The Practice Podcast

On 2.20.17, Kellye Fabian helped us understand that God's response to humanity's sinfulness is blessing. We are called to be a blessing, to see, speak well of, and sacrifice to share the love of God with the world.

On 2.12.17, Curtis Miller taught us that we were each created to demonstrate the image of our loving, triune God in community.

On 1.29.17, Shauna Niequist helped us understand that "the love of God is the purest nourishment.

On January 22nd, we offered two prayers for President Donald Trump:  (1) Fr Michael Sparough, SJ, wrote and prayed a priestly prayer, (2) Claudia Heinrich wrote and prayed a prophetic prayer, and then (3) we all stood and prayed The Lord's Prayer.  This very short podcast is the live recording of those prayers.   Friends, please join us as we pray...

On 1.22.17, Jonathan Martin helped us explore our images of God and left us with a provocative statement. "God is not loving; God is love."

On 1.15.17, Jason Feffer helped us identify how our deepest longings draw us to God and how a rhythm of life helps us make our home in Jesus.

On 12.11.16 Curtis Miller led us to identify our longing for new beginnings, and the promise that our hope is fulfilled in God's holy the presence.

On 12.4.16 Jerusalem Greer helped us enter into the longing of Advent. This season that begins the church year does not begin with the birth of Jesus. It begins in pain, fear, and longing. It is an invitation to open our hearts to the whispered promise of hope.

On 11.20.16 we explored the eighth Beatitude, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Clary and Jason teach the life Jesus invites us into is one of radical love. There is a cost to loving like Jesus. This cost keeps many of us from loving sacrificially, but Jesus promises that those who lose their lives will find it.

On 11.13.16 we lean into the seventh Beatitude, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Rabbi Evan Moffic framed a biblical understanding of shalom for us. Members of our community shared how they have leaned into peacemaking. And Aaron challenged us intentionally resist the temptation to retreat and take tangible steps toward being instruments of Shalom.

On 11.6.16 Mark Scandrette led us in the sixth beat, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God." We are told to wear masks; to hide things we think and feel inside. But Jesus promises we were created as unique and beautiful people, and he invites us to live with undivided and pure hearts.

On 10.23.16 musician/writer Stu G came to share a few songs, stories, and teachings on the Beatitudes--specifically digging into what it means to give and receive mercy. A tender and powerful night.

On 10.16.16, Meredith and Curtis guided us brilliantly into Jesus' words "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". After naming our deepest ache for the world ("I'm hungry and thirsty for a world where...."), we explored Christ's invitation to join God in redeeming and restoring all things, and the lies that hold us back. Finally, Curtis taught us a new ...

On 01.09.16, Sibyl Towner invited us deep into the beatitude "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."  We are told that our value is based on comparison; I must be either better than or less than. But Jesus promises that we each have equal dignity as beloved children of God.

On 09.25.16, Jason Feffer explored this beatitude by inviting us into the story of his life. From deep pain...to masterful avoidance...to discovering the presence of Christ in lament, Jason's story helped us begin the journey from the pain of  Blessed are those who mourn  to the promise of For they will be comforted .

On 09.18.16, John and Lori invited us to explore and begin practicing the first beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. At the end, Jason Feffer shares his story and then invites us into three practices for the week.

On 09.11.16, our friend Mark Scandrette returned to cast a big vision and invitation into The Beatitudes. He offered four insights to why these nine statements of Christ are a path of healing and recovery, and he invited us on a "journey back to reality" over the next three months.

Pastor Michael Rudzena teaches a Theology of "the other" and invites us into a profound and provocative practice. Based on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 9 ("But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice'") and modern research on the human experience of disgust, Michael helps us move beyond the barriers to love our friends, neighbors, and enemies as ourselves.

Jason Feffer guides us through a powerful process to discern God's invitation for this summer, name our deep desires and potential roadblocks, and craft a personal summer  experiment to engage over the next 6 weeks. 

This Sunday marks the fourth and final week of our Living the Liturgy series in which we dive into the sacred ritual of passing the peace and the benediction we practice each and every week. Jenna steps in for Kellye to share how being blessed is the foundation for blessing others and John leads us in a practice of receiving the words of blessing we deeply need to hear from God in imaginative pray...

Old friend of The Practice Jonathan Martin is joined by our newest friend Nichole Nordeman to continue our Living the Liturgy series with a closer look at the practice at the center of our gathering, the Eucharist. Jonathan leads us to the table with deep insight into how it can nourish us in every season and Nichole leads us into the heart of this great mystery through her music to prepare our he...

This Sunday our Living the Liturgy series continues with John & Jenna Perrine as we explore the sacred practice of confession and assurance in our weekly liturgy. Through Christ we know we are forgiven forever - so why do we still practice this ritual and how does this communal practice contribute to our growth and spiritual formation? This practice includes a time of guided confession and assuran...

Curtis Miller begins our Living the Liturgy series by examining the weekly practice of communally ready scripture together on Sundays. Learn we us how the sacred rituals we practice on Sundays, shape us in our daily lives. 

The past four weeks at The Practice have been an incredible journey into resurrection, and we have heard some powerful stories in race, religion and Iraq testifying to the power of Christ to bring about new life. This Sunday, we are even more excited to bring the conversation closer to home and get personal with one another as we share stories of resurrection in our very own community. This podcas...

Friend of The Practice and founder of The Preemptive Love Coalition Jeremy Courtney joins our Stories of Resurrection series to shape his story of Resurrection in Iraq. Includes a contemplative practice time of having eyes to see resurrection in our lives and in the world.