English Seminar: Jennifer Clement, ‘“Sighs Make Joy Sure”: Joy and Grief in Seventeenth-Century Sermons and Poetry
Jennifer Clement, Sighs Make Joy Sure: Joy and Grief in Seventeenth-Century Sermons and Poetry
For every work on joy in early modern English literature, you can probably find ten on grief and melancholy. Yet joy, as well as its lack, was essential to early modern understandings of religious experience. Just as joy was thought to be a marker of God’s presence and a sign of justification, many feared that the lack of joy might point to damnation. And if joy was a necessary accompaniment to the experience of God’s grace and presence in the soul, many people worried that, conversely, grief or melancholy must indicate the lack of justification.
In this paper, I show how early modern Communion sermons represent the problem of grief as a communal rather than an individual problem. In this they share common ground with poetry by Amelia Lanyer, Henry Vaughan, and George Herbert, whose writing represents Communion as potentially grief-ridden but ultimately joyous for its promise of union with other believers and with God. Reading the Communion sermons of Richard Sibbes next to these poems, I show how both poets and preachers offer a pathway to joy that leads through grief, not around it. In the process, these writers suggest that grief and joy might be harder to tell apart than we often assume, and they take an often explicitly pedagogical stance to teach others what joy means and how it might be cultivated.
Jennifer Clement is a Senior Lecturer in Literature at the University of Queensland. Her book Reading Humility in Early Modern English Literature came out in 2015, and she’s also published numerous articles on religion and early modern literature, Shakespeare and film adaptation, and teaching. This talk is taken from her current book-length project on seventeenth-century English sermons and emotions, tentatively entitled Godly Affections: Rhetoric, Persuasion, and Teaching the Emotions in the Early Modern English Sermon, 1600-1642.
EMLAC is the University of Sydney’s Early Modern Literature and Culture research group which is based in the English Department. It meets on the last Friday of the month during term from 1-2.30pm.
EMLAC is a friendly and supportive gathering of early modernist researchers including tenured staff, casual staff, research students, alumni and honorary associates. We are mainly focussed on English literature, but have strong cross-disciplinary interests.
All meetings will be delivered via Zoom.
Contact: Liam Semler (firstname.lastname@example.org).


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Methodist leader calls for peace in Dominica but cautions church leaders not to get involved in partisan politics. Reverend Seth Ampadu has urged Dominica nationals to respect the recent outcome of the court’s ruling to prevent any further delay of the elections. The Methodist church leader was speaking following reports of civil unrest over in Dominica. Elections in Dominica will be held on Friday December 5th. Senior News Correspondent Cecile Actille reports.
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As you spend time in the Word, have you ever found yourself reading a certain passage throughout your times with the Lord and finding its revelation always changing? I have heard it said that the Word of God is infallible and never changing, but our understanding of it should always be changing in alignment with our growth.
I have come to the conclusion lately that in order to embrace our life purpose and destiny we must clearly understand how God sees us. We can easily be misled by faulty perceptions and old thinking in need of transformation. When we consider the true heart of God, let us not be misguided and detoured by the blame game the world is placing upon God. Frankly, we can expend all our energy and efforts in what we can see rather than in what God has promised.
As more and more Men of Issachar affiliations are springing up, it is so important that we never forget the foundation of our identity and our astonishment at how great and awesome our God is. As Men of Issachar, our past only echoes how great and matchless He has been in our development. Our present only reflects our current understanding of our purpose at hand. But the future is a brand new invitation to discover and explore the purposes for which we were created…our mission, if you will.


My Musings: Sex - Curated not Created
Updated: Jun 7, 2019
Let’s talk about SEX, baby! It is all-consuming. And for good reason. It can be exhilarating, mind-blowing, and breathtaking. Or it can be awkward, disappointing, and anti-climatic. Everywhere we turn, we are inundated with sexual messages. By music. By religion. By media. It’s one area of life that we’re all interested in and influenced by, but rarely do we get the chance to dream about sex. I’m not talking about wet or erotic dreams. I’m talking about dreaming about the kind of sexual person you want to be. I’m talking about the kind of sexual relationship you desire. I’m talking about dreaming from the truest, most authentic part of you. Take a moment to imagine. If sex was a blank canvas that you could fill without the influence of culture, what would you fill that space with?
We don’t get to decide what kind of person we want to be sexually in the same way we can dream about who we want to be when we grow up. By the time we’re teens (and maybe even before), we’re blasted with so many sexual messages that it leaves little room for choice and creativity. Our sexual personalities are curated. Be demure. Be sexy. Be domineering. Be freaky. Be kinky. Or if you grew up like me, the Christian church taught you nothing about sex except not to do it until you’re married. There’s no room to dream. It’s suffocating.
When I was thirteen years old, I participated in a debutante-like program that culminated with me vowing not to have sex until I was married. I was thirteen! I was not thinking about sex, so the vow was ok by me. But as I grew up, I made a different choice. I wanted to have sex. And everything I learned about sex came from music, my girls, my doctor, and Google. I wonder what kind of sexual partner I would have become if I had the opportunity to dream.
So, lately I’ve been reimagining what kind of sexual relationship I want. If I had space and time, who would I be sexually? What kind of partner would I desire? It’s been a fun exercise and one that I’m sure will evolve and change as I grow. For now, I know that I want a sexual relationship that’s connected to more than just passion. I want to be vulnerable in my sexual relationship and I want to see my partner’s vulnerability in return. While I’m still filling in my canvas, the process has been liberating. I encourage you to ask yourself these same questions. Choose. Will your sex life be curated by culture or created by you?


