The Holy District Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Holy District
The Holy District gatherings are just the beginning of the conversation. On each episode of our podcast, members of the Holy District team take our topics one step further by exploring them from a Jesus-centered perspective.
Bridges is a podcast series about how the life and teachings of Jesus give us "bridges" of understanding into the Old Testament. Community Pastors Ellen and Journey discuss the healing of the deaf and mute man in Mark 7 and how this story points to the openness needed to receive the true King described in Isaiah 35.
Bridges is a podcast series about how the life and teachings of Jesus give us "bridges" of understanding into the Old Testament. Community Pastors Journey and Ellen kick off the series with a discussion about manna in John 6 and Exodus 16.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Jesus’ parable of the Great Banquet, and how this parable invites us into kingdom hospitality.
Entrevista a Sheila Alvarado segunda parte dos!
Notas:
Lista de servicios que ofrece el condado de Lehigh: https://www.lehighcounty.org/Services# Turismo: 46 N. 10th St, Allentown, PA 18101
Emveeus: 628 State Ave, Emmaus, PA 18049
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at the final vision of restoration of all things in Revelation 21 and 22. This passage will give us a summary point in our series so far.
Join Neighborhood Pastor Daniel Norton for this week's meditation.
On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Isaiah 65:17-25 focusing on the imagery used to describe the new heavens and the new earth.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at two of Jesus’ parables about what the kingdom of God is like in our series of episodes around the theme of Kingdom Imagery.
Join Community Pastor Brooke for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will ask you to consider images of the Beatitudes in light of the Kingdom of God. A meditation for you to imagine yourself and even people whom you’ve never met amongst the most blessed.
Hoy vamos a hablar de sus preocupaciones cuando se trata de los niños de nuestra comunidad y la calidad de la educación que están recibiendo. Tambien, vamos a entrevistar a uno de los comisionados del Lehigh County, Sheila Alvarado! Síguenos en instagram a nuestra_ciudad_lv si quieres mantenerte en contacto entre episodios cada mes. Tambien nos puedes enviar un mensage atravez de nuestro correo electronico nuestraciudadlv@yahoo.com.
Mostrar Notas:
El sitio web del Distrito Escolar de Allentown: https://www.allentownsd.org/
De "Es seguro decirlo": https://www.safe2saypa.org/
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at water that flows from the Holy District, bringing all that it touches to life, found in Ezekiel's prophecies in a series of episodes around the theme of Kingdom Imagery.
Estamos creando este podcast Nuestra Ciudad porque creemos en la belleza y el poder de los hispanos en el Lehigh Valley, y estamos trabajando para llevar nuestras voces, ideas y sueños juntos para hacer del Lehigh Valley un lugar mejor para todos.
Regístrese para la reunión aquí: https://rlifeatninth.org/event/child-dependent-car-tax-credit-town-hall/?fbclid=IwAR2DZN3t6ioKM2eYa-zyIaMdp5nuWCi3ZADga83Bb8T0k-LaXGM6nCpjJHc
What does Gratitude mean to you? Where do you see it in your life? Spanning age, language, and life stage, the Holy District Network shares the diverse ways they're thinking about and practicing gratitude and thanksgiving.
Brooke and Ellen interview our newest Community Pastor, Journey Henderson, about his discernment process into the Holy District team and planting in Lebanon, PA with his family.
The context of our neighborhoods shape how people interact, how people naturally gather, and how people come to understand their belonging in a community. Join Brooke & Ellen as they discuss serving in suburban contexts and the visions they have for their communities.
Close out our series with Pastor Ericka as she explores the Church's ability (and responsibility) to move, change, and adapt in order to create kingdom spaces of belonging for those who Jesus calls "the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Check out this Bible Project Podcast if you'd like to explore these themes more deeply.
What does it mean to be sent by God? Join Pastor Ellen to think about God as our model for sentness, and how Jesus shows us how to be the sent people of God. You'll have space to think about where and how you may be sent this week.
What might New Testament writers have really meant by church as Temple? How does the history of Israel and its temple give light to how we are called to be priests together and to maintain space for communion with God? Join Pastors Ericka and Ellen as they explore Temple imagery across Scripture and relate it to how we understand the church today.
