What I’ve been up to, well, recently.
Some of this is cool work I have been fortunate enough to do, and thus serves as my CV. Some of this is like a journal, so I remember later. And some of this is me wanting to have a link to share when people I have not seen recently say, “So, what have you been up to?”
June 2026
- I was the literary guest at the annual meeting of The Mississippi June Bugs Literary & Musical Society, where I did a book signing and reading.
April 2026
- I appeared on the Conversations With Campolo podcast, where I talked about the ways Tony and Bart Campolo were huge influences on my early career.
- I was interviewed by my friend Derrick Weston for the Green Lectionary Podcast, where I talk about how food is political, manage to plug my book Food Is Love, and talk about how there are no unholy places. Also, I say “Right?” a lot.
- I was a guest on the Competent Pastor podcast, where I was asked what the essential skill for ministry was, and I talked about boundaries, the curation of self, and beauty. (Everyone hates to hear themselves talk, right? I have a voice made for writing.)
March 2026
- Launched a podcast called, naturally, The Hughscast.
February 2026
- Turned on subscriptions on my Facebook account.
- Jason Kottke gave a shoutout to Food Is Love on his blog.
January 2026
- I was quoted in the Ponoka, Canada newspaper article about food insecurity and a local church’s response. What’s cool is that the quote is from Food Is Love, and so is less than a month old in the public.
December 2025
- Food Is Love, my book about food, community and connection, was released the week after Christmas. Yes, I have horrible timing.
November 2025
- I established Canebrake Studio, the business that holds my creative work and IP.
October 2025
- I was a guest on the Soul Practice podcast with Kathy Escobar and Phyllis Mathis about my philosophy of “Hope In Spite of the Facts.”
[When the pandemic happened, I forgot this page existed. I picked it back up in October of 2025. I will slowly backfill as I come across things]
October 2023
I became senior pastor at Open Door Mennonite Church
September 2023
I joined the board of Mennonite Central Committee: Central States.
March 2022
- I was interviewed for the Food and Faith Podcast, where I talk about cooking as self care, resistance, and, invitation.
October 2020
- In the winter before the pandemic, my buddy Brian and I were subject to a weekend long interview with the podcast Real Men Need Help, on the subject of male friendship. This was so much fun to do, and that it came out at the height of the pandemic was a breath of fresh air.
October 2019
- Represented Working Together Jackson at the press conference announcing the new payment plan we negotiated with the City to help protect the most vulnerable residents of Jackson.
- Led a Saturday workshop at Presbyterian New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs, NY on Radical Hospitality.
- And then preached there the following morning. (Sermon here)
August 2019
- Attended the 3 day IAF Organizer Training in Woodworth, Louisiana.
July 2019
- Was interviewed on the radio show Ask John on WMPR (90.1 FM) about Working Together Jackson’s negotiations with the city around the Water Billing Crisis.
June 2019
- Had an opinion piece published – Creating a Radical City – in the Jackson Free Press.
- Appeared in the Jackson Free Press, in their annual Men We Love issue.
May 2019
- Was asked to join the board of the Fondren Neighborhood Association
April 2019
- Mennonite World Review wrote about Jackson City Farm and my work here.
March 2019
- Officially announced the launching of Jackson City Farm, the nonprofit I am founding here in Jackson, MS
January 2019
- Rebranded my weekly newsletter into Life is so Beautiful
October 2019
- We bought a house!
July 2019
- Installed as Community Pastor at Open Door Mennonite Church
June 2018
- Moved to Jackson, MS
May 2018
- After 11 years, had my last day at Love Wins.
March 2018
- Announced that, after 11 years of inner-city ministry in Raleigh NC, we were moving to Jackson MS.
January 2018
- Was a Critical Conversation Leader at the Montreat College Conference.
December 2017
- Contributed to New Dawning Light, an Advent Journal for the unhoused community of Wilmington, NC
- Attended the Red Letter Christian annual speakers retreat, led by Father Richard Rohr
September 2017
- I presented my Framework for Understanding Homelessness at the Triad Case Manager’s Society’s Fall Conference.
August 2017
- I began a Patreon account, where people who wish to support my work directly, can.
- I started The Hughscast, a weekly Facebook Live event that happens every Sunday night at 8:30Pm EST.
July 2017
- Preached the Sunday Message at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, talking about what it means to be an ally of marginalized people.
- Preached the Sunday Message at Peace Covenant Church of the Brethren in Durham.
April 2017
- I presented at the Triangle Case Manager’s Society’s Spring conference, where I sought to demonstrate that the opposite of homelessness is community.
- Was a Lenten Series speaker at Church of The Holy Family, where I spoke on how to build communities of resistance to the Powers That Be.
- Preached the Sunday Message at Raleigh Mennonite Church
March 2017
- Spoke to the Just Faith class at St. Francis of Assisi parish, where we discussed systemic inequality and the Principalities and Powers.
February 2017
- Launched the Sustaining Member program at The Hughsletter, where folks can choose to pay an optional $48 a year subscription in order to support the project.
January 2017
- Back at Auburn Seminary for three days to meet with the Economic Justice cohort.
- Preached on MLK weekend at Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley, Calaifornia, and led a workshop on MLK day to discuss ways to build equitable relationships that can change the world.
December 2016
- After a three and a half year struggle, the City of Raleigh approved the Oak City Center.
- Interviewed and quoted by the Raleigh News and Observer, over my response to the City Council approving the Oak City Center
- Quoted in The Independent Weekly about the funding approval for the Oak City Center
October 2016
- Spent a week at Auburn Seminary in NYC to help plan a cohort on economic justice in 2017.
Thanks for your interest.