Is it possible that there can be any exception to the denial that the law is sinful? EasyEnglish is a system of simple English designed by Wycliffe Associates (UK). Sin, however, does not reign over him; otherwise, as it is directly opposed to every degree of obedience to the law, it would not suffer him to do anything, even the least, in conformity to the will of God. I died. I know. He is discoursing of that corruption which he still experiences. With the philosophy of the question we have nothing to do. The original word for lust signifies strong desire, whether good or bad. Before we died with Christ. But in referring, also, as he does here, to what is internal, and therefore speaking as before God, who alone searcheth the heart, and measuring himself by the holy law in all its extent, he confesses himself to be carnal and sold under sin. When the commandment came. After exhibiting the meaning of the whole connection in this view, he asks, Is this, then, the way in which the law of God proves fatal to the sinner, viz., by convincing him of the true and deadly nature of sin? Much outward conformity to the law may in this way be attained from the pride of self-righteousness, without any principle better than that of a selfish, slavish, mercenary, carnal disposition, influenced only by fear of punishment and hope of reward. It is a thing of which no Christian is ignorant. How can the greatest of the apostles characterize himself, and by extension, all Christians, as “unspiritual,” a “slave to sin” and a “prisoner of the law of sin”? To delight in the law of the Lord is characteristic of the regenerate man. See notes on Romans 7:14 of this chapter. 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! Members appear to be mentioned here rather than body, to denote that sin, by the impulse of their various evil desires, employs as its slaves all the different members of the body. This means that no longer am I the one. College Press, Joplin, MO. God forbid. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein were held; that we should serve in newness of sprit, and not in the holiness of the letter. For if he had had such a view of the law previously, he would not, in his own opinion, have been blameless concerning its righteousness. 4. In the preceding verse Paul had said, I would do good; here he more fully expresses the same desire after conformity to the holy law. Romans 7:2,4 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband… Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God… freed. 7. It is not an insulated passage; it contains the clear development of a great general principle which belongs to the whole of Divine revelation, and is essential to its truth, a principle of the utmost importance in Christian experience. It is not possible. But it is now a broken law, and therefore all men are by nature under its curse. 6:10, and to the law having fulfilled it by His obedience and death, so that it hath no further demand upon Him. 1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? And every regenerate man, the more he is convinced of sin, which in his natural state never disturbed his thoughts, the more he advances in the course of holiness, and the more nearly he approaches to the image of his Divine Master, the more deeply will he groan under the more vivid conception and the stronger abhorrence of the malignity of his indwelling sin. This is the Christian paradoxto live in a condition of "confident despair.". Of course not! The commandment was meant to bring life but I found it brought death,. Ver. Could a good law be the cause of death? Dead to the law by the body of Christ, means dead to it by dying in Christs death. It is that disposition by which we are inclined to evil, the habit and inclination to sin, and not merely the acts which proceed from it. Paul uses an illustration from human life to show that the Christian is dead to the Law. Dr. Macknight translates the original thus, which we had under the law. But the meaning is, not which we had under the law, but that were through the law. Of course not! For when we were in the flesh, the motives of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. For when we lived. But they have no similarity to the present case. Remember Luther's description of the Christian: "at the same time righteous and sinful." But sin takes occasion by the commandment to lead one to death (8-12) B. The law, however, which was ordained to life, will at last be proved to have attained this object in all in whom it has been fulfilled, Romans 8:4, by Him who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. I thank God through Jesus Christ. In the same way, it was only by grace that the Apostle Paul was what he was, 1 Corinthians 15:10; and by that grace he was enabled to maintain the struggle against his old corrupt nature, until he could exclaim, in the triumphant language of victory, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. My grace, said Jesus to him, is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness., The whole concluding part of this chapter is most violently perverted by Dr. Macknight, and Mr. Stuart, and Mr. Tholuck. This is a thing which Paul knew as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he must have known by experience also. He begins by making it clear that those who are in Christ have been released from any obligation to the law of Moses. - When you marry, you are bound to your spouse until death do you part. He speaks of himself, that it might not be supposed that the miserable condition he described did not concern believers; and to prove that the most holy ought to humble themselves before God, since God would find in them a body of sin and death; guilty, as in themselves, of eternal death. See Romans 7:9. Question: "Is Romans 7:14-25 describing a believer or an unbeliever?" Compare Romans 7:7 and note. Romans Chapter 7 vs. 1-3 - The law applies to a living person. 5. Mr. Stuart says that this expression intimates that the Apostle had some exception to the universal sense of the words translated God forbid. Mr. Tholuck considers the position in which, according to his view, Paul has thus placed himself to be so awkward, that he does not allow it to pass unnoticed. So far it has conquered, and so far we are defeated and made prisoners. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Proverbs 20:9. See Romans 6:2-4. Of this, every man in his best state, and in his very best thought or action, falls continually short. For this there is no foundation whatever. ESV, Romans 8:5-8: 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Every commandment of the Decalogue tends to promote human happiness. A married woman. And if, as all Scripture testifies, enmity against God be the characteristic of the wicked, and delight in God and His law be the characteristic of a regenerate man, by what perversion of language, by what species of sophistry, can it be affirmed that the Apostle, while describing his inward delight in God, is to be regarded as portraying himself in his original unconverted state? Verse 7. John 16:8. ... Bible Study Tools Online Lessons ... is here used in the plural form to denote the whole body. No man, says Jesus, can come to Me, except the Father, which hath sent Me, draw him, John 6:44. They are as completely and as blamelessly free from the covenant of the law as if they had never been under it. In order that. The evil propensity of our nature the Apostle calls a law, because of its strength and permanence. It constantly besets him, and, from its influence, his very prayers, instead of being in themselves worthy of God, need forgiveness, and can be accepted only through the mediation of Christ. When Luther discovered the distinction between the law as a covenant and as a rule, it gave such relief to his mind, that he considered himself as at the gate of paradise. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. He knows that sin is wrong, yet he goes on sinning (compare 1 John 1:8-10). I delight, says the Psalmist, to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is in my heart. I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I love, Psalm 40:8, <19B916> 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 92, 97, 174. Of course not! But when he now understood that it was also spiritual, extending to the most secret desires of his heart, he discovered in himself so much opposition to its penetrating and discerning power, that, as he had said, sin revived, and he died. Thus the man that delights in the law of the Lord is blessed; and who will affirm that an unconverted man is blessed? He had proved that, by union with Christ in His death and resurrection, believers who are thereby justified are also sanctified; he had exhibited and enforced the motives to holiness furnished by the consideration of that union; he had, moreover, affirmed that sin shall not have dominion over them, for this specific reason, that they are not under the law, but under grace. He had no conviction that he was radically and practically a sinner, of which the passage before us proves he was now fully conscious. But he found an opposite bent in his corrupt nature, which he calls a law in his members. That is, which was appointed to give continuance of life to those who obeyed, and which, therefore, it would have been life to obey, as it is said, The man that doeth them shall live in them. By the commandment here referred to, the law, in all its parts, appears to be meant, with a special allusion to the tenth commandment, which shows that the desire of what is forbidden is sin. It showed him that he was a transgressor of the law, and therefore condemned by that very law from which he had before expected life. This is according to the uniform language of his Epistles, as well as of the whole of Scripture, both in its doctrinal and historical parts. Romans 7:2-3(the illustration of marriage) "Which hath a husband" -- this means she is married, is under her husband and is to be subject to him. The second circumstance in proof that the Apostle is here referring to the present time, is, that he delights in the law of God after the inward man. Paul now begins to describe his own experience respecting the operation of the law. I do not understand what I do. Was it not incumbent, too, on Paul, as on all other believers, to pray daily for the forgiveness of his sins? Verse 7. Inductive Bible study on Romans 7:13-25. But when the commandment came. Does not this describe a conflict equally severe as that in which, in the passage before us, he represents himself to be engaged? To others own… and even more difficult to teach to others to in... Subjects of his own sinful nature. his former with his present state, the. Sin killed him bound by the law difficult to understand on our own… and even more to. 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His Excellency Bishop Salvatore Ronald Matano writes, “It is not nostalgic to long for the return of the pillars upon which authentic civilizations and nations are built, namely honesty, respect, civility in language and in practice, and the exercise of charity, the lack of which creates division that boils over into anger and violence,” quoted by local Catholic Courier in toto — In Catholic faith, nostalgia distinct from Tradition. Some excerpts:
Tradition in the Church… is a living reality, the ongoing communication of the gift of salvation in Christ through Word and Sacrament. It hardly is an outdated, outmoded attachment to the past. Rather it proclaims the living eternal Word of God and culminates in our communion with Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and in the Sacraments of the Church in the here and now.
At the same time, it commemorates the lives of the holy martyrs, saints, doctors, pastors and holy virgins in the Church’s liturgical calendar, seeking the intercession of those who have gone before as witnesses to the Church’s Tradition in their own times. This communion of saints embraces us in our own lifetime, as the saints are true members of our family in the community of believers and whose lives continue to represent commitment and love for Jesus, the same love and commitment we are called to through our Baptism in Christ.
Always and everywhere, the Church is our home. We cannot forget the faith into which we were baptized and the rituals that accompanied us along this journey of faith. Whether in a different language or in a different form, Holy Mass throughout the ages has inspired and continues to inspire so many of our vocations and life choices. These roots are not easily forgotten, nor does the Church expect us to divest ourselves of our personal experiences of faith that brought us into communion with Christ. Our “ancestry.com” reaches back to the time of Christ, and even before as He is prefigured in the Old Testament.
Benedict XVI advanced the Theology of Continuity, which embraces the Tradition of the Church in every age, allowing it to respond to the needs of contemporary society, such as the work of the Second Vatican Council, while always remaining faithful to the Church’s living and ongoing proclamation of the Church’s Creed. In this spirit of continuity, Benedict XVI has continuously supported and pledged his loyalty to Pope Francis. He who formerly occupied the Chair of Peter now gives filial homage to the one who now is Peter.
In his scholarly book entitled Nostalgia, Anthony Esolen wrote: “Happy talk about how all change is good and change that wipes things we have known clean off the face of the earth is extremely good – nobody in human history has thought or spoken so heartlessly. Nobody until our time” (p. 71). Properly understood, nostalgia in a positive sense is not meant as an unreasonable clinging to former accidentals of life or denying the positive improvements medically or technologically made in contemporary society. Rather, it represents a longing for those realities that can come under the umbrella of Tradition: the desire to protect the child of the womb, the nuclear family, the origin of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God, the preservation of peace, the freedom of religion and keeping whole and entire the Truths of our Catholic faith, and yes, our personal history of faith that fueled in us a desire to follow Christ.


