In the 1960s, I was in my late 40s. The popular song “From Both Sides Now,” written by Canadian Joni Mitchell, found me through the singer Judy Collins. The song takes us on a journey from “I’ve looked at clouds…
5 ministers reflect on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington
The 1963 March on Washington should be memorialized because it continues to inspire the struggle for democracy, justice and racial equality, said Elijah Zehyoue, co-director of the Alliance of Baptists. “The march represents a moment when people came together across…
The shift from positional power to relational power
You and I see it almost daily: A person doesn’t know when to let go of their position of power. A father or mother, high executive or low manager, a lay or professional leader, a bus driver or bus mechanic….
Lessons in grieving the loss of a child: From ‘maybe so‘ to ‘it is so’
It was my last conversation with, let’s say, Tim, a close friend for six decades. Our stockpile of trust built a sturdy container strong enough to hold honest end-of-life conversations. Tim is dying and he knows it. Each telephone conversation…
30 years later, North Carolina Baptist church recalls its journey to affirm same-sex unions
The months preceding Pullen Memorial Baptist Church’s historic vote to perform same-sex blessings and to officially become a welcoming and affirming congregation were, at times, dark and turbulent ones, former Pullen pastor Mahan Siler recalled during the congregation’s 30-year celebration…