Open to Explore

This special episode features conversations with children from First Baptist Church, Athens, GA, ages 4 to 12. In August of 2021, on the opening night of our children's choir and mission activities, we brought the children, two by two, into our “podcast studio” where each child was asked two questions: “What is your favorite Bible story?” And, “Who is a person, or character in the Bible that you like?” Their answers are featured on this podcast. 

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of First Baptist Church, being in the current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue in Athens, GA. This series features stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. Our final episode features Adam Granger and Livy Baxley. We produce another podcast, “Open to Explore Devotions.” Beginning Sunday, November 28, we will have daily devotions for Advent featuring personal stories from congregation members sharing about what gives them hope this Advent and Christmas season. Subscribe now to Open to Explore Devotions.

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of First Baptist Church, being in the current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue in Athens, GA. This series features stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. Our fifth episode features Alison Cunningham and Ches Smith.

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of First Baptist Church, being in the current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue in Athens, GA. This series features stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. Our fourth episode features Charles Adams and Donna Hopper.

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of First Baptist Church, being in the current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue in Athens, GA. This series features stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. Our third episode features Robin O'Rear and Cindy Haygood.

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of First Baptist Church, being in the current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue in Athens, GA. This series features stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. Our second episode features Jill Dawson and John Barrow. Jill and John are native Athenians; they have experienced this church through all phases of their lives. 

This podcast series celebrates our 100-year anniversary of being in our current location at the corner of Pulaski Street and Hancock Avenue. These feature stories and memories from a variety of our members. Some stories will stir your laughter; others may bring a tear or two upon your face. This first podcast features Charlie Hooper and Vickie Horton, two long-time members of this congregation. 

Jimmy Thomason shares memories of First Baptist with Carol Cofer (his sister!)

John Barrow joins Carol Cofer to discuss growing up in the church, his favorite memories, and how he views the church's future. 

Jim Hubert speaks with Carol Cofer about growing up at FBC and his perspective on the church through the years. 

Phyllis Nelson, a member of First Baptist Athens' "cradle roll," shares memories of the church and her family with Carol Cofer. 

 Carol Cofer speaks with Kathy Segars about growing up in First Baptist Athens. In this series, "cradle roll" (members who were born into the church) share memories of the church's past to help us prepare for our shared future. 

 Carol Cofer speaks with Jill Dawson about growing up in First Baptist Athens. In this series, "cradle roll" (members who were born into the church) share memories of the church's past to help us prepare for our shared future. 

In the first episode of this series, Carol Cofer speaks with Julie Jenkins about growing up in First Baptist Athens. In this series, "cradle roll" (members who were born into the church) share memories of the church's past to help us prepare for our shared future. 

Guidelines for walking the stations of the cross This podcast serves as an audio guide for walking and meditating the 14 Stations of the Cross. It is designed for use in the Prayer Garden at First Baptist Church in downtown Athens, GA. The Garden is open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Good Friday, April 2, 2021. The podcast is timed so that once t is started, a person can allow it to play continuously being guided from station to station with time for silence and meditation at each station. A bell tone will sound, followed by a prompt indicating it is time to move to the next station.  OptionWhile it is designed to be used when physically walking a path of the 14 stations, this podcast can be adapted for use in other settings. One can simply find a quite place, inside or outside, and listen to the prayers, identified stations, and prompts for reflection.  Information about the StationsThe 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.

This is the final episode in a series of three featuring conversations with Dr. Anna Carter Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur Georgia. Many of us have heard plenty of sermons. Some which were excellent, plenty that were good, and hopefully not very many bad ones. Perhaps after hearing any one of those types of sermons, you had the question, “What do they teach students in seminary about preparing and delivering sermons?” Dr. Carter Florence offers insight into one seminary professor thoughts, approaches, and answers to the question, “How do you teach preaching?”  Dr. Anna Carter Florence gave the 2012 Lyman Beecher Lectures, titled: “The Word in the Repertory Church” A video link to these three lectures can be found at the Yale Divinity School website: https://web.library.yale.edu/divinity/beecher-lectures Lecture I: The Script in the Scripture, the Word in Rehearsal: Proclamation in the Repertory Church (October 24)Lecture II: It Could Have Gone Differently: Repertory Readings of Texts of Terror (October 25)Lecture III: Old Texts, New Works: The Repertory Preacher and the Company of Grace (October 26)

Anna Carter Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia has developed an approach for reading scripture. Her book, Rehearsing Scripture, is subtitled Discovering God's Word in Community, gives detail and explanation of this method. Frank Granger and Emily Harbin, ministers at FBC Athens Georgia, explore with Dr. Carter Florence some specific concepts and comments covered in the book discovering that scripture study not only is enjoyable, but it is also relevant to our life now. 

Anna Carter Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia has developed an approach for reading scripture. Her book, Rehearsing Scripture, is subtitled Discovering God's Word in Community, gives detail and explanation of this method. Frank Granger and Emily Harbin, ministers at FBC Athens Georgia, ask Dr. Carter Florence what inspired this way of reading and studying scripture. Together they discuss this playful, yet respectful approach to Bible Study. 

The fifth sermon in the Let's Talk 2020 series is delivered by Matt Marston, Senior Minister at First Baptist Athens. Among the many voices of the conversation about justice, he suggests Christians have an important message to add.

The fourth sermon in the Let's Talk 2020 series is delivered by Emily Harbin, Minister of Students and Young Adult at First Baptist Athens. Using the work of Pauline Boss on ambiguous loss, Rev. Harbin explores the impact of losses which are undefined and unfinished.

The sixth and final sermon in the Let's Talk 2020 series is delivered by Matt Marston. Grace is the means to provide healing in an imperfect word. Grace also allows us to remove our self-constructed barriers of difference and separation.

The third sermon in the Let's Talk series explores creation care, climate change, and global warming. Frank Granger, Minister of Christian Community at First Baptist Athens suggests we must not wait any longer before taking action.

The second sermon in the Let's Talk 2020 series, delivered by Joel Snider, looks at economic justice through the eyes and heart of who God loves.

This first sermon in the Let's Talk 2020 series, by Joel Snider, explores the tensions between exercising our individual rights at the expense of the common good

Two pastors, one African American and one white, share their perspectives on the 3-year relationship of their congregations. Hope for the ongoing work of racial justice starts in relationship.