Everyday Spirituality

What an amazing and profound conversation with Rev. Kevin O'Hara about entering community during Covid, his personal faith journey, and how he approaches life in the the church in the world today with trust and hope!

Pastor Debbie speaks with Lily Li about the intersections of writing, visual art, motherhood, meditation, and more.

With feet rooted in gospel, a heart filled with soul, and a voice touched with jazz, singer and songwriter Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song, humming melodies, and bending words since her childhood.  A published writer and host of The Courageous Voice podcast, Chanda also uses her music for community building and communal healing. Her stories combine original narrative, poetry, sacred text, liturgy and music.  We welcome her to Everyday Spirituality from her home in Austria.

A conversation with Ike Sturm - highlighting the creative and spiritual process he embraced as he composed "Let the River Flow."   Ike is our connect.faith Resident. He's known beyond our ministry as a fantastic jazz musician - bassist, teacher, group leader, community builder and composer - as well as being a Dad, Husband and wonderful friend.   Find more about Ike Sturm at his website https://www.ikesturm.com   Everyday Spirituality is podcast of connect.faith

This week on Everyday Spirituality, Debbie spoke with Dea Jenkins about how she found her creative voice, how she formed the creative community Inbreak Collective, and how she balances the growth of simultaneous creative endeavors Learn more about Dea and her work at https://www.deastudios.com. Learn more about the Inbreak Collective at https://www.inbreak.co Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

This week on Everyday Spirituality, Debbie and Brendan McClenahan discuss the idea of faithful innovation. This week on Everyday Spirituality, Debbie and Brendan McClenahan discuss the idea of faithful innovation. Brendan McClenahan is the Director of Cyclical Publishing, and serves as Director of Development for Cyclical Inc. https://cyclicalinc.com https://cyclicalpublishing.com -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

This week on Everyday Spirituality, Debbie spoke with Katrina Pekich-Bundy about inclusive spiritual spaces for neurodivergent folks. -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

This week on Everyday Spirituality, we are joined by Lauren Burdette, a spiritual director and the author of the book “This Life That is Ours: Motherhood as Spiritual Practice.” During their conversation, Lauren shares her journey from industrial engineer to mother, to spiritual director, and ultimately to author–and how all four roles intertwine. Find out more about Lauren on her website: https://laurenburdette.com – “They said… "But if you did have a big dream, what would it be?" I said, "It'd be to write a book." …Two days later, maybe like that same week, I had a really clear dream. And I woke up and I just saw this tree of a book that was an exploration of motherhood as spiritual practice.” -Lauren Burdette – Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Today on Everyday Spirituality: The Podcast, we spoke with Catherine Farley. Catherine Farley is an author, physical therapist, and wellness coach, and she combines these passions to connect the body and the spirit. Be sure to check it out on our website, or wherever you regularly listen to podcasts! Find out more about Catherine on her website: https://www.catherinegoodmanfarley.com — "The big thing for me is just encouraging people to take time. I know when people hear the word solitude, it has a kind of a pitting feeling in your stomach. It sounds like loneliness, but I think that's one of the biggest things I like to encourage people. Even people that are very social, bits of solitude really feed the mind, body and soul. And I think when we can take time out, to connect with God, there's just endless potential and we ultimately become more of who he intended us to be." -Catherine Goodman Farley — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

We have a new episode of Everyday Spirituality to help kick off your week! Jen Kohn is the owner of The Village Bookstore in Pleasantville, NY. She sits down with Debbie to discuss her favorite parts of running a local business, the beauty that can be found in a hardcover book, and the creativity she used in order to run a small business during the pandemic shut-down. Tune into the episode below, and check out The Village Bookstore's website here! https://thevillagebookstore.net/ — "I think it's fulfilling to be part of the community in a different kind of way, and to provide people with the experience of talking about books." -Jen Kohn — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

