Northwest Yearly Meeting podcast

On the December 2024 episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting Podcast, Austin and Jacob give a quick episode on the topic of the advent season and the idea of hope. With all the hustle and bustle around the holiday season it is our prayer that you can find some time to quiet and slow down and reflect on what it means to be patiently waiting for Jesus. What would it look like for you to wait on Him? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We'll be back in 2025 with new episodes and new guests!

On the November 2024 episode of the NWYM Podcast, co-hosts Austin and Jacob talk with Pastor Lisa Garon (Sherwood Friends) about church multiplication. Lisa was a guest on the show all the way back on our 2nd episode and she joins us again today to talk about a new podcast she has started called Church Planting Conversations with EFCP where Lisa and her podcast co-host Brian talk about church planting strategies and stories from across the country. Lisa is also the director of communication at Evangelical Friends Church Planting and she spends some time talking about the upcoming Friends Multiplication Conference. Learn more about Northwest Yearly Meeting here: https://nwfriends.org/ You can watch video episodes of this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@nwymmedia1007

On the Oct. 2024 episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting Podcast co-hosts Austin and Jacob chat with Grant (Camp Tilikum and Clerk of the YAYA Board) about Dungeons & Dragons (and other table top role playing games). Austin has noticed a rise in popularity with D&D, even amongst Christians, so he wanted to talk to someone who plays them. Society doesn't seem to be in a panic over these types of games anymore. Should we still be concerned with them or was the fear overhyped? Grant gives us his perspective on the games and his thoughts on what good they can provide. Austin and Jacob also give a quick plug for the Friends Multiplication Conference happening in November. Learn more by clicking here: https://friendsmultiply.org More reading here: The Gospel According to Dungeons and Dragons

For the September 2024 episode co-hosts Austin and Jacob decided to delve into the topic of politics and civil discourse. While on the campus of George Fox University for NWYM Annual Sessions, they got to hear a brief report of GFU's Civility Project which has aims to "[h]elp people recognize disagreements, and the political cultures we use to resolve them, as crucial parts of God's loving providence" and to "[o]ffer resources to support those working to build civility and heal political cultures". Jacob thought this was just the kind of work that needed to be highlighted as we approach election season, so we reached out to Ron Mock who is the director of the project to have some conversations about how we can have civil discourse with those we may not agree with. Ron is the Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Peace Studies and he was also a clerk of Newberg Friends during a tumultuous church split, so he knows a thing or two about walking through hard situations with grace. If you'd like to learn more about George For University's Civility Project you can click here: https://sites.google.com/georgefox.edu/gfcivilityproject/home

The August 2024 episode is a bit shorter, but still full of lots of great stuff! Our guest today is Jesse Penna who is the Youth Superintendent of Mid-America Yearly Meeting. Jesse is the last youth superintendent amongst Evangelical Friends, but in a move contrary to being the last one his position was just increased from part-time to full time! Jesse talks a bit about some youth ministry trends and then we discuss the first ever NATIONAL Friends Youth Workers Conference. You can learn more about this event and register by clicking this link: https://efcmaym.org/uncategorized/national-friends-youth-workers-retreat/

It is the July 2024 episode and co-hosts Austin and Jacob get together to discuss this article from Christianity Today about the loosening of Evangelical standards. It seems that many things that Christians used to abstain from (alcohol, tattoos, violent movies, etc.) are now common place amongst Christians. Is this good? Bad? We look a bit at what the article says and talk a bit about it from our personal experiences. Northwest Yearly Meeting's Annual Sessions are taking place this month (July 2024) at George Fox University. If you are in the general area of Washington, Oregon, or Idaho we'd love to see you there. Register for the event here: https://registration.nwfriends.org The Christianity Today article we reference in this episode can be found here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/may-web-only/loosening-of-american-evangelicalism-norms-taboos-liturgy.html The NWYM Faith and Practice Queries we reference can be found here: https://nwfriends.org/faith-and-practice/

For the June 2024 episode we are celebrating George Fox's 400th birthday! George Fox was born in July of 1624 and was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends. Our guest this episode is Dr. Jim LeShana, the current Superintendent of Northwest Yearly Meeting and a history buff of the Friends Church. Jim joins co-hosts Austin and Jacob as they discuss the life of George Fox, what the early Friends movement was like in 1624, and how we can learn from him today in 2024. If you are a history nerd this episode is sure to be a good one for you!

