October 2025

Volume 10, Number 3

“This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong
Seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.”

Rev. Maltbie Babcock

Community President’s Letter

October 2025| David Rogers

Held by Camp: A Letter on Faith, Floods, and Resilience

July 2025 is a month we will never forget.

Faith Poetry

October 2025| Marcus Goodyear

In Times of Grief, Don’t Let Doubt Win

Even as Tennyson appeals to God, he also insists on questioning God.

Listen to Season 1

Dr. Jamie Aten and Kent Annan

How Do We Help our Kids Cope with Crisis?

Play Episode

David Brooks

Repairing What Politics Can’t Fix

Play Episode

Austin Kleon

Why AI Can’t Make Art

Play Episode

Crystal Kirgiss

What Teenagers Have Always Needed

Art Laity Lodge Story

October 2025| Camille Hall-Ortega

All Creatures Sing

At Laity Lodge, without any coordination among musicians, all creatures tend to sing the same hymns time and again.

Community Laity Lodge Story

October 2025| A. M. Clark

Hope You’re Well! No, But Really.

Dr. Lydia Dugdale’s research shows that hope is more than a careless wish—it’s fundamental to our health.

Community Foundation Camp Story

The Food Brought the Kids, The Kids Brought the Parents

It’s Wednesday night in Tuscola, Texas, population 839. Tonight, about 15 percent of the residents of this tiny West Texas town 20 miles south of Abilene are having dinner together at the Jim Ned Valley Church of Christ.

“Ham or turkey?” a volunteer asks as diners approach the kitchen counter. A team of six is serving up croissant sandwiches, chips, and fruit. It’s a simple meal, and very much to the liking of the group that makes up the majority of the dining room: kids.