Resources and Reflections for Religious Leaders

The Reverend Dr. Frances (“Toni”) Murphy Draper, founding pastor of the Freedom Temple AME Zion Church in South Baltimore, joined ICJS’ weekly Congregational Leaders’ call on June 4 to discuss the role of religious leaders during this time of upheaval.

Amidst pushes to reopen, a need to keep congregants safe, and a patchwork of different guidelines and regulations, Rabbi Rory Katz of Chevrei Tzedek joined ICJS’ weekly Congregational Leaders’ call on May 28 to discuss the role of religious freedoms and values in determining if and when religious spaces should begin to reopen.

By Melissa Zieve *This speech was presented at the Bolton Street Synagogue celebration for Shavuot in 2019. When Andy asked me to be one of the ten people to share […]

“We’re all in this together” is a phrase thrown around a lot lately. While COVID-19 has affected us all, it has not affected us all equally. This pandemic has revealed and increased disparities that have long been present in Baltimore. The Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr.—a native Baltimorean and Pastor of Union Baptist Church (UBC)—joined ICJS’ weekly Congregational Leaders’ call on May 21 to discuss how to advocate for and serve those communities hit hardest amidst this pandemic. 

Over the last two months, religious leaders have worked tirelessly to convert their congregational life to online platforms. Social distancing mandates and digital services have fundamentally transformed the religious practices that many hold dear. As this new normal becomes more familiar, we also need time to reflect on how we are processing this new congregational life. It is vital that we take time to acknowledge the toll these changes have taken on leaders and mourn what we’ve lost amidst this pandemic. To that end, the Reverend Vinny Marchionni, SJ, of the Maryland Province Jesuits, joined ICJS Congregational Leaders’ call on May 14 to reflect on his own experience of ministerial loss. 

Yassine Daoud, ophthalmologist and lay leader / preacher in various Baltimore area- Muslim communities, discusses with other congregational leaders how his preaching and thinking about theology differs from "normal" times, the particular difference in this season of Ramadan, and how his medical and theological identities intersect.

Yassine Daoud, ophthalmologist and lay leader / preacher in various Baltimore area- Muslim communities, discusses with other congregational leaders how his preaching and thinking about theology differs from "normal" times, the particular difference in this season of Ramadan, and how his medical and theological identities intersect.

All congregations and religious communities are made of relational networks of care and concern, but the present pandemic has caused many of those fibers of connection to fray. The April […]

April 17, 2020 Speaking to fellow religious leaders from various traditions on ICJS’ weekly “Congregational Creativity in a Time of Crisis” zoom meeting, Rabbi Charles Arian of Kehilat Shalom in […]

Beeswax pillar candles set on a kitchen counter. A handmade ceramic pitcher made by her father when he was in high school. These simple items from Rev. Michele Ward’s kitchen serve to locate her weekly ritual when she pours water into a “baptismal font” (aka a small mixing bowl) to offer the “assurance of grace” to her congregants at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church who are watching on Zoom.

In this time of Covid-19, religious leaders have been using their creativity and energy to find new ways to connect with their congregations for worship, study, and care.