Animating Children’s Participation in a Small Congregation
My goal with kids’ singing in worship is to incorporate their voices as members of the leadership, rather than setting them off on their own. While they’re certainly adorable, I try not to make their cuteness the main focus; my hope is to show them they have a voice in the song of the community, rather than to put them on display to delight the grownups (though if the grownups are delighted, that’s a bonus!)
Benito Bowl: Perreo, América y Recetas Fáciles para la “Liberación”
Decir “together we are América” implica también reconocer que no puede haber unión mientras Estados Unidos explote a Puerto Rico, Cuba y América Latina, sus recursos y su gente porque la liberación es colectiva, no individual. De igual manera, América no puede reclamar unión mientras algunas de sus naciones ignoran y hasta apoyan el genocidio que ocurre diariamente en Palestina. Me parece que la unión que reclamó Benito en el medio tiempo merece un ojo más crítico para evitar reducir su mensaje a nombrar países en una tarima.
Benito Bowl: Perreo, Tokenizing and Easy Recipes for “Liberation”
Thus, in Benito’s case, saying “together we are América” requires understanding that togetherness cannot exist while the United States exploits Puerto Rico, Cuba, Latin America, its resources, and its people because liberation is collective, not individual. Similarly, América cannot stand together in unity while some of its nations ignore and endorse a genocide taking place right in front of their eyes. I believe that Benito’s “together we are América” demands a more critical gaze that does not reduce his idea to the naming of countries on a stage.
Building Hope: A Letter from our Chief Editor Construyendo esperanza: Una carta de nuestro editor.
But, “what is hope if not understanding that reality, though material and operational, does not determine everything that is possible?” asks Dr. Yara González-Justiniano. What is hope if not a continuous journey that rejects the present world and affirms, without hesitation, that another reality—more ethical, more just, more beautiful, and more full of love—is possible? What is hope if not the unshakable conviction that our imagination can exceed imposed social paradigms and allow us to think and act toward the world that Jesus Christ dreamed? Jesus, the little child who comes to life in Advent, is hope made real.
Welcoming our new Interim Director Rev. William Moses Summerville.
My early years in church were the early years of the church. Many of my pivotal moments in my early childhood church life were momentous occasions for the church. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church is the same age as me, and the Pastor that offered Christ to me, baptized me, licensed me, and ordained me still is serving that faith community.
LGBTQIA2S+ Struggles for Justice in Puerto Rico: An Interview with Rev. Abigail Medina Betancourt
The first thing I understood is that it is their space, not mine. I was there as an ally. That meant walking silently alongside them and being present. I believe the most important thing is for us to act with humility and acknowledge the harm the church has done. We should not step into their spaces to try to take control, or to tell them, “I forgive you,” as if they were doing something wrong or as if forgiveness was ours to give.
Women and Violence in Mexico
Evangelical faith, the spirituality of the Kingdom must transform into love and care to women victims of violence. How? We must open our eyes and hearts to the signs of these times, more to the confessional creeds and in alliances with other goodwill groups.
La vida Sagrada que Florece/Blooming, Holy Life
Nota editorial: El siguiente poema fue compartido por Mariana Gómez Álvarez Icaza, el 16 de julio de 2025 en el Campamento de Verano por la Paz. Lo reproducimos inédito en español e inglés.
Editorial Note: This poem, first shared by Mariana Gómez Alvarez at the Summer Peace Camp on July 16, 2025, is published here in its original Spanish and English translation.
The Role of Puerto Rican Churches in a State of Emergency
Administration after administration, Puerto Ricans see ambivalent responses to calls for equity and sexual liberties. Gender-based education that ignores the cruelty of conversion therapy and the repression of diverse sexual orientations, while denying women the right to make decisions about their own bodies through the refusal to implement a gender perspective curriculum, is futile.
Pope Francis: a Prophetic Testament of Green Legacy
Pope Francis prophetically denounced the culture of destruction and development and called us to an ecological conversion. He proposed an integral ecology that encompasses economics, politics, social relationships, and spiritual life. He urged us to move from irresponsible consumption to communal care, from domination to service