Category: ministry

Pastor of Connection and Digital Ministry // My New Job Title

“Pastor of Connection and Digital Ministry” at Oak Grove UMC!

My new official title came about as a result of the work of the Vision Team at Oak Grove United Methodist Church who heard from our community and church numbers that they wanted additional emphasis on #digitalministry & digital content [like the new podcast we are working on!] for church and community folks.

I’m grateful for our staff and lay people working together to reorganize parts of my portfolio to allow for additional time & focus on increasing our digital ministry through video, photography, online content, podcasts, and more.

(Also, you know it’s officially official when you get the new name tag!!)

Short Films released // Reparations Task Force

Here’s a vlog from Athens, GA, USA a few weeks ago reflecting on the release of 3 short films commissioned by the North Ga United Methodist Church Reparations Task Force. More info at https://ngumc.org/reparations or view the videos (or podcasts) on https://www.ngumc.org/newsdetail/reparations-task-force-shares-video-series-17444213 (I’ll be posting the videos on this channel later on).

This remarkable project has been a wonderful opportunity to help tell 3 amazing stories and create 3 short films. One of the trailers was shown to the 2600+ attendees who applauded the work of the task force and the trailer.

My gratitude to Rev. Dr. Brian Tillman and the Reparations Task Force for this opportunity to document and share these amazing stories. And, many thanks to my mom for being there in Athens with me as a delegate from her church community.

The Lives We Actually Have (2023 Lent book study) // Dr. Kate Bowler

a little backstory on the study “Bless the Lent a little video backstory on “The Lives We Actually Have: A Midweek Lenten Study” at Oak Grove UMC in Atlanta GA, USA.

Wednesdays 6-7 p.m. in Room 101 with facilitator Dr. Joseph McBrayer each Weds during Lent 2023.

This Midweek study will explore the themes of Lent using a guide from author and speaker Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie of Duke Divinity School.

from their book “The Lives We Actually Have” // https://amzn.to/3JfFZ4c
(an affiliate link that I may receive a small commission if you purchase through the link)

Mar 1 – Blessed are the Imperfect
Mar 8- Blessed are the Curious
Mar 15 – Blessed are Those Who Suffer
Mar 22 – Blessed are Those Who Feel Alone
Mar 29 – Blessed are Those Who Mourn

City on a Hill // a cinematic sermon

This cinematic sermon was created as a part of the “Peaceable Kingdom” online worship series for Oak Grove UMC on Sunday Oct. 11, 2020.

The idea for doing this sermon in this way came from a conversation with Atticus Hicks about how preaching online during Covid19 can be (should be?) more like a 1-on-1 conversation and a cinematic experience — more like what youtubers and creatives @petermckinnon or @mattdavella create.

So, here was my first shot at it — exploring themes of our interconnectedness to the earth/mountains, the city on a hill motif, God/people of faith inviting the marginalized to the feast (& centering their experiences), using our privilege for the good of others, fighting zero-sum bias, and living out the peaceable kingdom.

Thanks to my spouse and our church staff for helping make this happen.

The [not so] crowded ways of life

“Where cross the [not so] crowded ways of life…”

“Where cross the crowded ways of life,
Where sound the cries of race and clan,
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear your voice, O Son of man.”

“Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life”
by Frank Mason North
The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 427

The text for this hymn first appeared as “A Prayer for the Multitudes” in the June 1903 and later was made into the hymn that it is today. New York City served as the backdrop for the writing of this hymn and its text showed the concern for people in poverty, workers rights, and the plight of women and children.

Rev. North was the co-author of the Methodist Social Creed (1908)* which came about as a part of the Social Gospel movement led by Walter Rauschenbusch, whose “A Theology of the Social Gospel” (1917) later codified.

Though this hymn was written over a 100 years ago, it feels as salient and needed as ever.

May we continue to hear the Voice of Christ above the noise of our day.

*historical info and details from C. Michael Hawn who is University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, SMU—in his article for UMCDiscipleship.org.

church #music #drone #atlanta #covid19 #atl #ngumc #umc #hymns #socialcreed

social distancing + social media

social distancing + social media // Week 2 // Lent Digital Declutter 2020

Week 2 of my Lenten Digital Declutter with some thoughts on social distancing, the difficulties of this week given the COVID19 pandemic, live streaming online church @ogumc, & our innate desire to connect with others.

#socialdistancing #digitalminimalism #digitaldeclutter #lent #ngumc #umc #atlanta

Less, But Better // a Lenten Digital De-clutter 2020

In order to have a more meaningful Lent I am resolving to do “less, but better” through a Lenten Digital De-clutter using concepts from Greg McKeown’s “Essentialism” school of thought and Cal Newport‘s writings on “Digital Minimalism.”

In what may seem strange, I’ll be writing and vlogging about it in order to keep me honest in an accountable way and to share my attempt to have a more meaningful Lent through this Lenten Digital De-clutter in order that I might do “less, but better.”

“Faith, Lived Minute by Minute”

“Faith, Lived Minute By Minute” // Dr. Nora Colmenares’ Germany reflection filmed at the Dokumentation Center in Nuremberg, Germany (https://museums.nuernberg.de/document…)
// this film is a part of a series sharing our Continuing Education group’s experience in Germany (Berlin, Chemnitz, Fürth/Nuremberg, Göppingen, Albstadt) to learn about resistance, healing, reconciliation, and asylum seekers & refugees.
Our group seeks to be “Intellectually Curious, Socially Holy, and Conscious” and to explore ways that we might help pastors, institutions, and other groups to appreciate people of difference and work together across lines of race, class, and other boundaries.
This 2 year initiative is funded through the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Academy of Clergy Excellence (ACE2) Program. http://ngumc.org

“Juden” // Dr. Everhart video reflection from Germany

“Juden” // Rev. Dr. Dana Everhart’s reflection on the Garden of Exile at the New Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany.

// this film is a part of a series sharing our Continuing Education group’s experience in Germany (Berlin, Chemnitz, Fürth/Nuremberg, Göppingen, Albstadt) to learn about resistance, healing, reconciliation, and asylum seekers & refugees. Our group seeks to be “Intellectually Curious, Socially Holy, and Conscious” and to explore ways that we might help pastors, institutions, and other groups to appreciate people of difference and work together across lines of race, class, and other boundaries.

2019 ACE Germany Tuesday (Berlin)-43

This 2 year initiative is funded through the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Academy of Clergy Excellence (ACE2) Program. http://ngumc.org