One Last Christmas Gift

One Last Christmas Gift

Get a FREE trial issue of Sojourners

Donate Today!

The year has been a busy and chaotic one, to say the least. The nation survived not only a divisive and terribly expensive election but a string of tragic events that left us struggling for answers and hoping for new action.

Busyness can too often dictate my own life and the pace around Sojourners' offices. This is why I so appreciate this special time of Christmas (my favorite season of the year) and the holiday time around the New Year to pause, take stock of the year, and be thankful for the good gifts in my life.

One of those blessings is you.

Whether I’m in a meeting with the President or talking with an undocumented young “DREAMer,” speaking with congressional leadership or hearing the struggles of low-income families, being interviewed on TV or having my sons ask me questions about why things are so unfair for poor people, I know I’m not alone. I feel the presence of a broad and extended community with me wherever I am — we call them Sojourners. Every day there are fellow sojourners  reading our magazine and all our materials and sharing them with their churches. Others are following Sojo.net regularly and tell me how it keeps them going; they’re reading our God’s Politics blog posts and spreading them through their networks. Still more are sending emails or making phone calls to legislators advocating for justice. What is always most encouraging to me is to hear how hundreds of thousands of Christians, and other believers and seekers, are finding the inspiration and information in Sojourners to act in their own lives, their local communities, their nation, and the world. I am strengthened every day by the knowledge that our mission statement is being carried out by countless numbers of people — “faith in action for social justice.”

The ministry of Sojourners wouldn’t be possible without you. I know that every day and I want you to know how much I appreciate you — your faith and your commitment to acting for social justice because of this wonderful and powerful thing we remember at this amazing season — our faith.

This coming year will undoubtedly be a busy one again. We need common sense gun reform, a plan to reduce the deficit that doesn’t put the burden on struggling individuals and families, a way to finally achieve just immigration reform, courageous action on climate change, a turn away from endless wars toward creative peacemaking, and hopeful work to be done on so many other issues.

There are many ways you can join us in this mission for justice and peace. Today, I’d like to ask you to consider making a year-end donation to our work — your last Christmas gift of the season!

Every year it costs a great deal just to email the alerts that spur our supporters into action on issues like immigration reform that we could clearly see making a real difference this year.

If everyone who opened this email today was to pitch in just $5, we could cover the cost of producing and sending these emails for all of 2013.

I look forward to another year of ministry with your help and your support. Bless you and your families in these special days of time together.

	E-mail this article to friends
	Share this article on Facebook
	Comment on this article on the God's Politics Blog

For many centuries Christmas Day worshippers have been hearing these words as their New Testament reading: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all" (Titus 2:11). Grace, everyone used to know, is foundational to the Christian Gospel.

But this Christmas I'm noticing the surprising version of grace in Les Miserables, already seen by 60 million people as a musical and now as a film. Victor Hugo's novel may be seen as a story of grace transforming in the life of the common man Jean Valjean and grace rejected in the life of the rigid functionary Javert.

Top 10 Stories of 2012
by Kevin Eckstrom

From the nuns to the "nones," religion dominated the headlines throughout 2012. Faith was a persistent theme in the presidential race, and moral and ethical questions surrounded budget debates, mass killings, and an unexpected focus on "religious freedom." Here are 10 ways religion made news in 2012.

Seek the Peace of the City: If Not Now, When?
by Eugene Cho
 
What would Jesus do with guns? Would he own guns? Sell guns? Perform miracles and multiply guns for 5,000 people? Would he use guns? Would he ask his followers and disciples to own guns? I'm no expert on the topic of Jesus and guns but I do know Jesus and for this Jesus who encouraged people to "turn the other cheek" and gave encouragement to be "peacemakers,"  my guess is that he wouldn't be a member of NRA.

I know that Jesus has many names but he is also the "Prince of Peace." Right?

What Would Jesus Say To the NRA?
by Shane Claiborne

What does the birth of the baby Jesus 2,000 years ago have to offer the violent, troubled world we live in? Or what would Jesus say to the NRA? I want to suggest — a lot.  A whole lot.

Fiscal Cliff: Time to Challenge the 'Mighty on Their Thrones'
by Jim Wallis 

We must be very careful about bringing theological judgments to political ones. Most policy decisions are prudential judgments — compromises between two political parties, neither of which represents the kingdom of God. But sometimes, political ideologies come to a place where they so clearly threaten the well-being of so many and the very foundations of the common good that they must be challenged by theology. This is a moment like that. 

In the SojoStore

Putting Down Stones provides Christians and other people of conscience encouragement and guidance to use their gifts and skills to bring about reconciliation and justice. Our hope is for the church and the wider community to discover the next steps that can be taken to heal our cities and ourselves.

Christians, Muslims, and the Common Good – a NEW discussion guide from Sojourners!

Do you want a great resource to help you deliver a passionate sermon on justice and peace? Do you need lectionary reflections from a trusted source? – Learn More About Preaching the Word.

Need a resource on humane immigration reform? Check out Strangers in the Land.

Nonviolent love for one's enemies is not optional; rather, it is a key part of following Jesus. Explore this topic with Sojourners' four-part study guide, Christians and Nonviolence, now available for download.