Face The Sun: Religion, Belief & Unbelief

...why have you forsaken me?

What's in the name Gaia?  A short episode on the background of my name. 

Given the U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday, I'm reposting my series on abortion. The first episode is my personal story and why I changed my mind on this serious and personal decision. Email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com if you wish to discuss.

I had a great time getting to know Ben Dubow who is co-pastor of Riverfront Family Church in Hartford, CT (link/website below). We intended a conversation with another pastor and me moderating but our schedules never matched up. Instead, Ben discussed his personal stories and the paths that have lead him to where he is today.  I hope you enjoy the episode. For more information about Riverfront: https://www.riverfront.church/  Ben Dubow: ben@riverfront.church    To reach the host of Face the Sun, email FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com 

It was a pleasure having my friend, Meg McDermott Tobin, on the podcast. Meg is a licensed therapist who discusses some of her religious and spiritual experiences. We discuss religion & psychology and the work she does in her both her practices, Breathing Space Psychotherapy and Anam Wellness.  Breathing Space Psychotherapy https://breathingspacepsychotherapy.com/ Anam Wellness https://www.anamwellness.com/    I was privileged to be on an episode of "Unbelievable?" this past week which was just released.  I had a discussion with Preston Ulmer who wrote The Doubters Club. I spent some time focusing on Street Epistemology and the Naked Pastors' book, Questions Are the Answer.  Link to episode: Unbelievable? Podcast - The Doubters Club: Preston Ulmer & Gaia McDermott      If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please email: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com   

I have been to a couple of places of worship these past few months that I'll do an episode on soon.   I visited the Hartford Monthly Meeting (Quakers) on Sunday, Jan. 9th. It was an experience I won't soon forget. I thought the people and the place were wonderful. If you live in or around the area, it's worth a visit. Please see the link below for more information.  https://www.hartfordquakers.org/  Feel free to contact Face The Sun at: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com 

I'm hopeful the past few years of "deconstruction" will help places of worship and people who worship to be kinder, more compassionate and abide by the verses that hold up love. Feel free to contact me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com    TRANSCRIPT: Hi, you're listening to Face The Sun. My name is Gaia, and I'm your host. Welcome to a show where I discuss matters of religion, belief and unbelief. I want to welcome you to the year 2022. Thank goodness we're here. I started this podcast officially in January of 2020. I started going to places of worship and then in March of 2020, as we all know, the whole world changed. So I did some podcasts and different things and tried to get my footing. And it's been really interesting. What I found is that because I'm not technically savvy, I am going to, I'm going to change up how I do my podcasting, that I'm not going to put music at the beginning or end. Not that it should be that difficult, but I just moved my music around, like tinker with it...and I tinker some more and I get lost in a project of the music. Then I also get lost in projects of taking out silences or taking out every single itty-bitty hiccup. I decided...I've just decided I'm not going to do that because then I don't record because it becomes this massive headache and homework and massive project, and this is supposed to be a hobby and I'm enjoying it and I want to get back to enjoying it. That's how I'm going to be doing my 2022 with this podcast - streamlining it, making it easier for me so that I can do more recordings. So we'll, we'll see how that goes. Okay. So for this coming year, I am going to focus on...I am going to focus on a number of things. One of the things that I'm going to focus on is this thing that I'm hearing a lot about for the past couple of years. I'm chasing this down wherever I can - people who are deconstructing - those who deconstruct from the church. Because I was raised in the Christian belief, that's the deconstructionist that I'm following and I'm intrigued. I'm so intrigued! They say a lot of things and I'm like, "Yes. Oh my gosh. Yes, yes, yes, yes!" But they're almost becoming their own little clique. I have hope, but also concerns. And...I don't know, I hope that that a lot of them can go from deconstructing to deconverting.  Some look like they aren't, so I wish them the best and that they can make a healthier go of it than their predecessors did. I'm also going to spend a good deal of time on things relating to the concerns that I have in regards to women and religious belief systems, as well as the LGBTQ community and the damage that can be done, but I also really want to focus on places that don't do damage. Um, wow, I almost started to cry there. I want to go to places that don't hurt other people. Which, how about that? I just, you know, I just thought to do that, you know, what does that say about the damage that that belief can do to you, that religion can do to you that, um, I just thought I should stop going to places that aren't so, um, hurtful to who I am. I think I found some places. I think I, um, I found some places. I went to some, I went to a church in the summertime and then I went to another place, another church in the fall. It was the first time I've ever been to a church that had a rainbow flag in front of it. And it was the first time I went to a church that had a woman who was speaking. I mean, oh my gosh, what kind of world do I live in? You know what...I have to correct myself. I'm sure I have been somewhere - I'm sure I've been somewhere where a woman has been a pastor of a church somewhere. I cannot for the life of me, remember when or where, but I can have vague memories. I think I do. It really struck me probably because I know Liza and I...and I haven't been in churches that much in, in, over the decades.  Yeah, it really struck me. And a lot of things have changed when you stay out of a church for decades. Like, just...things have changed. And so it's nice to...it's nice to...it's nice to be around places where people are nice to...oh my God, I need a thesaurus. You know, old me would would take this out. Old me would clip this out, rerecord it, edit myself and edit it some more. So unfortunately this is...you're going to get me coming at you with all my glitches. So, so yeah, I think that there might be some places that could treat you well. And when you go in and that they are very accepting of everybody and that would be nice. And I'm going to go on a journey and I'm going to be taking friends with me, which really is going to help a lot. It's going to help a lot! It's going to help a lot! So that's what I'm going to be doing. I'm going to be checking off a list of very friendly places and going and visiting them and seeing what I can find out things that promote, promote people. You know, I wear a lot of different sweatshirts that say human on it, that, that promote humanity. I consider myself a humanist and I'll go to a place that no matter what their religion is or their God is that I want to be around people who are still humanist at heart. So, okay, so that's me, that's me blathering. I'm going to stop here. I want to thank you all for listening and thanks for hanging in through a time of my stepping away from doing episodes. Thank you for listening. If you want to reach out to me, you can email me at facethesun2020@gmail.com And I just want to remind you until next time -  remember face the sun.  

I sat down the other day with Liza Arulampalam, pastor of Riverfront Family Church in Hartford, CT. We spoke about women in the church, the history of how Riverfront Family Church was founded and where they are today with leadership and vision. We also discussed the idea of "decolonizing Christianity". I find the times I spend with Liza spark my brain in ways I have never thought about before or thought of in a very long time.  To find out more about Pastor Liza Arulampalam and the Riverfront Family Church, click (or copy/paste) this link: https://www.riverfront.church/    If you would like to support the podcast with a one-time purchase of a cup of coffee or donate the amount of a cup of coffee monthly, please click (or copy/paste) this link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/facethesun    Contact Face The Sun: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com  or leave a message at 860-249-1212     Transcript to follow

Juliemar is a friend who sat down with me over Zoom a few months back. We talked about faith with her family and where she stands today regarding her beliefs. I enjoyed every minute of our conversation and hope you do too.    Transcript to follow.  Please feel free to email FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com with any comments or questions.  If you'd like to buy me a coffee, please visit www.BuyMeACoffee.com/FaceTheSun All caffeine is greatly appreciated!!     

This weeks episode is a conversation I had with Justin Good. Justin is a professor of philosophy. He also overseas with his wife, The Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a non-profit organization located on a forty acre community land trust in the Lower Connecticut River Valley.  The organization promotes interfaith spiritual practice, environmental education and community development. The land trust hosts beaver wetlands, walking paths, an outdoor stage, yurt, community garden, free-ranging goats and chickens and other permaculture demonstration projects. The land trust is open to the public daily from 9 am to 5 pm and is available for private functions.  If you would like to contact Face The Sun, you can email, FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com or leave a message at 860-249-1212. If you would like to support the podcast through buying a cup of coffee, please click on (or copy/paste) www.buymeacoffee.com/facethesun 

Hi, My name's Gaia and I started a podcast a little over a year ago called FTS. It's about religion and unbelief. I'm an atheist but I love studying and talking about religion and with people of belief. I'll use this TT to record episodes, places of worship I visit and people I talk to. I just thought I'd let you listen to a part of Season 3, Episode 1 ---- So here we go. Hi, you're listening to Face The Sun. My name is Gaia, and I'm your host. Welcome to a show where I discuss matters of religion, belief, and unbelief. Today I am starting SEASON 3.  We will discuss topics that I've been pondering about for this past year. I would love to hear your feedback on what you would like to have as topics of discussion. Please feel free to reach me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com . My next episode will be an interview I conducted with Justin Good. He's a professor of philosophy and he wears a lot of other hats as well, which you'll hear about in that episode. From there. I will air a conversation I had with a friend of mine - about her family leaving Puerto Rico and coming to the states and the journey that they had with the church. I started a series back in January 2020 that I titled “52 in 52” or “52 Places of Worship in 52 weeks”. The idea to visit 52 places of worship that year. That was pre COVID. I couldn't get to those 52 places in 2020 because of the pandemic. I've gone to one place recently. It was an Episcopal church that I will record as one of my 52 places. I think that will put me at number 11 and I anticipate on going to more places in 2021 and 2022 as the restrictions for this pandemic are being lifted.  For episode ideas for this new season, I am going to do a part two on Street Epistemology. I meant to do that last season, but I didn't get to it. I did get to a lot of other hot topics. I covered last season topics like racism, LGBTQ, and abortion. So…all light topic… Those are really such heavy hitters that they, they wore me out. And I was - I was kind of worn out, you know, I was a little teary at different times. And part of it, I had a personal story, in regard to the church and prayer and how that feels - that it feels a little like waving the magic wand of prayer and hoping that terrible. horrific things don't happen to you. Even though there are plenty of other ways for people to get involved, to make sure that terrible things don't happen and don't occur. And then also with abortion. I gave a personal story of why I changed from being a Catholic pro-lifer to a Protestant pro-lifer to a woman who believes WE should have the rights to do whatever WE damn well, please, with OUR own bodies. And there was a very, very tragic, frustrating, horrifying experience I had with that, that I was very open with. And so all of those episodes were helpful, but exhausting.  I'm very grateful for those who reached out to me via my email and called and checked in and were very encouraging for this year. I AM also going to talk about Women and their roles in marriage and in the church. There's a mentality of…I don't know how to best to say it… I'm going to try to be cautious with my words or cautious with my thoughts here, but I have certainly plenty of thoughts on this.  I'm a feminist as way back as my preteen years. So, I have very definite views of women and how they are, or are not, valued in church. There's a book that I'm reading called The Making of Biblical Womanhood - by Beth Alison Barr. I'm curious about churches who have a stance on complementarian versus egalitarianism. I'm also curious about having difficult conversations. There's lots of opportunities to have difficult conversations in churches and places of worship, especially when it comes to women, especially when it comes to their rights as women and their roles as being equal. And I do think that it's a disservice for men to not see women as equals or you know, use a different phrase, like, yeah, “we're equal”. “We're just separate, you know, that kind of separate, but equal”. That has been played out in other places in our history, and it doesn't work out well. So, I want to, I want to have conversations with other women about what they think. If you're interested in that, certainly feel free to email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com. I'll be doing some other episodes on other people's podcasts. A few other podcasts that I really like listening to are: The Wonder and Mystery of Being, by John Stein card. He apparently played a lead role in a Christian band. About a year ago, a little over a year ago now, he left Christianity and made a public statement. He's been an interesting person to follow in that he is not hating on gays and trans and women. And when he has his podcast and being very respectful of groups that other people have not been respectful of for many, many thousands of years. He's being embraced by certain communities and I think he's being rejected by some others. The other podcast that I like is Unbelievable? (question mark) by Justin Brierley. I've mentioned him and is podcast a multitude of times since I first started my podcast - back right before 2020. He's been a quasi-friend of mine. We messaged each other periodically. He's a good guy who I, you know, I don't agree with him 99% of the time, but I really appreciate him. And then some other podcasts I listened to are Thank God I'm Atheist and Free Thought Radio and The Holy Post, by Phil Vishner. He did Veggie Tales and his crew - they have, they have a good, they have a good repertoire. So I might do some episodes on their episodes. I might also do episodes on some Christianity Today magazine articles. If there's anything that you like, and you want me to touch on or talk about, you can reach out to me about that as well. I ordered the magazine Christianity Today a year and a half or so ago. That was because they were courageous enough to write the concerns about Donald Trump and how he had pulled white evangelical Christians down this path of, you know, of anything that is not Jesus…lots of hate and vitriol against a lot of people - immigrants and women and gays, and black and brown people. That really sounded like anything other than Jesus to which I think they (Christianity Today) lost a lot of members for that support of hatred. Christianity Today went out on a limb and they wrote an article that was not pro-Trump. It was very concerning about the evangelical, white, Christian support of Trump and how that was going to backfire. Once they were courageous enough to come out with it, and even though I don't agree with the magazine on almost every front, I subscribed to a three-year subscription because I wanted to give them my money and say, thank you.  I could do an episode or two on any one of their articles. I just need to consider what I want to do. I'm also going to do some episodes, hopefully on Christopher Hitchens' book, or I'm going to do one on maybe Dan Barker's book. Dan Barker has a book called Godless: How an Evangelical Christian became one of America's Leading Atheists. So, I have a couple of books and articles that I'm looking at. I've also have had a conversation with a friend of mine that I've met through this podcast, and we had a conversation on the right to die. In the state I live in, we had some legislation that has gone through several years on letting people have the right to die. When they are in a terminal illness and they only have six months to live and he brought up some really good points about what are other options. I think that the bill should pass. It's not going to pass in 2021, but I think this bill should pass. And I think that his concern should be addressed as to what can we do to help people to stay connected through hospice and through palliative care. Those are some of the things I'm thinking of. If you have any thoughts or ideas that you want to see for Season Three, feel free to reach out. I would love to hear from you. I'd love to chat with you about some of your thoughts and possibly have you as a guest on the podcast. All right. So, I'm going to close out here. I want to thank you so much for listening, and if you want to reach me, you can contact me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com. And until next time, I want to remind you to face the sun.

