The Fishbowl

COVID-19 has changed our world. Finding our way in the world with masks and social distancing is our new normal. And ministry is changing a a result. Many United Methodist pastors are transitioning to new congregations and some are meeting in only the virtual space. It is difficult. Clergy are finding themselves in a situation they never dreamed they would encounter. We start to question our calling and ask why our world is experiencing such chaos.  Pastor Cazandra Campos-MacDonald and Rev. Dr. Joe MacDonald talk about transitioning to new congregations during the pandemic as well as what calling means in this crazy time. VIsit us at thefishbowlpod.com. That will take you to Cazandra's website for past episodes and lots of other fun stuff :) 

Barbara Tegtmeier is not your ordinary retiree. She is a volunteer chaplain for the Albuquerque Police Department and serves as a supply pastor for Cornerstone United Methodist Church. Her passion for people is phenomenal. Barbara is a lover of education and seeks out opportunities to learn in order to be present for others. Her enthusiasm is contagious.      

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc in our world. Our church leaders are trying to find ways to keep their congregations connected. This month we talk to the Rev. Dr. Joe MacDonald, pastor at Hamlin Memorial UMC, in Farwell, Texas. He talks about connection, moving to online worship, and what he misses the most as a pastor in our current world.

D. Lisabeth Rodriguez, Ph. D. is a woman who has endured more than most. A cancer survivor who went through the illness in the secular world without sharing her diagnosis, Liz is a woman with great strength. It was during her battle with cancer that her calling to ministry was ignited and she is now active in the world as a chaplain. Her faith and commitment to Sabbath is lived out with great intention and her heart for people is magnificent. Take a moment to listen to her enthusiasm and passion as she shares her journey to wholeness and comes home with a song in her heart.

An ordained Deacon in the UMC, Rev. Kelly Brooks is passionate about people. Her background in counseling and life as the daughter of the pastor, led her to a calling in the ministry. Kelly is an advocate for clergy wellness and is working on a retreat model that will encourage self-care for ministers who are desperately in need. Join me this month for my conversation with Kelly.

Author, speaker, humanitarian and advocate, Laurie Kelley is a driving force in the world of bleeding disorders. While raising a son with hemophilia, she discovered a need in the community and wrote Raising a Child with Hemophilia. This book is a must have resource for the newly diagnosed family. She travels the world in search of adventure and seeks out those in need. From her Project Share foundation which gives lifesaving factor products to those in need and teaching leadership to people around the world, Laurie is a force in the bleeding disorder community.

When doing your work in the world, are you always being judged? What is it like to be under constant scrutiny when you are simply trying to do your best work? Living in the fishbowl can bring many challenges and as we share our stories perhaps we can find hope and strength as we continue to do our work in the world.

Episode 20-Meet Linda Linda is a mother, career woman and wife to a pastor. She shares her thoughts on moving in the itinerant system, managing her career through moves, and her passion for coaching. She uses coaching not only in ministry settings, but in her professional world as well. Take a few minutes to listen to my conversation with Linda. For more information on the podcast and to become a guest, email cazmac9910@gmailcom. Subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave a review! To see the show notes visit clergyspouses.com.

It's that time of year when UMC pastors move to new appointments. Join host Cazandra Campos-MacDonald as she talks about time and how God never leaves us when things look dismal. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! For the show notes and more information about the podcast visit www.clergyspouses.com. 

Camping season is upon us. Summer church camp is a place where kids make lasting friendships, worship and come into community with others. The people that make camps happen have a hard and rewarding ministry. It is not for the faint of heart...it is a calling. Cindy McCuaig and her husband Bill run the Sacramento Methodist Assembly in the mountains of New Mexico. Come and meet Cindy as she shares her heart and passion for the ministry. Visit clergyspouses.com for the Show Notes and if you would like to come on the show, email cazmac9910@gmail.com

Rev. Layloni Drake is passionate about helping families with special needs children. Her church is starting a new ministry on Easter Sunday that caters to families with special needs children. Her personal experience raising children with autism gives Layloni a connection to these families and wants them to be comfortable coming to church. Join me this month as we hear Layloni share her heart. It's pretty beautiful.

