God cares about justice. Throughout the Old Testament and the New, and through the works of His Son Jesus, we see how important justice, fairness, mercy, compassion, and care for all people is to God.
Read MorePosts by Category: Editor’s Views
Columns by the editor of the Advocate, Jessica Brodie
It’s time to stop
It’s time to stop ignoring or disregarding views not in line with our own, writing them off as if they belong to “them” or “those people.” We are all the body of Christ, and words can hurt. By Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreChrist will make a way
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.
Read MoreTime to pay up
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.
Read MoreNo matter what next year brings
Wherever you are right now, sickness or health, grief or abundance, pause in the now. A column by Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreA Thanksgiving Day Prayer
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.
Read MoreA ‘good news’ year
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.
Read MoreVirtual AC is the right move
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.
Read MoreNo ‘one right way’
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.
Read MoreI hurt, and I should
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.
Read MoreMy ‘no plan’ challenge
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.
Read MoreSuch beauty
By Jessica Brodie. I’m astounded by the beauty of God’s glory shining across every single page of this month’s newspaper. Take a look and tell me if you don’t agree! On every page, you’ll find examples of regular men and women—and sometimes children!—doing something extraordinary for the Lord, living beyond themselves to spread the Good News or to help others in His name. And all this is happening when many of us are stuck at home, quarantined for the most part because of the coronavirus.
Read MoreCan anything good come out of Nazareth?
These are trying times, to say the least. Our lives are upended, routines are off and many of the plans we thought we had a month ago are now completely and irrevocably gone. Some of us have lost our jobs, our security, our prospects, our health. And yet still: God is good. All the time. Even now. Especially now. A column by Advocate Editor Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreIf God stirs me, God will equip me
On hearing God’s call and how to respond. By Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreBe at peace, for God has it all under control
God is still the God of the universe—and the head of this denomination. And God has the power and authority to do whatever God wishes—including change our hearts and minds and push through whatever plan God intends, whether this one or another entirely. An editorial by Jessica Brodie.
Read More2020 vision
But what does “2020 vision” really mean for me as a woman of faith, and what does it mean for The United Methodist Church as we prepare to embark on yet another difficult and tumultuous year? A column by Editor Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreDry bones come to life
We’ve heard the stories time and again: once-thriving country churches whose numbers dwindled as their communities folded, until eventually the churches themselves closed their doors. I picture these country churches as they likely were long ago, bustling with activity and chatter, their doors spilling open after worship with people who’d picnic on church grounds or under a nearby shade tree. But once in a while, I hear stories of the reverse: a small church suddenly flourishing again with new life, filled with people and ministry doing all they can the name of the Lord. A commentary Jessica Brodie.
Read MoreOn being grateful
By Jessica Brodie. As the mother of preteens, I hear the word “entitled” bandied about a lot. My kids are in Generation Z, which is the first generation to grow up in an entirely digital world, and they are fully accustomed to all things electronic and adapt to new technologies quickly and easily. Entitled is a funny word…
Read MoreStop the madness
This month, October, is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And sadly, South Carolina ranks fifth in the nation in the rate of women murdered by men. Your silence and your inaction could be deadly. Together, we can do something to help.
Read MoreStanding together
Keeping people out of prison is not about being “soft” on crime or altering laws. It’s about coming together as a responsible and loving community before crimes occur. It’s standing with our young people before they walk down the wrong path or begin to make poor choices. It’s coming alongside them with accountable mentoring relationships that expose them to positive life models and high expectations. A column by Jessica Brodie.
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