For this week's episode, Scott, Eric and I talk about our perspective on the resurrection story. This conversation is from the debate we watched. I have a link below for the YouTube debate with Bart Ehrman and Mike Licona.   Eric Stillman is the pastor of NewLife Christian Fellowship in Wethersfield, CT and Scott Solberg is the pastor of Wethersfield Evangelical Church, Wethersfield, CT. Please see links below to their churches and more information on Eric and Scott.  I also have a link to Derren Brown who is a mentalist. I mention him in the episode and that I would provide a link and video. He was a Christian who became an atheist and studies what makes people believe they have seen or experienced something they haven't.  The mind is amazing! After you watch Derren Brown, it's hard to stop watching how he studies others and prompts them to act the way he manipulates them to act. He plays a role of mastermind but in all his interviews, he's clear that he has no secrets or powers. He simply has studied the human mind.  Let me know what you think.   Ehrman-Licona Debate Prove Jesus Rose from Dead Resurrection Debate: Ehrman & Licona https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi1eWhzxja0   Eric Stillman Eric Stillman, NewLife Christian Fellowship https://www.newlife-ct.org/our-pastor   Scott Solberg Scott Solberg, Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church https://wethefc.com/   Derren Brown The Psychological Tricks of Faith Healing Explained | Derren Brown | Big Think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEYW2vqqNDQ  Miracles for Sale https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/derren-brown-miracles-for-sale/    BOOKS Prophecy: Failure or Fulfillment  https://g.co/kgs/YTimtr  Think Again https://g.co/kgs/wbtsAH    CONTACT: FACE THE SUN FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com

For this week's episode I have another debate discussion. This time it's on the resurrection. Link below for the YouTube debate with Bart Ehrman and Mike Licona. My guest on the show are Eric Stillman, pastor of NewLife Christian Fellowship in Wethersfield, CT and Scott Solberg of Wethersfield Evangelical Church, Wethersfield, CT. Please see links below to their churches and more information on Eric and Scott.  I also have a link to Justin Brierley's podcast episode and a YouTube link of a debate he had on his show on the resurrection with Bart Ehrman and Mike Licona. Let me know what you think.   Ehrman-Licona Debate Prove Jesus Rose from Dead Resurrection Debate: Ehrman & Licona https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi1eWhzxja0   Eric Stillman Eric Stillman, NewLife Christian Fellowship https://www.newlife-ct.org/our-pastor   Scott Solberg Scott Solberg, Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church https://wethefc.com/   Justin Brierley, Unbelievable Podcast with Justin Brierley - Unbelievable? Premier Radio with Ehrman & Licona on The Resurrection https://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable/Episodes/Unbelievable-16-Apr-2011-Biblical-evidence-for-the-Resurrection-Bart-Ehrman-Mike-Licona   YouTube – Justin Brierley with Ehrman & Licona on the Resurrection YouTube – Justin Brierley with Ehrman & Licona on the Resurrection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgcHGnjN1PQ   CONTACT: FACE THE SUN FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com

Today's episode is short and and to the point. Watch Phil Visher's YouTube clip. David French, a pro-life civil rights attorney, recently wrote about the reality of politics and abortion in America today. When Holy Post co-host, Skye Jethani, echoed French's point of view on Twitter, people asked if they could summarize it with a video. Links to the video are below. Click below for the link to Phil Visher's YouTube clip: Phil Vischer - What about Abortion? Should this one issue determine how Christians Vote Copy and paste the link if you are on Apple podcast.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvWD7ykNjCc    If you would like to get in touch with Face The Sun, you can email: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com     

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I did an episode on abortion - it was an introduction of my story, as well as, some Bible verses. It certainly wasn't all the Bible verses – I just touched on what verses were out there that dealt with killing babies and killing pregnant women. In addition to that, there's so many other stories of killings in the Bible. I ended the last episode saying, “If God really opposes abortion, why didn't God say so?” What's interesting is if you go through the Bible, you'll see that the death penalty has been handed down for all these different missteps and awful crimes, but there's a death penalty for little “wrongs”. So…working on the Sabbath day - death penalty. Collecting sticks on the Sabbath day - death penalty. People who act as mediums or consult spirits - death penalty. Rebellious children - death penalty. Homosexuality (let's not forget how much God hates the gays) - death penalty. Blaspheme the name of the Lord. I don't think I even know what that means. I had to look it up and it said the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk. Um, I'm confident that I have engaged in profane talk and anybody who knows me and listens to this podcast - if they really know me, they know I am capable of profane talk. The thing is, if there is a God, I think the only proof of a God is that I am not swearing like there's no-tomorrow. So, maybe there is a God. "Maybe there is a God. Gaia isn't swearing like a lunatic." Speaking sacrilegiously about God… I just don't even know what that means. I think that the goalpost moves a great deal depending on who you're talking to. I'm not sure that it's ever understood what blaspheming the Lord would mean or blaspheming the name of the Lord means. I don't even know. It goes on to list some other misdeeds, which is idolatry. At first I thought idolatry was like worshiping the golden calf, right? In Moses when… Mel Brooks did a really funny movie on Moses. Moses comes down from the mountain and he's carrying three tablets and he says, I have 15 commandments and “doosh”, one of the tablets falls and he says 10 commandments. When that movie from Mel Brooks and then a number of other movies with Charlton Heston and a few others, when they do this whole thing in the desert, they're worshiping a golden calf. So, I always thought idolatry meant worshiping a golden calf or worshiping really anything else, like money and this and that and the other. But I guess in the Bible, it specifically was talking about sacrificing your children to a God. There's also the list of other sins or wrongdoings to get put to death. Adultery is on that list. Murder is on the list as well. You know what's not on the list? Abortion. So, killing your rebellious child and picking up sticks on the Sabbath and being gay – those things… you're gone. “We're just going to have to kill you. We're just going to start hurling rocks.” If you sleep with someone who's married, “I'm sorry. We're going to have to end you right here and now.”                   None of the reasons to put someone to death are for abortion.  Out of all the criminal offenses and out of all the criminal violations and the supposedly criminal violations, abortion is not one of them, not one in the entire Bible. And that's not because there's no such thing as abortion. The Bible talks about forcing the death of a fetus and there's no condemnation. Anti-abortion individuals will assert that human life begins at conception and therefore the fertilized egg possesses all the constitutional rights of a living person. It would follow that the destruction of a conceived embryo is murder and, this is the basis for the personhood argument. If the fertilized egg is a person as pro-abortion extremists would claim then God is the greatest murderer of unborn children, because most fertilized eggs either failed to implant in the uterine wall and pass out of the body, or they implant and begin to develop and they're spontaneously aborted. I didn't know this until I researched and prepared for this podcast - Less than one third of fertilized eggs survive and become living human beings. So why to fundamentalist pursue a political agenda that is thoroughly refuted by the Bible? I think what I'm going to do is I'm going to break this up. I think I'm going to break it up into another podcast because honestly, I don't think I can take it I don't think I can take the pain of this anymore. There are so many contradictions that make you want to bang your head against a wall that make you want to scream out. Like, don't you care? There are so many heartbreaks here. So, I'm going to end here. I'm going to end here, and I want to thank you so much for listening, because I don't know how you can put up with me sometimes, but I really want to thank you for being willing to listen. I know this is not an easy topic. I think these are the topics that we can build off of into a relationship and that we can somehow figure things out. If you have any questions or comments, if you have any thoughts, you can share them with me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com Before I sign off, just really want to remind you and hope that you will face the sun.

For this week's episode, I'm going to talk about abortion and the Bible.  As I prepared to give this talk, just like I have prepared to give other talks on racism and on LGBTQ, it's difficult because it takes me a while to record and then re-record and then edit what I've recorded and then re-record again. That circle has gone on a number of times, so I'm coming up with another solution and it's to grab little chunks of little bits and see what I get out of this. So… this might be a twenty-piece. This might be a twenty-part series. Who knows? But here I am. Right? Here I am just trying to get this through, just trying to get this posted. When I do interviews on my podcast, they're so easy. I'm so happy to just hear what someone's perspective is - just appreciate who they are and what they're sharing with me. There's the other part of me that knows that I have a platform and that I should use this platform to give the perspective that I have on racism and the church and LGBTQ and Christianity and Christians and prayer and on abortion and the Bible. When I do interviews, it's easier because. Well… there's somebody else carrying the water to be honest. And then it's not a debate. It's a discussion and it's not a conversation to be won. It's a conversation to be enjoyed. I care about those that I interview. I would never have, you know, when you listen to some investigative reporters and they you're like ‘dog on a bone', they're really dogged in on getting the truth out of somebody, but they're really aggressive. I appreciate the work that investigative reporters do, but that's not what I do. I just like to chat with people. And then in between the chats, there's these moments that I just know I need to speak and say my perspective. So, for this episode or a portion of this episode, I'm going to talk about myself.  I was raised Roman Catholic. My mother and father came over -they are immigrants from Ireland and they it's a predominantly Catholic country. And they came to New England. The state that I live in, Connecticut, that's a very Catholic state - as is, as is Rhode Island and Massachusetts. So, they came from, from that country to this country and the section of this country. I'm going to guess that most people who are listening, know that Catholics are pro-life. It's almost like, I think that it doesn't even need to be said, because I think everybody knows that. But if you didn't know, Catholics are really pro-life. My views changed when I was in my late twenties or early thirties, when I thought I was pregnant for the second time. I just couldn't do it. I had postpartum depression when I had my first child. I was really isolated. I had horrible sleep deprivation. I was suicidal. I had some hallucinations, which I think when people say those words out loud, you know, hallucinations, everybody just creeps away from them. For anybody who's struggled with sleep deprivation that was so bad that they wished they could die from sleep deprivation just so that the pain could stop, you're probably going to have some hallucinations. So here I was, just barely surviving when I had my first child. When I thought I was pregnant the second time, I just didn't know; I was just so overwhelmed. You know when you're a new mom and you're struggling and you're suffering in this intense, debilitating illness, who do you turn to? You're really isolated. You feel embarrassed and you feel fearful that they could lock you up against your will or they could take your child away. During that time, I clung to one person, it was like I was drowning in the ocean and I clung to another, which in itself was life-giving, and it created an overdependence.   Back then, and now, we don't know how to help others in this level of pain.   So I thought I was pregnant and I thought, I hope I can live through this. I hope I can live through this nine month and give birth, but I don't know if I can do any more than that. This is all I got.  I wasn't pregnant and I was very grateful.   I don't know how many months later it was that I thought I was pregnant for the second time.   Now, all of this time I was taking…I was using birth control. I was using very, very, successful birth control, but anything can happen just a few percentages that you could get pregnant. And then I think that when you psychologically, when you think that you could be pregnant, and I think the influx of stress hormones is overwhelming and it creates this - I think a PTSD kind of thing. I think it comes back in this flood, like as if it's all happening again, just the fear, right? …of thinking that you might be pregnant, it brought it all back. And the second time I thought I was pregnant, I thought I'm not going forward with this pregnancy. For the first time in my life, I was grateful there was an option.   You know, people will say, um, people will say, “We'll help...We'll help you. If you're pregnant. It's okay. We'll help you.” How? How are you going to help me? Are you going to pray? Are you going to pray for me? I have an episode on prayer and I'm going to tell you the magic wand of prayer is not helpful. How are you going to help me? Are you going to make casseroles for me? Are you going to bring over chicken, pasta casseroles for me? How are you going to help? How are you going to help someone who losing their mind? What are you going to do it? Insanity is not a game. Think Andrea Yates. After pregnancy and delivery. the fourth time she suffered depression that mirrored mine. When I read about what she suffered on her fourth baby, it mirrored everything I was dealing with - the suicidal illness, the hallucinations, and not sleeping, the isolation, the feelings of desperation. How would others help her? How would you have helped her? Her husband, just like mine, wanted more children. Her doctors knew that wasn't a good idea. Some who were close to her knew that wasn't a good idea, too. The difference between Andrea Yates and me, I would have had an abortion.  And I did have surgery so that the father of my one and only child wouldn't pressure me to have more children. Or I wouldn't get pregnant because even, even birth control pills, don't always work. I would do everything possible to protect myself. Andrea Yates wasn't so lucky. She wasn't healthy or strong enough after her fourth child, with her struggles with depression and under pressure to have more children from her husband. She had a fifth child. ……  The reason I could make the decision to have an abortion was because the person I worried about the most was my son. How could I leave him? How could I play Russian Roulette with my life and not know if I would be there to be a part of my son's life. My life was changed when I realized that I had options and that I could live and that I could take care of my son.   My life was changed when I realized that other people, most decidedly, the person I was married to was willing to risk my life, to have more children. I had to have surgery because he wouldn't have surgery to make sure I wouldn't have another child. Because I absolutely did not want to have an abortion. I mean, the fact that some people, the fact that some people think that people use abortion as birth control is so disgustingly disturbing. It is so sad that you would say I'm against abortion. because I don't think it should be used as birth control. So, let me tell you, is that using a birth control pill and drinking down a pill every day is the easiest thing in the world. …And using a pill with a diaphragm, with spermicide, with a condom, and that's the life that you live until you can have surgery that will make sure that you never can have children ever again. …Do you even have a concept? Do you who fight so hard against a woman to have the right to get help, do you even know what women go through? They are trying desperately not to have a child. And the flippant attitude or the yelling outside of clinics, you should be ashamed of yourself. There is no Jesus in that action. There is no Jesus that you have ever read about that behaves like that. If you ask Christians who are opposed to a woman's right to have an abortion, they will say that they're posed to it because the God that they believe in is opposed to abortions. How do they know? How do they know? How do they know what God wants, what God is opposed to? If they had to figure it out, they would say they would say that the Bible tells them. And I'm here on this episode to say they, Christians would be surprised to find out that the Bible doesn't say what they think it says in the Bible. In the book called Numbers, there's a book called Numbers. In chapter five, if a wife is accused of adultery, she must submit to a purity test that will cause her to abort the fetus if she's guilty of adultery. So, she has to drink a potion and if it causes her to die or her child, if it causes any medical issues and therefore, she aborts the fetus, she was guilty of cheating on her husband.  I imagine she'd be stoned at that stage. And that reminds me of the Salem witch trials. You know, you throw a witch into the water and you see if she drowns. If she drowns, she wasn't a witch, and this is the way you handle people that you don't like. Forcing a woman to drink a potion that would make them sick and potentially create an abortion that does not sound like God being against abortion In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28, it says curse be the fruit of the womb, and you will eat the fruit of your womb, which I have yet to look up. It sounds really gross and I'm not really sure what that means. In second Kings Elijah prophesizes that there would be a King that would attack the Israelites. He would burn the cities, crush babies' heads, and rip open pregnant women. In that same book, a King of Israel, destroy several towns, killing all the residents, ripping open pregnant women with a sword. Another book called Hosea, God is written about as punishing the Israelites by destroying their unborn children who will die at childbirth or perish in the womb or not be conceived at all. Later, in that same book because of rebellion, some were to be killed - and you guessed it - babies were dashed to the ground and pregnant women were open with a sword In Matthew 24, Jesus says, “Woe to pregnant women and those who are nursing”, when talking about the end times. It just seemed like there's such a disregard. And in disgust and disdain and hatred for women who are pregnant or who had little, little ones. In Exodus, Isaiah and Jeremiah, there's more of these types of killings. There are plenty more stories of God killing others. There are many more pregnant women who were killed when you think about it, Noah and the flood, the destructions of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah, not one righteous was to be found, not even the fetus of a pregnant woman. There are many more stories of human annihilation in the Bible, which brings it to light that if God really opposes abortion, why didn't God just say, so I'm going to wrap up this episode here. I know that I've barely touched the surface, but I've recorded this so many times, I think it's important to just break this up and make this into a multi-part series. It won't be the last that I'll be talking about this, but at least I just need to get this part… I just need to get through this. I want to thank you so much for listening and I, I want to let you know that if you want to reach out. I'm going to have some  - I'll have a website that I'm working on and new ways of getting in touch with me. But for now you can email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com and you can feel free to share with me your thoughts and your stories. If you want to keep it just between ourselves, you can let me know that Before I would ever share anything on my podcast, I would ask your permission. If you, if you want to express any thoughts, I'm more than willing to receive that. So, thank you for listening. And until next time, remember to face the sun.

