The Synod of Mid-America: Recent Episodes
Synod of Mid-America
Join SoMA Executive Landon Whitsitt in a weekly exploration of what's going on in the Synod of Mid-America and the Presbyterian Church at large.
Landon takes some time this week to chat with the worship leader for OASIS 2013, Corey Nelson. Corey's worship style is a great contrast to the "Traditional/Contemporary" worship wars.
14 minutes
This week's SoMAcast is live and in color!
Landon and James chat with MaryAnn McKibben Dana, the keynote speaker for OASIS 2013.
Check out MaryAnn's blog: The Blue Room
Check out Sabbath in the Suburbs
Landon and James have a chat about a recent blog post by Adam Copeland, titled "Is the PCUSA Going Down the Tubes?"
We hope we didn't embarrass him...
Poor James. He's really tired and worn out. This week he and Landon reflect on Sabbath, Sabbatical, and owning our own self-care.
In the episode:
MC Frontalot: I'll Form the Head (it's a geek joke)
Come to OASIS!
MaryAnn McKibben Dana's Sabbath in the Suburbs
Landon's Email Sabbatical
The Protestant work ethic
Preparation for Sabbath is hard work
Sabbath is an outgrowth of genuine relationship
What is our theology of employment?
Learn about these people now: Seth Godin, Merlin Mann, Leo Babauta, Tim Ferriss ... Seriously, RIGHT NOW.
And now... nap time.
31 minutes
Landon and James chat with our friend Jodi Craiglow (of StayPCUSA) in Louisville about Big Tent and what "building relationships" actually means. Plus, Jodi coins a phrase: Militant Optimism.So, in that vein: WE FIRMLY BELIEVE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS EPISODE!
22 minutes
Landon and James spend time as two white guys highlighting some chapters from Bruce Reyes-Chow's new book But I Don't See You As Asian: Curating Conversations About Race.
In this episode:
We'll see you at Big Tent for #bigtentafterdark
Bruce is disturbingly nuanced
"Being white is hard"; Ben Folds' "Rockin' The Suburbs"
"But I don't see you as Asian"; Our race and ethnic heritage is a part of who we are
"You all look the same"; "I'm not racist but..."; Jose Irizarry and Interculturalism
"No, where are you FROM?"
BRC on GCR
"We need at least one" ; Racial tokenism; Landon announces his candidacy for President of the Theresa Cho Fan Club
"Let's just stop talking about race"; We ostrich racial conversations; It's okay to ask stupid questions in good faith;
Landon and James renew their call to help the SoMA "light one candle" against racism.
48 minutes
Landon and James don't have pulpits to preach in, but they do have a podcast. This week, they take a moment to address white privilege and the church.
In this episode:
"Do this and you will live..." A sermon from Rev. Jamie McLeod
White Noise: Christian Whispers and Shouts on the Trayvon Martin Caseby Elizabeth Drescher
Dr. Beverly Tatum: Racism is a system of advantage based on race.
"The Zimmerman Acquittal: America's Racist God" by Dr. Anthea Butler
Racism is a moving sidewalk and we have to be anti-racist
The SoMA calls for help
36 minutes
Landon is on vacation, so in this episode James invites Jason to join the conversation. While the boss is away anything can happen! In this episode we explore the new Superman " Man of Steel" of movie. Is Superman the Jesus the church really wants? Is Superman a super example of faith? Superman sermons, from who? And much more....
20 minutes
The Man of Steel Sermon Resources
NPR'S All Things Considered Superman Interview
Article on Superman in the Guardian
Sometimes, we don't say the things we need to say. This week, Landon and James talk about the things Pastors should say to congregations and vice versa.
In this episode:
Landon and James do a little catch up. with where they've each been during the week. First full week in the new office!
Landon's upcoming email sabbatical, inspired by danah boyd
Rachel Held Evans: 11 Things I Wish More Pastors Would Say
The Theophilus Project: 10 Things Pastors Need to Hear from Their Congregations
Confession and Assurance; Total Depravity, "10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag"
Be yourself; Landon is a snowflake; authenticity and maturity
Sabbath is crucial; "vacation" does not mean "working outside the office"; MaryAnn McKibben Dana is coming for OASIS
Let's get sacramental; Communion should be live giving not a funeral dirge;
Pastors don't always know exactly what a scripture means. Shocker! Anna Carter Florence, "Preaching as Testimony"
It's all about authenticity
44 minutes
Landon and James talk creativity and inspiration.
In this episode:
Landon gets a whiteboard
Creativity vs Inspiration vs Energy vs Technique
It's okay to make bad art... at first
We're not afraid of doing it wrong, just afraid of not doing it well.
24 minutes
Landon and James are a little punchy this week. After a long day of getting GPS off and running, they talk about BBQ, cultural difference, and what makes a synod so great.
And a BBQ Challenge has been issued for GA 221 Detroit 2014!
In this episode:
GPS is going great
What is BBQ? (Hint: It comes from Kansas City)
Regional differences
Same thing, different syntax
30 minutes
Being new to pastoral ministry is hard, but having someone to help you through it is not. The SoMA's Gathering for Pastoral Sustenance is a program designed to do just that.
Join Landon and James for a conversation about new ministry, monkeys, and preaching awful sermons early in their ministry.
In this episode:
Landon and James are monkeys. Sorta.
Stories of early ministry
"You learn ministry by doing ministry"
Successful Ministry vs. Sustainable Ministry
Spiritual Growth
Pastoral Imagination
Covenant Community
Independence & Accountability
Learning from Experienced Practitioners
41 minutes
Landon and James are back to talk about innovation.
In this episode:
What is innovation?
The SoMA Innovation Fund
Innovation is contextual; The Adjacent Possible
Fear and innovation
Acts 2; the young see visions and the old dream dreams
Getting your ducks in a row, and then sacrificing a duck
Hope and Risk are the hallmarks of the Reformed Movement
27 minutes
Landon Whitsitt talks with Craig Palmer, the Interim Executive of Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery, about the shift the presbytery has engineered to structure themselves for adaptive church work. The take away: Throw out what you think you know and look for what God is actually doing.
In this episode:
Adaptive Work
Shifting priorities and ways of being together
Process and relationships, not structure; gatherings, not meetings
New Beginnings and 1001 New Worshiping Communities
21 minutes
What is a synod? Synod as a Design/Build architectural firm The power of relationships Critical Mass for Critical Mission Gathering for Pastoral Sustenance as an example of the SoMA's ministry The blessing of cultural regions 26 minutes