In much of the Press Forward Central PA region, Christian faith communities play a central civic role: often serving as key news sources through sermons, bulletin boards, and prayer walls. Their leaders navigate the challenge of guiding diverse congregations, fostering harmony through authenticity, understanding, and love.
The Colossian Forum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, “equips Christians to think, act, and lead more like Jesus in the midst of conflict in their families, communities, churches, and institutions.” One of their programs convened a group of twelve pastors representing the diversity of Grand Rapids’ Christian community as they sought to build trust and understanding across differences including gender, race, economics, theological perspective, and sexual orientation. That effort was documented in a recent film, Leap of Faith, by the award-winning filmmaker Nicholas Ma.
In Lancaster County, 47% of residents are affiliated with a faith tradition. Some churches in Lancaster are growing and some are shrinking, some reflect more homogeneity of race, culture or belief, some are more diverse – but all of them continue to be significant connection points in our community.
Pastors elevate trust building and solutions across difference in many ways. Pastor Jon Carlson of Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola preached a sermon series titled “All Together Now” in early 2025 that connected biblical and theological themes with the current polarized landscape many church attendees are facing.
Faith based efforts transcend churches and include efforts like CV Seeds that connect the Conestoga Valley community to housing, education and health services, often leveraging faith-based resources in partnership with public schools. The Together Initiative operates with the tagline “together for the common good” as they convenes churches, municipal and school district leaders for a collective impact approach to meeting needs in Pequea Valley.
Our neighborhoods, communities and even our churches are facing division and toxic polarization, and the status quo of politics, news and social media reinforce and strengthen those divides. Faith based efforts offer important and unique places where ideologically diverse groups of people can unite around shared purpose.