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Diverse group of friends sitting outside on steps

Being the Body of Christ: Breaking Ecumenical Barriers

by Owen Copps

If we are to be the body of Christ in the world, I think it is hard to have an Episcopal hand over here doing its own thing, a Lutheran nose doing its own thing, a Methodist kneecap doing its own thing, and a UCC foot doing its own thing. I think it brings God great joy to see us step out from behind our denominational differences and work together to share the divine, unending, and unconditional love of Christ with the world and with each other.

Two women farming carrots

Not in a Hurry: Finding Purpose in Waiting

by Ezrica Bennett

During my undergraduate years, my biology professor shared a devotion centered around the story “The Bamboo and the Fern.” I revisit that story often, especially during seasons when I’m tempted to compare my journey with others…Recently, I have come to understand that the discovery of purpose, identity, and calling often unfolds more slowly and less visibly than we might desire.

Person sitting and slumped over extended legs

Not Prepared, But Present

by Maddie Gold

There is no way to prepare you for this kind of tragedy. Whether you yourself experience something like this, you care for people who do, or you come alongside someone navigating an unnatural disaster—you will not be prepared, but you can be present.

Halo around the word more

A Sacred Trust: A Journey of Transition and Uncertainty

By Jewel Koshy

I could no longer ignore the whispers, the calling, the persistent feeling that I couldn’t shake or forget. I had to address the healthcare disparities I had discovered. Embracing this discovery chiseled away at my expectations, dreams, and comfort. I laid down my dream of becoming a doctor. I picked up the accountability for this trust again and pursued the more.

Mixed media portrait of Lance Sarquilla

Where Do You Find Your Freedom?

By Lance Padua Sarquilla

These stories share a common thread—Jesus truly saw them. He saw them the same way you and I hunger to be seen. He saw their struggles, their pain, and their longing for redemption. He saw their humanity and dignity. Therefore, let us remember that each person carries a story, a narrative that suggests the futures we hope for and imagine, and it is our duty to listen and illuminate them.

Line drawing of Julian of Norwich surrounded by vines and flowers

How Medieval Women, My Appalachian Heritage, and Christian Faith Formed Me as a Young Writer and Leader

By Emma Yeager

I started to wonder if the narrative that “theology is just theology” had some blind spots that did not recognize the significance of geographical, social, gendered, cultural, and ethnic diversity in theological reflection. Writing and leading from one’s unique context produces not a different gospel but a message that edifies the entire body of Christ.

Young plant growing from the word resurrection

Attending to the Soils of Ministry: Lessons from Earthworms

By Yanan Rahim N. Melo

Earthworms were the crucial agents that transformed waste into nutrient-rich soil for the cultivation of lands, crops, and other organisms. Our critterly kin were enacting profound acts of regeneration, that is, taking dead matter and giving it new life as soil. It was nothing less than an act of resurrection.

12 different doors

Context is Key

By Kesean Joseph

May we no longer shed our cultural experiences at the church doors. May we no longer forsake or reject our linguistic differences. Instead, may we welcome the Holy Spirit into our experience as he baptizes and conforms us into one body with our siblings.

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