Podcasts about CRC

One of the perennial discussions in the Reformed tradition is over the frequency with which we ought to observe and partake in the Lord's Supper together. In the history of the CRC, it was common to partake quarterly and on Good Friday. But the growing trend today in the Reformed and Presbyterian churches seems to be going the other direction, toward weekly celebration. In this week's episode we aim to mine the Scriptures and the Reformed tradition's great luminaries to show that while there is no express command, there does seem to be a general push for more frequency rather than less.   The article we mention in the episode from Resurrection OPC in Matthews, NC can be found here: https://www.rpcmatthews.org/articles/reformed-theologians-on-the-frequency-of-communion-past-amp-present ----more---- Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Transcript:Hey Friends and Supporters of Christ Redeemer Church! This is Pastor Don from Hanover, NH. Hope all is well with you!  Just a quick update on CRC's building project…God is on the move here in New England. We've already cleared massive legal hurdles to become the first new church approved for a building in this Ivy-League town in over 60 years. Now, the only thing standing in the way from making our dream a reality is funding. And good news: We are less than $100k away from meeting a matching challenge which would put us in range for breaking ground this spring. But we need your help! Could you make a last-minute push for pledges and donations? Spread the word!  Anything we bring in over the match will significantly reduce our financing costs. This will give us elbow room to expand our ministry from this strategic Ivy-League community. It will allow us to train and send more people with global leadership capabilities. The deadline of February 28th is fast approaching. Donate, pledge, and encourage others to do the same! For more info or to give, click on link in this post or visit christredeemerchurch.org/flourish." Thank you so much for partnering with us! Jesus said: “Upon this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell with not prevail against it.”~Matthew 16:18

In today's episode of Psych Talk I speak with Destiny Davis, LPC, CRC about chronic illness and medical trauma. Destiny shares about her journey into specializing in chronic illness as a therapist and her personal experiences with chronic illness. Throughout the discussion, Destiny defines for listeners what chronic illness is, as well as what medical trauma is. We discuss some examples of types of medical traumas, as well as common symptoms that may indicate someone has experienced medical trauma. We discuss the intersection of chronic illness and mental health and the bidirectional nature of these things. Destiny shares how both somatic experience and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be beneficial for those who have experienced medical trauma or live with a chronic illness. Connect with Destiny:IG: @thechronicillnesstherapistsPodcast: The Chronic Illness TherapistsWebsite: www.thechronicillnesstherapist.comMonthly Consultation GroupAtlanta Conference (CEs provided)Additional resources for therapists and allied health professionalsConnect with Me:Follow me on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jessicaleighphd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@psych.talk.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jessicaleighphd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jessicaleighphd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to Group Therapy Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Facebook community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Through What You Go Through⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ways to Work With Me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mind Over Matter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Be a guest on my podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anti-Racism Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Intro/Outro Music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Life of Riley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Kevin MacLeod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music License⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The CRCNA is navigating a pastoral shortage, smaller candidate pools, and congregations that have been through enough upheaval that calling a new pastor straight away isn't always the right first move. This episode introduces the STM — the Specialized Transitional Minister — through two men who have made it their life's work: Roger Sparks and Harv Roosma. They want you to know something upfront: having an STM doesn't mean your church is a problem church. Roger came to the work through a painful door. After 34 years in Medicine Hat, Rock Valley, and Laverne, he'd watched churches go through messy separations as a synodical deputy — and gone through one himself. Harv arrived differently: a teacher turned pastor who spent 20 years on Vancouver Island before sensing that the churches he served had deeper needs he wasn't equipped to meet. Pastor-Church Relations pointed him toward STM in 2018. He's been doing it ever since. The structure is practical — a year-long commitment, first six months learning the church, second six months preparing the way for the next pastor. A priority list of 14-15 items gets narrowed to three or four. The training through the Interim Ministry Network is serious: church DNA, change dynamics, appreciative inquiry, moving a congregation from scarcity thinking to abundance thinking. But the phrase that captures the spirit of the whole thing is Harv's: we go in pre-fired. Your time is limited anyway. There's no fear. The job is to uncover what needs to be uncovered and love people well on the way out. **Timestamps:** - 0:00 — Intro - 1:08 — Roger Sparks: 34 years in Medicine Hat, Rock Valley, and Laverne - 3:00 — What drew Roger to STM: synodical deputy work and a painful church split - 5:19 — Harv Roosma: teacher to pastor, Vancouver Island to the Midwest - 7:41 — What led Harv to STM: sensing needs he didn't have tools to address - 8:02 — Jason: STMs aren't just for "problem churches" - 9:10 — The pastoral shortage and STM demand in the CRC - 12:08 — What a one-year STM commitment looks like - 13:22 — The 6-month model: learning the church, then preparing for the next pastor - 15:10 — The priority list: narrowing 14-15 items to 3-4 per church - 16:54 — When a church closes: walking a congregation through its death - 17:25 — STM training: the Interim Ministry Network - 19:09 — Tools: appreciative inquiry, asset mapping, scarcity to abundance thinking - 19:59 — The skills of the STM: avoiding triangulation, practicing differentiation - 21:37 — Annual conference and peer Zoom groups - 23:50 — The license to ask hard questions: what the STM invitation actually means - 25:44 — "We go in pre-fired" - 26:42 — Conversations that don't stay at surface level - 27:05 — The bittersweet: friendships formed and goodbyes Join and support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/ Intro music by Matt Krotzer

LaGrave Live LIVE Evening Worship Service - Forgiven and Blessed - 2026-02-22 About The Service: Rev. Kristy Manion will lead us in worship and will preach on Psalm 32. Order of Worship: https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload... About Us: We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months) We'd love to hear from you: Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contact Let us pray for you: Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/ Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi... The February special offering is for The Bridge. The Bridge is part of Arbor Circle, which offers emergency shelter for youths, and additional counseling for youths and their families. Listen on the go: Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusic Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQ Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogle Soundcloud: / lagravecrc Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaT Follow us! Facebook: / lagravecrc Instagram: / lagravecrc Website: https://www.lagrave.org #LaGrave #LaGraveCRC This worship service at La Grave Church marks the first Sunday in the season of Lent, a period dedicated to contemplating human limits, sin, and the joyful necessity of a Savior. Through liturgy, missionary testimony, and an exploration of Psalm 32, the congregation is invited to move from the "wasting away" of unconfessed sin into the restorative grace of divine forgiveness. The Call to Worship and the Lenten Journey The service opens with a call to recognize Jesus, even when the world fails to do so, asking for faith to see His glory and wisdom. As the first Sunday of Lent, the liturgy emphasizes that while this season involves reflecting on sin and the need for saving, it is ultimately grounded in the "joyful truth" of having a Savior. This is reinforced by a reading from Acts, where the Apostle Paul proclaims that through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins and a justification unattainable under the Law of Moses are now available to all who believe. Ministry Spotlight: Resonate Global Mission in Hungary Jeff and Julie Baumann, missionaries serving in Budapest, shared the story of Pamela Shammas to illustrate God's "surprises" in mission work. Pamela, a Syrian Christian from Aleppo, fled the war to study psychology in Hungary on a scholarship. After connecting with the Baumanns' church and university fellowship, she eventually joined the "Cohort Europe Program." She is now serving as a missionary herself, working with refugees in Berlin. The Baumanns highlighted how their ministry has evolved from direct refugee aid to supporting "people on the move" who fall between traditional legal categories. Pastoral Prayer and Community Concerns The pastoral prayer focuses on the "dustiness" of humanity and the intercession of the Holy Spirit. It includes specific petitions for justice where the strong exploit the weak and for the repair of broken trust. The congregation also remembers several members facing significant life events, including milestone birthdays and serious health challenges ranging from cancer diagnoses to pediatric internal bleeding. Sermon: The Anatomy of Confession The sermon explores the "complicated" emotional landscape of Psalm 32, which blends suffering, regret, and relief. The speaker notes that the Hebrew syntax places "Blessed" at the very beginning, emphasizing that the state of being forgiven precedes the description of sin. A central theme is the danger of "keeping silent" about sin, which the psalmist describes as a physical wasting of the bones. The message concludes with Martin Luther's famous advice to "sin boldly"—not as an excuse to transgress, but as a directive to rely even more boldly on the "true and not fictitious grace" of Christ, who is victorious over the world. The service concludes with a reminder that while all are sinners, all have a Savior. The congregation is sent out with a benediction of peace, encouraged to live as "grace-receiving people" who keep their eyes fixed on Jesus' grace rather than the "ditch" of their past transgressions.

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-37; John 1:14-18; 3:16-18; John 6:56-58; Text: Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-37; John 1:14-18; 3:16-18; John 6:56-58;

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Genesis 16:5-6; 30:1, 15, 37:3-4; Proverbs 14:30, 27:4; 1 Samuel 18:6-8; Text: Genesis 16:5-6; 30:1, 15, 37:3-4; Proverbs 14:30, 27:4; 1 Samuel 18:6-8;

Episode 167 of the B-Side Bois Podcast is a certified bro-sesh.Victor Wong — Head Coach of Valley Boys High School Rugby and President of the West Des Moines Wombats — joins Mr. Gray in studio for a wide-ranging, laugh-filled episode packed with real rugby talk and a few hot takes along the way.We kick things off with reminders about the Referee L1 Clinic, shout out our friends at MonStars Trading Cards, and dive into the latest All-Iowa updates, new teams popping up across the state, and the big question… what's going on with Men's D4?From there it's all things Wombats: the 5-Year Anniversary Touch celebration, banquet plans, 6 Nations watch party, and spring practice right around the corner.We also break down:• Rugby Iowa Boys HS 7s teams• University of Iowa & UNI men's spring schedules• CRC vs CRAA Rant from Mr. Gray• MLR & Players Association agreement• USA Women's upcoming tour on home soil• 6 Nations results, table, Pick ‘Em update & Week 3 preview• World Rankings shakeups• USA Men's 7s first outing of the year in SVNS2And to close it out? A debate on the hardest position in rugby.Plenty of insight. Plenty of laughs. Plenty of strong opinions. Very biased towards props.Hit play and join the conversation.

We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months)

Chris Murray welcomes in Robert Stilson, a Senior Research Analyst from the Capital Research Center. He runs several of CRC’s specialized projects. Originally from Indiana, he has a B.A. from Hanover College and a J.D. from University of Richmond School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LaGrave Live LIVE Evening Worship - For You Died... - 2026-02-15 About The Service: Pastor Jonker will preach on Colossians 3:1-4. Order of Worship: https://lagrave.org/wp-content/upload... About Us: We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months) We'd love to hear from you: Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contact Let us pray for you: Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/ Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Givi... The February special offering is for The Bridge. The Bridge is part of Arbor Circle, which offers emergency shelter for youths, and additional counseling for youths and their families. Listen on the go: Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusic Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQ Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogle Soundcloud: / lagravecrc Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaT Follow us! Facebook: / lagravecrc Instagram: / lagravecrc Website: https://www.lagrave.org This Vesper service at La Grave Avenue Christian Reformed Church explores the profound theological paradox found in Colossians: the declaration that believers have already died. Through scripture, the imagery of C.S. Lewis, and real-world reflections, the service examines the tension between our "ghostly" old selves and the "substantial" new life found in baptism. The Theology of Rootedness and Righteousness The service opens with a call to worship from Psalm 84, emphasizing the blessing of those whose strength is in God as they pass through the "Valley of Baca" or suffering. Drawing from Jeremiah 17 and 2 Corinthians 5, the message contrasts two ways of living: the "tumbleweed" life of one rooted in self versus the "tree by the water" rooted in the Lord. This rootedness is further defined by the Heidelberg Catechism, which clarifies that righteousness before God comes not through the worthiness of one's faith, but through the "perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ" credited to the believer by grace alone. The Paradox of the "Dead" Self A central challenge of the sermon is Paul's assertion in Colossians 3:3: "For you died." While this refers to the "death" of the old self in baptism, the reality of daily life often suggests otherwise. The speaker acknowledges the "strange gap" between the theological declaration of death to sin and the persistent experience of temptation, guilt, and hypocrisy. This gap is illustrated through the tragic history of baptized individuals participating in the Holocaust, highlighting that baptism does not magically end the struggle against the old self, which remains "alive and kicking". Ghostly Wraiths vs. Substantial Souls Using C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce as a framework, the sermon describes the "great interior drama" of life as a choice between becoming a "ghostly" wraith or a "substantial" soul. Sin—such as deceit, rage, or the violence depicted in a seven-year-old's drawing—makes a person "insubstantial" and "smudgy," like a stain in the air. Conversely, acts of compassion, kindness, and the joy of the Holy Spirit make a person "weighty" and "fully alive." The "true self" is not something believers must manufacture; it is already resurrected and "hidden with Christ in God," waiting to be lived out through the power of the Spirit. The service concludes with a call to live out the "shining reality" of baptism. While the struggle between the old and new selves defines the human experience, the congregation is encouraged by the fact that their true, resurrected life is already secure in Christ. By the breathing of the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to turn away from the "ghostly" and embrace the substantial life of grace

Rev. Boliver Allmon III - Scripture: Psalm 23:5 Text: Psalm 23:5

Rev. Boliver Allmon III - Scripture: Jude 4 Text: Jude 4

LaGrave Live LIVE Morning Worship Service 02-15-2026 The Word in the Windows: The Transfiguration About The concert: We conclude our sermon series on the windows. Pastor Jonker will preach on the story of the Transfiguration as found in Matthew 17:1-13. Can you find that story in the windows? Order of Worship: https://lagrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-2-15-AM-Order-of-Worship.pdf About the Church: We are a traditional CRC church in the middle of Downtown Grand Rapids, MI, worshipping at 8:40am, 11:00am, and 6:00pm. (10:00am and 6:00pm during the summer months) We'd love to hear from you: Connection: https://www.lagrave.org/contact Let us pray for you: Prayer: https://www.lagrave.org/prayerrequest/ Giving: https://www.elexiogiving.com/App/Giving/lagr107178 The February special offering is for The Bridge. The Bridge is part of Arbor Circle, which offers emergency shelter for youths, and additional counseling for youths and their families. Listen on the go: Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/LGPodAmazonMusic Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3tuOdwQ Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/LGPodGoogle Soundcloud: / lagravecrc https://soundcloud.com/lagravecrc Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3yXDFaT Follow us! Facebook: / lagravecrc https://www.facebook.com/lagravecrc Instagram: / lagravecrc https://www.instagram.com/lagravecrc Website: https://www.lagrave.org #LaGrave #LaGraveCRC The Word in the Windows: The Transfiguration The Word in the Windows: The Transfiguration LaGrave Live Service Summary • Feb 15, 2026 • Finding strength between the mountain and the valley. Editorial Mode Theological Core The Dual Revelation of Christ The Transfiguration provides two distinct forms of sustenance for the "exhausted disciple" facing the uncertainties of faith and life: 1. Divine Glory (The Blue Halo)Jesus as the fulfillment of Law (Moses) and Prophets (Elijah). He is the authoritative "Word made flesh" who sustains us through his absolute sovereignty. 2. The Human Touch (The Gentle Hand)The transition from blinding light to a simple touch on the shoulder. "Get up. Don't be afraid." The power of God accompanies us back into the "valley" of daily struggle. "The church is not an escape; it is salvation. We lift our faces to the mountain to find courage for the valley full of broken glass." Symbolism & Context Stained Glass Analysis Blue Halo: Represents divinity and eternal glory (vs. Red for sacrifice). Moses' Horns: A historical art tradition (lightning bolts) signifying the radiance of God. The Scroll & Tablets: The convergence of all scripture into the person of Jesus. Children's Message The boy who grew too big to fit through doors (Pride) vs. finding joy in passing the ball (Humility). Key Keywords #Matthew17 #Transfiguration #Epiphany #MountSinai #Humility Reading Time: ~12 min read • Focus: Spiritual Growth & Theology LaGrave Avenue CRC This document summarizes the worship service held at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, focusing on the biblical narrative of the Transfiguration. The service explores the dual nature of Christ's divinity and his personal care, providing spiritual sustenance for those exhausted by life's journeys. Community Worship and Liturgical Practice The service opened with a warm welcome to both physical and online attendees, emphasizing the inclusive nature of the congregation. The liturgy moved through a formal Call to Confession based on Matthew 7, warning against "false prophets" and emphasizing the need for "good fruit" in the life of a believer. This was followed by a communal prayer of confession and a declaration of forgiveness rooted in Hebrews 1, affirming Christ as the radiance of God's glory and the sustainer of all things. Lessons on Humility and Pride During the children's message, a narrative was shared regarding the dangers of vanity and the virtue of humility. Through the story of a boy who physically grew larger with every boast—eventually becoming too big to fit into his school or car—the speaker illustrated how bragging isolates individuals. The lesson concluded that by serving others, celebrating their successes, and practicing kindness, one finds true happiness and community belonging. The Dual Revelation of the Transfiguration Divine Glory (The Blue Halo) Reveals Jesus as the Eternal Word and fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and Prophets (Elijah). Human Touch (The Gentle Hand) The personal comfort of Jesus saying "Get up, don't be afraid," accompanying believers into the valley. Sermon: The Glory and the Touch The sermon focused on Matthew 17:1-8 and the specific depiction of the Transfiguration in the church's stained-glass windows. The preacher noted that while most halos in the church are red (signifying servanthood and sacrifice), the Transfiguration halo is blue, symbolizing Christ's divine glory. The event is described as a "magnifying glass" where the weight of the Old Testament—represented by Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets)—is condensed into the person of Jesus. The message highlighted two specific gifts Jesus gave his exhausted disciples on the mountain: A Vision of Glory: A reminder of his divine authority that sustained the disciples, such as Peter and John, throughout their later ministries. A Gentle Touch: After the terrifying display of power, Jesus touched his disciples and told them not to be afraid, demonstrating that his immense power is coupled with intimate care. Congregational Intercessions The church engaged in extensive prayer for global and local concerns. Petitions were made for peace in conflict zones including Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar. Locally, the congregation remembered members facing significant health challenges, those in hospice care, and families grieving recent losses. The prayer also highlighted the church's mission work, specifically mentioning support for pastoral training in Kyrgyzstan. Symbolism in the "Word in the Windows"

Can a woman receive semicha and give halachic guidance? Does the historical precedent against it prohibit change? Does is violate our Mesorah? Is the Israeli Supreme Court's push for women's Rabbanut Semicha a religious goal or part of a broader feminist push? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job with Rabbi Yonah Reiss – Av Beis Din of the CRC – 11:17 with Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer, Esq. – kashrus professional and Chairman of the Rabbinic Circle at Coalition for Jewish Values – 39:53 with Rebbitzen Miriam Kosman – lecturer for Nefesh Yehudi, Author of "Circle, Arrow, Spiral: Exploring Gender in Judaism" – 54:33 with Mrs. Michal Horowitz – lecturer and teacher, author of “Abled: Living with a Disability, a Torah View” – 1:16:24 Conclusions and takeaways – 1:29:55 מראי מקומות   

Join Our FREE Start Repairing Credit Challenge: http://startrepairingcredit.com/What if I told you the exact system that helped nearly 100 credit repair millionaires used to cost $20,000… but now you can get it for free? In this episode, I break down the CRC Marketing Hub, the all-in-one tool that handles funnels, follow-ups, client communications, scheduling, reviews, and more. Everything is built for credit repair businesses, works automatically, and replaces the messy and expensive per-month tech stacks most businesses are stuck with. I reveal the top 10 features that have the biggest impact on growing your business and that you can start using today for free. Tune in! Get More Clients with CRC's FREE Marketing Hub: https://www.creditrepaircloud.com/marketing-hubKey Takeaways:00:00 Intro 02:31 Automation is the Key to Growth 03:45 Pre-Written Email and SMS Nurture Sequences 06:57 Clients Book Their Own Meetings 08:13 AI Chat Agents That Respond Instantly 10:17 One Unified Inbox for All Communication12:42 Automated Client Onboarding and Communication 15:33 Automated Reviews and Reputation Growth17:33 Full Funnels That Automatically Follow Up19:17 It Replaces Expensive Tech Stacks 20:46 Funnels and Landing Pages Without Developers 22:34 It's FREE 24:28 OutroAdditional Resources:Get a free trial to Credit Repair CloudGet my free credit repair trainingMILLIONAIRES Club: Amber Jones - From PRO Basketball to a Credit Repair PRO | How to Make a $MILLIONMake sure to subscribe so you stay up to date with our latest episodes.

Association of alcohol intake over the lifetime with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial Cancer This study analyzed data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial to look for an association between alcohol intake and colorectal cancer (CRC) or colorectal adenoma. Participants' lifetime pattern of alcohol intake was determined from a dietary history recorded as part of the PLCO trial. Current drinkers with a lifetime average of over 14 drinks per week had a higher CRC risk than those with under 1 drink per week (HR 1.25, p = .003) and an even higher risk of rectal cancer (HR 1.95). There was no consistent association between alcohol intake and colorectal adenoma risk, however results suggested that former drinkers may have a reduced risk of adenoma. They discussed potential mechanisms such as acetaldehyde, a known carcinogen and product of alcohol metabolism, and effects of alcohol on gut microbiome. They conclude that heavy alcohol intake increases CRC risk and that alcohol cessation may lower adenoma risk.   Read this issue of the ASAM Weekly Subscribe to the ASAM Weekly Visit ASAM

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Matthew 63-65; Mark 2:5-7; Luke 24:51-52; John 1:1-3; 8:58; 20:28; Text: Matthew 63-65; Mark 2:5-7; Luke 24:51-52; John 1:1-3; 8:58; 20:28;

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Luke 18:9-14; 1 Cor. 1:26-29; James 4:6;1 Pet. 5:5-7; Pro. 8:13; 16:18; Eph. 2:8-9 Text: Luke 18:9-14; 1 Cor. 1:26-29; James 4:6;1 Pet. 5:5-7; Pro. 8:13; 16:18; Eph. 2:8-9

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Hugh Kolias, Co-Founder and CEO of Canada Rocket Company, right as the company exits stealth with a $6.2M all-Canadian seed round backed by Ripple Ventures, BDC, Garage Capital, and others. Hugh breaks down the real mission: give Canada sovereign, medium-lift launch capability, so we're not dependent on foreign nations to put critical satellites into orbit, while still building a business that can win globally.They get into the “hard part” behind the headline: pulling top-tier aerospace talent back home (including veterans from SpaceX), choosing a propulsion strategy that stays competitive by the time the rocket actually reaches orbit, and building a Canadian supply chain without over-verticalizing too early. If you care about dual-use tech, defense tailwinds, or what it actually takes to go from “deck” to “orbit,” this one's a blueprint.From Calgary to PropTech Exit to Rockets (02:13)* Hugh's path: mechanical engineering, a detour into finance, then building and selling a PropTech SaaS business.* Why deep tech finally felt “doable” in Canada: shifting market appetite + policy momentum.Repatriating Talent and Building a Team That Can Actually Ship (07:01)* How Hugh discovered just how many Canadians were already working across elite aerospace teams.* The pitch that works: Canada's stability + genuinely hard problems + a rare “clean sheet” chance.The SpaceX Co-Founder Moment (09:38)* How Hugh recruited his co-founder David, a former SpaceX engineer who helped optimize Falcon 9.* Why “paper to orbit” is the kind of challenge that pulls experienced builders in fast.The Medium-Lift Strategy and Why Small Launch Fell Off (12:20)* CRC's focus: ~6,000 kg to LEO (the market gap between small launch and heavy lift).* The key market shift: satellites didn't keep shrinking once launch costs dropped, so demand moved upmass.Methalox, Reusability, and Not Building a Rocket That's Obsolete on Arrival (15:51)* Why CRC is betting on Methalox vs Kerolox: reusability economics and less refurbishment burden.* Their cycle choice: keep it simpler early (open-cycle gas gen) and iterate toward more advanced designs later.Supply Chain, Partnerships, and Making It Actually Canadian (19:23)* Why CRC prioritizes partnerships early instead of trying to vertically integrate everything on day one.* Designing to match Canada's industrial strengths (ex: metals/welding realities vs composites constraints).Government Tailwinds: Defense, Sovereignty, and Capital Unlock (23:47)* How rising defense focus and sovereign launch priorities change the startup math for deep tech.* The bigger point: the “space multiplier” effect and why governments care (jobs, manufacturing, spillovers).Timeline to Orbit and the Hiring Wave (34:01)* Benchmarks Hugh cites: ~4 years and ~$160M (inflation-adjusted) to reach orbit for top performers.* Scale expectations: ~150 people for light lift to orbit, then 500–1,000 for medium lift + manufacturing.About Hugh KoliasCo-Founder and CEO, Canada Rocket CompanyHugh Kolias is a Canadian founder who previously built and sold a PropTech SaaS company before returning to his original obsession: space. Now he's leading CRC's mission to build a globally competitive, Canadian sovereign launch capability, while repatriating elite aerospace talent and aligning rocket design with real-world economics, policy tailwinds, and Canada's industrial base.Connect with Hugh Kolias on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-kolias-71a402b0/?originalSubdomain=caVisit the Canada Rocket Company website: https://www.canadarocketcompany.com/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

It's January, which means it's time for our annual team conversation — just Jason, Willy, and Dan talking about where we are, where the CRC is, and where we think things need to go.                                                                                      After life updates (Dan's upcoming sabbatical, Willy's new pastor in Pease, Jason's transition into school ministry), we dive into an honest assessment of the denomination's current state. Willy frames it well: the CRC has spent the last few years establishing what we're against, but now we're struggling to articulate what we actually stand for. That's the opposite of how our confessions work — they lead with affirmations, then denials. We've done it backwards.                                                                    The result? An unsettling quietness across the denomination. People are asking "now what?" and nobody has a clear answer. We talk about the temptation to start another fight just to rally the troops — and why that's exactly the wrong move. This is the rebuilding   phase. And rebuilding starts with identity.        Timestamps:                                                                                                                            - 0:00 — Intro                                                                                                                         - 2:47 — Dan's update: sabbatical, candidacy gathering, Quorum Deo Conference - 4:46 — Willy's update: new pastor at Pease, COD work, biennial synods, RCA dialogue committee                             - 7:13 — Jason's update: school ministry, teaching systematic theology, grieving Greg Zonnefeld          - 10:03 — The state of the CRC post-Synod 2025 - 11:04 — "We've established what we're against — now what do we stand for?"     - 14:09 — The Eugene Peterson story: what happens after you "win"  - 17:35 — Classis renewal and organizational challenges - 21:01 — The CRC's lack of vision                                                                                                     - 22:07 — Local church leadership vs. looking to denominational HQ     - 24:27 — How classes can share gifts and work together     - 31:24 — "What we're doing isn't working"     Join and support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/                                                                      Check out the Abide Project: https://www.abideproject.org                                                                             Intro music by Matt Krotzer

We have discussed party planners in the past, but this week we focus on another angle. Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach - Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc gives us the mashgiach's perspective of giving a hechsher to an event that is being run by a party planner, and the complexities it entails.View it in its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/the-party-planner-puzzleJoin the Let's Talk Kashrus WhatsApp Community for educational content and kashrus updates https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hk3SHVsBfELEgJet4ZNYDR

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: John 1:1-3 Text: John 1:1-3

Pastor John Bothof - Scripture: Colossians 3:1-10; Romans 8:11-14 Text: Colossians 3:1-10; Romans 8:11-14

30 Jan 2026. New influencer rules come into force tomorrow (January 31) and they could change how the entire advertising industry operates. Georgia Tolley has been finding out what it means for creators and brands. Plus, Big Tech earnings are in - Apple, Meta, Microsoft and Tesla give fresh signals on AI and profits. And with major expansion plans announced across DIFC, DSO and D3, CRC’s Ben Bargh and Dubai Holding Real Estate unpack what it means for Dubai’s office market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CHICAGO, IL - The United States may be FREEZING in many cities, but Major League Rugby 2026 is heating up. And while no MLR city is colder than Chi-Town, the hometown Hounds hope to be hotter than Hades out of the gate. With that, featured guest and new Chicago GM Will Magie (how's that pronounced?) talks with Matt McCarthy on this MLR Weekly episode about the team, the city, their home game in Nashville, working in/with the community, his playing career, PRO Rugby USA, the Denver Stampede and the pathway to his new gig. WHAT'S INSIDE AND WHEN: 1:03: Rugby Morning's Coffee Break with John Fitzpatrick ☕️ •

The senior living world is growing fast, but the risk profile is changing even faster. We dig into what happens when higher acuity residents stay longer in assisted living, how staffing shortages and inflation strain operations, and why verdicts are getting bigger and tougher to defend. Alongside partners from Future Care RRG, we unpack the friction between occupancy goals and clinical capability, and we explain how those pressures ripple through underwriting, pricing, and coverage structures.You'll hear straight talk on the claims that keep operators up at night and why documentation discipline can be the difference between a defensible file and a six-figure problem. We explain the current capacity landscape, tackle ownership dynamics, including the extra scrutiny on private equity platforms, acquisitions of distressed facilities, and the need to present clear improvement plans to underwriters.If you place, operate, or insure senior living and long-term care, this conversation offers a candid map through a market defined by growth, complexity, and rising stakes. Make sure you reach out to your CRC specialty producer for assistance with your senior living account placements. Visit REDYIndex.com for critical pricing analysis and a snapshot of the marketplace. Do you want to take your career to the next level? Join #TeamCRC to get access to best-in-class tools, data, exclusive programs, and more! Send your resume to resumes@crcgroup.com today!

Join and Support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/  Check out the Abide Project:  https://www.abideproject.org We love the Christian Reformed Church; we want to see reformation in our denomination; and we recognize that reformation is typically messy. So, we're having conversations with pastors throughout the CRC about what reformation might look like. Intro Music by Matt Krotzer 

What was your biggest Takeaway from this Episode! I would Love to hear from you!In this powerful Part 1 conversation, Empowering Women in Conversations host Anita Sandoval, LPC, is joined by Gladys A. Cortez, MS, LPC-S, RPT, CRC, TF-CBT, EMDR-Trained, to explore the hidden cost of people-pleasing in parenting — especially when advocating for neurodivergent children within school systems.Many parents stay quiet in IEP, ARD, and 504 meetings because they don't want to be labeled “difficult,” “emotional,” or “that parent.” But what happens when silence costs a child the support they are legally entitled to?In this episode, Anita and Gladys unpack how people-pleasing shows up in advocacy, why guilt and fear keep parents silent, and how education — not confrontation — is the foundation of effective advocacy. This conversation centers on shifting from emotional reactivity to informed, values-based advocacy that protects children and empowers families.This episode is especially for:Parents navigating IEP, ARD, or 504 meetingsPeople-pleasers who struggle to speak up in systems of authorityFamilies raising neurodivergent childrenParents wanting to model healthy self-advocacy for their children✨ In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why people-pleasing can unintentionally harm childrenThe difference between emotional reactivity and effective advocacyHow guilt, fear, and social conditioning silence parentsWhy advocacy is rooted in education, not confrontationHow knowing your rights changes the power dynamic in school systemsWhy advocacy is about long-term impact — not short-term comfort

Pastor John Bothof - Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:1-6 Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-6

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Text: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo unpack Prime Minister Mark Carney's China agreement and his Davos speech, calling out the collapse of the rules-based international order and pushing “middle powers” to coordinate against coercion. John and Matt agree the speech was sharp, but they hammer the real issue: Canada has to build leverage at home (resources, infrastructure, internal trade, and actual execution) or “diversifying” becomes a vibes-only strategy.The conversation then pivots to Trump's Greenland framework, rare earth realities, and why the real choke point is processing, not just “owning minerals.” Finally, they switch lanes into markets, covering the biggest anticipated IPOs of 2026 (SpaceX, OpenAI, Databricks, Stripe, Revolut, Canva), why liquidity could snap back for LPs, and why SPACs are creeping back as a funding path for deep tech, including General Fusion's SPAC and the emergence of the Canadian Rocket Company as Canada tries to repatriate space talent.Canada–China trade reset and what it actually means (02:13)Matt tees up the January 16 China agreement and the idea of trade diversification under U.S. tariff uncertainty. John frames it as a fix for specific trade pain (not a full political pivot) and warns against treating China as a “safe alternative.”Davos speech: “truth bombs” vs real-world action (04:11)They break down Carney's Davos message on coercion, great power tactics, and middle-power coalitions. John calls it “spectacular,” but both stress the gap between rhetoric and measurable outcomes.Canada's leverage problem: “build Canada first” (06:39)John argues Canada can't diversify trade if it has nothing competitive and scalable to trade. The conversation turns into a blunt call for domestic execution: resources, pipelines, and the hard stuff that moves GDP.Matt's frustration: Why no national address to Canadians? (08:06)Matt goes off on the lack of direct, plainspoken communication to Canadians about what has to change, what's coming, and what tradeoffs might be required.Trump and Greenland: Bond markets, politics, and power (12:32)John calls Trump's posture performative and points to constraints that actually matter, including internal GOP pressure and market reactions (he highlights the bond market as the real “adult in the room”).Top anticipated IPOs of 2026: the mega list (19:12)They run through what's being floated as the monster class of potential offerings: SpaceX, OpenAI, Databricks, Stripe, Revolut, Canva (and more speculation). The bigger point: it's not number of IPOs, it's dollar value and liquidity unlock.Canada's space bets: Canadian Rocket Company emerges (21:15)Matt shares CRC's emergence from stealth with $6.2M funding (all Canadian investors including BDC and Garage). Focus: repatriating SpaceX/Blue Origin talent and pushing Canada deeper into the space industrial base.Connect with John Ruffolo on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joruffoloConnect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

Imagine if tomorrow your city decided to close your business, and before you could even start a conversation, it was too late. It was already written into the law.  Right now, our industry is being talked about without us in the room. Decisions about balloons are being made by people who don't understand how professional balloon artists actually work, the care we take, the standards we follow, or the businesses and families that depend on this industry.  The Coalition for Responsible Celebrations is trying to make sure that we have a place in that room and that we stay informed about the discussions taking place without us.  This month's presenting sponsor is Balloon Coach, and one of the many ways Joette supports our industry is by advocating for the CRC so that none of our businesses are impacted by hasty legislation.  This interview took place in person at the 2025 International Balloon Convention, where Joette attended to advocate for the CRC. I hope you'll consider becoming a member so you can be part of these conversations, too.  In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's tip for finishing up her stuffed balloons.   Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Presenting sponsor: Balloon Coach Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit  Other sponsors & resources: Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) Courtney Lynette Creative Co. (mention the podcast for $100 off!)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)  DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline! 2026 Bright Balloon Planner  CoalitionForResponsibleCelebration.org - - - - On the Bright Side (Apple) On the Bright Side (Patreon) 50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Join and Support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/  Check out the Abide Project:  https://www.abideproject.org We love the Christian Reformed Church; we want to see reformation in our denomination; and we recognize that reformation is typically messy. So, we're having conversations with pastors throughout the CRC about what reformation might look like. Intro Music by Matt Krotzer 

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 4:1-2 Text: Ephesians 4:1-16; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 4:1-2

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: John 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 11:17-19; Gal. 1:6-9; Acts 15 Text: John 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 11:17-19; Gal. 1:6-9; Acts 15

What if the words we speak to ourselves and others influence our lives more than we realize? Would you change the language you use? Tune in for an inspiring conversation with Judy Goodman, CPC, CSRC, CRC as we explore the power of our words and how conscious language can heal, connect, and transform our lives. Moments with Marianne Radio Show airs in the Southern California area on KMET 1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio Affiliate! Listen live at: https://www.kmet1490am.com/Internationally recognized, Judy Goodman may possibly be one of the most gifted teachers, and motivational speakers today.  She is an Author, Certified Professional Coach, Certified Relationship Counselor, Addiction Recovery Coach, Motivational Speaker, works in Grief Support, and is a Hypnotherapist.  Her award-winning audiobook, Journey… the Quest of the Soul,  has been downloaded in 23 countries.  She was born with a gift of seeing beyond the ordinary view of most people; Judy works and teaches 'beyond conventional wisdom.' Her access to the workings of the physical world and 'the other side' is absolutely amazing. She works and teaches without the limits usually associated with the most talented.  A 'go-to person' for many people!   She may be without peer in her experience of the events and workings of the physical and spiritual realms. This extraordinary combination of gifts is very unique.  https://judygoodman.com/For more show information visit: https://www.mariannepestana.com/

Featuring an interview with Dr Scott Kopetz, including the following topics:  Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-guided adjuvant chemotherapy de-escalation in the treatment of Stage III colon cancer from the ctDNA-negative cohort of the DYNAMIC-III trial (0:00) Prognostic and predictive role of ctDNA in the management of Stage III colon cancer treated with celecoxib: Findings from the CALGB (Alliance)/SWOG 80702 trial (8:01) Phase III ALTAIR study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil to placebo for patients with molecular residual disease after curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC); a methylation-based, tissue-free ctDNA test (12:51) ctDNA with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient/microsatellite instability-high solid tumors; real-world evidence regarding ctDNA with resected CRC (17:31) CME information and select publications

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-16 Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-16

Rev. John Bothof - Scripture: Psalm 72 Text: Psalm 72

Is it possible to determine that an abuser is no longer a risk? What's the success rate of treating serious abusers? Why do community leaders sometimes advocate for the early release of an abuser? How does halacha view cases where a Jewish prisoner receives a disproportionate sentence? Should the community celebrate someone's release from prison? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job with Dr. Gavriel Fagin – Director of Tikunim Counseling Services – 14:49 with Rabbi Yonah Reiss – Av Beis Din of the CRC – 50:20 with Rabbi Chaim Aryeh Zev Ginzberg – Rav of the Chofetz Chaim Torah Center, Cedarhurst NY – 1:17:47 with Mrs. Nicole Meyer – advocate against abuse – 1:50:14 Conclusions and takeaways – 2:09:07 מראי מקומות   

Featuring an interview with Dr Scott Kopetz, including the following topics: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based molecular residual disease (MRD) and survival among patients with resectable colorectal cancer (CRC) in the CIRCULATE-Japan GALAXY trial (0:00) ctDNA for detection of MRD in patients with CRC in the BESPOKE CRC and INTERCEPT trials (3:11) Clinical utility of including ctDNA monitoring in standard CRC surveillance (11:11) ctDNA analysis guiding adjuvant therapy for CRC in the DYNAMIC and CIRCULATE-North America trials (15:52) CME information and select publications

When Out Of TownWhen traveling to small towns that have local hechsherim, how does one go about finding out if they can rely on that hechsher? Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach - Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc, gives us some guidance on this topic.View it in its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/food-for-thoughtJoin the Let's Talk Kashrus WhatsApp Community for educational content and kashrus updates https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hk3SHVsBfELEgJet4ZNYDR

What happens when a VR agency stops leading with compliance—and starts leading with trust? In this episode of Manager Minute, Carol Pankow sits down with Lea Dias, Director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, to talk about rebuilding an agency from the inside out. Facing high vacancies, low morale, and years of monitoring pressure, Lea chose a different path—one grounded in listening, kindness, and belief in her people. The result? ✔ Renewed staff engagement ✔ Stronger community partnerships ✔ Improved employment outcomes ✔ A culture moving from survival to purpose This is a powerful reminder that real change doesn't start with spreadsheets—it starts with people.   Listen Here   Full Transcript   Lea: I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level, thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. People talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part rapid and ongoing engagement. If you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   {Music} Intro Voice: Manager Minute, brought to you by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center. Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host, Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today is Lea Dias, director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Lea recently participated in a panel at the fall CSAVR Conference, sharing Hawaii's journey to improving employment outcomes and what she calls their secret sauce. So how are things going in Hawaii?   Lea: Oh gosh, a lot better now that the shutdown is over. And we got a couple of our grants came through recently. And so that's all good. I think a lot of people think, oh, Hawaii, it's Paradise, right?   Carol: Yes.   Lea: But we have the same sort of issues I think, that many other agencies do. But things are getting better in Hawaii. I'll say that.   Carol: That is awesome to hear. It's so good to see you again. Oh my gosh.   Lea: you too.   Carol: So for years, Hawaii has faced real challenges, including declining employment outcomes, significant work tied to addressing findings from an RSA monitoring report. In fact, you all were monitored the same year I was when I was still with Minnesota Blind back in 2019. And so I remember having a bond with you guys.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Because we were all going through it together.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Now, I know when you stepped into the director role following the former director's retirement, you really brought this stabilizing, steady calmness that the agency really needed. And under your leadership, the team is rebuilding momentum, strengthening systems and really seeing some meaningful progress in the work being done across the islands. So today we're just going to explore that journey. What's changed, what's working and what other states can learn from your experience. So let's dig in.   Lea: Okay.   Carol: Can you start by sharing your journey with Hawaii VR and what led you into the director role?   Lea: Sure, Carol. Well, first of all, aloha, and thank you for having me. I have been with Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we're a combined agency, by the way, for over 30 years. And I started off about 34 years ago as an entry level VR counselor at the general site of our agency. And then in 2000, I moved over to become the supervisor of field services at our Ho'opono, which is our services for the blind branch. And Then I stayed there for a while. I then assumed the role of director of our New Visions Structured Discovery Orientation Center, and eventually I became the administrator of Blind Services, and I was honored to serve in that role until about July of 2023. So the majority of my career so far was spent at home. And I learned so much there, you know, working for a blind agency beyond what I got from my master's degree and all that. I learned so much about consumer empowerment. And, you know, the real dramatic changes that vocational rehabilitation can make in people's lives. So anyway, when the former Hawaii VR administrator left pretty abruptly, our agency was in a tough place. We had a vacancy rate of over 40%, I want to say close to 45% and rising low morale. We had that heavy corrective action plan you talked about from RSA and many staff were feeling really overwhelmed. So initially I stepped in as a temporary assignment just because I care so much about our agency. I love this profession. I care about the people we serve, and I wanted to do what I could to help stabilize and restore hope. And also, I had several staff approach me and ask me to do it, and that meant a lot to me. So I decided to apply after that. And I've been official in this job just a little over two and a half years, since July 2023.   Carol: That has gone really quickly.   Lea: Yes it has.   Carol: Well, and when you said bringing kind of that stabilizing calmness, everybody talks about that. You've been credited with doing that. How did you approach leading through that uncertainty and kind of rebuilding trust.   Lea: Oh gosh. Well, thank you for the compliment. But when I stepped in we were struggling across the board. And I know because I was part of that. Right. Coming from within the agency, we had declining successful employment outcomes way down. And a lot of the outcomes we had, they weren't really careers. In many cases, we had something like 77% of eligible participants leaving us before they even got to the point of IPE.   Carol: Wow!   Lea: Which is really atrocious. Super high vacancies. And because of those super high vacancies, we had counselors having to cover other counselors caseloads. So people were really burned out, overwhelmed. And because we had been working since 2019 to resolve that corrective action plan with RSA, and we had been so focused on that, staff were, I think, drowning in compliance tasks. And not that compliance isn't important because it is, of course, but there was a lot of blaming and overcorrecting in my opinion, and I think the human side of VR had been kind of pushed aside. When I was preparing for my speech for CSAVR, I kind of asked the line staff, I told them what I was going to be doing and asked them what they thought. And one counselor really summed up for me how it was by saying, just quote, we were all just Surviving.   Carol: Oh.   Lea: That's kind of pretty much where it was.   Carol: That's quite a statement.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: it really is. And I know I worked with your team too throughout that.   Lea: Mhm.   Carol: You know, when we were trying to work on getting corrective actions done and just kind of redoing policies over and over and fifth iteration, sixth iteration.   Lea: Right.   Carol: Oh my gosh. It was.   Lea: Right.   Carol: It was a lot. And you lose that sense of, you know, you lose the sense of the people and the reason you're all there. I can completely understand that being in the midst of that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I know at CSAVR the whole panel was talking about the secret sauce. What do you think has been the biggest impact so far for your agency?   Lea: Well, I focused on listening first and staff told me they felt hurt and they had felt mistrusted and they had felt disrespected. They talked about too many barriers to getting their work done. And, you know, I believed them because like I said, I know.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: So I developed a pretty tight group of folks on my leadership team up here who I knew I could trust really implicitly to help me, you know, listen to people struggle with and overcome these barriers for our staff and our consumers. And this tight group of people, they shared my vision for the agency and my philosophy of the purpose of this great program called vocational rehabilitation. So we opened up leadership meetings. I decided to bring in frontline supervisors rather than just the people in the quote unquote, ivory tower, and line staff at all levels into our conversations. I really emphasize transparency and consistency and kindness and respect for ourselves. I demanded it to each other and to our consumers, because I really had to rebuild safety and rebuild trust. In the beginning because of the way our agency had been. When I would open up the floor, you know, for people to talk, it was crickets. People just didn't want to speak up. All of that to say, I think there's really to me and I think I said this at CSAVR, I don't think there's really a secret sauce, to be honest. We've made many improvements, but we still have a long way to go, particularly with our data collection and data analysis and reporting are performance measures. Still need a lot of work and my staff and I are learning together. I guess you could say our secret sauce is trust plus autonomy, plus removing barriers and trying to find a way to yes for our consumers and for our staff.   There's lots of little examples, you know, based on feedback that we got from our staff, we started allowing counselors to close their own cases. They weren't allowed to do that, as a result of the reaction to the corrective action plan. I would say we eliminated some things that were outdated or unnecessary, like some financial needs testing language. I stopped the communicating via solely via memo. All communication via memo. Training via memo. I mean, that kind of stuff just doesn't work. It's a good backup, but you can't rely on just written stuff.   Carol: No.   Lea: I cut out what I saw as unnecessary multi-layers of approvals for things as simple as a payment for a service to a consumer would have to come all the way up to the administrator's level if it was, I think, over $2,500. And I was like, this is ridiculous. We really started making a culture shift, I think, from compliance first to people first from distrust, mistrust, and I would say custodialism to communicating my belief, you know, in the skills and judgment of our people tried to make it a less intimidating environment where people could speak their truths and make suggestions for improvements because, you know, like I mentioned, I'm a leader, but I'm also a leader who in a lot of ways has been where they've been. And I know the power of what we can achieve when we all work together and I really believe all those things. I think all those little examples and more have really helped to make a difference.   Carol: I love that because you can always sense your authenticity. Always. I remember meeting you way back, you know, with NCSAB, and we would do work together on committees and all of that good stuff. And it's like, oh my gosh, I always just thought you were amazing because you truly, you walk the talk that you say and people believe you, you know, you're believable. And I think that trust you've put in your people. I could see a difference when we were out there, even last year as a TA center and came for a visit, there was just a whole different sense with that whole group. It was really nice to see. I can just tell. I mean, I can tell from the outside, having seen you all before in meetings where, you know, things were it just felt more chaotic and people didn't feel free to speak. And now you can just see everybody's faces. I mean, it was just their whole affect was so much better.   Lea: Oh, thank you. Thank you for your kindness. That makes me so happy to hear that. I see it, too. But it, I'm always questioning. Is it enough? Am I doing enough? There's still so much to do. But you gotta start somewhere.   Carol: Well, you have to start somewhere.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I think you've done an incredible job with that.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol:  What do you feel like? Maybe. What progress are you most proud of? Or. And what maybe lessons would help other agencies because other people are going through this. You are not the only one in the entire, you know, system here. It is all over the country.   Lea: Yeah. Well, I mean, closing out that corrective action plan was a huge milestone. Very proud of that, especially after so many years. So it took from 2019 till just earlier this year, 2025 for us to finally, you know, get out from under that so that we can focus on other things. But we didn't do it alone. You know, like you mentioned, Doctor Chaz Compton, Chaz and you and the entire VRTAC QM team were really instrumental in helping us get there, and you guys really walked alongside us with empathy and clarity and unwavering support. Even with the time difference and, you know, being an ocean away. I mean, you guys were always there. And, you know, after I assumed this role, you know, Doctor Compton visited us twice so far for in-person, all staff meetings. So I brought in all staff, not just counselors, not just rehab teachers, everybody on staff for in-person sessions. Zoom is great for a lot of things, but sometimes you need everyone there in person for kind of a call to action, you know what I mean?   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Anyway, those sessions that we had together with Chaz were, I think, really helped us along in this transformation. His ability to connect with staff and reframe challenges helped us ignite what we're calling our Reimagine and Renew initiative. I also want to acknowledge you, Carol, you know, your leadership at the VRTAC QM and the way, you know, you mentioned you and your team guided our agency and you helped us see this journey not as a series of failures, which is how we felt, but really an opportunity more so for growth and renewal. So what am I most proud of? I am most proud when I see our line staff coming up with these fantastic suggestions and being willing to talk to me about it, and then acting on those where we can and making those changes.   I am proud that I see in so many of them, their passion reigniting. I'm proud that many of them don't just see this as a drudgery, kind of 9 to 5 case manager job sitting in front of a computer all day. They're out in the community a lot more now, engaging with consumers, engaging with other agency partners. And when I say engaging with consumers, things like evenings and weekends, graduations, award ceremonies, things like that might seem like a small thing to some, but I know those consumers remember and they appreciate that and their families. I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. I see a lot less finger pointing in both directions, because I know when I was on the line, I'd be like those people in administration and administration, people going, are those people on the line? They don't. I see a lot less of a lot less of that. And I'm really pleased that a lot of our partners in the community are ready to talk to us again. I think a lot of those relationships, for various reasons, had been pretty badly damaged, and that's actually been a big part of my job, too, is rebuilding those relationships. So I would say the biggest lesson for other states is this you can't transform an agency just through compliance tasks alone. You need trusted partners, you need honest conversations, and you really need a willingness to go to the mat to rebuild your agency culture, like from the inside out.   Carol: That is really good advice.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I always think in this role it takes a village. Like when you were talking about assistance from the QM. And I know when we come alongside any state agency, we always refer to it like we. We always feel like we're part of you.   Lea: You are.   Carol: You know, even in the when we're meeting with staff and staff, it's like, okay, this is what we're going to do next, or...   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: ...let's work on this. And we always feel like we just become another we're another staff like in the group to help facilitate whatever getting done. And so.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: That has been so fun and really fun to see. Like your people embracing all of it. You just see such a difference. It really is pretty incredible.   Lea: Yeah. And I want to be really clear. It's not about me. It's not. It's the village. It's everybody together that is making progress. And I think things are looking up.   Carol: But you did make it possible because you open the space and it takes time. Like you said, people at first weren't really willing to talk because there'd been a long time where you couldn't talk about it.   Lea: Yeah, yeah.   Carol: You know, you couldn't bring things up. I remember the whole finger pointing back and forth all the time. People were like, oh, people in Central office. They don't know what's going on out here.   Lea: Yeah, yeah. And it still happens sometimes, you know, I get it, but not, not as much as before.   Carol: Not like before, No, but it takes that. And that took you really coming in and opening up the space. And it's a time factor. Like look at you've been doing it over two years now. Probably another lesson would be it doesn't go quick. Like it takes time to do this and repairing relationships.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: That's a time factor. They've got to trust you and over and over see what you're doing.   Lea: Yeah. And this is probably bad advice, but forget the work life balance thing. For me, it's like I'm at home thinking about this stuff. Like, what can I do? You know what I mean?   Carol: I know I used to sleep, I'd sleep with a pad of paper by my bed, because I'd often wake up in the middle of the night and be like, I'd have an idea, and I'd write it down because I didn't want to lose it for the morning. And then I'd come in. I'd be like, I was thinking last night, and staff would be like, oh my God, you had your pad of paper by the bed?   Lea: Yep, I talked to Siri. Siri, take a note.   Carol: Yes!   Lea: yes.   Carol: Oh, that's so funny. What strategies do you think just a little bit on your, you know, the employment outcomes. And you've done better with those. Chaz was super jazzed about that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: What strategies do you think contributed most to those improvements you've had in your employment outcomes?   Lea: I've been thinking about this. I think our internal strategies, people talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part, rapid and ongoing engagement. Talking, you know, just like a broken record, talking with staff about that and the importance of that. And I'm seeing that happening more like I mentioned with those evenings, weekends being out in the field.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Streamlining processes, as I mentioned, empowering our counselors and trusting them to do their jobs. I think those were all essential. But and of course, the partnership and the help that we got from the TAC-QM, helping us look at our systems with fresh eyes and supporting us in building some sustainable, long term solutions so that external guidance also gave us confidence and helped accelerate our progress. So with all of those pieces kind of working together, some of our results have really improved dramatically. So you mentioned our successful closures. So between program year 23 and program year 24 our successful closures more than tripled. Okay.   Carol: Amazing.   Lea: The numbers are the numbers are small okay. Compared to like New York or something. But you know, in prog ram year 23 we had 30 closures. In program 24 we had 107.   Carol: That is awesome.   Lea: So yeah, I think that's pretty cool. I'm talking some of them are real careers, too, to real success story.   Carol: Oh, I love that.   Lea: That whole thing with the attrition before IPE has dropped really sharply. University of Hawaii at Manoa. They do a consumer satisfaction survey right for clients post closure, and we had the highest return rates ever and the highest levels of satisfaction ever, according to the university Hawaii, who's been doing these surveys for us. And then just some other stats to throw at you. But from program year 23 to 24, we saw our applications increase by 55%. That's applications for services. Determinations of eligibility increased by 59%, IPE development went up by 52%, and our vacancy rate for our staff has dropped to about 30 something percent. It's still high, but it's a lot lower than it was, and it's continuing to drop. And I've been able to fill some really key leadership positions where we had lost some very good people over those tumultuous years. So yeah, I hope I answered your question, but it's I think it's a lot of factors.   Carol: You did. It's been amazing though. And you look at that. I love that those kind of family sustaining wages, people in careers. That was always super important to me. I didn't want to just, you know, jobs and food, filth and flowers. Although people can do, you know, there are people that do want those jobs, but that isn't the only job that's out there.   Lea: Right. And that thinking long term.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: You know, Chaz did training with us too. I'm thinking long term, like nurse's aide.  Or have you thought about nurse? Let's see. What are the differences here.   Carol: right.   Lea: Yeah, I like that.   Carol: Chaz is great at that. Bring it all.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Oh my gosh. Good for you though. Look at I think that just shows the power of when staff are trusted and they're feeling really good about their work and they're you're all in alignment on the same mission. You can really make huge things happen and including impacting your vacancy rate for employees, because I know you were much higher. I mean, it felt like you were like at 50% or something. So to have it even down to 30 is better.   Lea: Yeah. I'm also looking at revising our CSPD requirements because they're super high right now. And of course, I believe in the master's degree and the CRC and all that, but I think there's some room for us to loosen that up just a bit, still be in line with federal regulations. But that's another thing that I've heard from staff.   Carol: Yeah, that's a good idea. And there's probably a lot of people we could connect you with. Other states have done something similar to...   Lea: Yes.   Carol: ...kind of create space and layers and ways for people to get in and all of that.   Lea: Yes. Now is a good time because of the Unified State Plan is coming.   Carol: Yes. Perfect timing.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Good pitch to make. It's like take advantage of that state plan. Time to make those changes.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: So what kind of advice would you have for other VR directors navigating tough challenges based on this experience? Do you have any other things you could offer your colleagues across the country? Because we got a lot of new people in, and there's a lot of really tough situations happening everywhere. You had quite a lot on your plate. So is there any other kind of things that could help them?   Lea: Gosh. Well, I would say start by listening. Trust your staff. They already know what the barriers are. Trust yourself. Listen to your consumers. Your consumer organizations encourage, expect, I should say, rapid and ongoing engagement with our consumers. Help them to dream big and to think long term. Find a way to say yes wherever possible. Give our consumers all the skills and confidence that they need to really achieve their life goals. Celebrate wins, even the small ones. Be a broken record if you have to. Keep your mission visible. And just remember, if you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   Carol: Really good advice.   Lea: Yeah, there's just no task too big when it's done together.   Carol: Oh, Lea, look at you go.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol: you made it all happen. Oh my God.!   Lea: Oh, stop it, I'm gonna cry.   Carol: Nah, you've been great. It's so fun to talk to you. I know chaz said at the conference people were crying when you had talked. There were so many people crying and coming up to you and really feeling so engaged and energized.   Lea: And I was surprised how many people came up because I thought our story was going to be like the worst in the whole, you know, all VR. And I had people coming up kind of, yeah, sharing that they had gone or they are going through a similar situation and, people, can I hug you?   Carol: Oh yeah.   Lea: And I was like, oh sure. You know. So no, I, I'm, I'm so humbled and honored that you even asked me to speak here because although I know we've made as a team some progress, we still have a way to go. But we're going to get there.   Carol: Yeah. See I just want other people to hear your message of hope and positivity, because I think we have a lot of directors feeling pretty, pretty sad right now. I'm pretty tough there in some pretty tough spots. And it you kind of you get that all internalized. I know from being a director too. Boy, it's hard to kind of pull out of all of that when you have just all of this piled on top of you, right? And it's hard to see sort of the light at the end of the tunnel. But your, your vision and just your whole message of really the hope and, and living into that mission and really the trust and all the things you've done, you've been doing the right things. And I think other people need to hear it. So I appreciate you doing this so much.   Lea: Oh, thank you so much again. Thank you.   Carol: Well, so I wish you much continued success. Thanks for your time. I hope you have a great day. Thank you.   Lea: Thank you, thank you.   {Music} Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time. One minute at a time. Brought to you by the VRTAC. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

Today's guests are Coral Fernandez, RN, CCDS, CCS, CDI auditor/educator at Baptist Health System, and Payal Sinha, MBA, RHIA, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS-O, CRCR, CRC, director of revenue integrity audit and education at Montefiore Medical Center. Our intro and outro music for the ACDIS Podcast is “medianoche” by Dee Yan-Kay and our ad music is “Take Me Higher” by Jahzzar, both obtained from the Free Music Archive. Have questions about today's show or ideas for a future episode? Contact the ACDIS team at info@acdis.org. Want to submit a question for a future "listener questions" episode? Fill out this brief form!  CEU info: Each ACDIS Podcast episode offers 0.5 ACDIS CEU which can be used toward recertifying your CCDS or CCDS-O credential (typically) for those who listen to the show in the first four days from the time of publication. To receive your 0.5 CEU, go to the show page on acdis.org, by clicking on the “ACDIS Podcast” link located under the “Free Resources” tab. To take the evaluation, click the most recent episode from the list on the podcast homepage, view the podcast recording at the bottom of that show page, and click the live link at the very end after the music has ended. Your certificate will be automatically emailed to you upon submitting the brief evaluation. (Note: If you are listening via a podcast app, click this link to go directly to the show page on acdis.org: https://acdis.org/acdis-podcast/sofa-2-criteria)   Note: To ensure your certificate reaches you and does not get trapped in your organization's spam filters, please use a personal email address when completing the CEU evaluation form. The cut-off for today's episode CEU has been extended due to the holidays and is Wednesday, January 7, at 11:00 p.m. Eastern. After that point, the CEU period will close, and you will not be eligible for the 0.5 CEU for this week's episode. ACDIS update: Read about the SOFA-2 criteria changes in CDI Strategies! (https://bit.ly/3MT3Zzs) Check out all the topics covered on the ACDIS Podcast in 2025! (https://bit.ly/3KRK1EP) Catch up on the 2025 editions of the CDI Journal (and claim any CEUs you missed)! (https://bit.ly/4j2D3cC) Submit your articles to the next edition of the CDI Journal! (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CDI-journal) Listen to all the 2025 Quarterly Member Calls! (https://bit.ly/4pLZc1k) Register for the 2026 Quarterly Member Calls! (https://bit.ly/4jcd3vG) Register to attend the 2026 ACDIS conference! (https://bit.ly/3MLxV0z) Order your copy of the 2026 ACDIS Pocket Guide! (https://bit.ly/4j5XBAQ) Order your copy of the 2026 ACDIS Outpatient Pocket Guide! (https://bit.ly/3Y42oJC)

