That’s a Hot Dog, Carolina Style!

For a number of years, our online magazine has welcomed the start of baseball as a uniquely American contribution to the global Holidays & Festivals we have covered on a weekly basis since 2007 (scroll down for more about that). Our chief correspondent from Abner Doubleday’s denomination has been the journalist Martin Davis, who will publish his book 30 Days with America’s High School Coaches just before World Series season this year. Shortly after Opening Day this year, Martin emailed our offices to say: ‘I know our readers love regional recipes—and I thought of a great connection for this year’s start-of-baseball column.’ And here it is … We know you’re going to want to check out this column, share it with friends and you may decide to make this recipe yourself. Bon appétit! And: Play ball!

.

.

We Are Caregivers

 

3 STORIES, A PASTORAL LETTER & A VIDEO

THIS WEEK IN ‘We Are Caregivers,’ we start with a story about a hopeful new project involving dozens of radio, TV and print journalists who are focused on helping caregivers under the collaborative banner of the Journalism Solutions Network. Then, we’re highly recommending a fascinating magazine-style story about America’s aging nuns by Patricia Montemurri. Finally, we’ve found an inspiring example of a pastoral letter to congregations across the upper Midwest as the George Floyd trial nears its conclusion. All three news items—plus a video—are on the front page of We Are Caregivers this week. Please, share this good news with others!

.

.

From Suzy Farbman

How Barbara Loren-Snyder (and Martha Stewart) shaped the style of American homes

IN HER GodSigns COLUMN THIS WEEK, Suzy Farbman concludes her two-part story of design consultant Barbara Loren-Snyder. Among the many successes in her long career, she spotted an up-and-coming star named Martha Stewart and helped to make her a household name.

.

.

Holidays & Festivals

Bahais’ Ridvan and Hindus’ Rama Navami

OUR BAHA’I AND HINDU FRIENDS have major festivals both starting this week. The most holy Baha’i festival worldwide is the 12-day period known as Ridvan. Named “Ridvan” for “paradise,” this sacred festival commemorates Baha’u’llah’s time in the Najibiyyih Garden—after he was exiled by the Ottoman Empire—and the first announcement of his prophethood.

Then, starting a few days after that in Hindu communities: The story of Lord Rama has been read, recited, and reviewed by Hindus worldwide, during a period known as Ramayana Week—all leading up to the climactic festival of Rama Navami.

.

Explore Ramadan

OUR BOOKS ARE DOORWAYS—The fasting month of Ramadan, which began last week on April 12, 2021, is much more than a period of self denial. The world’s nearly 2 billion Muslims are focusing each day on the Quran. This worldwide faith truly is focused on reading, scholarship and sharing stories. Please, read this Front Edge Publishing column that introduces some of our books that are open doorways, inviting us to meet our Muslim neighbors.

.

Ken Whitt:
Inviting us to ‘A Global Creation Care Conversation’

MARK EARTH DAY on April 22, this year, by Zooming with a worldwide circle of Christian climate activists coordinated by our author Ken Whitt. “This series of climate-change conversations began within our American Baptist Churches, but the conversations now are spreading around the world,” Ken said this week in extending this free invitation. “We welcome anyone who is interested in these issues to join us on April 22.” Here are details about this free program—and how to request a Zoom link to attend.

.

WANT TO SEE ALL THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just visit  InterfaithHolidays.com

.

.

.

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 discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Among Ed’s free reviews and columns:

1. HOW I LIVE NOW—Ed writes, “Based on the novel by Meg Rosoff, director Kevin Macdonald’s apocalyptic WW III novel is a good balance of thrilling story and character study.”
2. SENTINELLE—Ed does not recommend writer-director Julien Leclercq’s film, which starts out with the promise of exploring the traumas of war in a serious way—and turns into just another story of violent revenge.
3. UNCLE FRANK—In contrast, Ed does praise “writer-director Alan Ball’s semi-autobiographical story of family conflict and love moves between Creekville, South Carolina, and Manhattan. It is told by the teenaged Betty beginning in the summer of 1969 when her Uncle Frank returns from Manhattan where he is a college professor to join the family celebration of his father’s birthday.”
4. SPIRITUAL AUDACITY: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story—”Thanks to Martin Doblmeir’s PBS documentary, Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel will become a better known figure to millions of viewers. Now available on DVD, this is a worthy addition to his other filmed biographies of great thinkers and movers—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothy Day, Reinhold Niebuhr, all brave thinkers who have had a deep impact upon the modern world.”
5. CHARLOTTE FORTEN’S MISSION: Experiment in Freedom—”Although virtually everyone knows of Harriett Tubman, especially since the release of the 2019 film Harriet, I suspect far fewer are familiar with Tubman’s contemporary, Black activist Charlotte Forten.” Ed highlights this 1985 PBS film and provides a link to watch it online.
6. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: The Voice of Freedom—“This episode of American Experience, directed by Rob Rapely and aired on PBS in February 2021, centers on the great singer Marian Anderson, but is just as much about the grip that Jim Crow had on America in 1939.” AND NOTE: This film and the Charlotte Forten documentary are just two of the films featured with complete discussion guides in the April issue of Visual Parables Journal.
7. CRIP CAMP—Ed writes, “Directors Nicole Newnham and Jim LeBrecht have given us an inspiring stand up and cheer film about outsiders knocking and kicking at the door of society until at last it is opened.”
8. THE SOUND OF METAL—”Deserving of its Best Picture Oscar nomination, this is an immersive film centering on a musician going deaf.”
9. DOLLY PARTON: HERE I AM—”You don’t have to be a Dolly Parton fan to appreciate Francis Whately’s heart-felt documentary about the singer/song writer. The music alone should make it enjoyable, and the comments of a stage full of friends and admirers will add to your knowledge of the singer.” Related to this documentary film, which is streaming on Netflix right now, Ed also recommends a book about Dolly Parton. Here is his review of Unlikely Angel by Lydia Hamesseley.
10. THE DIG—“Director Simon Stone and writer Moira Buffini’s adaptation of John Preston’s fact-based novel deals with classism as well as archaeological excavation, friendship, and romance. Beautifully photographed, it could serve well as family entertainment in that one of the characters is a winsome boy eager to explore the world and who finds a substitute father in the main male character.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.