Let's Talk About It

Dr. Shepherd's special guest is Alison Dreith, interim director at NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri. NARAL's mission is to guarantee women the right to make personal decisions regarding reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. She has had many positions in related fields, including working at a health center and as their grassroots organizer. Before coming to NARAL Missouri, she was the statewide organizer at Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition, where she worked to support pro-choice candidates in key elections.   This program presents views that are challenging but not confrontational, political but nonpartisan, scientific-cultural but metaphysical-theological  on a central issue of our times, as Dr. Shepherd asks some hard questions about abortion and the pro-choice povement. Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, this interview will keep you better informed about the ongoing cultural war being waged about this highly controversial topic.

Dr. Tom's special guest is a seasoned veteran in the field of juvenile justice. Officer Blu Nicholson has 25 years' experience in the field of juvenile justice in both corrections and law enforcement. He received a bachelor's in criminal justice from Texas A&M and a master's in counseling from Amberton University. Officer Nicholson currently holds a State of Texas Master Peace Officer certification and a Texas Juvenile Probation Officer certification. Officer Nicholson has served as a juvenile probation officer for Henderson County, Texas, for the past 8 years. He is vice chair of the Athens ISD Crimestoppers Committee and member of the Safe Schools Committee. If you know kids who have had trouble with the law, this show will offer ideas about what you can do to help them avoid replaying the same old mistakes.

A middle-aged man is admitted to the hospital, suddenly plucked from familiar surroundings and given a bunk in a public building, like a stranger in a strange land. People stick him with needles, almost at whim. A train of uniformed workers swing in and out of his room like it was a station stop on a commuter line. Then another stranger arrives, announces herself as the chaplain, and asks, “How are you doing?” The patient immediately thinks: Great. They send in the angel of the Lord—am I going to die?   Dr. Tom Shepherd's special guest this week is anything but an angel of death. Rev. Dr. Charles Robertson, chaplain supervisor at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Chaplain Robertson works with men and women preparing for professional ministry, including Unity Institute® and Seminary students, to familiarize them with how to do ministry in a hospital setting. An ordained Nazarene minister, Chaplain Robertson holds a degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, and Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. His insights on the role of the clergy as a spiritual resource to hospital patients, staff, and administrators will give you a new appreciation for the people engaged in health care and those they serve. If you've ever visited a friend or relative in the hospital, or been hospitalized yourself, this show is for you.

Dr. Tom's guest this week is John Lindsay-Poland, peace activist who has written about, researched, and organized action for human rights and the demilitarization of U.S. policy, especially in Latin America, for more than 30 years. From 1989 to 2014, Lindsay-Poland served the interfaith pacifist organization Fellowship of Reconciliation. Since May of 2015 he serves in the Wage Peace program of the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers). He is the author of several books including Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama. He was Editor and staff writer of Panamá Update, a quarterly publication from 1992 to 1999; Puerto Rico Update from 2000 to 2005; Colombia Update from 2006 to 2011; and the monthly Latin America Update from 2011 to 2014. He is now developing tools and curriculum to research militarism on behalf of activist campaigns.

Health care generates ongoing controversy in the United States, but what are the issues for biomedical ethics when insurance companies dictate what treatment may or may not be administered by withholding payment for necessary drugs, tests, or procedures? And where should our society spend its health care dollars—to sustain life at the ending stages or improve the whole quality of life by emphasis on wellness and disease prevention? What about allowing suffering patients with no hope of recovery the choice to end their lives painlessly?       Dr. Tom's special guests are two Unity Institute® and Seminary students who will graduate in 2016 and become Unity ministers, both lively speakers who are uniquely qualified to speak about medical practicality and economics issues. Keri King earned a bachelor's in nursing at Carroll College in Wisconsin. She worked as a clinical care/ICU nurse for more than 20 years and is still a practicing member of the nursing profession. She brings enormous practical knowledge to the discussion of patient care and medicine.       Richard Belous has a bachelor's from Columbia College and earned both a master's and Ph.D. from George Washington University. He went on to teach as adjunct faculty at GWU, a position he still holds. “Dr. Rick” was appointed chief economist for the United Way and serves as research advisor to Unity Worldwide Ministries.       Don't miss this one. You will hear amazing insights about the way money and medicine interplay, and learn what a person of faith can do to help those who feel lost in the whirlwind of health care today.

