Welcome to our last installment of this season’s Needed Time as we’ve taken up the theme of gratitude. Some remarkable guests have joined us along the way, and this week is no exception, as we welcome friends Jonathan and Allison Alexander and hear their inspiring parenting story. We’ll once again be favored by the NTHB, the music of our new friend, bluesman Oliver Wood, along with a brand new poem from one of our favorite poets. Thanks for coming along! 

Join us as we enter the home stretch of this season of Needed Time and our focus on gratitude.  We’re joined by friends Tad and Maggie Weiss as they recount the miraculous story of Maggie surviving being hit by a bus while on a college term abroad in Spain.  The story of her amazing recovery and subsequent athletic achievements is astonishing, beautifully told in her dad Tad’s recently published book, “25 Meters to God.”  We’ll also feature music of the ever beloved “Needed Time House Band” and several poems of the season. 

Thanks for joining us for another helping of our podcast “Needed Time” as we continue to explore the theme of gratitude.  This week we’re joined by Ethan Neal, the Director of Food Systems for the Pillsbury United Communities in Minneapolis.  Through food shelves, community meal programs, outdoor and hydroponic farms, Ethan is dedicated to providing individuals and families with much needed choice and access to healthy food, supporting PUC’s goal of developing a system nurtured by and for the community. We know you’ll find our conversation with Ethan every bit as inspiring as we did! In addition, we’re featuring the music of our friend Charlotte DeVries and the NT House Band along with Rob and Will’s informative breakdown of November celebrations you might consider.  

Thanks for joining us for this fourth episode of our third season of Needed Time! Today we’re joined by our friend Adaobi Nduka, who serves as the Community Impact Pastor at the Mill City Church in Northeast Minneapolis.  We know you’ll love hearing Adaobi’s infectious enthusiasm for connecting the church with human needs, and all the ways her gratitude sustains her.  We’re also grateful to bring you the amazing music of our friends—the irrepressible bluesman Tom Hunter and the gorgeous harmonies of singer songwriters Neal and Leandra.  Oh, and since you asked (you did, didn’t you?), you can help support this effort by following this link and sharing a little scratch that will help us immensely (https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-needed-time-to-reflect-on-gratitude?qid=2918cd33f8ac5c21e70c6ff4868f2c1c)

Join us as we welcome local community activist and justice advocate Mar Valdecantos as she shares something of her journey in seeking to make possible affordable housing in her city and beyond. We’ll also welcome a musical offering from the Needed Time House Band as well as the artistry of Nashville based singer songwriter Casey Wasner. As always, our hosts Will Healy and Rob Ryden will entertain (mostly themselves, actually) with their weekly banter about this that and the other thing.

Welcome to our third season of Needed Time, coming to you a bit earlier than expected because, well, we just couldn’t help ourselves!  We’re glad you’re here as we kick off our Fall theme of “Gratitude,” in anticipation of the National Day of Thanksgiving arriving just a bit down the road. As always, we’re thrilled to make welcome a variety of amazing guests, stellar music (including that of the Needed Time House Band), a dash of poetry and the compelling banter of your hosts, Will Healy and Rob Ryden. So welcome aboard!

As we wrap up this season of Needed Time, we’re going out with a bang! Our guests are Tony and Gordette Oliva, sharing with us their remarkable journey from Cuba and Hitchcock, South Dakota (population: 112) all the way to Cooperstown and baseball’s Hall of Fame. We’ll also be featuring the amazing Cuban jazz of our friends Doug Little and Nachito Herrera along with the fiddle wizardry of Michael Hildebrandt. Pleased to have you join us on this Easer Sunday! And thanks for helping to make this, our second season, so much fun.

This week our Needed Time podcast welcomes guests Jason Decker professor of philosophy and Jason Ripley professor of religion. Both Jasons and both professors, they share their unique journeys in life and academia. This episode also includes two new offerings of favorite classics from the Needed time House band featuring music stylings of Grace Ryden,  Patrick Nelson and Kenny Wilson.  This episode explores new territory with old friends of our Needed Time hosts as we near the end of this years lenten journey.

This week our Needed Time podcast welcomes guest Billy Steele, member of the incomparable gospel group, The Steeles. The youngest of his siblings, Billy, also performs, writes, and produces for the Sounds of Blackness, where he serves as Assistant Director and with whom he is the co-recipient of three Grammy awards. We’re thrilled to have Billy share his remarkable journey with us, along with another offering from our Needed Time House Band… 

Needed Time, week 5, features a far-ranging discussion with singer/songwriter Alison Rae Ogren. After years of the music deal in Nashville, Alison has returned to Minnesota and is engaged in a little bit of everything up in her corner of the world. Alison shares on beauty, friendship, deep stuff of heart and mind, and provides the perfect encouragement to consider just what it is that makes us tick and brings us happiness. In addition, we are treated to a couple of Alison's originals that highlight the stark beauty of her writing and the ethereal magic of her singing. A full run of the (now nearly legendary) Needed Time theme song rounds out the musical choices for the day. Come along with us, we both know it's a Needed Time...

Needed Time (Lightnin' Hopkins, 1952)

Craig Wasner: Guitar
Rob Ryden: Vocals, percussion, bass

Lullaby 

Alison Rae Ogren, 2007

Home 

Alison Rae Ogren, 2013