Join and Support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/  Check out the Abide Project:  https://www.abideproject.org We love the Christian Reformed Church; we want to see reformation in our denomination; and we recognize that reformation is typically messy. So, we're having conversations with pastors throughout the CRC about what reformation might look like. Intro Music by Matt Krotzer 

LIVESTREAMING tonight at 7:00pm EST... We go back to New Orleans and look at some interesting David Ferrie tidbits, the CRC, and Frank Bartes...Join us!Silk CIty Hot Sauce - https://www.silkcityhotsauce.com Use our code GUNMAN for 20% off entire order at checkout!The COLDEST Cup - https://snwbl.io/TLG10 Follow our link to save $10 on every cup ordered!Music By - Lee Harold OswaldA Loose Moose ProductionBB&JOEBBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lone-gunman-podcast-jfk-assassination--1181353/support.

Join and Support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/  Check out the Abide Project:  https://www.abideproject.org We love the Christian Reformed Church; we want to see reformation in our denomination; and we recognize that reformation is typically messy. So, we're having conversations with pastors throughout the CRC about what reformation might look like. Intro Music by Matt Krotzer 

 Is it possible to be financially responsible and still enjoy your life right now? In this week's episode, Miguel Gonzalez, CRC, shares 5 practical ways to align your money habits with what truly makes you happy. Cortburg Retirement Advisors is a boutique financial planning firm committed to helping you grow, protect, and preserve your assets from your first job to retirement. We specialize in wealth management, estate and tax planning, group retirement, employee benefits, insurance, and retirement planning to navigate any economic climate.Miguel Gonzalez, a Retirement Specialist with 20+ years of experience, offers expertise in retirement income planning, investment management, and retirement plan design. With an MBA from Columbia Business School, and professional experience with JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, and more, Miguel is a trusted advisor for his clients. #Cortburg #moneyandhappiness #financialbalance #spendwithintention #retirementplanning #smartspending #financialwellness #saveandspend #funfund #financialfreedom #retireearly #purposefulmoney #intentionalfinance #mindfulmoney #financialhappiness #CortburgSpeaksRetirement #MiguelXGonzalez #savemoneylivebetter #personalfinance #balanceyourbudget Welcome to Cortburg Speaks Retirement Podcast with Miguel Gonzalez, MBA, AIF®, CPFA®, CRC® CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MIGUEL'S LATEST PODCAST FOLLOW US ON: YouTube->https://m.youtube.com/c/CORTBURGRETIREMENTADVISORS Facebook-> https://m.facebook.com/CortburgInc Twitter-> https://twitter.com/CortburgInc LinkedIn->https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelxgonzalez/ Website: www.CortburgRetirement.com Email: Miguel@CortburgRetirement.com

Arabella Advisors, we hardly knew ye. The once obscure, multi-billion-dollar, private-equity-owned machine of leftist funding has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Or has it? Arabella, an organization we here at CRC worked diligently to help bring into the light, has in fact, after being rather publicly and unceremoniously dumped by the Gates Foundation in […]