2011 Preachers | Waffle Shop | Parking | Volunteer Opportunities

March 10 —April 15, 2011

2010 Lenten Noonday

Preaching Series
Mondays-Fridays 12:05-12:40 pm
Waffle Shop
Mondays-Fridays 11:00 am-1:30 pm

For over eighty consecutive years during the season of Lent, Calvary Episcopal Church has hosted a noonday preaching series featuring inspiring and diverse speakers.  Through the Series, which is free and open to the public, Calvary provides numerous opportunities for spiritual renewal and growth, and a deeper relationship with God. 

The Series features dynamic local and national speakers from various denominations and faiths and takes place Mondays through Fridays from 12:05 to 12:40 p.m., beginning the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, and continuing through the Friday before Palm Sunday. 

MARCH 10 ~ Thursday
THE REV. OLLIE V. RENCHER
Associate Rector for Pastoral Care and Congregational Development
Church of the Holy Communion, Memphis, TN

March 10: Embracing the God Within

Ollie Rencher is passionate about ministry that cares for and connects people more deeply to God and one another. Among his faith-based community work, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) and as Chaplain for the West Tennessee Haiti Partnership. A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi and 2003 graduate of The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church (New York City), he celebrates rich life experiences which continue to inform his priesthood. A Fellow of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Cambridge, MA), Rencher embraces the gifts of silence, reflection, conversation, actions and reconciliation that build up God’s kingdom on earth.

 

MARCH 11 ~ Friday
THE REV. MITZI MINOR
Professor of New Testament
Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, TN

March 11: Table Talk

Mitzi Minor, a Professor of the New Testament at Memphis Theological Seminary and an ordained Cumberland Presbyterian Minister, teaches students how they might read and interpret the New Testament with integrity and encourages them to allow their lives and the New Testament readings to intersect. Dr. Minor is a well-known lecturer and is the author of many books including “Second Corinthians” in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary Series and “15 Bible Studies on Mark” in The Pastor’s Bible Study, vol. 2. The focus of her professional life and ministry is the intersection of Holy Scripture and our spiritual lives.

 

MARCH 14 & 15 ~ Monday & Tuesday
THE REV. OTIS MOSS, III
Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ
Chicago, IL

March 14: The Blue-Note Gospel

March 15: We Have Issues

Otis Moss, III is part of a new generation of ministers committed to preaching prophetically that the message of love and justice are inseparable companions, forming the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Moss has a unique gift to communicate across generations. His creative bible-based messages have inspired young and old alike, and his intergenerational preaching gift has made him a popular speaker on college campuses, at conferences and churches across the globe. Moss is a native of Cleveland, OH, an honors graduate of Morehouse College and a graduate of Yale Divinity School. He is the author of Redemption in a Red Light District and the co-author of The Gospel Re-Mix: How to Reach the Hip-Hop Generation.

 

 MARCH 16 & 17 ~ Wednesday & Thursday
DR. MARCUS J. BORG
Author and Canon Theologian, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Portland, OR

March 16: Eden & Lent

March 17: Christian & American

Described by The New York Times as “a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” Marcus Borg is a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, and past president of the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars. He is the author of 19 books, four of which have become best-sellers, including, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time and The Heart of Christianity. Borg’s twentieth book, Speaking Christian, will be published in March 2011. With the highest of national and international credits, Borg’s deep concern for God’s justice is reflected in all of his published works and lectures. His remarkable memory, love of travel, and sense of humor flavor the presentation of his groundbreaking new approaches to traditional biblical work. An extraordinarily thoughtful human being, Borg’s depth of knowledge and grasp of spirituality and religion provide much to ponder.

 

MARCH 18 ~ Friday
THE REV. LINDA WILLIS
Co-founder and Pastor, New Life in Christ Fellowship Church
Olive Branch, MS

March 18: Love Without Limits

Linda Willis is a much sought after preacher, lecturer, teacher, leader, and counselor. Gifted to develop and empower believers from all walks of life, she has a deep passion for the issues and challenges that face women and has used various formats such as radio and newspaper to be a voice of change. Willis is the author of three books, Sisterfriends -Words of Encouragement, Empowerment, and Enlightenment from One Sister to Another (Volumes I & II) and Pregnant with Potential. Her books are designed to empower and bless women (and men) as they continue on their journeys of faith. Willis also has had her sermons featured in “The American Pulpit Journal.”

