Feeling Beings Who Think

Being Held and Holding Space

My guest today is Kristofer Lindh-Payne, who wears a few titles (and a clergy collar, like me). He beautifully shares early experiences of being invited into religious traditions in ways that honored his curiosity and piqued his interest. The way we described this feeling is "being held", or, when we know we are seen, heard, and loved so it is safe for us to ask questions and challenge inherited belief systems - because they aren't being imposed. This continues to inform how Kristofer works in the world today inviting others into relationships for building up the common good. 
The Rev. Dr. Kristofer Lindh-Payne (he/him/his) serves as Canon for Congregational Vitality in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, as well as Co-Rector of St. Francis Episcopal Parish & Community Center in Timonium. He has a doctorate in congregational development from Bexley-Seabury, a master in pastoral care from Loyola, and a master of divinity from Seabury-Western. Kristofer is a friar in the Anglican Order of St. Francis (OSF), and is deeply formed in the Francis-Clarian tradition. A native of Baltimore, he was ordained in the Diocese of Maryland as deacon in June 2009 and as priest in January 2010. 

What A Funeral Taught Me

Most of us don't think about funerals until we have to. In this short episode, I share a personal story. It's the story of the funeral I walked through that changed all my thoughts and feelings about what my role at a funeral, as a priest, is for. I hope you find support, resonance, or encouragement in whatever way you, and we all have to at some point, are or have navigated loss in your life.
Here is the piece I reference, "Why I Like a Good Funeral."
Thanks for listening.

Grief and Gratitude

How do you love people the way they need to be loved? My conversation partner today, Erin Weber Johnson, brings us full circle to that question. This is the second time Erin has joined me on this podcast. The first was "Being Connected." We continue to talk about connection in our relationships and with ourselves. Are we able to recognize our self-imposed sense of responsibility and choose to do something courageous? Ask a question! Something as simple as, "What do you need?" 
We laugh about food and feelings, share our holiday plans and how we're grappling with the grief in the world alongside our feelings of gratitude at the beginning of this holiday season.  Thanks for listening!
You can learn more and connect with Erin here.

Belonging To Yourself

How often do you change who you are to meet the needs of others? Do you belong to yourself so much that taking care of yourself empowers you - without guilt- to take care of others? In this episode, I share some reflections on Brené Brown's definition of belonging. Belonging as a feeling, an awareness, a choice that supports the lifelong work of "adulting"! And I connect my understanding of Brown's wisdom to what I teach and preach - particularly around the holidays. I hope you enjoy this solo episode. Thanks for listening.

Transitions and Change

Change is hard. Yes, and - neglecting our feelings about the transitions change brings can make change harder still. Today I’m talking with Mike Coe, a Master leadership coach who works with leaders who want more creativity, creatives who want more leadership, and anyone navigating change in their life. Mike specializes in coaching Veterans, military, and spouses through their inner transition as they reenter civilian life. 
We talk about the feelings that change brings, the learnings that we gain from difficult changes, like divorce, and how humor and the framework of improv, are creative ways to accept change when it happens - whether we like it or not.
I hope this conversation prompts resonance, laughter, and encouragement to look inward and get curious about how you might support yourself through the transitions that change brings in your life. Enjoy!
www.coach.net
www.vetsatease.com.  

Feelings and Faith with Fr. Mark Robin Collins

He's back by popular demand! The Rev. Mark Robin Collins joins me to talk about the hard-won wisdom of owning our past, the experiences of great love and great sadness that have shaped who we are and how we work, and how powerful it is when another person validates the feeling of faith in our worthiness. Enjoy!
If you enjoy this podcast, please take a moment to like or rate it and perhaps even share it.  Thank you!
 

Connecting with All Our Parts

You and I spend considerable time each day having an internal conversation that goes like this - one part of me wants to do "this" while another part of me wants to do "that."  Sound familiar? My guest today, is Emily Kokenge, an award-winning brand builder and business leader providing design leadership and business strategy for more than 30 years. Why is she talking to this priest? Because we are both engaged in the work of building people up through coaching and teaching frameworks that help us get in touch with all the parts of who we are.
The parts that feel like an imposter, or confident parts, or the parts we want to avoid all together! Alas, better to dig in and listen and learn from all these varied parts which is what we talk about. I hope this conversation connects with parts of you. Thanks for listening! 
You can learn more about Emily at her website.

Spirituality and Sobriety with Erin Jean Warde

My conversation today is with Erin Jean Warde, Episcopal priest, spiritual director, recovery coach, and author of the soon-to-be-released, “Sober Spirituality.” Erin and I talk about what supports us and what gets in the way of being awake to our lives. We talk about binaries, those dualistic, either/or mindsets that keep us stuck! Stuck when we want to look at our spiritual practices, or when we are scared by the feeling that we want, and don't want, to think about our relationship with alcohol. 
With compassion, humor, and storytelling Erin offers empathy and support for people seeking mind, body, and soul healing. 
You can connect with Erin and her work through her site, her online course, and on Substack.  And you can find her book here and of course, here.

Being Fully Present with The Rev. Steven Paulikas

What absorbs your attention? Where do you find your ‘flow’? My good friend and esteemed colleague The Rev. Steve Paulikas doesn't use the word “flow" in our conversation, but it occurred to me afterward. As I listened to how he eloquently defines the work we priests do when we preside or as he says, “create a container” for people to be together in a unique way, I realized that full presence is not just about worship and it's not just for priests!
It’s a quality of attention we choose when we bring our full selves to where we are and who we are with – like an intentional conversation. Surely this way of being is part of what calls us into vocations, careers, and relationships, where we flow and find meaning. We also have great fun discussing friendship, drag queens, watershed moments, and how love just isn’t a big enough word for all the facets of what we think about that feeling. Enjoy!
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. His doctoral work at the University of Oxford examines the theology of evil in the writings of Paul Ricoeur. Prior to attending seminary, Steven was a journalist based in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Being Connected with Erin Weber-Johnson

How well do you take care of yourself? What have you learned, and what have you unlearned to do what is popularly called "adulting?" I find it hard sometimes! It's so much easier to pin the responsibility on others, to blame partners, parents, or bosses when our needs are not being met. That's not a surprise, discomfort is never comfortable.
My guest today is Erin Weber-Johnson, and we talk about "adulting" and so much more. We talk about feeling our vulnerability at work and the courage it takes to deal with it.  We discuss how our lives surprise and disappoint us. What we feel and think about our worth, our value as human beings. We talk about what we ask our bodies to carry, often unconsciously, and how miraculously healing gestures of connection can be.
Please know that two difficult topics come up in our conversation: suicide and miscarriage. I believe in the support of sharing these stories, and being mindful of when we are at a place to take these stories in.  I hope you enjoy this conversation. Please consider taking a moment to like, rate, and/or subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen!
Erin Weber-Johnson - Bio
Erin Weber-Johnson is Senior Consultant at Vandersall Collective, a faith based, woman-led consulting firm and Primary Faculty of Project Resource. In 2017 she co-founded the Collective Foundation, which worked to address the gap in giving characteristics in faith communities of color. In 2022 she co-founded The Belonging Project, a movement designed to reimagine belonging across the ecclesial landscape.
Previously, Erin worked as the Senior Program Director at the Episcopal Church Foundation, as a grants officer at Trinity Wall Street in New York City, and served as a missionary for the Episcopal Church. She holds a BS from Greenville University, a Masters of Public Administration for NYU and is currently completing a second masters in Religion and Theology from United Theological Seminary.
A published author, she strives to root her work in practical theology while utilizing her experience in the nonprofit sector. Her co-edited book, Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy is available through Cascade Books.