This is our fourth and final 'reflections' episode for the period of Advent and Midwinter, and it is a wonderful double feature!

Roger Wolsey - who was the very first guest on the podcast returns with a  really beautiful reflection on the Advent candle themes of hope, love, joy, and peace. Roger is a United Methodist pastor based in Colorado, and author of the book 'Kissing Fish - Christianity for People Who don't Like Christianity' 

We then hear from Chris Brown - a UK-based freelance facilitator specialising in LGBTQ+ inclusion, mental health, and suicide prevention - who joined me back in episode 5. Chris reflects on this period of Midwinter and the themes of the Winter Solstice, and ends with a lovely song/duet with Hannah-Rose Tristram.   

Episode 1 with Roger Wolsey - https://anchor.fm/fkdupbyfaith/episodes/Episode-1-with-Roger-Wolsey-e10htdr

Episode 5  with Chris Brown - https://anchor.fm/fkdupbyfaith/episodes/Episode-5---with-Chris-Brown-e127aio

Roger's website: https://www.rogerwolsey.com

Chris's website: http://www.chrisbrown.uk.com/

Hannah- Rose Tristram's website: https://getbrightonsinging.com

The FUBF theme music is by David Goodall https://soundsmove.com

The piano accompaniment of 'In The Bleak Midwinter' is from the UMC https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/piano-accompaniment-recordings

In this, the third of our special episodes for the period of Advent and midwinter, we hear from Jack Mason-Goodall, who was a guest on episode 15. You can listen to that episode again here https://anchor.fm/fkdupbyfaith/episodes/Episode-15---With-Jack-Mason-Goodall-e187594/a-a6kk44k

Jude begins this episode with a reflection on candles,  and Jack shares an utterly gorgeous reading of the poem 'Until we Could' by Richard Blanco. You can read more about the origin of the poem at 'Freedom to Marry' here http://www.freedomtomarry.org/blog/entry/watch-freedom-to-marrys-until-we-could-by-inaugural-poet-richard-blanc

A slight detour for FUBF for a few weeks. Indulge us. 

For the period of Advent, a few previous guests are recording reflections on the themes of hope, healing, reconciliation and forgiveness.

In this first, beautiful and mindful reflection, we hear from Dawn Lister, who was my guest back in episode 4. Dawn is a Yoga and Mindfulness teacher and co-owner of Anahata Yoga Centre in Leigh on Sea. She is a Mum and a writer who is currently working on a memoir about her experiences of growing up as a Jehovah's Witness.

The poem Jude shares is 'The Gift' by Mary Oliver

The FUBF theme music is by David Goodall https://soundsmove.com 

The piano accompaniment of 'In The Bleak Midwinter' is from the UMC https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/piano-accompaniment-recordings

In this bonus episode for Samhain, I talk to Vicki McFall, who is a Scottish Wiccan/Pagan. Like me, Vicki has some reservations about people (In Vicki's words, the 'dabblers') adopting or cherry-picking Celtic religious festivals (and other practices) who don't always have the accompanying spiritual practice to keep them grounded, safe, and respectful. She also has a go at online 'mediums', makers of 'spell candles', and non-indigenous co-opters of indigenous sacred practices and objects. 

Vicki's common sense and straight-talking ordinary-ness shed some light on common misconceptions about Pagans, Wiccans, witches, and their practices.

Jude reads the 'Threshold Invocation for The Festival of Samhain' from the 'Celtic Devotional' by Caitlin Matthews.  

 Rachel Cotton is an Atheist Buddhist with Jewish roots,  an autistic parent of autistic kids, and chair of Autistic Pride Reading. http://www.autisticpridereading.co.uk

In this fascinating conversation, Rachel very generously shares her faith history: her father's Judaism;  her own journey from Atheism to Tibetan Buddhism (indeed, both); her fear of death; and her love of archeology. 

 Jack Mason-Goodall is a psychologist and psychotherapist in training, who specialises in working with autistic children and families.  

We covered a lot of ground in this uplifting conservation, but significantly,  this was the first conversation (but most definitely not the last) on this podcast, about being  F****d up by a yoga community!

Naomi Wood  (she/they)  is a Brighton-based writer, poet, performance artist, and workshop leader.

We had a fantastic conversation about (you guessed it) being Fkd Up by the Evangelical Church, about expressions of faith, finding the sacred in nature, and -  of course -  about poetry!

Naomi shares two spoken word pieces in the podcast.

Naomi's website is http://www.naomiwoodmodel.com

Instagram @naomiwoodwrites and @iamnaomiwood

Brighton Feminist Bookshop https://thefeministbookshop.com/

Hammer and Tongue - poetry slam http://www.hammerandtongue.com/brighton/

In this lively conversation, multi-media artist, Jet Black talks to me about her Jewish upbringing and the importance of being a culturally and ethnic (but not religious) Jew.  

She shares candidly about the recent death of her mother, and the anxiety of choosing an appropriately Jewish headstone amidst a plethora of opinions. 

It was an incredible treat to speak to poet John McCullough. John is an award-winning writer, poet, and creative writing tutor, who won the Hawthornden prize for literature in 2020 for his third collection of poetry 'Reckless Paper Birds'. 

In this episode, we talk about poetry (obvs!) as well as spirituality (and the connection between the two) about mental health, queer spirituality, more poetry, and John's early church experiences as a choirboy.

I share John's poem 'Sometimes I am Visited by a Church of Rain' which is from his second collection 'Spacecraft'. John shares his poem 'Soulcraft' from his third collection 'Reckless Paper Birds'. Both are published by Penned in the Margins and can be found in all the usual book-selling places. 

https://www.johnmccullough.co.uk

http://www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk/index.php/2017/12/john-mccullough/