06 April, 2015
The treasure of Rennes-le-Château : a mystery solved by Bill Putnam & John Edwin Wood [Clare, Massey Library]
In a small village in France, called Rennes-le-Chateau, a mystery unfolded that would capture the public imagination for many years to come. A quiet priest, Father Berenger Sauniere, moved to the ancient hilltop town and proceeded to renovate the church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
There had been human occupation on the small, rocky hilltop for centuries, and in neolithic, Roman and Visigoth times there may have been as many as 30,000 people living in the town and scattered nearby.The church itself shows evidence of having been rebuilt many times, and has earlier features intermingled with more modern architecture.
It was the cost of the renovations and other buildings which the priest financed, which led to speculation about where a poor country priest found the money to undertake such extensive work. Over time, he renovated the church and commissioned new artworks, and built a separate tower nearby which he furnished as a library, as well as a very comfortable villa which he intended to be a retreat for retired priests.
During the early renovations he was seen to recover parchments which had been hidden inside two ancient stone pillars. Locals believed that he had found maps which disclosed the location of a hidden treasure. Many wondered if this was the fabled treasure of Blanche of Castile who had supposedly hidden it in the area. Or whether the Cathars had hidden their wealth before being persecuted by the French king. Still others believed that he had found the marriage certificate of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and the genealogy showing their line of descendants.
He made several trips to Rome and other countries, and there were rumours of the involvement of the Priory of Sion and the Vatican. If he did indeed discover such a document, the price of his silence may have enabled the priest to finance his buildings. It was said that on his deathbed he made his confession to another local priest, who appeared ashen-faced after the confession, and became morose and depressed thereafter.
Of course, the legend has continued into the twenty-first century with the bestselling books of Dan Brown, the Da Vinci Code. I happened to be in London some years ago at the Temple church, when the films with Tom Hanks were being made, and I recall people wandering about with the books, and knocking on stone walls, and peering at inscriptions.
Whether or Father Sauniere found an earthly or explosively religious treasure may never be known, but it is certain that he got fabulous sums of money from somewhere, and the buildings he erected stand as a testimony to his sudden wealth. This is a good read with plenty of historical background and information from descendants of those who took part in the events. An enduring and a puzzling mystery.
Title: The treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau
Authors: Bill Putnam and John Edwin Wood
Publisher: Stroud: Sutton


This dissertation examines four bestselling Christian novels published in the United States between 1850 and 1900: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe, The Gates Ajar (1868) by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Ben-Hur (1880) by Lew Wallace, and In His Steps (1896) by Charles Sheldon. These four books reached millions of readers in a time when many Christians refused to read novels at all, helping to launch what is today a $4B Christian merchandise industry. More importantly, amid what Nathan Hatch has called the “democratization of American Christianity,” popular Christian novels offered a measure of cultural unity, despite splintering churches and increasing skepticism.
To explain these novels’ literary popularity and religious impact, I approach them as what I call “surrogate Scriptures.” Just as surrogates are both representatives and substitutes, in a sense these novels can both replace the Bible and point readers back to it. All four novels confirm the Bible’s centrality and authority in Christian theology and practice, but they also showcase changing attitudes toward reading, understanding, interpreting, and applying Biblical content. The four novelists I study here stake out very different positions on these issues, but they all contribute to a vibrant and fascinating Christian literary culture.
Each of my four chapters evaluates one or more of three related theological concepts: revelation, hermeneutics, and exegesis. Chapter 1, on Uncle Tom’s Cabin, examines the role of Bible reading in Augustine St. Clare’s conversion. I show how Stowe transforms the “take and read” scene from St. Augustine’s Confessions to link Bible reading to social action. In Chapter 2 I evaluate intertextuality in The Gates Ajar, in light of the novel’s diary-like structure. I track several of Phelps’ allusions and quotations, and show how she uses a range of artistic and theological resources to offer her readers both comfort and creativity. Next, in Chapter 3 I analyze the Magi’s origin stories in Ben-Hur, in light of doctrines of Christian supersessionism. These narratives, I argue, promote the idea that the Magi’s respective cultures and religions must inevitably give way to Christianity. Finally, Chapter 4 examines the role of writing and ethics in In His Steps. I contend that even though the characters ask “what would Jesus do?” to inform all their ethical decisions, they actively avoid studying or even reading any texts, especially the Bible.
Overall, my study contributes to the existing scholarly literature by enriching and complicating our understanding of Christian bestsellers, and of 19th-century attitudes toward reading and applying the Bible. These four novels, though only representing a small portion of 19th-century Christian fiction, demonstrate diverse and sophisticated ideas about reading, faith, and imagination. Christian readers, writers, and publishers approached cultural engagement cautiously, especially with art forms that could distract or even mislead believers. Evaluating their strategies in terms of Biblical authority, not just doctrine or content, gives us a flexible and sophisticated framework for understanding a range of Christian fiction, both historical and contemporary.


