2018 Community

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A Multi-faith Conversation: How Faith-Based Nonprofits are Serving During COVID-19 (Part 2)

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A Multi-faith Conversation: How Faith-Based Nonprofits are Serving During COVID-19 (Part 2)

For many Americans, communities of faith are the stabilizing force for good in times of crisis. But in this unusual crisis, the familiar practice of coming together for support has been made nearly impossible. As such, faith-based organizations and congregations that are often closest to those in need – like under-resourced individuals and families, especially in communities of color – are themselves struggling to survive, let alone serve the community.

In a special event hosted by Independent Sector, a national membership organization that works to strengthen civil society, participants in CPJ’s Sacred Sector initiative shared urgent frontline stories from their work, representing a range of diverse faith-based institutions, and consider the connection between service and citizenship for advancing justice for their communities in the context of COVID-19.

Presenters included Sacred Sector Community participant Pastor Harold Dugger of First Baptist Church of Capitol Heights, Sacred Sector Fellow Dr. Denise Strothers of Healing Communities, Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team Director Ismail Royer with the Religious Freedom Institute, and Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino, who served as moderator for the conversation.

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Part 2: Hispanic Congregations - Religious Freedom to Embody La Familia in Civic Engagement

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Part 2: Hispanic Congregations - Religious Freedom to Embody La Familia in Civic Engagement

In this second article of a two-part series, Dr. Gus Reyes shares how Hispanic congregations and ministries can draw on their faith-based values to shape their actions toward a hopeful civic engagement. In this article, Dr. Reyes takes up this theological notion of la familia as a unifying theme in the common faith walks of Hispanic congregations, and apply the idea of family to how our Hispanic faith communities are living into their spiritual commitments around civic engagement during the dual challenges of a global pandemic and heightening tensions around the pursuit of racial justice. Dr. Reyes states that it can be challenging for Hispanic congregations to engage civically: “Hispanic faith leaders see they have a role to play in shepherding their co-religionists’ understanding of the importance of speaking and acting thoughtfully in the public square. And yet, it is not easy to show Hispanic Christians one definitive way to carry out the Lamb’s image in this nuanced moment. For some, civic engagement may look like finding one or two issues at the local government level that they can meaningfully engage in with a public official. For others, it may mean encouraging voter registration, exploring serving as a volunteer commissioner at the municipal or county level, or simply starting with praying for our public leaders.”

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A Multi-faith Conversation: How Faith-Based Nonprofits are Serving During COVID-19 (Part 1)

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A Multi-faith Conversation: How Faith-Based Nonprofits are Serving During COVID-19 (Part 1)

For many Americans, communities of faith are the stabilizing force for good in times of crisis. But in this unusual crisis, the familiar practice of coming together for support has been made nearly impossible. As such, faith-based organizations and congregations that are often closest to those in need – like under-resourced individuals and families, especially in communities of color – are themselves struggling to survive, let alone serve the community.

In a special event hosted by Independent Sector, a national membership organization that works to strengthen civil society, participants in CPJ’s Sacred Sector initiative shared urgent frontline stories from their work, representing a range of diverse faith-based institutions, and consider the connection between service and citizenship for advancing justice for their communities in the context of COVID-19.

Presenters included Sacred Sector Community participant Pastor Harold Dugger of First Baptist Church of Capitol Heights, Sacred Sector Fellow Dr. Denise Strothers of Healing Communities, Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team Director Ismail Royer with the Religious Freedom Institute, and Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino, who served as moderator for the conversation.

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Hispanic Congregations: Religious Freedom to Embody Familia in Worship and Service (Part 1)

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Hispanic Congregations: Religious Freedom to Embody Familia in Worship and Service (Part 1)

In this first article of a two-part series, Dr. Gus Reyes shares how Hispanic congregations and ministries have been impacted by COVID-19. Dr. Reyes explores the distinct spiritual strengths of these organizations and how their faith calls them to seek out innovative, creative solutions in the face of a global pandemic. Dr. Reyes unpacks the ways in which our current public health crisis has posed unique challenges and opportunities for Hispanic faith communities.  Hispanic congregations draw on their distinct Christian practices related to their conception of family to navigate how to flourish during COVID-19. Dr Reyes shares: “The motivation for this community-centered, service-oriented spirit in Hispanic congregations is our common understanding of family, or la familia. We know that Hispanic faith communities and leaders operate in a very familial and relational way."

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Black Ministries Are Essential Services, Now More Than Ever

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Black Ministries Are Essential Services, Now More Than Ever

(OPINION) Questions and conversations surrounding structural racism and how to address it have risen to national attention, particularly in the disparate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color and in recent incidents of violence against Black people. Chelsea Langston Bombino interviewed Pastor Cheryl Mitchell Gaines, founder and senior pastor of ReGeneration House of Praise, also known as the Church in the Field, in southeast Washington, D.C., to explore her vision for the role of community-based, Black congregations and faith-based nonprofits in advancing solutions relevant to structural racism.

