c o n n e c t i o n s
t h e a l l i a n c e o f b a p t i s t s
n e w s l e t t e r
august 5, 2020
Last month, staff members Stephanie Cooper and Brooklyn Lovelace sat down with Pastor Daniel Schlorff to learn more about Faith Tapestry Community Church in New Haven, Conn. Faith Tapestry is one of the newest congregational partners to the Alliance family.


At the peace ceremony last year, the mayor of Nagasaki made a declaration of Nagasaki’s and Hiroshima’s commitment to peace--striving for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace. 
This August marks 75 years since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

If you are a faith leader who is white and are seeking to demonstrate your commitment to racial justice, as well as re-shape the public narrative, here are opportunities to do so through Faith in Action, a multi-faith people-powered movement pressing to create a society based on equity, sustainability and love.

by Matthew Tennant, Judson Press, 2020
Reviewed by Colin Holtz
This is the kind of pastoral book that can help people in tense, polarized family or church environments. The author is a pastor and blogger and writes in an accessible style chock full of sermon illustrations and quotes from prominent theologians. It is a book for people in environments where dialogue has broken down but where Christian scripture could yet spark a conversation.
by Melissa Rogers, Baylor University Press, 2019
Reviewed by Larry Pullen
As a person who accepts almost as an article of faith that there is a separation of church and state that protects both religion and the state, I have not explored often enough or in enough detail the challenges to religious liberty that arise in our country. Fortunately, Melissa Rogers has an in-depth knowledge of those challenges, and she shares that knowledge in her new book Faith in American Public Life (Waco, Texas: Baylor University Press, 2019. 325 pages including endnotes).

Stay up to date on what's happening around the Alliance:

  • The Board of Directors is seeking to discern if there is a need for the creation of affinity communities of BIPOC or persons of particular racial/ethnic identities. If you identify as BIPOC, please consider filling out this survey to help us determine where to focus our energy. 

  • Register today for Dog Days of Summer Trivia on August 30! Test your knowledge in categories covering all things summer, from summer reading to summer hits to summer destinations! Teams of no more than 8 persons are encouraged to join, or come as an individual and we’ll assign you to a team. Geographical proximity is not required. Teams will be placed in breakout rooms together. All are welcome!

  • Do you have a prayer request you want to share with the wider Alliance community? Submit it here.

  • The Alliance's Chaplains Sounding Room has changed to every other Friday for the summer. Register here.

  • Stay up to date with our ministry partners around the world by reading "Field Notes."

  • Are you looking for an anti-racism resource for your congregation? Alliance President Michael-Ray Mathews recommends Trouble the Water, a resource he co-edited with Cody Sanders and Mari Onwubuariri. Find it here.
Calendar

August 7
12p EDT/11a CDT

August 10
12p EDT/11a CDT

August 21
12p EDT/11a CDT

August 30
7p EDT /6p CDT
The Alliance of Baptists is a vibrant movement of people, faith communities and ministry partners who are deeply passionate about ecumenism, partnership in mission, relentless hospitality and racial and social justice.
Leadership Team
Paula Clayton Dempsey, director of partnership relations
Carole Collins, director of operations & finance
 
Staff
Stephanie True Cooper, acting communications specialist
Brooklyn Lovelace, social media specialist
Cathy McGaughey, operations specialist
Kristy Pullen, website specialist
Jason Smith, congregational engagement specialist