Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, October 29 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 3:8-22 Reflection Both our passage and our first song of worship this week point to suffering and how to live in light of God’s resurrection power. Contemplate the passage and the words to All The Poor and Powerless in light of Isaiah […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday October 22 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 3:1-7 Reflection As we approach the coming Sabbath, consider these two passages which focus on God’s will. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! –Psalm 143:10 For I have […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, October 15 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 2:9-25 Reflection “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.” (1 Peter 2:18-19) […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, October 1 Scripture Passage Micah 6:6-8 Reflection This week we will pause our look at 1 Peter to look at the ministry of mercy among us at Midtown. We will dig into a passage from Micah, listening to the Word of God to convict us toward hearts of […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, September 24 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 1:13-25 Reflection This week’s Song of Confession is based on Psalm 24. It is a reminder of God’s call for us to be holy and provides an outline for how we can approach what is a humanly impossible task. By humbling ourselves […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, September 17 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 1:3-12 Reflection Our passage this week speaks of our “living hope.” These weren’t light words for Peter to throw around then – he was speaking to people who had endured and would endure great loss and suffering because of their faith in […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, September 10 Scripture Passage 1 Peter 1:1-2 Reflection In the apostle Matthew we see someone who represented the worst of society, respond to Jesus’ call and ultimately finds rest and peace. Consider the passage from his gospel account where Jesus first calls him to follow: As Jesus passed […]
Rev. Lindsey Williams, Head Pastor, Midtown Church This week I was having coffee with a local African-American pastor, a man that I hope is becoming a friend as much as he is a colleague. He was recalling an opportunity he had earlier this week to serve on a panel discussion on race where he was […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, July 16 Scripture Passage Revelation 3:14-22 Reflection William Holman-Hunt’s painting, The Light of the World (about 1900-1904), is the world’s most traveled piece of artwork and is often referred to as a “sermon in a painting.” At the bottom of the piece is a verse from our passage […]
Preparing For Worship Leading up to Sunday, July 9 Scripture Passage Revelation 3:7-13 Reflection As Jesus speaks to the church in Philadelphia in this week’s passage, one of many things he tells them is to “hold fast to what you have, that no one may seize your crown” (v11). Yet this command is imbedded in […]