Dr. Tom's special guest this week is Episcopal Priest Denise Vaughn. She graduated from the University of South Florida in 1976 with a bachelor's in political science and minor in business. She earned her Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, and today serves the 158-year-old Grace Episcopal Church in Chillicothe, Missouri, as rector (senior minister). She cofounded a residential homeless shelter in Chillicothe. Rev. Vaughn also works in prison ministry. She writes: “The work of the priest is as a pastor and teacher; proclaiming by word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ; loving and serving the people among whom I work, caring alike for young, and old, strong and weak, rich and poor …”       You are invited to discover the battle to help the desperate being waged by people like Rev. Denise Vaughn, female Episcopal priest and frontline worker in spiritual social action.

Dr. Tom's special guests this week are Gregory Stahr, soon-to-be middler year student at Unity Institute® and Seminary, and his son Christopher Stahr, who is graduating from high school/homeschooling today. Christopher talks about his experiences in homeschooling and public schooling and discusses what it's like to grow up in the Unity church. Greg, his excitedly proud poppa, shares stories about their time together and Christopher's passion for a good education. This is a great family show. Pass it along.

It's hard to believe the Vietnam War came to an unsatisfying conclusion 40 years ago this week. Dr. Tom and both his special guests have personal experience with the era. Unity Institute® and Seminary senior Nhien Vuong Dougherty was born in Vietnam and brought to the United States by her parents at the fall of Saigon in 1975; she was 2 years old. First-year UI student Don Ray served with the U.S. Army in Saigon during the infamous 1968 Tet Offensive. Also, Dr. Tom flew medical evacuation helicopters in combat during 1971. Their experiences bring listeners personal stories only veterans and survivors of the unhappy conflict could provide. Do not miss this one. Share the link with friends and Vietnam veterans.

Dr. Tom's guests will be three Unity Institute® and Seminary students preparing for Unity ministry—Michael Perrie, Elise Cowan, and John Beerman. They will share stories about how their ecological consciousness has grown throughout the years, plus facts and trends in environmental awareness, global warming, pollution of land and sea, and hopes for recovery from humanity's dependency on trash-producing activities and fossil fuels. A program worth listening to year-round.

Dr. Tom's guest this week is Richard Belous, a student in the second year of the three-year Master of Divinity residency program at Unity Institute® and Seminary. Prior to enrolling in the Institute, he earned his bachelor's at Columbia University, and master's and Ph.D. in economics from The George Washington University. Dr. Belous is an advisor to Unity Worldwide Ministries on philanthropic, social, and economic trends, and research issues. He is also an adjunct professor in economics at The George Washington University and the former vice president for research and chief economist for the United Way system. Dr. Belous has authored, or coauthored, 13 books and numerous articles on economic and philanthropic trends. He has served on the advisory council for Giving USA and as an advisor to two United States Presidential Commissions.

First the first time in the history of LTAI, Dr. Tom has no guest to interview. Instead, the program is devoted to sharing insights from his book Good Questions (Unity Books, 2009), based on his Unity Magazine® column. With customary humor and wide-ranging interests, Dr. Tom shows why his column consistently has been called everyone's favorite feature in Unity Magazine.

Dr. Shepherd's special guests include a seminary student and an undergraduate. Dinah Chapman is a senior at Unity Institute® and Seminary. As an African American, she painfully recognizes the problems both communities—black and white—are facing. Her insights are gracious yet sharp-edged, patient yet insistent. Dr. Shepherd's other guest is a "seriously white" undergraduate whose parents are German and Scandinavian. She is preparing to become a  public school teacher through studies at University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC). As a Millennial woman who grew up in the Deep South, attending majority-minority public schools, Emily Shepherd (Dr. Tom's "middle daughter") brings a fresh perspective to the discussions. Don't miss this discussion.

