Laura Elizabeth’s Personal Invitation to Return to the Little Island Where Mysteries Just Keep Washing Up

OUR COVER STORY, this week, comes in two parts as we celebrate the return of cozy mystery author Laura. Elizabeth’s friends on tiny Mongin Island off the Atlantic Coast of South Carolina. First, Laura herself updates us with a host of opportunities on the horizon from book appearances to four dinner-theater versions of her second mystery in Georgia in early 2025. That part of our Cover Story appears in our Front Edge Publishing website this week.

Then Second, Editor David Crumm has posted his own overview of this new novel, explaining in this Goodreads column why the cozy mystery formula is such a welcoming genre for so many readers.

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And more from our writers—

End of Summer Postcards from Rodney Curtis

ALL WE CAN SAY IS: You’ve simply got to visit author-and-photojournalist Rodney Curtis’s website to enjoy these gorgeous photographs from an end-of-summer Great Lakes getaway.

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Where on earth (and in the heavens) are all those people going?

ONE OF THE MAJOR RELIGION-NEWS TRENDS our writers have been following in recent years is the so-called “Rise of the Nones”—or, more properly, the rising tide of Americans who don’t give pollsters a specific religious affiliation. Now, 1 in 4 Americans are “unaffiliated.”

FIRST, we are linking, this week, to a very thoughtful overview of fresh Pew Research data by Calvin University scholar Debra Rienstra, which was just published by our colleagues over at the Reformed Journal. (We now co-sponsor the Reformed Journal Books publishing imprint, which debuted with Telling Stories in the Dark.) Debra’s September 7 headline is: Religious Churn in America—A New Study.

THEN, SECOND, please read about the little Illinois church that said, “Goodbye!” However—rather than simply vanishing without another word, the congregation and its pastor found their story going viral. MSU Bias Busters founder Joe Grimm writes about this story that’s sweeping the country—and the valuable lessons we all can take away from it.

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Holidays & Festivals

 

Already planning for Rosh Hashana 5785?

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton looks ahead to the Jewish High Holidays coming in less than a month from now.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• GOOD ONE—Ed highly recommends this indie coming-of-age film that unfolds over a hike in upstate New York.
• HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
• ALIEN: ROMULUS—Ed tells us this film is plenty scary in keeping with the Alien franchise.
• THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed says we may enjoy this movie if we like typical comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
• IT ENDS WITH US—“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

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 So how did this Michigan-based author transport herself so completely to this distant land?

OUR COVER STORY, this week, welcomes back our good friend and author Lynne Golodner—whose nonfiction work includes a book published by ReadTheSpirit about spiritual traditions related to bread. However, these days, she’s becoming better known as a novelist with a demanding book-a-year schedule. One year ago, we recommended Lynne’s first novel to our magazine’s readership (and, yes, there’s a link to learn more about that first novel at the end of this new Cover Story).

In the brand new Cave of Secrets, Lynne pulled off an astonishing feat for a novelist. She immersed herself sufficiently in Scottish life that she was able to set her suspenseful new tale in a multi-layered community that feels authentic to people who know their Scottish heritage.

First, please enjoy this Cover Story in which we asked Lynne to describe how she achieved this feat of authentic storytelling in an admittedly distant land.

And, then, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm—who has deep family roots in Scotland—has posted his review of her novel on his Goodreads homepage.

So, you can learn more about how the novelist built this story—then learn why we think it’s so compelling. And, in the end, we hope you’ll order a copy of her book and tell your friends about this delightful tale.

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And more from our writers—

Congratulations to the ‘Sanctuary’ team in Iowa City

LAST WEEK, the courageous church in Iowa City where folks dared to move from their evangelical roots to become a fully inclusive Christian community that welcomes everyone celebrated their 25th anniversary and the start of a pre-sale period of their memoir, titled Sanctuary: Queering a Church in the Heartland. In this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, we tell you what happened as a result of that first week of support for this inspiring effort.

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Dr. David Gushee: Wrestling with American Values

‘Regarding Election 2024—Eight Things I see’

AS THE FALL 2024 ELECTION NEARS, the dozens of authors and journalists in our ReadTheSpirit community are naturally reflecting on moral issues and American values they see playing out in our deeply divided nation.

In this earlier issue of ReadTheSpirit, we featured columns from four of our writers, representing a range of perspectives about those issues. Then, last week, we published two more related columns.

