On Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August 13, faith leaders around the United States addressed their congregations who had watched the news coming from Charlottesville, Virginia. They had the privilege -- and challenge -- of helping people understand and interpret our society through the convictions of shared faith.

It is not the first time clergy and other congregational leaders have had to respond to a significant event as it was still unfolding. Each time it happens is an incredible responsibility, one that requires the clarity of conviction in the midst of the confusion of circumstances. Sermons that have been written have to be rewritten. Educational classes become public conversations. Worship becomes confession and lament, and we together recommit to work for justice, equality, and peace.

The issues that two days in Charlottesville again laid bare within our society -- white supremacy, racism and injustice, violence and intimidation -- these issues are not new. And they will not be quickly healed or remedied. Congregational leaders will, tragically, have many more opportunities to confront them and to address them from the heart of faith. Congregational leaders will be given the opportunity to remind their congregations of God's deep hope for the world and our responsibility to be partners in pursuing it. 

Our colleagues at Faith & Leadership have been collecting stories and learnings from Charlottesville and from other parts of the country, and we offer these resources to you to spark your imagination and remind you that you are not alone. 
 
Christian leaders who seek to combat violence and hatred can do more than debate tactics and post to Facebook, says Sarah Thompson, the executive director of Christian Peacemaker Teams. She said those actions can range from making public statements to training in non-violent direct action -- skills as specific as how to dodge bullets. Church leaders also should work to connect with vulnerable people in their communities.

 
Every tragedy -- large or small, public or private -- is different, but they all pose challenges for leadership. Our colleagues at Faith & Leadership have compiled from their archives resources for leading in times of tragedy and crisis.

 
In an age of nonstop media that exposes us as never before to the world's pain and brokenness, lamentation is an essential and even revolutionary act, one that the church needs desperately to reclaim, says a young pastor.

 
Christians need to adopt a deeper, more complex understanding of how race shapes our lives and communities, says the author and theologian in this interview. And to resist racism, we need to 'recover' Jesus, taking Christ and Scripture seriously.

 
As tiki torch-bearing terrorists marched on the grounds of the University of Virginia on Friday, Aug. 11, hundreds of people were gathered in my church not 100 yards away, girding ourselves for what lay ahead the next day. We prayed and sang and listened to the soaring words of Cornel West and Traci Blackmon. Christians and Jews and Muslims offered Scripture and song and prayer.

 
FROM THE ALBAN LIBRARY
by Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook 
 
Contrary to the oft-repeated truism, there are churches in America where Sunday is not the "most segregated day of the week," as Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook convincingly demonstrates in her compelling exploration of congregations tackling racial justice issues. 

Yet the truism continues to haunt many congregations, and Kujawa-Holbrook reveals, through story and thoughtful analysis, what it means to create and live out multiracial community. Focusing on six congregations from different denominations, geographical regions, and settings, the author shows us the joys and struggles in their intentional pursuits of a more diverse and just community. 

The stories in A House of Prayer for All Peoples will inspire leaders to explore their congregation's history, study their community's demographics, and, most of all, search their souls for ways they can develop and celebrate the diversity in their midst. The book is capped by an extensive annotated resource list for readers who want to explore the topic further.
 
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