Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish readers!
Merry Christmas to our Christian readers!
And, to all: Here’s a creative invitation to tell the world what we think made a real difference in 2009 within our local communities and congregations!
Next week, ReadTheSpirit will participate in a national dialogue with Sam Hodges of the Dallas Morning News and Marty Davis, director of the Congregational Resource Guide at the Alban Institute. We’ll give you details next week on where to “hear” this dialogue online—and how to call in if you’d like to ask a question.
This week, our assignment at ReadTheSpirit is to come up with “10 Top News Stories of 2009 That Affected Congregations.” Here at the Home Office, we’re already making that list … and checking it twice—but we would really like to hear from you.
Here’s what I like about this unusual project: Countless media outlets will publish lists of “Top News Stories,” focused on everything from global events to sports, from Hollywood to consumer trends.
But the lives of millions of Americans revolve around our communities—and often that means our congregations. Who’s paying attention to news events reshaping these vital “home” communities?
We are.
Next Monday, December 21, ReadTheSpirit will publish our Top 10 list. Down in Dallas, Sam will publish his. Out in the Washington D.C. area, Marty will publish his. Then on Wednesday, December 23, Marty, Sam and I will meet in this online broadcast to discuss where we agree—and where we disagree. We’ll give you details before that national dialogue unfolds, so you can “tune in” and even call in, if you’d like.
NOW, please: EMAIL US with your suggestions for our list. Send your thoughts to [email protected]
Where can you look for ideas? Well, first and foremost, think about your own community and how news events have changed things for you, your family and friends in 2009.
Our photo-illustration at the top, today, reflects a few big 2009 stories—but we’re not saying those images in the illustration belong on the list, necessarily. A whole lot more happened this year! You don’t have to come up with a complete list of 10 yourself—if you’ve only got one or two things to share, send them along!
(NOTE: If you came to ReadTheSpirit, today, looking for our “other” List of 10—our earlier “10 Best Bets for Holiday Shopping” list—click here and you’ll find that whole awe-inspiring list. Father Thomas Keating, at right, is among the authors on that list.)
PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:
This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.
Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
(Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)
