Newsletter: Launched!

I wrote last week to give you a heads-up on the launch of my new podcast. I write now to share a brief word about what I'm doing – and why.

I briefly mentioned what inspires the podcast in my note to you last week, and I expanded on that significantly in the first podcast episode. In this note, I want to give you the bigger picture and solicit your prayers, encouragement, and practical support steps.

This week, I am sharing a vision of what we hope to build. Concurrently, I am publishing the first two episodes of Conversations: Race on the Rocks, a weekly podcast where we wrestle with our racial tensions in a non-partisan way. But there's more to come. The basic formula for The Way of Love   - which will undoubtedly evolve - is the following:

1. A deep dive on public concerns as seen through the lens of at least one of the seven Christian practices that I list in my welcoming post and will describe in coming weeks.
2. A few shorter posts.
3. Weekly podcasts in which we converse substantively about public concerns from the perspective of Christian ethics.

I offer all of this in the spirit of truth-seeking and the premise that we discover truth best in free and friendly conversation, so please engage in like manner with me and other subscribers in the discussion threads or privately via email. I will respond to your engagement there or in subsequent posts.

Morsels Along the Way

I unpack the concept of The Way of Love in detail in my welcoming post on the website, which I hope you will read first, not least because it features a picture of and a story about my son, Andrew.

I share my first of many sea stories in introducing the first of these practices, The Art of the Turn. The sea story is true. I look forward to hearing your feedback on the lessons I draw from it.

This has been a tough week for all of us, I presume, because of our shock at seeing our capitol assaulted and our congress, vice president, and vice president-elect threatened with violence. For me, the week began as a time for mourning. More mourning may be ahead, given the FBI reports for pre-inauguration armed demonstrations in all 50 states. Nonetheless, I believe there are grounds for hope. I explained why in my Sunday message, Grounds for Hope after the Capitol Riot.

Since this is launch week, I published two episodes of Race on the Rocks. In the future, I will typically release one episode weekly.

In the first episode, Finding Hope In The Face of Racism with Salin Geevarghese. I share the animating vision for the podcast, and Salin Geevarghese shares the inspiring story of his immigrant father's arrival and life in the United States during our civil rights struggles.

In the second episode, A Constitutional Discussion with Dr. Kate Masur, we begin the task of recalling our American story well to understand how things got to be the way they are. We remember our genesis story and consider how our U.S. constitution embodied contradictions that shaped the racial topography we encounter today. As always, we also take time to notice grounds for hope.

Show notes for each podcast episode will be posted on the web site along with an embedded audio player. At the top of each episode post, clergy and other group leaders will find at least four suggested questions to facilite group study using the podcast. Please let me know your ideas for making that more useful for you.

You can always listen to the podcasts  from the episode posts on the website, but many prefer to use podcast players designed especially for that purpose. We support all the major podcast players. See this post for links to your favorite player.  Please let me know if your favorite is missing. We'll add support as soon as possible.

This ministry is a labor of love through which I hope to respond responsibly to my calling as a Christian pastor. That means treating you the way I'd like you to treat me, and, to that end, I promise there will be no ads, no auto-play videos, no sponsored content, no list-selling, and no woke-checking. We are on a journey of learning and transformation together. If such a journey interests you, please join The Way of Love as a member.

Now for the requests for practical support. First, what should I name this newsletter? I'm low on creative juices these days, but even I can recognize that naming a newsletter, "Newsletter," is like naming a dog, "Dog." It works, but we can do better. Suggestions?

Also, will you help make The Way of Love as fruitful as possible by encouraging friends and family to participate, sharing it via your social media, and engaging in dialogue with me on the website, the Way of Love Facebook page, or via email? And pray?

This ministry is already  fun for me, and I hope you enjoy it, as well. I can't wait to receive your feedback.

Worship

Many of the  sweetest memories from my youth involved camping with friends as a Boy Scout. We practiced the Scout Law, and one of the most formative parts of that is, "A Scout is Reverent." After a weekend of outdoor fun, our Scoutmaster would gather us Sunday morning for worship. We were a motley crew. We'd sit on rocks, stumps, logs, canoes, packs, or the ground, or lean against a tree. Someone would talk about our weekend experience - the fun we'd had, the skills we'd mastered, the truths we'd learned. Another, in adolescent male vernacular, would name the splendor we knew even then as grace itself. A brave soul would sometimes lead us in a song on his guitar, or we'd risk offending God with our a capella offerings. It was simple. It was messy. It was reverent. It was holy.

Today, I'm blessed to be a part of a small but steadfast band of the faithful who gather for worship online each Sunday at 10 a.m. EST. Another motley crew, but with more bumps and bruises signifying stories to tell and wisdom to share. For fancy worship, most of the gang go to the National Cathedral online. On Sundays, our worship reminds me more of my Scouting days.  Our sweet spot is intimacy.  Our worship is simple, messy, reverent, and holy.  It's also ecumenical. Folks join us from many states. Everybody is welcome. That includes you. Feel free to worship with us online any Sunday by joining our Zoom meeting. If you connect and see a bunch of people talking, know that folks start gathering online early, but I start the worship promptly at 10 a.m.

Lagniappe Love

I discovered Shane & Shane when I was discerning my call to the ministry. I'll never forget listening to their music on repeat in my car, worshipping for over 900 miles, as I drove solo to Duke. I discovered the Brooklyn Tabernacle during an independent study on revitalizing Christian communities while at Duke. Their story and choir still inspire me. Whenever my wife and I visit New York City, that's our place to worship. Combine Shane & Shane with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing Psalm 23 and it's transcendant on many levels for me. May they bless you today!