Staff Blogs

It seems like it was just last week that we were preparing for the mystery of Christmas and now we are preparing for the mystery of Easter. I just don’t understand how time suddenly speeds up when you get older! For many years, I gave up things for Lent that were, to...

Ukraine Relief Work, December 2022 Deuteronomy 15:7, “If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor.” John...

Looking Back at the Old Year: Hymns Sung in 2021-2022 Happy New Year! According to the liturgical calendar (see https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/) the Old Year ends with Christ the King Sunday, this year on November 24, and a New Year begins with the first...

Being Ready to Have an Impact for Christ in our World This Summer the church youth explored, at Passport and on Youth Wonderful Wednesday (YWW) night discussions, how to serve God in an impactful way. We discussed how we live and how we respond when given...

Jane Redman Since the Pandemic, we have had “scaled down” events for Halloween and Easter. This year, I am excited to get back to more normal festivities! On Saturday, October 29, we will hold our first event that will be open to the public. We will host a Fall...

From Carey Huddlestun, Minister of Music Thank You and Blessings, Mary Ellen Parkway Baptist Church has been blessed to have Mary Ellen Kerrick as a worship leader for the past several years. As recently announced, Mary Ellen is resigning as organist at Parkway...

July 1, 2022 Once upon a time, a group of wise educators decided that Kindergarten should be less of a academic setting and more of a place where children would learn to live and work together. Instead of reading, computer, math and science centers, there were...

This Easter/Lenten season our Youth collected snacks for the after-school program at the Rainbow Village, using their own money to buy them. Giving their time to earn the dollars and then spending those dollars for someone else’s benefit was their Lenten Mission...

Jane Redman Children's Ministry Coordinator The Ladies’ Book Club recently read the book, American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. This book tells the story of a woman and her son who lose all of their family in one violent attack in Mexico and are forced to leave the...

Wayfinding   I’ve been meeting with a group of colleagues to discuss wayfinding in the context of missions. It is a new concept for me, but I’ve been fascinated by the discussions. I’ll try to introduce you to a bit of what we are learning.   Wayfinding, as...

Each year during Lent, we have tried to provide activities for the children and families to do to help children fully appreciate the season and to grow in their faith. This year, we are offering a more balanced church and home approach to Lent. The Children and Youth...

Hymns that Mark the Day For my daily devotion I use the Morning Prayer Service outlined in the Book of Common Worship. The Book of Common Worship is a product of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and it has its roots in the Church of Scotland. Growing up in the Baptist...

“He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.”   I recently read the above verse in a devotional, and it made me stop and think. First, I thought about what it would mean to stand between the living and the dead. Then I thought, “I wonder how...

Thoughts on a Life of Service Through Music February 1, 2022, marks Mary Ellen Kerrick’s eighteenth year as organist at Parkway Baptist Church. Quite a milestone! Of course, Mary Ellen was an organist before coming to Parkway Baptist. In fact, Mary Ellen has served...

Very soon Parkway Parents will receive a survey about possible outings for the winter and spring. Omicron numbers will hopefully be on the decline when you read this, and we will be ready to get out and do some things! I have researched some options and need parent...

Hope “I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (John 16:33, MSG) I shared this verse with doctors and...

Hymns Used in 2021 Listed below is our annual hymn-use report from this past liturgical year, November 29, 2020 (the first Sunday of Advent) to November 21, 2021 (Christ the King Sunday). I always find the data interesting. It is a reflection of the themes used in...

I heard about a new book by Mitch Albom, The Stranger in the Lifeboat. I have read several of Albom’s books and immediately purchased this one. To no one’s surprise, the stranger in the lifeboat identified himself as “the Lord.” As is usual with a Mitch Albom book,...

The Body I was able to spend the month of November teaching the youth on Sunday mornings. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I found it challenging! The challenge was in trying to communicate a lesson across multiple ages…but this was a very good lesson for me in...

It’s hard to believe that December is here and Christmas is just a few weeks away! Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, music and traditions of Christmas.  Last year, one of the things I missed the most was the Elf Workshop. ...

A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols   On Sunday, December 19th, the Christmas Choir will lead in worship by presenting A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols: A Simple Service for Choir and Congregation composed by and arranged by Anna Laura Page and Jean Anne...

Pursuit For the last few Wednesday evening Bible studies, Pastor Caroline has read through Psalm 23, almost like Lectio Divina. (Lectio Divina means “divine word” and is a way of meditating on scripture to spend time with God and gain knowledge of God’s Word). I...

Thank you to everyone who joined us for lunch and the trip to the Train Museum in October.  It was so nice to see the children out and having so much fun together! Hopefully, that trip will be the beginning of many more outings during this school year. Our next event...

Opportunities to Invite Friends and Neighbors to Parkway There are several upcoming events this Fall/Winter that are natural opportunities to invite your friends and neighbors to experience the community at Parkway Baptist Church. Sunday, November 28, Morning Worship...

What next? Over the last several weeks, since Dr. King retired, the congregation has spent a lot of time discussing the question, “What next?,” in terms of the church’s work in the community. We have heard from various speakers, read books, watched videos, and talked...

There is a phrase that I probably overused as a teacher and have no idea where it came from, “Don’t just sit there like a bump on a pickle!” That phrase comes to mind as we end a month thinking about, praying for, and dreaming of the future of our church.  While I am...

Hospitality In Worship How can we express hospitality in our worship services? First, we need to acknowledge that a Christian worship service is a unique event; it is not a concert, it is not a lecture, it is not a pep rally, although it has some elements of all those...

Philippians 4:7 says, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” When I sat down to write this newsletter, I really wanted it to be positive and encouraging....

Welcome In Many Ways Obviously, we are in a time of transition. Times of transition are natural times to consider what has been done and examine core beliefs and practices. It is not that lots of changes need to be made, but it is a good idea for every organization to...