Six Ways From Sunday: Recent Episodes
Ben Wilson
Six Ways From Sunday is a podcast for open minded seekers and curious hearts. With a new episode every second Friday, we share personal stories of human spirituality and dive deep into the unanswerable questions that face us all. Guests over the last 4 years have included artists, activists, mental health specialists, Indigenous elders, grief and loss experts, ministers, therapists, LGBTQ2S+ leaders, a regenerative rancher and an entrepreneur who has summited Mount Everest. Welcome to this inquisitive and inclusive space where all ideas and beliefs centred in love are free to be shared and questioned.
The host of Six Ways From Sunday, Ben Wilson, has been a professional filmmaker and storyteller for 12 years, and has been asking difficult questions for much longer. This podcast is a passion project that started when the Bashaw United Church and Ponoka United Church formed an innovative collaborative ministry model, Rising Spirit Ministry. If you'd like to get involved with Rising Spirit Ministry, want to support the podcast or have a suggestion of a guest to join Ben on the show, please contact us through our website at risingspiritministry.com.
Eric Gaudet has spent the last decade as Bashaw's local friendly pharmacist, getting to know families and individuals in this small town and becoming an indispensable part of the community as a primary care provider. In a rural community without a hospital and with family doctors in extremely short supply across Alberta, the role of a licensed prescribing pharmacist is super important. But that's not what makes Eric's story fascinating. It's not even the fact that Eric has recently been accepted into an elite national pilot program to explore innovative models of primary care delivery in Canada - although that is also really cool! No, the real reason that I wanted to share Eric's story is that his approach to patient care is so wholistic, open minded, empathetic and down to Earth. Every one of us have experienced issues with our health where we need help finding the right course of treatment or even just answers to what is going on and what our options are. Eric definitely has a way of leaving people feeling heard and seen, and rather than treating a symptom, he is deeply interested in addressing the full picture of health and what is going on for that person in their day to day life such as mental health, financial situation or relationship stress. In this episode we discuss all of the above and Eric shares some of the things he's learned along the way and what he loves about his work.
Lorne Gushue is a member of the worship committee at Yellowknife United Church, an affirming church located in a large public building in downtown Yellowknife. In the aftermath of wildfires that threatened homes, health and livelihoods, the needs of the local community have been top of mind for Lorne and the rest of the leadership team of their church. A church that is currently without a full time minister. And yet, as you'll hear through Lorne's incredible story, there are some amazing things happening at Yellowknife United Church! Through partnerships with schools, businesses and local health and social services, they are offering programs to support people experiencing homelessness, finding creative ways to share and rent their church space, and hosting diverse and inclusive events in their auditorium, like last week's meditative ecumenical labyrinth walk! Lorne's passion and compassion for his community is so apparent, and it was an honour to hear him share the recent story of evacuating from and returning to that community.
It feels like we're all facing one kind of storm or another right now, whether it's the strain of increased living costs, interest rates and inflation, or the lack of affordable housing, or the pain of feeling isolated, lonely and disconnected. Debt, food insecurity and homelessness are on the rise and the number of Canadians who feel optimistic about the future is dropping. Humans are suffering. So I wanted to talk with someone this week who brings compassion to human suffering and specializes in supporting people who are struggling. The kind of support that helps people not just improve their immediate situation but the kind of support that targets their suffering at a deeper level.
Daniel McMillan is a clinical psychologist in Calgary and founder of the Assured Psychology clinic where he specializes in adult and couples therapy. He is also the author of a brand new children's book called "Badger and Turtle - Face the Storm", a beautifully illustrated story about common relationship and connection patterns that Dan regularly uses in therapy sessions. In this podcast we explore the challenging reality that as humans we all fundamentally need connection and yet we've all been hurt and have developed defence mechanisms that often hold us back from being vulnerable and get in the way of meaningful and healthy connection. Dan shares some great stuff about his approach to exploring these delicate issues with individuals and couples, and some of the tools he uses such as Emotionally Focused Therapy.
To check out Dan's new book visit http://danmcmillanbooks.com/ and to learn more about Assured Psychology, check out https://assuredpsychology.com/
Robin has a way of always presenting a new and refreshing perspective on an old story. Miracle stories, like the feeding of the 5,000 or the gospel story of Peter walking out to Jesus on the water, are stories that we've heard so many times we almost forget to "think" about them. So in this episode we're diving into some miracle stories and talking about how our common interpretations of them have maybe missed some of their deeper meaning for our lives today.
Donna Ross is a 33-year educator. She is a Cree-Métis from Saskatchewan and
member of the One Arrow First Nation, Treaty Six territory. Donna began her teaching
career as a classroom teacher with Tsuut’ina Nation and continued to support First
Nations learners in subsequent positions with Siksika and Stoney Nakoda Nations, and
is currently an Indigenous Designer of Learning with the Calgary Regional Consortium.
Donna brings passion and a deep knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, the impact of residential schools, and the infusion of Indigenous ways of knowing into Alberta curriculum and organizational culture. Donna is also a proud Kokum.
In this conversation, Donna generously shares many personal stories from her career as well as heart wrenching stories of her family members' experiences in residential schools and their impacts on subsequent generations. Supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action for education has been a huge part of Donna's work, including the development of educational resources and foundational knowledge which you can find out more about by visiting www.empoweringthespirit.ca.
Shandi is a queer poet and organizer in Lethbridge. In this episode we discuss the origins of Shandi's incredible poetry, the genesis of her bold and impactful community project called the "Coming Out In Faith Monologues", and her own personal faith journey and coming out story. We also talk about violence against the LGBTQ2S+ community and the importance of going beyond celebrating during Pride Month and taking action, in order to create a society where all are safe and affirmed for who they are.
Victoria Bucholtz (She/Her) holds a doctorate in History from the University of Calgary, with a cognate field in gender theory. Victoria is a LGBTQ+ facilitator and currently teaches at Mount Royal University. She is a transgender rights activist, entertainment producer, and drag queen. An avid mountaineer, skier, and dog mom, she lives in Calgary, Alberta in the Treaty 7 Region.
You can also learn more about Victoria's work through the Queer Education Foundation, which offers diversity and inclusion training with a focus on the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.
Jason Clark has worked in youth ministry for many years and has recently moved to our little town of Bashaw, Alberta where he's now running the Bashaw Youth Foundation, working with youth at the Bashaw School and also getting involved as a leader in our Bashaw United Church. His energy and creativity seem to be endless, and already in the past few months of living in the community there has been a tremendous response from our youth in attending new events and programming that Jason has been creating. Today we are talking about how and why Jason was drawn to working with youth, his vision of what could be created here in Bashaw, what he's learned about teenagers in all these years, and what happens to our youth and our communities when teens are not supported emotionally and spiritually through what can be the most difficult and influential years of their lives.
The Christmas season is a time of giving, generosity and coming together as a community, no matter where you live. But there's something going on in the tiny little community of Bashaw that is unusual and almost inexplicably magical, and it is literally transforming lives. You could look at the Sugar Plum Ball event, or the Angels Among Us campaign, you could study the impacts of the Bashaw Food Bank and the annual Christmas hampers, or the Bashaw United Church's new care packages for seniors that are being distributed around town right now. It wouldn't matter which community program or event you examined, you'd find that behind every single one of them there has been a cultural paradigm shift in Bashaw in recent years that has magnified the impact and effectiveness of everything that we do to support those in need, and has fundamentally changed the way we create community. If you want to know what the secret is, you'd be hard pressed to find a better person in town to share it with you than Jackie Northey. Thanks for listening, and Merry Christmas!