Dr. Shepherd's special guest is author, workshop leader, and Edgar Cayce enthusiast Dr. Barbara Lane. Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Lane discuss the Cayce teaching, focusing on how reincarnation and past lives affect people today. Good controversial topic, timely, too. Dr. Lane will be presenting her workshop on "Reincarnation, Hypnosis, and the Power of Your Mind" March 28 at Unity Village.

Today's show brings listeners an in-depth look at the work of veterinarian and animal activist Dr. Linda Bender, who contends that the Native Americans were right when they said animals can teach us how to access wisdom of the natural world. Booklist writes of her book, Animal Wisdom: "Stories of pets that find their way to their humans hundreds of miles distant, or of therapy animals that calm psychiatric patients, illustrate [Bender's] theme that animals have souls (the Latin anima meaning "soul," is the root of the word animal) and that our souls and theirs can communicate." Tune in for a new appreciation of the dog curled up on the rug at your feet or the kitty snuggled in your lap.

Dr. Tom's special guest this week is best-selling author (1.75 million books sold) Mary Jane Ryan. An amazon.com reviewer writes of Ms. Ryan's book, The Happiness Makeover: “Despite the affluence of the Western lifestyle, many people aren't happy, and the numbers of unhappy and depressed people is ever increasing. Seemingly we don't know how to live our lives in a satisfied way—how to draw contentment, happiness, maybe even a little joy, from our lives on a daily basis. This little book has so much wisdom to offer on this topic. It is a true gem drawing from Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, including positive psychology and is a blend of philosophical, spiritual, emotional, and practical perspectives.” Ryan is a delightful speaker with easy command of interesting data and anecdotes. This show will help listeners learn how to be intentionally happy without denying the reality of life in a world where joy is often hard to find.

Dr. Tom's special guest this week is Mira Kelley, a charming and articulate practitioner of “past lives regression” theraphy. She is described at amazon.com: “Mira Kelley grew up in Bulgaria, where at the age of 13 she had a powerful regression experience. Following her graduation from law school, Mira practiced as a corporate and securities attorney in a large law firm in New York City. A painful physical condition led Mira to rediscover the instantaneous emotional and physical healing available through regression, and now she assists people in transforming their own lives in this way.” Dr. Tom asks some tough questions, and Mira takes them in stride with a laugh and a heartfelt willingness to explore the “past lives” practices making her a successful lecturer and spiritual healer. Another not-to-miss program.

Dr. Tom goes one-on-one with acclaimed author and historian Neal Vahle as they discuss Dr. Vahle's newest book about Lowell Fillmore. One of the three sons of Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Lowell headed Unity Institute® and Seminary for half a century and wrote endless articles for publication in the now-defunct Weekly Unity. His thought still shapes much of what many people consider normative Unity doctrine. Considering how important Lowell Fillmore was to the Unity movement, this is a discussion you don't want to miss.

He was controversial in the broader society and far from universally loved in the African-American community, yet Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s visionary leadership broke the death grip of Jim Crow segregation in the South and brought the whole nation a new awareness of the need for nonviolent solutions to social and political problems. Dr. Tom's guests include Unity Institute® and Seminary student Dinah Chapman and faculty member Rev. Dr. Jesse Tanner.

Dr. Tom interviews Beth Hammock, who became Daily Word® magazine editor October 6. Her professional career in journalism, and spiritual journey to Unity, brings new energy to the flagship publication of the Unity movement. Here's your chance to meet the successor to such great Unity personages as May Rowland, Martha Smock, Colleen Zuck, and Laura Harvey. The tradition of positive prayer for all persons goes forward.

This week the Kansas City Royals completed a successful season by losing to the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the World Series. And the KC fans were still cheering for their team, 90 minutes after the game ended. Dr. Tom interviews native Missourians Bryan Lewis, Shawn Berry Wegner, and Unity President/CEO Dr. Charlotte Shelton, about the remarkable lessons that can be learned in a joyful, triumphant season that ends without winning The Big One.

Dr. Tom interviews Howard Falco, author of Time in a Bottle: Mastering the Experience of Life. Falco discusses the purpose of time and gives suggestions about how people can control time by shaping their thoughts. Quantum physics and practical spirituality. Great discussion.

