Fall house gatherings - sign up now!

As Woodmont continues to roll out its vision and master plan for the future, we are offering house gatherings on multiple dates to better educate the congregation on the plan moving forward. Feel free to sign up for one of these gatherings that are taking place in the coming weeks. Thank you to the families that are hosting these gatherings! Click the button below to sign up for one.

• Oct. 10 at 6:00 PM - Hosted by Mark & Nancy Barrett
• Oct. 23 at 5:30 PM - Hosted by John & Emilie Stauffer
• Oct. 28 at 5:30 PM - Hosted by John & Monty Steele
• Nov. 4 at 5:00 PM - Hosted by Bill & Robin Heyne
• Nov. 6 at 6:00 PM - Hosted by L.A. & Martha Galyon

Habitat build this weekend

Our church community will be building together on two consecutive days, Oct. 4 & 5. Habitat brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. It’ll be up to us to provide the necessary people power to accomplish the build tasks when we come out. This is a great opportunity to put God’s love into action together!

Each build day covers a variety of tasks and there will be types of work for everyone. All you have to do is click the button below to sign up for a build day and show up dressed and ready to work! No experience or tools are necessary.

Midweek worship tomorrow

This fall, we are offering a 30-minute worship service on Wednesday nights in the chapel at 6:15 PM following a 5:30 PM dinner in the gym. In October, Jay Hutchens is bringing a message called “With the Woman at the Well: Worshiping in Spirit... and Truth" based on John 4:23-26.

This is a full-band, casual service meant to give you a midweek uplift and reset. Come for some encouragement, music, and fellowship!

Click the button below to RSVP for dinner!

This Sunday, October 5, we will begin a new sermon series titled “Embracing the Future!” Here are some important questions for all of us to ponder:

• What hopes and dreams do we have for our own future?
• How might the future be different from the past?
• What changes do we need to make in our lives?
• What are the important lessons we have learned so far in our lives?
• How have our families grown and changed over the years?
• What would we like to see our church family accomplish together in the coming years?
• What are the important things we can do as a community?
• What does it mean to live into the future with faith and hope?

We will be looking at the timeless words of the Hebrew prophets who spoke boldly in their own day. Jeremiah told the Israelites who were in exile, “For surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” We will also look to some core teachings of Jesus as our guide. Many people can approach the future with fear and anxiety because it is unknown, uncertain, and perhaps overwhelming. Approaching the future in faith is a much better way to live. We should always live with hope, knowing that the decisions that we make today will heavily impact where we are going. We keep trusting in God along the way to find a sense of peace.

Here at Woodmont, here are some of the major things we are trying to accomplish with our vision and master plan:

• Develop the Campbell West portion of our property (2.3 acres that we already own)
• Heavily invest in our youth, children’s, family, and YP ministries for the future; these ministries have significant momentum right now
• Build a multi-use gymnasium that could also be used for worship, speakers, and large events; this will relieve pressure on Drowota Hall
• Build a new home base for our growing youth ministry that will set it up for the future
• Free up additional space for our children’s ministries (the current youth space)
• Add over 100 additional parking spaces for Sundays
• Build a Connection Cafe that will serve as a hub for gathering and fellowship
• Build a large, covered porch for fellowship and group gatherings
• Create a common green space between the buildings for outdoor events and activities
• Provide adequate space for Woodmont to grow and flourish in the future

I am recommending a new book to go along with this series titled “Future Church” by Will Mancini and Cory Hartman. I encourage you to check it out. We will have copies of it in our bookstore. Here’s to an exciting future at Woodmont and in our own lives!

This Sunday, Oct. 5

New sermon series “Embracing the Future!" • Clay Stauffer • “What Will Your Future Be?” • Jeremiah 29:11-14 & Matthew 5:13-16

Our schedule for this Sunday is:

• 8:30 AM – Continental breakfast in the gym
• 9:30 AM – Informal service in the sanctuary
• 9:40 AM – The Bridge service in the chapel
• 11:00 AM – Traditional service in the sanctuary
• 4:00 PM – CYF regular youth group

Please note that our middle schoolers, our "Chi Rho" group, will be spending the week nearby at Camp Widjiwagan in Antioch, TN, from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5

Youth group

Sunday, Sept. 21 • Photos by Nikki Alvarado

New! 8:30 AM adult and children's Sunday School hour

Starting Nov. 2, we will be offering TWO new adult Sunday School classes along with a NEW children's Sunday School program.  Continental Breakfast with bagels and muffins will be offered starting at 8:00 AM in Drowota Hall followed by our 8:30 AM Sunday School classes.

For more information on adult Sunday School classes, contact:

• Carey Whitworth - carey.whitworth@gmail.com - Class option 1 with book study and discussion (TBD)

• Alex Scarbrough Fisher - alex.scarbrough@gmail.com - "A Place for Peace" (class option 2) with centering prayer, guided reading, and discussion.

If you are interested in your child attending the 8:30 AM Sunday School program, please click here to fill out our registration form.

Singles Fellowship Oct. 5

The Singles Fellowship Group will be meeting at Fat Bottom Brewery (locally owned by one of our members) this Sunday, Oct. 5, from 4-6 PM. This is a gathering for singles in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who share a common interest in serving God and growing in community together. Questions? Contact Todd Pachey at toddpachey@gmail.com

CWF Oct. 7 meeting

Our next CWF (Christian Women's Fellowship) meeting will feature a presentation called "Conversations Around End of Life" with a team from Alive Hospice on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 11:00 AM in Carpenter Chapel. You can RSVP for lunch by calling the church office at (615) 297-8563.