"From The Wild" is a web film series that explores incredible journeys in wild food and beautiful, wild spaces. Its creator, Kevin Kossowan, is an award winning filmmaker and foodie who has worked with Michelin Star chefs and filmed on almost every continent on the planet. He's been a blogger since the days when you had to explain to people what a blog was, and his craft of storytelling combines with his craftsmanship with a camera and with wild food ingredients in the bush camp kitchen, at the fireside and out in the field, like a perfectly balanced and blended cocktail enjoyed with friends under the stars. In this podcast episode Kevin and I dive into his life and the origin story of From The Wild, we discuss the significance and role of "beauty" in elevating our eating experiences, and toward the end we go into the deep end a bit with questions about life and death and what makes a meal or a moment sacred.
Finding our place where we feel a sense of belonging, purpose, security and happiness is what all of us hope for in life, and Mandy seems to have found all of it right here on Main Street, in Daysland, Alberta. But like all great rewards it hasn't come without great risk and hard work. This is the story of Mandy's giant leaps of faith that led her into the world of business and have helped to revitalize her small corner of rural Alberta in Flagstaff County. If you know Mandy, you already know she's a great storyteller and she's a force to be reckoned with when she gets an idea in her head. And if you haven't met her yet then you better get out to the Rusty Daisy Gift Co. in Daysland. She won't let you leave town a stranger.
You can also check out Mandy's shop on Facebook @therustydaisy and on Instagram @rustydaisyco
Vik Maraj is the co-founder of Unstoppable Conversations in Edmonton, AB. He helped create and lead an international high-growth education company, developed curriculum and taught hostage negotiation for Canada's National Police, resolved international disputes within the UN, and galvanized an almost unthinkable billion-dollar collaboration between some of the world's largest energy companies, academics, and local stakeholders.
To sit in conversation with Vik is to be truly seen and heard, and his unique ability to create space for generative conversation with any group of humans has taken him to some wild and inspiring places that we talk about in this episode of the podcast. It all started with the day Vik "woke up".
What is this, a podcast studio, a community theatre stage, or a church? The answer is yes, it is all three. And on any other given day it's also a movie theatre, a space for worship, for grief support groups to meet, for a baptism, communion, funeral or a wedding. In other words, it's a space for creating community. Here in Bashaw we've found that community theatre productions are an amazing way of building community, but rather than simply making use of our church "facility", theatre is just another part of our church identify and how we live in community together. It's a concept that Jesus seemed pretty big on, so rather than pretend that this giant set piece (Moana's traditional Polynesian canoe, called a "wa'a kaulua") isn't parked in the middle of our Sunday morning worship space, Robin has created a 5 week theme called "Set Sail With Jesus". There are also some great biblical dramas (stories) about the early disciples setting sail on a new journey of discovery, adventure and relationship building, and stories of miracles and faith. They align so perfectly with our journey of building community here in Bashaw, and also with the story of Moana, that we just had to sit down for coffee right beside the boat and talk about it all.
Ary Vreeken is the Alberta regional representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger. It is estimated that up to 828 million people on our planet currently do not have "food security", meaning they do not have regular access to enough nutritious food to live healthy and active lives. Here in Canada, farmers are combatting hunger all around the world by donating the value of crops to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Some of these collaborative projects have been going on for 40 years, and bring together land owners, seed and fertilizer supply companies and dozens of neighbours and volunteers from nearby rural communities. Our local Bashaw and Ponoka faith community is involved as well, through our support of the United Church of Canada's Mission and Service Fund, and also through some of our congregation members who are grain farmers and actively involved in growing projects that donate proceeds of their harvest to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. There are many ways you can get involved, too. Check out their website to learn more about how the Canadian Foodgrains Bank partners with the United Church of Canada and how you can support this important work.
https://foodgrainsbank.ca/ucc/
Holy Moses! is the name of this year's summer church program for kids, happening right now at the Ponoka United Church and starting up on Monday at the Bashaw United Church. It's the first in-person summer day camp that we've been able to run in three years, but it's a program that Robin King and Lori Miller have been planning and delivering for about 12 years now. This summer we've also been really busy recruiting volunteers as it's the first summer in three years that we've been able to take on fundraising contracts at large in-person events in other communities.
Today, Robin talks about the challenges of getting things going again after "the great chasm of emptiness" that has left community nonprofits, events, fundraisers and churches all grappling with how to re-engage the people they are seeking to serve and the people they rely on for volunteering, participating and supporting their important work in the community. As Robin says, it's not about "getting back to normal", it's about building something new. In many ways, it's a lot like the story of Moses that the children are learning about this summer. There are plenty of challenges facing us, and also many opportunities to create something new together.
Affirming Connections is an organization that's placing itself at the intersection of faith communities in southern rural Alberta communities and the LGBTQ2S+ community, making valuable connections among churches interested in becoming an "Affirming" ministry. As part of their work, Affirming Connections created a series of videos called "Small Town, Big Impact: Stories and Strategies from the Affirming Journey". Miranda interviewed Rev. Robin King and Ben Wilson as part of the video project, and I think we learned as much from her as she learned from our story here in Bashaw, Alberta where our United Church has been walking the path toward officially being an Affirming church. Those videos, as well as information about the other work of Affirming Connections, are available at their website, www.affirmingconnections.com
I love stories about big and impactful things emerging from small, unlikely places. So the story of Rainbow Camp popping up from the tiny, remote Northern Ontario community of Thessalon - a camp that is changing and saving lives - was one I really wanted to learn about and share with you! Ten years ago Harry and Chris founded Rainbow Camp for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, creating a safe space where teens from all across Canada (and some from outside Canada) can have a fun summer camp experience and simply be who they are. This conversation dives into the origins of Rainbow Camp, the personal "why" that drove Harry and Chris to create the program, and the incredible impact that it's now having on hundreds of teens every summer.
To learn more about Rainbow Camp, to register for an upcoming camp or send a donation, check out RainbowCamp.ca.
Harry and Chris also talked about their new online family support program called Rainbow Online Connection (ROC) that you can learn more about and register for at WelcomeFriend.ca.
I was recently sitting in a movie theatre, half way through watching Dr Strange - Multiverse of Madness, when things started getting pretty deep and existential! Thinking about my own life, the concept of other potential parallel realities and universes, it occurred to me that the Marvel universe and the enormous world of comic book superheroes in general, is so incredibly rich in stories that offer us spiritual wisdom and deep introspection about life. Personally I didn't grow up reading a lot of comic books. I've always been a big Star Wars fan, but never considered myself a Marvel or DC super-fan. Since my superhero history and trivia knowledge is pretty pathetic I knew exactly who I needed to invite as my next guest on the podcast, my wife's cousin Daniel Schneider who is a full time professional comic book artist!
One of the many organizations Lewis is involved with is the Parliament of the World's Religions. As a trustee and member for many years, Lewis has shared his Indigenous culture and spirituality at global tables and conversations that he describes as being like "the Olympics of world religions", in that they gather in a different city once every four years to bring together leaders from many nations and spiritual traditions. Lewis also works with the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action, and when he speaks about his family's experience as survivors of Canada's residential schools Lewis emphasizes just how important education and action are in the journey of reconciliation. Lewis is also project manager at the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre, and he tells us about a new Indigenous cultural centre being constructed in Edmonton's river valley, called Kihciy Askiy (pronounced key-chee-ask-ee for "sacred land").
