Podcasts about Christmas

It's Festive Friday time and we're heading to Roku for a 2025 Christmas movie! ABOUT MERRY LITTLE MYSTERY A woman returns to her grandparents' town to become the new Secret Santa, following her grandfather's tradition. While delivering anonymous gifts, she must evade a reporter's investigation and finds romance. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR MERRY LITTLE MYSTERY November 19, 2025 | Roku CAST & CREW OF MERRY LITTLE MYSTERY Jordin Sparks as Natasha Maxwell Keon Alexander as Adrian Langley BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS Natasha Maxwell returns home to her grandma's house for Christmas, completely jobless. Sad face. She loves being home for Christmas. So many memories with her late grandfather. There's a reporter going around trying to find out who the town's secret Santa is. There's someone who has been buying people presents every year but has remained anonymous. One night, Natasha's grandma gives her a book and a letter that Grandpa wants Natasha to have. He wants her to take over the role of Candy Cane Santa. She goes for a walk, thinks about it, SHE'S IN! She and Grandma go shopping and deliver their first batch of gifts, including an oven! The next day, the people gather around, excited to see that Secret Santa is happening! But there's a reporter in town named Adrian who is there to try to figure out who the Secret Santa is. They start hanging out though cuz he's hot and she keeps having to come up with excuses for why certain things are happening because she doesn't want him to find out it's her. Unfortunately, he pieces it together and captures it on video. He gives her a chance to come clean and she asks him to please not publish the article. It would ruin the tradition. He does publish the article, but not outing her as the Secret Santa. Flash forward a year and they're still together, she's opening up a Secret Santa office to expand into other cities and her and Adrian are gonna get married! Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Jenner is joined in medieval England by Professor Marion Turner and comedian Mike Wozniak to learn all about Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales. Since the fifteenth century, Chaucer has been referred to as the father of English literature. He was one of the first authors to champion the use of Middle English for poetry instead of Latin, and after the invention of the printing press, his works became the foundation of the English literary canon – long before Shakespeare ever put quill to parchment. But Chaucer's life was as extraordinary as his legacy, living as he did through the Black Death, the Hundred Years' War between England and France, and the Peasants' Revolt. In this episode, Greg and his guests explore Chaucer's dramatic biography: growing up the son of a wine merchant in fourteenth-century London, his work for the royal court and long career as a medieval civil servant, his relationship with John of Gaunt through his mistress Katherine Swynford, and his travels throughout Europe. They also examine the poets that influenced him – including Petrarch, Bocaccio and Dante – and take a deep dive into the famous Canterbury Tales. If you're a fan of medieval literature, historical courtroom dramas, and the tumult of fourteenth-century England, you'll love our episode on Geoffrey Chaucer. If you want more literary history with Mike Wozniak, listen to our episodes on Charles Dickens at Christmas and the Legends of King Arthur. And for more fourteenth-century lives, check out our episode on medieval Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Rosalyn Sklar Written by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

Tracie is still sifting through the Epstein files, and she found a scary pop culture artifact (an ass ugly Spitting Image puppet) was used to molest girls. Plus, the girls (and Jay Manuel) are weighing in on the Netflix doc Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model.To access video episodes, bonus episodes and our premium series WAWU—we're covering season one of The Comeback right now—check out our Patreon.The People Who Died in 2025 Christmas ornament is here! Collect them all!Check out potential drama and our Diamond Girls on our Instagram. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Devil Within Wings of Prophecy — Part Two: The Final Witnesses At 5:04 PM on December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed into the Ohio River. In less than a minute, forty-six lives were lost. But in the days leading up to the disaster, the people of Point Pleasant believed they had been watching something — or something had been watching them. In Part Two of Wings of Prophecy, we follow the Mothman legend to its devastating conclusion, tracing the final sightings, the growing sense of unease across the town, and the tragedy that forever linked folklore with one of America's deadliest infrastructure failures.  Mothman 2 As winter closed in, witnesses reported that the sightings were changing. The creature that once appeared suddenly and vanished just as quickly now lingered in plain sight — perched, watching, almost as if standing vigil. One of the final reported encounters came just days before the collapse. By then, Point Pleasant had transformed. National attention brought curiosity seekers, investigators, and skeptics. Businesses leaned into the legend. Others resented the spectacle. Beneath it all, anxiety spread — strange dreams, unusual animal behavior, and a growing sense that something was wrong. Then came the engineering reality. Unseen inside the bridge's structure, a microscopic crack in a critical steel component had been growing for months — invisible to inspections at the time. Each passing vehicle added stress. Each day brought the structure closer to failure. On a December evening filled with Christmas shoppers, commuters, and families heading home, that hidden flaw reached its breaking point. The collapse was sudden. Catastrophic. Irreversible. In this episode:     •    The final reported Mothman sightings before the disaster     •    How Point Pleasant changed during thirteen months of national attention     •    The structural failure that caused the Silver Bridge collapse     •    Eyewitness accounts from the moments before and after the tragedy     •    How folklore and trauma became permanently intertwined in the community In the aftermath, the sightings stopped. The creature was never reported again. But the legend remained — not just as a monster story, but as a way for a grieving community to make sense of sudden, senseless loss. Because sometimes the mystery isn't whether something supernatural happened. Sometimes the mystery is how people survive what did.

The idea of traditions can feel heavy and like once you do it you're stuck doing them forever… I wanted to do a fullll podcast episode that would give you lots of ideas that feel light and fun and can be so special to your family.  Things that make you all feel more connected… and that feel so unique and important to your family. It's easy for parenting to feel like a constant sprint sometimes… school, sports, meals, naps… it's a refreshing change to lean into special things that your family does. I realized how precious this is when one of my kids wrote a little paper about one of our traditions in 1st grade.  You realize… this is the stuff they remember and the resinates deep. This whole thing is about pausing these busy life days we are all living and thinking about emotional anchors we can create throughout the year. Traditions don't have to be rigid. They don't have to be expensive. And they definitely don't have to be perfect. Today we're talking about a fresh way to think about family traditions: Some traditions you repeat every year  Some you rotate  Some you try once and just remember  Some you write down so your family builds its own memory playbook Because what kids remember most isn't perfection… it's connection. HOLIDAY TRADITIONS The goal here isn't more pressure. It's creating emotional anchors in the year. VALENTINE'S DAY TRADITIONS Love notes on door After dinner game Decorate Valentine boxes & make notes for each other Secret Santa but Valentine style Blow up heart with balls and prizes to find inside Kids serve you dinner on Valentine's Kids go out to dinner with you on Valentine's HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS Say Trick Or Treat at the front door on Halloween in Costume Do family costumes and everyone plans them together Decorate the inside and/or outside of the house in a certain theme or go all out together Give out something specific like full size candy bars Set-up a game for trick or treaters to play to win an extra candy Pumpkin carving or pumpkin painting - invite everyone over THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS Gratitude time capsules, write notes and open them the next year Family volunteer Saturday Everyone puts what they are most thankful for in a hat and everyone guesses who said what Wear "thankful" shirts Family interview night, record what everyone is most thankful for - especially grandparents Coloring page to color all day on kids table CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS Put lights around your neighborhood on Christmas Eve Ornament tradition, collecting special ones when you travel or making them Cutting down or picking out tree together right after thanksgiving Advent calendars Reindeer food Drive to see Christmas lights Decorate Christmas cookies Matching PJs FOURTH OF JULY TRADITIONS Do something nice for a veteran or someone that helps our country or community Stop by fire station with breakfast or something nice USA pride anything - decorate car windows, we do our golf cart Find neighborhood event at a park or create one NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS Family Vision Board Night  Bang pots and pans Highlights of the year jar in kitchen- add to it throughout the year and read at end of year NY planning and goal setting Write a letter to yourself of what would make you consider next year a big success, if what happened, if you felt like what Watch the ball drop together with blowers Plan vacations for the year BIRTHDAY TRADITIONS (FOR KIDS AND PARENTS) Birthday breakfast interview... ask the same five questions every year  Go around the table and do full toasts about why you love the bday person Everyone decorates their room before they wake up Presents first thing in the morning Smash cake in the face One present from each person in the family One nice thoughtful card from each person in the family MONTHLY TRADITIONS One long Sunday dinner with games New experience day - try one new thing you have never done before One service project day, or just a few hours Hike, outdoor long walk together FAMILY DINNER TRADITIONS Rose, Thorn, Bud — best part, challenge, what you're excited about  Theme Dinner Nights with music and food from different countries  THE TRADITION NOTEBOOK IDEA Instead of forcing traditions to be permanent, create a small family notebook where you write down ideas you tried… funny moments… things you want to repeat someday. This removes pressure and keeps the magic. Keep it somewhere easy like kitchen or nightstand. Traditions evolve as your family grows. Traditions are not about doing more. They're about choosing moments that slow life down… even just a little. You don't need to create ten new traditions this year.  You don't need Pinterest-perfect ideas. Start with one small thing that feels natural to your family. Maybe it lasts one year… maybe it becomes something your kids talk about forever. The real goal isn't perfection. It's creating a feeling… a rhythm… a sense that no matter how busy life gets, your family has small anchors that bring you back to each other. And over time, those moments become the story of your family.

Chad and Alex are back Breakin' It Down. It starts with Christmas cookies, work ethic, and modern-day eating habits… then somehow turns into a Mexico trip that might not happen, a baseball invite that gets declined, and a whole conversation about what's really going on out there. From travel and headlines to healthcare, insurance, and medicine, nothing's really off limits. Today's episode is presented by Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and brought to you by Oakley Sunglasses, The Nashville Palace, Napa Valley Olive Oil, Banded Casual Apparel, Corning Ford, Mickey Thomoson Tires & Wheels, LEER Truck Accessories, and Bodyguard Bumpers

In honor of the world's most prestigious winter sporting event, the Lutheran Ladies have embarked upon their own Winter Hymnastics series. Throughout this series, they'll laugh, they'll cry, they'll sweat (sometimes literally), and above all, they'll sing as they celebrate some of the greatest hymns and hymnwriters past, present, and even yet to come.     In this final episode of the series, the Ladies (joined once again by their fellow #hymnnerds Katie Schuermann and Dr. Lisa Clark) welcome listener submissions in an all-new Write This: Challenge. The assignment this time? To write one or more hymn stanzas in common meter for an uncommon occasion in the life of the church.   Featuring 20 original hymns and hymn verses — covering various saints' days, confirmation, hymn festivals, Synod conventions, and more — this episode will inspire singers and hymnwriters everywhere to look for, and fill, quiet moments throughout the church year with new hymns of praise.   Katie Schuermann is an author and storyteller whose books include the Anthems of Zion series from CPH, The Saints of Whistle Grove (a Lutheran Ladies' Book Club pick), and most recently, the Creed series, including The Big Father and His Little Boy and The Beloved Son and His Brother.   Dr. Lisa M. Clark is senior editor of curriculum resources at CPH and one of the LCMS's most beloved and prolific hymn writers. Find a complete list of her available novels, devotionals, Christmas programs, picture books, choral music, and more at CPH.org.  Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Got a puppy for Christmas? Two months later is when real training begins. Learn what to focus on now, how to prevent bad habits, and how to build a well-mannered dog before adolescence hits. Other Episodes You Will Love How to Get the Best Results from Dog Training Sessions This episode was recorded on the Shure SM7B and a Rodecaster Pro II Support the Show Like this episode? Share it with your dog training friends! Love this episode? Say thanks in true dog training podcasting style by leaving a review. Take our Understanding Drive Behaviors quiz to see exactly what drive your dog is in and how to begin to train for it. Join the On-Air Dog Training Coaching waitlist for a chance to be coached on the air by Dr. Robert or Michele Forto and get your dog training questions answered in real time. Sign up now for 20% off our Group Coaching Program and learn how to build the best relationship possible for your dog. Take your dog training to the next level by enrolling in our Peak Performance membership. Follow Dog Works Radio for more dog training tips: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn       ©2009-2026 by Dog Works Training Company® All Rights Reserved puppy training, new puppy advice, dog training podcast, Christmas puppy, dog behavior help, stop puppy biting, leash training puppy, dog training tips, Alaska dog trainer, first-time dog owner

