The theme of this issue is letting our light shine. The Williamsport Guardian’s mission is to shine a light on people, places and ideas that other area media tend to ignore, and to give our contributors a chance to let their light shine. The metaphor of letting your light shine is one that is often used in a religious context. The volunteer staff of The Williamsport Guardian includes individuals with a wide variety of religious perspectives. We are Christians, Jews, Buddhists, A-religious and Atheists. Some of us are active church members, some follow a more personal spiritual journey, some are adherents of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, some think religion is delusional and some don’t think about religion one way or the other. I consider myself a religious person and a Christian, so why do I so often cringe when I hear the word Christian mentioned? There are many cringe-worthy actions that have been taken in the name of religion over the centuries.

Over the past few decades, in particular, religion has come to be associated with the far right side of the political spectrum, but the fact is that religious individuals and organizations have a long history of challenging the status quo on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised: Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, just to name a few. I observed this for myself when as a college student, first dipping my toes into political activism, I campaigned for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. I attended a rally in Chicago where I heard Jesse Jackson, a Baptist minister, speak about the importance of equal rights for women. Around me in the crowd there were many religious groups rallying in support of the ERA. Fast forward to this year when I have heard several clergy speak out eloquently in support of healthcare reform, citing their faith as a compelling reason for their position. It is with these ideas in mind that we decided to highlight a few of the religious communities around us.

This issue also contains an article about Williamsport Community Radio. The Williamsport Guardian has a construction permit to build a non-profit radio station, but the clock is ticking. The permit expires on June 2011. Learn more about how you can help make this dream a reality on page 19.

Have you been to The Pajama Factory lately? There have been a lot of great changes here in the months since we first moved in. We recently moved into the newly renovated wing on the second floor. This month’s First Friday would be a great time to come check it out. The Pajama Factory will be having a “Holiday Happenings Open Studios Extravaganza.” When you come be sure to stop by our office at Studio 24.

Are you on “facebook”? Stay in touch with The Williamsport Guardian between issues by becoming a fan of “Williamsport Guardian.”

In our February issue we are planning to shine our spotlight on the topic of Marcellus Shale drilling. We have published a few articles on this topic during the past year, but because this is such a complex, multi-faceted issue, we feel the time has come to devote an issue to covering it. We’ll cover how gas drilling impacts our health and the health of our environment. We’ll share personal stories of the effect gas drilling has already had on our area and we’ll share information on how you can help monitor the gas drilling industry and minimize future harm. If you have a story to tell or information to share for this issue, please contact us. The idea for doing an issue on gas drilling came from several of our readers.

This issue brings the return of the feature “The Human Cost of the Iraq War,” updated to include the Afghanistan War. We brought it back because one of our readers spoke up and said he missed it.

Tell us what you want to read in The Williamsport Guardian. We welcome your ideas, your letters to the editor, and your article submissions. We also need your support. If you value this paper, consider what you can do to support it. We need volunteers to write, edit, proofread, take photographs, do graphic design and page-layout, organize fundraising events, sell advertising and so much more. We also need financial support. Your donations to our nonprofit organization are tax deductible. You can also support the Guardian and promote your business or organization by advertising in our pages. Our rates are reasonable and because our ad density is low your ad is more likely to be noticed. Note to readers, please let our advertisers know that you saw their ad in The Williamsport Guardian.