Find Your Path
By Rev. Alvin Herring Rarely does Juneteenth and Father’s Day align. But this precious year, they do. As we prepare to celebrate both holidays, I’d like to tell a story about my father, the grandson of Joseph, an enslaved African whose “freedom” was granted on June 19, 1865. As we know, freedom is conditional, and…
(A continuación, una versión en español de esta reflexión) COVID’s impact, how congregations adapted, and ongoing challenges For over two years communities navigating the COVID-19 pandemic across the nation and around the world have experienced a disruption unlike any we have seen in modern times. Faith communities which often serve as a source for spiritual…
By now you’ve heard of the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Southern Haiti. To make matters worse Tropical Storm Grace then inundated the same area. This is also at a time of political turmoil following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. I am traveling to Haiti this week to meet with leaders and…
Last year in February, I found my third great-grandmother Delsie Faulker Harkness on a Georgia slave record in 1850. I also found her son Greene Harkness on a Georgia voter roll in 1867. I was able to find these records through an initial discovery of their names on US census records from the Reconstruction Era.…
By Risa Brown, National Data and Targeting Director, Faith in Action Voting is one of the most sacred responsibilities we have as Americans. On November 3, 2020, we will have the opportunity to seize our power as citizens and change the course of history. Even so, every election should inspire us to make our voices…
By Risa Brown, National Data and Targeting Director, Faith in Action Voting is one of the most sacred responsibilities we have as Americans. On November 3, 2020, we will have the opportunity to seize our power as citizens and change the course of history. Even so, every election should inspire us to make our voices…
When I accepted my position a year ago, I appreciated the opportunities for speaking and teaching. As the pandemic unfolded, I became more aware of the mysterious ways God was calling me forth. Positive Use of Technology: Our church made a decision to end our congregational gatherings to protect our community of elders. Even before…
I run faithfully three days a week usually before the sun rises, and usually with a white running buddy. As a black man, it saddens me that running with a white person might still be required in some parts of our country to come back alive. I am grieving the life of #AhmaudArbery today. A…
As a pastor from Georgia, when I think about the effect that this pandemic has had on our state, all I can say is that it is a heartbreaking, low-down, dirty shame. The truth is this: even though there have been many people of goodwill who have stepped up to do marvelous things to protect…
The coronavirus has greatly impacted all of our lives and it has disproportionately impacted the African American community and those behind prison walls. In the state of Ohio, in one prison over 2,000 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus, as well as some of the staff. We need all of our governors to reduce…