Holy Shenanigans

Holy Shenanigans Practioner Rev. Tara L. Eastman caught up with her colleague Rev. Dr. Deborah Roof at this summer’s Wild Goose Festival, to hear all about Words, Wonder and the Divine in You - a new book release.  Deborah Roof, a queer Christian pastor, is an enthusiastic life-long learner and a passionate teacher. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ with a Master of Divini...

Celebrate Holy Shenanigans Podcast's 3rd Birthday and 150th Episode in a conversation at The Wild Goose Festival 2023 with Doug Pagitt from Vote Common Good and Rev. Tara L. Eastman .  In this episode, it's Doug's turn to ask Tara all about the sacred in everyday life and how over the last 20 years, she's been faithfully observing and practicing Holy Shenanigans. About Doug: Do...

In honor and remembrance of International Overdose Awareness Day , on August 31, 2023 this week's episode focuses on,  "Faith In Harm Reduction " with special guest Rev. Erica M. Poellot , MSW, MDiv.  Rev. Erica M. Poellot, serves as the Minister of Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries for the National United Church of Christ and Executive Director of Faith in Harm Redu...

This week we celebrate the release of the book, "Youth Are Either Leading or Leaving", by Lyle Griner.  To get your copy, go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/youth-are-either-leading-or-leaving Lyle Griner , is Executive Peer Ministry Leadership Director: A connoisseur of “Aha” moments as soulfully curious youth and families wrestle with the nuances of faith and life! A writer, teache...

Welcome to episode #2 from the 2023 Wild Goose Festival - this week I visit with a new friend, Jon Carl Lewis , on the topic of  Spiritual Direction/Companionship. Jon Carl Lewis is a spiritual companion dedicated to helping followers of Christ connect more deeply with Christ—and each other—so that they might live with abundant joy, loving God and their neighbor with all their heart, soul, mind, a...

Welcome to the Wildgoose  Festival 2023, "Ignite"! One of my favorite parts of Wildgoose is the opportunity to connect with new and old friends, to be reminded of the importance of supportive relationships and to carry these connections home - long after the festival has wrapped up. Our first interview is with a new friend - Kate is the author of three books. Her newest book “Reclaiming...

Is Collaboration a "holy shenanigans"? Join Tara and Spencer Burke as they celebrate innovation and collaboration to foster wholeness for people and organizations. In the summer of 2022, spiritual innovator Spencer Burke, organized an Online Conference with 30 Spiritual Leaders called, "The Next Sunday Summit". Holy Shenanigans Podcast muse, Rev. Tara L. Eastman joined Spencer...

What does Juneteenth mean to you? For Ms. Della Moore, Juneteenth is a holiday for remembrance, reflection and living into BIPOC joy. Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans since 2021. Juneteenth is also know as "Freedom Day", deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth. It is celebrated on the anniversary...

Episode #143 of #HSP celebrates Pride month with the Rev. Holly Clark-Porter. Rev. Holly tells her personal story of what Pride means to her: Beginning with the history of Pride's origin at Stonewall, her coming out as a seminary student, meeting her spouse and their journey together as a publicly queer clergy couple. No matter if you are new to Queer Theology or already celebrate Pride, Rev....

This Pentecost, as I think about the mighty, rushing wind that invoked the followers of Christ to speak and live lives of love - real love; I am on the lookout for signs of this love today - hearts ablaze for the sake of love. I think what is needed to not simply revive the Church to love - but reorient our focus, to Christ"s starting place to love.  This Pentecost season, how can the "C...

In the wake of the global pandemic and long season that called the 'church" to be church in new and innovative ways - is creativity in a state of crisis or growth? Clergywoman and church consultant Rev. Dr. Karen Chamis invites churches and church leaders to move beyond dreaming - to bring dreams to fruition. Karen believes that creativity empowered is key to helping individuals and orga...

Special Guest Suzanne John Blacksnake, member of the Seneca Nation (Deer Clan) and Elder from Jimersontown Presbyterian Church.  In Episode 140 of Holy Shenanigans Podcast, Suzanne shares the history of Seneca peoples, their complex relationship with Presbytery of WNY - as well as ways her church ( Jimersontown Presbyterian Church ) is working for healing and a hopeful future.   She resides on the...

LIVE is... Love, Intention, Verve and Ease. At least for Tara - for her it's a rule of life - or at least, and intention. How can learning what your strengths are, and leaning into them help you to LIVE? Listen for more on the power of questions, learning and leaning into your strengths - and truly LIVE-ing. Send Tara a Text Message 🎙️ Exciting news! Tara is recording a new episode of the Hol...

