Archive
Critical Conversations on Activism, Online and Off
With so many Americans across the country seeking to get their voices heard both in the streets and on social media this week, CRCC is hosting a conversation about what it means …
Faith & Politics: Leadership in the Time of COVID-19
The USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement’s hosts a conversation with two of its alumni about how they are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring: Dr. Michael Fisher, Greater Zion Church …
Church in the Wake of COVID-19: Helpful Info & Tips for Congregations
In the wake of COVID-19, the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement has compiled an infographic with helpful facts and tips for congregations with information from the Center for Disease Control …
Census 2020: Facts, Fictions and Faith
What is the census? The census is a counting of all residents in the United States. Our constitution mandates that we do a census every 10 years, and that it be used …
The Cosby Case at Church: Why Pastors Should Address Sexual Assault
Bill Cosby is back in court this week. This time, in Pittsburgh, his sexual assault case is framed against the backdrop of #MeToo, the movement raising awareness of sexual harassment, and #ChurchToo. …
As King Encouraged, America Must Face Her Flaws
This post originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. In Dr. Martin Luther King’s posthumously published essay, “A Testament of Hope,” he wrote, “It is forcing America to face all its interrelated …
A Post-Election Prayer for Love, Families and Unity
The Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, program manager for the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, was part of a prayer service for hope and unity at the Cathedral of Our Lady of …
Being Prophetic from the Pulpit in a Strained Political Season
This post was also published by the Los Angeles Sentinel. I was not quite ready for the personal challenge posed by “The Birth of a Nation,” the new film by Nate Parker. …
What’s a Preacher to Say in the Wake of Tragedy?
If you were anywhere near a radio, TV to catch the news this past week, you know that July 5-8 was a difficult and emotionally charged week. We saw footage of not …
Black Lives Matter is a Black Church Matter
“The big deal is we think the power is in us individually…the power is in us collectively. It is in the church.” —John M. Perkins While much of the country was focused …
#Push100: Faith Leaders Activate Against Violence
One of the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement’s alum, Pastor Michael Fisher of Greater Zion Church Family, has convened 40 pastors to take post at various major intersections around South Los …
My Prayer, Post-Charleston
Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard originally published a version of this post on her blog. During any given week, on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nights, thousands of Christian communities—from small congregations to megachurches—open their …