Less Serious: Recent Episodes
Unity of Boulder
Reverend Shad is an ordained Unity Minister who has partnered up with his long time, brilliantly irreverent friend Melissa to tackle the topics that most people shy away from when it comes to religion, faith and spirituality.
Their differing perspectives, coupled with choice of fascinating topics and guests, challenge the listener to think deeper about their own spiritual journey while enjoying the laughter that comes with it.
They call it "Less Serious" because they hope that this podcast can demonstrate how we can break down the divisive walls of belief and religion, through light-hearted conversation.
Wrapping up a tremendous experience we discuss all sorts of things, rarely stay on topic but end up feeling like we said what we needed to say. Par for the course and the most appropriate way to sign off. The post Ep. 48 The one where we say goodbye. appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Listen to us live as we are inconvenienced by modern conveniences. Even with the best interest is at heart: sometimes the more convenient things are meant to make our lives the more complicated they become. Maybe we are meant to do the difficult things as Lao Tazu suggested. Convenience breeds expectations, Expectations breeds suffering~ Deep Quotes with Irrev. Melissa The post Ep. 47 Convenience: the Blurry Episode appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Join us with guest Paul Smith as we discuss the theory of Integral Christianity and the 3 faces of God. Plus you get to hear about the 12 words that changed him. The post Ep. 46 Integral Christianity appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What’s the point of time? Why do we keep trying to control it and why does it always seem to control us? Shad and Melissa jump into all the issues brought upon by Melissa’s least favorite day of the year. The post Ep. 45 Time should be Less Serious appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Less Serious goes live as we debate the idea of looking at and solving problems piece by piece or in a holistic approach. Babies in rivers, boiled frogs, bites out of elephants are just some of the metaphors Melissa messes up this time…. but maybe just maybe we come up with a solution? The post Ep. 44 Wholeness v. Sectionalism appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Conversation on value & worth continued…. The post Ep. 43 Value – Part II appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What determines something’s intrinsic value? Can spiritual value be measured? Shad also gets to the hard-hitting questions like “Is the chicken the minister?” Finally, though we reach a conclusion that life should be more like a buffet, as all good conversations should! The post Ep. 43 Value – Part I appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Part 2 of our conversation concerning technology in church! The post Ep. 42 Part II Technology in Church appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Join us as we chat with Rev. James Buchanan of Unity of Dallas as we dive into technology as a tool to move culture. In this two-part series, we discuss the roadblocks to implementing and the ever-important need for effective communication! The post Ep. 42 Part 1 – Technology appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Melissa and Shad discuss the tragedy of the September 11th attacks on their 20th anniversary. We dive into the hatred that caused it as well as the hatred that spawned it. What is the root issue of hatred anyway? The post Ep. 41 9/11 appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What role does music play in spirituality? How important is it in terms of spiritual growth? Explore these topics with Shad, Melissa & guest star Mark Stanton Welch. Sound alchemy, the importance of music in making you vulnerable, and how vibration is ultimately responsible. Plus we get to learn about Mark writes music for specific chakras. The post Ep. 39 Music & Spirituality appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Join Shad & Melissa with special guest Linda Chubbuck as we delve into the concept of forgiveness. Can you forgive someone in the midst of hurt? What happens to the negative energy during resentment? What about forgiveness on a global scale? Does that require some sort of societal or cultural forgiveness as well? Also – Melissa & Shad could have nearly been sidetracked for an entire hour regarding grain elevators. The post Ep. 40 Forgiveness appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Guest Ogun Holder helps us explore the wild and unpredictable world of parenting. The Author of Rants to Revelations fits right into our model of not taking the monstrous task of parenting all too seriously. We start to slip down the rabbit hole of intention vs impact of our words… Also ended up spending more time on children cursing than I thought we would… Great listen for sure. Leave us your comments and let Melissa know where she’s going wrong. The post Ep. 38 Conscious Parenting appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Join special guest and Unity celebrity Gary Simmons as we discuss everything from integral theory to its role in the decline of the traditional church. What is the new role of the ministers and where do online ministries fit into today’s model? The post Ep. 37 What is happening to “Church” appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Ep. 36 AddictionWhere is the line between giving it over and taking ownership? Does addiction happen upon you and what is the role in co-creating with the universe as it pertains to addiction… Join Shad & Melissa with special guest Temple Hayes as we explore the two types of addiction that Temple defines as “those that take your life and those that keep you from living”. The post Ep. 36 Addiction appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What’s the point? Do they help or hurt our spiritual evolution? What happens when we search for wholeness in another person. How do the dynamics change when we are with someone who picks up where we leave off instead of looking for someone to complete us. Tribal identity is important, but can it be too much? Join Shad and Melissa in their usual less serious ways as they explore the importance or lack their of relationships. The post Ep. 35 Relationships appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
