Be Still and Go

"Patience like a farmer recognizes that we aren’t the only force working on whatever it is we are currently tending to."

How would you describe your relationship with patience?

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James 5:7-10
Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Bethany Peerbolte, a Digital Minister and TikTok Pastor in the Denver, Colorado area. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Living For the Dead by Corrina Repp.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.rev-bethany.com to find out more about Rev. Bethany Peerbolte. Visit www.tiktok.com/@revbethany to follow her on TikTok.

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"The subtle power of this song is that forces me to confront the reality that I am perfectly content singing joy to my world, or maybe even our world, so long as I like the people around me. But joy to the whole world?"

If you’re honest, who are the people that you do not want to have joy? What difference would it make if you prayer for “joy to the world” could extend to them as well?

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Psalm 98: 4-6
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.


Joy to the world; the Lord is come; let earth receive her King:
Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.
-Isaac Watts

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This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. It was originally published on December 16, 2018 as part of season 2. Background tracks include Relinquish and Slotcar by Podington Bear, Joy to the World by Amanda Meisenheimer, and Golden Light by Young Bay.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

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"God's best work is in the fray of humankind. God's story for us is that sorrow may last for the night but the dawn of redeeming grace is on the horizon."

How would you describe God's story for us?

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Psalm 146:5-10
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Rob Lee, IV. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Threnody by Goldmund.

• Visit www.roblee4.com to find out more about Rev. Rob Lee.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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"The promise is not that we are going to be moved to a different place but rather the sight of our suffering and desolation will become the sight of incarnation and divine revelation."

How can you find God in the midst of the suffering and desolation we encounter in this world?

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Isaiah 35:1-10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and shouting.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.]]

Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be opened;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp;
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Ashley Dargai, the Senior Minister at Azle Christian Church. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, Lifting by Dream Tonic, and Angel by Goldmund.

• Visit www.tiktok.com/@reverendashley to follow Rev. Ashley Dargai on TikTok.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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• Visit www.trcnyc.org/app to download the Riverside app.

"When Jesus comes to town, the bullies tremble whether they are wearing a badge, a robe, or a bandana."

What would Jesus say or do if he came to your town?

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Isaiah 42:1-9
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry out or lift up his voice
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Amanda Meisenheimer. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish, Arctic, and Sauter by Podington Bear.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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"Advent reminds us that no matter where we are in life or what circumstances we are experiencing, our horizons are filled with promise."

What promises do you see on the horizon?

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Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamers,
Bring me all of your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Charlene WIngate. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Angels We Have Heard On High by Tide Electric.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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"We already have exactly what we need for this potluck Christmas feast – our hearts. We just have to thaw them out."

What are the ways that you can "thaw your heart" this Advent season?

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In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone
Snow had fallen
Snow on snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter
Long, long ago
Angels and Arc Angels
May have traveled there
Cherubim and Seraphim
Thronged the air
But only his Mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshiped the beloved
With a kiss
What can I give him?
Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd
I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man
I would do my part
But what I can I give him
Give him my heart

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Molly Baskette. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, In the Bleak Midwinter by The Many, and Dark Cloud by Ian Kelosky.

• Visit www.mollybaskette.com to find out more about Rev. Molly Baskette and her book.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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"I came to see the stories of the virgin birth less as facts to be debated in a literal sense and more as signs or mysteries to be pondered in a literary sense. Their greatest value isn’t in proving something but in meaning something. And what could that meaning be?"

In your opinion, what is the meaning of the virgin birth?

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Luke 1:26-35
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”

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This episode was written and recorded by Brian McLaren. It was produced by Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relenquish, Skeptic, and Rude Boy by Podington Bear and I’ll Miss You by Will Bangs.

• Visit www.brianmclaren.net to learn more about Brian McLaren and his work.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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"God has hands – they're attached to your wrists. And so when we show up, that is the embodiment of God-with-us."

How will you embody God in the world around you today?

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Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor
and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The wolf shall live with the lamb;
the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

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This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and My Neighborhood by Goldmund.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

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• Visit www.trcnyc.org/app to download the Riverside app.

"Ask God to expand our capacity for love and kindness, to reveal our blindspots, and to help us ponder what could be holding us back for how Christ shows up in the world today."

What's holding you back?

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Romans 15:4-13
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the gentiles
and sing praises to your name”;

and again he says,

“Rejoice, O gentiles, with his people”;

and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;

and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the gentiles;
in him the gentiles shall hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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This episode was written and recorded by Minister Derrick Jordan. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, and Home Inside and Back to the Center by Rest & Settle.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo/#sign-up to receive new episodes by email.

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