When your body hurts its the only thing you can focus on. When your head hurts it is the only thing you can focus on. But what about when your body is good? The Church is a body with an incredible capacity to love and heal. Join Neighborhood Pastor Dan as he walks through 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
Community Pastor Brooke discusses Acts 2:42 this week and asks what is enough to be considered a Gathering?
Ericka kicks of our newest HD Network podcast series on the church with a meditation on Ephesians 1 & 2.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Jesus' teaching on the sheep and the goats as told in Matthew's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Jesus calming the storm as told in Mark's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Jesus healing the man with leprosy as told in Matthew's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at Jesus washing the feet of the disciples as told in John's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at the woman who anointed Jesus' feet as told in Luke's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for another episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at the healing of the woman subject to bleeding for twelve years as told in Mark's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for the second episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This episode will look at the healing of the paralytic man as told in Luke's gospel in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Join Community Pastor Ellen for the first episode of our Scripture Meditation series: On Pause, an opportunity for you to listen to Scripture during a pause in your day. This first episode will look at the feeding of the 5,000 as told by Mark and Luke in a series of episodes around the theme of Embodiment.
Ericka interviews our newest Community Pastor, Ellen Rupp, and her husband, Tyler, about their journey to State College, PA and the Holy District Network.
Do you ever feel like it is never going to get better? Or your best days are behind you. Join Brooke Norton this week as she discusses her love for music and her hope that the best is in fact yet to come.
Ellen gives her take on the Psalm(ish) series with Jon Bellion's "Stupid Deep" and a discussion on God's abundance as seen in Exodus and in Jesus.
Join our newest Community Pastor, Ellen Rupp, as she guides us through an Easter meditation where we consider the significance of the physical Jesus, pre and post resurrection.
Ericka pops back in to share one more song and offer her very in process reflections and questions about the idea of surrender. Thanks for listening!
Join Dan Norton as he reflects on growing up, realizing that behind the curtain isn't all it's cracked up to be and how the critic in Ecclesiastes helps us face reality.
Explore cultural and biblical concepts of "good" with Ericka alongside Alanis Morrissette's song, "That I Would Be Good."
Kesha leads the way for us as we reconsider what forgiveness looks and feels like. Let us know what you think!
Join Ericka as she considers Lake Street Dive's lyrics and music video for their song "I Can Change" alongside the biblical ideas of repentanceand being born again.
Ericka kicks of week one of Psalm(ish) with Coldplay's "Clocks" and a biblical exploration of the concept of sin.
Sometimes prayer feels like you are saying the same things over and over. Join Dan today as he introduces you to one of his favorite resources to get out of being stuck praying the same things, and focus on Jesus.
Close out our 2022 Advent series with Ericka as she explores the history of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" along with a theological reflection inspired by the hymn.
Gilbert Community Pastor Brooke night reflects on the presence, peace, and rest of God during this advent season. Join Brooke as she walks us through the Christmas hymn, "Silent Night".
Join Blake, our neighborhood pastor in Allentown, as he shares an advent reflection inspired by the Christmas hymn, "O Come, All Ye Faithful."
Gilbert Neighborhood Pastor, Dan Norton, opens our Advent series with a reflection and lament inspired by the classic Christmas hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."
We're re-living our greatest hits with you as the HD team prepares for Advent! This week, reflect on God's goodness to the HD in 2021 and practice the prayer of examen with Ericka.
We're re-living our greatest hits with you as the HD team prepares for Advent! This week, get a taste of our "Eternal Oblivion" series where Ericka and her sister, Emily, have a discussion about fear of non-existence.
We're re-living our greatest hits with you as the HD team prepares for Advent! This week, travel back in time to our very first episode where Ericka and Blake discuss the first pages of the Bible and what it means to be human.
Cierre la serie con nosotros mientras discutimos la Biblia como literatura antigua de meditación judía.
El video de este episodio: https://youtu.be/K-zhPqcHBlU
Close out the series with us as we discuss the bible as ancient jewish meditation literature.
The video from this episode: https://youtu.be/VhmlJBUIoLk
Nuestra comunidad de Allentown continúa su conversación sobre los diferentes estilos de escritura en la Biblia y por qué son importantes.
