Diversity
By Laurel Johnston
Interviews with ten Latino/Hispanic congregations reveal best practices of stewardship.
By William M. Kondrath
Scientists tell us that biodiversity is a key measure of the health of any ecosystem. Many of us suspect that diversity within our congregations would also be a sign of health, creativity, radical welcome, and the possibility…
By Judith Doran
Dr. Alan Watton was ninety years old when he started coming to church, via a ride from our hospitality chairs (a husband and wife team). After the first service, he stopped on his way out and asked if I made home visits.
By Sandra Montes
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15 because several Latin-American countries celebrate fiestas patrias – national holidays celebrating their independence) we want to introduce some of the work …
By Diana Wheeler
In Vocation in an Unsafe World, Diana Wheeler tells us about the Companions of Dorothy the Worker, an ecumenical Christian community that brings radical hospitality to the queer community, modeling Christ’s unfailing and cons…
By Gerlene (GJ) Gordy
While Western culture often equates assets with things one can own and that have monetary value, in Reimagining Assets GJ Gordy shares a Navajo perspective, reminding us that culture, relationships and intergenerational wisdo…
By Stephanie Spellers
In this video, Rock the Future for Jesus, the ever-inspiring Stephanie Spellers talks about celebrating and protecting all kinds of bodies, moving beyond buildings while focusing on making homes holy, and building a church th…
By Craig Bossi and Matt Foreman
In recent years, we have seen an unprecedented rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, rhetoric and initiatives. In Silent No More, Craig Bossi and Matt Foreman raise questions that encourage us to reflect on how we as Christians an…
By Charis Bhagianathan
June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month. In this, our second Pride issue honoring the LGBTQ+ community (find the previous issue here), we embark on a journey of understanding, inclusion and …
By Keith Voets
In Do We Actually Want to Be Inclusive? Keith Voets leans on personal experience to describe why it is easier to place marginalized groups into neat boxes for the sake of comfort, rather than celebrating and inviting unique d…
By Hannah Wilder
As humans and Christians, our vocal and emphatic support of queer people can not only have a positive impact on their lives but can also actually help them survive. In Gifts of Queerness, Hannah Wilder shares wisdom on queer …
By Kim Jackson
The Rev. Senator Kim Jackson self-identifies as ‘Afrolachian,’ born and raised a Black woman in rural Appalachia. Kim currently serves in the Georgia State Senate while simultaneously serving a congregation for people who liv…
By Isaiah “Shaneequa” Brokenleg
The Rev. Shaneequa Brokenleg, in Do You Really Belong Here?, a video conversation with Dr. Sandra Montes, speaks of Episcopal ministry as informed by her Lakota tribe culture and her status as a winkté – a two-spirit healer a…
By Alan Yarborough
In Differentiating Between the What and the How, Alan Yarborough of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations challenges us to move beyond the complacency of proclaiming, “Of course, we support LGBTQ+ people!”. Al…
By Freya Gilbert
In Becoming The Person God Created Me to Be, Freya Gilbert writes powerfully and with grace of her journey of becoming her true self: a transgender woman. Her ministry of lay preaching gives scriptural context to the importan…
By Craig Bossi
These four offerings – two videos and two articles – are a reminder of the work to be done. We hope they speak of courage and belief for a world made more beautiful by these LGBTQ+ Christians and their commitment to a Church …
By Charis Bhagianathan
In our final issue of the year, we raise up our young leaders. Their collective wisdom and experience teach us incredibly important lessons about our church today and tomorrow. I invite you to listen to their powerful stories…
By Albert R. Rodriguez
In A New Paradigm for Reaching U.S. Latinos, Albert Rodriguez discusses the multi-layered identity created and fostered by both his Mexican and American identities. Rodriguez highlights that lived experience as one of liminal…
By Montserrat Calvo Corella
What challenges does a young leader experience in ministry? In A Young Leader’s Mission, Montserrat Calvo Corella shares her personal story as a young leader in the Costa Rican Episcopal Church, raising important questions ab…
By Sandra Montes
In this video, Who We Are and What We Do for Jesus, Sandra Montes engages Sandy Milien and Adia Milien in a vibrant and important conversation around faith, identity and Christianity from the perspective of young women of col…