Dr. Tom's guests this week include Jim Skinner, a self-described atheist who is married to Unity minister Carla McClellan, and special guest Sara Davidson, author of The December Project, a remarkable new book from HarperOne. This episode also brings a new voice to the Unity world, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, who died in 2014. For two years, Sara Davidson conducted a series of remarkable discussions with this remarkable rabbi, a series reminiscent of Carlos Castaneda's 1968 conversations with Yaqui wisdom teacher Don Juan. Rabbe Zalman, as Sara calls him, escaped the Nazis by emigrating to the United States with his father. The rabbi-to-be joined the Lubavitch movement in New York, and through the years he became a respected, albeit controversial, rabbi with a universalist view of life and God. Sara's conversations with her beloved Rebbe, who invited her to meet with him weekly, took her back to her Jewish roots and allowed her to confront the issues all people face—aging, maturing, and moving toward the final question of what lies beyond life. You will cherish and relive those experiences in her 2014 book, The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life's Greatest Mystery.  

Dr. Tom's special guest this week is author, comedian, wildly creative thinker Dave Hickman, whose newly released work is called The Book of Bio-Spiritual Yum Yum Goodness! Thoughts, Theories and Humor From a Hypersensitive, Fanboy Comedian. Hickman's book has been described as “a mix of New Age, self-help, and comedy,” which “explores the thoughts and experiences of a man with emotional hypersensitivity, synesthesia, and a vivid imagination” (Amazon review). Hickman bounces through topics like discovering the full capabilities of human senses; exploring techniques to calm down, reduce stress on the body, and learn questions to ask ourselves. (Fluffy unicorns and UFO theories are a bonus in the book.) This is NOT like Charles Fillmore's prudent logic of spirituality, but closer to an explosion in a toy factory of new ideas. Dr. Tom and Dave Hickman ramble and amble through streams of consciousness, pausing only to laugh and catch our breath. Bring your running shoes.

Recent Unity Institute® and Seminary graduates James Mullis (2013) and Donna Summers (2014) spent a good portion of August in Ireland, visiting churches and historic sites, speaking with Irish clergy while hitting lots of touristy gigs. As newly minted Unity ministers, they came to the Emerald Isle with new perspective, after studying church history, comparative theology, and the Unity DNA as a bona fide blood relative to the family of Christian faiths. The results were amazing new insights and the ability to speak as peers with Roman Catholic priests in one of the most traditional spots in the Christian world. When you hear this interview, you will be proud of their accomplishment—Jim and Donna even kissed the Blarney Stone! Don't miss this one.

Three students from Dr. Shepherd's summer class on Readings From Myrtle Fillmore will analyze what they have learned about the cofounder of Unity, Myrtle Fillmore. Why was she so appealing, and why are spiritually-minded people of all faiths drawn to her simple pastoral letters? Beth Hitesman, Christine McFarland, and Richard Belous join Dr. Tom for a frolicsome exploration of  “Myrtle-power” and its continuing influence on practical Christianity today.

This episode brings together representatives of three major creative arts to discuss the hidden artist in everyone. Jeniffer Hutchins, Unity Institute® and Seminary middler (second year) student, is a celebrated painter, photographer, and art teacher. “I see art as a tool for understanding ourselves and our connection with the Divine Spirit,” Jeniffer explains. “While I enjoy creating with several art mediums, painting is my primary artistic outlet.” Performer, vocalist, and composer Victor Dougherty represents the musical arts. His work includes “18 years playing at fairs, festivals, special events, and nightclubs around the Midwest, fronting in numerous bands …” Since his spiritual awakening, Victor has taken his art to another level—moving from an emphasis on performance and entertainment to creating music about inspiration and transformation. Victor's album Both Sides of the Veil is scheduled for release in the fall of 2014. Adding a third major art form, Dr. Tom pitches into the discussion from the perspective of creative writing, both fiction and nonfiction. The artist in everyone awaits, and this panel will help you find and release the artistic expression within you. 

Dr. Shepherd's guest this week is the Rev. Ogun Holder, 2011 Unity Institute® and Seminary graduate, Unity Online Radio host, and author of Rants to Revelations: Unabashedly Honest Reflections on Life, Spirituality, and the Meaning of God (Unity Books, 2012). Ogun displays his usual wit and deeply spiritual views of life as the discussion ranges from global concerns such as race relations in the USA and immigration issues to personal techniques for increasing your spiritual growth. As an immigrant who came to the USA from Barbados, RevOgun brings personal insights to the problem of multiculturalism in a changing world.