 

 MARCH 21 & 22 ~ Monday & Tuesday
THE REV. DR. MAXIE DUNNAM
Interim Senior Minister, Christ United Methodist Church

Memphis, TN

March 21: The Dual Invitation

March 22: Alive in Christ

Widely known as an evangelist, leader, and pioneer in small-group ministries, Maxie Dunnam is serving as Interim Senior Minister at Christ United Methodist Church, where he previously served as Senior Minister for 12 years. His time at Christ Church emphasizes a commitment to evangelism, inner-city ministries, housing for the working poor, outreach to the recovering community, and innovative worship. Dunnam came to Christ Church from Asbury Theological Seminary where he was named President in 1994. He is also the former World Editor of The Upper Room. During his tenure at The Upper Room, The Walk to Emmaus and the Academy of Spiritual Foundation were begun. Dunnam has authored more than 30 books, most notably The Workbook of Living Prayer, which sold over one million copies, Alive in Christ, and This Is Christianity. His latest book, The Workbook on Abiding in Christ: The Way of Living Prayer, was published in August 2010.

 

MARCH 23 & 24 ~ Wednesday & Thursday
THE REV. DR. RODGER NISHIOKA
Professor, Columbia Theological Seminary

Decatur, GA

March 23: It's All About Jesus

March 24: What Do You Do When the Earth Moves?

Rodger Nishioka holds the Benton Family chair in Christian education as an associate professor at Columbia Theological Seminary. While he teaches in the area of Christian education and practical theology, he specializes in ministry with youth and young adults and has completed a research project comparing the participation of young adults in mainline Protestant congregations and non-denominational independent Christian movements. Prior to his joining the faculty at Columbia, Nishioka served for 12 years as denominational staff in youth & young adult ministry for the Presbyterian Church (USA). He has published several articles, chapters, and books largely focused on ministry with youth and young adults and the educational ministry of the church as spiritual formation, including Sowing the Seeds, and The Roots of Who We Are.

 

MARCH 25 ~ Friday
DR. SCOTT BADER-SAYE
Author and Professor, Seminary of the Southwest

Austin, TX

March 25: Fear in the Garden

Scott Bader-Saye teaches Christian Ethics at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX. A graduate of Davidson College, Yale Divinity School, and Duke University, he teaches and writes in the areas of politics, economy, culture, and Jewish-Christian dialogue. Bader-Saye’s publications include Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear and Church and Israel After Christendom. In addition to his seminary teaching, he serves as Theologian-in-Residence at St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church, a mission church in northwest Austin.

Workshop with Scott Bader-Saye
Saturday, March 26,
9:00 a.m - 1:00 p.m, at Calvary

From global economic meltdown to health care crisis, the present age is marked by a pervasive sense of threat and insecurity. This cultural landscape tempts Christians to embrace a self-protective ethic of safety at the expense of faithful discipleship. In this workshop we will look at ways to counter the idolatry of security and to embrace an ethic of risk that manifests itself in courage, hope, and generosity. Morning coffee and lunch will be included in the cost of this workshop. Contact Alison Merritt for more information, 525-6602, ext. 130.

 

MARCH 28 & 29 ~ Monday & Tuesday
PHYLLIS TICKLE
Author and Founding Editor of the Religion Department of Publishers Weekly,
Millington, TN

March 28: Jeremiah and the Cistern

 

An authority on religion in America and a much sought after lecturer on the subject, Phyllis Tickle is the author of some two dozen books on religion and spirituality, including The Great Emergence- How Christianity Is Changing and Why, which describes the social and cultural changes that are affecting Christianity in North America today. In The Words of Jesus, Tickle engages and inspires readers by expressing the relevance of Jesus through His own words. With her series of books The Divine Hours and The Night Offices, she reconnects Christians to the holiness of their everyday lives through the ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer.