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Our Allentown community continues their conversation about the different styles of writing in the Bible and why they are important.
Únase a nosotros mientras comenzamos a aprender sobre los tipos de literatura en la Biblia y hablamos sobre por qué diferentes Biblias (e iglesias) dicen y piensan cosas diferentes sobre la Biblia.
Estilos Literarios en la Biblia
Join us as we begin learning about the kinds of literature in the Bible and talk about why different Bibles (and churches) say and think different things about the Bible.
Literary Styles in the Bible
Escuche conversaciones en spanglish de la comunidad de Allentown sobre la Biblia. ¿Cuál es la historia de la biblia?
Listen in on Spanglish conversations from the Allentown community about the Bible. What is the story of the Bible?
El video de este episodio: https://youtu.be/7Z_Bz34ohMA
The video from this episode: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/the-story-of-the-bible/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video
Escuche conversaciones en spanglish de la comunidad de Allentown sobre la Biblia. ¿Qué es y cómo lo leemos?
Listen in on Spanglish conversations from the Allentown community about the Bible. What is it and how do we read it?
El video de este episodio: https://youtu.be/uMOc-YI0iaM
The video from this episode: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/what-is-bible/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video
Wrap up the Summer's End series with a guided meditation using the Fuller Studio prayer of examen resources.
Consider how making an intentional decision to reflect and express gratitude can build your spiritual muscle memory to combat anxiety and better tune into the goodness of God in your life.
Get a sense for the practice of Sabbath and how it can reshape your imagination to notice and experience the goodness of God.
Join us in considering the spiritual practice of solitude. We'll look to Jesus' example, consider some misconceptions, and begin moving toward implementing this important discipline in our lives.
In this intro episode, Ericka invites our community into a season of reflection, meditation, and spiritual discipline as we approach summer's end and move into fall.
Network Pastor Ericka Henry wraps up our Testify! series with an opportunity to reflect on our shared learning, practice listening prayer together, and meditate on Romans 10:17.
This week, good friend of the Holy District, Tim Diehl, shares about how focusing on the person of Jesus helped him move away from a relationship with God filled with anxiety and fear and toward a journey of becoming more like Christlike. Tim and Ericka talk about the Bible, fear of the Lord, and a hope to live from a place of love and trust in the midst of a scary world. Thanks for joining!
In this week's episode, we take a break from interviewing guests to learn from the man born blind (John 9) about the art of the testimony.
The Bible For Normal People- Amy Kenny
Listen in as our Gilbert Community Pastor, Brooke Norton, shares about her story of meeting Jesus and how he has helped her rediscover confidence in herself and her call to ministry.
In this week of our Testify! series, Dan Norton shares about his journey of faith, his changing perceptions of Jesus, and the influence his community has had on his testimony.
This week, Ericka interviews her friend and Holy District community partner, Andrene Nicole. She shares about her journey away from the church as a pastor's kid, God's supernatural intervention in her life, and the purpose she believes God has given her through it all.
You can find out more about Andrene's clothing business and community work here:
Fine Feather Kids || Fine Feather Foundation
Allentown HD resident, Sierra Martin, shares about her complex relationship with church testimonies and her experience of Jesus during times of extreme illness, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Join us this week as Allentown Neighborhood Pastor, Blake Henry shares about how he met Jesus, and how Jesus has been showing up in his life and his journey with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Join us as we take a look back at some things we learned over this last series and talk about some tools for studying Parables and other areas of the Bible.
Everybody deserves a second chance. Everyone deserves a redemption arc. Join us this week as we learn from one of our Allentown community members about the parable of the lost sheep.
Is it hard to forgive someone? We know that working through hurt and pain can be difficult, but you also don't want to carry the burden of that pain around forever. Sometimes we want to put limits on how much we will forgive someone. Peter certainly did when he asked this question, "How many times must I forgive my brother?"
This week we dive into the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. We reflect on Peter's life and listen to Kevin shares how he is learning to acknowledge his own pain and then work through the process of forgiveness.
Do you ever find yourself dreaming about an easier life? If I just had a little bit more I could eat, drink, and be merry. Just a little bit more and I wouldn't need to work so hard. Instead, we learn from Jesus what "just a little bit more" does to us. Join us as we dive into the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21.
