by Justin Cox | Sep 29, 2026 | Opinion
“There’s no AC in the sanctuary.” That’s what the text said. The church administrator sent it to me. She’d also included the chair of the building and grounds committee in the group chat. “Helluva time for it to give out,” I wrote back. Summer in North Carolina can...
by Justin Cox | Aug 26, 2026 | Opinion
Southerners are known for our ability to turn a phrase. We have certain sayings and expressions. Many have made their way into the larger culture. “Bless your heart.” “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.” “He’s slower than molasses.” I know such things intimately....
by Justin Cox | Jul 29, 2026 | Opinion
Joy is a word you don’t hear much anymore. Talk of it in recent years feels almost foreign. My tongue needs practice to form it. I believe it’s easy to feel this way when you wake daily in a country where an administration seems hell-bent on overthrowing the last...
by Justin Cox | Jul 16, 2026 | Opinion
Tuesday was a regular day for me. They usually are. Tuesdays on my calendar are days when things have to get done and put away, like cleaning dishes. I have staff meetings on Tuesdays. I mess around and have a third cup of coffee. My kids demand tacos. It’s a rinse,...
by Justin Cox | Jun 11, 2026 | Opinion
A conversation with musician Kyle Caudle over coffee and livermush explores the ties of home, creativity, and why diners may offer lessons the church has forgotten. “Places like this make me feel a little uncomfortable.” We were inside the sanctuary of a rural...