 

 MARCH 30 ~ Wednesday
THE REV. CHERYL CORNISH
Pastor, First Congregational Church
Memphis, TN

March 30: When the Living Word Comes to Call

Cheryl Cornish began her ministry at First Congregational Church in 1988. A native Nebraskan, Cornish studied Philosophy at Williams College and received her Master of Divinity degree at Yale University Divinity School before being ordained in 1984. While she was at Yale, Cornish served as Coordinator of the Yale Divinity School Women’s Center. She served as pastor at Ebenezer United Church of Christ in Augusta, Missouri for four years prior to being called to First Congregational, Memphis. A gifted preacher, Cornish’s sermons have appeared in a number of publications and she is in demand as a worship leader and preacher. She has served on the Board of Directors of MIFA (the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association), been a member of the Board of Trustees at LeMoyne-Owen College, has been an officer of the Workers Interfaith Network, is former president of the Memphis Ministers’ Association and served as Board Chair of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center. In 2005, Cornish received Women of Achievement’s “Courage” award for her advocacy for peace and justice.

 

MARCH 31 & APRIL 1 ~ Thursday & Friday
THE REV. DR. DANIEL P. MATTHEWS
Rector Emeritus of Trinity Church,

New York, NY

March 31: Violence

April 1: Winner Takes All

Dan Matthews is one of the Lenten Series’ perennial favorites. His feisty and inspirational stories give great insight into the role of a Christian and leave listeners on the edge of their seats. Since 1972, Matthews’ work has been concentrated in larger, inner-city parishes, but he also has been influential in bringing together faith groups and clergy through the Hallmark Television Channel, the Clergy Leadership Project, and the publication of Spirituality and Health. For years the rector of Trinity Wall Street in New York City, Matthews played a major role in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, as an apostle for hope and healing in lower Manhattan as the district sought to rebuild itself.

 

APRIL 4 & 5 ~ Monday & Tuesday
RABBI MICAH GREENSTEIN
Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel
Memphis, TN

April 4: The Bible's First Question from Memphis to Cambodia: Ayeka - Where are you?

April 5: God is Watching and Waiting

A brilliant and caring preacher/teacher, not-to-be-missed Micah Greenstein packs the house at the Lenten Series. The Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel and one of Memphis’ most significant leaders, Greenstein’s compassion and vast knowledge of Judaism and Christianity lend a different perspective to our Lenten practices. He is two-time President of the Memphis Ministers Association, serves on the Executive Board of the National Civil Rights Museum, and is past-President of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis, covering six states. Greenstein was the first Rabbi ever to speak in the Lenten Series, and in 2005, he was selected to be the principal speaker for the State of Tennessee at the Washington National Cathedral.

 

 APRIL 6 ~ Wednesday
THE REV. DR. STEVE MONTGOMERY
Senior Pastor, Idlewild Presbyterian Church
Memphis, TN

April 6: The Bible is Still Here

With a passion for preaching and worship, Steve Montgomery has been leading Idlewild Presbyterian Church as their senior pastor for the last seven years. Before coming to Memphis, he served as both a senior pastor and youth minister at churches in Georgia, Kentucky and Connecticut. Montgomery has served on the Boards of Columbia Theological Seminary, LeMoyne-Owen College, and Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA). He is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Memphis and served as the President of The Memphis Ministers Association in 2004.

 

 APRIL 7 ~ Thursday
THE REV. DR. ELI MORRIS
Associate & Urban Ministry Pastor, Hope Presbyterian Church,

Memphis, TN

April 7: No Doubt

Eli Morris joined the staff of Hope Presbyterian in the summer of 1989. Since then, Hope has grown from 120 worshippers to over 7,000, making it the largest church in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the second largest Presbyterian church in America. Morris’ concern for the poor has been a hallmark of his work at Hope. His current role as the Associate & Urban Ministry Pastor finds him each and every day engaging with and ministering to those who live with the challenges of poverty. He serves on the boards of STREETS Ministry, Oasis of Hope, Luke 4:18 Ministries, and MIFA Emergency Services. Morris also is the pastor of Hope’s unique Sunday evening service, The Stirring. In 2010 Morris received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for Memphis.