Join us as we pause our parables series to remember and grieve the lives of those lost in the Laguna Woods, Buffalo, and Uvalde mass shootings.
Where does our worth come from? In our current world, it can seem that the most important people are the wealthiest or the ones who work the hardest. But even then we know that the hardest workers don't always get ahead. The good news is Jesus' Kingdom things are different. Your wealth isn't your worth. Join Dan and a newer member of our community MacGregor as they talk about the Parables of the Vineyard Workers (Matthew 20).
Who should get the first invite to a gathering? Do you give up your seat at the table for someone else? Today on the Holy District Podcast, Brooke & Dan Norton discuss a parable found in Luke 14 about humility, giving up your power, and attributing value to others.
Last week we started working on a new series about the Parables of Jesus. While we keep working on that we wanted to take a week to celebrate all the women in our lives and celebrate the strong women in the early church. There are so many women who carried letters, planted churches, preached in churches, and taught young Christians about the way of Jesus. Today we celebrate all these church mothers who paved the way for us.
Ever wondered why Jesus would speak in stories? Sometimes it was to conceal ideas from the religious leaders and other times it was because he knew the power of stories. Over the next several weeks we are going to dive into the Parables of Jesus. This week are kicking it off with a little background on parables and tips on how to read them.
Have you ever heard a sermon about how Mary got it wrong calling Jesus a gardener on the resurrection day? What if in fact, she got it right? This week we dive into the revelation Mary makes about Jesus and how the Hebrew creation story shows God's loving-kindness from the very beginning vs other creation stories from that timeframe.
What if Jesus followers were some of the most exciting and joyous party throwers around? Celebrating the resurrection means we should throw more parties and invite people along to experience the good news of Jesus with us. Happy Easter from The Holy District!
On this Holy Saturday, we reflect on the final statement of Jesus. He entrusted his spirit to God & the people waited. What have you been tolerating lately that you simply need to wait on God for?!
Curious what song you are hearing in the background? It's "You've Done the Rest" by Judah
Often we hear these three words, "It is finished" in a typical Good Friday sermon. Could Jesus have meant more for us than just our sins being forgiven? What does it mean if the way our king rules the cosmos is from a cross? Happy Good Friday.
What is one of the most human things you experience? Thirst. Join us as we dive into Jesus' humanity. He understands our humanity, our desires, and even our thirst.
Jesus felt forsaken at the end of his life. If we are honest, sometimes we might feel forgotten or abandoned too. In today’s reflection, we reflect on Psalm 22 and we ask where Jesus was at in our lowest moments of life.
In the midst of unspeakable pain, we can feel lonely and isolated. Like no one else understands. Today we dive into Jesus' statement to his mother as he hung on the cross. At the end of this episode, there will be a time of lament. Feel free to pause if you need more time, but take the lament time as an opportunity to share with Jesus the pain you feel, the anger you've carried. Then ask him, where was he in all of it? How does he experience your pain?
When Jesus was on the cross what was his response to the criminals who were with him? Join us as we dive into the next final statement of Jesus during this holy week.
If you knew you were about to die what would your final 7 statements be? Would they be focused on forgiveness, hope for a criminal, or passing off care of your mother?
Join us as we walk through the final statements of Jesus on the cross during Holy Week. Each day will focus on a different statement and provide an opportunity to reflect on Jesus's work on the cross before we jump to celebrating his resurrection.
Emily and Ericka finish out the series with one final listener response and a conversation about Ericka's view of the afterlife.
In this first question and response episode, Emily and Ericka talk respond to a question about the monotony of life and take on the intellect vs. intuition dichotomy.
Sierra Martin joins the conversation to add her perspective to the conversation as a person living with a terminal illness.
Join Emily and Ericka as they bring their conversation about faith and fear of non-existence to a close. In this episode, Emily shares about her failed attempts to find comfort in the Christian religion, despite her attempts to connect to the Church and the Bible.
Don't forget to submit your questions for our upcoming question and response episode(s). You can send them to ericka@holydistrict.org or share them on Facebook or Instagram.
In this episode, Emily and Ericka consider the idea of eternal oblivion against the backdrop of Emily's experience of Christianity.
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If you are listening along, we'd love to consider your thoughts and questions for our upcoming question and response episode(s). You can send them directly to Ericka at ericka@holydistrict.org.
Open a can of worms with HD Network Pastor, Ericka Henry and her sister, Emily Lake. In this first episode of the Eternal Oblivion series, Emily shares about her disorienting struggle with fear of non-existence and Ericka offers a scripture reflection from Ecclesiastes 1.
A PRAYER COLLECTIVE | Today, you will hear from all of the Holy District Pastors as they each offer different ways for people to pray. Which includes: Lectio Divina, Imaginative Prayer, Breath Prayer, and Premeditative/Pre-written Prayers.
Why did Jesus tell a story about the persistent widow? Are we supposed to keep coming back to God over and over with the same prayer? Join Blake and Dan this week as they chat about one of the prayer parables in Luke 18.
Pastors Blake and Ericka take a stab at some series questions from their very own "prayer closet" and share some insights they have gained from the faith of their neighbors and friends in Allentown.
Brooke walks through how meditating can enhance your faith and prayer life. With this simple meditation, find a quiet spot to listen and rest.
Brooke & Daniel help answer some questions that our community submitted about prayer.
(A few questions we address: How to teach prayer to young kids? How to pray when you're undisciplined? Why do fasting and prayer go side by side in the Bible? What's up with meditation?)
Brooke & Daniel discuss some tough questions about prayer. Does prayer work? Does God care? What happens when God falls silent? Does God forget us?
*Disclaimer - Due to technical difficulties, you'll hear some crackling in the background from time to time. Thanks for bearing with us!
Over the next couple of weeks, we are taking an honest look at Prayer. Today, Daniel Norton shares about The Lord's Prayer found in the book of Matthew. He also expands on some of his experience with prayer this year and how God has felt both distant and close.
Take a listen to a sermon about Jonah 1 taught by Network Pastor Ericka Henry. It may or may not include a Brooklyn 99/Backstreet boys reference and a Q&A time at the end. ;)
As 2021 is winding down and we open a new year, The Holy District invites you to pause and reflect. Join Ericka Henry in a time of prayer and reflection through an ancient practice called the Examen.
The Holy District says Merry Christmas and Blake reflects on how God shows up for those who are in the Christmas spirit and for those who might not be feeling it this year.
We are in the fourth and final week of our Advent series! Kevin Goodearl joins us on the podcast to talk about Joseph and how adaptable he was through finding out he would be a dad to the coming Messiah! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Holy District.
Do you ever feel like an outsider and not quite sure how you fit into God’s story? Our friend, Jon Baillie comes on the podcast to chat about the Wisemen and their story. How did they hear about the birth of Jesus? Why were they included in the nativity? What gift did Jesus offer to them? Join us for Advent Week 3 as we talk about their journey from a Far East land to meet Jesus.
For the second week of this Advent series, we invited our friend Megan Goodearl to join us on the podcast to discuss all things, Mary. Megan gives us a unique perspective as a brand new mom. What must have Mary felt to know she was giving birth to a Savior? Did this immediately give her purpose? Listen to hear Megan's ups and downs since giving birth and how Mary inspired her this Christmas.
In the next four Sundays of Advent, you will hear from some of our Holy District team in Gilbert on how the coming of Jesus has changed their lives. Each week, we will focus on a Bible character from the Christmas story that has inspired us to live differently. First up... Brooke & Dan kick us off by discussing the shepherd's curiosity to meet Jesus.
Thanksgiving is a day to slow down in the midst of an already busy holiday season. Today, we want to take you on a journey to reflect on gratitude through Psalm 136. Grab your bible, find a quiet spot, make yourself a cup of coffee, and Happy Thanksgiving from The Holy District.
We end this podcast series by imagining where the church is headed in the future. The Henry's and The Norton's all sit down to discuss thinking creatively and engaging the community. Jesus is on the move in the local church across our whole world and every one of us gets to be a part of it!
The modern church movement helped to make the Bible relevant and create age-based ministries to help people follow Jesus. At the same time, there are some “warts” in this church era that we wrestle with. Brooke, Daniel, and Ericka consider the ups and downs of the modern church and the impact it had on those who follow Jesus. You'll hear us talk about megachurches, worship culture, ministry for kids/teens, and what we want to adapt to make the future of the church better!