With all of the great stories about his work and the wisdom that Lewis has to share, it was difficult to wrap up our conversation after only 55 minutes. There's way too much packed into this podcast to try to describe in just a short paragraph, so you'll have to listen to the full conversation and hopefully we will have Lewis on as a guest again in the near future!
Working as a freelance writer for the the United Church Observer 20 years ago, Jocelyn realized she had a passion for journalism and for sharing stories that inspire, inform and challenge her readers. Over the last two decades she has seen journalism evolve into the digital realm, the rise of social media, and also the transformation of the Observer to what is now Broadview. The magazine and website's tagline is "Spirituality, Justice and Ethical Living", and as their website's About page says, "With Broadview, Editor and Publisher Jocelyn Bell aims to create an inclusive magazine and digital platforms for thoughtful readers interested in exploring and living out progressive Christianity’s core values. “We understand that this means being both introspective and outward-looking,” she says. “We are required to examine our beliefs and values, and to live and act accordingly. We are called to engage deeply with the justice issues of our day — and to believe that hope lies in caring profoundly for one another and for our planet.”
In this episode of the podcast, one of Broadview's online stories that Jocelyn talks about is an article written by Emily Standfield that you will definitely want to read for yourself after hearing why Jocelyn loves it so much (and so do we!), so here is the direct link to that story:
https://broadview.org/medically-assisted-death-church/
To subscribe to Broadview, make a donation, or follow their social media, visit broadview.org or their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/BroadviewMag
We've just celebrated Easter, tulips are breaking through the soil as snow banks quickly melt (again), and our faith communities are returning (again) to in-person events. As we collectively re-examine what it means to be in community, to engage with our congregations, to meet the evolving needs of individuals, it's clear that "getting back to normal" is never going to take us where we want to be. To make good on our theme and our goal, to "Spring Back To Life", we need to dig a little deeper, set some really clear intentions, and look a little harder for those glimmering signs of new life.
Tara Shannon's childhood nickname "Bear" took on a whole new identity when 3 years ago she began drawing rabbits and bears and her sketches turned into powerful and tender moments of conversation and reflection between the two illustrated characters. "Rabbit and Bear" became her outlet for years and years of thoughts, anxiety, depression, grief, magic and wonder. And one day, to Tara's surprise, one of her sketches went viral on social media, leading to the growth of an entire community of Rabbit & Bear readers and fans.
In this episode Tara shares with incredible vulnerability her journey through loss, grief, anxiety and depression, her fight with cancer and her quest to connect with her own past and her family's heritage. We discuss who Rabbit and Bear are in Tara's life, and how these two brave and curious creatures came to share their wisdom with the world through the pages of her books, "Rabbit & Bear Make A Wish" and "Rabbit & Bear Return With The Light".
My friend Ben Campbell is a tough person to write a bio for, so even deciding how to describe this podcast episode and our invigorating conversation is challenging. I first met Ben through a video project where we did some winter filming at his family's ranch near Black Diamond, in the Alberta foothills. While his parents spoiled us with their warm and friendly hospitality I remember spotting a photo on the wall of Ben with the famous actor, Sam Elliott. The story of Ben's years as a child actor suddenly made his comfort in front of the camera make complete sense! In the years since then I have enjoyed staying connected with Ben, filming at his farm numerous times, attending agricultural events and conferences together, and sharing a hunger for learning not only about things like sustainable land management and soil health but also many of the mysteries and unanswerable questions that we explored in this podcast episode. What feeds our souls and gives our lives purpose? How do we explain the cycle of life and existence to our children? We also talked about Ben's career path from civil engineering into cattle ranching, the personal growth and life tools that have helped him balance work and family life, and the legacy that he wants to leave behind for his three sons and for the future of the planet.
Ben is well known in the Canadian agricultural community, has been featured in business magazines and documentary films (including Guardians of the Grasslands, produced by Sarah Wray and Ben Wilson), and is now the subject of an indie film by Mainspring Media soon to be hitting the film festival circuit, titled "Grazed Right".
Pandemic restrictions are lifting again and the heaviness of two years of pandemic living is starting to feel like it could begin to lift. Spring is right around the corner and the Earth is beginning to stir with the promise of new life. And, this week we marked the beginning of the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. We're also getting back to in-person programming at Bashaw United Church, with some really great things planned for Lent, for Holy Week and for the coming spring and summer. Today, Robin and Ben kick off the 5th season of the Six Ways From Sunday podcast with a conversation about what it means to "Spring Back To Life" in the context of the long 24 month wilderness journey we've been on, and in the context of observing Lent.
Ernest wears a lot of hats (insert bald joke here lol), but like all of us, he's not defined by his career or various roles in life. In this episode we talk a lot about purpose and what creates a meaningful life, we talk about some of Ernest's spiritual journey, passions and entrepreneurial projects, and we unpacked his recent experience at a meditation retreat that had a dramatic impact on his life.
Heather Buelow has been the owner of Dancer's Edge Studio for 19 years. Like many business owners she is no stranger to change, but nothing compares to the wild ride she's been on these last two years where she's had to pivot, pivot, and pivot again. The pandemic has been especially challenging for kids activities, and there were many moments when it looked like dance classes, competitions and recitals were just not going to be possible. But if there's one thing Heather has learned from the world of dance that applies to running a business, it's that you can always find a way if you're willing to pick yourself up after a fall, believe in yourself, and pivot! Heather and her staff have impacted the lives of hundreds and hundreds of children and youth who have come through the DES studios in Blackfalds and Lacombe, teaching them by example that if you get knocked down you can always choose to get back up, lean on your people for strength and advice, learn from the hard experiences, and dream big enough to bring the impossible into reality. In this conversation we talk about Heather's journey as a studio owner, how she's navigated some pretty massive changes in her life recently, and also what it's been like for Miss Heather to watch so many young dancers grow up in the studio, their "second home".
Robin shares a lot of stories with our community of faith. Not only through his weekly blog posts and weekly Sunday morning sermons, but also in the form of children's plays and even books that he's written and self published. I know, right? We're pretty lucky!
Well, for the last 3 months Robin has been "on sabbatical", meaning that he's been working probably even harder than before but has taken some time, intention and focus to dive into some creative projects. Yes, more epic stories for all of us to benefit from, enjoy and engage with. But like a lot of the stories that Robin is so good at sharing, these are not "his stories". They're familiar stories, often from the life of Jesus and his disciples, with a new perspective to look at them from and some creative packaging that helps us to come to the story as a child - with curiosity, openness and vulnerability.
On this episode of the podcast, Robin shares what his 3 month sabbatical was like and a little bit about some of the new stories that he'll be sharing with us soon. We also discuss what it means to engage with stories that are not ours to tell, but are so important to hear. Right now there are a lot of those stories that all of us could really benefit from listening to.
Kyle Simmers graduated from the Alberta University of the Arts with a Bachelor of Design in illustration, and has been building a colourful portfolio of mural art over the last several years with their brother Derek Simmers, including 4 new projects right here in their hometown of Bashaw, Alberta. These are projects of epic proportions, from restoring a 40ft wide mural on the side of the Bashaw Curling Arena, originally painted in 1987 by David More, to creating a nostalgic 1950's "Johnny's Service Station" Texaco shop front on Bashaw's Main Street. And to cap off this busy summer, Kyle recently painted a glowing mural of neon angel wings on the front wall of the Bashaw United Church, where we recorded this conversation! Kyle talks about their journey as an artist, through the ups and downs of publishing a graphic novel series "Pass Me By" and the challenges and rewards of collaborating with Derek on massive mural projects. Most of all, we talked about how these experiences have shaped who Kyle is, and also how Kyle's growth is shaping and evolving their artistic expression and way of being in the world.
