Church of the Beloved - ECC

09/08/2026

09/08/2026

These days, it can feel like the only way to belong, to be enough, is to earn it, over and over, every single day. It’s exhausting. And while our society has made real progress in speaking up about mental health and the impossible standards we set for ourselves, particularly for women, our healthcare system still lags far behind. Yet beneath these systemic gaps lies a much quieter, deeper hunger. Most of us are not searching for a tangible thing. We are searching for a feeling of being seen and of belonging somewhere without having to perform for the privilege.

But know this: You are enough. You always were.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!
“Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living!”

“Mary Harris “Mother” Jones rose to prominence as a fiery orator and fearless organizer for the Mine Workers during the first two decades of the 20th century. Her voice had great carrying power. Her energy and passion inspired people half her age into action and compelled them to join in the struggle.

Born August 1, 1837, as Mary Harris in Cork County, Ireland, the woman who would become Mother Jones immigrated to North America with her family as a child to escape the Irish potato famine.

In her early 20s, she moved to Chicago, where she worked as a dressmaker, and then to Memphis, Tenn., where she met and married George Jones. The couple had four children when tragedy struck: A yellow fever epidemic in 1867, which killed hundreds of people, took the lives of Mary’s husband and all four children.

Mary moved back to Chicago and returned to commercial dressmaking. She opened her own shop, patronized by some of the wealthiest women in town. According to one account of her life, Mary’s interest in the union movement grew when she sewed for wealthy Chicago families. “I would look out of the plate glass windows and see the poor, shivering wretches, jobless and hungry, walking alongside the frozen lake front,” she said. “The tropical contrast of their condition with that of the tropical comfort of the people for whom I sewed was painful to me. My employers seemed neither to notice nor to care.”

Tragedy struck Mary again when she lost everything in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. After the fire, Mary began to travel across the country, from town to town in support of workers’ struggles.

Mother Jones’ organizing methods were unique for her time. She welcomed African American workers and involved women and children in strikes. She staged parades with children carrying signs that read, “We Want to Go to School and Not to the Mines.”

May we be inspired by Mother Jones today to stand alongside the most vulnerable among us!

Commissioned by Leslie Albanese

Signed Giclee Prints: kellylatimoreicons.com

09/07/2026

Prayer courtesy of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Church in Forest Hills, NY

09/07/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DhWdLpfMr/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Amen. 🙏

09/06/2026

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

09/06/2026

Pope Leo XIV’s September prayer intention is “for the care of water” as Christians celebrate the Season of Creation.

In his prayer for the month of September, Pope Leo asked the Holy Spirit to guide Christians to denounce waste and pollution and to defend “the right of every brother and sister to drink without fear and without inequality.”

Learn more about Pope Leo's September prayer intention: https://catholiccourier.com/articles/popes-prayer-intention-for-september-is-for-the-care-of-water/

09/05/2026

🤝 International Day of Charity

Observed each year on September 5, International Day of Charity recognizes the power of generosity, service, and collective action to strengthen communities and improve lives worldwide.

For Dr. Maya Angelou, giving back was deeply connected to the way she lived — through education, mentorship, advocacy, and a belief in our responsibility to care for one another.

That spirit of service continues through the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation, established in 2011 to carry forward her commitment to education, health equity, and opportunity. Through initiatives including scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and support for programs addressing health disparities, the Foundation works to create pathways for future generations to learn, thrive, and lead.

Dr. Angelou reminded us that what we have — our time, resources, knowledge, and compassion — can become a gift when shared with others.

Today, we celebrate the organizations, volunteers, and everyday people who choose to serve their communities and help make the world a little better than they found it. 💛

How will you give back today?