We have an inspiring episode of Everyday Spirituality to share! Nick Warnes joins us to discuss his creative process, the new direction he will be taking his writing in, and how he is doing publishing differently through his company, Cyclical, a faithfully innovative publishing company. We can't wait to share this episode with you!   Check out Nick's latest release here, now available for pre-order: https://cyclicalpublishing.com/deconstructing-church-planting/   Nicholas Warnes is the Founder and Executive Director of Cyclical Inc. and Director of Cyclical LA in Los Angeles. Nick is also a recognized speaker on church planting, coach for New Worshiping Communities with the Presbyterian Church USA, on the advisory board for the Brehm Center and the Church Planting Program at Fuller Theological Seminary, and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. — "My preconceived notion of authors was that you sit up in a place by yourself with a typewriter and type away... Once I figured out I could do this with friends, it was way better, and matched who I am as a human." -Nick Warnes — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

We're honored to have Kat Nemec join us on Everyday Spirituality next week! We have an exciting episode launching Monday, and we hope you will tune in. Kat will be discussing her creative journey and how she took up creating beautiful art and writing a blog during the pandemic. Find Kat's writing on her blog: https://swooning.me Find Kat's design work: https://www.studiokatinc.com -- "I don't believe in perfection... I like to say that I am a person who gets things done, because I'm really okay with getting it done at 80%. I don't really believe there is a 100%, because your 100% and my 100% are really different." —Kat Nemec -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

David Tullock owns and operates a small press publishing company called, “Parson's Porch & Company.” Parson's Porch celebrates gratitude by turning books into bread, milk & haircuts! Parson's Porch never charges authors a dollar, and after 100 books are sold, a portion of Parson's Porch's profits are used to support people who do not have enough resources to live a peaceful life. David's journey is profound and insightful and has inspired us to find more opportunities to celebrate gratitude. — “My books, and the money from that, turns into milk and bread for the homeless. For me at least, it's the most perfective expression of my own personal faith that I could imagine.” - David Tullock — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, Debbie sat down with Katrina to discuss her creative journey, her artwork, and her work at the Kairos Center and for the Poor People's Campaign. Katrina is a New York based artist and illustrator who draws using ink, water-based paints and digital applications. Her inspiration is often derived from things I think I saw, or symbols that want to be reconfigured. -- "Your need for restoration and justice is tied up with mine--we are inextricably connected and the pain of others affects us. We can and do wall ourselves off from the suffering of other people, and the more privileged you are the more you can do that, but it's just an illusion because we are not actually seperate." -Katrina Zezza -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Casey Carbone is the pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Mahopac and an IT/Communications Facilitator with the Hudson River Presbytery. Casey and Debbie talked about creativity, spirituality, and non-traditional daily meditative practices. — “I like a lot of different kinds of music, but I really have a heart for songs and artists that tell stories with their music. Both stories that are hopeful and stories are upbeat, but also ones that can be vulnerable and authentic.” -Casey Carbone — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Kitty Ufford-Chase lives in Lowell Vermont, and was most recently Co-Director of Stony Point Conference Center with her husband Rick. She recently accepted a position with Sterling College whose mission is to advance ecological thinking and action through affordable experiential learning that prepares people to be knowledgeable, skilled, and responsible leaders in the communities in which they live. Kitty talked with us about her Quaker roots and practices, and how they have helped her through this time of transition and discernment.  She also shared her excitement about moving into a period of her life dedicated to being an Environmental Advocate.  — "I feel like in our society, something has to be turned on all the time. The one gift that I hope to impart to my kids is the ability to be comfortable in silence." -Kitty Ufford-Chase — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Debbie and Tabreeca sit down to discuss Tabreeca's musical journey, her inspiration, and how she tapped into her creative side. -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Tune in today for a special crossover episode of Everyday Spirituality and Generation Hope. Generation Hope host, Cali Bronkema, speaks with Bryan about her work as the Director of Children and Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church, her plans for the future, and where she sees hope in the world. -- "I tried to think of whose stories are not shared? Who’s stories are underrepresented? How can I shed some light on those stories?" - Cali Bronkema “I hope for more empathy. I feel like that is what could drive our society if we open ourselves up to it.” -Cali Bronkema -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

This week’s episode of Everyday Spirituality features BA Huffman, a singer, songwriter, conductor and music director. BA talks about his own life’s journey around music, spiritual exploration, and life in the time of COVID. He also shared some original music including, “Same Yolk Inside” and “Soften My Heart.” — “It’s about being present. I spend a lot of time now being present to the moment, and recognizing the small little things that we just don’t usually see. I do it on a nearly daily basis, at least 5 days a week, and I notice the difference when I haven’t.” -BA Huffman — Find more about BA on his website: https://bahuffman.com Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

