# The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow > Focusing on social justice, culture, technology, faith, politics, and more, The Amalgamation Podcast and Newsletter are invitations to co-conspire for good. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About Me URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T22:54:25.000Z ## The Amalgamation Newsletter and Podcast **The Amalgamation Newsletter and Podcast** focus on social justice, racial formation, digital community, itinerate life, pop culture, left-leaning faith, and more. **The Amalgamation Newsletter** is published twice weekly-ish and is a collection of musings, reflections, audacious think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. **The Amalgamation Podcast** is published twice a month and can be found wherever you find podcasts for your earholes. You can access most things I publish by signing up for a [Free or Paid Subscription](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). I rely on your paid and free support to sustain the flexibility and freedom to write and share without being confined by a single entity institution. --- ## A Little Bit About Bruce Reyes-Chow [Wikipedia Entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce%5FReyes-Chow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [ChatGPT Bio on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3ldtpumodls2d?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Spotify Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3otOTWCX4LAS6nrf4GIS4K?si=a56bdf31e30c425f&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/Bruce-and-Vespa-BW-Square.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/PXL_20230722_004859766.jpg) RIP Vespa 2025 | The Family | The Pitch ### Brief Bio: General Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation, GenX, Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. Bruce has been a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995 and has served nine congregations throughout California. He also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. He is the [author of multiple books](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com), most recently[ *Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Broadleaf Books 2024). His next book, *Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Ressurected Christ* (Chalice Press), along with accompanying Lenten and Advent Devotionals, is due out in Fall 2026\. You can subscribe to his newsletter and podcast, The Amalgamation, at [www.reyes-chow.com](https://www.reyes-chow.com/) and connect on most social platforms via [@breyeschow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me/). --- ### Brief Bio: Presbyterian Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation, GenX, Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995, he also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. Bruce is a graduate of San Francison Theological Seminary (1995) and has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995\. He has pastored nine congregations throughout California, having served in a variety of capacities: Senior Pastor & Head of Staff, Solo Pastor, Founding Pastor, Interim Pastor, Transitional Pastor, and Bridge Pastor. His pastoral work focuses on organizational health, church growth, and social justice. In 2008, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, the youngest and first Asian American to hold the denomination's highest elected office. In 2011 he was given an [honorary Doctor of Divinity from Austin College](https://acmagazine.austincollege.edu/issues/spring-2011/commencement-2011/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Sherman, TX), and that same year was awarded the [Distinguished Alumnus Award from SFTS](https://web.archive.org/web/20120421160201/http://www.sfts.edu/news/view%5Fevent.asp?ID=166). He is the [author of multiple books](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com), most recently[ *Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Broadleaf Books 2024). His next book, *Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Ressurected Christ* (Chalice Press) along with accompanying Lenten and Advent Devotionals, is due out in Fall 2026\. Bruce and his wife, Robin, a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), have been married since 1990, raised three adult children, rescued many sweet and goofy pups, attended many sporting events, and propagated many houseplants. They are currently living a thriving empty-nester life in San Francisco, CA. You can subscribe to his newsletter and podcast, The Amalgamation, at [www.reyes-chow.com](https://www.reyes-chow.com/) and connect on most social platforms via [@breyeschow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me/). --- ### Longer Bio Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation, GenX, Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995, he also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. His writing, teaching, speaking, and preaching have taken him to Australia, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, and across the United States. Bruce has contributed to multiple book projects and is [the author of multiple books](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com): [*The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church*](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Definitive-ish+Guide+for+Using+Social+Media+in+the+Church&rlz=1CABDLY%5FenUS1216US1216&oq=The+Definitive-ish+Guide+for+Using+Social+Media+in+the+Church&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBBzQxNWowajSoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Out of Production, Shook Foil Books, 2012), [*But I Don't See You as Asian: Curating Conversations about Race*](https://amzn.to/4u957PA?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Kickstarted, 2013), [*40 Days, 40 Prayers, 40 Words: Lenten Reflections for Everyday Life*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780664261894?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Westminster John Knox Press, 2015)*,* [*Rule #2: Don't Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children*](https://amzn.to/3PLzs8M?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Bacosa Books, 2016) and[ *In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Chalice Press, 2021). His most recent book was [*Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Broadleaf Books, 2024). His next book, [*Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Ressurected Christ*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827231948?ref=reyes-chow.com), is due out in August 2026 along with seasonal devotionsals, [*Possibilities: Advent*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827231979?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Beckon: Lent*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827203471?ref=reyes-chow.com). Bruce has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995 and has pastored nine congregations throughout northern and southern California, serving as Head of Staff, Lead Pastor, Founding Pastor, Interim Pastor, Transitional Pastor, and Bridge Pastor. His pastoral work focuses on organizational health, church growth, and social justice. In 2008, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, the youngest and first Asian American to hold the denomination's highest elected office. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of[ Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), works with[ Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to lead delegations to Palestine, is a Senior Consultant and Coach with[ Convergence](https://convergenceus.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), is a Gallup-Certified[ CliftonStrengths Coach](https://www.gallup.com/learning/certification/en/12681/profile.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com), and is the Church Relations and Development Officer at[ Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Bruce was born in Stockton, CA, and grew up in Sacramento. He is a graduate of the Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering at Luther Burbank High School (1987), where he played baseball and wrote for the school newspaper. He also spent much of his childhood in Stockton, where most of his family lived and where his home church, Trinity Presbyterian Church in Stockton, a historically Filipino congregation, is located. Bruce is a product of the California community college system. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor's in Asian American Studies, Sociology, and Religion (1991), and from San Francisco Seminary (SFTS), where he earned his Master of Divinity. In 2011 he was given an [honorary Doctor of Divinity from Presbyterian-related college, Austin College](https://acmagazine.austincollege.edu/issues/spring-2011/commencement-2011/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Sherman, TX), and that same year was awarded the [Distinguished Alumnus Award from SFTS](https://web.archive.org/web/20120421160201/http://www.sfts.edu/news/view%5Fevent.asp?ID=166). Bruce and his wife, Robin, a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), have been married since 1990, raised three adult children, rescued many sweet and goofy pups, attended many sporting events, and propagated too many houseplants. They are currently living a thriving empty-nester life in San Francisco, CA. You can subscribe to his newsletter and podcast, The Amalgamation, at [www.reyes-chow.com](https://www.reyes-chow.com/) and connect on most social platforms via [@breyeschow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me/). [**Hi-res Photos**](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1m6yai3WLLaq3t2TwLRENNpefljporlX6?usp=sharing&ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Wikipedia Page**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce%5FReyes-Chow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Read Me URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/books/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T01:52:13.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/Books-on-Table-1.jpg) I have had the privilege of working with wonderful humans in the publishing world: editors, artists, publicists, agents, etc. I could have never predicted that I would be the author of six books. I am not sure there will be many more in the future, but I am grateful for where I am now. While I know folks have many choices for where they buy books, but I highly suggest going directly to the publishers for bulk rates or visiting your local independent bookstore. For Audio versions, please consider [Libro.FM](https://libro.fm/referral?rf%5Fcode=lfm370410&ref=reyes-chow.com). [BRC Books on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/Bruce-Book-Covers-Six-6.png) **Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith** Bulk Orders: [Broadleaf Books](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback: [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/p/books/everything-good-about-god-is-true-choosing-faith-bruce-reyes-chow/20175032?ean=9781506495699&ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback & Kindle: [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506495699?tag=brureychoblo-20&ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback & Nook: [Barnes & Noble](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everything-good-about-god-is-true-bruce-reyes-chow/1143642962?ean=9781506495699&st=AFF&2sid=Linktree%20Pty%20Ltd%5F100589976%5FNA&sourceId=AFFLinktree%20Pty%20Ltd&ref=reyes-chow.com) Audio: [Libro.FM](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781545926208-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com) Audio: [Audible](https://amzn.to/3QkUYOh?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (2021)** Bulk Orders: [Chalice Press](https://chalicepress.com/products/idok??ref=reyes-chow.com)[ ](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-defense-of-kindness-bruce-reyes-chow/1133425103?ean=9780827216761&ref=reyes-chow.com)Paperback: [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/books/in-defense-of-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes-our-lives-and-how-it-can-save-the-world/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback & Kindle: [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3bnXU9k?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback & Nook: [Barnes & Noble](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-defense-of-kindness-bruce-reyes-chow/1133425103?ean=9780827216761&ref=reyes-chow.com) Audio: [Libro.FM](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781666197402-in-defense-of-kindness?ref=reyes-chow.com) Audio: [Audible](https://amzn.to/4k0QKsz?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **Rule #2: Don’t Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children (2016)** Paperback: [Reach & Teach Books ](https://shop.reachandteach.com/book/9780989498142?ref=reyes-chow.com)Paperback: [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/books/rule-2-don-t-be-an-asshat-an-official-handbook-for-raising-parents-and-children/9780989498142?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback: [Amazon](https://amzn.to/38j2sMy?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback: Barnes & Noble[ ](https://amzn.to/38j2sMy?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **40 Days, 40 Prayers, 40 Words: Lenten Reflections for Everyday Life** **(2015)** Bulk Orders: [Westminster John Knox Press](https://www.wjkbooks.com/Products/0664261892/40-days-40-prayers-40-words.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback: [Reach & Teach Books ](https://shop.reachandteach.com/book/9780664261894?ref=reyes-chow.com)Paperback: [Amazon ](https://amzn.to/35kS9FU?ref=reyes-chow.com)Paperback: [Barnes & Noble ](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/40-days-40-prayers-40-words-bruce-reyes-chow/1122610458?ean=9780664261894&ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations about Race (2013)** Paperback: [Reach & Teach Books ](https://shop.reachandteach.com/book/9780989498104?ref=reyes-chow.com)Paperback: [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/books/but-i-don-t-see-you-as-asian-curating-conversations-about-race/9780989498104?ref=reyes-chow.com) Paperback: [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3q1rMN7?ref=reyes-chow.com)[ ](https://bookshop.org/books/but-i-don-t-see-you-as-asian-curating-conversations-about-race/9780989498104?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church (2010)** No longer available. \*Sad Face\* --- [BRC Books on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Book Me URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T19:25:58.000Z [Contact Team BRC](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com?subject=Inquiry%20about%20Bruce's%20Travel) Over the past 30 years, I have had the privilege to speak and present in a variety of settings and on a variety of topics including: faith, technology, church culture, parenting, kindness, preaching, parenting, race, and politics. I am grateful for every speaking invitation and chance to share what I am passionate about, as well as for the opportunity to get to know others who share the same desire to make the world a better place. **NOTE:** If your event or organization is not LGBTQIA+ affirming, does not have women in leadership, and/or does not prioritize diversity in its speaking roster, I am unlikely to consider speaking at your event. We can discuss this, and I won't say never or put you on blast, but I am not willing to lend my name to spaces that are not actively engaging in or pursuing intersectional work. **If you're still here, that's fantastic!** Here are just a few of the gatherings where I have spoken, preached, or presented in the past. - Multiple congregational retreats and educational events - [Festival of Homiletics](https://festivalofhomiletics.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [The Earl Lectures](https://www.psr.edu/alumnx/earl-lectures/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Montreat Youth and College Conferences](https://montreat.org/y-ya-events?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Next Church](https://nextchurch.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Lion & the Lamb Festival](https://www.igrc.org/lionandlamb?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Presbyterian Youth Triennium](https://presbyterianyouthtriennium.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Wildgoose Festival](https://wildgoosefestival.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Search for Meaning Festival](https://www.seattleu.edu/stm/searchformeaning/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **COST AND FEES:** Not all organizations can afford to invite speakers for gatherings and events. I also know that being away from home comes at a cost to my family and the local communities I serve. **All fees are negotiable**, but at the bare minimum, I request compensation at the same rate as previous speakers. *A note of thanks to organizations and congregations that have used their money in ways that allow me to say yes to others who may not have the same resources.* **I value transparency and setting clear expectations.** Below are both my starting costs and preferred accommodation vendors. All arrangements are negotiable, but here is where I start: ### **Booked in 2026 Guest Preaching Fees & Logistics:** - $500-$1,500 for Sunday worship and town hall or conversation time. These fees are dependent upon the size of the congregation and/or the current guest preaching rate. - If travel is required, the congregation will reimburse for mileage, airfare and/or hotel (see below for details and preferred vendors) ### **Booked in 2026 Zoom Speaking & Logistics:** - $500-1,000/hour depending on content needs. - I am available from 6:00am – 6:00pm Pacific Time - I limit Zoom/Online to 1 hour increments and not more than 3 hours total. ### **Booked in 2026 In-Person Speaking Fees & Logistics:** - Presentation Fees: $4,500 for the first day and $500 for each additional day. - Travel: The event will cover flight (Southwest Choice Preferred) and/or car rental (Hertz). I will come in the day before and/or stay a day after to avoid early or late flights because I am old 🙂 - Lodging: The event will cover lodging at the event site or a local hotel (Hilton Brand) As much as I love people, I need my introvert time, so I am not open to shared housing. - Food: I am not picky, but I do need to eat. The event will cover all food costs during the event as well as travel days. I love eating out at local eateries and def appreciate invitations to join folks in exploring the local food scene. - Technology: Generally, the event will be able to provide projection capabilities where I can plug my laptop in via HDMI and I am able to control with my bluetooth remote. Sermons are the exception. - Other expenses: I do not generally have many other expenses associated with my speaking, so any other costs would be agreed upon beforehand. ### **EXAMPLE: In-Person, Three Days** **$4,000 + $500 + 500 = $5,000 + Travel and Housing** - Thursday/Friday: I arrive by plane, car, or flying unicorn. - Friday: Intro and Session 1 (60-90 Minutes) - Saturday I: Workshop (120-180 Minutes) - Saturday II: Casual Conversations (Meal or gathering with church leaders) - Sunday I: Preach During worship service/s - Sunday II: Adult Education - Sunday PM or Monday AM: Depart ### Preferred Vendors - **Airline:** Southwest "Choice Preferred" - **Hotel:** Hilton Brand - **Car Rental:** Hertz Rental - **Insurance:** I carry my own travel insurance via Allianz. ### **Other Details** - **Invoicing and Billing**: The event will invoiced via Bill.com, but can be paid via Paypal, Venmo, Credit Card or Check. - **Contract and Deposit**: After we agree on a date/time, I will block the time on my calendar, and the event will be sent a contract requesting a 50% deposit to confirm. The Deposit is forfeited if the event is canceled less than 30 days before the beginning of the event. - **Diva Stuff**: Before we do this, note that I also expect white doves to scatter lavender rose petals before me as I leave my room each day. In extreme cases, gray doves will suffice. /sarcasm - **Date Check**: The biggest obstacle to my being with you are dates. While there may be a few things not listed below, the following calendar is my confirmed and tentative speaking and travel schedule. [Current Event Schedule](https://www.reyes-chow.com/where-in-the-world-is-brc/) --- ### Contact Me URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T21:38:18.000Z ### Mailing Address PO Box 18145 San Jose CA 95158 [Email Team BRC](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com?subject=Contact%20from%20Website) ### BRC on the Socials - [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Instagram](http://www.linkedin.com/in/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/) - [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?lang=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) - [BlueSky](https://bit.ly/BRConBS?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Instagram](https://bit.ly/BRConIG?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Facebook](https://bit.ly/BRConFB?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Tiktok](https://bit.ly/BRConTT?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [YouTube](https://bit.ly/BRConYT?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Threads](https://bit.ly/BRConTH?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Mastadon](https://bit.ly/BRConMA?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [LinkedIn](https://bit.ly/BRConLI?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Discord](https://bit.ly/BRConDC?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [X](https://bit.ly/BRConX?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Coaching URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/coaching/ Last updated: 2025-11-29T19:18:39.000Z I have been coaching for the past 10+ years mostly with pastors, church planters, and organizational leaders. I usually do not take on more than 3-4 clients at time. I am a Certified [Gallup Certified Strengths Coach](https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/coach/en-us/profile/1055050?ref=reyes-chow.com) and, as of the Fall of 2023, I only taking on short-term clients (1-3 Session with options to extend). ### My Approach to Coaching My approach to coaching is in line with most coaching philosophies in that it is my job to ask questions that will help you move towards the achievement of your goals. We set those goals together, we connect regularly, and I keep you accountable to those goals. We may adjust along the way, but my greatest success will be that you will not only discover the talents that have led you to this point but that you will turn those talents into strengths that are used with more intention and consistency. If we do work together, we will briefly check in and agree upon 2-3 topics that you want to address — then the time is yours. I’ll ask questions, offer suggestions (if welcomed and appropriate), and guide our time so that you use it well. I hope that you look forward to our time rather than it being a burden that you HAVE to do. ### **General Coaching:** I am available for coaching on Pastoral Leadership, Social Media, Church Planting, Job Searching, Head of Staff Leadership, Writing, and more. ### **CliftonStrengths Coaching:** If you are not familiar with Gallup’s CliftonStrengths (Previously known as StrengthsFinder, I offer introductory sessions as well as longer-term arrangements for both the Top 5 and Full 34 Assessments You can read more about my experience read reviews on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Media URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/media/ Last updated: 2025-10-16T23:25:51.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/speaking-rally-walk-2.jpg) ## Below are some highlights from podcasts, interviews, rallies, and news articles. [The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow inspires at Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association gatheringMore than 50 youth ministry leaders from across the country gathered Oct. 7–8 for the first in-person National Gathering of the Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association (PYWA) since 2016\. PYWA is part of the Christian Formation Collective with the Office of Christian Formation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/icon/favicon-1.ico)PC(USA)PC(USA)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7867.jpg)](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/10/14/rev-bruce-reyes-chow-inspires-youth-workers-association-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Are You There ChatGPT? It’s Me, Rachael — Let’s Talk About God | KQEDAs more Americans turn away from organized religion, KQED’s Rachael Myrow explores how AI chatbots like ChatGPT are becoming unexpected guides for spiritual questions about God, love and meaning.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/icon/favicon-2.ico)KQEDRachael Myrow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1101-2000x1500-1.jpg)](https://www.kqed.org/news/12049674/from-god-to-grief-people-are-asking-ai-the-big-questions-once-reserved-for-clergy?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Pastor: Don’t Give Up Social Media For LentFor many Christians, the season of Lent is a time for making sacrifices. It’s an opportunity to cut back on certain indulgences or kick a bad habit. In the digital age, time spent on Facebook and Twitter might also be considered fair game. But some clergy say not so fast. In Tell Me More’s weekly “Faith Matters” conversation, host Michel Martin speaks with Pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow of the Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco about the role of social media in the practice of faith during Lent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/icon/favicon-180x180.png)NPRNPR![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/thumbnail/facebook-default-wide-s1400-c100.jpg)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.npr.org/2011/03/18/134656804/Pastor-Dont-Give-Up-Social-Media-For-Lent) - **NEWS:** [What happens when ministry becomes a security risk?: PC(USA) churches seek to balance hospitality and inclusion amid new security concerns.](https://pres-outlook.org/2025/10/what-happens-when-ministry-becomes-a-security-risk/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (October 2025) - **NEWS:** [Dream team leads Tuesday night worship at Presbyterian Youth Triennium](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/7/30/dream-team-leads-tuesday-night-worship-youth-triennium?utm%5Fcontent=341716310&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fsource=facebook&hss%5Fchannel=fbp-22627435207) (July 2025) - **VIDEO:** [What Is Bluesky and Why Should Faith Leaders Try It?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxS9N9aVpyU&ref=reyes-chow.com) with Jim Keat (December 2024) - **VIDEO:** [Believing in Christianity after Deconstruction \[featuring Bruce Reyes-Chow\]](https://youtu.be/apcWVj9E%5FTw?si=FOHUpgKo6bPbgg9s&ref=reyes-chow.com) with Mason Mennenga (March 2024) - **VIDEO:** [Digital Ministry & Zoom Church // A Conversation with Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow with Jim Keat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5Fi6kzw38CcI&t=69s&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Janaury 2022) - **VIDEO:** [APlus with Isaac Saul, On Kindness](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://aplus.com/v/102594/heres-why-kindness-is-worth-defending--especially-now/) (March 2021) - **PODCAST:** [Madang Podcast with Grace Ji-Sun Kim](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.christiancentury.org/blog-post/madang/episode-7-pastor-and-activist-bruce-reyes-chow-author-defense-kindness) (May 2021) - **PODCAST:** [60 Mindful Minutes with Kristen Manieri](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://kristenmanieri.com/episode131/) (May 2021) - **PODCAST:** [Active Allyship . . . It’s more than a hashtag](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/ep-39-in-defense-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes/id1521868826?i=1000515293676) (April 2021) - **RADIO:** [The Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.wpr.org/shows/why-kindness-matters) (April 2021) - **RADIO:** Tom Sumner Show, WFLNT News Talk Radio, [On Kindness, Culture, and Recent Killings of Asian Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/http://archive.tomsumnerprogram.com/?name=2021-03-22%5Ftsumner%5F20210322-090000.mp3) (March 2021) - **NEW YORK TIMES:** [*For Christmas, Pastors Offer Comfort and Joy in a Somber Season*](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/us/christmas-coronavirus-sermons.html) (December 2020) - **RADIO:** Forum on KQED, [*Updating the Bible*](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.kqed.org/forum/201305061000/updating-the-bible) (May 2013) - **USA TODAY:** [*Welcome to the Radical Middle*](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2012/12/27/column-welcome-to-the-radical-middle/1794861/), (December 2012) - **RADIO:** Tell me More on NPR, [*Pastor: Don’t Give up Social Media for Lent* ](https://web.archive.org/web/20250224143746/https://www.npr.org/2011/03/18/134656804/Pastor-Dont-Give-Up-Social-Media-For-Lent)(March 2011) ### Welcome! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hero/ Last updated: 2025-04-10T08:54:23.000Z Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. **Take a look around and make yourself at home.** [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2024-Bruce-Headshot-Modern-Horizontal-6.jpg)](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/) Standing against some wall in NYC, 2024 ### Hi, I'm Bruce! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/section-one/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T04:41:54.000Z Sup! Birthed in the 209 (Stockton), formed by the 916 (Sacramento) and the 415 (San Francisco), my wife and I are now in the 408 (San Jose). I make my way through the world as a speaker, writer, coachsultant, occasional Presbyterian pastor and, much to everyone's surprise, author of six books. Awesome things — My dog, Vespa, my plant babies, women's soccer, musicals, and OrangeTheory Fitness. Glad to meet you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/IMG_20210226_135532_408.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2023-Bruce-Headshot-Vespa-Square-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/IMG_20231123_204124_634-1.webp) [Full BRC Bio and Stuff](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/) ### The Amalgamation Podcast URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/section-two/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:10:38.000Z The Amalgamation Podcast finds meaning and goodness at the intersection of social justice, pop culture, racial formation, the public square, digital community, and progressive faith. [Find The Amalgamation Podcast](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Bikes & Pups URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/section-five/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T01:20:10.000Z They say, "You can tell a lot about a person by the dogs and motorcycles in their life." Okay, no one says that, but . . . ### First the pups . . . ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/How-anyone-could-have-neglected-this-sweet-girl--we-ll-never-understand.-Warm--cuddly--and-rarely-moves-so-there-is-always-time-to-snap-her-picture.-Good-Vespa.--englishbullterrier--rescuedog--petportrait.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/FawnPet.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/bernie.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/SadiePet-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/NalaPetBruce.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/BruceRobinGirlfriend.png) ### And the bikes . . . ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/PXL_20221226_191656451.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/IMG_4896.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/Trixie-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/IMG_8216.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/82-Betty.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2005-Honda-Nighthawk-Motorcycle.jpg) ### Search URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/search/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:29:29.000Z _No content available._ ### Tagalicious URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/tags/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:38:31.000Z Tags ### Sign-In URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/signin/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:42:39.000Z _No content available._ ### Sign-Up URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/signup/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:42:59.000Z _No content available._ ### Membership URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:43:43.000Z _No content available._ ### Account URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/account/ Last updated: 2025-02-15T05:43:57.000Z _No content available._ ### Contributors URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/authors/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T01:10:24.000Z _No content available._ ### Videos by Bruce URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/section-four/ Last updated: 2025-06-17T02:11:52.000Z While I still enjoy the discipline of the written word, I very much enjoy the video space and I am increasingly posting on [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope to see you there! [Bruce on Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### The Podcast URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast/ Last updated: 2025-12-23T19:44:17.000Z I have been doing some form of video or podcasting for the past decade. Like many podcasters, I too tried to do everything: producing, hosting, editing, and marketing. BRC & Friends was where I learned the most, and I loved doing that, but 2025 has brought a reboot of my podcasting life. While it will still be me in all my playful, justice-minded self, I have brought on a team of folks to help it be more effective, both in process, content, and overall production quality. Paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter, The Amalgamation Podcast focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites listeners to join Bruce and his guests in co-conspiring for good. While some podcasts lean toward short-form interviews, The Amalgamation Podcast gives listeners time to get to know each guest, from their current projects and passions to what brings them joy, makes them laugh, and gives their lives meaning. You can find the podcast on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1m98laInmBoMVOGub3YJQK?si=60d8727c71e64584&ref=reyes-chow.com), [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-amalgamation-with-bruce-reyes-chow/id1450132980?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBAeYGg6K%5Fr5grOzQrIR%5Fxo6&si=Vk9LBu6iKH1wIFFB&ref=reyes-chow.com), [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d41ec7f4-3ca8-4040-a3c4-4c289dfe20e8/the-amalgamation-with-bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- ### General Show Schedule - Episode Introduction by Bruce. - Intro Bumper [Merrisa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.patreon.com/c/studio3050/about?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Segment 1: Introductions and Witty Banter 😄 - Segment 2: Diving into the Guest's main project, pursuit, or passion. - Segment 3: *Nerdy & Niche:* Do you have an interest, hobby, or passion that is not widely known about you? - Segment 4: *Sights & Sounds:* What are you reading, watching, listening to, or eating that is worth sharing? - Segment 5: *One Last Thing:* What rant, encouragement, or comfort, would you like to share with the world? - Outro Bumper. You can find The Amalgamation Podcast at [the places where you listen to Podcasts](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com), or click on the [Podcast Tag](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/podcast/) to see all episodes. Here are a few trailers to give you a taste of the show. E72 Trailer with Alix Dick and Antero Garcia 0:00 /52.882404 1× e75 Trailer with Flamy Grant 0:00 /51.967732 1× e78 Trailer with Grace Ji-Sun Kim 0:00 /85.552086 1× [Find The Amalgamation Podcast](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Thank you for subscribing! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/thank-you-for-subscribing/ Last updated: 2024-07-26T19:20:06.000Z _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ## Posts ### Six Years Ago COVID Changed My Life URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-years-ago-covid-changed-my-life/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T00:17:04.000Z Wowza, it's been a while since I have reflected on COVID's impact on my life. I suppose that is a good thing, as COVID has not been front of mind for most of us these past few years. The revelations and ramifications of the pandemic continue to wreak havoc in many areas of life, and, sadly, we still don't know the full impact of long COVID on so many. Make no mistake, in all aspects of my COVID experience, I count myself fortunate to be where I am today in body, mind, and spirit. This month marks the beginning of it all. It is hard to believe that all of this went down six years ago. The world and I have changed so much since. If you want the detailed recap, visit my [*Ongoing Long Covid Diary*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745/), check out my [saved COVID Highlights on IG](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17914664347974693/?ref=reyes-chow.com), or read past [Covid Update Posts](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/covid/). For those who were not part of it, here is a quick recap. It all began during our trip to drop off our youngest kid at college. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210821_233157764-1.jpg) We were officially empty nesters! Next was a stop in Surprise, Arizona, to visit my in-laws (Spoiler: there are zero surprises in Surprise, Arizona.) Somewhere along the way, COVID got me. We don't know exactly when or where, but I have my suspicions. It was a Tuesday night (The day is burned into my memory). After spending the entire day with my in-laws, who miraculously did NOT catch the virus, Robin and I were lounging about, and I began to feel it. During the night, the headaches, shortness of breath, and chills began. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210825_031206250-1.jpg) Like everyone else who got sick during that time, you pray it's just the flu, but there is a moment when it hits you: "Duck, this is not the flu." I tested positive. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210825_182936214-1.jpg) Now what? We were in AZ, we knew that I had some pre-existing conditions, and [the Delta variant was hospitalizing a new wave of people](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/28/delta-variant-doubles-covid-hospital-risk-study?ref=reyes-chow.com). I called my doctor and told her the symptoms. She basically said that she could not advise me to travel, but if I happened to find myself back in CA, I was to call her right away so that we could begin COVID protocols. Robin and I thought long and hard about making the long drive home. Because of my in-laws, we knew what the healthcare system in AZ was: a chaotic, disconnected, and frustrating maze of a system. We were also aware AZ was approaching COVID much differently than we were. It was not a difficult decision, so we hopped in the car and drove home pretty quickly. We only stopped to charge the car and interacted with no one. We know that some felt it was irresponsible (Including one nasty-ass DM from a parent of one of our kids' friends who was a nurse \[BLOCK\]), but there was no way I was going to be treated by the AZ healthcare system. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210826_002334778-1.jpg) It's cute how we tried to quarantine and then hopped in a car to drive 10+ hours home. Before we left, I informed the church I was serving because I was pretty sure I would not be leading worship that Sunday. Reading that post reminds me how divided we were then, and that division was just the beginning of the division we have today. > I know that many of you have very strong opinions about vaccinations, the pandemic, and the politics of it all, but let me emphasize that, at the end of the day, we must see one another as members of the Body of Christ — when one part suffers, we all suffer, when one rejoices, we all rejoice. Our compassion and empathy should not be contingent upon political agreement, so please continue to hold all — ALL — who are being impacted by Covid-19 in your prayers. [Read the entire IG caption.](https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBLPWTlhBH/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/2132d501-21d4-4908-a87c-190736c406f6_1024x744.png)](https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBLPWTlhBH/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) After we got back to [Palo Alto](https://www.reyes-chow.com/rcp-family-goes-to-palo-alto/), I called my doctor and told her about my symptoms. She quickly referred me to the COVID response team, who called me back almost immediately. As I talked with them, I was barely able to complete a sentence without losing my breath, and honestly, I think we were beginning to get a little frightened. It did not take long for the COVID doctor to instruct me to go to the hospital right away. I still remember him trying to convince me to go while I was thinking, "Doc, you do not have to say it twice. The car is already running!" It is important to remember that, at this stage of the Pandemic, people were going to the hospital and not coming home again, so I bet many folks were reluctant. Not me. Robin and I quickly got ready. I grabbed the important things: glasses, phone, phone charger, and to the hospital we went. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210831_235400041-1-1.jpg) Robin dropped me off, and the hospital staff was ready. I was whisked into a glass room that felt like the kind used in the movies to hold villains and serial killers. They hooked me up to all things, and the doctor and nurse came in to examine me. At this point, I clearly needed oxygen, as my pulse oximeter reading was dropping. After the initial consult with a doctor, from then on out, all communication was done via a phone outside the room. I must say that the Kaiser people had this COVID thing down. While my body and breath were for $h!t, I felt completely confident in their care. During this time, they let me know that I would start on Remdesivir, but it was no guarantee. I vaguely remember also having a conversation about my advance directive. My orders say that I do NOT want to be put on a ventilator to prolong my life. The doctors informed/assured me that, should I need to go on a ventilator for COVID, it was not the same. I OK'd the change. Eventually I was moved into a room in what I think was the COVID floor. By this time, getting out of bed or walking a few steps had me gasping for breath. They put me on high-flow oxygen, and for the next two weeks I had to lie prone. It was as uncomfortable as you can imagine, but every time I tried to flip over, I felt like I was suffocating — so prone it was! A little discomfort over suffocating to death is not a difficult choice to make. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210903_180401015-2.jpg) During my stay, I did get worse. I was constantly being poked and prodded, every movement exhausted me, and I could barely sleep. I also remember being alone. No visitors were allowed, and I couldn't hold a conversation on the phone, so I had a lot of time to think too much — all while being prone. I never really lost hope, but I did have plenty of "what if" thoughts, and no scenario ended well." Still, as long as I could text, post, and share, I figured I was heading in the right direction. While I was there, I remember talking with the nurses about vaccinations. As soon as they found out that I was vaccinated, their body language changed around me. I am sure they took care of everyone, but knowing that so much suffering and use of resources could have been avoided, I bet the number of unvaccinated patients they saw was overwhelming. Eventually I was released to my home care team (Robin and Vespa). We set up a bed in the living room because I was to be on oxygen for the foreseeable future, and I needed space to set up my veritable apothecary. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210905_212155278.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210907_180244184.NIGHT.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210907_183915593.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/PXL_20210930_195657707.jpg) After a few more weeks, I was able to leave the house without oxygen 24/7\. I was still exhausted all the time and still slept much of the day. I would have frequent headaches and I was on a medication regimen that made me regret failing calculus. Then the long road of recovery... - I did eventually build up enough energy to be able to leave the house. - I returned to Pastor at [the church](https://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - I learned that exercise exacerbated long COVID. - I tried to get back to what was *normal in all things*. - [My grandmother died from COVID complications](https://www.instagram.com/p/CIq3h11hYvc/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - I realized *normal* was shot to hell in most things. - [I resigned as pastor of the church.](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-time-for-transition-378b11604105/) - We moved to San Jose. ... and a new season of life began. Again, if you want to get into the weeds or read previous updates visit, my [**Ongoing Long Covid Diary*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745/), check out my [saved COVID Highlights on IG](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17914664347974693/?ref=reyes-chow.com), or read past [Covid Update Posts](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/covid/). And today I am a different person. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/09/Bruce-Headshot-2026-Wide-32-1620x1080-1.jpg)](https://www.instagram.com/p/DbytvMtAfpm/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) After my COVID experience, much has remained true for me: - I never had to consider how much I was going to have to pay for my treatment. There was no choice between rent or food, and risking dying from COVID. Seems we always had enough money for war, so **we definitely have enough money for universal healthcare**. - Extending dignity is not dependent upon ideology. Today I, as I did then, believe that every human being is worthy of being treated with dignity. We do not have to agree with everyone's beliefs or ignore their actions, but we must not reciprocate the violence that demeans and dehumanizes the other. Even the worst of the people we know or see probably lost loved ones during this time. **Grief is grief, loss is loss, and sorrow is sorrow.** - **Community is love**. I can only imagine what my close friends and family were experiencing during this time. I am sure there were tears of worry shed by many, but folks still held me in prayer and took care of me when I needed it. Special love to Robin, who has had to deal with my hospitalizations more than she should. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to go through all of that alone. **Thank you all**. And there are some ways that I know I have changed. I am glad to be alive and, in all the ways I move through the world, I do so fueled by gratitude for my life-giving breath. **I am chill when it comes to life.** This does not mean that I am nonchalant about my responsibilities or do not care about what happens in the world, only that I no longer feed on the adrenaline of stress. So many parts of my gig work (pastoring, writing, hustling) have the potential to disproportionately consume my energy and attention, which in turn takes energy and attention away from other aspects of my life. I refuse to let this happen, so I now hold firm boundaries, prioritize more clearly, and no longer allow myself to get distracted. Mostly, I stay chill by resisting the insidious call to believe and act like I am indispensable to any of the movements I am part of. This has freed me from the buildup of resentments, the exhaustion of my body, and the burnout of my soul. This liberation from centeredness makes me a better human and community member because I make room to be nourished by the things that give my life meaning: food, family, friendships, writing, activism, and amplifying good people and good organizations. **I am more of a risk-taker.** One would think that going through multiple hospitalizations, I would be more cautious and careful. Much to the chagrin of some of my family and friends, nope, just the opposite. As I enter the final third of my life, I do not want to miss opportunities to do good in the world or grow as a person because I am afraid of what *might* happen. Don't worry, I have not moved to irresponsibility town. I hope to approach every decision with faithful discernment, but I am equally as hopeful that God may have adventures for me that have yet to be revealed. The other way I am less risk-averse is that I have the privilege of being so. When I think about friends in Gaza and the rest of Palestine living under occupation and the threat of constant violence, risking police brutality, arrest, or imprisonment is the least I can offer. The same goes for my support of immigrants, LGBTQIA+ siblings, and those being crushed under the boots of greed and wealth. Being public and present is the least I can do. But it is not just the big actions, it is the everyday ones as well: choosing what I preach on any given Sunday, being robust in my online and in-person advocacy, and supporting individuals and organizations with my fiscal and skills resources. **I am committed to my fitness.** This may not be as big a deal for some, but being able to say I am dedicated and consistent with my fitness and health is a big deal to me. Truth be told, part of that commitment is fueled by an unapologetic determination to outlive my enemies and the a$$holes of the world. There are things that I can control in my life and things that I can't. There are no guarantees that eating better and exercising will prevent an untimely demise, but we know it helps. After losing nearly 30 pounds and always [struggling with weight](https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-confessions-of-a-middle/), today at 57yo, I like how I feel, I like how I look, and have found[ a discipline that is motivating and meaningful](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-orangetheory-fitness-story/). WTF, I even started [running on purpose](https://www.instagram.com/p/DJQMhodPJqC/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com). Never before in my life have I made my fitness and health a priority and stuck to it over the long haul, but I do now. I am sure that if you asked my friends, family, and community, they would say there are other ways I have changed, and I hope to never stop. I want to be a better human today than I was yesterday. I do not accomplish that goal every day, but I hope to more days than not. Thanks to all who hung out with me then, and to those doing the same today, I appreciate you. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ### Faith Montage: The Story Will Be Revealed #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-not-if-we-go-but-as-we-go-letuspray-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T12:01:33.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). [A few weeks ago I talked about that dangerous sentence](https://www.reyes-chow.com/been-awol-but-im-back/), "Once x-task is done, things will slow down..." because it rarely does. Welp, it was true. Today I just caught up on all my emails from all the accounts, so the inboxes are down to zero (And no, I do not understand those of you who have hundreds and thousands of unread emails taunting you every day. To each their own.) Anyhoo, it feels good. Really wish that after I emerged from my cave, the world was in better shape, but it looks like the same old $h!t, different day. The settlers in Palestine continue to act with brazen impunity and full support from too many; it seems like there have been multiple mass shootings, and yes, we are still snatching people off the street and disappearing them to who knows where. We must keep at it however and wherever: write, speak, pray, sing, agitate, act. Next up are a couple of posts in the hopper. One is about restraint being the superpower of leaders of color who serve in predominantly white contexts. I am also starting to think through the [How to Grow a Church](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-invitation-to-how-to-grow-a-church/) project. And finally, I have a two-parter about church pastoring, why it is a blessing AND why it is terrible. I am going to link back to these two prompts on FB if you want to add your 4¢. - **Why it is a blessing:** *I know pastoring a congregation can be difficult and overwhelming, but here's the prompt (to link to a new post)— "It is a blessing, honor, and privilege to be a pastor because..."* \[[**link**](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/posts/pfbid0K1mbdw3TpfdJtMXNSJ4bLSKX9oeD4LqfWRJPvGK8ks4GEyfeKxvezaVg1SNx1Fj2l)\] - **Why it is terrible:** *As a follow-up to my previous post about why congregational pastoring is a blessing, I'll do a follow-up post and link back to this post, "Pastoring a congregation is \[insert your adjective: difficult, overwhelming, soul-sucking\] because . . ."* \[[**link**](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/posts/pfbid02Z7yEhryhu1Cg4x1ohCELWNhsBvSsTxHggdii8tDVifSKshFMdGMn3F6HYnUYSRqRl)\] Okay, now on to this week's #LetUsPray when we begin to talk about the how the Spirit reveals God's hopes and intentions for humanity. Summer FAith Montage [This Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) is from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope these words will speak to your soul. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Faith Montage: The Story Will Be Revealed #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *As it has been with generations before and will be for generations to come,* *God’s story has and will be REVEALED to God’s gathered people.* *The story will meander,* *— but God’s time is God’s time.* *The story will confuse,* *— but God will guide us if we choose to follow.* *The story will contradict,* *— but God’s perfection lies in a willingness to change.* *The story will be deemed weak,* *— but God reimagines what is powerful.* *The story will seem like a distant figure emerging from the mist-worn fog,* *but when we see God,* *we really see God.* *And we will know.* *The story will be revealed.* *— Amen.* --- #### Breath Prayer Receive (inhale): *May I know and believe.* Release (exhale): *The story of God.* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 6, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=72&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Exodus 12:1-14 | Psalm 119:33-40 | Romans 13:8-14 | Matthew 18:15-20 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Exodus 20:17 (Do Not Covet). Accompanying text: Matthew 22:34-40 (The Great Commandment) For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations, I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgical inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). **Paid Subscribers may use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution.** _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Faith Montage: Not if We Go, but as We Go #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-not-if-we-go-but-as-we-go-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T12:33:59.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). It's been [three weeks since the last #LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-the-sweeping-and-unwavering-spirit-letuspray-2/), but as promised, [I'm back](https://www.reyes-chow.com/been-awol-but-im-back/). This week, we continue working our way through my Faith Montage. We are about 2/3 of the way through and are now in the Spirit section. In this week's reading, the Spirit compels us to go into the world to be bearers and sharers of the Gospel, not as much a command as an invitation to live as if our faith matters. Summer FAith Montage [This Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) is from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope these words will speak to your soul. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Faith Montage: Not if We Go, but as We Go #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *It is into the revealing story of God that we are COMPELLED to go.* *Where we are called to serve God and others.* *Where we are drawn into a deeper relationship with God.* *Where we are thrust into the struggles of the world.* *It is in God’s revealing story where we grow* *into who God intends us to become.* *Not if we go, but as we go.* *As we go, we seek:* *Wisdom. Healing. Growth. Love.* *As we go, we are healed:* *By others. By ourselves. By surprise. By love.* *As we go, we offer back to God:* *Our talents. Our resources. Our humanity. Our love.* *As we go, we share what and who we know God to be.* *Hope. Joy. Peace. Love.* *— Amen.* --- May we all know the Spirit whenever and wherever we need. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 2, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=67&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Exodus 3:1-15 | Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c | Romans 12:9-21 | Matthew 16:21-28 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Exodus 20:12-16 (Tuned toward the Neighbor) Accompanying text: Matthew 22:34-40 (The Great Commandment) For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations, I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgical inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). **Paid Subscribers may use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution.** _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Been AWOL, But I'm Back URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/been-awol-but-im-back/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T06:27:50.000Z I know it's been a beat since I've posted, but I am back. While I've never been a "Once x-task is done, things will slow down, and I'll have more time" kind of person, because isn't there always something? Anyhoo, in this instance, I am pretty sure that now that a few things are done, I will indeed have more time and will be back to our regular Amalgamation programming. I am still 3/4 time as the Transitional Pastor at [Pasadena Presbyterian Church](https://ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). It has been some good and tough work, but this community is doing[ some difficult and faithful work](https://bit.ly/PPCLetterAugust2026?ref=reyes-chow.com). It is my intention that whoever arrives next will be grateful I was here. At some point, they will be searching for a new Pastor and Head-of-Staff, so if you are soon to be in a season of searching, keep an eye on PPC. I basically work my tail off for PPC on Tue, Wed, Thu, and Sun, and spend Mon, Fri, and Sat [putting yummy SoCal eats in my pie hole](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcKLgLQSZoB/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==), working on writing projects, and generating The Amalgamation and social media content. Two big things have been taking up my time, and now they're behind me. **I moved.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/08/PXL_20260825_052821030.jpg) After spending the first 2.5 months in temporary housing, I have finally moved into the place where I'll be for the next 9-ish months. I can finally unpack and get settled. Never fully unpacked, my living surroundings have been boxes of chaos since I arrived. For those of you who know me, having my space in a state of turmoil is anxiety-inducing. Granted, the final move took place in nearly 100-degree weather; I'm moved, and now I can settle in. Thanks to the legacy of generous Presbyterians, I have way-below-market housing during my brief time in Pasadena. Renting in Pasadena is as ridiculous as the Bay Area, and there is no way I could be here without this housing. Some of you may recognize this place from when I lived in Pasadena in 2024 while serving [Love Community Church](https://www.facebook.com/azusapreschurch/) (formerly Filipino Community United Presbyterian Church). It has gotten pretty fancy since then, now having solar and e/v chargers 😄 **But most importantly, I submitted the manuscript for my last contracted book project** 🎉🎉🎉 [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/08/PXL_20260825_042610262.jpg)](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?srsltid=AfmBOopiy1M%5FjsyTfiDwCyoQd34-KeYtFiSD0yyiPbXNeiz0Tn3NUCsY&ref=reyes-chow.com) [Pre-order anchor book and Advent devotional from Chalice Today](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com) This past weekend, I turned in the Lenten devotional, *Beckon*, which is the third and final piece of the [Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com) project with Chalice Press. For whatever reason, this devotional was more difficult to write than the Advent one, *Possibility*. Each of the 40 days + seven Sundays has a core word, a reflection, a text interpretation, an invitation, a question, and a prayer. Beckon also has a brief preaching prompt for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and all Sundays, including Palm Sunday and Easter. And everything fits on one page each. (Preemptive apologies to my editor). **From the unedited introduction** [***Beckon: Our Lent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827203471?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(December 2026)** > If you are like me, you have words that give your life depth and texture. Two of mine are "depth" and “texture” along with “latte” and “big.” A recent addition to the “Words Bruce likes and uses too much” is the word “beckon.” There is something compelling about being beckoned. Through the lens of faith, beckon is not a command from God, but an invitation. A grandparent inviting a descendant to sit with them and share stories, a loved one reaching out a hand as an invitation to take a walk, and yes, Jesus inviting us to be more like him as we move through the world in relationship with ourselves, with others, and with all of creation. Well, as long as I'm shilling my wares, before you pick up Beckon for Lent, be sure to grab your copy or 20 of [***Possibility: Our Advent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet***](https://chalicepress.com/products/possibility?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(September, 2026)** > Advent signals the beginning of a new church year. And yet, in 2025- > 2026 the world is living in a constant state of political and social turmoil. > Solutions seem few and far between. One cathartic and healing act > of resistance could be to view our current time through the lens of > “possibility.” In this daily devotional, I invite you to embrace and embody > possibility, that is, possibility grounded in the fullness of Jesus. Not only > the Jesus we prefer to see, (the One who often looks a lot like us), but the > Christ in His fullness: Prophet, Priest, Pastor, and Poet. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/08/PPPP-Three-Covers-1.png)](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) If your church or book group decides to read PPPP, Possibility, Beckon, or any of my books and purchases at least 10 copies, I will Zoom in for an hour to meet with your group. Get in touch with us if you want to grab a time. [Email Team BRC ](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) And, while *Possibility* and *Beckon* can stand on their own, both will make much more sense paired with the foundational book, [***Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ***](https://chalicepress.com/products/prophets-priests-pastors-and-poets-being-and-becoming-the-resurrected-christ?ref=reyes-chow.com) ***(Also September 2026)*** From the Preface... > In all honesty, this has been a difficult book to write, not because I do not care about Jesus—I do (good thing as a pastor)—but because it is difficult to hole away, sit down, and focus on what feels like a detached and futile endeavor while our country’s socioeconomic and political chasms are widening, countless people are subjected to government-sponsored terror, and people of faith and privilege like me are being called to the street. I wish this was just another example of drama and hyperbole, but at the completion of this book, about a year into the second presidential term of Donald Trump, the number of truly horrifying events that have taken place over that time would be comical if those events were not so tragic. And from the introduction... > After nearly thirty years of ministry, I am still on the same journey as so many others in understanding and following Jesus, meaning that my faith is always in flux. My personal and communal understanding and experiences with Jesus shift, change, and adapt as the world’s circumstances dictate. While some see a change in theological understanding as a weakness, I see it as a strength. Just as my actual muscles need to be stretched and strengthened as my physical body moves through different stages of life, my spiritual and theological muscles must do the same when my experience of the world expands. I am constantly amazed by the revelations about my faith that abound when I embrace the idea that I will never be done getting to know the one we call Jesus the Christ. In short, this book is as much about my own exploration and learning as it is about yours. So welcome and thank you for taking me along. At this point I am not under any book contract, so in this season, I'll be generating regular content for The Amalgamation, increasing activity on The Amalgamation Discord, and fleshing out my next book idea, [How to Grow a Church](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-invitation-to-how-to-grow-a-church/). That's it for now. Thanks for your patience through the ebbs and flows of my gigging life. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ### Beverages with Bruce: siyam URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-siyam/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T21:39:08.000Z [**siyam = "nine" in Tagalog**](https://www.google.com/search?q=nine+in+tagalog&rlz=1CABDLY%5FenUS1216US1216&oq=nine+in+tqa&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgBEAAYDRiABDIGCAAQRRg5MgkIARAAGA0YgAQyCQgCEAAYDRiABDIJCAMQABgNGIAEMgkIBBAAGA0YgAQyCwgFEAAYChgNGIAEMgkIBhAAGA0YgAQyCQgHEAAYDRiABDIKCAgQABgFGA0YHjIKCAkQABgFGA0YHtIBCDU1MDlqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8) Whoa, it's been a few months since I have checked in with folks. I think it's cute that the original subtitle was, "A weekly . . ." Ha. This one is not going to be all that long, as I am still climbing out from under a week's vacation worth of emails connected to my current church gig (more later) and I have to turn in the final manuscript (A Lenten Devotional) for the [Prophet, Priest. Pastor, & Poet project](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?srsltid=AfmBOooYg8jzpzJDqx2G1OiaDk7pUvJGRcuTcICnlOtlZfz4Dd0TCjG2&ref=reyes-chow.com). There is way more to catch up on, but here is the executive summary of the highlights. Expanded narratives and photos for Paid Subscribers below. - **Bruce's Beverage:** I am currently at the [WeWork in Pasadena](https://www.wework.com/buildings/177-e-colorado-blvd--los-angeles--CA?utm%5Fsource=Google&utm%5Fcampaign=Organic&utm%5Fmedium=Listings), and I may be the only person in the building. I am drinking a new favorite, a [Milk Brew with Banna Milk](https://www.instagram.com/themilkbrew/?ref=reyes-chow.com). So yummy. - **PPC:** I moved to Pasadena in June (after a two-month bridge at Burlingame PC) to become the Transitional Pastor at [Pasadena Presbyterian Church](https://ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). If all goes as planned, and they rarely do, I should be here for about a year. - **PPPP:** The first two parts of [*Prophet, Priest. Pastor, & Poet: Being and Becoming the Risen Christ*](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?srsltid=AfmBOooYg8jzpzJDqx2G1OiaDk7pUvJGRcuTcICnlOtlZfz4Dd0TCjG2&ref=reyes-chow.com) are now available for pre-order. - **SF -> NYC -> OR -> SF:** My spouse and I took [a whirlwind trip to NY and OR](https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbk3azVSeUN/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to visit the babies who moved away. - **IT:** As you can see from the picture, I have given in to the dual-screen and external keyboard/mouse setup. - **Sight and Sounds:** So many things. I went through another K-Drama era, from which I would recommend *Agent Kim Reactivated*, *Can This Love be Translated*, and *Resident Playlist*. I also started the new seasons of Ted Lasso and Reacher, but highly entertaining. Back to the movies, I LOVED *Project Hail Mary* and *Hadestown*, thought *The Odyssey* was fine, and really enjoyed *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*. We added another musical to our watched list (when in NY), [Maybe Happy Ending](https://www.maybehappyending.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), which was so very good. Finally, if you liked the [*Carl the Dungous Crawler*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593820254?ref=reyes-chow.com) vibe, you may enjoy [*How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780316392204?ref=reyes-chow.com), especially [the audio version](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781668638057?ref=reyes-chow.com). Again, so much more to share, but a sermon is demanding my attention. More sooner than three months from now. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Faith Montage: The Spirit's Delicate Dance Between Creator and Created #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-the-sweeping-and-unwavering-spirit-letuspray-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T06:30:00.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). This week has been a wild one, mostly because my spouse and I are on a [week-long, whirlwind, zig-zag, cross-country trek](https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbk3azVSeUN/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to see two of our kids who had the audacity to move out of state to live their lives :-) Our New York time has been filled with good food, much laughter, and sweet conversations. The time has been good for my soul, and it has been a serious example of a life of privilege. I have been struck by how easy it has been to simply unplug from the world for these first three days. An example, again, when multiple things can be true at the same time. I don't feel shamed by this reality; rather, I am further convinced and convicted that everyone should have the opportunity and resources to take a break from the pressures of the world . . . to have a vacation that reenergizes and rejuvenates their bodies and souls. And then on the way home (and why this post didn't get sent out on time) we spent three hours on the LaGuardia tarmac behind 55 other planes, had to return to the gate to refuel, and then got stuck overnight in Denver. So of course, at 4:00am . . . good times. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/08/PXL_20260806_105226626.jpg) Anyhoo . . . in this week's installment of my Faith Montage, I am reminded that the Spirit shows up in so many ways no matter what is happening in life. My time of privileged rest is not for nothing, as the Spirit is active throughout – and has provided much inspration for future Amalagmation relflection on humanity. This week my liturgical resources focus on that silent place where we meet God, and my sermon prompt is around the Romans passage and the idea of being the "beautiful feet" of God as we engage in conversation, not conversion. Summer FAith Montage [This Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) is from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope these words will speak to your soul. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### The Spirit's Delicate Dance Between Creator and Created #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *The STORIED revealing of God’s hopes and intentions* *is intricately woven in and through our interactions with God—* *a delicate conversation between Creator and created.* *The Spirit moves through prayer:* *Not a checklist but a conversation.* *Not performance but release.* *Not to control but to relinquish.* *Not to manipulate but to listen.* *Not with words but also with words.* *The Spirit moves through community:* *Not to demand but to discern.* *Not to fix but to encourage.* *Not to confine but to compel.* *Not to detach but to engage.* *Not to seek perfection but to love perfectly.* *The Spirit moves through the Bible:* *Not an indifferent collection but an anthology of human experience.* *Not a contract to be enforced but a covenant to be honored.* *Not a map to be followed but an adventure to be embraced.* *Not a literal set of rules but evolving truths to be revealed.* *Not a weapon of faith but a wellspring of liberation.* *The Spirit moves in the in-between:* *Not always knowing where but trusting God is present.* *Not always knowing how but trusting God is active.* *Not always knowing when but trusting God is near.* *Not always knowing why but trusting God is faithful.* *Not always knowing but trusting that God is.* *Through these windows* *we meet ourselves,* *we meet others,* *our understanding of God is expanded,* *the movements of God are made real,* *and the revealed and revealing story of God is made known.* *— Amen.* --- May we all know the Spirit whenever and wherever we need. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 2, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=67&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** I Kings 19:1-15 | Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45 | Romans 10:5-15 | Matthew 14:22-33 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 2 Timothy 3:14—4:8, 16-18 (The Lord Stood by Me) Accompanying text: Luke 18:6-8 In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations, I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgy inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers may use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Faith Montage: The Sweeping and Unwavering Spirit #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-the-sweeping-and-unwavering-spirit-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T11:55:56.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). First, how is it August already? Second, I hate that there have been more shootings in the news and lawmakers are not even pretending to want to do anything about it. It's as if US society has resigned itself to a future filled with guns. We must not go numb to or normalize gun violence as if there are no other options. We must not give up. We must not only keep pressing our legislators to have the courage to tackle the gun violence health crisis, but we must also teach and model ways to deal with anger and address conflict without resorting to violence of any kind, body, mind, or spirit. And all the while, for our own grounding and for the Spirit who surrounds us, we must pray. I have been sharing [prayers about gun violence](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/gun-violence-prayers/), but if you need a prayer for your community, here is a litany, [*Another Shooting in America*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/another-shooting-in-america-a-litany/)or purchase a copy of[*A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence*](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off. Seems appropriate that we move into the Spirit section on my faith montage, as it is always good to remember that the Spirit of God is always moving and always active – even in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak. Summer FAith Montage [This Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) is from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope these words will speak to your soul. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### The Sweeping and Unwavering Spirit #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *The Spirit of God repeatedly sweeps over humanity leaving us inspired:* *to seek God’s hopes for each of us,* *to live into God’s intentions for the entire body,* *and to answer the call to participate in the fulfillment of* *God’s ever-revealing hopes for the world.* *The Spirit invites us into relationship and conversations with God.* *The Spirit encourages the quest and reveals God in the act of questioning.* *The Spirit pokes and prods us to be open and aware that God is with us.* *The Spirit revives, refreshes, and reminds us that God will help bear the weight of our weariness.* *The Spirit is unwavering in the belief that we have the capacity to know God more.* *The Spirit moves around us.* *The Spirit moves through us.* *The Spirit moves in spite of us.* *And when we are open, the Spirit moves us.* *— Amen.* --- May we all know healing. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 2, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=67&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Genesis 32:22–31 | Psalm 17:1–7, 15 | Romans 9:1–5 | Matthew 14:13–21 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 2 Timothy 2:8-15 (Remember Jesus Christ, Raised from the Dead) Accompanying text: Luke 17:16-19 In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations, I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgy inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers may use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Thoughts After Mexodus (No Spoilers) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/thoughts-after-mexodus-no-spoilers/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:24:54.000Z This past weekend, I had the chance to see [Mexodus, playing at the Pasadena Playhouse through August 2, 2026](https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/mexodus/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Walking in, I had zero idea what expect. I had never seen anything at The [Pasadena Playhouse](https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), but I am trying to get to know my new city while I'm here, I figured I would catch a performance. Overall it was a ton of fun. I was a little sleepy going because of preaching that morning and the fact that it was a million degrees outside. When those houselights dimmed, I though, "Uh oh, I'm in trouble." Unlike the guy sitting next to me, I did not doze off and as the production progressed, my attention energy grew. Without spoiling anything, Mexodus is a two-person musical, that tells the story of the underground railroad that goes across "the border" into Mexico and the interaction between a Mexican farmer and an enslaved person on the run. The unique thing about this musical is that the two performers create most of the music by recording sounds and instruments and then looping them into the backing music for all of the songs. Nygel D. Robinson and Alan Mendez were impressive. If you are in within driving distance to Pasadena, this production is well worth supporting. My review of this musical pretty much consists of "Go see it!" so rather than offer any star rating or critical review, allow me to share a few thoughts that Mexodus sparked within me. #### **O**ne more piece of history... As far as the story goes, I was not surprised by the narrative. Of course there was and [underground railroad that ran from Texas to Mexico](https://www.npr.org/2021/02/28/971325620/a-chapter-in-u-s-history-often-ignored-the-flight-of-runaway-slaves-to-mexico?ref=reyes-chow.com). But because, like so many stories from the ancestors of this land that get buried in the mythic story of the formation of United State, I had never actually heard about it. I am so very appreciative of shows that broaden my understanding and knowledge of the world and Mexodus does just that. It gives "[Larry, The Musical](https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-larry-the-musical/)" vibes in that it exposes a wider demographic to a story that some already knew, not from the classroom, but from the many other ways stories are pass down from generation to generation. Yet one more time, because people were determined to tell a story that needed to me told, my understanding and knowledge of the world and those around me has grown. #### **A subtle nod to faith and liberation.** I was fascinated by some of Christian and Church references made by the performers before and after. With the backdrop of blatant trafficking and proliferation of Christian Nationalism in this United States, it was lovely to hear someone mention faith in a genuine way that acknowledged the reality that faith has been and is a part of all stories of liberation. Not sure if this was scripted banter, so I will not spoil what is actually said, only that I appreciated the sublet, yet powerful message that was offer to the audience to hold. I can only hope that is brought some nuance to people's understanding and impact of faith. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260726_224643134.jpg) Sign in a store window the the Playhouse District of Pasadena #### **Applause turned into action.** Because this was a story about people of color, my guess is that there were more Black and brown folks present than usual. After living in Pasadena cumulatively for only six months over the past few years, I am not local, but when I arrived, I was not surprised by how white the crowd was. Pasadena in many ways reminds me of Palo Alto, where I lived from 2019-2022\. It has a provincial vibe going on, with the divisions between those from old Pasadena and the influx of housing that is bringing in young urbanites. My guess is that it is a generally "progressive" space. Not sure if is Biden, Warren, Sanders, or AOC leaning, but I am willing to guess that is it not Mamdani left. I would love to be proven wrong about that, but not holding my breath. Mexodus is clearly a story that speaks to the oppression and violence inflicted upon Black and brown bodies, mostly by the United States. At times this was communicated with subtly and nuance, and other times there was almost a challenge to the white audience to remain comfortable in the face of such indictments laid at the feet of white America. There was one song in particular that probably made some folks squirm, but before the final note stopped ringing, the place erupted with applause. Obviously it was well deserved, but when white folks cheer with such gusto a direct challenge to origin and accumulation of wealth and power I am always left with the questions, "Do you know what this means?" While I would love to give the benefit of the doubt that after being moved by such themes, people of privilege will then make choices that dismantle the cultural, institutional, and personal apparatuses through which that privilege was attained, but I have my doubts. - Will people of means vote centered on their financial best interests or in ways that keep people trapped in poverty? - Will people of security leverage and risk their power and influence so those who are oppressed do not have to risk their lives? - Will people of comfort listen to the discomfort and resist falling into unhealthy patterns of racialized aggression, institutional barriers, and cultural exclusion directed at Black brown folks? Essentially will the applause and affirmation offered to the performers indicate a substantially changed way of life — or is the bold and loud affirmation performative, self-soothing, and only expressed within the confines of the theater walls? I hope people continue to create these types of offering for the world. We all need to see the fuller picture of the world's histories and hear stories that have long been silenced. Most important to me though is that the telling of these powerful and painful stories from the past, manifest themselves into the stories of love and liberation being built for today and the future. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/MEX_2025_2026_website-assets_phase-2__2230-x-1220_26.png)](https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/mexodus/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Mexodus, Pasadena Playhouse through August 2, 2026.](https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/mexodus/?ref=reyes-chow.com) I have no idea where the Mexodus production is headed next, but from the post-show comments it sounds like more performers are being added to the number of folks who could pull this off. If you are not able to [catch it at the Pasadena Playhouse](https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/mexodus/?ref=reyes-chow.com), hopefully, you'll have a chance to experience the power that is Mexodus at a venue near you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ### Faith Montage: The Hurt Who Are Healed #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-the-hurt-who-are-healed-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T12:12:34.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). It feels like EVERY day we can say something to the effect, "When we look at the world, it seems like there is another round of violence, suffering, and hurt being experienced by God's people." I hate that this has been normalized. It makes me angry, sad, and sometimes severely pessimistic about the future. And then something happens to remind me that, yes, there is too much pain in the world, but there is also healing. Does it come about when or how I want it to? Rarely, but healing is present. This next section of My Faith montage follows the acknowledging of hurt. Even though we may cause much of the pain in the world, we are also part of the healing. Summer FAith Montage We continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope these words will speak to your soul. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- ### The Hurt Who Are Healed #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *And yet we know what it is to be HEALED.* *To be healed is to be whole.* *To move toward healing is to move toward holiness.* *In mind. In body. In gut.* *In heart. In spirit. In soul.* *You cannot be healed if I am still hurting.* *I cannot know wholeness if you are still in agony.* *We cannot experience either while neighbors and strangers suffer still.* *My wholeness is intricately and intrinsically woven* *together with yours and yours with mine.* *Healing is mine is yours is ours.* *Wholeness is ours is yours is mine.* *Yet we cannot know healing and wholeness* *without the One who loves us into being.* *God loves healing into the world.* *In whispers. In whimsy. In wonder.* *In exhale. In excitement. In euphoria.* *In solitude. In silence. In subtlety.* *Our bodies, minds, and souls are healed by God.* *Healed in ways creative, soothing, beautiful, and bold.* *Healed in ways surprising, subtle, unruly, and old.* *Through boisterous laughter uncontained,* *and anger righteously expressed,* *through sounds that soothe and silence that settles,* *through communities organized and justice realized,* *through intimacy, generosity, understanding, and rest,* *through equity, jubilance, remembrance, and risk,* *through lament and confession,* *through forgiving and being forgiven,* *through grace offered and grace accepted,* *through being seen, being heard, being known.* *In all of these things,* *in God’s good time,* *in unexpected ways,* *God’s healing and wholeness is a mighty balm* *for our bone-tired bodies,* *for our compassion-fatigued hearts,* *and for our weary, weary souls.* *— Amen.* --- May we all know healing. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 26, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=64&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 1Kings 3:5-12 | Psalm 119: 129-136 | Romans 8:26-39 | Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 2 Timothy 1:1-14 (Rekindle the Gift of God) Accompanying text: Luke 17:5-6 In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations, I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgy inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers may use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### An Invitation to "How to Grow a Church" URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-invitation-to-how-to-grow-a-church/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T22:03:12.000Z You're invited to be part of my next book adventure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I said I was not going to jump back into [another book project](https://www.reyes-chow.com/preorder-prophets-priests-pastors-and-poets-being-and-becoming-the-resurrected-christ/). We all knew that my pants were on fire. While I did mean it at the time, that was mostly an embattled author in the middle of editing talk. During that time, however, I was able to tend to any distraction that would help to protect my tender ego from the bloodbath of the editor's red marks on my manuscript. And yes, one of those distractions was to think about my next book. Not long ago, I was asked to speak to a group about anything I wanted to. For some reason, I gravitated towards thoughts about church growth. Okay, not for "some reason." The reason was because of the increasingly blatant displays of Christian Nationalism by our government. Because people usually want to start with tactics, I did what I normally do: I began with 30,000-foot concepts. As I have continued to think about the big questions, I have begun to feel a tug to choose your metaphor: land the plane, fish or cut bait, or shit or get off the pot, and identify actionable steps born from these larger questions. Drawing on my 30+ years of pastoral leadership, my time starting a church, coaching pastors who have started churches, worshipping with new churches, and pastoring multiple established churches through a variety of cultural and operational transitions, I began compiling a list of practical church growth questions. In all honesty, I have always been allergic to anything that came close to being a "10 Ways to Put Butts in Pews" handbook. Too often, I have heard members of shrinking churches or church growth couch consultants imply that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between tactics and growth. It is completely understandable that people want that kind of reassurance because it would be real nice if we were given a list of to-dos that would guarantee growth – painlessly and immediately. Obviously, few people say, 'If you make these changes, you will grow!' out loud, but I can tell, whether they are even conscious of it or not, that's what they want. Occasionally someone would verbalize it, often tongue-in-cheek, and my tried-and-true response is to joke, "If I could write that book, I'd be rich." And then during a conversation about the state of the church and the need to have more impact, while I was dancing around giving practical advice, one of the participants said, "We know you have ideas for things that we could do, so why don't you tell us?" This was not accusatorial, but what it made me realize is that what I have been basically saying to groups is, "Here are some big concepts for doing something really different, now go and figure it out for yourselves. You're on your own. Good luck and godspeed." In my resistance to giving anything remotely close to definitive steps for growth, I was expecting the proverbial frog to all of a sudden realize the pot is boiling AND know exactly how to escape the predicament it was in. As much as I have resisted, I am going to take a swing at writing the closest thing to a "handbook for church growth" that I will ever get. I am also going to go about this process a little differently. Like my friend and colleague [Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim](https://www.facebook.com/gracejisunkim/), I am going to have the manuscript completed before I shop it around: no publisher advance, no deadlines, and no guarantees. **As I write this book, I would love for folks to interact and give feedback during various stages of the process.** Every few weeks, I will post a rough, rough, rough outline/draft of each chapter. Paid Subscribers will have immediate access to the full chapters. All other subscribers will receive a short excerpt in their inboxes. Subscribers, free or paid, are invited to give feedback, ask questions,or make suggestions over on The Amalgamation Discord. Everyone who engages in at least half of the chapter threads will receive a signed copy of the book when it is eventually published. Below is an early and first run at a structure and outline for the book. It is pretty standard: some introduction and orientation to start and a wrap-up and conclusion at the end. In between, I'll post a number of questions (Eventually 20?) that address areas with a high impact on a church's chances of growing. With each question, I will attempt to bring depth and texture by addressing importance, obstacles, practices, etc. Each question will be broken up into the following sections: **🧠 The Reason for Asking –** Explanation of the question's relevance goes here. **👍🏽 So You Said, "yes" –** What it means if you are doing this goes here. **❓ A Deeper Dive –** Follow-up questions to broaden the topic. **🛬 Tactics and Practices –** A few ideas on how you can realistically address each reponse. **💡 One Big Idea:** A potentially high-impact idea goes here. **🚦Signals & Cues:** Signs and development that may require processes to be adapted or further conversations to be had. **💖 Grace Always:** Words of encouragement and courage go here. I am still debating the order of the questions, but for now, the progression goes like this: broad congregational understandings, scope of who can be reached, and congregational engagement. I bookend all the questions, starting with one about change and ending with one about the budget; for without a healthy approach to both, the endeavor will face an uphill battle. Again, if you are a subscriber, come on over to Discord and join the conversation. These are early stages, so resist getting caught up in a web of wordsmith turmoil. There will be time for that later. At this point, all headings and subheadings can be changed. As the book builds, I'll link back to each post. --- ## How to Grow a Church: ### Questions that help recognize, realize, and reinforce invitation, welcome, and belonging. **Introduction** ***\[full post\]*** - Why and Why Now ***\[full post\]*** - How I believe and know ***\[full post\]*** - Who should read this ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 1) The Most Important Question: on Belonging** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 2) Who Cares about Growth: on Theology** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 3) Size Really Doesn’t Matter: on Numbers** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 4) Disclaimers and Assumptions: on Context** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 5) How to Use This Book: on Process** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 6) The Questions** ***\[full post\]*** - **Culture of Change:** Do you handle criticism, change, and conflict well? ***\[full post\]*** - **Who do you say that I am?:** Do you clearly and unapologetically articulate what you believe about Jesus Christ? ***\[full post\]*** - **Congregational Identity:** Do you know who you are now and who God is calling you to become? ***\[full post\]*** - **Theological and Social Beliefs:** Are your values and beliefs integrated throughout the entire life of the church? ***\[full post\]*** - **Realistic Growth Demographic:** Is God really calling you to reach young families? ***\[full post\]*** - **A Heart for Newcomers:** Have you identified unspoken rules, practices, or expectations that exclude first-time visitors? ***\[full post\]*** - **A Place of Comfort:** Is this a place where people turn to in times of crisis or tragedy? ***\[full post\]*** - **Can’t Miss Experiences:** Do people feel they're missing out if they don't show up? ***\[full post\]*** - **A Growing Table:** Is a new person easily able to engage in the life of the church? ***\[full post\]***\] - **Genuine Digital Ministry:** Is your digital footprint honest and helpful to those searching for a spiritual home? ***\[full post\]*** - **Meaningful Use of Time:** Do you honor the time and resources individuals offer? ***\[full post\]*** - **Community Connections:** Are you engaged in the life of the surrounding community? ***\[full post\]*** - **Public Square:** Are you engaged in the public square on issues that impact communities outside the church: locally, nationally, and globally? ***\[full post\]*** - **Show Me the Money:** Are you ready and willing to realign your budget to center growth and newcomers? ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 7) The Big Three: On Friends, Flocks, and Fun** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 8) As You Go: On Evangelism & Confidence** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 9) Return on Investment: On Patience & Grace** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 10) People May Leave: On Care & Conviction** ***\[full post\]*** **Ch 11) Enjoy the Ride: On Hope & Meaning** ***\[full post\]*** **Conclusion** ***\[full post\]*** **Charge** **Acknowlegements** **Artificial Intelligence** **Keep in Touch** --- Again, this post is open to everyone, but future updates will only be available to Paid Subscribers. At the end of the day, Paid Subscribers are my "advance," so I appreciate everyone who is supporting this area of my life Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) ### Statement on the Deaths of Johan Sebastian Guerrero, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and the Many Other Lives Lost at the Hands of ICE URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/statement-on-the-deaths-of-johan-sebastian-guerrero-lorenzo-salgado-araujo-and-the-many-other-lives-lost-at-the-hands-of-ice/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T21:17:01.000Z As many of you know, I am currently serving on the board of directors of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI). One of the reasons I am committed to the work of this faith-based group is that what we do aligns with what we believe and what we say. As ICE activity has become more and more violent, in addition to our public actions, we have shared [*A Prayer for the Ceasing of State Violence and the Protection of All People*](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2026/01/a-prayer-for-the-ceasing-of-state-violence-and-the-protection-of-all-people/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [a public statement during the Minnesota crackdown](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2026/02/statement-from-the-board-of-directors/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Yet ICE continues to act with an impunity that has led to more trauma, more separation, and more death. In light of recent killings, we have released another statement. Please share this statement, follow [IM4HI on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/im4humanintegrity/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [subscribe to our newsletter](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/subscribe/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/BRC-Signature-Bruce-2026.png) --- ### [Statement](https://h9rpfmcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Yzo7fQTytOiNDBJCjE7i2YrZVgF8P1OTk-QB1aK7ldgXnmA%5FJ9Efyt%5FVBWKLxXIwEvvRbPgUrGjuW76TYWHol38R589tOyd9DY95Mprg801t8ei5GOwcK3I6qR9Yc%5Fj0uD%5FlfEmaShOhhrF1WDTM9mqEqPa0FCi8fVOj3x34Ah5on8VumHBelBCRhx20vQV5OHVF-LpoIVBvknNNUb2urRMhuRoR2mgfPjXFiH2VNW27Wu%5FyW9G8xDQSN4euYIMOMKm9-pAa2Ga9A25jZFKDHBGWu8nhaEohOEi1vEhanY6VXuBE-jHteJoGp0bVO3hJoXm4hlVDhPkPgDbqjWq0EF2LzMXEAN4hAiUpHordXlU=&c=GkYvdhpTkpEtw4OcJsGdRx56jYZbnBoNuxjrnJPb9TWmtx9lsr--JA==&ch=vO--x%5FqYT1tmF4sf0sn5g9tIaJ%5Fx9eg-5DA0kuwvdP4TVVBCl9X3pQ==&ref=reyes-chow.com) **on the Deaths of Johan Sebastian Guerrero, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and the Many Other Lives Lost at the Hands of ICE** We are heartbroken and deeply saddened by the unjust killings of [**Johan Sebastian Guerrero**](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/07/14/who-is-joan-sebastian-guerrero-the-man-killed-by-ice-in-biddeford/?ref=reyes-chow.com), 26, who was fatally shot by ICE in Maine July 13th, and [**Lorenzo Salgado Araujo**](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-to-know-about-the-fatal-shooting-of-lorenzo-salgado-araujo-by-ice?ref=reyes-chow.com), 52, who was shot in Texas on July 7, 2026\. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and communities of Johan Sebastian Guerrero and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo as they navigate these devastating losses. Guerrero was a hardworking and devoted father of a 3-year-old daughter, and Salgado was a loving husband, father of 3, and a valuable member of his community. Unlike the ICE killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, the video footage of Araujo’s death has not been released and has not received the same public attention or media coverage. **We uplift the demands from the families and leaders in Houston and Maine and urge you to contact your Member of Congress.** They are calling for: - A **full and independent investigation** into Lorenzo’s and Johan’s killing. **\[**[**Take Action**](https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/take-action-demand-justice-and-accountability-after-ice-shootings/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** - The **immediate release** of the three men detained with Lorenzo, including his brother, and protection for all witnesses from intimidation, coercion, or deportation. - An **end to local collaboration** with ICE in EVERY city and state they occupy. **Our faith traditions say, Do not kill and take the life of another. Our faiths cherish peace, calling us to resist the empire and care for the vulnerable.** Across our faith traditions, we share a common moral vision: Every human is sacred and deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Every family should not have to live in trauma stemming from needless and preventable violence. We are **called to support one another**, **grieve together**, and **resist systems** that devalue human life. No family should have to face such a tragedy. We **believe** that community and moral courage are more powerful than fear. We **reject** the normalization of war, state violence, surveillance, deportation, and detention as tools of social control — in our neighborhoods, at our borders, and across the world. Since the beginning of Trump’s 2nd term, there have been at least [**21 shootings**](https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-agents-are-still-shooting-people-cars?ref=reyes-chow.com), 10 of them fatal. This horrific moment recalls a very similar incident on April 7 of this year, in the Central Valley of California, when ICE officers shot [**Carlos Ivan Mendoza,**](https://www.ktvu.com/news/ice-shooting-update-california-carlos-hernandez-attorney?ref=reyes-chow.com)a member of the Modesto community, leaving him critically injured with seven bullets lodged in his body. Today Carlos is being imprisoned in California City, facing federal charges, with three bullets still remaining in his body. Last week, a team of IM4HI volunteers were able to visit Carlos in the CoreCivic detention center across a glass window pane, since contact visits are prohibited at the California City facility. Despite this layer of separation, volunteers were touched by his deep warmth, kindness and sense of faith, even while suffering excruciating pain due to the facility’s widespread medical neglect. Carlos had heard about Lorenzo Salgado’s killing from inside California City that same day. He shared his belief that God granted him the opportunity to live so he could be a witness to the injustice of detention and work to make the world better by helping others facing criminalization. As we stand with Houstonians fighting for justice for Lorenzo and community members in Maine outraged by the latest shooting, join us **here in California in supporting Carlos** as he continues to be persecuted and prosecuted by the federal government. Please join us at his **next federal court hearing in Sacramento, July 27th, at 9:00 am** to support him and his family. To get more information about this court hearing, join the [Faith Signal group to support Carlos](https://signal.group/?ref=reyes-chow.com#CjQKIB7kx7A4aau%5FFlDVzwOoisYbPufufoZQK7KFCmo8uME5EhDF33MR11KKRSgW42m0Lskn). We commit to **leading with love**, **hope**, and **community**, and must not allow indiscriminate ICE killings and detentions to continue. The IM4HI staff, board and community **refuses to look away**, to **accept** excuses, or to **sanitize** our language. ICE and Border Patrol are fascist, para-military forces committing acts of harm and evil in our country. Please collectively pray. We pass along this **Litany of Confession for Araujo**, written by Texas pastor Rev. Dan de Leon, which we’ve placed [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HDH1RQsjdcAEeUzANvUdgbUnvlh43SKj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113263181240698874518&rtpof=true&sd=true&ref=reyes-chow.com). We acknowledge, honor and pray for the **many others who have lost their lives due to ICE and Police violence**: Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Renee Nicole Good, Keith Porter Jr., Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, Ruben Ray Martinez, Eric Gardner, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor. We remember their lives, pay tribute to their families, and stand in solidarity with the communities as they bear the burden of these losses. **May their lives not be forgotten.** This vicious cycle of violence must come to an end and we say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” ### The IM4HI staff, board, and community urge the following demands: - **Defund ICE:** We demand accountability and transparency for their deaths and urge ICE agents and officials to stop participating in the persecution of our communities. We call on our elected leaders to act with compassion, courage and urgency. - **Invest in Community Care:** True safety does not come from intimidation or force—it comes from communities that look after one another and practice mutual care. - **Show up in solidarity with one another**: Vigils, gatherings and collective witness affirm to those most impacted that their lives matter and their experiences are seen. Visibility breaks through the normalization of state violence to raise awareness about the human cost of immigration enforcement. ### Faith Montage: The Gathered Who Are Hurting #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-the-gathered-who-are-hurting-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-07-18T04:54:28.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Summer FAith Montage This week I continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using [slide versions](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage. [Subscribe/Upgrade ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This past week I have seen more violence and brutality across my socials. While I am grateful I have not become completely numb and these scenes still shock me, sometimes I simply want to look away. The thing is, some people do not have the privilege to look away because the pain and suffering are being inflicted upon them. This part of the Faith Montage both names the hurt that many experience as well as the hurt we may inflict upon others. If we are going to live lives of healing, we must not look away. --- ### The Gathered Who Are Hurting #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *But these called, sacred, gathered bodies are HURTING.* *From ancestors and saints past to misfits and strangers of today,* *we live in a world that feeds on destruction, rewards hatred, reinforces oppression, dismisses grief, denies accountability, and manipulates vulnerability* *—and often in the name of God.* *We have lost our way.* *We have turned and been turned away from* *God’s intentions and hopes for humanity.* *We have brought pain upon my body, your body, our bodies.* *Born from anger, disappointment, and mourning,* *As we desecrate the earth,* *God weeps.* *As we equate light as good and dark as bad,* *God weeps.* *As we pursue profit and perpetuate poverty,* *God weeps.* *As we criminalize suffering and incarcerate siblings to invisibility,* *God weeps.* *As we fortify empire and exploit humanity,* *God weeps.* *As we legislate bodies and deny human agency,* *God weeps.* *As we mock emotions and renounce empathy,* *God weeps.* *As we choose individualism and abandon the common good,* *God weeps.* *As we worship “normal” and demonize difference,* *God weeps.* *As we benefit from unjust systems and justify their existence,* *God weeps.* *As we deny privilege and default to indifference,* *God weeps.* *As we choose apathy and forsake the body politic,* *God weeps.* *As we profit from disparity and blame others for their desperation,* *God weeps.* *As we deny the sins of our past and reinforce institutions of oppression,* *God weeps.* *And as we embolden violence upon bodies* *who bear darker skin,* *who go unheard,* *who believe differently,* *who love who they love,* *who are deemed weak,* *who are silenced,* *who are unarmed,* *who are not in control,* *who broaden gender,* *who are gifted to our care,* *who are the “enemy,”* *who are different,* *God weeps.* *We resist and refuse to lament and confess* *to that which holds us back from fully knowing God.* *Born again and again from anger, disappointment, and mourning, God weeps.* *And yet . . .* *— Amen.* --- May we sit with the hurt. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 19, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=64&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 | Psalm 45:10-17 | Romans 8:12-25 | Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 [**NL Summer Readings (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 1 Timothy 6:6-19 (Take Hold of Eternal Life) Accompanying text: Luke 16:27-30 In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For Bible translations I turn to [The Common English Bible](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(CEB)** or [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NRSVUE).** For more liturgy inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 10 Questions to Ask a Pastor Search Committee URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/10-questions-to-ask-a-pastor-search-committee/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T18:41:18.000Z Over the past year and prior to [my current Transitional Pastorate](https://www.ppc.net/content.cfm?page%5Fcontent=person%5Fdetail%5Finclude.cfm&fp=B8AAC57A8FBF51A374784831BF8F40847ED325A7B13C4B693B48674D79E659E86D9CBBEC30D75E36140E3766E13435177B1CD70ACFD85644A0682544392A7DFDFDB24F7BA86C7AFA5B7A2DA16EB227C728225058B992F5CD0C12F3CC2CEC2266&ref=reyes-chow.com), I have been a candidate for a couple of congregational pastoral positions. While I may still entertain particular full-time, permanent situations\*, I am pretty sure that I am done with full-time congregational ministry. Even so, I suspect that in my ongoing life as a Bridge, Transitional, and Interim Pastor, there are many more interviews ahead. Before I go much further, three things are important to name. - **Denominational Context:** I realize that every denomination has its own call process. I come out of a Presbyterian governance system where ordained ministers of word and sacrament are basically free agents. If in good standing, we can apply for any pastoral position, congregational or otherwise. If we see an opening that we are interested in, we submit our PDP (Person Discernment Profile, AKA a resume) and hope to advance to the interview stage of the process. Unlike some traditions, there is no appointment process or guaranteed placement. Every process has its pros and cons, but the Presbyterian one is the one I know. - **Theology & Ideology:** Defining theological or ideological perspectives can be tricky, but I consider myself part of the Christian "left" – think [More Light Presbyterians](https://mlp.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Presbyterian Peace Fellowship](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center ](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)left. Needing to know about a congregation's theological and ideological perspective is driven by a congregation's willingness to explore the edges of faith and by my willingness to serve in opposition to a community's beliefs. - **Privilege & Access:** Finally, because [I am a man](https://youtu.be/5vgV%5FdVkXN4?si=mFqluuPJkloebPAX&ref=reyes-chow.com) with [30+ years of pastoral experience](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/posts/pfbid02H5aVqAhJptr9SHkC4MHeuKgSZWhD4X4Bt67mP5EWYMdEEkweBrMgFjDJvNnGpHTml) as well as my [age](https://www.historic-newspapers.com/blogs/article/a-year-in-history-timeline-of-1969-events??ref=reyes-chow.com), gender, and [public exposure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce%5FReyes-Chow?ref=reyes-chow.com), I may get eyeballs that may not be directed at other folks. That said, I am also a person of color, which creates some privilege dissonance, but that's for another post. Okay, back to the interviews. In these interviews, there is often time at the end to ask the interviewers questions. The type of question one asks should depend greatly on the stage of the process, but I have always found that time to be less than adequate or fulfilling. As much as I may want the position, this process is ultimately about discerning a mutual call. This process can be stressful for anyone being interviewed, but we must not allow our anxieties or desperation to shortchange our inquiry process. Churches and pastoral candidates have different life circumstances, but leaving important questions unanswered can lead to bad matches, unclear expectations, and harm to both the pastor and the congregation. Pastors, we are interviewing the congregation as much as they are interviewing us. These processes are meant to land in a place where we can offer our energy, care, imagination, love, and service to one another, so the privilege and burden of doing so must be held with genuine mutuality. Ministry is shared, so we must do everything we can to land in places where this reality has the greatest opportunity to be realized. As I have been thinking more about a couple of future opportunities, I revisited a post that I wrote 14 years ago \*yikes*\** when I was blogging for Patheos, [*25 Questions to Ask a Pastor Search Committee*](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/2012/09/26/interview-questions-pastor-search/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ([Day1.org 2025 update)](https://day1.org/articles/5d9b820ef71918cdf2003b75/bruce%5Freyeschow%5Fquestions%5Fto%5Fask%5Fa%5Fpastor%5Fsearch%5Fcommittee?ref=reyes-chow.com). Looking at it through 2026 eyes, it is not a bad list, but it's long. And since there is rarely enough time to get to everything during the search process, I narrowed it down to the 10 questions I will be asking any future search committee. I will ask these questions not as a litmus test but to measure the degree of alignment and/or disconnect. Of course, I have ideal responses, but I will need to be careful not to confuse "ideal" with "absolute." After all, almost every question's response could begin with the caveat, "Well, it depends . . ." What I will be listening for is how they describe their current situation, how the congregation has thought about these things (or not), and how they have responded. I will also be attuned to whether responses are aspiration or actual. For instance, it is great to hope one day to be publicly and unapologetically LGBTQIA+ affirming, but quite another thing to not be that now. The current state of play should help determine the level of mutuality in the call. Lastly, I will remember to listen for creative responses that could help me grow in my own thinking and theology. In order to give the call the best chance for success, these are questions I plan to ask at some point during any future process, temporary or permanent: > Dear Search Committee, > > Thank you for the opportunity contiue our coversation about Awesome Presbyterian Church. As we are both discerning if there is a mutual call here, at some point I would hear the committee's response to any or all of these questions. > > Please let me know if there is anything you would likeme to think about or prepare before our time. If not, see you all on Friday. > > Peace, > Bruce How a search committee even responds to this type of ask could reveal much in itself. And on to the questions. #### 10 Questions I'll Be Asking the Pastor Search Committee - **How do people experience belonging here?** Listening for all of the ways the community may express and experience community. - **What did the COVID-19 Pandemic reveal about the congregation, and how has it responded to those revelations?** Listening for what a community determined was important to hold on to, how they adapted during the pandemic, and what they did upon their return to "normalcy." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### PREORDER: Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/preorder-prophets-priests-pastors-and-poets-being-and-becoming-the-resurrected-christ/ Last updated: 2026-07-11T12:59:14.000Z I promise it is not a gesture of false-humility to say I am shocked that my body, mind, spirit, and ego have made it through another book-writing process in one piece. Yes, the writing part makes up a bulk of the mental and spiritual heavy lifting, but I find the post-manuscript even more grueling. I do think I have a pretty tough skin and know that editors are there to make the book stronger, but I have to take a running start before I am brave enough to open up that first draft of edits. Every time it is a bloodbath of red edits. We're talking hundreds and hundreds of corrections, suggestions, and comments like, "I'm not sure what you are trying to say here." Having been through this a few times now, I am sure I require more editing than your average bear. I tend to write like I talk, which is the vibe of my writing, but does not always communicate what I am trying to say. From the amount of word salad my editors are forced to decipher, it has also become painfully evident that my brain moves much faster than my fingers. It is not hyperbole to say that editors are the real heroes of the book-writing process. They should get hazard pay for what their brains must go through on any of my projects. **After multiple rounds of editing, *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ* is finished — Subject: Final Edit \[SEND\].** With a big sigh of relief, the schilling can now begin. With the final edits submitted, **the official 30% off, pre-order link is live on** [**www.chalicepress.com**](https://bit.ly/preorderpppp?ref=reyes-chow.com), and you are invited to pre-order two or ten copies for yourself, your book group, for a church read, or to secretly mail to your favorite Christian Nationalist (joking, not joking). #### From the description – > Who is Jesus—and who is Jesus calling us to be? In *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ*, explore the fullness of Jesus’ identity and how it challenges us to reflect His life in our own. Too often, we reduce Jesus to the traits we find easiest to follow while neglecting His full call. This transformative book unpacks the four-fold nature of Jesus as prophet, priest, pastor, and poet, inviting readers to view Jesus’ ministry through difference lenses and to see a broader, richer faith. Through action, reflection, and storytelling, this accessible resource equips individuals and communities to navigate life with deeper purpose and imagination—building bridges, inspiring change, and encountering God in expansive ways. For those considering using PPPP for a book group or church read, let me know. If you would like me to remotely join your group for an hour, let's arrange a time. [Email The Team](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) to set up a time. #### From the Introduction *Who do people say that I* *am?*—Mark 6:27 > We begin this particular Jesus journey with a screaming toddler on a cold Christmas Eve night. It was the late ’90s, and we had been trucking it from the Christmas Eve service that I led as the pastor of a local congregation to our family gathering. Every year, the rest of the family had to wait for my mom (also a Presbyterian minister) and me to finish our services before the feasting could begin. We were all getting a little tired and cranky. During this particular service, Jesus stickers were handed out to the kids as a way for them to remember that Jesus was with them, with us, and with the world. When we left service, Jesus was firmly in Ev’s hand, but by the time we arrived, Ev had fallen asleep and released their grip, allowing Jesus to disappear into the wilderness of a minivan abyss of goldfish crackers, single socks, and mysterious substances. When we pulled up to the driveway of my mom’s place and Ev woke up, we were greeted with the type of scream that only comes from an abruptly awakened hungry toddler. > “I lost Jesus!” was all we heard over and over and over again. “I lost Jesus! I lost Jesus! I lost Jesus!” > Being the loving, straitlaced, pious church parents that we were, we could only giggle to ourselves as we tried to comfort our child, who was so clearly distressed about losing Jesus. Seriously, we could barely hold in our outright laughter while trying to console our screaming child. And, miracles of miracles, Jesus somehow showed up, and Ev triumphantly declared, “I found him. I found Jesus!” > Whew. Crisis of faith averted. > This is where we begin with Jesus. Make no mistake, I take Jesus very seriously. And at the same time, I do not take us humans too seriously in our pursuit of understanding this divine human we call the Christ. We are complex people deserving of all the reactions when it comes to how we have approached Jesus: compassion, encouragement, gratitude, patience, and yes, even sometimes a little playful mockery. Thanks again for all of the support and for helping to fill in the cracks in between all of these projects. I am deeply grateful. [PRE-ORDER PPPP](https://bit.ly/preorderpppp?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Faith Montage: The Expansiveness of Gathering #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-gathering-as-misfits-and-strangers-letuspray-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T19:45:15.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Summer FAith Montage This week I continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using [slide versions](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage for personal or congregational use. We close out the "gathered" section of my Faith Montage with the part speaks of the spaces in which we come togtether. --- ### The Expansiveness of Gathering #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* We gather in forms and functions as expansive as creation is itself, by affiliation, association, denomination, and affinity, in living rooms, kitchens, coffee shops, corners, country churches, town-square sanctuaries, grand cathedrals, amid blaring speakers, bright lights, sacred windows, shiny screens, pipes floor to ceiling, folding chairs, dripping candles, well-worn pews, and worn-out carpet, with cymbals, bells, lyres, guitars, organs, drums, soundtracks, and turntables. Basking in the sounds of invitation. Held in welcomed silence. God gathers us still. *— Amen.* --- However or wherever you find yourself gathered with community this day, may you experience belonging, justice, and love. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 12, 2026 [**The Day's Readings (Year A)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=64&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Genesis 25:19-34 and Psalm 119:105-112 | Isaiah 55:10-13 and Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13 | Romans 8:1-11 | Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 [**NL Summer Readins (First and Second Timothy)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (Have Confidence in the Gospel) Accompanying text: Luke 15:4-7 In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. For more liturgy inspiration, check out [enfleshed](https://enfleshed.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [liturgylink ](https://www.liturgylink.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### GUEST: Laura Mariko Cheifetz URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/guest-laura-mariko-cheifetz-general-assembly-sermon-text/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T20:44:20.000Z One of the things that brings my heart joy, makes my soul sing, and gives me hope for the world is when friends do amazing things. Yes, all of my friends are amazing humans, but the path to doing these things out loud and being recognized for their amazingness is not the same for everyone, especially in predominantly white institutions like the Presbyterian Church (USA). Yes, my denomination has made wonderful strides in many areas of the past decade and has many Black and brown folks in leadership, but no one should underestimate the work, perseverance, and community that it takes for folks of color to be seen as equals. So when Laura was called as the Transitional Executive Presbyter at the [Presbytery of San Francisco](https://www.presbyteryofsf.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), the community rejoiced. For those of us who have been around a while, we know that the search processes to which we are often invited often do not lead to the offer. One has to be exceptional. San Francisco, the Presbytery where I have spent the bulk of my ministry, is no joke, but with great activism, passion, and personalities come great chaos. From all accounts, Laura has been a healing and healthy leader for a presbytery community in turmoil more often than not. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/laura-mariko-cheifetz-1-1.jpg) Laura speaking at an interfaith action in San Francisco. One of the ways I have been moved by Laura is through the words she shares with the communities she leads. I have rarely been able to hear her preach, but when I have, I have been stunned by how she applies the craft. She somehow manages to powerfully challenge our soul and lovingly poke us in the eye, and all the while finding ways to draw us in, make us laugh, and speak to what we need to hear at that particular moment in time. I consider very few folks in my immediate world excellent preachers – Laura is one of them. Last week, word of the banger of a sermon Laura delivered at a recent event started showing up in my socials, chats, and channels. Not being there, I only got bits and pieces from the online community and the [PC(USA) News Service](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2026/7/2/ga227-closing-sermon-gives-audacious-reckoning-church-harms?ref=reyes-chow.com), so I asked if she was willing to share it. With permission, here is the sermon text my colleague, friend, and sibling in Christ, Rev. Laura Mariko Cheifetz delivered at the closing worship of the [227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com) on July 2, 2026, in Milwaukee, WI. Here is a video recording of Laura's sermon moment. This is the kind of sermon that we should all play on the same Sunday. If you would like to view the worship service in its entirety, it is shared at the bottom of this post, just after her bio. **Scripture -** [Isaiah 58:6-12](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2058%3A6-12&version=NRSVUE&ref=reyes-chow.com) (NRSVUE) I bring you greetings from the Presbytery of San Francisco, land of the Ohlone people who were its first stewards, Alta California before the United States took it from Mexico. We are 67 congregations and 15 new worshiping communities strong. We are the collision of the sacred and the suffering, the brutal and the beautiful, and we do our ministry in English, Spanish, Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Tagalog. We do our ministry in jeans and robes, hanbok and haori, guayabera and drag. We are yours, and you are ours, siblings in Christ. It is our privilege to be in this together with you. Let us pray. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and Redeemer. Amen. I am here to preach about healing, picking up on the thread explored so beautifully earlier this week on leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations. The audacity to believe that we, here, in a mainline Protestant denomination, could be agents of healing, when we helped make this country exactly what it is becoming, the original Christian nationalists, perpetrator of the heresy of believing God gave us the right to own other human beings for profit, of the shameful sin of believing we deserved this land and the original stewards should be pushed aside and contained or eliminated. I shouldn’t be up here. Not only because I never took a preaching class in seminary… But because I am not the story this nation is officially celebrating on July 4th on its 250th birthday. I am a queer biracial woman, the daughter of the first in their family to marry outside the race, in a same-gender marriage, descended from people who made their way from Japan and eastern Europe, of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, ordained to ministry. I am a middle-aged normie, as boring as they get, I have lived in the west and the east and the midwest and the southeast, and I can guarantee you when the media profiles “real Americans,” it will never be my face. But here we are, we have spent decades saying we were wrong then, we must do differently now because of our faith. And here I am, I am up here anyway as generations of the white heteropatriarchy spin in their graves and squirm in their seats. This is the task, and the only way out of any difficult moment is through, so let's dig into it together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-1-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz.png) We are here in chapter 58, part of what is known as third Isaiah. The first part of the book of Isaiah is focused on God’s judgment against Israel and Judah, preceding the Babylonian exile, when a large portion of the people were taken into captivity in Babylonia, humiliated and stripped away from their land, their people, and their God. The second part of the book is focused on the return of these exiles, with words of comfort and hope for the restoration of the people after this massive trauma of displacement. And in third Isaiah, this section of the book, the people were trying to rebuild. They had been enslaved, displaced, humiliated, and exiled - and now they were trying to make another go of it. This time, who would they be? Well, based on how the prophet speaks to them, they are not doing a great job. And here they are rebuked. The restoration for which the prophets had yearned, had hoped for so long, was not borne out in the reality on the ground. Isaiah 58 begins: “Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins.” The passage we read is about worship. This is a reminder that being a faithful person is not just the external outward signs of worship, it is also that worship and fasting must be accompanied by acts of justice, and that all of this together indicates righteousness. A beautiful worship service while the poor and hungry are shut outside of your fancy gates doesn’t cut it. An eloquent prayer when one ignores the immigrant and the widow doesn’t pass muster. Quoting scripture while mistreating your employees will not make you righteous. Declaring oneself agents of a true faith while committing spiritual violence against your siblings will not make you holy. Spirituality, expressed here in third Isaiah, is not about what goes on inside one’s heart. It is also what one actually does out there in the world. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-2-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz.png) This is an expansion of the understanding of worship. This passage says worship is not only the parts we think of, the liturgy and the music and the standing up and sitting down and the passing of the peace. Worship is also the healing of the broken, the feeding of the hungry, the justice for the oppressed, the real manifestations of God’s love that can be seen and held, that make a real difference in the real world. “if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” Justice and righteousness are integral to the spirituality of our faith. The ancient ruins will be rebuilt, the foundations of many generations will be raised up, a people will be known as the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. If we are really going to do this, then something will be required of us, not just as hearers of this scripture, but us, specifically. What does it even mean to bring healing to a world in such desperate need of it, when we, inheritors of a religion of empire and a patriotism built of death and domination, are the ones who are so broken, everything we thought we knew and who we thought we were is up for grabs, when things we thought we were good at it turns out maybe don’t work anymore. And here is where we are called to have faith. I do not mean faith as a cliché, an anemic, meaningless word used as a weapon against those who disagree with us. I mean faith as the foundation, the backbone, the rebar. Faith as the love of a grandmother, the water the salmon swims in, the air we breathe, the soil in which the redwoods and the peach trees and grapevines grow. The faith that is strong enough to name evil for what it is. The faith that calls us to struggle with what ails us, what is really wrong with what we have done, instead of skipping to a quick symbolic action, as though our sins were written on an etch-a-sketch instead of upon the earth. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-3-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz.png) But our sins are undeniable. They are stamped on us and on the earth… In Topaz, Utah, where my grandmother and her family were incarcerated during World War 2 for the crime of being Japanese American, the outline of that American concentration camp that held Japanese Americans and Japanese people prohibited from seeking U.S. citizenship by law, can still be seen from space. The earth holds the visible outline of that sin and it cannot be undone. Faith calls us to know these sins in our bones. We do not have faith. Faith has us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-4-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz.png) I think faith exists with or without us, that God holds us even when we have let go, that our collective faith is so everpresent that we as individuals may take a break, have a moment of doubt, step away, but the faith in and of itself will go on forever, the communion of the baptized is always ready to receive us back, and the grace of God catches us in its stream, carrying us gently in those times when we can no longer manage to swim. This faith that will make even us agents of healing. Where I serve is filled with people yearning for God’s love, committed to sharing that love with the world. Where do you hear God? Where I serve, we hear God everywhere: in the vast silence of the forest, with the mighty redwoods, sequoias, oaks, towering over us. We hear God in the busy chatter of the street, over vendors, in the voices of immigrants and descendants of immigrants calling for justice, where we leave our church buildings and go out into the world. We work to end systemic racism, nurture our congregations and our partners, believe Black Lives Matter, transgender people are sacred, too. We seek to make things right by feeding our neighbors, serving hot meals, handing out bags of food from the food bank and produce from the church garden, going to encampments of neighbors who live outside to distribute toiletries and a meal. We seek to heal by showing up for our immigrant members and neighbors, providing cash assistance to those unable to support themselves because of this administration’s cruel and punitive approach to those who are refugees and immigrants. We go with them to court, stand outside in vigil with prayer, snacks and songs, cups of coffee, toys for the children (there are so many children going to immigration court). We connect the struggle for immigrant rights with the struggle to end state violence for all people. Carceral violence is carceral violence, whether it is inflicted by the state or a private corporation. Are not your hearts broken, too? Because my heart is broken. Beyond the individual griefs I hold, I know we are a people who changed almost nothing after Sandy Hook and Uvalde, because we have allowed our government to lock children up behind bars and put them in cages with impunity. Because the Supreme Court has shredded the Reconstruction amendments, the hard work of those who fought for human rights, because we are still supposed to get up and go to work and buy things and protest respectfully. I am not so foolish to believe our heartbreaks are the same, but I know we are all human. Because grief comes for us all. Because it is part of a regular human life. And being a human is so brutal… and so beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/5.png) We worship as faithful people, as whores and Philistines, as saints, holy and broken, sinful and sacred. We have managed to be both/and, to inspire each other and hurt each other, to gather in worship and say ridiculous things, sometimes in the same breath. We break each other’s hearts all the damn time, and those of us who have been so deeply wounded because we must live in a church that cannot help but treat us with contempt because we are Black or brown or foreign or queer or nonbinary or neurodivergent or disabled, because we are the ones who have to find our resilience, to convince the rest of you that our humanity deserves respect, that our people are beautiful and strong and brilliant, that our faith expression is not a branch but the roots. But I want to think about our broken hearts in the context of being healing agents. The moment our hearts break is the moment of possibility, where the breaks can make space for something different. God is in the break. In many genres of music, there is this part called the “break.” The “break” is an instrumental section, sometimes it’s the drum solo. It provides this space, where hip hop artists stretch out the time to allow for breakdancers to go wild, where jazz artists can shine, where the disco music changes completely for a moment. Poet, youth spoken word pioneer, and non-profit leader Michelle “Mush” Lee says “The break is the moment the song almost collapses and that is exactly where the freedom is.” Don’t you see that we are free? We worship a living God, a savior, who was executed, died, was buried, and descended into hell, and who, on the third day, rose again. We have already lived through death. We have been to hell and back. We have already lived through countless heartbreaks, survived and fought to stay in a church that had broken its promises long before it baptized us. We have already lived through schisms. We have lived through shared dehumanization, and always, we have limped back together through a faith that holds us. We are a forgiven people. We are a free people. We are a people who have been shown immense grace even when we did not deserve it. We are here because all this together, this sin and this beauty, in one painful gorgeous mix, made today possible. This is not to say “suffering is character-building,” but we are the church we are because we were the church we were. Sometimes, in the midst of our own failures, the sins of our forebears surrounding us, the grief of knowing we have benefited from the very same conditions that cause so much suffering, we trip ourselves up and forget we are loved, forgiven, and freed. In the book “My Friends” a teenager asked her friend’s mother, “Is it horrible being an adult?" ... "Unbearable," the mother replied. "You fail with almost everything, all the time.” We forget that in this failure, in recognizing it, in breaking the heart open, our hearts have the chance to become bigger. A broken heart is the moment of possibility. Every time we work to feed or house or clothe someone, every person who goes free because we worked together, every person who was told they were not enough and learn they are worthy because we make it so, we live into the possibility of healing that which is broken. I am heartened by our conviction to bring healing and I am flabbergasted by our audacity to believe we can do so, but do not be confused about our role. We are not agents, we are collaborators, if only because we have no other choice. God is the one who heals and we are the ones sent. Liberation is still both possible and inevitable. After all, our faith ancestors might be surprised? horrified? that a queer biracial Asian American woman of Jewish and Japanese descent closes this assembly, that I might be a physical manifestation of the possibilities of our faith. How many of us are less our ancestors’ wildest dreams, and more the culmination of the liberation created by the space in the heartbreak they caused or endured? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-6-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz-July-2-2026-.png) God’s healing will happen with or without us, “God will do whatever God must do,” said the preacher, and we are invited to join in. It is who we are, because of whose we are. We are meant to stay ready for the break, the moment when the music changes, for the chance to jump in and dance. Well. Do you hear it? The music has changed. The moment is now. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/Image-7-Laura-Mariko-Cheifetz.png) Go to “remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,” because you too know what heartbreak is, the heaviness in your chest, the sick feeling in your gut. You have been on the other side, too. Go to “offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted” because someone has accompanied you before, making sure you ate, making sure you knew you were loved. Go to choose this fast, “to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free.” Go with the audacity and obligation to be leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations, because you are forgiven and freed as Christ’s own. We are free! Ready? Here’s the break. Dance! Thank you Laura [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/07/laura-cheifetz.jpg)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ****The Reverend Laura Mariko Cheifetz** serves as the Transitional Executive Presbyter. A biracial Asian American queer ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she has served previously in racial and gender justice advocacy, religious publishing, reproductive justice, and theological education in the Midwest, East, and Southeast. Born in San Francisco, raised in eastern Oregon and western Washington, she is a double “pastors’ kid.” Laura is a graduate of North Park University (MBA, ’11), McCormick Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’05), and Western Washington University (BA in Sociology, 2000). She is the co-author and editor of “[Church on Purpose: Reinventing Discipleship, Community, & Justice](https://www.judsonpress.com/Products/J225/church-on-purpose.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com)” (Judson Press) and co-editor and contributor to “[Race in America: Christians Respond to the Crisis](https://www.wjkbooks.com/Products/0664267203/race-in-america.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com)” (Westminster John Knox Press), and a contributor to the documentary series “Trouble the Water: Conversations to Disrupt Racism and Dominance.” Laura's next project, "[Crossing Shores and Horizons: Asian and Asian American Transnational Feminist Theologies](https://www.wjkbooks.com/bookproduct/0664269508-crossing-shores-and-horizons/?ref=reyes-chow.com)" (Westminster John Knox Press) is due out in November, 2026. She serves on the advisory team for [Presbyterian Disaster Assistance](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/life-witness/ministry-areas/disaster-assistance?ref=reyes-chow.com) and the board of [PANAAWTM](https://www.panaawtm.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Pacific Asian North American Asian Women in Theology & Ministry) She lives with her partner and their rescue dog in the East Bay. ****Laura's sermon text is being shared with her permission. Please do not quote without attribution to Rev. Laura Mariko Cheifetz. If you would like to contact Laura directly, she can be reached** [****by eMail**](mailto:lcheifetz@sfpby.org) **or** [****on LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com)****.** [Laura on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### We Need an Intervention, Not a Birthday Party URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/we-need-an-intervention-not-a-birthday-party/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T20:35:41.000Z "Happy Birthday America!" does not feel right. When I think about a birthday party, I think of family and friends coming together to celebrate a person, to wish them well, and to show them that there is a community who loves and supports them. Well, Bruce, why can't you do that for the good ol' U.S. of A? Why can't you celebrate the United States, wish it well, and show others that you're part of a community that loves and supports it? Why? Because the United States does not deserve or need a birthday party while it is stripping away civil rights, disappearing people, ravaging the environment, and keeping people poor. We have all been to birthday parties in the past. They are filled with love, joy, and hopes for the future. Yes, they are also often seasoned with simmering beef between family members, unspoken slights, and the understanding that for one day, the person's flaws are overlooked, but they generally have a positive vibe. In the before times, sure, I could engage in a little escapism, overlook historic flaws and missteps, and join in for a good July 4th Birthday BBQ – but not this year. You will not find me celebrating the 250th Birthday of the United States, because just like a family member who is making terrible choices that inflict violence, pain, and suffering on themselves and others, the United States does not need a party that glosses over its actions – **the United States needs an intervention that confronts them.** While I assume most folks have been to a birthday party, I make no assumption that everyone has participated in an intervention or communal act of holding a loved one accountable. It is excruciating. There is an internal battle between wanting to loudly express rage at them, give up on them, or hug them so tightly that their pain could be released and all would be better in the world. I wish this experience upon no one, but sometimes because of the depth of our love and hope, there is no choice but to honestly and courageously confront our loved ones, or in this case and this year, the behavior of the United States. Holding loved ones accountable does not diminish my love for them; rather, it is a necessary act that does the opposite: it shows the depth of the love, tenderness, and hope others have for them. Refusal to hold the United States accountable makes me an accomplice and would further normalize and reinforce its behavior. For many celebrations, I have no doubt that this is exactly the intent of many of this weekend's parties, fairs, and celebrations: "Look over here, have some cake, and watch some fireworks, but please do not look over there where we are harming our own citizens, abandoning global partners, choosing war, and ultimately tearing apart our very own soul. " [I have written on this before](https://www.reyes-chow.com/opps-we-were-late-for-the-national-anthem-again/), but like so many who have been challenging the negative effects of Americanism, I am grateful to be part of this country ***and*** I have high hopes and expectations for what we can be and become. I admit that in the past I have allowed myself to overlook things I shouldn't have and participate in the occasional 4th shindig, but in this current political and cultural season, I cannot allow myself to take cover behind the privileges of my wealth, security, and social location. Of course, you do you, but on this Fourth of July, you will not find me celebrating the 250th birthday of our nation. The United States needs to be better before I can do so. However you will spend your 4th of July, may you know peace, Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) ### Faith Montage: Gathering as Misfits and Strangers #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-gathering-as-misfits-and-strangers-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:03:51.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Summer FAith Montage This week I continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using [slide versions](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage for personal or congregational use. For you pastors out there, I don't know about you, but I generally dread preaching on July 4th. It has often been because many of the churches that I have served have sacrificed themselves at the altar of "let's just get along," or I simply was not brave enough to tackle Christian Nationalism and toxic patriotism. This July 4th, you better believe that I am taking on both of those [when I am in the pulpit](https://ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I'll expand in the worship resources section, but I am going to try and come at it from two directions: we critique because we want the best for things we love, and we are all closer to crossing the line of kindness to cruelty than we would like to admit. But first, we continue working our way through my [Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/brc-faith-montage/) as we see how and why we gather as God's people. If you need a specific prayer addressing Christian Nationalism, here is one: [*For Those Fighting Christian Nationalism*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-those-fighting-christian-nationalism-letuspray/). --- ### Gathering as Misfits and Strangers #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *By dirt roads and oceans vast, across concrete highways and infinite skies,* *by coercion and by consequence, by circumstance, and by choice —* *our journeys converge.* *Ancestors and saints,* *generations past,* *generations of today,* *and generations yet to come.* *We arrive, we mingle, and we observe.* *We step forward, we step back, we pause, we try again* *We engage in a divine dance,* *these bodies, the body,* *all in a space that is God’s,* *These bodies embody the depth and texture of the Divine,* *seen and unseen,* *known and unknown,* *addressed and avoided.* *These bodies are not always in control,* *minds betraying,* *bodies breaking down,* *emotions in disarray,* *mind, body, and spirit,* *swirling, swirling, swirling.* *Misfits and strangers uniquely gathered like no place other.* *Gathered by love,* *gathered to love,* *gathered even when we are unable to love,* *and gathered especially when we feel undeserving of love.* *Woven together in moments momentary and lingering* *to worship God,* *to know what it is to belong,* *to celebrate the jubilance of life,* *to grieve when life is loss,* *to lament and to confess,* *to forgive and to be forgiven,* *to worship, to pray, to march, to nap,* *to argue, to ponder, to weep, to laugh,* *to discern the mind of Christ and the will of God,* *to love the other as the world would not want us to love* *ourselves,* *to affirm and proclaim that we belong to one another,* *and in turn we belong to God.* *— Amen.* --- Hoping that you experience belonging in many ways and in many places! Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 5, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=63&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 45:10-17](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=63&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Romans 7:15-25a](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=63&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=63&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(**[**CEB**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Esther 7:1-10, 9:1-2, 20-22, 29-32](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Esther+7%3A1-10%2C+9%3A1-2%2C+20-22%2C+29-32&ref=reyes-chow.com) (From Sadness to Joy) Accompanying text: [Luke 1:68-72](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Luke+1%3A68-72&ref=reyes-chow.com) (God Saves \[Biblical\] Israel) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E90: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e90-a-conversation-with-co-moderator-candidates-rebecca-luter-and-chris-peters/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T21:56:14.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 90 of The Amalgamation Podcast — *A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters.* This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the [227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com). In each episode, we discuss the future of the church, faith leaders and direction action, Christian Nationalism, ICE and Immigration, Christian Zionism, Artificial Intelligence, the debates about marriage, and more. You will also learn about the nerdiest parts of their lives, what they are watching, reading, or listening to, and each gets a chance to ask me one big question. All four candidate interview episodes, along with background info and links, drop on Saturday, June 27, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). For immediate access to all four interviews and all future episodes, [become a paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) or take advantage of this [**30-Day Trial Subscription**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/30-day-trial-subscription)**.** In this episode, I sit down with Chris Peters, a member of Homestead Presbytery and the pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Rebecca Luter, a member of the Presbytery of the Mid-South and the Pastor at Farmington Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Tennessee. They talk through how their partnership came together almost by accident, what it means to "stand" rather than run for office, and how they're each thinking about power, influence, and burnout as they enter a high-visibility two-year term. The conversation moves through some of the thorniest live questions in the denomination right now — Christian nationalism, immigration, the church's role in protest, AI in ministry — before closing out with a rapid-fire round on Enneagrams, Dave Matthews Band, and what's currently streaming in their living rooms. Chris and Rebecca bring different temperaments (an Enneagram 7 and a 9, as they'll happily tell you) and different entry points into this calling, but a shared instinct toward transparency, gratitude, and staying grounded in the "roots" of congregational life. It's a candid, often funny, occasionally moving conversation with two people about to take on a job neither of them expected to want. Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters. **Co-Moderator Candidacy Website:** [**www.preparetoemerge.org/**](https://www.preparetoemerge.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://patreon.com/Studio3050?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=creatorshare%5Ffan&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink). **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E89: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Co-Moderator Candidates Sean Chow and Frances Lin URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e89-a-conversation-with-co-moderator-candidates-co-moderator-candidates-sean-chow-and-frances-lin/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T21:54:17.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 89 of The Amalgamation Podcast — *Co-Moderator Candidates Sean Chow and Fraces Lin* This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the [227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com). In each episode, we discuss the future of the church, faith leaders and direction action, Christian Nationalism, ICE and Immigration, Christian Zionism, Artificial Intelligence, the debates about marriage, and more. You will also learn about the nerdiest parts of their lives, what they are watching, reading, or listening to, and each gets a chance to ask me one big question. All four candidate interview episodes, along with background info and links, drop on Saturday, June 27, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). For immediate access to all four interviews and all future episodes, [become a paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) or take advantage of this [**30-Day Trial Subscription**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/30-day-trial-subscription)**.** In this episode, I sit down with Sean Chow, Executive Director of the Presbytery of San Diego, and Francis Lin, Presbytery Leader in the Presbytery of Riverside — two mid-council leaders who want the church to lead with stories of resilience rather than anxiety about decline. Sean and Francis come at their shared candidacy from different angles — a church planter who describes himself as a "nice introvert hiding under the radar," and a presbytery executive who will cheerfully tell you her primary calling is to bring the party in. Together they talk about the real anxiety running through denominational staff during restructuring, what a 20-person desert church in Westmoreland taught them about vital ministry, and why they believe theology has to outrank ideology every time. The conversation moves from communion at the U.S.-Mexico border to personal experiences of racial discrimination during COVID, from the consolidation of General Assembly bodies. Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Frances Lin and Sean Chow. **Co-Moderator Candidacy Website:** [**www.gods-abundance.com**](http://www.gods-abundance.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://patreon.com/Studio3050?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=creatorshare%5Ffan&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink). **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E88: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e88-a-conversation-with-co-moderator-candidates-barbara-barkley-and-bill-myers/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T21:52:52.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 88 of The Amalgamation Podcast — *A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers* This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the [227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com). In each episode, we discuss the future of the church, faith leaders and direction action, Christian Nationalism, ICE and Immigration, Christian Zionism, Artificial Intelligence, the debates about marriage, and more. You will also learn about the nerdiest parts of their lives, what they are watching, reading, or listening to, and each gets a chance to ask me one big question. All four candidate interview episodes, along with background info and links, drop on Saturday, June 27, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). For immediate access to all four interviews and all future episodes, [become a paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) or take advantage of this [**30-Day Trial Subscription**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/30-day-trial-subscription)**.** In this episode, I sit down with co-moderator candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers for a conversation that moves between mock town-hall questions and genuinely personal reflection on crossing political and racial divides, the role of protest in the church, immigration, AI in ministry, and what keeps two pastors from very different corners of the country (a Bay Area congregation and a small church in Charleston, West Virginia) on the same ticket. Along the way they trade origin stories, talk through where they disagree with denominational decisions, and somehow end up discussing Bill's audition for a community theater production of Mamma Mia. It's a candid, often funny, occasionally moving look at two people asking to lead a divided denomination through a hard moment by staying at the table with them. Barbara is a member of the Presbytery of San Francisco and is the Pastor of Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek, CA whose ministry centers on bridging political and racial divides, both within her own congregation and at the presbytery level. Bill is a member of the Presbytery of West Virginia and the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, West Virginia, where his ministry has focused on community life with young people aging out of foster care and on lifting up the stories of overlooked rural congregations. Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Bill Myers and Barbara Barkley **Co-Moderator Candidacy Website:** [**www.firstpresby.com/general-presbyter-election**](http://www.firstpresby.com/general-presbyter-election?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://patreon.com/Studio3050?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=creatorshare%5Ffan&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink). **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E87: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Marta Pumroy-Cordero and Kris Schondelmeyer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e87-a-conversation-with-co-moderator-candidates-marta-pumroy-cordero-and-kris-schondelmeyer/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T21:50:53.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 87 of The Amalgamation Podcast — *A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Marta Pumroy-Cordero and Kris Schondelmeyer* This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the [227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering?ref=reyes-chow.com). In each episode, we discuss the future of the church, faith leaders and direction action, Christian Nationalism, ICE and Immigration, Christian Zionism, Artificial Intelligence, the debates about marriage, and more. You will also learn about the nerdiest parts of their lives, what they are watching, reading, or listening to, and each gets a chance to ask me one big question. All four candidate interview episodes, along with background info and links, drop on Saturday, June 27, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). For immediate access to all four interviews and all future episodes, [become a paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) or take advantage of this [**30-Day Trial Subscription**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/30-day-trial-subscription)**.** In this episode, I sit down with Kris Schondelmeyer, a member of the Presbytery of East Iowa and the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, Iowa, and Marta Pumroy-Cordero, a Ruling Elder in the Tres Rios Presbytery and the Border Ministry Coordinator for the Tres Rios Border Foundation. Their partnership began with a dream Kris had on election night 2024, a phone call in January 2025, and a shared return to Revelation 22, "the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations", months before they learned that exact passage would become the assembly's theme. From there, the conversation opens into a wide-ranging town hall covering the limits of the moderator's office, immigration, Christian nationalism, AI in ministry, and the church's conversations on marriage and covenant. Closing with reflections on joy as resistance and a belief that the Spirit is still moving. Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Kris Schondelmeyer and Marta Pumroy-Cordero. **Co-Moderator Candidacy Website:** [**www.betheleaves.org**](http://www.betheleaves.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://patreon.com/Studio3050?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=creatorshare%5Ffan&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink). **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 10 Questions to Ask About Your Church Website URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/10-questions-to-ask-about-your-church-website/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T15:48:32.000Z Okay, for those of you who saw this post and reacted, "Are we STILL trying to figure this out?" I hear you. But I request that you tuck your smugness away for just a moment and remember that there is never a bad time to evaluate your website. And at the same time, yes, we are still talking about this, and sometimes I am still taken aback by the state of many churches' website presence. But before we begin, let's begin with the prayer from the introduction of the 2012 no-award-winning, now-out-of-print eBook, [*The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church*](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Definitive-Ish+Guide+for+Using+Social+Media+in+the+Church&sca%5Fesv=914c371056b3db24&rlz=1CABDLY%5FenUS1216US1216&biw=1536&bih=791&sxsrf=APpeQnvSnmJyUL%5FtmRch8RSz4nbksKaSWw%3A1781923557380&ei=5f41atzmFvrNkPIP%5FabV4QE&ved=0ahUKEwic7Z3F5pSVAxX6JkQIHX1TNRwQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=The+Definitive-Ish+Guide+for+Using+Social+Media+in+the+Church&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiPVRoZSBEZWZpbml0aXZlLUlzaCBHdWlkZSBmb3IgVXNpbmcgU29jaWFsIE1lZGlhIGluIHRoZSBDaHVyY2gyBBAjGCcyBBAjGCdIqQdQ6QJY3wRwAXgAkAEAmAGjAaABuAKqAQMwLjK4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgKgAsICmAMAiAYBkgcDMC4yoAfYB7IHAzAuMrgHwgLCBwUwLjEuMcgHBoAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Shookfoil Books). For those who remember when this came out, it was 14 friggin' years ago. #### **Lord's Prayer 2.0** Let us pray – Our Tweeter, which art on the Interwebs retweeted be thy post. Thy followers come, thy links be done, on Instagram as they are on Pinterest. Give us this day our daily tweet and forgive us our spam as we forgive those who forward spam to us. Lead us not into oversharing, but deliver us from phishers. For thine is the homepage and the sticky site and the blog post. For 140 characters. – Amen. Okay, now that we have taken care of the cringey part of the show, let's talk about church websites. Over the years, as I work with congregations on a variety of topics, one consistent question is, "How do we attract young families?" That question is often followed by some version of, "How do we use technology to attract young families?" The question of attracting and connecting with young families requires its own post, but let me say that I am adamant that starting with tactical questions doom churches to ongoing grief, frustration, and desperation. That said, because websites are the primary way folks will find, learn about, and verify information about a congregation, one area of technology that should be addressed right away is the website. But Bruce, all the kool kidz are on the TikToks. Hate to harsh most of your mellows, but save a very few who have organically tapped into a particular demographic, pursuing the TikToks of the world is a fool's errand. I know we would like to believe that building a robust social media presence is where churches should focus their energy, but the reality is that most congregations lack the capacity, commitment, or expertise to create, populate, and maintain one. What every church has the capacity to have, however, is an effective website. I sometimes get asked to do a quick assessment of a church's website, which mostly involves slapping on my church-shopping glasses followed by a conversation with church leadership. As I assess a website's effectiveness, I view it through the following 10 lenses. I ask these questions and posit these opinions based on 20+ years of conversations about digital ministry and church growth, my family's personal church-shopping experience, and far too many episodes of frustration with church websites. These questions are offered in a loose order of importance and are nowhere near exhaustive. Each of these questions is worthy of a dedicated post, but instead I am going with trenchant and conversation-instigating. Here we go... #### 1) Who is it for: inquiring visitors or current participants? I start here because the answer to this will determine most of what comes next. And yes, I believe that there is a right answer: 99.9% of church websites should be centered on inquiring visitors. I understand the urge to believe that current participants and members are diligent and disciplined about visiting the church website, but in my observations, this is not the case. They may visit it on occasion to check on event logistics, but for very little else. Poll your folks to find out, and after they let you know how little they visit the site, proceed to centering your website on inquiring visitors. Now, some of you may be part of the .01% of churches that have the capacity, expertise, and a compelling reason to encourage members to use the website. That is great, but you can still center the overall website experience on new people by including a discreet "MEMBERS" button that leads to password-protected content. Before investing a ton of energy in a members-only portal, be realistic about how likely members are to use it. Most church website traffic will come from people looking for a church to visit, trying to find its location, or verifying what others have said about the church. By clearly understanding who will be viewing it, energy and resources can be directed more effectively. It is with the understanding that most websites should center on inquiring visitors that I offer and respond to the rest of these questions. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Faith Montage: Beautiful and Complicated Creatures #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-gods-gathered-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T13:19:15.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Summer FAith Montage This week I continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using [slide versions](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage (See below) for personal or congregational use. I'm back. Sorry about missing last week. The past 10-ish days have been all about getting settled into my SoCal housing and riding a steep learning curve for worship planning. It has been energizing, but a lot. For those outside the church, I am currently serving as a p/t Transitional Pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, CA. I'll be here for a year-ish helping the community move towards calling a new permanent pastor. When someone like me arrives, there are always folks want things to happen and for me to quickly get to it. Perfectly natural, but whenever I arrive somewhere tasked with some particular tasks, I remind myself not to jump in before I know the people. Getting to know folks before entering any change conversation seems pretty basic, but [the tyranny of the urgent](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780877840923?ref=reyes-chow.com) makes jumping right in quite attractive. With this in mind, it seems only fitting that we enter the section of the Faith Montage that speaks the complexity and beauty of God's GATHERED*.* --- ### Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *Created in the image of God,* *I choose to join with others as God’s GATHERED.* *We are the body gathered,* *beautiful, powerful, holy bodies.* *These bodies are of all shapes, sizes, abilities, and hues.* *These bodies move through the world* *loving and loved,* *desiring and desired,* *healing and healed.* *These bodies hold tightly and tenderly the complexities of being:* *attractions, peeves, passions, scars, successes, traumas, triggers,* *desires, rejections, revelry, heartbreak, intentions, rage, rapture,* *miscues, magnificence, contradictions, courage, determination,* *discombobulation, dwelling, doubt.* *Beautiful and complicated creatures seeking and being sought,* *committed and compelled humans navigating the complexities of the world,* *and people loved beyond our imagination by the One who beckons us forth.* *— Amen.* --- Again, thanks for stopping in one more time. I appreciate you! Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 21, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Genesis 21:8-21](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Romans 6:1b-11](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [Matthew 10:24-39](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=61&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(**[**CEB**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Ruth 4:1-22](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Ruth+4%3A1-22&ref=reyes-chow.com) (New Life) Accompanying text: [Luke 1:46-55](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Luke+1%3A46-55&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Mary Praises God) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. Gift Subscriptions If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com). [🧧 Gift Subscription ](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Standing Firm When Hubris, Saviorism, and Greed Converge URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hubris-saviorism-greed-oh-my/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T13:23:19.000Z It feels like every conversation I have had or note I have sent over the past few years has begun with some version of "Despite the weight of the world, I hope you are finding joy." I do this because I do not want to normalize the struggles of the world around us, nor do I want any of us to allow the world's suffering to define our entire existence or our experience of it. It is a lot to ask of ourselves, I know. It is exhausting to simultaneously seek joy, resist the normalization of cruelty, and accomplish everyday tasks that keep our lives moving forward. I am right there with you. And yet, one act of resistance against what is being inflicted upon society by the current presidential administration is to refuse to do what they want: to turn on another. I thought about this as I stood in line at the Post Office this morning. The branch was supposed to open at 9:00, and at 8:55 there were three of us in the queue (apparently I'm English now). At 9:05, a few more joined the line, and at 9:10, a few more joined, and the grumbling began. At 9:15, the muttering increased in volume and frequency, until someone started pounding on the door in hopes of getting someone's attention. At 9:20, a few folks left in exasperation, some with colorful commentary spoken into the abyss. And then at 9:30, a counter person showed up. She thanked us for our patience, and the line of about 20 people was let in. Yes, I was a little frustrated by the whole thing and might have had to leave if I had other commitments, but mostly all I could think of was how the Post Office has been enduring endless attacks on its very existence. [Because this administration does not value the Post Office as worthy of federal support](https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/trumps-postmaster-general-says-usps-may-shut-down-in-a-year/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and expects it to be profitable, [post offices in rural communities will close](https://mainebeacon.com/how-postal-changes-from-trump-administration-threaten-rural-voters/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [postage is being increased, retirement contributions are being paused](https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/lifestyle/postal-service-pensions-usps-stamp-price-increase-b2955312.html?ref=reyes-chow.com), and there is [a self-inflicted staffing shortage](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/08/over-10000-usps-employees-take-early-retirement-offer-meeting-target-to-shrink-workforce/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I have no idea why the worker was late, but that doesn't matter to me. **The Postal System and the workers are being set up to fail.** While the worker was apologetic for being late and was efficient with all of the customers, can you imagine what it would be like to work under this kind of national microscope? If your job is no longer seen as a needed service and worthy of federal support, what is the motivation? Having a good work ethic and pride in a job well done only goes so far when you are being asked to do more with less and witnessing your own government [buy into the myth that privatization is the solution](https://phenomenalworld.org/analysis/unstitching-america/?ref=reyes-chow.com). FTR, I see the Post Office, like public education and universal healthcare, as a service for the people and should not be measured by its annual bottom line. Our government seems willing to find billions of dollars for [wars of choice](https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/hegseth-defends-budget-request-iran-war-cost/4400800/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [gaudy ballrooms](https://abcnews.com/Politics/breakdown-1-billion-request-trumps-white-house-ballroom/story?id=132927177&ref=reyes-chow.com), and [retaliation slush funds](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/justice-department-announces-a-1-7-billion-anti-weaponization-fund-fund-to-compensate-trump-allies?ref=reyes-chow.com), so this is not about financial prudence for the people, but about prioritizing and consolidating wealth for the rich. But back to this morning's events. What was experienced here was the convergence of hubris, saviorism, and greed, disguised as fiscal responsibility. First, this President and his administration believe that if they declare the Postal Service no longer worthy of support because of its inefficiency, it should be taken as fact, and all actions should be based on this new "truth." As planned, this creates conflict, confusion, and chaos that leads to the deterioration of services and morale – which reinforces their point. Then, when the chaos and turmoil erupt and begin to impact the public, they step in and offer "reasonable and responsible" solutions to a situation they created in the first place – all the while gaslighting anyone who calls them out. And lo and behold, those solutions benefit those who are poised to become even wealthier at the expense of those who rely on the US Postal Service for services beyond mail delivery. And yes, I did have enough time to actually think about that this morning while waiting in line – 30 minutes, in fact. When the wait was over, and it was my turn, I approached the counter with openness and empathy. Thankfully, I was not the only one who chose a path of understanding. Since most of the really frustrated folks left, there was almost a "don't worry, this environment has got to suck" vibe from more than a few. I choose to believe folks understood the contextual complexity of the situation, found the courage not to lash out in frustration, and chose kindness as an acknowledgment of what another human must be going through. While this was not a huge public act of resistance, it was a moment when a group of people somehow chose a different path – and, as cheesy as it may sound, many small acts of resistance can add up to outright revolution. If you were in line this morning at the Catalina USPS, thank you for doing your part. For the rest of you rabblerousers, don't miss your chance to do likewise, whether at the Post Office, the DMV, or [at the barricades](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU64lZRoBhQ&ref=reyes-chow.com). Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) \*\* While I know that no one was waiting on bated breath for my next think piece, thank you for your patience with my lack of content these past months. Honestly, as I think back over the past few months, my lack of production has been a combination of not believing I have anything helpful or new to offer and the reality that I've been swimming in a swirling pool of self-inflicted and welcomed celebrations and transitions. No complaints, just where I have been. But . . . with one kid married, one kid moved, my last book project nearly complete, and my settling in at the new church, I have cleared some writing space and will share more to honor your support. ### Faith Montage: Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-grounded-in-the-presence-of-god-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T19:40:57.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Summer FAith Montage This week I continue with the [next section of my Faith Montage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/404/) from [**Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com). I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using [slide versions](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage (See below) for personal or congregational use. Looks like summer has begun. As I reflect on my transition to [Pasadena Presbyterian Church](https://www.ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com), plan family vacations, and engage in "normal" life activities, the weight of the world continues to tug at my soul. I share this not to shame or guilt, but to simply acknowledge how easy it is for us to normalize life when others are suffering. As I reflect on the many privileges afforded to me and my family, I continue to center my life on "the work" to make this possible for all people. A stark reminder is this note from our friends in Gaza. > \[6/1, 12:36 PM\]: Hello Robin, Bruce and their family > \[6/1, 12:36 PM\]: How are you all > \[6/1, 12:39 PM\]: This period is very bad. Life is tense, and there is indiscriminate bombing everywhere. We have had the worst Eid al-Adha ever. There is no joy, no Eid gifts, no sacrifice. There are no signs of happiness or celebration for the holiday. Where I live, there are frequent evacuations, destruction, and killing. Our family does what we can to help financially, and we certainly lift our friends up in prayer, but we also vote and act in ways that we hope will make a difference in their lives. And this is yet only one family who happened to connect with us two years ago. It is overwhelming, and sometimes paralyzing, to think of so many who are suffering in isolation. So today, I commit again to keep at it. And this week's section of my Faith Montage grounds me in that work. This week's sections: what it means to be *GROUNDED in the presence of God.* --- ### Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *I am GROUNDED in the presence of God.* *God knows me.* *God sees me.* *God loves me.* *And that is enough.* *God is with me.* *God has been with me.* *God will always be with me.* *Through crawling minutes and blurred decades, mundane whispers and shouts of magnificence, awkward encounters and an impassioned embrace, brisk breezes, warm skies, cool fog, living deserts, flourishing forests, living water, the farm, the field, the town, the suburb, the streets, and the city,* *during protests, parties, feasts, and funerals,* *at coffee shops, clubs, stages, pitches, courts, corners, classrooms, playgrounds, porches, barbershops, dining tables, couches, screens, and every unexpected holy space:* *Through and in it all, God is known to my soul,* *and I am reminded that I am known by God.* *— Amen.* --- Thanks for hanging out here. You will notice that I added a section to the liturgical resources. I am having the church read through the Belhar Confession over the summer, so I have included that *Affirmation of Faith*. Also, I may be posting this note on Wednesdays at noon-ish from now on, as my workflow is shifting. We shall see. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 7, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings** ](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com)**(**[**NRSV**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Genesis 12:1-9](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) and [Psalm 33:1-12](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Hosea 5:15-6:6](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Foth%5Freading) and [Psalm 50:7-15](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Foth%5Freading) | [Romans 4:13-25](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=59&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(**[**CEB**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Ruth 2:1-23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%202&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Gleaning and Hope) and [Luke 6:36-38](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A36-38&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Give and It Will Be Given) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. Gift Subscriptions If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com). [🧧 Gift Subscription ](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Faith Montage: I am Known by God #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/faith-montage-when-i-am-known-by-god-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T13:16:08.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). How is it almost June? I was having a conversation with someone this week about activism, faith, and the church. We talked about the need for our actions to be rooted in and grounded in an understanding of our faith. Elements of our faith will shift and change over time, but for people of faith, we will make the strongest impact if our actions and our activities are rooted in our beliefs. Yes, this seems pretty basic, but I have found that when I am feeling a little bit off-kilter, I need to stop, take a breath, and ask myself why I am doing what I am doing. Maybe the disorientation is justified, but sometimes it becomes clear that I have bought into motivations that are not worthy of my energy, time, or resources. That feeling inside is the Spirit poking and prodding to check myself. This conversation, combined with the reality that there is a month of self-inflicted chaos ahead of me with our family Bay Area move and my move to Pasadena to start my time as the p/t Transitional Pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. What I am going to do is to share my "Statement of Faith," or as I titled it in [*Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com), my "Faith Montage." I am sure you will not agree with everything, but I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you're interested, I am in the process of litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage and creating [slides](https://bit.ly/BRCFAithMontageLitanies?ref=reyes-chow.com) for folks to use. Also, if you are a Paid Subscriber, you can get a PDF of the entire montage (See below) for personal or congregational use. I begin with the belief that, *in life and in death, I belong to God*. --- ### I am Known by God #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *I choose to believe that, in life and in death, I belong to God.* *God stirs my soul.* *In the morning, life-giving first breath fills my lungs.* *God stills my spirit.* *In the evening, the calm of the night flows through my body.* *God moves me.* *The Holy One beckons me forth,* *through bands of light,* *into coves of darkness,* *woven into rainbows,* *and amid the in-between and unknown—* *All the while, with every tender breath,* *I am reminded of God’s hoping, yearning, and dreaming* *that I grow into all I am intended to become.* *I am *GROUNDED* in the presence of God.* *God knows me.* *God sees me.* *God loves me.* *And that is enough.* *God is with me.* *God has been with me.* *God will always be with me.* *Through crawling minutes and blurred decades,* *mundane whispers and shouts of magnificence,* *awkward encounters and an impassioned embrace,* *brisk breezes, warm skies, cool fog, living deserts, flourishing forests, living water,* *the farm, the field, the town, the suburb, the streets, and the city,* *during protests, parties, feasts, and funerals,* *at coffee shops, clubs, stages, pitches, courts, corners, classrooms, playgrounds, porches, barbershops, dining tables, couches, screens, and every unexpected holy space:* *Through and in it all, God is known to my soul,* *and I am reminded that I am known by God.* *— Amen.* --- Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, May 31, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings** ](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com)**(**[**NRSV**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [1 Samuel 2:1-10](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 113](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Romans 12:9-16b](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [Luke 1:39-57](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=55&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL Readings (Ruth & Esther)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NL-summer-readings-2026%5Frev.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(**[**CEB**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Ruth 1:1-22](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Ruth+1%3A1-22&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Loss and Loyalty) Accompanying text: [Matthew 5:3-9](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Matthew+5%3A3-9&ref=reyes-chow.com) (The Beatitudes) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. Gift Subscriptions If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com). [🧧 Gift Subscription ](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### When Hatred and Gun Violence Collide #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/when-hatred-and-gun-violence-collide-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T06:56:50.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Antisemitism, Islamophobia, conflating Judaism with Israel, and the rise in anti-Muslim hate speech by public leaders have led to too many deaths, grief, rage, and trauma — that will take generations to heal. This week, there was [another shooting](https://www.npr.org/2026/05/19/nx-s1-5826068/shooting-at-islamic-center-of-san-diego-leaves-5-dead?ref=reyes-chow.com) reportedly [driven by white supremacist ideology](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/19/san-diego-mosque-shooting?ref=reyes-chow.com). Just [another day of gun violence in America](https://www.reyes-chow.com/another-mass-shooting-a-prayer/). It seems society, as a whole, has become numb to the bloodshed and has resigned itself to the idea that our addiction to guns and the epidemic of gun violence are normal and unavoidable. I get it, being overwhelmed by the number of issues confronting society today, but we must not become more indifferent to gun violence — the terror it causes, the grief it creates, or the retribution it generates. We must not normalize [young people filled with hate](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/san-diego-mosque-shooters-motives-hate-crime.html?ref=reyes-chow.com), [students being traumatized at school](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/19/nine-year-old-boy-san-diego-shooting-mosque?ref=reyes-chow.com), or the growing rollcall of [heroes](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/5/19/i-knew-amin-abdullah-the-hero-of-the-san-diego-mosque-shooting?ref=reyes-chow.com) who give up their lives protecting others. Instead, we must continue to raise our collective voices and act in ways that say there is a different way of living in a world of conflict and confrontation. We must keep working to change the political will of our public servants as well as our cultural connection to guns. **For those who continue to scream this from the mountaintops, thank you, and please don't stop.** The following prayer is one I submitted for the project, [*How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence*](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Code BRC for 20% off). The number of instances of hatred being lived out through gun violence can be paralyzing and overwhelming, so if you need a prayer, I hope this prayer helps... --- ### When Hatred and Gun Violence Collide #LetUsPray *let us pray —* *god of every hue and every human,* *gun violence, fueled by hate, is not your will.* *the depth of our sorrow cannot be measured* *as groans of grief vibrate in our bones* *and the needless loss of life surpasses understanding* *but what can we expect when we live in* *a culture that justifies hatred* *because of who one worships* *because of who one loves* *because of where one was born* *because of what one looks like* *because of what one does* *because of one’s passions* *because of one’s politics* *because of how one simply moves through the world* *. . . and, god, often this hatred is sown in your holy name.* *and what can we expect when guns are so deeply embedded* *in our culture when guns are gamified without discretion* *when guns are glorified as tools of power* *when our response to gun violence is more guns* *when gun profit has more power than human potential* *when guns are too easy to get* *when global siblings have shown us a different way* *when we have lost our ability to embody nuance, embrace sensibility, and mine wisdom.* *when it feels like we have thrown up our hands and given up.* *god, we have lost our way.* *and yet, god, you have greater expectations for us* *you expect us to choose a path of life over death* *to choose possibility over profit* *to choose acceptance over exclusion* *to choose grace over retribution* *to choose discernment over disregard* *to think* *to pray* *to act* *and above all* *to choose love over hate.* *for these things we pray — amen.* --- For those of us who have been personally touched by gun violence, whenever these things happen, feelings and memories come flooding back. If that is you, you are seen and held by many in the same way I am sure see and hold others. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### The Day of Pentecost, May 24, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings** ](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**(**[**NRSV**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Acts 2:1-21](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) **or** [*Numbers 11:24-30*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Foth%5Freading) | [Psalm 104:24-34, 35b](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [1 Corinthians 12:3b-13](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) **or** [*Acts 2:1-21*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Foth%5Freading) | [John 20:19-23](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) **or** [*John 7:37-39*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=51&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Foth%5Freading) [**NL442 Readings**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(**[**CEB**](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**):** [Acts 2:1-21](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Acts+2%3A1-21&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Philippians 4:4-7](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=Philippians+4%3A4-7&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [John 14:16-17](https://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore/passage-lookup/?query=John+14%3A16-17&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. Gift Subscriptions If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com). [🧧 Gift Subscription ](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Beverages with Bruce: walo URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-walo/ Last updated: 2026-05-19T13:51:00.000Z [**walo = "eight" in Tagalog**](https://www.google.com/search?q=eight+in+tagalog&rlz=1C5OZZY%5FenUS1210US1210&oq=eight+in+ta&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgBEAAYgAQyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIICAYQABgWGB4yBggHEEUYPNIBCDUwNzZqMGo0qAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ref=reyes-chow.com) It's been a minute, but I'm back. The past few months' activities have been a wee bit overwhelming with a wedding, an unexpected church gig, and our moving extravaganza 2026 — all good and self-inflicted. Here are the public [cliffsnotes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CliffsNotes?ref=reyes-chow.com) with more details, photos, and [chismis](https://www.google.com/search?q=chismis+meaning+in+english&sca%5Fesv=3f93c59223b10fa0&rlz=1C5OZZY%5FenUS1210US1210&sxsrf=ANbL-n4Jb6tYkRRyBaYHawXbhkdKIc8tcg%3A1779142116486&ei=5I0Lapu7HcLOkPIPze-4gQI&biw=1440&bih=778&oq=chismis+tagalog&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiD2NoaXNtaXMgdGFnYWxvZyoCCAAyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyChAAGEcY1gQYsAMyDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAMyDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAMyDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAMyDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAMyDhAAGOQCGNYEGLAD2AEBMg4QABjkAhjWBBiwA9gBATIOEAAY5AIY1gQYsAPYAQEyFxAuGNwGGLgGGNoGGNgCGMgDGLAD2AEBMhcQLhjcBhi4BhjaBhjYAhjIAxiwA9gBAUjTEVAAWABwA3gBkAEAmAEAoAEAqgEAuAEByAEAmAIDoAIKmAMAiAYBkAYRugYGCAEQARgJkgcBM6AHALIHALgHAMIHBTAuMi4xyAcIgAgB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) for Paid Subscribers to follow. In no particular order... - **Bruce's Beverage:** Because [corporate Philz decided to drop all pride flags](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/california-coffee-shops-pride-flags-philz?ref=reyes-chow.com) ([eventually reconsidering](https://philzcoffee.com/philz-coffee-brings-back-pride-flags?ref=reyes-chow.com)), I have not had Philz in quite a while. - **One Wedding:** Eldest got married in April. We danced, we ate, we cried, we laughed. It was lovely. We are so happy for and proud of them. - **Gun Violence Prayerbook:** The prayerbook has been released. I've [shared a few here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/gun-violence-prayers/), but if you want to get copies, [buy them here](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) and use promo code, "BRC" to get 20% off. - **PPPP Book Update:** The big edit for *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ* and the accompanying Advent devotional, *Possibility,* have been submitted. - **RCP Family Moving Saga:** Completely self-inflicted, we are in stage two of three in our move. We should land in our permanent-ish location by the end of the month. - **Middle's Adventure:** Middle is moving to New York, so I am squeezing as much time in between now and the time they leave as I can 🥹 - **Speaking of Adventures:** June 1, I begin a part-time Transitional Pastor position at [Pasadena Presbyterian Church](https://www.ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you are in the area . . . - **Canceled:** Sadly, the folks at [Sabeel](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and I decided to cancel the [Educators, Librarians, and Archivists Solidarity Delegation to Palestine](https://www.reyes-chow.com/educators-librarians-and-archivists-solidarity-delegation-to-palestine/) that I was planning to lead in July. - **Bridge Pastorate:** Not planning much before I head to Pasadena, I just wrapped up a quick Bridge Pastorate at the [Presbyterian Church in Burlingame](https://burlpres.church/?ref=reyes-chow.com). My resume is going to look like I cannot hold a job. - **The Pod:** The Amalgamation Podcast is really having a glow up now that I have brought on a Producer and Editor. If you have not subscribed, you can [find it wherever you listen](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). - **Apple No More:** With my Mac showing its age and [the GoogleBook](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/meet-googlebook/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on the horizon, I am making this switch back to a Chromebook. [My refurbished Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 ](https://amzn.to/4ftaUeT?ref=reyes-chow.com)arrives any day now, and once it goes into the backpack, I will be apple-free. - **Sight and Sounds:** Our recent binges have been [*Douglas is Canceled*](https://www.britbox.com/us/season/Douglas%5Fis%5FCancelled%5FS1%5F10238822?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Hope Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope%5FStreet%5F%28TV%5Fseries%29?ref=reyes-chow.com) on Britbox. I have also got back into K-Drama with [*Undercover Mi$$ Hong*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39219419/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Bruno Mars's newest album, [The Romantic](https://open.spotify.com/album/7vI4iTxDmgEN63liQHPEX1?si=e49B0eFSRoOaRMOnZPaGhw&ref=reyes-chow.com), and my [Love's In the Melody Radio Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E8MPBhF8Oqqpo?si=8V2WXnyfTI6zbenNil-UKw&ref=reyes-chow.com) are repeat. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E86: A Conversation with Oliver Ma, Candidate for CA Lt. Governor URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e86-a-conversation-with-oliver-ma-candidate-for-ca-lt-governor/ Last updated: 2026-05-15T12:06:54.