Wellington Heights Church

Stories Among Us VisionAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God's transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, this is the reason that 16 I don't stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God's call, what is the richness of God's glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God's power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God's powerful strength. 20 God's power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God's right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ's feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Stories Among UsAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God's transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, this is the reason that 16 I don't stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God's call, what is the richness of God's glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God's power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God's powerful strength. 20 God's power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God's right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ's feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.Amara Andrews is a mother, businesswoman, entrepreneur and community leader. She has lived and worked in the Cedar Rapids area with her family for over ten years. She and her husband have four kids: Amanda, Tyler, Aidan, and Hope. They run businesses together in Coralville and have been married for 25 years.https://youtu.be/uL2K0i4Xo94?feature=shared

Stories Among Us At Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God's transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, this is the reason that 16 I don't stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God's call, what is the richness of God's glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God's power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God's powerful strength. 20 God's power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God's right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ's feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Stories Among Us VisionAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God's transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, this is the reason that 16 I don't stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God's call, what is the richness of God's glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God's power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God's powerful strength. 20 God's power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God's right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ's feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

At Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God's transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, this is the reason that 16 I don't stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God's call, what is the richness of God's glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God's power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God's powerful strength. 20 God's power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God's right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ's feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Join us this Easter as we consider Jesus' invitation and call for us to live as people of the resurrected Christ.

Join us for a contemplative experience as we engage in Lectio Divina, the sacred practice of listening to scripture, focusing on the profound passages of Good Friday.

Listen in to be guided through a Maundy Thursday liturgy and the sacred practice of Visio Divina—prayerfully seeing—using the artwork linked below. Let's reflect upon the invitation to love one another as Christ has loved us as we gather separate, yet together in spirit.Visio Divina Image

As we enter holy week, Palm Sunday invites us to consider the difference between being involved and being truly committed to the way of Jesus. Join us as we walk through the story once again, resisting the urge to rush to Easter morning and instead immersing ourselves in the transformative power of the secret week. Let's slow down, stay present, and reflect — Are we merely involved or are we truly committed?

Join us as we welcome our guest speaker Anthony Betters as he preached through Psalm 32.

At Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe holistic spiritual formation calls us—both individually and communally—to connect with God, ourselves, others, and all of creation in diverse ways. As a faith community, we seek to follow the Spirit's movement, embracing God's invitation:"Look! I am doing a new thing. Don't you perceive it?" — Isaiah 43:19Spiritual formation is a lifelong journey. Embodiment Sunday helps us reflect inwardly and engage outwardly within the support of our community.To learn more about the heart behind Embodiment Sunday, listen to our latest podcast episode. Afterward, we invite you to contribute to WHCC Interactive Word Cloud by answering three questions about your personal “why” for Embodiment Sunday. Join the conversation as we explore the significance of Embodiment Sunday—not only in shaping our identity as a faith community but also as a vital step toward the flourishing of the Church.

This episode is designed for individuals, families, and communities to process their experiences—both the grief and the unexpected moments of grace. Through thoughtful prompts, we invite you to name your losses, celebrate small joys, and embrace the ways we were invited to expand our idea of togetherness that continue to shape us today.Take time to reflect and move forward with hope. Let us remember, together.

Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter (40 days). Traditionally, Lent is a time for prayer, fasting, and generosity. This Lenten Season, Wellington Heights Community Church invites you to join us in a communal commitment to disconnect from screens to set aside the time we often turn to screens for distraction or engage in a constant stream of information to realign our hearts and minds with God. Consider downloading a free PDF of the Disconnect40 Guide on the WHCC website or pick-up a copy this Sunday at 10 AM as we gather on the 1st Sunday of Lent.

On this first Sunday of Lent, we enter the wilderness with Jesus in Luke 4:1-13. Fresh from His baptism and filled with the Holy Spirit, He is led into a place of isolation, testing, and soul-searching. What does this passage reveal about our own wilderness experiences—our struggles with power, recognition, and distraction? How do we resist the temptations that pull us away from the way of Jesus?In a world marked by division, exhaustion, and digital overwhelm, Lent invites us to pause, reflect, and realign our hearts with God's grace. Through prayer, fasting, and contemplation, we step into the wilderness—not to earn God's love, but to deepen our awareness of it. Join us as we journey together in this season of renewal.

This is a brief Liturgy for Ash Wednesday. This episode was previously recorded prior to the cancellation of in-person imposition of ashes. At the end of this podcast liturgy the Pastoral Team will guide you in an at-home imposition of ashes utilizing flour to symbolize ashes.

Join us as we continue our sermon series, The Beatitudes, following the call. This week, Pastor Keeyon will walk us through what it looks like to call, create peace with God. See how Jesus invites us to make peace in our lives and be the peace in the lives others around us. Peace is the enemy to chaos let's join the Prince of Peace and his mission to make peace reign.

Join us as we continue our sermon series, The Beatitudes, following the call. This week, Pastor Keeyon will walk us through what it looks like to crave righteousness. See how Jesus invites us and empower us live righteous lives, and join him in his work to restore all things.

Embodiment Sunday creates space for rest and connection with God, ourselves, others and all of creation through the embodiment of a spiritual practice. This week we will be embodying the practice of Labyrinth Prayer which is a contemplative spiritual discipline that intentionally centers ourselves on God's presence.

Join us as we continue our sermon series, The Beatitudes, following the call. This week, Pastor Keeyon will walk us through what it looks like to be merciful. See how Jesus invites us to reflect his merciful character to both our friends and enemies.

Join us as we continue our sermon series on the Beatitudes. This week, Pastor Keeyon will explore what it means to be mourners – those who grieve the sin in and around us. Discover how Jesus invites us to share in His mourning and comforting.

One of the first teachings of Jesus is his beatitudes or teaching of happiness. Jesus started his ministry showing people the way to true happiness, the path to wholeness. Join us for Following the Call, a sermon series exploring the Beatitudes. Together, we'll discover how Jesus not only reveals a vision for a life of righteousness, peace, and love but also calls and equips us to make it a reality.

Join us as we begin our sermon series The Beatitudes: Following The Call. In this series, we will work through each beatitude, intentionally leaning into how we might embody each posture Jesus reveals. This week we will look at what it means to be Poor in Spirit.

Happy New Year! As we step into this fresh chapter, we embrace the concept of "Scared Belonging," encouraging our community to cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone feels at home. Let's embark on this transformative journey together, fostering deeper connections and creating spaces where everyone is valued and embraced. Together, we can build a community that thrives on love, acceptance, and belonging!Join Pastor Keeyon as he unveils an inspiring vision for the New Year! See you in-person on Sunday, January 12, 2025.

The New Year provides an opportunity to reflect upon God's faithfulness through the previous year — and to consider with hopeful anticipation all that God will do in the year to come. On this Embodiment Sunday, you are invited to create space to embody the Yearly Examen to prayerfully allow God to guide your reflections on the year that has passed and to reveal invitations for reset and growth in the New Year.

On this holy night, Christians around the world gather to celebrate the miracle of Jesus' birth—a moment of tenderness and humility that changed the course of history. In this episode, we reflect on the profound story of Mary, a teenage mother giving birth in the humblest of settings, and how her experience of love and care points to the boundless, mother-like love of God.Exploring Luke's Gospel, we dive into Zechariah's prophecy and the striking phrase, "by the tender mercy of our God," which speaks of a divine mercy that is "womb-like"—compassionate, nurturing, and deeply personal. Through this lens, we celebrate a God who meets us in our vulnerability and invites us into a peace that transforms and restores.Join us as we celebrate the wonder of Christ's birth and consider how God's tender mercy lights our path, offering peace for the anxious, rest for the weary, and hope for the brokenhearted. Merry Christmas!

This Advent season we are walking through the sacred texts with Lectio Divina, an ancient practice that can help us slowly and prayerfully attend to and respond to the word of God. Lectio Divina has four postures: Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Together, let's center ourselves in God's presence through Lectio Divina.

This Advent season we are walking through the sacred texts with Lectio Divina, an ancient practice that can help us slowly and prayerfully attend to and respond to the word of God. Lectio Divina has four postures: Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Together, let's center ourselves in God's presence through Lectio Divina.

In this season of Advent, as we light the second candle and reflect on peace. Check out this brief episode to prayerfully reflect peace using the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi as a guide.

This Advent season we are walking through the sacred texts with Lectio Divina, an ancient practice that can help us slowly and prayerfully attend to and respond to the word of God. Lectio Divina has four postures: Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Together, let's center ourselves in God's presence through Lectio Divina.

This Advent season we are walking through the sacred texts with Lectio Divina, an ancient practice that can help us slowly and prayerfully attend to and respond to the word of God. Lectio Divina has four postures: Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Together, let's center ourselves in God's presence through Lectio Divina.

Join us as end our reconcile series and look in to how the message of the Gospel empowers and commissions us to be reconcilers and every area of our lives.

Today is Election Day 2024. At WHCC, we wanted offer a simple liturgy as a resource to reflect and ground ourselves as we head to the voting booth. May we continue to turn toward God and one another. Listen in.