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Press Release: Hispanic Ministries in Texas and California Join Sacred Sector Learning Community

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Sacred Sector, an initiative of the Center for Public Justice, is a learning community for faith-based organizations and emerging leaders within the faith-based nonprofit sector to integrate and fully embody their sacred missions in every area of organizational life. In late February, Sacred Sector partnered with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), an association representing over 40,000 Hispanic ministries nationwide, to launch a Sacred Sector Community in California. Sacred Sector also partnered with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Texas Baptists), representing over 1,000 Hispanic ministries in Texas, as well as the San Antonio Baptist Association, representing over 500 ministries, to launch a Sacred Sector Community in Texas. Sacred Sector Community specifically empowers congregations and ministries to proactively address the challenging legal and cultural environments in which they have a sacred calling to serve.

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Making a Sacred Impact During COVID-19: How One Historic Black Church Incarnates its Mission during a Pandemic

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Making a Sacred Impact During COVID-19: How One Historic Black Church Incarnates its Mission during a Pandemic

Reverend Harold Dugger shares about how his congregation, First Baptist Church of Capitol Heights, is navigating the impacts of COVID-19. Pastor Dugger’s church, a historically black congregation, is a Sacred Sector Community participant organization, and has a long history of serving its local community. In this article, Pastor Dugger reflects on how Sacred Sector’s learning community has helped his congregation understand how public policy, even during COVID-19, impacts the sacred sector and civil society as a whole. Pastor Dugger emphasizes that it is vital for congregations to understand that government, in times like this, has a distinct role to play.

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Making a Sacred Impact During COVID-19: One Church's Response

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Making a Sacred Impact During COVID-19: One Church's Response

Victory Church, a 2018-2019 participant in Sacred Sector Community, has a longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship with the Center for Public Justice. In this interview with pastor(s) Jamé Bolds and Mark Shanks, Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino talks with both pastors about how they see Victory Church and CPJ’s Sacred Sector initiative strengthening each other as they seek, in community with other congregations and faith-based organizations, to live out their sacred animating beliefs, in every area of their organizational lives. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Bolds sees the health crisis as an opportunity to live into his congregation’s faith-based commitments in everything they do, with respect to how they engage their own faith community, how they serve the broader community, how they coordinate with other churches and community-based organizations, and how the church interacts with government. This principled pluralist, public justice framework shapes Victory Church’s approach to living into God’s good purposes as a congregation, and recognizes that each institution in society must live into their God-given strengths and innovate based on those strengths, while at the same time, encouraging and working with other social institutions and government to live into their right roles.

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 3: Practical Strategies for FBUs

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 3: Practical Strategies for FBUs

Civil society, especially faith-based organizations, is uniquely effective at helping people, particularly in developing character and learning the ideas and ideals critical for human effort. Faith-based universities are the rare institutions in society with both the understanding of human complexity and the capacity to assist organizations to be more effective. This article, the third in a series, explores some ways faith-based universities can harness their resources, spiritual animating values, and expertise to support faith-based nonprofits and congregations in their communities. Professor John Larrivee of Mount St. Mary’s explores how FBUs, through engaging faith-based civil society, can (1) help students deepen their engagement with the faith-based social sector beyond service and connect their personal service with the larger structural questions and answers civil society provides, and (2) help the organizations themselves to be more efficient.

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 2: Practical Applications for FBUs in Forming Civil Society

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 2: Practical Applications for FBUs in Forming Civil Society

Civil society is the broad term for religions, families, and civic associations formed largely by private/voluntary membership. These are often people’s first and major sources of relationship and development. In academic literature, the church’s contribution to society is often analyzed through this lens of civil society, in both the role of ideas and formation of people in relationships. That includes the work of such groups as the Daughters of Charity, founded by Elizabeth Ann Seton, which provide material assistance and education (which provide both skills and ideals).  

This article, the first in a three-part series, explores how faith-based universities (FBUs), like Mount St. Mary’s, a Christian university in Maryland, can harness their resources, spiritual animating values, and expertise to support faith-based nonprofits and congregations in their communities--specifically through establishing a Center for Civil Society.  

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The Sacred Sector, Creation Care, and Public Justice

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The Sacred Sector, Creation Care, and Public Justice

Public justice insists that caring for the earth is the responsibility of every human institution in society, including government, individuals and diverse civil organizations – from churches and schools, to families and organizations that care about the environment. Many such organizations are inspired by sacred animating beliefs about their responsibility to steward the care of creation. In fact, there are many religious nonprofits of diverse spiritual backgrounds that are committed to supporting the environment through sustainable practices, education, service, advocacy, and more.  

