Podcasts about episcopalian

Today we honor the journey of Mary B. Safrit, a writer, podcaster, and content creator, to explore her story of growing up in the Bible Belt, navigating faith, queerness, and deconstruction. Mary B. shares candid reflections on her upbringing, spiritual journey, and the challenges and growth that come with embracing her identity and leaving behind people-pleasing tendencies. Together, MaryB & Leslie discuss the complexities of church culture, relationships, and finding authentic community.Topics of Interest:Childhood memories growing up on a farm and in the SouthNavigating multiple church traditions (Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic school, Southern Baptist)Experiences with evangelicalism, purity culture, and people-pleasingComing out as queer and the impact on faith and relationshipsThe challenges of deconstruction and leaving church communitiesThe importance of authentic friendships and making peace with lossBuilding community, healthy relationships, and embracing personal agencyMary B.'s work as a podcaster and writer, and where to find her onlineCheck out MaryB's podcast, Found Family HERE.Find out more about MaryB on her WEBSITE. Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.Want to get updates/announcements and a FREE Deconstruction Journaling Prompt PDF? Sign up for Leslie's Monthly Newsletter! You can do that HERE.Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.comIf you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team as a Patreon Supporter, please check it out at this link!Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!

Fr. Nigel Mumford is an Episcopalian priest who has seen his fair share of deliverance and miraculous healings. We welcome him to the show to share some of his more profound encounters. Thank you to our sponsorsOllie- The best dog food for your dog. Period. Check out the incredible pet food from Myollie.com/exfiles . Use our promo code EXFILES to get 60% off your welcome kit today.Add Graza Olive Oil to your summertime patio party arsenal. Visit https://graza.co/EXFILES and use promo code EXFILES today for 10% off of the TRIO!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a Baptist, an Episcopalian, an Eastern Orthodox, a Roman Catholic, and a non-denominational Christian discuss the Eucharist? Brad, Brian, Matt, Jonathan, and Paul arrive at a point of convergence which relies upon a depth of history, very much associated with the Eastern tradition.  (Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett's two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/) If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider donating to support our work. Become a Patron!

