I was a seventh grader, the first year of Junior High school and excited to finally be part of the youth group at church, but missing children’s activities at church. One day mom called me to the corded kitchen phone, it was a lady from church, Mrs. Wells, who asked me if I would help […]
Author Archives: paulrpurdue
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was […]
Our neighborhood in Antioch was far more interesting place to live than Tullahoma’s Sharondale Drive. We lived on a busy side street in the most diverse zip code in TN. Several times a day a conjoined city bus drove by our house and the pick-up line for Cole Elementary often backed up past our house. […]
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is […]
A Heart for Hope Our Second Advent Candle lighting John came preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John calls out “Get ready- Prepare the way for the Lord.” The crowds ask “what should we do?” John answers “Repent and produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Don’t trust in your […]
A heart for hope Advent Candle Reading Number One The land was devastated. The prophet Jeremiah imprisoned. Through tears Jeremiah preached of a coming hope. The Lord will rebuild. The Lord will restore. The Lord will cleanse. The Lord will heal. The Lord is our hope. Call to the Lord! Our God will answer! […]
Sorting our mail that rarest of treasures slides to the top: a handwritten envelope in familiar script. My eyes dart to the return address for a clue as to the card’s contents. As part of Youth Group our seventeen year-old Lewis wrote his grandmother. Sitting at the kitchen table Mom slowly opens the envelope. She […]
A Heart for Hope Sunday, we begin our journey towards Hope with the Prophecies of Jeremiah (Jer. 33). Jeremiah wrote from prison as the nation literally collapsed around him. This Weeping Prophet foresaw God rebuilding, restoring, and healing even as the Babylonians sacked the Temple. Join us Sunday as we prepare our hearts and turn […]
About a month ago, we spent a Saturday at Neyland Staduim. It kind of reminded me of church. There was a processional, the band leading us down the Vol Walk. There were pilgrims from all over sharing food and drink. People donned specialized orange clothing demonstrating their devotion. We sang special anthems like our hymnal […]
What is greatness? Who is great? What makes for a great life? In Luke 22 the disciples begin to argue about who is the greatest. Funny, they argue about greatness in the presence of Jesus. We may be too sophisticated to openly argue about our personal power and our significance. The disciples might have subtly […]
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