Feeling Beings Who Think

Shame and Healing

"There is not a perfect place we get to where we aren't wounded by life." I know this is true, and I wish it weren't! My guest today is my close friend and colleague, The Rev. Mark Robin Collins and we are discussing the classic and best-selling book, "Healing the Shame that Binds You" by John Bradshaw. Thanks for listening!
Click here to watch the YouTube video of Bradshaw we discuss.
Bio
The Rev. Mark Robin Collins is an Episcopal priest and rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Glen Rock, New Jersey. He serves on the Commission on Ministry for the Diocese of Newark and is co-chair of the diocese’s Strategic Visioning process. Previously, he served at Christ & St. Stephen’s and Church of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan after graduating from General Theological Seminary in New York with prizes for preaching and church history. His seminary experience included study at Canterbury Cathedral in England as a Canterbury Scholar. Mark’s other ministries include being a parish Stewardship consultant and leading retreats for LGBTQ+ people recovering from addiction.
Prior to seminary, Mark worked as a fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and City Harvest. Mark has been an abortion rights advocate and clinic defender, AIDS activist and fundraiser, and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He and his husband Denton will celebrate the 27th year of their relationship later this year. Yes, that is a slight Southern accent -- Mark is originally from Memphis, Tennessee.
 

Being with Empathy and Grace

“There are more ways of being, seeing, showing up, perceiving and understanding than what is innate or natural for us.” Yes, yes! Today my guest is Brad Farrington, an ordained minister, executive leadership coach, and founder of New Waters Group, LLC.  And he utilizes the Enneagram as a framework for himself and others to discover ways of being we can cultivate. Thanks, Brad, for this engaging and dynamic conversation. Thanks for listening!
Click here to find Richard Rohr's resources on the Enneagram.
 
Bio
The Rev. Brad Farrington is an ordained minister, executive leadership coach, and founder of New Waters Group, LLC. He received his Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching at Georgetown University, Master of Divinity at Emory University, and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion at Appalachian State University. He is also a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as well as an Integrative Enneagram Accredited Practitioner (iEQ9). Through his 25+ year career he has served in numerous lead roles, including being a pastor, campus minister, nonprofit executive director, and small business owner and entrepreneur. 
 
His life’s calling is to help others claim their unique identity, clarify their purpose, and connect to a greater journey of life as they navigate their next steps – personally, professionally, or organizationally. He lives in the mountains of North Carolina in Boone with his wife and two teenage children.

Inviting Introspection

"We want to be seen for who we are, and that starts with taking time to see into ourselves." Today I'm talking about tarot cards and confessing my heresy with author Brittany Muller. In her book, "The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards" Brittany shares how the tarot can become an unexpected - and not heretical! - tool in our desire to pause, contemplate and look inside ourselves for the wisdom we need. Thanks for listening!
In our conversation we refer to the Rider-Waite Tarot deck
Brittany Muller is an Austin-based writer and an enthusiastic believer in the beautiful strangeness of Christianity. A devout Catholic with an equally devout sense of curiosity, her favorite pastime is finding new ways to think about God. She is the author of The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards, from St. Martin’s Essentials. 

The Gift of Not Knowing

"Not knowing is most intimate." Do you know this Buddhist teaching? I wanted to take a pause in conversations and talk with you briefly about how this wisdom supports me in this work and in all our efforts to live into who we are called to be. I also want to let you know about some of the upcoming conversations I'm looking forward to sharing! Thanks for listening.

Discerning Our Calls

"We connect with people when we reveal ourselves." This takes most of us time to learn and maybe even more time to trust because vulnerability is as scary as it is courageous. My guest today is the Rev. Dina Van Klaveren, an Episcopal priest and leader in the church. She shares her experiences of connection and ways she practices intentional discernment in the callings of her vocation and career. We also talk about her experience in the courageous and vulnerable endeavor of being a candidate for bishop in the church. Thank you for listening, and thank you for sharing!
Bio - Dina is an Episcopal priest and Jesus follower who loves exploring how the Good News calls us to live into a joy, clarity and freedom that is worth the work it requires. She is committed to human flourishing, in herself, her family, her community, and the world.  Dina is rector of St. Andrew’s, Glenwood and priest-in-charge of St. Paul’s, Poplar Springs; chair of the board of the Claggett Center; and member of the TENS and El Hogar boards. You can find her at goodnewslifestyle.net.

Ambition & Humility

"Ultimately, the only things I have control over are my intentions and attitude." That is so true, especially when we take risks! My returning guest today is The Rev. Steve Paulikas, I asked him back to talk about ambition, courage, and vulnerability. Steve was recently a candidate for bishop in the Diocese of NY in the Episcopal Church.  And whether or not the church is a part of your life, I believe you will resonate with our discussion of naming your values, setting intentions, and how we prepare and practice discernment when making big decisions. 
I want to thank Steve for sharing so personally about this experience. I want to thank you for listening and, if I may ambitiously ask, for taking a moment to share this podcast with someone in your world. 
Bio - The Rev. Steven Paulikas is the rector of All Saints’ Church in Brooklyn. His opinion writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, and others, and his essay on the political response to evil is featured in "Modern Ethics in 77 Arguments: A Stone Reader." Prior to attending seminary, Steven was a journalist based in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