Reconciliation is at the heart of our Father. Listen as we explore how to live out the ministry of reconciliation by keeping short accounts.The journey of reconciliation is precisely that—a journey toward restoration and wholeness. This sermon series will guide us in staying grounded by addressing the current challenges among us, while also embracing a prophetic imagination to live into the new reality of God's vision of shalom.

In the journey of reconciliation as we turn toward God and one another, we reflect and remember how Jesus became present and proximate.

Throughout scripture lament teaches us about what must be learned and what must be unlearned as we participate in God's vision to reconcile all things, but first we must begin to listen and hear the cries among us.Listen in for an interactive teaching and embodiment of communal lament through prayer.

God surveyed His entire creation and declared it "very good." Among all His creatures, He specially crafted humans in His own image. In today's sermon, Pastor Keeyon hones in on the distinctiveness of humanity, exploring how this uniqueness can sometimes lead to conflict. We will conclude by discussing our calling love one another, even amid disagreements.

On this Embodiment Sunday, check out the podcast as Pr. Keeyon expands on love being the foundation of the journey of reconciliation. Together as a community, may we embody love for one another even when it is difficult.After listening spend some time in sacred curiosity in how you may embody rest, connection and embodiment of love in practical ways to someone.

We are beginning a new sermon series, Reconcile: Turning toward God and one another. Throughout this series, we will explore how scripture can guide us in both contemplation and action, as we align ourselves with God's reconciling presence at work in our everyday lives and the world around us. Today, we focus on how love is the foundation of reconciliation, drawing from 1 Corinthians 13Dr. King's Sermon: "Loving Your Enemies"Martin Luther King Jr. 'Love Your Enemies' November 17, 1957

The journey of reconciliation is precisely that—a journey toward restoration and wholeness. This sermon series will guide us in staying grounded by addressing the current challenges we face, while also embracing a prophetic imagination to live into the new reality of God's vision of shalom. 32 “If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, why should you be commended? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid back in full. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people. 36 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.

This Fall we are taking a deep dive into our core value of Reconciliation with the Reconcile: Turn Toward God and One Another sermon series and the Empowered to Repair book study. This brief conversation offers clear vision of reconciliation and prompts for us to consider in the journey ahead. Listen in.

Baptism is a ritual for welcoming a person into Christian community. It is a way for the gathered community to affirm someone's Christian identity and commit to helping that person grow in their faith ... When someone is baptized, they are turning away from sin, a word that means things that come between people and God, and they are turning towards Jesus, to follow him and extends the reconciliation of all things promised in Christ. In baptism we are given the Holy Spirit as a pledge of this reconciliation. The same Spirit binds us to each other and joins us to Christ's ministry of love, peace, and justice.

The 2024 theme at Wellington Heights Community Church is "Love Thy Neighborhood." As a church committed to community development and the manifestation of God's kingdom in our local area, we recognize the importance of understanding the rich history of our neighborhood. We invite you to join Pastor Keeyon as he engages in a conversation with Eric Gutschmidt, a resident of Cedar Rapids and a passionate advocate for the Wellington Heights community. Together, they will explore the fascinating history of the Wellington Heights neighborhood and discuss how we can continue to foster love and connection within our community.

This element of wind invites to return to a radical posture of surrender in releasing our plans, priorities and goals and making room for God to blow us in the most life-giving direction. On the podcast you will be invited to utilize the wind in the Lectio Divina practice.

This meditation uses Psalm 139:1-18 to prompt prayerful reflection and artistic reflection around God's abundant love for each of us and all people. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wellingtonheightschurch/message

Jesus had a body, and he unapologetically cared for it. Join us as we dive into the importance of caring for , listening to and loving our body as act worship to God! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wellingtonheightschurch/message

Ten days after the ascension of Christ and fifty days after his resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost symbolizes a new beginning. It celebrates the unleashing of the Holy Spirit on the world and the empowering of the church to be the hands and feet in demonstrating the Good News. Today, as a church, we express gratitude for the faithfulness of Christ in fulfilling his promise to send another counselor (in John 14:16) and celebrate the work of the Spirit in renewing all of creation and professing its confidence, knowing the Spirit is active among us. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wellingtonheightschurch/message

