“Love from the center of who you are” – Anton Flores-Maisonet

  Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. (Romans 12:9 MSG) Most of us spend most our lives hiding behind masks of fear and shame. But that’s not who we are, and definitely not who we were created....

“Love Crosses Borders” – Anton Flores-Maisonet

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. (Romans 12:11-13 NRSV) When fear seeks to erect walls in our hearts, laws, and borders, the call of the Church is to an even fiercer love. For over 15 years, Casa Alterna co-founder, Anton....

“Being Human in Ministry” – Mandy Smith

EMS Spiritual Life week opens with Mandy Smith, Writer, Artist and Lead pastor of University Christian Church, a campus and neighborhood congregation with its own fair-trade café in Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally from Australia, Mandy Smith is lead pastor of University Christian Church, a campus and neighborhood congregation with its own fair-trade cafe in Cincinnati, Ohio. ....

“Grounded: Jesus on the Margins” – Deborah Jian Lee

Deborah Jian Lee is an award-winning journalist, radio producer and co-founder of One Book, One Church. She is the author of Rescuing Jesus: How People of Color, Women and Queer Christians are Reclaiming Evangelicalism. Her book reporting has taken her to secret societies of LGBT Christians within conservative enclaves, social justice Christian communes and many....