Mending Divides

In this episode, Osheta and Jer reflect candidly on the common experience of loneliness, recognizing that it’s always a part of the path of peacemaking. Reflecting on their recent Deep South immersion with the 2024 Leadership Cohort, they share their journey from isolation to discovering a sense of companionship and learning how to be lonely together.

Through theological reflections and personal stories, they explore the significance of befriending loneliness, prioritizing companionship over community, and finding comfort in prayer practices. They encourage us all to acknowledge our own loneliness without anxiety, while seeking a way forward together with others on this journey.

01:44 shared experience of loneliness

04:38 befriending loneliness

11:08 finding your prayer practice

13:50 being lonely together

19:09 companionship more than community

22:02 gentle invitations

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This episode was a spontaneous conversation between hosts Osheta Moore and Jer Swigart reflecting on the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump. They discuss their immediate reactions, the importance of maintaining a peaceable presence, and how to navigate violent political climates as peacemakers.

The conversation emphasizes the need for creating safe spaces, fostering sacrificial relationships, and building communities committed to repair. Diving deep into personal anecdotes, theological reflections, and practical advice, this episode offers a specific call to action to move beyond social media posts and instead, to gather around tables and lead through these tumultuous times.

00:41 Reacting to the Assassination Attempt

04:52 Personal Reflections and Boundaries

09:06 The Role of Peacemakers in Turbulent Times

16:50 Political violence

19:41 Embracing Fear and Love

20:07 Starfish vs. Spider Leadership

21:12 The Illusion of Eliminating Ideologies

24:17 Building Communities of Peacemakers

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

In this episode, Osheta and Jer delve into the intersection of parenting and peacemaking. They grapple with the temptation of fixing vs. being, naming the lure of project-oriented parenting and peacemaking. The high stakes of Christian parenting in particular are addressed, opening up a discussion about when we might need to reparent ourselves rather than focusing solely on the needs of our children. Unique practices in each of their households are shared, culminating in an invitation to parents to find their own authentic style of peacemaking as the greatest gift they can give their children.

The conversation offers valuable insights for parents and peacemakers alike, exploring how to nurture children in a way that allows them to grow into the everyday peacemakers our divided world so badly needs.

02:42 Fixing vs being

06:03 How do you want to be remembered by your kids?

07:31 The problem with project-oriented peacemaking

14:19 The stakes of Christian parenting

18:18 Lowering the stakes

20:35 Reparenting ourselves vs. Parenting our kids

22:43 Household practices

23:55 Impatience with our own formation

25:50 Bringing kids into a story

28:06 Shielding kids from mistakes and failure

30:19 Integrity in our own style of peacemaking

33:17 closing

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

Jer kicks off the episode with a story about a recent encounter with his own stereotypes at a Guns to Gardens event in Bend, Oregon. This experience led him to question the fables he’s fabricated about “those people.” They wrestle with stereotypes as organized lies that shape the way we see others, and explore how to balance this awareness with genuine caution or wisdom in potentially unsafe situations. The conversation delves into broader themes of confronting stereotypes, the importance of proximity, and the interior transformation needed to see others as beloved. Listen for insights on disarming both physical weapons and the stereotypes that arm our imaginations.

02:38 Guns to Garden event context

05:15 Becoming a gun decommissioning site

10:07 The chopped up SUV

16:15 The interior work

17:33 How do we discern?

21:31 The Man or the Bear

24:31 Stereotypes

28:53 Practical ideas to get into proximity

34:30 announcements and credits

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

In this episode, Osheta processes a challenging experience of racism and her struggle to respond as a peacemaker when she was already depleted. The conversation explores the importance of self-care, acknowledging our triggers, and building an ‘infrastructure of support’ to remain grounded amidst everyday conflicts and tension. They emphasize the persistent presence of the Holy Spirit with us, the need for proactive preparation for difficult spaces, listening to our bodies, and how community is foundational to everyday peacemaking.

01:04 Osheta’s Shares an Encounter with Racism

07:46 Discerning when to walk away

10:06 Protecting the “other’s” belovedness

14:45 infrastructure of support

17:03 Preparing for difficult spaces

18:36 listening to our bodies

22:30 Resilience through the Spirit of God in us

27:18 A Gentle Invitation

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

In this episode, Osheta and Jer explore hope and its paramount importance in Everyday Peacemaking, inspired by this season of Eastertide. They delve into how hope, seen as both a skill and a practice, is essential in looking for and participating in ‘little resurrections’ amidst life’s challenges and divisions. Through personal stories, they illustrate the power of adopting a ‘Yes, and...’ posture, which acknowledges difficulties while remaining open to the ever-present possibility of resurrection breaking forth in daily life. The conversation culminates with a call to embrace the ‘resurrection impulse’ as Everyday Peacemakers, seeking out and nurturing moments of new life and hope in both the mundane and the monumental.

