By Kristen Thomason “Two in a bed warm each other.Alone, you shiver all night. By yourself you’re unprotected.With a friend you can face the worst.Can you round up a third?A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”— Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, The Message For the homeless community in Jefferson City, MO, First Baptist Church of Jefferson City is a … Continue reading
By Meg Lacy Vega Many of us remember singing the refrain of the hymn “Deep and Wide” at the top of our kid-sized lungs, in Sunday school or at Vacation Bible School. The 20th century hymn by Sidney Cox is about living water that flows from the wounds of Christ, becoming “a fountain flowing dqeep … Continue reading
By Andrew Nash There are no convenience stores in Bridger, South Dakota. No thrift stores, gas stations or retail of any kind, either. The nearest “town” is 90 minutes away, and the nearest “big town” is closer to two hours away. But this land is sacred to the Hwohwoju band of Lakota who reside on … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo A story’s most profound message most often comes from the people who lived it. So, in the case of the first Relay of Kindness, hearing it called “a story of collaboration,” transfers the focus of the story from numbers to people, from statistics to hearts and hands. Those words come from Mark … Continue reading
By Blake McKinney I’d like to tell you the story of a church that is making a difference. I tell the story with some trepidation, because I know that Jesus cautioned against announcing our giving with trumpets. But right before that warning about tooting our own horns he told us to let our light shine … Continue reading
I traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, for CBF MO’s General Assembly last weekend. This was my first trip to Missouri, ever. I would recommend it for many reasons, but especially to meet and visit with the friendly folks in those churches who partner with CBF. Third Baptist was an excellent host for the event! I was excited to see so many generations represented at this meeting, including families with small children, college students, Central Seminary students, and clergy/laity from young to “older.” Perhaps it was the model of the meeting that appealed to such a variety of folks. Let me explain. Continue reading