Recording a podcast on the Laramie Project took a lot more out of me than I thought it would. I recorded several times and deleted my recordings. This isn't my best work but I wanted to post it and know that I will circle around again to talk about Christianity and the LGBTQ community. I hope to have guest on my show who can speak about their experiences now, how much the religious communities have grown and changed and areas of needed growth.    I'm sorry the recording isn't up to par with what I would like to post but I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have this platform.  If you would like to reach out to me, please feel free to email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com     

This weeks episode is a bit of a continuation of last weeks episode regarding LGBTQ and the Church. This is part one of observations and thoughts on the Laramie Project and Mathew Shepard. For more information on the Laramie Project, please see the link below.    The Laramie Project movie on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1qiTmF0p4A If you are on Apple podcast, please subscribe to Face The Sun so that the hyperlinks are accessible.  If you are on Apple and still cannot clink on the link, simply cut/paste. Links are accessible on other podcast platforms.    You can contact Face The Sun at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com       

This weeks episode is on how LGBTQIA+ are treated by some churches and some Christians. We take a look at how in history the Bible has been used to treat others in ways we are regretful of. We also take a look at how the church has dealt with an opportunity to love others and grow and what that could mean for the X-Y-Z Generations regarding their relationship with the Church and Christianity.  Below is a link to the Laramie Project. --- LARAMIE PROJECT: Moisés Kaufman and members of New York's Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of Matthew Shepard. This is a film version of the play they wrote based on more than 200 interviews they conducted in Laramie. https://youtu.be/u1qiTmF0p4A   Feel free to email Face The Sun at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com 

For this weeks episode my guests Eric Stillman (Pastor of NewLife Christian Fellowship in Wethersfield, CT), Scott Solberg (Pastor of Wethersfield Evangelical Church in Wethersfield, CT), Adam Lewis and Rich Porter discuss "objective morality".  The conversation is from a debate with Sam Harris and William Lane Craig at Notre Dame University. The debate was on the foundations of moral values and are they natural or supernatural. NewLife Christian Fellowship, Eric Stillman https://www.newlife-ct.org/  Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church, Scott Solberg http://www.wethefc.com/ I  hope you enjoy the discussion. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com 

Today's episode is Part II of a conversation I had with my friend Shirley Skyers-Thomas. We talk a little more about being in a family with a faithful family and a few other topics. We also talk about Shirley's project - Do Process and Practice. The link to her project is below.    Do Process and Practice - Changing the conversation. Do Process and Practice: For all those who are curious and open to the Art of Debate – what it means to listen; what it takes to be heard; and why so many voices are left unheard. https://doprocessandpractice.com/     Shirley's mother is the pastor of: Shiloh Apostolic Church, 475 Charles St., Bridgeport, CT  (203) 384-9684 Shirley's father is the pastor of: First Holiness Church, 108 Guion Place, New Rochelle, NY  (914) 633-3291      

Today's episode is a conversation I had with my friend Shirley Skyers-Thomas. She is one of the kindest people I know and is always interested in the projects I'm working on. When I let Shirly know I have a podcast, she immediately followed it and let me know her parents were pastors. I wanted to know more! Here we are catching up with what it's like to grow up as a pastors kid - times two.   Shirley's mother is the pastor of: Shiloh Apostolic Church, 475 Charles St., Bridgeport, CT  (203) 384-9684 Shirley's father is the pastor of: First Holiness Church, 108 Guion Place, New Rochelle, NY  (914) 633-3291     Shirley's website: Do Process and Practice - Changing the conversation. Do Process and Practice: For all those who are curious and open to the Art of Debate – what it means to listen; what it takes to be heard; and why so many voices are left unheard. https://doprocessandpractice.com/

It took me countless recordings and re-recordings to get this episode out. These times are heart wrenching.  Thankfully there have been some places of worship that I've listened to who have given their attention to what part the church has to play in healing the country by taking a look inside their doors and outside.  Andy Stanley - Racism. It's prevalent in this world. So what do we do about it? What wisdom can we gain on this topic? Andy Stanley talks about this and more in today's service. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZJLUkuM9KM   Scott Solberg of Wethersfield Evangelical Church  in Wethersfield, CT spoke about the tragedy after George Floyd and several weeks and then proceeded to do a series on race and the church. From this link you can listen and read the transcript as well.  http://wethefc.com/resources/sermons/a-timely-message-on-race/

This weeks episode was a treat because I was able to visit a friend of mine and see the church he pastors. Eric Stillman and I became friends a few years ago when I emailed his office to ask him what he believed and why he believed it.  He replied back and made it clear he was up for the discussion. That's not always the response I get so I was happy he was willing to meet. Over the years we have struck up a friendship sharing emails of our perspectives and when possible discussing our views in person. In the coming months, we will meet up again to talk about our views on a debate titled: The God Debate II - Harris vs. Craig. We'll invite several others to watch the debate with us (hopefully in person if we can do safely - if not, via remote). I'll post our discussions of the debate on Face The Sun! I hope you enjoy this episode. If you would like to know more about Eric and the church he pastors at NewLife in Wethersfield, CT, the link is below. https://www.newlife-ct.org/  If you would like to contact Face The Sun, you can send an email to: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com    

Face the Sun is starting it's second season this fall. I discuss potential topics including continuing on with my 52 Places of Worship series. Because of the coronavirus, I won't be able to complete this in 52 weeks but none-the-less - we press on! I will get to places of worship so long as it's safe to do so and give my commentary.  I will also conduct interviews this season as I have in Season 1. I'm excited to announce a project I am working on to view a debate at a church with a few people and discuss our thoughts about the debate. That conversation will be recorded and will be one of the Face The Sun episodes. I have a few hot topics planned for discussion as well so Stay Tuned!   Feel free to email me with any ideas, comments or questions.  FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com    

Adam Lewis joins Face the Sun for a discussion about the church and race. We discuss discuss Trump as President and the response to his presidency regarding race and how the church responded.    Note: On this episode I comment on abortion and one of the main reasons evangelical Christians site for supporting Donald Trump. While  Trump supporters often claim voting for him is important to reduce abortions, the abortion rate has been on the decline since 1991 and continued to decline under President Clinton, President Bush and President Obama. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_statistics_in_the_United_States    A book we mention is White Fragility by Robin Diangelo. Sold in bookstores - paperback, ebook and audio.