This week, we are linking to a Baptist News Global column written by Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee, which he titled, “Regarding Election 2024—Eight Things I See.” We are hoping that, like the previous columns we have highlighted, Dr. Gushee’s approach to these issues might help spark constructive conversations among friends, family and small groups in congregations.

And if Dr. Gushee’s work on inclusion over the years has inspired you, then you may also want to read the latest book review on the theme of inclusion from our friend, pastor and author Robert Cornwall, who is recommending the new book The Widening of God’s Mercy, by Christopher and Richard Hayes. Along the way, Bob also includes another strong recommendation for Dr. Gushee’s Changing Our Mind. Thanks, Bob, for all you do in covering such helpful new books!

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Suzy Farbman: The Story of Timber Ridge

Sometimes, while creating a special place—we wind up creating our better selves.

IN HER GodSigns column this week, Suzy Farbman writes about “Timber Ridge”—a special farm and lake-side retreat that she and her late husband Burton created in northern Michigan. Along the way, they created memories that continue to shape their family.

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Holidays & Festivals

Labor Day is about more than trips, picnics and sales

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes this week about the history of the American tradition of Labor Day, and the ways that some mainline religious groups have tried to lift up moral issues concerning the treatment of workers.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
• ALIEN: ROMULUS—Ed tells us this film is plenty scary in keeping with the Alien franchise.
• THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed says we may enjoy this movie if we like typical comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
• IT ENDS WITH US—“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

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What are these people celebrating this week?

After a 25-year journey toward inclusion—now, you can become a part of this inspiring story.

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK springs from the celebration of 25 years of inclusive ministry in a church called Sanctuary in Iowa City—a congregation whose reputation for faith and hope and compassion is inspiring other people coast to coast about the possibilities for truly welcoming Christian congregations. This is the book that national experts are urging people nationwide to read for an honest understanding of both the challenges—and the powerful rewards—if traditional churches dare to tackle the risks of inclusion.

Please enjoy this inspiring story; please consider pre-ordering your copy of the book called Sanctuary; and if you are a media professional or community leader hoping to write more about this story—we’re also encouraging you to reach out to us to learn more about this book and its three co-authors.

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Want to learn more about gender and orientation?

MSU’s Bias Busters team has the books for that!

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING column, this week, MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm explains why his team at the School of Journalism decided to publish two books—one about gender and a second one about sexual orientation.

As thousands of congregations nationwide move toward inclusion, these handy guidebooks answer common questions and help all of us navigate these new relationships in a cooperative and compassionate way.

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Our Writers on—
Wrestling with American Values

LAST WEEK’S SPECIAL ISSUE of ReadTheSpirit magazine featured four columns from our writers reflecting on the American values we all are wrestling with related to headline news events—from debates over military service to the upcoming retirement of President Joe Biden. Here is a link to that issue of our weekly magazine. All week long, we received encouraging notes from our readers. In fact, more of our writers wanted to weigh in on timely themes.

THIS WEEK, we are featuring two of our writers with additional columns about the values that sustain us—

Ann Worley—

Suddenly, our disability challenges pop up in national headlines

TEXAS-BASED ANN WORLEY—and many parents like her of neurodivergent children nationwide—are celebrating the rising tide of national support for families after conservative political activists attacked Gov. Tim Walz’s family for young Gus Walz’s emotional response to his father. As a leading advocate for families with neurodivergent children, Ann writes about what it’s like for parents and kids who felt like they were right there in the cross-hairs of the mean-spirited response to Gus last week. In a remarkably graceful column, this week, Ann writes, not out of anger, but out of a generous desire to help other Americans learn the language they need to welcome and support such families. Please read Ann’s column and share it with others.

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Larry Buxton—

 

When the most powerful leaders decide it’s time to surrender

THAT’S THE COURAGEOUS MOMENT LEADERSHIP COACH LARRY BUXTON examines in his column about the humbling decisions made by President Joe Biden recently—and the great King David thousands of years ago.

