The Amalgamation by Bruce Reyes-Chow

We Need an Intervention, Not a Birthday Party

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:35:41 GMT

"Happy Birthday America!" does not feel right.

When I think about a birthday party, I think of family and friends coming together to celebrate a person, to wish them well, and to show them that there is a community who loves and supports them.

Well, Bruce, why can't you do that for the good ol' U.S. of A? Why can't you celebrate the United States, wish it well, and show others that you're part of a community that loves and supports it? Why? Because the United States does not deserve or need a birthday party while it is stripping away civil rights, disappearing people, ravaging the environment, and keeping people poor.

We have all been to birthday parties in the past. They are filled with love, joy, and hopes for the future. Yes, they are also often seasoned with simmering beef between family members, unspoken slights, and the understanding that for one day, the person's flaws are overlooked, but they generally have a positive vibe. In the before times, sure, I could engage in a little escapism, overlook historic flaws and missteps, and join in for a good July 4th Birthday BBQ – but not this year.

You will not find me celebrating the 250th Birthday of the United States, because just like a family member who is making terrible choices that inflict violence, pain, and suffering on themselves and others, the United States does not need a party that glosses over its actions – the United States needs an intervention that confronts them.

While I assume most folks have been to a birthday party, I make no assumption that everyone has participated in an intervention or communal act of holding a loved one accountable. It is excruciating. There is an internal battle between wanting to loudly express rage at them, give up on them, or hug them so tightly that their pain could be released and all would be better in the world. I wish this experience upon no one, but sometimes because of the depth of our love and hope, there is no choice but to honestly and courageously confront our loved ones, or in this case and this year, the behavior of the United States.

Holding loved ones accountable does not diminish my love for them; rather, it is a necessary act that does the opposite: it shows the depth of the love, tenderness, and hope others have for them. Refusal to hold the United States accountable makes me an accomplice and would further normalize and reinforce its behavior. For many celebrations, I have no doubt that this is exactly the intent of many of this weekend's parties, fairs, and celebrations: "Look over here, have some cake, and watch some fireworks, but please do not look over there where we are harming our own citizens, abandoning global partners, choosing war, and ultimately tearing apart our very own soul. " I have written on this before, but like so many who have been challenging the negative effects of Americanism, I am grateful to be part of this country and I have high hopes and expectations for what we can be and become.

I admit that in the past I have allowed myself to overlook things I shouldn't have and participate in the occasional 4th shindig, but in this current political and cultural season, I cannot allow myself to take cover behind the privileges of my wealth, security, and social location. Of course, you do you, but on this Fourth of July, you will not find me celebrating the 250th birthday of our nation. The United States needs to be better before I can do so.

However you will spend your 4th of July, may you know peace,

Peace,

Faith Montage: Gathering as Misfits and Strangers #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:03:52 GMT

I offer this weekly #LetUsPray as a way to stay anchored amidst the turmoil of the day. Paid subscribers have access to liturgical resources and sermon prompts based on the week's readings from The Revised Common Lectionary and/or The Narrative Lectionary.

This week I continue with the next section of my Faith Montage from Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul. If you are interested in using slide versions, I am slowly litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage. Paid Subscribers have access to a PDF of the entire montage for personal or congregational use.

For you pastors out there, I don't know about you, but I generally dread preaching on July 4th. It has often been because many of the churches that I have served have sacrificed themselves at the altar of "let's just get along," or I simply was not brave enough to tackle Christian Nationalism and toxic patriotism.

This July 4th, you better believe that I am taking on both of those when I am in the pulpit. I'll expand in the worship resources section, but I am going to try and come at it from two directions: we critique because we want the best for things we love, and we are all closer to crossing the line of kindness to cruelty than we would like to admit.

But first, we continue working our way through my Faith Montage as we see how and why we gather as God's people. If you need a specific prayer addressing Christian Nationalism, here is one: For Those Fighting Christian Nationalism.

Gathering as Misfits and Strangers #LetUsPray

Let us pray —

By dirt roads and oceans vast, across concrete highways and infinite skies,
by coercion and by consequence, by circumstance, and by choice —
our journeys converge.

Ancestors and saints,
generations past,
generations of today,
and generations yet to come.

We arrive, we mingle, and we observe.

We step forward, we step back, we pause, we try again

We engage in a divine dance,
these bodies, the body,
all in a space that is God’s,

These bodies embody the depth and texture of the Divine,
seen and unseen,
known and unknown,
addressed and avoided.

These bodies are not always in control,
minds betraying,
bodies breaking down,
emotions in disarray,
mind, body, and spirit,
swirling, swirling, swirling.

Misfits and strangers uniquely gathered like no place other.
Gathered by love,
gathered to love,
gathered even when we are unable to love,
and gathered especially when we feel undeserving of love.

Woven together in moments momentary and lingering
to worship God,
to know what it is to belong,
to celebrate the jubilance of life,
to grieve when life is loss,
to lament and to confess,
to forgive and to be forgiven,
to worship, to pray, to march, to nap,
to argue, to ponder, to weep, to laugh,
to discern the mind of Christ and the will of God,
to love the other as the world would not want us to love
ourselves,
to affirm and proclaim that we belong to one another,
and in turn we belong to God.

— Amen.

Hoping that you experience belonging in many ways and in many places!

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 5, 2026

RCL Year A Readings (NRSV): Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 | Psalm 45:10-17 | Romans 7:15-25a | Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther) (CEB): Esther 7:1-10, 9:1-2, 20-22, 29-32 (From Sadness to Joy) Accompanying text: Luke 1:68-72 (God Saves [Biblical] Israel)

In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher (NL). Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution.

