To God be the glory!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Music Fridays- Lent 2009, vol. 1
Lent is upon us, and now is the time for contemplating the great lengths God has gone to in order that we might be free of sin. Each Friday in Lent, I will post some sacred music designed to encourage repentance, reflection, a spirit of self-sacrifice, and above all a sense of wondrous gratitude.
I can think of now better hymn to begin that Charles Wesley's And Can It Be, which is found on page 363 of the United Methodist Hymnal.
I can think of now better hymn to begin that Charles Wesley's And Can It Be, which is found on page 363 of the United Methodist Hymnal.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tyler Street Pulpit- Sunday, February 22, 2009
Rev. Chris Allen preached the following message at our 10:50 am service. To God be the glory!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tyler Street Almanac: Feb. 23-28, 2009
A weekly tool for Bible study and personal devotion.
Daily Lectionary for Feb 23-28
Monday:
Psalm 25;
Tuesday:
Psalm 26
Ash Wednesday:
Thursday:
Psalm 37:1-18; Deut. 7:6-11; Titus 1:1-16; John 1:29-34
Friday:
Psalm 95; Deut. 7:12-16; Titus 2:1-15; John 1:35-42
Saturday:
Psalm 30; Deut. 7:17-26; Titus 3:1-15; John 1:43-51
Prayer for Ash Wednesday
Almighty and everlasting God, You hate nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of You, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Collect for Ash Wednesday: Book of Common Prayer, EC USA, 1979 ed.
Food for thought:
The man who has been taught by the gift of grace, and who learns by the lash of its withdrawal, will never dare to attribute any good to himself, but will rather admit his poverty and emptiness. Give to God what is God's and ascribe to yourself what is yours. Give Him thanks, then, for His grace, but place upon yourself alone the blame and the punishment your fault deserves.
St. Thomas Aquinas, The Imitation of Christ, Book 2 Chapter 10
Worship Preparation:
Ash Wednesday Service- 7:00 pm.
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51:1-17 (United Methodist Hymnal 785)
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
First Sunday in Lent
Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10 (United Methodist Hymnal 756)
1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15
Friday, February 20, 2009
Music Fridays: Preparing for Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is fast upon us, and once again we are asked to repent and seek the forgiveness of God. Before we get to that point, a little introspection is in order. Caedman's Call is here to help.
Share in the Blame
Words and Music by Sandra McCracken. c2007 Same Old Dress Music (admin. by music services) all rights reserved. ASCAP
Don’t blame the bullet for the wars you have sown
Don’t blame the winter when you’ve forgotten your coat
When you make the same deals for a hundred years
and you wanna make a change
You gotta hold up the mirror and share in the blame
Don’t blame your brother for the color of his skin
don’t blame your neighbor for the house he lives in
from the same cloth, we are made of, we are just the same
you gotta hold up the mirror and share in the blame
(chorus)
like a coming of age, I am learning how to say
all the failures I’m dragging behind
Finding freedom to speak, freedom to release
Oh tonight I wanna make peace with you
Don’t blame the writer for the doubts in your head
Don’t blame the preacher for the lovers in your bed
When you find out that the world is round, everything is rearranged
You gotta hold up the mirror, and share in the blame
(chorus)
Don’t blame the president, don’t blame the king
Don’t blame your history for what might have been
we will be free where the grass is green and the lion is tame
if we just hold up the mirror now and share in the blame
Share in the Blame
Words and Music by Sandra McCracken. c2007 Same Old Dress Music (admin. by music services) all rights reserved. ASCAP
Don’t blame the bullet for the wars you have sown
Don’t blame the winter when you’ve forgotten your coat
When you make the same deals for a hundred years
and you wanna make a change
You gotta hold up the mirror and share in the blame
Don’t blame your brother for the color of his skin
don’t blame your neighbor for the house he lives in
from the same cloth, we are made of, we are just the same
you gotta hold up the mirror and share in the blame
(chorus)
like a coming of age, I am learning how to say
all the failures I’m dragging behind
Finding freedom to speak, freedom to release
Oh tonight I wanna make peace with you
Don’t blame the writer for the doubts in your head
Don’t blame the preacher for the lovers in your bed
When you find out that the world is round, everything is rearranged
You gotta hold up the mirror, and share in the blame
(chorus)
Don’t blame the president, don’t blame the king
Don’t blame your history for what might have been
we will be free where the grass is green and the lion is tame
if we just hold up the mirror now and share in the blame
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tyler Street Pulpit- Sunday, February 15, 2009
Rev. Chris Allen preached the following message at our 10:50 am service. To God be the glory!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Come Eat Tatters And Send the Teen-agers Far Away!
