Eastman First United Methodist Church

My old neighborhood in Cartersville was one of those covenant neighborhoods. That covenant stipulated that we, along with all other homeowners, owed $400 per year to the neighborhood association. For…

There are two ways to the Berry College reservoir, a beautiful, manmade, lake in the middle of the 26,000 acres of mountainous property the college owns. Those two ways relate…

I’m in the hard, annoying, part of my dissertation.  In May, should everything go well, I’ll graduate with my doctorate from Emory University. I’m excited and working hard to wrap-up…

Note: Resources mentioned near the end of the sermon are all linked off of eastmanfirst.com/lent Have you ever found yourself awestruck? My first semester of seminary was overwhelming. I felt…

What time is it?  When we ask that question, we think of the exact time, demonstrated I’m sure by the several of you who glanced at a clock when I…

We had just arrived at the coast of Maine at our little bed and breakfast. It was the first full day of our marriage and we were ready to begin…

Before the sermon, we remembered our baptism. I invite you, if you did not participate in the service, to at least read through this service, for it will shed light…

One night at the children’s play, a baby sister grew agitated. She was at that precarious age of being old enough to walk but not old enough to stay out…

Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace. …

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.  Christina Rossetti sat at her home. This English poet of moderate fame had published many poems before in her life, mostly focused…

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.  I bet you can hear the song in your head. Let there be peace on earth and let…

Yet, in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. Phillips Brooks sat on horseback atop a hillside. This episcopal priest from New England had come to visit the Holy Land.…

Our first married Thanksgiving, we decided to host both of our parents. At the time, we lived in Virginia in a tiny, three hundred square foot apartment. I was managing…

There were once two brothers who couldn’t have been more different. One was always cheerful, the other always grumpy. Their parents worried about them both, thinking that they needed to…

Who are you?  Seems like a simple enough question. Until you get asked it. Consider the last time you interviewed. Almost certainly, the opening question was, “tell us a little…

The election is in two days.  Having heard that, what was your primary emotional reaction? Based on conversations I frequently had his week, my guess is dread, exhaustion, discouragement, fatigue,…