Click this image to listen to the podcast.
LISTEN TO FAITH FOWLER’S INSPIRING STORY
TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES—Visitors from around the world are coming to see the diverse designs of Detroit’s tiny-homes neighborhood sponsored by Cass Community Social Services. Now, Ethan Waldman—host of the Tiny House Lifestyle podcast—is featuring his own interview with the Rev. Faith Fowler, coordinator of the Detroit project. In his newest podcast, Ethan talks with Faith about the unique vision shaping the Detroit community. You can enjoy the podcast online right now or download it for later listening. This podcast is a terrific way to share the Detroit story with friends. Consider downloading the podcast and playing it for your small group, class—or simply for a circle of friends. If you become intrigued, then you’ll also want a copy of Faith’s book, Tiny Homes in a Big City. We always urge readers to purchase Faith’s books directly through the Cass website, which returns the highest portion of the price to Cass. However, if you prefer buying through Amazon (many readers have Prime accounts, for example), that’s also an option. Every book sold benefits the Cass project.
Click on this cover to learn about the book.
Who is Ethan Waldman? He’s a popular national voice in the tiny house movement. He clearly is impressed with Cass’s pioneering concept. As Ethan puts it: “What is the difference between a house and a home? All to often, we provide solutions for homeless people that don’t give them any kind of permanence. We just give them housing but never allow them to achieve the stability of a home. What I love about Tiny Homes Detroit is that it is designed with the idea of creating a community that people can call home, not just providing shelter.”
Please, start by checking out Ethan’s podcast with Faith. We’re confident you’ll catch the vision and want to get involved in some way—perhaps through buying a book. And, remember: The simple act of spreading this news with friends can wind up helping the project!
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Click on the artist (Can you see her?) to read Suzy’s column.
TRAVELING FAR …
ART AND IMMIGRATION—This week, God Signs columnist Suzy Farbman introduces us to artist Mami Takahashi, who explores aspects of the immigrant experience through her art projects.
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Click the cloud to read Rodney’s column.
… AND TRAVELING DEEP
A PACIFIST DESCENDS INTO … World traveler, photographer, journalist Rodney Curtis takes us deep into a realm most of us will never see—into a missile launch control center. Rodney’s question for these isolated missileers? So, what do you dream about after a day at a missile console? It’s a rare glimpse of Americans still living in a Cold War corner of our country.
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Click the image to read Susan’s column.
FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING
PERSONALIZING YOUR BOOKS—One of the most valuable options offered by our Front Edge Publishing company is the ability to customize any of our 100-plus books to add your own logo or event to a book’s cover—and opening pages of customized content that are bound into your group order. This week, Marketing Director Susan Stitt explains why we are able to offer this unusual service—and how groups already are using this option nationwide.
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Click the image to read about the Hajj.
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Holidays
HAJJ—More than a billion Muslims around the world look to the Hajj, each year, as about 2 million pilgrims travel to Mecca for to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam. Stephanie Fenton has the story for us, including an overview of the history and customs. Most Americans have a friend, neighbor or colleague in the community who is Muslim. It’s a great time to learn about the culture of this faith that stems, along with Judaism and Christianity, from the patriarch Abraham.
CELEBRATING MARY—On August 15, Christianity comes together from East and West on the mid-August holiday honoring Mary, Jesus’s mother. However, there are two different names sets of traditions: The occasion is called the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Western tradition—and the Dormition of the Theotokos in Eastern churches.
Want to see all the holidays? www.InterfaithHolidays.com
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Click the movie still to read about Leave No Trace.
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 are:
- LEAVE NO TRACE—Based on Peter Rock’s 2009 book, My Abandonment (a novel inspired by a true story), this film offers a refreshing look at outsiders and insiders, refusing to demonize anyone, as so many films do. At a time when a spirit of nastiness permeates our social and political discourse, this film reveals the tender kindness that also runs through our land. Ed gives this 5 out of 5 stars.
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Click the movie still to read about Eighth Grade.
EIGHTH GRADE—Writer/director Bo Burnham is able to reach back and recall the awkwardness of the middle school years. His new movie, Eighth Grade, equals Leave No Trace for the depth of its insights about father-daughter relationships. (5 stars)
- CHRISTOPHER ROBIN—Director Marc Forster and his talented team of scriptwriters perform a remarkable feat of retaining the charm of A.A. Milne’s characters, especially Eeynor’s ever-gloomy observations and Tigger’s ever-present smile, as well as Pooh’s gentle nature. (4 stars)
- AMERICAN ANIMALS—It’s a tale of bumbling, would-be thieves who try to steal rare books from a library. (4 stars)
- HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3—The jokes come fast and furious, as does the action, so from the youngest to the oldest member of the family, no one should be bored. And, as usual, the realization that we have more in common than what divides us is a good message, especially during our present time of hostility. (4 stars)
- BOUNDARIES—Laura and her father Jack are thrown together when he wears out his welcome at his retirement home due to his selling pot. The film co-stars the ever-popular Christopher Plummer, but also has its flaws, Ed writes. (3 stars)
- BLINDSPOTTING—Ed calls this film “insightful” and says he left the theater thinking, “Wow!” He highly recommends this new movie set in Oakland, California. (5 stars)
- FIRST REFORMED—Director/writer Paul Schrader’s latest film tackles some big issues—theological and environmental—and provides Ethan Hawke with perhaps his greatest role. (5 stars)
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