Weekly Words - 8/24/17

Mark your calendars!

Mikah Meyer will visit First Baptist Church as a guest speaker and soloist on Sunday, September 17. Most recently a professional countertenor singer for the Washington National Cathedral Choirs, Mikah is also the founder of the world's largest LGBT Christian Young Adult organization, Queer For Christ, and is currently on a world record-setting journey to all 417 U.S. national parks.

The son of a pastor, he is using his parks project to advocate for increased youth involvement in the outdoors, broadened LGBT Christian visibility and acceptance, and to share America's most beautiful places with the world.

Mikah’s story has been featured by NPR, the Washington Post, and the National Park Foundation.

Learn more about Mikah at www.TBCmikah.com.

Please plan now to invite family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers! This will be a good day for FBCD.

First Baptist Church of Denver is a welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion.

Weekly Words - 8/10/17

“When the minister is away...members may be tempted to play."

Dear FBCD Family & Friends:

As many of you know, today begins a two week vacation for me. I’m on my way to New Jersey where I’ll be spending time with my kids and family. Next week, I’ll return to Colorado to welcome one of my brothers to Denver. He and I will be traveling to meet friends in South Dakota to witness the solar eclipse before I return again to our Mile High City.

Honestly, I’m really looking forward to this time off. However, know that I will miss you and the many things that happen at 1373 Grant Street on a daily basis.

Typically, when ministers or pastors take time off it can be tempting for members to take time off too...especially from Sunday services. :-) I want to encourage you to be different than many. You can anticipate meaningful services over the next two Sundays. As I like to say, invite someone to join you. They’ll be glad you did!

Also...while you’re at FBCD on Sunday...or maybe even during the week, see if there’s anything you can do to help out. Check in the office with Shirley during the week. On Sundays...be extra mindful of visitors and guests. If something is out of place or should be taken care of...step up and do what you can to offer assistance.

It is a real privilege to serve as your minister. FBCD is in a season of growth and with this growth comes very good energy. I hope you can sense this. Your presence is helping to make this so.

Between August 10th and 23rd, if you know of a situation within our church community that requires pastoral care, please contact the church office. Shirley will notify Rev. Nancy Darnell, Deacon Scott Pegues, or Rev. Eric Reagan. One of these leaders will respond. If there’s a situation requiring care outside of office hours, please contact one of these individuals directly.

Know I’ll be thinking of you even while I’m traveling. FBCD is a good place and I look forward to returning and hitting the ground running as a new program year gets underway.

Peace and blessings!

First Baptist Church of Denver is a welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion.

Weekly Words - 8/3/17

During last Sunday’s sermon I cited a recent “news” story that was about a mega-church, prosperity gospel preacher who allegedly was going to sign a 6-year contract with another congregation for over 100 million dollars. As it turns out the story was intended to be satire. With the flood of other hard to believe news stories last week mostly related to the current person filling the role of President of the United States, this satirical piece about a preacher seemed to be more real than satire given the seemingly demoralizing political and religious state of affairs affecting communities all throughout our country.

Sadly, this satirical story does highlight how many prosperity-gospel preachers take advantage of people and places for their own personal gain.

As we look ahead to this coming Sunday’s service, we will read together the gospel account of Jesus and the disciples witnessing the multiplication of loaves and fishes. I’ve been struck this week by the verse, "And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full” (Matthew 14:20).

Broken pieces. Broken. Have you ever felt broken?

From some perspectives, much about our country feels broken right now. Every so often, as a human being I feel broken...broken in the sense that I’ve failed or can’t seem to be who I’d like to be or who I want to be. Broken.

This gospel story reminds me that in brokenness there is hope and promise.

Will you join us this Sunday to explore more this thought? Invite someone to join you. They’ll be glad you did!

Peace,

First Baptist Church of Denver is a welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion.