Podcasts about Bloomfield

CJ Bloomfield brings one of Mortal Kombat's most iconic warriors to life in Mortal Kombat 2. Known for his physical performance work, stunt background, and intense on-screen presence, CJ takes on the fan-favorite role of Baraka, the fierce Tarkatan warrior recognized for his brutal combat style and signature blade attacks.   WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/09ACAAy3wkw     Episode 456   Welcome to THE JOE VULPIS PODCAST official YouTube channel! Hosted by Joe Vulpis,  also known as "Ugh It's Joe" and "The Joe". My guests range from rockstars and actors, to hit reality show stars and the largest influencers on the planet. Joe achieved internet notoriety with his unique witty Vlog style videos and passion for food. Amassing a total of more than 3,000,000 followers across social platforms, 500,000,000 Youtube views across his channels, and averages more than 100 million monthly views across all socials! Join the family and hit SUBSCRIBE to stay updated with the best conversations!   GHOST TAGS: CJ Bloomfield, Baraka, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat movie, Baraka actor, Mortal Kombat interview, CJ Bloomfield interview, Mortal Kombat cast, Baraka Mortal Kombat 2, MK2 movie, video game movies, Mortal Kombat fan favorite, Tarkatan warrior, Mortal Kombat sequel, Karl Urban Johnny Cage, Kitana Mortal Kombat 2, Shao Kahn, NetherRealm, Mortal Kombat franchise, gaming movies, action movie interview, martial arts movies, stunt performer, video game adaptation, Mortal Kombat fans, Warner Bros Mortal Kombat, MK2 cast interview, Baraka live action, fighting game movies, Joe Vulpis Podcast    

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 6/12/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Saturday Pre-Convocation Service - 6/13/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Oura AI Advisor with Dr. Ricky BloomfieldIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel are joined by Dr. Ricky Bloomfield, Chief Medical Officer at Oura, to explore how AI is changing the way people understand, interpret, and act on their health data.Together, they examine what makes AI-powered health coaching feel different from traditional digital health tools. From conversational interfaces and biometric personalization to empathy, trust, uncertainty, and safety, Ricky shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Oura Advisor is designed to support people in making better health decisions without pretending to replace clinicians.The conversation covers:What makes a good health coach, whether human or AIWhy conversational AI can feel somewhere between a tool, coach, and companionHow Oura Advisor uses personal health data to make insights more relevant and actionableThe importance of empathy, tone, and response length in AI health experiencesWhy AI systems need guardrails without becoming overly constrainedThe risks and benefits of personalization, memory, and agentic AI in digital healthHow wearable data could help uncover silent health risks like high blood pressureWhy the future of health AI is less about replacing doctors and more about extending care, improving screening, and helping clinicians focus on higher-value workRicky's advice for product teams: optimize for speed of learningThis episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of AI, digital health, wearables, and behavior change. Especially those thinking about how to design AI products that are not only intelligent, but trustworthy, humane, and genuinely useful.--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you'd like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

June 7, 2026: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Sometimes the life of a priest is about prayer, worship, pastoral care, and all the other things many people think about when they wonder what clergy do. Often it is also about boilers, budgets, broken pipes, roof leaks, personnel issues, or paperwork. But once in awhile, it offers a special little gift to this priest – the joy of children in our Nursery School on the day of graduation. This past Friday, my dog Lexi and I participated again in our preschool graduation ceremony, bidding farewell this year to 11 children heading off to Kindergarten, including Sophia Reynolds. Professor Lexi, in her cap and gown, not only leads the procession, but offered up a few words of advice to the graduates: “do not be afraid to snag the treats and be sure to take time for belly rubs.” She then helped to clean up the floor of all the cake and icing that happened to fall. Thankfully, I stopped a child from sliding her a whole cookie. So, while following the call of Christ into ordination isn't always what one expects, it is always filled with far more joy than we could ever imagine. Call is like that – it begins with a willingness to enter into the unknown. And, these kids are leaving behind the teachers and friends they have come to know so well to begin a new adventure too. Based on the test scores our students achieve when they graduate, I know they are, as they sang in their song “Ready to go!” Today we hear about some other call stories – the one of Abram and Sarai in Genesis, that of Matthew in the gospel, and perhaps some others that will emerge for us as we do a deeper dive. And today, I want to focus on the passage from the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. In the first part of the text we just heard, Matthew is sitting in the tax booth when Jesus walks by and says “Follow me.” While the text doesn't say it, tax collectors in those days were not the beleaguered public servants of our day. They were ones who collected the taxes due to the emperor– and then some – lining their own pockets. So, as you can imagine, they aren't particularly well liked in the community. Was Matthew one of those crooked types who got rich off the backs of others? The text doesn't say. Yet when Jesus invites him, he leaves that booth and becomes a disciple. Apparently, so did a few other tax collectors, as the text tells us. What must that have been like for them? They would lose all their income. They did not really know what lay ahead for them – neither, for that matter, did any other follower of Jesus. I mean, imagine if Jesus just walked into some CEO's office, said “follow me,” and they got up – leaving laptop and everything else behind, and walked out the door with him? That sounds crazy, right? Well, that is what Matthew did. But there is more going on here, because people like Matthew were understandably considered traitors of the people. Imagine if that CEO had been in charge of a pharmaceutical company that profited off the opioid addiction and death of millions. Jesus, what are you thinking? Well, that is what Jesus did. But wait, there's still more… Matthew and others like him – tax collectors, other pharma CEO types, and the like, end up having dinner with Jesus too. And – here's what we sometimes miss – this isn't in some town far away where Jesus is traveling. This is in his hometown, in his own home. The opening of the chapter begins in this way: “…and after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town.” This Matthew may have been the very guy who ripped off Jesus and his family through the years – who profited on the backs of his friends and relatives in town. It kinda puts the next part in perspective. The local religious leaders were not happy about this and question Jesus about it (I have to wonder if there were more than just those Pharisees who thought that way too). And to them Jesus says “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Now, this is where it pays to actually read the text, not just hear it. When he says “Go and learn what this means,” he isn't referring to what he just said – that bit about “Those who are well have no need of a physician…”. He is referring to what he is about to say: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” One thing I have to note here before I continue is that this is not Jesus condemning Judaism as a faith. In today's context, he would say the same thing to many, many, Christian leaders, to be sure. That absurd antisemitic reading of the passage aside, a better translation might be this: “I desire mercy, not purity,” which makes the next part more understandable: “For I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners.” And folks, that's a good thing for us all. Because if Jesus didn't eat with sinners, he'd be eating alone! The same is true for all of us. If folks are looking for perfect people, they better look elsewhere, because they sure as heck won't find them in a church. And the truth is – they won't find them anywhere else either. God didn't create perfect people, but God become incarnate to dwell among us that we might come to know that perfection isn't what God desires of us. We aren't meant to be perfect – we are meant to love – radically and unconditionally. And that leads us to the rest of the story, because that type of love is what Jesus was offering in that moment, and it opened doors even he did not expect. As he walked along, a temple leader came begging him to revive his daughter who had just died. With the same words that were used for Matthew, Jesus got up and followed him. As he walked along, “a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak.” She did this because, as the text says, she believed that just by touching something that touched him, she would be made well. And – she was. But more than that, Jesus turned to her, looked at her, and affirmed her. There is a lot packed into these twin stories, but one thing that needs to be understood is that these two people are different in more than just their gender and situation. The man had agency to come right up to Jesus, the woman did not. A woman in that time and culture who was bleeding was considered impure. She would have been kept out of the temple those 12 long years, and most likely pushed to the margins of society. It was a brave thing for her to do – going into a group of people on the chance of touching even just the fringe of Jesus' cloak. Bravery born of desperation – for inclusion, for grace, for mercy, for love – but maybe she also heard about the radical welcome Jesus had given to Matthew and the others in his own home. Perhaps we can hold these two stories – of Matthew and this woman – in our hearts and minds in these difficult days. Let's give her a name though, she deserves one. Let's call her Leah, a Hebrew name which can mean weary or grieved, for she was certainly that, not only from her physical ailments, but by the marginalization it brought her. Matthew and Leah are two different call stories – both are the story of the church today. Matthew is all of us – flawed people, who have erred along the way, hurt others intentionally or not, and perhaps have been deeply hurt ourselves. Jesus called to us and we followed. Jesus welcomes us to this table, and we eat. Leah is called to Jesus too, for healing and for love, but approaching him seemed dangerous – the doors of the church have not always felt like a welcome place for her. She is the trans teen, the gay man, the addicted executive, the immigrant or refugee, the homeless woman, the elderly WWII vet with PTSD, the child with autism who is louder than some think they should be, the lonely, the infirm, the lost, and the last of our society. They are in our hometown too, as Leah and Matthew were in Jesus', yet sometimes it is hardest to see clearly what is too familiar to us; or, even more likely, they have been pushed into the shadows so we don't see them at all. As for their call and ours, Matthew certainly was not worthy of the call of Jesus – none of us are. That's when we need to remember this quote by the late and great Bishop Barbara Harris: “God doesn't call those who are worthy. God makes worthy those whom God has called.” And like Leah, our healing by Christ, here at this table, will give us all that we need to lead the life he calls us into when we leave these doors. Which is a good thing, because Jesus is saying to each of us today the very thing he said to Matthew: “Follow me.” He is turning to affirm our desire for grace and love as he did with Leah that we may be healed and live into our lives as his followers. And, when Jesus calls us – it isn't into a life of safety, but of dangerously prophetic witness. When Jesus calls us – it isn't into a life of ease, but of discomfort with injustice. When Jesus calls us – it isn't into a life of purity, but of unconditional love born of redemptive grace. When we answer the call of Jesus to follow him, it means we leave from here – from this table – to seek him out in the world. In this very gospel, he told us where he could be found – and it was in all those society and the church has for so long cast aside. We must, as Jesus did, search to find the Matthews yearning for a new path. We must turn toward the marginalized who seek healing and affirm them with love as he did with Leah. Today that means we hear the cries of those in concentration camps like Delaney Hall, and call for their immediate release. It also means we see the Matthew there too. I remember standing just about 15' from the federal agents outside of that horrific facility and looking directly at each one of them. This was in the hours before that close contact was cut off. I prayed for a turning of their hearts, and for a change in the nation toward compassion and mercy. Perhaps these agents believed in what they were doing. Perhaps they were in need of the signing bonuses our government was offering to enlist them. Just like with Matthew, we will never know. Just like with Matthew, I will pray that they hear the call of Christ toward a change in life. And inside the cells we will find Jesus, from where we will hear him call to us to follow him. For it is Christ himself who is given rotted and infested food. It is Christ himself who is, like Leah, in need of medical care and suffering for so long. He is reaching out from those cells in the hope that we will see him and hear his call to offer love and grace to the suffering inside. And we will answer that call and stand in solidarity with them, their families, and against our nation's hateful and oppressive acts. We will stand too with LGBTQ+ people in this Pride Month, that they may know deep within that we see them, we affirm them, we love them, and we welcome them. We will stand with people of color across our nation whose voice is being eradicated by new Jim Crow voting maps. This after fighting and dying through decades upon decades for the rights our nation's highest court has now stripped away from them, and whose history of oppression our nation's leaders want to eradicate. We will not allow them to be pushed aside so that white people can feel more comfortable. We will not stand by while they are stripped of their voice. We will stand with women and listen to them as much as we have listened to powerful men. We will hear their stories of being victimized, assaulted, abused. We will not allow convenience or political expediency to privilege men's voices over theirs. We will turn to them, affirm them, and offer grace to them. And when others, particularly the ones who seek to align Jesus and our country with power and wealth and whiteness – the so-called Christian Nationalists – come to us denouncing what we are doing, we will say: “Go and learn what this means, ‘Jesus desires mercy, not sacrifice.' For Jesus wants us to welcome the immigrant, love the oppressed, and heal the brokenhearted. What part of that did you not understand? We will say, “Go and learn what this means… For Jesus came to call not the righteous but sinners,” and you, my brother or sister, might want to consider which of those two categories you find yourselves in right now, as we pray deeply for you. We will say, this is what it means to follow Jesus! This is our faith, our baptism, our call, our life! And we are ready to go! Come and follow him with us – it is not too late. It never is. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Sermon-June-7-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge June 7, 2026 The Second Sunday After Pentecost – Year A/Track 1 1st Reading – Genesis 12:1-9 Psalm 33:1-12 2nd Reading – Romans 4:13-25 Gospel – Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

A suspicious death in Bloomfield, a boil water advisory and more of today's headlines.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 6/5/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 6/7/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

In Australia, no wedding or school dance is complete without the Nutbush, Australia's unofficial national dance. The Nutbush – a simple line dance to the song “Nutbush City Limits,” by Ike and Tina Turner – has become as stereotypically Australian as kangaroos, boomerangs, and Vegemite.And yet, hardly anyone outside of Australia even knows the Nutbush exists. Here at Decoder Ring, we certainly didn't – until we started getting emails from Australians asking us to investigate its origins. How did an American song become the soundtrack for an Australian national tradition? Who invented the iconic steps, and why does every Australian know them?Our producer Max Freedman put on his dancing shoes to get some answers. The global, century-spanning story of the Nutbush involves Australia, Tennessee, Denmark, primary schools, gay discos, and demonstrates that even the goofiest cultural touchstones can go surprisingly deep.In this episode you'll hear from culture journalists David Mack and Angus Kidman; Nutbush researchers Panizza Allmark and Jon Stratton; dance historians Erica Okamura and Richard Powers; Dr. Fiona Chatteur, Jeremy Santolin, and Brian Kerr.This episode was written and produced by Max Freedman and edited by Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.Further ViewingHow to do ‘The Nutbush' - Australian Line Dance Dancin' the Madison on “The Buddy Deane Show” (1960)Alley Cat Tutorial — Spark Physical EducationThe Nutbush on Countdown (December 5, 1976)Tina Turner — Nutbush City Limits, The Midnight Special (1973)Tina Turner — Are You Breaking My Heart, Countdown (1980)Tina Turner: How “The Best” Became Rugby League's Anthem | ABC NewsTina Turner's Electrifying 1993 NRL Grand Final PerformanceSources for This EpisodeAllmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “Doing the Nutbush: How Australia Got Its Very Own Line Dance.” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 79–94.Allmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “The Nutbush Dance Reframed: Further Analysis Related to ‘Doing the Nutbush.'” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 95–103.Andrews, Shirley. Take Your Partners: Traditional Dancing in Australia. 3rd ed., Hyland House, 1979.Bloomfield, Anne. “Health or Art? The Case for Dance in the Curriculum of British State Schools 1909–1919.” History of Education, vol. 36, no. 6, 2007, pp. 681–696.Bloomfield, Anne. “The Quickening of the National Spirit: Cecil Sharp and the Pioneers of the Folk-Dance Revival in English State Schools (1900–26).” History of Education, vol. 30, no. 1, 2001, pp. 59–75.Gbogbo, Mawunyo. “Tina Turner and Her Australian Connections: How The Best Became Rugby League's Anthem and Why Is the Nutbush Mandatory at Gatherings?” ABC News, 24 May 2023.Jones, Benjamin T. “Australian Politics Explainer: The White Australia Policy.” The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2017.Kidman, Angus. “Tina Turner: How Australia Saved Her Career.” Angus Kidman, 13 Aug. 2023.Meiners, Jeff. So We Can Dance? In Pursuit of an Inclusive Dance Curriculum for the Primary School Years in Australia. 2017. University of South Australia, Doctor of Education thesis.Spencer, Eliza. “Australia and the Nutbush: The Quest for the Origin of a Cultural Phenomenon Goes On.” The Guardian, 5 May 2024.Ward, Mary. “The Mysterious Allure of the Nutbush and Why the Dance Is Uniquely Australian.” Sydney Morning Herald, 25 May 2023.Zhuang, Yan. “Australia Remembered Tina Turner with a Dance.” New York Times, 25 May 2023.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Australia, no wedding or school dance is complete without the Nutbush, Australia's unofficial national dance. The Nutbush – a simple line dance to the song “Nutbush City Limits,” by Ike and Tina Turner – has become as stereotypically Australian as kangaroos, boomerangs, and Vegemite.And yet, hardly anyone outside of Australia even knows the Nutbush exists. Here at Decoder Ring, we certainly didn't – until we started getting emails from Australians asking us to investigate its origins. How did an American song become the soundtrack for an Australian national tradition? Who invented the iconic steps, and why does every Australian know them?Our producer Max Freedman put on his dancing shoes to get some answers. The global, century-spanning story of the Nutbush involves Australia, Tennessee, Denmark, primary schools, gay discos, and demonstrates that even the goofiest cultural touchstones can go surprisingly deep.In this episode you'll hear from culture journalists David Mack and Angus Kidman; Nutbush researchers Panizza Allmark and Jon Stratton; dance historians Erica Okamura and Richard Powers; Dr. Fiona Chatteur, Jeremy Santolin, and Brian Kerr.This episode was written and produced by Max Freedman and edited by Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.Further ViewingHow to do ‘The Nutbush' - Australian Line Dance Dancin' the Madison on “The Buddy Deane Show” (1960)Alley Cat Tutorial — Spark Physical EducationThe Nutbush on Countdown (December 5, 1976)Tina Turner — Nutbush City Limits, The Midnight Special (1973)Tina Turner — Are You Breaking My Heart, Countdown (1980)Tina Turner: How “The Best” Became Rugby League's Anthem | ABC NewsTina Turner's Electrifying 1993 NRL Grand Final PerformanceSources for This EpisodeAllmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “Doing the Nutbush: How Australia Got Its Very Own Line Dance.” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 79–94.Allmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “The Nutbush Dance Reframed: Further Analysis Related to ‘Doing the Nutbush.'” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 95–103.Andrews, Shirley. Take Your Partners: Traditional Dancing in Australia. 3rd ed., Hyland House, 1979.Bloomfield, Anne. “Health or Art? The Case for Dance in the Curriculum of British State Schools 1909–1919.” History of Education, vol. 36, no. 6, 2007, pp. 681–696.Bloomfield, Anne. “The Quickening of the National Spirit: Cecil Sharp and the Pioneers of the Folk-Dance Revival in English State Schools (1900–26).” History of Education, vol. 30, no. 1, 2001, pp. 59–75.Gbogbo, Mawunyo. “Tina Turner and Her Australian Connections: How The Best Became Rugby League's Anthem and Why Is the Nutbush Mandatory at Gatherings?” ABC News, 24 May 2023.Jones, Benjamin T. “Australian Politics Explainer: The White Australia Policy.” The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2017.Kidman, Angus. “Tina Turner: How Australia Saved Her Career.” Angus Kidman, 13 Aug. 2023.Meiners, Jeff. So We Can Dance? In Pursuit of an Inclusive Dance Curriculum for the Primary School Years in Australia. 2017. University of South Australia, Doctor of Education thesis.Spencer, Eliza. “Australia and the Nutbush: The Quest for the Origin of a Cultural Phenomenon Goes On.” The Guardian, 5 May 2024.Ward, Mary. “The Mysterious Allure of the Nutbush and Why the Dance Is Uniquely Australian.” Sydney Morning Herald, 25 May 2023.Zhuang, Yan. “Australia Remembered Tina Turner with a Dance.” New York Times, 25 May 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Australia, no wedding or school dance is complete without the Nutbush, Australia's unofficial national dance. The Nutbush – a simple line dance to the song “Nutbush City Limits,” by Ike and Tina Turner – has become as stereotypically Australian as kangaroos, boomerangs, and Vegemite.And yet, hardly anyone outside of Australia even knows the Nutbush exists. Here at Decoder Ring, we certainly didn't – until we started getting emails from Australians asking us to investigate its origins. How did an American song become the soundtrack for an Australian national tradition? Who invented the iconic steps, and why does every Australian know them?Our producer Max Freedman put on his dancing shoes to get some answers. The global, century-spanning story of the Nutbush involves Australia, Tennessee, Denmark, primary schools, gay discos, and demonstrates that even the goofiest cultural touchstones can go surprisingly deep.In this episode you'll hear from culture journalists David Mack and Angus Kidman; Nutbush researchers Panizza Allmark and Jon Stratton; dance historians Erica Okamura and Richard Powers; Dr. Fiona Chatteur, Jeremy Santolin, and Brian Kerr.This episode was written and produced by Max Freedman and edited by Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.Further ViewingHow to do ‘The Nutbush' - Australian Line Dance Dancin' the Madison on “The Buddy Deane Show” (1960)Alley Cat Tutorial — Spark Physical EducationThe Nutbush on Countdown (December 5, 1976)Tina Turner — Nutbush City Limits, The Midnight Special (1973)Tina Turner — Are You Breaking My Heart, Countdown (1980)Tina Turner: How “The Best” Became Rugby League's Anthem | ABC NewsTina Turner's Electrifying 1993 NRL Grand Final PerformanceSources for This EpisodeAllmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “Doing the Nutbush: How Australia Got Its Very Own Line Dance.” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 79–94.Allmark, Panizza, and Jon Stratton. “The Nutbush Dance Reframed: Further Analysis Related to ‘Doing the Nutbush.'” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2025, pp. 95–103.Andrews, Shirley. Take Your Partners: Traditional Dancing in Australia. 3rd ed., Hyland House, 1979.Bloomfield, Anne. “Health or Art? The Case for Dance in the Curriculum of British State Schools 1909–1919.” History of Education, vol. 36, no. 6, 2007, pp. 681–696.Bloomfield, Anne. “The Quickening of the National Spirit: Cecil Sharp and the Pioneers of the Folk-Dance Revival in English State Schools (1900–26).” History of Education, vol. 30, no. 1, 2001, pp. 59–75.Gbogbo, Mawunyo. “Tina Turner and Her Australian Connections: How The Best Became Rugby League's Anthem and Why Is the Nutbush Mandatory at Gatherings?” ABC News, 24 May 2023.Jones, Benjamin T. “Australian Politics Explainer: The White Australia Policy.” The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2017.Kidman, Angus. “Tina Turner: How Australia Saved Her Career.” Angus Kidman, 13 Aug. 2023.Meiners, Jeff. So We Can Dance? In Pursuit of an Inclusive Dance Curriculum for the Primary School Years in Australia. 2017. University of South Australia, Doctor of Education thesis.Spencer, Eliza. “Australia and the Nutbush: The Quest for the Origin of a Cultural Phenomenon Goes On.” The Guardian, 5 May 2024.Ward, Mary. “The Mysterious Allure of the Nutbush and Why the Dance Is Uniquely Australian.” Sydney Morning Herald, 25 May 2023.Zhuang, Yan. “Australia Remembered Tina Turner with a Dance.” New York Times, 25 May 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 31, 2026 – Trinity Sunday – May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Good morning, and welcome to Trinity Sunday, when priests usually pass off the sermon to unsuspecting seminarians or assisting clergy. Kidding. Sort of. This is one of the Church's principal feast days, and the only one that celebrates a doctrine, rather than an event or a person. The doctrine itself is the work of the earliest Christian theologians, who were trying to find a way to understand the nature of God, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Each being part of our scriptures, but their relationship to one another was not in our sacred texts. The Trinity, as a construct, came later. And this mystery of 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 can often end up leading even well intentioned people of faith down a theological rabbit hole. So, that's why I am not going to preach about it, other than to say this: The doctrine of the Trinity is not a complete description of God, because that is impossible. The doctrine of the Trinity is a way of describing relationship – the relationship of God, Christ, and Holy Spirit – yes. But, it is also a way to understand ourselves – the ones made in God's image. “The Trinity is a statement of how God relates, not how God is. Or perhaps how anyone relates is indeed how one is.”[1] And when it comes to God, the relationship – God, Christ, Spirit, and us, is an eternal and unconditional dance of love. And if there is one thing we all need now is an eternal and unconditional relationship of love – God's love for us, our love for God, and loving our neighbor. So, with all that in mind, let's look at the passage from Genesis that we heard today, because there is a lot there that will feed us as we move along in these difficult days. Now, there are two creation stories in the bible – three if one were to count the Revelation to John as a creation story of sorts. Many, if asked how humanity was created, would say Adam from clay and Eve from Adam's rib. But that is found in the second chapter of Genesis, not the story we get here – the one given primacy in the scriptures. Why two? Well, why four gospels? On Genesis, scholars believe they came from two different cultural traditions and were kept together so as not to lose either. The differences are more than just the introduction of humanity, and a full description of them is really too much to get into today, but suffice it to say that Genesis 1 offers a cosmic God, and Genesis 2 a personal one. Genesis 1 moves from dark chaos to order to sabbath. Genesis 2 from dry land to water everywhere. Which is right? A rabbi of these Jewish texts would say “they both are.” Which is why these are not meant to be read literally, but faithfully. The story we hear in those first 35 verses of our bible begins this way (using the NRSVU translation): “When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness [God]called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” It goes on like this, each day God creating something – heavens & earth, sun, moon, and stars, coffee and fast food, etc. And then there was the 6th day when God created all the animals of the air, the sea, and those that dwell on the earth, and also humans! Yup, that's right, we were created on the same day as all the other animals. That was a very long 6th day to be sure for God. Oh, and the text also says that both humans and animals were meant to be vegetarians. Missed that part? Well, it's right here: “God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” I suspect nobody asked the plant life how it felt about all that. I once pointed that out to a friend from Texas who loves her BBQ and she was like “WHAAAATTTT???? NO!” Don't worry though, that all went by the scriptural wayside later. Anyway, then God declared all that was made on that 6th day good. God didn't say “Love those animals we created, but the humans – well, they are just awesome!” Nope. Just the same divine thumbs up at the end of a long day for all of it. That outta humble us a bit. And, as we point out in the diocesan Anti-Sexism training, God said “Let us make humankind in our image – male and female.” Of course – there is that bit about God saying “Let us” and “our,” making it clear that God is the ultimate non-binary being. But something the church and the world so frequently ignores is that the image of God is equally in women as in men. So – lots to consider in this one creation story. Of course, as noted earlier, we should read this passage, and our entire bible, not literally, but with a focus on the context in which it was written, and draw from all of it the meaning God has for us – the truth found within and between the lines of text. With that in mind, let's think about what it is telling us today. Why do we need to hear it now? You know, with all the cold and rain we have had coming into the past week, it has sort of felt like we might never know the warmth of sunlight again. Some of you feel, or know people who do, this type of darkness from the grief, pain, or fear you face personally. And of course, for all of us, there is also the darkness of the world that we feel and see and hear all around us. We all know about the violence of war in Iran and Ukraine and other places. We know too about the violence in our schools, places of worship, and in the streets. We know the violence of government agents against citizens and non-citizens alike, and those who protest on their behalf. But most of us will never know what it is like to be tossed into one of these concentration camps our government runs. Specifically, reports out of Delaney Hall in Newark, just a few miles from this parish, describe what these inmates are living through there – rotted or infested food, unsanitary conditions, pregnancy, cancer, and other medical conditions left untreated, and physical beatings. In some prisons across our country with similar conditions, suicides are on the rise. In a recent study, it was found that 73% of those imprisoned by ICE and CBP have committed no crime, and even if they did, we believe in this country that people should be treated humanely. And,100% of those picked up by ICE & CBP have not received due process of law that is owed to every single person – citizen or not – within the borders of our country by the 5th and 14th amendments of our Constitution. The horrible conditions have led some in Delaney Hall to go on a hunger strike. Protestors, including faith leaders, have been supporting their families outside and speaking on their behalf. Government leaders have tried to gain their rightful access to the facility to inspect it and speak to the prisoners, and they most were not only denied, but in some cases they have been pushed, pepper sprayed, or arrested. What is happening in our country now has created a chaos as dark as an abyss. And so, as I stood in protest with other faith leaders at Delaney Hall this past Friday, looking into the eyes of Federal agents, or gazing up at the prison windows, I thought about this text – and there I found hope. Remember – darkness and chaos covered the earth, the Holy Spirit – the breath of God – moved over the waters. And into this, God decided to first create light. Was it to see everything better as God continued to create? I doubt that. The thing is, scientists know that light plays an important role in sustaining life. And we all know, that light, even the hope of it, can sustain us in times of deep darkness – the thought of it can keep us going, even when we are unable to see it. We hear that in the iconic poem found scratched into the wall of a cellar where Jews were hidden in Cologne, Germany, which read: “I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I do not feel it. I believe in God even when God is silent.” Imagine the darkness that surrounded the person who etched that into the stone – fear, violence, hatred of others, war, loss of loved ones. The sun was not shining into that cellar, but its promise was a lifeline of hope in a time when love could not be felt. And it was that knowledge, deep within whomever wrote it, that is a sign that God was not silent at all, but present in that very place in that very moment, with one who felt so alone, so afraid, so unloved. This is why God chose to make light the first act of creation – because God knew that without light, with darkness ever present, life would quickly wither into nothingness. So, if all of that is true, why then did God not make everything full of light? I mean, even with the understanding that these stories were not meant to be taken literally, this version does beg the question – why did God keep the darkness alongside the light, and called it all good! Maybe part of the answer is found in what God did on the 4th day – creating the stuff in the sky we see at night – the stars and the moon. A reminder that darkness is never fully in control. Perhaps it is also so that we can better understand the nature of light itself, and what that gives to us. If you light a candle, or flip on a switch, in a dark room, the light enters, and the darkness instantly vanishes. They cannot coexist in the same space; light always wins by displacement. In a one to one matchup – light always overcomes darkness. Every.Single.Time. But maybe the biggest reason of all is because God is at work in the darkness too. Remember, God wasn't absent in the void before the light – God's breathe – the Holy Spirit – moved across the deep. Think about a photographer's darkroom. For the photos to be properly developed, only a safe light – not visible to the film – can be present. The darkroom isn't a place of destruction or absence of the good. It is a place of creativity and development. The newly created work will emerge into the light when it is ready. In the same way, God is not absent in the darkness of our lives. God is at work then too, doing perhaps the deepest development work in our lives at that very time when we feel so lost, alone, afraid, or abandoned. And like the way we feel when we gaze upon the stars and the moon on a clear night, or a campfire in the evening, the mixture of light and dark can inspire and even entrance us. Just last night many of us experienced a transcendent moment in this very church as we sat in darkness, surrounded by hundreds of candles while a string trio beautifully played the music of Coldplay. It was amazing and inspiring.. The thing is – God knew that the chaos that existed before would always be – would always linger. The humanity God would create would encounter darkness – some of its own making, some of the world. That is why God didn't eliminate the darkness, because God was at work there too. God then created light, that we would know that darkness doesn't have the last word – the dawn always comes, the sun shines after the storm, and darkness is unable to exist in the presence of light. That is also why the light of God – Christ – came into the world. To breathe life into our very souls that we may transcend the chaos swirling around us. To show us that even hate and violence wrought down by the powerful like the Roman Empire cannot defeat God's love. To show us the power of light – his light – to overcome even the most insidious darkness. And as followers of Christ, we are the children of light. We are a part of that never ending act of creation whenever we love and serve in his name. Whenever we speak for the voiceless. Whenever we stand against injustice. Whenever we love unconditionally those others have cast aside. We bring light into the shadows, and the darkness will never overcome us, for it can never withstand light – the light of God's love and grace most of all. And at the end of our own six days of creative action in the world in partnership with God, we will also take our sabbath rest – right here at this table, and in this community. Here we will receive respite from our labors, and strength to meet the journey ahead in the nourishment of Christ's great love. And finally, at the end of all our days, at the end of our witness of light in the abyss of humanity's evil, we will take our final sabbath rest in the communion of Saints. And God will look at all that we have done, and declare it very good. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sermon-May-31-2026.m4a [1] Bob Eldan. http://preachingtip.com/archives-year-b/pentecost-year-b/trinity-sunday-year-b/ The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge May 31, 2026 Trinity Sunday 1st Reading – Genesis 1:1-2:4a Psalm 8 2nd Reading – 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Gospel – Matthew 28:16-20

#BeAGoodFriend and check out episode #168 of #FeeneyTalksWithFriends featuring Little Red. It was great to talk with my #friend, Little Red. Little Red is a Navy veteran and a UConn Super Fan! We talked about:Friends of Feeney just provided $300K to families in need (minute 1)Little Red's favorite UConn jerseys (minute 3)How did you get the name, Little Red? (minute 5)Big Red (minute 6.30)UConn chants that he doesn't like (minute 8)Getting noticed and taking pics with fans (minute 10)Rico Bosco from Barstool Sports (minute 12)Little Red served in The U.S. Navy (minute 14)UConn games: First, Last, Best, Worst (minute 16.30)UConn vs. Michigan - National Championship game (minute 20)What makes GameDay Conor a good #friend? (minute 22)Start, Bench, Cut: Omar, BJ & Steve (minute 26)Little Red walked from Bloomfield to Gampel in 14 hours and raised $14,000 for charity (minute 28)David Horowitz walked with Little Red for an interview (minute 37)Podcast sponsors (minute 40)Float 41 (minute 41)3 Keys to being Little Red (minute 42)Coach Hurley (minute 43)Watching basketball in a football stadium (minute 46)Liam McNeely is his Dude Dude! (minute 47)Bold predictions for next season (minute 50)Rapid fire questions (minute 52)Upcoming events (minute 55)Blind rank these UConn players (minute 56)Little Red recommends Beem and Epic Fitness (minute 1.07)Little Red hosted a golf tournament for Officer Lombardi from the WPD (minute 1.01)Closing remarks (minute 1.03)Podcast Sponsors: Directline Media - www.directlinemediaproductions.com/The Fix IV - www.thefixivtherapy.comWest Hartford Lock - www.westhartfordlock.comKeating Agency Insurance - www.keatingagency.comGoff Law Group - www.gofflawgroup.netParkville Management - www.parkvillemanagement.comLuna Pizza - www.lunapizzawh.com/lunas-menuPeoplesBank - www.bankatpeoples.comFloat 41 - www.float41.comMaximum Beverage - www.maximumbev.comSally and Bob's - www.sallyandbobs.comMandell JCC of Greater Hartford - www.mandelljcc.org

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 5/24/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 05/22/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Histoire de 9 minutes racontée par Binyamin BENHAMOU.

Histoire de 9 minutes racontée par Binyamin BENHAMOU.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 5/17/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 05/15/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Thanks for tuning in to the Farmer Rapid Fire brought to you by Corteva Crop Protection! On today’s edition of RealAg Radio, your host, Lyndsey Smith, is joined by: 00:00 - Coming up... 01:43 - Ryan McCarron of Antigonish, N.S. 13:48 - Tyler Lester of Bloomfield, Ont. 24:36 - Keith Fournier of Lone Rock, Sask.... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to the Farmer Rapid Fire brought to you by Corteva Crop Protection! On today’s edition of RealAg Radio, your host, Lyndsey Smith, is joined by: 00:00 - Coming up... 01:43 - Ryan McCarron of Antigonish, N.S. 13:48 - Tyler Lester of Bloomfield, Ont. 24:36 - Keith Fournier of Lone Rock, Sask.... Read More

Gunter Swoboda explores the psychological roots behind men's avoidance of healthcare, the widespread misunderstanding of stoicism, and why traditional masculinity often discourages proactive health engagement.This episode examines the behavioral and cultural patterns contributing to the growing men's health crisis—and offers practical pathways toward healthier, more empowered approaches to physical and mental wellbeing.Keywordsmen's health, stoicism, health avoidance, mental health, healthcare engagement, masculinity, psychological mechanisms, health behavior, cultural changeKey TopicsThe mortality gap between men and womenThe role of behavior in health outcomesMisconceptions surrounding stoicism and masculinityPsychological mechanisms behind health avoidanceStrategies for cultural and clinical changeSound Bites“The problem isn't knowledge, it's behavior.”“Some things are within our power, some are not.”“Seeking help is the exercise of agency.”Inside This EpisodeUnderstanding the men's health crisisWhy many men avoid seeking helpThe misunderstanding of stoicism in modern masculinityPsychological defenses behind health avoidanceFear, shame, and vulnerability in men's healthcare behaviorReframing strength through agency and self-awarenessPractical strategies for improving men's health engagementThe path toward healthier masculinity and cultural changeResourcesAustralian Institute of Health and Welfarehttps://www.aihw.gov.au/Movember Foundationhttps://movember.com/Meditations by Marcus Aureliushttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=meditations+marcus+aureliusDiscourses by Epictetushttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=epictetus+discoursesLetters from a Stoic by Senecahttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=seneca+letters+from+a+stoicGratitudeWe want to extend a huge thank you to our listeners in Kendall Park and Bloomfield for bringing New Jersey to #9 on our Top USA listeners list!! And to our Global Listeners, a special shoutout to our listeners in Zurich (zur-ick) for launching Switzerland to #11 on our global listeners list!  Last but not least to our listeners in Jakarta (juh-KAR-tu) Thank you for bringing Indonesdia to #18! CONGRATULATIONS!! for making the Top Listeners List.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/inspire-change-with-gunter--3633478/support.PatreonIf this episode resonates with you and you'd like to go deeper into practical exercises and guided reflection, Gunter offers extended self-development resources and exercises through our Patreon community: www.patreon.com/inspirechangeSponsorDistil UnionThis episode of Inspire Change with Gunter is brought to you by Distil Union, creators of beautifully designed, functional everyday carry accessories that help bring organization, simplicity, and intention into your daily life.Distil Union blends craftsmanship with thoughtful design to help you carry what matters most — without the clutter.

In this Papamutes episode, we delve into the creation of the film *Innocenti*, where filmmaker Steve Mancini uncovers the stories of those who lived through World War II in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Through heartfelt interviews, Mancini explores the horror of war on families and communities, shedding light on a crucial yet often overlooked part of history. Mancini explains that many immigrants left due to poverty, with families establishing clubs like the Ateleta Club in Bloomfield, (Pittsburgh) which serves as a cultural hub for those from Abruzzo. Understanding this local connection adds depth to the film and illustrates the broader narrative of immigrant experiences in America.photos:courtesy s.mancini“THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED OR VIEWS EXPRESSED BY GUESTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT OR REPRESENT THOSE OF THE HOST; Listen on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  iHeart Radio, Castro, Google Podcasts or wherever you stream your podcasts.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 5/10/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

May 10, 2026: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Happy Mother's Day, and many good wishes to those celebrating. It is a joyous occasion for most – offering a time to appreciate the love of their moms with maybe flowers, a visit or a call, or some other way to thank them. For others, this is also a difficult day, or one that brings about mixed feelings at least. For they are those whose mother's have died, or those whose mothers are absent – in whatever way that may mean – or those mothers who have lost a child, or those women who could not have one. For these people Mother's Day can be troubling, awkward, or even painful. And if that is you, know that we, your parish family, are holding you in prayer. And so, as I say each year, that is that is why I like to think of today as less about Mothers specifically, and more about women – mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, nieces, aunts, and friends. Women who have been a part of our lives – nurturing, mentoring, loving, caring. That is what we really celebrate today – the journey of women – us, if we are women, and those women who have been a part of our lives. And there was a woman listening to St. Paul in the passage we heard today from the Acts of the Apostles, but you wouldn't know it based on the reading for this morning. As the story we heard goes, St. Paul was speaking before the Areopagus. What we didn't hear was why. See, while he was waiting for his preaching buds Silas and Tim to arrive in Athens (why is a whole other story), Paul had been walking around town seeing among the bustling city lots of monuments to various Gods, even an altar that, as he would later note, was inscribed with this: “to an unknown God.” As Paul does, he taught people in the synagogues and the streets about Jesus. Now, this is where the previous verses get funny, and why I think they should be included. It goes like this: “…some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” … So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.” That is part of what is missing from the story. The part we did hear was this… St. Paul then speaks before the council, mentions the bit about the “unknown God,” and in classic Paul style, uses their own poetry to counter the notion of such a thing. He quotes Aratus (a Cilician poet) in the phrase “For we also are his offspring,” and likely refers to Epimenides of Crete with the phrase “For in him we live and move and have our being” to counter the idea that any God would be unknown to their own creation. Socrates would have been proud of his use of their own words, and given that Paul was university educated, with excellence in rhetoric and debate which we see in his writings, it also isn't surprising. Then Paul told them about Jesus – about his life, death, and resurrection. For reasons that confound me, that is where the lectionary stops this reading. But on this day, when we celebrate the women in our lives, we need to hear, as the late Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story.” The text continues with this: “When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” Now, there are are a few things to note about Damaris, especially on a day when we celebrate women. First, that she is mentioned at all by the author. In his book Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, New Testament scholar Richard Bauckham argues that named individuals in the Gospels and Acts are not random, but rather were known to the early Christian communities as key witnesses, leaders, or teachers. This would be especially true of any women named. Second, some try to link Damaris by marriage to Dionysius, the other convert mentioned in this story. Nowhere does it say that, and the author of Luke-Acts, being a stickler as he was, would have done so if it had been the case. And third, is that she is standing there listening to St. Paul speak before the Areopagus in the first place. The Areopagus was a place for centuries where the learned, the most respected in that region, the most powerful, would listen to and debate ideas, pronounce judgements over serious criminal matters, and wrestle with larger questions of science, philosophy, & religion. Damaris would have had to have been wealthy, intellectually gifted, powerful, or all of the above. So, there is a lot for us in this larger story about St. Paul, a bunch of Greek philosophers and judges, and Dionysius and Damaris. And we need to hear it too, especially amidst all that is happening in the world today. For starters, there the inscription on the altar that Paul saw and spoke about. One wonders who constructed it, and why? As I was thinking about that, I was struck by this one part of the Psalm we heard today. The Psalmist speaks of God as one, “Who holds our souls in life.” Think of that for a moment. What does it mean that God is one that “holds your soul in life?” There is such a sense of care, of nurturing, of love in that imagery – and most of all – of knowing. That God knows us. The thing is, we hear this not only in that Psalm, but throughout the scriptures of our faith. We hear that same message, or something like it – over and over and over again in many different ways. From Genesis 1 to the final chapter of the Revelation to John, our scriptures remind us that, as those Greek poets Paul quoted made clear – God created us, and in God we have our very being – God holds our soul in life with great love. This is why at the Easter Vigil and in Lessons & Carols we get texts that span the entire bible – to tell the story of God's relationship with us through time as a reminder that our God didn't begin loving us when Jesus was born, but he was born to us because God has loved us from the beginning of time. That God does indeed hold our souls in life…or really, in love. And that type of relationship, the one God has with all of creation, rooted in unconditional love – means that God knows us – knows us deeply – even if God is unknown to us. All of which brings me back to whoever built that altar. The thing is – it wasn't built because they thought God doesn't exist. Why bother? No, it was built because they could sense God's presence – could sense that there was something larger than themselves – they just didn't know how to name what they were feeling. This was a seeker – something we all have been, and hopefully still are, or we wouldn't be here right now. We don't stop seeking just because we walk in the doors of a church and sit in the pew. Or I sure hope not. It is practically in the DNA of the Episcopal Church to seek, to question, to wrestle with what we think we know. And seeking is as much about what is sought as it is about the one who is searching. The spiritual seeker wants to understand the Creative force they can sense in the world, but learns as much about themselves when they do. Understanding is about knowing – about seeing and being seen. And the truth is that we not only seek God that we may know God, but also that we may feel seen and known ourselves. So many people in the world today yearn to be seen – not looked past, ignored, or pushed aside. They want to be listened to, not because they think they have all the answers, but because in listening, we see them a bit more. That is why it is so important to lift up Damaris in this story. So many women in scripture get ignored or go unnamed – and even our lectionary cuts them out. But the patriarchy rooted in sexism isn't just a part of faith traditions like ours. Women all across time have been left out of our history books – their inventions, courageous acts, writings, or leadership unacknowledged – their names unknown. If we are to ever know God the way God yearns to be known, we cannot ignore or abuse what God creates, especially those made in God's image – the women as well as the men. For when we do, when we ignore and abuse the very soul God holds in life – we willingly do the same to God. Which brings me back to Damaris. She was noted by the author of Luke-Acts, and we should not make the mistake so many do and take no notice of her. We will remember Damaris today. We will say her name and tell her story. But there is something else going on in this story – something missing from our world today (not to mention the lectionary). Paul was doing as evangelists are meant to do – all of us really – he was talking about his faith. That's a good thing! Yet, the lesson we most need now though does not come from Paul. It comes from the Athenians, and begins in the part left out from the passage, which I mentioned earlier. Sure, some thought he was a “pretentious babbler,” which, if you read a lot of Paul's writings you might agree with them. And yet, they didn't throw stuff at him, push him aside, or arrest him for saying things they didn't like or understand (as we know happened to Paul in other places). What did they do? Well, this is why this earlier part is so important, and why I cannot figure out why it was left out – I mean, how can you understand the full scripture of you don't hear it? Just a reminder, this is how they responded: They said to Paul “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” The text goes on to describe all of the people in that region, saying “Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.” And when they listened more to Paul in his speech before the Areopagus, they didn't throw him over a cliff for speaking about something they hadn't heard before – nor did most of them immediately accept what he said. In the final part of this story, again left out of the lectionary for today, they said instead “We will hear you again about this.” We should not be surprised by their response. Anyone who had to read Plato in school knows Socratic dialog, which originated in Ancient Greece long before Paul or Jesus were born. For that matter, anyone who reads some of the epistles of St. Paul see in them this method of question and answer to get to truth. Some scholars have pointed to striking similarities between Socrates in Athens and Paul in Athens – something the learned author of Luke-Acts may have been trying to bring to mind. But while interesting, especially if you enjoy trips down the philosophical rabbit hole, the most important part is in the invitation to dialog in the first place offered by the Athenians in the face of something they either did not know, or did not believe to be true. If only we today would do as these Athenians and the others in Athens at the time of Paul's travels are doing in this story. Instead, most people would just change the channel, walk away, yell and scream, or Gerry-mander them into silence. If you are in our government, you would arrest and indict them, or push to have them taken off the air. What would the world, or really – let's narrow that down…what might our country be like if we were to listen more to what we don't understand, invite those who offer different opinions to speak to us, or at the end of a contentious town hall say “We will hear you again about this.” If we think about it – listening is one of the ways we see others, one of the ways we say to them that they are known to us. One of the ways we become known to them too. And seeing someone, getting to know them a bit, is the first step toward loving them as we are called to do. It is also the first step toward knowing God. So as we leave here and head out into our own public squares – divided as they are – let us question as the Athenians what we hear from others, not to shut down, but so that we can better understand, see, and know – them, the truth, and the God who created it all. And let us hear of the resurrection of Christ and have our hearts moved in such a way as we become like Damaris – leaving this place to proclaim the good news in such a way that we cannot be pushed aside and be forgotten or ignored. For there are far too many yet for whom God is still unknown, who yearn to be known themselves, who dream of being seen and loved by One who would hold their soul in life. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sermon-May-10-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge May 10, 2026 The Sixth Sunday of Easter 1st Reading – Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:7-18 2nd Reading – 1 Peter 3:13-22 Gospel – John 14:15-21

Send us Fan MailWe had the opportunity to be on the red carpet for the Mortal Kombat II Sydney Fan Screening. We chat to Simon McQuoid (Director), Karl Urban (Johnny Cage), Chin Han (Shang Tsung), Josh Lawson (Kano), Desmond Chiam (King Jerrod), CJ Bloomfield (Baraka).As suggested by cast & crew we have banger double feature recs of Mortal Kombat (2021), Training Day, The Chaser, you, Always and In the mood for love!If you haven't already, please check out our full chat with Simon. Audio version on the podcast feed and video version on YouTube.Website | Rotten Tomatoes | Linktree | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram 

This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Dr Mark Bloomfield, who has leveraged AI and advanced technology for over fifteen years to drive innovation, transformation, and measurable impact across an array of businesses.Operating at the intersection of business, technology, and academia, he now works across multiple industries, advising organisations on how to apply AI and emerging technologies for real commercial impact with measurable results. As a Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, Mark teaches on executive education programmes. Hence, he's constantly immersed in the most cutting-edge thinking and practice, engaging with some of the brightest minds in academia and business.So, I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did, in what I hope you'll agree is a fascinating conversation.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 5/3/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

We meet up with Caleb of @cravingswithcaleb to talk about how food and coffee content works, why some recommendations instantly feel trustworthy, and what it's like building a community around everyday spots you can actually visit. We get into his “coffee since childhood” backstory, his current daily documenting, and why consistency matters more than chasing the perfect viral moment.Then we swap notes on where to eat and drink right now, from daytime sandwich runs to date-night cocktails. Caleb shares why Curbside keeps winning him over, why Bar Botanico's bartender's choice is a game-changer, and why Fat Butcher belongs on your short list when you want a fresh, fast lunch. We also talk about neighborhood energy and how places like Bloomfield can become your own mini food tour when you follow the cravings.Later we tackle the subject of gluten free wine. Wine expert Catherine Montest breaks down how gluten can show up through barrel sealing or fining agents, what “under 20 parts per million” really means, and what to do if you're hypersensitive. Then Al Lombardozzi of Robal's Food Truck shares his day-off comfort move: a rich mac and cheese built from heavy cream, garlic, butter, and grated cheese, studded with shrimp and whatever's in the fridge that day.Subscribe for more Pittsburgh food stories, share this with a friend who's always hungry, and leave a review if you want to help the show grow. What Pittsburgh spot are you craving right now?Support the showLiked the episode? We'd love a coffee! 

In this episode of Travel Tales with Fergal, I talk all about the city of Pittsburgh in the USA, ahead of Aer Lingus' new direct Dublin–Pittsburgh service, launching on 25 May 2026.My guest today is Aadam Soorma, Head of Marketing at Trace Brewing, for a local's guide to a city that has transformed from steel and industry into one of America's most creative, welcoming and community-driven destinations.From Pittsburgh's craft beer scene and neighbourhood culture to Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, sport, food, art and the city's famous black-and-gold pride, Adaam shares why Pittsburgh should be firmly on Irish travellers' radar.For more information check out https://www.visitpittsburgh.comFor more information on the new Aer Lingus Pittsburgh route check https://www.aerlingus.comFergal O'Keeffe is the host of Ireland's No.1 European award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide.The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel memoirs about daydream worthy destinations. Please follow meon Instagram@traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal#VisitPittsburgh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a sloppy but fun episode where Chris is doing production and trying to co-host with Mike at the same time. Jake Guidry of Hopewell is serving up steaming piles of takes as usual, plus Nile Zacherle of Mad Fritz and Rich Bloomfield of Funkytown round things out. Email Eletters to: Insiders@craftbeertemple.comMailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 4/24/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 4/26/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 4/19/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Maximino Cerezo Barredo (Spanish, 1932–), “Emmaus” (triptych), 2014. Carvalhos, Portugal. April 19, 2024: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Happy Easter everyone! Yes – it's still Easter. In fact, while we celebrate Eastertide for 50 days, in reality we are always a resurrection people. Now, the New York Times had a headline this week about the Vice President that read “Vance Says The Pope Should Be More Careful When Talking About Theology.” Does anyone else feel like the real news these days sounds more like something the parody news outlet, The Onion, would put out? Seriously though, the Vice President said about the Pope, I kid you not: “If you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve got to be careful, you’ve got to be sure it’s anchored in the truth and that’s one of the things that I try to do and that’s certainly something I would expect from the clergy…” Says the guy who converted only 7 years ago about the man who has been a priest for 3 decades and is now the Vicar of Christ? Well, Mr. Vice President, I am not the Pope, just a priest in Christ's one holy catholic and apostolic church, but I do intend to speak on matters of theology, and I suggest you stay in your lane of – well, whatever it is you do. If you have a problem with that – bring it on. I would be happy to have a theological dialog with you, because Lordy, you seemed to have skipped some of your RCIA classes when you were prepping for your conversion. Now, if you think that was the most outrageous thing that happened this past few weeks, you may get the same head scratching stares Jesus got on the road to Emmaus when he asked Cleopas and the other disciple “What news?” So, let's talk about this beloved Easter story. It begins with Cleopas and his companion walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, comforting one another in their deep grief over the death of their teacher and friend, Jesus. Now, before we go any further, I want to remind everyone about the identities of these two folks. So many just assume that these are two men walking on this road, but as most of you who have been here awhile know by now, that assumption is a reflection of our society, not the scriptures. The text says “Now on that same day two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.” Nowhere does it say these were two men! The Greek is gender neutral. Given that the bible is rife with examples of women going unnamed, and given that the bible authors have no problem usually telling you the names of every single man in any story, it is far more likely that it is a woman with Cleopas, not a man. This is not just my own opinion, of course, but that of many scholars who argue as much. So, there you have it – Cleopas was walking the road to Emmaus with his wife, girlfriend, sister, female best bud, wing woman, or whatever. Now that we have that cleared up, let's give her a name…how about Zoe, from the Greek word for life. Now, back to the story. Remember, Cleo and Zoe were leaving Jerusalem – leaving the place where the disciples were cowered in fear, where Jesus had been crucified, where those associated with him were in danger. Tensions were high. People, including these two, were grieving and fearful. And as they talked among themselves about the situation and all that had happened to them, Jesus came near and went alongside them. Now, they didn't recognize him. This was a stranger on this road, and not only that, but that same stranger basically says “Heyt, what's up?” First, let's look at the word choice of the author here to describe Jesus. It is the Greek word πάροικος (paroikos) which means migrant, or a resident foreigner. It often refers to a temporary resident lacking citizenship in a particular place. And they tell this stranger, this foreigner, everything – who they thought Jesus was, what had happened to him, and who was responsible for it. That they had hoped he was the one to “redeem Israel,” which may not mean much in our context, but then was the same as saying overthrow the Empire and free the oppressed. They told him things that could get them crucified if he happened to be someone connected to power. It was risky. And knowing that risk makes the next part even more astounding – they invited this stranger to stay with them. Welcoming the stranger was the law of God, and one that was a matter of life or death in that time. There were not Wawas on every corner to grab food, and roads at night were prime places for robbers to lay in wait. They did not know Jesus, but they knew their God and what God expected of them. They invited him in, this man on the road. They took another risk. Today Jesus, the paroikos, the migrant, the resident foreigner, needs us to take a risk. To risk having the conversations that may put us in danger with those in power, to risk welcoming him as we would if we could have the veils lifted from our eyes and saw the Christ walking alongside us. And that is exactly what Pope Leo the XIV was doing that prompted responses from both the Vice President and the President. First, let's step back a bit to get the full scope of all that has happened just since Easter Sunday. On that most sacred and holy of days for Christians, the President posted on his social media this heartwarming message: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!! Open the F'in' [he used the full word – I will not)…anyway] Open the F'in' Strait you crazy [a b word I also will not repeat], or you'll be living in Hell.” And then, in all caps (for reasons known only to him) he continued “JUST WATCH!” Praise be to Allah. President Donald J. Trump” This was the President's Easter message – a pledge to commit war crimes against the Iranian people, and mocking their faith. But wait, there's more… The Secretary of Defense called this a holy war, and this week, in a worship service at the Pentagon, he prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” I should note, this same “Christian,” also asked everyone to pray while he quoted a passage of scripture – except what he read was from the movie “Pulp Fiction,” and not the bible. This was on top of his declaring that journalists were like the Pharisees who opposed Jesus…implying that the President was Christ himself. The President seemed to think so, as he re-posted on social media a blasphemous meme of him depicted as Jesus, healing a sick man, as avenging beings fly in the skies above, and a bunch of white people hold their hands in prayer around him. And – he claimed that Leo owes his election as Pope to him. Yup – you can't make this stuff up. But let me make one thing perfectly clear – while some of this is farcical, this is no laughing matter. This is what Christian Nationalism does. It perverts the gospel of the Prince of Peace into a bludgeon for war, hate, violence, and oppression. Christian Nationalism is a heresy and it must be stopped whenever and wherever it rises up. Now, back in “Sane-ville” – the Pope made it clear that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.” While traveling to Cameroon, actually to a city I spent time in years ago – Bamenda – Pope Leo said even more. Now, he was speaking about the long and violent civil war that had wracked this beautiful nation, but of course a certain President and Vice-President didn't see it that way. The Pope said, “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild…” And quoting actual scripture, not the Gospel of Quentin Tarantino, he said “Blessed are the peacemakers!” which we know was a part of the sermon on the mount. Then Pope Leo added “But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.” Why am I telling you all this? Because Pope Leo is having a risky conversation, in a risky place. The Pope is exhibiting moral courage at a desperate time in the lives of so many around the world. Don't mess with a guy from the South Side of Chicago. Seriously. And supporting him in this is our own Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullaly, who said “I stand with my brother in Christ, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace. As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart, and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable. It is the calling of every Christian – and of all people of faith and goodwill – to work and pray for peace. We must also urge all those entrusted with political authority to pursue every possible peaceful and just means of resolving conflict. As I prepare to visit Rome later this month to meet and pray with Pope Leo, I am mindful of his call to keep our eyes open to the suffering of the world, and our gaze fixed on our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ – the image of the invisible God, in whose image and likeness every human being is made.” Let the people say “Amen.” Folks, the Road To Emmaus is what we are walking now. People are fleeing empire today and we, the followers of Jesus, sometimes may feel like those first converts in the passage of Acts we heard this morning, who asked of Peter “what should we do?” The story of Cleo and Zoe provide the answer. We should have the risky conversations – proclaim the gospel even when it may be dangerous to do so. Proclaim it in what you say and in what you do. Proclaim it in places others might not go. We should welcome the foreigner – not bomb them, not shoot them, not unjustly imprison them, not rip their children from them. We should invite them in, for they are made in the image of God, and they are the crucified one in our midst. We should come here to experience Jesus in the breaking of the bread – to hear the scriptures (again – real ones not from a movie) – to have our hearts burn within us. That is what we should do – have the risky conversations, welcome Jesus in the stranger in our midst, experience him in the breaking of the bread – for that is our faith! That is our Easter life. Cardinal Tobin, who I have had the pleasure of working with here in New Jersey, said in an interview in response to what Pope Leo is doing “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with four popes, very different people in a lot of ways. But each one in some way was the right one for that moment in time. I believe that — Pope Leo is the right man at this time.” Now, I am not a Cardinal, but I can assure you this: Pope Leo is the right one for this time…and so are each of you. All of you are in this moment – this road to Emmaus moment – because you are the right person for this time. There will be people, sometimes powerful people, telling you to stay in your lane, perverting the gospel, trying to crucify Jesus. But you must continue on that Emmaus journey. You must recognize Jesus in the stranger, who yearns to draw near to you. Welcome him, share your pain with him, listen to him, experience him in the breaking of the bread, and then proclaim the gospel – even when it's risky. For that will always be a risk worth taking. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Sermon-April-19-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge April 19, 2026 The Third Sunday of Easter – Year A 1st Reading – Acts 2:14a,36-41 Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17 2nd Reading – 1 Peter 1:17-23 Gospel – Luke 24:13-35

Collin Zuckschwerdt, 19,is the son of Mark and Janelle Zuckschwerdt of Bloomfield, Indiana. Together they raise and sell Black and Red Angus cattle.  Collin is attending Vincennes University this fall pursuing a degree in Ag Business with an Animal science focus. He plans to continue his passion in the industry by becoming a livestock commodities salesman.  he's excited to see everyone in woodward this summerEmpowerment Is Here.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 4/12/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 4/5/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 3/29/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 4/10/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Well, I had hoped it would be a bit more Springy today. Still, even if the weather isn't sunny and bright, Spring truly is here – flowers are blooming, birds are singing, everyone is sneezing, and move aside basketball on TV – baseball is back! And Lordy, do we need all of that now, don't we? It's been a tough winter, and an exhausting year. Weather wise, this winter has chilled us to the bone, and drenched our spirits in the snow and icy rain. And the gloomy clouds matched a lot of our spirits with all that we were experiencing in the world around us. On Good Friday, we remembered when empire crucified Jesus. And this year, it seems we have been in a perpetual Good Friday. Day after day after day, we see Jesus being crucified. For we know, as this Gospel of Matthew tells us, Jesus taught his disciples where to find him. As I noted at the beginning of this Holy Week on Palm Sunday, and again on Good Friday, Jesus, using the setting of a final judgement, said about those who will be declared righteous, “…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger (immigrant in today's terms) and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” When perplexed as to how they had done that, the answer came, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” So, the part of the story of Holy Week, the shallow praise of the people as he entered Jerusalem, his prayer of grief in the garden of Gethsemane, and his execution on the cross by the Roman Empire – it feels very familiar now. It is a darkness that we have been experiencing for so very long as we watch our own empire grab people of color out of their homes, places of work, or even children in school and disappear them. As we see empire shoot and sometimes kill people outright in the streets. We feel betrayed. We grieve as we hear of the oppression of already marginalized people, our nation bombing a school for girls, and service men and women returning home in flag draped coffins. Our country has been in a very, very, long Holy Week. It seems that might has shoved right into a tomb and rolled over the stone. It sure must have felt that way to the first followers of Jesus too. And yet, that isn't the end of the story. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary… Honestly, can we just stop right there…what is up with that? I mean couldn't the author of Matthew give that other Mary a surname too? It's a little like on that old Bob Newhart Show – My brother Darryl, and my other brother Darryl. I know – showing my age here. But, really? Anyway, those two Marys went to the tomb expecting to care for the body of Jesus, their friend and their rabbi. Instead, their world was turned upside down – literally. There was a great earthquake – just like what happened according to this gospel account when he died on the cross, and the same effect was felt too as he entered the city of Jerusalem. God sure knows how to get our attention. And the only thing the women found that was dead were the soldiers – or at least they “became like dead men” according to the text. That was because just as they arrived, a messenger of God appears looking like lightening, who rolled away the stone and sat on it, you know – like you do if you are a messenger of God, I guess. Then the women were told that the tomb was empty, Jesus had been raised from the dead, and they were to go tell all the other disciples. They did, but before they could get very far, Jesus appears before them on the road. And if that wasn't crazy, it gets even stranger – he says “Greetings!” Seriously? It's like he's messin' with them. There they were, having experienced an earthquake, a lightening bolt angel, nearly dead soldiers, and a missing Rabbi, whom they were told has somehow been brought back from the dead… I mean – that's already a LOT to deal with, right? And then Jesus drops down on them and says “Hey you'all!! What up?” I don't know about you, but you could hardly blame her if Mary Magdalene said “It's five o'clock somewhere, I need a drink.” Instead, she and Mary the sequel grabbed his feet and kissed them. Note that they didn't need anything more, as the ones in Galilee would ask for – just him being in front of them was all that was needed. And, not for nothing, but as is needed to be pointed out every year – Jesus came to see the women disciples before Peter, James, John, or any of the other men. Jesus, in every gospel account, always appears to Mary Magdalene first (and any other woman who happens to be with her in the synoptics of Matthew, Mark, and Luke – in John, she comes alone). She, and if there are other women with her, are sent to tell the rest of the disciples. The women were the apostles to the apostles. The first ones sent to proclaim the good news. And what was that good news? That the cross, erected by empire to destroy love, to extinguish hope – it wasn't the last word. Or, to put it another way, since it is the early days of baseball season, in the immortal words of the great Yogi Berra, – “It ain't over 'til it's over.” Now, Yogi said that about the 1973 pennant race when the former Yankee was the manager of my hapless Mets. They were 13 games back, in other words, a usual season. The manager wrote a 1998 astutely named book: The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say Everything I Said. In it he said, “That was my answer to a reporter when I was managing the New York Mets in July 1973.” Of course, he also said other, what some call Yogi-isms: There's “It's like déjà vu all over again.” And of course, this classic: “Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't go to yours.” But, “It's not over till it's over,” still has a way of inspiring us. It sure did the Mets. They went on the win the pennant and got into the World Series! In true Mets fashion though, they lost. Well, here's the thing. Easter is when God offers the same message, “It ain't over till it's over,” but adds this note of hope: “And I am telling you – it ain't over.”2 It ain't over. Nope – God isn't dead or defeated, so neither are we. That is the first lesson of Easter – hope. But another is this. That is in these Good Friday moments, when the tomb looms large and empire seems to have their boots on our neck, God will always meet us there, in our darkest hour – when it seems that all hope has been lost. God will meet us on that difficult road and instill new life into us to send us on our mission in the world. God will do that, because God loves us – just as we are, unconditionally, and for all time. That is the second lesson of Easter – Love. God.Loves.Us. God.Loves.You! For Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, for the rest of the disciples in Galilee, and for each of you – God meets us where we are and calls us to new life, because of that great love. And God is with us now! That, my friends, is good news for us all! But sometimes we don't see it. Sometimes we don't lift our eyes to see Jesus on the road, we don't go to the tomb to encounter an angel waiting for us. When life throws so much at us in these difficult times of our lives, one of the things that can happen is that we, intentionally or not, turn away from the pain and chaos around us. We dismiss the pain in our body out of fear of a difficult diagnosis. We turn off the TV so we don't have to see people being hurt or killed by federal agents. We keep our heads down looking at our social media feeds of cat videos. We watch Hallmark movies (or, maybe that's just me). We turn to the things that comfort us, even sometimes self-medicate to ease the anxiety and the pain. Now, don't get me wrong – comfort is important. We all need it. We all need rest from what wears us down emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. That is a healthy thing to do. But there is a difference between seeking temporary respite, and deliberately putting ourselves in the tomb and rolling over the stone. I am reminded of something I read once about lost sheep. “When someone asked a wise old shepherd how sheep manage to get lost and separate themselves from the flock, the shepherd said, “Sheep don't just get lost. They nibble themselves lost.” The sheep, in other words, never look up to see where they're going, or how far they've wandered from the flock. All they can see is the next succulent patch of grass: and the next, and the next. The grass is a good thing, and essential to life: but they follow it so single-mindedly, it leads them ultimately in the direction of death.”[1] A good patch of comfort to nibble on for a time is a good thing, but we must keep our eyes focused on what will really sustain us, so that we never get ourselves lost – so that we see God sending a messenger to give us hope, so that we see Jesus standing in front of us to offer us new life. Even in Holy Week, if we focus only on the betrayal, denial, anguish in the garden, the arrest, and the crucifixion, we will miss something else. There was also his great love in washing the feet of his disciples – even the ones who would deny and betray him. There are always the helpers, the ones who offer great love in all of the darkest moments of humanity's history. We just need to watch for them. And, if we really think about it, in these dark times we face, the comfort we truly need isn't to be found in self-medicating, isolating, or ignoring the world anyway. We shouldn't throw the blanket over our head on Sundays and attend the church of the Holy Comforter. No, it is here, at this table, where we are brought back from the dead by him whose resurrection restores our souls and reminds us that there is nothing in the world to be afraid of when we stay close to Christ Jesus. For by his death and resurrection we know that life is stronger than death, light overcomes darkness in the end, and love will always defeat hate. Every single time. By his death and resurrection, we know that the powers of this world are weak, and there is nothing to fear. By his death and resurrection, we know that the earthly powers of this world do not have the last say – God does. It was true of Rome so long ago, and it is true today. So, let us rise up from our despair, grief, and isolation. Let us step away from the tombs in which the powerful of the world have tried to bury the love of Christ. Let us lift our heads from the comfortable, to return to the true comfort of our shepherd – here at this table. Because make no mistake about it – God is telling us: “It ain't over till I say it is over, and folks, I am telling you it ain't over! It ain't over because Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! And that, my friends, changes everything. Happy Easter Everyone! For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Easter-Sunday-Sermon-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday – In A Time of Separation 1st Reading – Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 2nd Reading – Colossians 3:1-4 Gospel – Matthew 28:1-10 [1] Homileticsonline.com [2] Various sources on Yogi Berra’s statement

Good Friday – 2026: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. Tonight we continue our three day service. We really began two nights ago – at our healing Eucharist – when we remembered the betrayal of Jesus. But the three part service that makes up what we call the Paschal Triduum started last night, when we remembered the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples. There he washed their feet, an example of servant ministry, and commanded all who follow him to love one another as he loved us. And after praying in the garden of Gethsemane, he was arrested. And, so we are now here on Good Friday to stand at the foot of the cross, to experience the pain of grief and loss, to bear witness to the cruelty of empire, to feel the darkness of the tomb. Why would we willingly choose to do this? Because we know that if we do not, Easter is rendered meaningless. There can be no victory over death without the death itself. And so here we are, gathered together, on this most holy night. One particular moment of the Passion struck me this Good Friday. It was in the sixth reading tonight, and is something that happens in all four gospel accounts – Jesus is offered sour wine or vinegar (the poor man's wine the soldiers would drink). Sometimes it is noted that it is mixed with gall, a narcotic mixture offered to those being crucified to ease their suffering. In the gospel of John, read this evening, this offering of sour wine is in response to Jesus saying, “I thirst.” “I thirst.” We can hear in these words the anguish of Jesus. Crucifixion was a horrendous way to suffer before death – your lungs collapsing from your own weight, your body exposed to the full heat of the sun for hours, even days. And so one can only imagine the thirst anyone would have hanging on a cross. “I thirst.” He likely did, but perhaps there is a deeper meaning to his words in this gospel account. Some say it is a reference to a number of Psalms Jesus would have known so well – Psalm 69 in particular. Perhaps. But earlier in this gospel, I think we get a better understanding of why he said it, and why it matters to us. In one of the first chapters of this gospel, John 4, which we read just a few weeks ago, Jesus enters into a dialog with a Samaritan woman at a well. When this woman wonders why he has come to the well without something in which to draw the water out, Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” And yet, as he nears death, Jesus says in his anguish, “I thirst.” The living water thirsts. How can this be? One of the themes I keep being drawn back to this Holy Week, perhaps because of all that is happening in the world, is from another of our canonical Gospels – the Gospel of Matthew. In that gospel, Jesus tells us where he may be found in the world – in the poor, the immigrant, the imprisoned, the sick, the naked, the hungry, and those who thirst. Tonight, Jesus, the living water thirsts. Indeed, he truly does now. For he is in all who suffer in this world today. And he thirsts for righteousness, justice, love, healing, and grace. Mother Theresa had a sign above the entrance to the chapel in all her missions around the word. It read, “I thirst, I quench.” Whenever we, the body of Christ, who is the living water, tend to those who thirst – physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally – we quench the thirst of Jesus himself. That was Jesus' final message to us all – he thirsts. After all he had tried to do in the world, there was then, and now, more to do – Jesus thirsts, and so we too thirst, for alleviation of suffering for all of God's children, for an end to the abuse of all of God's creation. In his final moments, Jesus reminds us of the work we are called to do. He implores us not to forget him. “I thirst.” So, as we go out into the night of the tomb, let us not forget him in the world, let us thirst too. Let us hear his cry “I thirst,” and let it be our cry as the body of Christ. Let us offer spiritual gall – not to dope the mind with narcotic, but to ease the pain of our sisters and brothers who suffer. Let us be the water of life, quenching the thirst of others with his love, grace, and light. Jesus thirsts. May we go out into the world to meet him at the cross, and offer him the living water of our lives. Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Goid-Friday-Homily-2026-1.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge April 3, 2026 Good Friday Psalm 22 Gospel – John 18:1-19:42

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 3/27/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 2/15/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Bromley boss Andy Woodman talk all things EFL. Oxford boss Matt Bloomfield also joins the pod to talk about their battle for Championship survival. Andy also talks about how his players are planning a barbecue as they edge closer towards League Two promotion. Messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.01:55 Excitement building for Bromley potential promotion, 06:40 Big man little man partnerships, 08:55 What do you need to get out of League Two? 10:10 Transfer recruitment with the chairman, 13:00 Oxford boss Matt Bloomfield LIVE, 21:50 Easter weekend around the corner, 24:30 West Brom resurgence continues, 25:15 Andy's varied music taste… 29:00 Preparing for a trip to Barrow… 33:45 Keeping ‘Project 73' a secret… 35:35 72PLUS 72MINUS, 40:25 Best wishes to Liam Manning.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Thu 1945 Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Fri 1945 England v Uruguay Sat 1200 Everton v Liverpool in the WSL on Sports Extra 2, Sat 1330 Man Utd v Man City in the WSL, Sat 1730 Arsenal v Spurs in the WSL on Sports Extra, Sun 1200 Chelsea v Aston Villa in the WSL, Sun 1500 Leicester v Brighton & Hove in the WSL on Sports Extra 2.

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Sunday Morning Service - 3/22/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Annual Youth Rally Saturday, March 21, 2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518

Apostolic Fellowship Church of Christ Jesus Friday Evening Service - 3/20/2026 1153 Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 We can be reached by contacting us at AFCMedia@AFC-ct.com or calling us at (860) 242-3518