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 86 of The Amalgamation Podcast — ***A Conversation with Oliver Ma, Candidate for CA Lt. Governor*** Disclaimer [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/05/Ma-headshot.jpg)](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/brc4oliverma?ref=reyes-chow.com) Full transparency, our family is supporting Oliver with our social juice and our financial resources. If you like what you hear and read, please join us and give some $$ to the campaign! [Join our Team ](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/brc4oliverma?ref=reyes-chow.com) Because election day is so close, we are releasing the both the trailer and full episode this weekend, so be sure to subscribe [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes, [**become a paid subscriber**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** ### About Oliver: Oliver Ma is a Civil Rights Lawyer and Democratic Socialist running for California Lieutenant Governor. Growing up in an immigrant family in Southern California, one of his most formative memories is his grandma getting racially profiled and almost sent to an immigration detention center. He learned then that justice and change is something you have to fight for. So, to fight for his families, he went to UC Berkeley for his undergrad, and Harvard where he studied to become a lawyer. Since then, he has fought for working people in and out of the courtroom, representing families against their slumlords, training thousands of volunteers to fight ICE, and litigating lawsuits to stop illegal immigration raids in California. ### Connect to the Campaign: - [www.oliverma2026.com](http://oliverma2026.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Mobilize for Oliver Ma 2026 ](https://www.mobilize.us/olivermaforlieutenantgovernor/event/836954/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Give through the RCP for Oliver Team Page](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/brc4oliverma?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Connect with Oliver on the Socials - [TikTok: OliverMa2026](https://www.tiktok.com/@oliverma2026?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Instagram: OliverForCa](https://www.instagram.com/oliverforca/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Facebook: OliverMa2026](https://www.facebook.com/oliverma2026/) - [YouTube: OliverMa2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE2VHOs41sE&ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://patreon.com/Studio3050?utm%5Fmedium=clipboard%5Fcopy&utm%5Fsource=copyLink&utm%5Fcampaign=creatorshare%5Ffan&utm%5Fcontent=join%5Flink). **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For When We Leave #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-when-we-leave-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T19:23:41.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Apologies for taking last week off. I have been [finishing up my time as the p/t Bridge Pastor](https://mailchi.mp/burlpres/announcement-9099347?e=feec979f6b&ref=reyes-chow.com) at [Burlingame Presbyterian Church](https://burlpres.church/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and it has been a wild ride with these lovely folks. I now get a few weeks' break, then head down to [Pasadena Presbyterian Church](https://www.ppc.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to serve as their p/t Transitional Pastor. For those who do not track my every pastoral move, I occasionally take on a short-term, part-time Bridge Pastor role. I am usually asked to pastor a church through some kind of conflict or transition that requires some pastoral tending. This has also meant that, over the years, I have had to say goodbye quite a bit. For those going through some kind of transition (good or not-so-good) that requires leaving a place of work, worship, or anywhere you have developed relationships, this prayer is for you. For those interested, here is [my farewell sermon at Burlingame Presbyterian](https://www.youtube.com/live/NWr%5FVoUjtso?si=xQmQscT7nE7voGIS&t=2027&ref=reyes-chow.com). --- ### For When We Leave #LetUsPray *let us pray —* *god, as i leave this place* *let me leave with grace* *let me leave with generosity* *and let me leave with wisdom* *with the grace you offer* *allow me to release responsibilities i no longer carry* *allow me to let go of resentment that may never be resolved* *and allow me to move into what is next, unburdened by what was* *with the generosity you grant* make known the places where I have grown here make known the depth of relationships that i leave behind and make known to others the gratitude i have for them *with the wisdom you instill* grant me the foresight to take time to breathe grant me the courage to reflect from deep within and grant me the discipline to leave well *for these things we pray — amen.* --- One of the most important words of counsel that I have ever received is this: "The strength of your legacy is determined by how you leave." As I have worked with departing pastors and have gone through this myself with varying degrees of success, these are good words to hold onto during any time of leaving. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) PS: If anyone already had this [Hamilton](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSOfHhku9XxiQuGTppcAc4NPRkja13MSK&si=l1Ix7tUbFvC4mGdG&ref=reyes-chow.com) diddy ringing in your ears . . . ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 17, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=50&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Acts 1:6-14](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=50&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=50&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) [1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=50&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [John 17:1-11](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=50&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL442 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Philippians 2:1-13 (CEB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202%3A1-13&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Gun-Violence-Prayers-Cover.jpg)](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) For prayers that address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, purchase a copy of **How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence* and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off. [Purchase How Long, Oh Lord ](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others through giving [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) or purchasing a [Group Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E85: We Mend with Gold: A Conversation with Kristin T. Lee URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e85-we-mend-with-gold-a-conversation-with-kristin-t-lee/ Last updated: 2026-05-15T01:48:12.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 85 of The Amalgamation Podcast — ***We Mend with Gold: A Conversation with Kristin T. Lee*** 0:00 /0:55 1× The full episode drops on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). **To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes,** [**become a paid subscriber today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). Be sure to grab a copy Kristin's book, ***We Mend with Gold: An Immigrant Daugter's Reckoning with American Christianity*** [on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9798889835028?ref=reyes-chow.com) where you can also find past guest books at [The Amalgamation Podcast Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/the-amalgamation-podcast?ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For High School Seniors #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-high-school-seniors-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-04-30T12:22:50.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). We are quickly approaching high school graduation season. Honestly, after walking three kids through the ever-intensifying college admissions process, I do not miss it. As much as we tried, we all got sucked into the admissions rates game and did our best not to gauge our level of excitement by external (and manipulative) numbers. We were pretty good, but every once in a while, one of us, parents or graduates, caught ourselves wondering how so-and-so got into X University with a 5.7% admission rate. It was not always pretty 😔 Our kids were set up with all of the privileges that allowed them to attend four-year schools, but not all graduates go to college, and not all young people even graduate from high school. These folks are often forgotten during these times when we sometimes let our genuine pride make others feel excluded. To be clear, I am not anti-college (though in the age of A.I. one may want to rethink that Computer Science major). Higher education is important, even vital for some, but we must be careful not to communicate that a young person's worth is not based on graduating from high school, going to college, or even having a clue about what they want to do next. With all of these things stirring the souls of many, I leave you this prayer. --- ### For High School Seniors #LetUsPray *let us pray —* *god of transitions and change* *during this season of graduations* *remind us, again and again* *not all young people are hopeful about the future* *and we must lament the world we have created* *remind us, again and again* *there is much they have left behind* *and we must give them room to mourn what was* *remind us, again and again* *not every graduate knows, "what's next"* *and we must encourage curiosity and patience* *remind us, again and again* *by choice or by circumstance* *not all graduates go to college* *remind us, again and again* *that the measure of our pride* *is not based on acceptance rates* *remind us, again and again* *that "letting go" looks different for everyone* *and there is no right way to enter this next stage of life* *in whatever place these young people find themselves* *remind them again and again* *their worth does not come from a high school diploma* *their worth does not come from college admission* *their worth does not come from having a plan* *their worth comes from God* *may we surround the graduates in our lives* *to be their reminder — again and again* *for these things we pray — amen.* --- If you are a parent sending off your first or third kid to college, embrace the tears! And if you are a young person leaving your parents, let them hover and help just a little bit longer. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) --- ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 3, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=47&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Acts 7:55-60](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=47&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=47&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [1 Peter 2:2-10](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=47&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [John 14:1-14](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=47&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL442 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** Sermon at Athens: What you worship as unknown, I proclaim to you. [Acts 17:16-31](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017%3A16-31&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [John 1:16-18](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201%3A16-18&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Gun-Violence-Prayers-Cover.jpg)](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) For prayers that address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, purchase a copy of **How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence* and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off. [Purchase How Long, Oh Lord ](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) If you find this weekly prayer and liturgy offering or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others through giving [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) or purchasing a [Group Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For the Gift of Expansive Joy #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-gift-of-expansive-joy-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-04-23T19:02:38.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Apologies for skipping a week, but these past few weeks have been more packed than usual. Last week our Eldest child got married (shameless photos in paid section). It was a lovely day. We had very little to do with it other than raising one beautiful human. I also began a two-month Bridge Pastor term at [First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame](https://burlpres.church/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I dip back into congregational life a few times a year and it is always quite the ride getting back up to speed on staffing, pastoral care, and preaching. As I reflect on these two developments in my life, I am reminded how lovely the world can be. This wedding introduced us to a new part of our family, we were given the gift of meeting our kids' extended community, and we could take a step back and be proud of this human and our child. Being back at a church, I'm reminded of the privilege it is to be someone's pastor; to hear their most tender hopes, to be present in the face of their struggles, and to gather with the people of God and strive to be the church in today's world. I admit it: in the face of so much ugliness before us 24/7, there are times when I lose sight of the possibilities God may be revealing and allow myself to get weighed down by the suffering and struggles of the world. While I do not advocate that people ignore the ongoing groans of the world, I think it is vital that we notice the joys around us and remember that love and joy will have the last word. It is through this unapologetically joy-colored lens of God in the world that I offer this prayer. --- ### For the Gift of Expansive Joy #LetUsPray *let us pray —* *holy one, through the smoke and haze of global turmoil* *seeing, believing, and embracing joy is often difficult* *the weight of suffering around us is overwhelming* *and constricts our ability to believe in another way* *we feel shame, remorse, and heartache* *when we see abundance all around us* *for laughter, while others weep* *for plenty, while others scrape by* *for safety, while others run for cover* *for life, while others face death* *and for hope, while others despair* *yet, you remind us over and over again* *to rejoice in each day that you have made* *to see joy in hope and patience* *and that joy comes in the morning* *let us not hide and hoard the joys of life* *let our view of you not be narrowed by our despair* *and let us not turn inward while others reach out* *under the brilliance and beauty of your joy,* *give us the wisdom to navigate the complexities of life* *give us the courage to explore the expanses of creation* *give us the humility to move closer to you* *and let our lives be lived in response to your joy* *so others may do the same.* *for these things we pray — amen.* --- May the rest of your week be filled with more than a few many moments of joy. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) --- ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 26, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=46&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** | [Acts 2:42-47](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=46&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 23](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=46&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [1 Peter 2:19-25](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=46&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [John 10:1-10](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=46&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL442 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Acts 16:16-34](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016%3A16-34&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Luke 6:18-19, 22-23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A18-19%2C%2022-23&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Gun-Violence-Prayers-Cover.jpg)](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) For prayers that address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, purchase a copy of **How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence* and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off. [Purchase How Long, Oh Lord ](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) If you find this weekly prayer and liturgy offering or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others through giving [Gift Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) or purchasing a [Group Subscription](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### We Went to Palestine: A 2-Part Conversation with Cece Armstrong, Tony Larsen, and Jihyun Oh URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/we-went-to-palestine-a-2-part-conversation-with-cece-armstrong-tony-larson-and-jihyun-oh/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T19:32:43.000Z Here is the trailer for the special 2-Part Series on The Amalgamation Podcast — ***We Went to Palestine: A Conversation with Cece Armstrong, Tony Larsen, and Jihyun Oh*** This series is sponsored by [The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [The Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the Presbyterian Church USA. Please take a moment to follow them and learn more about both organizations! 0:00 /1:15 1× The two full episodes will drop on Tuesday April 21 & 28, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). **To gain immediate access to both episodes and for early access to all future episodes,** [**become a paid subscriber today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **About this episode...** CeCe Armstrong is one of the pastors at [St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina](https://www.stjamesji.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and one of the Current Co-Moderators of the Presbyterian Church USA. Cece has served in a number of church leadership positions, including serving as co-moderator of the National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen and writing for Presbyterians Today magazine and the Presbyterian Outlook. Tony Larsen is the Pastor at [Trinity Presbyterian Church in Surfside, South Carolina](https://trinitypresbychurch.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and makes up the other half of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Co-Moderator team with Cece. Tony has served in a number of capacities in the church, including Co-leading the Synod Youth Council for the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic and being a member of the Planning Team for Montreat Youth Conference. And finally, Rev. Jihyun Oh. Since summer 2024, she has been the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and because she does not have enough to do, she also serves as Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency ([Newly titled denominational office = Life & Witness](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2026/3/20/whats-name?ref=reyes-chow.com)). She is the first Korean American to serve in the denomination’s highest office, only the second woman, and the first woman of color elected to lead the PC(USA) in its more than 300-year history in the U.S. Take my word for it, in the Presbyterian world, these three are a big deal, and I am so grateful that they took time to share their experiences in Palestine with me. And a note for the non-Presbyterians in the house. While all four of us are ordained ministers in the Presbyterian Church USA, and we do let our PresbyNerd flag fly a couple of times, you don’t need to be a Presbyterian to get something from our conversation. Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy part 1 of my conversation with Cece Armstrong, Tony Larson, and Jihyun Oh. --- The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### In Times of Dread #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-unimaginable-possibilities-letuspray-2/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T12:13:18.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). For those who celebrate Easter, I hope your weekend was filled with meaningful interactions and many signs of hope, because the little baby Jesus knows we need to feel some hope. This past week, the world has been experiencing authoritarian whiplash as the US and Iranian administrations have been trading apocalyptic blustering. On the eve of a possible escalation, without any sign of regret, President Trump threatened that [*a whole civilization will die tonight*](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/07/trump-iran-deadline-threats-00861313?ref=reyes-chow.com). It's exhausting and sad. And while he has a track record of making threats and then backing down, I can't help but feel a sense of dread that President Trump is going to decide to use nuclear weapons. I know that most of us will do as much as we can in every way, but these are also the days when it feels like all we can do is pray. ### In Times of Dread #LetUsPray *God, why does your creation do what we do?* *Why do we let the pursuit of wealth drive us?* *Why do we choose violence in response to conflict?* *Why are our egos so fragile?* *Why can't we forgive?* *Why do we hate?* *Answer us, O God.* *God, our spirits are filled with discouragement and dread* *we kill so easily, even as we plan to kill again* *we ignore the suffering that we cause others* *we let hatred and power eat away at our souls* *we begin to believe there is nothing we can do* *and we do this at the feet of Empire* *God, Empire thrives on our anguish* but we know that Empire clutches to power when that power is threatened. we know that Empire lashes out when its life is coming to an end and we know that Empire will not last because the ways of Empire are not Yours God, when we are feeling disheartened sit with us in our discouragement and dread let us embrace new life when we are able let us see those around us who scream to be seen let us show love and share power and call us into holy collaboration with You *For these things we pray.* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) NOTE: The Amalgamation is undergoing a mini glow-up. You can now purchase [Gift Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) ***and*** [Group Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers will soon be able to gift subscriptions to friends, family, barristas, or congressional representatives :-) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, April 12, 2026 [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=44&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Acts 2:14a, 22-32](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=44&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 16](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=44&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [1 Peter 1:3-9](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=44&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [John 20:19-31](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=44&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL439 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [John 20:19-31](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A19-31&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Psalm 145:13-21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20145&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Unimaginable Possibilities #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-unimaginable-possibilities-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-04-02T18:31:40.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). First, as the Spirit moves, I will be preaching this Easter at [Burlingame Presbyterian Church](https://burlpres.church/?ref=reyes-chow.com), so if you are in the area, I would love to see you. As I mentioned in [my Palm Sunday post](https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-palm-and-passion-sunday-in-the-midst-of-war-letuspray/), during Holy Week last year, [I was in Palestine](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-month-in-palestine-the-horrible-the-holy/) — the most violent time of the year for Palestinian Christians. Easter was spent watching Palestinan Chrsitians being blocked from attending Easter services, watching a teenager be arrested for chanting, and witnessing a senior citizen being thrown over a barrier. This was on top of the constant presence of Israeli military and police, not there to de-escalate, but to provoke. Here are a few images and a short video from that Easter morning in East Jerusalem just outside the gate of the Old City. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/PXL_20250419_102707578.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Palestine-Arrest.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Palestine-Easter-Welcome.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Palestine-Elder-tossed.jpg) 0:00 /0:34 1× And as is the case in places of conflict and suffering, there was also great hope seen and experienced. We saw the power of communal organizing and resistance against authority, we witnessed the amazing [Ritual of the Holy Fire](https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/4/20/thousands-gather-for-centuries-old-holy-fire-ceremony-in-jerusalem?ref=reyes-chow.com#:~:text=The%20Holy%20Fire%20ceremony%20is%20a%20centuries%2Dold,site%20where%20Jesus%20was%20crucified%20and%20buried.), and we gathered with the local community to reaffirm our understanding that death and hate do not have the last word — life and life do. Here are a few shots from Easter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/day8holyfirefinalWEB-64.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Easter-Abby-Bruce-Palestine.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Easter-Jesus-Rubble.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Palestine-Easter-Christmas-Lutheran.jpg) Holding this tension about the possibilities that are offered in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, I offer this Easter prayer. ### For Unimaginable Possibilities #LetUsPray *Christ is risen!* *Christ is risen indeed!* *Jesus, we say those words* *but sometimes they are hard to believe* *There is too much sorrow and suffering* *in my body* *in our communities* *in our country* *and in the world* *And yet, amid our doubt and confusion* *You return again and again and again* *Reminding us that you are right here* *To hear, to heal, and to love* *And still, in a day of division and destruction* *You are unimaginably generous with Your grace* *Reminding us that evil, hatred, and death do not have the last word* *but it is the promise of goodness, love, and life that rise above* *So when our bodies and spirits are in pain* *give us the courage to believe in the possibility of healing* *When our communities are shouting and shattered* *give us the humility to believe in the possibility of reconciliation* *When our country is in turmoil and chaos* *give us the wisdom to believe in the possibility of the common good* *And when the world is at war* *give us the audacity to believe in the possibility of peace* *Jesus, we may not always be able to believe* *But we know that when it is time* *You will make Your promises known* *And we will see You fully* *For these things I pray* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) NOTE: The Amalgamation is undergoing a mini glow-up. You can now purchase [Gift Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) ***and*** [Group Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers will soon be able to gift subscriptions to friends, family, barristas, or congressional representatives :-) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, April 5, 2026: *Easter Sunday* [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=33&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Acts 10:34-43](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) **or** [*Jeremiah 31:1-6*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Foth%5Freading) | [Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Colossians 3:1-4](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) **or** [*Acts 10:34-43*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Foth%5Freading) | [John 20:1-18](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) **or** [*Matthew 28:1-10*](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=s&d=42&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Foth%5Freading) [**NL439 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [John 20:1-18](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A1-18&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Psalm 118:21-29](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20118%3A21-29&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Palm and Passion Sunday in the Midst of War #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-palm-and-passion-sunday-in-the-midst-of-war-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-03-26T11:56:56.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). [This time last year, I was in Palestine](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-month-in-palestine-the-horrible-the-holy/). And after [spending Holy Week in Jerusalem](https://www.reyes-chow.com/holy-fire-horrors-and-holiness-this-easter-in-palestine/), Palm Sunday will never be the same. I was leading a Delegation with Sabeel, and the first thing we did after crossing the border was to join thousands of others in the Palm Sunday procession. In many ways, it was surreal. At one point, I said to one of the delegation, "We are about to actually enter Jerusalem while waving palms." Now I have no need to know that "this is exactly where Jesus walked," but to be Jesus-Was-Here adjacent was pretty cool. All those years of waving our skinny palm leaves while standing in pews pales in comparison to the monstrous palms that we waved as we made our way from the Mount of Olives to the Old City. 0:00 /0:07 1× Palm Sunday, Jerusalem, 2025 In some ways, it was like the Palm Sundays I have known all my life, where just underneath the parade and jubilation, there was pain, injustice, and pending suffering about to be inflicted upon the people by an empire grasping for life. Only this time, we did not have to use our imagination, speak in colorful metaphors, or convince folks that all was not as it seemed. The evidence was all around us... - **Exclusion:** What you cannot see from the feature picture is that most of the people in the processional are internationals. Absent were the thousands of Palestinian Christians who applied for permits to enter East Jerusalem for Holy Week and were denied by the Israeli Government. Now, before anyone tries to rationalize why they would deny Christians to enter the Holy City during Holy Week, the answer is simply, "Because they can." - **Intimidation:** As you can also see in the photo, Israeli Occupation Forces were constantly surveilling the march from the rooftops and the ground. The biggest weapons of occupation are not the guns, but the intimidation. And yes, the answer to the question, "Why?" is again, "Because they can." And yes, the banner is complete with the white Jesus on a donkey. Colonizers gonna colonize. - **Foreshadowing:** While the Israeli government would like the world to believe Israel is the only country in the region where all faiths are welcome and can practice freely under occupation, this is simply not true. Not only are there Christian celebrations in other countries, but Holy Week in Palestine is the most violent time of the year for Christians. This walk felt a little like an act of defiance, because soon, the threatened authorities would clamp down. During our time, we saw people beaten, harassed, and arrested for simply trying to go to church on Easter. Do not believe the propaganda. We were there and the violence is real. Palm Sunday holds in tension both our joy at the coming of some kind of "savior" and the reality that this savior does not show up in the ways we had wanted or expected. And once the realities become evident, it is too late. The Jesus who comes to challenge authority and lift up the oppressed is killed; not because he had to be, but because the empire saw him as a threat that had to be eliminated. And sadly, the crowd that was cheering for him just days before would now call for his death. It is with the holy and the horrible of the day churning in my soul in a time of war that I offer this week's prayer. ### For Palm and Passion Sunday in the Midst of War #LetUsPray *Holy One, the world is filled with* *beauty and brokenness* *sorrow and celebration* *and the holy and the horrific* *As we tenderly hold the tensions of life* *from the depths of our struggles* *to the heights of our joy* *remind us that you are here* *And in a time of war* *when humans are killing humans* *when land is ravaged* *and when hatred is multiplied* *grant us the humility to know* *all are worthy of Your love* **For the nations of the world, we give thanks** *for the beauty of their land* *for the complexity of their people* *and for the richness of their history* **For the nations of the world, we lament** *the ease with which we justify bloodshed* *seeking of domination over one another* *and stoking the fires of generational hatred* **For the nations of the world, we hope** *they will reexamine the futility of war* *they will seek the global common good* *and they will choose the way of peace* *and* **For those who hold power, we give thanks** *for answering the call to public service* *for their steadfastness in times of chaos and strife* *and for the communities that share them with the world* **For those who hold power, we lament** *the gluttony that fuels oppression* *the hubris that emboldens violence* *and the cowardice that corrodes character* **For those who hold power, we hope** *they will have the courage to change directions* *they will bless, feed, and clothe their enemies* *and they will choose the way of peace* *and* **For those caught in the in-between, we give thanks** *for glimpses of joy in between the bombings* *for communities that bear one another's burdens* *and for visions and dreams that are stronger than war* **For those caught in the in-between, we lament** *participating in acts of war and violence* *allowing hate and judgment to infest our souls* *and cherishing borders more than siblings on the other side* **For those caught in the in-between, we hope** *they encounter the holy more than the horrific* *they live to love the many generations to come* *and they soon know the day when peace has prevailed* *For these things I pray* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) NOTE: The Amalgamation is undergoing a mini glow-up. You can now purchase [Gift Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/gift%5Fsubscription?ref=reyes-chow.com) ***and*** [Group Subscriptions](https://breyeschow.outpost.pub/group-subscriptions/url/68c6qa4h?ref=reyes-chow.com). Paid Subscribers will soon be able to gift subscriptions to friends, family, barristas, or congressional representatives :-) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, March 29, 2026: *Palm Sunday* [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV)**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=33&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=33&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Matthew 21:1-11](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=33&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) [**NL434 Readings (CEB)**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com)**:** [John 19:16-22](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2019%3A16-22&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Opt.: [John 12:12-27](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2012%3A12-27&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com)) | [Psalm 24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2024&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Calling the Peoples of This Region and the World to a Higher Vision URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/calling-the-peoples-of-this-region-and-the-world-to-a-higher-vision/ Last updated: 2026-03-21T11:55:53.000Z If you are like me, you see this war as one more example of hubris and greed run amok. Combined with Militarized Christian Nationalism, we are witnessing avoidable death and destruction in the region yet again. If you want to hear from people in the region, [The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), is the group that supports the [delegations that I lead to Palestine](https://www.reyes-chow.com/educators-librarians-and-archivists-solidarity-delegation-to-palestine/). My first interaction with them was in 2015, but over the past two years, I have gotten to know Sabeel: its actions, their theology, and the humans who make up the community. It breaks my heart and enrages my soul to see what is happening in the region and how so many are being impacted by, not only this war, but also the ongoing actions of the United States, especially those who claim the Christian faith. Below is a statement that was just released by Sabeel. Please take a read and if you want more resources and info ways to engage, sign up for the newsletters from [Sabeel](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Friends of Sabeel, North American](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [The Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/03/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) ***NOTE: As of this posting, the Sabeel site is down.*** --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/03/sabeel-logo.png) ## A Statement From The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Palestine “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares… nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” — Isaiah 2:4 We, the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, speak from Jerusalem, a city that has known occupation and the machinery of war for generations. We speak as Palestinian Christians who believe, without reservation, that violence is never a solution. International law, while imperfect, remains the only framework humanity has built to protect the weak from the strong. We aspire to governments that uphold it as a covenant, not a convenience. We are under no illusions about the world we inhabit: an era of power-hungry corrupt leaders who govern by manufacturing hate and fear whether in Tehran, Tel Aviv, Washington, Riyadh, Ramallah, or elsewhere. We issue this statement condemning the illegal and avoidable war of the United States and Israel on Iran, and calling the peoples of this region and the world to a higher vision. ### As Sabeel, we name the following realities: #### A Covenant Broken. Just hours before the bombs fell on February 28, 2026, Oman’s Foreign Minister announced a breakthrough that Iran had agreed to accept full IAEA verification and never stockpile enriched uranium. Peace was within reach. The strikes came anyway. This is not a strategy. It is the deliberate destruction of diplomacy. We name it for what it is: a moral failure of historic proportions. #### An Illegal War. The attacks violated the UN Charter, which prohibits force against another state without Security Council authorization or genuine self-defense. Iran was not attacking either state. In the US, the war also lacked Congressional authorization. The laws that protect the weak must apply equally to all. When great powers exempt themselves from the law, the message to every aspiring oppressor is clear: power is the only law that counts. We reject this with every fibre of our faith. #### The Image of God Desecrated. Children killed in strikes on schools. Patients killed in hospitals. Every life extinguished is the desecration of the imago Dei. Palestinian Christians do not need to be told what it means to see children under rubble, for we have lived it in Gaza. Any ideology or theology that denies God’s divine presence in all living creation must be confronted and eradicated. #### War as Profit. Liberation theology demands we ask who benefits. The first 100 hours of war cost an estimated $3.7 billion. Arms manufacturers’ stocks rose. Oil surged past $100 a barrel, devastating the world’s poorest nations who had no vote in this conflict. The poor pay in blood and bread while the wealthy count their returns. We call out this structural sin of colonialism that has created economies that rely on exploitation and the manufactured death of the Global South. #### A History of Catastrophe. Iraq 2003 was sold as a war of liberation, yet it destroyed one of the world’s oldest Christian communities and reduced its population from 1.5 million to under 300,000\. Iran’s revolution itself was partly a response to the CIA-backed coup of 1953\. The seeds of Western military intervention in this region have yielded, with terrible consistency, chaos, extremism, and the erasure of its most ancient communities. We are that pattern’s most enduring consequence. You cannot bomb your way to a stable Middle East. #### The Church Emptied. Every major Western military intervention has been followed by the persecution of Middle Eastern Christians. When states collapse, extremism fills the void with minorities paying the first price. Western Christians praying over presidents launching these wars must reckon with what they are praying for: the destruction of their own sisters and brothers in the land where Jesus walked. The church here needs the West to listen, to stop, and, as Kairos Palestine declared, “to revisit theologies that support war, occupation, and injustice.” #### Two Theologies. This war reveals a clash at the deepest level between a theology of domination modeled after colonial power and a Palestinian liberation theology that is rooted in the Suffering Servant and modeled on a Christ executed by empire. Sabeel stands on the side of the cross, not the missile. We call on every church that has been silent to ask, “Which theology are you living?” ### Therefore, we make the following call to action: #### We do not end in despair. Sabeel means “a spring of water.” Springs do not stop flowing because the desert is wide. We have seen apartheid fall. We have seen dictatorships crumble when the people refused to be afraid. We believe the arc of history will bend again toward justice because ordinary people, not armies, are the ones who bend it. #### To the peoples of this region. Iranians, Palestinians, Israelis, Lebanese, Syrians, Jordanians, Iraqis, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Omanis, Yemenis, Bahrainis, Egyptians — we who are neighbours must unite in solidarity. Our conflicts do not serve us. They serve the arms dealers and corrupt leaders who need external enemies to justify their power. When we fight, we give the greedy their markets and the tyrants their mandates. When we see each other’s humanity, we take their power away. #### To citizens with a vote, we ask you to use it. Vote for leaders with vision and integrity. Delegitimize the morally corrupt with your voice and refusal to be afraid. #### To the church worldwide: speak truth to power. The prophets were not silent. Jesus was not silent. Neither should we be. Justice will come. We will not stop working, praying, and speaking until we make it arrive. *Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians, committed to justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation, and reconciliation. In Arabic, Sabeel means “the way” and “a spring of water.”* --- ### When We are Overwhelmed #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/when-we-are-overwhelmed-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T16:10:47.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) Apologies again for the late posting this week. I got caught up settling into our new home and blatantly ignored all my notifications. Apparently, task reminders are pretty useless if the task isn't actually completed. Interesting. In any case, this week has been a doozy. There is no shortage of things to pray for and about, the aftermath from [shootings at a synagogue and university](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/synagogue-attack-and-old-dominion-shooting-renew-security-concerns-in-u-s?ref=reyes-chow.com), the ongoing War in Iran, [politicians doubling down on anti-Muslim rhetoric](https://www.npr.org/2026/03/14/g-s1-113667/republicans-sharia-law-andy-ogles-mike-johnson?ref=reyes-chow.com), weather extremes, labor disputes, and the devastating news that Ceaser Chavez has been accused of sexually assaulting young girls, and [Dolores Huerta revealing that he raped her](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/18/dolores-huerta-cesar-chavez-abuse-allegations?ref=reyes-chow.com). I know that many, most, some of us have developed coping mechanisms to avoid being overwhelmed or burned out by the onslaught of events, but everyone once in a while, it can and does get a little overwhelming. If that is a feeling you have been having lately, this prayer is for you. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/03/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) NOTE: We are slowly upgrading our newsletter game with [Contextly](https://contextly.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Outpost](https://outpost.pub/?ref=reyes-chow.com), so if things look funky, we are still updating settings. Feel free to let us know if anything is too weird or doesn't seem like it should be in your subscription tier. ### When We are Overwhelmed #LetUsPray *God, from all sides, the pain greets me* *from the stench of violence, greed, and war* *from the disappointments of life* *from the struggles of our loved ones* *from the sorrows that have taken root in my soul* *It is all so overwhelming* *Please God, meet me here* remind me that I am living and listening with [empathy](https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-empathy-during-a-time-of-war-letuspray/) when I am overwhelmed by the miseries of the world *remind me that I when I am overcome by it all* *the community will share the burden of the overflow* *remind me that there will be times* *I will hold the deluge on behalf of another* *remind me that when I am exhausted from heartache* *stepping away to rest is an act of care for the holy within* *remind me that there will be a time* *when I will be called to re-enter the fray* *remind me that, as I go, I am equipped* *with wisdom, courage, curiosity, and love* and remind me that through it all You are there always. For these things I pray *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, March 22, 2026: *Fifth Sunday in Lent* [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV):**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)| [Ezekiel 37:1-14](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 130](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) | [Romans 8:6-11](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) | [John 11:1-45](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=29&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL434 Readings (CEB):**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) [John 19:1-16](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2019%3A1-16&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Psalm 146](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20146&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Those Fighting Christian Nationalism #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-those-fighting-christian-nationalism-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T23:15:29.000Z ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) Apologies for the late posting this week. We are in the middle of a move and took a few days to escape the chaos. Albuequreque was a lovely host! Today's prayers could be applied to most struggles against injustice, but at this moment in time, one has risen to the top. I continue to be shocked that I can still be shocked by what comes out of the mouths of officials in the current administration regarding faith. If you had not seen this quote from Secretary of *War*, Pete Hegseth, I apologize for ruining your day. According to the [Military Religious Freedom Foundation](https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) over 200 complaints have been filed after [Hegseth instructed Non-Comissioned officers](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/03/us-israel-iran-war-christian-rhetoric?ref=reyes-chow.com) to tell their troops the following, > President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth. \- Pete Hegseth (reported, 2026), prompting over 200 official complaints. For those who believe that to have a theocratic Christian state of any ilk is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this prayer is for you. Of course, I have many, many, many thoughts about what the church should be doing in times like these, but because the most prevalent feeling that is coursing through my veins is rage, I am doing this as a series of breath prayers. ### For Those Fighting Christian Nationalism #LetUsPray *God with a deep and determined breath* *and with the world at war before me* *I pray —* Inhale: *in my rage* Exhale: *grant me righteousness* Inhale: *in my bewilderment* Exhale: grant me curiosity Inhale: in my disappointment Exhale: grant me understanding Inhale: *in my sorrow* Exhale: *grant me time* Inhale: *in my narrowness* Exhale: *grant me humility* Inhale: *in my truth* Exhale: *grant me nuance* Inhale: *in my resistance* Exhale: *grant me tenacity* Inhale: *in my alienation* Exhale: *grant me community* Inhale: *for those who suffer* Exhale: *grant me awareness* Inhale: *for saints before me* Exhale: *grant me gratitude* Inhale: *for the unaware* Exhale: *grant me fluency* Inhale: *for those new to the fight* Exhale: *grant me generosity* Inhale: *for my enemy* Exhale: grant me empathy Inhale: *in my pessimism* Exhale: *grant me* hope Inhale: *in my indifference* Exhale: *grant me tenacity* Inhale: *in my weariness* Exhale: *grant me rest* Inhale: *in my journey* Exhale: *grant me joy* *God, at a depth of my spirit* *where only You can know* *For these things I pray* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, March 15, 2026: *Third Sunday in Lent* [**RCL Year A Readings (NRSV):**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=28&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)| [1 Samuel 16:1-13](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=28&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fhebrew%5Freading) | [Psalm 23](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=28&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fpsalm%5Freading) |[Ephesians 5:8-14](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=28&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fepistle%5Freading) |[John 9:1-41](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=28&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com#pericope%5Fgospel%5Freading) [**NL434 Readings (CEB):**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) [John 18:28-40](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018%3A28-40&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Psalm 145:10-13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20145%3A10-13&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Empathy During a Time of War #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-empathy-during-a-time-of-war-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-03-11T17:30:23.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) Where to start? Honestly, I have had so many thoughts and reactions over the past week. Listening to the mental gymnastics the politicians are using to justify the attacks on Iran, seeing the complexity of reactions of my Iranian friends who are carrying both relief and wariness, and thinking about generational repercussions that have been put into play, I am exhausted. As I have been discerning where to direct my energy, I have been thinking a good deal about my response as a Christian during this time. Far from a follower of a militarized, conqueror version of Jesus, I simply lean into the difficult challenge he makes to us all: love your neighbor. This is not an easy task to accept, nor is it a welcome lens with which we view our "enemies" of the day, yet this is our calling. It is in these times when it is so tempting to turn inward or lash out that I am forced to turn to prayer: to comfort, to encourage, and to challenge me to be the human that I believe God intends. This week's prayer focuses on one of the attributes that I deeply believe Jesus modeled for us and calls us to embody, especially now: Empathy. ### For Empathy During a Time of War #LetUsPray *Let us pray —* *God, we know empathy will not win this war* — *but it will instigate a future of peace* *Empathy will not topple regimes* — *but it will liberate collective imagination* *Empathy will not destroy weapons* *— but it will disrupt our tendency toward violence* *Empathy will not solve generational hatred* *— but it will open us up to generational healing* *Empathy alone will not guarantee peace* *— but without empathy, peace is not possible* *God, during this time of war* *when our government wants us to choose* *destruction over discourse* *nationalism over faith* *and mercilessness over empathy* *grant us the courage to choose Your way.* *When empathy is too difficult to mine from within* *— God, grant Your people grace* *When empathy causes chasms of conflict* *— God, grant Your people persistence* *When empathy solicits reactions bound by hate* *— God, grant Your people fortitude* *When empathy makes clear the holy within our enemy* *— God, grant Your people reassurance* *When empathy becomes exhausting and overwhelming* *— God, grant Your people rest* *And God, embolden Your people* *to live a life of unapologetic empathy* *in a world that would prefer it if we didn't* *For these things we pray* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com)****: #LETUSPRAY** To gain access to this and future liturgical offerings and preaching prompts, consider becoming a Paid Subscriber for less than $1/month. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, March 8, 2026: *Second Sunday in Lent* [**RCL Year A:**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=27&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42 [**NL433:**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WP-Narrative-Lectionary-2025-26-John.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com) John 18:12-27, Psalm 17:1-7 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Story Time, "The Snipe" URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/story-time-the-snipe/ Last updated: 2026-03-04T13:02:26.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Forgive the unapologetic #parentbrag post, but my spouse recently stumbled upon this short story written by our youngest child when she was 12-years-old. It gave us a welcome pause during a news cycle of war. I am certain that I was not writing like this in the 6th grade, but [Rooftop TK-8](https://www.rooftopk8.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) had a way of drawing out the creativity and love of learning from its students. In any case, Annie gave me permission to share this in case you also need a little distraction. It was originally written using Google Docs and there has been zero editing to correct grammar or spelling (there are some fun ones). Fair warning, this looks like it was a Halloween assignment, so it definitely takes a turn. --- #### "The Snipe" by Analise Pugh, age 12 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/03/IMG_1274.JPG) Analise Pugh (Halloween, 2015) and the day before this was due. “Now we got bad blood, you know it used to be mad love,” my family sings as we drive to the campground. We are going camping at Big Basin National Park. my whole family is coming my dad, who is currently driving the car. My mom, who is currently telling my dad directions, and my sisters and I. We go camping every year, well it's more like glamping (glamour camping). WE have a working sink and stove. We also use heaters in our tents. The car is filled with anticipation and excitement. We get there and immediately start unpacking. My sisters, Evie and Abby, and I are sharing a tent. We build our tent, organize our stuff, and go help mom and dad set up the stove. We finally get the “kitchen” set up when my parents suggest my sisters and I go snipe hunting. “So what are we looking for exactly?” I question as we tramp through the damp woulds. “All I know is that you have to be quiet, so you don’t scare them off,” replied Abby. “Which means you need to stop breathing so loudly, Abby, the whole campground can hear you,” says Evie “Then you need to stop walking like you have wooden legs,” Abby responds. I bend down to look at a flower as they continue to bicker. I feel a droplet of water land on my nose. “Let's go back it's starting to rain,” I say as I look up and realize my sisters have left. I sigh and start to go back to the campsite.As I walk I hear a twig break, thinking it was no big deal I keep walking. Then I hear a bush rustle. As I turn to face the noise I pick up a long stick. Ready to face the creature, I step forward. When the creature emerges I realize I am no match for it. As it creeps closer, I don’t even try to run. I have done it, I have found the snipe, or more it has found me. But no one will ever know, that's why the snipe is a mystery. It circles around my feet, and it slowly starts climbing up my leg. Its at my torso, then neck. And finally it reaches my head, it lets out a sound, like nails on chalkboard, and then everything is black. All I see is black. Epilogue: The snipe is an interesting creature, staying a mystery to everyone. The snipe goes unnoticed, and undisturbed for the most part. The snipe is a peaceful creature, except of course to those poor souls who disturb it. Annie’s body was found in the woods where she found the snipe. The family is devastated. No one knows what happened, to everyone it looks like she just dropped dead. The detectives are ruling hypothermia, but you and I know what really happened. Oh, and the snipe of coarse. --- Not sure how the murder theme so easily flowed from her keyboard, but I am sure some parental media laxness with the young child played into it. Still, someday this kid will write a book. Thanks for indulging this proud parent, and I hope it offered a good break in the day. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/03/_M6A8509-EDIT.jpg) Analise Pugh, 2025 [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household, so for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is a barrier, here is a [60-Day Trial Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/60-day-trial-offer) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Beverages with Bruce: pito URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-pito/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T22:03:42.000Z [**pito = "seven" in Tagalog**](https://www.google.com/search?q=pito+%3D+%22seven%22+in+Tagalog&sca%5Fesv=9be18ee3e64d646c&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=ANbL-n7CO-rhkhwB9EgWuiTM0cVPIz%5FDzA%3A1772153523116&ei=s-qgaYPcBtub0PEPyIPl6Qg&biw=1440&bih=778&ved=0ahUKEwjDge6puviSAxXbDTQIHchBOY0Q4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=pito+%3D+%22seven%22+in+Tagalog&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGXBpdG8gPSAic2V2ZW4iIGluIFRhZ2Fsb2cyBhAAGBYYHjILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyBRAAGO8FMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYogQYiQUyBRAAGO8FSJgGUPkDWPkDcAN4AZABAJgBZKABZKoBAzAuMbgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCBKACbcICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAg0QABiABBiwAxhDGIoFmAMAiAYBkAYJkgcDMy4xoAf5BLIHAzAuMbgHZsIHAzAuNMgHBoAIAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) It's been a minute since my last [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/)! Thanks for hanging out and being patient. These first few months have been a doozy — of my own making and of unexpected events. As always, Paid Subscribers get pics and a much more detail ([the first one was unlocked](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of today's head, heart, and gut check-in. Like the rest of the world, we woke up this past weekend to the news that the United States and US-Backed Israel had begun a bombing campaign in Iran. Like many, I have thoughts (And will write more later), but this weekend also happened to be one that forced us to campatmentalize, acknowledge the privilege of our current situation, and get through a weekend of joyful chaos. - **Bruce's Beverage:** Making myself at home at my WeWork location. I have recently become a Yeti person. Today and most days, it is filled with a sugar-free vanilla latte with an extra espresso shot. - **RCP Family Move Update:** And, just like that, our time in San Jose has come to an end. This week, the movers came to take a bulk of our life to storage and then we tetris-ed the van something fierce and moved into our temporary housing in South San Francisco. - **Year of the Horse:** As we do every year, we host my Chinese side of my family's annual Chinese New Year celebration. We figured that most of our furniture would be gone, so why not hold it the day before our big move? It was joyous and chaotic time of our own making. - **OrangeTheory as my Third Space:** I took my final class at my home studio. While I will visit on occasion, it was bittersweet to say goodbye to the coach, staff, and members. [Here is the farewell IG Reel from the studio.](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVSMg10kQZp/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) So sweet. - **Book Update:** Books seven and eight have been turned in, and number nine is in process. - **Panini Generation:** February had me at the hospital nearly every day as a family elder spent two weeks dealing with some health issues. - **Health Update:** Hard to believe my bout with COVID was four years ago. My latest round of blood tests continues to show me moving in the right direction. - **Vocational Updates:** More discernment than expected. Could someone just tell me which path to take, kthxbai. - **From the Camera Roll:** Our worldly possessions in a 10x17 Storage Unit _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Politicians and Policy Makers Response to Gun Violence #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-politicians-and-policy-makers-response-to-gun-violence-letusprayfor-politicians-policy-makers-gun-violence-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T00:45:25.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) Among so much more, this past week's headlines have been overwhelmed by the Supreme Court tariff ruling, the State of the Union Address, and ongoing negotiations with Iran. In the past week there were also six mass shootings as tracked by the [Gun Violence Archive](https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting?ref=reyes-chow.com). In that time, six people were killed and 26 others were injured. 32 lives. 32 lives of people connected families, friends, and communities. The total number of people whose lives have been changed forever by gun violence is too great to measure — and that was just last week. And yet, politicians and public services are doing nothing. No, legislation alone will not solve the epidemic of gun violence and our addiction to guns in the United States, but it must be part of the solution. The conversations must be had. And yet \*\* **crickets**\*\* with not even "thoughts and prayers" offered. It is enraging, and yet, I refuse to give up hope that change can happen — even in the halls of government. Today I offer [another prayer](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/gun-violence-prayers/) from a contribution that I made to the upcoming resource, *How Long Oh God: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence*. It will be free to folks from the [Office of Public Witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/interim-unified-agency/ministry-areas/public-witness/gun-violence?ref=reyes-chow.com). The next time a shooting headline whizzes by, please take a moment to pray for all involved, remembering #### For Those Who Live in Terror #LetUsPray *Let us pray—* *or politicians, policy makers, and legislative bodies* *who have the power to address gun violence in the United States.* *They offer “thoughts & prayers”* *without concrete action* *so even the most heartfelt condolences* *are received as disingenuous & hollow* *God, I plead that Your spirit intercede into the world in miraculous ways* *In halls of power* *In committees* *In localities* *In courthouses* *Give them the courage to risk positions of power* *Give them wisdom to find solutions that make sense* *Give them the fortitude to stand up to powers that will fight them* *And give them reassurance that they are doing what is* *beneficial to the Body Politic and the Common Good.* *God, public servants are not saviors,* *but partners in the realization of what can be* *a future when children can learn without active shooter drills* *a future when people can gather without the ever-present spectre of gun violence lurking about* *a future when guns are not so desired or accessible* *a future when the response to death by gun is not more guns.* *a future when, after the next tragedy strikes,* *“thoughts & prayers” are offered with truth and integrity* *and they are received as intended* *because action has proven those words to be true.* *For this future, I pray.* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com)****: #LETUSPRAY** To gain access to this and future liturgical offerings and preaching prompts, consider becoming a Paid Subscriber for less than $1/month. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, March 1, 2026: *Second Sunday in Lent* [**RCL Year A:**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=l&d=26&y=17134&ref=reyes-chow.com)Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 121, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17 or Matthew 17:1-9 [**NL432:**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/jesus-washes-feet/commentary-on-john-131-17-4?ref=reyes-chow.com) John 13:1-17, Psalm 51:7-12 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### (CANCELLED) Educators, Librarians, and Archivists Solidarity Delegation to Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/educators-librarians-and-archivists-solidarity-delegation-to-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T20:52:59.000Z ### UPDATE (04.26.26) Because of the unsettled situation in the region, Sabeel and I have made the difficult decision to cancel this July, 2026 delegation. I hate this for Sabeel and everyone who was planning on attending. I am not sure when I will take on another delegation planning process, but I hope to do so in the future. To stay up to date on future delegations, please sign up for the mailing lists of [Sabeel](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Friends of Sabeel NA](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [The Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- ### DELEGATION INFORMATION I will be leading my fifth Solidarity Delegation to Palestine in partnership with [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Friends of Sabeel, North America](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). This will be another opportunity for folks to gain depth and add texture to their Palestinian activism and advocacy by hearing from and getting to know Palestinian siblings living under occupation and apartheid. We will hear stories of injustice, struggle, and violence — and we will experience the beauty and power of the people, the land, and the culture. This will also be an opportunity for people to engage in resistance tourism by supporting Palestinian businesses that have suffered from the lack of tourism since October 7, 2023. For more information be sure to read this entire post, attend one of the inforamational meetings below, [email me directly](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow?subject=2026%20Palestine%20Delegation), add your name to the [Interest Form](https://bit.ly/ELA26Palestine26Interest?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or watch [the interview I did with a previous delegation member](https://youtu.be/u7ckcJxc0h0?si=CwKvEf0zHRJ0Yvjh&ref=reyes-chow.com). [Delegation Interest Form](https://bit.ly/ELA26Palestine26Interest?ref=reyes-chow.com) #### INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS (60 minutes) Registration is required. These meetings will not be recorded. If you cannot make one of these meetings, [please be in touch](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow?subject=2026%20Palestine%20Delegation) and we can schedule something. - Saturday, March 14, 2026, 9:00am PT - Saturday, March 21, 2026, 9:00am PT - Sunday, March 29, 2026, 4:00pm PT \[[**REGISTER**](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HZ1HL8nSRjiTaFU0nMRfEw?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - Sunday, April 19, 2026, 4:00pm PT \[[**REGISTER**](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/th8QveynRWiypp32PA5TVQ?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/PXL_20250402_070018916.jpg) #### TENTATIVE DATES: JULY 4-13, 2026 (10 days, 9 nights) - Thursday, July 2: Most US Departures (Due to Dateline) - Saturday, July 4: Arrive Jordan by noon for Orientation - Sunday, July 5: AM Jordanian Border Crossing - July 5-13: with Sabeel - Monday, July 13: AM Border Crossing back to Jordan - Monday/Tuesday, July 13/14: Depart Jordan #### ESTIMATED COSTS\*: $3500-$4,500 depending on flights - Room, Food, Ground Travel: **$2,000** ($200/day single, $400 less for double) - Flight: **$1,500-$2,500** (We highly recommend refundable tickets) - Visas, Border Fees, Tips, etc: **$300** (These are estimates and may change) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/PXL_20240515_145107636.jpg) #### OTHER INFORMATION: - This delegation is a solidarity delegation, with the primary purpose of hearing stories and returning to act on and share them. We are not chasing war zones, nor will we engage in any activism unless the community asks. - The Delegation will be around 20 people, though we will be flexible. - Priority will be given to first-time visitors to Palestine, though all are welcome. - Through grants, Sabeel heavily subsidizes these delegations in exchange for the advocacy delegations' pledge to undertake upon their return. There are also many grant and scholarship programs that people can apply for. Sabeel is also a Christian Ecumenical organization, so, while many faiths have been on delegations, folks must be aligned with Sabeel's mission and purpose of justice, peace, and liberation. - My role will be to coordinate the delegation on the US side, help with orientation in Jordan, facilitate the border crossings, and generally help to lower anxieties for you all and your families/communities as needed. I may have a co-leader (TBD). #### REGISTRATION PROCESS: - All interested humans must attend an Informational meeting or have a Zoom call with me. After that, registration forms, once available, will be sent out. - To reserve your spot, you will need to fill out the registration form, submit a non-refundable $200 deposit, and present a Passport valid through 2026. - The Delegation will have two orientation meetings, a group chat, and lots of support from Sabeel and FOSNA staff. - Full payment is due two weeks before the delegation begins. If you have any questions, please [email me](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow?subject=2026%20Palestine%20Delegation) and/or add your name to the [Interest Form](https://bit.ly/ELA26Palestine26Interest?ref=reyes-chow.com) for ongoing updates. [Delegation Interest Form](https://bit.ly/ELA26Palestine26Interest?ref=reyes-chow.com) Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/IMG_3751.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/IMG_4447.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/IMG_4525.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/IMG_4527.jpg) Photos: Monte McClain ### For Those Who Live in Terror #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-those-who-live-in-terror-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T22:00:38.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) This weekend, after months of fighting his deportation, a community organzier who many of us had been supporting was arrested by ICE. While I would love to tell you about his resilience in the face of life's struggles and his courage in the face of injustice (both true), today I need to remember that even the bravest among us have moments of terror and fear. I do not know what he felt when he was surprised by ICE as he left his home on his way to turn himself in, but for him and countless others, I can only imagine the terror that people are today. Rather than falling into the trap of "moving on" as a way to avoid conflict, this week's prayer sits in the middle of terror and fear as best as it can — maybe it will be enough to make us realize that this is no way to live. ### For Those Who Live in Terror #LetUsPray *Let Us Pray —* *For those who live in terror today, we pray* *For those who must hide their terror, we pray* *For those who have known terror for generations, we pray* *And for those who have chosen to reign terror upon others, we pray.* *God, in the face of struggle, the world tells us* *be resilient* *be brave* *do not be afraid* *just move on already* *You know that terror and fear are real* *terror traumatizes* *terror intimidates* *terror menaces* *terror paralyzes* *God, be present with your beloved* *however and wherever terror is felt* *be with individuals who live in terror* *with the stranger who lives in terror of isolation* *with the friend who lives in terror of violence* *and with everyone who lives in terror of the unknown.* *be with families who live in terror* *with the guardian who lives in terror that they will not come home* *with the child who lives in terror that their parent will not return* *with anyone who lives in terror of the abuser in their home.* *be with communities who live in terror* *with those who live in terror of gun violence* *with those who live in terror of economic betrayal* *and with those whose terror has been ignored.* *be with those who live in terror of poverty* *the terror of hunger* *the terror of eviction* *and the terror of sickness.* *be with those held captive by institutions of terror* *the terror of incarceration* *the terror of environmental injustice* *and the terror of militarism.* *be with those to dismiss the terrorized* *the privileged* *the powerful* *and the perpetrators.* *and be with those who terrorize* *may they know Your presence in their lives* *may their souls break open to see You in others* *and may they have the courage to resist* *when powers and principles call upon them to terrorize again.* *For all these things we pray.* *— AMEN* Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com)****: #LETUSPRAY** To gain access to this and future liturgical offerings and preaching prompts, consider becoming a Paid Subscriber for less than $1/month. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS #### Sunday, February 22, 2026: *First Sunday in Lent* [**RCL Year A:**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=l&d=25&ref=reyes-chow.com)Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, Psalm 32, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11 [**NL431:**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/the-man-born-blind/commentary-on-john-91-41-10?ref=reyes-chow.com) John 11:1-44, Psalm 104:27-30 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E82: Sacred Curiosity: A Conversation with Britney Winn Lee URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e82-sacred-curiosity-a-conversation-with-britney-winn-lee/ Last updated: 2026-02-17T13:58:01.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Here is the trailer for Episode 82 of The Amalgamation Podcast — ***Sacred Curiosity: A Conversation with Britney Winn Lee*** The full episode drops on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). **To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes,** [**become a paid subscriber today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). Be sure to grab a copy of Britney's book, [*Sacred Curiosity: Wondering Our Way Toward Wholeness*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9798889834694?ref=reyes-chow.com) on Bookshop where you can also find past Amalgamation guests' books in [The Amalgamation Podcast Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/the-amalgamation-podcast?ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com)****: The AmalgaMtion Podcast** Get early access to this and all future episodes for as little as $1/month. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### For Those Who Whisper #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/for-those-who-whisper-letuspray/ Last updated: 2026-02-12T19:43:23.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ****Weekly #LetUsPray** I offer this weekly [#LetUsPray](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/let-us-pray/) as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. For paid subscribers (and last-minute worship planners), I also offer some liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from [The Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [The Narrative Lectionary](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com). Each offering is written on Wednesday and published on Thursday, allowing me to focus on current events or issues. [Sign-Up Today ](#/portal/signup) I am not sure how this is possible, but against the backdrop of the Super Bowl halftime controversy, the debates over Homeland Security funding, and the ongoing release of the Epstein files, it feels like the volume of political rhetoric has grown even louder. As this has been happening, I have been spending most of my days in a hospital room sitting with one of my elders who is dealing with some health issues. Having been in that space, I could only notice the vast network of dedicated people who tend these spaces of healing. That got me thinking and praying about the many voices that surround us every days that are never heard, noticed, or even acknowledged. So this week, I offer this prayer, not as a castigation for those who are raising their voices in righteous indignation to fight injustice, but as a reminder that there are always more stories to be heard and told. ### For Those Who Whisper #LetUsPray *Let Us Pray —* *God of the whispers and the wailing* *You hear Your people at any volume* *God of the powerful and the promising* *You hear Your people from any place* *From where we live:* *for those who wash down our streets* *for those who deliver mail door to door* *for those who bag our groceries* *for those who walk our furbabies* *for those who visit our cities* *for those who live nextdoor* *for strangers in our midst* *and for the struggling before us* *From where we learn:* *for those who guide our children safely across* *for educators who shape lives* *for custodians who tend to spaces* *for staff who support all things* *for paras who hold things together* *for volunteers who do whatever is needed* *for substitutes who step up and step in* *and for those who are struggling before us* *From where we govern:* *for interns who yearn for what may be* *for staffers who dig deep and know much* *for admins who welcome the public* *for clerks who keep things in order* *for legislators who serve the public good* *for janitors who keep the place running* *for service workers who feed the people* *and for those who are struggling before us* *From where we worship:* *for those who show up* *for musicians who play* *for educators who teach* *for pastors who proclaim* *for staff who support* *for volunteers who serve* *for sextons who tend* *and for those who are struggling before us* *From these places and more* *for the voices long silenced* *to the voices amplified daily* *for those who only know isolation* *to those who bask in belonging* *for all of these things* *and for all of these people we pray* *— AMEN* ### Liturgy and Preaching Prompts As I have prepared liturgies over the years, I have attempted to be economical with the words, addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. The text I used most is the [Common English Bible](https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Common-English-Bible-CEB/?ref=reyes-chow.com#booklist). For readings, I refer to the [Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(RCL)** and [The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher](https://www.workingpreacher.org/home-narrative-lectionary?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(NL)**. As Paid Subscribers, please feel free use any of these resources with or without attribution. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ### Beginning next week, the First Sunday in Lent, liturgical resources will be available only to paid subscribers. [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household, so for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is a barrier, here is a [60-Day Trial Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/60-day-trial-offer) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) #### Sunday, February 15, 2026: *Transfiguration Sunday* [**RCL Year A:**](https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=e&d=23&ref=reyes-chow.com)Exodus 24:12-18, Psalm 2 or Psalm 99, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9 [**NL429:**](https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/the-man-born-blind/commentary-on-john-91-41-10?ref=reyes-chow.com) John 9:1-41, Psalm 27:1-4 #### Call to Worship — (Matthew 17:1-9) One: In a world filled with so much disappointment and sorrow **ALL: God we welcome Your presence with awe and wonder** One: Let Your people be open to all that you come to say and do! **ALL: And let us bask in the beauty and radiance of it all!** #### Confession — God of liberation and joy, sometimes we forget that we are not destined to live in bondage and sorrow. Forgive us when we are surprised by Your promised acts of wonder and beauty, grant us the courage to always hear Your words of possibility, and comfort us when our spirits become confined by fear. #### Assurance of Pardon — God is not only pleased with the one called Jesus. We are shown that God is more than pleased with us as well, for in the life, death, and resurrection of the one called Jesus, we are forgiven, our lives made anew, and we are reminded of our eternal life with God. For this we can all be pleased. AMEN. Note: I am partial to using a common Assurance of Pardon during liturgical seasons to reinforce a theological concept or to provide a common element if other parts are of the service shifting around. #### If I were preaching this Sunday — (Matthew 17:1-9) **What do we do in the face of awe?** In this telling of the Transfiguration, Peter treats this as no big deal. Sure, you all just show up, let's build some tents. In Mark's telling, the tents come as an offering in response to fear. I might address both the ways we should remain open to the possibility for God's awe to be revealed before us, and that sometimes we will not be ready for it, and it may be frightening at first. **Who vouches for whom?** I love the idea that Jesus needed someone to vouch for him. Even with all the special effects going on around, God still felt the need to pipe down, "This is my Child whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!" What kind of proof do we need from whom about what? This could go many ways: both in how distrustful we can be AND how we need to listen to the voices of the past. #### Charge and Benediction — Folks are always invited to liberate [the benediction](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-charge-and-benediction/) that I have used for the past three decades. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Ooops, We Were Late for the National Anthem Again URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/opps-we-were-late-for-the-national-anthem-again/ Last updated: 2026-02-11T19:20:51.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Every sporting event that we have attended over the past few years — baseball, soccer, hockey, amateur, or professional — we have always missed the singing of the national anthem. Weird. So odd that it keeps happening over and over and over again. Well, not actually. We have worked out the timing like a great caper. We arrive and wait in line for our food just long enough that there is no way we will be in our seats for the singing of the national anthem. Since I was a child, I was always uncomfortable saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school. As we raised our kids, I found myself squirmy as they did the same in their school and had the national anthem played at their sporting events. As a Christian, I am fine with prayers, vows, and pledges as religious ritual, but when it comes to public and political gatherings, it has always given [Christian Nationalism](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/christian-nationalism/) vibes. Before I explain why we no longer participate in the national anthem portion of the program, let me share a few things I believe are important for folks to know. #### I don't hate the flag. About the American flag: I do not understand why people are ready to go to war over someone burning a flag, but do not blink an eye when a flag is turned into a thong or Speedo. I mean, desecration is desecration, no? But I digress. I grew up around so many flags. I come from an immigrant family where there were American flags around ALL THE TIME. My grandfather, Chuck Chow (then [paper son](https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/paper-sons-daughters-complexity-choices-during-exclusion-era?ref=reyes-chow.com) name, "Fong"), fought for the US Army in WWII. When I see a flag, the first thing I think about is my Grandfather, the affection he had for the country he came to "illegally," fought for, and loved. #### I believe that protest is patriotic. I have never understood the idea of "If you don't like it, leave!" as a response to criticism directed at a community. Sure, there may be times when something may be so terrible that separation must be entertained, but I dare say that most critiques that are offered by members of a community are probably offered in the spirit of genuine love and hope, not as a comprehensive rejection. We love the community so much that we want it to be all it professes it to be. I do this with my family, myself, my church, and yes, my country. I feel like we all have a responsibility and obligation to hold one another accountable to the highest of our callings, so when it comes to being a citizen of the United States, what could be more patriotic than wanting our country to live up to its highest ideals? Yes, we will disagree on what these ideals are, but do not doubt that my motivation is no less patriotic than anyone else's, even if our ideals differ. #### I protest in many forms. One reason we do not go to our seats during the national anthem is that we simply cannot bring ourselves to stand for a country that is doing so much that we cannot support. We have a limited amount of [public protest](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/protest/) energy, and we will spend it on actions that are warranted. Public sporting events are not them. We also do not want to create a stir, invite commentary, or make a scene. We can also appreciate the talent that is often asked to perform at them, so while this is an act of public protest, it is even more so an act of personal integrity. **Okay, so now, why don't we make it to our seats...** We have not been fans of the NFL for a while, but really stopped engaging since 2016 when the NFL's Colin Kaepernick knelt during the singing of the national anthem during a football game, racist America lost its collective mind, and the NFL essentially banned him from football. Ah, the days when kneeling was considered controversial \* *sigh*\*. For me, here are the three main reasons why I refuse to sing the national anthem, especially given our current political and social context: #### The *Star Spangled Banner* is a lie right now. See my *Protest is Patriot* note above, because this is where I start. With the backdrop of kidnappings and murders by ICE, cruel actions against the LGBTQIA+ community, arrests and expulsions of student protestors, capitulation of institutions of higher education, attacks on diversity efforts across all disciplines, and so much more, the last thing that I can do is sing at the top of my lungs that this is the "land of the free" no matter how much I wish it to be true. Sure, we have never fully lived up to those ideals, but there was always a thread of common purpose that showed we were trying. The current administration has taken a torch to that ideal, so soon this idea will no longer be a metaphor — only those who are actually free will be able to sing about freedom. > O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave > O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? #### The *Star Spangled Banner* glorifies the American war machine. With our current administration sending warships to multiple regions of the world, threatening military action in multiple countries, and continuing American aggression in other countries, the last thing I want to do is cheer on our ability to bomb our enemies into submission. There might have been a day when one could justify that our national priorities were in line and we were on the right side of global history, but that day is not now, so there is no way I can sing: > And the rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air, > Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there #### The *Star Spangled Banner* is unapologetically racist. Francis Scott Key was a slaveholder, so why are we continuing to lift up his work, especially since the third verse rejoiced in the bloodshed of any slave who dared to have joined the English to have fought for their freedom? No thank you. > And where is that band who so vauntingly swore > ⁠That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, > A home and a country should leave us no more? > ⁠Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. > **No refuge could save the hireling and slave,** > **From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:** > And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave, > O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. So those are my reasons. At the end of the day, I really do not get it. [The National Anthem has not even been sung at sporting events for all that long](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/%5F/id/38583897/mlb-playoffs-2023-world-series-national-anthem-jose-feliciano?ref=reyes-chow.com), but it is treated as if the Founding Fathers willed its performance, and it is defended with a fervor that I would expect to be reserved for actual constitutional amendments. I doubt that we'll ever get it, but if we ever go to a sporting event with you and we are nowhere to be found during a certain portion of the festivities, you'll know where to find us. If you're at a BayFC match this year and need somewhere to be during the national anthem, see you at the food trucks! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/PXL_20240310_232721792.jpg) Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household, so for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is a barrier, here is a [60-Day Trial Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/60-day-trial-offer) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### e81: Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: A Conversation with Liza Rankow URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e81-soul-medicine-for-a-fractured-world-a-conversation-with-liza-rankow/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:16.000Z 🧑🏽 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. He is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699) with his next book, "Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Ressurected Christ," due out in Fall 2026\. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA. ✊🏽 About Our Guest Liza J. Rankow, PhD, MHS, is an interfaith minister, educator, activist, and author. Her lifework centers the deep healing that is essential to personal and social transformation. Liza is the founder and former executive director of (https://www.onelifeinstitute.org/) OneLife Institute (https://www.onelifeinstitute.org/) , which for almost 20 years nurtured the well-being of frontline changemakers. She has been a spiritual counselor and teacher for more than three decades, working with individual clients, facilitating healing retreats, and offering classes and workshops in a variety of community and academic settings. Liza is the producer and co-editor of The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman audio collection. Her new book is Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: Healing, Justice, and the Path of Wholeness. Find her at: lizarankow.org (http://lizarankow.org) 1\. Book - soulmedicinebook.com (https://www.soulmedicinebook.com/) 2\. LinkTree - linktr.ee/lizarankow (https://linktr.ee/lizarankow) 3\. Blog - lizarankow.substack.com (https://lizarankow.substack.com/) 4\. IG - instagram.com/liza.rankow/ (https://www.instagram.com/liza.rankow/) 5\. Facebook - facebook.com/liza.rankow (https://www.facebook.com/liza.rankow) 6\. LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/lizarankow/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizarankow/) 7\. YouTube - youtube.com/@LizaRankow (https://www.youtube.com/@LizaRankow) 8\. Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lizarankow.bsky.social 🎧 Episode Summary In this episode of The Amalgamation, host Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with Interfaith Movement Builder and community leader Liza J. Rankow for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, justice, and what it means to stay rooted in values during times of deep social and political tension. Together, they explore how interfaith work is not just about dialogue, but about relationship, accountability, and action—especially when communities are facing fear, polarization, and harm. The conversation touches on how religious and spiritual leaders can show up authentically without centering themselves, how listening can be an act of resistance, and why solidarity requires discomfort as well as compassion. The episode also reflects on personal journeys into faith and activism, the cost of public leadership, and the importance of rest, community, and joy in sustaining long-term justice work. Throughout, Bruce and his guest invite listeners to consider how they might live out their values more fully—in their neighborhoods, institutions, and daily interactions. This episode is a thoughtful reminder that faith at its best is not about certainty, but about courage, curiosity, and collective care. 💌 Thanks for Listening! The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) , paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) , focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. It is hosted by (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) , produced by Emmie Hix, and edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. The Amalgamation Podcast Bookshop Bookstore (https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationPodGuestBooks) and all show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com. 🏷 Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #TheAmalgamation #StorytellingForChange #ProgressiveChristianity #PodcastLife #Interfaith #FaithAndJustice #SocialJustice #Solidarity #ValuesInAction #CommunityCare #SpiritualLeadership #RestIsResistance #LeadingWithValues #FaithInPublicLife #HopeInAction #GoodInTheWorld #DeepConversations #ThoughtfulVoices #MeaningfulMedia #HeartAndMind #FaithPodcast #ProgressiveFaith #PodcastRecommendations #ListenAndLearn ### My Conversation with Joseph Peterson to talk about Sebeel Solidarity Delegations to Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-conversation-with-joseph-peterson-to-talk-about-sebeel-solidarity-delegations-to-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:17.000Z For those who want to know a bit about what goes on during these Sabeel solidarity delegations to Palestine, I sat down with a delegation member, Joseph Peterson, at the end of one delegation to talk about our experience. Video by: Joseph Peterson Fohrm Studio www.fohrm.studio #palestine #sabeel #tourism #travel #resistancetourism ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### E30 Jack Jenkins URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e30-jack-jenkins/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:18.000Z _No content available._ ### E31 Bruce Chats with Holly Tabor URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e31-bruce-chats-with-holly-tabor/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:18.000Z E31 Bruce Chats with Holly Tabor This is a the raw video recording on BRC and Friends. Listen to the edited podcast here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow/e31-holly-tabor2 In episode 31 I sat down with Holly Tabor, PhD. Holly is Associate Professor of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and Associate Director for Clinical Ethics and Education at the Stanford Center of Biomedical Ethics. She is also the co-Chair of the Ethics Committees for Stanford Hospital and Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. She has published articles on a wide-range of topics in bioethics, especially on ethical issues in genetic and genomic medicine and research. She has also written and spoken about ethical issues and inclusive health practices for adults and children with disabilities. We talked about ethics during this time, how our families have adapted to COVID and Shelter-in-Place, finding hope, and more. This was a great conversation with someone involved in important health and wellness conversations. A couple of links from Holly: An Unlikely Superpower on NPR https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817977005/an-unlikely-superpower Pandemic as Teacher — Forcing Clinicians to Inhabit the Experience of Serious Illness https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp2015024?articleTools=true The Truth About Cocoons What caterpillars really go through in there has applications for our moment. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/21/magazine/covid-quarantine-self.html?fbclid=IwAR288towzno8l9UVuVwR-l0jyprdheN\_zLgwvmWpUixrIlfQtKCuLc2PvTk The final segment, as always, is about what we are watching, listening to, and reading. Enjoy! Instagram Mentions: @theheumannperspective @nprinvisibilia @cripcampfilm @thehistorychicks And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except for stoles and patches: https://mlp.org/shop/ Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: http://www.reyes-chow.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/breyeschow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: https://twitter.com/brcandfriends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brcandfriends Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc ### For Everything Else #LetUsPray URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/let-us-pray-for-everything-else/ Last updated: 2026-02-10T22:08:29.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) As I emerge from [my writing hermitage](https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-unplugged-2026/), and run smack into the [realities of daily life](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3mdy7uqvq4s2g?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am reminded that, in the midst of overwhelming global and national events, we must not ignore the tender places in our lives that continue to need our attention. *Let Us Pray . . .* *God of the swirling chaos,* *With strife and suffering surrounding us* *With terror and violence taunting us* *With despair and desperation laying claim to our spirits.* *God, we cannot hold everything all at once* *Because we are barely holding on to everything else —* *For loved ones who are struggling with health:* *mental, emotional, and physical.* *For relationships that need time to be tended:* *family, work, and friends.* *For the things we often never share:* *our heartaches, our diagnoses, and our anxieties.* *For the parts of ourselves that seek liberation:* *creation, curiosity, and rest.* *For the daily frustrations of life* *For the things that never take a break* *For everything else, we lift these all to you.* *God, remind us that we need not hold everything on our own.* *Grant us the humility to believe this to be true.* *Allow us the wisdom to know when and how to hold the struggles of others.* *And bring our collective spirit calm out of the chaos of the day.* *For all of these things we pray.* *AMEN.* It is my intention to offer a prayer every Thursday as my own spiritual discipline, addressing an event or issue of the day. For paid subscribers and last-minute worship planners, I'll soon include a few liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. If there is anything I can offer that might be helpful, please let me know. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Podcast E81: Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: A Conversation with Liza Rankow URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e81-soul-medicine-for-a-fractured-world-a-conversation-with-liza-rankow/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T13:35:03.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Here is the trailer for Episode 81 of The Amalgamation Podcast — ***Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: A Conversation with Liza Rankow*** The full episode drops on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). **To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes,** [**become a paid subscriber today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). Be sure to grab a copy of Liza's book, [*Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: Healing, Justice, and the Path of Wholeness*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986374?ref=reyes-chow.com) on Bookshop where you can also find past Amalgamation guests' books in [The Amalgamation Podcast Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/the-amalgamation-podcast?ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### I'm Back, Thanks for Your Patience URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/im-back-thanks-for-your-patience-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T14:00:28.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) January has been a rough month for the world. It is hard to believe so much has happened and is happening, both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Amidst [my own personal loss](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-lived-lesson-in-being-present/), the terror being inflicted on our communities, and the amazing organizing that is going on around, I am reminded how important it is to remember that we will not get through any of this on our own. I am not going to lie, trying to [hunker down this month](https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-unplugged-2026/) to finish this book has been difficult. Not only am I super social and distractible, but we are in the midst of packing up our house in preparation for our move at the end of the month, I'm trying to plan out my travel for the year, and our government keeps doing things that make me want join you all at every public action possible Well my friends, halle-effing-lujah and praise the sweet baby Jesus, because my January hibernation month is over. Last week I sent over the manuscript for the Advent devotional, *Possibility: An Advent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet,* and this evening **BOOM** the manuscript for *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ* has been turned in. NGL, January was a tough month to finish this thing, so much so that I actually hope that some parts do not age well. From the preface . . . > In all honesty this has been a difficult book to write, not because I do not care about Jesus, I do \*whew\* but because it is difficult to hole away, sit down, and focus on what feels like a detached and futile endeavor while our country's socioeconomic and political chasms are widening, countless people are being subjected to government-sponsored terror, and people of faith and privilege like me are being called to the street. I wish this were just another example of drama and hyperbole, but at the completion of this book, about a year into the second presidential term of Donald Trump, the number of truly horrifying events that have taken place over that time would be comical if it were not so tragic. In any case, this is just the first step, the biggest step, but just the first. There is much editing to do, and I still have to finish *Beckon: Our Lent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet.* The book and first devotional are due out sometime in the fall. I will let folks know when pre-ordering is open. If you want to stay in the loop, sign up for the Chalice Newsletter [at the bottom of my author page](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/PPPP-Jesus-Covers-1.jpg)](https://chalicepress.com/pages/bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com) DRAFT COVERS (NOT FINAL) That's it. Thanks for hanging around and being patient while I've been on hiatus. I have a few more ideas and will write more newsletter copy now that I'm back. Stay tuned! Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Podcast E80: The Internet's Youth Pastor: A Conversation with Mason Mennenga URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e80-the-internets-youth-pastor-a-conversation-with-mason-mennenga/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T03:04:35.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Here is the trailer for Episode 80 of The Amalgamation Podcast — ***The Internet's Youth Pastor: A Conversation with Mason Mennenga*** The full episode drops on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, so be sure to subscribe on [Apple Podcasts](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnApple?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Spotify](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnSpotify?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnYouTube?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Podbean](https://bit.ly/TheAmalgamationOnPodbean?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). **To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes,** [**become a paid subscriber today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). To connect with Mason, [check out his website](https://masonmennenga.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and be sure to [subscribe to his YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/masonmennenga?ref=reyes-chow.com). You can also find past Amalgamation guests' books on [The Amalgamation Podcast Bookstore on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/the-amalgamation-podcast?ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with [The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/), produced by Emmie Hix, edited by [Dessiree McFarland](https://dessireemcfarland.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. **Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to** [**The Team**](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com)**.** Thanks for listening! _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### e80 Trailer — The Internet's Youth Pastor: A Conversation with @masonmennenga URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e80-trailer-the-internets-youth-pastor-a-conversation-with-masonmennenga/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:22.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 80 of The Amalgamation Podcast — The Internet's Youth Pastor: A Conversation with @masonmennenga, host @APeoplesTheology The full episode drops on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes, become a paid subscriber today. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### e79: Engaging the Gadfly: A Conversation with Casey Sigmon URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e79-engaging-the-gadfly-a-conversation-with-casey-sigmon/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:22.000Z 🧑🏽 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. He is the author of six books, most recently (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) with his next book, "Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Ressurected Christ," due out in Fall 2026\. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA. ✊🏽 About Our Guest Rev. Casey Thornburgh Sigmon, MDiv, PhD, is the Associate Professor of Preaching & Worship and Director of the Pause/Play Center for Preachers (a Compelling Preaching Initiative of the Lilly Endowment) at Saint Paul School of Theology. She earned her MDiv from McCormick Theological Seminary and her PhD from Vanderbilt. Her latest book, Engaging the Gadfly: Reflective Online, Hybrid, and In-Person Preaching in a Digital Age, offers a practical theological framework for preachers discerning how to faithfully navigate technocultural shifts brought about by social media and Artificial Intelligence. In addition to being a member of the Academy of Homiletics, Sigmon is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy. Her research in this area is on progressive modern and contemporary worship music on the margins of the CCM industry. At Saint Paul, she supervises the specialization in Modern Worship Music. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Sigmon has served churches in Tennessee, Kansas, and Missouri. 🎧 Episode Summary In this episode of The Amalgamation, Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with Professor, Pastor, and Podcaster Rev. Dr. Casey Sigmon for a wide-ranging, delightfully nerdy conversation about digital ministry, preaching, and how technology is reshaping faith communities. Casey is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship and the Director of the Pause Play Center for Preachers at Saint Paul School of Theology. Together, Bruce and Casey explore the evolving landscape of online and hybrid worship, the impact of social media and artificial intelligence on preaching, and how different generations engage technology in faith spaces. The conversation moves fluidly between practical ministry challenges and big-picture cultural questions—especially around attention, embodiment, and what it means to genuinely connect in digital environments. Along the way, they reflect on younger generations, question assumptions about in-person worship, and share thoughtful (and humorous) observations about post-pandemic church life. Casey also discusses insights from her latest book, Engaging the Gadfly, and offers listeners a meaningful closing practice: noticing and naming “reverse pet peeves”—small things that unexpectedly bring joy or gratitude. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in preaching, digital ministry, or how faith adapts (and sometimes resists adapting) in a rapidly changing technological world. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources 1\. Casey on IG (https://www.instagram.com/ctsig/) 2\. Pause Play on IG (https://www.instagram.com/pauseplaycenter/) 3\. Engaging the Gadfly (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781666775570) (Casey Sigmon’s book) 4\. Pause/Play Center for Preachers (https://www.pauseplaycenter.com/) (Saint Paul School of Theology) 🎙Thanks for Listening! 💌 (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) , paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) , focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. It is hosted by (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) , produced by Emmie Hix, and edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com (mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) 🏷 Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #StorytellingForChange #ProgressiveChristianity #PodcastLife #DigitalMinistry #OnlineWorship #HybridChurch #FaithAndTechnology #PreachingLife #ChurchInnovation #ProgressiveFaith #AIAndFaith #ReversePetPeeves ### A Lived Lesson in Being Present URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-lived-lesson-in-being-present/ Last updated: 2026-01-13T19:51:29.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Barbara Chow July 1, 1948 - January 8, 2026 Last week, I received the news of the unexpected and sudden death of my Auntie Barbara. There is much to say about my Auntie that others will share over time for those who knew her, but I wanted to offer a brief word of gratitude for a life well-lived. For those who grew up in the confusion, chaos, and aftermath of divorce and single-parenthood, you know what it means to have those who are always genuinely present. The overarching memory of my Auntie Barbara is that throughout all seasons of my life, from childhood through adulthood, Auntie (along with my Uncle Henry) was always there, bringing her unique perspective of life and the world. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/01/20015.08-Evelyn-Surprise-22.jpg) With Eldest Auntie viewed the world through a lens all her own. She made up words for things that I think are still being discovered, her collections were a thing of wonder, and she gave us nicknames that continue to bring my cousins and me endless amusement and joy. IYKYK. Her family and I were involved in the same youth activity growing up (Go Drum Corp!), so I saw her a great deal as a teenager, and they rarely missed a celebration or graduation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/01/20000101000007_IMG_1942.JPG) With Middle More importantly, Auntie was one who softened a room, even when those in it may not have deserved the grace she offered. **During seasons of crisis and conflict in my life, she brought normalcy, not as a way to avoid what was happening, but as a reminder that our relationship was not bound by the behavior of others.** I know that my family, especially the kids, holds a very special place in our hearts because of the way Auntie has held me throughout my life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/01/20210814143531_IMG_1756.JPG) With Youngest May we all be unapologetically present for others in the way that Auntie has been present for me, my family, and for countless others. Please join me in holding my cousins, my uncle, and the rest of her friends, family, and community in tender prayer during this time. She will be deeply and profoundly missed. Rest in Peace, Auntie! #Boo #StarTrek #Penguins Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) PS: While most folks who read this probably didn't know her, she was a cat person in a colorful way only Auntie Barbara could be. If you would like to [make a donation in honor of Barbara Chow](https://www.sfspca.org/tribute/?ref=reyes-chow.com), have the notification [emailed to me](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) and I will pass along the notes to my uncle. [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### In the Midst of the Chaos URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/in-the-midst-of-the-chaos/ Last updated: 2026-01-11T20:34:09.000Z Poking my head up from [my January unplug](https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-unplugged-2026/) to check in briefly with those who help to support my work here on The Amalgamation. ***What the hell is happening in the world?*** _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E79: Engaging the Gadfly: A Conversation with Casey Sigmon URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e79-engaging-the-gadfly-a-conversation-with-casey-sigmon-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-06T19:29:03.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 79 of [The Amalgamation Podcast](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com): Engaging the Gadfly: A Conversation with [Casey Sigmon](https://www.workingpreacher.org/authors/casey-thornburgh-sigmon?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* If you care to share, it is also posted on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DTLk-YwEuNZ/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7592330760833584439?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [YouTube](https://youtube.com/shorts/MjERDMq9Gzc?feature=share&ref=reyes-chow.com). You can purchase a copy of [*Engaging the Gadfly: Reflective Online, Hybrid, and In-Person Preaching in a Digital Age*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781666775570?ref=reyes-chow.com)by Rev. Dr. Casey Sigmon,as well as other past Amalgamation guests' books on [The Amalgamation Bookstore on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/the-amalgamation-podcast?ref=reyes-chow.com). The full episode drops on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). To gain full access to today's and early releases of future episodes, become a [paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) today. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### BRC Unplugged 2026 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-unplugged-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T13:00:46.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) With the onslaught of news hitting us, what seems like every hour, there never seems to be a good time to take a hiatus from anything. And for those of us who reluctantly make our living as symbolic capitalists (Listen to [e74 with Musa al Gharbi](https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e74-we-have-never-been-woke-a-conversation-with-musa-al-gharbi/)) in the public square, we sometimes trick ourselves into believing that our livelihoods demand us to be constantly plugged in and producing. Combine that with my Enneagram 3-ness and whew-boy, welcome to my daily spin-out, get nothing, while trying to do everything, but look pretty while doing it life. Welcome to vocational, self-care, reflection, therapy, happy-hour with Bruce 😄 Phooey. I'm an adult-ish with agency. And deadlines. I am taking the rest of January off. So as to hit those deadlines at the end of the month, I will not be publishing any new content in the newsletter and will publish very little on the socials. Once I get those done, I can move on to other things, like our move, a wedding, and other projects I am eager to dive into. So, other than podcast episodes that are already recorded and andy prescheduled posts, I will not be publishing anything else until February. I have already removed all the socials from my phone and bookmarks except for [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) (I have to get my news somewhere), so if you want to stay connected, I'll be there. If you need to get in touch with me about anything related to the podcast or my speaking arrangements, please email us at [theteamatreyeschowdotcom](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com). See you in February! Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | Podcasts URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-podcasts/ Last updated: 2026-01-02T13:08:11.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 01.26.26 I haven't put out [Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) in a minute, so what better way to begin 2026 **\* *gasp*\*** than with some podcast suggestions that might help you learn stuff this year. If you are like me, you do much of your learning via audiobooks and podcasts. I have my fun stuff like [S*herlock and Co*](https://open.spotify.com/show/5yfvdowY1nFCyXRTD5ITqb?si=705cc2796f694a0a&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Midnight Burger*](https://open.spotify.com/show/3flVB3CeXIfVHwXjcKkNk8?si=650e9727cb5b4d12&ref=reyes-chow.com), but honestly, I spend most of my podcast time listening to news, politics, and current events shows. Below are the ones that I find myself gravitating to the most along with a favorite episode. The images and episodes are linked to Spotify as that is where I listen to podcasts (I know, I know, don't woke shame me), but they can be found everywhere. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/CleanShot-2025-12-31-at-12.47.13@2x.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/5mcWBCBMSCLddYdYOH9Er2?si=8d5a050b918e4249&ref=reyes-chow.com) **ONE ||** [*The Global Story*](https://open.spotify.com/show/5mcWBCBMSCLddYdYOH9Er2?si=8d5a050b918e4249&ref=reyes-chow.com) from BBC World Service is a 30-40-minute show that focuses on a single global story at a time. Some of you will recognize one of the hosts, Asma Khalid from NPR. She is one of my favorite hosts, so I was glad to find her land here after leaving NPR. Here is a great episode. --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/CleanShot-2025-12-31-at-13.02.23@2x.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/5jFAscboIdjusnyr8UAlPV?si=a5f1df9a05e845f1&ref=reyes-chow.com) **TWO ||** [*The Daily Beans*](https://open.spotify.com/show/5jFAscboIdjusnyr8UAlPV?si=a5f1df9a05e845f1&ref=reyes-chow.com) is a daily podcast, yes DAILY podcast hosted by AG and Dana Goldberg according to [their website](https://www.dailybeanspod.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), "The Daily Beans is a women-owned and operated progressive news podcast for your morning commute **brought to you by the webby award-winning hosts of Mueller, She Wrote**. Get your social justice and political news with just the right amount of snark." I don't listen every day, but when I do, it is highly entertaining and informative. Fair warning, depending on your swearing culture, there us much :-) Here is a recent episode with a good representation. --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/CleanShot-2025-12-31-at-13.14.05@2x.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/55xdaRcvEwnYJxmBkOHZqu?si=3bd3f2e3f1eb4b7e&ref=reyes-chow.com) **THREE ||** [*Sources & Methods*](https://open.spotify.com/show/55xdaRcvEwnYJxmBkOHZqu?si=3bd3f2e3f1eb4b7e&ref=reyes-chow.com) is from NPR and hosted by Mary Louise Kelly. It is a nerdy national security podcast and seems particularly important during these times when the Trump administration has thrown our international relations into chaos. These shows have guests who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. Only the last four episodes are available to non-npr+ folks, so here is the most recent episode. --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/CleanShot-2025-12-31-at-13.28.40@2x.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/2hHf8v06H7VuzfVTOuiS4p?si=72bc235b7cf14119&ref=reyes-chow.com) FOUR || [*NPR Politics Podcast*](https://open.spotify.com/show/2hHf8v06H7VuzfVTOuiS4p?si=72bc235b7cf14119&ref=reyes-chow.com) is a quick episode on a current political event. Because of NPR's large number of correspondents, it can cover a wide range of topics with depth that other shows cannot. The vibe is serious and accessible. Here is the year-end recap of Trump's foreign policy episode --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/CleanShot-2025-12-31-at-13.37.11@2x.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/5N9wxQJwCxNmtFKCzY1iob?si=2563468301a3481c&ref=reyes-chow.com) **FIVE ||** [*Rania Khalek Dispatches*](https://open.spotify.com/show/5N9wxQJwCxNmtFKCzY1iob?si=2563468301a3481c&ref=reyes-chow.com) is a podcast that gives a solid leftist perspective around most things. I appreciate Rania's honesty and intellect around issues that I am still learning about. Episodes aren't very consistent, so be sure to turn on notifications. Here is the episode immediately following the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York city. --- Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) **From the Camera Roll**: Happy Holidays from our family to yours. This year we were down our eldest child, so after our extended family extravaganza on Christmas Eve, we spent a pretty quiet Christmas Day with just the four of us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/PXL_20251225_031337122-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/PXL_20251226_052422682-1.jpg) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2025 Year in Review in 18 Images #2025 #endoftheyear URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/2025-year-in-review-in-18-images-2025-endoftheyear/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:30.000Z How does one capture an entire year in a few images? Not very well. Still, we can also get a glimpse, and it's fun to look back through the camera roll. Here is my 2025 in 18 images. We begin with a long look at Vespa, the English Bull Terrier, who died in August. Damn, I miss that gravel-eating, weirdo. JANUARY had us starting the year with a public action, because a family that protests genocide together is on the right side of history together. FEBRUARY brings our annual family Lunar New Year celebration and a photo of us fine-looking cousins! Oh, and another action, this one as our migrant siblings are being targeted and terrorized. MARCH meant coffee in hospital rooms because, apparently, this was the month for three relatives to spend time in the hospital. All was fine, but still. Sheesh. APRIL I returned to Palestine for my 3rd and 4th delegations, one being during Holy Week, which was both horrible and holy. And yep, we were invited to participate in a public action. MAY I ran my first half-marathon. Didn't die or barf, so I will take the W. JUNE we spent some time up in the nature and off the grid up at Holden Village in Washington. Met a marmot. JULY meant more time in the nature camping on the coast. And another public action as part of a group, accompanying someone through their immigration process. AUGUST was a family Filipiniana Photoshoot. We clean up alright. SEPTEMBER: our adopted Gma Katherine came in for a visit to help us send Youngest off to her PhD program, and then moved her into her home for the next five years! OCTOBER I got back to Holloween in the Castro. It had been a while, and it was great to be back. NOVEMBER, all the next-gen cousins were in the same place. So grateful for who these humans are becoming. DECEMBER had us celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary and a holiday toast with our Palestinian whiskey (Taybeh) sipped from our Palestinian glass cups (Hebron). From the Reyes-Chow/Pughs to you and yours, peace. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### The Night My Brain Caught on Fire URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-night-my-brain-caught-on-fire/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T13:44:19.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) There I was, about to get up and deliver a sermon in front of 2500 youth and adults, when my brain caught on fire. First, a little background. For those who have not been in church for a minute, generally before the preacher gets up, someone reads a selection or two from the Bible. Ideally, the preacher has wrestled with those texts, honored the community's cultural realities, and considered the day's current context, all in the hope of delivering a message that conveys an understanding of who God intends for that community to be and become. Make no mistake, this is a daunting task, no matter how many people are in the congregation, but when there are thousands of high schoolers, it's downright terrifying. So that was the charge and the setting. I was about to preach a sermon, and when the reader started reading the first scripture passage, to my horror, I realized that the passage that was being read WAS NOT THE PASSAGE THAT I HAD PREPARED TO PREACH ON! Head. Hot. Brain. Fire. I leaned over to my friend sitting next to me and said, "Holy shit, that's not the passage that I prepared for." I figured swearing at that moment was completely justified. Her eyes got wide, and her feelings of shock and pity were probably only surpassed by the relief that, in five minutes, it was not she who had to get up there and preach. I am not sure how this happened. This was an event that had been years in the planning, had been cancelled once, and then restarted. I looked back at the planning notes, and there was a different passage sent to me in an incorrect note, probably due to cut-and-paste errors. I should have noticed and double-checked in all areas. There is zero blame here. Sometimes things happen, and we adapt. It's not the first time and it will not be the last. To be clear, this post is neither about blaming nor flexing, it is entirely about trusting the movement of the Spirit. In any case, when I realized what was happening, everything went into slow motion as I weighed my only two options: get up there and read the passage that I thought I was supposed to preach on, or quickly adapt and rewrite the first part of my sermon in the next few minutes (Thankfully, the second passage was correct). I quickly decided that option one was out, because I was pretty sure that another preacher later in the week was probably going to preach on that passage, so I didn't want to steal their thunder, so option two it was. So I put my head in my hands (Later, a friend said they saw me at that moment, and they said I looked like I was focused and getting in the zone. Little did they know it was the panic zone.) and, before trying to put words in any order, I prayed with each breath, Inhale, "Spirit, be with me." Exhale, "Spirit, I trust you." I quickly thought through the passage that was just read. What did I remember about its context, Biblical questions, and theological issues? How should I start? Where did I want to end? What was the bridge to the second passage? And how would I weave a clear and compelling path between the three points of contact? Inhale, "Spirit, be with me." Exhale, "Spirit, I trust you." I thought of a story to help me get from one place to another. I marked a list of current-day topics that I wanted to make sure were driven home. I walked through the second part of my sermon, which did not change, to make sure it all still made sense in my head. Inhale, "Spirit, be with me." Exhale, "Spirit, I trust you." All of this in what felt like an hour, but in reality was more like about 5 minutes. I was introduced, I walked up onto the platform, my brain was a little cooler, and I tried to look like this was just any other day at the pulpit, because at the end of the day, it was. And like any other time I step into speaking spaces, whether it's in front of 2000, 200, or 20, I trust that I am prepared and I trust the Spirit. At the end of the day, it turned out just fine. It was better than fine according to some, too political, according to others, and I am sure everything in between depending on who you talk to . . . so yeah, just like any other day in the pulpit. Inhale, "Spirit, be with me." Exhale, "Spirit, I trust you." For those who have heard me preach or speak, you know that I am not a manuscript preacher, so it was probably a good thing that it happened to me. Please do not let me give the impression that this was in any way easy. To be clear, in my professional ministry, I have never trusted the Spirit more than at that very moment. I still get nervous whenever I step up to speak in front of people, but this was different; this was barf-level nervousness even without the scripture confusion. But what I have learned over the past three decades of this work is that I cannot, must not rely solely on myself, no matter how gifted or skilled I may believe I am. I have gone down the road of trying too hard and relying on myself too much, and it is not pretty what I do. It always goes far better when I trust that I have done what I could to prepare and then loosen my grasp on the proclamation moment and let the spirit coax the best out of me: the precision of the words, the texture of imagery, and the cadence of the conversation. I have found that this posture of trust is also not just about preaching, but about most things in life. It does sound like a throw pillow, but we can only control so much, *Let Go and Let Go* and all that. I do believe God gives us agency and calls us to participate in the unfolding of God's reality and revelations, but the only way that we can genuinely do this is to prepare, yes, to be thoughtful, of course, to be strategic, definitely, and then to lose our grasp on what may be. Sometimes things may indeed turn out exactly as planned, but I have found that more times than not, when we let the Spirit loose a little bit, things turn out even better than we could have ever imagined. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### e78 Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice: A Conversation w/@gracejisunkim1 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e78-earthbound-god-and-the-intersection-of-climate-and-justice-a-conversation-w-gracejisunkim1/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:31.000Z 🧑🏽 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow Rev. Bruce Reyes‑Chow is a 3rd‑generation Filipino/Chinese American speaker, writer, and coachsultant exploring topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, surrounded by too many animals and houseplants. ✊🏽 About Our Guests @gracejisunkim1 was born in Korea, educated in Canada and now teaches in the USA as Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is the author or editor of 25 books, most recently, Earthbound, When God Became White, Invisible, and Spirit Life. Kim is the host of Madang podcast which is sponsored by Faith and Reason. She blogs on her Substack: Loving Life and has written for Huffington Post, The Nation, Sojourners, Baptist News Global, Faith and Leadership and TIME. Kim has appeared on MSNBC, PBS and C-Span. She has been a guest on BBC Radio, ABC Soul Search Radio, WBEZ Radio, and Keep Hope Alive Radio. She is a book series Co-Editor for Palgrave Macmillan Series, “Asian Christianity in the Diaspora,” and has served on the American Academy of Religion’s Board of Directors. Kim is honored to be included in the Englewood Review of Book‘s list of “Ten Important Women Theologians That You Should Be Reading”. 🎧 Episode Summary In this lively and deeply insightful conversation, host Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with his longtime friend and self-proclaimed "PCUSA twin," Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Together, they explore Grace's journey from feeling embarrassed by her Korean heritage as a child to fully embracing her culture as essential to her identity and theological work. Grace opens up about her prolific writing life—including the origins of her latest book "Earthbound" and how her bestselling "When God Became White" helped her finish its conclusion. She shares why she writes without a strict schedule, often completes books before signing contracts, and resists pressure to write like others. Bruce challenges her to see how her unique process might actually be a strength and negotiation tool. From climate justice theology to juggling roles as parent, professor, public speaker, and theologian, they discuss the intersections of creativity, calling, and culture. They explore how books find their way into classrooms and communities longing for justice, and share the truth that their spouses make this demanding work possible. This is a conversation full of laughter, honesty, craft talk, and two friends reflecting on what it means to do public scholarship while staying true to yourself. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources 1\. Asian Christianity in the Diaspora (https://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14781) , 2\. Ten Important Women Theologians That You Should Be Reading (http://englewoodreview.org/ten-important-women-theologians-that-you-should-be-reading/) ”. 3\. Substack: Loving Life (https://gracek.substack.com/) 4\. Madang podcast (https://www.christiancentury.org/madang) 5\. https://gracek.substack.com/ 6\. https://grace-ji-sun-kim-dc9fa6.webflow.io/ 7\. https://gracejisunkim.wordpress.com/ 8\. https://www.facebook.com/gracejisunkim 9\. https://x.com/Gracejisunkim 10\. https://www.threads.com/@gracejisunkim 11\. https://bsky.app/profile/gracejisunkim.bsky.social 🎙Thanks for Listening! 💌 The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) , paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) , focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. It is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) , produced by Emmie Hix, and edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com. ### Beverages with Bruce: anim URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-anim/ Last updated: 2025-12-27T22:11:45.000Z anim **\= "six" in Tagalog** Happy almost New Year [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/)! Thanks for pulling up a chair and joining me for the final check-in of 2025\. What?!?!? As always, Paid Subscribers get a little more detail ([the first one was unlocked](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of the past few week's head, heart, and gut check-in. - **Bruce's Beverage:** Barakat Single Barrel, Single Malt, Small Batch, First Release Whiskey made and purchased in Palestine [as seen on The Gram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSv-P44kdeK/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&ref=reyes-chow.com) - **Back from Palestine:** It's always difficult to answer the questions that everyone naturally asks, "How was it?" so suffice it to say, it was simultaneously heartbreaking and holy. As as international visitors, we see things through a different lens, but as ones who attempt to see things through Palestinian eyes AND have developed relationships with Palestinians, we can also attest to the ongoing oppression that they experience under occupation and apartheid life. - **Disruption:** There is a certain amount of privilege one must possess to be able to entertain possibilities that could bring about great disruption to one's life. Never one to shut down conversations, I'm always down to take a phone call. Most never pan out, but who knows? - **RCP Family Move Update:** We are hitting pause, maybe, sorta, kinda, -Ish. - **From the Camera Roll:** It was a calm, Christmas, as it should be. [****SUBSCRIBE TO This Newsletter**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation, by Bruce Reyes-Chow, is a subscriber-supported newsletter focused on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [sign me up right now ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Barakat First Release Whiskey from Taybeh, Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/barakat-first-release-whiskey-from-taybeh-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:31.000Z To celebrate the holiday and ring in the new year we broke open our bottle of #FirstRelease #SingleBarrel #SingleMalt #Whiskey from Barakat Distillery in #Taybeh #Palestine. I bought this during a solidarity delegation in December 2025 when we were visiting TayBeh, a Christian village where settler attacks were on the rise. This the same city that produces Taybeh Beer and has the church with the longest continuous worshipping congregation in the world. The day we were there happened on the release day of their first batch of their whiskey so, since part of the purpose of our delegation is to engage in a little #resistancetourism and support the local economy, many in our group did just that. We even had the makers sign a few bottles to commemorate the day. The whiskey is top shelf and smooth and they also make multiple gins and a chocolate coffee liquor. if you ever find yourself in Taybeh, be sure to add the distillery to your itinerary. #travel #tourism The s one of a Palestinian come home and invest in a place where others probably would not. We were more than happy to support them and can't wait for the day when they will be able to distribute freely and out from under the restrictions and complications of occupation. If you ever find yourself in Taybeh, definitely at the distillery to your itinerary, do a tasting, and meet the makers. #palestine #travel #tourism #whiskey #resistancetourism ### Holding Space for a Happy Holiday URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/space-happy-holiday/ Last updated: 2025-12-24T21:17:02.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) As I write this, it is about noon, and I am probably one of the only people still at this WeWork site. I have managed to outlast all the techies 👨🏽‍💻 Not sure that is a worthy flex, but truth be told, it's kinda nice having an entire floor all to myself. As a pastor who has spent most of my professional life serving congregations, I am pretty chill because I am not preparing to lead a worship service in a few hours. I am definitely holding all of my congregational colleagues in prayer as they prepare for all the Christmas Eve activities, both spiritual and logistical. May the holy abound, not only in the liturgy, the prayers, and the proclamation, but also in the chaos of the candle distribution, the congregational choreography, and the unexpected that always makes an appearance. You know this, but let me remind you — all will be well, and Jesus will show up, smooth going or not. **So for all who are doing the work of the church this day: pastors, educators, musicians, staff, volunteers, and everyone else, thank you.** Coming back from Palestine so close to Christmas is pretty surreal. Knowing that the genocide, while slowed, continues in Gaza — and that Christmas has returned in much of Palestine, the thin and tender space between hope and hopelessness has never been more real. While we were there, we experienced just a glimpse of Palestinian life under occupation, where one moment you are strolling through a Christmas market perusing Christmas crafts and the next moment you are avoiding Israeli Occupation Forces as they swarm a car on the street. Startling for Americans, but normal for Palestinians. This was illustrated so well as we visited the Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, where the "Christ in the Rubble" now has a Christmas tree over it. Christmas may be here, but Christ is still in the rubble. At Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem Also "normal" under apartheid life is not being able to celebrate Christmas as one would want. The picture at the top of this post is of a Nativity Scene that I bought at [The Walled Off Hotel](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSek%5FmhCEyh/?ref=reyes-chow.com). It has the Magi and the Christ child separated by the apartheid wall. If only this were metaphorical. Like Easter, because of the permit and ID system, Palestinian movement is regulated and controlled by the Israeli government. What this means is that if you are a Palestinian Christian and you want to attend Christmas services in Jerusalem, you have to apply for a permit, which will most likely be denied. Do not believe the propaganda that Israel is a place that protects Christians. It is not. For Palestinian Christians, it is a dangerous apartheid state. And yet, while we were there, our colleagues and siblings were finding space to begin welcoming the hope, peace, joy, and love of the Christ child into the world. I figure that if they can hold this tension, it is the least I can do — and I invite you to do the same. > Let us pray, > God in that tender and tenuous space in between, may we know the hope, peace, joy, and love that is offered in the Christ child. > between the despair of the world and the hope of Christ, > may we embrace possibility. > between the destruction of relationships and the peace of Christ, > may we experience redemption. > between the sorrow of our souls and the joy of Christ, > may we exhale with delight. > between the diminishment of our enemies and the love of Christ, > may we love and be loved beyond our imagination. > For all of this, for us and for all, we pray. > AMEN. However and with whomever you spend this holiday season, may there be more than glimpses of hope, peace, joy, and love. See you in 2026. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Podcast E78: Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice: A Conversation With Grace Ji-Sun Kim URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e78-earthbound-god-and-the-intersection-of-climate-and-justice-a-conversation-with-grace-ji-sun-kim/ Last updated: 2025-12-23T19:12:55.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 78 of [The Amalgamation Podcast](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com): [*Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986312?ref=reyes-chow.com)*: A Conversation With Grace Ji-Sun Kim.* If you care to share, it is also posted on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSnYEfOksrk/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7587130023048449294?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/X0XL6p7xMHc?ref=reyes-chow.com). You can purchase a copy of [*Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986312?ref=reyes-chow.com)on Bookshop or wherever you buy books. The full episode drops on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). To gain full access to today's and early releases of future episodes, become a [paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) today. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### e78 Trailer: Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice: A Convo w/@gracejisunkim1 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e78-trailer-earthbound-god-and-the-intersection-of-climate-and-justice-a-convo-w-gracejisunkim1/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:32.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 78 of The Amalgamation Podcast: Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice: A Conversation with @gracejisunkim1 The full episode drops on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. To gain full access to today's and early releases of future episodes, become a paid subscriber today. Thanks for listening! ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### Stay at the @walledoffhotel in Bethlehem! #palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/stay-at-the-walledoffhotel-in-bethlehem-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:32.000Z During a recent solidarity delegation to Palestine we were able to visit the newly reopened @walledoffhotel in Bethlehem. If you are #Banksy fan, want to support Palestinians living under occupation, or have considered #resistancetourism , you must put staying at The Walled Off Hotel in #Bethlehem on your itinerary! #Palestine #art #thewall ### Palestine Update Three: You're ****** #palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/palestine-update-three-youre-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:33.000Z Again, I should probably script these updates out, but whatever, I'm tired — ramblings ahead. There are many things that I have heard and continue to hear from folks when I come to Palestine, but this time there has been something new — I hope it's not too late. #palestine #authoritarianism ### Christmas in Bethlehem 2025 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/christmas-in-bethlehem-2025/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:33.000Z _No content available._ ### Occupation, Fear, and Control: Palestine Update 2 #palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/occupation-fear-and-control-palestine-update-2-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:34.000Z Here is Update Two from my Solidarity Delegation to Palestine. I really should script these out, but here are some late night ramblings about fear and border crossing experience. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### E73 Trailer: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kay... URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e73-trailer-faith-power-and-the-making-of-christian-nationalism-a-conversation-with-brian-kay/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:35.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 73 of The Amalgamation Podcast: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood The full episode drops on Tuesday, September 23rd, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) . Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) have early access to the full episode. Thanks for listening. ### I'm headed back to #Palestine and you're invited to follow along. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/im-headed-back-to-palestine-and-youre-invited-to-follow-along/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:35.000Z I'm headed back to #Palestine and you're invited to follow along. (See socials) #resistancetourism ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe 🎙️ Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop 🔗 BlueSky (https://bit.ly/BRConBS) 🔗 Instagram (https://bit.ly/BRConIG) 🔗 Facebook (https://bit.ly/BRConFB) 🔗 Tiktok (https://bit.ly/BRConTT) 🔗 YouTube (https://bit.ly/BRConYT) 🔗 Threads (https://bit.ly/BRConTH) 🔗 Mastadon (https://bit.ly/BRConMA) 🔗 LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/BRConLI) 🔗 Discord (https://bit.ly/BRConDC) 🔗 X (https://bit.ly/BRConX) ### E77 The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e77-the-cross-and-the-olive-tree-a-conversation-with-john-and-samuel-munayer/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:36.000Z E77 The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer 🧑🏽 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow Rev. Bruce Reyes‑Chow is a 3rd‑generation Filipino/Chinese American speaker, writer, and coachsultant exploring topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, surrounded by too many animals and houseplants. ✊🏽 About Our Guests John Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from King’s College London, the University of Edinburgh, and VU University Amsterdam. John is currently involved in interreligious activism and the founder and editor of the Journal of Palestinian Christianity at the Bethlehem Bible College. He is also a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, researching the political theology of the Palestinian laity in relation to the Holy Fire ceremony. Samuel Munayer is a Palestinian theologian from Jerusalem and holds degrees from Durham University and Exeter University. Samuel works as an advocacy and access officer for a humanitarian organisation that works in Gaza and the West Bank. He recently co-authored with John the article entitled, “Decolonising Palestinian Liberation Theology: New Methods, Sources, and Voices.” 🎧 Episode Summary In this episode of the Amalgamation Podcast, Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with Palestinian theologians John and Samuel Manay. Hailing from Jerusalem, both are accomplished in their respective academic journeys and have co-authored the article 'Decolonizing Palestinian Liberation Theology.' They discuss their latest book, 'The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology Amid Gaza,' and share insights on the importance of the olive tree, the concept of Nakba, and the unique nature of Palestinian theology. The episode also touches on their personal backgrounds, the influence of their diverse upbringing, and their joint efforts to contribute to their community’s theological discourse. Despite the challenges, including the ongoing violence in Gaza, they emphasize building a resilient and collaborative future. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources • The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology Amid Gaza (https://orbisbooks.com/products/palestinian-liberation-theology-new-voices-sources-methods) , • an article we co-wrote Decolonising Palestinian Liberation Theology: New Method, Sources, and Voices (https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/swc.2022.0401) , and the Journal of Palestinian Christianity (https://jpc.bethbc.edu/) . 🎙Thanks for Listening! 💌 The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) , paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) , focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. It is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) , produced by Emmie Hix, and edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com. ### I'm on My Way Back to Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/im/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T20:33:15.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Hello from somewhere over Canada! Well, it's finally time, after what seems like a lifetime, the various members of the [Presbyterians in Palestine Solidarity Delegation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/december-2025-palestine-delegation-invitation/) are making their way to our gathering point as we begin our time together in Palestine. I put together a quick video during my last-minute packing frenzy explaining why I'm headed back again. Airplane WiFi isn't fast enough to upload it to this post, so please watch over on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSBwPTNEf00/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTr9p9rHx/?ref=reyes-chow.com). (Updated with the actual video from [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com)) View on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSBwPTNEf00/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTr9p9rHx/?ref=reyes-chow.com) As I am able and as appropriate, I will continue to share updates throughout our time there so please feel free to follow along [on most social platforms](https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me) via @breyeschow. Not everyone on the delegation will be sharing during the trip, but as more folks do, I will mention them along the way and update this post. As of now, the following folks will be sharing: - Matt Prinz [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matt.prinz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Monte McClain via [his blog](https://montemcclain.wordpress.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/montemcclain/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Hannah Amundson on FB](https://www.facebook.com/hannah.kristin.5908) (Friends only) - [CeCe Armstrong on FB](https://www.facebook.com/brightbutterflies) (Public) - [Jill Acree on FB](https://www.facebook.com/jill.acree.9) (Friends only) If you are the praying type please continue to pray for the people of Gaza who are still being killed during this "ceasefire;" for the people we will meet with who are constantly being asked to share their trauma with strangers, because the world does not believe them; and for our families and communities, who are probably more worried than they are letting on. Thanks again for all the support. Next stop, Palestine. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) PS: If you are interested in a future delegation. I will be co-leading a delegation for [Educators, Librarians, and Archivists, July 3-13, 2026](https://bit.ly/ELAPalestine26Information?ref=reyes-chow.com). [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Chicken Adobo: Esteban de los Reyes Style URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/chicken-adobo-esteban-de-los-reyes-style/ Last updated: 2025-12-05T23:10:02.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) I'm resharing [this 2022 Medium post](https://breyeschow.medium.com/chicken-adobo-esteban-de-los-reyes-style-f13523674956?ref=reyes-chow.com) that was my contribution to, [*The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506484112?ref=reyes-chow.com), because that book makes a great holiday gift, and for some reason, today I am missing my grandpa. --- My maternal grandfather, Esteban de los Reyes (Changed to Steve Reyes by US Immigration) was, not only one of the kindest humans I have ever known, but also an excellent cook. A bartender by trade, not only could he pour the beverages, but he also brought generations of ancestral Filipino love to the kitchen. Although fading, memories of his fried fish and adobo still fill my heart with such sweet memories: hanging out on warm summer Stockton days, drinking and spilling tea with my mom, and knowing that when you walked into the house, there would be food to feed your soul. Damn, I miss him. Gpa Reyes shows up every time I cook adobo. And thanks to an invitation from my friends over at Food and Faith Podcast for their upcoming book, I am finally writing down what could loosely be called a “recipe.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/PXL_20220902_202510841-1.jpg) Before we get started, if you are here to debate the exact origin of adobo (yes, it comes from 500 years of Spanish occupation) or you want to say there is only one right way to make adobo (Need I remind you that the Philippines is made up of 7,000 islands), hard pass. All you need to know is that adobo has been adapted by the folx from the Philippines and this salty, sour comfort food will continue to evolve and adapt far into the future. What I share with you is my best recollection of how my grandfather made his. Because each region is different, there are countless other ways to make it. The ingredients vary depending on the region or what may be in the fridge. Some prefer the sour, while others like the salty, others make it spicy, while others make it sweet. There are those who prefer dry, while others are all about the sauce. At the end of the day, there really is no right or wrong way to make adobo. Well, I am sure there is, but that’s for another day… ## My Grandpa’s Adobo Recipe Serves 2–4 ### **The Ingredients:** Please keep in mind that I never actually measure when I make adobo. Measurements are, at best, estimates of your heart’s desires and memories of love passed down from generation to generation. Yes, I measured this time to give you a guide, but over time, you should experiment and make it your own. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231825_928-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231825_955.jpg) - 2–3 pounds chicken (or pork), preferably thighs and drumsticks with bones and skin still present. NOTE: You can use white meat, but it tends to get dry. Also, with drumsticks and thighs, I prefer to cut them in half so the marrow can flavor the sauce. - 1 large white or yellow onion, diced - 2 tablespoons pickling spice - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 2–3 bay leaves - 1 tablespoon sesame oil - 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil - 1 cup vinegar (Datu Puti preferred) - 1/2 cup soy sauce (Again, Datu Puti) - 1/4 cup condensed chicken broth - and last but not least, **1 entire bulb of fresh garlic**, minced. Yes, you heard me right, I said 1 ENTIRE BULB! There is no such thing as “too much” garlic. Fight me. - Optional Spice: Add 1/2 cup or to taste of Pinoy Spice (also Datu Puti) ### **The Cooking:** Please note that it’s really difficult to mess this up, so just go with what feels right and avoid burning down anything but the patriarchy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231825_980.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231826_025.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231826_051.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231826_065.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231826_082.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/PXL_20220902_202510841.jpg) - In a saucepan deep enough that the meat can almost be covered, on medium-high heat, heat up the oils. - When the oil is hot, add pickling spice, bay leaves, and garlic. Sauté just until the garlic starts turning brown. - Add onions and cook until just starting to brown on the edges. - Add meat and brown it up for about 3–5 minutes. - Flip the meat over and add soy sauce, vinegar, broth, and sugar. - Stir to mix and bring to a boil. - Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cover. - Cook for about 30 minutes and return every 10 minutes to stir/turn the chicken, sample the sauce, and adjust to your liking. - When it’s done, remove the chicken to a serving bowl and boil the liquid (about 10 minutes) to get that nice, thick heavenly adobo juice. Pour over the chicken or just do adobo sauce shots. Kidding, kind of. NOTE: I usually do not remove the chicken because I am lazy, but doing this does thicken the sauce faster. - Get a bowl, scoop out a paddle of rice for the ancestors, top it with a heaping scoop of adobo and juice, pull up a chair, and enjoy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/12/IMG_20220903_231826_100-1.jpg) Camera eats first. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-4.png) [****Upgrade today**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household so, for as little as $1/month, I hope a little extra access + other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it. That said, if $$ is an obstacle, here is a [complimentary six-month trial Paid Subscription](https://www.reyes-chow.com/six-month-complimentary) that you can cancel or renew at any time. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Beverages with Bruce: lima URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-lima/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T22:37:16.000Z ***lima* \= "five" in Tagalog** Happy how-can-it-be-December-already [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/)! Thanks for pulling up a chair and joining me for a quick check-in. As always, Paid Subscribers get a little more detail ([the first one was unlocked](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of this week's head, heart, and gut check-in. - **Bruce's Beverage:** Sugar Free Palestine Cola from [Palestine Drinks Shop](https://www.palestinedrinksshop.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - **Dreaming a bit:** I do not have a vision board, don't really even know what one is, but if I did, it would be to create a communication network (podcasts, video, socials) that would provide the technological infrastructure and support to support people who have important thoughts and ideas to offer to the world, but do not have the capacity or resources to do so. - **Book Hibernation** Had to ask for a month extension SHOCKER, so going into hyper-hibernation for the next six weeks. - **Next Book** So of course, I am thinking about the next book. - **Podcast Next Steps** Now that The Amalgamation Podcast is in a groove, next year, I am hoping to add video to the mix. I also want to start adding sponsors to help cover some of the costs, so if you want to sponsor an episode, LMK. - **SoCal on Saturday:** [ICYMI I'm headed your way SoCal on 12.06](https://www.reyes-chow.com/socal-12-06-25-resurrection-people/). See you there? Send friends! There will be food if that helps. - **Palestine on Monday:** I leave for Palestine on Monday and will be updating here and on [all the socials](https://www.reyes-chow.com/contact-me/). - **RCP Family Move Update:** We found a place-ish. - **From the Camera Roll:** Free stuff. [****SUBSCRIBE TO This Newsletter**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation, by Bruce Reyes-Chow, is a subscriber-supported newsletter focused on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [sign me up right now ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Podcast E77: The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e77-the-cross-and-the-olive-tree-a-conversation-with-john-and-samuel-munayer/ Last updated: 2025-12-02T13:05:54.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 77 of [The Amalgamation Podcast](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com): [*The Cross and the Olive Tree*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986343?ref=reyes-chow.com)*: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer.* You can purchase a copy of [*The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology Amid Gaza*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986343?ref=reyes-chow.com)on Bookshop or wherever you buy books. The full episode drops on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). To gain full access to today's and early releases of future episodes, become a [paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) today. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### e77 Trailer: The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer #palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e77-trailer-the-cross-and-the-olive-tree-a-conversation-with-john-and-samuel-munayer-palestine/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:37.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 77 of The Amalgamation Podcast: The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Conversation with John and Samuel Munayer. The full episode drops on Tuesday, December 9, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter gain early access to the full episode. Thanks for listening! ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Beverages with Bruce: apat URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-apat/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T21:17:25.000Z ***apat* \= "four" in Tagalog** You are getting an early [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/) so it doesn't get lost in all the things that are happening on Thursday. Thanks for pulling up a chair and joining me for a quick check-in. As always, paid subscribers get a little more detail ([the first one was free for everyone](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of this week's head, heart, and gut check-in. - **Bruce's Beverage:** Turkish coffee from a pot as it is meant to be. - **Some thoughts for our collective souls:** In a time when violent and insidious powers expect us to succumb to terror, repression, and despair, it is imperative that, with joyful and bold abandon, we remind one another that freedom, hope, and love will always win the day. With this in mind, thank you for being that reminder for another person. You make a difference. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. - **SoCal, I'm Coming Your Way:** [ICYMI I'm headed your way SoCal on 12.06](https://www.reyes-chow.com/socal-12-06-25-resurrection-people/). See you there? Send friends! There will be food if that helps. - **RCP Family Move Update:** The house hunting has begun and it's all ridiculous. - **What I'm Bringing Tomorrow:** 🦪🍋🥬🥖 - **From the Camera Roll:** Congratulations Gotham FC [****SUBSCRIBE TO This Newsletter**](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation, by Bruce Reyes-Chow, is a subscriber-supported newsletter focused on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [sign me up right now ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### I'm Coming to SoCal on December 6 to Talk About Jesus and These Times We Live In URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/socal-12-06-25-resurrection-people/ Last updated: 2025-11-25T20:45:09.000Z While I thought I was done flapping my gums for the year, one more opportunity has presented itself. Thanks to some Board Members from [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am headed to Southern California on December 6th to share some thoughts and engage in some conversation about the current state of the church and the political season in which we find ourselves. I hope we will not only commiserate, vent, and challenge one another about the state of our culture and country, but we will also find ways to faithfully respond with courage, compassion, and a vision of hope. Not all of my speaking invitations are open to the public, so if you are in the area, I would love to see you. This is also pretty last-minute, so any help in spreading the word in your networks or to your SoCal friends would be much appreciated. Details, text, and a flyer are below. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-5.png) --- #### The Details: - **TOPIC:** *Being Resurrection People in a Season of Cruelty* — In association with Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow will invite us to claim and proclaim what it means to be resurrection people in a time marked by cruelty, division, and fear. He will invite and challenge us to boldly embrace and share a gospel rooted in the activism, discipline, empathy, and imagination of Jesus Christ. - **DATE:** Saturday, December 6, 2025 - **TIME:** 4:30-6:30 (Dinner included) - **LOCATION:** New Presbyterian Church [970 N Virgil Avenue](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YnAQWKAWXp7rY9Em8?ref=reyes-chow.com) Los Angeles, CA 90029 - **This is a free event. [Please RSVP by December 4, 2025](mailto:nbpcaucus.socal@gmail.com)** #### The Text (For your bulletins) > *Being Resurrection People in a Season of Cruelty*: Sponsored by Zephyr Point Conference Center, join author and pastor, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, for a conversation about the challenges of being the church in today's political climate. **Saturday, December 06, 4:30-6:30** (w/dinner) at New Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles. RSVP to: nbpcaucus.socal@gmail.com #### The Flyer (For your bulletin boards) [12:06 Resurrection People Flyer12:06 Resurrection People Flyer.pdf2 MBdownload-circle](https://www.reyes-chow.com/content/files/2025/11/12-06-Resurrection-People-Flyer.pdf "Download") #### About Bruce Reyes-Chow & Zephyr Point Conference Center > [Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://www.reyes-chow.com/about/) is a pastor, speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster whose work focuses on faith, leadership, activism, race, culture, and technology. He is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. > [Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) invites all to experience God through education, inspiration, and exploration on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Offering lodging, programming, activities, and events, Zephyr Point is a site of renewal and refreshment where the fabric is thin between heaven and earth. --- ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. #### ### Beverages with Bruce: tatlo URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-tatlo/ Last updated: 2025-12-02T02:19:57.000Z ***tatlo* \= "three" in Tagalog** Happy Friyay and welcome to [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/)! Thanks for pulling up a chair and joining me for a quick check-in. As always, paid subscribers get a little more detail ([the first one was free for everyone](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of this week's head, heart, and gut check-in... - **Bruce's Beverage:** Sugar-free iced vanilla latte with almond milk. Don't judge. Too late? - **Thought:** Trying to normalize not normalizing so many things feels like a full time job. - **Thanks:** For people who get ish done, bless you! - **RCP Family Move Update:** We are moving March 1, 2026 and are now in search of short-term housing. - **Weight/Fitness Journey:** A new scan shows 30 pounds in 3 years. - **Watching:** [Soulmates](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10394844/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on AMC - **Listening:** [Even the Royals Podcast](https://wondery.com/shows/even-the-royals/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - **Podcast Interview:** John and Samuel Munayer, [*The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology Amid Gaza*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781626986343?ref=reyes-chow.com) - **From the Camera Roll:** Street Turkey. For more details [upgrade to a paid subscription](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) today . . . Upgrade today This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household, so I hope a little extra access plus other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it, for as little as $1/month. That said, please do not let $$ be an obstacle. Just [email us](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) to request a complimentary, renewable six-month subscription. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Negativity No Longer Exhausts Me URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/negativity-no-longer-exhausts-me/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T13:08:10.000Z If I am completely honest with myself — and not in a "look at how self-aware I am" self-deprecatory way — when it comes right down to it, I am pretty judgmental. When it comes to humans, there is a fine line between being judgmental and having good judgment. I believe I have pretty good instincts about people; even so, like most people, I can easily cross that line. For those who know me, "judgmental" in the traditional sense may not be the first thing that comes to mind. I am not one to be quick, cutting, and unfiltered in my assessments of people . . . at least not out loud or about things that are often perceived as easy targets of judgment: appearance, ability, politics, fashion, etc. I don't engage much in tearing people up and ad hominem attacks, and I have really worked on limiting my professional shit-talking . . . well, unless they really deserve it. Damn it. See. It's really hard to stop. One of the places where I do judge, and judge harshly, is how people view the world, especially when that lens is different from mine. I view the world primarily and initially through the lens of curiosity and possibility. This is how I see people when I first meet them, then spaces I first step into, and conflicts that arise before me — it's pretty much how I move through the world. It is how my heart, mind, and soul are built. I give people the benefit of the doubt. I think, "what if" or "what about" instead of "no" when presented with a question or alternative, and when there is conflict in front of me, I try not to engage in ways that escalate or expend energy that I do not feel the situation warrants. While some see this as naive and may even accuse me of toxic positivity (Boo!), I have always felt it as a meaningful way to move through the world. But, as I have come to learn and appreciate, it is not for everyone, nor should it be. Subscribe to The AmalgamAtion Did you know you are reading a subscriber-supported newsletter? If you like what you are reading and don't want to miss out on future content from the heart and mind of Bruce Reyes-Chow, consider becoming a Free or Paid subscriber to The Amalgamation. [Subscribe Today ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) My judgment especially comes into play when others do not approach the world the same way I do. When people view the world through a lens perceived as suspicious, negative, or resistant, I judge and I judge hard. I then get annoyed and frustrated so much that my own curiosity gets choked out. Worse yet, when someone reacts to a suggestion or a situation with a strong oppositional reaction or they start ripping someone up for something, I often think to myself, "Wow, look at me. I'm such a positive, non-anxious presence." Pretty sure I strain my arm every time I pat myself on the back. Geez, what a jackass. For so long, I have held the arrogant idea that it must be exhausting to carry around such fear, negativity, and judgment about people and the world. Now, I am sure in some cases, this is absolutely true, but most of the time, I think this is a condescending and arrogant assessment of how others approach the world, and a dangerous assumption to be perceived as "negative" is always and forever negative. [Heck, there is an entire Saturday Night Live character built on this idea.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfE93xON8jk&ref=reyes-chow.com) I recently realized that it was not, when, for the millionth time, I was lamenting and stewing over a frustrating negative reaction I received during a recent conversation. All of a sudden, this light came on as I was sliding into that, "Gosh, it must suck to walk through life seeing the world and others like that," when I realized how much energy I was spending on passing judgment on the way another person views the world. As if the way that I view the world is the only and the best way to view the world. Shocker, it is not. Might seeing the world with some initial skepticism, questioning, and caution always be perceived as bad? Certainly not. I am now having to shift how I hear what is being said, how I react, and whether I need to give it as much energy as I would have previously. Sure, sometimes I need to walk away because it is legit exhausting, but most of the time now, I see it as just another way someone sees the world. I may not understand it or agree with it, but I do not have to or need to; I also don't need to judge someone for it. 💡 Another reason I have come to this place of deeper understanding is because of my work with various personality-type indicators. My understanding of how I see and move through the world, how others do, and how we interact in health and stress has given me so much insight, even when the other person is doing the same work or not. And if you are curious: Myers-Briggs: ENFP, Enneagram 3/4w, and CliftonStrengths: Strategic, Communication, Empathy, Activator, Woo Of course, there are times when all approaches in life deserve more attention than others. Sometimes we need folks to flex their possibility and curiosity muscle, while at other times we really need folks to have their suspicion antennae on high alert. Like so many things in life, diverse ways of being and seeing the world are nine times out of 10 going to make our lives better, not worse. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-3.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Beverages with Bruce: dalawa URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-dalawa/ Last updated: 2025-11-14T20:47:39.000Z ***dalawa* \= "two" in Tagalog** Welcome to this second edition of [*Beverages with Bruce*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/). Thanks for pulling up a chair and joining me for a quick check-in. This week's beverages of choice come from our favorite winery, [Preston Farm & Winery](https://www.prestonfarmandwinery.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), in Healdsburg, CA served in my glass goblet from Palestine and my yeti is filled with ice water because I always hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And if you need proof that people are indeed capable of change, that is Hawaiian Pizza, which, until the past year, I hated, but have since discovered, I quite enjoy. Paid subscribers get a little more detail and pics below ([the first one was free for everyone](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/)), but here is a quick summary of this week's head, heart, and gut check-in... - What's in My Glass: Preston Vineyard is amazong organic winery and farm! - Thoughts: Feels like the dems "caved" when they were "winning." - RCPs on the Move: Things are percolating for our next transition. - Weight: Hitting some goals, down almost 30 pounds! - Watching: The Hunting Wives is total escapism, but awkward airplane watching. - New Mexico: Has a strong coffee game and Frontier is a legit pie hole establishment. - Podcast Guest Previews: We have booked some great guests! - Thanks: For people who get ish done. - From the Camera Roll: E. turns 29. Upgrade today This newsletter is one way I contribute to the household, so I hope a little extra access plus other Paid Subscriber benefits will be worth it, for as little as $1/month. That said, please do not let $$ be an obstacle. Just [email us](mailto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) to request a complimentary, renewable six-month subscription. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Why I Will Not Be Using AI to Write My Sermons URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-ai-sermon-is-just-that-artifical/ Last updated: 2025-11-12T13:02:13.000Z I mentioned in [my last post](https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/). I have many thoughts about AI in general and preaching in particular. Like most spaces where technology, theology, and morality converge, the terrain is complex, and everyone is navigating it differently. I also believe there are times when you should listen to the uncomfortable naggings from your gut, which is what I have been doing with AI. Prone to being an "early adopter" of technology, I am also quick to see when the pitfalls far outweigh the possibilities, which can lead me to just as easily and as early adopt resistance — which is what I have done and urge you to do when it comes to using AI in your sermon creation process: Resist the temptation. For any part of the process. Don't do it. Just say no. To be clear, I have used AI for some things. We all use AI in our lives in various forms, often without even realizing it: spellcheck, autocorrect, grammar check, etc. I have goofed around with ChatGPT to see what it is like. I use AI on videos to fix [eye contact issues](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tech-tips-descript-eye-contact-ai/), (a little weird), and I have found AI helpful in summarizing meetings, but I have even stopped doing that. 💡 NOTE: There are environmental questions to AI that we cannot just "set aside" for the sake of argument. We are all going to use AI in some form, but we must decide how much we will each contribute to the overall environmental impact. A post for another day. Probably the most I use any AI is when I am writing. Autocorrect does me dirty all the time; spellcheck has probably made me dumber; and when I use [Grammarly](https://www.grammarly.com/referrals/redeem?key=kdy4b9xjiraxf05h&ref=reyes-chow.com), I only make choices about clarity and never about content. And, TBH, aren't we all glad I use these tools? Can imagine you didn't if I? 😆 I can honestly say that I have never used AI for creative or generative endeavors: sermons, keynotes, posts, books, articles, liturgies, rap battles, love songs, sonnets, haikus, limericks, or telenovela scripts 😄 *"But, Bruce, no part of the process: the research, the outline, none of it?"* Nope. And here is why. I deeply believe the sermon writing process is a craft that requires time and tenderness. From first read to the closing "amen," it is a give-and-take, back-and-forth: a conversation between the Spirit, the preacher, the community, and the world. We wrestle with the text, sometimes for a moment and sometimes for much longer; we watch and listen for how and where the Spirit is moving, or not moving; we seek out the places where there is convergence between the Spirit, the community, and the world; and then we embody creative and courageous ways to proclaim the Word in ways we hope it will most effectively be received. Every time we go through the process, we get better and better at mining the depths of our understanding of God's intentions for us as proclaimers of the Word and for the communities we are called to serve. **When we insert AI into any of those steps, we take away vital parts of the process, we cheapen the craft, and we make murky the revealing of God's hopes and intentions for us all.** For instance, if you ask ChatGPT, "Create an outline based on Hercules 4:20," you forfeit the discerning discipline of wrestling with scripture until the Spirit speaks to you. Sure, you may quickly get an outline that may sound good, but what you have done is hand over entire structure-making to an algorithm that has no context for your community, no understanding of your theological perspective, and thus has no nuanced understanding of how to interpret Scripture in light of how to pastor the community to which you have been called. More importantly, even if you refine the AI outline and tell ChatGPT, "Make it sound like I went to seminary and paid attention," whatever is regurgitated comes from someone else's work, because, remember, nothing AI gives you is original. Think about it, if you ask AI to interpret scripture, who the hell knows whose interpretation it is drawing from? It could be from someone whose worldview you would never want amplified, OR you could be ripping words from someone (like me) whose writings have been scraped, and they will never be compensated for their work. Subscribe to The AmalgamAtion Did you know you are reading a subscriber-supported newsletter? If you like what you are reading and don't want to miss out on future content from the heart and mind of Bruce Reyes-Chow, consider becoming a Free or Paid subscriber to The Amalgamation. [Subscribe Today ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) *"Okay fine, Bruce, but what if I just use AI just to do my research?"* Well, first, that's not really AI, but that proves my point. Just as you would not blindly trust the internet to diagnose and treat that pesky groin rash — I hope 😬 — when Googling, "Is Book of Hercules in the Old or New Testament?" do you trust just anything the internet tells you, or do you only trust information written by those who deserve to be trusted?**\*** Why would this be any different from any other part of the sermon writing process? Remember, even Google gives an AI disclaimer... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/CleanShot-2025-11-11-at-20.08.56@2x-1-1.png) Using AI for Biblical research is like trusting the first page of search results, except there is zero transparency or ability to find out where the information comes from. Have we decided that AI is somehow a trustworthy exegeter of the Bible? I am sure most of us have not, because we instinctively know that it is not. My point is this: the same kind of care and disciplined sourcing you put into the research and study should be put into all other aspects of the process. *"Okay, Bruce, preachers are always using other people's work in sermons. What about that? Gotcha."* While I am not a big quoter of other people, some of the best preachers I know (s/o: our family pastor, Jenna at [Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church](https://www.seventhavenuechurch.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)) can weave other people's words into their sermons in ways that bring scripture to life in amazing ways. They use other people's words to add depth and texture to the text and to expand our experience of the divine through others' worldviews and experiences. When preachers do this, they give the originators credit, often offering context for the words, giving the quote even more power and impact. So here's the thing: if you are going to use AI in your sermon, I think you should do the same thing, give attribution to AI. I am serious. If you are going to use the words ChatGPT gives you, it seems only honest to credit the source with a disclaimer: "25% of this sermon was written using ChatGPT." This would, at a minimum, be an honest attribution because, since nothing that AI generates is original or new, you really didn't write it. Sure, you are still using someone else's work, but at least you are not claiming it as your own. I know this may come off more than a bit "shamey," and maybe it is personal because I know my work has been used to train AI and is probably being used without my knowledge, but if it makes you feel squirmy, maybe that's something to listen to. Remember that "gut" thing I mentioned at the beginning. That's what I am talking about. 💡 EMPATHY IN A PINCH: People have shared with me, often in a whisper, something to the effect, "I was in a panic, so I used ChatGPT to . . ." I get it. I have been a solo, small-church pastor most of my life, and some weeks it was all I could do to finish a bulletin, let alone make it thoughtful. To be clear, unless you are writing every sermon every week, "ChatGPT writes an 18-minute sermon in the style of Bruce Reyes-Chow on Hercules 4:20" using AI, you are not committing professional misconduct. In those cases, I would be honest, "Portions of today's service were generated using ChatGPT. This will not be an ongoing practice." I hope folks understand, and who knows what interesting conversations would be generated in the community. Okay, there you go. I hope this was helpful in a sea of thought pieces that are flooding the interwebs these days. I have more thoughts on AI, including the idea of inevitability, the environmental impacts, etc., but I'll save those for another day. In the meantime, please know that I do not envy those of you who faithfully step into "the pulpit" each week, whether you are feeling it or not. Given the cruel and despairing state of the world, the weight of proclaiming a word of hope is heavy *and* vital if we are to keep working collectively towards a new day. The craft has never been an easy calling or task. Still, the preaching moment today, in whatever form or structure it may take for you, is demanding discipline, authenticity, and courage, all of which AI cannot offer any of us. Trust yourselves. Trust the Spirit. God has called you. Trust that calling. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) **\***Over the years and over multiple moves, I have trimmed my collection of Bible commentaries and resources that I use for sermon prep. [Here are the commentaries and Bible translations currently on my shelf](https://bookshop.org/lists/bibles-commentaries-and-worship-resources?ref=reyes-chow.com). ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Beverages with Bruce: An Introduction URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/beverages-with-bruce-introduction/ Last updated: 2025-11-14T19:08:03.000Z Welcome to the newest Paid Subscriber benefit, a weekly catch-all called *Beverages with Bruce*. *Beverages with Bruce* was born out of an online gathering that I held while [pastoring a church](https://fpcpaloalto.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) during the pandemic, when a group of us met online with a beverage in hand to check in and share what was happening in life and the world. As I was thinking about what I could do to offset no longer being part of the Substack subscriber referral ecosystem and entice more folks to upgrade, I realized that whenever I write, I am usually surrounded by a ridiculous number of drinking vessels. Case in point (pictured above), the bulk of this post was written at my local WeWork where the drinks are always free and flowing. The tap this day had my cups filled with kombucha, hibiscus tea, and cold brew. Yes, I know I'm hella bougie. Leave me alone 😊 While The Amalgamation will still offer plenty of free content, my first priority each week will be to Paid Subscribers. So, in addition to more personal updates and early access to podcast episodes, I will now offer *Beverages with Bruce* a weekly update that will not be a single long-form read but will include images from the past week as well as random thoughts ideas that have popped into my head that may or may not turn into longer writings, a few links of interest, a pop-culture reference or two, a couple of personal updates, and a response to an [Ask Me Anything](https://forms.gle/ZzXFbpd2jBuTgF6U8?ref=reyes-chow.com). I'll share a content teaser with everyone, and then expand it for paid subscribers. This first edition is free for everyone; next week, it'll be for Paid Subscribers only. Upgrade today I know, money is tight, but this newsletter, along with 4-5 other income sources, is how I contribute to the household, so I hope a little extra access will be worth it. I also hope that I have made it as accessible as possible by having a $1/month level. [become a paid subscriber ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### In this week's [Beverages with Bruce](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/beverages-with-bruce/) - In my cup - Rainbows - Deadline anxiety - Meds updates - Three weeks at the lake - Canceled - Reel Preview: Signal - Post Preview: Three things the church should invest in - Post Preview: AI thoughts and rants - Reading: Water, Mirror, Echo - Disappointed, sad, and angry - Happy Ordiversary - Ask me Anything Answered Again, in future *Beverages with Bruce* posts, everything below will be visible only to Paid Subscribers. --- **In my cup:** As mentioned before, surprisingly NOT a sugar-free iced vanilla latte, but a WeWork-supplied kombucha, hibiscus tea, and cold brew. **Rainbows:** While driving this past week, I saw a rainbow. Yes, I took a picture through the dash, but then I had to pull over and snap a few because if you look closely, there is a complete double rainbow. I'm not sure I have ever seen one before, and, not to be overly schmaltzy, but with the world feeling so terrible right now, it was lovely to see some unexpected beauty in the sky above. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251026_160824781.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251026_160848343.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251026_161059948.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251026_161334009.jpg) **Book:** I am definitely feeling some deadline pressure as I am just two months away from turning in the manuscript for [the next book](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-next-book-and-the-ones-after-that/), *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ.* I am making good progress. Probably behind a bit, but what's new? The anxiety is real and normal, but it has arrived. **Meds:** I think I mentioned this in [my last big update](https://www.reyes-chow.com/20-updates-in-the-life-of-bruce/), but my new medication regimen is going well. I have lost another 5 pounds and am feeling pretty good. I have about 5 more pounds to go, so hopefully my next blood test will show some improvements. **Zephyr Point:** I just got back from spending three weeks at [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on the Shores of Lake Tahoe. I do some contract work with them, but this month I was there one week as an event participant, one week [leading a continuing education event](https://zephyrpoint.org/programs/con-ed-institute/fall/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and one week with some colleagues for our annual gathering. While it was difficult being away for that long while the Bay Area was being threatened with military deployment, the time was renewing. I hope everyone can find time to tag out a bit and rejuvenate with colleagues and friends because we all need it. Plus, the holy cinnamon rolls heal the soul. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5744.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251019_161035246.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251025_153250308.MP.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/PXL_20251024_034328861.jpg) I **Cancelled:** For the first time in a while, I have had an invitation withdrawn for political reasons. I had a book pulled from a group a few months ago for the same reason. I have also had to block people again. Situations are highly contextual, but I do think people and churches are having to make different decisions about how they are (or are not) addressing what is going on in the world these days. This is troubling, not only because it impacts my own earnings, but because it means that some places are choosing NOT to directly address events of the world. That old adage, "saying nothing is saying something," has never rung more true. **Reel Preview:** I am working on my next reel on how folks can use Signal better. I love that more and more folks are using it for their organizing work, but golly, we need some orientation on how to keep those threads clean and tight. I'm going to cover why you should not "reply all," the beauty of reactions, the importance of the @ and DMs, how to avoid taking up space, and more. **Post Preview:** I've been thinking a great deal about the future of the church. People ask me all the time, and I do not think there is. magic answer. That said, if pressed, I do believe there are three areas the church should invest in if it/we are serious about the future—and not about numbers, but about impact. The three areas are youth ministry, campus/college-age ministry, and camp & conference ministry. The three investments that we believe we should make are sustained financial resources, committed physical presence, and embodied joyful sacrifice. **Post Preview:** I have been part of so many conversations about AI lately, some frustrating, some challenging, and some hopeful. There so much I want to write about as I have many thoughts. Here are just a few. > Because generative AI uses other peoples work, if you use AI to write your sermon, you should atribute AI just as you would any other source, "Approximately 50% of this sermon was written using AI." > Just because you have been an early adopter of technology in the past, does not mean you cannot be an early adopter to the resistance to AI in the future. > We must be nuanced in our conversation about AI: accessibility, generative, and other forms. We have all been using AI to some extent. All have environmental impacts. We all have to find our own ethical limits. > I know that at least one of my books has been scraped, so my work is out there for someone to use without crediting or compensating me. AI does not create anything new, so we should not pretend it does. [Ask me anything about AI?](https://forms.gle/ZzXFbpd2jBuTgF6U8?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Book Reccomendation**: If you need a book to listen to or read consider, [*Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780358726470?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Jeff Chang. Here is my [Libro.fm referral code if you are an audio book person](https://libro.fm/referral?rf%5Fcode=lfm370410&ref=reyes-chow.com). **Dissappointed and Angry:** This week I have learned about colleagues being reprimanded for actions and choices they have made. Both were very different and highly contextual, but both made me angry, sad, and disappointed for everyone involved. **Ordiversay:** Somehow I missed the 30th anniversary of my ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Wowza. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. So much has happened in my life and in the world since that day, October 29, 1995 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Stockton, CA. I am so grateful for all of the individuals and communities who have been part of the revealing of my call from then [to today](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-liberating-nature-of-reembracing-calling/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/IMG_20221029_083117_713.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/When-photos-were-time-stamped.-21-years-ago-I-was-ordained-to-the-office-of-Minister-of-Word-and-Sacrament-in-the-Presbyterian-Church--USA-.-Thanks-to-all-who-have-walked-this-roller-coaster-of-a-call.-Bring-on-the-next-20.-_-pcusa--presbyt.jpg) **Ask Me Anything:** Okay, what do you want me to answer? Feel free to ask me anything, and be as serious or silly as you want. While I will not publish the name of the person who asked the question, these are not anonymous. [ASK AWAY](https://forms.gle/ZzXFbpd2jBuTgF6U8?ref=reyes-chow.com). Thank you again for your support, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### E76 We Pray Freedom: A Conversation with Charon Hribar and Liz Theoharis URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e76-we-pray-freedom-a-conversation-with-charon-hribar-and-liz-theoharis/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:37.000Z 🎙️ Episode Summary In this powerful conversation, host Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with Dr. Liz Theoharis and Charon Hribar to discuss their new book We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor. Together, they explore how ritual, prayer, song, and community become vital tools in the fight against poverty and injustice. Despite the darkness of our current moment—from rising authoritarianism to devastating policy cuts—Liz and Sharon remind us that hope is not naive. It's real, attainable, and already blooming in grassroots movements across the country. From free dental clinics in churches to Jericho walks around detention centers, they share concrete examples of communities living into a vision of abundance and justice. They challenge us to move beyond performative allyship, to sing together, to take action together, and to remember: we get there together or we don't get there at all. This is a conversation about reclaiming faith traditions rooted in liberation, staying grounded in difficult times, and the radical possibility that poverty could actually end—if only we had the political will. 🤝🏽 About Our Guests Dr. Liz Theoharis is a theologian, Presbyterian pastor, author, and anti-poverty activist. She serves as the executive director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice and co-chairs the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. A biblical scholar with decades of organizing experience, Liz has been working in poor and low-income communities for 30 years, fighting against Christian nationalism and advancing a vision of "everybody in, nobody out." She is co-editor of We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor. Liz on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/liztheoharis/) Charon Hribar is a song leader, cultural organizer, and social ethicist who serves as the managing director of cultural strategies and communications for the Kairos Center and co-director of Theo Musicology and Movement Arts for the Poor People's Campaign. A PhD holder who grew up in a steel worker family in Western Pennsylvania, Sharon has spent over 20 years building movements that connect struggles across education, healthcare, and environmental justice—all grounded in culture, ritual, and song. She is co-editor of We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor. Connect with Charon. Charon on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charonhribar/) ✨ Episode Highlights • The origin story of "We Pray Freedom" and why this collection of liturgies matters now • Hope in action: Real examples of grassroots organizing transforming communities • Beyond plug-and-play liturgy: How to engage authentically with ritual and avoid performative justice • The reality of poverty in America: Why 140+ million people are poor or low-income, and why ending poverty is actually possible • The power of song and ritual: How collective practices break isolation and reinforce shared humanity • A dying mule kicks the hardest: Understanding our current moment as the birth pangs of a new world • Practical grounding: How to stay connected, take action, and avoid overwhelm in these times 🔗 Episode Links & Resources • We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor (https://broadleafbooks.com) (Broadleaf Books) • The Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice (https://kairoscenter.org) • Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival (https://poorpeoplescampaign.org) • The Freedom Church of the Poor - Online and in-person community for organizers and faith leaders 🎧 Thanks for Listening ✊🏽The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) , paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) , focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. 