Carrie is one of those people in our community who make you realize that having "a church family" is about so much more than who you see sitting in the pews on a Sunday morning or who's involved in the committees, meetings, fundraisers or lay leadership. She's the perfect example of "BEING the church" and putting the words of the Bashaw United Church's vision statement into practice - "Living God's Love. Sharing God's Love."
Carrie grew up in a Pentecostal church in Saskatchewan, and a lot of her preconceived ideas about religion and church were very different from what she experienced here in Bashaw when she started to get more and more involved in this community and church family. In this conversation we had a lot of fun exploring how Carrie's deep faith roots have stuck with her throughout her years of exploring her own life paths and spiritual journey, and how her personal relationship with God has been part of shaping who she is today.
Zoe Raemer has seen massive transformation over the past 30+ years in LGBTQ rights and social justice in the North West Territories. Earlier this week she joined Ben over zoom from her home in Victoria, to share some incredible stories about the LGBTQ rights movement in Yellowknife and her involvement over the years. Here is a timeline of significant events that Zoe recently shared to social media. It's incredible how much can change in a person's lifetime when even a tiny group of very passionate and determined people take a stand.
1990 - NWT's first entry into the Gay Games (Vancouver - softball) 1990 - Yellowknife's first organized gay and lesbian ( sorry BTQ friends, not only are we old, but we were acronym challenged and politically incorrect) Halloween party 1992 - Yellowknife's first public pride event: the basement of the Scotia Centre in the YWCA offices. Four (!!) people attended including one journalist and one toddler. And me. And the toddler's Mom, my dear friend. 1994- Team NWT attends Gay Games in New York City (Billiards) 1995 - The first request is made to the City of Yellowknife to proclaim Gay Pride Day. It fails. 1996 - A second request is made to the City with respect to Gay Pride Day. It fails. Again. 1997 - OutNorth formed 1997 - A third request is made to the City of Yellowknife to proclaim Gay Pride Day. You guessed it. It fails. 1997 - OutNorth sponsor "Gay Day Anyway" ( as the NNSL papers dub it) and members offer folks a celebratory slice of cake. This tradition continues to this day. 1997 - Canada's national gay and lesbian organization, EGALE, elects its first board member from the NWT 1997 - OutNorth's lobbying efforts to change the definition of spouse in NWT laws are unsuccessful but generate reams of copy for local papers. 1998 - Yellowknife's first gay and lesbian film festival is held at the Wildcat Cafe. In the winter. With a sheet hung from the rafters as a screen. 1998 - At long last the City of Yellowknife proclaims a now forgotten summer day as Gay Pride Day. 1999 - Supreme Court of Canada decision on rights of same sex spouses leads to change in NWT laws. But only after some highly ridiculous commentary from the then legislators of the NWT. 2002 - A new Adoption and Family Law Act is passed in the NWT giving gays and lesbians unprecedented familial rights in the Territories. 2002 - Human Rights legislation is passed in the NWT banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sexual identity. The legislation is the first in Canada - indeed in North America - to explicitly protect transgender people. 2005 - Gays and lesbians can legally marry in the NWT 2006 - The old folks got tired.
Tony Snow is a member of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation and grew up on Treaty No. 7 land at Morley, Alberta, where his father Dr. Rev. Chief John Snow Sr. attended the Morley Indian Residential School. Tony is a Day School Survivor who now works as the Indigenous Minister of the United Church of Canada’s Chinook Winds Region, and is part of the ministry team at Hillhurst United in Calgary. As a Traditional Knowledge Keeper, minister and consultant, Tony has worked for decades in public engagement and government relations, bringing awareness and healing to communities of faith and Indigenous peoples, as a continuation of his father’s work and his grandfather’s work.
For more information about events happening within the Chinook Winds region during National Indigenous History Month 2021, visit: https://chinookwindsregion.ca/indigenous-right-relations/
We are observing and celebrating some really important things this month. June is Pride Month and also National Indigenous History Month, and there is a lot of work to do (as a Church, as communities and as a county) to bring about the healing, reconciliation, inclusivity and equality that is needed. That hard work doesn't happen just at the systems level, in government buildings, church meetings or resolutions. This is the work of the heart and soul that we all need to lean into. It's the work of living out the love that we're called to be. As Robin said in his blog this week, "This is the love that creates, connects and enriches our lives."
Joyia has been on an inward journey the last several years, letting go of external expectations and back toward herself. She's dedicating herself to the practice of being authentic, empowered, fulfilled and free, and is now helping others to do the same in their own lives. In this conversation Joyia joins us from her home in the Yukon, sharing her personal insights, beliefs and some stories of transformation that have changed her life. We talk about the divine within all living things and the potential for all of us to connect with that spiritual life force inside us.
As Joyia puts it, "I was born into the world with everything I need. Everything. Just coming back to myself and remembering to trust that there's a greater purpose that I'm living inside of that has brought me here. Living from that place, the path will slowly open up in front of you."
"Ubuntu" is an African proverb that means "I am, because we are", and it's the driving force and organizational purpose of the not-for-profit organization Ubuntu - Mobilizing Central Alberta, cofounded by Dieulita Datus in Lacombe, Alberta. Dieulita, cofounder Sadia and their team, are committed to a deep sense of interconnectedness and mutuality that changes attitudes and behaviours. They work toward radical inclusivity in their community and believe that their efforts, through education, advocacy, and community building, have the power to address the prejudice at the root of our histories where it lives – in the hearts and minds of people.
In this conversation, Dieulita and Ben discuss the link between nature and spirituality, the impact of the demonization of African spirituality, the colonialism of Christianity, and her favourite NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys. Dieulita's story of coming to rural Alberta from the Bahamas, the culture shock she experienced, and the important work that she's doing here, will make you want to hug the next human you see and hopefully will also make you re-examine some of your own thoughts about inclusivity, diversity and love.
We're still in the tide of Easter, a season of grappling with what it means to come face to face with a living Jesus. I know, lately it's easy to look around and feel like it's more like we're still in the season of Good Friday. But no matter what's going on in the world, He is risen. But as Robin shared in our conversation today, "It's not just 'Jesus is alive in you', it's 'Jesus is alive in you... through all the hard work you need to do now, to bring love into the world." And ya, we sure do need that right now. Not just on Sunday mornings but in everything we do and have our being. From the way we greet a stranger to the way our feet kiss the earth. As Robin so beautifully puts it in this episode, "The physical aspect of Jesus is not just an expression of our humanity, it's also about our connectedness to the Earth, to all that is."
Thanks for taking some time to join this conversation today, we hope you enjoy it and that it finds you well.
My uncle, Brady Wilson, has been one of my role models in life and in my own spiritual journey for just about 40 years. Today, we're exploring Brady's own human spirituality journey, and he shares a recent epiphany that he experienced which brought him closer to a sense of oneness with all humanity and creation, and to "the Jesus in his belly". As Brady put it, "I am one 'with', and I am one 'in' God, and God is in me. This changes everything for me." Brady also talks about how his faith impacts his work, what he discovered his life purpose, or, "Juice for the world" to be, and how living within the legacy of an over-achieving Mom who was a "giant of a human being" has shaped his sense of what it means to be enough, do enough, and be worthy.
Thanks for joining us in this powerful and very personal conversation, as we reflect back on Lent and we observe Good Friday today, and of course the story of new life and resurrection this Easter weekend.
Learn more about Brady's work with Juice Inc.
