A Church for Daniel

This is a very special one, friends. Of all the people I have ever interviewed on a podcast, this guest will always be the most special of all: my husband of 15 years, life partner, and best friend, Sean Allan Bowerman. We talk about our love story, our parenting journey, our ministry journey, and what it takes for a church to be able to reach a weirdo millennial Godzilla fanatic like Sean. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

I invited my friend and Methodist clergy colleague Jeanne Williams to chat with me about her life as a mom of neurospicy kids, how you carve out space to pursue your calling in a flawed system, how you survive the hard days, and how to bask in God's love! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Amber is also a podcasting clergywoman, and when she invited me to be on her podcast, I invited her to come be on mine, and the results were magical! Think of this episode as part 2 of a glorious 2 part conversation about how to integrate badass women in the life of the Church. You can find part 1, my interview on Amber’s podcast, here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

After a January hiatus, we're back! And today on the pod we are so blessed to have the Rev. Dr. Phillippa Faye Phaneuf: pastor, writer, prophet, and one of the very first people I met when I started seminary. We dive into the deep learnings of our seventeen-year friendship, and we talk service, coming out, metamorphosis, and how the Gospel calls us to big things. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

The last podcast episode of 2025: The Lowe's Employee at the Manger. What does Daniel teach us about bringing your authentic self to the nativity? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

This week, on A Church for Daniel: Jesus' weird cousin, John the Baptist, and what he teaches us about bringing our full, beloved, wacky selves to church. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Friends, you're in for quite the treat! This episode is an interview with my dear friend and colleague, the Rev. Sam Kinsman. UCC clergy, University of Rochester Protestant Chaplain, and Sailor Moon enthusiast...Sam has so much wisdom about autism, queerness, culture, fandom, Spirit, Truth, identity, and loving your whole self. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

In this episode, I invite you to look at what an insidious and destructive force anxiety is in the work of inclusion, and I talk about how we can fight back against it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

This week's podcast episode is a very special interview with my 9 year old daughter, Lillian Ora Bowerman. Lily's wanted to pod with me for a long time, and she brings her beautiful heart to this interview. Come hear a child's wisdom on what the Church should be. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Today's special guest is the Rev. Padraic Collins-Bohrer: Episcopalian priest, chaplain at Heritage Christian Services, fellow CRCDS alum, friend, and a man who also happens to live with cerebral palsy. Paddy is a fount of wisdom about making the Church accessible, and you want to hear all of it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Friends, today’s A Church for Daniel is a special presentation of a picture book I wrote over the summer, inspired by the experiences our family has had attempting to be part of…well, life. Church events, community events, school events. The world is full of elephants named Daniel, be they autistic or otherwise. Do you see Daniel the elephant in your community? When were the moments we missed the mark of inclusion? And who are the Rev. Bunny’s and Mrs. Cicada’s in our midst, teaching us how to center strengths and unique abilities instead of differences? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Today's very special guest is David Hayward, better known to many on social media as Naked Pastor! We talk media consumption and screen time, his book, The Rainbow Sheep, pushing the envelope with edgy cartoons, censorship, authoritarianism, radical inclusion, and changing the Church! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com

Friends, this is the very first ever episode of A Church for Daniel. In this first episode, I'm talking about the origins of this ministry, and why it matters. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastornatalie4.substack.com