As the song says, "Music was my first love, and it will be my last." On our very first visit to St B's I wept through the entire service because the music showed me I was home. There have been countless times since where the intertwining of music and liturgy has brought me to tears or transcendence, but a love that was heartily rekindled was for the Triduum—the three services that make up Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. 

As a lifelong Anglican, I've seen all my churches handle Easter week in their own way, and each brings something unique to the table. But NOTHING compares to a St. B's Triduum. The drama of the liturgy, the thoughtfully chosen and beautifully performed music, the use of darkness and light, and the interactive elements for the congregation combine to bring home the passion of Christ in a way that never fails to impact me and, more importantly, bring me back to Jesus.

Jude Mason is senior warden and sings in the worship band. Her husband Stephen is often on bass guitar in the band and their daughter Milly is often acolyting.

The Thursday morning women’s Bible study has altered the course of my life by reshaping my understanding of community, service, and democracy. When he was on earth, Jesus empowered an egalitarian community of followers who obeyed him alone and served all others. For me, the Bible study is a real-life experience and practice of that. The women share the labor required to run our microcommunity. We take turns leading and bringing snack. We all have input on what we study and how we run the study. We bear one another’s burdens in prayer. We offer both our strengths and our limitations to bless the group. I have come to see that setting aside that weekly time is serving one another as we follow Jesus together.

Gretchen Abernathy and her family have been at St. B's for 16 years. Gretchen is a chair of our Rector Search Committee and was previously Senior Warden. She originally joined the women’s Bible study 11 years ago because there was childcare and she was going a bit bonkers at home with her baby.

Rainbows have a very special meaning for me. My parents used to see rainbows frequently from their home, perched high on the brow of Lookout Mountain in Alabama. In early 2009, when we lost Dad to cancer just before Lent, he had just written a meditation for a reflection guide for his church about the rainbow as a sign of God’s covenant with God’s people after the floods. Then, in 2013 Mom moved from the little house on the mountain to North Carolina and was a bit nervous about starting this new chapter. Her first day in her new home she spotted a glorious double rainbow over the mountains from her kitchen window. 

Every Sunday at St. B's rainbows pour into the sanctuary through the stained glass, surrounding us in color and light. It’s powerful to see the light bouncing across the aisle, casting colors on the faces of my fellow worshipers. Often it is the reminder that the rainbows will greet me that gets me to the church on time! What a comfort to know that God is always with me and God is present at St. B's. 

Kim Strickland is a member of the Vestry and she and her husband Jeff, daughters Anna (16) and Audrey (14) have been attending St. B’s since 2009. Their family has led Sunday School for 2s/3s and pre-K and has ministered with Room in the Inn.

We first visited St. B’s when Towles was 7 months pregnant with our second child, Elizabeth. We were new to Nashville and did not have any family in the vicinity, and only a few friends. By the time Elizabeth arrived, we’d only attended a handful of church services, yet through the lavish gift of St Bartholomew’s meal ministry, we were provided with three meals a week for the first six weeks of her life.

Each person who showed up at our door brought us food, yes, but more importantly the fellowship of kind words, encouragement, and an overwhelming sense of belonging. Upon first visit to St B’s we’d felt it was the church for us, but this ministry transformed the Kintzes from “attendees” of St Bartholomew’s Parish to beloved members of a greater family. It’s a lesson on how to show up as the hands and feet of Jesus that we will each carry with us for the rest of our lives.

Andrew serves on Vestry as our Junior Warden and Towles Kintz previously served on the Stewardship Committee. On a Sunday, you’ll often spot Andrew ushering and their three children acolyting.

My 5-K Children’s Ministry class hadn’t met for 3 weeks due to year-end holidays. We re-gathered on an unseasonably warm Sunday in January, working through engaging Epiphany lessons and activities. During our usual prayer/share time children shared various trips, presents, joys and hurts.

When it was my turn, I added, “I’ve been sad because my Dad died right before Christmas.” After some silence, one of the children, whom I’ll call, “Terry,” looking somber, raised a hand, then simply responded, “Well, can we go outside now and play?”

So, for many years now, on reflection, that was perfect, a personal epiphany message: Dad’s with God; we’re here enjoying our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer; and life is for living, so though sad, I can go out(side) and joyfully play whatever roles God desires. 

Jim Pichert, St. Bs member with his wife Sue Pichert since 1979. Jim has served as a children’s ministry teacher, Room In The Inn program coordinator, choir member, vestry person, lay eucharistic minister and current Vestry clerk.

My husband and I came to St. B’s from a non-liturgical church in December 2009. Our former church was sermon-focused with less emphasis on worship. In conversation at St. B’s I got to know a woman who told me about opportunities for Spiritual Direction in town. I had never heard of Spiritual Direction and was intrigued. I signed up for a Spiritual Direction group and consequently spent nine months being led through the 19 Annotations of St. Ignatius. Experiencing the love of Christ through Spiritual Direction changed my life. It took me from a head-centered faith to a heart-centered faith. Worship at St. B’s has become much more rich and meaningful to me as a result. It has given me such a deeper knowledge of God’s love for me and His calling to follow Him from a place of gratefulness instead of from a place of duty.

Beth Heimburger serves on Vestry and is our vestry Liaison to our South Sudanese community. Beth is also active with Women's Bible study, as a Greeter and providing hospitality. She and her husband Doug led one of our Refugee Response Teams through Siloam Health.

Our family joined St. Bs on Pentecost of 2021, after 17 years of working in churches in youth ministry and weary from years of service. We were eager to be parishioners again and were taken aback by God's generosity towards us as we worshiped, prayed, and rested on Sunday mornings. St. B’s gave us permission to simply be present and enjoy God's healing grace through music, liturgy, classes, and conversations.

I found healing this past year at the women's Thursday morning Bible study. Each week I was cared for with childcare, thoughtful conversation, sharing, and prayers. This outlet of reflection and support allowed me to grow deeper in my relationship with other women as well as providing insight and perspective in the midst of so many challenging and disturbing world events. This is one example of how God through St. Bartholomew’s has had an impact on our family greater than words can convey.

Jill Altom serves on our Stewardship Committee, attends worship with her husband and three young children, and is grateful for St. B’s quiet days, the children's ministry, music offerings, holy week services, and much more.