Trevor Stuart was born in Florida, but raised in Seattle. He was the son of a tech CFO and an Episcopalian minister - so he learned life at many different angles. He graduated from Boston College, and went into investment banking at Morgan Stanley. Beyond that, he worked at RelateIQ prior to being acquired by Salesforce, which then led him to start his own thing. Outside of tech, he's married and expecting his first child soon. He lives in Sonoma, and loves wine - which type depends on his mood and the time of year.At RelateIQ, Trevor and his team had a core problem - pushing more code, and looking to move faster, but limiting the amount of quality issues. His co-founder built the early workings of a system he had seen at LinkedIn, around gate keeping features. Eventually, post acquisition of this company, they decided to start building this solution on their own... which led them toward their own acquisition.This is the creation story of Split andHarness.SponsorsPaddle.comSema SoftwarePropelAuthPostmanMeilisearchMailtrap.TECH Domains (https://get.tech/codestory)Linkshttps://www.harness.io/https://www.harness.io/blog/split-joins-forces-with-harnesshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorbstuart/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/code-story-insights-from-startup-tech-leaders/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Step into a treasure trove of rare stories, photos, and audio clips as Bill Scherkenbach shares his decades with Dr. Deming. From boardrooms to sleigh rides, discover the moments, minds, and memories that shaped modern quality thinking, told by someone who lived it. A powerful blend of insight, humor, and history you won't want to miss. (You can see the slides from the podcast here.) TRANSCRIPT 0:00:02.4 Andrew Stotz: My name is Andrew Stotz, and I'll be your host as we dive deeper into the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Today, I'm continuing my discussion with Bill Scherkenbach, a dedicated protégé of Dr. Deming since 1972. Bill met with Dr. Deming more than a thousand times and later led statistical methods and process improvement at Ford and GM at Deming's recommendation. He authored 'The Deming Route to Quality and Productivity' at Deming's behest and at 79 is still championing his mentor's message. Learn, have fun, and make a difference. Bill, take it away.   0:00:41.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, thank you. Thank you, Andrew. It's an honor to be asked back. Many places don't.   0:00:48.7 Andrew Stotz: I really enjoyed our first discussion, and particularly towards the end of it, it got a little personal and emotional, and I appreciate that you shared your journey. That was amazing.   0:01:00.9 Bill Scherkenbach: Thank you. Thank you. It is personal.   0:01:05.2 Andrew Stotz: Yeah.   0:01:05.4 Bill Scherkenbach: But today, along that wavelength, I brought some pictures or photos and letters and audios of my association with Dr. Deming. So, if you might bring them up, we can start the commenting.   0:01:27.9 Andrew Stotz: Wonderful. Well, hopefully you see a screen now up.   0:01:34.8 Bill Scherkenbach: Yes. Yep.   0:01:35.8 Andrew Stotz: Okay. And for the audience, just to let you know, for the listeners, we're going to show these and I'll try to explain a little bit about what we're talking about because you're not going to be able to see the pictures. But the first thing is the title is An Insider's View of Deming. Learn, have fun, make a difference. And we see a great picture on the left-hand side, and then I threw in a picture of a Lincoln Continental, which we're going to talk about later, which is kind of fun. But maybe you can take it from there, Bill.   0:02:07.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. Well, we can talk a little bit later on on that, but this is a picture of me and my wife, Mary Ellen, with Dr. Deming having fun. We were at a restaurant in Northville called Elizabeth's, and it's something that he enjoyed to do just about every evening.   0:02:31.3 Andrew Stotz: Great. Well, what a kickoff. So let's go to the next one. And you guys all look great in that photo.   0:02:38.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. This is a letter that I received from Dr. Deming back in May of '85, auspicious because the letter dated 13 May, that's my birthday. But for those who cannot read it, should I read the letter for you?   0:03:05.2 Andrew Stotz: Either you or I can read it for you. You tell me.   0:03:08.3 Bill Scherkenbach: Okay. Well, yeah. Why don't you read it?   0:03:10.9 Andrew Stotz: Okay. So, the letter is addressed to a particular person. It says, this is written by Dr. Deming, this acknowledges your kind letter of the 29th April. He that depends solely on statistical process control will be out of a job in three years. The record is clear, the record is clean, no exceptions. A whole program of improvement of quality and productivity is necessary, and it requires that top management learn what their job is. No part of the program will by itself suffice. Your letter does not describe your program, hence comment is difficult. I am happy to learn that Bill Scherkenbach will work with you. His achievements are renowned. He is excelled by nobody. I am sure that you will follow his guidance, not only while he is there with you, but from that then on out. I send best wishes and remain yours sincerely, W. Edwards Deming.   0:04:19.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Yes. I did spend a week with this organization, and as Deming said, and in many, many cases, the local management or local part of the organization get very enthusiastic, but the top management did not buy in. And so very little happened there, unfortunately.   0:04:53.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And I missed that the top right-hand corner in handwritten, it says Portland, 20 May 1985. Dear Bill, I neglected to hand this to you in San Francisco, W. E. D.   0:05:08.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. We went to, we. Dr. Deming and I were in San Francisco to meet with Shoichiro Toyoda and his wife. It was a social call. Shoichiro was in town. I don't know where his brother Tatsuro was. Tatsuro headed up NUMI, but Shoichiro was head of it all and was in the US. And wanted to just have a dinner with Dr. Deming. I'm embarrassingly cloudy. We met in a hotel and I can't tell you which one, but it was a nice, relaxing dinner. The English was a bit stilted, but Soichiro wanted to have a dinner with Dr. Deming and to express his appreciation.    0:06:31.3 Andrew Stotz: And he was a titan of industry at the time and in 1985 was really making a beachhead and a real expansion into the US market. Why did he want to meet with Dr. Deming? What was the connection there? Maybe for those that don't know.   0:06:55.2 Bill Scherkenbach: He was in town and Deming was nearby in town and just wanted to express his appreciation. I guess, Tatsuro, his brother wasn't there, and Tatsuro headed up NUMI, the partnership between GM and Toyota. But Shoichiro was there and just wanted to express appreciation.   0:07:35.1 Andrew Stotz: Great. Okay. So shall we continue on?   0:07:40.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. We have a Where is Quality Made? Famous talking from Dr. Deming, and hopefully the audio translates well.   0:07:55.3 Andrew Stotz: Yes, we'll see. Let's go.   0:07:59.5 Speaker 3: Where is quality made, Andrew, in the top management? The quality of the output of a company cannot be better unless quality is directed at the top. The people in the plant and in the service organization can only produce and test the design a product and service prescribed and designed by the management. Job security and job are dependent on management's foresight to design a product and service to entice customers and build a market.   0:08:31.6 Andrew Stotz: So where did that come from? And tell us more about that.   0:08:36.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, I'm not exactly sure which particular seminar or meeting that was, but over the years I have, have, we've made a number of audio recordings and videos of Dr. Deming in his meetings. And so we're looking to get them to the Deming Institute so they can process them and distribute.    0:09:11.8 Andrew Stotz: And why is this so important? He's talking about quality is made at the top where we can see many people think that quality is made by the worker. Do your best. Quality is your responsibility. Tell us more about why you wanted to talk about this.   0:09:32.9 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, it's a common, it's a common, very common mistake. He learned back in 1950, and I think I mentioned it in our first talk, that he gave a number of courses at Stanford during the war and people learned SPC. But when the war was over, over here, because management didn't buy in, nothing really happened. And he learned in his visit in 1950 when he was able, as we said, Mr. Koyanagi was able to get a meeting, a number of seminars done with top management in Japan after the war. And he thought that that, he saw that that actually did make a difference, that management was absolutely key. And in every one of his seminars, he would make, he would make  this point, that quality is made at the top.   0:10:54.0 Andrew Stotz: And what was interesting is that, of course, the Japanese senior management, were very receptive. It's many times the case that Deming may have interacted with some senior management at the top of a company, but they weren't receptive or willing to implement what he's talking about.   0:11:12.6 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. I think I mentioned last time that you need maybe a significant physical or logical or emotional event. And Ford lost a few billion dollars and was then looking, is there a better way? Japan lost a war, and the tradition over there is to perhaps listen to the conqueror. But MacArthur was very astute, my understanding, that you're not going to go in and replace the emperor and really mix the place up from what their culture is, which is very, very, very astute, in my opinion.   0:12:11.4 Andrew Stotz: Okay. So let's continue. And we see a document now up on the screen and a diagram. And maybe you can explain this one.   0:12:24.8 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. This is one of the foils, as he called them, that he wrote on his lantern, which is the overhead projector for all the young people. And making another very, very important point. And that is, he's quoting John Tukey, "the more you know what's wrong with a figure, the more useful it becomes." And he also, at various times, would, would, would talk about George Gallup. And Gallup was his friend. And George Gallup would say that unless you've gone through the slogging of collecting data, you shouldn't be too quickly using data or analyzing data. Because if you go to collect it, you know that some people just aren't there. And this is primarily survey stuff that Gallup was talking about. But Tukey was talking about anything. And Deming, along the way, with his learnings from Shewhart, what I've developed is based on Deming's questions come from theory, created a theory, question, data, action cycle, similar to a PDSA. And so that you need to know what the question was before you can use the data. And Dr. Deming's example was you can't use manganese dioxide for just anything. If it's really, really critical work, then you need to know what's in it that could contaminate it or interact with the other chemicals that you're trying to mix it with. Hugely important in chemistry, hugely important anywhere. And he talked, yes, we do have some audio from Dr. Deming talking about another analogy, on I can't even wash the table unless you tell me what you're going to use it for.   0:15:24.0 Andrew Stotz: I remember watching a video of this with him, with Robert Reich, I think it was, being interviewed. And it was such an impactful thing because I always thought you just tell people what to do and they go do it. And so let's listen to the audio. I'm going to play it now. One second.   0:15:42.6 Speaker 3: I can teach you how to wash a table, teach you how to rub, scrub, use brushes, rags. I'd be pretty good at it. But you know, I could not wash this table suppose you told me my job is to wash this table. I have no idea what you mean. There's no meaning to that. You must tell me what you're going to use the table for. I want to see a flow diagram, work moving. Here I am. My job is to wash this table. I do not understand what you mean. Wash this table. There's no meaning to that. I must know what you're going to use the table for, the next stage. What happened to the table, next stage, in the flow diagram? You want to put books on it? Well, it's clean enough for that now. To wash the table, I just go through it from just here, make a look at it. If I work a little, good enough. If I clean enough to eat off of it, well, it's good enough now. Or use it for an operating table? Oh, totally different now. Totally different. Now I scrub it with scalding water, top, bottom, legs, several times. I scrub the floor underneath for some radius. If I don't know the next stage, I cannot wash the table.   0:17:28.8 Andrew Stotz: Tell us your thoughts on that.   0:17:31.5 Bill Scherkenbach: Yep. Yep. Well, again, my theory, question, data, action cycle, if you're asking a question, you, you, if you can, and there are some confidential considerations, but if you can, you need to tell the people who are trying to answer the question what you're going to do with it. And so if you want the table washed, tell them you're going to just eat off of it or assemble microchips on it. If you, so that's the responsibility of the manager or anyone who is asking the question. So if you want to improve your questions, you got to go back up and think of, well, what's my underlying theory for the question? If this, then that, that prompts a question and the circle continues. And if you, the only reason to collect data is to take action. Both Eastern and Western philosophers absolutely have said that for centuries.   0:18:55.2 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. What's interesting, I didn't hear him say it in any other cases when he was talking about the next stage. I did hear him say before, like, what's it going to be used for? But you could hear when he's talking about the next stage, it's saying to me, that's saying the responsibility of management is looking at the overall system and communicating that and managing that, not trying to, you know, just give some blind instruction to one group, one team, one person without thinking about how it all interacts.   0:19:29.9 Bill Scherkenbach: Absolutely. Absolutely. But in the local aspect of, well, some question answers are not so local, but it's what the question asker's responsibility to let the people know what they're going to use the data for.   0:19:51.9 Andrew Stotz: Yep. Great lesson. All right. So now I've got a interesting picture up on the screen here. We have Dr. Deming and there's John Turkey, Tukey how do you say his last name?   0:20:05.6 Bill Scherkenbach: John Tukey, T-U-K-E-Y, yep. George Box and Sir David Cox. Anyone in the statistics arena knows them. We also had Stu Hunter and I believe John Hunter was there. They're not in the picture. I took the picture. But we were at Meadowbrook, which is, which is, on the old Dodge estate where Oakland University is near Detroit. And had a, we called the meeting to discuss the importance and the various perspectives of enumerative and analytic. Now, each of these men, Box, Tukey, and Cox, and all of them, all of us in the university, quite honestly, were brought up with enumerative methods. And so your standard distributional stuff and T-tests and whatever. And Deming and Tukey realized the importance of being able to not just take action on the sample, but the cause system, the system that caused the sample, or the process term, in process terms. So yeah, John Tukey was strangely enough, well, not strangely enough, but came up with a graphical method to look at data called the box and whiskers plot, with George Box standing next to him, but it's not that George didn't shave. But Tukey, very, very well known for graphical methods.   0:22:24.2 Bill Scherkenbach: George, well known for experimental methods. One of the Box, Hunter and Hunter book on statistical design of experiments is legendary. And Sir David Cox, logistic regression, which is hugely, strangely, well, not strangely enough, but huge nowadays, very important in AI, in how you would be looking to teach or have your model learn what it is that you would like them to learn to look for. So each of these gentlemen, very, very much a pinnacle of the statistical career. We were very, in a large company like Ford, we were very lucky to be able to make big meetings like this, or meetings with very influential people happen.   0:23:38.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. That's got to be amazing because I think when most of us listen to Dr. Deming and all that, we get a lot of what he says. But I would say that the statistical aspect and his depth of statistical knowledge is what many people, you know, it's hard for many Deming followers to deeply connect with that. And I think even myself, having, you know, read everything, listened to him, learned as much as I can, the best that I probably come up with is the idea that once I started understanding variation, one of the things I started realizing is that it's everywhere and it's in everything. And I didn't understand...   0:24:27.3 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, I still have the cartoon of a popcorn maker that was very surprised when he said, "They all popped at once." And his popcorn stand has blown up. So yeah, variation is everywhere, a lot or a little. And the thing is that you need to be able to take appropriate action. Sometime, I can remember, I can remember Bob Stemple asking me, "What did I think of the Shainin methods, Dorian Shainin, and technical approach?" And I wrote back to him and I said, "It's no better or worse than any of the other methods we don't use here at GM." The point is, all of these methods are better than Bop-A-Mole. And one of the things, well, one of the things that concerns me is that in these tool areas, and Deming's counsel to me long ago was he remembers the fights that the technical people, the statisticians in the quality profession, would have over which one is a tenth of a percent better or more effective doing this and that. And they would publicly argue, and Deming said, "Stop. It confuses management because they don't have a clue and they're staying away from all forms of quality." So, you, and I don't know the solution in this day and age where everyone is connected. But all of these methods have their strengths and weaknesses, but you have to have the savvy to figure out which one to use to help you improve. All of, each of these four were great teachers, and I have a comment from Dr. Deming on that.   0:27:11.7 Andrew Stotz: And just in wrapping this up, it's like, I think one of the things that you realize when you see this one and what you're talking about, what I realize is what a powerhouse Dr. Deming was in the area of statistics. And in some ways, it's kind of like seeing a rock star that you love to listen to and that rock star is great. And then one day on a Sunday, you go to the church and you see he's a reverend and a very solemn man who is a very, very devout devotee of Christianity and something. In some ways, that's the way I feel when I look at this, like, wow, just the roots of the depth of that is so fascinating.   0:28:03.2 Bill Scherkenbach: As you mentioned that, I'm thinking back, we were in Iowa and one of the professors there, and I forget his name, but you're right. Deming was held in awe and he was riding in the backseat. I'm driving and this professor is beside me and Dr. Deming said something and I said, how do you know? And the guy thought the world was going to come to an end that I dared ask the master, how did he know? Well, it, it, it ended up fine.   0:28:52.9 Andrew Stotz: That was the question he was trying to teach you to ask.   0:28:55.3 Bill Scherkenbach: Absolutely. You don't accept it at face value.   0:29:02.2 Andrew Stotz: So we got this other slide now. It says, what do you mean by a good teacher? Maybe you want to set this up and then I'll play the audio.   0:29:10.7 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. This was one of his favorite stories when he studied under Ronald Fisher, who is the big godfather of statistics, well, relatively modern stuff. So, Fisher was there at University College, as Deming will describe, and Deming wanted to know, and this is where a number of you will have recognized, he wanted to know what great minds were thinking about.   0:29:56.7 Andrew Stotz: All right. I'm going to play the clip right now.   0:30:00.2 Speaker 3: What do you mean by a good teacher? I taught with a man, head of a department. The whole 150 students spellbound him, teaching him what is wrong. And they loved it. What do you mean by a good teacher? Holding students spellbound around him. What do you mean teaching them something? I've had a number of great teachers. One was Professor Ronald Picker, University of London, University College I should say, part of the University of London. In London, 1936, no teaching could be worse. A lovable man, if you tried to work with him, could not read his writing, could stand in the way of it, room was dark and cold, he couldn't help the cold, maybe he could have put some light in the room, make mistakes, Professor Paul Ryder in the front row always helped him out. He'd come in with a piece of paper in his hand the ink not yet dry, talk about it. Wonder why the room was full of people from all over the world. I was one of them. Made a long trip, at my own expense, to learn, and we learned. We learned what that great mind was thinking about, what to him were great or important problems today.   0:31:45.9 Speaker 3: And we saw the methods that he used for solutions. We saw what this great mind was thinking about. His influence will be known the world over for a long, long time. He would rated zero by most people that rate teachers. Another teacher that I had was Ernest Crown at Yale, very poor teacher. We'd get together afterwards, some of us, and try to figure out what he was teaching us. He was not even charismatic the way Ronald Fisher was, but we learned. We learned what that great mind was thinking about, what he thought was the problem. We learned about perturbation. His work on lunar theory will be a classic for generations. We learned. Worst teacher there could be, but we learned.   0:32:49.0 Andrew Stotz: Wow. Tell us more about that.   0:32:53.6 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, he also had a similar story because, from great teachers at NYU, and that's where I first met him and learned from him. He was my teacher, but NYU had a, they had nominations for great teachers. And Deming was able to convince, and I forget who was the, Ernest Kurnow was the dean, and he convinced the dean to wait 10 years before you survey any of the students. And the question was, did any teacher you have really make a difference in your life? And he was able to get that done or get that process agreed to, and it was for the better because in, and I don't want to... I mean, every generation has said this new generation is going to hell in a handbasket, I mean, that for forever. That's nothing new. But what's popular, it's great to be entertained, and as he said, teaching what is wrong. And so did someone make a difference in your life? And not surprisingly, Deming was one of the people selected as a great teacher from NYU Graduate Business School.   0:35:15.4 Andrew Stotz: So that's your review after 50 years after the course, huh?   0:35:21.6 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah.   0:35:24.5 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And so the point is that, let's separate popularity from original thinking. And also he highlighted the idea that some teachers may not come across very organized, very polished. They may need assistance to help them clarify what they're trying to get across. But just because they're kind of a mess in that way, doesn't mean they're not thinking very deeply. In fact, it may be a sign that they're thinking very deeply about it.   0:36:01.9 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. Now, again, remember, and I know it's a broad brush, but Deming was eminently logical. Crosby would have loved it. Wine and cheese parties showed Juran more physical. And so I think Deming's preferences there, the key to his statement is teaching what was wrong. Some people get excited in class for a variety of reasons, but the key is what are you teaching? The method depends on the ability of the teacher to connect to the students and actually teach. So it gets you back to physical, logical, and emotional. But for Deming, Fisher struck a chord with him.   0:37:09.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And I think for the listener, the viewer, think about some teacher that really made an impact on you. And it could be that there was a teacher that was able to connect with you emotionally.   0:37:25.2 Bill Scherkenbach: Absolutely.   0:37:26.7 Andrew Stotz: So there's different ways. But I think of Dr. Deming wasn't a teacher of mine in university, but at the age of 24 to learn from him was definitely a teacher that left me with the most to think about. And I would say there was one other teacher, a guy named Greg Florence that was at Long Beach City College who taught me argumentation and debate. And he also really encouraged me to join the debate team, which I really couldn't because I didn't have time because I didn't have money and I had to work. But he really saw something in me, and now I love to teach debate and helping young people construct arguments. And so for all of us, I think this idea of what do you mean by a good teacher is a great discussion. So, love it. Love it. Well, we got another picture now. Speaking of teaching, the City University of New York is in the backdrop. Maybe you can set this one up.   0:38:27.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. This was a one-day, maybe one and a half with some pre-work, but essentially a one-day meeting in New York that was able to gather some of the top educators in the US, the head of the schools in California. There were some folks from Chicago. We had, as I mentioned, Albert Shanker, who was head of the American Federation of Teachers, was sitting right beside me. Other teacher organizations and education organizations. And we got together for a very meaningful thing. We got together to try and determine what is the aim of education in America. And it turned out that everyone was looking for their mic time, and we couldn't even agree on an aim for education in America. And if you can't agree on an aim, your system is everyone doing their best, and it's all, there's not too much progress, except locally or suboptimally.   0:40:02.3 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. That's a good illustration of the concept of best efforts. Dr. Deming often talked about best efforts. And here you're saying, without an aim, everybody's going to just go in their own direction. And it reminds me of a story I tell people in relation to management, which was that I had a really great boss many years ago in the field of finance research in the stock market. He was very brilliant, and he hired really good analysts. I was surrounded by the best. But he never once really brought us together to say, this is our aim. And so what ended up happening was that each person did their best, which was very good as an individual, but as a group, we never were able to really make an impact. And I explain that to my students nowadays, that I believe it's because he didn't set an aim and bring us together for that.   0:41:09.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Now, one of the, I mean, one of the things Deming very predictably talked about, as I recall, is the grades and gold stars, which were part of his forces of destruction. And the education is the way we approach education here was part of that, even before people get to get beat further down by corporate and other organizational stuff. And the grading and gold stars, I don't know how much that was, that criticism was appreciated. But everyone had a chance to talk. And in my opinion, not too many people listened.   0:42:09.3 Andrew Stotz: Now, the next one is titled Mongolian Rat. What the heck, Bill?   0:42:17.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, this is part of teaching what good teaching would be. You've got to listen. It's one of my favorite stories of his.   0:42:30.3 Andrew Stotz: Well, let's roll the tape.   0:42:33.3 Speaker 3: I met a professor in New York. He was a surgeon, professor of surgery. He did gave out some marble, had plenty. One student in the class, he told them describe the surgical procedure on the jaw in which a certain breed of Mongolian wrap was very helpful. The rat, the flesh right down the bone cleaner than a surgeon could do it. Very important wrap. Describe it in details to the listeners and students. On examination, one, the question was to describe the surgical procedure by use of the Mongolian rat. Plenty of students gave him back the same marbles that he doled out. He described it in exactly the same words that he described it. He flunked them all, all the time. One of them said, my dear professor, I have searched the literature. I've inquired around in hospitals and other teachers, I can find no trace of any such procedure. I think that you were loading us. He laughed. He had to take a new examination. He gave them back the same marbles he doled out to them. He wanted to think.   0:43:55.0 Andrew Stotz: Marbles. I haven't heard that expression. Tell us a little bit more about what you want us to take from this.   0:44:02.6 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. His comment on education that teachers are handing out marbles and pieces of information, not necessarily knowledge, and the testing, you're expected to give them back what the teacher said instead of how can you process it and put it in the context of other things, as well as, I mean, maybe not in the early grades, but in the later ones, you need to be able to look at various perspectives to see who has this opinion and that opinion. And unfortunately, today, that discourse is nicely shut down.   0:45:07.3 Andrew Stotz: At first, when I heard him saying marbles, I thought he was kind of using marbles as a way of kind of saying pulling their legs, but now I understand that he was trying to say that he's giving something and then the students give it back.   0:45:24.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.   0:45:26.0 Andrew Stotz: Okay. Mongolian rats.   0:45:31.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Yep. Yep. So we go from learning to having fun, and here's a picture of our statistical methods office at Ford.   0:45:48.1 Andrew Stotz: And you're sitting in a sleigh? Is that what's happening there?   0:45:50.0 Bill Scherkenbach: We're sitting in a sleigh, yes, at Greenfield Village, which is where the Henry Ford Museum is, and it happened to snow, so we've got the, we've got the horse-drawn sleigh, and I was listening to your first interview of me, and I want to deeply apologize. It's Harry Artinian, and so from the left, you've got Ed Baker and Bill Craft and Pete Jessup, Harry Artinian, Narendra Sheth, Dr. Deming, Debbie Rawlings, Ann Evans, my secretary, uh ooooh, and the gentleman who worked with Jim Bakken, and then me. So, we were working and decided to have a good lunch.   0:46:58.5 Andrew Stotz: And it's a horse-drawn sleigh. And I wasn't sure if you were pulling our leg here because you said, I'm second from the far right. First from the far right, to me, looks like the horse.   0:47:09.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Yes. That's the horse's ass. Yep.   0:47:14.6 Andrew Stotz: That's a big one.   0:47:16.1 Bill Scherkenbach: It is what it is.   0:47:18.7 Andrew Stotz: Yep. Okay. Next one. Who's Sylvester?   0:47:22.3 Bill Scherkenbach: Sylvester is my son's cat. And this is one of the times Dr. Deming was in my home. And he sat down in my office at my home. And Sylvester saw a good lap and he jumped up on it and took it. And as I said, I couldn't tell who was purring louder. They both were content.   0:47:52.7 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. That looks beautiful.   0:47:55.4 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. It was very, very peaceful. Another fun thing, after a long day of work at Ford, we would go to Luigi's restaurant in Dearborn. I think there was a Dearborn Marriott, a big hotel. I don't know if it's there now. But that's Larry Moore, director of quality, next to Dr. Deming and me. I had a mustache back then.   0:48:30.4 Andrew Stotz: Yes. And we all loved soft serve ice cream.   0:48:34.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Soft serve ice cream. Yep.   0:48:38.0 Andrew Stotz: Yep. All right. Star-Spangled Banner.   0:48:40.9 Bill Scherkenbach: Yep. Now we're at one of my earlier houses in Northville. And Dr. Deming had written a new tune for the Star-Spangled Banner because it was an old English drinking song, Anna, the what? The Anacrocronistic Society. And he thought it was just too bawdy. I mean, you're an unsingable, except if you're drinking. So he rewrote the music for the Star-Spangled Banner. I have a copy of it here. But he, my son Matthew, my oldest son Matthew, we had just gotten one of those first Macs from Apple, Macintosh. And it had a very elementary music thing. So he put the notes that Deming had handwritten. And we put it in there and it played the tune. And so Deming was playing on our piano the Star-Spangled Banner.   0:50:04.7 Andrew Stotz: So he had a musical talent.   0:50:10.8 Bill Scherkenbach: Oh, yeah. He was a very serious study of, a student of music. Very much so. He wrote a complete Mass. He was a high church Episcopalian. And he wrote a complete Mass of the Holy Spirit with all parts. So, very much a student of music.   0:50:41.8 Andrew Stotz: And how did his religious beliefs, like Episcopalian, as you mentioned, how did that come across? Was he a person who talked about that? Was he a person that didn't talk about that? Like, how did that come across?   0:50:59.2 Bill Scherkenbach: It was more of a private thing. But then again, on every one of his books, he would begin a chapter with some quotation from different books. And many of them were from the Bible. I can remember one time in London, I'm Catholic, and so we were celebrating the St. Peter and Paul that Sunday. But he was in London and he was at St. Paul's and they weren't giving Peter any traction. But he looked up and he said, yep, you're right. It was both of those saint days.   0:51:58.3 Andrew Stotz: All right. Next one, Drive Out Fear.   0:52:01.8 Bill Scherkenbach: Oh, yeah. This was Professor Arnold. And we were having lunch in the Ford dining room, one of the Ford dining rooms. And Dr. Deming wasn't too happy of what Professor Arnold was talking about. And Professor Arnold didn't look too happy either. So, I framed the picture and put Drive Out Fear underneath it and hung it in my office. And Deming came and looked at it and smiled.   0:52:46.5 Andrew Stotz: And what was the background on Professor Arnold? And in this case, did they have opposing views or was it a particular thing or what was it that was...   0:52:58.4 Bill Scherkenbach: I don't remember the particular conversation, but Professor Arnold was head of the statistics department at Oakland University. And Ford had an agreement with Oakland University that we established a master's degree in statistics, according to Dr. Deming's viewpoint on enumerative and analytic. And no, he was very, very capable gentleman. I mean, one of the things Dr. Deming mentioned to me is if the two of us agreed all the time, one of us is redundant. So there were always discussions. This is just a snapshot in time.   0:53:52.3 Andrew Stotz: I love that quote, that one of us is redundant. That's powerful, powerful.   0:53:59.4 Bill Scherkenbach: Absolutely. Yep. This is another having fun after learning in... There were a number of restaurants we went to. He particularly liked Elizabeth's,   0:54:16.1 Andrew Stotz: And how was their relationship? How did he treat your lovely wife?   0:54:22.5 Bill Scherkenbach: Oh, I mean, very lovingly. I mean, I don't know how to describe it, but one of the family.   0:54:36.2 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. He seemed from my observation, like a true gentleman.   0:54:42.5 Bill Scherkenbach: Absolutely. Absolutely.   0:54:46.0 Andrew Stotz: Well, here we come to the Lincoln that we started off with. This is a great picture too.   0:54:51.4 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. That's a picture I had. It wasn't a Hasselblad, but it was a two and a quarter frame. And I had black and white film in it, but this is one of a number of pictures I took of him at the Cosmos Club. I think it was a very good picture. And in any event, it was blending learning and having fun.   0:55:19.7 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And the Cosmos Club was near his house?   0:55:22.5 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. Well, it was depending on who drove. I mean, it was just, it was down a few blocks and then a number of blocks on Massachusetts Avenue. I enjoyed the drive from his house because you'd pass the Naval Observatory, which for years was the home of the chief of naval operations here. But a few decades, a few, I don't know how long ago, the vice president pulled rank on him. And so the Naval Observatory, beautiful, beautiful old house. So, the vice president lives there now. And a lot of people think Massachusetts Avenue in that area is Embassy Row. So you're passing a number of embassies on the way. And the Cosmos Club, anyone can look up. I mean, it's by invitation, members only, and Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners and a very distinguished membership, let's say.   0:56:39.3 Andrew Stotz: Here was another one, Making a Difference with Don Peterson.   0:56:43.0 Bill Scherkenbach: Yep. Yep. We're, we're, this is one of the meetings we had with Don. And it wasn't this meeting, but we were in one of them. Okay. You have it on the right there. That we periodically would have, Dr. Deming and I would have breakfast with Jim Bakken in what was known as the Penthouse at Ford. There are 12 floors, and then there was the 13th and 14th, which were private quarters, essentially. And so we were having breakfast one morning and finishing breakfast, and I'm walking a little bit ahead, and I run ahead and press the elevator button to go down one floor, and the door opens, and there's Henry Ford II in cowboy belt buckle and boots, no hat. He's going to a board meeting, he says, and Jim shied away, said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Ford." He said, "Shut up, Jim, get in here." And so we got in the elevator, and it was the small elevator. And so we're back to back, belly to belly, and Jim introduces Dr. Deming to Mr. Ford, and Ford said, "I've heard of you, Dr. Deming. God, we really need your help." And Deming had the presence of saying, "I heard of you too, Mr. Ford." It was the longest one-floor elevator ride I've ever had in my life.   0:58:49.1 Andrew Stotz: That's fascinating. All right. Next one, talking with workers.   0:58:54.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Yep. Yep. He made it a point. And this is a fine line, because you want to be able to have workers say, how, how, are they able to take pride in their work? And are there any problems and all of that? But you don't want to be in a position of then going to management and telling them because of fear in the organization. So, Dr. Deming was very good at listening and getting people to talk about their jobs and their ability to take joy and, well, pride in their work. So we had many, many meetings, different places. And this next one is with the Ford Batavia plant, I think.   1:00:01.2 Andrew Stotz: Yep.   1:00:02.4 Bill Scherkenbach: Yeah. We're riding on the tractors and having a good time.   1:00:11.3 Andrew Stotz: Who's driving?   1:00:14.2 Bill Scherkenbach: The plant manager, Ron Kaseya, was driving.   1:00:16.9 Andrew Stotz: Okay.   1:00:17.9 Bill Scherkenbach: And so I absolutely do not recall what we were laughing at, but we were having a good time. And the Batavia transaxle plant, a number of people will recognize as where Ford, it really made the point that doing better than spec is really what the job is. And it's a very powerful video that's been out there and people would recognize it as well, because we were producing the exact same transaxle in Mazda. And Mazda was influenced a lot of by Genichi Taguchi and looked to reduce variation around the nominal and not just be happy that we made spec. And John Betty, who was head up of powertrain operations and then went to the Department of Defense as assistant secretary of defense for procurement, I think, because of the quality expertise. Betty is in the front of the video saying he's absolutely convinced that this is a superior way to look at manufacturing, to look at the management of any process. You want to get your customers to brag, not just not complain.   1:02:10.3 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. Courage.   1:02:11.8 Bill Scherkenbach: And all of this takes courage. And especially in his seminars in London say, the Brits had the advantage. You guys can take courage every day. We can't get that in the US anymore. Or it's very rare to be able to buy it here.   1:02:36.3 Andrew Stotz: For the listeners, there's a logo of the John Courage beer, premium beer.   1:02:45.7 Bill Scherkenbach: Yes. Yes. It's an amber pills.   1:02:49.8 Andrew Stotz: Okay.   1:02:52.4 Bill Scherkenbach: And last but not least, well, not last, but we're looking for, and I ran across this quote from Yogi Berra, and it's very applicable right now. And Yogi Berra said, I never said... Well, what did he say?   1:03:19.2 Andrew Stotz: Never said most of the things I said.   1:03:21.4 Bill Scherkenbach: Most of the things I could have said. I never said most of the things I said. Yeah. And every day online, I see people saying Dr. Deming said this, and he said that. And if he did, I've never heard him say it. And not that I've heard him say everything. But if he did say something like, if it's not measurable, you can't manage it. He would have followed it with, that's not right. The unknown and unknowable. And so you've got a lot of people misunderstanding what Dr. Deming said. And you've got to go with, I never said most of the things that I said.   1:04:24.0 Andrew Stotz: Well, that's the great thing about this discussion is that we're getting it from the horse's mouth, someone that was there listening and being a part of it.   1:04:32.1 Bill Scherkenbach: Well, I'm glad you saw the other end of the horse.   1:04:37.5 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. So, I'm going to close out this by just sharing a little personal connection. And that is, I'm showing a picture of me in my 1963 suicide door Lincoln Continental, which I owned for 10 years in beautiful Bangkok, Thailand. And much like being kind of wild taking a ride to the Cosmos Club with Dr. Deming driving his Lincoln Continental, you could imagine how odd it looked seeing this American guy driving this 1963 Lincoln Continental on the streets of Bangkok. But I just thought I would share that just to have some fun. So, yeah.   1:05:14.3 Bill Scherkenbach: That's beautiful. Absolutely. Yeah. I didn't think the streets were that wide.   1:05:22.1 Andrew Stotz: It gets stuck in traffic, that's for sure. But wow, there's so many things that we covered. I mean, I just really, really enjoyed that trip down memory lane. Is there anything you want to share to wrap it up?   1:05:36.1 Bill Scherkenbach: No. As I said, our last conversation, we've just scratched the surface. There's so much, so much more to talk about and preserve, I think.   1:05:48.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. Well, I really enjoyed it.   1:05:52.1 Bill Scherkenbach: I have done my best.   1:05:53.6 Andrew Stotz: Yes, you have. You have. I've enjoyed it, and I'm sure the listeners and the viewers will enjoy it too. So, on behalf of everyone at the Deming Institute, I just want to thank you for taking the time to pull that together and to walk us through it. And for listeners out there, remember to go to Deming.org to continue your journey. And of course, go to LinkedIn to find Bill and reach out and share your interpretations of what we went through. And maybe you have a story that you'd like to share also. So, this is your host, Andrew Stotz, and I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Deming. And that is, “people are entitled to joy in work."

