Pod Be With You
Two progressive pastors (and many guests!) discuss scripture, real life, and whatever else inspires them. This podcast comes from First Congregational Church of Dundee, IL, and The Congregational Church of Batavia, IL with pastors Rev. Aaron James and Rev. Paige Wolfanger. We represent loving, joyful congregations that encourages us all to get together, get inspired, and get to work.
Episodes
It's Pentecost, people! And we are a Pentecost People. Which is the point. The arrival of the Holy Spirit, that pouring out, not just on a few chosen ones, but on all of us! Toward what end? Well, we talk about that in this episode, as well as the Tower of Babel, the Story of Creation, the Apocalypse, and the prophet Joel. A lot of ground is covered in just a few minutes, so jump on in!
We take a little journey into the mystic today, as we explore both the (S)onship of Jesus Christ, and his Ascension. These both are pillars of classic Christian theology, but have also over time served as stumbling blocks to some who struggle with the language of the literal. Join us as we break down some binaries, and step into the (im)possible this week.
This week, although the scripture passages are a bit different, the themes that Pastor Aaron and Pastor Paige or exploring are very much the same...connection, commitment, relationship, abundance, and joy. How do we stay connected to the Spirit? How do we live that out in our lives? How do we invite others? Join us for another hour of sparkling conversation.
In a shocking turn of events, the author of the Gospel of John is consistent with his themes and threads, and nowhere is that more than it is this week, when we dive into John 10 to talk about Good Shepherds, and John 15 to talk about Good Friends. It's about community, grace, empowerment, and the profundity of Divine Love. Join us if you can for this Johannine exploration.
It's the Third Sunday of the Easter Season, and so Salvation is on our minds...what are we saved from, to what are we delivered, and what is Jesus' role in this amazing work? The Disciples wonder this in their post-resurrection encounters with Jesus, and so do we from our spot in the 21st century. So, let's talk about it...
It's the second Sunday of Easter, and it's time to wrap up Peter's story. Or is it really? Because, although there is some resolution here, it is certainly not the end of Peter's narrative arc, or of Jesus', or of his followers. We end where we began, with "Follow me."
All of Holy Week in less than an hour? You came to the right place! In this episode of Pod Be With You, we cover not just the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday, but also Peter's experience of Holy Week and the Passion. It's difficult, and painful, and uncomfortable, but so very, very human. More than that, there will be resurrection on the other side, not just for Jesus, but for Peter, too. There is Good News even in the dar...
Technically, this week is Part Two of last week's scripture. Immediately after Peter's proclamation that Jesus was the Messiah, he kind of puts his foot in it. Jesus has shared that when they go to Jerusalem, he will suffer and die. And Peter vehemently objects. But what is he really objecting to? This week, temptation, following, and the dual and dueling Kingdom of this World and Kingdom of Heaven.
We continue, this Lent, to journey with Peter as he journeys with Jesus. Today, a pivotal moment for Peter, and all of the disciples, as Jesus asks them the question "Who do you say that I am?" Revelation, connection, community, empowerment, celebration are all a part of this story, as Peter replies, "You are the Messiah, son of the living God." Join us as we parse some of this out, to find what it has to say ab...
As we continue our exploration into the life and faith of Peter, we jump into (pun intended) the story of Peter and Jesus walking together on the stormy water of the Sea of Galilee. It's a tale about faith, about courage, about the power to do the impossible. Join us as we look at this vignette verse by verse, and discover what the text may have for us this second week of Lent.
This Lent, we are following Peter as he follows Jesus, exploring some of those central stories of the Gospel through Peter's eyes. And we begin today with the call of Peter, as found in Luke 5:1-11, that iconic passage where Jesus promises that Peter and friend will "fish for people." It's a great way to start a great story of faith, failure, joy, grief, forgiveness, empowerment, and God's great love for us...
Even before Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to the mountaintop and back down again, there are a lot of ups and downs in their journey...spectacular moments of Divine power, and valley experiences of misunderstanding and faithlessness. But this event at the top of the mountain is an affirmation for them all...for Jesus, who is turning his face toward Jerusalem, for his Disciples, who will learn what it is to follow. Join us as ...
We pick up in Mark right where we left of last week...Jesus in Capernaum on the Sabbath. This time, four vignettes that give us a peek into "a day in the life." And, among the other things happening here, it's about restoration...the restoration of Peter's mother-in-law, the restoration of those seeking healing, the restoration of Jesus himself when he was tired and at his end. A wonderful passage about the sacr...
The Gospel of Mark is so very strange and wonderful. This story of Jesus' life and ministry is so very different for the others, imbued with mystery and spiritual conflict. And today's passage, the tale of Jesus' first act of public ministry...casting out a demon...is so indicative of this difference. Join us today to talk about power, authority, and the reality of the spiritual in our world.
This week, we're focusing on Mary, and what has come down through the ages to us as The Annunciation...that short interaction in Luke between the Angel and Mary that made all the difference in the world. What kind of agency did Mary have here? What courage and faith does her acceptance reveal? What does this story have for us in a season where not all the news is good? Join us for an exploration of this pivotal figure in the C...
It's the second Sunday of Advent, which can only mean one thing...John the Baptizer emerging from the wilderness to call us to repent. "Ugh," we say, "this isn't very Christmassy, not very peaceful." Or is it? Maybe real peace is not the absence of some things, but rather the intentional presence of other. And if so, how does repentance call us to embrace those things? A tricky passage with a powerful ...
Have you ever heard of "ominous positivity?" It's a joke - saying good things in the most ominous way possible. Things like, "Everything will turn out fine. You cannot stop it." Or, "You will be ok. You have no choice."
Well, our Advent Sunday of Hope readings have an air of ominous positivity around them: good news and the promise of love, couched in warnings and lament. God's &quo...
It's the week before Thanksgiving, so is it any surprise that our theme for this week's podcast is gratitude? And not just gratitude, but how that can flow out of us in profound generosity...of spirit, of time, of passions, of gifts. At the heart of gratitude is God's steadfast love and abundance, and when we reflect that in our lives, we are changed.
It's Bible Study time again, and this week we talk about the twin disciplines of wrestling and waiting, as we take on the story of Jacob wrestling with the stranger, and Jesus' parable of the bridesmaids. There's a surprising amount of overlap here, in struggle, in readiness, in discernment, in looking for the presence of God in those dark and scary places. Join us this week as we wrestle, and wait, and experience tr...
Bible Study takes us in what appears to be two wildly divergent directions this week, in Jesus' rebuke against religious hypocrisy, and an unflinching conversation about death. That said, the thing these two have in common is precisely how we live, day to day, every day. Is it authentic, is it honest, is it loving? Join us this week as we dive into some of the deeper questions of the life of faith
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