Six New Things – Week of June 27, 2022

After a week away, it seems like once again the world is in major flux. So much has happened in these past few days! We’re highlighting resources to encourage leaders – of all ages – in reimagining the church as a place of radical reconciliation and relationship – even as it shares the prophetic vision of equity and justice for all God’s Beloveds.

ONE

Now that we are officially a regressive society/culture/country, strong female leadership is more important than ever. Inspire every generation with She Led the Way: Stories of Black Women Who Changed History ( Baker) and Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women (Broadleaf).

Find additional resources for Confronting Misogyny and taking action to support Abortion & Reproductive Rights in our lib guides.

TWO

Change – even positive, but particularly when experienced as negative – almost invariably creates challenge and conflict. Trusting Change: Finding Our Way Through Personal and Global Transformation (Skinner) will help leader’s navigate their own complexities as they guide communities through tumultuous times.

What Do We Do When Nobody Is Listening?: Leading the Church in a Polarized Society (Eerdmans) may help those whose community has already begun to unravel.

For additional leader support, see our Change/Conflict lib guide.

THREE

If you are tempted to calm the waters or not rock the boat at all by avoiding challenging topics, please read You Mean It or You Don’t: James Baldwin’s Radical Challenge (Broadleaf).

You’ll find additional prompts for the why’s and wherefores of prophetically tackling Social Justice topics in our lib guide.

FOUR

For those reluctant to enter the fray because they lead in rural communities, the time is now to get off the fence. Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It (Beacon), may be a starting point.

Find additional help in our Reclaiming Rural/Small lib guide.

FIVE

Prepare yourself and your community to receive prophetic witness and the challenges of transformation by developing The Connected Life: The Art and Science of Relational Spirituality (IVP).

Help folx develop a clearer sense of personal identity to enable more meaningful relationships in our Relationships & Identity lib guides.

SIX

And when everyone is looking for a great way to serve others in love, broaden community, and/or engage the world in meaningful ways, check out our new Summer Excursions for All Ages page!!

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As adrienne maree brown has observed, “Right now we are in a fast river together…” Hopefully something in this list will help you follow Krista Tippett’s lead in “stepping out of the fast river in order to plant [yourself] more deeply and usefully within it for the time ahead”.

Blessed be!