An Update from Our Executive Director

Hello Friends,

It’s been a while. Thanks for your patience.

Going into this year, the Christian Civics board and I decided that, after a decade of this work, I needed to take a sabbatical. Not the best timing, but as the old saying goes, “If you don’t schedule a break, your body will schedule one for you.”

While the political landscape in our country turned itself over like an earthquake, I…talked to people. Dozens and dozens of people. Lifelong Christians who attended their first town hall meeting thanks to our work. Ministry professionals who felt like they were losing their ability to talk with some of the people they serve. Leaders from across the political spectrum who were joyfully shocked to find out that there are faith-based groups doing the kind of work we’ve been doing.

(I also spent a lot of time with my family and a bit of time visiting doctors. I’m fine now.)

Almost everyone I met with—Democrat or Republican, Christian or not—emphasized how important the work of Christian Civics is right now. How important it is for the church to follow Jesus out of a battle of identities and into a collaborative responsibility.

For some of us, the past year has left us vulnerable to the idol of triumphalism. Others have been spiraling toward cynicism, fatalism or even despair. And almost all of us have had our ability to trust others eroded in major ways.

We will continue to help.

Over the next couple of months, you’ll start to see a lot of news and updates from the Center for Christian Civics again: Revised courses, new team members, new partners and even new initiatives designed to help the church navigate our changing civic life. (We’ll also begin resuming the regular devotionals that so many of you subscribed to this newsletter for in the first place!)

I’m incredibly excited to be back, and I hope that you’ll continue to come along with us.

In Christ,

Rick Barry

Co-Founder and Executive Director