Notes from the Edge
Reflections on Faith, Justice, & Community from the Blog of Edgehill UMC
Hope in the Rubble: Advent and the Poetry of Palestine
All of these things, the poet says, hope “crushe[s] beneath its wings.” We often think of hope as this beautiful, feathery thing. Emily Dickinson’s poem (which Al-Hayyat gives a nod to) “‘Hope’ is the Thing with Feathers”, imagines hope as a bird in our soul. But Al-Hayyat’s feathered hope crushes everything beneath its wings….
Beyond Food Banks: The Book of Ruth, SNAP, & Social Responsibility
You’d be hard pressed to find a story that speaks more powerfully to the moment we’re in right now than the story of Ruth. Ruth’s story isn’t just an ancient story—it’s our story. Because Ruth is the story of an immigrant family crossing borders—leaving everything behind and taking great risks—in search of safety and a better life. Because Ruth is the story of families who know what it’s like to go hungry….
Edgehill and the Birth of the Reconciling Movement
When I arrived here at Edgehill UMC in 1979, the church was already welcoming to queer people like me. Edgehill was a “reconciling congregation" long before there was a program….
Living Out Loud in Love
“Hi, I’m Lindsey. We just talked on the phone a moment …” I began the statement, but the Justice cut me off. “I don’t perform marriages for same-sex couples.” His words were heavy, and seemed to land between us with a dead thud….
Welcome Home
It is a terrifying time to be an international student. Tennessee is my home - but I don't feel secure in that fact. It feels like it could be ripped away at any second. As international students (and as a wider immigrant community) we face a new choice, whether to speak up against injustice or to prioritize our personal safety.
Sacred Conversations
Listening builds the power to create change in our communities—when we discover common needs and hopes and act together. This is a basic tenant of community organizing.
Finding My Home at Edgehill
Now, every Sunday feels like a homecoming. During communion, I join hands with someone – sometimes a familiar friend, sometimes someone new – and in that moment, I feel the strength of this community. We share stories from the week, celebrate joys, and walk alongside each other through challenges.
Faith, Justice, and the Death Penalty
Abu was granted a stay of execution hours before the scheduled time. Two years later, he faced another execution date. Leading up to that date, the prison allowed me to enter his cell to inventory his personal items. I saw the dried lavender and sage on a metal table affixed to the walls in his corner.
The First Hillbilly Hymn
One of the reasons I find Fox’s song so moving is that it brings God’s vision of justice to life with color and texture in way that makes me pause and reflect more deeply. But there is another, much older hillbilly hymn in scripture.