In 2010, on that first evening after the earthquake in Haiti, news reports came in that said that when night fell on the streets of Port au Prince people were singing hymns and psalms. Blessed be God, they sang. People were singing praises to God amidst their entire world destroyed. It’s important to note that to sing praises to God amongst destruction and violence is not the same thing as saying hey God we think you’re awesome for allowing these horrible things to happen. To sing praise to God amidst destruction and violence is to simply put evil in its place. It’s to draw a line and say here and no further. For the devil surely hates the sound of alleluia.Nadia Bolz Weber, “Sermon about Mary Magdalene, the Massacre in Our Town, and Defiant Alleluias”

“Hesed” is a Hebrew word that means “kindness”, “mercy”, “loyalty”, “loving-kindness” or “steadfastness.” It’s the way God intends us to live together—a “love your neighbor as yourself”, active, selfless, sacrificial, caring-for-one-another brand of living contradictory to our fallen natures. The “Heseders” are continually looking to work together to share some small measure of God’s extraordinary love. Won’t you join us?