(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) A zookeeper love triangle leads to a Christmas party brawl....An Australian man straps raw pork chops to his feet ...A defendant claims caffeine made him do it...Oh, and a Texas mayor resigns over a dog. Just another day in the Rebuttal Podcast universe. Enjoy! *** MERCH STORE IS LIVE! Shop Reb Masel and Rebuttal Pod merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rebmasel.shop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to PREORDER Reb's book: The Book They Throw At You—A Sarcastic Lawyer's Guide* To The Unholy Chaos of Our Legal System, *God No, Not Actual Legal Advice *** Follow @RebuttalPod on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Follow @Rebmasel on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! ** 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - The Zookeeper Love Triangle 07:05 - The Pork Chop Shoe Guy 15:53 - The Caffeine Insanity Defense? 23:31 - The Dognapping Mayor 31:13 - Reb's Rebuttal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do with a bucket truck after Christmas light season is over? If you're Trevor, you start installing signs; and eventually build two separate companies from that single piece of equipment. In this episode, Aaron sits down with Trevor Lavy, a former utility lineman who stumbled into the sign industry through a power washing trailer, some vinyl graphics, and a whole lot of entrepreneurial hustle. From buying a struggling vinyl shop to surviving a skid steer falling off a trailer on the interstate, Trevor shares the raw, unfiltered journey of building Vantage Signs and Sign Service Pro. The conversation dives deep into the decision to split a sign company into two separate entities—one for manufacturing, one for installation—and the unexpected pros and cons that came with it.

Christian Hacking's life swung when he broke his back in a rock-climbing accident. His high-octane lifestyle came to a smashing spinal-cord-severing halt, leaving him wheelchair-bound and grappling with God's purpose for his life. He tells his story with searing honesty and humour, and still lives life to the full despite severe physical limitations. He's married a single-mum and they have four children between them. The last eight years have been spent engaged in activism on behalf of the most helpless and vulnerable in society. What a conversation!▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oqL5TEJUEDEContact Christian at Christianhacking[@]gmail.com Please sign and share heartbeatbill.co.uk---

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Lou Pizzichillo, Lead Pastor of Community Church on Long Island. Community Church launched in January 2020—just ten weeks before the world shut down—then relaunched after 52 weeks online. Now averaging around 1,200 people across Thursday and Sunday services, Community is known as “a church for people who don't go to church.” In a region where skepticism toward organized religion runs deep, Lou and his team are building trust by creating space for honest questions, lived-out faith, and tangible community impact. Is your church serving in a skeptical environment? Are you trying to reach people who already think they know—and don't like—what church is about? Lou shares practical wisdom on posture, transparency, and earning trust one decision at a time. Starting where people really are. // On Long Island, while some residents may identify culturally with faith traditions, most see church as judgmental, hypocritical, or irrelevant to everyday life. Lou quickly realized that the biggest obstacle wasn't apathy—it was reputation. Rather than fighting skepticism, Community Church chose to acknowledge it. The church repeatedly communicates three cultural values: You can belong before you believe. You have permission to be in progress. And there's no pretending. These aren't slogans—they shape how the church operates. Permission to be in progress. // One of the most resonant phrases at Community is “permission to be in progress.” Many people assume that following Jesus requires instant agreement with every doctrine and behavior expectation. Instead, Community encourages people to wrestle honestly with the claims of Christ first. Secondary issues and sanctification come later. This posture doesn't mean watering down truth—it means sequencing it wisely. By focusing on who Jesus says he is, rather than debating every peripheral topic, the church keeps the main thing central. No pretending—and real transparency. // Transparency builds credibility in skeptical contexts. Stories of real life—parenting mistakes, marriage tensions, leadership missteps—often resonate more than polished success stories. At the same time, Lou draws a boundary between “scars and wounds.” He shares what he has processed, not what he is still unraveling. This authenticity signals that faith isn't about perfection but transformation. For many in the congregation, seeing a pastor admit imperfection dismantles years of distrust toward church leaders. Becoming an asset to the community. // Community Church doesn't just talk about loving Babylon—it demonstrates it. Early on, Lou realized trust would not come through marketing but through partnership. Before launch, the church created “12 Days of Christmas,” giving away gifts purchased from local businesses. In year one, stores hesitated to participate; by year seven, businesses were reaching out to collaborate. What began as skepticism has shifted to partnership because trust was earned gradually. Serving instead of competing. // A defining moment came during the annual Argyle Fair, a 30,000-person event held across the street from the church—on a Sunday. Rather than fight the inconvenience, Community canceled services and mobilized volunteers to serve the fair, providing parking and manpower. When the event was rescheduled due to rain, the church canceled services a second week to honor its commitment. Lou describes this as a defining cultural moment: demonstrating that service isn't convenient—it's convictional. Earning trust through inconvenience. // Lou recounts being called to the mayor's office days after launch to address parking concerns. Instead of pushing back, the church chose to rent additional parking space—even when legally unnecessary—to honor neighbors' concerns. In another instance, Community canceled a planned Christmas light show after Village neighbors expressed concern about traffic. Though disappointing internally, the decision earned significant community goodwill. Lou believes canceling the event built more trust than hosting it would have. Posture over persecution. // Lou cautions leaders against defaulting to a persecution narrative when facing resistance. Most pushback, he says, comes from practical concerns—not hostility toward Jesus. By listening humbly and responding thoughtfully, churches can win trust among the large percentage of community members who are neither strongly for nor against them. To learn more about Community Church, visit communitychurch.net or follow @communitychurch.li on social media. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: TouchPoint As your church reaches more people, one of the biggest challenges is making sure no one slips through the cracks along the way.TouchPoint Church Management Software is an all-in-one ecosystem built for churches that want to elevate discipleship by providing clear data, strong engagement tools, and dependable workflows that scale as you grow. TouchPoint is trusted by some of the fastest-growing and largest churches in the country because it helps teams stay aligned, understand who they're reaching, and make confident ministry decisions week after week. If you've been wondering whether your current system can carry your next season of growth, it may be time to explore what TouchPoint can do for you. You can evaluate TouchPoint during a free, no-pressure one-hour demo at TouchPointSoftware.com/demo. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, thanks so much for listening in, tuning in into today’s episode. I’m really looking forward to today’s conversation. We’re talking with a leader leading a prevailing church in frankly a part of the country that is not known for tons of prevailing churches. And so it’s an opportunity for all of us to lean in and to learn.Rich Birch — Super excited to have Lou Pizzichillo with us from Community Church. They’re in Babylon, New York on Long Island. They’re known as a church for people who don’t go to church. They’re big on being real, bringing real questions, struggles, hangups, doubts, disappointments, and failures. Lou, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here today.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks so much. Yeah, it’s a privilege to be here.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s an honor that you would take some time to be with us today. Why don’t you kind of tell us a bit of the Community story, kind of give us a flavor of the church, help us kind of imagine if we were to arrive this weekend, what what would we experience?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have an interesting history. We launched in January of 2020. And so we were open for 10 weeks.Rich Birch — Great time.Lou Pizzichillo — I know it was perfect. And then we closed down for 52 weeks, and we relaunched. But because of that, what’s been really cool is, you know, when you’re launching a church, the launch team is a big deal. And to launch twice, we’ve had really like two two launch teams. And so team culture has always been a real big part of our church.Lou Pizzichillo — But yeah, we like to say that we’re a church for people who don’t go to church. and So we try to keep things pretty casual. We try not to assume that there’s any interest or experience with the people who are showing up on a Sunday. And yeah.Rich Birch — Nice. Give us a sense of, so like size and like your, you know, the ministry style, that sort of thing. Like what would you help us kind of place what the, what the church is like if I was to arrive, arrive on a weekend?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, we’re a pretty contemporary attractional church. We’ve got services on Thursday night and on Sunday morning. So we say the weekend starts on Thursday. Rich Birch — Love it. Lou Pizzichillo — We call Thursday night thurch, which is… Rich Birch — Oh, that’s funny. Thurch. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, it was a joke at first, but then it kind of like, I don’t know, just kind of gained a life of its own.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — So yeah, so the church over the course of the weekend, right now we’re at about 1,200. And it’s exciting. There are a lot of new people. And things are constantly change changing. Change is that really the only constant for us.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s so good. Well, you’re on Long Island, and I can say as somebody who I ministered for years in New Jersey, I’m from Canada, I I get that people don’t wake up on Long Island on Sunday morning and think, hey, I should go to church today. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — You’re serving a community that is is more unchurched than other parts of the country, which is a challenge for planting. So help us understand, you know, help us just kind of get into the mindset or the um perspective of people who are outside of the church. What do they view on, you know, Christianity? Tell us, give us a sense of of kind of what you’ve learned, you know, planting in that kind of context.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So one thing that was really helpful right off the bat was somebody mentioned to me, they were like, you know, I’m not a gym person. And so when a new gym opens up in town, I don’t even really notice it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And they’re like, I think it’s the same thing for church people.Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — It’s like, if you’re not a church person, then you don’t really notice when churches are doing things. And so that’s like, really, it’s a big reason why we’re so vocal about saying it we’re a church for people who don’t go to church, you know?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and yeah, from there, honestly, we found that the biggest obstacle with people here is the existing reputation of church, of what church is like and what church people are like.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — This church is seen as very judgmental, hypocritical, fake, exclusive, impractical, you know, it’s something you just do to kind of check the boxes and then you go on with your life. I’ve spoken to even a lot of, um, like devout Catholics here who have, have said like, they don’t, they do their church thing because, because it’s what they think that they’re supposed to do, but they’re, what they are doing in church does not translate to everyday life.Lou Pizzichillo — And so church is seen as kind of an impractical thing. And, that’s kind of the starting point for a lot of people who we’re trying to connect with.Rich Birch — Yeah, I’ve heard it said in other contexts, it’s like, not that people don’t know the church. It’s like, it’s what they know that they don’t like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — It’s like, they have a sense of, you know, that that reputation. Are there any, maybe even stories or engagement you know conversations or engagements you’ve had with folks that have kind of brought that reputation to the fore. That obviously has led you to say, hey, we’re going position ourselves as a church where people don’t go into churches. Was there something that kind of influenced that as you were having, you know, even in these early years as you’ve been kind of get the ball rolling?Lou Pizzichillo — A big part of it honestly is a lot of my extended family. Like they’re, most of them are not church people. You know, they have a lot of respect for God. Like most people on Long Island, uh, especially, you know, most kind of nominal Catholics, like they would say they’re Italian or Irish. They say, oh, of course, Jesus is my savior. You know, like they, they know the right things to say, but in terms of what it actually means on a regular basis, it’s like kind of a totally different thing. So, so yeah, I mean, that’s kind of, kind of where we’re starting.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, people have criticisms about the church and they have criticisms of of their experience with the church. How do you discern between criticisms that maybe you either need to be challenged, like, hey, that’s actually just not true, or like, oh, that’s a critique that is actually fair, and we’re going to try to steer in a different direction, ah you know, than that. Help us think about those, you know, when we think about skepticism towards the church.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, I think, honestly, the best thing for us has just been to have a posture of listening.Rich Birch — That’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because even even if their claims aren’t valid, a lot of their experiences are. And so, you know, they’re like, there’s somebody who’s been going to the church for a while now, and somebody that was very close to them has like a pretty intense story of church hurt, like real damage. And so to know that he’s walking in with all of this baggage and that there are a lot of other people walking in with that baggage that don’t let you know that they have that baggage… Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — …just kind of giving them the space to, to be hurt and for it to be real. That’s been huge for us just having that kind of posture of humility. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. So that obviously has led to the way you’ve developed either the way you talk about ministry or the values that are underlining, you know, the ministry.Rich Birch — What has been important for helping communicate or articulate to people like, hey, this is a place that you can show up, you know, before you, you know, you’ve kind of bought it all. It’s like, Hey, you there’s a place to explore that sort of thing. Help us think through how do you communicate and then how do those, whether they’re phrases or yeah that sort of thing, how does that translate then into the values of how you actually operate?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So big thing is for us, it’s training the team, like getting those values into the team and helping them to understand what that looks like in a concrete way. So we say, like a lot of churches say, you can belong before you believe. And the the illustration I give almost every single time, I’m like, if somebody walks in with a church, with a shirt that says, I hate God, we are glad that person is here, right? Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Like we’re not assuming that they are walking in with interest or experience. And they might have a story that’s a lot more complicated than we know. So um so yes, we try to celebrate that.Lou Pizzichillo — When somebody walks in and they’re very open about their beliefs and their views not lining up with us, that’s something that we celebrate, right? Like because these are the people that we want here.Lou Pizzichillo — The other value that’s been really helpful for us is to say that people have permission to be in progress. And that has to do with their actions, the choices that they make, but also the things that they believe. And so you can be on board with some of our beliefs and not be on board with all of our beliefs. And we’re okay with that, right?Lou Pizzichillo — Like rather than just saying, okay, I accept all of it at one time. And now I completely agree that everything in the Bible is true. And, you know, I endorse it. Like we just kind of give people space to say, okay, like let’s maybe let’s start with the claims of Jesus, like right to this guy really rise from the dead. And now let’s look at what he says about things like the Old Testament, you know?Lou Pizzichillo — And so that’s that’s been a huge thing. We go back to that over and over and over again. It started as kind of like a main point in a sermon where I was like, you’ve got permission to be in progress. And so many people repeated it back to me that I was like, okay, this needs to be woven into our culture because it needs to be articulated…Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — …or people just assume, okay, if I’m going to say I believe, I got to say I believe it all. And there’s no room for disagreement.Lou Pizzichillo — And then from there, we say like, you got you can belong before you believe, you got permission to be in progress. And if both of those things are actually true for us as a church, then we can also say like our third value is no pretending.Lou Pizzichillo — Like you don’t have to pretend to be on board with certain things if you’re not there yet. And I think if we create an environment where people can be real and dialogue and be open about the things that they’re, you know, that they disagree with, I think that’s where there’s real hope for ultimately ending in a place of alignment.Rich Birch — Yeah, permission to be in progress to me feels very like a very Jesus value It feels like, oh, that to me, that’s like when I read the New Testament, that feels like the way he oriented himself to the people around him, right? There were clearly people that were like the rich young ruler came to him and was like, you know, asked a pointed question. Jesus gave a clear answer, and he didn’t, you know, Jesus didn’t, even though he said harsh words to or clear words, I would say, all was it always done in an environment of trying to say, hey, we I want you to be a part of this conversation. I’m really trying to be on the same side of the table. How do I bring you along?Rich Birch — Can you, like, let’s double click on permission to be in progress. Talk us through what that looks like. Because I think, I think so many churches draw very strong lines on like, you got to believe these 15 things to be a part here. Even if we wouldn’t explicitly set that say that, it’s like implicit in our cultures.Rich Birch — How does your culture look different when you say, hey, you’ve got permission to be in progress? What would be some of the things that might stand out to us as like, that’s a little bit different than how maybe some other churches handle this?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have like we have values, but then we also just have sayings, right? Like it it is too hard for me to define what the most important values are. Like I get too obsessed with the wording and how we’re going to phrase things. And so in our our conference room, we have a big whiteboard and we write down little sayings. We actually write them in permanent marker on the whiteboard, which is wasteful, but at least we have something to reference.Lou Pizzichillo — So when somebody says something and we’re like, hey, that’s a culture thing, it gets written on the board. One of the things that came up that’s really helped us with this idea of permission to be in progress is that the goal is to get people to Jesus and everything else is secondary. Everything else comes after that.Rich Birch — That's good. Yep, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I’m not going to like get into it with someone over a secondary issue or really something that’s an issue of sanctification, when we believe sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, right? Maybe your view on that will change after you understand who Jesus is and begin to follow him.Lou Pizzichillo — And so in a lot of ways, I feel like when we when we get too into the issues, we’re putting the cart before the horse, right? Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we’re trying to bring people to Jesus and show him show them what he’s like. And ah that that has been clarifying when it comes to permission to be in progress.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. And I think in heavily church context, when we kind of assume, oh, basically everyone here has some level of faith, those secondary issues can become like a really big deal. It’s like we spend a lot of time talking about those things.Rich Birch — But when the majority of people we’re interacting with you know, they haven’t, they haven’t really, really wrestled with what they think about Jesus and the difference he can make in this life. And we got to keep that, that really clear. Rich Birch — So no pretending is an interesting value as a communicator. How do you live that out in the way you show transparency? There’s this interesting thing years ago, I had one of the ah preacher that I love or communicator. I just think the world of, you know, he talked about how there’s this tension when we’re, communicating that, you know, we’re we’re trying to be transparent, but up into a point and how, where is that point? And how do we do that in a way that’s not, that brings people along? So ah what what does that look like for you even as a as ah as a leader to say, hey, it’s not my job to pretend. I’m going to just be honest and transparent, authentic to where we are? Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Well, I mean, I can definitely say that every time I tell a story that has me screwing up, it is it is the thing that people come to tell me about. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like, oh, thank you so much for telling me about you know the way you spoke to your kids… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …or the thing that you said to your wife. Or it is just by far the thing that people love to hear. And that’s been encouraging. Now, I have had people like throw it back at me and that that comes with the territory. But I think that the stories of how that’s been helpful for people um like dramatically outweigh the people that are going to you know weaponize that stuff against you.Lou Pizzichillo — Something else I heard, um I think Brene Brown said this in one of her books. She said she doesn’t share things she hasn’t processed through yet.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And that for me is a really helpful thing. Like If I’m in the middle of something and just in the thick of it, it’s not the time for me to like bring that to the congregation. I think that could be really unhealthy for a lot of reasons.Lou Pizzichillo — So that’s, that’s kind of something that, and it doesn’t mean I can’t share something that just happened. You know sometimes I’ll explain an issue that just happened with my kids. That’s different than something I’m still processing and haven’t resolved yet.Rich Birch — Right. I think she said it’s the difference between scars and wounds, right? You can talk about your scars. That’s like, that’s an area that has, has had some level of healing to it versus an open wound, right? Like this is a part that’s, that’s still gaping.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, uh, you know, we don’t necessarily want to to share that. And that, you know, uh, that is a change. So I’m, you know, I’m of a certain age, been in this game a long time. And I remember when we first started, when I first started, that generation that came before me, people wanted like the superhuman religious leader. They wanted the like pastor to be, to have their stuff a hundred percent sewed up. Like, don’t tell me that you’re a real human. They didn’t want that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — You know, and that has completely reversed.Rich Birch — People are like, no no, like you said, we, we need to be transparent, open, authentic. People know that we’re not perfect. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Rich Birch — They know that we don’t have it all together. Lou Pizzichillo — Right.Rich Birch — And when we try to hide that, when we try to, in your language, pretend that actually is repulsive, it pushes them away. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — One of the things that stood out to me just by reputation, kind of seeing your church is it appears that you guys have a conviction around getting out and serving the community, actually making a difference in the community. You know, it strikes me as very ah a very James-approach, faith in action – it’s it should make a difference in our community. What how do talk to me about what that looks like for Community. How does that, even your name, Community, you know, Church, reflects that. Talk talk to talk to me about what that looks like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so we’re pretty clear. Like we we tell people we want to be an asset to the community. We want people to be glad we’re here, whether they attend our church or not. And so that started really early. Actually, before we launched, we did this thing called the 12 Days of Christmas where, so our church is in a village, right? So there are a lot of local businesses around us. What we did is during the 12 days leading up to Christmas, we went to shops and we gave away gifts from those shops. There was a different shop every day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. So we planned this out ahead of time. But we would post on social media and be like, Hey, today the, you know, the shop is Bunger surf shop. The first 25 people there are going to get beanies from Bunger surf shop.Lou Pizzichillo — And we paid for them. We sent the, Bunger agreed to hand them out. And people went to go get them. And what was, so it was a win, win, win, really. Like the people who participated got free beanies, the surf shop are like all the different shops in the village. They got people to go, they got traffic to their business, right?Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Because people went in then bought other stuff. And it helped us communicate that we we say we want something for you, not from you, right? We want to be an asset to the community. And so it helped us communicate that message. And the response to that has been great.Lou Pizzichillo — Now, what’s interesting, if this doesn’t tell you something about the church’s reputation, on year one, before we launched, it was very hard to get 12 shops to agree to do this with us. Like they were like, you’re a church? I’m sorry. No, we’re not doing it.Rich Birch — Forget it. Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Now it’s year seven. Right now we’re in the middle of our our seventh year and there are shops lining up to do it. There are shops reaching out to us, asking us to collaborate.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — They’re helping to pay for the stuff. So it’s actually in some ways getting a little bit cheaper.Rich Birch — Huh.Lou Pizzichillo — And it’s just cool. It’s shown like this posture of partnership with what’s going on… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …rather than, okay, there are the shops and then there’s the church. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And yeah, we actually have a someone on staff now who first heard about the church on year one during the 12 days of Christmas. She started coming to the church. she eventually got baptized and now she’s on staff. And it’s just like, it has been so, so cool.Rich Birch — Yeah, I love that. That’s what a cool, you know, even just a cool tactic, kind of an expression of that. Is there other ways, other kind of activities like that, that you’re engaged with throughout the year that would could illustrate this idea of being for the community, being an asset to the community? What would be another example of that that that’s happened?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So there is this fair that happens right across the street from the church. It’s called the Argyle Fair. It’s it’s around a lake. There are about 30,000 people that come to this fair. And the fair is on a Sunday during church.Lou Pizzichillo — The first year that we were here and had services during that Sunday, it was a mess. There were people you know like parking all over the place. It was hard to have services. Traffic was crazy. And we left church and my wife and I walked to the fair and just felt like something didn’t feel right. Like there’s some, here’s something everybody’s doing and we’re fighting against it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — So we went to the people who ran the fair and we were like, is there any way we can help? Like, is there, what do you guys need? And right away she was like, we need volunteers and we need parking. And as a church, we are uniquely equipped with volunteers and parking. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo —And so really it was there, like that almost right away, we were like, okay, next year, ah we’re going to be on board with what you’re doing.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we decided to cancel services. And in the weeks leading up to that, we teach about the importance of serving the community. It’s kind of like the grand finale to whatever, you know…Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — …outreach series or message is being given.Rich Birch — Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — And um yeah, so we teach on that. And then we’re like, hey, you know, two weeks from now, we’re not going to have services. Instead, we’re going to go out instead of staying in here talking about serving, we’re going to go out there and serve. And, you know, we’ve said like… Rich Birch — Love that. Lou Pizzichillo — …yeah, what’s what’s happening out there is not more spiritual than what’s happening in here. It’s a different way to express and grow in our faith. So we did that. And the response has just been unbelievable. Like the community has loved it. The the fair has had the help that they need. The people in our church have loved it. But this year we actually it got rained out on the first week. And so they postponed it to the next week.Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And that made it tough for us because now we were like, okay, are we going to cancel church two weeks in a row? Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — And we had a meeting about it and like looked at our values, looked at what we were talking about. We were like, you know what, this is actually an opportunity for us to really double down and say, we’re not doing this out of convenience. We’re doing this because it’s a value. And so I called up the guy who was running the fair and he was like, I get it. If you can’t do it, I get it. And it felt, it was, it was amazing to be able to say on the phone, like, Hey, we’re with you, uh, no matter what. So, uh, so we did and it was, it was awesome.Rich Birch — That’s incredible. Like ah that, again, that what a vivid example, because I think there’s a lot of church leaders, if we’re honest, we’ve been engaged in the conversation that’s literally on the opposite side of that, where we’re like, man, how do we, these people, they’re, you know, they’re cramping our style or whatever. It’s like we naturally default towards that rather than to serve. Rich Birch — Take us back early in the discussions because I think a lot of us have not done a good job in building trust bridges in our communities. And you know trust isn’t built with just you know, one conversation. It takes time, right? It takes, like you said, those those first 12 days of Christmas, you couldn’t get anybody. And now here’s seven years later. We want we want to get to the seven years later part really quickly.Rich Birch — But ah those early conversations, how are you handling yourself, interacting with the like other people, you know, approaching them, having those conversations. What did you learn in the early dialogue that could help us if we’re trying to build, you know, deeper community trust in a place that just is so skeptical of that we’re coming with, just looking to take from our people.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, you have to be willing to be inconvenienced. I think that’s been a big part of it.Lou Pizzichillo — On week one, so we we launched literally on the first day and launch day was bigger than we thought it was going to be. And on that Monday, I was called to the mayor’s office, the mayor of the village.Lou Pizzichillo — And I was like, okay, thought I was going to go have a conversation. And when I got there, it was the it was him, it was the head of code enforcement and the fire chief all in a room waiting for me Rich Birch — Oh, gosh. Lou Pizzichillo — And they had pictures of cars parked all over the street. And I I realized there, like, there was a real concern about what this church was going to be in the community.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so from there, we’ve just been looking for opportunities to earn trust. The neighbors have made it very clear that they don’t like cars parking on the street. And so we, we began paying for a lot so that we could take the cars off of the street. We don’t have to, they can legally park in the street, but we rent the lot. We told the owner of the property why we’re doing it. And he got on board with what we’re doing. We’re now in a place, kind of a long story, but we now don’t have to pay for that lot.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — We also, like the trust has been earned one decision at a time. We were going to do this big thing in the parking lot. We did a parking lot renovation that took the whole summer. After the summer, we were like, hey, in our new parking lot, let’s put on a Christmas show. We’ll run it throughout two weeks in December.Lou Pizzichillo — We had an animator who goes to the church. He like had this great idea for a show. He’s like, we’ll project it on the building. People will drive in. We’ll run it multiple times a night, do it for a few weeks throughout December. We were calling it Christmas in Lights.Lou Pizzichillo — So we put this whole plan together. He’s making the thing. We start advertising it and the village comes to us and they’re like, you’re in violation of the code. You can’t do this. And and they’re giving us all these reasons that I felt like didn’t really hold that much weight, you know.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — But in thinking about it, I do understand the inconvenience it would have been. We just had a major parking lot renovation. There were huge trucks making tons of noise for months. Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And now that’s finally over. And we’re going to ask the village to deal with the traffic of a show happening every single night, you know, for a few weeks in December.Rich Birch — Right Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I went to the mayor and I was like, hey, ah it’s a new mayor at this point. But I just sat down with her and I was like, hey, listen, if you have concerns about this, I want you to feel the freedom to just come to me and say, this is a lot for the neighbors. Like, what do you think about pulling this in?Lou Pizzichillo —And it was cool. It was an opportunity for the two of us to kind of bond, like there was some trust earned there and we canceled the show. We decided not to do it. And I released a video explaining why we weren’t doing it.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And the amazing thing is that I think canceling the show accomplished more than we would have accomplished if we actually did the show.Rich Birch — Interesting.Lou Pizzichillo — Like it earned, it was so well received when people found out that we weren’t going to do it. They were like, and even the people that attend the church, they were like, I want to be part of a church that supports their community like this.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so it went really well, and it was a lot less work, and so it was it was kind of a win all around. Rich Birch — What did the animators say? I feel but feel bad for that person who started doing that work. Did they understand. Obviously, they’re bummed or concerned.Lou Pizzichillo — He was bummed out, but he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and so he he totally got it. And he’s on board with what we’re trying to do, and when he knew the reason why, he was totally, totally supportive of it.Rich Birch — Interesting. So where have you seen churches kind of get this wrong as we’ve tried to engage with the community? Maybe a common a pothole that we fall into or a way that we stub our toes, you know, a thing maybe you’ve you’ve you’ve seen that we just, we you know, kind of consistently make the same mistake.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, one of my mentors told me a while ago, he was like, when you’re thinking about the church in the community, he’s like, there’s a small percentage of people that are for you. He said, there’s, there’s also a small percentage of people that are anti-church and they always will be, and you’re not going to change their minds.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And he’s like, but then there’s this large percentage that’s just kind of going to go one way or the other. And he’s like, that’s the percentage that you really have to be intentional about connecting with.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I think, you know, it is very easy to tell the story like, hey, they don’t want us to do our Christmas show. This is persecution… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …you know, and we got to fight and suffer for the name of Jesus. And ah we’ve just found that that’s not always the case. Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — You know, it’s people that don’t want to be inconvenienced and they may love church, but there’s there’s all this stuff going in the community. Maybe they maybe they have you know other reasons why. So i think I think it’s just the posture.Lou Pizzichillo — Like a lot of, most people, most people aren’t unreasonable. And I think if we give them the chance to really articulate what’s going on, I’ve been surprised at how understandable a lot of the feelings have been, a lot of the resistance to church comes from real stories, real experiences.Rich Birch — Right, right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so, yeah, I think it’s the you know the whole like persecution thing or suffering or that is real and people do really experience that. But a lot of times I think we’re a little too quick to say, oh, this is what that is when really it may not be.Rich Birch — Well, and it it’s, ah in some ways, it’s like a low form of, well, it’s a leadership shortcut for sure to like demonize, to like, oh, there, those people are come out to get us. You know, any leader that’s led before realizes, oh, that’s like a that’s a tool that actually works. People respond to that, but, but we don’t want to do that. Like that isn’t, these are the people we’re trying to love and care. These are people we’re trying to see point towards Jesus. They’re not our enemies.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Yeah.Rich Birch — They’re not, you know, they’re, they’re not, they might just not like parking, like you at the end of the day.Lou Pizzichillo — Right. Right.Rich Birch — And so let’s not, let’s not get over-revved, ah you know, on that. And unfortunately there are, I know, you know, way too many churches that have got themselves on the wrong side of this. And it’s very hard to backwards engineer out of that. Once you go down that road of like, we’re going to try to go negative with our community. That just isn’t, it’s just, it’s, it’s very difficult to to step back from that.Rich Birch — If you think about a church leader that’s listening in today and they’re, they’re saying, Hey, They’re thinking we want to do a better job being trusted more locally, trusted by local leaders, trusted by other you know businesses in town, that sort of thing. What would be a couple first steps you think they could take? A couple things where they could start to try to build that kind of trust with the community around them?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, I think I’m a big believer in praying for those opportunities. And also just giving things a second look, you know. When you’re in a situation that may seem like a challenge or something that may seem like it’s getting in the way, to just stop and think, okay, is, is there an opportunity here to build trust with the community?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because we, and when we say the community, we’re not just talking about this nebulous, you know, idea of Babylon village. There are people there.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And if those people see this church as trustworthy, they may come here, you know, when their relationships are falling apart or when they’re looking for answers.Rich Birch — Yep.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and so it’s really just been… We have great people here who have bought into what we’re doing, who have really helped us to see like, this is an opportunity to win with the community. And yeah, you gotta, you have to look outside the box and, and also be willing to, there, there are moments like with Church Has Left the Building—with the fair—and with the Christmas and light show, there are moments where they’ll see, okay, do you really care? Do you really care?Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like are how how much will you inconvenience yourself? And I mean, the payoff from that has just been huge, even though it’s been an inconvenience and our giving goes down that week and it throws off the series and we got to restructure the calendar.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — It has gone, there’s there’s never been a time where we’ve regretted it.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. And, you know, there’s no doubt one of the things I think we can in our our little world of kind of church leadership, I think we can forget often that people in the communities that we’re serving, they really don’t have any frame of reference for a church of 1,200 people. Like they that that isn’t people’s normal perception of what a church is. Like a church is 25 people or 50 people in a room somewhere super small.Rich Birch — And, and their perception can be, they just don’t, they just don’t have any idea. What is that? What’s that look like? And some of that can skew negative because it’s busy and blah, blah, blah, all those things. And so we’ve, we, we have to take it on ourselves when our church gets to the size that you’re at or larger to try to help them understand and see though this is like really positive for the community and actually point towards that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes. And, and like along those lines, ah it’s also perceived as a source of power, right? Like if, if there, if you have 1500 people that all believe the same thing and you’re trying to run a village or a community, there is this, this sense of like, okay, well, are they going to be for us or against us? Like, are all these people going to be anti-village?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so there is like that, that instinct to kind of protect from this group of people that make, make things really hard for us. But over time, as they begin to see like all these people are, are behind us, they’re here to support us and they want to make this place better.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — It’s, it really is a beautiful thing. And we’re not there yet as a church, but we’re getting there. And, uh, we’ve just seen a lot of, lot of positive signs and, uh, Yeah, think it’s paid off.Rich Birch — So good, Lou. That’s, that’s great. Just as we wrap up today’s conversation, any kind of final words you’d have to, ah you know, to leaders that are listening in thinking about these issues today?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, I think I would just say it’s worth it. It's it’s messy. It does make things difficult. It can be inconvenient. And when you have people who don’t go to church coming to church and you give them permission to be in progress, you get a lot of hairy situations. And we have a lot of conversations where we’re trying to figure out which way to go.Rich Birch — Yeah, 100%.Lou Pizzichillo — But it’s in those conversations that we cant kind of stop and remind ourselves like, Hey, we’re, we’re glad that these people are here and we’re glad that these are the problems that we’re having. And, the end of the day, this is what we feel like it’s all about. So.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. I just want to encourage you as you’re leading, you’re doing a great job and and it’s been fun to get a chance to get a little window into what’s going on at Community. Want to encourage you and your your team, just you’re doing the right thing. If people want to track with the church or with you online, where do we want to send them to connect with you guys?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so communitychurch.net is our website. On Instagram, we’re communitychurchli, we’re @communitychurchli, and we try to keep that handle throughout all the platforms. So YouTube, same thing. But yeah, that’s it.Rich Birch — Great. Thanks for for being here today, Lou.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks for having me, Rich. It’s an honor to be here, and I love what you guys are doing for the church.

It's Thursday - the day before a very special day involving a Colin. Need we say more? Before we get to Colin, Jane and Fi cover cheerful train drivers, dobbing in your neighbours, disposing of deceased pets, and the fickle nature of muslin. There are also a few parish notices, including mention of a new playlist… Plus, Ian Russell, father of Molly Russell, discusses the upcoming documentary Molly vs the Machines. Our next book club pick is 'A Town Like Alice' by Nevil Shute.Our most asked about book is called 'The Later Years' by Peter Thornton.You can listen to our 'I'm in the cupboard on Christmas' playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1awQioX5y4fxhTAK8ZPhwQIf you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producers: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, join Peter and Chris as they deep dive into the second track off of RiddleBox, the almighty third jokers card from ICP , "Riddle Box." Sit back and listen as they dissect the lyrics and content of the track, discuss the Insane Clown Posse's carnivl mythology, talk about the full bodies of the Joker Cards , and tackle important topics like JCW going to war with other local feds!      The LinkTree is at https://linktr.ee/juggalorwd... Twitter/X: @JuggaloRWD IG: @JuggaloRWD Facebook: @JuggaloRWD TikTok: @JuggaloRWD Threads: @JuggaloRWD BlueSky: @JuggaloRWD The website is www.JuggaloRewind.com. Join us everywhere to talk to other listeners and about ICP, Twiztid and random juggalo nonsense. Email us at juggalorwd@gmail.com or call/text us at (810) 666-1570.        Join our Patreon! For only FOUR DOLLARS a month, you can join Kilnore's Army and get at least two bonus episodes per month, videos, chats and more! Even without paying, you can join the Patreon community! Become an official member of the Phat or Wack Pack today! -- Juggalo Rewind Patreon. Additional music provided by the IRTD. Voiceover work provided by Christmas. All music played is owned by the respective publishers and copywrite holders and is reproduced for review purposes only under fair use. #ForTheJuggaloCulture

Welcome to the Christmas series! Joseph is given another dream - a warning. He must get Mary and Jesus to safety. He realizes that this is what he was called to all along - protect God’s Son, even if it costs him his life. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app. To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay and it's time for your February Indulgence Gospel!Today we are talking about influencers who show their expensive influencer grocery hauls, as well as people who spend A LOT OF MONEY on food delivery. (If you too had feelings about that ChrisLovesJulia reel...let's get into it!) We also talk about our own spending on groceries and food delivery....and our complicated feelings about both.

A murderer who thought he'd gotten away with the perfect crime discovers — too late — that his victim had a plan of her own. | #RetroRadio #WeirdDarkness | EP0592CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Wine, Women, and Murder” (May 20, 1977) ***WD00:45:46.094 = The Sealed Book “Murder Must Be Paid For” (August 05, 1945)01:15:15.158 = The Shadow, “Joey's Christmas story” (December 22, 1940) ***WD01:44:18.098 = Sleep No More, “The Evening Primrose” (April 24, 1957)02:13:10.886 = BBC Radio 4 Spine Chillers, “Eat Your Heart Out” (October 20, 2007)02:27:01.031 = Stay Tuned For Terror, “The Bogey Man Will Get You” (October 01, 1945) ***WD02:41:33.448 = Strange, “Hillbilly Feud” (1955) ***WD02:55:51.451 = Suspense, “Finishing School” (December 30, 1943)03:25:03.953 = Tales of the Frightened, “Chung Ling Soo” (December 16, 1957) ***WD03:29:24.002 = Tales of Tomorrow, “The Other Now” (January 22, 1953)03:59:18.311 = Tales From The Tomb, “Spirit Calling” (1960s)04:03:52.173 = The Saint, “Missing Husband” (April 29, 1951)04:32:42.285 = Theater Five, “June Seventeenth Where Are You?” (November 02, 1964)04:53:50.007 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0592

Listen without ads at www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast Dopeywood 2 tickets https://www.showclix.com/event/dopeywood-2026 Today on Dopey Wednesday! Dave (still shaking off a cold, snowed in on Long Island) pays tribute to Larry (“Crosstalk Larry”) — a beloved meeting  guy who recently passed away. Larry was a kind, positive soul who yelled “keep coming!” at every meeting's end, welcomed newcomers, collected the basket for personal contact, showed up in hospitals and court, attended three DopeyCons and the Margaret Cho show, and lost his son to murder years ago. Dave reflects on missing Larry's kind heart and vows to try to be kinder. Lots of Spotify Bob talk! The main talk is a powerful, emotional return with Kevin Jack McEnroe (author, former nightlife figure, son of Tatum O'Neal). Kevin opens up about his family's addiction legacy: Tatum's lifelong struggles (childhood coke from Ryan O'Neill, celebrity enabling, stroke/coma in 2020), Ryan's estrangement, Kevin's own heroin/coke/vodka spiral, liver failure, treatment, Suboxone, and the infamous Christmas visit where Tatum smoked weed in the hotel room while Kevin was newly sober. He shares the deck-the-halls-with-mom's-Suboxone story, codependency/survivor guilt, boundary-setting (“I can't keep convincing you to live”), and how the stroke/facility humility saved her life. Kevin reflects on being a bad liar, ring secrecy with Fern, Sergio the blind heroin dealer, and how recovery brought peace, blended-family wedding moments, and hope.  All that and MORE! on a brand new Wednesday episode of that good old Dopey Snow - i mean show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Australia month crashes to a delirious halt with 1997's Welcome to Woop Woop, Directed by Stephan Elliott and adapted from Douglas Kennedy's The Dead Heart by screenwriter Michael Thomas, the film strands American grifter Teddy (Johnathon Schaech) in a surreal outback shantytown ruled by Daddy-O (Rod Taylor) and fueled by show tunes, superstition, and mob justice. Susie Porter co-stars as Angie, who drags Teddy into the warped social rituals of Woop Woop—Dog Day, asbestos mines, pineapple Christmas, and a kangaroo called Big Red.Ben Buckingham and Rahne Alexander join Mike to dissect the film's Cannes infamy, its grotesque fairy-tale politics, and Elliott's post-Priscilla swing for the fences. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Georgia has no safe storage law. A 14-year-old can legally possess a long gun. Colin Gray didn't technically break any gun laws by giving his son an AR-15 for Christmas. So how is he now facing 180 years on second-degree murder charges?Criminal defense attorney Bob Motta breaks down the legal strategy prosecutors are using against Colin Gray—and whether it can survive scrutiny.The facts are bad. The FBI visited Colin Gray's home in May 2023 after his son made threats on Discord. Body cam footage shows Gray telling deputies "God, I knew it" within minutes of the Apalachee High School shooting. He also said he'd been trying to get his son into counseling. Bob analyzes how those statements play with a jury—and whether they're admission of knowledge or a father's horror.The Crumbleys set a precedent in Michigan with manslaughter convictions—10 to 15 years each. Georgia went further with second-degree murder. Colin Gray faces 180 years. That gap shows how Georgia views this case—and what it could mean for parents nationwide.Karen McDonald—the prosecutor who got the Crumbley convictions—said her reaction to Colin Gray being charged was "rage." She said the Crumbley case was never meant to open the floodgates. Legal experts warn this precedent could be applied unevenly, potentially disproportionately against families without resources. Bob addresses whether there's any limiting principle.The kid's history is chaotic: DFCS involvement, school-hopping, swastikas, searched "how to kill your dad" on a school computer, missed his entire eighth-grade year. Does all that make the father look negligent—or create reasonable doubt he could have predicted this?Bob breaks down whether we're watching the rules change in real time.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGray #ApalacheeHighSchool #NoGunLaws #ParentalLiability #CrumbleyCase #BobMotta #TrueCrimeToday #SchoolShooting #GeorgiaTrial #SecondDegreeMurder

QT and Rae exchange super belated Christmas gifts, and speak about how complex and hard grief can be.✨ Bonus Content: https://patreon.com/wineaboutit

On this episode, we'll learn the story of president Ulysses S. Grant making Christmas a national holiday in the United States. We'll also talk about a quaint town in California where you can get a little Christmas all year long, we'll count down the top five Christmas themed First Draft segments from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and I'll ask for your help with naming a new segment for 2026. Download here! 00:00 – 01:52 Intro 01:52 – 07:27 We Need A Little Christmas Now – Solvang, CA Trip Report 07:27 – 16:24 5 Golden Things – Christmas themed First Draft segments from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert 16:24 – 23:59 Ulysses S. Grant and Christmas as a National Holiday (in the United States) 23:59 – 25:47 The Segment With No Name…yet 25:47 – 27:45 Wrap Up 27:45 – 30:54 Outtakes “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” United States Marine Band “Jingle Bells” Performed by Kristen Nowicki (The embedded player for the episode is bellow the links) Solvang Photos https://www.instagram.com/cantwaitforchristmaspod/p/DVLPn0plFrU/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/CantWaitForChristmasPod/posts/pfbid0rQCJDHhZed52iCvduXWQbEH2LeonQi9FkFLKUkwN4GDbym5ewfWdG7SCb4tg4dqjl https://www.threads.com/@cantwaitforchristmaspod/post/DVLPovLFE9B?xmt=AQF0Y4V8_LsAUwVPlWATTBdqKGm5u5xjTrEIA8VC36mxdvgQuNju9zvQacPt52h-GdoBJ2jW&slof=1 https://bsky.app/profile/christmaspod.bsky.social/post/3mfoeesncek2d Jule Hus- Solvang’s Christmas Store http://www.solvangschristmashouse.com The Ultimate Escape Rooms (The Mischevious Nisse) https://theultimateescaperooms.com/solvang/ Christmas themed First Draft segments from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert 2020 https://youtu.be/TYl0TYCsDbY?si=PiFp2eP630JROGxP 2024 https://youtu.be/htlX-VAuVbs?si=meZv3-2OtHUQpkPO 2021 https://youtu.be/vP8nVklw99c?si=6GGS_iHY02HiVcmy 2023 https://youtu.be/M2zZAshSRz8?si=eGRTEx7PX-J8elXo 2016 https://youtu.be/fVXzXH_OCyI?si=9eRWjcn8YkmEhWqn 2025 https://youtu.be/sq5O2Ee1pXw?si=azOfu_QYayJ0Z1o Closer to Christmas podcast http://closertochristmas.com/

Within minutes of the Apalachee High School shooting, body camera footage captured Colin Gray telling deputies, "God, I knew it." He also said he'd been trying to get his son into counseling. Criminal defense attorney Bob Motta breaks down what those statements mean for Colin Gray's defense—and whether they're devastating admission or desperate father's guilt that a jury might understand.The Colin Gray trial isn't just a murder case—it's a stress test for parental liability law. Prosecutors charged second-degree murder, not manslaughter. The Crumbleys set a precedent in Michigan. Georgia is determining how far that precedent stretches.The facts are brutal. The FBI visited Colin Gray's home in May 2023 after his son made threats on Discord. He bought his son an AR-15 for Christmas. The defense says he tried to get help for a troubled kid in a broken system. Bob analyzes how those facts cut both ways.Here's the legal challenge: Georgia has no safe storage law. A 14-year-old can legally possess a long gun. Colin Gray didn't break any gun laws. So how do you charge murder when the underlying conduct was legal? Bob explains the prosecution's theory and the defense's counterargument.The sentencing exposure is staggering—180 years versus the Crumbleys' 10-15. That gap tells you how Georgia views this case.Karen McDonald—the prosecutor who got the Crumbley convictions—said her reaction was "rage." She never meant to open the floodgates. Bob addresses whether there's any limiting principle or whether prosecutors now have a new tool for every school shooting case.If Colin Gray goes down on murder charges, it changes the equation for parents nationwide. Bob analyzes whether we're watching legal history being written.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGray #ApalacheeHighSchool #GodIKnewIt #ParentalLiability #CrumbleyCase #BobMotta #SchoolShooting #GeorgiaTrial #DefenseAttorney #HiddenKillers

Two words in a Los Angeles courtroom today. Not guilty. Entered by Nick Reiner's public defender as he sat slumped behind glass, charged with stabbing both of his parents to death.Rob Reiner. Michele Singer Reiner. Found in their bedroom with multiple stab wounds on the first night of Hanukkah. Their 32-year-old son arrested the same day, now facing two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.Today's plea triggered the expected outrage. But here's what most people don't understand: that plea wasn't a defense. It was a door. The real strategy hasn't been revealed yet.California's system requires defendants pursuing insanity defenses to enter dual pleas, triggering bifurcated trials where guilt and sanity are determined separately. Today was procedural. The psychiatric evaluations are ongoing. The defense is still deciding which path to take.Three options remain open. Full insanity under M'Naghten—proving Nick didn't know what he was doing or that it was wrong. Diminished actuality—using his documented schizoaffective disorder to challenge the premeditation required for first-degree murder. Or incompetence to stand trial—arguing he can't participate in his own defense right now.Legal experts are skeptical about full insanity. Nick was at a Christmas party hours before the killings, arguing with his father in front of witnesses. If you can argue, you're not legally insane.The more likely play? Reduced charges. Second-degree murder. Manslaughter. A different name for what happened, and different consequences.April 29th. Preliminary hearing. The real fight begins.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#NickReiner #RobReiner #MicheleReiner #NotGuiltyPlea #TrueCrime #InsanityDefense #MurderTrial #HiddenKillers #Parricide #CriminalJustice

The Good?Google to build data center in Minnesota with new solar, wind power and battery storageThe tech company will also bring 1,900 megawatts of new renewable energy to the state under an agreement with utility Xcel.1,900 MW is enough to provide electricity for roughly 1.5 million average homes: enough to power every household in a city roughly the size of ChicagoUK fines Reddit for not checking user ages aggressively enough$19.6 million“Our investigation found that Reddit failed to apply any robust age assurance mechanism and therefore did not have a lawful basis for processing the personal information of children under the age of 13… These failures meant Reddit was using children's data unlawfully, potentially exposing them to inappropriate and harmful content” Microsoft Signs 1.8 Million Ton Carbon Removal Deal to Restore African Rainforest1.8 million tons is equivalent to taking approximately 428,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road for an entire year.or the annual energy use of about 235,000 average American homesSupreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, rebuking president's signature economic policyFedEx sues for refund of Trump tariffs, days after Supreme Court ruling‍ ‍Ted Sarandos Pushes Back On Trump's Call For Netflix To Fire Board Member Susan Rice"This is a business deal, not a political deal"“He Likes To Do A Lot Of Things On Social Media” Farmer turns down $15.7 million offer from data center developers: ‘It breaks my heart … the rest of every square inch is going to get built on'After farming for more than six decades in Pennsylvania, 86-year-old Mervin Raudabaugh was offered $60,000 per acre by the developers for his 261 acres—amounting to $15.7 million.But in December, the Lancaster Farmland Trust bought the development rights for just under $2 million, guaranteeing that Raudabaugh's land will only be used for farming.Revenge of the English majors: The age of AI is driving new respect for humanities skills Trump team livid about Dario Amodei's principled stand to keep the Defense Department from using his AI tools for warlike purposes‍ ‍New York nurses union wins 12% raise, AI safeguards in a tentative deal to end monthlong strikeMeta and YouTube are now facing a legal reckoning that harkens back to cases against big tobacco New Mexico's historic move to give universal child care to parents in the state is paid for by an oil and gas windfallNew Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan GrishamTrump Notwithstanding, America's Unions Actually Grew Last YearA 16-Year High: In 2025, the total number of workers represented by a union reached 16.5 million.That is a net increase of 463,000 workers in a single year, the highest volume of unionized labor in the U.S. since 2009.The Youth Surge: Growth wasn't driven by "old-school" labor alone. Workers under the age of 45 accounted for a staggering 92% of the growth (428,000 of the 463,000 new members). This highlights a generational shift where younger workers are viewing unions as a primary shield against AI and job instability.Walmart exec says it's ‘unfortunate' that other companies are slashing workforces in the name of AI—it's offering training to 1.6 million workers insteadThe retail giant has just announced that its 1.6 million workforce will be provided free AI training.Both frontline and corporate staff in the U.S. and Canada will have access to an eight-hour course on the fundamentals of AI, as part of its partnership with Google's new AI Professional Certification.Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officerThe Stupid?Skin-Crawlingly Awkward Video Shows Sam Altman and Dario Amodei Refusing to Hold Hands‍ ‍Sam Altman gets defensive about AI's massive electricity usage: ‘It also takes a lot of energy to train a human' Uber employees have an AI clone of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi — and use 'Dara AI' before talking to the big boss himself ‍ ‍Pope Implores Priests to Stop Writing Sermons Using ChatGPT‍ ‍Tech CEOs Confused by Why Everybody Hates AI So MuchMcDonald's CEO is a ‘supersubscriber' of AI tools—and even used it to photoshop all his kids into a Christmas card

Okay, try to picture it. Maybe you don't have to picture it. Maybe you've been there. It's the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, just before doors open at, let's say, Walmart. It's still dark, but a lot of people are lined up, anxiously waiting to enter. It's the day of those fabulous sales that stores like this have to encourage your early Christmas shopping. And for a short time after the doors open, there are some absolutely amazing prices on many popular items. But you have to move quickly and scoop them up. One year recently, I remember the crush of people was so great, at one store a lady was nearly trampled to death when the doors opened. And at another store, another year, a man actually was trampled to death. Once you're in the store, you know what to do. No browsing. No chatting. You're on a mission! Just look for those sales opportunities and grab them while you can! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Grabbing Opportunities to Save a Life." Aggressively seizing opportunities because time is short - that's not just a picture of a sale day shopper. That's supposed to be the picture of every follower of Jesus Christ. Not just browsing and cruising through our days, but really making them count...really making a difference with your life. If you read our word for today from the Word of God in the original language of the New Testament, you can see just that kind of urgency and intensity. It's Ephesians 5:15-16 - "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise, but as wise" - now what follows is God's definition of what it means to "live smart." "...making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil." The original Greek conveys the idea of aggressively buying up every opportunity you have to do something about the darkness around you. Near the end of this letter that Paul wrote from a prison cell, probably chained to a Roman guard, he gives us a living example of this "make a difference" mindset in action. He says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel...pray that I will declare it fearlessly, as I should." In another letter, we learn that there were believers ultimately in Caesar's household; likely some of those soldiers Paul spent so much time with. He saw his imprisonment, not so much as an ordeal, but as an opportunity to tell people there about his Jesus and to rescue them from evil. Life is full of life-saving opportunities for those with eyes to see them; for those who understand that we're supposed to be looking for them wherever we are. I know when one member of our family was in the hospital, the reason seemed clear. There was a patient who left a trail of Jesus all through that hospital. There just to get well? No. They were there positioned by God to help spiritually rescue some of the people in that hospital. If you want to make the greatest possible difference with the rest of your life, and I hope you do. If you want to help some people be in heaven with you, and I hope you do. Then each morning pray for natural opportunities to bring up your Jesus. "Lord, open a door." Then look for those opportunities to open up. Buy them up like an alert shopper. When someone shares a burden or a concern with you, don't just promise to pray for them. Ask if you can pray with them right then. Chances are they have never heard their name in a prayer all their life! I've never had anyone turn down that offer by the way. And if God opens the door, tell them after you pray that you weren't always able to talk to God like that because there used to be a wall between you and Him that Jesus took down. Look for opportunities to share your personal hope story, which is the story of the difference Jesus has made for you in certain life situations, particular needs, and certainly your eternal situation. Look for those opportunities. Pray for those opportunities. Grab those opportunities. Why? Because God is putting people in your life so they can have a chance at Jesus...and a chance at heaven. That's an opportunity you just must not miss.

Today the team is back to talk about the new rom-com Relationship Goals For Rachel's review of Relationship Goals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_UKki1Kkg For our 2025 Christmas content https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXv4sBF3mPUAQKXmF4t3bW_QozFbDp-aD For the Mahogany episodes https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXv4sBF3mPUDkBO-PqHaEY8-ViCSey1sr Follow Ann on twitter https://twitter.com/awscott21 Follow Jazzman on twitter https://twitter.com/Shreem16 Follow Dory on twitter https://twitter.com/AllTheFeelsPod Follow Bree on twitter https://twitter.com/BreeUnabashedly Listen to the All the Feels podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/41TDuXQXn5ujpFPQ3TzIvZ?si=U-eJTJQ9SiC0I5iyTPKFYA&nd=1 Check out the Mahogany store on amazon using our affiliate link https://amzn.to/3e9sFlZ (ad) Please send feedback@hallmarkiespodcast.com or the twitter call +1 (801) 855-6407 For all of our interviews https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXv4sBF3mPUA_0JZ2r5fxhTRE_-RChCj Check out the merch store https://teepublic.com/stores/hallmarkies?utm_campaign=Hallmarkies&utm_medium=8581&utm_source=affiliat Please support the podcast on patreon at https://www.patreon.com/hallmarkies Follow us on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hallmarkies-podcast/id1296728288?mt=2 https://twitter.com/HallmarkiesPod on twitter @HallmarkiesPodcast on Instagram Check out our website HallmarkiesPodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send a textInstagram: darlenemunizvoE-mail: contact@darlenemuniz.comWebsite: www.darlenemuniz.com Darlene Muniz is an American-born international artist. As an only child, she's been playing pretend ever since Santa got her a Monopoly board for Christmas.She grew up in a bilingual Spanish/English household in Miami before becoming fluent in French at the age of 21. She lived and worked in three different continents before settling down in Paris with her post-college sweetheart. She enjoys singing, clowning around and performing with her Foreign Exchange improv troupe. She's currently writing her One Woman Show and rapping about eating too much pudding. If you need to reach her, you can find her at your nearest Parisian open mic or you could just e-mail her. She replies pretty fast.Support the show

Welcome to this episode of intergenerational strife - Fi's off for the day, so Eve props Jane up. They chat pureed food, search history, the out-of-shape Olympics, children in restaurants and the fading art of the Tannoy. Plus, best selling novelist Elly Griffiths discusses her latest book ‘The Killing Time'. Our next book club pick is 'A Town Like Alice' by Nevil Shute.Our most asked about book is called 'The Later Years' by Peter Thornton.You can listen to our 'I'm in the cupboard on Christmas' playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1awQioX5y4fxhTAK8ZPhwQIf you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producers: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Christmas series! Herod, boiling in a jealous rage, commits the same act as Pharaoh did long ago. In a chaotic and fiery frenzy, children are taken from their homes and killed, all because of the pride of one man. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app. To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

February 25 |Exodus 5:22-6:30, Matthew 18:23-35, Psalm 24:1-2, Proverbs 10:15-16 // Follow along with the "Walking through the Word Daily Reading and Study Guide" in the Daily Life Journal and Daily Life Journal 4 Kids! Get your copy today, or grab a gift for someone you love this Christmas. lifereachresources.com/core4   

Australia month crashes to a delirious halt with 1997's Welcome to Woop Woop, Directed by Stephan Elliott and adapted from Douglas Kennedy's The Dead Heart by screenwriter Michael Thomas, the film strands American grifter Teddy (Johnathon Schaech) in a surreal outback shantytown ruled by Daddy-O (Rod Taylor) and fueled by show tunes, superstition, and mob justice. Susie Porter co-stars as Angie, who drags Teddy into the warped social rituals of Woop Woop—Dog Day, asbestos mines, pineapple Christmas, and a kangaroo called Big Red.Ben Buckingham and Rahne Alexander join Mike to dissect the film's Cannes infamy, its grotesque fairy-tale politics, and Elliott's post-Priscilla swing for the fences. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Send us a message!In this episode of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Dr. Christina Zampitella, a licensed psychologist, thanatologist, and founder of the Center for Grief and Trauma Therapy in Delaware. Dr. Z lost her brother Damien to a drug overdose on Christmas Day when he was just 22 years old. This episode explores the lifelong impact of sibling loss, the complicated grief that comes with loving someone through addiction, and what it truly means to carry your sibling with you. In this episode you will:Hear Dr. Z's story of how losing Damien became the foundation of her life's work.Learn what surviving siblings need to know about grief integration, STUGs, maintaining a continued bond, and why there is no "getting over it"  Be inspired by Dr. Z's resilience through cumulative losses & her commitment to honoring those she has loved and lost.Connect with Dr. Christina Zampitella: Website: https://www.centerforgrieftherapy.com/staff/dr-christina-zampitella-ft/ Podcast: Phoenix Rising with Dr. Z — available on all platforms YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC-jU_InSFb-lXZhRkWaDDIw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenixrisingwithdrz/ All links: https://linktr.ee/phoenixrising_drzResources:In the US:If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country's emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.Call SAMHSA's National Helpline is  1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline.For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.Peer support warmlines by state : https://warmline.org/warmdir.htmlInternationalIn the UK, related resources: Support the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact Dr. Angela Dean at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com. Please like, subscribe, and share! Please follow us on social media:Facebook: @BrokenPackInstagram: @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpack Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward) Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tiny...

Sarah Ferguson reportedly spent January at a $13,000-a-night Swiss wellness retreat as Epstein headlines resurfaced — a stay that could total nearly $400,000.An insider said: “Sarah went just after Christmas and stayed until the end of January… she'll get love and attention there.” Critics immediately questioned who paid.Express columnist Chris Riches asked: “… frankly how did she afford it?” before suggesting, “perhaps someone should simply hide her bank cards.”The scrutiny comes as fresh Andrew claims resurface. A masseuse told the Daily Mail: “He disappeared to the bathroom and came back in the nude. I averted my eyes and I was quite embarrassed,” later adding he was “very nice and very gentlemanly.”An ex-protection officer also resurfaced, saying Andrew was “the most unpopular member of the royal family” and that “his sense of self-entitlement was breathtaking.”The damage control continues — but the headlines aren't slowing down.Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.Royal Books:William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside StoryThe Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260225dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Genesis 3:11 Who Told You That? Before sin, Adam and Eve had nothing to hide. After sin, they were suddenly aware of their flaws. Shame entered the picture, and with it came a new voice telling them, you are not enough. God’s question exposes something important: shame doesn’t come from God. God didn’t tell them they were worthless, broken, or beyond hope. Sin did that. The lies did that. Those same voices are still loud today. You’re not good enough. You’ve failed too badly. If people really knew you, they wouldn’t accept you. God couldn’t love someone like you. God asks, “Who told you that?” The world defines us by success, appearance, and performance. Our own hearts replay regrets and failures. But God defines us differently. He sees sinners worth saving. He sees broken people worth dying for. The truth is, we are more flawed than we want to admit—but more loved than we ever imagined. Jesus didn’t come for people who had it all together. He came for people weighed down by shame. On the cross, Jesus took not just our sins, but our disgrace. He was mocked, rejected, and exposed so that we could be covered with forgiveness. When God looks at those who trust in Jesus, he doesn’t see shame. He sees his beloved children. So when the voices rise—when shame tries to tell you who you are—listen instead to the God who asks, “Who told you that?” Then hear what he tells you instead: You are forgiven. You are loved. You are mine. Prayer: Father, I confess that I listen to voices of shame instead of your truth. Forgive me for believing lies about myself and about you. Thank you for Jesus, who removes my guilt and gives me a new identity. Help me believe what you say about me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send a textKen from the Sounds of Christmas revisits a recent episode, talking about Christmas releases from Lady Gaga, Bryan Adams and Christina Aguilera, and why he thinks they were released too late!Show links:Listen to the Sounds of Christmas stationFind the Sounds of Christmas podcastCheck out the new Sounds of Christmas ShopConnect with the Sounds of Christmas on social mediaCheck out all the artists that are making the 2025 season of the Sounds of Christmas station possibleSupport the show

We wrap up our seven-part deep dive into one of Aussie hoops' fiercest rivalries — Sydney vs Illawarra — as the modern era turns the heat all the way up and the Freeway Series swings wildly from season to season. Host Dan Boyce picks things up after the Hawks' rebirth under new ownership and Brian Goorjian, a fresh start that quickly turns into a brutal reality check — including the worst season in franchise history (3–25) — before the club pulls off one of the great turnarounds in recent NBL history, storming back to win their second NBL championship. From there, the rivalry doesn't cool off — it escalates. We track the on-court blowouts, the nail-biters, the flashpoints, and the personality clashes that only seem to grow when these two clubs share the same building. We also hit Goorjian's return to Sydney, and bring it right up to today, where the Kings and Hawks have traded sweeps in back-to-back seasons, and the balance of power has flipped yet again heading into the current finals series. Topics include: The Hawks v Kings semi-finals series in 2023 (2:00) The Kings' rise under Chase Buford and how their championship window re-opened (12:00) Illawarra's post-Goorjian transition, the roster drain, Hawks injuries woes, and the worst season ever (25:00) Hawks V Kings becomes must see Christmas viewing (45:00) The Hawks claim their 2nd championship (49:00) The rivalry today and what it means to many Hawks/Kings legends (108:00) Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring: Australian Basketball Legends: Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Glen Saville, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley Current NBL Stars: Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Xavier Cooks, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Jordan Hunter, Flynn Cameron, Keli Leaupepe, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers, Sam Froling, Jesse Wagstaff Our Finest Coaching Minds: Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Adam Forde, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer NBA Stars Past & Present: Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Jack McVeigh, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Jack White, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton The NBL's Greatest Imports: Leroy Loggins, Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Cal Bruton, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Dwayne McClain, Darnell Mee, Shawn Redhage, Al Green, Steve Woodberry, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch The Men In Control: Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chris Pongrass, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner, Danny Mills Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us at info@aussiehoopla.com

Communication with God is the root than enables effective communication among ministry leaders and to keep the ministry focused on Christ. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about how we can communicate well within our ministries and ensure that God is leading the efforts. "At the same time, in the life of the Church, mission is closely linked to communion. While the mystery of Christmas celebrates the mission of the Son of God among us, it also contemplates its purpose, namely that God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:19) and in him made us his children. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to reveal the true face of God as Father, so that we might all become his children and therefore brothers and sisters to one another. The Father's love, embodied and revealed by Jesus in his liberating actions and preaching, enables us, in the Holy Spirit, to be a sign of a new humanity — no longer founded on selfishness and individualism, but on mutual love and solidarity. This task is urgent both ad intra and ad extra. It is urgent ad intra, because communion in the Church always remains a challenge that calls us to conversion. At times, beneath an apparent calm, forces of division may be at play. We can fall into the temptation of swinging between two opposite extremes: uniformity that fails to value differences, or the exacerbation of differences and viewpoints instead of seeking communion. Thus, in interpersonal relationships, in internal office dynamics, or in addressing questions of faith, liturgy, morality and more besides, there is a risk of falling into rigidity or ideology, with their consequent conflicts. Yet we are the Church of Christ, his members, his body. We are brothers and sisters in him. And in Christ, though many and diverse, we are one: In Illo uno unum. We are called, especially here in the Curia, to be builders of Christ's communion, which is to take shape in a synodal Church where all cooperate in the same mission, each according to his or her charism and role. This communion is built not so much through words and documents as through concrete gestures and attitudes that ought to appear in our daily lives, including in our work." ~ quote from Pope Leo XIV: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/december/documents/20251222-curia-romana.html   There are seven keys to effective Christ-centered collaboration in the Church: 1) Christ—we must recognize that Christ is the center of all that we do, 2) Cenacle—referring to how the Apostles and the Blessed Mother Mary gathered in prayer, discernment, and action, 3) Communio—communion is the core of collaboration and provides the sense of togetherness, 4) Cooperation—we must work together to understand perspectives and care for those in need, 5) Communication—effective communication ensures that collaboration moves efficiently and effectively to achieve the ministerial goals, 6) Compassion—when things don't go according to plan, ensure that those involved in the work of the ministry are cared for with charity as well, 7) Co-responsibility—we all share in the mission of Christ and his church, it is each of our roles to preach the Gospel.   Notes: Access Collaboration in Ministry resources On Mission: Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More episodes about Living as Missionary Disciples   From the Ad Infinitum blog: Laborers in the Vineyard Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More blogs about Collaboration Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

On today's daily podcast, we dive headfirst into a real-life story that feels like Gone Girl but somehow even more chaotic — because this one actually happened. A mom in North Carolina tells her kids she's heading out to do some Christmas shopping… and then vanishes. No calls. No sightings. No updates. For. Twenty. Four. Years.Yeah. Twenty. Four.The FBI got involved. The husband was suspected. The kids grew up believing their mom was either dead or abducted. Every holiday season? Trauma with tinsel on top. And then — out of nowhere — she's found alive, living just a couple hours away, apparently doing just fine.So today on the show, we unpack everything:• Is disappearing legally allowed? (Surprisingly… kind of.)• Should there be abandonment charges?• Could you ever forgive a parent for that?• And how in the hell do you start over without anyone noticing for two decades?The crew goes full debate mode. Is she a sociopath? Was there something darker going on? Did she just decide “nah” and hit reset? We don't have all the answers — but we absolutely have opinions. Loud ones.Plus, we spiral (in true Rizz Show fashion) into van life influencers, whether running away mid-commute is a universal parent fantasy, generational breakdowns from Silent Gen to Gen Beta, and the psychology of wanting to disappear for a few hours… or forever.It's messy. It's emotional. It's sarcastic. It's exactly what you expect from your favorite daily podcast that can pivot from serious true crime to sunscreen jokes in under 90 seconds.And yes — we also roast VIP festival passes, debate whether it's weird to go to concerts alone, and question the morality of gifting someone ONE ticket. (Who does that?)If you love real stories that make you say “wait… WHAT?” — this episode of our daily podcast delivers.Welcome to The Rizzuto Show. We bring the chaos so you don't have to.Follow The Rizzuto Show → linktr.ee/rizzshow for more from your favorite daily comedy show.Connect with The Rizzuto Show Comedy Podcast online → 1057thepoint.com/RizzShow.Hear The Rizz Show daily on the radio at 105.7 The Point | Hubbard Radio in St. Louis, MO.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Renowned DNA scientist Dr. Robert Schwartz is found brutally murdered inside his secluded Virginia home in the weeks before Christmas 2001. As investigators dig in, a dark, paganistic theme hovers over the crime. As suspects emerge, a Live Action Role- Playing game, scripted by the least likely person imaginable, reveals a frightening subculture of young adults dabbling in the occult. Greed, control, manipulation and hatred unravel in an outrageous and unbelievable homicidal plot. Join investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps as he sorts out the deadly measures some will go to get what they want.  Binge all episodes of Fatal Fantasy ad-free March 1st by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe' or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send a textGood As New is BACK — and we have a LOT to catch up on.After nearly a year of silence, but we're finally returning to your earbuds, and trust us — the hiatus was not without reason. In this long-awaited Season 2 premiere, we sit down with zero game plan and full hearts to catch you up on everything that went down while we were gone. And spoiler: it was a lot.From my (Rylee) wild journey of building and opening my own salon from the ground up — the late nights, the inspections, the chaos, the tears, and ultimately the triumph. Plus, a Christmas surprise I never saw coming (hint: it has four legs and answers to Tricky).Jaj gets raw and honest about the moment her and John's relationship hit its breaking point — for the second time. She walks us through the heartbreak, the move into a new home, the loneliness of starting over in a neighborhood full of young families, and the moment everything changed with a knock at the door and a man in a suit on one knee. Yes, that happened. And yes, there's a video.From a bachelorette trip in San Clemente (Brody Jenner sighting, anyone?) to a Thursday wedding at Snow Pine Lodge that had everyone in tears — except somehow the bride — this episode is a full-blown catch-up that will have you laughing, crying, and cheering these two on all over again.They're back. They're better. And we've got some BIG plans we can't wait to tell you all about!Welcome home.

Erin's boyfriend Mark was gifted a hoodie from his ex-girlfriend last Christmas. So why is he still holding onto it? Find out in this all-new Chantel's Roses!

"Crystal Ball Marketing," a strategy centered on the "Precursor Effect." This concept involves identifying specific indicators or life events that predict exactly when a marketplace is most likely to need and buy a specific service. By targeting customers at these pivotal moments, businesses can significantly increase conversion rates with less sales effort. Key Takeaways The Precursor Effect Defined: Identifying a life event, calendar event, or business shift that occurs immediately before a customer requires your services. The Marathon Analogy: If you sell cold water at the finish line of a marathon, you don't need a clever sales pitch because the "precursor" (running a marathon) has already created an intense, immediate need. Transference: A precursor strategy that works in one industry (like targeting new movers) can often be successfully applied to another unrelated industry. Case Study: The "Moving" Strategy Frank shares a success story from an inner circle member in the professional services industry who helps people in physical pain: The Precursor: Moving into a new home is a physically demanding experience that often leads to physical pain. The Strategy: The client obtained a list of 540 people who had recently moved and sent them a 1.5-page letter offering a free initial service. The Investment: Approximately $1,000 for the list and mailing. The Results: 8 new customers acquired immediately. $2,500 in immediate cash collected. Over $14,000 in projected lifetime customer value (LTV) within the first year. Industry Examples of Precursors Legal Industry: The implementation of GDPR served as a massive precursor for lawyers to sell updated privacy policies. Home Services: Moving into or out of a home is a primary indicator that a homeowner will need maintenance or repair services. Dentistry: Halloween acts as a precursor for cavity checks due to high sugar consumption. Weight Loss: Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are precursors for weight loss services as people tend to gain weight and seek a "reset" afterward. Action Steps Brainstorm: Spend a few minutes writing down every possible situation or event in a person's life that would make them want your service. Identify: Determine how you can find or "broker" a list of people who have just experienced those specific precursors. Execute: Create a targeted offer for those individuals while the need is at its peak.

Hello, hello newsies!! Yes, we've taken quite the long Christmas, New Year, errrr, January break! Yes, work, school and life took over a bit (which happens more and more that Leela is a TEENAGER now, can you believe?!). But, we're back in time for the… new Chinese New Year, yay! Or should we say, neeeehaaaay! Because, yes, it's the Year of the Horse for 2026. We'll give you the low-down on what that represents and, as ever, what the zodiac calendar means. 

Gary wraps the show with #WhatsHappening, #SwampWatch, a Pentagon bombshell and #TrueCrimeTuesday. #WhatsHappening: Guthrie's $1M reward plea, Americans stranded in Mexico flooding the embassy, NBC's best Olympic ratings since 2014, another Northeast storm overnight #SwampWatch: Why 37 Dems skipping the SOTU is a bad look — you were elected to represent your district, show up Pentagon warns Trump an Iran strike could burn through interceptor supply in two weeks and stretch forces thin #TrueCrimeTuesday: Mom left to go Christmas shopping in 2001 and vanished, found alive 5 days ago, says she doesn't want contact with her family See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Rachel joins with a bunch of great Hallmark podcasters to talk again with Andrea Brooks about all things Faith and Hope Valley Rom-com Love https://www.youtube.com/@rom_comlovepod Suspenders Unbuttoned https://unbuttonedmedia.us/ Everything About Hallmark https://www.youtube.com/c/EverythingAboutHallmark For our 2025 Christmas content https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXv4sBF3mPUAQKXmF4t3bW_QozFbDp-aD Our Christmas podcasts are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4f2KtBPzUE&list=PLXv4sBF3mPUDo41tHqhkjHCvedmZwLzHx Send us your feedback at feedback@hallmarkiespodcast.com or the twitter call +1 (801) 855-6407 Check out the merch store and get our #hashtag shirts! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hallmarkies?utm_campaign=Hallmarkies&utm_medium=8581&utm_source=affiliate Please support the podcast on patreon at https://www.patreon.com/hallmarkies Follow us on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hallmarkies-podcast/id1296728288?mt=2 https://twitter.com/HallmarkiesPod on twitter @HallmarkiesPodcast on Instagram Check out our website HallmarkiesPodcast.com Follow Rachel's blog at http://rachelsreviews.net Follow Rachel on twitter twitter.com/rachel_reviews Follow Rachel's Reviews on youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/rachelsreviews Follow Rachel on facebook www.facebook.com/smilingldsgirlreviews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!A century speaks when you can hear it. Rob opens his family archive to share a carefully restored 2002 interview with his grandparents—two voices that carry Minnesota farm grit, German cadence, and the quiet strength of a marriage begun at sixteen. What starts as a personal memorial becomes a living piece of oral history: Depression-era setbacks, threshing crews and one-room schoolhouses, a boy who learned English after first grade, and a medic shipped through Texas deserts to India on Christmas Eve.You'll hear how work stitched life together—textile mills turning rags into wipers, long shifts at Armor's, and the steady math that bought and paid off two homes. The war years come alive through field hospitals, penicillin lessons learned the hard way, and a Himalayan rest camp where cool air and careful roads offered relief. Then the light shifts to St. Paul: a wedding day with tough fried hens and a missing lipstick, two rooms with a shared bath when housing was scarce, and the hand-painted nativity set that became the heart of every Christmas. Faith isn't abstract here; it's a crib built by hand, a pew filled every Sunday, vows taken seriously, and affection practiced more openly with the next generation.We move through the tenderness and the hard parts—sectarian jabs in a mill yard, the discipline that shaped character, a grandson's death that still breaks the voice, and the fierce pride that spills over when grandkids serve Mass, finish college, or skate under winter moonlight. There are cabins and cocoa suppers, moon-bright sled hills, and the crunch of horse hooves on snow drifting across memory. There's even a strange echo of history when our granddaughter works in India decades after her grandpa served there, set against the grounded skies of 9/11.If you've ever wished you could bottle a voice before it's gone, this is your nudge. Press play, meet our family, and think about the stories you want to save. If this moved you, subscribe, share it with someone you love, and leave a review with the one memory you'd record first.Support the showNeed seafood for Lent? Check out https://shoplobster.com/ and use code AB10 to get 10% from Maine's ONLY Catholic lobster company.Check out our new sponsor, Nic Nac, at www.nicnac.com and use code "AB25%" for 25% off of your first order!********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss

Introduction“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” — Irina Dunn, 1970I heard about the movement of decentering men on TikTok. With zero expectations, I decided to try it out for a month. It was October 2025. I was sick of dating apps and about to publish my second book. I'd been single for three years, but this was something different. I'm here to tell you everything about it and share all the reasons why I'm never going back.I wrote this article to give us, women, a blueprint for how to be the main character in our own lives. Our mothers and grandmothers couldn't teach us this; they depended on men (financially) to survive, and had to center them accordingly. This article is not about hating men; it's about unlearning the ways that the patriarchy has trained us to prioritize making men happy. This pressure comes just as much from the women in our lives (aunties, influencers, our mother), as from men. After all, it was my mother who let my brother get away with never doing the dishes after dinner.Starting this process for the first time scared me. I was worried that if I stopped trying to date men, I was giving up on my dream of becoming a mother. Yet as I began to decenter men, I realized that my idea of motherhood was purely a fantasy. Facing the reality of motherhood, those statistics scared me much more. In this article, I will cover everything I've learned from the internet, economists, and my own experience, so that you can decide whether decentering men and trying it for a month to start is right for you. Let's begin!

What a day it is! And what a time to be alive in this wonderful city of London! The sun is shining and Jane's tube driver has got us all in the mood. Jane and Fi are back in more familiar surroundings to discuss all the important stuff - matching underwear, habitual idiocies, whether you should lock a bathroom door around loved ones, the power of the wet wipe, and the lacklustre nature of Shreddies. Plus, Harriet Tyce, crime writer and Traitors contestant, discusses her new book ‘Witch Trial'.Our next book club pick is 'A Town Like Alice' by Nevil Shute.Our most asked about book is called 'The Later Years' by Peter Thornton.You can listen to our 'I'm in the cupboard on Christmas' playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1awQioX5y4fxhTAK8ZPhwQIf you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producers: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shapes***Written by: Joseph Venkavitch***We Have a Good Thing Here***Written by: EM Otero and Narrated by: Danielle Hewitt***All I Want for Christmas is a Well-Told Lie***Written by: John Bruni and Narrated by: Jimmy Ferrer***Content warning: child abuse***Support the show at patreon.com/creepypod***Sound design by: Pacific Obadiah***Title music by: Alex Aldea Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.