 

APRIL 8 ~ Friday
THE REV. KEITH NORMAN
Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church-Broad
Memphis, TN

April 8: Finishing Strong: Living & Laboring Like It Is Your Last Day on Earth

Pastor of First Baptist Church-Broad, located in the Binghampton community of Memphis, Keith Norman is a well-known preacher and evangelist. Recently, Norman was chosen to join a group of ministers from various areas of the United States to participate in a revival in Guyana, South America. He is the founder and principal officer of GREATER WORKS, inc., a ministry with emphasis in organizational management aimed at empowering the church into action and optimum service to the community. Norman has been successful in implementing an on-going campaign of community revitalization and strategic planning, including The H.O.P.E. Zone (Haven of Perfective Empowerment), dedicated to Christian education, senior living, temporary housing for the homeless and other much-needed ministry and services for the people of God and the community at large.

 

APRIL 11 & 12 ~ Monday & Tuesday
THE REV. NANCY SEHESTED
Co-pastor of Circle of Mercy Congregation
Asheville, NC

April 11: The Gospel Twins of Justice and Mercy

April 12: Baptized and Beloved

A pastor, preacher, teacher, writer and storyteller, Nancy Sehested is an ordained Baptist minister who has pastored churches in Atlanta, Memphis, and Asheville. Currently Sehested serves as Co-Pastor of the Circle of Mercy Congregation in Asheville, North Carolina, a church affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Alliance of Baptists. She is also the pastoral leader of Shekinah Gathering, an ecumenical house church in Boone, NC., and serves as a state prison chaplain in a maximum-security prison for men in Marion, NC. In 1987, Sehested accepted the call to pastor Prescott Memorial Baptist Church in Memphis. The church was swiftly “disfellowshipped” from the Shelby County Baptist Association for calling a woman as pastor. She served the church as pastor for eight years. As a writer, her sermons and articles have been published in numerous books and magazines, spanning a wide variety of topics such as spirituality and peacemaking, women in ministry, preaching, pastoring, and prison ministry.

APRIL 13 ~ Wednesday
YASIR QADHI
Professor, AlMaghrib Institute
Memphis, TN

April 13: The Most Beautiful Names of God

After completing a degree in engineering, Yasir Qadhi decided to change paths and pursued studies at the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia where he obtained a second Bachelor’s degree specializing in the study of the Prophetic traditions, and a Master’s in Islamic Theology. The horrific events of September 11, 2001 caused Qadhi to return to America, where he felt the need and urgency to build bridges of understanding between the Muslim world and America. He obtained an M.A. and M.Phil. in Religious Studies from Yale University, and currently is completing his Ph.D. from Yale. Qadhi teaches in the Department of Religious Studies at Rhodes College and is also the Dean of Academic Affairs at the AlMaghrib Institute, the largest body of higher Islamic studies in North America.

 

APRIL 14 ~ Thursday
THE REV. DR. DAVID BRECKENRIDGE
Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church
Memphis, TN

April 14: A Soldier's Tale

A Hattiesburg, Mississippi native, David Breckenridge is compelled by how the story of God’s grace seeks to transform all our stories into ones of redemption and hope, joy and promise. “Preaching,” says Breckenridge, “is the art of connecting the ancient stories of scripture to our story and in the process revealing the Storyteller behind them all as one who loves us more than we will ever know or understand.” First Baptist Church of Memphis, located at Poplar and East Parkway, has served as a lighthouse of hope and love for over 170 years. Breckenridge has served as pastor there since August 2008.

 

 APRIL 15 ~ Friday
THE REV. JOHN PITZER, O.P.
Director of St. Martin de Porres Shrine & Institute
Memphis, TN

April 15: Our 2nd Chance Opportunity

John Pitzer is Director of St. Martin de Porres Shrine & Institute, a ministry that reaches beyond boundaries of race, class, denomination, and nationality to promote social justice, spiritual growth, and healing works. Pitzer’s work with the Shrine has allowed him to collaborate with churches of all denominations in order to bring programs to the Memphis area that both challenge and support spiritual growth. In addition to his work in Memphis, Pitzer has led numerous preaching events and retreats around the country.