Dr. Tom interviews two Unity Institute® and Seminary colleagues—2011 Myrtle Fillmore Award Recipient Rev. E.J. Niles and Unity archivist Rev. Eric Page—as they discuss the Mother of Unity, Mary Caroline Page, aka Myrtle Fillmore. Who was this Midwestern, Victorian, Methodist woman? Is it possible to peel back layers of interpretation and hear Myrtle's theological voice, unimpeded by love's bias, for the first time? Whether you're new to Myrtle's thought or a longtime devotee, this show will send you forward with a new appreciation for this remarkable woman pioneer. ----------------------------------------- Note for HTS 660 class members: Link to this program will be archived at http://www.unity.fm/program/TalkAboutIt when posted.

Dr. Tom's sole guest for the hour is Rev. Jim Rosemergy, long-standing Unity minister, prolific author, and former dean of Unity Institute® and Seminary. Rev. Jim, who was ordained a Unity minister in 1976, has published a dozen-plus books throughout the past few decades. The two ministers have several points in common. Dr. Tom, another prolific writer, was also first ordained in 1976 by the Unitarian Universalists, adding Unity credentials in 1987. He asks about Jim's newest book, plus what he's been up to, and what changes he has seen in Unity. Tune in to hear a couple of long-serving Unity ministers range far and wide, discussing creative writing, cutting-edge theology, and the future of the Unity movement.

A candid conversation with one of our greatest scholars. Dr. Shepherd's special guest is Rev. Dr. Gary Simmons, best-selling Unity author and all-purpose scholar/teacher. Topics range from peacemaking to Dr. Gary's newest books. LTAI producer and Unity minister Rev. Rachel Simpson serves as cohost. Join us for an integral experience—you might even learn what that means.

The ministry team of Charles and Christine Perry have announced a radical new policy about rites of matrimony at their church, Unity of Birmingham, Alabama: Until the state in which they minister allows marriage equality for all its citizens, the Perrys will perform no further weddings in that state, whether the couple is straight or LGBT. They will be glad to travel to a nearby state like Illinois, which recognizes marriage equality, and officiate at weddings for heterosexual or LGBT couples. Dr. Tom's guests include Rev. Charles and Rev. Christine, plus Rev. Dr. Bennett Guess, an official of the United Church of Christ, who also works with LGBT issues. This show is a must for everyone who wants to grapple with the complex, deeply important ethical issues behind the movement in American culture toward marriage equality.

Dr. Tom and LTAI producer Rev. Rachel Simpson interview one of the most successful ministers in the Unity movement, Rev. Wendy Craig-Purcell. Listen as Rev. Wendy describes how she began a new church, which grew from a few people into a large, thriving community of faith today.

Dr. Tom interviews Unity Institute® and Seminary colleague Rev. Robert Brumet and UI graduate Rev. Jan Stromseth on the vital subject of grief and bereavement. By the time they reach mid-life, most people have already experienced some kind of loss or tragedy. It is the normal course in living as a human on this mortal plane. What shall we do with the natural, healthy feelings that crash into us following loss or tragedy? Tune in and hear two Unity experts in the field of bereavement discuss ways to endure the pain and transform the experience of grief into an opportunity for growth.

Dr. Tom and guest Dr. Jesse Tanner look at Holy Week and the Resurrection. "He is risen, indeed!"

Rev. Dr. Jesse Tanner is Dr. Tom's guest again this week as they continue their series of discussions about the biblical sources for Lent and Easter. Dr. Jesse explains the "Two-Source Hypothesis" and gives a good, brief description of the origins of the four gospels. Also, a special guest, direct from ancient Palestine by time warp, makes off-mike comments, which Dr. Tom conveys to the listeners. Fun, informative, and enriching.