Remember that after church this Sunday, we'll have a baked-potato feed in Anderson. There will even be some Sweet Potatoes for all the diabetics like me.
Come and eat, enjoy the fellowship, and help the Youth Choir raise funds for their annual Youth-Cue trip.
Come and eat, enjoy the fellowship, and help the Youth Choir raise funds for their annual Youth-Cue trip.
Music Friday- Tim Hughes in Singapore
Tim Hughes of Holy Trinity Brompton (the British church which invented the ALPHA program) travels the globe training worship leaders. The following clips is him in Singapore leading one of my favorite contemporary praise choruses. Enjoy.
For those who have a hard time hearing lyrics from live clips, here is a studio cut with the lyrics on the bottom karaoke-style.
For those who have a hard time hearing lyrics from live clips, here is a studio cut with the lyrics on the bottom karaoke-style.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tyler Street Pulpit- February 8, 2009
Here is Rev. Chris Allen preaching in our 8:30 am service. To God be the Glory!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Faith and Finances
If there is any issue which I don't like talking about in church, it is money. And yet, given that we live in a Capitalist society, it is a critical issue.
And not just for the reason you might think- the congregation's financial well-being.
No, our view on finances is a theological matter. It cuts to the heart of how we prioritize our lives and reveals more about or loyalty to God than our words ever will.
Or as Jesus said, "Wherever you place your treasure, your heart will wind up as well" (Matthew 6:21)
That's why I plan to read Adam Hamilton's new book, Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. Based on the title and the reviews out there, I hope it can remind me that God has provided me with all I need. There is a difference between "wants" and "needs." We consumers sometimes forget that.
And for those who missed it Sunday, below is Mitch Steven's impassioned appeal about church finances.
And not just for the reason you might think- the congregation's financial well-being.
No, our view on finances is a theological matter. It cuts to the heart of how we prioritize our lives and reveals more about or loyalty to God than our words ever will.
Or as Jesus said, "Wherever you place your treasure, your heart will wind up as well" (Matthew 6:21)
That's why I plan to read Adam Hamilton's new book, Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. Based on the title and the reviews out there, I hope it can remind me that God has provided me with all I need. There is a difference between "wants" and "needs." We consumers sometimes forget that.
And for those who missed it Sunday, below is Mitch Steven's impassioned appeal about church finances.
Music Fridays- Pipes and Drums Edition
First up, for pastor Chris, is a massed band of Canadian and American pipers and drummers blasting out Scotland the Brave and The Green Hills of Tyrol.
And for me, here is the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment playing Return to Glen Brae.
Here is RAF Halton performing a medly of traditional tunes at the 2007 Wolrd Pipe Band Championship in Glasgow.
For Celtic Punk fans, here's the Dropkick Murphys playing "Cadence to Arms" which is essentially Scotland the Brave- but since these guys are of Irish decent, they won't call it that.
And for me, here is the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment playing Return to Glen Brae.
Here is RAF Halton performing a medly of traditional tunes at the 2007 Wolrd Pipe Band Championship in Glasgow.
For Celtic Punk fans, here's the Dropkick Murphys playing "Cadence to Arms" which is essentially Scotland the Brave- but since these guys are of Irish decent, they won't call it that.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Two Bible Recomendations
This shouldn't be a shock given that I am a pastor, a seminary student, and an Evangelical, but I have to say it: I love Bibles. Plural. I keep a contingent of various translations and note settings around to compare or for various ministry tasks or just for my own personal reading. In the past, I tended to prefer "dynamic equivalence" translations which tried to go "thought by thought" rather than "word by word." My go to Bibles have usually been NIV and more recently the TNIV and when working with children and younger youth, I've been very fond of the NLT.
Lately, though, I have been gravitating toward more literal, "word by word" translations. Two such Bibles have entered my stable this week and I would recommend both of them to anyone searching for new Bibles.
