This is the category for Advocate editorials and other viewpoints.
Christ will make a way where no one else can. I hope you will join me in continued prayer for our nation, our culture and our world as a whole to turn to God as our “guiding star.” A reflection by Advocate Editor Jessica Brodie.
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So many of us experienced something of an adrenaline rush that propelled us through the challenges of 2020. As we deal with the ongoing pandemic, many people are feeling more foggy and fatigued. The adrenaline rush has waned, so how do we amass the energy necessary to sustain us through the final stretch of this season? By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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If every church stretches just a little, prays a bit harder, takes up that last-minute special collection—something, anything—we’ll see change. We’re all in this together. By Jessica Brodie.
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My prayer for the new year is succinctly, I trust you, Jesus. That fear loses its grip on me. That adversity becomes an opportunity for growth and that grace is gratefully received. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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By Janice D. Green I have always loved family reunions, and now that my family and relatives are scattered all over the United States and beyond, I treasure them all…
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Wherever you are right now, sickness or health, grief or abundance, pause in the now. A column by Jessica Brodie.
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In every moment, a choice must be made for where to focus our time, talent, gifts, service and witness. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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Lord, this month, help us to slow down. Help us to breathe and rest in You. Help us to honor the centering, holy words offered in the psalms.
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When we are willing to step up and step out in faith, God will lead us beyond the bounds of expectations. A word from Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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It’s been a hard year—but also a good year. Good, for light is being shined into racial problems and discrimination in important new ways. Good, for in spite of a pandemic, communities and families are coming together. Good, because churches are stepping up in new and innovative ways to help. By Jessica Brodie.
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Bishop L. Jonathan Holston on the coming 2020 Annual Conference.
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Will there be issues? Sure. Nothing is ever perfect. But 2020 has turned out to be an unorthodox year that has required a great deal of flexibility on the part of everyone. Holding Annual Conference online will enable us to move forward and do what is necessary. An editorial by Jessica Brodie.
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“Are we there yet?” Most folks have heard this question while traveling. The GPS even counts down the miles and minutes that remain until you arrive at your destination. The driver points out landmarks for passengers to look for along the route. These checkpoints create digestible lengths of time for milestones reached until the trip is complete. A column for the Advocate by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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People who choose one thing—whether a presidential candidate, a political party, a denomination, or whether or not to send their kids back to school in-person—are not “stupid,” bad or utterly wrong because their choices do not align with our opinion. Let’s respect each other, understand that everyone has a unique perspective—and let peace prevail in the midst of this turmoil. A commentary by Jessica Brodie.
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By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of…
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Oh, Lord, I beg: What do I do? All I can do is love. All I can do is pray. All I can do is try to love instead of fear, to speak out when I’m feeling cowardly. By Jessica Brodie.
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Forty-five years ago, against the advice of his Motown record executives, Marvin Gaye released the song “What’s Going On.” What’s going on is that we can’t breathe. The weight of oppression and injustice is suffocating. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.
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How quickly I started to forget the most important lesson the pandemic taught me: Let go of the steering wheel and let God be the driver. A reflection by Advocate Editor Jessica Brodie.
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By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. Growing up in the Holston household, respect for your elders was the rule. Fear was not exactly what my brother and I had for our father, even though we were scared at times, but it was the awesome power of his presence. He was a yes sir/no sir kind of guy. If he asked you to jump, you asked how high. If he asked you to run, you asked how far. If he asked you to stand, you asked how long.
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As news, photos and other details surface surrounding the shooting death of an unarmed black man, Ahmaud Arbery—a 25-year-old who was jogging near his home in Brunswick, Georgia—United Methodist church…
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