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Holidays & Festivals

 

Jain festival of Paryushan Parva

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes, this week, about the annual Jain period of fasting and reflection known as Paryushan Parva. Although this is a time of fasting and self-denial, Stephanie also offers a link to delicious vegetarian recipes that are themed to this season’s special dietary restrictions.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed tells us this movie is pretty much just one more installment in the recent series of comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
• IT ENDS WITH US—“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
• COUP—”Written and directed by Joseph Schuman and Austin Stark, this tale of class warfare takes place in a time that was as deadly as our recent Covid Pandemic, the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.”
• TRAP—“I kept thinking of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyder as I watched writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s suspenseful film unfold.”
• SHOGUN—It’s so mesmerizing, Ed writes, that it encourages binge watching.
• WIDOW CLICQUOT—“Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19^th century France.”
• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

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Martin Davis: Tim Waltz grapples with tough lessons great coaches understand

OUR COVER STORY COLLECTION OF COLUMNS begins, this week, with journalist Martin Davis—who literally wrote the book about the wisdom of America’s high school coaches—writing about some of the tough lessons former coach Tim Walz is grappling with now he’s in the national league of American politics.

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Joe Grimm: MSU Bias Busters can help as military culture collides with political posturing

MORE THAN 30 YEARS HAVE PASSED since two veterans squared off in an American vice presidential race—and MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm writes about the difficulty of sorting out some of the confusing claims about military service. That potential for confusion is why his Bias Busters team devoted an entire guidebook to understanding veterans’ lives and culture.

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Duncan Newcomer: How a Civil War hero redefined American courage for our time

CIVIL WAR SCHOLAR DUNCAN NEWCOMER writes, this week, about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who is best known as one of the most courageously effective officers in the American Civil War—helping to turn the tide more than once at Gettysburg. Now, Duncan argues, it is time to recover post-war lessons about courage that Chamberlain taught in his career as an educator and community leader.

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Jeffrey Munroe: What Joe Biden has taught us about ‘the stewardship of pain’

JOURNALIST JEFFREY MUNROE, whose new book is about the spiritual resources people draw upon to live with trauma, writes this week about Joe Biden’s legacy—now that he has stepped out of the presidential race—as a man whose character is as important as his specific policies.

 

 

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Inspiring News from Our Writers—

Suzy Farbman writes about ‘Miracle Girl’ Sofia Edmonds

IN THIS SECOND PART of her column about Sofia Edmonds, Suzy Farbman explains why friends have dubbed her a “Miracle Girl.” (Note: This second part also includes a convenient link to find Part 1, if you missed it.)

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Confused? Then let MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm explain …

THIS IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION of a condition shared by several million Americans. Soon, the Michigan State University Bias Busters team will be discussing this issue with men and women who know it well—to produce a new book in their award-winning series. This week, in our Front Edge Publishing column, Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm is asking for your help with this project.

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Holidays & Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes about the worldwide Hindu celebration of the birthday of Lord Krishna.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• COUP—Ed writes, “Written and directed by Joseph Schuman and Austin Stark, this tale of class warfare takes place in a time that was as deadly as our recent Covid Pandemic, the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.”
• TRAP—“I kept thinking of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyder as I watched writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s suspenseful film unfold.”
• SHOGUN—It’s so mesmerizing, Ed writes, that it encourages binge watching.
• WIDOW CLICQUOT—“Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19^th century France.”
• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• TWISTERS—“Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
• LONGLEGS—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
• TOUCH—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

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By learning more about Mary, Chris Stepien hopes readers will glimpse ‘God’s far larger world’

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK features an interview with a long-time friend of ReadTheSpirit—Chicago-based author Chris Stepien. In an inspiring conversation with Editor David Crumm, Chris shares his heart-felt journey from his work as an award-winning, secular media professional toward his new life as an influential Catholic novelist.

Please enjoy this glimpse of Chris Stepien’s spiritual and professional transformation—and please consider sharing this cover story with friends via social media and email. We know that there are thousands of readers out there who will be enjoying Chris’s latest novel. So, please, help some of your friends discover his new book, this week.

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Our focus on Mary’s wisdom is timely this week

Feast of the Assumption

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON has our story this week about the ancient Christian Feast of the Assumption of Mary—also known as the Dormition of the Theotokos in Eastern Orthdox churches.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Inspiring News from Our Writers—

Suzy Farbman writes about her instant friendship with the resilient Sofia Edmonds

THERE WERE SO MANY ‘GodSigns’ in their first meeting that Suzy Farbman instantly sensed that her new friend was special. And, now, Sofia is letting Suzy tell her story of a global romance and later a life-threatening battle with stage IV cancer. This is Part 1 of Sofia’s triumphant story—and we will bring you Part 2 in our August 19 issue.