Rev. Jesse Tanner, Ph.D., professor of scriptural studies at Unity Institute® and Seminary, discusses the meaning of Lent in ancient and modern contexts with Dr. Tom. Get a deeper knowledge base and new spiritual applications as two of UI's scholars review the familiar practices of Lent, employing modern scholarship through Unity lenses to clarify the picture.

The subject is everybody's favorite figure in Unity history, Myrtle Fillmore. Dr. Tom is joined by a distinguished panel of guests to include Rev. Lynne Brown, vice president of Silent Unity and Development; Rev. Manzel Berlin, United Methodist minister and Myrtle Fillmore scholar; and Anne Tabor, student at Unity Institute® and Seminary, who is just completing her middler year in preparation for the Unity ministry. This fascinating discussion includes some little-known facts about the "Mother of Unity." For example, you might be surprised to learn that Myrtle was the intellectual, not Charles. Myrtle Page was a college-educated teacher who, in the years before her marriage to Charles Fillmore, had migrated to Texas during the Civil War Reconstruction Era to work in the new schools springing up everywhere. Myrtle may have brought some of her equalitarian values with her; she had to leave town as soon as the Reconstructionist dreams of equality tragically collapsed into what would become the Jim Crow South. During today's program, Rev. Manzel reminds us, not without some affectionate pride, that Myrtle was a lifelong Methodist. How did the Wesleyan values of temperance, modesty, and deep spirituality affect her, and consequently affect Unity? Tune in to meet a Myrtle you never dreamed existed.

Revs. Sheryl Meyers, E.J. Niles, and Charles Perry join Dr. Tom for a lively discussion on the value of the Judeo-Christian scripture and its place in Unity today. Modern historical-critical scholarship and spiritual practices such as Lectio Divina have the potential to open the Bible to a wider audience beyond religious conservatives. This show is a must-hear if you remember the Bible fondly, or would like to pry it from the grasp of the Religious Right. Learn how to tap into the wisdom of the ages as the liberating documents they were intended to be.

One of the great, long-serving ministers of the Unity tradition, Rev. Phil Pierson, has an upcoming book on Richard Buckminster (1895–1983). Fuller was an architect, designer, inventor, systems theorist, and futurist. In his more than 30 published works, “Bucky” Fuller popularized terms like Spaceship Earth and synergetic. Rev Phil Pierson interviewed Fuller on Pierson's franchised TV show, The Best Is Yet to Be, and brings the Unity perspective to a discussion of this monumental thinker's life work. And yes, he knew Fuller well enough to call him "Bucky." This show is packed with great ideas and warm memories.

Is love overrated? Charles Fillmore described Twelve Powers, yet one keeps surfacing in Unity literature and liturgies, the Power of Love. Two Unity Institute students—Beth Hitesman and Keri King—join Dr. Tom to consider the place of love in theology and life. Lots of fun. Great stories. Love revisited.

The subject is education for all ages. Dr. Tom's guests include Rev. Dr. Jane Simmons, author, teacher, and  Unity minister serving as International Teen Ministry Coordinator for Unity Worldwide Ministries; Rev. Kathryn Kellogg, UWM Children and Family Ministry  Coordinator; and Rev. Rachel Simpson, Let's Talk About It producer and interim Youth and Family Minister at Unity Village Chapel. Great show!

Three other Unity ministers join Rev. Dr. Shepherd to discuss the controversial Christian heritage of the Unity movement. Guests include Rev. Erin McCabe, senior minister at Unity Village Chapel, Rev. Tom Thorpe, minister at Unity of Independence and venerable veteran of multiple years' service as an instructor at Unity Institute® and Seminary, and recent Institute graduate and Let's Talk About It producer Rev. Rachel Simpson. The issue is alive and well in our churches and study groups. Don't miss this one!

Dr. Shepherd's holiday programs continue, this week focusing on the gift-giving traditions of Christmas. Guests include Let's Talk About It producer Rev. Rachel Simpson, Unity Institute® and Seminary student Elise Cowan, and a surprise guest Skyping in from the North Pole. Ho-ho-hold everything and tune in for great holiday fun.

