The origins of the Labor Day holiday are disputed, but it is believed that the first observance of Labor Day took place on September 5, 1882 in New York City under the direction of the labor unions. The intent for the holiday was to demonstrate the great strength and recognize the many contributions of the working class. In truth, the original observance of Labor Day was less of a party and more...
Church signs are a mixed bag. You never quite know what you’re going to read as you pass. Sometimes, the messaging is incredibly clever and inspires a good laugh. At others, it is utterly cringeworthy and elicits an uncomfortable eye roll. And, at others still, the signs simply provide information about the church. Here are a few examples I’ve personally seen in recent months. “Ch_ _ch…...
In the year of our Lord 2019, the makers of the classic card game UNO made an announcement that nearly broke the internet by challenging long held understanding of how the game was to be played. The official UNO Twitter account posted a meme with a red background and bold, capitalized white letters that read, “YOU CANNOT STACK DRAW 2 CARDS & DRAW 4 CARDS.” They explained further in the tweet...
Not too far from the neighborhood where I grew up, there was a creek. Every once in a while, some of the other neighborhood kids and I would jump on our bikes and ride down to the creek to explore and play in the water. One of our favorite activities when we were there was to attempt to stop the flow of the water by building dams. We would scout out a good location, usually somewhere the water...
Big events tend to garner large amounts of attention. As a general rule, one can gauge how important an event is to the community at large by how full the parking lot is at the high school. When the Seymour Owls are playing the Brownstown Braves, for instance, every parking space in the lot is full, vehicles are parked all up and down the surrounding streets, and our parking lot here at the...
According to britannica.com, constellations are “…certain groupings of stars that were imagined – at least by those who named them – to form conspicuous configurations of objects or creatures in the sky.” When you break it down, then, constellations are basically a cosmic game of connect the dots. At least that’s how they function for most of us in the modern world. In fact, I remember doing...
It’s a fairly common scene that all of us have observed while traveling. There, on the side of a busy highway, is a parked vehicle with hazard lights flashing. At least one passenger is on the phone, desperately trying to find help. Perhaps one or two are crouched over by a flat tire, leaning over looking into a smoking engine bay, or quickly walking around the vehicle trying to figure out what...
“Are we there yet?!” These are famous words, proclaimed by the mouths of children and adults alike on long road trips. It doesn’t generally matter how far from home you’re traveling. The whole point of the trip is getting there, wherever that may be. Time in cramped vehicles on the road is but a means to a desired end. I heard a still small voice in my head ask, “Why are you wishing this time...
A scene from the 2003 movie The Last Samurai has stuck with me for all these years. It often comes to mind when my mind is unsettled and struggling to find peace due to a variety of external and internal factors. In the scene, Algren, a decorated American war hero, is participating in a practice sword fight to test his newly developed skills. It is not going well for him and he continues to find...
Summer camp was an important feature of my younger years. There were few things that I anticipated and enjoyed more each year than heading north for a week of camp. Camp, in all of its various iterations, played a crucial role in my development as a follower of Jesus. It was at a camp that I first felt the call to become a pastor. It was at camp that I developed important relationships that still...
Jeremy Myers is the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Seymour, Indiana, where he has served since 2017. He has over 25 years of experience in local church ministry and not-for-profit leadership. 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 developing connections between senior adults and youth in the church. 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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