Podcast E90: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:56:15 GMT

Here is the trailer for Episode 90 of The Amalgamation Podcast — A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters.

This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In each episode, we discuss the future of the church, faith leaders and direction action, Christian Nationalism, ICE and Immigration, Christian Zionism, Artificial Intelligence, the debates about marriage, and more. You will also learn about the nerdiest parts of their lives, what they are watching, reading, or listening to, and each gets a chance to ask me one big question.

All four candidate interview episodes, along with background info and links, drop on Saturday, June 27, so be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean, or wherever you listen to podcasts. For immediate access to all four interviews and all future episodes, become a paid subscriber or take advantage of this 30-Day Trial Subscription.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Peters, a member of Homestead Presbytery and the pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Rebecca Luter, a member of the Presbytery of the Mid-South and the Pastor at Farmington Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Tennessee. They talk through how their partnership came together almost by accident, what it means to "stand" rather than run for office, and how they're each thinking about power, influence, and burnout as they enter a high-visibility two-year term. The conversation moves through some of the thorniest live questions in the denomination right now — Christian nationalism, immigration, the church's role in protest, AI in ministry — before closing out with a rapid-fire round on Enneagrams, Dave Matthews Band, and what's currently streaming in their living rooms.

Chris and Rebecca bring different temperaments (an Enneagram 7 and a 9, as they'll happily tell you) and different entry points into this calling, but a shared instinct toward transparency, gratitude, and staying grounded in the "roots" of congregational life. It's a candid, often funny, occasionally moving conversation with two people about to take on a job neither of them expected to want.

Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Rebecca Luter and Chris Peters.

Co-Moderator Candidacy Website: www.preparetoemerge.org/

The Amalgamation Podcast, paired with The Amalgamation Newsletter, focuses onsocial justice, pop culture, digital community, left-leaning faith, and more. With humor, with kindness and conviction, each episode shares passions and projects and invites the listener to join Bruce and his guests to co-conspire for good.

The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron.

Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to The Team.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast E89: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Co-Moderator Candidates Sean Chow and Frances Lin

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:54:18 GMT

Here is the trailer for Episode 89 of The Amalgamation Podcast — Co-Moderator Candidates Sean Chow and Fraces Lin

This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In this episode, I sit down with Sean Chow, Executive Director of the Presbytery of San Diego, and Francis Lin, Presbytery Leader in the Presbytery of Riverside — two mid-council leaders who want the church to lead with stories of resilience rather than anxiety about decline.

Sean and Francis come at their shared candidacy from different angles — a church planter who describes himself as a "nice introvert hiding under the radar," and a presbytery executive who will cheerfully tell you her primary calling is to bring the party in. Together they talk about the real anxiety running through denominational staff during restructuring, what a 20-person desert church in Westmoreland taught them about vital ministry, and why they believe theology has to outrank ideology every time. The conversation moves from communion at the U.S.-Mexico border to personal experiences of racial discrimination during COVID, from the consolidation of General Assembly bodies.

Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Frances Lin and Sean Chow.

Co-Moderator Candidacy Website: www.gods-abundance.com

The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron.

Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to The Team.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast E88: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:52:53 GMT

Here is the trailer for Episode 88 of The Amalgamation Podcast — A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers

This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In this episode, I sit down with co-moderator candidates Barbara Barkley and Bill Myers for a conversation that moves between mock town-hall questions and genuinely personal reflection on crossing political and racial divides, the role of protest in the church, immigration, AI in ministry, and what keeps two pastors from very different corners of the country (a Bay Area congregation and a small church in Charleston, West Virginia) on the same ticket. Along the way they trade origin stories, talk through where they disagree with denominational decisions, and somehow end up discussing Bill's audition for a community theater production of Mamma Mia.

It's a candid, often funny, occasionally moving look at two people asking to lead a divided denomination through a hard moment by staying at the table with them.

Barbara is a member of the Presbytery of San Francisco and is the Pastor of Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek, CA whose ministry centers on bridging political and racial divides, both within her own congregation and at the presbytery level.

Bill is a member of the Presbytery of West Virginia and the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, West Virginia, where his ministry has focused on community life with young people aging out of foster care and on lifting up the stories of overlooked rural congregations.

Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Bill Myers and Barbara Barkley

Co-Moderator Candidacy Website: www.firstpresby.com/general-presbyter-election

The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron.

Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to The Team.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast E87: A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Marta Pumroy-Cordero and Kris Schondelmeyer

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:50:54 GMT

Here is the trailer for Episode 87 of The Amalgamation Podcast — A Conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates Marta Pumroy-Cordero and Kris Schondelmeyer

This episode is part of a four-part Amalgamation Podcast series profiling the teams standing for co-moderator of the 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In this episode, I sit down with Kris Schondelmeyer, a member of the Presbytery of East Iowa and the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, Iowa, and Marta Pumroy-Cordero, a Ruling Elder in the Tres Rios Presbytery and the Border Ministry Coordinator for the Tres Rios Border Foundation.

Their partnership began with a dream Kris had on election night 2024, a phone call in January 2025, and a shared return to Revelation 22, "the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations", months before they learned that exact passage would become the assembly's theme. From there, the conversation opens into a wide-ranging town hall covering the limits of the moderator's office, immigration, Christian nationalism, AI in ministry, and the church's conversations on marriage and covenant. Closing with reflections on joy as resistance and a belief that the Spirit is still moving.

