Friday's News & Ideas - 2/9/2024

4 tips for leading a church in an election year
Sojourners: “I have one conviction from the past eight years that I will try to act on this year: I will be bold from the pulpit, but I will not allow the worship experience to revolve around what is happening in Washington, D.C.”

This evangelical billionaire family wants to convert you on Super Bowl Sunday* 
Rolling Stone: The Hobby Lobby family emerges as the driving force behind the group running ads about Jesus during the Super Bowl. 
National Catholic Reporter: More than a Hail Mary pass: Prayer app’s ad aims to bring devotion to Super Bowl

Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday coincide this year: What’s a Catholic to do?
Religion Unplugged: “For some people, it could be a little confusing,” the Rev. John Gordon of the Archdiocese of Newark said when the same thing happened six years ago. “Do I fast, or do I eat my chocolate?”

Faith-based organizations concerned about immigration policy landscape
Religion News Service: “You’re not going to solve anything at the border when you start from the premise that migration is a threat to our country or that migrants are people to be feared,” said Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute.

Reading the Old Testament through ancient Egyptian eyes* 
Christianity Today: Learning about the land of Pharaoh helps us understand the people of Israel in their context.

The Spark

Fans root for bald eagles determined to shield eggs from California storm 
“What an amazing thing to witness!” one fan wrote on the YouTube channel that has a live stream* of the nest and more than 236,000 subscribers, says The Washington Post.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers