The Act of Gathering
Posted April 23, 2024 by Lauren Gordy in Discipleship
Gathering around a table to share a meal has always been a top priority to my grandma. She started Sunday lunches when I was in elementary school, and we continue them to this day. Each Sunday, my family from across the Houston area gather to catch up, discuss the sermons we heard that morning, and start our week off together. Over the years, I’ve realized just how important the act of gathering…
Monday Over Coffee: "Wrestling"
Posted April 22, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
My son, Charlie, is a big fan of professional wrestling. He knows it’s not “real” in the way most professional sports are—that it’s scripted and staged for the giant audiences it draws. Nevertheless, he finds the dramatic storylines, the larger-than-life personalities, and the fireworks around the whole production entertaining and fun. That is to say, he knows what he’s watching.
New Family Around the Table
Posted April 16, 2024 by Matt Walton in Discipleship
New Member Orientation always concludes around the lunch table with Pastor Steve. As we tend the table together, we cultivate community among the family of God. During this lunch we model generosity of spirit, theological curiosity, and genuine vulnerability. These are the building blocks of a grace-filled faith family. During this lunch new members ask Pastor Steve anything they can think of…
Monday Over Coffee: "A Certain Kind of Joy"
Posted April 15, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Baseball season has started, and I like baseball, which means I should be happy. But I’m not. Why? Because beginning now in the spring, through summer, and into early fall, my devotion to my favorite team unfortunately makes me vulnerable to wide and, some would say, silly mood swings based on something completely out of my control.
Moved by Compassion
Posted April 9, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Discipleship
Over a dozen dedicated South Mainers, moved with this very sort of compassion, have been responding to Jesus’ call to visit the sick and infirm through our MainTies ministry for decades. Started in large part by South Mainer Lura Mash then carried on through the devotion of South Mainer Joyce Gardner, this ministry tethers those who are no longer able to attend worship services due to poor health…
Monday Over Coffee: "A Failure of Imagination"
Posted April 8, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Following September 11, 2001, Congress and President Bush formed the independent, bipartisan group that became known as the 9-11 Commission. The men and women on the Commission were charged with preparing a report regarding the circumstances surrounding the attacks, with specific recommendations designed to prevent any such future attacks
Easter in Review
Posted April 3, 2024 by Steve Wells in Worship, Pastor, Lent
This year for Lent we followed Jesus on the Way of the Cross. Luke 9:51 tells us Jesus “resolutely set His face toward Jerusalem.” Every step He took after 9:51 was a step toward the cross. What we know now is that the cross is the only way to the empty tomb. The plan God has for each of us involves the cross.
Tend the Table
Posted April 2, 2024 by SMBC in Family Ministry, Discipleship, Missions
In April, South Main is joining with other churches in our community to emphasize the value of sitting down at a table to share a meal with one another and feeding the hungry. The hope is that as we Tend the Table together we will be inviting each other—family, friends, neighbors, and strangers—into a warm and beautiful context where meaning is generated and memorable and lasting connections are…
Monday Over Coffee: "Glück"
Posted April 1, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Louise Glück (pronounced glik) was born in New York City in 1943. Her mother taught her Greek mythology as a child, then regaled her with heroic tales of Joan of Arc as she got older. Louise’s dad aspired to be a writer but instead fell into business with his brother-in-law, achieving commercial success after inventing what became known as the X-Acto knife.
Lent Devotion – A Remarkable Day on the Way
Posted March 28, 2024 by Craig Kaiser in Lent
A journey on The Way sounds very linear, organized, and action-oriented. We know why we are here and what we are doing between here and there. I haven’t always found it to be the case for me.
Lent Devotion – The Soundtrack of Life
Posted March 26, 2024 by Jordan McInnis in Lent
“School Bus” is the title I gave one of my most loved Spotify playlists. It’s a collection of punk rock songs that were popular when I was in middle and high school. I got my first hot pink iPod nano in fifth grade and my first iPod touch in eighth grade, and not a school day went by that I wasn’t jamming to these songs on the way to and from school.
Monday Over Coffee: "Sit"
Posted March 25, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Growing up, three little books made a great impact on me as a young Christian: The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis, Your God is Too Small by J.B. Phillips and Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee. The insight packed inside these three slender volumes was profound.
Family Ministry Lenten Reading Plan
Posted March 25, 2024 by Family Ministry Team in Family Ministry, Lent
It is our final week of our Lenten reading plan. As you walk through this final week reflect on how you are able to journey through this week from the low of Good Friday to the highest of high on Easter.
Lent Devotion – Going Home
Posted March 21, 2024 by Gail Musgrove in Lent
My mother served the Lord faithfully for almost 90 years. She was a dedicated servant and teacher and lived her life for God. It was in her final months that I witnessed and shared in her deepest longing…to be HOME with her Savior. At age 96, she had a medical episode that landed her in the hospital, and she made it quite clear that she wanted to go HOME. However, after the hospital stay came a…
Lent Devotion – The Miracle
Posted March 19, 2024 by Johnny Villaseñor in Lent
The biggest road I have had to follow was when I received my diagnosis of kidney failure in 2016. After hearing those words, I began to focus first on what was needed to protect my family. I wanted to make sure they would be taken care of and make sure that everything would be okay. After we received the diagnosis, Melinda and I began to make arrangements with a different timeline laid out before…
Monday Over Coffee: "Delight"
Posted March 18, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
One of the most wonderful and memorable experiences I’ve had at our church was as an audience member of a musical performance by Harold Wade. A long-time member of our congregation, Harold was a gifted engineer by trade but also a trained musician.
Family Ministry Lenten Reading Plan
Posted March 18, 2024 by Family Ministry Team in Family Ministry, Lent
For 7 weeks, you’re invited to join us as we read through the gospel of Mark together. Maybe you’ll see that reading the Bible is a great way to deepen your faith. Maybe you’ll learn something new. Maybe by reading Scripture each day, you’ll begin to notice God more.
Lent Devotion – The Way Through Loneliness
Posted March 14, 2024 by Caleb Rosenblad in Lent
On the night of Jesus’ betrayal, He was abandoned by His disciples. The Shepherd was struck, and the sheep ran. The women remained; they could only watch as He was subjected to utter atrocities. Even as Jesus hung upon the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God! Why have You forsaken Me?” The ultimate hour of loneliness: not even God would look upon His face. We often embellish the scars, the nails…
Lent Devotion – I Want to Live Like That
Posted March 12, 2024 by Sally Reed in Lent
I love the notion, “recklessly abandoned, never holding back” because it’s so inviting. Almost childlike in its sense of fun and spontaneity but with a sense of real intention. Maybe that’s why I loved being a youth leader, why I adore my grandkids. Kids are at once about living in the moment and hungry to learn their purpose.
Monday Over Coffee: "The Tonic of Movement"
Posted March 11, 2024 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
I was recently at a wedding reception, and there…I danced. I have a good friend who says whenever he’s at such an event and steps out onto the dance floor, inevitably, an inner dialogue starts up in his mind, reminding him, “You know you’re dancing right now. People are watching. What’s that thing you’re doing with your arms? What exactly is it you keep on doing with your legs?” He begins to…
