"Fresh" theme began last fall

By Tom Ehrich

All last fall, the word "fresh" kept coming to mind.

Partly, from the negative zone. I found myself impatient with same-old church politics, same-old church arguments, same-old church problems.

I ended the year by writing an essay and newspaper column saying that "religion shouldn't be this hard." (Read it here: http://www.religionnews.com/2014/01/07/commentary-church-shouldnt-hard/)

Apparently, I touched a nerve. That column has drawn more responses, reprints, tweets and postings than anything I have written.

Mostly, the "fresh" theme grew out of positive desires for fresh words about faith, fresh ideas about faith community, fresh images and fresh music.

Out of that desire has come a new digital magazine called "Fresh Day." My talented colleague Yana Biryukova has created a design that is fresh and unique. (Check out the inaugural issue here: http://tllg.net/kw4E)

Now it is up to me to follow through on fresh words. It isn't easy. The stale comes so readily to mind. I sometimes catch myself mid-sentence and say, "No, that isn't what you want to be writing now."

Here's the Fresh Day web site: www.freshday.org

Here's the latest issue: http://tllg.net/kw4E