💌 The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://www.reyes-chow.com/) , produced by Emmie Hix, and edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com. #TheAmalgamationPodcast #StorytellingForChange #PoorPeoplesCampaign #FaithInAction #EndPoverty #LizTheoharis #SharonRebar #WePrayFreedom #FreedomChurch #ProgressiveFaith #GrassrootsOrganizing #RitualAndResistance #PodcastLife ### e76 Trailer: We Pray Freedom: A Conversation with Charon Hribar and Liz Theoharis URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e76-trailer-we-pray-freedom-a-conversation-with-charon-hribar-and-liz-theoharis-2/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:38.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 76 of The Amalgamation Podcast: We Pray Freedom: A Conversation with Charon Hribar and Liz Theoharis The full episode drops on Tuesday, November 4th, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter gain early access to the full episode. Find the podcast wherever you listen or to subscribe the podcast and newsletter see the below. Thanks for listening! The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter, focuses on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, kindness, and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good. The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Show inquiries can be sent to: theteam@reyes-chow.com. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Podcast E76: We Pray Freedom: A Conversation with Charon Hribar and Liz Theoharis URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e76-we-pray-freedom-a-conversation-with-charon-hribar-and-liz-theoharis/ Last updated: 2025-10-28T15:37:47.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 76 of The Amalgamation Podcast: *We Pray Freedom: A Conversation with Charon Hribar and Liz Theoharis* 0:00 /1:18 1× You can purchase a copy of [*We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from the Freedom Church of the Poor*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9798889830344?ref=reyes-chow.com)on Bookshop. The full episode drops on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com) and to gain access to the full episodes today, become a [paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### I Stopped Trying to Make it Make Sense URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-stopped-trying-to-make-it-make-sense/ Last updated: 2025-10-26T17:09:13.000Z It's been a while since I had to do it, but this week I blocked a few more folks on Facebook — Yes, I'm still on Facebook; leave me alone. Note About me Face FB Life My general rule about Facebook is that on [my page](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/) I leave a wide area for debate, messiness, and even some asshattery; my page is like my front yard where I may bump into a neighbor or stranger and have the occasional interaction or conversation about a variety of topics. Sometimes it might get spicy, but most of the time it's cordial. Be a friend on [my profile](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile/), on the other hand, and it is like I have invited you into my home and into my living room. If you 💩 in my living room, you will be asked to leave. Before I blocked these "friends," I first started to rebut their arguments and accusations by explaining why they were about to be blocked. I wanted them not only to understand why they were being blocked, but also why their arguments were wrong, wrong, wrong. I began laying out my arguments for why all 7 million people were not "this" or and why I was not "that," because if I just explained it the right way, surely they would see things my way, they would change their minds, and I would be a sh0e-in garner the 2025 "Changed Someone's Mind in the Comments" Award. And then I gave myself the same advice that I have given to so many other people over the years when they have wanted to engage with acquaintances, colleagues, friends, and family who have come after them in online spaces. > ***Not everyone is entitled to your time.*** > ***You do not have to explain yourself.*** > ***Logic won't get you out of something logic didn't get you into.*** Advice heard. \[BLOCK\] Let me first say that I do not use the term "evil" lightly, and I believe that the evils of oppression, militarism, greed, etc., have been building for generations. Today, however, evil has had its restraints removed and it is showing its insatiable appetite for destruction by feeding on the cruelty and terror inflicted upon the most vulnerable and those who would speak out and act up on their behalf. Evil wants to dismember and devour the body politic, and it will do all it can to do so. And evil is insidious, as it will present itself in many forms, from the blatant to the subtle. Sometimes it's the subtle forms that are the most difficult to resist. Evil is a sneaky little bugger. In the face of these realities and the response to my opposition, one of the tactics I fall for over and over again is letting myself get tricked into directing my energy towards making sense of something that makes no sense. Whether about immigration, healthcare, gun violence, education, free speech, religion, a particular event, or a specific city, I keep trying to believe that there must be a sensible reason someone would believe X or Y. And yet . . . ***Logic won't get you out of something logic didn't get you into.*** And then my energy gets further diluted because I believe that if I just lay out the argument well enough, kind enough, the person who said publicly that I was a fake Christian, communist, antisemite would surely come around. If I could just draw the right word map, I could make it make sense to them, and they would come around. Foolishness or arrogance? Probably both. So when I start with these two tactics, I end up focusing my energy and resources where they can do the least good. I fail to give my best self to supporting the most vulnerable that I care so deeply about, and working to dismantle the systems in which we are all trapped. I end up expending my energy on those who have created and reinforced the very system that created the conditions for the trap to exist in the first place. Sinister and insidious that evil is, today's political climate is teaching a master class in diluting and distracting. As we are seeing today, as being lived out by the current administration, when people are driven by the accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of power, anything can be justified in their eyes as logical and completely rational. From the courthouse to the halls of Congress to the pressroom to the internet, to the streets, trying to reconcile what is said and make it make sense is a fool's errand and not worth my or your time or energy. Now, it's not that I don't believe people can or will change; only that, for most folks who publicly question my faith, intelligence, or humanity, I am probably not the vessel through which that change will happen. To be clear, I give up on no one. No one is beyond the transformative power of God, not me, not you, not them, not anyone. Now I am sure that I will fall for evil's tricks again, and I do not doubt that those on the "other side" probably think the same thing about me, but in the face of those interactions, I am going to do my best to follow my own advice. I will do my best *not to* waste my time on those who are not entitled to it, *not* to explain everything I do, and *not* to try to make sense of things that make no sense in the first place. Instead, I will remain steadfast and committed to the things [I believe I am called to in these days and times](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-liberating-nature-of-reembracing-calling/), and I hope you will do the same for yourself. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-3.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Our Collective Action Made a Difference: Border Patrol Operations Called Off in the Bay, But Our Work Continues URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/our-collective-action-made-a-difference-border-patrol-operations-called-off-in-the-bay-but-our-work-continues/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T21:40:53.000Z *DISCLAIMER:* I am on the Board of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, one of the central organizers and collaborators in the Bay Area on issues of immigration, incarceration, Palestine, and other faith and justice-related issues. Below is the official statement we just released regarding the community response to this past weekend's ICE and Border Patrol Activity and threats of increased military deployment. [You can see the original posting on the IM4HI website](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/10/our-collective-action-made-a-difference-border-patrol-operations-called-off-in-the-bay-but-our-work-continues/?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Statement from Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity** October 25, 2025 **Media Contact(s):** Felicia Hyde Communications Manager, IM4HI [fhyde@im4humanintegrity.org](mailto:fhyde@im4humanintegrity.org) News outlets are [reporting ](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/immigration-surge-bay-area-21118585.php?ref=reyes-chow.com)that the federal Border Patrol deployment has been called off for San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area. While we welcome this news, we demand an immediate and full departure of CBP and other DHS agents. This is a direct result of the strength and unity of our community. Over the past two days and weeks, thousands of Bay Area neighbors, community members, faith leaders, and families took to the streets to ensure the security and safety of our community members, especially those most likely to be targeted by ICE. ##### ICE Continues to Harm Immigrants and Communities While this announcement may bring some short-term relief, we remain deeply concerned about the **ongoing harm ICE continues to inflict daily** through racial profiling, arrests, family separation, detentions and deportations. As of June this year [2123, people ](https://missionlocal.org/2025/07/ice-data-immigrants-arrested-sf/?ref=reyes-chow.com)in the Bay Area have been arrested and detained by ICE. More have been arrested since then. Additionally, we condemn the use of military force by federal agents during an **Interfaith Prayer Vigil** led by Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity on Thursday where more than 200 faith leaders and community members gathered for several hours in prayer and song. During the peaceful gathering, federal agents set off two flashbangs, [fired a pepperball into the face of a faith leader at point-blank range, and recklessly ran over the foot of a lay leader](https://religionnews.com/2025/10/24/at-bay-area-protest-a-second-pastor-is-shot-by-federal-agents-with-a-pepper-round/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on the safety team. We are also aware that later that same evening a driver of a U-Haul truck drove backwards towards the Coast Guards and was fired upon when they did not obey orders to stop. The van driver and an innocent bystander were injured from the live bullets. “ICE has once again shown its violence and disregard for human lives,“ said **Rev. Jorge Bautista, minister of the United Church of Christ** who was directly fired upon with a pepperball. “ICE is committing acts of violence with impunity against our neighbors, peaceful protestors and faith leaders. These assaults show ICE’s complete disregard for safety, religious freedom, and the First Amendment.” “Let’s be clear, none of this would have happened if Trump did not deploy unwanted federal DHS agents to the Bay,” said **Rabbi Cat Zavis of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue**. “But as it says in Ecclesiastes: Two are better than one, for if one falls, the other will lift up their friend. When Trump comes for one of us, he will face the strength and solidarity of all of us. We stand united. We will protect our communities. We will love the “stranger.” “A deployment of federal agents costs taxpayers untold millions of dollars. This is an immoral use of resources that does not reflect the faith traditions we hold dear, said **Rev. Ben Daniel of Montclair Presbyterian Church** in Oakland. “If the federal Government wants to help the Bay Area, they should allocate the funds being used to invade our communities to improve our communities. Help us build safe, adequate, and affordable housing, help us pay teachers a living wage and fund our schools, help us fund better public transportation, health care and climate resilience.” ##### Now Is the Time for Action & Courage While we are encouraged that mass organizing and collective action has worked, we must remain vigilant and continue action to protect neighbors and stop the escalating arrests, terror and detentions at courts, workplaces, and homes. “We call on our elected leaders to do everything in their power to protect all of our residents and ensure no state or local resources are used for federal immigration enforcement, including prisons and jails. In the spirit of fairness and mercy, we affirm that all people, even those who have past convictions, served their time, paid their debt to society and transformed their lives, have families, and are beloved members of our society who deserve compassion and the chance to stay with their loved ones without the threat of cruel double punishment,” said **Rev. Deborah Lee of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity**. “Every Californian deserves safety and belonging,” No one deserves to be detained and deported, including those who have past convictions - Uphold the fundamental human and legal right for people to migrate and be treated with dignity. “Now is not the time to mince words – the Trump administration’s policies towards immigrants and the communities that welcome them is fascism. They are rooted in a divisive, dehumanizing hatred that seeks to eliminate anyone who does not fit or fall in line with their idea of what is ‘right,’ said **Rev. Ranwa Hammamy, Unitarian Universalist Minister.** “We must show this administration, our communities, and especially our immigrant beloveds, that faith sides with welcome and care.” **Julie Litwin, chair of Kehilla Community Synagogue Immigration Committee**, commented, “There is no greater obligation than to love our neighbors. Terrorizing and mistreating those who have come here seeking safety is abhorrent and counter to every religious tradition. The faith community will continue to stand for compassion and against cruelty.” Now is not a time for silence or complacency—it is a **time for action and courage**. Across the country, from SF to LA, from Portland to Chicago, and in DC and NY, our numbers, our conviction, and our love will carry us through this storm. Please join us in the days and weeks ahead. ##### Take Action with us: 1. Join weekly court vigils outside the immigration courts in SF and Concord: [https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/08/interfaith-court-vigils/](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/08/interfaith-court-vigils/?ref=reyes-chow.com) 2. To join a Bay Area Interfaith Signal thread or email listserve to get alerts on faith-rooted activities, contact [office@im4humanintegrity.org](mailto:office@im4humanintegrity.org) 3. Donate to support [emergency funds](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2021/10/strengthen-the-safety-net/?ref=reyes-chow.com) for families impacted by detention. 4. Sign-up to get alerts from [Bay Resistance](https://www.bayresistance.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to hear about actions to take across the Bay **If you see ICE Activity, please report to your local Rapid Response hotline:** [**https://www.ccijustice.org/carrn**](https://www.ccijustice.org/carrn?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### I Hope "No Kings" Becomes Your Gateway Protest URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-hope-no-kings-becomes-your-gateway-protest/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T12:06:48.000Z With increased ICE and National Guard sightings and tensions mounting, I wanted to take a moment to say how much I have loved seeing images from No Kings flood my feeds and infiltrate my conversations. I saw and heard from so many people: from big cities and small towns, from relatives and friends, from those I knew would be there, from OG activists, and from so many for whom this was their first public protest ever. I loved seeing it: the signs, the joy, the community, and the mass public resistance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/IMG_5027-1.JPG) Photo: Robin Pugh | San Jose "No Kings" Protest I also saw people crapping all over the excitement of others, judging people for what they weren't doing or had not done before this weekend, and/or dismissing the march altogether for its purpose or what it did or did not stand for. And on the flip side, I saw folks whose hubris about this action was over the top, believing that their sign-holding with a thousand others was on the same risk-level as someone engaging in an act of civil disobedience standing before a fully armored up, militarized officer of the state, who was about to be beaten, cuffed, and arrested. For those who feel like folks are crapping on your joy, you have to keep in mind that for many of us, No Kings is pretty a mainstream protest, especially for those of us who live in progressive places and have been participating in direct actions and/or civil disobedience as our primary method of resistance for years. And for those for whom No Kings was a basic, milk-toast action, at some point when you first entered a new space of resistance, I hope you were welcomed. We do not have to center or celebrate when a privileged person finally hits the streets, but I believe it is important to have empathy and understanding when new folks break through whatever barrier was holding them back. When we lose empathy for people who are engaging for the first time in public protest, we let evil win. That may sound dramatic, but when we forget that we all have human emotions and reactions, that is precisely what we have done. I love the way my friend and colleague, Molly Baskette put it in her post, [The 3.5% Rule](https://mollybaskette.substack.com/p/the-35-rule?) when she challenged her white kinfolk to show up. It's a good reminder for the rest of us of where some people start. > If you worry you’ll get pepper sprayed or thrown to the ground or arrested or worse: I can’t promise you that’s not going to happen. But I \*can\* tell you that the more people show up, the safer every individual protestor there will be. > Especially if you’re white. > Especially if you present as female. > Especially if you’re a middle aged nice white lady like me, or an older white person of any gender. > Whiteness and respectability have done and are doing so much harm in our country right now, keeping us complacent or shielding bad actors and going along with the status quo, no matter how destructive to individuals and society. > Visibly showing up is a chance to use our white respectability as a shield to protect others who don’t have our agency and relative freedom to speak out. Honestly, I rejoice that folks turned out and were public, especially in the small towns and spaces where doing so was [a genuine risk](https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-are-you-willing-to-risk/). I was unable to attend, and I'm not sure I would have even if I could have, but I knew that others would hold those signs with and for me, so thank you for being there! Ultimately, we need multiple strategies, multiple voices, and multiple fronts to maintain consistency, increase momentum, and deepen involvement in any movement for change. If this was your first or second public action, you now have a taste of the community, the energy, and the joy that comes from engaging in public action. **I now hope that the No Kings March will serve as a gateway to increased involvement in the resistance.** If you are able, I hope that you will now take another step and become more involved. Find the coalitions that have been organizing in your area and offer your gifts, skills, and resources: accompany someone to their court hearings, join a rapid response network, take a civil disobedience training and be ready to engage, get trained for protest de-escalation or safety support, and show up at other public actions where there may be more risk to you because other cannot. Join in resisting the authoritarianism that is encroaching upon us so much so that those who know you will notice the change and may join you along the way! [See you at the barricades.](https://youtu.be/PUlQNsl4Qvk?si=RF1BXbZJTe7RiM54&ref=reyes-chow.com) Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### E75: Unashamed: Drag, Deconstruction, and the Divine with @flamygrant URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e75-unashamed-drag-deconstruction-and-the-divine-with-flamygrant/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:39.000Z ✊ About Our Guest Flamy Grant is a shame‑slaying, hip‑swaying, chart‑topping drag performer and singer‑songwriter who blends folk, gospel, and roots music to tell stories of resilience, faith, and liberation. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Flamy’s work reimagines the intersections of queerness and spirituality — challenging religious trauma and reclaiming sacred belonging through art and performance. Her debut album Bible Belt Baby soared to #1 on the iTunes Christian chart and was named one of the Top Ten Queer Country Albums of 2023\. Her 2024 follow‑up CHURCH hit #8 on the iTunes Country chart, cementing her as a vital new voice in progressive spiritual music. A winner of the 2023 Kerrville New Folk contest and nominee for Artist of the Year at the 2025 International Folk Music Awards, Flamy uses her platform to advocate for inclusion, authenticity, and the divine within us all. (Her name is a nod to pop icon Amy Grant — a joyful act of reclamation and reverence.) 🎧 Episode Summary In this episode, host Bruce Reyes‑Chow sits down with Flamy Grant for a conversation that’s equal parts fabulous and faith‑filled. Together, they explore the intersections of drag, spirituality, and authenticity — and how art can become a sanctuary for the marginalized. From performing in churches to topping the Christian charts in full drag, Flamy shares her journey of reconciling queerness and faith while unlearning shame and embracing joy. This is a powerful, funny, and deeply human conversation about what it means to reclaim the sacred on your own terms. ✨ Episode Highlights • How drag became a spiritual practice and source of healing. • What it means to find holiness in queerness. • The story behind Bible Belt Baby and CHURCH. • Navigating the backlash and beauty of being a drag artist in Christian spaces. • How to build communities rooted in radical inclusion and joy. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources • Flamy Grant Official Site (https://www.flamygrant.com) • EPK & Press Info (https://www.flamygrant.com/epk) • Flamy Grant on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/flamygrant/) • Listen to Bible Belt Baby (https://open.spotify.com/album/0bSmETCwV1DnWfwI6Y5I7B) • Listen to CHURCH (https://open.spotify.com/album/4QzUyZym7DTNz2eI7g5PzL) 🎧 The Amalgamation Podcast Be sure to subscribe to, rate, and review The Amalgamation Podcast wherever you listen. The Amalgamation Podcast Team: Emmie Hix (Producer), Dessiree McFarland (Editor), Merissa Magdael‑Lauron (Music) 🎙 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow Rev. Bruce Reyes‑Chow is a 3rd‑generation Filipino/Chinese American speaker, writer, and coachsultant exploring topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, surrounded by too many animals and houseplants. 💌 Connect with Bruce • Website & Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com/) • Bookshop Storefront (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) • BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/) • TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) • YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow) 🏷 Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #StorytellingForChange #FaithAndDrag #ProgressiveChristianity #QueerFaith #FlamyGrant #BibleBeltBaby #CHURCH #SpiritualityAndArt #PodcastLife ### The Liberating Nature of ReEmbracing My Calling URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-liberating-nature-of-reembracing-calling/ Last updated: 2025-10-17T23:05:58.000Z Here is a little personal reflection/update for your weekend reading. I have always tried to be more teachable today than I was yesterday, and honestly, sometimes that self-reflective approach to life can be a pain in the patooti. Can't I just "be done" and not have to adapt, change, or evolve anymore? Ugh. I was recently at an event where we were asked to reflect on Marshall Ganz's Questions of the Story of Self (h/t [JVT from Crossroads Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training](https://crossroadsantiracism.org/staff/jessica-vazquez-torres/?ref=reyes-chow.com)). We were asked to think about the question, "When did you first experience a tension between what you were 'supposed' to do and what you felt called to do?" Well, as the rule follower I am, I didn't follow the rules and think about the *first time.* I immediately started thinking about how I was feeling **right then**, because, clearly, I was feeling something. What I was feeling was stuck. And in the exercise, I got unstuck. For a while now, and I mean for the past decade+, I have been carrying around this inner turmoil about what I was supposed to be and do and what I was called to be and do. Let me explain, but first, let's take a step back, and let me introduce you to high school Bruce. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/BruceRenaldo.jpg) Bruce at Luther Burbank High School (Sacramento, CA, 1987) with Reynaldo looking tanked and tough — in the computer lab. For me, Plan I meant that I was supposed to attend college, then attend law school, then work in politics, and ultimately run for public office. After that got derailed, I moved on to Plan II, which included attending seminary, then starting a church, then growing a church, then pastoring a big ass church. Well, that also took some twists and turns, and so now here we are doing what I am now doing. Nowhere on the vocational bingo card was there a Plan III that included be an author, writer, speaker, coach, consultant, podcaster, who always has an anchor gig (or two), occasionally pastoring, starting a very little retirement, volunteering way too much time, who makes an okay living but only does so because of generational wealth and a spouse with healthcare AND is always lowkey stressed about hustling for future gigs with people always wonder and asking, "What exactly do you do?" When I answered that childhood question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" it was shortstop for the Oakland A's Baseball Club and certainly not "Itinerant Writer and Speaker" or whatever the hell it is I call what I do. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/Bruce-Little-league-1.jpg) Not sure why I was never draft, big miss Oakland, big miss. In high school, I asked all the same questions that everyone probably asks when thinking about jobs, vocation, and what they want to be when they grow up. - What do I love doing? - What am I good at? - What makes makes money? - What looks exciting? - What would bring me fame? - What would make a difference? - What would bring me prestige? - What is realistic? - How much school will it take? - Can I get into that school at all? - Can I afford that much school if I even got in? - What if I didn't go to college at all? If I am honest, even during college and seminary, there was an ongoing battle between call, money, and prestige. And then some church nerd would figure out a way to obnoxiously quote [Frederick Buechner](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780060611392?ref=reyes-chow.com) — > "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." Whatever Fred. That is one of those aspirational quotes that looks great as a water bottle sticker, but when it comes to housing, food, and student loans, good luck with that. Sorry, but the *real* world of fiscal and social capitalism values the accent of the ladder of financial and positional success, so there is no room to build and support a culture that encourages the pursuit of calling over climbing. Deep gladness fulfilling deep hunger is a nice idea, but . . . ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/RobinBruceSFTS.jpg) Me and my spouse Mid Late 90s, early in my ministry, early in the climb 😉 That might seem harsh, but when it comes right down to it in the world and to a lesser extent in the church, rather than be primarily driven by questions of meaning, being, and calling that help us get to the "place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet," we are primarily driven by questions about how we will define our worth, how we will be perceived, and how we will accumulate wealth, security, and status. To be clear, I trust few of us blatantly do this. I think we have tricked ourselves into thinking that these questions do not drive us; rather, we perform extraordinary acts of ideological gymnastics to justify many decisions to prove that we are not pursuing wealth, security, and status when that is precisely what we are doing. 💡 NOTE: Sometimes, the question,"Will this job get me the money, status, and respect I deserve?" is perfectly acceptable, even required when addressing systems of institutional racism and sexism where historically marginalized peoples have NOT compensated or respected people at the levesls they deserve. I know that I have bought into that thinking, both consciously and subconsciously over the years. I have thought that my worth could be found in the climb and in the paycheck. I have believed that a position would bring respect and prestige. And I have pursued a position based solely on ego, with no consideration for the call or its impact on others or myself. Thankfully, there have been times when I listened to my gut telling me to resist: - I have entered and dropped out of two doctoral programs because I realized that I was pursuing some degree that I thought would give me some high level of respect. - I have been a finalist for two middle governing body executive positions and removed my name from consideration when I realized that I could do the work, but there nothing about it was bring my soul gladness. - I have contemplated multiple requests to submit my name for church positions that I am qualified for at this stage of my career, but have declined once I figured out do to so would be more about massaging my ego than it about answering a call. Over the past year, I have come to realize that I have been holding tightly onto this tension between what I am supposed to be doing and what I am called to be doing. I know it sounds silly, considering I have been doing this itinerant, tentmaking, giglife thing for so long, but there have always been whispers of "this is not real ministry" in the back of my head all along. Because of this, I have been giving that tension way too much power, which has created a hesitancy that may be holding me back from experiencing that depth of gladness that Buechner is talking about. Again, I enjoy what I do, and I feel like what I do helps some folks, but I don't know if I would say that I have ever felt like a deep gladness has met comensurate hunger. Perhaps it has, perhaps it hasn't, but the point is that I have not given myself permission or the space to explore whether what I am doing is the natural fulfillment of a deep calling or if it is just a bridge season between "real" ministry. A freakling long-ass bridge, but a bridge nonetheless. As I sat in the room contemplating the questions given to us, I felt like the Spirit was asking me to write down what I believe is my calling right now. I have never been a "personal mission statement" person, but I was feeling like it would be a good idea to massage some words to help give me some focus. Oh crap, am I now [Pupose Driven](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FPurpose%5FDriven%5FChurch?ref=reyes-chow.com) 😱 So this is what I came up with . . . drumroll please. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/received_456284447104184.jpeg) Speaking at the [UKirk](https://ukirk.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) National Gathering at [Ferncliff Conference Center](https://ferncliff.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) STATEMENT OF CALLING ****I'm called to convene and curate joyful and just spaces of belief and belonging.** ...and then I thought about the "how" and where I find the most joy these days, where I might dive deeper, and where I might expand my energy and potential earnings. At this moment, I feel most drawn to and positioned to do this through *writing (books and newsletters), speaking (events and podcasting), and equipping (delegations and conferences)*. ... and then the many faces of the "who" made their way into the mix. Because I am not serving a church or a particular community, who am I serving? *Everyone* is too broad, so when considering to whom I genuinely have something to offer, it seems to be for people who share the same belief systems and may not only be yearning to experience belief and belonging themselves, but also looking for ways to provide it for others. So for this season, the "who" I am called to serve are *those who do the same for others (pastors and leaders of congregations, ministries, and organizations*. While my central calling will never change, the "how" and "who" may change depending on my vocational context. I may feel called to return to full-time congregational ministry, I may feel drawn to another type of work that is not directly church related, and at some point, God willing, I will retire. But at this particular moment in time, the driving force behind where I will put my energy and that of my team, is this . . . STATEMENT OF CALLING (2025) **Through writing, speaking, and equipping* — **I am called to convene and curate joyful and just spaces of belief and belonging** — **for those who do the same for others.* Going through these kinds of exercises, much like [the one I did last year](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/) is so helpful to remain grounded and get that occasional check-up. In this case, some of the things that I have been noodling about need that extra nudge to get unstuck, so I could permit myself to begin diving in more deeply. Now you're all in for it 😉 Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### Podcast E75: Unashamed: Drag, Deconstruction, and the Divine with Flamy Grant. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e75-unashamed-drag-deconstruction-and-the-divine-with-flamy-grant/ Last updated: 2025-10-14T12:00:44.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 75 of The Amalgamation Podcast: *Unashamed: Drag, Deconstruction, and the Divine with Flamy Grant.* 0:00 /0:30 1× Please be sure to support Flamy on [Spotify](https://spotify.link/D5hjO3noSCb?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/flamy-grant/1613002844?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Amazon](https://music.amazon.com/artists/B09TYM8PPS/flamy-grant?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm%5Fsh%5FoigszV4meio04qdOrjaqLotLp), [Bandcamp](https://flamygrant.bandcamp.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/user-571172025?ref=reyes-chow.com). The full episode drops on Tuesday, October 21st, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) have early access to the full episode. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### What are You Willing to Risk? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-are-you-willing-to-risk/ Last updated: 2025-11-17T22:44:23.000Z **FIRST — Video Trigger Warning: You are probably going to be pissed.** Please refrain from throwing your phone, tablet, or laptop out the window. SECOND — Yes, I really wanted to title this post, "Without Risk, [Resistance is Futile](https://youtube.com/shorts/A%5F0bZDVPKa8?si=owcBZvfLfWPJ6U0T&ref=reyes-chow.com)" but I resisted 😄 Below is a video of "The Department of War" Secretary Pete Hegseth's recording of The Lord's Prayer (Delivered while addressing troops and after requiring them to take a moment to honor Charlie Kirk.) placed over a military montage complete with missiles, jets, battleships, tanks, guns, paratroopers, the prerequisite waving flag, and a poor unsuspecting flying eagle. \[Update: The original YouTube video was taken down, but the image below is linked to the official video from the Department of "War"\] [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/11/CleanShot-2025-11-17-at-14.42.28@2x.png)](https://www.facebook.com/reel/793674843154244) After watching this, I don't think I have been as angry or as disturbed as I have been in a while, and, as we all know, there have been many things to be angry and disturbed about that have recently come out of official government channels. That "Amen" over the Department of War emblem put me over the edge, and seriously, what did that poor eagle do to deserve being dragged into this mess? Militarized, state-sanctioned violence grounded in Christian (white) Nationalism has now been clearly articulated and spoken out loud from the highest levels of our government. We can now only assume that, with this blatant communication, along with the lack of any political will to stop it, this ideology will now be reinforced, funded, and manifested with court-approved impunity, nationalized cruelty, and militarized force. *But Bruce, they are just "trolling the libs" so why give this ideology and theology any oxygen? Aren't you just helping to spread their message?* Fair questions. First, they need no help spreading the message. And second, and most importantly, if I had to place a wager on why Trump and those in the upper echelons of power do what they do, I doubt they believe much of this ideology and theology themselves; it is just the best tactic to accomplish their own aims. What they do know is that many do. They know that lifting up "white Christian Nationalism" is a strategy that will motivate a group of people with whom it resonates. They understand that this ideology will galvanize those who find white Christian nationalism attractive. It will inspire and incite those who believe that the United States was founded as a Christian country, that a theocracy is a great idea as long as it reinforces a particular version of Christianity, and any action — ANY ACTION — is justified to make sure that the United States returns to being the white Christian nation it was always intended to be. I believe that those in power are more motivated by increasing their global influence and accumulating personal wealth than by any deeply held ideology or theology. However, their personal gain is certainly not as motivating for the masses, so they employ faux-populist rhetoric and tap into and manipulate genuine discontent and concern to their own benefit. This does not mean that individuals should not be held accountable, but it does mean that I will hold space for empathy and understanding for those whose theological convictions, no matter how wrong I believe they are, have been exploited. As we know, this ideology and theology are not new, but what is new is the ferocity with which its proclamations are being made and how quickly this ideology is being normalized into policy and action at the highest levels. Yes, this thinking has existed for generations, but as we have begun to see, it's coming to a city near you in the form of ICE agents blatantly grabbing and targeting people because of how they look, [the military being encouraged to use US cities and training grounds](https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-generals-meeting-military-pentagon-0ecdcbb8877e24329cfa0fc1e851ebd2?ref=reyes-chow.com), the [US is blatantly acting as if we have some God-given right to kill at will if we decide it is justified](https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other actions that are showing that there is a narrowing of who is considered worthy of rights: civil or human. As I have been traveling to different places over the past few months, it is clear that people are worried and yearning for ways to resist, not just in ways that feel good, but in ways that will actually make a difference. This has so moved me because it feels as if some folks are beginning to realize that this time in our history is not just one more phase in the natural rhythms and seasons of the life of a baby democracy, but that we are looking at the real possibility of an authoritarian regime that is going to lead to death and suffering beyond our imagination. Civil war, military action, or armed rebellion no longer feels hyperbolic, and it is not difficult to envision a future where my own adult children will experience such institutional and personal pain, rage, and trauma that it will take generations for healing to happen. So what will we do? I keep hearing people talking about fighting back and resisting. I listen to others telling others to fight back harder on their behalf. And then some are choosing to ignore it all because it's all too depressing. While I cannot do anything about those who are choosing to ignore the fact that at some point the guns will be pointed at them, for those who want to push back on what is happening, I say, find the act of resistance that truly presents a risk to you. Choose an action that brings you into solidarity with those who are responding out of their own places of risk. Show the communities to which you belong that this is so important to you that you are willing to risk something important to you for a movement greater than yourself. When we risk, we inspire others to risk, and the movement grows. **When we risk, resistance becomes real.** Of course, risk is easy to call for, but much more challenging to embody. Many of us have the privilege to step away from the fray due to our status or resources, or even worse, we participate in actions that we tout as risky but, because of our privilege, are not. **Resistance without risk is performative activism.** For instance, if I post pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide content on my socials, there is zero risk in that. I have no job to get fired from, nor do I have any members or friends that I am risking relationships with. However, if you are a [fitness influencer](https://www.instagram.com/coachcarrielee/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [photographer](https://www.instagram.com/wearetherichards/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Follow them on IG) who decides to do the same, you risk public backlash and a possible/probable loss of clients and income. Risk is relative, personal, and based on our privileges, life stages, and other realities. That said, when it comes to risk, resistance and fighting back, when push comes to shove, I fear that most of us will not put our livelihoods, our bodies, or our freedom in harm's way for the sake of what we believe in. At the end of the day, we will protect our security, our safety, our status — until avoiding risk is no longer an option. **However, as we have witnessed on the streets of Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities, when risk is forced upon us and our neighbors, there is no choice but to resist.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/4244.jpg) The phone number of our attorney at a recent action where arrest was a risk, or "Tuesday" as a friend said to me 😄 So what does risk look like exactly? Risk will manifest differently for each person. I know that I may risk more than others and far less than most. I have written about this before, but my spouse and I have both been arrested in the past and understand that another arrest in the future is a strong possibility. We also recognize that we are in a position and at a life stage when we can take this risk. We have the resources and flexibility to navigate the court system, our adult children are independent and self-sufficient, and if federal time were to be served (which is a possibility with this current administration), we will be okay. We are not chasing any of this, but we are not running from it. Not many can risk this level of direct action, so we will do so on behalf of those who cannot. It is important to remember, however, that civil disobedience is not the only nor even the best form of resistance. It is only one tactic. Civil disobedience is not a risk that everyone can or should take. Some folks have children or family members to support, some have health issues to deal with, some do not have a financial safety net to rely on, and many others cannot risk their immigration status. I might even argue that civil disobedience is one of the last things people should risk, and that by emphasizing it too much, we may diminish other, more effective forms of resistance. I also think it is too easy for the general public to dismiss people who get arrested as those "radicals" (which we may be) who are just trying to cause trouble (which we are) and just want to disrupt things (which we do), but may not always have the kind of impact that we hope to on our own (we need one another). At the end of the day, risk is deeply personal and contextual, lending itself to its contextual power. For some, taking part in a march like the Women's Marches of the past or [No Kings](https://www.nokings.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), is a huge step and will feel like a deep personal risk. There may be many in their circle who may be impacted by that act. They may even risk damaging relationships and possibly even jeopardizing their employment. For others, the same action may be easy and seen as mainstream with no risk at all, either personally or professionally. For these individuals, they might risk being part of a [larger scale action](https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/faith-leaders-activists-california-ice-facilities/3957896/?ref=reyes-chow.com), participating in an action at work, organizing a public demonstration, or speaking out at a public hearing where their name is entered into the public record. And for others, risk could look like . . . - posting on social media - running for office - taking part in less mainstream protests - leading workshops - writing to someone in detention - showing up when asked - staying in relationships - leaving relationships - being trained in de-escalation tactics - becoming a legal observer - preaching sermons - providing housing - teaching children about justice - accompanying people to court - taking part in vigils - volunteering with a non-profit - leading prayers - writing articles or op-eds - giving more money - being that one voice - and so on and so on... It seems as if 'unprecedented' has lost all meaning, but it is, in fact, the only word that accurately describes where we are as a country, culture, and democracy. While we are far from perfect and one could argue that some parts of the system need to collapse, the acts of cruelty, violence, and impunity that we are being threatened, enacted, and supported publicly on our streets, in the halls of government, and in our courthouses, are not how I want to get there. It has been said that apathy is the greatest friend to authoritarianism, and the way it seems to be creeping up on us is proving this to be true. So for those who have been risking, truly risking, thank you, and keep it up. And for those who are wondering how and what you will risk in the future, know that you are not alone. In fact, the more of us that join together, risking more together, the more we will accomplish together. [See you at the barricades.](https://youtu.be/PUlQNsl4Qvk?si=RF1BXbZJTe7RiM54&ref=reyes-chow.com) Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/10/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### E74: We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e74-we-have-never-been-woke-a-conversation-with-musa-al-gharbi/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:39.000Z 🎙 The Amalgamation: Episode 74 🔎 At-a-Glance Summary In this episode, host Bruce Reyes-Chow speaks with Musa al-Gharbi about his book, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite. The conversation dives into wokeness, race, education, and politics, challenging the gap between elite progressive rhetoric and the lack of material change for marginalized groups. Expect a balance of sobering insights and witty exchanges. ✨ Episode Highlights • Why the term "wokeness" often refers to the symbolic performance of activism rather than substantive policy reform. • The function of cultural contradictions within elite institutions, and how they neutralize true social justice movements. • A critical look at the role of politics and education in perpetuating the very systems they claim to be critiquing. • Musa's perspective on what a truly "woke" or equitable society would actually prioritize. ✊🏽 About Our Guest/s Musa al-Gharbi (Sociologist, Stony Brook University) Musa al-Gharbi is a sociologist in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. His first book, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite, is out now with Princeton University Press. His second book, Those People, is scheduled for release in late 2026 with Princeton University Press. Musa's Substack, Symbolic Capital(ism), explores themes that cut across both books. In this episode, Musa joins Bruce to discuss the core arguments of We Have Never Been Woke, examining the gap between stated progressive ideals and their practical, often contradictory, outcomes within influential institutions. 📬 Connect with the Guests • Website: https://musaalgharbi.com/ • Newsletter: https://musaalgharbi.substack.com/ • Bluesky: @musaalgharbi.bsky.social 🔗 Episode Links & Resources • Musa al-Gharbi's book: We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite (https://musaalgharbi.com/we-have-never-been-woke-available-now/) • Announcement for Musa's second book: Those People (https://musaalgharbi.com/2025/06/16/book-announcement-those-people/) • Musa al-Gharbi's Substack: Symbolic Capital(ism) (https://musaalgharbi.substack.com/) • The book's paperback release date is October 8th. • Beyond the Easiest Cases (https://squareonejustice.org/paper/beyondtheeasiestcases/) • Alienated America (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780062797124) by Timothy Carney 🏷️ Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #WeHaveNeverBeenWoke #Wokeness #MusaAlGharbi #CulturalContradictions #SocialJustice #Politics #PodcastLife 🎧 The Amalgamation Podcast Hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, The Amalgamation is a podcast about people doing good in the world, exploring faith, justice, and the messy beauty of humanity. Be sure to subscribe to, rate, and review The Amalgamation Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) . The Amalgamation Podcast Team: Emmie Hix (Producer), Dessiree McFarland (Editor), Merisssa Magdael-Lauron (Music). For all show inquiries, contact theteam@reyes-chow.com 🎙️ Your Host, Bruce Reyes-Chow Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, and coachsultant on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, with too many animals and houseplants. 💌BRC Website and Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com/) 📚BRC Bookshop Bookstore (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗BRC on BlueSky (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗BRC on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/) 🔗BRC on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗BRC on YouTube (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow) ### Update from our Friends in Gaza, The Watfas #gaza URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-from-our-friends-in-gaza-the-watfas-gaza/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:41.000Z After not hearing from them for almost a week and knowing they were being forced out of Gaza City, here are some recent texts from our friends in Gaza, the Watfas ------------------ "Hello Bruce and his family, how are you?" "We are not well. The house was bombed and Ahmed's mother and sister were injured and they were sent south by the Red Cross." "His father and brothers went on foot to the south and now they sleep in the hospital because they are displaced and do not have a place to move and my husband and I stayed in the north to escape from place to place because I am pregnant and I can't walk a long distance, so Ahmed stayed in the north for me." "I sent a video of the house we rented before and I will send you a video after it was bombed, but due to the interruption of the Internet and moving from place to place, I will send it later." "Due to the weakness of the Internet, I will send the video later. I hope that my appeal to the world will be published and collect as much donations as possible to get my husband and I out of hell." "Hello Bruce and his family, how are you?" "I'm sorry for the late reply, but today my wife and I were able to go out, and we arrived in Deir Al-Balah, thank God, now we are in Martyrs Hospital for Al-Aqsa." US: Do you still have access to a bank if we send money in the next few days? "I can arrive and withdraw the money. I am now in a safe area. Tomorrow I will start looking for the Tawini tent, me and my family." "Thank you very much for what you did for me. I hope to find a place tomorrow for my family to get together again." ------------------ We continue to send them money. There are high fees, but we do know that they can get money to feed their family and help community members. If you have funds, please consider donating to someone, somewhere. Their GoFundMe link is https://bit.ly/TheWatfas ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Another Mass Shooting: A Prayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/another-mass-shooting-a-prayer/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T19:31:19.000Z While this particular prayer offering is prompted [six separate mass shootings this past weekend](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/29/weekend-mass-shootings-this-year?ref=reyes-chow.com), there is little to show that this epidemic of violence will be seriously addressed any time soon. It's going to take so much effort and so much time to reverse the death trend, and it just does not seem that there is the political or cultural will to do anything. It is heartbreaking that this prayer will be appropriate many times in the future. But we must keep trying. Keep speaking out, keep pushing our public leaders, keep showing up, and yes, keep being the beloved community in the ways we hope the world to be, — and yes, we keep praying. The following prayer is from [*How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence*](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com)(2025)*.* Use Promo Code \[BRC\] for 20% off. --- ### **3) Another Mass Shooting** Let us pray — God of the Body of Christ, another mass shooting is not Your will. With the sounds of gunfire all around With people running for cover With screams echoing in the air With the fragility of flesh exposed We cannot imagine the terror experienced by our siblings at \[name the place\]. For those who died, we lift their spirits to you. Loved by others and loved by you. May they rest in peace and rise in power. For the wounded, we lift their bodies to you. Tended to by many, held by you. May they know healing and wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. For the community of \[name community\] we lift their spirit to you. Associated by geography. Now bonded by tragedy. May they experience a sense of belonging like never before. In the face of this mass shooting, Give this community the heart to receive the world’s thoughts and prayers Give this community the tenderness to allow one another to heal Give this community the courage to address why this may have happened Give this community the wisdom to make decisions to prevent this from happening again. A whole and healed future of \[Name community\] and ours depends on it. For when the world forgets and the cameras turn away, only community remains. AMEN. --- And I leave you with the same words that I left you with the [last prayer](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-for-those-grieving-the-loss-of-victims-of-gun-violence/), "hold your loved one a little tighter today," but with the weight of the world feeling a little weightier each day, if we are going to become the beloved community, we will need every ounce of our spiritual, emotional, and physical energy to get there. Do what you need to do. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) --- ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### e74 Trailer: We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e74-trailer-we-have-never-been-woke-a-conversation-with-musa-al-gharbi-2/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:41.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 74 of The Amalgamation Podcast: We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi The full episode drops on Tuesday, October 7th, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter have early access to the full episode. Thanks for listening. Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast: https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter: https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Podcast E74: We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e74-we-have-never-been-woke-a-conversation-with-musa-al-gharbi/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T12:14:43.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 74 of The Amalgamation Podcast: *We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi.* 0:00 /1:11 1× Thanks for listening! Purchase a copy of Musa's book, [*We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780691232607?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* The full episode drops on Tuesday, October 7th, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) have early access to the full episode. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### E73: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor and ... URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e73-faith-power-and-the-making-of-christian-nationalism-a-conversation-with-brian-kaylor-and/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:42.000Z ✊🏽 About Our Guests Brian Kaylor is a Baptist minister with a PhD in political communication. A former professor of political communication and advocacy studies, he now serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Word & Way, where he writes and speaks on issues of faith and public life. He previously served at churches and denominational organizations affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, American Baptist Churches USA, and Southern Baptist Convention. An award-winning writer, his pieces have been published by numerous outlets, including Boston Globe, CNN, Houston Chronicle, Kansas City Star, Nashville Tennessean, Sojourners, and Washington Post. Kaylor serves as board treasurer for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and on the board of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. He also chairs the Resolutions Committee for the Baptist World Alliance. He lives in Jefferson City, Missouri. Beau Underwood is the Senior Minister of Allisonville Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is also a contributing editor to Word & Way. He holds graduate degrees in both religion and public policy from the University of Chicago and is currently a doctoral candidate in public affairs at the University of Missouri. Underwood is the co-author of a book on Christian fatherhood called, Dear Son: Raising Faithful, Just, and Compassionate Men that is also published by Chalice Press. His writing has appeared in Religion News Service, Sojourners, The Christian Century, Religion & Politics (now ARC), Sightings, Religion Unplugged, and other places. In addition to pastoring and writing, Underwood has past ministry experience in faith-based advocacy and hospital chaplaincy. He has also held a variety of leadership roles within his denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Together, Brian and Beau are the co-authors of Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism, published by Chalice Press. 🎧 Episode Summary In this episode, Bruce sits down with Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood to explore the uncomfortable but necessary truths about how mainline Protestant churches have played a role in shaping Christian nationalism in America. With humor, insight, and deep historical context, the conversation covers faith’s role in public policy, the complicity of religious institutions, and what it means to reckon with our past in order to build a more just future. Expect to laugh, think, and—most importantly—leave smarter than when you started. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources • Baptizing America (Chalice Press) (https://chalicepress.com/products/baptizing-america) • Christian Century Review of Baptizing America (https://www.christiancentury.org/books/did-mainline-church-pave-way-christian-nationalism) • The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power (Chalice Press) (https://chalicepress.com/collections/new-releases/products/the-bible-according-to-christian-nationalists?srsltid=AfmBOoptOACt7MabWdGUUtrwTqjdKyB1VD92PrCqkloCxyHuPzjxmo3i) • How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism (https://arcmag.org/how-mainline-protestants-help-build-christian-nationalism/) (article that gave rise to the book) • Civil Religion as a Gateway to Christian Nationalism (https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/articles/civil-religion-gateway-christian-nationalism) • Word & Way (https://wordandway.org/) • Allisonville Christian Church (https://www.allisonville.org/) 🎧 The Amalgamation Podcast Be sure to subscribe to, rate, and review The Amalgamation Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) . The Amalgamation Podcast Team: Emmie Hix (Producer), Dessiree McFarland (Editor), Merisssa Magdael-Lauron (Music) 🎙️ Your Host, Bruce Reyes-Chow Bruce Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, and coachsultant on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, with too many animals and houseplants. 💌 BRC Website and Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com/) 📚 BRC Bookshop Bookstore (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 BRC on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 BRC on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/) 🔗 BRC on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 BRC on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow) 🏷️ Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #ProgressiveChristianity #StorytellingForChange #PodcastLife #ChristianNationalism #MainlineProtestantism #FaithAndPolitics #BaptizingAmerica ### If you're Presbyterian, come to Palestine with me in December! #presbyterian #palestine #travel URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-youre-presbyterian-come-to-palestine-with-me-in-december-presbyterian-palestine-travel/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:42.000Z This one is for the Presbyterians and Presbyterian adjacents in the house. I wasn't planning on returning to Palestine so soon, but the opportunity has come up to lead another delegation with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, December 10-19, 2025, and I've said yes. So once again, I'm headed to Palestine, and if you're Presbyterian, you're invited. We will give priority to those who have never visited Palestine or haven't been since October 2023\. Be warned, this will be very Presbyterian. There will be General Assembly moderators, middle governing body leaders, and every other flavor of Presbyterians. Like other delegations, we will meet with Palestinian leaders, activists, artists, and community members to gain insight into life and faith under occupation. We will go and see and come back and tell. I know what is happening in Palestine often seems overwhelming and beyond any of our individual impact. This is just one small thing we can do to be in solidarity with our Palestinian siblings. So if this is something that you feel called to, I hope you will consider it. Here are the deets: DATES: December 10-19 (10 days, 9 nights) Prob leave US on the 8th COST (Housing, Food, Ground) $1,500 + Airfare + Visa & Boarder Fees Informational Meeting on Zoom Saturday, October 4, 2025 8:00-9:00am PT PM Me for Registration Link More Details at https://bit.ly/SabeelDec25 ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Storytime. Be tender people. With yourselves and others. #tenderness URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/storytime-be-tender-people-with-yourselves-and-others-tenderness/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:43.000Z _No content available._ ### Podcast E73: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e73-faith-power-and-the-making-of-christian-nationalism-a-conversation-with-brian-kaylor-and-beau-underwood/ Last updated: 2025-09-16T07:01:16.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 73 of The Amalgamation Podcast: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood 0:00 /0:59 1× You can purchase a copy of their book, *Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism* or pick up Brian's new book,[*The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827203501?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* The full episode drops on Tuesday, September 23rd, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) have early access to the full episode. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Trailer for E73 of The Amalgamation Podcast: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/trailer-for-e73-of-the-amalgamation-podcast-faith-power-and-the-making-of-christian-nationalism/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:43.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 73 of The Amalgamation Podcast: Faith, Power, and the Making of Christian Nationalism: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood. The full episode drops on Tuesday, September 9th, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter have early access to the full episode. Thanks for listening.. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### The + Friday + Five | Randomocities V URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-randomocities-v/ Last updated: 2025-09-12T18:14:00.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 09.12.25 This week's [Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) brings another addition of [*Randomocities*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/randomocities/). I could have easily titled this one, "things that pissed me off this week," or "things that made my stomach turn and made my blood boil" because wow, what a week. In some ways, I don't want to give this stuff oxygen, but I also think it's sometimes beneficial to understand what those on opposing "sides" are saying. I also think it is often cathartic to have a good rage cry or scream. You have been warned. Apologies in advance. Have a scream into the void for me. #### ONE || White nationalist Christians maybe, but Christians are not being persecuted in the United States . . . "Trump task force report says Biden administration discriminated against Christians: In the report, dated June 6 but made public this week, task force members said they found a pattern of bias against Christians during the Biden administration." > During his campaign to return to the White House, Donald Trump promised to return Christians to [power and prominence](https://religionnews-com.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/religionnews.com/2024/02/23/trump-promises-a-revival-of-christian-power-in-speech-to-national-religious-broadcasters/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in American life and to root out any anti-Christian policies in the federal government. > Not long after taking office, Trump ordered cabinet members to form a task force to eliminate anti-Christian bias in their departments. > “My Administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians,” Trump wrote in an executive order dated Feb. 6. [Read the full article from RNS](https://religionnews.com/2025/09/08/trump-task-force-report-claims-biden-administration-discriminated-against-christians/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### TWO || The hypocrisy is on full display, and it is dangerous... "Far-right commentators echo Trump in calling for ‘vengeance and retribution’ for Charlie Kirk’s death: Even as the suspect and motive remain unknown, incendiary rhetoric from major political commentators spread rapidly online and Trump blamed the left" > “We have to have steely resolve,” said the conservative political strategist [Steve Bannon](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/steve-bannon?ref=reyes-chow.com) on his show War Room. “Charlie Kirk is a casualty of war. We are at war in this country. We are.” > “If they won’t leave us in peace, then our choice is to fight or die,” wrote [Elon Musk](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk?ref=reyes-chow.com) on X. > “They are at war with us, whether we want to accept it or not. What are we gonna do about it?” Fox News host Jesse Watters said on air Wednesday night. “Everybody’s accountable … the politicians, the media, and all these rats out there. This can never happen again. It ends now. This is a turning point and we know which direction we’re going.” > “We are up against demonic forces from the pit of Hell,” wrote commentator and podcaster Matt Walsh on X. “This is existential. A fight for our own existence and the existence of our country.” [Read the full article from The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/charlie-kirk-shooting-death-trump-reaction?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### THREE || Our culture is sick. "The school shooting industry is worth billions — and it keeps growing" > There have been [more than 400 school shootings](https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/school-shootings-database/?ref=reyes-chow.com) since Columbine in 1999, according to an analysis by *The Washington Post.* The latest was last month, when a [former student opened fire](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/29/nx-s1-5522038/minneapolis-shooting-motive?ref=reyes-chow.com) at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. Two students were killed and at least 18 other people were wounded. > In the wake of those shootings, an industry has emerged to try to protect schools — and business is booming. According to the market research firm Omdia, the school security industry is now worth as much as $4 billion, and it's projected to keep growing. [Read the full article from NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/09/08/nx-s1-5317647/school-shooting-industry?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### FOUR || Sinister and insidious does not begin to capture what our government is doing. "From Uncle Sam to social media memes: inside homeland security’s push to swell ICE ranks: Homeland security lowers hiring standards and floods social media with patriotic, often xenophobic, recruitment posts" > The overall campaign strategy also appears to attempt to replicate in some ways the US army’s “Be All You Can Be” campaign – likening the recruitment of immigration enforcement officers to a military recruitment campaign and an act of patriotism, experts say. One video shows supposed immigration officers training in a military facility and people jumping out of planes. The caption: “Hunt cartels. Save America.” > In its latest video the DHS boasts about its 5,000th arrest in Los Angeles that starts with Hollywood-style footage of immigration officers putting on their military tactical gear and ends with a compilation of mostly brown men being arrested or detained. > “The targeting of Black and brown immigrants with false information and using pictures of Uncle Sam as if this is military recruitment at the time of war is an unprecedented use of propaganda for civil immigration enforcement,” said Nayna Gupta, the policy director at the American Immigration Council. [Read the full article from The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/03/trump-memes-immigration-deportation?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### FIVE || Maybe THE most dangerous development from the past few weeks. Theological malpractice and a threat to national and global health. (From a few weeks ago, but the fall out continues) "Florida aims to ban vaccine mandates for schoolchildren" > Florida is aiming to become the first US state to cancel all of its vaccine mandates, many of which require children to get jabs against diseases like polio in order to attend public schools. > The state's top health official, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, likened the mandates to "slavery", in announcing the plans. > "Who am I to tell you what your child should put in your body?" he said. "I don't have that right. Your body is a gift from God." [Read the full article from BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg0e485wwwo?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: As many of you know, one of my gigs is as the Church Relations and Development Officer at Zephyr Point Conference Center near South Lake Tahoe and located on the shores of Lake Tahoe. While I only give them a few days a month to this endeavor, I make the sacrifice to go up there to meet with staff every so often to catch up with what's going on so I can share with the world. As a bit of an antidote for the above links, here is a video I took while I was there this past week. You should really feel sorry for me 😜. If you care to share it, you can also find it on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOcaQwqCT2u/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Pixyhwg4vjs?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7548644220991573261?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com). 0:00 /0:24 1× A view from the dock at [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### @ZephyrPointPresbyterian a great place for a getaway or retreat on the shores of #laketahoe URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/zephyrpointpresbyterian-a-great-place-for-a-getaway-or-retreat-on-the-shores-of-laketahoe/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:44.000Z _No content available._ ### For Those Grieving the Loss of Victims of Gun Violence: A Prayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-for-those-grieving-the-loss-of-victims-of-gun-violence/ Last updated: 2025-10-02T20:16:27.000Z So here we are America, the day after another [widely assumed political assassination](https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2025/09/11/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-valley-university-turning-point?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [another school shooting](https://abcnews.go.com/US/shooting-reported-colorado-high-school-2-kids-transported/story?id=125452526&ref=reyes-chow.com). And it was not just yesterday, of course. In recent weeks, we have seen the results of our complicity manifested in violence in Israel, military actions against supposed Venezuelan drug cartels, an ongoing genocide in Palestine, and countless other places where our American values only seem to be able to answer difference and dissent with brutality and bullets. Honestly, I have been struggling to figure out what, if anything, I should add to the noise of punditry and well-intentional thought pieces that are flooding our feeds. At the end of the day, I am really not sure what to add, but I do know that with the rash of evil manifested as political assassinations, gun violence, mass shootings, and war, our answer should not be to repay evil acts with evil acts. In light of this particular day and because most of the folks reading this post are probably not fans of Charlie Kirk and what he stood for, what he said, and what he, has caused, it is crucial for me to say this — I will never rejoice in the death of anyone, even my greatest enemy, nor will I sanitize their lives. More importantly, I refuse to dismiss the grief of their loved ones. With the shooting death of my brother-in-law, I know all too well the grief of losing a loved one to gun violence. As soon as we stop having empathy for those left behind: a child who has lost a parent, a spouse who has lost a partner, a parent who has lost a child, or a friend who has lost a colleague, we stop seeing humanity in the others, and we have given in to evil. I refuse to do this. So what I offer to folks today is another sample from the still-unedited [Gun Violence Prayers](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/gun-violence-prayers/) resource. Please feel free to use this or any of the other prayers with attribution. This one is intended for individual prayer, but can be easily adapted for a communal prayer. --- ### **12) For Those Grieving the Loss of Victims of Gun Violence** One of the aspects of gun violence that is often not talked about is the long-term impact these events have on individuals, families, and communities. In a culture where prolonged grief is discouraged and “moving on” to make others feel comfortable, whether one is ready to or not, is expected, naming the realities for those left behind is essential. The impact of gun violence, whether someone’s life is taken or injuries sustained, is generational and never really goes away. > Let us pray — > For those whose lives have forever been changed by gun violence and the death of a loved one, I pray. > As we confront more death, I pray for this world > That has normalized gun violence and its aftermath > That is ill at ease, even annoyed with expressions of grief > That wants others to appease the discomfort of others > That quickly forgets what is not right in front of its eyes > That has become numb to the regularity of gun violence > That too often dishonors the lives lost for the sake of “moving on.” > For the loss known by so many is and will be ever present > The tendrils of grief take hold when least expected > Through insignificant acts that now feel immense > Through images, locations, and experiences > Through traditions that are forever changed > Through an empty chair, a jacket in a closet, a scent in the air > Through relearning how to live life without > a partner, parent, child, colleague, or friend > In the silence, when voices and memories are the loudest > And especially when gunshots ring out again > and another community is ravaged, and more lives are lost. > God, I also hope for the healing of the soul > However that may come > may paths of healing be revealed. > Whenever it may come > may time be held tenderly. > From wherever it may come > may belonging be deeply known > And may this healing be embodied to the depth > that glimpses of a newly formed future come into view. > In your holy and healing name I pray. > — Amen. --- I know it feels a bit trite to say, "hold your loved one a little tighter today," but with the weight of the world feeling a little weightier each day, if we are going to become the beloved community, we will need every ounce of our spiritual, emotional, and physical energy to get there. Do what you need to do. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) --- ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 20 Updates in the Life of Bruce URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/20-updates-in-the-life-of-bruce/ Last updated: 2025-09-10T12:48:17.000Z I hope you are well and finding ways to notice and embrace joy these days. Lord knows we can all use it. I still grieve what is happening in Gaza and the silence and inaction of so many. Each day I struggle with the tension of living our day-to-day life while our friends suffer because of the support of our government and my tax dollars . . . plus what our government is doing in general: inhumane immigration tactics, martial law dry-runs, attacks on higher education, life-threatening health policy making, reinforcing nationalized cruelty, and engaging in ongoing general terribleness. Yet, we contiue to do what we can, as we can, when we can, and I so appreciate folks' ongoing support. Sporadically, I share some personal and professional updates, so here you go. While there are more detailed updates for Paid Subscribers, here are some highlights: **Personally.** My physical health is doing pretty well. I'm still doing my regular Long Covid blood testing, but my weight is down, my fitness is consistent, and I am contemplating running a marathon before I turn 60 (Calm down runners). I am still very much part of the OrangeTheory C̶u̶l̶t̶ Community 😄 as it helps me to regulate many aspects of my daily life. After struggling a bit last year, my mental health is pretty good. Seasonal depression is a sneaky beast, but I am getting better at recognizing the signs, so much better. [Family is beautiful](https://www.instagram.com/p/DN2Az8B3P3M/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [I miss my goofy dog](https://www.reyes-chow.com/to-the-best-weird-sweet-cute-goofy-dog-ever/) ⬇️⬇️⬇️. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/IMG_20150916_221001.jpg)](https://www.reyes-chow.com/to-the-best-weird-sweet-cute-goofy-dog-ever/) Our "sweet baby girl dog," Vespa, doing her very best cat impression. Weirdo. **Professionally.** This full-time freelancer/public person is still a grind and a hustle that is simultaneously exhilarating, liberating, exhausting, and labourious. A couple of projects are coming through, and 2026 and 2027 are taking shape. I just turned in a project on Gun Violence Prayers, and now I begin a three-publication project on Jesus. I'm beginning to travel again, and the 2026 calendar is starting fill up. Vocation is a wily and subtle siren. There are more detailed updates below for Paid Subscribers, as well as information for a monthly Zoom (I need some help brainstorming some content ideas). Again, thanks for your support! NOTES ABOUT PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS We are still working out some kinks with the migration from Substack, so if there are any billing questions, please let us know. If you thought you were a Paid Subscriber but don't have access to this post, please check your account to ensure your payment information is correct. ****If you need help,** [****contact us**](mailto:teambrc@reyes-chow.com) **and we'll help you out.** And if you are not a paid subscriber, monthly subscriptions begin at $1/month or $10/year, basically on sugar free vanilla latte :-) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### E72: The Cost of Being Undocumented: A Conversation with Alix Dick & Antero Garcia URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e72-the-cost-of-being-undocumented-a-conversation-with-alix-dick-antero-garcia/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:45.000Z ✊🏽 About Our Guests Alix Dick is an artist and storyteller living in Los Angeles. Her contributions as a producer and filmmaker have screened at film festivals across the globe. She co-edits the substack, La Cuenta, an online publication centering the voices and perspectives of individuals labeled undocumented in the US. Antero Garcia is a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University and president-elect of the National Council of Teachers of English. He has authored or edited more than two dozen books about schooling in America. He co-edits the substack, La Cuenta. 🎧 Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Bruce Reyes-Chow speaks with Alix Dick and Antero Garcia, the folks behind The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman’s Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math. The book explores the emotional, financial, and systemic burdens placed on undocumented immigrants—and the human stories that make those costs real. Bruce, Alix, and Antero dig into: 📚 The origin story behind their collaborative nonfiction project 💵 The hidden costs undocumented immigrants face in education, healthcare, housing, and safety 🧮 Why “inhumane math” is more than just a metaphor 💡 How storytelling and data can work together to inspire change 👩🏽‍🏫 Antero’s personal lens as an educator and writer 🧠 Alix’s process of transforming pain and policy into a compelling narrative It’s a heartfelt and thoughtful conversation about justice, narrative power, and reclaiming humanity in dehumanizing systems. 🔗 Episode Links & Resources 📘 The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman's Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math (https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780807014943) 🧑🏽‍💻 Alix Dick on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/\_\_thiessen/) 🧑🏽‍🏫 Antero Garcia at Stanford (https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/anterog) 💌 Subscribe to the La Cuenta Newsletter on Substack (http://lacuenta.substack.com) 🎤And the singer that Alix mentioned, Debbie Dawson is at: www.debbiidawson.com (https://www.debbiidawson.com/) 🎧 The Amalgamation Podcast Be sure to subscribe to, rate, and review The Amalgamation Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod). The Amalgamation Podcast Team: Emmie Hix (Producer), Dessiree McFarland (Editor), Merisssa Magdael-Lauron (Music) 🎙️ Your Host, Bruce Reyes-Chow Bruce Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, and coachsultant on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, with too many animals and houseplants. 💌 BRC Website and Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com/) 📚 BRC Bookshop Bookstore (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 BRC on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 BRC on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/) 🔗 BRC on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 BRC on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow) 🏷️ Tags / Hashtags #TheAmalgamationPodcast #UndocumentedVoices #AlixDick #AnteroGarcia #TheCostOfBeingUndocumented #ImmigrationJustice #ProgressiveChristianity #StorytellingForChange #PodcastLife #DebbieDawson ### The + Friday + Five | AI URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-ai/ Last updated: 2025-09-05T12:00:28.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 09.05.25 It seems that conversations about AI are everywhere. Like any new technology, there is a great deal of debate about how or if it should be further integrated into our lives: professional and personal. There are [clear environmental impacts](https://www.fastcompany.com/91253026/air-pollution-from-ai-could-surpass-that-of-all-the-cars-in-california?ref=reyes-chow.com), and questions are being raised about its educational value, its impact on mental health, [its place in faith](https://www.kqed.org/news/12049674/from-god-to-grief-people-are-asking-ai-the-big-questions-once-reserved-for-clergy?ref=reyes-chow.com), and more. Some are refusing to use it (as much as possible in our current internet environment), others are trying to "do no harm," and yet others are falling into the "it is here, let's embrace it as a tool" lane. And still others, like the American Federation of Teachers are going all in despite strong pushback from many in its ranks, [*National AI training hub for educators to open, funded by OpenAI and Microsoft.*](https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/07/08/openai-microsoft-teachers-union-ai-training-partnership/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/ai-robot.jpg) Personally, I am in that space where I try to circumvent AI in my searches (adding sources to searches) and never use it to generate content. That said, I do see how it has been valuable for some of the support/administrative work that had previously taken far too much energy. At the end of the day, I fall into the "don't let Skynet hijack your creativity" camp, but I am keeping my eyes and ears open to what folks are talking about. Here are a few AI-related reads that have crossed my screen... --- #### ONE || One legitimate way to resist using AI in the classroom is not to use AI in the classroom. **"Why We’re Not Using AI in This Course, Despite Its Obvious Benefits: A reading for your students" (If you only read one of this week's selections, this is the one; a long, but good read.)** > Yes, learning how to use AI might be important to your future, but we already know that it seriously disrupts education and learning when used inappropriately, by either the teacher or student. There’s a big difference between learning how to generate credible philosophical content and learning how to think like a philosopher. In one future where AI use is everywhere, it could be enough to generate content without actually understanding it, but in another future, you will still need to know stuff. > Therefore, we need to strike a balance between the two possibilities if we don’t know how the future will play out. This means an open conversation about AI’s pros and cons, since ultimately it will be your decision to use AI in your coursework or not, even when an instructor prohibits it. [**Read the full article by Justin Lin**](https://emergingethics.substack.com/p/why-were-not-using-ai-in-this-course)**.** --- #### TWO || The cultural and institutional inertia of education is real. **"Tech in the Classroom: A History of Hype and Hysteria: From calculators to ChatGPT, the introduction of new technology into schools has long inspired frenzied discourse: Will it revolutionize the system or rot kids’ brains? It often does neither."** > The cyclical nature of these alarmist reactions “reveals the kind of cognitive biases and psychology” behind fears of change, says Louis Anslow, who heads up the archive. The rejection of new technologies often isn’t based on any particular damning evidence but instead simply taps into parental angst over the uncertainty of the world their kids have inherited. > These overblown reactions also might give tech too much credit and education systems too little. The idea that any one tool has the power to “[revolutionize](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times/177209956/?ref=reyes-chow.com)” education systems relies on the premise that these systems are fragile and susceptible to overhaul. In reality, says Anslow, educational institutions are “quite impervious to change,” and new tech ends up “tacked onto the old system.” [**Read the full article from Wired**](https://www.wired.com/story/photo-essay-school-tech-hysteria/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** --- #### THREE || Will Black kids learn from the rush to AI? **"Teachers Union’s AI Deal Raises Questions—and Concerns: Tech companies are giving AFT $23 million to train educators in AI tools, but will it help students learn?"** > Decades of studies show Black students from underserved communities are [more likely to be deprived](https://wordinblack.com/2025/06/why-schools-keep-failing-black-kids/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of what white students in well-off schools benefit from: small class sizes, well-trained teachers, schools with resources, and access to rich educational experiences. > In other words, students at elite college preparatory schools like Boston Latin School or New York City’s Horace Mann School probably won’t be propped in front of an AI chatbot to learn. Nor are they likely to[ breathe air polluted by AI data centers and server farms](https://wordinblack.com/2025/06/colossal-polluter-naacp-moves-to-sue-musk-in-memphis/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in their neighborhood — a scenario, Vilson warns, could be replicated in other communities. [**Read the full article from Word in Black**](https://wordinblack.com/2025/07/aft-ai-deal-raises-questions-concerns/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** --- #### FOUR || The government lives A.I. unless . . . **"AI is unmasking ICE officers. Can Washington do anything about it?: A new twist in the debate over surveillance tech raises tough questions for policymakers."** > An activist has started using artificial intelligence to identify Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents beneath their masks — a use of the technology sparking new political concerns over AI-powered surveillance. > The AI-powered project adds a new twist to the debates over both ICE masking and government surveillance tools, as immigration enforcement becomes more widespread and aggressive. > ICE says its agents need to wear masks to prevent being unfairly harassed for doing their jobs. To their critics, agents in masks have become a potent symbol of unaccountable government force. The masking, and the counter-campaign to identify agents, has prompted a crossfire of bills on Capitol Hill. [**Read the full article from Politico**](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/29/ai-unmasking-ice-officers-00519478?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** --- #### FIVE || Setting up our young people to succeed 😦 **"AI is already cutting jobs — but only one age group is paying the price, Stanford study finds"** > A new, first-of-its-kind Stanford University study offers some of the strongest evidence yet that artificial intelligence is reshaping the U.S. job market — and it’s hitting Generation Z the hardest. > The report, “[Canaries in the Coal Mine? Six Facts about the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelligence](https://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Canaries%5FBrynjolfssonChandarChen.pdf?ref=reyes-chow.com),” published Tuesday, draws on millions of anonymized payroll records from ADP, the nation’s largest payroll processor, spanning late 2022 — when generative AI tools like ChatGPT surged — through mid-2025. > It found that employment for workers ages 22 to 25 in the most AI-exposed jobs, including software development and customer service, has dropped by 13% relative to less-exposed roles. [**Read the full article from the SF Chronicle**](https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/stanford-ai-entry-level-jobs-study-21017046.php?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** --- #### Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: [The last Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-newsletters-i-open/) had us just after our trip to Universal Studios and motion sickness central, but also during that trip we decided to take advantage of the offspring being in one place so we took some family pictures Filipiniana style. I know I'm biased, but my babies are beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/1-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/6.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/7.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/09/8.png) Photos by [Maricel Sison](https://www.msison.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Podcast E72: The Cost of Being Undocumented: A Conversation with Alix Dick & Antero Garcia URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-e72-the-cost-of-being-undocumented-a-conversation-with-alix-dick-antero-garcia/ Last updated: 2025-10-09T22:20:13.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 72 of The Amalgamation Podcast: *The Cost of Being Undocumented: A Conversation with Alix Dick & Antero Garcia*. 0:00 /0:52 1× You can purchase a copy of their book, [*The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman's Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780807014943?ref=reyes-chow.com). The full episode drops on Tuesday, September 9th, so be sure to [subscribe where you listen to podcasts](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) have early access to the full episode. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### E72 Trailer: The Cost of Being Undocumented: A Conversation with Alix Dick & Antero Garcia URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e72-trailer-the-cost-of-being-undocumented-a-conversation-with-alix-dick-antero-garcia-2/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:45.000Z Here is the trailer for Episode 72 of The Amalgamation Podcast: The Cost of Being Undocumented: A Conversation with Alix Dick & Antero Garcia. The full episode drops on Tuesday, September 9th, so be sure to subscribe where you listen to podcasts. Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation Newsletter have early access to the full episode. Thanks for listening. ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Another Shooting in America: A Litany URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/another-shooting-in-america-a-litany/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T18:06:10.000Z The [school shooting in Minneapolis](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/28/nx-s1-5519768/minneapolis-school-shooting-church-what-we-know?ref=reyes-chow.com) is still weighing heavily on my heart. I have been in a metaphorical writing cave finishing up a collection of prayers focused on gun violence, so instead of my regular Friday + Five, I thought I would share another one from the collection. [This one is also unedited](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-another-school-shooting/), so it may change before publishing. Please feel free to use and adapt this for your community and attribute as much as possible. How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/04/Gun-Violence-Prayers-Cover.jpg)](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) For prayers that address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, purchase a copy of **How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence* and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off. [Purchase How Long, Oh Lord ](https://www.pcusastore.com/Products/9798218924232/how-long-oh-lord.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) Let us pray — One: God, our souls ache as another shooting comes into our view. **ALL: This is not Your will, and is no part of any divine plan.** One: You weep with us in these times of sadness, despair, confusion, and anger **ALL: and so we join our spirits with Yours and come to You in prayer.** One: As much as it hurts our hearts, God, grant us the strength to remember that in life, those who were killed belonged to you, and in death, they belong to you still. **ALL: May we remember each one\* was lovingly created in Your image.** One: As heartwrenching as it is to witness, God, grant us the fortitude to pray for friends, families, and communities of those who were killed. **ALL: May we hear and honor their groans, agony, and wailing in heart, body, and soul.** One: As uncomfortable as it may feel, God, grant us the humility to pray for our own spirits. **ALL: May we honor the tender grief that dwells within us all.** One: As disruptive as it may seem, God, grant us the fearlessness to pray for politicians, policy makers, lobbyists, the system, and a culture that values profit more than possibility. **ALL: May wisdom beyond our imagination prevail.** One: As unbearable as it may be, God, grant us the faith to remember that even the shooter is loved by God. **ALL: May we not repay evil acts with evil acts.** One: As distant as it may feel, God grant us the empathy to pray for the shootings that do not grab headlines, for individuals who suffer, grieve, and mourn in silence, and for communities where gun violence is always a possibility. **ALL: May we value all siblings as part of the Body of Christ.** One: As risky as it may feel, God, grant us the courage to speak up, to act out, to march, to protest, and to make Your voice known through our own. **ALL: May we be Your hands, feet, and bodies of healing, hope, and peace.** One: God, be with each of us as You see fit, grant us the space to know grief that is real, to express anger that is righteous, and to embody hope that is in You. **ALL: For the hopes and intentions that You have for Your people are greater than any gunfire can take away.** One: And let us not have to return to this space again. **ALL: In Your healing, just, and hopeful name we pray.** **— Amen** **\*** This could be a place to read the names of those killed, “May we remember Brian, Sandra, and Soon Chung were lovingly created in Your image.” ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Another School Shooting: A Prayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-another-school-shooting/ Last updated: 2025-10-26T21:20:29.000Z Sadly, this could be any day in America, but as I am finishing up a project on prayers focused on gun violence, there has been yet another school shooting, this time at a [Catholic School in Minnesota](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cly22nkpz8gt?ref=reyes-chow.com). Here is an unedited prayer that I have written for school shootings. Please feel free to use and adapt this for your community. Please attribute and link back to this page if possible. > Let us pray — > God of the expansive mind, body and spirit, > in another school shooting, your will is not being done. > Today, we lift up those who have lost their lives > to another act of gun violence in a place > where minds, spirits, and bodies > are meant to thrive, > not cease to be. > For those whose lives have been lost, we lift them to you, oh God. > We lift up their families, friends, and communities as they grieve and mourn this day and for the days, months, years, and lifetime ahead. > We cannot imagine the terror that teachers, administrators, staff, and children must have felt, > so we also lift up those who will live with the memories of > the sounds, > the smells, > the images, > and the trauma of the day. > May they find hope and healing in the ways and in the time they need. > Give us the courage not to choose again > to repay these acts of violence with more acts of violence, > but repay them with acts of peace. > Give us wisdom not to choose a future of > active shooter drills, > bulletproof backpacks, > and armed educators > over a future of cultivating educational spaces > where young people can thrive, flourish, > and grow in body, mind, and spirit, as you hope and intend. > And may school shootings cease to be the norm. > AMEN. The project I am working on will include 20-ish prayers. I am not sure when it will be out, but I will let you know. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Book + Excerpt: Generosity URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-excerpt-generosity/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T17:38:10.000Z Book Excerpts I share [excerpts from my books](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/book-excerpt/) to give folks a taste of my content and style, so feel free to share and use with attribution. If your group plans on reading any of my books, you can find them all on my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) or via the publishers. Also, I will Zoom in for an hour (no charge) to talk about the book with your group, and if you are interested in bringing me out for a speaking event or conference, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). [Bruce's Bookshop ](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Introduction to Generosity An excerpt from[*Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Broadleaf Books, 2024), pp 117-119 --- When our kids were young, one of our favorite family activities was going to the animal shelter. We’d walk through the rows of puppies, kittens, dogs, cats, and other creatures for an hour or two, talking with the animals and petting them and playing with them when staff allowed it. Our children, now young adults, have fond memories of those visits. Want to know the real reason we took our kids to the animal shelter? We could not afford to take them to the zoo. For a long time when our children were young, we could barely pay for groceries, special lunch items, or field trip money. We lived near plenty of family, so we were never in danger of being unhoused or going hungry. But when we lost our home and moved our family of five into a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, we did it out of necessity, not because we wanted to downsize. We were in poverty. We are in a much better financial situation now. Robin and I have always tried to be appropriately transparent about our financial situation with our kids, so as they moved toward adulthood, we let them in on the fact that, for much of their childhood, we lived under the poverty line even though we were both working. Only then did they realize that some of the things that we did when they were young were not because we were cool or creative but simply because we were poor. I would never say being poor is good for people, or that struggle is the only way one gains perspective. These are both problematic postures toward those who have no choice in the matter. But our kids see the world through a different lens than many of their peers do. I think growing up with very few extras has made them more compassionate and empathic. For example, we don’t joke about any restaurants being “low class,” because we remember the days when going out to eat—even for fast food—was a special occasion. We don’t shame people for making bad food choices, because we know what it is like to eat bean soup five days in a row because that’s all you can afford. And we certainly do not judge people by the cars they drive, because we know what it’s like to have a car break down and have no idea how you will drop your kids off at school next week. Again, we had supportive family around us, so we had the privilege of knowing that we could borrow money, move in with someone, or otherwise avoid having to make life-endangering choices. At the end of the day, we always had enough. Even when we were struggling, we tried to model being generous with what you have. We taught our kids that the point of life is not to accumulate or hoard but to steward wisely what you do have. We tried to follow God’s call, trusting ourselves to make good decisions and believing that, in doing so, all would be okay and that we would have enough. Simply put, we can be generous because God has been generous to us. We don’t give our time, our energy, and our talents so that God will love us more. We are not generous because we are trying to earn something or because our generosity will somehow make God treat us better than that schmuck on the corner. We are generous because of the generosity of the resurrection. We respond to the needs around us because God has promised to love us not only now but throughout eternity. We respond in the world as if that gift matters. The resurrection compels us to be generous. Each day, as we tune ourselves toward God’s hope for the world, the Spirit reminds us to be generous because God has been generous to us. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2b154e9c-aab3-4919-9c3a-44c40596c209_1500x500-2.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### Filipino Iced Coffee at Obet & Del's in LA #lafoodies #coffee URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/filipino-iced-coffee-at-obet-dels-in-la-lafoodies-coffee/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:46.000Z _No content available._ ### The + Friday + Five | Newsletters I Open URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-newsletters-i-open/ Last updated: 2025-09-03T23:28:24.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 08.22.25 Yeah, kinda meta me talking about newsletters that I open via my newsletter, that I know just over 50% of you actually open (FTR: the open rate for The Amalgamation is a pretty steady 53%-55%). I am like most of you when I sign up for most newsletters. I have every intention of reading what folks send out, but more times than not, eventually the emails get caught up in the bulk \[select all\] + \[archive\] move until I have to search for an event or other information connected to a particular organization. Still, I find myself drawn to a few for a variety of reasons: events, think pieces, recaps, etc. so I thought I would share five that I open on the regular. Here we go . . . --- #### ONE || [Sacred Repro Updates](https://www.sacreddignity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity (SACReD)](https://www.sacreddignity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) puts out a monthly update that is packed with resources that I make to scan around faith and Reproductive Justice. Included are trainings, webinars, resources, and so much more. --- #### TWO || [Religion New Service Morning Report](https://religionnews.com/subscribe-to-rns-newsletters/?ref=reyes-chow.com) As one who likes to amplify and share important news and happenings in the world of faith, [Religion News Service (RNS)](https://religionnews.com/subscribe-to-rns-newsletters/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is my go-to organization. Their daily *Morning Report* is a must-read for me as it contains trustworthy articles about faith and topics from a faith perspective. Full disclosure, we are also monthly donors. --- #### THREE || [PRRI Morning Buzz](https://prri.substack.com/s/morning-buzz) The *Morning Buzz* from the [Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI)](https://prri.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) comes out every few days with some great articles, especially if you love the numbers. --- #### FOUR || [Mission Local](https://missionlocal.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) If you are from San Francisco, are interested in San Francisco, or simply like collecting solid local news sources, [Mission Local](https://missionlocal.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is a great one for San Francisco. Their daily newsletter is concise and informative; a perfect way to start the day, catch up on recent stories, or fact check some spilt tea from an overheard conversation from the night before. --- #### FIVE || [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Okay, this is still California-based, (and I am on the Board), but even before I was involved as deeply, I always read the newsletter blasts from [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. (IM4HI)](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) because they have a pulse on what is happening around immigration, incarceration, and public policy issues across the state. From calls to pack courtrooms, to show up at the state capitol, or to pilgrimage to close detention centers, IM4HI keeps me connected to all of the places that I need to stay connected to. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: This past week, we managed to find a time when the offspring could all be in one place. With three adult children, this is not a small task. Towards the end of the week, a few of us spent the day at Universal Studios in California. Answer me this, "When did most of the rides become life-sized motion sickness-inducing video games 🤢 ?" One, okay. Two, fine. Three, whatever, But, four +, nope. Back in my day \* *harumph\** \* *harumph\** one just hopped into the roller coaster and prayed to the Lord God Almighty that the harnesses held and that the high schooler in control of our lives was paying attention. Ahh, the good ol' days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/PXL_20250821_181711676.jpg) Taken at the beginning of the day when we all were still happy. I promise, despite the face, the three-year-old was indeed happy. ### Messages from our Friends in Gaza, August 2025 #gaza #genocideingaza URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/messages-from-our-friends-in-gaza-august-2025-gaza-genocideingaza/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:47.000Z Like so many, we have wanted to do something, anything, to help alleviate the suffering in Gaza. We were introduced to the Watfas and have talked and texted with them over the past 18 months. These messages break our hearts because no one should have to endure this constant onslaught and anger our spirit because our government supports and funds what is happening. The Watfas are gracious with us. One day, we hope to meet in person over coffee and a meal. Here is one more firsthand account of what is happening now. ------------------------- From August 2025 Watfas, "We are fine, you are with us in every situation we remind you in, and you are always in our hearts, and we love you very much. Today they threw saws to evacuate to the south to the Strip, but we are determined to stay and not leave the north of the Strip." Watfas, "Hello Bruce family, how are you today?" Watfas, "We are now preparing ourselves and the emergency bags for displacement. We don't know where we will go in the coming days, but our fate is unknown and it is difficult. They threaten us within a week. They will get us out of Gaza." RCPs, "Oh no. We hate that this is happening." Watfas, "We don't know, but the only option available is either to stay and die or go to Rafah, which is an occupied city and is concentration camps." ------------------------- Images and messages are shared with permission. To support the Watfas go to: https://gofund.me/196a04cb or comment. #palestine #gaza #directaid #mutualaid #freepalestine #genocide ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### The + Friday + Five | Brain Candy Binges URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-brain-candy-binges/ Last updated: 2025-08-16T02:11:32.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 03.15.25 If you are like me, every once in a while you need to take a break to recharge. Sometimes that means physical activity, sometimes it means sleeping in, sometimes it means being out in nature, and sometimes it means plopping down on the couch with a plate full of cheese and watch episode after episode of vapid, funny, drippy, or thrilling show until you either fall asleep face first into said fromage or get shamed by that, "Are you STILL watching TV you lazy SOB" message from your streaming service. When I am fully in my couch-tater mode, I say, eff that, because yes, I am still watching, and I will not be shamed into having my empathy, rage, and productivity brain-heart-soul-machine move at 100mph 24/7\. Not gonna do it. After all, we all need to take time to dial it down, suspend reality for an evening (or a day), step into another space, and recharge. So for this week's [Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/), here are five recently-ish binged shows that have provided me with some escape. Please note that I stay away from shows that require deep thought or emotional investment, so no The Bear, The Wire, or most other one-word shows that may be very good, but exhaust me emotionally 😄 Also note that there are more than five that I could have listed, because the world has been terrible, requiring much rejuevenating couch and cheese time. ***COST NOTE:*** We currently have the Hulu+Disney+Max Package ($29.99), Netflix ($17.99), Prime Video ($8.99), Apple TV (Free w/phone plan), and Paramount+ ($9.99, but just cancelled). Here we go . . . --- #### ONE || [North of North on Netflix](https://www.google.com/search?q=north+of+north+netflix&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifO4SJBLVdTP3b62gUiFsGDuhJlBsg%3A1755282940591&ei=%5FH2faOTuI8CS0PEP15jn2AU&oq=north+of+netflix&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEG5vcnRoIG9mIG5ldGZsaXgqAggAMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB5I1x5QAFjrEnACeAGQAQCYAX2gAYcHqgEDOC4yuAEByAEA-AEBmAIMoALJB8ICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAgcQABiABBgNwgIIEAAYBRgNGB6YAwCSBwM5LjOgB99BsgcDNy4zuAe9B8IHBDItMTLIBzo&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/north-of-north-coming-to-netflix-spring.jpg) Official Description: *A young Inuk woman wants to build a new future for herself after a spontaneous and extremely public exit from her marriage. It won't be easy in a small Arctic town where everybody knows your business.* This was such a great blend of culture, humor, and humanity. Some of the characters were appropriately over the top, but you really did fall in love with pretty much everyone and found yourself rooting for the entire community. Fun Netflix Honorable Mentions: [*Running Point*](https://www.google.com/search?q=Running+Point+netflix&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifPXPIlVj9WZOun3k4S6Ko6PDSZo7g%3A1755282915654&ei=432faK7aJ7TK0PEP--CSUQ&ved=0ahUKEwju16u1uo2PAxU0JTQIHXuwJAoQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Running+Point+netflix&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFVJ1bm5pbmcgUG9pbnQgbmV0ZmxpeDIKEC4YgAQYJxiKBTIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIGEAAYBxgeMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIXEC4YgAQYigUYlwUY3AQY3gQY4ATYAQFIkBRQ9hBY9hBwAngBkAEAmAFooAFoqgEDMC4xuAEDyAEA-AEC-AEBmAIDoAJ8wgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICDRAAGIAEGLADGEMYigXCAg4QABiwAxjkAhjWBNgBAcICExAuGIAEGLADGEMYyAMYigXYAQGYAwCIBgGQBhO6BgYIARABGAmSBwMyLjGgB%5FYJsgcDMC4xuAduwgcDMi0zyAcR&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com), [*The Four Seasons*](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Four+Seasons+netflix&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifMI-t1ZhC6oYOiOjY0qpro4o-p1HQ%3A1755282878707&ei=vn2faJDvKpim0PEPuYrHiQY&ved=0ahUKEwiQxtyjuo2PAxUYEzQIHTnFMWEQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=The+Four+Seasons+netflix&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGFRoZSBGb3VyIFNlYXNvbnMgbmV0ZmxpeDIIEC4YgAQYsQMyBhAAGAcYHjIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgHGB4yBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIXEC4YgAQYsQMYlwUY3AQY3gQY4ATYAQFI3xBQuw1Yuw1wAXgBkAEAmAFioAFiqgEBMbgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCAqACb8ICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAg0QABiABBiwAxhDGIoFwgIOEAAYsAMY5AIY1gTYAQHCAhMQLhiABBiwAxhDGMgDGIoF2AEBmAMAiAYBkAYTugYGCAEQARgJkgcDMS4xoAfkCLIHAzAuMbgHasIHAzItMsgHCw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com), and [*The Residence*](https://www.google.com/search?q=the+residence+netflix&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifPvn5Re0XRwXlcJmMKJb5a6cy-Kpg%3A1755282868003&ei=s32faMf8PJ%5FZ0PEP4rWd-Q0&ved=0ahUKEwiHos-euo2PAxWfLDQIHeJaJ98Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=the+residence+netflix&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFXRoZSByZXNpZGVuY2UgbmV0ZmxpeDIIEC4YgAQYsQMyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgHGB4yBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIGEAAYBxgeMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIXEC4YgAQYsQMYlwUY3AQY3gQY4ATYAQFI1BVQnwdYzg9wA3gBkAEAmAF2oAHfA6oBAzQuMbgBA8gBAPgBAZgCB6ACsQPCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgINEAAYgAQYsAMYQxiKBcICDhAAGLADGOQCGNYE2AEBwgITEC4YgAQYsAMYQxjIAxiKBdgBAcICCBAAGAcYChgewgIKEC4YgAQYsQMYDcICBxAAGIAEGA3CAhkQLhiABBixAxgNGJcFGNwEGN4EGOAE2AEBwgIHECMYsAIYJ8ICBxAuGIAEGA2YAwCIBgGQBhO6BgYIARABGAmSBwM1LjKgB5ExsgcDMi4yuAedA8IHAzItN8gHIw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com). --- #### TWO || [Paradise on Hulu](https://www.google.com/search?q=Paradise+on+Hulu&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifM4SFG%5F5Bn8agRAlRUGG1q7LFTAqQ%3A1755282969849&ei=GX6faPzEM%5FKL0PEP%5F%5FDu6As&ved=0ahUKEwi8tZfPuo2PAxXyBTQIHX-4G70Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Paradise+on+Hulu&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEFBhcmFkaXNlIG9uIEh1bHUyChAjGIAEGCcYigUyChAjGPAFGCcYyQIyCBAuGIAEGLEDMgoQABiABBgUGIcCMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMhcQLhiABBixAxiXBRjcBBjeBBjgBNgBAUj%5FCFDbBFjbBHADeAGQAQCYAbIBoAGyAaoBAzAuMbgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCBKACzwHCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgINEAAYgAQYsAMYQxiKBcICDhAAGLADGOQCGNYE2AEBwgITEC4YgAQYsAMYQxjIAxiKBdgBAZgDAIgGAZAGE7oGBggBEAEYCZIHAzMuMaAHugqyBwMwLjG4B7cBwgcFMi0yLjLIBxo&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/p28956879_b_h8_ab.jpg) Official Description: *The series follows Secret Service agent Xavier Collins as he investigates the murder of the President, Cal Bradford, while also uncovering the unsettling truth about "Paradise" and its purpose.* An exception to my one-word show avoidance, OMG, this is a good one. I can't say much about it without spoiling it, but OMG, the first episode is a doozy. Sterling K. Brown is amazing and is one of those actors who, in my eyes, can do no wrong, and James Marsden was excellent as the tortured President. You hate the villains and each episode leaves you craving one more. Block out lots of time for this one. *SciFi Honorable Mentions:* [*Alien: Earth*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien:%5FEarth?ref=reyes-chow.com) on FX/Hulu, which, just two episodes in, and I am hooked. How many ways can so many different aliens take out so many humans? I guess we'll find out. I would also say take a gander at Apple TV's Silo and Murderbot, both good watches. --- #### THREE || [The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix](https://www.google.com/search?q=the+lincoln+lawyer+on+netflix&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&oq=The+Lincoln+Lawyer+on+Netflix&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyBwgBEC4YgAQyBwgCEAAYgAQyBwgDEAAYgAQyCAgEEAAYFhgeMggIBRAAGBYYHjIICAYQABgWGB4yCAgHEAAYFhgeMggICBAAGBYYHjIICAkQABgWGB7SAQc0MDZqMGo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/AAAAQU4OtIT2GuW4PCG__iJBv6GvudcOH8gqC-jezIUw1wcj2zQ7YJYZmuAioQsE_tzpPsaSeMfLD-zo7PQUXLfCAvA4-BnULE8BFVQkeP5PD7r3pHBfkQ0GUeWJ4k4ILMyZynMxavgsPKfGvXf9Bs3V.jpg) Based on [*The Lincoln Lawyer* book series by Michael Connelly](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781455536481?ref=reyes-chow.com), who doesn't like beautiful people and courtroom dramas? Seriously, everyone is gorgeous. There have been three seasons, so at this point, we have gotten to know the main characters pretty well and are now invested in their lives and choices. It's a show with some good family drama, fun platonic banter, and engaging romantic chemistry. This is another one where the ending of each episode has you looking at your couchmate with that, "Just one more?" look of inquiry. --- #### FOUR || [Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+](https://www.google.com/search?q=Star+Trek%3A+Strange+New+Worlds+on+Paramount+%2B&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifPX11PusOQ-y9FRs4MAw5grbv94cw%3A1755283051014&ei=a36faKNT-JvQ8Q-eh8DwDw&ved=0ahUKEwjjtPH1uo2PAxX4DTQIHZ4DEP4Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Star+Trek%3A+Strange+New+Worlds+on+Paramount+%2B&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiLFN0YXIgVHJlazogU3RyYW5nZSBOZXcgV29ybGRzIG9uIFBhcmFtb3VudCArMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMggQABgWGAoYHkjpB1DvBFjvBHAEeAGQAQCYAXSgAXSqAQMwLjG4AQPIAQD4AQL4AQGYAgWgApEBwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICDRAAGIAEGLADGEMYigXCAg4QABiwAxjkAhjWBNgBAcICExAuGIAEGLADGEMYyAMYigXYAQGYAwCIBgGQBhG6BgYIARABGAmSBwM0LjGgB84JsgcDMC4xuAd5wgcDMi01yAcY&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-3.jpg) Once our Paramount+ subscription runs out, I'll miss this Star Trek installment. This one follows Captain Pike and a young Kirk, and the cast and storyline have been a lot of fun. This may be my favorite version of Spock ever, and the musical episode was one of my favorites. *Paramount+ Honorable Mention*: [SkyMed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyMed?ref=reyes-chow.com#:~:text=SkyMed%20is%20a%20Canadian%20medical,fourth%20season%20only%20on%20Paramount+.), a medical drama based in Canada about pilots and nurses who serve communities in far-reaching places. Some good stuff around culture, community, and so much drama. --- #### FIVE || [Sullivan's Crossing on CW/Netflix](https://www.google.com/search?q=Sullivan%27s+Crossing+on+Netflix&sca%5Fesv=026ca5c1e8389fd9&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AE3TifMxbxAD6-XRGAZnRPJdpOS%5FaVvmgA%3A1755283070029&ei=fn6faPjDAbrx0PEP4MvM4Q4&ved=0ahUKEwj4-vn-uo2PAxW6ODQIHeAlM-wQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Sullivan%27s+Crossing+on+Netflix&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHlN1bGxpdmFuJ3MgQ3Jvc3Npbmcgb24gTmV0ZmxpeDIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAjIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAjIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESO4IUOIGWOIGcAN4AZABAJgBaKABaKoBAzAuMbgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCBKACdMICChAAGLADGNYEGEeYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwMzLjGgB78JsgcDMC4xuAdswgcFMC4zLjHIBwk&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/sullivans-crossing-joining-netflix-in-us.jpg) No TV/Movie list from me would be complete without some drippy romance because I love me a good romance or romcom. Sullivan's Crossing is everything you want in one of these: city girls return home, mystery man, family secrets revealed, people's making poor choices, meet cute, miscommunications, more bad choices, outrageous trauma bonding, communal victories, separation, reunion, laughter, tears, it really is better than Cats 😄 Not sure why this one kept me for all three seasons when others have not, but it did. Maybe there is a Canada thing going on (North of North and SkyMed) as this is another on set in the nature of our neighbor to the north. K-Drama Romance Honorable Mentions: [*Crash Landing on You*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash%5FLanding%5Fon%5FYou?ref=reyes-chow.com), [*Something In the Rain*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something%5Fin%5Fthe%5FRain?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [*Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hometown%5FCha-Cha-Cha?ref=reyes-chow.com) all on Netflix. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: Robin and I recently went to the Santa Clara Country Fair. It was all that a county fair should be: many sweaty humans, suspect carnival rides, local food contests, lots of random stage entertainment, and oh so much friend foods. Growing up in Sacramento, where we had the California State Fair, I always enjoyed going and seeing the large animals and livestock exhibits. My school and a [Future Farmers of America (FFA)](https://www.ffa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) chapter, so it was lovely to see all of the young folks sharing information about the animals that they had been raising for milk and meat. Now it is not often that you learn about or see animals that you have never heard of or seen before, but there are earless goats. Some signs clearly said, "We did not do this to them" as I am sure the farmers were accused of mutilating them. They are officially [American LaMancha goats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American%5FLamancha?ref=reyes-chow.com) and are bred for milking. TBH, not so cute without ears. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/PXL_20250803_215010954.jpg) Earless Goats, Who Knew? ### The Water is Heating Up, Now Who Will We Be? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-water-is-heating-up-now-who-will-we-be/ Last updated: 2025-08-13T17:32:07.000Z With the recent actions of President Trump in DC: federalizing the police force, activating the national guard, and mobilizing multiple federal law enforcement departments, all in the name of ridding the city of "drugged-out maniacs and homeless people" among others, it is clear that he is making a dry run at declaring martial law in cities that he deems deserving of such clampdowns. For anyone paying attention, this should be no surprise, yet, sadly, I am not even sure that everyone even feels the water boiling like the proverbial frog in the pot — and may not until it is too late. Sure, some will feel the heat sooner than others, while others have already reached boiling point, but it is only a matter of time until we are all tossed into the pot. Okay, done with the boiling frog metaphor, because the big question is, "What will we do?" especially for those of us who occupy privileged and protected spaces of wealth, status, and/or geography, at least for now. 💡 NOTE: For those connected to the Philippines and have any connection to the political disappearings that happened during martial law under the first Marcos, continued through ongoing administrations, and took a severe upturn during Duterte's reign, this feels all too familiar. My wife and I were talking seriously the other night, and we agreed that it was just a matter of time until one or both of us was arrested again. But, unlike the protest theater that has had previous acts of civil disobedience, we discussed what it would mean to face the real possibility of serving federal prison time. This is not hyperbole. We do not take this lightly. But this is where we are. Now, to be clear, the last thing that folks should do is rush into acts of civil disobedience. We are both citizens, our children are all independent-ish functioning adults, our work life would not suffer, and we have the relational and financial resources to weather legal proceedings. Even if jail time is part of our future, we will be fine. Mind you, we are not chasing it, but we would be fine. But . . . we all can and must do something because we do not have to accept this bleak vision that is being forced upon us as our collective future. This wave of nationalized cruelty, normalized violence, and legislated dehumanization of the poor and suffering can be stopped if we all find a role in the movement to stop it. Ultimately, now more than ever, we must be the beloved community and body politic that we hope to see in the world. This is not a new calling or concept, but it is no longer simply an ideological guidepost; it is now a social and political imperative. I have no idea what you will move through the world during these days, but here are some of the ways that I attempt to do so: **I will tend to my health: the health of my body, my mind, and my spirit.** I will not allow my body, mind, or spirit to be sacrificed at the altar of saviorism, the myth of meritocracy, or toxic productivity. Only to the benefit of empire, movements have been devoured by wounded relationships, broken bodies, and weary spirits. The movement is whole when I am healthy. **I will designate or withhold financial resources in ways that reinforce strategies that I support.** This means that I will give significant funds to organizations that are engaged in systematic change *and* give direct mutual aid to individuals who need support now. This also means boycotting certain institutions and doing our best to refrain from supporting a system that feeds on the labor, energy, and resources of the many for the benefit of the few. **I will show up when, how, and as often as I can.** As a person who occupies various places of privilege and influence, it is incumbent upon me to [show up](https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-christians-its-time-to-be-the-christ-we-claim-to-follow/). I must show up when asked by those I trust. I must show up when called by the Spirit. I must show up, especially because so many others cannot. Sometimes I must show up to be up front and loud, and sometimes I must show up to help set up and support. Sometimes I must show up in a courtroom gallery, and sometimes I must show up in a capital rotunda. Sometimes showing up means standing in front of a community, and sometimes showing will be fingers flying on a keyboard. Sometimes all I can do is be present because that is all the energy I can offer, but as much as possible, I will try to show up. **I will pray.** I will pray that what I am doing and how I am being is what God intends for me to do and be in the world. My prayer takes the form of gathering around the communion table with siblings in Christ. My prayer takes the form of embracing my spouse. My prayer takes the form of my daily calls with the parentals. My prayer takes the form of the banter in our family chat. My prayer takes the form of a community built around shared passions. My prayer takes the form of food well prepared and enjoyed. My prayer takes the form of unabashed singing of 80s hits at the top of my lungs in the car. My prayer takes the form of knowing the business people in my community by first name. My prayer takes form whenever, wherever, and however my people gather and makes the beloved community a reality. So... if, as promised, this militarization is going to spread to other cities, I hope that you will find ways to do all you can to be the beloved community and body politic that you wish to see in the world. What will you do in your life? How will you be in the world? Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### The Next Book and the Ones After That URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-next-book-and-the-ones-after-that/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T19:00:03.000Z If you are like me, you will often hear a phrase and think to yourself, "Band Name" or "Podcast Title." You may not know how to play an instrument or own a microphone, but you know a good hook when you hear one. Well, I am like that with books and book titles. Some of the ideas become books, and others will rumble around for a bit only to make their presence known in a different form, at a later date, or not at all. Welp, one of those has been reborn, and a new contract has just been signed. There is more information about all of this for paid subscribers, as well as a few more ideas that are bouncing around my head, but I just wanted to let folks know that, yet again, someone believes that I will write words that others will want to read. I am profoundly grateful and always surprised. As promised, I'll be doing more regular personal and professional updates for Paid Subscribers, so if you would like a little more of this kind of content (plus an upcoming monthly Zoom gathering), please consider becoming [a paid subscriber](https://www.reyes-chow.com/#/portal/) for as little as $10/year. NOTES ABOUT PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS Some folks have cards that have expired or have been declined for some reason, so if you thought you were a Paid Subscriber, but do not have access to this post, please check your account and make sure that your payment information is correct. If you need help, [contact us](mailto:teambrc@reyes-chow.com) and we'll help you out. And if you are not a paid subscriber, monthly subscriptions begin at $1/month or $10/year = one jasmine milk tea with boba🧋 [****SLIDING SCALE MEMBERSHIPS**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/#/portal/) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### From + The + Vault: A Dog's Letter to Her New Family URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-a-dogs-letter-to-her-new-family/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T23:55:56.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Originally [posted 2011 on *The Huffington Post*](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-dogs-letter-to-her-new%5Fb%5F935456?ref=reyes-chow.com). It has been lightly edited, and many of the original links are dead. [With the recent death of our Vespa](https://www.reyes-chow.com/to-the-best-weird-sweet-cute-goofy-dog-ever/), here is another of the best dogs that comes across our lives, this time from the perspective of the beginning. --- Dear New Family, First, let me apologize for my accident the other day in the kitchen and thank you for not getting mad at me. At least it was linoleum ;-) With a little refresher, I have done much better since then, so thank you for the rather boisterous cheering as I have been doing my business during our walk time. Oh and thanks for my new name, "Fawn" short for some lady human named, "Farrah FAWNcett." I think it captures my dainty deer-like qualities quite nicely. Where to start? I guess I'll start at the beginning. I don't really know who my parents are, but if I were a bettin' pooch, I'd say that I got my color and facial features from the House of Miniature Pinscher and my rather long body and short legs from The Earl of Dachshund. My genetic shedding issues aside, I hope my petite frame will not be too much of a burden when I curl up on your lap. From birth to your home, I have lived a life that I would make all those "Lady and the Tramp" junkyard dog wannabes cringe. "Stray" doesn't come close to describing life on the streets of San Francisco. I have seen things you can only imagine and I am sad to say that at some point, someone has been mean to me. If it is alright with you, I would rather not talk about it, but that's why I am a little shy. Don't worry though, I won't hold it against you. I am starting to come out of my shell as illustrated by my increased tail-wagging and stealth lap creeping, so just a little time is all I need. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CameraUploadsNov13-423.jpg) This brings me to my time in doggy jail. Now don't get me wrong, [the peeps at Animal Care and Control](http://www.yelp.com/biz/san-francisco-department-of-animal-care-and-control-san-francisco?ref=reyes-chow.com#hrid:ysAJN2KMDOZBgDTMgwzkJg) were awesome, especially Tim, Diego, Nakeesha and Linda, but after a while it got pretty old. As you have learned, I am a bit reserved and quiet, so with Yappy McYapster in the stall next to me, my time in the slammer was quite taxing. Sure, I was given three square meals, a clean kennel, and walk time . . . but this was still not where I wanted to live for the rest of my life. And then you all started to come and visit. I think the first person to see me was Dad. Now I had seen this before. Someone walks by my kennel, looks at my papers utters something like, "Ooooo, she is so cute!" and then moves on, never to be seen again. I also know that not everyone likes us dogs who are a tad bit short of stature. They think we're cute but have bought into the big-dog propaganda and are only interested in some dopey yellow lab puppy to be their [Marley](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/?ref=reyes-chow.com). As I understand it Dad is not really a small-dog person himself, so imagine my surprise when he bent down to me, pointed this square looking thing and made it make a "click" sound. I could then tell that he liked me by the way he started showing off his opposable thumbs by tapping on that gadget. But then, after giving me one more kind look, he left. \*sigh\* They are all the same. I was not going to hold my breath. But then Dad came back. You came back to see me! And this time you returned with another human, the one I have come to know as, "Mom." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/FB_IMG_1563283873282.jpg) Now I suspected that Mom was going to be a tougher sell, so with my sweetest eyes and a look that said, "At least I am not yapping my head off like that hyperactive schmuck over there!" I turned the dial on my game up to "high." It took a while, but I think I got to her, because you both came back again. The next time you brought two smaller, but much more excited humans with you, I think their names are something like "cuddlebug" and "beastie" but those seem weird for people names. Anyway, they sat in my kennel for a bit, and I ever so slowly made my way to a lap, to you know, just test it out. And then they came back again with yet another one. Four visits, five humans . . . good golly, I was beginning to wonder how many human puppies you had in your kennel? If I joined your pack, we might actually have to sleep like a pile of puppies. As I have learned, the "We want a dog!" PAC made up of the three smaller girl humans has been diligently working on Mom and Dad for quite awhile. Thank you for proving to Mom and Dad that you were ready. I know you had to dog-sit for a month, be on good behavior and basically prove that you could be responsible for me. You all are awesome! But at the same time, don't let them fool you or milk it too much as I think they are pretty excited to have me too. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2011-08-19-16.57.01.jpg) So now were are learning to live as a family. I love my new crate. I can hang out there when I need a break and I do think it is helping me get used to pooping and peeing when and where appropriate. I am also glad that you met [Paula over at Noe Valley Pet Company](http://www.yelp.com/biz/noe-valley-pet-company-san-francisco?ref=reyes-chow.com#hrid:sDrvUwHV2S-R5a4Z7E4czA) and got me some great toys and treats. I want to acknowledge that Dad has been a trooper through all of this as I know that buying me an expensive designer matching collar and leash set would not have been his first choice. We'll have to work on him if we are going to get me some cool duds as I also did hear him say, "No, we are not putting clothes on the dog!" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/FawnSweater-1.jpg) I know that we have only been together for a few days, but I do want to thank you for the love and care that you have shown so far. I have especially appreciated the lap time, the walks and your patience with me. I have needed this time to get used to a new life, but as the days and weeks go by, I'll open up, get more playful and who knows . . . I may even bark at something. And don't worry about leaving me at home. I am having a blast. Besides blogging and sleeping, yep, you heard right, [I am on twitter](http://twitter.com/farrahfawncett?ref=reyes-chow.com). You can also look at pictures of me while you are away[ in Dad's picture album](http://on.fb.me/oIFPIe?ref=reyes-chow.com). Until then, I'll be waiting for you to come home and ready for a lap! \- Fawn ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CameraUploadsNov13-1099.jpg) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | Randomocities IV URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-randomocities-iv/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T19:58:54.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 03.08.25 It's been [a rough week](https://www.reyes-chow.com/to-the-best-weird-sweet-cute-goofy-dog-ever/), so I have been trying to do all kinds of things to distract myself from all the tears. Alas, there is also a sweetness in remembering those lovable furry family members, so I'm also basking in all the goofy memories. On to this week's Friday Five, another addition of [*Randomocities*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/randomocities/). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-07-at-21.48.03@2x.png)](https://missionlocal.org/2025/08/philz-coffee-private-equity-sale/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **ONE//Philz:** While this one is a bit local-ish, many of you know that this one hurts. Following the news that, [*Philz Coffee close to closing deal to sell to private equity firm for $145 million: Stock-owning employees will be left out in the cold*](https://missionlocal.org/2025/07/philz-coffee-private-equity-sell/?ref=reyes-chow.com)the sale as been finalized as reported by Mission Local, [*Philz Coffee completes $145M sale to private equity firm, leaves tips for baristas: No word yet on what ‘thank you’ bonuses will look like*](https://missionlocal.org/2025/08/philz-coffee-private-equity-sale/?ref=reyes-chow.com)*the* This one is a stab in the heart, as I have been a loyal customer for over a decade and have recruited so many people with the gateway drink, the Iced Mint Mojito, "Philz Way." Reading through the articles, it is a reaffirmation of what Philz has felt like over the past few years, losing its local vibe. There are so many other local options to choose from, so I'll be fine. That said, I just had my last cup for a while today, and I will write more about this later. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-06-at-15.42.59@2x.png)](https://davisvanguard.org/2025/08/crc-shutter-fall-2026/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **TWO/Incarceration:** In some great news about incarceration, [*Fourth California Prison Set to Close as Incarceration Rates Drop*](https://davisvanguard.org/2025/08/crc-shutter-fall-2026/?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* > The CRC, originally built as a luxury hotel in the 1920s and later converted into a prison in the 1980s, has long drawn criticism for its unsafe and inhumane conditions. Incarcerated people and their families have documented ongoing infestations of rodents and cockroaches, unreliable access to safe drinking water, chronic overcrowding, extreme heat, and staff-instigated violence. Our culture's addiction to incarcerating poor, Black, and brown bodies into invisibility must not be normalized any more than it already is. These developments prove the power of communal actions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2026/02/cricket-player-seen-through-netting-2026-01-07-00-25-02-utc.jpg) **THREE/Baseball:** Even though [Major League Baseball is dead to me](https://www.reyes-chow.com/today-there-is-crying-in-baseball/), this is pretty exciting for baseball fans, [*MLB is calling up its first female umpire, promoting Jen Pawol for Saturday’s Marlins-Braves game*](https://apnews.com/article/mlb-female-umpire-jen-pawol-000cf10d7d458329e89d4fa83f8cefcc?ref=reyes-chow.com). > Pawol was an all-state softball and soccer player in New Jersey for three seasons in each sport at West Milford High School. She went to Hofstra on a softball scholarship and became a three-time all-conference pick and was on the USA Baseball women’s national baseball team in 2001. > Pawol got a master’s degree and was living in the Binghamton area of New York and taking teacher certification classes at Elmira College while still playing on the side. > “I wasn’t really satisfied,” she said last year. “Coming off of a huge competitive career, just playing locally, I wasn’t getting my fix. And I remember looking at the umpire and being like, I think that’s it. I got to go for that.” > MLB’s move comes 28 years after the gender barrier for game officials was broken in the NBA, 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official and three years after the men’s soccer World Cup employed a female referee. The NHL still has not had any women as on-ice officials. I love seeing people getting called up to The Show for the first time, and this one is historic. Though seriously, what took so long? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-06-at-10.25.27@2x.png) **FOUR/Gaza:** from Splinter, [*We Are Nearing the Day Where Everyone Will Have Always Been Against Israel’s Genocide*](https://www.splinter.com/we-are-nearing-the-day-where-everyone-will-have-always-been-against-israels-genocide?mc%5Fcid=758c570af8&mc%5Feid=6fd80f1bd9&utm%5Fsource=PMNTNL&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=250728&md5=a5c0417d041b545627527736abdda1e6). > Everyone will have always been against this. It is a genocide. A modern-day Holocaust perpetrated by Israel, the United States and its European enablers. Proof that no people in this world are immune to man’s worst impulses, no matter what those impulses have done to them. Israel is a cautionary tale about the inherent barbarity of our species, and how Western imperialism warps the entire planet around its murderous whims. Gaza is starving, and even Bari Weiss and Donald Trump can see how bad things have become. If you are still supporting Israel’s genocidal mania, consider the company you’re keeping at this point and what that says about you. Yes, I am glad to see people finally speaking out, but it is deeply disturbing how long it has taken. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-07-at-22.14.58@2x.png)](https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-miscarriage-blood-transfusions?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FIVE/Reproductive Justice:** This piece from ProPublica came out that shows a dangerous trend in Texas, [*A “Striking” Trend: After Texas Banned Abortion, More Women Nearly Bled to Death During Miscarriage*](https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-miscarriage-blood-transfusions?ref=reyes-chow.com). > Now, a new ProPublica [data analysis](https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-miscarriage-blood-transfusions-methodology?ref=reyes-chow.com) adds empirical weight to the mounting evidence that abortion bans have made the common experience of miscarriage — which occurs in up to 30% of pregnancies — far more dangerous. It is based on hospital discharge data from Texas, the largest state to ban abortion, and captures emergency department visits from 2017 to 2023, the most recent year available. > After Texas made performing abortions a felony in August 2022, ProPublica found, the number of blood transfusions during emergency room visits for first-trimester miscarriage shot up by 54%. ProPublica is one of the news sources that we support financially because of its thoughtful and in-depth reporting about a breadth of issues and events that impact our culture. You can support their journalism [here](https://give.propublica.org/give/346423/?ref=reyes-chow.com#!/donation/checkout?c%5Fsrc=UpRed). --- There you go, thanks for reading, and may you experience many moments of joy this weekend and beyond. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: For the Drum Corps nerds in the house, on Saturday night, the top corps in the world will take the field for the 2025 DCI Championships in Indianapolis. I marched back in the '80s and was part of the first-ever world championship (Class A60) with the [Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps](https://www.mandarins.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) from Sacramento, CA. In honor of one of the youth activities that formed me, here are two pics from those days. I played soprano and mellophone, back when there were only two valves. Yes, I'm that old. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/bruce-mandarins-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/bruce-mandarins-1-1.jpg) First photo somewhere in Wyoming, 1984 | Second photo Madison, WI, 1986 To be clear, while I consider myself to be part of the Mandarins' legacy, I probably could not even make the corps at its current level. [They are so good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5K1rt8OrAE&ref=reyes-chow.com). Not that you asked, but here is a snippet from our championship show from 1987\. Sadly, no camera time for me in this clip, the life of a mellophone player 😄 ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Rest well sweet, goofy Vespa #englishbullterrier URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/rest-well-sweet-goofy-vespa-englishbullterrier/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:47.000Z _No content available._ ### A Pastoral Letter to Friends, Colleagues, and the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-pastoral-letter-to-friends-colleagues-and-the-stated-clerk-of-the-presbyterian-church-usa/ Last updated: 2025-11-04T21:46:46.000Z On July 31, 2025, the Presbyterian News Service shared [a letter](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/7/31/rev-jihyun-oh-calls-urgent-accountability-devastating-crisis-gaza?ref=reyes-chow.com) from the Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA), as she addressed the devastating crisis in Gaza and called for 10 actions ‘grounded in the Gospel’. While it seems that there has not been an organized effort to attack or discredit the statement or our Stated Clerk, we know that individuals can be just as toxic both on social platforms and in personal inboxes. For those of us who are deeply appreciative of this statement, if there is an increased negative response, I want to pre-emptively show support for my colleagues and resist yielding these spaces to those who would attempt to distract us from addressing what is lifted in the letter. More importantly, I want to avoid drawing our focus away from Gaza and — with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love — spend more time working to fulfill the callings that she laid before us. To be completely transparent, Rev. Oh is not only a denominational colleague and sibling in Christ, but, as are others who serve in our national offices, she is a friend. No matter how much we try to ignore the trolls, my heart aches knowing what my friends may be receiving in response to this statement. So, as I do, I wrote a few things down that I would say directly to them in this moment and invite others to add their names if you so feel called. Add your Name to this Pastoral letter This is not intended to be a petition for action, but a pastoral offering, so if you would like to add your name or organization, fill out the form with your name and affiliation, and I will periodically update signatories. [ADD MY NAME ](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOiEcgOP-muv4cJvbZ1uwa2aClxsV8PqGbC4r0J5qsQ3w%5Flw/viewform?usp=header&ref=reyes-chow.com) Dear Jihyun and Friends — We are friends, family, colleagues, and strangers. We are Presbyterian, Christian, holders of other faiths, faith adjacent, faith curious, or claim no faith at all. What we have in common is our gratitude for your letter addressing the devastating crisis in Gaza and calling us and the world to action. While we wish that statements like yours were made earlier, we understand and acknowledge that the reality of navigating the politics, policies, and personalities of a large institution like the Presbyterian Church (USA) is daunting, so for your perseverance and public witness, know that our gratitude is heartfelt and genuine. **So first, thank you...** - Thank you for the physical, emotional, and spiritual energy spent to get the letter written and shared. - Thank you for your courage to speak these words at this moment in time. - Thank you for your thoughtfulness in discerning why and what should be said. - Thank you for challenging us to live the faith we claim to believe. - And thank you for making bold statements and calling us to specific actions. [ADD MY NAME](https://forms.gle/JBZAnw2j34ASLowY9?ref=reyes-chow.com) **And so we pray for you...** - May you tend to your heart, mind, body, and soul. - May you embrace heartfelt affirmation, wrestle with thoughtful critique, and reject all else. - May you find spaces to vent, weep, rage, and retreat. - May you experience grace, hope, laughter, love, and joy. - May your people remind you to rest, play, eat, and hydrate. - May you continue to drink deeply from the well of courage and calling. - May you speak out again when the Spirit says it is time. - And may you always know and believe that you are enough, you are not alone, and you are loved by God. And finally, we know that the intent of this letter was not to center yourselves. Please receive our words as intended, not to draw energy away from the callings that you offered regarding Gaza and Palestine, but as sustenance for your bodies, minds, and spirits as you continue to call us into the fullness of what it means to be the church. Thank you — ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Colleague, and Friend [ADD MY NAME](https://forms.gle/JBZAnw2j34ASLowY9?ref=reyes-chow.com) And others in order of submission | *updated on August 13, 2025* | **240+ names** - Rev. Katherine Cunningham, Coastlands Presbytery - Rev. Mary Gene Boteler - Rev. Gail Doering, Wichita, KS - The Rev. Christine Caton, member of the Presbytery of Southern New England - Rev. Dr. John Anderson - Rev. Monte McClain, College Avenue Presbyterian Church, Oakland, CA - Merissa Magdael-Lauron, Stockton, CA - Rev. Dr. Neal D. Presa, Exec. Presbyter (San José Presbytery) & Moderator of 220th General Assembly - Noushin Darya Framke, First Presbyterian Church NYC, Member of [General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations](https://pcusa.org/general-assembly-committee-ecumenical-and-interreligious-relations?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. Dr. Sarah Reyes-Gibbs, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Dr. Byron A. Wade, Presbytery of Western North Carolina - Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Presbytery of Southern New England - Rev. Angela Tyler-Williams, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Rev. Shawna Bowman, Friendship Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL - Dana Fisher Ashrawi, President of [Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East](https://www.uuss.org/uujme/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Dr. Michael Spath, [Indiana Center for Middle East Peace](https://www.indianacmep.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Donna J Hicks, Episcopalian - Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin, Lake View Presbyterian Church, Chicago - Jessica Sun, Pax Christi USA - Philip Farah, co-chair, [Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace](https://www.pcap-us.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Dee Roberts, MDiv/MILS, [Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Atlanta, GA - Rev. Joanna Lawrence Shenk, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco - Rev. Erin Marth, Chicago, IL - Rev. Fahed AbuAkel, past Moderator of 214th General Assembly of the Presbyterian church USA - Rev. Jack Shriver - Rev. Stef Coleman, Mayfair Presbyterian Church, Chicago - Alejandra Spir-Haddad. United Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, IN - Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, Robbinsville, NJ - Dr. Bob Ross, [Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Lisa Kenkeremath, PCUSA - Kathy Drinkard, Springfield, VA - Sarah Mayer, KCMO - Allison K. Schmitt, Le Center, Minnesota - Kristi Lentz, MTS, Catholic/Quaker - Rev. Magdalena I. García, Chicago, IL - Rev. Marietta Macy, [Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Dr. Kai Moore, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Leila J. Richards, MD, MPH - Rev. Dr. Don Wagner, Orland Hills IL; [Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. Dr. Mary E. Westfall, Presbytery of the Coastlands, PCUSA - Rev. Dr. Shannon Smythe, NJ Coastlands Presbytery - Jenna Cobb, Pasadena, CA - Amgad Beblawi, Des Moines Presbytery - Dr. Robert Trawick, General Presbyter Albany Presbytery - Dr. Linda Gaither, on behalf of [Episcopal Peace Fellowship Palestine Justice Network](https://epfpjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. Susan P. Wilder, Co-Moderator, [Palestine Justice Network](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the PC(USA) - Amanda Philip, Oakland, CA - Beverly G Henkel - Pastor Chris Scott, Oak Life Church, Oakland CA - Daphne Kiplinger, Washington, DC - Pr. John-Otto Liljenstolpe, ELCA retired - Gail Mott, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY - Rev. Beth Anne Guzman, PC(USA), Morton Grove, IL - Rev. Deborah Lee, Co Exec Director, [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. Tyler Orem, First Presbyterian Church of Highland, IN - Hannah Amundson - Dillon Ingram - Rev. Roger Reaber, Benicia CA - Douglas Olson, Heartland Presbyterian Church, of Clive, IA - Rev. Ronee Christy PCUSA - Rev Sandra R Mackie, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - Jesse Steven Wheeler M.Div., Associate Executive Director, [Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. Joe Roos, Mennonite Church USA - Rev. Diane Dulin, UCC and [FOSNA](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Board member - Rev. Elaine Murray, Pipe Creek Presbyterian Church - Rev. Dr. David Ensign, Arlington, VA - Rev. Andy Acton, PC(USA) Atlanta - Rev. Meagan Henry, First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Brooklyn, NY - Rev. Jean Davidson, PC(USA), Maryville, TN - Hamilton Cha, Christ follower, Lisle, IL - Rev. C. Arlin Talley, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Bart Smith, Tucson, AZ - Elder Bill Vandivier - Rev. Tricia Lloyd-Sidle, Mid-Kentucky Presbytery - Rev. Dr. Aemina Razzano, Albany NY - Rev. Rob Jackson, Greenville, NC - Rev. Amy Williams Fowler, Retired, Presbytery of Boston - Rev. Philip J. Price II, Salina, KS - Dorothy H. Lewis, Mount Pleasant, SC - Rev. Nii Addo Abrahams - Dr Fred E Brogdon Jr. Sumter, SC - Pastor Tom Forbes, Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church, Bunker Hill, WV, USA - Sabine Won, [SURJ San Mateo](https://www.surjsanmateo.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Showing Up for Racial Justice) - Nancy Lauder Brown, Elder, Downtown United Presbyterian Rochester, NY - Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Boone McLean, PC(USA) - Rev. Josh Young, Lacey, WA - Ruth DeYoe, PCUSA, St. Paul, Minnesota - Rev. Katie Mulligan, United Presbyterian Church, Levittown, NY, USA - Jennifer Bixler - Louise Westfall, retired PC(USA) pastor - Lynette DuClos Adelson, Santa Cruz, CA - Rev. Hannah Lundberg, Ann Arbor, MI - Rev. Teresa Blythe, Phoenix AZ - Noelle Tennis Gulden, M.Div./former Associate for the National Network of Presbyterian College Women - Rev. Kathryn Barlow Westmoreland, PC(USA) - Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon, Intercultural Mosaics, North Central California Presbytery - Meredith White, Noble Road Presbyterian Church, Cleveland Ohio - Rev. Clover Bailey - Rev. Dr. Greg Bolt, Salem First Presbyterian Church, Salem, OR - Rev. Ruth Hicks, retired Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Laura Mendenhall, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Deborah L. Matthews, Woodstock, IL - Miriam Kishi, Retired Presbyterian Christian Educator, Sunnyvale, CA - Rev. Dr. David A. Torrey, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Beverly Green Henkel, First Presbyterian Church, PCUSA, Norfolk, NE - Erin Sorrels, Network For Dismantling Racism, Synod of the Sun, PC(USA) - Rev. Anna Small, PC(USA) - Rev. Dr. Jackie Putnam, Greenville, SC - Tom M. Castlen, Long Island - Rev. Jody Mask, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Lora Burge, Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area - Barbara Vaughan, CRE, Oak Lawn Presbyterian Church, IL - Rev Cyndi Wunder, PC(USA), Baker City OR - Rev. Terra Pennington, Stephenville TX - Rev. Katy Walters, UT Southwestern Clements University Hospital Chaplain, Dallas, TX - Rev. Carol Tompkins, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Michael A. Moore, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Erin Kobs, Organizational Presbyter, Kiskiminetas Presbytery - Thomas S. Russell, Episcopal Church USA - Rev. Marta Pumroy, Tres Rios Border Ministry Coordinator, El Paso, TX - Rev. Kim Robles, Pinecrest Presbyterian Church - SarahLee Morris, Lubbock, TX - Rev. Sara Martin - Ruling Elder JoAnne Sharp, CCE - Naveeda V., USA - Rev. Karen Ware Jackson, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Mary Lynn Tobin, Fort Collins, CO - Sr Patty OBrien, Episcopalian - Leila J. Richrds, MD, MPH, Sixth Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh PA - The Rev. Jo Ann Staebler, Olympia WA - Rev. Teri Nilson Baird, Christian Church of Vacaville, California, Disciples of Christ - Ron Shive, Salem Presbytery - Pauline M Coffman, First United Presbyterian Church, Oak Park, IL. - Leah H Johnson, Ruling Elder, PC(USA) - Gail Mott, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY - Debby Vial, Black Mountain NC Presbyterian - Rev. Marranda Major, First United Presbyterian Church of Troy, NY - Rev. Merritt N. Schatz, PCUSA, Oxford, PA - Rev. Sue Westfall, Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley, Alabama - John A. Bolt, First Presbyterian Church, Morgantown, WV - Kristy Rodgers, Bartlesville, Oklahoma - Rev. Brian Entz, Buffalo Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, MN - Rev. John Allen Taylor Bankson, Union Presbyterian Church, Fort Madison, IA - Rev. Laura Viau, Wilmington, DE - Rev. Joanna Hipp, Plymouth, MN - Maria Arroyo, PC(USA) - Catherine Matier - Rev. Dr. Martha Murchison - Rev. W. Mark Koenig, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Rev. Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava, [More Light Presbyterians](https://sites.google.com/mlp.org/tempsite/home?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Serena Lee - Rev. Timothy J. Black, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev Dr Brett Mitchell, La Mesa Presbyterian Church - Rev. Kate Jones Calone, Presbytery of Long Island - Tev. Marianne Bishop Turner, Dahlonega Presbyterian Church - Rev. Ashley Abraham Hood, Frame Memorial Presbyterian Church, Stevens Point, WI - Lisa D. Bender, Co-chair, [United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR)](https://www.kairosresponse.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Rev. John D. Kidd Raleigh NC - Bob Schminkey, Ruling Elder, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Harrisonburg VA - Rev. Dr. Andrew Philip Long, First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY - Rev. Le Anne Clausen de Montes, Center for Faith and Peacemaking - Rev. Dr. Sam Codington, Trinity Presbytery, Columbia, South Carolina - Rev. Dr. Joanne C Sizoo, Grace Presbyterian Church, Ft Mill ,SC - Rev. Marthame Sanders, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Lindsey Anderson, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Dr. Robert Agnew & Diane Agnew - Rev. Essie Koenig-Reinke, First Presbyterian Church of Albuquerque - Rev. Lynn R. Hargrove, Houston, TX - Rev. Susan Andrews, Moderator of the 225th General Assembly - Susan Shelton Perry, RE, Logan, WV - Ruling Elder Kate Trigger Duffert, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Rev. TJ Remaley, Southminster Presbyterian Church of Boise, ID - Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Yost - Rev. Dr. Lori Knight-Whitehouse, honorably retired, PC(USA) minister - Gradye Parsons, Knoxville, TN - Rev. Rose Wayland, Sixth Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC - Rev. John McCrosky, Heritage Presbyterian Church (USA) - Elder Ann Christian ( PCUSA, Ft Worth, TX) - Rev Matthew L Sauer, First Presbyterian, Manitowoc, Wisconsin - Rev. Meg Elliott Rift, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Rev. Bethany Benz-Whittington, Olympia, WA - Marc L. Penrod-Elder First Presbyterian Church, Sweetwater, Tn - Rev. Bethany Benz-Whittington, Olympia, WA - Michael Casey, Greenwich, New York, Member, First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls, New York - Lex Gallion, First Presbyterian Church, Austin Texas - Chandra Mills Cooper, Salina First Presbyterian Church - Rev. Tricia Dillon Thomas, Simsbury, CT - Rev. Dr. Sarah Erickson, Stone Mountain, GA - Rev Sharyl Marshall Dixon - Rev. Daniel Morales, New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Miami, FL - Rev. Irene Pak Lee, Salt Lake City, Utah - Rev. Colleen Earp, Rockingham, VA - Rev. Jim Mitulski, Congregational Church of the Peninsula UCC Belmont CA - Ginny Shanda, (RE, PCUSA), Lexington, KY - Nancy Eng MacNeill, Rancho Mirage, CA - Nehal Aslam - Helen Kester, PCUSA - Makini Hassan, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Laura Slack, Tabor Presbyterian Church, Crozet, VA - Rev. Allison Krahling Seed, Philadelphia, PA - Richard B. Burrill - Philip Swain, First Presbyterian Church of New Bern, NC - Elder Carol Hylkema; Geneva Presbyterian Church; Detroit Presbytery - Rev. Susan K Trigger, Louisville, KY - Rev David Bowman, Slackwood Presbyterian Church, Lawrenceville, NJ - C. Lauron, Stockton, CA - Rev. Sarah Moore-Nokes, Winnebago Presbytery (member at large) - Rev. Matthew Messenger, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Jeff Shankle, Marin County, CA - Rev. Jon Brown, Old Bergen Church, Jersey City, NJ - Rev. Anni Thorn - Rev. Donald L. Smith, Glendale, CA - Rev. Matt Prinz, Oakland, CA - Dianne L. Thompson, Bainbridge Island, WA - Rev. Tracy Williams, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Beth Lepinski, Elder PCUSA - Rev. Sue Smith, Coastlands Presbytery - Rev. Dr. Richard Young, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Jerusha Van Camp, First Presbyterian Church of Evansville - Rev. Ann Conklin, First Presbyterian Church, Santa Barbara, CA - Rev. Dr. David Tsai Shinn - Rev. Francis P. Miller, II, Lyndhurst Community of Faith Church - Kim Rivera, Elder, Southside Presbyterian Church, Tucson, AZ - Rev, Alison Harrington, Southside Presbyterian Church, Tucson, AZ - Rev. Nicole Cruz Talkington, Austin, TX, PCUSA Chaplain - Rev. Dr. Cheni Khonje, The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Philadelphia PA - Catherine Tyree, All Saints Episcopal Church, Corpus Christi, TX - Elder Megan Dosher Hansen, PC(USA), The Woodlands, TX - Rev. Beth Scibienski, Hopewell, NJ - Rev. Dr. Kathryn McLean, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Rev. Clayton Thomas, Simsbury, CT - Rev. Christopher Miller, Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, MO - Nancy Ross-Hullinger, Pastor Gethsemane and Bethany Presbyterian - Churches Council Bluffs, Iowa - Rev. Carol Dolezal - Rev. Adrian White, Presbyterian Church (USA) - Susan Young Thornton, Presbytery of Los Ranchis - Elena c. Loera - Angelica Harter, Co-Founder of UCC Palestine Israel Network - Ms. Natalie Yeo - Liz Branch, ruling elder, Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, Little Rock, AR - M. Catherine Smythe Zajc, EPF-Palestine Justice Network - Rev. Fred Powell-Haig, Kenmore Presbyterian Church, Kenmore, NY - [Add your name here ...](https://forms.gle/JBZAnw2j34ASLowY9?ref=reyes-chow.com) Add your Name to this Pastoral letter This is not intended to be a petition for action, but a pastoral offering, so if you would like to add your name or organization, fill out the form with your name and affiliation, and I will periodically update signatories. [ADD MY NAME ](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOiEcgOP-muv4cJvbZ1uwa2aClxsV8PqGbC4r0J5qsQ3w%5Flw/viewform?usp=header&ref=reyes-chow.com) [***Full letter on PNS, July 31, 2025***](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/7/31/rev-jihyun-oh-calls-urgent-accountability-devastating-crisis-gaza?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### *The Rev. Jihyun Oh calls for urgent accountability in the devastating crisis in Gaza* In a letter, the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency calls for 10 actions ‘grounded in the Gospel’ As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to stand in the deepest places of suffering, to speak when silence enables harm, and to act wherever human worth is disregarded. Christ walked among the sick, the hungry and the sorrowful. He reminds us still: *“Whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me”* (Matthew 25:40). Gaza has become one of the most devastating [humanitarian crises](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Freliefweb.int%2Freport%2Foccupied-palestinian-territory%2Fhumanitarian-situation-update-307-gaza-strip&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971740829%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0X0dVobLH2L%2Bw7sewHMUf5nMsq1NR4ZPxtz0DEMB4co%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) in recent history. Reports now estimate that more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, many of them women and children. In recent weeks alone, nearly 2,000 Palestinians have been murdered. We have witnessed the destruction of entire communities and the forced displacement of nearly the entire population. The most vulnerable are being killed in homes, hospitals, schools and places of worship. Nearly every person in Gaza has lost their home. Entire families have been erased, and thousands remain buried beneath the rubble. The health care system has completely collapsed. Medical workers have been killed while tending the wounded. Journalists and aid workers have been targeted. In the West Bank, settler violence and deadly military raids continue to escalate with impunity. The humanitarian catastrophe has reached unfathomable proportions. Gazans are facing mass starvation in what experts now describe as a human-made famine. [Starvation](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Farticles%2Fckgjg81qqwvo&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971767315%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FYBsDc9gq5h2o%2Bz2aZc%2BjOhxzK1Jy2ZsGIuD09m5JNE%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) is used as a weapon of war, as children have died by the thousands. Since Israel broke the ceasefire agreement on March 2, nearly all food and humanitarian supplies have been cut off, leaving 2 million people without access to the most basic necessities. On July 20, Israeli [military forces](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Famp%2Fnews%2Fgaza-starvation-malnutrition-deaths-israel-hamas-war-palestinians%2F&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971782729%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Qv8QhTYR0BIFR15kDj8h6LwD%2FZoiIbFmKB0RQ8XWcus%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) opened fire on a crowd gathered outside a World Food Program center, killing dozens who were trying to reach food distribution sites. The trickle of aid that has begun to move in recent days is not enough to address the deep needs. More than 110 humanitarian and human rights organizations have [issued a joint statement](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcmep.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F07%2FAs-Mass-Starvation-Spreads-Across-Gaza-Our-Colleagues-and-Those-We-Serve-Are-Wasting-Away.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971797550%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8w8xQO%2FSvNh0H0HRVkP9rQ6fhS9DBK%2FtrPAE6s1lgaw%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) urgently warning the world about mass starvation spreading across Gaza. They report that supplies are now completely depleted and that humanitarian workers are watching their own colleagues and partners grow weak from hunger. Despite this, life-saving resources, including food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter materials and fuel remain stuck at access points, blocked from reaching those in desperate need. This suffering cannot be explained away as the collateral damage of war. It is the result of choices that violate international law and fundamental moral norms. The world’s tolerance, even facilitation, of this violence has become a collective moral failure. Silence in the face of this is not neutrality; it is complicity. We must name what we are witnessing. The deliberate targeting of civilians and the systematic erasure of Palestinian life demand urgent accountability. Increasing numbers of international legal scholars, Christian denominations, human rights organizations, and genocide experts, including [Christian](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucc.org%2Fgeneral-synod-passes-declaration-for-an-end-to-genocide-in-palestine%2F&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971828172%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GYt05YPhM3dOOnlf0kWTpbORCoMP4i%2BCbEa%2BWaHuyoU%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com), [Jewish](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Famp%2Fopinions%2F2024%2F2%2F4%2Fwe-jewish-students-must-not-be-silent-on-the-genocide-in-gaza&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971843187%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=K9bNE28%2F8eCf%2B0hGm6yOCVPR1RVxOc2DTuefw58alBA%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com), and Israeli voices, have warned that the unfolding destruction in Gaza meets the criteria of genocide under [international law](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fjewishcurrents.org%2Fa-textbook-case-of-genocide&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971857634%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=l5CLMK8OzToH97YWu5k9Nso88%2BbhXyoQ7RepHwcttHk%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com). The [Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpcusa.org%2Fsearch%3Fquery%3D%26page%3D1%26topics%3DIsrael%2520and%2520Palestine%23resources&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971871775%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=G4JJFSY74KJU0e8%2BEFXpKy2oBzUx%2FPEEbSefNOHdLCM%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) has long-standing ties to the Holy Land and decades of policy affirming the rights of both Palestinians and [Israelis](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pc-biz.org%2Fsearch%2F3000055&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971885862%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W0T3DPjiaTxdGpTt2ztqkaQAs9%2Bm%2Bit%2BfnnpC1yWg6M%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) to live in peace, security and dignity. Our criticism of Israeli government policy is never a condemnation of a people or a faith. We reject hate in the form of antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. We grieve every loss of life by murder as a violation of God’s image in humanity. We hold in prayer both Palestinian and Israeli families who have experienced terror, trauma, and profound grief. We condemn the horrifying attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and mourn with all whose lives have been shattered by the ongoing war. Our General Assembly has consistently argued for peace in the [Holy Land](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpcusa.org%2Fhow-we-serve%2Fglobal-engagement%2Fisrael-palestine-ministries&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971899780%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jg4A6kV%2BHQj9Wx%2BQULvOblBuyOq4Mvd4t099kwR6Mp0%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com). We have: - Recognized that Israeli laws and practices toward Palestinians meet the international legal definition of [apartheid](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pc-biz.org%2Fsearch%2F3000773&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971913821%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=i0XRJpjxsFB%2BhNMTbdRbNtcJWBZzt13b1wTlxo0%2Fs7w%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com). - Called for an end to military occupation and systemic discrimination. - Opposed the blockade of Gaza and the use of collective punishment. - Urged the U.S. government to ensure that its aid does not contribute to violations of human rights. - Condemned all acts of violence and targeting of civilians. - Supported [divestment](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pc-biz.org%2Fsearch%2F4595&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971927677%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=lP%2Bt1%2FS3q1nWULXicNgzsX5jcQ%2Fuj3SOSJT8kSv%2Ff5E%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) from companies profiting from the occupation and [boycotts](https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flive-pcusa-web.pantheonsite.io%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FA-Prayerful-Study-of-Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CJimmie.Hawkins%40pcusa.org%7C1dd5525401674205ca3f08ddcc338cba%7C99082a1a70af459fa6ac8ad01476a157%7C0%7C0%7C638891243971941533%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4%2BoVmkfg8c4eay%2Bd2N7BVy1DZQiy0qfVQq%2B1AIN7Uhs%3D&reserved=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) of settlement products. As human dignity is systematically denied, we lift our voices in lament, outrage and urgent moral witness. At the same time, we acknowledge that we are called not only to weep but also to act. Our actions are expressions of a commitment to moral accountability — a core commitment of our Reformed tradition. As Reformed Christians, we believe that faith must be expressed through justice. This is a call to conscience, a moral demand rooted in our commitment to human rights, international law, and the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Scripture compels us: *“Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute” (Psalm 82:3). And: “Let us love not in word or speech but in deed and in truth”* (1 John 3:18). **Rooted in this witness and grounded in the Gospel, we call for:** - An immediate and permanent ceasefire and the protection of all civilians. - A renewed international commitment to a just peace that ensures equality, safety and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis. - Adherence to international law and all relevant United Nations resolutions. - Independent investigations into violations of international humanitarian law. - Full and unrestricted humanitarian access to meet urgent needs. - The release of all hostages and detainees held without due process. - An end to the occupation and recognition of the right of Palestinians to freedom, justice, return and self-determination. - Solidarity with Palestinian Christians and all communities working toward peace. - Suspension of U.S. military aid that contributes to civilian harm and sustains cycles of violence. - Support for nonviolent tools such as boycott and divestment as legitimate expressions of conscience. Let us pray for peace that is rooted in justice and justice that leads to lasting peace. Let us pray for God’s wholeness in a just peace where Palestinians and Israelis, people of all faiths, can flourish. And let us not look away. The Rev. Jihyun Oh Stated Clerk of the General Assembly Executive Director, Interim Unified Agency Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### To the Best, Weird, Sweet, Cute, Goofy Dog Ever URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/to-the-best-weird-sweet-cute-goofy-dog-ever/ Last updated: 2025-08-03T17:36:14.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/IMG_20191206_124326_626.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0074.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/7.png) Our sweet, goofy girl. Sometime during the night, our 14-year-old dog, Vespa, died. She was goofy as ever the previous evening, pleading with her eyes to get on the couch, but after being rebuffed yet again, she settled under her blanket for the night. When we found her the next morning, she was still sprawled out as if she was sleeping, but it was soon clear that our "sweet baby girl dog" was gone. As she aged, our vet told us that bullies are extremely stoic and will often curl up and die without warning, so we hope that she was not hiding any pain and that she died peacefully in her sleep. Dear Vespa, You were the best Dog. Sure, everyone says that about their dog, and, you know what, it is true every single time. Every dog is the best dog, and we count ourselves blessed for having you in our lives for the past 12 years. I still remember the first time I saw you. Our friends were fostering you, and it was love at first sight. When Abby and I met you, we immediately hatched our plan. First, get our friends to agree to slow-roll the adoption process and delay any possibility that someone else would rescue you. Check. Second, work on Momma. Start talking about another dog and then have her "happen" to see you when you "happen" to be at soccer practice with our friends. We were not looking to add another living being to our already crowded apartment, but to no one's surprise, your sweet face would not be denied. You came home with us, and our world has never been the same. FTR Momma was on to us from the beginning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/MONDAY-8-Smiles.jpg) You were all English Bull Terrier: teeth like a landshark, an egg for a head, and the personality of a three-year-old in a dog suit. You [tranced under bushes like a bully](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h1QcJX6w9M&ref=reyes-chow.com), you were stubborn on walks like a bully, and TBH, not all that smart like a bully — but you were simply sweet as can be. Thank you for the therapeutic cuddle sessions where secrets were told, tea was spilled, and so much stress and anxiety were absorbed. At one time or another, from one family member to another, you saved us. Oh, sweet girl, you were also the goofiest dog in all the ways. First, we apologize for taking you camping the first week after you came to live with us. You were so pissed. You had been found wandering in a forest, and what did we do? We took you right back to one. You spent the entire time curled up on a dusty camping chair near the fire, cursing us with your eyes. But soon we came to learn that you were not like other dogs. What kind of dog does not like walks? Time after time, you would lie down in the middle of the street and play dead, refusing to budge. The number of times an exasperated family member returned home carrying your 30-pound, smug puppy face back from a walk is too many to count. *See below.* And since you didn't like walking, we never understood why you bothered bolting out the front door. Sure, a few times you went gallivanting around the city, but nine times out of 10, you either forgot what you were doing or got tired, and we found you at the neighbor's house sniffing dirt. Um, we have dirt here, silly girl. I hope there are no skunks in Dog Heaven because I'm pretty sure that, despite two clear, direct, painful, and stinky messages, you still don't understand that the white-striped creatures in the backyard do not want to play. Also, not sure what you have against houseplants, but coming home to the carnage was disturbing. Why on earth you felt the need to drag a plant through the house like you were looking for a place to hide a body, creating a trail of potting soil and leaves, we'll never know. Oh, also in Dog Heaven, gravel is probably not food there either. Say it with me, our sweet canine garbage disposal, "Gravel is not food." This may not be an issue, but you know how lying in the sunshine for hours on end makes you hot and panty, I am going to wager that moving out of the sunshine will cool you down in Dog Heaven too. We were never sure why, hot, cold, rain, or shine, you loved your bed in the garage over all other beds, but you do you. Wherever you are snoring this night, I hope you have the garage all to yourself. Just remind the concierge that Vespa only does memory foam dog beds. Also, using the 3rd person always works. All this goes to say that, despite your weird ways, you always won our hearts and our attention. Your most significant victory, other than having a mattress with a payment plan option, was somehow weaponizing your walk aversion to the point that, when the rest of us went on a walk, you were pulled along in a wagon like a boss. A happier dog has not been seen since. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/PXL_20200929_231100167.jpg) Vespa somehow managed to not have to walk on walks. That is one happy dog. And finally, while doctors, family, and especially Momma had much to do with my healing from Covid, you, Nurse Vespa, played a huge role in my recovery. You did save my life in many ways. When I was having a hard time breathing, you were there to calm my nerves. When I was frustrated by the pain that would not stop, you were there. When I started to feel better and wanted to move before I should, you were there, like right there, there on top of me. We humans tend to give dogs a lot of credit for sensing when there is stress in the room, so I don't know if you sensed that you needed to be present differently during those months, or if you were taking advantage of seemingly unrestricted and unlimited bed and couch time. Whatever the motivation, I am so glad you were there. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/PXL_20210907_180244184.NIGHT--1-.jpg) Vespa making sure that I did not get up and move around too much during my Covid recovery. Oh, sweet Vespa, my heart hurts as I write this. We are going to miss your zoomy galluping, your happy chuffs, your sounds of chasing something in your sleep, and your sweet, sweet, sweet heart-nosed, goofy face. We knew our time with you was getting short. You were slowing down and finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the world. I am so glad that I was home and got in a good cuddle the night before you died. I hope you remember what I have been saying to you these past months and what I said to you during what turned out to be our final cuddle, "Vespa, my sweet baby girl dog, you're the best dog and I love you." Rest well, sweet baby girl dog. I hope you have plenty of naps in the shade, that you get to be on the couch whenever you want, and remember, the plants are not out to get you, gravel is not food, and skunks are not your friends. You really were the best dog. Dad ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/PXL_20211003_195716015.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/6.png) Vespa was my ride or die dog and I sure am gonna miss my sweet, goofy girl. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2016-10-08-10.39.19-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/IMG_0083--1-.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/IMG_1953.JPG) Vespa and out other Best Dog, Fawn, who died in 2019, were besties for sure. It was a lovely dogs season in the RCPFamily home ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | Randomocities III URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-randomocities-iii/ Last updated: 2025-08-01T17:45:31.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 03.01.25 Hope folks are doing as well as possible. Cutting to the chase, here are five things that bounced around my head, heart, and soul this week. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-01-at-10.35.49@2x.png)](https://www.platformer.news/substack-nazi-push-notification/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **ONE:** After [leaving Substack for Ghost](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-new-home-for-all-things-brc-welcome/) this year, I will admit a Petty Bruce did make an appearance when I read [this from Platformer in response to Substack promoting Nazi blogs](https://www.platformer.news/substack-nazi-push-notification/?ref=reyes-chow.com). > In truth, we had more than one reason to leave. But foremost among them was the certainty that Substack’s Nazi problem would only get worse with time. Once it announced that right-wing extremists were free to set up shop on its network and start selling subscriptions, their arrival was a certainty. And because the platform invests heavily in social media-style growth hacks, it was inevitable that Substack would actively promote Nazi blogs across various surfaces. People would download the Substack app to read **Platformer**; they would enable push notifications to be informed of new editions; and then sometime after that there would be a push featuring a publication with a swastika logo. > Well, here we are. The inevitable happened. I am not a paid subscriber to The Platformer, so I didn't read the entire piece. At some point, I will write about the ups and downs of my own shift away from Substack, but at this moment, I am feeling pretty good about it. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/CleanShot-2025-08-01-at-10.36.46@2x.png)](https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/technology/ai/70477/kate-mosses-diary-the-great-ai-copyright-swindle?ref=reyes-chow.com) **TWO:** Knowing that at least one of my books has been scraped to feed the AI monster, this story about AI in the UK definitely caught my eye, [*Kate Mosse’s diary: the great AI copyright swindle: The UK government’s data bill has betrayed our flourishing creative industries*](https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/technology/ai/70477/kate-mosses-diary-the-great-ai-copyright-swindle?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* > Writers are not completely against AI (despite it being catastrophic for the environment and a catalyst for misogynist ideologies, as Laura Bates lays bare in her excellent new book, *The New Age of Sexism*). This technology is here to stay, and we cannot avoid it. Regulated AI can and will do good in the world. But we have to make a distinction between AI that might be used in brilliant ways, such as medical diagnosis and innovation, and theft. If you use ChatGPT to write your novel, you haven’t “written” anything. It’s plagiarism. It’s like paying someone to go to the gym for you, then claiming you are now a tip-top athlete. > This battle has been lost, but the fight for fairness continues. I am not sure how this will impact writers and technology nerds like me, but it is good to be informed and reminded of what is happening on all the fronts. [Are You There ChatGPT? It’s Me, Rachael — Let’s Talk About God | KQEDAs more Americans turn away from organized religion, KQED’s Rachael Myrow explores how AI chatbots like ChatGPT are becoming unexpected guides for spiritual questions about God, love and meaning.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/icon/favicon.ico)KQEDRachael Myrow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1101-2000x1500.jpg)](https://www.kqed.org/news/12049674?ref=reyes-chow.com) **THREE:** Speaking of AI, I was included as part of a report by KQED's Rachael Myrow on Chat GPT, God, and Spirituality, [*Are You There ChatGPT? It’s Me, Rachael — Let’s Talk About God*](https://www.kqed.org/news/12049674?ref=reyes-chow.com). > Many people are ghosting religions — especially if they didn’t grow up in one — because of institutional baggage: centuries of holy wars, abuses by those with power and corrosive cultural tribalism. Add rigid, dogmatic ideas that — let’s be generous — have not withstood the test of time, but remain unshaken in the name of tradition. > Amid this growing disillusionment, many still wrestle with timeless questions about identity, purpose, suffering and the nature of God. Who am I? What does it mean to live a meaningful life? How do I find — and keep — love? Why do bad things happen? Who or what is God? > I’ve asked related questions to “Monday,” ChatGPT’s snarky alter ego. > Me: Monday, do people ask you about God? We know that there are many issues with AI, but the cat is out of the proverbial bag, so finding ways to use it well with as little environmental impact is crucial. I also think understanding the nuances between accessibility and generative AI is crucial, as there are some benefits. All that goes to say, this work is difficult and there is more work to be done. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/Bend-it-Like-Beckham.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/26/bend-it-like-beckham-film-emma-hayes-keira-knightley-football?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FOUR:** In other news, [this announcement](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/26/bend-it-like-beckham-film-emma-hayes-keira-knightley-football?ref=reyes-chow.com) about a sequel to Bend it Like Beckam is welcome entertainment news. > More than tw*o decades after the release of Bend It Like Beckham, writer and director Gurinder Chadha OBE has announced she is planning to revive the hugely popular story.* > *“I am so happy to be here in Basel for the Euros, the atmosphere is amazing,” said Chadha. “What I can share with you today is my very clear wish to bring the beloved characters from Bend It Like Beckham back to you and audiences globally very, very soon. Women’s football is more competitive, more exciting, and more global than ev*er. It is an honor for me to be a small part of it.” I, and the rest of our women's soccer-loving family, cannot wait! [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/Cost-of-Being-Undocumented.jpeg)](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780807014943?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FINALLY, FIVE:** This last one is a tie between [recommending that folks go see the new "woke" Superman](https://www.threads.com/@breyeschow/post/DMqnig-Md0q?ref=reyes-chow.com) and one more read, but after interviewing Alix Dick and Antero Garcia about their new book, [*The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman's Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780807014943?ref=reyes-chow.com) to , I'm going unapologetically feed your book addiction. > When Alix Dick's family found themselves in the crosshairs of cartel violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, she and her siblings were forced to flee to the U.S. Many of the scenes that she shares are difficult and unforgettable: escaping from a relationship in which her partner threatened to report her to immigration; getting root canals done in an underground dental clinic. But there are moments of triumph, too: founding her own nonprofit; working on films that tell important stories; and working with her co-author Dr. Garcia to tell her story in a framework that lays bare the realities of structural oppression. I have not finished the book, but it is a unique telling of one person's story of being undocumented (A term which Alix hates, BTW) so it is a good read for this particular moment in time as well as for a deeper understanding of the impact immigration policies in the US over time. There you go, thanks for reading, and may you experience many moments of joy this weekend and beyond. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: This past week, in between the Bible and Church Music Conference in Masanetta Springs, VA and the [Presbyterian Youth Triennium](https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/7/30/dream-team-leads-tuesday-night-worship-youth-triennium?ref=reyes-chow.com), in Louisville, KY, I did a little roadtripping to see some of the nature. Initially, I had planned to do some short hikes in the [Monongahela](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/monongahela?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [New River Gorge](https://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm?ref=reyes-chow.com) National Forests. Still, after the second time of stepping out of the A/C and having my glasses fog up because of the heat and humidity, I quickly scrapped those plans. Yes, I am a delicate California weather flower. That said, it was beautiful. Here is a video from the [New River Gorge Grand View Overlook](https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/grandview.htm?ref=reyes-chow.com). Enjoy. New River Gorge from the Grand View Overlook, WV --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### View from the Grand View Overlook at New River Gorge National Forest URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/view-from-the-grand-view-overlook-at-new-river-gorge-national-forest/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T19:07:48.000Z Between events in Massanette Springs, VA and Louisville, KY, I did a little roadtripping to see some of the nature. Initially, I had planned to do some short hikes in the Monongahela and New River Gorge National Forests. Still, after the second time of stepping out of the A/C and having my glasses fog up because of the heat and humidity, I quickly scrapped those plans. Yes, I am a delicate California weather flower. That said, it was beautiful. Here is a video from the New River Gorge Grand View Overlook. Enjoy. @NationalParkService #nationalpark #westvirginia #nature #newrivergorge ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### The Day I Was Told I Shouldn't Be Here URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-day-i-was-told-i-shouldnt-be-here/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T12:02:10.000Z I still remember the words, "No, your grandparents should not have been allowed to come to the United States." These words were not a comment left by some internet troll. These words were not shouted at me by some flag-waving, white nationalist. These words were not said with hate, venom, or even blatant racism. These words were spoken to me by a relative as we discussed immigration policy debates about who should be allowed to immigrate to the United States — their take was that only educated people should be allowed to come to the United States. A white relative. A read relative. A relative who knew me for years. A relative who knew my grandparents. A relative who shared meals with me, my grandparents, and my extended family. A relative who had no idea how much those words pained my heart and tore my soul. With tears of anger and rage welling up, I stood up and left the room. I could have stayed and tried to make them understand, but it wasn't worth the effort. Whether they would even acknowledge it, at that moment, I knew where I stood in their eyes. I did not stop loving this person, but I no longer felt obligated to expend my energy to try to make this person understand. This person was no longer entitled to that part of my personhood. If proximity and actual personal relationships could not make it clear that developing a robust immigration policy was not about maintaining power and control, but about making a country better, there was not much else to say. I mean, I get it. Some have the privilege of intellectualizing issues that they do not believe impact them directly, and I am sure that this person believed they were engaging in an "objective" debate. I am sure they were shocked when I walked out. I am sure that the intent was not to hurt me. The thing is, our policy debates are profoundly personal and should not be conducted as if there is a cultural vacuum in which those policies will be implemented. Right now, I am sure many folks are bothered by how immigrants are being treated, but still hold an intellectual view of, "Well, if they are here illegally, the law should be enforced." These are probably not folks who would claim white supremacy, support Christian nationalism, or even voted for the current administration. These are probably friends, colleagues, and family members who have cocooned themselves into ignoring the nuances of our immigration system, the impacts of US Global economic policies upon migration, and the sinister nature of racism, militarism, and power when given unfettered freedom. What is not remembered is that many of us come directly from those who were considered "illegal" at some point. My own immigration history, on both my Chinese and Filipino sides, is painted with creative migration strategies from fudging on ages to being part of [the Paper Son era](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper%5Fsons?ref=reyes-chow.com). What they did was technically "illegal," but what folks had to do to seek economic opportunity and escape oppressive circumstances in the face of barriers of discrimination. This is not everyone's origin story, but to ignore the realities of how immigration has given our country and culture depth and texture is to look your immigrant neighbor in the eye and tell them that, not only do they not contribute to society in cultural and fiscal ways, but their legacy, which includes people like me and my children have no benefit as well. When we so casually dismiss the contributions of one generation, to our detriment, we are also dismissing the exponential impact of generations to come. My relative, in their intention of having a debate about who should or should not be allowed to immigrate to the United States, in saying that my grandparents should not have been allowed in because they were of the peasant class, looked me in the eye and said, by association, that my existence was irrelevant — that my personhood, my relationships, my contributions were all meaningless and should never have been made possible. It still stings. But this is not just about immigration. The insidious nature of intellectualizing the impact of our national policy and personal perspectives is about racism, gender, incarceration, Palestine, protest, education, militarization, healthcare, etc. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can or should be completely objective about any of these things, or that we can be neutral because we are not directly affected. I do it. We all do it, but it is becoming increasingly clear to me that the cocoon of false objectivity is crumbling like never before. I fear that the cocoon will burst open and drop us covered in a muck of stale ambivalence into a world that is filled with destruction driven by individualism, greed, and inhumanity. I hope that we will not grasp onto every last bit of false neutrality only to find out that it is too late because what I choose to work towards is that when the cocoon of our current season peels away, we will emerge into a world filled with new life, held together by mutuality and committed to the common good. **This I choose to believe and hope you will too.** Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) \* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### The + Friday + Five | Supporting Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-supporting-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-08-01T13:24:14.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 07.25.25 Over the past year, people have been asking me for ways to support those suffering in Gaza, as well as those engaged in good work in other parts of Palestine. There are many worthy individuals and organizations in need of support (please share in the comments); however, here are five Palestine-related organizations that we, as a family, support financially. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/IMG_5434.jpg) With a Palestine Justice Network Delegation at UNRWA in East Jerusalem (February, 2024) **One //** [**United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East**](https://www.unrwa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(UNRWA) —** While there are arguable systematic problems with UNRWA'S very existence as a way to support the original catastrophe of the Palestinian people, they are best situated to help. I have met with the organization during one of my delegations and have no problem financially supporting their aid work throughout Palestine. **\[**[**DONATE**](https://www.unrwausa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/day4Serajfinalweb-12.jpg) Seraj Library and Storytelling Collective **Two //** [**Seraj Library Project**](https://www.serajlibraries.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **—** This storytelling and community library project is amazing. I have been here multiple times and moved with each visit. With 13 libraries spread throughout Palestine, the energy, creativity, and resistance manifested are inspiring and worthy of support. **\[**[**DONATE**](https://www.serajlibraries.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250402_070018916.jpg) Sabeel helps make connections to local communities so delegations can learn more about Palestinian life under occupation. **Three //** [**Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center**](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(Sabeel) —** Sabeel is the organization through which I have led or participated in four delegations to Palestine in the past year. Delegations are just a small part of what they do. Sabeel is deeply connected to local Palestinian movements. They provide services to Palestinian communities, support Palestinian businesses and organizations, engage in thoughtful studies of liberation theology, and offer ongoing opportunities for Palestinian Christians to participate in ministry and service. **\[**[**DONATE**](https://fosna2022-fosna.nationbuilder.com/support%5Fthe%5Frevolutionary%5Fvision%5Fof%5Fsabeel%5Fecumenical%5Fliberation%5Ftheology%5Fcentre?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20240219_103800878.jpg) PJN Delegation meeting with Reverend Dr. Mitri Raheb, president of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem **Four //** [**Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)**](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(PJN) —** Previously known as the Israel-Palestine Mission Network, I am so grateful for the organization and people involved who have been committed to Palestinian liberation for decades. Until the past two years, I had not fully appreciated the depth of their work and impact. [I have apologized for this](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7422405703563791662?ref=reyes-chow.com) and am all-in with PJN. If you need educational resources, solidarity connections, support for delegation travel, or you yearn for a trusted space for collegiality and support, PJN is your community and is worthy of support. **\[**[**Donate**](https://thepjn.org/donations?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/Screenshot_20250721-132401-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/Screenshot_20250721-132712-2.png) **Five //** There are so many GoFundMe campaigns out there, so please do not feel obligated, but if you would like to join us in supporting the Watfa Family, we know that every gesture makes a difference. We hear from them almost every day, and, like for most Gazans, the situation is heartbreaking and enraging. **\[**[**Donate**](https://gofund.me/196a04cb?ref=reyes-chow.com)**\]** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250406_132810969.jpg) A group os us learn the Palestinian Dabke — and not very well :-) **BONUS //** [ **Douban Dance Company**](https://www.instagram.com/douban%5Fpd/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) **—** Okay, right now the only way to support Douban is to [follow them on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/douban%5Fpd/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) or if you ever get a chance to visit, purchase one of their amazing hand-embroidered sweatshirts. Still, I have included them here because I have gotten to know the director and want folks to connect to this youth program, because there are some amazing projects in the planning stages. Be sure to scroll through their reels, as what they are doing is truly amazing. If you want to see what this looks like, here is a [video of Hannah](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIMu7-MIqh3/?ref=reyes-chow.com). And with that, your Friday + Five of ways to support Palestine is complete. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **BONUS: From the Camera Roll** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250724_161149847.jpg) Massanetta Springs Conference Center I am writing from my room at [Massanetta Springs Conference Center](https://massanettasprings.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) where I am filling the Speakman Chair of Preaching at the [2025 Bible and Church Music Conference](https://massanettasprings.org/programs/bcmc?ref=reyes-chow.com). It has been over 15 years since I last visited, and a great deal has changed. Not only have we, as a denomination, undergone significant theological and ecclesiastical shifts since that time, but the surrounding community has also undergone substantial growth. What has not changed is Massanetta's deep commitment to providing opportunities for young and old to struggle with and grow in faith. For many of us, camp and conference center ministry has played a significant role in our growth as humans and people of faith, so it was a joy to return and reconnect with all the goodness that is Massanetta. --- \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### The + Friday + Five | on Writing URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-07-18-25-onwriting/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:19:21.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 07.18.25 The initial "So what do you do?" question has made me squirm more and more ever since [I decided to leave full-time ministry and attempt to be a full-time writer and speaker](https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-once-was-a-pastor/). I mean, seriously, is there anything more cringey than "I'm a writer" response? TBH, the conversation either comes to a grinding halt with the other person's eyes darting around looking for the nearest exit, or it starts up a great conversation because people are genuinely intrigued by the idea that someone can make a living writing words. The truth is, I am a writer. And no one is more surprised than I am. I am a writer. Period. I say this often mostly to remind myself that people have trusted me with their time, expertise, reputations, and resources and I do not want to take them or myself for granted. I have six books under my belt (four with publishers and two self-published), so I suppose I'm becoming increasingly comfortable with the moniker of "writer." After all, even with my contract work, writing about topics I believe are important and the access it gives me to engage with others striving to make the world better is my primary source of income and my deepest joy. So with that, let me answer five questions that some have asked me, some I know folks have wanted to ask me, and some I ask of myself daily. --- **One // What is your writing discipline?** I have writer friends who get up every morning at 5am and write. Seriously, I wish I could do that because I do think there is something about challenging yourself to write even when the words do not flow, but like other creative disciplines, every person approaches them differently. I have found that when I try to force myself into a daily writing practice, the writing becomes too weighty and the words rarely flow. That said, I do force myself to write for my newsletter because the stakes are lower, but for books, I have found that going away for big chunks of time is where I can really get into a writing groove. I have generous friends who offer me space to write so I can get away for weeks at a time and crank out 10-15k solid words in a week. **Two // Can you really make a living writing (How much could you possibly make)? —** The truth is, I do not make all that much on the actual sales of books. I am grateful for being in a place where I command an advance, but I am not a big enough writer for that advance to be more than a month's income max. And keep in mind that it's just an advance; authors don't receive any royalties until the advance is earned out. I earn a higher percentage on electronic and audio versions, but at the end of the day, I probably don't even make minimum wage for the amount of time it takes me to write a book. I also earn some income from the newsletter you're reading right now, approximately $600 per month. I have approximately 2,500 subscribers, with around 160 of them having paid subscriptions. I'm not sure what other people's ratios are, but I'm deeply grateful to those who have chosen to support me in this way. No joke, what I earn from this newsletter helps me stay fit and covers some of the expenses associated with producing content as an independent contractor. Thank you, Paid Subscribers. While the book-writing itself does not generate most of my income, the books, thoughts, and theology that I offer publicly provide me with access to events and gatherings that do generate more income. Right or wrong, if you have a book about something that folks may be interested in, you are more likely to be asked to come and talk about it. Always flexible; if you'd like to discuss my speaking fees, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). And thank you to all the groups, congregations, and organizations — large and small — who have invited me to spend time with them. **Three // Who is your audience? —** This is a question that I am constantly asking myself because I often wonder this about other writers. I am often perplexed when liberal writers write blistering tomes directed at those with whom they disagree. I always wonder, "To what end?" because my guess is that those being addressed are probably not going to read it. To each their own. I approach this knowing that a majority of my newsletter readers, as well as those who have read my books, are likely similar to me in their ideological, political, and theological perspectives. I am deeply grateful for this, but it also means that I have a responsibility to NOT only offer thoughts that reaffirm and reinforce common positions and perspectives, but also to challenge and prod. As I do with much of my life, I reflect on the four-fold nature of Jesus and how He treated the disciples and those around Him. In his complex nature as a prophet, priest, pastor, and poet, he prodded people when necessary, raised questions for the community to ponder, offered compassion and empathy when needed, and was a champion of creativity and curiosity when folks felt stuck. I hope to do the same with the people who read my words: [I poke](https://www.reyes-chow.com/progressive-except-for-palestine/), [I teach](https://www.reyes-chow.com/intro-to-bluesky-feeds-and-five-ways/), [I comfort](https://www.reyes-chow.com/living-deeply-as-i-enter-my-mr-miyagi/), and [I dream](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/). I have no delusions that those who might consider me a fake Christen or a false pastor read my words so I do not direct my energy their way, instead, I choose to think about those who do read me as a kind of congregation that I might serve who yearn for and are fed by challenge, thoughtfulness, vulnerability, and nuance. **Four // What are your writing aspirations? —** My big dream is to have a book in an airport bookstore. Seriously, have you seen what is in the "religion and spiritual" sections of those places? Apparently, Prosperity Gospel, Christian Nationalism, and Jesus Self-Help sell. I would also like to have at least one hard-cover book, and my big stretch would be to write a novel. There are a few projects that I would like to work on. I hope to restart a project exploring the four-fold nature of Jesus. Additionally, I aim to write an entry-level book for those who have recently been called to solidarity with Palestine. I also plan to write two or three books about activism, based on interviews with 100 activists from diverse backgrounds: Book 1, "Raising Activists," Book 2, "Activists Get Things Done," and Book 3, "Activists . . . TBD." **Five // What advice do you have for someone who wants to try and make a living as a writer? —** If you feel like you have a book inside you (Quick go see a doctor, because that will be painful to pass 💀 ), write it, or at least most of it. Unless you have some cultural juice or celebrity status, most publishers are not going to take on a first-time author without a good chunk already written. Write a bunch, submit a proposal, rinse, and repeat. It is also important to set realistic expectations about what kind of income you will or need to generate. Again, my guess is that most published authors have a regular source of income, so folks should embrace that privilege and write while there are no economic pressures. Write that first book, see how you do with the whole process of writing, editing, self-promotion, etc., and then you can determine if this is the life for you. Like most callings, it is both extraordinary and excruciating, often both before lunch. One way to get started and gauge whether there is an audience for your writing is to start a newsletter. Of course, many are on Substack, but [since I left Substack](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-new-home-for-all-things-brc-welcome/) earlier this year, [I am partial to Ghost](https://ghost.org/?via=bruce66&ref=reyes-chow.com). By writing via a newsletter, you can figure out your voice, build an audience for an eventual book, and discern if writing as more than a side avocation is the path you want to choose. And with that, your Friday + Five on Writing is complete. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **BONUS: From the Camera Roll** Our dog, Vespa, is a weirdo. No matter where we put the blanket, she somehow manages to nose it under the table. I am sure it's a den thing, but to watch her do it now that her sight is going is both amusing and heartbreaking. Our 14-year-old pup is living the life. We don't have much more time with her, so we will enjoy the bundled-up cuteness while we can. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250716_065348075.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgamation@reyes-chow.com). \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### Worship Planning with Bruce, Shawna, and Luba this Fall at Zephyr Point Conference Center URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/worship-planning-with-bruce-shawna-and-luba-this-fall-at-zephyr-point-conference-center/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T00:08:27.000Z A little promo/invite to the @ZephyrPointPresbyterian Fall offering from the Continuing Education Institute — Preparing for Proclamation: Worship Planning through the Lenses of Preaching, Liturgy, Ritual, Arts, and Music October 19-24 at Zephyr Point Conference Center on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Leaders this week are @breyeschow, Shawna Bowman, and Luba Kravchenko. For more information and/or to register: https://zephyrpoint.org/programs/con-ed-institute/fall/ #zephyrpoint #continuingeducation #worshipplanning #worship #preaching #music #laketahoe ——————————————————— STAY CONNECTED WITH BRUCE 💌 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Newsletter (https://reyes-chow.com) 🎧 Subscribe to The Amalgamation Podcast (https://bit.ly/AmalgamationPod) 📚 Buy Books by Bruce Reyes-Chow (https://bit.ly/BRCBookshop) 🔗 on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com) 🔗 on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow) 🔗 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile) 🔗 on Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow) 🔗 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@breyeschow) ### Hot + Take + Tuesday | Direct Action Deacons URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-direct-action-deacons/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T01:39:33.000Z 💡 [Hot + Take + Tuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot+take+tuesday/) is a series of semi-regular posts meant to spark conversations. I make these claims and statements based on experience and observations and acknowledge that any hot take, by default, borders on arrogance — and yes, context matters. Dear Church, As [I wrote last week to my Christian kinfolk](https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-christians-its-time-to-be-the-christ-we-claim-to-follow/), for those who are able and willing, there is an immense need for faith leaders to move out of mainstream marches and be present at more public direct actions. Whether we show up to challenge the behavior of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to protect those being targeted because of their skin color, accent, or employment, or to bear witness in support of those exercising political expression, having a faith presence is vital during these political days. Again, being at a public action does not mean that you risk arrest or confrontation with law enforcement. There are many roles for folks to play in any public action: Red (high risk of arrest), Orange (possible risk of arrest), Green (no risk of arrest), Safety (crowd control), De-escalation (self-explanatory), or simply being a visual and visible presence. That said, I also know that not everyone has the personality, is in the position, or feels called to any part of public protest. And while I do not claim to understand this for many who I know, I do honor the choices people make. I do not always know what is happening in people's lives that may create risk at any given time. Then I had this idea for my faith-based colleagues, if you or others are not able or willing to be part of public actions, my guess is there are people in your community who would be. So why not bless them to do so on behalf of the community? **How about, Direct Action Deacons?** In my corner of the Christian world, the Presbyterian Church (USA), we have the office of Deacon. Deacons are ordained in our communities and are often charged with the care of the congregation. Often Deacons are assigned roles of coffee hour or tea time, praying for members, hospital visits, and other important ways to tend to the community before them. I am sure that there are many parallel offices/positions in other faith traditions, but here is the definition of a Deacons in the PC(USA). From our constitution, G-2.0201 Deacon Defined: > The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry. I have always encouraged Deacons to live more fully into the calling of Deacon, not only to care for those who are part of our congregations, but to tend to the needs of all who are in need of healing action. We naturally focus on who is right in front of us, so we often confine Deacons to inward witness. Might it be a time to now also focus on those outside of our communities who are in deep and desperate need of Deacons who, *...witness...the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for...those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress*? This is not a radical departure from our church traditions or congregational practices. For instance, many of us created "Tech Deacons" during the chaos of shifting to online gatherings during the Covid pandemic. Many churches were being asked to do things that they had, so we got creative because it was demanded of us for the good of the body. We needed people who understood the technology and practices of online gatherings. People connected to our congregations were uniquely qualified and called to this role, and they responded. I suspect the same thing would happen if the role of Direct Action Deacons was similarly created. --- **A Liturgy for Commissioning Direct Action Deacons** (*Coming soon. I have an early AM Direct Action, so ran out of time.*) --- If you decide to ordain or bless Direct Action Deacons, there are could be many ways to empower them: present them with stoles to wear on behalf of the community, provide support for direct action trainings, and create space for them to share back to the community, all while building a culture of invitation for others to also engage. Okay, that's the [Hot Take for this Tuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot-take-tuesday/). I would love to hear what you think and/or if anyone else has done this, do tell. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### Dear Christians, It's Time to Be the Christ We Claim to Follow URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-christians-its-time-to-be-the-christ-we-claim-to-follow/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T19:41:01.000Z Dear Siblings in Christ, Today I am writing to the collective body of Christians who believe that the direction we have been going as a country is not the way of Christ — nationalized cruelty, increased wealth disparity, decimated healthcare, global warfare, and the acceptance, normalization, and encouragement of dismissing, dehumanizing, and destroying anyone or anything that is deemed less than or other. This movement, often led and reinforced by those who claim Christianity as their guide, is not the version I believe in — and I know that many of you do not either. If we are not careful, their realization of a spiritual apartheid in this country will soon have anyone who thinks differently, lives differently, or believes differently increasingly targeted for control, repression, and erasure. We are seeing it in education, immigration, healthcare, and more, so this is not hyperbole or "the sky is falling" thinking. I know it is often our human instinct to bend over backwards in the hopes that this authoritarianism is not coming or to claim some intellectual neutrality in the face of the unimaginable. I get it, we don't want to believe that other humans are willing and capable of perpetrating systematic horror upon others. While we tend to hold onto the general goodness of humanity, in this season, it is becoming clear that a freight train of evil is headed our way, and that our neutrality, no matter how much we hope it will help the world stay even-keeled, will not protect us. Decisions about how our descendants will view our complicity in what our world is becoming lay painfully before us — the LGBTQIA+ community continues to be under attack for being who God created them to be, ICE is out of control as they racially profile, brutalize, and kidnap people from the streets, the wealthy are being rewarded for being wealthy at the expense of everyone else, the educational system is being warped into a system of censorship by theocracy, we continue to abandon the health of world while simultaneously bombing by proxy and on purpose, ruling after ruling from the US Supreme Court gives legitimacy and permission for the terror to continue, and the private prison system ravenously feeds on it all as it incarcerates humans into invisibility. Now is the time to be the radically, publicly disruptive, empire-challenging Christ that many of us have preached about and called our people to follow in the face of injustice. Yes, we have been a faithful presence in the mainstream marches of our day, much like Jesus was the humble servant who participated in the celebration with palms waving as he entered Jerusalem. These are not bad gestures, especially in the small towns where any acts of collective justice-seeking are a risk, but he also risked himself by publicly standing with and for individuals and situations that challenged the empire of the day — he met the woman at the well, he defended the woman charged by the hypocrites of the day, he called for non-violence, he walked with people who struggled, he served when he was not supposed to, he loved, he calmed, he fed, and person after person, he healed. These are not merely feel-good stories to proof text our faith, but in these days, they are compelling arguments for us to step out of the protective enclaves of our privilege and meet people where there is need. It is time for our activism and public witness to shift from the ease of celebrated mainstream marches to publicly disruptive movements. Quite simply, we need to show up where people are being targeted and play a more public role in protecting members of our communities who are under threat, and organize more effectively with the larger communities we claim to support. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250701_145334969.jpg) Guillermo speaks to the crowd of supporters. This past week, as I participated in [a rally in support of Guillermo Medina Reyes](https://www.visaverge.com/immigration/community-rallies-at-san-jose-ice-office-to-support-guillermo-medina-reyes/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (No relation), a young man I have gotten to know over the past year, I was once again reminded of the importance of communities caring for their own. After being part of a small accompaniment team during his last ICE hearing, which we thought went well, just a few days later, he was ordered to return and was told he was going to be detained. The community was not having it, and so we gathered: a broad and diverse group of people showed up as a manifestation of the community's love for a person who has done so much for the community itself. This was a public action and community gathering fueled by love, not fear. It was also encouraging to see so many faith leaders present. Faith leaders are often invited to participate and have been a visible and vocal expression of our commitment to follow the loving and just God that our traditions call us to follow. That said, it is often the same faith leaders who show up, and while I love me some OG faith-based activists, the movements need more of us. A committed few cannot shoulder the weight of the calling to be present at public actions. The need for public witness only grows, so as we do in so many other aspects of ministry, we must share the load. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/07/PXL_20250701_143619984-1.jpg) The Community showed up and out for Guillermo ***But I cannot risk being arrested . . .*** For those who have engaged in civil disobedience in the past and/or are contemplating doing so again, you have my most profound respect. As one who has faced similar risks before and may face them again, I know that today's risks are unlike any I have encountered in my lifetime. The current administration's complete disregard for due process and the seemingly unrestrained actions of ICE and Homeland Security could lead to physical harm and/or federal jail time. If this is a path that you are feeling called to, please connect with others, get trained in non-violent civil disobedience, and surround yourself with a community that will support you and your loved ones should anything happen. Showing up at public actions does not mean you have to risk arrest. There are roles for everyone: red, orange, green, safety, de-escalation, sound, creating art, singing, passing out water, or simply bearing witness by being present. While some have legitimate reasons NOT to show up at public actions (immigration status, family situations, etc), too many of us have manufactured an overestimated level of fear as a way to justify staying on the sidelines and letting others do the heavy lifting of public protest. We have bought into the propaganda that public actions (especially those populated by Black/brown people) turn violent and we have been convinced that law enforcement can be trusted and need no public accountability. The most shameful result of our absence is that is these public actions are often made up of the very people who are also being targeted by empire: folx of color, LGBTQIA+ siblings, people with varied immigration statuses, those who are struggling to survive, and those who have every reason not to trust law-enforcement. As I ask the question of my commitment to my Christian faith, I do wonder where Jesus would stand. Where would Jesus show up? It is pretty straightforward. Jesus would be where there was pain and struggle, especially when it was brought about by injustice. Sure, there would be some risk, but time and time again, we are shown that the hesitancy of those around him was unwarranted and stemmed from fear for their safety and status. Jesus proves them wrong over and over again, showing them that hope and healing should always be the expectation. In our turn toward self-preservation and retreat into our sanctuaries of privilege, we have turned away from the One whose radical calling we have proclaimed from the pulpits of our actual sanctuaries. I fall into this all the time, and then I am reminded of what a waste of energy and a disrespect to my faith it is to believe that what I do in the world should be driven by the preservation of my position and privilege, rather than the promise of a collective hope and healing for us all. My friends, colleagues, siblings, and strangers in Christ, it is time. I hope that you find the courage, conviction, community, and calling to join movements that were not previously part of your plan. Jesus showed up. We should too. If you do not know where to start, talk to your friends and colleagues who are more connected to public movements and actions, do some research on organizations that are trusted and regular organizing partners, and commit to showing up in any role that you are ready for at the moment. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) --- If you are in California, I encourage you to [**join the email**](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/subscribe/?ref=reyes-chow.com) list for the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity to stay informed about faith-based actions and organizing opportunities. (Disclaimer: I am on the board.) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Fast is Over, Still Much Work to be Done URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-fast-is-over-still-much-work-to-be-done/ Last updated: 2025-07-03T03:38:00.000Z As I have over the past 40+ days, this morning my body woke up again at 5:00am. Although there was no reason to do so, something was lovely about my body staying in rhythm with the 40-Day Fast for Gaza for just a few more days. The experience seeped into my bones, making me feel more connected to all those impacted by the genocide in Gaza and reinvigorated to keep pushing, doing all that I can to help bring about the end of it. If you didn't keep up with my daily-ish updates, you can watch them via the [40-Day Fast for Gaza Playlist on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBASX0hQbqFX0McNJHdvP6dc&ref=reyes-chow.com), or view the compilation video below. [Subscribe to My YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) I few quick reflections about the fasting experience: - I completely underestimated the toll that fasting from sunrise to sunset would take on my physical/emotional energy and productivity. I have always respected my those who observe Ramadan, but that respect has been multiplied ten-fold. How do you all get anything done? - I am being gentle with myself as I ease back into a more regular eating, sleeping, and working rythym. TBH, having lunch is pretty nice. - I found myself deeply moved by the practice of fasting. I have never really done it before, but I think I may do it again, maybe for Lent 2026\. Anyone want to join me? No, our demands were not met, but the constant pressures that so many have been placing upon our public servants, colleagues, and friends are starting to make a difference...and we must not stop now. Thank you all for your patience with my lack of writing here over the past six weeks, but I will be back getting back on track over the next few weeks. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) --- \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. [Become a PAID SUBSCRIBER today.](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E71: Faith in the Snake Pit: Pastor Jacob Buchholz on Reality TV & Radical Inclusion URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e71-faith-in-the-snake-pit-pastor-jacob-buchholz-on-reality-tv-radical-inclusion/ Last updated: 2025-06-23T12:31:28.000Z Here is a special pre-season episode that I couldn't help but to rush out. In a world where toxic and terrible theology has dominated popular culture, I sat down with my friend and colleague, Jacob Buchholz, to talk about his role on the reality show, The Snake as "The Pastor." Listen below, [on YouTube](https://youtu.be/zSqWCButbuk?si=vqC5bApcuSpCRa7u&ref=reyes-chow.com), or [wherever you do your podcast thing](https://the-amalgamation.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). In this pre-season special, Bruce Reyes-Chow chats with Pastor Jacob Buchholz, a contestant on the new Fox reality show The Snake. They discuss Jacob’s role as a progressive Christian pastor on national TV, the show’s unique social dynamics, and his roots in Deaf ministry. It's an inspiring, thoughtful, and fun conversation about faith, visibility, and what it means to be human—even on reality TV. Watch “The Snake”: Tuesdays on Fox and streaming the next on Hulu ### Connect with Pastor Jacob 🔗 [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/the.inclusive.pastor?ref=reyes-chow.com) 🔗 [on TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@theinclusivepastor?ref=reyes-chow.com) 🔗 [at Claremont United Church of Christ](https://claremontucc.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Update: Holden Village, the 40-Day Fast for Gaza, and Productivity URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-holden-village-the-40-day-fast-for-gaze-and-productivity/ Last updated: 2025-06-22T17:59:08.000Z I hope you are doing well and finding moments of deep meaning and joy amid a world that is feeling pretty heavy on so many fronts. You may have noticed that I have not posted significant writing in a bit. I am sure the lost paid subscribers are due to a lack of content, so I apologize for not being as productive as I had intended. Thank you to the paid subscribers who have been hanging in with me through the seasons and rhythms of my writing life. I will soon be posting a Paid Subscriber personal update, so have not been forgotten. [Become a Paid Subscriber (Sliding Scale)](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) So what has been keeping me so busy? First, the 40-Day Fast for Gaza has taken more energy than I imagined it would. Even though I am not doing the 250-calorie/day fast, this Ramadan-structured fast has played games with my energy and focus. While I have found profound meaning in the fast, the next time I do it, I will find a daily routine that is more compatible with my work/family life. [Please see the post where I have been sharing all of the updates](https://www.reyes-chow.com/gaza-fast-daily/). The other reason that I have not written as much is that I have been poking back into video creation. The 40-Day Fast for Gaza has allowed me to dive back into vlogging, which I had forgotten how much I enjoy. I will be creating more videos in the future, so if you have any ideas about what I may cover, please feel free to share. In the meantime, I would appreciate any and all subscribing, following, liking, and amplifying that you are able/willing to do: - On [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - On [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - On [IG Reels](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels?ref=reyes-chow.com) This past week, I also had the privilege of being faculty for a week at [Holden Village](https://www.holdenvillage.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), a Lutheran Retreat Center in the North Cascade Mountains. Despite the feat that it was to get there — two-hour plane ride, four-hour drive, two-hour ferry, 45-minute bus — it was well worth it. It is a place whose commitment to and continuity of expression of justice, inclusion, and curiosity are deeply ingrained and genuine. I had also planned to be super-productive during my free time, but alas, fasting, video creation, and the nature took center stage (photos below). As for what is next, I am hitting the road for quite a bit of Summer speaking \[[schedule](https://www.reyes-chow.com/where-in-the-world-is-brc/)\], we are beginning to record the first official season of The Amalgamation Podcast \[[pre-season episode](https://youtu.be/zSqWCButbuk?si=rp5N%5Fv4kTQHmk1de&ref=reyes-chow.com)\], I am discerning a couple of book projects, and most-importantly, now that I am home, I will be joining as many public actions as I can around immigration, Palestine, and injustice! So there you go, just some quick updates. Life is certainly not slow, but I'm trying not to burn out. We all need to be present for the long term so we must faithfully find joy, rest, and renewal, so I will get done what I can, when I can, and I hope you are doing the same. Again, thanks all for your patience and support. Your eyeballs and dollars help me keep doing the itineration thing, and I appreciate all the ways you offer your support! Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250620_170936183.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250620_015024158.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250615_173137367.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250614_011126255.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250617_214518542.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250615_165630302.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250615_222520983.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250614_031215851.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/PXL_20250615_205449516.jpg) So grateful for my time at Holden Village --- \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### Happy Pride from a Random Presbyterian, Christian Pastor! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/happy-pride-from-presbyterian-christian-pastor/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T21:12:08.000Z If what follows speaks to you, please forward it along to anyone who needs to hear or read these words of affirmation, lament, and love. The video is on [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7512676613587340590?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DKi5EoySUot/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [YouTube](https://youtube.com/shorts/3dVZ3ux9n2Q?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [the entire text is threaded over on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3lqvz2t4etk2m?ref=reyes-chow.com). A few words of affirmation, lament, and love during Pride Month 2025! --- My name is Bruce Reyes-Chow and I'm a Presbyterian, Christian pastor, and I'm popping on here to wish you a Happy Pride! This year, I, again, add my voice to the chorus of other religious leaders to publicly and purposefully affirm our LGBTQIA+ siblings, a part of the beloved community that too many other Christians do not. I know that many churches, campus ministries, and religious leaders have inflicted emotional, spiritual, and physical trauma upon your personhood — all in the name of God. And while I don't presume to speak for or apologize on behalf of these Christian organizations and individuals, I do name them and lament the pain heaped upon you by those with whom I share a common, sacred text and profess a belief in the one called Jesus. Too many Christians have preached a gospel of "Hate the sin, love the sinner." To be clear, this is theological malpractice that disguises hate as love. This ideology reinforces cultures and justifies acts that perpetuates spiritual trauma, emotional abuse, and physical violence and death. I and others lament this reality, but make no mistake, we also reject this version of the Christian faith and want you to know that many of us affirm the fullness of your personhood. Full stop. **Our affirmation is overt, steadfast, and absolute.** I fully acknowledge that your humanity needs no affirmation by some random leader of a tradition that has historically weaponized a person's sexuality and gender in order to uphold power, influence, and wealth. That said, if there's any part of your soul that has yearned to hear an acknowledgement of pain caused, if you need to hear even a whisper of hope and healing, or if you have wondered if there are allies and accomplices out there, I hope you hear from me and other people of faith, and not only during pride, that you are loved. **This Christian, Presbyterian, Filipino-Chinese-American dad, pastor, spouse, and human loves you.** Happy Pride. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/06/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Daily Updates: 40-Day Fast for Gaza URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/gaza-fast-daily/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T21:07:27.000Z You have landed on the page where I'll be adding my daily video reflections during the 40-Day Fast for Gaza. You can read more about it in [my introduction post](https://www.reyes-chow.com/keep-hoping-keep-trying/). These are also posted on [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow??ref=reyes-chow.com), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [YouTube](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?lang=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) where I have tagged and you can follow many of the groups participating in the fast. Please subscribe, follow, and share using the hashtags: #FastForGaza #Fast4Gaza #BRCFastForGaza. [*For subscribers to The Amalgamation*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/)*, I will be updating this post daily, but, never fear, you will not receive a daily email.* 💡 Please consider following and supporting [Veterans for Peace](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com)), or [ServiceMembersForCeasefire](https://www.instagram.com/servicemembersforceasefire/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ****And if you have some coin to spare, please contribute to the** [****GoFundMe for our friends in Gaza, the Watfas**](https://gofund.me/196a04cb?ref=reyes-chow.com)****.** ## Daily Updates (Newest to Oldest) --- Thanks for those who have kept up with the 40-Day Fast for Gaza. You can watch all updates on my [40-Day Fast for Gaza YouTube Playlist](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBASX0hQbqFX0McNJHdvP6dc&si=2dSxlZKb6rsFF5ah&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Fast for Gaza: Days 37-40/40 Thoughts on compete the fast, gratitude, and keeping up the pressure ### Fast for Gaza: Days 34-36/40 Thoughts being almost done and futility of war. ### Fast for Gaza: Days 29-33/40 Thoughts on how news headlines help US-Backed Israel escape accountability. Fast for Gaza Days 29-33/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Days 25-28/40 From [Holden Village](https://www.holdenvillage.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), an update about the Watfa's and a call to keep up the pressure. Fast for Gaza Days 25-28/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Days 23-24/40 A reflection being away during so many public actions. Fast for Gaza Days 23-24/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Days 20-22/40 A reflection on travel and freedom of movement Fast for Gaza Days 20-22/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Day 19/40 A reflection on rest, sleep, and the unimaginable toll the genocide must take people simply trying survive. Fast for Gaza Day 19/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Days 14-18/40 A reflection from the [Right of Return Pilgrimage](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/04/right-of-return-pilgrimage/?ref=reyes-chow.com) sponsored by [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Interfaith4Ceasefire](https://www.instagram.com/interfaith4ceasefire/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com). Fast for Gaza Days 14-18/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Day 13/40 A reflection and invitation to follow and amplify organizations supporting our collective work for the Fast for Gaza and more — [Veterans for Peace](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com)), or [ServiceMembersForCeasefire](https://www.instagram.com/servicemembersforceasefire/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and the [Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Fast for Gaza Day 13/40 ### Fast for Gaza: Day 12/40 A reflection on being both inspired and indignant about Gaza and Palestine. Fast for Gaza Day 12/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Fast for Gaza: Days 9-11/40 Where I reflect on fasting and the graduations that Gazans will never know. Fast for Gaza Days 9,10,11/40 [Subscribe to My YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Fast for Gaza: Days 7-8/40 Venting a bit about the gift of "normalcy" and our occupied minds. Fast for Gaza Days 7&8/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 6/40 Introducing you to out friends/family in Gaza, the Watfas. Fast for Gaza Day 5/40 [Subscribe to My YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 5/40 Sharing a how I am fasting and where to find out more. Fast for Gaza Day 5/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 4/40 Reflecting on Christian Zionism and my motivation to be involved. Fast for Gaza Day 4/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 3/40 Reflecting on Palestinians' freedom of movement as I navigate a fast while on the road. Fast for Gaza Day 3/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 2/40 Felt my first hunger pangs, which is just glimpse into the hunger than other are experiencing in Gaza around the world, not because of their choices, but because of the actions and attitudes of others. Fast for Gaza Day 2/40 [Subscribe to My YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Fast for Gaza: Day 1/40 Quick update on why and how I am participating in the Fast for Gaza. I'll be fasting from Sunup to Sundown. Fast for Gaza Day 1/40 [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) ### Introduction Video Fast for Gaza Day: An Introduction and Invitation [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) If you are interested in finding out more information read on! [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/CleanShot-2025-05-17-at-11.28.51@2x.png)](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### [40 Days and Escalate!](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) You’re invited to a 40-day fast for Gaza, organized by [Veterans For Peace](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). On May 22, we begin our fasting across the country while demanding: 1) a resumption of humanitarian aid, under UN authority, to Gaza 2) that the U.S. stop arming Israel NOW! Join us in our work! We imagine two fasting options: a centralized fasting location in NYC where fasters will commit to 250 calories a day, in line with the [general caloric intake of Gazans](https://www.oxfam.org.uk/media/press-releases/people-in-northern-gaza-forced-to-survive-on-245-calories-a-day-less-than-a-can-of-beans-oxfam/?ref=reyes-chow.com) under the ongoing Israeli military blockade, and a dispersed fasting option for folks to join the work from their local context. This action is open to all Gaza allies and people of good conscience who want an end to the genocide in Gaza, veteran or not. [Join the 40-Day Fast for Gaza](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) Peace — ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) \*If you are a subscriber and would like your emails personalized, please be sure to log into your subscription account and update your info. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Join Me? Gaza 40-Day Fast and 22-Mile Pilgrimage URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/keep-hoping-keep-trying/ Last updated: 2025-05-20T12:29:43.000Z Here is a quick video that I just posted about two ways that I am going to keep hoping and keep trying in my activism, advocacy, and solidarity with and for the People of Palestine (Full Transcript at the bottom of this post). If you are interested in finding out more information about either of these offerings, read on! --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/CleanShot-2025-05-17-at-11.28.51@2x.png)](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### [40 Days and Escalate!](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) You’re invited to a 40-day fast for Gaza, organized by [Veterans For Peace](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). On May 22, we begin our fasting across the country while demanding: 1) a resumption of humanitarian aid, under UN authority, to Gaza 2) that the U.S. stop arming Israel NOW! Join us in our work! We imagine two fasting options: a centralized fasting location in NYC where fasters will commit to 250 calories a day, in line with the [general caloric intake of Gazans](https://www.oxfam.org.uk/media/press-releases/people-in-northern-gaza-forced-to-survive-on-245-calories-a-day-less-than-a-can-of-beans-oxfam/?ref=reyes-chow.com) under the ongoing Israeli military blockade, and a dispersed fasting option for folks to join the work from their local context. This action is open to all Gaza allies and people of good conscience who want an end to the genocide in Gaza, veteran or not. [Join the 40-Day Fast for Gaza](https://www.fosna.org/2025gazafast?ref=reyes-chow.com) *For more info* [*Email Addie*](mailto:addiedomske@fosna.org?subject=I%20want%20to%20sponsor%20the%20VFP%20Fast)*, FOSNA National Field Organizer, before May 22.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/Right-to-Return-Pilgrimage.png) ### [Right of Return Pilgrimage](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/04/right-of-return-pilgrimage/?ref=reyes-chow.com) On June 8th, 2025, join Interfaith4Ceasefire and IM4HI to join our pilgrimage in public witness for the **Palestinian Right of Return** to their homes and families and affirm the human right to remain, return, and migrate. We will journey **22 miles**—from Alameda to Berkeley—in reverse of last year’s pilgrimage route, journeying in prayer and solidarity with the right to return, symbolizing the distance from Rafah to Gaza City. This effort is part of the **global movement of Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages** that began last year and continues on. You can read more info about the movement [here](http://www.gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We gather in pilgrimage across spiritual and cultural communities because we uphold **human life**, **dignity** and **mutual well-being** as foundations of our spiritual beliefs. We recognize that the atrocities being carried out by U.S. tax dollars against the Palestinian people are intertwined with cruel and harmful U.S. policies of family separation, incarceration and criminalization that harms immigrants, unsheltered people, Indigenous, trans and BIPOC communities. [Learn More About the Pilgrimage](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/04/right-of-return-pilgrimage/?ref=reyes-chow.com) I hope you can join either or both of these efforts, but if not, do not lose hope and keep trying — and trying again. Peace — ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) \*If you are a subscriber and would like your emails personalized, please be sure to log into your subscription account and update your info. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Video Transcript: > Hey friends. We live in a country that is embracing, nationalized cruelty, defining human worth with arbitrary measures of citizenship and continuing to fund and support genocide in Gaza. While many would like to believe that this is not who we are, many of us know that this is how we've always been. Only now the voices of inequality and inhumanity and cruelty have been emboldened and elected. Sometimes it feels hopeless that nothing we do matters or makes a difference. > When the roots of that voice begin to grow in my soul, I remember that every generation of justice seekers has felt hopeless, and every generation of world changers has continued to do the work. But if not for their commitment to movements of justice, healing, and belonging in their day, what more of a mess would be in ours? So inspired by my ancestors, I brush aside hopelessness to the best of my ability, and I continue to do what I can. For when my descendants wonder what I did during the season of struggle, even if I don't see the solutions in my lifetime, I want them to know that I tried and I kept on trying. > There are two things that I'm taking on over the next few months in my ongoing activism, advocacy, and solidarity with and for the Palestinian people. > On May 22nd, I will join the 40-Day Gaza Fast organized by Veterans for Peace and Co-sponsored by Friends of Sabeel North America. I'll be fasting from dawn to sunset for 40 days joining with others to demand the resumption of humanitarian aid under UN authority to Gaza and that the US stop arming Israel now. > Then on June 8th, I will join the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity and Interfaith4Ceasefire during portions of their 22-Mile Right of Return Pilgrimage in the San Francisco Bay Area as hundreds of us walk in public witness for the Palestinian right of return to their homes and families. > You are invited and welcome to join, support ,and amplify either or both of these efforts. > As I've said before, when it comes to doing my part, I've done more than many and far less than most. I will keep hoping and I will keep trying and I trust that you will too. Peace. ### Be Someone's Radical Auntie URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/be-someones-radical-auntie/ Last updated: 2025-05-18T17:38:15.000Z **SPRING PLEA:** I currently have 170 Paid Subscribers (Thank you!) and aim to reach 200 by the end of May. You can become a paid subscriber for as little as $1/month. For itinerating, giggling, freelancing folks like me, the financial support of family, friends, and strangers is deeply appreciated. [Sliding Scale Subscription Rates](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) --- Today, I give thanks to the Radical Aunties of the world. At any given game during my storied Little League baseball career, you would have heard my people cheering me on — loudly and disproportionately. My mom was there along with my Aunties — Peggy, Joyce, Cherita, Kim, and whoever else was drafted into the role of family during this season of my Mom's life. They were loud, maybe a little tipsy (Lore has it that there was beer and wine involved), and always there to defend, support, and love me into my whole self. Not sure if the booze part is true, but what is true is that I was raised by committee — a group of Radical Aunties. Yes, "radical" is all relative, but for me, radical means that they were left in their politics, progressives in their social awareness, and deeply committed to community-thriving over individuality. 💡 RADICAL AUNTIES, while often experienced in the traditional female form, the idea of being that radical, beyond-blood presence has and does manifest itself in the beautiful and bountiful ways that humans exist in the world. This past week, I had the opportunity to share a meal with some of those Auties who played a huge role in raising me. As time has passed, we've all grown older, and some Aunties have passed away, but one constant is the power of their presence and impact on my life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250515_014041431.jpg) I can't even begin to count the moments and gestures of love that placed their mark on my life. Gestures were not always about politics and social issues, but, about the radical commitment to be family beyond blood or marriage. Radical gestures included rides to and from school/practices, dining and travel adventures beyond mom's budget, cool clothes buying, gifting me my first brand-new-to-me car (197x Toyota Corona), showing up at all the games, helping my mother make parenting decisions, and always being there for my mother in ways that allowed her to be there for me. **Thank you Radical Aunties!** I have been hooked on this Paramount+ Show, [SkyMed](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15437862/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Yes, it is brain-candy binging of beautiful people making questionable life choices, but it also has some threads about love, relationships, calling, family, and more. The show is based in Canada and has a diverse cast that touches upon multiple cultural and social storylines. On more than one occasion, I have found myself weeping over the attention to the indigenous characters' references to "the community," their naming of "family" being beyond blood, and their consistent acknowledgment of the power and complexities of knowing one's ancestors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250518_030915098.jpg) One character is going through a season of self-awareness about his indigeneity and his connection to his mother's community. As he walks into one room and is being introduced to aunties, uncles, and cousins, he asks, "Am I related to all of these people?" His uncle responds basically with something like, "Yes, and some by blood," reinforcing the theme that one's people and one's community are not defined solely by bloodlines, but by a connection to the spirit of people, the land, and the self. In another thread, the during main character, Kristal's, struggle with identity, vocation, community, and wanting to be all the the things to all the people, her grandmother helps her to understand that she is already many things at once and that she has never been and is not now alone — her ancestors have been, will be and here her to guide her. This was ugly cry TV for me. For those connected to communities for whom the " . . . and some even my blood" and, "our ancestors will guide us" spirit is deeply ingrained, these are not new concepts, but to see these realities portrayed on TV with such tenderness and realism is affirming and compelling. Without question, the Radical Aunties in my life gave of their time, their resources, their energy, and their love to support my mother by helping to raise and form me. I will forever be grateful and compelled to create space where this cycle of support and presence will be repeated for the current generations, and [generations to come](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/). Most recently, during [my recent trip to Palestine](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-month-in-palestine-the-horrible-the-holy/), we had conversations about radical aunties. There was a little one on the trip (images used with permission from the parents), and my own kid, who has been raised by their own set of Radical Aunties, was tasked with being the Radical Auntie to another. The Radical Auntie circle is being completed again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250418_150841675.jpg) The next gen Radical Auntie Today, I encourage you to name and give thanks for those Radical Auties who raised you and to take a deep breath of pride and encouragement for the ways in which you have been invited into being the Radical Auntie to others. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) --- For kicks and giggles, here is another Little League and the only time I will ever be an Astros fan 😄 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/Bruce-Little-league-2.jpg) --- \*If you are a subscriber and would like your emails personalized, please be sure to log into your subscription account and update your info. ### My Month in Palestine: The Horrible & The Holy URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-month-in-palestine-the-horrible-the-holy/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T03:05:49.000Z As promised, here is the slide portion of the live presentation I gave on May 10, 2025\. We had some technical difficulties, so I had to re-record as if people were listening. Good times. Trained by leading online worship during the pandemic, I am used to talking to my own face, advancing slides, and entertaining myself all the while. Also, about the captions — while I'm sure I missed things, I did catch "Church of the Holy Sepulchre" typos which showed up both as "Holy Slicker" and "Holy Sucker." So, you're welcome 😄 Also, I will not write out in full what I said, as there is no need to make it too easy for those who are looking to behave poorly. That said, here are the links — #### Use the Slides and/or Presentation - The slides are [posted on Slideshare](https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/holy-horrible-palestine-presentation-part-i-pdf/279019971?ref=reyes-chow.com). - The video is [posted on YouTube](https://youtu.be/wPrupQft7nk?ref=reyes-chow.com). - If you would like access to the Google Slides, [please contact me](maitto:theteam@reyes-chow.com) and let me know how you plan on using them. #### Links from Introduction Slides - Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (SABEEL) | [Subscribe to their Newsletter](https://sabeel.org/subscribtion-page/?aiEnableCheckShortcode=true&ref=reyes-chow.com) - Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) | [Subscribe to their Newsletter](https://fosna.nationbuilder.com/subscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Julie, Walking in Faith Delegation photographer [@wearetherichards on IG](https://www.instagram.com/wearetherichards/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Joseph, Grassroots Partners Delegation videographer & photographer [@jfsephp on IG](https://www.instagram.com/jfsephp/?ref=reyes-chow.com) #### Links to Organizations Mentioned: - [Douban Dance Company](https://www.instagram.com/douban%5Fpd/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in East Jerusalem - [Dar al-Kalima University](hhttps://www.daralkalima.edu.ps/en) in Bethlehem - [Tent of Nations](https://tentofnations.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in Bethlehem - [Palestinian Circus](https://palcircus.ps/en/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in Ramallah - [Suraj Library and Storytelling Project](https://www.serajlibraries.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in Ramallah - [Educational Bookshop](https://educationalbookshop.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in East Jerusalem - [War Child](https://www.warchild.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com), Global - [I Witness Silwan](https://www.iwitnesssilwan.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Ayn Karim Village](https://www.palestineremembered.com/Jerusalem/Ayn-Karim/index.html?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Nabi Samwil Village](https://www.palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/al%5FNabi%5FSamwil%5F1074/index.html?ref=reyes-chow.com) Please take some time to visit their websites, subscribe to their newsletters, follow them on the socials, and donate as you are able. #### Stay in Touch with Me - eMail: [bruceatreyeshyphenchowdotcom](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) - BlueSky: [@breyeschow.com](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- It is through your view and financial support that I get to do what I do. Please consider signing up for a free or paid subscription today. Thanks! ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. \*If you would like the email version of this post to be personalized, please be sure to log into your subscription account and update your info. ### Privilege, Perseverance, and Running My First Half-Marathon URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/privilege-my-first-half-marathon/ Last updated: 2025-05-05T01:15:32.000Z To finish off our birthday weekend (Our birthdays are one day apart), Middle Child and I ran and completed the [2025 Bay Bridge Half-Marathon](https://rtrt.me/ulink/%5FRT/MASCOT-BAYBRIDGEHALF-2025/tracker/R4L3TG7Y/focus?ref=reyes-chow.com): their second, my first. Calm down, runner friends, while I run, I still do not consider myself a runner. I have never loved running — and still don't. 💡 [Play by play with my race day commentary on IG.](https://www.instagram.com/p/DJQMhodPJqC/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) I do, however, find running meaningful. Running these 5Ks, 10Ks, and now a half-marathon race over the past 18 months has challenged me to try hard things, motivated me to keep up with my fitness [OrangeTheory](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-orangetheory-fitness-story/) regimen, and acts as a reminder of [how far I have come](https://www.reyes-chow.com/one-long-covid-year-later-11441d41d9cc/) in my health journey. But nope, I still do not love running. I do not crave running, and I certainly would not miss running. If you must label it, I would be okay with "occasional runner of races where Bruce gets a medal" 🏅😄 But don't get me wrong, even though my legs are flipping me the finger with every step, I am pretty proud of this moment and this particular race: - **I ran/jogged most of the time.** I walked less than a mile, but kept my legs churning for most of the race. - **I felt pretty good physically throughout.** At no point did I get out of breath. I tried to sprint at the end, and the lungs/heart were willing, but the legs went on strike. - **I was mentally chill.** At no point during the race did I want to stop. The night before, I was questioning my life-choices, but during the race, I just ran my race. - **I finished.** While I set a goal to finish sub-three-hours ([2:46:14](https://rtrt.me/ulink/%5FRT/MASCOT-BAYBRIDGEHALF-2025/tracker/R4L3TG7Y/focus?ref=reyes-chow.com)), I am only "competing" against myself, and crossing the finish line was good enough. So yes, I am proud of this accomplishment, but make no mistake, I would not have been able to do this without many privileges in my life. Does that mean that I did not do anything to accomplish this? Of course not, I did a bunch of things to get ready. Does that mean that I didn't work hard? Of course, I worked hard: running, lifting, resting, eating, etc. And do my privileges cancel out any pride I should have in running 13.1 miles in a row and on purpose without dying or barfing? I hope not, because not dying or puking during exercise is always a W in my book 😄 ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. All that said, the privileges in my life gave me a head start, allowing me to pursue this goal. The privileges of time, resources, and situation, combined with my hard work and commitment, have enabled me to get more fit, explore this running thing, and, yes, finish a race that I could never have imagined I could have finished just 18 months ago. - **Healthcare:** I have shared before that the healthcare that I receive through my wife's work has saved my life. I had more than my share of life-threatening incidents and long hospital stays: long covid and pancreatitis, and there is no way that I could have been treated and eventually recovered without that healthcare. Healthcare tied to employment is a travesty and one of the most short-sighted aspects of American capitalism. It is a privilege from which I reap the benefits, but I did nothing to earn. **Healthcare for all!** - **Resources:** Staying fit is often not cheap, especially as one gets older AND does not have the discipline or knowledge to do it on their own. I have the fiscal privilege to join things like OrangeTheory, which provides a structure for my fitness, and do things like StretchLab and see a chiropractor to stay on top of my body's overall health. - **Work life:** While there are some downsides to this itinerate, gig life that I lead, not only does it allow me to see movies in the middle of the day and never go to CostCo on the weekends, but I have the flexiblity to set my schedule for meetings, content creation, and, yes, fitness. - **Support:** I am deeply grateful for my spouse, kids, and extended family, who are super supportive of my fitness endeavors. Not everyone has this kind of support. I share this perspective because I think it's important for us all to acknowledge the various and multiple privileges in our lives: gender, education, citizenship, etc — not to take away from what we accomplish, but to remind that other begin with far less and to provoke us into doing all that we can to make the same resources available to others — especially when it comes to the health of one's body, mind, and soul. Not everyone will take on this particular activity, but given the same head start and support, imagine what folks could and would do. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250504_151326982.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250504_163422103.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250504_180435321.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/05/PXL_20250504_183017275.jpg) Here are a few more pics from race day: before, during, after, and after-after. --- \*If you would like the email version of this post to be personalized, please be sure to log into your subscription account and add update your info. ### What We Do Makes a Difference. Period. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-we-do-makes-a-difference-period/ Last updated: 2025-05-02T12:03:08.000Z While the regular, "I hope this letter finds you well..." greeting may seem like wishful thinking bordering on trite, I truly hope you are doing as well as can be during this moment in our collective life together. And if you are not, you are not alone. Like clockwork, and usually after watching the news, I often stumble like a ragdoll into a pit of despair, wondering during my rapid descent if anything I do makes any difference at all. When I look around the world and observe almost any issue that matters to me — the *in*justice system, unattainable housing, inaccessible educational opportunities, the scourge of militarism, our addiction to gun violence, legislated racism, ongoing genocides, nationalized cruelty, theological malpractice, disappointed in community and colleagues...and on and on — it really does feel like I am racking up the losses. **And yet, before I hit the bottom, I force myself to choose hope.** I am not talking about a bumper-stickered, t-shirt-sloganed, "don't worry, be happy" industrial complex kind of hope. Rather, I embrace a hope that is given depth, texture, and meaning by a people and a faith that demand it of me. Because it seems as though things are just getting worse and worse, I often find myself screaming into the void some version of, "What we have done hasn't accomplished anything!" This is often followed by a barrage of expletive-laden accusations and blame leveled at institutions, individuals, and political parties for their ineptitude, ambivalence, and inaction. While this feels like a legitimate assessment in the immediacy of the moment, I always have a twinge of discomfort when I am in this frame of mind. I wonder how my ancestors feel about me saying that their responses to the injustices of their day have not made a difference in my life, and I wonder if my descendants will feel the same about how I am responding to the injustices of my time. Can you imagine what our world would be like if our ancestors hadn't done anything? How much worse would the world be? How much worse would my life be? And if we choose to give in and give up today? How much worse will the world be for generations to come? I believe what my ancestors did has made a difference in the world **— so I am compelled to believe that what I do does too.** ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. One of the other places where I am inspired to hope is when I am in the midst of friends and communities who carry wisdom and perspective greater than I could ever muster on my own. From friends in Palestine who hope because their families have outlived kingdoms and empires; to a parishioner who hoped, fueled by the belief that God had a calling for him even in the final months of his life; to movements of loving justice-seekers whose hope toppled mountains of social, cultural, and institutional transgressions I have been shown that what others have done has made a difference in the world **— so I am compelled to believe that what I do does too.** And finally, I hope because of my Christian faith. Yes, there are some warped versions of Christianity out there, but central to the version I profess and confess is peace, love, joy, and hope. It is a faith that believes that God is calling us into a relationship of goodness and grace, manifested in just and genuine relationships with one another. And it is a faith that makes the brazen claim that, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, even out of overwhelming destruction, death, and despair, we can and will know wholeness, healing, and hope. And honestly, despite our best attempts to render faith as inconsequential, I have too often seen faith-based action make a difference in the world **— so I am compelled to believe that what I do does too.** So there you go. In no way do I expect folks to be hopeful on command, especially when it doesn't feel genuine or attainable. We all have to move when and how we feel called. Sure, we can continually improve and do better with our strategies and actions, but as we do so, it must be fueled by a belief that what we do, even when it feels like a loss, makes a difference. So with that, I deeply *hope* that you will leave space for *hope* so you can manifest *hope* in your heart, mind, and soul, because when we do, our *collective hope* makes a difference in the world. --- \*If you would like your email version of The Amalgamation to be personalized, please update your account with your name. ### INVITATION: "The Horrible and the Holy" A Report Back from my Time in Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-horrible-and-the-holy-an-invitation/ Last updated: 2025-04-29T23:12:37.000Z After spending three weeks in Palestine at the invitation of [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Friends of Sabeel North America](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), you are invited to my live presentation for Free and Paid Subscribers to this newsletter on May 10, 2025 or a publicly available presentation on May 12, 2025where I will share it widely on the socials ([Follow on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) to say updated). #### LIVE PRESENTATION | MAY 10, 2025 The Life Presentation will be on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 9:00am PT and will only be open to Free or Paid Subscribers to The Amalgamation. For the first 45 minutes, I'll share a prepared presentation. This will be recorded and available for the public on May 12, 2025\. The last 45 minutes will be a Q&R time with subscribers and will not be recorded. #### RECORDED PRESENTATION | May 12, 2025 On Monday, May 12, I will post the recorded presentation portion on this page and share it widely on the socials. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-3-1.png) --- _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The + Friday + Five | Recommendations URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-04-25-25-recommendations/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:20:32.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 04.25.25 For today's Friday + Five, I'd love to get your input on a few random things I've been exploring or planning to do in the future. So, yes, I am unapologetically inviting you to share your opinions and recommendations. You will need to be [subscribed to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) to leave a comment. **One // Half-Marathon Prep —** Somehow, I am now a runner. After running a couple of 5K and 10K races, I foolishly signed up to run [The Bay Bridge Half](https://letsdothis.com/share/680bf54578dbfb40ff015eef?ref=reyes-chow.com) just two weeks after my month in Palestine. Idiot. In any case, I'm doing it. It's my first one ever, so I am looking for race prep advice. 💡 ****Question One: How do you prep for a half-marathon race day?** **Two // 4K Webcam —** I have been using my Canon M50 DSLR camera with a monster setup to video at my desk. After taking it with me on my last adventures and then never using it, I think I'm going to sell the camera and lenses (LMK if you are interested) and will get a 4K Webcam for my Macbook Pro. There are so many options out there, so I would love some recs from anyone who already has one. 💡 ****Question Two: What are your recommendations for a 4K Webcam?** **Three // Notion —** I have been a Google person for a long time and have generally been able to overlook some of the questionable things they do because it's damn useful. And yes, I have dipped my toe into the Google vs. Apple battles over the years, but now it's a wash. With Google making increasingly questionable decisions regarding free speech and bending to the current presidential administration's demands, I am trying to extricate myself from the Google ecosystem. One way I am doing this is by switching some of my project management and document creation to [Notion](https://www.notion.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). 💡 ****Question Three:** If you are Notion user, what are your tips, hacks, and best practices? **Four // Podcast possibilities.** One of the most enjoyable listening experiences I have is listening to fiction/literature podcasts like [*Midnight Burger*](https://open.spotify.com/show/3flVB3CeXIfVHwXjcKkNk8?si=a0fd019f2e074ccf&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Sherlock & Co*.](https://open.spotify.com/show/5yfvdowY1nFCyXRTD5ITqb?si=2a871d3e30994f68&ref=reyes-chow.com) and I want more of it! 💡 ****Question Four:** What fiction/literature podcast do you reccomend? **Five // What shall I address?** Are there any topics, questions, or issues that I should address? I have opinions and thoughts about a great many things (Too many?) which is part of my charm 😀 but I can also be all over the place. With my increased commitment to this newsletter, I would welcome any suggestions for content to take on that have to do with politics, faith, pop-culture, or anything else. And with that, your Friday + Five request for random recommendations. Please feel free to leave your ideas in the comments so others can see them, or feel free to [contact me directly](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com). Thanks in advance, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-2.png) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: Since [the last Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-04-18-25-palestine-ii/), I spent Easter in Palestine. As I shared, [Easter Saturday was horrible and holy](https://www.reyes-chow.com/holy-fire-horrors-and-holiness-this-easter-in-palestine/),. That said one of the most meaningful parts about my trip was that one of my kids was part of the delegation. We had folks from their 20s to the 70s, which was awesome. In any case, it was a joy to witness my adult child in full participant mode. So proud of the human that they have become. Here is the pic of us on Easter Sunday at the [Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem](https://christmaslutheran.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250420_091111423-1.jpg) Easter Sunday at the [Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem](https://christmaslutheran.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### Holy Fire, Horrors, and Holiness this Easter in Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/holy-fire-horrors-and-holiness-this-easter-in-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-04-21T18:27:04.000Z Greetings from Jordan, where I am decompressing before heading home after nearly a month in Palestine. I have had the privilege of being part of or leading four delegations to Palestine since October 2023\. With each delegation, the level of brutality, impunity, and hubris never fails to amaze and enrage me. Through the lens of every visit to the land, every conversation with Palestinians, and every movement interaction, I am more and more convinced that what happens to the Palestinian people and how the world responds to the genocide and occupation, will determin if, when, and how the world will counteract the ills and evils of empire, capitaolism, militarism, climate change, racism, classism, gender, etc. The intersectionality that Palestine represents in staring us all in the face. I only hope that we will respond before more lives are lost. Over the past month, I have been in and out of Palestine, including spending Holy Week in Jerusalem with a delegation invited by [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and supported by [Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). There are so many moments worthy of sharing and I will do so, but for now, let me tell you about Easter Saturday and the [Ceremony of the Holy Fire](https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/4/20/thousands-gather-for-centuries-old-holy-fire-ceremony-in-jerusalem?ref=reyes-chow.com) that we witnessed in Palestine, 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250419_102707578.jpg) The crowd from a rooftop just across the street. ### The Holy Fire Will Not Be Occupied Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! Despite the Occupiers' best intentions. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! Our Christian siblings in Palestine hoped to celebrate Holy Week in The Old City of Jerusalem, in the churches of their ancestors, with their communties of faith. But the Occupation would deny them the opportunity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250419_084954437.jpg) The crowd gathering at New Gate, one of the gates where Christians were being blocked from entering the Old City. We privileged foreigners with privileged passports. Given access to the city of Jerusalem. We hoped to worship in a house of the Holy One. But the Occupation would not let us in. We anticipated the Celebration of the Holy Fire. But the Occupation would withhold the experience. We yearned to be part of the Body of Christ made real. But the Occupation would divide us with barriers and bullets. We waited with others, with hopeful anticipation to be granted access. But the Occupation moved with disregard and disdain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/day8holyfirefinalWEB-17--1-.jpg) Elderly man being thrown over a fence that lead to a shaded area near the Old City The people chose restraint, patience, and steadfastness. But the Occupation chose arrest, violence, and intimidation. Why would the occupiers do this? Because they can. But despite the Occupiers' inhumanity and intimidation. Despite the Occupiers' wrath and weaponry. Despite the Occupiers' commitment to containment. Despite the Occupiers also being victims of the occupation. Christ has risen. Christ has risen indeed. 0:00 /0:30 1× The Holy Fire emerges from New Gate in The Old City, Jerusalem Despite the Occupiers' attempts and intentions. The Holy Fire emerged. The people cheered. The Holy Fire was shared. Person to person. Community to community. The Holy Fire will spread. The Holy Fire will not be extinguished. The Occupiers are not the arbiters of hope. Death does not have the last word. From generation to generation. The Resurrection will be made known. Christ has risen. Christ has risen indeed. Christ will continue to rise again and again. Amen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) [*Crossposted on Instagram*](https://www.instagram.com/p/DIt8HSuoLUG/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) --- With gratitude for the steadfast commitment to justice, compassion, and the liberation of Palestine of these orgs and many more. - [Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Friends of Sebeel, North America (FOSNA)](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- There were many disturbing images from the day, but none uglier than the sign at the gate from the Israeli Police to Christians. Hypocritical does not begin to describe the level of impunity and depravity communicated in this sign and what was taking place right in front of it. For more about the violence of the day, see the [*Press Release issued by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem on the Assaults Against Worshippers During Holy Fire Saturday*](https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/website-announcements/press-release-issued-by-the-orthodox-patriarchate-of-jerusalem-on-the-assaults-against-worshippers-during-holy-fire-saturday/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJzbCtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHg1ns1XlsyWHvGEk3ctwWr7XoSSavQOTy5o%5FG8TQwEdzWTPvoNzByP-B1fUu%5Faem%5F7jiaFua%5F3ELPVpeBzqjGWg&ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/day8holyfirefinalWEB-1--1--1.jpg) Sign hung the gates to The Old City, the blocked gates. There were also more traditional moments of Easter hope. One of my children and I spent Easter Sunday at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, where the Christ in the Rubble sits today as a reminder of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250420_091111423.jpg) Middle Child and me ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250420_091209813.jpg) Christ in the Rubble, Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bethlehem ### The + Friday + Five | on Palestine II URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-04-18-25-palestine-ii/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:21:54.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 04.18.25 If you have been [following me on the BlueSkies](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com), you know that I have been in Palestine for almost three weeks, leading two separate delegations with [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Friends of Sabeel, North America](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (FOSNA). We are currently here during Holy Week, which is very much and very much not what one might expect. More on that later. For today's Friday Five, I simply want to share five fundamental truths that I have found helpful in my advocacy and solidarity work with Palestinians, both over the past years, but especially since October 2023\. I have included some readings for each area, but you can also view all of the books I have marked on my [Free Palestine Shelf on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/free-palestine-bruce-reyes-chow?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you want to pick up a few now, here are three. - [*Ten Myths About Israel*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781786630193?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Ilan Pappe - [*Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781620977255?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick - And a novel that I am reading right now, *[Salt Houses](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781328915856?ref=reyes-chow.com)* by Hala Alyan **One // This did not all start on October 7, 2023.** Despite Palestine entering the consciousness of many people differently, myself included, the attack on October 7th, the response by Israel, and the complicity of the world cannot be understood in a vacuum. We must understand the history of the formation of Israel, the nature of the occupation, and the impact on the people of Palestine. Read: [*Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780062431783?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Two // God is not a real estate agent.** The bible is often used as a justification for the establishment of Israel, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and the existence of Christian Zionism. The level of theological and biblical malpractice that is used to use the bible in this way is astonishing. Read: [*Call and Commitment: A Journey of Faith from Nakba to Palestinian Liberation Theology*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781666798975?ref=reyes-chow.com) by The Reverend Canon Naim Ateek. **Three // To critique the state of Israel is not antisemitic.** Despite this being a central part of the propaganda of Israel and Christian Zionists used to justify the actions of the state, the state of Israel and the religious tradition of Judaism are not one and the same. Read: [*Anti-semitism and Palestine*](https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2024-05/antisemitism-palestine-david-neuhaus.html?ref=reyes-chow.com) by David Neuhaus, S.J., Professor of Scripture in Israel and Palestine. **Four // Palestine was not a land without people.** Another standard message used to justify its founding was, "A land without a people for a people without a land." It does not take much research to know that there were indeed people here and in a place called Palestine. Read: [*Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780755649426?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Nur Masalh **Five // The two-state solution is not a solution at all.** In my conversations with Palestinians, I have found very few who are interested in a two-state solution. If forced upon them, that is one thing, but for the long term, one Palestine, many people, free movement, and a true democracy is the dream. Read: [*Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine: Zionism, Settler Colonialism, and the Case for One Democratic State*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780745343396?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Jeff Halper This is not an exhaustive list of realities to explore — ethnic cleansing, apartheid, home demolition, Christian Zionism, arts, culture, etc. — but if you are feeling the nudge to find out more, especially more that does not come from those who justify how most media outlets communicate what is happening, I hope this helps. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: I have had the privilege of spending this time with one of my kids. Traveling with my adult child as they share their insights, curiosities, and convictions has been a joy. The communities that have raised them have done a good job. Here are some pictures and a video from Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, where, despite most Palestinian Christians not being allowed into the city, thousands of Jerusalemite Christians joined in the procession. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250413_121335444-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250413_122242681.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250413_121141776-1.jpg) 0:00 /0:07 1× --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### The + Friday + Five | More Books URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-04-11-25-books/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:22:32.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 04.11.25 First, how are we at the middle of April? Wild. I hope you are navigating all that's unfolding in the world and/or in your life with care, kindness, and as many deep breaths as you need. Today, Friday + Five, I'm offering some more books for your piles, devices, or gift-giving list. *Disclaimer:* All links are affiliate links to [my Bookstore on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/The-Amalgation-Books-Friday-Five.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **1)** [***They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl's Fight for Freedom***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593134597?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri. This is a powerful account of a young person's resistance under occupation. I have not read it yet, but it's on its way to my home. > But this is not just a story of activism or imprisonment. It is the human-scale story of an occupation that has riveted the world and shaped global politics, from a girl who grew up in the middle of it . Tamimi’s father was born in 1967, the year that Israel began its occupation of the West Bank and he grew up immersed in the resistance movement. One of Tamimi’s earliest memories is visiting him in prison, poking her toddler fingers through the fence to touch his hand. She herself would spend her seventeenth birthday behind bars. Living through this greatest test and heightened attacks on her village, Tamimi felt her resolve only deepen, in tension with her attempts to live the normal life of a daughter, sibling, friend, and student. --- **2)** [***Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity's Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781623176242?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira. I love this title. A friend suggested this one as a way to think about our activism with more depth. > Driven by expansion, colonialism, and resource extraction and propelled by neoliberalism and rabid consumption, our world is profoundly out of balance. We take more than we give; we inoculate ourselves in positive self-regard while continuing to make harmful choices; we wreak irreparable havoc on the ecosystems, habitats, and beings with whom we share our planet. But instead of drowning in hopelessness, how can we learn to face our reality with humility and accountability? --- ***3)*** [***On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780804190114?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Timothy Snyder. I will admit, there was a little oppositional behavior in my not reading this one yet, but I tossed it in the cart at the suggestion of another friend. > The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience. > > *On Tyranny* is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come. --- **4)** [***Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593727362?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Jeff Chu. A copy of this book arrived at my home just before I left for a month. Not wanting to bring a hardcover with me, I can't wait to dive in upon my return home. Jeff writes about life, faith, belonging, and justice. > In gorgeous, transporting reflections, Chu introduces us to the cast of characters, human and not, who became his teachers. While observing the egrets that visit the pond, the worms that turn waste into fertile soil, and the Chinese long beans that get passed over in the farm’s CSA, Chu considers our desire to belong, the story behind the food on our plate, and the significance of his own roots. What is the earth trying to tell us, if we’ll only stop and listen? --- **5)** [***We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780691232607?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Musa Al-Gharbi. I am working my way through this book and will encourage any and all folks who are engaged in the work of social justice. This book challenges us to think about how we are propping up systems that value our work and efforts over those whom we claim to be fighting for. This book as rocked my world, and I hope you give it a chance to do the same for yours. > *We Have Never Been Woke* details how the language of social justice is increasingly used to justify this elite--and to portray the losers in the knowledge economy as deserving their lot because they think or say the "wrong" things about race, gender, and sexuality. Al-Gharbi's point is not to accuse symbolic capitalists of hypocrisy or cynicism. Rather, he examines how their genuine beliefs prevent them from recognizing how they contribute to social problems--or how their actions regularly provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion. --- Okay, there you go. If you are a subscriber, you have access to leave comments, so I would love to hear what you are reading, plan to read, and/or think we should read ourselves! PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: As I write this, I am at the end of a shot break in between leading to delegations to Palestine. The first delegation was a joy to be part of as I learned new things, met new people, and helped to widen the circle of folks who yearn to see an end to genocide and a free Palestine for the future. While one does not expect to capture memorable moments of oneself, when you have a professional photographer on the trip, you get pics like these. [Thanks Joseph](https://www.instagram.com/jfsephp/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/Palestine-Day-5-16.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/Palestine-Day-4-39.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/Palestine-Day-5-48.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/Palestine-Day-3-20.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### Slow Ghosting the Metaverse URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/slow-ghosting-the-metaverse/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T19:41:52.000Z Oh, Meta, why are you the way you are? Leave. Stay. Leave. Stay. Like so many, these past years and recent months have forced me to reflect upon the nature of my relationship with all things Meta. I understand that I dwell in a particular public-facing space. I certainly find meaning in personal interaction, but I also strive to cultivate a level of trust to be a reliable source for other people's content — all while simultaneously trying to make a living by offering subscriber-worthy reflections and takes on culture, faith, and other things. With recent developments around [community accountability modeled after X](https://www.platformer.news/meta-community-notes-launch/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and how [Meta is pirating books](https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/books-database-libgen-meta-ai-training-andy-warhol-ai-weiwei-1234736227/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ([even mine](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3lmetnhpm5e2g?ref=reyes-chow.com)) to train their AI, I find myself in a constant international negotiation about how much energy and time I should devote to the Meta platforms. Like most aspects of living in the world, how we spend our money, how we use our time, or how we engage in social media, we negotiate our ideological convictions, our internal ethical guides, and the particularities of our social contexts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/Screenshot_20250408-210427.png) Search results for my books on LibGen At the end of the day, there is no one right answer when it comes to social media. Social platforms will come and go; some folks stay longer than others, some people exit early, and others never engage. There is no pure social space, there is no space where everyone is present, and no space will be the savior for all that ails us as a society. While some are undoubtedly dangerous, social platforms are, at their core, an infinite number of third spaces where people find belonging and community. Over the years, I have hung out in most spaces until the mutually exploitative nature of the relationship was no longer worth it. I didn't leave X when everyone else did, but I finally did. When it comes to Meta platforms, I have pretty much stepped away from any interaction on Threads or my Facebook Page. I occasionally post and story on Instagram, give sporadic updates on my Facebook Page, and use WhatsApp because that is one of the organizing and international texting platforms that many still use. Are there better options? Undoubtedly. Do I wish I could leave them all? Yes. Do I still find meaning in some of the spaces? Of course. If you want to connect like Twitter 2010s, come on over to BlueSky! [Me on BlueSky ](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) As I think about my future on social platforms, I generally don't plan for how I will be in the future; rather, I look back and reflect upon the meaningful ways I have been engaging, sharing, etc. and then commit to continuing those practices. In order of Meta engagement, from least to most: - [**Threads:**](https://sfba.social/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com)I haven't logged into Threads for months, and since all notifications are turned off, some people could be talking all kinds of trash over there, and I am blissfully unaware. I still push stuff out using Buffer.app (I do the same with [Mastadon](https://sfba.social/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com)) but I'm not sure how much longer I will invest $60 year with buffer to do so. The interaction and link backs are minimal at best.e - [**Facebook Page:**](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/) Like Threads, I don't have any notifications activated, so my organic interaction is minimal to nonexistent. The reality is that the Algorithm Army is strong, and I do not have the energy or juice to take it on, so like threads, I will push out content, mine and others, but any interactions generally occur because I happen to be on FB updating my Facebook Profile. - [**Facebook Profile:**](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.profile/)I love keeping up with folks' life developments so that's about all I will do there, probably in thee form of an occasional photo dump. Even content sharing on my profile is repressed by the platform, so sharing my content there has little ROI. *Shaking my fist in the air* - [**Instagram:**](https://www.instagram.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Truth be told, I am torn, so let me begin with my expectations for IG. I no longer expect Instagram to be a huge "reach" vehicle for me; rather, it is a notch about my Facebook Profile where I can stay connected to people through what they share politically and personally. This is also where I stay tuned into what is happening around Palestine, both about the genocide in Gaza and updates about my friends in other parts of Palestine. I will primarily use the story function to share and sporadically post photos and reels on my grid. - **WhatsApp:** While I would love for everyone to head over to Signal (okay, get the war planning jokes out now) far too many partners in the US and globally are using it, so I will. I suspect that if/when signal develops subgroups, there will be a great exodos, but until such time, I'll still be here. Okay, that's it. The slow-ghost of Meta. Hopefully, I will see you [where the sky is blue](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) and the trolls and bots are few. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. \*If you want your newsletter personalized, please update your subscription to include your first name. ### The + Friday + Five | on Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-04-04-25/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:23:26.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 04.03.25 0:00 /1:32 1× A quick video thank you! --- First, the border crossing from Jordan to Palestine/Isreal was uneventful. Whew. Now that I am here, it has been wonderful to see the friends I have made over the past 14 months, meaningful to bond with this first delegation, and heartwrenching, inspiring, and thought-provoking to hear first-person stories from so many folks about life in Palestine. Here are five things we have seen that I would commend to your learning. For ongoing updates throughout the day, [follow me on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250402_070018916-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250402_071630622.jpg) Nabi Samuel **1) Nabi Samuel** is a Palestinian village just outside Jerusalem, known as the traditional burial site of the Prophet Samuel. Despite its rich history, the village faces harsh restrictions under Israeli control, with residents denied basic rights and freedom of movement. This was yet one more example of a Palestinian community having to deal with house demolitions, a lack of resources from the occupying force, and ongoing abuse by the military and police. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250402_082137660.jpg) War Child Presentation **2) War Child** is an organization that supports children affected by conflict, helping them access education, protection, and psychological support in war zones around the world. This presentation was real and raw about the realities of the plight of Palestinian children. Heartbreaking. [**www.warchild.net/country-opt**](https://www.warchild.net/country-opt/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_060905269.jpg) Hearing from The Rossing Cetner **3) The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue** is an interreligious organization based in Jerusalem that promotes an inclusive society for all religious, ethnic, and national groups. Through education, encounter, research, and consulting, the Rossing Center promotes better relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Holy Land. SO much great information was shared that informed our understanding of the religious landscape, which impacts culture and politics. [**www.rossingcenter.org**](https://rossingcenter.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_081519108.jpg) Save the ARQ **4) Save the ArQ** is a grassroots movement supporting the ongoing efforts to preserve and protect Armenian property in Jerusalem. This was an inspiring "occupy" movement that has seen long-term success with great hope for the future. [Follow them on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/save%5Fthe%5Farq%5Fjlm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and donate to their [**Legal Defense Front**](https://givebutter.com/Arq2025?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYiMfqH45xRxtn44cdabLXXzxbPkXT1mQV1ZvZvgProEAcWqZD9flNfv%5FU%5Faem%5FHqQH9pCxiPRLDJVpWa8LWA&ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_130447842.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_130352003.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_123441697.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_140849472.jpg) **5) Sabeel's Contemporary Way of the Cross** was such an amazing experience. While it was mostly in Arabic, it was profound to walk with our Palestinian siblings, carrying a cross and stopping for prayer through the alleyways of The Old City of Jerusalem surrounded by people of various faiths. [Learn more about the Way of the Cross.](https://sabeel.org/sabeels-contemporary-way-of-the-cross/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Here is a quick video from the walk. 0:00 /0:28 1× Sabeel Way of the Cross --- It is not too late to support the fundraising efforts of both delegations, here are the links for you to give to the Delegation as a whole or individual members. - [**DONATE**](https://bit.ly/GrassrootsPartners2025?ref=reyes-chow.com) to "Grassroots Partners in Justice: A Delegation for Organizational Leaders" - [**DONATE**](https://bit.ly/WalkingInFaith2025?ref=reyes-chow.com) to "Walking in Faith: A Palestinian Pilgrimage to the Empty Tomb" PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: Our delegation is not just about hearing stories of struggle but also about seeing the beauty of the land, experiencing the culture of people, and building community amongst ourselves. Here we are on a break, drinking some of THE best coffee we have ever had. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/04/PXL_20250403_095506123.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). \*\* If you received this note in your inbox directed to "Friend," please update your subscription with your full name, and future newsletters will be personalized. ### The + Friday + Five | on Fear URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-03-28-25/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:24:57.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 03.28.25 As many if you know am headed to Palestine for a month to coordinate [two delgations](https://www.reyes-chow.com/confirmed-information-and-logistics/) at the invitation of [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you are worried, scared, anxious, or otherwise I am right there with you. ***The fear and anxiety in me are real.*** Some may think I should not be public about my involvement as this may provoke a response from individuals or a government. I get that, but [I am being public about this](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHkFA9vSz8Z/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on the off chance that individuals or a government does, in fact, do something. This is not to be dramatic or to invite repercussions, but simply an acknowledgment of the realities of this political and cultural moment in time. ***The fear and anxiety in me are real.*** I do not tell people, "Don't worry, it will be fine." because, in light of what we are witnessing around free speech, public protest, and citizenship, that does little to convince folks that things will indeed be fine. And while I do not believe that we will be in danger even in a dangerous place (It is startling how much life goes on amid occupation and apartheid.) my spirit is unsettled. ***The fear and anxiety in me are real.*** TBH, I have felt the fear and anxiety more than I have for any of my previous three trips to Palestine. I think the difference here is not a great deal of unknowns about crossing into and meeting folks in Palestine, but there are countless unknowns that may come with returning to the United States: for me and for the people with whom I am traveling. ***The fear and anxiety in me are real.*** The world is upside down, causing us to be paralyzed in our advocacy and activism — and that is precisely what the hunger of empire desires. ***The fear and anxiety in me are real.*** **But I will not allow the fear and anxiety live rent-free in my body, mind and soul.** ***Because liberation and love are even more real.*** --- As I have been preparing for this trip, this is how I have been navigating these complex and convoluted emotions. 1. *I respect the fear and acknowledge the anxiety.* Fear is not always bad or unjustified. Sometimes fear is that warning that it is time to shift strategies, change directions, or get out. Far and anxiety can keep us aware, alert, and prepared what whatever may come. While I have not sensed it strong enough to cancel my trip, I have felt it enough to make be prepare in different ways. 2. *I stay informed and nurture wisdom*. While it might feel great to ignore the barrage of bad news and dwell in a space built on false protections, it is a privilege that I reject. That does not mean that I am going to let overwhelming bad news have the last word, but I am taking seriously the realities of the day, so I can prepare accordingly. 3. *I cry. I laugh. I eat. I play.* I have always believed that expressing the fullness of my humanity is the best way to resist the constricting nature of fear. I never laugh so hard as with co-conspirators for justice. Whether it is at a protest, during a planning meeting, or over a meal our time is so often filled with joy and laughter. These very groups and in those very same spaces, we are also bound by deep caring in times of struggle and grief, making us even more connected. Fear feeds on feeling isolated, but community reminds us that we are not alone. 4. *I claim hope and revel in joy.* Being able to access the fullness of my humanity, the communities of which I am a part, and the ancestral memories that brought us here, is a reminder thats sometimes hope take a season or two to be revealed. I trust in hope, even and especially when the world says otherwise, for it reminds me that my life need not be centered on the fear of what may be, and revel in the joy of what is. 5. *I give energy only to what I can control.* This is the most important one for me as I face down my fears and try to figure out how not to let them overwhelm me. At the end of the day, I can only control my actions. I prepare as much as I think is wise and then hope others will make thoughtful decisions about what they choose or choose not to do in world. As much as I would like to be able to control the expressions of evil in the world, evil is always gonna try and evil, and I trust that I will be prepared. --- Okay that's about it. I am so grateful for all of the support and positive vibes sent my way. I know that not everyone has the luxury of being able to visit Palestine, so I so deeply appreciate everyone's support, near and far. If you would like to keep up with [this round of delegations](https://www.reyes-chow.com/confirmed-information-and-logistics/) that I am coordinating, be sure to follow me on [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Also, if you would like to support the fundraising efforts of both delegations, here are the links for you to give to the Delegation as a whole or individual members. - [**DONATE**](https://bit.ly/GrassrootsPartners2025?ref=reyes-chow.com) to "Grassroots Partners in Justice: A Delegation for Organizational Leaders" - [**DONATE**](https://bit.ly/WalkingInFaith2025?ref=reyes-chow.com) to "Walking in Faith: A Palestinian Pilgrimage to the Empty Tomb" PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: Over these past few weeks, in response to both scheduled and unexpected elder situations, I have found myself logging those hospital room hours. As our children launch into adulthood, we are defiantly finding ourselves the season of random and regular hospital visits for the generation before us. That Sandwich Generation (Panini Generation because there is pressure on both sides) is feeling all to real. If this is you too, I see you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/PXL_20250326_025409814.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### What I Hope for You: Community URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-i-hope-for-you-community/ Last updated: 2025-03-24T12:32:20.000Z I spent this past weekend with friends celebrating a celebratory occasion of one of our group. This group of colleagues has been meeting in some configuration for almost 30 years. What used to be a group brought together to help support young urban pastors has become a group of humans that is deeply rooted in a commitment to sharing our lives with one another, supporting one another through vocational changes, health scares, and family transitions, and, most of all, collaborating in the realization of a just and loving world. As a segment of us gathered this weekend, I was reminded how important this group has been in keeping me grounded in a world and calling often overwhelmed by tumult and filled with uncertainty — and how much I/we need this during this political and cultural upheaval season. As has been the truth through the generations, when facing power that intends to destroy and divide the body politic and prop up systems of greed and oppression, the most potent form of resistance is to model a better way of being and find strength in the solidarity that is birthed from a community built upon building and nurturing a community of grace, compassion, and love. I am so grateful that I have these folks in my life, and I hope that you, too, have or will seek out such a group of people, especially if you are struggling to be grounded in the current onslaught of terribleness. As I reflect on what makes this community so meaningful to me, especially in a day when so many want us to join the cult of individualism, here are a few reasons why and what I hope that you, to,o might experience in community — *may you laugh in ways and frequency that communicate the depth of your belonging* *may you be present with one another in words, silence, tears, grief, celebration, understanding, patience, and playfulness* *may the stores bring be offered and received in the ways that are intended* *may you commit to one another amidst the messiness of life* *may the stories you create together be woven together in love and more laughter* *may you leave the bullish!t, competition, and facades at the door, and just be you* *may you let one another be present as needed and not feel the need to fix the other — unless asked* *may you experience loving accountability and genuine grace* *may you eat good food, explore new places, dance often, or just sit around and talk all night long.* *and, no matter the place or time, may you pick up from where you left off as if you never left one another — because, in the Spirit, you never have.* This is only a partial list of why this particular group of humans has meant so much to me and has kept me grounded all these years. May you, too, have such a group of people in your life to help you thrive during these days, and if not, may they soon be in your future. Peace be with you, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only-1.png) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on faith, politics, race, culture, and technology The Amalgamation is a collection of random musings, personal reflections, audacious think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/PXL_20250322_173002561.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/PXL_20250322_171703339.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/PXL_20250322_150936320.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/PXL_20250322_214356860.jpg) Getting older, but still cleaning up good. ### Welcome to the New Home for All Things BRC URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-new-home-for-all-things-brc-welcome/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:37:27.000Z Greetings on this first Friday of Spring. If this newsletter has landed in your inbox, it is because you have signed up for a variety of my offerings around the internet: Substack Newsletter, The BRC Communiqué, an event signup sheet, or one of your best friends or scurrilous enemies sent it your way 😀 While I am still moving in, rearranging furniture, and getting comfy, I want to welcome you to my new space for all things BRC. You can easily unsubscribe at the bottom of this post, but I hope you'll hang out as I attempt to create a space where I can more creatively and effectively offer meaningful content to the body politic. #### First, what's here? - Professional website (As has been on www.reyes-chow.com) - The Amalgamation Newsletter (From Substack) - The Amalgamation Podcast (Previously BRC & Friends) - The BRC Communcaie (From eNewsletter on Brevo) #### But why did I decide to leave Substack? Not only is Ghost, the platform that I am now using, less expensive than Substack (currently $480/year vs $700/year), but there has also been significant debate about publishing on Substack. - [*The fight for free speech in 2025 and beyond: Substack’s ongoing commitment to freedom of the press,* ](https://read.substack.com/p/the-fight-for-free-speech-in-2025)where founder, Chris Best, praises Musk and Meta's free speech principles. - [*Don't call it a Substack*](https://www.anildash.com/2024/11/19/dont-call-it-a-substack/?ref=reyes-chow.com) where OG social media leader, Anil Dash, calls into question the very nature of a platform that is gaining a tighter and tighter grasp on people creative work. - [*Substack is at it again, “Why on earth would you brag to your users that you've partnered with a bunch of protofascists?"*](https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/substack-announcement-bari-weiss-free-press?ref=reyes-chow.com) where Marisa Kabas points out the problems of partnering with and paying Bari Weiss to publish on Substack. - You can also see the thread [Imani Gandy’s BlueSky post](https://bsky.app/profile/angryblacklady.bsky.social/post/3lglaeeeatk2w?ref=reyes-chow.com) Rabbi Danya Ruttenbrg’s [note about why she left and headed over to Ghost](https://substack.com/@lifeisasacredtext/note/c-89647706?ref=reyes-chow.com). To be clear, this decision is not meant to throw shade or shame anyone's way who stays on Substack. There is a lot of great stuff written there. This move just felt like a good one to make to align with 💡 ****Always willing to take calculated risks and test the digital waters, I have moved to Ghost Pro, migrated all subscribers from all the places, and am ready to get writing again.** #### **So, what's new with Ghost?\*** - ***Vibe —*** As the Kool Kidz say, the “vibe” is different. Ghost is more fun and allows me more opportunities for personalization and play. - ***Content —*** Content won’t change much (musing on life, faith, culture, etc) except to be more consistent, coming out 2-3 times a week. - **Delivery—** Content will now be delivered right to your inbox and via whatever social platforms on which we connect. \*cough*\** \*[*BlueSky*](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)\* \*cough\* - ***Sliding Scale —*** I still rely on paid subscriptions to help supplement my itinerant life, but I do not want money to be a limiting factor. I will no longer offer special offers. Instead, there is a sliding scale from $3 to $20 per month and there will always be a free option. - ***Paywalls —*** While there will still be occasional paid-subscriber content, there is no paywall for commenting or accessing archived content. 💡 ***You can unsubscribe pretty easily the email or website. You can also let me know**, **and I’ll unsubscribe you.** #### But wait there's more . . . - ***Website*** ***—*** www.reyes-chow.com is not only the home for all things The Amalgamation but has also continued to be the hub for all of my professional information: bios, speaking, coaching, contacts, etc. We are still tweaking and updating, but please to poke around. - ***Podcast —*** After almost a decade of various iterations of The BRC & Friends Podcast, The Amalgamation Podcast team is being assembled and the first episodes should be out sometime in May. - ***Team BRC —*** In the past, I would fire my entire team for their incompetence most folks understood that "the team" was me. Well, I now actually have a team of more than just me. And while [The Team](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-team/) is only three, it is safe to say there will not be any company-wide firings in the future. So there you go, and welcome again or for the first time. I'm glad you are here and grateful for the support. Peace, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/03/2024-Signature-Bruce-Only.png) \* We have had a fantastic experience with the Ghost support team. The migration assistance and response to questions have been top-notch. If you want to make the jump to Ghost, here is my [**Ghost Pro Referral Link**](https://ghost.org/?via=bruce66&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Those Damn Flowers, A Story for The Moth URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/those-damn-flowers-a-story-for-the/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T04:21:33.000Z Last night, I hoped to make the stage at The Moth StorySlam in San Francisco, but it was not in the cards. 10 great stories were chosen from “The Bag,” and even though I was not selected, it was a great night. I am so grateful for those who showed up on the off chance I got picked. Thanks fam! I will try again\* should the theme make sense, but here is the story that I was going to tell on the theme, “Oblivious,” about Lucille Tobiassen and the incident about The Flowers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e9a37106-8aab-48c6-89e6-753c3bc78a16_1254x836-jpeg.jpg) ### Lucille and Those Damn Flowers **FIRST SENTENCE: 30 years ago, I received my first full-time job. I was invited to be the pastor of a church here in San Francisco. Now I didn't know a lot back then, but what I did know was that the most important thing about this entire relationship *was ME*.** #### **The Setting** This all changed one Monday morning. I was in my office recovering and exhaling from the Sunday before when I heard this knock on the front office door. Boom. Boom, Boom. And then I heard Lucille Tobiassan's aggravated voice, “Is Bruce here?” Now if you are unfamiliar with OG Church Ladies, she didn't use Reverend or Pastor. There was no honorific or title used. She called me by my first name. At that point, I knew I was in trouble. #### **Introducing Lucille** Lucille was a traditional church lady. When she came to church any day of the week, I rarely saw her not dressed to the nines, complete with a classy church lady hat. Lucille had been around a long time. She was one of the team that invited me to be their pastor. I think she prided herself on raising unruly new clergy. I still remember her taking me out to the narthex, the lobby at the back of the sanctuary. And you could see pictures of all the previous pastors. There was a portrait of each and underneath there was a small brass plaque with their name and the year their time as pastor began and ended. As she introduced me to each pastor, we finally got down to the end and just after the last pastor, Betsy Massey she said to me, “And Bruce, someday your picture will go right there.” In an attempt to charm, I said, “Well, Lucille, how long is my plaque going to say I was here?” Without a pause, she said, “We’ll see.” So this is the Lucille that came knocking. #### **Lucille Comes to My Office** Knock, knock, knock, “Is Bruce here?” Earhawking from my office, I heard our church administrator, Inga, get up to answer the door. Now it’s important to know that in church world, the church administrator's primary job is to protect the pastor. Inga opens the door, sees that Lucille is in no mood to play, immediately gets out of the way like the parting of the Red Sea, gestures towards my office, and says, “He’s right back there.” Inga, the traitor, was far more scared of Lucille than me, which is fair. Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I hear Lucille coming. It's a long hallway, so it feels like forever. Thump. Thump. Thump. Now I am new, I don't really know what I'm doing, and I am scared to death. So, with not artistic embellishment, I kicked the door closed on the off chance that she would walk on by. This did not happen. Thump. Thump. Thump. “Bruce, are you in there?” In another sign of my courage, I legit considered not saying anything and pretending I was gone. But I didn't. I was going to adult up and deal with the conflict ahead. I was new, but I did know about office dynamics. So before I invited her in, I moved behind my big wooden desk. I put this big ass piece of furniture between this so that she knew that this was my office and that she could not come in here and start getting all up in my face. I wasn’t going to come into my house and tell me what to do. Behind that desk somehow, I became He-Man, Master of the Universe. So with as much bravado as I could muster while sounding casual, “Come on in.” #### **The Conflict** Lucile comes in, and she says to me, no greeting, no small talk, “Bruce, do you know what happened on Sunday?” And I was like, “No, I don’t know what happened on Sunday,” “You have NO idea what happened on Sunday?” “No” “You have no IDEA, what happened on Sunday?” As if, if she emphasized a different syllable each time she asked me, I would magically remember what happened on Sunday. Now, to be fair, I had done a lot of wrong things on Sundays. I think within my first couple of Sundays, I swore from the pulpit; keep in mind that in the mid-90, saying “pissed” was swearing. And one I walked into the sanctuary with a cup of coffee, which was strike number 1\. I needed somewhere to put my coffee cup down, and the closest level surface was the Steinway piano. I still remember as I started to put my cup down on it, I heard the choir gasp. I seriously thought they were gonna have a collective coronary. I recalled my hand and there was this collective exhale of relief, “Ahhh.” So of course, seeing what would happen, I did it again. I moved the cup back towards the piano and away again Gasp, Exhale, Gasp, Exhale because you know, I thought it was funny. So, there have been things I've done, but this Sunday, I could not remember anything. I didn't swear, I didn't say anything inappropriate. I legit didn’t know what happened on Sunday, so with finality, I said, “Lucille, I have no idea what happened on Sunday.” Lucille says to me, “Bruce. The flowers were in the wrong place.” Now I understand that for some people, the flowers in a space are important, but I am not one of those people, so before I could stop myself, I said to Lucille, this long-time member and respected Elder of the church. I said,” Lucille. I don't care.” Now, have you ever tried to put toothpaste back in the tube after you've squeezed it all out? It just gets worse. Lucille was livid. She was like a cartoon character. She turned bright red; steam was coming out of their ears in such magnitude that her fancy church hat was slowly levitating above her head. We just got into it. Both of us lobbing insult after insult and judgment after judgment until she stormed out. Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. #### **The Change** Now, Lucille eventually became one of my greatest champions, but not then. I remember I needed to go somewhere and breathe, so passing Inga, who was doing a terrible job of pretending my office had not just been used as the octagon, I went into the sanctuary and I sat down, one to calm down, and two, because I needed to see, “Are the flowers really in the wrong place” So I went and sat down and looked at the flowers; yes, they were off a little bit. And then I had this realization, damn Bruce. You're an asshole. Now what you don’t know about Lucille is that she had been a member of this church for 50 years. Over those 50 years, her children and grandchildren were born and baptized. She had seen friends married. She had celebrated their greatest joys and grieved their deaths. And every Sunday, Lucille would come into the church early every Sunday morning, far before any of us staff and she would get the flowers from the office. She would take them into the sanctuary and place them in the center, just in front of the communion table, and even though there was a water ring on the carpet , which designated where that had been placed for decades, so would walk to the back of the sanctuary just to make sure. Once she was satisfied, she'd come back, put some water in, not too much water, and then go sit with her husband Marty, right side, four pews back. And for the past 50 years, not only have they known belonging amidst this community, but for 50 years, she experienced the holy and the divine through the lens of those flowers. Now, we can argue all day about what's truly important for any community, but at that moment, those flowers were important to Lucille. And the person who was supposed to nurture and cultivate a community of caring, love, and justice. The person who was supposed to nurture and love her just told her, that, not only that he didn't care, but that what was important to her didn't matter. In that moment, sitting in that sanctuary all alone, I learned what was important, and it wasn't me. **LAST SENTENCE: Now, one could argue that 30 years later, I still don’t know much, but what I do know is that because of that realization, I became a better pastor, a better partner, a better parent, and a better human being. And it's all because of Lucille Tobiasan and those damn flowers.** Thanks for taking the time to read this story. I have told it over the years, and it never ceases to amaze me how *oblivious* I was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9d0eb06e-f087-448c-a23e-217cdc4eb25e_1600x1067-jpeg.jpg) **\*First sentences of other stories I am working on . . .** - **First Sentence:** I came flying over the fence only to see my mother, arms crossed, waiting for me as if she knew all along what I had done. - **First Sentence:** I'm not sure what happened, but there I was, naked, sitting in a closet, eating a bag of potato chips. - **First Sentence:** There I was, literally climbing the walls of the hospital hallway, and I’ll I could think was, “Please let me die.” ### A New Gig and Snowy Gifts to All Subscribers URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-new-gig-and-snowy-gifts-to-all/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T04:23:16.000Z 0:00 /0:59 1× As some have heard, [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) just announced on [FB](https://fb.watch/xUvUFQ1joh/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [IG](https://www.instagram.com/p/DGUL9cKqQww/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [BSky](https://bsky.app/profile/zephyrpoint.bsky.social/post/3linnf47jnc2h?ref=reyes-chow.com) that I have joined the team as their Church Relations and Development Officer. Located in Zephyr Cove, NV, just past South Lake Tahoe and on the banks of Lake Tahoe, I am thrilled to begin my time with them. I grew up attending Zephyr Point Conference Center, which has been the backdrop for my spiritual formation for a long time. Like many church camps and conference centers, it has experienced the peaks and valleys of program and sustainability, but today, this place is thriving and I could not be more excited about the future of my childhood conference center! Not only are the facilities (cabins and lodges) lovely and getting lovelier, but the focus and vision to be a place where God’s expansive spirit is known and fully integrated into its operations and program brings me so much joy. **The story is not a difficult one to tell.** [ZP Live Cam](https://zephyrpoint.org/webcam-video/?ref=reyes-chow.com) While I was not looking for another steady gig (this is part-time, contracted, and remote) when I was approached about the possibility of helping Zephyr re/connect with the church and its supporters, it was not a difficult sell. And while this may be the most formal title I have held in a wee bit, I see this as another extension of my greatest passion, storytelling. #### **Some of what I’ll be doing:** - Storytelling through reflection writing, video creation, and in-person engagement - Connecting with current supporters and donors - Developing relationships with potential new supporters and donors - Exploring creative sources of support, funding, and engagement **But wait, there’s more . . .** #### The Promotions from Zephyr Point If you have never been to Zephyr or need some motivation to get your body and spirit back to this place, we are offering two promotions: - **Winter Getaway Cabin Rental BOGO:** Buy one night, get one night on us in one[ of our beautiful cabins](https://zephyrpoint.org/cabins-overview/?ref=reyes-chow.com)! To reserve, [eMail Bruce for instructions](mailto:breyeschow@zephyrpoint.org?subject=Winter%20Getaway%20Cabin%20Promo!). *Stays must be completed by May 15, 2025.* - **Program Registration for Small Churches:** For congregations that worship under 100 people, all Course Fees (Up to $750) will be waived for our May 18-23, 2025 [Continuing Education Institute Event, ](https://zephyrpoint.org/programs/con-ed-institute/spring/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[*Locating Your Story*](https://zephyrpoint.org/programs/con-ed-institute/spring/?ref=reyes-chow.com) led by Tamisha Tyler and John Williams. [*Register by March 31, 2025*](https://events.circuitree.com/ZephyrPoint?ref=reyes-chow.com)*. This promotion ends March 31\. Use Code “WelcomeBRC1” if registering for one course or “WelcomeBRC2” if registering for both courses.* If you are interested in having me come to your area to share the Zephyr Point story, [you only need to invite and ask](mailto:breyeschow@zephyrpoint.org?subject=Inviation%20to%20Tell%20the%20ZP%20Story). **Share this Promotion Post far and wide!** #### Video Transcript: > Greetings, my name is Bruce Reyes-Chow and I am currently standing in front of Lake Tahoe on the grounds of Zephyr Point Conference Center in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. > > Like many people for whom camps and conferences have played a meaningful role in their lives, Zephyr Point Conference Center played a huge role in developing my own Christian faith, deepening my experience of community, exposing me to the beauty of creation, and encouraging me to engage in the work of justice. > > And as things often do, life and ministry have come full circle as I've just joined the team as their Church Relations and Development Officer. > > I'm excited to join the Zephyr Point team, not only because this place played such a significant role in my own faith formation, but also because Zephyr Point is deeply committed to being a place of curiosity, belonging, and justice that exudes the healing and expansive love of God that is so needed during these turbulent times. > > Plus, the view is not terrible. > > So, please check out the caption below for details about an exciting offer from Zephyr Point specifically for smaller congregations in the Western U.S. And I look forward to seeing you soon. > > Peace. In closing, here are a few ZP recent photos: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/712c9b7f-6836-45e4-a2f2-fb96d06c62a4_3280x1845-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fbda0b22-43c8-4691-afb7-aa8a9c3b71fc_2857x1607-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7488f5c9-9345-49ef-adef-491623b72cdb_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e18b39b7-d07d-4bc1-b882-72b2bd7c339f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Cinnamon Rolls from Cabin 28, The Family at Zephyr Point in May, and two views: Fall and Winter ### The Spiritual Gift of Resistance URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-spiritual-gift-of-resistance/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:41:33.000Z I used this rewrite during this weekend’s online [“Lost & Found” worship service with Presbyterian Peace Fellowship](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/lostandfound?ref=reyes-chow.com). This is my second time joining them; it was lovely and healing. Check them out if you are seeking such a community during these tumultuous times. I wrote this for people to use, so if you would like to use this, please feel free to use it with attribution. [Here is the Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KfIMkZ1B7bpv1hgVKrtT9-wedgWBUGLIQ1hoM9gzNaY/edit?usp=sharing&ref=reyes-chow.com) and you can also find it posted on [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3lidvvtcuyk26?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DGKP7ocsVvU/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow.page/posts/pfbid02V8M559F43YwMoZkokr3y2Yy5BLmxGSPJSRfM4MrZX3gcV7q15mrf4dn5bLvPovgwl). --- ### 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 1 If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. > **If we move through an unjust world basking in our privileges, even saying the right things, but we do not resist, our silence to those who suffer is thunderous.** 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and I know all the mysteries and everything else, and if I have such complete faith that I can move mountains but I don’t have love, I’m nothing. > **If we know the ways of dignity, liberation, and belonging, and we believe these dreams can become reality, yet we don’t resist that which says that they can not, we are nothing.** 3 If I give away everything that I have and hand over my own body to feel good about what I’ve done but I don’t have love, I receive no benefit whatsoever. > **If we offer our resources, risk our security, and barter our guilt for goodness, but we don’t resist the tyranny of saviorism, none of us will experience freedom.** 4 Love is patient > **Resistance boldly plants seeds of hope in the soil today, knowing that lovers of liberation will rise tomorrow** Love is kind > **Resistance embraces the human dignity of all God's created: family, friend, stranger, enemy, self, and other** it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, > **Resistance does not say, “I told you so.”** > **It doesn’t seek accolades, hoard power, or gatekeep rising voices** 5 it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, > **Resistance rejects the idea that oppression is a competition and that liberation is a zero-sum game** 6 it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. > **Resistance rages at evil and rejoices in love.** 7 Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. > **Resistance never dies.** 8 Love never fails. > **Resistance surrounds us yesterday, today, and tomorrow.** As for prophecies, they will be brought to an end. As for tongues, they will stop. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end. > **At the end of the day, we are human.** > **On our best days, we are human.** > **Even as we follow the Holy One’s call to resistance,** > **our days will end, and our generation will pass away.** 9 We know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, what is partial will be brought to an end. > **And yet — though we may not live resistance in the ways that God intends, in the loving and tender embrace of the Creator, and in the new life that comes through Christ, we are told again and again through whispers and wonder, “You are more than enough.”** 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, reason like a child, think like a child. But now that I have become an adult, I’ve put an end to childish things. > **In the past, when we turned our faces from God’s call to resistance, we allowed the limitations of cynicism, civility, and practicality to be our guide — no more.** 12 Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known. > **Now we see that enduring resistance is not centered on the finite victories of today, but on the infinite fullness that is known when ancestors and descendants also come to know restoration and redemption.** 13 Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love. > **Faith, hope, and love are always present** > **— grounded in these three things —** > **resistance is the divine guide on our collective journey toward liberation.** #### One: Words of Love for God’s Beloved #### ALL: **Thanks be to God** ### The + Friday + Five | Randomocities II URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-020725/ Last updated: 2025-08-01T16:18:38.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 02.07.25 I have recently been at a loss for words with 83 posts in draft form sitting in my Substack posts tab. Every time I open it up, there they are, their witty titles taunting and shaming me like Netflix does every so often with their little, “Seriously, are you still watching this show?” alert, but for me it’s, “Seriously?!?! And you call yourself a ‘writer.” Poser.” “Just write,” they say, so here you go, five random things from the raccoon cage fight in my head. --- **ONE:** I have two books in rotation right now: [*We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780691232607?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Musa Al-Gharbi and [*Dungeon Crawler Carl*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593820247?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Matt Dinniman. Al-Gharbi is challenging my soul with his critique of those who deal in social capitalism and Dinniman is soothing my soul by calling middle school Bruce’s D&D nerdiness back to the present day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0686d11f-e8e0-4840-818c-e914a2d28c32_3219x2146-jpeg.jpg) --- **TWO:** I continue to enjoy BlueSky, so if you have not jumped in yet and are still yearning for a social media space where you control what you see, I highly recommend you get in when you are ready. BlueSky’s Instagram and TikTok alternative services are coming out soon, so at least grab your username and start exploring. I wrote a post about [getting started with lists, feeds, and starter packs](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/intro-to-bluesky-feeds-and-five-ways?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false) or feel free to [follow me](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) and ask questions. My two favorite third-party services are [ClearSky](https://clearsky.app/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (A way to see who has blocked you, what lists you are on, etc.) and [DeckBlue](https://deck.blue/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (an alternative BlueSky posting platform). --- **THREE:** One of the draft posts that I have been noodling on is one about my ongoing dance, struggle, and journey around weight, health, and fitness. **If you have tried all the diet things, I see you.** I have been on a two-year commitment to lose weight (goal is to drop 34 pounds) to get in control of my pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. There are days when I am super proud of how far I have come since, just over three years ago I was dragging my post-covid oxygen tank. And then there are the days when my body confounds me, like how can I swing that much weight from one day to the next. Yes, I know scientifically how it happens, but it is still fascinating and often disheartening. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c961ca17-4295-45af-be26-1d31191bc08a_936x937.png) I will write about this more later, but as I settle into these mid-50s years, I have definitely come to appreciate my body more and more. More days than not, I no longer allow these numbers to determine my worth; rather, I now see the various measurements as insights into the created being called me. --- **FOUR:** I am seriously considering a move to Ghost and away from Substack. After [this post from one of the founders](https://read.substack.com/p/the-fight-for-free-speech-in-2025?selection=409aa653-62d8-447e-b521-33fa5267d598#:~:text=Elon%20Musk%20has%20been%20a%20vocal%20supporter%20of%20free%20speech) that called Musk and Zuckerburg principled free speech advocates, I can’t but believe that the future is not good. Here is an excerpt: > Elon Musk has been a vocal supporter of free speech. It’s no secret that we [haven’t always](https://substack.com/@cb/note/c-14366151?ref=reyes-chow.com) seen eye to eye, but he deserves a lot of credit for advancing freedom of speech on X, before it was popular and in the face of fierce criticism and opposition. But Musk’s record is not perfect—he has been credibly [accused of censoring his](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14234173/Elon-Musk-accused-censorship-H1B-migrant-visas-X-premium.html?ref=reyes-chow.com) political opponents in addition to his [commercial](https://substack.com/@hamish/note/c-15004744?ref=reyes-chow.com) ones. Mark Zuckerberg recently [announced favorable changes in policy](https://substack.com/@cb/note/c-84932619?utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action&r=2) for Meta that should result in freer expression on its platforms. His stated reasons were a change in public sentiment and a new administration, reflecting a real change in the culture. Those who welcome the press freedom changes at Meta owe a debt to those who took a principled stand when the wind was blowing the other way. I have always been an early adopter, and many are finding Substack a place like none other for writers, but this has been needling at me ever since they launched their new enterprise with Bari Weis. Everyone is going to approach this differently, and for all of us trying to make a living at the word things, everything is an internal negotiation of morality. Many have written about the Substack problem: [Anil Dash’s Article about “substack” as a brand](https://www.anildash.com/2024/11/19/dont-call-it-a-substack/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Imani Gandy thread on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/angryblacklady.bsky.social/post/3lglaeeeatk2w?ref=reyes-chow.com), and Marisa Kabas’ [piece about Bari Weiss](https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/substack-announcement-bari-weiss-free-press?ref=reyes-chow.com), but a special thanks to and [her prompting post about Ghost](https://substack.com/@lifeisasacredtext/note/c-89647706?ref=reyes-chow.com). My tentative plan is to launch a new Ghost site in March, which will also [centralize my main website](https://reyes-chow.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We are still working on the migration details, but if it all goes as smoothly it has for others, free or paid subscribers should not even notice. --- **FINALLY, FIVE:** I recommend you see the movie [*Sing, Sing*](https://tickets.singsing.movie/?ref=reyes-chow.com). This is a movie based on the theater program at Sing Sing Prison. It was so very good. This film had me constantly on the verge of tears for many different reasons. Also, knowing that many of the actors graduated from the program made it all the more powerful. We saw it at this cool theater in Oakland if you’re in the area, [The New Parkway Theater](https://www.thenewparkway.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), where the vibe is awesome, the kombucha is tangy, and the tater-tot are just the perfect amount of crispy. Keep breathing, [Miyagi’ing](https://www.reyes-chow.com/living-deeply-as-i-enter-my-mr-miyagi/), or whatever brings you joy and I’ll see you soon. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: With my favorite child getting older and slowing down, you will have to deal with more photos of Vespa. No joke, Vespa saved my life and continues to do so, so I am sure you’ll understand. Here she is sleeping, having *somehow* managed to get onto the couch and get tucked in with all the blankets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f14c4cfa-82d6-4c72-add1-262a13638c0b_2268x2837-jpeg.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### Living Deeply as I Enter My Mr. Miyagi Era URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/living-deeply-as-i-enter-my-mr-miyagi/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T04:22:07.000Z I have not published anything in about three weeks because, like so many, I am still figuring out how I will not just survive these next years but thrive and make a positive impact on those around me and the world. Yes, I have a few projects in the works, but I have also been struggling with what I can offer to the discourse. In many ways, the strategy of the White House of raining down punch after punch has had the desired effect — overwhelming to the point of paralysis. I trust we will each emerge from this initial deluge on our own time, but here are some of the barriers questions that I have been thinking about: - How do I stay informed but not distracted? - How do I amplify voices and information but avoid fetishizing trauma and feeding the rage cycle? - How do I honor my rage, anger, and disappointment without dipping into the well of dismissal, dehumanization, and destruction of the other? - How do I participate in reinforcing, building, and sustaining communities of beauty, belonging, hope, and resistance? - How will I prepare to risk and leverage my bodily and socioeconomic privileges on behalf of those who are justifiably terrified for their lives? - How will I resist in ways I believe God calls me, Bruce, to do so? - How do I ensure that I am tending to my own body, mind, and soul without turning self-care into a justification for doing as little as possible? I will write more about all of these, but as I reflect on how I have been living most, I acknowledge that I have entered into my Mr. Miyagi Bonsai Era as a way to tend to my own body, mind, and soul. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7cd134bc-5184-4415-b6a2-d9850997ee07_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. **PSA:** First, unless you are AANHPI, tread carefully in your comments about my Asian-ness and comparisons to Mr. Miyagi. That said, there could be worse things than to be mentioned in the same breath of proximity to Pat Morita’s iconic Karate Kid character. Speaking of Pat Morita . . . *smooth name-drop segue . . .* here is a picture of Pat and me in the early 80s at a friend's house in Sacramento. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c5b117cc-25bc-4517-a2ed-39b4bd1bfc36_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) As many of you know, I am a lover of the houseplant. It is the one thing I tried during the pandemic that stuck. Seriously, if you have ever been to our house, you might think I have a houseplant problem — which, BTW, is not a thing :-) Yes, it takes me two hours to water my babies, but I call that love. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e1e6e20b-38d5-4015-9bf2-95706717e714_4080x2294-jpeg.jpg) Knowing this was a passion, I was given a gift certificate to the world-famous [Yamagami Garden Center](https://www.yamagamis.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) for Chrsitmas. I had always wanted to try my hand at bonsais, so this was my chance to take the leap. While I didn’t need much more of a push, finding this picture of me and Pat Morita was *obviously* a sign from the heavens that I must do it — obviously. So with the heavenly and Hollywood winds behind me, I fired up the Etsy machine and visited Yamagamis to get started. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/bb772712-0e7c-4ed2-8c79-6308b87d06ab_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. To be clear, I have no idea what I am doing. This has never stopped me before. But it has been different. It has been deep. It has been good. I am not trying to make this into some colossal life hack, but what this has done is given me a small and beautiful distraction from the onslaught of greed-fueled terror that has been unleashed upon the world. **I hope you, too, will know the thing that allows you to live deeply.** For various reasons, we will all step in and out of our roles in collectively navigating the raging river of cruelty that threatens to drown us all. We will also all need to find ways to nurture our own bodies and souls, so we can, in turn, be part of spaces that allow others to do the same. In deeply living that which feeds our souls we are beauty, we are belonging, we are the hope, and we are resistance. Peace. --- I am working on a few pieces about having hope in what can feel like hopeless times, so I went back and reread this post, [*A Letter from My Great-great-great-great-grandchild, Cruz: An exercise in remembering that we fight for justice because we believe it's possible.*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/) Hope it helps. ### Progressive Except for Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/progressive-except-for-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:09.000Z What if, 18 months ago, self-identified “progressive” Christian leaders and organizations were asked the hypothetical question, “Would remain silent in the face of a US-backed militarized genocide and ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of people?” How many of us would pause, contemplate, and land on, “It depends.”? I choose to believe that most folks, if not all, would quickly and unequivocally respond, “No, of course, we would stand against such things.” Yet here we are approaching that 18-month marker of the Us-Backed Isreali governments’s response to the October 7th attack by Hamas. Still both-siding a military action that has been called a genocide by international groups, still giving unquestioned support to legislators who continue to vote to send US billions of US tax dollars to Isreal, still doing all the theological, ideological, and moral gymnastics in order to avoid addressing our complicity, and don’t get me started on our ongoing avoidnace to have conversations about Christian Zionism because things are just *too complicated*. Worse yet, I have witnessed what seems to be an increased emphasis on other areas of public witness and social justice, as if being louder and bolder for one marginalized group somehow lets us off the hook for remaining silent on the genocide of the Palestinian people. We fall into the traps of “We can’t fight all the battles,” “We can only do so much,” or even worse, “It won’t matter; nothing we do will change anything.” So we justify our silence or shove any mention of Palestine in neutered prayers that list off terrible things happening in the world. We mention it just enough to feel good but not enough to stir us to action, and then we fill the void with more palatable actions and advocacy. When I see this, it’s more than disappointing. It’s gross. It’s not only nihilistic and cowardly, but it is anti-gospel, giving the big middle finger to the powerful reality of resurrection and the part we play in it. It is one thing to stay within the capacities of energy and resources; it is quite another to use that as an excuse to do nothing. Yes, this may be a fuzzy, contextual line, but I suspect most folks know in their gut when it has been crossed. Many of you have heard of folks and communities like this labeled as PEP. > Progressive > Protest > Provocative > Passionate > Prophetic > — except for Palestine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/46510b23-b1a6-4a49-9e1a-8a1ac0c27a6f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I am generally not a blanket labeler as such, but after attending yet another anti-Genocide, pro-Palestinian public action and again witnessing the lack of self-identified Christian (Clergy in particular) presence, I cannot help but wonder if this is precisely where most progressive Christians are. I see church after church and clergy after clergy boldly show up for protests, actions, and public witnessing for Pride, the Women’s March, #BlackLivesMatter, yet to look at almost ALL events that I have been to, not been organized by Christians, the public Christian presence has been minimal to non-existent. No, I have not been to ALL actions everywhere, but consistently and in contrast it seems that our Jewish and Muslim siblings are showing up en masse to be present. They have found the courage and committment join collective voices to demand an end to the occupation of stolen land, to denounce arms sales and militarism, and to call for the end of mass abuse, violence, and killing. If these are not progressive values, I do not know what they are. And save a few groups that I mention at the end, we Progressive Christians are absent. For some reason, far too many Christians, and I dare say progressive pulpit pastors, bask in the warmth and accolades of preaching a culturally prophetic word about LGBTQIA+ exclusion, racism, misogyny, economic disparity, etc. to those for whom it is not a *prophetic* word, but a *pastoral* one. While there are times when a progressive community needs to be affirmed in their culturally prophetic claims, a complete absence of any challenging prophetic word about what is happening in Palestine and our complicity takes away from the legitimacy of other prophetic stances. Ultimately, if the progressive word does not challenge those progressives in the pews, the label — Progressive Except for Palestine — is entirely justified. Sure some may proudly and morally accept that label, but the victims of such ongoing postures are the Palestinians who continue to face daily suffering and accumulate generational trauma. Maybe some can live with that; I, for one, cannot — I will not. This is why I am grateful for the organizations that continue to challenge us Christians to be better and more courageous in our advocacy and steadfast in our solidarity with the Palestinian People. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/761084ba-fefb-45ff-9ab3-036ec05cafbe_2848x1602-jpeg.jpg) At this weekend's “Bay Area All-Out for Palestine,” a small subset of us from the Bay Area thread of [Christians for a Free Palestine](https://christiansforafreepalestine.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) met up. We were not a large contingent, but we made sure to grab a picture and begin what is often the first step to building and organizing a larger movement. I would also point to my denominational advocacy group, [The Palestine Justice Network (PJN) of the Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://thepjn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), which has been at this work for far longer than I have. Everyone should also connect with [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Friends of Sabeel, North American (FOSNA)](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) to keep up with the vast amount of resources available. I am so grateful for these organizations and the myriad of individuals who have tended this space and continue to raise awareness and challenge the rest of us to stay connected, keep up the pressure, and remain hopeful. Finally, if you have made it this far without an “Eff you, Bruce, you judgemental jackass,” thank you for the benefit of the doubt. I know that these kinds of posts can be received as “holier than thou,” no matter the intention, but this past week, I was reminded by that there are times when we must acknowledge the realities that we believe to be true and hold one another to account. **I NEVER THOUGHT** so many of us would be so clear about which side of history we’re really on. Once upon a time, Lady Liberty’s poem promised refuge to the world’s tired and poor. For generations, we swallowed the fairy tale of American benevolence, believing the U.S. and its allies were the never-ending heroes in history’s story. Yet now empire’s mask lies shattered on the blood-stained steps of Congress, revealing its true mission statement — poetry written in bullets and bombs instead of bronze and stone. — [*Genocides? Sure, but Have You Seen Our Medals of Freedom?*](https://open.substack.com/pub/theprogressivists/p/genocides-sure-but-have-you-seen?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) So, yes, I admit this is a calling out of sorts for many of my friends, colleagues, and the communities they are a part of or lead. This is not a litmus test or an invitation to engage in oppression competition but a call to consistency and integrity. None of us is ideologically pure or above reproach, and we all have different capacities for action, but if this call-out feels a little close to home, it is entirely intentional — AND it is done with hesitation, forbearance, and love. See you at the next action for any and all the things that matter! [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/be479118-d495-411e-a9e8-88485e6ba930_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.reyes-chow.com/confirmed-information-and-logistics/) Singing with some Sisters in the Old City during my last trip to Palestine. If you are interested in a being part of a Spring Delegation, [CLICK HERE](https://www.reyes-chow.com/confirmed-information-and-logistics/). ### BTS: Three Adaptations and Three Intentions URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/bts-three-adaptations-and-three-intentions/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:10.000Z Hey all, I hope you don’t mind me always saying “thank you for your support” but, seriously — **thank you for your support** :-) As promised, this is a first of many Behind-the-Scenes posts that I have committed sharing in 2025. As I wrote a few weeks ago, [this season has been a little rougher than usual](https://www.reyes-chow.com/depression-failure-and-a-big-ass/) and [I still find myself sad as we begin 2025](https://www.reyes-chow.com/when-happy-new-year-is-anything-but/). That said, I found some joyful distractions, and making some adjustments has already helped unlock some energy and creativity. Here are three adjustments that are coming up: - **A new anchor position**: While the official announcement has not yet been made, as of January 1, 2025, I am taking on a role at a place near and dear to my heart and spiritual formation, [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in Lake Tahoe. Don’t let the fancy schmancy title of “Church Relations and Development Officer” fool you. My role will be to share this gem of a geographic and theological location with the church and, as you will hear, it is a straightforward and compelling story to tell. - **An actual team member:** People have seen me fire my administrative team over the years due to their complete and utter incompetence. While a few folks have worried about my severe HR practices, most have understood that the “team” has been just little ol’ me. Well, that is all about to change as I am bringing on an actual Virtual Assistant. This has been a long time coming, and I am excited to see what this will do to alleviate some of the pesky administrative tasks that always seem to be hanging over me. - **Pause on the book thing:** I am giving myself permission and encouragement to shed the pressures of being an author with another book in the pipeline. No one is as surprised as I am that I have written five books to this point, and, honestly, I am not sure if or when I will write another one. That said, I have paused one contract (and have returned the advance) and have many ideas still percolating. I am grateful for people's understanding and the opportunities that still exist, but I am just hitting \[pause\] for now. These shifts will allow me to recapture some of the creativity and joy that I have had in ebbs and flows over the past decades. I still believe I have something to contribute to conversations about faith, culture, and life, so I want to give myself a chance to offer such things and make a little bit of a living along the way. Three areas that I intend to tend to and foster moving forward are: - **a return to the airwaves:** Sometime in the next few months, I will bring on Team Member #3 as a Podcast Producer. I miss the podcasting that I was doing with BRC & Friends and can’t wait to launch [The Amalgamation Podcast](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/podcast) sometime this Spring. - **a gathering of itinerants:** after over a decade of trying to do this gigging and itineration thing, I feel like I may have some good counsel to offer folks who are also navigating this world. I will begin with a monthly offering and possibly convene a cohort for more intensive learning. - **a focus on substack:** I will concentrate more on Substack for both Free and Paid Subscribers. I so love the platform (I’ll address controversies soon) and, since I drive in multiple lanes of musing, I will fully embrace the opportunity to share. Okay, so there you go, your first Paid Subscriber BTS update. In the future, this may come in video form, but for now — thank you for your support! ### When Happy New Year is Anything But URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/when-happy-new-year-is-anything-but/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:10.000Z *NOTE: I have the privilege to publicly share this mental health journey with little possibility of personal or professional ramifications. Many of you do not have such a luxury. I wish you did, so in my sharing, I hope you feel seen.* Last week, I shared a bit about [my latest depression episode](https://www.reyes-chow.com/depression-failure-and-a-big-ass/) and just want to let folks know that if you are also having a hard time embracing the “happy” in Happy New Year, I feel ya so much. As we have entered these final few days of 2024, we now greet 2025, deeply desiring that the proverbial page will turn. Of course we want to move from a year that, for many of us, has meant making it to the other side of an exhausting election cycle, watching the United States continue to support the genocide in Palestine, and experiencing tragedy after tragedy, death after death, and loss after loss. I want nothing else than to see that fucking page turn, start with a crystal clean slate, and otherwise \[ctrl\] \[alt\] \[del\] on the shit show that has been 2024, heck, that has been the past eight-plus years. I take comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this. While there is still much hope in the world, we are undoubtedly experiencing a collective exhaustion brought about by an onslaught of destructive choices, circumstances, and coercion. [Get 25% off forever](#/portal/signup) And yet, no matter how much I want to ring in 2025 standing under a shower of sustainable, rainbow-colored confetti, my mind still buzzes with negative thoughts about the world, others, relationships, and sometimes myself. To be clear, ***I am not having any thoughts of self-harm***, but I do find myself losing sleep, zoning out, and otherwise sinking into those places where it takes every amount of my energy to try and appear that all is good. Happy fucking new year. Sometimes, it is just fine, and the page turns. And other times, it’s exhausting to pretend. What I have found helpful is to distract myself from the swirling, even in short bursts, by diving into some creative work, working out, writing words, listening to music[1](#footnote-1), and being decisively present with others — low screen time, listening, and appreciating. I have also given myself permission to be sad, to hold my dog all night on the couch, to tend my plants and/or to stop what I am doing and take a moment to pay attention to my breath. The page will turn when it turns. So, if this is you, Happy New Year, whenever it may make itself known. [Get 25% off forever](#/portal/signup) --- 1. And if you need a playlist, here is a constantly growing “Songs for My Soul” playlist that inlcudes a couple of friends on the list: [David Lamotte](https://www.patreon.com/DavidLaMotte?ref=reyes-chow.com) and . [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") ### Information About Two Spring Solidarity Delegations to Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/confirmed-information-and-logistics/ Last updated: 2025-04-10T10:05:45.000Z Info about delegations for organizational leaders and holy week pilgrims _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 2024 Top Posts from The Amalgamation URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/2024-top-posts-from-the-amalgamation/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:13.000Z **First, Thank You.** Whether you are a free or paid subscriber, I appreciate that you let my words dwell in your head and heart space for as long as you do. I am not a big end-of-the-year list kinda person, mostly because I am not sure I have much to add to the plethora of lists that seem to inundate our inboxes around this time. That said, one list in which I have some expertise is what I have shared over the year, is my own content. The first run on this list was going to be simple: Top 10 Posts by open count, but Substack does not allow that sorting filter. I was bummed at first but soon realized that it makes sense because as subscriber counts rise, generally, the opens counts should also. I have landed on sharing the most popular post for each month (+ a bonus post), which was a fun exercise for me to look back on the year. **So here we go, the Top Posts from 2024 + Bonus post.** *All posts have been moved from behind the paywall, though October-December posts may get put behind the paywall after their three-month free status.* [Get 60 day free trial](#/portal/signup) ### Top January 2024 Post **1,070 Opens:**[***Long Covid Update 2024: My new normal, whatever that is...***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/long-covid-update-2024/) > So, I'm doing as well as can be; I hesitate again to say it's back to normal. As my doctors say to me every time I meet with them, how are you feeling? And I say I'm feeling fine. And she's like, great. And then, as my numbers still have not changed, she just says, well, Maybe this is just your new normal, and we go on from here, and that's kind of where we are. So I am tending to myself. I am, you know, living into whatever this new thing is and exercising a lot, trying to really tend to my body, getting a lot of writing and working done, back in the church part-time, trying to tend to family and house and really, living a life of harmony. Again, not because my body told me to, but because I need to, otherwise I'm not good for anyone. **Bonus Post:** [*I Do Care How You Say Goodbye: Thoughts on memorials as we celebrated the life of my mother-in-law*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-do-care-how-you-say-goodbye/) --- ### Top February 2024 Post **1,360 Opens:**[***I am in Palestine: An invitation to follow along from wherever you are***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-in-palestine/) > If you're getting this message, it means that the delegation has safely arrived in Palestine and we have begin our time together. Sponsored by the [Israel/Palestine Mission Network](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), this is a delegation of Presbyterians responding to an invitation from the [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Kairos Palestine](https://www.kairospalestine.ps/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We are not here to speak on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Rather we are here to speak TO our Christian siblings, Presbyterian and beyond. To be clear, we're not here to save anyone or to get in the way; we're here to express solidarity, to learn from those doing the work locally, to amplify further what is going on, and to do our part to help move the needle towards an end to the suffering and violence. **Bonus Post:** [*A Gross and Mushy Letter to My Wife: A very rare Valentine's Day gratitude post*](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/an-gross-and-mushy-letter-to-my-wife?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ### Top March 2024 Post **1,030 Opens:**[***PRESBYTERIAN NERD ALERT: Boundary Training Update: Update on Training for Teaching and Ruling Elders***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/presbyterian-nerd-alert-boundary/) > Greeting all and apologies to all of the non-Presbyterian folks on the list — and I would assume that is most of you, so, yes, this is terrible content targeting ;-) **Bonus Post:** [*It's Launch Day: Finally! —*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-launch-day-finally/)[ Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith](https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-launch-day-finally/)[ *is out!*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-launch-day-finally/) --- ### Top April 2024 Post **1,640 Opens:**[***Hot + Take + Tuesday: Church Websites: Please tell the truth on your website.***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-church-websites/) > Most church websites are either aspirational, presenting an image of what we hope to become, or are filled with images of what they assume people want to see them at their best, usually Easter when whatever diversity they might have is on full display. I have always felt that this was the wrong way to go because, in the week-to-week, that is not who most churches are. Sure, be aspirational and put your fancy face on when appropriate, but not on your website. **Bonus Post:** [*Dear Student Activists, Thank You and I'm Sorry: A word of gratitude and lament as young folks show the way to a free Palestine*](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/dear-student-activists-thank-you?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Top May 2024 Post **998 Opens:**[***Update 2: Crossing Borders and Centering Nakba: Digital Storytellers Delegation to Palestine Update***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-2-crossing-borders-and-centering/) > Today, we crossed the Jordan/Israel/Palestine border. Let me just say that it’s super anxiety-producing because of how so many people are harassed as they travel to Israel. I have many friends who have been pulled aside, questioned, and intimidated because of their political values (perceived or actual), namely in support of a free Palestine or for being connected with organizations perceived as too pro-Palestinian. **Bonus Post:** [*55 and Still Alive: Thanks for a great year and let's keep it going!*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/55-and-still-alive/) --- ### Top June 2024 Post **3,000 Opens:**[***A Statement of Our Support for POL-01: From Moderators, Co-Moderators, and Vice Moderators of Previous General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (USA)***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-statement-of-our-support-for-pol/) > Approval of the second part of POL-01 is just as important to maintaining the church's progress towards becoming a more just church. In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), there is some latitude in how examinations are conducted, but given our church's lament over the treatment of LGBTQIA persons and its efforts to make the church more welcoming and more diverse, it is a reasonable expectation for councils to examine a minister, elder, or deacon's commitment to the inclusion of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, geography, or theological conviction. **Bonus Post:** [*Happy Pride 2024: My Annual Letter of Lament and Love*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/happy-pride-2024/) --- ### Top July 2024 Post **1,360 Opens:**[***You Built it. You Broke it. You Fix it. — A not so gentle nudge to my white friends and colleagues to do the work yourself.***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/you-built-it-you-broke-it-you-fix/) > While the threats to our culture may feel new to many, at a life level, there is an unveiling and revealing of systems of evil and oppression that many of us have known to be true for generations. What you feel is that the system may finally be coming for you, either in actuality or the entire experiment is falling apart and you’ll do anything to ensure that the one that has served you survives. You see, for some of us, time after time, election after election, in exchange for saving the current political lesser evil, we are promised change and transformation. And time after time, election after election, those promises are broken. We continue to fund systems of violence and militarism over healthcare and education, we reinforce the insulation and protection of those with wealth and expand the criminalization and dehumanization of those trapped in poverty, and we expand our death-dealing by blatantly villainizing and scapegoating difference. **Bonus Post:** [*Getting Dirty: Calming the brain swirlies from the past 24 hours.*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/getting-dirty/) --- ### Top August 2024 Post **2,450 Opens:**[***Allowing Myself Not to Love My Body: Musings from a hospital bed, again.***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/) > I'm also pissed at my body because I have been tending it so well. Over the past year I have held a food and exercise discipline that has me in the best shape of my life that had me genuinely falling in love with my body again. To be clear, this was not just about shape and weight, but the improved health that came along with my recent changes. I've come to accept some genetic hand-me-downs, but I had been doing so well at controlling the things I could control. > > And then, again with the pancreatitis. For some reason my body has decided that I am susceptible to that angry pancreas life, and that just makes me mad. **Bonus Post:** [*A Prayer for Protesters and Disrupters: Holding space for disappointment, anger, and weariness*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-for-protesters-and-disrupters/) [Get 50% off a group subscription](#/portal/signup) ### Top September 2024 Post **2,030 Opens:**[***Hot + Take + Tuesday: The Children's Message: If you need permission and justification to get rid of them, you're welcome***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-the-childrens-message/) > First, let’s start with what I beleive is the genuine intent of The Children’s Message. Most folks, if asked, would say that The Children’s Message is important because it is a dedicated time that speaks to the spiritual growth and centers of the lived experience of the kids in our midst. To be clear, I have no argument with these intentions. I can safely say that I have seen or been part of hundreds of Children’s Messages over the years, and with each one, I am more convinced that, in most settings, The Children’s Message fails to communicate either of those intentions very well. **Bonus Post:** [*Today, There is Crying in Baseball. — Grateful, Grieving, and Being so Pissed off at John Fisher that Major League Baseball is Now Dead to Us*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/today-there-is-crying-in-baseball/) --- ### Top October 2024 Post **2,040 Opens:**[***My Memorial Service: An invitation for us all to help our loved ones grieve at the time of our death***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-memorial-service/) > Pastoring for nearly 30 years, I have learned that one of the most generous gifts you can offer your family is to take care of your end-of-life arrangements. Yes, this can be a difficult topic to think about, but the reality is that someday your time on this earth will end, your body will need to be tended to, and your loved one will need to grieve their loss and celebrate your life. **Bonus Post:** [*A Plea for Empathy: No Matter Who, No Matter When, No Matter Where*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-plea-for-empathy/) --- ### Top November 2024 Post **2,270 Opens:**[***An Election Day Breathing Prayer: Claiming a sacred space for ourselves and others***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-election-day-breathing-prayer/) > For so many, this election season has been weighty and overwhelming. Personal relationships have been damaged, coalitions have been tested, and spirits have been stretched to the brink. > > I offer this prayer in the hopes that, over the next few days, we might claim a sacred space for ourselves and others. **Bonus Post:** [*I Choose Hope, Still and Again: How and why I am choosing to respond to what happened and what may come.*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-choose-hope-still-and-again/) --- ### Top December 2024 Post **1,670 Opens:**[***Intro to BlueSky Feeds and Five Ways to Connect with Presbyterians: Introduction to Lists, Feeds, and Starter Packs using PC(USA) affiliated and adjacent individuals, congregations, and organizations as an example***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/intro-to-bluesky-feeds-and-five-ways/) > A million years ago (2012), I wrote an eBook, [*The Definistive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church,*](http://the%20definitive-ish%20guide%20for%20using%20social%20media%20in%20the%20church/) where I had the privilege of introducing church folks to practical ways to use new-fangled social platforms. Kinda feels like a little deja vu as many of us make the shift to BlueSky, and I love it! > > **Buckle up, this is a longer post than usual. I hope it’s helpful.** **Bonus Post:** [*Depression, Failure, and a Big Ass Bag of Privilege: One more post to help normalize acknowledging and addressing depression.*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/depression-failure-and-a-big-ass/) And now, I have a peek under the hood of my stats. As one who has been trying to live this gig life, I think it’s vital for folks to know some of the realities of this life. While I generate approximately $500 per month from Substack (more than others, less than many), this is only one space of income generation. I will be posting about that later and the dilemma of being on platforms that are ultimately driven by profit by almost any means. I am grateful for the growth and will write more in the future, but if I want to keep growing and bring on a team to help, I’ll probably take on another anchor position (stay tuned). Here are my overall stats as of December 26, 2024. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/728ad4c3-c88d-41b3-a980-e9f2d2c03952_1874x832.png) **And for the nerdy and nosey . . .** **Subscriber info:** All Subscribers, Paid Subscribers, Free Subscribers, All Followers, and Annual Total Income. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/65e6adea-ecf1-4bb7-bf00-d49de1287e62_2372x1102.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/22e5741d-ad02-446d-a099-63542a7931c6_2354x1100.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/94abed49-e747-4b0c-9572-ab447906c7ac_2364x1102.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9d87c7c5-60f6-404f-9937-2e15a8c8f026_2338x1110.png) And for traffic sources, email is still the best way to get to folks, so don’t sleep on your email lists. Also, apparently, Bing is still a thing :-) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f381dab3-76d4-46d9-8793-d9c054f105ab_1902x844.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/88b25b34-28e6-42fe-a3c0-fcaa25473e73_1706x1284.png) Okay, all, thanks for hanging in this far and for as long as you have. If you are free subscriber and have felt that what I offer has been meaningful, please consider upgrading to a paid account. [Get 60 day free trial](#/portal/signup) Lastly, wishing you all Happy Holidays, Merry Chrsitmas, and Happy New Year. May our collective 2025 be filled with hope, peace, love, and joy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cb506d25-30ce-4d9e-b356-50fcefadfcb0_3489x1963-jpeg.jpg) Happy Holidays from our crew to yours! ### Depression, Failure, and a Big Ass Bag of Privilege URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/depression-failure-and-a-big-ass/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:26:16.000Z **UPDATED 01.01.25:** [***When Happy New Year is Anything But***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/when-happy-new-year-is-anything-but/) *Note: I am not looking for a diagnosis, but rather, I’m using my platform to share my story, hoping it may speak to others. If it does, you are seen.* I was not sure what was going on, but for the past many months, I have felt off. Sure, I have gone through periods where I have been more unfocused, more irritable, and even just plain sad, but it has become clear that this season is different. I have been more reactionary to loved ones, my sleep and energy have been wonky, and I have found myself moving through more manic episodes than usual. And just like other times in my life, I tried to justify, even romanticize, these moments with the familiar and dangerous narratives — > *It’s “just” the season.* > > *Pushing and powering through is a measure of my commitment and strength.* > > *Others are far worse off so what do I have to be anxious, stressed, or depressed about?* > > *This is just a phase, I’ll be fine just as soon as \[x\] is over.* > > *I can handle this on my own.* Even more confusing to me and others is that I have been functioning just fine. My external work, public ministry, and casual interactions have not suffered (I think), but when I am alone, my spirit has been slogging through the mud. I am grateful for those times of clarity and that I am not debilitated, but as cheesy as it is, I have felt like I walk out with the survival smiley face held up for the world to see while behind it — I am less than joy-filled. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5d18c5c0-23f9-4000-ad15-549441baf74b_1455x720-jpeg.jpg) Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. All this goes to say that some relationships have taken notice, and I have taken notice. Knowing that there is a history of depression and bipolar (addressed and unaddressed \*deep sigh\*) in my family, I am acutely aware of the ramifications of not acknowledging the signs of depression and, when obvious, not addressing them. With all of this swirling in my brain like a pack of bees, this past week, I again entered into a conversation with a professional (Thank you Kaiser healthcare) to figure out what was going on. This is not my first time doing this, but it does not make it any easier. I was reminded *again* that noticing signs earlier rather than later is essential. Thankfully, my bipolar has not reached a threshold of concern, but my depression, while slight, is authentic and in need of some attention. I will continue my meetings, but we are holding off on medication while I try some other things to address possible root causes. It’s been years since I have been in this kind of therapeutic setting, and it was good. And yet. Sometimes, I feel like I am failing others, losing myself, or being weak. I have had to give some things up because my aforementioned public “functionality” has been vastly better than my internal professional and personal work and commitments. I postponed a book project, commitments at home are piling up, and my creativity has come to a grinding halt. Stymied, stuck, and slogging, oh my. Intellectually, I know that I will be fine, and, as I will mention later, I have the resources within my circle to address everything. But sometimes knowing and believing are very different, especially for this overachieving, eldest child, Enneagram 3, high-revving, human ~~doing~~ being. To be sure, especially after long covid, I am way better about productivity, meritocracy, and accolades being the main drivers in my life, but what is clear is that I will never fully shed those motivations. They are always lurking in some corner of my mind, waiting for the right moment to come out and whisper, “Your worth is based on what you accomplish” into my ear. Which leads me to be so grateful for the realities and privileges in my life. I am grateful — - For collectives that continually remind me that engaging in loving community is the only way we will survive and thrive in this world. - For those who have paved the way to make it “easier, culturally and institutionally, to acknowledge and address mental, spiritual, and emotional struggles. - For healthcare and mental health resources that are accessible because of generational wealth and socioeconomic privilege. - For the financial resources to maintain my physical practices and mental health disciplines. - For the freedom to explore creative ways to address possible causes. - For gracious, empathetic, and thoughtful friends and colleagues. - For loved ones who gently hold these seasons of life with and for me. Like many before me who live with these seasons, if you have interacted with me in the past months, you may not noticed anything different about me. This is one reason that I am sharing this today. For so many who interact in the public square and engage in public ministry, our front-facing expressions are genuine, but those interactions do not define our entire world. To be clear, I know that I am not the first one, I am not the only one, and I will not be the last one to know and experience this reality. If any of this resonates with your experience, I take great comfort in knowing that we see one another and that we are loved. Peace to you. If you know of someone in your circle for whom this post might be helpful, please to share it. ### Intro to BlueSky Feeds and Five Ways to Connect with Presbyterians URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/intro-to-bluesky-feeds-and-five-ways/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T19:40:42.000Z Full disclosure: this post came dangerously close to being titled *Feeds, Lists, Starter Packs — Oh My*. I resisted. You’re welcome :-) A million years ago (2012), I wrote an eBook, [*The Definistive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church,*](http://The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church) where I had the privilege of introducing church folks to practical ways to use new-fangled social platforms. Kinda feels like a little deja vu as many of us make the shift to BlueSky, and I love it! **Buckle up, this is a longer post than usual. I hope it’s helpful.** As we have learned, no platform is perfect or will be around forever. That said, as Blue Sky [hits the 25M user mark](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/bluesky-25-million-users-milestone-1236086109/?ref=reyes-chow.com), it does feel like it has made a case for being the legit replacement for those of us who miss that bird life. There is much to learn about this platform and its capabilities, but after its earlier invite-only phase, it is definitely off to an encouraging start with a larger user base. As I shared in [this update](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3lcqpvbj2362p?ref=reyes-chow.com) a few weeks back and reinforced by [last week’s San Francisco tornado warning](https://bsky.app/search?q=tornado+san+francisco&ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6b91b6f2-ff0e-43fe-ab94-e60e2b770798_1182x432.png) Since [I have probably left Meta for good](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/a-potentially-permanent-pause-from?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true), I am very excited, so to no one's surprise have been poking around with some of the features. And like good church nerds, I have even joined in conversations with other digital ministry church folks ([Jim on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/jimkeat.com?ref=reyes-chow.com)), ([Nathan on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/www.pixelandpulpit.com?ref=reyes-chow.com)), and Tara Barnes ([Tara on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/tarabarnes.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com)) to talk about the impact and possibility of BlueSky on the church. Be sure to check out [Jim’s Digital Ministry Starter Pack](https://go.bsky.app/DZUYoQE?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you are newer to BlueSky and wondering what the big deal is, the answer is simple — BlueSky enables users to determine what they see. BlueSky is devoid of algorithm-driven timelines and allows users to determine what is seen and not seen. This means there are some fantastic opportunities to craft timelines in ways that make the most sense for you and your interests. **Below are some thoughts about feeds in general, Presbyterian connections in particular, all the feeds I have created, and bonus third-party app suggestions.** #### Defeating the Algorithm Army As you look at your BlueSky profile, you will see a variety of default feeds you can access by scrolling at the top of your home page or by clicking on the \[# Feeds\] link on the left side. These collections are algorithms that give you the power to choose what to see or, more importantly, not see. No more are the Algorithm Gremlins in control of your timeline. They are pissed, but they will be fine. There are plenty of places for them to wreak their havoc. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/20c000c8-6c58-478d-ab59-53796c413f73_724x483-jpeg.jpg) Your financial and viewing support makes The Amalgamation possible, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Before I get into the details, here are a few general things about your Feeds section. I’ll then get more specific about each feed. - You will often see “Feeds” used generically to describe all of the algorithms that you have chosen to follow and are populated in two ways: searches (feeds) or profiles (lists). It is also used as a specific feed based on keywords or tags. - Feeds may include or may not include people that you already follow or who follow you. It will not include people who you have blocked, and you will not show up in theirs. - To add feeds to your profile, click on \[PIN TO HOME\] for lists and feeds and \[FOLLOW ALL\] for Starter Packs. - Once you have added feeds, you can edit them by clicking on \[# Feeds\] on the left and then \[EDIT\] in the top right corner. You can also pin or unpin and change the order of all included feeds. I encourage you to play around with the order and content to make the experience fit your scrolling vibe. - Depending on how you access BlueSky, you can navigate to and switch between your feeds in different places. On your phone, feeds are at the top of your home page, and on your desktop, they are in the right sidebar. In the bonus section, I offer at least one other desktop option, [DeckBlue](https://deck.blue/?ref=reyes-chow.com). #### Connecting with BlueSky Presbyterians Below are some real-life applications using people and entities connected to those pesky Presbyterian Church (USA) as the focus. Again, following these examples are other feeds I created + Bonus 3rd Party Apps. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/35a55a70-0648-4db1-9747-7633e600e3c0_1200x630.png)](https://go.bsky.app/63oX4dF?ref=reyes-chow.com) #### **Presbyterian Starter Packs:** Starter packs cannot be pinned to your feeds list but are meant to jumpstart your following list. When you click on a Starter Pack, you can click \[Follow All\], and BOOM, you are following everyone the pack creator has determined to fit within that category. You can also look at the list of included profiles and follow them individually. Remember that as folks are added, you will not automatically follow them, so you have to go back and \[Follow All\] again. - [**PC(USA) People**](https://bsky.app/starter-pack/beckydurham.bsky.social/3layjsazagh2j?ref=reyes-chow.com) (via [Rev. Becky Durham](https://bsky.app/profile/beckydurham.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com)) — If you want to connect with other PC(USA) folks, this is a great place to start. You should let Becky know [on this post](https://bsky.app/profile/beckydurham.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) if you want to be added. - [**PC(USA) Affiliated and Adjacent Organizations and Institutions**](https://go.bsky.app/63oX4dF?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This pack comprises entities, congregations, and organizations that are somehow connected to the PC(USA). And, yes, if your org wants to be included, leave your handle on this post. To follow the starter packs, like and click \[FOLLOW ALL\]. #### **Presbyterian** Feeds You will see “feeds” being used interchangeably with all of the feeds and lists you follow, as well as specific feeds based on keywords or tags. Depending on how the creator sets up the feed, it can be specific or broad. Specific ones (based on a small number of keywords or tags) will generate fewer posts but more focused, while ones based on more keywords and tags will be more populated. Neither is better nor worse; it just depends on what you are looking for in your scrolling experience. - [**#PCUSA**](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/feed/aaafqoqe4vvim?ref=reyes-chow.com) **—** This feed ONLY picks up posts and replies tagged with #PCUSA, so it is pretty specific. There are other feeds that pull Presbyterian or Presbyterian Church, but I have found those to include too much. To add [this feed](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/feed/aaafqoqe4vvim?ref=reyes-chow.com) to your profile, click on \[PIN TO HOME\]. #### **Presbyterian** Lists Like feeds, when you find one you want to follow, just hit \[PIN TO HOME\], and it will be added to your profile. Lists generate posts for all the accounts included in the list, so you are trusting the creator that they have created a list that will include what you are interested in. To see who is included on the list and to follow them individually, go to the \[About\] tab on any list. - [**Presbyterian People**](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/lists/3ld7w2hbwlx2y?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This is a list of individuals who self-identify as affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). - [**Presbyterian Organizations**](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/lists/3ld7dnib26724?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This is a list of congregations and organizations affiliated or adjacent to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Add these lists to your profile and click \[PIN TO HOME\] on each list. Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! This post is public so feel free to share it. #### Other feeds that I have started [Visit my profile](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) to see all the feeds, lists, and starter packs I have created, or browse the list below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/75085545-d21a-4a2b-b76e-dc011b4b5379_1170x902.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/11c3c2b6-71a9-407d-8473-712a3ce6810c_1158x1160.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2f86b95d-62dc-4f61-9adc-d939b3830263_944x944.png) My BlueSky Lists and Feeds **My Starter Packs: (Like, Follow All or Follow Some)** - [**NWSL Teams**](https://go.bsky.app/Gu1gNYy?ref=reyes-chow.com) — For fanatics of the National Women’s Soccer League. - [**OrangeTheory Nation**](https://go.bsky.app/SNXhZpD?ref=reyes-chow.com) — A few folks who post about that Orangetheory Fitness life. - [**Substackers**](https://go.bsky.app/TiDttxB?ref=reyes-chow.com) — A few folks who write over on Substack. **My Other Lists: (Pin so you can see posts of particular accounts)** - [**Media Outlets and News Sources**](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/lists/3lcgaqt4xnz2v?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This list includes media outlets and news sources with whom I GENERALLY trust. - [**Journalists & Reporters**](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pklmwetdoafmxrpm762na2k2/lists/3lcgak3an742q?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This list includes humans who cover, uncover, investigate, and report the news. **My Other Feeds: (Pin so you can see posts with keywords and tags)** - [**#OTFSky**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/orangetheory?ref=reyes-chow.com) — Feed that catches all the Orangetheory Posts and Replies from the OTF Nation! - [**#SubstackSky**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/substack-sky?