On this Mother's Day, we give thanks to God for the divine gift of motherhood in all its diverse forms. Mothering is a gift to our community providing regeneration, healing, hope and community building. We recognize this day can be complex and filled with grief, disappointment and loneliness. May God's Spirit be with each of you wherever you may find yourself this morning. A special thank you to all who celebrated and shared their time yesterday at the 4th Annual Mother's Day Weekend Event - where we celebrated mother's with free professional family photos and a meal from Carribean Kitchen Food Truck. A special shoutout to JSA for partnering with us to utilize their space and creating a community art project together! As we gather separate yet together in Spirit, I invite you to settle in, take a deep breathe as we pray together. This Prayer is written by Cole Arthur Riley, from their book Black Liturgies God our Mother, We thank you for grounding your character in the tenderness, protection and even sorrow of a mother. To know that no human experience - mother or child - is far from you gives us permission to uncover the particularities of how we were made to love and be loved. On this day, we're reminded that we do not begin with ourselves. Our beauty, our pain, do not exist in a vacuum but are tethered to those who've come before us. We pray for the mothers who have protected us, who are weary, who have stayed, who have left, who are grieving, who are proud- understanding that the story of what it means to be a mother is not singular. And as children, would you remind us that it is okay to lament the ways we have not been loved well, while also celebrating the miracle and mystery of those who loved us fiercely. We are made of more than us. Help us to behold it. Amen. And now may we pray this prayer of Blessing over all those who are mothering in all of its diverse forms written by Pastor Stephanie Gracious God, On this Mother's Day, we give thanks to God for the divine gift of motherhood in all its diverse forms. Bless the women who care for and nurture others by leading people and communities toward hope Loving God, look gently upon mothers of newborn and young children, give them energy, patience and gentleness in these fleeting days of sticky hands, messy houses and ever flowing laundry. Bless mothers who are raising school aged children and teenagers, give them peace and joy in parenting in moments that seem both hard and wonderful all at the same time Bless mothers who from afar watch and wonder about their adult children, give them perspective and wisdom as their children make choices. Bless those who are stepping in as a mother-figure in numerous ways to those around them. Bless those who have chosen not to be mother's and may feel shame or misunderstanding from our society. Healing God, comfort all those who mourn the absence of their mother today from death or illness or because of broken and challenging relationships. Comfort those who had hoped to be mothers, but have been unable to do so and those who continue to hope to become mothers. Ever present God, embrace and comfort those mothers who mourn over the loss of their own children. Gracious God, help us to recognize all the women who have guided us and loved us like mothers, shining forth as an example of the deepness of the love you offer to all people. Bless us and keep us today in that love and always. In your name we pray. Amen. See you next Sunday as we celebrate Graduating Seniors and Pentecost Sunday together as a community at the WHCC building. Your presence and encouragement is appreciated as we gather to pray for and honor the graduating seniors among us. Have a Happy mothers day and a great rest of your day!

Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil is a woman of God gifted as a teacher and preacher and a leader in the international movement for peace and reconciliation. Her mission is to inspire, equip, and empower emerging Christian leaders to practice reconciliation in various spheres of influence. She is an Associate Professor of reconciliation studies in the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University, where she also directs the Reconciliation Studies program. She also serves on the pastoral staff of Quest Church in Seattle, WA. Dr. Brenda is recognized internationally as one of the foremost reconciliation leaders and was featured as one of the 50 most influential women to watch by Christianity Today. She is the author of Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0, A Credible Witness: Reflections on Power, Evangelism and Race (2008), The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social Change (2005), coauthored with Rick Richardson, Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now and Empowered to Repair: Becoming People Who Mend Broken Systems and Heal Our Communities.

On this embodiment Sunday Pastor Keeyon and Nora Heaton discuss the Flourishing Neighborhood Index. Nora Heaton, the FNI Project Lead, will delve into the philosophy, timeline, our current progress, and ways for you to get more involved. Check out the website for more information: https://www.wellingtonheightscommunitychurch.org/flourishing-neighborhood-index

Join guest speaker Mari Hunt Wassink as she utilizes text from Genesis 2:4-22, CEB to speak about regenerativity as a spiritual practice. Mari Hunt Wassink is a farmer, educator, and activist. She owns and operates Black Earth Gardens, a small-scale regenerative farm that specializes in growing vegetables, herbs, and fruits that are culturally important to Black communities in Eastern Iowa, with a focus on dismantling food apartheid and expanding food sovereignty locally. She is also a Land Advocacy Fellow with the National Young Farmers Coalition, where she advocates for federal policies that promote equitable land access for beginning and BIPOC farmers. Mari grew up in Marion and graduated from Coe College. Today, she lives with her husband and their dog in Wellington Heights. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and calligraphy.

He is Risen! On this day we celebrate the resurrection of Christ from the grave. The broader season of Easter, or Eastertide, begins today and lasts fifty days in which we celebrate and look for God's liberating activity in our midst. Let us consider how we may embody the holistic Good News in our daily life. He is Risen indeed!