"Medicare Made Simple" Oct. 7

AJ Advisors is excited to host an educational event on all things Medicare at Woodmont on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 5:00 PM in Carpenter Chapel.

John Stauffer and Andrew Quinn will be joined by Margaret and Jennifer Smith, who specialize in helping individuals and families navigate the healthcare maze. Margaret has over 30 years of consulting experience on Medicare and other health insurance options. For more info on their company, visit yesmam.com.

The panel will be discussing many topics, including:

• What are the different parts of Medicare and how does open enrollment work?
• Should I choose traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
• What are the biggest Medicare mistakes to avoid?
• When should I start planning for Medicare?
• If already on Medicare, should I make any changes during open enrollment?
• How do I know if I am properly covered?
• How does IRMAA work and why am I paying higher premiums on my Medicare coverage?
• How do you bridge the health insurance gap between insurance through work and Medicare?

This is a community event, so feel free to pass along this invitation to others you know who are looking for objective and accurate information on Medicare.

Click the button below to register and submit any questions you’d like the panel to answer!

My small group just started a new book called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. It’s been recommended to me many times and, even though we’re only a couple of chapters in, I can say with confidence that you need to get into it if you haven't already! It’s a quest for a less rushed faith and a more peaceful, meaningful way of living.

One thing I love about my small group crew is that we’re really honest with each other about where we’re at in life during our discussions. There's no pretense, just genuine care, prayer, and lots of laughter about life’s crinkles that ebb and flow through our different paths.

Our conversation after the first section of this book quickly came around to our phone habits and social media. There was a common thread about how quickly we can get pulled into them, and the distraction they can be without even trying.

We’ve all heard the “You should just” advice that is given from every angle. “You should just…” get off of social media completely, leave cell phones outside of your room at night, leave them outside of your office during the workday, don’t use them at home or with your friends or in public, etc. Most of that advice can be found in a clickbait link to an article or an eye catching, square graphic posted on… social media.

While all those tips are important and helpful, we can’t ignore the fact that our phones and social media are woven deeply into the fabric of our society. If it were as simple as “you should just stop,” then it wouldn’t be a topic of conversation in every church group, mom group, self-help group, and news outlet.

So my honest, no pretense, and (I’m slightly biased but) very funny and smart small group decided to acknowledge that balance, as it is in so many cases, is a more realistic solution to the problem. There are very few things that we can do to unwind during the day or use to take a mental break in as short an amount of time as it takes to pick up your phone and scroll. It’s a toxic yet incredibly convenient habit, which is why it’s so widespread. So we came up with a list of healthy, 3 - 5 minute, replacement habits to pick up instead every time we feel the urge to reach for our phone and scroll. Habits that can help give a real rest, break, or recharge. Here are the top 10:

1. Read a passage of scripture

2. Go outside: get fresh air, put your feet in the grass if possible!

3. Stretch: move your body.

4. Use the Breath App

5. Pray

6. Text a friend you’ve been thinking of instead of looking at their Insta page

7. Write down a gratitude (or 3) in your notes app.

8. Listen to a song you love

9. Do one small, mundane physical task that you’ve been saving for later: for example, pick up in one room of your house, throw trash away out of your car, wipe down one counter in your kitchen, file a stack of papers on your desk, dust your keyboard, throw in a load of laundry, etc.

10. Read a couple of pages of a book on your reading app: keep either a fun novel, an uplifting non-fiction, or an educational book on something you’re interested in just for this practice.

If you’ve ever found yourself losing time to TikTok videos, Facebook rants from old high school classmates, replying to work emails after work, or getting sucked down the rabbit hole of informative yet completely negative article sound bites, you’re not alone, and I hope these practical replacements can be a breath of fresh air for you as well!

Donate to continue literacy in north Nashville

Lee Chapel AME’s Afterschool Tutorial Program provides essential supplementary reading coaching to first and second graders living in north Nashville. This coaching is led by Fisk University students and others, supported by a literacy specialist.

In the past year, our elementary students have shown measurable growth in vocabulary, reading comprehension, spelling, and writing, including an average growth of half a grade level in just 17 weeks.

Your gift ensures the coaching program will continue to help children learn to read well into 2026! Every dollar donated goes directly to a child’s tutoring.

Woodmont Christian Church serves as a mission partner with Lee Chapel AME Church in funding this ministry.

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10

"The Power of Stillness" Oct. 3-5

The world is frenetic. Our culture encourages busyness.  Too many of us walk through life exhausted, feeling like we are inadequate, even as we struggle to keep up with endless "to-do" lists. Sound familiar?

If so, here’s a chance to slow down, breath with beauty all around, and explore "The Power of Stillness" st beautiful St. Mary’s Sewanee.

Led by Sandy Smith, this weekend retreat will draw from ancient mystical practices and teachers as we listen for the Holy in our lives. This is not a silent retreat, but we will often turn to silence as our teacher.  We will explore new practices for finding stillness underneath the noise of the world.  Our time together will balance group and private time, allowing you to open your heart to the deep nudging of your soul. 

Register at sandyclingansmith.com/events

Medical equipment loans

If you are in need of any medical equipment or if you have items that you would like to donate after you are finished using them, there is a closet in Room 100 for church members' use. Typical items are boots, walkers, crutches, canes, wheelchairs, commodes, etc. Any surplus items are then donated to Project Cure. Gene Regen is in charge of the closet, so if you have any questions or if you need to check something out, feel free to let him know at genemregen@gmail.com. 

Church calendar

For a full list of everything happening at Woodmont, click the button below to view our church calendar.