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From matzo to gumbo: Museum explores Southern Jewish life

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A new museum under construction in New Orleans will explore the journey of immigrant Jews and subsequent generations to the American South who brought with them a religious way of life they struggled to maintain while seeking acceptance in the home of the Bible Belt. With multimedia interactive exhibits and a collection of more than 7,000 artifacts, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience will illustrate the ways Southern and Jewish cultures influenced each another’s families, businesses, religions, politics and food habits as Jewish staples like potato ...

Footsteps to Follow: Reflections on Isaiah 64 for this advent season

As St. Paul often wrote at the outset and/or conclusion of his writings and sermons: “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” One of the most cherished freedoms we have in our country is that of mobility: the opportunity to travel, move about, visit with ...

Serving all the Lord’s people

City Alliance Church has nearly completed its ADA-compliant ramp to the main entrance on the corner for Fourth and Elmira streets. The ramp is the first in a multi-step project to make the entire church ADA-compliant. Once the ramp is finished, City Alliance plans to remodel its first-floor ...

US Jews plan smaller Hanukkah celebrations amid virus

Jewish Americans from a variety of branches of the faith are celebrating Hanukkah with smaller-than-usual gatherings this year, in hopes of keeping the year-end holiday safe but still joyful as coronavirus cases spike across the country. Many Jewish Americans are already accustomed to more ...

Footsteps to Follow: Overcoming the year of uncertainty

As a pastor, I believe 2020 has been one of the most difficult years I have lived through. It has opened our eyes to how vulnerable we are. Until this year, I thought that corona was an astronomy term regarding the sun. But as Christians, our focus needs to be on not what the seasons hold, ...

Faith Matters: Christmas is coming?

Do you ever wonder what makes the Christmas season feel like - well, Christmas? This past year, especially since we began Advent, this question seems more profound. When we think about all that is occurring, we can be overwhelmed with the negative. The pandemic, violence, isolation, discord, ...