Tag: christianity
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The Story Hidden in Church Circle
I was recently asked why half of the four church buildings on Kingsport’s historic Church Circle are Methodist. As a history buff, I knew why, but it occurred to me that others may not. Long before Kingsport became the Model City, Methodist worship had already taken root here. Organized Methodism in this region dates to…
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A Thank-You Note and a Good Friday Reminder
There is something meaningful about speaking with young people who are still discovering who they are and who they are becoming. One of the best parts of our local high school leadership class is that the teacher asks each student to send a thank-you note to every guest speaker, reflecting on what they heard. Often,…
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When Efficiency Serves the Human Heart
Back at the beginning of my career in the mid-1980s, our community’s largest employer, Eastman Chemical, was going through a transformative process in total quality management. It was based on the management principles that helped Toyota rise from being viewed as an affordable alternative to American-made cars into a global benchmark for reliability, quality, and…
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A Holy Land Close to Home
Through an unexpected turn of events, my son and daughter-in-law were given a rare opportunity to visit the Holy Land—one that was simply too good to pass up. Many people don’t realize that my son’s foundational degree is in Religion from Carson-Newman University, where he also served as a captain of the football team. His…
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Stewardship and Grace
This week, our Life Group lesson at church focused on stewardship. As we explored Biblical examples, we were invited to share experiences from our own lives. My mind immediately returned to my years in public service—to the intense budget seasons, the hard choices, and the weight of knowing every decision would affect real people. Stewardship…
Kingsport Spirit 