How did the Church go from small persecuted communities to cathedrals and institutions? Where did the Bible come from? And how do these traditions affect us today? Listen as Ericka, Blake, and Daniel dive into the Medieval church and what we can learn about how to do church better into the future.
This week we dive into our conversation on the Future Church. But in order to do that we have to start at the very beginning. Join Blake, Brooke, and Dan as they discuss the Early Church.
Listen in as Brooke and Dan join Ericka and Blake in Pennslyvania. They discuss their friendship, their heart for the Holy District, their spiritual gifts, and how they use them to better their communities.
Blake is joined by Sierra O'Donnell to wrap up our Coffee and Acts series. Sierra guides us through some questions she had while holding up the bible as a mirror to herself.
Blake and our guest, Ryan Cagno, continue their coffee chat this week with a discussion about Acts 13-20. Curious about Saul/Paul? Separation and circumcision? Ever heard of a guy named Eutychus? This episode should not disappoint.
Dig Deeper
Beverly Gaventa Acts Commentary
Bible Project Overview Video Acts 13-28
This week Ryan Cagno joins us to talk through chapters 8-12 in the book of Acts. We talk persecution, magicians, and how God uses all of it to grow his church.
What can you do when you come across a strange or unsettling passage or narrative in the Bible? In this episode, Blake and Ericka focus their conversation about Acts 5-7 on the unusual and difficult-to-interpret story of Ananias and Sapphira.
Dive Deeper
Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast
Bible Project- Acts Resources
Join Ericka and Blake as they discuss the importance of the temple in Acts and how uneducated and unknown people spread the good news of King Jesus.
How did the people experiencing Pentecost interpret these strange events? What connection did this moment have to their history? What does Peter think this group of people need to be rescued from? Pastors Blake and Ericka are back at the mic with their cups of coffee (heavy on the cream and sugar) to talk about these very questions inspired by Acts 2. Thanks for joining us!
Join Blake and Ericka as they kick off our next "Coffee +" series on the Book of Acts with an introductory conversation and overview of the first chapter.
You can find Blake's commentary recommendation here.
What do we do when we feel like the world is ending? Join members of the Holy District team, Brooke and Dan Norton, as they lead us into a time of prayer and reflection in the midst of a tumultuous week in our global community.
Pastor Ericka finishes up our series with our last and most important affirmation: the way of Jesus. Join her as she shares about this affirmation and how a trip to Israel-Palestine challenged her conception of a well-known Bible verse and what it means to follow Jesus.
Episode 5 of our Affirmation series is all about holiness. Tired of talking about it yet? Neither are we.
This week, HD Network Pastor, Ericka Henry shares about the fourth Holy District affirmation-- the power of community.
What is most original or essential to human nature? Are humans good or bad at their core? This week, Ericka shares about the Holy District's third affirmation, the very goodness of humanity, and how it shapes the way we see and think about ourselves, our neighbors, and our enemies.
If you are digging this week's content, check out our first podcast series, "Being Human" where Pastors Blake and Ericka dialogue about these ideas in response to our very first gatherings.
Join Ericka as she shares about the Holy District's second affirmation, the goodness of creation, and the paradigm shifts that helped her to begin developing a more Jesus-centered understanding of creation care.
Scripture Reflection References:
Genesis 1
Psalm 104
Join Holy District Network Pastor, Ericka Henry as she shares about the first of the HD Affirmations-- the importance of the integrated life-- and how we can invite greater alignment and wholeness into our day to day living.
Listen in as our soon-to-be Gilbert Community Pastor, Brooke Norton, shares her faith journey and vision for our first Holy District multiplication into Gilbert, AZ. Brooke will also introduce you to her husband, Daniel, whose heart for the local church and imagination for a more connected and practiced way of being the church will help to shape this new faith community.
Join Allentown Neighborhood Pastor, Blake Henry as he shares about his journey into the HD and the experiences in his life and neighborhood which have given rise to a vision for Jesus-centered community in his corner of the Holy District Network.
Join Ericka as she shares the final installment of this series and opens the door for you to join the Holy District in our process of becoming.