The Rev. Sarah Phelps preaches on the eighth Sunday after Pentecost.

John 17:20-23Jesus prayed, “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Artificial Intelligence is not your friend—it's the Tower of Babel. That was the title of the first article I saw this week while preparing for today. Another headline from a Jewish student paper read: AI: The Modern Tower of Babel. A theme was emerging. Faith publications and organizations are writing incessantly about AI and faith, the church, spirituality, and more. Then Pastor Mark told me to listen to a segment from 1A this week about AI and faith. It was fascinating—and a little frightening.I'll be honest, I thought I had pretty good job security against AI and robots… until I listened to that segment. I learned about Pastors.AI, a chatbot trained for a specific church using sermons and resources from real pastors. Meaning, you could upload all the videos and manuscripts from Pastor Mark's sermons over the past 24 years, and the chatbot would generate answers to questions, write sermons, and craft Bible studies—just like he would! You could have your own Pastor Mark in your pocket.Then there's Gloo—AI evangelism. Gloo claims it helps churches grow by tracking digital interactions, managing prayer requests, responding to texts, and making new connections.Entire denominations are diving into AI. If you're Catholic, you can't use just any faith-based AI, so you turn to Ask Father Justin. Apparently, a problem arose where some people preferred confessing to Father Justin instead of their priest. Imagine that… And it's not just Catholics who do AI.Episcopalians have Cathy—Church Answers That Help You. Right on the Diocese of Lexington's homepage, you can talk with Cathy and learn anything you want from the Episcopalian perspective.But what good is the church or denominations if you can just chat with Jesus yourself, AI Jesus that is? If you try that one let me know. So is AI a threat to the church? Or a tool to help it grow? Is it humans trying to become like God, or is it a resource that makes God more accessible? Is this software a reversal of Genesis 1 where we make God in our image, one chatbot at a time?Is it a new Tower of Babel—our attempt to code our way to God? How might this ancient story help us with such questions? More importantly, what might it tell us about Jesus?The Tower of Babel is mysterious. It's short, raises more questions than it answers, and isn't referenced anywhere else in the Bible. Like the other stories in Genesis 1–11, it's an origin story; one that tries to explain how different nations and languages came to be. Linguists agree though, this is not how languages came about. It much more complicated. As is this story. To read it as only an explanation of languages or cultures misses what all it reveals about God.It's also the origin story of Babylon. Thousands of years ago, Babylon made a major technological advance: the brick. They could take bricks, butter'em with bitumen, stack them on top of each other and build. So the people said, “Let's build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, or else we'll be scattered across the earth.” That one sentence is full of so much irony. The tower didn't reach heaven. In fact, God had to come down to earth just to see it. And when God finds it, God isn't pleased. Why exactly? We're not told. What we do know is that God confused their language and scattered all the people—the very thing they were trying to avoid.That question—why did God do this?—has led to many interpretations, some with harmful consequences.One interpretation says God scattered the people because mixing cultures, ethnicities, and languages is bad. That view has been used to justify segregation in this country and apartheid in South Africa.But I don't read this story as the scattering being a consequence or punishment. God said twice “to fill the earth and subdue”. Well you can't do that if people are all in one place. So scattering wasn't punishment - it was the plan. As were the different languages and ethnicities. Diversity was God's design from the start.Another view is that God is suspicious of cities. So, urban life must be prideful or ungodly, while small-town life is holier and safer. But that doesn't align with the broader biblical story. God called Jonah to Nineveh, a powerful city, because God cared for its people and animals. Jesus longed to gather Jerusalem under his wing. Revelation envisions a new heaven and earth—with a new Jerusalem at its center. God is not suspicious of cities, but is as present there as anywhere else in the world.And perhaps most pertinent today: some believe God scattered humanity because they were too advanced. Such a reading makes folks skeptical of scientific progress and technological advances like, well, Artificial Intelligence. But I don't think God was all that concerned about some bricks stacked a couple hundred feet in the air. Nor is God all that impressed with our towers of today: our advances, systems, or political structures. And I am pretty sure God isn't wringing hands over Artificial Intelligence like everyone else seems to be.What I think God is concerned about is any human attempt to work our way up to God, any effort to work out our own salvation. And we try all the time. We think: “If I just do enough good,” “If I go to church enough,” “If I text with AI Jesus,” or “complete my Bible AI devotional”—then I'll get to God. All our technological advances will undoubtedly do a lot of good. But if we think software can save us, it's no different than thinking a tower can take us to heaven. The tower never reaches. We can't code our way up to God.But the good news of our faith is that we don't have to go up to God because God came down to us in Jesus Christ. And through that person, that real, divine, tangible person, do we and all the world receive the grace and forgiveness we could never create for ourselves, no matter how advanced we get. Through that person, all the scattered people of the world might be one in him. That's what, or really who, holds this community together. We don't all hold the same views, or come from the same backgrounds, or see the world in the same way. Sometimes it probably seems like we aren't even speaking the same language. And yet, it is the grace and forgiveness and mercy of Jesus that binds us together as one.This A.I stuff isn't going away anytime soon. It certainly has it's dangers. At the same time it is a technological tool and the church has always engaged with these tools. When the printing press was invited, the church made tracts and pamphlets. When radio came around, preachers broadcasted their sermons across the airwaves. TVs gave rise to the televangelist. And today nearly everyone watches a service online before they ever step foot through our doors. So it should be no surprise that christians, churches, pastors, denominations, are using A.I. in all sorts of ways. But like any tool, it can be misused and lead to harm, like thinking it can somehow take us up to God, as an ancient tower once tried. Or that it can bring Jesus down to us. Yet it can't do that either, because Jesus came down and is here already. Here at the table where we get our fill of his forgiveness in bread and wine. Here in the waters of baptism where we are washed by his grace. Here in your neighbor, who reflects the very image of God. By his coming down to us, Jesus made his love tangible through these physical signs of his grace that he freely gives to us. And that's something A.I. can never give. Amen.

