Last weekend I completed the Bryce Canyon 60k Ultramarathon. It was a challenging 38-mile race on incredibly beautiful wilderness trails at high elevation just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. I trained for several months over this especially hot and humid San Diego summer. A few weeks ago, my friend Maddie (who is a much…
As another school year begins, Rachel and I are basking in the return of routine to our family life. If you know us, you know that Rachel runs a small flower farm, and I pastor Living Water in addition to taking shifts as a hospital chaplain and sometimes teaching at PLNU, all while trying to…
Pastor Chris was invited to talk about place and pilgrimage on the Breathe In Place Podcast. He shares about our church, East Village, and what it means to be rooted in place. Check it out here or on your favorite podcast app!
Friends, Doing this podcast is a lot of work, so I have to take a break from it when we get busy with shelter season and holiday events. I’m still working on the next round, but it felt worthwhile to make an episode with some of the other Peace Fellows that I have met through…
The gates still close at 7 p.m. along Belfast’s longest segregation wall, but inside a small youth center, something braver is opening: kids learning to cross lines their grandparents feared. We sit down with Stephen Hughes—42 years in youth work, 13 in Lower Falls—to unpack how a simple, radical method turns inherited prejudice into shared purpose. Stephen paints the full picture: two…
Hi friends, We’ve posted a new episode of our church’s podcast, The Current. This time, Jer Swigart and Osheta Moore help us think about peacemaking, finding hope in a church that has come to restore instead of dominate, and the significance of immersive experiences with friends. Find it here or wherever you get your podcasts,…
On this week’s episode of The Current, Pastor Chris is joined by Pastor Megan Pardue to discuss Fr Greg Boyle’s work and writing. Tattoos on the Heart, Barking at the Choir, Cherished Belonging, and any other powerful and popular books describe the work of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles and beyond. Join the discussion of…
On this week’s episode of “The Current,” Pastor Chris talks with Dave Creel, who helps run Guns to Gardens events where unwanted firearms are transformed into garden tools and art. Beating weapons into plowshares. Listen to hear more about how this movement is both solving practical problems and providing symbolic hope. Links below:
As artificial intelligence weaves itself into the fabric of our lives, how should people of faith respond? This conversation between two pastors explores the spectrum of reactions to AI in ministry settings—from those who eagerly use it for sermon preparation to those who refuse to touch it. Rather than settling for simplistic answers, they dig…
Expressive Arts Therapy: Healing Trauma Through Creativity and Connection In a world where trauma, stress, and isolation increasingly impact our daily lives, the healing power of expressive arts therapy offers a transformative pathway toward wholeness. This fascinating podcast conversation with expressive arts therapists Jamie Rosen and Sook Kyoung Kwon explores how creative expression can help process trauma, build resilience, and nurture spiritual…