Sunday’s Cool: Why Faith in Process Became a Live Podcast

In this bonus episode of Faith in Process, Pastor Harry Jarrett and producer Grayson Preece take the podcast on the road to a retired ministers and spouses lunch at Bridgewater Retirement Community. With an introduction from Christy Doughty, Harry and Grayson tell the story of how Faith in Process began, why it is recorded as a live Sunday school class, and how a podcast can become a new kind of “cassette tape ministry” for the digital age.Harry reflects on returning to pastoral ministry after 13 years away, needing fresh theological fuel, and wanting a space where honest questions could be asked out loud. Grayson shares what happens behind the scenes as editor and producer, from cleaning up audio to shaping each episode into a more cohesive listening experience. Together they explain how Faith in Process tries to serve both the people in the room and those listening later, creating a local conversation that can travel far beyond Weyers Cave.The episode also includes a thoughtful question and answer time about podcasts, Substack, digital access, community, Sunday school, and how churches can use new media without giving up the importance of face-to-face conversation. Faith in Process is hosted on Substack and is also available through Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Run of Show00:00:08 | Welcome from Grayson Preece00:00:43 | Christy Doughty introduces Harry and Grayson00:03:47 | Harry welcomes the live audience at Bridgewater Retirement Community00:05:45 | Grayson introduces himself as editor and producer00:06:33 | How Faith in Process began00:07:20 | Harry’s return to ministry after burnout00:08:18 | What is a podcast?00:09:02 | Podcasting as a new cassette tape ministry00:11:29 | Why create a Sunday school class as a live podcast?00:13:34 | Recording, editing, and publishing through Substack00:14:17 | How Grayson became the podcast producer00:16:48 | What podcast editing actually involves00:20:01 | Intros, outros, music, and distribution00:22:31 | Why the podcast focuses on published authors and accountable words00:24:29 | Asking the questions pastors are often afraid to ask00:27:42 | Reaching out to authors, professors, and Brethren voices00:29:11 | Faith at Work and Faith in Process as weekly rhythms00:30:10 | Grayson on why hard questions matter00:31:48 | Religious trauma series with Lonnie Yoder00:32:14 | The original 18 to 35 audience and the actual audience showing up00:33:00 | Audience questions begin00:34:11 | How remote guests join by Zoom00:35:03 | Why the podcast is audio-only00:35:53 | What does “pod” mean in podcast?00:36:44 | How does podcasting build in-person community?00:41:17 | How to subscribe or follow on Substack00:44:42 | How to find Faith in Process on Apple, Spotify, and other apps00:46:11 | Do listeners need Substack?00:47:27 | How to find other podcasts00:50:14 | Podcast recommendations from the audience00:50:51 | Closing thanks from Harry00:51:49 | Grayson’s outro and invitation to keep processingPull Quotes from the Transcript“Faith in Process, the podcast where we talk with real people about how they process their faith in their writing, in their work, and in their everyday lives.”“A podcast is just a new-fangled cassette ministry that costs a lot less to produce.”“What if we created a Sunday school class for this sector of the congregation, but we did it as a live podcast?”“There were questions that I was either not allowed to ask or I was afraid to ask.”“We are doing things that do build community, do build engagement, do build face-to-face conversation, but it is augmented.”Resource GuideFaith in ProcessThe main podcast home for Harry Jarrett’s weekly conversations about faith as something alive, changing, and still unfolding. Available on Substack, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.Faith at WorkHarry’s sermon podcast and writing home on Substack. The Substack page describes Harry as producing both Faith at Work and Faith in Process.Pleasant Valley Church of the BrethrenThe home congregation for Faith in Process: Sunday’s Cool. Pleasant Valley lists its location as 91 Valley Church Road in Weyers Cave, Virginia, with Sunday School at 9:30 AM during September through May.Bridgewater Retirement CommunityThe setting for this bonus recording. Bridgewater Retirement Community describes itself as a retirement community in Bridgewater, Virginia.On Being with Krista TippettMentioned during the audience recommendation portion of the episode. On Being is associated with Krista Tippett’s long-running conversations about meaning, spirituality, ethics, and human life.Letters from an American by Heather Cox RichardsonMentioned as another podcast recommendation. Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack describes Letters from an American as a newsletter about the history behind today’s politics, and the Apple Podcasts listing describes it as her narrated newsletter.The Cottage by Diana Butler BassMentioned as a podcast and conversation space. Diana Butler Bass describes The Cottage as a newsletter on Substack, and its podcast listing frames it as “part retreat, part think tank” about culture, faith, and spirit.Faith in Process: Sunday’s CoolRecorded live on Sunday mornings at Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Hosted by Pastor Harry Jarrett.Join us in person or listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or Substack.Learn more about our congregation at pleasantvalleyalive.org Get full access to Harry Jarrett at pastorharryjarrett.substack.com/subscribe