Erica Ridderman, Minister for Children, Youth, and Family Formation, preaches on the seventh Sunday after Pentecost.

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost.

The Prayers of the People are a staple in the Episcopalian service, but they're also reminiscent of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, with forms and collects abounding. We're here to discuss the many forms that intercessory prayer can take and why it matters to pray in unison for our world and for each other. We break down the structure of the prayers, discuss why we pray for government officials, share our personal favorite prayers, and entertain a riveting sidebar discussion on “intinction”. Please excuse Annie's audio this episode, it was a little wonky for some reason! Follow us on Instagram: @average.episcopalian Sign up for our monthly Substack newsletter! averageepiscopalian.substack.com More questions? Send us an email: average.episcopalian@gmail.com

Deacon Nathaniel Lee H.K. McKinney preaches on the fourth Sunday after Pentecost.

The Rev. Candy Snively preaches on the third Sunday after Pentecost.

I speak with John Magerus about his book "James DeKoven: Biography of a Famous yet Forgotten Man." DeKoven was a 19th century Episcopalian clergyman and educator for whom Racine's DeKoven Center is named.

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on the second Sunday after Pentecost.

WILL THE “NO KINGS” MOVEMENT SAVE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY? At GREEP Gathering #227 we mourn the horrific MAGA murders in Minnesota with St. Cloud resident HEDY TRIPP. We look in growing detail at the “Christian Nationalist” movement with radio host LYNNE FEINERMAN, who discusses ANDRA WATKINS & her great work on right-wing cults. From Indivisible we hear MIMI “SPRINGTIME” about her Episcopalian roots & their warped Evangelical off-shoots.   A wonderful award-winning poem from DANIELLA GIUSEPPE underscores the larger female hippocampus which provides more empathy than men can command. From Columbus, Ohio, we hear SANDY BOLZENIUS reporting about the various marches ranging from NO KINGS to Pride to Doo Dah & more.  In Santa Monica, Dr. NANCY NIPARKO reports on functional brain studies showing large hippocampi among taxi drivers, along with other contributions of her great genius Nancy gives us a pretty specific laundry list on the development of the brains in the Republican v. Democratic skulls. There were 8k people at La Palma Park in Anaheim, according to DAVID SONNEBORN, who's pushing SB42 for public financing of California elections. From Oakland we hear from SUZIE GOLDMACHER about 10k marchers there & in other Bay Area cities. We hear in general that QR codes were not distributed at these massive rallies, but that there is a NO KINGS web site people can connect to (https://www.nokings.org/ ).. From STEVE CARUSO we hear of the many hundreds who marched in protest in rural Licking County, Ohio.  From Los Angeles we hear from TERRY GOODMAN-MANPEARL who was shot in the hand by the LAPD while doing jail support in the streets. Renowned activist JAN GOODMAN (Terry's mom) emphasizes the power of organizing at the Pacifica Network as well as in the streets. From Tucson BILL YOHEY reports on some great progressive marching. including more than 2k folks all over this small Arizona desert community. From TATANKA BRICCA we get a heads-up about the ICE Gestapo.   From Austin we hear from PERLY GATES's original song    TV legend DAVID SALTMAN tells us about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to produce a NO KINGS documentary for the ages.   From southern Ohio VINA COLLEY warns about the horrific Big Bad Bill now looming in the US House.   For more about Pacifica's New Day we hear from MYLA RESON & JAN GOODMAN.   And we prepare to gather again next week for more ELECTION PROTECTION & SOLARTOPIAN POWER.  

The Rev. Sarah Phelps preaches on Trinity Sunday.

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on the Day of Pentecost.

The Rev. Sarah Phelps preaches on the seventh Sunday of Easter.

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna talks with Joseph Yoo, an Episcopalian pastor, about a wide array of topics, beginning with their shared, humorous appreciation for professional wrestling, which serves as a recurring touchstone for discussions on belief, community, and the nature of fandom. Yoo shares his journey from a Methodist upbringing (his father was a preacher) to becoming an Episcopalian priest and his current work planting a new, inclusive church in a former bakery in Texas, emphasizing the importance of belonging before believing. They explore themes of faith deconstruction, the interpretation of scripture (using Jonah as an example), the challenges and nuances of church leadership, and outreach in the modern world, all interwoven with personal anecdotes and lighthearted banter about cultural differences in religious practice and the human need for meaning. Joseph Yoo is the priest of Mosaic Episcopal church in Houston. You can visit https://linktr.ee/JosephYoo to connect with him.

The Rev. Candy Snively preaches on the sixth Sunday of Easter.

High School Senior Caitlin Belingon reflects on her time at St. Paul’s on Youth Sunday, May 18, 2025.

High School Senior Adam Springfield reflects on his time at St. Paul’s on Youth Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Covered a few bookmarks in X I had saved, including an Episcopalian "priestess" who is confused on the Trinity and transgenderism, then an X account called The Classical Ponderer who ripped into me as a coward and a vulture. Then finished with some thoughts on yesterday's announcement of the cancellation of the G3 Conference in Atlanta and the attendant issues. Don't forget the debate on Thursday, 8pm EDT on the Bible Dinger's channel on YouTube!

The Episcopal Church announces that it is terminating its partnership with the government to resettle refugees after Trump's South African move. Meanwhile, a mother in Deerfield, Illinois has revealed that school officials forced young girls to change into their gym clothes in front of a trans-identified male student.Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Relief Factorhttps://relieffactor.com OR CALL 1-800-4-RELIEFTurn the clock back on pain with Relief Factor. Get their 3-week Relief Factor Quick Start for only $19.95 today! Goldcohttps://DanaLikesGold.com My personal gold company - get your GoldCo 2025 Gold & Silver Kit. PLUS, you could qualify for up to 10% in BONUS silver.Byrnahttps://byrna.com/danaGet your hands on the new compact Byrna CL. Visit Byrna.com/Dana receive 10% off. Patriot Mobilehttps://patriotmobile.com/DanaDana's personal cell phone provider is Patriot Mobile. Get a FREE MONTH of service code DANA.HumanNhttps://humann.comSupport your metabolism and healthy blood sugar levels with Superberine by HumanN. Find it now at your local Sam's Club next to SuperBeets Heart Chews.  KelTechttps://KelTecWeapons.comSee the third generation of the iconic SUB2000 and the NEW PS57 - Keltec Innovation & Performance at its best.All Family Pharmacyhttps://AllFamilyPharmacy.com/DanaCode Dana10 for 10% off your entire order.PreBornhttps://Preborn.com/DanaWith your help, we can hit the goal of 1,000 ultrasounds this month! Just dial #250 and say “Baby”. Ancient Nutritionhttp://ancientnutrition.com/DanaCollagen and wellness, powered by Ancient Nutrition—get 25% off your first order with promo code DANA.Home Title Lockhttps://hometitlelock.com/danaProtect your home! Get a FREE title history report + 14 days of coverage with code DANA. Check out the Million Dollar TripleLock—terms apply.Ground Newshttps://Groundnews.com/DANAGet 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan.

