Weekly News
February 22, 2026
Rev. Rebecca’s Note - Black Theology
Maybe you hardly think about “theology,” and maybe you’ve never heard of Black theology. In our society, this isn’t abnormal, and yet it is continually impressed upon me that like many things in life, theology has consequences, as we’ve been seeing quite a bit clearly in recent years - particularly in 2026. The laws and other documents and policies that represent our hopes for our shared societal life together do not come out of nothing: they are in some sense the product of our worldviews, particularly of those who have and use their power to draft, edit, vote on, implement, and ensure compliance of them. And from where do our worldviews come? Neither do they come from nowhere: one of the most prominent, core, embedded sources of how we understand the world is by how we see and understand the world spiritually, and on how we see (or don’t see) God and all things divine as a part of it.
And so theology and what we believe about God (or no God) and our spirituality shapes how we see the world as a whole and how we act in the world. While theology has been an ongoing conversation for as long as humanity has been able to conceive of God and divinity as a whole, it has been within the last half-century or so that there has been particular intensity on naming and articulating the places and identities out of which we speak of our experiences of God through which we interpret the world around us. This has brought the term “contextual theology” into our lexicon, as particular groups of people have articulated theologies based on their particular identities and experiences.
One of those theologies is Black theology, a theology which has grown out of the lives and experiences of African American people and communities. While we are conversant with it and other contextual theologies throughout the entire year, as February is Black History Month it is particularly timely for us to lift up Black theology and learn more about how it came into being. While a complete history of Black theology is outside of the scope of this note, here are a few helpful articles to get us started, and I encourage you to join us for your Think+Pray+Act gathering on Feb 28 to watch the movie My Name is Pauli Murray, about this Black priest, lawyer, poet, and civil rights activist who has too often gone unheard.
While many people say that Black theology officially began in 1966, when the National Committee of Negro Churchmen published its “Black Power Statement” in the New York Times, its liberatory origins began when African people were enslaved and brought to America. And it continued on with Howard Thurman, particularly his book Jesus and the Disinherited, published in 1949, then with James Cone’s 1970 work, A Black Theology of Liberation.
With these watershed moments let’s also not forget womanist theology, the term of which came into use following the 1987 article by Delores Williams, “Black Theology and the Black Woman,” which, as Emilie Townes in her article “Womanist Theology” puts it, “a form of reflection that places the religious and moral perspectives of Black women at the center of its method. Issues of class, gender (including sex, sexism, sexuality, and sexual exploitation), and race are seen as theological problems.”
With all these things in mind, I hope and pray your Lent and Black History Month continue to have reflective moments on justice and what we can do together to be the Beloved Community.
- Rev. Rebecca
The Board’s Note - Next Online Group
Our Online Spiritual Group, The Four-Gospel Journey, will go on through Lent. You are welcome to join us anytime, for one or for all six. We will have a brief spiritual practice and a video of the author reflecting on an idea for us to discuss and reflect upon together.
| Join us on Sunday Nights at 6 pm For the Online Spiritual Group aboutThe Four-Gospel Journey Sign Up Here for the Link! |
In this series we consider these questions: how do we face change? How do we move through suffering? How do we receive joy? How do we mature in service? Spend some time with Alexander J Shaia as he uses the great map of the four Gospels, just as the Christians used, to guide us on the Christ journey - one of love, growth and transformation. See you online!