In March, 2020, we began an important and difficult journey. That journey has included isolation, loss, and a lot of reflection about what's really important. When we've allowed it to be, it's been a time filled with deeply meaningful soul work, relationship building, and some much needed self examination. And then the 40 day season of Lent, ended. Except it didn't, did it? We've kind of carried on "living in Lent" this entire time throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Each in our own way of course, and with our own story that no one else could possibly understand unless they've walked some miles in our shoes - and even then, it would really take some connection and effort in order to build a bridge toward understanding each other's journeys. And that right there, is actually sort of the whole point of Lent. Reflecting on our relationship with ourself, God, and each other, and then leaning in, being vulnerable, and doing the work.
David Hayward is the NakedPastor! After 30 years in the church, he left the ministry to pursue his passion for art. His work challenges the status quo, deconstructs dogma, and promotes critical thinking.
Remind you of anyone? It should, because David's art, his books, his blog, and his rabble rousing, norm defying, inclusive, safe and uplifting online community, are all a lot like the teachings of Jesus, and he's here to talk about all of it, from his own personal spiritual journey of deconstruction to his most popular cartoons and how he responds to hate on social media. Check out the NakedPastor's artwork, merchandise, courses, books, blog and more, at www.nakedpastor.com
What are the ways that love gets out into the world from within us? First, you have to find it, and that reconnecting with source - with the universe, with God - is where we remember we are loved and we ARE love. That is what the season of Lent is supposed to be about. Not in a way that has us "going through the motions" of religious tradition, but in a way that has us authentically diving into self examination and reflection. So how do we do that? How do we journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter on our own path in the wilderness? Let's talk about it. Thanks for joining us and listening.
Our community has recently been struck with numerous tragedies, and in the midst of a global health crisis that has caused enough loss, stress, isolation and pain on its own, we're left fumbling to find ways to grieve the deaths of loved ones. We may not be able to gather in person, but we can gather in spirit. We may not be able to hold large funerals in our churches and community halls, but we can hold space for one another's pain. There are so many things we cannot do right now, and yet there is so much that we can do.
Bill Harder works in the precious and precarious space of supporting people through loss, grieving and dying. The wisdom and insights that he shares in this conversation will likely change the way you perceive our collective relationship with death and dying as a culture, with your own grieving and loss experiences, and possibly even with your own mortality.
Two previous episodes of this podcast that also featured Bill Harder are:
Bill Harder - The Deep Soul Work of Grieving
Bill Harder - Sitting With Death
Welcome back to the Six Ways From Sunday Podcast! This first episode of the 4th season of the show explores two well known stories and how they both relate to the current state of our world and recent events. As always, we hope your own spiritual journey is enriched by this conversation, and that it creates an opening for something new to be heard, a new beginning or calling, or the seeds of growth and healing, wherever that is needed.
Heather, Justin and their two young children have been in lockdown mode since the middle of March. This is their 10th month of isolation as a family, because Justin is severely immunocompromised and would likely not survive a case of COVID-19. Heather shares what this journey has been like for her family, how they've coped with the challenges, how she's dealt with her own personal mental health struggles, and also some of the things she's learning about herself, her kids and about life in general. When we love another human being the way Heather and her kids love Justin, it's incredible what people will do. Their family's story offers a lesson and inspiration for all of us.
Most of us are fortunate to know war, conflict and violence not as our own personal memories, but as a historical concept or as a present day far away reality. Still, we know the importance of pausing to reflect and appreciate, and remember, what other have lost in order that we have the current freedoms that we enjoy. In this episode, Ben and Rev. Robin King talk about how this Remembrance Day, in the midst of a global pandemic while violence and war persist in many parts of the world and conflict persists within our own lives every day, we can all take a moment to pause, reflect and process, and hopefully begin to heal. Let's do more than just observe remembrance, let's live it out, too.
Church - that safe space where all are welcome, a sanctuary from the rest of the world where we come to find that quiet centre, connect with others, with God and with our deeper self, where we are spiritually nourished and recharged. And just when we need that more than ever, our churches are closed. But the doors are gradually starting to open back up now and we're figuring out "how to do church" in this new world while still keeping everyone safe.
In this conversation, Ben and Robin connect with Rev. Stephen Harper from Symons Valley United Church in Calgary, where they've made the difficult decision to keep the building closed until January, 2021 while continuing their live-streamed services. Calgary's faith community has been hit hard by the pandemic, and getting people back to church involves different challenges in urban locations than in rural communities. Wherever your church community is, we hope you're able to gather there safely soon.
Our world is really struggling with authority right now. The word "authority" often makes us think of control, power, governance and rule. Jesus wasn't really about any of those things though, and yet we certainly think of Jesus as having had "authority" in his ability to perform miracles, heal the sick and pour God's love into the world. Where does that kind of authority come from? And is that something all of us can tap into?
Each summer, the incredible leadership team of Robin, Lori and Brielle (with the support of many other helping hands) put on an incredible summer camp program at the Bashaw United Church and Ponoka United Church. Picture dozens and dozens of kids singing, laughing, learning and crafting! So what do you do when a global pandemic shuts down the building and all these kids in the community are sitting at home wishing they could come to church camp? In this conversation Robin and Ben talked about how they pulled off a virtual camp this summer, and more importantly, how the team used the camp to talk about some really important and difficult topics that kids are facing right now.
Want to check out the "Call Of The Wild" summer camp? It's still up on our YouTube Channel! Click here for the "Call Of The Wild" playlist of videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEFDbwRiIarCaLultlUeA4Y4XHEQEPzJz
The clock is ticking closer and closer to "midnight". The Doomsday Clock is a symbol first developed in 1947 that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe. In 1953 when the US tested its first hydrogen bomb they moved the hands of the clock to 2 minutes to midnight. It's moved closer to or further away from midnight with every major global conflict, war, peace accord or political crisis. Today, they're saying we are now just 100 seconds away from midnight, and it's easy to see why. But how do we respond from faith to a world filled with so much fear, crisis and catastrophe? Let's talk about it.
The rules have changed again, and many churches are reopening their doors and resuming in-person worship services after 3 months of empty sanctuaries. Robin recently asked, in this week's "mid-week reflection" Facebook video, why we come to church. Seriously, why do you go to church? What do you love and value about church and what have you been missing during this pandemic while church buildings have been closed? In Bashaw and Ponoka we've been carrying on with live streaming Sunday morning services, and we've even added new weekly content including short video reflections, prayers and music meditations, but the disruption and changes have still caused us to take a deeper look at what it means to be the church. Surely it has for everyone, and hopefully that's something that will stay with all of us as we live out our faith and God's love, beyond this pandemic.
The Dene Nation has existed for over 30,000 years in Canada, with one language and many dialects. Paul Andrew, a Dene elder in Yellowknife, who describes himself as "a student of Dene spirituality" shared this Dene greeting with me: Nakale, negha dagot'e? (Good morning, how are you?) Response: Nezu (good) if things are well.
With an open heart and mind, Paul invited me into dialogue that explored where we're at today in Canada with truth and reconciliation, why it's so important to all of us, and how we can build healthy relationships that celebrate indigenous spirituality and culture for not only our own sake but for future generations.
To learn more and support reconciliation, here are a few easy actions we can all take:
- Research First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in your area to understand their history and contributions to society.
- Watch movies by Indigenous filmmakers or read Indigenous literature.
- Learn more about Indigenous arts and artists.
