Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity
A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity! Church Potluck serves up thoughtful, friendly, informal conversation at the intersection of Christianity and contemporary culture. Just like a church potluck, we offer variety: a variety of topics, a variety of academic disciplines, and a variety of Christian traditions. Guests are friends and colleagues who are also experts in the fields of sociology, political science, theology, philosophy, divinity, and more.
Episodes
What does it mean to be a person, and who gets to decide? This episode dives headfirst into one of the most deceptively simple—and quietly explosive—questions in ethics, theology, and science. Is personhood limited to humans, or does it extend to animals, artificial intelligence, corporations, or even extraterrestrial life? Along the way, we wrestle with why defining personhood by intelligence or capability quickly co...
This week’s Church Potluck is a powerful crossover episode with American Angst. Dale McConkey is joined by fellow United Methodist pastors Rev. Ash McEuen and Rev. Karen Kagiyama, along with political scientist Dr. Michael Bailey, for a wide-ranging conversation about immigration, protest, and what it means to follow Jesus in public life.
The discussion begins with the real-world impact of current immigration policies....
This week’s Church Potluck looks a little different than usual. With guests postponed and a winter storm rolling across the country, Dale flies solo—no roundtable conversation, no lively banter, just a thoughtful monologue shaped like a Bible study.
The focus, however, could not be more timely. Few topics divide Christians today more deeply than the question of power—Christian nationalism, political power, national ide...
In this episode of Church Potluck, Dale McConkey welcomes a bundle of chaplains for a thoughtful, funny, and deeply moving conversation about what chaplains do—and how their ministry differs from that of congregational pastors. Special guest Rev. James Henderson—a priest in the Anglican Church of North America who serves as both a hospital chaplain and an Air Force chaplain—joins returning guests Rev. Chris Barbieri (...
On this final day of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, we pause at the heart of Christmas itself. In this short, reflective episode, Dale returns to a cherished family ritual: reading Luke’s nativity story and pondering what it truly means that God enters God’s own creation—“puncturing time and space” in the most humble and human way imaginable. From the machinery of empire to the stillness of a manger, from fearful...
As Christmas draws near, this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar turns to one of the most beloved and awe-filled traditions of the season: Midnight Mass. Dale is joined by Dr. Christy Snyder, our resident Catholic expert, to explore why this service holds such deep meaning—not only for Catholics, but across many liturgical Christian traditions. Dr. Snyder describes Midnight Mass as the turning point from Ad...
As the Church Potluck Advent Calendar draws near its conclusion, Dale is joined once again by Dr. Michael Papazian for a fascinating exploration of a tradition deeply rooted in his own faith: the Armenian Blessing of the Water, celebrated on January 6 as part of Theophany. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, Christmas, the baptism of Jesus, and the visit of the Magi are woven together into a single, profound celebration...
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined once again by Rev. Dr. Valerie Loner, pastor of Rome First United Methodist Church, for a joyful and surprisingly theological conversation about the Blessing of the Animals. Often associated with St. Francis of Assisi and typically celebrated in October, this beloved ritual takes on fresh meaning when viewed through the lens of Advent and Christmas....
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined by Rev. Chris Barbieri for a moving and compassionate conversation about the Longest Night Service, sometimes called Blue Christmas or The Darkest Night. Set near the winter solstice, this service creates sacred space for those who carry grief, loss, or heartache during a season often filled with forced cheer and nonstop celebration. Rev. Barbary ex...
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined by the always evocative and thoughtful Dr. Michael Bailey for a wide-ranging conversation about why sacred Christmas music so often resonates more deeply than its secular counterparts. Dr. Bailey offers a gentle but compelling reflection—not rooted in nostalgia or piety, but in musical depth—suggesting that the power of sacred Christmas music lies i...
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined by Rev. Dr. Valerie Loner, pastor of Rome First United Methodist Church, for a thoughtful and warm conversation about the Chrismon Tree—a familiar Advent symbol whose meaning is often seen but not always understood. Together, they explore how this white-and-gold tree, adorned with repeated Christian symbols, invites worshipers to slow down and refle...
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined once again by Rev. Chris Barbieri to explore the charming and lesser-known Italian Epiphany tradition of La Befana, the Christmas Witch. Blending Christian theology with local folklore, La Befana tells the story of a grandmotherly figure who encounters the Magi on their journey to find the Christ child. After declining to join them—and later regrett...
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale welcomes back the always-thoughtful Dr. Michael Papazian to explore the rich and often unfamiliar Coptic Christian traditions of fasting during Advent. Rooted in the ancient Church of Egypt—whose history stretches back to St. Mark himself—the Coptic Church approaches fasting not as deprivation, but as a communal spiritual discipline that prepares both body an...
In this Advent Calendar episode of Church Potluck, Dale welcomes back fan-favorite Dr. Michael Papazian to explore the ancient and surprisingly familiar tradition of the O Antiphons. Dating back to the early church, these short sung or chanted prayers connect modern worshipers with centuries of Christian faith and anticipation. Together, Michael and Dale unpack how the O Antiphons draw deeply from the Old Testament, h...
In this warm and joyful episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale welcomes first-time guest Mary Ángel Castillo Obando, a Berry College student from Costa Rica, to share two beloved Christmas traditions from her home country. She first discusses the all-day, extended-family ritual of making tamales—known in Costa Rica as La Tamaleada. Mary Ángel then describes the celebration of Las Posadas, a festive reenac...
What if the most audacious claim of Christmas isn’t the angels or the star—but the humility that God exhibits when taking on flesh?
In this reflective solo Advent episode of Church Potluck, Dale explores the astonishing pattern that runs from the manger to the cross: God choosing vulnerability over power. From shepherds as first witnesses, to refugees fleeing violence, to a Messiah who refuses wealth, status, and ...
In this warm and quietly fascinating Advent conversation, Julianne Bailey introduces listeners to St. Lucy’s (St. Lucia’s) Day, a beautiful Scandinavian tradition centered on light in the darkness. Drawing on her Swedish family heritage, Julianne explains how December 13 is marked by candles, white garments, wreaths, and special sweet bread—customs shaped by both early Christian martyr stories and the deep winter dark...
Discover the powerful story behind Our Lady of Guadalupe and why this 16th-century apparition of Mary remains one of the most beloved symbols of faith, hope, and cultural dignity across the Americas. Dr. Michael Papazian joins Dale to unpack the history, miracles, and cross-cultural beauty of the Guadalupe tradition—from Juan Diego’s encounter to the imagery that still moves millions today. A short, rich, Advent-seaso...
What happens when the Christmas story is no longer something we just think about, but something we step into?
In this episode of the Church Potluck Advent Calendar, Dale is joined by Ginger Binkley, a longtime friend and ministry partner from Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, to reflect on the beauty and purpose of live nativity scenes. Together, they explore why churches continue this centuries-old tradition—one th...
What if one of the most familiar Christmas songs isn’t childish at all—but deeply, quietly profound? In this solo Advent reflection, Dale revisits The Little Drummer Boy and traces how its meaning shifted for him over his lifetime—from a dark claymation special in childhood to a moment of unexpected theological depth in a college Christmas service. Exploring humility, offering what we truly have, and grace that respon...
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