Passing the Peace

BODIES!! — how we live in them, think about them, and speak about them. From the vulnerability of wearing a swimsuit to the sacredness of caring for a loved one’s body at the end of life, we explore what it means to honor our own bodies and the bodies of others. Whether you're in a season of wrestling with your body or simply curious, we hope this conversation brings you a little closer to compassion for your own body as well as the bodies around you.

What’s clouding your vision? That’s the question we explore in this special Easter episode. Whether you can't make it to church this year, need a little spiritual encouragement, or just want to enjoy the signature humor of our two pastors, you’re in the right place.

We hope you enjoy this conversation where we dive into the challenges of navigating a neurotypical world—whether you’re neurodivergent yourself or someone who loves and supports a neurodivergent individual. We share personal stories from schools, church, and everyday life, and we reflect on how these experiences connect to a powerful story about how Jesus welcomed the children, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such as these belongs the kingdom of God.” We hope this episode offers some valuable insights and sparks a conversation about creating more inclusive, compassionate spaces for everyone. We’d love for you to listen, share your thoughts, and pass the episode along to anyone who might find it helpful.

We’re so glad you’ve joined us for this special Christmas Eve podcast, and we hope you’ll find something meaningful here.

In this episode, you'll hear firsthand stories of what it's been like to witness and respond to the disaster caused by Hurricane Helene. The Garden of Extinction, 10/14/24 by Missy Harris (she/her) Co-Pastor, Circle of Mercy Congregation I came home from Cape Town, South Africa three weeks ago today. I haven’t even had time to think about and process all that I experienced there. It feels like 17 lifetimes ago. But it’s only been 17 days. We visited a beautiful place. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. A sign in a section of the garden read: Tuin Van Uitsterwing/Garden of Extinction. Rare plants. Other signs. African Proverb: The earth is not ours. It is a treasure we hold in trust for future generations. The earth around us is broken. Our treasure has shattered. Wikipedia: Characteristics of wabi-sabi aesthetics and principles include asymmetry.roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and the appreciation of both natural objects and the forces of nature.* Yes! Yes! All of these things, yes! Impermanence. In the span of two days. Mountains crumbled. Rivers raged. Trees swayed and bent in the wind. Oaks remained planted. Pines and maples overturned. Entire root systems exposed. Green moss contracting. Conserving. Drying. No, just to the edge of dying, but not quite. There’s life there. One tiny drop of water brings it back to life. Rushing waters destroyed and cut life short. They say trees talk to each other, tell each other when danger is coming. They share resources carried through loamy soil and red clay. Other organisms carry their messages across acres that do not belong to us. They conserve their energy and steady their branches. There was not enough time for warning to spread through these mountains, valleys, hills, coves, and hollers. We look closely at the roots. We lean in to listen. We touch the cool, green moss. Sometimes it’s a whisper. Sometimes it’s a full-throttle scream.Governor removed.Wide open. Can we decipher the mysteries, the signs and wonders, the warnings they are earnestly calling us to heed?Whether we walk these hills and streets having lived here all of our lives, having known no other place so deeply or we walk these hills and streets because we thought this would be a cool place to live, they are speaking to us all. It is not ours.It is held in trust.Future generations.What will be saved for them? * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi

Forgiveness might not be the most popular topic, but we think you'll enjoy listening to this conversation about forgiveness!

Please enjoy this year's Christmas message! This episode features the church mice and their adventures on the Lighted Holiday Parade Float.

"Christian Nationalism" is a term that you may have heard lately. We'll talk about what it is, what it isn't, and how to recognize it!

In this podcast, we take a look at suffering: how it feels, what it's like, and ways to be with someone in pain. ****Please take a minute to read this special note from Laura: "The artist was showing his work in a museum in Mexico City. When I first saw it, I asked him why it was hung differently. He told me he created it during a very dark time in his life. I burst into to tears and left for a long, long walk. Also, I think my lack of church attendance is two-fold. One, as you spoke of, are the memories. The other is the position I find myself in of needing to reassure others that my family is OK. This is an often required and emotionally taxing task, as I find myself ministering to and comforting others so that they may feel Ok with our situation. Also, I believe there are correct words, for example, 'I am so sorry this happened to Elizabeth and your family.' Or, 'I think of Elizabeth often. I bet you miss her terribly.' Her primary symptom is dementia. She was in a memory care unit, but is now at Marbridge Foundation in South Austin. We are so grateful for all those who help care for her, including all those wonderful church friends who have been there to care for my whole family!!"

Happy Easter! We hope you enjoy this special Easter episode.

Speaking in tongues -- Have you ever heard it? Have you ever experienced it? What do you think about it? Nancy and Amy explore all these questions and more in this episode of Passing the Peace.

We hope you enjoy this Christmas edition of Passing the Peace. And we also hope you enjoy the musical treat at the very end. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us to all of you.            .

This episode is great for anyone who might be going through a tough time. You'll learn about hope for the future, the experience of feeling overwhelmed, and the beauty of the serenity prayer.

We'll let the title speak for itself! ;-)

Have you ever heard of a Proverbs 31 Wife? It's a thing. In this episode, we explore how Proverbs 31 has been used (by some) as a standard for women, and we'll also explore what the text actually says.     

In this episode, we explore the strange story of Genesis 15, and we talk about the war in Ukraine        .

It's an Easter episode! Of course you can listen any time of the year, but we thought we'd release this one close to Easter so that you can enjoy it with the season. In this episode, you'll hear about vaccines, the church mice, the empty tomb, and Easter eyes. 

We can be fooled by things like big buildings, parking lots full of cars, impressive websites, or anything that seems generally popular. But if those are the kinds of things that can deceive us, what are the things we SHOULD consider? How can we find depth and meaning? And what are the signs that might be helpful when looking for a church, a spiritual practice, or any kind of organization we might want to explore? Amy and Nancy discuss these things while keeping Mark 13:1-7 in mind. Enjoy!

You've probably heard a lot about abortion, but here's a theological take that you may find interesting! 

In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to be depleted and how to build our spiritual reserves.