Experiencing The Word
‘Dean of African American church music’ James Abbington dies at 65 after Duke appointment
‘I grieve for his family, friends, and our Divinity community,” said Edgardo Colón-Emeric, dean of Duke Divinity School, where Abbington
Welcoming new pastor, historic Deaf church looks to revive fortunes by offering connection
The first church for the deaf in the U.S., St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf provides support, community, and solidarity
Graves of Imprisoned Black Children Inspire Reform in Maryland as Uncomfortable Truths are Exposed
By Megan Sayles, Afro Staff Writer, and Liz Ryan, Maryland Matters Members of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (LBCMD)
King Charles to visit Vatican and meet Pope Leo for first time
King and Queen Camilla to join pontiff in late October amid jubilee year celebrations, says Buckingham Palace By Agence France-Presse
Photographer Gordon Parks’ religious images displayed in DC exhibition
Mostly self-taught, Parks interspersed religious images in his photography across his career, an exhibition at Howard University reveals. By Adelle
Black Christians confront Charlie Kirk’s religious legacy
Conservative evangelicals’ embrace of Charlie Kirk’s legacy is forcing some Black Christians to reconcile the activist’s divisive comments on race
Apache women seek court intervention as federal land is turned over to copper mining
By Susan Montoya Bryan, The Associated Press The transfer of federal forest land in Arizona to a pair of international
Religious parents awarded $1.5M after Supreme Court win in LGBTQ+ books case
The settlement will signal to public schools that parents should have ‘the final say’ on their children’s education, wrote Eric
Joseph Smith portrait at Morehouse sparks debates over slavery, polygamy and Black history
On Feb. 1, the Smith portrait was unveiled at the chapel named for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at
‘I am somebody!’: Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader who ran for presidency, dies at 84
‘I don’t think Jesse Jackson saw his political life as something different from his call from God as a preacher,’
‘We’re praying with our feet’: a year of pro-democracy prayer vigils in New York
As New York braces for a large-scale deployment of ICE agents, the vigils imposed themselves as a hub for the
Black history is America’s history
We still see efforts to roll back civil and human rights for Black people in America. Opinion By Jim Wallis
Bible Verse
AUGUST 2026
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
1 John 3: 1-3, 16-18
Pray
AUGUST 2026
- That God's Word will remain true and undefiled by man and his devilish schemes.
- For strength, protection and encouragement for senior citizens as they navigate through health challenges, generational differences and financial woes.
- For our children, that God's presence, wisdom, and blessings will infiltrate their lives, helping them grow spiritually, emotionally and physically.
- For the world's hungry, homeless, displaced and widowed.