Thanks for spending time with The Amalgamation, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Co-Moderator Candidates: Kris Schondelmeyer and Marta Pumroy-Cordero.

Co-Moderator Candidacy Website: www.betheleaves.org

The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron.

Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to The Team.

Thanks for listening!

10 Questions to Ask About Your Church Website

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:34:44 GMT

Okay, for those of you who saw this post and reacted, "Are we STILL trying to figure this out?" I hear you. But I request that you tuck your smugness away for just a moment and remember that there is never a bad time to evaluate your website. And at the same time, yes, we are still talking about this, and sometimes I am still taken aback by the state of many churches' website presence.

But before we begin, let's begin with the prayer from the introduction of the 2012 no-award-winning, now-out-of-print eBook, The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church (Shookfoil Books). For those who remember when this came out, it was 14 friggin' years ago.

Lord's Prayer 2.0

Let us pray –

Our Tweeter,
which art on the Interwebs
retweeted be thy post.

Thy followers come, thy links be done,
on Instagram as they are on Pinterest.

Give us this day our daily tweet and
forgive us our spam as
we forgive those who forward spam to us.

Lead us not into oversharing,
but deliver us from phishers.

For thine is the homepage
and the sticky site
and the blog post.
For 140 characters.

– Amen.

Okay, now that we have taken care of the cringey part of the show, let's talk about church websites.

Over the years, as I work with congregations on a variety of topics, one consistent question is, "How do we attract young families?" That question is often followed by some version of, "How do we use technology to attract young families?" The question of attracting and connecting with young families requires its own post, but let me say that I am adamant that starting with tactical questions doom churches to ongoing grief, frustration, and desperation. That said, because websites are the primary way folks will find, learn about, and verify information about a congregation, one area of technology that should be addressed right away is the website.

But Bruce, all the kool kidz are on the TikToks. Hate to harsh most of your mellows, but save a very few who have organically tapped into a particular demographic, pursuing the TikToks of the world is a fool's errand. I know we would like to believe that building a robust social media presence is where churches should focus their energy, but the reality is that most congregations lack the capacity, commitment, or expertise to create, populate, and maintain one.

What every church has the capacity to have, however, is an effective website. I sometimes get asked to do a quick assessment of a church's website, which mostly involves slapping on my church-shopping glasses followed by a conversation with church leadership. As I assess a website's effectiveness, I view it through the following 10 lenses. I ask these questions and posit these opinions based on 20+ years of conversations about digital ministry and church growth, my family's personal church-shopping experience, and far too many episodes of frustration with church websites.

These questions are offered in a loose order of importance and are nowhere near exhaustive. Each of these questions is worthy of a dedicated post, but instead I am going with trenchant and conversation-instigating. Here we go...

1) Who is it for: inquiring visitors or current participants?

I start here because the answer to this will determine most of what comes next. And yes, I believe that there is a right answer: 99.9% of church websites should be centered on inquiring visitors.

I understand the urge to believe that current participants and members are diligent and disciplined about visiting the church website, but in my observations, this is not the case. They may visit it on occasion to check on event logistics, but for very little else. Poll your folks to find out, and after they let you know how little they visit the site, proceed to centering your website on inquiring visitors.

Now, some of you may be part of the .01% of churches that have the capacity, expertise, and a compelling reason to encourage members to use the website. That is great, but you can still center the overall website experience on new people by including a discreet "MEMBERS" button that leads to password-protected content. Before investing a ton of energy in a members-only portal, be realistic about how likely members are to use it.

Most church website traffic will come from people looking for a church to visit, trying to find its location, or verifying what others have said about the church. By clearly understanding who will be viewing it, energy and resources can be directed more effectively. It is with the understanding that most websites should center on inquiring visitors that I offer and respond to the rest of these questions.

2) Is it realistic or aspirational?

I have written about this in greater depth before, but this is the most important question. Does your website tell the truth about what folks will experience if they choose to attend worship or an event, or does it lie to them? When I look at many websites, I often notice two well-intentioned yet problematic issues: what the community looks like and how the website is designed.

First, images of the congregation on a website often show what it HOPES to look like every day, when in reality, on any given Sunday, it looks very different. There is nothing wrong with hoping that every Sunday looks like Easter Sunday or Christmas Eve, but by sharing outlier images without explanation, the church communicates, "This is who you will see!" if they show up. When visitors show up, and the community looks nothing like what the website led them to believe, the message sent is, "They lied to me."

Secondly, the design should align with the community's cultural and technological realities. Color me cynical, but I am always a little suspicious of church websites that are too well done. If a website communicates a high-level design or technological vibe that is out of sync with the church's actual design or technological acuity, when visitors show up, the message is again, "They lied to me."

To be clear, churches can and must have effective, well-designed websites, but they must ensure that, as they try to make a good impression, their websites reflect who the congregation really is. AKA "Don't lie!"

3) Does it answer all the questions for a first-time visitor?

While I chastized the smug at the beginning of this post, if the website does not have clear information for potential first-time visitors, why bother having a website in the first place? Okay, that was smug; I apologize. At a bare minimum, the following information should be clearly visible: its location, current dates & times, parking options, and expectations regarding children, level of formality, and important ideological and theological perspectives (more on that later).

4) What information does it provide: what visitors want to know or what you think they should want to know?

Too many websites are simply overloaded with information that no one wants to know. Okay, not no one, but my guess is not many visitors. Very few visitors are going to go through multiple clicks to read long descriptions about programs or even longer sharing of theological positions. Churches put a lot of energy into those things, so I understand the urge to want to believe that other folks care just as deeply, but they do not. These are not the questions that first-time visitors will focus most of their time on, so sure, include some basic information for those who may want to know, but do not make these elements the focus.

