What is Lent?  When did it begin? It is the period of time before Easter. Traditionally it is the 46 days prior to Easter. While observance of Lent is not commanded in Scripture, it is nonetheless very old, and very valuable. Though celebrating Christmas is not in Scripture, many still do. The observance of Lent…

The desire for meaningful and deep worship experiences at New City is a no-brainer.  I believe most churches would say the same thing.  We all want to encounter God, to connect with God.  So, how does this happen?  How do I, as the worship leader, facilitate this?  Can I?  Should it even be my responsibility? …

In 1786 Richard Allen became a preacher at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.  This congregation was a mixed congregation, consisting of both black and white members.  Though Allen was restricted to preaching in the early morning services (as early as 5:00AM), he began to attract a sizable congregation of black worshipers. In 1787…

Each year in the United States “Black History Month” is celebrated in February. During this month we remember the many great contributions of black folk throughout our history, whether they were slaves or abolitionists or fought for civil rights or simply contributed to the prosperity of this country through inventions, hard work, or strength of…

In his famous speech Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. In a nation where a person’s color defined everything about…