Category: Compass Podcast

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Jessica Richie shares the story and practices behind “The Lives We Actually Have”, written with Kate Bowler.

“The Lives We Actually Have” (Releasing February 14, 2023) is a collection of blessings for the struggles of our shared humanity, from the New York Times bestselling authors of “Good Enough”. A blessing for a painful day? A blessing for when things don’t make sense? These feel like strange times to consider blessing. But, as Jessica points out, perhaps those are the instances when we’re drawing closest to God.

This episode contains special blessings from both Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie.

(00:00) Introduction

(00:56) Blessing our doubt from Kate Bowler

(03:11) Introducing Jessica Richie

(04:20) Developing a deeper language for talking “God”

(08:14) Why a book for blessings?

(09:54) Favorite blessings

(12:10) Blessings are a form of placement

(15:35) Compulsive blessing

(18:33) A blessing for stretching your heart

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This is the January 2023 edition of the Rethink Church audiomagazine presented on the Compass podcast.

In this edition, we present the latest stories from the Rethink Church website.

Throughout January 2023, our content focused on Jesus and also questions about the United Methodist Church. We’ll hear:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:44) “Anxiety and one of Jesus’ toughest lessons” by Madison Myers 

(05:52) “The thing I wish Jesus didn’t say” by Joseph Yoo

(11:50) “The Surprising depth of Pentiment” by Nathan Webb

and

(16:45) “Are United Methodists really that different?” by Ryan Dunn 

 

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Caroline Oakes shares how contemplative prayer and meditation rewire our thinking and open us up for Divine connection. In this episode, you’ll hear how Jesus practiced “the pause”–or took time away for centering and contemplation. You’ll also hear some of the ways that our own contemplative practices can change our thought processes and awaken a heightened awareness for God’s movement in our day-to-day lives.

Caroline Oakes is the author of Practice the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human. She is a writer/spiritual director/publicist who is fascinated with the shifts in mind and spirit that slowing down and noticing can bring. Caroline has been published by The OnBeing Project (OnBeing.org), the Huffington Post,  the Bucks County Herald, Outlook by the Bay, and other online and print publications.

Connect with the Compass podcast at www.umc.org/compass

(00:00) Introduction
(01:45) Caroline’s start in contemplative practice
(09:20) Jesus’ practice of contemplative prayer
(14:54) Building new neurological connections
(19:28) Contemplative neuroscience
(26:40) What is “metanoia” and why is it important?
(30:45) Recommended contemplative practices
(38:35) Connect with Caroline Oakes

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What are the best streaming shows right now for connecting faith and life through theological reflection? Compass shares their recommendations.

It’s a big episode! It’s episode 100 for the Compass podcast! And we’re introducing a new member to the Compass team. In order to get to know our team, we’re recommending several shows and movies to stream right now that help us start theological reflection and connect the Divine to our day-to-day lives.

What are you watching this year? Get some watching and streaming recommendations here!

(00:00) Introduction
(00:43) Introducing our new co-host, Michelle Maldonado!
(07:12) Agents of SHIELD
(11:20) Good Omens
(15:05) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(17:46) Emancipation
(20:24) Smallville
(24:09) Signs
(26:39) Star Trek
(29:08) Bill and Ted Face the Music
(32:15) Lucifer
(33:23) Glitch

Want to find more ways to connect faith, spirituality and life? Visit umc.org/compass for more Compass episodes and ways to connect.

 

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Happy Advent! Let’s prepare for the UPCOMING Christmas season by looking at the history and practices of the holiday.

Why is the date of Jesus’ birth celebrated on December 25? Why do we sometimes call Santa Claus “Saint Nicholas”? Was the Grinch based on a real person? We’re doing a short but deep dive into Christmas traditions and practices.

In this episode:
(00:00) Rethinking Christmas traditions
(00:59) Myth 1: Christmas is the most important Christian holiday
(04:06) Myth 2: Christmas is just an adaptation of a pagan festival
(06:06) Myth 3: Jesus was born on December 25
(07:52) Myth 4: There’s a new modern war on Christmas
(10:33) Myth 5: Writing “Xmas” is disrespectful or sacrilegious
(12:11) Myth 6: Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas
(15:33) Myth 7: Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem
(17:02) Myth 8: A star shone directly above the birth scene
(18:05) Myth 9: Three kings were present at Jesus’ birth
(18:37) Myth 10: December is the Christmas season

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Divine disruptions are happening on TikTok every day. Kelley Finch, Joseph Yoo and Sarah Tevis-Townes tell their stories of coming to TikTok and finding some beautiful relationships and community.

Find Pastor Kelley at @pastorkelley

Find Rev. Joseph at @joseph.yoo

And Pastor Sarah at @disorganized.religion

 

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Throughout November of 2022, our content focused on diversity and the season of Advent. We’ll hear:

“The broken family of Black Panther” by Nathan Webb

https://www.umc.org/en/content/the-broken-family-of-black-panther-wakanda-forever 

“Why diversity in the church matters” by Madison Myers

https://www.umc.org/en/content/why-diversity-in-the-church-matters 

“Have we embraced diversity or tokenism?” by Joseph Yoo

https://www.umc.org/en/content/have-we-embraced-diversity-or-tokenism 

and

“What is Advent about?” by Ryan Dunn 

https://www.umc.org/en/content/what-is-advent-about 

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Gratitude is good. But Thanksgiving is an issue. We could consider a space for lament and healing. Mark Charles, co-author of Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, shares a history of the Thanksgiving holiday and how we can instead make room for lament that offers healing.

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Learn how to utilize the contemplative practice of imaginative prayer.

This episode of Compass is an abbreviated one, as we’re working on what’s turning into a kind of double episode for next week. But in the meantime, we share another practice that leads into a deep sense of connection and helps broaden personal perspective beyond our own sense of self.

This practice is conveniently called Imaginative Prayer. There are likely a lot of variations on imaginative prayer. The particular variation we’ll utilize in this episode comes out of the Ignatian contemplative tradition.

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Throughout October of 2022, our content focused on changing the world around us. This edition of the audiomagazine features articles describing how we become personal agents of change, making small actions that provide big impacts. We’ll hear:

• “How you will change the world” by Joseph Yoo https://www.umc.org/en/content/how-you-will-change-the-world 
• “Creating a world-changing legacy” by Madison Myers https://www.umc.org/en/content/creating-a-world-changing-legacy
• “Netflix’s “The Midnight Club” Is More All Saints Day than Halloween” by Nathan Webb 
• https://www.umc.org/en/content/netflixs-the-midnight-club-is-more-all-saints-day-than-halloween 
• and “5 things we can about poverty” by Ryan Dunn https://www.umc.org/en/content/5-things-we-can-do-about-poverty 

 Let’s enter into our October 2022 edition of the Rethink Church audio magazine.