5) Is your website cared for and current?

We all know this, but it bears saying over and over again, "Make sure dates and times are current and correct." When it comes to dates, if you are unable to embed an automatically updated calendar (eg the bottom of my speaking page) you can highlight past events, but make sure that it does not appear that there is an absence of activity OR the last thing that happened was six months ago. One way to reduce the need to constantly update event details: don't include dates for events other than one-offs. Something like "Small groups happen on Thursdays at 7:00" followed by, "For more information contact name@emailaddress.net." communicates current activity and needs no updates unless the date or time changes.

One plea, because I have run into this more than once, is to make sure your worship service information is correct. I have come across websites that still list COVID worship information, as well as websites with incorrect times. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to attend a church and either not knowing how or showing up at the wrong time.

Definitive-ish...is no longer available for download. After a quick skim, it is a wee bit out-of-date, but some info has aged okay. If you're a Paid Subscriber and want to take a walk down digital ministry lane, you can download a PDF at the end of this post.

30 Day Trial Subscription

6) Is your website clear about its cultural stances?

In a day when Christian Nationalism has such a national profile, churches that choose to remain silent are making a pretty loud statement. While I have never been a "we don't want to be political" apologist, it is irresponsible not to let folks know a little bit about what will be taught, preached, etc or not.

To be clear, I am not talking about statements like, "You must be a member of the Democratic Socialist Party" or "God only welcomes people who believe exactly what we do." What I am talking about is giving a clue to the ideological realities of the community even if it is, "We have a diversity of political beliefs here, but . . ."

That said, in light of the 2026 political context, clearly stating where the community stands on Christian Nationalism, Sexual Orientation, Reproductive Justice, Immigration, War, Gun Violence, Gender, Christian Zionism, Accessibility, etc. will help folks discern whether a particular community is one where they would feel welcome AND comfortable.

Many would label this kind of content as "virtue signaling" and see it as an insult. Hate to disappoint, but I believe that signaling a community's virtues, beliefs, and behaviors is a sign of integrity and a valued virtue in itself. If new people are looking for a church to visit, they should be made aware of what they or their loved ones will be exposed to should they decide to show up.

7) Does your website make LGBTQIA+ people guess about their welcome and safety?

One crucial value to state is whether or not the community is open and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people. Because so much physical violence, spiritual abuse, and emotional trauma has been inflicted on the LGBTQIA+ community, churches should not make folks have to guess whether or not they or their loved ones would be safe. Too many churches who see themselves as progressive, liberal, open, and/or affirming hold the belief that people will just know. This is a delusion. Without telling and showing, visitors will not "just know." No matter where the community stands: "Anti-LGBTQIA+, "Don't ask, Don't tell," or full-throated affirmation, clearly state it. This goes especially for communities that want to provide a safe, caring, and affirming space; if you want people to know they are welcome, don't make them guess.

Special note to "conservative" church communities: If you are here, welcome! If your community is not affirming or is a "love the sinner, hate the sin" community, please say so. LGBTQIA+ folks may still choose to be part of your community, but at least be honest and upfront about how they are viewed.

Special note to historic "progressive" church communities: Please check your statements about inclusion. While your statements about LGBTQIA+ folks may have been radical 5, 10, or 20 years ago, in some parts of the country those statements may no longer be perceived in the same way. If you still want to occupy that more radical space, it may be time to discern what that space is and whether or not you still belong there.

8) Will someone respond to contact and connection information on your website?

One of the decisions that has me mad is which contact information will be included. The primary one is whether your staff and leadership have their email addresses listed or use a generic contact form. There is no right or wrong on this, but whatever is decided, two things are vital: correct information and response to legitimate emails/contacts. If no one will be available to respond to a visitor's question about Sunday on Saturday, include something like, "Please allow 24 hours for someone to respond."

The biggest offender, however, is the placement of social media platforms on a church's website. For most websites, social media icons are window dressing placed there either because the website theme allows them or because someone has told the church they have to be on X social media platform. This concern is an extension of my plea for the vibe to be honest about the community's digital and technological capacity. If folks see that a website includes icons for Facebook, Instagram, X, etc., they assume the church is proficient with these platforms. Of course, it is fine if a church is not all that active on the socials and sporadically checks messages, but just say so. Being honest goes a long way toward communicating the community's truth-telling culture.

9) Does your website have too many words?

For most church websites, the answer is "yes," even for those who probably believe the answer is "no." Sure, people may want to resist trends about how much people read or how long their attention spans are, but the church website is not the place for that battle. Be economical with words and be realistic about how much people will read. After clear and concise visitor information on the home page, don't use more than a few sentences for any secondary information. Some other pages, especially for that .01% who wants to dive deep, deserve lengthier treatment, but not many.

I would consider secondary information things like pages for staff & leadership, programs & ministries, and the aforementioned virtue statements. One level down would be a page on the history of the church and . . . well, that's about all I think folks may want to know and would be willing to read.

10) Is your website too much?

I saved this one for last because I think the design and look of a website are where churches often get into trouble, especially if the design is done by someone who is not familiar with graphic design, website architecture, or the website platform being used. Yes, OF COURSE, I value volunteers, and I know not all churches can hire someone to design their sites. That said, not having a professional designer does not mean that your website has to look like it.

