February 10, 2021
by jenniferpuryear
Yesterday was full of aggravations and concerns. The Lenten roses – in their humility, peacefulness, and acceptance of their particular geography – seemed to understand something I didn’t. The pansies, on the other hand? We were on the same page. I was reminded – as if one needs reminding – that almost every single thing is out of my control. Including each person I love …
December 22, 2019
by jenniferpuryear
Book Title: The Dearly Beloved
Todd Jones, former senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, offers a meditation today on one of the best novels he’s read this year – The Dearly Beloved, by Cara Wall. Was it the best book he read this year? “Honestly, I read too many good novels on our transatlantic cruise to say any particular one was THE favorite. I’ve been like a kid …
May 22, 2019
by jenniferpuryear
Book Title: Something in the Water
My friend Todd Jones stops in at Bacon today to recommend a novel that is part Downton Abbey, part psychological thriller, deliciously dread-inducing, big-question-asking, AND set in Bora Bora… anyone need a summer read? Bonus: it’s now in paperback!
April 14, 2017
by jenniferpuryear
The empty tomb is stunning, transcendent – also hard to imagine – not impossible. The death and anguish of Good Friday? Not hard. Suffering and death we GET – though that doesn’t mean we don’t ask why. It seems a good time to share a post by Dr. Todd Jones, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, on What Shall We Say? Evil, Suffering and The Crisis of …
July 10, 2014
by jenniferpuryear
Book Title: 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents
You can tell when Todd Jones enters the room. All of a sudden, things get livelier. People are more animated and warmer. They’re following his lead. You won’t see many yawns when he’s in the pulpit most Sundays at First Pres! If I could invent a minister from scratch, I’d hope to come up with Todd Jones. Todd was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He …