To get involved with Reconciliation Canada, check out https://reconciliationcanada.ca/get-involved/how-to-get-involved/
Pam is super passionate about LGBTQ2S+ equality, faith, love, and laughter, and she uses her art and gifts as a musician, writer, playwright and speaker to educate, advocate and inspire. Recently, Pam has been part of a movement in Calgary to ban conversion therapy, and her story about that work and their recent victory, will move you. I promise!
There couldn't be a more fitting time than right now to be speaking with Kevin Gangel - non-profit and corporate leadership professional, change management consultant and keynote speaker, and co-founder of Unstoppable Conversations. Kevin is a fellow Albertan, and like Ben, narrowly escaped a career in aerospace engineering, enjoys craft beer, and cares deeply about the future of our planet and our species. As always, this conversation dives deep into difficult and important, existential questions, from "why do I exist?" to "what could happen if I became 100% responsible for my life?". At a time when all of us are grappling with what works and doesn't work in our relationships, careers and communities, Kevin provides some ridiculously valuable insights and thoughts on the nature of transformation and the "being" of living life as an unstoppable "human being". Thanks for joining us!
This week Robin and Ben talk about "ascension day", the 40th day after Easter when Christ's ascension is celebrated in the Christian Church. When Jesus leaves his disciples (again) they are found standing around staring at the sky, likely feeling a bit lost and uncertain about what would come next. Perhaps even feeling a longing to go back to the way things were, for things to just be "normal" again and to have Jesus there with them in person for a little longer. We are in many ways in a similar place right now as a society, struggling with feeling like we're alone, longing to be back together again, wishing things could return to normal. Spiritually, many of us are feeling disconnected, displaced, maybe even homeless or lost. The good news is, there isn't a way back, but there's a way forward. Thanks for joining us this week.
(DISCLAIMER: We had a microphone malfunction toward the end of the episode this week, so there's a few minutes that had to be edited out and a short segment where Robin's audio isn't great.)
Kelly Henry (she/they) recently became an official member of the Bashaw United Church congregation, even though she lived in a city roughly an hour away. Finding a church family/home where you can feel safe, welcome, connected and comfortable is not always easy, and for those in the LGBTQ2S+ community it's also not something you might expect to find in rural Alberta, in a town of 860 people. Still, Kelly stumbled upon our little community of faith in Bashaw (and online), and is now part of our family. We talk about how we stay connected as a church family throughout COVID times, how the pandemic uniquely impacts the queer community, and also how churches can be public, intentional and explicit about being safe and affirming spaces where all are welcome and loved. Thanks for joining us!
How we celebrate Mother's Day, and other important, big, life events in the midst of a pandemic, says a lot about the ways we connect and come to know one another. It could also be an opportunity to rethink how we know God, who is after all, alive in all of us and transcends any physical separation, time or distance.
The last time Javan came on the podcast we talked about his film, "Facing Fire". Well today we're talking about facing "fear". In the midst of a global pandemic that has all of us wondering about the future and feeling more uncertainty, anxiety and fear than we normally grapple with, it's important to take a look under the hood and examine our relationship with fear itself. One of my favourite statements that Javan shares in this conversation is that "fear based living doesn't support life." We talked about the way fear plays a critical role in how we operate, but if left unexamined fear can also act like an infectious disease that is very disabling and damaging. We discussed some powerful tools for how to increase our "emotional sovereignty" and developing a practice of allowing fear to move through us without paralyzing or controlling our behaviours.
Thanks for listening, and the best way to support the podcast is to hit the subscribe button, leave a review and share with your friends.
If you'd like to learn more about "voice dialogue" or any of the other practical life-design tools Javan shares in this episode, get in touch with him through his website at https://allpointsdesign.ca/life-design/intro/
Meet Tammy. She's a registered psychologist in Ponoka, finding new ways to deliver mental health support services to her existing clients as well as new clients who are feeling the effects of home isolation, anxiety, fear and other struggles during this COVID-19 crisis. Tammy has a great story and incredible passion for her work, and she also shares some really valuable tips and suggestions for how we can all practice some critical self-care.
After a month of lock-down and pivoting to live streaming and zoom calls for everything from book club meetings to pastoral care and Sunday morning church services, how are we as "the Church" meeting the spiritual health needs of our communities? Rev. Stephen Harper from Symons Valley United Church in Calgary joins Rev. Robin King and Ben Wilson for a conversation about the role of church as front line spiritual health care providers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We've been through a rollercoaster of emotions this week, not only in following along with the journey of Holy Week and leading into Easter, but also in following the news of a global pandemic that has both isolated and united all of humanity like nothing we've seen in our lifetime. It's been a transformative experience already, and we're not through it yet. So was Easter. And as much as we'd like things to just "go back to normal", how is that even possible after this? How is it possible after Easter and what Easter really means for each of us?
If you're starting to lose track of what day of the week it is, today is Thursday and Palm Sunday is only a few days away. We're all in COVID-19 self-isolation mode, so how do we celebrate this important religious tradition? It's hard to be festive when you can't have all the festivities. But it's also an opportunity to look at Holy Week a bit differently, to walk through each of the days of this coming week in a new way and reflect on the Easter story with this current crisis in mind. How did the people of Jerusalem receive Jesus on Palm Sunday? Waving palm branches, parades and shouts of "Hosanna" have traditionally been the trademarks of a joyous celebration of the arrival of Jesus. The word "Hosanna" has more than one meaning, though, and this week Robin and I spent some time diving into not only what it means literally, but also what Palm Sunday and Holy Week will mean for us this year in the midst of a global pandemic. Thanks for listening.
In the two weeks since our last podcast, the COVID-19 outbreak has gone from "totally under control" in Trump's words, to a fully global pandemic with many millions of people on full lock-down or voluntary self-isolation, and NYC as the new epicentre of the crisis. Change sometimes happens a lot faster than we're ready for, and we've all had to adapt in so many ways, learning to use new technologies to stay connected, keep working, educating our kids and caring for the sick, vulnerable and elderly. Our society, our supply chains, our hospitals, governments and our faith institutions all carry on, and we're all figuring it out as we go. Through this wilderness journey, God is with us all. This week Robin and I chatted about how the pandemic is impacting Rising Spirit Ministry and what we've been doing to keep our community of faith connected. Thank you for being with us!
Robin and Ben share some personal wilderness stories, how God led them through times of uncertainty, doubt and fear, through Robin's journey into ministry at Bashaw United Church, and through Ben's solo flying adventure across Canada. We talk about what we learned from these "wilderness experiences" and also dive into some other wilderness stories, from Noah's Ark and quarantined cruise ships to Robin's favourite brand of toilet paper!
The wilderness, literal or metaphorical, can feel like a scary place. Temptation, isolation, solitude, struggle and hopelessness is what we often associate with finding ourselves alone in the desert, or cast out of the garden. But maybe the bible's many "wilderness stories" point to something else, something that could offer us a way back to wholeness.
What role does religion/church/faith play in your life, really? What better time to ask that question than right after the story of Jesus being revealed (transfigured) on the mountain, and right before the season of Lent? Let's take a look at the "why" within our religious structures, routines and practices, and explore some confronting questions that could help remind us what Jesus stood for.
If Jesus gave an inspiring 18 minute lecture at a TED conference, it would probably sound a lot like the "sermon on the mount", which he began with, "you are blessed." In this conversation, Robin and I dove into this famous teaching to explore what Jesus' words mean for us today.
After Christmas we often talk about Epiphany, the revealing of Jesus. So, is Epiphany simply about revealing the divinity of Jesus, the Messiah who the Magi had been waiting for, based on ancient prophecies? Or, is Epiphany about the humanity of Jesus, the word made flesh, a man who would first ask "what are you looking for?", and then, offer us the chance to come and see?
