“All good things must come to an end.” The truth of this statement will ring loud and long in the hearts and minds of children and adults alike over the next few weeks. It isn’t just the truth that is ringing, though. It is the bells calling students back to their classes and adults back to the working world. It is the ringing of alarm clocks, both literal and metaphorical, waking us up from the...
There is much debate over when the Christmas season officially begins. Some, like myself, get the party started early in late October or early November. My personal practice is to dress up as Santa Claus during our annual Trunk or Treat event to mark the arrival of the season. Others prefer to follow the church liturgical calendar and wait until the start of Advent to deck the halls and fire up...
People love to celebrate! As noted in a recent article, on any given day, some “special” thing is being recognized, remembered, or celebrated. This is true throughout the year, but it is most clearly felt throughout what we know as “the Holiday Season.” In the span of approximately six weeks, we will celebrate three of what I would consider the Big Six American holidays. In the midst of these...
Who doesn’t love seeing a beautiful rainbow in the sky? I know that a vast majority of people in the community of Seymour, Indiana are just as fascinated by them as I, because every time one appears in the Seymourian sky it dominates my social media feed for the next 24 hours. This leads me to believe that a vast majority of people do exactly as I do when I learn that a rainbow has appeared...
Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen is an old African-American spiritual song, first published in 1867. The original version of the song was written during the time of slavery. While the author remains unknown, the song has been covered and adapted numerous times over the years. The original lyrics of the song are as follows… Nobody knows the trouble I’ve been through Nobody knows my sorrow Nobody...
The First Baptist Church has been an active part of the community of Seymour for over 180 years. The church was established in 1839 with ten members. The first physical structure of the church was completed in 1840 and the church has been housed in four buildings in the subsequent years, including buildings behind the current location of Peace Lutheran Church, another on the corner of Tipton and...
Several years ago, I received a summons to jury duty. I know there are mixed feelings about receiving such a summons, but I was fairly ambivalent about it all. Like most people, I had other responsibilities and commitments calling for my time, but I also was extremely curious about how the whole process worked and was more than willing to fulfill my duties as a citizen of this great nation of...
“I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” I have heard and uttered this phrase countless times over the years. In my experience, the phrase falls into one of two categories. It is either funny or foreboding… Or rather, it is an attempt to be funny in order to mitigate the foreboding. The good news, in these instances, is rarely good. It is really just a slightly less ominous...
I have a confession to make… I DO NOT LOVE EASTER. It’s OK if you’re judging me a little upon reading this revelation. I judge myself. We can just add it to the ever-growing list of things that make me an unfit pastor. I just don’t enjoy this holiday. I hate the soft, pastel colors that dominate this season. I find the human-sized rabbits that attend our parties and that supposedly deliver candy...
In any given story, there will always be characters with whom we resonate more than others. This is true of your favorite television show, movie, or book. I’m fairly certain we could each provide numerous examples of characters whom we wish we could emulate. Undoubtedly, however, there exists an equally robust corpus of characters whom, for better or worse, serve as accurate examples of our own...
Jeremy Myers is the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Seymour, Indiana, where he has served since 2017. He has over 20 years of ministry experience in the local church and not-for-profit work. He has a passion for helping emerging and existing generations learn to make space for each other and caring for the under-served and marginalized. In 2016, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Palmer Theological Seminary, with his thesis focusing on helping youth and senior adults develop deeper relationships. He is a passionate and gifted communicator and is regularly invited to speak at retreats, camps, conferences, and other events. He lives in Seymour, Indiana with his wife Robyn, their two children, Mikayla and JJ, and their Golden Doodle, Evie.
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