Love Your Neighbor As Yourself – Part 4
In my last blog of this series, I consider the obstacle of projecting ourselves, our preferences and our desires onto our neighbors. However, this isn’t just a challenge at the individual level. This happens on a larger scale in our societies. One of the forms this...
Faith Leaders for Housing Justice – History, Context and Actions
By Art Davies Faith Leaders for Housing Justice (FL4HJ) came together in September 2021 in response to the injustice that people experiencing homelessness were facing in the encampment that was built up in the Newmarket Business District, the epicenter of services for...
Simple living
Something we talk about quite a bit at Boston Faith & Justice is living simply and it seems like it makes sense to define what we are talking about. I always like to start with the dictionary. Its seems too much to ask Webster or Miriam to define simple living for...
Clean Up Thursdays on Atkinson Street
Clean Up Thursdays on Atkinson Street have changed. Since the city removed the tents and cleared Atkinson Street, the Newmarket clean-up crews' job has shifted, and walking with the crews has changed as well. Previously, while some crews walked into neighboring...
BFJN 2024 Focus Area – Poverty
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18) “Poverty is often material...
Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 3
In the previous two blogs, I explored the gap in compassion we form and how to close it when we are seeking to love our neighbor as ourselves. In this blog, I’ll explore a major hurdle to loving our neighbor as ourselves and how to try and avoid it. An important part...
Reflecting & Imagining 23-24
Its hard to believe we are nearing the end of January 2024! The new year still feels so new. One year changing to another is a great time to both reflect and imagine. That’s as true for an organization as it is for individuals. So I thought I would share some personal...
Homelessness
What goes through your mind when you are driving or walking around, generally in an urban area, and someone with a cardboard sign comes up to you? They may not say anything to you. But you know they are asking you for money whether they speak it or not. You probably...
Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 2
In my last blog, we explored how wealth creates a gap in compassion between us and people who have less than we do. Now we will explore practices that can close that gap. One aspect of closing the gap is to be aware of the scope of the problem. We can explore the...
Advent – Joy
If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Think about that for a second. No really, which one would you pick? I have used this question for several icebreakers before. Flying is a common response. Who wouldn’t want to soar safely through the air like...