Lent Archives

God’s Invitation to Welcome: Practicing Hospitality in a Divided World

By Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Welcoming immigrants and refugees isn’t just an act of kindness—it’s an act of faith, revealing Jesus in the process.

The Crisis of Belonging

By Eric Jacobsen

In the winter of my junior year of college, I traveled to Scotland to study at the University of Aberdeen. I arrived on campus just after the beginning of the new year.

Excerpt from The Book of Common Worship, 2018 Edition
I believe in Almighty God,
who guided the people in exile and in exodus,
the God of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon,
the God of foreigners and immigrants.

A Prayer for an End to Mass Incarceration

From: “A Booklet of Uncommon Prayer” by Kenji Kuramitsu

A Booklet of Uncommon Prayer, from which this prayer is taken, is now available electronically!

Solitary Confinement: Torture in Your Backyard

By Laura Markle Downton

Inside most of the local jails, state and federal prisons, and detention centers that dot the landscape of the United States, on any given day, tens of thousands of incarcerated adults and youth are held in solitary confinement.

For Those With Ears to Hear: A Review of "The Color of Compromise"

By Adriel Rose
I don’t know if I’ve ever purposefully started reading a book knowing that I would undoubtedly struggle with its pages in a way that would make me wonder: Do I really want this? Do I actually want this to change me? As much as I’d like to

Family Separation and My Daughter

By Gena Thomas

Two years ago, my 5-year-old foster daughter, Julia, and her biological mother, Lupe, were reunited in their home country of Honduras after they were separated for eight months. It was two weeks after the Zero Tolerance policy — where our government forcibly separated parents and children at the border — had ended.

Can You Hear the Dog Whistle? A Review Of "Rethinking Incarceration"

By Kathy Khang
It isn’t enough to keep up with current events. Never mind the flurry of posts on social media. The daily ticker of local, national, and international news should have an impact on the way we Christians think, pray, and live our lives in community.

Dear White People: Being an Ally Is More Than a Performance

By Brandi Miller
For many non-Black folks, performative allyship is a time to scream from social media rooftops about how they are not racist or are simply down for the cause. Performative allyship is where many, specifically White folks, attempt to distance themselves from more problematic white people and the institution of white supremacy at large.

Webinar: Parenting Queer Kids

Speakers: Pei, Jonathan, Bill, and Tonya
A conversation with Christian parents about the joys & challenges of raising and relating to their LGBTQ children

Don’t Call Yourself My Ally

By Alicia Crosby
“…we’re on the same side. I’m your ally.” I’ve heard a version of this sentiment too many times to count over the years, and after taking a deep breath and stifling the urge to roll my eyes, my response is always the same: You cannot name yourself as an ally; that title is bestowed upon you. It should not be assumed.