The May 2024 episode of the NWYM Podcast is here and we have a very special guest! Richard Ramsey is the writer and co-director of the new movie "Unsung Hero" which is in theaters now! Austin and Jacob get to talk with Richard a bit about this movie (don't worry, no spoilers) and then talk about Christian films at large and how the tide may be turning for them for the better. Don't worry, this podcast isn't turning in to a movie podcast but we couldn't pass up this opportunity to talk to Richard with the movie coming out right now. About "Unsung Hero": When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY's Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.

On the April 2024 episode, Austin & Jacob do a little deep dive and discussion into the new movie Dune Part 2. WARNING! There ARE spoilers to the movie in this episode! Austin posits that this movie has a lot of parallels to the story of Jesus (and many differences) and that it might be a good way to open conversations about Christ with people since it is such a huge cultural movie right now. There is also some brief post-Easter chat at the beginning. We hope everyone had a happy Easter yesterday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

This is the March 2024 episode and it is the first one this year where co-hosts Austin & Jacob are both on the same episode! This is a big episode with TWO special guests. Courtney Sechrist and Leo Wilson both attend and work for Battle Creek Friends Church in Michigan and they are also 2/3rds of the team that hosts the After Church Apologetics podcast. On their podcast, they aim to take hard questions that people have about faith and Christianity and give a succinct answer to them so that you are better prepared next time you have those conversations with loved ones. What is the weirdest questions Pastor Leo has gotten about the Bible? Is it possible to give a "right" answer in the wrong way? Find out the answers to all these things and more on this episode of the NWYM Podcast! Find out information about Twin Rocks Friends Camp and their summer programs by visiting their website here.

On the Feb. 2024 episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting podcast host Austin Way (South Salem Friends) has an interview with David and Tricia Howell who are Evangelical Friends Missionaries in Ireland. According to Operation World, Ireland has an evangelical population of around 1.6%, which is the lowest percentage of any country in the English-speaking world. Since their arrival in Ireland in 2008, the Howells have shared the message of grace, hope, and peace with a people they now consider friends. It is their desire to create a place to worship where anyone can come and seek after the heart of a loving Father.  David & Tricia are currently on deputation and are back in the states until May 2024 raising support. You can click here to learn more about the Howell's and their work in Ireland: https://catalog.friendsmission.com/campaign/efm-ireland-or-the-howell-family/c203067

Happy New Year! This isn't the typical format for the podcast, but December is such a busy month. Between Christmas Eve services, Christmas, traveling to visit family, Austin taking a vacation, and Jacob heading to Houston for Friends Summit 2023 there just wasn't time to record our typical episode. While at the Friends Summit conference we got to hear from 7 different main session speakers from Friends Churches across the continent. The opening message was given by Denae Warren of Star, ID. Denae has been active in Northwest Yearly Meeting in many different capacities. So while this message wasn't specifically given for the listeners of this podcast, we are sure you will get something from it if you take the time to listen. Enjoy and Happy New Year! Northwest Yearly Meeting: https://nwfriends.org

On the December 2023 episode of the NWYM Podcast, hosts Austin and Jacob talk about the ideas of balancing consumerism around Christmas with the ideas of simplicity and balance. Not exactly the typical conversation people are trying to have around the holiday season, but it is something that we think a lot of people wrestle with as they want to celebrate the birth of our Savior all while we try to buy gifts and go to Christmas parties. Advent Conspiracy: https://adventconspiracy.org Find more info about NWYM at: https://nwfriends.org

For the November 2023 episode, as Evangelical Friends Mission (EFM) is celebrating their 60th Anniversary with a banquet being hosted in Portland, OR, we decided to interview a couple who recently went on one of the Luke 10 Trips with EFM. For those who don't know, EFM has been trying to identify and select 5 new mission fields with the goal to have 10 new missionary families established in those fields by the end of 2025. Greece was one of the locations that has been considered by EFM. Josiah Muhr and Leisa Boles (engaged to be married soon) went on the trips and are here on this episode to share about what it was like and what a potential future mission field in Greece would consist of. Please be praying for EFM as they prayerfully consider which of their 10 fields will become future mission fields. Consider donating to EFM and becoming a financial support for this important organization!