This week’s episode of Everyday Spirituality features Andrea Garbarini, a local documentarian involved with Films on Purpose. Andrea and Debbie discuss how she got involved with documentary making, and what she has learned from listening to and telling people’s stories. — “Everybody wants to be heard… I think the key with documentary films is that you really need to listen… I’m hoping we can all come together and at least listen to each other.” -Andrea Garbarini — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Is exercising or enjoying the outdoors part of your spiritual practice? In this week’s episode of Everyday Spirituality, we are joined by Skyler Mosenthal, a biology teacher and running enthusiast. Skyler discusses his spiritual journey, how he uses running as an exercise for both mind and body, and how the best gifts in life are those found outside our comfort zones. — "The first mile, I made it a choice to pray... it was something that I needed, that nourished my spirit but also my soul and sense of purpose." -Skyler Mosenthal — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission. Follow Skyler on Instagram for encouragement or with your running questions, his account is private, but mention the podcast - https://instagram.com/skymose

This week we turn the tables on Pastor Debbie Bronkema and interview her about her creative writing as a spiritual practice and her new book! The Rev. Dr. Debbie Bronkema is the founder of connect.faith and the pastor of Pleasantville Presbyterian Church, she’s also a mother, wife, and now, the author of two books. Her second book, “Midweek Meditations” is available now through her publisher, Parson’s Porch, or on Amazon. — “The very first place I would start (a spiritual writing practice) is what do you see, what do you hear, what do you smell, what do you taste, what do you feel. Being really aware of where you are at the present moment is the beginning of any spiritual practice.” Pastor Debbie Bronkema — Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission. Learn more about Debbie on her website: https://www.debbiebronkema.com/ | or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.bronkema/ Midweek Meditations is available at her publisher: https://www.parsonsporch.com/presbyterian-books/midweek-meditations-debra-bronkema | or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Midweek-Meditations-Debra-Bronkema/dp/1951472802/ Her first book, Finding Manna is available at her publisher: https://www.parsonsporch.com/presbyterian-books/finding-manna-debra-bronkema | or at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-manna-debra-bronkema/1129848925 Pastor Debbie also runs the Creative Writing as a Spiritual Practice Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CWAASP

In this episode of our podcast, Nick discusses his journey as a musician, the intersection of theology and music, and how he sees a silver lining during this challenging year. While we can’t physically experience musicians perform these days, Nick reminds us that the most important part of making music is the connection it creates between groups of people. “I’ve found that focusing on, and really valuing the relational, collaborative, social part of music-making means that you can make the most of--what I think is--the best part about creativity, which is connecting with other people.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission. Learn more about Nick on his website: https://www.nicholaszork.com/ Find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicholasZorkMusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicholaszork Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholaszork/

Today, we talk with Chris Dingman, vibraphonist and composer who embodies creativity and spirituality in his journey to connect people. Music can bring people together; music is a place where everyone can gather. Chris’ began seeing music as a healing modality when walking with his father in his final weeks. —— "I've been exploring ways that improvisation and music can help us heal, can help us find and create pathways within ourselves." -Chris Dingman "No matter who you are, or what your perspective is, or what you’re going through, when you come to a piece of music that brings you peace, you’re going to share that in common with a lot of different people. It can be a very unifying thing. Music has that capability of bringing people together in ways that is hard to achieve otherwise." - Chris Dingman —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Learn more about Chris on his website: https://www.chrisdingman.com Find him on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chrisdingmanvibes Donate to support our mission.

Today’s episode of our Young Leaders series Cali spoke with two activists, Kyla Maryangelene and Jayda-Milan Parker about the important work they did in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Kyla and Jayda are the co-founders of Black Solidarity Group in Trenton, NJ. In this episode, they spoke about the reason behind their activism. Oftentimes, making a change is scary. Tune in to this podcast episode to hear their thoughts on faith, courage, and what it takes to start a movement. —— “My faith is what allows me to do this work and continue in this work.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, Cali Bronkema sat down with activists Humza Mumtaz and Milton Esliker who took action in their community following the death of George Floyd. In the second part of our two-part podcast series on Young Leaders, Milton and Humza dive into the importance of education, community, and using our voices to achieve justice. All movements start with a conversation, an idea, and these activists encourage everyone to start having conversations about what can be done to make the world a better place. —— "I think there’s no better time to start than now. It starts with education, it starts with self-reflection. It’s important to keep in mind the bigger picture, where you want to take your reform or activist work in the future. Especially if you’re young, you have to ask yourself sometimes, what tools and skills do you need to go forth and cause real change." —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Today’s episode of our Young Leaders series Cali spoke with two activists, Kyla Maryangelene and Jayda-Milan Parker about the important work they did in the wake of George Floyd’s death.  These activists organized a successful protest with over 1,500 people in downtown Trenton, NJ, as well as organized a youth-focused protest at the school they went to. They emphasize how important it is to speak out for what is right, and to educate yourself and others about the racial injustices people face on a daily basis. —— “Every community needs to be a part of this change, and needs to recognize their own role in how to be a better community to all groups of people.” “Protests (are) a way for us to mourn and express the way we felt about what was going on.” “If you’re really standing for something, it’s within our right to stand for that wherever we want to.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, Cali Bronkema sat down with activists Humza Mumtaz and Milton Esliker who took action in their community following the death of George Floyd. This important conversation covers how and why these young leaders got involved in combating racial injustice, in addition to a discussion about microaggressions, performative activism, and education on racial issues. These young leaders made a difference in their community by contacting local officials and the executive board of their school. We learned a lot from this enlightening discussion and we hope you will too. —— “It’s all a learning process. You have to unteach yourself these things… people aren’t born this way. This is how society makes us. People can change, and that starts with self reflection.” -Humza Mumtaz “That was one of the things that I wanted to make clear. Within our movement, at least in the beginning, I wanted to remove ourselves from Black Lives Matter because I didn’t want to fix the world. I wanted to fix our town. I knew that I could change that. That was something I could do right now.” -Milton Esliker —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we talk with the Executive Director of the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry in Wimauma, Florida. Beth-El exists to feed the Mind, Spirit, and Body of the farmworking community and our neighbors in need, through opportunities for hunger relief, education, healthcare, and spiritual growth. Teresita Matos-Post has extensive experience in the non-profit sector with a passion for ministries of justice and mercy. She has worked in cross-cultural appointments with the United Methodist Church, as well having spent six years working for the Girl Scout Council in Florida. In this conversation, Pastor Debbie and Teresita talked about the role creativity plays as a personal outlet, spiritual connection, and a tool for justice. But they go even deeper as they talk about the role of intercultural community, and the challenges of race and origin in relationship. —— Find out more about the Beth-El Migrant Farmworker Ministry at their website: beth-el.org Find Teresita’s poetry on her website: https://poeticprophecy.com Or follower her on social media: https://www.facebook.com/poetseer | https://www.instagram.com/poetseer | https://twitter.com/PoemSeer —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we talk with singer and songwriter Joy Zimmerman. In their conversation, Pastor Debbie and Joy discuss her music, her faith, and her ideas for how we can incorporate justice and peace into our lives. Joy is an award-winning singer/songwriter who is an exemplary example of the words creativity, spirituality, and justice. —— “I thought, really, what needs to happen is I need to usher in as much justice and peace as I can bring. So what am I going to do to create that kind of world?” "Follow the energy in your life, which I think is what creativity is really, the energy, the spark that comes. Take an energy inventory, see where it is that you can have the largest impact." —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality we continue our conversation with David LaMotte and discuss music, privilege, and Worldchanging. In this very relevant conversation with David LaMotte from February, we discuss the role work, luck, and privilege plays in our lives and how we can use the gifts we have to make real and substantive change in the world. —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

At connect.faith we believe the world feels incredibly uncertain--there is a global pandemic, numerous cries for justice for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make real and substantive change in the world, and yet every conversation we have about the future is fraught and emotionally charged. It’s no surprise that many of us are struggling with our own emotional baggage and personal feelings of uncertainty. It’s critically important that we do the work of self-healing so that we are better equipped to do the creative, spirit led work of social justice in the world. In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, the Rev. Bill Eschen, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a pastoral counselor. In our conversation, we talk about the connections between counseling and ministry, and Bill talks about how we can think about the therapeutic process in our own lives. He also walks us through Brainspotting, and gives us tips for implementing this technique on our own, in a process he calls "Self Spotting." —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we talk with Victor and Susana Corona. Victor and Susana are active community organizers in Northern Westchester County working extensively with the recent immigrant community. In this conversation they share how connecting people is the way they live out their everyday spirituality. —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we talk with singer, songwriter, author and peacemaker, David Lamotte. During this part of our conversation we talk about how the work of Worldchanging is done by movements of people, not individual heroes. Given the current state of the world, we are seeing this lived out first hand through the work of Black Lives Matter organizers across the country who are leading a movement of people inspired to act by the death of George Floyd. —— "There is a toxic narrative in our culture when it comes to changing the world—It takes someone heroic, to do something dramatic, in a moment of crisis. The advantage in that narrative for those of us to want to see change, is that If heroes fix things, and I’m not a hero, therefore it’s not my job; my job is to clap." David Lamotte "It’s important for us to remember that what makes the change is the small, undramatic, consistent effort over time. And there is good news there, which is that YOU are not powerless. We can show up and do the work." David Lamotte —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we take a break from our normal interviews for a quarantined conversation with Pastor Debbie and Bryan Bardin. In this episode they talk about how they are practicing creativity, spirituality and justice during this unprecedented time. My favorite part of this conversation is how universal these experiences are. Bryan and Debbie live in entirely different parts of the country, fall into different demographic categories, and live very different home lives; and yet when comparing notes of life in a time of quarantine, creating space to reflect and be okay, being intentional about movement and finding ways to connect are things we are all struggling with right now. —— "Come the end of the quarantine, people are either going to be worse off than they were before it started, or better off, there are very few people who are going to come out of it in the same mental, physical, spiritual shape that they went in. If I don’t do something about it, I’m going to come out worse than I went in." -Bryan Bardin "Rather than a longer form Igantian Examen, I’ve been writing a haiku about my day—where I felt filled up, where I felt emptied. I found that format was healing for me. I had to think hard about the day before and what I could learn from and where I could grow." -Pastor Debbie —— Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality, we talk with Justin Hylden. Justin’s spiritual practice is starting the day with the book of Psalms, and responding to what he reads by writing poetry. Justin is the Pastoral Associate at Pleasantville Presbyterian. He comes to Pleasantville by way of Princeton Theological Seminary, and a childhood spent on a farm in North Dakota. I enjoyed this conversation with Justin because it helped me better appreciate the gifts hidden in the Psalms. The intentionality with which reads a Pslam, then the openness in which he responds through poetry, is a very powerful and inspirational message. —— "With the Psalms, there is nothing that is off limit. Even the gruesome, the un-churchy, the things we don’t think should be said, are there. I really live the idea that there is nothing that is wrong to bring up to God." "When I think about the injustice we encounter in the world, both the super personal and the global. The idea of a God who will bring justice in time, hits home with me. God’s justice doesn’t come quickly, or when we want it, but it is a hopeful delay." ——  Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality we talk with Mark Orendorf. Mark is the Assistant Director of Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center, and the leader of the Challenge to Change program, which aims to raise awareness of social justice issues in the migrant community in Florida. I was particularly moved by Mark’s explanation of our own complicity in systemic justice issues around poverty and oppression. The idea that we need to seek forgiveness from those we’ve wronged, whether directly or indirectly, BEFORE seeking forgiveness from God was especially challenging and inspiring. If you are interested in learning more about Challenge to Change at Cedarkirk Camp and Conference center, visit them on the web: http://cedarkirk.org/summer-camp/c2c/ —— “We need to move people from, “We’re coming in and helping because that’s the good Christian thing to do,” to a place where we need to admit and accept where we are coming from. We need to be able to admit where our sins have come in. We need to be able to understand that 100% of the coup-de-tats in Central and South America the US has been a part of in some fashion. So we need to ask God forgiveness, we need to ask other forgiveness.” “About 70% of the Psalms are songs of lamentation. Yet when you look at the hymns from the last few centuries it’s considerably less, then if you look at contemporary praise music and it’s essentially 0%. I think with everything that’s going on in today’s world there may be some health in lamentation.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Daily Mandala Practice | April Castoldi | Everyday Spirituality In this episode of Everyday Spirituality we talk with April Castoldi. April’s journey towards a daily mandala practice started with an “Artist’s Date” inspired by the book, “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. For April, a mandala practice is part meditative, part transformative, but whatever it is, don’t call it ART. I loved hearing how creativity, spirituality, and justice are so effortlessly entwined in April’s practice. Whether it’s friends on Facebook, spouses of soldiers, or developmentally or emotionally challenged teens, art can bring people together, stand as witness, and be a voice when we struggle to find one. If you are interested in learning more about April’s mandalas, we published a video where April teaches her mandala practice. You can find it on our website, connect.faith. To learn more about April, visit her website, aprilcastoldi.com —— “People cut themselves out of an expression that people can do. If you can make a mark on a piece of paper, you can do it! And it’s fun, too, joy is an important spiritual practice, too. Remember what you felt like when you were a kid and you scribbled with crayons—it can alive and well, please do it—I’ll give you the crayons!” “I wanted to find something that was more thoughtful than just saying, “Thank you for your service,” and carrying on. So, I tried to do drawings that reflected the particular stories I had heard veterans share. I wanted to contribute to the conversation and communicate that I’m a witness.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In this episode of Everyday Spirituality we talk with Ike and Misty Ann Sturm. Ike and Misty met over their love of music and valentines candy while in college--Ike for jazz and sacred music, Misty for classical. After graduation, Ike used his unique blend of sacred music and jazz at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Manhattan as the Music Director for their Jazz Vespers Service. Misty is a teacher and mother who continues to share her gift of music in conjunction with Ike and other musical collectives regularly. I loved hearing the concepts of creativity, spirituality and justice weave themselves through each part of our conversation. Listing as both Ike and Misty talk about the interconnectedness of these concepts reignited my passion for our mission. Somehow, creativity can inform and elevate spirituality, which can inspire and direct justice, which sparks new and powerful creativity. —— “If you open yourself up to (creativity), a lot can happen, you allow yourself to not know what’s going to happen next, and you allow that to be part of the conversation in the music. And I really feel that in my faith journey right now.” “Making children aware, from a young age, of what the world can look like, what it should look like, and what it actually looks like, and how we can live our lives so we get to that place. How we practice our faith, and live our life, so the world we live in looks more like the one we want to live in.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

