Joy is not just a fleeting emotion but a deep, sustaining force that connects us through authenticity and community. 

This week, host Rev. Lisa Greenwood and co-host Rev. Kathi McShane are joined by Rev. Tyler Sit, a pastor, community organizer, and social entrepreneur, and Rev. Rich Havard, Senior Program Officer for Wayfarer Foundation, to explore the transformative power of joy in faith and community. They discuss the distinction between happiness and joy, the impact of authentic friendships, and how joy acts as resistance against despair and injustice. 

Listen as Lisa, Kathi, Tyler, and Rich share how joy can exist amid suffering and how leaders can cultivate this defiant joy in their community.

Guests

Rev. Tyler Sit is a pastor, community organizer, and social entrepreneur. Tyler is the Founder of New City Church and Co-Founder of Intersect Planting Network. New City Church reflects the vision from Revelation of a new city where all tribes are welcomed, there is no violence, and the earth is renewed. Tyler’s congregation, led by BIPOC leaders, is realizing this vision by focusing on centering marginalized voices, community organizing, and eco-justice. He is a 2023 Locke Innovative Leader.

Rev. Rich Havard is a Senior Program Officer for Wayfarer Foundation, a Bahá’í-inspired grant-making organization that partners with spiritually rooted and justice-oriented nonprofits to co-create peace and unity in the world. Prior to Wayfarer, Rich spent 6 years starting and leading the Inclusive Collective, a diverse spiritual community for college-aged young adults in Chicago. 

 Quotes

• “Part of the reason why communities of faith are so powerful, part of the reason why spiritual friendships are so powerful is that it gives co-journeyers who invite you to joy and remind you of the discipline of joyous. If we just base our happiness off of whether or not there's good news in the world, whether or not when you open up your favorite news page, it's good headlines or not, you're going to be increasingly less joyful." -Rev. Tyler Sit [15:38]

• “American culture, writ large, seems to be a little tired of the overwhelming negativity and wanting to choose joy instead. I'm excited about that because I think we're often not rewarded for moments. It can be sort of seen as superfluous or not necessary. What does it look like when we start to not just play the individual sort of blame game, but create the condition culturally, where joy is not something seen as an additive, but as seen as central to the human experience? That's what I want.” -Rev. Rich Havard [36:59]

Episode Highlights  

• Joy and Authenticity: Joy arises from welcoming all emotions and navigating through difficult ones, finding resurrection on the other side.
• Friendship and Joy: Deep, authentic friendships like those between Tyler and Rich cultivate joy by creating spaces where people feel seen and heard.
• Joy in Social Justice: Joy functions as a form of rebellion and a necessary counterbalance to the inherent challenges in social justice work.
• Cultivating Joy: Joy can be cultivated through practices like the welcoming prayer, staying present to emotions, and creating conditions for joy in communities.
• Joy as an Act of Faith: Embracing joy, especially amidst crises and injustice, is seen as a spiritual practice and an act of faith.

Timestamps

(00:00) Exploring Joy and Future Church Themes with Rev. Tyler Sit and Rev. Rich Havard

(02:39) Cultivating Joy and Friendship Through Authenticity and Intentionality

(08:09) The Deep Joy Found in Lifelong Friendships

(15:24) Choosing Joy as an Act of Faith and Rebellion

(26:02) The Spiritual Discipline and Gift of Joy

(32:23) Navigating Anxiety and Scarcity in Church Leadership

(35:06) The Importance of Joy in Activism and Social Justice

(41:57) Finding Joy and Defiance in Unexpected Places

(50:19) A Deep and Moving Conversation About Real Joy in Life

Links

Visit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.

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