Rumors of Doing Good
by Rob Schellert
Inspiring conversations with pioneers, change makers and social entrepreneurs who are creatively making a difference in their communities.Listen in as Rob Schellert talk with friends from around the world as they share their stories and reflect on their experiences and what they have learned along the way in doing good on the Rumors of Doing Good podcast.These conversations feature everyday heroes who are often making a difference away from the limelight.
Episodes
-
S6 E12 Saša Jacobea - Gathering the Spiritually Curious in Prague
In this episode, Rob Schellert is joined by Saša Jacobea for a conversation about gathering the spiritually curious together. Saša shares her journey as a church pioneer and the story behind Nekostei — a monthly experimental church whose name translates roughly as "non-church" or "no church." We...
-
S6 E11 Jitendra Nayak - Living Among the Dalit Community in India
On this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob sits down with Jitendra Nayak from Odisha, India, who has chosen to live life alongside the Dalit community. Rather than observing from a distance, Jitendra enters into their daily realities—sharing in their struggles, celebrating their resilience, and...
-
S6 E10 Micah Purnell - Turning Words into Public Inspiration
In this episode, Rob Schellert is joined by Micah Purnell, a visual artist and designer from Manchester, England, whose public word art invites people to slow down and see the world differently. Through simple yet powerful phrases placed in everyday spaces, Micah explores how language can…
more -
S6 E9 Adele Botha - Igniting Young Imaginations Through Literacy
In this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob Schellert talks with Adele Botha, a literacy advocate and founder of the Uyavula Reading and Writing Project in Cape Town and Write2BU in Pretoria, South Africa. From a young age, Adele discovered a love for reading and writing—a passion that has…
more -
S6 E8 Rae Pears - Reclaiming Girlhood, Reclaiming the Future
In this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob sits down with Rae Pears from Bristol, UK, founder of Girlhood Reclaimed. Rae is pioneering a bold vision to reclaim and restore the stories of women and girls who have been silenced or overlooked. They talk about the challenges of starting something...
-
S6 E7 Ken Loyd - Experiencing Pain as a Doorway to Compassion
In this episode, Rob sits down with Ken Loyd to explore how the pain we carry can shape the way we see others. Ken shares about growing up without a father, the loneliness that followed him into adulthood, and how that ache slowly transformed into a deep capacity for empathy. Together, they…
more -
S6 E6 Ebun Feludu - Letting the Good Go Around Through Coconuts
On this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob Schellert is joined by Ebun Feludu, the founder of Kókárí Coconuts in Lagos, Nigeria. Ebun has built a social enterprise that's transforming Nigeria's coconut industry through sustainable production, empowering women, and supporting local communities....
-
S6 E5 Barbara Leite Cowan & Emma Cowan Leite - Nurturing Life Rooted in Simplicity & Community
In this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob Schellert sits down with Barbara Leite Cowan & Emma Cowan Leite, who started and help lead Mount of Oaks, an intentional community in the hills of Portugal. Rooted in simplicity, shared life, and connection to the land, their community integrates...
-
S6 E4 Minori Sueyoshi - Skateboarding as Presence, Patience & Becoming Real
In this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob Schellert talks with Minori Sueyoshi, a skateboarder from Fukuoka, Japan, whose story is one of faith, friendship, and finding purpose on four small wheels. For over a decade, Minori has experienced how skateboarding can be more than sport — it can be…
more -
S6 E3 Jack Holloway - Holding Space for the Heavy Hearted
In this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob Schellert speaks with Jack Holloway, founder of Despair Sanctuary in Brooklyn, New York, USA. What began as a moment of despair over taxes owed unexpectedly grew into a vision for creating vigils for the weary—a sanctuary where sorrow is honored and...
-
S6 E2 Silvia Gore - Walking with Refugees, Creating New Beginnings
In this episode, Rob talks with Silvia Faridencio Gore Lado, a South Sudanese teacher, mother of five, and community leader now living in Egypt. After fleeing her home in Juba in 2017, Silvia began a journey through Sudan that eventually led her to Cairo, where she continues to teach and serve...