In our premiere episode of “Everyday Spirituality” we talk with Cass Ghiorse, a yoga instructor who incorporated elements of meditation and mindful movement in her practices and classes. We began by learning about where Cass’ movement and meditation practices began, specifically from her experience as a young person as a ballet dancer. Cass’ perspective of the interconnectedness of the body, mind (brain) and spirit was truly informative in how we need to care for ourselves as a whole person. It was a delight to see how Cass recast the thinking of mindful noise and bodily energy into a powerful, productive tool. Find more about Cass at her website: https://www.findyourmidline.com & follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassghiorse/ —— “The brain fascinates me. The brain is an organ that produces thoughts; that create feelings in our body; those feelings create actions and those actions create results. I’m interested in that whole, long, complicated line.” “When it comes to meditation, just be the witness, don’t be the judge.” “We’ve been conditioned to think that our own physical bodies are somehow out of our control; and that there is a pill that will solve it; and that we don’t need to feel this, we need to numb it. But no! Pain, whether physical, spiritual, emotion—that’s where life is; that’s what alive is. I wouldn’t have gotten to the work I do had I not gotten hurt.” —— Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.

Announcing “Everyday Spirituality” the first podcast from connect.faith! While filming our pilot season, we had an opportunity to speak with an incredible array of people from all walks of life. We discussed the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice, as well as their everyday spirituality practices. We can’t wait for you to hear it! -- Everyday Spirituality is a podcast from connect.faith; which is a new worshiping community of the Presbyterian Church (USA) unbound by location coming together at the intersection of creativity, spirituality and justice. Learn more about connect.faith at our website - https://connect.faith Donate to support our mission.