The lights are up. The stores are bursting with tinsel, decorative trees and gifts galore. All around the world, a great "to-do" is made about Christmas. But just what are we really celebrating? The coming of Christ is undoubtedly one of the most monumental events in history; however, …
Holding onto Hope
I’ve been thinking a lot about the first Advent and the early years of Jesus’ childhood. I wonder what Mary was thinking as she brought her son into the world, so far from home. Instead of nesting she had to flee to Bethlehem. So much for planning a cozy home birth. And yet, she held …
Waiting on His Justice and Transformation
By Sunny Sue Chang Jonas Transformation. We wait for His transformation. We wait in line to buy a snack, we wait for a friend to return a phone call, we wait for the day to be over, or for a new day to begin. We anticipate what’s coming next and in doing so, we wait. In fact, …
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A Letter from Interim President & CEO Dr. Mary Nelson
Dear CCDA Family, I am excited about my new role as Interim President & CEO of CCDA. Bringing over 50 years of experience in Chicago-based Christian Community Development as well as national leadership on several fronts, I am ready to serve our much needed association. Joining our …
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Without Walls or Borders
by Christina Foor One beautiful piece of the Gospel is how God weaves together stories of people from all different backgrounds. In a small migrant shelter in Juarez, Mexico, people from several divergent worlds gathered together – Cuban asylum seekers, college students from both sides of the …
CCDA & Value Our Families Coalition
By Jamesetta Tambah On Wednesday, July 17th, I had the opportunity to advocate in Washington D.C. on behalf of my family on the issue of immigration. I am Jamesetta Tambah, the daughter of Liberian refugees who came to the United States in the early 90’s under Temporary Protected …
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Lenten Immerse: Hospitality
Can you think of a time when you received hospitality from someone? Maybe it was an expression of kindness, a welcoming embrace, a warm meal, or a listening ear. Perhaps it took the form of someone who supported you when you didn’t feel you deserved it, or a new friend in an unfamiliar place. …
Lenten Immerse: Humility
Humility can seem like such a paradox: we are expected to give our best, while practicing freedom from praising ourselves. This can seem like an elusive task at times, especially in our American culture of self reliance and competition for perfection. It is difficult to detach from social …








