This is the January 2023 edition of the Rethink Church audiomagazine presented on the Compass podcast.

In this edition, we present the latest stories from the Rethink Church website.

Throughout January 2023, our content focused on Jesus and also questions about the United Methodist Church. We’ll hear:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:44) “Anxiety and one of Jesus’ toughest lessons” by Madison Myers 

(05:52) “The thing I wish Jesus didn’t say” by Joseph Yoo

(11:50) “The Surprising depth of Pentiment” by Nathan Webb

and

(16:45) “Are United Methodists really that different?” by Ryan Dunn 

Caroline Oakes shares how contemplative prayer and meditation rewire our thinking and open us up for Divine connection. In this episode, you’ll hear how Jesus practiced “the pause”–or took time away for centering and contemplation. You’ll also hear some of the ways that our own contemplative practices can change our thought processes and awaken a heightened awareness for God’s movement in our day-to-day lives.

Caroline Oakes is the author of Practice the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human. She is a writer/spiritual director/publicist who is fascinated with the shifts in mind and spirit that slowing down and noticing can bring. Caroline has been published by The OnBeing Project (OnBeing.org), the Huffington Post,  the Bucks County Herald, Outlook by the Bay, and other online and print publications.

Connect with the Compass podcast at www.umc.org/compass

(00:00) Introduction

What are the best streaming shows right now for connecting faith and life through theological reflection? Compass shares their recommendations.

It’s a big episode! It’s episode 100 for the Compass podcast! And we’re introducing a new member to the Compass team. In order to get to know our team, we’re recommending several shows and movies to stream right now that help us start theological reflection and connect the Divine to our day-to-day lives.

What are you watching this year? Get some watching and streaming recommendations here!

(00:00) Introduction

Want to find more ways to connect faith, spirituality and life? Visit umc.org/compass for more Compass episodes and ways to connect.

Happy Advent! Let’s prepare for the UPCOMING Christmas season by looking at the history and practices of the holiday.

Why is the date of Jesus’ birth celebrated on December 25? Why do we sometimes call Santa Claus “Saint Nicholas”? Was the Grinch based on a real person? We’re doing a short but deep dive into Christmas traditions and practices.

In this episode:

Divine disruptions are happening on TikTok every day. Kelley Finch, Joseph Yoo and Sarah Tevis-Townes tell their stories of coming to TikTok and finding some beautiful relationships and community.

Find Pastor Kelley at @pastorkelley

Find Rev. Joseph at @joseph.yoo

And Pastor Sarah at @disorganized.religion

Throughout November of 2022, our content focused on diversity and the season of Advent. We’ll hear:

“The broken family of Black Panther” by Nathan Webb

https://www.umc.org/en/content/the-broken-family-of-black-panther-wakanda-forever 

“Why diversity in the church matters” by Madison Myers

https://www.umc.org/en/content/why-diversity-in-the-church-matters 

“Have we embraced diversity or tokenism?” by Joseph Yoo

https://www.umc.org/en/content/have-we-embraced-diversity-or-tokenism 

and

“What is Advent about?” by Ryan Dunn 

https://www.umc.org/en/content/what-is-advent-about 

Gratitude is good. But Thanksgiving is an issue. We could consider a space for lament and healing. Mark Charles, co-author of Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, shares a history of the Thanksgiving holiday and how we can instead make room for lament that offers healing.

Learn how to utilize the contemplative practice of imaginative prayer.

This episode of Compass is an abbreviated one, as we’re working on what’s turning into a kind of double episode for next week. But in the meantime, we share another practice that leads into a deep sense of connection and helps broaden personal perspective beyond our own sense of self.

This practice is conveniently called Imaginative Prayer. There are likely a lot of variations on imaginative prayer. The particular variation we’ll utilize in this episode comes out of the Ignatian contemplative tradition.

Throughout October of 2022, our content focused on changing the world around us. This edition of the audiomagazine features articles describing how we become personal agents of change, making small actions that provide big impacts. We’ll hear:

 Let’s enter into our October 2022 edition of the Rethink Church audio magazine.

According to Pew research, 62% of American Christians believe in hell. It’s actually hard to find topics that Christians agree upon more universally. But our beliefs about hell differ by a great degree: from it being a place of eternal torment to it being an ideal of separation. Where did our ideas about hell come from? Why might there be so many divergent beliefs about hell?

Let’s take a look…