By Miguel De La Torre In meetings at GOP headquarters across the country, one can almost hear the party bosses ordering the delivery of binders of Hispanics. This is not all bad. The Latina/o community, and by extension the United…
Middle-aged youth
When the mother of a lifelong friend died, we came to pay our respects. As sometimes happens, the post-service family visitation became an impromptu youth group reunion. Great hugs and greetings were exchanged as we reconnected with some of those…
Pastor, help me figure out my life!
It is a popular question to ask pastors or religious leaders in general: “How do I know God’s will for my life?” or “How can I know what God wants me to do?” Just as folks go to the doctor…
Never alone
By Courtney Hester My mother once told me that she was grateful for the church, because I would have someone to turn to if anything ever happened to her. She wanted me to be safe, secure and loved. She believed…
Immigrants and other neighbors God told me to love, Part 2
I applaud, for whatever motives, that I was invited a “National Strategy Session and Advocacy Day” convened this week in Washington by Mark Shurtleff, Republican Attorney General of Utah. I was interested in the meeting—any meeting that has both Jim…
Not about glitter, glamour, and gluttony
Once again this year, the turkey is now soup, the rolls are finished, and the freezer is much emptier than it was this time last week. It was a grand holiday and always has been my family’s favorite. I wonder…
Rescuing Advent from Christmas
By Bill Leonard In 394 CE the Spanish nun Egeria visited Holy Land sites, participating in the church’s great liturgical moments from Epiphany to Easter. She kept a wonderful diary of her exploits that includes this experience in Bethlehem’s Church…
Immigrants and other neighbors God told me to love, Part 1
In past months, I have received invitations to attend meetings on the issue of immigration. I have expressed myself both publicly and privately to my lawmakers about what I think about the issue and have written about the matter. It…
On a peace mission to Israel
In just a few days, I’ll embark on a peace mission on behalf of American Baptists to travel to Israel. This trip will serve as a good-will delegation to Israelis and Palestinians. In light of the recent conflict and violence,…