The third annual Sugar Plum Family Christmas Ball was a huge success last weekend. The purpose of the event is to create a magical evening of celebration for the entire community, where children and adults of all ages and all income levels can get together and experience the joy and wonder of the holidays. In this episode, Ben Wilson and Melissa Lenz have a conversation with three Grade 10 students and Ben's daughter Elise, to talk about this unique and magical event.
The end is near (of the church calendar), and Advent begins this Sunday. Are you ready for Christmas? Ready to greet the baby Jesus? Ready for Christ to return? So much to prepare for and so much to reflect on this Christmas, like how and where we meet Jesus in every moment of life. I love how Robin put it today: "If you're living the way the adult Jesus teaches, you are always prepared for the arrival of baby Jesus."
Bringing comfort, kindness and peace to the thresholds of life and death, "threshold singing" is a selfless act of love and compassion. Ron and Leah have been part of this global movement for several years and this week they shared with me their beautiful story and their beautiful voices.
We've talked about "end times" before, and at this time of year it's thematically appropriate to revisit the topic right before we dive into the season of Advent, but this week we decided to expand on the conversation and talk not only about the troubling signs of armageddon and apocalypse that are all around us, but also about the way in which we engage each other around things like politics, climate change and other "hot" topics. What might happen if we committed to approaching endings and beginnings, and each other, with love?
This week I was asked to share the story of our Rising Spirit Ministry project with Rev. Stephen Harper from Symons Valley United Church in Calgary, for their new podcast. You can also listen to this conversation with Stephen on their website as well as other episodes of the Symons Valley podcast at http://symonsvalleyuc.com/podcasts/
We've talked about "holding space" for someone, and "authentic listening" on this show before, and how powerful and important this type of human connection is for the soul. Well, Alan Richards is a man who specializes in just that. In church language we call it "pastoral care", and Alan is really good at it!
Author of "Radical Wholeness" and "New Self, New World", Philip Shepherd's work aims to transform our disconnected experience of self and world. Philip lives on a small island near Toronto, and offers private coaching, weekend workshops, retreats and keynote presentations, and we had the privilege of recording a conversation with him during a "Radical Wholeness" workshop in Camrose, Alberta. Learn more about Philip, his books and his work, at www.philipshepherd.com
Have you ever asked yourself "who am I?", "what are we doing here?" or "what does it mean to be a human?". We talk a lot on this show about identity, connection, relationships, community and creating meaningful living. This question really ties all of those themes together, so there's a lot to unpack and explore.
We've been told it's impossible to worship both God and money, and that it's easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, but we've also been told to give generously to the church. Maybe instead of focusing on money, the conversation should be about value, caring for what matters to us most, and truly being stewards over the wellness of our world.
A woman, bent over from a crippling ailment, is healed by Jesus. On the Sabbath. This week we're discussing the power of human connection and authentic listening in helping others to release their burdens and become whole. We're also talking about miracles, self-care and what the Sabbath is really supposed to be about. Thanks for joining us!
When you listen to Trigg, you feel like you're having coffee with an 80 year old farmer, but that's because at just 10 years old Trigg Pittman is a master lawn mower, farmer, stockman and all around ranching superstar. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, driving a pony chariot, water skiing, tie dying, and drive-in movie theatres. If you know Trigg at all, you'll know that any opportunity to sit and visit with Trigg is well worth your time, so buckle up folks.
Steve Whittington has made over 40 summits in his climbing career, including Mt Everest in 2013, but when I asked him "who is Steve?" he didn't label himself an elite alpinist, he said that first and foremost he's a husband and father.
To connect with Steve or to learn more about his Everest adventure, speaking opportunities, his new book "Thriving In The Customer Age" and more, check out his websites:
www.stevewhittington.com
www.thequestforeverest.com
The present moment is all that we have. So when we get inspired, or when we feel the most whole, how do we sustain that feeling? Robin and Ben explore this question, diving into their own personal stories as well as biblical teachings, meditation and mindfulness techniques that can help us stay present and engaged.
What is your soul dream? How will you greet death at the end of your time here and what purpose will you have created with your life? We're diving into some big questions this week, with a new friend and special guest, Thomas Atum O'Kane. Atum is the founder of the Spiritual Guidance Wisdom School, teaching inter-faith programs with a background in Christian, Jewish and Buddhist faith traditions, and leading people on an inward journey of exploration and spiritual discernment.
We talked about a couple different books in this episode. Here are the links to check them out if you're interested. The first one we thought was "Nothing Left Unsaid", but the correct title was actually "The Rainbow Comes and Goes", by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. The second book was "Love At Work" by Brady Wilson.
Javan is a permaculture design consultant, life design coach, and first time documentary filmmaker! We discussed his upcoming film, "Facing Fire", and the fascinating things Javan learned about humans and our relationship with fire and nature, while researching, interviewing and filming his documentary.
If you missed the first episode with Javan from January 2019, here it is: "Javan Bernakevitch - Designing a Resilient Life".
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
"It’s not simply being present in the room that makes somebody alone or not alone, it is the knowledge that they’re held and loved.” - Bill Harder.
The act of sitting bedside with someone who is near death, and maybe holding their hand, or just being there to hold their spirit in love, is one of the greatest acts of love I can think of. Bill and the 80 volunteers of the Camrose Hospice Society do just that. In this conversation we tackle some really big questions about the delicate dance between life and death, which is much more ever present than our modern culture recognizes or talks about. So let's talk about it.
Here's the first episode with Bill Harder, on "The Deep Soul Work of Grieving" https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bill-harder-the-deep-soul-work-of-grieving/id1437916538?i=1000437147300
Contact Bill or the Camrose Hospice Society Here
Please Subscribe and Share!
"As soon as I'm up in the air, I forget all about the wheel chair down on the ground." Kary is an incredible man who's up to a lot of big things in life, but what makes him incredible isn't just his determination to live an active, full life in spite of his physical disability, it's his entire approach to life itself. His mindset, beliefs and values are truly inspiring.
Cori is a Healing Medium, receiving and sharing messages from past loved ones and guiding angels, and she also teaches intuitive meditation classes and retreats. Her wellness centre, Divine Wisdom, is located in Donalda, AB.
Death and grieving aren't topics people seem to want to talk about, until they have to. After attending a grief workshop with Bill last fall I knew that he needed to come on the SWFS podcast to share more of his wisdom and his story. As the program coordinator for the Camrose Hospice Society, Bill offers direct support to those who are grieving a loss, as well as training volunteers and sitting bedside with people who are actively dying. The work Bill does is important, deep soul work.
We've missed the point of the "doubting Thomas" story, just like so most gospel stories. We've been taught to "keep the faith", and in many ways we're told that while having doubts is a natural and normal side effect of being human, it's still something we should try our best to avoid. After all, doubt is the opposite of belief, right? But what if it's not? This week we look at Thomas, the Easter story, and Robin's own experiences in ministry as we take apart "doubt".
Between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday there is a lot going on! It's really the only time of the year when we follow a biblical story in "real time", probably because it's the most significant time that Jesus spent on Earth, from riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, to Maundy Thursday, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion on Good Friday, the Sabbath, and finally the Resurrection story of Easter Sunday. This episode of the show is a little longer, because there's just too many important pieces to talk about! Robin and I walk through the Holy Week story, and invite you to share your Easter stories, memories and traditions with us. Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sixwaysfromsunday
Andrew says he's always had a fascination with "why life lives" and a passion for growing things. We talk about the origin story of his horticulture business, Rosy Farms, his involvement in building an exciting new niche food industry in Canada with a powerful little superfood called "haskaps", the "why" that drives Andrew, and what he does for self care and spiritual well-being.