The first giveaway is the lack of an obvious style guide. Style guides keep consistent elements like font usage, color schemes, and image appearance. Yes, most platforms take care of this for you, but any volunteer with WordPress and a little HTML knowledge might get in there and tinker around too much. The last thing you want is for the look to be an obstacle to folks reading the content, so as a rule, don't use more than three colors, two fonts, and make sure that all page and post formats are consistent with one another.

The second giveaway is that there are too many extra things on the site. Websites with a bunch of things going on in the sidebars or the home page can be distracting. To quote the wise Uncle Ben, "With great power comes great responsibility" AKA just because you CAN have videos autoplay, dancing gifs, or the latest feature, does not mean you should.

BONUS: A word about hiring a website designer.

There are some solid church design websites, but before a church just goes out and hires someone, please answer some of these questions:

What are the costs for the initial design and for any upkeep? I have seen many churches inadvertently and unnecessarily sign agreements that include services that are rarely, if ever, needed.
Can the church update certain elements? This goes to the question about costs for updating.
Does the designer understand church culture? Some designers have simply pivoted to churches and another revenue stream. Small churches, or those without the technological expertise, are particularly susceptible to this. Be sure to see examples of other church websites.
Who owns and has access to host and domain? It is vital that the church owns the domain name AND is the owner or administrator for the host. Should anything happen to the designer, a church does not want to be locked out of the website because it does not actually own it. I've seen it happen and it is a pain in the patootie.
Will they design for different browsers and devices? This is pretty standard at this point, but be sure to confirm that the website is mobile-friendly.
Will they handle Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? This is a little under the hood, but an important part of getting a church to show up on searches.

At the end of the day, websites have overall been improving in both look, content, and general vibe. I hope the questions that I pose above will give church websites more depth, texture, and ultimately more impact. If there are more questions, responses, or insights that you would like to share, see you in the comment section.

Peace,

Faith Montage: Beautiful and Complicated Creatures #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:19:15 GMT

I'm back. Sorry about missing last week. The past 10-ish days have been all about getting settled into my SoCal housing and riding a steep learning curve for worship planning. It has been energizing, but a lot.

For those outside the church, I am currently serving as a p/t Transitional Pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, CA. I'll be here for a year-ish helping the community move towards calling a new permanent pastor. When someone like me arrives, there are always folks want things to happen and for me to quickly get to it. Perfectly natural, but whenever I arrive somewhere tasked with some particular tasks, I remind myself not to jump in before I know the people. Getting to know folks before entering any change conversation seems pretty basic, but the tyranny of the urgent makes jumping right in quite attractive.

With this in mind, it seems only fitting that we enter the section of the Faith Montage that speaks the complexity and beauty of God's GATHERED.

Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray

Let us pray —

Created in the image of God,
I choose to join with others as God’s GATHERED.

We are the body gathered,
beautiful, powerful, holy bodies.

These bodies are of all shapes, sizes, abilities, and hues.
These bodies move through the world
loving and loved,
desiring and desired,
healing and healed.

These bodies hold tightly and tenderly the complexities of being:
attractions, peeves, passions, scars, successes, traumas, triggers,
desires, rejections, revelry, heartbreak, intentions, rage, rapture,
miscues, magnificence, contradictions, courage, determination,
discombobulation, dwelling, doubt.

Beautiful and complicated creatures seeking and being sought,
committed and compelled humans navigating the complexities of the world,
and people loved beyond our imagination by the One who beckons us forth.

— Amen.

Again, thanks for stopping in one more time. I appreciate you!

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 21, 2026

RCL Year A Readings (NRSV): Genesis 21:8-21 | Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 | Romans 6:1b-11 | Matthew 10:24-39
NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther) (CEB): Ruth 4:1-22 (New Life) Accompanying text: Luke 1:46-55 (Mary Praises God)

If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a Gift Subscription.

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Standing Firm When Hubris, Saviorism, and Greed Converge

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:23:20 GMT

It feels like every conversation I have had or note I have sent over the past few years has begun with some version of "Despite the weight of the world, I hope you are finding joy." I do this because I do not want to normalize the struggles of the world around us, nor do I want any of us to allow the world's suffering to define our entire existence or our experience of it.

It is a lot to ask of ourselves, I know. It is exhausting to simultaneously seek joy, resist the normalization of cruelty, and accomplish everyday tasks that keep our lives moving forward. I am right there with you. And yet, one act of resistance against what is being inflicted upon society by the current presidential administration is to refuse to do what they want: to turn on another.

I thought about this as I stood in line at the Post Office this morning. The branch was supposed to open at 9:00, and at 8:55 there were three of us in the queue (apparently I'm English now). At 9:05, a few more joined the line, and at 9:10, a few more joined, and the grumbling began. At 9:15, the muttering increased in volume and frequency, until someone started pounding on the door in hopes of getting someone's attention. At 9:20, a few folks left in exasperation, some with colorful commentary spoken into the abyss. And then at 9:30, a counter person showed up. She thanked us for our patience, and the line of about 20 people was let in.

Yes, I was a little frustrated by the whole thing and might have had to leave if I had other commitments, but mostly all I could think of was how the Post Office has been enduring endless attacks on its very existence. Because this administration does not value the Post Office as worthy of federal support and expects it to be profitable, post offices in rural communities will close, postage is being increased, retirement contributions are being paused, and there is a self-inflicted staffing shortage.

I have no idea why the worker was late, but that doesn't matter to me. The Postal System and the workers are being set up to fail. While the worker was apologetic for being late and was efficient with all of the customers, can you imagine what it would be like to work under this kind of national microscope? If your job is no longer seen as a needed service and worthy of federal support, what is the motivation? Having a good work ethic and pride in a job well done only goes so far when you are being asked to do more with less and witnessing your own government buy into the myth that privatization is the solution.

