This poem was originally written in 2016. I revised it on Holy Saturday 2022 for Easter Sunday with Williamsburg Christian Church.
Born a child in a manger,
Son of Mary and Son of the great I Am,
Outcast as a stranger,
He extended God’s welcome to every child, woman and man.
Embracing liars and thieves,
Loving the poor and the rich.
Helping those struggling to believe,
Liberating the powerless and sick.
Comforting the lonely and the child,
Forgiving the violent and religious elite,
Healing the immigrant and those left-out.
Welcoming any who would hear and believe.
His message of good news would not be silenced,
Nor his deeds of love contained.
In anger and fear the authorities turned to violence,
To murder the One they could not explain.
God Incarnate and Love enfleshed,
He was condemned with thunderous applause.
Crowned with thorns upon his head,
Willingly killed on the lynching-cross.
His lifeless body placed in a grave,
Marred by the violence of the rebellious fall.
Raised to life by God’s Spirit He defeated sin and death,
As God’s promised King and Cosmic Lord of all.
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About Fred
Fred came to serve greater Williamsburg and WCC as lead pastor in October of 2010 and is grateful to be a part of the family. He is a husband, father, certified trauma professional, S.T.A.R. (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) practitioner, community organizer, TEDx alum, founder of 3e Restoration, Inc. and co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC. He received his B.S. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master’s of Religious Education in Missional Leadership from Rochester University. Currently he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology in at Northern Seminary in Chicago. Fred has also served as an adjunct professor for Rochester University and Regent University where taught courses in philosophy, ethics, leadership, pastoral care, intro to Christianity, and ethnography. He has also served as a guest lecturer on the subjects of racialized cultural systems, poverty, and missiology at various universities, such as William & Mary and Oklahoma Christian University. Fred has authored on book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings, including The FloorPlan: Living Toward Restoration & Resilience.
Fred enjoys hanging out with his family anytime, anywhere. He is deeply grateful for how God graciously works through the Church in all her various forms, despite our brokenness. He is passionate about seeing the last, least, and lonely of every neighborhood, city and nation experience God’s in-breaking kingdom, and come to know Jesus as King. Oh, and his favorite season is Advent and Christmas.
Fred is a founding member of the board of directors for Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a member of the leadership team for Williamsburg's local chapter of Coming to the Table, and a member of Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network's Racial Trauma Committee and Training Committee.
Long Way Here 