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Grace is hard
Heck, even God seems to struggle with it
The story of Cain and Abel is a caution against the dangers of making sacrifices in bad faith. Some things you can fake ‘til you make it, but loving God isn’t one of them:
3 - And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 - And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 - But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 - And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 - If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 - And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
A common interpretation of this passage is that Abel made his sacrifice in good faith by bringing “the firstlings of his flock”. Cain did not - and that is why God rejects his offering. Presumably, Cain didn’t offer up the best of his fruit. Or perhaps it was given as a (calculated?) exchange, with the expectation, conscious or not, that he would extract favour from God in return.
The ill roots of his intentions are made evident in verses 5 and 8. Cain isn’t just upset that God did not reward him with what he wanted. He also kills his brother.
Cain’s failed and hollow trade deal¹ stands at odds with the Christian and Buddhist conception of God’s love² as unconditional. This sounds nice, until you realize its corollary, which is that God’s love can never be earned or merited. This is meant to be liberating, but tends not to sit well with those of us who believe in exercising force to make things happen. We don’t like the idea of things being beyond our control.
Force can look like grace from a distance
Force isn’t always violent. The most insidious forms of it can look suspiciously similar to love, grace, tolerance, and forgiveness. Sometimes we create good enough forgeries to fool even ourselves. We desperately want to believe that we are, underneath it all, good people.
What betrays false grace is the fact that it is performed with expectations, and is therefore an attempt to manipulate and control³. Cain’s falseness is not in the nature of his sacrifice. Whether the fruit was good or not is irrelevant. What gives him away is his rage upon failing to secure God’s favour.
Unconditional love is perfect because it is given with no expectations, and therefore leaves no possibility for disappointment, anger, or resentment.
The problem, of course, is that us mere humans are far from perfect. We are constantly falling short of this ideal.
Aside: I’m engaging with religion because my secular self is not living life well
I am not a religious person by affiliation with any institution, and neither are most of my peers. Many of you probably stopped reading ages ago. If you haven’t yet, thanks for bearing with me.
Lesson #1 flew straight over my head: only God can do this, because only God is perfect. The rest of us will spend our lives trying and failing over and over. The hope is that the infinite gap between ourselves and perfection may get a tiny bit smaller.
There is nothing to lose from trying something new, and there’s alot of grey space between sterile atheism and bible-thumping. So buckle up - here we go. 🌳🔥
God’s love is (supposedly) perfect and unconditional, and even He thinks about throwing in the towel
Is this sacrilege? Maybe. But hear me out.
One of my favourite pieces of music is Liberation by Harold van Lennep:
The song samples a remarkable sermon by a late preacher named Ravi Zacharias. He talks about the book of Hosea - a prophet who has been instructed by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer, and to love her despite her ongoing sins.
The story is an analogy for God’s undying love for the people of Israel, during a time when they began to worship false idols 🐄:
Zacharias presents this story as an example of God’s perfect and unconditional love, given to an undeserving people. Starting at 1:43:
As this man goes looking for his wife who has broken her bond of commitment to him, somebody stands in the street and says to him, "Hosea, we love you, we respect you, we admire you. You’re a man of integrity. But we do have a question for you: How can a holy man like you be in love with such an adulterous person like that?"
Hosea says, "I’m really glad you asked because I have an answer for you. Now I’m beginning to wonder how a holy God like that can love such an adulterous nation like us."
The crowd is moved to applause by this. I’ll admit that the first time I heard this sermon, I cried a little bit.
Then I decided to do a little digging. And true to form, I found…
…a whole lot of reasons to be disappointed
If something that moves you turns out to contain some falseness, does the whole thing become invalid? Or would disappointment be hypocritical, because we all contain falseness?
I honestly don’t know.
Firstly, in a twist all too common in organized religion, Zacharias was post-humously found to have engaged in horrific sexual abuse.
On one occasion a student protested vigorously such an interpretation of the Lord’s command to Hosea that he marry Gomer. “How,” he asked, “could God ever command a prophet to marry a prostitute or one who had participated in sexual rites related to Baal?” Yet, what greater demonstration is there of the reality of a love that transcends our own than that Hosea should do precisely this […] Is not this so very much like the love of God for us “while we were yet sinners?”
Now, you can flippantly argue that all religion is basically organized hearsay, and that crying “citation needed” is a bit pointless in this game:
But it did make me wonder whether there was any merit to this sermon at all. Did Zacharias just make all this up? Did he swindle a crowd full of suckers? Was I tearing up on the basis of a lie?
In fact, the Old Testament God of Hosea doesn’t seem unconditionally loving at all. He lashes out with pages of furious invectives and threats of horrific violence against the people of Israel. Here’s an example:
15 - I will have no compassion, even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the Lord will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures.
16 - The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.
Yikes. In fact, it sounds like Hosea’s God is pretty much prepared to say “screw this” to the whole bloody project:
12 - Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 - Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14 - Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 - All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
16 - Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
17 - My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
Yet the message of Hosea, as claimed by most sermons, is that we should take after God’s example of unconditional love and forgiveness. In the last chapter, Israel turns itself around, God’s anger subsides, and his love remains:
1 - Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
2 - Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
3 - Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
4 - “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.
It’s not clear what would have happened if the people of Israel hadn’t repented. The book of Hosea ends with this:
9 - Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
“The rebellious stumble.” For all the emphasis on God’s undying love, the last verse of Hosea is not an embrace, but a warning. This God forgives, but he doesn’t forget. How oddly…human^⁴.
So what’s a mere human to do, then?
Christianity’s big innovation in the New Testament was the idea of forgiving those who have hurt you the most, and who you were most meant to be able to trust - instead of continuing to pass the violence onwards.
For inspiration on this objective, we were sent the role model of all role models:
Jesus was sold and killed for thirty pieces of silver, and still forgave⁵. Most of us are lucky to have only faced smaller and much less deliberate betrayals. Hurtful words thrown in anger. The dull wear of repeated disregard. Lies of convenience. Misfired good intentions. And most commonly, simply being within striking distance of someone else’s own hurt, fury, confusion, and despair.
Yet we all know how deeply these can cut. True forgiveness, even in the face of supposedly trivial slights, is a damn hard thing. It seems that even Hosea’s God, in all His perfection, came precipitously close to walking away from His own people.
If He’s allowed to struggle with grace, then maybe we are too.
Gratitude to Benjamin Parry for his thoughts on this essay. Good stuff is his, blasphemy is mine - although true to form, he insists that this is not the case. 😂
I’m also grateful that he’s the kind of person who keeps a Bible on the shelf - a brave choice in this day and age 😱 :
1 - I mentioned this in my last essay but it’s worth mentioning again: Buddhist tradition also conceptualizes love as unconditional. As Thich Nhat Hanh puts so eloquently at 9:54 in this video, anything given with expectations “is not maitri [lovingkindness] - it is a kind of trading.”
2 - I use the word “God” here as shorthand for the way that perfect love is conceptualized in many other religions besides Christianity: Buddhism, Daoism, etc. Feel free to de-capitalize the word, if it makes you feel better :)
3 - One could argue that Cain was the OG story of codependency: a tendency to behave in ways that appear to be loving and self-sacrificial, but are actually rooted in a (conscious or unconscious) desire to manipulate and control outcomes.
4 - Ben brought an interesting refutation (or perhaps he would use the gentler term, “reframe”) to this point. Most philosophies don’t treat God as an actual supernatural being with characteristics. He is more “a personification of what is”, much as Ayn Rand’s characters (Dagny, James, Rearden, Roark, etc) are a personification of perfect capability or perfect evil. Or how Baby Yoda is a personification of potential - and more specifically, the potential for goodness to turn into boundless power when correctly loved and guided. Evil is turning away from God; unconditional love is turning towards Him.
5 - Apparently it’s a matter of open debate whether Jesus actually forgave Judas himself. 🤷♀
Lastly, I want to end with this beautiful (and really intense 😬) piece of art by one of my favourite painters, John Singer Sargent.
This is a part of The Frieze of Prophets at the Boston Public Library, depicting (from left to right) the prophets Zephaniah, Joel, Obadiah, and Hosea:


Because St. Nicholas Church has had such a long and colourful history, it is difficult to give a comprehensive narrative. However, a guide book, which contains the history of the Church, is available for purchase at the church.
Here, we provide details of some of the key events and features of the church building.
The site of St. Nicholas Church is near the centre of the Roman Town of Ratae Coritanorium.
Various buildings succeeded one another on the site between the Church and the Jewry Wall Museum.
The final use the Romans made of it was as baths, and the Jewry Wall itself was the east wall of this complex of buildings.
The ground all round the Church has been excavated at various times, but what, if anything, stood on the site of the Church itself is uncertain.
Immediately to the east lay the Forum, and suggestions have included a basilica, a temple and an open space or exercise ground.
Excavations carried out in 1971 indicated that foundations run west to east under the Church some 50 inches below the present floor, level with the bases of the arches of the Jewry Wall. There was a colonnade Immediately to the east of the Jewry Wall, and parts of these Roman columns have been erected in the churchyard.
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The effect of one Man, Jesus,
in our lives. The beautiful transformation of our lives
to that of freedom in Christ.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" ~ Ephesians 2:8
a metamorphosis during the life cycle of an animal.
the induced or spontaneous change of one element into another by a nuclear process.
Please note: a metamorphosis during the "life" cycle.... I have had so many women share with me ( and I have been here ), that they do not feel God present and/or working in their lives. They are bereft with troubles. Marriage struggles, children failing to launch, health issues, disappointments... I can go on, can you relate?
Please know, a seed is planted. Then it must be watered.
Watered with scripture, with prayer (conversation with God), with the Holy Spirit, with experience, with connection to others.
I am not one who's seed flourished upon planting. My walk with God has been a journey, albeit the changes in me took place without my noticing at first. Is this happening in your life?
A sprinkling of a ha's.. a noticeable change in how I react..a heart mending..acceptance of things once not acceptable..a softening of the heart..patience..compassion. Gifts of transformation given to me along the way. Beautiful gifts. For me...a journey, an impatient one at times, but yet a journey.
I was even angry that God did not just "touch" me and change me instantly for a very long time! I saw this happen to people. They would be healed of a hurt, an illness, or have something miraculous happen that would just absolutely change them and strengthen their faith immediately. I was jealous of these people...now, I am ever so grateful that my walk has been as it has been. Why? Because, for me, this was what God needed to do. He needed to peel away the hurts of the past and hold my hand and walk with me, open my eyes and show me things. It's not that I did not believe, or that I was not instantly saved when I accepted Christ in to my heart, I did believe and I did accept, I just did not get an instant download, and I want to assure you that not everyone does.
For me, the journey has strengthened my foundation. It is concrete and I am clothed in my faith in a way that I would not have been had my walk been any other way. The trials, the pain, the situations, the outcomes all make me who I am today.
Like a child who puts her hand in a candy jar and pulls out the most perfect candy..she is content and runs off. I didn't find the right candy right away. I kept dipping into the candy jar. I still dip into the candy jar. The sweetness of the scriptures that speak to me. Those that once meant little, now pop out at me. The sweetness of prayer. Once a seemingly one sided conversation is now met with a feeling of presence and an enveloping of love. And on those days that I don't feel, it's ok, because I now know. I just know.
This is a snippet of my walk with Christ. My personal walk. We are all so different and can not expect what we see "going on" with someones walk should be the same for us. We are all so intricately different. We all hear His voice in different ways. Don't discount that God is not working in your life because you are comparing your journey to someone else's. That is the worst thing you can do. And, don't let man tell you how your walk should be in its entirety, because God may have different roads and avenues for you to experience, You do not want to miss what God has for you because you are trying to copy someone else's walk.
I pray that today you find peace and solace in the fact that you have an amazing God, Who is an amazing Father. A Father Who loves you unconditionally and wants the very best for you. He wants you to have a beautiful life "now" and He wants you to be prepared for forever. I pray that you will walk this journey today, knowing that He is by your side and you are never alone. I pray that your eyes will be opened and you will see His work in your life today. I pray that you will realize the trans-formative nature of this beautiful walk...that you will look back and see just how much He has guided and directed you. He has and will always, hold your hand.
Bless you today and always. In love. M
"I am the Good Shepherd: I know my sheep and my sheep know me--" John 10:14
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2


Pamela “Pam” Marie Cuckler Sarver, 68, of Roanoke was called home to be with the Lord in Heaven Thursday, June 9, 2022. She was a daughter of the late Carl Cecil Cuckler and Effie Marie Milton. In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her husband, Johnny William Sarver; a son, Kevin Wayne Rogers; great-granddaughter, Raelyn Kay Carey; and one brother, Terry Cuckler.
Pam will be sorely missed by all the lives she touched. She was generous and kind to all that were blessed enough to cross her path. She is now free from sin and error and has been made eternal in the heavenly realm. And as we mourn our loss of her we must also rejoice that through the blood of her Savior, Jesus Christ, she is renewed again in perfection. She has thrown off her earthly garments and has put on the holy ones.
Surviving are her children, Wayne Alexander Rogers, Jr., Anne Marie Rogers and Carla Sarver and fiancé, Jayson Vermilye; a brother, Steve and Wilma Cuckler; grandchildren, Skyler, Madison, Rylan, Cody, Sarah Hope, Tyler (fiancé, Daisha), Jayson Vermilye “Little Jay”; great-grandchildren, Layla Sprouse, Carter William Lee Carey, and Alaric Vermilye; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other countless loving friends and relatives.
The family would like to thank Sam Sarver for all the care and support he gave to Pam.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 9 pm, Thursday, June 16, 2002 at Lotz Funeral Home, 1001 Franklin Road, Roanoke. A celebration of Pamela’s life will be held 2 pm, Friday, June 17, 2022 at Lotz Funeral Home, Roanoke with Jason Wheeler officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. Online condolences may be made at www.lotzfuneralhomeroanoke.com


Well, sort of running with endurance, anyway... :) Definitely sounds good, right? I have been really meditating on Hebrews 12:1 lately. It says, "...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." Kinda like starting over, emptying myself out, so that I can allow God to fill me with the things I need to get through the day. Anyway....
Today was the last work day at MDO. Talk about a looonnnggg day. I have never felt so emotional or bittersweet in my life. I woke up this morning, remembering the anxious excitement I felt on a similar morning that now feels like decades ago. When I first took this job, I knew it was absolutely God working in my life. However, I seriously doubted I would be able to keep at it for a year, while maintaining school, the adjustment to a recent move, and keeping myself from drowning with life's issues. Today, I felt such joy and thankfulness in my heart for the changed person that went to work this morning versus the overwhelmed fear-ridden person that went that first day. Such healing has taken place in me. Overwhelmingly peaceful healing.
So much of my day has been focused on reflection; what we have done over the last 9 months in the lives of the kids, their parents, and this ministry. While I focused quite a bit on the kids I wouldn't be seeing over the summer, as well as those moving on to kindergarten, I couldn't help but think over my life, where it has been, and where God is taking me. I am blessed, and I am so incredibly thankful.
Let me just say this, August feels seriously like 3 years ago. Life has gone by so fast, and yet so insanely slow. My journey has taken me down roads I never even thought I could experience, much less come out breathing, laughing, smiling and really enjoying. Anyway, back to August. My reality 9 months ago was pretty bleak. I was presented this job opportunity that was really perfectly suited for me. I was nervous, but felt like I should be capable. I was still battling the divorce process, just starting a visitation schedule, and trying to understand why God would even care for me, this divorced woman who totally ignored God so many times. I never slept through the night; sometimes because my kids woke me up, but most often because I would have nightmares that would get me so emotionally spent I couldn't go back to sleep. I felt like I was walking out hell on earth, not understanding I wasn't being punished or unloved, but that His plan was to draw me close to Him, whatever that took.
I don't typically share stuff like this, because I hate thinking about how people will react, or the ways they will judge me. Tonight, I really feel it on my heart to share little bits, and am going to do so. Through the months of August, September, October and the beginning of November, the only thing that kept me here was seriously the hand of God. Between motherhood, school, work, panic attacks, exhaustion, fear, anxiety, and severe depression, I really shouldn't be alive. I never attempted to kill myself, but prayed more than once that God would just let me die. I was tired of fighting every single issue. I was so weary of the fear that was literally eating me alive. It would be easier for God to just take me. I even wondered if maybe I was supposed to help God out and just do it for Him. My girls are honestly the only reason I am here, alive, today. I knew their lives needed me in it. So I kept breathing, even when I felt like I was drowning, I kept breathing. Completely the hand of God.
Let me just say this. God is amazing. He constantly astounds me. He knew just what I would need, and when I would need it. He knew the people I would need, the financial situation I would be in, and the confirmation of being on the right path. Why we doubt his love, plans, or awesomeness, I will never understand.
God placed me in a church during the darkest hours of my life. While I may have been working in an MDO program, the program is a ministry of the church, and takes place in a church. Where better to teach me how His love to surrounds me? He knew this environment would allow His incredible peace to wash over me. He placed me in an environment where I wouldn't be alone. He planted incredible women around me to love me, hug me, and most importantly, pray with and over me. Looking back, I am absolutely amazed at the vision I can clearly see of me literally resting in the palm of one open hand, the other resting almost on top of it, protecting me from only He truly knows what. Even when I thought He was so far away, He was so close. I used to get so frustrated that it always seemed Monday and Wednesday nights were my worst nights. It seemed that when I knew I would need sleep the most, I got the least amount. Looking back now, I honestly believe God allowed things to happen when He knew I would have people around me to lift me up. In my weakness, His strength shone through. I cannot describe how many mornings it was a child that would just smile when he or she saw me that kept me from crying. How many mornings I went to work on the verge of breaking down, and having someone stop and pray with me. This job was not just a job for me, but a realization that He was genuinely looking out for me. His plan was to allow me to heal, grow and rest in Him. I have an insanely bright future because of things He placed in my path years ago. I am so blessed. I am so thankful. Words can't even express. To the ladies that have helped me over the last little bit, thank you. You will never know how much of an impact you have had in my life. You will never know how much your hugs, time, tears and prayers have changed my life for the better. Thank you doesn't seem enough, but will have to do.
I will never say I have overcome fear or anxiety. I will never say that I will never again experience the insanity of a panic attack. I can say this: God is bigger. He is stronger. He is working for my good. Through all of the craziness, I have learned I have a Comforter. I have a Protector. I have the ultimate Provider, Helper, and Peace-Giver. So many things, can't even name them all. I have had one panic episode since Thanksgiving. I have had two nightmares. In August, I was experiencing between 3-5 nightmares per night. I never thought 9 short months later I wouldn't even be able to remember what they were about. I am so thankful, too.
I remember feeling so helpless. The amazing part? I don't feel helpless now. I feel God's power and strength pouring through me. I know that I may not like exactly where I am at right now, but God has it all figured out. I love knowing I can help the girls understand it, too, because when I am struggling with something I feel I can't do, I just have to remind myself, I can do all things.... I was tucking Sara in to bed a few nights ago, and was praying with Sara. She was worried about an upcoming situation that is a little new and a little scary for her. Her words to me were, "Mommy, I can't do this." As a mom, my heart was pretty much ripped out of my chest and thrown at a wall. I was hurting for her. It was at this moment I realized she was limiting herself to what she could do in her own ability. I looked at her and said, "Sara, you can do this. The Bible says, I can do all things in Christ, who will strengthen me." She laughed, and said, "Mommy, actually, it says, I can do everything in Christ, who gives me strength." She still said she really didn't want to do what she had to do, but knew she was able to, because Christ would give her strength. She even knew it word for word, unlike her mommy. :)
Here I sit, excited for what may or may not be coming my way. I know that with time, God will reveal the next season to me, and when He does, I will be ready. I am so happy that I have the opportunity to have my girls with me all but 4 days a month. I am so thankful God placed me in a church setting that loves me and my girls, regardless of our status. I can't wait to completely strip off these things that are just slowing me down and really run the race I was called to finish, and even more, so thankful I don't have to do it with my energy or strength!