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This feed picks up posts and replies with key Substack search terms as well as #SubstackSky. - [**#FreePalestine**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/free-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com) — Feed that pulls posts and replies tagged with #FreePalestine. - [**#LittleFreeLibrary**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/lfl?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This feed grabs posts and replies with "little free library" and #littlefreelibrary. - [**#PulpitSky**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/pulpit-sermon?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This feed tracks posts and replies tagged with #PulpitSky #PreacherSky and #SermonSky. - [**#CliftonStrengths**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/cliftonstrength?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This feed tracks posts and replies referencing "clifton strengths" or "strengths finder" as phrases or hashtags. - [**#Enneagram**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/enneagram?ref=reyes-chow.com) — This feed tracks all posts and replies that include some mention of the word or hashtag "enneagram.” - [**#FAHM**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/feed/Fil-Am-Hi-Mo?ref=reyes-chow.com) —Feed that pulls posts and replies referencing some form of Filipino American History Month and Filipino American National Historical Society, #FAHM, and #FANHS. Okay, so that’s it for the *Feeds, Lists, Starter Packs — Oh My* post(Sorry, it’s right there.) There will be more to learn as usage increases, but thanks for making it all the way through this first post. If you really want to dive deep, I would suggest following [Inkygirl by Debbie Ridpath Ohi](https://open.substack.com/pub/debbieohi) over [on @BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/debbieohi.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) and checking out her [*Unofficial Guide to Bluesky*](https://publish.obsidian.md/debbieohi/bluesky?ref=reyes-chow.com). So very good. But wait, there’s more . . . #### BONUS: Third Party Apps That I Have Used - [**DeckBlue:**](https://deck.blue/?ref=reyes-chow.com) For those who remember TweetDeck, you will be glad to hear that there is an excellent BlueSky version. I am using it now, especially because of its [markdown language capabilities](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com/post/3ldfl625vqp2f?ref=reyes-chow.com). - [**SkyFollower Bridge:**](https://www.sky-follower-bridge.dev/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[ ](https://www.sky-follower-bridge.dev/?ref=reyes-chow.com)Use this app/extension to follow your Twitter followers if they have moved to BlueSky. When logging in, use the BlueSky password generator that creates multiple passwords. - [**BlueSkyFeeds:**](https://blueskyfeeds.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) This is where you can create your feeds. Again, use the password generator. - [**ClearSky:**](https://clearsky.app/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Plug in an account to see who they have blocked, who has blocked them, and what lists they are included on. [Here are the folks who have blocked me](https://clearsky.app/breyeschow.com/lists?ref=reyes-chow.com) already, and for what, who knows? - [**SkyLink:**](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/skylink-bluesky-did-detec/aflpfginfpjhanhkmdpohpggpolfopmb?hl=en&authuser=0&ref=reyes-chow.com) This is a browser extension that detects Bluesky accounts associated with the domains you visit ([From ADHD Jesse](https://bsky.app/profile/adhdjesse.com/post/3laumwl4z2c2q?ref=reyes-chow.com)) If you want to connect, [you know where to find me.](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Follow Me on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.com?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Book + Excerpt: Kindness as Commodity URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-excerpt-kindness-as-commodity/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T01:31:35.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) Book Excerpts I share [excerpts from my books](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/book-excerpt/) to give folks a taste of my content and style, so feel free to share and use with attribution. If your group plans on reading any of my books, you can find them all on my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) or via the publishers. Also, I will Zoom in for an hour (no charge) to talk about the book with your group, and if you are interested in bringing me out for a speaking event or conference, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). [Bruce's Bookshop ](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Kindness as Commodity [*In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://amzn.to/4frVEMw?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Chalice Press, 2021), 17-22 My grandfather’s name, Esteban de los Reyes, or Steven of the Kings, is a pretty cool name. Unfortunately, when he immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 1928, the US government thought that it was just a bit too exotic and summarily changed it to Steve Reyes. Though this was the name he used as a teenager who found himself working in restaurants in Los Angeles, the name he used working the fields of the Central Valley of California picking tomatoes and strawberries, and the name he used getting to know the movers and shakers of Stockton, California, as a bartender at the local country club, to me my grandfather will always be that stylishly dressed young man worthy of the smooth name Esteban de los Reyes. Grandpa Reyes was generous, playful, and always ready for a good cry that was either fueled by anger or born of joy. My mother tells me that when he got home from his shift at the bar, she and her siblings would hear his pocket jingling with coins. This meant that when he opened the door, coins came a-flying. It was like literal pennies falling from heaven as he tossed coins in the air for the kids to catch and keep. He also felt deeply. Whether it was for a social injustice or the love of his family and kids, he had all the feels. Many a time he would just be sitting on the couch watching his grandchildren play, and he would start to weep with joy. Yep, I’m crying as I write this. As we have learned, the crying is genetic—apologies to my children. In the eyes of many, I am sure that all these traits put together made him appear too nice and, when it comes to his marriages, I would not disagree. His first wife, my grandmother, was—how shall we say?—feisty, passionate, and determined. And truth be told, she took advantage of my grandfather. As she once wrote to my mother when talking about me as a child—I’ll expand on this later—“When I met your dad, I told him I don’t love him but I was willing to get married if I could have children. In the long run, I have been happy with him because of you kids.” If this were a movie, it would be some version of “The scrappy survivor meets the hopeless romantic.” The same personality and character traits that helped my grandmother survive being abandoned in Little Rock, Arkansas, then make it to California, get a job, and start a family also created situations in which she was not faithful to him. This forced him to make decisions that many would have seen as too nice and as allowing my grandmother to take advantage of his commitment to his children. There is a movie-deserving story here, but if you sense a bit of hesitance on my part, you would be correct. No one in the family knows many of the stories of their marriage and the decisions he made in response to her actions. While such stories would make poignant illustrations, I am choosing to be kind and let people pass down the stories when they are good and ready. Some of them are not my stories to share. They are intimate, painful, and raw, so I am choosing the kindness of discretion. I did say “some stories” because I have no problem dishing on his other wives. After my grandfather eventually divorced my grandmother, he remarried twice more, both times on trips to the Philippines to visit relatives. My grandfather craved and deserved companionship, so he married Tessie on his first visit to the Philippines. While a bit shocked, we were in some ways very happy for him. But the pattern of his wife taking advantage of his kindness was repeated. His second wife had some severe mental health issues that eventually led to us not being able to see him very much. When we pleaded with him to do something, his kindness was evident. Even though this was not an ideal marriage, he felt he was supposed to protect and care for her, and he did everything to maintain his marriage. A few years into the marriage, Tessie died in a car accident, leaving my grandfather companionless again. Some years later when Grandpa let us know that he was going to the Philippines for a visit, we all said, “Grandpa, do not get married!” Well, you can imagine how that went. This time he married a much younger woman, one just a year older than my mother, and we knew from the start this was not going to be a good situation. The short version is that she blew through his savings, they lost his house, she moved him to San Diego, and often we could not even locate him for a visit. I cherish the few times that we were able to see him during those years, and I still get angry about what she did and what we were not able to do. She eventually let us know that he had died and that we needed to be “family” and pay her the respect due to our “grandmother.” That didn’t happen. Clearly my grandfather was kind to a fault. His kindness led him into painful situations, and I wish he had made different decisions. I would have loved for all of my children, my nieces, and his namesake, my nephew, Esteban, to have known this amazingly kind, generous, and loving human. They would have met a man who was empathetic with others’ struggles, loyal to those in his community, and kind without expectation of reciprocation. That kindness is not transactional is one of the greatest lessons I learned from him. While I wish that he had been more kind to himself, and while I would never want someone to be taken advantage of as he was, I err on the side of this sort of optimistic kindness every time. I do so out of a genuine belief that every person deserves to be seen as a human being and not because I expect the same treatment in return. For if our commitment to kindness is contingent upon being repaid with the same posture and approach, we are in for a lifetime of frustration and a jaded future. If we make kindness contingent, then we have failed to examine the possible repercussions of the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you.” Two problems can come from not examining this rule. First, it is quite possible that the recipient of the treatment does not actually want to be treated in the same way that you do. If our social location and context become the norm, we treat people how we would want to be treated, assuming that they live in the same norm. A good example is how we greet one another. I tend to be a hugger, but not everyone likes to be hugged. The second potential problem with this saying is that there is an implicit understanding and expectation of reciprocation. If we take kindness and individual agency seriously, we will not read this rule as a transactional guarantee. Nope, there are no guarantees that kindness will be reciprocated. We are kind not because of what we get out of the act, but because of what it says about how we understand the humanity of others and how we believe that humans should be treated. Expressing kindness doesn’t guarantee that we’ll get kindness in return. But we hope that the more expressions and act of kindness there are, the more people will experience the world as benevolent. We hope that our acts and expressions of kindness will gradually result in a world that sees kindness not as a commodity to barter, but as a natural and normative way to treat everyone around us. **For Reflection:** - What other human interactions are often considered as eliciting some kind of reciprocation? - Share a time when you were frustrated that your kindness was not reciprocated. **Try This:** - The next time you say “Thank you,” gauge how much you expect a response of “You’re welcome.” Reflect on your reaction. [![](https://the-amalgamation.ghost.io/content/images/2025/02/2b154e9c-aab3-4919-9c3a-44c40596c209_1500x500.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### What Books Should I Add to This Year's Jólabókaflód Box? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-books-should-i-add-to-this-years/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:16.000Z If you have never heard of Jólabókaflód or your Icelandic is a little rusty, this is an Icelandic tradition. Translated as “book flood,” it represents the flood of books released before Christmas and has become a tradition to exchange books on Christmas Eve[1](#footnote-1). While I am well down the list of readers in our family and refuse to participate in the weaponization annual reading goals, we have always encouraged our kids to read, read, read, read. We use the library and have eReaders, but we also love buying books and supporting authors. Over the past four years, we have adopted the Icelandic Christmas tradition by creating a Jólabókaflód box each year. Most of the books are family suggestions, but I also scour lists because I try to include a mix of topics and titles: heady, academic stuff; fun, brain-candy; moving novels, political and cultural analysis, etc. ### **What titles should be in our Jólabókaflód box this year?** If you want to suggest a title, the more diverse, the better; drop titles, links, or lists in the comments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/68a6b006-36b3-4753-a99f-f7bc949df960_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. --- 1. You can read more about the founding story [here](https://jolabokaflod.org/about/founding-story/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") ### Book + Excerpt: Scream as Needed URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-excerpt-scream-as-needed/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T20:13:45.000Z Book Excerpts I share [excerpts from my books](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/book-excerpt/) to give folks a taste of my content and style, so feel free to share and use with attribution. If your group plans on reading any of my books, you can find them all on my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) or via the publishers. Also, I will Zoom in for an hour (no charge) to talk about the book with your group, and if you are interested in bringing me out for a speaking event or conference, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). [Bruce's Bookshop ](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Rule #65: Scream as Needed An excerpt from[*Rule #2: Don't Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780989498142?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Bacosa Books, 2016), p95 Every once in a while, you will want to scream at the sky. Be it in anger, frustration, or jubilation, a good scream at the universe can be cathartic and good for the soul. Scream out loud; scream out proud. This may be a strange lesson to read because we are not really a screaming family. I am sure there have been times where you have wanted to—me too, but we have chosen sarcasm, silent stewing, and passive-aggressiveness as our modes of operation. Again, you are welcome. ;-) So yeah, while it’s not a big part of how we raised you, scream when you need to: when an election goes terribly wrong, when someone breaks your heart, or when your parents get in the way of you living your life as you hoped to. Screaming can release pent-up energy, it can act as a release valve for anger, and sometimes it just feels damn good. If at all possible, as you scream, be sure to choose your location well. You don’t want to wake your neighbor’s baby, startle your drill-wielding dentist, or give the person standing in front of you in line in the grocery store a heart attack—but then again, sometimes you just can’t help it. And finally, when it comes to screaming, when it comes from such a deep place of pain that you cannot hold it on your own, allow others into your world, so they can bear some of the weight of your pain—and in many ways scream with you. --- The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2b154e9c-aab3-4919-9c3a-44c40596c209_1500x500-1.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### Book + Excerpt: The Bible URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-excerpt-the-bible/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T20:14:08.000Z Book Excerpts I share [excerpts from my books](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/book-excerpt/) to give folks a taste of my content and style, so feel free to share and use with attribution. If your group plans on reading any of my books, you can find them all on my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) or via the publishers. Also, I will Zoom in for an hour (no charge) to talk about the book with your group, and if you are interested in bringing me out for a speaking event or conference, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). [Bruce's Bookshop ](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### The Spirit and The Bible An excerpt from[*Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Broadleaf Books, 2024), 81-83 --- **How does the Spirit move through the Bible?** *The Spirit moves through the Bible:* *Not an indifferent collection but an anthology of human experience.* *Not a contract to be enforced but a covenant to be honored.* *Not a map to be followed but an adventure to be embraced.* *Not a literal set of rules but evolving truths to be revealed.* *Not a weapon of faith but a wellspring of liberation.* --- The Bible tells the breadth and depth of the human experience with God. The Bible both liberates and binds; it is a living conversation and delicate dance between humanity and the Spirit. It’s a record of God’s story as told by authors who sought to discern God’s movement in the story of their people. Yes, it contains beautiful passages that evoke love, hope, joy, and peace. But the Bible also contains the rawness and reality of a world filled with ugliness, despair, sorrow, and destruction. While some prefer a faith devoid of difficulty, strife, and conflict, I find deep comfort in the fact that, in the midst of the good and the bad, God still speaks. I do not deny that the Bible has been weaponized to oppress communities, justify systems of violence, and otherwise serve as a handbook for human havoc-raising. But I am not going to start there. I want to start with why I believe the Bible is important. Put simply, the Bible operates as a living guidebook for our lives. The Bible guides us into understanding God’s faithfulness to us. While some see Scripture as clear and concise rules for life, I don’t. In fact, the Bible is anything but clear or concise. But I do believe that reading Scripture challenges us to dive into discerning God’s longings for us, in any particular time and circumstance. Most importantly, the Bible communicates God’s greatest hopes and intentions for humanity. The Bible is long and complicated enough to embody a multitude of God’s hopes for us. When we read the story of Jeremiah, in which God calls a child to speak truth to the world, we might find God calling us, too, to be prophetic in the face of injustice. As we read about Jesus’s constant prayer and study (which often left the disciples confused), we might commit ourselves to practices of self-reflection and discipleship, which means following Jesus. In Mark 2, when we read of people going to great lengths to carry their friend to Jesus for healing, we learn what it means to experience belonging. Through the wisdom literature—Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs — we are given language for God’s beauty, creativity, and expansiveness. Through the Bible, God tell us through human authors, “Here is what I hope you to be and become, and I am with you always.” The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. As much as the Bible brings clarity, it is also filled with contradictions. Using a lens of biblical literalism—the belief that the Bible is the exact word of God—to understand a document written by humans is fundamentally flawed and leads to proof-texting and dangerous misapplication. If you are willing to take the text out of context, you can probably support almost any position, about anything, by using the Bible. The weaponizing of the Bible is one of the most destructive and dangerous parts of Christianity, past and present. For instance, when people claim “biblical marriage” as the standard in the debates about same-gender marriage, they do so as if there is a singular standard of marriage endorsed by the Bible, and thus by God. News flash: if we listed the ways in which people engaged in marriage in the Bible (polygamy, incest, sexual violence, and an absence of state-sanctioned marriage at all), most people would not choose to have a “biblical marriage.” This is where the Spirit comes in, challenging us to interpret Scripture in community and to hold onto nuance. The Spirit reminds us that, even though this text was written by human hands, over generations, and through countless cultures and contexts, the words are as alive today as they were when chisel, quill, or pen was first put to stone, parchment, or paper. Seeing the Bible as a living, breathing container of God’s voice to us is not a sign of weakness or an old-fashioned, out-of-date faith. Rather, it is a sign of depth and confidence of faith in God’s meaningful presence yesterday, today, and always. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2b154e9c-aab3-4919-9c3a-44c40596c209_1500x500-2.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### Book + Excerpt: Kindness and Resistance URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-excerpt-kindness-and-resistance/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T20:14:38.000Z Book Excerpts I share [excerpts from my books](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/book-excerpt/) to give folks a taste of my content and style, so feel free to share and use with attribution. If your group plans on reading any of my books, you can find them all on my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) or via the publishers. Also, I will Zoom in for an hour (no charge) to talk about the book with your group, and if you are interested in bringing me out for a speaking event or conference, [start here](https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-me/). [Bruce's Bookshop ](https://bookshop.org/lists/brc-books-on-bookshop?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Chapter 9: Kindness and Resistance [*In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://amzn.to/4frVEMw?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Chalice Press, 2021), 69–75 In 2018, along with about thirty other religious leaders, I was arrested at the US-Mexico border as part of an action to bring visibility to the militarization of the border and the cruelty of the US immigration system. Despite the militaristic intimidation, testosterone-fueled chest-beating, and physical nature of the actual arrest, what stuck with me is kindness. No, neither Border Patrol nor Homeland Security agents acknowledged that we were beautifully and divinely created humans. Rather, sitting in the back of the police van cuffed and crowded together with friends old and new, humanity reigned. Old and young; Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist; white, Brown, and Black; newbies to civil disobedience and veterans to troublemaking laughed and commiserated together. We genuinely got to know one another as people, individually created beautiful human beings. I am one of those people who has pretty much never encountered a protest that I did not want to attend. My family and religious roots have taught me to show up, speak up, and shine light upon unjust systems. I have attended radical actions, I have organized public actions, and I have participated in mainstream marches. I have been struck by police batons and feared for my body, I have been arrested gently and wondered how this could be called protest, and I have been arrested forcefully and have wondered whether I would be hustled off to some secret Homeland Security facility. I believe that active, persistent, and public resistance is crucial to the success of any and all movements for change. Because I am committed to active resistance and because we often think of the fight for social justice causes as aggressive, even sometimes violent, I know that this may be one of the more difficult places to see the power of kindness. Protests, marches, sit-ins, civil disobedience, even riots—all play a part in achieving justice and equality in the world. Without the voices from the edges publicly demanding, wailing, and protesting, institutions and systems that engage in exclusionary, oppressive, or marginalizing practices continue to operate with apathy or impunity. Destructive systems do not change themselves, and those working for change within these systems can’t do it alone. It is not surprising that, when faced with oppressive and violent situations, people have a hard time seeing kindness as a valuable and practical response. Certainly anger and rage are justified reactions in response to acts of injustice and oppressive systems. Yet anger and rage are not sustainable or life-giving over the long haul. Not only do we run the risk of escalating a culture of violence and retribution, but time and time again I have seen how anger can change the way people interact with those closest to them. Such anger typically comes not from righteous indignation but from unexpected burnout, a lack of self-awareness, and the burden of constant oppression and frustration. Anger and rage have their place. But at some point, we have to find ways to channel that rage and anger into actions that advance movements for equality and justice. In the journey toward justice, no matter what issue is being confronted—ableism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, racism, militarism, et cetera—it takes multiple tactics and perspectives to achieve just results. When the time is right for each of us, we must embrace actions and responses that recognize the humanity and dignity of the other, no matter how heinous the act that we are addressing. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) Public protest, political resistance, and the fight for social justice are not just about confrontation. Here are a few ways in which I view kindness as part of that work. ***Violence and aggression:*** Self-defense is one thing, but at the end of the day, I am committed to nonviolence. I understand why some reach a different conclusion and, like Martin Luther King Jr., see riots and other outbreaks of violence as expressions of pent-up frustrations and being unheard. But violence as a primary tactic does not value the human dignity of the other that is required of a posture of kindness. If I believe that my liberation can only come from your death, then what does that say about my liberation? Yes, there are horrible players in the world, both individual and institutional, who deserve to be locked away, dismantled, or removed from a place of power, but doing so through violence is not something I can support. This is not Pollyannaish or naive. Quite the opposite: kindness is a more difficult path because it requires us, first, to believe that each and every person has value and deserves to be seen as a created being and, second, not to let anger, hatred, or violence win the day. ***Communal experience:*** As in my experience of being arrested at the border, one of the powerful outcomes of protest is community. Most of us who have been involved in these kinds of actions in the past know that the community-building component is real. Even so, we sometimes lapse into behaviors that are anything but kind. Sometimes our passions morph into purity tests, our egos take precedence over the good of the community, and we begin to think that the entire endeavor is all about us. The embodiment of kindness as part of these kinds of actions requires us to see one another as complex and created human beings who also happen to hold common political, ideological, or religious views. When we are able and willing to do this, movements become bonded by relationships and a depth of common purpose, thus giving the movement power and focus that would otherwise elude us. ***Acts of civil disobedience:*** Not everyone has the space or privilege to participate in acts of civil disobedience. Because of life situations, immigration status, or other factors, there are many people who would be more than willing to engage in civil disobedience but would pay a price greater than many others to do so. Civil disobedience is not the only way we can push for greater social justice. That said, if you ever are able to participate in civil disobedience and risk arrest, you will find that the training is done with a lens of kindness and humanity: yours, that of law enforcement, and that of everyone else who is involved. Not only will you be trained not to provoke, but you will also be trained that the heart of the act is to highlight the plight of human beings. When it comes to responding to law enforcement personnel, we focus on not reacting with violence no matter how much the system encourages them to try and provoke an aggressive act toward them. In this act, we are saying to those before us that we are all more than what the system wants us to be seen as or how the system wants us to behave—and we will act accordingly. In holding firm to such nonviolence, we force those who are acting as agents for the system to see us as human beings and question what they are doing rather than see us as ideological opposition that can be treated with detachment and disregard. Spark is important, but kindness will sustain. Every person has a role in movements for justice and change. Some are thinkers, others are agitators, others are relationship builders, and still others work from within the system. There is a time and place for all who are in these struggles, but for those who are at the forefront of the protests, I know that sparks such as protests are only as effective and powerful as the systemic societal changes that come out of them. In this regard, kindness toward one another and valuing the role that everyone has in the movement is crucial. Yes, those with common goals must hold one another accountable for our actions and impact on people, but we must also hold with care the bigger picture and process of change. As we engage in this work over a lifetime, we will at some point find ourselves on both sides of the “move faster” or “be patient” divide. Though it is frustrating while we are in the thick of things, the power lies in us all needing each other in order for real change to happen. So rather than seeing coconspirators as those who have oppositional tactics and are not worthy of our time, empathy, or support, we must take comfort in the knowledge that these diverse tactics are fueled by our common passion for justice, making our individual tactics that much more powerful in combination with theirs. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) There will always be injustice in the world, because, you know, humans. The question is how we will choose to respond to the injustice around us. There will be days on which the onslaught of news that highlights political nonsense, moral depravity, and human tragedy is overwhelming and makes it seem as if our efforts are useless, like trying to empty a sinking boat with a thimble. During these times, the choice to give in and give up will be tempting, especially for those of us who sit in positions of social, cultural, or economic privilege. It’s tempting to throw our hands up in resignation, to turn our backs on the suffering of others, and to adopt an “every man for himself” mentality. Please do not choose this. For those who see no use in doing anything different because the world always has and always will be filled with awfulness, I say, “But can you imagine how much worse it would be if some people had given up along the way?” Yes, the world does seem like a constant dumpster fire fueled by racism, xenophobia, misogyny, greed, and so on. But as we look back on the previous generation’s struggles, we realize that in many ways we have moved forward. Some of the gains have been short-lived, and context matters greatly. Even so, things would be much worse if those called to the work of social justice had simply given up. There will be times when the steps of progress seem small. Please remain in the struggle, recommit to the struggle, or join the struggle for the first time. Kindness, and the commitment to see the other as deserving of human dignity, demands of us to protest, resist, and do all that we can to fight that which says otherwise. Not only do we have the power to make sure that things do not get worse, but over the long haul, we also have the power to make long-lasting change for good. I need you. We need one another. We can only do this together. **For Reflection:** - When have you seen individual kindness embodied in the context of public protest? - How might organizers ensure that their actions do not reinforce or encourage acts that dehumanize, demean, or dismiss the humanity of those who are the target of the action? **Try This:** - If you have never been to a protest, go. - At your next public action, take a moment to get to knowsomeone else’s story. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/a733ba73-59c8-4aa2-af3b-819ea039ad47_556x694-jpeg.jpg) My arrest on the US/Mexico Border [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2b154e9c-aab3-4919-9c3a-44c40596c209_1500x500-3.png)](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) ### I Choose Hope, Still and Again URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-choose-hope-still-and-again/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:17.000Z Yes, it’s bad. For so many, grief, frustration, fear, confusion, disappointment, and anger are real — very real. There are many reasons that Trump won and Harris lost, some or all of which could be simultaneously true. I have seen the doomsday predictions of what may come. I have heard some folks take responsibility. I have observed the policing of emotions. I have witnessed the blame-casting; some thoughtful and much racist. Some folks have been deeply self-reflective, generous, and gracious. Others are just pissed off, and their words convey the depth of their anger. I have read the post-mortems and the post-mortems of the post-mortems. I have been annoyed, frustrated, disappointed, saddened, despairing, numb, agitated, and angry. So, yes, it’s bad, and we are all responding differently. Like many people, my spirit has been a swirling storm of emotions over the past week, and I have wondered where I should place my particular and shared musings of despair and hope. I have zero interest in policing how and what people are feeling, but here is where I am, almost one week later. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) First, I am not surprised by the outcomes. *Still — I choose hope.* I am enraged by the election results at all levels of our government. My state, California, refused to reject slavery, re-upped for the War on Crime 3.0, and denied to raise the minimum wage. *Still — I choose hope.* I am frustrated by the Democratic Party, of which I have been a member for my entire life. The platform abandoned those of us who occupy its left spaces about the environment, crime, and Palestine. My blue state vote went to the Democratic Socialist Candidates, [Claudia and Karina,](https://votesocialist2024.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) the first time since 1988 that I have ever not voted for the Democratic nominee. *Still — I choose hope.* I despise the lying that has undergirded the normalization of blatant racism and misogyny as the precursor to further legalized governmental oppression — and often done in the name of God. *Still — I choose hope.* I do not look forward to the next four years of ratcheted-up protest and resistance that will beckon us forth. I do not look forward to putting my body and security on the line. I do not look forward to seeing friends, family, colleagues, and compadres do the same. *Still — I choose hope.* I do not look forward to another season of strained relationships with acquaintances, friends, and colleagues. *Still — I choose hope.* While it may have felt like a self-soothing act of progressive opposition to say, “This is not who we are,” we can no longer lie to ourselves because *this* is indeed who we are. *Still — I choose hope.* I am annoyed by white people who are centering and normalizing their struggles because, for the first time, they are realizing that government oppression may impact their lives. *Still — I choose hope.* I grieve knowing that the pace of the burning of the world and the suffering of humanity may be sped up both metaphorically and actually. *Still — I choose hope.* I hate that so many will continue to see empathy, justice, and flourishing as a zero-sum game — causing them to choose comfort and indifference over courage and direct action. *Still — I choose hope.* The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I have hope because Palestinian, after Palestinian, has told me they still have hope. If my Palestinian siblings, who are staring down genocide and ethnic cleansing, can have hope, how dare I not? *So, still — I choose hope.* I have hope because I am the hope manifested by my ancestors, my Filipino and Chinese ancestors here and in my homelands, who endured struggle, pain, and oppression at the hands of multiple generations of institutions and governments. *So, still — I choose hope.* I have hope because I still see so much love around me and [in the struggle](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-grief-disappointment-and-inevitability/). To deny the presence of love is to let evil win. *So, still — I choose hope.* I have hope because I want my descendants, [seven generations downstream](https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/), to taste the fruits of our collective work for justice and goodness. *So, still — I choose hope.* And finally, I refuse to let hate, evil, or indifference win my soul, my heart, my mind, or any of my days. *So, still and forever — I choose hope.* I hope you also choose hope because hope must fuel our collective, ongoing, and generations-long struggle against the forces that want us to feed on despair. While there was always going to be more work to be done, no matter the outcome, there will now be even more. For the good of your soul — grieve, mourn, and rage as you need for as long as you need, and when you are ready, let’s get back to work. ### Once Harris is Elected, Can We Stand Up, Fight Back — Together? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/once-harris-is-elected-can-we-stand/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:18.000Z Happy Election Day! I hope you have made room for all the feels that you will be feeling this day and the next. I have been trying to remain calm these past few days, including [repeatedly breathing this prayer](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-election-day-breathing-prayer/). I have been motivated to pray because there is a great deal of turmoil in my soul, and I suspect I am not the only one. I have written before about the roller coaster ride of the presidential race and [the toll it has taken on relationships between acquaintances, friends, and colleagues](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-grief-disappointment-and-inevitability/), but at this point, I am more concerned about the damage the in-fighting has done to future coalitions, both local and national once Trump is defeated. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Yes, I understand the historic and transformative nature of electing the first Blasian female president, but because of my commitment to stopping the US-backed Israeli genocide and pushing for a commitment to a policy change by the Democrats, this season has not been marked by excitement but disappointment — > Disappointment in the hubris of straight white progressives who have been lecturing historically marginalized communities about the dangers of an oppressive government. > > Disappointment in the willingness of so many to buy into the idea that justice is a zero-sum-game and to engage in oppression Olympics — as if choosing to stand against genocide means that we are less committed to the strugggles other marginalized communities. > > Disappointment in the shift that the Democratic party has made to the right as it panders to “country over party” conservatives while taking for granted and alienating left-leaning progressives. > > Dissappointed in acquaintances and colleagues who have questioned my intellect, have doubted my committment to justice, and have chastized me for not falling in line with the Democratic party. > > Disappointment in the posturing that, should Harris/Walz lose, is ready to place the blame squarely upon those who may choose not to vote Democratic (Predominately brown?) rather than to call out the overwhelmingly white communities that will undoubtedly vote for Trump/Vance*.* > > And even so, I am mostly disappointed in the rifts that have been created amid generational and political coalitions working for a more just world. It is the last one that has me the most worried about the future regardless of who is elected because there will still be work to do. I wonder if we will be willing to do that work together after so much venom and vitriol has been directed at so many of us, especially those of us who have consistently called for the Democratic party, the Biden administration, and the Harris campaign to change course on Palestine before we would publicly and full-throatedly support her candidacy and the Democratic platform. I am not surprised our calls for policy shifts didn’t work because the current Democratic party chose to ignore so many of us who have been committed in the past. As the Tea Party and MAGA movements have pulled our political discourse to the right, the center has followed suit, and so has the Democratic party. I have been a lifelong liberal California Democrat. I was raised running around the halls of the state capital building in Sacramento, worked on multiple campaigns, and at one point had aspirations for political office. Honestly, I have not moved much over my lifetime, but the party has shifted so much that I now occupy a left-of-center ideological space. Seriously, I am by no means a radical leftist (Seriously, people, we own property in the Bay Area and are more bougie than we care to admit), but since context matters, maybe now I am significantly out of step with the Dems. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I want to have faith that we will be able to find common ground again, but it is hard for me to envision when so many seemed to have quieted down as a nod to strategy. So here is my big question — **“When Harris is elected, what will those of you who have been saying some version of, ‘Get her elected first and then push for policy changes?’ do in collaboration with those of us who have pushed for policy changes before offering our support?”** Under a Democratic Harris administration . . . - Will you now push for a change in policy on Palestine: enacting a weapons embargo, ceasing military aid, and helping to rebuild Palestine? - Will you now push for an end to border cruelty and a change in immigration policy? - Will you now push against policies that keep people trapped in poverty? - Will you now push for a ban on fracking and new oil pipelines? - Will you now push for the end of suppression of free speech and the demilitarization of college campuses? - Will you now push to end police brutality and the prison industrial complex? - Will you now push for universal healthcare? - Will you now push for federal access to gender-affirming care? - Will you now push for the end of the death penalty? - Will you now push for campaign finance reform and the elimination of Super PACs and lobby groups, foreign and domestic, that have such a significant influence on election outcomes? - Will you protest against the injustice this administration enables? - Will you publically critique and confront the wrongs they commit? - Will you put “country over party” when the moment/s arrive? - Or will the administration be given pass after pass because the Democrats are in office? At the end of the day and the day after, will you be willing to critique and challenge the party you so vociferously supported while chastising the rest of us for speaking up all along? To be fair, while I am primarily addressing people who disagree with me, I also point the coalition question back at myself. TBH, I have been keeping mental and actual receipts from folks who have disrespected me through their fear-mongering, shaming, and insults, assuming that I would roll over and compromise my very clearly stated values. I am more than salty about these interactions. So yes, I’m also angry and hold some grudges. The truth is that, despite my resentment, I will need to recalibrate my view of those with whom I will work in the future. I must recalibrate because, no matter who is elected, there is suffering, violence, and oppression to address, and we will need all of us working together to keep moving forward toward wholeness. I will be the first to admit that my family takes grudge-holding to an Olympic level, but I will do my best to release my resentment, anger, and disappointment so that we can do good work together. I hope others will too. And remember. [Breathe](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/an-election-day-breathing-prayer?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web). ### An Election Day Breathing Prayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-election-day-breathing-prayer/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:18.000Z For so many, this election season has been weighty and overwhelming. Personal relationships have been damaged, coalitions have been tested, and spirits have been stretched to the brink. I offer this prayer in the hopes that, over the next few days, we might claim a sacred space for ourselves and others. #### An Election Day Breathing Prayer > Inhale: *God, You beckon me forth* > Exhale: *Hear my prayers* > Inhale: *Prayers for my soul* > Exhale: *Prayers for souls around me* > > Inhale: *Grant me empathy* > Exhale: *Grant us justice* > Inhale: *Grant me courage* > Exhale: *Grant us love* > > Inhale: *When I don't believe it* > Exhale: *I am wonderfully made* > Inhale: *When I don't see it* > Exhale: *Others are wonderfully made* > > Inhale: *I may rejoice* > Exhale: *Others may rejoice* > Inhale: *I may rage* > Exhale: *Others may rage* > > Inhale: *I may grieve* > Exhale: *Others may grieve* > Inhale: *I may falter* > Exhale: *Others may falter* > > Inhale: *I need grace* > Exhale: *Others need grace* > Inhale: *You offer grace* > Exhale: *May we all accept grace* > > Inhale: *I have done the work* > Exhale: *Others have done the work* > Inhale: *We have done the work* > Exhale: *There is still work to do* > > Inhale: *Let empathy be the strength* > Exhale: *Let justice be the song* > Inhale: *Let courage be the soil* > Exhale: *Let love be the season* > > Inhale: *God, I am here* > Exhale: *Hear my prayers* > Inhale: *Prayers for my soul* > Exhale: *Prayers for souls around me* > > Amen I have already said this prayer many times on the election day eve, and I suspect it will be on repeat as I watch local and national election results roll in. I hope it will be helpful to you as well. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### A Potentially Permanent Pause from Meta URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-potentially-permanent-pause-from/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T19:42:57.000Z Well, you probably figured this was coming after I finally dropped X and[ left my Facebook page a few months ago](https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-been-a-good-run-but-the-algorithm/). Starting today, November 1, 2024, I will be taking a temporary to permanent pause from all things Meta: Threads, Instagram, and Facebook. I truly believe that there is a season for everything, and I’ve been feeling the nudge more and more lately that my Meta season may be coming to an end. While I will miss the personal connections and updates I receive via these platforms, I give up. The algorithms have accomplished what they intend to do to those of us who attempt to create our own and amplify others’ content: lessen the spread of information that the algorithms deem unworthy of being seen by those who have chosen to follow. We have seen this around politics, Palestine, and other resources that live outside the Metaverse. [Get 30 day free trial](#/portal/signup) With multiple manuscripts being worked on, a love of writing here on Substack, and a community that stays in touch via a mailing list, it is becoming clear that I will find more joy by focusing my energy on platforms that build and nurture relationships based on mutuality and agency rather than manipulation and algorithms. Meta has felt particularly sinister lately, so part of this break will be to see if focusing on fewer communication platforms increases my interaction and impact. I have no idea that it will play out as planned, but I am not sure I have ever really tried, so I’m giving it a try. I will focus on the following if you want to stay connected over the next few months and possibly beyond. Considering that I may not return to Meta platforms, if you want to ensure that we do not lose touch permanently, the bare minimum connection point would be to [**Subscribe to my Email List**](https://25c5f981.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAHRy3cJaGWMU5jF5ojDcbMROQTN6YtCZjFG75dfTl2KTKtW6tKoNedEUQTfVjyNCE6G9KfO6P453jp6gLLo-ihREZ8S9KR-7U1Lu3CJrCmasQ4lOSUyLHrXynKs%5FMhAKrIrg6ZFirLOtL1q0qBC267lzbZppwUhWiLCAKKXGOu9G34GBYwFWmY25qwIhozUa3tNmhGJqDAjS?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you want to stay connected on the regular, here is where I’ll be: - [**Follow me on Substack**](https://substack.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Substack Notes is kinda like X, Threads, etc.) - [**Subscribe to my Substack**](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/30dayfreetrial) (Fuller updates, thinking pieces, and hot takes) - [**Connect on Be.Real**](https://bere.al/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) (If we have an actual connection, feel free) I am not sure if this pause will be temporary or permanent. I am not deactivating my accounts, but I am deleting them from my devices. I’ll check back on January 1, 2025, to see if it makes sense to come back. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/84f59b41-0a84-4136-9420-9cc0726df863_1262x782.png) [Get 30 day free trial](#/portal/signup) There you have it—the next interation of my social media life. I hope to see many of you in these new spaces. If not, thanks for being part of my social media world for all these years! ### My Memorial Service URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-memorial-service/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T04:20:55.000Z First, I openly wept multiple times while writing this — not because I am fearful of or expecting death any time soon or because I watched the final video too many times, but because even thinking about the end of my or anyone’s life is tender work. Still, it is important work to do, and I invite you to embrace and enter into it. Pastoring for nearly 30 years, I have learned that one of the most generous gifts you can offer your family is to take care of your end-of-life arrangements. Yes, this can be a difficult topic to think about, but the reality is that someday your time on this earth will end, your body will need to be tended to, and your loved one will need to grieve their loss and celebrate your life. Often, I have heard folks say to their family, “I don’t care. Do what you want. I won’t be there anyway.” I get it. This may seem like an honest and gracious gesture, but for your loved ones who have to make a million decisions in the midst of deep grief (you hope), trying to honor your life while navigating all of the expected and unexpected emotions can unnecessarily add to the stress of the time. Plus, if you are like me, deep down, you probably do care. Here are some thoughts. #### First, about our bodies. - **Fill out your advanced directive**. Let your family know your wishes in case you cannot make your own medical decisions. I for one wish for an peaceful in my sleep or death [on my own terms](https://endoflifechoicesca.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), how we go is not always up to us. Letting people know what you want will help your family (who may disagree) to honor your wishes and not their wants. - **Write your will and living trust.** While most folks would like to believe that their families will not squabble over estate issues, I hate to say it, but people get weird about money and inheritance. I know and have experienced too many family schisms that were born out of disagreements during these times to know that grief does not always bring out the best in us. Resentments are often amplified, and/or other issues are dredged that we didn’t even realize still live in our souls. We created our very early in our lives because we wanted to be clear about who did and did not have our blessings to raise our kids. - **Take care of your cremation/burial arrangements.** Again, while most funeral homes are honest places, trying to make decisions amid so much grief can often lead to poor financial and logistical decisions. If you arrange and pay for what you want, you can lessen your family's emotional and fiscal expenses. We are exploring [Green Burials](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) rather than cremation or casket burial. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. #### And a word about memorial or funeral services: Yes, services are for the living, and it’s not that you do not trust your family, but you also want to help your loved ones have a memorial service that reflects your well-lived life. Too often, relationships, resentment, emotions, and conflicts get worked out during the memorial service—and not in a healthy or healing way. Here are my notes and wishes for the time when my memorial must be planned; and yes, I am assuming it will be a church service: - **Food:** While technically not part of the service, feeding people is at the top of the list. The only demand is that there better be lots of it. If it would be awesome to have someone make my spinach dip, guacamole, and coffee by Philz, it would not be frowned upon. For the big meal, Kamayan would be awesome, but I understand logistics might make that difficult, so plenty of Filipino food, Dim Sum, or Prime Rib would make me smile. - **Robin, Ev, Abby, Annie, and the rest of my immediate family:** Please participate only as much as you feel you can. I hope we have said all that we needed to say to one another by the time of my death, so there is no need to “be strong” for others. I'm not sure if you know this, but we have many talkers in our family, so if you need to sit and be, please do that. - **Video:** Please share all the embarrassing pictures. And I would not be averse to the soundtrack being [*Beautiful*](https://youtu.be/eAfyFTzZDMM?si=IleHBHjn3RBkoE1u&ref=reyes-chow.com)*,* [*We Are Each Other’s Angels*](https://youtu.be/2H90ERQCagU?si=5MYSvKE0Tnr5nMfn&ref=reyes-chow.com), anything by Adele, Alicia Keys, New Edition, Debbie Gibson, Babyface, Lakeside, Con-funk-shun, Cool & the Gang, Bobby Brown (iffy), etc. Oh, and if a musical number makes it in, I would not be disappointed: [*Like Water*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1BD7JhAgAo&ref=reyes-chow.com), [*For Good*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ0pXUb5jVU&ref=reyes-chow.com), [*Keep Marching*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPyKqoRKT8g&ref=reyes-chow.com), and the end of [*In the Heights*](https://youtu.be/DxzY9XTpXWQ?si=jondwJCfhB5Xpz2u&t=210&ref=reyes-chow.com)[ finale](https://youtu.be/DxzY9XTpXWQ?si=jondwJCfhB5Xpz2u&t=210&ref=reyes-chow.com) if you need suggestions. - **Liturgy:** If the family is open to planning, please do, but if you would like help, I request that any remaining members of my Forever Young Urban Pastor’s group help craft the service itself. - **Music:** I know asking any of my family or friends to sing is a lot, but that would be lovely. For hymns, my favorites are [*Borning Cry*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5F%5FI5suWOjOA&ref=reyes-chow.com)*,* [GTG #488](https://hymnary.org/hymn/GG2013/488?ref=reyes-chow.com), [*Will You Come and Follow Me - the Summons*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o469PRLdbHU&ref=reyes-chow.com), [GTG #726](https://hymnary.org/hymn/GG2013/726?ref=reyes-chow.com), and Everyone Born, [GTG #769](https://hymnary.org/hymn/GG2013/769?ref=reyes-chow.com) (See notes below with final video). - **Sermon:** Okay, this is a tough one, considering I have no idea who will be around, able, and willing. It's a bit of a cop-out, but I will leave it to the family to choose the person who makes the most sense at the time. As far as other speakers, I would thoroughly enjoy hearing from folks from as many stages of my life as possible: Sacramento/Stockton, The Parenting Years, the aforementioned Forever Young Urban Pastors, my Moderator Era, and any family member/s who are feeling called to lay down some sweet rhymes. - **Scripture:** [Romans 12:9-21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2012%3A%209-21&version=CEB&ref=reyes-chow.com) and family or preacher’s choice. - **Vibe:** Please tell stories. Yes, I assume there will be tears, but I will be really upset if there is no laughter. I mean, we all have been through some things, and I fully expect that we will be able to laugh about them by now. I also hope we name and welcome all the ancestors who played a part in shaping and forming us all. None of us are who we are alone. - **Closing.** It seems only appropriate that the community end with a unison reading of my [Charge and Benediction](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-charge-and-benediction/). Okay, that’s it. I hope this sharing is helpful to folks and will encourage them to think about end-of-life planning. Again, I am not in any hurry for this post to become necessary, but as we know, we never know. So when the time comes, dear loved ones, I hope you receive this with the tenderness, love, and generosity intended. In life and death, we belong to God, B. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. --- [David Lamotte](http://www.patreon.com/davidlamotte?ref=reyes-chow.com), one of my favorite humans and [*We Are Each Other’s Angels*](https://youtu.be/2H90ERQCagU?si=5MYSvKE0Tnr5nMfn&ref=reyes-chow.com). My forever crush, Christina and her 2022 version of *Beautiful*. ([Orginal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAfyFTzZDMM&ref=reyes-chow.com)) NOTE: Please **do not sing verse 4** and change all lyrics to current non-binary language. Heck, feel free to play the version of [*For Everyone Born*](https://youtu.be/MJJ9eii3DEY?si=crTnvC-oetSMWgKV&ref=reyes-chow.com) *from* [Windermere United Church](https://www.youtube.com/@windermereunitedchurchtoro5474?ref=reyes-chow.com) because, wow, just wow. Be sure to listen to the end. Amazing. ### The + Friday + Five | on the Election URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-101824/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:26:26.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 10.18.24 I am not sure if you know this, but we are in election season :-) There is no shortage of opinions about who you should vote for, especially regarding the Harris/Walz ticket, protest votes, and third-party candidates. **To be clear, I will not tell you who you should vote for president. This election cycle, I am also choosing not to reveal how I intend to vote.** With all of the "who you should vote for" shaming, dismissiveness, condescension, judgment, contempt, fear-mongering, racism, ageism, and the disrespectful questioning of morality, intellect, and commitment to issues of justice — all I hope for is that you vote your conscience. I hope you vote in a way that honors who God has made you today and in a way that moves all of us toward God’s greatest hopes and intentions for tomorrow. Elections can feel overwhelmingly like an empire activity, but they are also a concrete expression of our faith and hope in and for our civic life together. Here are a few folks who appear in my newsfeed as I engage in my discernment process. I do not always agree with them, but they are voices worth listening to. > is thoughtfully but forcefully walking that space between supporting Harris/Walz while calling out their ongoing support of Isreal’s assault on Palestine, Lebanon, etc. You should make sure to follow her on Instagram where she is most active and take a read of: [*Bearing Witness at the DNC: With the vote, all things are possible in 2025\. Without it, nothing is*](https://lisasharonharper.substack.com/p/bearing-witness-at-the-dnc). > > is writing a bunch on and is all in on Harris/Walz. He seems to be primarily focused on reaching post-evangelicals, those looking for reasons not to vote for Trump, and challenging anti-Harris messaging. Not my social media cup of tea, he active [on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@johnpavlovitz/replies?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*White Evangelicals Must Lose in November*](https://johnpavlovitz.substack.com/p/white-evangelicals-must-lose-in-november) and [*This is Why I’m Voting*](https://johnpavlovitz.substack.com/p/this-is-why-im-voting) are both worthy reads. > > If your newsfeed is filled with “both sides”, “stop critiquing Harris” or “genocide is a single issue” read every single post from [The Leftist Lawyer on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@theleftistlawyer?ref=reyes-chow.com) and on Substack. Not only do I respect what she does in the world, but I have also appreciated how she has been clear about her perspectives on the election and nuanced explanations of supporting or not supporting Harris. > > Many you probably already follow here on Subtack via , but you shold also follow her [on Instgram](https://www.instagram.com/ijeomaoluo/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@ijeomaoluo?ref=reyes-chow.com) for her unapologetic and deeply moving election insights about activism, engagement, and the soul. > > Finally, read the election multi-post series [*Tell Me How to Vote!: Nope. But I will accompany you as you discern*](https://laurengrubaughthomas.substack.com/p/tell-me-how-to-vote) fromon her susbtack, . She poses some good questions for discernment and reflection. Again, this year, I will not publicly post my presidential voting plans. You can read some of my thoughts about it all as I respond to the friends, colleagues, and strangers dragging me for not immediately jumping on the public Harris/Walz supporter train — [*The Grief, Disappointment, and Inevitability of Losing Acquaintances and Colleagues*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-grief-disappointment-and-inevitability/). I will say that no matter how you vote in the presidential elections, local elections are not driven by the electoral college, so your vote matters differently — I hope you will exercise it to the best of your ability. Keep breathing and I’ll see you soon. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: I just spent a week with a Clergy and Leadership of Color gathering at [Zephyr Point Conference Center in Lake Tahoe](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and captured this shot on our last day. Yes, the only bombs I would like to see up close or from a distance are of the rainbow variety. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d175eb70-522a-4b89-950c-45db2bff103c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### Even the Leaves Shall Rest URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/even-the-leaves-shall-rest/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:21.000Z This week, I am in Lake Tahoe at my childhood camp and conference center, [Zephyr Point Conference Center](https://zephyrpoint.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). This place has formed and continues to form me through the beauty of creation and the people who gather here. This time, I am here with a Presbyterian Clergy and Leaders of Color gathering. This morning, we were given a scripture passage and sent to sit with it. Well, of course, I got distracted by this spinning leaf, so I wrote some words about how fast we moving, the rhythms of living, and whether in peaks or valleys, we all need time to slow down and rest. I invite you to watch and listen to all 30 seconds over and over again.[1](#footnote-1) It’s mesmerizing. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. #### Even the Leaves Shall Rest whether spun about by a whispering wind or a deafening gale even the leaves shall rest whether your heart is breaking with despair for what is or is racing with anticipation for what may be even the leaves shall rest whether your mind is filled with swirling contridictions or is settled into a comfortable cadence even the leaves shall rest whether your soul is entombed by the weightiness of life or is being loosed by the lifting of your burdens even the leaves shall rest when you are hurting when you are overwhelmed when it is all too much when it is all too fast remember even the leaves shall rest ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/a3110c33-8e33-4db4-a539-e951ffd10d77_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0705a567-811b-45f3-8f7d-2077efb9d05b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/97b252ce-4bd1-4364-a24e-86f1727c0dc0_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9cbf5a8c-0e9c-4181-8a02-22c5aeb51721_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) A few pictures of Lake Tahoe from where I sat --- 1. It’s also on [Instagram Reels](https://www.instagram.com/p/DBLIAUgSmMB/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") ### Apologizing Sucks. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/apologizing-sucks/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:21.000Z Today, I had to write another note to apologize for my actions. Lovingly called in by a friend, I put on my big people clothes and apologized. Let’s be clear. Apologizing sucks. I hope my note was genuinely repentant, devoid of excuses, and absent of transactionalism, but we shall see. We are all works in progress. After I hit send, I went back to the Kindness and Forgiveness chapter of [*In Defense of Kindness*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com) to see if I had practiced what I had written. I think I did okay. Below is that chapter if you, like I do, need and occasional reminder of the power and importance of apologizing. --- #### **Kindness and Forgiveness, *Page 84*** When my daughters were playing a ton of soccer, we noticed something interesting: they and their teammates apologized a lot. They apologized to their own teammates after making an errant pass, they apologized to the opposing player after a physical play, and they apologized to their coaches even when they didn’t need to. Now, of course not everyone had this perspective. There is lore that my youngest child told a teammate, “Don’t apologize, just make a better pass next time.” But it got so bad that during one game, all the way from the other side of the field we heard their coach yell at them, “Stop apologizing!” I’m not sure if male players have the same attitude on the field, and I am in no way encouraging bad sportspersonship, but the coach’s point was that the time you took to look back and say sorry gave the other team the advantage. As my girls grew older, the apologies stopped, but I will never forget that voice from afar telling them to stop apologizing. It went against all that they were being taught in the rest of their lives: “When you make a mistake, apologize.” Making a genuine apology is difficult. If you are genuinely sorry and express remorse, you are admitting to yourself and to the one you wronged that you are not perfect and that something you did hurt or offended them. No one wants to admit that they screwed up. With this in mind, from Bruce’s Greatest Hits of Miscues and Foibles, here are some examples of times that my actions required heartfelt apologies: - After being reminded multiple times that someone’s preferred pronouns were they/them, I misgendered them more than once during a meeting. Thankfully, when I apologized, they acknowledged that I had corrected myself at the time and that reaching out was meaningful to them. - After listening to a particularly good sermon by a female colleague, when I bumped into her after the service, I stupidly commented on her shoes before complimenting her on her sermon. Yes, we were friends; yes, her shoes were super cool. But given how often women receive comments about their hair, their shoes, and the timbre of their voices rather than their intellectual contributions, what the hell, Bruce? What. The. Hell. I later apologized and learned that she hadn’t even noticed. The whole incident was troubling on many levels. But still, what the hell, Bruce? - The many times I have overreacted to something my kids said or did. I try to apologize for my snark, raised voice, or disproportionate emotional response. What does kindness look like in the face of acts for which people must be held accountable? This is one of the most challenging questions. Our society tends to value transactional relationships above all and often defaults to an “eye for an eye” retributive way of responding to wrongdoing. What role does forgiveness have in being kind? The person who is wronged does not have to extend forgiveness to the perpetrator. Yet if the wronged person is genuinely interested in creating a space where some healing can take place, and the one who seeks forgiveness is genuinely remorseful, kindness will help create and tend that space. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. While the examples that I gave above were real and genuine opportunities to exercise my apology muscle, I also know that there are levels of “wrongs” inflicted upon people and that my examples were relatively trivial. Our mistakes and offenses run the gamut from the seemingly small to the shockingly tragic, and thus our apologies must encompass this range of wrongdoing. Our world is not short of victims and tragedies. From sexual and physical violence (#MeToo) to malfeasance on a massive scale (Enron) and institutionalized injustice inflicted upon groups of people (like internment of Japanese Americans, enslavement of Africans in America, and Native American genocide), apologies take very different forms and operate at different scales. I want to be very careful not to equate my commenting on a colleague’s shoes before commenting on her sermon to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. They are not equivalent, not at all, and the apologies due each person or group harmed should take very different forms. At the same time, I do not want to make light of the small things that we do that often mark the beginnings of relationship resentment and give permission for offenders to trivialize any injuries inflicted upon another as insignificant or inoffensive. Good or appropriate apologies for any scale of offense have some common attributes: they take genuine ownership of the wrongdoing, are offered without expectation of a response, and are focused on the victim and not the perpetrator. Bad or insufficient apologies usually begin with some form of “I’m sorry that you were offended,” or “I’m sorry that my actions made you feel this way.” Neither takes responsibility for the action. In fact, it lays the onus for the offense on the victim. Known as gaslighting, or making the victim believe that it was their fault to begin with, this is one of the most common ways people apologize. If you do this, your apologies are meaningless, and you are only revictimizing the other. Do not do this. An apology that is truly meaningful makes no assumption and has no expectation of reconciliation. It is not transactional. It is simply one’s admission of having committed a wrong. Forgiveness is not a “get out of relationship jail” card. Apologies are often part of the healing of any relationship, but depending on the offense, to apologize while assuming one will be forgiven and accepted makes the apology hollow. It puts the focus on the perpetrator and not the victim. When we do this, we retraumatize someone and make reconciliation that much more of a distant possibility. Genuine apologies that are fueled by kindness are ones that honor the dignity of each person: yourself and the other. Excuses built on kindness say to the one offering the apology that, in order to grow, we must acknowledge that none of us is perfect; that sometimes—well, often—we mess up; and that we can change our ways. For the other, it is a gesture that affirms what they have experienced—namely an acknowledgment of damage done to them and an offer of future change. Truly examining how and when we should apologize is complex. The opening vignette of my daughters on the soccer field reminds us that girls and women have been socialized to apologize. Not so for boys and men, for whom apologizing is often perceived as weakness. And while I do believe that this has shifted for many, one need look no further than popular culture and most political battles to see that toxic masculinity is alive and well in American culture. That said, for some cultures, shame and saving face are essential elements of relationships, and apologizing or calling someone out publicly creates other issues and problems. I raise all of these illustrations of the practice and perceptions of apologizing not as a prompt for us to apologize less or more, but to point out that, like most of life, apologies are filled with complexities, obstacles, and realities that must be navigated. Genuine apologies are never easy to offer. Nor should they be, because apologies give voice to part of our personhood that needs to change and grow. We are admitting that we are not perfect, not a finished project. So whether you’re nine or ninety, change of behavior, growth of self, and potential forgiveness, while difficult, make the endeavor and struggle worth it. **For Reflection:** How would you describe and assess the last time you apologized to someone? Name apologies that you have witnessed that were (a) hollow or (b) meaningful. **Try This:** Reflect on a wrong that you have done to someone, no matter how small, and offer that person an apology. --- [In ](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com)[*Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com) can be whoever you books. Bulk/discounted orders can be done [directly from Chalice Press](https://chalicepress.com/collections/best-sellers/products/idok?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### I was wrong. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-was-wrong/ Last updated: 2024-10-08T13:26:03.000Z I was wrong. Like so many people over the years, I normalized the oppression of Palestinians and justified cataloging it as just one more issue on the list of things I should care about. I voted the ways I should on divestment, I participated in boycotts, and I could feel good about being part of the pro-Palestine cool kids club. Helpful, sure, but mostly performative, with me risking very little. I was challenged to think more deeply when I went to Israel and Palestine in 2015, but even then, I am not sure I was truly committed. And then October 7th happened. Lives were lost in Israel, and the Israeli government began its onslaught on Gaza. Then, in February 2024, I traveled back with a group from the [Israel Palestine Mission Network](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) of the Presbyterian Church (USA), coordinated a group of digital storytellers that following May, and will convene two more delegations in the Spring. In the middle of it all, I have become friends with folks from Palestine, connected with a family in Gaza, and have come to deeply respect the work of [Sabeel](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). One could say that I am all in. Sitting in the back of my spirit this entire time is a tinge of lament and shame about how I have approached those engaged in this work for so long. So last week, I posted the following words of apology and thanks [**on Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/p/DAweT17SsyH/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [**on TikTok**](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7422405703563791662?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com). If directed at you, please accept my apology and my thanks, and if you are like me, share it with an activist near you. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Transcript: > I'm sorry it's taking so long for me to say this, but for those of you who have been engaged in activism for Palestinians over the last decades, I want to say two things: I’m sorry, and thank you. > > I'm sorry because for decades, while I believed I was on the right side of justice, not only was I one of those who normalized and justified the oppression of Palestinians, but honestly, whenever you stood up to talk at a meeting, I thought to myself, “Oh God. Here is so and so getting up again to lecture us about Palestine again. I deeply regret how condescending and dismissive I have been in the past. > > But also, thank you. > > Thank you for your perseverance in speaking up. Your conviction and care have undoubtedly saved lives; > > Thank you for keeping these spaces open and actively inviting people like me in. Your inclusivity and hospitality have not gone unnoticed; > > And thank you for not gatekeeping the movement. Some of us have finally stepped into this space and are leveraging our voices and influence alongside of what has been happening all along. > > It pains me that it has taken this genocide moment to call more of us into the struggle against militarism, settler colonialism, and the death-dealing support that the United States and Christian Zionists so blatantly offer. > > So again, to those who have been pleading with us for so long to hear and see, I am sorry for not listening and witnessing better before and I am deeply grateful for your patience, encouragement, and collaboration you offer today. > > I guess I’m one of you now. Free Palestine! ### A Plea for Empathy URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-plea-for-empathy/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:22.000Z A few years ago, in [***In Defense of Kindness***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com), I argued that there is power in being kind. I was not talking about being nice to avoid conflict, maintaining peace by remaining in abusive relationships, or participating in the shallow acts of the kindness industrial complex, rather what I argued for is harnessing the transformative power that can come about if we commit to kindness in our whole lives, as defined as . . . > *To be kind is to accept that each person is a created and complex human being—and to treat them as if you believe this to be true.* In many ways, I feel the same about empathy and its power over evil in the world. Now, before folks get all squeamish about “evil,” I am simply talking about the idea that at the end of the day, division, destruction, and despair will win the day. As a Christian, I do not believe that to be the case. I believe my tradition and the traditions of others’ teach that experiencing the beloved community, knowing deep personal connections, and realizing unimaginable hopes are some of the greatest intentions for humanity — and none are possible without empathy. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. One of the things evil feeds on is our inability and unwillingness to experience and express empathy toward even our deepest enemies. To be clear, empathy does not mean we unconditionally condone others’ actions, agree with their ideas, or even have to like them. Rather, empathy reminds us that everyone experiences pain, loss, and despair — and probably more than we could ever imagine. Empathy reminds us that even as we hold people accountable for their inaction, actions, and words, we do so without stripping away their humanity. Empathy reminds us to acknowledge that even those who may do the worst are still created beings and loved by God and that we are not the arbiters of who does or does not deserve to be seen as such. Empathy is a holy practice that challenges us to take seriously a belief in the irrational, unimaginable, and expansive love of the divine. Empathy is a huge ask. Empathy is an excruciating practice and discipline but a potent antidote to a world of militarism, violence, and greed fueled by the ills of division, dehumanization, and indifference. Practicing empathy prevents evil from having the last of the moment, the day, the decade, our hearts, our minds, our souls, and the world. So today and every day, I hope that we all not only experience empathy from others in response to the pain, loss, and despair we may be holding, but that we may also choose to offer the same to others. ### I Once Was a Pastor URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-once-was-a-pastor/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:22.000Z Over the past few months, as I have begun [making a vocational shift](https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-job-big-dreams-sketchy-boss/), many of the conversations with new acquaintances have gone along these lines, > Them, “So what do you do?” > Me, “I’m a writer.” > Them, “Really? Have I read anything you’ve written?” > Me, “Probably not.” > *Awkward silence.* > > Them, “So what do you do?” > Me, “I’m writer.” > Them, “Really? What do you write about?” > Me, “Faith and Progressive Christianity” > *Awkward silence.* I am an absolute hit at mixers. [Seasons change](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqk6y5Hmy9s&ref=reyes-chow.com). Change happens. It’s all good. I’m good. [And just like that](https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-job-big-dreams-sketchy-boss/), I am no longer a pastor. Do not get me wrong, I loosed the idea that my identity was wrapped up in being a professional pastor many moons ago, but with the shift being definitive now, it does feel a little weird. > Them, “So what do you do?” > Me, “I’m a pastor.” > Them, “Really, which church?” > Me, “Well, technically I am a minister and not a pastor because you see, in the Presbyterian Church (USA) . . .” > > Glazed over eyes and more of that *awkward silence*. I say this not as some tragic development in my life but as one who honors the nature of the tradition I am a part of. Pastors are trained, called, and often paid to have the honor, privilege, burden, and responsibility to guide, nurture, inspire, and provoke entire communities to seek out and pursue the path that God lays out before them. No, they don’t do it all on their own (or shouldn’t, \*ahem\*"), but their role is unique. And [as I recently shared, I am grateful](https://www.reyes-chow.com/hey-pastor-thank-you/) for those who have answered the calling to be a pastor. I am simply not called during this vocational season to be a pastor. Also, before folks start with the “you are always a pastor,” technically, that is not true. One can be pastoral without being a pastor and one can be a preacher without being THE pastor. I hope to dwell in these spaces for a while, but neither allows me to claim the title of Pastor. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. **Don’t get me wrong, this is a post about being driven out or away from congregational life. Make no mistake, I do miss it: being *the pastor*, so I am allowing myself to hold onto the loss.** ***I miss the worship planning process:*** This will show up later, but the discipline of planning and leading worship has always been a creative outlet for me. The Spirit has always surprised me with how it has made itself known in writing liturgy, creating space for movement, and inviting folks to expand their experience and expression of worship. ***I miss leading worship.*** This shocks no one, but leading a congregation in worship after having been in random and holy conversations and interactions over the weeks, months, and years is pure joy for me. The relationships that give depth and texture to the worship experience bring communal belonging to the experience, and I will miss playing a role in that. **I miss the weirdos.** I often talk about church being like the Island of Misfit Toys and how much I love it. Few places these days allow us to choose to gather and serve in community with folks across such difference: personality, culture, life experience, etc. While not always rainbows and often awkward, I miss the people who remind us what it means for the church to be the church. ***I miss the tender times.*** Being the pastor means being invited into some of the most tender spaces a person or family can experience. Sometimes, these spaces are filled with exuberance and joy; sometimes, they are overwhelmed by despair and grief, but being present to provide the healing presence of the community has always been a profound privilege. ***I miss the journey.*** Nothing is as fulfilling as journeying with a community from possibility to fruition. This could be changing internal operational systems, shifting worship practices, or engaging in new community partnerships. Many things drive change, but getting to the place where new life and resurrection are experienced, embodied, and embraced is deeply fulfilling and hope-generating. **But, yes, these first few months have been deeply liberating.** ***I no longer feel the constant pull for congregational life.*** While I think I handled my time and energy well, the continuous presence of congregational life can become a lot to hold all the time. I am not sure one can understand the welcomed weight that Pastors carry until it is put down. ***I no longer have to plan worship.*** Yes, this is also something I missed, but the crunch and pressure of the process can be a lot. No more last-minute worship cramming for this guy. I now get to work on and think through words in a way that I hope will help alleviate some of the worship pressures that face pastors and planners every week. ***I no longer have to worry about my employment*** based on one or a few people’s satisfaction with what I say (or didn’t say) or do (or didn’t do). I can be bolder and more exploratory in my thinking without worrying too much about the impact on the community I am called to pastor. ***My keyring is lighter.*** ***My inbox is manageable.*** ***My weekends are mine.*** To be clear, this is not a transition brought about by burnout or tragedy but a shift in call and excitement born from possibility. I look forward to writing, speaking, preaching, and engaging with communities differently, and I am grateful that so many of you are along for the ride. ### Today, There is Crying in Baseball. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/today-there-is-crying-in-baseball/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T21:13:25.000Z The final out of the final game . . . This week, we attended the final game that the Oakland Athletics would play in Oakland. After giving up the season tickets that we had for decades, this was the first, last, and only game we attended this season. Without spending too much time on the details, the Oakland A’s, after more than 50+ years in Oakland, are leaving for Las Vegas (After a three-year stopover in a 10,000-seat minor league stadium in Sacramento). And while many would blame the fan base for not showing up, let’s be clear . . . owner John Fisher and team president Dave Kaval manufactured the crisis by creating a terrible fan experience, refusing to pay to keep good players, and playing games with the city of Oakland about a new stadium. Yes, professional sports are driven by money and played by the wealthiest of the wealthy. Still, those of us who are fans agree to this relationship as long as there is respect and honor that we are spending our dollars to irrationally pretend that we are part of the team. Like all fanatics, Oakland A’s fans had endured most things: terrible food (though my doc is probably glad for the end of the Helmet Nachos), trades that didn’t work out (hello, [Matt Holliday](https://whitecleatbeat.com/2017/07/09/billy-beanes-top-three-worst-trades-matt-holliday-trade/?ref=reyes-chow.com)), the myth that we HAD to play Moneyball (when there was plenty of money to be spent), the loss of an unending stream of MVP caliber players (Tejada, Simien, Giambi, Donaldson, Olsen, and on and on) and even rebuilding years that extended one more year after year after year. At the end of the day, the departure of the Oakland Athletics and [the hubris and obliviousness of owner John Fisher](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/athletics/2024/09/24/oakland-as-john-fisher-news-anchor-letter/75369530007/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is what happens when unfettered greed is spoken out loud. So Thursday, September 26, 2024, was the last game at the [*Last Dive Bar*](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2023/may/04/farewell-to-the-coliseum-baseballs-last-dive-bar?ref=reyes-chow.com) in Baseball, and we were there. We started by tailgating with a few thousand of the Oakland Faithful and ended by sitting in the stadium, soaking in the surreal nature of this being the last time we would be there to watch our A’s. Here are a few shots from outside and the inside of The Coliseum. Damn, I’m getting weepy all over again. Okay, hold it together, Bruce. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9fdec946-04f9-488c-87b2-f9de4b28276b_3386x1905-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/edc867b8-781b-4869-aca9-c5c24602913d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/77aa17cb-6fa0-42a4-b99f-0a1230617b01_3840x2160-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c78fb9ef-748b-4ef1-99f9-0388111f0345_3840x2160-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ce403015-ab05-489a-afd8-ad02405e0060_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7d09132b-b874-4e8f-b133-d205e477f9ea_3460x1946-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9a2ea9ef-5ac4-4f02-805e-29f306ebf35a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/86fff118-0bb7-43ed-8bcd-8f80f404bc40_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/153d9614-6047-4f10-9572-d95424c6febe_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) A Few Game Day Stadium Views The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### John Fisher and Major League Baseball will not live rent-free in our Oakland A's memories because we are grateful for the Green & Gold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9c9e57ca-5b2b-4953-96c6-1cf0f650bc4b_3421x1924-jpeg.jpg) I have been an Oakland Athletics fan for as long as I can remember. My Grandfather was an A’s fan, so I am an Oakland A’s fan, so my family are Oakland A’s fans. My kids have attended games from birth to adulthood; our hearts have been broken in the post-season time and time again; I can’t count the number of walk-off games we have witnessed; we have said goodbye to our favorite players; we have watched rookies become superstars; and we have devoured more than our fair share of Helmet Nachos. - We saw players — great, terrible, and colorful: Bash Brothers, Stewart, Mulder, Zito, Hudson, Giambi, Olsen, Eckersley, Henderson, Chavez, Lansford, Cespedes, and so, so many more. - And despite the manufactured nature of all, we experienced Money Ball firsthand. - Day games by myself. - Birthday week with games every day. - One of the first independent outings for Eldest and Middle turned into an 18-inning marathon against those terrible Yankees (middle photo below of survivors) - The buskers on the bridge. - Our family can never hear [Careless Whisper without thinking of Josh Reddick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWBVm5wmL0&ref=reyes-chow.com). - [The Bernie Lean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJtTDnbU-eM&ref=reyes-chow.com). - And speaking of the Yankees, this is where we taught our kids the difference between “sports hate” and “real hate” as we allowed them to join in the time-honored classic, *Yankees Suck!* *Yankees Suck!* *Yankees Suck!* - In 2002, we went to a bunch of the wins during [The Streak](https://sactownsports.com/athletics-20th-win-94/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - We went to spring training as a family, seeing baseball more up close than ever before. Pro-tip: bring your kids to Spring Training because they will get autographs before the adult memorabilia dealers. - My kids learned the game's subtleties: the joy of a player making their debut, the beauty of a pitchers’ duel, and recognizing a first-rate fan heckle. - Short kings (by MLB standards): Billy Burns, Tony Phillips, Mike Gallego, Tony Kemp, and Nick Allen! - We ate baseball food, none of that fancy bougie stuff that shows up in some parks these days: garlic fries, beer, cotton candy, chocolate malts, and did we mention the Helmet Nachos? - And my own individual best memory that has made me insufferable whenever we see 70mph show up on the board, because I can still hit that. - There are so many more, but above all, I cherish the hours and hours of family time en route and during the game spent together talking about life, love, struggles, and all with the backdrop of the best-kept field in baseball. There is no way to capture all the memories, but here are just a few. Dammit, tears, cut it out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/a77360f6-539a-4db8-acc3-5fdc75e56505_3456x2304-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/adfb2388-c3ad-4777-b4ff-63f1fd947759_320x320-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/be48a044-b9d6-45ca-8d15-64f3db19fa59_771x1024-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/58816a53-c026-4872-8b14-f3637f9f4ad6_2448x3264-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2e21f4c0-90d3-4667-8892-5b70f92d6831_2448x3264-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/813288b9-c1dc-4c05-a912-29954cb4ad19_3264x2448-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/19bd3818-3af5-44c6-bbe0-c7a911040d52_1920x1080-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6cb5341a-538f-43c5-85dd-db90c65a2c42_3264x2448-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f1759253-9260-4b58-9b39-b14fcc030000_5184x3456-jpeg.jpg) Just a few of the memories . . . ### **Yet, we are *GRIEVING* over the end of decades of emotional and financial loyalty to the Oakland Athletics Baseball Club.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1de4587d-6cd3-4e67-ad1e-b2338c39a90f_2766x1556-jpeg.jpg) The picture above masks the tears of two of my kids as they took their final looks at the field they have known all their lives. Youngest was back at stupid college, but she took the day off and watched the game from her apartment. Because of all the memories, so many individuals and families like ours now feel used and abandoned by a team we gave our hearts, souls, voices, and our money to for decades. Growing up in San Francisco, all of us had to deal with being bullied and blasted by Giants fans . . . that is until it was just no fun piling on the Oakland faithful. Pity support is the worst. Again, we did not abandon the A’s; greed took them from us. As I sat in my seat, trying not to be pissed (We will get there), I thought of my Grandfather and how his heart would have been broken. The team of Bert Campaneris, Rollie Fingers, Sal Bando, and Reggie Jackson was no more. As the final out was made and words were spoken from the field, people embraced and wept. On this day, [there was plenty of crying in baseball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M8szlSa-8o&ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### **And finally, *Being so Pissed Off at John Fisher that Major League Baseball is Now Dead to Us*** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d327967d-0743-45a7-98ba-2d7975ad23f8_2766x1556-jpeg.jpg) My new screen saver . . . and if we can photoshop Youngest in, this year’s Christmas card :-) I refuse to let anger win the day, but we were not the only ones pissed: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f1e513cf-9781-49eb-bf49-bd3ee7851381_3832x2155-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1993f8be-5124-444e-88d1-841ac62a7b4a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/406d2911-d9fa-4576-b5be-d3aae6200ddc_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/457d443f-bdcb-494b-be8d-694f76ecf8aa_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/dba387f0-57b2-423a-b8bd-d7018e05f1db_3217x1810-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d48c3952-b7ff-4116-bcb7-e4ab8791303b_3217x1810-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/50e25968-130f-4289-bf34-f21fb1fe71f9_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2a2cc01b-6de4-4c22-b738-89a748ecf886_2853x1605-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b3bc70c9-bd6b-4763-9e5d-4a48d8a057bb_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Various signage of the day The MLB let this happen, approved the move, and again, showed the true nature of wealth and greed when it comes to supporting those who have helped them build up their wealth in the first place. Yes, the fans were hurt, but the workers have also been treated terribly, with some being let go after decades of service [without severance or healthcare after the last game](https://abc7news.com/post/as-oakland-coliseum-concession-workers-wont-get-severance-health-insurance-after-last-game/15355671/?ref=reyes-chow.com). It really is despicable. With a great sigh, all of my non-Oakland A’s gear has been packed and put up in the attic. When I say that MLB baseball is dead to me, until the time comes when the A’s come back with new owners or there is an expansion team, we are done with the MLB. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1f6cbf69-9bea-4433-8b49-9c2bd12675ae_2766x1556-jpeg.jpg) So what’s next? We are not done with sports and not even baseball. We love the new independent league team, [the Oakland Ballers](https://www.oaklandballers.com/landing/index?ref=reyes-chow.com). We went to a bunch of games this year, and it was so lovely to watch baseball without resentment about the money we were spending. We are also all-in on Women’s soccer \*shocker\* as we transferred our A’s ticket money to [Bay FC](https://bayfc.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [The Oakland Soul](https://www.oaklandsoulsc.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Heck, we even went to a few [San Jose Barracuda](https://www.sjbarracuda.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) games this year. No, we still love watch sports, it will just not longer be Major League Baseball. So there you have it. The end of an era. One more time. > **Let’s go Oakland! \*clap\* \*clap\* \*clap clap clap\*** > > **Let’s go Oakland! \*clap\* \*clap\* \*clap clap clap\*** > > **Let’s go Oakland! \*clap\* \*clap\* \*clap clap clap\*** I know this is not the first and will not be the last time sports fans have their hearts broken by the realities of wealth and greed, but for the Oakland faithful, it definately hurts. ### The + Friday + Five | on Movies URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-092724/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:27:36.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 09.27.24 I took a break last week as I was on the road, and something had to give. In any case, today is the movie edition. Disclaimer: I would be a terrible movie critic because I pretty much enjoy any movie. I also love a good franchise, but I do not include the fact that, inspired by , I just watched all the Alien movies (minus the Predator ones) in preparation to see [Alien: Romulus](https://rratedmovieclub.substack.com/p/feature-presentation-alien-romulus) — which I never got around to seeing in the theater. Also, FWIW my all-time favorite franchises are Fast & the Furious, Harry Potter, Spiderman, and The Hunger Games. Don’t judge me. Okay, 5 Movies I’ve watched in the past few weeks and, depending on your taste, all worth the couch time. Please keep in mind these are not reviews, so don’t @ me :-) - [*Shortcomings*](https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/shortcomings/?ref=reyes-chow.com)— Directed by Randall Park and starring Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, and many great cameos, this was a satisfying rom-com with many awkward moments experienced and terrible choices made. If you are Asian American, it’s a must-watch as it could prompt some interesting questions. - [*Breathe*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breathe%5F%282024%5Ffilm%29?ref=reyes-chow.com) — Starring Jennifer Hudson, Milla Jovovich, Quvenzhané Wallis, and Common, this is set in a post-apocalyptic time in the not-so-distant future when the air is unbreathable. The reviews are not great, but the Black-centered narrative was a great experience. - [*Civil War*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil%5FWar%5F%28film%29?ref=reyes-chow.com)— Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and others, this film will not be what you think it is. While it uses warring America, which seems all too possible and near as the backdrop, it is much more about the journalists. - [*A Quiet Place: Day One*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%5FQuiet%5FPlace:%5FDay%5FOne?ref=reyes-chow.com)—Unlike the first two, this installment was Directed by Michael Sarnoski instead of John Krasinski and stars Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou. It is definitely in the suspense/alien/horror genre; if you “enjoyed” either of the first two, this is a satisfying addition. - [*Twisters*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisters%5F%28film%29?ref=reyes-chow.com) — Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, if you enjoyed the 1996 [*Twister*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twister%5F%281996%5Ffilm%29?ref=reyes-chow.com) starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, this new one will satisfy your tornado-wrangling soul. It’s not a reboot or sequel, but it does give a few nods back to the original, which is worth rewatching so you don’t miss them. Okay, that’s it. At the risk of seeing my readership plummet, I saved my cinema confessions until the end: I have never seen any of *The Godfather* movies, and I am pretty sure I have never gotten through a *Lord of the Rings* or *Hobbit* film without a good sound nap at some point in the middle. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: As I mentioned in my [vocational announcement](https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-job-big-dreams-sketchy-boss/), one of my dreams is that I’ll see one of my books stocked at an airport in five years. While I am not sure it will be a religious one, looking at these titles at a Philadelphia airport bookstore, maybe it should be. Good Lord, many great titles and authors who offer a different perspective could be included, but it looks like the Prosperity Gospel is selling well. Ugh. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3d826b5a-d643-41e4-a033-d1c4871a0276_2766x1556-jpeg.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### Hey Pastor, "Thank you!" URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hey-pastor-thank-you/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:32.000Z Dear Congregational Pastors[1](#footnote-1), First, how are you? While I am no longer in the pastorate, I have had the privilege of hanging out with you in various contexts, having spent time with about 20 churches over the year. While navigating congregational life in the shadow of the pandemic, I am grateful for how you have responded to this vocation and calling of a pastor. As I approach my 29th Ordiversary[2](#footnote-2) and after serving seven congregations, I know that the call can be exhilarating and excruciating all before lunch. The pastoral seasons can be all over the place, and over the past four years, it has been particularly unsettling. So yes, when talking about pastoral ministry, we could spend a great deal of time commiserating about the state of the church, the nature of professional ministry, the long-term impact of the pandemic, and various other assorted ailments of the call, but today, **I hope you hear and receive what is not said often enough — thank you.** The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Off the top of my head and in no particular order . . . > Thank you for the ways you love the people you serve. > > Thank you for the presence you offer to people in times of crisis. > > Thank you for your prophetic words and actions. > > Thank you for the ways you challenge the community to expand their experience of the holy. > > Thank you for saying yes to call in the first place. > > Thank you for staying when the call is not yet complete. > > Thank you for leaving when you are called to what is next. > > Thank you for your plumbing, floral, janitorial, web design, baking, marketing, bookkeeping, sound engineering, and other “duties as assigned” skills that you bring. > > Thank you for doing all of tasks that need to happen each and every week. > > Thank you for responding to the interruptions, that also happen each and every week. > > Thank you for getting to know the community around you: businesses, schools, houses of worship, service agencies, restaurants, cafes, and goverment offices. > > Thank you for taking time to get to know the people around you: members, visitors, neighbors, organizsers, public officials, and strangers. > > Thank you for crafting bold words that prompt and inspire. > > Thank you for listening in ways that builds trust and honors the other. > > Thank you for encouraing deep silence that invites the Spirit. > > Thank you for the depths of the rituals that you convene and guide. > > Thank you for your committment to the faith. > > Thank you for being patient and kind. > > Thank you for giving the people the benefit of the doubt. > > Thank you for calling out bad behavior when it harms the body. > > Thank you for grace extended to othersand to yourself. > > Thank you for stepping in when you are needed. > > Thank for for getting the hell out the way when you need to. > > Thank you for holding personal and professional boundaries that will allow for future pastoral leadership to thrive. > > Thank you for creating space where people feel welcomed to lead with you. > > Thank you for knowing when you need help, asking for it, and accepting it. > > Thank you for your humanity: tears, laughter, sorrow, and celebration. > > And lastly, thank you for working more than just on Sunday :-) Again, we know that this work is not easy. No two congregations or roles are the same, and everyone approaches the pastoral endeavor differently. So, no matter what season you are in or in what context you are serving, please know that you are seen, you are loved, and you are appreciated. I am sure I have left some things out, but there you go. If you are a congregational pastor, I hope you have been able to receive more than a few of these. If a pastor or two are in your orbit, feel free to add your thanks in the comments and/or send this their way. Share this post with a pastor near you! --- 1. I recognize that many pastors serve in other capacities: chaplains, educators, etc. While there are certainly overlapping elements, today, I emphasize the unique nature of the congregational pastorate. [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") 2. “Ordiversary” on the nerdiest church things ever; it is the anniversary of our ordination, mine being October 29, 1995\. Damn, I’m old. [↩](#footnote-anchor-2 "Jump back to footnote 2 in the text.") 3. These words are part of the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s (my denomination) [ordination vows](https://equip.pcusa.org/mod/book/view.php?id=13920&ref=reyes-chow.com). [↩](#footnote-anchor-3 "Jump back to footnote 3 in the text.") ### My 2024 Substack Summer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-2024-substack-summer/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:32.000Z Yes, it kind of feels like Substack is trying too hard with this one, but I actually love this stuff, plus I was interested to see what would land in my top lists. I am not sure I agree with ![Substack Summer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/hero.jpg) # Highlights > ☕ I read the most in the morning > > 💌 I subscribed to 44 new Substacks > > 📽️ I watched 26 minutes of video > > ❤️ I liked 31 posts > > 💬 I left 30 comments on posts > > 📜 I scrolled 99 meters in Notes > > 🕵️ I discovered 14 new posts via Notes # Top Substacks ### [The Truth Is...](https://lisasharonharper.substack.com/) by > The truth about race, faith, politics and culture. The things that matter—and some things that don’t. > > Top post this summer: [My Remarks on the Evangelicals for Harris Call](https://lisasharonharper.substack.com/p/my-remarks-on-the-evangelicals-for) ### [The Blue Room with MaryAnn McKibben Dana](https://maryannmckibbendana.substack.com/) by > A place to breathe amid the clamor of everyday life. Hosted by MaryAnn McKibben Dana: author, pastor, recovering perfectionist, reluctant improviser, and hopemonger. > > Top post this summer: [A Father's Love, Begotten](https://maryannmckibbendana.substack.com/p/a-fathers-love-begotten) ### [The Connections](https://theconnections.substack.com/) by > A community journal connecting the dots on oppressive systems to free future generations > > Top post this summer: [Not All Black and South Asian American Women Are Rooting for Kamala Harris: We Are Not a Monolith](https://theconnections.substack.com/p/not-all-black-and-south-asian-american) ### Share your own Summer Recap You can see your own summer recap in the [Substack app](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Get my Recap](https://open.substack.com/summer/open-draft) ### BTS: Next Book Project has Found a Title URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/bts-next-book-project-has-found-a/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:33.000Z As some of you know from a chat a few months ago, I signed a multi-project agreement with Chalice Press focused on Jesus. I loved working with them so much that I quickly said yes, especially in this [new season of vocational life](https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-job-big-dreams-sketchy-boss/). Chalice is not a huge shop, but everyone I have worked with there has been lovely[,](https://chalicepress.com/collections/best-sellers?ref=reyes-chow.com) and their booklist converges with my own theological perspective. [Head on over to their catalog and buy stuff :-)](https://chalicepress.com/collections/best-sellers?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/79a6b809-0aec-49d6-a1b4-627bb3d927de_973x973-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0e124435-b2b2-465e-8bd7-a6126f0e90b9_1080x1080-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e09a3615-dcf5-439b-8252-d93568519e98_1080x1080-jpeg.jpg) After the contract is signed, a few things have to get sewn up pretty quickly, namely the title and cover. I’m pretty jazzed that we landed on titles for the three publications: > BOOK: *Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ* > > STUDY: *Possibility: Our Advent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet* > > STUDY: Beckon: *Our Lenten Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet* We are looking at a Fall 2025 release for the Book and Advent Study, soon followed by the Lenten study. There is a lot to do before them, but I’ll keep folks updated as the story unfolds. Next stop — covers. ### From + The + Vault: Final Blog Post as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-final-blog-post-as/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:19:56.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Originally posted on June 21, 2010 on my*** [***Moderator Blog***](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/)***. It has been lightly edited, and many of the original links are dead.*** Okay this one is for the real church nerds. A little background: what seems like a million years ago, I held the office of Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) at the 218th General Assembly in San Jose, CA. At that point, I was the youngest to hold the office, I was the first US-Born Asian American and First Filipino American, I did not wear a tie, and I blogged, tweeeted, and facebooked. \*gasp\* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5a59f713-9e74-43dc-b07d-b9b1e02ba641_350x525-jpeg.jpg) A big deal was made that I did not wear a tie. In any case, that was a long time ago, and so much has changed about the denomination I am a part of, so I got a kick out of the final post nearly 15 years ago. Enjoy a walk down memory lane. Special love to Elder Cindy Bolbach, who followed me, but died before completing her term. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0c79d266-8863-4503-962a-72abb111f15c_604x403-jpeg.jpg) Family and friends on election night. --- **13* Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' *14* Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."* \- **Genesis 18:13-14 (TNIV)** It is hard to believe how quickly the past two years have flown by. Looking back on 250 blog posts, thousands of status updates and 24 months of service I am both humbled and inspired by the faithfulness, passion and vigor with which our denomination is seeking to be faithful to God’s call on our collective lives. As this journey began, both Byron and I understood that we would have a unique vantage point from which we would experience the church, but until one travels this journey it is hard to imagine. With close to 175 events attended between Byron and myself over these past two years there are too many amazing communities to mention them all. Still, here is a sampling of the breadth and depth of the communities that inspired me as I attended events and gatherings: - Groups of Presbyterians who gather around common passions: Covenant Network of Presbyterians, Presbyterians For Renewal, More Light Presbyterians, Presbyterian Global Fellowship, That All My Freely Serve and The Presbyterian Coalition. - All engaged in the ministry with and for college-aged and young adults: Stillman College, Montreat Collegiate Conference, Atlanta Area Campus ministries, Warren Wilson College, Young Adult Ministries Jam, National Network of Presbyterian College Women, and numerous campus pastors, chaplains, camps and conferences. - For congregations striving to be church faithfully in their communities: The Phoenix Project, Cleveland, OH; Steele Creek PC, Charlotte, NC; First PC, Mt. Pleasant, IA; Pullman PC, Chicago, IL; Calvary PC, Wilmington, CA; and First PC, Fenton, MI. - For mission Co-workers, Young Adult Volunteers, Military Chaplains, Church Educators, Seminary Students, Commission Lay Pastors, General Assembly Mission Council Staff and those working with immigrant communities. - For brothers and sisters around the world especially those who showed such hospitality to the Moderator's Office: The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Ecumenical Council in Hong Kong, United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Episcopal Church of Haiti. - For those who have engaged with the Office of Moderator through such social media platforms at Twitter, Facebook, Skype and more. It is a new day indeed. From this brief sampling it is not difficult to see that God is poking and prodding us to trust that there is something new being birthed in the world. It is my hope that we will embrace that calling no matter how frightening and unbelievable it may be, after all, this is where we may best discover who God intends us to be. As I end my term let me also thank the many people who have supported the Moderator’s office these past two years in more ways that can be measured and acknowledged especially the Office of the General Assembly staff, the Moderator’s assistants and the countless Presbytery and Synod folks who helped arrange and support our travel. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fcd48db6-b8a8-4ec2-ae0a-a080f37ae4dd_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) This was taken just before I left for the airport on my way to the 219th General Assembly and the completion of my term. And finally thanks to my family and communities of support especially my wife, Robin, and three daughters: Evelyn, Abby and Analise (all of us with a hand on the Moderator's Cross above); the church I serve, Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco and the extended communites in my life: school, family and online. Words cannot express my gratitude for your patience, grace support that have helped to make this journey pretty amazing. What's next . . . - Please feel free to connect with the new Moderatorial Team: Moderator, Cindy Bolbach and Vice-Moderator, Landon Whitsitt. They are still getting settled in, but you can find them on their Facebook Page as well as on Twitter at @cbolbach and @landonw. For invitations and other moderatorial business, you can eMail the Moderator's Assistant, Joyce Evans. - As for me, if you would like to keep up with my future adventures feel free to connect with me on my blog, [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.reyes-chow.com/); on Facebook, BRC Page; or on Twitter, @breyeschow. You can also find Byron on twitter, @bawade. - Lastly, one of my final moderatrial duties will be to appoint folks to a few committees, the first of which will be the Middle Governing Body Commission. There will be more out later as Cindy and I work out our process, but until then any interested folks should visit the OGA Website and fill out the application \[HERE\]. **The Application DEADLINE is SEPTEMBER 1, ~~1020~~ 2010\.** Please feel free to pass this along to any and all who you think would be good for this group. This has been a wonderful journey. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your moderator, and may the peace of Christ be with you all. Peace - Bruce The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8d6ae780-ad7a-472c-928c-029f75d9d8e7_1600x1200-jpeg-1.jpg) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### I'm Headed Back to Palestine in 2025 and You're Invited URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/im-headed-back-to-palestine-in-2025/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:35.000Z As many of you know, I traveled to Palestine three times, twice after October 7th. These experiences have changed me profoundly. I have been challenged in my thinking, built friendships, absorbed much history and context, and had my understanding of hope and grace expanded in unimaginable ways. Both recent trips, organized by [**Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center**](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**,** have been solidarity delegations, a kind of pilgrimage to learn, listen, and then tell the stories upon our return. While we will never be able to do enough, I trust that every person who has taken part has made the plight of the Palestinian people a little more personal to those around them. Even though things seem dire at the time this post is written, this spring, at Sabeel’s invitation, I will convene and coordinate[1](#footnote-1) two groups built for first-time travelers to Palestine: one for leaders whose organizations are focused on issues of liberation, advocacy, and justice and a second for a Holy Week Pilgrimage. Registration will be open before the end of the year, and details will be finalized once we get closer to Spring. #### Here are the details: Please keep in mind that the situation in Palestine is fluid; we do not know what it will be like in April 2025\. That said, Sabeel has extended the invitation and is proceeding with planning, so we are too. This post is meant to provide general details and gauge interest as Sabeel plans its future delegation support. Below is general information about both delegations, followed by a link to express your interest. **Please read the descriptions before filling out the interest form.** --- #### Organizational Leaders Solidarity Delegation (Early April) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7c57238e-4104-46e3-b7a8-eab9f6eb5b36_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) This delegation of first-time pilgrims to Palestine will be composed of leaders from advocacy organizations that focus on issues adjacent to Palestinian liberation: immigration, LGBTQIA+, housing, peacemaking, antiracism, reproductive justice, peacemaking, etc. We will meet with other organizational leaders as we learn from, listen to, and relay the stories of the Palestinian people to our own communites. Participants should be ready and willing to share real-time experiences and continue to share upon their return. - **Delegation Size:** ≈ 25 - **Dates:** March 31 - April 8 (8 days, 7 nights) - **Cost:** 1,000-1,500 USD (not including airfare and visas) - **Application**: Registrations are due by 02.02.25 - **Deposit:** A $500 deposit will be due by 03.03.25 [Fill Out Interest Form](https://forms.gle/kqeGHRQabyDgJzjq8?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### Holy Week in the Holy Land Solidarity Delegation (Mid April) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ebb152f2-f445-4942-8861-68bb5f45b5f1_2766x1556-jpeg.jpg) This delegation will focus on the lives of Palestinian Christians, including, but not limited to: meeting with Palestinian interfaith and Christian leaders, participating in the Sabeel Stations of the Cross, accompanying Palestinians, engaging in theological reflection, and worshipping with various communities. - **Delegation Size:** ≈ 20 - **Dates:** April 11-21 (10 days, 9 nights) - **Cost:** $1,600-$2,000 USD (not including airfare and visas) - **Application**: Registrations are due by 02.15.25. - **Deposit:** A $500 deposit will be due by 03.15.25 [Fill Out Interest Form](https://forms.gle/kqeGHRQabyDgJzjq8?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- #### **GENERAL INFO FOR BOTH DELEGATIONS** - **Both delegations are geared toward first-time visitors to Palestine or those who have never experienced Palestine through the lens of the Palestinian people.** We may also take returning folks, so if it has been a while, please feel free to submit your interest. - We hope to build diverse groups that can share what they have learned with a wide variety of communities upon their return home. - There will be at least two orientation and relationships building calls (via zoom) before departure. - Sabeel will handle all of the travel arrangements, in-country travel, organizing, and coordination. To honor their work and the people we will meet with, delegation members must remain with the group for the entire time and commit to following our Palestinian leadership. - The Delegation will be based mostly in East Jerusalem, with day trips to other locations. A trip to the Gaza Border is possible. - We will not be intentionally entering active war zones. - We will be exposed to a breadth of experiences: political, personal, and cultural. - Delegation costs support local Palestinian businesses: hotels, food, speakers, etc. They do not cover personal shopping and other personal expenses. - The cost includes all delicious meals and double occupancy hotel-style accommodations (Singles are available at an extra cost). - Registration will begin in January 2025, with deposits due in March. - We plan to fly to and from Jordan, though depending on the situation, we may fly through Tel Aviv. - **Applicants will need current passports before their place on the trip can be confirmed.** Again, these are early details, and much could change between now and then. As we get closer, I will contact folks to send registration forms and gauge their ultimate interest and commitment. I have left the comments open on this post so folks can ask questions, but I will delete any anti-Palestinian comments. [Fill Out Interest Form](https://forms.gle/HKHsYt8HpbqJ1p6K9?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- 1. *convene and coordinate* means that I will be the main US contact and organizer. I will help answer questions, ease anxiety, and be the main herder of cats before, during, and after the delegation experience. Delegation costs and Sabeel help to cover my expenses. I am an advocate and not an expert, but I feel called to help bring this experience to as many people as possible. [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") ### From + The + Vault: Choosing Between Dad and a Cat URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-choosing-between-dad/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:18:05.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Originally posted on December 21, 2007 on my*** [***personal blog***](https://web.archive.org/web/20080109005749/https://reyes-chow.com/) ***(old graphics still in place). It has been lightly edited, and many of the original links are dead.*** My oldest is cat-sitting for a friend and is so excited as she gets in some small way to have a cat. You see, I am allergic to the cats. I love them and would love to have one, but the whole sneezy, puffed-eyed look just doesn't do it. The funniest cat episode went something like this. When Eldest was about 4 or 5 she seriously wanted to get a cat, but knew that I was allergic. Not understanding that one day she would not live with her parents, she asked Robin. > "Mom, when dad dies, can we get a cat?" Priceless. We even tried to tell her that one day she would move out. She was not having any. She was going to live with us forever and would just have to wait until I died to have her pet. All three have pretty much accepted that cats will have to wait until independence, but just in case I meet some untimely end and a bunch of felines show up at our house, you will know who to blame. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fce2c348-6fbc-4011-93a2-509fbdc319e3_360x270-jpeg.jpg) POSTLUDE: Eldest now lives on their own and along with their partner, they have a dog. Sorry cat people. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | From the Week URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-091324/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:36:12.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 09.13.24 Good day all. I hope you are well and this Friday, the 13th, has been well-behaved thus far. I am on the road and finishing this post from 30,000 feet and where I have lots of room to stretch out (see image below). Today’s 5 offers some Substack posts that drew me in. Enjoy. 1. We all decide at different times and for different reasons when we give something up based on ideological and political beliefs. None of us is perfect, none of us is pure, and we all get to where we get to when we get there. While I know many folks gave up the NYT before, I found this piece from as she walks us through a lifelong relationship with the paper and corporate media, [***Take a read of Breaking up with the New York Times: Confessions from a once diehard teenage fangirl***](http://Confessions from a once diehard teenage fangirl)*.* 2. Our crew has been a Hawaii family for a long time. Many Filipinos feel connected because so many of our family, like my grandfather, migrated through the islands. We would spend a month in Maui every few summers and try to leave as light of a footprint as possible. That said, our participation in the ongoing colonization through our visits is always a question and ongoingly problematic. One thing that I have been trying to do is keep up with ongoing liberation movements and keep learning. In that vein, here is a great piece from by were connections between Hawaii and Palestine are drawn, [***'Colonization' Isn't Just Palestine — It's Hawaii Too: My name is Kanoelani and I am Kānaka Maoli. I believe in a Free Palestine AND a Free Hawaii. And if you're white, I need you to believe in this too***](https://theconnections.substack.com/p/colonization-isnt-just-palestine). 3. I love when my friends learn stuff and pass it along. Be sure to check out and the most recent offering from , [***They want us poor: And this time "they" is the Supreme Court***](https://sandhyajha.substack.com/p/they-want-us-poor)***.*** 4. Here is one from that deserves your attention. If you have never read Jeff’s substack, , always be prepared to settle in for a lovely and poignant walk through the garden and life. When I read his stuff, I inevitably think, “Sure, I write, but Jeff is a writer.” Always theological and sometimes political, this most recent offering is well worth a sit-down, [***The Beans and the Sunflowers: Some fragmented thoughts on lessons from the garden about focus, resilience, and growth, a grievous piece of partisan rhetoric, and love of neighbor***](https://jeffchu.substack.com/p/the-beans-and-the-sunflowers). 5. And lastly a little news from the pitch. My go-to soccer substack these days is . Like so many people, I watched Alex Morgan’s final 13 minutes on the pitch and found myself remembering how important she has been to a generation of soccer players, especially girls, inlcuding our own. offers a great reflection in on Morgan, her impact, and what still needs to be done in, [***Alex Morgan's groundbreaking goodbye: A reflection on how far we've come, and how far we have to go***](https://www.powerplays.news/p/alex-morgans-groundbreaking-goodbye?ref=reyes-chow.com). PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: I begin a pretty [heavy season of travel](https://www.reyes-chow.com/speaking-and-preaching-shcedule/) this weekend (finishing this post off at 30,000 feet in the air) so as a Southwest flyer, this is a great way to start. IYKYN. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7668fe07-affe-4171-84e3-68890b5264ef_3840x2160-jpeg.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### An Argument to Drop The Children's Message in Worship URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-the-childrens-message/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T18:15:57.000Z For those of you not connected to church life, many (most?) church services often have a time dedicated to a “Children’s Message.” The children are invited to the front, and the leader attempts to convey some important faith concepts to whoever may be there on that Sunday. Sometimes, a prop is used; other times, a story is read; and for the truly gifted, puppets. There is often a time for the children to respond (cue: cute answer often given by the precocious pastor’s kid), there is generally a “repeat after me” prayer, and then the children are often dismissed to church school . . . though some return to the pews to sit with their chosen adult. After 30 years of either having to prepare, lead, or watch them unfold, I am a big proponent of eliminating the Children’s Message. You read right—**GET RID OF THE CHILDREN’S MESSAGE.** Honestly, I do not think this is that bold a statement to make these days, but if you have picked up your pitchfork or are looking for the unsubscribe button, hear me out. First, let’s start with what I beleive is the genuine intent of The Children’s Message. Most folks, if asked, would say that The Children’s Message is important because it is a dedicated time that speaks to the spiritual growth and centers of the lived experience of the kids in our midst. To be clear, I have no argument with these intentions. I can safely say that I have seen or been part of hundreds of Children’s Messages over the years, and with each one, I am more convinced that, in most settings, The Children’s Message fails to communicate either of those intentions very well. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Instead, The Children’s Message has turned into the following . . . - **Proof of Care.** One argument I have heard is that The Children’s Message is the time when we communicate to parents and guardians (especially visitors) that we have something for the children. There are better ways to do this, especially for those who might feel uncomfortable with having their child put on display. - **It makes us feel good.** Speaking of putting our kids on display, we essentially put our children on display to up the cute factor and reinforce the idea that the measure and worth of a church is The Children’s Message roll call. - **Those extroverts.** The Children’s Message rewards extroverted children or at least those willing to speak, yell, dance, wander, or explore with dozens of pairs of eyes upon them. Most adults hate being put on the spot in public, so why would we think that children would be any different? - **Flow and Pace.** The Children’s Message is locked into a way of being because it is often used as a transition moment in the service, usually to move children from worship to church school. - **Intended Ears.** How many times have you heard that The Children’s Message is “really for the adults”? Your honor, I rest my case. - **Pastoral Burden.** For small churches,I can think of very few pastors who love having to come up with yet another well-thought-out and theological sound message . . . that a five-year-old will pay attention to, let alone understand. So unless we are saying that The Children’s Message does not deserve the same care and preparation as the “real” sermon, we are asking preachers to prepare for two drastically different contexts. - **Unintended Consequences.** The number one reason I argue for eliminating The Children’s Message is that, in many churches, The Children’s Message is a discouraging reminder of decline and not a reinforcer of hope. When a church has to beg for children to come forward, a few reluctant children are forced to go up front, or the Children’s Message is delivered even when there are no children present, it is difficult to spin this as a positive aspect of the church’s life. Please understand that I am not arguing to get rid of the Children’s Message and give up; we only allow ourselves the space to reimagine and experiment. Here are some alternatives I would or have tried that could dedicate energy and effort to the spiritual growth and lived experience of the kids in our midst. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. - **Be more creative.** I discuss this in [my post about creating belonging](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/is-your-worship-compelling?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web), but like almost all elements of classic or traditional mainline worship, we can get caught in worship ruts. Yes, habit and consistency can benefit us greatly, but often we are way off-balance. I hope you will trust your theological chops and the creativity of the community enough to play around with the flow and vibe of the entire worship experience - **Face away from the congregation:** The way the children are facing indicates the “display” level of The Children’s Message. When the children face the adult giving the message and NOT the rest of the congregation, it centers their personhood there and now. More importantly, it tells them that they are worthy of the attention of that moment’s important adult and communicates that the message is particularly for them and not for the rest of the congregation. - **Center the children by having everyone center the children.** If we really want to center children, we should create worship experiences that speak to their bodies, hearts, minds, souls, energy, etc. and have everyone participate. Break out the playdough and pipe cleaners, have worship be one big service project, have everyone dance and move as able, and center the lives of the children without actually focusing on them. - **Center other demographics.** What if you did a series where you did a special message for different groups? Crafted and curated with care, others could get a glimpse of the lives of other life stages and lived experiences. Make these messages the Sermon Time: “A Time for The Sandwich Generation,” “A Time for Over-70’s in the House,” “A Time for Parents & Guardians,” “A Time for Singles,” “A Time for Those New to the Church,” “A Time for those Who Have Been Here Forever,” etc. If everyone gets centered, one group may no longer feel forced to perform and people’s understanding of one another would expand. - **Build spiritual disciplines outside of that worship moment.** If we really want to pass along our faith traditions, we must be more committed to doing so in ways that may actually have more impact. How do we build creative and contextually relevant practices to build the faith of our young folks? This is outside of my wheelhouse, but I would subscribe to for some good home/family-centered theology and practices. Okay, that’s all I got. I hope it sparks some good conversations. Please share if you have ideas to add. Thank you for all that you are doing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e2f5c85d-4ce5-41b6-9dba-f44d951bd546_2121x1414-jpeg.jpg) ### From + The + Vault: Teaching Our Children to Be Joyfully Mediocre URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-teaching-our-children/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:15:53.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Originally posted on May 23, 2013, on*** [***HuffPost***](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/teaching-our-children-to-be-joyfully-mediocre%5Fb%5F3323172?ref=reyes-chow.com)***. It has been lightly edited, and most of the original links are dead.*** I love playing the guitar. But truth be told, I am not very good. Sure, I can rock out on "Shine Jesus Shine," "One Tin Soldier" or "Brown-Eyed Girl" like no one's business, but I am pretty sure that I have reached my peak. I am fine knowing that my 12 chords and I could lead a campfire sing-along, but I am fully aware that my window to be good enough to be "in the band" closed a long time ago. And really, it's OK. I'll be fine. I love being able to just be mediocre. In some ways, it's sad that I have to give myself permission to *not* try hard to excel at playing guitar: take lessons, schedule practice, and play until my fingers bleed -- but in our hyper-achievement society, this is apparently what it has come to. We must give ourselves permission *not to* feel compelled to be the best and enjoy doing something for the sake of doing it. While I believe that we are called to tend to the passions, talents, and skills that reside within each of us, that does not always equate to being the best and most talented at them all. Sometimes, tending our passions means allowing ourselves be, in the eyes of the world — mediocre. As my wife and I raise our daughters, this is a constant tension for us. Of course, we want them to do well in whatever they are passionate about and called to pursue, but we also do not want to communicate that their worth and their joy comes from achievement and competency in all things because, despite what we would like to think, in reality, no one can be amazing at everything. Ultimately, our sense of worth and joy can be just as nourished by doing something that we love, whether we are good at it or not. It seems that society and parents -- *both with good intentions* \-- forget that sometimes, whether it is kicking a ball in soccer, making music with a violin, or expressing oneself through drawing, joy can be found in the act of doing those things, and not the trophy, the applause or the recognition. I know that it is a fine line when parenting: when to push, when to pull back, or when to stop altogether, but we must never communicate that excellence is the sole determiner of participation in an activity. When we forget that not all things must be mastered, we too often discourage our children from doing things they love, or we push so hard that the activities no longer remain life-giving endeavors. One of the things that we parents can do to model this joyful mediocrity is to acknowledge those things that we, ourselves, are not very good at — but love to do anyway. We can also return to those things that we may no longer do because we fell into the trap of thinking that we had to be good at it for it to be worth our time. I suspect that when our children see us not excelling at something and being OK with it, they too will excel at embracing and doing those things that they love and bring them joy. Now, go forth and be mediocre. Joyfully. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | Randomocities I URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-090624/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:40:23.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 09.06.24 Good morning all. I hope your week has been meaningful and has offered more than a few glimpses of joy! No theme this week, just some random things: 1. Through the rabbit hole called Susbtack, I ended up reading a story about a Spanish map-making story from the late 18th century, [*Should this be a map or 500 maps?*](https://escapethealgorithm.substack.com/p/should-this-be-a-map-or-500-maps) by who I found via who I found via and her post, [*Election 2024: The Arab American & Muslim American Votes Will Be Key to Winning*](https://nadiarahman.substack.com/p/election-2024-the-arab-american-and)*.* Always glad to be exposed to new-to-me voices and thinkers. 2. [I mentioned earlier](https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-return-of-the-friday-five/) a few things I am listening to these days, but I want to share a podcast that we recently binged on a road trip. Now, I have gone through phases with true-crime podcasts, and my spouse is not a fan, but [*Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley*](https://www.bbcpodcasts.com/listen/lady-killers-with-lucy-worsley/?ref=reyes-chow.com) on BBC Podcasts got us both. From the description, “Join Lucy and a team of female detectives as they investigate the ordinary lives—and extraordinary crimes—of women in the past from a contemporary feminist perspective.” 3. As many of you know, I am a big [OrangeTheory Fitness](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/my-orangetheory-fitness-story?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web) ~~cult member~~ person, so I wander the fitness people on The Gram. Sifting through the mess is not fun, but one person I always watch is [Jarell Carter](https://www.instagram.com/jarellcarter/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and his dog Dootie. He never fails to entertain. 4. With yet *another* school mass shoot, this time at [Apalachee High School](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5101890/apalachee-high-school-shooting-charges-investigation?ref=reyes-chow.com) in GA, here is a good reminder and reference piece from , [*Debunking the NRA's 9 Favorite Gun Myths*](https://www.qasimrashid.com/p/debunking-the-nras-9-favorite-gun?ref=reyes-chow.com). 5. My friend Omar Haramy from [Sabeel](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is quoted in this Time article, [*West Bank Palestinians Fear War Will Come for Them Next*](https://time.com/7017069/west-bank-palestinian-gaza-israel-war/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The recent actions in the West Bank by Israel are not surprising at all. I have been to Palestine twice this year (paid subscribers can see some of my past Palestine posts) and plan to lead two delegations in the Spring so stay tuned if you are interested in being part of a solidarity delegation. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **From the Camera Roll**: My wife and I went to see Babyface this past week, and while my voice was shredding, my soul was fed. And if you have no idea who Babyface is, I suppose we can still be friends :-) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/10454032-96eb-4027-8175-fa5530565833_4032x2268-jpeg-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/363f510b-556f-4ea5-9329-67e25ed91273_3840x2160-jpeg-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0811b9bd-e4f7-4377-acb8-804763fb7880_2807x1579-jpeg-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ee9d1205-2d32-4af4-b6e0-fa27bc5dbc8e_4032x2268-jpeg-1.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### New Job, Big Dreams, Sketchy Boss URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-job-big-dreams-sketchy-boss/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:38.000Z Writing this post has taken me FOREVER, mostly because I do not have a complete vision for what is next, but with Labor Day weekend behind me, I figure this is as good a time as any to make the now anticlimactic announcement that I have officially begun a new vocational season of life. - ***New Job:*** I am now writing, speaking, and coachsulting full-time. - ***Big Dreams:*** I have an audacious but achievable five-year dream plan for my writing, speaking, and health. - ***Sketchy Boss:*** I need to get my administrative and organizational $h!t together, which means assembling a team to help me. I will write more about no longer being a compensated pastor, but suffice it to say that the days of meaningful congregational ministry, full or part-time, are over for me. After nearly 30 years of ordained ministry serving seven congregations in various roles, it is clear that I am no longer called to that form and function of service. Again, I’ll write more about this, but for those who have had conversations with me as of late, this is no surprise. One goal of this transition is to eventually [travel less](https://www.reyes-chow.com/speaking-and-preaching-shcedule/) and write more. This means building up my paid subscriber list. With this post, you have your first weekly paid post, where I will share more personal reflections about life, vocation, sorrows, celebrations, and ongoing shenanigans in my world. You have been warned. Thank you for your support. Free Subscribers should be able to use a one-time paid pass to circumvent the paywall, so if you want more details about this new phase of life, read on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/91a6ac79-c7d6-41f8-97e3-8f2de169abe1_3573x2249-jpeg.jpg) Despite knowing that most writers do not make enough money from their writing to sustain life and that [*Being a Full-Time Writer is the Worst Job*](https://katemckean.substack.com/p/being-a-full-time-writer-is-the-worst), I’m making the leap anyway. It is important to note here that because of the generosity of my community, slight generational wealth, and my spouse’s job, we have healthcare, a low mortgage, and soon, no more college tuition to pay. So when I say full-time, I am not talking about completely replacing a full-time congregational pastoral call (more on that later) level of money but being able to sustain many things that expand our worldview and experiences beyond my community college instructor spouse’s salary. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area isn’t cheap, but if I can eventually generate the income of a first-year teacher (60k-ish), we will be okay. Okay, so on to the fun stuff; what the heck am I doing in this new stage of life? I will share more about this journey as it reveals itself, but in a nutshell, my vocational time will be spent on the following: - **writing words** // books and substack - **speaking about the words I write** // speaking and podcasting - **coachsulting** // leadership, vocational discernment, writing cohorts More specifically, here are the short-term, long-term, and big dreams of each: [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) #### **writing words** // books and substack - **Now** // I will be writing more consistently on Substack, with 3-4 posts per week (one paid-only) and a weekly prayer sent via [The Weekly Word](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) newsletter list. I have also signed a three-book contract with Chalice Press to write a book about Jesus and accompanying Advent and Lenten Devotions. These are timed for Fall 2025\. On a smaller note, I’ll be writing for The Upper Room, which is not a huge money maker, but it might generate some connection. - **Future** // I have had good conversations with a Literary Agent and am thinking about 3-4 books in the next five years. I am toying with the following ideas (all working titles). - *Raised to Disrupt: How Activists Have Been Formed by the Individuals and Communities Who Raised Them*. I want to interview 100 activists across demographics to see if any commonalities in their upbringing led them to be known or understood as activists. - *No Time for Rest: How Changing the World Requires Us to Reframe Self-Care, Healthy Living, and Getting Things Done*. I want to move conversations about productivity into the activist and serving profession world without falling into traps about time, success, sacrifice, and deliverables. - *A book about Leadership/Bossing* by those trying to make the world a better place that is not based on traditional measurements of success, numbers, and profit but on how good leaders create spaces where those who are supervised thrive and grow. - *A Memoir about my Grandfather, Esteban de los Reyes,* though this may have to be written by me, for me, until I become Oprah famous :-) - A book of compelling, meaningful, and funny Short Stories. - Who knows what else . . . - **The Dream** // One of my books is sold at an airport bookstore. #### **speaking about the words I write** // speaking and podcasting - ***Now*** // I do love to travel and speak and [will be doing so](https://www.reyes-chow.com/speaking-and-preaching-shcedule/) quite a bit through 2025\. I also hope to ramp up a new podcast, The Amalgamation, as soon as I find a producer who wants to help wrangle this thing into being. - ***Future*** // While I do loves me some traveling, at some point I will need to slow down. Hopefully, over the next five years, I can travel less and write more, but for now [the speaking gigs](https://reyes-chow.com/speaking/?ref=reyes-chow.com) pay the bills. - ***The Dream*** // I will be on [The Moth](https://themoth.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). #### **coachsulting** // leadership, vocational discernment, writing - ***Now*** // I am currently coaching four people around leadership and vocational discerment. I have found that I am better with 1-6 month engagements with folks and do not plan on building up a coaching practice. That said, when the relationship is good, I do enjoy the interaction, so if you are interested, LMK. - ***Future*** // I have not been using my CliftonStrengths certification quite as much as I should have, so I hope to add more coaching using this tool. I will also pick up 1-2 church consulting gigs a year to help with long-term planning, organizational and systems audits, and whatever else I may be useful for. - ***The Dream*** // Convene and coach a cohort of folks looking stepping into the writing/gig life. Okay, so lest you think my entire life will be about things that generate the moola, I also intend to keep up with my health and creativity disciplines. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) #### The Other Things - ***OTF*** // I am in the best shape of my life and hope to continue this trend by hitting Organgetheory Fitness 4-6 times a week. It really is [the best kind of cult](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-orangetheory-fitness-story/). You can [follow along here](https://www.instagram.com/huskydadfitness.ish?ref=reyes-chow.com). - ***Health*** // After a few blood tests and health scares, I am down nearly 20 pounds with 15 more to go. While we are still monitoring some of [my long-covid issues](https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745/), my overall health is good; I am eating more wisely, my muscle mass is way up, and I hope to see actual abs before my 60th birthday. I have also signed up for two 10K runs this year to challenge myself and connect with one of my runner kids. Of all the things, this is where I have surprised myself. - ***Activism*** // I will continue to be part of movements and actions that align with my values about the world and on behalf of so many who cannot because of the risk of physical harm or loss of employment. This will include ongoing activism around immigration, poverty, and Palestine and will include civil disobedience as demanded of me. - ***Joy*** // Not that I do not experience meaning in my work, but other things that bring me joy that I am committed to continuing include: traveling with family and my spouse, cooking often, tending to my houseplant jungle, feeding the birds, taking watching local sportsball, organizing stuff, binging k-dramas, etc. - ***One New Thing*** // I'm not sure what the new thing will be: restarting pottery, learning a new language, or maybe training for a marathon before I turn 60 in 2029\. I am taking suggestions. #### On the To Do list - Set up my weekly writing schedule for Substack and Books. - Focus on the Chalice book project. - Put together a couple of book proposals to pitch to my agent. - Hire a producer for the podcast. - Keep planning for the unplanned. - Stay true to my health discipline. - Remain grateful. Okay, that’s it for now. Again, as questions and events arise, I will share more about life and this vocational season. Until then, I am so grateful that so many of you have chosen to support me in this ad/venture with your financial and spiritual support. Have a great week. ### From + The + Vault: Confessions of a Middle-Aged Husky Boy URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-confessions-of-a-middle/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:14:03.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Like so many people, I woke up on Friday morning with a serious case of the "I cannot believe I ate a whole turkey" Day After Thanksgiving Blues. I rolled out of bed, slipped on some clothes, and went out for what I have not done in forever . . . a run. 45 minutes later, I was pretty worn out. In the end, my "run" turned into more of a spirited walk, crossed with a duel with my earbuds, which did not want to stay in my ears. Nevertheless, I did it. I exercised. My glory would be short-lived, however. As I came home, barely able to breathe, yet still proud of myself, I met my Eldest daughter in the kitchen. "Dad, what's the matter?" Gasping for breath, "I went for a run?" "You went for run, good for you!" Dejected and still straining to inhale every last bit of oxygen in our tiny kitchen, "Your dad used to be an athlete. I used to be in shape." Without missing a beat, "Dad, 'round' is shape." \*giggle\* Darn kids and their insightful humor. Now, I have never been skinny, so it was not mean of her at all—hysterically honest, in fact. Blessed with broad "Chow shoulders," as my family likes to name them, and having never even sniffed at a non-beverage-based six-pack, I have always been what many of us endearingly call "husky." Now, "husky" boys/girls are also known as "big-boned" or "stocky" and sometimes less flatteringly chided as "chubby" or just plain "fat." You know who you are and are simultaneously proud and ashamed of your body. See if these realities fit. You may be husky if . . . - you have legs people have said or intimated are a tad bit too short for your body; - you find yourself wincing every time you see that you might have to cram into a booth at a restaurant; - you have never found a chair where you can sit all the way back and your feet still touch the floor; - you can only find pants that are either the right waist size, but are too long in the legs or have the right length but are too damn tight; - you joke first about your physique before anyone else can tease you about it;; - and so on and so on . . . \[twitter fun: #youmaybeHUSKYif thread\] Now, from my list, it may seem like it's all bad being a Husky One. Oh contrare. Being husky also means having a super-low center of gravity that makes for pretty good athletic ability, especially up to high school. Skaters, gymnists, catchers, etc. We are deceptively quick and surprisingly sturdy for our height. I still remember playing tackle football in the park and, after leveling some scrawny and taller kid thinking to myself, "Yeah, that's right, that will be the last time you try to run through this 'husky' boy." No doubt women face a hard road when it comes to body imagery in our society, but at some point, boys and girls begin to realize that Husky is not what is deemed as traditionally beautiful or sexy for men or women. Sure, husky boys will have their hopes raised when hollywood lets Kevin James get the pretty girl and when Sara Ramirez showed on Grey's anatomy, I remember thinking how cool it was to have her body type in such a sexually charged role. In the end, the world is not very kind to people who are husky. And as with any other characteristics that can attract unwanted attention, it is dealt with in a variety of ways. Of course, there are those who would probably feel comfortable in any skin they inhabited from day one, but most of us "deal" with ramifications of our physique in other ways. Some retreat into academics or solitary activities, others find out where the huskiness is welcomed, usually in sports, and probably most of us learn how to deflect the attention with humor, usually at our own expense. Without getting overly analytical about all of this, we husky people always live in a tension when it comes to our bodies. Skinny people don't understand why we can't just lose weight and heavier people wonder why we complain at all. Feels kind of like the middle class whining about the poor and wealthy, but there you have it, it is time for husky people everywhere to rise up and claim our space! Actually not really, it's just time to admit that it's hard to be husky. Sure, it is easy to say that those of us who teeter on that "chubby" edge all of our lives that we should just get over it, at least you're not \[blank\]. The reality is that it's just not that easy, for any of us to just "get over" the struggles around body imagery in the world: skinny, obese and everything in between. [**Rex Navarrete on his Comedy CD, "Husky Boy"**](http://amzn.to/hDodne?ref=reyes-chow.com) (listen below) does a great bit on being Husky. In his humor, he gets at our love of food, the aforementioned athletic prowess - *for short distances* \- and the struggle and joy of living as a "Husky Boy." Recently, I have found the hardest part of being a "Husky Boy" . . . middle age. High blood pressure, a growing gut and as I began this post, a loss of athletic competency, has brought my youthful and husky confidence to a screeching halt. Now, I am not wallowing by any means. I have been married to a woman for 20 years whose appearance still makes my heart flutter, and I have been, for all intents and purposes, "successful" in my work life; but now, it's time for me to get my body back to some semblance of husky health. I have realized that loving being husky and seriously enjoying food is no reason to be unhealthy and overweight. So here I go again, no longer able to easily shed those pounds and keep my blood pressure low I am committing to another round of dieting, eating better and exercising. I will not go overboard: exercising three times a week, getting back on Weight Watchers and eating better are the order of the day. So do not get me wrong, I am in no way trying to fit into the svelte category, or am I denying by husky lineage . . . I am and will also be a proud Husky Boy. But as others who have met middle age know, if we are going to be able to be around to hold our Husky Grand-babies, we better be healthy enough to live that long. Peace all. Husky for Life. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | on Books URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-083024/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:42:05.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 08.30.24 (The Book Edition) I happened to order and receive a bunch of books over the past few weeks, so yes, today’s post should more accurately be titled, *The + Friday + *Eight**. What can I say? I’m a rule breaker. *Book Links: All links are affiliate links to* [*my store on Bookshop*](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Let’s start off with a couple of books by people I know. 1. First up, from who Substacks at has writen the yet-to-be-released [*The Mystics Would Like a Word: Six Women Who Met God and Found a Spirituality for Today*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593727270?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* I am unsure if we have ever met in person, but we connected over the interwebs and maybe a prayer service during lockdown? [*Feminist Prayers for My Daughter: Powerful Petitions for Every Stage of Her Life*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781587435492?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Rewilding Motherhood: Your Path to an Empowered Feminine Spirituality*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781587435386?ref=reyes-chow.com), you can trust that this next offering from Shannon is solid. This is not just a “let me introduce you to some cool church people” book, but through the lives and lenses of these six women how we can address mental health, sexuality, environmental justice, art, and more. I have not started it yet, but this will def be one where I am gonna learn a whole lot! 2. Next up is [*Not So Sorry: Abusers, False Apologies, and the Limits of Forgiveness*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506486963?ref=reyes-chow.com) by , who substacks at , and is the author of [*The Defiant Middle: How Women Claim Life's In-Betweens to Remake the World*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506467689?ref=reyes-chow.com). I have known Kaya via multiple podcast interviews and interactions online, and I continue to love her writing and vibe. I am not quite through the book, but Kaya, with such an inviting style, turns forgiveness on its head. As usual, she takes on tough issues and questions as if they were not. She matter-of-factly, with great story telling and bold claims, takes on the entire church forgiveness industrial complex and all its subsidiaries. So far, it’s a book that puts into words what my gut has been stoking for a while. 3. I am always looking for productive systems that can be tweaked to fit my personality and pace, so I picked up [*Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780525572428?ref=reyes-chow.com) after seeing it pop up on a few substacks. I am particularly interested in the idea of a single highlight and focus for the day. I instinctively do that already, but I am curious how it fits with other patterns I can pick up or put down. 4. On the recommendation from More Light Presbyterians, I ordered [*Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781685890919?ref=reyes-chow.com) to dive deeper into my understanding of antisemitism in light of what has been happening in Palestine as well as the historical and cultural broader implications for the United States and the world. 5. Soon, I will post about my ongoing ride on the roller-coaster of weight, exercise, diet, dieting, and body imagery, so this will be a good read. I admit, that this was an Instagram find, but after doing a little sleuthing, I decided to order [*Live Nourished: Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781668014974?ref=reyes-chow.com)by who substacks at . I have not started it yet, but I look forward to adding her voice to the chorus in my ongoing relationship with my body, health, weight, etc. 6. When I saw this title, [*The Enneagram for Black Liberation: Return to Who You Are Beneath the Armor You Carry*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9798889833048?ref=reyes-chow.com) by who substacks at I immediately added it to the cart. While I may not be the central target audience, as I skimmed a bit, I loved the vibe. I am sure this 3/4 will discover more than a few meaningful insights. 7. & 8\. [*Bitter*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593309063?ref=reyes-chow.com)and its sequel, [*Pet*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780593175446?ref=reyes-chow.com), are two futurist YA reads from Akwaeke Emezi that a colleague recommended to me. The way they were described was compelling, so into the cart, they went! Okay, there you go. They are all listed in my [Bookshop Bookstore](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), or you can find them everywhere you buy books. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **Random Photo/s from the Camera Roll**: It was another bittersweet weekend as we dropped Youngest off for her final semester of undergrad. With two older kids, this is our last undergrad move-in, and as I shared on [the Instagram photo dump](https://www.instagram.com/p/C%5FH%5FM4MOyFe/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), “To be completely clear, leaving our kids at school does not get any easier; we simply tend to our gratitude and grief better and better.” And yes, we all shop at the same glasses store :-) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/53763d16-a726-41a6-a65b-f129bad74a3a_1440x810-jpeg.jpg) --- **\***[The Original Friday Five](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s [SF Gate’s City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to [drop me a note](mailto:theamalgmation@reyes-chow.com). ### The Grief, Disappointment, and Inevitability of Losing Acquaintances and Colleagues URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-grief-disappointment-and-inevitability/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T21:10:03.000Z Over the past 11 months, especially when focused on the situation in Israel and Palestine, I am sure that many of you have experienced the fracturing of relationships with friends, family, co-workers, and the random person in your social and online circles. Add the presidential race to the mix, including how the Harris/Walz ticket and many of its supporters have responded to anyone who continues to challenge the ticket on Gaza, and those relationships have revealed themselves to be more accurately defined as acquaintances, colleagues, or casual social media connections — and not friends, co-conspirators, or accomplices. Rest assured, you are not alone in this, especially if you have fully committed to calling out the Israeli and United States governments for the blatant and brutal violence that is occurring in Gaza and, increasingly, the West Bank. If you have been following me for a while, you know where I stand, but today, I want to talk about the impact of these broken relationships and the joy of developing new ones. First, about those relationships that have ended. Like many, I have been called many things many things by strangers and trolls, but by people I know, I have had my intellect called into question, I have been accused of wanting Trump to win, I have been reprimanded for being a single-issue voter, and I have had my commitment to other marginalized groups called into question. Most revelatory and disappointing is the familiarity people have assumed, as if public accusations will be received with a spirit of friendship. This is not surprising, considering how much I share about my personal life, but when it comes to deep and textured friendships, those ain’t them. This season has revealed that many of my friendships were not friendships at all but more convenient acquaintances —often in agreement politically— but at the end of the day, pretty surface. I do not want to give too much air to these things, but in response to the main reprimands that I have received (and yes, I am using the word reprimand for all the condescension and patronizing vibes it gives) a quick response: The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ***my intellect*** // while I am never going to be a [MacArthur Fellow](https://www.macfound.org/programs/awards/fellows/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or be invited to join [MENSA](https://www.mensa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), when it comes to voting (which I have never publicly stated how I am going to vote for President) shock of all shocks, I do know how elections work, I understand the impact of the electoral college on the presidential race, and I know what it means for to be a California voter. ***trump/vance*** // of course I do not want them to win. Jesus H. Christ. That does not mean that Harris/Walz should automatically get my public and full-throated support without making some gesture to earn it. Why would I give away any leverage without calling for policy clarification? Both seem like decent humans (auntie and dad), but vibes are not motivation enough for me. To do so treads dangerously close to a cult of personality campaign and proximity to power politics. ***single-issue*** // challenging our current Democratic administration as well as withholding public support of Harris/Walz on their ongoing double speak about Gaza is not about being a single-issue voter. Gaza is about militarism, governmental spending, foreign policy, policing, free speech, racism, colonization, international law, and intersectional understandings of oppression. All that goes to say, if it was just about stopping a live-streamed genocide that could lead to an[ estimated 180,000+ deaths;](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2824%2901169-3/fulltext?ref=reyes-chow.com) I think that would be a pretty compelling single issue. **commitment to justice** // I must admit, the most swearing has been vocalized when folks have questioned my commitment to historically oppressed and marginalized groups. If people believe that my commitment to justice and my commitment to Gaza are mutually exclusive, that is a clear indication that people do not know me. These accusations seem to be more revealing of others' limitations of their commitment to justice and a justification for their ongoing silence in the face of genocide. I have had to recalibrate how much energy I direct towards maintaining some relationships. This is about a shift; there will be no shunning, public shaming, or cutting off going on here. I choose to believe that everyone in my circle has been acting faithfully, but our calling differs during this particular moment in history. As one who has always tried to maintain a wide circle of friendships, this has been a great revelation to me. I no longer need to spend energy maintaining relationships with acquaintances and colleagues because I am now drawn to expanding and tending relationships with co-conspirators and accomplices. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. An ally will mostly engage in activism by standing with an individual or group in a marginalized community. **An accomplice** will focus more on dismantling the structures that oppress that individual or group—and such work will be directed by the stakeholders in the marginalized group. *— Colleen Clemons,* [*Ally or Accomplice? The Language of Activism: A new use of the word accomplice pushed this educator to rethink her activist approaches inside and outside the classroom.*](https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/ally-or-accomplice-the-language-of-activism?ref=reyes-chow.com) *(2017)* Speaking of co-conspirators and accomplices… If anyone has ever been to a protest or action (Yes, even corporate-sponsored marches), one of the great joys is to meet people who hold the same moral values and call to live them out in the world. Few activities bond people together like publicly calling for social change, joining in oddly-tempoed protest chants, or deciding if you will risk physical harm and engage in civil disobedience. Sure, sometimes those events can devolve into preformative and limited action, but in diving deeper into actions centered around Gaza, Palestine, and the movement spokes that have widened the movement, I have been profoundly and surprisingly impacted. Through various technological platforms and in-person gatherings, my soul and spirit have been fed and fueled. We have shared and validated common experiences of disappointment, heartbreak, frustration, pessimism, rage, inspiration, victory, rejuvenation, optimism, love, joy, and hope — and I am grateful beyond measure. I want to thank so many people. You know who you are . . . - For new and long-time Palestinian friends who have challenged me to expand my understanding of hope, perseverance, and possibility. - For every person who has come into activism for the first time and has stepped out with a posture of courage and curiosity. - For every person who has been at this justice work for a long time and has lent their wisdom and experience to movements and organizers. - For the college students who have taught and embodied the power of mutual aid, the discipline of movement organizing, and the perseverance to challenge systems and institutions. - For the activists who have organized support for families in Gaza. - For the colleague/s with whom I have mutually vented, laughed, and cried without judgment or expectation. - For my immediate family and the alignment of our values, morals, and ethics. - For the extended family members who surprised us with their perspectives on Palestine. Who knew? - For those who have placed their bodies on the line through acts of civil disobedience and Palestinian accompaniment. - For the many organizations that have coordinated, supported, and nurtured various actions over the past 11 months. - For the many cause-adjacent organizations who have made shifts in their mandates and public action to address the intersectional nature of the Genocide in Gaza. - For those who have given money to organizations and mutual aid campaigns. - For every person who is not in the position to be public in their activist, but has expressed and offered support to those who are risking so much. - For those who have and continue to risk so much. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/22fa9c95-3f3f-45f6-aeb5-ad82c00fdc93_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Meal in Hebron with Digital Story Tellers Delegation, May 2024 Through these new or enhanced relationships, I have been challenged, educated, and inspired by the people with whom I had no idea I shared so much in common. My experience and expression of the holy and divine in the world have been expanded, and, oddly enough, these relationships of solidarity have made me more hopeful than ever. One such colleague recently asked me (*paraphrased*), “What can we do about Gaza with the current political situation being so terrible?” My response (*edited a bit*) is probably not what folks might expect, > We keep pressing, we keep showing up, we keep Gaza in front of people, we keep tellig the story of Palestine occupation and aparthied, we keep reminding people that the violence being perpetrated is propped up with our dollars, and we keep challenging our colleagues who compartmentalize this into a "single issue" to resist bartering the ongoing ethnic cleansing, familial annihilation, and genocide for complicity in order to protect and preserve privileged spaces. > > We keep hoping. In fact, I am more hopeful than ever, because the resurrection demands it of me. If asked again, I would add > And I am more hopeful than ever because of the people I consider co-conspirators, accomplices, and, yes, friends who inspire me to be so. Do more than hang in there, friends. When you feel isolated, know and believe that you are not. There is enough flourishing in the world for us all. ### From + The + Vault: How I Almost Got Me Beat Up Over Michelle Rodriguez URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-how-michelle-rodriguez/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:11:35.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Originally*** [***posted October 22, 2010***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/2010/10/nyc-michelle-rodriguez-speaking-up.html) ***and has been lightly edited.*** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/08/2e29d617-8fcd-40dc-a499-724d09a95104_1920x2560-jpeg-2.jpg) While a thinly veiled attempt to share my star-sighting a few weeks ago while on a trip to New York City, what happened AFTER I bumped into Michelle Rodriguez is the real story. It goes a little something like this: My friend, Kelly, and I were wandering around the West Village and stopped at this corner T-shirt store. After trying not to look shocked at the $65/shirt price tags and discovering the sale rack, I looked up and, who did I see but [**Michelle Rodriguez**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle%5FRodriguez?ref=reyes-chow.com). Now, I don't see myself as one who gets star-struck all that easily. I've met famous people before - *albeit mostly church folks* \- but still . . . I was cool when I met Desmond Tutu and John Lewis. These folks were part of social movements and worthy of speechlessness, but movie stars are just people, right? Well apparently, this boy does get a little swoony at the sight of some. After all, this was MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ: pilot in Avatar, revolutionary in Machete, and fighter in Girlfight and yes . . . she was even more stunning in person. I mean come on, you would have swooned too. After going back and forth in my mind about whether I should ask for a picture, I figured, what the heck . . . I went ahead and asked her. She was very sweet and took a pic with the dorky guy at the NYC T-shirt store. After I took the picture, I returned to the store where Kelly, was at the counter. Apparently, the shop owner saw the whole thing go down, and while I was outside, he said to Kelly, "All people are the same to me." And then he laid into me, "Why do you want to take a picture with that lady, when - *nodding at Kelly* \- you are with this beautiful woman?" This dude was pissed. I mean REALLY pissed. After an awkward moment, Kelly and I realized he thought we were married, and I was a jerky husband by chasing down other women on the street to have my picture taken with him. Kelly and I tried to assure him that we were not married or even dating, but just friends. He did not believe us AT ALL. During our pleading with him, he looked right at Kelly and said, "Tell me the truth. You are really not with him?" Sure, it would have been HYSTERICAL for Kelly to have summoned up some fake tears and broke down saying, "Okay fine, he is my husband and he does this ALL the time!" But seriously, this guy looked like he was ready to kick my ass should it have turned out I had disrespected Kelly in any way. Thankfully, Kelly chose a survival strategy by simply paying for her shirts and then we both slowly backed out of the store. As Kelly and I laughed about the whole situation, it became obvious to both of us that this guy was protecting her. He wanted to let Kelly know that no matter how this a-hole (me) acted, she should be the center of attention and not some movie star. I figure he had seen men misbehaving before; he had daughters that he wanted to be treated with respect, and/or he was simply a good guy who wanted to speak out when he thought someone was being wronged. Whatever the case, it was adorable and a reminder of our calling to speak out when we are called. I wonder how many of us pass up opportunities to do the same? As we know, it is far too easy to look the other way, avoid getting involved, or otherwise protect our little part of the world that we perceive as stable, familiar, and under our control. Sometimes, we must rock our worlds by trying to be a voice of justice and healing in the face of injustice and pain. If we fail to speak out, we allow physical and emotional abuse to continue, we allow unhealthy and toxic systems to profit, and we ultimately allow our communities to erode into isolated groupings of people where personal safety and survival are more important than the common good. In short, when we look the other way, as safe as it may make us feel, we all suffer. So the question for each of us is, "What will we no longer turn away from?" The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. On a side note, when my daughter's teacher said to her, "I see that your daddy met a movie star this week in New York" She said with excitement in her voice, "Yeah, Elmo!" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/06b8cc5c-5d57-4f9a-842a-edc36b3d7a26_1920x2560-jpeg.jpg) ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The + Friday + Five | From the Week URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-friday-five-082324/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:44:50.000Z 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. #### Your Friday Five: 08.23.24 1. I'm not sure if you know, but we are in election season. :-) As many of us feared during this presidential race, the “Cop versus Criminal” narrative is going strong. However, as argued in The Prosecutor vs. Felons, we really should be careful how we use pejoratives about felons and criminals. [***The “prosecutor vs. felon” line isn’t the slam dunk Team Harris thinks it is***](https://www.vox.com/politics/367521/harris-trump-prosecutor-versus-felon?ref=reyes-chow.com). 2. And speaking of the election, Alix and Antero from penned an Op-Ed in the San Francisco Chronicle that reminds us that both parties have harmed and will probably continue to harm immigrants, migrants, and asylum seekers: [***Trump or Harris? Whoever wins in November, immigrants will lose***](https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/immigration-harris-trump-19653979.php?ref=reyes-chow.com). 3. Nothing says welcome back to school and learn how to change the world like ramped-up protest enforcement and mask-banning, [***UC president vows to enforce rules banning encampments in the wake of Gaza protests***](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/university-california-protest-rules-encampments-19664481.php?fbclid=IwY2xjawEyOhlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXESF34c5tOPpULrqHUN5V5-SNqUllbnxOFwXYLoPf1JnapCTADcr%5FRZ-w%5Faem%5FpysPES02hA%5FngH4NgbR4Bg&ref=reyes-chow.com). This should be an interesting first few months as administrations will no doubt have to deal with super-organized student actions. 4. Speaking of school and on a more personal note, some of you know that our final college student was arrested for protesting the genocide in Gaza. A few weeks ago, we got word that the [***District Attorney files criminal charges against 19 students who Pomona President called riot police on***](https://www.claremontundercurrents.com/district-attorney-files-criminal-charges-against-19-students-who-pomona-president-called-riot-police-on/?ref=reyes-chow.com). This is on top of the disciplinary actions they are facing, which are outrageous and disproportionate. 5. And finally, while I am not a huge Olympics fan, I think this is awesome and I hope the transphobes out there take note: [***JK Rowling and Elon Musk named in Imane Khelif cyberbullying lawsuit***](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/14/jk-rowling-and-elon-musk-named-in-imane-khelif-cyberbullying-lawsuit?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) **Photo/s of the Week**: Taken by one [of my kids](https://www.instagram.com/abbybpugh/?ref=reyes-chow.com) with one of them there film cameras. This was during the glamping trip just before [my hospital adventure](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f0d19d5b-d343-4a05-b72e-505af1cf1f24_480x318-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8a9ba63f-2ca6-4bae-a3d6-b84de4ff798a_480x318-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b62a8373-c65e-4177-8091-27b81c845a92_480x318-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/460a4024-8cff-45b4-9ae8-7f4ab9bd94b2_480x318-jpeg.jpg) ### It's Been a Good Run, but the Algorithm Army Wins Again. Peace Out. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-been-a-good-run-but-the-algorithm/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:41.000Z Only last week, I wrote a post, [*Chasing the Joy of Social Media Past*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/chasing-the-joy-of-social-media-past/), which was about how I engage with the media these days. Today’s post is an update on the ridiculous saga of how my social media may be helpful for me as a full-time writer and M-list public figure. Again, in the scheme of the world burning down all around us, Facebook Page use is not a big deal, but I know that some of you love this stuff . . . as do I. Last week, I walked away from 10K-ish followers on Twitter and, at the end of August, I will deactivate my 9,800-follower [FB page](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow). While future publishers may not want to hear that I am giving up 20,000 followers. This is the sinister nature of follower count and the increased impact of algorithms. That number is essentially meaningless. The truth is, I don't get that many touches and I get far more meaningful eyeballs on Substack. Both accounts will not be deleted entirely. While X is still up, my FB Page will be deactivated, and neither will be tended to. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. “But why?” you ask. First, my interaction on Twitter has become non-existent, and the interaction stopped being compelling long ago. Dumping X was not a tough call. Second, the updates on my FB Page that received the most traffic had nothing to do with content but personal updates. What used to be a place to share links and info that I discovered along the way, as well as my contributions, now has very little engagement. While I appreciate that folks like to connect with me on a personal level, this can happen in other spaces. It is quite sad because FB Pages used to be a great way to separate professional from personal content. Now, the inefficacy of reach and how the algorithms suppress and restrict the content have made FB Pages an unproductive use of resources. So what is next? I think this is a gradual process of social media culling and pruning. At some point, I would love to leave Facebook and the rest of the Meta altogether, but since I still enjoy connecting with folks on a personal level there and no other space connects us in that way, I’ll stay with [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com), my [Facebook profile,](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/) and occasionally [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) for now. But why not try with the Bookface, other people seem to make it work? Sure, if I had a social media team made up of more than me, myself, and two technologically inefficient dogs, I might be able to work on getting my FB Page interactions up, but alas, I do not and have little motivation to do so. The more significant shift will be directing my energy and effort towards algorithm-free zones and direct connections, namely this substack and my [email/text list](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com), so come the end of August, I’ll be more focused on those two spaces. [Subscribe to my Email/Text List](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) Social connections are an ever-changing landscape, so I would love to hear how other folks (freelancers or otherwise) are navigating and adapting to these spaces. ### A Letter from My Great-great-great-great-grandchild, Cruz URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-letter-from-my-great-great-great/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T21:13:47.000Z I spent the past weekend participating in a staff/board retreat of the [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and it was healing, especially during this election season when I have been discovering how unaligned I am with colleagues and acquaintances. I am humbled by the invitation to be part of the Board at IM4HI during this season of its life. I was healed by getting to know the staff and other board members more deeply. Throughout this weekend, I could only feel gratitude for the space to be unguarded about my personhood and principles. For those who find themselves outside the mainstream political movements these days, take note and take care. Surround yourselves with people who hear your soul, share your core values, and are driven by unimaginable hope for the future. While the work of justice can often seem overwhelming and hopeless, we must remember that we often embody the hope we long to see in the world. Surround yourself with people who remind you of this reality and rejoice when it occurs. Also, a special shout-out to the [Ahimsa Land, Healing, and Liberation Project](https://www.ahimsacollective.net/land-healing-liberation-project?ref=reyes-chow.com) for hosting our group. The space definitely facilitated our collective healing. [Donate to IM4HI](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/donate/?ref=reyes-chow.com) One of our exercises was to write a letter to ourselves from a descendant seven generations down the road, roughly 150 years. We were invited to write as if our work made a difference. This exercise was meant to remind us that what we were striving for in the world could happen and to trust and believe that all things are possible. In a day and age when people are so driven and stifled by fear, political expediency, and a lack of liberative imagination, I found this exercise profound and inspiring! Not sure if others will share their letters, but as we shared the breadth and depth of our collective hopes for the world, the air was filled with beauty. Below is my letter from some decent 150 years into the future, my great-great-great-great-grandchild, Cruz.[1](#footnote-1) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fe4355be-0c85-444c-842b-516ec82b04ad_3840x2160-jpeg.jpg) Dear Lolo Bruce, Is it possible to miss someone you have never met? I think so. I miss all the ancestors introduced to me through family stories, written accounts, random photos, and the indescribable movement of the Spirit. Staring at this picture that has passed through the hands of so many before me, I miss you. This weekend, I am meeting with a group of holy trouble-makers. You would be proud. We were each asked to bring an item for the ancestor altar to ground our time together. Knowing where we were headed, I remembered this picture of you taken somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains. After searching through a stack of photos passed down from my Lola, I am pretty sure I am surrounded by the very same redwood grove you were over 150 years ago. Amazingly, it does not look much different; the trees are probably taller, a few more saplings are reaching up toward the sky, and the roads are just as curvy. This place is stunning, and I can’t help but feel you here with me now, once again reveling in its beauty. We are here continuing the work you and many others did before us. While there is still much to do, much has been achieved since you and your compadres left this earth. I’m writing to you today because we were tasked with writing a letter to our ancestors as we reflect on the state of the world and our lives—so to you, this day, I say thank you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/93b58425-3ab2-46da-9de3-bc855d3e229c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) *Thank you* for dreaming about the possible when the politics of the day seemed to dismiss endeavors of justice as impossible. *Thank you* for screaming, chanting, and organizing in direct disobedience of systems that tried to shame you into silence. *Thank you* for embodying hope, new life, and the resurrection in direct resistance to the pressures to let despair, stagnation, and death have the final word. Because of you and the ancestors and saints with whom you endeavored, seven generations later, the world is indeed a better place: - We no longer incarcerate our siblings into invisibility. - National borders have transformed into pathways for the exchange of culture, community, and mutual thriving. - Militarism and policing are no longer the primary means of dealing with conflict and safety. - Each member of the Body Politic contributes their fair share and is committed to pursuing the common good for all. - Building wealth is no longer the main objective of learning and life. - Joy and flourishing are assumed pursuits of life and work. - Housing and shelter are available to all who desire it. - Healthcare is a given for everyone. - Technology has been harnessed for good. - Mass shootings are a thing of the past. - Food is distributed equitably. - Creation is thriving again. - I feel known, seen, and loved. Above all, thank you for staying true to you: - true to the ancestors before you; - true to the communities that mattered most to you; - true to me, your unknown descendent, and your commitment to make the world a better place; - And true to God’s hopes and intentions for your life and being. I wish I could meet you in person: [to touch your hand to my forehead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mano%5F%28gesture%29?ref=reyes-chow.com#:~:text=Mano%20%28Tagalog%3A%20pagmamano%29%20is,forehead%20on%20the%20elder's%20hand.), share the joys and struggles of daily life, eat with you, laugh with you, embrace you, and know you beyond this one tattered photo. May I be for my descendants what you have been for yours. With a love that stretches beyond the limits of human time, Cruz The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. --- 1. No oneallowed the name Cruz to be placed in the name pool of any of my three children’s names, so today, I speak the name in the ancestral air. In case anyone down the line is stuck on choosing a name, Lolo Bruce has got you :-) [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.") ### A Prayer for Protesters and Disrupters URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-for-protesters-and-disrupters/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:31:01.000Z 💡 I hope you trust that you are on the right side of history. My prediction is that, in 10 years, there will be epic romanticism about those who stood up for Gaza and blatant revisionism about how those who condemned your actions participated in it all. It's all good; we have receipts. I have many thoughts about those who continue to protest for an end to the genocide in Gaza. First, it’s been a rough few weeks, I know. And second, I have overwhelming feelings of gratitude and respect for your perseverance in the face of accusations, condescension, and dismissal. I hope you trust that you are on the right side of history. My prediction is that, in 10 years, there will be epic romanticism about those who stood up for Gaza and blatant revisionism about how those who condemned your actions participated in it all. It's all good; we have receipts. I have many thoughts about how people have responded to the Gaza protests, but this week, as I have grappled with my disappointment, anger, and heartbreak, I have been thinking more about my participation in protests and civil disobedience over the past few decades. Those of us committed to disruptive protest and civil disobedience as a strategy for change — *not corporate-sponsored, city-sanctioned marches* — whether about Gaza, militarism, immigration, police brutality, gun violence, civil rights, etc. know the accusations that are often directed our way. They are usually of the “If you wouldn't inconvenience people, maybe they would listen” variety. Sometimes, people may not agree, but they understand the importance of protest. However, that commitment to the importance and impact of protest disappears quickly when they find themselves on the receiving end. It’s exhausting and maddening. Sometimes, being quiet, getting in line, and giving up seem like great choices. Yes, there are times to step back for our self-care, but sometimes we need a reminder that when we faithfully answer the call to protest and disrupt, that is a holy endeavor. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I wrote this prayer to help calm my soul, so I offer it to you if you need it. Let us pray . . . > Powerful God, who always chooses the side of > those whose lives are surrounded by violence > those whose voices are not being heard > and those whose human worth is dismissed > > May our motivations align with Yours > May our actions reflect Your will > May our sorrows be for good > And may our rejoicing be for liberation > > May our convictions not be shamed into silence > May our need to be understood not decenter those for whom we fight > May the ongoing silence of others not draw us into complacency > And may our struggles find solidarity with others > > May our anger not turn into retribution > May our disappointment not turn into dismissal > May our losses not dwell too long in despair > And may our guiding star of possibility be proven true > > May our ongoing activism be nourished by unimaginable hope > May our defiance and disobedience beckon us toward peace > May our co-conspirators and accomplices be a source of joy > And may our movement through the world always be guided by love > > May our righteous indignation hold true > May we stay true to the ancestors who formed us > May we stay true to the communities that matter to us > And may we be true to You, from where our calling comes > > You see us > You hear us > You hold all of us > And you hold it all with and for us > > Amen. Take care of yourselves, compadres. It’s a long, bumpy road to liberation, but know and believe you are not alone. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/75479865-08c0-4025-949a-4ddefb0ea2b7_2892x2091-jpeg.jpg) The first time I met the end of a police baton was during a protest against the first war in Iraq. This was the officer who wielded the weapon. To be clear, acts of civil disobedience are not about seeking acts of violence, but we know that there is always a possibility when power feels threatened. ### Chasing the Joy of Social Media Past URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/chasing-the-joy-of-social-media-past/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:43.000Z At one point, I think it is fair to say that I was known as a social media trailblazer. I say that with my eyes firmly and fully rolled, but, keep in mind, that it was within the Presbyterian Church (USA) where it is not all that hard to be considered a trailblazer, technological or otherwise :-) Kidding people. Ish. In any case, I will say, that after writing the digital book [*The Definitive-ish Guide to Social Media and the Church*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15732779-the-definitive-ish-guide-for-using-social-media-in-the-church?ref=reyes-chow.com) (out of “print”) over a decade ago, facilitating live worship services on Twitter, being the first [Moderator of the PC(USA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5FModerators%5Fof%5Fthe%5FGeneral%5FAssembly%5Fof%5Fthe%5FPresbyterian%5FChurch%5F%28USA%29?ref=reyes-chow.com) to fully embrace social media, and leading a new church that integrated social media as a way of life, I do think I and others helped move the technological needle just a bit. At this point in my life, I am no longer that guy. I had a [brief technology resurgence during the pandemic](https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/zooming-to-the-rescue-in-the-face-of-covid-19/?ref=reyes-chow.com) but, at this point, I can only speak as a wandering practitioner and curious observer: a mid-50s, m-list author, and frequent interactor with churches and organizations. Most of my social media life revolves around personal instinct and trusting others who are paid to engage their communities online. I also try to stay engaged with folks, so it does not become solely a vehicle for self-promotion, shallow personal interaction, and political hot takes. Sometimes it is just too much change. I must have pulled my “early adopter” muscle a few miles back, because, TBH, I am fighting the #BackInMyDay urge. Social media has changed and become less fulfilling and fun. Still, I am wise enough to know that just because social media culture has changed for me, it doesn't mean it can’t be meaningful to others — or that a new season of joy may be around the bend. I am not so sure. It seems that the days of building a larger community via social media platforms are over. Yes, large-scale organizing happens, and some smaller niche groups and particular friendships are always possible. In the early days of Myspace, Twitter, and even Facebook, we were drawn in by curiosity and willing to extend grace to one another. We were also more willing to share the fullness of our humanity — but not so much now. It feels as if social media has become a more confined space and less expansive experience. My biggest example is that when something big was going on: a political debate, a cultural moment, or an institutional gathering, we all knew that the place to be was Twitter. Even if you only opened Twitter once a year, that was the default location for our ongoing interaction and connection. That kind of space no longer exists. I was not perfect, but I do miss it. *Cue funeral dirge.* The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. These days, getting to know people and issues outside our regular circle of connections is difficult. Instagram wants to limit political content, FB is for old people like me, and other platforms do not seem to have the critical mass to be much other than thought and culture reinforcement silos. If I had to point to a major culprit, it would be the Algorithm Army and our unwitting participation in involuntary information and profile selectivity. We have to work even harder to explore areas of interest, meet new people, and otherwise break free of the boundaries driven by advertisers. Sure, the algorithms have always been around, and there are times that I have appreciated them. Now, though, I have suspicions about whatever or whoever pops on my screen that I did not intentionally follow or request. *Sidebar: I love hiding ads on IG and marking them irrelevant.