Staff Blogs
From the Student Ministry….
Finding common ground and avoiding becoming the thing you hate Sarcasm, insight, passive resolve, and semi-apathetic support - in our group we have the full spectrum when it comes to political interest...or disinterest. Some I rely on to keep me up to speed on current...
From the Music Ministry….
Lorica Our ‘choral’ benediction for January and February is the relatively new spiritual song/hymn, God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me (O Christ, Surround Me) written by Richard Burxvoort Colligan, adjunct Instructor in Liturgy and Christian Life at Wartburg...
Blog from Kristy Engel
From the Student Ministry….
Nostalgia and Charlie Brown The youth Christmas Party always has a gift exchange; it always has snacks; and it ALWAYS has Charlie Brown. Traditions crop up in all kinds of ways. Sometimes we plan them with lots of thought and purpose. Other times it’s just because a...
From the Music Ministry….
Hope in the New Year In "How Can I Keep from Singing," (Celebrating Grace Hymnal, #592) Robert Lowry wrote: My life flows on in endless song. Above earth's lamentation I hear the real though far off hymn That hails a new creation. And then comes his memorable...
From the Children’s Ministry….
Usually, I am a little sad to see a year come to an end. That was not the case with 2020. If there was ever a year that tried our patience, our perseverance, our faith, 2020 was that year. I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled to begin a new year. This coming year...
From the Student Ministry….
I am thankful. This past Sunday the Youth had our monthly Youth lunch. With Thanksgiving just around the corner we decided to make it our Thanksgiving lunch and spent time saying what we were thankful for. Some were thankful for family, some for good grades, and some...
From the Music Ministry….
Georgia’s Home for the Holidays Merry Christmas from the Music Ministry of Parkway Baptist Church! I dearly miss Parkway Baptist’s usual plethora of Advent and Christmas worship services and related music offerings this year. Of course, Christmas is typically a busy...
From the Children’s Ministry….
Our annual Elf Workshop has joined the list of activities that must be cancelled this year due to Covid 19. In its place, we will have a “work at home” Elf Workshop. I am preparing boxes containing a craft, cookies, hot chocolate, and a few other surprises for the...
From the Student Ministry….
Back to Basics This month I have started back at the basics. Whether the youth have understood this is my hidden intention or not, I have been focusing on what values we should hold as Christians, as Christ-followers, as the church. I believe to do this we should...
From the Music Ministry….
A New Year - Hymns Used 2019-2020 A New Christian Year begins on Sunday, November 29, 2020. This is the first Sunday of Advent, which begins the 2020-2021 Christian year for Reformed Churches like Parkway Baptist Church. The beginning of a new year, whether January 1,...
From the Children’s Ministry….
With Covid cases rising around most of the country, I have heard several people lament that Thanksgiving and Christmas will be very different this year. I confess that I have not been that upset about giving up large family gatherings this year as I learned the hard...
From the Student Ministry….
Second and third. This is where suicide ranks as the cause of death for adolescence and children ages 15-19 and 5-14 respectively. It was only beat out for the top spots by accidents and cancer. It should give you pause. It should be sobering. This past month of...
From the Children’s Ministry….
The first children’s minister at a church I was a member of was Bob Parris. It was only when I came to Parkway that I came to know Paula. Bob and Paula have dedicated their lives to children, in the church and in the school system. Our Parkway children have been so...
From the Music Ministry….
Thinking of Autumn Favorite Season Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. The air becomes crisper and drier, leaves start to show their true colors, college football begins, and apples and peanuts are in season. Notice I did not mention pumpkin spice at all in this...
From the Student Ministry….
Our favorite sheets were taped up in a box at the bottom of a man-sized Jenga tower, the pillows were hidden in a city of cardboard skyscrapers and the bed was the second act of Humpty dumpty, waiting to be put back together again. These things are not what you want...
From the Children’s Ministry….
I miss being with the Parkway Kids so much! I know that many of you are also missing being together as a church family. However, after fighting Covid-19 for over a month, seventeen days of that in the hospital, I am more convinced now than ever before that Parkway is...
From the Music Ministry….
“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” is reportedly an old Yiddish adage meaning, “Man Plans, and God Laughs” (see Psalm 33:10). As this ongoing pandemic has made clear, despite our most careful planning, life is unpredictable. While I have experienced my fair share of...
Blog from Kristy Engel…
“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or...
From the Music Ministry…
In Appreciation As most of you have heard, Warren and Bobbie Fields are moving to Athens, Georgia to live with their daughter Karen and her family. When Bobbie and Warren let everyone know they had sold their house in Atlanta and would need to be out of it by August...
From the Student Ministry…
Don’t Plan for The Unexpected, Instead Practice How to Respond “Simon says right hand up. Left hand up. Right hand down. Simon says right hand up. Simon says both hands down. Now, both hands up. Simon says both hands up. Simon says both hands down. “Phew, good job!...
From the Student Ministry….
Transition is growth Right now life feels like one big frustrating transition. That season of change that feels a little more like limbo than anything productive. Life, the day to day, our routines, none of them are what they will be, but in the meantime, they still...
Blog from Kristy Engel….
Possibilities Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine…” These last few months have been a challenge, there’s no doubt about it. Most people are now entering a time of...
From the Children’s Ministry….
When we worshiped together at church the last time in March, none of us had any idea that we would still be apart this summer. Nevertheless, here we are and I have to say that it is difficult to let go of some of the activities that I look forward to each year. Zoom...
From the Music Ministry….
How Hard Can It Be? Have you seen those wonderful videos of virtual choirs and music ensembles posted on YouTube? I have seen several and wondered if the Sanctuary Choir at Parkway Baptist could do one each week for our virtual worship service. I thought, “I’m a smart...
Blog from Kristy Engel….
The Hope Tank 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” I was recently speaking with a pastor friend of...
From the Children’s Ministry….
During Lent this year, I stayed off Facebook. For the most part, I have stayed off. Instead of checking it hourly, I may or may not check it once a day. I have not been as successful in removing myself from Twitter. I like to keep up with the latest news from...
From the Music Ministry….
Music in Worship has Changed and Not Changed As with so many aspects of life during this time of pandemic, worship planning and worship procedures have dramatically changed. The work required to create ‘virtual’ worship is very different from the work required to...
Blog from Kristy Engel….
The Garden Before Us If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen me post some pictures of my very first garden. (I’ll include a before and after picture at the end of this post!) I have always wanted to try growing a garden and have a lot of respect for those who...
From the Student Ministry….
Community “Be devoted to one another in love.” Romans 12:10 The idea of community is something I thought I understood. Well, I guess until a pandemic arrives. I'm learning community has many different forms, as I think we all have come to see in the last six weeks. It...