You’ll want to share George’s video with friends.

What could “church” look like in our troubled world?

COVER STORY—Our publishing house team is so pleased to share a new video produced by the Rev. Dr. George Mason from an at-risk community in South Dallas, a place where people need so much—including a way to gather neighbors to help renew the whole neighborhood. George has found a great, grassroots idea that others could adapt where they live. No, maybe not with professional skateboarders—but you’re certain to smile at the enthusiastic way George shows us this fresh idea. And, we hope, you’ll want to share this cover story with friends.

More news from our writers—

And speaking of ways to engage young people in our communities …

THIS WEEK, BILL TAMMEUS has posted a very helpful column about youth ministry, including a recommendation about a new book that could be influential in many congregations—if folks discover this new resource. When we saw Bill’s column, we recognized that it’s a perfect “sidebar” to our Cover Story with George Mason this week—another fresh idea for folks who care about their congregations and their larger communities to share. Please visit Bill’s website and read his column headlined: “Doing youth ministry well can help repair this wounded world”

How the Goodreads community welcomes authors

THIS WEEK, we’re pleased to see early reviews popping up for Laura Elizabeth’s upcoming cozy mystery series, The Island Mysteries. They’re popping up on Goodreads, not on Amazon because Amazon does not allow book reviews to be posted until after a book’s official launch date. So, this week, David Crumm offers this fresh invitation to come on over and meet us on Goodreads, a community that definitely has some quirks but also is the home of some good friends.

Howard Brown & Sheena Yap Chan

Embracing our cultures, even if feel we’re alone

SHEENA YAP CHAN, the best-selling Chinese-Filippino-Canadian author, consultant and activist joins Howard Brown’s podcast this week to talk about the challenges women—and especially women who are culturally in a minority—face in North America. You’ll find their conversation labeled Episode 37, new this week on Howard’s website.

Holidays & Milestones

.Lammas, Lughnasadh

AS AUGUST BEGINS and grains turn golden in the fields of the Northern Hemisphere, Christians and Pagans (and many others from areas of England, Ireland and Scotland) mark the ancient festival of the wheat harvest.

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 on this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of Oppenheimer.

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:

OPPENHEIMER—Ed writes, “Christopher Nolan’s massive film, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, shows how the scientist that presided over Trinity clearly understood” the power he had unleashed.
TIGER WITHIN—”It is good to see that actor Ed Asner’s last film was one decrying ignorance and advocating love, forgiveness and friendship.”
BARBIE—”I was thankful for the TIME magazine article that convinced me that I should watch Barbie despite my many reservations regarding it.”
THE MIRACLE CLUB—”Irish film-maker Thaddeus O’Sullivan has given us a delightful parable of reconciliation in this story set in Ballygar, a working-class village in outer Dublin by the sea during the Sixties.”
BLACKBERRY—Ed writes, “Canadian director Matt Johnson and co-writer Matthew Miller have gifted us with a comic take on the development of the BlackBerry.”