St. Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure fully devoted themselves to the Way of Christ. How did they do it? What can we learn from them?

God evolves with us, always calling us toward shalom with shalom. How will we respond?

Welcome to the first teaching in the new series, Simplicity, Spirituality, and Service, loosely based on Bruce Epperly's latest book by the same name. This week we are reminded of the essential component of Jesus' Gospel - the role of the Spirit - in forming our vision and steps to bring more and more shalom into our lives and world.

Enjoy these stories from CrossWalkers about their new beginnings! CrossWalkMoth is our play on NPR’s series that seeks to increase human connection through storytelling.

No matter what you're going through, Love is with you and for you.

Why didn't the folks of Bedford Falls come after George with torches and pitchforks once the arrest warrant was issued? Why did Luke want to draw our attention to Mary, the cave-barn, and the shepherds in the field the night Jesus was born? How was Jesus informed by his own birth narrative? What does this mean for how we live our lives as people of faith?

How can we say "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Merry Christmas" when we're in a season of suckiness? The movie and the Christmas story give us some hints that offer help when faced with sucky situations and suckmeisters.

There are similarities between the iconic Christmas movie and the birth narratives of Jesus. And, it turns out, the similarities extend to our own lives. There is gold here. And hope.

The natural response when filled with gratitude is to be gracious and giving toward others, to become more interested in others' well-being. When communities work together for the wellbeing of others, this necessarily becomes political, as shalom calls faithful communities to ensure shalom's development for everything, everyone, everywhere.

Feasting together is nothing new. Our ancient Jewish ancestors have been coming together for thousands of years to remember and reset their lives. Thanksgiving affords us the opportunity to do the same.