In October, innoFaith co-hosted a conversation in Chicago on spiritual innovation and local spiritual ecosystems. This conversation emerged from a national Mapping Spiritual Innovation project that we've collaborated on over the past year with Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, Glean Network, Faith Matters Network, as well as a range of other supporters and advisors. The research and our conversations with spiritual innovators have pushed us to ask not only about the role of the innovators but also that of legacy religious institutions in the midst of this shifting landscape. We are inspired by the different ways people and institutions nurture spiritual and religious life and how, out of that commitment, they create positive social change. We see enormous potential for the revitalization of faith and spirituality, in both old and new ways, as well as the thriving of communities if we can nurture and connect the roles that these different actors play.

In early November, in partnership with Union Theological Seminary’s Technology, Innovation and Digital Engagement Lab (TIDEL) and their Center for Community Engagement & Social Justice (CCESJ), innoFaith hosted a webinar on the topic of “How Faith Communities Drive Local Civic Engagement and Strengthen Democracy.” The conversation highlighted how faith communities have always been places where people gather across generations, backgrounds, and beliefs, making them important laboratories for democracy. Not because they’re hosting political debates, but because they’re practicing what democracy really is—showing up for one another, organizing around real local needs, and taking action together.

Meet Brittany Koteles, Co-Founder and Director of Land Justice Futures, where she accompanies religious communities to discern choices for their land that promote racial and ecological healing. Brittany, who lives two blocks away from Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, WI, thoughtfully embraces tradition and innovation in her quest to live out love and support others to do the same. A community of Catholic sisters that Brittany and her team accompanied recently returned land to a Native nation, the first land transfer of its kind from a Catholic order.

At a time of divisive national politics, work to sustain democracy at the local level has never been more important. As deeply local institutions and places where people of diverse socio-economic and political backgrounds can find common connection, faith communities play a significant role in this effort. They are important hubs for learning, connection, dialogue, and engagement. Join us to learn from some innovative leaders offering new visions of civic engagement and the unique opportunity that faith communities have to help drive civic participation and strengthen democracy in their communities.

Often in our endeavors, whether personal or professional, transformative change eludes us because we address only the surface symptoms of a problem. Despite our efforts, the underlying issue remains unresolved. This can lead to frustration, burnout, or acceptance of the status quo. The 5 Whys technique will help.

Meet Dr. Reggie Blount, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact, educator at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, former pastor, and champion of faithful imagination. In his roles at Oikos, Garrett, and beyond, Reggie supports faith leaders to see abundance and possibility in the resources of their communities and uplifts the role of congregations as anchor institutions driving social impact. Reggie resides in the Chicago area, a place he credits with greatly supporting his ministry, teaching, and innovation efforts.

As the climate crisis deepens, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But faith communities remind us that despair is not the only option—hope, action, and solidarity are also possible. Faith leaders, through their trusted roles in their communities, are educating, mobilizing, and inspiring people to action, helping communities see climate change as both a moral crisis and a solvable one. From congregations going green to chaplains helping people navigate climate grief, spiritual traditions offer both courage and wisdom for this moment. 

Meet Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo, Presbyterian minister, eco-theologian, and Coordinator of the Spanish Climate Justice & Faith online Certification program at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. In addition to teaching eco-theology to people throughout the US and Latin America, Neddy has deployed her passion for faith-rooted environmental justice in a number of ways, including pastoring, community organizing, and co-founding a farm-based organizing and educational non-profit. Neddy currently lives in Florida.

In this free 4-hour event, high school students will have the chance to work with a team of their peers from faith communities across the DMV area, to learn the basics of problem-solving systemic issues in their communities. Each team will work with our trained facilitators, to go from having a small idea to developing a fully-fledged solution to an assigned issue. At its close, students will have explored ways to connect their beliefs with action, collaborated with peers from all backgrounds, and will walk away with key presentation and problem-solving skills, feeling empowered to take effective action in their communities! This event is 100% free for all attendees, and lunch will be provided.

Meet Eunice Lin Nichols, Co-CEO of CoGenerate, where as part of an intergenerational leadership team, she champions and supports the coming together of generations to co-create a better world. But it’s more than just a job for Eunice, who lives into the power and potential of intergenerational engagement in all aspects of her life, including her spiritual practice and even when delighting in her personal passion for music. As innoFaith has partnered with Eunice and CoGenerate, we’ve witnessed how her deep curiosity and authenticity are gifts to her personal and professional communities.