* It’s all so exhausting, and, honestly, there are days when it would be great to completely opt out. The thing is, I have to survive in this capitalistic system, and the socials are still helpful in sharing my work. I also like staying up to date on the lives of friends. We all have our reasons, but should one decide to stay engaged on the socials, we are presented with a mishmash of options we must manage. Over the past few years, especially since Twitter began its downfall, I have bounced around a bit, chasing that tender space between being a “public figure” and someone people know personally. I have signed up for most of them (I am still “breyeschow” on all the spaces), but none has filled the void of old Twitter. I have not given up, I am still playing around, trying new spaces, etc., so here is where I am currently most active: --- [**Instagram:**](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram has been an interesting animal. I used to enjoy it because I am so visual, but the increased influencer vibe is not always great. (I know I have to thread that needle very carefully.) I do get much of my news via Instagram and still try to share the fullness of my humanity by sharing not only political and vocational content but also puppies, food, and life. So yes, you will get all of me! You have been warned again :-) - *Main Pro:* I still like the pretty pictures :-) Plus, it is how I have connected with other activists and people trying to improve the world. - *Main Con:* It takes more work to see the content you want to see and share the content you want to share. The algorithms are terrible here, so much so that I have stopped focusing on reaching analytics. - *My Variable:* I use mine as a business platform where that business happens to be me. I also make it a point to turn on notifications and comment or DM in response to personal events in other people’s lives, so my feed stays as personal as possible. --- **Facebook:** Facebook has changed quite a bit over the years, and it is the least enjoyable for me. At this point, it is a place to connect with people I have interacted with over the years, a depository for memories, a marketplace for my current vocation as a writer, and a place to keep receipts for people's past actions. - *Main Pro:* While some platforms can feel distant and disconnected, this is where a reaction or word can remind us that we are seen in times of celebration or crisis. The love is real and the prime reason I stay. - *Main Con:* Not only is a ton of content being suppressed, but this is where colleagues and acquaintances overestimate friendship and familiarity. The love is assumed and, at times, does not feel worth it. - *My Variable:* I engage on my [Profile](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/) (pro) and [Page](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) (con) differently. I use my Page for politics, self-promotion, and the occasional personal update. I also let people be a little more feisty there. On my profile, you get everything personal and random in my life. --- [**Threads:**](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) I am still not sold on Threads, but it seems to be where many are ending up. I have seen some folks comment that it is a better space for them, but I am still waiting for the sign that this is the place for me. - *Main Pro:* So far, the interactions have been pretty good, and I have found some new and engaging people to learn from. - *Main Con:* I have not found my groove in connecting with folks. Again, could be my content itself, the algorithms, or a combination of both, but very few of my updates have garnered much interaction. - *My Variable:* Now that [Buffer](https://buffer.com/join/06f886083ed8143dfe30dfc797d0cdddb3b4487d9d756b05ce21547e3152e214?ref=reyes-chow.com) has added Threads to its list of platforms, I will be posting more regularly there, so maybe that will help. The jury is still out on the Threads. --- [**BlueSky:**](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) If, for me, the jury is out on Threads, the jury has not even received their summons on BlueSky. I just got back on after finally leaving X, so I am giving it a go. - *Main Pro:* So far, while few, the interactions have been pleasant. These are mostly with people I already knew. - *Main Con:* I wish there was a more robust way to find people to follow. I have used some of the features, but either people are not on BlueSky, or I can’t find them. I suspect it will happen, but we shall see. - *My Variable:* Like Threads, now that [Buffer](https://buffer.com/join/06f886083ed8143dfe30dfc797d0cdddb3b4487d9d756b05ce21547e3152e214?ref=reyes-chow.com) has added BlueSky to its list of platforms I will be more active in my posting and hoped for interaction. --- [**Be.real**](https://bere.al/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **(mobile only):** This is my favorite one for personal use. - *Main Pro:* Controlled content sharing, one, two, and sometimes a few more pictures are shared. While I will sometimes save my be.real for something that I know is coming up, for the most part, there very little stylizing. - *Main Con:* While I assume this is intentional, I have struggled to find people to connect with. Again, probably good, but sometimes frustrating. Also, the ads are starting to increase, so . . . - *My Variable:* Be.real is a place to share what’s happening at the moment, so there is little space to think too strategically about posting. I like that. If I know you, feel free to connect, but you may have to message me if I fail to accept, as I probably don’t remember :-) While I find [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) earnest enough to post and check in occasionally, these are the spaces where I hang out the most. Feel free to connect on any or all if we have not already done so. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Okay, that’s where I am amid all the social media changes. I fully expect to shift again in the future because it is clear that none of these platforms is meant to last forever. That said, if you are an organization or individual that is trying to build up your engagement and presence, here are three things that, IMNSHO, have not changed: 1. *Terrible graphics are still terrible.* Please ensure you have someone who can help you create graphics that will help share your message and not detract from it. 2. *Genuine interaction is the most effective algorithm thwarter.* Take the time to interact without expectation of reciprocity, 3. *Consistency is still key to ongoing visibility.* Resist the urge to base success on a small sample size or post haphazardly. Come up with an achievable pattern and then stick to it. Again, [Buffer](https://buffer.com/join/06f886083ed8143dfe30dfc797d0cdddb3b4487d9d756b05ce21547e3152e214?ref=reyes-chow.com) is what I use. 4. *Good content is still good content.* It seems obvious, but I get distracted by all the pretty things and forget to write words to share. Whatever you believe is worth sharing demands prioritization, attention, and care. #### BONUS ADVICE: If you are an organization or individual who wants to have the best chance at sidestepping the algorithm, don’t sleep on your mailing list. This is the best way to get what you want in front of the people who have said they want to see it. I was using MadMimi, but with that service closing, I am migrating to Brevo in the Fall. [Subscribe to my beta email list](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) .Okay, that’s it for now. I will be back soon, and I look forward to connecting on the socials — whichever one that may be. ### A Soul-Deep Cry, Just what the Doctor Ordered URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-soul-deep-cry-just-what-the-doctor/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:44.000Z Everyone needs a good cry. You know what I’m talking about, the kind of cry that sneaks up on you and purges from your soul all that needs to be released into the universe: grief, stress, exhaustion, confusion, devastation, or despair. Last night, I was watching the K-drama [Thirty Nine](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15181094/?ref%5F=tt%5Furv&ref=reyes-chow.com). The show centers around three best friends as they cope with one of them having cancer. As each episode moved towards the end, from the couch with the pup snoring at my side, the waterworks began. While I was not quite in the hyperventilating stage of crying, the snot was flowing, and I had to move to a towel after using up all the tissues. Also, the dog was over it and moved to the other side. After a recent and [unexpected hospital stay](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/), [a rugged five-week summer book tour](https://www.reyes-chow.com/2024-book-tour/), and terrible planning, which has had [my wife and I](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-gross-and-mushy-letter-to-my-wife/) seeing one another only for about three weeks this summer, I was ready. My body, soul, and spirit were ready for the release that only a good cry can bring. It is important to know that I cry very easily at random things on TV: commercials, parent-child moments, and grand gestures of humanity. etc. Many a time, a child, spouse, or pup has looked at me weeping over something that we just watched with a side-eye or the words, “Seriously, are you crying?” Why yes, you holders of hearts of stone, yes, yes I am! I have no idea what they are talking about, I dare you not to get a little weepy at this [Olympics Hyundai commercial about youth sports](https://youtu.be/aJSZSHmMj5Y?si=jybGItgb2Us20J4v&ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. While my CIS-gendered Asian male tears are perceived differently than other, I have always been taught that my tears, be they brought on rage, relief, or being overcome by a moment of simple beauty, my tears were holy and true. Not only do I allow my tears to flow while watching on screen, but I have embraced my tears when saying goodbye to each child as they have left for another year at school, when randomly cuddling my sweet 12yo pup as I know we do not have much longer with her (Dammit, I am crying right now . . . in the cafe. Lovely.), thinking about the suffering in the world, or being reminded of all the love and goodness around me. I have given up the idea that I need to hold my tears back as some sign of strength, manhood, or control. If crying can easily be genetic, I received the crying gene from my Grandfather, Esteban de los Reyes — who was a CRYER. He would often sit watching his family and start to weep with joy. (BTW, I *NEVER* do this.) Not always appreciated, this gift has been passed down from generation to generation, often showing up at the most inopportune and unexpected times. I know that not everyone is prone to crying (Zero shade is directed at you except for maybe one of my kids for whom the crying gene skipped.), but I hope we can all be open to a good cry when the time comes. A good cry can be so cleansing. A good, soul-deep cry can allow sorrow to be released, gratitude to be acknowledged, grace to be embraced, or joy to be embodied. For me, being open to crying is also a practice that reminds me that at the end of the day, I am a created being with the capacity to feel deeply about the lives of others, the state of the world, and then the fullness of my own personhood. Of course, you cannot always control when the tears will come, and you certainly cannot force tears that are not real. That said, when you feel the tears coming on, whether at the cafe, on the couch, or just walking down the sidewalk, I hope you will let them flow. For me, I’m going to keep crying as needed. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) I leave you with this video from Alycia Keys's Broadway Musical [*Hell’s Kitchen,*](https://www.hellskitchen.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) as performed by Shoshana Bean and Maleah Joi Moon, and [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq4BiI-ajgc&ref=reyes-chow.com) from the same show. Cryers, for sure. Also, pick up [C](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506485119?ref=reyes-chow.com)[*ry, Baby: Why Our Tears*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506485119?ref=reyes-chow.com) Matter by Benjamin Perry if you want to explore the healing and holy nature of our tears more deeply. ### Home. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/home-67bfe9071784b6001b55b8c9/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:45.000Z Good golly, I hope this is the last of the “Oh $h!t, Bruce is in the hospital again?!?!?” posts for a long while. For those keeping score at home, I, too, am home from my most [recent bout with pancreatitis and subsequent gallbladder removal](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/). After a progressively good day on Wednesday, with positive test results, lessening pain, and being able to tolerate food, I was discharged to continue my recovery at home. --- *Groove Break:* Before you get too far ahead of yourself, this post begs me to share two of my favorite jams playing in my head whenever I return home. First up, Luther Vandross's live version of A House is Not Home. Please do listen to this one; it’ll change your life. Masterful. You can prob guess the #2. Okay, welcome back. Take a breath. And you’re welcome. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) Back for a full day now, we are keeping a keen eye on that pesky pancreas of mine. Like previous episodes, we are unsure what caused it, but we are fairly confident that high triglycerides are the culprit. There will be some medication adjustments and conservative eating, but for the next few days and weeks, it will be about gallbladder removal recovery — you know, just regular medical emergency things :-) Recovery comes in stages, as there are very few restrictions other than diet, rest, and not lifting anything heavy. *Glances at a confused “puppy” who must get herself on the couch like a big girl.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/22183c2a-89d3-4436-b4d9-bfce4d5b08c1_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3551761f-c0b7-49af-80ab-0316fb8b5731_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The aforementioned confused 12yo "puppy" While I am not as busy as people like to think I am (Remember, I am a full-time writer with an overactive social media brain), I do want to stay busy. Alas, for these first two days, I am committing to doing nothing but sitting on the couch, eating again, watching TV, napping often, avoiding coughing/laughing, and snuggling the pups. This includes walking around the house with blinders avoiding eye contact with the piles of clothes and stacks of all the things from the frantically aborted camping trip. I am also not checking email or checking things off my [Todoist](https://todoist.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) until Monday. As an [Ennegram 3/4](https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-3/?ref=reyes-chow.com), I pause here for applause, recognition, and accolades. --- *Groove Break:* I’ll take my applause from Rihanna! Sorry for the earworm. Oh no who am kidding, so I’m not. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) Okay, to close this out, let me give a few brief observations and reflections from my many, many, many hours of bed rest: - As said in [my first post](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/), I live in extreme privilege when it comes to healthcare, flexibility to recover, and the resources to not have this emergent impact on my life in any significant way. We need universal healthcare. When will our country get this? Gotta keep demanding it! #HealthcareForAll - As some of you know, for the past few years, since [my COVID hospitalization](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) and in response to other health alerts, I've changed my diet and [have been all in with OrangeTheory Fitness](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/my-orangetheory-fitness-story?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true). I’ve lost about 20 pounds, put on some muscle, and never felt in better shape. Like my vaccines when I had COVID prevented me from dying, I think my recent fitness and food changes are allowing me to recover more quickly. Big shout out to [Louis and the San Jose Rose Garden OTF Studio](https://www.orangetheory.com/locations?medium=em&utm%5Fsource=adb&utm%5Fterm=corporate&utm%5Fcampaign=2--MemberReferral&utm%5Fcontent=&referralCode=HQKSQI)! - While Social media can be a septic take filled with vitriol and violence, it can also be a place, when nurtured well, where people connect, comfort, and care for one another. I take great pride in the work that it has taken to make many meaningful social platform connections with people over the years, far outnumbering the negative trolling and personal attacks. Thanks to everyone who sent healing prayers, positive thoughts, and good vibes my way through the socials; received and appreciated! - Last one: Nurses rock! Yes, of course, doctors are important, but the nurses and the other staff and assistants who keep things running are amazing and worth every cent that their unions fight to get them. While I will not miss getting poked and prodded every four hours, I will miss your compassionate spirits and professional care. Thank you! Okay, I’m headed back to the couch to continue binging House of the Dragon and round 46 of puppy cuddling. It’s so good, the show and the cuddling. Thanks again, everyone. I’ll be back soon. Remember, many hours of bed rest. Have a meaningful and beautiful weekend. --- *Final Groove Break:* Let's close this thing out with the best “Home” song ever (fight me), from Stephanie Mills and the Wiz. ### The Familiarity of Pain URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-familiarity-of-pain/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:45.000Z Last night was rough. For those of you who have had pancreatitis you know what the pain is like. For those of you who have not had pancreatitis I hope you never experience the excruciating feeling of digesting yourself from the inside out. 20 years ago when pancreatitis first entered my life, it was so painful, I did ask God to take me. I was in the hallway of overcrowded emergency room and, as my wife tells it, I was literally climbing the walls in pain. The pain was intolerable and I was done. I've been told that I have a high tolerance for pain. Not sure how one determines that, but I do know that I try not to simply suck it up as some nod to toxic masculinity. Pancreatic pain has its own special vibe, which is why, when I first felt it while camping, we hightailed it home. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) This entire experience has been so familiar, even 20 years later: the vibe of a bustling hospital floor, the care and compassion of the medical staff, the constant poking and prodding, and even the smell of the IV. The most familiar thing though, is the experience of pain. Throughout the day I had been dealing with a dull throbbing pain. Not nothing, but not unbearable. Then last night I started to feel sharp pangs of pain from my pancreatic area as well as from the gallbladder removal incisions. Other than when I first came in, I have only been on Tylenol, resistant to taking many more narcotics. (Last time around I developed a slight addiction to Percocet upon my return home.) It was impossible to fall asleep and soon I found myself in a too familiar state of being curled up, writhing in pain, and immitting sad painful groans. My pancreas, no matter how much we sweet talked it and deprive it of food or water (going on 65 hours now) that little $h!t has decided to stay angry. A few hours earlier the nurse told me that stronger pain meds were available should I want them. I have had them all in the past, but at that point I figured I would be fine. How much worse could it get? Dumbass. As I was trying to catch my breath in between pain surges, the oddest thing came to mind: a super cheesy church joke. Basically the joke is that people are caught on a rooftop in a flood and turn away three rescue boats before they drowned. They told each one, “No thank you, God will save us.” When they appeared before God at the pearly gates, they asked God, “Why didn't you save us?” To which God replied, “What do you mean, I sent you three boats.” [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) Terrible joke, problematic theology, but that's what came to mind as I quickly buzzed nurse letting them know I was ready for my oxycodone. A few minutes later the pain started to subside and soon that blissful familiarity of having no pain was achieved. A few hours later after a deep sleep, the poking and prodding again again, but the debilitating pain was no more. Thanks to everyone who has lifted up prayers and sent healing vibes my way. It's much appreciated. Please do read [my last post for my rant on healthcare](https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/) and [follow more updates on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow/post/C-TZWruIKCJ?ref=reyes-chow.com). I'm still resting and restless, but I don't have much more to do than nap and text. For if I move, there is pain. See you soon. ### Allowing Myself Not to Love My Body URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/allowing-myself-not-to-love-my-body/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:45.000Z So how was your weekend? Mine sucked. This post comes to you via my phone, from a hospital bed, and post-narcotic haze. Yesterday after my pancreas decided to get all pissed off and start digesting me from the inside — again —at midnight, last night, out came my gallbladder. For those of you who have been in my life for a minute remember that I had a severe case of pancreatitis about 20 years ago. I legit almost died and was hospitalized for over a month. All was well for quite a while and then that dastardly pancreatitis reappeared again a few years ago. We have never figured out what has caused it, but pretty sure it is high triglycerides and maybe gallbladder sludge. This time around, while glamping this week and eating wonderfully, but terribly, I felt that familiar stomach pain creep up. In all honesty, my first response was, “Again?!?! This effing sucks. I hate my body.” Sure many folks have chronic health issues, but with hospitalizations for pancreatitis and Covid, I feel like I have earned the right to complain. As soon as I thought those bad thoughts about my body, I immediately felt a little guilty. After all, we are all supposed to love our bodies no matter what, right? Yes, I def believe we have to combat and reject body shaming and embrace the variety of bodies that exist in the world, but there are also times that it's okay to be frustrated and enraged by these bodies we inhabit. --- ***BREAKING NEWS:*** Doctors just came in and let me know that I would be here a few more days to make sure the pancreatitis is under control. Super bummed, but probably wise. --- [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) I'm also pissed at my body because I have been tending it so well. Over the past year I have held a food and exercise discipline that has me in the best shape of my life that had me genuinely falling in love with my body again. To be clear, this was not just about shape and weight, but the improved health that came along with my recent changes. I've come to accept some genetic hand-me-downs, but I had been doing so well at controlling the things I could control. And then, again with the pancreatitis. For some reason my body has decided that I am susceptible to that angry pancreas life, and that just makes me mad. --- ***SIDE RANT:*** As a self-employed person, I have healthcare because of my spouse. I do not have sick leave, because my body decided to go rogue, I will also lose income from a weekend speaking event that I have had to cancel. I'll be fine as I am in a hugely privileged space, but so many others exist without healthcare, sick leave and other benefits that everyone should have. If this happened to someone truly without, this would be a life-altering event. Healthcare For All! --- So here I am, lying in a hospital bed AGAIN, family worried, tasks left undone, and sore as all get out. Don't worry, I'm a good patient. There is lots of napping and I'm doing what I need to do to heal. At the end of the day, all will be well. Still I'm a little salty about the whole thing. So my dear body I'm angry at you. I will get over it and I do love you, but not so much right now. Prayers are welcomed and appreciated and actions for universal healthcare even more so! If you want to keep up, [I'll post over on threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow/post/C-TZWruIKCJ?ref=reyes-chow.com). I may sometimes be heavily medicated. You have been warned. ### Palatable URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/palatable/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:45.000Z the dutiful descendent the likable leader the agreeable agitator palatable progressive, but not radical outside the box, but within arms reach too much for some, not enough for others palatable it’s a delicate space to navigate it's a confining place to live it’s a dangerous place to seek refuge what have i lost? who have i left behind? what have i missed? by being palatable ### The Return of The Friday + Five URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-return-of-the-friday-five/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T03:45:50.000Z I was recently exploring my contributions to the Wayback Machine searching for [From + The + Vault](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/from-the-vault) content when I stumbled upon my old [Fridays 5’s](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) from over a decade ago. I wrote these while blogging for the [SF Gate’s City Brights,](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) and as I skimmed, I thought, what the heck, let’s run it back! 💡 [The + Friday + Five](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/friday-five/) is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. [**The Original Friday Five*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130509215352/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/tag/friday-five/) was from my 2010's [**SF Gate’s City Brights*](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020841/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/) blog. Enjoy. Ihave been driving a great deal this summer, so we will start with three things in my ears as of late. First, I have been bingeing the Podcast [***Sherlock and Co \[1\]***](https://open.spotify.com/show/5yfvdowY1nFCyXRTD5ITqb?si=e341face93ab4744&ref=reyes-chow.com). I have not been able to get into these storytelling podcasts, but this modernized telling is really fun. When I am not listening to Sherlock, I am blasing the cast recording from the Alicia Keys Broadway musical [***Hell’s Kitchen \[2\]***](https://open.spotify.com/album/6FTH1fFDCpE90YlenHw3We?si=3tex8LoxREiZUIRp7PTZPA&ref=reyes-chow.com). We saw it this summer, and it was amazing. The last thing for your ears this great (but very long) audiobook, [***The Poppy Wars Trilogy \[3\]***](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780063347762-the-complete-poppy-war-trilogy?ref=reyes-chow.com)by R. F. Kuang, who also brought you [*Babel*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063021433?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Yellowface*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063250833?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you are looking for something to read, head on over to, ***\[4\]*** as my friend shared about their leaving the priesthood: beautiful and vulnerable writing. And finally, something to make you smile, here is a reel courtesy of [**Pierce Westbrook \[5\]**](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7KhMlLOyzy/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D&ref=reyes-chow.com) that shows how I would have LOVED to have been punished for breaking curfew. PERPETUAL Pledge Drive 😄 As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. ****There is a sliding scale that begins at $1/month.** [Upgrade to a Paid Subscription ](#/portal/account/plans) [**BRC Bonus Click:**](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) With [Madmimi shutting down](https://help.madmimi.com/mad-mimi-is-being-discontinued/?ref=reyes-chow.com), I am having to learn yet ANOTHER marketing platform for my email list and a new texting list. It’s like the old start-up days, except the start-up is me. The Weekly Word text won’t launch until the Fall, but The Communiqué email list transition has begun. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/099efdab-ec30-47f8-a13d-ee3b21bbff4b_2868x1642.png)](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### The Bottom of the Inbox URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-bottom-of-the-inbox/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:47.000Z I am proud of myself. Rather than add one more half-simmered thought piece to the conversations about the elections, I completed one of my planned tasks for the week: clearing my inbox. While maybe not the most exciting story for sharing, I saw the bottom of my inbox — and it was beautiful. No, not an email inbox, my actual inbox . . . People still have those, right? Why so much in the pile, you judge? Well, every few weeks, my to-do list reminds me to spend [1 Pomodoro](https://pomofocus.io/?ref=reyes-chow.com) going through my inbox, and like most folks, I forward that task from week to week until my box reaches overflowing. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. But with some new projects launching in the fall and some time to get to it, I dug in. A couple of hours later, the bottom of the tray saw daylight. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9f7ca2b0-41df-4c53-8fb0-7225e4fee8ba_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. For those of you who are super disciplined about filing, yes, I COULD file and organize items as they come, but what fun would that be? Plus, as we all know, if you leave something in your inbox for long enough, you realize how important it is, and it doesn’t matter that you never made room for it, “Oops, never go to that, and now it’s too late.” Fortunately, most things I tossed in here were truly, “to tackle later” items, so it was not too painful. That said, there were a couple of “Oh, that’s where that was.” moments, and those were equally beautiful. To be clear, I did not accomplish all the tasks from the stack, but I rebooted my [*Getting Things Done*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780143126560?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [ToDoist](https://todoist.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) organizational life, one of the only organization systems that has ever worked consistently for me. If any of you follow GTD, consider my inbox brain dumped. One of the mountains that I will overcome as I enter into a season of full-time writing is the need to be better disciplined in my administrative life. I may be hiring someone to help, but being patient and clearing the backlog of “Sure, I can do that” tasks improves the odds of success and frees me up to spend more energy on what is next. There are a few more piles of household chaos to organize, and then it’s on to the fun stuff like migrating to a new email/sms communication platform, updating the website, and developing a new writing and speaking calendar. I know these are coveted activities, but back off, these are mine :-) Before launching in the fall, there is still much to do, but at least my inbox will be empty for a day or two. ### Getting Dirty URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/getting-dirty/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:49.000Z Like most people engaged in politics and culture, I spent most of Sunday following then reactions to the announcement that President Joe Biden had decided to drop out of the presidential race and then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. And like many who are on the socials and/or consider themselves public thinkers or theologians, I, too, got sucked in. Interestingly, my place of choice was [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). I shared, reposted, got challenged, tried to be kind, got frustrated, got pissed off, and found some great people. If you dove in there is certainly a lot of a lot going on there: disappointment, judgment, jubilation, and crapping all over one another — friends and foes alike. Good times. All day, my head was swimming and swirling with ideas, oh so many ideas. I have so many thoughts about what is happening right now about Harris, Gaza, Policing, California, etc, but this is not what this post is about. For good or bad, I weighed in on a few things, but at the end of the day, I simply couldn’t anymore. My further contributions were not going to be helpful. And then Monday arrived and my head was still bag of cats. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. After taking an unintentional mid-day two-hour nap (most def my body telling my brain to calm the eff down), I woke up and immediately shifted back into chaotic creator mode. I looked at all the pithy and cutting voice notes I had left myself over the past 12 hours and began to try to put together something. The brain swirlies continued to swirl, but the Spirit was having none of it. Frustrated with my lack of word production, I went outside and put my hands in some dirt. The political punditry would have to wait for another day. Yeah, I know the world is on pins and needles :-) Now if you know me, you know that I am not a nature guy per se — or at all. I appreciate the nature and am always game for a beach or glamping trip, but I simply do not need to spend extended periods of time in the nature where the nature gets on you and then nature stays on you: hiking, backpacking, etc. That said, I am way into the nature-adjacent activity of houseplants. I have so many, but again that is a story for another day. So today, during the hottest day of the week, I broke my afternoon writing schedule \*gasp\* and went out and got my hands dirty. I did some repotting and composting work. Sure, I made some content, but it got me out of my head. With sweat dripping and dirt on my hands and face, I was able to breathe a bit from the last frenzied few hours. The process was just what I needed to reset. Like so many, an immense amount of privilege drips from everything I do these days, but at the same time, I feel called to continuously engage in what I hope is meaningful. Folks have offered me their support and energy, so they deserve honest and intentionally curated content. It will not always be good, but I can’t be word salad tossed against a wall. Resisting the urge to try to be first with some probably-not-original status update or think piece is something that I am working on. Too often today, we react, punch, and jab without much thought, and while that might feel good and sometimes maybe even powerful, I think most of us would do well to take a deeper breath first. Like most commitments worth our time and energy, the work of justice and compassion is filled with immediacy and perseverance. Sometimes, I need reminding which one is needed and when. I suppose we all do. So it’s cool if you jumped right in with zeal and vigor and it’s fine if you were/are too paralyzed even to comment (there is grace enough for all), but the important thing is to find ways to keep your body, mind, and spirit in the kind of shape that they need to be for you to make an impact over the long haul. It will look different for all of us, but at some point, we will all get overwhelmed and need to put our hands in the dirt. May you find your dirt when you need it. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/a34b955f-58d9-4ec3-8299-201d828a3839_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) My compost before sifting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f13d10f2-9611-4113-a0ea-1f0c0734d4be_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/50df0158-1a62-422f-bbaa-8dfc7e788b19_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/93115400-d191-48eb-96c9-8cfc09d4e1c7_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c7c34522-5c19-4b50-9be4-5594075bbd04_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Me trying to take a picture while holding my phone with my chin. I was not pretty. ### You Built it. You Broke it. You Fix it. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/you-built-it-you-broke-it-you-fix/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:50.000Z I’ve been stewing on this post for a while, not quite sure what to do with my anger and frustration with progressive white folx during this political season. If you are white and have sensed that some of your friends of color have been a little distant, you may not be imagining it. I, for one, have been less inclined to engage in conversations instigated by white folks over the past six months, especially over the past few weeks. To be blunt, there seems to be a panic in your voices around the election and looming Project 2025 that is manifesting itself in the centering of whiteness and privilege. Yes, what is looming is terrible, but this existential crisis about survival, self-preservation, and the future of life has been experienced by communities of color and the poor daily and for generations. Hello Manifest Destiny. So you'll have to pardon us if we are not rising to the level of freaking-the-hell-out, getting in line, and joining team excitement which you hope us to. While the threats to our culture may feel new to many, at a life level, there is an unveiling and revealing of systems of evil and oppression that many of us have known to be true for generations. What you feel is that the system may finally be coming for you, either in actuality or the entire experiment is falling apart and you’ll do anything to ensure that the one that has served you survives. You see, for some of us, time after time, election after election, in exchange for saving the current political lesser evil, we are promised change and transformation. And time after time, election after election, those promises are broken. We continue to fund systems of violence and militarism over healthcare and education, we reinforce the insulation and protection of those with wealth and expand the criminalization and dehumanization of those trapped in poverty, and we expand our death-dealing by blatantly villainizing and scapegoating difference. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d8eaa2d6-57f5-44cc-b27a-73107ba8f413_3791x2133-jpeg.jpg) The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. For me, how many progressive white folks have responded to Gaza and Palestine has been the final unveiling of where people stand. Sure, folks may want to toss the “you can’t be a one-issue voter,” but that only further reveals the privileged nature of our politics and our ability to intellectualize the genocide of a people: our siblings, my friends, and our fellow humans. How people have responded or not responded to Gaza has been a sobering and saddening realization of the extent to which so many will justify the annihilation of an oppressed and occupied people — a people of color. When you see many pro-Palestinian actions and campaigns populated by Black and brown bodies, it is telling. We have noticed who is silent in body and voice, and there are consequences. Receipts have been kept, and presumptive progressive political loyalties and alliances are cracking. No, I am not perfect in this. I lament that my privilege may have let these ideological gymnastics slide with #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and other “issues,” but like others before, no more. It’s just too much to fall for once again. I, for one, am exhausted by it. Not exhausted by the fight for justice in general and the call to engage with communities of my choosing, but by having to again respond to calls to go to war for a system of wealth and whiteness that only leaves in its wake the lives and hopes of those who do not benefit from any victories achieved. When I look at who is plastered across the right-wing rallies and places of power, these are your people. These folks have been permitted to speak the deathly rhetoric they have always felt and have been allowed to flourish in a system of dehumanizing conflict that determines one’s worth. When so much of the violence is directed their way, why should folks of color answer the call one more time to be the point of the spear, the tipping point, or responsible at all? Rejecting white supremacy, if you take that seriously beyond the protest banner or yard sign, rejects the idea that those who have been a victim of the system of oppression should be the ones responsible for fixing the system that has oppressed them. So, what you may be feeling from some of us is disinterest in your demands and outright resistance to the assumptions upon which they are built. For generations, communities of color and the poor have carried the water, literally and figuratively, of white political power structures on the battlefield and the ballot box. Some would say, “But we need your voices!” “We need your presence!” but what we mostly hear these days is, “We need your vote.” You are hearing now that many of us are no longer willing to be taken for granted. That assumptive support, allegiance, and participation is coming to an end. Empty promises and pretty prose will not be enough, nor will guilt trips, shame casting, or catastrophizing. No matter how neatly wrapped your invitations for conversation may be, too often, they reek of “You don’t know what is good for you, so let me tell you what you should do.” You may be guilty if you felt this at any point during your reading. Starting this conversation with a predestined destination is not a conversation of mutual inquiry but repackaged colonialism. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. If you think this post is about sinking into hopelessness, encouraging apathy, calling for abdication, or voting in a particular way, it is not. It is simply one human's reflections on the rejection of an unsustainable political system and a notification that communities are imagining a way forward that takes seriously the flourishing of all our souls. Do not make the mistake of believing that we are sitting idly by and that the work is not being done; we are not and it is. The work is just not being done in the way, the places, or the pace that you and your platforms may demand of us. As we have done for generations: from the fields to the factories, from the cities to the country, and from the kitchens to the community centers, we are caring for one another, feeding one another, funding one another, and building a future for flourishing while doing a dangerous dance with a system built to devour. For those white folks who already get this, you know who you are. You have never overtly claimed “ally” because we let you know you are one. You have de-centered whiteness in your tactics, refused the entitlement to the free labor and intellect of oppressed peoples, and have done the work on yourself and your community so you can honestly move through the world with a sweet, sweet posture of solidarity. Thank you, and please keep at it. For the rest of you, save the shame, guilt, and fear tactics for people who may be truly feeling “the struggle” for the first time because these tactics will not move the many of us who have the struggle embedded in our DNA. I, for one, will not sacrifice my soul to save a system that was not built for my ancestors, me, or my descendants. And at the end of the day, if the outcome you hope for does not come to fruition, don’t you dare blame us. This system was always built for you. You built it. You broke it. You fix it. ### If I Were Preaching Tomorrow, July 14, 2024 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-i-were-preaching-tomorrow-july/ Last updated: 2024-07-14T03:55:36.000Z Well, I had not originally planned on adding more episodes to The Amalgamation Podcast until it was fully ready to go. Sometimes, the world requires us to respond outside of our plans. So here's a little preview of what I will be doing in the Fall, to offer some ideas about those of you who are preaching on any given Sunday. With the shooting and presumed assassination attempt of former President Trump, I think it would be irresponsible NOT to address this happening in worship tomorrow. I hope you have the courage and willingness to do so. Here are some thoughts as you enter this space. *TRANSCRIPT* > Have we paid attention to everything in the same manner? Certainly not, but that doesn't mean that one, necessarily, should deserve more or less humanity than the other. And the thing I would really focus on, though, tomorrow, is that violent rhetoric, when it escalates, what do we expect to happen? When we use this in, and this is across the board now, I will say, I think conservative folks tend to use it more and there's been violence on, on their side that is much more, I, I would think directed towards those who sit in a more progressive space. Huge generalizations. But at the same time, I've seen everybody kind of ramp up. And when, when do we ramp up? Some people would say, well, if you take the high road, if you decide to play by the rules or you decide to be, to dignify people, then they're not going to reciprocate that. Well, my compassion and love isn't given in a transactional manner. And so somebody seen that foolish, but I think that if I were to come back at somebody with the same level and tone and tactics that were emotionally, spiritually, politically violent, then this is what's going to happen. We've already seen it with Palestinians being attacked on the streets and in their homes, and killed because of who they are. We've seen, you know, economic violence. on, people who just simply wear a Palestinian flag. We certainly have seen, folks who have been antisemitic, they have been, anti-Islamic. There's all, all the things that happen. And at some point, we have to see humanity in one another enough that we don't, we don't exacerbate that, that we don't accelerate and, that we don't escalate violence in our words and actions. > > Now that is not weak. That is not a weak position. That is a position I think of strength and of revolution because it goes against the way the world wants us to be. The world thrives on the economy of militarism and violence. And so the more we feed into that, the more that that part of humanity wins. > > And I simply. We'll not let that happen. So as you step into the pulpit tomorrow, I don't think you have to feel like you need to calm people that you need to, make people feel good or bad about any particular thing. But I do think it's important for us to use that space in a way that helps people see the larger scheme of humanity. > > And what about our current political situation benefits destruction and violence and evil, and how are we going to or not going to participate in that? Again, there is enough love and compassion to go around, and so we don't have to help evil and destruction win I pray for you all tomorrow that are stepping into that pulpit, let the spirit move, love your people, be transformed by your own words, and peace. --- [Get 50% off forever](#/portal/signup) Be sure to SUBSCRIBE TO, RATE, and REVIEW [The Amalgamation Podcast](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/podcast), wherever you put podcasts into your ears. BUST THE ALGORITHMS by subscribing to my substack, [The Amalgamation](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/), my email list, [The Communiqué](http://madmimi.com/signups/29509/join?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [my Youtube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@BReyesChow?ref=reyes-chow.com). We can also STAY CONNECTED on the socials via [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow). I occasionally hang out on other platforms via @breyeschow on them all. ### E70 The End of an Era URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e70-the-end-of-an-era/ Last updated: 2024-07-12T14:02:08.000Z It seems only fitting to end on a nice round number with Episode 70 of BRC and Friends. Those who have been hanging out with me for the past decades have been through a few manifestations of this space, including its very beginning as a VodCast that began 10 years ago with my very first guest, . \[[Watch Episode 1](https://www.youtube.com/live/zmC8Wq0vUQg?si=gDB31iA3IC5k07Pm&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] Special thanks to Co-Hosts, Laura Mariko Cheifetz, Micky ScotBey Jones, Jorge Perry Bautista, and Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks. Also, thanks to Merissa Magdael-Lauron, who composed and edited the intro and outro vibes! If you are already subscribed to BRC & Friends, you need not do anything as I’ll use the same feed for the new podcast. Thanks again and I’ll see you in Fall with Episode 1 of The Amalgamation Podcast with Bruce Reyes-Chow [Get 50% off forever](#/portal/signup) --- BUST THE ALGORITHMS by subscribing to my substack, [The Amalgamation](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/), my email list, [The Communiqué](http://madmimi.com/signups/29509/join?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [my Youtube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@BReyesChow?ref=reyes-chow.com). We can also STAY CONNECTED on the socials via [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow). I occasionally hang out on other platforms via @breyeschow on them all. ### Happy First Birthday to The Amalgamation URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/happy-first-birthday-to-the-amalgamation/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:50.000Z This past week, I was checking my stats as I approached 1000 total subscribers when I noticed that I had lost more than 100 subscribers. After a brief mini-stroke, I realized that it was just a year ago that I left Patreon and ventured over here. As part of that process, I comped all the patrons for one full year. And lo and behold, that year was up, and all of the subscriptions ended. All good. I'm unsure if folks will resubscribe, but it reminded me that it’s been a good journey to figure out this little corner of the Substack world called The Amalgamation. [Get 50% off forever](#/portal/signup) Like any new venture, these early days have been filled with fits, starts, and missteps, but I am glad I made the transition, and I hope, even in small doses, it has been helpful. If you are curious, here are my current numbers, including my annual amount. Full disclosure: with the next season of my vocational life before me (Yes, post coming), I’m targeting $6,000 a year as one of my income streams. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9d7a0669-bb48-4aad-9cde-dcf5467c4fc8_1868x834.png) The next stage of The Amalgamation will include more consistent content with all of the scattered loveliness that you have come to expect from the mind of me. There will be more content from across a spectrum of topics that stir my soul, spark my mind, touch my heart, and bring me joy. I have also ended the BRC & Friends Podcast and will rebrand and revamp it here as [The Amalgamation Podcast with Bruce Reyes-Chow](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/podcast). Stay Tuned! Like everyone else, I’m still trying to figure out how to use notes and chat in ways that are make sense and encourage interaction, but until then I am hanging out mostly on [IG](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). Whether you are a free or paid subscriber, have known me for years, are just getting to know me, or have no idea how you ended up here, THANK YOU for spending some time at The Amalgamation. [Get 50% off forever](#/portal/signup) ### Summer Subscription Steal! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/summer-subscription-steal/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:51.000Z As I shift into a life of full-time writing (update post-coming), I will focus more on Substack to hone my craft and share all my thoughts . . . and, believe me, I have a lot of pent-up thoughts to share. Substack and email lists are some of the few spaces without algorithms that decide what content gets put in front of your eyeballs. In an attempt to thwart the algorithm army, through August 31, 2024, I am offering a 50% lifetime discount off any monthly or annual subscription rates. **YES, 50% off forever and ever!** [Get 50% off forever](#/portal/signup) It would also be awesome if you Subscribed to my email/text list, [**The BRC Communiqué**](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com)[.](https://bit.ly/CommuniqueWeeklyWord?ref=reyes-chow.com) Thanks for the support, and on to great adventures we go! ***NOTE: If you are already a paid subscriber, to get the lifetime 50% off deal, all you need do is unsubscribe and then resubscribe using*** [***the Special Offer Link***](#/portal/signup)***.*** This deal is only this summer, so pass it on. ### A Prayer for the 226th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-prayer-for-the-226th-general-assembly/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:52.000Z Dear #GA226, This General Assembly will mark 16 years since I had the honor of being your Moderator. Like many of you, I am an unapologetic church nerd and have a deep affection for our General Assemblies. Because of prior commitments, I will not be attending the 226th GA online and in Salt Lake, so honestly, a little FOMO is creeping into my universe. As I have been sitting adjacent to some conversations about overture movement, statement development, and resourcing strategizing, I am deeply proud of and moved by the commitment that so many have for the Presbyterian Church (USA) to continue to listen for and respond to nudges of the Spirit. As you all move from online committee work to in-person plenary sessions, I offer you this prayer as if I were there with you — again, with the FOMO :-) --- Let us pray . . . God of curiosity, restoration, compassion, and hope as we gather to discern the mind of Christ and your will we strive to live into these promises you have made Let us live into trust: enough to bring our whole selves into this space not to avoid conflict, just get along, or to suppress righteous indignation but to rage together, fear together, cry together, and struggle together Let us live into grace: enough to assume goodness in one another not to see one another as adversaries, enemies, and the other but as collaborators, accomplices, and members of One Body Let us live into courage: enough to wrestle with one another not to destroy, dominate, or diminish the other but to discern, discover, and adventure into who You are calling us to become Let us live into humility: enough to confess our complicities not to be confined into boxes of winners and losers but to be unbound in order to grow into the new creation you call us to be Let us live into creativity: enough to free our bodies, minds, and spirits to know play as restoration to know movement as proclamation to know silence as solidarity to know laughter as liberation and to know joy as a healing balm for a hurting world Let us live into generosity: enough to honor the realities of our time together offering patience to the Moderator, staff, assistants, volunteers, and one another affirming that we are imperfect people, trusting an imperfect process paying attention to the timer, flags, and microphones and savoring the honor and privilege of being gathered in this space Let us live into action: enough to transform decisions made into actions lived out to follow through on promises made to one another to move through the world guided by the fullness of our time together and to embrace curiosity as an act of ongoing trust and transformation God, throughout the generations we have gathered in different configurations during different cultural moments with different attitudes of engagement we have been agents of healing and hope and we have reinforced systems of hurt and pain And yet, over and over again because of and despite what we have done General Assemblies have been opened up to the surprising and sweeping movement of the Spirit May we again and always be so open And the 226th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) says, Amen --- [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meets every two years for just over a week to conduct business of the church that impacts politics, policies, and programs. The body comprises Commissioners from across the country, and the meeting is moderated by two people elected from the body to serve as Moderators, Co-Moderators, and/or Vice Moderators until the convening of the next General Assembly. Countless others support the work of the General Assembly. It is truly a massive undertaking. [#GA226 is being held online and in person in Salt Lake City](https://ga-pcusa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9d0db561-a5b2-499c-955c-8ed8a20a0c24_604x403-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/51eed51a-8c78-4674-9b95-99ffd4009e2d_604x453-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1e8742b1-add1-4068-ad32-9a54cbc233a7_500x332-jpeg.jpg) A few shots from GA 218 in San Jose, CA ### A Statement of Our Support for POL-01 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-statement-of-our-support-for-pol/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:53.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/94ece8cb-1637-4d41-955e-1bdeb8669d1d_1400x700.png) June 22, 2024 Dear Commissioners to the [226th General Assembly](https://ga-pcusa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com): This statement by the undersigned moderators, co-moderators, and vice moderators of previous General Assemblies is an expression of our support for [Item POL-01: On Amending the Book of Order to Include Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Among the Categories Against Which the Church Does Not Discriminate.](https://www.pc-biz.org/search/3001122?ref=reyes-chow.com) The overture, which originated in Olympia Presbytery and received concurrences from eight presbyteries and two synods, has two parts. The first part proposes that *sexual orientation and gender identity* be included among the categories against which this church must not discriminate. The second part proposes that G-2.0104b be revised so that "the council responsible for ordination should examine each candidate's calling, gifts, preparation and suitability for the responsibilities of ordered ministry. The examination should include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate's ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.0404) *and in the principles of participation, representation, and non-discrimination found in F.41.0403."* In the past ten years each General Assembly has included actions that have promoted and called for a more inclusive church. Many of these actions have reflected measured steps to expand the church's welcome, while preserving the freedom of local councils to make discerning decisions about ordination of ministers, elders and deacons. Approval of Item POL-01 would continue this trajectory towards full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in the church while maintaining local councils’ authority in making decisions regarding the ordination of ministers, elders and deacons located within the bounds of their councils. In 2018 the 223rd General Assembly approved a resolution that affirmed the gifts of LGBTQIA+ people in ministry and celebrated their service in the church and the world. The same resolution called on the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, the Presbyterian Mission Agency (through its Office of Public Witness), and all who represent the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to actively work for the protection of human and civil rights, both in the United States and around the world, especially the rights of marginalized and oppressed groups, including people facing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The resolution acknowledges that LGBTQIA+ people are leading churches, preaching the gospel, serving those in need and using their gifts for ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), making the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity among the categories against which the church must not discriminate a logical next step and imperative for today's church. Approval of the second part of POL-01 is just as important to maintaining the church's progress towards becoming a more just church. In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), there is some latitude in how examinations are conducted, but given our church's lament over the treatment of LGBTQIA persons and its efforts to make the church more welcoming and more diverse, it is a reasonable expectation for councils to examine a minister, elder, or deacon's commitment to the inclusion of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, geography, or theological conviction. The examination itself does not end a council's authority to make its own decision regarding the ordination of an individual. We simply believe that the church has reached the point where it must live out what it has continually confessed, both in word and lived relationship. Please join us in supporting the approval of both parts of POL-01, which we believe calls us to be a more just, inclusive and loving church. With gratitude for your consideration, Rev. John M. Fife, Moderator, 204th General Assembly (1992) Elder Rick Ufford-Chase, Moderator, 216th General Assembly (2004) Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator, 218th General Assembly (2008) Rev. Landon Whitsitt, Vice-Moderator, 219th General Assembly (2010) Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, Vice-Moderator, 221st General Assembly (2014) Rev. Cindy Kohlmann, Co-Moderator, 223rd General Assembly (2018) Elder Elona Street-Stewart, Co-Moderator, 224th General Assembly (2020) --- *NOTE: Each of us offers this letter of support as individuals and not on behalf of organizations, congregations, judicatories, or communities of which we are a part.* ### Vidisode 4: Help the Watfa Family Evacuate Gaza URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/help-the-watfa-family-evacuate-gaza/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:53.000Z A few weeks ago, we were connected with the Gaza Solidarity Network to get matched with someone in Gaza who is trying to raise funds to evacuate. This is obviously not the ideal solution (ceasefire and rebuilding are), and it is unfair that some families will get paired while others will not. Occupation and genocide are also not fair, so we do what we can. From [@GazaSolidarityNetwork](https://www.instagram.com/gazasolidaritynetwork/?ref=reyes-chow.com) > Our philosophy: We approach evacuation efforts from a mutual aid model of "solidarity not charity." Therefore, instead of painting certain Gazan families as perfect victims or exceptionally "worthy of saving," we seek to help as many Gazans as possible from a place of respect and joint-struggle. At the same time, we must balance the inherent contradictions that come with crowdsourcing within the attention economy of social media, which requires that Palestinians share intimate details of their lives and trauma to gain visibility via social media algorithms. > > This project seeks to connect as many individuals as possible with vetted campaigns so that we can all leverage our personal networks to support individual families while partaking in collective coordination with one another. > > Join us in the movement toward repairing humanity. Thank you for reading. [GoFundMe Campaign](https://gofund.me/196a04cb?ref=reyes-chow.com) As of this posting, they have helped raise over $100,000, so if you want to be matched with a family, [here is the form to fill out](https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FfiZ4ZhTKE2fqTrcLA&e=AT1iilYcBB%5FWEH290tMlJoIjmi0A1CBmdAR-8cbuXNDu8dv7svImkEUgKA2EotpBEuTN25lKYsw1LgQV%5FEC10BU0rw6XIs4FvLWf&ref=reyes-chow.com). Please keep in mind that this is completely run by volunteers (and I suspect young folks), so there is a huge backlog. They vet the GoFundMe so you can be assured that you support an actual family. \*Sigh\* Sucks that so many take advantage of these situations. We were matched with a family of nine, the Watfa, and are getting to know them via text/talk. We just posted our [first video](https://www.instagram.com/p/C8VFcDwh%5FYn/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and would appreciate you sharing, giving, and following as you can! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d5c5bd82-c98b-445f-818b-22a5d5372420_972x1296-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8ed9b8c4-d6a2-4cc2-88ac-e85c84d151a0_1500x2000-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b522402c-fd9b-447d-a4a3-8073617fc266_1200x1600-jpeg.jpg) Greetings from the RCP Family! Like many of you, over the last six months, our family has wanted to do more to impact the lives of those experiencing genocide in Gaza. Thanks to the work of the Gaza Solidarity Network, we are now engaged in mutual aid campaign to help a family raise money to evacuate. We have been matched with a family currently living in one of the camps in Gaza: Samah and her husband Ahmed and her father and mother and siblings: Muhammad, Youssef, Abdul Rahman, Hanaa, and Hadeel. We have contributed to the effort and will now help them raise the rest. While making refugees raise $5000 per person is not an ideal solution to what is happening in Gaza, this is what it takes to cross into Egypt and to safety. Our family is getting to know them via talk and text and would like you to meet them now too. Until we raise enough to bring them to safety, we will share glimpses of their lives, plead for your spare resources, and encourage you to do your part in calling for the safety, justice, and rebuilding of Palestinian lives and homes. As we have shared in our communications, “We hope to meet one day after the war” so please help this become more than a hope, but a reality. Please follow [@samah\_safi132](https://www.instagram.com/samah%5Fsafi132?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [@ahmedwatfa039](https://www.instagram.com/ahmedwatfa039?ref=reyes-chow.com) on Instagram, reshare and repost, and give as you are able. [GoFundMe Campaign](https://gofund.me/196a04cb?ref=reyes-chow.com) Sent with love, Bruce, Robin, Ev, Abby, and Analise ### Vidisode 3: What will it take? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/what-will-it-take/ Last updated: 2024-06-15T19:44:06.000Z In what seems like a lifetime ago, I posted this a few weeks back after my return from my second delegation to Palestine. Even with all of the most recent acts of terror inflicted upon the people of Gaza and the accelerated violence in the occupied West Bank, I am still left with the same question as I have been posing since last year, “What will it take to speak out and act up?” This video is crossposted on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C7XobjVvfJv/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7372948635769736491?lang=en&ref=reyes-chow.com), so any resharing or reposting would be much appreciated. *Transcript* > As some of you know, I just returned from Palestine, my second trip this year. And once again, seeing how the Palestinian people are treated, it is heartbreakingly obvious that they live under oppressive occupation and a blatant apartheid state. If you have been silent up to now, I don't really know what more to say to convince you to act up and speak out in order to stop what the state of Israel with U. S. support is doing in Gaza and increasingly the West Bank.How many more violent images have to show up on your screen in order for you to act?How many more times do Palestinians need to put their trauma on display in order for them to be believed?How much disproportionate destruction must you witness before you can drop the narrative that this is a conflict between equals?How many times do you need to hear people like me before you will step out from behind the veil of complexity and privilege?How much of your money needs to be spent on war before you will demand your public servants do better?How many more futures will be extinguished before we collectively say enough is enough? > > While some will judge you for your timing, it is not too late. While the road to peace and liberation will take generations, I believe this current onslaught only comes to an end if those of you who have been silent up until now finally choose to speak out. I hope you will. Peace. ### Happy Pride 2024 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/happy-pride-2024/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:23:10.000Z I drop this open letter of lament and love [on IG](https://www.instagram.com/p/C7w8fUduKUA/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) every year. I wish I didn’t have to, but far too many Christians flood the socials with their anti-LGBTQIA messages that we affirming Christians must do our best to lift more loving messages of the faith. This year I also created a few more[*This X loves you*](https://www.instagram.com/p/C7xJY-EhIMo/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com)[ graphics](https://www.instagram.com/p/C7xJY-EhIMo/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com). Posted below. --- Happy Pride 2024! I write to you as a parent of young adults who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and as a Christian, Presbyterian, religious leader who grew up in and has LED affirming communities. This year, I again join others in publicly and boldly affirming a part of the beloved community that too many of my Christian siblings do not. While there are many in the church who are LGBTQIA+ affirming, AND I will rejoice in the day that you can assume safety and affirmation in Christian spaces, I know that many churches, campus ministries, and religious leaders have inflicted emotional, spiritual, and physical trauma upon your personhood **— all in the name of God.** I do not presume to speak for or apologize on behalf of these Christian communities, individuals, or leaders, but I do name and lament the pain that has been heaped upon you by those with whom I share a common sacred text and a professed belief in the one called Jesus. Too many Christians have bought into and preached a gospel of “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” This theology disguises hate as love and perpetuates and emboldens a culture of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and queerphobia that has led to spiritual trauma, emotional abuse, physical violence, and death. I and others lament this reality but make no mistake, we also reject this version of the Christian faith and want you to know that many of us affirm the fullness of your personhood, full stop. **Our affirmation is public and it is unequivocal.** I fully acknowledge that your humanity needs no affirmation by some random pastor and leader of a tradition that has historically weaponized a person's sexuality and gender in order to uphold power, influence, and wealth. That said, if there is any part of your soul that has yearned to hear an acknowledgment of pain caused, if you need to hear even a whisper of healing and hope, or if you have wondered if there are allies and accomplices out there, I hope you hear that from me and other people of faith, and not only during Pride — you are loved. This Christian, Filipino/Chinese-Am dad, pastor, husband, and human loves you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/06097553-f674-4a70-9a21-74dc4f746f2a_1080x1080.png) [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8159745c-9e6f-4caa-a8a2-33cf57ea8a62_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d7a29d06-eb45-40a5-a17d-f55aea03c2a9_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ce4bafd5-2711-4fc1-8433-b079f997d4c7_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ed5d7f20-3c49-4c0d-b822-fc6a61eaeace_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d0259bc7-0758-42eb-841f-2afcc7c339cb_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5bbbc7d1-a5be-4fa8-a975-e15114cf4971_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fcf1518d-8513-4ed2-9814-2969a666182c_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/70580fa5-70a8-42dd-b9d3-f6c5db769aa0_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e03f10cc-6278-4320-a702-ae13d38e647b_1080x1080.png) ### From + The + Vault: 10 Ways To Disconnect From The Next Generation Of Progressives URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-10-ways-to-disconnect/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T00:30:48.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Originally*** [***posted December 2013 on Patheos***](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/2013/12/09/disconnect-next-generation-progressives/?ref=reyes-chow.com) A few weeks ago, [**I posted this video**](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/2013/11/13/a-generation-asks-wtf/?ref=reyes-chow.com) made by and for some friends of mine: I have been thinking about this video a great deal when it comes to staying connected to that “next” generation of progressive minds and hearts. Now I realize that there are many ways to define both “progressive” as well as the “next generation,” but rather than fill this post with disclaimers and definitions, I’ll take my chances and leave it up to you all to define these terms as you will. With this in mind, I hope these 10 ideas can be applied across many ideological and cultural landscapes, but again, I’ll leave this up to you. In many ways, I do believe that whatever and whoever next generation is shaping up to be, they will cultivate and form a posture and culture of justice-seeking with or without those of us who have come before. I simply think that if we are part of future movements in helpful ways, the entire endeavor will that much stronger. So I write this list, not as much about that next generation, but to my own and those before me. For if we want our good work and our dreams for a better tomorrow to keep moving towards justice for all, we must do everything we can to stay in relationship with those who have been and will be taking our place at the table. **Mock newcomers –** Choruses of “It’s about time…” or “Are we still talking about this…” or “That’s what I’ve been saying for years…” in response to folks first discovering a passion and conviction about issues of justice is not only unhelpful, but it is incredibly arrogant and short sighted. Not only does this assume some higher evolutionary ideological stature, but that the process of justice is somehow passed from generation to generation by osmosis as if is the fault of the next generation for not just knowing. Sure, when hearing about people first diving into issues of race, gender, etc. it is hard NOT to feel smug and self-righteous, but these attitudes will only lead to further alienation and exclusion of current and future justice-seekers. **Dismiss youth** – Too often we old folks adopt a thinly veiled, “Isn’t that cute…” attitude when young people raise their voices. We mock idealism, use young folks as window dressing, and we lean into the idea that longevity is the greatest indicator of value and worth. We use young people and their perceived progressive ideology to support what we believe, but we really do not take them seriously or allow their voices to help shape and form progressive thought as a whole. When we do this, we subconsciously set up a “kid’s table” only making room for young people when they grow up — assuming they want to sit with us in the first place. **Foster failure –** Well intentioned older folks sometimes throw young people into situations where they are set up to fail. Again, in order for us to pump up our own, “See, we empower young people!” credibility, we place them in situations where gifts and skills are not utilized well, organizational culture is toxic or it’s just not where this person should be serving. And when they fail or falter, unfair as it is, we feed the stereotype of the slacking, unprepared, and flighty young person. When we do this we set up future young folks because, not only do they have to prove their own capacity for leadership, but they must also overcome past negative assumptions based on previous experiences of young leadership. [Subscribe to The Amalgamation](https://www.reyes-chow.com/membership/) **Create chaos** – As we feel our own power and authority waning, we yearn for situations where we can re-establish our place in the power structure. When these situations naturally present themselves, fine, but when we create chaos solely so we can swoop in and save the day, not only do we do a disservice to ourselves, but we weaken the organization or movement as a whole. When it comes to setting up young people, what better way for the grizzled veteran to save the day than to come in after a young person has failed (see above) and prove that we are still needed. **Assume authority –** “Because I said so!” may work in some parenting situations, but when fostering leadership in today’s climate of crowd-sourcing, social networking and Wikipedia, it falls flat. Sure, some aspects of longevity deserve respect, but by the same token, simply being around for a long time, does not mean one has automatic credibility and authority. Believe me, I wish it did. **Hold on to power –** I have been told by some older folks when talking about the future, “You just want to get rid of us.” This is patently untrue, but what I want is for those of us who have historically held positions of power, formal and informal, to be able to shift out of those positions with grace and joy. It seems as if we too often believe that the only option to not holding an position of power is obsolescence when, in fact, our legacies will be that much stronger if we are able to shift in our roles from leading and driving to supporting and mentoring. When we are able to make these transitions without anxiety or resentment, that which holds importance can be transferred from generation to generation, while that which needs to change can be driven by those who truly understand and embrace that change. **Assume mentorship –** Okay, so while I do say we older folks must shift into mentoring roles, we must not assume that everyone can, should or wants to be mentored by us. Sometimes, our best move is to simply step away and trust that the movement or organization truly is bigger than any single person . . . yes, even us. Assumed or forced mentoring, is rarely helpful as mentoring is not only about passing on knowledge, but finding a synergy of personality, passions and perspective. We can and must offer to be this for folks who may be open to what we have to offer, but we must also not take it personally or become jaded when our mentoring is not embraced. **Be unteachable** – My greatest mentors and teachers have always been the ones who are well-experienced, but are clearly still thirsting for knowledge and know-how. The whole idea that we should never stop learning, when modeled well, is not only good for our brain-function, but an inspiring and helpful posture of leadership to pass along. For when we are not open to different ways of seeing, experiencing and navigating the world, we model leadership that is calcified and stagnant, and not leadership that is robust and forward-thinking. **Abdicate authority** – Getting older and shifting out of positions of power does not mean disappearing from sight. I get frustrated when people who have such a wealth of knowledge and experience, just disappear. Often well-intentioned gestures of “getting out of the way,” we lose something when an entire generation of knowledge simply goes away. The ways in which we will stay connected, both in tactic and time, will vary depending on many variables, but there will be moments when the stories, strategies and leanings of the past will be integral to the journey towards a better future. **Embrace hypocrisy –** Few us of us can live up to the perfection of that we so often demand of others so at some level we are all hypocritical when it comes to our lives. That said, I also know that we are often confronted with situations where we act knowing that there are inherit inconsistencies when it comes to building community, fighting for justice and seeking reconciliation. Some examples of this that I believe disconnect us from future generations — being kind, compassionate and understanding only towards those which whom we agree, demanding ideological and/or platform loyalty over the building of relationships, and using tactics of violence and exclusion in the fight against violence and exclusion. So while integrity and consistency are difficult postures to embody 24/7, as difficult as it may be, when a situation presents itself where we can be more consistent, our collective future demands that we choose to do so. **Honorable mentions –** Not being able to receive and respond to critique . . . Not being able to admit when mistakes have been made . . . Seeing compromise and graciousness as signs of weakness . . . Crossing the line from righteous indignation to to mean-spiritedness . . . Unacknowledged and unregulated insider-speak . . . Now of course, there is much in this post that is severely subjective and admittedly incomplete, so I would welcome any pushback, additions and/or tweaks that you might offer, but I hope these might spur some good conversation as we strive for a better future. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Hot + Take + Tuesday: Overpromising URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-overpromising/ Last updated: 2025-03-10T17:50:44.000Z 💡 [Hot + Take + Tuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot+take+tuesday/) is a series of semi-regular posts meant to spark conversations. I make these claims and statements based on experience and observations and acknowledge that any hot take, by default, borders on arrogance — and yes, context matters. I would love to offer just-starting-out-in-ministry Bruce much advice, including “devalue and defund overworking,“ “trust the congregation more than people say you should,” and “go to more movies by yourself,” but battling for the top spot along with “don’t create chaos so you can swoop in and provide the calm” would be **— “don’t overpromise.”** We have all done it. I still do it more than I like to admit. We all must be better about resisting it. Whether born from ego or enthusiasm, we all know what it is like to promise to do something and not be able to follow through. No matter what end you are on the unfulfilled promise train, it sucks. Shame and shade are often directed at others or ourselves, and soon enough, we are tagged with the “***O***verpromiser” label that gets more and more difficult to shed with every subsequent unfulfilled vow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/770c1f8e-2fe6-429a-bc88-75a479d0be1c_2423x1236-jpeg.jpg) To be clear, when it comes to pledges and promises made to myself, that is one thing, but when it comes to groups of people: partners, friends, family, co-workers, or collaborators, consistently overpromising can be problematic. A note before folks accuse me of being a cold-hearted productivity overlord: this is not about just getting things and being productive. There is always grace. $h!t happens. Life rarely reveals itself the way it has been planned. We can always make room for unfulfilled commitments, but in the long run, overpromising hurts everyone. One of my favorite quotes regarding group work is, “A lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine,” because I think it’s true. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am willing to help out and jump in at the last minute to respond to unforeseen interruptions and crises. After all, the ministry is mostly about interruptions, but if this happens again and again and again because of a lack of preparation or planning, I am only willing to jump into the deep end so many times. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. **Eventually, you will be left on your own to sink or swim — alone.** Yes, this can seem harsh, but after someone repeatedly promises to do something and then repeatedly relies on or expects others to fulfill said commitment, the relationship is no longer one of mutuality but manipulation. A community can and should be flexible once, twice, or even thrice, but I am talking about how we unintentionally and consistently create chaos and stress for other people. At worst, serial overpromisers are seen as liars and, at best, disrespectful and undependable. More importantly, I think overpromising slowly eats away at our personal understanding of worth, relationships, and agency. When we overpromise, we reinforce the idea that we have to say yes, we fuel the hubris that tricks us into thinking we can do everything ourselves, and we further build our sense of worth upon a foundation of worldly meritocracies. **Overpromising is not just about letting others down, but losing ourselves.** Sometimes, the greatest gift we can give to others and ourselves is “Sorry, no,” “Not right now,” “That is not in my skill set,” “I can do that, but will need some help” and/or even the occasional, “Aw hell no, not even if you paid me a bazillion dollars!” While I still occasionally get suckered into over-promising, I have improved over the years and my impact has been better for it. There are no hard and fast rules for how to get there, but here are a few tips and tidbits that I have found to be helpful. *Questions that I ask myself:* - Is this for the greater good? - Is this truly within my skillset? - Is this an urgent or long haul commitment? - Will this require collaboration, and if so, what kind? - Is it worth my time and energy? - Does my calendar have room for this? - If I say yes, will have to drop something else? - Will I be compensated or valued justly? - Will this commitment bring me joy and feed my soul? - Will my community and descendants be proud of my taking this on? *Tactics I use to help me stay on track:* - All of my projects and tasks are compiled in one place, as encouraged by the book, [*Getting Things Done*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780143126560?ref=reyes-chow.com). - All of my actual tasks are tracked in a single tracker, [ToDoist](https://todoist.com/home?ref=reyes-chow.com), so there are no wandering post-its or paper scraps. - I am honest about how long things will take me, and I calendar nearly all my activities to make sure I have time to complete them. - I commit to 3-4 outward-facing events daily: meetings, coffees, working out, etc. - I only check my email twice a day. - I resist the tyranny of urgent communication. - I reject or challenge other’s assumed expectations of my time and energy. - I go to the movies alone, talk to my plants when I water them, and plate my own meals as if I were working in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Again, I make no claims to conquering the behemoth that is overpromising, but ultimately, as I have embraced this way of being, I have felt better the work I do, the impact I make, and the person I am becoming. I hope this has been helpful. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on faith, politics, race, culture, and technology The Amalgamation is a collection of random musings, personal reflections, audacious think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Vidisode 2: New York, I'm Headed Your Way URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/new-york-im-headed-your-way/ Last updated: 2024-05-28T00:27:42.000Z It’s actually this week (What is time?) but anyhoo, we are headed your way New York, and we cannot wait. It's been too long since we've visited your lovely city! ***First things first: We already have show tickets, but help us fill out our week! Where should we eat, and what should we see?*** But you are also invited . . . **SUNDAY, JUNE 2** [The Riverside Church (In person or Online)](https://www.trcnyc.org/event/sunday-morning-worship/2024-06-02/?ref=reyes-chow.com) 11:00 am Preaching 12:30 pm Booktalk & Signing 490 Riverside Drive New York, NY **TUESDAY, JUNE 4** 6:00 pm Conversation with [Natalie Perkins](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/author/8419/Natalie-R-Perkins?ref=reyes-chow.com) Sponsored by[ Lafayette Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn](https://lapcbrooklyn.org/events/book-talk-everything-good-about-god-is-true/?ref=reyes-chow.com) & [Greenlight Books](https://www.greenlightbookstore.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) 85 South Oxford Street Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY [FREE TIX/RSVP ON EVENTBRITE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bruce-reyes-chow-with-natalie-r-perkins-tickets-885180026287?ref=reyes-chow.com) You can see the rest of my summer stops [here](https://bit.ly/BRCBookTour2024?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Vidisode 1: Homeward Bound from Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/palestine-homeward-bound/ Last updated: 2024-05-16T21:10:08.000Z Check out some of my daily videos from my trips to Palestine on [my IG Reels Feed](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Thanks for all the support. I’m headed home. With a brief stop in Jordan, I am hopping on a place in a few hours to begin the long trek home. I will do a longer update later, but until then, be sure not to miss a few of these updates: [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/C66-z6LIj2c/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/C6-jHzVKWzS/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and definitely [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/C7ANevUMfLC/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Get 25% off a group subscription](#/portal/signup) ### Update 4: Mass, Books, and Dabkeh URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-4-mass-books-and-dabkeh/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:25:59.000Z NOTE ABOUT MY PALESTINE UPDATES: Because of the nature of this trip, I’m not making specific details super public. I am not at spy-level security and folks can find info if they want it, I am just not interested in connecting with random folks who may choose to defend what is happening in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli Government and with the support of the United States and my tax dollars. Update 4 Contains reflections on… - Mass in Jerusalem - Educational Bookshop - Amnesty International - Dabkeh Dance Lessons If you want more details and personal reflections, [here is a free 60-Day Gift Subscription](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/BRC60DayTrial). #### Saint Savior Church – Catholic Service I have been to Catholic Mass twice in 2024, both times in Palestine. And like last time, I did not understand a word and sat conflicted amidst the white Jesus eyes all around. But also, like last time, the time was filled with joy and faith; kids were being kids, and folks were simply being. With the tensions of the day, these things are acts of resistance. We met one lady who greeted us with such warmth, only to find out that only a few weeks ago, she was beaten by police as she was coming to church. Her crime, being a Palestinian leader . . . or possibly for just being Palestinian. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/49a52e7b-23a1-4e38-b2a7-28d9d0c39d97_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e98fb445-de4f-4f28-9b3c-fd834a2de613_1080x2400.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e118363f-f95c-415e-8f62-b4831ef5b09b_1080x2400.png) Google Translate was hard at work #### Bookstore Joy As many of you know, I am a sucker for local bookstores and coffee shops. We were introduced to the Educational Bookshop by one of our guides this week, so I spent a few hours there today. I got to talk with the owner about American politics, student protests, and the current state of Palestine and the Israeli occupation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/55b3e308-66a9-42d6-9d1d-3ec18160e9a7_2268x2269-jpeg.jpg) Take a look at [the Reel I just posted](https://www.instagram.com/p/C64ZllMLlrU/?ref=reyes-chow.com), follow [@educationalbookshop on IG](https://www.instagram.com/educationalbookshop/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and then head on over to [educationalbookshop.com](https://educationalbookshop.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and buy some books. #### Amnesty International and the Suffering of Genocide and War In the afternoon, we met with a staff person from Amnesty International to talk about her interviews with Gaza survivors, the ways that Palestinians are perceived in the world, and how injustice the world over a repeated pattern of dehumanization. I can’t even capture how powerful this time was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/eb11d61a-a3f7-4586-84bd-d3eb214445d1_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) #### Dabkeh at Douban with Hanna Tams Hanna Tams is a choreographer, dancer, and teacher in East Jerusalem. He’s been pursuing dance as a career since around 2002\. Hanna is the cofounder of Douban dance group. We danced. We heard stories of imprisoned relatives. We danced. We heard stories of death. We danced. We heard stories of resistance. We danced a dance of resistance. If you are not familiar with Dabkeh, you can google it because I could not keep up with all of the historical and regional nuances. The bottom line is that it is a dance of resistance, one so powerful that dance troupes and their performances are regularly shut down by the Israeli government. After a heavy conversation about suffering in the world, it was beautiful to move our bodies, knowing that we were learning another tool for resistance and life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/aa920994-1702-4b1c-bda3-dadc7c100f04_3401x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e8259548-b1a2-4981-82da-7a86f1816a35_3401x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/df41b1ad-17b1-4d6e-8ad9-b979947bc169_3401x2268-jpeg.jpg) Dabkeh Dance Class Group Photo --- \[Transcript\] Hey all, I realized that I may actually look more tired than I actually am. I'm feeling actually quite refreshed. We had a great dinner with just sitting around the table talking about life and politics and our experience so far. This has been a great delegation. I'm grateful for these people who are now family. Today was an off day so we got to hang out on our own a little bit. I did two things that I think were really kind of powerful. One is I hung out at this great bookstore. I'm going to create a reel about it, of course, but just bought some great titles, invested in a Palestinian business and talked with the owner a lot about all the things that they're doing, around Palestine and education and anti Zionism, really good stuff. That's one. And the second thing is we got back together this evening and learned how to Dabkeh, which is a dance that many of you know, and so we did it. It is a dance of resistance. And, it was a lovely way to think about an art form, but also about the meaning and how it's shifting and changing depending on the context. So for your watching pleasure, the rest of my update is me dancing. Peace. --- **STAY CONNECTED:** Follow on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support on GoFundMe: [https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d](https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FOLLOW THE DELEGATION ON IG:** [@sheisghazelle](https://www.instagram.com/@sheisghazelle/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@heatherlynmusic](https://www.instagram.com/heatherlynmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@matthwblack](https://www.instagram.com/mattwblack?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@domskeac](https://www.instagram.com/domskeac?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@david.e.ensign](https://www.instagram.com/david.e.ensign?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@theandrehenry](https://www.instagram.com/theandrehenry?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@ttnpoet](https://www.instagram.com/ttnpoet/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@sabeelelquds](https://www.instagram.com/sabeelquds?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Update 3: Colonialism, Displacement, Aunties, and Ice Cream URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-3-colonialism-displacement/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:01.000Z NOTE ABOUT MY PALESTINE UPDATES: Because of the nature of this trip, I’m not making specific details super public. I am not at spy-level security and folks can find info if they want it, I am just not interested in connecting with random folks who may choose to defend what is happening in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli Government and with the support of the United States and my tax dollars. Update 3 Contains reflections on - Displacement and Disposition - Economics and Occupation - People Meeting People - Ramallah If you would like more details and personal reflections. [Here is a free 60-Day Gift Subscription](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/BRC60DayTrial). #### Displacement and Disposition We began the morning focusing in Sheikh Jarrah & the Old City with Osama Risheq. Osama has served as a Legal Supervisor at Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic in Al-Quds University since 2009\. He holds a BA in Public Law from Mohammad I University in Morocco, and an L.L.M in International Law with International Relations from Kent University in the UK. Currently, Risheq is a PhD candidate in International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice at Vrije University, Amsterdam. He has extensive research and fieldwork experience in international law, human rights, forcible displacement, prisoners’ rights, and the right to education. This is the second time that I have been on a walk with Osama, and he was, again, brilliant. We looked at how settler culture, surveillance, and other folks of control have reinforced the occupation and apartheid state. No matter how many times you hear the story, it’s just as enraging. One of the spots that we visited was the house in Sheik Jarrah where one of the most infamous testimonies of the settler atrocities, “If I don’t steal it, someone else will.” Here is the video followed by a few pictures from that house itself and a settler home just across the street. Note the heavy camera and microphone presence. As one of our guides noted, “Empire always surveils.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/a06d9409-e54f-4a74-a567-f0201e42e07b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/14248405-32cf-4d03-823d-accb3c869260_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3939ba52-9095-405d-a12a-1ca58ea51b3a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Sheik Jarrah #### Conversation with Sam Bahour: Palestine and the USA Bahour was born in Ohio in 1964, to a Palestinian father and Lebanese-American mother. He moved with his family to the West Bank in the 1990s following the signing of Oslo Accords to become involved in developing the economy of the future Palestinian state. He graduated from Youngstown State University in 1989 with a degree in computer technology, and subsequently worked for several American software firms, before moving to the West Bank in 1995. Sam is a businessperson who is trying to help with the economic health of Palestine. Raw and honest about Israel and the ongoing occupation, he helped provide context for the sinister nature of how greed and power play into the upholding of the occupation. At the end of the day, he is trying to provide enough work so folks can make it through without giving in, leaving, despair, or violence. Quotes from the day > “Divest and Invest. Divest from Isreal and invest in Palestine.” \[[on threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow/post/C61Ib8ZMmqG?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] > > “The narrative of ‘a land with no people for a people with no land’ is Bullshit." \[[on threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow/post/C61Dib9O3FH?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] > > "You can't understand October 7th, if you don't understand October 6th." \[[on threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow/post/C61ITKKM4rv?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/21eb73ab-033e-4b17-ae5a-a4ab024d478c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) #### People Meeting People (Al-Muntada) Al-Muntada was established on November 1, 2018, and aims to promote the concept of active aging by providing a venue to exchange and develop participants' knowledge, skills, and practical experience, including members and non-members. It develops capacities by engaging participants in lifelong learning activities, such as book club discussions. It organizes recreational activities and a well-being program to help respond to feelings of loneliness. Probably the highlight of the day, the creators finally got to create. We (and by we I mean the musicians) sang protest songs with some seniors \[[video](https://www.instagram.com/p/C617jd3hYs1/?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] from a senior health and community center. It was lovely. I was able to interview a few of the aunties and hear their encouragement for the young folks in the US and it was lovely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9f653762-c9f2-486f-87cc-9fee5fd18916_2957x1664-jpeg.jpg) #### Ramallah I must come back to Ramallah. I thought this last time and it was reaffirmed. This is a glimpse of what Palestine could be like if Palestinians were self-determination. Just imagine a Palestine without occupation. While still not the same after October 7, there is a vibrancy of the city that you can tell is life-giving. And yes, we topped of the day with some famous Ramallah ice cream. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c596c33c-b529-4f69-833d-4aaaeab5f25e_2984x1679-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/4411bc0b-dc83-4473-8281-05187738cf1e_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) --- \[Transcript\] Whoo, we did a lot of things today, but back in Palestine, I keep saying that I was here a month ago, but I've been reminded that maybe it's like two months ago, two and a half months ago, any case, what is time in the era of pandemic? We did a lot today, if any of you have been on any of these kind of trips, you know that you just kind of run, run, run, and so, you know, I could share a bunch of things, but I do share, I'll show in more detail about what we did all day and through this trip on my Substack. I'm really keeping it just for paid folks, but I'll put a free link down that you can join. I'm just trying to put some kind of buffer between me and folks who just want to argue or troll or pretend that what I'm doing here or what's happening in Gaza is not worth our time or energy. In any case, today's learning is that, we can unintentionally perpetuate colonialism without even knowing it. I learned today, I've talked about Jerusalem being divided into four quarters, but that is just British empire hangover and that on the ground, that's not actually what it looks like. That Jerusalem, it has many nations that have taken care of parts of Jerusalem and the Old City in particular. But the Old City of Jerusalem is not divided by the people in those that was British empire decided that's how they're going to divide it into the Christian, the Jewish, the Armenian and the Muslim quarter. So we got to be really careful about that. That's my takeaway for today. I will be back later tomorrow. Peace. --- **STAY CONNECTED:** Follow on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support on GoFundMe: [https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d](https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FOLLOW THE DELEGATION ON IG:** [@sheisghazelle](https://www.instagram.com/@sheisghazelle/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@heatherlynmusic](https://www.instagram.com/heatherlynmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@matthwblack](https://www.instagram.com/mattwblack?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@domskeac](https://www.instagram.com/domskeac?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@david.e.ensign](https://www.instagram.com/david.e.ensign?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@theandrehenry](https://www.instagram.com/theandrehenry?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@ttnpoet](https://www.instagram.com/ttnpoet/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@sabeelelquds](https://www.instagram.com/sabeelquds?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Update 2: Crossing Borders and Centering Nakba URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-2-crossing-borders-and-centering/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:04.000Z Crossposted on Instagram - [Dead Sea Reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6wc1iCJDmk/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Update 2](https://www.instagram.com/p/C6zb6j5At70/?ref=reyes-chow.com) NOTE ABOUT MY PALESTINE UPDATES: Because of the nature of this trip, I’m not making specific details super public. I am not at spy-level security and folks can find info if they want it, I am just not interested in connecting with random folks who may choose to defend what is happening in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli Government and with the support of the United States and my tax dollars. If you would like more details and personal reflections. [Here is a free 60-Day Gift Subscription](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/BRC60DayTrial). First, I floated in the Dead Sea, and it was pretty cool. After most of the day wandering Jordan, we took a refresher by having some water time while we waited for our final delegation member. Without any real reason, I was expecting it to be kinda gross, but it was surprisingly refreshing. The water was clear, cool, and calm, perfect for a very hot day. Not sure I would do it again, but I can say I did it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d4d0c723-4024-4f5a-8e64-7a0157586b50_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/27b82275-1f88-4482-a553-cd49f5949810_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b39c1f4a-e3e0-4e63-aadd-535280ea4744_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The Dead Sea Day Today, we crossed the Jordan/Israel/Palestine border. Let me just say that it’s super anxiety-producing because of how so many people are harassed as they travel to Israel. I have many friends who have been pulled aside, questioned, and intimidated because of their political values (perceived or actual), namely in support of a free Palestine or for being connected with organizations perceived as too pro-Palestinian. In any case, we overprepared our technology, hearts, and souls and allowed in with little questioning. Go figure. In any case, it was good to have this bonding exercise with these lovely folks as we got to know one another a bit more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3c1e7c32-4fec-4e74-8da8-42bfaec171d6_3356x1888-jpeg.jpg) the storytellers delegation After settling into our Jerusalem hotel, we began our day listening to two elders who shared their personal experiences of Nakba, when Palestinians were displaced from their land in order to form the nation-state of Israel. **Conversation with Co-founder of Sabeel, Cedar Duaybis: Faith and the Nakba** > Born in Haifa in 1935, Cedar Duaybis fled to Nazareth in 1948, where she grew up as an “internal refugee” within Israel. She is a founding member of Sabeel (Arabic: “The Way”), an Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem, and a member of its General Assembly. She is a retired schoolteacher who also supported her husband’s ministry as a clergyman of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Jerusalem inside Israel and in the Palestinian territories. She has co-authored several books with Naim Ateek. She was amazing, kind-hearted, firey of spirit, and theologically committed. At the end of the day, she just wanted peace and justice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7684477e-0a71-4bc8-9b0f-f9c2b3b9c2c8_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Then it was outside to the nature. . . **Lifta Village(a Village from 1948) with Yacoub** > Yacoub Ahmad Odeh was eight-years-old when he was expelled from Lifta during the Palestinian Nakba of 1948\. Today he lives in East Jerusalem, only a few kilometers from Lifta, but he is banned by Israel from living in his home village. Still, over 76 years later, he is still determined to return to Lifta and is helping lead the fight against Israeli plans to turn Lifta into a Jewish neighborhood of West Jerusalem. At the end of the day, he, too, just wanted to be able to have his home back, not even for himself, but for his descendants. Hearing their stories and seeing how long it has been could be demoralizing, but he, like so many, was hopeful that someday justice would be known. So devastating to know that our taxes have gone to create and perpetuate these systems and so inspiring to know that there is hope. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/071c1fe3-2dab-4676-997b-7f470e0b1fcc_2996x1685-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ef979a0c-bfe6-48ef-9d37-17be98ebf502_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cb2a5a6a-1166-45f7-9619-464090e9979f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ad31dba6-992c-4a14-a653-3ae087b3b2e8_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) That was that for the day, tomorrow more conversations and curiosity. --- \[Transcript\] Hello all. Well, I'm in Palestine again. Yes, it was only a month ago, but I'm back. We made it across the border, which is a super stressful and anxiety inducing experience. And I think that's part of what the intent of the Israeli government is, is to make it really difficult and, make you not want to come. In any case, we're here. We've already heard two really powerful stories from folks who were displaced from their land, during NAKBA in 1948, older folks who, exhibited a good deal of righteous indignation, a lot of lament and sorrow for the loss of childhood and home, and just a reminder of what people have had to live under, for the last 75 plus years. And so our storytellers were here to listen to those stories. We may generate some things while we're here, to build our own kind of community, to be in allyship, and continue to help to share and amplify stories. One of the stories we'll continue to share is how Palestinians continue to live under the, constant intimidation of settlers. Today on one of our hikes, we were, yelled at quite a bit, stared at, and it was just a reminder of, what our Palestinian siblings have to deal with all the time and for generations. So we'll continue to lift up those stories, continue to share them. Thanks for your support. And I will see you soon. Peace. --- **STAY CONNECTED:** Follow on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support on GoFundMe: [https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d](https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FOLLOW THE DELEGATION ON IG:** [@sheisghazelle](https://www.instagram.com/@sheisghazelle/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@heatherlynmusic](https://www.instagram.com/heatherlynmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@matthwblack](https://www.instagram.com/mattwblack?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@domskeac](https://www.instagram.com/domskeac?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@david.e.ensign](https://www.instagram.com/david.e.ensign?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@theandrehenry](https://www.instagram.com/theandrehenry?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@ttnpoet](https://www.instagram.com/ttnpoet/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@sabeelelquds](https://www.instagram.com/sabeelquds?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Update 1: Getting Settled in Jordan URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/day-1-getting-settled-in-jordan/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:04.000Z [Crossposted on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6tIwSNp2KR/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) NOTE ABOUT MY PALESTINE UPDATES: Because of the nature of this trip, I’m not making specific details super public. I am not at spy-level security and folks can find info if they want it, I am just not interested in connecting with random folks who may choose to defend what is happening in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli Government and with the support of the United States and my tax dollars. Feel free to upgrade to a paid subscription for more details and personal reflections. I am not sure if I am going to post every day here, but I have arrived in Jordan and will share a little more here for my paid subscribers. It is always strange to land in a place and strip away all the preconceptions and assumptions that we may have, no matter how many times one has visited a space. Back in Jordan after only a month, I have noticed that things have changed a bit. There are more tourists, and it feels a little busier. One of the cool things that happened was that I reconnected with a shop owner with whom I spent a bunch of time on the last visit (or at least he faked it really well), so I felt welcome. My computer also remembered multi wifi connections . . . modern-day, “Norm” greeting :-) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f415d7f6-150a-47d5-a1dd-742cc72b61ba_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) I got to visit this [very cool coffee shop](https://www.instagram.com/kawonofficial/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Locating coffee shop beauty is my spiritual gift) and have begun having beautiful conversations with other members of the delegation as they visit this part of the world for the first time and begin to get their bearings for the rest of the trip. We’ll be here a few days doing some group building and seeing some of Jordan, including going to the Dead Sea and some other highlights of the area. During our time both in Jordan and Palestine, we may also be meeting with groups about who we will not choose to share until after our trip. We shall see. I know that many folks are wondering about our safety. To be abundantly clear, we are not chasing danger and will not be headed into war zones. Like most countries, Palestine and the West Bank are huge, and while there may be fewer tourists, life is going on in most regards. Yes, I expect that the same weightiness will greet us in Palestine, but honestly, the greatest danger is probably settlers who have been armed by Israel (and, by connection, my tax dollars). Like those who have lived under occupation for nearly 80 years, we will experience both the beauty and brokenness that exists here . . . only for a short time. --- \[Transcript\] Hey y'all, so I arrived safely in Jordan last night. I slept like 10 hours yesterday because that trip was long and I'm getting old. But, we're here, we're gonna be settled for a few days. We'll try to do a recap every day or so, but we'd encourage you to follow along either on Instagram if you supported us through the GoFundMe, you can get on the private, group chat, for that on Signal, or a variety of places. Make sure you follow all the creators. We're all starting to land, getting settled here. It's always a little bit surreal to travel, to be in a place and have expectations or all that kind of stuff and just get to be. So we're here. We're here, one of my favorite coffee shops that I discovered last time I was here in Jordan. We'll be here for a couple of days and settled, see some things in Jordan, meet with some people here and then begin our trek over to Palestine and the West bank. So again, we're so grateful for so many of you that are supporting us, but also we hope that you get to kind of come along and you can hear some of the stories that are being shared. This person here working there. This is going to be, hopefully a meaningful time for folks, if you're not able to be here, but also some of the stories that we're going to be able to share, they're certainly going to be difficult to hear, there's a lot of, still a lot of weightiness in the area, but hopefully a way for us to collectively, work towards peace and the end of genocide and the end of all the violence and just figuring out a way for us each to be part of, some movement, towards healing and wholeness here. So again, thank you for hanging out, and I will see you tomorrow. --- **STAY CONNECTED:** Follow on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support on GoFundMe: [https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d](https://gofund.me/cfe38d4d?ref=reyes-chow.com) **FOLLOW THE DELEGATION ON IG:** [@sheisghazelle](https://www.instagram.com/@sheisghazelle/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@heatherlynmusic](https://www.instagram.com/heatherlynmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@matthwblack](https://www.instagram.com/mattwblack?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@domskeac](https://www.instagram.com/domskeac?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@david.e.ensign](https://www.instagram.com/david.e.ensign?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@theandrehenry](https://www.instagram.com/theandrehenry?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@ttnpoet](https://www.instagram.com/ttnpoet/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@sabeelelquds](https://www.instagram.com/sabeelquds?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### 55 and Still Alive URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/55-and-still-alive/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:04.000Z For those who have followed me over the years, you know that I have already spent my fair share of days in the ICU (Pancreatitis in 2003 and Covid in 2021) gifting my family with more than enough nights of wondering if I was coming home. Those are all stories for some future mediocre-selling memoir, but suffice it to say on this 3rd day of May and my 55th birthday, I am grateful to be alive. Thank you to everyone, near and far, who has supported me through the ups and downs of life, career, health, etc. You have no idea how much you all mean to me and how much I want to show up for you as often as I can, how best I can, and whenever you need me. I have no idea what this next year has in store for me in life, work, or service. Still, I do know that whatever paths will be revealed, I will do my best to choose a future of ongoing resistance to those things that diminish humanity, reinforce systems of violence, and extinguish joy. I am glad to be on that road with you. Bring it on, year 55! Easiest birthday present in the world, subscribe to The Amalgamation ### We've Been Invited to go To Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/digital-storytellers-to-go-to-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:05.000Z ### **WAIT, WHAT, YOU'RE GOING TO PALESTINE AGAIN?** First, let's keep all eyes on the ongoing genocide in Gaza and increased violence in the West Bank. Second, thank you students and others who are putting their bodies on the line to protest our institution's complicity in the ongoing violence. And third, I'm headed back to Palestine. After returning from my trip last month as part of a delegation with the [**Israel Palestine Mission Network**](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), the [**Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center**](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com)invited me to help organize an experimental delegation, bringing together influencers, creatives, and digital storytellers to amplify the stories of Palestinians whose stories are not always told. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. [Donate on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/digital-storytellers-to-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?** There is no big project in the works, no assumptions about the content created, and no expectations that we will make a grand impact while we are there. We will be there to listen to and receive stories, collaborate and create with one another and those we meet, and show our solidarity by showing up, breaking bread, and using our gifts to participate in movements for peace and healing. As with my last trip, I could not refuse the invitation to help bring others to see some of what is happening firsthand, but in order to make this happen, we need your help. [Donate on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/digital-storytellers-to-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **WHY GOFUNDME?** Being creative and focusing on humanitarian and social causes does not often result in much disposable income. Basic travel costs and fair compensation to our hosts are not cheap. We may have the flexibility to engage in this work when others do not, so we go on behalf of and because of our communities, colleagues, friends, and family who support us in this work. Because we wanted to include diverse lived experiences, so rather than individually fundraise, [we are collectively crowdfunding this project](https://www.gofundme.com/f/digital-storytellers-to-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com), sharing our resources, influence, and experience so a variety of folx can participate. For those who do support us, you will be invited (totally opt-in) to a private group chat on Signal. For organizations and communities that give $500 or more, one of us will show up for a one-hour Zoom presentation about our trip. So, take a moment to check out the compassionate, courageous, and creative humans who will be part of this delegation (see below). If you have the resources, we would love to have you join us through your generous support. Peace! [Donate on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/digital-storytellers-to-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **THE DELEGATION** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f4106071-ee24-4ce6-9af0-d2bc877a8bc5_1920x1080.png) The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. **Matthew Black** (He/Him) — Singer-songwriter. Musician. Matthew is an indie-folk singer-songwriter known for incisive lyrics and singable melodies. The literal son of a preacher man, Matthew left his job as a mild-mannered IT manager in 2022 to make music full-time. His sophomore album, A Little Closer, is set for release in 2024\. To get to know Matthew start[ ](https://matthewblackmusic.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[***here***](https://matthewblackmusic.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). You should also follow him[ on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/matthwblack/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and get to know him on[ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@matthewblackmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com),[ TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@matthwblack?ref=reyes-chow.com), and[ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/MatthwBlack). --- **Addie Domske,** Co-Leader(She/Her) — Pastor. Mother. Public Theologian. Originally from a small borough north of Pittsburgh, Addie is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who nurtures Christian spaces that are queer, anti-colonial, and anti-capitalist. Addie spent the summer of 2013 in the Holy Land with no understanding of Palestinian resistance, but after meeting people on the ground she returned to the U.S. committed to indigenous land sovereignty, both in Palestine and on Turtle Island. This will be her sixth trip to Palestine. To get to know Addie, follow her [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/domskeac/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or dive a little deeper [on her LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/addiedomske?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **David Ensign** (He/Him) — Pastor. Storysinger. Grandpa. David is a writer, musician, and mostly retired Presbyterian pastor in Arlington, Va., where he has lived for more than 20 years with Cheryl Lederle, his beloved of more years than he can remember. He most recently served as interim executive director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. David and Cheryl have three adult children and two grandchildren (whose pictures he will happily show you). To get to know David follow him [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/david.e.ensign/?ref=reyes-chow.com) then visit him on [Wordpress](https://3dads608481387.wordpress.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Rev.Dr.Ensign), [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC%5Fh6obYN9bh6v6w5n-sygGA?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/user-441116680?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Ghazellé** (She/Her) —Artist. Songwriter. Abolitionist. Ghazellé is an LA-born artist, songwriter, & performance coach. She is a Queer, half-Arab, half-Armenian woman. Ghazellé's global engagement includes significant time in Athens, Greece during 2018 & 2021, and NYC in 2023 as part of the SWANA-LA-Connect delegation supporting refugee communities on the ground. Ghazellé's journey, marked by resilience and advocacy, resonates in her dynamic artistry. She is driven to uplift BIPOC, LGBTQAI+ and all vulnerable, oppressed communities as part of her life’s purpose and strives to create ways for her music to be a vehicle for liberation and social justice transformation. To get to know Ghazellé follow her [on Instagram](http://www.instagram.com/sheisghazelle/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and then head on over to [beacons.ai](https://beacons.ai/sheisghazelle?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [letscleartheroom.com](http://www.letscleartheroom.com/about?ref=reyes-chow.com) for more! **Heatherlyn** (She/They) — Singer/Songwriter. LIVEstreamer. Healer. Heatherlyn, Mystical Minister of Song, infuses soul, roots, and rock into their eclectic music, uplifting and embracing the human experience with fierce tenderness. Their name, meaning "flowering, flowing river," reflects the refreshing essence of their music, serving as a channel to help listeners feel, heal, and wash away life's stresses. With deep curiosity and effervescent love, Heatherlyn's voice resonates with diverse vibrations, enriching souls along the journey. To get to know Heatherlyn, start [here](https://www.heatherlynmusic.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). You should then follow her [on Instagram](http://instagram.com/heatherlynmusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) and check out all of her links [on LinkTree](http://www.linktr.ee/HeatherlynMusic?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Andre Henry** (He/Him) — Musician. Author. From the shadows of Confederate Mount Rushmore in Stone Mountain, Georgia, just miles outside the Civil Rights capital city of Atlanta, comes a creative truthteller, equipped with revolutionary insight, fierce vulnerability, and conscious, soulful, cinematic, pop anthems. To get to know Andre, you should start [here](https://andrehenry.co/?ref=reyes-chow.com#story). You should then follow him [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/theandrehenry/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com) and then find out more about him on his [website](https://andrehenry.co/?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Merissa Magdael-Lauron** (She/They) — Composer/Musician. Educator. Organizer. Merissa is a 3rd & 4th generation Filipina born and raised in Stockton, California. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Merissa is a composer for Film & TV working with award-winning filmmakers and recording artists; an advocate of human rights especially for Queer, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and was a band & drumline middle school music teacher in her hometown giving back to the community that made her who she is today. With a love and passion for both music and liberation, Merissa's soul is fueled with the drive to be the change she wishes to see in the world through her music. To get to know Merissa, check out [their website](https://www.studio3050.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and then follow them [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/merissa-magdael-lauron?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Thanh Nguyen**, Sabeel Project Coordinator (She/They)— Poet. Musician. Thanh is a poet and musician from Atlanta, Georgia currently living in Amman, Jordan. Her work focuses on colonial displacement, exile, and belonging and has been featured in Re:Visions Magazine, Silk Road Review, Decolonial Passages, as well as her own artistic productions. Outside of poetry, Thanh also pursues decolonial imaginaries as a project coordinator at Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center based in Palestine. To get to know Thanh, check out [their website](https://www.thanhsverse.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and then follow her [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ttnpoet/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or visit her [on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanh-nguyen-031a41122/?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- **Bruce Reyes-Chow**, Delegation Coordinator (He/Him) — Pastor. Writer. Podcaster. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a sought-after speaker and writer on faith, culture, politics, race, technology, and pop-culture. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and hosts the podcast BRC & Friends. His most recent book, is Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (Broadlead, 2024). He and his spouse have three adult children, two dogs, and live in San Jose, California. To get to know Bruce more, after you follow him [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), check out his [Substack](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow), or [Podcast](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Donate on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/digital-storytellers-to-palestine?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### Imposter Syndrome, Year 55 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/imposter-syndrome-year-55/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:05.000Z Next week, I turn 55, and I still am not sure what I should do with my life vocational. People are always asking, “So what do you do?” and my genuine response is, “That’s a good question.” because honestly, it’s a crapshoot on any given day. For those who have chosen the itinerant, creative, or gigging life, anxieties about security, worth, and the future are constant and ever-present. It is like a vocational roller coaster: exhilarating, terrifying, and not for everyone. I have been in this kind of life for over a decade, and for the most part, I love it. That said, I can navigate the lean times with less urgency because of some generational wealth, the generosity of my communities, and healthcare via my spouse (a whole other rant). But I am now entering another season of vocational discernment. And as I wrestle with the questions for the bazillionth, trillionth time, “Should I dive deeper into this life?” “Should I go back to something more secure?” “Should I get a job with a steady paycheck?” or “Should I just keep on keeping on?” one thing remains: that f#@%ing imposter syndrome clown is still whispering, deep into my psyche, “Doesn’t matter what you chose, you are not worthy.” The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. For me, my imposter syndrome is only exacerbated by being blatantly underestimated. Yes, I definitely get some benefits for being cis-gendered, male, straight, married, and educated. Yet, in some spaces, because of how I present, what I have accomplished, who I know, or comparisons to others who look like me, I am often blatantly and severely underestimated. I used to gaslight myself and doubt that there were doubters. Bu oh no, folks have told me to my face (and behind my back) that they were surprised (pleasantly and begrudgingly) to experience me as good at whatever I was being asked to do: preach, pastor, write, organize, sportsball, etc. When I have said, “Why are you surprised?” in response, I usually get some form of, “Oh, um, it’s a compliment.” “Not sure how, but, oh, um okay.” Now 30 years into ministry and over a decade in this itinerate life, I've been at this dance a long time. As I shift into another season of discernment, my self-doubt is still ever-present. It never goes away, but I am working on dancing better with it. While some of the doubt comes from an innate and healthy humility, I am striking a better with each time the roller coaster begins its acent. The Imposter Syndrom Gremlins used to rent a McMansion with a pool and guesthouse-sized space in my soul, but over time, I've managed to downsize it to a studio apartment with a Murphy bed and no parking. At least for today. I am now more discerning about who I listen to for critique and affirmation. I ask for help more often and I focus on getting better at the things that feed my soul. I pace my day better, say no more often, and refuse to be driven by productivity for the sake of productivity. I will probably figure all of this out just in time for me to be done with my earthly time. I have many trips around the sun left, so I am confident I’ll get there. So there you go, a quick glimpse into the zoomies of my mind these days. If any of these stories resonate with you, if you still struggle with vocation if you are battling self-doubt, or if you are trying to downsize your impostor syndrome tenant, know that you are not alone — and it gets better-ish. ### Hot + Take + Tuesday: Church Websites URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-church-websites/ Last updated: 2026-06-20T02:19:50.000Z 💡 [Hot + Take + Tuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot+take+tuesday/) is a series of semi-regular posts meant to spark conversations. I make these claims and statements based on experience and observations and acknowledge that any hot take, by default, borders on arrogance — and yes, context matters. One of the perks of my gigging life is that, over the years, I have had the honor of stepping into many a pulpit and getting to know many congregations. I have always found them lovely, filled with faithful folks trying to figure out who God hopes them to be in the future. Too often, that yearning creeps into the “we must attract young people” part of the brain, and we try to predict what will attract people, as if what and who we are right now is not worthy of. No, not every church should or will grow, no matter what they do, but I think many churches have given up on themselves and don't give themselves a chance to find out. This shows up often when I look at church websites. Most church websites are either aspirational, presenting an image of what we hope to become, or are filled with images of what they assume people want to see them at their best, usually Easter when whatever diversity they might have is on full display. I have always felt that this was the wrong way to go because, in the week-to-week, that is not who most churches are. Sure, be aspirational and put your fancy face on when appropriate, but not on your website. Since most people will visit your website as they consider if they would attend this Sunday, to not tell the truth about what they are most likely to experience is basically lying. When they arrive, only to discover that your pants are on fire, you have lost them. Conversely, if they check out your website, you have told the truth about what they will most likely experience, and they choose to attend; the first thing they experience is, “They told us the truth about who they are.” The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6066062d-7fed-4da3-ab4e-cae64e82bac8_1920x350.png) #### Welcome First things first: worship begins at 11:00-ish, you can park in our parking lot, feel free to dress casually, and your children are welcome to stay in worship or hang out with our childcare provider. Okay, now let us briefly and honestly tell you what you will experience here at First Chuch of No Lies on most Sundays. There are usually about 50 of us in attendance. We have a few young families and adults who attend occasionally, but most of us are in our 60s and 70s. We are about 90% white. Like many churches, we used to be bigger, and sure, we may miss much of what we used to be and do in the past, but what is most exciting is that we are doing our best to figure out what God hopes for us to do and be in the future. While we do not always get words right, we are a church that is unapologetically open and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people, has many women in leadership, and is working towards being an antiracist community. Our worship is pretty traditional, but hopefully not stuffy. We are not great singers, but we love to sing. We use a hymnal and play both our piano and organ. We say some prayers together, we hold one another burdens and joys, we listen to scripture, our preacher brings a good balance between the head and heart, we are challenged to go out and to good in the world, and we share in communion every Sunday. Service lasts about an hour with a meal afterwards every Sunday. At the end of the day, we are not chasing perfection or high production value in our service, but we do strive to create a space where you will experience belonging. If you do choose to visit, we will do our best not to overwhelm you, but if we do, please know that it is because we are genuinely glad that you joined us. Hope to see you soon! ### Dear Student Activists, Thank You and I'm Sorry URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-student-activists-thank-you/ Last updated: 2024-04-22T12:03:27.000Z The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This goes out to the many students whose commitment to divestment, a ceasefire, and the building of a free Palestine has become so public, prolific, and powerful; thank you — and I’m sorry. If you have engaged in civil disobedience, thank you. If you have organized student actions on your campus, thank you. If you have made sure that your friends, classmates, and community are safe, housed, fed, and cared for, thank you. For whatever you have sacrificed to hold my generation and others accountable to the values that we have touted, but are not living up to, thank you. And if just showing up has been your act of resistance and solidarity, thank you. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry that the very institutions that have taught you about systems of intimidation, suppression, and violence are now making sure that you experience the same. I am sorry that so many have expected you to change the world for the better, and now that you are doing so, the same people are using their power to intimidate you into accepting that you cannot. And I’m sorry if your family, guardians, and others who have encouraged you to change the world are not able to support you as you do just that. While you are justifiably disappointed in quite a few of us, please know that many of us who occupy that “parental space” see, support, and love you and are inspired by your commitment, your organizing, and your courage. So as we do our part, as we use our own influence, power, and authority to fight for a free Palestine, always remember that none of us is alone in this fight for justice; we join our spirits with ancestors and saints past and present and that we are here, with, and for you always. Free Palestine and Peace. Also posted on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C6CymHeveR5/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7360484484082371882?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Hot +Take + Tuesday: Church Meetings URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hot-take-tuesday-church-meetings/ Last updated: 2025-03-10T17:53:26.000Z 💡 [Hot + Take + Tuesday](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/hot+take+tuesday/) is a series of semi-regular posts meant to spark conversations. I make these claims and statements based on experience and observations and acknowledge that any hot take, by default, borders on arrogance — and yes, context matters. I think it is safe to say that most people do not look forward to church meetings. Here is the thing: I have been convening church meetings for the past 30 years, and eventually, most of them turn into meaningful experiences of spiritual calling and genuine expressions of church leadership. I would love to say it is because of my stellar moderating skills, but it is mainly because people genuinely want to have meaningful experiences and, given the right opportunities and permissions, are willing to explore how to get there. To be clear, tactics are second to purpose, so you have to agree on why you are there in the first place. For church meetings (Boards, Sessions, Vestries, or Councils, depending on your denominational flavor), too often, we see these as boards of directors and managers of an institution and NOT spiritual leaders of the church community. Sure, the church has to run and people have to do things, but at the highest level of church leadership, a smoothly running church should not be goal rather a faithfully living one should be. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. So, if you can get folks to agree that spiritual leadership is the purpose, here are some tactical ideas that I have used over the years to help shift the tone and vibe of your church leadership meetings: - **Share in communion.** I assume you are a Christian, but if you are following another tradition, definitely substitute the appropriate rite/ritual. Whether at the beginning or the end (I prefer the beginning), sharing the bread and cup is a visible reminder that we are not there simply to run a church of Christ but to tend to the Body of Christ. - **Engage in more profound study.** Rather than reading a short devotional and asking what people think as everyone is chomping at the bit to get to the real part of the meeting, take some time to engage in conversation and ask deeper questions about the community. This group should have its finger on the community's pulse, so take time to discern what that is and what it means for the decisions we have made or are about to make. - **Honor time and energy.** Don’t set yourself up for failure by spending too much time on too many things at one meeting. Wherever I have served, I have consistently implemented two practices when it comes to business: only one big topic per meeting and no meeting longer than 90 minutes. I believe that after 90 minutes, most of our brains are done, and spending emotional and intellectual energy on more than one item is a recipe for burnout and bad decisions. - **Plan ahead.** To get to that 90-minute threshold, the group will have to get into the habit of a few things: - Be prepared enough to have a first read of a possible decision one month and take on the final decisions the next month. This allows for people to not be surprised or uninformed. - Set and be accountable for submitting written reports and reading them so that only highlights or questions need to be addressed during the meeting. - If you are using Robert’s Rules, start with the motion to move the discussion along in some direction, rather than making mentions after wandering discussions have already been had. - Set Agendas with ample time for people to know what is coming, but agree to be flexible when a crisis presents itself and you have to go off the agenda. - **End well.** How you end up can set the tone for how that meeting can impact future meetings. Here are five questions to ask as you end your time together - *What did we not get to?* As that list grows, make sure that this list is revisited as future agendas are set. Basically, practice not losing things. - *What did we do well tonight?* This is a time to affirm best and better practices and name patterns that are help to make the time meaningful. - *What could we do better?* This is the time to name and notice unhelpful patterns before they become the norm. - *What virtues were expressed?* This is the time to be honest about how the group interacted. If someone were watching the group, how would they describe the interactions? This will usually be positive, such as “We listened to one another” or “We laughed together,” but it could also be a time to address conflict before it becomes a crisis, such as “We talked over each other a lot.” Remembering that this question is coming at the end will help folks moderate their own behavior throughout the next meeting. - *Who shall we pray for?* It kind of goes without saying, but this is one more reminder that the primary reason we are called into church leadership is to take care of the souls and spirits of those whom we are called to serve. Okay, there you go. I am sure there are many more ideas out there, but hopefully, something from above will be helpful. Please share if you have other ideas, hacks, or tactics to help make our meetings more meaningful. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on faith, politics, race, culture, and technology The Amalgamation is a collection of random musings, personal reflections, audacious think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Pomona College has Riot Police Arrest Student Protesters, Including Youngest URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pomona-college-has-riot-police-arrest/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:07.000Z This weekend, our child, affectionately known to the internet world as Youngest, joined a long line of ancestors and activists as she engaged in an act of civil disobedience at Pomona College. *See the fuller timeline below.\** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/611bda64-5115-4033-accc-f67f8ed6546f_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/37a5e8af-0b58-453c-963e-412fd18ae056_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d10a82c5-d807-44c5-8285-2f0ee26d52ed_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1a456ee5-a10e-48ae-ac17-835b2f5f1c64_1079x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/4fa93ac5-3b41-4adc-923c-622d52dd94f3_1079x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c09f64d3-1b12-4436-8605-2a1abc318ccf_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) Yes, we were worried during the action, but make no mistake, we are in full support of her choice to risk her body in order to keep pressure on institutions that continue to support the acts of the state of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank. We have had long talks about how to leverage the privileges of wealth, status, and familial support so do not cast this act as one of youth. She was thoughtful, prepared, and ready. We are dumbfounded by the disproportionate police action that was called upon to handle these college students. While the narrative is that the students put the community in danger, we can all see who escalated and militarized the situation. For God’s sake, they arrived in riot gear. The administration was clearly over their skis, operated out of a lack of preparedness, and was out-organized by the students. Fantastic work by the student organizers: front line and behind the scenes. As of this posting, we still do not know what legal or educational ramifications await her, but activism does not come without risk and I am sure she’ll respond thoughtfully when the time comes. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/979e175c-52b4-48ae-91ab-48225eb314ff_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) She is willing to talk with the media. DM me for Contact Info. \*Below is the [reposted story](https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ccspzLPwO/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) via [@claremont.undercurrents](https://www.instagram.com/claremont.undercurrents/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [@pomonadivestapartheid](https://www.instagram.com/pomonadivestapartheid/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Follow both on IG for the most current updates. Pomona College called in more than 30 police officers, over a dozen in riot gear armed with shields and high-caliber crowd control weapons, to arrest 19 students who were participating in a peaceful sit-in to demand divestment on Friday, just two hours after it began. The police arrested one additional student who was standing outside of the building in support. Pomona immediately placed all arrested Pomona students on “interim suspension,” depriving them of housing and access to campus. The 19 students entered Pomona President Gabi Starr’s office around 4 p.m. Campus Safety closed the door to the office, physically pushing a student reporter wearing a press vest out. Around 40 students subsequently entered the building, sitting and chanting in the lobby outside. Several Claremont Police Department cars arrived around 5 p.m. By 6 p.m. there were 25 police vehicles present, from Claremont, Pomona, La Verne, Covina and Azusa police departments. Hundreds of students, accompanied by professors and other community members, rallied outside of the building as police took ziptied students out and transported them to the Claremont police station. ### My Time in Palestine: 12 Images URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-time-in-palestine-12-images/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:10.000Z ### First, let me thank all of those who helped to support this trip, both monetarily as well as emotionally. I have been sitting on this presentation because I have been swamped with [a book tour](https://www.reyes-chow.com/2024-book-tour/), finishing up a church gig, trying to figure out my next thing, and maintaining me :-) While I would love to include all the links and all else, I will send this far less complete than I hoped. While this delay might have meant that the info would be outdated, alas . . . Okay, enough self-shaming, I hope it gives a good snapshot of our time :-) Please watch the video above for all of the commentary, background, and takeaways, but here are the 12 images. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/432897b0-cc8d-41a2-9ea4-e5711debd65e_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/032cc954-37b2-4eb9-a731-a01e2e5d36b4_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fdd65eba-671b-4cc8-b39f-60689b475f0b_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e152286b-ff08-45c9-94ce-5892fec2e1ed_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/252dd1ce-06cb-4a6b-a097-489078f8acf6_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cb0117da-1640-4b8c-bc9a-2c04ac788b53_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Images 1-6 The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b3d3ef2f-4ac0-4cf0-bac3-72ecd2510c76_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e9beb935-a2d6-4009-8f7d-bcaaa773e776_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/27e0d842-c308-464b-b07a-68489c0554ba_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5d75c995-cf6f-4685-83b6-e08fcfc33efe_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/40c3e9cf-3cb0-42d8-8f18-cabeb8f613f4_960x540-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/07fc938b-3c4b-4453-b271-73590c957710_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Images 7-12 And here is the video (with sound) of the Dabka dance rehearsal at [Alrowwad at the Aida Refugee Camp](https://www.alrowwad.org/en/who-we-are/?ref=reyes-chow.com) that we crashed: There are so many groups that you need to know, but here are some ones that I would encourage you to follow and support: [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Friends of Sabeel North American (FOSNA)](https://www.fosna.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [UNRWA](https://www.unrwa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Save the ARQ](https://www.instagram.com/save%5Fthe%5Farq%5Fjlm/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Isreal/Palestine Mission Network](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I will be headed back in early May to keep doing my part in amplifying the stories and struggles of the Palestinian people, so if you know of anyone who might be a good fit for this [Digital Storytellers Delegation](https://bit.ly/DigitalStoryTellersMay2024?ref=reyes-chow.com), please let me know. Thank you again. ### Pop + Culture + Monday: Larry, The Musical URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-larry-the-musical/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:10.000Z [Buy your Tickets Today](https://www.brava.org/all-events/larrythemusical?ref=reyes-chow.com) This past week we went to the opening preview show of a new musical, Larry, at [the Brava Theater](https://www.brava.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) in San Francisco. Larry is about Filipino American labor leader, Larry Itliong. Quick disclaimer: we have given some of our money to support this project and we know many of the folks who are connected to it. That said, our family is pretty into musicals, so we were a little worried that this would be a complicated story to tell. Putting together a show like Larry means you have to provide enough background to a larger culture that probably doesn't know much about Filipino Americans, while maintaining all the nuance that honors the genuine experience of the community, in order to provide enough context for folks to appreciate the power of this particular story. A huge ask, but the crew behind Larry somehow pulls it off. There was a lot of information in the first act that set up a second act that was simply stunning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0b0e1eae-2a75-4089-a064-7244ffd3df28_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) **So, at the end of the day, they do a fantastic job.** It will be interesting to see how folks who are completely new to Filipino American history are drawn into this universal story: one of sacrifice, love, community, and justice. If you have never been to a preview, these are shows done in order to tighten, change, shift, and get ready for the real deal, which we will see in two weeks. And despite some sound glitches, to a performer the talent was a legit with many stinky face, ooh vocal moments. A full Filipino American cast, this does nothing to dispel the stereotype that all Filipinos can sing. Thanks a lot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8d1800f3-adc5-45e5-82eb-f6850003fed8_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) If you are musical theater nerds like us get on the Larry train early. The hope is that this show will pick up support and make its way to Broadway. So if you have producer level money or influence, please bring it. If you don't, [get your tickets now](https://www.brava.org/all-events/larrythemusical?ref=reyes-chow.com) through April 14th, [follow Larry, the musical on the gram](https://www.instagram.com/larrythemusical/?ref=reyes-chow.com), support the show, support the movement, support the process . . . **and let's get Larry to Broadway**. More on Instagram: [Reel](https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ra7rWPLE8/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Photos](https://www.instagram.com/p/C4rd1ktRhhQ/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### PRESBYTERIAN NERD ALERT: Boundary Training Update URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/presbyterian-nerd-alert-boundary/ Last updated: 2024-03-14T06:18:51.000Z Greeting all and apologies to all of the non-Presbyterian folks on the list — and I would assume that is most of you, so, yes, this is terrible content targeting ;-) Alas, a ways back I had let folks know that I would be doing [Boundary Training for Ruling Elders](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/a-boundary-training-for-church-leaders?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) (Lay leadership) and Teaching Elders (Pastors and Ministers of Word and Sacrament) The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Welp, both trainings have been designed and run through one round with great success. Keep in mind that these trainings do NOT cover sexual misconduct or child sexual abuse protection as those are taken care of by other trainings. Below are two very breig videos explaining what each looked like. **For Ruling Elders.** Considering that getting a good number of volunteer leaders together for in-person training would be difficult, we went with one hour over Zoom. We had about 150 people show up, which we felt was pretty good. I talked for about 40 minutes (while the chat was lively), and then we did Ask A Pastor Anything for the final 20 minutes. It seemed like a pretty good use of the time. **For Teaching Elders.** While I had first considered discussing a Top 10 or 112 list of behaviors and boundaries, I ended up taking a more collaborative approach by soliciting input from the people in the room. The process that I used opened up participants to interact, share, and receive wisdom in the space. It was important for folks to be in person, which allowed for the building of collegial relationships. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Please let me know if you or your presbytery are interested in having me run one of the boundary trainings. San Jose Presbytery has given me permission to take the design and run with it. The cost of in-person training depends on travel, but for the online boundary training for Teaching Elders, the cost is $500 per session. ### It's Launch Day: Finally! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/its-launch-day-finally/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:11.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b6c66ea4-fe45-473d-89d3-d131c2b8f53d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/606c2dc4-b31f-4529-b319-622c3da7cc42_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/bad1782e-906e-40f0-b48b-c27228c49370_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) They day has finally arrived! Hey all, Today is Book Release Day! Finally. I just checked my email to see when Broadleaf first reached out and it was just about 18 months ago to the day. Honestly, I thought it was many more years ago, but I guess time drags on when you’re having fun. I am so grateful for all of the ways that so many of you have walked with me through the project: from its initial conception, to its initial rejection, to its championing, to its completion, and now to its release. It has been a ride. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/dcac1b66-e0d5-475e-b84a-9ca27d556cb0_3655x2725-jpeg.jpg) If you preordered a copy of the book\*, it would be awesome of you could post a picture sometime on Tuesday, March 5th so we can really blow out launch day! And if you are in the area, stop by the [Book Release Party](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/784153142157?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=reyes-chow.com) on Tuesday night in JTown in San Francisco. If you have yet to grab a copy, we are encouraging folks to buy and review it [on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and also rate and review [on Amazon](https://amzn.to/49UO0Ht?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com). Of course, if you buy multiple copies and help the Amazon algorithm gremlins drop my title into the sea of different Christian perspectives, that would not be hated. [Rate and Review on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Buy and Review on Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Buy and Review on Amazon](https://amzn.to/4c14b80?ref=reyes-chow.com) If you have In the meantime, you can see [the reel I just created with the initial endorsements](https://www.instagram.com/p/C4HadnHp5KO/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and/or follow me on Instagram for all of the release day activities. Finally, in gratitude for everyone who helped get this monstrosity of love across the finish line, below is the *Acknowledgments* section from the book. > *People.* The people and communities who have helped to shape and form my theological perspectives and political personality are too numerous to name. From church sanctuary to soccer sideline to school communities, I am grateful for all of those who have poured their wisdom, courage, challenge, and comfort into my particular journey of faith and relationship to God. > > *Places.* For all of the places where I found myself writing, editing, and planting my face on the tabletop when the words would not come: First and foremost for this book, Spectra Coffee in San Jose, where the staff are lovely, the coffee tasty, and the culinary magicians in the kitchen conjure up the best avocado toast ever; Happy Girl Kitchen in Pacific Grove, where, again, the avocado toast is scrumptious and they make the best bread; Captain Stokers in Monterey, where the avocado bowl has been mastered (yes, I know, I have an avocado problem); Java Café in Maui, where I spent many early morning vacation hours writing, fueled by iced coffee, smoked salmon bagels, and time away from those pesky “tourists”; Pioneer Café in the Yucca Valley, where the lox bagel is amazing; multiple Starbucks, where I get my “iced chocolate almond milk shaken espresso with an extra shot of malt” comfort beverage; Philz Coffee in general, with a special shoutout to the Middlefield location in Palo Alto; Obet & Del’s in Los Angeles, where the Filipino iced coffee is masarap; and all of the other random cafés, coffee shops, and tea houses around the country where I may have parked for an hour or six. These “third spaces” in society are a balm to the wounds of worldly division, and I am grateful for all of those who fill this vital role. > > *Pups.* And yes, as always, my puppers, Vespa the English Bull Terrier and Bernie the Beagador. While Bernie shows his love through his consistent grumpy old man vibes, Vespa helped to nurse me through my Covid recovery and subsequent long Covid terribleness. She was always willing to stare at my incessant and annoying Instagram reel-making in exchange for a good snuggle on the couch or a bully stick. I’m not sure how many more books Vespa will help to write, but it’s safe to say that pup has been a balm to my spirit and soul. > > *Valerie:* the depth of gratitude that I have for my editor is immeasurable. She championed this project from the beginning, quickly grasped my voice and intentions, pushed and prodded me with compassion, eased my tender author anxieties more than once, and helped to bring clarity to this book beyond what I could have imagined. Thank you, Valerie! > > Lastly, much love to my spouse, Robin, and my three children, Annie, Abby, and Ev, for their patience, support, and love **\*If you preordered and would like a signed bookplate, email me with “Signed Bookplate” in the subject line and include your mailing address. I’ll send those out as long as I have them.** [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) ### Palestine Updates Problem URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/palestine-updates-problem/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:12.000Z Hey all, Apologies for not posting here during my trip. I have been able to post daily on my Instagram, but we have problems with Google photos and some wifi issues. I begin my journey home tomorrow and pray for an uneventful journey home I will do a report and reflection when I have more consistent WiFi. In the meantime, check out my daily posts and other things on [my Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Peace, Bruce ### I am in Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-in-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:12.000Z Never before has Kairos time (a right moment) been more evident than in the past few weeks. While prepping for[ my biggest book endeavor and its release in a few weeks](https://www.reyes-chow.com/unboxing-everything-good-about-god/), a far less glamorous but exponentially more meaningful invitation was extended to me — to be part of a [Solidarity with the Suffering Delegation to Palestine and Israel](https://www.theipmn.org/blog/solidarity-with-the-suffering?ref=reyes-chow.com). Truth be told, it is wildly inconvenient and strains some resources\*, but when discussing whether or not I would accept, [my spouse](https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-gross-and-mushy-letter-to-my-wife/) both felt the same way, "How could I not?" If we are connected online or in person, you know that I've been trying to faithfully and publicly live out what I believe it means to stand on the right side of history when it comes to what is happening in Gaza, and this is one more opportunity to do so. If you're getting this message, it means that the delegation has safely arrived in Palestine and we have begin our time together. Sponsored by the [Israel/Palestine Mission Network](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), this is a delegation of Presbyterians responding to an invitation from the [Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Kairos Palestine](https://www.kairospalestine.ps/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We are not here to speak on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Rather we are here to speak TO our Christian siblings, Presbyterian and beyond. To be clear, we're not here to save anyone or to get in the way; we're here to express solidarity, to learn from those doing the work locally, to amplify further what is going on, and to do our part to help move the needle towards an end to the suffering and violence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6704a2ab-f2fa-4331-afea-83c8534d73cf_760x427-jpeg.jpg) [Follow IPMN on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ipmn%5Fpcusa?ref=reyes-chow.com) We will not share live details of our location and activities, but we will send updates and reports about what we see and hear during the trip with the main purposes of the trip during and after: - to express solidarity with all who are suffering in Palestine and Israel during this time of immense violence, - to demand an end to Israel’s genocidal bombardment of Gaza and an end to Israel’s systematic ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and the release of all Palestinian prisoners held unlawfully by Israel; - and to call for an end to Hamas’ acts of horrendous violence against civilians and the return of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas. See full statement of purpose. We hope you will join us from wherever you are and amplify the stories we share. For delegation updates, follow and subscribe to all of the IPMN socials (Links below). I will share daily posts, stories, and reels via[ @beyeschow on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I will also share longer reflections here for paid subscribers, but to build a bit of a buffer between me and the hate gremlins, it will only be available to paid subscribers (**Get your** [**60-Day Trial Subscription**](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/BRC60DayTrial)). [Follow Bruce on IG](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) This may be the first time you know anybody who will witness firsthand some of what is happening in this part of the world. I covet your prayer for our delegation as well as for the safety of the region, but I hope that you not only pray, but also act up and speak out with courage and faith to remind your communities, your church leaders, and your public servants that the occupation, death, and destruction must end if liberation, peace, and healing are to begin. Peace — Bruce **CONNECT TO IPMN:** - Website: [https://www.theipmn.org](https://www.theipmn.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/ipmn\_pcusa](https://www.instagram.com/ipmn%5Fpcusa/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - X: [https://twitter.com/ipmn](https://twitter.com/ipmn?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CONNECT WITH ME:** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Threads: [https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CONNECT WITH SABEEL** - Website: [https://sabeel.org](https://sabeel.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/sabeelelquds](https://www.instagram.com/sabeelelquds?ref=reyes-chow.com) - X: [https://twitter.com/SabeelJerusalem](https://twitter.com/SabeelJerusalem?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CONNECT WITH KAIROS PALESTINE** - Website: [https://www.kairospalestine.ps](https://www.kairospalestine.ps/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- ***\*If you would like to help support me in this endeavor, here is a link to do so:*** [Contribute on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/something-important-brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### A Gross and Mushy Letter to My Wife URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-gross-and-mushy-letter-to-my-wife/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:25:31.000Z Recently, my wife and I have taken to comparing our Spotify Daylists (Okay, I have been asking, “So what’s your Daylist called"?), and they have been turning out about as expected. Married 33+ years ([See cheesy Anniversary Reel](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0TuJ1tr6Fk/?ref=reyes-chow.com)), we have different tastes in a great many things: music, food, television shows, and what constitutes “too many” hats, plants, bags, or puppies. Seeing the differences in our musical tastes and with Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought, what better opportunity to mortify my spouse by professing my love and gratitude to dozens of people? And I have the perfect thing. Not sure if you have heard, but [I have a new book coming out](https://www.reyes-chow.com/unboxing-everything-good-about-god/) 😂 and part of an early version included me being me at my mushiest. It did not make sense to include the letter, but since Robin approved it for the world to see, I am not wasting the chance to share it publicly. Before you read the letter, I want to be clear about two things: - Marriage is not for everyone. We often say to our children, “Should marriage be in your future . . .” without any assumptions about their lifelong relationship and reject the notion that marriage is an ideal that everyone should strive to attain. - FTR, we do not generally celebrate Valentine's Day as an act of rebellion, but also because every day is Valentine's Day in my heart. That said, I do get a little mushy from time to time. Now on to the letter. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. > Dear Robin, > > I know what you're thinking. "Oh no, Bruce is being super public about our family and lives again." \*Shudder\* \*Cringe\* \*Hide\* > > Never fear, no TMI about you, I just wanted to take this moment to reflect a bit on why I believe our marriage has lasted as long as it has; and why, while I may not always show it to the best of my ability, every day over these past three decades plus, I completely and consistently choose you. > > I make this choice not out of obligation, not with expectation, and not because of inertia. From first breath to evening's rest, out of deep gratitude, I yearn for you, I love you, and I choose you. > > I am grateful for your being and your presence. > > I am grateful for your wit, your snark, and your laughter. > > I am grateful for your love of learning and teaching. > > I am grateful for your patience and deliberation. > > I am grateful for your generosity of spirit. > > I am grateful for your willingness to adventure and explore. > > I am grateful for your passion to right what is wrong in the world. > > I am grateful for your loyalty to your family and friends. > > I am grateful for your care and compassion for others and for me in times of suffering and struggle. > > I am grateful for your body, your heart, your mind, your soul. > > I am grateful for the trusting, contented, and fulfilling life we have grown into together. > > Lastly, while I am also profoundly grateful that you tolerate my collection of baseball hats, my growing houseplant jungle, and my inability to prepare a meal for less than an entire soccer team, I am most grateful that you have lovingly and fully given space for me to grow into who God has called and is calling me to become. > > I am not committed to you because I expect something in return. Our relationship is not transactional. I am committed to you in response to all that you have been for me. While you have not always understood or even agreed with my ideas, you have allowed room for me to discern and reflect. While I know that my ideas can sometimes be out there, you have been open to wild adventures that never came to fruition. And while I know that you value stability, you have been willing to take giant steps with me professionally and personally without any guarantees for outcomes or destinations. > > I hope that I have provided the same space for you that you have done for me. I thank God for our life together and am so grateful for you. > > Love, > > Bruce If you have someone in your life who has genuinely supported you in your journey to be and become who God hopes and intends, be sure to thank them via a phone call, meal, or mushy open letter to the world. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9199d203-dea3-43b8-a87a-ebe134639d85_1440x1440-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0BAeg%5FuShI/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Book Release Party and Reel Landings URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/book-release-party-and-reel-landings/ Last updated: 2024-02-08T17:30:53.000Z While life has been a tad bit frenzied here the past few days with [power out and trees downed](https://www.instagram.com/p/C28hF8fP1Rh/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), it has been wonderful seeing the launch team share their [unboxing videos](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18006895636739902/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (They start at about #10). Miracle of all miracles, I also managed to get the invitation out for the Official Book Release Party in San Francisco that will take place on March 5, 2024\. Cue confetti! If you are in the area or know of anyone who is, please send the [Eventbrite Listing](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/everything-good-about-god-is-true-choosing-faith-book-release-party-tickets-784153142157?aff=efbevent&fbclid=IwAR104Zasmg9j4NxL6DS50FhqwiQMWN%5FKMoeHaqF-2PZ%5FrfGlqpqbkX92hTQ&ref=reyes-chow.com) and if you are on the BookFace, please go ahead and check out, click, or share [the event listing](https://www.facebook.com/events/1302089710627746). Free tickets are available and books will be on sale there, but for $25 folks will get a copy of the book AND a specially created beverage from [Fermentation Lab](https://www.fermlabsf.com/home-jtown?ref=reyes-chow.com). This is also the kick-off to a [four-month book tour adventure](https://www.reyes-chow.com/2024-book-tour/) quickly taking shape. Take a look at the schedule, and if there are some of you in places where I am still looking, hit me up. I’m looking at you Columbus, Kansas City, Nashville, and more! From the video > Hey y'all, we are just about a month from the official release of Everything Good about God is True, and I wanted to make a special invitation for you all to come to the launch party, which is going to be at the Fermentation Lab in J Town in San Francisco, 6 o'clock on March 5th. > > You can buy your tickets at Eventbrite. You can find all the links there. You can pre purchase your book. You can bring your own book if you pre ordered it. There's going to also be plenty of copies of all the other books that I've written and some other swag and all that kind of thing. Would just love to see you. There's free tickets. There's paid tickets. > > If you buy a ticket, you're also going to get a special beverage that is going to be specially created for this event. So, I encourage you, hope to see you March 5th at six o'clock at Fermentation Lab. And if you've never been there, it's brand new. Try to go early, stay after. The food is great. The drinks are great. But if not six o'clock, six o'clock to eight o'clock on Tuesday, March 5th. > > See you there for the book release party of Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. See you there. Thanks. You will also see an announcement about something much more meaningful happening, so if you want to join in [here is a teaser](https://gofund.me/b1897389?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Should I Speak Up and Act Out? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/speak-out-and-act-out/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:14.000Z While most directly related to how folks are deciding whether or not to speak out about what is happening in Gaza, this weekend, I posted some of the questions that I ask myself when deciding if, how, or when to speak out or act up in times of political, social, or cultural turmoil. This is how I navigate moral chaos and try to make faithful and just decisions. #### **WHY AM I HESITATING?** *What gives me pause?* *What am I afraid of?* *What am I realistically risking?* #### WHAT IS MY SPIRIT SAYING? *My heart?* *My mind?* *My gut?* *My soul?* #### WHAT ARE THOSE AROUND ME SAYING? *Trusted resources?* *Trusted colleagues?* *Trusted friends?* *Faithful ancestors?* #### WHAT IS MY FAITH SAYING? *Prayer and reflection?* *Sacred texts and rituals?* *Called community?* *My God?* #### AM I ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY? AM I COMPLICIT IF I DON'T SPEAK OUT OR ACT UP? AM I ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY? WHEN MY FUTURE ANCESTORS REFLECT ON MY ACTIONS WILL THEY FEEL LAMENT AND SHAME OR RELIEF AND PRIDE? AM I LISTENING TO THE CALL OF THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY MY ACTION OR INACTION? In a time when there is no shortage of injustices in the world, I hope these questions will help you discern how, when, and if you will add your voice and presence to the many others already in the fight. You can see the posts on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C2sP4w1h-ue/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com) (Images below), [Reels](https://www.instagram.com/p/C2qbmrgMaLv/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/reel/692356193066275), and [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7329251555109063982?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com). The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8f75effe-ebc5-4b58-abeb-743d03722974_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8c18fd38-b3c3-4628-9658-ae69566888eb_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0d3f55f6-9cb0-4a19-9499-a421fefdbed3_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5261e8c6-dc79-4f34-9462-cbd4dc2ca3ed_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b9d1d943-3d60-4ed0-845f-26430e4caaca_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/966085bb-efa5-4a3e-a0b0-c68050c53a72_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/11c1de32-40fb-450c-845a-c0685bb2ab7c_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cad3ed95-b346-4ae3-9d1d-47ef5a66d9f4_1080x1080.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5e02f37c-d89b-493a-a3ea-a4a1596cdb59_1080x1080.png) Discernment Questions ### Today I Listened to the Rain URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/today-i-listened-to-the-rain/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:15.000Z Excuse the unfinished backyard, but take a listen. Memories are a strange thing. Both sweet and startling, I have had memories flood back into my view multiple times this week. These did not paralyze me or trigger any traumatic reactions, but they did jolt me enough to make me pause, breathe, and remember. The first was the sweetest. As I ate my softboiled eggs and drank coffee from a mug that lived in my grandparents’ kitchen for years, I could only think back to the weekends, as a child, that I spent with them in Stockton, CA. Eating softboiled eggs was something that my Grandpa Chow would do each morning. I would climb up onto the vinyl, padded, swivel barstool and belly up to the speckled, avocado green, tiled countertop. Grandma would serve us each an egg in a special holder (Who even knew those existed?) and the ritual would begin. Grandpa taught me how to carefully crack the egg right in the middle, slowly rotating it while tapping the shell with a spoon to make the perfectly straight crack like a belt around the egg. We then carefully pulled off the top and added a couple of shakes of salt. And then the payoff, slurp the yolk and carve out the rest with the spoon. Oh, so good. I don’t have the fancy holders, so this morning, I had to take my time. The dogs must have wondered why I was staring at my eggs so long, “Maybe he’s thinking about giving it to us!” Not a chance canines, not a chance. Oh, those were good times. I do miss that big, silent, soft-boiled egg-eating guy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/981e64b8-ac76-48fe-95a1-1e766d557524_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The next memory was not so sweet. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Part 1: After my bout with Covid and [subsequent Long Covid journey](https://www.reyes-chow.com/long-covid-update-2024/), coughing makes me nervous. I have been sick this week, and of course, it’s a cough. While I am not sure that it rises to the level of PTSD, even after testing to make sure that it is not COVID, RSV, or the Flu, without even thinking, I have been measuring my breathing just to make sure that I still could. At my worst during COVID, I could only say 2-3 words before running out of breath, and just like that, those memories came back. Breath in. Breath out. All good. Part 2: My doctor went ahead and prescribed me something for the cough. And yep, the very same thing that was given to me during my Covid time. It is not anything more than a cough suppressant, but I was on it for months after I got out of the hospital; the “pearls” were my friend as I struggled to regain my aforementioned breath. It was so weird; even as I picked it up from the pharmacy, the mere mention of the drug itself sent shivers up my spine. I had to tell myself, “All good, same drug, common drug, not for Covid, just for cough.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/4902a2c4-2763-4f97-82a2-202d4a92c8ff_3577x2012-jpeg.jpg) Add that on top of all the things in the world that are worthy of attention and energy, it became abundantly clear that I needed to pause and take a breath — so I stood at our back door and stared at the rain. To my Gen X brain, rain is either [*Purple*](https://youtu.be/ryT-ltTDCko?si=oG3dguU94X28pZiY&ref=reyes-chow.com) or to [*Blame*](https://youtu.be/BI5IA8assfk?si=Jyl2Fff83l2flIOk&ref=reyes-chow.com), but on this particular morning, as I stood at our back window, it was a hearty and healthy reminder of renewal and the need for us sometimes to simply be still. I didn’t try to do anything to or with the memories; I just let them settle in my soul as I listened to rain. When emotions flood us, it is tempting to push and power through as if we are somehow immune from the impacts of our past. Sometimes our memories will require deep and extensive work to understand them, but more often, they simply need to be held with tenderness and care. Our memories give our lives depth and texture. They are a record of choices, experiences, love, loss, laughter, and all that makes life so beautifully complex and colorful. Sometimes, all that is required of our memories is to remember them. While I am still hacking like a smoking sailor of old and frightening the dogs, I am allowing myself to go ahead and check my breathing from time to time. At the same time, whether it is napping in his La-Z-Boy or slurping egg yolks, I am holding the memories of Grandpa Chow just as tenderly because both the sweet and the startling have played a part in molding and shaping my life. And the wonderful thing is that these two brief moments of remembrance, along with so many other memories past or still yet to be made, will continue to do so. Breath in. Breath out. All good. ### Unboxing "Everything Good about God is True" URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/unboxing-everything-good-about-god/ Last updated: 2024-01-20T02:02:04.000Z Sorry, I have no chill, so I'm sending a late-night post. Ignore the casual waving of the box cutter if you can, no one was hurt in the making of this video :-) Look what showed up today and welcome to our dining room/coffee bar. > Take 354 before I actually unbox these books. Today's the day. I'm pretty sure these are the author copies for my new book, *Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith.* I will say that it is hard to be really excited with so much pain and suffering in the world today. Genocide in Gaza, mass shootings in the United States, and an ongoing struggle for so many simply to survive. > > That said, I am also very grateful for all of those who have stood by me during this project and my life that has culminated with this audacious project to lay out a Christian faith that is not based on what we don't believe, but about what we do. About a God that is loving and kind, expansive, just, and good. > > So let's open it up and see what these look like. Here we go. > > Oh, Broadleaf double boxed. Here we go. > > There we go. There it is. Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith. I'm really excited about it. Oh, it actually feels really good to hold. It's a matte finish. Lovely. > > And it comes out March 5th, 2024\. So if you have any podcasts, anything you want me to come on and talk about this book, I am ready to talk about it because I'm excited about this project. > > Again, thank you to Broadleaf and everybody who has helped to support this. Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith comes out March 5th, 2024\. Peace. --- **See reviews and blurbs** [**here**](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/everything-good-about-god-is-true?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcome=true)**.** **Pre-order and purchase wherever you buy books:** [**Amazon**](https://amzn.to/3QRAOwn?ref=reyes-chow.com)**,** [**BookShop**](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** **For bulk discounts** [**contact Alyssa Miller at Broadleaf**](mailto:millera@broadleafbooks.com)**.** #GoodGodBRC #EverythingGoodAboutGodIsTrue The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### Greeting Card Alley 2024 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/greetings-card-alley-2024/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:16.000Z While we gave up the practice years ago (I might have a Filemaker Pro address list somewhere), we love receiving holiday cards and letters each and every year. Previously, we had hung them on a string and then took them down each year, but when we moved into our home in San Jose in the Spring of 2022, we discovered a great place to put the cards, right in our entryway. Please excuse the zebra mirrors; this place is heavily 70’s themed at the moment. Anyhoo, last year, as we de-holidayed the place, we decided to leave all the cards up. While I could pretend that this was done after some deep reflection on a new centering tradition, the truth is, I looked at the wall and was too lazy to take all the cards down. A day turned into a week, and a week turned into a month, so for an entire year, every time we came home, friends, families, pets, and organizations greeted us with cheesy smiles, lovely words, and reminders that we were connected to many lovely humans and important organizations. Welp, in the grand church spirit of doing something one time and calling it tradition, the new cards have been hung and a new year of greetings awaits! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5bc90f5f-717a-4648-a175-8c8c048567c9_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fc5a5b8a-52fa-4ba9-92f2-7c50377dc57f_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/de8e6114-b831-4cf3-b54a-678053417290_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) Greeting Card Alley Thanks for sharing your lives with us! [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) ### I Do Care How You Say Goodbye URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/i-do-care-how-you-say-goodbye/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:17.000Z This weekend our family gathered to celebrate the life of my mother-in-law, Joan Natz. [After a fall and a brief hospital stay](https://www.reyes-chow.com/waiting-in-the-hospital-room/), she died in [October of 2023](https://www.instagram.com/p/CySHVBcLG4B/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com). After the holidays and before grandkids kids head back to school, this weekend we were finally able to gather to remember and celebrate her life. She would have been thrilled with the vibe, the family gathered, the storytelling, the laughter, and the country steakhouse setting. Yes, many tears were shed, but all were borne out of a deep appreciation for a life well lived and a love shared abundantly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2f51c433-6418-4c30-b43a-074ab98c19af_1440x809.webp) the family gathered, The day itself was perfect, not because every detail came off without a hitch, but because without exception, folks remarked, “She would have loved this.” Ineeded, she would have been thrilled with the vibe: family and friends reconnected and laughed a lot, we ate steak and potatoes surrounded by all the country steakhouse kitsch befitting Grandma Joan, and we told stories about how she has overcome so much and influenced each person’s life. She was not a traditional rule-breaker, and would have been easy to pigeonhole, but she overcame so much in her life. To see some of that in the generations to follow is not a surprise. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9c6c87bd-495c-4f75-84ac-6a34a022562e_1440x809.webp) All five of the “pugh” grandkids were there. Here with proud Poppa. Reflecting on the day, I can’t help but think of the times I have heard people say about their memorials, “I don’t care what you do; I won’t be there.” I get it. Folks don’t want to inconvenience their families by adding complex event planning to the weight of their grief or make people sit through a ceremony that is not authentic to who they are, but let me be clear family and friends — I do care. In no particular order, here is what I want. - **I want people fed.** Please feed yourselves and not just metaphorically; belly-sticking, well-plated, joy-giving food and drink should be abundant. My requests include but are not limited to: kamayan style feasting, ube lattes, good coffee, diet coke, my grandfather’s chicken adobo, my grandmother’s dim sum, my guacamole, my spinach dip, prime rib, fully-loaded baked potatoes, and whatever else my family decides will feed and bring joy to your soul. - **I want people to groove.** Please let the music pump. If you need traditional music for the service, I do love me some *Come Labor On* (On the organ), *Here I Am* (But not the funeral dirge version), and if you end the service by holding hands in a circle singing *Seek Ye First* as my home church does, I wouldn’t hate that. But please do not be limited by church music. My kids know that I love a good funk, slow jam, or power ballad, so if some New Edition, Adele, Earth Wind & Fire, Bruno Mars, or Whitney Houston made it in, I would also not hate that. Lastly, if the Electric Slide breaks out, all the better. You know who you are. - **I want people to believe I believed.** No, this is not a “make sure folks know Jesus,” time, but I do want folks to know that my faith was not obligatory. My commitment to justice in the world came out of a deep trust in the idea that there is always the possibility that new life emerges from death. I lived my life driven by the audacious belief that God’s possibilities were far more than I could even imagine. In a world where so much pain is so very possible, I am a resurrection person because it seems so impossible. I do not know what eternal life looks like, but I believe I’ll be chilling in some form with the OG’s after I am gone. - **I want people to grieve how and as they need.** Whoever is still around when I finally go, I wish for you the time and patience to grieve as you need. Yes, I am assuming that I will age with a delightfulness that warrants genuine grief, so just go with it. By the time it's my time, I also assume that their world will not have learned how to slow down and breathe, so please be revolutionary and rebellious in your grief. When others expect you to be a certain way that is not genuine to your grief, do not give in: embrace the laughter when it bellows out, own the ugly crying when the tears and snot flow, take a pause when waves of sadness hit unexpectedly, and be tender, always be tender with yourself and with others. I want my celebration to be one more reminder of how I tried to live, what brought me joy, and what I hope will live on in others. Just as we did this weekend as we said our farewells to Grandma Joan, after my celebration of life, with full bellies and fuller spirits, I hope people will say, “He would have loved this.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2272b4e6-9629-482e-84c1-6f8a328f484a_1440x808.webp) Rest in Peace Joan The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### Long Covid Update 2024 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/long-covid-update-2024/ Last updated: 2025-07-05T00:33:16.000Z Hey ya'll, with a new year upon us, I figured it was a good time to give a little update on the long COVID situation. I know many of you have been walking with me since I was hospitalized and scared everybody a few years ago. You can see the whole journey [in this post](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745?r=1pxw5n&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcome=true), but I want to update you now that we are a few years out. So I would love to say everything's back to normal and everything's fine, but the reality is it's not. It's been hard, but I think firmly saying that I have COVID is not debilitating like many others, but I continue to do blood tests for a few numbers that are a little weird. Doctors are not concerned, but we are monitoring some things for me. Most of my long COVID is about needing to be discerning about the energy I put into the world. Whether it's exercise or whether it's work or family or whatever. And so I have dived into a bit of spoon theory, for those of you who know what that is and are trying to tend to my time. Now, of course, we should all do that, and I hope that people don't need to wait until something kind of life-shattering happens to make that kind of change. But for me, this is beyond just, I think, getting older and needing to rest and slow down. Every day, there is a point where my body just kind of shuts down. And so I used just to think, Oh, I just need to nap every day. But I really sleep every day in the middle of the day deeply. So usually an hour to an hour and a half that I just need to do. Occasionally I can skip it, but it really doesn't. And so I think my numbers and things that are a little strange for me manifest themselves and need to really take that rest. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2a1902c7-9f8f-4e58-8a84-3937656a11a8_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Nurse Vespa during one of our daily sleeps that we take in my gpa One, you probably do know other people besides me who have long COVID. Two, let them figure it out. One of the least helpful things though, I know it's offered in such good intention is unsolicited advice about long COVID because there are so many ways that it manifests itself, there's really no one thing. So everybody's trying to figure it out. Three, I would say hold in deep, tender prayer those for whom long COVID really is debilitating. There are groups that I'm in that people still have headaches and weakness and really have chronic fatigue in a way that does not allow them to do some of the things that I'm able to do. And fourth, any chance you can fight for a living wage and healthcare that is not tied to employment and health care for everyone because I have the luxury and the privilege to deal with the things that I do because I have health care and because I'm in a position where I can take time off and away and not have to work 10 hours a day and not have to do all those things that only exacerbate long COVID symptoms. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. So, I'm doing as well as can be; I hesitate again to say it's back to normal. As my doctors say to me every time I meet with them, how are you feeling? And I say I'm feeling fine. And she's like, great. And then, as my numbers still have not changed, she just says, well, Maybe this is just your new normal, and we go on from here, and that's kind of where we are. So I am tending to myself. I am, you know, living into whatever this new thing is and exercising a lot, trying to really tend to my body, getting a lot of writing and working done, back in the church part-time, trying to tend to family and house and really, living a life of harmony. Again, not because my body told me to, but because I need to, otherwise I'm not good for anyone. So there's a long COVID story without any peaks and valleys, but I think for most people who have it. You have to deal with this kind of silent reality every day. So, if you have it, I hear you, I see you, and if you need to reach out and want to talk more, please do. If you are wondering about others, just check in on them. Don't try to fix them, don't try to offer too many, Um, uh, ideas about how they can get better, but just check on folks, acknowledge that maybe they're going through something that they aren't letting other people see or, or don't feel it's appropriate to have other people see. So again, I appreciate everybody who has walked with me over the years on this. Again, thanks for the support here on substack and in other places over the years. I'm looking forward to doing some really good stuff and this 2024, and I'm glad you are with me. Peace. --- ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Reel Recap: December 2023 Edition URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/the-reel-recap-december-2023-edition/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:19.000Z I have definitely upped my video game to close out 2023, but rather than flood your substack threads with these vids, I will provide a monthly recap. As always, the algorithm elves love to be fed reactions, comments, and reposts, so if you are willing and able, any interaction over on IG or TK would be much appreciated. You can find, browse, share, like, and comment on videos via [my Reels on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels/?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [Videos on TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), but here is a quick summary of my December offerings (13 in the past month, stats at the bottom of this post) from newest to oldest: - **12.31.23:** Sunday Reflection on Habits, Rites, and Rituals \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1h72jYPsiN/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7318854430441458987?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.28.23:** Advice for Congregants frustrated that their pastors have not spoken out about what is happening in Palestine \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1awgP5yyQs/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7317821758759882026?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.24.23:** 4tt/last Sunday Advent Reflection on Hope and Despair \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1P52Qivoj8/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7316255511253454123?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.22.23:** My challenge and encouragement to my pastoral colleagues to speak out and call for a ceasefire in Palestine \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1L33tIylZO/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7315674763278732590?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.17.23:** 3rd Sunday Advent Reflection on Peace and the need for an absence of war in Gaza \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C096W11P0ae/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7313662102768553259?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.16.23:** Some reflection on family during the holiday season \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C07l-hxPKIR/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7313328208773090606?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.15.23:** Reflections on antisemitism, islamophobia, racism, and Christian “persecution” \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C05Fea0P75r/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7312969129391033642?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.14.23:** A reminder to support writers and authors in your circle \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C02THB5S7v-/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7312565949889203502?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.12.23:** A question to pro-ceasefire Christian leaders who have not spoken out publicly \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0xr6owrYdU/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7311900321524010283?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.10.23:** 2nd Sunday Advent Reflection on finding Joy through connections with others \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0r2F0qPvDY/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7311059421575105834?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.09.23:** A question about tips and tricks for others who create reels and TikToks \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0pSctiPFch/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7310691085968264494?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.03.23:** 1st Sunday Advent primer and matching cup/shirt model \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Z0NOQPvcC/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7308581107031723310?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - **12.01.23:** 33rd Wedding Anniversary \[[reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0TuJ1tr6Fk/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7307588081278897450?is%5Ffrom%5Fwebapp=1&sender%5Fdevice=pc&web%5Fid=7312258691373057582&ref=reyes-chow.com)\] The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### Instagram and Tiktok Stats Keep in mind that I am still a baby video creator. TikTok Stats for December [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/281bfbef-3a7d-436d-9e3b-1fcf4e392a4b_2152x1446.png)](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram stats for December: Reels, Stories, and Posts. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c9a929c4-85e5-4fd5-9d5a-1999be621c08_1266x1320.png)](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels/?ref=reyes-chow.com) And for you creators out there I use [Descript on my desktop](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [Blink.ai on my phone](https://www.blinkvideo.ai/?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### HNY and a 90 Day Free Trial URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hny-and-a-90-day-free-trial/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:19.000Z Greetings all! Despite so much pain in the world, I hope folks have had a meaningful New Year transition into 2024. While I am personally allergic to year-in-reviews or future-year intentions posts,I am not allergic to blatantly bribing folks to try out a paid subscription. **Through January 7, 2024,** [**get your free 90-day trial paid subscription!**](#/portal/signup) In 2024 I will share more personal reflections and updates (Long Covid Update coming soon), behind-the-scenes book stuff, and who knows what else. As a paid subscriber, you can also access the entire archive and comment on posts. With my rhythm of speaking, writing, and bridge pastoring, your support helps to fill in the crack of my gig life, so I am grateful for your support, paid or otherwise. I hope the sampling over the next few months will make it worth continuing your subscription. [Get 90 day free trial](#/portal/signup) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/97474fad-f0bb-4638-a1f4-3624fea2beca_1500x100.png) ### BRC & Friends: Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-sheila-m-beckford/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:20.000Z And with this post, the BRC & Friends 2023 season has ended. See you all next year when we will sit down with even more amazing humans! Please be sure to subscribe [**wherever you get podcasts for your ears**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e6fd13d2-52b0-4865-b35b-5eb9caeefe7f_1500x1000.png) On today's Episode of BRC and Friends, Bruce sits down with Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder Co-Authors of the 4Reals series, “Anti-Racism 4reals: Real Talk with Real Strategies in Real Time for Real Change” and “Doing Anti-Racist Business: Dislodging and Dismantling Racism with the 4reals”. Not only do we talk about how their process of moving organizations to be antiracist is different than the approach of DEI, but they also talk about their very funny origin story, parents dancing on TikTok, and so much more. They obviously had a great time, and you will too! Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to the conversation with Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder. Listen here or [subscribe wherever you get podcasts for tour earholes.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **JUST BUY THEIR BOOKS ALREADY** [*Doing Anti-Racist Business: Dislodging and Dismantling Racism with the 4reals*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827206816?ref=reyes-chow.com) [*Anti-Racism 4reals: Real Talk with Real Strategies in Real Time for Real Change*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201026?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **CONNECT WITH SHEILA** [*Sheila on Instagram*](https://www.instagram.com/sheila.beckford/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **CONNECT WITH MICHELLE** [*Michelle on Instagram*](https://www.instagram.com/emichelleledder/?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are made possible through your financial and viewing support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### It's Time! Join the Book Launch Team URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/final-call-book-launch-team/ Last updated: 2023-12-28T20:55:52.000Z Greetings all, this week after Christmas. Well, you know what? We are almost to release time. We are just a few months away from the March 5th release of [*Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?ref=reyes-chow.com) and I'm excited that we are now putting together the official book launch team. **The Launch team is limited to 35**, so you will get a free copy of the book if you can commit to the following: 1. Post and tag on your socials before the release date, maybe a reveal when you receive your early copy. 2. Post and tag on your socials on release day. 3. Leave a review [on Amazon](https://amzn.to/48fHOJy?ref=reyes-chow.com), plus any other spaces, [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com), [B&N](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everything-good-about-god-is-true-bruce-reyes-chow/1143642962?ref=reyes-chow.com), etc. 4. If you are on GR, [do all the things on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com). 5. If you want to do anything else, frosting. ***~~The paywall will be removed once the 35 slots have been taken.~~*** **Thanks to the 35 who joined the team!** We just need your address and your Instagram handle so I can do some shoutouts. The first 35 people who can commit to those things fill out the form, and we'll send those books out to you as soon as they are ready in the next month or so. Again, I'm so grateful for those walking with me through the past years. I'm really excited. I think it's a great addition to all the conversations about faith these days. Thanks again, Bruce [Join the Book Launch Team](https://forms.gle/Swe5JzuP2XjwjSSDA?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### If Not Now, When? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-not-now-when/ Last updated: 2023-12-23T06:37:56.000Z This video is also posted on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C1L33tIylZO/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow/video/7315674763278732590?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Youtube](https://youtu.be/9fkgapoCVNs?ref=reyes-chow.com) if you could like/share from those platforms. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider a free or paid subscription. Transcription > If you are a pastor who believes that there needs to be a permanent ceasefire in Palestine, and you have not shared your position in public or with those whom you were called to serve, I'm here to remind you that it is never too late. > > To be clear, this is not a message to shame or litmus test your political or theological credentials, but an encouragement and nudge to think about your place as a pastor, preacher, and leader in this moment. > > When your future congregants, colleagues, and ancestors ask, "What did you do during the genocide in Palestine?" There are really only two answers if you believe what is happening is wrong, "It was never enough, but I did what I could." or "I knew it was wrong, and I still did nothing." > > Now, I don't pretend that there is no risk to you, but here's the thing, when you choose to be public in sharing what you believe is right: from the pulpit, through a prayer, or at a protest, it is that very risking that makes your voice that much more compelling to the people who look to you for leadership. > > So I encourage you, I plead with you, I pray for you. I hope that you will join the many who are already publicly speaking out to influence their communities, placing their bodies on the line to maintain public pressure, and screaming compassion and humanity in the face of war and violence. > > On what side of history will you choose to stand, and if not now, when? ### Tech Tips: Descript Eye Contact AI URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/tech-tips-descript-eye-contact-ai/ Last updated: 2025-07-05T00:38:36.000Z For the past few months, I have been playing around with [Descript](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) as a video/audio software that does transcription, sound, video, etc. Overall, I am pretty impressed as it has allowed me to edit my podcasts a little faster. The transcription process is pretty good (see below), and the caption feature is excellent (see second video). Today I am trying the new AI Eye Contact feature. Here we go. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support. Consider [becoming a free or paid subscriber](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com). 0:00 /0:42 1× ***Transcript by Descript*** > Hey all. As you know, I've been trying to do a little bit more video on Reels and TikTok, and now I have this kind of over the top setup in my office as well with the digital camera that is filming me right now. One of the things that I've always tried to figure out though is how to keep eye contact. > > You can use a teleprompter or there are other ways to do it, but if you're reading a script with a piece of paper or you're reading your screen or you're looking over here, oftentimes that's easier than doing a teleprompter and I want to still make eye contact. Well The script now has this artificial intelligence eye corrector thing, which I'm trying out with this video. > > And so right now I'm taking this whole thing, looking at my screen. The next one we'll see after it's fixed. So let's see what it looks like. ***With captions and AI Eye Contact enabled, the same video from above.*** 0:00 /0:42 1× Okay, that’s a wee bit creepy, especially that one part where Discript gives me lizard eyes, but overall, it's pretty good. I think I have to adjust my head tilt a bit, but even with a teleprompter, I suspect most folks won’t even notice. So the big question is, does it matter? Is there something about the unproduced vibe that can be endearing or is the non-eye-contact distracting from the words being spoken? Personally, I think two issues create a less-than-ideal video experience when watching a talking head: sound and eye contact. Descript studio sound already works well with my Rode Podcaster mic to give a little tweak so I think the AI Eye Contact will be able to do the same. If you want to check out Descript, consider using [my referral link](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com). Share this post with your favorite tech nerd 😄 ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### BRC & Friends: Alissa Charles-Findley URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-alissa-charles-findley/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:20.000Z On today's Episode of BRC and Friends, I sit down with Alissa Charles-Findley, sister of Botham Jean and the author of the book, “After Botham: Healing from My Brother's Murder by a Police Officer.” Not only do we talk about the death of her brother and her work with other families who have lost loved ones to police violence, we talk about writing, parenting, and what keeps us whole in times of struggle. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Alissa Charles-Findley. Listen here or [subscribe wherever you get podcasts for tour earholes.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are made possible through your financial, viewing, and listening support. Please consider becoming a paid or free subscriber today. ### **JUST BUY THE BOOK ALREADY** After Botham: Healing from My Brother's Murder by a Police Officer by Allisa Charles-Findley with Jeremiah Cobra. [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201132](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201132?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **CONNECT WITH ALISSA** Alissa on Facebook Alissa on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/allisafindley](https://www.instagram.com/allisafindley/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### no christmas in bethlehem: a litany URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/no-christmas-in-bethlehem-a-litany/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:17:26.000Z **no christmas in bethlehem: a litany** o little town of bethlehem, bombs fly overhead and your buildings lie in ruin people flee for safety neighbor turns on neighbor and governments debate your worth *\[inhale/exhale\]* how can we celebrate christmas **when there is no christmas in bethlehem?** o bethlehem, we want to tell it from the mountain yet people are taking cover not knowing what tomorrow may hold *hoping* there is a tomorrow to be had at all *\[inhale/exhale\]* o church, how can we celebrate christmas **when there is no christmas in bethlehem?** o bethlehem, we are desperate to see *peace* on earth but we only see bodies, spirits, and minds suffering from the violence of war *\[inhale/exhale\]* o church, how can we celebrate christmas **when there is no christmas in bethlehem?** o bethlehem, we yearn to proclaim *joy* to the world. but when so many are overcome by sorrow, heartache, grief, and loss from the deaths of parents, children, friends, and neighbors *\[inhale/exhale\]* o church, how can we celebrate christmas **when there is no christmas in bethlehem?** o bethlehem, we anticipate the birth of our savior with a silent night, a holy nightbut when the silence that blankets far too many is the silence of a world that watches suffering from afar and does not act *\[inhale/exhale\]* o church, how can we celebrate christmas **when there is no christmas in Bethlehem?** and yet, o people, somehow we still hear the angels sweetly singing — in being present to the suffering of others **hope overcomes despair** in defying systems of violence **peace overwhelms war** in living into our collective humanity **joy is free to all** and in breaking through hearts of hate **love has the final word** may we all soon believe and know **that jesus christ is born** **AMEN** --- ##### ***NOTE*** ##### This litany was written by Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow for the [Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity](https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and was inspired by the photo from the [Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church's Nativity scene in Bethlehem and the cancellation of Christmas celebrations in the West Bank](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/7/if-christ-were-born-today-he-would-be-born-under-rubble-israeli-bombing?ref=reyes-chow.com). Please feel free to use this litany with attribution to Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow (ig/[@breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (ig/[@im4humanintegrity](https://www.instagram.com/im4humanintegrity/?ref=reyes-chow.com)) See *the* [*Instagram post*](https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Avl7nPPO0/?ref=reyes-chow.com) for social reposting. See [*bulletin insert*](https://drive.google.com/file/d/11LFMYDIMZuPz9vxkfOTXsUzOurZCxyUz/view?usp=sharing&ref=reyes-chow.com) for use in worship. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### BRC & Friends: Kathy Khang & Matt Mikalatos URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-kathy-khang-and-matt/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:21.000Z On episode 66 of BRC and Friends, Bruce chats with Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos, Co-Authors of the award-winning book, *Loving Disagreement: Fighting for Community through the Fruit of the Spirit.* They had a great time talking about writing, disagreement in today’s world, church, gymtimidation, and a little bit of hot chicken. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to Bruce’s conversation with Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos. Listen here or [subscribe wherever you get podcasts for tour earholes.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are reader-supported publications. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber ### **JUST BUY THE BOOK ALREADY** Loving Disagreement: Fighting for Community through the Fruit of the Spirit - [**On Bookshop**](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781641586153?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Amazon](https://amzn.to/41kFC0V?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **AND THEN LISTEN TO THEIR PODCAST** [The Fascinating Podcast](http://www.norvillerogers.com/podcast/fascinating/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **CONNECT WITH KATHY** - [Kathy’s Website](http://www.kathykhang.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Kathy on X](https://twitter.com/mskathykhang?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Kathy on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mskathykhang/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Kathy on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/kathykhangauthor/) ### **CONNECT WITH MATT** - [Matt on X](http://twitter.com/mattmikalatos?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Matt on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/MattMikalatos?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Matt on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/mattmikalatosbooks) ### Poem: Holidazed URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/poem-holidazed/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:21.000Z *I wrote this one years ago, but the internet gremlins and website migrations have made it hard to find, so here you go.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6ac64ef2-7017-4a01-a6b6-92873f431ba9_1080x1080.png) weather shifts invitations arrive decorations appear joyful, joyful is the call joy does not always come and somehow I make it through memories of loved ones departed brings back grief and heartache family resentments are added to the hidden pile of sadness and secrets upkeep of my stylized life becomes a weight of isolation and despair answers are fleeting understanding is at my fingertips joy beckons from a distance and yet ’tis the season of joy of heartache of secrets of despair and somehow I make it through --- ***Poetry is not something I do much of, but in sporadic attempts to embrace discomfort in how I express my thoughts about life and the world, I try it.*** The Amalgamation happened because of your financial and viewing support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### BRC & Friends: Derrick Weston and Anna Woofenden URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-derrick-weston-and/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:21.000Z On episode 66 of BRC and Friends, Bruce sits down with Anna Woofenden and Derrick Weston to talk about the best book and, rumored on this show, to be the best book ever written, *The Just Kitchen Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration*. Bruce has known Derrick for a very long time, sorry Anna, but also loves that Anna is also an Enneagram three. Yes, we talk about food, writing, and much much more. It was a good time with two great people. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening Bruce’s conversation with Derrick Weston and Anna Woofenden. Listen here or [subscribe wherever you get podcasts for tour earholes.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are reader-supported endeavors. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### **BUY THE BEST BOOK EVER!** Buy on Bookshop, [*The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506484112?ref=reyes-chow.com) or [on Amazon](https://amzn.to/3TqNhbT?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### **LISTEN TO THEIR PODCAST** [The Food and Faith Podcast](https://foodandfaithpodcast.podbean.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### **CONNECT WITH ANNA** - [Anna’s Website](https://annawoofenden.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Anna on X](https://twitter.com/annawoof?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Anna on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/revannawoof?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Anna on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/revannawoof) ### **CONNECT WITH DERRICK** - [Derrick’s Website](http://www.derricklweston.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Derrick on Twitter](https://twitter.com/derricklweston?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Derrick on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/derricklweston/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E69 Bruce chats with Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e69-bruce-chats-with-sheila-m-beckford-8fe/ Last updated: 2023-12-15T17:00:00.000Z On today's Episode of BRC and Friends, Bruce sits down with Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder Co-Authors of the 4Reals series, “Anti-Racism 4reals: Real Talk with Real Strategies in Real Time for Real Change” and “Doing Anti-Racist Business: Dislodging and Dismantling Racism with the 4reals”. Not only do we talk about how their process of moving organizations to be antiracist is different than the approach of DEI, but they also talk about their very funny origin story, parents dancing on TikTok, and so much more. They obviously had a great time, and you will too! Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to the conversation with Sheila M. Beckford and E. Michelle Ledder. ### JUST BUY THEIR BOOKS ALREADY Doing Anti-Racist Business: Dislodging and Dismantling Racism with the 4reals [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827206816](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827206816?ref=reyes-chow.com) Anti-Racism 4reals: Real Talk with Real Strategies in Real Time for Real Change [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201026](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201026?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH SHEILA Sheila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sheila.beckford/](https://www.instagram.com/sheila.beckford/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH MICHELLE Michelle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/emichelleledder/](https://www.instagram.com/emichelleledder/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: [bruce@reyes-chow.com](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) ### Dear Gma, Three Years Later URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-gma-three-years-later/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:23.000Z Dear Gma, Tonight, I realized that I had forgotten about the day you died. Never fear, as soon as I remembered, dim sum for dinner it was. It will never be as good as yours, but with each bite eaten from your everyday dishes, I remembered more and more. How can it already be three years? So much has happened since you left us. I wish I could tell you that the world has learned to treat one another more kindly. I wish I could tell you that the broken relationships that broke your heart were mended. Really, I wish I could climb onto the warn-out swivel stools in your kitchen, belly up to your tile counter, snack on whatever you put out for us to eat, and tell you anything and everything about life. O lady, do I miss you something fierce: your mischievous grin, laughter, and genuine love and support for whatever we were doing in the world. This night, this year, with tears streaming, here is what I can tell you. There have been new additions to our extended family, so there are now more spirits with whom we can share your spirit. I am so sorry that you will never meet your newest great-grandchildren: K, E, and M. We have already begun telling stories of you and Grandpa, #LasVegas. You would have been so proud to watch A graduate from High School, A graduate from college, and soon E will get married. Not many people get to know their great-grandmother as deeply as they got to know you. You mean so much to them. I am glad that you did not have to watch my own covid episode and subsequent struggles, but you were there in food that helped soothe my spirit and heal my body. As will happen every year as the holidays approach and as we remember your death, we will be reminded of our loss. And even though thinking about your death brings me tears to this day, it is remembering your life that will bring me joy, laughter, and love always. Until next year, Bruce --- *In 2020, my Grandmother, May Chow, died from complications from Covid. Every year we devour some dim sum in her honor. I miss that lady.* [*Below is the letter that I originally posted on Instagram on December 11, 2020*](https://www.instagram.com/p/CIq3h11hYvc/?ref=reyes-chow.com)*.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e24b0cf4-84f5-4806-ac1e-87e03538f932_1080x1080-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/07261a29-42d4-4e39-97c0-d4306fc2087c_1096x1096-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d14dde9e-b582-4c13-8cb4-be04c9911e22_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ce90e22b-a8f4-4bd6-b49b-8235a6d02757_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9bfe058f-8b03-4936-b0a4-f87e0288dc3d_1200x1200-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b542dac1-c915-4282-8d97-9f95f40fd36c_336x336-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/4130b20e-52a8-41f8-98fd-3ff4ad6d7662_1080x1080-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/654c9f02-eca1-4992-8d13-eb2b491732c3_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b4228da0-2141-46b9-830d-72c6e4b2b79b_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) Gma Chow December 11, 2020 Dear Gma, Today you took your final breath and your body is now at peace. Three generations of us, gathered from across the country said our goodbyes through a screen. This is not the way it should have been, but I know that you know our love for you transcends any barriers that the world could put before us. As I kept vigil, trying to distract myself from thinking about your final moments, waves of sadness snuck up on me and the tears flowed: tears of sadness borne of loss, tears of anger that you died alone, and tears of gratitude you fought for, formed, fed, and loved me. Sadness overwhelms me because, in you, we have lost the matriarch, the center, the glue for our family. I wonder what may come, but mostly, I will miss seeing you, teasing you, eating with you, hugging you. I am also angry. Like too many, you died surrounded by strangers and not your family. Society chose ideological loyalty over the common good and your final days will be a constant reminder that we, as a community, failed one another. As I tenderly look back through photos, gratitude beckons. I am grateful for your mischievous and playful spirit that kept us laughing. Grateful for your willingness to bend tradition in order to offer welcome. And grateful for your fierceness and strength of spirit that formed us all. As I write these words, my grief is textured by powerful memories of how you loved. I will cherish the knowledge that your great-grandchildren had the chance to be loved by you. I will smile when I think back to the convenient ways you answered questions that always kept us guessing. And I will always be grateful that, from my birth, you fought for and loved me. Please know that I will choose to let your loving soul bring joy to my own. Oh dear sweet Grandma Chow, I am going to miss you something fierce. Rest In Peace. Rest In Power. I love you, Bruce The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### E68 Bruce chats with Alissa Charles-Findley URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e68-bruce-chats-with-alissa-charles-446/ Last updated: 2023-12-14T17:00:00.000Z On today's Episode of BRC and Friends, Bruce sits down with Alissa Charles-Findley, sister of Botham Jean and the author of the book, “After Botham: Healing from My Brother's Murder by a Police Officer.” Not only do they talk about the death of her brother and her work with other families who have lost loved ones to police violence, we talk about writing, parenting, and what keeps us whole in times of struggle. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Alissa Charles-Findley. ### JUST BUY THE BOOK ALREADY After Botham: Healing from My Brother's Murder by a Police Officer by Allisa Charles-Findley with Jeremiah Cobra. [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201132](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201132?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH ALISSA Alissa on Facebook Alissa on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/allisafindley](https://www.instagram.com/allisafindley/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: bruce@reyes-chow.com ### Subscriber Thank You and a Year-End Offer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/subscriber-thank-you-and-a-year-end/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:24.000Z First, sorry about the Auto-Focus box on the video. I didn;t even notice it until too late and, it is just too late in the day :-) **More importantly, Thanks again for your ongoing support here on Substack.** A bit about what was mentioned above: I am mostly on Instagram these days, so for most of the daily content, including more reels, [follow me there](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). And yes, I’m back on TikTok and offering more video content there, so [I would love to see you there](https://www.tiktok.com/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). Also, be sure to [subscribe to BRC & Friends](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com); all episodes will be posted by the end of this week, so feel free to go back and listen to some great interviews from the year. As for the Year-End offer, here are your two options: - **GIFT A YEAR, GET A BOOK:** If you gift an annual subscription to The Amalgamation, in early 2024, I will send you a signed copy of my new book, “Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith” (Release: March 5, 2024) - **GET A BOOK, GIFT A YEAR:** If you pre-order a copy of “Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith” I will send a person of your choice an Annual Gift Subscription. - **TO BUY THE BOOK:** [Buying the book on Amazon](https://amzn.to/3v4ONGw?ref=reyes-chow.com) does help get it into more people’s hands who do not know me, but buying from a local bookstore or [from Bookshop.com](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506495699?ref=reyes-chow.com) is better for the world. Also, little baby Jesus would love it if you [added it to your shelf on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com) :-) In either case, please send me an email with “Year-End Amalgamation” in the subject line to bruce at reyes-chow dot com along with the email for the gift subscription or address for the book. Also, feel free to gift yourself if you would like to take advantage of both :-) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/28ec9db4-1d1c-4764-9158-2af8007472e3_1800x1200.png)](https://amzn.to/3v4ONGw?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E67 Bruce chats with Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e67-bruce-chats-with-kathy-khang-80c/ Last updated: 2023-12-13T17:00:00.000Z On episode 66 of BRC and Friends, Bruce chats with Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos, Co-Authors of the award-winning book, “Loving Disagreement: Fighting for Community through the Fruit of the Spirit.” They had a great time talking about writing, disagreement in today’s world, church, gymtimidation, and a little bit of hot chicken. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos. ### JUST BUY THE BOOK ALREADY Loving Disagreement: Fighting for Community through the Fruit of the Spirit. [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781641586153](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781641586153?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### AND THEN LISTEN TO THEIR PODCAST The Fascinating Podcast [http://www.norvillerogers.com/podcast/fascinating/](http://www.norvillerogers.com/podcast/fascinating/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH KATHY Kathy’s Website [http://www.kathykhang.com/](http://www.kathykhang.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Kathy on X [https://twitter.com/mskathykhang](https://twitter.com/mskathykhang?ref=reyes-chow.com) Kathy on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mskathykhang/](https://www.instagram.com/mskathykhang/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Kathy on Facebook ### CONNECT WITH MATT Matt on X [http://twitter.com/mattmikalatos](http://twitter.com/mattmikalatos?ref=reyes-chow.com) Matt on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/MattMikalatos](https://www.instagram.com/MattMikalatos?ref=reyes-chow.com) Matt on Facebook ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: [bruce@reyes-chow.com](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) ### E66 Bruce chats with Anna Woofenden and Derrick Weston URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e66-bruce-chats-with-anna-woofenden-80b/ Last updated: 2023-12-12T17:00:00.000Z On episode 66 of BRC and Friends, Bruce sits down with Anna Woofenden and Derrick Weston to talk about the, rumored on this show to be the best book ever written, The Just Kitchen Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration. Bruce has known Derrick for a very long time, sorry Anna, but also loves that Anna is also an Ennegram three. Yes, they talk about food, writing, and much much more. Bruce had a good time with two great people. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Derrick Weston and Anna Woofenden. ### BUY THE BEST BOOK EVER! The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration [https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506484112](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506484112?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO THEIR PODCAST https://foodandfaithpodcast.podbean.com/ ### CONNECT WITH ANNA Anna’s Website [https://annawoofenden.com](https://annawoofenden.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Anna on Twitter [https://twitter.com/annawoof](https://twitter.com/annawoof?ref=reyes-chow.com) Anna on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/revannawoof](https://www.instagram.com/revannawoof?ref=reyes-chow.com) Anna on Facebook ### CONNECT WITH DERRICK Derrick’s Website [www.derricklweston.com](http://www.derricklweston.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Derrick on Twitter [https://twitter.com/derricklweston](https://twitter.com/annawoof?ref=reyes-chow.com) Anna on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/derricklweston/](https://www.instagram.com/derricklweston/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: ### BRC & Friends: David Lamotte URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-david-lamotte/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:24.000Z Today on Episode 65, Bruce chats with his friend and colleague David Lamott. In this episode Bruce and David about David's new book, [*You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It or Not*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827208544?ref=reyes-chow.com)[ ](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827208544?ref=reyes-chow.com)but also and more importantly, about chickens, parenting, and how humbling it can be standing next to a rock star. If this is your first time meeting David, be prepared to meet a genuinely good human being who is making a difference in the world and encouraging the rest of us to do the same. Please keep in mind that we recorded this way back in September, which, in world events years, is a lifetime. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with David Lamotte. Listen here or [subscribe wherever you get podcasts for tour earholes.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are reader-supported endeavors. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### **CONNECT WITH DAVID** David’s Website [https://www.davidlamotte.com/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) David on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/davidlamotte/](https://www.instagram.com/davidlamotte/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Latest Book (2023): You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It Or Not [https://www.davidlamotte.com/books/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/books/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Latest Album (2022), Still [https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davidlamotte/still](https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davidlamotte/still?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support him on Patreon https[://www.davidlamotte.com/patreon/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/patreon/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Look Away Video ### E65 Bruce chats with David Lamotte URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e65-bruce-chats-with-david-lamotte-eec/ Last updated: 2023-12-11T17:00:00.000Z Today on Episode 65, Bruce chats with his friend and colleague David Lamott. In this episode they talk about David's new book, but also and more importantly about chickens, parenting, and how humbling it can be standing next to a rock star. If this Is your first time meeting David be prepared to meet a genuinely good human being who is making a difference in the world and encouraging the rest of us to do the same. Please keep in mind that we recorded this way back in September, which, in world events years, is a lifetime. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with David Lamotte. ### CONNECT WITH DAVID David’s Website [https://www.davidlamotte.com/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) David on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/davidlamotte/](https://www.instagram.com/davidlamotte/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Latest Book (2023): You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It Or Not [https://www.davidlamotte.com/books/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/books/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Latest Album (2022), Still [https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davidlamotte/still](https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davidlamotte/still?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support him on Patreon [https://www.davidlamotte.com/patreon/](https://www.davidlamotte.com/patreon/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Look Away Video [https://youtu.be/JJLXVa0BHc4?si=K4ETOqR0TJ7GOtrG](https://youtu.be/JJLXVa0BHc4?si=K4ETOqR0TJ7GOtrG&ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: [bruce@reyes-chow.com](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) ### Showing up for Palestine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/showing-up-for-palestine/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:26.000Z This weekend at a local action, I walked next to a Grandmother, her daughter, and granddaughter. As we entered the Apple store to bring the action into the mall with chants of, "While you're shopping, bombs are dropping!" echoing, she wondered aloud, "Should we go in too? Will we get in trouble?" Her daughter and I both gave her reassuring looks and we entered together, grandma pushing her granddaughter in a stroller the whole way. Of course, you can never predict what law enforcement will do, but as far as protests go, this was a model of peaceful protest: a coordinated and disruptive act that delivered a message loud and clear. Now, I am under no delusions that I can add much more to the discourse and discussions that Christians are having about what is happening in Israel and Palestine in general and Gaza and the West Bank in particular. Others are more well-versed and studied, but that does not release me from my responsibility to voice support when called. That said, I am not entirely disconnected. I have spent a little time in both Israel and Palestine, have done some reading and studying, have been drawn into many conversations about divestment, and most weirdly, was [trolled by Rosanne Barr for being an antisemite](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/status/979019836498964480?ref=reyes-chow.com). Standing with the Palestinian people, I trust that I am on and will be on the right side of history as the world and future generations look back to see where and when I showed up. So, with so many others, I am clearly and publically proclaiming my support of the #FreePalestine movement, naming the apartheid conditions in occupied Palestine, calling for a permanent ceasefire, pleading for an end to the genocide, and offering ongoing prayer for safety, security, and flourishing for Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the both Isreal and Palestine. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Free 60-day offer at the end of this post. Now, before demands are made for me to denounce or affirm anything to be heard, to be clear, I believe that humans can grieve and have compassion for multiple communities, even communities that inflict pain and violence upon one another. I also do not believe that anyone has to prove or earn compassion from other human beings, and I will never rejoice at or seek the death of anyone. I have known the grief of violent death too closely to allow myself to give into postures of revenge and vengeance. And finally, no "side" is pure in tactics, personalities, or perspectives, so refuse to engage in any form of Oppression Olympics, whataboutism, or causality score-keeping. **While I do not believe the situation in Gaza and the West Bank is as complicated as some folks claim to justify their silence, I do think that the challenge to relationships within the traditionally aligned progressive community by what is happening does complicate things.** No doubt some of my Jewish and Christian friends disagree with my social media postings and my showing up at protests and actions, but at the risk of those relationships (FTR stranger haters are not entitled to my time, energy, or response), at some point, as a Christian who disagrees significantly with the theological position of Christian Zionism, I think it is imported for me to show up, not only through online amplifying others, but public spaces putting my own body on the line. **It is not complicated to stand against my tax dollars being used to fund so much violence and war around the world.** As so many have asked before, “Why is it that there is always money for militarism, warfare, and faux-safety measures, but we can never seem to find enough money for healthcare, education, food security, and rehabilitation? Ugh. Again, it's not complicated. **It is not complicated for me to be in support of oppressed and marginalized peoples.** After spending time in the West Bank and meeting Palestinians impacted by the settlements, restrictions of movement, and constant harassment — not complicated. And then meeting with Israeli young adults who shared their stories of being jailed for refusing their military conscription and how they never even knew the plight of their Palestinian neighbors but were now fighting for justice, again — not complicated. And lastly, as I think about how brown bodies in the United States, in my ancestral homeland of the Philipines, and around the world have been marginalized and placed in cycles of poverty with the support and collaboration of the United States government — not complicated. So I have done my best, despite knowing that there may be professional and personal consequences, to show up. I have participated in an interfaith service, amplified voices, given money, and attended protests — and it feels like that is about all I can do. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d4561a6f-413d-40a4-bbf5-6bd47e05546e_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b85f5609-7a74-4a57-8c4c-b0c43746b511_2062x2062-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b784b2a0-60a6-4f68-835e-48d42e696389_1965x1965-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3e4e040b-edee-4c20-b3da-73fca75e4661_2267x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c60a1ce4-399d-4831-9169-f10944e9808c_1968x1968-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f0c4e41b-671c-4d91-9d0c-dd602a7c4e94_1909x1909-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/1c6d033e-85ec-41dd-bcdc-66ba4b89718d_2268x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/449b6a9d-98c9-4770-bab0-ae071f2ca43f_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2072957f-ce41-4c5d-8f48-0f7c400a2391_1440x1440-jpeg.webp) Some images from the actions This brings me to a quick reflection on the three protests/actions that have taken place in my current hometown of San Jose. While I do lament the absence of clearly identified Christian clergy or significant representation of East Asian, Black, and White folx (unlike other protests in other Bay Area cities), I am here for it and grateful for the local Pro-Palestinian energy and diversity. I have found the actions well-organized and coordinated, but most potent is the diversity of folks who have probably never hit the streets before. What has been happening in Gaza over the past two months and in Palestine for the past 75 years has finally pushed Grandma to pull up on the Mall and be loud. Again, here for it. **So I’m going to keep showing up when and where I can.** I am going to keep resisting the urge to pretend this is not my struggle or that the struggle of the Palestinian people has no parallels to other struggles of oppressed peoples. I will contiue to lament the emotional and physical struggles of my Jewish friends. I will continue to express compassion and empathy when I can. I will continue to challenge entities that benefit and profit from non-peaceful pursuits in Israel, Palestine, and around the world. I will continue to challenge myself to keep speaking out, to keep amplifying voices for change, and to keep showing up even when it may feel risky. **People are dying, and bombs are dropping, so showing up is the least I can do.** If you want to keep up with Bay Area actions, [follow hero\_tent on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/hero%5Ftent/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Get 60 day free trial](#/portal/signup) ### How I Approach Interim Ministry URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/how-i-approach-interim-ministry/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:27.000Z My approach to Interim Ministry can be summed up by the following: > Interim ministry is about reaffirming covenantal relationships, instigating self-reflection, encouraging curiosity, curating discernment, facilitating movement — and then leaving. It is a particular calling that requires courage, compassion, humility, trust, patience, flexibility, kindness, curiosity, hope, discipline, and love — lots of love. Interim ministry, especially during seasons of conflict, grief, and loss requires a deep and abiding belief in and an ability to communicate that, at the end of the day, we are a resurrection people, guided by the movement of the Spirit, and claimed and loved by God. I wanted to title this think piece “Decolonizing Interim Ministry,” but while effective clickbait, it seems trite considering current events. But TBH, sometimes this colonizing mindset is precisely how people approach interim work. We interim folks can often come off as if we are the only ones with the ability and perspective to identify problems and provide subsequent and ideal solutions. This approach can be so infected by cultural assumptions and colored by pastoral narcissism that when played out, unnecessary havoc ensues, and guess what . . . the Interim Pastor is again the one with the ideal solutions. Okay, I may be being a little hard on folks, but I have heard and seen (and maybe lived) this approach to interim ministry. My experience and exposure have been primarily in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ adjacent, but I suspect there are many commonalities throughout the interim ministry world. Before the @s start flying, I know our intentions are genuine, but too often, our purest intentions end up being acts of pastoral hubris. No matter how practiced our tactical skills or how nuanced our strategic thinking is, we are not doctors or surgeons sent to diagnose, dissect, and cure. As Interim Pastors, we are tasked with the unique calling to accompany a community in their discernment of God’s hopes and intentions during a particular season of transition and change. The Amalgamation is made possible by your financial and viewing support. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. To be clear, I am not saying that trained Interim Pastors bring nothing to the table; quite the opposite. Being an Interim Pastor requires some particular skills and approaches that, when honed and accessed, can help a community move in amazing ways. I absolutely love being part of this transitional time in congregational lives. I’ve served seven churches in my 28 years of ordained ministry, six as Interim, Transitional, Designated, or Bridge Pastor. I still have much to learn, but have gleaned a few things over those years. Here are a few postures and approaches that I take with me into any interim, bridge, or transitional setting: **reaffirming covenant: call of the interim pastor and call of the congregation.** Too often, diving into the difficult work of calling an Interim Pastor to a church is replaced with what seems like a better strategy: expediency. Likewise, sometimes pastors jump into interim work without taking the time to discern if it is truly a calling. This is dangerous because moving too fast can lead to congregations calling pastors who are ill-fitted to interim work or pastors serving congregations who are overwhelmingly focused on how quickly a new pastor can be found. Some interims become interims out of convenience or necessity and not out of calling. Life happens; sometimes, you just need a job, and a church just needs a pastor. Calls can originate from unexpected origin stories, but Interim Pastors must be careful not to short-change the particularities of the process and subconsciously approach the job as “installed pastor lite” or treat it as a placeholder paycheck until a *real* call can be found. Likewise, churches must embrace the idea that the interim time is more than a set of steps that Rev. John J. Robot can complete before they are “allowed” to call a new pastor, but a rare opportunity to serve with someone who can help a congregation to reclaim and reimagine their calling in the world. When we allow tactical postures to drive the pace of the interim process, the called and calling become much more contractual than covenantal in relationship. This kind of relationship builds barriers to discoveries that could be made when space is made for the movement, inspiration, and calling of the Spirit to take root. **instigating self-reflection: taking time to name and notice patterns** One of the greatest dangers of the Interim Pastor is expecting conflict and disease around every corner. Yes, an Interim Pastor helps to reveal and uncover, but one of the gifts of the interim time and an Interim Pastor is that there is space for observation and reflection. The greatest gift of an Interim Pastor is the perspective to ask, without history or bias, “Why? Why does this happen this way?” and “How? How did this come to be?” And to do so without preconceived notions about the answer to the question. Sure, specific patterns may pop up from church to church and Interim Pastors are equipped to navigate organizational systems, but journeying alongside individuals and communities as they reflect upon, and quite possibly realize for the first time, why certain things happen or how certain things came to be can be quite the revelatory and liberating experience for all involved. [Get 60 day free trial](#/portal/signup) **encouraging curiosity: play without permanence** When I was in seminary way back in the [blue book era](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue%5Fbook%5Fexam?ref=reyes-chow.com) \[insert an other self-deprecating, old person joke here :-) \], pastors were told when first arriving at a church, “Don’t change anything for at least a year.” Interim Pastors were undoubtedly not supposed to change much other than things that might get in the way of some moving forward in the process of finding a new pastor. That said, times are a changin’, and I have fond the interim time to be a delightful time to invite a community to play a bit, to explore new ideas, to be curious about all kinds of stuff, to expand expressions of faith, and to do so knowing that very little is permanent, especially during this time. Sure, keep enough for folks to feel familiarity, but it is a mistake to let these oft-anxious seasons of transition and change go by without revealing that they are not only a time of feeling unsettled but can also be a time of new life and discovery. **curating discernment: take a breath and give it time** The most challenging aspect of the interim process is to help a community [truly, madly, deeply](https://open.spotify.com/track/013AWvizllIUEC2FOBzOnh?ref=reyes-chow.com) embrace the idea that discernment takes time and that, in addition to the pastoral search process, many discernment processes also need to happen during an interim time. Convincing those who would like to point to the rapid nature of the business world as the ideal model for choosing leadership means reminding folks that meaningful discernment and direction-setting take time when not driven by the clarity of a profit line. The questions are numerous: - Who are you as a community? - Who is your community? - Who is God calling you to serve? - What identity: theological, cultural, social, liturgical, etc.? - How do you express belonging? - What activities, cultural norms, and behavior patterns exist in this community, and what needs to be examined, released, or reaffirmed? - What and who is God calling you to be and become? - What kind of pastor will best help you move toward God’s hopes? - And so on... and so on... and so on . . . and so on . . . I have found that as soon as a community embraces and embodies this season of discernment as a positive and unique opportunity to think creatively about who the community has been and who God hopes the community to become — the sooner they open up to the possibility that may unfold — and the sooner new leadership is invited to be a part of that revealing. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. **facilitating movement: setting them up to succeed** It is not good enough to just create space for folks to discern. Gathering everyone in one large group with an, “Okay, we’re all here, what do you think?" or only listening to voices that are a wee bit too eager to be heard are not paths that will yield in-depth communal engagement and discovery, but a game of chance that produces a way forward driven by those who have had the most to protect. A lack of thoughtful facilitation sets the entire community up for failure. A key component and skill set for Interim Pastors is knowing how to facilitate that discernment in ways that make sense for the local community. From crafting compelling liturgy to utilizing effective communication strategies to facilitating inclusive group process work to moderating meaningful meetings to knowing when to listen or when to speak up, to knowing when to step in or when to let things play out, to knowing what needs to be saved and what needs to fail; this is where the craft, the dance, the wonderful chaos of Interim Ministry comes alive and Interim Pastors flourish. **and leaving: if you must stay, stay, but if you can, leave** Okay, this last one, I admit, is a bit of a “get off my lawn” or “back in my day” piece of advice. There was a day in my tradition when Interim Pastors were not allowed to become the permanent pastor. Times have changed, economies have shifted, and work patterns are all over the place. I can adapt, but I wouldn’t say I like it. You see, knowing that you are not going to stay provides important guides for an Interim Pastor: - cautionary guardrails so you don’t take on or disrupt patterns that you will not be able to move towards some healthy baseline; - a clearly defined period time of relationship with congregants that permits you to address complex pastoral or personal issues; - and a collegial obligation to address the things that the next pastor will be grateful that you did. Again, I understand that the ways leadership has evolved in the church have changed. However, I still believe that, if possible, the ideal way to enter into interim ministry is with the understanding that the interim will be just that, interim. Okay, that’s all I have for now, and I hope these musings help provoke more conversations about interim ministry. I would love for others to offer their valuable perspectives regarding the calling of interim ministry, but you do have to be paid subscriber to comment. [Get 60 day free trial](#/portal/signup) ### **or** Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### BRC & Friends: Brian Falduto URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-brian-falduto/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:27.000Z I posted a ways back on the first [Pop Culture Monday](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/pop-culture-monday) about this country singer my kids introduced me to, Brian Falduto. [Go check out that post](https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-brian-faldutos/) and then come right back. I’ll wait. [*Same Old Country Love Song*](https://open.spotify.com/track/26I8X5FBw6AYAzyeAicy6i?si=e6c1a4785d6844a5&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*God Loves Me Too*](https://open.spotify.com/track/1hixFBag8RZ3jpXJZUcYtA?si=948a4230fb604b42&ref=reyes-chow.com)will probably propel Brian to the top of my year-year spotify highlights along with Black Pink, Tupac, Taylor, and 90’s hiphop. Don’t judge. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider getting a paid or free subscription Last month, Amy Kim and I sat down with Brian on [episode 64 of BRC & Friends](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/brian-falduto?ref=reyes-chow.com). OMG it was so fun. Brian is super down to earth, funny, and has apparently done many things (this will all make sense after you listen because I am an idiot). We talked a lot about country music, a little about church, and a good deal about his life as an independent artist. You are in for another treat and much laughter. Listen to the episode here or, even better, [subscribe and listen wherever you do your podcast thing](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). Be sure to follow and connect with Brian in all the places. You can find most links via [his LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/brianfalduto?ref=reyes-chow.com), watch his [videos on Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFaldutoMusic?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [follow him on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brianfalduto/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### E64 Bruce and Amy Kim chat with Brian Falduto URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e64-bruce-and-amy-kim-chat-with-brian-c7b/ Last updated: 2023-11-15T20:00:00.000Z On episode 64 of BRC and Friends Amy Kim and I sit down with singer, musician, actor, coach, and hilarious human being Brian Falduto. Brian is known for many things, but I was first introduced to him through his songs, [*Same Old Country Love Song*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gue2yp2uhQM&ref=reyes-chow.com), and [*God Loves Me Too*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRT6Swj8khs&ref=reyes-chow.com). We had a blast with Brian learning about his life, career, and all the things on his website that I apparently missed. We definitely had a time, so be warned prepared to laugh out loud with us, mostly at my expense. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to our conversation with Brian Falduto ### CONNECT WITH BRIAN Brian’s Linktree [https://linktr.ee/brianfalduto](https://linktr.ee/brianfalduto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Brian’s Music Website [https://www.brianfalduto.com/music](https://www.brianfalduto.com/music?ref=reyes-chow.com) Brian on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFaldutoMusic](https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFaldutoMusic?ref=reyes-chow.com) Brian on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brianfalduto](https://www.instagram.com/brianfalduto/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Brian on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0K43uL5uJQWsN6DFzOFhiG](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0K43uL5uJQWsN6DFzOFhiG?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate For inquiries contact: [bruce@reyes-chow.com](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com) ### Pop + Culture + Monday: Think Twice Podcast URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-think-twice-podcast/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:27.000Z Like so many people, I grew up with listening to and watching Michael Jackson. I have loved Michael from the cheese of *We Are the World*, to the laughable, but awesome tough guy in *Beat It*, to the bop, *The Way You Make Me Feel.* Like many, I was willing to be drawn into all the worlds he created. He redefined music video culture and his music marked the seasons and rhythms of life for many of us. And even today, despite the origins of the oddities and moniker, he is and was, for so many, the undisputed King of Pop. As I think back, over the years, my relationship and commitment to MJ waned as allegations of child abuse surfaced and his music became less compelling. I remember recently finding vinyl copies of his past albums at used record stores and internally getting excited, but ethically not being able to buy them. No, he would not get any money, but believing what I believe about the allegations, I could not bring his albums into my home. Don’t get me wrong, I have not drawn a hard line in the sand. I hear his music and sing along when it pops up in the background, but I have not chosen to play any of his stuff intentionally. Like many, I have been conflicted. I have certainly fallen into the “you can separate the art from the artist” camp when it comes to MJ, but, I must confess that I do not give the same kind of slack to other artists. Sure, Micheal was never convicted of any crime, but if I am honest, I boycott movies, television, and music by others over political views for much less. Sure, none of us is pure in our beliefs and I am not beating myself up over this, but I think it is interesting the amount of slack that is extended his way. The Amalgamation is supported by your generous financial and viewing support. Please consider adding a paid or free subscription if you have not already. The Amalgamation is made possible through your generous financial and viewing support. Please consider signing up for a free or paid subscription today. The Amalgamation is made possible through your generous financial and viewing support. Please consider signing up for a free or paid subscription today. The Amalgamation is made possible through your generous financial and viewing support. Please consider signing up for a free or paid subscription today.he Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. And then I listened to the Wondery podcast, [*Think Twice: Michael Jackson,* ](https://wondery.com/shows/think-twice-michael-jackson/?ref=reyes-chow.com)and I now have a better understanding of why society has been so conflicted and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in light of all of the allegations. From the Podcast Description: > More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. *Think Twice: Michael Jackson* is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing allegations against him. In this ten-part series, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth bring you a new perspective on the Michael Jackson story, based on dozens of original interviews with people who watched it unfold from up close. Hosted by Jay Smooth and Leon Neyfakh the podcast does a great job of not telling the listener what to believe. Still, it objectively lays out events and developments layered with a helpful amount of analysis and personal reflection. I learned so many things about his early days with The Jackson 5, The Jacksons, The Wiz, and more. While I gained a deeper appreciation for MJ as an entertainer, I have been pushed firmly to the side of the victims. After listening to this podcast combined with watching the HBO Documentary, [*Leaving Neverland*](https://www.hbo.com/leaving-neverland?ref=reyes-chow.com), I can already tell that my ability to separate the art from the artist is no longer so easy to do. Trigger warning that there is quite a bit of graphic description of child sexual abuse and the complex and unhelpful ways that society responded, so if this kind of content is difficult to listen to, you may want to pass. *Think Twice: Michael Jackson* has only 10 Episodes, so if you are looking for your next podcast binge, I highly recommend it. ### My Charge and Benediction URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-charge-and-benediction/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T03:48:50.000Z Folks often ask about the Charge and Benediction I use when leading worship. It has gone through many shifts and changes over the past 20+ years and is a mishmash of words and phrases picked up and passed down. A few years ago,[ I did shift two phrases](https://breyeschow.medium.com/after-25-years-im-changing-my-charge-and-benediction-2b6a94415216?ref=reyes-chow.com), and I still tweak the whole thing every once in a while, but here it is as it stands today. --- *Your Charge and Benediction...* > Go forth into the world with compassion and justice in your heart > Hear voices of the long-silenced > See strength in that which has been deemed weak > > See one another > Hear one another > Care for one another > And love one another > > It’s all that easy > And it’s all that hard > > Now may the grace of Christ > The love of God > And the power of the Holy Spirit > Be with us all, now and forevermore > > And all God’s people say, > **AMEN** I love that so many folks have gravitated to the [*It’s all that easy. And it’s all that hard*](https://www.google.com/search?q=%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+all+that+easy.+And+it%E2%80%99s+all+that+hard%E2%80%9D&sca%5Fesv=71794f1fdb36e6f3&rlz=1C5CHFA%5FenUS901US901&sxsrf=AM9HkKlrzXdpdAMArK63Sa-NBF70OB60LQ%3A1699510110558&ei=XndMZYTbIcCwwt0PmrWCiA0&ved=0ahUKEwiEgrrDoLaCAxVAmLAFHZqaANEQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+all+that+easy.+And+it%E2%80%99s+all+that+hard%E2%80%9D&gs%5Flp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiNOKAnEl04oCZcyBhbGwgdGhhdCBlYXN5LiBBbmQgaXTigJlzIGFsbCB0aGF0IGhhcmTigJ0yBxAjGK4CGCdIqFlQAFi4RnAAeAGQAQCYAZECoAHjFKoBBjAuMTMuMrgBA8gBAPgBAcICBRAAGKIEwgIFECEYoAHiAwQYACBBiAYB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&ref=reyes-chow.com) phrasing, so please feel free to use it and attribute and link back to this post as able. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### BRC & Friends: FAHM 2023 Recap URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-fahm-2023-recap/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:29.000Z This past October was quite the month. Despite [a rough family season](https://www.instagram.com/p/CySHVBcLG4B/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), I managed to record and post nine episodes for Filipino American History Month 2023\. True to my hopes for BRC & Friends, guests included academics, artists, activists, and adventures, and it was glorious and lovely. There was much laughter and learning as I got to know some good folx doing good things in the world. If you get a moment, please take a listen, give a follow, and otherwise grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to the October guests on BRC & Friends. Below are all of the episodes with a little description, but you can also listen to all of the [previews on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends/?ref=reyes-chow.com), listen to [full episodes on Captivate](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [find us wherever you find podcasts for your ears](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### **2023 Filipino American History Month on BRC & Friends** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/3f323be8-eedd-414c-b7e4-ec8e33fa2090_1500x1500.png) **e57: Kevin Nadal, academic and content on IG** [**@kevinnadal**](https://www.instagram.com/kevinnadal/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Website**](https://www.kevinnadal.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/e57-bruce-chats-with-kevin-nadal-filipino-american-history-month-2023?ref=reyes-chow.com) Today on episode 57, we launched Filipino American History Month here on BRC and friends. I chat with Kevin adult distinguished professor of psychology at City University of New York and the current president of [Filipino American National Historical Society](http://fanhs-national.org/filam/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We have such a good time in this episode, as we talked about growing up in the bay area, Filipino American History Month doctoral work, what it means to be Filipino enough and a little drag and musicals, our paths have crossed, but we've never always sat down and talked. So you get to kind of listen in as Kevin and I get to know one another, a bit. This was really a treat. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9ee51e19-d504-4fa4-a317-11b8e9bf2643_1500x1500.png) **e58: Camille Valerio,** [**@ckgv\_**](https://www.instagram.com/ckgv%5F/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**; Justher Gutierrez,** [**@jus.ther**](https://www.instagram.com/jus.ther/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**; Mark Serrano,** [**@manongmarkthedj**](https://www.instagram.com/manongmarkthedj/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**; and** [**#SanJose**](https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/sanjose/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Filipino Organizations:** [**@fact\_sanjose**](https://www.instagram.com/fact%5Fsanjose/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@leadfilipino**](https://www.instagram.com/leadfilipino/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@fanhs.scv**](https://www.instagram.com/fanhs.scv/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@fycsanjose**](https://www.instagram.com/fycsanjose/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@malaya.sbay**](https://www.instagram.com/malaya.sbay/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@pawissouthbay**](https://www.instagram.com/pawissouthbay/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@bnkfilamschoolsj**](https://www.instagram.com/bnkfilamschoolsj/?ref=reyes-chow.com)[**@mvblfeast**](https://www.instagram.com/mvblfeast/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/filipino-american-history-month-san-jose?ref=reyes-chow.com) Today, I sat down with Justher Gutierrez from Malaya South Bay, Camille Valerio from LEAD Filipino, and Mark Serrano from the Filipino Youth Coalition and Filipino American National Historical Society Santa Clara Valley. They helped me get to know the Filipino Community in the South Bay a bit more and shared all of the activities taking place this month. We also talked about what it means to be “Filipino enough,” when Filipino American History Month came into our view, and how ube has gone mainstream. BRC & Friends and The Amalgamation are made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a paid or free subscriber today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/60a630f3-5f6f-4a96-8a1f-2328c8e631e4_1500x1500.png) **e59: Kalaya'an Mendoza on IG** [**@kalamendoza**](https://www.instagram.com/kalamendoza/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Website**](https://nonviolentpeaceforce.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/e57-bruce-and-laura-chat-with-kalayaan-mendoza-filipino-american-history-month-2023?ref=reyes-chow.com) On Episode 59 Laura and I chat with Kalaya’an Mendoza from the Nonviolent Peace Force and Across Fontlines. We of course talk about nonviolence, how we address racism within our own communities, and a whole lot of science fiction. I think Kala has provided me with one of my favorite podcast moments ever. If you do not know Kala, you are in for a treat. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/35af77aa-f777-4b8e-9e1b-80c47adf905b_1500x1500.png) **e60: Robyn Magalit Rodriguez on IG** [**@madprofessora**](https://www.instagram.com/madprofessora/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Website**](https://www.drrobynrodriguez.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/e60-bruce-chats-with-dr-robyn-magalit-rodriguez-filipino-american-history-month?ref=reyes-chow.com) On Episode 60 Dr. Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez returns to the show to check in a year after leaving academia, and starting a farm. We talk about retirement from academia, what it means to start and maintain a farm, a commitment to nurturing a community and, of course the question, Are you Filipino enough? If this is the first time meeting Dr. Rodgriguz, you are in for a treat and some good old-fashioned healing of the heart, mind, and soul. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d00bdd7d-1de8-40b0-a586-94d41cec0111_1500x1500.png) **e61: Kenneth Tan on IG** [**@LolaxKenneth**](https://www.instagram.com/LolaxKenneth/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Website**](https://www.lolaxkenneth.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/e61-bruce-chats-with-kenneth-tan-of-lola-x-kenneth-filipino-american-history-month?ref=reyes-chow.com) On Episode 61 I sit down with San Jose local artist Kenneth Tan Kenneth was moving ahead in life and then he returned home to help care for his Lola. During that time he rediscovered his love of art and found a new way to connect with his Lola and tell her story. In this episode you'll hear about that journey, about the project Lola x Kenneth, and of course, we take on the question are you Filipino enough. BRC & Friends and The Amalgamation are made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free/paid subscriber today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/ff30f6a6-484f-4973-a6f5-d6685503e700_1500x1500.png) **e62: Josh and Heather on IG** [**@ObetAndDels**](https://www.instagram.com/ObetAndDels/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**LinkTree**](https://linktr.ee/Obetanddels?ref=reyes-chow.com) **|** [**Full Episode**](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/episode/e62-bruce-chats-with-josh-and-heather-or-obet-dels-filipino-american-history-month?ref=reyes-chow.com) On Episode 62 I sit down with the founders and owners of my favorite Southern CA coffee joint, Obet & Del’s in Thai Town, Hollywood. After my recent stint in SoCal, this became one of my offices because of its local vibe, great staff, and mmm, that Filipino Iced Coffee. I sat down with Josh and Heather as we talked about the beginning of Obet & Del’s, building a culture where people thrive, being a Black/Filipino family, and my yearnings for a Husky Hot Filipino. You’ll just have to listen to get more on that. It was a great conversation and you’ll love getting to know them both. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/c7d6622c-c2a1-4ab4-aec8-8df2f73d1c14_1500x1500.png) **e63: Megan Reyes on IG** [**@megreyes\_**](https://www.instagram.com/megreyes%5F/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | Website | Full Episode On episode 63 of BRC and Friends and the final installment for Filipino American History Month 2023, I chat with Megan Reyes, journalist, podcaster, and content creator. Recently honored by Hashtag Sports as a creator of color, we not only talk about Megan's entry into sports broadcasting, but we also talked about growing up in Idaho, women's soccer, specifically the women's Philippines national team, and of course, that question and dilemma about being Filipino enough. We had a great time talking and I, for one, cannot wait to see what is ahead for Megan. Take a listen and you'll see why. --- Thanks for listening, and be sure not to miss any upcoming episodes by subscribing to BRC & Friends [wherever you listen to podcasts](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). *Referrals Links: This BRC & Friends was recorded using* [Squadcast](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1)*, edited using* [Descript](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com), *and hosted on* [Captivate](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow)*.* ### Pop + Culture + Monday: R.F. Kuang URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-rf-kuang/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:30.000Z *Disclosure: All links are connected to my* [*Bookshop*](https://bookshop.org/shop/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) *affiliate accounts.* Okay, R.F. Kuang is ridiculous. It’s one thing to write one book that has me sitting in the driveway of my house because I can’t pull myself away from the audiobook, but three drastically different ones and counting? Again, ridiculous. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/d35c24db-7e56-4415-8ca3-71f18ff9305b_684x1046.png)](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063250833?ref=reyes-chow.com) It all began with [*Yellowface*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063250833?ref=reyes-chow.com), a novel about an unknown white author stealing the book of her Asian friend and the results of that act. Filled with twists, turns, and lots of wonderfully cringy moments, it was NOT what I was expecting at all. So good. I was hooked. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7783b73c-dfaf-4a7a-81a6-7eeb3c80e7c6_692x1050.png)](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063021426?ref=reyes-chow.com) I then downloaded [*Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063021426?ref=reyes-chow.com)*,* and, while there is a little overlap with the topic of words and some Asian characters, the story and world are not the same as Yellowface. Same great writing and pace, but this one was about a magical world and the role of translation in maintaining empire. Brilliant, and, yes, many extra minutes were spent in my driveway listening. So by the end of this one, I am seriously hooked and need more Kuang in my ears. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/77d956d7-b592-415c-8e5d-68a4018b042f_708x914.png) So I went ahead and picked up the [Complete Poppy War Trilogy: The Poppy War / The Dragon Republic / The Burning God, ](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780063371781?ref=reyes-chow.com)and, yes, you’ll find me taking the long way home so that I can listen a little longer. I am not a big fantasy person, but it’s just as compelling as the others with the right balance of social commentary, Asian themes, and world creation. If you need a cant-put-it-down read or listen, you will not be disappointed. There you go, enjoy. --- \*In an attempt to not give all my audiobook money to Amazon via Audible, I use Libro.fm where each purchase goes to support a local bookstore of your choosing. If you want to join Libro.fm feel free to use my referral code \[lfm370410\] or [click here](https://libro.fm/referral?rf%5Fcode=lfm370410&ref=reyes-chow.com) to join. Again, all of the book versions of these titles are listed on [my Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/for-your-ears?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### E63 Bruce chats with Megan Reyes | Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e63-bruce-chats-with-megan-reyes-b47/ Last updated: 2023-10-31T17:00:00.000Z On episode 63 of BRC and Friends and the final installment for Filipino American History Month 2023, I chat with Megan Reyes, journalist, podcaster, and content creator. Recently honored by Hashtag Sports as a creator of color, we not only talk about Megan's entry into sports broadcasting, but we also talked about growing up in Idaho, women's soccer, specifically the women's Philippines national team, and of course, that question and dilemma about being Filipino enough. We had a great time talking and I for one cannot wait to see what is ahead for Megan. Take a listen and you'll see why. Thanks for being here. Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Megan Reyes. ### CONNECT WITH MEGAN REYES Megan’s Website [https://www.meganareyes.com](https://www.meganareyes.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Megan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/megreyes\_](https://www.instagram.com/megreyes%5F?ref=reyes-chow.com) Megan’s Between Two Worlds Podcast [https://between-two-worlds.simplecast.com](https://between-two-worlds.simplecast.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate ### E62 Bruce chats with Josh and Heather or Obet & Dels | Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e62-bruce-chats-with-josh-and-heather-e79/ Last updated: 2023-10-31T01:00:00.000Z On Episode 62 I sit down with the founders and owners of my favorite Southern CA coffee joint, Obet & Del’s in Thai Town, Hollywood. After my recent stint in SoCal, this became one of my offices because of its local vibe, great staff, and mmm, that Filipino Iced Coffee. I sat down with Josh and Heather as we talked about the beginning of Obet & Del’s, building a culture where people thrive, being a Black/Filipino family, and my yearnings for a Husky Hot Filipino. You’ll just have to listen to get more on that. It was a great conversation and you’ll love getting to know them both. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Josh and Heather founders of Obet & Dels. ### CONNECT WITH OBET & DELS Obet & Dels LinkTree [https://linktr.ee/Obetanddels](https://linktr.ee/Obetanddels?ref=reyes-chow.com) @obetanddels on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/obetanddels](https://www.instagram.com/obetanddels?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate ### E61 Bruce chats with Kenneth Tan of Lola x Kenneth | Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e61-bruce-chats-with-kenneth-tan-14c/ Last updated: 2023-10-30T13:00:00.000Z On Episode 61 I sit down with San Jose local artist Kenneth Tan Kenneth was moving ahead in life and then he returned home to help care for his Lola. During that time he rediscovered his love of art and found a new way to connect with his Lola and tell her story. In this episode you'll hear about that journey, about the project Lola x Kenneth, and of course, we take on the question are you Filipino enough. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Kenneth Tan of Lola and Kenneth. ### CONNECT WITH LOLA X KENNETH Lola x Kenneth Website [https://www.lolaxkenneth.com/](https://www.lolaxkenneth.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) @lolaxkenneth on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lolaxkenneth](https://www.instagram.com/lolaxkenneth?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### LISTEN TO BRC & FRIENDS Listen to the full episodes of BRC & Friends here: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to BRC & Friends wherever you listen to Podcasts [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### CONNECT WITH BRC & FRIENDS BRC & Friends Website [https://www.brcandfriends.com/](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) BRC & Friend on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow, Host and Producer on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Jorge Bautista on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Laura Mariko Cheifetz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) Co-Host, Micky Scottbey Jones on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron [https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s?ref=reyes-chow.com) Recorded using Squadcast Edited using Descript [https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X\_JTDA](https://www.descript.com/?lmref=X%5FJTDA&ref=reyes-chow.com) Hosted on Captivate ### E60 Bruce chats with Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez | Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e60-bruce-chats-with-dr-robyn-magalit-885/ Last updated: 2023-10-29T17:13:00.000Z On Episode 60 Dr. Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez returns to the show to check in a year after leaving academia, and starting a farm. We talk about retirement from academia, what it means to start and maintain a farm, a commitment to nurturing a community and, of course the question, Are you Filipino enough? If this is the first time meeting Dr. Rodgriguez, you are in for a treat and some good old-fashioned healing of the heart, mind, and soul. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Dr. Robin Magalit Rogriguez. ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS **CONNECT WITH ROBYN** - [Robyn’s Website](https://www.drrobynrodriguez.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), IG [@madprofessora](https://www.instagram.com/madprofessora?ref=reyes-chow.com), IG [@remaginationfarm](https://www.instagram.com/remaginationfarm/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and IG [@amadokhaya](https://www.instagram.com/amadokhaya/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Recent Article, [*Rest and Reset at the Reimagination Farm*](https://www.comstocksmag.com/web-only/rest-and-reset-reimagination-farm?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [*Former UC Davis professor Robyn Rodriguez starts a sanctuary space dedicated to healing*](https://www.comstocksmag.com/web-only/rest-and-reset-reimagination-farm?ref=reyes-chow.com) **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST, PRODUCER, EDITOR, COFFEE GUY, AND CUP BEARER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:**[ Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) |[ On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ on Substack](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on[ ](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow)[*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow), was recorded using[ ](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1)[*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1), and edited using [*Descript*](https://www.descript.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com).[ The BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on[ ](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com)[*GreekGeeks*](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### If You are Exhausted, You Are Not Alone URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-you-are-exhausted-you-are-not/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:30.000Z Over the past month, our family has been engaged in multiple [parental hospitalizations](https://www.reyes-chow.com/waiting-in-the-hospital-room/). A few weeks ago, [my mother-in-law died](https://www.instagram.com/p/CySHVBcLG4B/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), and now I am tending to one of my parentals dealing with some serious, but non-life-threatening health issues. I am not sure how many days I have hung out in a hospital room over the past month, but today the lobby security guard had our visitor tags already printed for us before we could ask. Super welcoming, but it also means that we’ve been here too often. This morning, the hospital caseworker entered the room to find the patient and visitor in deep slumber. For good reasons, the patient is tired and I am tired. Not only has there been much extra expended eldercare energy, but, last night, Robin and I spent about 20 minutes hunkered down on the floor after hearing what we thought were gunshots from our neighbor’s house. Having been caught in bullet crossfire before, we were not taking any chances. After frantically checking Nextdoor for updates, we determined that it was midnight fireworks fun from someone in the neighborhood, but whew, those flash bangs were jarring and stole another night's slumber. The Amalgamation is made possible through your eyeballs and support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I have always felt that our laments of how busy or tired we are, are not the honorable flexes that we have been programmed to believe they are, but are actually cries for help and rescue from the trap of toxic productivity that confines our spirits and leaves us less able to fully engage in life. Yes, my To Do List is backing up like a hair-infested drain, but since nothing I do is life-determining for me or others, the toxic productivity gremlins are being valiantly held at bay. Of course, I am not immune to these pressures, but since this is not my first exhaustion rodeo, I trust that I will catch up when I catch up . . . or some things will just not get catched up :-) I am sharing this short reflection because I know that so many of you are probably exhausted as well, but do not have the luxury or inclination to share as publicly. Whether it is work, relationships, health, circumstance, or choice, I hope you are able to find ways to accept that you are tired without justification, shame, or blame. If this is you, I offer no unsolicited sleep advice or solutions, I only hope that you know that you are seen and that I and others are wishing you rest as you are able. Rejuvenation and re-creation will come when and as they come, so let’s all agree to just be ready and willing to receive them when they do. ### E59 Bruce and Laura chat with Kalaya'an Mendoza | Filipino American History Month 2023 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e59-bruce-and-laura-chat-with-kalayaan-304/ Last updated: 2023-10-14T03:03:00.000Z On Episode 59 Laura and Bruce chat with Kalaya’an Mendoza from the Nonviolent Peace Force and Across Frontlines. We, of course, talk about nonviolence, how we address racism within our communities, and a whole lot of science fiction. Kala has provided me with one of my favorite podcast moments ever. If you do not know Kala, you are in for a treat. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Kalaya'an Mendoza. ### CONNECTION WITH KALAYA'AN [Kalaya'an on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kalamendoza/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Non Violent Peace Force](https://nonviolentpeaceforce.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [Across Frontlines](https://acrossfrontlines.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS BRC & FRIENDS: [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES: [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW: [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) |[ On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ on Substack](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on[ ](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow)[*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using[ ](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1)[*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1).[ BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on[ GreekGeeks](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Waiting in the Hospital Room URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/waiting-in-the-hospital-room/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:31.000Z In life and in death, we belong to God. This choice of faith does not make the death any easier, but it does remind me that we do not have to face or experience death alone. This is never more evident to me than when sitting with someone as they breathe their final breath surrounded by loved ones. As our family says our goodbyes and we wait for my mother-in-law to take her final breaths, I am reminded of the privilege that it is to be present in the holy and tender space that death reveals. As a pastor and a certified member of the sandwich generation, I have been in this place with congregation members and loved ones before. Yes, there has always been plenty of grief and sadness, but there have also been wonderful and often hysterical moments shared with parishioners and family members. The sacredness of these spaces lies not only in the journey to the end of life, but also in the simple and sacramental act of gathering: the bursts of laughter, the flowing tears, the stories shared, the communal experience of life transitions, and as needed, the grip of past wrongs loosed for a moment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/de429054-c696-4b5b-9aaf-1bdd8c10d925_2360x1327-jpeg.jpg) As we sit in this darkened hospital room waiting, holding my mother-in-law’s hand, speaking the names of her family members, and gently brushing her hair out of her eyes; I also look around and see evidence that the family has been here: pizza boxes, charger cables, and unfinished cafeteria food strewn about — it’s messy and and it’s holy. Yes, these times are difficult, but are also beautiful. In this moment, I am also reminded that so many, too many, are never given the chance to usher in death with so much care and tenderness. Too many die without the care, comfort, and dignity that hospices or hospitals can provide. War, gun violence, poverty, estrangement, and so much more deny people the opportunity to experience death with the wholeness that life deserves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/7c98354b-0511-4633-b009-86ce5e1b44c5_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Whether with family or congregants, until it is my time, this will not be my last time in this holy space. I don’t seek these spaces, but when they come, I am deeply grateful. I am so grateful that I can only hope to keep fighting for justice in the world so that all of God’s people have the opportunity to live and die with the dignity that I am witnessing this night. In life and in death, we belong to God . . . The Amalgamation is made possible through your eyeballs and support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### E58 Bruce Chats with Justher Gutierrez, Camille Valerio, and Mark Serrano | Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e58-bruce-chats-with-justher-gutierrez-93c/ Last updated: 2023-10-06T20:00:00.000Z On Episode 58 we continue our #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth series. Today, I sat down with Justher Gutierrez from Malaya South Bay, Camille Valerio from LEAD Filipino, and Mark Serrano from the Filipino Youth Coalition and Filipino American National Historical Society Santa Clara Valley. They helped me get to know the Filipino Community in the South Bay a bit more and shared all of the activities taking place this month. We also talked about what it means to be “Filipino enough,” when Filipino American History Month came into our view, and how ube has gone mainstream. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to my conversation with Justher, Camille, and Mark. **First Follow** [**@fact\_sanjose**](https://www.instagram.com/fact%5Fsanjose/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **on The Gram** as well as all of the member organizations: [@leadfilipino](https://www.instagram.com/leadfilipino/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@fanhs.scv](https://www.instagram.com/fanhs.scv/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@fycsanjose](https://www.instagram.com/fycsanjose/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@malaya.sbay](https://www.instagram.com/malaya.sbay/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@pawissouthbay](https://www.instagram.com/pawissouthbay/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@bnkfilamschoolsj](https://www.instagram.com/bnkfilamschoolsj/?ref=reyes-chow.com) [@mvblfeast](https://www.instagram.com/mvblfeast/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **SAN JOSE #FAHM2023 FESTIVITIES** Sept. 8-Nov. 30 Pinoytown Rising Exhibit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library October 3, 1PM-1:30PM FAHM Proclamation San José City Hall October 7, 2-7PM Pinoytown Art Walk San José Japantown October 8, 10-12PM Pinoytown Tour San José Japantown October 13, 5-8PM Flag Raising & Lighting Ceremony San José City Hall October 15, 10-12PM Pinoytown Tour San José Japantown October 20, 5-9PM FAHM Jam Garden at the Flea October 22, 10-12PM Pinoytown Tour San José Japantown October 28, 6-8PM Bahay! Open Mic Philz Downtown San José **CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS** ### JUSTHER GUTIERREZ is the local coordinator for Malaya Movement South Bay, a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting for human rights, sovereignty, and democracy in the Philippines. First launched in 2018, Malaya Movement has hosted speaking tours, workshops, and other events to help raise awareness of the current human rights issues facing the Philippines, from the drug war to increased militarization of indigenous communities to the targeting of journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders. ### Links: ### Malaya South Bay Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/malaya.sbay/](https://www.instagram.com/malaya.sbay/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Malaya South Bay Linktree: [https://linktr.ee/malayasouthbay](https://linktr.ee/malayasouthbay?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Malaya South Bay website: [https://www.malayasouthbay.com/](https://www.malayasouthbay.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Malaya Movement USA website: [https://www.malayamovement.com/](https://www.malayamovement.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### No To APEC Coalition Linktree: [https://linktr.ee/no2apec](https://linktr.ee/no2apec?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### ### MARK SERRANO is a San Francisco State University graduate with a Bachelors in Asian American Studies. Mark is a Core member of Filipino American National Historical Society Santa Clara Valley and Acting Executive Director of the Filipino Youth Coalition San Jose and an active member of San Jose Zulu Nation ### Links: ### Fanhsscv website: [www.fanhs-scv.org](http://www.fanhs-scv.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Fanhsscv instagram: @fanhs scv ### Fyc website: [www.fyc-sj.org](http://www.fyc-sj.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (currently under construction) ### Fyc instagram: @fycsanjose ### ### CAMILLE VALERIO (she/her) is passionate about the intersection of design, civics, and community engagement. She was born and raised in Daly City, California in a Filipinx household where she learned the value of sharing culture through story-telling, food, and festivities. She currently works as the Program Manager & Lead Designer for L.E.A.D Filipino, a San José-based non-profit dedicated to increasing the civic participation and representation of Filipinx/o/a Americans in public leadership. She supports the organization’s events, partnerships, and collaborations. Camille also graduated from San José State University in 2020 and is a proud member of the Filipino Alumni Association at SJSU. In her free time, Camille enjoys dancing, reading, and binge-watching Netflix shows. ### Links: ### [LeadFilipino.org](http://leadfilipino.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### [Fahmjam.com](http://fahmjam.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:**[ Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) |[ On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ on Substack](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on[ ](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow)[*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using[ ](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1)[*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1).[ BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on[ GreekGeeks](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### BRC & Friends: Filipino American History Month URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-friends-fahm-nadal/ Last updated: 2023-10-02T06:23:30.000Z While I may play with some things later, I have not quite yet decided to move my podcast over to Substack. If you do not subscribe to [BRC & Friends](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), now is the perfect time to start as I kick off Filipino American History Month with a slew of episodes chatting with Filipino/a/x Americans from varying locations and callings. I am so excited. The Amalgamation and BRC & Friends are supported by your eyeballs and eardrums, so consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. We begin with Kevin Nadal, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at City University of New York and the current President of the Filipino American National Historical Society. Here is a little preview of my conversation with Kevin as we talk about what it mean to be *Filipino enough*. [You can find BRC & Friends wherever you listen to podcasts.](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E57 Bruce chats with Kevin Nadal | Filipino American History Month 2023 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e57-bruce-chats-with-kevin-nadal-552/ Last updated: 2023-10-01T03:54:00.000Z Today on episode 57, we launched Filipino American History Month here on BRC and friends. I chat with Kevin adult distinguished professor of psychology at City University of New York and the current president of Filipino American National Historical Society. We have such a good time in this episode, as we talked about growing up in the bay area, Filipino American History Month doctoral work, what it means to be Filipino enough and a little drag and musicals, our paths have crossed, but we've never always sat down and talked. So you get to kind of listen in as Kevin and I get to know one another, a bit. This was really a treat. So thanks for being here. I grab a beverage, pull up a chair and enjoy listening to my conversation with Kevin Nadal. ### CONNECT WITH KEVIN: [Website](https://www.kevinnadal.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/kevinnadal?ref=reyes-chow.com), or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kevinnadal/?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:** [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) |[ On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/breyeschow.bsky.social?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ On Threads](https://www.threads.net/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[ on Substack](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on[ ](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow)[*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using[ ](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1)[*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1).[ BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on[ GreekGeeks](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### A Boundary Training for Church Leaders URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-boundary-training-for-church-leaders/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T21:04:27.000Z Hey Presbyterians and Presbyterian adjacent friends. I have been contracted to develop a short boundary training for ordained clergy and ruling Elders and I would love your input. I've been to many, many, many boundary courses. While these trainings have been helpful, I have often found those conversations lacking in practicality or nuance. They have been more about maintaining the rigidity of regulation and not navigating the realities of our relationships. This training will be about the day-to-day ways in which congregations, ministries, and pastoral leadership interact with one another throughout the life of a call: beginning, middle, and end. After almost 30 years of ordained ministry, I do have some ideas, but I also know that the nature of congregational life is always in flux. If you have thoughts, here is what I would like to know, whether from a called and ordained perspective or from a Ruling Elder’s, what boundaries are crucial to name and affirm in order to maintain a culture and environment where all spiritual leaders can maintain healthy work/life harmony, thrive in their roles, and avoid burn-out, resentment, and hurt? And I don't just want to know the rules that you follow or you think others should. I also want to know the intentions of the boundary, the contextual variables that impact them, and how we can live them out in our collective day-to-day lives; holding one another and ourselves accountable to maintain the boundaries we have agreed to hold. Below is what the day would look like as we will address 10-12 of the most important boundaries and behaviors. Please keep in mind that this training will not include sexual misconduct or child abuse. Those will be addressed in another training. **So what do you got?** What are the boundaries that we most need to revisit and reflect upon for the spiritual leaders of the church? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments here or email me directly. This training will have both participants and leaders guides and, with permission from the orginating governing body, will be available for others to use. The Amalgamation is made possible by your eyeballs. Consider becoming a subscriber. ## Tentative Outline for the Day - Scripture, Prayer, Introductions, and Hopes for the Day - Definitions and Understandings of Teaching/Ruling Elder Boundaries - The Boundaries We Intend to Hold (Done in large or small groups depending on the number of people.) - Boundary & Behavior (What is the boundary practice?): - Intentions & Reasoning (Why is this an important practice?) - Variables & Contexts (What contextual realities should be considered) - Adjustments & Flexibilities (How does this play out in your context?) - Accountability & Understandings (How will these boundaries be introduced, followed, and assessed?) - **EXAMPLE:** - Boundary & Behavior: *We will not use email for urgent communication and will allow 48 hours for response before resending.* - Intentions & Reasoning: *Clear expectations for communication honors different communication patterns, accessibility, and availability.* - Variables & Contexts: *Not everyone uses email, has reliable internet access, or is available throughout the day.* - Adjustments & Flexibilities: *Choose agreed upon platforms for various kinds of communication: texting, FB messenger, email, etc.* - Accountability & Understandings: *We will remind ourselves of agreed upon practices and will revisit every six months.* - Takeaways and Things We Didn't Get To - Closing Prayers/Ritual - Adjourn ### My OrangeTheory Fitness Story URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-orangetheory-fitness-story/ Last updated: 2023-09-21T01:40:54.000Z *NOTE: If you want to try a session,* [*here is my referral link*](https://www.orangetheory.com/locations?medium=em&utm%5Fsource=adb&utm%5Fterm=corporate&utm%5Fcampaign=2--MemberReferral&utm%5Fcontent=&referralCode=HQKSQI)*.* Below is a little bit of my story about why I joined OrangeTheory Fitness and why it works for me. In my decades of struggling with health, weight, and fitness, OrangeTheory is the only fitness program that I've ever stuck to consistently (and I have done them all). Sure, we can be a little culty like any enthusiastic group (part of our charm, right?) but it has become an integral part of my life as I try to hold in harmony work, ministry, fitness, health, etc. and I LOVE IT! Some have asked about it so after I was chosen as the [Featured Member for my home studio Newsletter](https://d2mxsxvdlyuhqy.cloudfront.net/mailing/y5lgeg/35fe8da840c9f208106ac5305d5c27f2?format=pdf&ch=5000&cw=3900&ref=reyes-chow.com), I figured this was as good a time as any to share. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. But first, some thank yous — since I didn’t get an actual award ceremony, sheesh. First thanks to the home studies who have been part of the past four years: [Palo Alto](https://www.instagram.com/otf%5Fsouthbay?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Almaden Valley in San Jose](https://www.instagram.com/%20otfalmadenvalley?ref=reyes-chow.com), and now [Rose Garden/Downtown San Jose](https://www.instagram.com/orangetheoryrosegarden?ref=reyes-chow.com). With all of my travels, I also try to visit as many other studios as possible, I think I’m up to over 20, so also some special thanks to studios where I have been multiple times: [Pasadena](https://www.instagram.com/otf%5Fpasadena?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Capitola](https://www.instagram.com/otfcapitola?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Willow Glen](https://www.instagram.com/otf%5Fwillowglen?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Communication Hill](https://www.instagram.com/orangetheorycommhill?ref=reyes-chow.com), [South Mountain](https://www.instagram.com/otfsouthmountain?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Auckland](https://www.instagram.com/orangetheoryauckland/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Melbourne](https://www.instagram.com/orangetheorymelbourne/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and so many more great studios! And lastly, to the amazing coaches far too many to name, thank you, though I will say my Top 3 Coach Playlisters awards go to coaches: [Gaby Moctezuma](https://www.instagram.com/gabymoctezuma13.1/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Eddie Prospero](https://www.instagram.com/eddie%5Fprospero/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Alyssa Morris](https://www.instagram.com/alyssaa.morris/?ref=reyes-chow.com)! Okay, on to the whats and whys of my OrangeTheory Story. **OTF: When did you find OTF and why did you join?** > My 70-year-old mother shamed me into joining. She had joined a ways back and was working out 4-6 times a week. She, like so many other Orangetheory converts, always had that annoying workout glow about them and never passed up a chance to let everyone know why. At some point and for no special occasion, she sent me a heart monitor and gifted me with 10 classes. **OTF: What were your first few months like at OTF?** > Not so fast, buster . . . the pandemic hit. Nooooooooo! Fortunately, one of our kids enjoys working out just about as much as she loves laughing at me as I try to keep up with her. So with this new parental tradition in play, for no special occasion, I bought her a heart monitor so we could do the at-home sessions. While she was home, we were pretty consistent, but once college opened back up, I was on my own. Being on my own is one of the reasons that I enjoy the class structure of OTF. There is just enough communal peer pressure to keep going, but not so much that you feel like you are letting others down or all eyes are keeping track of you. I could not wait for my place to open back up so I could get back in person. But alas, Covid would have other plans . . . keep reading. **OTF: What advice can you give other new OTF members?** > Listen to your body, mind, and soul before, during, and after your class. With so much toxic masculinity, unhealthy diet culture, and the constant reinforcing of negative body imagery in the world, I have truly appreciated the openness with which OTF coaches encourage folks to embrace simply enjoying the experience. Sure, they push us to go just a little faster or a lift a little heavier, but they also talk positively about our complete being, invite us to go slower or lighter when we need, and I have never heard a coach talk about calories or weight. Some days you will go all out like nobody’s business and other days, you will just not feel it and go all green. Either way, you made it through and you moved more than if you had not shown up at all. **OTF: What's your most proud OTF moment so far?** > When I post on the socials or text with friends, I often joke about my classes by saying, “Didn’t die, didn’t puke, taking the W.” This is only slightly a joke, because, as I mentioned earlier, COVID had other plans for my OTF life. At the end of 2021, while fully vaxxed and boosted, Covid got me. With a few pre-existing conditions, I ended up in the hospital for almost three weeks and then home on oxygen for about a month. It ended up taking about four months before I could return to work, and even then, I was only good for 4 hours a day. So when I say I am grateful that I didn’t die, I really am. I am still not nearly as in good of shape as I think I can be, but I am being patient with myself, committing to a better pace of life, and obviously sticking to OTF on the regular. With all of that, my proud moments are a cumulative of firsts: the first time I could run without feeling like my lungs were about to explode; the first time my muscles didn’t scream at me for days after a workout, the first time I ran for 12 minutes in a row, the first time completing All-out Mayhem, and the first time finishing the Transformation Challenge. Lots of firsts and I’m proud of them all. **OTF: What activities do you do outside of OTF?** > When I was told that I was nominated to be the Member of the Month, after preparing my acceptance speech and calling my designer — Wait, what, there’s no red carpet?!?!? — I jokingly asked about word count. I was serious because most of my life is taken up with speaking, coaching, and writing. Yes, I am an Author — Geez, no way to say that without sounding pretentious as heck — with my last project clocking in at 45,000 words. I have written six books, most recently, “Rule #2: Don't Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children,” Professionally, I have been a Presbyterian Pastor in the Bay Area for the past 30 years. You will often find me at random coffee places in random cities, just after visiting the local OTF, of course. We are huge women’s soccer fans (Sending this to you from New Zealand/Aotearoa and the FIFA Women’s World Cup). **OTF: Who/what is your motivation?** > While my grandfather Estaben de los Reyes is my deepest motivation to live life with kindness, generosity, and justice, you are probably wondering about my OTF motivation. My motivations are one cup of encouraging coaching, a heaping spoonful of intellectual knowledge, movement is good for me, a dash of satisfaction when I’m done, a pinch of healthy peer pressure, and my wallet reminding me that I am paying for the privilege. All of those things combined, and kneaded together have me coming back for more each and every week. **OTF: Thank you Bruce! We love your story and thank you so much for sharing it with us!** Well, that's it, my OTF Story. OrangeTheory locations and ownership groups are all different and people will have different experiences, positive and negative, but the three that I have been part of have been positive ones, so if you wanna talk about OrangeTheory, and if it may be a good choice for you, feel free to drop me a note. *Disclaimer: I was not compensated for writing this post, but if you do plan on joining any studio, Feel free to use* [**MY REFERRAL LINK**](https://www.orangetheory.com/locations?medium=em&utm%5Fsource=adb&utm%5Fterm=corporate&utm%5Fcampaign=2--MemberReferral&utm%5Fcontent=&referralCode=HQKSQI)*, give them my referral code* **(HQKSQI)** *, or just let them know that Bruce Reyes-Chow from Rose Garden San Jose referred you.* [My OTF Referral Link](https://www.orangetheory.com/locations?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Kindness and Privilege URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/kindness-and-privilege/ Last updated: 2023-09-20T12:24:07.000Z Below is a shameless plug for my 2021 book, [*In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-defense-of-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes-our-lives-and-how-it-can-save-the-world-bruce-reyes-chow/13046414?aid=82176&ean=9780827216761&listref=brc-books-on-bookshop&ref=reyes-chow.com) from Chalice Media. If you are looking for a book for your book group, word on the street is that this is a good one :-) Bulk discounts begin at ten copies [from Chalice](https://chalicepress.com/products/idok?%5Fpos=2&%5Fsid=db095434a&%5Fss=r&ref=reyes-chow.com). ***Lightly edited transcript with a few links added.*** Greetings all. My name is Bruce Reyes-Chow, and I am the author of In Defense of Kindness,[*Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World*](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827216761?ref=reyes-chow.com). Came out in 2021 from Chalice Press. And despite many people thinking, Oh, kindness, great. Bruce just wants us all to get along. I really hope that you'll take some time to think about kindness as power, not as weakness, that kindness by seeing the humanity in one another and Choosing not to diminish that no matter where folks stand on the ideological spectrum, is a powerful, powerful statement. So if you're looking for a book, to use for a book group, this is one that I hope you would try to use. it can be used in churches, schools, libraries, whatever. You may want to have conversations about how we might engage in, political, social, ideological discourse a little bit differently. I'm going to read today a chapter called Kindness and Privilege. The chapters in this book go across the board. This is what I look at both kind of grand understandings of kindness, what it is not. I try to debunk the ideas of niceties. I look at politics, social media, the every day, kindness with those closest to us and try to expand our understanding about what it means to be kind again, not about being nice or about avoiding conflict, but about honoring the complexity of other humans around us and not just ideologically or performatively, but actually living our lives as if that matters. You know, a lot of people will just assume that it's nice, but it's not. I'm going to read a section, a chapter, "Kindness and Privilege." The Amalgamation is fueled by your eyeballs and your subscriptions Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ##### ***Excerpt from*** [**Defense of Kindness, Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World**](https://chalicepress.com/products/idok?ref=reyes-chow.com) ***by Bruce Reyes-Chow © 2021 Chalice Books. Used by permission.*** I once had a conversation with someone during a protest and taking over the roadway in the San Francisco Bay Area. The protest occurred during the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement. The social atmosphere in the United States was charged to say the least. The conversation about this life or death reality boiled down to this response from a bystander. If they did not inconvenience people so much, I would be much more supportive of their cause. Kindness that merely placates those who are inflicting trauma, violence, or oppression may be a valid survival technique, but it centers the aggressor and allows them to dictate the future. Kindness cannot be boiled down to specific, concrete, never changing actions. How we express kindness depends on our own social context, experiences, culture, and privilege. it is not kind to tell someone who is expressing righteous and disruptive indignation to be civil or appropriate. Historically, these kinds of admonishments have been code for stop creating discomfort, know your place, or shut up. While I understand the desire to be more compassionate and to have more thoughtful engagement around disagreements, we must be careful that such a desire does not turn into a modern day manifestation of civilizing those who do not fit into our understanding of normative behavior. Sometimes our norms oppress and marginalize others. When acts of kindness and calls for civility are fueled by social, economic, and racial privilege, these acts are often more about doing just enough to keep the status quo, and not about transformative change for those who are experiencing struggle. This call for civility is dangerous. It assumes that well intentioned people or organizations will actively seek out their flaws and correct them without any prodding from others, whether insiders or outsiders. We know this to be untrue. Protest, disruption, and uncivilized behavior is precisely what compels individuals and organizations to change, sometimes willingly and with integrity, and sometimes because market forces compel them to change or go out of business. The existence of any protections for and the civil rights of people of color, women, workers, LGBTQIA plus people, and countless others were all the result of people taking to the streets to protest injustice and unfair practices that needed to be named. Not every expression offered in the face of injustice is justified, or should be accepted simply because it's protest. Our first reaction to others pointing out injustices that might create discomfort in ourselves, our institutions, and our social status cannot be, "Well, listen, if you just stop yelling and talk calmly, then you might have more impact." No doubt there will have been multiple attempts to work through the system, to use processes set up by the institution, and to be appropriate, respectful, civil, and otherwise not make a scene. When those tactics do not result in change, it is appropriate to resort to public protest. For many of us being uncomfortable about public protest or what we perceive as aggressive expressions of frustration simply identifies our privilege and our ability to shield ourselves from the struggles that others are facing. May our call to civil discourse be more about listening to the genuine struggles of human sisters, brothers, siblings, neighbors, strangers, than about protecting our own spaces of security. Most people do not engage in public protest or in expressing anger that may risk their life, work, or status. So when groups of people are pushed to their boiling point, the least helpful thing to do is to silence them. Expressions of kindness in times of social change and public protest should focus on those who are seeking justice and liberation and not the ones whose privileged worlds are being disrupted by the leveling of a social playing field or correction of disparities of access, power, or authority. If someone is seeking civil rights through public protest or sharing their frustration in a way that causes discomfort, rather than adopting a posture of defensiveness, a kinder response is for us to listen with empathy in order to seek true understanding. The second, third, and tenth acts of kindness are to discern how this knowledge and experience will affect future actions, and while keeping it at the center of the conversation, the voices of those whose change will benefit. It takes control and wisdom to listen to justified expressions of frustration. That, too, is an act of kindness. At each chapter's end, I offer some questions for reflection and then an actual action. The Amalgamation is fueled by your eyeballs and your subscriptions Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. So for reflection, "When have you participated in public protests and what compelled you to do so?" "When have you witnessed a protest and thought it was too much? And why did you have that reaction?" And the try this is, scan your news feed for a protest happening somewhere in the world, and note your initial reactions. Then do some background research about the reason for the protest, to see if your perspective changes. All right. That is just one chapter from In Defense of Kindness. if you look around this sub stack, you'll see a way, that if you buy a certain number of copies that, I will zoom in for one of your book groups, maybe come out to an event, depending on, logistics and circumstances. But I would encourage you if you need a book, please do. There are discounts, at Chalice Press, I believe. And I'll put that in the notes. And again, if you're looking for a book shameless plug, In Defense of Kindness. If you are interested in having me come to a book group or event, [please contact me](https://reyes-chow.com/contacts/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Purchase from Chalice](https://chalicepress.com/products/idok?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### BRC & Friends Podcast is Back! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/brc-and-friends-podcast-is-back/ Last updated: 2023-09-19T03:42:12.000Z *NOTE: Below is a transcript of the video. I am learning new software to edit videos and podcasts, so I’m playing with the best use of my time, energy, and skills. I love the talking, so I may do more where I post videos with lightly edited transcription with links. I had forgotten how fun it can be to learn a new technology.* Hey, sub stackers. I am really excited about [BRC & Friends podcast](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com). We don't really have seasons. We just kind of bring people on whenever I get my act together, whenever my people, my staff, can actually, organize and call people and confirm. But we have a bunch of guests coming on. Who will join co-hosts, Laura, Jorge, Mickey, Amy Kim, and myself over the next a few months. The Amalgamation is fueled by your eyeballs and your subscriptions Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. We have some authors coming on. [David Lamotte](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827208544?ref=reyes-chow.com) is going to be with us. [Derrick Weston and Anna Woofenden on their new book](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506484112?ref=reyes-chow.com) going to be here. [Kathy Khang and, Matt Mikalatos is going to be, they have a new book coming out](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781641586153?ref=reyes-chow.com). Who else do we have? [Alisa Charles-Findley](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780827201132?ref=reyes-chow.com), her new book. All these great authors are coming out with some new books. We're really excited about those, but also Filipino American History Month is coming up and I have a bunch of really cool guests coming on. We have Robin Magalit Rodriguez who's gonna come on. She was on last year gonna give us a little update about the farm [Kevin Nadal](https://www.instagram.com/kevinnadal/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is gonna be on who is the current president of the, Filipino American National, [Filipino American National Historical Society](https://www.instagram.com/fanhs%5Fnational/?ref=reyes-chow.com), FANHS, and a professor in New York. We have Kala Mendoza, who is a peace activist will be on, Kenneth Tan, who is from, [Lola and Kenneth](https://www.instagram.com/lolaxkenneth/?ref=reyes-chow.com), this artist in the San Jose area. And then Heather and Josh, who are the owners of Obet and Dels, a Black Filipino owned cafe shop in LA. One of my favorite places, sweet, sweet, sweet ube lattes there. So, they're going to be on, have a bunch of other folks that are trying to confirm, hoping for a professional athlete, all kinds of good stuff going on. I'm really excited. Also, we have, [Brian Falduto](https://www.instagram.com/brianfalduto/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com), who is a country Western singer. So we're gonna be a little country into the show. and he has a couple of songs. You can look them up. And, so we have a bunch of things going on. We're recording over the next few weeks. And, need you to go and subscribe to the podcast. You can find it. BRC and Friends is only one of us. you can follow the links. I'll put them down below. Pass this on. look forward to it, rate us, review us, all that kind of good stuff. [Find BRC & Friends](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) So you will be getting more and more in your podcast ears over the next few months from BRC & Friends. All right. Thanks for the support and I will see you later. Peace. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### An Audition and A Preview URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/an-audition-and-a-preview/ Last updated: 2023-09-15T12:13:01.000Z This past week, I received word that there will be an audio version of [*Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/everything-good-about-god-is-true/). Now, before folks get all excited, one thing that I have learned as a grizzled and veteran author of exactly ONE other book with an audio version is that there is no guarantee that the author will be tasked with narrating it. After all, we may be competent with sharing the words via our fingers, but maybe not so much out of our mouths. Voice-over work is not as easy as it looks. So, while I have fancied myself a good podcast voice, I have no delusions of grandeur about my future narrating prospects. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) That said, I am giving it the ol’ college try as they say and just recorded a couple of takes of me reading the early section, “Are you a theologian?” While they will only receive the audio track I figured that this segment could do double duty as my audition recording and as a little preview to the book. Enjoy! ### Who is Jesus? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/who-is-jesus/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:32.000Z Every once in a while (and by once in a while, I mean every day), I have to remind myself that MY WAY is NOT THE ONLY WAY. This realization is made clear as I judge how people address injustice, deal with conflict, interact on social media, or simply move through the world. Too often I find myself observing how someone approaches a situation, and I think to myself, “You know, the better way to respond would have been to . . .“ Funny how that “better way” always aligns with the way that I would respond as if the way that I would do things makes sense for everyone else. While it may feel natural to give that kind of feedback and we can always offer solicited guidance, without taking into account context and lived experience, there is no way that my way could be the way for everyone. In every situation, there are, not only multiple ways to respond, but there are multiple good ways. Albeit a pain in the booty, Jesus offers a constant reminder of this fact. While I would prefer to make Jesus into my preferred image and actions, the gift of the life of Christ is that we are shown multiple ways to move through the world, interact with others, and respond to what life offers. I touch on this in my upcoming book, [*Everything Good about God Is True: Choosing Faith*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/everything-good-about-god-is-true/)*.* Here is a brief excerpt from the section on Jesus — > We will get to salvation, resurrection, and other concepts related to Jesus soon. But let’s begin with talking about who Jesus is. First, it is important to acknowledge that when we try to define who Jesus is, he often ends up looking and believing and acting a lot like us. I hope to offer a framework for understanding who Jesus is and also examining the understandings we bring. Naming who we *think* Jesus is can help us both clear away some of our own preconceptions and also notice the various ways that Jesus meets us. > > Let’s begin with some questions that help us figure out what we think of Jesus. Consider which of these statements seems right to you.Is Jesus a Prophet, a table-turning activist and political troublemaker who challenges us to express our righteous indignation with passion and courage?Is Jesus a Priest, a going-off-to-pray miracle worker and spiritual teacher who offers us a way to connect with God?Is Jesus a Pastor, a giving-the-benefit-of-the-doubt curator of relationships and bridge builder who yearns for us to cross cultural, economic, and theological divides?Is Jesus a Poet, a more-questions-than-answers sculptor of words and actions, one who opens the human imagination to see possibilities for the world? > > Like so many multiple-choice tests you took in high school, I believe the right answer is actually E: All of the Above. > > Naturally we tend to focus on the aspects of Jesus that we like and shy away from or reject those parts that challenge us. If we are activists, we likely focus on the prophetic nature of Jesus. If spiritual disciplines are our jam, we focus on the priestly aspects of Jesus. If relationships are the most important part of our faith life, then the pastoral Jesus is where we find connection. If we like using our imagination about what life could be, bring on Jesus the Poet! Expanding our understanding of Jesus might challenge us to consider who Jesus is calling us to be—and then we might have to adapt, change, and respond! > > This idea of the fourfold nature of Jesus—Prophet, Priest, Pastor, and Poet—is not new. It has roots in the writing of John Calvin, a French theologian who lived during the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Even though I disagree with Calvinists about a lot, these frames help me embrace the breadth of who Jesus is rather than focus on the parts I like. Sure, we will all gravitate toward one or two aspects of Jesus’s life and teachings—a part of him with which we feel a special bond. But we must not do so to the extent of ignoring the other aspects of Jesus, who models for us the importance of holding in harmony the ways we move through the world.***Excerpt from*** [**Everything Good about God Is True: Choosing Faith**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/everything-good-about-god-is-true/) ***by Bruce Reyes-Chow © 2024 Broadleaf Books. Used by permission.*** You can see more about the book, read a few of the early endorsements, and find out how you can get a review/endorsement ARC [**here**](https://www.reyes-chow.com/everything-good-about-god-is-true/). The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, support my work, and gain access to special offers, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### First Question: Why Do You Want to Grow? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/first-question-why-do-you-want-to/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:32.000Z When I work with churches that say they want to grow, I begin with the question, “Why do you want to grow?” then we sit with that question longer than anyone wants to. I rarely give right or wrong answers, but in this case, I think there is a less-right answer, so let’s start there. **We should not want to grow only so that we do not die.** Like many pastors, I have walked with families as they make end-of-life decisions about their loved ones. I have had to do this with my family numerous times, so I know making these decisions is complex and heart-wrenching. There is always a beat in our soul and a whisper in our mind saying, “There is a chance,” “I can’t let go,” “I won’t make the decision,” or “It’s just too hard to admit that this is the end.” While understandable, these responses often inflict unnecessary suffering and pain upon our loved ones simply because we cannot or will not acknowledge the reality of death. I get it. Death is difficult. Sure, some of us accept it more easily, and some may find relief in its approach, but we are wired to avoid death and survive as long as we can. To embrace the death of our human body is to acknowledge the end of this holy lived experience. Our bodies have been the vessels through which we have known breath, pain, intimacy, struggle, exuberance, heartbreak, and belonging. Through our bodies, we have danced with the divine, wandered into unknown spaces, and lived life the best we could. So no matter the circumstances surrounding death and no matter how we are told to put on a brave front and be strong, the grief, loss, and pain are real. I have learned over time not to judge the mental, emotional, and theological gymnastics we do to avoid dealing with death when it comes to our loved ones. I have also tried to be just as compassionate when asking the same questions about the church and the realities of its mortality. For so many, the church has been the Spirit-filled body that has led that divine dance, so I try not to be flippant when talking about its death because even acknowledging the possibilities of death, that same grief, loss, and pain begin to make themselves known. Many of us know that death is already here for some communities and that pretending otherwise will not stop it. In our bodies or our congregations, we must not prolong a life that is meant to end by giving too much power to the voices that deny the inevitable, “There is a chance,” “I can’t let go,” “I won’t make the decision,” or “It’s just too hard to admit that this is the end.” I understand why we want to avoid death as long as possible, but prolonging life is different from living. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Death of our bodies or death of a church, let no one say it is easy. But it is also part of our cycle of life, death, and rebirth — and we are a resurrection people. We are a people who believe in new life after death, and not just a “new and improved” new life, but a more wholly abundant, generous, and expansive life of tomorrow. We are not resurrected to the same form and function as we once were but resurrected into something new. So our human body, the body of Christ, the congregations we serve, and communities of faith to which we belong — we must not avoid our death, we must trust that there is new life beyond it. So, when asked, “Why should we grow?” if, at the end of the day, the answer is, “So we don’t die?” we must understand the ramifications of this being the foundational reason to pursue growth. When we strive to grow primarily to avoid death, we do ourselves a disservice and deny the possibilities of what may be tomorrow because we cannot imagine them today. Living so that we do not die does not move us toward the divine but holds us back from knowing the divine more deeply. Trying to grow so we do not die runs the risk of making our faith tactical rather than transformational. We run the danger of diminishing what has been formative in our lives by seeing that version of our faith as the only possible. Growing to avoid dying confines God to what we now believe to be true at the cost of the unbinding of what more we could come to know in the future. As painful as it is to think about it, to see new life, there must be death. We are a resurrection people, and we either believe that or not. At the end of the day, if our churches are going to grow into the new life that God intends, there will be death and we must trust there will be resurrection. Death may come for a church as a whole or only certain parts, but death will need to be faithfully embraced if there is going to be the new life that so many yearn for. Too often, when talking about church growth, we want to proceed to the tactics and strategies and avoid sitting with primary and foundational questions like, “Why do you want to grow?” By beginning here, we can mutually admit how hard it is to face the prospect of death — or if we even want to face it at all — and will be more prepared to accept the questions about what is dead or dying and be open to new life ways of being. So talk about death, for when we give death a little less power to constrain our imaginations, we give ourselves a little more permission to cultivate the new life that many claim to seek. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. --- \* *This post is* [*one of a series of exploratory ideas for a book project*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/so-you-say-want-to-grow/) *that I am developing. It will eventually turn into a book on growth for progressive churches and is meant to inspire, provoke, and shape meaningful conversations about congregational growth and communal impact. While these posts are not being shared in any particular order, the project will be framed as a series of big questions for communities to address when exploring possibilities for growth. More questions and topics will be introduced over the next few months, but if you have a good fundamental question about church growth that should be asked, feel free to send it my way.* ### Maui Fires: Where We Are Giving Our Money URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/maui-fires-where-we-are-giving-our/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T19:56:37.000Z As many of you know, our family has spent a great deal of time in Maui over the past couple of decades. We spend most of our time in Kihei, but often visit Lahaiana. As awareness has grown for all of us regarding sovereignty and the struggles of local communities, we have done our best to do no harm when we are there. That said, the recent fires and the destruction of Lahaina have shown the impact that can come about after decades of exploitation of people and resources. Many locals are rightly calling for, those of us — individuals, organizations, and corporations — who have taken advantage of what the land and people have offered must now step up and put more of our money where our feet have stood. --- Thank you for supporting the Maui Fire relief efforts. Please share with others who may be looking for places to give. --- After seeing images of the town burned to the ground, it is often hard to know how and where to help. I claim no expertise, only time to do a little digging, so I offer you a few places where we have given our money and social amplification. Also, ignore the whataboutism that you will see popping up in some of the comments. I am amazed at the extent we humans will twist ourselves in knots in order to shirk responsibility and accountability. **Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Actions (HAPA) has shared** [**some vetted resource lists**](https://www.hapahi.org/blog/supportmaui?ref=reyes-chow.com) **as has** [**anuheanihipalii**](https://www.instagram.com/anuheanihipalii/?ref=reyes-chow.com)**, but here is where we have given our money.** - [Maui Food Bank](https://mauifoodbank.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Maui Rapid Response Community Fund](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kokuamaui?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Hawaii People’s Fund](https://www.hawaiipeoplesfund.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Maui Mutual Aid](https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted%5Fbutton%5Fid=Y7J26SYUJFQU8&fbclid=PAAaZk2M8uK1NVzIh%5F8QGDCXiRA88iNCtcNBI4B5D0UDgdjxNx3PlzzsmeSFQ%5Faem%5FAbLBeDIUr436yOEc6u9%5F8zgSFA2rGKBOgvA%5FoKyps6pcsLzPvPktxwi85JmXod2eeU4&ref=reyes-chow.com) via Paypal - We donated to five drives from the [Maui Wildfires GoFundMe List](https://gofund.me/cc689678?ref=reyes-chow.com), but if you need ones that we have a connection to through friends or personal connections: - **[The Castillo Family](https://gofund.me/8d6e1c83?ref=reyes-chow.com)** (Maui connection) - **[Aunty Lani Cabanilla](https://gofund.me/68cb0845?ref=reyes-chow.com)** (Relative of a friend) - **[Here is a spreadsheet of many ways to give.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lExatubPl6zvsDcy4qUd3Sv1PvvKrzMhUyOzaKuId0o/htmlview?fbclid=PAAaaTl5mNQq%5FacYWw%5FABvO7gHVvonmYCevzKUg6j7i6%5F5bnrNg9W691djKvQ%5Faem%5FAXJJ0Api008nFY1OmZFD7axyYeTqJ7Nz9hovEiNdvZsEhNkzASPCZpNdsKiriSnuFA8&ref=reyes-chow.com)** It’s overwhelming but gives some understanding as to the breadth of trauma, damage, and loss inflicted upon the community. - *more to come* **Who to follow on Instagram.** There are many more to follow if you follow these accounts below and check out their stories and posts. - [lahainaunderground](https://www.instagram.com/lahainaunderground/?ref=reyes-chow.com) // local artist who is giving some firsthand accounts - [anuheanihipalii](https://www.instagram.com/anuheanihipalii/?ref=reyes-chow.com) // local activist who is sharing some good info - [ainamomona](https://www.instagram.com/ainamomona?ref=reyes-chow.com) // local organization provided great information - [kakoo\_haleakala](https://www.instagram.com/kakoo%5Fhaleakala?ref=reyes-chow.com) // another local organization provided great information Please feel free to comment with any links to information, fundraisers, or organizations that you believe would be helpful to include. The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### "Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith" available March 5, 2024 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/everything-good-about-god-is-true/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:33.000Z ***Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith* (**[**Broadleaf Books**](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?ref=reyes-chow.com)**) by Bruce Reyes-Chow is now available for pre-order wherever you buy books.** ***Excerpts from early Endorsements —*** > Bruce Reyes-Chow’s book “Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith” refuses to concede Christianity to extremism and makes the compelling case for a Christian practice that is rooted in openness, reconciliation, justice, truth and love. ##### — **Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Director,** [**Kairos Center**](https://kairoscenter.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **and Co-Chair,** [**Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival**](https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) > Bruce Reyes-Chow has delivered a gift of a book right on time, promising us that we can still find comfort in the Divine One we've long loved -- not in spite of Mystery, but because of it. ##### **—** [**Shannon K. Evans**](https://shannonkevans.substack.com/?r=1pxw5n)**, author of** [***Feminist Prayers for My Daughter***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781587435492?ref=reyes-chow.com) **and** [***Rewilding Motherhood***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781587435386?ref=reyes-chow.com) > With this book, Reyes-Chow becomes that voice, giving us not only new language to communicate traditional themes on the Church’s theological register, but an applied framework that allows those themes to become germane to one’s faith imperatives and passions. ##### **— José R. Irizarry**, **President and Professor of Practical Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary** > He names the parts of religion that so many of us are trying to get away from and he introduces an understanding of faith in God that so many of us would like to be part of. Highly recommended! ##### **— Brian D. McLaren, author of** [***Faith After Doubt***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781250828378?ref=reyes-chow.com) > Everything Good about God Is True offers a much-needed catechesis—one of liberation and love and justice—that gives voice to our longings for a God beyond both our construction and our deconstruction. ##### **— Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and author of** [***Invisible***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781506470924?ref=reyes-chow.com)**, *Spirit Life*, and** [***Reimagining Spirit***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781532689246?ref=reyes-chow.com)**.** > He strips away the baggage of what we “must” or “ought to” believe so that the reader can begin to articulate their own experience of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and how this informs community and right relationships. Reyes-Chow provides a way for us to explore authentic relationships, with God, others, and self. ##### **Karen P. Oliveto, United Methodist Bishop and author of** [***Together at the Table***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9780664263607?ref=reyes-chow.com) **and** [***Our Strangely Warmed Hearts***](https://bookshop.org/a/82176/9781501858918?ref=reyes-chow.com) > In this manifesto of love, my friend Bruce Reyes-Chow invites us all to acknowledge the damage that has been done in the name of Christ, but he also dares us to refuse to let the bad news be the only news. ##### **Shane Claiborne,** author, activist, and co-founder of Red Letter Christians ***— See the*** [***Complete list of Endorsement Highlights***](https://www.reyes-chow.com/endorsements-for-everything-good/) If you are interested in an electronic Advanced Reader’s copy (ARC) for an interview, review, [endorsement](https://forms.gle/kfZMtjJAonbNfnDd7?ref=reyes-chow.com), or possible use by your congregation or judicatory, please [email me](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com?subject=Send%20me%20an%20ARC!). I cannot guarantee that Broadleaf will include all endorsements in the print version, but I will blatantly and shamelessly share any goods words you send my way :-) --- **Official Description —** > A better story of faith exists, and it has the capacity to heal the world--if we only embrace, articulate, and live it more courageously. > > You know what you don't believe: about the Bible, the church, and God. You don't agree with the doctrines of an exclusionary, dominant Christianity. But what if someone asked you: "What do you believe?" > > In this primer on progressive, expansive, generous Christianity, writer and pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow helps us reconsider--or consider for the first time--what it means to choose faith. What if we could articulate the gospel of love, kindness, humility, and justice? What if the Christian narrative both embraces contradiction and lays claim to deep, historic truths? And what if everything good about God is actually true? > > With clarity, vulnerability, and wit, Reyes-Chow helps us learn a grammar of faith about God, Jesus, and the Spirit that breathes fresh meaning into old words like sin, confession, salvation, baptism, communion, and gratitude. > > He doesn't shy away from calling out the hateful and hurtful dogmas of many churches, but he also turns our attention toward essential questions: What if God created humans to be beautifully complex? What if the Spirit calls us to lament and repent and also beckons us toward pathways of healing, wholeness, and hope? And if Jesus equips us for lives of justice and kindness, how might our imaginations expand for what the world could be? > > Reyes-Chow offers his own "faith montage" and helps individuals and groups create their own. There is a more loving, more genuine vision of the reign of God than the one we see being performed around us, and this book helps us find it. --- You should be able to order in all the book places, but for quantity discounts, please get in touch with [Broadleaf Books](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?ref=reyes-chow.com). Also, if you are on the socials, please like and story [my Pre-order IG Post](https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct1cWZCg08a/?img%5Findex=1&ref=reyes-chow.com), add [*Everything Good About God is True*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com)[ to your GoodReads shelves](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176186113-everything-good-about-god-is-true?ref=reyes-chow.com), and consider [joining the book launch team](http://madmimi.com/signups/a11a525373234bd99eb5bc9a5a08ff93/join?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Get 30 day free trial](#/portal/signup) ### Pop + Culture + Monday: Audiobooks in My Earholes URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-audiobooks-in/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:33.000Z I am by far the slowest and least prolific reader in our home. My spouse is a veracious reader, so it is not difficult to see where they picked up the cues, but my gawd, the aggressively competitive nature of the Goodreads book tracking can get a little ridiculous at times :-) It’s not that I don’t read. I simply do most of my reading via audiobooks through my earholes. Along with a bunch of podcasts and a heavy rotation of Debbie Gibson, TuPac, New Edition, Black Pink, Showtunes, and 80s R&B slow jam playlists, I listen to audiobooks as most folks do: while driving, taking walks, doing chores, etc. I also listen to more than one book at a time, depending on my mood. The best ones make me look forward to the next chance to pop in my earbuds and pick up where I left off. As I ramp up Pop-Culture Monday, I will pop back in on occasion with more in-depth audiobook reviews and thoughts, but for this first post, here are many audio titles that I have enjoyed over time. **Novels:** I am currently listing to [*Babel or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators' Revolution*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780063021457?ref=reyes-chow.com)by R. F. Kuangand am about 25% of the way through. It is about an orphan from Canton who is thrust into the Oxford Royal Institute of Translation and how he navigates the strange London world. I would also suggest the [Veronica Speedwell Series](https://libro.fm/search?q=Veronica+Speedwell+Mysteries&searchby=series&sortby=series%5Fasc&ref=reyes-chow.com) by Deanna Raybourn about an English female detective in the 1800’s; so very good with great writing and an even better narrator in Angele Masters. And for a more modern twist about culture, church, and adulting, [*The Incendiaries*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525626916-the-incendiaries?ref=reyes-chow.com) by R.O. Kwan is an excellent listen. **Mysteries:** If you want some bibingka with your mystery, the [*Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery*](https://libro.fm/search?q=Mia+P.+Manansala&searchby=authors&ref=reyes-chow.com) series by Mia P. Manansala might be for you. You don’t need to be Filipino to appreciate the food and relationships, but if you are, it is right on. It is light, fun, and well-narrated. There are three already out, with the fourth, [*Murder and Mamon*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780593739198-murder-and-mamon?ref=reyes-chow.com) due out September 2023\. And speaking of light fun, the [*Finley Donovan Series*](https://libro.fm/search?q=The+Finlay+Donovan+Series&searchby=series&sortby=series%5Fasc&ref=reyes-chow.com) is about as light fun mystery as it gets; brain candy at its finest :-) Subscribe to The Amalgamation today. **Fantasy and Sci-Fi:** If you are into some fantasy, I did love the Wil Wheaton narrated [*Ready Player One*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780307913159?ref=reyes-chow.com) and [*Ready Play Two*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780593396964-ready-player-two?ref=reyes-chow.com)both by Ernest Cline. I would also highly suggest [*Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780593591635-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow?ref=reyes-chow.com)by Gabrielle Zevin, [*Severance*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781427298614?ref=reyes-chow.com)by Ling Ma, [*Version Zero*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780593348024-version-zero?ref=reyes-chow.com)by David Yoon, and [*The Resisters*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780593169919-the-resisters?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Gish Gen. **Non-Fiction:** I loved [*How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781549123412-how-the-word-is-passed?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Clint Smith and [*How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781980021537-how-to-hide-an-empire?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Daniel Immerwahr. Also listened to [*Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781980080251-wilmington-s-lie?ref=reyes-chow.com) and it was a good regional listen. If you like history as told in novel form, anything by [Erik Larson](https://libro.fm/search?q=Erik+Larson&searchby=authors&ref=reyes-chow.com) is a good listen, as is [*River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile*](https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525524083?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Candice Millard. Okay, there are many more, but that’s probably enough to get started. Feel free to leave titles of books that you have loved to listen to. --- \*In an attempt to not give all my money to Amazon via Audible, I use Libro.fm, where each purchase goes to support a local bookstore of your choosing. If you want to join Libro.fm feel free to use my referral code \[lfm370410\] or [click here](https://libro.fm/referral?rf%5Fcode=lfm370410&ref=reyes-chow.com) to join. All of the book versions of these titles are listed on [my Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/lists/for-your-ears?ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Casual Catch-up — August 2021 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/casual-catch-up-august-2021/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:34.000Z The Casual Catch-up is a monthly-ish note I send to my more traditional mailing list, The BRC Communiqué, so I figured that I would share [this Month’s Catch-up](https://madmimi.com/p/513bf61?ref=reyes-chow.com) with substack Subscribers as well. I send a few notes a month to this list and will share them in the notes/chat, but you can also [subscribe directly](http://madmimi.com/signups/29509/join?ref=reyes-chow.com). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/8fdd2b18-6b28-40bd-a3c4-abbc57f0a6ad_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) August 6, 2023 Greetings Bruce — I hope this note finds you doing all that you can to find joy, know rest, and fight that which is causing pain in the world! As for me, it has been a really rough summer ;-) For the past few weeks, we have been in New Zealand - Aotearoa - Australia, and despite the recent loss by the US Women's National Team, it has been great. As I [shared on FB](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0NYTDuiT5Yq8ngxtTvW4tro9fbVufYTWq1L9Q9SN9aLv2hsp5v2QfC5JKPBzCVYW4l?link%5Flist=786964), *We are a little over halfway through our Australia - New Zealand - Aotearoa trip, and the saying is totally true, "Great place to visit, but I would totally want to live here" :-) Obviously, no place is perfect, but visiting these places and talking with local friends has been a great reality check and catharsis to the current political and cultural climate of the United States.* *Don't worry, we're probably maybe not moving.* *Plus, footy.* We are here until the end of August and enjoying the flexibility and privilege of work and resources that have made this possible. If you want to catch up, [I've been working on my reels skills](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/reels/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Once we return, we return to empty nest status with the youngest back at school and the other two out on their own. I'll start traveling a bit in the Fall doing more preaching and speaking and getting ready for the book launch in the Spring. Speaking of the book. I just received close-to-final design, and I am thrilled. I love the look and vibe and I cannot wait for you to get it into your hands. You can preorder *Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith* from all the places, but publishers always like direct ordering, so [head on over to Broadleaf Books and order a copy or 20](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?link%5Flist=786964&ref=reyes-chow.com). I also just noticed that [the Kindle Version is also now available for pre-order](https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Good-about-God-True-ebook/dp/B0CBNJGCT4?%5Fencoding=UTF8&qid=1691366215&sr=8-7&linkCode=ll1&tag=brureychoblo-20&linkId=cd49de68512c9fd0f671cc19320e73c0&language=en%5FUS&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&link%5Flist=786964&ref=reyes-chow.com). As far as my new shift to more writing. I have been posting a few things over on my Substack Newsletter, [The Amalgamation](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/). Even though changing platforms is never awesome, and I am still learning best practices, I am digging the format and vibe. I have been posting weekly [Pop-Culture Monday](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/pop-culture-monday), including my thoughts on Barbie as well as sharing a bit about a [Church Growth for Progressive Churches](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/so-you-want-to-grow) project that I'll workshop on Substack. You can always [subscribe for free](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/) where you will get most of the things or click the button below for a free 90-day subscription, where you will get all of the things. My friend Tiffany Flaming and I have launched a Clifton Strengths collaboration to add some playfulness to the tool. We are taking on different activities through the eyes of each of the four domains and 34 themes. Our first month is about Vacation and you can see the first week [on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvgypx6hXmL/?img%5Findex=1&link%5Flist=786964&ref=reyes-chow.com) or [on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow/posts/pfbid0gwmE4PUWW972ghrgS8QbZYAwRqyHE69oKE6yPnvZPM2n566WY8y2p1oBYHVntt89l). I think that's about it for now. Thanks again for hanging out and reading the latest in the life of me and the crew! Until the next Casual Catchup, peace be with you! — Bruce ### Pop + Culture + Monday: Barbie (no spoilers) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-barbie-no-spoilers/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:34.000Z Let me first acknowledge that this cisgender male is wading into some potentially treacherous waters here with any review or critique of Greta Gerwig’s movie, Barbie. I am going in and I’ll think I’ll be fine :-) When our first child was born, we were very clear with the family about a few things: do not give them refined sugar, avoid gendered clothing, and under no circumstances were you to buy them Barbies. We didn’t care if Barbie was a doctor, athlete, or politician; body-shaming, Barbie was not welcome in our home. Of course, over the years we became more flexible, and at some point, Barbie did arrive. Never reaching the heights of Polly Pocket, My Little Pony, or smelly soccer socks, Stereotypical Barbie and all the Barbies of color did eventually get their own storage box. So when the movie was announced and started to make the rounds, I honestly didn’t pay much attention. It was not going to be on my list. And then . . . I started seeing friends and colleagues on socials creating Barbie Memes. What the what?!?!?!? So I read a few articles. Oh . . . Greta Gerwig. Okay, it’s starting to make sense. Me, “Hmmm, maybe I’ll see it.” And then came the flood of “man-hating, anti-man” accusations and reactions by conservative pundits and alike\*. You can’t buy that kind of marketing reach. Me, “Oh, I’m definitely seeing it now.” This past week, I finally saw it while in a small city in New Zealand (which was fun in itself) with three young adults in my world. From the spirited car ride home to the reactions in my social media circles, it’s clear that Barbie hits differently for everyone. If your social threads are like mine, the reactions have ranged from loved it to hated it. Some folks are clearly smitten with the creative vibe and powerful messages around being a woman today; some feel like the message is pretty surface and could have gone much further, some feel like [it has done unnecessary damage and reinforced white feminism](https://twitter.com/EmmyNawjoopinga/status/1683732544166981633?ref=reyes-chow.com), and others will be unable to get themselves to see it after what Barbie has stood for over the years. No matter the reaction, what cannot be denied is that this movie has created space for conversations about feminism, womanhood, masculinity, patriarchy, body imagery, white feminism, intersectionality, artistry, and mainstream movie-making. And Barbie is super mainstream. This is not bad. What mainstream movies can do more than niche projects is to instigate conversations in a wide variety of communities, prompt large groups of people to think about things that they had not previously been challenged to, and remind all of us that people enter into these conversations in different ways and at different times. Subscribe to The Amalgamation today! Like any movie that attempts to take on social issues, many things can be true all at the same time: the message can be powerfully liberating, disappointingly basic, or dangerously dismissive, all depending on who is hearing the message. And within reason\* all of those reactions and responses should be honored. A good example of where the varying reactions play out concerns the monologue by Gloria, played by [America Ferrera](https://screenrant.com/america-ferrera-barbie-monologue-great-other-shows-movies/?ref=reyes-chow.com). Most of what was shared was not all that new to anyone who has engaged in conversations or heard a good sermon about gender justice, feminism, toxic masculinity, or institutional sexism. The delivery was top-notch and powerful, but the monologue content has been spoken by many people in many places over many generations. My car definitely wanted more from Greta, but from the reactions that I have read, I have got to believe that there are women for whom that monologue, for whatever reason, was powerfully liberating and gave voice to struggles that they have been holding onto in silence. That, in itself, is worthwhile. But make so mistake, while we have heard the words before, that monologue was also for the men, if not mostly for the men. It was a powerful and public reminder for those of us men who consider ourselves co-collaborators in the struggle for gender justice and equity. We were being reminded in no uncertain terms that we still have the capacity to perpetuate and reinforce the injustices spoken upon our female siblings. While it is easy to cast the incels as the cultural villains of the story, this is a dangerous posture to embody for those of us men who still hold power, influence, and privilege in the world. For it is when we believe that we are beyond acting like the monsters we claim to reject that we can become more sinister, insidious, and dangerous perpetrators of the very pain we are trying to heal. Fighting the patriarchy within is a lifetime endeavor. That monology is a powerful reminder and a gut check on whether we are still up for the fight. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Barbie as a movie experience. I am always down for the creation of alternative universes, I love me a good dance battle, I appreciate a well-timed fourth wall break, I am grateful for the conversations that have been sparked, and I hope that it is a catalyst for even more in-depth conversations in spaces of meaning in churches, classrooms, family groups, etc. Movies like Barbie will never be able to be all things to all people, and it would be unfair to expect them to be. That said, Barbie does have a little something for everyone, which, these days, is a feat unto itself. So, if you are on the fence about seeing it or want to keep up with so many cultural references, Barbie is worth the time and money. Subscribe to The Amalgamation today! \*My only nod to the incel, men’s rights activist, and blatant misogynist who feels like this movie is anti-man, you get a footnote. Barbue is anti-patriarchy, which is about systems and not individuals. Yes, you may exhibit symptoms of that system, but that is not an inherently male thing to do. But if you do happen to exhibit some of the traits that Ken did, if this movie really bothered you, or if it threatened your manly manliness, I encourage you to take a breath, think about why the empowerment of women makes you feel the way you do, and remember, it is only a movie. ### So You Say Want to Grow? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/so-you-say-want-to-grow/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:34.000Z As many of you know, I have been engaged in progressive church growth over the past three decades serving as a founding, called, and transitional pastor and as a consultant, coach, speaker, and writer. Most of my experience has been in Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ settings, but ideas seem to translate into other mainline traditions and occasionally into some non-denominational spaces. While my days as a full-time congregational pastor have passed, I still have ideas about church growth, particularly regarding self-identified liberal or progressive churches. My passion for church growth comes from a deep gratitude for the faith passed down to me by ancestors, saints, and generation past. I am not a post-evangelical and somehow managed to avoid any significant participation in any conservative student or congregational settings. My ideas are rooted in a core experience in mainstream Christianity that has moved more left with each decade of my ministry. This progressive Christianity is what I feel is important to share in today’s political/ideological climate ([*Shameless plug for my new book coming out in 2024*](https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True?ref=reyes-chow.com)), and I believe that expressed well, gives some progressive congregations a real chance at growth — in numbers and in impact. So, with a level of audacity that comes from a church planter, I am challenging myself to craft and condense all the thoughts into something that will be helpful for church leaders and congregations who say they want to grow. As part of this project (more to share once details are confirmed) I will be workshopping much here on SubStack with a public post and Subscriber Chat. Previously I posted an example of these starter posts, [*Is Your Worship Compelling,* ](https://www.reyes-chow.com/is-your-worship-compelling/)and will add similar posts over the next few months. Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. I think the final project with have 10-12 core questions, just enough for a leadership team, Session, Council, or Board to tackle in a year. Each section will include the core question, a prayer, a scripture passage, a bold claim by me, 2-3 follow-up questions/prompts, a few practical actions, links to other resources, and who knows what else. I will poke and prod and hope to challenge both pastoral and congregational leadership, so be warned. I have been doing this church thing for a long time, and there is more than enough responsibility to be shared when reflecting on why there has been a decline when growth might have been possible. I will update this structure as things roll out, and I am being intentionally vague and sparse in what I share, but here is the first run at the structure of things. 1. Why do you want to grow? (coming soon) 1. What does growth mean to you? 2. Why haven’t you grown? 3. What will it take for you to grow? 2. What does it mean to be a Progressive Christian community? 1. articulated Christian faith 2. expansive theology 3. body politic 3. Is your theology integrated? 1. worship 2. institution 3. communication 4. What do you care about, as told by your energy, time, and money? 1. community 2. institution 3. people 5. *[Is Your Worship Compelling](https://www.reyes-chow.com/is-your-worship-compelling/)* 1. setting 2. music 3. ritual 4. preaching 6. How do you create and nurture belonging? 1. welcome 2. integration 3. membership 7. How are you engaged in the body politic? 1. pulpit 2. setting 3. community 8. How do you deliver your message? (outward expression, etc)? 1. digital 2. written 3. social 9. How do you value resources of money, facilities, and wealth? 1. saving 2. partnerships 3. generosity 10. How will you measure “success” and growth 1. numbers 2. finances 3. engagement 4. impact If you have any questions that are shockingly absent from this list and/or have something to add, feel free. I will interact more in-depth in the chat after each post, so be sure to add the app if you want to keep in the conversation. ### UPDATE: The Amalgamation Subscriptions URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/update-the-amalgamation-subscriptions/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:34.000Z As I informed the [Patrons on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/posts/happy-6th-and-85805937?ref=reyes-chow.com) a few weeks ago, at the end of July, I will be shutting down my Patreon creator account and shifting over here to Substack. With all of the admin time required, combined with the fact that I really only write and podcast, Substack seems a more natural place for me to be. This shift has already been a good one for me, with the queue of draft posts growing each day I am still working out the kinks and updating all the info, but I wanted to give folks a little warning and invite you to be part of this weird space of M-list writers trying to make a living with their words. TBH, most of my content will still be free, but paid subscribers will have access to the chat, receive some subscriber-only content, and be invited to a regular Zoom chat. I am still working out all of the details, but for now, this is the new structure: **FREE:** Most posts will be available without any limitations. **PAID\*:** Besides the posts, you will also gain access to the chat, zoom meet-up invitations, seasonal offerings, and more. **RIDE OR DIE** (AKA founding Members) get all the things, plus you will help to underwrite any Gift Subscriptions that I may offer. Again, still figuring this thing out, but watching colleagues and other authors for good tips and advice on how to make this a meaningful space. Peace all! \* I do not want $$ to be a reason that folks cannot be part of the community when they want to, so if you would like an annual gift subscription, [email me directly](mailto:bruce@reyes-chow.com?subject=The%20Amalgamation%20Subscription) with as much or as little info as you would like to offer and I’ll hook you up! Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free or pledge to receive new posts and support my work. ### Pop + Culture + Monday: Brian Falduto's Same Old Country Song and God Loves Me Too URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/pop-culture-monday-brian-faldutos/ Last updated: 2023-07-24T23:48:38.000Z Our family has been doing a ton of road trips lately, so you know what that means, “Battle for the Bluetooth” time. From podcasts to audio books, to playlists, we have been sharing our latest discoveries and long-held loves. One of the genres that have been pretty popular in our car as of late has been gay country, and topping our every session is *Same of Country Love Song* by [Brian Falduto](https://www.brianfalduto.com/music?ref=reyes-chow.com). As the kids say, it’s a bop. I DARE your body not to be moving by the end of this song. Not only does it make your toes tap, head nod, and hands clap, its message honors the humanity of LGTBQ folx by normalizing a message through the genre of country. Add this to your playlist, and put this on repeat. Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. [Here is the official video.](https://youtu.be/gue2yp2uhQM?ref=reyes-chow.com) Of course, as we did deep dive into Brian’s music, we stumbled upon *God Loves Me Too.* Oh my goodness, I wept and wept again as the refrain from one of my tradition’s most beloved hymns (I won’t spoil it for your church nerds) faded in. What I LOVE about this song is that Brian offers a different version, a better version of Christian love and faith than what so often gets the headlines. For so many of us, this is the faith that we know and that we try to express in our own lives and ministries. In this song, he acknowledges hate and violence but focuses on the love and possibilities of God found in his faith and not the hate and exclusion that so many others choose to express. > There’s a church somewhere that doesn’t know > The kind of love that I speak of > Instead of “you are welcome here,” > They’re takin’ lives and makin’ tears > > So as I hit my knees today > I close my eyes real tight and pray > That the ones like me might be okay > that hate would get out of love’s way But the truth of the song hits with these words > But here I am > In the fourth pew in > And the preacher man says “love’s not a sin” > I look around > And see I’ve found > A place where peace and love abound > I’ve waited my whole life for the truth - > God loves me too Brian clearly is a church person, and I am here for it. May all of our churches be the kind of place that so clearly offers and lives the kind of love that Brian has known. Here is the [*official video for God Loves Me Too from Brian Falduto*](https://youtu.be/WRT6Swj8khs?ref=reyes-chow.com)and the [*Behind the Scenes Trailer*](https://youtu.be/oGdfox1nqQA?ref=reyes-chow.com) if you like such things. [Pop-Culture Monday](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/pop-culture-monday) is a weekly-ish offering from the world of entertainment from me. I claim no good taste or expertise, only the time to watch and listen and share a little about why should do the same. Bonus: [Brandon Stansell - ](https://youtu.be/vqzAsPhmy7o?ref=reyes-chow.com)[*Hometown*](https://youtu.be/vqzAsPhmy7o?ref=reyes-chow.com) Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. ### Is your worship compelling? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/is-your-worship-compelling/ Last updated: 2026-03-10T18:56:43.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) “What did I miss? A parent told me that their son asked them this question one Sunday evening since he could not attend worship that morning. It was asked with genuine interest, tinged with some regret for not being about to be there in person. The parent was taken aback because it was the first time in a long time that genuine interest was shown. Notice that the question was not, “How was the sermon?” “What songs did you sing?” or “Was there flan coffee hour?” It was a question of belonging and missing the community and not a tactical one about how good or bad something was. One of the revelations that the pandemic unveiled is that, given the choice, folks stopped attending worship. Pre-pandemic, obligation, duty, and habit were motivators enough, but by releasing those expectations, many were left with little reason to return to old worship patterns, let alone show up for the first time. Of course, church life has changed, and we can debate the future of worship, but I am not yet ready to give up on a central gathering event. For it is in these moments when people cross boundaries of life that might not otherwise be crossed, they can bring their struggles of life, and are invited into and nurtured in their relationship with God. So yes, I believe that worship can be a growth opportunity, especially for progressive church communities. I have found that one of the ways that churches grow is by cultivating and nurturing belonging at some central gathering, generally their worship service. Too often, however, we get caught up in tactics, fixes, and production rather than creating and curating an experience that is integrated and consistent with the values that we profess to hold. I have found that folks don’t really care about the specifics of how worship is done as long as there is an expression of faith that is, dare I say, authentic and relevant. Yes, crafting meaningful liturgy matters, tending the gathering space matters, and being well-prepared matters, but not to the detriment of creating an experience of belonging. When we choose belonging as our foundational intention and driving motivator for worship, we create a touch point for folks that draws folks into a relationship with one another and with the divine. And when this happens, we provide a compelling experience that folks will not want to miss. Focusing on worship, let me pose three reasons why our worship services may NOT be compelling or express belonging — and what to do about it. Don’t worry, there are more than this, but this should be adequate to get the juices flowing. 1. **Theological and Ecclesiastic Arrogance:** I once heard a white politician, when asked why more African Americans did not support him, respond with, “Well, if they just took the time to learn about me, they would support me.” He put the onus on those who did not know him to get to know him rather than express how he might better share his beliefs in ways that others would be compelled to get to know him better. Too many of our progressive churches also hold this perspective when it comes to our theological views, both in how we expect people to find us as well as what they should navigate once they arrive. After all, our theology is so good that people should know, understand, and appreciate what we believe. Yes, I believe we hold a better version of the gospel, but church by osmosis is not a tactic that cultivates belonging. **What to do:** Make a few assumptions and do not make people guess what is next. Over-explain if you need to and guide people through the worship experience as if it’s their first time. Most importantly, don’t make people feel lost, as if they are sitting on the outside trying to figure out what they are supposed to be doing. . . as if they do not belong. If we want people to feel as if they belong, we must act as if we actually believe they do. 2. **Theological and Ideological Inconsistency:** If a church is going to claim that they hold progressive theological values such as expansive language for God, created non-binary understandings of gender, the holiness of diverse family structures, etc. those values must be reflected in all aspects of worship. It is so jarring for me to be in a space that talks about LGBTQIA+ affirmation and gender fluidity but then gendered references in scripture are not deconstructed, binary musical lyrics go unchallenged, and much of the service does not reflect the progressive values that a community claims to hold. When we let inconsistency slide, our professed beliefs ring hollow, which, for those searching for open and affirming spaces, translates as lazy, hypocritical, and performative. **What to do:** Do the work, challenge the norms, and trust the community’s capacity and willingness to shift. For instance, if the community believes that pronouns are an important gesture to communicate welcome, be consistent both verbally and in any written bulletins, building signage, welcome nametags, etc. Change the imagery norms or at least acknowledge problematic language and imagery in music, prayers, scripture etc. . . . or don’t use those resources. Do not let inconsistency slide. 3. **BORING:** I have heard progressive pastors in the past say things like, “Well we could grow too if we were willing to do X.” First, I do not think that is true. Growth is difficult, no matter one’s theological perspective. Second, I think it’s an excuse to avoid the hard work of communicating a theological perspective with energy, creativity, and imagination. We are so allergic to the idea that we might be considered “one of those churches” that we have made the main purpose and measure of worship — to make it through alive. In our caution to not be emotionally manipulative (A good caution BTW), we have removed emotional exploration altogether. Hate to break it to you, but many of our progressive worship services are not as moving as we would like to believe them to be. We use too many words, we have made rituals mundane, we are guarded in our emotions, and we have abdicated our responsibility to create space where the Spirit is expected and assumed will move our hearts, minds, and body. We have a wonderfully liberating theology, but somehow our main lens for sharing it is measured restraint. **What to do:** How to make your services more energizing is a hard one because of personality, style, etc. Still, three things to try that are not about theology but about freedom of the spirit are these: laugh more, move more, and share more. Good god, we need to laugh more in worship, not only as a way to invite a loosening of the Spirit, but as a way to remember to take our faith seriously, but ourselves not so much. We need to creatively move more during worship, whether through worship stations, guided movements, or putting our bodies in different spaces for worship; sitting still, face-forward for an hour + gets old. Lastly, we need to share more about our humanity. Without engaging in group therapy, we must find ways to be more vulnerable, share more of our collective humanity, and connect more deeply across common struggles, hopes, and celebrations. **A word about preaching.** For preachers, I know that “be a more dynamic preacher that will pack the pews” is an unfair expectation that places undue pressure upon a preacher and opens us up to the possibility of “cult of personality” growth. For congregants tempted to say, “If we just had a better preacher, we would grow.” I guarantee that there are reasons you are not growing that have nothing to do with the dynamism of your preacher. That said, boring, disconnected, sterile sermons do a great deal of harm and can severely hinder growth. So much can be done with that preaching moment if we could only dispel the myth that there is only one good way to preach \[Insert name of charismatic speaker here\]. The best preachers in my life are not the best because of their style. They are good preachers because they move my soul. They name commonalities in life, help me to make sense of the chaos of the world, communicate love for my journey of faith, and are authentically and honestly them. Yes, there is risk in being vulnerable and transparent, but if the preacher is unwilling to take that risk, why on earth would anyone else? You will notice that I have not mentioned style. While I am NOT advocating for traditional and formal worship as the future of church growth, we must also not fall into the trap that a good band or savvy technology will save the church. I have been part of and believe that any style can generate a compelling worship experience and growth. For progressive theological worship settings, we must get away from the idea that our theology is compelling enough to make up for all the ways that our worship is not. I deeply believe that progressive theology shared well and shared boldly is desperately needed in the world today, but if we have fewer and fewer folks getting to know and embrace it, our impact will further diminish. This is not the future I hope to see and worship for most congregations must play a vital role in cultivating a future of growth. Blessings on the journey. Discuss. \* *This post is* [*one of a series of exploratory ideas for a book project*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/so-you-say-want-to-grow/) *that I am developing. It will eventually turn into a book on growth for progressive churches and is meant to inspire, provoke, and shape meaningful conversations about congregational growth and communal impact. While these posts are not being shared in any particular order, the project will be framed as a series of big questions for communities to address when exploring possibilities for growth. More questions and topics will be introduced over the next few months, but if you have a good fundamental question about church growth that should be asked, feel free to send it my way.*Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### From + The + Vault: An Origin Story URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/diving-into-the-vault/ Last updated: 2025-08-11T23:56:42.000Z 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [In 2019, I made a huge mistake while making a website host transition.](https://reyes-chow.com/technology-sucks-and-the-brc-website-saga/?ref=reyes-chow.com) With one fateful click, I lost a decade-plus worth of posts and content. Yes, I know I could probably have found it, but I could not figure it out. And yes, I’m an idiot. I still remember how hot my brain got when I realized what I had done. Not that every post was worth saving, but it was EV-ER-RY-THING. Everything on my personal website — gone. Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. I had been blogging since the 2000’s on my own as well as on platforms like [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and all things [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240000000000%2A/https://www.reyes-chow.com/) so, thankfully, much can still be found floating around somewhere on the interwebs. With my move to SubStack and a new season of writing upon me, I have recently been thinking about how much of what I wrote in the past and if it has aged well or if I would be mortified by 2008 Bruce. Thanks to the memories of the internet and the magic of [www.archive.org](https://web.archive.org/web/20240000000000%2A/https://www.reyes-chow.com/) I am going to find out. So, every few weeks, I will share an updated version of something “from the vault” along with a reflection about how I may or may not have changed. I really hope and expect that I have been pretty consistent, but you never know. If any of you have read my stuff in the past and remember a particular topic or post that you want me to dig up and take a look at, feel free to ask. This should be interesting. Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. ### If I Were Preaching on 07.09.23 URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-i-were-preaching-on-070923/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:35.000Z The Romans and Matthew passages screamed to me communal responsibility and accountability, as well as communal rest and healing. We can both be terrible and healing as a body and body politic. With everything going on in the world today: police brutality, gun violence, SCOTUS, LGBTQIA+ hatred, and everything we do not see, we can both take our collecting responsibility AND our collective healing. ### E56 Bruce and Laura chat, rage, console, and inform about SCOTUS Decision on Affirmative Action, AAPI, and other stuff URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e56-bruce-and-laura-chat-rage-console-6fa/ Last updated: 2023-07-04T15:00:00.000Z On this episode, Laura Mariko Cheifetz I scramble to record after the most recent SCOTUS decisions about affirmative action. In this episode, we chat, rage, console, and inform about the definition and misconceptions of affirmative action, the challenges and disagreements within the Asian American Community, military exemptions, the impact of im/migration histories, college admissions, the model minority myth, solidarity with Black and Brown communities, and more. We also address the SCOTUS decisions about student loan debt forgiveness and LGBTQIA+ legal discrimination. It's a roller coaster, and neither of us will ever be able to run for office, but we hope it is helpful! **There is much swearing and a lot of insider talk about the Asian American community. If this is not your community, please be careful about how/if you communicate what we share.** ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS If you are going to hit one link, for as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on[ Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and support the production of BRC & Friends. BRC & FRIENDS: [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ: *On a social media break.* CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES: [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW: [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on [*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). [BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on [GreekGeeks](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### Podcast Preview: Laura and I Swear Much URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/podcast-preview-laura-and-i-swear/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:36.000Z Here is a little snippet of my [@brcandfriends](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) conversation with Laura Mariko Cheifetz after the most recent SCOTUS decisions. In this episode, we talk, rage, and inform about the definition and misconceptions of affirmative action, the challenges and disagreements within the Asian American Community, military exemptions, the impact of im/migration histories, college admissions, the model minority myth, solidarity with Black and Brown communities, and more. We also address the SCOTUS decisions about student loan debt forgiveness and LGBTQIA+ legal discrimination. It's a roller coaster, and neither of us will ever be able to run for office, but we hope it is helpful! Honestly, I could not find a good section that was not laced with profanity (you have been warned) so here is a minute about rage, ranch, and ultimately why keep at this work! The full-hour episode will be out on Monday, so be sure to subscribe to BRC & Friends [wherever you put podcasts to put in your ears](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com). [Subscribe to BRC & Friends](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/aaef2293-786a-40c9-b39a-4446b0fd46ea_1500x1500.png) Thanks for reading The Amalgamation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. ### If I Were Preaching on 07.02.23 — Part II URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/if-i-were-preaching-on-070223-part/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:36.000Z Every week over on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), I publish a short [*If I were Preaching . . .*](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow/posts?filters%5Btag%5D=If%20I%20Were%20Preaching&ref=reyes-chow.com) video as a prompt and encouragement for those stepping into the pulpit on Sunday. I generally use the lectionary passages and reflect on current events. Patrons get it on Wednesday, and it becomes public on Friday mornings. I will post them here on occasion as well. Yes, I already posted an "If I were preaching . . ." for this week, but after a long day of travel and the SCOTUS decision coming down, I've been doing a lot of thinking and raging. If I were preaching, I would pivot. If you are thinking about it too, here is some unbaked encouragement and prompting. So here you go, a little bit of unbaked thoughts on meritocracy, affirmative action, and white supremacy. Blessings! [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) ### Do Whatever Day URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/do-whatever-day/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:36.000Z We are on the tail end of a 9-person family National Parks road trip (pics coming soon), and it has been great, mostly because we all get along and we are committed to our "Do Whatever Day.” We learned a long time ago that everyone vacations differently. There are some of who pack everything into every day, visit every sight, and do feel truly vacationed unless as much has been done as possible. And then some love to chill in a cafe, people-watch, and soak it all in. One guess as to which one I am . . . and I’ll take that guess with an iced coffee, strong wifi, and a table on the patio :-) Over time, whether vacationing as a couple or with the kids, one of the vacation hacks that we have committed to is that every 3-4 days, we have a "Do Whatever Day.” Everyone can choose what they want to do, on their own or with another member of the entourage. This could be working, studying, napping, vegging out in front of the tv, exploring the sights, seeing another museum, or doing another day of chilling in a cafe, people-watching, and soaking it all in, etc. And boy-oh-boy do we look forward to our "Do Whatever Day” — no forced activities and no judgment. Honestly, it makes the rest of the planned activities that much sweeter and made another vacation that much more restful. Any tips or hacks that you have to make your vacations more enjoyable and restful? [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) ### Here I am substack. URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/here-i-am-substack/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:37.000Z While I do enjoy all the set-up that goes into creating and curating an inviting space, joining the substack world was not really part of the plan. Alas, here I am welcome any and all help that will make this a better experience for us all. - How do you read Substack? - Notes or posts? - Who should I follow and recommend? - Best practices, tips, hacks, suggestions? - What don’t I know I don’t know? As you can tell from my picture, getting this all set up is a wee bit overwhelming, but I will get there update by update. *You hear that Bruce, you do not have to have it all perfect and set up right now.* Thanks all for your early-adopters who are already here. You are my people. --- Thanks for reading Bruce Reyes-Chow Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work ### Hitting [PAUSE] on the Blue Bird URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/hitting-pause-on-the-blue-bird-59c1994e6ee0/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:37.000Z This evening, [I hit \[PAUSE\] on Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/status/1650337951027712003?ref=reyes-chow.com). While this is hardly earth-shattering news, as one who has been engaging with folks on this platform for over 15 years, this is the end of a significant season for me personally and professionally. Overall, my time on Twitter has been overwhelmingly positive. Sure, there were more than a few terrible and disturbing interactions, but friends were made, community was built, belonging was experienced, and I am better for the time spent with you all in this Blue Bird experience. Sadly, like so many others have been experiencing, over the past months, the platform and interaction have not been the same for me. Twitter has certainly changed over the years, and up until now, I have always accepted the challenge to find ways to adapt so time spent there would still be meaningful. With its current level of chaotic uncertainty and an increase of people and organizations leaving, today, there is little motivation for me to figure out how to adapt, yet one more time. For those who remain, I wish you well, and I hope you keep putting up the good fight. If folks want to connect on other platforms, you can check out the [**top of my LINKTREE**](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) for all of the ways to connect, but as of today, I am mostly on my [**Instagram**](https://instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), [**Facebook Page**](https://facebook.com/breyeschow), and [**BeRe.al**](https://bere.al/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com). I have updated [my Twitter profile](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) to communicate the pause, I have deleted the shortcuts, uninstalled the apps, and don’t plan on checking the account unless someone lets me know I should. I only hit \[PAUSE\] because, who knows, things might change someday. I am not holding my breath. There also comes a moment when it becomes clear that it is time to move on. This is mine. Tweet ya later — maybe. ### E55 Bruce chats with Coaches Tiffany Flaming, Micky ScotBey Jones, and Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e55-bruce-chats-with-coaches-tiffany-c7a/ Last updated: 2023-03-04T12:00:00.000Z Today on Episode 55, as part of a collaboration between my Patreon and three amazing human beings who also happen to be coaches, I'm introducing you to Tiffany Fleming, who is a CliftonStrengths coach; Mickey ScotBey Jones, who is an Enneagram coach; and Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey who is a leadership and life coach. If you have ever wanted to try coaching or learn about the Enneagram, CliftonStrengths, or Leadership, here is your chance with this exclusive offer for current and new Patrons. I have partnered with these three coaches who, exclusively offered through my Patreon and [Mailing List](http://madmimi.com/signups/29509/join?ref=reyes-chow.com), have each offered intro sessions for up to five different individuals. In this episode, I'll ask them to tell us a little bit about their philosophy of coaching, share what you can expect from a coaching session with them, and, bonus content, you will learn a little bit about how we vacation. To secure access to one of these 15 slots, current Patrons need only increase their monthly pledge by $2/month, and new Patrons will gain access with a pledge at the $4 level or more. - **TIFFANY FLAMING:** CliftonStrenghts Coach. Find out more about Tiffany on [her website](https://www.tfstrengthsconsulting.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and give her a follow on [The Gram](https://www.instagram.com/tiffany%5Fflaming%5Fconsulting/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - **MICKY SCOTBEY JONES:** Enneagram Coach. Find out more about Micky on [her website](https://www.mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and give her a follow on [The Gram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com). Also, be sure to listen to [our interview with Micky about the Ennegram](https://www.brcandfriends.com/podcast-item/minnisode-micky-scotbey-jones-talks-enneagram-with-bruce-and-laura/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - **ANDREA SAWYER-KIRKSEY:** Life and Leadership Coach. Find out more about Andrea on [her website](https://www.lifecoachingwithandrea.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) and give her a follow on [The Gram](https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachingwithandrea/?ref=reyes-chow.com). If you are interested in reserving a session with one of these coaches, after you increase or begin your pledge, you can let me know who you would like to connect with and/or I will be in touch. Keep in mind each has only offered five sessions. For current Patrons, to increase your pledge, click on the Membership Tab. For new Patrons, [visit my Patron Page](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and select a reward level of $4 or more. ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS If you are going to hit one link, for as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on[ Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and support the production of BRC & Friends. **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** *On a social media break.