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Surprises

For more than a decade now, The Christian Century has delighted in publishing short essays written by our readers for what we call the Buechner Narrative Project. One-word prompts are all that our interested writers receive to get their creative juices flowing.

I’m going to drop the word SURPRISE on you today, and see what it might bring to life in you. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, when asked by an interviewer what he believed his greatest gift to be, replied: “My ability to be surprised.”

Since this email has to do with encouraging your support of the Century, perhaps you can dwell on the verb form of the word surprise. How can you surprise yourself in what you might do for the Century financially, especially since donating money probably wasn’t on your mind before you opened this email? How can you surprise us with your generous goodness?

All I can tell you is that any gift you make will be appreciated, and you will hear as much from me in follow-up. This distinguished magazine relies on donors like you for one-third of our operational costs. We’re a nonprofit outfit. Our staff is lean. But our commitment to you in delivering the best writing on religion and faith remains unshakable.

Thanks for taking this appeal seriously— and for surprising yourself and us.
Peter W. Marty, Editor/Publisher
The Christian Century

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