Peace | The Podcast

A Cold & Broken Hallelujah | The Music That Made Us

What songs have resonated with you? What lyrics have put words to your longings and your struggles? How has music touched your soul and impacted your faith? This summer we will highlight the music that has made us.
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A Cold & Broken Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen wrote a haunting, beautiful, and deeply meaningful song called ‘Hallelujah’. It’s been covered and recreated countless times; many people have a favorite version: from Jeff Buckley to Pentatonix. This song resonates with people because it speaks to a deep ache in all of us… Even when things are at their worst, can I still say Hallelujah? This question is at the heart of the prophet Habakkuk, who longs for God to intervene and make things right...but still chooses to praise God when the answer isn't swift. 
The version of 'Hallelujah' we heard at church was by Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris: HERE.
 

An Interconnected Network of Love | Out of the Box and Outside the Lines | Pt 6

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments, we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
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With humility, gentleness, patience, and love, Paul calls upon the church in Ephesus to be ONE. Unity is at the forefront of being a Christ-centered people. So often our world only looks divided, and Christians are often leading the charge of divisiveness. How can that change?
Paul gives us a beautiful aspiration, a vision of what we can be.
Jesus shows us how that takes root in the real world. 
In Matthew 9, Jesus is eating with tax collectors and other 'sinners'. The Pharisees are upset. Then Jesus says they should learn this phrase - I desire mercy and loving kindness, not sacrifice. 
How can this be a model for us? 
How can Jesus be showing us a way to be with one another?
 

Displaced Presence | Out of the Box & Outside the Lines | Pt 5

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments, we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
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Jesus often finds himself saying and doing things that get him removed from the inner circle. He is asked to leave towns, he's chased away because of what he says. Jesus is present and close to those who are hurting, and it affects his place in the world. 
Power is at the heart of the Jesus story. But it's not simply a question of how do certain people give it up, while certain people gain it. It's a question about what do we do with the power that we have. Jesus has power, but he doesn't use it for his own gain. He moves towards those who are hurting. 
How can we use our power to be present?
How can we find our purpose instead of pursuing a position?
And how can we de-center certain stories, so all stories can be told?

Apologies that Disrupt | Out of the Box & Outside the Lines | Pt 4

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments, we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
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Forgiveness is a BIG topic, one that we can't circle back to often enough. One of the most important components of forgiveness is when one offers an apology. But an apology is more than a quick 'I'm sorry' so we can move on. Apologies should disrupt things. They should disrupt the working order of things that have often been harmful. They should disrupt us, personally. 
This message is given by a special guest. Joretta Marshall is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and holds membership in the Mountain Sky Conference. She retired from service to Brite Divinity School as Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care and Counseling in June 2021.
While at Brite, Joretta was the Director of the Carpenter Initiative in Gender, Sexuality, and Justice, where she worked with students, churches, and communities to promote reconciling conversations and training around sexual orientation and gender identity.
Joretta is an author and editor of numerous books and articles, including Pastoral Care in Rural Congregations. AND – she is the aunt of Jason’s wife Michelle!
 

Moving Mountains | Out of the Box & Outside the Lines | Pt 3

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
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Prayer is one of those things that we know a lot about, but can be hard to understand at the same time. 
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells the disciples about prayer. He cautions them not to put on a mask and pretend to have it all together. Prayer should be a move towards vulnerability. Jesus also warns them against making prayer a formula for getting God's attention. It doesn't work like that. 
But in the end, what does prayer do? Does it change the future? Is that possible? Does prayer change us? Does it make us capable of facing the reality of this messy life? 
 

Holy Disruption | Out of the Box & Outside the Lines | Pt 2

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
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In Exodus 16, the people of Israel have been liberated from Egypt for about 18 months, but they are starving in the wilderness. God promises to send manna (bread) from heaven each day. But on the 6th day there will be enough for two days so they can have a day of rest on the 7th day. God establishes a new rhythm for the people. 
This new rhythm, this rest, is a holy disruption. 
What does it look like for us to rest?
What are the barriers to taking a Sabbath or taking time to rest?
How can we feed our soul in the season that we find ourselves?
 