* **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:** [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The BRC & Friends Podcast is hosted on [*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). [BRC and Friends Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) is hosted on [GreekGeeks](https://www.greengeeks.com/affiliates/track.php?affiliate=u85657&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### This Morning I Sat in the Sun URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/this-morning-i-sat-in-the-sun-ff0cf3de4911/ Last updated: 2023-01-23T18:30:52.000Z As I write this post, I am sitting outside of a cafe in Monterey, CA. My body, mind, and spirit are heavy after 24 hours of reacting to the Monterey Park mass shooting and [from navigating that situation](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnu8U0JP3Ku/?ref=reyes-chow.com) as one who has many thoughts about gun violence, race, and the Asian American community. All the while, with a book deadline looming and a new work gig starting, I am also trying not to beat myself up for not getting as much done as I had hoped during this week’s writing retreat. Now before anyone starts with capitalism, toxic productivity, ennegram 3, overachiever, oldest child unsolicited pep-talk, know that these characters have been engaged in a raging battle within me for my entire life. That said, toss in a little long covid, earned wisdom, and no longer trying to climb the ecclesiastic ladder of professional ministry without actually looking like I am trying to climb the ecclesiastical latter of professional ministry; I have done a pretty good job at holding the toxic productivity clowns at bay. Embracing defeat for the week, last night I sent a note to my editor asking for a month extension on a deadline that I had every intention of making — not a good feeling. While I have enjoyed the process and my early writing has been good, this week, the words were just not flowing as I had hoped. Sure, I was confident that she would say yes, I mean, my editor is awesome, and I am sure I am not the first author not to make a deadline, but still, I really did think I had this one planned out well. Alas, I just had to seek a little grace, and it was offered. I do not share this to elicit words of advice or rally folks to any anti-capitalism battle, but rather to acknowledge that we all have to navigate an increasingly winding, nuanced, and complex life of our work, life, play, rest, and calling. Like so many, even at 53 years old, every day I attempt to find harmony between doing what brings me joy, what gives me life, how I honor professional commitments, participating in the economy with integrity, making a positive impact in the world, being reflective about how I make that impact, and trying to be a sliver of the kind of human that my puppies appear to believe that I am. This week while capped off with the horrifying shooting in Monterey Park, after weeks upon weeks of rain, I also got to spend time in the sun. Maybe the words were simply not meant to be and I just needed to sit in the sun. Not sure if you folks know this, but toxic productivity clowns hate the sun. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*qD544VWeaY5h-Kk7pE-98Q.jpeg) Take that, you stoopid clowns. Of course, I have the personal resources and professional life situation that enable me to take this time, but damn if I had forgotten how much that warmth, blue sky, and crisp air feeds me. This afternoon I head back home, not with as many words as I had hoped the spirit was to inspire, but with a photosynthesized face full of sun that will prime my soul with enough fuel to reboot, reset and get this book finished. I have no doubt the words will come, for the sun beckons forth hope in the morning. There is no grand lesson here, only my hope that, as you deal with whatever you are facing in your life, whatever your spirit is juggling, or whatever is weighing heavy on your heart; you find what is *sun* to you and have the room, time, and space to bask in it for as long as you need. Peace be with you. ### Sondors Metacycle Review: Was it Worth the Wait? URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/sondors-metacycle-review-was-it-worth-the-wait-3d41dc572cb4/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:40.000Z Like most motorcycle riders, there is always the one that got away. I have had brief dalliances and long-term crushes, but my first true love was my Blue 1987 Yamaha Radian, the perfect racer: simple, fast, naked, and fun. I’m sure that had I kept it, it would be in the shop more than the road, but damn I miss that bike. A close second was my 2003 Triumph Bonneville T-100: pure class with a classic look, but far more bike than I needed to zip around the mean streets of San Francisco. That said, unlike most Triumphs, it did spend more time on the road than in the shop. Could it be that bike lucky number seven, my just-arrived [Sondors Metacycle](https://sondors.com/collections/metacycle?ref=reyes-chow.com), just might be my next grand love affair?\* Read on to find out.\\ The Sondor’s saga began in the Fall of 2021 when I plunked down my deposit to grab one of the new mid-level electric motorcycles to start hitting the market. Yes, sight unseen and never ridden, I decided this was going to be my next motorcycle. In my case, on September 27, 2021, I reserved my place in line to get a Sondors Metacycle at the starting cost of $5,000, to be delivered Q1, 2022. Little did I know . . . ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/6da1d8a9-b9b0-4ca0-8363-26468ec3148f_1024x780.png) Email from September 27, 2021 Over the next year, I would get sporadic updates and estimates about production delays and missed delivery targets. The online buzz was not good, customer service responses were vague, and understandably, many people asked for and received refunds. And then there folks like myself who waited, and waited, and waited. I admit, there was more than one occasion where I thought, damn, I’ve been scammed. [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) Still, I waited and waited some more. Over a year later, reports began to surface that the bikes were being delivered and, even better, being seen in the wild. My hope started to bloom. Every time a Sondors email popped up in my inbox, I tried not to get too excited, but truth be told, a wee bit of serotonin was released into my brain holes. But time and time again, when clicking on the message, I found it was not the “Your Metacycle is on the way” message . . . until it was. Finally, after confirming my delivery address, on December 16, 2022, I received the message, “Your MetaCycle Is On Its Way To Deliver To You!” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/deacee19-14a8-4f95-a432-ab416dc6cd43_1024x785.png) Email from December 16, 2022 It gets better. While my stated delivery window was December 26–29, on the morning of December 24th, the driver left a voice mail saying that he arrived in town early and asked if I wanted him to drop it off on Christmas Day. First, sucks to have to work on Christmas Day, and B, I'm pretty sure I didn’t hesitate before texting back, “Yes, please! #SondorSanta” In the immortal words of Napoleon Dynamite, “Heck, yes I did.” So on Christmas day, at long last, my bike was delivered. While I am sure not everyone’s cup of tea, this bike is as cool looking as I had hoped, and I could not wait to hit the road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/4b9b94ff-ec37-4d0f-8ee3-d23dfcb326a2_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) 2021 Arctic White Sondors Metacycle So hit the road, I did. There was a break in our winter storms so on December 26, 2022, I had my first-ever ride on my as of yet not named 2021 arctic white Sondors Metacycle — and it was glorious. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e95ad180-4afc-4a67-a0cb-e620df648c31_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) #MetacycleInTheWild #SondorInTheWild ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/63598fdb-e5cf-4891-bd7d-9d9754e75c4f_1024x682-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e095f715-f1a4-4b33-a617-53b2c5be3c95_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/26dcd832-16bf-460b-8abc-dd8a5b1d2e12_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fdda5206-bd24-479a-b83d-cfaf95c2105b_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) TO BE CLEAR, this is a one-ride review, but even after less than an hour on the bike, I definitely have some thoughts. #### Things that I love already: - **It looks damn cool.** I must admit that there were quite a few looky-loos after parking it near my local cafe. Dude bike ego inflated ✔️ :-) - **Feels like a motorcycle.** I was a bit worried that it was going to feel more like a scooter on steroids, but at 300 pounds, it felt much like my motorcycle of the past. - **Acceleration.** I also have an electric car. The best part of driving it is the torque and the jump off the starting line. Truth be told, with my first ride, I pictured myself flying off the back and watching my new bike wheely on down the road without me. Alas, it was not to be, there is def a little hesitation before it flies into full speed. I did not feel like it was wanting for more, so while it was not as quick off the start as my Radian or Moster, it is plenty fast enough. - **And speaking of Speed:** The specs say that the max is 60mph in DRIVE mode and 85mph in SPORT mode. I easily and safely got up to 67 in DRIVE mode, and it felt great. I actually never felt like there was any drag or that it was struggling to stay at 60+. I did not take it on the freeway, but can’t wait to air it out once the weather improves, “Safely, of course, mom and friends.” *who all may be reading this post*. - **Let me back up:** Love the reverse setting. I have never had a bike with this feature, so it feels like cheating, but I’ll take it. - **Phone Storage:** As you can see from my pics there is a clear compartment for a phone. It was not able to wirelessly charge my phone, and I didn’t try the USB, but it’s a great feature. - **Basic, in a good way:** All the other features worked as they should. Controls are simple, accessible, and familiar. The simplicity is what I would have expected and what I wanted at this price level, so well done Sondors, well done. #### The jury is still out . . . - **Range:** I have no idea about real-world range, but that is not a big deal for me as it is going to be a commute and fun bike for me, so I don’t really need to pay for longer range capacity. - **Battery:** Battery is not as remove-n-charge as promised. I have yet to try and take it out and bring it inside, so can’t tell you how easy it is. It may not be that big of a deal, but if you were hoping just to snap that baby out and bring it into the office, that’s not happening. - **Charger:** The battery charger comes without instructions, so I had to do a little googling to figure out what the lights meant and if it was charging. To be fair, there is a how-to video in the [Sondors Owner Portal](https://sondorsx.com/pages/metacycle-owners-portal?ref=reyes-chow.com), but still, a weirdly translated instruction paper would have been nice and familiar :-) - **Charging:** Once I figured out that it WAS charging (Red Light), I thought that, like electric cars, there was probably an indicator on the display. Alas no. I am sure there is a reason, but it would be nice to have some kind of indicator like, “30 minutes until battery charged to full.” - **Getting started.** Okay, again, they did send out videos, but I figure most of us just get on and try to ride. It took me about 5 minutes to get the right buttons and switches pushed before I figured out how to shift into Drive AND have it move as I oh so gingerly started to accelerate (See acceleration note above) So, while some of you geniuses will hop on and flip all the right switches in the right order like Han Solo in the cockpit of the Millenium Falcom, us mortals may take a beat. Again, watch the video and save yourself some time. - **Take cover.** While I appreciate the branded cover, it’s not a long-term solution if your bike will be outside. I use a [motorcycle storage tent from Bike Shield](https://amzn.to/3VrQe9z?ref=reyes-chow.com). **So, what it worth the wait?** Honestly, that is difficult to say as it was over a year, so “worth” is all relative, but I’m going to go ahead and say, yes. At this point, while folks will pay a bit more, you can now rest assured that the bikes are actually real, being delivered, and are on the road. Circling back to the beginning of my motorcycle story, in my very brief ride, the Metacycle appears and feels like the perfect blend between my racer Radian and my classy Triumph: a simple and handsome machine that has all the performance one needs: acceleration, zip, and speed. As soon as this pesky winter rain clears, I am going to take her out and test out battery range, top speed, and other as-of-yet-undiscovered features. I’ll update this review should anything new come up, but until then, if you are thinking about getting one, yes, they are real; and if you have yours already, happy and safe riding to you! If you are an owner, I would love to hear how you have experienced your machine and/or if you have found any hacks, accessories, or other tidbits that will make our Sondor experience that much better. \*Below are a few bikes from over the years, including my first bike, a Honda Nighthawk 250, another Honda Nighthawk that I was going to try and restore \*ha ha ha\*, a vintage-looking 2003 Triumph Bonneville T-100, my brief fling with a 2003 Ducati Monster, my fun phase with the 2004 Piaggio Vespa, and my dear sweet 1989 Yamaha Radian. Such good times. You can see a complete album through the years [**here**](https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vs7ibG1MDyf6rixQ6?ref=reyes-chow.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/5be95eb0-84ab-4972-8ab1-47590d9069cf_1024x700-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e104099f-9be7-45fe-8bcd-573ebe88e09c_640x480-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/36a15c6e-6104-4f40-b784-69d41b86ad17_568x426-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/67563b96-969e-4351-afa7-245e8f38f56c_1024x768-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/06f0f9d9-f9fe-490f-9817-fa8c9e537ff7_800x600-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/251e8299-d7e6-4380-b567-820af843e643_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) [See the complete motorcycle album](https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vs7ibG1MDyf6rixQ6?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### My Ongoing Long Covid Diary URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/my-covid-diaries-95eaa4d18745/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T20:36:51.000Z **First, Covid sucks.** Moving on, below are updates on my initial bout and ongoing battle with Covid-19, which began on August 25, 2021\. I’ve posted these around the socials, but I will now use this post as my primary hub for significant updates. For all the in-between posts, feel free to [follow me on The Gram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com). I’ll be adding and editing past updates as I have time, but you can always look back via my [**IG Covid Highlights**](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17914664347974693/?ref=reyes-chow.com), which contain most of my updates. For those who have walked with me during this time, thank you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38.png) #### 09.04.26: COVID UPDATE XXI A quick update: I am pretty much the same. CK numbers are still elevated, and kidneys are still on the watch list. I feel great, my long COVID symptoms are long gone, and I am still a proud member of the OrangeTheory Cult Family. Not sure when I'll update this again, but I did do a six-year remembrance post. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38.png) #### 05.28.24: COVID UPDATE XXX ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/99a06154-be5a-4632-8cf9-8bd9a7f0dd87_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) First off, I feel fine, better than fine, but today was my quarterly blood test to check my Creatine Kinase numbers make sure that my kidney function is not getting any worse. Welp, as one would guess, no changes: CK numbers still elevated and kidneys are still on the watch list. I suppose holding steady is better than going in the wrong direction, but I was hoping that all the weight that I have lost and the time I have put into my physical health (many of my other numbers are getting better), the dreaded long COVID remnants would have exited the building. It was not to be, but at the end of the day, I feel great and that is really what matters. Here are my CK numbers over the past few years post covid. So weird and not alarming, but consistently elevated. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/376834d6-d15e-49b1-a3cd-991ede570bae_1170x706.png) So, the update is pretty much that there is no update. Today, though, as you read this, hold in prayer the many folks who so suffer from much, much, much more inconvenient and debilitating effects of COVID and other illnesses of body and mind. As I have said before, I am fortunate to have healthcare, resources to rest, and a supporting community of friends, family, and medical professionals. Not everyone has these privileges, but when it comes to healthcare, everyone should. See you next quarter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-1.png) #### 01.03.24: COVID UPDATE XXIX (2024 Edition) Yes, I have a long Covid, but I am embracing a new normal. [Update video here](https://open.substack.com/pub/theamalgamation/p/long-covid-update-2024?). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/371859b2-9117-4a2a-b9ce-e3bf9af52c32_844x474.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-2.png) #### 12.16.22: COVID UPDATE XXVIII ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/fb9a3f6d-616f-44e4-86ca-0aed4ddf619d_1024x683-jpeg.jpg) Me to my spouse, “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” Robin, “Does there have to be bad news?” Me, “I’m dying.” Robin, “We’re all dying, what were your results?” This is where we are with Covid, an unwanted and overstaying guest that is not the butt of our health and mortality banter. You can catch up via past updates and my [one-year big update](https://www.reyes-chow.com/one-long-covid-year-later-11441d41d9cc/), but basically, we are trying to keep my Creatin Kinase numbers low enough to keep my kidneys unaffected Apparently, we need those things :-). Over the past year, especially since I was diagnosed with #LongCovid, my doctor and I have been playing with levels of exercise that will allow me to be physically active and not risk kidney damage. So the good news is that my kidneys are functioning as they should be. Bad news my CK numbers returned to June 2022 levels after slowly coming down over the past six months. This was not HUGELY surprising as I[ had just completed the OrangeTheory #12DaysOfFitness Challenge](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid02xTrF2zypqP3tLLPFsw2GKwAFSogyymPqu9kgudF1359WNMkzvuLLPgCo7amxYQNXl) and worked out six times in nine days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/b4f43bfc-a447-4cdd-b0ae-a95a161a3614_1024x1024-jpeg.jpg) #OrangeTheory #12DaysOfFitness Challenge Prize! [FB Update](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid02xTrF2zypqP3tLLPFsw2GKwAFSogyymPqu9kgudF1359WNMkzvuLLPgCo7amxYQNXl) So yeah, I had exerted myself quite a bit, but unlike previous times, I was feeling pretty good. Sure, I am still experiencing random bouts of fatigue and unwelcomed nap demands, but I genuinely was feeling, dare I say it, “normal.” After workouts, I am sore, but a good sore, and I no longer find myself sleeping for 14 hours two days after a workout. I was cautiously optimistic about my state of Long Covid, but alas, “normal” is still just a bit out of reach. I’ll get there, but just not quite yet. After talking with my doc, we will stay the course in my treatment. I have been given permission to increase my exercise patterns — though I am def not keeping up that six sessions in nine days pace — and I will blood test every month. I will continue to have conversations with my body and spirit in order to find those speed spots of harmony that allow me to be as active and outward as I can. What I am discovering, I think, is that on the days that I work out, I have to work less. While I definitely am feeling better, the idea that I actually have a finite amount of energy to expend has been fascinating and helped me to budget my movement and time. All-in-all, I am doing well. Do I wish I was all good, sure, but in the spectrum of how others are experiencing Long Covid, I cannot and will not complain. I have had to make adjustments to my life and pace for the immediate and foreseeable future, but I am still able to do most things I was doing before. I may not be able to move at the 100mph that I love, but I am still moving, serving, and hopefully causing just the right amount of good trouble in the world. Again, thanks for hanging out with me for the long haul, but as you pray for my family and me, please also hold in your prayers the many who are suffering in silence and isolation. Long Covid lends itself to self-gaslighting, so be gentle with yourselves and others as this is real. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-3.png) #### 08.31.22: COVID UPDATE XXVII *This was a long one-year* [*update posted here*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/one-long-covid-year-later-11441d41d9cc/)*.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/531d7f66-4a3e-4d61-9460-f0d62a95f882_3264x1835-jpeg.jpg) > “This could turn really quickly, so I think it’s time you go to the emergency room.” > One year ago today, with my breathing so bad I could not complete a sentence, my Covid doc decided it was time. While I was never in mortal danger, I know many of my friends, family, and colleagues were scared. Oh, who am I kidding, there was a good hour or so after those words hit me that I was deeply worried that I would not make it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-4.png) #### 06.02.22: COVID UPDATE XXVI Last week I ran a marathon... In the heat... Without water... Okay, I didn't actually run a marathon, but after two hard two-workout OTF sessions two days later, apparently, my body thought I did. This is good news as we are now pretty sure what's going on and that it's NOT my heart or brain. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0312ovagKLVyPdEmGaMZMRBauxABr5vPGqAMdo48XH8YV7um31S6vzNoqUivbHNxUBl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/30eb11ff-3bb1-4981-a948-881d509273d5_1170x1172.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-5.png) #### 06.02.22: COVID UPDATE XXV Well, after 14 vials of blood drawn and an hour of medical consultation, we have the beginnings of my [#LongCovid](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/longcovid?%5F%5Feep%5F%5F=6&%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZWF04NjBgH2PGV%5FBe2LmY8U3tkc5wA2BrMCs0tidLt0xdgSu7OFjQmjq20J3BEsUkKmnMX0vCOaRROuBT5nMLiZB2-lR3sqHzojlvALWMWkZIGT-7Teqf4kg%5FHSS-4TslOKsjBmCmoYZlQfqoZysLBV&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=%2ANK-R) plan. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0219UPqVtrQ8Qr4XEZyEqioNBSujM3yktyEERg1H87B7TSePfV4EAvLMxmEZ6UcxTJl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/23f6d7c3-9c19-4eb6-930c-8f87cf51912b_2048x1365-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-6.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XXIV *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-7.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XXIII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-8.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XXII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-9.png) #### 02.05.21 COVID UPDATE XXI Like many of you, I am tired yet doing my best to navigate this low-grade pandemic life fever that we all are. I also know that, unlike so many others in the world, my social location and socioeconomics allow me to address my weariness with many more options. I remind myself daily of my privilege in this regard. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0219UPqVtrQ8Qr4XEZyEqioNBSujM3yktyEERg1H87B7TSePfV4EAvLMxmEZ6UcxTJlhttps://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid02G8gA9JC1TQjbj3QpsxTAuJMo6w2hVkJWRsAvVQyEQindiPBEVFrQvNjkNnG8tbjjl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/e2a489af-c8cc-47c7-81ed-f29745ad55bb_1640x1094-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-10.png) #### 10.26.21: COVID UPDATE XX Today I strapped on my FitBit, revved up the Noom machine, and took my first roundtrip walk to Philz. It's hard to believe that it was two months ago that this COVID ordeal began. I'm still amazed and thankful that somehow Robin and I are in the mend and did not spread it to anyone. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0oFbKE1bS3wzV94kc46a6z29uJHQTP5vMtqtvkDvRX1J2rE84359yez57hxni2Uifl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/f2385c29-10fa-404c-b5cc-888145b59a20_1440x1080-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-11.png) #### 09.28.21: COVID UPDATE XIX I just read back through all my updates and it is hard to believe that it began all the way back on August 24th when I first felt symptoms of what we all hoped was NOT COVID. Time has flown and frozen all at the same time and I am grateful for the many prayers and words of healing and love sent our way. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0uN67F76yNz4XCMjXQUnomaHhnwjPjhu8cjRNqzeXjqeqiNDxN26vCWH33zEE1YBtl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/9746b80d-e5bb-4d7b-ba1e-918f8647da05_2016x1344-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-12.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XVIII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-13.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XVII While I appreciate the prayers, please know that I continue to share my recovery process to remind folks that there are many who continue to struggle with the long-term effects of COVID-19, especially those who have had breakthrough Delta infections. [*Read full update here.*](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0uN67F76yNz4XCMjXQUnomaHhnwjPjhu8cjRNqzeXjqeqiNDxN26vCWH33zEE1YBtl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-14.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XVI ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-15.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XV *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-16.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XIV *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-17.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE XII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-18.png) #### [09.04.21: COVID UPDATE XI — The Plea](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid02sLhAmtk58tCF4JEq7HUD8FZ9yNK91qXm9meqvbJqGoBFaGCN1VYc1hbEdqyzBpawl) Tomorrow I will mostly like go home and for this I am immensely grateful. At the same time my heart is heavy for the larger community that I am part of has simultaneously been holding up Lewis Washington and his fight against Covid. Lewis was also vaccinated. Lewis died. Lewis will have no chance to go home. Lewis’ community will not get to celebrate a quick and speedy recovery. Lewis’ community will now mourn and grieve his loss. Lewis, like too many has found himself yet another victim of a pandemic that had needlessly stretched on because we human beings cannot see beyond our own self-interest, personal conveniences, power-preserving politics, and a warped sense of personal freedom. I did not know Lewis personally, but because I know those who where loved by him, I do know him. I know him as a sibling of the body of Christ, a lover of life, a poet of song, and part of my global human community. My heart breaks for his dearest friends whose tears flow this day; his community directly touched by his music and his love. #RestInPeace #RestInPower In the same way, many of you did not know my grandmother who died in December, but you do because you know me. Countless others, dead, dying, recovered, and recovering, we know one another because we are all part of one body, intrinsically woven together whether want to know and believe it or not. But some of you still choose to know only yourself, what you have, and what you choose to protect. You have given yourself a false sense of immunifortification and convinced yourself that you, your life, your comfort, your survival, your ability to move about the world without responsibility to the common good is somehow your right — that your freedom is more important than the health of other humans around you. This is misguided and you are wrong. Whether holding shaky anti-vaccines stances, setting unrealistic goals for scientific certainty, fighting mask mandates, or reinforcing wild conspiracy theories about motivations, you are exacerbating how long this will go on. Sadly, I can’t ignore you because your actions have consequences and impact my life and the lives of my communities. Breakthroughs like mine, the infections of unvaccinated, immunocompromised, children, economic justice, educational equity, food justice, emotional well-being, future variants — all of this is connected . . . to you. You hold the power to shift the trajectory. More than enough of us have already chosen your health and the health of others over our own pleasures and conveniences, not to say anything about those who have had no choice but to risk their lives every day serving, delivering, healing, and teaching. There are some who might wish death upon you, have no sympathy for your life, or empathy for those who would you grieve your death. Still others think the only way you will change your mind is if you experience the death of a loved one. And yet others believe, in the depths of your soul, there is no redemption or change possible. I refuse to see these as the only options for our future. I refuse to rejoice in the death, sickness, or suffering of others. And I do not want you to have to see that in your loved ones, your neighbor, your friends, your community. I choose to believe that we can collectively be better. We don’t have to agree with about all things, but can we not agree that less death and sickness is better than more? I refuse to see you without compassion, intellect, empathy, and the willingness to change. For me to choose any other view of you would be disengenuous to my character and would pain my soul, for you deserve just as much human dignity and respect as I hope you will extend to me. That said, I can be angry, frustrated, and finally to the point of publicly pleading for you to change your mind and choose another way. Please, take a breath and deeply consider a shift, even ever so slightly: get vaccinated in secret, ratchet down the rhetoric, practice mitigation, and, if you cannot, please allow others to do so without fear of retribution or attack. My journey to recover and getting “better” will be easier than some and more difficult for others. And I hope a vast majority of people never get close to knowing any part of this Covid experience. I plead with you today, not only because I want you to join a cause, but because if we do not do this together, too many more will needlessly suffer and die. If all goes as planned, I will see you from home tomorrow as I begin my recovery, thanks be to God. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-19.png) #### [09.03.21: COVID UPDATE X](https://www.facebook.com/geek.dork.hack/posts/pfbid0XsLJ9PoLRxTBRQPYxqwhEdR5MCMSSrdr5pdneeGWBgFBxyLGGxxa2ZGmdFGnXVDl) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/90119aa4-c92c-4200-a6fe-0ec389c0674c_1024x768-jpeg.jpg) Other than my world class athlete wife casually mentioning walking down the entire hallway all at once and just getting a little winded, it’s been a welcomed, uneventful day. Seriously, Robin and I are killin’ this Empty Nest, Sandwich Generation, Breakthrough Covid, Pandemic lifestage. Don’t be jealous, it’s taken us over 30 years of marriage to get this level of exciting. 🙂 The picture of me was taken after about a gazillion hours of laying on my stomach to help open up my airways. Being prone for hours on end is not exciting, but it’s super helpful to help get oxygenation numbers up. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and I’m always afraid I’m going to moon the next person to walk in, but my numbers are improving and I could string together multi-sentence thoughts on the phone. My prone time had me watch all four episodes of “What If?’, starting KDrama, ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” and spending three minutes contemplating reading one of the books I tossed in the bag. After last night’s update I didn’t want you thinking Breakthrough Covid life was all panic eyes and drama; nope there’s also hours of tedium and humdrum . . . and that’s just fine with me. Hope to return tomorrow with another to non-eventful report from the Kaiser Covid Ward. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-20.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE IX *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-21.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE VIII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-22.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE VII *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-23.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE VI *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-24.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE V *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-25.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE IV *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-26.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE III *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-27.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE II *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-28.png) #### 00.00.00: COVID UPDATE I *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-29.png) #### 00.00.00: Hospital *To be added from the original update.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-30.png) #### 08.25.21: Infected ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/2132d501-21d4-4908-a87c-190736c406f6_1024x744.png) **Added from* [**the original IG update.*](https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBLPWTlhBH/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Boo Covid. Feel like crap, but all in all okay and grateful for vaccinations. A portion of my letter to [@fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto/?ref=reyes-chow.com). While it would be great to know the exact details about when we were infected, we can only make educated guesses. As you know, our family has been extremely careful these past 18 months and I have encouraged our congregation to follow suit. It is clear that the Delta Variant is not playing around and we must all take as many precautions as we can. What I do know is the following: None of us is an exception. Our family has been careful, we have continued to mask, we do not eat inside, but still, we were infected. The pandemic is still going strong. Sadly, until we as a country and world figure this out and rediscover a commitment to the common good, we will live in this unknown space for a very long time. I could be much worse off. While COVID has definitely leveled my 52-year-self (fever, cough, headaches, etc.), because I am vaccinated, I know that my chances of being hospitalized or dying are low. I do not want to preside over your funeral. I genuinely want you to get vaccinated if not already. What we know is that those who are unvaccinated are much more likely to die if infected. This is not overreacting or shaming, but simply a plea that I hope you will heed. We must remain diligent and disciplined. In order to keep one another healthy and those who have sacrificed for us, we must continue to mask and distance, especially to protect our children, those with other medical issues, and anyone else not able to receive the vaccination. I know that many of you have very strong opinions about vaccinations, the pandemic, and the politics of it all, but let me emphasize that, at the end of the day, we must see one another as members of the Body of Christ — when one part suffers, we all suffer, when one rejoices, we all rejoice. Our compassion and empathy should not be contingent upon political agreement, so please continue to hold all — ALL — who are being impacted by Covid-19 in your prayers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/cf29357a-ec17-4680-b98a-7fcbb68a09ec_1024x38-31.png) ### How I Have Been Centering Whiteness in Advent URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/centering-whiteness-advent-d4ee5302b3ea/ Last updated: 2022-12-05T06:17:14.000Z Sadly, we cannot escape these times when learning and stretching will not be ignored. I recently had one of those moments when I was made aware of some hypocritical space in my world when it comes to Advent imagery. For others, change and growth are fantastic, but for me, I would rather skip that part of the play. Alas, try as I might, I cannot avoid it. You see, over the years, around early November, I pull out my “I’m better a better pastor than you” ladder and climb to the top of my tall-ass liturgical soap box from where I proclaim the evils of using light/good, dark/bad imagery during Advent. Each year I challenge myself and my colleagues to flex our liturgical muscles and be more creative in talking about what it means for Christ to be born into the world. I choose to believe that we have the capacity and theological depth to move away from imagery that equates light with good and dark with bad in order to resist reinforcing imagery that has fed racism for generations. We have the capacity and the pastoral obligation to help one another and the communities we serve to expand our collective experience and understanding of this holy season of preparation and waiting. Sorry, I told you that my soap box was tall. And while [tweets like the one below](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/status/1460261116152586257?ref=reyes-chow.com) can generate some accusatory and dismissive reactions; for the most part, folks are in agreement; words are important, and we can do better. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*NlFfvH53y9ZgQIuWbp0HQA.png) [My annual poke of the Advent “Light/Good, Dark/Bad” Bear.](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/status/1460261116152586257?ref=reyes-chow.com) Over the years, I have been pretty good at practicing what I preach and intentionally avoiding “Light/Good, Dark/Bad” imagery in my writing, preaching, and worship planning. *Pats back.* And then, during a conversation that I was facilitating about ways to integrate crucial social justice concerns into worship, my colleague, Rev. Carlton David Johnson, Associate Director for [Theology, Formation, and Evangelism at Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)](https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/theology-formation-and-evangelism/?ref=reyes-chow.com), dropped this nugget of brilliance (paraphrased), “At the center of our Advent wreathe, we use a black candle for the Christ candle.” For those who were there, I was def thrown and kept revisiting the impact of Carlton’s sharing for the rest of the session. (That says something about who I hang with and the limits of my creativity.) I am sure many others have made this adjustment, but I had never seen it before. Seriously, in all of my years of blustering about imagery, at the climax of the Advent season, I have been centering whiteness, not metaphorically, but actually. All this time, over [nearly 30 years of pastoral leadership](https://www.instagram.com/p/CkTDcHhulZc/?ref=reyes-chow.com), I had managed to creatively expand Advent imagery, doing my best to resist language that reinforced darkness as evil, and yet, after all the candles were lit: the LAST one, the BEST one, the MOST IMPORTANT ONE, the CHRIST CANDLE was, at the end of the day, white. So this year, damn right, our Advent wreath looks a little different. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*QNM_vvCobnngs4HN5uiUXQ.jpeg) Advent wreath with dark brown Christ candle. Wreath by [JayBanWorks](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1100065260/oak-or-limba-wooden-advent?click%5Fkey=cac653da95c84eb3f6f5189f828c8ea368ca04f1%3A1100065260&click%5Fsum=92999880&ref=shop%5Fhome%5Ffeat%5F1&frs=1&sts=1). If you do not already do this, take a moment to think about what would happen if you did this in your church. How would people respond if you changed the white Christ candle to one that was black or brown? I am sure a few will rejoice and get it, “Of course, the Christ candle should be dark in color, Jesus after all, was dark-skinned,” but my guess is that you will quickly discover that there is no amount of mental gymnastics, cultural justification, or theological interpretation in the world to erase the fact that when most of think of the goodness of Christ being born into the world, whiteness is centered. If you do this and people get anxious about the change, ask back, “Why does the Christ candle have to be white?” No doubt, many will respond with some form of, “Jesus was the ‘light of the world,’ so the candle should be white.” The thing is, the light is not generated by the color of the candle but from the light that that candle gives to the world. **Candles of all colors can be a light to the world, even black and brown ones.** ### Micky ScotBey Jones talks Enneagram with Bruce and Laura URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/micky-scotbey-jones-talks-enneagram-512/ Last updated: 2022-11-30T10:00:00.000Z On today’s minisode Laura and Bruce chat with another of the BRC & Friends co-Hosts, our friend Micky ScotBey Jones, who in addition to being a lovely human, helps folks to do some self-reflection inner work using the Enneagram; and unlike Bruce and Laura, who may know just enough to be dangerous, Micky brings actual expertise with Ennegram coaching and certifications from the School of Conscious Living and The Narrative Enneagram. In this episode, you’ll learn some history of the Ennegram, how it should or should not be used, some playful teasing about obnoxious enneagrammers, and Bruce kicks it off by asking the questions we’re all thinking, “Isn’t the Ennegram just for White people?” So if you are an enneagram hater, inquirer, or card-carrying cult member, so 7 of you, you will get something out of our conversation. I am so grateful to have had this time with Micky so you all could get to know just a bit more about her humanity and her work with the Enneagram. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to our conversation with Micky Scotbey Jones. Thanks for listening! ### CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST/S - **Micky Scottbey Jones:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) - **The Narrative Enneagram:** [Website](https://www.narrativeenneagram.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/narrativeenneagram/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/narrativeennea?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/narrativeenneagram/) ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS If you are going to hit one link, for as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on[ Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and support the production of BRC & Friends. **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** On Public Social Media Hiatus **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:** [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [on Mastadon](https://sfba.social/@breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). BRC & Friends website is hosted on [*GreenGeeks*](https://www.greengeeks.com/track/u85657?ref=reyes-chow.com), the podcast is hosted on [*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and the show was recorded using [*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). ### Cooking as an Act of Self-care and Prayer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/cooking-as-an-act-of-self-care-and-prayer-e12a5fff2d40/ Last updated: 2022-11-23T19:03:53.000Z With the pains of the world seemingly coming nonstop, this morning I found myself caught off guard by the Spirit’s movement while doing what I do so often, cooking for my family. This week are spending Thanksgiving in the Yucca Valley with a small section of the family, so as has happened many times over the years, this morning, I was up before anyone else, prepping, chopping, frying, whisking, and creating a counter of love to greet folks as they emerged from their night’s rest. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*tvuQFu0Cv2nKYDupXsXGGQ.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*DCHngL4QKjMXYp2fR72gNg.jpeg) I feel obligated to feed the loves of my life, but cooking is also a selfish endeavor, but like many others, I also experience prepping, cooking, and serving as an act of holy self-care. There is something grounding and meditative for me as I enter the kitchen, the silence of the space, the morning chill of the floor, and the anticipation of what is to come. It begins with gathering ingredients thought of beforehand or found by happenstance, which provide the colors and flavors that create a palette of organized chaos. As I sharpen my blades and get organized, I think through the timing of the moments to come, timing that is mine and mine alone to control. My mind, “Bacon first so the fat can be used for the potatoes and eggs, but make sure the potatoes were cooked the night before, sliced, and ready to greet the crackling of sauteed onions and garlic.” Then the games begin. There is a bit of chaos as the eggs, bacon, potatoes, and coffee vie for my attention. Pay attention to one too long, and havoc will reign down upon my soul in the form of the smell of burning bacon or dried-out scrambled eggs :-) Thank God I didn’t add pancakes to the menu. The plating is my prayer of gratitude and offering. I used to plate in order to impress others, but I have come to realize how satisfying it is to look at food well-presented. Sure, the camera usually eats first, but I genuinely enjoy the visual aspects of the experience. It brings my eyes joy and my soul satisfaction. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*0VrF8RZNOsZa5SDa3epSTg.jpeg) And while I do love the clamor of the family meal, this morning, it was just me, my coffee, my plate, blue skies, and the expanse of the desert. And all God’s people say AMEN. ### E54 Bruce, Laura, and Jorge chat with Robyn Magalit Rodriguez URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e54-bruce-laura-and-jorge-chat-with-a4c/ Last updated: 2022-10-31T10:00:00.000Z **Thanks to all of the Patrons who make the production of this podcast possible. For as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on**[ **Patreon**](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **and add your support to BRC & Friends and other content from Bruce Reyes-Chow.** Today on Episode 54 of BRC and Friends Laura, Jorge and Bruce are joined by Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez, a scholar-activist and “peoples professor” at the University of California at Davis where she is the chair of the Asian American Studies Department and founder of the Carlos Bulosan Center. We talked about the state of Asian American and Ethnic Studies, we pondered the world that Gen Zs are navigating, and we learn about Dr. Robyn’s upcoming farm adventure. It was a pleasure getting to know Robyn as we shared some tender moments about calling, family, and activism. By the end of the episode, you too will be as taken with her story and humanity as we were. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to our conversation with Dr. Robin Magalit Rodriguez. ### CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST/S - **Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez:** [Website](https://www.drrobynrodriguez.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Books](https://www.drrobynrodriguez.com/books?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/madprofessora/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | Facebook | Twitter - **Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies:** [Website](https://bulosancenter.ucdavis.edu/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bulosancenter/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BulosanCenter/) ### ALL THE SHOW LINKS If you are going to hit one link, for as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on[ Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and support the production of BRC & Friends. **BRC & FRIENDS:** [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, JORGE BAUTISTA:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS:** [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST, MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES:** [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST & PRODUCER, BRUCE REYES-CHOW:** [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). BRC & Friends is hosted on [*Captivate*](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [*SquadCast*](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). ### E53 Bruce and Amy Kim chat with Gel Cortez URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e53-bruce-and-amy-kim-chat-with-gel-795/ Last updated: 2022-10-05T15:49:00.000Z ## E53 Bruce and Amy Kim chat with Gel Cortez On Episode 53 of BRC and Friends, Amy Kim and Bruce are joined by Dr. Angelica "Gel" Cortez. Gel is a strategist, cultural worker, and civic innovator recognized as one of [Silicon Valley's 40 under 40](https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2020/08/07/angelica-cortez-svlg-is-a-40-under-40-honoree-2020.html?ref=reyes-chow.com). She is the Founder and Executive Director of [LEAD Filipino](https://leadfilipino.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com), a nonprofit that organizes for Filipina/x/o American civic participation, grassroots leadership, and direct action out of San Jose. Since 2015, she has led major campaigns and initiatives to increase the representation of FilAms in public service. Gel currently resides in Eastside San Jose and has a damn cute furbaby, Soul, and she jumps right into the banter that is the charm of BRC & Friends. You will hear her passion, thoughtfulness, and sheer disappointment that I did not take Amy Kim to Jollibee's during her last visit. Amy Kim and I had a great time getting to know her and you will too! As usual, all the links are in the show notes. Side note: This is the first of a bunch of episodes featuring Filipino X folks as part of Filipino American HISTORY month, but because I am Filipino you kind of get that every episode. Founded by the [Filipino American National History Society](http://fanhs-national.org/filam/?ref=reyes-chow.com), Filipino American History Month focuses on historic events and happenings that have shaped our community not only on the cultural badassery and joy that exists within our community. Side note two: We had a little mic trouble with Amy Kim, so apologies for that. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and enjoy listening to our conversation with Dr. Gel Cortez. Thanks for listening! ## CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS - Connect with Lead Filipino on: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lead%5Ffilipino?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/leadfilipino?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/leadfilipino), and [www.leadfilipino.org](http://www.leadfilipino.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). - Upcoming event links: [10/14 Filipino Flag Raising & Lighting Ceremony at San Jose City Hall](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-jose-filipino-flag-raising-lighting-ceremony-tickets-423570760547?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [10/21 FAHM JAM at Garden at the Flea](https://www.instagram.com/fahm%5Fjam/?hl=en&ref=reyes-chow.com). ## ALL THE SHOW LINKS If you are going to hit one link, for as little as $1/month, please consider becoming a Patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and support the production of this podcast. BRC & FRIENDS: [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) |[On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS: [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES: [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) HOST & PRODUCER: BRUCE REYES-CHOW [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) | [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). BRC & Friends is hosted on [Captivate](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [SquadCast](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). ### Minisode Summer Check-in with Bruce, Micky, and Amy Kim URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/minisode-summer-check-in-with-bruce-3e3/ Last updated: 2022-09-23T11:00:00.000Z Today on BRC and Friends, Bruce is back with another minisode summer check-in this time with co-hosts Micky ScotBey Jones and Amy Kim Kyremes Parks. They take on The Little Mermaid, Serena Williams, The Supreme Court, Micky’s protective instincts, Amy Kim's random tears, and Bruce’s new F1 (Or was that A1) fascination. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and welcome to BRC & Friends and our Summer Check-in Minisode! **All the Links:** If you are going to hit one link, please consider becoming a Patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and, for as little as $1/month, support the production of this podcast. **BRC & FRIENDS** - [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES** - [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST: BRUCE REYES-CHOW** - [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme BRC & Friends Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). BRC & Friends is hosted on [Captivate](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [SquadCast](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). ### Minisode Summer Check-in with Bruce, Jorge, and Laura URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/minisode-summer-check-in-with-bruce-c85/ Last updated: 2022-09-20T11:00:00.000Z Today on BRC and Friends, Bruce is back with a minisode summer check-in with co-hosts Jorge Bautista and Laura Mariko Cheifetz. As usual, they riff off of a few prompts from Bruce. While they take on the January 6th hearings, Britney Griner, and the Supreme court, they also share about having covid and counting popsicles; who has the best tacos, Northern or Southern California, and how we keep at it in a time of so much political crappiness. This episode also gives you new theme music from Merissa Magdael-Lauron. Thanks for being here! Grab a beverage, pull up a chair, and welcome to BRC & Friends and our Summer Check-in Minisode! **All the Links:** If you are going to hit one link, please consider becoming a Patron on [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) and, for as little as $1/month, support the production of this podcast. **BRC & FRIENDS** - [The Website](https://www.brcandfriends.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [The Feeds](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [The Episodes](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlxaSlhXMtBBEUrAfHhozRtI9Mk0yz3dA&ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lauramarikocheifetz/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS** - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES** - [Website](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST AKA BRC: Bruce Reyes-Chow** - [Website](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - [On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [On YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Theme BRC & Friends Music was composed and performed by [Merissa Magdael-Lauron](https://www.instagram.com/merissa.cre8s/?ref=reyes-chow.com). BRC & Friends is hosted on [Captivate](https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=brucereyeschow) and was recorded using [SquadCast](https://squadcast.fm/?ref=brucereyeschow1). ### Chicken Adobo: Esteban de los Reyes Style URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/chicken-adobo-esteban-de-los-reyes-style-f13523674956/ Last updated: 2022-09-03T00:17:56.000Z My maternal grandfather, Esteban de los Reyes (Changed to Steve Reyes by US Immigration) was, not only one of the kindest humans I have ever known but also an excellent cook. A bartender by trade, not only could he pour the beverages, but he brought generations of ancestral Filipino love to the kitchen. Although fading, memories of his fried fish and adobo still fill my heart with such sweet memories: hanging out on warm summer Stockton days, drinking and spilling tea with my mom, and knowing that when you walked into the house, there would be food to feed your soul. Damn, I miss him. Gpa shows up every time I cook adobo. And thanks to an invitation from my friends over at [Food and Faith Podcast](https://www.foodandfaithpodcast.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) for their upcoming book, I am finally writing down what could loosely be called a “recipe.” ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*7dNDXiPQ9Me2421dUnt1cg.jpeg) Before we get started, if you are here to debate the exact origin of adobo (yes, it comes from 500 years of Spanish occupation) or you want to say there is only one right way to make adobo (Need I remind you that the Philippines is made up of 7,000 islands), hard pass. All you need to know is that adobo has been adapted by the folx from the Philippines and this salty, sour comfort food will continue to evolve and adapt far into the future. What I share with you is my best recollection of how my grandfather made his. Because each region is different, there are countless other ways to make it. The ingredients vary depending on the region or what may be in the fridge. Some prefer the sour while others like the salty, others make it spicy while others make it sweet. There are those who prefer dry, while others are all about the sauce. At the end of the day, there really is no right or wrong way to make adobo. Well, I am sure there is, but that’s for another day… ### My Grandpa’s Adobo Recipe Serves 2–4 #### **The Ingredients:** Please keep in mind that I never actually measure when I make adobo. Measurements are, at best, estimates of your heart’s desires and memories of love passed down from generation to generation. Yes, I measured this time to give you a guide, but over time, you should experiment and make it your own. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*60VM2b9zv3w7lC0eqK5HEw.jpeg) All the things that go into the pan. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*pR-u7a3j6A8RqTtiF4vGNA.jpeg) Thighs and drumsticks chopped in half. - 2–3 pounds chicken (or pork), preferably thighs and drumsticks with bones and skin still present. NOTE: You can use white meat, but it tends to get dry. Also, with drumsticks and thighs, I prefer to cut them in half so the marrow can flavor the sauce. - 1 large white or yellow onion, diced - 2 tablespoons pickling spice - 2 tablespoons brown sugar - 2–3 bay leaves - 1 tablespoon sesame oil - 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil - 1 cup vinegar (Datu Puti preferred) - 1/2 cup soy sauce (Again, Datu Puti) - 1/4 cup condense chicken broth - and last but not least, **1 entire bulb of fresh garlic**, minced. Yes, you heard me right, I said 1 ENTIRE BULB! There is no such thing as “too much” garlic. Fight me. - Optional Spice: Add 1/2 cup or to taste of Pinoy Spice (also Datu Puti) #### **The Cooking:** Please note that it’s really difficult to mess this up, so just go with what feels right and avoid burning down anything but the patriarchy. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*bLni8WAg5yv_ahLz1N8Y0Q.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*3jy0kDvPRAkHU_jr-WfAAw.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*Q2RtHVqdmr7no_nH9YF9lg.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*FBONZPnPth4j_cLXbMQMBQ.jpeg) - In a saucepan deep enough that the meat can almost be covered, on medium-high heat, heat up the oils. - When the oil is hot, add pickling spice, bay leaves, and garlic. Saute just until the garlic starts turning brown. - Add onions and cook until just starting brown on the edges. - Add meat and brown it up for about 3–5 minutes. - Flip the meat over and add soy sauce, vinegar, broth, and sugar. - Stir to mix and bring to a boil. - Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to simmer, and cover. - Cook for about 30 minutes and return every 10 minutes to stir/turn the chicking, sample the sauce, and adjust to your liking. - When it’s done, remove the chicken into a serving bowl and boil the liquid (about 10 minutes) to get that nice thick heavenly adobo juice. Pour over the chicken or just do adobo sauce shots. Kidding, kind of. NOTE: I usually do not remove the chicken because I am lazy, but doing this does thicken the sauce faster. - Get a bowl, scoop out a paddle of rice for the ancestors, top it with a heaping scoop of adobo and juice, pull up a chair, and enjoy! ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*7dNDXiPQ9Me2421dUnt1cg.jpeg) Chicken Adobo, Esteban de los Reyes style. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*fiSOzqJeIulyCQp7bB2RZA.jpeg) Camera eats first! ### One Long Covid Year Later URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/one-long-covid-year-later-11441d41d9cc/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:48.000Z COVID UPDATE: XXVI “This could turn really quickly, so I think it’s time you go to the emergency room.” One year ago today, with my breathing so bad I could not complete a sentence, my Covid doc decided it was time. While I was never in mortal danger, I know many of my friends, family, and colleagues were scared. Oh, who am I kidding, there was a good hour or so after those words hit me that I was deeply worried that I would not make it. To be fair, the previous December [we lost my Grandmother to covid](https://www.instagram.com/p/CIq3h11hYvc/?ref=reyes-chow.com), the Delta variant was creating havoc, and two others in our circle were in the hospital. We all had every reason to be scared. Thankfully, I am still here: often cranky and generally achy, but I’m here. Feel free to read [my life update from a few weeks ago](https://madmimi.com/p/4bbe541?ref=reyes-chow.com) or relive [those first hours, days, and weeks via IG updates](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17914664347974693/?ref=reyes-chow.com), but today, I am reflecting on how my life has changed and where I am now. One Long Covid year later. - I left my job, a calling that I loved, as the pastor of [First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto](https://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com). [With that decision](https://breyeschow.medium.com/a-time-for-transition-378b11604105?ref=reyes-chow.com), we left a house, a city we were just getting to know, and yes, a regular paycheck.\* - “We would expect to see these numbers from someone who had just run a marathon, in the heart, and without water” was the assessment of my Creatine Kinase numbers this summer. After some experimentation and many, many, many blood test, it turns out my body is hypersensitive when it comes to physical exertion. And even better, trying to push through only exacerbates the discomfort and could damage my kidneys. Awesome. - On most days, I sleep three times a day: through the night, once in the morning, and then again in the late afternoon. Yes, napping is good for the soul, but these naps are not short, welcomed, or chosen interruptions, rather, they are a constant reminder that my fatigue has more control over my life than I would like to give. - Publically, most folks would guess that I am all better because, well, I want to feel better and am not willing to long Covid all over every space that I am part of. That would be exhausting for all of us. And while I am doing far better than many others who are experiencing long Covid, *I feel pretty good for just enough hours in the day to be frustrated when I don’t*. I am slowly figuring out when and how to best use my daily 4–5 hours set aside for public consumption and still have time to be a pleasant and helpful husband, father, son, and sibling. I fail most days at this, but I am definitely moving in the right direction. What exactly is next, I am not sure. I do know that I am not retired and that I am not headed back to full-time work, but other than that, I am remaining open. I am working on a new book, [I will be re-diving back into content creation](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com), and I will be open to [short-term, part-time Bridge Pastoring](https://reyes-chow.com/bridge-pastor/?ref=reyes-chow.com). My days and weeks are now filled with much more alone time, I am finding a good groove with my Orange Theory Fitness and nutrition patterns, and I am settling into a new groove with my writing and podcasting. I’ll primarily focus on answering the financial, professional, and physical question, “What is enough?” Most importantly, I am working on being gentle with myself when the frustration gets the best of me and remaining open to the many new “normals” that will come and go along the way. Lastly, two others in my community were also admitted when I went into the hospital. I was the only one to come home. Politics and punditry aside, the reality is that Covid has created holes in people’s lives that will forever be filled with grief and loss. Please be gentle with yourselves and one another for you never know the loss that has been experienced. So there you go, Covid with Bruce, one year later. Thanks to all those near and far who have expressed their support and love in so many ways over the past year. It has been a ride. Special thanks to my spouse, Robin, my kiddos, Annie, Abby, and Ev, the extended family, and my faithful pup, Nurse Vespa. Peace, Bruce \*One of the reasons I have tried to share as honestly as I can about this entire ordeal is because I have the luxury and privilege to do so. Not everyone has the resources and support to take the time I am taking to avoid crises and find healing. So many people connected with me to share their Long Covid struggles and their inability to find the time or support to heal. As the world moves on, please remember that someone close to you is probably dealing with all of this in silence and isolation. And if that person is you, you are seen by me and others. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*NsxoxOvHufvouSTPuYe1XA.jpeg) Being prone sucks, but it’s better than not being able to breathe, so… ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*e27YOixEKbOIoKdzoNLvtQ.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*Ul5S3dmhsge5OdvF3K7ugw.jpeg) Nurse Vespa made sure that I rested upon my return home and the Long Covid Apothecary. ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*sUxbydIWlRMulzHut5byUQ.jpeg) ![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*yvktrVJ3Fl185CyEdXMixQ.jpeg) First day home and first day in the outside. ### Happy Pride from a Random Presbyterian Pastor URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/happy-pride-from-a-random-presbyterian-pastor-7cad9febfbee/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:48.000Z From our Family, Happy Pride! [Continue reading on Medium »](https://breyeschow.medium.com/happy-pride-from-a-random-presbyterian-pastor-7cad9febfbee?source=rss-5624226ca60a------2) ### E52 Bruce and Laura chat with John Edgerton URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e52-bruce-and-laura-chat-with-john-353/ Last updated: 2022-05-13T11:00:00.000Z Welcome to The BRC & Friends Podcast where you will get to know activists, artists, academics, and adventurers who are committed to making the world a better place. In Episode 52, Bruce (he/him), along with co-host Laura Mariko Cheifetz (she/her) speaks with guest John Edgerton, lead pastor at First United Church of Oak Park, Illinois, and also the first white guest on the podcast since its reboot. Bruce begins by asking John and Laura, “What is something that you have no control over, but brings you joy.” But first, Bruce shares a personal update: he’s completed his tenure as pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. Thanks to long Covid, he’s taking a break but will still continue to podcast. John’s church in Oak Park recently became a target of right-wing ire when the congregation launched a Lenten program called ‘fasting from whiteness’ where they decided to only going to music composed by non-white composers. The news travelled far and wide — including to the UK, where it was covered by *The Daily Mail* — and John was at the receiving end of accusations of ‘reverse racism’ and the decision was called ‘wokeness run amok’. You’ll find out how Bruce got embroiled in all of this, waking up to a bunch of alerts on Google for his name. The hosts and guest also speak about Chicago’s history of segregation and anti-racist activism, and how white-centredness can be extricated from Christian culture. Thanks for listening! **IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF BRC AND FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND BECOME A PATRON FOR AS LITTLE AS $1 AN EPISODE:** [**https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow**](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CONNECT WITH FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF OAK PARK** - Website: [https://www.firstunitedoakpark.com](https://www.firstunitedoakpark.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: **PLATFORMS AND PRODUCTION** - Sound Editing and Shownotes by Sindhuri Nandhakumar (See below) - Recorded on Squadcast: - Hosted by Captivate: **BRC & FRIENDS** - Subscribe to BRC & Friends: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Listen to the Episodes: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: **CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ** - Website: [https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz](https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/haparev](https://www.instagram.com/haparev?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/kyremesparks](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Website: [https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff](https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES** - Website: [http://mickyscottbeyjones.com](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/iammickyjones ](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST AKA BRC: Bruce Reyes-Chow** - Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **EDITOR EXTRAORDINAIRE: Sindhuri Nandhakumar** - Fiverr: [https://www.fiverr.com/sindhurin](https://www.fiverr.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/sindhurin](https://www.instagram.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/sindhurin](https://twitter.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E51 Bruce, Micky, and Laura Chat with David Magdael URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e51-bruce-micky-and-laura-chat-with-fb6/ Last updated: 2022-03-29T10:00:00.000Z Welcome to The BRC & Friends Podcast where you will get to know activists, artists, academics, and adventurers who are committed to making the world a better place. In Episode 51, Bruce, along with co-hosts Laura Mariko Cheifetz (she/her) and Micky Scottbey Jones (she/her) speaks with guest David Magdael (he/him). David is a media strategist for documentary films and indies, and talks about his trip to the SXSW festival in Austin, and how the films that he’s worked on recently have been directed by Asian Pacific filmmakers. He discusses [BAD AXE](https://www.badaxefilm.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com), the documentary that won the Audience favourite award at SXSW, and how it chronicles the experience of a Cambodian-American family in rural Michigan. As for the Oscars, we also heard about [ASCENSION](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sh7xw%5FOdQk&ref=reyes-chow.com), [WHEN WE WERE BULLIES](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcFJPTj94aM&ref=reyes-chow.com) and [QUEEN OF BASKETBALL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPFkcoTfr7g&ref=reyes-chow.com). David also talks about how, for him, life started at 32 and marvels at how the ‘Filipino boy from South Stockton, 95209’ built a business that allows him to be in the presence of filmmakers while their lives change. He also shares advice for Micky’s daughter, currently in film school, about pursuing her calling and talks about his version of ‘80-20’ rule. Thanks for listening! **IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF BRC AND FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND BECOME A PATRON FOR AS LITTLE AS $1 AN EPISODE:** [**https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow**](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CONNECT WITH DAVID MAGDAEL AND ASSOCIATES: DMAG PR** - Website: [https://www.dmagpr.com](https://www.dmagpr.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/dmagpr](https://www.instagram.com/dmagpr?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/DMagPR](https://twitter.com/DMagPR?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: **PLATFORMS AND PRODUCTION** - Sound Editing and Shownotes by Sindhuri Nandhakumar (See below) - Recorded on Squadcast: - Hosted by Captivate: **BRC & FRIENDS** - Subscribe to BRC & Friends: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Listen to the Episodes: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: **CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ** - Website: [https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz](https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/haparev](https://www.instagram.com/haparev?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/kyremesparks](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Website: [https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff](https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES** - Website: [http://mickyscottbeyjones.com](http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj](https://www.instagram.com/electric%5Flady%5Fmsj?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/iammickyjones ](https://twitter.com/iammickyjones?ref=reyes-chow.com) **HOST AKA BRC: Bruce Reyes-Chow** - Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **EDITOR EXTRAORDINAIRE: Sindhuri Nandhakumar** - Fiverr: [https://www.fiverr.com/sindhurin](https://www.fiverr.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/sindhurin](https://www.instagram.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/sindhurin](https://twitter.com/sindhurin?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### A Time for Transition URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/a-time-for-transition-378b11604105/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T20:20:43.000Z ### My Letter to FPC Palo Alto: A Time for Transition On March 16, 2022, I informed the Session (church governing body) of [First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto](https://www.fprespa.org/pastoral-letter-a-time-for-transition/?ref=reyes-chow.com), that I would be leaving at the end of April. Below is the letter shared with the congregation the next morning. As I share in my letter with the larger community, I hope to avoid any speculative drama by being as clear as I can be about my motivations for leaving. The letter is transparent, honest, and has no lines to read in between. There are no secrets being hushed, there was no disagreement in vision, and I am not being forced out. I am simply and truly honoring my sense of call and listening to the weariness of my body, mind, and spirit. Your prayers for my loving family and this remarkable community are welcomed, but in order to honor be present during the tenderness of pastoral transitions, the sharing of any reflections and updates will have to wait until after I complete my time of service. Other than some rest, I’m not completely sure what is next, but you all will be the first to know. Lastly, nothing brings me more collegial joy than seeing church leadership find their groove during this difficult season. I also know that many folks are finding themselves in the same weary space as I am, but do not have the luxury or ability to step away for a time of renewal. I am grateful for family and resources that can support such a decision. No matter where you find yourself on any given day, filled with the energy of call or overwhelmed by the weight of the world, know that this pastor and many others see you and are grateful for you and your leadership. Thank you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/0633081a-d284-4304-912e-6c25d52e49ff_1024x512.png) March 17, 2022 Dear Church, Last night Session accepted my letter informing them that I will not be seeking the permanent pastoral call and that I am resigning as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. My final Sunday will be April 24, 2022 and my final day in the office will be April 30, 2022. **As you receive this news please know that this decision has not been made in response to anything that this community has or has not done.** After wrestling with and praying through this decision alongside the Envisioning Our Future Together process I have discerned that I am not called to lead First Presbyterian Church into its next season of ministry. There is no person or group forcing me out, you are not too difficult of a church to pastor, you have not denied me any requests, there has been no unreasonable resistance to our envisioning process, and I have not given up on the idea that God is calling this place into a bold, just, and renewed future. While many variables impacted my decision, the overriding reason that I am choosing to leave is that I can no longer deny the toll that the pandemic has taken on me. I am emotionally, spiritually, and physically worn out and it has become abundantly clear that I am in need of a time of Sabbath and renewal. With the amount of death and sickness — Including long-Covid — that has impacted my life over the past 24 months, combined with my congregational responsibilities and the pandemic leadership offered to the larger church, I am reluctantly admitting to myself that I have done enough. **Simply put, I have no more to give.** Our ordination vows call us to serve with, “energy, intelligence, imagination, and love” and, while I will always love this community and will be thoughtful in my leaving, I can no longer ignore my lack of energy and imagination. To pretend otherwise would be to strike at my integrity as a pastoral leader and would not be fair to you as a congregation as you envision the future. In this act, I am choosing to tend to my own health and wellness and allowing myself time for renewal. As you absorb this news you will undoubtedly feel all that comes with pastoral transitions: surprise, anger, disappointment, relief, confusion, betrayal, grief, and/or excitement. I encourage you to feel the feelings, but I also hope you will be able to see our time together, especially during the pandemic, as deeply revelatory and filled with energy, intelligence, imagination, love, and laughter. As this news becomes public, some will question why I decided to leave after only three years. The narratives will flow as freely as people’s imaginations will allow, but I urge you not to listen to the voices that aim to detract from the good work we have done over these three years. **I am proud of what we have accomplished together…** - We adapted to the pandemic and reimagined what it means to be and do church together. - We welcomed new administrative staff and hybrid worship support. - We held multiple webinars: from Good Friday Services that drew over 400 people to interviewing City Council Candidates to talking with leaders from across the country. - We studied together: addressing everything from Filipino immigration to “Hood Feminism” to “The New New Testament” to race & food, to the plastics to indigenous justice issues. - We worshipped in ways that affirmed our faith and dove deep into issues that we care about: gender, gun violence, climate change, poverty, immigration, and more. - We co-created a Mission Statement that was not as much new as it was the reclaiming of historic principles and values of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. - We grieved the loss of saints, we stood for justice, and we found joy in ministry. Throughout our time, you have shown adaptability and openness and I believe that what you have done thus far has prepared fertile and faithful soil from which God will reveal what is next. As you process this news, please hold our family in tender prayer. We will be fine, but we don’t know where we will land in the long term or what our future professional lives will entail. That said, we are open to where the Spirit may lead and look forward to the paths God will be revealing. Also hold one another in prayer: elders, members, friends, staff, and everyone who finds home here at First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. There will be some rough moments as you go through yet another pastoral transition, but with the assistance of San Jose Presbytery, your current staff, and your built-in grit and determination, I have no doubt that you will create a faithful space well-situated for the next person called to be your pastor. I am hopeful for whomever that might be and **I will be your greatest champion as people inquire about serving with you in the future!** As we move into this tender time of pastoral transition, I place my trust in the relationships we have built and hope that we will spend our remaining time together wrapped in the same kindness, honesty, and care as we have been over these past three years. My suggested transition timeline is as follows: over the rest of March and April, I will meet with people for final conversations, I will secure worship leadership through June, and I will work with Chyrise, the Personnel Committee, and staff to finalize administrative transition logistics. My final Sunday will be April 24, 2022, my final day in the office will be April 30, 2022, and we will vacate the Manse by May 31, 2022. I hope to meet with as many people as I can during the month of April, so if you would like to meet \[**redacted contact and appointment info**\]. Lastly, while heavy-hearted, my spirit is filled with hope for who you and I will continue to become. **Growing into who God hopes us to become is our deepest calling and I am grateful that we have been part of one another’s journey during this season of life.** Peace, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow This letter also appears on the church’s website: [www.fprespa.org](https://www.fprespa.org/?p=7732&ref=reyes-chow.com). ### E50 Bruce Chats with Co-Hosts, Jorge Bautista and Micky Scottbey Jones URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e50-bruce-chats-with-co-hosts-jorge-501/ Last updated: 2022-02-02T10:00:00.000Z Welcome to The BRC & Friends Podcast where you will get to know activists, artists, academics, and adventurers who are committed to making the world a better place. In Episode 50 you get to meet the other two co-hosts of the show: Jorge Bautista (he/him) and Micky Scottbey Jones (she/her). Jorge is a pastor at a United Church of Christ congregation in San Mateo, California. Micky is a coach and justice doula, currently based in Nashville, Tennessee and she sees her work as a doula being translated to other avenues of life — where she accompanies people who are birthing something into the world. Bruce chats with his co-hosts to get to know them a bit better, starting with figuring out how he met both of them. Did he meet Micky at a conference and walk up to her after realizing they were the only two people of color in the room? He can’t remember, but this sounds quite realistic. Bruce and Jorge chat about how they met at a protest event in support of migrants crossing the border to the US, and about being handcuffed together in a police vehicle. You can expect chats about childhood memories evoked by scents (peach turnovers, microwaved popcorn) and why our hosts don’t fully understand why the NFL, horror movies, and beer are as widely liked as they are. Thanks for listening! **BECOME A PATRON FOR AS LITTLE AS $1 AN EPISODE** [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **NUTS AND BOLTS** - Recorded on Squadcast: - Hosted by Captivate: - Sound Editing and Shownotes: https://www.fiverr.com/sindhurin **BRC & FRIENDS** - Subscribe to BRC & Friends: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Listen to the Episodes: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: **CO-HOST: JORGE BAUTISTA** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/curious\_xicano/](https://www.instagram.com/curious%5Fxicano/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: CONNECT WITH LAURA MARIKO CHEIFETZ** - Website: [https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz](https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haparev - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz **CO-HOST: AMY KIM KYREMES-PARKS** - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyremesparks - Website: [https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff/](https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff/?ref=reyes-chow.com) **CO-HOST: MICKY SCOTTBEY JONES** - Website: http://mickyscottbeyjones.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electric\_lady\_msj/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/iammickyjones **HOST AKA BRC: BRUCE REYES-CHOW** - Website: http://www.reyes-chow.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow - Twitter: https://twitter.com/breyeschow - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow ### E49 Bruce Chats with Co-hosts, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks, and Laura Mariko Cheifetz URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e49-bruce-chats-with-co-hosts-amy-c1e/ Last updated: 2022-01-19T10:00:00.000Z SOME ADULT CONTENT PG-13+ Welcome to **BRC & Friends**, an uplifting podcast where **Bruce Reyes-Chow** talks with activists, artists, academics, and adventures who are committed to making the world a more thoughtful, loving, and just place. Each episode, Bruce is joined by some awesome co-hosts and guests as they discuss politics, faith, pop-culture, technology, and, as you will discover, pretty much everything that pops into their heads. Starting off **Episode 49**, on the right side of the sun with good friends and co-hosts, **Amy** **Kim (**pronounced Amy Kim**) Kyremes-Parks** and **Laura Mariko Cheifetz**. Amy and Laura have been friends with Bruce for quite some time and have no problem being an open book discussing their memorable childhood smells, sharing personal views regarding sports, and throwing in comedic jabs, which makes this podcast refreshing to tune into. If you wanted to use Amy Kim’s laugh for sound effects, I’m sure you could always hit her up about any inquiries. Speaking of refreshing, in this Episode, the trio touches on politics in sports and baseball, the mental toll on our children and teens in today’s world, memorable childhood smells, quotable therapy moments, tattoos, and how you shouldn’t go to Orange Theory with your mom. The knowledgeable and welcoming minds the three have, really makes you feel at home in this Episode. If you don’t know already **Bruce Reyes-Chow**, is an American Teaching Elder (Pastor) of the Presbyterian Church. Reyes-Chow received his BA in Asian American Studies, Sociology and Religion from San Francisco State University in 1990 and received his Masters of Divinity in 1995 from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He is loved by his wife, Robin, of 31 years and their 3 children. After living 30 years in San Francisco they decided to move to the bouje land of Palo Alto, where they’re still looking for legit Filipino food. If anyone knows good joints, slide into his Dm’s faster than Ross, of Friends, leathers up his pants with lotion. **Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks**, serves as Director of Formation for children, youth, and their families at a Presbyterian Church in North Carolina. Loved by her partner Justin, son Isaiah, daughter Natalie and of course two fur babies at home in Asheville, North Carolina. Her contagious laugh stretches all the way back to her hometown Salt Lake City, Utah. If you don’t like white gravy, then Amy just might be your person, click play to see what she has to say about it. **Laura Mariko Cheifetz**, not only is she most active on Twitter she is also active in the community as the Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship. Loved by her partner Jessica Vazquez Torres, who is the National Program Manager for Crossroads Antiracism Organizing & Training and welcomed home by their rescue pup in Nashville, Tennessee. Quickly wanted to point out that Laura is originally from the Pacific Northwest, not Tennessee, where Signal video calls are a common way of communication in her household, while at home. Tune in to find out how she really feels about that. Thank you for tuning into **BRC & Friends**, follow, subscribe, and support for more Episodes! - Subscribe to BRC & Friends: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Listen to the Episodes: [https://brc-friends.captivate.fm](https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - For as little as $1 an episode, become a patron on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Key Highlights** \[05:27\] When Bruce, Amy, and Laura first met \[09:30\] Memorable Childhood Smells \[12:02\] Sports Views \[14:10\] Friends with NPR Show and Cartoonist \[17:49\] Culty Things and Orange Theory \[19:50\] Why people don’t like white gravy, pumpkin spice and Seinfeld \[24:32\] Child of God Questions \[28:55\] Check your comp-Ass \[30:53\] What do you have strong feelings about? **Memorable Quotes** “I’d prefer that you didn’t” - *Robin* “If we lose on Saturday, I’m actually depressed on Sunday and I may not be able to come to Church” - Bruce paraphrasing a member of his church “It’s okay if it’s my fault” - *Laura’s Mom* “I’ve become aware that it’s rude to just make fun of people for liking things that I don’t like” - *Laura* “You wanna follow someone on Twitter that is the voice of the Prophet crying out in the wilderness, you go find Laura!” - *Amy* “Holy Moses” - *Bruce* Connect with **Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks** - IG: [https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks/](https://www.instagram.com/kyremesparks/?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/kyremesparks](https://twitter.com/kyremesparks?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff/](https://gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with **Laura Mariko Cheifetz** - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/haparev](https://www.instagram.com/haparev?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) - [https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz](https://divinity.vanderbilt.edu/people/bio/laura-cheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with **Bruce** - Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: - Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Much thanks to Fiverr magicians:** - Show Note Editor: [https://www.fiverr.com/mickperry](https://www.fiverr.com/mickperry?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Audio Editor: [https://www.fiverr.com/kamalmorris](https://www.fiverr.com/kamalmorris?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### 2022 Trailer: The Big Co-Host Announcement URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/2022-trailer-the-big-co-host-announcement-878/ Last updated: 2022-01-05T21:52:00.000Z "BRC & Friends" is back and 2022 will be the best year ever. With new co-hosts (Listen to find out who) upgraded platforms and outside editing, this year's episodes are going to be good fun! Find BRC & Friends where you listen to podcasts: https://brc-friends.captivate.fm/listen For as little as $1 an episode, become a patron and support Bruce’s Podcast making on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) **Connect with Bruce on the socials** - Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) - Facebook: ### Creativity is Not a Luxury, it is Life URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/creativity-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-life/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:49.000Z [*This post was originally published on Medium*](https://breyeschow.medium.com/creativity-is-not-a-luxury-970091a451c?ref=reyes-chow.com) Dear Pastors and Church Leaders — I feel you. It’s been a time. As I take a breath to reflect on these past 18 months, it has become abundantly clear that, in attempting to faithfully lead a congregation during this pandemic, my creativity has been ever so slowly withering away. In fact, the very act of writing this post on creativity has been painful and plodding with the reading and re-reading my own words straight up making me sleepy. Not good, not good at all. The truth is, I have forgotten how to flip my creativity lightbulb switch to “on” and am mortified that I am unable to express myself beyond terrible appliance metaphors. The saddest part is, not that I believe my well of creativity has run dry, but rather I have clearly succumbed to the idea that the life and energy that creativity provides is not worth drinking. If you are like me, I too often buy into the idea that creativity is an inefficient, self-indulgent, “Only if you have time after all the tasks are completed.” luxury that can only take the form of writing retreats, expensive getaways, or Etsy-level, artistic endeavors far beyond the reach of mere mortals. But wait, Bruce you have done X, started X, the church you serve has not revolted (At least I don’t think that they have.), and what the hell man, you are giving presentations about all this cool, new, funky, “hybrid church” stuff. Yes, like many of you, I have enjoyed tapping into some skills, gifts, and ideas, but the adrenaline of “[crisis breeds innovation](https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/crisis-breeds-innovation?ref=reyes-chow.com)” ran out sometime last spring and it has become painfully obvious that my “bag of tricks” probably ran out well before that. **I have been competent, but I have not been creative. Huge difference.** The sad fact is that what most people perceive as creativity has really just been thoughtfulness and competency, and now the drive to deliver programs and the need to manage our way into the future has begun to creep into the realm of toxic productivity. **If we keep this up, if we have not already, we ARE going to burn out.** We have become so enamored with deliverables, technical proficiency, and the idea that we can plan our way out of a pandemic, that we now threaten to tear down so much of what has been sustained and built up over these past months. **Make no mistake, the draw of toxic productivity is insidious and seductive — and unless we tell it to back the hell off, it will win.** It does not matter how long any of us have been at this pastoring thing, if we do not nurture the creative and holy that dwells deeply in our souls, we will falter. I have been ordained for over 25 years and this, by far, has been the most challenging time in my ministry. My ego has taken a ton of hits, I’ve lost confidence in my instincts, sleepless nights are the norm, and have given up the joy that I get from creating content, capturing images, and putting words down on “paper.” Fortunately, the lovely humans around me: family, my leadership coach, and many in the church I serve, have helped me to remember that creativity: mine, yours, and ours is what beckons us towards the holy and makes wide the path to knowing the divine in all of us. To be clear, I blame no one and no one is really at fault here. These past 18 months, whether people wish to believe it or not, and in a myriad of ways, have been taxing on everyone. While weariness, anxiety, and disappointment seem to rule the day, We have done our best to provide services the best we could and pastored people through trauma. This is not a castigation of what you should or should not be doing, but rather a commiseration about the struggle it is to lead and a plea to find ways to seek and experience the creativity and new life that can be borne out of times like these. At the end of the day, it’s pretty simple — if we are going to be and become who God hopes and intends, we must not view creativity as a luxury that can be put off until there is time, rather we must embrace it as means by which we each experience the holy in ourselves and will enable us to help others to do the same. Again, you are not alone. Peace, Bruce ### E48 Bruce chats with Terrell Carter URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e48-bruce-chats-with-terrell-carter-9df/ Last updated: 2021-04-21T18:00:00.000Z Welcome to BRC & Friends, a podcast where Bruce Reyes-Chow chats with activists, artists, academics, and adventures who are committed to making the world a more thoughtful, loving, and just place. In episode 48, Bruce sits down with Terrell Carter, pastor, artist, nonprofit executive director, and author of Taking Apart Bootstrap Theology: Gospel of Generosity and Justice, available May 15th from Judson Press. Bruce and Terrell discuss the disconnect present in white Evangelical Christianity between scriptural beliefs and sociopolitical alignments. Terrell shares his experience transitioning from the conservative African American church experience of his youth to the white fundamentalist landscape he encountered in academia. He also discusses the period of time he spent working as a police officer, and how it did not protect him from harassment by law enforcement. They discuss recent police violence against Black and Brown people, and how American policing and society at large are built to uphold white supremacy. To wind down, they discuss Dr. Who nostalgia as a comfort watch and escape from reality, their shared enjoyment of Bruno Mars, and ask the hard-hitting question: is David Bowie the only white musician? Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Connect with Terrell Carter: Website: [https://terrellcarter.net](https://terrellcarter.net/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/tcarterstl](https://twitter.com/tcarterstl?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/tcarterstl/](https://www.instagram.com/tcarterstl/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Preorder Taking Apart Bootstrap Theology: Gospel of Generosity and Justice: [https://www.judsonpress.com/Products/J289/taking-apart-bootstrap-theology.aspx](https://www.judsonpress.com/Products/J289/taking-apart-bootstrap-theology.aspx?ref=reyes-chow.com) \-------------------------------------------- Become a patron and support Bruce’s Podcast making on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery: Spreaker (MAIN): [http://bit.ly/brcspreaker](http://bit.ly/brcspreaker?ref=reyes-chow.com) Apple iTunes: [http://bit.ly/brcfriends](http://bit.ly/brcfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Google Podcasts: [https://bit.ly/3aiYPa7](https://bit.ly/3aiYPa7?ref=reyes-chow.com) Audible: [https://adbl.co/2RBLpiF](https://adbl.co/2RBLpiF?ref=reyes-chow.com) Spotify: [https://spoti.fi/3uFnXPR](https://spoti.fi/3uFnXPR?ref=reyes-chow.com) iHeartRadio: [https://ihr.fm/3s4CgMc](https://ihr.fm/3s4CgMc?ref=reyes-chow.com) You can also view the unedited video recordings on Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce on the socials Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) Editing and Show Notes: [https://www.fiverr.com/inbox/lhuff2016](https://www.fiverr.com/inbox/lhuff2016?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E47 Bruce chats with Tyler Sit URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e47-bruce-chats-with-tyler-sit-425/ Last updated: 2021-04-14T18:00:00.000Z Welcome to BRC & Friends, a podcast where Bruce Reyes-Chow chats with activists, artists, academics, and adventures who are committed to making the world a more thoughtful, loving, and just place. In episode 47, Bruce sits down with Tyler Sit, pastor and church planter of New City Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. New City Church focuses on environmental justice and is committed to centering marginalized voices. Tyler is the author of Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers, available now from Chalice Press. Bruce and Tyler discuss the nine practices of Christian community outlined in Staying Awake, the deep work of creating community, shepherding people toward social justice, and what it takes to be a church planter. In addition, they touch on the irresistible pull of coffee Coke, their relationships to Enneagram, and the life-changing magic of whiteboards. Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Connect with Tyler Sit: Website: [https://www.tylersit.com](https://www.tylersit.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/tylersit](https://www.instagram.com/tylersit?ref=reyes-chow.com) New City Church: [http://grownewcity.church](http://grownewcity.church/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers: [https://chalicepress.com/products/staying-awake-the-gospel-for-changemakers?\_pos=1&\_sid=cdd706dec&\_ss=r](https://chalicepress.com/products/staying-awake-the-gospel-for-changemakers?%5Fpos=1&%5Fsid=cdd706dec&%5Fss=r&ref=reyes-chow.com) \-------------------------------------------- Become a patron and support Bruce’s Podcast making on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery: Spreaker (MAIN): [http://bit.ly/brcspreaker](http://bit.ly/brcspreaker?ref=reyes-chow.com) Apple iTunes: [http://bit.ly/brcfriends](http://bit.ly/brcfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Google Podcasts: [https://bit.ly/3aiYPa7](https://bit.ly/3aiYPa7?ref=reyes-chow.com) Audible: [https://adbl.co/2RBLpiF](https://adbl.co/2RBLpiF?ref=reyes-chow.com) Spotify: [https://spoti.fi/3uFnXPR](https://spoti.fi/3uFnXPR?ref=reyes-chow.com) iHeartRadio: [https://ihr.fm/3s4CgMc](https://ihr.fm/3s4CgMc?ref=reyes-chow.com) You can also view the unedited video recordings on Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow](https://www.youtube.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce on the socials Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) Editing and Show Notes: [https://www.fiverr.com/inbox/lhuff2016](https://www.fiverr.com/inbox/lhuff2016?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E46 Bruce chats with Katie Causey URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e46-bruce-chats-with-katie-causey-8d1/ Last updated: 2021-04-09T05:37:00.000Z RECORDED in DECEMBER OF 2020 and in partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto School Board Candidate, Katie Causey, just after the election. We needed out about politics, Palo Alto, and more. Enjoy. Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E45 Bruce chats with Sandhya Rani Jha URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e45-bruce-chats-with-sandhya-rani-728/ Last updated: 2021-04-09T05:28:00.000Z RECORDED in NOVEMBER OF 2020 and in partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down for a conversation with church leader, writer, and Executive Director of the Oakland Peace Center, Sandhya Rani Jha. Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E44 Bruce chats with Shawna Bowman Aisha Brooks-Lytle URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e44-bruce-chats-with-shawna-bowman-083/ Last updated: 2021-04-08T05:24:00.000Z RECORDED in OCTOBER OF 2020 and in partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with church leaders Shawna Bowman and Aisha Brooks Lytle. We talk about the digital church, ministry, and more. Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E43 Bruce chats with Abby Pugh and Michelle Tong URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e43-bruce-chats-with-abby-pugh-and-e0a/ Last updated: 2021-04-08T05:19:00.000Z RECORDED IN OCTOBER OF 2020 and in partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Abby Pugh (My daughter and student activist) and then Judge-Elect, Michelle Tong. We talk about policing, abolition, politics, and a little bit about Bruce's high school days. Thanks for listening, please subscribe, like, and share! Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### Advanced Praise for "In Defense of Kindness" URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/advanced-praise-for-in-defense-of-kindness/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:49.000Z I know that every author says that they are humbled by the endorsements offered for their writing, but seriously, I am. The "Kindness Industrial Complex" is going strong, so I am so grateful that some folks gave of their time to take a read and get what I am trying to do. While In Defense of Kindness does not launch until March 16 here are some ways that you can Pre-order. [All Books Purchasing Locations](https://reyes-chow.com/books/?ref=reyes-chow.com) --- “A simple, yet staggering work that examines a precious and rare commodity in this present world, *In Defense of Kindness* made me think hard about my own actions and attitudes in ways that were admittedly uncomfortable. Woven through with personal anecdotes, observations and memories, it's not a "self-help" work, but a companion for self-awareness. Bruce's book is deeply needed, and an essential jumping off point for the conversations that might actually heal our vast and jagged national divides**.”–Jeff Yang, CNN columnist, cohost of the podcast *They Call Us Bruce,* and coauthor of the forthcoming book *Rise: A Pop History of Asian America, from the Nineties to Now*** "*In Defense of Kindness* brings a much-needed message in a world filled with violence, intolerance, poverty, and racism. Organized into chapters that weave personal reflection and anecdotes with important topics like conflict, forgiveness, direct action, and institutional change, the book passionately and humorously argues that society suffers from a lack of kindness. Reyes-Chow does not indulge in nostalgic views of "gentler times" nor a definition of kindness that is simply about being nice to those you agree with (or even vehemently disagree with) but treats kindness as a serious balm for our personal and political lives and the social justice struggles of our day." **–Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary and Co-Chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival** "I love this book. I needed this book. And part of the reason I love it so much is I can tell Bruce wrote it because he needed it, too. Instead of feeling preached at or judged because I don't really feel like being kind these days, Bruce made me chuckle and made me feel like it's okay that I feel that way, and helped remind me that maybe kindness is part of how we fight injustice. (Oh, spoiler: kindness and justice are complimentary, not antithetical. That was good news also.)"**–Sandhya Rani Jha, founder and director of the Oakland Peace Center and author of *Liberating Love: 365 Love Notes from God*** “Like a sinkhole, toxic masculinity has opened a chasm that threatens to swallow our world whole. Practiced by men and women; conservative and liberal; woke, wannabes and white nationalists alike, the devaluation of kindness promises power, but delivers destruction. With wit and heft Bruce Reyes-Chow's *In Defense of Kindness* lights a candle and guides us out of the grift. Chow points the way to what our truest selves long for–to be well.”**–Lisa Sharon Harper, author of *The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right*** “In an age where kindness is needed more than ever before, Bruce Reyes-Chow has given us a beautiful book weaving us back into community with each other. He reminds us of our deepest calling: to be kind...to ourselves, one another, and our world. The kindness that he outlines is not soft, wimpy, or weak. Kindness, according to Reyes-Chow, has passion, backbone, strength, vulnerability, courage, and relentless grace. Kindness is the fertile soil of our deepest transformation. I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to make this world more kind, just, and generous.”**–Cameron Trimble, executive director, Convergence** “In this essential read, Bruce Reyes-Chow translates his life of living and teaching kindness into this powerful guide that reminds us of the importance of kindness in our daily lives. In a time of constant change, there could hardly be a more important lesson than this.**”–Rohit Bhargava, bestselling author of *Non-Obvious Megatrends*** "Through humor, personal story and gentle guidance, Reyes-Chow wins us over *In Defense of Kindness*, bringing us out of our cynicism and doubts to believe and choose a life of kindness. With concrete suggestions for everyday situations, from family to street protest, the book illuminates that a brave kindness wields the power to transform**."– Deborah Lee, executive director, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity** “At a time of profound discontent across the country, Bruce Reyes-Chow challenges readers to re-image the power of kindness as a way of being in the world. Using personal stories and self-deprecating humor, the author demonstrates how kindness is a powerful resource for personal growth and radical social change**.”–Susan E. Young, Director for Religious and Spiritual Life, Occidental College** “Reyes-Chow not only offers excellent insights in this book, delivered with his usual cheeky wit and disarming authenticity, he also assigns practical homework at the end of each section to help us bridge the gap between pondering kindness and actually working out our kindness muscles. Highly recommended.”**–David LaMotte, songwriter and author of *Worldchanging 101: Challenging the Myth of Powerlessness*** “A book on kindness seems like swimming upstream right now -- but it's good medicine for what ails us. I appreciated the encouragement and the thoughtful reflection about what kindness might look like in different arenas of life. All with an enjoyable dose of playful humor. Well worth the brief time it takes to read it**.”–Alexia Salvatierra, Assistant Professor of Integral Mission and Global Transformation, Fuller Theological Seminary and co-author of *Faith-Rooted Organizing: Mobilizing the Church in Service to the World*** "Choosing kindness is a difficult yet life-giving decision. Thankfully, Bruce Reyes-Chow has written a helpful guide for all of us on this journey. He invites us to defend the human dignity of all people and orient our lives accordingly. This book will make a difference in the lives of its readers and our communal life as well." **–Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, author of *Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity*** “In an age when bullying behavior is so pervasive–whether in playgrounds, pulpits, or from political leaders–Bruce Reyes-Chow calls for a return to kindness. With self-reflective honesty and vulnerability, he shows us what a life of kindness entails. From the personal sphere to the public square, *In Defense of Kindness* challenges us to look at relationships through the lens of dignity and respect and engage in behaviors that center kindness as a radical act that honors the humanity of us all**.”–Bishop Karen Oliveto, Mountain Sky Conference, The United Methodist Church** “We strive to teach our children to be kind, but how do we navigate a world that has increasingly lost its faith in the value of kindness? *In Defense of Kindness* is a thoughtful, introspective, and timely exploration of what it means to actively choose kindness as a political and personal principle – a much-needed salve as we emerge out of the darkness of the last four years and take a healing step towards a brighter (and hopefully, kinder) future. **–Jenn Fang, founder, Reappropriate** “Bruce beautifully brings into focus a much-needed cause for each of us to champion. An antidote for our current malaise. Choosing kindness can be quite complex. This is a simple yet heroic book much like kindness can be a simple yet heroic act in itself.” **–Darren A. Kawaii, Educator/Activist** “In this timely book, Bruce Reyes-Chow shows just how much kindness affects our whole way of being and offers practical and relevant ways for healing our world’s divisions and conflicts, as well as deeply personal relationships. What an important, authentic, and inspiring reminder to appreciate kindness and dare to incorporate it once again into our daily living!"**–Janie Spahr, PC(USA) minister and LGBTQ+ activist** “In an age in which meanness is not only encouraged but celebrated, Bruce Reyes-Chow provides a healing balm. With humor, honesty, wisdom, and practical advice, *In Defense of Kindness* will help you discover the hopeful, courageous, and generous spirit that waits within every human heart.”**–Mark Yaconelli, author of *The Gift of Hard Things*** “This book gives me hope. Bruce Reyes-Chow has crafted a guidebook for expanding and integrating the practice of kindness into everyday leadership for people of diverse backgrounds for all communities. Each chapter introduces a personal story and meaningful scenario with thoughtful prompts for deeper introspection and immediate action. *In Defense of Kindness* is a treat, a treatise, and a necessary call to action. This book is required reading for those aspiring to or practicing intentional leadership in our times." **–Julius Paras, curator, filamthropy** “Bruce is the companion and teacher I need to be a more loving spouse, parent, friend, and leader. His in-depth exploration of kindness is a tool we need to became the community we are called to be**."–Abby King-Kaiser, director, Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice, Xavier University** “Wielding kindness is a powerful, effective, impactful tool in your arsenal, far too important to be a bumper sticker for random acts. Bruce Reyes-Chow has considered the implications of intentional kindness and created a comprehensive how-to guide for recognizing the opportunity and benefits of factoring in kindness in our lives — making critical decisions, building a positive foundation, building team cohesiveness and keeping communities connected. *In Defense of Kindness* amplifies our mission of supporting leadership through sport and I can’t recommend it highly enough to our players, coaches and families.”**–Scotty Kober, executive director, San Francisco Youth Soccer** “In a time when polarization and division seem to define our society, we need an honest talk about what kindness means. Through family stories, personal experiences, humor, and wisdom gathered over the years, Bruce turns the superficial understanding of kindness, turns it on its side, expands it, and shows us tangible ways to make it a way of life**.”–Jeremy Wilhelmi, University Chaplain, University of the Ozarks** ### #InDefenseOfKindness Book Launch Team URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/launch-kindness/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:49.000Z Thanks for being part of the book launch team for my upcoming book, *In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World* (Chalice Press, 2021). To be honest, this is the part of the book process that is always the most awkward as I have to ask friends and strangers to like me and my words. That said, I am really excited about this project and the conversations that it may inspire. So, again, thank you for being part of the team. If you have not already joined, you can [sign up here](https://bit.ly/LaunchKindness?ref=reyes-chow.com). #### What you get as part of the Book Launch Team - Regular Communication and updates. - PDF copy of an early, almost done, draft. - Invitation to a pre-launch zoom gathering with Bruce. - Shoutouts via Twitter and Instagram before, during, and after the book launch. - As-of-yet-to-be-designed #InDefenseOfKindness swag. #### How to get your actual copy of the book: - *For arrival after March 9:* If you would like a signed copy, please pre-order from and support my local bookstore, Reach & Teach \[[Pre-Order](https://shop.reachandteach.com/product/defense-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes-our-lives-and-how-it-can-save-world-pre-order?ref=reyes-chow.com)\] - *For arrival before March 9th:* [Pre-ordering from Chalice Press](https://chalicepress.com/products/in-defense-of-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes-our-lives-and-how-it-can-save-the-world?ref=reyes-chow.com) will begin sometime in 2021, but you will get your copy ahead of launch day. - *For a free copy before March 9th:* If you are willing to offer an official endorsement and allow us to [use it as part of our marketing](https://www.instagram.com/p/CIoR7%5FPh2-4/?ref=reyes-chow.com), we have a limited number of free copies to give as a token of our thank you. We will need 50 words or less ASAP. Endorsements can be [emailed to Deborah Arca and me](mailto:darca@chalicepress.com?&cc=bruce@reyes-chow.com&subject=Kindness%20Endorsement). #### Endorsing help: Because my new book on kindness is not religious, [Chalice Press](https://chalicepress.com/products/in-defense-of-kindness-why-it-matters-how-it-changes-our-lives-and-how-it-can-save-the-world?ref=reyes-chow.com) and I are trying to get endorser copies into the hands of non-religious folks. We have lots of awesome religious types, and a few politicians, techies, educators, and entertainment folks so far, but if you happen to know any influencer types in random vocations AND would be willing to make an introduction, that would be much appreciated. Be creative and if you have any ideas, feel free to [email to Deborah Arca and me](mailto:darca@chalicepress.com?&cc=bruce@reyes-chow.com&subject=Kindness%20Endorsement%20Lead). #### On or around March 9, 2021, the day of the launch: - Share an image on your social media platform using #LetsLaunchKindness and taking @breyeschow on all [Twitter](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow/). - Retweet, Repost, and Share others' posts. - Leave a review on [Amazon](https://amzn.to/37qMEXC?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Barnes & Noble](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-defense-of-kindness-bruce-reyes-chow/1133425103?ref=reyes-chow.com), and anywhere you can. #### Thanks so much for being part of the kindness train! ### E42 Bruce chats with Steven Lee URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e42-bruce-chats-with-steven-lee-5b4/ Last updated: 2020-09-27T00:48:00.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Steven Lee. We talked about housing, institutional racism, policing, government accountability, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Steven took the time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/SYiBnrQs-Ng](https://youtu.be/SYiBnrQs-Ng?ref=reyes-chow.com) Steven on Twitter and Instagram [https://twitter.com/StevenLeePA](https://twitter.com/StevenLeePA?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/stevenforcouncil](https://www.instagram.com/stevenforcouncil?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E41 Bruce chats with Cari Templeton URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e41-bruce-chats-with-cari-templeton-b31/ Last updated: 2020-09-27T00:11:00.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Cari Templeton. We talked about housing, institutional racism, policing, listening to one another, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Cari took the time to share a bit about her life, her ideas, and her hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/5zDcbYMrFek](https://youtu.be/5zDcbYMrFek?ref=reyes-chow.com) Cari on Twitter and Instagram [https://twitter.com/cariforcouncil](https://twitter.com/cariforcouncil?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/cariforcouncil](https://www.instagram.com/cariforcouncil?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E40 Bruce chats with Raven Malone URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e40-bruce-chats-with-raven-malone-ec4/ Last updated: 2020-09-19T11:06:00.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Raven Malone. We talked about housing, institutional racism, policing, being new to the area, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Raven took the time to share a bit about her life, her ideas, and her hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/9n8W7NLu5Jc](https://youtu.be/9n8W7NLu5Jc?ref=reyes-chow.com) Raven on Twitter and Instagram [https://twitter.com/VoteRavenMalone](https://twitter.com/VoteRavenMalone?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/ravenmalonepa/](https://www.instagram.com/ravenmalonepa/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Register for our Worship Service: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E39 Bruce chats with Ed Lauing URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e39-bruce-chats-with-ed-lauing-d95/ Last updated: 2020-09-19T11:00:00.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Ed Lauing. We talked about housing, policing, climate change, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Ed took the time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/BuF-mbssQNg](https://youtu.be/BuF-mbssQNg?ref=reyes-chow.com) Ed on Instagram [https://instagram.com/electedlauing](https://instagram.com/electedlauing?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E38 Bruce chats with Ajit Varma URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e38-bruce-chats-with-ajit-varma-e48/ Last updated: 2020-09-13T02:09:00.000Z E38 Bruce chats with Ajit Varma In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Ajit Varma. We talked about technology, housing, policing, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Ajit took the time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/XMvbopGGWWg](https://youtu.be/XMvbopGGWWg?ref=reyes-chow.com) Ajit on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/ajitvarma](https://twitter.com/ajitvarma?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E37 Bruce chats with Greg Tanaka URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e37-bruce-chats-with-greg-tanaka-b94/ Last updated: 2020-09-10T22:20:00.000Z E37 Bruce chats with Greg Tanaka In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down down with City Council Candidate, Greg Tanaka. We talked about affordability, policing, climate change,and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Greg took time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. To watch, listen, and/or register for all candidate interviews: [https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/](https://www.fprespa.org/2020-candidates-palo-alto-city-council-webinar/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/vC\_1GUrHNPc](https://youtu.be/vC%5F1GUrHNPc?ref=reyes-chow.com) Greg on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/gregtanaka](https://twitter.com/gregtanaka?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/tanakaforpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/tanakaforpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E36 Bruce chats with Rebecca Eisenberg URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e36-bruce-chats-with-rebecca-eisenberg-cdf/ Last updated: 2020-09-05T06:15:14.000Z E36 Bruce chats with Rebecca Eisenberg In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Rebecca Eisenberg. We talked about affordable housing, policing, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Rebecca took time to share a bit about her life, her ideas, and her hopes for the future of Palo Alto. Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/d6DHw7McO84](https://youtu.be/d6DHw7McO84?ref=reyes-chow.com) Rebecca Eisenberg on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/RebeccaEisenbe4](https://twitter.com/RebeccaEisenbe4?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/reisenberg2020](https://www.instagram.com/reisenberg2020?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [http://www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. #rebeccaeisenberg #localpolitics #paloalto #election2020 #vote2020 #paloaltocc #pacitycouncil ### E35 Bruce chats with Greer Stone URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e35-bruce-chats-with-greer-stone-780/ Last updated: 2020-09-04T05:55:25.000Z E35 Bruce chats with Greer Stone In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with Palo Alto City Council candidate, Greer Stone. We talked about affordable housing, policing, climate change, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Greer took time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/dR\_TqA2-vmw](https://youtu.be/dR%5FTqA2-vmw?ref=reyes-chow.com) Greer Stone on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/greerstone4paloalto](https://www.instagram.com/greerstone4paloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto) FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E34 Bruce chats with Pat Burt URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e34-bruce-chats-with-pat-burt-8c3/ Last updated: 2020-08-29T06:00:23.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with candidate Pat Burt. We talked about affordable housing, policing, climate change, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful that Pat took time to share a bit about his life, his ideas, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/RNDO33QlURQ](https://youtu.be/RNDO33QlURQ?ref=reyes-chow.com) Pat Burt on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/patburtpa](https://twitter.com/patburtpa?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/patburtpa](https://www.instagram.com/patburtpa?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter and Instagram: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto) FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E33 Bruce chats with Mayor Adrian Fine URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e33-bruce-chats-with-mayor-adrian-994/ Last updated: 2020-08-29T05:57:09.000Z In partnership with the church I serve, First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, I sat down with out-going Palo Alto Mayor, Adrian Fine. We talked about affordable housing, resident-only Foothills Park, and current and future life in Palo Alto. I am grateful for the Mayor took time to share a bit about his life, his term, and his hopes for the future of Palo Alto. Watch on Youtube: [https://youtu.be/RNDO33QlURQ](https://youtu.be/RNDO33QlURQ?ref=reyes-chow.com) Adrian Fine on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/adrianfine](https://twitter.com/adrianfine?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce Reyes-Chow on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) To Stay Connected to First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto Zoom Worship Registration: [http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipFPCPA?ref=reyes-chow.com) eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto) FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E32 Bruce Chats with Liz Theoharis URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e32-bruce-chats-with-liz-theoharis-6ff/ Last updated: 2020-06-14T00:27:44.000Z E31 Bruce Chats with Liz Theoharis This episode was created in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto and their Adult Education Committee. You can see the video version of this webinar here: [https://youtu.be/J2rBjQg2rkI](https://youtu.be/J2rBjQg2rkI?ref=reyes-chow.com) In episode 31 I sat down with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis. Liz is Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival with the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II that organized the largest and most expansive wave of nonviolent civil disobedience in US history. She is the Director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary. We talked about activism and the call to fight for the poor, how this manifestation of the Poor People's Campaign camp into being, and the hope of what could be. This was an inspiring conversation with an inspiring leader. JUNE 20, 2019 – THE MASS POOR PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY & MORAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON. RSVP: [https://www.june2020.org/](https://www.june2020.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connected with Liz Twitter: [https://twitter.com/liztheo/](https://twitter.com/liztheo/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/liztheoharis](https://www.instagram.com/liztheoharis?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connection with the Poor People's Campaign Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow/](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/poorpeoplescampaign/](https://www.instagram.com/poorpeoplescampaign/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram Mentions: @indigogirlsmusic @tashacobbsleonard And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except for stoles and patches: [https://mlp.org/shop/](https://mlp.org/shop/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E31 Bruce Chats with Holly Tabor URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e31-bruce-chats-with-holly-tabor-510/ Last updated: 2020-06-14T00:10:17.000Z In episode 31 I sat down with Holly Tabor, PhD. Holly is Associate Professor of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and Associate Director for Clinical Ethics and Education at the Stanford Center of Biomedical Ethics. She is also the co-Chair of the Ethics Committees for Stanford Hospital and Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. She has published articles on a wide-range of topics in bioethics, especially on ethical issues in genetic and genomic medicine and research. She has also written and spoken about ethical issues and inclusive health practices for adults and children with disabilities. We talked about ethics during this time, how our families have adapted to COVID and Shelter-in-Place, finding hope, and more. This was a great conversation with someone involved in important health and wellness conversations. A couple of links from Holly: An Unlikely Superpower on NPR [https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817977005/an-unlikely-superpower](https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817977005/an-unlikely-superpower?ref=reyes-chow.com) Pandemic as Teacher — Forcing Clinicians to Inhabit the Experience of Serious Illness [https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp2015024?articleTools=true](https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp2015024?articleTools=true&ref=reyes-chow.com) The Truth About Cocoons What caterpillars really go through in there has applications for our moment. [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/21/magazine/covid-quarantine-self.html?fbclid=IwAR288towzno8l9UVuVwR-l0jyprdheN\_zLgwvmWpUixrIlfQtKCuLc2PvTk](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/21/magazine/covid-quarantine-self.html?fbclid=IwAR288towzno8l9UVuVwR-l0jyprdheN%5FzLgwvmWpUixrIlfQtKCuLc2PvTk&ref=reyes-chow.com) The final segment, as always, is about what we are watching, listening to, and reading. Enjoy! Instagram Mentions: @theheumannperspective @nprinvisibilia @cripcampfilm @thehistorychicks And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except for stoles and patches: [https://mlp.org/shop/](https://mlp.org/shop/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E30 Bruce Chats with Jack Jenkins URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e30-bruce-chats-with-jack-jenkins-c42/ Last updated: 2020-05-30T09:08:58.000Z This is a First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto webinar done in partnership with the BRC and Friends Podcast. In this webinar Pastor, Bruce Reyes-Chow sat down with Jack Jenkins to riff on President Trump's announcement about opening houses of worship and to talk about his new book, "American Prophets: The Religious Roots of Progressive Politics and the Ongoing Fight for the Soul of the Country" Show mentions: Flash Forward Podcast: @roseveleth @flashforwardpod; Authors: @EzraKlein @JScalzi @HeatherCoxRichardson @KevinMKruse; and @HighFidelityOnHulu Purchase your copy here: [https://shop.reachandteach.com/book/9780062935984](https://shop.reachandteach.com/book/9780062935984?ref=reyes-chow.com) Subscribe and Listen to BRC and Friends Podcast: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Jack Website: [http://www.jackjenkins.me/](http://www.jackjenkins.me/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/jackmjenkins/](https://twitter.com/jackmjenkins/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/jackjenkins/](https://www.instagram.com/jackjenkins/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Connect with Bruce Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Connect with FPCPA eNewsletter: [http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly](http://bit.ly/fpcpaweekly?ref=reyes-chow.com) Website: [www.fprespa.org](http://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto](http://www.facebook.com/fpcpaloalto) To Register for our Worship Service: [http://bit.ly/FPCPAZoomWorship](http://bit.ly/FPCPAZoomWorship?ref=reyes-chow.com) FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PALO ALTO is a Christian church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. We are a justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming, intellectually curious congregation that cares deeply about one another, the Palo Alto community, and the world. ### E29 Bruce Chats with Sarah Stonesifer Boylan URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e29-bruce-chats-with-sarah-stonesifer-12c/ Last updated: 2020-05-10T00:26:00.000Z In Episode 29 episode I sat down with Sarah Stonesifer Boylan, Manager of Operations for Lifelong Learning, Digital Missioner at Virginia Theological Seminary. We talk COVID, Social Media, Zoom Worship, a little theology, and how she will never live down tweeting during her honeymoon :-) The final segment, as always, is about what we are watching, listening to, and reading. Enjoy! COMMERCIAL: Celebrate my 51st birthday by supporting Reach and Teach Books, an independent book and gifts story that is focused on hope, love, joy, and peace. Use Code: BRC51 during the month of May and get 15% off your purchase! Visit [https://shop.reachandteach.com/](https://shop.reachandteach.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) today! Be sure to connect with Sarah: Twitter: [https://twitter.com/sarahdigitally](https://twitter.com/sarahdigitally?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/sarahdigitally/](https://www.instagram.com/sarahdigitally/?ref=reyes-chow.com) LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stonesifer-sarah/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stonesifer-sarah/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Be sure to regsiter for the eFormation, June 3, 2020 "This online event reflects over six years of the eFormation learning community providing a space for leaders to grow and experiment with digital media for ministry practical tools and resources. eFormation provides relevant, forward-thinking, and vocation-grounded workshops and connections. Ministry leaders will discuss practical resources as well as future-forward initiatives. This all-day, all-online conference will also feature opportunities for prayer and small groups throughout the day. Join us for this innovative way to form connections!" [https://eformationvts.org/june-2020/](https://eformationvts.org/june-2020/?ref=reyes-chow.com) And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except stoles and patches: [https://mlp.org/shop/](https://mlp.org/shop/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E28 Bruce Chats with Emily Brewer URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e28-bruce-chats-with-emily-brewer-c41/ Last updated: 2020-04-14T02:04:12.000Z In today's episode I sit down with Rev. Emily Brewer, Executive Director or Presbyterian Peace Fellowship to talk about the ongoing work of PPF, ministry, life and leadership during these COVID-19 times. The final segment, as always, is about what we are watching, listening to, and reading. Enjoy! Be sure to connect with Emily: Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breweremily](https://twitter.com/breweremily?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/esbrew](https://www.instagram.com/esbrew?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect and Support with Presbyterian Peace Fellowship — Website: [https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/presbypeace](https://twitter.com/presbypeace?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/presbypeace](https://www.instagram.com/presbypeace?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except stoles and patches: [https://mlp.org/shop/](https://mlp.org/shop/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Zoom Worship Laboratory URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/zoom-worship-laboratory/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:49.000Z With 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic forces folks to think differently about community gatherings and worship, a good number of people have been exploring different ways to hold Sunday services. Generally speaking, there are two ways to go: livestreaming on Facebook, Youtube, or other services; or using a video meeting service like Zoom. For those wondering about the difference between livestreaming and Zoom worship (At least according to the world of BRC) here is what I think. Livestreaming creates an experience where people at home watching a group of folks lead worship. Often done in addition to a live worship service where there can be some interaction, but when you are on the viewer side of the live stream content generally flows one way, from the worship location to the viewed. Many churches are already set up for this which in times like this, makes the transition to online worship much easier than creating a system from scratch. Zoom worship is about creating a worship experience that uses the space to help determine how worship in designed and lead. Zoom meetings are built to be interactive with a host and attendees, in this case, the worship leader and those who have come to worship. A few examples are: - Sharing screens for prayers, scripture reading, etc. - Being able to see faces. - The "raise hand" option for prayers of the people. - The power of the chatroom. - Recording for use later (Like most livestreams) - Registration to be able to capture contact information. - Ease of set up with a huge financial investment. While I am partial to Zoom, one is not better than the other, they are simply different. Both are legit worship experiences, one just happens to take place on Zoom :-) **10 Tips for Creating a Meaningful Zoom Worship Experience:** - Get a **decent microphone** and use earbuds. Now some of you are going to go all gadget-crazy, but something like a [Blue Snowball USB Mic](https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ac%5Fmd=0-0-Ymx1ZSBzbm93YmFsbCBtaWM=-ac%5Fd%5Frm&crid=1R0PL67OBFVT7&cv%5Fct%5Fcx=blue+snowball+mic&dchild=1&keywords=blue+snowball+mic&pd%5Frd%5Fi=B006DIA77E&pd%5Frd%5Fr=dfd4e918-56e5-4d3a-922f-f6db3e5734f5&pd%5Frd%5Fw=dXlGP&pd%5Frd%5Fwg=aE8gz&pf%5Frd%5Fp=de19e82a-2d83-4ae8-9f5c-212586b8b9a0&pf%5Frd%5Fr=0CJA5ZZF17SCTRH230HE&psc=1&qid=1584416844&sprefix=blue+snowball,aps,246&linkCode=ll1&tag=brureychoblo-20&linkId=033b4230fafb825292f2b95a6219c168&language=en%5FUS&ref=reyes-chow.com) will do just fine and will last you quite a while. - **Don't switch back and forth too often** between screensharing and the gallery. Until you get good and comfortable at smoothly sharing and unsharing your screen or application, a good tactic is to have the first half use slides and then show everyone's faces for the second half. - With more people probably wandering around your home, remember that your video is on. These means don't take your phone to the bathroom and remind family members that **clothes are no longer optional**. [Do not let this happen to you](https://twitter.com/rokwon/status/1240410172175953920?ref=reyes-chow.com). - Designate **Tech Deacons** to monitor and interact with people in the chatroom. Make sure to provide them with links and other info that they may need to share during the service: donation links, other activities, outside groups, etc. - For a variety of reasons, not everyone will be able to get the Zoom app installed and working, so be sure to enable the **"Join From Browser"** option. It a few clicks deep; you can see how to do that [here](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005666383-Show-a-Join-from-your-browser-Link?ref=reyes-chow.com). - Set up an **additional phone or laptop** so you can join the group as a participant and make sure that people are seeing what you want them to be seeing. - **Unison prayers or singing is unreliable.** Unfortunately with the wide variety of internet speeds out there, he delays that the experience less than pleasant for many of the people on the call. You can do it, but I always choose a 95% smooth service rather than take chances with choppy music or prayers. - **Share communion.** Yes, you may have to wrap your mind around this and risk ecclesiastical jail, but leading people through communion in a virtual space truly does expend what it means to be "at the table". - Have everyone bring elements: something edible and something drinkable. - For the first part, have people switch to "Speaker View" so they see you for any prayers and opening words. - Before you break the break have people switch back to "Gallery View" - As you break the bread, pour the cup, and instruct people to eat, have them do the same with everyone holding their bread and cup in the camera's view. It's a holy sight. - **Prepare people** by making sure that they are able to connect. Hold a practice session or two and use the above mention Tech Deacons to help folks get set up. - **Don't stop at worship.** Done well, folks will begin to see that other gatherings can take place on Zoom: Evening Happy Hour, Midday Lunchroom Conversation, book groups, etc. - Practice. **And then practice some more.** - So seriously, **practice**. This is a growing list and I will add to it as new things are learned. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/f8/dbf829b6-514b-4fc5-9764-dc1c6c47b780/content/images/2025/02/adff6adf-2d45-4327-9fe5-5828a17e23c9_845x423.png) If this is intriguing and you would like some support, encouragement, and advice from others who are exploring Zoom worship, I convene a free, weekly Zoom Worship Laboratory where we do just. **We would love to have you join us!** Every Monday through May 2020 at 8:00am PDT. - [To register for the Zoom Worship Laboratory](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipLab?ref=reyes-chow.com). - [To view past recordings on YouTube](http://bit.ly/ZoomWorshipLabYoutube?ref=reyes-chow.com). - [To view Communion Walk-thru on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqJCGEECWO0&ref=reyes-chow.com) - [To share and RSVP on the Facebook Event](https://www.facebook.com/events/204670224114691/). - [To join Zoom Church Facebook Group.](https://www.facebook.com/groups/zoomchurch/) - [To retweet the Zoom Worship Lab tweet](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/status/1239709054982746113?ref=reyes-chow.com). And if you would like to see what First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto is doing: - [Sample Google Slides for our Service](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1d41DDIw8Sfpg0dj46mEvFY3NsXjmr54CQTyXWfjqHZg/edit?usp=sharing&ref=reyes-chow.com) - [Registration to join FPCPA for worship](http://bit.ly/FPCPAZoomWorship?ref=reyes-chow.com) on Sundays at 10:00\. BYO Communion Elements. And look, our little gathering is getting talked about: - [*As COVID-19 leads to canceled religious gatherings, faith leaders embrace the digital*](https://religionnews.com/2020/03/17/as-covid-19-leads-to-canceled-religious-gatherings-faith-leaders-embrace-the-digital/?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Jack Jenkins, Religions News Service, March 17, 2020 - [*Zooming to the rescue in the face of COVID-19*](https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/zooming-to-the-rescue-in-the-face-of-covid-19/?ref=reyes-chow.com) by Mike Ferguson, Presbyterian News Service, March 17, 2020 ### E27 Bruce Chats with Eliana Maxim and Scott Lumsden URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e27-bruce-chats-with-eliana-maxim-9dd/ Last updated: 2020-03-14T10:29:51.000Z In this episode, I talk with Eliana Maxim and Scott Lumsden, Co-Executive Presbyters of Seattle Presbytery. In Presbyterian-Speak, they help to support churches and pastors in the Seattle area. I spoke with them because they were one of the early areas to respond to COVID-19 and offer guidance to local congregations. In segment one, they give some background to the situation in Seattle and how they came to the place to ask churches to cancel their services. Segment two, we talk about pastors and church leaders, the struggles they face, and the gifts they already possess. The final sement, as always, is about what they are watching, listening to, and reading. And once again, my guests prove to be much better human beings than I am :-) During this time, leadership like Eliana and Scott, is crucial. Our denomination, the churches that they support, and the Seattle area are fortunate to have them serving. Connect with Scott Lumsden on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/salumsden](https://twitter.com/salumsden?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Eliana Maxim on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/elianatmaxim](https://twitter.com/elianatmaxim?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connection with Seattle Presbytery on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/seapres](https://twitter.com/seapres?ref=reyes-chow.com) Much thanks to Children's Illustrated Ministries for for their free, weekly, faith formation resources for all ages: [https://www.illustratedministry.com/flattenthecurve](https://www.illustratedministry.com/flattenthecurve?ref=reyes-chow.com) And do not forget to get your LGBTQIA+ pronoun swag from More Light Presbyterians. Use Code: BRC for 15% off your entire purchase except stoles and patches: [https://mlp.org/shop/](https://mlp.org/shop/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would be over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E26 Bruce Chats with Amanda Zaragosa, Steven Kitajima, and Edward Milton Vaughn Bright IV URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e26-bruce-chats-with-amanda-zaragosa-388/ Last updated: 2020-03-11T09:05:06.000Z In this episode, Bruce talks with three people that he barely knows, but is sure they are awesome because they all work at Philz Coffee, Bruce's favorite coffee experience. After Bruce fanboys a bit about Philz (Seriously, where are the stock options?) they talk coffee, nerdy things, politics, music, and how the vote was 3-1 that last season of Game of Thrones sucked. Bonus points to Amanda for knowing Bruce's drink and shoutout to Emily for asking if he was okay after his third cup in a day. Be sure to connect with and follow — Philz Coffee: [https://www.instagram.com/philzcoffee/](https://www.instagram.com/philzcoffee/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Philz Middlefield: [https://www.instagram.com/philzmiddlefieldrd/](https://www.instagram.com/philzmiddlefieldrd/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Amanda: [https://www.instagram.com/amandazaragosa/](https://www.instagram.com/amandazaragosa/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Edward: [https://www.instagram.com/edward\_the\_fourth\_bright/](https://www.instagram.com/edward%5Fthe%5Ffourth%5Fbright/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Steven's Podcast: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-men-podcast/id1457426427](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-men-podcast/id1457426427?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E25 Bruce Chats with Laura Mariko Cheifetz URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e25-bruce-chats-with-laura-mariko-c1f/ Last updated: 2020-03-03T18:00:10.000Z "I think I'm channeling your Mom!" — Laura \*APOLOGIES FOR THE HOST'S SOUND QUALITY. HE IS AN IDIOT.\* In this episode, Bruce is joined by his friend and colleague, Rev. Laura Mariko Cheifetz Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship and Vanderbilt Divinity. They talk about the #dayofremembrance, their family, the primaries, how to keep one's humanity, awful 80's movies, and doggie bjorns. And they may name names of people they do not like. In their own words, this episode is "brilliant" :-) Be sure to connect with Laura Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/haparev](https://www.instagram.com/haparev?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz](https://twitter.com/lmcheifetz?ref=reyes-chow.com) Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast-making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E24 Bruce Chats with Alison Wood URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e24-bruce-chats-with-alison-wood-258/ Last updated: 2020-02-26T12:03:01.000Z In this episode, I sit down with Alison Wood from Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and The Young Adult Volunteer program. Alison drops much knowledge about accompaniment. We also touch upon our common love of the puppies, how awesome Philz is, pottery as a discipline, and a common enneagram kinship. Listen to all of Bruce's Podcast tomfoolery on Spreaker [https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow](https://www.spreaker.com/user/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Support Bruce's podcast making over on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Be sure to connect with Alison on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alison.michal/](https://www.instagram.com/alison.michal/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Connect and Support with Presbyterian Peace Fellowship — Website: [https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/presbypeace](https://twitter.com/presbypeace?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/presbypeace](https://www.instagram.com/presbypeace?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow — Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E23 Bruce Chats with Rozella Haydée White and Tuhina Verma Rasche URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e23-bruce-chats-with-rozella-haydee-051/ Last updated: 2020-02-13T08:47:17.000Z For the first episode of 2020, Bruce sat down with Tuhina Verma Rasche and Rozella Haydée White to talk #GoldenCalf2020, #LoveBig, #JusticeDrumMajors, and #VoteBlueNoMatterWho. They also talked a little podcasts, movies, books, and more. Holding both depth and playfulness, this episode is a great way to begin the new year! Connect with Rozella Haydée White — Website: [https://www.rozellahwhite.com](https://www.rozellahwhite.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/rozellahw](https://twitter.com/rozellahw?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/rozellahw](https://www.instagram.com/rozellahw?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Connect with Tuhina Verma Rasche — Website: [https://www.tuhinavrasche.com](https://www.tuhinavrasche.com/?ref=reyes-chow.com) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/tvrasche](https://twitter.com/tvrasche?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/tvrasche](https://www.instagram.com/tvrasche?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Connect with Bruce Reyes-Chow — Website: [http://www.reyes-chow.com](http://www.reyes-chow.com/) Twitter: [https://twitter.com/breyeschow](https://twitter.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) You can also support these podcasts on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow](https://www.patreon.com/breyeschow?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E22 Bruce Chats with Terrell Carter URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e22-bruce-chats-with-terrell-carter-9f2/ Last updated: 2020-02-13T08:16:15.000Z A much-delayed episode, Bruce chats Terrell Carter is an author, artist, pastor, professor, and former police officer specializing in addressing issues of race relations in the church and community. He is director of contextualized learning and assistant professor of practical theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas, and is the pastor of Webster Groves Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of, "Healing Racial Divide: Finding Strength in Our Diversity" (Chalice Press, 2018) Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### E21 Bruce Chats with Derek Penwell URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e21-bruce-chats-with-derek-penwell-7f9/ Last updated: 2020-02-13T08:03:22.000Z A much-delayed episode, Bruce chats Derek Penwell, Pastor of Douglass Boulevard Christian Church and author of, "Outlandish: An Unlikely Messiah, A Messy Ministry, and the Call to Mobilize" (Chalice Press, 2019) You can find Derrick on Twitter at @reseudaimon. Bruce's dogs would be very happy if you subscribed to and rated this podcast and they would over the moon if you followed, liked, tagged, and shared this podcast on — Twitter: [https://twitter.com/brcandfriends](https://twitter.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends](https://www.instagram.com/brcandfriends?ref=reyes-chow.com) Facebook: Spreaker: [https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc?ref=reyes-chow.com) ### Dear Abby on the Day of Your Debut URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/dear-abby-on-the-day-of-your-debut/ Last updated: 2025-03-06T01:25:22.000Z This past weekend we celebrated Abby's 18th birthday and graduation by having a Filipina Debut. Often wedding-scaled, our was much more laid back, representative of our families nature, and organized by Abby and Annie. Parents, aunties, and uncles were given direction and we followed. It was a great evening of community, food, and a few joyous tears. There are a few traditional rituals. Both mom and dad got to dance with Abby, the court does a dance, and as part of the rose ceremony, 18 people give a rose and then say a few words. Here are my words to my daughter. Happy 18th Abby AKA Crabby Snail, Junkyard Piglet, Stitch, Barnacle, and more! Not sure why I am doing this, because we all know that I will not make it without crying, but here we go. On this day I want to share with you my gratitude for your life and my hopes for your future. **I am thankful for your Kind Soul —** may you continue to see every creature as unique and deserving of notice, love, and dignity. - On the Pitch: continue to value your teammates as whole humans. - In the Classroom: continue to learn with a lens of human dignity. - In the World: continue to be a person who chooses to live kindness. **I am thankful for your Just Heart —** May you continue to fight for equity and justice in the ways that are uniquely you. - On the Pitch: May your yellow cards be few, but when they come may they be earned with purpose. - In the Classroom: May you always be open to new ideas, but also challenge the ideas and teachings that have created the unjust systems of oppression. - In the World: In whatever you may do, may it be done with a heart of justice. **I am thankful for your Committed Mind —** May you continue to be shaped by the minds of those who have come before you, but may you also have the courage to step into the unknown in order to discover and develop thinking beyond what is already known. - On the Pitch: People used to tell us that you were good :-) They talked of field vision and soccer IQ while we were on the sides just yelling “Get it!” Your commitment to learning the game and working hard is admirable and I will never doubt the possibilities of what you may accomplish on the pitch. Go Owls. - In the Classroom: The number of times we tried to make you cut school, take a break, or otherwise rest your mind are too many. We still hope for harmony for you, but we also know that your commitment to your learning will continue to set you apart. - In the World: I have no doubt that once a path becomes clear, you will be committed and be all in. As a variety of paths unfold before you, I hope you will give yourself a chance to breathe, reflect, and find commitments that feed your whole person. My dear sweet Abigail **—** never forget from where you have come, and always seek to grow into who God hopes you to be. We love you so very much and can't wait to see how life will unfold before you. ### We're Headed to Palo Alto! URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/rcp-family-goes-to-palo-alto/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:50.000Z As many of you have been hearing in the wind and blatant vague-booking, a big change for the RCP Family was a-coming. At last, we can fully share our news! This past Sunday, the congregation of [First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto](https://www.fprespa.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) unanimously voted to call me as the [next Pastor and Head of Staff](https://www.fprespa.org/welcome-to-our-new-pastor/?ref=reyes-chow.com). The day was filled with hospitality and excitement, but the best part may have been the pause that Robin gave the chairs of the search committee when we were given the vote count and were asked, "Do you accept this call." Robin has jokes. Well played honey. Well. Played. My first day in the office will be April 1, 2019 and my first Sunday will be April 7th. More shocking to many of you, I'm sure, is that after 30 years living in San Francisco, we are leaving The City and moving to Palo Alto. The church has a manse (housing provided by the church) which means we are able to move to Palo Alto and still be able to eat. The church will be doing work on the manse, so I will commute for a few months before we make a move in late May or early June. As you can imagine this has been a time of excitement and exhilaration as well as a time of stress and anxiety. Eldest graduates from college and Middle heads to college in Fall, but also Youngest will change schools, Robin will have to begin commuting next Fall, and we have taken in Robin's dad's dog, Bernie, to make us a three-canine home. Just a FEW things going on in our life. Mostly positive, but still. Whew. Many have asked me, "Why now, why there?" First, nothing was pushing me away from what I have been doing. My calendar was full, we were financially secure, my travels were just about right, and I could build my time around watching my girls on the pitch. That said, as I had been reflecting on turning 50, I began feeling the urge back to being rooted in a community for one more call. I was engaged in a few processes, but eventually, it became clear that Palo Alto and I were discerning common passions, areas for mutual challenge and growth, and a spirit-lead movement towards one another. As it turns out, this position is 3/4 time which means that I will still get to coach, write, podcast, and speak — just not as much as I have in past. The position is also "designated" so we have four years to do some work together and then see if our future should be long-term. All of this means that my schedule is still be generally flexible, there is a mandate to get to work, and I get to ground myself in a community. I am so excited to begin getting to know a new community, a new city, and eventually a new home. In fact, if you know Palo Alto, please feel free to [share your Palo Alto wisdom](http://bit.ly/PaloAltoWisdom?ref=reyes-chow.com) to help us get settled! A little bit about First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto and why we have discerned a common calling to one another: - First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto (FPCPA) is well, in Palo Alto, where, apparently, this warm, shiny, yellow ball often pops up in the sky and it allows people to be outside without jackets. Weird :-) - The church campus and surrounding area is beautiful. After living in a city for so long, I have found myself surprisingly at ease and relaxed being back in a setting much like my suburban Sacramento early years. We will def miss San Francisco, but honestly, it's not the same place that it used to be. - FPCPA embraces the convergence of faith and politics and unapologetically understandings itself as a community that is committed to social justice. So rather than spend energy on *if* or *why* our faith compels us to be a presence of justice in the world, we get to spend that energy on actually doing the ministry of justice, equity, and love. - FPCPA and I hold many of the same passions. Not only is FPCPA a sanctuary church with an extremely active [Cool Planet Working Group](https://www.fprespa.org/coolplanet/?ref=reyes-chow.com), but there is a burgeoning youth group, the young adult group is taking root, and the list of [social justice ](https://www.fprespa.org/socialjustice/?ref=reyes-chow.com)commitments is exciting. It is also pretty cool that FPCPA is a [More Light Presbyterians](https://mlp.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) congregation (I'm on the Board of MLP) as well as a Peace Church with [Presbyterian Peace Fellowship](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) (Robin and I are part of the [Activist Council](https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/about-us/ppfs-activist-council/?ref=reyes-chow.com)). - FPCPA has the resources to do good work in the world. The skill sets, leadership capabilities, and overall financial health bode well for faithful risk-taking and great social impact. - I get to work with a multiple staff team again and the FPCPA staff have been wonderful to get to know a bit. I am particularly excited to work with the Associate Pastor, Rev. Annanda Barclay, who is very cool. Some of you know her, so you know we are going to be getting into some good trouble here! And let's just acknowledge that this mostly-white congregation has two pastors who are both of color. This is not an insignificant act and calling of faith. - Like many churches, it has declined in worship attendance over the past years, but the community seems to have renewed sense of "new beginnings" and, if you know me, I have always believed that faith lived and communicated well will draw people into community engagement. Yes, I think we can grow the church in impact, faith, and body! Like any community that has gone through transitions and is seriously thinking about its future, there will be much work to do and many conversations to have about a great many things, but I am excited to simply be people's pastor again. Worshipping, serving, and being present with people through the rhythms and seasons of life as individuals and community feeds my soul. If you feel so called, here are a few ways to stay connected to FPCPA. - [Subscribe the FPCPA weekly public newsletter.](https://fprespa.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=75744e78a6ad244fcc0f404f5&id=981042f561&ref=reyes-chow.com) - Follow the church on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/fpcpaloalto/?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/fpcpaloalto?ref=reyes-chow.com), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/fprespa/) - [Subscribe BRC Goes to Palo Alto Podcast](https://www.spreaker.com/show/brc-2-pa?ref=reyes-chow.com) first full episode with Annanda. So funny. #MoonShineMinistry - Come by for worship sometime. We have 8:30 and 10:30 services. My first Sunday will be April 7 at the 10:30 service. No promises if the preaching will be any good, but coffee is welcome in the sanctuary :-) . As this is being made public, I must first thank my family who has been so supportive as I have been part of this "gig economy" thing the past 8 years. This is a huge change they agreeing to in order to support my ministry — my appreciation and love cannot be measured. I also want to thank the community of Broadmoor Presbyterian Church for whom, I have been their Interim Pastor for the past 18 months. BPC, while also discerning their future has reminded me in so many what it means to a pastor. And my last thanks goes to [The Center for Progressive Renewal](https://www.progressiverenewal.org/?ref=reyes-chow.com) with whom I have been a coach/consultant for the past 7 years and the Director of Coaching since 2017\. While[ I will still be a Senior Coach](https://www.progressiverenewal.org/cliftonstrengths?ref=reyes-chow.com) with CPR, I will no longer be part of the Staff Team. I will not miss the early morning video conference calls, but I will miss working with this feisty and faithful gathering of staff, coaches, and consultants. As you can imagine, the level of stress in our house depends on the day and the person so we covet your prayers, thoughts, and check-ins. Please feel free to connect as you always have. All of [my contact info](https://reyes-chow.com/contacts/?ref=reyes-chow.com) will remain the same and I will also have a new church email: [breyeschow at fprespa dot org](mailto:breyeschow@fprespa.org) if you want to connect there. And if you ever find yourself in Palo Alto, please do try to connect as I will welcome any excuse to get to know our new town a bit better, plus — Philz. ### Technology Sucks and the BRC Website Saga URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/technology-sucks-and-the-brc-website-saga/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T04:26:51.000Z First, apologies for those of you have been getting all kinds of weird crap from this website. Without going into too much detail to taking up too much of your time, the short story is that I AM AN IDIOT. A few months ago, my site get a little messed up during a wordpress update and, rather than try to go in and fix it, I just let it be. Not the smartest idea in the world as the backup that I thought I had was not what I actually had (This has since changed) and I just kept avoiding the problem. Idiot. The result is, after hiring a Wordpress expert, that I have lost pretty much everything that I have ever written on this blog. Yep, E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. At the end of the day, this is totally my fault, and honestly, a little cathartic. This site had become bloated and was due for a major overhaul. I am sure that I will miss some stuff as time goes on, but this gives me a chance to trim it down quite a bit, make it cleaner and hopefully be more accessible for today's social media life. My hope is to rebuild in the next few weeks and have it be a work-in-process. It'll be fun to stretch my WordPress muscles again. In the meantime, please feel free to stay connected via any of the social networks ([FB](https://www.facebook.com/breyeschow) | [TW](https://twitter.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com) | [IG](https://www.instagram.com/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com)) and/or [subscribe to my sporadic BRC Communiqué](https://madmimi.com/signups/29509/join?ref=reyes-chow.com). Again, thanks for your patience and come back soon for the new and keto-ized version of www.reyes-chow.com ### E01 BRC & Friends Introduction URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/e01-brc-and-friends-introduction-231/ Last updated: 2019-01-15T03:00:00.000Z Bruce Reyes-Chow is back with a revamped and rebooted BRC & Friends podcast where he talks with activists, artists, academics, and community building — all who are making the world a better place! Check out the intro and stay-tuned for new episodes beginning February 2019. HfxevFtmWeirEPnIxFWH ### From + The + Vault: My Brother-in-Law Wouldn't Have Wanted His Killer to Face the Death Penalty URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-my-brother-in-law/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T00:12:19.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared over the years around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other locations. ***Originally*** [***posted on October 1, 2015 on*** ](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/thoughts-on-the-death-pen%5Fb%5F8222834?ref=reyes-chow.com)[***The Huffington Post***](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/thoughts-on-the-death-pen%5Fb%5F8222834?ref=reyes-chow.com)***. It has been lightly edited, and many of the original links are dead.*** When I was in high school, I was on the debate team. I distinctly remember the season when we debated capital punishment, and I was placed on the pro side of the debate. At this point in my life, I was very much in favor of the death penalty, so this was perfect. I defended and justified executions for a myriad of reasons, from touting it as an immediate solution to prison overcrowding to bringing out the predictable the "eye for an eye" defense. I am obviously no longer in that place and I look back on that young man and wonder how I could have thought of these things. I also marvel at the restraint my left-leaning Democratic mother exhibited in letting me work through the social, cultural, and theological implications of my beliefs. With the execution of Kelly Gissendaner in the state of Georgia this week, there have been many think pieces reflecting on the nature of the death penalty, race, class, etc. I recommend two to you: Anyone Feeling Closure After the Death of #KellyGissendaner? from Rhetoric, Race, & Religion and Think Progress' Kelly Gissendaner: The First Woman Executed By The State Of Georgia In 70 Years by Carimah Townes and Aviva Shen. You should also check out the main hashtags used to protest her execution, #KellyOnMyMind. There is much to think about when it comes to the death penalty and what many of us feel is state-sanctioned murder, but what frustrates and angers me the most is how the families are once again brought into the pain, grief and sadness that accompany murder and the violent loss of a loved one. As many of you know, years ago, my wife's brother, Brian, was murdered at his place of work. When his killer was being prosecuted, we knew that Brian would not want his killer put to death -- and neither did we. I understand that not every family who is in the position of being "the family of murder the victim" holds the same opinion, but whenever you hear those who support the death penalty using the argument, "If you had a loved one murdered, you would want them put to death too" please know that our response is just as valid as theirs. We are that family who has lost a loved one, and we do not believe that the death penalty is right, just, or humane. Did the killer of Brian extend the same compassion, justice, or humanity, no. Are there times when rage and sadness manifest themselves into wanting revenge, certainly. But we also know that responding to evil with evil, hate with hate, and murder with murder pays no honor to the person that Brian was or to the world that he hoped we would become. So for the very reason that so many scream. "Death! Justice! Vengeance!" in honor of the person who has been lost, even in the midst of our own rage, sadness, and our own yearning for retribution, we plead, "Life! Compassion! Dignity!" in honor of the person we lost. There are no winners in the aftermath of murder and this is not about whose experience is more valid than another, but we do have the choice as a society if we will add death upon death. In memory of Brian and too many others killed, I hope and pray that soon, we will choose to respond to death with life. If for no other reason, and for as hard as it is sometimes to embrace, this is what Brian would have wanted. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### From + The + Vault: 10 Tips for Soccer Parents URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-10-tips-for-soccer/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T00:17:51.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared over the years around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other locations. ***Originally*** [***posted April, 2014***](https://web.archive.org/web/20160715211005/https://reyes-chow.com/2014/04/10-tips-for-soccer-parents/) ***and has been lightly edited.*** A few years ago I wrote a post about [soccer parents](https://web.archive.org/web/20160715211005/http://www.reyes-chow.com/2011/09/advice-for-soccer-parents/), but at that point, I did not imagine that we would now be one of “those” families, driving to soccer games in different cities, spending the night in hotels, and paying buckets of money to play a sport that many of us just went out and played in the park after school. Yes, I’m old. #getoffmylawn Honestly though, I do love watching them play. In fact, I love watching my kids do anything that helps them grow as human beings, sports or otherwise. I love seeing them work through struggle and disappointment. I love seeing the excitement and joy that pulses through their bodies when something goes well. I love that they are each finding their way and building community as they do so. And I especially love being right there on the sidelines, seeing first-hand a beautiful game played most often with beautiful spirits by all involved. What I do not love are the times when we parents ruin it. Oh you know what I mean. Every youth activity has them: stage parents, dance moms, soccer dads, etc. These are the people whom we each believe we ARE NOT, but more often than we would like to admit, probably ARE. We believe that our child is the center of the universe, we know all things about all things, and we are not afraid to share it . . . loudly on the sidelines. You know you might be one of “those parents” if you notice that, over the course of the game, the other parents slowly back away from you as if to say, “That guy? Have no idea who he is?” You may also be one of “those parents” if you find the referees glaring at you, shaking their heads at you, or saying things like, “Ma’am, please don’t talk to the referee.” So, just in the event that you find yourself in this position – yelling from the sidelines while no one around you joins in or makes eye contact – I would like to help with a few tips for soccer parents that I have gleaned over the past decade of sitting on and cheering from the sideline. The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. #### **10 tips for soccer parents on the sidelines . . .** Truth be told, I wanted just to have one tip, “Don’t be an a$$hat” and then each subsequent tip would be, “See rule #1.” While this would be kinda funny, this is not helpful for those who are trying to figure out helpful sideline behaviors. Besides, do most of us know when we are being jerks? Probably not. So to pre-empt your sideline YouTube fodder, here are, what I hope, some helpful suggestions for those of you who stand on the sidelines watching your child kick the ball around the pitch. #### **1) Cheer — don’t coach.** Unless your child is on your sideline, she probably won’t hear you anyway — and odds are you don’t really know what you are talking about, so you will just confuse and distract them doing what their coach wants them to. In fact, even if you DO know what you are talking about, “Shhhhhh . . .” because part of the game is for them to learn how to communicate with one another and implement strategies as determined by the coaches. #### **2) Cheer as if you were an NPR Producer.** Just as NPR tells five stories about other topics for every one story about themselves, cheer for the other kids on the your team. “Great defence, Asha!” and then “Good thinking, Anna!” and then “Woohoo, L.T.!” and then “Sweet move, Chloe!” and then “Way to be aggressive, Alivia!” and finally, “Super, fantastic job being you, my awesome offspring!” See, doesn’t sound *QUITE* as obnoxious and parent-braggy when you are also encouraging the other players on your team. #### **3) Don’t address players on the other team.** I still can’t believe how many times I have seen a parent yell at a player on the *other* team. Seriously, please do not dress down an 11-year-old kid no matter how much you want to. Just remember how much you LOVE it when someone confronts or disciplines your child and refrain from from doing the exact same thing. Also, the shock of all shocks, that 11-year-old may not have perfect control of his body, so that body contact may have actually been an accident. And even of that kid is flopping like an international men’s team, let it go. Unless it’s to offer a “Good game number 5!” in the parking lot, go to the other coach, but never get at the kid. #### **4) Acknowledge when the other team does something well.** A good “Great job keeper!” after she goes horizontal for a sweet save or “Nice defense #12!” after a particularly stellar play goes a long way to reinforce good play and remind folks that soccer and team sports is so much more than the game, but an amazing way to build community. #### **5) Stay in your area.** If you play in a city like San Francisco, where the fields are less than spacious, you cannot always avoid sitting right next to or being interspersed between the parents from the other teams. While it would be ideal to have some separation, it is not always possible. No, I am talking about the parent who walks up and down the entire sideline coaching (see #1) and does so in front of both sets of parents. It takes all of my willpower NOT to “accidentally” stick my foot out and trip him in on his 10th time walking in front of us, yelling something out to his kid. I have yet to stick out my foot. Yet. #### **6) Think it, but don’t always say it.** Generally, a good rule in life is if I had a dollar for every time I have said something that I should probably have kept safely locked up in my mind vault, I would be rich. Sure, you may think the other player is slow, or that your kid should be starting over another kid, but you really don’t need to share that with the rest of us – the rest of us who may or may not be the parent of the kid over whom you think yours should be starting over. Awkward. #### **7) Don’t assume that every call is against your team.** Now I am not saying that every referee gets every call right, but unless there is some elaborate bookie scheme going around with people making money on youth soccer games, I highly doubt that any referee is out to get a team. Plus many of the refs you will see are kids themselves, so seriously, chill out. Refs are doing the best they can, trying to keep your kids safe and helping them to learn how to play the game of soccer. On rare occasions where there is a question of referee competency or approach, each league probably has a mechanism to file a protest or leave feedback. #### **8) Don’t rush onto the field.** I have been there. It is oh so tempting to rush onto the field and pull your kid into your arms when they go down. Resist the urge to do so. Remember, soccer is a physical game and sometimes they just need a minute to find their breath, shake off the sting of a ball to the face, or just walk off a cramp. Parents rushing the field often make things worse, and odds are that the child will be embarrassed. Trust me, if it’s bad, the ref and coach will call you over. #### **9) Maintain perspective.** Hate to break it to you, but your kid will most likely not play in the Olympics. Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Offended, I mean every kid except for YOURS! But seriously, folks, even if your kid is exhibiting great skills at an early age, talking about college ball when your kid is 11 seems a tad bit over the top (See Tip #6). We have such high expectations for what they do or accomplish that it would do us well, to remember that these are still children and our job, as parents, is to help nurture them into who they are meant to become, and not to put undue pressure on them to become who we think they should be. #### **10) Learn the rules.** If more of us knew the rules of soccer, especially offsides, the sideline insanity would be tempered quite a bit. My advice is to find the parent who REALLY does know the rules, is not intense and is willing to help the cheering section learn the rules and nuances of the game. Nothing is worse than being the one who blurts out, “NO WAY!!!!” as everyone else looks away as if to say, “Actually, yes way.” Remember our kids are watching, listening, and taking note of who we are and what we do. Despite the outside influences in their lives and the aloofness that can sometimes be communicated, I believe that they will mimic is small ways our approach to the game and life — so we have to get it together on the sidelines, in the car, in public, at home, etc. It’s hard enough actually playing the game of soccer, but while also dealing with school, social pressures and the struggles of being a young person today . . . we need not add to the drama by exemplifying the worst parts of youth sports, but rather we should lesson it by demonstrating the best. #### **Bonus tips for soccer parents . . .** Before writing this post, I offered this *Facebook Update*, asking for folks to leave good advice about soccer parent behavior. Please check them out as parents, coaching and registrars left some great words. In the meantime, here are just a few more creative ones… - From AB – *Bring a camping chair. Sit back. Relax. Cheer AFTER a play goes well. Otherwise, keep yer pie hole shut.* - From CM – *Deal with your own sh!t on your own time. The game is not your therapist.* - From AW – *Support kids who don’t have parents or other people cheering for them. Let them know you know they are part of the team and not an outsider.* - From CWK – *Naughty parent springs for Starbucks for team next game. Honestly, these parents don’t get it. Poor kids. Move your chair away from them.* - From LS – *Just be kind. Have spent a lot of time on sidelines, with families experiencing cancer, job loss, death of loved ones and more. Stop yelling; be present; sit or stand with someone who’s there alone or doesn’t know a lot of folks or whose kid sits on the bench; listen. There is a lot going on.* If you have more tips for soccer parents, please feel free to leave it here and/or on the aforementioned Facebook Update. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### From + The + Vault: Girls Can't Play Baseball URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-girls-cant-play-baseball/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T00:14:23.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared over the years around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other locations. This [*From the Vault*](https://theamalgamation.substack.com/t/from-the-vault) was originally [posted on April 3, 2011, on Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/20110407020855/http://www.reyes-chow.com/2011/04/girls-can-play-baseball.html). 12 years later and I still remember the day my Eldest child climbed her first mountain. She and I were hanging out at a local indoor playground where she was exploring the colorful structure in the toddler area. I was about six feet away as I watched her struggle to get over a one-foot high foam wall focused on reaching the colorful pile of blocks in the middle. She would get a little stuck just as she was at the top of the wall and start teetering on her belly like a stranded turtle. There was no way to know what would happen next . . . maybe she would fall face first onto the other side or maybe she would fall back on to her heavily diapered behind. I watched. I waited. She teetered. Oh . . . the parenting suspense. As I sat there watching her determined self try to conquer, what for her was a mountain, I remember thinking to myself, "Go little girl, you can do it!" And then just like that, a well-intentioned mom swooped in and, with a gentle "Here you go sweetie!" lifted her up and over the wall. I thought nothing of it at first, but then it happened again and again and again. When she would get a little stuck, struggling to get over the wall, someone would come in and help her out. Three times, back and forth she was not allowed to do it on her own. Now, I cannot be certain, but every time someone lifted her to the other side, I am pretty sure that Eldest gave them the "Hey lady, I can do it myself!" stink-eye. Eventually I moved a little closer and just as the next parent was about to make her rescue move said, "It's okay, she can make it on her own." The sociologist in me widened my observation lens to see how other children were being treated and, yep, you guessed it, the only kids getting this kind of help were the girls. Now I am sure that no one was thinking, "Poor girls, they can't make it without some help" but that is the message that was being sent to my daughter. The message of what can be expected or assumed of girls was being sent loud and clear: boys can be left to overcome, girls must be helped; boys can be rough and tumble, girls must be pampered; boys CAN, girls canNOT. As the father of three girls and living in a home where all of the fish are probably female as well, I fully admit that we have no idea what it means to raise boys in today's world of messed up expectations of masculinity and maleness. In the same vein, as a the parents of girls, 7, 10 and 14, we have a unique view into various stages of girlhood through our own daughters and their friends. Most of the girls we interact with are confident and thriving, but, sadly we also see girls as they begin to doubt their abilities, take on skewed images of self and start to expect less of themselves socially, academically and physically. Simply put, the messages we send in word and deed about our girls have an impact on their ability to dream, struggle and thrive. \[[**Retweet It**](https://web.archive.org/web/20110407020855/http://twitter.com/#!/breyeschow/status/54771882565705729)\] It does not help when these kind of expectations still exist on the playground. Our Middle child, naturally athletic, has started playing baseball during recess. Recently she has become more determined and vocal about developing her game, including letting me know that her teacher thinks she has a "sweet swing." Turns out that some boys have recently begun saying that girls can't play baseball. While she may not be destined to be a 6'2" slugging third baseman, there should be no reason to think she can't play a little ball in the 4th grade and beyond. Progressive school, good kids and still we hear, "Girls can't . . ." We are fortunate to have a great school environment that will get all over these kinds of interactions before they get out of hand and my girls are surrounded by strong females, so we are confident that our daughters will be okay. But, as we know, not all girls are so fortunate. Girls that have these kinds of expectations reinforced at home, church or other formative contexts will inevitably own these expectations that are not born of reality, but of society's continued view that somehow women are less than men. And as we know, when girls begin to think less of themselves academics fall, unhealthy body imagery emerges and they accept and perpetuate abusive situations of all kinds. To avoid these situations we must be diligent in avoiding placing empty expectations upon anyone, but especially our girls. Whether it be in the subtle messages we send like needlessly offering help when none is needed to the more dramatic ways that we direct their social, academic and physical lives, we adults must do our very best to raise girls who have expectations about life and the world that are driven by possibilities and hopes. The world will present our girls with plenty of struggles and obstacles as they live life so the last thing they need is for those who have the privilege of raising them to add to the mountains they must overcome. And in case you were wondering, when left to her own devices, Eldest did conquer the treacherous foam wall multiple times . . . and has been leaping over, around and through life ever since. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### From + The + Vault: Top 10 Reasons Bruce Will Stay Presbyterian URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-top-10-reasons-bruce-will-stay-presbyterian/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T00:10:29.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared over the years around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other locations. [Originally posted on my blog, May 13, 2007](https://web.archive.org/web/20071112150418/http://www.reyes-chow.com/2007/05/top%5F10%5Freasons%5F.html), this has been lightly edited. To give a little context. Okay so now that there has been ample conversation about [Why I should leave my beloved Presbyterian Church (USA)](https://web.archive.org/web/20071112150418/http://www.reyes-chow.com/2007/05/why%5Fi%5Fam%5Fleavin.html) denomination I figure it is time to articulate why I choose to stay. ### **My TOP 10 Reasons for remaining part of the PC(USA)** #### **Because of what I believe** First and foremost, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has some beautifully conceived and crafted understandings of faith. As I reflect on what I believe, I often return to our "[Brief Statement of Faith](https://web.archive.org/web/20071112150418/http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-faith.htm)" that captures the core beliefs that we Presbyterians hold. Now of course we can argue the nuances and how those beliefs are lived out, but WOW, as I read it again today, I am proud of what my tradition brings to the table. Everything from our approach to Scripture to our commitment to the oppressed, the fullness with which we approach faith is humbling. #### **Because there is no "There" there** At my worst times, I often think about how good it would be if only . . . if only *those* moronic wackos left the church, we would all get along. Why do I think that? Am I high? What makes me think that if we all agreed about ordination standards or mission priorities, we wouldn't become just as nasty about worship style, language, etc. Because I believe in original sin, I have every confidence that whenever we bring a group of people together we WILL find something to create division around. In the same manner, as I believe where two are three are gathered, there is Christ, if I can commit to being part of a community short of staying in an abusive atmosphere I can have peace in the midst of human chaos. #### **Because corporate submission and rugged individuality need one another** I have the rebellious individual thing down. I can whine and complain with the best of them regarding the sad state of affairs of the church, denominations notwithstanding. What I do not wholly like is to submit myself to the discernment of the community. My American Christianity comes out when, at every turn, I think I know better God's will than a group of people faithfully coming together to discern the will of God. Now when it comes to issues of justice and righteous indignation, that is one thing, but come on . . . sometimes it feels like everything is a justice issue when we do not get our way. SOMETIMES . . . it is God speaking through a community in order to guide us. The PC(USA) straddles this tension at all times and this commitment to both corporate and individual discernment offer me challenges to listen for God and encouragement to step out in faith. #### **Because fluid tradition matters** I have never been one that thinks we should toss everything out simply because it is traditional. I have always felt like we just need to shift our understandings and enactment of tradition so we all can understand and experience them with some level of understanding and meaning. I also feel that in a day of disposable and outdated everything, there is a sense of stability that the church can offer. The denomination is not THE church, but our rich history and tradition give, for me, a sense of fullness and connection to journeys of the past. #### **Because others have been there for me** When it comes to particular issues, theological or political, that do not directly effect me, I am obligated to remember those who have stood, not just in solidarity, but have acted with great courage on my behalf. I do not speak of ME in particular, but for white folks who stood up for people of color, men who have stood for women, rich who stand with the poor and so on. Who am I to leave just because I disagree? Even more importantly, who am I when I stay? #### **Because like minds do not a growing faith make** As much as I would like to think I am done growing, being part of a mutual admiration society does nothing in the whole "challenging area." The fastest way for us to live out our brokenness is to think we are not broken in the first place. When we begin to believe our own hype, we will fall right back into patterns of oppression and exclusion without even knowing. I appreciate the fact that there are people who disagree with me constantly pushing and pushing back as I continually try to discover and rediscover my own faith. #### **Because the universe does not revolve around me** As much as I do appreciate the common bonds that are shared in my immediate church community and the freedom it gives me to pastor in this context, I know that, as much as we are meeting the needs of an ignored demographic, we are not all that matters. Denominational affiliation, in general, and the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s connectional system in particular, visually and institutionally hold me/us accountable to the "others" in our midst. #### **Because this is still a beloved family** While I do get angry and I feel like some folks have been first class jerks to one another and my friends, I do not yet feel like I am at the point where I am called to part ways with dignity. While I TOTALLY understand the experiences of those for whom this denomination is not longer safe, our family has told you, you are not welcome. For me however, I still feel like my presence within the family system - *no matter how messed up it may be* \- put me in a place to create more positive change than from without. #### **Because my Sisters are welcome** Yes, we still exclude some folks and not every person may fully embrace female clergy, but in comparison to discussions still being had in other traditions, the ordination of women "question" is for the most part a non-issue. I am also encouraged by our stances on abortion, capital punishment, investing, etc. \[[More on this stuff](https://web.archive.org/web/20071112150418/http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-social.htm)\] #### **Because . . .** Sometimes, you just know . . . ya know? So there you have it. On my "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" scale of discernment, at this point in my life, I think I'll stay and work with this crazy, quirky, ornery and sometimes mean "family" of mine for now. After all, God does not promise us ease and absence of struggle, but peace amidst it all. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### From + The + Vault: Why I Should Leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) URL: https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-why-i-should-leave-the-presbyterian-church-usa/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T00:30:12.000Z You are reading The Amalgamation, a subscriber-supported newsletter. ****Please consider becoming a Free or Paid Subscriber today.** [subscribe ](https://bit.ly/AmalgamationSubscribe?ref=reyes-chow.com) 💡 [From + The + Vault](https://www.reyes-chow.com/tag/from-the-vault/) are posts originally shared over the years around the interwebs. Thanks to the magic of the [Internet Archive Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/), I can reshare from an old [www.reyes-chow.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20240726223005/https://reyes-chow.com/), [FeedBurner](http://feeds.feedburner.com/reyes-chow/blog?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Typepad](https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://breyeschow.typepad.com/), my [Moderator Blog](https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133518/http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/), [SF Gate City Brights](https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194823/http://blog.sfgate.com/reyeschow/), [The Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/author/breyeschow-993?ref=reyes-chow.com), [Patheos](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/?ref=reyes-chow.com), and other locations. Post are lightly edited for clarity. [*Originally posted on May 10, 2007.*](https://web.archive.org/web/20071119043909/http://www.reyes-chow.com/2007/05/why%5Fi%5Fam%5Fleavin.html) *and yes there is the* [*Why I Choose to Stay*](https://www.reyes-chow.com/from-the-vault-top-10-reasons-bruce-will-stay-presbyterian/) *follow-up post.* ### Why I Should Leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) Okay before anyone starts some intervention - *or maybe celebration* \- I am not really going to leave the[PC(USA)](https://web.archive.org/web/20071119043909/http://www.pcusa.org/) and I will following this post up with a "Why I Should Remain in the Presbyterian Church (USA)" post, but after a meeting on Tuesday night of [our Presbytery](https://web.archive.org/web/20071119043909/http://www.sfpby.org/) the proposition of jumping off this wayward ship seems pretty tempting. Now before I really start my totally biased rant/reflection about last night - *it's a blog, so if you want balanced, homey ain't playin' that today* \- let me try and give a little background. I am fully aware that this will seems incredible stupid, out of touch, irrelevant, backwards, etc. to many of you. For others, sadly you will be able to relate oh too well. Lastly, this really is not meant to be a pro or anti denominational rant, but more of a frustration with my "family" who has raised me, but are just being dorks. #### BACKGROUND Like many denominations, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has for years been embroiled in tension around major theological/Biblical issues: mostly around sexual orientation - *Will LGBT folks be granted the right of ordination?* \- and the Lordship of Christ - *Is Christ THE Way or A Way?*. Most of this has to do with Biblical Interpretation and "Essentials" of our flavor of Christian Reformed faith. With faithfulness and wisdom, a few years back we launched what was called the [*Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church*](https://web.archive.org/web/20071119043909/http://www.pcusa.org/peaceunitypurity/) (PUP) who was charged with developing some thinking and strategies for our denomination to deal with these pressing questions. > *The Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church was created by the 213th General Assembly (2001) “to lead the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity in and for the 21st century…”* What came out of [their report](https://web.archive.org/web/20071119043909/http://www.pcusa.org/peaceunitypurity/finalreport.htm) of course, pleased no one completely. Good, I think. But the next steps were for the Presbyteries - *local grouping of churches* \- to take the the PUP Report recommendations and see how they fit for each context. On Tuesday at the meeting of our presbytery, and after months of discernment, our own task force came to us with their recommendations about how we care for folks who want to be ordained ministers and for those who are already ordained but are coming into our area. Not very clear, but in short the committee came back with recommendations that allowed for some ambiguity and subjectivity to how each person is handled. BRAVO! SWEET! GREAT! Finally, we get that not everything can be controlled, legislated and made to be nice and neat. And then it started . . . and what seemed like 10, but was really about three hours later, my list of why I am getting the heck out of dodge was getting longer. Here are just four reasons why I think we are headed on a fast, painful, destructive, sad, mean and irrelevant track to nowheresville . . . #### **REASON ONE** *We think ambiguity can and should be conquered and controlled.* We knew this was going poorly when the biggest debate was to take out any mention of the phrase, "When appropriate . . ." because it left too much ambiguity, subjectivity, etc. when working with new and/or transferring members. Well darn tootin'. Why do we think that we can or should legislate any and all creativity and movement of the Spirit out of our process? Will it make us a closer community? Will it help to do away with conflict and disagreement? Will it guarantee "ideal" pastors? I think NOT. By doing this we retreated back to the falsehood that we can avoid and conquer any sense of ambiguity and not-knowing, when the rest of world has moved on. Anyone heard of a postmodern shift?!?!? Not us, we are retreating back into the perceived safety and calm of modernity when we should be sitting in the heart of the chaos living out the peace of heart, mind and spirit that we have in Christ. Makes me want to scream! #### **REASON TWO** *We are mean and uncaring jerks.* *Part a)* After the votes were clearly going one way, during one of the votes which were being hand-counted an elder from some church - *and yes, I would call him out if I could have seen his nametag, but he knows who he is* \- says out loud so everyone could hear, "There is no need to count, we know who is winning." You ass . . . I mean, you mean guy! I didn't realize that we were keeping friggin' score about issues that affect people's lives. Next time we should bring in our electronic scoreboard and we can keep track of time outs and penalty minutes. As long as we still see "discernment" as winning and losing we are going nowhere. *Part b)* After all of the hullabaloo about how much we want to be clear and fair with upcoming ministers, the next item on the docket was to examine two folks who were taking the next step in the ordination process. Of course the body who had just debated for hours over this process would welcome these two folks with excitement. Well unless showing support for folks means packing up your bags and walking out the door because "you won" is the new way to show support, then we are AWESOME! If it rude, inconsiderate and arrogant, well then, I guess we suck. I could NOT believe the mass exodus of folks just as these two folks were being presented to the group. What does THAT say about what we REALLY hold as important. It says, we care more about winning a battle and controlling an outcome than about the people and the process of discernment. Sad, just sad. #### **REASON THREE** *We are old and ain't gettin' any younger.* At 38, still one of the youngsters: perceived and in reality. Again, sad, just sad. #### **REASON FOUR** *We are driven by fear.* Fear of the unknown; Fear of the way others experience God; Fear that we may not be able to control the next thing; Fear that we will lose power, however sad and pathetic that power may be; Fear that if we risk, our faith may be shaken; Fear that if we change our minds, we have shown weakness; Fear of actually getting to know "them" as people, created and called by God; Okay, done ranting and to tell you the truth, it feels pretty good. I am sure some of you are sharing your head and thinking, "Oh you silly silly silly little Presbyterians." while others are thinking, "Bruce, why again are you staying in this wacky denomination" and still others, "In the midst of all this, we still must trust God." - I am trying stay with the last group and trust that in the midst of this all, though I may not understand, God's will is present and moving us towards amazing and transformational things. ## Sign up for The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow Focusing on social justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith and more, The Amalgamation is a joyful medley of musings, think pieces, and invitations to co-conspire for good. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.