What does it mean to be created in the image of God? The history of Christianity has shown us that Christian communities have historically struggled to view all humans as bearing the image of God equally – especially marginalized groups such as women, people of color, and those who identify as queer. This Sunday Rev. Dr. Carter will be joined by Dedrick Bonner as we learn about the challenges and triumphs of queer folk seeing themselves as beloved children of God. Question to Consider Before We Meet: What image comes to mind when you think of a human being? What might your answer reveal about your assumptions regarding what a default "human being" looks like? AUDIO NOTE: The introduction to this message was not captured on audio, but we pick up at the beginning of the conversation.

We welcome Rev. Kimberly Scott to our center conversation with Pastor Molly, sharing about her theological work on practices of resilience, drawn from the wisdom of Queer Black Clergy Women. Her work invites us into practices of remembrance, hope, defiance, and action. Rev. Kimberly is a doctoral student at the Claremont School of Theology, and a United Methodist Elder.

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This Sunday, Rev. Kevin Kim Wright returns to The Loft for conversation with Pastor Molly, as they explore how the Holy Spirit's calling leads us to live out our faith. Currently Chief of Staff at The Point Foundation, an LGBTQ+ scholarship granting organization, he is an ordained Elder in the UMC. www.TheLoftLA.org

Despite our lack of engagement with the doctrine of the Trinity, I believe that it has continued to persist because it reveals something about the nature of God: a Divine and Dynamic relationship rooted in love. Join us this Sunday as we explore how we can take our place in God's divine dance. www.TheLoftLA.org

Last week, we discussed how our response to the inevitable suffering of human life can grow our faith. But what about manufactured suffering? What impact might that have on one's faith? This week Rev. Dr. Carter will be joined by Sarah Wilson, Executive Director of Harvest Home, a nonprofit whose mission is to transform the lives of homeless pregnant women and their children by providing housing, support, and programs that equip women to become great mothers. We invite you to join us as we discuss how the women and those who work with them cultivate faith. www.TheLoftLA.org

What is the difference between belief and faith? One definition that we discussed was that belief requires a lot of "religion," but faith asks us to construct a theology. In today's Loft Converations episode, Julia, Westley, and Rev. Dr. Carter discuss the nature and meaning of faith for Christians and why some people fear asking the kind of questions or experiencing the type of life events that enable our faith in God to grow.

One book that we mentioned during the episode was "Falling Upward: Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life" by Richard Rohr.

What Christians are to believe and how those beliefs translate into actions have been the source of personal anxiety at a minimum and social conflict at its worst. The human desire for structure and clarity has led many Christians to develop theologies that fear difficult questions and demand blind assent. However, a mature theology should dare to raise questions on our quest for a deeper understanding of the Divine. www.TheLoftLA.org

If we only use the same handful of metaphors to describe God, they hide the full wonder of divine love. So, this Sunday, we will talk about old and new metaphors for God; bring your poetic, prophetic imagination to help with the project. Plus, we share Holy Communion.

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How might we eat in ways that align with our moral and cultural values? This question will be the starting point for our gathering this Sunday. A few weeks ago we discussed the realities of our food system and the ways it profits from the manufacturing of suffering. This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Carter will share the three theologically informed eating practices that allow us to remain true to the principles of compassion, love, justice, and solidarity with the marginalized. www.TheLoftLA.org