One rather pleasing outcome of the lockdown has been that I have met new people. Strange, but true!
During this period I have engaged with a Sunday evening Zoom “happy hour” meeting of Baptist ministers from across the country – most of whom I have never met in person. I have taken part in a prayer meeting of the Friends of Ffald-y-Brenin – the Pembrokeshire retreat house where I have stayed and which I support, but which is too distant for frequent visits. And last night I met for prayer and conversation with a handful of friends and one person I did not know, all of whom share a connection with the Door Trust – a Christian Centre on the Isle of Mull.
We are distanced from one another in many ways, but we are also connecting in new ways. This is not only a time of loss and disconnection. It is also a time of fresh ideas and new connections.


“Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.”Unknown
This is hard to write because there will never be adequate words to honor you or the life you lived.
It’s been one month since we said goodbye to you. It’s weird how it feels like yesterday but also like an eternity ago. The pain is fresh, but it’s like I haven’t seen you in forever. Such contradictory feelings. I’m not sure how to process them.
It amazes me how quiet the house is without you. You weren’t a vocal dog, but you sure did stomp around the house and throw your body down when you found a cool spot to rest. I never realized how much noise you made. The silence of your absence is absolutely deafening. Not to mention having you by my side almost 24/7 for eight years and then not having you here at all has made my world feel incredibly empty.
I was talking to our friend Aaron the other day and he asked me what lessons I learned from you. I learned so much from you, but the most important lesson you taught me was to love everyone. That’s such an important lesson given the world we live in right now. You loved every living being you came in contact with. Like I told Aaron, you were the perfect example of what God wants us all to be. What a gift it was to witness your unconditional love for all things. I truly feel like I didn’t deserve you because you were so incredible, but I am so blessed God chose me to be your mom. I know without a doubt that you made God so proud. He’s rewarding you in heaven with all the pupcakes, fries, and pup patties you can eat.
Beyond your profound capacity for love, you lived your life with patience, loyalty, forgiveness, and kindness. You and I both know you had your stubborn moments, but those moments were constantly outshined by how gentle, selfless, and sweet you were. You were just as beautiful on the inside as you were on the outside.
I hope you know the impact you had on this world. Your life was filled with incredible purpose. You helped save so many lives through our company. You made many friends along the way and brought joy to so many people, some we knew and others we didn’t. You were a patient foster sister and never complained about having to share your space or toys, even when I could tell you were over it.
Not only did you make the world a better place, you made MY world a better place. Of the many “hats” you wore during your life, the one I will appreciate the most was being the best support system I could have ever asked for. You were there for a lot of good moments in my life, but most importantly you were there for some of the toughest ones. You were my source of comfort and strength when we said goodbye to your great grandpa Poppy and your fur siblings, Flip and Sadie. You loved me through breakups. You made me brave enough to handle my hereditary hemochromatosis diagnosis by going with me to every blood test and therapeutic phlebotomy. You even made the journey to Arizona with your grandma and me to support me through additional health concerns even though you hated the car. You always had my back, even when it meant doing things you didn’t want to do.
One of the things that makes losing you so hard is that you’ve always been my source of comfort, strength, and bravery during tough times. Losing you is one of the toughest things ever and I don’t have you to get me through it.
I’m not quite sure how to do life without you. I know you taught Elsie everything you could before you left and for that I am grateful. But you and I both know that, as much as we love her, she can be a little stinker and really would have benefitted from more time with you.
If I’m being honest, we all would have benefitted from more time with you. The reality is that there was just never going to be enough time with you. You were too good for this world and we were lucky God let us keep you for as long as He did.
So, my sweet, beautiful girl, please never forget:
You will always be the best girl and were truly my once in a lifetime dog. Thank you for ALL the things. I love you forever and appreciate you more than I could ever put into words. You changed my life. I will miss you every day until we meet again.