-
S6 E1 Ken Loyd - Noticing the Small Things That Stay with Us
Longtime friend Ken Loyd returns to Rumors of Doing Good to share a story that has stayed with him for nearly 45 years—about a man named Roy Rogers (not that Roy Rogers!), whose simple, quiet love changed a room and a life. In this conversation, Ken and Rob reflect on the small gestures that stay...
-
S5 E6 Counter Presence - Cultivating Communities of Counter Presence
In this final epsiode of the Counter Presence series, we reflect on what it means to actually form countercultural communities - communities that are more than just ideas, but embodied expressions of presence, care, and faith. We talk about how communities grow from shared life, small risks, and...
-
S5 E5 Counter Presence - A Hope Filled Future
What does it mean to live with hope when so much feels uncertain or in decline? In this conversation, we explore the idea of post-Christendom - the shift away from Christianity as a cultural center of power - and how that creates both loss and opportunity. Rather than trying to reclaim influence,...
-
S5 E4 Counter Presence - Seeking the Welfare of Our Communities
What does it mean to seek the good of the places we live — not through control or performance, but through presence, peace, and faithful attention? In this episode, we explore how the pursuit of shalom — wholeness, justice, and right relationship — invites us to stay rooted and work for the...
-
S5 E3 Counter Presence - Creating Experimental Communities
What does it look like to join in the mission of God — not through programs or blueprints, but through presence, listening, and local response? In this episode, we talk about creating experimental communities as a way of participating in the Missio Dei. Rooted in the life of Jesus and shaped by...
-
S5 E2 Counter Presence - Seeing God in Every Face
In this episode, we explore the deep and disruptive belief that every person bears the image of God — the Imago Dei. We reflect on how this conviction, rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus and nurtured within the Anabaptist tradition, calls us to a radically different way of seeing and...
-
S5 E1 Counter Presence - The Place We Find Ourselves In
In this first episode of season five, I am joined by my friend and colleague Andrew Dungan as we reflect on the place we find ourselves in — culturally, spiritually, and personally. We talk honestly about the restlessness many of us feel and how that led us to discover and appreciate the…
more -
BONUS EPISODE: Stitching Warmth - A Girl Scout Story of Compassion
Bonus Episode – What happens when creativity meets compassion? In this special conversation, I sit down with my daughter Gwen to talk about a project she and her Girl Scout troop took on — knitting blankets for people experiencing homelessness. It started as a small idea, but quickly became a...
-
S4 E10 Her Leadership, Our Lives: Celebrating the Role of Women in Our Lives
In the season four finale of Rumors of Doing Good, Ken Loyd returns to chat with Rob about the remarkable female leaders who have shaped their lives. Together, they reflect on the significant impact these women have made and emphasize the importance of making room for their unique gifts and...
-
S4 E9 Ray Motsi - Fostering Nonviolence Across Zimbabwe's Tribes
In today's conversation, I'm joined by Ray Motsi from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has a complex history, marked by significant violence stemming from the colonial rule of the British Empire and the subsequent fight for independence in the 1960s through the 80s. This history has deeply influenced...
-
S4 E8 Gordon McDade - Being a Peacemaker in a Divided City
In today's conversation, I'm joined by my good friend Gordon McDade, who hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still resides. Growing up, Gordon directly experienced and witnessed the conflict between those advocating for an independent Ireland and those loyal to the United Kingdom—an…
more -
S4 E7 Being a Small Fish in a Big Pond
Ken Loyd returns to the Rumors of Doing Good podcast to talk with Rob about their experiences of dealing with mainstream churches, organizations and leaders who don't always appreciate or take the time to understand those who are trying to do good in the margins. Listen in as they share wisdom…
more -
S4 E6 Eagle Spits - Punk Rock Solidarity with Street Children
In today's conversation, I'm joined by my friend Eagle Spits from Nottingham, England. As a teenager, Eagle discovered his passion for punk rock. In 2009, he had a profound experience with Jesus. Inspired by the writings and stories of Dorothy Day of providing radical Christian hospitality…
more -
S4 E5 Ariatna Karlet - Participating in the Rebuilding of Venezuela by Starting a Clothing Business
In today's conversation, I am joined by Ariatna Karlet, a 24 year old remarkable entrepreneur from Colonia Tovar, Venezuela. Ariatna started Monos, a casual clothing company in the midst of recent social, political and economic turmoil of Venezuela. Through her business, Ariatna hopes to provide...
