Marking the Centennial of the Rosewood Massacre

Let’s launch a new era of care for people in need.

TO START 2023, author and pastor Henry Brinton writes about the centennial of the Rosewood Massacre, January 1-7, 1923. Remembering this traumatic tragedy might help spark a renewed commitment to compassion and justice in our New Year. Please, after reading this story, share it with friends via social media and email.

What difference can 1 person make?

Gustavo Parajón showed us how to multiply the power of justice.

Each week in January 2023, our Read The Spirit online magazine will be publishing inspiring true stories from Gustavo’s life. In this short video, the book’s co-author Daniel Buttry tells about one such moment in which a seemingly small intervention by Gustavo spurred people toward courageous action.

Want to encourage peacemaking in 2023? Start by pre-ordering your own copy of this inspiring book about Gustavo’s courageous life as a prophetic public health and faith leader. (There’s an easy Amazon link in this column.) Then, share this column, along with its short video, with friends, as well. These good deeds only take a few moments and you’ve already started on your 2023 peacemaking resolution!

From Suzy Farbman—

The remarkable life of Shelley Golden

IN HER FIRST GOD-SIGNS column of 2023, Suzy writes about her friend Shelley Golden, who died in December. She begins: “Our friend Shelley was so full of wit, grit, dazzle and spunk, I can’t come close to describing the supernova she was. But I owe it to her to try.”
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Holidays & Festivals

Please help us fine tune our 2023 calendar!

Holidays & Festivals expert Stephanie Fenton is internationally known for her reporting on major holidays, festivals and milestones that shape community life around the world. After 15 years as our Holidays & Festivals columnist, Stephanie’s work is widely shared by individuals, nonprofits and institutions (including by interfaith chaplains). We welcome that!

As we publish the 2023 list of holidays and festivals, please look over this calendar and alert us if you have questions or if you wish we would add a milestone close to your heart.

It’s simple to find these columns. Just go to the master year-long calendar via InterfaithHolidays.com

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

Click this image to read Ed McNulty’s review of The Whale.

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.

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

THE WHALE—(In theaters) “Darren Aronofsky’s new film, the script adapted by Samuel D. Hunter from the latter’s own play, is a powerful parable of remorse, self-punishment, and attempted reconciliation.”
BABYLON—(In theaters) Ed urges anyone interested in the movie to go see it in a big-screen theater before it inevitably comes to streaming.
EMPIRE OF LIGHT—(In theaters) “Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) pays homage to the cinemas of the 80s while tackling such issues as racism and mental illness in his new film.”
THE INSPECTION—”Writer-director Elegance Bratton’s semi-autobiographical film is one more indication that Hollywood is taking the LGBTQ+ community seriously, and respectfully.”
THE FABLEMANS—(In theaters) “The Fableman/Spielberg family is a combination of dreamers and realists, of eccentrics and down-to-earth folk, who love each other but also find themselves at odds with one another.”
THE MENU—(In theaters) “Director Mark Mylod and his distinguished cast must have had a blast bringing to life this dark satire written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy.”
EMANCIPATION—(Streaming on Apple+) “Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter Bill Collage have created the most compelling story of a freedom-loving slave that I have seen.”
SHE SAID—(Starts streaming on Peacock January 6) “If ever one doubted the importance of a free press, this film centering on two NY Times reporters should be invoked!“
GOOD NIGHT OPPY—(Streaming on Amazon) “Ryan White’s delightful documentary is a good companion for Wall-E, due to the NASA engineers treating their two Mars rovers like they were their children.”