On the Oct. 2023 episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting Podcast, hosts Austin and Jacob talk about artificial intelligence and how it can potentially impact the faith world. With the rise of things like ChatGPT and chatbots being integrated into more areas of our lives, we talk about how it might impact the church and our personal walk with God. Jacob is a bit more hopeful and Austin is a bit more pessimistic on the future of AI. Austin has ChatGPT write a devotional and the two read it and critique what it created while also wondering if it would really save you that much time to have AI do tasks for you. What are your thoughts on the future of AI? Resources referenced in the episode: ChatGPT AI Will Shape Your Soul from Christianity Today The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul Blood In The Machine by Brian Merchant

In this month's episode we talk to Jeanine Le Shana. Jeanine is married to Jim (the NWYM Superintendent), but the reason we wanted to talk with her is because she is the main speaker at Rise Retreat (https://www.idahoriseretreat.com) in McCall, ID from Sept. 15-17, 2023. Jeanine talks a little about what she'll share, how God is her foundation, and then we chat a little bit about what is her favorite thing she misses from Canada. We had a great time talking with Jeanine! There is also another women's retreat happening at Twin Rocks (https://sites.google.com/rosevalleyfriends.com/shineretreat/home) and a men's retreat happening as well (https://www.twinrocks.org/attend-camps-conferences/) The Road, The Rocks, and The Weeds by John Mark McMillan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcAazEpsUJY Poetry by Malcolm Guide - https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/category/poems/

This is the August 2023 episode of the NWYM and it officially marks a year of the podcast! On this episode, Austin and Jacob got to talk with Dr. Manny Garcia. Manny is currently the superintendent of Iowa Yearly Meeting (https://www.iaym.org) and he was also just the main speaker at Northwest Yearly Meeting's Annual Sessions last week on the campus of George Fox University. Manny has served as a youth pastor and pastor in both Iowa Yearly Meeting and Mid America Yearly Meeting and has served the Friends church and followed God's call throughout his life. Dr. Manny Garcia also led a workshop of relational leadership while at NWYM's Annual Sessions which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXfPudwfuvs

This month's episode of the NWYM Podcast is kind of a special episode. Austin and Jacob are both physically together in person at Quaker Hill Camp in McCall, ID. Jacob is co-directing Jr. High camp and Austin is the speaker for the week. The two took a minute to catch up and talk about their camp memories and what Austin is speaking on this week. Find out more about Quaker Hill Camp: https://www.quakerhillcamp.com

On this month's episode of the podcast, Austin and Jacob have a conversation with Ruthie Severance about women in ministry and the history of that stance within the Friends denomination. Ruthie is the lead pastor at East Hills Friends Church in Kent, WA and has been since 2019. We talk about her calling, what lead her to the Friends denomination, and talked about some of the common Bible verses that people quote to either accept or renounce women in ministry. Austin mentions Margaret Fell and her works on women speaking in church. You can buy that here if you are interested: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/womens-speaking-justified-and-other-pamphlets-margaret-fell/1139714408?ean=9780866985956 As always, you can find more information about Northwest Yearly Meeting on our website at https://nwfriends.org

On this month's episode of the NWYM Podcast, Jacob (Meridian Friends) was solo this week as Austin was welcoming a new baby. Jacob had two shorter conversations about Friends Summit 2023. Friends Summit is a national gathering of Evangelical Friends Churches that happens every four years. The first conversation was with Jesse Penna. Jesse teaches at Barclay College (https://www.barclaycollege.edu) and is the Youth Superintendent of Mid America Yearly Meeting. Jesse has been involved with Friends Summit since the beginning in 2010 so he offers a little history on the event and what it's goal is. The second conversation is with Conard Harrison. Conard is a student at George Fox University and is from Entiat Friends. Conard attended Friends Summit in 2018 and he also recently attended a planning trip to help plan Friends Summit 2023. Conard offers perspective on what it is like attending the conference as a young adult and why it is important that our churches send students and young adults to attend. We hope you enjoy this month's episode. You can find out more info about Friends Summit here: http://friendssummit.com

This month's guest is Ashley Reid! Ashley and her husband live at Twin Rocks Friends Camp where he is on staff. Ashley grew up in the Friends Church and is passionate about art (specifically dance) and how it can be used to share stories of hope and faith. We discuss different types of art, what makes art distinctively Christian, and give a few recommendations for different Christian artists to check out across the mediums. We hope you enjoy this month's episode! As always, check out www.nwfriends.org for more info of things that are going on in and around NWYM.

