Open to Explore Devotions

Today’s scripture is Isaiah 61:1-4 and is read by Jon Millians. The devotion today is given by Sharon Hulsey. 

Link to Song:

Open Up by The Brilliance on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/track/6XRKTQ3n1CpS55DQqjGadY

Today’s scripture is Isaiah 40:1-5 and is read by Danielle Williams. The devotion today is given by Cindy Haygood. 

Links to Songs Referenced

Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/track/6fmYoJZsJzUbHPjfTyhhTz

Joseph’s Lullaby by Bart Millard and Brown Banister on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/track/6O5uG9bAYLuI7xMDwiWK2v

Today’s scripture is Isaiah 2:1-5 and is read by Matthew Baxley. The devotion today is given by Mickey Schuber. 

First Baptist Church of Athens and Open to Explore Devotions will be bringing a new series of Advent Devotions for 2023. These daily podcast devotions will begin on Monday, December 4th.  The focus for our 2023 devotions is the impact that music has on our experience of the Advent and Christmas season. In these podcasts you will hear about music which is special to our story tellers. May it also bring you joy, and inspiration. The devotion includes a daily scripture taken from the traditional scriptures of prophecy and proclamation for the Advent and Christmas season.  

December Worship Opportunities
Sunday, December 3 Advent I

11:00 a.m. Worship & Communion 

Sunday, December 10 Advent II

11:00 a.m. Worship & Children’s Musical

Sunday, December 17 Advent III

11:00 a.m. Magnificat: A Service of Lessons and Carols

Tuesday, December 19

6:00 p.m. Blue Christmas: A Service of Remembrance and Hope

Sunday, December 24 Advent IV

11:00 a.m. Worship with Baptism

5:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Worship

Guidelines for walking the stations of the cross

This podcast serves as an audio guide for a self-guided listening experience to meditate on the 14 Stations of the Cross. The podcast is timed so you can let it play continuously, having for a brief time of silence in between each station. A bell tone will sound, followed by a prompt indicating it is time to prepare for the next station.

Option

The podcast can be used in a variety of ways. One can listen while taking a walk, or finding a quiet place, inside or outside, and listen to the prayers, identified stations, and prompts for reflection. If you have access to a church or garden with visual representations of the stations, the podcast can serve as a wonderful guide for physically walking the stations. 

Information about the Stations

The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step devotion commemorating Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. These stations focus on specific events beginning with his condemnation. These are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage. At each station, recall and meditate on the specific event from Christ's last day.

Source of Prayers

The opening and closing prayers are taken from Gathering for Worship: Patterns and Prayers for the Community of Disciples, edited by Christopher J. Ellis and Myra Blyth for The Baptist Union of Great Brittain. Canterbury Press, Norwich, 2005.

Welcome to the FBC Athens Podcast, Open to Explore Devotions. Today is Good Friday, the 39th day of the Lenten journey. Tomorrow, Holy Saturday, will be the 40th, and final day of this pilgrimage to the cross. A special podcast, The Stations of the Cross, will be available tomorrow. It offers a self-guided listening experience of the 14 stations of the cross.  The devotion for today is shared by Nancy Hernandez. The scripture reading is Matthew 21:1-17, and is read from The New Living Translation. Addison Aycock plays Beneath the Cross of Jesus. 

Welcome to the FBC Athens Podcast, Open to Explore Devotions. Today is Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. The name Maundy is from the Latin word for commandment, and references the new commandment Jesus gives his disciple, “love one another as I have loved you.”  The devotion is given by Howard Germany. The scripture reading is Matthew 21:1-17, and is read from The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Addison Aycock plays Beneath the Cross of Jesus. 

Welcome to the FBC Athens Podcast, Open to Explore Devotions. Today is Wednesday of Holy Week, day 37 of the Lenten Journey. The devotion is given by Marcia Caskey. The scripture reading is Matthew 21:1-17, and is read from The Common English Bible. Addison Aycock plays Beneath the Cross of Jesus. 

Welcome to the FBC Athens Podcast, Open to Explore Devotions. Tuesday of Holy week marks the 36th day of The Lenten journey. The devotion is given by Rick Dawson. The scripture reading is Matthew 21:1-17, and is read from The Voice translation. Addison Aycock plays Beneath the Cross of Jesus. 

Welcome to the FBC Athens Podcast, Open to Explore Devotions. The Lenten journey nears its end as we enter Holy Week. The devotion is given by Jennifer Baxley. The scripture reading is Matthew 21:1-17, and is read from The Message. Addison Aycock plays Beneath the Cross of Jesus.