FTR, I see the Post Office, like public education and universal healthcare, as a service for the people and should not be measured by its annual bottom line. Our government seems willing to find billions of dollars for wars of choice, gaudy ballrooms, and retaliation slush funds, so this is not about financial prudence for the people, but about prioritizing and consolidating wealth for the rich.

But back to this morning's events. What was experienced here was the convergence of hubris, saviorism, and greed, disguised as fiscal responsibility. First, this President and his administration believe that if they declare the Postal Service no longer worthy of support because of its inefficiency, it should be taken as fact, and all actions should be based on this new "truth." As planned, this creates conflict, confusion, and chaos that leads to the deterioration of services and morale – which reinforces their point. Then, when the chaos and turmoil erupt and begin to impact the public, they step in and offer "reasonable and responsible" solutions to a situation they created in the first place – all the while gaslighting anyone who calls them out. And lo and behold, those solutions benefit those who are poised to become even wealthier at the expense of those who rely on the US Postal Service for services beyond mail delivery.

And yes, I did have enough time to actually think about that this morning while waiting in line – 30 minutes, in fact. When the wait was over, and it was my turn, I approached the counter with openness and empathy. Thankfully, I was not the only one who chose a path of understanding. Since most of the really frustrated folks left, there was almost a "don't worry, this environment has got to suck" vibe from more than a few. I choose to believe folks understood the contextual complexity of the situation, found the courage not to lash out in frustration, and chose kindness as an acknowledgment of what another human must be going through.

While this was not a huge public act of resistance, it was a moment when a group of people somehow chose a different path – and, as cheesy as it may sound, many small acts of resistance can add up to outright revolution. If you were in line this morning at the Catalina USPS, thank you for doing your part.

For the rest of you rabblerousers, don't miss your chance to do likewise, whether at the Post Office, the DMV, or at the barricades.

Peace,

** While I know that no one was waiting on bated breath for my next think piece, thank you for your patience with my lack of content these past months. Honestly, as I think back over the past few months, my lack of production has been a combination of not believing I have anything helpful or new to offer and the reality that I've been swimming in a swirling pool of self-inflicted and welcomed celebrations and transitions. No complaints, just where I have been. But . . . with one kid married, one kid moved, my last book project nearly complete, and my settling in at the new church, I have cleared some writing space and will share more to honor your support.

Faith Montage: Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:40:57 GMT

Looks like summer has begun. As I reflect on my transition to Pasadena Presbyterian Church, plan family vacations, and engage in "normal" life activities, the weight of the world continues to tug at my soul. I share this not to shame or guilt, but to simply acknowledge how easy it is for us to normalize life when others are suffering. As I reflect on the many privileges afforded to me and my family, I continue to center my life on "the work" to make this possible for all people.

A stark reminder is this note from our friends in Gaza.

[6/1, 12:36 PM]: Hello Robin, Bruce and their family
[6/1, 12:36 PM]: How are you all
[6/1, 12:39 PM]: This period is very bad. Life is tense, and there is indiscriminate bombing everywhere. We have had the worst Eid al-Adha ever. There is no joy, no Eid gifts, no sacrifice. There are no signs of happiness or celebration for the holiday. Where I live, there are frequent evacuations, destruction, and killing.

Our family does what we can to help financially, and we certainly lift our friends up in prayer, but we also vote and act in ways that we hope will make a difference in their lives. And this is yet only one family who happened to connect with us two years ago. It is overwhelming, and sometimes paralyzing, to think of so many who are suffering in isolation.

So today, I commit again to keep at it. And this week's section of my Faith Montage grounds me in that work. This week's sections: what it means to be GROUNDED in the presence of God.

Grounded in the Presence of God #LetUsPray

Let us pray —

I am GROUNDED in the presence of God.
God knows me.
God sees me.
God loves me.
And that is enough.

God is with me.
God has been with me.
God will always be with me.

during protests, parties, feasts, and funerals,

at coffee shops, clubs, stages, pitches, courts, corners, classrooms, playgrounds, porches, barbershops, dining tables, couches, screens, and every unexpected holy space:

Through and in it all, God is known to my soul,
and I am reminded that I am known by God.

— Amen.

Thanks for hanging out here. You will notice that I added a section to the liturgical resources. I am having the church read through the Belhar Confession over the summer, so I have included that Affirmation of Faith. Also, I may be posting this note on Wednesdays at noon-ish from now on, as my workflow is shifting. We shall see.

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 7, 2026

RCL Year A Readings (NRSV): Genesis 12:1-9 and Psalm 33:1-12 | Hosea 5:15-6:6 and Psalm 50:7-15 | Romans 4:13-25 | Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
NL Summer Readings (Ruth & Esther) (CEB): Ruth 2:1-23 (Gleaning and Hope) and Luke 6:36-38 (Give and It Will Be Given)

If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a Gift Subscription.

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Faith Montage: I am Known by God #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:16:09 GMT

How is it almost June?

I was having a conversation with someone this week about activism, faith, and the church. We talked about the need for our actions to be rooted in and grounded in an understanding of our faith. Elements of our faith will shift and change over time, but for people of faith, we will make the strongest impact if our actions and our activities are rooted in our beliefs.

Yes, this seems pretty basic, but I have found that when I am feeling a little bit off-kilter, I need to stop, take a breath, and ask myself why I am doing what I am doing. Maybe the disorientation is justified, but sometimes it becomes clear that I have bought into motivations that are not worthy of my energy, time, or resources. That feeling inside is the Spirit poking and prodding to check myself.