What happens when you stand at the crossroads where the sacred meets the secular, where your identity refuses to fit into neat binaries, and where faith seeks understanding in the midst of doubt? In this deeply personal conversation, Episcopal priest and pioneering womanist theologian Kelly Brown Douglas returns to the podcast to explore theology as a lived experience, not abstract speculation. We dive into her powerful concept of "crossroads theology" – that stable, definite space where the blues singer performs both pain and praise, where Black and Episcopalian identity refuse to be bifurcated, and where God meets us in our full complexity. Kelly unpacks how the dangerous narratives of respectability and white supremacy create false binaries that diminish our humanity, and how Jesus's own crossroads moment challenges our comfortable Christianity. From her nightly prayers on her knees to calling the names of deported families, from finding God in resistance movements to wrestling with faith after Trayvon Martin's death, Kelly shows us what it means to do theology from "the complicated and sometimes contradictory spaces of our living." She reminds us that Christianity has a crucifixion at its center – and it's high time we act like it. Plus, we celebrate Kelly's upcoming appearance at Theology Beer Camp 2025, where she'll be bringing this transformative theological vision to 600 nerdy friends ready to do theology while day-drinking in a sanctuary. Trust me, you don't want to miss this conversation about finding resurrection hope in our Gethsemane moments. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. This event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to "nerd out" on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here. Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at the Cathedral. In 2017, she was named Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and in 2019, she was appointed to the Bill and Judith Moyers Chair in Theology at Union. You can listen to her previous visit to the podcast here: Resurrection Hope & A Future Where Black Lives Matter Upcoming Online Class:⁠ Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost⁠ "⁠Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost⁠" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. ⁠As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here. ⁠ _____________________ ⁠⁠⁠Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. ⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 45 classes at ⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on the fourth Sunday of Easter.

An Historic Altadena Church, Lost to the Eaton Fire, Begins the Long Journey to Resurrection  The Eaton Fire reached deep into the sanctuaries of Altadena's faith community. It lost over a dozen places of worship: Baptist, Episcopalian, Jewish, Methodist, Muslim, and Evangelical Christian. There's a lot of talk now about how and when people can rebuild their homes in Altadena. But how to rebuild a church, mosque or synagogue?  And how do faith leaders keep their congregations together in the meantime? Reporter Steven Cuevas takes us to one of the largest churches in this community.  On Catalina Island, A Resilient Swimmer Finds Freedom in Open Water Our series on resilience continues with ultra-ironman athlete Suzy Degazon. Watching her compete, it's hard to believe she was once so weak her heart had trouble beating. But Degazon battled an eating disorder for many years. It was so severe, doctors told her family she would likely die from it. But she battled back, and these days, she's a scuba instructor on Catalina Island, a dream job in a dream location. Reporter Lusen Mendel caught up with Degazon as she  took a sunrise swim in the ocean. A Scientist's Fight to Save Catalina Island's Plant Biodiversity Catalina Island is known for its scenic hiking trails, campsites, beaches and for being a popular tourist destination for cruise ships. But it's also known for its biodiversity — the island is home to more than 60 different native plants and animals. As plant manager for the Catalina Island Conservancy, Kevin Alison's job is to care for all the island's plants, though he has an affinity for the rare ones that are battling invasive species. He spends much of his time in a lab deep inside Catalina's interior, where he clones plant tissue and propagates them. Reporter Steven Rascón  spent some time with Allison and followed his quest to save as many native plants as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Witness Wednesday! Todd Friel is at Georgia Tech where he talks with students about the fundamental questions of life, ethics, and spirituality. This episode highlights the importance of repentance, faith, and the transformative power of the Christian gospel. Segment 1: • Student attends an Episcopalian church but admits his faith doesn't impact his daily life. • He defends morality without biblical grounding and even jokes about wanting political opponents harmed. • Todd gently exposes student's contradictions, showing that ignoring God's commands doesn't erase guilt — it confirms it. Segment 2: • Student calls himself lukewarm and challenges Christianity's uniqueness among world religions. • Todd responds with the gospel's distinctiveness: only Christianity offers salvation through grace, not works. • Student intellectually engages but admits he's not living like Jesus is central — leaving his soul in dangerous territory. Segment 3: • An unnamed student confesses to lying, lust, and blasphemy, but insists being “better” should be enough. • Todd presses the reality: if God is just, then sin must be punished — and everyone's guilty. • Todd meets another student who agrees with much of the message but still thinks “being mostly good” should qualify him for heaven. Segment 4: • Todd explains the full gospel to the student — Jesus lived perfectly and died sacrificially to save sinners like him. • Student is told to go to God directly: repent, trust Christ alone, and be born again — not through religion, but real faith. • With tears in his eyes, student quietly listens, visibly affected, as Todd pleads with him to respond to the gospel. – Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme – Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

In this episode, Elle Russ chats with Philip Blackledge - he was ordained a priest in the Scottish Episcopal church in 1999. As he was ordained, the heavens opened, there was a mighty thundering and a heavenly voice spoke out of the cloud saying “Bloody hell, we're really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days.”  Before ordination he was a classical music singer, appearing on a number of recordings and broadcasts, and is currently the Chair of the Borders Music Festival, which aims to bring music to younger people and celebrate amateur music making. He is the leader of the Melrose Vocal Ensemble, and still appears as soloist when the money is right.  As a priest he broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 4 and takes part in discussion programes and “thought for the day” on BBC Scotland. He is a board member of the Scottish Advisory Council for Religion and Ethics. He has a wife, a son, and a dog, all of which have more control over his life than he does.   You can stream his sermons live at: https://www.youtube.com/@HolyTrinityMelrose     FREEBIES: Free Thyroid Guide + Video Series: https://www.elleruss.com/thyroid-guide Free Confidence eBook & Workbook: https://www.elleruss.com/7secrets Elle's newsletter: https://www.elleruss.com/newletter

May 4, 2025: Alleluia!  Christ is risen! Now, you'll know I am a bit of a geek; and, as this is a special day for Star Wars fans, I suppose I should begin by saying: May the 4th be with you! You know, you can always tell when an Episcopalian is watching a Star Wars… The post “E Pluribus Unum” appeared first on Christ Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on the third Sunday of Easter.

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend author, podcaster, and former Episcopalian priest Andrew Petiprin to talk unpack one of the biggest misconceptions about the Catholic Church: that Catholicism is simply another Christian denomination. With aplomb, charity, and with Scripture and the history books in hand, Andrew explains exactly what's wrong with thinking of Catholicism as just another denomination, why that matters, and why it's abundantly  clear from history and Scripture that the Catholic Church is unique in a sea of Christian choices.Plus, we unpack the danger of thinking of the Church as an institution, the notion of the "rules" of Catholicism, and so much more. For more from Andrew listen to his complete conversion story way back on Episode 69 of the podcast.You can find Andrew's book, Faith Unboxed at Catholic Answers or any fine bookseller. And make sure to visit the Spe Salvi Institute.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on Spotify, Apple Music,A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Beyond The BeaconJoin Bishop Kevin Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish of the Diocese of...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

The Rev. Stephanie Yancy preaches on the second Sunday of Easter.