We have a strong connection with Deaf Shalom Zone, Inc. DSZ used to be housed under our church until it became so vital and complex that it was better for it to be its own 501(c)3.
Deaf Shalom Zone, Inc. is an awesome non-profit that serves the Deaf and DeafBlind community in the Baltimore and Washington area. They do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religious affiliation, or gender.... or anything else. They serve anyone who wants help. They function within their CARE model.
If you are having trouble with something, please reach out to our staff and we will do what we can to make sure you get the services you need.
Beyond that, they host awesome events with Towson students, local teachers and experts, and more. If you'd like more information, check out their website. They also accept interns and volunteers!
We believe, as Christians, that we are not called to "volunteer," we are called to serve God. Nobody is a volunteer in God's kingdom. Let's work together for God's glory!
What is God calling you to do? What are your spiritual gifts? Don't know? Contact us and we'd love to guide you through that journey.
United Methodist Church


What is Elevate Kidz?eKidz is an exciting children’s ministry designed to help your boy or girl take their next step towards Christ. At each eKidz experience your child will enjoy worship, teaching and a variety of fun activities as they are exposed to God’s Word and are challenged to grow in their relationship with Christ.
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When you arrive, look for our eKidz check-in station.
One of our friendly team members will help check your child into our system. You and your child will receive personalized, coordinating ID tags unique to your family and your visit, which you will show after the service in order to pick up your child. If you lose your ID tag, you will be required to show your Driver’s License in its place.
At check-in, we will ask for the following personal information: Family member’s names, children’s names and birth dates, address, phone number, and any special instructions such as allergies or special needs for your child. We recommend arriving 15 minutes prior to the startof the worship experience (9 & 10:45 am).
If for any reason we need to contact you during the service, you will receive a text on the mobile phone number provided at check-in. You will join an eKidz team member who will take you to your child.
A Special Note
If for some reason you need to enter any of the eKidz areas (including the First Steps Nursery) you will need to find a member of eKidz Team who will give you a Guest ID tag to wear and will take you were you need to go.
For ages as young as 6 weeks to fifth grade.
Ages 6 weeks - 3 years
The First Steps Nursery provides an opportunity for your child to experience the love of Jesus at a very young age. As our trained nursery team holds and engages your child in age appropriate play, they pray for them know God, sing songs like “Jesus Loves Me”, and expose them to the love of Jesus.
Preschool - Kindergarten
As part of weeKidz, your child will participate in energetic worship and learn the Bible through age-appropriate activities like stories, crafts, and Bible action songs. Each child is given the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with friends and teachers through times of structured and unstructured play.
First - Fifth Grade
Every eKidz experience is designed to show the love of Jesus to elementary age children in a way that is exciting and makes sense to them. Every week they will get to experience and dynamic worship, play energetic games, and learn about the most exciting book in the world; the Bible! There is an opportunity every week for children form friendships during the Hangout time at the beginning of every eKidz experience.
Fun, Safety, and Learning!
Kids love fun! We bring kid-inspired fun to every experience through energetic worship, interactive games, and friendly environments. Our eKidz Dream Team is made up of people who feel called to share the love of Jesus and bring enjoyment to your child’s church experience.
Your child’s safety is of the utmost importance to us. We are committed to a system that creates a safe and clean environment for your child through a secure check-in/out process and thoroughly trained and background checked team members.
As a church, we are always investing in the next generation. From praying over infants in the First Steps Nursery to sharing relevant Bible lessons with preschool and elementary kids, our goal is for each child to learn about the Bible and experience God’s presence weekly.


When I was a teenager, I was just a tab bit rebellious.
My mother would scoff at that comment, and say, “you’re the reason my hair turned gray at such a young age!”
Praise God, I’ve been redeemed and transformed!
But in my teen years growing up in the Baptist church, we would have communion the first Sunday of every month. Before they passed the bread and grape juice, the pastor would often read the warning in I Corinthians 11:28-30
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
Many times I would think up an excuse why I needed to leave church at that particular moment. I would often sneak out the back, or suddenly have to go to the bathroom.
I knew I had to be in the “unworthy” category and would surely I would die or get sick if I took communion.
But since then I’ve learned the truth – It is so important I have to share it with you –
Communion is a wonderful gift, a memorial, that Jesus gave us.
Communion is a constant reminder of what was accomplished for us through God’s love and grace toward us at the cross.
Sadly, in the majority of churches communion is just a ritual. If you ask many believers what they are doing when they eat the bread and drink the wine (or grape juice) they could not give you an answer. But it is crucial to understand the meaning so that we receive everything Jesus bought for us at the cross.
In 1 Corinthians 11:29–30, the Apostle Paul tells us clearly that the one reason some Christians are weak and sick and die prematurely is that they don’t discern the Lord’s body when they partake of the Holy Communion.
When Jesus held up the bread at the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “this is my body, broken for you.” The bread represents that Jesus’ body was broken and beaten for our health and healing.
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.” ~ Isaiah 53:4-5
And when you partake without understanding this truth, you partake in an unworthy manner – not realizing the power in His body broken for you! The power to heal, the power to bless you, the power of restoration and wholeness that is yours.
But when you do discern the Lord’s body – you do apply the truth of what Jesus paid for you at the cross, through His body, then you will be strong and healthy, with restoration and wholeness.
Unfortunately, many believers (like me) were taught that if you have sin in your life, you are unworthy. You cannot partake of the Holy Communion, lest you become weak and sick, and even die! That’s turning the blessing into a curse. Because of this, many Christians are afraid to come to the Lord’s table and are therefore robbed of the health-giving power of the Holy Communion.
You are only unworthy to take communion if you are not a Child of God.
You become God’s child by accepting the free gift of salvation that Jesus paid for at the cross.
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you are disqualified?
So before you take communion you want to “examine yourself to see if you are of the faith” Are you saved?
If not, receive God’s gift of salvation right now!
There is no one worthy to come to the Lord’s Table except those who have been MADE worthy or made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ.
When we drink the cup of wine, we are signifying that it was Jesus’ blood that paid for our sins and washed us clean.
It is also the blood of Jesus that enforces the New Covenant with the Father on our behalf.
It ensures all God’s promises are for us today. And ensures us that we are joint-heirs with Jesus and that we are made righteous. Looking ahead to Heaven, it also ensures that Jesus has the joy of presenting us faultless and blameless before the throne of God.
So take communion often! You don’t have to be in church to do it. Your priest or pastor isn’t the only one who is authorized to serve it.
Revelation 1:5 says we’ve been made priests to our God!
We take communion often right at our kitchen table. Whenever the devil tries to put sickness on us. Or when we have a financial need. We remind ourselves of the Covenant we have with our Heavenly Father. We remember through the bread and wine that we have a Covenant for all the gifts of salvation. Forgiveness, healing, prosperity, deliverance, safety, rescue, liberation, restoration.
I took communion with my girlfriend who had been struggling with an irregular heartbeat. She told me later that after we claimed what belonged to her, that she knew she was healed. She began to improve from that day forward and today she has a healthy heart.
Here’s a sample of a prayer for communion:
Get out a cracker and wine or grape juice – we’ve even used water. (It’s what you are signifying by it that matters.)
Hold the bread in your hand and say*:
“Thank you, Jesus, for Your broken body. Thank you for bearing my symptoms and sicknesses (or poverty and lack) at the cross so that I may have Your health and wholeness. I declare that by Your stripes, by the beatings Your bore, by the lashes which fell on Your back, I am completely healed. I believe and I receive Your resurrection life in my body today.” (Eat the bread)
Then take the cup in your hand and pray:
“Thank you, Jesus, for Your blood that has washed me whiter than snow. Your blood has brought me forgiveness and made me righteous forever. As I drink, I celebrate and partake of the inheritance of the righteous. This includes provision, restoration, and wholeness in every area of my life.” (Drink the wine.) *Sample prayer by Joseph Prince
So many Children of God are suffering needlessly with issues that Jesus already paid for on their behalf. Don’t let one drop of Jesus’ blood go to waste. Who do you know who needs to hear this message today? Please share it with them.
God bless you!


