Recommended Read and Listening 7-22-16 Edition

On a more or less regular basis, I share my thoughts with the congregation I serve including a list of links to stuff I think are worth reading, watching and listening to.  Here's the latest list:

United Church of Christ News

• "Texas Faith Groups Form Human Wall of Support Around Mosque After Gunfire"--great story of how a United Church of Christ congregation in Texas demonstrated what it means to be the church
• "Shannondale earns one million-plus from California carbon credit market"--One of the amazing things about the United Church of Christ in the Missouri Mid-South Conference is Shannondale--a forest that functions as a renewable tree farm in southern MO. It was created by a pastor to help men find work returning from WWI. Today it has earned $1 million thanks to a carbon credit program. Just another reason I'm proud to be in the United Church of Christ.

Responses to Killings of Police Officers and the killings of black men by police

• "Love is Our Only Hope" by Traci Blackmon, UCC Justice and Witness Minister
• "America has gone mad and there is no place to hide"--as usual Leonard Pitts, Jr. gets it
• "Police Chief Joins Black Lives Matter Protest in Memphis"
• "Read President Obama's Speech From the Dallas Memorial Service"
• The UCC Leaders' Pastoral Letter in Response to the Shootings of Police Officers in Baton Rouge
• "Policing Should Move Beyond Crime Reduction"--This really is an excellent essay on the upsides and the downsides of much of contemporary policing strategies.  (Thanks to Martyn Howgill for passing this one along to me.)
• A great prophetic act by a friend of mine's church in Richmond, VA to the recent violence in our culture

Racism and White Privilege

• "I'm a White Mother Raising Three Black Children, This is What I Mean When I say 'Black Lives Matter'"--I have two bi-racial kids, but that label doesn't matter because the world sees them as black. I identify with everything she writes.
• "What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege"
• "What My Black Student Taught Me, His White Teacher, About Black Lives"--(Thanks to Kathy Homfeld for passing this one along to me.)
• A law professor responds to a complaint by a first year law student when the prof wore a "Black Lives Matter" t-shirt.  It's well worth reading.
• "The Pastoral is Political: Black Lives Matter"--One of the things I'm trying to do is step back and let black voices speak at this time. So here it is: excellent, articulate blog posts by black female clergy speaking truth. I urge you to hear their voices.
• "12 Fantastic Children's Books to Talk About Prejudice"
• "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism"
• "Reflections From the Train: Racism and Being an Ally"--Powerful thoughts by a white minister who began talking with his fellow riders on Atlanta's MARTA--riders who happen to be black.
• "Race Matters in Kansas, too"--Great column by ESU Poli-Sci Prof and CCCUCC member Michael Smith on race as a factor in KS politics.

Social Justice

•  "History Will Judge Today's Christians By These Four Questions"

Law Enforcement in the KC Area

• "KC Social Justice Group Likely to Revisit Police Shootings"--good work by MORE2
• "KC Group Intensifies Calls for Independent Monitor on Police Shootings"--more good work by MORE2

LGBTQ

• "KC gay men's chorus goes to Westboro and beyond to spread message of love"--good story, I'm proud to have CCCUCC members in the Heartland Men's Chorus

Sexism

"Losing My Religion for Equality"--Jimmy Carter tells about why he left the Southern Baptist Convention over it's treatment of women

Gun Violence

• "The Civil War That Could Doom the N.R.A."--fascinating read

Misc. Stuff I think is Cool

• Perhaps the best thing about my seminary education was getting to take courses on spirituality with Glenn Hinson. I (like so many others) am grateful he has been a part of my journey. This is a wonderful interview with him.
• "Stopping Traffic"--As a minister I get to be in a lot of funeral processions. I'm always grateful for drivers who pull over to show respect. This blog post eloquently describes how I feel about those who don't.
• "Eight Warning Signs of a Bully Church Member"--spot on in my experience, especially numbers one and eight