Events Serve Announcements Give Faithful Role Models Rev. Dr. Frank Thomas’s They Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching argues that earlier generations of Black preachers learned the craft of preaching through careful observation of role models, as seminary training accessible to whites was often out of reach for Black individuals. Role models can be … [Read more...]

Events Serve Announcements Give We are available to you Dear FPC Family, We are a church family, and staff change brings challenges. Please know that your pastors and session are available to you.  We are diligently working with all of the dedicated student ministry volunteers to support our students and their families as well as our ongoing, weekly student … [Read more...]

Events Serve Announcements Give Silver, Gold, or Platinum? We’re moving a little past Valentine’s Day now, but I’m still thinking about love.  Let’s talk precious metal rules.  Most people know the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s found with slight variation in most religions; it’s called the “ethics of reciprocity.” It’s a step up from the … [Read more...]

Events Serve Announcements Give Schadenfreude and the Gospel of Love I recently heard a BBC broadcast in which the hosts were discussing the German word schadenfreude. Schadenfreude is the combination of two other German words: schaden (harm) and freude (joy). Put together, the word means to derive pleasure from someone else's pain. I am not aware of any equivalent term in the English … [Read more...]

Events Serve Announcements Give Finding Our Part in God's Symphony Several years ago, Abby and I attended the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Dallas, TX, as they performed Brahms’s Symphony No. 3 at the Myerson Symphony Hall. It was a spectacular experience; both the conductor and the orchestra were deeply invested in the music they were creating. Reflecting on this, I believe that … [Read more...]