End-of-Year Need to Meet the Budget
Posted December 19, 2023 by Steve Wells in Discipleship, Pastor
Your year-end giving really does make a difference. In 2023, forty-seven people joined South Main after either making a profession of faith in Christ or discovering a new church home with us. Eight baptisms grew out of the nurturing work of our Family Ministry. Think about that—young people, some who have been at South Main since being on the cradle roll and others who made their own way as…
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Posted December 19, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis), likely written in the mid-eighteenth century, is a triumphal carol that urges us to gather close to Christ for the sole purpose of adoring Him. We are urged to come first to Bethlehem, Christ’s birthplace, where the angels sing in exultation on the happy (Christmas) morning.
Christmas Present
Posted December 18, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
What is the best present you've ever given someone?
Monday Over Coffee: "The Shark is Broken"
Posted December 18, 2023 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
The Shark is Broken is a captivating play about the behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded during the much-troubled filming of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster 1975 movie, Jaws. The play premiered in London’s West End in 2021 before coming to Toronto, then Broadway this past fall.
Love Sunday
Posted December 17, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
John of the Cross was a Carmelite monk from the sixteenth century best known for his reflections on spiritual formation. His book, Dark Night of the Soul, explores how our trials and struggles are an opportunity to be formed into people who understand and practice love for others and love for God.
Memories of Christmas Feasts
Posted December 16, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
The very first South Main Christmas service my family attended was 30 years ago. Looking back, the amount of time passed, the relationships deepened, and the consistency of the church in my life is, of itself, something to be cherished.
The First Nowell
Posted December 15, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
Of Cornish (English) origin, The First Nowell was likely composed during the early modern era (c. 1350-1800). The song tells the story of the angels, who announced Christ’s birth, and the shepherds and wise men who came to adore Him.
Christmas Activity
Posted December 14, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
What is your favorite Christmas time activity? Art by Wyatt Smith (2nd Grade)
The Arrival of Santa Paws
Posted December 13, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
A group of players mentioned in our Christmas songs but often overlooked in our memories of Christmas are the animals: “The cattle are looing-the baby awakes…” “The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum,” “Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, had a very shiny nose.”
End-of-Year Need to Meet the Budget
Posted December 12, 2023 by Steve Wells in Discipleship, Pastor
I hope you were in worship last Sunday—I call it “Bell Sunday,” and it is one of my favorite days of the year. If you missed it, we had 3 rows of bells—one in the choir loft, one on the platform, and one across the floor—each one spanning the width of the platform. That layout allowed us to have the Tribe, Youth, and Adult Handbell Choirs each ring, then all ring together. It was glorious—the…
Meme's Trifle Recipe
Posted December 12, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
It’s been a little over a year since my 99-year-old grandmother, Meme, went onward and upward to her “party” in the heavens, as she would say. She was my sassy, British grandmother who loved to laugh, enjoy wine and cheese or the occasional Hershey’s bar for dinner, and epitomized the power of positivity in life.
An Unexpected Gift
Posted December 11, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
Growing up in a family with four siblings in West Texas, my parents always managed to make memorable Christmases. Along the way, and somewhat accidentally, they created a family tradition that carries on to this day.
Monday Over Coffee: "Blue"
Posted December 11, 2023 by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
The sky in Amsterdam, Russell Shorto explains in his 2013 book about his adopted hometown, has a striking “rinsed quality” about it. Composed of a “sober light” he writes, “free of any orange particulate glow,” it gleams sublime in deep and deeper blues as the sun descends each night over the city’s famous canals.
Joy Sunday
Posted December 10, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
What brings you Joy? Getting in the car with friends and hot chocolate and driving around town looking at Christmas lights. Staying up super late waiting on my grandparents to pull into our driveway. Only listening to Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Baking Christmas goodies. Christmas Eve service with my family where I grew up. Then, after the service, having an…
Mason Family Chicken and Dressing
Posted December 9, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
This recipe was handed down to my mom, Patricia Mason, from her mother and her mother’s mother. This was not just a holiday meal; it was a year-round side dish served most Sundays and sometimes throughout the week. It is filled with love, warmth, and family history. It’s my mom’s favorite dish. It’s also one of my favorite dishes…when my mom makes it.
Family Traditions
Posted December 8, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
Advent is a season of preparation and remembrance as we anticipate the birth of our Savior. It brings back memories of loved ones who once made this season so wonderful but who are no longer with us.
Unswerving Hope
Posted December 7, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
I always enjoyed Christmas, even before I was a Christian. I didn’t have to believe in God to enjoy the bright lights and good food, and people in December just seemed kinder or more hopeful than they did the rest of the year. After coming to know Jesus Christ as my Savior, my understanding of the holiday transformed.
Graves Family Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Posted December 6, 2023 by SMBC in Advent
Some of my first Christmas memories are tied to these chocolate chip cookies. Every December, my parents and I made several dozen cookies for our church’s Hanging of the Greens service. My parents taught me how to bake on those Saturday afternoons.
End-of-Year Need to Meet the Budget
Posted December 5, 2023 by Steve Wells in Discipleship, Pastor
This year we are starting with a taller tree than in past years. Between the time you read this email and the close of books on December 31, we need to give $1,644,792 in order to fully subscribe our budget. We absolutely have the resource to do so, but only if we all give together. This year’s budget is 12% more than last year’s budget, so as a gauge, if you are able to give 12% or more than you…
It Takes All of Us
Posted December 5, 2023 by Steve Wells in Discipleship, Pastor
As the end of the year approaches, everyone at South Main is accustomed to seeing what we call “the Christmas tree” email—the one that pops up in your inbox on a weekly basis throughout December and informs you about how much is needed to make our annual budget by December 31. This year, we also want to show you something we might call, “The Upside-Down Christmas Tree.”5892.jpg?itok=gdEy6XTu)
