In the midst of the recent deluge of neighborhood violence in the city and cries from the community for action, Saint John’s United Church of Christ (UCC) is working with its partners to try to answer the question, “What is the church doing?” with “The Beloved Community: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Justice,” an ecumenical conference that will provide practical tools and information that citizens and communities of faith can put into action immediately.  The event will be held November 5-9^th at Saint John’s UCC, 4136 North Grand Boulevard, at the corner of Grand and Lee Avenue.  It includes two worship experiences, a play by The Black Rep, three separate ministry institutes, a discussion on faith and politics and two community service opportunities.  Conference partners and supporters include the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the UCC, The African American Pulpit Journal (Memphis, TN), The Black Rep, Washington Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church,…

Dignity of Man ourfatherswillcommunications.com

Setting the scene: It began with a fall and a slightly sprained ankle: my better half got up and steady again — with the help of the local fire department — and went to bed.

Then came the back pain, followed by severe sciatica, alleviated by heavy- duty pain pills.

The next few days brought more falls, more  fire department rescues and then an accidental overdose of pills — no one person’s fault, just old-fashioned miscommunication.

Then pneumonia, an ambulance, a hospital and suddenly talk of end-of-life decisions.

With the help of numerous prayers (thanks in great part to Noreen McCann’s e-prayer tree) and the right medicine (Thanks to Dr. Jennifer Delaney) , within 24 hours the patient turned himself around and was, in the words of his doctor, “progressing on all fronts.”

A week at a skilled nursing center followed, then home before Christmas into a new world of 24/7 nursing-aides…