This article will outline the key philosophical principles undergirding a public justice approach to creation care, holistically addressing the vast environmental challenges Christian citizens and other individuals face today. It will then explore reasons why having such a variety of organizations representing distinct sacred beliefs and missions is critical in order for our pluralistic society to holistically address the vast environmental challenges we face today.

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 1: Historical Backdrop

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Unleashing the Potential of Faith-Based Universities to Support Faith-Based Civil Society Part 1: Historical Backdrop

This article, the second in the three-part series by John Larrivee, explores how faith-based universities (FBUs), like Mount St. Mary’s University, a Christian university in Maryland, can harness their resources, spiritual animating values, and expertise to support faith-based nonprofits and congregations in their communities - specifically through establishing a Center for Civil Society.

Civil society, especially faith-based organizations, is uniquely effective at helping people, particularly in developing character and learning the ideas and ideals critical for human effort. Faith-based universities are the rare institutions in society with both understanding of human complexity and the capacity to assist organizations to be more effective. This article, by Professor John Larrivee of Mount St. Mary’s, poses two themes that capture approaches that can be done internal and external to the university to support civil society:
1. Why does my service matter?
2. Serving those who serve.

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A Faith-based Approach to Environmental Justice

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A Faith-based Approach to Environmental Justice

Those who work in advocacy and lobby efforts are often viewed as ruthless and amoral.  However, faith-based organizations (FBOs) who include advocacy and lobbying as a part of their mission or values provide a double blessing. Their efforts in these areas help to assure their longevity but also provide valuable avenues for their stakeholders to embrace civic engagement as followers of Jesus Christ. Tricia Bosma, 2019 Sacred Sector Fellow, highlights The Office of Social Justice in the Christian Reformed Church of North America, and the ways these faith-based organizations promote political discipleship through their Climate Witness Project.

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Faith-based Community Development in America’s Heartland: An Interview with Seven Baskets CEO Jeff Mansel

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Faith-based Community Development in America’s Heartland: An Interview with Seven Baskets CEO Jeff Mansel

Seven Baskets, a faith-based nonprofit focused on community development in Columbus, Ohio, collaborates with the public sector to transform the lives of Ohio’s urban residents. Providing tutoring, extracurricular programs, meals, discipleship, and workforce development, this faith-based organization exemplifies the meaning of community renewal through its collaboration with other faith-based organizations, as well as through creative government partnerships. In this interview with Seven Baskets CEO JeffMansel, Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino identifies the ways Seven Baskets has uniquely partnered with the government to help nourish the Columbus, Ohio residents it serves.

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So You Want to Pursue Government Funding

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So You Want to Pursue Government Funding

This article will discuss organizational best practices for Michigan churches and faith-based organizations (FBOs) that receive, or are considering receiving, government grants or contracts. It emphasizes how an organization can maintain its faith-based mission and identity even if the organization is considering partnering with government. This resource will help an FBO consider guidelines for accepting government and private funds in a way that aligns with its sacred mission.

From the Streets to the Pews: A Story of Holistic Healing

From the Streets to the Pews: A Story of Holistic Healing

Emily Davisson examines how thousands of people in Washington, D.C. have experienced transformation because of the work of faith-based organizations that are dedicated to a holistic approach to alleviating poverty. This approach recognizes the whole person, and sees not just material needs but relational and spiritual needs as well. One of these unique organizations is the Central Union Mission, whose mission is, “To glorify God by proclaiming the Gospel and meeting the needs of hungry, hurting and homeless individuals and families in the Washington Metropolitan Area.”

How Historic Black Churches Are Charting a New Path with Local Government

Two historically black churches in Maryland are paving the way for creative government partnerships. In this article featuring the work of two Sacred Sector participanting ministries, Chelsea Langston Bombino shares the testimonies of these congregations and how they have been equipped to navigate zoning issues, and are moving into positive government partnerships that include housing development for seniors and creative intergenerational opportunities in their communities.

Healing Communities: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Serving Returning Citizens

Healing Communities is an example of a  faith-based nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with other sectors of society, including government, to empower returning citizens with spiritual and physical resource for societal reintegration. This article discusses the how Healing Communities partners with other programs and resources, like Sacred Sector, to build capacity to promote restorative justice. Healing Communities’ coordinator stated at a recent event: “Sacred Sector does have a spiritual calling to provide resources to ministries to do these things. So let them help you do them!"

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Press Release: Western Michigan Faith-Based Organizations Join Sacred Sector Learning Community

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI (February 27, 2019) – Earlier this month, dozens of faith-based organizational and church leaders in Grand Rapids and the greater Western Michigan region launched a new learning community called Sacred Sector Western Michigan. Sacred Sector is an initiative of the Center for Public Justice, a Christian civic education and public policy organization. The learning community will be run in partnership with the Urban Church Leadership Center located at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.