THE BACKGROUND OF PRAISE
On the opening night of the Central Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, which was held at First UMC, Ft. Worth, we sang that glorious hymn of praise by Joacim Neander, “Praise To The Lord, The Almighty.” Into the midst of this beautiful and uplifting hymn, there came a stark reminder of why we were there and why we preach. In the background, just outside the Church, there were sirens going off. Not just one or two, but at least five or six. I couldn’t tell whether it was a fire, an accident, a bust or what. But it reminded me deeply of the message the church proclaims. At the foundation of all our gatherings and assemblies lies our purpose. We bear a message of hope to a frightened world. We bear a message of comfort to those who mourn and struggle for everyday life. We bear a message of transformation for those who are downtrodden or who…
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