What is spiritual shepherding? Learn the basics of spiritual direction from spiritual director Nancy Wagner.  Nancy Wager is a Deacon on the Roster of Word and Service with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Nancy holds BS and MS degrees in Elementary Education from SUNY Cortland, a Master of Arts in Applied Theology degree from Wheeling Jesuit University and a certificate in Spiri...

Waiting can lead to impatience OR impatiens.  Impatiens?  Tara tells a story of her childhood neighbor Ms. Estella and how the imptiens she grew, were a lesson of grace. Can we be more like impatens in our waiting?  Send Tara a Text Message 🎙️ Exciting news! Tara is recording a new episode of the Holy Shenanigans Podcast live at the Wild Goose Festival this September 3–6 at Vanhoy Farms in Harmony...

Today's guest Lilly Lewin is a worship curator, author, artist, and founder of Thinplace NASHVILLE, and Finding Your Thinplace . She creates sacred space prayer experiences and leads workshops and  retreats on sabbath and prayer and pilgrimages to help people discover their thinplace..the place where they feel God’s pleasure and presence. Her passion is to help people of all ages engage God u...

What signs of Spring are you looking for? The Easter Season is here to bring gifts of renewal and hope - and the gift of a conversation with author Roger Hutchison regarding the publication and release of two new books, Sparrow's Prayer and The Art of Calm (April 19). Join Roger and Tara for a heart to heart about the broken and beautiful - as they see and hear signs of new life in sparrows,...

In anticipation of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, P. Tara and John Fong discuss tools of spiritual vitality in times of change. John Fong is a Hybrid Church Growth Communications Consultant. A Synod of NE Innovation grant recipient, he is currently working with presbyteries and churches in three Synods. John uses church growth case studies, focuses on creating result/data-proven programs that help chu...

Listen to "notes" of gratitude featuring David Horne - Minister of Music at Jamestown First Presbyterian Church. He arrived in WNY in 2018, to help care for his father, after serving as Choral Director and Chapel Organist   at Tabor Academy, in Massachusetts.  Send Tara a Text Message 🎙️ Exciting news! Tara is recording a new episode of the Holy Shenanigans Podcast live at the Wild Goose...

This week, Dawn Trautman and Tara share a conversation about gratitude in the midst of Lent. How do Lent and gratitude mix? In the grit of life does gratitude actually matter??? Who is Dawn? Dawn Trautman founded Big Picture Big Purpose in 2005 to coach ministry professionals, academics, and non-profit leaders into healthy change-makers in their personal and professional lives. What sets her apart...

How can we, in grief-filled times, have our cups filled to overflowing? Could gratitude have something to do with resilient living? Tara looks to Psalm 23 and the research of Dr. Lucy Hone - and shares a personal account of walking with grief, with the help of gratitude.  Send Tara a Text Message 🎙️ Exciting news! Tara is recording a new episode of the Holy Shenanigans Podcast live at the Wild Goo...

This Lent, I am looking up, thanks to a reminder this week thanks to some yellow balloons, old helium tanks and quick spaghetti.  My spiritual practice this Lent, is to take a photo each day of small AND important things and post a note of gratitude for them on my Instagram page with the hashtag #gratitudematters AND #lent23  I invite you to join me in this Lenten Photo Practice celebrating the sm...

Rev. Tara shares a heart-to-heart conversation guest Andrea DiMaio on the unlikely intersections between changing the narrative around bodies, movement, exercise and outdoor representation of all bodies and traditions of the Lenten season. Don't miss this mountain-top experience that invites everyone to seek the dream of their life - and climb the mountain (or whatever you dream of) NOW! Abou...

Tara welcomes Therese Taylor-Stinson, author of Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman: Public Mystic and Freedom Fighter (Broadleaf Books). They discuss public mysticism, internal liberation, and perseverance. About our guest: Therese Taylor-Stinson is a writer, spiritual director, ordained deacon, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). A graduate of the Shalem Institute and a member of th...

Do You Love Me? Check YES or NO Valentine's Day gives the opportunity to consider all the ways we can say, "Yes", "No" or "Maybe" to love - or welcome. Tara  shares an experience of home insecurity,  how the words of Christ inspire being on the side of welcome, and a lesson to never give up the search for love from the Mexican ritual of La Posada.  (Inspired by w...