A new report by CoCreative, The Human Heart of Systems Change, explores the challenges, needs, and opportunities in collaborative systems change work through interviews with twelve network leaders, field leaders, and funders. These conversations surfaced important insights about how the field can evolve to meet our current moment, including adopting a more human, love-based approach – a need that we believe illustrates why faith communities should see themselves as essential players in the work of systems change.

Meet Ibrahim Anli, Executive Director of the Rumi Forum, writer, teacher, convener, and interfaith champion and innovator. Ibrahim brings a deep curiosity, robust spirituality, strong intellect, and joyful openness to shaping interfaith engagement that engages all and cultivates a better world. Originally from Turkey, Ibrahim now lives in Haymarket, VA, and works in Washington, DC.

Meet Rev. Abi Foerster, Pastor of Community of Faith United Methodist Church in Herndon, VA. Shaped by her faith and own experiences as a child, and then as minister and parent, Pastor Abi brings an expansive ethic of inclusion to her work. Deeply committed to young people, she is currently launching a new initiative to engage young people across faith lines to develop their own capacities as inclusive leaders.

We are looking for someone to help further and lead implementation for innoFaith’s communications strategy. This involves managing our monthly newsletter and social media accounts, creating content, researching stories and opportunities, and growing our network. It also involves strategizing and implementing regular content, events, and network engagement. There is significant creative opportunity to grow with our aspirations to build a multimedia platform for faith and social change. 

Immigration in the United States has always been a complex reality, and yet, recent incidents and changes – including plain clothed ICE agents grabbing a PhD student with a valid visa off the street; ICE detaining even green card holders; protections being stripped from schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship; and the administration seemingly defying a court order to stop deportations of Venezuelans without due process – have made recent weeks particularly fraught and tumultuous. In a crisis moment like this, swift action is necessary to protect individuals and safeguard fundamental rights and the rule of law. At the same time, even in the midst of chaos, we must stay engaged in long-term thinking and strategic innovation for sustainable change. Moments of upheaval create an opportunity for bold, creative solutions to reshape our future.

Meet Seedy Njie, community health professional, bridge-builder, and interfaith leader. Originally from the Gambia, Seedy has made Charlotte, NC, home, though he is currently sojourning in Washington, DC, as a Fellow at the Abrahamic House, a multi-faith incubator for social change. Seedy is also an Interfaith America Innovation Fellow.

Meet Jonathan Hayden, Vice President of Operations at Leadership Foundations, a faith-based network that drives spiritual and social change in cities throughout the world through the unique lens of envisioning cities as playgrounds. With Jonathan’s leadership at their Colangelo Carpenter Innovation Center, Leadership Foundations supports churches to, among other things, move from charity-based models to systemic change. They are also working to equip young people as social and spiritual leaders for their cities. After 17 years in Washington, DC, Jonathan and his family are now enjoying a slower pace of life in Chapel Hill, NC.

Over the past year, innoFaith collaborated with Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, Glean Network, Faith Matters Network, and other allies and advisors, to conduct a national field study on spiritual innovation. Thanks to the hard work of the research team at CIL, we’re pleased to announce that the initial report has just been released. With a rapidly shifting religious landscape in the U.S., we hope that this report is just the beginning of much more attention to this growing dynamic of innovation happening under the radar in the faith sector.

Faith leaders and institutions play an important role in this effort. Deeply rooted in local communities, they serve as hubs for connection, dialogue, and moral reflection, often enabling people from diverse socio-economic and political backgrounds to find common connection. Their ability to convene and inspire is grounded in centuries of traditions of gathering, ritual, and shared values. During a time when our democracy faces unprecedented challenges, these leaders have unique potential to guide us toward new visions of civic engagement. By leveraging their moral authority and trusted positions within communities, they can help shape a more inclusive and participatory democratic future - one rooted in the everyday acts of connection and care that sustain a healthy society.

Meet Scott Rechler and Sarah Beller, partners in life and, as enshrined in their Jewish marriage contract, in cultivating a more just world. Bringing about social change is never a solo endeavor, so we are thrilled to introduce Scott and Sarah in our first joint feature. Both Scott and Sarah live out their Jewish values with deep passion and commitment in their personal and professional lives.