Hope isn’t just for Easter Sunday—it’s a rhythm we’re invited to live into every day. But in times like these, how do we hold onto hope—and bring it to our congregations and communities?

In the first episode of our new season of Transforming Engagement: the Podcast, host Rev. Dr. Seth Thomas sits down with Dr. Mark Lloyd Taylor, author of So Fill Our Imaginations: The Work and Play of a Year in Preaching, to explore what it truly means to preach hope.

Together, they explore the paradox of hope: while we may not always see it, we are called to be it. Dr. Taylor connects this to the Episcopal baptismal covenant, emphasizing commitments to justice, service, and stewardship. A recent addition to the covenant—caring for God’s creation—highlights the importance of concrete action in our faith.

Dr. Taylor shares how the Godly Play early childhood education method can inspire a more interactive and imaginative approach to preaching. He offers practical ways to invite your congregation into the process—not just through words, but through visuals and the physical space around you.

Whether you preach from the pulpit or live your faith in everyday moments, this conversation will inspire you to cultivate attentiveness, deepen your engagement, and bring hope to the communities you serve.

About This Season, “Reimagining Preaching”:

This season, we’re exploring how the church can proclaim the good news in our time by reimagining preaching. Host Seth Thomas is joined by experts in the preaching craft—leaders who think deeply and dream boldly about how we can bring a liberated witness to the pulpit and the world.

Listener Resources:

• Each episode of this season, our guest spotlights an organization making a positive impact, In this episode, Dr. Taylor shares the work of St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church, which houses the Neighborhood House, an early learning center, in Burien, Washington.

• Check out Dr. Mark Lloyd Taylor’s book, So Fill Our Imaginations: The Work and Play of a Year of Preaching (Wipf & Stock, 2022), available here.

• Don’t miss an episode: Subscribe to Transforming Engagement: the Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Music (Audible).

Continue the Conversation at the Reimagining Preaching Conference: May 3, 2025

Join the Center for Transforming Engagement in Shoreline, Washington, for this skills-based conference equipping clergy, church staff, and lay preachers to bring the Word to life in Cascadia. Learn more and register at: https://transformingengagement.org/preaching-conference/.