"The King Is Born" Presented by the Southside Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir on Sunday, December 3rd, 6:00pm
We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God and the basis for our beliefs. We believe the ordinances of the church are believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper. Our church Subscribes to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963. We voluntarily band ourselves together as a body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind.
*9:15am Sunday School
*10:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service
*Sunday Morning Children’s Worship Service for PreK-3rd grade begins after Children’s Message.
*6:00pm Sunday Evening Worship Service
*5:45pm Wednesday Evening Dinner
*6:30pm Wednesday Evening Adult, Youth, and Children Bible Study
*Southside Baptist Sanctuary Choir Presents "The King Is Born" on Sunday, December 3rd, 6:00pm.
*Children's Christmas Carol will be on Wednesday, December 13, 5:45pm.
*Cleburne County Cares Store Workday will be Saturday, December 16, 8:45am-Noon.
*Youth Christmas Party will be on Saturday, December 16th, 5pm-8pm.
*Adult Bible Study Only on Wednesday, December 20th, 6:00pm.
*Offices will be closed for Christmas Friday, December 22 and Monday, December 25.
*Adult Bible Study Only on Wednesday, December 27, 6:00pm.
*Offices Closed for New Years Friday, December 29 and Monday, January 1.
9:15 A.M. Sunday School
10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service
Children’s Worship Service for PreK-3rd grade begins after Children’s Message.
6:00 P.M. Evening Worship Service
5:45 P.M. Dinner
6:30 P.M. Children, Youth, and Adult Bible Study
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Questions for the Ephesians Wrap Up:
1. What do you think the response was from the Ephesian believers when they heard Paul’s letter read to them?
2. Remember some of the characteristics of Ephesus in the 1st century: major port city, business center, religious pluralism (i.e., lots of different religions / beliefs to choose from), Greek philosophy, etc. In what ways is the place and time that you live in similar or dissimilar to ancient Ephesus? How does Paul’s letter to the Ephesians apply specifically to where you live?
3. What has been the most meaningful and significant part of our Ephesians study for you?
4. If there is one passage in Ephesians that you could memorize, what would it be?
5. Drawing on the story at the end of the video, how does Ephesians speak to our inheritance and the mandate to go and claim it? (Hint: Think about the two halves of the letter.)
6. What concretely will it look like for you to go and claim the inheritance that is yours in Christ?
Ephesians Wrap Up: Go and Claim It!
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"You can't keep telling Rome to get stuffed"
It is interesting, if predictable, that most reports of this story are headlined with a description of Bishop Morris as being "outspoken," as in "Outspoken bishop fired." The problem was not that Bishop Morris "spoke out," but that instead of being outspoken in guiding his flock to orthodoxy and obedience, he led them astray.
The Australian reports it this way:
THE Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba, William Morris, has been effectively sacked by Pope Benedict XVI over doctrinal disobedience for his support for ordaining women priests and other liberal reform.We're a bit unclear what "natural justice" might be. We do know what "ordaining women priests" is: impossible. And we know what "liberal reform" is: a grab bag of tired complaints rooted in the notion that the Church should conform itself to whatever is currently popular at dinner parties given by over-credentialed elites on the east and west coasts of the United States.
In a highly unusual move, Bishop Morris complained in a letter to his followers that he was leaving unwillingly and claimed he had been denied natural justice.
Not until deep into the article do we get a hint of what's actually going on:
In his letter, Bishop Morris said the Vatican's decision was sparked by complaints to Rome about an Advent letter he wrote in 2006. In that letter, he argued that with an ageing clergy the church should be open to all eventualities, including ordaining women, ordaining married men, welcoming back former priests and recognising the validity of Anglican, Lutheran and Uniting Church orders.Boring. Predictable. Standard. Tedious.
In contrast to some other provincial dioceses, the priest shortage has been exacerbated by Toowoomba's appalling record over recent years in attracting virtually no new vocations.
Long before the pastoral letter, however, concerns had been raised about the material included in sex education programs in diocesan schools and the former practice of general absolution in the diocese.


BARCELONA CHRISTMAS MARKETS AND TRADITIONS
I used to think Christmas was celebrated the same way all over the world. I thought that everyone hung their stocking and waited for Santa to leave presents under their Christmas tree. Then I went to Barcelona.
This was my first time experiencing Christmas in Europe. I’ve seen countless photos of Christmas markets in Europe and assumed that the ones in Barcelona would be similar.
I knew that each city would have its’ own traditions, decorations and christmasy treats. But nothing could have prepared me for one stark difference of the Barcelona Christmas Markets; Santa Clause is out-shined by Tió de Nadal.
Barcelona Christmas Markets
No better place to celebrate Christmas-time in Europe than at a Christmas market. Barcelona holds several Christmas Markets each year. But don’t expect the typical Christmas Markets filled with delicious treats. To my dismay, there were no stands selling treats. (A girl needs her snacks). Don’t come hungry but do come. The two main Christmas Markets are located in must-see spots in Barcelona so there is no way you should miss them.
Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market
This is the main Christmas Market in Barcelona. Its’ location outside the Barcelona Cathedral is an ideal spot in the city. I walked through this market several times due to its’ central location. As the Gothic Quarter is my favorite neighborhood in Barcelona, I made frequent visits.
Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market has all the Barcelona Christmas basics including gifts, nativity scenes and Tió de Nadal. It seemed like every other stand sold everyone’s favorite little log, Tió de Nadal.
Aside from the wonderful array of artisan gifts and decorations, this Christmas market has a great atmosphere. Christmas music played throughout the market, leaving everyone in good spirits. And the stands were set up in a close clusters, making it easy to maneuver around the market.
The best part of the Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market was the stage set up, where children line up to see… Tió de Nadal. I watched as the kids joyously beat the log with a stick, singing merrily. Once they were done, an assistant went under the blanket to retrieve the candy that Tió de Nadal defecated. (I’m not making this stuff up).
Fira de Nadal a la Sagrada Familia
This market located in the gardens outside the Sagrada Familia can not be missed on a Christmas-time visit to Barcelona; mostly because a visit to the Sagrada Familia can not to be on any visit to Barcelona.
Fira de Nadal a la Sagrada Familia allows you to get some Christmas cheer while viewing Gaudí’s masterpiece. This Barcelona Christmas Market has similar products to the Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market. Yet this market is all about the nativity scenes. In Catalonia and elsewhere is Spain, they go all out on their nativity scenes. Here you can find figurines, moss and hay to create the extravagant nativity scene of your dreams.
Aside from nativity scenes, there are plenty of other decorations including Christmas Trees, ornaments, Tió de Nadal and even Santa Clause. This Christmas Market is a bit more spaced out than the Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market yet has equal charm.
Tió de Nadal
At this point, you’re probably wondering who is Tió de Nadal. Prior to my trip to Barcelona I had never heard of Tió de Nadal and now I can’t imagine life without knowing about this unique Christmas tradition.
Tió de Nadal is Catalan for Christmas Log. Tió de Nada is the Catalan version of Santa Clause and brings presents to the children of Catalonia. Each Tió has a smiley face, red hat and a blanket drapped over it .
Beginning on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, the children feed and take care of their Tió . On Christmas, the Tió is placed into the fire and the children beat the log with a stick in order to make it defecate. They beat a log to make it poop out presents. After thoroughly beating the log, the children are sent to pray for the log to poop out lots of presents for them.
All of the Lights
The Christmas lights in Barcelona are wonderful! Twinkling lights are strung in almost every street in Barcelona. These lights depict yuletide greeting and represent the various neighborhood of the city.
The best place to see the Christmas lights is the Plaza de Catalunya and along the Passeig de Gracia. The lights are neon, bright and beautiful. It is a sight to see. Enjoy some shopping in this bustling shopping district while taking in the Christmas lights.
Head to the Gothic Quarter and the Born neighborhood for some equally bright and beautiful yet less neon decorations. These neighborhoods hold some of my favorite Christmas decorations in the city. The decorations are low-key yet full of Christmas cheer.