Our church calendar has been leading us through the life of Christ as we, first, anticipated and prepared for his coming during Advent; and then second, we celebrated his miraculous arrival with the incarnation during Christmas; and then third, we reflected on the launch of Jesus' ministry into the world with Epiphany....Keep Reading
There is a crisis in our community in which the basic rights and needs of our most vulnerable citizens-our children-are being violated because the very system that is supposed to be looking out for them simply does not have the resources to do so. If I sound passionate, it's because I am. If I sound angry with the system, it's because I am. And I submit that you should be too....Keep Reading
Driving along I-40 can be stressful due to all the semis blaring by you or worse...Keep Reading
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, the God who not only created and rules heaven and earth, but it is also committed to seeing his creation fully restored, reuniting all things in heaven and on earth....Keep Reading
October was domestic violence awareness month. Last semester, I had the privilege of interning at WRAP (Women’s Resource and Rape Assistance Program), and I met some incredible survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Every survivor I met would tell me their story, and I would ask what made them decide to leave. The most common story would involve their realization that the abuse would not stop. The second most common story would begin when they left their church....Keep Reading
It’s hard for me to believe that Christmas is right around the cornerâ€"again! In this season of Advent, we are given so many opportunities to honor Christ. For the past several years, we have had the opportunity to be a part of God’s generosity through the “Gifts for the Christ Child†Christmas tree. The Salvation Army provides children’s names that are hung from the tree in our foyer. There will be 45 names to choose from, and gifts will be collected through December 21. We encourage everyone to signup and buy gifts for a child....Keep Reading
Area Relief Ministries, or ARM, is a faith-based nonprofit organization that has been around since the 1970s here in Jackson. Originally created as a collaboratively-funded nonprofit, churches across the community would give to the organization, which was then tasked with assisting individuals at risk of eviction, utility cut-off, hunger, and homelessness. Over thirty years later, much has changed at ARM, but its collaborative nature with local churches as the core has not only remained, but also grown even stronger. ...Keep Reading
The liturgical calendar tells the Christian story by marking certain moments and seasons that enable us to feel the rhythms of our salvation. Like any good story, it begins with conflict, a crisis in search of a resolution. We call this conflict Advent....Keep Reading
Heifer International provides sustainable hope for communities around the world by partnering with local families to empower them to achieve their goals of self-reliance. Using the philosophy of “teach a man to fish,†the founder of this organization inspires the mission of aiding people to utilize local, natural resources in such ways that help to alleviate hunger and poverty. The methods used create countless opportunities for individuals to care for the Earth, allow for human dignity, and foster community....Keep Reading
What is stewardship but an invitation to partner with the God of heaven and earth in his transforming work of world renewal. Think about that: God himself is beckoning you to join him, to give yourself to the healing of the world....Keep Reading