00:40 Reflecting on Eastertide

08:04 Little resurrections

09:57 Story of counter-protestors

22:04 Community and interior formation

27:03 Moving closer

31:11 Low stakes moments

32:55 Closing Invitation

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

Our next Virtual Immersion conversation into the Israel/Gaza war wrestles with what to do as peacemakers when we drift into despair, give in to fear, or move in our anger from righteous indignation to dehumanizing rage. Jer Swigart is joined by Mercy Aiken and Bruce Fisk from the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), who are navigating these realities while fighting like peacemakers for an end to this suffering.

The discussion is anchored in their personal stories of awakening to the injustices and complexities of the crisis, centered on the transition from being pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian to adopting a pro-human perspective.

The conversation delves into the costs of taking such a stance, highlighting the personal, professional, and emotional tolls and the importance of solidarity and relationship-building in pursuing peace. The dialogue shifts to confronting feelings of despair, the challenges of maintaining hope, and the complexities of managing anger without dehumanizing the other, all towards growing our resilience and deepening our souls for sustained practice.

00:00 Opening Context

06:53 Mercy and Bruce Introductions

09:57 Waking up to a Larger Story

20:29 Pro-human is not neutral

22:39 The high cost of leaving a Pro-Israel Christianity

32:18 Despair, Fear, and Anger

40:58 What to do with despair

46:10 Anger

The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

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Learn more about NEME's work: neme.network

This powerful next conversation in our Virtual Immersion series is with Mahmoud Subuh, a Palestinian Muslim Peacemaker waging peace in the midst of the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank, currently under complete siege. Mahmoud shares openly about the immense challenges of both raising his own kids as well as working with Palestinian youth amidst the heightened tensions and trauma caused by living in one of the most densely populated and heavily fortified refugee camps. He discusses his efforts to guide them toward healing, advocating for reconciliation over revenge. This conversation grapples candidly with the question: Is it possible to cultivate the next generation of peacemakers in an environment overshadowed by violence?

The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

Support our work at globalimmerse.org/donate

Jer and Osheta discuss the table as a vital tool in mending divides. Osheta sets the stage with a poignant tale of gumbo-making that fostered connection, empathy, and a sense of belonging to one another. The duo unpacks practical strategies, emphasizing the essence of simplicity in hosting, the significance of thoughtful recipe choices, and the role of pacing for restorative conversations. They extend an invitation for listeners to participate in Maundy Thursday by hosting an intentional meal and proposing a meaningful red beans and rice recipe out of solidarity with our global kin.

03:34 Osheta’s Story

10:18 Maundy Thursday

11:33 Jer Responds

14:27 The Pace at the table

20:45 Recipes

22:59 Red beans and rice

24:58 Jer’s comfort food

28:38 Sending guests out into the world

34:39 Closing

Osheta's Red Beans and Rice Recipe: https://bit.ly/oshetasredbeansandrice

Listen to the first episode about the power of the table in everyday peacemaking: globalimmerse.org/blog/powerofthetable/

Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage: globalimmerse.org/blog/gazaceasefirepilgrimages/

CCDA Holy Week Devotional: bit.ly/CCDAGIholyweekdevotional

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

Support our work: globalimmerse.org/donateTurning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliancewww.thebrilliancemusic.com

Theologian and peacemaker Alejandra Ortiz joins Osheta and Jer for a profound discussion on the practice of lament as central to our formation as Everyday Peacemakers. They explore how lament gives space to grieve the brokenness of the world. Alejandra shares a rich theological perspective illustrated with stories from her personal practice of lament. The conversation illuminates how lament fosters honesty before God, cultivates hope, and deepens our participation in community. The trio delves into lament’s biblical roots, its significance in personal and communal healing, and practical ways to integrate it into everyday life, even amid challenges like maintaining mental health.

Ultimately, this episode encourages you to embrace lament as a transformational practice that brings you closer to God, deepens your compassion, and equips you for the realities of Everyday Peacemaking. This episode was recorded live on March 6.

05:54 Define Lament

07:43 How to cultivate space for lament

11:53 Lament as a community practice

16:03 Ideas for practices

20:07 Not a quick fix, but a way to sit in the pain

23:21 Lament and mental health

27:11 Having someone walk with you through lament

30:52 How to start

31:31 If you’re exhausted

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

Support our work: globalimmerse.org/donateTurning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliancewww.thebrilliancemusic.com