This conversation, combined with the reality that there is a month of self-inflicted chaos ahead of me with our family Bay Area move and my move to Pasadena to start my time as the p/t Transitional Pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

What I am going to do is to share my "Statement of Faith," or as I titled it in Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith, my "Faith Montage." I am sure you will not agree with everything, but I hope some of these passages will speak to your soul.

If you're interested, I am in the process of litanizing (Is that even a word?) the entire montage and creating slides for folks to use. Also, if you are a Paid Subscriber, you can get a PDF of the entire montage (See below) for personal or congregational use.

I begin with the belief that, in life and in death, I belong to God.

I am Known by God #LetUsPray

Let us pray —

I choose to believe that, in life and in death, I belong to God.
God stirs my soul.

In the morning, life-giving first breath fills my lungs.
God stills my spirit.

In the evening, the calm of the night flows through my body.
God moves me.

The Holy One beckons me forth,
through bands of light,
into coves of darkness,
woven into rainbows,
and amid the in-between and unknown—

All the while, with every tender breath,
I am reminded of God’s hoping, yearning, and dreaming
that I grow into all I am intended to become.

I am GROUNDED in the presence of God.

God knows me.
God sees me.
God loves me.
And that is enough.

God is with me.
God has been with me.
God will always be with me.

Through crawling minutes and blurred decades,
mundane whispers and shouts of magnificence,
awkward encounters and an impassioned embrace,
brisk breezes, warm skies, cool fog, living deserts, flourishing forests, living water,
the farm, the field, the town, the suburb, the streets, and the city,
during protests, parties, feasts, and funerals,
at coffee shops, clubs, stages, pitches, courts, corners, classrooms, playgrounds, porches, barbershops, dining tables, couches, screens, and every unexpected holy space:

Through and in it all, God is known to my soul,
and I am reminded that I am known by God.

— Amen.

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, May 31, 2026

RCL Year A Readings (NRSV): 1 Samuel 2:1-10 | Psalm 113 | Romans 12:9-16b | Luke 1:39-57
NL Readings (Ruth & Esther) (CEB): Ruth 1:1-22 (Loss and Loyalty) Accompanying text: Matthew 5:3-9 (The Beatitudes)

If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a Gift Subscription.

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When Hatred and Gun Violence Collide #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 21 May 2026 12:53:54 GMT

Antisemitism, Islamophobia, conflating Judaism with Israel, and the rise in anti-Muslim hate speech by public leaders have led to too many deaths, grief, rage, and trauma — that will take generations to heal.

This week, there was another shooting reportedly driven by white supremacist ideology. Just another day of gun violence in America. It seems society, as a whole, has become numb to the bloodshed and has resigned itself to the idea that our addiction to guns and the epidemic of gun violence are normal and unavoidable.

I get it, being overwhelmed by the number of issues confronting society today, but we must not become more indifferent to gun violence — the terror it causes, the grief it creates, or the retribution it generates. We must not normalize young people filled with hate, students being traumatized at school, or the growing rollcall of heroes who give up their lives protecting others. Instead, we must continue to raise our collective voices and act in ways that say there is a different way of living in a world of conflict and confrontation. We must keep working to change the political will of our public servants as well as our cultural connection to guns.

For those who continue to scream this from the mountaintops, thank you, and please don't stop.

The following prayer is one I submitted for the project, How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence (Code BRC for 20% off). The number of instances of hatred being lived out through gun violence can be paralyzing and overwhelming, so if you need a prayer, I hope this prayer helps...

When Hatred and Gun Violence Collide #LetUsPray

let us pray —

god of every hue and every human,
gun violence, fueled by hate, is not your will.

the depth of our sorrow cannot be measured
as groans of grief vibrate in our bones
and the needless loss of life surpasses understanding

but what can we expect when we live in
a culture that justifies hatred
because of who one worships
because of who one loves
because of where one was born
because of what one looks like
because of what one does
because of one’s passions
because of one’s politics
because of how one simply moves through the world

. . . and, god, often this hatred is sown in your holy name.

and what can we expect when guns are so deeply embedded
in our culture when guns are gamified without discretion
when guns are glorified as tools of power
when our response to gun violence is more guns
when gun profit has more power than human potential
when guns are too easy to get
when global siblings have shown us a different way
when we have lost our ability to embody nuance, embrace sensibility, and mine wisdom.
when it feels like we have thrown up our hands and given up.

god, we have lost our way.

and yet, god, you have greater expectations for us
you expect us to choose a path of life over death
to choose possibility over profit
to choose acceptance over exclusion
to choose grace over retribution
to choose discernment over disregard
to think
to pray
to act
and above all
to choose love over hate.

for these things we pray — amen.

For those of us who have been personally touched by gun violence, whenever these things happen, feelings and memories come flooding back. If that is you, you are seen and held by many in the same way I am sure see and hold others.

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

The Day of Pentecost, May 24, 2026

If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others by purchasing a Gift Subscription.

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Beverages with Bruce: walo

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:51:01 GMT

walo = "eight" in Tagalog

It's been a minute, but I'm back. The past few months' activities have been a wee bit overwhelming with a wedding, an unexpected church gig, and our moving extravaganza 2026 — all good and self-inflicted.

Here are the public cliffsnotes with more details, photos, and chismis for Paid Subscribers to follow. In no particular order...