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What up with Jonathan Grimm?

WE’RE HEARING FROM FOLKS who already want to meet this upcoming author, so in our Front Edge Publishing column this week, Marketing Director Susan Stitt gives us a pre-pre-release “heads up” about how to find this guy online. As it turns out, he’s a whole lot of places!

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• WIDOW CLICQUOT—Ed writes, “Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19^th century France.”
• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• TWISTERS—“Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
• LONGLEGS—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
• TOUCH—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison.
• A MUSSOLINI DOUBLE FEATURE—Ed says that viewers with an interest in Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s long and complex reign in Europe and Africa will want to watch two films (now streaming on YouTube and on Amazon): Mussolini’s Daughter and Lion of the Desert, each one running about three hours.
• THE LONG GAME—Ed urges us to see this inspiring true story of a groundbreaking team of young Latino golfers.
• A QUIET PLACE: DAY 1—Ed likes this prequel even though he initially was skeptical about the quality of a third film in this francise.
• DADDIO—”Writer-director Christy Hall’s film, shot almost entirely within the confines of a NYC Yellow Cab, pulls off a seemingly impossible task—keeping us interested entirely by means of a conversation that moves from the casual to the intimate.”
• FRESH—Ed also suggests we look back this week to a 1994 film set in Brooklyn that many of us may have overlooked.
• HORIZON, Chapter 1—“I wish Kevin Costner could redo this as a cable series.”

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Moved by injustice, young Ed McNulty became part of that turbulent Freedom Summer

Faith and courage drew Northern and Southern activists to rise up

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK is the beginning of a remarkable series of columns, reflections and movie reviews pulled together for us in August 2024 by the veteran Faith & Film critic Edward McNulty. Now, of course, Ed is known nationally for his perspectives on the spiritual lessons we can glean from cinema. However—60 years ago in 1964—he was a young pastor driven to respond to the rampant injustices he saw in the South. He and a friend joined the wave of Northern activists who risked traveling South, where they formed working friendships with the Southerners who were risking their lives in a historic campaign to claim civil rights.

Start your journey with Ed here: Ed’s magazine-style presentation for this 60th anniversary will be published across a series of weekly ReadTheSpirit editions, starting here. As you read Ed’s various columns, you will find related links leading toward other gems. Those gems include actual “real-time” entries from Ed’s journals in 1964 as well as reviews of inspiring films about the civil rights movement.

Don’t miss the personal note at the end of Ed’s opening column today. He invites others who may have personal or family accounts of Freedom Summer to contact us and share memories. You can do that by adding a comment to Ed’s column or by emailing us at [email protected]

And, finally, our entire team at the publishing house feels honored to work with Ed, a living embodiment of lessons learned in that dangerous early era of the civil rights movement. Thank you, Ed, for all you share with us, week after week!

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And speaking of wisdom from another era …

Henry Brinton’s new novel shows how current conflicts echo the American Civil War

FANS OF HENRY BRINTON NOVELS are pleased that he is welcoming us back to the tiny riverfront town of Occoquan, Virginia, a very real place with a rich history where Henry actually resides and spins his fictional tales. In this third novel, Henry introduces us to two different periods in Occoquan’s history—one story set during the Civil War and the other story unfolding today. This link will take you to ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm’s Goodreads review of Henry’s latest novel, which—as his readers will expect—carries us through small-town drama and page-turning suspense toward a wise and satisfying conclusion. We know this is the kind of novel that regular readers of our magazine will enjoy.

In Henry’s pages, we find fun, romance, danger—and real-life spiritual wisdom to carry away with us when the fictional tale ends.

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Then, here’s a real-life 2024 case study of people responding to hatred through friendships

THIS WEEK, OUR MAGAZINE IS EXPLORING HOW TO RESPOND TO HATRED. So, we also are adding this current, real-life case study of hatred literally igniting—in the form of a Quran-burning protest—and the many ways long-standing friendships in southeast Michigan were poised to reassure the larger community.

