“After the storm, my heart turned to Psalm 70,” says Rev. Dusty Black. “The psalmist is pleading with God for victory over his enemies, as well as praying that the Lord would be worshipped.”
Smart Bets: Faith + Justice + Film
With its free film series St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sylva hopes to offer space to consider the intersections of faith and action within a peace and justice framework.
Smart Bets: Serenity Sound Bath
The full-body sound and vibrational experience takes place Jan. 5.
Historic Biltmore Village church to rebuild after first-time flooding
The Cathedral of All Souls maps its future after Tropical Storm Helene left destruction in its wake.
Smart Bets: Asheville Nativity Exhibition
The exhibit runs Dec. 6-15 at First Baptist Church of Asheville, featuring nativity scenes from more than 70 countries.
Why I volunteer: ‘This is truly where Jesus shows up’
Nancy Tabel, a volunteer at Haywood Street Congregation, discusses the church’s efforts to address hunger and homelessness in Western North Carolina.
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with Lisa Forehand of Carolina Jews for Justice
“Listen to your heart,” says Lisa Forehand. “Do you want to be alone or with others to cultivate a more spiritual life? Are you open to trying new practices that might bring you closer to a higher power?”
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with artist Heather Hanson
“Spirituality is being willing to show up in life with an open, curious mind and heart and grapple with the tough questions,” says Heather Hanson.
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with Kyle S. Gillet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“For those seeking a more spiritual life, my advice would be to find a quiet place to pray vocally and ask God to lead them toward truth,” says Kyle S. Gillett.
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with poet Richard Chess
“When we open ourselves to the messiness, the whole thing — the beauty and joy, the ugliness and pain — we may have the greatest chance of experiencing something we may call ‘spiritual,'” says Richard Chess.
LGBTQ+ church leaders share reflections on service
The Rev. Sarah Hulbert says the same God that made her who she is also called her to the priesthood. She is disappointed in those who use the Bible to discriminate against minority communities because of what she says is an improper conflation of politics and Christian teachings.
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with poet Luke Hankins
“The spirit may be an actual entity — the ‘soul’ — or it may simply be a way for us to speak about a profound aspect of human nature and experience,” says Luke Hankins.
In the spirit: A conversation about spirituality with Kelly Palmatier, a psychic medium
“There’s a misconception that spirituality is only for those who have reached a certain level of enlightenment or have been chosen,” says Kelly Palmatier. “In truth, spirituality is accessible to anyone, regardless of their background or experiences.”
Maia Toll’s memoir recaps spiritual journey
Letting Magic In is a coming-of-age story about her connection to the Earth, her intuition and the unseen realm that may surround us all. “I wanted to show the slow ebb and flow of moving from one place to the other, questioning and doubting, stepping forward and back and forward and back.”
Health checkup: Offering spiritual guidance to student athletes
Kelsey Davis, director of Blue Ridge Service Corps and Campus Missioner at Western Carolina University and the University of North Carolina – Asheville, discusses her role of providing collegiate athletes spiritual guidance and the challenges athletes face.
Demystifying yoga with local teachers
Different yoga studios, styles and teachers can each offer completely different takes on the practice, each suited for different wellness needs. Xpress set out to explore some of the varieties of yoga available in the area and spoke to a number of local teachers about their yoga journeys.
Q&A: Sacred Fire Asheville fire keeper Patrick Hanaway
By day, Patrick Hanaway and his wife, Lisa Lichtig, are physicians at their integrative and functional medicine practice, Family to Family, in Weaverville. By night, the couple are stewards of a different type of healing practice: They are fire keepers with Sacred Fire Asheville, the local chapter of an international nonprofit. Since 2002, Hanaway says guests […]
‘Barrier Breakers: The Pilgrimage’ spotlights historic Black churches
The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina’s multimedia project includes Asheville’s St. Matthias.
Asheville’s Jewish community grows in trying times
“We’ve seen a steady flow of people who are Jewish who’ve come [here] because they see a vibrant Jewish community that they can be part of,” Rabbi Batsheva Meiri of Congregation Beth HaTephila tells Xpress. “And so Asheville becomes attractive to them.”
Green in brief: WNC Nature Center opens new exhibit
In partnership with the WNC Farmers Market, the Asheville zoo launches its Educational Farmers Market Garden starting Wednesday, Nov. 16. The new exhibit focuses on sustainable relationships between agriculture and nature.
Asheville historic renovation efforts kick into full gear
To bring old buildings up to modern-day standards involves architectural assessments, electrical upgrades, plumbing revamps and structural repairs — challenges that many preservationists are now facing, and seeking to fund, as Asheville’s turn-of-the-century landmarks continue into their second hundred years.
