Emmy and Natalia talk about Christmas and why it’s so often filled with stress and shoulds instead of peace and joy. 

After this episode we’ll be taking a break until January 13th, but in between now and then join us for two Instagram Lives (on top of the usual Sunday morning ones). 

December 21st, 8:30pm (central standard time) - to celebrate the solstice/longest night. 

January 6th, 11am (central standard time) - to draw star words for anyone who wants one (which you can participate in by filling out THIS FORM) 

Other links/notes from the episode: 

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian 

Emmy’s Church Map: https://insideoutfaith.org/twincitieschristmas/ 

Mary on the Mantle: https://beaheart.com/collections/maryonthemantel

Chasing Empty Mangers song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t0nqEa54m0 

Emmy and Natalia tackle a listener question about the different Christmas story narratives in the different Gospels, and why they are different and if it matters or not when they are. 

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia talk about Advent, and why it’s not a “warm glow” season but actually a truth-telling season and kind of the perfect way to spend a few weeks right now - when everything feels like it’s on fire and no one is ok. 

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia talk about Thanksgiving and the tentative and tender ways some of us are showing up at various tables, or the ways we are choosing to not show up at all. 

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia decide to open the Bible to the book of Judges to see what wisdom for today might be found in these not-so-modern stories. 

Links: 

www.facebook.com/groups/cafeteriachristian

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Melissa Florer Bixler: https://substack.com/home/post/p-151371020

Emmy and Natalia try to gather their thoughts and their feelings around the election results and talk through what they are doing with all their thoughts and feelings at this time - without trying to explain what happened or pretending to have answers. 

Links: 

https://churchanew.org/brueggemann/beyond-a-fetal-position

www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Emmy and Natalia read some poetry and Scripture and blessings to help us all through this chaotic and overwhelming and anxious time. Because we all need it, whenever we need it. 

Support the show and what we do here: www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian

Resources from today’s episode:

• “Blessing in the Chaos” from The Cure for Sorrow - by Jan Richardson

• First Nations Version: https://firstnationsversion.com/book/first-nations-version/ 

• Romans 8: 31-39

• Lamentations 3: 19-30, 49-57

• Luke 6, Matthew 5 

• John 18:33-38

• Book of Common Prayer 

• Traditional Collect for the Nation

• Contemporary Collect for Social Justice

• excerpt from Madeleine L’Engle from Rhythm of Prayer - by Sarah Bessey 

• “For the Nation” from Ordinary Blessings, by Meta Herrick Carlson

• “For Feeling It All”, from Blessings for the Lives We Actually Have, by Kate Bowler 

• How to Love the World, by James Crews 

• Hope, by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer 

Emmy and Natalia tackle a listener question about the complicated topic of salvation. Who has it? Does everyone get it? Can we lose it? SO many questions… so buckle up!

Support the show: http://patreon.com/cafeteriachristian 

While Natalia is galavanting in Paris, Emmy brings on her longtime bestie Catherine to talk about vocation, parenting a leukemia patient during a pandemic, the lack of good contemporary music in ELCA churches, and how grace shows up in everyday life.

Support the show:

http://patreon.com/cafeteriachristian 

Natalia welcomes professor and author Jennifer Powell McNutt to talk about her new book and to talk (*GUSH*) about Mary Magdalene and why she is awesome.

Links: 

Jennifer’s book: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-mary-we-forgot/417641 

Jennifer’s Substack: https://jenniferpowellmcnutt.substack.com/ 

Holly Carey’s book: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802879158/women-who-do/ 

Socials: @jpowellmcnutt on most of the things