OH NO!!!!! Can we? Should we? How do we? Is there a spiritual component to it we need to explore? Can Melissa last an entire hour without giggling while talking about it?This and more answered as we explore the less serious side of the physical needs of the body. Children of the hosts: feel free to skip this one! The post Ep. 34 Let’s talk about…Sex! appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Is self-care just bubble baths?Why are rituals important?Also – let’s talk about adoption!!! Join us as we explore these topics with our guest Elizabeth Barbour! The post Ep. 33 Self-Care & The Importance of Rituals appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What do you do that brings you unbridled, pure childlike joy? Have you tried skipping? Join us as we discuss with Kim Skipper Corbin the pure joy that can come from doing something some see as ‘silly’. We also get to talk about the publishing world with our guest who is no stranger to it! The post Ep. 32 Skipping & Self Publishing appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Change happens all around us all the time. It happens in relationships, workplaces, housing, school, etc. It can be difficult, or fun, or scary. But what can we do about it? What’s the best way to move through change with grace? Joining Shad & Melissa is Diana Kennedy from Unity Worldwide Ministries to give us her take! The post Ep. 31 Moving through change appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Ep. 30 Mass Shootings…Who is Responsible? With a few more mass shootings in the news, Shad & Melissa take on the very serious subject of mass shootings. Everyone is looking to point fingers, who deserves the blame? Can we stop the chaos? If not, how do we manage it? Are we planning for the higher good of a situation or the worst-case scenario? How do you manage to stay safe without living in fear? Join us as we delve into The post Ep. 30 Mass Shootings. Who is Responsible? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What is Spiritual Authenticity and is it important? Melissa & Shad delve into many topics on this podcast while trying to stay on task talking about being your truest, most honest self when it comes to spirituality. The post Ep. 28 Spiritual Authenticity appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Ep. 27 – Everything you wanted to know about sleepWith special guest Damiana Corca, Shad & Melissa try to understand sleep. We spend an hour asking her all the questions we could think of. Do you have more? Is there truth to ‘unrestful sleep comes from an unrestful soul?’ and other sayings Melissa makes up to sound profound? What are the top 5 tips she gives for people struggling with sleep and how has she redefined insomnia in her new The post Ep. 27 Everything you wanted to know about sleep appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford How much do the stories we tell ourselves affect the outcome of our lives? Are we subconsciously sabotaging things just so we can be right? The post Ep. 26 Self-Fulfilling Prophecy appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Should we be discussing religion or spirituality in the workplace? What is this movement called workplace spirituality? Isn’t it just treating people like people? Or is there something deeper in terms of giving employees meaning, value and purpose? The post Ep. 25 Workplace Spirituality appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
It’s easy for us to fall down the rabbit hole, thinking about all the ways something could go wrong. But what if it all goes right? Our special guest Mendhi Audlin shares with us some techniques for how to manifest those “right” things and stop dwelling on the “wrong” possibilities. The post Ep. 24 What if it all goes right? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
What’s the purpose of community and how does it effect our individual purpose? Listen on your favorite podcast platform: Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/less-serious Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/…/aHR0cHM6Ly91bml0eW9mYm91b… iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/…/less-serious/id1526057397 The post Ep.23 The Unity of Community appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Join Shad & Melissa as they explore the book “A Course in Miracles” with a friend of theirs who has studied the book for a very long time. As it turns out. We don’t understand who we are so Skipper gives us a very easy 1 step fix all! The post Ep.22 A Course in Skipper appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
The Universe is all knowing and all powerful right? Or is this just a messed up system we got stuck with? If there is a God, why does it seem like life sometimes isn’t fair? We are all dealt different hands in the game of life and it’s our job to play them. But are people given better cards? Does karma come into play? What about the credit card system of life in terms of cosmic debt? Join Shad and The post Ep.21 Is the Universe fair? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Happy New Year! We are kicking off this year right with a guest to teach us about the art of non-violent communication. Steve Hayes has been studying it for years and has come to teach Melissa & Shad about what it’s going to take to heal the hurt we see. The post Ep. 20 A Lesson in Non-Violent Communication appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Do Melissa and Shad get to live by different rules? Are the cards dealt the same for each of us? Join us as we explore the Venn Diagram of life and look for points of intersection in the Olympic rings. The post Ep.19 Living in Different Worlds appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
