PODCAST · religion
Young UC
by Tim Crouch
Meditations, sermons and blessings.
Episodes
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Not a Magic Trick: Resurrection as a Universal Reveal
Is the story of the resurrection just a ancient "magic trick," or is it something much deeper? In this final instalment of our Lenten theme, "Going All In," we grapple with the weirdness, the skepticism, and the cultural overexposure of Easter to find the heartbeat of the story. Moving beyond the...
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Palm/Passion: God's Commitment to Life
Why do we call this Sunday both "Palm" and "Passion"? In this message, we reflect on how Holy Week embodies God going "all in" for creation. From the exuberant shouts of the Jerusalem crowds to the quiet intimacy of a final meal and the lifegiving terror of the cross, we see a God who refuses to...
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The Interstitium of Faith: Letting Go of What We "Know"
For centuries, scientists missed a massive network in the human body—the Interstitium—because they assumed what they saw under the microscope was just "noise." In this sermon, we explore how our own "knowledge" often blinds us to the wonder of God. Reflecting on John 11:1-45, we look at Martha’s...
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Not Just for Shakers: The Multipurpose Salt of the Earth
What if "Salt of the Earth" isn't about flavoring, but about keeping a fire hot, sealing a covenant, or healing a wound? Drawing on archaeology and ancient history, this sermon explores the diverse roles salt played in the time of Jesus—from earthenware ovens to Roman salaries and sacred...
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We Are the Blessing: Inhabiting the Beatitudes
When Jesus delivered the Beatitudes, he wasn't listing checkmarks for personal holiness or promising a fluffy reward in the clouds after we die. He was issuing a thesis statement for a new world—the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. In this message, we explore how the Beatitudes stand in direct...
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The Courage to be Wrong: Baptism, Repentance, and Radical Grace
Why did Jesus begin his ministry standing in a cold line at the river Jordan instead of the halls of power or the Temple? This sermon reflects on Matthew 3:13-17, exploring why the "repentant" crowd was the perfect soil for Christ's movement. We often "dig in" and defend our mistakes because we…
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Inseparable: John's Radical Vision of God and Creation
Why did God choose to dwell in flesh? Drawing inspiration from the Upanishads and the foundational text of John 1:1-18, this sermon explores the profound purpose of the Incarnation. We find that God's desire is not to overcome distance, but to overcome the illusion of our own isolation—to pull us...
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The Path is Under Your Feet: A Call to Advent Mindfulness
We all anticipate a distant future—a promised land, retirement, or the afterlife. But drawing on the woodcutter's wisdom and the returning exiles of Judah (Isaiah 35), this sermon reminds us that Christian faith is not "God will be with us," but Immanuel: "God IS with us." We are called to stop...
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The Profusion of Shoots: Experimentation and the Hope of Jesse’s Stump
From a slime mould mapping a rail system to the chaos of the Cambrian Explosion, nature shows us that new life and great solutions emerge from a profusion of experiments. This sermon explores Isaiah 11's prophecy of the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" not as a single sprout, but as a myriad of...
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Already but Not Yet: Living in Advent
Advent is a season of hopeful tension, embracing the idea that God's new world is both Already here (seen in moments of grace and peace, like Jerusalem's relief from Assyria) and Not Yet fully realized. Drawing on Isaiah 2:1-5 and Matthew 24:36-44, this sermon encourages us to live in what Parker...
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The King with a Towel: The Scandal of Radical Mercy
On this Reign of Christ Sunday, we explore the political and spiritual tension surrounding the Messiah. The prophet Jeremiah pronounces "Woe" to the bad shepherds (the corrupt kings of Judah) and promises a "Righteous Branch" (Jeremiah 23:1-6). But the King who arrived defied all expectations:...
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The Small Temple Problem: Why We Fall Short of Peace
When we look back at the glory of the past or forward to an impossible ideal, it’s easy to feel like we've fallen short, much like the people rebuilding the Temple in Haggai's time. In this sermon, we reflect on this "small temple problem"—our collective failure to achieve lasting peace—as we...
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The Watchtower: Defiant Hope in the Silence
Gazing up at the night sky can make us feel small, but it also compels us to ask life’s biggest questions. In this sermon, we join the prophet Habakkuk on his watchtower, grappling with the injustice, violence, and suffering he witnessed and asking, "Where is God?" This message suggests that true...
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Making Light in the Deep: The Gift of Failure
This sermon for Anniversary Sunday challenges us to embrace the "gift of failure." We dive into the deep sea's bioluminescence and the Japanese art of Kintsugi (golden repair) to argue that true renewal and the outpouring of God's Spirit (promised in Joel 2) often come after we risk breaking. We...
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Sow It Where You Are: Gratitude, Hope, and the Present Moment
What do we do when our world is crumbling and false prophets (or even AI) only tell us what we want to hear? Drawing on Jeremiah 29, this sermon introduces the concept of "Marble Hope"—a tough, resilient hope that asks us to "seek the well-being of where you are," rather than waiting for a future...
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Radical Welcome: Communion with the Wounded World
Is Communion just a ritual, or is it the defining feature of discipleship? This sermon moves beyond the bread and cup to explore the radical heart of Jesus’ ministry: a table of welcome and a call to communion with the wounded world. We dive into how Jesus' practice of eating with everyone…
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When the World Unravels
Jeremiah’s vision of a world "uncreated" and returning to "formless and empty" isn't just an ancient story—it's a reflection of our own anxieties about a world that feels like it's unraveling. In this sermon, we explore how Jeremiah found a way to find a firm footing when everything he knew was...