Being With Joy and Grief

Change = loss = grief. That equation was an epiphany for my guest today, Mabeth Hudson, who believes passionately in the spiritual well-being of people and organizations. She designs and leads innovative programming on two emotional realities rarely discussed at work: grief and joy. We talk about both, and I hope this conversation offers you new ways of thinking about these feelings that impact what we are thinking and how we are doing - every day.  Thanks for listening and sharing.
Bio -
Mabeth Hudson is passionate about spiritual well-being in people, organizations, and our world. In 2002, she felt called to leave the practice of law and, after an intentional discernment process, co-founded Well for the Journey, a non-profit that encourages spiritual wellbeing through innovative programming and resources.
She designs workshops, classes, and retreats tailored to the needs of individuals, groups, and organizations. Her favorite topics include living joyfully in stressful times, navigating transition, strengthening resilience, and practical spirituality for daily living. Programs incorporate accessible tools for daily life, emerging science, and relationship building. 
Mabeth also integrates her spiritual and legal experience to empower people of all ages to explore end-of-life issues well before the end-of-life. She facilitates communication, contemplation, and clarity around the taboo topic of death to bring healing and peace. 
She holds a JD from Emory University School of Law and MA in Spiritual Care from Loyola University Maryland.

Our Desire for Relationship

"I help people talk about God," is how my guest, The Rev. Glenna Huber describes her calling and vocation to the priesthood. And in this episode, she shares what drew her into this work and the experiences that have shaped her relationship with God, the church, her family, and the people she pastors.  I hope this conversation is of support and encouragement and helps you see the experiences that have and continue to shape your relationship with who and what matters - what I would call holy - in your life.  Thanks for listening.
Bio
The Rev. Glenna J. Huber is the 15th Rector of the Church of the Epiphany in downtown Washington, D.C.  Before joining Epiphany, she served as Vicar at the Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Baltimore. She has also served as a consultant for urban congregations on the efficacy of community organizing in congregational development.For the past 21 years, Rev. Huber has served in a number of ordained pastoral roles in Baltimore and Atlanta, including ecumenical and educational positions. Her positions have allowed her to offer pastoral care and counsel to teachers, seniors and parents, and students from preschool to high school. 
She has experience working in a variety of communities ranging from suburban affluent neighborhoods to underserved and economically depressed environments. In relationship to her capacity within the church, Rev. Huber is a sought-out lecturer and has addressed subjects ranging from leadership in the church and in the community to faith and justice and systemic injustice, including urban poverty, education, housing, redlining, and how the church can respond to issues affecting our community, to racism and reconciliation.
Rev. Huber received a Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary (New York) and her undergraduate degree in history from Spelman College (Georgia). She is married to Richard, and they have two children – Jonas and Adayah.

Expanding Our Beliefs

"I live my life in widening circles" quotes my guest The Rev. José Roberto (Berto) Gándara-Perea as he shares his love of Rilke's poetry, which speaks to his desire for an expansive life and faith. Berto has been ordained for thirty years, first as a Roman Catholic priest, now Episcopalian. We talk about the reasons for that, what catholic (note the small "c") truly means, we go deep with seeking to put words around what is hard to talk about: love, vulnerability, awe, yearning - words that in the Christian tradition, are part of the story we are about to celebrate. A story and an invitation to give birth to love and light. I hope this conversation meets you wherever you are and expands the circles in your life. Thanks for listening!
Bio - The Rev. José Roberto Gándara-Perea, or Berto as he is better known, was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. In 1983 he entered the Redemptorist Congregation, a Roman Catholic missionary order, where he made vows in 1986. Berto completed a BA in philosophy with the Dominican friars in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and then a four-year master’s degree in theology in the national seminary in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was ordained a priest in 1992. In 2004 Berto began a process of discernment concerning leaving the Roman Catholic Church and its priesthood and entering The Episcopal Church. He obtained a Diploma in Anglican Studies from The General Theological Seminary (GTS) in New York City and, after much prayer, he made the decision to "swim the Thames" in 2006.
Berto worked for three years as program director, case manager, and mental health counselor at Harlem United Community AIDS Center. He also worked at GTS as Director of the Hispanic/Latino Theology Program, adjunct professor, and Field Education Director. In 2009 he was received as a priest in The Episcopal Church and served for four year as priest-in-charge at the Church of the Intercession in Harlem, New York City. For the last eight years Berto has served as the rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Orcas Island, a small island of the Northwest coast of Washington state.
Berto has shared his life for the past sixteen years with his spouse, the Rev. Hugh McPhail Grant, also an Episcopal priest and psychotherapist from Atlanta, Georgia and their two amazing dogs: a tripawd called Ava and Bruno.
 

Wondering about Wonder

"I wonder..." This simple beginning is an invitation to deep conversation and connection. My guest today is Sally Thomas, creator of the Wondering Together Project.  Her experiences as a nurse, chaplain, busy mom, and Sunday school teacher led her to create a practice for families based on this invitation. I hope this rich conversation prompts wonder and possibilities for strengthening connections in the relationships that matter to you this time of year. Thanks for listening! 
Sally Thomas Bio - Since her children declared their innate theology as tiny sage ones, Sally has been attuned to the spiritual questions, and wisdom children spontaneously offer in this wondrous world. A chaplain in Portland, Maine, Sally recently completed a Doctorate in Ministry from Eden Seminary. The WonderingTogether Project – the fruit of her doctoral and ongoing research - focuses on how sharing our stories daily (simple, mundane, messy, and real) enhance our connectedness to one another in our digitally complex world. Sally has been sitting with circles of children and their families in ministry settings for 20+ years andenjoyed working as an RN and Nurse Practitioner, and Chaplain.