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Holidays & Festivals

 

Feast of the Transfiguration

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton explains that this centuries-old feast was particularly important to the late Pope John Paul II, who added reflections on this Gospel story to the Rosary.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

 

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• MY PENGUIN FRIEND—Ed writes, “I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
• TWISTERS—“Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
• LONGLEGS—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
• TOUCH—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison.
• A MUSSOLINI DOUBLE FEATURE—Ed says that viewers with an interest in Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s long and complex reign in Europe and Africa will want to watch two films (now streaming on YouTube and on Amazon): Mussolini’s Daughter and Lion of the Desert, each one running about three hours.
• THE LONG GAME—Ed urges us to see this inspiring true story of a groundbreaking team of young Latino golfers.
• A QUIET PLACE: DAY 1—Ed likes this prequel even though he initially was skeptical about the quality of a third film in this francise.
• DADDIO—”Writer-director Christy Hall’s film, shot almost entirely within the confines of a NYC Yellow Cab, pulls off a seemingly impossible task—keeping us interested entirely by means of a conversation that moves from the casual to the intimate.”
• FRESH—Ed also suggests we look back this week to a 1994 film set in Brooklyn that many of us may have overlooked.
• HORIZON, Chapter 1—“I wish Kevin Costner could redo this as a cable series.”

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What a delightful mid-summer treat!

OUR COVER STORY this week with pastor, author, educator and jazz musician William Carter explores the many ways that jazz breaks down barriers between people—and cultural and spiritual realms. It’s a fascinating conversation in which Carter raises lots of provocative questions—plus we have links to videos and, of course, to jazz music as well. Please, enjoy this cover story and use the social media buttons to share this story with friends.

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And in other inspirational news—

Rusty Rosman’s ‘Two Envelopes’:
Helping families, one book—and one question—at a time

WHY DO OUR AUTHORS GO THROUGH ALL THE EFFORT OF PUBLISHING?  Often, the answer is two words: Helping people. That’s certainly the case with Rusty Rosman and her ongoing work with the new book Two Envelopes. In this Front Edge Publishing column, Rusty writes about the many ways—through many different questions—she finds her book helping readers.

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Joe Grimm:

From Kamala Harris to Suni Lee, news spotlights shine on Hmong Americans

‘There’s so much to learn! That’s why we’ve published so many books!’ That’s the valuable message of this story by the director of the Michigan State University Bias Busters project Joe Grimm. The MSU project is part of the university’s highly ranked journalism program and, in this week’s column, Grimm looks at the many ways news events are highlighting the need for Americans to learn much more about the minorities living among us. Joe also includes in this story easy links to some of the most timely Bias Busters books, which are “relevant-right-now” and you can begin reading almost immediately in Kindle versions.

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Holidays, Festivals & Observances

Lammas, Lughnassadh

Marking the harvest with centuries-old traditions

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton reports, this week, on Lammas and Lughnassadh traditions, which are particularly popular among neo-pagans as well as families with cultural roots in England, Scotland and Ireland.

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National Immunization Awareness Month

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, each August, the CDC makes a special effort to remind Americans about National Immunization Awareness Month. This gateway into the CDC lists important links for Professionals, Parents and Patients.

Then, on this page within the CDC website, you can read the entire set of recommendations on COVID-19 and Flu shots. Why is this so important? The CDC reports: “In 2023, more than 916,300 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 and more than 75,500 people died from COVID-19. During the 2023-2024 flu season, more than 44,900 people are estimated to have died from flu complications.” Finally, this valuable link displays many pre-made graphics that are free to download and use to promote vaccination on social media.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

 

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• TWISTERS—Ed writes, “Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
• LONGLEGS—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
• TOUCH—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
• SING SING—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison.
• A MUSSOLINI DOUBLE FEATURE—Ed says that viewers with an interest in Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s long and complex reign in Europe and Africa will want to watch two films (now streaming on YouTube and on Amazon): Mussolini’s Daughter and Lion of the Desert, each one running about three hours.
• THE LONG GAME—Ed urges us to see this inspiring true story of a groundbreaking team of young Latino golfers.
• A QUIET PLACE: DAY 1—Ed likes this prequel even though he initially was skeptical about the quality of a third film in this francise.
• DADDIO—”Writer-director Christy Hall’s film, shot almost entirely within the confines of a NYC Yellow Cab, pulls off a seemingly impossible task—keeping us interested entirely by means of a conversation that moves from the casual to the intimate.”
• FRESH—Ed also suggests we look back this week to a 1994 film set in Brooklyn that many of us may have overlooked.
• HORIZON, Chapter 1—“I wish Kevin Costner could redo this as a cable series.”

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