day, and understand that while you will not solve every problem, you are making a difference.
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Fall 2016 Mission Trip, Post #1
By Larry Carroll — This is my first trip to Peru with Operación San Andres, so there is a lot that is new to me.
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Summer 2016 Youth Mission Trip, Post #5
By Brian Chambers — Visiting the Cathedral of Lima
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Summer 2016 Youth Mission Trip, Post #4
By David McKnight — The power of music is so mysterious and awesome, and today was filled with it.
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Summer 2016 Youth Mission Trip, Post #3
By Isabella Baar-Hill — As a member of the music and dance team, I teach kids songs and dances to perform at the end of the week. Their joyful willingness to master a foreign language is a gift I will carry home with me.
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Summer 2016 Youth Mission Trip, Post #2
By Drew Barkley — Day one of Vacation Bible School at Collique
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Peru Operación San Andrés (OSA) Summer 2016 Youth Mission Trip, Post #1
By Anna Rader — Today, we got the opportunity to visit OSA’s new church, Luz de Esperanza, and meet some of their youth as well as participate in their worship service.
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Millennials and the Church
The millennial generation grew up in noise. How can we hear those voices that want to still us, calm us, and bring us back into communion with one another and with God?
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Why I love Manna…
By Avery Cate — Manna is church. It is community. It’s an accepting place, where I don’t have to fit into any sort of mold or feel like I have my life under control.
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A Saturday Well Spent: Discovery Day
By Kyle Barsch — My wife, Kelly, and I had the privilege of participating in Discovery Day this month. To be honest, I wasn’t sure exactly why I should attend.
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Overwhelmed — Sole Chain/Shoes For Orphan Souls
South Main Baptist Church broke the Guinness World Record for the Longest Chain of Shoes, and the outpouring of generosity was overwhelming.
missions
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