When you see something wrong who’s responsibility is it to fix? What happens when you say “someone should fix that”? Who is that someone? Also what does dog poop and sprinkler systems have to do with our practice to becoming the best versions of ourselves? The post Ep.18 Am I my sister’s keeper? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Does the physical body come into play when it comes to a spiritual practice? What aspects of physical health help or hurt as it relates to our spirituality? In episode 17 our hosts jump into just those questions! The post Ep.17 Health & Spirituality appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Gratitude might be something we unknowingly take for granted (pun intended) and our hosts are going to set the record straight on what the true essence of gratitude is. #podcast#podcasthumor#sundayfunday#christianpodcast#unity#progressivechristianity#progressivechristian#progressivepodcast#newthought#christianradioUnity Worldwide Ministries#thanksgiving#gratitude#grateful#thanksgiving2020Unity of Boulder Church #agape#spiritual#spiritualnotreligious#nondenominational The post Ep.16 Gratitude appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Everyone is talking about how divided we are as a country, as a community, as a people, but who is talking about how to fix it? In this episode, Shad & Melissa dive into some first steps to bring us back together and finding the middle. The post Ep.15 Healing the Divide appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Do people struggling economically rely on religion more? Isn’t the point of gratitude and manifestation just to get more things? Are we only able to do that because our basic needs are met? This week we talk about the concept of spirituality as a privilege. The post Ep.14 Spiritual Privilege appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Shad and Melissa dive into a necessary step of letting go before you can rebuild. Also, what does eating cake have to do with paving a road? The post Ep.13 The Death of Ideas appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Is there a power greater than love? Is love all you need? Is there something stronger out there? Something more important? Shad sure thinks so! The post Ep.12 The Will of Love appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Do affirmations work?What’s the point of positive thinking? Is there a right way to do it? What about wishing for that yacht? Does this mean I’ll get it? Is there more to it? In episode 11 Shad and Melissa dive into affirmations and the power of positive thinking. The post Ep.11 Do Affirmations Work? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Episode 10 Trying to keep it light around here – LOL Today we discuss birth, death, reincarination, the will to live (or the desire to not die). What are your beliefs about this important subject? Have you heard of bardo? Why did Melissa put a longshot bet on the 49ers to win the superbowl last year? All that and more! #reincarnation #podcast #christian #buddhism #unity The post Ep.10 Birth & Death appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Episode 9 our hosts dive into the social divide. Where did it come from? How’d it get so wide and how does it get better? #socialdelimma #undividedattention #podcast ##christianpodcast #unity #progressivechristianty #interfaith The post Ep.9 The Social Divide appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
In Episode 8 we drop some BIG NEWS! What does it mean for the podcast? And more to the point, what does it mean for Melissa? The post Ep.8 Big News! appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
In Episode 7 we interview Melissa’s daughters, Sydney and Brooklyn, on what spirituality and faith looks like in thier lives. They lead us on a journey that ranges from “what is God?” to death and the afterlife. Of course Rev. Shad and Irrev. Melissa add their usual wisdom and comedic banter along the way.. #God #Jesus #Christ #Christianity #Children #podcast #christianPodcast #nondenominational #progressivechristian #progressivechristianity #unity #interfaith The post Ep.7 White Beard & White Blob appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
The Zen Buddhists saying, “Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water,” speaks to the value of work, no matter what stage of life we are in. So why does our culture vilify work?Why do so many of us try to find ways to get out of work? Is work a necessary part of our spiritual growth or not? These are the questions and issues our dynamic duo tackle in this this episode. The post Ep.6 Chop Wood, Carry Water appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Research shows that attendance is steeply falling off across all religions (except one). What does this mean for the future of #faith, #spirituality and #religion in our society? Rev. Shad and Irrev. Melissa take a serious, and not so serious, look into this topic with some deep insights and points of advice we can all learn from. The post Ep.5 Is Religion Dead? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
In this episode we talk abut #Science and #Religion Where do they coincide? Where do they clash? How do they become fanatical? Where is the balance between the two? Rev. Shad and Irrev. Melissa dive into this topic with their usual humor and fascinating points of view. The post Ep.3 Science & Religion, The Battle For Supremacy appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
Have you ever wondered why religion plays such a major role in politics and why Christianity dominates the political scene? Rev. Shad and Irrev. Melissa dive into this topic with their usual humor and fascinating points of view. The post Ep.2 The Broken Line Between Politics & Religion appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.
“Oh right, we were supposed to do an Episode 1 to introduce ourselves,” they said. Well here it is. Get to know Melissa and Shad – the history of how they met working at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and continued working together at MGM Resorts International and then worked together once again at Unity of Las Vegas Church as Board President and minister, respectively. You will also get to hear the “origin story” of this podcast and its The post Ep.1 Who Are We To Have A Podcast!? appeared first on Unity of Boulder Church.