Fresh Progressive God Talk
Get a fresh take on God, spirit, faith, life, love, justice, and community. First Church Berkeley is an open and affirming, progressive Christian church in Berkeley, California, part of the United Church of Christ. We are committed to Jesus’ countercultural and life-giving path. We understand the life of spirit to be a journey, not a destination. Our podcast features the powerful preaching of several of the ministers on staff and special guests. More about the church at firstchurchberkeley.org.
Home is Where the Broken Heart Is • Molly Baskette
09-23-2018
In the story of Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha, Molly Baskette finds empowerment in both women and the way that Jesus interacted with them. Jesus calls them and all of us to be deeply aligned with who we know ourselves to be.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 18.51MB - Duration: 19:31 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Defiant Hope • Jim Antal
09-16-2018
Rev. Jim Antal, UCC climate activist, shares stories of defiant hope in response to climate change. In our resistance to fossil fuels we are called to envision new possibilities as if they are inevitable.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 26.56MB - Duration: 28:19 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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The Loneliness of God • Molly Baskette
09-09-2018
Senior Minister Molly Baskette explores the issue of loneliness. Our circumstances may vary, but we all have an understanding of what loneliness is like. The body of Christ—celebrates connection. How do we make sure to extend that to all who may need it?
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 20.26MB - Duration: 21:26 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Choose Your Own Adventure • Rachel Bauman
09-02-2018
We can sink into cynicism and despair in the face of the world’s peril or we can choose to act with hope and even joy, each of us playing a part in healing the world. Rachel Bauman suggests that we will need spiritual practices to take on this adventure.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 13.2MB - Duration: 13:44 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Midwife Crisis • Molly Baskette
08-26-2018
Senior Minister Molly Baskette notices that each of the characters in the story of Moses' birth was only doing what one would expect in the situation. It was God’s weaving together of these individual actions that created the extraordinary event.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 23.04MB - Duration: 24:29 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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The Fierce Urgency of Now • Phil Porter
08-19-2018
Minister of Art & Communication Phil Porter suggests that some of the characteristics of progressive Christians have may prepare them for the difficult challenge of dealing with climate change,
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 21.82MB - Duration: 23:09 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Listen to the Wild • Ken Iha
08-12-2018
Guest preacher Ken Iha suggests that if we are made in God’s image, then surely the wildness of God is in us as well. That wildness includes imagination, creativity, problem-solving, wonder, awe, and delight.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 18.39MB - Duration: 19:24 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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How Big is Ze? • Trust Hilton
08-05-2018
How big is God? God is so big that Ze cannot be described by any single word (even a gender-neutral pronoun). Director of Youth Ministries Trust Hilton notes that every word we use for God is a metaphor, helping us to touch God’s power in different ways.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 13.48MB - Duration: 14:02 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Into the Woods • Phil Porter
07-22-2018
Minister of Art & Communication Phil Porter weaves together the story of Jesus temptation in the wilderness, personal tales and lessons from Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Into the Woods” to talk about challenge, danger, transformation, and resourcefulness.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 20.73MB - Duration: 21:57 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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Changing Your Mind • Molly Baskette
07-15-2018
Senior Minister Molly Baskette cites recent scientific work on the effects of controlled doses of psychedelics to treat some mental illness, to explore the power of awe. Awe allows us to enter into a larger awareness that expands beyond ourselves.
Filetype: MP3 - Size: 18.92MB - Duration: 19:58 m (128 kbps 44100 Hz)
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