The Welcome Table

Sufjan Stevens’ Songs for Christmas  and A Charlie Brown Christmas  share a surprising spiritual resonance, each embracing the season’s strange alchemy of melancholy, nostalgia, and quiet wonder. From a burning-spatula vision of the Christ Child to Charlie Brown’s hard-won glimpse of true meaning, both works follow holiday ache to its sacred center. Their enduring power lies in showing how Christmas holds together sorrow, mystery, and unexpected joy. Click here to read the full article. This...

As Advent begins, some Southern California congregations with large immigrant communities are experiencing the season not as peaceful anticipation but as a time overshadowed by fear. Recent immigration enforcement actions — even near churches — have left many worshippers, including asylum-seekers and undocumented families, feeling unsafe in spaces meant to offer refuge. Still, pastors and congregants lean into Advent’s message of welcome, drawing strength from traditions and symbols that...

Jesus’ promise of “abundant life” in John 10:10 is reframed as a call to deep connection with God rather than the pursuit of material success. True abundance is found in recognizing God’s presence amid a fractured world and allowing that “overflowing fullness” to guide and sustain us. Daily spiritual practices, healthy relationships, and intentional acts of goodness help fuel this abundance so it can overflow into service to others. Click here to read the full article. This article was...