The Rich Dickman Show Episode 297 - Tornado Drill Position with hosts Rem, Cody, Ray, and Randy Opening Banter Recap: The episode begins with the hosts returning, with Rem noting that they are "back at it". Rem explains that he finally figured out a camera or account issue from a couple of years ago, realizing his wife had created a new account that bypassed security, making the old one look like a fresh reinstall. He wiped the new account, reverted to the old one, and his stuff, including old backgrounds from about two years ago, reappeared. This brought back some "blast from the past" backgrounds. They confirm the episode number is 297, correcting Randy who thought it was 296. Randy is asked to create a Brady Bunch screen using illustrations or real photos, including one of Ray. Ray mentions he can text a picture he took in front of a gas pump where the average price was $5.90 a gallon, which prompts comments on high gas prices (Rem filled up for $2.79 and was annoyed, Ray was around $2.93) and the general expense of things where Ray is located. Ray then mentions his recent weight loss. Randy asks what Ray's weight was last week, and Ray gives a number (396.8). Cody and Ray guess Ray's current weight before Ray reveals it is 393.4. Cody wins the guess. Ray clarifies he started at 436 pounds, tracking it in the show notes, indicating a loss of 21.8 pounds just on the show. This prompts praise from the others, calling it "good" and "a month's worth of work". Ray mentions building a fence so his dogs can go out without needing to be walked. They briefly discuss protecting wells from zombies like in The Walking Dead. Ohio is described as "weird" and Ray's backyard video is mentioned as everything imagined for Ohio – flat, surprisingly lacking trees initially, although Ray clarifies he has trees, and his side yard is 65 feet long by 25 feet wide with a zipline. Cody mentions his acre is half dead grass, ants, and dirt. Ray notes that living on a hill sucks. Rem talks about growing up on three acres and how fun it was as a kid, not needing to be manicured. Rem mentions dealing with his "little one" digging holes and making mud for monster trucks in his yard and getting annoyed by ants. Cody mentions chilling post-Easter with leftovers and discount candy, referring to the period as the "holy refraction". There's discussion about the Pope dying, mentioning it happened on 4/20 or 4/21, his age (88), and nationality (Argentina). They list the last four Popes they've lived through: John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict, and Pope Francis. Ray questions why anyone not Catholic would care who the Pope is. Rem argues everyone should care who the "Holy Father" is. They discuss Catholic practices like infallibility, celibacy, and the public recognition of the Pope compared to leaders of other religions. Cody recounts being asked to be godparents for his brother-in-law's child and being told they had to be married in a Catholic church, highlighting what he sees as Catholicism focusing on the "wrong things" and being too "ceremonial" rather than practical. Rem agrees it's all ceremony. Despite critiques of the ceremony, they acknowledge that if Catholics believe Christ died and was resurrected, they can still get to heaven, and that religion in general, like the Ten Commandments, provides a good way of living. The "best atheist on the show" (Rem) states that the lack of religion in society is a big problem because people need it. They critique the commandment "Shall not take the Lord's name in vain," arguing the Constitution supersedes the Ten Commandments. They discuss Cody's religious background in Alabama, describing it as "white people Baptist type stuff". Cody mentions being baptized "like 30 times" by different denominations. He ranks his top three baptism experiences: Nazarene (clinical) is number three, Episcopalian (female officiant) is number two, and Baptist (party, dunked in a creek, held under) is number one. They discuss sourdough starter and Ray's wife's breast milk used for practical purposes like treating pink eye. Ray describes his first experience with a bidet in a fancy restaurant restroom, being scared by the air dry function. They argue about the necessity of bidets vs. manual cleaning in the shower. Rem's Steve's Lava Chicken t-shirt design being rejected by Amazon merch is mentioned. They mention starting a band called Bubblegut and the Poops. The podcast is noted for surpassing the episode count of wrestling shows Dynamite and Nitro. We did the following segments: Thinking with your Dickman This segment features the hosts answering listener questions. Question 1 (from Joanna, treated as John/Joe): "Do I poop too much? I use the restroom an average of three times a day. My boyfriend says a woman shall need to poop once per day, but I'm not convinced. Is there any science to back up this claim? Are there any methods or devices you would recommend to measure my poop volume?". Cody, who has IBS and is a "two time a day type of pooper," validates that pooping multiple times a day is possible. Ray notes his toilet time is typically at least 30 minutes. They recommend getting a bidet for cleanliness, especially with frequent use, but caution against high water pressure to avoid hemorrhoids. They also recommend a seat cushion (like a donut) for long drives. Question 2 (from James, a recently retired actor): "I am a recently retired actor looking for things to do. I am famously starred in a long time running television show... I would like to find some activities that would allow some privacy... suggest some in Denvers.". Cody suggests mini golf and bumper boats as fun activities that might be less conducive to mobs. Rem suggests creating a profile on Fet Life and attending meetups, arguing that people in that lifestyle community are likely to keep secrets to protect themselves. Ray jokingly suggests starting an island. Question 3 (anonymous): "I hate chunky spaghetti sauce. Can you please tell me the best red sauce for pasta that isn't lumpy? Preferably, this advice would come from a true Italian.". Ray, claiming to be the most Italian, suggests Tutori tomato sauce, particularly the canned version, describing it as just sauce, not lumpy. He notes that while it's good as is for the "American people," you can spice it up with garlic, onions, and oregano. Rem talks about making sauce from scratch but acknowledges it's hard to beat store-bought like Prego or Ragu. Cody shares a story of making meatballs and sauce for multiple families using Target brand sauce and pasta, adding baked Italian spicy sausage and basil, and being asked for his "recipe" later. They joke that Americans are easy to please with Italian food. Question 4 (from John): "I want to play hookie from school for a day and need a legitimate excuse. Do you have any ways of getting out of school, but in a way that I can't get caught?". Suggestions include hacking the school's mainframe and changing attendance, getting a contagious illness like mono or pink eye (noting pink eye isn't that bad and a remote doctor's note is easy to get now). An interesting suggestion from Cody is to use microwave beeps to fake an EKG sound during a call. Another suggestion is to get surgery, like for a lazy eye, which could provide extended time off. Cody Reads Copy about Verilife Dispensary in Hillsboro, OH: Cody reads a descriptive piece about a dispensary called Verilife in Hillsboro, Ohio, located between cornfields and Dairy Queens. The copy highlights the "chill energy" and "tactical command" of an employee named Emily, who handles a chaos-inducing attempted robbery ("Tiger King's backup dancer" trying to "jack the stash") by leading the staff in a defensive maneuver before calmly ringing up the customer. The copy concludes that at Verilife, you get "weed," a "story," a "community," and "Emily," and encourages listeners to visit and mention Randy. Dick of the Week: Four nominees are presented for the "Dick of the Week" title. Nominee 1: A 31-year-old woman arrested in Floren Park, New Jersey on April 6, 2025, for DUI and refusing a breath test after driving the wrong way on a turnpike and other roads during a rainstorm. Dash cam footage showed erratic driving, running safety zones and a red light. She showed signs of intoxication, failed field sobriety tests, and had a concealed alcoholic beverage. She faces multiple charges including DUI refusal, reckless driving, careless driving, and lane violations. Nominee 2: A 47-year-old former Hillsboro County, Florida Sheriff's Office deputy and current county schools employee, Brandon Scott Parker, charged after a road rage incident on April 6, 2025, where he allegedly threw a bottle at a driver who honked at him, causing injury (contusion and abrasion). He was charged with the felony of throwing a deadly missile into an occupied conveyance. Nominee 3: A motorcyclist with a passenger involved in a road rage incident in El Cajon, California on April 7, 2025, who fired a gun at a truck. The truck driver was unharmed but found a bullet hole. The suspects fled on the motorcycle, which was found to be stolen, and were later found hiding in a drainage tunnel. Nominee 4: A 24-year-old man from Wisconsin who stole a bag of food from the kitchen of a McDonald's in Elmhurst, Illinois on April 7, 2025, and resisted arrest. Voting results in a tie between the Wrongway DUI driver (Nominee 1), supported by Randy and Rem for violating fundamental societal rules, and the Road rage bottle thrower (Nominee 2), with Cody voting against it specifically because the person was a former cop. Given the tie and the mention of Hillsboro in two different stories (Ohio and Florida), they declare the "Dick of the Week" is the "simulation". Dickman Dilemma: Three hypothetical dilemmas are discussed. Dilemma 1 (from Senson): Choose between having sex with a woman you find ugly once a week for $5,000 a week, or having the hottest woman you can think of peg you for $6,000 a week. Cody chooses the $5,000 option, reasoning he can turn the lights off and find enjoyment. Ray and Rem both choose the $6,000 option, seemingly unbothered by the act of pegging and appreciating the extra money. Dilemma 2: Hire a zombie chef who cooks Michelin star meals, but there's a 0.5% chance he eats your brains for each dish. Do you hire him?. Cody and Rem immediately decline, citing the disgusting nature of zombies and the unacceptable risk of death for a meal, regardless of quality. Ray compares the odds to other risky activities, noting he wouldn't risk his life for a meal but might for a large sum of money, and discusses the illusion of control people feel in everyday risks like driving. Dilemma 3: You get 2 million for a tattoo that forces you to blurt out the truth 10 minutes daily. Do you ink it?. The discussion centers on whether the 10 minutes are predictable and if the person can control what truths are revealed. Rem and Cody both agree they would take the tattoo for $2 million, particularly if the truth-telling was controllable or if it was like the movie Liar Liar, or simply because they believe in honesty and feel they don't have secrets bad enough to lose $2 million over. They consider doing it after retiring or getting divorced to minimize potential negative consequences. What Would Jesus Draw - Jesus at Wrestlemania 41 - Winner Ray: The hosts generate AI images based on the theme "Jesus Christ at Wrestlemania 41 in Las Vegas". Randy's prompt: Jesus Christ of Nazareth fighting the old Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match on top of the cage. Cody's prompt: Jesus Christ of Nazareth powerbomb Mussolini through the Spanish broadcast desk. Rem's prompt: Jesus Christ of Nazareth hosting Wrestlemania 41 in Las Vegas, yelling at a hostile crowd of internet nerds telling them they're ruining the show with a dialogue bubble saying "You're ruining wrestling for everybody". Ray's prompt: Jesus Christ of Nazareth at Wrestlemania being submitted by Bret Hart's sharpshooter. Ray clarifies the spelling of Hart and that sharpshooter is a submission hold. During judging, Ray's prompt generated an image of Jesus Christ versus Bret Hart (spelled correctly by the AI), showing Jesus in agony, in robes, with the crown of thorns, being put into a submission hold (though not an exact sharpshooter). This image was seen as capturing the spirit and specific details of the prompt very well. Cody's image showed Jesus powerbombing someone who looked like "young Mussolini". Randy's image showed Jesus fighting someone resembling the Undertaker but missing key prompt elements like being on top of the cage. Rem's image showed Jesus yelling at nerds with bad hands and text issues. Ray's image of Jesus vs. Bret Hart was chosen as the winner, with Ray crediting the use of ChatGPT. The episode concludes with hosts mentioning making the Jesus art available on their website, whatwouldjesusdraw.com, plugging their social media and projects, and thanking their listeners.

The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista preaches on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025.

The Rev. Sarah Phelps preaches on the Great Vigil of Easter, April 19, 2025.

The Rev. Stephanie Yancy preaches on Good Friday, April 18, 2025.

Will is on his silent retreat, so today we are joined by Eilise Patton and Chester Collins. As if we weren't lucky enough, we are also joined by Billy Langdon and Chris Powers to break down their Coachella experiences. Follow Eilise: https://www.instagram.com/itseilisepatton/ Follow Chester: https://www.instagram.com/chetcollins_/ Follow Billy: https://www.instagram.com/stilllwell/Follow Chris (Empty Netters): https://www.instagram.com/empty.netters/ SUPPORT BLANDINO'S PIZZA: https://fridaybeers.shop/collections/af-pod FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS: https://www.flowcode.com/page/almostfridaypod SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: DOWNLOAD BETTERHELP AND GET 10% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH OF ONLINE THERAPY WITH CODE “BEERS” DOWNLOAD THE BETMGM APP AND USE BONUS CODE “AFPOD” AND YOU WILL GET UP TO A $1500 FIRST BET OFFER ON YOUR FIRST WAGER! Visit https://dollarshaveclub.com/almostfriday and use promo code FRIDAY for 20% off $20 or more. NO MORE HANGOVERS! Head to https://trylastcall.com/FRIDAY for 25% off your first Last Call order. (00:03:15) - Instagram Breakdowns (00:06:08) - Episcopalian vs Protestant (00:07:43) - Coachella (00:11:40) - Coachella Outfits (00:15:06) - Billy Talks Chella (00:21:49) - Coachella Arrests (00:22:54) - Criminal on the Loose (00:26:16) - Kind Words About Angus (00:29:26) - Will's Silent Retreat (00:33:04) - Billy's Coachella Abs (00:35:54) - Recognized During Silent Retreat (00:37:36) - Iconic Bug Gift (00:42:13) - Preparing for Will's Return (00:43:45) - Cheating in School (00:50:29) - Babies at Coachella (00:53:02) - Chris Powers Does Not Get Hungover (00:59:18) - How Old Is Too Old For Coachella? (01:04:56) - Characters (01:19:14) - Eilise at Groundlings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rev. Sarah Phelps preaches on Palm Sunday, 2025.

Protestants often point to Matthew 6:7-11 to argue against repeated prayers—so how can Catholics reconcile this with prayers like the Rosary or the Our Father? Jimmy Akin explores this concern along with Catholic teaching on saints, Mary's spiritual motherhood, and mixed-faith marriages. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 02:18 – How can we reconcile Jesus saying that the Sabbath was made for man and the punishment of death for not recognizing the sabbath in the Old Testament? 10:21 – How can I defend the Church that was Instituted by Jesus Christ, especially on the topic of saints and Mary? 13:47 – Is St. Boniface VIII Unam Sanctam Papal bull statement infallible? If not, is there any dispute? 18:05 – How do we know that Mary's motherhood expands to the rest of us in the wake of Mary being given over to John at the foot of the cross? 28:45 – I'm Protestant. How do Catholics reconcile Mt 6:7-11 and the repetitious prayers specifically the Our Father? 35:01 – How do we respond to Orthodox rejection of the Filioque? 39:45 – Would it be scandalous for me to attend the ordination of a married couple as priests in the Episcopalian church? 49:35 – What advice would you offer me as someone who is in a mixed faith marriage?

