Repaso: November 2, 2012

1. Hurricane Sandy Relief
We’re all saddened and sobered by the devastation caused by this week’s storm in the Caribbean and northeastern U.S., and the photos of the aftermath are overwhelming. We’d do well to remember the victims in our prayers, and as Brian Fikkert from The Chalmers Center put it, we should help without hesitating. Tim Keller shared a couple of good ways to get involved, including donating to Hope for New York’s relief fund.

2. One church’s immigration journey
Tyler Johnson and Jim Mullins at Redemption Church here in the Phoenix area write about the “incredible opportunities and complex questions” the immigration issue has presented for the church:

Much of the affirmation we receive and the gospel transformation we witness is actually coming from within our congregations. The gospel-motivated love for our neighbors is pushing us across the boundaries of culture, comfort, and convenience. We frequently hear testimonies of how prejudice is being crushed, idols are being confronted, and joy is being made full. The people who serve these communities are finding that when they interact with members of the immigrant community—face-to-face in relationship—it personalizes the immigration issue. We, as a church, are learning the meaning of these words from our Lord Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

3. CPJ’s Election Series 2012
In a few short days, the election season will be over. Many of us are looking forward to that. But in the meantime, it’s important that we weigh our voting decisions thoughtfully, considering all the issues. I recognize there are a million places to turn for opinions and commentary on the candidates and issues, but for me, the non-partisan Center for Public Justice’s election series has been especially helpful. It doesn’t cover every issue, certainly, but it does provide analysis from a variety of contributors on education, foreign policy, religious freedom, healthcare, abortion, immigration, and more.

4. Young Visionaries
Entrepreneur magazine is running a cool series of videos called Young Visionaries, telling the stories of entrepreneurs creating business ventures to address a variety of social, cultural, and environmental issues.

5. An Unexpected Briefing
We all yawn through those safety instruction videos on airplanes, right? Air New Zealand thought they’d change that.

Repaso is intended as a thought-provoking compilation of news and commentary from the past week related to the intersections of faith, development, justice and peace. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of the links and ideas in this roundup!

[Photo credit: "A parking lot full of yellow cabs is flooded on Oct. 30 as a result of superstorm Sandy in Hoboken, N.J. (Charles Sykes/Associated Press)" via The Big Picture]