Life Practices

“The Quilt We Make Together”

The Quilt We Make Together by Dwight J. Friesen No single squareever calls itself the quilt.It arrives offering what only it canits own beautiful history—a worn sleeve,a child’s Sunday dress,a farmer’s shirt softenedby seasons of weather and work.On their ownthey

Dwight J. Friesen July 7, 2026July 7, 2026

“Harmony”

Harmony by Dwight J. Friesen The world keeps asking for a single note.One flag lifted above every other.One story told loud enoughto drown out the rest.One certainty.One tribe.One voice.Yet every spring, the forest declines.The cedar does not become fern.The river

Dwight J. Friesen July 1, 2026June 29, 2026

Thank You, Albany

There are some weekends that leave you tired. And there are weekends that leave you grateful. This was one of the latter. My sincere thanks to the beautiful people of Albany, OR and the community of Albany Mennonite Church for

Dwight J. Friesen June 29, 2026June 29, 2026

Faith, Love, & Hope in the Futures Triangle

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13 As I continue to engage conversations about cities, communities, leadership, ecological flourishing, and the future of faith, I find myself

Dwight J. Friesen June 23, 2026June 27, 2026

Soul of the City

One of the most compelling descriptions of Christian identity outside the New Testament comes from an anonymous second-century letter known as The Epistle to Diognetus. Written sometime in the second century, the letter seeks to answer a simple question: Who

Dwight J. Friesen June 22, 2026June 27, 2026

“Breathwork”

Breathwork by Dwight J. Friesen Before you learned the names of things,before you called anything sacredor ordinary,you were breathing.The first sermonwas not spoken,it entered your lungs.Each inhale:receiving what you did not create.Each exhale:returning what was never yours to keep.The trees

Dwight J. Friesen June 17, 2026June 17, 2026

WUF13 . Faith Pavilion Call to Action

As conversations from the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum continue to ripple outward, we are witnessing a growing global recognition that housing is far more than infrastructure or economics. Housing is about dignity, belonging, safety, community, resilience, and

Dwight J. Friesen May 26, 2026June 3, 2026

Thank You Baku & WUF13

The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan felt like one of those moments when new possibilities were opening up. Over the course of WUF13, more than 53,000 participants from 176 countries gathered under the theme “Housing

Dwight J. Friesen May 23, 2026May 23, 2026

Free Download from Faith for Cities

Participants gathering at World Urban Forum 13 know that the future of our cities will require more than policy, infrastructure, and technology alone. Sustainable urban futures also require meaning, moral imagination, community trust, and shared purpose. This is where faith

Dwight J. Friesen May 7, 2026May 8, 2026

Thanks . Chicago, Little Village, & Lovers of Place

This year’s Inhabit Conference 2026, hosted by Lawndale Christian Community Church on Chicago’s West Side, felt less like a conference and more like a homecoming—an embodied reminder of what it means to live, love, and witness in the Way of

Dwight J. Friesen May 4, 2026May 7, 2026

The Jesus Way Confession

A Confession for Such a Time as This We are living in a moment of rupture. Across our neighborhoods and nations, the fractures are visible—political, racial, ecological, ecclesial. Many who bear the name “Christian” are increasingly entangled with power, exclusion,

Dwight J. Friesen April 27, 2026May 4, 2026

Urban Gems Podcast

I’m grateful to share the book launch party episode of a new podcast connected to a meaningful project—Urban Gems: Ministry Perspectives on the Global City and Its People, edited by my friend and colleague, Dr. Joel S. Kiekintveld. This book

Dwight J. Friesen April 13, 2026April 13, 2026

Remembering Dr. John Perkins

“The gospel of Jesus is about reconciliation—reconciliation with God and reconciliation with one another.”— John M. Perkins I am grieving the death of Dr. John Perkins. Dr. Perkins died on March 13, 2026, at the age of 95. My heart

Dwight J. Friesen March 14, 2026March 14, 2026

Advent, Liminality, & A Time Between Worlds

Followers of Jesus are observing Advent—that ancient lament season of waiting, watching, and longing. It is a time intentionally carved out of the calendar to dwell in the space between: between past promise and future fulfillment, between the world as

Dwight J. Friesen December 1, 2025December 15, 2025

Islands of Sanity in a Chaotic World

Last week I had the joy of spending time with the leaders of the congregationally led churches of the Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference. I’m still carrying the warmth of that gathering—the thoughtful questions, the deep listening, and the palpable love

