When I look at the church, what gives me hope?
My hope comes from two places. The first is in established churches like our local St Andrews’ Episcopal church, because it is passionate about issues of social justice and environmental concerns. Its organic garden provides food for the monthly Jubilee dinner for the homeless. And a recent capital campaign focused not on expanding the building but on digging wells in Uganda.
The second is in radical movements led by (and spreading amongst) young people who care deeply about both God and our world. I’m thinking of three in particular. The Parish Collective offers deep support to local churches and faith-based groups that are rooting in neighborhoods and linking across cities for parish renewal. The Overflow Project brings water to communities in Africa and hosts an annual 50-day challenge starting at Easter that calls people to simplify, give, and change. The HUB believes that entrepreneurship is one of the keys to a better world and works to inspire and accelerate entrepreneurs towards building the future we want to live in.
Christine Sine co-founded (with her husband, Tom) Mustard Seed Associates, a network of followers of Jesus that seeks to unleash the creative potential of Jesus followers. She writes books about and conducts seminars on sustainability, simplicity, spirituality, and gardening.
