All Saints part two, with Pastor Courtney, Isaiah 43, and a reminder to be extra kind.

PCOM Podcast

Celebrating our saints of today.

Pastor Courtney shares stories from her heart of three fellow ministers who died unexpectedly this year. Hebrews 12:1-3, the history and church tradition behind All Saints Day, and a reminder that grief is A-Okay, even (especially!) for the people of God. TW: Suicide. 

Why celebrate All Saints Day? Plus: grief, lament, and a cloud of witnesses.

Continuing in our series on Philippians, what might it mean to "do all things through Christ who strengthens us"? 

Jeff Given talks Bed Wetting at Summer Camp and other Great Successes

Pastor Courtney on Philippians 2, the humility of Jesus, and the Poseidon adventure. Plus: The New City Catechism and why you really should try Asian Box.

Was Paul a hymn writer? Singing theology, learning faith, growing roots.

Pastor Courtney on Philippians 1 and an invitation to insight, understanding, knowledge, and love from Paul. Plus: Alfred Lansing's Endurance (yes, Pastor Courtney can't get enough) and recommendations on surfing documentaries, macabre novels, and a birding board game.

I need a thesaurus! Defining discernment, learning wisdom, reading Paul.

Philippians, Paul's letters, church in context, and an embarrassing story about Pastor Courtney and dating at a Christian college. Plus: Why taking verses out of context is (almost) always a disaster, and how to soak in the richness of Scripture.

Is it okay to read other people's mail? Yes. Sort of.

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus says to those who will hear "You are the salt of the earth." So let's explore salt together to see what all the fuss is about.  Also, another kitchen catastrophe (Marmalade Hands), and some culinary wisdom picked up along the way.  SEE JEFF'S FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS HERE:  https://imgur.com/a/jkfNsa8 

Jeff Given talks Salt, “Marmalade Hands,” Kitchen Tools and more

Lost? Hurting? Confused? In pain? Have you considered trying the Bridge Ministry? Men and women walk one-on-one with those who are struggling, suffering, or going through turmoil. Learn more about how it was founded, what it does, and how you can receive care from this important ministry in a time of need.

Bridge Ministry Director Jackie Kosewick on walking with Jesus in difficult times

Alyona Koolhaas, PCOM's MOPS and nursery coordinator, shares stories of God at work from her childhood in Kiev to the fall of the Soviet Union to falling in love with an American in Wisconsin. From her love of tiny tots to her deepening relationship with great big God, this is not a story to miss.

Alyona Koolhaas on God at work in Ukraine, coordinating our church nursery, and why every mom should try MOPS

Pastor Courtney on how sitting in a different chair can change your life. (Seriously.) Also: words of wisdom from Clayton Simon, gentle invitations to innovation, recommendations, and news about what's coming next.

Imagination and innovation: it only takes a spark!

Pastor Courtney reads an excerpt on whimsical worship from her new book - Happy Now - and asks the question: is it okay to play in church? She invites listeners to write in with stories of their own joyful worship experiences, and to offer feedback in how our church can imagine new ways of fellowship, mission, and worship after the unique season we've encountered. Happy Now by Courtney Ellis 

Should worship be playful? Plus: an invitation to imagining a new future together

How can we love our neighbors as ourselves if we don't seek to know and understand our neighbors' points of view? Pastor Courtney unpacks the power of story to see things--and people--as complex, nuanced, and interesting rather than one-dimensional.  We talk about how many years it took Courtney and Daryl to begin seeing one another well within their marriage (hint: it's still a journey!), and take a note out of Mark Twain's book for reading the world (and Scripture!) through the eyes of wonder rather than just utilitarianism.  Two Ways of Seeing a River by Mark Twain

Whose shoes are you wearing? Imagination as a tool for empathy

What is the role of the imagination in a life of faith? Can a Christian imagination transform our lives, our churches, and our communities? Words of wisdom from a literature professor, a philosophy professor, and a Psalm. Plus: an invitation to explore our own imaginations for the sake of the Gospel. C.S. Lewis's essay on faith and imagination Karen Swallow Prior's book: On Reading Well The Holy Post Podcast interview with Karen Swallow Prior Psalm 57

What's the greatest challenge facing the church today? Pastor Courtney's answer might surprise you.

Jeff shares stories about his cooking failures (see: nearly burning down the house) and a few tips along the way.

Jeff Given Ruins Dinner (and other kitchen disasters)

How can our food affect and influence our lives of prayer? Can cooking be an act of prayer? How about a beautifully set table? Do we always need to pray before our meals? What are some new prayer practices we might engage around the food that we eat? Whet your appetite for an episode on food, faith, and our good Creator God!

Can you eat a prayer? Pastor Courtney shares the story of a life-changing meal.

Stories of God at work in and through the ministries of Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo, California. Cover art photo provided by: https://unsplash.com/@christopher__burns

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PCOM Podcast

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