The Clergy Corner

What a wonderful day! Somehow the release of episode 300 perfectly aligns with Christmas day, so join us as Pastor Arik celebrates the season with a poem from one of his favorite poets, Sh'maya. Merry Christmas, everyone!

After a major loss in the congregation this week, on this week's episode Pastor Arik looks at the importance of naming our grief in the midst of the holiday season. Join him as he explores what grief looks like and why it is important to allow ourselves to grieve at Christmas. 

This week, as Pastor Arik prepares for the youth Christmas pageant on Sunday, he reflects upon how children experience this season in its pure and unfiltered form. Join him as he explores how we can reconnect with the child within us and approach this season with awe. 

As we enter into the month of December, and as the snow begins to fall in earnest, this week Pastor Arik looks at how we can take lessons from the season and apply it to our own lives. Join him as he explores the wisdom found within the winter season. 

This week Pastor Arik looks at how the season of fall can reflect the changes in our own lives, and how sometimes we need to shed the leaves that are holding us back in order to prepare for the coming winter. 

After a rough couple of weeks, on this episode Pastor Arik looks at the importance of gratitude, especially during difficult times. Join him as he invites us to ground ourselves in a spirit of gratitude, as we prepare ourselves for the work ahead.

In the aftermath of a very busy week, on this week's episode Pastor Arik looks at the importance of the "village" and how it is still alive and well in our community, today. Listen in! 

After a chance encounter with AI this past week that left him stunned, in this episode Pastor Arik looks at the advancement of artificial intelligence technology and the good (and bad) that might come from it. 

This week, in a continuation of our mini-series examining problematic texts of the Bible, we look closer at Psalm 88 - the only psalm where the psalmist does not make a turn from sorrow to praise. Join Pastor Arik as he looks at the silence of God as an example of sacred care, and how sometimes the best way to support another in their grief is to be a listening ear. 

This week Pastor Arik takes a closer look at the problematic story of Genesis 22 and the story of Abraham and Isaac. Join him as he explores Abraham's faithfulness/faithlessness and how the story might resonate with us today.

Join Pastor Arik this week has he lifts up the stories of some of the first responders on September 11, 2001. As we look back on that fateful day, 23 years ago, let us lift up those first responders who gave so much to help those in danger. 

As the school year kicks off, this week Pastor Arik takes a look at the importance of Christian Education and having a place where our kids feel loved and supported, no matter what comes their way. 

As Pastor Arik recovers from a nasty virus, this week he re-releases an episode from back in the day when his family was fighting off a bug, right before Sage's baptism. Listen in and stay healthy, friends!

This week Pastor Arik looks at the power that language has in shaping our reality, especially when it comes to the power of names. Join him as he looks at several biblical examples of names and how there is deeper meaning found within. 

This week Pastor Arik looks at those "in-between" times in our lives when we find ourselves in a place of transition. Join him and his exploration of eschatology as we discover meaning in the midst of the various seasons of our lives 

In this week's episode, Pastor Arik looks at the history and origins of lobotomies, and how it became known as the "surgery of the soul." Diving into the theory of the collective unconscious, join Pastor Arik as he explores a theory of where the soul resides. 

In the aftermath of this past weekend's events, Pastor Arik takes a few minutes to reflect upon the radically nonviolent nature of our faith. Take care of yourselves, everyone. 

With the 4th of July being celebrated this week, Pastor Arik uses the opportunity to examine the dangers of civil religion and why we need to be intentional about what becomes an object of our worship.

As Pastor Arik reflects upon a busy weekend, he lifts up those that made the many church events a resounding success. Join him as he embraces a spirit of gratitude for all those who gave of their time and energy this week. 

As we celebrate Juneteenth today, this week Pastor Arik takes a look at the history of the holiday and why we need to hold the celebration of the day in tension with the sorrow of slavery. 

As PRIDE month begins, this week Pastor Arik looks at why this is such an important month to celebrate as a faith community. Join him as he looks at how far we have come and how much further we have left to go. 

This week, as Pastor Arik prepares for our first outdoor worship service of the year, he does a bit of reflecting on why he loves gardening and the process of watching things grow. Join him as he explores the parallels between growing a garden and tending to the garden of our soul. 

In preparation for the first meeting of our church book club later this week, on this episode Pastor Arik takes a look at the book of Job and the reason what it still remains relevant to us in our world, today. 

With Mother's Day approaching this weekend, this week Pastor Arik looks at why he uses the holiday as an opportunity to celebrate the women in our lives as a whole, and offers up two poems from incredible poets that speak to the power of women in the world. 

As Pastor Arik worked from a coffee shop to try to get past his writer's block, he experienced an interesting phenomenon. Join him as he explores what "sonder" is and how it is something that can help us be more mindful in our lives.