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Molded or Finished: The Art of Being Unbreakable
Have you ever felt like your life was getting a little too "set"? In this episode, we explore the ancient image of the potter's clay from Jeremiah 18 and 19. It's not about making mistakes, but about whether we allow ourselves to be molded and remade or if we become brittle and break. Using...
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Two Simple Things - The Lord’s Prayer Part 3
This is the third reflection of three on the Lord’s Prayer. It was recorded on June 23, 2024.
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Imagine an Alternative - The Lord’s Prayer Part 2
The second of three reflections on the Lord’s Prayer. Recorded on June 16, 2024
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Calling from the Crib - The Lord’s Prayer Part 1
The scripture reading for this reflection is Luke 11:1-4. It was preached on June 9, 2024.
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Death and What Is Eternal
The scripture reading for this reflection is 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.
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Two More Miles
The scripture reading for this passage was 1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1.
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Bigfoot and the Christian Case for Democracy
The scripture reading for this service is 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
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What’s on Offer
The scripture reading for this reflection is Acts 3:1-10. It was preached on Sunday April 14, 2024.
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Zelda Prologues, The Graduate and What Comes Next
The scripture passage for this week’s sermon is Acts 1:1-14.
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Easter Change
The scripture reading for this Easter reflection is John 20:1-18
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What to Look Towards
The scripture readings for this sermon are Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-21.
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How do martyrs do it?
The scripture readings for this sermon are Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 and Romans 4:13-25.
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On top of the (space) mountain
The scripture reading for this Transfiguration Sunday is Mark 8:27-9:8.
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Surrounded by marvellous molecules
This baptismal reflection is based on Mark 1:1-20.
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Interrupted
This reflection was preached at Young United Church in Winnipeg on January 28, 2024. The scripture reading is Mark 5:21-43.
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Seeds
The scripture reading for this reflection was Mark 4:1-34. Due to technical issues, the recording was taken from a distance.
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More wine please
And we're back again. Sermons from now on will be live recordings from our worship. The scripture passage for this week is Mark 2:1-22. Here is the full video link: Sunday January 7, 2024.
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What Ben Wyatt Taught Me About Christianity... (Yes, THAT Ben Wyatt)
This episode was recorded on May 29, 2022. The scripture reading was Philippians 2:1-13, Imitating Christ. What does solidarity look like? And how did we get to that from seeing Adam Scott on Severance?
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Is it Worth it?
This episode was recorded on May 22, 2022. The scripture reading was Philippians 1:1-18, Paul's greeting to the Philippians from prison. In this meditation we long for something that we can commit to with passion.
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Be Curious, not Judgmental
This episode was recorded on May 15, 2022. The scripture reading was Acts 17:16-31, Paul's sermon in Athens. In this meditation we talk about curiosity.
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A Voice That Needs to Be Heard
This episode was recorded on May 8, 2022. Our guest preacher was Irene Greenwood. The scripture reading was Acts 16:16-34, the story of the fortune teller, Paul and Silas. In this meditation we talk about whose voices we do not hear.
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A Part in the Story
This episode was recorded on May 1, 2022. The scripture reading was Acts 9:1-19, the road to Damascus. In this meditation we talk about a story far bigger than any of our own, but how we are a part in it.
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The Wounds of Christ
This episode was recorded on April 24, 2022. The scripture reading was John 20:19-31, Thomas' path to grace.
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Imagine a Garden - Easter 2022
This episode was recorded on April 17, 2022 - Easter Sunday. The scripture reading was John 20:1-18. Easter as an invitation to imagination.
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The Palm Sunday Roller Coaster
And we're back... Our first podcast in a number of months as we figured out what was going on - church-wise, tech-wise, pandemic-wise... and as we still try to figure out what is going on whole world-wise. This episode was recorded on April 10, 2022 - Palm Sunday. The scripture reading was John...
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Individual Loss
Today's podcast is a recording from our first service together at Young United Church since March 2020. The meditation is from the Binding of Isaac. Please feel free to light a candle and join us in reflecting on what you have lost over the past 18 months.
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What the Blue Jays Have Taught Me About Jeremiah - Jeremiah Series 6 of 6
The scripture reading for this podcast is Jeremiah 33:14-18; 31:31-34. The Toronto Blue Jays are in a bit of a funk recently... and so is the whole world. How does Jeremiah cope with it?
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The Long Haul of Hope - Jeremiah Series 5 of 6
The scripture reading for this podcast is Jeremiah 32:1-3, 6-15. With the world crashing around him, Jeremiah buys a farm - a longterm investment in hope.
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No, I Won't Record a Negative Political Ad for You - Jeremiah Series 4 of 6
The scripture reading for the podcast is Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14. Jeremiah doesn't back down from political controversy, and in doing so invites all of us to reflect on how we see the world.
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Flying Saucers and the Tension They Create- Jeremiah Series 3 of 6
The scripture reading for the podcast is Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-21, 27-31. What does a UFO religion from the 1950s have to teach us about King Jehoiakim?
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A Canada Day Reflection on Psalm 137
A Canada Day special meditation using Psalm 137 to reflect on.
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Don't judge me... unless it is helpful - Jeremiah Series 2 of 6
The scripture reading for this podcast episode is Jeremiah 18:1-12. Judgment sucks. It is one of the worst parts of the history of religion. But are there times when it has value?
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The World of Jeremiah - Jeremiah Series 1 of 6
We're back. This week we're beginning a six part series on Jeremiah. The readings are Jeremiah 1:1-10; 7:1-11.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Meditations, sermons and blessings.
HOSTED BY
Tim Crouch
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Young UC have?
Young UC currently has 87 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Young UC about?
Meditations, sermons and blessings.
How often does Young UC release new episodes?
Young UC has 87 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Young UC?
You can listen to Young UC on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Young UC?
Young UC is created and hosted by Tim Crouch.
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