All winter holidays—from Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa to Samhain, New Year's, and Nordic Yule—share one common element: Everybody loves to eat! This week Dr. Tom's guests include experts in the culinary arts. Michael Willett caries on a long tradition of good food as head chef at Unity Inn; Mike Gnagi, student at Unity Institute® and Seminary, has a long and distinguished career in  food service; and UI student Donna Summer joins the panel as a representative of good ol' Southern cookin'. Lots of holiday food ideas. You'll come away hungry and satisfied.

Nothing signals the advent of the holiday season earlier than the slow increase in frequency of those Christmas and winter songs on the radio. This week's panel discusses the influence and impact of music at this time of the year, when celebration of religious holidays creeps into secular media and elbows pop music aside in favor of tunes about angel choirs and little drummer boys. Dr. Shepherd's guests include composer-performers Richard Mekdeci, Megan McDonough, Sue K. Riley, and Glen Roethel. Listen to samples of their work and explore the power of music with these gifted new artists.

Unity Institute® and Seminary presents a Lyceum each year, presentations of thought-provoking academic papers by selected seminary students and religious scholars about themes with global implications in spirituality, theology, pastoral studies, and more. One topic, "Religion and Social Issues: The Role of the Church in Today's Society," focuses on theological ethics and social problems or related themes from various communities of faith, including non-Western traditions. LTAI guest panelists—Rev. Claudell County and Rev. Dr. Jesse Tanner, both UI faculty members, plus LTAI producer and recent UI graduate Rev. Rachel Simpson—discuss issues related to this topic.

Artists sometimes speak of their work as spiritual expression. This week Dr. Shepherd and guest cohost Rev. Rachel Simpson interview multitalented artists Jenny Hahn and Bryan Lewis, who discuss factors that motivate them to create work of beauty and power. Jenny is a gifted painter whose works brighten the room with their ebullient colors and expressive, imaginative figures. Bryan has created stained glass windows and smaller works that capture a modern version of the light-paintings visible in European cathedrals. This is an opportunity to hear two masters of their craft describe their passion for creativity. Share the link with others. The world will be a better place if more people fall in love with great art.

Dr. Tom explores unknown country with a topic difficult to label. Handicapped, disabled, differently-abled, “special” people—whatever we call these members of the human family (who don't all agree on what to call their collective experiences)—there are people among us whom society has done its best to ignore. The Americans With Disabilities Act mandated that any expansion of existing facilities or new building projects must offer full public access to everyone, regardless of their physical limitations. While the provisions of the ADA may help some wheelchair bound or motion-impaired people, what about other forms of discrimination against other types of disabled, handicapped, or differently-abled persons? Dr. Shepherd's special guests, Unity Institute® and Seminary student Melody Martin and Early childhood specialist Ann Pogue, have firsthand knowledge of these challenges. UI professor Rev. Claudell Hefner-County and LTAI producer Rev. Rachel Simpson join Dr. Tom for an intense, informative, sobering look at where we stand as a Unity movement on the real issues of inclusive diversity. Don't miss this one.

Unity churches are often proud of their innovative expression of New Thought, which usually shuns or radically reinterprets traditional rites of the Christian heritage. But how healthy is a totally ritual-free program? In fact, is it even possible to eschew all forms of ceremony, and how healthy would that be? Dr. Shepherd's special guests this week include artist Jenny Hahn and her BFF, our LTAI producer and newly ordained Unity minister, Rev. Rachel Simpson.

Dr. Shepherd's special guests this week include Religious Science minister Rev. Mike Irwin and a pair of Religious Scientists close to our hearts here at Unity Institute® and Seminary—Partner-in-Ministry Vickie Perrie and UI Dean Ted Collins. Vickie's husband, Michael, is a junior (first year) at the Institute. Both Dean Ted and Vickie have Religious Science backgrounds. If you've ever wondered what Unity and Religious Science (now often called Center for Spiritual Living) have in common and where they generally disagree, tune in for some lively discussion.

The Feast Day of St. Francis of Assissi falls during the first week in October and quite a few Unity churches/centers perform pet blessings this time of the year. Dr. Shepherd's guests this week include Unity Institute® and Seminary students Sherrie Taylor-Jones, who was director of an animal shelter, and first-year student Carol Wick, who treats her animals "as though they are four-legged fuzzy people." This show will touch the hearts of animal lovers everywhere.