Briana knew from an early age that she wanted to be a doctor, but like most of us, her path took a few surprise turns before she landed in her current practice where she supports women's health and wellness. Women are after all, as Dr. Lutz says, the gatekeepers of health in the family. Beyond hearing the story of how she became a Naturopathic Doctor, we also discussed her unique approach to assessment and treatment, her personal and professional "why", the importance of our microbiome, and how all of this relates to mental health and spiritual wellbeing!
Connect with Dr. Lutz on Instragram @drbrianalutz and join her tribe at drbrianalutz.com
You've heard the story of the prodigal son, about God's limitless grace and forgiveness, and the importance of repentance. Ok, sure. But there are a few problems with that view of the story, so we've got some questions to explore. I'm sure the disciples hearing this parable for the first time had questions, too. But we don't know how the story ends because Jesus leaves it open ended. Typical Jesus.
If you've been patiently waiting for this week's SWFS Podcast to come out, well here it is, and this week we're talking about the "act" of patience. Yes, patience in action, because being patient is about so much more than simply waiting.
Here are the doors, here is the steeple, open the doors... where are all the people? All across Canada, thousands of churches over the next 10 years are in danger of closing their doors, for good. This week, Robin and I decided to discuss why so many churches are struggling financially, the inherent challenges and the role of the church building itself, and what some churches are doing with theirs!
Yoga is all about the inward journey! Leah's inner journey over the last 25 years has included periods of intense grief, deep soul searching and healing, adventurous travels to India and training in the art and practice of yoga and meditation with several different instructors and gurus. Yinside Yoga is based in New Norway, Alberta, and Leah has recently started offering weekly classes in Bashaw as well. In Leah's words, "With a compassionate heart and through the practice of Yin Yoga, it is my mission to help others look within."
The Force, source energy, creation, the universe, God - whatever we call it, when we encounter it deeply we are forever changed. This week we're talking about the transfiguration story, where Jesus encounters Elijah and Moses on the mountain and he becomes trans-figured, "his face shining as the sun, and his garments became white as the light". Maybe this kind of spiritual experience that goes beyond enlightenment or transformation, is possible for all of us.
What is the meaning of life? After listening to some talks by Simon Sinek, it struck Perry that he must have a purpose for existing. Exploring his own personal "Why" brought up lots of great memories and influential lessons learned from his parents during his upbringing.
If you try to picture Jesus preaching the beatitudes, do you imagine him up on a mountain? At a pulpit? Or in amongst the crowd, speaking personally and passionately of the blessings and the woes felt in each life he touched?
In their first encounter with Jesus, his disciples were asked to try putting out their nets once more, but first he asked them to go deeper. We are given opportunities every day to go deeper in connection, relationship, compassion and understanding. It gets difficult, and messy, but if connection is what we're here for, let's take the boat a little deeper.
A skilled practitioner in providing peace of mind, Javan works collaboratively with homesteaders, organizations and families creating regenerative landscapes and livelihoods. After a long period of living at reduced capacity in the wake of illness, a car accident and family struggles, Javan reflects on what helped him weather the storms that came his way in 2018, and how to design a lifestyle that not allows one to survive, but to reap the fruit of hardship and struggle. Find Javan at https://allpointsdesign.ca/
In response to two unimaginable tragedies, Jackie vowed to post something positive and inspiring on Facebook every single day of 2018. The impact, and her journey, went way beyond anything she'd anticipated.
Right at the start of his ministry, Jesus gathers with ordinary people, in the sketchy part of town, and he brings wine to the party! And not just any wine, the good stuff. Was the "water into wine" simply a parlour trick, or truly a miracle? What are miracles, magic, illusions and signs all about, anyway?
To kick off Season 2 we've invited Ty Wilson to join Robin and Ben on the show, and we put him on the spot to answer a question that perplexes "church people" as much as it sometimes terrifies non-church goers, and that is "why don't you come to church?".
Hope, Peace, Joy, and this week, Love. The fourth Sunday of Advent explores how we feel and express love, an emotion and force that can't be explained or defined but must be experienced, lived and shared in order to be understood. After this week we'll be taking a break from the podcast for the holidays and starting up again fresh for the New Year with another great season. Merry Christmas!
It's the 3rd Sunday of Advent. We've been exploring Hope and Peace the last couple weeks, and now it's time to talk about Joy. Just like Peace is so much more than "the absence of conflict or violence", Joy too has so much depth and meaning to explore. Maybe by understanding true "JOY", we can find a bit more of it this Christmas season.
"Peace is what's inside you that allows something creative and life-giving to happen." Sometimes, to get to that place of creating a sacred moment that lets Peace in, some hard work, conflict and difficult conversation, is required. This 2nd Sunday of Advent, Ben and Rev. Robin King explore what Peace really means and how we can bring it into the world around us.
The first Sunday of Advent is this week, hopefully. Yes, hopefully, as in "it definitely is happening and we're so excited!". Is that how we're approaching Christmas this year? Is that how we bring Hope to others all through the year, and into our own times of joy or pain or uncertainty? Knowing that things will be ok, when nothing feels ok, is incredibly hard. This week we're talking about what it means to have faith in the face of hopelessness, and to share hope where it's needed most.
He's not the "King" they were expecting, and the image that we have of Jesus even today is likely very different from his actual physical appearance. Our depictions of Jesus say a lot more about us than they do about him, and that's worth exploring as we come to the end of the church's calendar year before moving into the season of Advent.
We are wired to seek validation, we love to feel significant and we seek recognition and attention in order to trust that our work and our lives matter. So how do we measure value, impact or success? Jesus reminds us that even the enormous stones of the temple will become rubble, just like our bodies - strong and beautiful in youth, will one day whither and break down. Time is precious, so we want it to count, we want to live big and have a big impact. Let's talk about whether size matters.
Our culture talks a lot about separating "Church" and "State". But we also have elected officials who frequently make claims to be doing God's work, and then lead us in a direction that looks anything but Christlike. Let's rewind 2,000 years. Jesus was a political activist. He also encouraged us to be discerning. Not only about what we support, vote for or donate money to, but also about what we believe. This week, we're talking politics.
All Hallows Eve, Trick-Or-Treating, and "the Devil". What are they, and why did we make them up? I know what you're thinking, "is this seriously a podcast of a Minister talking about Satan not being, real?". Well, yes. Yes it is. And we talk about lots of other fascinating stuff, too.
We all know the story from Sunday school, but what really happened inside the Ark? Why didn't the animals devour each other? Rev. Robin King explores a midrash (a story about a story) that goes deeper into the decks of Noah's Ark and offers some truth and wisdom for humanity, today.
Jesus told his disciples (and us) that "I have come to serve, not to be served". So what does Jesus think of the church structures (physical and institutional) that we've built in His name over the last 2,018 years? Like the Noah's Ark story, the life and death of Jesus marked a new beginning. Maybe it's time to look at how we went from that fresh clean slate to where we are today.
The story of Noah's Ark. Wrapping up a series of conversations about creation and new beginnings, today we're looking at this mythical story that has so much to say about human relationships, our stewardship of the planet, and God's plans for this wondrous Earth.
Why did Jesus take the disciples across the lake in the first place? What was "calming the storm" really about? This week we're diving into another gospel miracle story, to see what it means for us in today's world.