Down to Earth Conversations

The nakedpastor, David Hayward, joins me to talk about his cartoons, his changing faith, his purpose, not to mention his name!  Having been a pastor for 30 years David left and forged a career as an artist, drawing cartoons, painting watercolours, writing books, and leading online communities and courses for those processing faith.  We talk about all of that and more. 

You can find (and purchase) his work at nakedpastor.com or find him on many social media platforms as @nakedpastor (found here on Facebook or Instagram).

You may wish to view the specific cartoons mentioned in this episode. They can be found as follows:

The Most Sincere Prayer

Where'd Jesus Go?

The Church and Access

We Welcome Short People

Love Versus the Bible

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic  or  facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic  or  @commoners_communion

Hannah Sheath is a paramedic.  We talk about what the job entails, what keeps Hannah doing it, what brings her joy in the midst of all the hurt, some lighter, more humorous moments in her career, and her empathy towards her patients through having had her own trauma through her pregnancies. We cover the Christchurch earthquakes and Mosque shootings, and Whakaari (white Island) eruption as well and how she was involved in those situations.

Maybe it's the seriousness of the job but I don't think I've laughed this much ever while recording an episode.  In saying that, due to the nature of her paramedic role we do discuss trauma of various kinds that may be triggering for some people - no details, just generic conversations - but if you need to stop listening and take a breath, please look after yourself.  This also applies as we get to discussing Hannah's traumatic pregnancies near the end too.

It'll make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. 

 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic  or  facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic  or  @commoners_communion

Former Mayor of New Plymouth, Andrew Judd, joins us to talk about race from a Pākehā perspective.  Andrew had a huge world view shift around race while in the role of Mayor that has shaped his life beyond that.  

We talk about what he loved about being mayor, what brought on the shift in thinking and the negative response to that from constituents, and how he sees life now.  We cover the issue of Māori wards, and his role in petitioning the government to change the law - and why he feels that is important for NZ.   It's an honest, open conversation about some hard truths.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic  or  facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic  or  @commoners_communion

Andy briefly looks back at a couple of themes from the podcast this year, before inviting us into a slightly different version of the nativity as we head towards Christmas.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Thanks to Ignition Networks for their support.  If your business needs creative communications solutions, check out https://ignition.net.nz/

In this episode I talk to Michael Kettle from Beautify Waitara.  Hear how Mike and some others are using the arts to help with community healing and connection. 

It's a beautiful kōrero where Mike demonstrates his love for his community and the value of serving something more than yourself.  It is a breath of fresh air in a world where so many are focussed on what they get out of something, rather than the good that can be given through it. 

 

Glossary

Iwi - extended kinship group, tribeHapu - kinship group, clan, subtribe Tangata Whenua - local people, hosts, indigenous people - people born of the whenua (land)Mana Whenua - those with authority over land or territoryKaupapa - topic, plan, purposeKaumātua - elderTikanga -  the customary system of values and practices that have developed over time and are deeply embedded in the social context

 

Check out Beautify Waitara at: 

Facebook: facebook.com/beautifywaitara

Instagram: @beautifywaitara

Or for some of the stories Michael discussed around Waitara and the land wars check out:

Waitara - nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/waitara

Land wars - Te Kohia Pa - nzhistory.govt.nz/war/taranaki-wars/fighting-march-june-1860

Te Putake o te Riri - maoritelevision.com/shows/te-putake-o-te-riri

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Thanks to Ignition Networks for their support.  If your business needs creative communications solutions, check out https://ignition.net.nz/

Lisa Mead, from Social Currency, fits perfectly with the kaupapa of this podcast.  She is someone who has looked at the skills and passions she has, and then taken them and used them to make a difference in the world.  Not by leaving her accounting profession, but by utilising it to create change for those young people who are deemed 'at risk'.

We talk about why she does what she does, what it was like to leave a stable well paying job to risk it all for these at risk kids, and how she goes about creating change for young people through accounting. 

It is a kōrero full of honesty, authenticity, and challenge, and is bound to make you ask yourself what you can do with what you have to love those around you.

 

Check out Social Currency at socialcurrency.co.nz or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/SocialCurrency.NZ

Instagram: @socialcurrencynz

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Thanks to Ignition Networks for their support.  If your business needs creative communications solutions, check out https://ignition.net.nz/

In this episode I chat with Caz Tod-Pearson, director of The Simple Way in Philadelphia.  The Simple Way is a community organisation looking to do what they can to love their neighbours in one of the poorest areas of Philadelphia in which they live.  

We talk about what the Simple Way are doing to love their neighbours, what drives them to do so, some of the things Caz has learnt along the way, and how Caz sees this as an outworking of loving Jesus.

 

Find The Simple Way at thesimpleway.org or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/theSimpleWay

Instagram: @the_simple_way

Twitter: @theSimpleWay

And it's also worth checking out one of The Simple Way's founding members, Shane Claiborne on Twitter or Facebook - @ShaneClaiborne on both.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Thanks to Ignition Networks for their support.  If your business needs creative communications solutions, check out https://ignition.net.nz/

This is the second part of a two part kōrero, so go have a listen to that one before heading into this one. 

In pt. 1 we talked about what led Manny to this combination of theology, hope and disability; about the use of language and what it says about underlying assumptions regarding disability; and we even tackle church healing culture as he has experienced it in his life - does God heal?  Why isn't he healing? What does church healing culture say to people like Manny?

In this episode we ask, did God make a mistake when he made people with disabilities? We look at the social view of disability - what is it that really disables someone?  And we look at inclusive spaces - the physical and attitudinal barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.   

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

Manny Koks is a husband, father, lecturer, theologian, and all round top human being.  He is currently completing a PhD, looking at the theology of hope and disability.  Manny's interest in this stems from his theological study, combined with his lived experience as someone with cerebral palsy.  

This kōrero was so rich that I've split it into two parts with the second half being released as the next episode in a fortnight.  

In pt. 1 we talk about what led Manny to this combination of theology, hope and disability; about the use of language and what it says about underlying assumptions regarding disability; and we even tackle church healing culture as he has experienced it in his life - does God heal?  Why isn't he healing? What does church healing culture say to people like Manny?

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

Events of this year have once again put race relations to the fore.  Yet for many, racism is never off the radar.  It is simply part of life.  Something they have to deal with on a daily basis.

In this episode I talk to Kat Poi from Courageous Conversations South Pacific about her experiences with racism as wahine Māori, and about her work in training people to have courageous conversations about race.  

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Check out Courageous Conversations South Pacific at  https://courageousconversation.com/south-pacific/

Photo credit nukuwomen.co.nz

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]