This month's guest is Kevin Davis. Kevin is the pastor of Woodland Friends Church in northern Idaho and he was just the speaker at Man Camp at Quaker Hill Camp this past weekend. Statistics show that in most churches the average crowd will be majority female (61%+), so why aren't men attending regularly during the week but then they will come to big weekend men's retreats and conferences? We talk briefly about that and challenge any men listening to become more active in the weekly church service. Article referenced in the episode: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/men/is-the-church-driving-men-away.html Another article briefly mentioned at the end: https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/want-your-church-to-grow-then-bring-in-the-men/

On this month's episode, hosts Austin (South Salem Friends) and Jacob (Meridian Friends) talk with Jamie Johnson (George Fox University) about becoming a recorded pastor in Northwest Yearly Meeting and what it looks like to be a university pastor. Someone joked with Jamie that he has the largest congregation in NWYM, but he certainly has the largest young adult population in NWYM. Because of that, Jamie has a unique perspective on the lives of 18-21 year olds and some of the challenges they are facing when it comes to church and God. This was a very good conversation that we are sure you will enjoy! You can find out more about George Fox University here: https://www.georgefox.edu

Happy New Year! On this episode, hosts Austin (South Salem Friends) and Jacob (Meridian Friends) met with Julie Anderson (Newberg Friends) to discuss a book that she wrote about William Hobson. Julie shares with us about Hobson and what we can all learn from his life as well as what the process of writing a book was like for her. You can purchase Julie's book online here: https://www.amazon.com/William-Hobson-1820-1891-Julie-Anderson/dp/1666713643

Merry Christmas! In this episode, Austin (South Salem Friends) and Jacob (Meridian Friends) talk with Alan Weinacht (Greenleaf Friends) who is the new Associate Superintendent of Northwest Yearly Meeting. They talk about authenticity and what it means to be our authentic selves. There is also quite a bit of discussion about John Woolman who was a Quaker preacher and early abolitionist during the colonial era. Get a copy of John Woolman's journal here if you are interested in reading it: https://www.friendslibrary.com/john-woolman/journal-writings Articles referenced in the episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/12/opinion/mental-health-therapy-instagram.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/opinion/sin-lent-grace-forgiveness.html Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We will be back in 2023 with more episodes for you all. We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

In this episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting Podcast, hosts Austin (South Salem Friends) and Jacob (Meridian Friends) catch up and talk with Keith Reeser (Denver Friends Church) on the idea of Thanksgiving. We chat a little bit about the holiday on the last Thursday of November, but mainly about what it looks like to give thanks and we can be people who are known for being grateful. Keith also gives us an update on what life has been like for him and his family as they've recently moved and started in ministry in Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting. It's also not too late to register for the International Friends Church Multiplication Conference which is happening on Nov. 9-11, 2022 online. You can learn more and register for the event at www.friendsmultiply.org Books discussed in this episode are Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger and Surprise the World by Michael Frost.

In the second episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting podcast, Austin (South Salem Friends) and Jacob (Meridian Friends) talk with Lisa Garon (Sherwood Friends) about evangelism and outreach. Lisa is the new co-pastor at Sherwood and she is passionate about outreach. She is currently getting her masters at Barclay College on the topic! How do we do outreach and evangelism in today's world? We also discuss an article that recently came out in Christianity Today magazine with information from Pew Research that says by 2070 less than half of the US population will identify as Christian. So if the numbers are trending that way, outreach and evangelism is more important than ever! But are the current ways working if the numbers are trending down? You can read that article and see the research here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/christian-decline-inexorable-nones-rise-pew-study.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=article We also briefly mention the upcoming International Friends Church Multiplication Conference that is happening on Nov. 9-11, 2022 virtually. You can register to attend at www.friendsmultiply.org Find out more about Northwest Yearly Meeting by checking out www.nwfriends.org

This is the first episode of the Northwest Yearly Meeting podcast! This podcast is hosted by Jacob Newton (Meridian Friends Church) and Austin Way (South Salem Friends Church) and hopes to help keep you updated on things happening within the Evangelical Friends Church movement. Episodes will release monthly. Today's episode explains the hopes and dreams of this podcasting endeavor and also has a conversation with Christy Davis of Woodland Friends Church. Christy is one of the speakers of the upcoming Rise Retreat (https://www.idahoriseretreat.com) and we wanted to talk to her about what she is speaking about and what she has been seeing God do in her life. The conversation with Christy starts at the 10 minute mark. There is another women's retreat called Shine happening in Oregon at the end of the month and you can find more info about that retreat here: https://sites.google.com/rosevalleyfriends.com/shine-retreat2021/home You can find more information about Northwest Yearly Meeting at https://nwfriends.org

The NWYM Podcast is a monthly time to hear about things going on within Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends as well as other things going on in the wider world of the Evangelical Friends Church. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss when new episodes get released.