It's episode 5 of our series- the one where Ericka explores how Mother Teresa's challenge to do small things with great love has shaped her journey with Jesus and the unfolding of the Holy District in Allentown. Big thanks to The Porter's Gate for permission to include their song, "Little Things With Great Love" in this week's podcast.
Join us for episode 4 of our Becoming the Holy District series where we consider how to engage the wisdom of the Spirit in our lives through a meditation on 1 Corinthians 2, the example of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, and the experience of Ericka and the Holy District team in their planting journey in Allentown.
In episode three of our series, Ericka shares about the Holy District planting team's experience of the exciting and unpredictable nature of the Spirit. Join us as we consider the initial vision and model of the Holy District, do some personal reflection about the Spirit's leadership in our own lives, and laugh about the the many false starts the Holy District encountered during its first year.
In this update episode, Ericka invites listeners to take the next two weeks to share their insights, questions, and feedback following our last two episodes. In the absence of new content from the Holy District, we hope you will listen to this podcast series produced by the Bible Project on the concept of justice.
https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/justice-series/
Submit feedback via email to Ericka at ericka@holydistrict.org no later than May 23 to be included in the response episode(s) we create. Grace and peace!
We continue our efforts to engage our cultural moment from a Jesus-centered perspective. Join Ericka this week as she offers a series of opportunities to reflect on the person of Jesus, Scripture, and our typical responses to instances of police brutality and race-related news stories in our media.
In this episode, Ericka responds to recent incidences of police brutality in the US with an opportunity for white Christians to engage in thoughtful reflection and lament.
Books referenced in this episode:
Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism by Drew Hart
Might From the Margins: The Gospel's Power to Turn the Tables on Injustice by Dennis R. Edwards
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
The story continues as Holy District Founder and Neighborhood Pastor, Ericka Henry, reflects on the ways God worked through a series of misunderstandings and false starts to reposition her to pursue the ministry of the Holy District.
Join us as we begin the first of several episodes recounting the winding and unexpected journey of becoming the Holy District. In this episode, founder and neighborhood pastor, Ericka Henry shares about the two key theological shifts in her journey with Jesus that laid the foundation for the vision of the Holy District.
Join us our final installment of our contemplative Easter podcast series. In this episode, Ericka guides us through several different ways to contemplate this question: What does it mean to live according to the reality of the resurrection?
For ease of listening and re-listening, you can use the following time stamps:
Two Views Reflection- 3:35
Prayer of Examen- 13:30
Luke 24 Meditation- 20:10
Join us for episode two of our Easter Meditation series. In this episode, Blake and Ericka introduce the HD community to the practice of Ignatian Contemplation and share a spoken word inspired by Mary, Mother of Jesus.
For ease of listening and re-listening, you can use the following time stamps:
Ignatian Practice- 3:50
You Watched Him Die- 10:51
Join us for our first of three special podcasts designed to help our community contemplate the person and passion of Jesus as we move toward Easter Sunday. In this week's episode, Ericka leads us through the practice of Lectio Divina and shares an original poem inspired by John 12:1-11.
For ease of listening and re-listening, you can use the following time stamps:
Lectio Divina: 4:39
Your Feet Meditation: 12:33
Close out our Coffee + Mark with Ericka and her good friend, Brooke Norton. In this episode, Brooke offers an insightful reflection on Mark 5 and challenges us with a question inspired by the disciples of Jesus and their response to him in Mark's gospel.
If you'd like to connect with Brooke about her spiritual life coaching work, you can find her at:
Website: www.brookesara.com Social Media: @brookiesara
Join Ericka and her friend Tim for their coffee chat about Mark's gospel. In this episode, Tim shares about fear and doubt, empathizing with Jesus' disciples, and how this book of the Bible helped to free him from his fear of reading the Bible "wrong."
Join Ericka and her friend Nelly as they continue our conversation on the gospel of Mark. In this episode, we talk about Jesus' miracles, the power of friends, and how Nelly's life experiences connect with the gospel of Mark.
Join Blake, Ericka, and Alexei for episode four of our "Coffee + Mark" series as they consider the final act of Mark's gospel. Watch as Mark slows down his narrative pace to focus on the final days in the life of Jesus, who enters Jerusalem as king and submits himself to a very unlikely inauguration as ruler of the kingdom of God.