Anna Strickland is a delightful presence. She is a full-time seminary student who works at Labyrinth Progressive Student Ministries on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. She if a life-long Baptist who has not had a typical Baptist upbringing. Anna shares the passion she has for the LGBTQIA young adults that come to her program at UT and the love she has for her work is tremendous.

Cazandra shares her One Word for 2019 along with the scripture that she is holding close throughout the year. For more information, visit clergyspouses.com. Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes!

LeAnn is a pastor in the Midwest who claims "Ruth" as her biblical "BFF." She is passionate about people, youth and serving. The pulpit is one of her favorite places as she loves to bring the scriptures to life in new ways for her congregants. She is a student at Iliff Theological Seminary and has reminded me that when you get a Christmas gift from a rancher, you better open it quickly because if you are lucky, it just might be meat. For more information on the podcast and to become a guest, visit clergyspouses.com. Subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave a review!

Jodi is the wife of a UMC pastor who is passionate about her family and the youth at church. She is a Native American woman, working on her Master's degree to help individuals on reservations with mental health issues.  She is a delight. Please subscribe to the show and leave a review! For more information visit www.clergyspouses.com.

Happy Anniversary to The Fishbowl! Join Cazandra as she celebrates the one year anniversary of the podcast. Please subscribe to the show and leave a review!   For more information visit www.clergyspouses.com.

Gary has a fantastic story to share! His grandmother's influence led him to ministry at a very young age. He is a phenomenal musician with a heart of gold and he cherishes his friends and family. With an open heart he welcomes everyone.

The light that brightens up a dark room...that's Andrea. She has a beautiful heart and shares her story about living in and ministering through recovery. She has a passion for her family, her work and friends and the ministry of Celebrate Recovery.

Meet Cindy Kennedy. She is the wife of a pastor with an incredible story. Her heart is amazing as she has taught in the public schools, raised a family and survived a traumatic event which changed her life. Cindy has taken charge by talking openly to help others in similar situations and is actively speaking and working on her memoir. She shares with us in Episode 9 in a open and authentic way that makes you just want to give her a hug. Vist us at www.clergyspouses.com for more information on this episode. If you would like to be a guest on the podcast you don't have to be a clergy spouse! This podcast is for EVERYONE involved in ministry who lives in "the fishbowl." Email Cazandra at cazmac9910@gmail.com for more information. Subscribe on iTunes today! 

The children of the pastor did not choose the ministry life. They are plopped into the fishbowl and all eyes are on them. It's a difficult existence to be a kid with the pressures of the eyes of the church watching their every move. Today we get some great advice from a young adult pastor's kid.

It's that time of year in the United Methodist Church...appointment time! Losing a pastor can be difficult but you never know who is coming to continue ministering to your congregation. It's a time of loss and joy as this season of transition takes place. 

Mikel is the wife of a pastor and is raising her young family in a new part of the country. The appreciation she has for her church family is overwhelming and she is embracing the new chapter in her life. The battle of comparison is an issue she struggles with and encourages us to move forward and be our own person.

Our host shares the idea of having One Word for the New Year. No more resolutions!

Join us as we meet Christa Dardaganian. She is the wife of a Presbyterian pastor living in Ohio. She has a heart for youth ministry, is a "dance mom," and is searching for her passion. You will appreciate her honesty. Visit us at clergyspouses.com and leave a review!

Welcome to The Fishbowl! The podcast for clergy spouses of all faith traditions and those in leadership in ministry. Join us this month as we meet Dr. Doug Rowley from Las Cruces, New Mexico. We will have a monthly show available with interviews with clergy spouses, and ministry leaders as they share their stories, the ministries that bring them joy, and the ups and downs of living in the fishbowl. For more information visit www.clergyspouses.com.

Susan Brumbaugh is a counselor, researcher, mother, daughter, mindfulness enthusiast and pastor's wife. She shares with us her journey to being the wife of the pastor as a second career and how she has found her place with a new career and alongside her husband as the Provost for the New Mexico Annual Conference.

Welcome to The Fishbowl! The podcast for clergy spouses of all faith traditions. In episode 1 we meet the host, Cazandra Campos-MacDonald, a pastor's wife in New Mexico. Join us for interviews with clergy spouses as they share their stories, the ministries that bring them joy, and the ups and downs of living in the fishbowl. For more information, visit www.clergyspouses.com