The Word Made Fresh

Join Rev. Jim Keat as he talks with Kathy Lin, a third year student at Union Theological Seminary, a second year intern at The Riverside Church, and this Sunday's preacher! What does it mean to be found by God when we think we're lost? How do we find ourselves in these stories of a lost sheep, coin, and two brothers? What might we learn when enter the story, not as the "prodigal son" but as the ol...

How do you look at the tricky parts of the Bible? Especially when they're the words of Jesus?! Join Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim in this week's episode of The Word Made Fresh as they join Jesus for a conversation about falling towers, fig trees, and lament. Stick around to hear Rev. Adriene share how the way she looks at the Bible changed and evolved over time (and how yours can too!).

The Good Samaritan – one of those stories we're often so familiar with that we miss some of the essential details. Join Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim on this 200th episode of The Word Made Fresh as they explore a fresh perspective on this well known story.

Free throws for Jesus? Yep, you read that right. Listen in as Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim offer a fresh take on the story of Jesus' transfiguration. And yes, it all leads to shooting free throws for Jesus. (Or something like that.)

Join Rev. Jim Keat as he talks with Rev. Dr. John J. Thatamanil about the sermon he will be preaching this Sunday at The Riverside Church, focusing on Luke 7:36-50. The passage recounts Jesus dining at Simon the Pharisee’s house when a woman, labeled a sinner by Simon, anoints Jesus' feet with perfume and tears. Reverend Dr. John Thatamanil, guest preacher and professor at Union Theological Semina...

Sometimes we have a good idea where the sermon is headed when we record an episode of The Word Made Fresh. And other times we know the text and maybe have an inkling of an idea and then we just see what emerges from the conversation. This episode is definitely the latter.  Listen in as Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim talk about the stories from Luke 7:1-17 and they both share ideas that blow each other...

What happens when Jesus and his disciples break the rules? And why is it sometimes necessary to break the rules that stand in the way of justice? Join Rev. Adriene Throne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk with Minister Heelee Velez, the Associate Director of Education and Faith Formation at The Riverside Church, about the sermon she will be preaching this Sunday.

What does it mean to be a disciple? And what does it mean to preach the first Sunday after President Trump's (second) inauguration? Listen in as Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim talk all about it!

Join Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk about all the ways you can find hope and inspiration this MLK Weekend at The Riverside Church. From a guest preacher on Sunday to an interfaith panel and the Broadway Inspirational Voices on Monday, this weekend at Riverside will fill you up so you can overflow with love and justice in the days, weeks, months, and (four) years to come. Visit...

Let's talk about the baptism of Jesus! Anyone hungry for honey-dipped locusts? Because John he Baptizer sure is! Sit down with Rev. Jim Keat as he talks with Rev. Tim Dalton about the sermon he will be preaching this Sunday. You'll get a glimpse at what you might hear from the pulpit on Sunday as well as some fun facts about this text that you might not have noticed  before!

Listen in as Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim talk about the sermon she will be preaching this Sunday at The Riverside Church.

Join Rev. Jim Keat as he talks with Rev. Dr. Lisa M. Weaver about the Narrative Lectionary text for Sunday, December 29, 2024 and the sermon she will be preaching. This is a conversation between two self-declared Bible geeks that you won't want to miss!

Join us for a deep dive into Luke 1:26-45—“Blessed is she who believed”—as we explore Mary’s extraordinary agency, faith, and leadership in the story of the Annunciation. This week’s reflection on the fourth Sunday of Advent focuses on Mary’s powerful role in the Christmas narrative, her relationship with Elizabeth, and the broader implications for women in leadership and faith. We’ll also touch o...

Rev. Thorne is back in the pulpit and she's picking up the same scroll that Jesus read from in Luke 4. Only the Narrative Lectionary has us reading a bit further, exploring some aspects of this often familiar passage that you might be less familiar with! Listen in as Rev. Thorne and Rev. Keat talk about this Sunday's sermon at Riverside and all the reasons why you should stick around on Sunday and...

Join Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk about the subtle yet significant differences between the Christmas stories found in Matthew and Luke. Or in the words of Rev. Jim, don't mix your magi and your shepherds! They go on to talk about this Sunday at The Riverside Church, where the children will proclaim the good news in our annual Christmas pageant. This is a Sunday you never want...

Life is filled with waiting, especially now -- waiting to see what will happen when a new president steps into office, waiting to see exactly what his staff and administration will do in our country and around the world, waiting for another headline and another injustice and another "fill in the blank." Advent is a season of waiting, typically waiting for the birth of Jesus at Christmas but also w...

This week's Narrative Lectionary text offers a deep cut of a story, where Jehudi cuts the scrool with a penknife and throws the pieces into the fire. Only that's the not the end of the story. God tells Jeremiah to dictate the words so they can be written again. The work of an artist is not to do it once, but to do it again, and again, and again. Put in the reps. Practice and keep practicing. You c...

Why is it that we tend to hear God most clearly when everything has fallen apart? Oh, that's what you've been saying all along. It's not that God wasn't always speaking, but that we weren't always listening, or perhaps just not knowing exactly how to hear or what to listen for. But when a major events happens -- the death of a King, in the context of Isaiah, or the election of a new President, in...

Jonah's call is clear, from the very first verses of the book: "Go at once to that great city and cry out against it." While we tend to think of this book as the story of a man being swallowed by a whale (which it's not, because it was just a big fish, not a whale!), this story is an invitation for us all to see ourselves as Jonah, reluctant to go where God is calling, seeing the world through our...

What happens when two pastors talk about the Bible and the impending election? Watch this episode of The Word Made Fresh to find out!

What does it mean to be a person of faith when we are days away from the next election? Join Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk about what to expect this Sunday at The Riverside Church -- Rev. Dr. William Barber, II is preaching and Rev. Dr. Brian Kaylor is leading a lunch and learn on his book, Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism. Yep, al...

What is Children's Sabbath and why do we celebrate it at Riverside? Join over half the Riverside clergy team – Rev. Adriene Thorne, Rev. Jim Keat, Rev. Jabe Ziino, and Minister Heelee Velez – as they talk about Children's Sabbath and what you can expect this Sunday at Riverside. (Spoiler: it's going to be amazing!) And this is one episode that you will want to watch to the very end as Jabe and Hee...

Join Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk about this Sunday's sermon and the Narrative Lectionary text, 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20; 2:1-10.

Join Rev. Jim Keat and Rev. Mira Sawlani-Joyner as they talk about Exodus 32 and the story of the golden calf. This narrative illustrates the people's anxiety during Moses' absence and their turn to idolatry, prompting a discussion on the human tendency to react violently in times of crisis. The conversation emphasizes the need for empathy, suggesting that rather than immediately condemning the pe...

What is happening to the children? That's the question Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat are asking, both to this Sunday's Narrative Lectionary text and to the world around us. Join them for another weekly conversation as they take a look at what you might hear in this Sunday's sermon, share some ideas of your own, borrow whatever is useful for your context, and open yourself up to be challeng...