Wendell Kimbrough, singer, songwriter, worship leader and friend, is here to teach us what the Psalms are really about. Christians have wrestled with this collection of poems and prayers throughout the ages. How can we find meaning in them today? Wendell went from arguing about Calvinism as a teen to leading Anglican worship services, where he learned to embrace the emotional side of spirituality. We discuss how psalms can help us untangle perfectionism, how to process psalms that call for violence, how to bring our whole selves to God, and why we should all write our own psalms. Follow us on Instagram: @average.episcopalian Sign up for our monthly Substack newsletter! averageepiscopalian.substack.com More questions? Send us an email: average.episcopalian@gmail.com

The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church share a common origin, but over time, differences in theology, practice, and leadership have led to a significant split. In this episode, Pastor Jeff and Tiffany revisit their recent conversation with Reverend Greg Kronz to debrief what makes these two denominations distinct and why thousands of churches chose to leave the Episcopal tradition and form the Anglican Church in North America.

Recently, national news was made by an Episcopalian asking for mercy.  Many of us were deeply moved by her words and yet, many people were enraged by them.  This dissonance suggests that there are different understandings of mercy out there, especially among Christians. How do we begin to understand mercy in light of our faith?  What does it mean to show mercy? What does God have to say about this?  We are joined by Dr. Stephanie Mota Thurston to explore this question this week! Like what you hear? We are an entirely crowd-sourced, you-funded project. SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/AndAlsoWithYouPodcastThere's all kinds of perks including un-aired live episodes, Zoom retreats, and mailbag episodes for our Patreons! Our Website: https://andalsowithyoupod.comOur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andalsowithyoupodcast/++++MERCH: https://www.bonfire.com/store/and-also-with-you-the-podcast/++++More about Father Lizzie:BOOK: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/762683/god-didnt-make-us-to-hate-us-by-rev-lizzie-mcmanus-dail/https://www.instagram.com/rev.lizzie/https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzieJubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, TX - JubileeATX.org ++++More about Mother Laura:https://www.instagram.com/laura.peaches/https://www.tiktok.com/@mother_peachesSt. Paul's Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA++++Theme music:"On Our Own Again" by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).New episodes drop Mondays at 7am EST/6am CST! 

This week we are chasing alien cults across the Canadian border while we discuss “Providence”! We're talking Doggett sleeping his way through this entire episode, wondering why on earth Skinner sucks so badly now, shake our heads at everyone suddenly converting to Christianity out of nowhere, lament that Reyes has nothing to do these days, and marvel at the fact that somehow, through it all, Brad is the only one in the cast keeping it real. How did this happen? We posit that Baby William is the Boss Baby prophesied in scripture, wonder if Mulder is finally fulfilling Clyde Bruckman's prophecy, figure that Father McCue is somehow to blame for all of this, and struggle to understand what exactly the show is saying about aliens and religion these days. Does anyone understand? I'm Episcopalian! I don't get it!Send us an email at scullynationpod@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram!

The Episcopal Church is a branch of Anglicanism. Over time, theological differences have created a divide, but what sets them apart? In this episode, Pastor Jeff sits down with Reverend Greg Kronz to explore the history, doctrinal shifts, and denominational splits that have shaped these two traditions. Here's What We Discussed:01:10 - Reverend Greg's Journey to MinistryRaised in a Roman Catholic family, Reverend Greg had a deep respect for tradition and faith. He later found a personal relationship with Christ through Young Life. Seeking a church that blended historical liturgy with evangelical beliefs, he was drawn to the Episcopal Church.07:19 - Anglicanism vs. EpiscopalianismAnglicanism began when the Church of England separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534. As the British Empire expanded, Anglicanism spread worldwide. In the U.S., Anglican churches were once part of the Episcopal Church. However, as theological differences grew, the Anglican Church of North America was formed, creating two distinct traditions.09:35 - Why Did Many Churches Leave the Episcopal Church?In 2003, the Episcopal Church consecrated Gene Robinson, its first openly gay bishop. This event deepened a growing divide. The issue was not just about social change but a larger departure from biblical authority. Reverend Greg explains how many Episcopalians felt the church was moving away from Scripture.14:22 - Key Differences Between Episcopalian and Anglican BeliefsThe Episcopal Church takes a progressive approach, emphasizing inclusivity and modern interpretations of Scripture. The Anglican Church of North America remains committed to traditional biblical teachings, especially on marriage, salvation, and scriptural authority.21:20 - The Role of Bishops and Church StructureBoth are led by bishops and organized into dioceses (groups of churches overseen by a bishop). The ACNA was formed as a response to theological shifts in the Episcopal Church. Reverend Greg shares how his church navigated this transition and how entire dioceses chose Anglicanism to maintain traditional beliefs.We love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, email me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.orgVisit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. Check-in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranstonRemember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!

This is our unabridged interview with Mpho Tutu van Furth. What does it mean to ask someone for forgiveness? The experience after Apartheid in South Africa has much to teach us. “In English, you say, ‘I'm sorry, forgive me.' It's all about me”  Says Mpho Tutu van Furth, daughter to the late Desmond Tutu. But in the South African language of Xhosa “You say ndicela uxolo which means ‘I ask for peace'. And that's a very different thing than ‘forgive me'” In this episode, explore the deep impact of apartheid in South Africa, the meaning of true forgiveness, and the profound philosophy of Ubuntu. Discover how Mpho carries on her father's legacy of peace and reconciliation while navigating her own journey as an Episcopalian priest and social activist. This heartfelt and enlightening conversation delves into the courage required to love, forgive, and build a just community. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Forgiveness and Reparation: The Healing Journey by Mpho Tutu The Book of Forgiving by Desdmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa   Similar NSE episodes: Azim Khamisa: Ending Violence Through Forgiveness Forgiving My Mother's Murderer: Sharon Risher Pádraig Ó Tuama: A Poet's Work in Peace and Reconciliation PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcript of Abridged Episode Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program… Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What does it mean to ask someone for forgiveness? The experience after Apartheid in South Africa has much to teach us. “In English, you say, ‘I'm sorry, forgive me.' It's all about me”  Says Mpho Tutu van Furth, the daughter to the late Desmond Tutu. But in the South African language of Xhosa “You say ndicela uxolo which means ‘I ask for peace'. And that's a very different thing than ‘forgive me'” In this episode, explore the deep impact of apartheid in South Africa, the meaning of true forgiveness, and the profound philosophy of Ubuntu. Discover how Mpho carries on her father's legacy of peace and reconciliation while navigating her own journey as an Episcopalian priest and social activist. This heartfelt and enlightening conversation delves into the courage required to love, forgive, and build a just community. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Forgiveness and Reparation: The Healing Journey by Mpho Tutu The Book of Forgiving by Desdmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa  Similar NSE episodes: Azim Khamisa: Ending Violence Through Forgiveness Forgiving My Mother's Murderer: Sharon Risher Pádraig Ó Tuama: A Poet's Work in Peace and Reconciliation PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcription Link Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linki… Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Segment 1: • Evil on Display: A female Episcopalian bishop with a pro-abortion stance gives a condescending “sermon” at the inauguration. • The Bigger Issue: No executive orders or modern self-focused ideals can fix what's fundamentally broken—this is evil in action. • Satanic Semantics: The rhetoric and tone reveal the spiritual battle beneath the cultural facade. Segment 2: • The Gospel Missed? Todd critiques Joe Rogan's conversation with Wesley Huff, noting a lack of a full gospel presentation. • Second Chance: Wesley Huff presents the gospel beautifully on the Julian Dorey podcast, reaching an unbelieving audience. • Forgiveness Costs: The gospel shows that forgiveness is costly and requires the ultimate sacrifice. Segment 3: • Judicial Truth: At its heart, the gospel is judicial—Jesus paid the penalty for sin. • A Bold Witness: Wesley Huff's message emphasizes the countercultural truth that the first shall be last. • A Listening Audience: Julian Dorey admits he's never heard the gospel before—highlighting the importance of clear evangelism. Segment 4: • Plenary Indulgences Return: The RCC declares 2025 the “Year of Jubilee,” with indulgences offered for the punishment of sin. • Biblical Misuse: Not every verse applies directly to us—be cautious of misinterpretations like this. • Theological Problems: Indulgences undermine the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

Today's show sponsored by: Goldco — 10% Instant Match in BONUS SILVER, for qualified JLP Show listeners Learn more at https://JesseLovesGold.com or 855-644-GOLD JLP Wed 1-22-25 Don't put evil in charge! HOUR 1 Female "reverend." Trump cleanup. Work, "Trinity," Forgiveness // HOUR 2 Divorce court. Supers: black "prayer," It is done. // HOUR 3 Manhood Hour: Anger, shooting. Meet father at 45. // Biblical Question: Do you pay attention to what's happening to you or what's happening in you? ⏰ TIMESTAMPS (0:00:00) HOUR 1  (0:04:50) Hell or heaven…  (0:08:00) Episcopalian female preacher as ticked as the pope!  (0:19:40) Cleaning up the mess, cleaning your mind…  (0:22:50) Goodbye DEI, Coast Guard woman …  (0:32:50) Punchie's Coffee … Trump: Not exciting!  (0:35:03) DAVE, UK, 1st: Lied to a person I loved. Forgiven.  (0:40:50) BRYAN, Miami: Preoccupied during work vs my own business  (0:46:04) BOB, FL: Trinity, Forgiveness  (0:56:00) …NEWS…  (1:01:40) HOUR 2: Why identify? Just live.  (1:06:39) JOHN, Sylacauga: Divorce court  (1:31:49) Announcements  (1:34:09) Supers: Ain't no deal! That "prayer"! It is done!  (1:48:38) BRIAN, OH, 1st: Fave moments in career?  (1:52:30) CHRIS, MS, 1st  (1:55:00) NEWS … HOUR 3  (2:02:53) Manhood Hour: Baron  (2:04:40) Human nature is evil  (2:08:06) Birthright citizenship: 14A was for slaves only!  (2:12:40) CHRIS: Talking in my head, mother's spirit, different father!  (2:23:10) Young man shot in front of mama!  (2:27:00) GIL, NC, 1st, why you in Cali? … Announcements  (2:33:02) TFS: Shayne Smith  (2:34:13) GIL, 45: Uganda to see my father for the first time  (2:39:09) BRANDI, HI: mothers separating children from fathers  (2:44:46) Supers… Judgment  (2:51:49) JAVIER, CA, 1st: Court with baby mother  (2:55:16) Closing