Adam Lewis joined Face The Sun for a discussion about the church and race. We discussed a number of differences that are readily rejected by the majority. In understanding the ways society and the church respond to differences around us such as women, LGBT, disabilities, we who fall within a marginalized group can flip the coin to see how the past 400 years of racism has perverted our nation. We can grow in these difficult times and make mistakes while doing it.  Places of worship have a responsibility. If a church speaks of Jesus and "WWJD?", we know he wouldn't press his knee into a mans neck and kill him. More than that, what should we do? We can't remain silent any more.  Many churches didn't address what happened to George Floyd the Sunday after he was murdered. The church Adam Lewis goes to did. More need to take up the cross. More churches need to actively be uncomfortable. The end of this podcast ends a little abruptly. I'm learning as I go. But I'm not waiting to be perfect to get the message out. If your podcast host doesn't link to these sites below, simply Google "the bail project" and also google "ted talk bail project" to get an understanding of how much it's costing us to throw the poor into jail who can't afford bail. It cost them their lives and it cost taxpayers. There's a better way to help. The Bail Project:   https://bailproject.org/  TED Talk - The Injustice of Bail:  https://www.ted.com/talks/robin_steinberg_what_if_we_ended_the_injustice_of_bail?language=en   

This week I am participating in #PodcastBlackout with fellow podcasters around the country and the world.  BOOKS: White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide, by CAROL ANDERSON White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism, by ROBIN DIANGELO Stamped from the Beginning: The definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by IBRAM X. IBRAM    So You Want to Talk about Race, by IJEOMA OLUO   How to Be an Antiracist, IBRAM X. KENDI   Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations about Race, by BEVERLY DANIEL TATUM   The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (Anniversary), by MICHELLE ALEXANDER         BOOKS on RACISM & THE CHURCH:   The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism, by JEMAR TISBY   One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love, by JOHN PERKINS    Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder, by JONATHAN WILSON-HARTGROVE   ARTICLES:   https://religionandpolitics.org/2019/04/02/the-american-churchs-complicity-in-racism-a-conversation-with-jemar-tisby/   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/us/blacks-evangelical-churches.html    PODCAST EPISODES - RACISM AND THE CHURCH:   The Gospel And Black History My Story: Racism & Discrimination in the Church   Church Hurts Racism and the Church: Now That We See It What Will We Do? - Ade Oni     NON-PROFIT   The Bail Project https://secure.givelively.org/donate/the-bail-project     Act Blue https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ab_mn   New York Magazine: Where to Donate https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html    

Part II of my conversation with Bill LaMorey who is the Pastor of Calvary Fellowship in West Hartford, CT. Bill talks about the next series coming up this Sunday, "Break Through: Beyond Bad Habits". Bill can be reached at Bill@CalvaryHartford.com You can learn more about him and events at Calvary at www.CalvaryHartford.com  

I sit down with my friend Bill LaMorey who is the pastor of Calvary Fellowship in West Hartford, CT. I've known Bill for many years so it was a pleasure to talk with him about how he's doing and his vision for dealing with the coronavirus and plans after this is behind us.  Bill can be reached at Bill@CalvaryHartford.com  You can also learn more about him and what they are up to at Calvary Fellowship at www.CalvaryHartford.com    Feel free to reach out to me with questions or suggestions at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com

Adam Lewis heard about my podcast and reached out via email. We started an email dialog and then spoke a few times. He agreed to be my guest on this episode to talk about my 52 Places of Worship in 52 Weeks. We also talked about a podcast we listened to from Justin Brierley's "Unbelievable?" and how religious and non-religious can find ground to connect. Adam shares his deep interest in building relationships with others. There are some great takeaways on "listening to people as people". Contact Face the Sun:  FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com Unbelievable? with host Justin Brierley with guests Ryan Bell and Sean McDowell

This weeks episode is about Street Epistemology. "Epistemology" is best described as "what do you believe, why do you believe it's true and how did you come about realizing this." It's about conducting an interview to distinguish belief and validity.  Below is a presentation by Anthony Magnabosco on Street Epistemology: Street Epistemology Workshop with Anthony Magnabosco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQfneO0m4Wk&t=3392s   This is an example of SE with Anthony Magnabosco on a college campus: Street Epistemology: Daniel & Beau | What Else Do We Have But Faith? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpwxM2wNChE&t=1244s   Recovering From Religion is an organization that connects others with support, resources, community, and most of all, hope. They have two forms of support - peer support and professional support.  https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/

This weeks episode is my take on the movie on Netfix, The Two Popes. I learned a great deal about the popes and remembered a number of issues from my personal experience in the Catholic church. Everyone's experience is different and perceptions can be different in even the same family. I suppose it depends where you grew up and how you were educated. I think some were told a "mortal sin" was killing someone and others of us were told it was a mortal sin to steal five cents. Fun Times. There were so many different stories I was told that others were not. I'm relieved to be on the other side of it and I hope the move quicker towards healthier decisions for clergy getting married, acceptance of women and LGBTQ.  If you want to watch the movie, you can find it on Nexflix. The story line is taken from books both popes have written or talks given and from first hand accounts. I'm sure creative liberty was also taken to make the movie. There are still some great quotes that resonate with me still.   https://www.netflix.com/

