| | Walking in the Way of Jesus in the Current Moment Love Out Loud began years ago as a concrete way for people walking in the way of Jesus to live out His call for us to love God and neighbor. Partnering with both ministry and nonprofit partners working for the flourishing of our whole community, a network quickly formed of hundreds of partners engaging almost a thousand volunteers in their areas of passion, calling and giftedness. Our earliest framework “hung” 24 causes on Matthew 25:31-46: |
|  | Amazingly, it brought together a wide and diverse coalition: People who cared deeply about loving and serving their neighbors, sought to understand injustices and communities who have been marginalized, and worked to address root causes of these issues. Recent federal priority and funding shifts are materially impacting local partners – nonprofits, schools, community organizations, and churches and faith communities. These changes have generated significant uncertainty and fear within our community. Two scriptures frame our response even as we are all seeking to understand the changing landscape: - Philippians 2:1-4: Having the attitude of Christ:
- Encourage one another
- Love collectively
- Work with unified purpose
- Prioritize others' interests
- The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10): Highlighting God's blessing on those who:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, etc.
- Seek justice
- Show mercy
- Pursue peace
- Endure persecution for righteousness
- For more, the whole of Matthew chapters 5-7 is such a concrete picture of the radical way of Jesus and how we are to be and move in the world.
Similar to our pandemic response, Love Out Loud is committed to: - Answering "How can I help?"
- Maintaining cross-sector connectivity
- Sharing critical information
- Grounding our hearts and efforts in God
As one of our team members reminded us this week: "This is not business as usual, but truly a deep moment of fear, anxiety, and lots of misinformation. The season that we have entered in deeply impacts our coalition work and partnerships" – and the people we all serve. Love Out Loud remains dedicated to serving as ambassadors of accurate information and amplifying critical community work. As is well-known, I am always up for a cup of coffee. Please feel the freedom to reach out directly to me process this moment and how we can step up and into who we are called to be as a community and, for many of us, as people walking in the way of Jesus. In lament and yet with great hope, Chuck Spong, Executive Director cspong@loveoutloudws.com |
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| | Many of you are asking "How Can I Help?" |
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|  | Una Bendición / A Blessing Una Bendición Centro de Conexión / A Blessing Connection Center serves families and neighbors in Northeast Winston-Salem with food, household supplies, and other resources. This volunteer-led program provides vital connection between Spanish-speaking families and resources in our city. Volunteer Give to Stock the Pantry |
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 | World Relief Triad On January 24, World Relief (and all other resettlement agencies) received a specific memo pausing/revoking Reception & Placement federal funds. In a local context, this impacts 99 refugee individuals who recently arrived in our community and may be at risk of going without basic resources. World Relief Triad, with your much needed support, remains dedicated to serve and care for refugee families and ensure they are not abandoned. Give to Provide Support for Refugees |
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|  | Siembra NC Siembra NC is a grassroots organization empowering Latinx working families in North Carolina through community organizing, advocacy, and immigrant rights support. They are a great resource to stay informed and learn how to get engaged in advocacy efforts. Learn More |
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Mi Casa Servicios Mi Casa provides a critical response to the needs of the Spanish speaking community in the Forsyth and surrounding counties and seeks to fill the cultural void that exists between the Spanish-speaking and non Spanish-speaking members of the community through education, advocacy and outreach services. Learn More |
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| | Join Spaces of Cross-Sector Connectivity |
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|  | Love Out Loud Citywide Leaders Meetings Gather with fellow leaders in Winston-Salem at our monthly citywide leaders meetings. Connectivity across sectors is essential for lifting up meaningful work, sharing our resources, and collaborating with each other. All are welcome—whether you're a nonprofit or faith leader, business professional, civic organizer, or a passionate community member. Learn More & RSVP |
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 | Forsyth Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) The Forsyth IAF Sponsoring Committee is a non-partisan, multi-racial, multi-faith network comprising diverse civic institutions. Their primary focus is building a broad-based organization to address key issues of justice in our County, specifically housing, education, and mental health for all. Learn More |
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|  | Forsyth County Hispanic Resources Coalition The Hispanic Resource Coalition, sponsored by Legal Aid NC, is a monthly collaborative space for sharing events and organizational updates while coordinating actions to ensure our most vulnerable communities feel safe, informed, and prepared. Contact Us to Get Connected |
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 | Thriving Together Thriving Together is a collective effort that brings together organizations and individuals from various sectors to align efforts, share resources, and drive systemic change for a more thriving and inclusive community. Learn More Sign up for Updates |
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