Stopping HB 4

An immediate plan of action is being requested from churches who, like ours, are a part of the Kentucky Council of Churches.  It involves details of HB 4, which as defined below has the potential to negatively impact the most vulnerable in our community and State.  As historic Baptists, we understand the principle of church and state separation to prohibit the use of church resources to endorse and campaign for specific political candidates, not as the need for the church to be silent about policy decisions that might negatively hurt the powerless.  I invite you to learn and study about HB 4 by following the included links and if so led by the Spirit, to take action.

Let's Support Simmons College

Making the most out of a crisis requires us to surprise the world with good trouble.  The recent bomb threats to HBCUs is an opportunity for us to offer our support. I was inspired to enact one of these great lessons thanks to a recent article from Baptist News entitled, "Stop threatening HBCUs" by Dr. David Cassady of the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky.  He is responding to the recent bomb threats across the county to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which we now are learning were likely propagated by a set of juveniles.  But, let's not kid ourselves.  This is not just a prank, but a long-standing exercise of intimidation and racial animus that we can notice over and over again, infecting our young with racial prejudice that is deeply embedded into the American fabric.

February's Book of the Month

I would like to invite you to read with me Parker J. Palmer’s A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life.  While we are normally concerned with the problems and challenges of the outward life, few resources help us focus on an equally and vitally important priority by seeking to look within.  I find this book rightly pinpoints much of our difficulty in living worried, anxious, stressful and often unfulfilled lives as a divided inner self that is uneasy on how to live authentically in healthy community with others.

Mental Health in a Season of Extra

we'd like to offer some encouragement to care for our mental and emotional health.  Over the next few months, we're going to offer a few informational classes on pertinent mental health issues.  Each topic will begin with a presentation from a mental health professional from our congregation.  These are not group therapy sessions, but we hope you'll find encouragement and some tools to help you along your journey.

2022 Devotional Pathways

This past Sunday (Jan 9) I introduced a trinitarian definition for cultivating a Christian spiritual practice.   I advocated “a life given over to a transforming relationship with the wisdom of God through the witness and work of Jesus Christ under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit.”   And while this presents a grand and lofty goal for spiritual aspiration, the real work is in the details.  In this blog post, we will review a few of these practical suggestions you may wish to incorporate into your life this new year.

Helping Our Neighbors this Advent

Perhaps you've noticed these "Before and After" pictures from the Lexington Herald-Leader showing First Christian Church and First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield, Kentucky.  It’s impossible to imagine any greater damage occurring to these beloved sacred places....

Pandemic Reflection by Cheryl Thompson

Sunday School on March 8, 2020 started out like every week. Jeff always asks for celebrations and concerns. Concerns are usually illnesses and problems, and lots of times celebrations are trips that are coming up. That day, there was lots of talk about the upcoming SEC basketball tournament. UK had a great team and was expected to go far in the tourney. A few in the class were planning on making the trip to Nashville to watch the games. At that time, COVID was something we’d heard about, and it was a little worrisome, but hadn’t affected life in KY much, if at all.  Jeff, though, cautioned us all to be very careful. Should we go? Well, if you do, be VERY careful. Even if you’re healthy, be careful.

Pandemic Reflection by Bill Campbell

August 1, and now an almost empty sanctuary, at last and again, my fumbling along the rows of oaken pews creating slight echoes inside gathered silences. Here it was, my accustomed place to sit,  after a seventeen month long closing of the sanctuary due to the threats and wretched triumphs of Covid spreading and reaching and gaining among the people across the country and world.  Death and Fear and ever more Death haunted our days. And now and here—here in this place, now again my place—I sat and waited and closed my eyes, and it all began to seem again like a quiet and very real welcoming.

Pandemic Reflection by Gwen Hart

A Pandemic Poem from Gwen Hart...

It was March of 2020
When Covid made the scene
This won’t last long, I thought to myself,
And we can get back to a normal routine

I’d just retired (in the nick of time)
As things came to a screeching halt
Businesses closing, except essentials
Finger-pointing looking for fault

Having worked in hospitality for so many years
Ensuring everything was just so,
All the sudden I had time on my hands
But there was no place to go!

Pandemic Reflection by Jan Fischer

May 9, 2021 was the Mother’s Day observance at Central. Rev. Carol Devine was the guest preacher and Dave and I tuned in virtually from our family room as we’d done since Covid shuttered the doors of Central. Our dog Toby assumed his position on the back of the love seat and promptly went to sleep. Dave and I took our seats, coffee in hand, as had become our custom. After the opening remarks, hymn singing and scripture reading Raleigh introduced a video presentation. His idea for the presentation was realized in collaboration with Kim Kincaid, Aaron Austin and Sally Horowitz. Raleigh explained that in the video he and Kim would sing the vocals to “Cool of the Day” accompanied by a montage of Sally’s nature photography. Aaron was tasked with syncing the music to the pictures. I wasn’t familiar with the song but knowing how talented all these folks are I knew we were in for a treat. I wasn’t prepared for what I heard and saw.