-
S4 E4 Eric Knox - Mentoring Students of Color & Why It Matters
In today's conversation, I'm joined by my friend Eric Knox from Portland Oregon USA. As a former pastor, Eric noticed how students of color often lacked role models of color within the Portland school system. As a result Eric started the HOLLA Foundation in 2013 with the goal of providing mentors...
-
S4 E3 Johanna Puirava - Providing A Mobile Resting Place for Vulnerable Folks in Helsinki
In today's conversation we are joined by Johanna Puirava from Helsinki, Finland where she started Levähdyspaikka (Finnish for Resting Place), a mobile outreach program for those struggling with homelessness and substance abuse out of the back of her Volvo. The underlying vision of Levähdyspaikka…
more -
S4 E2 The Joys & Struggles of Seeing Our Disabilities as a Gift
Navigating life with a disability presents profound challenges, often catching us off guard. We all tend to take our health for granted—until it's gone. Then, it's all too easy to obsess over what we've lost. But while we can't wish away our limitations, we can change the way we think about our...
-
S4 E1 Life Is a Series of Transitions and This Is One of Them
Rob & Ken Loyd kick off season four of Rumors of Doing Good with a short but poignant conversation about navigating life's transitions such as stepping into new opportunities and recent health challenges. Reflecting on the mantra of never letting the pressure exceed the pleasure, they share about...
-
S3 E12 Doing Good 101
Throughout Season 3 of Rumors of Doing Good, Ken Loyd and Rob have been taking time to answer a few questions from listeners they have received over the last few years. In today's season three finale, Rob and Ken takes the time to answer the question of what advice they would give to their…
more -
S3 E11 Deborah Loyd - Helping Folks on the Edge Find Their Voice and Meaning in Life
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Deborah Loyd who you might have guessed is Ken's partner. In 1998 at an invitation from a friend, they moved to Portland Oregon USA and helped start a church called The Bridge with those in the subcultures. The Bridge offered refuge and a safe…
more -
S3 E10 Andrea Campanale - Coming Alongside Spiritual Seekers & Steampunks at Green Fairs
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Andrea Campanale from Kingston upon Thames, in Southwest London, England. In 2005 a friend approached Andrea with an unexpected spiritual experience. Andrea found it difficult to find the words to help her friend, and connect the experience with…
more -
S3 E9 What If...
In today's conversation, Ken Loyd joins Rob as they reflect on how not everyone has had a positive experience with those who are seeking to do good such as faith based communities, the foster care system, the police and so on. What if every interaction you had with someone trying to do good was...
-
S3 E8 Sesay Abdul Rashid - Caring for Orphans Devastated by the Ebola Epidemic in Sierra Leone
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Sesay Abdul Rashid from Makeni Town, Sierra Leone where he and his family noticed hundreds of children living out on the streets, having lost their families due to the Ebola Epidemic in 2014. Previously a teacher, Sesay and his family began to...
-
S3 E7 Elizabeth Sparks - Opening the Doors of Hospitality and Creating Community with Folks without Homes
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Elizabeth Sparks from Tacoma, Washington USA where she lives and works with the Catholic Worker community for the past seven years. Since 1983, the Tacoma Catholic Worker seeks to build community defined by deep respect and mutal belonging with...
-
S3 E6 What Keeps You from Giving up on Yourself?
Throughout Season 3 of Rumors of Doing Good, Ken Loyd and Rob will be taking time to answer a few questions from listeners they have received over the last few years. In today's conversation, Rob and Ken takes the time to answer the question of what keeps them from giving up on themselves when...
-
S3 E5 Vivian Labib Nouer - Empowering Folks in the Margins through Social Entrepeneurship
In today's conversation, Ken and Rob are joined by Vivian Labib Nouer, an award winning artist and social entrepreneur from Cairo, Egypt. Initially an interior designer, she decided to combine her skills in marketing and interest in the arts to start up Charisma Arts in order to showcase local...
-
S3 E4 Uncommon Sense
How we make sense of our world is shaped by the culture in which we find ourselves. In contrast, uncommon sense can be described as thinking outside of the box that culture presents us with. In today's conversation, Ken Loyd joins Rob as they talk about how the prevailing common sense of Western...
