Like a contemporary Psalm—

Col. Worthy asks: ‘Are Americans’ Bindings Breaking?’

OUR COVER STORY IN A WEEK OF HIGH ANXIETY—As we move through a week of anxiety in America that none of us have experienced at least since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks two decades ago, we are offering an eloquent appeal—you might think of it as a classic Psalm crying out for help and hope—from one of America’s true heroes: retired Col. Clifford Worthy, the oldest living Black graduate of West Point at age 92.

Please, read this cover story from Col. Worthy—and share it with friends via social media, email or even by printing out the story (there’s a convenient print button at the end of all our stories) and giving it to someone you know who would find inspiration and hope in these words.

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Larry Buxton asks us, please: ‘Listen!’

IN HIS “LEADING WITH SPIRIT” short video this week, author and leadership coach Larry Buxton reminds us of the value of actually listening to other people. In part, he says: “What we’re learning is that humility and listening show a different type of strength—the strength of curiosity. The strength of not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Valuing others. The strength to set your own ego aside for a few moments and really listen to someone else.”

Please, visit Larry’s leadership website and watch this very timely 5-minute video, which you are free to share with others. It’s easy, because these are YouTube videos with easy sharing options built into the video screen. While you’re at Larry’s website, go to his homepage and sign up to get one free email each week with a new leadership video.

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Everyone’s Looking to Lincoln—

But which example do we hope to follow?

DUNCAN NEWCOMER’S QUIET FIRE column this week looks at the way Lincoln dared to reach across the aisle to discover new friends—when their values aligned with his vision of America, whatever their official political affiliation might be. Almost every day, in this election year, Americans are looking toward Lincoln for wisdom—sometimes pointed in that direction by politicians and sometimes appearing in the pages of major newspapers and magazines. Just this week, for example, The New York Times published a long story about all the dangers Lincoln—and all Americans—faced in the 1860 election.

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Want Some Really Good News?

Celebrating Dr. David Gushee Topping 20,000 Copies Sold

‘CHANGING OUR MIND,‘ Dr. David Gushee’s book has helped to change the relationships in thousands of Christian families that have struggled with acceptance of LGBTQ loved ones. In this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, we explain what that publishing milestone really means. 

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Holidays & Festivals

Plan Ahead for Veterans Day!

ON NOVEMBER 11, this year, a new National Museum of the United States Army will open in Virginia with a live-streamed ceremony followed by public access following COVID-19 safety procedures. Stephanie Fenton’s column includes a 3-minute video about the new facility. And, at the close of her column, she has a convenient link to the online clearinghouse for news-updates about special restaurant offers to treat vets on this national observance.

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Care to see all of our Holidays & Festivals columns? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the 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 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. WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME—Ed writes, “The title of actress/writer Heidi Schreck’s Broadway hit suggests that her one-person (almost) dramedy must be very personal, and we soon see just how deeply personal it is. Attired in a yellow school-type blazer, she takes us back to when she was a precocious 15-year-old competing in American Legion-sponsored What the Constitution Means to Me contests.” He urges all of us to see it—streaming for free now with Amazon Prime.
2. AND BREATHE NORMALLY NOW—”The conflict over immigration and protecting a nation’s borders is not just an American concern, as this dramatic film by first time Icelandic director Ísold Uggadóttir shows.“
3. CHASING FREEDOM—Reaching back to 2004, Ed writes, “Though director Don McBrearty’s TV movie was released in 2004, its concern for the plight of the endangered immigrant remains as timely as ever.”
4. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7—”West Wing lovers might well be ecstatic while viewing writer and director Aaron Sorkin’s new film that Netflix picked up after the pandemic forced Paramount Pictures to scrap plans for a theatrical release. Sorkin’s film is full of the conflict between the powerful and the vulnerable and the fast-paced repartee that made the White House-based series so enjoyable to watch. The infamous trial, dragging out over 4 ½ months, was almost ready-made for a film, with its colorful, controversial characters.”
5. THE WAY I SEE IT—”Director Dawn Porter’s documentary exploring the work of White House photographer Pete Souza is a combination of cinematic Valentine to Barack Obama, the man as well as President, and a polemic against the current occupant of the White House.”
6. THE GOOD LORD BIRD—“Ethan Hawke has the role of his life as fiery Abolitionist John Brown in this tongue-in-cheek Showtime mini-series that he created and helped produce and write. The true part comes from James McBride’s National Book Award-winning novel of the same name, on which the series based.”
7. TIME—This gripping documentary was produced and directed by Garrett Bradley. It follows Sibil Fox Richardson, fighting for the release of her husband, Rob, who is serving a 60-year prison sentence. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, 2020, where it won the U.S. Documentary Directing Award.
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   Click this photo to read the review of ‘Hosea’ (2019).

   HOSEA—Ed writes, “Director/writer Ryan Daniel Dobson was inspired by the ancient prophet when he wrote and directed this love story that unfolds in the darkness of human lust and depravity. However, instead of the story focusing on the prophet and his mission to a fallen nation, Dobson centers his film on the former prostitute turned wife in present day Oklahoma City. Unlike the Biblical prophet, we are given the back story of how Gomer—here renamed Cate—became a prostitute.”

9. BORGEN—For years, the Danish series has been praised by critics in the U.S., but the series has not been available to most TV viewers. Now that Netflix is streaming three seasons of Borgen, Ed McNulty offers his own strong praise for these nearly 30 hours of exceptional TV. And, Ed adds some thought-provoking questions to consider as you begin to watch the series.
10. RESIDUE—Merawi Gerima’s debut film explores the complex costs of gentrification—in this case, in Washington DC. Ed compares it to the other 2019 film The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

 

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