a Church Podcast

What does the shape of bread (or pizza) dough teach us about the movement of God in the world?  Support the show

Stories have shapes according to author, Kurt Vonnegut.  What then is the shape of our faith story?  Support the show

Is clapping after a worship song or hymn appropriate in worship?  Yes, clapping can be a meaningful part of our worship response.  But NOT clapping can also be a genuine expression of worship and gratitude.Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park as our guest preacher.  Support the show

God is _______________.  Fill in the blank.  What images or experiences of God (in the words of James Baldwin) make us larger, freer, and more loving?  Support the show

The book of Revelation is Ironic.  Jesus wages non-violent war.  Jesus is a servant king.  The double irony, is that Christians often read this book unironically, which makes Jesus violent and Christianity controlling.   Support the show

Are you confused by Christians who support war and violence?  Well look no further than this tattooed image of Jesus in Revelation 19 for their biblical justification.  But is this violent warrior Jesus real?   Or is this image subverting the violent way of empires by symbolically showing us Jesus' way of self-giving love?    Support the show

Like the four gospels, the opening books of the Bible include four traditions that are placed side-by-side.  These similar, yet different voices are intentionally preserved because diversity of perspective and insight is more important than having one right narrative.   Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz (Parish Associate) preaching on the risen Jesus appearing to the disciples.Support the show

We're not supposed to talk about this, but there are conflicting details in the resurrection stories of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  These differences, however, are actually a part of the good news.  Happy Easter! Support the show

From the creation stories to the flood stories in Genesis, God is creating space for life in the midst of the chaos.  In a similar way, our worship liturgy includes room for us to experience peace in the midst of the flood.Support the show

In the familiar story of Noah's Ark, God tries to kill everyone and everything!  How did this become the story we like to tell our children in Sunday School?  Support the show

Welcome Rev. Elizabeth Gibbs Zehnder as our guest preacher, talking about being formed by God.  Support the show

How are we formed by our praying?  From a global prayer, to a prayer we don't do, how are we being shaped by our worship liturgy? Support the show

If music is good for us, can it ever be unhealthy?  The answer may not be in the music, but in how it's used and how each of us hear it and experience it.  Support the show

We are all being formed by relationships and repeated actions over time.  If that is the case, how is our worship liturgy shaping us?  As we begin the season of Lent we will start by looking at the Prelude.  Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park speaking about how to listen to the voice of God.  Support the show

The kings of the earth demand no limitations on their power or what they can make other people do.  And yet in the end, the kings are seen bringing the glory of their nations into God's new creation.  So if the kings are there in the end, then what about the great prostitute in Revelation 17?Support the show

Stress is a normal part of life.  Sometimes it can be good, motivating energy and sometimes it's just too much.  And sometimes we keep exposing ourselves to the "too much" because we think that this is what we're supposed to do.  But what if "too much" is really too much?Support the show

Is there a difference between the way of empire and the way of Jesus?  On the surface the book of Revelation seems to justify violence.  But if we look deeper we'll discover that a new way of living and being in the world as we follow Jesus' way of love and light.  Support the show

Following the dragon and the first beast, we get the second beast.  This monster comes from the earth Support the show

Merry Christmas!  Did you know that the Christmas story includes a dragon?  Welcome to the weird and wild book of Revelation! Support the show

Parody and satire in the book of Revelation bring us a monster from the sea.  This beast is both a severe warning and comedy aimed at revealing the truth about abusive power.  Support the show

Happy New Year and welcome our guest preacher, Rev. Suzanne Swartz. Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz as she reflects on the meaning of several beloved Christmas Carols.  Support the show

Today is the shortest day and the longest night.  It's the winter solstice, which is a day that can help us find meaning in the dark nights of pain and loss.  It's also a day that offers us hope that light and life will return.  Support the show

John eats a scroll that is sweet to taste but bitter in his stomach.  This symbolic act tells us that God's message is bitter because it reveals the pain and suffering caused by empires.  But it's also sweet because God is shining a light onto an unjust and unfair world that needs healing.  Support the show

Absolute certainty is a claim made by empires.  Jesus' way of love, however, requires humility and an awareness of our own limitations.  Support the show

The 7 trumpets reveal a series of environmental catastrophes.  But who's causing all this chaos, death, and destruction?  Is it God?  The answer, in Revelation 8 and 9, is in the images of falling stars.  Support the show

Two people are experiencing the same event at the same time and yet what they experience is different.  There are always multiple perspectives, because each of us will see things from different angles and through the lens of our own lived experiences.  The same is true in the book of Revelation where the author is showing us multiple perspectives.  Support the show

In the book of Revelation there is a contrast between what is heard and what is seen.  This contrast reveals both the reality of suffering in our world and the stunning beauty of Jesus' healing way of love. Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park from Palisades Presbyterian Church. Support the show

In his life, death, and resurrection Jesus was loving, inclusive, and non-violent.  How then did we come to believe that when Jesus returns he'll be coming back looking for revenge?  Support the show

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!  Conquest, Division, Economic Injustice, and Death, followed by hell on earth.  Where is the good news?    Support the show

When something incredible needs to happen, what kind of character comes to mind?  What do our heroes look like?  In Revelation 5, a hero is needed and what happens next will be the most important part of this entire book.  Support the show

Faith, in part, involves remembering and retelling our stories.  As a community we tell stories from the Bible, from history, and from our own lives.  We do this because we believe that in each telling there is always more to experience and discover.  Today, we remember and celebrate 150 years of faith, hope, and love at First Pres.  Support the show

What happens when an introvert is told that being a Christian requires extraverted expressions of faith?  Support the show

Jesus is walking among 7 lampstands and holding 7 stars.  What does that mean?  Support the show

What images come to mind when you hear the word, APOCALYPSE?  Fire, war, pandemics, nuclear bombs, and natural disasters?  How about zombies?  The book of Revelation begins with the word, Apocalypse, but it does NOT mean "the end of the world."  If not the end of the world, then what is the book of Revelation about? Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz as our guest preacher.  Support the show

Was Jesus right-handed or left-handed? Support the show

What can the stained glass windows in our sanctuary teach us? Support the show

How many pipes do you think make up our organ?  It's an incredible instrument, whose history and design can hold meaning for us beyond the music.  Support the show

The table is the piece of furniture that sits front and center in many churches, including our church.  But why?  What is the meaning?  What is so important about the table?  Support the show

The next piece of church furniture we're looking at is the baptismal font.  The font is a symbol of God's over flowing love and grace, but it means even more.Support the show

What is the meaning of elevated pulpit in churches and why do we use a music stand on level ground instead?  Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz, First Pres. Parish Associate.Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park from Palisades Presbyterian Church.Support the show

I hate interruptions!  But perhaps what we need right now is a pause, an intentional interruptions from the chaos and bad news of the day, to take a deep breath.  Selah. Support the show

The healing stories of Jesus are NOT just about Jesus or the individual.  The community always plays a big part in either the harm or the healing.  Along with immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities are also targets of societies blame and exclusion.Support the show