Richmond's First Baptist Church

Tom Laughon, member of the Richmond-based Storytellers Channel and president of local leadership development firm Catch Your Limit, shares humorous stories from growing up in the Baptist church.

Jim Somerville: "This week's news is even worse than last week's. ... But this morning I came to church, and I heard some good news. Isn't it wonderful that there is a place where you can hear good news? I heard from the Apostle Paul, and he reminded me that this thing isn't over yet..."

Emerson Shelton: "After hearing about the death of Alton Sterling, I spent a good portion of the day laying across the bed in my guest bedroom. ... 'God, what am I supposed to do?' I don't know that I was really expecting an answer, but I got one..."

Jim Somerville's biblical storytelling workshop from Wednesday, July 13, 2016.

Jim Somerville: "[I was sitting] with the members of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, talking about what we could do to bring peace to the world. Never had it seemed more necessary, and yet never had it seemed more improbable. As we huddled in that room writing words on a flip chart, the world around us was crashing down, and I wondered, 'Where is Jesus now, when we need him most?'"

David Coogan, Associate Professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University, speaks about his book, "Writing Our Way Out: Memoirs from Jail".

Jim Somerville: "A few years ago I was invited to walk the slave trail in Richmond with a few other ministers. We had an African-American guide who took us down to the Manchester Docks and described what it was like for those who arrived on slave ships..."

Robert Thompson: "We bring a light into the world, not as a source, but as a prism. It comes through us as electricity flows through a conduit ... so the Spirit moves through human beings to touch others."

Jim Somerville's "Talkback" from Sunday, June 19, 2016. Topics include moments in the history of Richmond's First Baptist Church, Christ's availability to all people, and how Christ's love moves us to response.

Jim Somerville: "A few blocks from here there is a church that is made up of mostly black members, because years ago they found they were not welcome in the 'white church'. A few blocks in the other direction is a church made up of mostly gay members, because years ago they found they were not welcome in the straight church. A few blocks in the other direction is a church where most of us would not be welcome..."