The Living Church Podcast

Today we're talking tea. Why? Well, we’re an Anglican podcast. Need we say more?Knowing how to share and make a good cup of tea translates around the globe. Whether it’s hospitality or work-life balance, tea has played a significant role in leadership, conversation, and parish life. Today we meet an amazing Christian woman who knows all about tea, why it's special, and how God can use tea time as an opportunity for ministry and leadership lessons. Her name is Jackie James.Jackie is a certified Tea Sommelier and founder at The London Tea Merchant. She’s also the former owner of the London Tea Room in St. Louis, Missouri.We’ll hear today about her journey from a Jesus Freak preacher’s kid in the U.K. to a businesswoman in midwest America.We'll learn a bit about the slow art, challenging business, and fascinating science of tea, and where she has found God at work in it all. How can we stop and share time? How do you run the show, and let things go? How can unlearning self-preserving habits with difficult staff members lead to strength, vulnerability, and grace?Now get your scones and Victoria Sponge cake ready, because we’re about to have a "jam" session on finding the Lord’s work in a hot cuppa.We hope you enjoy the conversation.SPECIAL discount code LTMSHOP for 5% off at the London Tea MerchantAttend a Living Church eventGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join Derek French, pastor of Nazareth Moravian Church, and Bishop M. Blair Couch, a leader in the Moravian Church, as they explore the rich history of the Moravians. They dive into the legacy of Jan Hus and the church's unique commitment to Christian unity. Personal stories unfold, including transformative moments like being struck by lightning. The discussion highlights the Moravian Church's emphasis on pastoral care in leadership and its welcoming community atmosphere, showcasing how collaboration enriches worship across traditions.

Most Christians won't be part of a monastic community. But that doesn't mean they're not influenced by one.How do those who have taken the habit live their vocations from the monastery into the world around them? And what about the rest of us? What can we learn, whether lay or ordained, from the disciplines and wisdom of monastics? Today we’ll hear from three Anglicans whose vocations have been shaped by Benedictine monasticism in different ways. We'll learn about the 6th-century Rule of St. Benedict and how it continues to discipline and nurture Christian life in the 21st century. Our first guest is Sister Greta Ronningen. Sr. Greta is a co-founder of Community of Divine Love, an Episcopal monastery in the Benedictine tradition located in San Gabriel, California. She is also an Episcopal priest, prison chaplain, retreat leader, and writer, and the author of Free on the Inside: Finding God Behind Bars.Our second guest is the Rev. Canon Bryan Biba. Bryan is assistant rector at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, Georgia, and canon for leadership for the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. He is also an oblate of the Order of St. Benedict at St. John’s Abbey, a Roman Catholic monastery in Collegeville, Minnesota.Our third guest is Annie Hodges. Annie is a supply chain manager by day and an Episcopal podcaster by night. With her sister Kate Greer, she hosts The Average Episcopalian podcast, tackling the mystery of faith with reason and humor through the lens of the church they love.Whether you’re into wimples, cinctures, and Birkenstocks, or following Jesus without the telltale garments, here’s to holy habits of all kinds. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Attend a Living Church eventBook Bryan mentioned: Benedictine Daily PrayerBook Annie mentioned: St. Benedict's ToolboxGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

How can church leaders pursue justice with discernment and theological depth? Pastors often find themselves in a frustrating place when it comes to pursuing justice in their parishes and communities. There's often a divide or at least a tension between two groups: those who do not want to overthink or "overtheologize" it until the moment to act is past; and those who feel wary of action without substantial, theological, and contextual discernment pieces to help.With respect to all the practical concerns here, this is a false divide. Hopefully, today's conversation might help us start to find a way across.We'll talk about leadership, Christian freedom, and political will; challenging presuppositions about authority and building and empowering community bit by bit; various angles and ways of being strategic; and a bit about Catholic social teaching that might help Anglican and Episcopal leaders get "unstuck" from fixed religious and politcal categories to discern more holistic paths of faithful action.Our guests are The Rev. Canon Natalie Arendse and Dr. Elisabeth Kincaid. Natalie is currently chaplain to Whitsunday Anglican School in Mackay, Queensland, Australia. She is honorary Canon in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and former head of St. John's Leadership Academy in Cape Town, a formation program for lay and ordained leaders. Elisabeth is director of Baylor University's Institute for Faith and Learning and Associate Professor of Ethics, Faith and Culture at George W. Truett Seminary. She's also author of the new book, Law from Below: How the Thought of Francisco Suárez, SJ, Can Renew Contemporary Legal Engagements.Now grab your thinking caps and your work boots as we discover a bit more about how prayer and politics, bible studies and social justice, can (and do) go together.Give to support this podcastRegister for a Living Church ConferenceAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Grace Sears, past president and archivist of the Daughters of the King, shares her inspiring journey from a prayer group member to a leader within this impactful organization. She reveals the power of simple service and prayer among women, and how their roles strengthen church communities. Grace discusses navigating challenges in ministry, the importance of unity across denominations, and the enriching experience of leadership. Personal anecdotes highlight the transformative power of faith and how prayer guides women through various life seasons.

Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See, shares his wealth of experience in ecumenical ministry. He discusses the pivotal role of pilgrimage and small acts in fostering Christian unity. The conversation highlights the Centre's mission to build bridges between Anglicans and Roman Catholics while serving the disadvantaged in Rome. Ball imagines Christianity a century from now, emphasizing hope, love, and community as central themes for future generations.

What do bluegrass, bourbon, and Bible have in common? How about a group of Hillbilly Thomists? Today, we share an episode from the Signal Award-winning podcast, No Small Endeavor. Produced by PRX and Great Feeling Studios, No Small Endeavor explores what it means to live a good life.In this episode, you’ll hear from the Hillbilly Thomists, the Billboard-charting bluegrass band made up entirely of Catholic Dominican Friars. They talk about their theology and vocation, as well as how they manage life on the road as priests who have taken a vow of poverty. Plus, they give live performances of some of their finest songs.When they are not contemplating, studying, and preaching, the Hillbilly Thomists are writing songs. They've released four albums includingHillbilly Thomists, Living for the Other Side, Holy Ghost Power, and Marigold. Marigold spent 3 weeks on the Billboard bluegrass charts, debuting at #2. The friars also have a Christmas album in the works.Proceeds from album sales, donations, and merchandise sales allow the friars to continue to produce and perform music, while providing ongoing support to the formation of friars at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.Thanks to No Small Endeavor for sharing this episode with us.For other episodes like this one, follow No Small Endeavor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app.Learn more about the Hillbilly ThomistsLearn more about No Small EndeavorAttend a Living Church conferenceGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Abigail Favale, a writer and professor at the University of Notre Dame, and Pieter Valk, an expert on vocational singleness and LGBT+ matters, dive into the intricate intersections of transgender experiences and Christian pastoral care. They discuss the importance of language and relationships while navigating the complexities of gender identity. The conversation emphasizes compassionate engagement, community support, and the significance of understanding individual stories, all while promoting charity and human flourishing within faith communities.

Today is a conversation between a pastor and a farmer. What might working the land, protecting local economies, and nurturing Christian communities have in common?We'll be speaking with Mary Berry, executive director of the Berry Center, and daughter of poet, farmer, and essayist Wendell Berry. My fellow interviewer today is the Rev. Clint Wilson, rector of St. Francis in the Fields, Harrods Creek, KY, not far from the Berry Center. We talk about joy of hard work, and hard work that is good work. Growing up with Wendell Berry as a dad. Faith and farming. Decisions to live with or against a given landscape. What is home? How do you make a home and dedicate yourself to it? The thick fabric of a place, and how work might be interwoven with neighbors, family, and seasons.What does it mean to actually "Love your neighbor as yourself"? We'll also touch on special challenges the suburbs pose to meaningful life together.Mary Berry, Executive Director of The Berry Center, grew up at Lanes Landing Farm in Henry County, KY. She has farmed for a living in Henry County, and started The Berry Center in 2011 to continue the agricultural work of John Berry, Sr. and his sons, author Wendell Berry and former Kentucky state senator, the late John M. Berry, Jr. The Berry Center focuses on issues confronting small farming families in Kentucky and around the country.Hear Mary speak at the Living Church conferenceLearn more about the Berry Center or Home Place MeatGive to support this podcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Fr. Martin Browne, a Benedictine monk and Vatican official focused on Christian unity, reflects on his experience with Pope Francis. He discusses the pope's unique leadership style that transcended political divides and fostered ecumenism. Personal anecdotes reveal the warmth Francis extended to marginalized individuals. They explore his impact on global issues like poverty and environmentalism. A critique of the film 'Conclave' also highlights media misrepresentations of the papal election process, adding depth to the conversation about Francis's enduring legacy.