October’s Recommended Reading
Heartache of Promise: A Prison of Silence Unlocked
by Merita Atherly Engen
A compelling critique of purity culture and the silence it imposes on countless individuals, woven through one woman’s deeply personal journey to liberation.
Can a lost self ever be restored?
Rose-Marie Clarke lives in a culture of silence and “perfection” with an undertow of family secrets. In this dynamic, she fails to recognize her deep love for one man. She ignores her heart until she can no longer hear it, making choices that can never be undone.
Failing to recognize the lie she is living, Rose-Marie strives to obtain love’s promise within a marriage, with children, poverty, and a fledgling faith.
When her first love returns, Rose-Marie’s repressed emotions awaken, but fear arises. Is emotional honesty worth the risk of losing all she’s worked for? Does God have the answers to free her heart?
Thank You!
We want to take this moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of our supporters for your invaluable role in the Renewed Heart Ministry community and for your dedication to our mission of fostering love, justice, compassion, and healing. Your support is the bedrock of our work. Your support empowers us to do what we do. At a time when ministries like ours are being asked to achieve more with fewer resources, your support is incredibly important, and we want to simply say thank you. Whether in our larger society or within our local faith communities, Renewed Heart Ministries remains committed to advocating for change, working towards a world that is inclusive, just, and safe for everyone, and being a source of love in our world. From all of us here at Renewed Heart Ministries, thank you for your generous support. We deeply appreciate each and every one of our supporters.
If you’d like to join them in supporting our work, please go to renewedheartministries.com and click on “Donate.”
Last Week’s Social Jesus Posts
Articles posted each week at https://www.patheos.com/blogs/socialjesus/
God and Money, Part 1
This week’s reading gets to the heart of one of the central teachings of the synoptic gospels—the gospel Jesus himself teaches in the story.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/socialjesus/2024/10/god-money-part1/
God and Money, Part 2
The human dilemma in regards to most everything including money is, in large part, that we are each other’s fate.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/socialjesus/2024/10/god-money-part2/
God and Money, Part 3
No one can serve two masters. You will hate the one and love the other. You cannot serve both justice and money.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/socialjesus/2024/10/god-money-part3/
New Episode of “Just Talking
Season 2, Episode 31: Mark 10.17-31. Lectionary B, Proper 23
Each week, we’ll be talking about the gospel lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend in the context of love, inclusion, and social justice. Our hope is that our talking will be “just” talking (as in justice) and that during our brief conversations each week we’ll be inspired to do more than just talking.
If you teach from the lectionary each week, or if you’re just looking for some thoughts on the Jesus story from a more progressive perspective within the context of social justice, check it out.
Watch at:
The Social Jesus Podcast from RHM!
A podcast where we talk about the intersection of faith and social justice and what a first century, prophet of the poor from Galilee might have to offer us today in our work of love, compassion and justice.
Last week:
Season 1 Episode 26: God and Money
Mark 10:17-31
“Will Jesus followers today as a community ever return to these practices and teachings? We live in a very individualistic culture. The first step may be to create communities that make our hyper-self reliance obsolete. We have people in all classes in our communities. Some have nothing to give because their needs aren’t even being met. Others are living month-to-month and just barely getting by. Their needs are met, but they have no extra. Some in our communities have a little extra that they are saving for a future emergency. And others have so much extra they couldn’t possibly spend it all in multiple lifetimes, much less their own. So today as we read Jesus’ call to share our possessions with others, certain questions arise.”
Available on all major podcast carriers and at:
https://the-social-jesus-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/god-and-money
Upcoming Events
October 19, 2024
Good News Fellowship (via Zoom)
Toronto, Ontario Canada
For info: 304.520.0030
Weekly Zoom HeartGroup on Wednesday Nights
Each Wednesday evening, Glendale City Church will be hosting a Zoom-HeartGroup led by Herb Montgomery. Our discussion each week will focus on the content in Renewed Heart Ministries’ weekly eSight articles, The Social Jesus podcast, and RHM’s Just Talking YouTube show. The time of each Zoom session will be on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Pacific/10:00 p.m. Eastern.
For more information and for the link to participate each week, contact RHM here.
Audiobook Available Now on Audible
Finding Jesus: A Fundamentalist Preacher Discovers the Socio-Political & Economic Teachings of the Gospels (2nd Edition)
by Herb Montgomery, Narrated by Jeff Moon
In Finding Jesus, author Herb Montgomery delves into the profound and often overlooked political dimensions of the gospels. Through meticulous analysis of biblical texts, historical context, and social discourse, this thought-provoking book unveils the gospels’ socio-political, economic teachings as rooted in a profound concern for justice, compassion, and the well-being of the marginalized. The book navigates the intersections between faith and societal justice, presenting a compelling argument for a more socially engaged and transformative Christianity. Readers will journey through the Gospel narratives, discovering the ways in which the Jesus of these stories challenged the political and religious establishments of his time. Herb Montgomery draws parallels between the societal issues faced by the people of Jesus’ era and the challenges of the present day, sparking reflection on the role of faith in addressing contemporary political and social issues. Finding Jesus is not just a scholarly exploration; it is a call to action. It challenges readers to reevaluate their understanding of Christianity’s role in public life and to consider how the radical teachings of the gospels can inspire a renewed commitment to justice, equality, and compassion. This book is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the social implications of Christian faith and a blueprint for building a more just and inclusive society.
Available now on Audible.
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