What’s Next
| Feb 22-28 | Daily Bible Reading Deuteronomy 21-22 - 33-34 |
| Sat, Feb 28, 12:30pm Think+Pray+Act, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL, 63118 | T+P+A Gathering lunch, worship, movie: My Name Is Pauli Murray |
| Sun, Mar 1, 2-4pm Tower Grove Park, Arsenal & Grand | Singing Resistance: Abolish ICESing in resistance for Enterprise to stop supporting ICE |
| Sun, Mar 1, 5-6:30pm Amen House, 4111 Connecticut St, StL 63116 | South City Youth Group meeting: ‘Chef’s Table’ of Lenten Practices Middle schoolers and high schoolers are invited to come enjoy fun activities and pizza |
| Sun, Mar 1, 6pm Online - sign up HERE | TPA Online Spiritual Group: The Four-Gospel Journey Join us as we journey through the 4 Gospels this Lent to guide us through a journey of love, growth, and transformation without the |
| Monday, March 9, 5pm | Center for Lived Faith and Organizing: Understanding Self-Interest Learn how identifying shared and individual self-interest strengthens organizing, leadership, and collective action |
| Tuesday, Mar 10, 5:30pm MCU Office | Ntosake StL Organizing and leadership workshop: brainstorming solutions together |
| Fri, March 13, 6:30pm Power Creative, 3221 Oak Hill Ave, StL | Open Mic Night with Compton Heights CC All are welcome to enjoy and perform! Bring your family, friends, and a talent to share! |
| Sat, March 14, 12:30pm Think+Pray+Act, 2725 S Jefferson Ave, StL, 63118 | T+P+A Gathering: Annual Meeting lunch, worship, and talking church business for the coming year |
| Sun, Mar 15, 5-6:30pm | South City Youth Group meeting: Stations of the Cross at St. Pius |
| Thurs, March 19, 6-8pm Online - REGISTER | Ntosake Online: Who’s Showing Up? With Grace Cajauit Introduces Bobbie Harro’s Cycle of Socialization - intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional - to examine how we are formed. Name the people and experiences that shape your lenses, deepen self-awareness, and clarify how they guide engagement in community organizing. |
| Fri, Mar 20, noon-4pm Online and in-person at 475 E Lockwood Ave, StL 63119 - REGISTER | Center for Lived Faith and Organizing: Organizers Think Tank on ICE and Immigration Which organizing strategies most faithfully align with our commitment to justice, liberation, and collective flourishing? |
| Sat, Mar 21, 9:30am-5pm First United Presbyterian Church, 2160 Delmar Ave., Granite City, IL 62040 - REGISTER | MCU/UCM/FCCG Training: Building Power Together Come learn how to move from issues to action that will transform your community! Lunch will be provided. |
South City Youth Group Meeting
Think+Pray+Act is part of the South City Youth Group for grades 6-12 with Compton Heights Christian Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, and Oak Hill Presbyterian Church! The youth group meets on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month - the next meeting is on March 1 from 5-6:30pm at Amen House at Oak Hill Presbyterian Church, 4111 Connecticut Ave, StL!
Singing Resistance StL
Singing - and especially singing together - is good for the soul and the community.
“Come join us, across ages, identities, and faith traditions unified in our demand for safe communities. We sing to abolish ICE. We will be singing songs of resistance to ICE in our city together, March 1, from 2-4pm (singing 2:30-3:30) at Tower Grove Park.”
Welcome to Think+Pray+Act! We are an open and affirming faith community that strives to maintain open and free theological learning as an act toward justice. We welcome all spirit seekers into full participation in the life and membership of the community. We actively and faithfully accept as they are people of every race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, relationship status, physical and mental ability, family type, and economic background.
We believe God calls us to do justice and love kindness, giving assistance and healing to others and the planet by following the teachings of Jesus. We promise to love our neighbors, respect differences, and build authentic relationships by learning who we are, taking just action, and breaking bread together. In our actions, God’s love moves and shines.
If you’re not on our email list and would like to be, please join us HERE
Have newsletter items? Please email them to [email protected] by Fridays at 4pm
We welcome your support via your presence in our community life, ideas and vision, and financial gifts via cash, check, Venmo, Paypal, or Cash App. Thank you very much for however you can be a part of Think+Pray+Act’s work to build and reveal the kindom of God!
© Think+Pray+Act
2725 S Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118
[email protected] / 314-690-1693
FB / IG / BlueSky: thinkprayact