RNS Photos of the Week: Krishna and Teresa birthdays; Arbaeen

(RNS) — Each week RNS presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. This week’s photo gallery includes birthdays of Lord Krishna and Saint Teresa, Arbaeen pilgrims and more.   Revelers pay respect before forming human pyramids while celebrating Janmashtami, a festival that marks the birth of the Hindu Lord Krishna, in Mumbai, India, Aug. 27, 2024.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)   Revelers form human pyramids to reach an overhanging earthen pot while celebrating Janmashtami, the Hindu festival marking the birth of Hindu god Krishna, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)   Hindu devotees carry oil lamps on their hands, heads, and shoulders during a parade celebrating the birthday of Lord Krishna on Krishna Janmashtami in Bhaktapur, Nepal, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)   Archbishop of Kolkata, Thomas D’Souza, right, prays after lighting a candle on the tomb of Saint Teresa to mark her birth anniversary, in Kolkata, India, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)   The moon sets behind the cross atop St. Peter’s dome prior to the start of Pope Francis’ Angelus noon prayer, at the Vatican, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)   Shiite pilgrims mark the holiday of Arbaeen on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in Karbala, Iraq. The holiday marks the end of the 40-day mourning period after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in the 7th century. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)   Muslim women pray at the shrine of Shiite Saint Abdulazim during Arbaeen, which ends the 40-day mourning period marking the killing of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in Karbala in present-day Iraq, in A.D. 680, in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. This year’s Arbaeen was shrouded with sadness over the war in Gaza, now in its 11th month, and worries it may expand into a regional conflict with tensions spiking between Israel and Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)   Shiite pilgrims mark the holiday of Arbaeen on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Karbala, Iraq. The holiday marks the end of the 40-day mourning period after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in the 7th century. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)   Surf Church’s pastor, the Rev. Samuel Cianelli, walks into the Atlantic Ocean to surf with his congregation in Matosinhos beach in the suburbs of Porto, Portugal on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)   Marielle Louw, raised hands, and Andries Louw, center, missionaries from South Africa, pray at a worship service of Surf Church in Matosinhos beach in the suburbs of Porto, Portugal on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)   Archival Photos   The Rev. Antonio Shin, a Catholic priest, is carried away by riot police as some 1,500 to 2,000 Catholics clashed with police in Seoul, South Korea, in a 1974 demonstration demanding the release of Bishop Daniel Tji Hak Soun and other political prisoners. It was the first street protest since demonstrations were banned last August by the government of President Park Chung Hee. The Park regime was increasingly branded as “repressive” by South Korea’s Christian minority. Bishop Tji of Won Ju was one of more than a dozen clergymen arrested and sentenced to long prison terms on allegations of trying to overthrow President Park. (RNS archive photo. Photo courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.)   A missionary nun trains a Malian woman in the use of a loom at a church-operated training school in Bamako, Mali, on Aug. 14, 1973. As in other mission fields, much effort goes towards occupational training. (RNS archive photo by Ciric. Photo courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.)   Talk to Us We want your feedback on the RNS Photos of the Week — what you think we're doing right and what we should be doing differently. Send us an email at Comments@ReligionNews.com Subscribe to other RNS Newsletters. Forward this email to a friend. View the archive of past newsletters. RNS is free to read, but it's not free to produce. If you value our reporting, please consider making a donation today. If you prefer to mail a donation, please address to: Religion News Foundation, PO Box 1808, Columbia, MO 65205. Yes, I support the work you're doing! Forward this email to a friend

Weekly Outlook - Can the worker-pastor model work?

Dear readers, We've been talking about our September issue on reparations for months. Outlook Editor/Publisher Teri McDowell Ott felt the tug of divine inspiration to tackle the topic around a year ago. Since then, we've thought through the different voices we needed to include, the graphics, the marketing, the writing — all for it to arrive in mailboxes in the next couple of days.  My role on the team is to help facilitate the promotion of the magazine. The September issue is what we call a "special issue," meaning that we pre-sell issues and print extra copies. We do this for theme issues we find particularly relevant, on topics we imagine our readers might want to engage with in small groups or share in their circles. If you remember our June 2023 issue on gun violence or our 2022 Trust Black Women issue: those were both special issues.  In our pre-sales of the magazine, we've received some preliminary feedback on the topic. Some praise and some criticism. If you're unsure about the topic or if the word "reparations" elicits a complicated emotion within you, I invite you to read Teri's introduction to the issue where she asks: "Will you, with me?" Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor

A prayer before the September 10th debate by Erin Weber-Johnson and Mieke Vandersall  Lessons from a worker-pastor by N. Barry Dancy  How national parks taught us the art of slow travel by Karie Charlton The difference between triangles and triangulation: Family systems theory for church leaders by David Lee Jones In case you missed it... A call to courage: The Atwood Institute’s stand against gun violence The inaugural Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage met in New Mexico last week, creating a well-resourced community for Christians wishing to end gun violence. — Dartinia Hull Turning toward the work of healing Outlook Editor Teri McDowell Ott introduces our issue on reparations. Dr. Thelma Adair, the first African American woman elected Moderator of the General Assembly, dies at 103 She’s remembered as a passionate educator, church leader and human rights advocate. — Mike Ferguson Why the ultimate goal — in sports and life — is called a ‘Holy Grail’ Several important threads have combined over the centuries to give rise to the Holy Grail metaphor commonly used nowadays. — Joanne M. Pierce The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith and Refounding Democracy  Wallis writes with urgency and passion, and his straightforward and anecdote-packed book is an accessible choice to inspire discussion (and activism) for such a time as this. — Amy Pagliarella Upcoming canonization of “Millennial saint” Carlo Acutis reflects the Vatican’s desire to appeal to a new generation of Catholics The Italian teenager Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 of a rare form of leukemia at age 15, will soon become the Catholic Church’s first “millennial saint.” — Michael A. Di Giovine A hunter’s reflection on creation and connection Why does one animal sleep in my bed while the other winds up on my grill? Tony Jones, a hunter and dog owner, investigates this paradox.

How to be strategic, not stressed about the future of your church building

SPECIAL EVENT What would it look like for churches to approach buildings and land with creativity and intention, strategizing for how the built environment aligns with core values instead of only responding to maintenance and emergencies? This seminar for congregational leaders and lay people moves the conversation about church property to a new level. The two-day program is designed for both virtual and in-person participation. It includes two plenary sessions and a customizable workshop schedule in the afternoons. Equal opportunities for inspiration and smarter implementation — you won't want to miss it. REGISTER NOW → OUR FEATURED SPEAKER Lindsay Baker LINDSAY BAKER  is CEO of the  International Living Future Institute . Her organization advocates for a world where everyone lives in buildings that are safe, healthy, decarbonized, and affordable, and has been at the leading edge of helping organizations reimagine how their built environment speaks to broader values and strategy. She is a movement leader, speaker, author, and podcast host working nationally and internationally to transform the building industry for a regenerative future. As CEO of the International Living Future Institute, Lindsay advocates for a world where everyone lives in buildings that are safe, healthy, decarbonized, and affordable.  A lifelong environmentalist and building scientist, Lindsay has spent her career leading and scaling impactful initiatives, partnerships, and programs across sectors. She was a Senior Fellow at RMI, taught at UC Berkeley, and serves as a board member and advisor to numerous nonprofits and climate tech startups, including  The Clean Fight  and  SPUR . OUR WORKSHOP LEADERS MIEKE VANDERSALL THE WHY BEHIND THE PROPERTY CONVERSATION: THEOLOGY, ETHICS, AND IMAGINATION We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t interested in the repurposing of church space and property. At the base of all of the myriad of details of what we might do, how we might do it, and who it might help, are important questions of theology. When we ask the question of who the property belongs to, the answer varies. Answers can be: God, the community, indigenous people, or us. Each answer has profoundly different implications. Together we will explore these answers and provide a variety of theological frameworks to consider as filters for making property decisions. NINA JANOPAUL FOR CHURCHES CURIOUS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING For pastors interested in thinking more about their real estate holdings through a social justice lens. Ms. Janopaul is the former President/CEO of Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing and currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees for Virginia Diocesan Homes, a nonprofit affiliated with the Episcopal Church to support congregational discernment and explore new mission uses of real estate, not just housing. KATE FAREWELL A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO BUILDINGS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE Designed to help pastors and lay leaders better understand the different aspects of facilities assessment and how that shapes budgeting and planning. Ms. Farewell is the Vice President at Zubatkin, a project management and owner representation firm. She is a licensed professional engineer and accomplished leader with over two decades of experience directing capital programs for institutional clients. REV. JESS LOWRY THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN IMAGINING FUTURE USE Pastor Jess Lowry is the Pastoral Leader at Sunset Ridge Church and Executive Director of Sunset Ridge Collective, a group commissioned to move outside of the church walls and into the neighborhood to reimagine what it means for a church to be a good neighbor. This has included creating park plans, partnering with a coffee trailer, and hosting community gatherings to work for the flourishing of one another and our neighborhood. She earned a Masters of Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and has served Sunset Ridge Church for 10 years. Prior to that she spent 10 years in business leadership and management. CHRISTINE SYMINGTON FINANCING THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION A conversation about how organizations can make the clean energy transition and better understand how provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act can help fund that important work.  Christine Symington is the Executive Director of Sustainable Princeton. REGISTER NOW → FORMAT & COST Designed for Accessibility IN PERSON $499 – Pastor Base Fee Pastors can bring up to 3 guests for an additional $50 hospitality fee for each Covers all curricular costs, two lunches, and the cocktail reception VIRTUAL $99 — Pastor Base Fee Pastors can register for seats for up to 3 guests, free of charge Don’t let money be a hurdle to participation! Scholarships are available upon request and special rates are available for multi-church sign-up. Email leadership.learning@ptsem.edu  . REGISTER NOW → Designed with Beefree

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