Faith and Political Engagement: Latina/o Protestants At the Intersection

Interviews, Latinx Congregations, Participant Observation, Politics, Race & Ethnicity, Theology Frame

From the outside, Allen Temple Ministerios Hispanos (ATMH) is unimposing. Located deep in poverty-stricken East Oakland California, ATMH’s neighbors include two fellow protestant churches, a bar and a liquor store. It’s the week before Thanksgiving. Inside the Baptist church, Esther, the pastor’s wife and church leader, is finishing up the announcements for the close to…

Catholicism in the Castro: Parish Life in Context

Catholic Parishes, Culture Frame, Ecology Frame, Neighborhoods & Contexts, Social Service & Activism

The National Catholic Reporter published a five-part series on San Francisco’s Most Holy Redeemer Church, focusing on its open and inclusive relationship with the community. Up to eighty percent of its population is LGBT. Most Holy Redeemer draws broadly from across the San Francisco area, and because it is well known for its accepting attitude,…

Refocus the Conversation: About “Attracting Families”

Age & Generations, Culture Frame, Ecology Frame, Families, Interviews, Program Evaluation, Religious Education/Socialization, Timeline Exercise

Is your congregation attempting to reach out to “young families?” Jan Edmiston works at the Presbytery of Chicago and has a personal blog at at achurchforstarvingartists.wordpress.org. Below is part of a 2015 post on the topic: Almost every church I’ve ever known has wanted to Attract Young Families.  The reasoning behind this includes the following: If we don’t…