Be Still and Go

"The institutional church that arose in the 20th century is struggling to keeps its hold together and all Americans are disaffiliating from what is called 'organized religion.' Yet, in this moment, we can see as that there are those who hold on to the past like the Fundamentalist, or we can be brave enough to live into our faith for the future of the Gospel."In your own words, what does the good news of God look like in this moment?//This episode was written and recorded by Andrew Patty. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Opus 04 by Dexter Britain.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Fundamentalism tells us that suffering is the cost of that changing and growing. Lovingkindness tells us that suffering is never acceptable where we can help it. //This episode was written and recorded by Abbey Smith. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Quiet and Safe by Silence is Sexy.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“What a small thing it is to be right when we are called to be righteous. What a small thing it is to be winners when we are called to love.”//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Joseph Yoo. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Seeking Clarity by Alex Fitch.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Fundamentalism vs. Love (April Ajoy)

"Shall the fundamentalist win? Not if we have anything to say about it."In your opinion, what must the progressive and mainline church do to counter the fundamentalist movement we see in our world today?//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Rob Lee. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and God of Grace and God of Glory as performed by The Riverside Church Choir.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"For the last 100 years fundamentalists have fought as if they were losing and that led them to victory while mainliners have lived as if they were winning which led them to complacency, to a lack of creativity, to a lack of urgency."What is one thing the church must to do overcome complacency and reignite creativity?//This episode was written and recorded by Brian McLaren. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Threnody by Goldmund.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“God is still speaking in the chaos. God is still speaking in spite of us. And God is still speaking in the created world around us."Where do you hear God in the world around you?//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear. Soundscape locations include East Harlem, Union Square, Times Square, and Central Park. This episode was originally published on April 20, 2019 as part of season 3 of Be Still and Go: Meditations for the Movement.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"What we believe in our heart and have found consistent with God's will becomes the blueprint for serving: caring for those who are most vulnerable, feeding the hungry, housing the unsheltered, treating people with equity."How would you describe your assignment?//John 19:30"It is finished."//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Dr. Debra Northern. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and A Piece of You and Welcome Home by Alsever Lake.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"Maundy Thursday is the context, the prologue for the events that are about to take place on the cross and at the tomb."What comes to mind when you think of Maundy Thursday?//John 13:34-35I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Isaiah 43:16-21This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves,The God who summons horses and chariots and armies— they lie down and then can’t get up; they’re snuffed out like so many candles:“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!’ —the coyotes and the buzzards—Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sunbaked earth,Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.//This episode was written and recorded by Lee Sartain. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Endless Possibilities by Solitude.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“When you are praying to Jesus you are praying to someone who understands you because he is human and has experienced all things."What difference does it make to know that Jesus understands your suffering?//Matthew 21:1-11When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,“Tell the daughter of Zion,Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest heaven!”When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. James Martin. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. It was originally published on April 5, 2020 as part of Season 6 of Be Still and Go. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Seeking Clarity by Alex Fitch.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author and Editor at Large at America, the national Catholic magazine.

"When we come together in the face of loss, when we discover empathy in the midst of grief, resurrection is possible, new life in the midst of what might feel like endless death."How have you experienced hope in the midst of grief?//John 11:35Jesus wept.//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Threnody by Goldmund.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“Nothing will ever change unless we speak to the injustices in the world.”What power and privilege do you possess and how can you best use it to fight injustices?//For those of us who live at the shorelinestanding upon the constant edges of decisioncrucial and alonefor those of us who cannot indulgethe passing dreams of choicewho love in doorways coming and goingin the hours between dawnslooking inward and outwardat once before and afterseeking a now that can breedfutureslike bread in our children’s mouthsso their dreams will not reflectthe death of ours;For those of uswho were imprinted with fearlike a faint line in the center of our foreheadslearning to be afraid with our mother’s milkfor by this weaponthis illusion of some safety to be foundthe heavy-footed hoped to silence usFor all of usthis instant and this triumphWe were never meant to survive.And when the sun rises we are afraidit might not remainwhen the sun sets we are afraidit might not rise in the morningwhen our stomachs are full we are afraidof indigestionwhen our stomachs are empty we are afraidwe may never eat againwhen we are loved we are afraidlove will vanishwhen we are alone we are afraidlove will never returnand when we speak we are afraidour words will not be heardnor welcomedbut when we are silentwe are still afraidSo it is better to speakrememberingwe were never meant to survive.//This episode was written and recorded by Rachel Ricketts. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and The Soft Glow of Christmas Lights and The First Person Awake by Will Bangs.Visit http://www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit http://www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.Rachel Ricketts is an activist, speaker, and writer. Visit http://www.RachelRicketts.com to find out more.

"We are thirsty for change."What changes do you want to see in our world?//“I am thirsty.” - John 19:28//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Bruce Lamb. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Aqueducts by Falls.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Isaiah 50:4-9The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher,that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced;therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near.Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together.Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.//This episode was written and recorded by Phil Salmon. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear, Neo by Brent Wood, and The Voyage Home by Enoch Yang.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.