-
S3 E3 Peter & Liz Digitale Anderson - Re-imagining Justice and Safety in Light of George Floyd's Murder, Part II
In today's episode, Ken and Rob continue their conversation with Peter and Liz Digitale Anderson who happen to live a few blocks away from where George Floyd was murdered by a white male police officer in Minneapolis Minnesota. As community peacebuilders, Liz and Peter decided to journey with…
more -
S3 E2 Peter & Liz Digitale Anderson - Re-imagining Justice and Safety in Light of George Floyd's Murder, Part I
In today's conversation, Rob and Ken are joined by Peter and Liz Digitale Anderson who happen to live a few blocks away from where George Floyd was murdered by a white male police officer in Minneapolis Minnesota. Within days the protests spread all over the world as Floyd's murder inspired a...
-
S3 E1 Childhood Influences
Throughout Season 3 of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob and Ken Loyd will be taking time to answer a few questions from listeners they have received over the last few years. In today's conversation, Ken and Rob will be taking time to answer the question of how their childhood experiences have influenced...
-
S2 E12 Josh Hawk - Partnering with the City To House Folks without Homes
In today's final conversation of season two of Rumors of Doing Good podcast, Ken & Rob are joined by Josh Hawk who helps lead St. Johns Church in Portland Oregon which was born when two local churches merged together when they realized they were better together than apart. With limited resources,...
-
S2 E11 Being Human Kind
You might have heard the expression, "A little bit of kindness goes a long way". Join Rob and Ken Loyd as they share and reflect on their experiences of how practicing goodwill with others can do wonders for the person we are helping as well as ourselves. If you have enjoyed today's conversation,...
-
S2 E10 Turinawe Samson - Creating Space for the LGBTQ Community
In today's conversation, Ken & Rob are joined by Turinawe Samson from Kampala, Uganda where he seeks to create space for the LGBTQ community as well as creating spaces for dialogue and understanding in a society that is actively hostile towards the LGBTQ community. Samson believes that "every…
more -
S2 E9 The World Can Be A Shitty Place
In today's conversation, Ken Loyd reads a page from his dairy about the time he had the runs but nevertheless needed to go out and take care of some errands when he noticed he wasn't exactly alone. Join Rob and Ken as they reflect on how the world can be a shitty place for the most vulnerable…
more -
S2 E8 Zion Tauamiti - Nurturing Wellbeing Amongst Māori Youth
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Zion Tauamiti, Samoan born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand where he currently lives to this day working with young people as a wellness chaplain. At the age of 33 Zion suffered a cardiac arrest and subsequently went into coma for six days....
-
S2 E7 Measuring Success in Unlikely Places
In trying to do good, we often measure success in a variety of ways such as how many meals we have served or how many people we have helped. In today's conversation, Ken Loyd joins as they Rob take the time to talk about the ups and downs of trying to measure success in their adventures of doing...
-
S2 E6 Annika Spalde - Becoming a Vegan as a Way of Caring For Creation
In today's conversation Rob and Ken are joined by Annika Spalde from Vadstena, Sweden. Annika is a deacon in the church of Sweden as well as an activist for peace, animal rights as well as climate change. One of the many ways she commits to doing good is by practicing veganism which is the…
more -
S2 E5 Listening as an Act of Love
Oftentimes we hear what is being said, however hearing is a lot different from listening. In today's conversation Ken Loyd and Rob talk about how listening is often something we take for granted when communicating with those we are journeying with. Join them as they discuss how active listening…
more -
S2 E4 John Friedrick - Living in a Small Town Where Everyone Knows Your Name
In today's conversation Ken and Rob are joined by artist and musician John Friedrick from Silverton, Oregon USA, a rural town where he has lived for the last 13 years, pastoring Oak Street Church. Listen in as John shares about the joys of getting to know his neighbors, including starting an…
more
About this show
Inspiring conversations with pioneers, change makers and social entrepreneurs who are creatively making a difference in their communities.Listen in as Rob Schellert talk with friends from around the world as they share their stories and reflect on their experiences and what they have learned along the way in doing good on the Rumors of Doing Good podcast.These conversations feature everyday heroes who are often making a difference away from the limelight.
Hosted by
Rob Schellert
Categories