Bruce's Beverage: Because corporate Philz decided to drop all pride flags (eventually reconsidering), I have not had Philz in quite a while.
One Wedding: Eldest got married in April. We danced, we ate, we cried, we laughed. It was lovely. We are so happy for and proud of them.
Gun Violence Prayerbook: The prayerbook has been released. I've shared a few here, but if you want to get copies, buy them here and use promo code, "BRC" to get 20% off.
PPPP Book Update: The big edit for Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ and the accompanying Advent devotional, Possibility, have been submitted.
RCP Family Moving Saga: Completely self-inflicted, we are in stage two of three in our move. We should land in our permanent-ish location by the end of the month.
Middle's Adventure: Middle is moving to New York, so I am squeezing as much time in between now and the time they leave as I can 🥹
Speaking of Adventures: June 1, I begin a part-time Transitional Pastor position at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. If you are in the area . . .
Canceled: Sadly, the folks at Sabeel and I decided to cancel the Educators, Librarians, and Archivists Solidarity Delegation to Palestine that I was planning to lead in July.
Bridge Pastorate: Not planning much before I head to Pasadena, I just wrapped up a quick Bridge Pastorate at the Presbyterian Church in Burlingame. My resume is going to look like I cannot hold a job.
The Pod: The Amalgamation Podcast is really having a glow up now that I have brought on a Producer and Editor. If you have not subscribed, you can find it wherever you listen.
Apple No More: With my Mac showing its age and the GoogleBook on the horizon, I am making this switch back to a Chromebook. My refurbished Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 arrives any day now, and once it goes into the backpack, I will be apple-free.
Sight and Sounds: Our recent binges have been Douglas is Canceled and Hope Street on Britbox. I have also got back into K-Drama with Undercover Mi$$ Hong. Bruno Mars's newest album, The Romantic, and my Love's In the Melody Radio Playlist are repeat.

Podcast E86: A Conversation with Oliver Ma, Candidate for CA Lt. Governor

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Fri, 15 May 2026 12:06:54 GMT

Here is the trailer for Episode 86 of The Amalgamation Podcast — A Conversation with Oliver Ma, Candidate for CA Lt. Governor

Full transparency, our family is supporting Oliver with our social juice and our financial resources. If you like what you hear and read, please join us and give some $$ to the campaign!

Join our Team

Because election day is so close, we are releasing the both the trailer and full episode this weekend, so be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. To gain immediate access to today's episode and for early access to all future episodes, become a paid subscriber.

About Oliver:

Oliver Ma is a Civil Rights Lawyer and Democratic Socialist running for California Lieutenant Governor. Growing up in an immigrant family in Southern California, one of his most formative memories is his grandma getting racially profiled and almost sent to an immigration detention center. He learned then that justice and change is something you have to fight for. So, to fight for his families, he went to UC Berkeley for his undergrad, and Harvard where he studied to become a lawyer. Since then, he has fought for working people in and out of the courtroom, representing families against their slumlords, training thousands of volunteers to fight ICE, and litigating lawsuits to stop illegal immigration raids in California.

Connect to the Campaign:

Connect with Oliver on the Socials

The Amalgamation Podcast is hosted by Bruce Reyes-Chow, produced by Emmie Hix, edited by Dessiree McFarland, with music by Merissa Magdael-Lauron.

Show ideas and inquiries can be sent to The Team.

Thanks for listening!

For When We Leave #LetUsPray

Bruce Reyes-Chow — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:48:51 GMT

Apologies for taking last week off. I have been finishing up my time as the p/t Bridge Pastor at Burlingame Presbyterian Church, and it has been a wild ride with these lovely folks. I now get a few weeks' break, then head down to Pasadena Presbyterian Church to serve as their p/t Transitional Pastor.

For those who do not track my every pastoral move, I occasionally take on a short-term, part-time Bridge Pastor role. I am usually asked to pastor a church through some kind of conflict or transition that requires some pastoral tending. This has also meant that, over the years, I have had to say goodbye quite a bit.

For those going through some kind of transition (good or not-so-good) that requires leaving a place of work, worship, or anywhere you have developed relationships, this prayer is for you.

For those interested, here is my farewell sermon at Burlingame Presbyterian.

For When We Leave #LetUsPray

let us pray —

god, as i leave this place
let me leave with grace
let me leave with generosity
and let me leave with wisdom

with the grace you offer
allow me to release responsibilities i no longer carry
allow me to let go of resentment that may never be resolved
and allow me to move into what is next, unburdened by what was

with the generosity you grant
make known the places where I have grown here
make known the depth of relationships that i leave behind
and make known to others the gratitude i have for them

with the wisdom you instill
grant me the foresight to take time to breathe
grant me the courage to reflect from deep within
and grant me the discipline to leave well

for these things we pray — amen.

One of the most important words of counsel that I have ever received is this: "The strength of your legacy is determined by how you leave." As I have worked with departing pastors and have gone through this myself with varying degrees of success, these are good words to hold onto during any time of leaving.

Peace,

PS: If anyone already had this Hamilton diddy ringing in your ears . . .

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 17, 2026

RCL Year A Readings (NRSV): Acts 1:6-14 | Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 | John 17:1-11
NL442 Readings (CEB): Philippians 2:1-13 (CEB)

For prayers that address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, purchase a copy of How Long, Oh Lord?: A Prayerbook Concerning Gun Violence and use promo code “BRC” for 20% off.

Purchase How Long, Oh Lord

If you find this weekly prayer, liturgy, or any other aspects of The Amalgamation meaningful, I would not hate it if you shared the joy with others through giving Gift Subscription or purchasing a Group Subscription.