Dwight J. Friesen November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

A Case for Followers of Christ Engaging the SDGs

A Case for Followers of Christ Engaging the SDGs by Dwight J. Friesen I want to suggest that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not a political experiment or a secular distraction—they are a faithful, tangible way to live out

Dwight J. Friesen November 13, 2025November 13, 2025

Faith for Cities + IDGs = SDGs

This is my presentation titled, “Inner Development Goals & Faith for Cities: Cultivating the Inner Capacities for Sustainable Urban Futures.” I was hoping to present it in person in Yogyakarta, Indonesia next week but sadly my funding fell through. The

Dwight J. Friesen November 1, 2025November 6, 2025

Thank You St Paul, MN

Thank you to all the St Paul people and groups who collaborated together to co-create the 2025 “Theology Beer Camp,” hosted by Tripp Fuller of Homebrewed Christianity. Special thanks to the good folx at Luther Seminary for hosting the pre-event

Dwight J. Friesen October 20, 2025October 22, 2025

AI . Crossroads or Crisis?

In a recent conversation on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart sat down with Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, to discuss the profound implications of artificial intelligence on our human society. Their discussion was not merely about

Dwight J. Friesen October 9, 2025October 9, 2025

Remembering Dr. Jane Goodall

Yesterday, October 1, 2025, the world lost one of its most extraordinary voices for creation. Dr. Jane Morris Goodall, died at the age of 91. Her journey from curious child to pioneering primatologist, conservationist, and global humanitarian is a reminder

Dwight J. Friesen October 2, 2025October 31, 2025

National Good Neighbor Day . Sept 28

In just a few days – September 28, 2025 to be exact – this nation will observe National Good Neighbor Day. A real holiday signed in effect by none other than President Jimmy Carter. The idea is so simple. On

Dwight J. Friesen September 23, 2025September 23, 2025

Call for Papers . “Religion & the Cities We Need”

My good friends, colleagues, and fellow labors for a better urban future for all and everything at Faith for Cities have issued a call for papers for a conference in this November in Indonesia. The theme is: “Religion & the

Dwight J. Friesen September 17, 2025September 18, 2025

Vital Conversation for Our Future Together

The IDG Summit website states: Today’s world is dividing socially and politically, environmentally and technologically. Leading to ever-growing tensions, conflicts and even war. As a consequence, we find ourselves pulled between opposing stories, values and worldviews. Making it harder to

Dwight J. Friesen September 4, 2025September 4, 2025

“Reunion”

Reunion by Albert Huffstickler This is how it is:one part of you journeys forthwhile the other stays at home to wait and keep things going.And the years passwith you (the waiter) going about your businesswhile you wonder how he is

Dwight J. Friesen August 7, 2025September 4, 2025

“The Cure”

The Cure by Albert Huffstickler We think we get over things.We don’t get over things.Or say, we get over the measlesbut not a broken heart.We need to make that distinction.The things that become part of our experiencenever become less a

Dwight J. Friesen July 3, 2025September 3, 2025

On Earth as in Heaven?

Over the past week, cities across the United States have erupted with protests and riots in response to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions—particularly in Los Angeles, where tensions boiled over after a series of aggressive raids. These aren’t

Dwight J. Friesen June 11, 2025June 11, 2025

“For God so Loves the World…”

The “Metacrisis” as Daniel Schmachtenberger and others describe it, is the future of “Christian Mission.” This is a much watch! Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen June 7, 2025June 6, 2025

Remembering Walter Brueggemann

Compassion constitutes a radical form of criticism, for it announces that the hurt is to be taken seriously, that the hurt is not to be accepted as normal and natural, but is an abnormal and unacceptable condition for humanness. WALTER

Dwight J. Friesen June 6, 2025June 6, 2025

See Ya at Wild Goose!

OOPS! I spoke too soon, I double booked… I won’t be at the Goose. I’m thrilled to be heading out to NC at the end of August to participate in this year’s Wild Goose festival; August 28-31, 2025. I haven’t

Dwight J. Friesen June 4, 2025June 6, 2025

Thank You Lawndale!

So grateful for the legendary Lawndale Christian Community Church on Chicago’s south side. The church hosted Parish Collective’s annual Inhabit Conference. This was the first time Inhabit wasn’t held in the Seattle area, and Lawndale hit it out of park.

Dwight J. Friesen April 27, 2025May 3, 2025