The first is the Wesley Study Bible published by Abingdon Press (Cokesbury.) This Bible combines the NRSV translation with an expansive set of foot-notes which give a Wesle
yan interpretation to the text. Dr. Joel Green and Bishop Will Willomon served as the general editors and noted Methodist leaders such as Maxie Dunnam, Zan Holmes, Bishop Ruben Job and Bishop Robert Schnase join scholars such as Rebekah Miles and, one of my personal heroes, Ben Witherington III to present a wonderful mix of Biblical tid-bits, Wesleyan theology, and life application notes. (In fact, over 50 scholars and 50 leading pastors from ten Wesleyan/Methodist denominations in 6 countries contributed to the study notes.)
Let me begin by saying that the NRSV is not my favorite translation. Granted, it is pretty well reliable. But the style just leaves me cold. Truth be told, I prefer the ESV over the NRSV and I wish these notes were available with that translation.
Still, the quality and depth and breadth of the notes is admirable. I haven't been able to put this Bible down. I cannot wait to use it in teaching situations, especially the notes explaining "Wesleyan Core Terms" such as Christian perfection. I cannot imagine a more elegant and compelling way for Methodists to understand Methodism than to read through these notes while reading through the Bible.
Interested parties take note: Cokesbury is offering the Wesley Study Bible at an introductory price of $24.99 until the end of the month. You can order on line or head to Preston and 190 in Dallas.
Of course, if $25 is too rich for your blood or if you are a true Bible geek who wants to delve deep into why the translators make the choices they make, have I got a recommendation for you.
A number of Bible scholars, many of whom are local and teach at Dallas Theological Seminary, decided a few years ago to create an internet-friendly Bible so that scholars could blog about English Bible passages without breaking copyright laws.
The result is the New English Translation, or the NET Bible. (Cute, guys. Seriously. Very punny.)
Cheesy name aside, the NET Bible and its accompanying set of on-line tools is a veritable jack-pot for students, preachers, and Christians who are serious about God's Word. And best of all, they can be used for free if you follow this link.
You could also buy a paper copy of the NET Bible from the store section of bible.org, but for me, the wonderful NExT Bible Learning Environment of the on-line version is the best feature this translation has going for it.
May God's word continue to cast light unto your feet and illumine your path!
Lately, though, I have been gravitating toward more literal, "word by word" translations. Two such Bibles have entered my stable this week and I would recommend both of them to anyone searching for new Bibles.
The first is the Wesley Study Bible published by Abingdon Press (Cokesbury.) This Bible combines the NRSV translation with an expansive set of foot-notes which give a Wesle
yan interpretation to the text. Dr. Joel Green and Bishop Will Willomon served as the general editors and noted Methodist leaders such as Maxie Dunnam, Zan Holmes, Bishop Ruben Job and Bishop Robert Schnase join scholars such as Rebekah Miles and, one of my personal heroes, Ben Witherington III to present a wonderful mix of Biblical tid-bits, Wesleyan theology, and life application notes. (In fact, over 50 scholars and 50 leading pastors from ten Wesleyan/Methodist denominations in 6 countries contributed to the study notes.)Let me begin by saying that the NRSV is not my favorite translation. Granted, it is pretty well reliable. But the style just leaves me cold. Truth be told, I prefer the ESV over the NRSV and I wish these notes were available with that translation.
Still, the quality and depth and breadth of the notes is admirable. I haven't been able to put this Bible down. I cannot wait to use it in teaching situations, especially the notes explaining "Wesleyan Core Terms" such as Christian perfection. I cannot imagine a more elegant and compelling way for Methodists to understand Methodism than to read through these notes while reading through the Bible.
Interested parties take note: Cokesbury is offering the Wesley Study Bible at an introductory price of $24.99 until the end of the month. You can order on line or head to Preston and 190 in Dallas.
Of course, if $25 is too rich for your blood or if you are a true Bible geek who wants to delve deep into why the translators make the choices they make, have I got a recommendation for you.
A number of Bible scholars, many of whom are local and teach at Dallas Theological Seminary, decided a few years ago to create an internet-friendly Bible so that scholars could blog about English Bible passages without breaking copyright laws.
The result is the New English Translation, or the NET Bible. (Cute, guys. Seriously. Very punny.)
Cheesy name aside, the NET Bible and its accompanying set of on-line tools is a veritable jack-pot for students, preachers, and Christians who are serious about God's Word. And best of all, they can be used for free if you follow this link.
You could also buy a paper copy of the NET Bible from the store section of bible.org, but for me, the wonderful NExT Bible Learning Environment of the on-line version is the best feature this translation has going for it.
May God's word continue to cast light unto your feet and illumine your path!
Monday, February 2, 2009
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