Hello Soma Friends and Family,
Our leadership team has been working to stay informed about the impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) over the last few weeks. Based on the current information and recommendations available to us, below are some of the steps that we have decided to take in order to address the challenges posed by COVID-19. [Read more…]
Dear Soma Church Family,
With the rapidly changing COVID-19/Coronavirus situation, we wanted to make you aware of the precautionary measures we are implementing. At Soma, we are mindful of the current concerns and want to assure you that we are taking the health and well-being of our church family and our community seriously.
Through much prayer and talking with area pastors/officials, we are going to take it week by week. For this week **WE WILL BE MEETING** at a modified worship time of 10:00am. This is in response to Lincoln University’s decision to “extend” the students spring break given that they make up approximately 1/3 of our congregation. We will be learning what God’s Word says about the hope we have in the midst of crisis while continuing our Journey through the Life of Joseph.
We do NOT want to operate out of fear, but at the same time, we DO want to exercise wisdom. We’ll be taking the following steps to help keep everyone healthy. [Read more…]
This weekend, the Houston Chronicle published a devastating articles about decades of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention. It is devastating not only because of the crimes themselves, but also because of the response of pastors and church leaders. Many victims were shamed, made to feel at fault, and given horrible counsel in response to their reports of abuse.
It is clear from the article that these weren’t isolated cases. Instead, it reveals a pattern of abuse and cover-up that extends to some of the highest levels of leadership inside the SBC. Pastors who committed abuse were quietly sent off to other ministries. Victims were told to keep silent. Further abuse was perpetuated on other victims. [Read more…]
by Pastor Jon Nelson
A few years ago my mother lost her battle with cancer. While her death was not sudden, it was devastating. Over the following days I walked through a myriad of emotions that affected not just myself but my family also. Grief is a normal response to loss. It is an emotional process that affects people in many different ways. It is normal to feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster, that your reactions are out of control. Although it is a normal process, it can be quite difficult to navigate, especially as a student. The grieving process can disrupt routines, impact deadlines, and make focusing on taking care of yourself and completing your assignments difficult. Sometimes it can be hard to disclose your struggles to others. You may not want to “burden” them or retell the same story over again. You may worry that you should “be over it by now” and that others won’t understand why it is still bothering you.
“In the News” brings together some of the most interesting content I’ve found online, as it pertains to the church and the people God has called us to reach. Keep in mind, I don’t endorse or agree with everything you’ll see included in the these articles but I find them interesting and worth the read or watch. Take some time to check out the articles and let me know what you think.
Having lived my life on two sides of the same [Christian] track I have seen a lot of different things, especially when it comes to views of this country. Growing up in a historic African American context I heard much about the United States but not much around National holidays and an unintentional differentiation between.