I've watched an event put on by 'Unbelievable?' and Premier Christian Radio with Justin Brierley several times. I appreciate Ryan Bell and his perspective in the church and out as an atheist. Sean McDowell and Justin are very respectful and ask some great questions.  I hope you enjoy the episode.  If you have any questions, suggestions or ideas, feel free to email FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com    * [Unbelievable? Live in California: Ryan Bell vs Sean McDowell] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0duoOfy3GXQ)       * [Justin Brierley] (https://www.premierchristianradio.com/Presenters/Justin-Brierley)     * [Ryan Bell - Humanist Chaplain at the University of S. California] (https://orsl.usc.edu/about/staff/ryan-bell/)   * [Ryan Bell - Center for Inquiry] (https://centerforinquiry.org/speakers/bell-ryan/)   * [Sean McDowell - public speaker and author] (https://seanmcdowell.org/)      

In the midst of the coronavirus "52 in 52" has been put on 'pause'. We'll pick it up when this virus is behind us. Until then, here are some ideas for episodes. Let me know what you think. Email me at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com or hit me up on my Facebook page or on twitter @facethesun8  

Being a stranger in a place of worship can be exhausting. It all started to become a little much so I decided to do what I know a number of people who are religious do. I decided to have a place of worship at  home. I watched a YouTube video of a sermon and did an episode of my take on the message.  Now that corona virus has hit and each day we hear more news about closings of schools, shops and churches, I'll need to get more creative in the coming weeks ahead. If I can't attend a service then I'll come up with other episodes until I can get back to '52 in 52'.  Stay safe! And stay tuned!

This church had their first Sunday service ever. I was glad to see their maiden voyage. They have some kinks to work out so I'm keeping the name of the place off the title. I won't be able to check in again until next year after I wrap up my 52 in 52. I'm not sure if they'll still be around then but I'm wishing them well. They seemed like a good crew who just have a steep learning curve.  I have to wonder when churches like this get started, why they don't partner with other churches in the area and pull together. I'm really curious where this place ends up in their first year. 

I heard this place of worship was pulling a lot of young people in so I wanted to see what it was all about. I felt pretty deflated with my experience there. I'll chalk the whole thing up to a 'learning experience'.  I don't think those who are involved with this church are intentional in the dysfunction. I know there are some wonderful, caring people who attend. There is simply lots of room for improvement. Then again, one of my friends, upon hearing the whole story of my visit to this place, quoted from the podcast 'My Favorite Murder'  - "You're in a cult. Call your dad."

This place in my '52 in 52' was not what I was expecting. Tune in to hear my adventure of somewhere I misunderstood as a Humanist place to congregate. Sometimes not researching a place of worship turns into an adventure in learning.  Next week is even more of a challenge of my expectations. So...here...we...go...

On Superbowl Sunday morning I went to a church that emailed me they were having a Superbowl party that night. I figured I'd go there during the day for my '52 in 52' and check it out. The place has lots of nice people and an easy to listen to message from the pastor. It was a nice place to stop by for the first half of the Superbowl game too.    https://catalyst.church/   Feel free to email me if you have questions or comments or want me to visit a specific place of worship.  Until next time - Face The Sun!

I've attended several places of worship over the past few weeks. I'm looking forward to posting those experiences over the next few weeks. For this week's podcast, please enjoy my interview with Lance Bane of Gateway Christian Fellowship in West Haven.  Please click the link below to become more familiar with Lance Bane of Gateway Christian Fellowship in West Haven: https://www.lancebane.com/   I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to email me with any questions at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com   

I've been to this temple before. Sometimes it's been good and interesting and other times not so much. This past visit it was a bit disappointing. I think that's because I am on a quest for community and this place felt very disjointed. It wasn't as bad as my first visit - #1 in '52 in 52' which was a Christian place of worship that was politically hostile. Rather this place seemed to lack engagement and any assistance to newcomers. When you listen, you may get an understanding of what I mean.  I tried to be upbeat when I'd record the episode but I would use my energy to spiral into some negative rants. This is my fourth recording of the place. At least I'm giving the best view I can that is as truthful as I can get from my perspective.  If you'd like to reach me, please feel free to email me at: FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com    Buddhist Faith Fellowship https://bffct.org/bff/ 

We're on to the third place of worship in my project, '52 places of worship in 52 weeks'. This week was at Gateway Christian Fellowship in West Haven, CT. I went with a friend of mine who has attended the church for a year or so. He just retired so he's feels like he has the time to drive a bit more out of the way to get to a place that is multi-cultural, open and helpful teachings. It was enjoyable to visit as everyone seemed friendly and the pastor, Lance Bane, was clear in his message. For my visit to Wethersfield (#2 of '52 in 52') I spoke with the pastor before visiting on a Sunday. I didn't reach out to this pastor since I was going with a friend who was familiar with the place. I hope to connect with Lance of Gateway soon and get some more background regarding his church and his story. Gateway Christian Fellowship: https://www.yourgateway.com/     

For this week's place of worship, I went to Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church in Wethersfield, CT. I spoke with the pastor, Scott Solberg, before my visit. It helped to communicate with him via email and visit before going. Several decades ago when I was a Christian I had gone to that Church after visiting a number of Christians churches. It's changed a lot. Thirty years ago everyone dressed up and there were pews. Now everyone was dressed from business casual to relaxed casual. With the pews gone, the room opened up. It wasn't a stiff and formal church. A nice, welcoming place. A place that also was pleasant but not overly so to a visitor like me. Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church http://www.wethefc.com/

For the year 2020, I've decided to take on a project of sorts that I'm calling '52 in 52' - which is 52 places of worship in 52 weeks. The first place I decided to go to was a Christian place of worship in Middlesex Co. It was an interesting experience. One I'm hoping to not repeat.

Chuck and Gaia talk about those who have left the church & those who no longer believe and what they are looking for in a place of worship. We also mention a project of mine for the year 2020 - "52 in 52". I'll be going to 52 Places of Worship in 52 weeks. Stay tuned for more information this month and throughout the new year.

First podcast - INTRO. Face The Sun is a show where we discuss matters of religion, belief and non-religious belief . Feel free to reach out to FTS at FaceTheSun2020@gmail.com Subscribe to join the next podcast with Eric Stillman of New Life Christian Fellowship in Wethersfield, CT. We'll be reviewing a book by Andy Stanley.