Weekly Outlook - On 'Cowboy Carter' 🐎🇺🇲

Dear Outlook readers,  Today, I pray that you are able to see the Spirit at work all around you — in community, in creation, in the work of the church. Know that God goes with you into all of the unknowns of this time and Christ's grace covers you. In Christ, Rose Schrott Taylor Outlook digital content editor P.S. Curious about church fundraising? Don't miss Jesy Littlejohn's conversation with Laura Strauss — now available for free on our Facebook page.

‘Cowboy Carter’ is complex. So is Beyoncé. So am I. by Chanequa Walker-Barnes Trump’s Bible: Profaning the sacred for profit and politics by Emery J. Cummins Cultivating grace: Lessons from an Amazon employee by Alan Olsen Shedding light on the shadows of abuse: A GA overture advocates for transparency by James S. Evinger In case you missed it... ‘It good’: Hospitality in a hospital waiting room Andrew Taylor-Troutman reflects on the care, life and grief he witnessed as the life of a parishioner came to an end. AI, humanity and the unveiling mirror Artificial intelligence reflects our imperfections, but that is not the whole story, writes Katy Shevel. Trash: A Poor White Journey "'Trash' makes the case that poverty and racism are part of the plan, not unintended by-products of the American experiment. This can be tough to hear, which is, perhaps, why it is often dismissed as misguided 'wokeness' rather than respectfully debated." — Amy Pagliarella Presbyterians seek ways to address anxieties amid a harsh immigration culture  If enacted, the Texas ‘show me your papers’ policy would follow a similar national trend. — Adrian White “Her sounds are welcome” If worship is meant to be a 'work of the people,' how can we welcome everyone, including those who disrupt our expectations? — Rebecca Gresham Two South Carolina presbyteries come together via Zoom to endorse pastors standing for GA co-moderators New Harmony, Charleston Atlantic presbyteries unanimously affirm the Rev. Tony Larson and the Rev. CeCe Armstrong. — Mike Ferguson Beyond the offering plate: Diversifying your church’s fundraising strategy Laura Strauss offers three tips for churches that need help making ends meet.