 

Tending and Guarding | Out of the Box & Outside the Lines | Pt 1

Every beginning comes from chaos. And then God brings order, an invitation to tend and guard the good. But humanity is quick to take that good order of tending and guarding and move to control. A control that often only benefits a few. In these moments we often see God thinking out of the box and coloring outside the lines. We see God moving towards liberation. 
In this series we will explore what this pattern | chaos-order-control-liberation | has looked like in the Bible, and how it can inform how we can show up and partner with God in our world today.
 

I AM | Pt 7 | ’I am the Resurrection’

In the book of John, Jesus made 7 'I AM' statements. 
I am the bread of heaven
I am the light of the world
I am the gate
I am the good shepherd
I am the way, the truth, and the life
I am the true vine
I am the resurrection
These statements tell us so much about Jesus, the Christ - the messiah, the reconciler, the healer, the guide, the example, the goal, the horizon. But they also teach us about who we are meant to be. 
Although the book of John is a theologically complex and rich text, the insights and wonderings are some of the most profound in Scripture. 
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'I am the resurrection.'
Two things are immediately odd about this statement. 
1 - Resurrections don't seem to be a regular occurrence. So other than Jesus, or our hope that resurrection will happen at the end of all things, what does this mean for us NOW?
2 - This is actually not the crowning statement from John. This isn't 'I AM' statement seven...it's actually the fifth one. WHY? Is there any logic or reason behind this statement coming in the middle of the book and not simply at the end where we would assume it to land?
Could resurrection be, not only an invitation to a life that comes after death, but an invitation into a way of living now that bring heaven to earth? Maybe resurrection isn't just something that happened or will happen, but IS HAPPENING!
 

I AM | Pt 6 | ’I am the Vine’

In the book of John, Jesus made 7 'I AM' statements. 
I am the bread of heaven
I am the light of the world
I am the gate
I am the good shepherd
I am the way, the truth, and the life
I am the true vine
I am the resurrection
These statements tell us so much about Jesus, the Christ - the messiah, the reconciler, the healer, the guide, the example, the goal, the horizon. But they also teach us about who we are meant to be. 
Although the book of John is a theologically complex and rich text, the insights and wonderings are some of the most profound in Scripture. 
________
'I am the vine.'
There is always something mystical about what John is doing. We are Invited to a faith that isn't simply paint-by-numbers or straight-forward doctrines, but a more complex or mysterious faith that must be lived and breathed. We are invited to relationship with the Christ who comes near and empowers us. 
This sixth 'I am' statement opens us up to the need to be pruned...to have our blind spots pointed out to us. It's an invitation to be transformed...not just agree to a transaction. 
This statement also invites us to 'abide' with Christ. We aren't just cognitively agreeing to a set of beliefs or rules, but we are flowing and interacting with Christ. What is this mystery of abiding with Christ and how could it impact our lives?

I AM | Pt 5 | ’I am the Way the Truth and the Life’

In the book of John, Jesus made 7 'I AM' statements. 
I am the bread of heaven
I am the light of the world
I am the gate
I am the good shepherd
I am the way, the truth, and the life
I am the true vine
I am the resurrection
These statements tell us so much about Jesus, the Christ - the messiah, the reconciler, the healer, the guide, the example, the goal, the horizon. But they also teach us about who we are meant to be. 
Although the book of John is a theologically complex and rich text, the insights and wonderings are some of the most profound in Scripture. 
________
'I am the way the truth and the life.'
This passage is a popular one. It has often be used as evidence of the exclusiveness of the Christian faith. But what if we looked at this passage differently? Is it possible to hold two interpretations at the same time and find a path forward? Could this way of seeing things help us in other areas of our life?