After listening, we'd love to hear from you!
- Track with us as we use the BibleProject reading plan, "The Crucified King"
- Join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram @RediscoverSacred
- Schedule a spiritual direction session with Ericka to process your learning
Can a narrative be the gospel? What kind of king begins his rule by dying? What does it look like to follow the kind of king that Jesus claims to be? Join Blake, Ericka, and Alexei as they reflect on act two of Mark's gospel in episode 3 of Coffee + Mark.
There's plenty of room for you at the table. Join the conversation today!
- Track with us as we use the BibleProject reading plan, "The Crucified King"
- Join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram @RediscoverSacred
- Schedule a spiritual direction session with Ericka to process your learning
In episode 2 of our Coffee + Mark series Blake, Ericka, and Alexei contemplate the first act of Mark's gospel where Jesus (the King) begins his ministry, heals many, and confronts spiritual evil. We hope you'll join! It's not too late to:
- Track with us as we use the BibleProject reading plan, "The Crucified King"
- Join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram @RediscoverSacred
- Schedule a spiritual direction session with Ericka to process your learning
Blake, Ericka, and their baby, Alexei invite you into their morning coffee chats about the Bible. Join them for episode one as they reflect on the value of reading the Bible in community and prepare for some conversation about the gospel of Mark.
- Track with us as we use the BibleProject reading plan, "The Crucified King"
- Join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram @RediscoverSacred
- Schedule a spiritual direction session with Ericka to process your learning
In this final installment, Sierra and Greg Boyd consider how following Jesus can help us to swim against the consumeristic Christmas culture in which we find ourselves. Join us as we finish our conversation about the incarnation, creation, and Christmas!
Join us as we continue our discussion with Greg Boyd about the wide-ranging impact of the incarnation in the lives of Jesus-followers and how we relate to creation and the Christmas season.
In part I of our interview with Greg Boyd, we explore the significance of the incarnation and some of the practical implications it can have in our lives today.
In our final discussion in the Politics of Jesus series, we had the opportunity to talk with Christina Embree at Plowshares BIC Church in Lexington, KY about how Jesus leads Christians into a different understanding of how we are called to relate to the rights and responsibilities we have in an American political context.
In this episode, we dialogue with pastors from Circle of Hope Church in Philadelphia, PA, Jonny Rashid and Rachel Sensenig. You won't want to miss this conversation about money, power, and why it's important that we talk about our relationship to money and power as followers of the Jesus way.
In our second week of the Politics of Jesus series, we invite Pastor of Harrisburg BIC Church in Pennsylvania, Hank Johnson, to the podcast to discuss the concept of Two Kingdom theology, and how this paradigm can often shape our understanding of how and why many people of faith relate to politics in the ways that they do.
We all are navigating such unprecedented times, and on top of that - we're heading into the heat of election season. In this episode, team members Sierra and Blake discuss the high-stakes emotions that are often present among faith communities when it comes to the discussion of religion and politics.
Curious about the Holy District, who we are, and what we do? Join this conversation to get to know some members of the Holy District team, why they believe in what we do, and get a taste of what you can expect when joining us at our gatherings.
In this episode, Jess helps us consider how to create connection in such a disconnected world through personal reflection, stories about Jesus and the early Christian church, and insights from participants at our most recent gathering.
Listen in as Holy District team member, Jess Gregory, shares about how and why connection to ourselves, God, and one another is essential to living in a truly human way.
Join us as we conclude our first series with a discussion on how Jesus shows us what it means to be human, and why many Christians believe that his life, death, and resurrection have made a way for humankind (and all of creation) to experience healing and reconciliation.
Can humans be entrusted with the kind of power and purpose that Genesis says we were meant to carry? Join us as we expand our conversation beyond the first pages of Genesis to see how famous biblical heroes handled the promises of God and the power they were given.
Blake and Ericka continue exploring the first pages of Genesis to wrestle with our most recent gathering questions: Are humans intrinsically bad or broken, and who gets to decide what is good and bad?
Ericka Henry, founder and neighborhood pastor of the Holy District, and her husband Blake kick off the first Holy District podcast series, "Being Human" with a conversation about how the first two pages of the Bible may have shaped Jesus' perspective on being human.